Big change NEEDED for Peerless Rd. Church

[Jennifer Smith]

I like that too, Pastor Gary.

When you are a young minister, old churches often reject your innovative, daring, and (to them) risky ideas... The very ideas that may be the stuff of greatness for your church. We were just talking to our new pastor last night, (we finally found a church), he is a little younger than us and has been in ministry for a while.. he said when he was a younger pastor he had the idea to put on a fireworks show in the small town they lived in as an outreach... there were no fireworks shows nearby, there was an empty field they could have used, and it would have cost them $5000 but it would've been a great outreach! But, the church didn't go for it.

At our first church Sam had the idea to have a talented artist we knew paint an attractive graffiti wall on the outside of our metal church building, the idea being it was a drab building and this might attract college students nearby. Did they go for it? Well, what do you think?

I agree that Peerless doesn't need a young pastor just so they can chew him up and then spit him out. But I'm sure God will send the right person for the job.

[Billy n NC]

wwc wrote:
We have some very educated, talented, and annointed young ministers sitting in smaller churches/congregations that should be used.

I agree with what Pastor Gary replied on this subject with.

Why are they sitting in smaller churches. Catch a Vision.
I read several magazines about churches. time after time I read where a young minister with a vision starts out with a small in home bible study and it grows to a huge church in short time. Its the vision.

If any young minister wants to pastor a church all he has to do his

#1 Have a host church. Someone who can vouch for him.
#2 Contact the State oveseers.

There may be some other hoops but somewhere you.

You Just Gotta Step Out of the Boat....

I suspect that at any given time there are many vancancies. It may very well be a small church but more than likely they are in need of a vision.

[PastorDaniel]

The COGOP has more opportunities than a lot of churches...ministers just have to be willing to work hard, serve God, and love people!!

I've been in other churches....I know what it's like....and I am both very happy and blessed to be pastoring in the COGOP!!

I see the problem as something inherant to our generation...they want it their way and they want it now!! Many are not willing to "pay their dues" they want the biggest, best paying church available...what they don't realize is that building up a work is much more rewarding, the people are more loyal, and you stand a greater chance of surviving the struggle!!

[one love]

Ok I am confused..is peerless losing people? Are they not growing? Are their services dead (so to speak)?

I mean people here are saying the services are good and they have around 700 people (if I understood correctly) and growing..why would they need to change anything?


I agree with PG and I also think Dr Ron is right. Why not just have them support other small churches and keep on as is? I guess I am wanting to know what is it about peerless that needs this desperate change?


How many attend keith street? Have they ever considered merging the churches? It is wild that there are so many churches in Cleveland with it being such a small town.

When I was at BTI 7 years ago in Cleveland I was talking to this guy at dennys (after a wonderful revival broke out, while we were there) and he was telling me that the COG, COGOP, etc. are famous to everyone. He was basically saying that whether people like them or not that they all know about it and all the assemblies in the past/marches etc...

[free]

The population for Bradley County is about 38,000 people...With all of our churches in that area they probaly run (if combined) less than 1,500 people if that many is my guess.

[germanshepherd]

Peerless has reached a point where it needs to grow slowly and dedicate it's finance and resources to planting a church somewhere else.

Well, Peerless has planted a Spanish Church and supports it on a monthly basis both financial and with training of future leaders. There are plans to help plant more churches in the future, or at least that was the vision until the pastoral change. One would hope that we (yes, I am a member there) would continue to follow that vision (from a church planter's perspective). Who knows, maybe they will send me back to Germany to plant another church. Let it be Lord Jesus.

[DaJudge]

Peerless has reached a point where it needs to grow slowly and dedicate it's finance and resources to planting a church somewhere else.

Well, Peerless has planted a Spanish Church and supports it on a monthly basis both financial and with training of future leaders. There are plans to help plant more churches in the future, or at least that was the vision until the pastoral change. One would hope that we (yes, I am a member there) would continue to follow that vision (from a church planter's perspective). Who knows, maybe they will send me back to Germany to plant another church. Let it be Lord Jesus.

If I'm not mistaken they also support a few smaller American churches. It is a great church. They have and A1 operation there. Not saying there couldn't be positive change, but they are a really good church.

[Dr. Ron]

The next best thing they could do would be multiple services...(if they don't have that already). That is the first and most effective way of growing a church.

No church that expects to have real growth can do that without multiple services......and not just after one service is full.

I am getting ready to start my 3rd service. Not sure if it will be Sat. night or anothe Sunday morning, but we will start soon.

The reason is .......better use of facilities, more opportunities for involvment by the people, more options for the visitors, fewer excuses for members .....3 service times......hello!

As for Peerless, I don't know their full situation, but I doubt too much change will happen there.....and may not need to be. Not my gig. Progress is not always meaured by change but by consistancy. It is the main thing. Being consistant will ensure progress. Change will ensure .....Obama! Had to do that!!!

Btw, there have been some who have been sent from Peerless to be overseers that did not remain in those poisitions. So, once again, it is not that pastors are always the best for that job.

[DeWayneTN]

Right on. I do think multiple services are the way to go. Saturday nights might be the way to go, but then the folks would have to repent before they go out honkey-tonkin'.

[Dr. Ron]

True story.....not completely related to thread, but to the response by one love....

My wife and I were in Jamaca a few years ago on a tour bus. We were sitting beside a nice couple and of course I asked them where they were from. They said we live in a little town outside of Chattanooga. I said we had lived near there in Cleveland. The guy said , "well, that is interesting, That is where we live".

I asked if he was familiar with COGOP. He said "yeah. it used to be pretty big and then the owner died and they moved away and tore down that big old eyesore building on Keith St."

I about died laughing.....When I told him we had been affliated with them, he just went white.............


What were the odds.

[Kenya]

Peerless has reached a point where it needs to grow slowly and dedicate it's finance and resources to planting a church somewhere else.

Well, Peerless has planted a Spanish Church and supports it on a monthly basis both financial and with training of future leaders. There are plans to help plant more churches in the future, or at least that was the vision until the pastoral change. One would hope that we (yes, I am a member there) would continue to follow that vision (from a church planter's perspective). Who knows, maybe they will send me back to Germany to plant another church. Let it be Lord Jesus.

Toddles!!! I love the avatar!!!

[germanshepherd]

That picture was taken on our recent Mission trip to Germany. I have a newsletter posted, if you have not seen it yet. (Click here for newsletter.). Thanks.

[oletimer]

PG, you are right about the preachers no matter what age they are. If you want to preach and if God has called you to preach then you need to be preaching, don't wait for the pastor to give you a night to preach. Do home prayer meetings. These can help the local church or be the bases for a new field chruch. These are also great out reach programs.

If they are sit down preacher at a local church then most likly will be sit down preachers as pastors. Shakers and movers are just that, shakers and movers and they will do it no matter where they are and what job they have.

The question has been asked why doesn't Peerless and Keith St merge. Chruches has different personality and so does these two chruches. I lived in Cleveland for three years and attented Keith and visited Peerless and finely ended up going to South Gate. Wasn't any thing wrong at either chruch, but able to fit in better at South Gate. Funny thing I wasn't mad at any one for making the change. But I was able to work and have an out reach.

So my thoughts are that if your chruch isn't moving then why and what are you doing to hold it back? Some thoughts to think on.