CRM - Empowering Leaders

Testimonies

Assembles of God

Christian Missionary Alliance

Christian Reformed Church

Church of God

Evangelical Free

Lutheran, Missouri Synod

Mennonite Brethren

Open Bible

Presbyterian (USA)

February 1, 2006

I want to say that this experience with Church Resource Ministries these past 6 months have been challenging, but fruitful. Our church has just finished our "Focused Living Retreat," and those who attended were truly blessed to have renewed direction and purpose for their lives.

The investment of time and money have been well worth it as we seek to be moving forward in the same direction as a church. I know that all who have participated in this ministry are excited for the next phase of together discovering God's direction for our church.

I believe that this will be a worthwhile adventure for your church, and worth the time and money that is required. I encourage you to let your pastors and your church be a part of this process.

-Rev. Christopher L.
 

February 1, 2006

I remember the day very well.  Convinced that God wanted our church to be faithful to the call to be witnesses for Christ in our community and to be deliberate about reaching out beyond ourselves, I was in a state of turmoil (more like near panic).  The question on my mind and at the center of my prayers was “how can I effectively lead the congregation in order for us to become a “missional” church?”   Were my leadership abilities up to the task of leading this church?

After praying specifically about this my phone rang.  Kirk Kirlin of Church Resource Ministries introduced himself, having been referred to me by a mutual friend.  As we talked he said, “My job is to help pastors lead missional churches.”  These were the very words I had just prayed – “how can I lead a missional church.”  I was intrigued to learn more about the refocus process particularly about how it would better equip me to lead and how it would help our congregation gain clarity about our vision.  Kirk asked me whether I knew others who would benefit from the process and I introduced him to several Presbyterian pastors in our area.  As a result a group of six Presbyterian pastors and one Foursquare pastor was formed and we have worked together since August 2005.  All of our study and reflection, all of the content, and all of the activities of the reFocus process are consistent with Reformed theology and the ethos of the Presbyterian Church (USA).  

The reFocus process has been extremely beneficial for me.  Through it I have gained far greater clarity about my own unique call to lead, teach, and encourage our congregation.  My vision has been made much clearer.  God has brought about significant changes in me through the process.  Where I once shied away from the tough elements of pastoral leadership I have gained greater confidence and courage to press into those things.  Where I once felt inadequate and ill-prepared, God has developed new skills and passion.  The process has – as promised – equipped me to lead a missional church

This fall we will embark on a congregation reFocus effort in order to gain greater clarity about God’s unique call to our church and how we can honor Christ in our community.  I have been involved in the traditional “Mission Studies” using the format of our Presbytery.  I have also used the Natural Church Development surveys.  While these have value and are helpful, I am enthused about the “Summit” approach the reFocus process takes and am confident it will enable our church to gain a vision for the future that the other approaches do not facilitate.

-Reverend James W.

January 31, 2006
 
Simply put, the ReFocusing process has been a profound gift to me personally.  As the new pastor with a lot to prove, my work with you and the other pastors has given me the ability to take the attention off myself and place it where it belongs - on the development of strong leaders who can invite our congregation into greater faithfulness and effective mission.  The retreats have enabled me to discover my own sense of call with breathtaking clarity and purposefulness.  The monthly meetings have provided me with a context for developing interpersonal and leadership skills that I could not have gotten anywhere else.  And perhaps most importantly, the one-on-one coaching sessions have been a powerful tool to help me improve as an effective communicator to my congregation, a skilled facilitator to my Session, and a loving pastor to my people.
 
As we followers of Christ often say, "with God, there are no accidents." I know it's no accident that, at the moment when our church was struggling to discern how to move forward with need-oriented evangelism, you and I met about the ReFocusing process.  And it is certainly not an accident that, just when I was about to face my first leadership test as a solo pastor, our group meetings and coaching sessions had prepared me to hear the concerns raised by my Session and then apply the skills to change.
 
People who possess "serendipity" are able to discover treasure they weren't looking for.  By God's gracious provision, we are a serendipitous people: We weren't looking for the ReFocusing Process, but we thank God that we've found it!
 
-Rev. Morgan M.

Reformed Church of America

Seventh - day Adventist

Southern Baptist

January 23, 2008

To Those Considering reFocusing,

As a Senior Pastor I strongly commend the reFocusing process to you and your church.  Each of us would love to see our churches catch God’s vision of who it can be.  Corporate Renewal, the second phase of the reFocusing process, helps your church body do that, but it MUST be preceded by the Personal Renewal of Phase One.  How can we surrender the church back to Jesus if we haven’t first surrendered ourselves?  These are not just words; this process works.

ReFocusing is revealing.  Our discovery processes was amazing.  We were forced to consider our past, present, and our future.  We carefully weighed each within the well-thought framework of reFocusing. 

ReFocusing is humbling.  Our hearts were led to surrender ourselves back to God.  We were broken before the Lord, first as individuals and then as a church body.  We were humbled to see afresh God’s amazing love for us in spite of our waywardness.

ReFocusing is inspiring.  Our eyes were opened to a new vision.  We could dream God’s dream for us again once we were surrendered fully to him.  We shared the inspiration and accountability in NEXTsteps groups that made all the difference.

The guidance of David Zimmerman, a former Southern Baptist pastor, as a wise, able facilitator was inestimable in value.  Don’t consider Phase One without committing to Phase Two as well.

Our church is forever changed.

-Pastor Aaron Householder  

United Methodist   

Nov 4, 2008

Grace and peace. I just wanted to send you a short note to keep you informed of the status of the reFocusing effort here at Dinsmore United Methodist in Jacksonville, Florida.

A little background: Dinsmore UMC is a 95-year-old church that has been in decline since the early 1970’s. Although the church had heart, we spent many years chasing “ministry rabbits” with no results.   

In 2007, we began Phase One of the reFocusing program. It allowed us to get back to a proper biblical foundation, and helped us discover our personal callings and their responsibilities to the Kingdom. At the end of the first year and as a direct result of the reFocusing effort, Dinsmore UMC was in the top 10% of all UM churches in the Florida Conference, in professions of faith, reaching the unchurched and moving them into “active” membership. My congregation finds that there is once again joy in ministry and the excitement of expecting positive results that truly make a difference in our community.

In addition to the above mentioned, I have seen two other changes: One, there is a dramatic increase in participation by the members of the church in outreach efforts that the reFocusing program has revealed and secondly, there is a shift in the average age of the congregation.   
 
I look forward to working through the rest of Phase Two and like my congregation, I am excited about what God will reveal next.
 
Blessings,
Rev. Jeff McClendon
Dinsmore United Methodist
Jacksonville, Florida

       
Vineyard  

         
Wesleyan

       
Other

November 2006
 
My CRM Network Facilitator and the reFocusing Network has led me to a new level of understanding leadership and vision.  After 25 years in ministry, I recognized that my own personal vision and that of the church that I lead needed to be tailored to the gifts and passions that God had endowed me with. I had all too often simply tried to implement whatever seemed to be the current "success story." 
 
I now realize that my ministry is unique, and I am much more able to focus specifically upon the principles that I learned from reFocusing, without using a "cookie-cutter" approach.
 
I have been encouraged greatly by my relationship with my facilitator and my brothers in ministry who have been with me in this process.  I have grown significantly as a pastor and as a disciple of Jesus Christ through this experience.
 
-Pastor Mike S.

February 1, 2006

I wish to thank you once again for the tremendous blessing you and the Refocusing process of CRM have been to St. Peter’s-By-the-Sea and to me personally.

Over the past several months I have developed a much clearer sense of God’s call upon my life and ministry to and through the church.  You have helped me with the discovery and development of leadership skills that have made me a more effective and focused leader.  While I have been stretched and challenged, my experience with CRM far exceeds any other leadership training I have undertaken.

Our session shares my enthusiasm over the benefits our church is already realizing and is looking forward to the second phase of the process with great anticipation.  We are convinced that we will be far more effective and fruitful for the Kingdom of God as a result.

-Chris G.
 

January 31, 2006

To our significant benefit, thirty-five members of this church thus far and I have participated in a Focused Living retreat.  The retreat will be offered once or twice more at our church, with the intent that up to 90 of our people will be able to undergo this illuminating and inspiring experience.
   
I personally have gained a clearer sense of my own calling and greater confidence in pursuing it. The process has forced me to deal with issues within me that encumber my running faithfully the race set before me, guided me as to how I can move forward as a disciple of Jesus Christ, and provided me tools and support for making it happen.
 
After this weekend's retreat, every participant with whom I spoke talked about how they had heard from God (and how much fun they had in the process!)  Significantly, several of those who had participated in an earlier retreat and returned to serve as "table coaches" spoke of how they received even greater benefit going through the process a second time.
 
There seems to be widespread interest in meeting again to encourage one another to follow through on God's leading and take the next steps in aligning with God's will.
 
Our church will later be undergoing a parallel process by which the church as a body can look at its life together and gain a sharper vision of where God wants to take it from here.
 
I highly commend this process to you, and pray that God will guide you in your decision-making.

-Rob L.