Reciprocal Church

The Reciprocal Church

Reversing the Decline of the Presbyterian Church:
Addressing the Cause, Practicing the Remedy

July 1, 2009

Kevin Yoho, DMin

General Presbyter, Newark Presbytery

Synod of the Northeast

Presbyterian Church (USA)

For more information about the Reciprocal Church, please contact the author, Dr. Kevin Yoho kevin@newarkpresbytery.org .

To Grow the Church Deep and Wide


Our Communities are
Social Networks

Social networks offer
value and deﬁne the
qualitative interaction
of any community.


Social Networks Rooted
in Reciprocity


in Reciprocity
The collective value of
people in social networks
and the beneﬁts from
these networks inﬂuence
reciprocal behaviors to
do things for each other.


in Reciprocity
The collective value of
people in social networks
and the beneﬁts from
these networks inﬂuence
reciprocal behaviors to
do things for each other.

This value is called Social
Capital.


Reciprocity and Social Capital

Social Network



You!
Me Social Network

It’s not about ME. It’s all about YOU!

Reciprocity in Scripture



Numbers 35.34

“Donʼt desecrate the land in which you live. I live here too
—I, GOD, live in the same neighborhood with the People
of Israel.”



Isaiah 49.6

He says, “But thatʼs not a big enough job for my
servant—

just to recover the tribes of Jacob,

merely to round up the strays of Israel.

Iʼm setting you up as a light for the nations

so that my salvation becomes global!”



Jeremiah 29.7

“Make yourselves at home there and work for the
countryʼs welfare.
“Pray for Babylonʼs well-being. If things go well for
Babylon, things will go well for you.”



Luke 6:31

Do to others as you would have them do to you.



Romans 15.26-27

The Greeks—all the way from the Macedonians in the
north to the Achaians in the south—decided they wanted
to take up a collection for the poor among the believers in
Jerusalem. They were happy to do this, but it was also
their duty. Seeing that they got in on all the spiritual gifts
that ﬂowed out of the Jerusalem community so
generously, it is only right that they do what they can to
relieve their poverty.



1Corinthians 9.9-11

Moses wrote, “Donʼt muzzle an ox to keep it from eating
the grain when itʼs threshing.” Do you think Mosesʼ
primary concern was the care of farm animals? Donʼt you
think his concern extends to us? Of course. Farmers plow
and thresh expecting something when the crop comes in.
So if we have planted spiritual seed among you, is it out
of line to expect a meal or two from you?



Galatians 6.6

Be very sure now, you who have been trained to a self-
sufﬁcient maturity, that you enter into a generous common
life with those who have trained you, sharing all the good
things that you have and experience.



Galatians 6.7-8

Donʼt be misled: No one makes a fool of God. What a
person plants, he will harvest. The person who plants
selﬁshness, ignoring the needs of others—ignoring God!
— harvests a crop of weeds. All heʼll have to show for his
life is weeds! But the one who plants in response to God,
letting Godʼs Spirit do the growth work in him, harvests a
crop of real life, eternal life.



Galatians 6.9

So letʼs not allow ourselves to get fatigued doing good. At
the right time we will harvest a good crop if we donʼt give
up, or quit.


Reciprocity Fuels Mission



Church!
Community!
Social Network

It’s not about Church; it’s the Community!
For God so loved the … WORLD, that God gave…

Thought


Thought
Evangelism is a
process of
introducing
people to a social/
spiritual
networking
experience with
Jesus Christ


Thought
Evangelism is a Social or Spiritual
process of Capital describes
introducing the ﬂow of
people to a social/ beneﬁts outward
spiritual in the continuum
networking of life-experience
experience with
Jesus Christ


Thought
Evangelism is a Social or Spiritual
process of Capital describes
introducing the ﬂow of
people to a social/ beneﬁts outward
spiritual in the continuum
networking of life-experience
experience with
Jesus Christ Spiritual,
Emotional,
Physical, etc.

Consider this conversation…


Consider this conversation…

A
Government
support?
No.
Of course not.

A
Property
Taxes?
No.
Not at all.


Fact: In Newark Presbytery Alone


Fact: In Newark Presbytery Alone

The equivalent exemption in property taxes for the
presbytery’s forty-one congregational sites exceeds…

$2,000,000

Per Year !

Missional Reciprocity Opportunity



Decades ago, it was clear that any
church in the community added value
to the community that could be
measured as social capital. Tax
exemption can only be understood in
light of the principle of reciprocity.


It is a fair question to ask our
congregations, “In what ways does
the community receive a reciprocal
value in services equal to the “gift”
of property tax relief from the
municipalities?”
This is the opportunity!

Most congregations return
something to the community. The
missional challenge is to invite
every congregation to be
accountable in their ministry and
mission to give, in a reciprocal way,
to their own community.

Where Did The
Social Capital Go?


Where Did The
Social Capital Go?
The research of Dr. Robert Putnam, Harvard
University, helps us quantify forty years of social
capital in North America in his two best sellers,
Bowling Alone (2001) and Better Together (2004).


Where Did The
Social Capital Go?

One indicator of volunteerism’s effectiveness is to
measure group membership.


Where Did The
Social Capital Go?

One indicator of volunteerism’s effectiveness is to
measure group membership.

Groups include all voluntary associations such as
the PTA, AMA, synagogues, mosques, recreation
clubs, political parties, bowling leagues, etc., and
the church with all its tribes and varieties.

The Data


The Data
Drawing on vast data from the Roper Social and Political Trends
and the DDB Needham Life Style, we learn about Americans'
changing behavior over the past thirty years.


The Data

We have become increasingly disconnected from
family, friends, neighbors, and social structures,
whether the PTA, church, recreation clubs, political
parties, or bowling leagues.


The Data


Our shrinking access to the "social capital" reward of
communal activity and community sharing is a
serious threat to our civic and personal health.


The Data


Our shrinking access to the "social capital" reward of
communal activity and community sharing is a
serious threat to our civic and personal health.

Congregations are part of this trend of decline shared
with all other groups.


Group Numbers
Total Number of Groups
Total Membership in Groups

Groups
include all
voluntary
associations
such as the
PTA, AMA,
synagogues,
churches,
recreation
clubs,
political
parties, and
bowling
leagues, etc.
(Illustrates
comparative data)


Group Numbers
Total Number of Groups
Total Membership in Groups

Groups
include all
voluntary
associations
such as the
PTA, AMA,
synagogues,
churches,
recreation
clubs,
political
parties, and
bowling
leagues, etc.
(Illustrates
comparative data) 1968 2004


North Americans Do Not Perceive
Value of Participating in Groups


North Americans Do Not Perceive
Value of Participating in Groups
Stressors exist for all
volunteer associations,
including churches:

More Groups

Fewer Members


Group Trends
Presbyterian Church (USA) Membership (millions)
All Other Groups Membership (millions)


Group Trends

5

4

3

2

1

1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2003 2006 2007


Group Trends

5

4

3

2

1
Presbyterian Church
Membership
1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2003 2006 2007


Group Trends

100 Years Group Membership
5

4

3
Aggregate Group
Membership
2

1
Presbyterian Church
Membership
1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2003 2006 2007


Group Trends

100 Years Group Membership
5

4

3

2

1

US Population
0
1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2003 2006 2007


Framework for Missional
Effectiveness


Effectiveness
The membership decline of volunteer associations
(such as the church) correlates to their reduced
community involvement, caused by a withdrawal
of social capital.


Effectiveness
The membership decline of volunteer associations
(such as the church) correlates to their reduced
community involvement, caused by a withdrawal
of social capital.

In order for congregations to grow deep and wide,
they must increase their involvement in their
community by re-investing their social capital
(spiritual, emotional, physical, ﬁnancial, etc.)


Diminish or Build Church Capacity?


Diminish or Build Church Capacity?
Context of Reason for Remedy for Behaviors to
Frame
Decline Decline Decline Increase
Use Same Skills,
Death Invite People Work Harder
Capacity- Denominational
Transfer into Church Continued
Diminishing Organizational
Role Removal Evangelism Congregational
Frame Theological Self-Absorption
Drifted Away Merge/Dissolve

Church Focus Acquire New
Invite Church
Competencies,
Self-Absorbed into Community
Capacity- Sociological Work Smarter
Community Volunteerism
Building Ecological Be Empowered
Disconnect Focus on Unique and Sent by
Frame Spiritual
Withdrawn Congregational God’s Spirit
Social Capital Vision & Mission
Love Community


Put Reciprocity Back Into Mission


We can help lead the volunteer resurgence in
North America as we did 100 years ago being
spiritually empowered as authentic witnesses God
sends into world. How? Here are some ideas...



Invest social capital back into the community,
reciprocating what community gives to church




Focus congregation’s unique vision & mission





Acquire new leader competencies for healthy
and effective ministries





Acquire new leader competencies for healthy
and effective ministries

Engage in civic conversation and presence

Transforming Trends Into
Missional Opportunities


The true challenge is not simply inviting the
community to go to church, but challenging the
congregation to go into the community.



Let’s get the inside of our congregations to go
outside (Jn 1:14) with the Good News of Jesus
Christ in authentic expressions of God’s love.



Let’s get the inside of our congregations to go
outside (Jn 1:14) with the Good News of Jesus
Christ in authentic expressions of God’s love.

Reverse Decline, Become a Reciprocal Church!


Reciprocal Church

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