Danny Rogers is the Lead Pastor Lead Pastor at New Song Church (www.newsongchurch.tv) in New Bern, NC.  He has led his church through My One Word and we are thrilled for him to share his experience.

 

Have you ever considered the sheer power of words? With mere words the God of the universe spoke creation into existence. At the beginning of time there was nothing, and then after a few simple words from God, “Let there be…”, the universe, the earth, and every living & breathing thing was formed. Words create and shape worlds.

 

Throughout 2012, the people of New Song Church discovered just how impactful words could be, when we were invited to join Port City Church on a journey called, “My One Word.” Immediately, our people were excited about the idea of trading their lists of typical New Year’s resolutions for a single word. They were hungry for something fresh that could liberate them from the guilt often caused by failed attempts at New Year’s Resolutions.

 

In January of 2012, we led our church through a 4-week journey of selecting their One Word. The results were life changing. My One Word had much more of a long-term impact upon individual lives than almost any other teaching series we had ever done up to that point. People shared their stories of triumph and change throughout the entire year. These stories became a normal part of conversation among our leadership, small groups, volunteers, and weekend attenders. Discussing the progress of their One Word became an integral part of spiritual formation among our people.

 

Also, our church selected a corporate Word to focus on for the entire year-“INVEST.” We challenged our congregation to INVEST more in their walk with God, INVEST more in their relationships with others, and INVEST more in mission. “INVEST” became a lens that we filtered all of our decisions through. Before we started a ministry, made a programmatic shift, or spent money, we first asked the question, “How does this help us ‘INVEST’”?

 

The result? More people began walking with God. More were enlisted in serving and small groups. More individuals were connected in mentoring relationships. Less money was spent on programming and more on leadership development & mission. And, for the first time in the history of our church, we were able to establish an operating contingency fund in the event of a fiscal emergency.

 

My One Word helped us align our priorities as a church.  It also helped us become more intentional in the way we did ministry, and far more strategic in the way we utilized people and resources. Our church has a new energy and momentum, and much of that can be attributed to a renewed focus and vision that came through the journey of My One Word.

 

Follow Danny Rogers on Twitter @dannyrogerstv or his blog www.dannyrogers.tv