During the annual Grand Home Visitation, staff pastors systematically visit all 700,000 members in their homes or businesses in a three-month period.[1] A typical staff pastor works with up to fifteen section leaders, one hundred cell group leaders and two thousand church members.[2] The typical staff pastor is a married woman between the ages of thirty-five and forty-four, has children, has been a Christian for sixteen to twenty years and has attended the church between ten and fourteen years.[3] Yoido does not rapidly bring laity into leadership or on staff. The 700,000 members of Yoido Church receive significantly more direct pastoral visitation than members of small American churches in the parish system, and far more visitation from laity who are neighbors. These carefully nurtured relationships bring people into cells and from cells into the church.
QUOTE [1]
NOTE
DISCERNMENT QUESTIONS
RESOURCES
[1] The quote is a selection from David O. Kueker’s Fuller Seminary Doctor of Ministry project submitted in September, 2007, entitled Diagnosis, Dialogue, and Decision: A Threefold Process of Revitalization For the Illinois Great Rivers Conference.
It is shared here in recognition of its 12th Anniversary along with comments to update and provide perspective on the material. The original project was a Training Manual/Study Guide of three Seminars supported by three chapters of research and an Introduction. The material is available for download at www.disciplewalk.com/Resources.html. In 2009 it was provided for purchase as a softcover book entitled Designing Discipleship Systems: Christian Disciple Making For Any Size Church, Any Theology through CreateSpace.com.
[2][3] [4][5] [6][7] [8]
All Scripture quotations are from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1946, 1952, and 1971 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Please review the page How and Why We Use Quotes.
[1]A typical staff pastor will visit three hundred homes during the Grand Home Visitation, averaging ten homes per day. Hurston, Growing the World’s Largest Church, 117, 219.
[2]Hurston, Growing the World’s Largest Church, 219-220.
[3]Ibid., 219. For more information on the decision to use women in ministry, see Hurston, Growing the World’s Largest Church, 83-88.