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BY MELISSA LAUBER
UMCONNECTION STAFF

Astounding ideas, coupled with powerful prayers and people working in community, have the power to transform. At least that?s the thinking behind the Academy, an elite training program of the Baltimore-Washington Conference.

'Like iron reshapes iron,' the Academy draws church leaders together to be exposed to, and clash against, new ideas and each other to prompt growth and discipleship, said the Rev. Rodney Smothers.

It?s not always comfortable. But it is thought-provoking, challenging and designed to stir people into new ways of thinking about leadership, vision, spirituality and church, concluded Smothers, an associate council director for congregational development.

Traditionally the 30 lay and clergy members of the Academy hear from nationally known speakers as they gather each month over a three-year period. On March 4, for example, Rudy and Juanita Ramsus of Houston will speak on casting a vision and how they grew a church from eight to 8,000 members in fewer than 12 years.

However, on Feb. 11, the Academy took the time to realize the expertise among its own ranks and called on pastors within the Baltimore-Washington Conference to speak.

The Rev. Dred Scott, of St. Matthew?s UMC in Turner?s Station, encouraged pastors to make use of technology and the demographic Focal Point program available for a fee through the Board of Congregational Life.

Among the 340,000 mainline churches in the United States today, Scott said, 75 percent are showing no growth; 24 percent grew as a result of people 'church hopping and shopping' and 1 percent grew as a result of confessions of faith.

'We are serving as chaplains over a dying church. It?s failing and people are still smiling,' Scott said. 'We?re not doing church, we?re doing club.'

To help people understand the community and trends around them, Scott recommended Focal Point as a tool that provides demographic information, direct mail resources and media gbwc_superuserelines.

Additional information on Focal Point can be found at www.missionalmarketing.com.

Marketing was also a component of the Rev. Carletta Allen?s presentation. The pastor of Locust UMC in Columbia, who has an expertise in this field, demonstrated how Bible study can be used to transform a target market or audience and clinch a sale or desired outcome.

'God?s word is transformative,' Allen said. 'We know this.' Using Erik Law?s Community Bible Study process, she has changed the culture of her church. (See below.)

Meetings are shorter and less disagreeable, Allen reported 'It?s a Godsend and I mean that literally.'

In the afternoon during the Feb. 11 Academy session, the Rev. Hal Atkins of Overlea Chapel in Baltimore gave a presentation on the importance of spiritual renewal and formation, and the Rev. Valerie Barnes of Sharp Street UMC in Chase spoke about laying new foundations in churches that are already firmly established in their ways.

The Rev. Herbert Watson, pastor of St. Mark?s UMC in Hanover and dean of the Academy, was pleased with the day.

There are two more sessions, he reported, then before next fall the Academy will be transformed into a new configuration to meet the needs of congregations moving forward in the Discipleship Adventure.

While things are still in the early planning stages, Watson and Smothers envision a new Academy that is regionally based that draws together the best of what they?ve created with Leadership Days, another conference training event.

Currently the new Academy plans will provide training for laity, who will be encouraged to invite their pastors.

'We?re designing a premier academy where people can go to get the tools to make disciples for Jesus Christ,' Smothers said. 'It will enlarge our vision of the possibilities.'

Community Bible Study

• Inform participants that the selected Bible passage will be read three times.
• As they begin to listen, invite participants to capture a word, phrase or image that stood out from the passage for them.
•  Invite someone to read the Bible passage.
•  Pause for a moment of brief reflection, then allow each person to invite one another to briefly share their words, phrases or images.
•  Consider the question the facilitator prepared ahead of time and written for the group to see.
•  Invite someone to read the passage again.
•  Pause for a moment of reflection, then invite people to share their reflections.
•  Consider the question 'What does God invite you to do, be or change through this passage?' 
• Invite someone to read the passage a third time.
•  Invite people to share their reflections.
•  End the session with a mutual prayer circle. Invite each person to mentally complete the sentences: 'I thank God today ? I ask God today. ?' Close with the Lord?s Prayer.