The 50 Year Old Church Plant.
Asbury United Methodist Church in Tulsa has a mission to worship, grow, and influence. They want people to experience God in a corporate worship setting and then become influencers in their world. It began in 1962 as a Tulsa District church plant with a minister right out of seminary. He stayed there for 29 years and built a solid congregation focused on strong personal relationships that continue to define Asbury today.
How does an established 50 year old church plant keep things fresh?
Asbury has managed to balance the strength and steadfastness that comes from rich traditions and the flexibility that comes from fresh innovation. They’ve been able to reach new generations with the life changing message of Christ while sustaining their connection with the generations that sacrificed to build and maintain this passionate faith community.
Behind the Curtain.
It takes more than a pastor to lead a church. Teresa Springer has spent 18 years on staff, and has grown into the leader of their computer infrastructure. She and on other person maintain 150 computers for 100 people. She’s committed to Asbury’s mission. She’s fully in control of the network and was the driving force in moving Asbury towards the Megachurch Client Program (MCP) with ACS Technologies.
A Person, not a Program.
Teresa’s experience with the high pressure environment of Sunday morning ministry convinced her that they needed 24 hour support. She petitioned her leadership to join ACS Technologies’ MCP Program. Teresa can call any time and get top support because Teresa calls Rebekah, her Account Manager. Most people don’t know their support person by name, but that’s what happens in the MCP Program. Asbury didn’t get a program, they got Rebekah.
Rebekah says, “Asbury is a ministry partner first and business partner second. The proven and long-term successes of both are truly a culmination of working forward with similar understandings and goals, resting on a foundation of service, friendship, and trust.”
A Day of Service.
On 9.11.10, Asbury started “A Day of Service,” an organized effort to serve Tulsa. Over 2,000 people register online to get on buses and go clean up the community, paint houses, stock shelves at food pantries, and more. It’s a family event. Coordinating the movements of 2,000 people isn’t easy, and when they hit a snag with the online registration, they called Rebekah. She solved their problems because she knows the church, she knows their system, and she knows ACS software. She serves Asbury so Asbury can serve Tulsa.