What People Are Saying About Bruce Bugbee
and the Network Ministry Process
"I consider the development of the Network materials as one of the most significant breakthroughs in the first 15 years of Willow Creek Community Church."
Bill Hybels, Senior Pastor, Willow Creek Community Church, Chicago, IL
"Turning the latent energy of the capable people sitting in the pews into active energy to serve others is the great task before the church in the 21st century. Network is the successful and pace setting pioneer in this field. The new version incorporates learning that has been developed in thousands of successful applications. It really works to increase participation and giving. Buy it and use it."
Bob Buford, Founder, Leadership Network, Dallas, TX
Dear Bruce:
So often in ministry we labor on, not knowing how we are influencing those we seldom see or hear about. I thought it would be a good idea to let you know how my life and ministry has been effected by your obedience to God's calling and to thank you for birthing,, developing and producing Network.
In 1992, our church had a brief encounter with Network material... (read the rest of the Woodcrest tesimony)
Janet Elmore, Send Area Staff Coordinator, Woodcrest Church, Columbia, MO
"The impact of Network has been phenomenal, both individually and organizationally. It has helped our people grow in their appreciation of other parts of the body, and they are developing a true sense of servanthood."
Ken Byl, Pastor, Hope Community Church, British Columbia, Canada
"Network is one of the best assimilation tools I have ever seen."
Carl George
"Network has our church working as a team to proclaim the gospel with greater impact. Everyone understands they have an important role to play in the life of the church. All this happened with Network!"
John Gray, Reverend, St. Johns Park Anglican Church, Australia
"Network covers such a broad base of biblical principles, it is a ministry tool that crosses all denominational lines. Any type of Christian Church can use it...it just fits."
John Decker, Pastor, Eastside Foursquare Church, Washington
"Network has generated honest discussions among our leadership. We have initiated the process of affirming one anotherıs giftedness and allowed each other to freely express their passions. The results have been tremendous."
Terry Anderson, Pastor, North Park Community Church, Canada
"I was greatly impacted and empowered to much greater levels of effectiveness. I feel so able in my new job as Regional Vice President that I intend to share my Network experience with others who look to me for leadership in the market."
Tim Cranston, Regional Vice President, Northwest Mortgage, Chicago, IL
"It strikes you immediately when you walk into the church. There are more enthusiastic volunteers per capita in those churches that are using Network. Network is without a doubt, a primary contributor to the phenomena of contented servants."
David Schmidt, Management Consultant, J. David Schmidt & Associates
"I credit Network for increased satisfaction in my marriage, a revolutionary understanding of my co-workers and clients and a new sense of freedom and fulfillment in my efforts at church."
Jeffrey Hawkins, President, American Cellular Consultants, East Coast
It's my pleasure to "sing the praises" of Network. Good music will get people to visit your church. Good preaching will get them to stay six months, maybe a year. But, unless people become plugged in and begin developing a sense of ownership in the church, they won't stick. It's easy to state the problem, much harder to come up with a solution.
The Network process has been an important part of the solution at Christ Community Church. After using Network for the past five years, we have seen an explosion of ministry in our church. Not only have the number of people serving in our church grown by leaps and bounds, but the impact each person is having has dramatically increased.
It's been exciting to watch the "ripple effect" of Network spread throughout the church. Network has impacted. . .
Assimilation: People who serve, stay.
Unity: People who are busy and fulfilled in ministry don't have time to sweat the small stuff.
Giving: Attenders don't give, owners do.
Ministry Development: The identification of gifted, passionate leaders is the first step in beginning any ministry.
Network is not another spiritual gifts seminar. People have been talking about spiritual gifts for years, but all the talk and tests haven't had much impact. Why? People get all revved up, but have nowhere to go. The beauty of Network is that it is a process, easily implemented by church staff and lay people, that empowers people to use their gifts to impact the church the way God intended. Unlike so many other programs on the market, Network has not been developed by theoreticians, but by practitioners who have made it work.
All I can say is Network works, at least it has at Christ Community Church. I'm excited that more and more churches are implementing Network and will see for themselves.
Craig Parker, Christ Community Church, St. Charles, Illinois
We believe God is calling us to produce a distinctive kind of person, one who is fully devoted to Jesus Christ, one who is a spirit-gifted servant who meets specific human need. This is becoming central to our mission.
Since consistently teaching the Network Seminar for four years, we have witnessed:
. . . a greater joy and passion for doing God's work;
. . . greater awareness to care for the worker as well as the work done;
. . . a growing base of spirit-gifted servants;
. . . a much more diversified ministry.
It's no wonder that Network has helped fuel the greatest growth period in the church's fifty-four year history.
David J. Wine, College Church of the Nazarene, Bourbonnais, Illinois
Mobilizing God's people to effectively use their God-give gifts is not a gimmick dreamed up by a Christian Education pastor desperate to staff programs. Rather it is God's design which will help each member of your church better understand their part of God's work in the world. At College Church, Network has excited our people to serve with greater understanding and effectiveness as they learn not only what their gifts are, but where to use them in ministry.
Network has been a logical next step for new people who have gone through our four week orientation class. The by-products of Network are: a highly motivated group of lay people who either plug into a ministry, start a ministry or receive affirmation regarding their present service. Ministry Position Descriptions for every conceivable position in the church have helped us organize and recruit the right person for the different ministries.
As a leader, what excites me is the opportunity to open up God's Word and share the truths about spiritual gifts, but it's more than that. Through Network, we have the opportunity to share our philosophy of ministry and that places all our volunteers on the same page!
God's mission in the work is bigger than our church, and his vision for our church is bigger than our staff. Network allows us to equip and empower our people to take their spiritual gifts and put them to work. The result is people are growing to become more like Christ and we are better able to reach His vision. Network is more than an answer to your recruiting frustrations, it is a well thought out approach which will allow you to couple your church's philosophy to and through the Network process. The result will be positive I'm sure.
Marc Maillefer, College Church, Wheaton, Illinois
Our Network program began with some pilot projects in the fall of 1992. Now we have completed a season of Network, gradually increasing the class size. Approximately 60 people have gone through Network including a high percentage of our leaders. Interest is high for September when we will begin with larger classes. Already we have had and plan for Network reunions and a Network newsletter. We hope that these tools will help to further internalize the ideas of Network.
The impact of Network has been phenomenal, both individually and organizationally. Many people in our church have gained by becoming more focused, appreciating other parts of the body, finding a sense of true servanthood, learning how to descend to greatness, finding their gifts and using them, and so on.
Let me tell you about a Network success. Hereıs what happened. One of the audio engineers is extremely "talented" as a keyboard player. I mean this guy can play any type of musical piece, T.V. commercial, movie theme - whatever - right out of his head. So naturally we were pushing him to play in the band. One night after a band practice I went out for a coffee with him. After a while he told me he was kind of frustrated playing in the band. Although he could play well, although he liked the other guys in the band and their level of ability, he didnıt have a passion for playing keyboards in front of an audience. This frustrated him, but he wasnıt sure why.
Without my exposure to Network I might have banged him over the head and somehow guilted him into playing. And I realize in retrospect that today I would still be banging him over the heard, or else I might not even have had a head to bang on.
Instead, I took a deep breath and gave Network a shot. I briefly explained the Network idea and asked him, "What do you get energy out of doing?" "Well, I like video", he said, "but I donıt have much experience". "Letıs do it", I said.
Now we have a video group with other passionate persons that is led by this "keyboard player". We canıt hold him down. He has so much energy for video. His enthusiasm is contagious and people in the video group have spent up to three days a week of nonworking time on video. On occasion they have worked on video through the night, not realizing the time. We have people who have spiritually grown and we have a very exciting video program all because God used Network. And this example is just one of many.
Additionally, our church has already acted as a Network consultant for two other area churches and promoted Network to many others. Thanks for your insights on the tape and for a highly effective process. Iım looking forward to the newly revised edition.
Ken Byl, Hope Community Church, Surrey, British Columbia
On behalf of the leadership of North Park I wanted to express our gratitude for your ministry to us on the weekend. There have been tremendous results. It has generated honest discussion at the leadership level concerning our individual ministries and input into the church. We have already scheduled future times to continue the process that was started and to affirm one another in their giftedness and to allow one another to express their passions. I am looking forward to the fruit that this step will bear.
Everyone so appreciated your spiritual sensitivity as the Spirit of God moved us closer to Him; and, we were challenged by your candour about the church and leadership. We are discussing the implications of the gift-based philosophy and several of the people there are evaluating their giftedness and desire to be a part of the implementation of the program. We are reviewing what we need to do before we implement the program and take the rest of the leadership through. May God grant us grace as we are sensitive to His moving.
Thank you, as well, for the personal time that we spent together and for your insight into the church and the ministry I am involved in. I hope that our paths will cross again, soon, and you will find time to return to this area.
Terry Sanderson, North Park Community Church, London, Ontario
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