Interview with Mark Kremer, member of Directional Leadership Team; Lincoln Berean Church
by Wayne Smith, Director, Halftime Strategic Church Initiative
Mark and Donna Kremer LBC is a church of around 5000 adults, about 800 of whom are people who are in mid life and are starting to think about what is next. LBC is part of Halftime’s Strategic Church Initiative. Mark and I talked about LBC, what they learning as they work with Halftimers and some of the stories that are emerging.
What are some of the strengths and hallmarks of LBC?
Mark-“We are a church that has a DNA of being willing to try new things and we move with pretty good speed to get new things going. We have a multi-person Directional team and that helps in allowing us to ‘think outside the box’”.
So, when we started talking about partnering together to identify, equip and unleash the Halftimers in LBC, it was not a stretch for you all to get there.
Mark-“Not at all. We had already been a part of Leadership Network’s Generous Churches Leadership Community and the logical next step was to focus on the people who needed to figure out what to do with all that God has given them, not just money, but their time and talent as well. And the concept of Halftime really caught on here at LBC when you all came and launched the initiative with the Vision Cast and Summit event back in late 2007. We got some significant traction from that, which led to many ongoing conversations with people who really are trying to figure out what’s next. Our folks really grabbed hold of the idea of Halftime and we, as a leadership team, have been able to identify and target about 300 individuals who have the necessary margin and options in their lives to begin to make some decisions about their 2nd half.”
What does it look like for a person to have margin and options at midlife in Lincoln, NE?
Mark-“The idea of margin and options does not necessarily mean that there is huge excess financially here. But it does mean that there is extra time and talent, as well as money to invest in Kingdom work. We have been pretty intentional about building a culture of generosity at LBC. And it is generosity with our whole lives, money is a big part of that, but not the only part. Our folks are grabbing hold of the idea that God owns everything and we are His stewards.” “Here is a story that seems to be primarily about money, but it really is about much more than just money. One of our couples who attended the Vision Cast and Summit and several other things we have done with Halftime, felt called by the Lord to lead the charge in helping pay off our building. They made a huge gift at the end of 2008, even after the downturn, of $500,000. They had taken their money out of the market prior to the crash and realized that had they kept it in the market, it would have been gone, so they wanted to honor the Lord with it. The combination of Generous Giving, Halftime and the model of their father-in-law all combined to help them make this decision.”
Tell me about the father-in-law.
Mark-“He was a successful businessman who invested his money wisely and was always generous, but more importantly, after he had taken care of his family responsibilities, he went beyond normal generosity and gave the rest of it away. When he died, he literally had 4 dollar bills in his wallet, and that was it. The way he handled his wealth and estate deeply impressed this family to do their giving now, directing it where it is most needed in the Kingdom, rather than leaving that to unknown people after they are gone. In fact, the kids said, “That’s the way we want to go out!” So the decision to give the gift was this coming together of the messages of Generous Churches, Halftime and their father in law. They have a high, high value on Stewardship! Giving the money is helping them be more free and clear to think about how to invest their talents and their time as well.”
What are you finding are some the biggest challenges facing Halftimers in your context?
Mark-“Even having said all of that, with the current economic climate, it is difficult for people to move past their fear of what they might lose in the future. One of our strategies is to help people find their deepest passion. We encourage them to do that by letting them do what Halftime calls “low cost probes” in various areas of service to begin to discover that passion.”
What are some of the stories that are emerging?
Mark-“Three women who came to the Vision Cast/Summit realized that they each had a passion for orphans. They got together, began to pray and plan and ask God for what He wanted them to do with this deeply felt and growing passion around orphans. As they took one step after another, probing, if you will, they were led to launch One Cause Lincoln, a ministry to raise awareness and provide adoption opportunities for people in Lincoln. They partnered with a Halftimer from Kansas City, Mike Fox, who has been pioneering some similar work with orphans in Haiti. This past year they have had hundreds of conversations, conducted seminars, held a fund-raising banquet and have helped the adoption process of about 20 orphans from Haiti and other disadvantaged countries into Lincoln families. They are making a huge difference and having a ball!” “We have lots of other stories, some of folks who have found their second half calling and some that are just beginning to surface.” “Releasing people into whatever God has for them in the second half is exciting, challenging and not always easy, but it is worth it. The idea has taken root here and is changing lives, our church, our community and with our church planting effort in Europe, who knows what the global impact of Halftimers will be! But that last piece is another story for another time. I am finding that I love to talk with individuals about their second half. I think it may be a part of how I live out my second half calling.”
Mark and Donna live in Lincoln. They are the parents of six children and grandparents to one. Mark serves as one of the Directional Leaders of LBC. LBC is a partner with Halftime in the Strategic Church Initiative. For more information on Lincoln Berean contact Mark at mkremer@lincolnberean.org.
For more information on Halftime’s Strategic Church Initiative and how to identify, equip and unleash Halftimers in your context, contact Wayne Smith at wayne.smith@halftime.org.
For more information about Leadership Network’s Generous Churches Leadership Community, contact Chris Willard at chris.willard@leadnet.org
