Blog devotional #3...
Today's
devotional is a between chapters break to look at something or things I
have been reading. This one comes from Thom Rainer called "What Healthy Churches Will Look Like In 10 Years."
It is Sunday so lets look at these 10 points and think about our
church. Here is the link to the podcast if you would like to listen to
it yourself: http://thomrainer.com/2016/08/
Thom Rainer is the author of the book we read about 18 months ago called "I Am A Church Member." He consults churches to assess where they are and develop a plan to get moving again with the gospel message. Here are his 10 characteristics of what a healthy church has been doing over the decade and some of my thoughts thrown in.
1. They have the same pastor they did 10 years ago.
Just a note here that on October 1st, Stephanie and I will have been here 2 years already. If you were to ask one of these pastors where they see themselves in 10 years, they would respond, "Right here."
2. The pastor, staff, and church members have a decade of calling to the local community.
Thom Rainer is the author of the book we read about 18 months ago called "I Am A Church Member." He consults churches to assess where they are and develop a plan to get moving again with the gospel message. Here are his 10 characteristics of what a healthy church has been doing over the decade and some of my thoughts thrown in.
1. They have the same pastor they did 10 years ago.
Just a note here that on October 1st, Stephanie and I will have been here 2 years already. If you were to ask one of these pastors where they see themselves in 10 years, they would respond, "Right here."
2. The pastor, staff, and church members have a decade of calling to the local community.
The
healthy church provides quality programs and authentic worship within
its building structure but is also stretching out to be a presence in
the community. They have "come to us" events but they also have "we are coming to you" to serve and be a part of this town.
3. The church will be as diverse as the community.
This took me to www.city-data.com and I looked up the demographics of LaSalle County. Did you know that 53% of the work force are hired and 38% are self-employed? Did you know that the median age is 41? Did you know that the breakdown ethnically is 89% White, 8% Hispanic, and 2% African American? Did you know that 1/4 of the homes are led by single parents? Did you know that we are split pretty evenly between Democrats and Republicans? Did you know that over the last 10 years the Catholics have went from 44,000 to 30,000; the mainline Protestants have went from 16,000 to 13,000; the evangelical Protestants (who would be us) have went from 8,500 to 9,500; and those who no church affiliation have went from 34,000 to 60,000? It seems that people are leaving the church and not going anywhere.
4. The church will have responded to its international mission field in its own backyard for 10 years.
Sometimes geography comes to you and that is what is happening in America. We also have a community college that pools together those from across the Illinois Valley into one place. What are we doing about that?
5. The church will have had a consistent and strategic outward focus for a decade.
This is another way to say that the church is continually planning for what they are doing this year that will be adapted or created new with the goal of staying effective. The State of the Union will always have a point to look forward and outward.
6. All new members the past 10 years will have attended a new members' class.
This point brings up this question, "How do we take someone visiting the first time on a Sunday morning to becoming an official member of the church and participating in a ministry." Do we have a plan or path in place that those visiting can easily access and understand?
7. The church will have seen the cultural changes of the decade as opportunities rather than threats.
Our world is accumulating un-Biblical cultural norms. How as a church do we handle this? The differences are becoming more clear for those who hold to the truths of God's Word. Do we isolate ourselves for spiritual protection or do we infiltrate with spiritual truth?
8. At least 80% of the worship attendance will have moved to a small group over the decade.
Someone moving from the large group setting to a smaller one is a major step. Fellowship is at a deeper level; evangelism is done by word and deed; application is more accountable; and assimilation happens almost organically. Small groups help us to grow in our maturity of the faith as we do life with "one another."
9. At least 50% of the attendance will have invited at least 4 people to church each year.
3. The church will be as diverse as the community.
This took me to www.city-data.com and I looked up the demographics of LaSalle County. Did you know that 53% of the work force are hired and 38% are self-employed? Did you know that the median age is 41? Did you know that the breakdown ethnically is 89% White, 8% Hispanic, and 2% African American? Did you know that 1/4 of the homes are led by single parents? Did you know that we are split pretty evenly between Democrats and Republicans? Did you know that over the last 10 years the Catholics have went from 44,000 to 30,000; the mainline Protestants have went from 16,000 to 13,000; the evangelical Protestants (who would be us) have went from 8,500 to 9,500; and those who no church affiliation have went from 34,000 to 60,000? It seems that people are leaving the church and not going anywhere.
4. The church will have responded to its international mission field in its own backyard for 10 years.
Sometimes geography comes to you and that is what is happening in America. We also have a community college that pools together those from across the Illinois Valley into one place. What are we doing about that?
5. The church will have had a consistent and strategic outward focus for a decade.
This is another way to say that the church is continually planning for what they are doing this year that will be adapted or created new with the goal of staying effective. The State of the Union will always have a point to look forward and outward.
6. All new members the past 10 years will have attended a new members' class.
This point brings up this question, "How do we take someone visiting the first time on a Sunday morning to becoming an official member of the church and participating in a ministry." Do we have a plan or path in place that those visiting can easily access and understand?
7. The church will have seen the cultural changes of the decade as opportunities rather than threats.
Our world is accumulating un-Biblical cultural norms. How as a church do we handle this? The differences are becoming more clear for those who hold to the truths of God's Word. Do we isolate ourselves for spiritual protection or do we infiltrate with spiritual truth?
8. At least 80% of the worship attendance will have moved to a small group over the decade.
Someone moving from the large group setting to a smaller one is a major step. Fellowship is at a deeper level; evangelism is done by word and deed; application is more accountable; and assimilation happens almost organically. Small groups help us to grow in our maturity of the faith as we do life with "one another."
9. At least 50% of the attendance will have invited at least 4 people to church each year.
Hmmmm....this
one makes me wonder about our church. Is this happening? Do we use
the programs and worship services offered at the church as tools to help
in our bridge building to others with the gospel? For us, if this was
happening, it would mean about 200 people would have been asked to a
church event in a year's time.
10. Every year for 10 years these churches will have become more joyous and fun.
It might be hard to think about fun in relationship to the church but it is a byproduct of those who are worshiping a great God. If we are so thankful and deeply grateful for what He has provided then we will get more and more joyous as we get older because we have had more time to worship Him and more realization of His love for us. Our smiles at gatherings should be getting bigger and bigger because our knowledge and experience of God is growing.
So how are we on this list of 10? It is okay to step back and take a look around you this morning and then to take a look at yourself in light of being a healthy church and a healthy church member or attender. If we are unhealthy, just as the physical realm, it takes time, adjustments, and corrections to become healthy. There are some things we need to start doing and there are going to be some things we need to stop doing. May we desire to see our church be the church God wants it to be, healthy and mature with a bright lamp on that lamp-stand, and submit to His mission field that He has placed us in. Let's pray.
"Lord, help us to self-evaluate ourselves in light of the mission. Help us to see where we have slacked off. Help us to see where we have placed wrong priorities. Help us to start up practices that will add to the health of the church. May we not do this in moderation or try to solve it with an instant fix pill but make church life changes that show true transformation. Amen."
Pastor Adam
10. Every year for 10 years these churches will have become more joyous and fun.
It might be hard to think about fun in relationship to the church but it is a byproduct of those who are worshiping a great God. If we are so thankful and deeply grateful for what He has provided then we will get more and more joyous as we get older because we have had more time to worship Him and more realization of His love for us. Our smiles at gatherings should be getting bigger and bigger because our knowledge and experience of God is growing.
So how are we on this list of 10? It is okay to step back and take a look around you this morning and then to take a look at yourself in light of being a healthy church and a healthy church member or attender. If we are unhealthy, just as the physical realm, it takes time, adjustments, and corrections to become healthy. There are some things we need to start doing and there are going to be some things we need to stop doing. May we desire to see our church be the church God wants it to be, healthy and mature with a bright lamp on that lamp-stand, and submit to His mission field that He has placed us in. Let's pray.
"Lord, help us to self-evaluate ourselves in light of the mission. Help us to see where we have slacked off. Help us to see where we have placed wrong priorities. Help us to start up practices that will add to the health of the church. May we not do this in moderation or try to solve it with an instant fix pill but make church life changes that show true transformation. Amen."
Pastor Adam
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