Five Practices of Faithful Congregations . . .

Many of the clergy in our annual conference recently attended a special event at FUMC in Mansfield, TX. Bishop Robert Schnase was the key note speaker.

As a rule . . . I loathe Saturday clergy gatherings. Sorry, it's just the way I feel. Mostly becasue I have been to a lot of Saturday clergy gathering / trainings that were a complete waste of time.

Hmmm, I see that I have failed to mention that the event with Bishop Schnase also included laity? There were over 1,000 in attendance . . . and it was well worth the time of all who attended.

Having said that, I am spending December carefully re-reading Bishop Schnase's book, Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations.

In January, we are starting a church-wide study of Richard Sterns exceptional book, The Hole in Our Gospel. This will be a second read of this book for me as well . . . but the first time doing so with many of our church members reading it as well. I look forward to many future conversations about both books.

Why read these two books? Each makes use of various terms which center, in my opinion, around the need for our Christian church / individual focus on people who live out in the "periphery."

"Periphery" is my new favorite word.

Let me explain, in terms that at least I can understand, both from experience and personal study.

Many churches, if you will, put most of their focus and efforts on maintaining status quo. Most effort and a majority of resources are spent on maintaining property, etc., and in most cases, longing for the way things were 20-30 years ago. They are not growing . . . they are not winning people to Christ . . . they are not engaging their neighborhood or community in mission or service.

Most of these churches . . . are dead spiritually . . . or soon will be. The focus is on the grand ol' days of the past . . . prior to the culture shift we live in now. Ask them what their mission statement is, and the answer will be something like . . . "we are nice people . . .but you should have seen this church back in the 1950's, 60's, 70's . . ."

Question: how does one move forward when you are always looking behind you?? Not a safe way to travel.

Some churches, and I am blessed to be at one of them, have a healthy balance of both looking inward at ourselves, but also looking outward in mission and service to others in the name of Jesus Christ. We began this process a year ago by drawing a mile circle on a map . . . with a pin marking where our church was.

What happened as a result? We started getting to know people who lived and worked within a mile of our church. As a result, we discoverd that over 40% of these people were Hispanic. We talked, prayed . . . and then moved to bring an Hispanic Associate Pastor on staff, who has created a Spanish worship service on Sunday morning in our Founder's Chapel.

We began a reading program in the elementary schools. We offer a once-a-month meal to our neighbors, especially those who live in the government housing next to the church. We sponsor local mission projects aimed at helping people with the real needs of their lives.

A lot of these people . . . don't look like us . . . or sound like us . . . or act like us.

These sweet people are"fringe" people. Fringe people are those who are just outside of your vision focus . . . you see them . . . but not very clearly . . . and unless you move forward to meet them . . . they are going to remain out-of-focus . . . and in truth, you will clearly see them as you think you do. These are people that would not feel as if they were welcomed or even wanted, unless you say . . . "Hi neighbor!" . . . and then reach our your hand.

Periphery people . . . my goal for ministry in 2010 is to discover what other people are out there, just beyond our ministry mile . . . just beyond our focus . . . who I can get know . . . who I can play guitar for and sing to . . . who I can start a relationship with . . . and who knows, maybe God will help us discover and start a new ministry or two . . .

That means . . . and this is going to frightening to many pastors . . . I am going to be out-of-the-office more. Bible, note pad, cell phone, and guitar in hand . . . this means walking out the office doors of our church building . . . and getting to know people again . . .

As I understand it . . . the model of ministry I was taught, was that we were to build a great buildings and programs, and people would come.

That model of minsitry does not work anymore. For the most part, people come because they are invited to come by people they know. They come because of relationships they have, and/or can form. And . . . they come because they have a need . . . the Spirit has told them that we are cooking and serving "bread." The "bread of life" is a mighty tasty thing.

I solicit your prayers. I am going to be doing, dare I say it . . . some local missionary work.

If you are not already doing so, or planning to do so . . . I cannot more highly recommend Robert Schnase's Five Practices book, and Richard Stearn's The Whole in Our Gospel. These two books, along with your Bible, will cause you to examine your faith as you start 2010, that may in time cause you to change your mind, in a good way, about what being a Christian in today's world is all about.

God's grace still amazes me . . . ><>