Growing Smaller

So what is the long term plan for our church?  If you asked me that 8 years ago when I came, I would have had many answers.  Maybe we would grow to where we had to fill the balcony with church-goers.  Our programs would be top notch, offering great opportunities for discipleship for kids and adults.  We may even get to the point of hiring new staff for youth ministry or music.  And of course, we could always build that gym - ahem -  Family Life Center.

But what if those dreams were all based on the wrong model of church?  I’m becoming increasingly convinced that the multi-staff, mega-church, mega-programs, mega-buildings kind of ministry is inconsistent with what our culture needs.  In fact, I think that this “consumer church” model is dying, even though every church seems to be seeking to live it out.  I mean, think about it.  What church isn’t trying to grow its attendance, have more professional gatherings, and better programs?  Churches are more and more centered around a model from churches that “bring in” thousands to hear their celebrity pastor speak; sometimes even via video satellite feed.  But is that how we should do ministry in Mount Pleasant, Iowa?  What if, instead, we focused on bringing the Kingdom of God to the places we inhabit rather than making “church” enticing enough to get people into it?

I know this kind of sounds familiar, but I’m talking about moving from even a “missional” perspective to an “incarnational” model of ministry.  Dr. David Fitch taught at our Prairie Pastors' Conference that the church is not the Kingdom, and neither is the world.  The Kingdom breaks out when the disciple encounters the world.  So instead of trying to grow our church and reach people for Jesus through large budding programs, what if we were open to bringing the Kingdom of God to the places we inhabit?  This means that Kingdom can break out in your neighborhood, in the break room at work, even at McDonalds over a Big Mac. 

We have seen some amazing life changing ministry in our church.  We’ve seen people called out of dead end lives and into God’s will, we’ve seen people catch fire for Christ and change their entire families.  We’ve added to our church family people who have been transformed by God’s grace.  But none of those lives were transformed in traditional churchy ways.  They weren’t transformed by a challenging sermon I preached, or through a Sunday School class that opened their eyes, or a youth group meeting.  Lives have been changed by disciples living out Christ towards them till they are struck by His love and goodness.

This is church, I think.  This is where we need to strive to go.  What if we dream of being a church who loves our neighbors instead of being the next big impressive mega-church.  (Love being an action verb.)  That’s the vision I think God is setting before us.  I’ve given up my picture of successful church for the one God is challenging me with.  Will you?