| A Message from the Interim Pastor…
A question that comes up over and over again in smaller congregations is this: “What can we do to get more members?” This is a natural question that arises when folks look around and see fewer and fewer people in the pews. Most people think that shrinking numbers will eventually lead to closure or merger, and most people want to see their congregations continue to exist. In fact, most people want to see their congregations thrive.
There are two things that we should consider when trying to answer our question. The first is that most folks who want to see their congregations thrive visualize a thriving congregation as the one from the “good old days.” They visualize a Sunday School with classes for every age group, a confirmation class made up of a dozen teenagers, folding chairs in the aisles on Christmas and Easter, and volunteers too numerous to count.
As sad as it may seem, and as hard as it may be to admit, those days have passed. There are new rules in this game that we call life. Lifestyles and technology have changed the game – changed it dramatically – and the church needs to come to terms with that. We can pine for the “good old days” or we can recognize the reality of life in 2024 and spend some time figuring out new and innovative ways to do mission and ministry. This may sound harsh and may be hard to deal with, but most of those new and innovative ways to do mission and ministry have little or nothing to do with filling up the pews. They have everything to do with making disciples.
Which brings me to my second point. I think that the question being asked is the wrong one. It’s not, “What can we do to get more members?” It’s “What can we do to make more disciples?” You see, there’s a difference – a huge difference. Getting members makes it all about us and our survival. It makes it about trying to get our individual congregation to thrive. Making more disciples changes the focus. It makes everything about God. It makes it about doing the work Jesus that calls us to do.
What’s more, I am totally, completely, and absolutely convinced that if we make more disciples, we will get more members, and I am equally convinced that merely getting more members, will not make more disciples.
Peace and blessing,
Pastor Michael |
