How many are in your congregation? 43? 165? 247? 869? If not careful one's view of church effectiveness and efficiency will be based upon numbers for it is likely more talent might link to more numbers. If numbers isn't your benchmark, maybe organization is. If not organization, then possibly the worship experience?
What is your church like? What is any church like? It is like what it is wherever it is.
Foreign concept to you? "Huh?" is your response? What your congregation is like is whatever it is like wherever it is.
Tendency is to measure such a group from its Sunday morning assembly. If it is warm and energetic, then we believe we have a lively church. Should it be small in number and terribly weak in skill....well, we feel we've possibly drawn the short straw for churches.
But I warn you against measuring your level of importance by the Sunday morning thread. Instead, consider what you all are like wherever you are on any given day. What is your song leader like when waiting in line at the pharmacy? What are your deacons' attitudes when treated unfairly? How is your youth group when asked to serve in less than desirable conditions?
Churches are to be alive where they are....gathered or not....Sunday morning or Tuesday evening. Paul and Silas really didn't have a good worship service planned; yet they sang Jailhouse Rock and you know the rest of the story.
I am spoiled blessed. I get to gather on Sunday mornings with the cream of the crop. Our singing is heavenly as Shane Coffman works diligently to take us the direction of God's throne. When Larry White reads anything he sounds like God's voice might sound.
Not all congregations have that expertise. Be mindful we aren't called to be professional churches. We are called to be mighty in heart. Yes, the world is drawn to professionalism of any sort. But professionalism doesn't save and it can fail to inspire.
Rather than the song selection, it may very well be the warmth of greeting from pew to pew and aisle to aisle. Rather than great sermon delivery, it might be the penetrating verses of scripture shared. The lost and the struggling are not professional sinners. We are people...good people...who need eyes and faces to act like we are valuable.
Whether a congregation of 48 or 614, we all face the same challenge. Do we have it in us to motivate one another to love and good deeds? Churches of 500 can be cold and indifferent...even if the goings-on appear to be professional.
The heart of God connected to the hearts men, women, and children....these are what makes a church of any size really live!
3 comments:
AMEN!!! Love you dear friend!
Good blog, Terry. As much as I like a motivating sermon, an inspiring worship service and interesting and challenging classes, the bottom line is my relationship with the other members. That is what keeps me at my church, my love for the people here...my family.
I'm glad to know I don't go to a church where I am just a number but where my heart is what matters. I've seen growth in churchs but hearts tainted.
I like how our church is measured by the size our hearts and our love for God rather than the number of folks we bring in. If you gage it on the leadership ability of our Sunday morning worship, then you are correct....I can't think of anyone with a bigger heart for leading people to Christ in worship than Shane. He is the perfect example of not only doing that on Sunday morning, but everyday as well. I've seen our elders out on the town and being the example of Christ in sticky situations. I've watched our youth take BOLD steps in proclaiming their faith as well as trusting and proving their faith in our father.I've watched you touch the lives of many along the way with your overwhelming heart of love and compassion for those hearts that are breaking. And Sunday night...I saw MANY new members that I've just come to know working at our festival and longing to have their hearts invested in the kingdom work and wow....was it ever. I got to know some very amazing hearts in this past week that have blessed me beyond measure with their stories and amazing love to know the Lord.
I'm so glad to know I am not a number. That they are not a number. But that we see others, we can see their hearts and not worry about how attendance is up or down. But just how much a person is truly missed when they are not around.
We need eachother. I can't imagine living without the hearts of these people that I know and love and that I have the honor to worship with not only on Sunday's, but everyday.
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