Epiphany 6 - Friday - Seven Questions that Every Church Should Ask Itself - Number 4

Today, dear reader, we reflect together on the fourth in a series of seven questions posed by The Rev. Dr. Gary Nicolosi in his article “Seven Questions that Every Church Should Ask Itself.” You can read his entire article here: Seven Questions To Ask

The fourth question: What are the barriers to seeing reality that our church needs to move beyond?

Nicolosi writes: “Hindrances to effective ministry are often the result of our own restrictive thinking. They are more mental than actual, more inward than outward, and based on outdated assumptions rather than present reality. Every time a new way of doing church arises, someone inevitably insists, “We can’t!” But why? What if we said, “We can!” What if we gave ourselves permission to imagine, innovate and create something different that has the potential to connect the church effectively with Canadian culture? Perhaps we ought to consider what our church would look like if it were a new church plant. What would be the ideal design for mission and ministry today? What would our church look like to most effectively reach people in our community?”

The biggest barrier that affects my parish, and I see it when I visit other congregations and denominations, is that the leadership does not dream big enough. I am not talking about buildings, complexes, or camp and conference centers. Buildings and structures are all about “maintenance minded ministry” and that has nothing to do with God’s dream. Abraham was not called out of Mesopotamia to build a mega church campus just north of Jerusalem. He was called to be a founder of a people.

We have been given a mandate by Jesus to grow the body of Christ and currently the Church is doing a lousy job of it! Let me remind you of the words of Walter Henrichsen, the author of Disciples are Made – Not Born wrote: “Our risen Christ left this legacy – the magna charta of the church. Jesus provided both the model and the method. His life – and death – recast the lives of men and women. Jesus demonstrated that you have not done anything until you have changed the life of another.

“’Follow me,’ Jesus urged his disciples. And then that staggering assurance: ‘Lo, I am with you always….’ Somehow we have forgotten that this promise is not carte blanche; Jesus’ promise is linked with a process. We cannot embrace the promise and ignore the process.

Let me ask you a question: What was the last big dream you had? Was it big enough for only God to accomplish? If not, what will it take for you to dream bigger?

Those questions come from Bill Easum’s book Go Big – Lead Your Church to Explosive Growth. I believe this book should be required reading for all leaders in the church at every level of leadership. Bill is a true visionary who built Bay Area Fellowship in Corpus Christi, Texas from an original core group of 25 in 1998 to over 4,000 by the year 2005. The community finally purchased 100 acres of land and has plans to continue to grow disciples. On average, 100 persons commit their lives to Christ each month at BAF. That is 1200 people each year! Check out their website here: Bay Area Fellowship

Bill’s premise is that we worship a wild and crazy God. Bill believes that fast growth is biblical and God expects it even today. Bill is fond of telling conference participants that God wants God’s church to grow because as it grows, so grows the Kingdom.

Bill writes: “That’s the blueprint God gave us. We need to get out of the mindset that looks suspiciously on churches with large numbers of people. We need to realize that biblical growth has nothing to so with being small.”

“What’s keeping you from asking God to multiply your ministry? Right now, would you just ask God to unleash the dreams you have? Would you ask God to help you reach the entire city where you live?”

“What do you think God is going to say? ‘No, I don’t want to do that’? God wants to do just that. So what’s holding God back if we know it is biblical; if we know it’s the blueprint that God gives us? We are! But God is just getting warmed up. Acts 5:28 tells us ‘You have filled all Jerusalem with your teaching about Jesus.’ Acts 6:1 says ‘The believers rapidly multiplied.’ It is only now that they use the word rapidly. So from 0 to 20,000 Luke did not use the word rapidly. Luke says that now that they are warmed up they’re really going to start growing. This is crazy, psycho growth. It just went nuts like a wildfire. And that what God wants to do in your ministry” (Go Big, page 8).

Now I hear the naysayer: “Brian you are foolish….. the New Testament Times do not look like what we are experiencing here in NE Ohio in the 21^st century. Churches in the North are very different from the South. What you are going on about will never work!”

At this point I would turn to the person and politely say: “That’s a bunch of crap!”

I would probably follow with – “Get behind me, Satan!”

What is hurting the Church more than anything else these days is a lack of faith, small-minded mentality, parochialism, apathy, whining about how bad things have gotten, and leaders with no vision for the Kingdom of God. As God’s people, we must not fall victim to the small-church syndrome and feel that just because we are small we cannot aim for quality and excellence. Every congregation can, and every congregation should! It’s God’s church and we are to trust that God will provide all of our needs.

I had a conversation this week with a friend who was telling me about an organist/choir director who got fired from his job a few months ago. The Rector invited the staff member to the Vestry meeting where he was berated by the Rector for 25 minutes before being told that he worried to much about excellence in worship and that “excellence had no place in the church!” He was then shown the door.

What?! Good gracious!!

I attended The Word Church a couple of months ago because I wanted to experience one of the fastest growing churches in Cleveland and hear their pastor preach. It was quite something. From the moment I pulled into the parking lot, volunteer attendants welcomed me. I was greeted at the front door with a hug. The woman sitting next to me offered to share her Bible with me since I had not brought one. The prayer and praise music was excellent and very well done with a choir of twenty or so and a band of seven players. The service had a good established flow to it filled with music, scripture readings, prayer and an extended sermon by Pastor Vernon. We finished on time and I was greeted again as I left the building and encouraged to come back by the attendants who first welcomed me.

You talk about excellence and aiming for quality. That faith community is so far ahead of most congregations in our area it is no wonder The Word Church is growing by leaps and bounds. They are offering a glimpse into the Kingdom of God, sharing the message of Jesus, and living the dream of God. See more at their website here: http://www.wordcity.org/

What is God’s dream for Christ Church Episcopal? What is God’s dream for your local church? What would our/your church look like to most effectively reach people in the surrounding community? What is God’s dream for your diocese? Your judicatory? Or National Church?

Remember it is not about buildings or edifices. It is all about people, seekers, and the souls of men, women, and children. Ask your leaders to share with you what that dream is and if they cannot articulate it – encourage them to spend more time on their knees listening for God’s wisdom and vision.

Bill Easum’s book is filled with great wisdom and questions to assist you in discerning God’s dream. You can purchase a copy here: Bill's Book "Go Big"

Love One Another - Brian

Tomorrow’s Question: What issues does our church need to face within the next year so that five years from now, we won’t have to say “We wish we had…”