Congregational Survival

I want to start a discussion that may lead to a new way to do church or it may lead to frustration.

Tonight at Young Adults we were re-listening to a talk by Andy Stanley at last year's Catalyst in Atlanta. In that talk Andy mentioned doing radically different things in ministry. Not mere tweaks to what we are currently doing, but radically different things.

For most churches, going out to where the unchurched people are, instead of hoping they will be attracted by what we are doing within our walls, is radical. Many churches never go beyond their walls or their safe and acceptable ways to do church.

Most mainline churches have empty churches because they were not willing to change the method of getting the Good News to the people. Instead of changing the method, they remained with the tried and true and the community around them changed and clued them out.

I mentioned to the Young Adults tonight, as we brainstormed ways to be radical for Jesus that many churches will not connect to do something together because they have a survival mentality. Many church leaders, pastors and members feel threatened to connect with other churches because they fear their members changing churches. Instead of having a broad view of the Body of Christ, they have a local church mentality. Build up our local church so that our base and our ministry will expand.

What would our churches do if they didn't worry about their survival but rather thought of ways to be spent – even completely – for Jesus? What if we didn't see church as a competition for members but rather a community wide marathon to reach the lost?

Someone mentioned that it is hard to get youth groups together to do an event because someone will ask; if someone is reached for Jesus, which youth program will they attend? Instead of rejoicing that one or hundreds come to Christ, some would be hung up on getting their fair share.

How can we break away from being so centered on survival and budgets that we radically seek to serve Jesus? How can we convince church boards to ask, how can we live on the edge, serving Jesus, reaching all the people we can, rather than constantly restricting the ministry because we are worried about the margin and survival?

Oh what God could do with a church that asked how they could serve Jesus before they asked how much will that cost me/us.

Ephesians 4:11-13 - 11 It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, 12 to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

Are we building up the saints to be of service to God or to our institutions? Your thoughts are welcome.