How
do we “make church work?” One way to help
create a healthy and vibrant church is to have an image
in mind that will guide us as we organize and make decisions
about it.
Two
Images
At
the moment, I have two radically different images in mind.
One
is the cartoon below that crossed my desk a week ago.
That's got that pastor (I think they mean me!) supporting
all the ministries of the church while standing on a very,
very unsteady surface—and a crash is inevitable.
The
other model is the garden rich with multiple plantings
and lots of variety. It can look as messy as the model
above, but grows from fertile and rich soil. Blooms happen
at different times. Some plantings are long lasting trees.
Some are simple annuals, offering pleasure for a season.
Other are hardy perennials, returning year after faithful
year, periodically dividing and providing new plants to
give away.
Healthy
gardens don't just happen. They take a lot of hard work
and planning. Nutrients must be constantly returned to
the soil and moisture given as needed. Certain plants
need sunshine; others need shade. The ground needs to
be turned periodically. Plants need to be thinned, new
ones brought in, old ones taken out. Good insects must
be nurtured, and a place made for the garden toads and
the earthworms—not pretty creatures, perhaps, but
which do much good.
In
this model, the pastor, rather than the unsteady foundation
of all ministries, serves as a gardener who plans, feeds,
nurtures, and provides the healthiest environment possible
for good growth.
The
Healthy Garden
How
can we work together to create this healthy garden? We
need a place where children and youth will be able to
hear and learn God's word and be around mature Christian
people who will give them room to explore their faith
walk. For that, I have suggested LOGOS, a midweek program
for children and youth that includes instruction, music,
drama, meals, and mentoring. Training is April 5—an
all day program in Flower Mound. We need people of all
ages to go to this one-day training and come back with
the vision and the knowledge to implement this part of
our garden.
We
also need a place for adults to sink our roots deep in
God's word and in relationship with each other. One way
to begin this process is to implement a ministry called
"ALPHA." It's an eleven week study revolving
around a shared meal, taped messages, and free discussion
in small groups afterward. It's easy to invite others
to come, offers the basics of Christianity, is open to
anyone at any point of the journey to faith, and has a
structure that helps form vital small groups after the
main course is done.
The
United Methodist Men and United Methodist Women need to
continue their vital ministries to this church and community.
The Seniors, led by Wayne Collins, are gaining a wonderful
vision for ministry and mutual encouragement. My prayers
is that many other ministries will see birth as our soil
becomes more and more fertile, nourished by prayer, worship,
a steady diet of God's love and grace as we become a more
knowledgeable and equipped people.
God
Meets Us There
A
healthy garden produces. It grows, it changes, it offers
fruit and flowers and shade and color and a variety of
refreshments for everyone who comes near. By the abundance
of its produce, many are fed. I really like that picture
of a church. There’s always plenty of work to do,
and it is the kind of work that satisfies deep inside.
Creativity grows and new varieties of ministries come
from it. There are periods of rest and periods of non-stop
and sometimes backbreaking work. Most of all, God meets
us there. That’s what we’re all looking for.
