Faster than a speeding nursery worker, more powerful than the stewardship committee, able to fill the baptismal font from a single bucket, it’s Super Pastor! Teaching, preaching, visiting, counseling, praying, visiting, meeting with boards, speaking at picnics, visiting, singing in the choir—that’s what we pay him for. Stand in awe as we watch him pour himself out like a drink offering on the altar of the church! Go pastor; you’re our man; if you can’t do it, no one can!
BUILDING A 1ST CENTURY CHURCH IN A 21ST CENTURY WORLD
Our church, as with most churches founded some years ago has been basically a program based church. How does a program based church grow? It’s simple; you develop bigger and better programs. When the number of programs goes beyond what one man can handle you add more staff and keep on programming.
In speaking of this particular philosophy, Bill Donahue and Russ Robinson in their book, BUILDING A CHURCH OF SMALL GROUPS make the following comments. “Many of us were taught to do ministry alone. Members expected us to be a pastoral version of Superman. (Incidentally, he never really worked alone. Without Jimmy Olson or Lois Lane he’d be pushing up daisies in a field of kryptonite.) Unfortunately, the church has tended to model ministry more on Superman than Jesus, expecting one man—courageous, seminary-quipped, all-knowing—to minister alone. “Faster than a speeding nursery worker, more powerful than the stewardship committee, able to fill the baptismal font from a single bucket, it’s Super Pastor! Teaching, preaching, visiting, counseling, praying, visiting, meeting with boards, speaking at picnics, visiting, singing in the choir—that’s what we pay him for. Stand in awe as we watch him pour himself out like a drink offering on the altar of the church! Go pastor; you’re our man; if you can’t do it, no one can! God never intended for a select few to minister to many. God envisioned a community approach to shared ministry, so all could participate and none would be neglected.”
Gilbert Bilezikian in his book COMMUNITY writes this: “At least three lessons can be drawn about the nature of ministry from the story of (creation). First, in the divine order of things, the making of community requires work. Community does not just happen. Second, the members of community are servants together under divine authority. They are all “ministers”—a term derived from a Latin word that means “servant.” Third, the work of community requires the total involvement of its members. No one is excluded or excused from contributing, out of one’s abilities, to the common tasks.”
Henri Nouwen in his book LIFE OF THE BELOVED states: “The real question is not, “What can we offer each other?” but “Who can we be for each other? No doubt it is wonderful when we can repair something for a neighbor, give helpful advice to a friend, offer wise counsel to a colleague, bring healing to a patient, or announce good news to a parishioner, but there is a greater gift than all of this. It is the fit of our own life that shines through all we do. As I grow older, I discover more and more that the greatest gift I have to offer is my own joy of living, my own inner peace, my own sense of well being. When I ask myself, “Who helps me most?” I must answer, “The one who is willing to share his or her life with me.”
Donahue and Robinson continue by saying: “Most churches are focused on events, staff, and mature leaders. This must change as you become a group-based church. If you continue to define success by attendance and “sizzle” at large events—Sunday school, women’s fellowship, youth group—the church calendar will have little room for small groups. If laypeople still see themselves as objects of ministry, not ministers, and if they believe only the touch of paid staff counts, then small group shepherding will disappoint them. A church that entrusts a few jobs to the laity—ushering, greeting, teaching children—but reserves most leadership spots for a few good men will miss the chance for fundamental change.”
Larry Crabb in his book CONNECTING writes this: “Where are the spiritual leaders, the shepherds of the flock, the elders of God’s people? Why are one or two official Christian leaders assigned the job of pastor and expected to carry a burden that belongs on many shoulders? Where are the people who can listen well and guide us through our problems to the Father’s heart and who regard it as their calling to do so? Whatever became of the idea that all believers are priests?”
Many people seem to equate large numbers with the blessing of the Lord. Not Jesus. As Eugene Peterson explains: “Jesus invested 90 percent of his time with twelve Jewish men so that he could reach all Americans.”
Donahue and Robinson ask this question: “How many churches understand fellowship as the communal expression of intimacy that God intends for us today?” “Christians today know what the doctrine of humanity teaches about sin and depravity as well as about eternal grace and freedom through salvation. But unfortunately, our knowledge of the Bible has been shaped by the individualism of our culture, so that we teach the need for personal forgiveness—then stop. We neglect to preach the full doctrine of humanity, namely, that we are created to be dependent on God, to enjoy interdependence with God, and to experience communal interdependence within the church. As a result, today’s church suffers from an “interdependence deficit,” an affliction that is passed on from one generation to the next.
Obviously, the way to meet this need is through small groups. While most churches have some small groups, there is a difference between being a church with small groups and a church of small groups where everyone is involved. There is also a definite difference between a group that is open to all and potentially large, but which is of small group size; and a group that is intentionally limited to a certain size and which looks after its own members.
Why do I mention all this here? A couple of years ago after some feeble efforts to get the small groups going we entered into a 40 Days of Purpose campaign and the small group formation took a giant step forward. Then, this past January we did a 40 Days of Community campaign and the small group movement began to take hold. A number of groups took a summer hiatus and now is the time to get going again. A large number of our church members now are sold on the importance and value of the small group. I am absolutely convinced that the more groups we have functioning, the stronger and more vibrant our church will be. As we build a church of small groups we return to our 1st century origins. We in effect develop a dynamic Acts 2 church that will better meet the needs of this 21st century. We already have a variety of groups meeting different needs. We are ready to form more. If you are not yet part of a group talk with Paul Kucharski or one of our staff members and we will find a group that’s right for you. It is our prayer that as this small group movement takes hold, the Lord will take us to new realms that we never before thought possible.