The Time Has Come
by Ralph Bauserman
All around us decisions are being made that have a substantial impact on people's lives. New roads and highways are being built to facilitate greater movement of masses of people. New schools, malls, medical centers, and office complexes keep appearing, following our ever-expanding communities. Behind each of these projects is a team of people responsible for developing a viable strategy. Finally the time
comes when the decision is made to move ahead with the project.
The time has come for our congregations to make some serious decisions, not about maintenance or survival, but about moving ahead with the real purpose of the church. It is no accident that wherever I find vital, growing churches, I find leadership teams that have made the kinds of decisions that have propelled the church into a new, exciting future. They have all made a decision to move ahead! And their decisions fall clearly into four general areas.
- Like the people who build roads and shopping centers, these churches have decided to reach and receive people. For too long they sat back waiting for people to come to them. With a new willingness to face up to reality, they admitted that this approach was no longer working. Therefore, they are implementing the kind of strategy that enables them to identify the people they want to reach, then to actually develop a plan for reaching and receiving them. Make no mistake; churches that are effectively reaching people have made a decision to act!
- There is no confusion about why they are reaching and receiving people; it is their purpose to relate them to God and introduce them to Jesus Christ. With this purpose clearly in focus, great amounts of time and energy are invested in the weekend worship services. The whole worship experience is fine-tuned, with the expectation that the participants will experience the transforming power of God's presence and be renewed through forgiveness, healing, and hope. For this to happen, pastors and worship leaders must give great attention to the quality of preaching, music, and hospitality. The worship service, from beginning to end, is offered as a way to enable people to experience the renewing, transforming power of God.
- These churches are very deliberate about involving their people in spiritual formation. Without any sense of apology, they seek to involve all people in classes, studies, or teams that will nurture them in faith and commitment and enable them to put their growing faith into the midst of daily life. This kind of discipleship training is the heart and soul of these vital churches, and they are very creative in providing new and exciting ways to involve greater numbers of people in Christian growth and nurture.
- These churches have reached a very difficult, threatening conclusion: they must send their people out to reach other people. They have learned from Jesus that the discipleship process is never complete until the people who have been reached become a part of the reaching mission of the church. The leaders of these churches understand that the purpose of the church is to reach people and make disciples, and on this they are unwilling to compromise. Vital churches send their people out with the good news that saves and transforms lives, families, and communities.
Think about the next meeting of your church's leadership team. Would the pastor and leaders of your church be willing to take a serious, honest look at the decisions you have made? Has your leadership team decided that your congregation will get involved in reaching people and making disciples? Are you developing a strategy to follow through on your decision? If not, perhaps the time has come!
The Rev. Ralph Bauserman is the Distinguished Evangelist in Residence, General Board of Discipleship, The United Methodist Church, Nashville, Tennessee.