Serving in a Surviving Church
What can a graying congregation in a shrinking rural community do? Do we accept the new reality that our 250-member auditorium is no longer as full as it once was, or do we strive to attract new members? The word conflicted comes to mind as I consider the questions of what we can do and who will do it.
One workshop speaker may answer these questions with, “Evangelize or die,” and another may say, “Attract young families to your church or your days are numbered.” I accept the biblical sentiment of evangelism, and no church leader among us could honestly deny the importance of attracting young families, but these speakers often work and live in mid-sized cities with thriving congregations that employ talented youth and family ministers. I’m guessing that means they already have a nucleus of young families, which helps to attract more young families. This may sound like sour grapes, but when will a workshop speaker address the subject of how to attract young families to a gray church, in a shrinking community, when all the youth move to cities to find jobs?
Clint Eastwood once said, “A man’s got to know his limitations.” What’s that got to do with the work of the church? Well, some congregations will serve and minister in ways that another congregation cannot. This is where I feel conflicted again. Of course, there is no limitation to the immeasurable power that is at work in all who seek to give glory to Christ Jesus (Eph. 3:20). But that doesn’t mean we are all going to be mega churches. After the first few chapters of Acts, we don’t read of any more churches of the 1,000-plus member status. I get the feeling that many of the congregations Paul established were in the 50-member range (like where I am now). So maybe we (maybe I) need to quit apologizing for being in a small congregation and get on with serving in all the ways we can, while always being open to opportunities to introduce more people to Christ.
Yes, it’s hard to know that all our classrooms used to be full every Sunday and Wednesday night, whereas now we have only one class besides the adult gathering. Nevertheless, we need to celebrate who we are and serve where we are.
One of the ways my congregation does this is in our adult class. Each week I develop a series of questions on the chapter we are studying, and we hand out these questions ahead of time. Then, on Wednesday nights, we go around the table and ask each person to respond to a question. No one is left out. The format is simple, yet it seems to help the whole class internalize thoughts on that portion of Scripture. To keep it friendly and non-competitive, the class and visitors are told that, when their question comes up, they may pass or play or use their lifeline like on a TV game show. As we discussed 1 Cor. 15 not too long ago, we found ourselves in a lively conversation about “imperishable” and “spiritual” bodies, the parable of the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16), and whether we’ll still owe each other money in heaven!
Allow me to leave you with a prayer by John Wesley. Although part of me doesn’t like the prayer because it makes me uncomfortable, I have to admit the truthfulness of some of what he said:
Commit yourselves to Christ as his servants.... Christ has many services to be done. Some are more easy and honorable, others are more difficult and disgraceful.... Be satisfied that Christ shall give you your place and work.… Lord, make me what you will. I put myself fully into your hands: put me to doing, put me to suffering, let me be employed for you, or laid aside, let me have all things, let me have nothing. I freely give it all to your pleasure and disposal.
