Out in the sticks

September 20, 2011

Why is FCC Wray growing?

About every month, I meet with my mentor in Denver, Colorado. I make the 3 hour drive to share a couple of hours with Larry Renoe over lunch. Larry ministers at Waterstone Community Church in Littleton, Colorado. We served together at Waterstone years ago. Several months ago, Larry challenged me to write an article on the growth of our church here in Wray, Colorado. This is my attempt to put together some of my thoughts.

Wray is a small farming community near the Nebraska/Kansas border. Our biggest exports are beef, corn, natural gas, and kids. I've served at First Christian Church for 8 1/2 years and we have seen steady growth over the last 3 to 4 years. Many young families are attending our church. Our nursery is full of kids. We have some great challenges with our recent growth.

First Christian Church used to be part of the Disciples of Christ denomination but due to the continued liberal theology of the DOC we voted to leave 4 years ago or so. Our church is well over one hundred years old. A year and a half ago, we removed the pews in the church and replaced them with chairs. We also turned the sanctuary's orientation in order to increase our seating capacity. Both of these decisions have led to growth. But I'm not much of a how to kind of guy. I'm too random/abstract for that. So as I've wrestled with why our church is growing, I've come up with a few ideas. Very few of them are technique or programmatic. In fact, the one I'm thinking through today couldn't be less about technique or program.

Calling

I grew up at Cherry Hills Community Church in Highlands Ranch, Colorado. I'm a megachurch product. When I entered seminary my plan was to become a professor of Old Testament. After the birth of our first 2 children, it became evident that a PhD program wasn't the best plan at the time. So I began searching for my first pastorate. For over a year, I worked at Domino's Pizza at night and during the day worked construction. Nothing was happening on the ministry job front. Even though I had many years of ministry experience at several large churches as a youth pastor, finding a call as a pastor proved challenging.

In October of 2002, I finally received a call to pastor FCC here in Wray. My wife and I and our three kids loaded our belongings on a refrigerated Penske truck and made the move from Denver to Wray on November 1. I still remember the excitement but also the nerves of starting as a new young, rookie, solo pastor. At that point, I didn't know how long we would be in town but I did know that I could start gaining some valuable experience. Experience seemed to be standing in the way between me and the large churches I wanted to pastor.

Sounds a bit like a stepping stone mentality doesn't it? It most definitely was. My plan was to graduate from seminary, slip into a teaching pastor position at a large church and perhaps eventually become the senior pastor. But I was many miles from that plan. Instead I was THE pastor.

I struggled with this call for many years due in part to the fact that I was pastoring two small churches whose average attendance barely added up to one hundred. My expectations of myself and my church weren't being met. I also struggled mightily with my call every year at the Global Leadership Summit. Don't misunderstand me, I love the Leadership Summit and attend every year back at the church I grew up at Cherry Hills Community Church. But reading the bios of the speakers…so and so grew his church from 15 folks to over 5,000 in 5 years…hearing messages challenging me to leverage my talents for the biggest impact. I couldn't help but wonder if I was in the right place. Here I was, former youth pastor for 3 large churches in the Denver area, serving in a farming community of just over 2,000 residents in a county of 10,000. I was out in the sticks. My calling felt so small and insignificant. When was I stepping off this stone to the next?

A closer look at my struggle led me to realize that pride was a big part of my problem. My ego drove me to see my work in Wray as insignificant and small. Comparing myself with the "successful pastors" and ministries I had grown up in and cut my ministry teeth on was destroying me. Could I be happy where God had me? Could I be content? Could I even lead the church here to do something significant? Maybe even grow?

I believe that resolving the calling issue finally opened up our church for the possibility of growth. I believe Wray is where God wants me to be. I'm content in my call as long as I keep my ego in check. I'm satisfied with what I'm doing. When God and I got on the same page, things started happening.

In the coming days, I hope to write a bit more about why FCC in Wray is growing. For now, let me ask a question: Are you doing what God has called you to do? Are you where God wants you to be?

September 20, 2011

Why is FCC Wray growing part 2

Two days ago, I wrote the first part of this series on why I believe our church in Wray is growing. I failed in that post to mention one of the most basic reasons, partly because it's so obvious to me. Our church in Wray is growing because God is making it grow. God is always about growing his kingdom, expanding his rule and reign in the hearts of men and women. This is his desire for every church. Now to some specifics that is making this possible here in Wray.

Last post I said that calling plays a large role in our church's growth. Today I want to consider another large factor in the growth of our church. Again, it largely concerns me as the pastor. I do not wish to put myself on a pedestal. These factors must all be taken together and no single one is responsible for our church's growth. For instance, there are many pastors who are faithful in their calling to small churches yet their church isn't growing. Faithfulness in a call doesn't by itself lead to growth.

Longevity

My family arrived in Wray in November 2002. I was called to pastor two churches in a yoke arrangement. Each church had it's own building, it's own board, it's own form of government, and they worshipped separately. This arrangement felt rather silly to me as either sanctuary was large enough to house all the attenders from each church at once. From my past experience in large churches, I believed that we could grow each church so that eventually each church would be large enough to support it's own pastor.

I faithfully served these two churches from November 2002 to Easter 2007. The vote by the First Christian Church in August 2006 to leave the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) denomination over doctrinal issues, led to me losing my ordination in the denomination and my standing in the PCUSA. This ultimately led to the dissolution of the yoke agreement between the two churches. At that time, First Christian Church issued a full-time call to me which continues to this day.

All told, I am currently in my 8th year of ministry in Wray, Colorado and my 4th year of full-time ministry at First Christian Church. Early on in my pastorate here, I read several books that indicated that long-term pastorates are the most effective. I whole heartily agree. I believe that much of my effectiveness as a pastor and the growth First Christian Church has experienced is due to the longevity of my pastorate.

Obviously calling plays a huge role in how long a pastor serves a particular congregation. But as I mentioned in my last post, sometimes pastors move on to a different church for the wrong reasons. Sometimes pastors move on because of selfish ambition, other times because of interpersonal conflict, and often because of the "grass is greener" syndrome.

I wrestled through all of these reasons to move on. During the yoke years here in Wray, I wanted to move on. Sometimes, it was because of my own selfish ambition, my ego. I wanted to pastor something bigger and better. I felt this especially when I talked to many of my pastoral colleagues in Denver and fellow students from seminary. The size of my church reflected on me and my abilities and leadership. At least that was the message everyone was communicating to me.

Sometimes, I wanted to move on because of interpersonal conflict. This conflict in a small town was something very new to me. In the city, if someone left the church upset about something, you would never see them again. But not in a town of 2,000! Here you would see them at the grocery store and bank, at community gathers and weddings and funerals. Talk about awkward! Some of these conflicts really hurt and I wanted to leave.

My ego and these conflicts fed the notion that the grass was greener somewhere else. This played itself out in a call I received to pastor a church in Greeley, Colorado. The church had a nice big building, was in a college town, and with some hard work could turn the corner and become a bigger, better church. I was still in the yoke pastorate and I kept telling my wife, if all things are equal, we need to take this position. Long story short, I accepted the offer to pastor this church but in the end withdrew from consideration. Why? Because the church wasn't able to pay me enough to live in Greeley.

This led to us staying in Wray, where we eventually saw the end of the yoke relationship between the churches and the exciting growth at First Christian Church. Longevity in this small community has allowed me to develop relationships with many people inside and outside of the church. I love the people in this community. Many of my friends in this community do not attend our church or any church for that matter.

My circle of influence with folks in the church and outside the church is why I love ministry in a small town context. In previous ministry contexts, I never enjoyed this amount of influence. Make no mistake, my influence as a pastor in this community is largely dependent upon my longevity. And my longevity in this community is in spite of me.

September 20, 2011

Average churches for average folks

Today I was reading about the average size church in America. There are a couple different ways to look at this. One way is to consider the "mean" in which half of the churches are smaller and half of the churches are larger. The median church in the U.S. has 75 regular participants. Half of America's 300,000 churches or so are smaller then 75 people. That's a lot of churches!

As a pastor of a smaller church, most of the resources created for me to read, study, and model my ministry after are created by very large churches. These mega churches have enormous influence even though they make up only 10% of all churches in the country. And even though they are only 10% of the churches, 50% of American churchgoers attend these churches!

But my experience is that many of the ideas from larger churches cannot be implemented without some serious adaptations for smaller churches. I am a big fan of Andy Stanley and Northpoint, but in a town of 2,000 and a county of 10,000, the Northpoint strategy must undergo some changes. My intent is to analyze the strategies of larger churches and seek ways these strategies can be realistically adapted for smaller churches.

One of the interesting things about writing a blog as a small church pastor in a small town is that you are always writing from a community that knows you. I'll never forget when I realized that my blog had been "discovered" by locals. Up until that point, my blog functioned as a place for me to play with ideas and engage with folks outside of my small town. I became quite nervous when folks I knew were reading what I wrote.

Today, I hope folks I know are reading my blog. I desire to use the blog platform to relate more to my congregation and my community. And I hope to connect with other pastors in the unique setting of the small town. I also hope that through this blog, I'll encourage my congregation to continue to grow in their relationship with Christ, invest their lives in others, and invite others to consider the gospel in our church community. I also desire to help other small church pastors analyze large church practices and discover ways that we can effectively advance God's Kingdom wherever he has called us.

Image credit: Mary and her camera

September 20, 2011

N. T. Wright Interview: Bible Study, Original Languages, Favorite Books, and More | Logos Talk: The Logos Bible Software Blog

via blog.logos.com

Here’s a great video from one of my favorite theologians. Especially love his comments concerning original languages.

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Why is FCC Wray growing?
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Why is FCC Wray growing part 2
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Average churches for average folks
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N. T. Wright Interview: Bible Study, Original Languages, Favorite Books, and More | Logos Talk: The Logos Bible Software Blog

September 26, 2011

Newsletter article 10-2011

Driving into Loveland, Marnie and I observed a field of potatoes being harvested by hand. It wasn’t a very large field, but it was impressive how many people were needed. Of course most farming today is done by machine but in Jesus’ day, a field full of laborers was a common sight. Several times in the gospels, Jesus says, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few.”

Finding Christians who are willing to serve is an age old challenge in the church. But if we are to reach our town for Jesus Christ we need you to get in the game.

First, we need you to get in the game regardless of age. Moses led Israel when he was 80 years old. Timothy was ia young pastor in Ephesus. It doesn’t matter your age, get in the game.

Second, get in the game whether you think you’re going to win or lose. You are called to sow the seed and not worry about the results. God’s power is with you and you don’t know what God might do through you.

Third, get in the game whether you feel like it or not. Perhaps you don’t feel like helping out around the church. I understand that. But Christ is watching. He still looks at a plentiful harvest and says, the laborers are few. So get in the game and help us lead people into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ.

Posted by preacherkoops on September 26, 2011 in Uncategorized.

Bible in 90 Days :: SOAP reflection

The Bible in 90 Days reading for Monday is Genesis 1:1 – Genesis 16:16.

Daily SOAP devotional:

Scripture: Genesis 5:24 – "Enoch walked faithfully with God; then he was no more, because God took him away."

Observation: In this genealogy we read the recurring phrase "…and he died" except with this man Enoch. It is a glimmer of hope in this passage. Those who walk faithfully with God will live. They will have life here and life eternal with God. The fall is not irreversible. God is at work.

Application: Am I walking with God? Do I walk with him daily? What does it even look like to walk with God? In the Scriptures, the word walk is used in this way to describe our "way of life" the way we do things. So if I am walking with God, God influences the way I do things, the way I live my life. And walking with God will lead to life.

Prayer: Father, help me to walk with you each and every day, each and every moment of every day. Help me to practice your presence, to stop and remind myself that you are present with me. Keep me from foolish choices, selfish decisions, and unwise use of my time. If ever I neglect you, Holy Spirit, nudge me to be mindful of you. Let your word guide my life and my decisions always. Amen.

Posted by preacherkoops on September 26, 2011 in Uncategorized.