DE Thoughts

by Kevin Kessler, District Executive

In keeping with the commitment I made in last month’s article, I will share some thoughts related to responses that were given to the questions distributed at District Conference this past fall. Question #1 and the responses:

What do you hope to see happen in the IL/WI District in the next 3-5 years?

(1) Growth of current churches and new churches in all areas; (2) Strengthen new churches that are coming into being; (3) Work with existing churches to grow spiritually and in numbers; (4) To complete the process of establishing goals and strategies to accomplish our vision; (5) To move forward making great progress in the 5 key result areas we have; (6) Renewed emphasis on support of a variety of church planting and church health processes.

I and other leaders in the district hear in these responses a call for revitalization. As a result, I am making an effort to learn more about this subject and have purchased several books which I have dived into to hopefully gain an understanding of ways in which I may be helpful. Author J. Russell Crabtee in his book Fly in the Ointment provides some very helpful information. He iterates and reiterates that the most helpful thing a regional association (in our context, district) can do is to assist congregations with gaining the know-how to grow into vital, healthy churches. I was delighted to read this especially in light of the new mission statement that has been developed for our district which reads “Empowering healthy, reproductive ministries… rooted in Christ…active in mission…connected to the Church of the Brethren movement.” Our mission statement reflects Crabtree’s emphasis.

So, what are the “know-how” concepts or principles that congregations need? As I read and reflect on this subject of congregational health and vitality, it is becoming ever more clear that a plethora of “ways” exist for being renewed and revitalized. What I find more appealing than ways are concepts. For instance in Fly in the Ointment, Crabtree makes a distinction between being transactional or transformational. Being transactional is concerned with returns on investment. The concern here is thinking in terms of how many people are in the pews as a result of the effort we give to evangelism. Being transformational is concerned with focusing on needs and helping to make a positive impact on those needs. For instance, instead of seeing someone as a pew-filler, we see the need in their life and act upon it in ways that will bring about a positive change for them. The end result may be that they will eventually fill a pew, but that isn’t the main focus; it is an added benefit.

In two other resources, The Tangible Kingdom and The Tangible Kingdom Primer by Hugh Halter and Matt Smay, the authors focus on the concept of creating incarnational community. Simply stated, living out incarnational community is developing a “posture (the way a person or community expresses itself to others, especially in nonverbal ways)” to carry out the “Gospel (the good news of Jesus, capable of transforming everything about a person, their community, and their world).” Incarnational congregations do not remain safe in the confines of comfortable study and worship but rather embrace the risk to engage their contextual communities to understand needs and bring about positive transformation.

Beginning to think in terms of being transformational and incarnational challenges us to be more outward focused. It tends to take our minds off of being concerned about declining membership and aging demographics (inward focus) and widening our gaze to the needs of the community around us and how we might influence positive transformation (outward focus). Vitality and health follow, organically, as people who are on the periphery of faith find, through our efforts, a way for meaning and purpose in their lives, and then they come along with us on a journey of faith and faithful living.

Please note that reintroducing health and vitality into systems that are weary and anxious takes time and effort. There is no quick fix. However, the positive changes that emerge—transformed lives and communities—are well worth the effort.

Recognizing that a change is needed is also worth noting. Unease about the state of things is not a problem. More importantly, it points to what Crabtree refers to as “higher-level issues”. The recognition of problems helps us to think beyond the present situation to begin asking more meaningful questions. Inquiry into deeper levels of understanding could bring ease to the uneasiness. Crabtree contends, “Paradoxically, what we avoid only makes life harder.” Jumping into the issues helps us to make corrections.

Among the congregations in our district, one, Mt. Morris, is recognizing the need to move into higher-level issues. This congregation is in the midst of an intentional process of discernment and action toward a renewed reality. I’m excited about the possibilities in front of them and the emerging story they will have to share with us.

What the future may hold is unknown, but asking the higher-level questions has the potential to increase the production of fruit for the kingdom of God—in Mt. Morris and in all of our communities.

Every day that we resist necessary change closes a door of opportunity somewhere in the future.
—J. Russell Crabtree