Sometimes you're busy doing things, focusing at the job at hand, then you look up and it's like it's a few days later. This sounds like someone on crack... I don't do drugs, never have (actually I never saw the value in it... but that's just me). But sometimes it does seem like time speeds up.
I say this because I've been wanting to post things here like my thoughts on the future of the church, where I might see this little congregation of ours heading in the long and short terms, etc. I've been wanting to post as if this were a "real" blog (even though there are soooo many different "types" of blogs out there), more than just using the postings of mine as a kind of pre-sermon, my initial thoughts on the weeks readings.
Well, I'm over the 1 year mark at this little church. Actually one year and three months. And what can I tell you about this church... well... it's a church of paradox. There is certainly a lot of energy! For a church this size (on Sunday morning there is somewhere between 40 and 60 people) there really is a lot of energy, and people committed to making things happen.
When I talk to people I hear, in various ways, a couple of consistent things: We'd like to grow! We like it to be small so we can feel like the small family this has been! Interesting...
I have to interpret what this might "really" mean.
There are a few that have said they want others to come so they can bring their money, and help the church out in that way. But most have talked about having new blood, having new energy. Now I have to say I have heard people say there is a real energy in this community. I lok at the Youth group, and the adult leaders there are really committed and really want to be present with the young people. And then there are the people who work with the plants out side the church, people who dedicate their time with the music, and the other parts of life at this community. It's really very impressive! There is a really relational feel to Abiding Savior. The people here are connected in one form or another through activities, genetics, ministries. I think people like this and cherish this.
But I think there is a fear that it might grow too big. The fear isn't so much the growth, as much as what the growth might do. It might cause this little community to lose it's "connections" to each other.
I believe small groups is not only the future of the church at large, but it also prevents this break down of connection in churches like Abiding Savior. We may be a part of a large group, but we know a group of people. And we are really "connected" to a much smaller group of people.
Every year I go to Synod Assembly. Every year I see people I haven't seen in a year. There are many I don't even know, and I meet a few new people every year. Of all those people I say Hi to, there's a percentage I wouldn't lose sleep over if I didn't see again. Not that I don't like them... I'm just not really connected to. Then there are some fewer that I see, and really enjoy catching up with. Then there are fewer still I stay in contact with over the year, and look forward to see at this yearly gathering. These tend to be the ones I get into deep discussions about family and life, and God and ministry. I mean these are good, deep discussions where you leave blessed, knowing you've encountered God in some way. These are people I trust to open myself with, knowing they'll listen with an ear open to God's wisdom and compassion. Generally THIS is where I encounter God. The key is small groups!
Jesus had a small group. The people who join those giant mega churches, we think, boy are they crazy! But they didn't join a church full of people because they like to be lost in the crowd... they joined a small group... that happens to be part of A LOT of small groups... that together form ONE VERY LARGE CHURCH.
But the power of small groups is where people change, where people can encounter God on a very personal level. Here we get to learn about the in's and out's of each others lives, here we learn what people need prayer for, here we learn how the Spirit weaves in and out of our lives.
Abiding Savior is like a big small group.
I have to go right now.,.. but there will be more to come...
1 comment:
Well you've certainly hit that nail on the head. We actually chose this church because it was small and yet very connected. When I first walked in, I was very nervous. There were 3 people in the church...having only been to churches with several hundred people, I was wondering if this was the place for us. So I started wandering the church and that's when I met Pastor Chad. He arranged someone to walk around and show me the place....I believe it was called the nickel tour. And I stayed and watched people trickle in. So casual. But everyone sang with spirit, the sermon felt as if each person were being spoken to in person, and you could tell that everyone wanted to be there. They weren't there because they felt they "had" to be there. And best of all, my daughter and I felt as if we were part of it all. People introduced themselves and we felt welcome. In a larger church, no one would have even noticed that we were there!
I went home and told my husband about this wonderful place. He came the next week with us and agreed that it was perfect. We never even visited another church on the list! Why mess with perfection?!
So now we have an extended family that we get to see at least every Sunday and hopefully more during the week with Bible Studies, choir, etc. And even though we're still trying to remember everyone's name (we're very bad at that), we feel as if we've been part of this family for a long time.
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