Here's a great little story coming out of the Reformed Church in America about a growing congregation in South Dakota. Faced with a space shortage on Sunday mornings - too many people to fit into one worship service - they decided to do something dramatic: They added services. As time went on, each service began to take on its own character.
The story doesn't explain why this congregation was growing in the first place. But it does report that members of the congregation have learned two things as a result of their experience with new - and varied - worship services: 1) There is spiritual power in diversity and 2) Focusing on meeting the needs of your neighbors leads to both personal - and congregational - spiritual health:
What is unique about Community is that the entire church celebrates this diversity. Everyone sees the value of what each group needs. The spiritual power of our unity is not the 'sameness' we share but the variety we celebrate."Adding a variety of services has helped people rediscover the passion of the gospel in their lives.
"Turning their focus outward to the community has led people to consider doing whatever it takes to accomplish God's call to reach out to others," says [Clyde Teel, pastor at Community Reformed Church]. "Their personal transformation has gone hand in hand with the changes being made in the church. It has been the most fulfilling part of this journey to experience and observe."
This would be a nice little story to send to your congregational leaders if you're dealing with either of these issues and/or you've been trying to help move them up and OUT.
- Kelly Fryer
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