My grandfather taught me to cast a deep-sea rod and reel when I was twelve. The rod and reel were large, the line and sinker were heavy, and the hook was big. When I finally mastered casting, my grandfather rewarded me with my very own deep-sea rod and reel.
The big day is over – or should I say the big week? We just finished celebrating Palm Sunday, the Last Supper, Good Friday, Easter Sunrise, and Easter Sunday Worship. Now what?
What does the small membership church have that the large church does not? We have the ability to reach out, and children can know, for at least a short time, that they are not lost in the crowd. Let me give you an example.
Jesus tells Nicodemus he needs to be born again. We know that Jesus is talking about being born of God’s Spirit. The question we have to answer is: Will we be brave enough to be born again, to change, to grow, so we can help our churches thrive and help others to experience God’s love and grace?
Anger begets anger, and hate destroys us. May we remember what Jesus said as he hung on the cross, “Father, forgive them. They know not what they do.” During this Lenten season, may we follow Jesus’ example and be those who love and forgive.
People of all ages are looking for authentic relationships and communities where they discover the loving support of God. The small membership church, also called the family church, is a place where people of all ages can find the support, love, and grace to help them grow and discover the love of God.
There are some shining examples of networks, cooperative parishes, and multi-church charges helping the members of churches grow. However, one size does not fit all, and some churches in the above groups continue to struggle. Here is how we might tweak multi-church groups to help small churches thrive.
Workshops and classes to help small membership churches thrive.
By Rev. Dr. Carl K. Ellis |
The Academy believes the Small Membership Church is called to model itself after the disciples in the Book of Acts and offers workshops and classes to help small membership churches thrive.
Is there hope for our aging churches? Can the older members be happy with a new, faster style of worship? Can the younger generation find hope in ancient traditions?
