Good morning family,
I am writing this letter to express my heart of concern as Pastor. I would preface it by asking these questions:
If EVERY member of the church you attend was a member like you, what kind of church would it be? Notice, I didn’t ask if everyone was the PERSON you are. You can be a good person but struggle at being a good member.
Your church cannot thrive without you…
If everyone came like you come, what would attendance look like? If everyone served like you, how much of an impact would the church make? If everyone gave how you give, how much money would the church have? If everyone loved how you loved, how beautiful would the ministry be? If everyone valued the word how you do, how mature would the church be? List goes on…
Regardless of how much of a good member we are or not, we ALL HAVE ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT! However, based on the past few months, I believe it’s incumbent upon me as a leader to — in love — address the stagnancy and complacency I see creeping into our midst as a ministry.
Like John to Gaius in 3 John 1:3, my desire is for you all to prosper and be well in all areas as you grow in God! Also like Paul to Philippi, it is my desire to have fellowship with you all as one body; not distantly.
I understand that the pressures of life get to all of us at some point, but we cannot allow them to cause us to forsake the assembly of ourselves together. They also cannot cause us to forsake giving to the church in TIME, TALENT & TREASURE.
Over the past three months, attendance has decreased by 75% and monetary giving has also decreased. Many programs, auxiliaries & groups we initiated months ago are no longer active. Two important meetings have been canceled due to low attendance; meetings that would have helped us decide on making important decisions concerning building expansion and growth. (All meetings require a quorum of 50% membership per our church bylaws.)
Amid this change, God wants me to urge us to STAY THE COURSE! As I have stated to us before; many of us come from established ministries and the saying is old habits die hard. Simply put, we cannot do what we are used to doing. As a young, growing ministry…YOU MATTER and what you bring (or fail to bring) makes a difference! When you are PRESENT, you presence is NEEDED. When you are absent, your presence is MISSED.
I am pleading and imploring with us all to return to our first love. Let’s return to the joy and excitement of our church’s honeymoon phase! Our little church requires nourishing, care and love. All things that cannot happen without YOU!
As your Pastor, if I haven’t seen you…I am concerned! And the effects your absence and/or lack of consistency has on the church-at-large is even more concerning!
Again, we must ask ourselves (ALL OF US) the question(s):
If EVERY member of the church you attend was a member like you, what kind of church would it be? Notice, I didn’t ask if everyone was the PERSON you are. You can be a good person but struggle at being a good member.
Your church cannot thrive without you…
If everyone came like you come, what would attendance look like? If everyone served like you, how much of an impact would the church make? If everyone gave how you give, how much money would the church have? If everyone loved how you loved, how beautiful would the ministry be? If everyone valued the word how you do, how mature would the church be? List goes on…
Lovingly Yours,
Pastor Green
Comentários