Suspense of the Lowest Stave

Considering harmonious interaction of ministry, leadership, spirituality, structures, worship, small groups, evangelism & relationships we will be focusing on one area at the time. We will do LESS than before, but we will concentrate our limited resources strategically.
Within an integrated system even a small cause has an enduring effect. A hornet can disable an elephant if it uses its “power” effectively.
The barrel you see is an analogy of our church. The staves – different in height – are our essential characteristics. We retain and serve only as many as our lowest stave can hold, as many as our weakest link can hold, as many as our area of necessary growth can sustain. It is true that God sends the water, God adds the people to the church. And He does so willingly, as long as our barrel (church) can hold.
Does our barrel hold the water?
What is the quality of our staves?
Which one is the “leaky” or short?
Is it our lack of loving relationships?
Is it total absence of holistic small groups, where people are connected and developed by example?
Adventism is not taught, it is caught. In areas where our churches are growing rapidly an interesting observation was made: whenever the new people are placed in a new entity and taught, they take 8 times longer to catch on the lifestyle and principles of Adventist message. Yet, when they are placed into community groups led by veterans of faith – they catch the teaching on the fly, and adopt the Three Angels Message immediately. Groups are most essential components of healthy churches.
Maybe it’s functionality of our departments that “holds no water”? Praying will only help us to see God telling us to get up off our knees and to go and fix our problems in the camp (Joshua 7:10-13)
We are waiting for the results of the survey. And as we discover our strength we will use it to build up the Minimum Factor, to grow a balanced and well-adjusted church. Pray that our church will honor God as we build the health of the church.

Releasing God-given Potential

We’ve pushed long and hard making our church “grow.” Now, as we are awaiting diagnostic results, to discover how to take those square wheels off, we are looking into the future seeing the Church in which

• the leadership is committed heart and soul to church growth,
  
• every Christian is using his or hers gifts to edify the church;
  
• members are living out the faith with power and contagious enthusiasm;
  
• church structures are evaluated on whether they serve the growth of the church or not;
  
• worship services are a high point of the week for majority of the congregation;
  
• the loving and healing power of Christian fellowship can be experienced in small groups;
  
• all Christians, according to their gifts, help to fulfill the Great Commission;
  
• the Love of Christ permeates all church activities.

Growth of our church family will not be achieved by introducing new methods or changing what we do, but by improving the quality of all elements essential to Christian service, moving from lookwarmness into fiery living. With quality increased the quantitative growth will be a “by-product.”

Let’s allow “God designed” automatism within the church to grow our church all by itself. (Mark 4:26-29)

Loving Relationships & Community through Groups

So far we have unpacked 6 essential qualities of healthy church - EMPOWERING LEADERSHIP, GIFT-ORIENTED MINISTRY, PASSIONATE SPIRITUALITY and INSPIRING WORSHIP, NEED-ORIENTED EVANGELISM, & FUNCTIONAL STRUCTURES. The last two are simple and yet often neglected. I am talking about LOVING RELATIONSHIPS.

• How often do you spend time with other church members outside of church-sponsored events?
  
• When did you invite someone for a meal, or went out together for a walk?
  
• How aware are the deacons of the church, and your pastor of your personal problems?
  
• How much laughter is in our church?
  

Have anyone told you that you should look to Jesus rather than to people? It’s true that people will disappoint you where Jesus would never. Yet, this is the absolute of what Jesus said. Jesus put it simple – by this all will know that you are Disciples – if you love one another… (John 13:34-35) The first witnessing that needs to go out of this church is not my preaching, and not the dogma you got from the Sabbath School – simply LOVE ONE ANOTHER. This is most basic Jesus’ commandment!!! John wrote to the churches of his day that “one who does not love does not know God, for God is Love.” (1 John 4:7-8). Don’t hide under umbrella of “we’ve got the truth!” If we have the truth – we will love.
Ellen G. White wrote that “the strongest argument in favor for the Gospel is a loving and loveable Christian.” (Ellen. G. White, Ministry of Healing, 470) Sadly, but we must admit that we had preached more with words that with actions and living love.

Loving relationships result in building community where groups of people come together often. It is HOLISTIC GROUPS that present the final link in the essential qualities of the healthy church. Groups is not a dispensable hobby. Groups are vital for a healthy church. In fact, Groups are the most important factor of church health. It is the natural place for Christians to learn to serve others. Christianity outside of community is an oxymoron. Christianity is build on community. Without a small group experience there can never be a real congregational praise.
“Holistic” stands for “comprehensive, complete.” Such groups don’t’ do curriculums. Such groups care for each other while maturing in Christ together. This is not a new trend, it is the way Jesus started the Church – discipling a group. He spent far more time with his 12 sidekicks than with multitudes. Our failure to pattern our ministry after that of Jesus results in our inability to reach the world for Him. Whole New Testament is written in context of house churches, and to the households, groups, small communities. Read Romans 12 to see the theology of community.
Holistic groups deals with whole person, minds, spirit, emotions. It’s a place where people can be themselves and not feel condemned, a place where no one needs to put masks of appearance. The early Adventist church had began through social meetings. Small Groups are God’s Plan for Church, God’s Vision. Ellen White penned this testimony: “The formation of small companies as a basis of Christian effort has been presented to me by One who cannot err.” (Testimonies, vol. 7, pp. 21- 22). This characteristic is linked most strongly to the church’s ability to grow.
It is my prayer for you to be loving and loveable church.