She came into my office this week with one burning question, "Is that new building proposal going to kill our church?" Before I could respond she added, "I don't want my church to die." I answered her question and concern with, "No building, new or old will kill this church. The life or death of this church has nothing to do with buildings and everything do to with the people who come into our buildings."
Currently the mantra remains, "We are old, on a fixed income, we want to be cared for, and we are afraid." It is my suggestion that this is not an attitude that will grow a church much less sustain one. If you are a person searching for a church home, who in their right mind wants to join a community who is afraid, and mainly cares about being cared for.
At our last meeting of the congregation leaders of the church presented figures and facts concerning the 2009 annual budget and the proposed loan for a new building program. As expected there were many members who voiced fear, and rallied to remain realists. Every time one member stood up to encourage a positive attitude or to remind people that as a community of faith figures and facts are not the only thing we rely on, another member would stand up and say something like, "Yes being positive and having faith is all good and well but we must not forget the figures and facts and fear."
I've wondered about those who are voicing such fear as they clamor to call attention to their age. I wonder 40 years ago when these very people were filling up the fellowship hall for suppers and skit shows if they were aware then that the church had older people? And did those older people insist that the church be run on figures, facts and fear alone. I'm not thinking this was the case....because buildings were built and ministries grew.
"I don't want the church to die. And I for one have hope." I affirmed her hope and encouraged her to speak out her hope. For not until the church has courage to speak and live hope will the church provide space for growth!
4 comments:
I think a lot of people who are older in our church today, 60-80 years old, were raised by parents who survived the depression. And even if they never missed a meal, those thoughts about money and the importance of saving are lessons they learned from their parents.
My own mother, age 66, is so afraid of debt that I think it is a bit pathologic. But I think this was burned into her brain by her depression-era parents. (Then again, in today's economy, she's less scared than the rest of us).
So when I think about my own church, who couldn't find ways to meet our measly "giving budget" last year, I pray that they will see the light.
Sounds like your older set is similar.
It is interesting that you don't say that for every negative comment another person brought up a positive one. Looks like the old "half full vs. half empty" viewpoint. Any person on a fixed income, whom I assume is thus retired, would be crazy to not be fearful in today's economic environment. Since your other comments imply these are the same people who committed their resources years ago to build the buildings and grow the ministries, I would think you would grateful that they still have a commitment to the church to such a degree that they are still committing their resources in shaky economic times. And to say that 40 years ago these people did not realize there were older people in the church who were fearful then is insulting the character of these people. The same people, by the way who in one of your earlier Blogs gave you a 35% increase.
Doesn't anyone who joins a church want to be cared for, regardless of age?
As far as speaking out, looks like the people are speaking out but not necessarily what you want to hear. If the congregation rejected the building campaign then you are entitled to criticize them, but until then you should put some trust in them to do the right thing.
T-Man
I could care a less if the congregation builds a new building or not.....and I have served enough churches to know the difference between a community that is self-centered and one that is not....a community that is fear based....and one that is not.
There is no half full glass here. The glass is emptying by the minute and it is all due to fear and self--centeredness.
Oooh, I've missed a couple of big posts.
Need to catch up.
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