Church in a season of change – Part 5
I’ve been a bit distracted of late, with Jody headed off to Colombia and all. I haven’t been updating the ‘Church Change’ thread. Well here’s the latest:
As you know, my intention was to launch The Vine. My intent was use it to encourage growth and energy in the congregation by looking for ways to create links for mutual support — think synergy here . I have talked to folks with experience in revitalizing stagnant churches and one method is to plant what amounts to a parallel ministry/congregation — to get a fresh start without the death of the established congregation.
Well, that didn’t work so well. The experiment is ended.
It seems the elders saw use of a parallel congregation as a threat. When I couldn’t get buy-in from them I opted to forge ahead — challenge a very entrenched leadership structure — and hope that the results would convince them after the fact. I think they assumed that the “pastor’s gone rogue.” They put a stop to it, saying they felt they needed a full-time pastor. They had offered that role to me, but I declined, recognizing that I am not suited to the traditional pastor office, and not wanting the obligation to conform that invariably comes with a salary. Moreover, on the night of my dismissal, they declared that they thought it best to seek a pastor from their own tradition (restoration movement).
Of course, I knew that challenging structure is a risk, but we were running out of options for meaningful change.
So, I am grateful for answers to prayer and for what lies ahead. I am thinking about the last four years — collecting my thoughts. I can say this much: nothing in my experience in the traditional paradigm has caused me to doubt my exit from it over 20 years ago. Nevertheless, the experience has helped me clarify my ecclesiology. I’ll ponder some of this in future posts. Maybe one advantage of being relieved of my duties at the church (for that has consumed the majority of my time) will be that I can carve out more time to write. I like that idea.
I would like to know more about your fellowship groups???Summitt Fellowship I think it is???
I’m sorry. It’s hard to pour yourself into something and not have it turn out the way you’d hoped. I realize [insert good truths of choice]–and I’m not denying or meaning to diminish any of it. Just saying: I’m sorry.
(And here’s to more time to write!)
Grace and peace to you.
Hey Dan,
I have always appreciated your writing. After we had lunch many years ago and talked of the home church model I of course, continued to attemp to pastor in the traditional church paradigm. Of course this met with mostly frustration as I too really don’t fit the model. Finally a few years ago I just made the jump. I have to say that my blood pressure has gone down considerably. My wife has been instrumental in helping me come to the conclusion that I don’t fit, well as though it was not obvious. I know a great many people who have opted to change paradigms. Thanks for the words of encouragement all those years ago and for your writing. May God bless you and Jody in your life of ministry.
Rick