Pastor's Blog

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Aug 26, 2008 by Pastor Terry

This morning as I was perusing my Monday morning blog list, I read an interesting post from Tony Morgan that somewhat reflects where we are as a church family. Tony is a pastor and the Chief Strategic Officer at NewSpring Church where he develops creative solutions for communications, technology and NewSpring Ministries. This church has grown from 0-9000 in weekly attendance in about ten years.

Are You Comfortable in Being Uncomfortable? By Tony Morgan

Last Sunday at our Greenville campus, we had an older couple, probably in their sixties, accept Christ. That's worth celebrating. I love to watch life change happen.

Here's what's amazing about stories like that. Our services in Greenville aren't designed for people in their sixties. Our services are designed for a much younger audience. It's an audience that loves loud music. They are comfortable with video teaching, because video is already a huge part of their lives. They love the coffeehouse atmosphere.

Here's what we've learned. If we design our service experiences for a younger audience, we're more likely to reach that younger person and we'll also reach older folks. The reverse is not true. If we designed our service experience for an older audience, the younger crowd would not show up.

Now, here's the reality. Most churches in America are designed for an older audience. In fact, the more-seasoned folks in those churches are sitting on committees telling the students and young adults how they can and can't do ministry. The result? Younger people are leaving churches in droves.

Here's what I know to be true. If the church is going to continue to reach the next generations:

  • I have to be willing to give leadership to people younger than me...and let them make mistakes.
  • I have to be willing to let younger folks lead me in worship...even when it's not my favorite style of music.
  • I need to embrace new methods of ministry...even though it makes me uncomfortable.
  • I need to pray and encourage and finance the next generation church...and stop trying to make church a place that I like to attend.

It's not about me. It's about the people who desperately need to know the hope, love and forgiveness found only in Jesus Christ.

For the ministry of the local church to remain effective, I need to get comfortable with being uncomfortable.

4 Comments

By Anonymous on Aug 27, 2008 12:21pm

Awesome article! We are privileged to serve on a team that believes and works to that end. Pastor Terry and Judith you guys are a blessing and I am excited to see and be apart of what God has for the future of City of Grace!

Blessings,

Jason Parrish

By Rick Barnes on Aug 27, 2008 12:26pm

Thanks, Pastor Terry

I taught in a Christian school for a while back in the eighties – as I learned to teach kids, I desired to teach complicated ideas in simple ways

Something I learned was that people who can teach younger people can usually teach older people

People who can teach older people can’t always communicate with younger people

That was a great lesson from the Olympics – we need to be able to pass the baton well, or we won’t win the race - 1 Cor 9

By Gretchen Smith on Aug 28, 2008 7:41pm

Great article! Thanks for sharing it with all of us. I am inspired to pour into students to see them impact our world for Christ! The young can change the world.

By Adam Smith on Sep 2, 2008 6:03pm

Whenever I read something like this I find myself taking innovatory of the way we're doing church around here.

And it's a cool feeling to glide down the bullets explaining what the church much do to keep hold of the next generations of seekers, and realize...this is us. We do this stuff!

In my mind, it's like a little nugget of confirmation that we're on the right path, striding closer and closer to the something extraordinary we can all feel coming.