Title: Disciples convene 'summit' on new
congregation establishment
Date: December 12, 2000
Disciples News Service Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
Contact: news@cm.disciples.org
00b-72
INDIANAPOLIS (DNS) -- More than 100 leaders of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) gathered here Nov. 28-30 for a summit on the future of new congregation establishment.
In doing so, the 130 participants helped launch a new movement of carrying out the Great Commission through starting new congregations, according to the Rev. James Powell, president of Board of Church Extension. "We prayed for nothing less than launching a movement of empowered people."
During the conference, new congregation pastors, regional ministers, higher education representatives and general unit staff focused on congregations starting congregations, and leadership recruitment and development.
Stimulating the discussion were presentations from two consultants, the Revs. Tom Bandy, Guelph, Ont., and George Bullard, Columbia, S.C.
Bandy offered a provocative look at the church of the future -- one that has adapted to the post-modern culture. "This is a new apostolic age," said the former United Church of Canada evangelism executive. "A new species of church is emerging."
He called for mainline congregations to move from being a "lovely pond" to becoming a changing "whitewater experience" that meet the needs of participants. The question is: "Are people being gifted, called, equipped and sent?"
Seekers today have little interest in the "Christian year" and other liturgical trappings of the church, according to Bandy. Today's faith pilgrims want an experience with God. "What is your experience with Jesus that this community can't live without?" he asked.
Tomorrow's thriving churches will be those that focus on several tasks:
* transforming adults between 18 and 45,
* establishing growth groups linked to a worship experience,
* promoting and providing continuing education resources for laity, and
* encouraging participation over membership.
If they will change, denominations can have a relevant role in organizing the movement to establish new congregations, said Bullard. The Southern Baptist minister is a former denominational executive and "church planter."
He counseled using a dual track of revitalizing existing congregations while establishing new ones. "Can the ones that have existed be transformed?" he asked. "It is a mission possible. They must choose to accept it . . . to reinvent themselves."
That's where denominational structures come in, according to Bullard. They can help transform existing congregations, as well as establish new ones. The goal is healthy congregations, which in turn, can be the source or impetus for new, healthy congregations.
Congregational multiplication (or new church establishment) is "the most important thing a denomination can be doing over the long haul," Bullard said. Denominations that declare "church planting celibacy" by not establishing new faith communities will die within 80 years.
General Minister and President Richard L. Hamm recently announced a denomination-wide goal of starting 630 new churches by 2020. Bullard, however, advises denominations to begin a number equal to 3 percent of the current number of congregations. For Disciples, he recommended starting 1,500 over the next 20 years. By 2020 that means Disciples would have 4,500 total congregations and 1 million members.
"We've got work to do," said Hamm in response to that challenge. "We will start as many new churches as we are led to start. If we are open to what God has for us, we will be absolutely amazed."
The denomination's first goal is to be faithful to the Great Commission, said the Rev. Rick Morse. The Kirkland, Wash., pastor begins March 1 as director of New Church Establishment. Morse's remarks echoed a theme shared numerous times by pastors of new congregations throughout the conference.
The challenges to starting new churches are to discover and develop leadership, to create partnerships among congregational, national and regional bodies, and to secure finances. "It takes a lot less funding than some people think," Bullard said while reemphasizing the importance of congregations starting congregations. "It's a grassroots movement," he added.
That message was especially helpful for the Disciples crowd, many of whom were disenchanted with the "pastor developer" model used exclusively within the denomination. It is too expensive and takes too long, some lamented.
The Rev. Sharon Freeland, Hillsborough, N.C., challenged Disciples leaders to think about community partnerships when establishing new congregations or engaging in outreach ministries. "Good work is made easier when we enter into partnerships," she said.
A Baptist minister, she is executive director of Orange Congregations in Mission. The rural ecumenical coalition was established in 1981 by three congregations and had an initial budget of $11,000. OCIM is now an interracial, interfaith group of 55 participating congregations with a $1 million budget.
As the consultation continued, participants broke into several strategy/action groups to plan for leadership recruitment, congregations starting congregations, starting racial/ethnic churches, marketing and communication and other priorities. These groups will carry out new initiatives with the support of the New Congregation staff of Board of Church Extension and Homeland Ministries.
Ideas that surfaced included commissioning new church development professionals as counselors in summer camp programs; placing pre-ministerial college interns in new church starts and using the gifts of retired clergy and committed laypersons.
Other suggestions included identifying and enlisting "strategic" congregations in new church projects, and providing training and staff support for them; adopting aggressive regional goals to establish ethnic congregations and recruiting leadership; and helping congregations utilize emerging technology, and communication and marketing techniques.
-- end --