hope and fear of congregational growth.

Upon entering a congregation and waiting and biding the time it takes to gain folks trust to lead in a new direction - my fear is that by the time that happens, I'll become assimilated to the community's sense of value and will no longer care to lead the changes I once thought so urgent.

Dear God, may your Word speak every fresh, in each new day. "Be not conformed to the thinking of this congregation, but be transformed by the renewing Spirit in your mind."

When churches (congregations) retire

Been mulling over some of these dynamics of late -

The building of life - the building of a life -

When a couple starts out their life together, most often (though not exclusively) the early years of their togetherness are spent from paycheck to paycheck. Often there is enough money to make ends meet: roof over their head, food on table, utilities paid - a little for extra curricular expenditures, but not much else. time goes one and they become a little more established - and begin to plan to build a family. There are expenses associated with this process that only begin at the medical costs associated with bringing a child into this world. There's food, clothing, housing, furniture, schooling, activities, recreation, games, providing for their spiritual formation, ensuring ongoing health and wholeness as the child grows. Adding multiple children to this dynamic serves to ramp up the expenses incurred while building the family.

Now, God bless those who were either independently wealthy or sufficiently wealthy enough to be able to begin a savings plan for retirement during this phase of the family building process, but that was not my experience (and believe for a vast number of people, this was not the case, either) during this building phase, establishing a savings portfolio was low to non-existent on their radar screens.

Not until the the family get a little older, kids become young adults and become a little more self-sufficient (although, they'll always need their parents) that thoughts have turned to putting a little away into a savings account: we begin to be a little more focussed on that time when we'll no longer earn a monthly salary and we'll enter into that rest known as 'retirement.'

Now, it seems from folks I hear and observe, that the balancing acts of retirement is where 1) being able to play and enjoy the freedom of not having to work, intersects with 2) ensuring that the funds we saved or receive off of our pension last long enough to see us into our final earthly resting place.

during this phase of retirement, we're no longer concerned with building a family, although we sure like when the grandkids come to visit (but it's also equally nice when they go back home, too.) without the emphasis in 'building' we're freed to financially coast as much as we're able to - hoping we don't run out of financial momentum before our time expires.

I contend that this is the mentality that holds hostage many in the 'church' today (most-likely without respect to denominational affiliation). Many of us are part of congregations that are really only focused on one thing - ensuring that finances last long enough to see us into the grave (and maybe throw a grand marker up so someone will maybe remember us.)

How many churches are trying to grow, wanting to grow, feeling the need to grow, but are attempting to do so through a financial mode more suited to retirement demands than to growth demands.

We cannot sit on the funds we have as thought they're ecclesial nest-egs that will one-day hopefully hatch fully formed younger versions of ourself. We have to be willing to invest, not in the banking system, but in people: the next generation. The stewardship to which God calls us is not a matter of ensuring we're making Xx% on our investment portfolio, as much as it is the building and enabling of persons to rest upon the God of Creation, Redemption, and Sustenance; and to see THAT God, the one who invested Godself wholly and fully, lovingly, graciously, forgivingly, mercifully - experienced through their lives.

If we as congregations, cannot find the joy and excitement about the opportunities available for us to build God's family, then we have hit the retirement age, and the next step is a deep 6. - Are we a people shaped by growth and life? or a people molded by retirement.