I found this worth sharing.  Tim

“This article is used by permission from Dr. Dan Reiland’s free monthly e-newsletter, “The Pastor’s Coach,” available at www.INJOY.com.”

You can also get the PDF version here:  Shar Kobb

Pastor Tim

Where there is no vision, the people perish. -Proverbs 29:18a (KJV)

Report to the Congregation of

Monson Community United Methodist Church

By

Sharlene K. Kobb

For CHM 569 E

Professor Lois Barrett

June 16, 2010

Introduction:

My name is Sharlene Kobb (Shar) and I am a Master of Divinity student at Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary.  This semester I took the class “Understanding the Church’s Context” and Monson Community Church was kind enough to assist me in my final project.  This report is the written results of that project.  The data that I gathered came from many sources: the four class textbooks, demographic information from the online census site, South Bend Area Connect web site, the Monson Community Church website, the United Methodist general website, and interviewing a variety of people from all walks of life who attend Monson Community Church.  Thank you all for your time, openness, and hospitality.  My hope and prayer is that this report will be a starting point or an encouragement to continue discussions concerning Monson Community Church’s place in our community and world as they continue to love people into the Kingdom of God.

The Immediate Context:

Monson Community United Methodist Church recently changed its name from Monson Chapel United Methodist Church.  For the younger people in the congregation changing the name was not an issue as they see being a community church more in line with Monson’s mission and vision.  The older members were not as encouraging.  Monson is in a unique location—it is rural and inner city, located on South Bend’s Southwest side, it is near rural (to the west of the church) and considered a country church by some people, but also near an area that is economically challenged with apartment projects and gangs running the street.  The people in the immediate neighborhood next to the church are middle class or lower class people economically.  The neighborhood “down the street” is economically challenged with many living in poverty in government supported housing and on government assistance.  There are many households in this neighborhood that are listed as “food insecure”.  This means that there is not an

adequate amount of food available to the family.  The population for the zip code in which Monson is located is 20,687 with 19,735 being urban and 952 being rural.[1] South Bend is predominately white with large black and Hispanic communities.  The median age for the household is 33.9 years old.[2] South Bend’s total population in 2006 was 98,516, an 8.6% decrease since 2000.[3]

The History of the Congregation:

Monson Community Church began as a Sunday School with a worship service in 1880 and had its own building by 1884.  The Studebaker brothers donated the materials for the original building.  They felt that the Westside of South Bend needed a church so that it was not so far to travel to attend church.  The church was named after the circuit rider, Pastor Monson.

Recent history is that before Pastor Tim came to Monson, Monson went through several pastors.  One of the pastors left the ministry after his tenure at Monson Chapel, possibly “burned out” according to members. The year immediately before Pastor Tim’s appointment one of the long-term members who is a lay speaker was the pulpit supply pastor.  Monson has gone through many changes in the last seven years, since Pastor Tim’s appointment. Pastor Tim was appointed to Monson to close the church, but instead as he has worked with the congregation, they have gone from 75 members in 2002 (the year before Pastor Time was appointed) to 102 members in 2009 (the last time that complete data is available).  Today they average about 87 people on Sunday mornings. Monson is a church that has families who have been attending members for generations, currently three and four generations attend together and are active.  Monson in the last few years has made leadership changes that now follow the United Methodist Book of Discipline.  This has been a challenge as those who do not want the changes and do not understand that the Book of Discipline outlines the requirements for the structure in the United Methodist Church, it is not just because the pastor says so.    In the last one to two years the leadership of Monson with the guidance of Pastor Tim have been encouraging new and younger people to be in church leadership.  One of the reoccurring themes in the interview process is that this leadership change needs to continue so that the younger or newer Christians are mentored by the mature leaders to help them learn what it takes for the leadership position and responsibilities of the position. Change has been difficult and very hard on the older members; most of the younger and newer members have embraced the changes.

Identity of the Congregation:

The members of Monson Community Church see themselves as people who are very giving and loving.  If someone has a need they all come together to meet that need; sometimes never even knowing who they are helping.  They have many Spirit filled people in the congregation.  Monson is a multi-racial, multi-cultural and multi-generational congregation—this has happened in the last five years with many mixed families.

They list on their website and in a membership pamphlet that you can expect these things at Monson:

• Honest people who struggle with the real world, and might even be a little grumpy
• Expect Us to make mistakes–we are all human
• Our focus to be on Jesus, not on the building, the windows, etc.
• God to talk directly to you
• Answers to prayer, even if it’s not the answer that you want
• The Holy Spirit to show up
• To learn a new song, re-learn a scripture passage, make a new friend.

Monson is truly a congregation of multiple generations, multi-racial/ethnic and mixed ethnic heritage, various economic situations, many layers of educational levels, and people who are brand new to the church as well as those who have grown up there—were baptized there, met their spouse there, and were married there.  One of the most amazing things is in this small church people come from two counties and about seven different cities to be a participant at Monson Community Church.  One relationship story that a newer member shared with me is that three years ago when her family was looking for a new church, her ex-husband invited her and her family to Monson.  They have been there ever since and when you attend events with them, there is no discomfort.  They have a wonderful relationship between their families and are a witness of lives transformed by God’s love through a congregation that accepts all people as persons of sacred worth.

The congregation at Monson has many traditions, but the glue is the sacraments of baptism and Holy Communion.  The United Methodist Church has an open communion. If a person has a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and is living for Jesus, they are welcome to participate, so everyone is welcome regardless of denominational affiliation.  The sacrament of baptism is one of the things that people when interviewed consistently said was one of those things that encouraged them and made them feel alive.  It excites them to see especially an adult give their life to Christ and watch the transformation that happens when someone becomes a Christ-follower.

Monson Community Church has a global ministry called “Cross in My Pocket”.  This ministry has been in action for many years and the crosses have gone into war zones, the slums of many third world countries and the local neighborhoods.  During the Memorial Day Parade on the Westside of South Bend, members walk in the parade and hand out crosses with their flyers inviting everyone to Monson activities, including Sunday services.  The flyers are in both English and Spanish.  The “Cross in My Pocket” ministry was inspired by the poem by Vera Mae Thomas, “The Cross in My

Pocket.”  The church has a punch and die, and they make them and package them.  I personally have given them to people in the LaSalle Park neighborhood and the Muessel neighborhood in South Bend through a street ministry in which I participated, people were touched to receive such a gift of love.

This congregation has become a very open congregation that welcomes everyone regardless!  This is something that they have nurtured in the last five years or so.  During the interview process this was brought to the table by many of the interviewees and the fact that for a small church the average age is in the thirties not the eighties.  There are a growing number of young people and young families in attendance.

The Theology and Practices of the Congregation:

At Monson Church, their membership flyer says that they believe:

• God is bigger and better and closer than we can imagine.
• The Bible is God’s perfect guidebook for living.
• Jesus is God showing himself to us
• Through his Holy Spirit, God lives in and through us now
• Nothing in creation “just happened.”  God made it all.
• Grace is the ONLY way to have a relationship with God.
• Faith is the only way to grow in our relationship with God.
• God has allowed evil to provide us with a choice, God can bring good even out of evil event and God promises victory over evil to those who choose him.
• Heaven and Hell are real places.  Death is a beginning, not the end.
• The church is to serve people like Jesus served people.
• Jesus is coming again.

During the interview process, the members spoke with great passion about the outreach

ministries in which Monson is involved.  The interviewees also spoke about their Emmaus Walk and how it was a tool that God used to transform their life.[4] For such a small congregation Monson has a very high percentage of Certified Lay Speakers. They also have a children’s ministry and a youth ministry.  During the summer Vacation Bible School has 45-50 children in attendance and in one way or another, the whole church is involved.  The whole church is also involved in the annual Turkey Dinner where over 800 people are served.  On Thanksgiving Day they also have a community Thanksgiving Dinner that is served to anyone who stops in and some meals are even delivered to those that they know need it and cannot come to the church.  The congregation loves their Community Care Center, they provide a free lunch and activities once a month for the immediate neighborhood.  Many in the congregation come to serve and just fellowship together as well so that this is a more than just an outreach opportunity, but also a time of fellowship for them.  Before school begins in the Fall they will have free school physicals, eye exams, and haircuts for those who come.  This is an awesome ministry for the people who live in that area, as many of them have no other way to make these things happen for their children!  A monthly after worship fellowship meal is open to the community even if they do not attend service.  Often there are one or two people from the community and most of the congregation attends this meal, it is a celebration of the family of God.   One member said, “It is ALL worth it if we are able to impact just one person for Christ.”

On Sunday morning between services there is Sunday School for children, youth and adults.  During the week a men’s accountability group and a women’s accountability group is offered as well as a Disciple Bible Study group.  The youth group meets on Sunday evening.  Monson has opportunities for discipleship, but could use a more intentional plan of forming, guiding, and nurturing disciples and new people to the congregation.

From my observations and interviews, I believe that Monson Community Church lives its beliefs, but could benefit from a more intentional, intensive plan of discipleship.

Missional Vocation:

The congregation understands its God-given calling to be serving the community.  One interviewee said, “We are a missionary congregation spreading the Word of God, and caring for those less fortunate today.”

Monson’s Mission Statement: “Offering the Word of God, and the Love of Christ, in the community and the world around us.”

The congregation at Monson is energized and feels alive when they are able to positively influence their community for Christ.  Through the Interview process it was very apparent that the congregation was passionate about living out this mission statement.  For instance, walking in the Memorial Day Parade was a huge risk for some in the congregation because of their life before Christ.  Those members were making a very public statement in their community about Christ’s transformation of their life.

Monson is a missional church.  They pray, learn, fellowship together as well as serve their community by being the hands and feet of Christ.

The Congregation’s Engagement with Its Contexts:

Today the Monson Community United Methodist Church congregation looks more in line with the demographics of the area than it ever has.  The area is multi-racial, multi-generational, of mixed ethnic heritage, with blended families—Monson resembles this.  The congregation is really striving to reach a biblical worldview, but as with most of us today this is a struggle.  The community surrounding Monson has a very secular, aggressive worldview.  Monson Community UMC is very much engaged with its community and the world.  In this congregation there are people whose lives have been dramatically transformed by the love of Jesus Christ through fellow members of the

Body of Christ at Monson Church.

The congregation lives its faith in many ways in the community through their community outreach.  Do they fail sometimes?  Can they do more?  Do they need to be more intentional? YES to all of the above questions.  When the lights are turned off and the doors locked after an event or Sunday Services, have they touch someone or encouraged someone in the name of Jesus? YES! They have, and the community where they are located benefits from the love that they receive from the congregation at Monson Church.

Monson has several challenges:

1. They have many people who are young in the LORD and need to be mentored and taught.  This is a challenge because Pastor Tim is a part-time local pastor according to the conference.  He puts in many more hours than should be expected and is very committed to Monson.  He is a bi-vocational pastor.  There still are some congregation members who fight the changes that need to be made for Monson to continue to move forward.  The pastor should not have to engage this by himself.  The congregation needs to have reasonable, realistic expectations of part-time local pastor, or they need to step out in faith and risk getting a full-time pastor.
2. The physical building is a huge challenge as they are land locked and using the building almost to its full capacity.  The septic system is about at its limits; they used to pump it only one time per year now it is pumped several times per year.  The congregation is going to have to become very creative as well as begin to dream big, scary big, God-sized big as they begin to think about a different building.  Several people during the interview process could see themselves in a new building (the empty K-mart building) and using the “Chapel” for weddings and other special events.  The biggest concern was the financial piece.

1. The Pastor and leadership team need to consider a more intentional discipleship path for the congregation at Monson, from the littlest child to the patriarch of the congregation.  With opportunities that are lead by people of different generations.
2. The congregation needs to review Biblical Conflict Resolution as found in Matthew 18:15.  A former Lay Leader of the church has used the process, but I think that formalizing the process and teaching people to use would be helpful.

Conclusions:

Many congregations could learn from Monson Community United Methodist Church and the way that they are loving people into the Kingdom of God.  They are truly a missional congregation.  They are pushing out the walls of their church as they reach their community for Jesus!

[2]www.aresllc.com (retrieved on June 16, 2010).

[3] www.southbendareaconnect.com (retrieved on June 8, 2010).

Kobb 2

[4] See www.upperroom.org/emmaus/whatis for more information.

Week #3: Staying in Love with God….Easy to say, easy to want, But do we?

I must be growing more feeble in my older young age, as I see a large number of people, in and out of the church, who always Praise God when things are going well.  I never see them Praise God when things are going badly.

We live in the “Fast Food World of wanting everything right now”.  Yet I have found that through my relationship with God, things happen on HIS time. For me loving God has been easy most of my life, Starting as a little boy and continuing today. However, the road has not always been the most pleasing for God, as I have had moments when I decided not to love him. Those moments have hurt me and made people around me suffer. When I was hurting, I wanted those around me to hurt as badly as I was. For me it made my hurting easier. Yet I knew that I was causing the problems, I was the one who was no longer caring or loving.  I was the one who thought I loved God; only to find out I loved myself more.

As funny as this sound, this is where I think the church should be stepping up. I think that too many in the Body of Christ (church) have made the church an extension of their relationship with God.  For some that has been a wonderful thing. But there are others who want the power, control, respect and a following of people. They always tell you how good they are and what they have done for their god.

This might be one of the reasons the organized church is failing in its efforts to minister to those around us. Maybe those we try to serve see that we really don’t Love and Serve God. Maybe they see that we do everything for recognition, certificates, control and personal glory.

I believe the church community needs to get down on our hands and knees and decide who we follow.  Jesus asked Peter three times: Do you love me?

I think we need to bow down before Jesus so he can ask each and every one of us the same question.

Does your life show the answer you have given?

Just my thoughts,

PT

Do No Harm,

Do Good,

Stay in Love with God.

We focused on Romans Romans 12:14-19 and Romans 13:8-9 as a basis to look at the first rule:

Do No Harm.

It is clear John Wesley believes that each of us must live a live that is holy and good. Each of us gets assistance on the journey through a caring community (church or covenant group) that helps us maintain a daily practice of discipline. Each of the disciplines provides ongoing help and instruction. They are necessary to help us stay focused on our journey of knowing God through Jesus Christ.

Wesley gave the Methodist movement General Rules which were the practical application of what it meant to follow Christ – they were outlined and the people were instructed on them within the class structure. Accountability for practice was centered in the classes that formed the United Societies (pg.17 & Discipline ¶103).

The General Rules became distilled into this behavioral trinity –“Do No Harm, Do Good, Stay in Love with God.”

Wesley issued the rules of the united societies in February 1743. Those who wished to enter the society must have “a desire to flee from the wrath to come, to be saved from their sins.” When admitted they were to give evidence of their desire for salvation “by doing no harm; by doing good of every possible sort; by attending upon all the means of grace.”

To Do No Harm is a practice of love and compassion for those we meet on our journey. It requires us to be Radical in how we look at others and our self. Jesus tells us in Mark  12: 29-31 that there is no other commandment greater than loving God with every ounce of our being and Love our neighbor as our self.

Yet on a daily basis we continue to fall short.

Jesus knew this would happen, so did John Wesley. Even though we will fail, we have the grace of Christ to help us overcome these human hurdles and allow us to have the ability to know how we should be. Each new day contains the offering to start over and do the very best we can do. They remind us of our duty as Sons and Daughters of God.

A lot has changed since 1743, and it is obvious to me that we have lost touch with the practices that John wished we would follow. It is too bad that we are not more accountable in our worship, care and outreach. I wish those of us who are part of the Wesleyan ~ Methodist movement would re-examine our call from God, and the way we go around proclaiming Jesus Christ. Could it be that while we were Bible Thumping and Banging in the heads of people to listen we actually did more harm?

I have never thought the Gospel was meant to be preached with Fire and Brimstone, or that you need a Louisville Slugger to make someone except Christ. I have found the Gospel message to be one of Love.

Maybe if we were to love those we meet as much as we say we Love God, the world would hear The Message.

I wonder how much Harm we have inflicted.

Who did you harm last week?

Just my thoughts

P.T.

The man had really long hair, fully tattooed arms and was about 6 foot 4. He was telling the person on the other side how his life was almost $800 dollars “richer” each week since he started a relationship with Jesus Christ. He was telling the person on the phone about the new excitement that he felt. No need for Alcohol and the things he used to do.

He was excited, and looking forward to each new day….

Prior to going to the Local Target Store, we stopped at the State Fair Ground where I dedicated my Life to Christ at a Billy Graham Crusade in 1973.

Though the sites were different, the feeling was the same. It was there that I heard the Gospel in a new way. It was there that I heard God call me.

It takes courage and dedication to make changes.

Psalm 121 (NIV)

A song of ascents.

¹ I lift up my eyes to the hills—
where does my help come from?

² My help comes from the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth.

³ He will not let your foot slip—
he who watches over you will not slumber;

⁴ indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.

⁵ The LORD watches over you—
the LORD is your shade at your right hand;

⁶ the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.

⁷ The LORD will keep you from all harm—
he will watch over your life;

⁸ the LORD will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore.

Where do you find your strength and Help?

Is it God, or is it in the things of man who can become God.

My help comes from the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth Ps 121:2

Just a thought!

Tim

“For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.”

On June 16, 2010 my wife, Kim (Fox) and I will be married 31 years.  We meet in 2^nd hour science class at the old Merrillville Junior High school in 7^th grade. She had these funny looking cat eyed rimmed glasses; I wore the stylish big black framed kind. We had every class together except for Gym and Choir, I was in the Boy’s glee club, and she was in the Girls’ choir. We developed a friendship that had us taking many classes together throughout the rest of our time at Merrillville.

I went to ask her out on a date in our senior year, it took a lot of courage on my part and as we were talking she flashed a pre-engagement ring (at least that is my story, and I am sticking with it) in front and me and I remembered walking away. I remember not talking with her much our last year in high school.

I have always felt a calling to serve God, doing the Bert and Ernie Sunday School experience at Prince of Peace Lutheran in Merrillville during High School, preaching on Youth Sundays, and other wonderful things that I felt compelled to do, because I wanted people to have real joy in their life.

College time came, I went to the University of Evansville, it is always good for a Lutheran to attend a Methodist affiliated College, and I was having a good life. There were new horizons, new people, new relationships and the chance to do youth ministry at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church on Washington Street in Evansville. I was able to start serving the Lord through ministry.

Sometimes things happen in life that causes you to become down and out. I was very ill my second year in College, so ill, I went down to 157 in the course of several months. I was tired, sore and I had to come home from school…I was home and continued to keep getting sick.  There were months of medicine, treatment, etc. I was taken to Mayo Clinic.  After two trips, I was on the road to recovery. I started to live life again, But I had to get the strength to walk again, move my arms, use my hands, etc…I decided I was not going to be depressed or defeated.

In between the visit to Mayo, I was actually in an engagement with a wonderful woman. However, her father told me that it was not meant to be and that God had told him I was not the one for his daughter. Boy did I think he was wacky!  After some time of agony, we went our separate ways.  Remember life has a sense of humor and sometimes when you least expect it, Life does present new opportunities. Part of my recovery was to walk the Old Southlake Mall daily to get my legs working better. One day I ran into Kim Fox. {God did have a different plan for me!}

I was so happy to see Kim again and as we talked, I realized that I had just seen her the other day, while going down the road by my house. I thought she was married only to find out that she was not. She had just gone through a relationship that ended. We talked for a while – she made sure she told me where her mom worked in the mail.  I was in seventh heaven; I went home to look up the Fox family in the phone book, only to find so many of them I had no clue as which family might be hers.  After some time and some courage, I went to her Mom’s store, and I carefully asked how to reach Kim.

We started to date, however she let me know that I was not in her future, as she only dated skinny men, and those who had no illness, She was stubborn and so highly focused and driven I thought it was too much for me, this relationship is never going to work. Nevertheless, we continued to see each other. I even went to visit with her when she was home with Mono.

We were engaged on Super Bowl Sunday in 1979. It was supposed to happen on Valentine’s Day, but one thing lead to another, and I asked her if she would consider marrying me? She said yes!

Well we have been married for 31 years, we have had God in the center of our marriage for about 26 of those years, God was not gone, I was the one who had to take a break from God. I was bitter, I was angry and I blamed God for my life not being right. I later learned that I was stopping me, our marriage and the joy we were supposed to have. However, we made it through this together.

We have four wonderful children that I believe God gave us so we could help mold them for a HIM. We survived the loss of loved ones, her grandma Dorothy and my Dad within two weeks of each other in our second year of marriage. We survived my bruised ego, a failed family business that left us with 98% of the bills to pay; we survived the 14-16 hour workdays, we survived living in a small (very to small) house with four kids until the bills were paid. We have worked hard to help our kids know what we believe in and what we believe love is.  Yes, we have struggled, we have starved, and we have had everything and almost lost everything. Yet we have been with each other no matter what has happened. From the deepest valley to the tallest mountain, we have done it together the best way we know how and God has been with us on the entire journey.

God gave me a blessing the day Kim came into my life. When I look back on my life, I am constantly reminded that God has given me a very special partner and wife. Kim is my blessing.

Well, as we prepare for the next year of our marriage, I want to say thank you to my Father and God, for giving me Kim. I look forward to our growing up and growing old together.

Looking back, I realize how much we are blessed. Each of our four children is as different as the stars. We have cried as our oldest Jessica served the US Army going to Iraq twice, and cried with joy when she arrived back home to us. We have celebrated as we watched our oldest son Andy dance on the ballroom floor, we have been blown away by the “Voice” that God has given our Jillian (a diva in training for Opera), and we have worked hard at assisting our youngest son Russ through the special journey’s he has had to travel. Each one of our children is extremely different, talented, special and unique. We would not give them up for anything in the world. Each one is a special blessing from God.

Well enough rambling, I could write a book, maybe I should…

Darling Kim,
I love you with all of my being, I love you because God has given you to me.

I want you to know that I cherish you.

I cherish our life, our ministry together.

Happy 31^st Anniversary and I pray there will be many more.

Tim

Today: Some people loved the music; a few did not love the music.

Today: There was no pastor’s message, yet there was a pastor’s message.

Today: It was enjoyable to see the Thrive children share the Resurrection story of Jesus with us.

Today: There were faces of people I have not seen in a long time.

Yet while today was like any other Easter Sunday, Today was not like any other Easter Sunday

I gave up the pastors message time using the Title ‘Can I get a Witness’, at first wanting people to share the story of Christ in their life. However, one of our young people asked me last week if they could share something that was on her heart. She handed me a letter to read. I read the letter and said we would talk about it again today (Easter) and that I would let her share what was on her heart. Heart sharing can be difficult. When we share our heart, we also open our heart.   I prayed on this all week, and decided since God did not strike me down with a lightning bolt, it must have been what he wanted done.

I warned the congregation that not everyone would like her words, and in fact, a few people might not like them at all. Therefore, she shared her heart, as well as several others who were compelled by her words. What was supposed to be a time of Witnessing for Christ, turned into a time when I believe an underlying hurt was brought out of the tomb!

One person shared about things as it related to people, tired of the backstabbing, the gossip and the hate that they felt, One person lifted up the fact that we are not doing enough for our young people, as they live in a different world then many of the older young people have ever experienced. One talked about his son who had passed away, and the loss he was still feeling. Another young boy shared the fact that he wanted to spend time with his dad, He was hurting, and I believe dad was hurting also, as dad came up and shared in the witnessing with his son. My wife shared about some of our journey together and the fact that God helped change her when she became a new creation in and through Jesus Christ.

While sitting and listening, I remembered a conversation several years ago with a former member of the church when she shared with me that she loved the church and she loved the people. However, she never felt any love in return from the people she loved… (She was in here late 60′s then)… After some time she believed God was calling her to a different church. Today she is a church where she feels loved.

Is it possible that through an awkward time of Easter Celebration the underlying struggle of this church was lifted up so healing could start to take place?

Is it possible that God has decided it is time for us to address the things that have held us in captivity?

Is it possible that we have been called to Resurrect into the Church and Community that God wants us to be, not what a handful want us to be?

Is it possible that through hard words, painful sharing, and live experiences we as a church are going to experience God in a new and wonderful lite?

Is it possible that today was Easter Sunday?

I am looking forward to next Sunday, what about you?

Christ is risen, have you embraced him?

I have a friend who pastors a church that just keeps getting smaller and smaller. Every time the church does what they believe God is calling them to do a small number of people [who have been at the church ( way to long) most of their life] – do their best to put down the church, the people, the pastor, the ministry and everything else (excluding the things that they want to do or have done).

My son is 16 and still growing up; I wonder how old these people are?

What is a pastor to do? What should the church do?

We are called to love people, but what about those who cannot love themselves. What do you do with the people who have to make a stink and bully people around with hurtful and hate filled comments?

Are they content with running others out of the church?

Do they do this to feel better about themselves?

When is the church about God?

When is ministry about God?

On the other hand, is ministry about pleasing the few who cause grief for others?

Is ministry when you feel good about what you think you are doing for God?

Is it possible they have not seen the Lamb of God?

Maybe it is time for these people to deal with the consequences of their actions.

When is the community going to say enough is enough, take your hurt and hatred somewhere else?

When are these so called Christians going to See God?

One thing I know is that many churches have lost their Momentum and Ministry potential because of a few “Christians” who think that God does what they want him to do. That is too bad. I talk with many in ministry who share one horror story after another, and at some point you just have to ask the question why are these people Christian. Better yet, do they know what it means to be a Christian?

Does the church want to know the Lamb of God? Are we watching because we love HIM, or are we watching because it is what we have always done?

Think on these things.

PT

A new Way of seeing our Church Community 

Then he added, “Pay close attention to what you hear. The closer you listen, the more understanding you will be given and you will receive even more. To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them.” Mark 4:24-25 NLT

In the preparation for Seminary class, I want to post some of the ideas and concepts that come from the book Cultivating Wholeness; A Guide to Care and Counseling in Faith Communities by Margaret Kornfield.

This is a very good book, dealing with communities. In this case a religious community we call the Local Church. Kornfield believes that “Communities have spiritual centers; they are lived out in human fashion”.

The idea that “communities have a spiritual centers; they are lived out in human fashion” is something many have never recognized.  Many of us have not been in communities where we were encouraged to communicate with each other honestly or without any fear of harsh or bad treatment. This is where we should find the grace of God, yet it seldom happens.  We do not take the time to listen to others. We seldom recognize that God has given each of us our own set of watercolor paints and that he encourages us to see the world in a uniqueness that is our own and share it through the lens he has provided.  We learn to be somewhat honest, yet we do not embrace each other to hear new thoughts or ideas, or embrace really painful and honest sharing of those things that work or may not be working in our lives.

Many communities are actually working like a couple who are heading to divorce. They have become a unit of dysfunctional people. There is no way to resolve negative and harmful conflicts when there is no open communication. Yet, conflict can be one of the most positive things that can take place in a community, assuming there is a way to have honest and open dialogue. Agreeing that it is all right to disagree, seeing that there is always more than one way, one answer or solution. Positive and helpful communities see everything through the eyes of loving critic and not harmful personal and negative criticism.

Communities that work understand that cooperation is a requirement, and it is at the center of everything. They understand the value of human interaction, the melting of ideas and traditions. They recognize that everything through a new sense of understanding.

These communities flourish, seek new adventures and reach the goals that they set. They invite and encourage others to join them. They are not afraid of what they will discover while they are on the journey. They recognize that differing ideas, opinions and thoughts are not fighting. Conflict is their friend. Conflict is a growing tool. The resolution of issues and problems means the community is thriving and growing.

Communities that deal with conflicts:

Have a unique understanding that conflict is part of the creative and problem solving process. They do everything in love, and they agree that it is all right to disagree. They seek to understand before being understood. They embrace conflict as something to be worked through, not the actual problem itself. Understand that anger is part of the conflict process, however due to the unique nature of the community anger is actually reduced. These communities accept the ideas or differing positions presented. The community is flexible and can flow with the ‘opportunities’ before them. Listening is the major foundation of these communities. Each member strives to hear each other and in the case of a religious community, they strive to hear God. They also have guidelines that help the community travel through the differences they encounter, and they are always encouraging each other through mutual respect.

 Communities that do not deal with conflicts:

Believe that fighting is the same as conflict. They do not see conflict as something positive. They are afraid of differences, or people who have a differing opinion. The Value of community members is based on being similar not different or unique. Change is a major threat. All conflict is a problem. Anger is not accepted or acceptable, and usually turns into resentment, expressed in hidden ways or actions. These communities only have one acceptable way, if you do not join their way, then you will not be welcomed. They have an Us versus them mentality. You must believe as they do, or you will not fit in. They believe that they hear each other, but in reality, they only hear each other because they have the same belief. These communities rely on God; however, they look to a present or past religious leader to be the voice of their belief. Someone from the outside generally resolves community Conflicts.

What is your church community like?

Which community would you like to join?

I wonder how many people are in the wrong community.

Blessings,

Tim