The Higher-Ups

Tuesday night, while catching up on social media, I came across a post from a pastor, about resources that were available from district level of their church affiliation for new church plants. In the comments that followed, an interesting conversation about church planting versus church revitalization. The pros and cons were though-provoking... the money that goes into a church plant that may or may not last to the 5-year mark, while churches needing "makeovers" have been there for decades. Plus, there's the whole, how many churches can a particular denomination or affiliation need in a given area?

On the flip-side; depending on the structure of the church as an organization, the chain of command may or may not be able to direct people to specific churches or areas. Ministry is a calling. I understand, how dicey things can become when there is overlap in an area between two churches of the same affiliation. That said, who really wants to be the person to tell a pastor that they are "wrong" about the area God has called them to, based on there already being a particular church for that community? Granted, they just might be wrong. Who knows. But the amount of prayer and time with God that had better occurred before having such a conversation ought to amount to a staggering number.

Say all that to say, depending on the organizational structure of a denomination, fellowship or affiliation, some incredibly complex procedures and decisions can result in some tense and frustrating moments. While I haven't been "in the room", I can only imagine the discussions. On second thought, maybe I don't want to do that.

The truth is, each church has it's own culture. And aesthetically-appealing structures may help people feel welcome, but ultimately, it's the culture that keeps them coming back. As I told my girls last night; they were telling me how much they had fun in their class, then they asked about mine. Service was great, then I got to talk with a few friends. I love my church friends.

Church can get complicated. Fast. For all the decisions a church has to make, plus the long-term effects that hang in the balance combined with the input, direction and desires from higher-ups in the organization... now we've got ourselves a show (to quote a line from my favorite television political dramas)

On this #deaconThursday, pray for churches and their governing bodies at district, regional and national levels... for the decisions and challenges they face that affect their community as well as their organizations. Pray wisdom and discernment would lead the discussion; may God's will and Him glorified remain at the center of their plans. May the temptation to compare be kept at bay; that pastors and decisions makers would focus on remaining true to their own calling and understanding their culture and using their strengthens for the glory of God. Pray for those churches, being planted and revitalized... may God breathe afresh into those communities, that many would come to faith in Christ and that the faith of many would be strengthened and encouraged to make a greater impact for the advancement of the Gospel.

For all the quirks within every family unit, I'm glad to be apart of the family of God. For churches young and old, standing strong or learning to walk... if your doors are still open, God is not done with you.

- PNC

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