Pastor’s Corner – February 6, 2025

Did you know that in this era of declining religious affiliation in the United States, growth needs to be measured in ways other than membership and attendance figures? Across the nation those metrics are declining. So how do we measure growth today? Here are a few ideas:

In discipleship rather than membership. Jesus never called the church to make members. Jesus called the church to make disciples (Matthew 28:19). For a long time in our nation it was believed that good citizenship included religious membership. This filled the rolls and the pews with nominal members who were there out of obligation rather than in commitment to Christ. When religious membership no longer was connected to good citizenship, rolls and pews started diminishing. Those left were there because Christ and his way really mattered. Today we can count and celebrate disciples who love and serve Christ and his church.

In service to the community rather than in the size of staff, programs, facilities, and budgets. Jesus made it clear: I came to serve not to be served (Mark 10:45). Jesus expects the same from us. The difference we make in the lives of the people in our community is a powerful metric of vitality for the church today.

In a spirit of unity not uniformity. In the prayer of Jesus on the eve of his death, recorded in John 17, this was Jesus petition: I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one…so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them as you have loved me. A healthy metric of growth for the church of Jesus Christ has always been the spirit of unity among a widely diverse group of disciples created by love, not uniformity in doctrine, practice, or appearance. At the beginning of this same gospel this point is driven home with these words: to all who received Christ, Christ gave power to become children of God (John 1:12). Have we allowed Christ to transform us into loved and loving children of God? If so, we ourselves bear witness to the growth of Christ’s church!

Can you think of some other ways we can measure the church’s growth today? Please share them with me so we may embrace the future together in a spirit of hope.

Yours in Christ,

Marc