August 18 '01
Volume 269
Church Growth
Divide And Multiply
When it comes to church growth, I
certainly
don’t have all the answers as to what
is required for a church to grow and prosper. I probably have more questions
than answers, and it’s likely my opinions outnumber the questions. However,
I’ve participated in church life long enough to learn a few things.
I have learned that the people who make up a church body are far more important
to the wellbeing of the church than the person who pastors the flock. Pastors,
in spite of their charisma, education, experience, or preaching ability,
are just ordinary guys. They’re really no different than the members.
Regardless their best efforts, they sin just like the rest of us. The best
of them are the humblest, knowing their limitations, strengths, and challenges.
The poorest of them feed their egos on the praises of men. Pastors who lead
others rather than drive them or push them leave the best legacies. Pastors
come and go as frequently as the wind changes directions, but large movement
within a congregation is as infrequent as climatic upheavals. Thus, a church
is more dependent upon its members for sustenance than its pastor.
I have learned that when a congregation gets a "new preacher" folks who’ve
not attended regularly in years will show up to hear the new preacher. A
few will experience an awakening, but most will not. Persons who limit their
commitment to the preaching service, only, will never really come to feel
themselves a part of the church. To be and to feel a part of the church requires
one to invest more heavily in the activities of the church. One can become
a member of a church, but unless he or she finds a place of service, then
that individual is not going to reach his or her potential and contribute
to the vitality of the church.
A pastor may bring in a few new members with his flamboyant style or appeal,
but unless he serves as a catalyst in getting those few involved in other
areas of the life of the church, church growth will not happen. Real growth
occurs when individuals allow themselves to become involved.
In Baptist churches, involvement takes on a multitude of forms, but a key
factor is what Baptists have historically called Sunday School. These days
it is referred to as Bible Study. Persons interested in growing in their
faith will learn more in a folding chair in Sunday School than while seated
in a church pew, and the more one learns, the more one desires to know, which
may explain why many who attend Sunday School also stay for "church."
In the name of growth, FBC, Pontotoc has initiated a process that will lead
to the church considering the renovation of existing educational space and
construction of a new educational building. When the project is completed,
it is likely that Sunday School attendance will increase from the low 400’s
(my estimate) of today to perhaps as many as 600. After all, Pontotoc and
Pontotoc County are growing rapidly. If FBC doesn’t provide the space,
someone else will.
I suppose it is fair to assume that 600 in Sunday School could translate
into 600 attending the church services. If so, the increase is not that much
more than our present total of the two, morning worship services. However,
the worship attendance figure might increase above the 600 mark. Either way,
it’s growth, but I wouldn’t call it significant growth.
Call me shortsighted, but I’d say that unless FBC chooses to relocate,
the average Sunday School attendance and worship attendance won’t top
600 fifty years from now. The problem with FBC is not so much a lack of desire
to grow as a lack of space in which to do so. The main property of the church
is sandwiched between three city streets, and private homes close off expansion
on its western side. Engineers and architects have given up on a "drive up"
solution to accommodate members in inclement weather. The church owns additional
properties on its south side but a city street separates the satellite property
from the main property. While it is conceivable to build additional facilities
across the street and connect them with an overhead catwalk, it is not likely
to be undertaken, because of the magnitude of the expense to connect the
properties.
The best alternative to the space problem is one most members won’t
even consider. That would be to find sufficient acreage outside of the downtown
area and build a ground-up, new facility. At the mere mention of building
another church, hearts sink at the thought of giving up "those beautiful
stained glass windows." Persons have been burned at the stake for lesser
crimes than such a suggestion, but when FBC was dedicated in 1914 it replaced
a building that had been destroyed by fire. FBC has grown immensely over
the past 87 years, without having to build a new sanctuary. Yet, some believe
if FBC is to continue to grow, a new sanctuary must be built.
I first heard the notion of a new sanctuary kicked around almost twenty years
ago. No one took it seriously at the time and twenty years later, FBC has
basically the same number of members as then. The church has not grown, and
the historical path of churches that fail to grow is decay. I concede that
expanding the educational facilities will delay the decay, much like a filling
in a tooth can stop the pain and temporarily arrest the decay, but in some
cases the tooth will eventually require extraction or replacement.
For long term growth, perhaps FBC, Pontotoc should consider a split, something
along the lines of those attending the two morning worship services, with
the smaller group staying put and the larger group striking off to build
a brand new facility. That's only a thought, and were an actual split to
occur, it's not likely to be so simply defined. Churches often send part
of their members to help start a new church as we did with Green Valley years
ago. Members who couldn’t bear to part with the stained glass windows
might elect to stay, while the rest could start the new church.
It has also occurred to me that if the entire church were to relocate, the
stained glass windows could be relocated also. However, I doubt a modern
architect would want to incorporate them into a contemporary structure.
Whatever route for growth is chosen, as I see it, FBC has no choice. If real
growth is to occur, a new sanctuary must be built.
Paul & Paul
Cookout Fallout
Among those in attendance at the 4th Annual RRN Cookout were Paul
Sims, his wife Laney, and daughter Paula. Paul is General Manager and Editor
of the local newspaper, "The Pontotoc Progress." As with most other guests,
Paul seemed to enjoy the gathering. I didn’t discover just how much
until the publication of the next week's newspaper.
Paul made the following comments to close his editorial column on August
01, 2001:
"Wayne Carter and his wife Barbara know how to put on a backyard fish fry
for a host of friends. When they put on a backyard feed, they don't know
how to do it small.
Saturday they invited a few guests. When the crowd stopped coming, some 130
had passed through the catfish line. Their backyard, end-of-the-school vacation
splash is getting to be a real event in Pontotoc.
Wayne, a prolific writer who enjoys beating out his own stories and jokes
in his "Ridge Rider News" mailout, invites his friends to join him for the
big cookout.
If you didn't get an invitation, wrangle you one for next year. You don't
want to be left out of this one."
I feel that Paul was generous with both his assessment of the fish fry and
his encouragement to others. Perhaps, the "Progress" will be interested in
helping support the effort next year. We could use a photographer for the
occasion.
Barbara and I continue to regret the lack of time we have to spend with guests
each year. I told Floyd McCullough that I had little time to do more than
speak to each guest, and I wasn't sure I accomplished that.
Nonetheless, Floyd reassured me, saying, "I think it does folks a lot of
good, to get out and mingle and meet others."
He's right, you know. Another guy named Paul told followers of Christ to
not forsake getting together on a regular basis. He knew that people need
each other and that people benefit from friendly associations with one another.
It was important 2000 years ago, and it's important today. Followers of Christ
have missed a lot of blessings over the centuries by missing opportunities
to fellowship with other believers. In a similar vein, friends of this writer
have missed not only the obvious blessing of good food, but also the blessing
of merely talking and visiting with one another at a gathering such as was
enjoyed at 218 Dogwood Circle on July 28th.
I fulfilled my part as host and issued the invitations. That some chose to
be elsewhere still bothers me somewhat, but their choice is a factor beyond
my control. I don't wish to make anyone feel guilty for being absent, as
I would not enjoy being chastened for not attending an event I was unable
to work into a busy summer's schedule. Hopefully, conflicting schedules will
be less challenging next year.
Poll Crazy
What's Your Opinion
Americans seem to be crazed with polls to the point of being poll crazy.
Politicians use polls to align themselves on various issues of interest to
their constituents. Consumers are subjected to opinion polls on subjects
ranging from toilet tissue preferences to banking services. Occasionally,
an early evening phone call to one of my residences relates to a given poll.
I was somewhat annoyed recently when the National Rifle Association (NRA)
tricked me into a telemarketing scheme. Upon identifying himself, the
telemarketer asked if I would participate in a poll that would only take
a few minutes of my time. I agreed and quickly found I had to listen to about
a three-minute spiel before being asked any questions. I should have hung
up at that point. Once I had listened, the pitchman asked me if I approved
or disapproved of granting a foreign country the right to determine if Americans
could or could not own certain firearms. Upon answering the question negatively,
I found myself being asked to join the National Rifle Association.
While I tacitly support the efforts of the NRA, a watchdog organization to
help protect the rights of citizens to bear arms, I can't say I was too thrilled
to be on the receiving end of a questionable membership solicitation tactic.
I would have preferred being told up front that the NRA wanted my financial
support, rather than the pitchman coming through the backdoor by asking if
I would participate in a poll. The pitchman may have met his quota that night,
but I didn’t help him.
Whenever I power up a computer for accessing the Internet, the first page
that I see always teases me to participate in a poll. I don’t often
take the time to answer the question being asked, but I have done so a few
times when the subject appealed to me. Within the past month, I think I
participated in four polls.
On July 18th , the question was whether our country needed a
constitutional amendment to prohibit the burning or desecration of the American
Flag. Of the 65,000 responses, 55% of respondents favored the amendment,
while 42% did not. 3% of the respondents weren’t sure how to vote.
Personally, I feel the Supreme Court ruling stating that flag burning is
a free speech issue is a good one, and I don’t think we should criminalize
a free speech issue. I cannot condone flag burning, but I can’t see
making it an illegal act, punishable by fines or imprisonment.
On July 31st, a poll asked if Election Day should be a national
holiday so more people could vote. 75,000 folks voiced an opinion. 67% favored
the national holiday and 32% opposed the idea, with 1% undecided. I was numbered
among those opposed to the idea. I seriously doubt more people would vote
on Election Day if it were a holiday. If anything, more people would head
for the beach, the mountains, or to grandmas. I can’t see how a holiday
would contribute to heavier voter turnout.
The poll that elicited the greatest response was held on August
1st. The question, "Should the US follow Germany’s example
in allowing same sex marriages?" elicited roughly 200,000 responses. 16%
answered yes, but a whopping 83% registered no. How 1% couldn’t decide,
I don’t know, but almost 2,000 had trouble with the question. The only
problem I had with the poll was the lack of another choice. Besides Yes,
No, Don’t Know, there should have been a "Hell No" for those of us wishing
to punctuate our answer.
On August 2nd, a poll asked if casinos should be allowed to offer
online gambling. At the close of the poll, only 25,000 had responded. Of
these, 40% felt it a good idea, 57% felt casino gambling over the Internet
should not be allowed, and 3% just plain didn’t know. In my opinion,
legalized gambling invites moral decadence in a society and should not exist,
so wherever possible I shall oppose it.
"Opinions," as my ex-brother-in-law is fond of explaining, "are like rectums
(not his word of choice), everybody's got one."
This editor invites any reader of a differing opinion on any of the above
topics to mail or email his or her thoughts on the subject.
Bodock Beau
Dirt Roads
Paul Harvey is credited with the following philosophical discourse on life
at the end of a dirt road. Thanks go to Dena Kimbrell for sharing it.
What's mainly wrong with society today is that too many dirt roads have been
paved.
There's not a problem in society today: crime, drugs, education, divorce
and delinquency, that wouldn't be remedied if we just had more dirt roads.
Dirt roads give character. People that live at the end of dirt roads learn
early on that life is a bumpy ride. That it can jar you right down to your
teeth sometimes; but it's worth it, if at the end is home...a loving spouse,
happy kids, a dog and a few cats.
We wouldn't have near the trouble with our educational system if our kids
got their exercise walking a dirt road with other kids, from whom they learn
how to get along.
There was less crime in our streets before they were paved. Criminals didn't
walk two dusty miles to rob or rape, if they knew they'd be welcomed by five
barking dogs and a double barrel shotgun. And there were no drive-by
shootings.
Our values were better when our roads were worse! People did not worship
their cars more than their kids, and motorists were more courteous; they
didn't tailgate by riding the bumper, or the guy in front would choke you
with dust and bust your windshield with rocks. Dirt roads taught patience.
Dirt roads were environmentally friendly. You didn't hop in your car for
a quart of milk; you walked to the barn for your milk. For your mail, you
walked to the mailbox.
What if it rained and the dirt road got washed out? That was the best part!
Then you stayed home and had some family time, roasted marshmallows and popped
popcorn and a pony ride on Daddy's shoulders and learned how to make prettier
quilts than anybody.
At the end of dirt roads, you soon learned that bad words tasted like soap.
Most paved roads lead to trouble. Dirt roads more likely lead to a fishing
creek or a swimming hole. At the end of a dirt road, the only time we even
locked our car was in August, because if we didn't some neighbor would fill
it with too much zucchini.
At the end of a dirt road, there was always extra springtime income, from
when city dudes would get stuck, and you'd have to hitch up a team and pull
them out. Usually you got a dollar; always you got a new friend ...at the
end of a Dirt Road.
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Arkansas State trooper pulls over a pickup truck on I-40. He says to the
driver, "Got any ID?"
The driver says, "'bout what?"
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Q. How can you tell if a Texas redneck is married?
A. There is dried chewing tobacco on both sides of his pickup truck.
