As we continue our progression from winter to spring, from Lent to Easter, from the the pain of the cross to the silence of the grave, we look forward in anticipation of the new life that comes through resurrection. For the past few weeks, we have been blessed to see our world shake off the last vestiges of winter, to see the bare limbs of the trees blossom and cover themselves with new growth, to see the flowers of spring rise up to greet the world.
As I was thinking about this, it struck me how the life of our churches and our congregations go through similar times of death and renewal, of waning and waxing. The lesson of this world is that we must go through winter. We must go through the wilderness. We must go through the times of trials and testing, of tribulation and terrible storms, for it is in these times, in the winter of our lives, that we are taught to look past our external circumstances to the Creator who promises hope and life to us in our pain and weakness. Likewise, in our churches, we tend to go through seasons of trials and testings, times when once prosperous and well-populated churches, vibrant communities of faith decrease in all areas. However, like the seed waiting for spring, like the bud waiting to blossom, God promises that life comes after winter.
Sometimes it is difficult for those of us in small churches to look around at the empty pews, to witness the empty altar at the end of a service, to only witness graying hair and aging saints amidst the echos of faithfulness that once reverberated through the walls of our sanctuaries. Yet, God promises that life can come again to our small congregations, to our dying communities. That even in the midst of the harshest winter, the world will turn once again, the sun will shine, and life will bloom and grow.
What does it take to grow a church? What does it take to spring back to life, to experience the new growth and new life that Christ promises through His death? The answer, simply enough, is to know and believe and do.
To know that Christ is Lord. To know that Christ has already paid the price. To know that the winter will not last forever. To know that the end is not determined by us.
To believe that Christ is Lord, meaning that we act on the head-knowledge that we currently have. To believe that we have already died in Christ and do not have to die again. To believe that we are not called to die, but to live. To believe that we are the chosen people of God, chosen to live in this particular place, to reach out to this particular people, to glorify God through our actions.
Finally, we do. We follow Christ. We rise from the doldrums of winter and into the glorious light of spring. We move from the grave to the mountain, from the past to the future. We press on, following our Leader and sharing His love with others. We shake off our grave clothes and put on the clothes of the living.
What does this mean in a practical sense? It means that we live. That we grow. That we love.
Bishop Willimon recently published a post that promised new life for congregations that are living with one foot in the grave, whose very existence and attitude says that God cannot revive them. Johnson Chapel in Alabama was once such a congregation, but under the leadership of Tom Salter, it is now a vibrant, thriving community of faith once again. Here are the steps that Rev. Salter says moves a church from the grave to Easter, from winter to spring:
First: You must have a giving spirit. "A dying organism tends to preserve itself by conserving its resources. If you want to live – give!"
Second: You must have a seeker-friendly atmosphere. In other words, you invite people to be part of your family. You welcome them in. You love them and intentionally share your love with others in your community.
Third: You must have strong care ministries. As Jesus demonstrated, we must meet the physical and spiritual needs of those around us. We must heal physically and spiritually. Can someone truly come to know Christ through us if we do not reach out to them first in a way they can tangibly understand, in a way that makes a direct difference in their life.
Fourth: You need stable leadership. While Rev. Salter was emphasizing pastoral leadership, I feel that the leadership needs to be set by the laity. It is the elders, the people of the church, who have the opportunity to make the most difference in the life of a congregation. If the leaders of the church are not behind pressing on and moving forward, nothing will happen.
As we approach this Easter together, as we look forward to celebrating once again the wondrous glory of the resurrection, let us look forward to what Christ is going to do through us in our homes and our congregations! Let us look past the winter that has been enveloping us, and let us look forward to the promise of spring and new life in Him!
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