Valerie had been a pastor...
Illustration
Valerie had been a pastor for several years. She knew her theology. She knew how to run a church.
But Valerie had been assigned to a redevelopment congregation. The congregation had once been a thriving place but over the years it had dwindled. On a typical Sunday there were barely 30 people present.
At the training conference Valerie expected to hear about how to make the church grow. She was hoping for tips on starting new worship, on better advertising and visibility, and on some new program ideas. But none of that was at the training. In fact the first words out of the trainer's mouth was, "Techniques do not work. We have research that shows that. This conference is about changing the church because God is working in you. If your congregation is going to change, that change is going to have to start with you."
Val resisted. She had received accolades for her fine work in previous congregations. But there were also laity at the training -- going through it together with the pastors. And as the laity began to share their faith in clear and simple terms, she realized that something was missing in her own life. The spark she heard was in the voices of others, but not in her own. Pastor Valerie went home a different person. Her demeanor changed. Her attitude toward others changed. And her preaching changed. For no longer was she trying to give helpful tips for leading a Christian life. Every chance she could, she was pointing people to the living Jesus Christ.
But Valerie had been assigned to a redevelopment congregation. The congregation had once been a thriving place but over the years it had dwindled. On a typical Sunday there were barely 30 people present.
At the training conference Valerie expected to hear about how to make the church grow. She was hoping for tips on starting new worship, on better advertising and visibility, and on some new program ideas. But none of that was at the training. In fact the first words out of the trainer's mouth was, "Techniques do not work. We have research that shows that. This conference is about changing the church because God is working in you. If your congregation is going to change, that change is going to have to start with you."
Val resisted. She had received accolades for her fine work in previous congregations. But there were also laity at the training -- going through it together with the pastors. And as the laity began to share their faith in clear and simple terms, she realized that something was missing in her own life. The spark she heard was in the voices of others, but not in her own. Pastor Valerie went home a different person. Her demeanor changed. Her attitude toward others changed. And her preaching changed. For no longer was she trying to give helpful tips for leading a Christian life. Every chance she could, she was pointing people to the living Jesus Christ.
