Church is a Verb

[Re. William O. Webster, Jr.]

I believe we must change our thinking and the way we do church. We have treated church as a noun - but church is a Verb. A verb because “church” isn’t simply a building that people go to on Sunday mornings.  Church is a living, breathing body of Christ-followers – men, women & children who are called into action on behalf of the world we live in. The “church” is God’s action plan to redeem the world. The local church bears a responsibility to take action and to provide guidance during troubling times in our community, nation and world.
Is your church a noun or a verb? Are you engaged in the needs and hurts within your local community? If so, how are you meeting the needs. And a side question - has your congregation experienced numerical gowth in worship attendance?

[Susan Claire McMannis]

My childhod home church is neither a noun nor a verb. Today, I was the only person who showed up for Cleaning Day, and I actually cleaned the cobwebs from ... PEWS.
Only maybe 6 people attend worship, and there is no mission. I myself am usually doing pulpit supply for sick or vacationing pastors in other locations every Sunday, so I am spared seeing the sadness in those few, elderly pairs of eyes as they watch their church wither due to their own stubbornly complacent attitude.
Today I cleaned, prayed for guidance. cleaned and prayed some more, and realized with great sorrow that as I labored, I felt as if I were laying out a corpse rather than stewarding a living thing.
Perhaps as Luther said, James is an Epistle of straw, I don't know. What IS evident to me is that a church without works is dead, to say nothing of its faith.

[Paul]

William,

I love the way you describe church as a "Verb" -- it immediately made me think of this church in St. Louis -- Carondelet-Markham that I recently did a story on -- how they became (literally) a "servanthood" church by responding to needs right in front of them that they hadn't even known existed. So often I think if we pay attention to what's around us, and what God is doing in our midst, and say yes despite it being unpredicatable and looking like something we never imagined, then we actually get to "participate with" the new life and in some ways even "co-create" with God's spirit that is present in our midst through Jesus.

[Re. William O. Webster, Jr.]

Paul,
EXACTLY!!! Exactly man! We have got to be doing and not sitting around on our pews.

You did a story on the C.Markham church? Are you a writer?
Bill

[Paul]

Yes I am Associate for Missions Communications -- "embedded" in the Evangelism @ Church Growth Office at PCUSA in Louisville. We are finishing a series on four churches that have grown in Evangelism, Discipleship, Servanthood and Diversity. The evangelism piece is done -- will be on this site hopefull next week, Discipleship piece is scripted and we will edit next week, will be in Atlanta this weekend for Diversity story.

Paul

[Re. William O. Webster, Jr.]

Sounds great! I'll look for your piece. It's good to hear some success stories. We've been struggeling - growing some, but our community and our entire area is dying. Our town has lost almost 1/2 of it population since we moved here in 1987. We've been in a recession since 1980. PERCEPT predicts another -6% growth over the next five years. In the past few months we lost five families who moved out of the area in search of work. The exodus continues. But we are blest and we continue to grow despite the population decline. Recently we took a bold step in faith in hiring a full-time youth pastor. The people here are great and are working hard at growing the church.
Looking forward to your article and for new insights and positive examples in evangelism and church growth.

Bill

[Daniel Knight Sr.]

My church is basically a verb but there are pockets of folks who are the "noun" people. I have to admit that at times I slip into and out of the noun group; I can't seem to stay strong in my faith but I am and have been trying for a very long time.

[Re. William O. Webster, Jr.]

It is hard to stay a verb - it is easy slip into being a noun. The other takes a lot of work - especially for the pastor.
Tell me about your church - where are you located? What kinds of ministries do you have running in your church? How long have you been ministering there?
Bill
[e-mail]
www.gracemf.org

[Daniel Knight Sr.]

My church in the United Church of Cohes (Upstate New York). Beside the Choir we have a worship team which leads the congregation in a number of songs during the service each week. We also have a number of youth oriented groups one of which is an after school tutoring program. A group that started several years ago is a Social Justice Committee. Oh yes we also have a food pantry. We also sponsor a continuing mission to Zimbabwe and each month our Deasons offering is sent to our sister church there.

I have to say that we have grown as a church, not by leaps and bounds but still we have grown. I think that getting new folks involved with small groups is an invaluable way to get them to join the church and to stay in church. I myself have always been a little afraid to speak out and lead groups etc but several years ago I took over putting out our Church newsletter.

[Re. William O. Webster, Jr.]

I agree that a great way to grow a church is through small groups and with multiple mission & ministry oppertunites. We run something like 28-30 different ministries with nearly 80% of the congrgation involved. Keep growing the Kingdom! Blessing on you and the people of Cohes Church.