Simply Spiritually Healthy and Growing

I am probably one of the few people on earth who enjoys staff meetings. It probably has to do with the fact that I love my staff and truly enjoy being with them. They are smart, hardworking, spiritual, caring and very funny. We have funny, meaningful, powerful and deeply meaningful conversations.

This past week we were discussing why so few congregants show up for some special events we plan. These events are great events. Last year we hosted Richie McDonald, the lead singer of a multi-platinum album country music group. The house was 1/3 full. We hosted Coach Bill Courtney, a local Memphis businessman who volunteered and coached football at a local high school, was successful and had an academy award winning documentary made about his impact at the school. Less than 100 people showed up. We are planning on hosting a movie, “Where Hope Grows”, on Sunday, September 20^th. And we were concerned about the turn out; or lack thereof. I suggested we stop having special events. First there was silence and then the room exploded.

The prevailing thought expressed was; we are a church and we have to have special events. People won’t come to the church if we don’t have some special events for them. My question, as usual, was, why? I am always curious as to why we, of the traditional church, do what we do. Do we offer concerts and events and rallies and retreats and activities because that is what we have always done? I have nothing against concerts and events and rallies and retreats and activities though I am the type of person who is not highly motived to attend such things. I know many, if not most, people slosh through their lives and jobs and the only thing that keeps them going is the excitement of next weekend’s plans. I love living in a town that offers lots of activities. But I rarely attend one.

My question is: Is this the job of the church? Is the church’s task to entertain people; to keep people busy? Even if what we offer are good things, are they God things? I am not suggesting that church should be boring and meaningless. I just wonder if we don’t spend much time and energy (and money) doing things that aren’t bad or wrong, but fail to move us toward our ultimate goal of making disciples? We expend time and energy trying to impress people, entertain people, get people to be politically correct, to be ecofriendly, practice martial arts, and eat healthy, raise money and the list goes on. There is nothing inherently wrong with any of this stuff. But is that really what God called the church to do? Have we lost our way and are failing to keep the main thing the main thing?

It seems we spend so much time on good issues and ideas but still fail to produce disciples. Let’s be honest, look around the church and one does not find an abundance of disciples. A disciple is “somebody who believes in and follows the teachings of a leader, a philosophy, or a religion.” It doesn’t say someone who talks about the teachings of Jesus; it says a disciple is somebody who FOLLOWS THE TEACHINGS OF A LEADER. It doesn’t take a Ph.D. in theology or statistics to see that not much of that is happening. What the church is doing is not working. Perhaps we would be wise to try something else.

I propose, instead of finding more for our church members to do, we should help them do less - well. Let’s not pile on so many religious duties that they don’t have time to be good friends, good spouses, good parents, active community members or good employees. I believe if we equip and encourage our church members to do the following four things consistently and well, they will grow spiritually and become disciples.

1. Attend weekly corporate worship.
2. Have a daily time with God of prayer and Bible study.
3. Actively participate in a healthy weekly small group.
4. Be involved in the mission work of the church.

That’s it. No more and no less. Our people have enough people and groups demanding their time. Let’s help them pick and choose well, be spiritually, emotionally and physically healthy, and become what God intends.

Copyright © 2015, William T. McConnell, All Rights Reserved

Bill McConnell is Senior Minister at Lindenwood Christian Church in Memphis, Tennessee and is a Church Transformation consultant and a Christian Leadership Coach. He is a frequent speaker at Church Transformation events. His latest book on church transformation is DEVELOPING A SIGNIFICANT CHURCH and is available at Westbow Press.

He can be contacted @ bill45053@gmail.com. Connect with him on Facebook @ William T. McConnell or on Twitter @billmc45053 or visit his Amazon Author Page @ Amazon