DANGEROUS CHURCH

Sunday was the day to set the course for 2006, laying out what would be our emphasis for the the year. And it snowed, froze, was generally hazardous and most folks didn't make it to service.

So here's the abbreviated version. Our main goal for the year ahead is growth, which we want to see happening in two ways -

1. People being added to the family of God and to the church.

2. Those who are already part of Grace becoming stronger in their faith.

Since church growth comes from church health, here are four things that are necessary for us to function as a healthy church -

1. Grace needs to be a church where you either get well or get out
To be a Christian means to be becoming whole. There are two fundamental parts of a healthy church's strategy: grace and grit. Some people call them affirmation and expectation. The unchurched are welcome and accepted right where they are, as they are. The only requirement is a willingness to get well, to grow toward the image of Christ (affirmation).
But God has not called us to be healed and then to sit. He has called us to be healed healers. So the second part of the strategy is to grow people, to demand that they be a responsible part of the family. If people don't want to grow, we should not continue to bless their fixations. Jesus accepted everyone, but not everyone stayed. You started to get well or you got out. Expectation wasn't separated from affirmation.
Grace was not a license to loaf; it was a power to perform.

We are looking for those who are part of Grace to commit to growth:
a. Through leading or becoming part of our small groups
b. By participating in the classes that make up The Journey @ Grace Church

2. Grace needs to be a church that isn't afraid to challenge its own members
Every church with a vision will attract five kinds of people:

• VRPs: Very resourceful people who inspire the dream.
• VIPs: Very involved people who share the dream.
• VTPs: Very teachable people who catch the dream.
• VDPs: Very draining people who sap the dream.
• VNPs: Very nice people who enjoy the dream.

VNPs are the largest group. They will take all we can give them. They fill the theater, but not the empty ministry slots.
The 20-80 rule is not a reality with us: 20 percent of the congregation gives 80 percent of the money and does 80 percent of the work. But we’re nowhere near where we could be.
The trick with the VNPs, is to nudge them constantly, realizing that part of our mission as a church is to challenge our own congregation.

This year we are looking for an increase in -
a. Involvement - We have hundreds of volunteer slots filled, but want to see everyone using their God-given gifts to help us succeed in our mission.
b. Tithing - We need to really embrace a Biblical basis for giving, which will free up resources to help us move forward.

Here's a quote that was on my blog last week -
We tell people that once they join the church, they are no longer in the target group. They are expected to pick up an oar and help row the boat because we're on a rescue mission, and we're after people who aren't in church.

3. Grace needs to be a church where the preachers have chutzpah
Leo Rosten in The Joys of Yiddish defines chutzpah as "gall, brazen nerve, effrontery, incredible 'guts,' presumption plus arrogance such as no other word and no other language can do justice to."
Preachers with chutzpah don't preach to the choir.
They tackle the tough topics that need preaching. They tell it like it is.

4. Grace needs to be a church that judges itself by the difference we make in our world
Instead of pointing to buildings, budgets, and baptisms to measure effectiveness, the test should be the spiritual and moral difference we makes in our corner of the world. Instead of simply coexisting with government, the schools, and the business establishment, our members need to be the instruments to make God's Kingdom come and His will be done on earth.
Our goal is to have 20% of our adults go on short-term missions trips this year.
Teams going to DR, South Africa, Indonesia, Scotland and Mississippi.
We will also be continuing our local programs to reach out to others.

That's the abbreviated version - you can get the tape if you want to hear the whole thing.