Today I attended the “chartering service” of a new church. Our church has been working in a nearby community for over two years, along with two other churches, to help establish this new mission. It was very exciting to be a part of their chartering experience. The core group of this new church is small, but stable. I was pleased to see four children present in the core group as well as two young adult ladies under 21 years old. It has been my experience in helping start new churches across our state that they often attract young people. Young people not only have the energy for such an adventure, but they don’t mind taking risks. That willingness to take risks is vital to establishing a new church.
In a day and age when people often think young people are just slackers and have little to offer, it is exciting to see them as a part of starting new churches. Just think about how those young people will grow and mature over the next twenty five years. They will be a vital part of reaching a community for Christ and watching a church go from infancy to maturity. It will be an exciting journey for them.
What can you do to encourage a young person to take a risk and help start a new church?
Looking for practical ways to put some of the principles in this blog post into action? Purchase my book, Developing Leadership Teams in the Bivocational Church. The first part of the book explains why bivocational ministry is biblical, normal and missional. The second part of the book explains how to mobilize the laity to do high level ministry in a team setting with the pastor so that the church can be effective in reaching its community for Christ.
ReplyDeleteThe book is published by Crossbooks and you can buy the book directly from them at:
http://www.crossbooks.com/BookStore/BookStoreBookDetails.aspx?bookid=58188
The book is also available on Amazon.com, Barnes and Nobles.com and a many other online bookstores.
If you live in Central Vermont, you can purchase a copy at the Faith Community Church in Barre, VT.