From November 2014 Bethel Bell Tower newsletter
God has made everything suitable for its time; moreover he has put a sense of past and future into their minds, yet they cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. I know that there is nothing better for them than to be happy and enjoy themselves as long as they live; moreover, it is God’s gift that all should eat and drink and take pleasure in all their toil. I know that whatever God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it; God has done this, so that all should stand in awe before him.
~ Ecclesiastes 3:11-14
At this time of year, you are no doubt getting bombarded with information, requests and perspectives. Bethel is certainly among the sources generating information, requests and perspectives. With the over-abundance of both print and electronic means of communication, leaders in our church struggle to know how to share stories, activities and opportunities, as well as concerns that need your attention. We know that you want to know what is happening in your church, and what’s happening is not easily reduced to a chart, spreadsheet, or a Twitter message of only 140 characters. As we prepare for our Annual Congregational Meeting on November 16, I will attempt to share some of my perspectives in just a few paragraphs.
I constantly hear and read complaints from pastors and researchers about the decline of the Christian church. I share their concerns, but I’m tired of complaints without solutions. Complaining gives the illusion of working on the issues and it is easier than offering solutions then committing to a path to implement those solutions. The Church is a living body; therefore, our only options are growing or dying. I do not believe God has called us to die, but to live and live abundantly (John 10:10). Living means growing. I believe that the growth we’re called to is both in number, and in spiritual health and depth. Often when church growth is mentioned, people get images of the huge and impersonal mega-churches. While I believe God has called us to growth, I don’t believe He’s called us to be a mega-church. During a session in the preparation of the Long Range Plan, I asked people what they thought a good worship size would be for Bethel. The responses varied, but people said between 400 and 800. We can do that, but not without vision, intentionality, and effort. To grow, we don’t need to sell our souls and become something we’re not. We do need to adapt. We do need to do what we do and do it very well – this is often simply taking care of the basics: worshipping God, learning, welcoming and showing hospitality, being good stewards of our entire lives, and caring for and serving one another and our neighbor. We can do this. First century Christians were not in the majority, yet here we are today! Some say the Christian church is at its best when it is under persecution. Consider how many people in your neighborhood or at your place of work go to church. This is a time of great opportunity for the church!
As you will see in Jim Anderson’s article, there are great signs of growth and vitality in many areas of our church … yes, even in our finances. Out of curiosity, I began listing our off-budget projects over the past three years and it’s truly amazing! I won’t get them all in here, but here are a few:
- Bell Tower Garden
- Community Garden
- Evangelical Lutheran Worship hymnals and pew Bibles
- Organ
- Phone System
- Security System
- Sound System
- Prayer Labyrinth (current Eagle Scout project from Chencho O.)
So, what do we make of this? Before I accepted the call to serve at Bethel, I remember the call committee telling me “when there is a specific need, Bethel really rises to the challenge.” In many cases, I’ve found that to be true. We like projects and we like clarity. The budget and operating expenses can seem like a financial black hole. But, what if we looked at our budget like a series of projects? Does it help to see that ministries of the church, like Youth & Family Ministry, includes not just the budget line item for Youth & Family, but a significant portion of Elizabeth’s salary as well as a portion of mine, Jason’s, Debbie’s and Peggy’s? It also includes a portion of the administrative, building and Worship & Music expenses. The same is true for all ministries of the church.
We’ve got all the elements we need: God’s call to mission, faithful people, and financial resources. Over this next year, we need to ensure that we’re taking care of Bethel as our second home with regular maintenance, paying our bills, and pulling together to keep the building and grounds beautiful and litter free. We also need to live what we believe about relationships. We’re not part of Bethel just to go to meetings, check items off our checklist and get stuff done; we’re part of Bethel because we need each other as fellow members of the body of Christ. Each person here is important, whether member, visitor, or one of the many people who course through our hallways during the week.
I’ll close with one of my favorite scenes from the movie “Facing the Giants” – see the 2 min video on YouTube. One man tells Grant, the lead character, “a story about two farmers who desperately needed rain. Both of them prayed for rain, but only one of them went out and prepared his fields to receive it. Which one do you think trusted God to send the rain?”
Grant responded: “Well, the one who prepared his fields for it.”
The other man continued: “Which one are you? God will send the rain when He is ready. You need to prepare your field to receive it.”
In Christ,
Pastor Jeff
Epicurious Lutheran 