Church Growth Strategy Team Updates GAC By Kristin Searfoss Presbyterian News Service Friday, October 2, 1998 LOUISVILLE, Ky.-"I want to ask each of you out there a simple question," Church Growth Strategy Team (CGST) member the Rev. David Bleivik told the General Assembly Council (GAC) here Sept. 26. "Do you and your churches have something to offer a hurting world? ... Are you doing it?" Bleivik, of Anchorage, Alaska, presented part of the team's verbal report to the GAC. The CGST was created to promote new methods of church growth, rediscover evangelism as a way of life and challenge the whole denomination - through local congregations - to renew spiritual growth and to call new members to the church. The team told the GAC about its discoveries as it "listens to voices throughout the church." Fact Finding CGST members have done a great deal of fact finding on the local church and middle governing body levels. Throughout the PC(USA), their GAC report details, they have conducted site visits to learn about particular ministries, developed a questionnaire and distributed it at various denominational events and meetings this summer, held a meeting on PresbyNet that has attracted more than 200 participants since it began in mid-August, attended workshops and conferences, held an open hearing at the 1998 General Assembly and consulted specialists. The team has found that churches that grow in number of members and in vitality • take risks • are people of prayer • are actively involved in reaching beyond themselves in hands-on mission/outreach • provide Bible-based, relevant and well-prepared sermons • are not trying to be all things to all people • have strong programs and classes for children and youth and invite active participation by them in worship • refuse to accept "the seven last words of the church," which are "We have always done it this way." Through surveys taken at the Presbyterian Youth Triennium and the General Assembly in Charlotte, the CGST said, it has learned that • racism is a concern of youth in the church • most current worship styles do not reflect the needs of youth • 56 percent of the 140 Assembly respondents believe that most of their church members are comfortable with their church as it is and would not like to see changes in worship style, music or time of worship service • 49 percent believe that church growth is important to their congregations because there are many people in their communities who are not active in church.
In their update, team members and staff support told the GAC about some of the issues they are paying close attention to. The Rev. Rosalie Potter, associate director for evangelism and church development in the National Ministries Division, spoke of the urgent need for PC(USA) congregations to reflect the growing multiculturalism of the United States. "For instance," she said, "Los Angeles County is 70 percent racial/ethnic. Our churches there are only 30 percent. So we've got a lot of work to do." Immigrant groups that are from the Presbyterian worldwide family must be welcomed into what they consider the "mother church" rather than confronted with "roadblocks" that make communion with the PC(USA) difficult, Potter said. "New church development is crucial for the expansion of the church," said the Rev. John Haberlin, associate for church growth and new church development in the National Ministries Division. "Some say it is THE hope for the growth of the denomination. That is true, in part, but not in the way we have been doing it."
He gave GAC members four conclusions based on his observations and analysis of data: 1) New church development must be changed radically. 2) Established growing churches must be encouraged. 3) Established nongrowing churches need an attainable vision for growth. 4) Our people need new skills that enable them to bring the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the unchurched rather than simply gather Presbyterians. Final recommendations due in February Elizabeth Stephan of Auke Bay, Alaska, spoke of essential ideas team members gleaned from experts at a consultation in New York. "Mission, diversity and spiritual enrichment - we heard it in Syracuse and we're hearing it across the church." "About 90 percent of the people outside the church actually want to be invited to church," said Bleivik, who was sharing Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary president John Mulder's opinions with the GAC. "The problem is, the church doesn't want to invite them." The Church Growth Strategy Team will prepare its report of final recommendations this October for the February 1999 GAC meeting. |
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