Blog Post No. 32 - Reading Time: 4:35

Today I’m thinking about the newly renovated Adult Discipleship Room that we prayed over Sunday morning and held our first Adult Sunday School Class in. It was a struggle to complete it and the time frame and the expenses were all exceeded. However, it is done and there is a feeling of accomplishment that goes with it despite the struggle.

I think the people who will be using it are satisfied. Especially since they were crowded into our Conference Room for far too long. This new room is approximately 14 by 24 foot and can seat 20 people. Wednesdays it will be used for our most effective ministry—the Women’s Life Group. Immediately outside the door is a concession area for activities within the room. All new electric provides power for this and anything we may need in the room. Our switch to LED lighting turned out amazing. I pray it serves well.

I’ve ordered a new 4 by 3 foot marker board and a 2 by 3 foot bulletin board to be installed this week. Then comes that other thing—decorating. I’m pretty utilitarian, but I’m going to try to decorate it in line with its purpose—discipleship.

Developing Discipleship

I don’t know if my blog today is about the room of about discipleship, but they both go hand in hand. When it comes to discipleship, you need a set time and place. We’ll we now have that. Much of the original part of our building did not meet the criteria that our insurance company now requires of us. Reopening it for use will be a slow process. I only hope we can do it fast enough before they start demanding the work to be done by certified tradesmen. We can do it a lot cheaper ourselves, as long as we are allowed to.

In the midst of our renovations we also find a lot of other things changing around us. One is Sunday School. Even most of our own church does not attend our Adult Sunday School Class. We don’t even have anything for the other age groups. It’s kind of hard to plan around imaginary groups and changing cultural needs.

For me, I learn from other churches I find who are doing similar things and dealing with similar issues. One thing I have tried to find, as far as the facilities and leadership go, is another church to model ours after. Some tell me one thing and others tell me something different. Of course everyone will tell you to follow God and grow, grow, grow!

Enjoying Small

Recently however I have found a couple of guys who speak directly to the issues I have been faced with. They are Chase Replogle and Karl Vater. Pastor Chase came into my view when I read his book The 5 Masculine Instincts. We used this book in our Men’s Life Group some time ago. Chase founded and pastors Bent Oak Church in Springfield, Missouri. He is all about developing materials for small churches (not necessarily in small communities).

The other guy, Karl Vater, is the author of De-sizing the Church. He and Chase both operate blogs and podcasts that I have been attracted to and have gleaned many things, free of charge. Both say they are concerned and engaged in helping small churches thrive, regardless of outward growth. For them, it’s not about growing in size, but developing people to be effective in life and productive in their witness for the Lord.

I tend to agree with the things I’m learning from them, because many of these things also align with so much of what I have read about the early church and its directives. The early church almost avoided the idea of ever-increasing size. Growth to them was more of a byproduct than a goal itself. That would be like saying to a new couple, “Grow, grow, grow! Quickly, have more kids, more kids.”

Continuing To Follow

As we continue to seek our purpose and vision for our church in this community, may God continue to direct me to those who are dealing with the same issues we are. You not only gain knowledge from them, you are encouraged that you are not alone in the struggle.

For me, it’s all beginning to make sense. We need to follow the Spirit of the Lord very closely from here on out. I think we are in territory we have never traversed before. We are not here to get lost in it, we are here to possess it for the kingdom.

“ ³ When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God,
 and the Levitical priests carrying it,
 you are to move out from your positions and follow it.
⁴ Then you will know which way to go,
since you have never been this way before.”

Joshua 3:3, 4 (NIV)

Until next Monday, may the Lord bless you! Pray for us!

Pastor Brian Jenkins

Calvary Assemblies of God

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