My Philosophy of Ministry and of Healthy Churches
Healthy churches are intentional about building relationships.
The
metaphor that Jesus used to describe his intended relationship with the
church is the familiar vine and branches. The church is intended to
be made up of individuals who live in close relationship; grafted to
one another through the love of Christ. We cannot do God’s work as
individuals; we need each other. This sense of togetherness or community is the fertile ground upon which the church is built and
from which the church draws the strength to fulfill the great
commission. Each time two or more are gathered in the name of Jesus,
whatever the task; from Bible Study to mission work projects,
stewardship campaigns to family camp, session meetings to corporate
worship; each time we are gathered in his name, the Spirit of God is
also present, building and strengthening us to be the Body of Christ.
In
Christianity, relationships are everything. They are the key to our
identity and provide direction and meaning for our lives. Christian
relationships are created in an atmosphere of trust, risk, commitment
and where significant experiences are shared. I try to facilitate that
atmosphere by designing experiences at youth meetings, church suppers,
retreats and conferences, education opportunities to be a time and
place where it is safe for us to risk, trust and develop our commitment
to Christ and one another.
Healthy churches are intentional about including children and youth.
One
of my strongest convictions about the ministry and mission of the
church is that the adults need to be seen as models and mentors of
faith for our children and youth. In a society where “traditional”
families are becoming the exception, the church has a special calling
and ministry to children, youth, and to those who care for them.
Children and youth need to develop meaningful relationships with
significant adults who can greet them by name. It is the adults of our
church family, all of us, who have pledged our responsibility for the
nurture of children and youth as they grow in faith.
Some
of my earliest memories are of the care and kindness shown me as a
child by my church family. As a youth, my closest friends were also
part of my church family. And now as an adult, my most trusted and
longest lasting friendships are with church people.
Christian educators have come to understand that Christian experience
precedes Christian thought and theology. Christian education must
include more than didactic Sunday school lessons and memory verses.
Spiritual nurture always requires a relational context to be effective. In other words, faith is more caught than taught.
Healthy churches are intentional about how they worship.
My
sermons are centered in Scripture and I am committed to the discipline
of following the Revised Standard Lectionary. This not only challenges
me to preach on the “difficult texts” when they appear, but also unites
the spirit of our worship with congregations all around the world.
Thanksgiving
is at the center of all worship. The Psalms teach us that thanksgiving
involves expressions of praise to God for the blessings of life, and
that praise can be expressed in many ways. One of the traditional and
universal expressions of praise is through music.
I
have been given the privilege of directing the church choir for the
past two years, an activity which I thoroughly enjoy. We are blessed with
an incredible choir at NCPC, especially for a church of our size. As
the choir continues to develop as an ensemble, commitment and support
of one another develops right alongside.
I
am committed to incorporate contemporary music into our traditional
style of reformed worship, which includes using the talents of
musicians within the congregation to lead the singing. The congregation
has been very supportive of new songs as a part of our weekly worship.
Healthy churches understand what it means to be a priesthood of all believers.
In
a “one horse” church like Nederland, the strength of any good education
program, youth group, fellowship opportunity, mission program, and even
worship experience is totally dependent and grounded in the
participation of church members who have been given the opportunity to
use their unique talents as they respond to God’s call.
I
am pleased that we have seen a growing participation in church
leadership which affirms the reformed understanding that we are a priesthood of all believers.
Healthy churches have open doors, open minds, and open hearts.
Perhaps
the most difficult and divisive theological issue facing the church and
society today is precisely the same issue which Jesus encountered again
and again: the lack of tolerance and acceptance of our neighbor,
whoever that person may be. When the church becomes a dogmatic
institution that uses its power to control or withhold God’s grace by
identifying who is worthy and who is not, we need to be reminded who we
are and to whom we belong, by carefully re-reading the Gospel of Jesus
Christ once again.
The ministry of Jesus
teaches us that when Godly love is demonstrated through acts of
compassion, kindness and acceptance, people will be inspired to seek
and then discover the transforming power of God’s love in their lives.
This is the Jesus’ model of evangelism. It is our personal expressions
and demonstrations of Godly love that make the Gospel message relevant
for today. I am proud to serve a church which describes itself in this
way:
