Plenty of beautiful, unused space
- Declining or steady number of enrollments, attendance, and giving
- Worship services are proper but "blah"
- Little excitement for outreach or mission to save the lost
- Sins of the saints tolerated
- Few new and young families
- Church work is perceived as what takes place inside the church building only
- Message is biblically-sound but does not connect with the need of people, or needs-based ministry but without reference to what the Bible says
- Prevailing sense of complacency
- Chronic shortage of competent leaders
- Leaders and members function out of a sense of duty, rather out of joy and vision
- Witness and outreach effort are done mainly by the pastors
- Real decision-making is done in a small group of older, better-known members (not by vibrant, interested new-comers)
- A high percentage of inactive members
"I know you inside and out, and find little to my liking. You're not cold, you're not hot — far better to be either cold or hot! You're stale. You're stagnant. You make me want to vomit. You brag, 'I'm rich, I've got it made, I need nothing from anyone,' oblivious that in fact you're a pitiful, blind beggar, threadbare and homeless. (Revelation 3:15-17 MSG)The solution to such problems? Jesus replies:
"Be diligent and turn from your indifference. Look! Here I stand at the door and knock. If you hear me calling and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal as friends." (Revelation 3:19-20 NLT)Jeff Lee
Our survival depends on tackling these issues head on...
A decline in attendance results when the majority of people are uncomfortable worshipping in their church because of personality conflicts, policies and procedures, or exclusionary groups. When people stop coming, the lack of interest in ministry and missions affects the influence of the church in the community. The church may still exist with some members, but it is "dying" or even "dead" to people on the outside--the very ones it was supposed to help.
ReplyDeleteDecline in numbers continue but does anyone care or am I the only one noticing it?
ReplyDeleteHurting in Hamilton
Sometimes we forget God's leading in this dying process. Does God not prune us, sometimes to the roots, in doing so, the process clears the dead wood for new growth and mission. A minister worthy of calling, explores the land before wholesale change, listens, learns, cares and instills the word of God in gentle tones, tempered with the love of discipline. To enter a Church and start wholesale change however meaningful or evangelical can cause more problems for the future.Starting in prayer ... Lord what do u want me to do, listening and learning every step of the way. However, when the church and its members does not listen, is it really time to 'shake the dust of our feet'? or, lead by example taking advice and guidance from our peers and superiors. God has his agenda and its the role of the minister and the people to discover this together in love, in sometimes brokenness but through the power and trust of the Holy Spirit, whom is never ever wrong. Soul searching after events can be even more distructive.
ReplyDeleteThe advice in the lengthy response is sound and applicable to many situations, however, clearly coming from someone not familiar with our situation.
ReplyDeleteBoth Major Glad and Sven came to us with many years of pastoral and administrative experience. Their combined contributions were welcomed by most, however some LOs perceived their arrival as a threat to their running of the corps. The "wholesale" change accusation is a misguided accusation coming from someone out of touch with what took place.
On arrival, and prior to any changes being made, Major Glad and Dr. Sven met privately in the quarters with every LO and many others, including some who had left the corps, resigned their soldiership, and some who had not been active for months or years. This effort to get a fuller picture was appreciated by most, but some LO resented this team building, and representative consensus building effort.
What followed were not wholesale changes but programme corrections and additions; sound holiness teaching, Bible lessons, soldiers meetings, book club, teen meetings, recruit classes, youth excursions, administrative control, mission trips, web and blog sites, etc.
What is not known by most is that until their arrival in late July, noting had been done in firming up the visit of the ISS since early January. It took their directives to get the visit back on track.
Soul searching after fact is the only thing that can help us at this point.
Jk
The bottom line? We weren't ready and our LOs should have recognised the resource these leaders represented.
Jk
My comments were not made to cause hurt or pour further oil on troubled waters, the comments were general offered from over 30 years of ministry in the Church. Having seen much of similar in many other Churches, you are not alone in this turbulence, on the contrary, its an issue that besets the church in the UK. It sounds like your CO and partner were caring enough to bring real and spiritual change to your corps, and that is graciously seen in much of the blogging recently. However, when LO's are caught up in looking backwards, 'fear of change' becomes the besetting issue. May God bring light into your situation and comfort to those who are hurting, not least a CO and Partner. Perhaps the real way forward is to get everyone together with a mediator and pray and talk it out, it is so obvious that God has not finished with this situation or the people involved. God bless you all in this ongoing dialogue, may you find a window of opportunity that lights the path ahead of you. Go in peace, serve the Lord
ReplyDeleteMany of the LO's have been in their posts for far too long now and need to be replaced by people with new ideas.
ReplyDeleteLooking at the LO's at the meeting yesterday I thought how they could move the Corps forward and could not see how they could do this.
Meanwhile, the Corps is in serious decline and nobody seems to have a clue how to reverse this.
Major Glad and Sven had good ideas to grow the Corps and they were removed from the Corps.
I will still go to most Sunday meetings but I will never forget the deplorable behaviour of the few who got the Officer removed from the Corps.
This is a sad state of affairs indeed, but are we not forgetting someone here ...God, he knows, he understand and in his time he will move. Sometimes a Church and corps has to be brought low before it can revive. Forgiveness and humility is the only way forward. Blame and taking sides is not Godly. Leave the whole saga with Him. Reaction and more reaction only serves to cause greater hurt. Be at peace, hold on to God's vision for his Church. Know this ... all things work together for good for those who love and serve the Lord (my paraphrase). Go in peace to love and serve the Lord!
ReplyDeleteWell said, however, THQ/DHQ finally had to take sides and deemed that Major Glad’s talents and efforts were wasted on non-receptive, uncooperative and non-supportive LO’s. The CSM’s indecisiveness in supporting the CO and stand with her against the corps’ nonsensical, often contrived issues, was a further factor.
ReplyDeleteWell, these circumstances are tragic for your officer who has a real wealth of experience. But, perhaps God was revealing the wide flaws in the corps through this wonderfully talented women, thereby THQ/DHQ finally saw the real picture. Now must be a time of healing, whoever receives the appointment next, will be God's answer. As for your CO, with her level of talents, the army would be foolish to not encourage and help her in her healing, because, her hurt will be greater than anyone elses, and from one who knows are very lonely road, despite the assurances of knowing one did all one could. Where God places her next will be the right appointment. The learning curve of this experience will be a source of guidance in the future for many. Prayer is now the only real source of comfort and guidance, let Jesus Christ reign, He after all is the umpire of our faith.
ReplyDeleteThank you for these most recent comments. I know two of you without your identifying yourselves. However, I don't know our friend who has served in ministry roles over the course of many years but recognize, from my own experience and from sharing with Glad, that it is indeed sage advice from someone who's quickly caught on..
ReplyDeleteFor the record, blog visitors might assume that our focus and reach is parochial. Nothing could be further from the truth. Recently Scotland TV linked a story directly to our blog causing an immediate flurry of hits and download activity. And the most recent comments come to us from the south of the UK, and regular visitors include an IHQ officer, a USA DHQ officer, and a major Christian monthly that's hq in California. And during one recent High Council session someone logged in and their location: Sunbury Court. Maybe they'd heard that our sister blog had Commissioners Francis and Bond in the lead ?! lol
We welcome articles focusing on faith, ethics, nontraditional beliefs, church growth, outreach and evangelism and particularly TSA. Please send them to selmoscow@aol.com for review. We'll edit as necessary and return the edited work to you for approval prior to posting.
BLESSINGS
BACK TO BASICS...
ReplyDeleteMEEKNESS
Isaiah 57:15 For this is what the high and exalted One says— he who lives forever, whose name is holy: “I live in a high and holy place, but also with the one who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite.
BOLDNESS
Hebrews 4:16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
Hebrews 10:35 So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded.
STEADFASTNESS
Hebrews 10:36 You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.
Thank you Sven for your kind comments I did indeed catch on! You see being a former salvationist, and being in a corps like the one your comments relate too, see many officers treated so badly by LOs some even leaving ministry; and the army taking absolutely no action, save putting another officer up for the firing line.
ReplyDeleteI was on a webcast waiting for the announcement of the new General, and the comments were so cutting, despite the holiness of the moment, and on the same site was Eva Burrows, who certainly made known her feelings. But it continued, it reminded me of theRoman Soldiers drawing lots for Jesus' Garments!
My prayer for the whole Army is that General Bond will be the healer it vitally needs, as sadly, we have more officers in Glad's situation, who are too scared to say anything but, press on regardless to breaking point.
In many corps situations sadly its 'army' not 'holiness' that is the status quo, and I believe that God is calling the whole Church, and not just the army back to basics.
I will email you soon.
God bless
Thank you and I look forward to hearing further from you.
ReplyDeleteThe officer attrition rate, a problem many SA leaders dismiss due other priorities, and IHQ downplays, is alarming.
Visitors will find the results of a recent 4 month research poll/survey at www.fsaof.blogspot.com
blessings