Someone asked me recently if Northern Lights MCC was a growing congregation. I was a little taken aback by the question and waffled on for a bit about people coming and going. People generally leave our church for one of two reasons – either they have found what they are looking for, or they have not found what they are looking for. People come to Northern Lights MCC for many different reasons – to give God one more try, to find friends or a partner, to feel safe and included. One of my colleagues has a particular passion for working with the transgendered community. People often attend the congregation he serves whilst they are going through the transition process, and then move on once they feel confident enough in their new life and way of being. Others stay and become part of the safe and welcoming congregation which holds these folk during this challenging and often highly emotional time of their life. In both cases, people have got what they needed. Some stay, some move on.
Growth in church is not just about numbers. It is about the growth of each individual. At Northern Lights MCC, we take our faith very seriously, even though we have a lot of fun doing it. MCC worldwide has “spiritual transformation” as one of its core values. Most people find that their faith changes over time if they become part of our community. We hear each others’ stories, we learn to understand God in new ways, we perhaps start to unlearn some things and take on new beliefs, or reframe long held beliefs. All of this is growth. For me, this is the primary purpose of our existence as a church – going deeper with God. If we are not helping people to grow in their relationship with God, then we are not doing what God has called us to do.
Growth is also about serving others. A phrase I like is “take off your bib and put on your apron”. At times, all of us need to be fed and looked after. This is an important part of being a faith community. There are also times when we are the ones that need to do the serving. The leaders that I respect the most are the ones that I see turning up to serve alongside others and not clinging on to their position, thinking that they are too important to do what needs to be done. It is always wonderful to see people finding the right ministry for them and observing how they grow, as they fully use the gifts and skills that God has given them. This in turn helps the church to grow in numbers, as people find out about us from those using their gifts of evangelism and are welcomed by those using their gifts of hospitality, and loved by those with the gift of compassion, and so it goes on. How are you growing in God?
God bless
Cecilia
Growth in church is not just about numbers. It is about the growth of each individual. At Northern Lights MCC, we take our faith very seriously, even though we have a lot of fun doing it. MCC worldwide has “spiritual transformation” as one of its core values. Most people find that their faith changes over time if they become part of our community. We hear each others’ stories, we learn to understand God in new ways, we perhaps start to unlearn some things and take on new beliefs, or reframe long held beliefs. All of this is growth. For me, this is the primary purpose of our existence as a church – going deeper with God. If we are not helping people to grow in their relationship with God, then we are not doing what God has called us to do.
Growth is also about serving others. A phrase I like is “take off your bib and put on your apron”. At times, all of us need to be fed and looked after. This is an important part of being a faith community. There are also times when we are the ones that need to do the serving. The leaders that I respect the most are the ones that I see turning up to serve alongside others and not clinging on to their position, thinking that they are too important to do what needs to be done. It is always wonderful to see people finding the right ministry for them and observing how they grow, as they fully use the gifts and skills that God has given them. This in turn helps the church to grow in numbers, as people find out about us from those using their gifts of evangelism and are welcomed by those using their gifts of hospitality, and loved by those with the gift of compassion, and so it goes on. How are you growing in God?
God bless
Cecilia
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