A Grand Vision
/Dear Church Family,
This Sunday, I am beginning a three-week series on changing the way we think. Our society has become so negative, we often are programmed to think negatively about our lives. This is contrary to what God wants. God desires for us a joy-filled life. For the next three weeks, we will focus our minds on the words of Paul from Philippians 4:8. As we practice thinking on the positive things of God, so our lives move toward the light that we are shining on our souls.
Just as important as the way we think about our lives, the way we think about our church will steer us toward a community full of vitality and hope. As I preach these sermons, I invite you to not only consider feeding a positive mindset of joy, but to feed a positive direction for Stonebridge UMC.
God has put on my heart a bold positive vision for our church in the coming months and years. As I reflect on our recent attendance and the incredible Easter celebration, it is clear that God is alive and well in our midst. A friend of mine asked me over lunch recently to lay out some metrics which would define success for our church over the next three years. Interesting question, right? Our focus has been primarily on bringing souls to Christ and on providing a meaningful Christ-based journey for you and your family during my first nine months here. Perhaps now is the time for us to cast a bigger vision of reaching people for Christ?
From my experience there are several tipping points that happen in a church when certain milestones are met. In my wildest dreams, I would love to see the following achieved through our mighty band of humble followers by the end of this calendar year:
Increase our weekly average attendance at the 9:45 Celebration service from 175 to 250 (40% increase)
Increase our weekly average attendance at the 11:00 Bridge service from 110 to 165 (50% increase)
Increase our children’s worship numbers from 25 to 50 (100% increase)
Increase our Wednesday youth ministry from 20 to 40 (100% increase)
These are big numbers. Perhaps they seem impossible from where we are today. Perhaps eight months is too ambitious. Perhaps . . . AND I believe in each of you, and I believe that the best days of this church are yet to come. Will you join me in praying about this challenge which God has laid on my heart?
If you have seen the movie, “The Boys in the Boat”, you know the incredible power of getting everyone in the same boat rowing together. Can we do this? Can we make Stonebridge UMC an exemplary church for others to follow? Do you believe that God is alive in our midst and calling us to work together to achieve more – to bring more souls to Christ? I believe the answer to each of these questions is yes, but it is going to take careful planning and lots of hard work from each of us to achieve them.
Are we right to aim high? What else belongs on this list? I welcome your feedback.
I am planning a series of “listening tours” which will take place in people’s homes in May, June, and July. If you would be willing to host such a tour (coffee and dessert in your home for a gathering of up to 20 people), let me know. We need to be in dialogue and in prayer about what might be possible for us. I truly believe that our best days as a church family are yet to come...
If you do too, send me an email. I would love to get your feedback on this eight-month challenge for our church.
I look forward to hearing from you and… see you Sunday!
Pastor John Allen