Study guide
ur denomination faces unprecedented challenges today. Social, technological and economic upheavals in the last 50 years have totally changed the religious
landscape, and many of our congregations suffer from dwin- dling participation and shaky finances. But if we focus on growing people, we won’t have to worry about growing our churches.
By Robert C. Blezard
Renew & renovate: Growing people O
Exercise 1: Attendance dropping From 2002 to 2012, attendance at ELCA churches declined by 28.9 percent. • Does the ELCA need to change? • What will happen if we don’t? • Has attendance at your congregation dropped in that same time period (consult your church trend report on the ELCA website at
www.elca.org)? • Does your congregation need to change? • What will happen if your congregation doesn’t change? • Do the statistics serve as a wake-up call? • What keeps us sleeping?
Exercise 2: Does church = building? When some people think of church, they primarily think of the building where they gather, worship and fellow- ship. So belonging to a church is primarily belonging to the building. • Have you observed this? Have you felt it yourself? • Does that help explain why many people resist changes to the congregation’s building, and why they leave money exclusively for building upkeep? • Is the “church” a building? • If “church” is not a building, what is it? • If a tornado destroyed your building, would you still have a congregation? • If your church burned down tomorrow, would your com- munity notice anything different? • Is love for the building a hindrance to spiritual growth in your congregation? • How can your congregation be more than a building? • How can your congregation help people see the “church” beyond the building?
Exercise 3: The Great Commission Read the Great Commission in Matthew 28:18-20, which are the final words that Jesus gives his disciples in that Gospel. • What does he tell them to do? • What are the specific tasks he outlines in order to make disciples? • Do you consider yourself a disciple or a church member? • What are the characteristics of a disciple? • What are the characteristics of a church member? • In a perfect world (and church!) would there be a difference? • Is your congregation more interested in making church members or making disciples? • If a church is more interested in making disciples, do you think its leaders have to worry about membership?
Exercise 4: Baptismal vows In the rite of affirmation of baptism, Lutherans vow to continue in the covenant God made with them at baptism (Evangelical Lutheran Worship, page 236), promising spe- cifically “to live among God’s faithful people; to hear the word of God and share in the Lord’s supper; to proclaim the good news of God in Christ through word and deed; to serve all people, following the example of Jesus; and to strive for justice and peace in all the earth.” Review each of these promises. • If a church member takes these vows seriously, how would that change her life? • Would he stay “just” a church member for long? • Could these vows, reworded just a little bit, serve as a good definition of discipleship (a disciple lives among God’s faith- ful people; hears the word of God …”)? • Do congregations general ly inspire, educate and equip people to live out these baptismal vows? • Does your congregation do these things to help you live out those vows? • How could your congregation do better?
This study guide excerpt is offered as one example of the more than 390 that are currently available on The Lutheran’s website. Download guides—free to print and Web subscribers—at
www.thelutheran.org (click “study guides”).
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www.thelutheran.org
Author bio: Blezard serves as an assistant to the bishop of the Lower Susquehanna Synod. He has a master of divinity degree from Boston University and did subse- quent study at the Lutheran Seminary at Gettysburg (Pa.) and the Lutheran Seminary at Philadelphia.
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