October 2006 

Measuring Growth  

“When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.”
(Luke 9:1-2)

Saving Grace has just completed two very exciting processes in our growth and development as a congregation. In last month’s newsletter we shared our new "Strategic Ministry Plan." And in this month's newsletter we revealed our church’s "Strategic Facilities Plan." Both hold a lot of excitement and possibility for the future of our church! But why do both include the word "strategic?" What is meant by the word strategy? And why should a church have a strategy at all?

Having a strategy is a good thing. In Luke chapter 9 Jesus reveals His strategy for growing the church. Quite simply, it is a twofold strategy. First He calls and gathers the disciples together, then He sends them out with power and authority. Our strategy should be similar. We need to be a congregation where people can be gathered together for nurture and growth. So as our facilities plan shows, we want to be known as a “community meeting place.” We must also, however, be a congregation that sends out disciples to proclaim and to serve. That is why our mission statement: “Bringing Christ to Our Neighbors” uses an action verb – “Bring.” We cannot be a congregation that sits and waits for folks to find us. We must go out and reach into the community.

Our ministry goal is that “Saving Grace is growing.” I would like to challenge us in how we measure that growth. A recent newsletter from our district office listed nine common practices of missional churches. One of those practices is that missional churches "measure growth by capacity to release, not retain.” Author Milfred Minatrea echoes this when he says, "Perhaps the most basic characteristic of missional churches is that they consistently focus beyond their own survival as an entity and invite others in the journey toward the heart of God.” Jesus understood this. He knows and shares with us that the church will not grow if we simply huddle together and wait for the Lord's return. For Saving Grace to grow, and therefore carry out the Lord's commission, we must be a church that sees its purpose as releasing people for ministry. And we must measure our growth and our success accordingly.

See you in ministry!

Pastor Augie