Monday, July 13, 2009

The Alban Institute - 2009-07-13 A Place that Offers Life

"Here's the hard truth. If you're a layperson in a congregation that's experiencing decline, whether the congregation thrives is ultimately up to you and the other members."

I've served in congregations where the prevailing opinion is, "We called you to be our pastor to reverse our decline in numbers." Well ... no, that's just not how it works. This article reiterates that the driving forced behind church renewal does not come from the collars, but from the people who belong to the congregation.

Look it up in the Catechism ... BCP page 855:

Q. Who are the ministers of the Church?
A. The ministers of the Church are lay persons, bishops,
priests, and deacons.

Notice that "lay persons" is listed first - there's a reason!

The Alban Institute - 2009-07-13 A Place that Offers Life

Shared via AddThis