The State of the Church
Dr. Jimmy Asbell, Jr. --- June 27th, 2004

Do you ever buy lottery tickets? I am not asking for a confession, don’t raise your hand – it’s a rhetorical question – just for the record though let me say – yes – yes, we will take the money. I was once told by somebody – Preacher this church wouldn’t take the money if somebody won the lottery. I said you doggone right we would. The devil has had that money long enough let’s see what God can do with it.

Sometimes when I am driving to the hospital in Macon and I see that sign that says what this week’s jackpot is worth -100 million or 150 million -I start to think – to dream. With the cash option you get half and the IRS gets half of that so what would I do with 35 million dollars. Think of the facilities, the programs, the staff you could develop with that kind of money. And I confess that I many a time I have devised plans to build, expand and program my way through the tithe off somebody’s winning ticket. I am not sure if that is exactly what the prophet Joel had in mind when he wrote about dreams and visions. You remember the prophet Joel, quoted by Peter in Acts Chapter 2, The day is coming when I will pour out my spirit on all flesh your old men shall dream dreams and your young men shall see visions. I have dreams and visions of what the church could be.

I believe that one of the keys to getting anywhere is knowing where you are. Somebody calls and asks for directions to the church you would start by asking where are you? Where are you right now? This morning I want to offer my prayerful assessment of where we are, and some of the places I think God is calling us to go. I don’t claim to have all the directions, all the answers or even a corner on the vision market, much of what I say has arisen from our meetings last fall, from staff working together this year, from Sunday school classes and small group conversations. It is a composite of listening, looking, prayers and dreams.

I have a vision of a church, this church. As a church that is so engaging, so fun, so inviting, so winsome that it makes it hard to go to hell from Houston County. I hope and pray for the day when the power and presence of the church is so prevalent that you can’t help but know about it. I dream of a people of God so ready to love and serve their neighbors that it gets harder every year for people from Warner Robins to remain lost.

I will make no bones about it. I believe that the day can come when this church is known as the foremost church in this city. I think there was a time when that was true in the past, but the honest truth is that is not the case anymore. We are a good church and we have tremendous potential – but we are not even the fastest growing or most active United Methodist Church in this town right now. But I believe the day is coming – or the day can come when we are known again as the church. Not for our glory, but God’s.

I believe one of the decisions of the past that we will live into and we will celebrate is the decision to stay right here. Bloom where you are planted – make a difference in the world where you are. I think it is an interesting metaphor of what it is to be a church – we change our methods, our style our means of reaching people – but the message remains the same. Some things change – others don’t. In 1941 a group of folks said a Methodist church could make a positive difference in this community and that is still true today – and so we stay put – and we do the work of God that needs to be done right here.

Right now our facility is one of our best assets. The song says the church is not a building – but the fact is you have to meet somewhere. First Methodist is blessed with a great physical plant and you have just completed a significant campaign to update, repair and improve the campus. We need to stay on top of the needs as they arise and not let maintenance needs be deferred. Your trustees are to be commended for the job they do in caring for this place. The addition of the new building will give us more space for ministry than we have ever had. We can dream about family life centers and other new spaces, but the truth is we are already greatly blessed. Those who have gone before have laid a great foundation on which the future of this church will be built.

When people think of church – they think of worship. What happens on Sunday mornings? Our attendance would indicate that we are getting stronger. Our average attendance is 320 which is up 10% from last year. I feel good about our worship. We do traditional Methodist liturgy and worship as well as anyone. And I believe that we need to continue to maintain a strong traditional service. I also believe, that we must develop a weekly non-traditional offering again. We must explore worship times and options that would allow the staff time to serve this new and growing edge. In most growing churches it is the non-traditional service that is accounting for the growth. I was raised on traditional worship – I am most at home in very traditional worship. But I have come to realize that the church has a choice – we can do the things we have always done and slowly get smaller and smaller or we can surrender our personal preferences to the larger call of Christ. The early followers of Jesus had to deal with whether the church was just for Jews or if there was room for gentiles. John Wesley took the gospel into the open air even though the thought of preaching anywhere but a formal sanctuary was said to make him physically ill. The bottom line is that Jesus said to take the gospel from Jerusalem, to Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth. Jesus asked his disciples to cross cultural boundaries that cut much deeper than style preferences.

When most people think of this they think of music, so I might as well go there next. Do you know you are blessed? A beautiful instrument and talented leadership. Gifted musicians and vocalist. It takes a lot of time to do music well and I am grateful to those who do this. We should continue to develop our core traditional music while developing non-traditional modes of worship and celebration. The addition of Tom Carruth to our staff brings experience and leadership with non-traditional worship. I remain convinced that one of the keys to growing a ministry for young families is quality exciting music ministries for all ages. We have openings for this fall for directors and assistants in two of our children’s choirs. We must find willing and able people to meet these needs. Voice, hand bell and chime choirs need to be in place for all ages if we are going to attract and keep young families.

First Methodist is already known, I think above all else, as a mission minded church. We are the church with 2 hot meals a week. With the food pantry that fed nearly 7,000 people a week’s worth of groceries last year. First Methodist has a long history of giving – clothing, food, financial assistance. The church supports missions overseas and locally through agencies like the Methodist Home, Wesley Glen and Magnolia Manor. Our new Hispanic ministry is the logical next step as we seek to serve our neighbor. I hope that we will continue to build on this great mission tradition with new programs including foreign travel by our own members. Missions must remain a priority at First Methodist.

I believe that we can develop more options for Bible study and spiritual formation. While I am a fan of worship and preaching we may need to consider alternative uses of time to develop more opportunities for deeper engagement and interaction. We may need to consider changing a worship time into mostly Bible study and discipleship training. Our attendance in Sunday school is up to 180 – a 23% increase, but the truth is we ought to have as many people in Sunday school as we do in worship. Everybody needs a Sunday school class. We need more opportunities for growth and development. I dream of having three or more disciple Bible studies going each year along with other small short term groups and topical studies to supplement the church school. We say we are hungry for the word, but then a Bible Study for Adults with VBS was attended by less than 4 people. I believe that besides music a key to growth with families with young children is the children’s ministry. We offer a number of activities with nurseries, children’s church and Sunday night activities as well, but there is room for improvement. Two weeks ago, Rick Lanford told the story of Donald – a little boy who had never been told the story of Christmas before he came to live at the Methodist home. Our children’s ministry should be motivated by the desire to insure that there is not another Donald in this town. That every child has the benefit of a faith education.

Our youth ministry is another area in which I believe we are moving from strength to strength. Our youth have been and will continue to be served by a dedicated core of volunteers. The program for youth will be able to expand as Tom Carruth joins our staff. His availability and expertise will help us grow this program both in numbers and depth. The beautiful youth space that is quickly taking shape is going to open so many opportunities for study, recreation and fellowship. I have high expectations for our youth program. Five years from now I expect this to be one of reasons people join this church. Their teenagers will lead them here.

One area that I hope will change significantly in the coming year has to do with congregational care. First is a loving and caring congregation, but to be honest at times I feel like we are struggling to keep up with everybody. There are weeks when we have 20 or more hospital visits to make, in addition to nursing home situations shut-ins and other pastoral care emergencies. With a congregation that includes a significant number of people advanced in age that is going to continue to be the case. And hear me – I am not complaining. It is where we need to be. The fact is sometimes we don’t know, and when we do know I think we need more help.

We have a group that visits the hospital. I think we need to be very intentional about training a group to function as Steven Ministers or undersheperds. I would like to know that nobody is going to fall through the cracks. I would like to know that every member has been contacted and that there is in place a network of caregivers to companion the staff in caring for our membership. We have a wonderful resource in the Williams Center for when the needs exceed the abilities of volunteers. The ministry of congregational care needs leadership to organize and to encourage and care for the membership of this church.

When it comes to judging the health of most organizations the first thing people want to see are the books. What is the financial picture? I am proud to say that the financial state of our church is very strong. At the last finance meeting with 41% of the year passed we had collected 41% of the year’s budget. Unlike many if not most churches we are carrying no debt. Our future options are not limited by old projects. I believe that the recent campaign to fund the new building is a testimony to the financial stability and health of the church. If all the pledges are honored and nothing goes up– we will have the new building paid off by November 1^st. I think it is a remarkable testimony of the willingness to give that in the middle of the year an extra appeal for a building can be met.

Just two weeks ago we asked for your help with a mission to Costa Rica. You gave so generously that we are sending not one, but two missionaries and we had to tell you to stop giving. You know that some churches and many charitable organizations have had a hard time raising funds. The financial times are uncertain. There are fluctuations in the market and the Fed may be raising interest rates. In many sectors that is causing alarm, but God’s people in this place are being faithful.

Now I say that, but I have to say this – I said and I believe that we do not have a financial problem. I actually believe, no I know that God has all the money God needs to do great and mighty things through this church. God’s money is in your and my pocket. We don’t have financial problems – but I know that we can do more. I believe that we can give more. I know that we will have some 10-11% of pledges that are not paid. The only reason we are current today is that some people have exceeded their pledge. I know, not I believe, but I know, I know that we could double the budget and give a ½ million dollars to missions every year if we became a congregation that took tithing seriously. And I am convicted that every day that we don’t live up to God’s call in this area is a day we make less of a difference in this community and world for God. And we bear the responsibility for that lack of faithfulness. And I believe that it grieves the very heart of God. Stewardship is an area of growth for us.

Another growing edge is in the ministry of prayer. I envision First Methodist being known not only as a center of activity and helping ministry, but as a place of prayer. We have to be intentional about praying the price. Developing a more extensive network of intercessors. Jesus said in a fit of rage over all the things going on in the temple – my father’s house shall be a house of prayer. I imagine a time when we are known as a praying people. Where shut-ins and homebound persons use their hours to bathe every activity and every service in prayer. A congregation with numerous prayer groups, a network of prayer partners. I would love to see us develop a prayer ministry and prayer team that was an integral part of everything we do. Just like the finance committee and education committee send representatives to find out what we need, how much money, how many teachers for VBS or SS – I would love for us to be so focused on the ministry of prayer that we could give very specific directions for prayers and know that a network of groups and intercessors would take up the cause.

I tell you it can make a difference. Prayer can make a difference. I remember a very difficult meeting that I had to lead. A church member called me and said I can’t come – I will not be in the room, but I will be on my knees praying for you as you stand in that very difficult place. The entire time you are there I will be praying. Don’t ask me to explain how, but just know that it makes a difference, it makes a world of difference. And I believe that many of the solutions to the problems and barriers we will encounter they will be overcome – they will be overcome – I believe that they will be overcome – but I know that that will happen first in prayer. We can be more faithful in our life of prayer.

Another area where we can never do too much is in Evangelism. Let me say it is exciting to see visitors. I keep up with visitors I think it is a good barometer. We have had already this year 110 first time visitors. We have had 624 repeat visits. That compares with 111 first time visitors in all of 2003 and only 502 repeat visits last year. That means that in six months we have matched the number of visitors and the number of repeats from all of last year. That is a good sign. We can do better at following through and seeing those repeat visitors become members on the journey of faith with us.

I want to tell you. If you don’t know it, let me tell you, people are talking. People are talking about First Methodist Church – not just because the preacher wore tights and a red cape last Sunday. Before last week – they were talking. They have seen the new building. They have heard about Tom Carruth and Federico Nunez. I have had people stop me and say good things about this church. People in city hall, Wal-mart and the hospital are talking. Here is the question. Are you excited enough to invite people? Are you excited enough to tell people what’s going on? Are you excited enough to share how much this place means to you?

Obviously some of you are – people are visiting. But we have to deal with the pride. Our self consciousness – not wanting to be pushy or seen as a religious fanatic. The level of excitement has to overcome the resistance of our pride. I dream of the day when every member of this church is on a daily basis inviting people to this place. Not because I asked you to, not because the church needs members, not because somebody guilted them into it by saying that’s what Jesus said to do – I look for the day when people will invite people because they can’t help but tell people. When the level of excitement and enthusiasm would make them explode if they did not share it.

I recall one night when I was coming down the hall at the hospital. As I was walked down the empty corridor, a man suddenly ran out of one of the rooms. He ran up to me-I had never seen him before-he ran up to me and he said with joy in his face and a sparkle in his eyes, "She's going to make it. She's better. She is going to make it," and then he ran down the hall. I never saw the man again. I do not know who he was talking about. I assume it was someone very near and dear to him. He had just received good news. He could not wait to share it. He did not have to know the person with whom he shared it; it just flowed from him because he had received good news, and good news is to be shared. I long for the day when all God’s people are that way. The world will change when God’s people are that way. Evangelism must be a priority in the year to come.

It is a joy to work with this staff. Our staff continues to grow in number and skill. We are being very intentional at every staff meeting about developing our leadership skills and our team ministry. We know that we all need to grow. Staff members are asked regularly to consider their own growing edges and make plans for improvement. They probably don’t mind telling you that I have high expectations. And I encourage them to stretch.

My own area of stretching and growth involves delegation and not putting my fingerprints on everything. I am realizing that I must cast the vision, provide leadership and set the culture without being at or in everything. This is hard for me. I like to know how everything looks, feels and sounds. I tend to want my fingerprints on everything. Like a quote in the paper last week – I was taught you can’t expect what you don’t inspect. So I have to learn how to balance control and letting go.

Our staff ministers keep growing and the same must be true of our members. We are all ministers by virtue of our baptism. We have a very strong core of volunteers. We say the church is built by volunteers and in this case that is quite literal. We are building a building with lots of volunteers. We have some extremely dedicated and capable volunteers who have tremendous ministries with and through the church. But I believe this is an area of significant growth potential. We need to more effectively train and deploy every member in some ministry of the church. The hands on work of the church is the place of growth and development. We need to systematically identify the gifts of members and deploy them for best service to God and the community at large. We need somebody to catch a vision for what good human resourcing could do for the church.

First Methodist is blessed with a television ministry that most churches only dream about. We have been truly blessed to have 2 services broadcast at no cost for 26 years. We are in a time of uncertainty as the station we have been carried on has been sold and we don’t yet know the full effects of this change. We have recently had to move Reachout to a new time and new channel and other changes could be in the works. The fact remains that we still have more access to our community than most churches. We are the only live broadcast in the entire region. I believe that we need to consider carefully how we utilize this medium to share the gospel. We may need to consider new forms and new shapes of what we send to the community. We may need to share air time with new ministries and in new languages. I don’t know what that might look like, but I believe this can be a growing edge for us that yields much fruit for the kingdom.

One measure of the health of the church- one way to access the state of the church is to examine the witness of the membership. How do the members of First Methodist live? Do people look at our members and say wow I want to be like you? Wouldn’t it be great for the day to come when somebody who is doing something good, noteworthy and courageous in this community would be assumed to be part of this church? Our daily witness – the way we act, the things we do and don’t do – those things an important part of the testimony and witness of the church.

The apostle Paul said, No dear brothers and sisters, I am still not all I should be, but I am focusing all my energies in this one thing. Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I strain to reach the end of the race and receive the prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us up to heaven. Straining for the prize. Does that describe us? When we become complacent about our ability about our mission we stop growing we stop achieving. We grow soft and get lazy. Sometimes churches live on the past, looking back. Paul would have us do just the opposite. Straining towards the future is Paul’s posture. There is an old African parable that I shared with the staff last year. It describes how we all must keep progressing in our life as individuals and as a church together.

Every morning in Africa, the gazelle wakes up and knows it must run faster than the fastest lion.

Every morning, a lion wakes up and knows that it must outrun the slowest gazelle or it will starve.

It doesn't mater whether you are a gazelle or a lion,
When the sun comes up, you better start running.

I like that, I think it is good not only for staff, but for the church as a whole. I don’t think it is a bad way to think about church. A sort of motto. Start running. I like a landmark of love since 1941. Like our VBS verse said all should be done in love. But when I think landmark – I think static – I think museum – I think Washington monument. The church doesn’t need to be static, the church needs to be on the move. It needs to be everywhere.

I don’t know how many of you know this about me, but I like to go to the Waffle House. I don’t go every day, or every week for that matter. When ever I am going to be out real early or have a day when I will work through lunch or some special occasion and you will find me at the Awful Waffle. A waffle one bacon and coffee. I go to the waffle house to eat, but also to listen. What is going on in the real world? I spend so much time with First Methodist folks that I have to be intentional about engaging people outside the church. I was sitting in my usual spot at the counter one morning. The waitress was making small talk while the waffle cooked. Somebody in the place had recognized me and spoken to me. I had been "outed" as a preacher. She asked where my church was. I was feeling kind of froggy so I said my church is in numerous Houston County classrooms, it is on the base, it is in county offices, it is in retail stores. She looked puzzled. Where is your church she said again? It is in the hospital and in several nursing homes. She said not who are the members, where is your church? I knew what she was asking but I said – at Wal-mart, in building 300 and . She was losing patience with this obstinate preacher. The building – oh, well the building is on North Davis across from the post office – that’s where the building is, but you asked where is the church – the church is all over this town. The church is moving all the time.

We live in a world that is changing at light speed. We have to think outside the box. I believe that the church – maybe more than any other institution is called to live and to function for those who are not yet in the church.

The church is not about caring for the members, but about converting the world. More than any other organization we exist not for those of us inside the church – we exist for those who are not yet members of the church. We exist for those who don’t yet know they need to be here. The world is changing and we have to change with it. And that is hard. It is hard to let go of things that have become near and dear. But the fact is we have to ask ourselves is if we are more attached to our routine and our comfort than we desire to be faithful to our mission?

The state of the church is strong. There is always room for improvement. There is some stuff we need to get on right away, but we have a great deal going our way. Most importantly we have the promise of Christ. I do not leave you alone. God is with us in this work. As so with Paul I say ,No dear brothers and sisters, we are still not all we should be, but I hope we are focusing all our energies in this one thing. Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, we strain to reach the end of the race and receive the prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us up to heaven.

The State of the church is strong, but the race is not over.

The sun is up – so we best get running!