How do you fan the flame?

[Macrina]

I want to see the spark of faith in my congregation grow in to a blazing roar. I want us to invite God to work in our lives and our hearts and our worship.

Some days I get a little discouraged about how to fan those embers into a roaring fire, though. I came here believing that the Lord was ready to do something big for this little congregation, and I still believe that... my trouble is getting them to believe it.

Yesterday I was discussing music with the head of our worship committee. We have a problem, which is that the congregation knows very few hymns and learning new ones is a slow process, partly because my talents do not lie in the area of music leadership and I'm the only one up there to do the leading. I made some comment like, "it would be nice to have some kind of worship leader to help us learn new songs," and I kind of got my head bit off for saying that: "Well, we don't! We never have and we never will! So get used to it!" I reassured the person that I wasn't uptight about our lack of a music leader, I was just saying it must be nice for those churches that do have one. It wasn't until later on that those comments started to grate on me...

I know this is a small church that has never had anything as fancy as a worship leader. Half the time they haven't even had a pastor. But to say that they never will? To be angry at even the brief thought that someday things might change? I don't get that. But it's not just this instance, it's what it illustrates: I don't think my congregation wants to reallly grow, or change, or deepen. I think they want to keep having potlucks and nice sermons to listen to, and to keep our young people in town so they will marry and have babies in our church, to keep it going. Is this what it's all about?

Maybe I'm judging too harshly -- I'm an idealistic rookie pastor who is coming up against some real-world challenges, and maybe things aren't quite as stagnant as they seem. But I hear A LOT of other pastors talk about this no-growth mentality (in numbers or in spiritual depth) and I wanted to know what you did with your congregations. How do you help a group of people to open themselves to the fiery Spirit of God? How do you kindle excitement in people who just want a nice, dependable, Sunday-morning show?

 

[Highland Watchman]

Change, any change, tends to scare people... Especially those who have become used to a given way that things are. Humans tend to be creatures of habit, and if anything seems to threaten those habits and the quiet that we become used to, the brakes will go on, the heels will be dug in, and the donkeys will begin braying.

I have some notes from my classes when we discussed it. I'll email them to you when I find them. ttyl!

 

[Macrina]

Thanks, that would be helpful.

You know, it's interesting... My sermon tomorrow is on the road-to-Emmaus passage, "Burning Hearts." Interesting how a burden is on my heart right before I'm scheduled to preach on that topic...

 

[peaglej]

Then the Jews angrily contended with one another, saying, How is He able to give us His flesh to eat?
And Jesus said to them, I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, you canot have any life in you unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood [unless you appropriate His life and the saving merit of His blood].
He who feeds on My flesh and drinks My blood has (possesses now) eternal life, and I will raise him up [from the dead] on the last day.
For My flesh is true and genuine food, and My blood is true and genuine drink.
He who feeds on My flesh and drinks My blood dwells continually in Me, and I [in like manner dwell continually] in him.
Just as the living Father sent Me and I live by (through, because of) the Father, even so whoever continues to feed on Me [whatoever takes Me for his food and is nourished by Me] shall [in his turn] live through and because of Me.
This is the Bread that came down from heaven. It is not like the manna which our forefathers ate, and yet died; he who takes this Bread for his food shall live forever.
He said these things in a synagogue while He was teaching at Capernuaum.
When His disciples heard this, many of them said, This is a hard and difficult and strange saying (an offensive and unbearable message). who can stand to hear it? [Who can be expected to listen to such teaching]?
But Jesus, knowing within Himself that His disciples were compliaining and protesting and grumbling about it, said to them; Is this a stumbling block and an offense to you? [Does this upset and displease and shock and scandalize you?]
What then [will be your reaction] if you should see the Son of Man ascending to [the place] where He was before?
It is the Spirit Who gives life [He is the Life-giver]; the flesh conveys no benefit whatever [there is no profit in it]. The words (truths) that I have been speaking to you are spirit and life.
But [still] some of you fail to believe and trust and have faith. For Jesus knew from the first who did not believe and had no faith and who would betray Him and be false to Him.
And He said, This is why I told you that no one can come to Me unless it is granted him [unless he is enabled to do so] by the Father.
After this, many of His disciples drew back (returned to their old associations) and no longer accompanied Him.
Jesus said to the Twelve, Will you also go away? [And do you too desire to leave Me?]
Simon Peter answered, Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words (the message) of eternal life.
And we have learned to believe and trust, and [more] we have come to know [surely] that You are the Holy One of God, the Christ (the Anointed One), the Son of the living God...John 6:52-69

 

[xievon]

Hello, i am in youth ministry and not even full time, but i feel like this bit of advice might be helpful to you.

The youth ministry that i just started leading at the end of last year had been without a leader for the past 2 years and although all the youth were christians there was not any real spiritual depth...

I found a key was just to meet with a few people and challenge them biblicaly (say to do more evangelism) through reading passages together that relate to evangelism and then talking how to apply it to your own life. Then pray with them in a passionate way that they may not have experienced. Sit with them during the service up until you preach and encourage them to be inolved in the worship and prayer.

do this every week or fortnight for a while and you start to see change.

As you work up to a group of 10+ you start to see a change in the atmosphere of the church (our youth ministry is doing it to the church currently) and slowly you influence everybody.

The people you encourage and disciple naturally go on and encourage and disciple others.

If you have small groups, you could just take over a small group and work this same process.

One other thing: if your church is not going to ever become a church passionate about serving God, you are wasting your time there. God has only given you a short life (e.g. 80 years) and only 24 hours in a day. Invest them where they are going to count. At the same time, don't give up without trying, there are usually at least a few in each church open to be challenged and encouraged and they can make all the difference.

I don't know if this will help and i know i am only an absolute amature myself, but i pray that God would lead you to some help through my words or (more probably) the study of his holy scripture.

God Bless