Caring for the Church During Growth
City Church Basics is a class for people considering membership at City Church. I remember my Basics class several years ago and how few people I knew there. As we introduced ourselves I took notes to help remember names. “Finance guy, deep voice” (hi, Eric!) turned out to be a good friend and encouraging brother.
Basics is held three times a year and answers questions about our identity, mission, and foundational beliefs. This class has been particularly full lately, which is really exciting since it means people are hearing the gospel preached and are considering City Church their home! It’s also exciting since our goal this year is to grow 20 percent.
Growth often brings with it vulnerability and change. Think of a business adding 20 percent more employees. With new personalities and new talents mixing with the old, you might expect to see company culture and mission begin to evolve. If you watch Silicon Valley the word “pivot” probably just came to mind. So, how can City Church grow 20 percent while maintaining our identity in Christ and our mission to serve God?
Paul’s letter to the churches in Galatia lends insight on how we are to function as church members:
- “Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently.” (Galatians 6:1) Are we faithfully and gently helping others identify sin and turn to God for restoration?
- “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” (Galatians 6:2) Are we drawing close and helping each other work through burdens like heartache and sadness? Are we being vulnerable enough to share our own burdens?
- “...let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.” (Galatians 6:10) Are we regularly doing good for others, or are we mostly doing good for ourselves?
Whether you’ve been a member at City Church for a few weeks or several years, we ALL are called to action. By doing these things, new members and old will grow together and our church’s identity and mission will be unified in Christ.