How My Faith Has Changed

How My Faith Has Changed

When I recently met with my bishop to relay an important shift in my theology, I wasn’t sure how she might react. Would I be brought up on charges? Given a good talking to? De-frocked? It was a chance I needed to take. I had to be true to myself and my evolving understanding of a life in Christ. I needed to tell her how my faith has changed.

It’s not the first time my faith has changed. Or the first such conversation I’d had with a religious leader.

As we sat down to meet over Zoom, I remembered another conversation that took place some thirty years earlier.  At the time, I was a member of the Orthodox Jewish community. Jesus had recently appeared to me in an unexpected vision. His kind eyes had conveyed his unconditional love, acceptance, and understanding of me. The whole encounter lasted no more than thirty seconds. But that moment in time was seared into my cells. How little I understood of Him at the time! But it was enough to meet with my rabbi to tell him “My faith has changed. I need to follow this new path, even if it leads me out of the Jewish community.”

Which it did. Some six or seven years later, I was ordained into the United Methodist Church, and counted myself among the friends and followers of Jesus, which I write about in my book, The Jew Named Jesus.

So what necessitated this Zoom meeting with my bishop? It was the United Methodist mission statement, “We are called to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.”

I said to my bishop: “I used to believe that. But I don’t anymore. My faith has changed.”   

I went on to share that I don’t think faith at the level of discipleship is what causes transformation in the world.  That kind of faith is good for following, learning, and absorbing.  But not for transforming the world. The faith of a disciple is not hardy enough or robust enough.  Not in Jesus’ day. And not now.

I think transformation of the world requires more than following Jesus or believing in Jesus.

I say that because when you look at The Twelve, they didn’t accomplish much at first. They didn’t understand Jesus’ basic instructions, couldn’t follow what He was talking about, and didn’t get how He did what He did.

It wasn’t until The Twelve stepped into the apostolic mode that they could participate in the multiplication of loaves and fishes, heal the sick, cast out demons, or announce the kingdom. It was in that context that Peter dared to step out onto the water with Jesus.

What made the difference? I don’t think it’s so much that The Twelve believed in Jesus more. I think it’s that their faith changed. They not only believed in Jesus, but they also started to believe like Jesus. It seems to me that there is no way that the apostles could have done what Jesus did except to believe the kinds of things that Jesus believed.

I don’t believe Jesus was training His friends and followers in new techniques. Rather, it was a new consciousness. He taught them how to experience unity with God so they too could have access to the miraculous.

That’s what I mean by apostolic faith. The Twelve had a fundamental shift in consciousness. The kind of shift necessary to co-create miracles with God.

Here’s the bottom line. I think Jesus invites all of us to change our faith. To fully experience our inner divinity as well as our outward humanity.

This is what I think can bring about the transformation of the world. Because when we each tap into the deep reservoir of soul and spirit within us, anything is possible. Starting with our own transformation. Then leading out from there to the rest of the world around us.

So, that’s how my faith has changed. I’m for more faith. More unity with God. And more miracles.  I’m glad I took the chance to share my changing beliefs. No, I didn’t get defrocked. Instead I got to engage in Christian conferencing and the sharing of ideas in a warm and respectful atmosphere.

Need help finding the confidence to take your chance? Join a Creating a Culture of Renewal cohort! You’ll learn communication and leadership skills to powerfully move your congregation forward while staying true to yourself. Visit https://rebekahsimonpeter.com/ccr-register for more information and to register.

Copyright © 2021 rebekahsimonpeter.com, All Rights Reserved.

Has the Mission of the Post-Pandemic Church Changed?

Has the Mission of the Post-Pandemic Church Changed?

So much has changed during the pandemic. How and when we worship. Who shows up in person and who doesn’t. All these changes lead to an important question: Has the mission of the post-pandemic church changed?

The problem with this topic is that there are two answers.  Not only that, these two answers are diametrically opposed. First answer: no.  Second answer: yes. Let’s dive into this conundrum, starting with the “no.”

As Christians, we take our marching orders from Jesus’ Great Commission. “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

It’s pretty clear: we are to go far and wide to make disciples, baptize and pass on what we have learned from Jesus.  This is a word-of-mouth endeavor, authorized by Jesus himself.  In all the centuries since Matthew first wrote these words, these have been our marching orders.  They have not changed.

What has changed, though, is how we make disciples. Because in light of the pandemic, and all the changes it has wrought, how we interpret the Great Commission has most definitely changed.

 

The Myth that Nothing Should Change

Now don’t get these changes confused with the eternity of God. Just because Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forevermore, doesn’t mean that how we share the Gospel remains the same. It has to change with the times.  In the early days of George Whitefield and John Wesley’s preaching, they took their message directly to colliers or coalminers to preach to folks in the open air. Today, people watch YouTube videos or Facebook Live for spiritual sustenance. In those days, Whitefield and Wesley gathered people in bands and classes to grow in covenantal Christian relationship. Today, we need to find new ways to touch and organize people so they too can grow in the knowledge and love of God.

 

tiny model of a church

It’s Not about Making Your Church Better

Today, many congregations live out disciple-making by focusing their efforts on strengthening their church and trying to attract people to it. In this model, a big, busy, active church equals disciple-making and is seen as the fulfillment of Jesus’ Great Commission. I call this model the church improvement plan.

There is nothing inherently wrong with this model.  In years past the church improvement plan of disciple-making worked well. Those years, however, were pretty well over even before the pandemic began. The steady decline of active participation in churches over the last five-seven decades points to that reality.

But because this model has been so ingrained in the culture of many congregations, it has been hard to let it go. Or to envision what is next. But if you don’t spend time discovering what is next, you will be neglecting new ways of implementing the Great Commission.

 

How Do We Make Disciples Post-Pandemic?

Let me share three ways to move forward with the post-pandemic mission of the church: Develop fresh expression, keep hybrid connections alive, and refresh your leadership.

Develop Fresh Expressions

Before the pandemic, church leaders had begun to recognize “Fresh Expressions” of mission as a viable way to disciple people. “Pub Theology” or “Bible and Beer” initiatives were popping up in many locations. This is an ancient/new practice of meeting people right where they are to deepen their spirituality and lead them into discipleship.

Different from mission trips to assist people in rebuilding their homes or communities—which are often seen as more charitable outreaches, and where the primary recipients of spiritual growth were the missioners—these Fresh Expressions are expressly about connecting with and discipling new people in unique ways, and through methods different than sanctuary-based worship or building-based Bible study.

Keep Hybrid Connections Alive

The Fresh Expressions movement has prepared us for the surprising and unexpected revelation of the pandemic: we don’t need buildings to be the church.  Unlike Fresh Expressions, we found that we didn’t even need to be in the same room with each other to be in community. The use of technology through online worship, bible study, and prayer has brought people together across the miles, across the country, even across the world. Keep this hybrid option alive and well as you continue to journey forward.

We’ve done it too, in the Creating a Culture of Renewal community. We moved our three-day retreats online. We found that with thoughtful planning and creative execution, 30-50 participants at a time could worship and learn together and grow bonds of fellowship that allowed for vulnerability and transparency.  Without getting too Zoom-numb or distracted. This online format also allowed us to introduce cohorts from different regions who never would have been able to meet otherwise.  We connected people across state lines, regional boundaries, denominations, and leadership roles. Each of us from our living rooms, home offices, often surrounded by pets, children, and the accoutrements of home.

During the pandemic, people realized they could work from home, worship from anywhere in the world, and learn from unexpected sources about the world, God, and faith.  Now that we know this, we aren’t likely to forget it. People will want more options going forward.

Refresh Your Leadership Skills

In these changing times, it’s important to refresh your leadership skills, learn new ways to navigate relationships, and up your emotional intelligence. Just as the world is changing, so must we. All so that we can adapt to meet people where they are now.

 

Next Steps

As you find new ways to reach people post-pandemic, keep in mind Fresh Expressions, hybrid forms of connection, and refreshing your own leadership skills. 

Adapted from the upcoming book: Growing the Post-Pandemic Church: Rebuilding and Recreating Your Congregation (Market Square 2022).

Copyright © 2021 rebekahsimonpeter.com, All Rights Reserved.

Jesus Before Christmas

Jesus Before Christmas

Christmas wasn’t always part of the Christian experience.  There’s no record that Jesus or his disciples or the early church celebrated Christmas at all, as they did all the Jewish holy days and holidays. In fact, the first Christmas or Christ Mass wasn’t celebrated until the 4th century.  It’s likely Jesus wasn’t even born in the winter. Rather, it’s thought that December 25 was chosen as a day to celebrate his birth because it coincided with a pre-existing pagan festival. That would make it easy for non-Christians to add a new layer of meaning to their old celebrations. That happens in the history of religion.

The interesting thing though is that December 25 wasn’t just the date of a pagan festival. It also coincides, in a way, with a festival that Jesus did actually celebrate.

Like Jews of his time, Jesus celebrated the Feast of Dedication which occurs on the 25th of Kislev, a month in the Jewish calendar that most closely approximates December.  “At that time,” the Gospel according to John relates, “the Feast of Dedication took place in Jerusalem; it was winter. Jesus was walking in the Temple in the portico of Solomon. Tell us,” the Jews said, “if you are the Messiah.”  Their comments were fitting, for the Feast of Dedication marked the last time a deliverer had arisen to save them from oppression.   It was past time for another; the Roman experience was a cruel one indeed.

The Feast of Dedication commemorates the re-dedication of the Temple in Jerusalem after its utter desecration at the brutal hands of Antiochus Epiphanes about 170 years BC. Today, that feast is known by its Hebrew name, Chanukah. Although Chanukah only gets a line or two in the New Testament, it actually plays a huge role in the birth of Jesus.

A Peek into History

To explain, we have to go back in history over three hundred years before the birth of Christ.  Alexander the Great ruled the ancient world around the Eastern Mediterranean. After conquering the Persian Empire, Greek culture, or Hellenism, spread like wildfire. The Jews living in Israel quickly found themselves surrounded by it and then almost swallowed up by it. Hellenism was to the ancient world what Western culture is to the modern world. Just as you can find a McDonald’s in just about every corner of the world, not to mention American pop music, blue jeans, TV re-runs, Western style Christianity, and the English language, so in that day, you could find Greek culture, religion, and language permeating every other culture of the world. Needless to say, it wasn’t all good, especially for those in the minority, like the Jews.  It put their whole distinctive way of life at risk.

After Alexander died, his empire eventually fell into the hands of one Antiochus IV Epiphanes.

Epiphanes means “face of God,” but a more apt description was the moniker the Jews gave him: “Epimanes” or “crazy man.”  He was the Hitler of the intertestamental period.  Like Hitler, he was obsessed with wiping out the Jewish people.  He began with the slaughter of the citizens of Jerusalem and the desecration of the Temple.  Alfred Edersheim explains what happened in his book, The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah:

“All sacrifices, the service of the Temple, and the observance of the Sabbath and of feast days were prohibited; the Temple at Jerusalem was dedicated to Jupiter Olympus (a Greek god); the Torah was searched for and destroyed; the Jews forced to take part in heathen rites; in short, every insult was heaped on the religion of the Jews, and its every trace was to be swept away.”

Bottom line:  Antiochus was bent on genocide. The final straw was the slaughter of a pig on the sacrificial altar in the Temple. Definitely not kosher. This occurred on the 25th of Kislev, the month that generally corresponds to our December.

A Jewish deliverer rose up whose name was Mattathias. Even though they were outnumbered and overpowered, under his leadership the Jewish people began a campaign of guerilla warfare against Antiochus and his Syrian armies to reclaim the Temple.  Mattathias died fighting, but his five sons carried on, including one whose name you might know: Judah Maccabee. He led the fighting till the Temple could be purified and its services restored.

Christmas without Chanukah

Exactly three years after its desecration, the Temple was rededicated.  This took place on the 25th of Kislev, about 165 years before the nativity of Christ.  If Antiochus had carried out his plan, there would have been no Mary, no Joseph, and no Jesus.  There would have been no Messiah of Israel, no Savior of the World.  Bottom line:  without Chanukah, there would be no Christmas. Jesus owed his life to Chanukah. In a sense, we owe our faith to it.

As you prepare for Advent, let us remember the minor Jewish holiday that celebrates freedom of religion and which makes possible the major Christian one.  Let’s do like Jesus did and re-dedicate ourselves to freedom of religious expression, to the freedom to dedicate ourselves to God, and to truly love one another. 

That being said, I’m hosting a fun and interactive workshop that will help you do just that.  “Platinum Rule Leadership in Changing Times” promotes forgiveness, compassion, understanding, and self-awareness.  I hope you can join me.

 

Adapted from Christmas through Jewish Eyes, by Rebekah Simon-Peter.

Copyright © 2021 rebekahsimonpeter.com, All Rights Reserved.

Six Steps to Getting Your Church Past Polarization

Six Steps to Getting Your Church Past Polarization

At a time when polarization seems to be at an all-time high, most churches are not able to bridge the gap.  Instead, they are caught up in divisiveness, too. This polarization limits the church’s ability to lead or to distinguish itself as a spiritual institution. That’s why I want to share six steps to getting your church past polarization.

These six steps are important to take. In some ways, churches now resemble the US House of Representatives more than the house of prayer that Jesus envisioned. It’s not that your church shouldn’t wrestle with important issues. By all means, it should.

But when the voice of the church is framed more by politics than ethics, or by who it stands against instead of the love of God that embraces all, this is bad news for your church and the community you serve.

The Lure of Polarization

We know we are supposed to love God, love others, and love ourselves.  We know we are supposed to turn the other cheek and do good to those who hate us. Yet we find that hard to do with fellow church folk, let alone the people “out there.”

Unconditional love is hard to muster when news headlines play on fear, outrage, and worst-case scenarios.  Or when social media feeds reinforce your perspective on the world. It takes true effort to get past these views of the world and believe that something else is even possible.

When churches try to speak to issues like the pandemic, immigration, or even school shootings from a political perspective, they get caught in either/or choices popularized by right- and left-wing media.  This creates a lose-lose situation with no room for nuanced disagreement.  Either/or choices are destined to polarize, and to pit people against each other.

I’d like to offer an alternative for getting your church past polarization. It comes from  prioritizing ethics over politics.

ethics over politics

Prioritize Ethics Over Politics

I suggest this 6-step process for ethical thinking.  It’s not perfect or complete, but it will give you a starting point.  United Methodists will recognize elements of the process as it engages the Wesleyan quadrilateral, the four sources by which we live out their faith.

Step 1 When it comes to thinking ethically, the first and most important step is to get the facts.  That means looking beyond Facebook memes and polarizing talking heads.  It means digging deeper to find out what’s really going on.  “Some moral issues create controversies simply because we do not bother to check the facts,” observe the authors of Thinking Ethically.

Step 2. Turn to the scriptures.  Discover the biblical stories or principles that might apply.  This means thinking deeply and widely about meta messages of the Bible.  Resist the temptation to pluck one or two scriptures out of context that seem to fit the situation.  Many of the ethical dilemmas we face today were never mentioned in scripture.  Similarly, the scriptures themselves were written over centuries in response to situations that are far from our post-modern context.

Step 3 Look to other commentaries or sources of your faith.  United Methodist will want to consult the Book of Discipline, the Social Principles, and the Book of Resolutions to see how other informed persons of faith have approached these issues.

Step 4 Look at the history of the issue.  How has it been dealt with in the past? What has worked?  What hasn’t?  As thinking persons of faith, we engage our faculties of reason.

Step 5  Engage in prayer.  A word of caution here.  I wouldn’t necessarily ask for specific answers to your specific questions; this prayer may lead to confusing our own solutions with God’s divine guidance.  Rather, I suggest praying for guidance and wisdom as you discern together.

Step 6 Engage in respectful, patient discussion about the resources at hand.  To do so, first decide on ground rules and boundaries, so that your discussions don’t become polarized or violent.  At this point, don’t try to come to final solutions or absolute positions.  Rather, keep an open mind.  Keep prayer present even in the discussion.  Over time, discuss possible ethics-based approaches to addressing the problem at hand.

Don’t worry if you don’t all come to the same conclusion.  You probably won’t.  That’s okay.  Here’s what you will have done:  you will have thought faithfully and ethically about the issues at hand.  This ethics-based process creates trust, loosens polarization, and increases your skill at diving deep as a community of faith.  It might even get you loving one another, differences and all.

In Creating a Culture of Renewal®, we empower church leaders to bring out the best in those who frustrate them the most.  Not an easy task. But it is doable.  

 

Copyright © 2021 rebekahsimonpeter.com, All Rights Reserved.

Do Small Churches Need to Embrace Technology?

Do Small Churches Need to Embrace Technology?

Do small churches need to embrace technology?  If so, how much? With the whole world moving online, small churches shouldn’t be left behind.  But many small churches are rural congregations with aging members.  How do you help them make the leap?

In this article I am going to share the top three ways your small church can embrace technology. Your congregation is important to your community, and your message is more relevant than ever before. Embracing technology, without breaking the bank, or overloading your people, is important.

 

Small Church Technology:  Avoid Too Much Too Fast

As you embrace technology, or add more tech, avoid making this one mistake:  doing too much too fast.  Small churches tend to be late adopters. They won’t be the first on the technology bandwagon. But they needn’t be the last. Avoid doing too much too fast or you’ll hit a wall of resistance.  Instead, start with what is most needed and go from there.

I suggest you start with these three steps for small churches to embrace technology.

 

Step One: Get Up to Date

The first step in embracing technology is to make sure your basic tech is working and functional. For instance, does your small church have a working phone with an up-to-date phone message?  Does the congregation own and use a computer? Is email set up?

I arrived at a small rural congregation in August of 1999 to find that the church was off the grid. The photocopier was on the fritz, the voicemail was disabled, the computer was iffy, and they had no email account.

Within the first month of my tenure, I ensured the basic technology was up and working. By the time December 31, 1999 came around, we were online enough to be worried by the Y2K scare. Several years later, the congregation was gifted a screen and overhead projection system.  I was concerned that the older generation wouldn’t like it. But they surprised me: they loved how large the words were; the enhanced visibility made singing louder and easier.

When it comes to technology, start with the basics before you expand. And I mean basics: a telephone, a photocopier, a computer, and an email account are basic. For many congregations the basics also include an overhead projection system.  Of course, if you don’t have indoor plumbing or electricity, you might want to start there!

 

Step Two: Get Connected to the Outside World

The second step in embracing technology is to get connected to the outside world.  After you’ve got the basics, expand to include a Facebook page, or a website. If you don’t have your own website, make sure your congregation is noted on regional or denominational websites with correct worship times and days, address, and pastor or congregational leader.

By the time I left the rural congregation I served, some seven years later, the congregation also had a working website.  Although Facebook didn’t exist at the time, when it came into being, I’m hopeful someone saw to it that a Facebook page was established.

pastor embraces technology

 

Step Three: Hybrid Worship

Make the move to bring your worship online.  You can do it with Facebook Live. That’s as simple as using a smartphone to capture what happens in worship.  When you do this, be sure to address the people who are watching, worshiping, and participating with you online.  Even if they watch later, they are still part of your congregation. Be sure to greet them. Include them in the message, the prayers, and the offering. Likely you’ll find your worship growing as you expand the ways people can participate.

 

Small Church Technology Do’s and Don’ts

Do make progress. You can go farther than you think you can. By incorporating technology and the accepting the learning curve that comes with it, you may be surprised how quickly you learn how to use the tools that are most helpful and necessary for your congregation.

Don’t assume that older people don’t want to embrace technology.  Many of them are meeting with kids and grandkids on weekly Zoom meetings, FaceTime visits, and the like. Also, don’t assume that every young person is constantly on their smartphone, or even has a smartphone.

Do use the technology you invest in for multiple purposes. A webcam is a great tool that can be used to record, livestream, or take worship to Zoom. This will allow greater participation for members that aren’t comfortable returning to church or can’t attend in person every week.

Don’t make tech decisions based solely on cost. Money that goes toward getting or upgrading outdated technology is money well spent. The benefits of buying quality equipment that will allow you to reach a larger community is unmatched.

Think of embracing technology as a journey, not an event.  Technology isn’t going away.  You can’t master it.  None of us can. But you also don’t have to resist the flow of it.

When it comes to technology, the point isn’t to be trendy.  Rather it’s to be connected in all the ways that are possible.  Just as the Bible reminds us that even feet can be beautiful as they carry the good news, so too can new technologies. They enable us to carry good news in fresh ways.

Not sure how to handle the technology reformation or other ways of moving people forward? Reach out here to stay connected. You don’t have to do it alone.

 

Copyright © 2021 rebekahsimonpeter.com, All Rights Reserved.

The 5 P’s of Sustainability for Small Churches

The 5 P’s of Sustainability for Small Churches

Small churches are the heartbeat of their communities and neighborhoods. The oft-preferred site of weddings and funerals, they offer spiritual community and support to people in transition. They are extremely important institutions in small towns—as essential as the gas station, grocery store, bank, hospital, and post office.

But small churches have an inherent problem.  They are small.  The question is, how do you know when your small church is sustainable, or if it’s time to call it quits? In this article I will reveal the 5 P’s of small church sustainability. Plus a word of encouragement if you want to learn more.

 

Small Church Problems

The pandemic has been particularly challenging for small churches, because the needs they fill have been in greater demand than ever, even as resources have been similarly pinched. In many cases, small churches have become even smaller.  Have they reached the tipping point where it’s too late for them to be sustainable?

 

The Most Dangerous Myth for Small Church Sustainability

Before I share the 5 P’s of small church sustainability, I need to warn you about one myth.  This myth, if you fall prey to it, can be the deal breaker for congregational sustainability.  This is the myth that in order to be sustainable, small churches have to be all things to all people. This idea is based on the megachurch model that one congregation can provide programming for every life stage, while addressing every physical, social, and spiritual need.

This myth is not only wrong it is dangerously wrong.

When small churches emulate the megachurch model, they set themselves up for failure. It’s almost physically impossible for small churches to meet every need of each life stage. Especially if their back-to-church numbers are smaller than their pre-pandemic numbers. The key to small church sustainability is to make sure you have the 5 P’s of sustainability in place. Then, to choose a few things to do well.

 

Small Churches Fight to Stay Alive

Ever since the industrial revolution of the 1800s, not to mention the Walmart revolution that put mom and pop stores out of business in the 1990’s, small communities have been economically challenged, making it harder than ever for small churches to survive and thrive.

I’ve been studying this phenomenon for the last 25 years.  While small towns are now making a comeback, churches have to be careful about how they position themselves to best serve their communities.

In my work with Creating a Culture of Renewal participants I have worked with pastors of churches as small as 6, and as large as 600. Most of our congregations tend toward the smaller in size. Through our work with church leaders, I have compiled the 5 P’s of small church sustainability.

circle of praying hands

The 5 P’s of Small Church Sustainability

People

The most important feature of a small congregation is its people. There are three factors to consider when evaluating how many people make for a sustainable congregation. First, churches with less than twenty committed members or participants will have a hard time staying afloat or being in ministry to others. Second, congregations need at least three generations—not counting the pastor and the parsonage family—to be sustainable. Third, consider the culture of the people.  Are people closed off or caring?

Prayer

After people, the second most important factor is prayer. Without a spiritual foundation, your church is not sustainable, no matter the size or the budget. In addition to a prayer chain, do you begin meetings with prayer, pray for guidance during decision-making time, and then follow the guidance? Prayer is the key to cooperation with God, as well as to sorting through the many choices that are before you. Your congregation must be firmly grounded in prayer to succeed.

Provision

Sustainable small churches support themselves financially. Often through a combination of tithing, memorial gifts, endowments, special funds, and fundraisers. Beware a few pitfalls.  First, big givers should contribute no more than 25% of the congregation’s budget for long-term sustainability. Your large givers will eventually move or die.  Second, endowments should not fund more than 25% of the church budget. Endowments relieve the urgency for attenders to become givers, or to give sacrificially.  Third, don’t rely on in-person giving only; this dynamic undermines sustainability. Instead encourage people to set up automatic withdrawals to the church or other forms of online giving.

Partnerships

Churches with people, prayer, and provision need to form community partnerships to ensure sustainability. As you transition out of the pandemic, create ways for your building to become multi-use. Some common ways are to rent space to a pre-school, a local non-profit, and/or one or more 12-step groups. But first, don’t forget to clean out the closets, re-configure storage space, and let go of items that have fallen out of use.  This will create more space for your partners.

Presence

Now that you have people, prayer, provision and partnership, it’s time to amplify your community presence.  Establish and keep up a Facebook page as well as a website. But if the website can’t be maintained, better not to have it.  Don’t forget small town newspapers, radio stations, and grocery store bulletin boards. The more you show up in the community, the more people will know where to turn when they need you.

 

Is Your Small Church Sustainable?

Now that you’ve evaluated your congregation on the 5 P’s of Small Church Sustainability, take heart. No matter your score, cultivating sustainability is an ongoing process. Learn how to develop your ability to grow and thrive through Creating a Culture of Renewal.

 

Copyright © 2021 rebekahsimonpeter.com, All Rights Reserved.