Welcome Home

Friday, February 13, 2009

Last Sunday, the pastor preached a sermon that in many ways welcomed the members of the church back home. The church is in a period of transition and renewal. This is not an easy process by any means, but the congregants are committed and faithful. They want to see their "home" restored to a place of prominence and promise. The membership on paper may be large, but on Sundays those numbers are not reflected. The pastor understood however, the power of the Word and the power of the word of mouth.

He used his sermon as a tool to remind the church of its history and great legacy. He wanted to spark a flow of memories that would unfold in smiles and laughter and a prompter to reclaim what is still present in the spirit of the church--it just needs to be tapped into once again.

I was inspired by the plea from the pulpit to come home and this is not my native congregation. The message this pastor shared last Sunday is likely not unique in congregations around the nation. Churches are also experiencing a downsize much like what the economy is encountering during these challenging times. But the root of the problem is not necessarily because of finances.

People are seeking rejuvenation, but they are stepping outside of the church to find it. People are looking for alternative forms of worship and in some cases, households are simply not interested in organized religion. The message to come back home is just not resonating with them.

I began to ponder on what this will mean for the future of the church and also for me as a seminarian headed towards pastoral leadership. How can I offer an invitation to return home to those who see no function for the church today?

I still do not have the answer to those questions, but I did leave church on Sunday with a glimmer of hope as I saw congregants stand to their feet in applause and cheer. They heard something in that message that spoke directly to them. But then again, they were present, so was the message really for them? I guess the promise is not just in the pastor extending the invite to them, but in the hope and prayer that they in turn, will extend the invite to someone who was not present.

Walk On Water Global Ministries