How hard can it be?

How would the congregation flourish and the Synod prosper?  I wish I had a dollar for every program either officially sanctioned or from one of our parachurch organizations that promised to make this happen.  If I had a dollar for every piece of mail across my desk or every email I received from those same groups I would be rich as David and Solomon.  What a shame that for all their hope and hype, they offered things usually in conflict with God's Word or in competition with the means of grace.  No church will grow following such a plan.  

The Rev. Berthold von Schenk came up with a Blueprint for a Catholic Parish and a Kingdom Plan to aid the growth of the Church.  Though he had a lot of things to say, I like the paragraph I lifted from him.  It is eloquent in its simplicity and no one can argue with its theology (though I am sure that will not keep some from challenging its wisdom).

God would bless the congregation if the members worshiped faithfully by listening to the Word and receiving the Sacrament every Sunday. He would bless the congregation if the members adopted tithing as a way of life and brought their offering. God would bless the congregation if they prayed daily for the parish and members, and if the members of the congregation evangelized, God would also bless them.

Once, while new to the parish I have served now for some 29 years, I was asked if I had a plan for the revitalization of the congregation.  I said that it would be our common goal to have every member in worship on Sunday morning and in Bible study either on Sunday or at another time.  There was silence.   Then a laugh.  Then a question, That's it????  Yes, that is it.  But that is enough.  Sort of a boiled down plan of von Schenk -- with me conveniently avoiding the tithing issue (I will plead cowardice since it was early in my time here).

It is simple.  So simple that it seems foolish but it is the plan of God and the means by which we can be assured of His blessing.  Go to Church every Sunday.  Listen to His Word preached and taught.  Take it to heart.  Prepare yourself with confession and absolution and then receive with humble faith the very body and blood of Jesus in the Holy Sacrament.  Respond with songs of praise, prayers of intercession and thanksgiving, and, yes, tithes and offerings.  Tell others the Gospel you have heard and live so that they might ask of the hope within you.

The financial crisis among many congregations is not a lack of resources but a lack of giving.  Even faithful Christians seem content to throw God bits and pieces of their income and even then fear there might not be enough for themselves.  Thirty households tithing could support a typical pastor and parish (without a mortgage) and perhaps more.  Fifty households tithing could support a typical congregation and its programs -- even a modest mortgage.  You do the math.  We are not without because God has not blessed us but because we are not convinced that we can afford to tithe and give even more.  But the reality is that we can do no less.  We cannot afford to do less.

The lack of lay leadership in some congregations is because we have decided the things of God are a burden and nobody in their right mind would want to take on such a burden.  It might be a burden but it is also duty and delight.  Typically electing someone to an office in one of our congregations means telling them to do all the work themselves.  We isolate our leaders and then cry because they are few or do not get things done.  It is no wonder.  Whatever happened to the attitude of Solomon and God's people who found it a privilege beyond expectation to give to and work for the things of God?  We have plenty of time for the things we think important -- could it be that we suffer for help because we are not convinced that the things of God are important?

Pastors and people keep looking for magical short cuts.  There are none.  Oh, yes, location helps and excellence in preaching, presiding, and playing the music.  But the heart and core of the Church's life and growth are the Word and the Sacraments.  From them we learn, under the Spirit's guidance, how to live in response to that gift and in the power of that grace.  Not so hard until you try to do it.  But it is the path to a vital and vigorous congregation, district, and Synod.  First Peter reminds us that we are set apart by God to be His living stones, chosen and precious in His sight, to be built up into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, and to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.  Spiritual here does not mean instead of the sacrifices of time, talent, and treasure but in addition to -- lips of praise and lives of holy obedience.