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Hoosier United Methodist News Archives
| Hoosier United Methodist News |
July 2002 |
Large churches must change mindset, speakers say
By Jackie Campbell
|
"Lay people are some of the most creative people around. If you are willing to give them the opportunity to just turn them loose to do ministry, unbelievable things can happen." - Ed Mathison |
PITTSBURGH (UMNS) - Leaders attending a conference of large membership churches were challenged to make a difference and learn to do ministry in today's world.
"If you try to do church today the same way you did five years ago, you're not going to make it," said the Rev. John Ed Mathison, pastor of Frazer Memorial United Methodist Church in Montgomery, Ala.
"Make a distinction between the things that are changeless - like the message of the Gospel - and leave them alone, (and) change the things that must change," he said. A change in mindset is needed in a lot of areas, such as church staffing, worship and how evangelism is viewed, he added.
Mathison was one of several nationally recognized speakers providing insight to nearly 350 leaders of large congregations who gathered at Christ United Methodist Church in Bethel Park, south of Pittsburgh, this spring. The conference provided a setting for receiving information and new ideas.
It's not coincidental that the growing churches are those that have pastors and staff with long-term tenure, Mathison said. "I'm tired of hearing about how we are going to lose members. To make disciples doesn't mean you've got to just take in Methodists who move. If you are not receiving a lot of people on profession of faith, you're in trouble."
To make new disciples, both Mathison and the Rev. Leonard Sweet agreed that churches must call off the "worship wars."
"We ought to be open to all different ways to worship," Mathison said. "The larger the church, the more options we ought to offer."
The Large Membership Church Conference is held annually, sponsored by the United Methodist Large Church Initiative Committee and the denomination's Board of Discipleship. A large church is defined as one with 350 people or more in average weekly worship attendance. In the United Methodist Church, more than 1,400 churches fit the designation. The initiative encourages large churches to support one another and share information, Mathison said.
Last updated on 01/14/2004