Components of the Soil: Marks
“Go therefore 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 that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’”
Matthew 28:19-20
When one pastor met another pastor in a time of institutions, the question they asked each other was “How many members does your church have?”
When pastors eventually figured out that not all their members came to worship each week, the question pastors asked each other when they met was “What is your average worship attendance?”
These days when pastors meet each other, the question they ask may be “How many views and likes did your worship service get on Facebook this week?”
Whether we realize it or not, what we measure teaches people what we value and shapes how we invest our time and our financial resources. Now there is nothing wrong with knowing the number of members in a congregation or with knowing how many people participate in a worship service in-person or digitally, but those measurements don’t necessarily provide a helpful understanding of whether or not a congregation is making disciples and teaching them everything Jesus has commanded us. Since Jesus said go and make disciples, not go and gather big crowds, then measuring discipleship is probably more important than measuring total participation.
Mixed into the soil of your congregation are a series of “marks” that define success for your congregation or for the leaders in your congregation. These “marks’ may reflect your stated ministry goals or they may be rooted in the memories of a previous time. Knowing what ‘marks’ are a part of your soil will give you insight into the celebrations and grief that are a part of your congregational life and will create an opportunity for you to decide if you want to embrace or reshape the existing ‘marks’.
Reflection by Pastor John Wertz, Jr.
Questions for Reflection:
The following questions may help you identify the ‘marks’ in your congregation.
- How does your congregation officially measure success?
- How does your congregation unofficially measure success?
- What stories, if any, are widely shared tell the story of your congregation’s ministry?