[dropcap]T[/dropcap]here is a lot of pessimism within the Church about the state of Christianity in America, but I see a lot of reasons to be hopeful in the Church.
[message type=”info”]Insert Message Box[/message]In recent months I’ve traveled with 30 pastors on a 4-day civil rights pilgrimage, our team has held listening sessions with small groups of diverse church leaders, and I’ve been part of conference planning teams and retreats with pastors from rural communities and regional cities across our state
[clear]As we interact with and serve leaders in our evangelical network, I’m encouraged by Christ-centered, Biblically rooted, mission-minded pastors in many churches. Across Minnesota I am inspired that the Church has so many good pastors working to lead their congregations toward effective mission.
COMPASSIONATE EVANGELISM
[one_third]Testing a 1/3 column[/one_third] [two_third_last]Testing a 2/3 column[/two_third_last]Our pastor’s hearts are filled with compassion for people who need Jesus. A consistent value I hear and observe that informs how pastors preach, organize their congregation, design ministry activities and care for people is a desire for people to experience a relationship with Jesus.
[pullquote2 style=”left” quote=”dark”]I am text block. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.[/pullquote2]When I listen to a group of pastors socializing with each other what makes them the most excited is exchanging stories of how someone they know recently met Jesus, or repeating a testimony of someone whose life is being changed by the power of the Holy Spirit.
[divider]While those of us in the pew expect a lot of our pastor’s time and energy to feed and care for us, what fulfills many pastors even more is reaching lost people. In fact many pastors wish that those of us in the pew would be willing to shift our focus and attention more towards those outside the church.
NEED FOR UNITY
[divider_top]American society is segmented and divided in many ways today, and pastors are acutely aware that the forces of division are at work within their own congregations too. Politics, race, social class, generations, and geography are all powerful forces shaping the lives of American Christians today, and pastors have to lead their congregations through these minefields.
[pullquote style=”right” quote=”light”]I am text block. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.[/pullquote]The good news is that when we make “follower of Jesus” our primary identity we have a basis building a relationship that crosses these social divisions. But that doesn’t eliminate all of these other identities and the real differences that they represent, and unless we are behaving as mature Christians, all these human differences and worldviews can make for tense church life.
[one_fourth]Testing a one-fourth column insert[/one_fourth] [one_fourth]Testing a two-fourth column insert[/one_fourth] [one_fourth]Testing a three-fourth column insert[/one_fourth] [one_fourth_last]Testing a four-fourth column insert[/one_fourth_last]Pastors are sensitive to these pressures and try to navigate them carefully (so show your own pastors grace and charity as they teach and lead your own congregation).
Even more encouraging is that many pastors whom I talk to accurately recognize that they need to help Christians nurture their own identity as part of the Body of Christ, as a part of God’s kingdom, and prophetically lead their congregations to be forces for harmony in society.
Carl Nelson is the President of Transform Minnesota