By FaithX Senior Missional Consultant, Steve Matthews
“When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be.”
Lao Tzu
Earlier this week I had a conversation with a pastor of a church in the mid-west. Ten years ago about 12 people remained from this once bustling and active suburban church. Ron was called to help St. Stephen’s discern the best steps forward. Would they work yet again to realize the possibility of their glory days from the 70’s and 80’s? How would they pay for the repairs needed on the building? How could they attract new members with children?
This wise pastor asked a simple question to this small group of discerning members: “Who would miss the ministries of this church if it closed?” After some time of awkward silence, one courageous person dared to say, “I don’t think anyone would miss us or notice if we closed.” As the group sat together in the quiet, one by one they agreed that their presence would not be missed if they closed.
Rather than continue as they had or to develop new plans for redevelopment, they decided to close the church. They did not necessarily see this as a once-and-for-all decision, rather, they deliberately entered into an extended period of discernment. They locked the doors and began to meet in one another’s homes to prayerfully consider their next best steps.
Letting go is hard. By nature humans want some sense of safety and security and most of us find safety in familiar patterns and relationships. Remember Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs? The two needs that form the base of Maslow’s triangle are physiological needs (shelter, food, warmth, etc.) and safety needs (health, economic and emotional security). These really are baseline needs common to us all, so no wonder we want to hold onto something (like church) that we perceive helps us meet these needs. Who would we be without the familiar way of gathering, and why would we want to give up the worship space and patterns that nurture and help us feel a sense of safety and identity?
These are fair and justifiable questions in terms of safety and security, but they don’t align with the gospels very well. Time and again, Jesus encourages followers to let go of the familiar and to follow. The Way is always forward. Did Jesus want people to “let go” to test them? Did he desire the way of suffering and insecurity for his followers? Or did Jesus know that it is often impossible to take hold of something new and more life-giving if we are clinging to something else?
Over the months that followed the closure of St. Stephen’s, the former members charted a path forward. They did not wish to open the old church. They wanted to plant something new. They wanted to start small and to eventually remodel and open their new building, if possible. They wanted to be deliberately inclusive and hospitable to those who were not being welcomed by other faith communities. They wanted to experiment with new styles of worship. Today, the former St. Stephen’s gathers each Sunday in renovated space with close to 200 in attendance weekly. They are a vibrant and compelling community. A new faith community was birthed because a church took an honest look at itself… and let go.
If you are feeling the nudge to “let go” and to dream and discern your next steps, we would value the chance to accompany you. Please reach out at info@faithx.net or consider our products and services available at https://faithx.net.
