As I sat in the board (bored) meeting, my mind couldn’t help but think about my children at home and the stress that my wife was under.  In tears, she asked if I could skip this meeting (my fifth or so of the month) to stay at home and give her a night off.  As the faithful servant to the Lord (the lies we tell ourselves) I went to the meeting.  Thus began the curious look into the wasted hours around the conference table in this small local church.  I dove into the constitution and recorded all of the required committees and their stated number of members.  I then calculated the number of required meetings they were supposed to have each month, and the result of my formula revealed that our people were tasked to spend 177 hours in committee meetings each month!  One committee with nine people on it only existed for the purpose of reporting to each other what they were doing…not make any decisions.  Needless to say, our people were spending so much time in meetings that they didn’t have time to do ministry.

I don’t like committees…and yet, there is a time and place where they are necessary.  Grace Bible Church adopted a new constitution this past winter.  The elders were very careful in this document to not create a structure that required people to spend their time locked into endless and meaningless meetings.  The constitution gives us freedom in the development of needed ministry leadership and ministry initiatives.  With that said, in order for ministry to be effective, it has to be led by God’s people working together to accomplish what he calls them to do. So, as spring brings forth new life around us, we are hoping that the development of the following teams will help spring forth new life in our church.

One of the questions that we often get is “are we planning to build a church building”?  Currently, we have a small pot of money, set aside from the sale of the former building, that is earmarked for something beyond our current facility situation.  The elders have kept their eyes open for other possibilities and have even talked with realtors and looked at buildings.  As our church grows, we recognize the need to focus on this endeavor more intentionally.  Thus, we are in the process of forming a “Building Task Force”.  This will be a small group who have the responsibility to help the elders be engaged in looking at opportunities and available facilities for future procurement.  They will have the following guides.

• Utilize their knowledge and relationships in the community to seek and discover opportunities that may not be publicly known.
• Connect the elders to any potential opportunities that they see.
• Understand and follow the vision of the elders as it pertains to the future ministry of the church and how it relates to our facility needs.
• They will not have any authority or power to engage the church in any type of contract, financial commitment, or obligation.

We believe that Grace Bible Church is at a season of life where the needs of our people and ministry opportunity are hindered by our current facility, and it is time to take the next step into our future.

The second team that will be launched in the coming weeks is the Worship Planning Team.  We are gifted with many musicians in our church.  However, the week to week planning and stress of putting together the worship music has traditionally fallen on the person who is leading that particular Sunday.  This team will work together to help each other plan and carry the burden of the logistics that go into each worship set.  We see this strategy as a great way to relieve some of the stress and busyness that comes with being the one in charge, but beyond that, we envision them being freed up to grow in their faithful expression of worship to God as they lead the congregation.

The future of Grace Bible Church is not dependent upon a perfectly developed structure or organizational system.  It is imperative that whatever systems and structures are put in place they are to help us accomplish the mission and the calling of the church, not to serve itself for the sake of its own existence.  The mission and calling of the church is to make disciples…not committee meetings.

Have I mentioned that I don’t like committees?

Let’s go forth and make disciples!

The church is unique.  When Jesus said to Peter, “Upon this rock, I will build my church”, he wasn’t talking about systems and structures, constitutions and bylaws.  He didn’t have in mind any denominations, 501c3 qualifications, or annual business meetings.  While I can’t determine exactly what he had pictured, I know it was more than an institution made up of “doctrines of men”.  And yet, at this moment in history, Grace Bible Church finds itself dealing with these very things.  The doctrines of man which are essential for us to operate as a church in this period of history and locale have to be discussed.

January 19th will bring to the table a discussion about the proposed Revised Church Constitution brought forth by the board of elders.  This document serves many purposes for the church body.

Primarily, it serves as a theological summary of the beliefs of our local fellowship of believers.  It is a call to UNITY around a core set of beliefs that we have in common.  This allows the church to define what we believe is primary and non-negotiable theology.  While they are written in statements that are summarized by earthly men, they are truth’s that are derived from the holy scriptures.

Secondly, the church constitution is a guide for how our church is governed.  It lays out the framework for membership, leadership, and how decisions are made.  The goal of these portions of the constitution once again comes down to UNITY.  If everyone is working together and understanding the general process of church operations, that should lead to a smooth operation in which people work together to accomplish a common purpose.

Finally, the church constitution serves a legal purpose in our nation.  It is the guide by which we declare, operate, and submit to the regulatory authorities of our nation.  As a 501c3, we are held accountable to following the financial laws and regulations as well as submitting and maintaining the proper paperwork on file with our governing authorities.  Jim Voth works hard to understand and follow the IRS regulations so that every transaction that we make is in line with these guidelines.  Jim Sugars has worked hard to make sure that our paperwork is properly filed with the State Legislators so that we are in proper legal standing.  Be sure and thank those guys for their hard work in these areas.

Unfortunately, there have been too many times in church history where churches have split, fought, divided, or whatever other descriptions there are that go the opposite direction of UNITY.  Our prayer is that this moment in the history of Grace Bible Church will be a uniting moment.  A time in history when we can look back and say, that was a defining moment that helped our church to move beyond a fledgling group of people who were still believing that God was doing something among them, to a group that is united around calling and purpose and moving toward the great things that God calls them to be and do.

Are the documents that are being presented perfect?  No, they are not.  Are there words that need to be reconsidered?  Yes, there probably are.  Is there information we need to add?  Maybe so.  These documents were put together by our elder board with a vision to set up the necessary framework of structure and order, while trying to allow the freedom of direction for where God wants to take us in the future.  Our hope is that you will take the time to read the document, share your feedback, and come to the meeting with a healthy discussion that promotes UNITY and encourages and builds up the body of Christ, so that we all can work together for the equipping of one another to do the work that God calls us to.

Pastor Dwight

*Here is a link to both the current constitution and the proposed revised constitution.

Church Constitution Documents – Grace Bible Church McPherson, KS

I confess.  In my four years of Bible College and then my Seminary studies, I never took one class on discipleship.  Don’t misunderstand…I took lots of classes on books of the Bible, personal evangelism, principles of classroom teaching, church leadership, church history, counseling classes, and many classes on how to formulate and deliver sermons.  In all of these classes we used words like “discipleship” and “making disciples”, but discipleship always seemed to be a vague theory that was simply left up to the individual to figure out.  Yes, there are books that are written to teach you the spiritual disciplines that you need to develop to become a disciple.  There are routines that you can learn to grow in your walk with Jesus and there are principles that teach you how to have a Biblical worldview.  All of these are great tools…but none of them equate to a Jesus model of discipleship.

Sunday school has often been considered the “discipleship model” for traditional churches.  Children who grew up in the church would spend their formative years learning the stories of the Bible, memorize scripture, and then often would go through a “confirmation class” at a certain age which was then followed up with baptism and maybe even church membership.  Boxes were checked, parents were proud, and the children then moved into the youth group to play dodgeball and disgusting food games.  Next step was to head off to college where, according to statistics, 66% of them stop attending church.  As adults, some of them return to repeat the model with their children.

Two weeks ago, in my Through the Lens article Connecting the Dots, I said that we need to start asking hard questions about why and what we are doing?  Today, I want to focus specifically on the area of discipling our children.

When I became a father the responsibility of raising my children in the Lord was an overwhelming task.  While I had my Pastoral Studies degree with a minor in Biblical Studies, the reality is that I had no idea how to lead my family in discipleship.  I could put together a youth retreat, mission trip, or a great week of camp messages, but to sit down with my child and teach them…everyone just ASSUMED that I could do that.  Sure, we read them Bible stories every night and tried to model for them a loving home that was filled with grace.  But I had no plan, no model, and no experience in what discipleship looked like from a family view.  I always felt “less than” because I never measured up to what I felt the parenting books and the old ladies at church thought I should be doing.  My kids were in Sunday school every week, memorized their AWANA verses, and eventually attended youth group when they came of age.  All the while, I felt like I was never doing enough.

The traditional view of Sunday school in the Midwest is to get to church early, drop your kids off at the kid’s classes, parents go to their class (or out to breakfast) and at the end of the day get the profound answer of “Jesus” when they ask their kids what they learned about in Sunday school.  They may receive a craft project that gets thrown away before the day is over or a coloring sheet to hang on the fridge that the teacher used to fill the last 10 minutes of the class period.  If there was a take home sheet, it may get looked at, but most likely tossed into the trash and the lesson forgotten by Tuesday morning.  The Sunday school teacher often goes home wondering if they are making a difference, ready to quit this ministry they have been stuck in for the last ten years and wondering if there is a simple lesson that will keep the kids busy and more attentive next week.

Is this what Jesus meant when he said to make disciples?  No wonder American families want to go play soccer or baseball on Sundays, because what we have been doing through the years is not making that big of an impact on their lives.

I don’t say this to criticize people.  I’ve been there as a parent, and I’ve been there as a Sunday school teacher.  Thank you to everyone who has invested time, prayers, and even tears in teaching the children through the years.  The problem isn’t the teacher or the parent, the problem is the system.

Here are a few symptoms I recognize from generations of failed Sunday school systems.

1. We have adults who don’t know the basic stories of the Bible, let alone where they fit and how they tie into the overall story of redemption.
2. Because they don’t know the stories, they don’t know how to interact with their children about what they have learned in Sunday school class.
3. Because the children are only attending a “one hour” lesson on Sunday morning they have no follow up with their parents on how to remember or apply what they were taught in their class.
4. Because there is no follow up, there is often times no intentional plan to help parents work with their children through the remainder of the week.
5. Because teachers are spending more time trying to “manage a classroom” than they are actually teaches the children about Jesus, they often burn out and don’t want to teach anymore.

So that has me thinking…

What if “Sunday school” was a Discipleship Hour where families learned together?  What if it looked like this?

1. Adults read and study the story in preparation for Discipleship Hour to discuss with their children and have the tools to see how every story in the Bible points to Jesus, where it fits in the chronological history, and how it helps fulfill God’s ultimate redemptive plan for man in the future.
2. What if parents were equipped and given space to interact with their children during Discipleship Hour as they learned to worship, study, and discover together how the stories apply to them as a family?
3. What if the Sunday morning discussion could be followed up throughout the week with questions that the kids and parents discussed and are now seeing how they apply in everyday situations?
4. What if parents were able to see the big picture and have a plan to not only teach their children, but also learn the fulness of God’s redemptive story so that the Bible made sense from Genesis to Revelation?
5. What if instead of one teacher trying to control a classroom of ten children, whole families were together to learn in family units.

I think that it would be pretty radical.  I think that it might help a few more men learn how to raise their children.  I think that it may have an impact on family’s desire to be in church and Discipleship Hour.  I think that it could transform marriages, families, churches, and communities.

What do you think?

Pastor Dwight

A few years ago, my wife and I along with several other families were invited to a couple’s home to get to know them better.  As we entered their house, we were a little bit taken back that the host of the party never took the time to introduce himself to us, ask anything about us, or attempt to interact with us in any way.  We stood in the kitchen and interacted with some of the other guests, while the host sat in his living room talking to some of his friends and colleagues.  While we were invited into their home…we felt anything but welcome.

Sometimes that is the experience of a person visiting church for the first time.  They are told they are welcome to come, but the physical experience can often feel like the experience that Jennifer and I had.  The “hosts” can often be so pre-occupied with their normal groups of friends and responsibilities that they never even notice or engage when a visitor comes through the door, leaving them to feel like they aren’t important.

This Sunday we are offering a new ministry called “Discover Grace”.  The goal behind this is to stop for a moment and take the time to not only meet and connect with newer people who have been coming to church, but also to learn a little bit about them and answer any questions that they may have about our church.  This can be anyone from a first time to visitor, to someone who may have been attending for a while but hasn’t really plugged in.  The pastors and elders will connect with these families and individuals to help them feel connected to the church family and for us to learn about their ministry needs.  We will offer this on the second Sunday of each month to help them take the next steps in their walk with Jesus and His church.

But what about the rest of the time?  Our church is doing an amazing job of connecting with each other after the services on Sunday.  It is such a joy to hear the laughter and the interaction that is happening after the church service.  It has also been a blessing to see how the fellowship time prior to the service is growing and becoming more interactive.  But what about that new family?  What about that young couple that just came through the door?  What about those two college guys who are looking for their place?

Did you see them?  Did you try to connect with them?  Did you ignore them in awkward silence?  As the church grows it can be hard to remember names or whether a person has been here before…believe me I struggle with that as much as anyone else.  However, I can’t help but go back to that awkward moment when the host sat in his living room and ignored my presence in his kitchen.  I would have rather received an awkward greeting than to be ignored.

Imagine showing up at a church and the door was opened for you and you were greeted with a smile.  Imagine walking into the foyer to be greeted by a friendly host who introduces themselves to you.  Imagine entering into the main room and being invited to have a cup of coffee or snack.  Imagine a hostess at the table serving you with a smile.  Imagine being engaged in conversation and invited to sit with someone.  Imagine being noticed and having the feeling that someone cares that you are in church this morning.  Imagine, those feelings of being afraid of visiting a church for the first time being diminished because you found a welcoming home that invited you in and you can’t wait to tell your friends about it.

That’s the kind of fellowship that draws people to Jesus.  If you are already filling in one of those steps…great job!  Keep up the good work!  Thank you for being faithful.

My hope is that we will be a church that every person who walks through the door will experience Jesus from the door to the pulpit and from the pulpit to the door.  We live in a world of broken people, many who are looking for Jesus and a place to belong.

Eyes up, hearts open, hands out.  Let’s welcome those who come through our door as Jesus would.

One of my memories from elementary school was when the teacher would give us a “connect the dot” worksheet.  It was a piece of paper with a bunch of what appeared to be randomly placed dots that each had a number beside it.  You would have to find the number one and then draw a line to connect to dot number two.  You would do this until you reach the end and then all the connected dots formed a picture that you couldn’t see beforehand.  However, if you connected a dot to the wrong dot that comes after, you would discover that it messed up your picture.  Each dot represented an important aspect of the picture…if left unconnected, your picture wouldn’t be complete.  Thus, in the process of completing the picture, you had to be diligent to find each number in its proper order and connect them appropriately.

The church is like a giant dot to dot worksheet.  There are so many important elements that go into the structure and activity of the life of the body.  When they are all connected and ordered in appropriate fashion, the result can be a beautiful masterpiece that people love to be a part of.  If the dots aren’t connected in the right order, or if some are missing, it is obvious to tell that the picture isn’t complete. Scripture gives us the framework for the local church.  Then, in our local context and mission, we are to place and connect the dots to fulfill our calling.

Grace Bible Church has experienced significant changes in the last five years.  Some of those days were survival, others were like a physical therapy session where you must push through the pain and wonder if you will ever get back to what you once were.  Then there are the seasons of hope and growth where you have new life and excitement for what could be, which are soon followed by the reality that your structure and facilities are not capable of meeting all the needs and desires of the newfound growth.

As church leadership looks out at the vast array of dots that need to be connected, we recognize that there are great needs in our church, both relationally and structurally. There is a temptation to just throw something out there to see if it sticks, however we want to invest into and develop healthy ministries that give us the desired outcomes.  For that to happen, we must analyze what we are doing and why we are doing it.  Sometimes we must ask hard questions about our why’s.  As we work to the end of 2024, here are a few things that have our focus.

Who are we?  We are trying to clearly define who we are.  That begins with knowing who our people are, what are their needs, and how can we help them become disciples and families that are making disciples.  While we have gathered a “basic” communications list, we are now trying to figure out our demographics.  What ages, stages of life, and ministry needs do we represent. Armed with this understanding, we can more strategically plan and implement ministry strategies.

What do we stand for?  Whether we like it or not, churches are governed by an agreed upon document and way of operation.  Our current constitution reflects the ministry that was operating in the old church building in a very different context.  Many of the positions and responsibilities that it lists are no longer relevant to how we do ministry in our context today.  The elders are working on a cleaned up and more clearly defined document that will help us navigate today’s ministry experiences in a more functional and freeing way. It also needs to reflect the theological positions and values that we hold so that we have a common base upon which we serve in unity.

Where are we going?  What is our mission?  We are called to make disciples.  What does that look like? Have the traditional ideas of spiritual growth given us the result we desired?  Is it time to think differently about ministry?   How do we help families disciple their children?  How do we use the limited resources we have most effectively.  The right answers can only be discovered by a process of asking lots of questions and not settling for the simple answer, but rather by digging deep to unearth the wisdom and direction that is often multiple layers deep.  These answers help us to focus on the important ministries and strategies of Grace Bible Church.

Jesus had a vision ahead of him when he called his first disciples.  They didn’t know what the journey ahead involved, but they faithfully and obediently followed.  He calls us to do the same.  Please keep the elders and pastors in your prayers as we seek to faithfully and obediently follow where Jesus is leading as he continues to take us on this exciting journey.  Thank you for walking with us.

Pastor Dwight