Under Review in 2022
Permacrisis. Collin's Dictionary chose it as their word of the year in 2022. Does that word give a definition to your feelings about pastoral work over the last 24 months?
The word is defined as "an extended period of instability and insecurity." An equation of COVID + war + climate disasters + a tanking economy + political instability + global insecurity = permacrisis.
Surveys in 2022 from Barna, Alpha Canada, and Waybase signalled a churchwide permacrisis—a decades-long decrease in Canadian church attendance and evangelism, with an increase in distrust and disdain for evangelical Christians. Many pastors saw long-time members and adherents decline to return to weekend gatherings. Volunteer ranks thinned. Giving decreased.
Minister's Gathering was a microcosm of the permacrisis. MG22 was planned in November for February. In-person. In Banff. However, a Christmastime spike in COVID cases sent us back to our zoom rooms. But District leadership chose to do the opposite. Feeling compelled to meet in person, they shifted the Gathering to the end of March, underwrote accommodation expenses, experienced the largest Gathering in ABNWT history, and sent us home to increase our proclamation footprint. We're not going down; we're not going under; we're going through.
Relentlessly Outward Bound
In the summer and fall, many ABNWT churches, urban and rural, reported an increase in unchurched seekers. People made commitments to follow Jesus. Newcomers joined serve teams. The Church Vitalization Summit in September championed being "Relentlessly Outbound." Churches broke out of their comfort zones with community outreaches, public school pizza events, pop-up blessings, engage Sundays in the community, Alpha, Day Camps, women's and men's events, marriage seminars, mental health support, Blue Christmas services, Grief Share programs, and other innovative ideas.
In November and December, Oasis Church in Grande Prairie hosted the first monthly Saturday afternoon movie matinees for families. They showed movies kids would like, provided free food and drinks, invited their community, recruited new volunteers, and had guests return on Sunday, which resulted in a decision to follow Jesus.
Freedom Centre Church in Edmonton experimented with Lego Brickfest Saturdays, had 20 participants from the community at their second event, and gained new families.
Where do we go from here?
4 Things To See In 2023
You can't see the future, but you can create it.
Curiosity is the key to creativity.
Learn new facts, insights, perspectives, and options for ministry and reaching your community. Try new methods. Invite lots of people. Dream big.
"God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine, guess, or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us.
Glory to God in the church!" Ephesians 3:20,21 (The Message)
In January 2022, Claresholm Assembly (40 adults) aimed to engage 520 people in their community through acts of service, community events, and invitations. By December, they had engaged 635 people and saw 32 decisions to believe in Jesus (31 more than in 2021)! In 2023 they plan to enfold 50 new people and double their congregation.
Look back to go forward.
Charles Spurgeon said, "Every Christian is either a missionary or an impostor." Though we might want to clarify the language, the impulse is what we need—every Christian is called to live on mission. Taking down walls and building bridges is missional work.
Shepherd's Gate in Calgary, Abundant Springs Community Church in Pincher Creek, and Freedom Centre in Stettler used a One Day Fun Day event on school PD days to build a bridge with families. In all three churches, new families attended a Sunday service in the following months.
Will you experiment and try new ideas to make 2023 your church's greatest year for being outward-bound?
God's mission has a prevailing church.
A prevailing church is in the heat of the spiritual battle for the souls of men, women, and children.
Cold Lake Community Church set and achieved a goal in the last half of 2022 of enfolding one new, unchurched family every month into their discipleship pathway.
Prevailing churches replicate the New Testament Christian pattern:
Train Christians in biblical beliefs and lifestyle.
Transformation through Holy Spirit encounters.
Enlist people to faith in Christ.
Influence society with Christian truth.
Respond to human need in the church and the world.
A prevailing church will be vitalized.
Vitalization is not about the size of the church on mission but the size of the mission in the church.
Would you set a goal like Valley Worship Assembly, Drayton Valley, of seeing one person a month decide to follow Jesus and be discipled in 2023?
Vitalize your church around these five objectives:
Mission and Vision Alignment (aligning everything you do to the "why" and the "what")
Relentlessly Outward Bound (moving what you do to reach those yet to come)
Engaging Services (creating services that non-Christians want to attend)
Discipleship Pathway (clear and obvious next steps for someone to become a fully devoted follower of Jesus)
Leadership Development (conviction based on Ephesians 4 creates a church of leaders who develop leaders where maturity equals reproduction)
Permahope
You get to do this.
Words create worlds. In a world of permacrisis, churches that prevail create permahope. Light the darkness. Live hope. Make permahope your word for 2023.
Create the future for your church by planning twelve months of outreach in 2023. The ABNWT provides resources and coaches to help reach children, youth, and adults in 2023. There are tons of ideas to be outward bound in the blogs.
You can do it. We can help.
Bob Jones is the founder of REVwords.com, an author, blogger, and coach with 39 years of pastoral experience. Bob is also an Advance Coach with the ABNWT Resource Centre. You can connect with Bob here.