Check the Mirror, Pastor — After Five Years, Your Church Looks
Like You.” This was the headline of an article that caused me to stop and
reflect. If it’s true that after five years the congregation I serve will look
a lot like me, is that a good thing or a bad thing?
If congregations begin to reflect their pastor over time, it might
lead the pastor to think about what he should do to shape his congregation. The
pastor will be tempted to think about how he can and should shape it: How can I
make my congregation enthusiastic for evangelism? How can I make my
congregation take the Word of God seriously and want to study it? How can I shape
my congregation to make an impact in our community?
But if those are the first questions the pastor asks, his focus is
in the wrong place. When I first read that headline and the accompanying article,
the reality that my congregation would reflect me as a pastor felt like a heavy
burden to bear. Do I really want my congregation to look like … me? To
paraphrase St. Paul, Do I really want my congregation to look like the chief of
sinners?
And yet, St. Paul also wrote in 1 Cor. 11:1, “Be imitators of me, as
I am of Christ.” How can Paul claim to be the chief of sinners and yet say, “be
imitators of me”? How can a pastor do the same?
In short, Paul wasn’t seeking to have the focus on him, but on Christ.
He understood that the example he set would impact how those to whom he was
ministering would see Christ. By speaking of himself as the chief of sinners
and as the least of the apostles, Paul modeled the reality of the need for
Christ and His forgiveness.
Pastors follow Paul’s example not when they seek to hold
themselves up as the perfect example to be imitated, but when they show the
congregation that they too are sinners in need of Jesus. By spending time in
God’s Word on a daily basis, devoting time to prayer, forgiving and seeking
forgiveness quickly, valuing and hungering for the Lord’s Supper, and being
honest about their weaknesses, pastors model the very things they want to see
in the flock they serve.
There’s much more to discuss concerning this topic, but I think it starts with pastors echoing the words of John the Baptist: “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30).
Contributed through the LCMS Rural & Small Town Mission monthly newsletter By Rev. Benjamin Meyer, Hope Lutheran Church, Sunbury, Ohio
Minneapolis, Here We Come!
The 2019 National Rural
& Small Town Mission Conference will be held Nov. 14–16 in Minneapolis,
Minn., at the Doubletree by Hilton Hotel Bloomington-Minneapolis South.
Registrations made after Sept. 1 are available but at an increased rate.
Register before Sept. 1 for the early registration rate! Late registration open until 9/20!
The blessings and challenges facing rural and small-town congregations today will be
addressed. Congregations will be encouraged to cultivate ways to become
healthy churches, eager to bear witness for Christ, able to show mercy to those
in need in communities and develop a robust life together with fellow
members. We hope you’ll join us by
registering now and reserving your spot!
Speakers and Session
Topics
Keynote speakers will include
Rev. Todd Kollbaum, director, LCMS Rural & Small Town Mission and Dr.
Harold L. Senkbeil, Executive Director for Spiritual Care, DOXOLOGY. Rev.
Robert Zagore, executive director, LCMS Office of National Mission, will lead
the theme Bible study of the conference based on Hebrews 12:1b-2a.
Breakout topics include dealing
with addictions, mental health, young adults in ministry, bi-vocational
pastors, stewardship, community engagement, partnering with LERT, online education
and many other topics affecting our rural and small-town congregations. There
is something planned for everyone … from layperson to pastor, student to
teacher!
We encourage you to bring your
whole family to spend a few days together! Enjoy the Mall of America and take
advantage of the special family rates that include access to all conference
activities.
Don’t forget that a special
track for Youth Ministry will be returning this year, led by youth peer leaders
and specially meant for your youth to join you as well; this option will have
a limited number of seats and require attendance in all six sessions.
Registration
Adult registration for the
conference is $225/person and includes all plenary and breakout sessions,
materials, Thursday dinner, Friday lunch and dinner and more. See our full
registration form for discounted rates for youth, students, families, couples,
LWML members, meals only and groups. Contact our office with questions.
Hotel reservations must be made
separately from conference registration. The Doubletree is offering a rate of
$100/ Single or Double plus applicable taxes for our group including breakfast
buffet per day per occupancy level; complimentary self-parking; complimentary
airport and Mall of America shuttle.
More information and online registration can be found at lcms.org/rstm/conference
RSTM Events Update
Don’t forget that Rural & Small Town
Mission provides free monthly webinars on topics important to congregations in
town and country settings. Up next is “Church Reflections” with the Rev.
Benjamin Meyer on Sept. 26, followed by “Moving Beyond Survival: DOXOLOGY
and Your Church’s Future” with the Rev. Dr. Harold Senkbeil on Oct. 10.
Find past webinars in our archive.
Register for one our Engaging Your Community (EYC) or
Engaging the Wandering (ETW) events at lcms.org/ rstm. These partner
events offer practical resources and training in communication skills for
reaching out to our wandering members and communities with Christ’s love.
Contact your district or our office if you are interested in holding an event
near you.
The LCMS South Dakota District will partner with RSTM
to hold two ETW events, at St. John Lutheran Church, Groton, S.D., on Oct. 26,
and Trinity Lutheran Church, Hartford, S.D., on Oct. 27. Online registration is
available for these ETW events.
In
partnership with Minnesota South, RSTM is also rolling out a new type of event,
Welcoming, in Pipestone, MN on Oct. 12 that we think you and your
congregation are going to love and benefit from! We will address the little
known “brain gain” of rural and small-town communities. These day-long events
will help congregations to be more welcoming places that provide God’s Word to
both current members and guests. They are also great opportunities for
leadership and volunteer training.
For
more information about our events or to see the rest of our calendar, visit lcms.org/rstm
or contact our office at 888- 463-5127 or rstm@lcms.org.
Register now! The 2019 National Rural & Small Town
Mission Conference, “Running With Endurance: Eyes Fixed On Jesus,” will
be held Nov. 14–16 in Minneapolis. Watch for updates and more information at lcms.org/rstm/conference.
For more
information about our events or to see the rest of our calendar, visit lcms.org/rstm
or contact our office at 888-463-5127 or rstm@lcms.org.
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