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THE ROLE OF THE PASTOR IN DISCERNING GOD’S VISION

When I began serving the First American Baptist Church of Normal in the fall of 1995, I did not expect the difficulty of discovering God’s vision for the church. I couldn’t put my finger on what needed to be done. I was getting rather discouraged about it. I would pray things like, "God, you've got a problem. You know, it's not my church. It's your church. What are you going to do?"

We had person from the region to help the congregation discern what we needed to do. We came up with three key issues to address. This initially gave the congregation purpose and some direction, but it did not resolve the heart of the issue.

The Board of Ministry decided to form a Long Term Planning Team. The team decided to have a church specialist come for a weekend. He told us that we had to do some emotional healing from the past. He was right. However, after doing some individual and group counseling, I still struggled on what needed to be done. The congregation, the Long-Term Planning Team, and I had to discover the heart of the issue.

On a trip with the church youth group to Green Lake, Wisconsin, in December 1997, I came across a book by Peter Wagner entitled, “The Healthy Church.” After reading the first chapter, it was like God said, “This is the church’s problem.”

What was the heart of the issue for the First American Baptist Church? The church was terminally ill as it was the church in the changing community, the ex-neighborhood church. The church was virtually an island of one kind of people, in the midst of a community of another kind of people, and very little communication between the two. The First American Baptist Church was a neighborhood/family church, but over the past 35 years, the Illinois State University Campus surrounded the church property. The congregation did not see itself as being a college student church.

What could we do? The Long-Term Planning Team after doing surveys and having numerous meetings, came up with a report for the Board of Ministry and the congregation. It was recommended that the congregation become a conglomerate church, move to another location or become a student ministry church.

The congregation decided to investigate the possibility of moving. A church member contacted a representative from Illinois State University. I met with two developers from the community. Since the church property was in a prime location and both parties were interested, we received an offer of $608,000 dollars for the church property, ¾ of an acre. The congregation, after much prayer, decided to move. The congregation did have the unifying experience of the town historical organization attempting to designate the church building as an historical site before the property was sold and demolished. The church bought property on the north end of Normal. The congregation also decided to change the church name to North Bridge Baptist Church.

After we moved and relocated to a new building, I struggled with burnout and I once again needed a new vision for the congregation. I have been blessed with the opportunity to be a part of CECL program at Green Lake, Wisconsin. Through the CECL program, I have experienced renewal and have grown as a pastor. I have learned a great deal about church health. This past Resurrection Day, I sensed God telling me, “You are no longer a terminally ill church. You have been raised from the dead.”

What have I learned about the role of the pastor in discerning God’s vision for the church? It is important to pray and continue to be seeking God’s direction. Be willing to pursue the help and wisdom from qualified people outside the church. Love and lead the congregation instead of pushing and pulling church members. Build relationships and make ministry to people a priority. Be a team player! Continue to learn and grow as a person and as a leader. I have come to the conclusion the goal for the church is to become healthy. Discerning how to get there, influencing others to join you, and working together to achieve the goal and experiencing God’s presence in the process makes it all worth it!

I feel blessed to serve the North Bridge Baptist Church. The congregation and I have a dynamic optimism about the future of the church. Nine hundred new homes are going to be built by the new church location. We are debt free. We are making changes to become the church that God wants us to be. We are trying to keep in step with the Spirit as we watch how God is moving and then joining Him. What a joy to be in His service. To God and our Lord Jesus Christ be the glory!!!

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