The Spirit is Moving Among Us--Have You Felt His Presence?

I have been on a fact gathering tour since arriving at the church this past June. I have met with 24 church leaders, and sometimes their spouses, and asked them all the same six questions:

1. Tell me about yourself and/or your family?


2. How long have you been a member of this church? ___ What brought you to this church?


3. What is the most meaningful ministry of this church?


4. What are the high points that you have experienced in the life of this congregation?


5. What are the pressing issues currently facing this congregation?


6. If you could make one wish for the church, what would it be?

My heart is gladdened to see that in the vast majority of the interviews, the answers have been quite similar. To me, this is an indication that God’s Spirit is alive and well and moving in our midst. To hear from these leaders many of the same answers suggests that they are in tune to the Spirit’s presence among us. That means that we should be able to establish a firm foundation on which to build our ministry to the church, the community and the world.

I was also glad to see, that when I met with small groups of people, there was also a corresponding movement of the Holy Spirit.

In the small groups, my goal was not to ask questions, but to rank statements that described the church’s ministry. Each person in attendance had to rank 11 statements from the most important to the least important. In the groups that have met so far to date, there has been general agreement on the top 5 items of importance. Some groups may have ranked these items higher or lower. However, overall, the groups feel that the church is a place where we:

1. Proclaim the Gospel in Preaching and Worship


2. Provides Opportunities for Personal and Spiritual Growth


3. Minister to Individuals and Families in times of Crisis


4. Help the Poor and the Oppressed


5. Be a Prophetic Witness for Gospel Concerns

As your newly appointed pastor, I did not feel that it was my role to come in and tell you what to do in terms of ministry. Instead, I felt that I needed to understand what God was already doing in your midst. I am pleased with the results so far and am looking forward to meeting with as many of you as possible on Sunday October 9th at 3:00 p.m. to further discuss ways in which we might move forward in ministry and mission for the Kingdom.

Please join with me on that day and please be in prayer for me and the church as we get ready to see what God is doing in our midst!

What are your thoughts on this issue.