This past Sunday, someone asked a question that I imagine resides rent-free in most of our heads. “How can we compete with the mega-churches; how can we convince people to come here?”
When I was first approached by Resurrection in 2017, it was via phone-call. Four people from the church search committee were on one end of the speaker, and Nic and I were on the other. The greeting was warm and the questions weren’t difficult at first, but then someone posed the question above: “What will you do to compete with the bigger churches and how can we get our kids to want to come here rather than there?” After a brief pause, I answered with one word: “Nothing.” I then went on to explain that competing with churches isn’t the business we’re in—sure, we need people to sustain the annual budget of ___(what is now $340,000, I have no clue what it was then) but that seeking other church members wasn’t the answer. We can’t compete with other churches because everyone has different desires for worship; if this wasn’t the case, there would never have been a reformation of the Church and we’d all still be Catholic.
I honestly thought they hung up on me. That’s how long the pause was. But then they moved on to the next question. To this day, I would pay money to see their faces in that moment; I imagine someone mouthed something along the lines of “Is this dude crazy?”
Well, a few years later, we all know that I’m a little wacky. Yet, on Sunday, I restated that answer. I know how much we want to grow—no one feels that desire more deeply than I do. I yearn for people to join this church in droves; I long for the resurrection of Resurrection. In many ways, that has started to happen. We have done quite a bit together and the results have been noticeable. But there’s still more to do. We’re in a pivotal moment of our church today, just as we were back then. The difference? We’ve stepped up a few levels.
Our needs today aren’t the same as they were yesterday. We have a critical mass of folks willing to engage in ministries, doing the work of discipleship, and creating a sense of vitality that is almost palpable. And we are still not competing. Instead, we’re thriving due to providing a safe space within which people can grow in faith and understanding; inquisitive theology is bred here, allowing folks to ask questions without fear of reprisal or judgment.
So. What now?
Now, we keep moving forward and continue to do the things that are unique and authentic to us. We keep conducting ourselves as the beloved community; we keep encouraging our kids during worship and on Wednesday nights. We keep feeding the hungry, clothing the cold, friending the lonely, tending to the sick, and shielding the joyous. And, we talk about this place to people we encounter. That’s the real secret to growth: It takes you, all of you, talking to your friends—and strangers sometimes (Sorry introverts)—about this community to which you belong. Of all the catchy and gimmicky things we could attempt, authentic encounters with our neighbors are the most vital to the ever-expanding group of souls here at Resurrection. And if you’re reading this and belong to another church? It’s how you do it there, too. Our job as Christians isn’t to promote individual churches for the sake of their growth; it’s to promote Jesus Christ for the sake of the Kingdom.
Do you want to grow?
Do you want to see this place thrive?
Do you want to share the beauty of the Episcopal liturgy?
Do you want to share the Christian faith?
Then let’s keep conversing with people, inviting people, and connecting during real moments. That’s now how we compete, it’s how we thrive. And, more importantly, it’s the work Jesus Christ calls us to do, anyway.
Let’s go, Resurrection. Our work is far from done.
Faithfully,
Fr. Sean+