Often I ask myself this question in regards to Crossroads and our progress towards making our vision a reality. Have we become a place of transforming grace in genuine community? Are we seeing lives being changed and transformed? What are the relationships that exist? Are we there yet?
I want to focus on the second half of that vision statement. Do we have “genuine community” at Crossroads? Keep in mind that community, in this sense, is not a geographical location. It is a relationship, and not just any relationship. It involves several critical aspects in order to be real community. Things like belonging, caring, and accountability are what make community unique and genuine.
Do members at Crossroads experience a real sense of belonging? I know when I visit our guests I hear about how they felt welcome and at home. The question is does this feeling continue and grow at they become a part of our congregation. I wonder if we let them know that they were missed when they are unable to attend. I also wonder if they miss us when they are not able to attend. Sometimes when I review the attendance of some of our members, I have my doubts.
On the other hand, I think we do very well on caring for each other. When there is a need within the congregation, it is encouraging to see how the Body cares for those who are hurting. From meals for those after surgery to counseling for those going through difficult times, we look after each very well. I am very pleased that much of this caring is being done by the small groups themselves. This is what we have been working toward. We are not there yet, but we are getting real close.
On the issue of accountability, I believe we still have lots of room for improvement. With our updated membership policy, the leadership team is working through contacting all of those who are “on the books” as members. Some of these individuals no longer come to church, so we will be removing them from the membership. We will be more intentional about helping our members work through the steps of our discipleship strategy. We need to be seeing movement from step one (attendance) to step four (active in mission and outreach). This is important because for us to grow as a community, we must grow in our individual relationships with the church.
When it comes to genuine community, are we there yet? No, but we are definitely moving in the right direction. We need to continue to pursue our mission and praying for our vision to become a reality.
See You Sunday,
Mike
