Statement from Regional Ministers

Regarding the Imperative of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ):

Strengthening Congregations for Mission

April 2009

In response to issues raised at the Consultation on the Imperative of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) at the College of Regional Ministers meeting in Orlando, Florida in January of 2009, we have named below the commitments we hold regarding strengthening congregations for mission.  We hope this document will prove helpful to the ongoing conversation hosted by MAAC regarding the adaptive changes needed in domestic ministry of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) for the 21^st Century

1. Because SPIRITUAL GROWTH is at the core of any vital congregation, we pledge ourselves to work with our ministry partners to

·         Encourage the practice of prayer and other spiritual disciplines.

·         Identify and/or create adult faith formation resources.

·         Identify and/or create resources for discipling new Christians.

2. Because we have named TRANSFORMING CHURCHES as one of four priorities, we commit ourselves to working with our ministry partners to

·         Spell out the process and create the appropriate documents for engaging in redevelopment strategies: relocation, morphing, restarting, parallel start. 

·         Identify, train and engage coaches to work with congregations who are choosing to re-envision or redevelop their mission.

·         Collect stories of congregations who have discovered new vitality.

·         Identify and/or develop strategies that congregations can use for revisioning their mission.   

·         Dedicate time and money to the priority of transforming 1000 congregations by the year 2020.

·         Identifying marks of transforming congregations.

·         Identify creative models for freeing up capital resources for mission in cases where the ministry of the congregation is serving the building rather than the building serving the ministry of the congregation. 

3. Because we believe PASTORAL LEADERSHIP is key to congregational health and vitality, we commit ourselves to working with our ministry partners to

·         Provide opportunities for pastors to regularly engage in spiritual renewal and prayer with their colleagues.

·         Assist pastors in developing the skills they need to lead a congregation through adaptive change.

·         Continue and increase the spiritual support of our pastors, recognizing that this will mean greater investment of time and financial resources.   

·         Identify ministers with special gifts for transformational ministry. 

4. Because we believe LAY LEADERSHIP is key to congregational health and vitality, we

      commit ourselves to working with our ministry partners to

·         Develop leadership skills for transforming congregations such as multi-cultural awareness, change management, organizational systems analysis and spiritual leadership.   

·         Regularly gather congregational Elders for the purpose of developing their skills: leading at the Lord’s Table, teaching and caring in ways that nurture health and giving spiritual leadership to the congregation.

5. Because FEWER CHURCHES ARE ABLE TO AFFORD FULL-TIME PASTORAL LEADERSHIP, we pledge ourselves to work with our ministry partners to

·         Identify and utilize existing educational programs and/or to create new       educational programs to train commissioned ministers.

·         Implement additional forms of effective, accountable ministry as proposed in the      new Policies and Criteria for the Ordering of Ministry in the Christian Church          (Disciples of Christ). 

6. Because new churches and affiliations are increasing DIVERSE—RACIALLY, CULTURALLY, LINGUISTICALLY AND THEOLOGICALLY-- we pledge ourselves to work with our ministry  partners to

·         Develop strategies to build unity within each of our regions, giving witness to the wholeness of the church.

·         Establish diverse “pastoral tables” in our regions for ongoing collegial support and conversation about issues of common concern.