
We all know that the church is not a building. A church is a group of people who are committed to understanding and practicing the teachings of Jesus Christ. Church is the unique place where relationships can grow in Christ and where those who chose to live in the way of Jesus practice living out his teaching by loving, serving and forgiving each other. Church is the place where we are formed in character with each other to live out our faith in the world.
Church Development researcher Christian A. Schwarz says, “Smaller churches on average are better churches. They are better equipped to win people for Christ.” Sometimes it is easy to get disheartened by our congregation’s size, but it is important to remember that God’s hand has always been on this church, God is at work at Windsor today and God has a plan for our future. This is God’s church and God is in charge.
In October and November, we will take time to intentionally look at some of the characteristics of a healthy church. For six weeks, we are going to think together about six qualities of a church’s life:
Sharing: Intentionally simplifying one’s own life in order to provide for others
Advocacy: Intentionally speaking out on the behalf of others
Study: Intentionally listening for what God is doing in the world today
Hospitality: Intentionally making a place for others at the table
Prayer: Intentionally opening oneself to God and interceding for others
Service: Intentionally reaching out to those who are in need
Natural Church Development contends that a church is only as strong as its weakest area of ministry.
It is like an old fashioned bucket made of wooden slats held together by metal rings. The bucket can hold as much water as the height of the slats will allow. If the slats are different sizes, it can hold only as much water as the shortest slat. Likewise, a church’s health and effectiveness are dependent on qualities such as those listed above. A church is only as healthy as the weakest area of ministry.
Christ calls us to be disciples and to make disciples. So the question to be asking is: “what would a church of disciples look like?” God has given Windsor the potential to be a church of disciples, bringing others into this incredible journey of faith and serving God’s world.
Our youth group will be delving into their calling to discipleship using this same framework. Heartland Presbyterian will be exploring these same areas of ministry
The plan is spend the first 6 weeks looking at the qualities of a church of disciples. In January and February we will turn our attention to personal stories to explore each quality in more depth. During Lent we will reflect on these qualities for individuals as members of a worshipping community. You don’t have to be engaged in all six qualities to be a good Christian. The idea is that a healthy disciple would be one who goes to worship and is involved in two of these areas of ministry.
My hope is that we will begin to have some good conversations about how to best live into God’s plan for Windsor, by making disciples, by loving and serving. In other words, how do we best live out the great commandment and the great commission as followers of Christ? Using Acts 2:42-47 and Acts 4:32-37 as our basis, we will look at the early church as we begin asking how God calls us to be “church” together.
Worship Themes
Oct 4 Great Commission (World Communion)
Oct 11 Sharing
Oct 18 Advocacy
Oct 25 Study (Reformation Sunday)
Nov 1 Hospitality (All Saint's)
Nov 8 Prayer
Nov 15 Service