Today I had to be up especially early because our district was sponsoring a Day of Learning for its pastors. First, let me applaude Pastor Greg Reynolds for doing this. I love the fact that we as pastors are going to get together several times a year. Yes, the continuing ed is great, but so was the fellowship. I caught a ride with the other Wesleyan pastor in town. We had a great team come in for this first of many days of learning. Our guests were Dr. Wayne Schmidt of Kentwood Community Church, and Pastor Mark Gorvette, the District Superintendent of the West Michigan District of the Wesleyan Church.
It was a great day. Wayne gave us his testimony of how God called him to plant KCC and how both he and the church grew. He also spoke on his book, “Ministry Momentum.” It was great stuff.
Pastor Mark presented information on church multiplication. In 1990, there were 51.3 million worshipers in churches across the USA. In 2006, there were 51.8 million worshipers in churches across the USA. In the same 16 year period, the USA netted a gain of 52 million more people into its culture. While we often talk of church growth, it appears that we have been ineffective of assimilating people into our churches. Forty years ago at the merger of the Pilgrim Holiness and Wesleyan Methodist churches there were 2000 in North America. Only 1,400 congregations remain. We have closed 600 churches. Now, we have planted 300 congregations, but we are not keeping up with the closed churches. Mark is a big church plant advocate and you can sense his passion for it.
After both pastors talked we had an opportunity for a question and answer session. It was great and it was an encouraging day. It gave me lots to think about.
