OPINION EXERCISE South Main is doing an excellent job of evangelism in our community. Strongly Disagree 1……….2……….3……….4……….5…|……..6……….7……….8 Strongly Agree 5.4 Our worship services offer an appropriate diversity of music and the ways music is presented. Strongly Disagree 1……….2……….3……….4……….5………..6……|….7……….8 Strongly Agree 6.5 OPINION EXERCISE I am challenged in an appropriate fashion to become a better disciple of Jesus through preaching and Bible study opportunities on Sunday and throughout the week. Strongly Disagree 1……….2……….3……….4……….5………..6……….|7……….8 Strongly Agree 7.0 51
When the Covid-19 pandemic hit in full force in March 2020, it changed our world as quickly as it shuttered our churches. After more than a year dealing with the medical and cultural ramifications, churches, like South Main, slowly emerged from the long days of isolation and separation. The pandemic changed us, and it changed the look and feel of church. If we learned anything through it all, we learned the certainty of change. The members of South Main understand that despite almost 70 years of relative stability our response to our pastoral change and our response to the changes brought about by the pandemic present a clear and present challenge to the work of God in our community. It is also evident to our congregation that the challenge be- fore us presents an equally clear and present opportunity for God to be at work in our hearts, our church and our community. It was telling in our Congregational Conversations that our congregation believes that the challenges and op- portunities are indelibly linked and completely within the power of God to resolve in and through his people. Through the conversations and discussions, the people of South Main took an honest look at four primary themes, exploring two sides of the same coins, to more clearly understand where we are today and where we think God needs us to be in the future. 52
External and Internal Focus God calls us to care for one another in the congregation AND to be proactive in reaching out to those around us who are not part of our congregation. Do we focus on meeting the needs of the members or do we reach out to those beyond the congregation's walls -- both in terms of evangelism and acts of compassion? Our congregational study revealed that SMBC has a strong desire to take care of both our membership and our community. There is a slight difference in today’s internal focus and our desire to begin to look outward in ministry beyond the walls of the church. Recognizing the trends away from church membership that exist in our culture today, the congregation understands there is a growing need to turn our eyes more outside the congregation in the days to come to draw people into a new and growing relationship with Jesus Christ. POLARITY EXERCISE External Focus 0…………………… F...1…T………………………2 Internal Focus 0.9 1.1 Traditional 0…………………….T...1…………F………..…..….2 Innovative/Creative 0.9 1.3 Traditional and Innovation/Creative The structure and style of worship has changed over the years. One part of our conversation centered on whether we wanted to maintain a more traditional outlook or whether we wanted to explore new ways of worshipping and relating to one another. It is in many ways a question between \"stability AND change,\" find- ing a balance between honoring the past and innovating to be spiritually relevant to a changing community and world. Data collected during the Congregational Conversations show SMBC’s deep appreciation for our heritage. We recognize the value of staying grounded in our faith traditions and sound biblical doctrine and principles. While that should never change, the congregation knows that our community and culture has shifted away from active church membership. There is a growing interest for a creative approach to ministry and outreach without compromising our core values. The methods of ministry can change, but the message should be grounded in Christ, “the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. (Hebrews13:8)” 53
Lay Leadership vs. Clergy Leadership Within this issue discussed by our congregation rests the idea of shared leadership, instead of competition for power. Thriving congregations need ministerial leadership, and yet they also need lay leaders who are willing to work together to achieve the mission of the church. SMBC looks to its pastor and Ministry Leadership Team to provide guidance and direction in their fields of expertise. The strength of pastoral and ministry lead- ership has blessed our church for decades. While we need to have strong leaders among our ministerial team, we also understand the responsibility carried by the lay leadership within the church. The church works best under God’s direction when the ministerial and lay leaders work together and support each other in a shared ministry approach. There is no struggle for power at South Main. The pastor and congregation have shared responsibilities of ministry. This has been our experience in the past. Our members indicated a strong desire to maintain that approach. South Main is a true partnership between pastor and lay leadership, both intent on being obedient to God’s will. POLARITY EXERCISE Strong Laity Strong Clergy Leadership 0………………………...1..T/F………………….....2 Leadership 1.1 1.1 Attractional 0…………………………1…T…F……….…………2 Missional 1.1 1.2 Attractional and Missional The last aspect of ministry discussed by the congregation spoke to the direction our eyes are cast. Do we look more inward with the desire to make our programs such that people will be drawn to us? Or, do we turn our eyes outward, taking the church to the community. Ideally, the church should do both. The people of South Main know that only so many people will walk through the doors of our church on their own, drawn by our ministries and programs. These programs should continue. Given the growing number of unchurched and unaffiliated families in our community, we know there is a pressing need to leave the comfort of the church campus and live and work as if we were on a “daily mission to be the church for others.” The needs are great in our community and a great many individu- als and families are waiting for someone to be Christ’s heart and hands. 54
Looking to the future, to the Path Forward for our church inspires confidence in the work God is doing among our congregation. The challenges imposed by the pandemic and the pastoral leadership transition, seemed to deepen the resolve of our members to move forward under the direction of the Holy Spirit to ensure that God’s work continues to be done in and through South Main Baptist Church. Among the challenges identified by the congregation were the need to: • promote and strengthen programming for our children, students, young adults and young married cou- ples. This demonstrates a realization that to remain viable in the future demands that we continue to bring young people into our church. • strengthen our outreach to the Hispanic community. The shifting demographics in Pasadena suggests that the diversity of the community cannot and should not be ignored. • increase attendance of our current membership. Drawing people back to church after the restrictions of the pandemic are lifted must be a priority of the church. In addition, we must take a serious look at the use of technology to reach our members in creative ways. • seek out the unchurched in our community and find ways to minister to them and drawing them to the church. • encourage a return to faithful stewardship and giving. South Main has always been financially faithful and stable. Like most churches, the longer the pandemic lasted, the greater the decline in giving. Though re- cent months indicate this trend is returning to normal, we want to continue to encourage our members to be faithful in stewardship. The congregation of South Main sees little difference in the challenges before us and the opportunities ahead of us. All one must do is scan the list above and relabel them as opportunities for the future. They are one and the same. None of the issues seem insurmountable as long as the church remains faithful to the leader- ship of the Holy Spirit and committed to the work that needs to be done. South Main is a church ready to get back to normal and eager to pick up the ministries that had to be set aside for a time due to the pandemic. Our pastoral leadership transition is another of the opportunities God gives to us to surrender our will and allow him to work within the process of change and the promise of tomorrow. 55
Our Prayer 56
We will end the way we began. The writer of Ecclesiastes tells us, “There is a time for everything, and a sea- son for every activity under the heavens…” Blessed as we have been under the leadership of God through his servant, Dr. Ron Lyles, our pastor, we know God is not finished with us. This is our time of pastoral leadership transition. We prayerfully and expectantly look to our Lord for the blessings that will come under the one he has chosen to lead us in the years to come. Though we do not yet know who that might be, we know God is at work…preparing us for what is to come and opening the heart of the one he is calling to lead us. It is a matter of prayer for our congregation…”not our will, but thine be done.” In the meantime, we take to heart the words of the Apostle Paul to Timothy. “…Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith. (I Tim- othy 6:11-12a) South Main is a church at work... Worshipping our Father above. Preaching and teaching the gospel of Jesus Christ so others come to know him as Savior. Building and strengthening our relationships with one another. Reaching out in love and service to our community. Opening our arms to others who might wish to serve with us. Growing stronger each day as his disciples. There is a time for purpose under heaven. This is our time. We are excited to be in this season of transition. We prayerfully anticipate what the Lord will do within our hearts, within our church and within our communi- ty in the years to come. 57
Transition Advisory Group A special thank you goes to Dr. Ron Lyles, our pastor, for helping us create this transition process that allowed us to prayerful consider all that God desires for South Main Baptist Church-Pasadena and its people. We also want to thank all the members of our congregation who contrib- uted their time and their thoughts to the Congregational Conversations. We thank you for your willingness to allow God to speak in and through you during our time together. A special thanks to all the Ministry Leadership Team and the Ministry Support Team who assisted the TAG throughout the our time of study and reflection. We know God is already at work within our congregation and within the heart of the one he is calling to serve as our next pastor. Join us as we pray for our Interim Search Committee and our Pastor Search Committee as they begin their important work. Johnny Walbrick, Chair Tara Battle, Vice Chair Nolan Allen Hela Anton Tommy Arnold Jack Bailey Brett Carpenter Jeff Fuqua Barbara Gillies Kirk Lewis Joan Neal 58
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