Next week I will attend the PCA General Assembly. I will not be a delegate, but I will be an exhibitor for Metokos Ministries, a church revitalization ministry begun by my seminary classmate, Don Clements, over a decade ago. In that decade, he has served over 100 churches. Don has mentored me to become the Executive Director as he stays on board and works from his home in Virginia. I will be the one on the road working with churches, raising support and adding staff and regional directors. We plan to incorporate the ministry here in Georgia.
When Don came to me last fall to talk about Metokos Ministries, I knew it was going to be a ministry I have had a heart for since I was a civilian pastor in the 70s & 80s, and then in the military – with new opportunities every 3 years – for over two decades. While others have a heart for church planting – an always-needed ministry – I have a passion for church renewal, dating to my student days at Covenant Seminary under Dr. Donald J. MacNair. Dr. McNair later came and worked with a church I pastored so I saw the vision for church revitalization from both the academic setting in seminary and the practical setting in my local church. Don MacNair’s 1980 book “The Living Church: A guide For Revitalization,” came out of those seminary classes and a life time of field work in the local church. Don Clements and I were in that same class at Covenant Seminary. We both caught our prof’s vision.
At next week’s gathering, June 8-12, in Chattanooga, Metokos Ministries will have a booth, and Don and I will be there to spread the word about church revitalization. We both want to listen to the folks who will come by for information and to answer their questions about Metokos Ministries and church revitalization.
In “The Living Church: A guide For Revitalization” Don MacNair has an appendix on “The Living Church and the Deacon” which expands on his points made in the chapter, “Share Your Faith and Your Life.” This section reminds me of Paul’s word to the Ephesian elders in Acts 20: “In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” Mercy ministries are a necessary dynamic part of church revitalization.
“Diversity, Unity and Community in the Church,” the last section of the book, could have been written in 2015 as well as long-ago 1980, but it is on target about this topic as it concerns church revitalization. Dr. MacNair writes:
“The natural bent is not restricted by race or by so-called ability. However, the forces inherent in educational standards, economic pressures and social pressures may keep people apart who normally would find it easy to be acquaintances and friends. Furthermore, the natural bent of the individual can indeed be broadened. This usually happens through being challenged by others and through personal evaluation of the experiences of life.
“Broadening of the interests and approaches in individuals effectively expands their lifestyle by giving them new dimensions and extended horizons for enjoying and contributing to life. This kind of broadening should be happening within the organism of the church.” (pp. 166, 167)
I close with one more quote from Dr. MacNair’s work: “…a living church does not happen by accident; it demands a lengthy, faithful and purposeful commitment.” Metokos Ministries approaches church revitalization through collaboration with local churches. We can walk you through the process we use to help a local church and its members develop their own revitalization plan.
Visit www.metokos.org to see how we can help revitalize your church.
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