We’re On It – An Update on the Small Church Survey
Recently, we took a survey of ordained and lay leaders in our small churches in LCMC. Thank you for your responses. Your feedback has not only been received, but is being followed up on by the LCMC Board of Trustees, Ministry Board, and staff.
One example comes from our board of trustees and ministry board meetings held April 12-14 in Minneapolis. The boards affirmed a proposal to create a comprehensive plan for leadership and pastoral development. This plan will certainly impact our smaller congregations, but it will also impact our larger congregations in the association. Furthermore, it will create opportunities to network small, mid-size, and larger congregations with one another.
The point person for the development and implementation of this plan will be our coordinator for leadership and pastoral development, Pastor Christian Huntley. Christian will work with leaders from around the country and with ministries already in existence at the grassroots, regional, and district levels. He will be helping to network these leaders and ministries with one another. This will include an effort to make our congregations aware of resources that are already available for them to access, and of resources that may be created in the coming months.
An opportunity to speak with us personally will be at our Annual Gathering in October. There will be a focus group you can attend to share feedback on issues such as clergy shortage, next-gen leaders, and creative staffing. These issues affect our churches across the board, not just our smaller congregations. We will receive and process your feedback, using it to help us create and implement strategic initiatives at the grassroots, district, and national levels.
Thanks for the feedback we’ve already received from so many of you. And please, know, it is being processed and acted on. You will see this in action in the coming. May God continue to bless, encourage, empower, and make provision for your call to carry out the mission of the gospel that millions might be impacted by God’s love and God’s power!
Author
Mike brings 40 plus years of leadership and ministry experience, having served in Lutheran congregations in Nebraska (Christ Lutheran Church) and South Dakota (Trinity Lutheran Church) as a youth pastor, worship leader, associate pastor, and senior pastor. He also served as President for The Master’s Institute Seminary for ten years and most recently, as Director for the Alliance of Renewal Churches (ARC). Mike is passionate about helping leaders and congregations create an atmosphere that is a safe place for developing healthy leaders and disciples in the church, and equipping God’s people for lives of effective witness and ministry in the world. He is the author of the book, Being a Safe Place for the Dangerous Kind, in which he articulates the essential connection between solid theology and healthy practice in mission and ministry.
Mike enjoys sports of all kinds, having served as a high school basketball and baseball coach while serving Trinity Lutheran Church in Rapid City, South Dakota. He and his wife of forty-two years, Debi, enjoy reading, hiking, and swimming, and Mike enjoys the occasional golf outing. They have five adult children – Andrew Michael, Joseph Ross, Rachel Christine, Stephen Daniel and Benjamin John, and three grandsons – Michael, Isaac, and Lucas. Mike and Debi live in Gilbert, Arizona with their three-year old white Labrador, Maggie Mae.
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