Recently I was interviewed by Alice Mannette, a reporter for The Daily News Leader. She is doing research for a possible article on Church membership. She wanted to know if our membership is increasing or declining. To her membership is the criterion for whether a congregation is alive or dying. If a church is gaining members it is alive; if it is losing members it is dying. I told her that was a faulty premise.

When we look at the membership of Central it is clear we have been in decline for decades. At one point, decades ago, our membership stood at 1700, yet today we have just over 400 members. From those numbers, using membership as the only criterion, one could conclude that a loss of over 75% in our members from our membership high to today is sure evidence we are as good as dead. That really sounds hopeless doesn’t it?

However, membership is only one of many indicators of a healthy congregation. I’ve now lived long enough to remember growing congregations that were far from healthy. Does anyone remember Jonestown or Waco?

I told Alice that we are a growing congregation even though a net gain in membership may be some years off. For example: We have not shown a net increase in membership in the almost five years I have been here. We have had some members transfer out, we have had some drop out but the greatest loss we have sustained has been as the result of death. Yet, during that same period of time we have seen a wonderful group of people, many young couples, unite with the church. Consequently, we are a growing church and I am more than a little optimistic about our future.

She then asked what programs we are offering that are drawing people to us. I mentioned PERCEPTIONS but quickly added that Church growth is more than putting programs into play. What Central offers is a worship experience that is authentic, relevant and connects worshipers to the mystery that is God. Consequently, people are transformed by encountering God and being sent out in mission to the world as God’s people.  Membership is not about joining an organization but about worshiping God, growing into community with God, with one another and reaching out to the marginalized, the lonely and those in need.

You and I know we are alive. We also know I told her the truth, but the truth I gave her is contained in a vision for our work as a Church. Central is not even close to being what God is calling us to be. Yet, a focus on membership will not cause us to become the people of God. I am far more concerned about our spiritual vitality than I am about the viability of our numbers. If we had a full sanctuary and were dead to Christ we would be nothing more than a gathering of dead people, doing nothing more than satisfying our own wishes. God calls us to be far more than that! God calls us to life! Real life: Life lived in relationship; life lived in community and life given for things much greater than any of us could imagine individually.

I believe we are alive but I also believe we must do something with our life. We must not be content with just getting by, giving minimal effort and expecting maximum results. Now is the time to engage, enjoin, dream, act; do those things that all living things do!

I call upon each of us to celebrate our living by really living!


Grace and peace,





David