Putting Mission Program Grant's work in
perspective
The funding provided by Mission Program Grants is only part of the story for
a successful grant project. To learn more about how MPG fits into the picture,
read this article by Tim McCallister.
Faith sharing through money
"First, get a million dollars," and we'll be on our way to starting or transforming
our church, right? So say two wild and crazy guys from the old days of Saturday
Night Live who believe that having money would give them everything they wanted;
all their needs and problems would fade away. As the Associate for Mission Program
Grants, I've learned that grants are truly very helpful for getting a new church
or transformation started.
Congregations are always very excited to receive grant money
that confirms their enthusiasm and vision. Grants are essential
in the short-run for start up expenses, like calling a pastor,
rending facilities for a new church and keeping the lights on
while transforming an existing congregation in a changing community.
They are fairly certain that now great things will begin to happen.
New people will be attracted to the church, proving the additional
energy and funds that will ensure success.
Reading annual progress reports from grant-receiving congregations
has provided me with some insights I believe are worth sharing.
I've learned money is not enough to make a church go. Money can
create a false sense of security and at times seems to leech
the energy out of a group of people. It's almost like we lose
the passion for trusting God to help us accomplish a job when
we get the money too easily from others. While a General Assembly
grant is helpful to start a project, the sooner the congregation
can wean itself off of a subsidized existence, the more likely
it is that they will act with true energy and faith and take
responsibility for the future of their ministry as a community
of faith.
In our very individualistic culture, the value and sense of
need for community, which is central in the Bible, is often undervalued
or missed altogether. The people joining us are already bombarded
with too many demands on their time and energy. They may not
have grown up in a family that participated in a church at all,
so have little sense of the value of community. Not only is it
vital to develop an experience of being part of a worshiping
community, but also to tutor new members about being a community.
One task is teaching about stewardship. Most new members have
little experience in pledging or sustained support of organizations.
Thus, as the early grants diminish,
members must learn to be more giving of their time
or money.
Beyond money, churches have other challenges. Rarely do newcomers
join congregations because of advertising, publicity or high
visibility of the church building. The most common way adults
become part of a church is by personal invitation from someone
they know who has vital faith to share. What we must do is to
train and support people to become comfortable with discussing
their faith with others. There are many reasons we don't invite
others to church, so those who are asked to share their faith
and invite others need to be trained and trust that new people
will have a positive experience as they come to hear the Good
News and experience the best of what a Christian community can
be.
Congregations that recognize grants as a resource to support
their ministry, rather than an end-all to their problem, will
be found joyfully teaching their people how to talk about and
witness to their faith. Evangelism, hospitality, stewardship,
education and mission will be the essence of their ministry and
mission. Hurdles will be overcome. Their faith will blossom into
ministry and mission that last well beyond the life of the grant
that helped to get them started.
Tim McCallister, Associate
Mission Program Grants
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