I just returned from Charlotte, NC, where I led
a one-day event on congregations of the future. Among those attending were members of the Myers Park Presbyterian Church, which has grown to some 5,000 members.
The church recently completed a $30 million capital campaign. It gave away $12 million to outreach and mission, 40 percent of the total. I asked members if there was a lot of arm-twisting to do this. They replied, "No. Our pastor, Steve Eason, thought it was the right thing to do, and we agreed."
Eason's message on the church website includes the statement, "Our church is all over the place. We startle people with acts of generosity."
I think most congregations could learn from the Meyers Park "Every Member has a Ministry" initiative. I love that they have an annual period where they work on discerning the appropriate ministry for each member for the coming year.
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