Ever felt disconnected from church?

  • Pastor David Hillis
  • Aug 4, 2010

Week of August 8, 2010

 

Are there times when you feel disconnected at Hope?  How has that changed over time?

No matter which church you go to, there are people who find problems getting connected.  It’s a common complaint.  Programs and ministries are designed to help people get better connected, with varying levels of results.  A century ago there weren’t such specific programs and ministries, yet there were not these problems of people feeling disconnected from their churches, either.  What changed?

At Hope, it breaks my heart to know someone has left Hope feeling disconnected — and from time to time, it has happened.  Even we are not immune.  We have a regular class we offer called the CORE that helps people find out about the life of the church and how to get connected, and we encourage people to get connected via our network of small group gatherings, called GROW Groups.  We have connecting events at times during the year, as well as tons of service opportunities where people can serve together and become a greater part of the church family.  I am constantly looking for further ideas to help with this problem, without simply adding on more ministries that do essentially the same thing yet further absorb people’s time.

As a pastor here at Hope, I have to be honest — I never feel disconnected.  And if I did, there would be a big problem, right?  Even though I am wired as an introvert and like my quiet and alone time, I have relationships with most of you and love opportunities to be further engaged in the lives of families at Hope.  That’s my passion, and it fills my days with purpose and meaning amidst all of the busyness of life.  However, I’m smart enough to realize that not everyone is like me.

I also need to learn from you.  To help spur on conversation, take a look at this video clip I just saw that was recorded from Pastor Mark Driscoll at Mars Hill Bible Church about being connected into the church. 

After you watch the video, add your thoughts below.  I can't wait to hear what you have to share!

Dave's Photo-Signature

 

 

 

 

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