Care Connections: Determination to Rebuild
By Kam Cook
Stephen Ministry Coordinator
The remnant of Jews who returned to Jerusalem following the Babylonian Captivity found their homeland destroyed and overrun by others. The Israelites had to start over to rebuild the Temple (536-16 BCE), restore the community of believers, and rebuild Jerusalem. The rebuilding of Jerusalem was as much a spiritual rebuilding as it was a physical project, and both required God’s help. God sent them leaders including Ezra the priest and Nehemiah the governor. After the Temple was rebuilt, Nehemiah had tomotivatethem to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem by calling on all to participate, to give each a sense of ownership.
The third step in rebuilding is Determination (Neh 4:1-6). In spite of obstacles, the people were determined to complete their task. There is something powerful and unifying when you go through trials and adversity together. God is trying to help us grow; He has allowed us to go through our experiences for a reason – we just don’t fully comprehend what that reason is.
Part of our discerning process has been the Church Survey, which has helped us better understand who we have been and where we are being led to go in the future. Members were asked to rank how well HHBC deals with 1) Organizational Characteristics – decision-making, transparency, and resources development and 2) Tasks of the Church – the emphasis placed on the activities and ministries performed by the church.
Organizational Characteristics - On the positive side, 100% agree that members help each other in times of trouble and more than 90% agree leadership roles are available to all and it is easy to summarize what makes HHBC different from other area churches. However, on the negative side, results indicated a lack of communication and transparency. A quarter to a third of members question how effective HHBC is in dealing openly with issues such as disagreements and conflicts as well as decision-making.
The highest-ranked Task of the Church was Meaningful Worship, followed by tasks that involved Caring for Others (#2) and Serving Others (#3). The #1 area that was perceived as needing strengthening was Outreach, which includes bringing in young families, growth in attendance, a growing presence in the community, and diversity. Other areas needing improvement were Christian Education Opportunities, including more opportunities for small groups, and Fellowship.
Recognizing our challenges, leadership has taken these concerns seriously and has already set out to rectify several of them: Carol Brown has been hired as part-time Director of Communications; Spiritual Gifts training has encouraged members to try new ways to minister and serve, leading to new outreach opportunities in the neighborhood and opportunities for Bible study and spiritual formation. Also, Quarterly Town Hall meetings are planned to keep members better informed about decisions regarding the life of the church.
Furthermore, starting this Sunday at 9:30 a.m. in the Chapel, Greg DeLoach will lead us in four sessions entitled “Preparing the Church for Tomorrow, Today” in preparation for a church renewal weekend retreat with Chuck Poole, scheduled for March 25-26.
The Jerusalem wall was eventually completed because the people were determined to finish it. A year ago, many questioned whether HHBC would survive. However, like the exiles, we have proven we are determined to rebuild our congregation and witness, even before we hire a new pastor. God may lead us in new ways, but we have the determination to rebuild our church to serve and glorify Him so that HHBC becomes a wall that protects us from naysayers.
If you lack the determination to overcome the obstacles in your life and would like someone to listen, a trained Stephen Minister is available to walk alongside you on your journey. For more information on how Stephen Ministry can provide you with confidential, nonjudgmental one-to-one lay pastoral care, contact Referrals Coordinator Peggy Williams at (478) 719-3340 or by email.
Recognizing that God is the ultimate Cure Giver, the Mission of the Highland Hills Baptist Church Stephen Ministry is to serve God and bring Christ’s healing love to individuals who are experiencing life’s challenges through confidential, non-judgmental, one-on-one Christian care.