West.End.Prep.Survey

As your shepherds, we bring you a challenge. Our first spiritual priority is - our concern for the West End Church family. West End has declined in attendance for several years. But the trauma of this last year has united us as never before. We are convinced our congregation needs a new direction. We are now at a turning point in the life of this congregation. We must move forward.

The elders have been asked repeatedly,

"What direction do you want us to go? Speak out! Lead us!"

We want to offer our consensus of what West End's vision needs to be in this new century. The direction should be fresh, energetic, and God centered. We feel this church family wants to grow spiritually and numerically.

You have spoken through the recent vision survey response. Phil Kinzer can help us make this a reality.

Brethren, it's time to focus on why the church exists. Jesus did not die so we could "please ourselves and be comfortable on Sunday mornings"!

We exist to save the lost! And... Sacrifice ourselves as we do it! Through the survey you have given input. We wish to share our challenge to you and report on some of the feelings you expressed in the survey.

Therefore, as your shepherds, we request your support in several major areas.

1. AN EMPHASIS ON UNITY

Eph. 4:1-4; 1 Cor. 1:10

The survey responses indicated West End is a church with diverse views. Diversity can be a strength. Or, it can be a weakness.

As shepherds, we recently agreed to unite our diversity by consensus. (This decision was given to you in written form last Fall).

"Consensus" means - when decisions are made, personal opinions and preferences are laid aside.

Every shepherd has agreed to aggressively support the majority opinion. That's biblical. It is the only way to maintain the unity Jesus wants. ("Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace" - Eph.4: 3).

We ask you to follow the same principle. Express your opinions.

But then, when any course of action is taken, that does not violate scripture, let's unite behind the proposed plan -and lay aside our personal preferences.

That's God's way. There can be no divisions among us - ("That all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly United in mind and thought" -1 Cor. 1:10).

Of course, the desire for unity must be strong on the part of all of us - - - it should be far stronger than our traditions, opinions, and personal preferences.

In this way we can honor both unity and diversity within the congregation.

II. A MAJOR EMPHASIS - IN LOCAL EVANGELISM

Acts 1:8; 4:33-35

Our church family has a rich legacy. We're well known for overseas missions. (Perhaps this success has been too easy!) Sending a check is uncomplicated. We've been sending checks while allowing the church at home to decline.

It's also rewarding to sacrifice to go to a foreign land on a campaign. Many have done that. The recent survey indicated a desire to continue mission efforts. Sending checks overseas is the easy part.

We are asking you for a deeper commitment. It's less glamorous and more difficult - - to give - of ourselves - here in Nashville! Today, we are challenging ourselves and all of you to get serious about evangelizing our community! While most expressed in the survey the need for involvement, only 38% said they were involved. We can do better.

If you see a stranger in the parking lot or in the hall, meet them. Lead them to a class or a pew. Learn their name.

The need to preach the gospel, locally and world wide, is urgent (Mk.16:15,16). We cannot depend solely on the pulpit, however, because life styles of our neighbors today do not lend to initially getting them to a church service.

Let's also leave the building and become a light to our community by opening our doors to community activities and service. Friends Speak is an avenue of service to reach outsiders., We encourage both our adults and teens to work with worthwhile groups such as Youth Encouragement Services and the Inner City program as part of outreach. Hold a baby in the nursery. Teach or help in a class of children. Support our Christian Preschool. Give an hour during the week to prepare lunch sacks for the homeless. When a disaster strikes a family in our area, we want to be there for our neighbors--without strings, because it is the right thing to do.

III. INVOLVEMENT IN OUR COMMUNITY

I Peter 4:8-11; Col.3:12-17, and Gal.6:7-10

Involvement may require getting out of your comfort zone. Today's world will not be reached using methods from the 1950's. We first must show people that we care, or they will not listen. Today's culture must be approached with today's methods to reach today's outsider.

The challenge is to "OPEN OUR DOORS!" By - - providing services to the neighborhood; opening our building for special classes (marriage seminars, divorce recovery programs; financial seminars for young couples; a benevolence center for the needy, etc.) - "Serving others" attracts people who are searching for genuine Christianity and for meaning in their lives. It is what we feel the Lord calls us to do. More importantly, this is exactly what Jesus would do.

We want to be known as a group who will accept and love the divorced and help them recover. We want to use our building for twelve step programs to confront problems people have with alcohol, drugs, or any other addiction. Compassion, kindness, humility, and forgiveness must become our banner words (Col.3:12-14). We want to reach out to sinners and the disenfranchised. Because we too are sinners. We want to urge all to put off sin and put on Christ.

Jesus expects us to reach out to others. We should never change the gospel message. But, we are determined not to be bound by traditions or past customs in order to feel comfortable. Missionaries are successful when they adjust to the society they find themselves in! In our "mission field" here at home, just outside our doors, we should also adapt in order to present them the good news of the pure gospel.

In the survey, you indicated a concern for more effective worship. Only a little over half expressed satisfaction with the assemblies.

The central goal of worship - that each of us personally worship the Lord - must be stressed. Worship is centered in the heart of each person.

Quality is not the primary goal. Participation by each soul is what God wants. Worship is helped, however, when everyone does his or her best.

Enthusiastic participation creates powerful worship. Members and visitors alike should feel free to express the joy of worship.

Our young people and many in the community recognize contemporary Christian music. So, there should be a mix and blending of the old with the new.

It is our belief that it is proper to stress good acappella singing, under the leadership of Blake Parker. Blake can't involve everyone by himself, nor sing four-part harmony alone. To assist every heart in meaningful praise,

our praise service may be supported with singers singing parts; so all can hear their part to join in more effectively.

Music can move the soul. This is what praise teams are attempting to assist all in doing. Using amplified singers in the audience has been, and will continue to be, a method to encourage enthusiastic praise to God.

Neither the elders nor the staff have any desire to introduce an instrument into the music. There is no intention to entertain. The primary purpose of praise team leadership is to encourage spiritual participation by all to lift up hearts in praise. When everyone has a chance to hear parts clearly, many can more effectively enrich praise to God and to edify each other (Eph.5:19; Col.3:16;1 Cor. 1 4:26)

Our desire is to make our praise to God more meaningful and dynamic!! It's not to please ourselves! We are not the audience - God is the audience. He looks into our heart (I Sam. 1 6:7). God's people do NOT exist to "serve self and to be comfortable"! We were saved --- to serve and save others.

IV. A CONTINUING SEARCH FOR TRUTH

Acts 17:11; Col. 2:6-8

You spoke in the survey of the need to grow through a deeper understanding of God and his word. We are convinced the depths of God's truth have not been reached. Let's always be challenged to search his Word. So, we encourage you to study with Phil, with us, and with one another. Continue to search for a more perfect understanding of God's will. We have much to learn in: -

the purpose of Christian assembly; worship styles; marriage & divorce; the role of women; the Christian family, tolerance of each others views, and many other subjects.

It is our intent, in the church curriculum, to encourage study On these topics from the pulpit, the classroom, in small groups and in the home. People of good will may differ on the conclusions. We should be tolerant of opposing opinions.

Our unity must be based on the brotherly love we have for each other and for the Lord.

In the past century, unfortunately some in our brotherhood concluded all truth had been discovered. Instead, "affirming positions on doctrines" became the norm.

We seek a continual study and search God's word. In Jesus day, the Pharisees made laws for people to follow, based on their time-tested traditions.

Their opinions did not violate Old Testament scripture. They, however, made their opinions equal to scripture.

Sadly, in order to remain in their comfort zone, they insisted their customs were binding. Jesus condemned them because they made their opinions doctrine.

When we do the same, the Lord isn't pleased! We must not become modern Pharisees. We hope you join us in holding up the freedom we have in Christ Jesus!

This will demand a fresh study on "Who is my brother?"; reconciliation; the Holy Spirit; sin/compassion/intolerance; priorities in the Great Commission; and many other topics.

Christians can be happy functioning individuals. Join together with us in a quest: to a clearer understanding of scripture; to a personal relationship with Christ; and to a desire to teach others about the joy of a lifelong walk with our heavenly Father.

People's hearts are now open to us as never before in this community. We must seize this open door. We ask for your prayers and your support. Let us build anew the real meaning of "a fellowship of believers"!

One of the first eye-opener is that they hired a WORSHIP LEADER for $80,000.oo salary. I don't have the actual survey.

Ken