The Life Cycle of a Congregation

“New occasions teach new duties;
Time makes ancient good uncouth.”
-James Russell Lowell

What is life? Scientists have suggested that we still do not have a clear definitive answer to this question. The scripture in Psalm 103:15-16 give some light to this question;
“As for man, his days are like grass,
he flourishes like a flower of the field;
the wind blows over it and it is gone,
and its place remembers it no more.”

According to some experts the life expectancy of a Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) congregation is of 60 to 70 years.

In a recent issue of the journal Science (March 22, 2002), molecular biologist Daniel E. Koshland Jr. was asked to write a special essay where he would set out to define life. In this article, he suggested that something could be considered “alive” if it meets the following seven conditions.

1. Living things must have a program to make copies of themselves from generation to generation.
2. Life adapts and evolves in step with external changes in the environment.
3. Organisms tend to be complex, highly organized, and most importantly have compartmentalized structures.
4. Living things have the ability to take energy from their environment and change it from one form to another.
5. Organisms have regeneration systems that replace parts of themselves that are subject to wear and tear.
6. Living creatures respond to environmental stimuli through feedback mechanisms.
7. Organisms are able to maintain numerous metabolic reactions even in a single instance in time.

For the Earth to produce life it has to have the right mix of hydrogen, oxygen, carbon, and nitrogen for the creation of life. I have been a church planter for more than 20 years. During this time I have planted or helped start close to 20 congregations. All of them like the earth had the perfect mix. Strong vision, charisma, enthusiasm, energy and vision. If we really want to define life in a congregation consider these: Re-birth, be responsive to the work of the Holy Spirit, and continued change.

Martin F. Saarinen in his article “The life cycle of a congregation” describes the church in the beginning stages on life as a “New humanity, community in the spirit and change oriented” he goes on to say that “a calendar cannot be used to predict the onset of particular stage in the life cycle. It has to do with the relationship and balance of certain “gene structures” common to congregational life.” As I read Saarinen article he explains that there are “two phases that characterize the life cycle of a congregation: Growth and decline” that goes well with our believes “death and resurrection” as it is stated in John 12:24 (English Standard Version)

“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.”

All life begins. Living things all have a moment at which they become “alive.” But how do we keep that strong vision, charisma, enthusiasm, energy and vision? Sciences tell us that once an organism begins its life cycle, it immediately faces survival needs and that survival is a daily challenge for all living things. So how then, does the church keep fully alive through out generations? By always having a new sense of purpose and mission, that means rising and dying, death and resurrection and all of that needs to happen everyday in the life of a congregation. As a new church planter that is my daily practice, to have everyday something die in my ministry but also something new come alive. The church like any living thing needs to learn to copy themselves to the image of Christ and the living saints, survive, to adapt, change, and to get energy from our surroundings. We as a church must learn to react to all of our pressures without loosing our focus and our mission. I really believe that God has called us to be always in our prime. Saarinen defines prime like this: “The congregation in Prime displays an optimum of energy, openness to others, and responsiveness to members”

As we look at the life of Larkspur Christian we find a lot of similarity to all living things: death and resurrection” “Dangers and opportunities” As we continue our life cycle lets do it with grace and intervene when we are called to serve for the re-birth, growth, maturing and survival of our church. I truly believe that the life expectancy of a congregation is of one day at a time. Every day we have to make the choice to let some things die in our communities of faith, and at the same time we must intervene when there is a need to change, review, and create a new sense of purpose and mission so resurrection may occur. Let’s not forget the biblical promise “And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” Matthew 16:18 (English Standard Version)

So let’s continue our holy cycle of life one day at a time.

Your Pastor

Job J Cobos