Think before you speak!

Mid-October, Pascal and I attended a seminar organised by the Evangelisation Committee of our Church Union (Free Evangelical Church of France - Union des églises évangéliques libres de France).

 Here we are with Dietrich Schindler, the guest speaker, Head of the Church Planting Department of the German Free Church. The man on the right is another pastoral colleague. Pascal is on the left and Mr Schindler between us. 

I arrived at that meeting spouting off about "why do we always rely on having foreigners coming in to speak to us and to teach us ???" forgetting the irony of me being a foreigner!! I do get frustrated by the continuing reliance on outside help in our French churches. I've already been in the country for 20 years, and when I first arrived I felt it was time the French Church took responsibility for itself. 

Well - I should not have spoken so quickly, because Mr Schindler was a real inspiration and a blessing to us all. He has so much practical experience in church planting in Germany. He had tried and proven ideas, he had analysed situations, had empirical evidence, lots of good old common sense and some surprising advice! Like - don't accept all-comers to help with a new church plant - choose your team wisely. Some people are more of a hindrance inspite of their good will! This advice in a country where churches are so small that any volunteers are gladly accepted!

And -  listing the criteria of a church which should 'die'. Then suggesting that some of the leaders pray about it for 6 months before starting the church up again but with renewed objectives, a united team and WITHOUT half the people who made up the church before!! The scary thing is that at least a quarter of our Union's churches qualified for the 'dying' bit!!

To conclude in a more positive manner : our Rhône-Alpes regional pastors meeting followed the next week and we determined to set up training and information sessions for our Church Councils. There is a real need for clarifying the rôle of our Counsellors, especially if we are looking for church growth. We absolutely MUST put into place leadership training and mentoring. 

Look at your church life in Australia. A lot of your structures and programmes seem so obvious to you. Here in France, in our Union in any case, it's not at all common practice.

Please pray for our Region as we organise the training sessions, and pray for our Union that we can work on building leadership and unity of purpose.

POST SCRIPTUM: Can't resist mentioning that Mr Schindler is closely related to Schindler of Schindler's List fame. I'm impressed because the faithfulness and God-honouring behaviour of that family is being passed on down the generations and being a blessing so many people. It's the amazing way in which God's Kingdom grows inexorably through people like Mr. Schindler, and people like ... you and me! We are one with the Holy Spirit and, with God, all things are possible! We all have our part to play.