Raising Expectations

When I was in high school I was on the track team.  I was actually a pole vaulter.  I was one of the crazy people that ran down the track with a long pole in hand, hoping to plant well, and then sail high over the bar. The bar, as you know, is movable.  The goal is to keep raising the bar so that new heights could be reached.  

One of the principles that has guided my ministry is this:  "People will rise to the level that is expected of them."  I learned that if I don't expect much of myself I will produce a mediocre ministry and mediocrity breeds mediocrity.  So I expect much of myself and I expect much from others.  Jesus told a parable about this in Luke 12.  He ends by saying,  "From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required; and from the one to whom much has been entrusted, even more will be demanded." Luke 12:48 Jesus raised the expectation.  He expects that those have been trusted with much will produce much fruit. Isn't that story of the fig tree in Luke 13.  The owner of the garden has expectation that the fig tree would bear fruit.  "So the man said to his gardener, ’I have been looking for fruit on this tree for three years, but I never find any. Cut it down. Why should it waste the ground?’" Luke 13:7   Obviously, as you know, the owner showed grace and gave the gardener time to work with the fig tree so that it would bear fruit.

In this story, one might interpret that God is the owner, the fig tree represents churches, and the gardener is those of us entrusted with leadership in the church.  We're expected to do what we can to bear fruit.  What's the fruit?  I believe the fruit is new disciples.  Our mission as United Methodists is to make new disciples of Jesus Christ that transform the world.  We're to be about the work of growing our churches so that they produce new disciples that engage in a lifestyle and mission that transforms our world into the kingdom of God.

This week I want to encourage you to raise the bar - to raise what you expect of yourself and the churches you lead so that new disciples are made.  Our Conference may be one of 6 growing conferences but our district is in decline.  Those days of decline are over.  I expect that each of us will be tending the soil of the fig tree a bit more, a bit harder, and in different ways so that we bear fruit that pleases God.  I believe we can do it.  Much our district is set in growing areas around the Black Hills.  In the prairie region, growth in cities may be stagnant or declining but the numbers of unchurched people are growing.  The harvest is ripe!

As your DS I'm raising the bar, raising expectations that each and every church can and will grow to reach new heights in ministry.  I'm also raising the expectation that as a DS I will not simply sit and supervise but engage in conversations with you through coaching and teaching that will help you bear fruit in ministry. I will be working across the district, but primarily with those churches who are ready to grow or in an area where the population is growing,  to provide you with resources and encouragement and prayer to turn the corner so that our churches are growing once again.

I truly believe that you will rise to the expectation and that,empowered by the Holy Spirit, you will lead your churches to new heights!

With you in Ministry,

Kevin