Sermon, Easter 7A, Acts 1:6-14

Church growth. This is a topic of which I have some familiarity. I serve on the Commission for Mission Planning (CMP) for the diocese. I also serve two small, struggling parishes who are trying to grow and flourish. One parish has the benefit of being in the largest town in the valley, but it has the disadvantage of having six other churches in the area; while the other parish has the benefit of being the only church in town, but the disadvantage of being in the middle of a very small town. Nevertheless, they want to thrive and grow.

Despite being on this committee, I do not have a one-size-fits-all magical solution to growth. I will not create worship as entertainment to attract people. I will not actively recruit people from other congregations. And I will not cater to the needs of people because catering doesn't require any effort on the part of the person being catered to. What I will do, however, is work with the people of the parish as they pursue the questions and ponder the mystery, and I will work with a congregation and give them a push in the right direction That's where the CMP comes in.

Mrs. Ref and I travel to congregations, when asked, to help with the growth process. Our most recent trip took us up to Glasgow. As with other places we've been to, we went through our program and, in the end, got them to focus on one thing that they could pour their energy behind which will, hopefully, result in growth.

Church growth, though, is a funny thing. If I were to ask the question, "Do you want this parish to grow?" I'm willing to bet that everyone would answer yes. But here's the thing: everyone wants to grow, but nobody wants to change. And people don't want to grow too much. One of our bi-locational parishioners has told me that he hates going to church in the other town because it is too big and impersonal. Apparently, then, managing church growth is like managing urban sprawl. We want to grow so we can have all of the conveniences that come with being bigger, but we don't want to have to deal with traffic congestion.

When Mrs. Ref and I visit these congregations, sometimes I think that they think we are going to come in, give them a 7-step program that, if they just add water, will result in "Church Growth." It doesn't work that way. We spend the first day with them asking all kinds of questions about demographics, politics, religion, the economy and whatnot. We do this because they need to start thinking beyond the walls of their building and about what is happening "out there." And just about the time they are staring to wonder why we are there, we send them home with a questionnaire to be completed before the next day.

The questions asked are on a scale. You are given two statements about the church, one on the left and one on the right. The task is to determine which answer more closely reflects the congregation as you see it. One of the statements reads something like, "We look forward to an idealized future and/or back to a glorious past," opposite the statement, "We live in the present reality of Christ among us."

We look forward to an idealized future and/or back to a glorious past.

Is that us? Are we waiting for the day when we have a Sunday school program, a youth group, young adult group, couples group, an ASA of 80 between the two congregations and no worries about our financial health? Those are certainly good goals, but is all we're doing looking forward to that? Are we looking forward to when our parishes will be restored to prominence in the Ruby Valley? If we find ourselves asking that, we are in good company. The disciples wanted to know the very same thing.

"Lord, is this the time you will restore the kingdom to Israel?"

And Jesus responded, "It is not for you to know the time or periods the Father has set." It was not for the disciples to know. But it was for the disciples to be his witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth. It was their time to move from waiting for Jesus to finish the mission he started into an active role in which they continued that mission. And it was their time to know that the Holy Spirit would be given to them in short order to lead them and guide them in that mission.

After telling his disciples this, Jesus ascended to heaven on a cloud and the disciples stood there, dumbfounded, staring up into heaven. They were probably thinking, "Well that's just great! Now what??"

Sometimes it takes someone from the outside to bring attention to a problem, or to help people focus on a solution. That's why corporations hire outside consultants. It's why Mrs. Ref and I travel around the diocese. And it's why those two angels appeared to the disciples.

As they stood there gazing up into heaven, and as we stand gazing towards an idealized future, the question needs to be asked: why? Why are you standing here looking up to heaven? Why are you standing here waiting on the future?

Why, indeed? It was not for the disciples to know the times or periods of God, or when he would reestablish the kingdom to Israel. It is not for us to know the times or periods of God, or when our parish will be restored to prominence.

But, like the disciples, it is for us to know that Jesus has ascended and will send/has sent the Holy Spirit to come upon us. It is for us to know that we are called, like the disciples, to be Christ's witnesses in this town, this Valley and the whole world. In short, it is for us to continue the mission that Jesus started.

That mission is to preach the gospel of Christ. It is to proclaim the good news. It is to live with God as the center of our lives. It is to welcome all. It is to make disciples of all people. When we do that, when we live in the here and now, when we imitate the life of Christ, when we welcome all to become disciples and pursue the mystery of God, when we do that, then our parish will grow.

The disciples were not called to stand on the mountain gazing idly up into heaven. We are not called to stand gazing idly into the future hoping for better days. We are called to live into the here and now.

Jesus has ascended into heaven and is seated on the right hand of the Father. Our challenge now is to continue the mission for which he gave his life.

So quit staring and get moving.