Growing Communication in a Congregation

We all know it. We all say it.

Communication is vital in any group, family, or organization.

That being true, it is vitally important to the life of a congregation. As a church grows, communication not only becomes more important, it often becomes more difficult. That seems to be especially true between the eldership and the congregation.

Far too many elderships, as the membership grows, begin to “hole up” and make decisions from behind closed doors, rarely spending time truly shepherding the flock.

Last night at Lebanon Road, we had a special evening. We simply called it “A Conversation with the Elders.” … and that’s what it was. The entire congregation was invited to share ideas, concerns, and pats on the back. It was a tremendous evening, and a large number of our members were present. The meeting was scheduled to start at 7:00 and to go as long as needed. It went just over two hours, and the tone remained positive throughout. I think that was true because (1) people saw our elders listening, and (2) each idea was treated with respect. This was not a “solve everything” meeting, but was simply a way to throw out ideas for the future.

Some of you are reading this and thinking, “That would never work where I’m at. Everyone is arguing already.”

If you think that way, consider this type of meeting anyway. Why? Here are a few reasons.

1. Openness. In this type of meeting, everyone is free to speak, but everyone is also listening. There are not little groups talking about other little groups. Every idea is welcome and considered.

2. Respect. No one “attacked” our elders last night, because the elders kept the tone positive. They welcomed any idea and tried to give a rationale behind why something had or had not been considered before. In speaking clearly, the deep respect that people already had for our elders only grew. But also, members had respect for other members. People saw where others’ interests and dreams were, and it built interest and enthusiasm.

3. Dreaming. A congregation needs to dream. We need to look beyond next Sunday and think about where we would like to be far into the future. Meetings where dreaming is allowed help a congregation to think big again.

4. Involvement. Was every member of Lebanon Road present? Of course not, but I think most people were very pleasantly surprised with how many (of all ages) came and spoke up. Those who did not come will be disappointed when they learn just how many were present and that they were given a fair hearing.

So, did we solve anything? Not in the immediate seconds following the meeting. But ideas were laid out and dreams began to flow again. That’s truly exciting!

Before finishing, let me state that this meeting was not called to address some “major” problem. Instead, it was called to help us all grow closer together and to build that vital communication between our elders and the members. Our elders are wonderful, and I’m thankful that they tried to find yet another way to open the lines of communication. As Lebanon Road grows, it could be easy for them to never want to hear from anyone, or from just a few people. Instead, they are looking for ways to expand communication. What congregation doesn’t need that!

QUESTION: Has your congregation ever had such a meeting? What tips would you give for helping it go well?

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Photo credit: Chris Metcalf on creative commons

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