The creativity in an engaged church

We have just finished Bygga kyrka (Building the Church) conference and it was really a great experience. So many good reports and feedback!

This was a new type of conference where we had over 50 speakers, sharing 88 different 20 minute workshops, where they spoke about Children's work, Youth work, Worship and creativity, Pastoral areas, Media and communication, Missions and evangelism, Business and many other things.

Here different volonteer leaders, very engaged church members, gave concentrated speeches concerning their specialities. This is not their profession, but it is their passion. They have been engaged for many years in their respective fields and have much experience to share with others. In the evenings we had powerful services with challenging sermons and very blessed ministering to people in prayer.

Our church wouldn't be able to do a fragment of what we are doing if it was not for all these faithful church members that love what they do and have got space to do it. This is a different way of working, where the layman gets "authorized" to take responsibilities to meet certain needs, whether it is an activity within the church or if it has do with outreach.

A pastor's job is not to do everything, or to meet every need. That is impossible. But he is called to facilitate, to make sure more needs are met by involving the whole church. There is a lot of joy and fun to work together like this.

A church that prays together, stays together. A church that sweats together, sticks together. And they can get the job done!


Christian