Introduction

The Session of Westminster Presbyterian Church has been engaged in a process to determine where God would lead us in this next phase of the life of this congregation. In a nutshell we see God calling WPC to focus now on growing God’s kingdom “deeper and wider”. “Deeper” means to further equip our existing members to be disciples of Jesus here on earth. “Wider” means to bring non-believers into the Kingdom.

Getting to this point (as a Session) has been a year long process. During this time, the Elders, pastor, and staff have prayed, studied, listened and discussed extensively what is: the purpose of the Church, and the purpose of WPC and how we’re doing in living out that purpose. In addition to looking at our own church, we have also looked outside for guidance and models, beginning with Scripture and prayer. The pastor and many of the elders and staff also read the book, Winning on Purpose, the office staff/pastor has read the book, Courageous Leadership, and pastor Charlie Salmon, of Church on the Ridge in Snoqualmie, WA, was kind enough to come to Chehalis and make a presentation that opened our eyes to a different model of church. Through all of these avenues, we have been led to believe that WPC is being called by the Lord to renew our efforts – by His grace – to grow the Kingdom deeper and wider.

The purpose of this document is to explain why we believe that “growing deeper and wider” is the right goal and then to lay out some tangible plans to focus WPC on achieving this inspiring goal.

The Purpose of The Church

“Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” With those words of our Lord and Savior, as recorded in Matthew 4:19, we see what it means to be a Christian: Following Jesus, and inviting others to do the same through the power of Jesus Christ. Discipleship and Evangelism. Discipleship is growing the Kingdom deeper in faith, trust, understanding, prayer, and worship…and Evangelism is growing the Kingdom wider as we share the love, grace, truth, and power of the resurrected Jesus Christ with others. The Kingdom of God grows deeper and wider so that one day “at the name of Jesus every knee should bow…and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord” (Philippians 2:10-11). So the Church is a place where new life and true life can be found in Christ; it’s the people who profess faith in Christ; it’s the people who reach out in the name of Christ; it’s people who realize that many of our neighbors and friends are far from God, and we want to reach out to them with God’s love. This is what our charge is as followers of Jesus Christ: to join forces with Him so that the Church would be a force in our world that even the gates of hell would not be able to prevail against. That’s the kind of unstoppable force Jesus desires his Church to be.

At Westminster Presbyterian Church, it is the desire of the Elders, the pastor, and the staff, that we be even more of that kind of church. That we be an unstoppable force for Christ here in Chehalis and Centralia, and even around the world as we partner with other Christians in ministry. That kind of church is one that is growing in faith and in influence for Jesus in its community. That kind of church has deep roots of faith, and wide influence for Christ. We desire that WPC would be that kind of church to a greater degree than it already is. To that end, the Session desires that we would be people who indeed are growing the Church (God’s Kingdom) both deeper and wider. In many ways we have been doing that for many years. There have been, and continue to be, many faithful followers of the Lord Jesus living out their faith in the community of disciples known as Westminster Presbyterian. Meaningful worship services, local and worldwide missions, Sunday school classes, friendships developed, children’s and youth ministry, mission trips, and other ways of growing deeper and wider have been a part of WPC for many years, and many people have been impacted by the ministries of this church.

The Reality of WPC Recently

Churches go through cycles of growth and decline. The last peak for WPC was in the late 1990’s, after an extended period of fruitful growth. But beginning in 1998, there has been a loss of vibrancy and expectancy in the life of WPC. This is not to say that the church has had no impact on the depth or breadth of the faith of its people, but it has become less effective in doing so. This is seen in several facets of the church. Mission trips have become few and far between (with the exception being Malawi). Sunday school class attendance has dwindled. The facilities have grown dated and worn down. The preschool became significantly smaller – though that changed in the fall of 2008. Participation by children and youth in Christian summer camp is almost non-existent.

Believe it or not, there are many people in the community around us who do not know that WPC exists – at least in terms of the facilities, even if they happen to know that a church called “Westminster Presbyterian” exists in this community. They drive by the church buildings every day, but don’t know it’s a church or anything about it.ⁱ

There are concrete indicators of this information, too. While numbers are not everything, they are an indicator. Besides, every number (when measuring attendance/membership) represents a person. And connecting people to Jesus Christ is what we’re about. That being said, here are some statistics reported by WPC about itself. In 2006, worship attendance was at a Sunday average of 121 for the year. Compare that with the 228 average for 1998. There was a steady decrease in that eight-year span. Membership dropped similarly, from 365 in 1997 to 224 in 2006. In 2008, due to Session’s action of cleaning the rolls, our membership will in fact now be reported at about 200. Even more dramatically, the drop in Christian Education has gone from 185 in 1999 (and 194 in 2002) to 32 in 2005. In 2007 it was reported at 77. Financial contributions peaked in 2002 at $397,000. In 2007 they were $303,000. The decrease in Sunday school and worship attendance, membership, and financial contributions, indicate a loss of growing the kingdom wider, and the decrease in Sunday school attendance, mission trips, and other ministries – as well as the neglected facilities – indicates that the depth of faith is not growing, either. Again, this is a big picture – a sum total – and not a picture of each individual at church.

Often these “measurables” are an indicator of the “unmeasurables” such as growth in faith. In Scripture we see this correlation quite profoundly in the book of Acts, when people were bold for the Lord Jesus and grew deeper in faith (unmeasurable), and at the same time the community of faith grew wider (measurable). (For a few examples, see Acts 2:41-47; 4:4; 4:13-20; 5:14; 5:42-6:7; 9:31; 11:21.) The church that is growing deeper in its discipleship to Jesus Christ is also growing the kingdom wider in the form of new disciples.

A Return to God’s Purpose

But, just because churches go through cycles, and just because WPC has been on a down cycle when it comes to growing the Kingdom wider, that does not mean that we should stand pat and assume things will get better “on their own.” In fact, this kind of decline calls us to awaken the church and its members to its relationship with the Lord and its place in the community, and draw us to seek the Lord’s will and be obedient to him so that the church would return to growing the Kingdom both deeper and wider. Revelation 2:5 is written to the church body in Ephesus. It shows us the intentionality we ought to have in turning things around: “Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lamp stand from its place” (Rev. 2:5). Jesus Christ desires for his church to be a place of depth and breadth, so that the light shines brightly in and through people’s lives, and he invites us to turn around (“repent”) and focus on him.

That is the aim of the Session of WPC in 2009 and beyond. We desire to see WPC become a more vibrant and faithful community of disciples of Jesus Christ. We desire to see WPC be a place where the church is growing deeper and wider.

What This Will Take

So, how do we better carry out the goal of using WPC to grow the Kingdom wider and?

1. It begins with each person who calls WPC “home” allowing God to grow them in depth of faith. Remember the correlation: growing wider follows growing deeper. (Though as wider growth happens, that will also grow our depth of faith; they do feed each other.) Growing deeper begins with personal prayer time, reading the Bible, and other avenues of personal faith growth.

2. It continues with our corporate times of growing deeper through worship, classes, Bible studies, and so forth. And it continues still as we step out in faith and become “fishers of people” and allow God to grow the Church wider through us, even as He grows the Church deeper in us. So the first thing this will take is a willing participation on the part of the people who are currently here at WPC. Each person has a valuable contribution to make as we collectively follow God’s leading. That contribution begins with each person allowing themselves to grow in faith, and to follow God’s calling in serving Him.

After reading Scripture, these opening paragraphs, and the plan that follows: Please prayerfully consider how you believe God would use you as we move forward together. What are your areas of interest, passion, skill, and talent that God could use here at WPC? What part of the picture would you like to paint? What aspect of the life of the Church and the following plan gets you pumped up, excited, and sounds like something you’d like to be involved with?

Then, contact the appropriate person and tell them you’d like to get involved. Names and contact information are listed for the key contact people a little later in the document, but they can’t do it alone. Your help is needed! If you aren’t sure who to contact, just call the church office (748-0091), and we’ll help you out. With your effort, and by God’s grace, we can do this. We can grow the Kingdom Deeper and Wider.

What’s “Deeper”, and What’s “Wider” at WPC?

To help us think of WPC in these two broad categories of Discipleship (Deeper) and Outreach (Wider), it may be helpful to look at the commissions of the church (plus Deacons) and place each of them into one category or the other. Granted, no ministry is exclusively one or the other: every ministry of the church has a mix of discipleship and evangelism in it. But for the sake of simplicity, here’s what we’ll work with:

Commissions Geared Toward Discipleship/Deeper:

Adult Ministries

Children, Youth, and Family Ministries (CYF)

Deacons

Finance/Stewardship (Finance)

Worship

Commissions Geared Toward Outreach/Wider:

Buildings and Grounds

Missions of the Church (MOCC)

Outreach and Evangelism (Outreach)

As mentioned above, these are not hard and fast categorizations of these commissions, and we should never presume that they can be placed firmly in one category or the other. But for the purposes of this document, we believe this will be helpful.

Already good forward steps have been taken in the last year or so. For example: We have two distinct styles of worship that welcome a broader range of people; Our facilities are beginning to be updated and repaired and made more user-friendly – both to the long-time member and the first-time guest; We have begun a new home-based small group ministry – LifeGroups – that will facilitate depth of relationship with God and with people; the History Room is moved to a more user-friendly and cozier location. But a ministry plan for continuing to move forward will guide us in building on the foundation that is already laid. It’s a foundation that was poured on the cross of Jesus Christ some 2,000 years ago. WPC began ministering on that foundation 153 years ago, and we continue to this day and will continue ministering in His name in the future, as the Kingdom grows deeper and wider through God’s people.

The Ministry Plan

Now that you’ve read the above introductory section, you’re perhaps wondering exactly where this is all leading. Here, then, is the ministry plan for guiding WPC to grow the Kingdom deeper and wider, with the commission(s) listed that will primarily oversee that particular goal or objective:

By the end of November 2008

• New Elders trained. (Pastor Brian)

• Christmas Outreach radio spots ready to broadcast the week leading up to Christmas Eve and postcards designed and ready to mail by 12/18. (Outreach)

By the end of December 2008

• Turn the “old offices” turned into the new History Room. (Building and Grounds, Jean Bluhm)

• Westminster Bells Concert. (Worship, Westminster Bells)

• Christmas Pageant. (CYF)

• Hope for the Holidays. (Prayer Team, Worship)

• By Christmas Eve: Fellowship Hall transformation complete – concrete evened out, new carpet, new windows, walls/ceiling painted, new lights, framed ministry/commission bulletin boards, fireplace insert installed/hooked up, new tables and chairs in place (a la Coffee Shop) to facilitate fellowship. (Buildings and Grounds)

• Christmas Eve Services at 6:30, 8:00, 11:00. (Worship)

• Reverend Matiya and Maria Nkhoma arrive. Rev. Nkhoma preaches on 12/28 at both services. (MOCC, Malawi Support Team)

By the end of January 2009

• Phase One of “The Annex Chapel Transformation” is complete: The existing facility is renovated (new paint, new floor, new doors leading to office area, storage closet created). (Building and Grounds)

• Phase Two of “The Annex Chapel Transformation” begins: Basketball hoop and new lighting installed. (Buildings and Grounds)

• Reverend Matiya and Maria Nkhoma with us for the month, leading Worship, visiting LifeGroups, PW, other churches, etc. Staying in WPC members’ homes. (MOCC, Malawi Support Team)

• Sermon audio posted on the church website each week. (Office Staff)

• Four LifeGroups (total) established and committed to meeting regularly. (Adult Ministries)

• Annual Meeting. (All Church)

• Childcare for children under 3 provided during Sunday School hour. (CYF)

By the end of February 2009

• Every person who calls WPC “home”:

  • Begins discerning who God has put in their life (family, neighbor, co-worker, etc.) that they might minister to and invite to WPC if they’re not already connected to a church;

  • Begins discerning what ministries they will lead or be involved with;

  • Commits to greater faith growth through stronger commitment to Sunday morning worship attendance and participation, as well as participation in Sunday School, Bible Study, LifeGroup, Dine Out group, or some other “small group(s)” within the church that fosters faith and relational growth.

• New Members Class. (Pastor Brian)

• New Deacons trained. (Deacon Moderator/Pastor Brian)

• Annex Lounge (if that’s what we call it – the old History Room) transformation is complete: living room type furniture, foosball, air hockey, ping-pong, new paint, television with DVD all in place. (CYF)

• Second Adult Sunday School class begins on Sunday mornings, in the room formerly called “the couch room”. (Adult Ministries)

• Begin formation of an Adult Ministries plan that intentionally leads people into deeper faith in and service to God. For example a class series on “Essential Christianity” followed by a series on Spiritual Gifts and being equipped to serve in the church, followed by a series on personal evangelism and how to share Christ with people. (Adult Ministries)

• Expanded children’s ministry at 8:30 service. (CYF)

• Ash Wednesday Service. (Worship)

• First Quarterly article in the Witness re: Financial planning/stewardship. (Finance)

By the end of March 2009

• Ministry begun of sending a postcard to people recently moved into a home in/around Chehalis, welcoming them to the neighborhood). (Outreach)

• Radio Advertisement and Easter Outreach postcards (Egg hunt, Maundy Thursday or Good Friday, Easter morning services) designed and ready to mail. (Outreach)

• Maundy Thursday/Good Friday service. (Worship)

• Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday of Easter Weekend. (CYF)

• New Marketing plan for “Sunday School”: Discipleship Classes, Christian Formation Classes, Christian Education Classes, or something edgier like: 9:50 (It’s the hour classes start, and providentially Mark 9:50 would make a good theme verse for all of our classes: “Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with each other.” Imagine the promotional possibilities: “Come and get seasoned,” “Got Salt?” etc.) Most importantly: emphasize the importance of Discipleship and the impact the classes we offer can have on one’s discipleship to Jesus; emphasize that classes are available for all ages. (CYF and Adult Ministries)

By the end of April 2009

• Phase Two of “The Annex Chapel Transformation” is complete: Basketball hoop and new lighting installed, and lines painted on the floor. (Buildings and Grounds)

• Determine the best place for a “Welcome Center” or “Connection Counter” – a place (“manned” by WPC folks on Sunday mornings) where anyone can pick up information about the church and its ministries, get questions answered, get directions to a room, and so forth. (Building and Grounds, Outreach)

• New logo, and slogan/church-wide theme for WPC to use in all WPC publications and promotions. (For example: “This is where you belong,” or “Real Faith, Real Life, Real Church,” etc.) (Outreach)

• Beginning of Noah’s Ark room turned into a storage closet (just the West half or so) with wall and door installed. (It is already used that way, but is an eyesore). (Buildings and Grounds)

• Promotion of Watoto Children’s Choir, also arrange for housing, meals, etc. (CYF, Missions, Outreach)

• Completion of formation of adult Sunday School plan that leads people into deeper faith in and service to God, with implementation beginning in Fall 2009. (Adult Ministries)

By the end of May 2009

• New Members Class. (Pastor Brian)

• Completion of Noah’s Ark room turned into a storage closet (just the West half or so) with wall and door installed. (It is already used that way, but is an eyesore). (Buildings and Grounds)

• Second Quarterly article in the Witness re: Financial planning/stewardship. (Finance)

• May 14: Watoto Children’s Choir Sings. (CYF, Missions, Outreach)

By the end of June 2009

• Begin transformation of the hallways/classrooms/Giffey Room in the brick building. Basically, everything except the Nursery and the new History Room. New carpet, paint, lighting, furniture. (Buildings and Grounds, CYF, Adult Ministries)

• Vacation Bible School. (CYF)

By the end of August 2009

• Third Quarterly article in the Witness re: Financial planning/stewardship. (Finance)

• Radio advertisement ready to go and airs the week before school starts: “Start the school year off right” kind of theme – join us at WPC for worship, kids ministry, etc. (CYF and Outreach)

• Increased presence on Market Street on Sundays, and throughout the week: Lighted, changeable (digital?) sign “advertising” WPC, Sunday morning greeters outside to welcome people and assist with finding parking places, vinyl (or similar) awning over main entrance (?), encouraging the WPC-faithful to use Market Street doors on Sunday mornings to give greater signs of life at the front of the church. (Outreach, Buildings and Grounds)

• Hands-on Mission Trip for adults/youth. (MOCC)

By the end of September 2009

• Eight LifeGroups up and running. (Adult Ministries)

• 2010 Stewardship drive theme selected – emphasis “Holistic” stewardship (time, talents, tithe). (MOCC, Finance)

• Every person who calls WPC “home”:

  • is serving God regularly through the ministries of WPC

  • is committed to greater faith growth through stronger commitment to Sunday morning worship attendance and participation, as well as participation in Sunday School, Bible Study, LifeGroup, Dine Out group, or some other “small group(s)” within the church that fosters faith and relational growth.

• Implementation of Adult Ministries plan that leads people into deeper faith in and service to God (planning began in February). (Adult Ministries)

By the end of October 2009

• New Members Class. (Pastor Brian)

• Fall Barn Party. (CYF)

• Hot Chocolate at Youth soccer games. (CYF, MOCC)

• October 25^th: “Vision Night” Pot-blessed dinner and Congregational Meeting. Election of Elders and Deacons, re-cap of past 12 months, look ahead to the next 12 months. (Nominating, Staff, MOCC, Session)

By the end of November 2009

• Fourth Quarterly article in the Witness re: Financial planning/stewardship. (Finance)

• Stewardship drive for 2010: Holistic theme and approach including time, talent, and tithe. (MOCC, Staff)

• Pumpkin Patch Bazaar. (Presbyterian Women)

By the end of December 2009

• Everyone in the church has brought at least one person who lives locally and with whom they have a relationship, to join them for a worship service at WPC. (Entire Church)

• Westminster Bells Concert. (Worship, Westminster Bells)

• Christmas Pageant. (CYF)

• Hope for the Holidays. (Prayer Team, Worship)

By the end of January 2010

• Complete the transformation of the hallways/classrooms/Giffey Room in the brick building. Basically, everything except the Nursery and the new History Room. New carpet, paint, lighting, furniture. (Buildings and Grounds, CYF, Adult Ministries)

Ongoing

• Greater creativity in worship: preaching Biblical, engaging sermons with practical application, more creative Series/Sunday themes, use of video, drama, testimonies, occasional choir or organ with worship band joint efforts…greater variety from Sunday to Sunday: create a feeling of, “I wonder what will happen in church today?” (Worship)

• Congregational Care will continue through the Deacons, Pastor, Robin, Home-Bound Visitation Group (1^st Thursday of the month), LifeGroups, and other relationships within the church.

• Club K-5 continues on Thursday afternoons. It seems like there’s room to reach some more kids. How can we get the word out? Can we work more closely with the schools and with other churches who have similar programs on other days of the week? (CYF)

• Increased presence in the community: By this we mean intentionally serving our community representing Jesus Christ and the WPC community. The simple “hot chocolate ministries” mentioned above are a good example: giving people a cup of hot chocolate on a cold day at a public event. No proselytizing or recruiting…just doing something nice for someone and letting them know that WPC is sponsoring it. There are certainly other felt needs in the community that we may be able to meet: Maybe schools could use tutors or need some major cleaning/yard work done; maybe the chief of police or the mayor are aware of some community needs that we may be able to address or partner with them in addressing. These kinds of things let people know that we care about our community without feeling like there’s some kind of “sales pitch” coming at them. (Brainstorming these ideas is a whole WPC endeavor, but especially guidance will be needed from Outreach, CYF, MOCC)

• Personal Outreach/Evangelism. Perhaps you noticed the item under December 2009, “Everyone in the church has brought at least one person who lives locally and with whom they have a meaningful relationship, to join them for a worship service at WPC.” Word-of-mouth advertising is the best there is. Personal relationships with people who don’t know Jesus are the bedrock of outreach. Be praying for people you know who don’t know Jesus Christ (see February 2008 listings, too), and be praying for your own courage to share Jesus with them at their time of need or time of interest. Look for people on Sundays who are new faces to you and welcome them to WPC. Ask them a few basic questions about where they live, their family, what they do, how they heard about WPC. We can all reach out to people with the love of God in Christ. (Entire Church)

Undoubtedly there will be other ideas that come along, and there are other “on-going” ministries that are not listed here. Each Commission may decide that there are some other areas of their ministry that may need attention, too. But the criteria for doing ministry becomes: Does this (whatever it is we’re thinking of doing) aid us in “growing the kingdom deeper and wider”? If not, then let’s not take on whatever it is we’re discussing. If it does, then let’s consider it along with the other things we’re doing, and decide upon the best course of action that God can sustain through us.

Additionally, it’s important to realize that there’s a good chance we won’t stick exactly to this schedule, in terms of the timing of things. Some things will take longer to accomplish than anticipated, others will happen more quickly. That’s ok. This plan will allow us, however, to see a big picture and how what we’re each involved with fits in with the larger picture.

Goals/Outcomes

What do we believe will happen if we accomplish this ministry plan? 1) We believe that we will all grow deeper in our relationship with God, and with each other. When God’s people stand on the sidelines and watch ministry happening, faith rarely grows deeper, and relationships don’t grow, either. The book of Hebrews tells us that “the word of God is living and active” and similarly, if we are living out our faith and active in the life of the church, God’s living and active Word will grow deeper in us. So that is one outcome, that we will grow in faith through greater involvement in worship, Bible study, fellowship, and service. 2) We believe that God’s Kingdom will grow wider by making WPC a safe and inviting place for “not-yet-Christians” to discover the love of God and begin growing in faith. Some of this will be accomplished through updating our facilities and website to make a better first impression. (See the article “Dusting Off the Welcome Mat” that is referenced at the end of this document.) But people are also looking for a safe environment where they can have real, honest relationships. LifeGroups and other Bible studies/classes will play a crucial role in creating this environment, along with all of us being sensitive to the presence of new people in our midst on Sunday mornings or at other gathering times. Lastly, some of this plan is devoted to simply letting the people of Chehalis/Centralia know that we exist, and serving the community because we love people just as God loves people.

Measuring Our Progress

As discussed previously, measuring progress or “success” in the church is hard. How does one measure an increase in faith? How can we measure the condition of our hearts? How can we measure a relationship? Measuring these things is almost impossible.

What we are able to measure, however, are some of the side-effects, or outcomes, of a growth in faith. For instance, if we all take seriously the call to growing deeper in faith, we will likely see an increase in worship attendance and participation in LifeGroups, Sunday School, or other discipleship opportunities. An increasing presence in our community (through acts of service and advertising) is also likely to result in an increase in worship attendance. So there are some measurables indicators that help us to gauge our growth – both deeper and wider. That being said, here are 4 measurable goals to aim for by the end of 2009:

1. Increase in average Sunday worship attendance for the year by 10%.

An increase of 10% may not sound like much. But it would be a huge step in the right direction for this church (for most any church, actually!), and an indicator that we’re growing both deeper and wider. And in order to get there, it means we will have to end the year even higher than a 10% increase, because we’re starting 2009 the same as we ended 2008.

2. Double the average Sunday School attendance.

By this, we mean Sunday School for all ages. Three-year olds through 103 year-olds.

3. Double the number of active and vibrant LifeGroups.

This will be a strong indicator of relational growth between people at WPC, perhaps especially for those who are newer to WPC, as many people who have been a part of WPC for many years are connected with people through other avenues.

4. Increase in giving over 2008 by 20%.

That’s a big goal anytime, but especially in current economic conditions. But already the budget for 2009 is going to be increased over 2008 – ideally by that 20% amount, though it may end up being less. But imagine if we gave financially more than we had budgeted for!

In the ministry plan above, many, if not all, of the items will aid us in achieving one or more of these measurable goals. Additionally, each commission may wish to have some more specific, targeted, measurable goals for their area of ministry. Some goals in the ministry plan above are certainly measurable. There may be others that aren’t spelled out there, however, and so commissions may wish to evaluate other possible goals. (For instance, the Worship Commission may set a goal of increasing the size of the chancel choir by 4 people, or reconstituting “Good Vibrations” – the second bell choir.)

One note of caution: The goal isn’t to achieve the goals. In fact, these measurables aren’t goals – they’re just byproducts that are a window into church health. The goal is to grow the kingdom deeper and wider – with “wider” really an outcome of “deeper.” If all we worry about is the number of people or the amount of money, we’re going to miss the target: Jesus Christ. And that would be a tragedy of the greatest proportions. 1 Corinthians 3:7-8 says, “So neither the planter nor the waterer is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.” So even if we fall short in those four measurable goals: if we are growing deeper in faith we will still be a much stronger church.

Now What?

Good question. As we said in the introductory section, bringing this plan into existence will require each and every person connected to WPC to be dedicated to growing deeper in faith, and becoming involved in helping us to carry out this plan. In fact, getting involved will lead to deeper faith, and wider Kingdom growth will follow that.

You are strongly encouraged to participate in any of these ministries, or any other already existing ministry, and become actively involved in helping WPC to live out its calling. You are WPC, after all. If you think “the church” ought to offer something to its own people or the community around us, then that may mean you getting the ball rolling. We are all “the church” here at WPC. Just because there’s a commission name mentioned after an item above, that doesn’t mean it’s covered.

So, to get more involved in the life of WPC, including any of the above ministries, you can always call the church office during the week, and we’ll tell you who to get in touch with. If you want to save a step and just contact the right person on the first phone call, here’s the list, with the appropriate contact person:

Adult Ministries………………………………………….Judy Wilson

LifeGroups………………………………………Rev. Gwen Stidham-North

Presbyterian Women…………………………Beverly Ramsey

Building and Grounds………………………………….J.C. Tibbits

Children, Youth, and Family…………………………Jon Brewer or Nancy Emerick

Deacons …………………………………………………….Don Wilson

Finance………………………………………………………Gordon Shewfelt

Missions (MOCC)……………………………………….Chuck Emerick

Outreach and Evangelism…………………………….Buck Hubbert

Worship……………………………………………………..Beverly Ramsey

For all other inquiries, please contact the church office, and we’ll help you out.

Anticipated Frequently Asked Questions

We call them “anticipated” because they haven’t been asked yet. But we expect these are some of the questions people will have about this.

Q: It seems like this is all about numbers – membership, worship attendance, Sunday School attendance, and so forth. Why focus on numbers so much? That just doesn’t seem very “Christian.”

A: Two thoughts on that. First, every “number” represents a person, and focusing on people is what Jesus is all about. Out of the 100 or so people who used to worship with us on Sundays in 1998 and aren’t any longer, who of those would we rather not “count” as having moved on? Granted, many of the people who left WPC in that time are in fact worshiping somewhere else, and those churches are blessed by their contributions. So the Kingdom hasn’t lost out. But that’s been our loss here at WPC. Additionally, of those who are here at WPC, who should we not “count” as being a part of the life of this church? And of all the people walking the streets of Chehalis and Centralia or any other city around the world, who would we prefer didn’t know Jesus Christ and not be involved in the life of a church – WPC or any other? Second, the Bible itself puts a lot of emphasis on numbers of people. Acts is full of an accounting of how many people were baptized or joined the faith. The Gospels repeatedly tell us of the large crowds, oftentimes with a number attached, who listened to Jesus. The Old Testament is full of reports of the number of people living in Jerusalem, or serving as priests, or singing in the choir, and so forth.

So ultimately, it’s not about numbers. It’s about people. If you were at the congregational meeting on 10/26/2008, you saw the pictures of lives touched this past year, and heard the personal testimony of one person who’s life has been profoundly impacted by Jesus Christ through WPC this past year. That is what we’re about. Through and in us, God is growing the Kingdom deeper and wider. Depth of faith is hard to measure. But the breadth of the Kingdom is a little more measurable, and as discussed up above, the two go hand-in-hand more often than not.

Q: Thanks, that’s helpful. But why do we need to lay this plan out? Won’t Kingdom growth – deeper and wider – happen “naturally” as God’s Spirit nudges people?

A: Consider this ministry plan God’s nudging. Seriously. It’s like the argument that some preachers make for not preparing for a sermon during the week – God will inspire them “in the moment,” as if God can’t inspire during the week just as well so things get written down. If pastor Brian were to give his messages that way, we’d all be searching for a new church home – or ask him to find a new church home! The fact is, throughout Scripture, God’s people plan.

Q: I read the answer to the last question. But still…it just seems like things will turn around “on their own,” and that all this planning just isn’t really needed.

A: Things might get turned around “on their own”…or they might not. Again, repeatedly in Scripture when things are going the wrong direction, there is an intentional change and effort to bring the faith community, or individuals, back on course. For instance, “repent” literally means to “turn around.” When we come to Jesus and repent of our sins, and ask for his forgiveness, we are “turning away” from our sin, and turning toward him. That’s intentional, not accidental. Do we want to keep doing things the same, and expect different results? That very idea is not even found anywhere in Scripture. Always new results are found by turning to God and following His plan (usually new to us), and not ours (which would usually be continuing the same course of action).

Q: So how can you be sure that this is God’s plan?

A: There are several ways. 1) As already mentioned, we believe that this kind of plan is Biblical; 2) We have discussed this at Session extensively; 3) We have prayed about it extensively; 4)We’ve discussed with others, read Scripture and other books, articles, and so forth, that have shaped and affirmed what we’re proposing; 5) As a result of those first four, we believe God would have us lay out a plan, and we believe this is a good one founded on Biblical principles; 6) Perhaps the ultimate way to know if any plans that are laid out are God’s will is to go forward with the plan. If God wants us going in a different direction, He will certainly let us know.

Q: Ok…so the concept sounds Biblical, and it’s been well-thought out by the Elders, staff, and others. So as far as actually carrying out this ministry plan: Don’t we have a pastor and staff to do this stuff?

A: Yes and no. We do have a pastor and staff who are very dedicated to leading this church, and seeing God form it into a brighter beacon of light shining for Jesus Christ. They are heavily involved in the life of WPC, and will be so in carrying out this plan. But a staff does not make a church. God’s people have always come together (Acts 2 says they shared “everything”) to carry out their ministries. 1 Corinthians 12 and Romans 12 both speak of the spiritual gifts that people in the church have, and encourage Christ followers to use their gifts to build up the church. So it takes everyone. Perhaps a good model would be to think of the staff as the coaches of a team, and the rest of the congregation are the players on the field (though in a sense we’re all “on the field,” too). God is the team owner. That’s kind of how it worked for Nehemiah, Moses…even Jesus in his earthly ministry, especially in his relationship with the 12 Disciples.

Q: So who’s in the grandstands in that illustration? I think maybe that’s where I should be.

A: No one is. When the church is working as God calls it to, there’s no such thing as sitting in the stands or standing on the sidelines. You could perhaps say that God is in the stands – cheering us on – but He’s also involved in the coaching and carrying out of the “play on the field” as well.

Q: So this means you want me involved?

A: Absolutely! To use another illustration, think of the church as an engine, where every person who is involved in the life of that church (regardless of membership) is a piston in that engine. In WPC, that would equate to about a 210 cylinder engine, plus or minus a few.

Q: Wow! That would be a pretty big honking engine!

A: You bet it would. Connect that thing to four wheels, a gas pedal and a steering wheel, and watch out! But imagine if ¼ or ½ of those pistons weren’t firing as they’re designed to. That engine isn’t going to be working nearly as well – in efficiency or effectiveness. Even if just one or two pistons aren’t firing right, there’s a loss in potency. Only when it’s running on all cylinders is it operating as it’s designed.

Q: Hmmm…I’d never thought of it quite like that.

A: That’s ok, many people haven’t.

Q: Ok, so if I want to become a piston that’s firing better…or get out of the grandstands and start playing on the team, what do I do?

A: First, take a close look at the ministry plan above. Then pray about what God would have you be involved with. What feels like the right “fit” for you based on your interests, your skills, your experience, and so forth. It may help to talk with some of the people listed with the different commissions, or to talk with pastor Brian. After doing some of that groundwork, answer this question: What sounds like a good “fit” based on your own interests/skills/gifts, and enjoyable to be a part of? Ministry should be fun! It will take some time, and some work, but it should be fun, and faith-building. There may be more than one area that you feel called to – maybe you want to join a LifeGroup to grow deeper, sing in the choir to help others grow deeper, and spearhead a ministry in the community go help the Kingdom grow wider. Whatever it is you feel led to, then find the name of the person for that area (listed at the bottom of the ministry plan) and contact them, letting them know of your desire to jump on board and grow the Kingdom deeper and wider.

Q: Change of gears here. How is some advertising and local missions things and an emphasis on Bible study going to encourage someone to begin, or grow in, their relationship with Christ?

A: For those who are already Christians, getting involved in those things (worship, Bible study, missions, outreach, and so forth) is the surest way to grow in faith. That’s what we talked about in the last couple questions. For the not-yet-Christian, one way this will help is simply to break down some stereotypes that church is boring or irrelevant or doesn’t care about anyone but its own. How many churches advertise on secular radio or have attractive postcards that come in the mail? That in and of itself will be a challenge to what many people think about the church. Also, they’ll find out that we’re here, alive, and active…that this church actually has people in it. Then, once they come, our hope is that they’ll have a positive first impression – attractive facilities, a nice greeting as they came to the doors of the church, friendly people who helped them find where they were going, a worship experience that was meaningful, a message that didn’t put them to sleep, their kids had fun at their classes…you get the idea.

Q: Sounds like it comes back to those of us who are already here reaching out to people who aren’t.

A: Exactly. It always will, because we’re the ones with the light to bear in a dark world. The burden is on us to reach out to others, with the Lord guiding and sustaining us as we do. That’s exactly what Jesus did when he came to the spiritual realm to completely reveal the nature of God and salvation. He came to us, and relied upon his Heavenly Father. Now he sends us into the world to share with others. That’s the charge he gives us. In fact, his final words, according to the gospel of Matthew, were, “Go and make disciples of all people…” It’s not a suggestion (“Go!”) he makes, either. It’s a command. That’s our job.

Q: You know, after reading this and praying about it, it sounds kind of exciting…it gives me a good reason to find a purpose or two in the church and get connected to ministry – to grow the Kingdom deeper and wider!

A: Exactly! A life of faith following the leading of Jesus Christ is exciting and meaningful because not only do we grow deeper, but we touch others with the love of Jesus Christ and have the joy of watching and helping them grow in faith as well.

Q: Yeah, in fact, I know several people who don’t go to church – some of them used to – but several of them really seem like they’re lost in the world. And the Lord only knows that my own faith could use a little revitalizing. Maybe I’ll start coming to worship more regularly to praise Him and to hear his voice in my life. And that reminds me that I’d like to get involved in a Bible study group of some kind, and I’d like some of those fliers about the church to share with a few friends and invite them to experience the love and grace of Jesus in their lives. But before I dive in, is there anything else I should know?

A: Just remember that after Jesus told us to “go” he also said, “I will always be with you.” So take a step of faith, and see where He leads. You just might be surprised at what God does in and through you.

Scripture Passages

Here are a host of Scripture passages that have shaped this document in one way or another. They cover a variety of topics that pertain to this ministry plan: why the church exists, personal/corporate transformation and repentance, discipleship, making plans, how the church functions best, and so forth. This list is in no way complete, but gives a broad cross-section from Scripture. (Italics are added to aid in understanding the point the passage illustrates as it pertains to WPC and this ministry plan.)

Numbers

11:26-30 – However, two men, whose names were Eldad and Medad, had remained in the camp. They were listed among the elders, but did not go out to the Tent. Yet the Spirit also rested on them, and they prophesied in the camp. A young man ran and told Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.” Joshua son of Nun, who had been Moses’ aide since youth, spoke up and said, “Moses, my lord, stop them!” But Moses replied, “Are you jealous for my sake? I wish that all the LORD’s people were prophets and that the LORD would put his Spirit on them!” Then Moses and the elders of Israel returned to the camp.

Deuteronomy

6:4-9 – Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the door frames of your houses and on your gates.

Nehemiah

Essentially all of it, for several reasons. See WPC sermon series at www.chehaliswpc.org for guidance.

Psalm

1:1-3 – Blessed is the one who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.

25:4-5 – Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.

33:10-11 – The Lord foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples. But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.

69:9 – Zeal for your house consumes me, and the insults of those who insult you fall on me.

101:1 – I will sing of your love and justice; to you, O Lord, I will sing praise.

Proverbs

19:2 – It is not good to have zeal without knowledge, nor to be hasty and miss the way.

16:3 – Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.

27:17 – As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.

29:18 – Where there is no vision the people perish.

Ezekiel

36:26-27 – I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.

Matthew

4:18-20 – As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” At once they left their nets and followed him.

5:13-16 – “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

16:15-18 – “But what about you?” Jesus asked. “Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hell will not overcome it.”

22:36-40 - “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: ” ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

28:18-20 – Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Mark

2:1-5 – A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. So many gathered that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them.

10:43-45 – (Jesus speaking) “Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Luke

4:43-45 – But he said, “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent.” And he kept on preaching in the synagogues of Judea.

John

20:21 – Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.”

Acts (See the list on page 2 for more.)

1:8 – But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

2:41-47 – Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day. They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer…And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

Romans

12:5-8 – So we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another. We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us: prophecy, in proportion to faith; ministry, in ministering; the teacher, in teaching; the exhorter, in exhortation; the giver, in generosity; the leader, in diligence; the compassionate, in cheerfulness.

1 Corinthians

3:7-8 – So neither the planter nor the waterer is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.

12:7-12 – Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines. The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ.

2 Corinthians

5:17-20 – Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us.

Ephesians

1:22-23 – And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.

4:11-16 – It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

Revelation

2:5 – Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lamp stand from its place.

Other Resources

If you’d like to do some further reflection and study about this (you’re encouraged to – you’ll grow deeper in faith, guaranteed, and you’ll gain a further understanding of what we believe God is leading us into), here are some books and articles that have helped inspire this plan:

Books

All of these books can be easily found on the web at sites such as Amazon.com, or cbd.com. None are very long (except the Bible) and a couple of them can be read in about an hour.

• The Bible…………………………………………………God

• Courageous Leadership…………………………….Bill Hybels

Excellent book on leadership in the church from one of the greatest church leaders of the last 30 years. The WPC staff is reading this book right now (Fall ’08/Winter ’09).

• Who Moved My Cheese?…………………………..Spencer Johnson, M.D

Brilliant (yes, the word is over-used, but it’s true here) secular book. Anyone who struggles with the idea of change would be well-advised to read this very short work of fiction that makes several profound insights.

• Winning on Purpose: How to Organize Congregations so They Succeed in Their Mission…………………………………………………..John Edmund Kaiser

This book is anointed. It’s an inspirational read on how to organize a church to achieve it’s purpose. That may sound boring, but it’s not. (Pastor Brian stayed up until 3 a.m. finishing this book.) Several Elders and Staff members have read this.

• Who Stole My Church?…………………………..…Gordon MacDonald

This is a fictional book, based on the authors’ experience as a pastor in a church that underwent its own transformation. Really helpful book that approaches this topic differently than most.

• Church Marketing 101………………………………Richard L. Reisling

Contrary to the implications of the title, this book is not about advertising. It’s a holistic approach to “doing church” as it relates to growing the Kingdom wider. Insightful and helpful. Outreach Commission has read this together.

• Making Vision Stick………………………………….Andy Stanley

Short little book on church focus and leadership. Very insightful.

Articles

Most of the articles listed below can be found on the web fairly easily. Try searching for both the name of the author and the title of the article.

• U.S. Congregational Life Survey: Myths and Facts about Evangelism and Church Growth.

Fantastic survey with very interesting information, especially points 1, 7, and 8. Can be found at http://www.pcusa.org/uscongregations/growth.htm.

• Dusting Off the Welcome Mat, an article in Presbyterians Today from the July/August 2007 issue. Helpful article for churches simply seeking to be a more welcoming place to people who don’t know Jesus.

• Living the Vision: Congregational Transformation, written by Steven Boots.

Steven was the Associate for Congregational Transformation for the PC(USA), and this 15-page booklet makes several good points, and gives examples of churches who have made the transformation to be communities of faith that are growing the Kingdom deeper and wider.