In 6 weeks it will be 2010. And as many pastors climb into the pulpit on January 3rd, 2010 they will give the annual State of the church message, as well as a road map of the 2010 church agenda.

Lots of churches do this. The first weekend in January is perfect for it as Christmas is in the rear view mirror, people are naturally looking at plans for the year… and most importantly the pastor has had a few days of R&R. I love this practice.

My beef is that too many pastors give a State of our church message as opposed to a State of the church in our town message.

Set Your Agenda on Local Matters

Read Revelation 2-3 from the perspective of the church in your community. You will see that Jesus did not judge those churches by their local individual meetings. He judged the church by a collection of churches in a city. Jesus was looking forward prophetically. He knew that before he came back we would be fractured into hundreds of thousands of groups… and yet his prophesy was tied to a community, not a local church. How can you deny that? I hope this drastically changes how church leaders look at their role. Likewise, I hope they set an agenda for their church body that is reflective of Scripture and not what they know within their denomination or theological tradition. Scripture is always right!

Maybe this changes how we look at our role as a pastor in the community?

• Our role may be to call local churches to come together for a common purpose.
• Our role may be to call one another back to our first love.
• Our role may be to ask the body of believers in our town to seek justice, speaking out against injustice to the point of change.
• Our role may be to beg the church back to a period of societal reformation.
• Our role may be to implore the local church to put the protest back in protestant.
• Our role may be to remind churches that we are called to reach lost people, not put on the best show in town.
• Our role may be to sound the alarm that the best way to reach the lost is minister to their needs, not entertain them.

Phrases from Revelation 2-3 to meditate on as you set your churches 2010 agenda. First love. Perseverance. Rich in poverty. Faithful to the point of death. Overcome. Service. Hold on to what you have until I come. You have a reputation for being alive, but you are dead. Wake up! Dressed in white, for they are worthy. You have kept my word and not denied my name. Endure patiently. I am coming soon. Buy from me gold refined by fire. Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. Be earnest.

What if, on January 3rd 2010, your church delivered a new kind of message? What if you called a meeting with some like-minded pastors in your community and set a common agenda for what the church will do in your town? I’m not talking about 100 things you will do… I’m talking baby steps. Here are 3 things we will do as “the church of our town.” And then on the first Sunday in January your agenda for 2010 includes a couple of things for what happens within your four walls… but also includes a few things that WE as the body of Christ in our town are doing together to be the Gospel to our town?

Now there is an agenda worth rallying around! I’d give to that. I’d stick around for that.

That creates new energy. Well, in me at least.