Similar But Different
Church plants and established churches. Both exist to spread the Gospel and make disciples of Christ. Yet plants and established churches are different in ways that transcend pews vs. chairs and jeans and body art vs. suits and Sunday School.
We asked Great Lakes City Classis pastors from established churches and church plants to share their unique joys and struggles so we can better understand each other and come together in mission.
Last month we heard from Chris Hall, church plant pastor at Elevation Church in Wyoming, MI. This month we hear from Jim Goldschmeding, pastor of Rosewood Church in Jenison, MI.
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Eyes on the Prize
- What is your current context as an established church?
Rosewood Church is a medium sized, established church in the heart of suburban Jenison, MI. At fourteen square miles, Jenison is known for its strong educational system, many churches, safe neighborhoods, and community activism. Yet while Jenison, MI is a more typical white, suburban, middle class town, Jim Goldschmeding, pastor of Rosewood Church, isn’t your typical established church pastor.
Jim’s career includes time as a solo pastor, an associate pastor, a plant pastor, a chaplain, and a professor. He has worn many different hats in ministry and is quick to point out any failures in ministry are his own, while any success are only through the grace of God.
- What are some of the unique joys or blessings of being an established church?
Being an established church comes with some substantial assets. “You get to build on a core of Christians who are committed to the church and each other,” says Jim. While any “church can have a person sawing away at the roots,” established churches usually have committed people around to prevent it.
Established churches come with volunteers, a financial base, leadership, human skills, and a building. Those are foundational and everything the church does can be built on that solid base.
- What are some of the unique challenges of being an established church?
Laughing, Jim quotes a book title by Ralph Neighbor entitled We’ve Never Done It That Way Before. “People in an established church often choose fellowship over mission, but to a terminal extent,” says Jim. They want growth, and they want to reach others for Jesus, but not if it makes them uncomfortable, causes change, or makes waves. Established churches can have an inward focus and move from growth to maintenance, and Jim notes, “it’s really easy to slowly drift into maintenance mode” in an established church.
- What do you wish people knew about being a pastor at an established church?
“Evangelism makes waves in any setting,” Jim argues, yet “the hardest thing is to cast vision for mission and create opportunities for it.” In a church plant, growth is hardwired into the DNA. The very purpose of a plant is to grow and reach new people. Yet in an established church, keeping the focus on kingdom growth (vs. maintenance) is hard.
Jim is quick to credit God for any kingdom growth: “All growth is absolutely a work of the Spirit.” That is true for established churches and plants. Yet established “churches (only) love to grow until it causes change,” Jim observes. There is the challenge of mission: “The last thing the devil wants is the real work of outreach. The moment you focus on outreach, all hell will break loose.”
- Anything else?
Nearing the end of his career in formal ministry, Jim reflects back: “It’s really not about me. God could replace me in a minute, in a heartbeat…ministry in any setting is difficult, but it’s worth it.”
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New and Newsworthy
New ventures, new blogs, new opportunities, and in the news. Read on to see what's new with our GLCC family.
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GLCC's newest plant, City Chapel (Grand Rapids, MI) is sharing their steps in planting via their new blog.
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