Report of the General Secretary of the RCA

Rev. Tom DeVries, our General Secretary, highlighted the following points this morning:

Our Mission Statement
The RCA is a fellowship of congregations called by God and empowered by the Holy Spirit to be the very presence of Jesus Christ in the world.
Our shared task is to equip congregations for ministry--a thousand churches in a million ways doing one thing--following Christ in mission, in a lost and broken world so loved by God.

Imagine the Reformed Church in America engaging the world.

Called by God
Empowered by the Holy Spirit
To be the very presence of Jesus Christ in the world.

Our Call
Our 10-year vision (2003-2013) focused on planting new congregations, revitalizing existing ones, and emphasizing diversity and a multiracial future. All this done through leadership, discipleship, and mission.

The Good
Raising up new leaders committed to multiplication and revitalization.
We are increasingly intentional and missional.

The Bad
Functional silos of multiplication and revitalization.
6 of 10 churches who need to revitalize choose not to.
Effectiveness in revitalization efforts is low.
Where will new leaders come from to lead new congregations--who will prepare them and how?

Question
What shifts are we willing to make to live into God's call as a denomination?

Shifts We Will Make
From institutional to missional--focusing on the mission of God in the world, radically following Christ in mission together.
From reformation to transformation--movement from defining ourselves by our past towards defining ourselves by the future (Heidelberg Catechism Q&A88-90; Belgic Confession Article 24). New life through regeneration and conversion!
From structural to contextual--the church is more than structure (however important); the focus is making disciples, which demands we know our ministry context and not limit ourselves with reformed polity and structures. We must adapt! This is the church on mission!

We are God's missionary people sent into the world to live and love like Jesus.

"To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps." (1 Peter 2:21)

WHAT WILL THIS LOOK LIKE FOR FAITH COMMUNITY CHURCH IN WEST CHICAGO?