Your Church Can Grow

A good friend of mine, the Reverend Marcelle Dotson, is taking a spiritual hike this summer. She is following a trail to reach the ancient tomb of Saint James the Great. She started her pilgrimage last Summer and made her way to the foot of the Pyrenees between France and Spain. She took up the pilgrimage again this July trekking over the tall mountain range and on to the ancient tomb. Rev. Dotson just completed seven years as a District Superintendent for the Northern Maine District of the New England Conference. While completing her M.Div. at Drew, she served as my student assistant minister when I served the United Methodist Church in Teaneck, NJ.

According to a website linked from Rev. Dotson’s blog, “An ancient tomb was discovered, early in the 9th century, in what is now Galicia, in northwest Spain; it was identified as that of the Apostle and martyr Saint James the Great. Before long, pilgrims came flocking from all over Europe. Santiago de Compostela soon ranked with Rome and Jerusalem as one of the three great medieval pilgrimage destinations.

“The pilgrimage reached its heyday in the 12th century, and though it has had its ups and downs since then, it has never been entirely forgotten. The last twenty to thirty years have seen an astonishing growth in the numbers of those qualifying for the traditional certificate of pilgrimage, the Compostela,” which my friend Marcelle should earn this summer.

“People make the pilgrimage today for many reasons, by no means all of them religious, or even spiritual - though most find that their journey changes them in more or less profound ways.” Marcelle has found a community of fellow pilgrims. She writes about her experiences in her blog. which is found at http://www.camino-marcelle.blogspot.com/. One thing I know for sure is that Rev. Dotson’s pilgrimage emanates from a deep-rooted love of Christ that manifests passionate spirituality.

I am only going to suggest two books. The first is UnChristian written by David Kinnaman and Gabe Lyons, published by Baker Books, 2007. When two people, independently of each other, bring you the same book and say it is a must read–I pay attention. I can attest that indeed it is! Kinnaman has served as President of the Barna Institute and explains in this book what younger generations really think of the church. It is so important that we reach younger generations of people for the sake of God’s Kingdom. Understanding them is an important step.

The other book I recommend is From Followers to Leaders by Robert E. Logan and Tara Miller, published by ChurchSmart Resources, 2007. This book provides a clear, understandable approach to develop leaders. Subtitled “The Path of Leadership Development in the Local Church,” Logan and Miller give a framework for taking a follower through the first steps of discipleship and onward toward maturity and leadership.