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Shifting to a Missional Culture at First Presbyterian Church of Houston

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Shifting to a Missional Culture at First Presbyterian Church of Houston Please HONOR the copyright of these documents by not retransmitting or making any additional copies in any form (Except for private personal use). We appreciate your respectful cooperation. ___________________________ Theological Research Exchange Network (TREN) P.O. Box 30183 Portland, Oregon 97294 USA Website: www.tren.com E-mail: [email protected] Phone# 1-800-334-8736 ___________________________ ATTENTION CATALOGING LIBRARIANS TREN ID# Online Computer Library Center (OCLC) MARC Record # Digital Object Identification DOI # Ministry Focus Paper Approval Sheet This ministry focus paper entitled SHIFTING TO A MISSIONAL CULTURE AT FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF HOUSTON Written by ANDREW STEPP and submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Ministry has been accepted by the Faculty of Fuller Theological Seminary upon the recommendation of the undersigned readers: _____________________________________ Dana Allin _____________________________________ Kurt Fredrickson Date Received: September 12, 2014 SHIFTING TO A MISSIONAL CULTURE AT FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF HOUSTON A MINISTRY FOCUS PAPER SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF THE SCHOOL OF THEOLOGY FULLER THEOLOGICALSEMINARY IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT FOR THE DEGREE DOCTOR OF MINISTRY BY ANDREW STEPP AUGUST 2014 ABSTRACT Shifting to a Missional Culture at First Presbyterian Church of Houston Andrew Stepp Doctor of Ministry School of Theology, Fuller Theological Seminary 2014 The purpose of this project is to begin the process of nurturing a culture at First Presbyterian Church of Houston that will raise up Christ-centered, outwardly focused disciples who are empowered for ministry. The church’s mission is “to carry the Gospel to Houston and the world.” This represents an audacious missions-centered vision that requires a change in how the people see themselves as the Church. Part One of this paper presents Houston as a mission field and First Presbyterian Church as a perfectly positioned church in the center of the city. The city is home to over six million people and has become the crossroads of global cultures, and those aspects are only predicted to intensify. With a large facility, robust budget, and gifted membership, the congregation is equipped strategically to be agents of transformation. Part Two expounds the theological essence of the church and identifies resources for its cultural shift. It focuses first on key theological resources that discuss the essence and purpose of the Church and then on resources that teach elements of organizational culture and how institutions resist and undermine change. Next it establishes three theological priorities for the Church: its covenantal nature, its “Pentecost” character, and its missional purpose. In order to initiate a season of cultural change at First Presbyterian Church, Part Three outlines a ministry initiative that will engage two groups: a focus group from the congregation and the senior leadership team from the staff. The focus group will learn about the essence and calling of the Church in lectures, wrestle with it in small groups and weekly assignments, and then apply it to their daily lives during a directed time period. Similarly, the senior leadership will be equipped to analyze and evaluate the congregational culture in light of its mission and theological identity. Content Reader: Dana Allin, DMin Words: 300 TABLE OF CONTENTS PART ONE: OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES IN HOUSTON, TEXAS INTRODUCTION 2 Chapter 1. FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF HOUSTON: A CONGREGATION AT THE HEART OF A CITY 12 PART TWO: ECCLESIOLOGY AND CULTURAL ANALYSIS FOR A CHURCH IN CHANGE Chapter 2. LITERATURE REVIEW 34 Chapter 3. FOUNDATIONS FOR A COVENANTAL, PENTECOSTAL, MISSIONAL ECCLESIOLOGY 62 PART THREE: SOWING SEEDS FOR A FUTURE OF INTENTIONAL ENGAGEMENT IN THE COMMUNITY Chapter 4. GOALS AND PLAN 93 Chapter 5. IMPLEMENTATION AND EVALUATION 106 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION 116 APPENDICES 122 BIBLIOGRAPHY 128 iii PART ONE OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES IN HOUSTON, TEXAS INTRODUCTION “Jane” has been a member of First Presbyterian Church of Houston for over a decade.1 She and her husband started attending the church as a young couple fresh from graduate school. They have three children—ages four, five, and seven—who attend the school at the church during the week. The family regularly participates in worship and volunteers willingly and joyfully. They are a snapshot of the ideal members in the church. One spring morning, Jane called the pastor of Children and Family Ministries and posed a simple request to him about the church starting to offer dance classes for her children and their friends. While the local community center provided such opportunity, Jane and her husband desired for the church to be at the center of their children’s activity as they grow up. She said that it would bring them “much peace and joy.” Seemingly simple and honest, Jane’s request of the pastor has important implications on the theology, mission, and values of First Presbyterian Church of Houston. Her intentions are commendable. She wants her children to grow up in the community of Christ where they can be influenced and shaped by Christian role models and peers. The tone of Jane’s request was gracious and expressed confidence and trust that the pastor could help direct her. In recent history, the response of First Presbyterian Church of Houston to this request would have been enthusiastic and affirming. A committee would have been formed, staff would have been assigned the responsibility, and resources would have 1 Pastor of Family Ministries, interview by author, Houston, TX, February 2013. This is a true story communicated to me by the pastor of Family Ministries at First Presbyterian Church of Houston. In order to preserve her privacy, “Jane” is an alias for the actual member who presented this request. 2 been reallocated to make this new ministry happen. If none of the current staff could cover it, then someone new would be hired. The church is able to afford it financially and has a large enough facility to handle initiating a new program. However, below the surface of such decisions are important questions about the church’s identity and its calling. In essence, Jane’s request stirs confusion over whose needs the church is supposed to serve: the congregation’s or the community’s. The creation of more internal programs can inhibit First Presbyterian’s mission, even if it is meant to advance it. It is possible that a children’s dance class could serve as the training ground for children and families to share their faith in their circles of influence; but it is more likely that it would promote an insular, Christian community. When the church creates a new ministry, its goals need to be clear enough to measure and well-defined enough to support staff and curriculum but also fall in line with its identity and calling. First Presbyterian Church is a congregation with incredible potential for transforming its community. It celebrates its 175th anniversary in 2014. It is the oldest church in the city of Houston, Texas. It is also one of the largest and most influential congregations in its denomination, the Presbyterian Church (USA), with over 3,500 members.2 Weekly attendance has plateaued over the last seven years, is gradually declining, and currently averages 1,202.3 The demographics of the church are dominated 2 Clerk of Session, Session Meeting Packet (Houston, TX: First Presbyterian Church, November 2013), 4. 3 This statistic was obtained from the church’s database manager: Connie Nickerson, Sunday Attendance (Houston, TX: First Presbyterian Church of Houston, December 2013). 3 by wealthy, Caucasian families. However, ethnic and social diversity is growing. The membership is intergenerational and averages forty-seven years of age.4 Resources and opportunities abound at First Presbyterian Church of Houston. The facility consists of over 220,000 square feet,5 and the 2013-2014 annual budget is set for nearly $8.5 million.6 It sits in a strategic location at the heart of a bustling and booming world-class city. One can literally exit different doors of the church and be in different cultures. By taking a five-minute walk or a brief ride on the metro rail system, which stops within a block of the church, a person can be in one of the many different urban centers of Houston. These centers represent internationally influential districts for scientific research (the Texas Medical Center and Rice University), economic growth (downtown Houston), and cultural enrichment (the Museum District). First Presbyterian Church members exert leadership and influence in each of these communities daily. The greatest opportunity and challenge for the church lies in the discipleship and development of its membership. Congregants represent incredible potential as global leaders who can influence the world for Christ. The congregation teems with members who are old and young, men and women, leading in prestigious professions and influential circles. Like the city’s founders, many of these individuals are steeped in families that value generosity and benevolence. There are members who influence thousands of people on a regular basis, and many are involved in important 4 Nickerson, Sunday Attendance, July 2013. 5 Jose Perez, interview by author, Houston, July 10, 2013. Perez is the facilities director at First Presbyterian Church of Houston. 6 Clerk of Session, Session Meeting Packet (Houston, TX: First Presbyterian Church, May 2013), 11. 4 international fields. If this group of disciples were mobilized to infuse every facet of their lives with their Christian faith, the effects would be astounding. In June 2011, First Presbyterian Church received a clear vision. Its session adopted a new mission statement: “Compelled by the love of Jesus Christ and empowered by the Holy Spirit, we carry the Gospel to Houston and the world.”7 This new statement was created by the pastors and the ministry staff, vetted by communication consultants, and unanimously approved by the session.
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