ELCA Human Sexuality Study: Timeline
Spring Leadership Series
Conversation with Secretary of the ELCA

Whatever Happened

to Commitment?

Associate Mortensen-Wiebe and I recently shared an evening with a great group of Lutherans. Together, we were trying to come up with some creative ways to strengthen the mission and ministry in one of our fine congregations. As we searched for opportunities among the challenges a dedicated soul stated, “The trouble is, people just aren’t committed anymore”

Hmmm….

At first that sounds like a reasonable description of things - at least for congregational life.

It is hard to recruit volunteers.

It is difficult to get folks to serve on Councils and Leadership Teams.

It can be tough to find people to sing in the choir.

But, is our problem simply that “people just aren’t committed anymore?”

I’ve been pondering this for some time. Most of the people I know are committed and even over-committed to many different things.

~ One guy is out on his boat every weekend. He cleans and waxes it after that.

~ One teacher I know stays after school every night and on weekends to do her best for her kids.

~ One young adult works three jobs to be able to afford college.

~ One lady makes sure she gets to the local Casino three times a week, no matter what the weather.

~ One guy spends 20 hours a week maintaining his Fantasy Baseball League.

~ One musician spends four nights a week playing music in a bar setting.

~ One lady washes and sets the hair of Nursing Home Residents who can’t afford Beauty Salons.

~ One parent coaches two soccer teams all summer.

I don’t think the problem we face is that people “aren’t committed.”

The reality that we face is that people are not as committed to our church as we would like them to be.

What to do? (Admittedly a deep and complicated question.) Here are five things I’ve noticed in congregations that are lively, faithful, healthy and able to draw out commitments in their members.

#1- Use the gifts people want to share. Stop putting square pegs in round holes. If Joe is good at Finance, but loves working with the Youth, let him work with the Youth.

#2- Let members create their own missions. If it’s something we have never done here before - so what? Nothing stagnates commitment more than stifling individual creativity.

#3- Create a flexible environment for mission. Yes! You do need to make sure basic mission meets the needs of all. No! It doesn’t have to be done the same way by all.

#4- Remove obstacles that people simply won’t endure. Don’t over-ride ideas with councils and committees. Give people permission to explore and challenge new horizons.

#5- Don’t waste their time! Most Council meetings are twice as long as they need to be and meet twice as often as they need to meet. 

People are still committed. Commitment is not the problem.

Can we dare to look at this differently for the good of our ministries?

We must. In God’s grace by the Spirit’s power and in Jesus’ name….we must.

It is wonderful to announce that a series of Leadership Events will be held on the Thursdays after Easter on several topics of interest. The goal of these events is to nurture the gifts and energies of our Rostered and Lay Leaders throughout our synod.