Scott Thumma and I recently completed the sixth stop in our National Field Study of U.S. Megachurches. See posts of previous stops here: 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5.
We went to Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church (PCUSA) in west Houston, which started in 1955 with 50-60 people at their first service. The original core group, mostly people with Presbyterian roots, were amazingly active in reaching out. Within their first two years they had an Evangelism Chain that prayed for visitors to the church who were not Christians or who did not belong to a local church. Their Covenant of Seventy was an evangelistic group that called on prospective members, usually persons who have visited the church. And their membership materials emphasized that this isn't a church of "sit-easy religion" but rather "a missionary society." It also noted that "keeping you happy is not our first job." So no low-threshold, easy believism here!
The church was quite innovative early on (and continues to be so). Charlie Shedd, the first pastor, started a small-group system of "flocks" led by "undershepherds" -- way before the era of small groups emerged nationally. These "small, intimate fellowships" were to be marked by "acceptance, forgiveness, loving care, listening, and personal sharing." According to Pastor Shedd's memoirs, "within this structure arose the most dedicated and responsible lay ministry I have every seen in any church."
Another innovative quality, also begun in the church's first year, was a dollar-for-dollar budget. The church boldly decided to give away a dollar of benevolence for every dollar it spent on itself. The idea was to share its blessings with those less fortunate, from the homeless to missionaries. This was a big-faith decision for a fledging church that at the time had a huge debt (from buying property) and no building. Yet in the first 50 years of the church, that "crazy" idea produced over $50 million in gifts to others.
Through the years, the church has maintained its dollar-for-dollar emphasis -- and they're also currently debt free. Perhaps inevitably the dollar-for-dollar principle became too much of a check-writing emphasis. Recent efforts have been to balance it out by personal engagement: the church is attempting to give money primarily where its people are directly involved relationally. Now they don't just send a check overseas, they also send a short-term mission team. Now they don't merely buy groceries for the homeless; they volunteer to be on the soup line. And they continue to integrate prayer into all they do.
Dave Peterson has been senior pastor since 1995. In recent months he's been suggesting a simple phrase to help the church, including its dollar-for-dollar emphasis and desire to be a praying church, both to become more missional and also to measure its missional progress. It's the acronym B.L.E.S.S., an idea he adapted from Michael Frost.
- Bless everyone, everywhere you go.
- Listen to God, don't just talk!
- Eat with someone. (“Christianity moves at the speed of friendship, so expand your circle of friends.”)
- Study Jesus, make it a serious matter.
- Serve sacrificially, from the church facility to the soccer field.
If the no-airs, warm welcome Scott and I experienced is typical of how other first-timers feel, then this church will turn yet another corner. The current culture in the neighborhood they serve is one where it's easier to be generous with money than with your time. But as people at Memorial Drive step into a more relational, personal engagement of their faith, the church's overall potential might become even greater. As one of our interviewees commented, "I'm drawn to the combination of service, study, and fellowship; when they're all mixed together, it propels me to grow spiritually."
Our next stop is Community Christian Church, which has campuses all over Chicago. Any ideas of what we'll learn there?
Warren Bird, Ph.D., is Research Director at Leadership Network, and co-author of 19 books on various aspects of church health and innovation.
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