Churches have identity crises too

I just met with the staff of an older, established mega-church. They are in a season of transition. The focus of the conversation was on strategy, but my gut kept telling me their issue was identity. Good people asking good questions, just not the most important questions.

Churches are like people. God made each of us unique and we all have a one of a kind calling and vocation. When individuals focus on what they should do with their lives without knowing who they are at their core they just wind up imitating other people. It's only when we really know who we are and own who we are that we can do what God made us to do with joy and freedom.

I run into more and more churches that are going through identity crises. In a fallen world where we get so disconnected from the One who can tell us who we are this should not be surprising. The worse thing a church can do when it is trying to figure out who it is, is to try and be emergent, missional, high-church or imitate the latest leader of some list in Outreach magazine.

So, how does a church know who God made them to be? Here are a few questions that are helpful:

What are the historic strengths of the leaders?
What is the burning passion of the leaders as they look to the future?
What about the mission and philosophy of ministry unifies the leaders? What dis-unifies them? Where is the win/win? Without unity it's game over.
What are the needs of the community around them?
How can they best contextualize their ministry to those they hope to reach and still be themselves?
How can they bless the most people possible? We find our church identity most readily when we give ourselves away for the Kingdom and give up trying to be the best or biggest church in town.

Let's pray for the day when most churches are clear on who God has made them to be for the season in which they find themselves. When that happens, God's beauty shines through.