GROW WHERE YOU ARE PLANTED: A FARM KID’S VIEW OF RENEWAL

Tony Ede

A Beginning on the Farm

One hundred and eleven acres. That is the measure of tillable ground on my family farm in Northeastern Iowa. I vividly remember that farmland and its rich soil as my playground in the 80s and 90s, oblivious to the challenges my family faced.1 The experiences of working that land are what shaped and molded me into the person I am today. Sitting on the tractor or hayrack is where I learned to pray, work hard, appreciate my blessings, mourn, and grow. Season after season, I quite literally grew where I was planted.

In middle school, my local parish pastor encouraged me to enter the ministry, as he did with other students. He recognized the qualities that each of us possessed: in music, public speaking, leadership, and even in getting into mischief. However, what stood out most was our sense of inner calling, confirmed by others, that was as natural as the soil we worked with and that shaped the rhythm of our lives. If my pastor taught me anything, it was to engage in my calling in two specific ways: by being active in the community and by volunteering at the local school.

Throughout my ministry, I have predominantly served rural congregations in Iowa. I believe that this type of ministry is aligned with my understanding of vocation. As Frederick Buechner once said, "The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world's deep hunger meet.“2 Living out this sense of vocation in our parishes and surrounding communities is what pastors should strive for, guided by the gentle and persistent call of the Holy Spirit. When the Holy Spirit is at work, relationships with those around us are renewed.3 Regardless of where we are called to or what ministry God places us in, it is in that calling that we grow where we have been planted.

As Frederick Buechner once said, "The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world's deep hunger meet."

Freedom

It is helpful to remind ourselves of what it means to be free when it comes to congregational renewal. We have the freedom to love our God with all our hearts, souls, and minds, as well as the freedom to love our neighbors as ourselves.4 In addition to the Ten Commandments, where we fear and love God, we also pay particular attention to our relationship with our neighbors. As Martin Luther said, "The Christian is a perfectly free lord of all, subject to none, and a perfectly dutiful servant of all, subject to all.“5 Keeping this fundamental principle in mind, we now have a strong foundation for congregational renewal.

As I shared above, love for neighbor is expressed in my involvement in my community and in my service at the local school. I am a highly caffeinated, extroverted, outgoing individual. Rarely do I come across someone I can't engage in conversation about something interesting, and I genuinely enjoy listening to people's life stories. I believe this is how we break the ice when it comes to congregational renewal—by exercising the freedom to build relationships with the people in our congregations and communities. I understand that not everyone is as active or energetic as I am, but if you want to make an impact as a new pastor in the community, it is crucial to step up to the plate rather than sit on the sidelines.

If we expect to have volunteers in our congregations, we should personally exemplify this expectation ourselves. Personally, I volunteer in my children's classrooms. There is something wonderful about a 6'3'' 350lb man sitting on a tiny chair in an elementary school hallway, helping kids with spelling words and teaching them how to tell time. Amongst all the moms, I found that as a father, I was warmly welcomed and had more work to do in the classrooms than I could ever accomplish in a week. This kind of ministry is a form of evangelism, a ministry of presence, and a way to preach the Gospel through our actions. We are literally demonstrating to people in the school what God is doing in the world through our service to others.6 Of course, I occasionally wear a clergy collar, and I always wear my signature quarter-zip sweater with the church logo. I feel like a living, breathing billboard for my congregation and for Jesus Himself in those tiny chairs. It is a fruitful and fulfilling ministry. My advice to you is to recognize the needs around you and meet them. If the school needs bus drivers, then drive a bus. If they need help in the library, then volunteer there. If a crossing guard is needed, consider making it your new morning ministry! You have the freedom to directly engage with the school (and many other local institutions, for that matter) and through that work you become a missionary to our world. And trust me, people will take notice.

I am also involved with our community in significant ways. I am a nationally certified EMT and firefighter. I have a commercial driver’s license and can drive the big trucks. I help to steer a committee for young professionals in our county, and I was a celebrity judge at our local pie-making contest. There are always ways for us to break into the community rhythm and hold a spot for the ministry of presence. Finding these places (within your own comfort level) will prove to be vital ministry.

There are always ways for us to break into the community rhythm and hold a spot for the ministry of presence. Finding these places (within your own comfort level) will prove to be vital ministry.

Where is Your Comfort?

Now, I realize that I am the epitome of an extrovert, and the way I do things may not align exactly with how you prefer to do things. And that's perfectly fine! It's essential for you to find where you feel comfortable being a missionary in your community. Missionary work doesn't have to involve embarking on a grand trip to a distant land; it can be something small within your own setting that brings hope to a fallen world. What matters is that we choose life over death in our missionary endeavors.

Once during an interview, a call committee member told me, "That will never work." Immediately, I could sense that this member had already chosen death for his congregation rather than life. And that’s a tough pill to swallow: to be the potential new pastor with fresh ideas sitting in front of a call committee, and to then encounter an ingrained mindset that you know will lead to that ministry’s demise. Needless to say, my wife and I did not accept that call. The problem lies in the fact that too many people are inclined to choose death instead of life when change is part of the equation.7 But sometimes we need to break free from the failed policies of the past. Instead, we need to ask that Dr. Phil’s famous question, "How's that working for you?" Because if a program or policy isn't yielding good fruit, then change is needed immediately. There is always the potential for resurrection—after all, we are Easter people, and we must envision a bright future for our ministry.

Being a Visionary

When we embrace a visionary mindset in ministry, we direct our focus towards the future. In biblical times, individuals were considered visionaries when they received "visions" of what lay ahead and were guided by the Holy Spirit. Just think about how the prophets spoke about the coming Messiah. These visionary moments occurred in one era but spoke directly to another time far into the future. And we still need a focused vision of the future! To renew a particular aspect of our ministry or even undertake a complete overhaul, we must possess an effective vision that fosters change. And this vision must stimulate both the intellectual and emotional sides of our minds.8 When it comes to renewing a ministry, it is essential to ensure that people align with the vision that the Holy Spirit has placed in our hearts. Without congregational support, we may hear those discouraging words, "That will never work." So sharing that vision effectively is a crucial task. Renewal ministry must be communicated well, meticulously planned, and infused with emotional significance. It should address a need that is currently unmet and have the potential to impact a critical mass of people.

To renew a particular aspect of our ministry or even undertake a complete overhaul, we must possess an effective vision that fosters change.

In my own context, we had three worship services per week: one on Saturday and two on Sunday mornings. Over time, attendance at the Saturday night worship service gradually declined, causing frustration for both me and the congregational leadership. Many people believed the issue was the evening time slot and that individuals couldn't establish the habit of attending worship in the evenings. However, that wasn't the problem at all. The real issue was that the service was on SATURDAY evenings. You see, with all three worship services scheduled on the weekend, there was no room for occasional visits to grandma's house, weekend ball tournaments, or even extended DIY projects. People caught up in all these activities would miss out on our worship opportunities, fellowship with other Christians, and the chance to give. When I proposed the idea of a Wednesday night worship service as a potential solution, I was immediately met with resistance and the familiar phrase, "That will never work." However, when I pointed out all the other commitments that families had on the weekend, my council started to come around. And when I emphasized the midweek opportunities for both increased fellowship and for contributions, they became convinced! So now, we worship on Wednesday evenings. We have a monthly shared meal, a unique sermon series separate from Sundays, and educational activities for all age groups after worship. We may not be overflowing with attendees, but it IS working. And it is working because we identified a need for a weekday worship time and met that need. We tried something new, something that better serves people in this day and age, rather than something that worked fifty years ago. By doing so, we chose life over death, and today we are actively making disciples at our church.

Your Renewal Plan

So, you've been in your context for a while, and you've become aware of some areas that need growth. What is your renewal plan? Having looked towards the future and identified ways to engage both the intellectual and emotional aspects of people's minds, it is now time to outline a renewal plan that fosters discipleship in specific ways. In my previous example, we needed a plan for alternative worship opportunities. Your plan might be centered around education, membership, or building relationships.9 Each of these areas provides a solid starting point for renewal and discipleship.

A few years ago, we recognized the need to reassess our educational programming for Sunday school-aged children. Initially, we thought that simply changing to a new curriculum would be the silver bullet which might solve all our problems.10 However, we were mistaken. We not only needed educational growth but also leadership growth. We examined the curriculum, the learning environment, how children entered the space, and what the spaces themselves offered. During this study process, we discovered that while we were focused on one aspect of the ministry, other parts were falling behind. Therefore, we took the summer to evaluate and plan for the success of the educational needs within Sunday school. We identified logistical problems with timing during class, issues with classroom space, and more. By involving both parents and students, we collectively addressed and resolved these challenges, putting us on a renewed path for education.

In our "new member" classes, I often apologize because we aren't simply looking for new members; we are seeking disciples— individuals actively engaged in the ministry of the church rather than just consumers of church.

Perhaps the Holy Spirit is calling you to grow your church membership. Who wouldn't want that? In our "new member" classes, I often apologize because we aren't simply looking for new members; we are seeking disciples—individuals actively engaged in the ministry of the church rather than just consumers of church. This expectation is surprising to most, including my leadership. My general perspective is that if someone wants to be a “member” somewhere, they can join a health club. However, if they want to be a disciple, they can do so in the congregation I lead. Through the faithful preaching of the gospel and the proper administration of the sacraments, we are called to gather disciples and send them out into the world as missionaries.

Your next step in renewal may also involve building internal relationships. Lutherans excel at fellowship! Ministry centered around the priesthood of all believers can take various forms, such as shared meals, acts of service, or even by enjoying the unofficial sacrament of the Lutheran church…coffee! Connecting like-minded individuals within the church through interest groups is an easy way to initiate the renewal of relationships. For instance, you might start with a young families or a women's quilting group. And then by introducing something new or simply adding your presence occasionally, you can bring a sense of renewal to an already existing group.

Conclusion

Renewal in a congregation doesn't have to be as daunting as a week-long tent revival in an open field. Nor is it something that can be achieved through mere programming or the latest shiny "thing" that is offered. There is no one-size-fits-all solution that will magically improve everything within a congregation.11 Change must be calculated, goal-oriented, and team-based to be successful. Most importantly, in the midst of renewal, we must remain focused on the unchanging things Jesus Christ and His crucifixion and resurrection for all of us.12

Rev. Tony D. Ede STS, MBA is the Senior Pastor at First Evangelical Lutheran Church in Manchester, Iowa. Tony has served congregations in Woodbury, MN, Kimballton, IA, Webster City, IA, and Manchester, IA. He is a leader in the North American Lutheran Church having served on the Renewal Team, Lutheran Week Planning Team, Communications Team, Pastor's Conference Planning Team, as a breakout session presenter on media law, and as the moderator for the NALC Academy, a monthly video podcast featuring leaders throughout the NALC. Tony is married to LeAnn and they have three boys, Carver, Liam, and Burke.

Endnotes:

1David Poling-Goldenne and L. Shannon Jung, Discovering Hope: Building Vitality in Rural Congregations. (Minneapolis: Augsburg Fortress, 2001), 15.

2Frederick Buechner, Wishful Thinking: A Seeker's ABC (San Francisco, CA: Harper San Francisco), 1993, 118-119.

3Greg Finke. Joining Jesus on His Mission (Tyler, TX: Tenth Power Publishing, 2014), 27.

4Matthew 22:37, Leviticus 19:18

5Martin Luther, Basic Theological Writings, ed. Timothy F. Lull (Minneapolis: Augsburg Fortress, 1989), 596.

6Ken Sundet Jones. A Lutheran Toolkit (Irvine, CA: 1517 Publishing, 2021), 23.

7Thom S. Rainer, Anatomy of a Revived Church: Seven Findings about How Congregations Avoided Death (Carol Stream, Illinois: Tyndale Momentum, 2022), 13.

8Ian Palmer, Richard Dunford, and David A. Buchanan. Managing Organizational Change: A Multiple Perspectives Approach. (New York, NY: McGraw-Hill, 2017), 175.

9Finke, 79-80

10Rainer, 29

11Ibid., 29.

12Ibid., 21.