I was sitting next to a pastor friend at a community event recently and I asked, “How is your ministry? How is your church?” The pastor said that after years of steady growth, the church is now facing a new set of questions as the church has ceased growing. I know this hard-working pastor and leader is not alone! Certainly not all Ozarks area churches are in this category, but many churches are facing a new set of questions about “doing church”.

In their book, “Toward a Hopeful Future: Why the Emergent Church is Good News for Mainline Congregations,” Phil Snider and Emily Bowen point to a “deep ecclesiology” within the ranks of a new movement known as the Emergent Church. This “deep ecclesiology” resonates with me on several levels as it reflects a commitment to “honoring the church in all its forms: Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Protestant, Pentecostal and Anabaptist.”

You may have heard me say on occasion that the Council of Churches is where common ground leads to higher ground, and that by doing together what can best be done together in the name of Jesus Christ, we are improving the quality of life for some of the most vulnerable people among us. Thanks to your partnership, your gifts and your prayers, we are finding higher ground each day through Christian service.

Thank you, again, for your partnership with the mission and ministry of the Council of Churches of the Ozarks. As always, I welcome your best thoughts, ideas, and suggestions to improve our service in the name of Jesus Christ.