Six Most Often Heard Questions Answered

Glenn McDonald
ZPC Senior Pastor

Twenty-five years ago, when I accepted God’s call to help organize ZPC, I envisioned a place where men, women, and children would become lifelong learners of Jesus, grow deeply in their love and commitment to him, and turn outward to invite more and more people into that circle of grace. That mission, which is the soul of ZPC, has never changed, and we all are part of a church family that continues to embrace God’s call to be disciples who make disciples.

That core commitment has also guided us throughout the challenges and opportunities of recent months. Thank you for your feedback to the decisions that our session announced just four weeks ago. Thank you for your prayers. Thanks for taking the time to write, to call, and to let your voices be heard in conversations and in public forums. Thanks, in short, for being faithful members of the Body of Christ.

During the past month, our staff and session members have heard a number of questions again and again. In the hope of providing greater clarity as we go forward, even if this second posting feels a bit redundant to you, I’d briefly like to address six of those questions:


How did this serious re-thinking of ZPC’s life get underway?

Last January’s town hall meeting, which was called for the simple purpose of hearing any thoughts, concerns, or impressions from the congregation, opened my ears to those of you who have mourned the loss of one of ZPC’s hallmark values: releasing lay leaders into meaningful, Spirit-prompted ministry. There was frustration that our ministries seemed to be increasingly “top-down” instead of “bottom-up.”

That theme was also heard a few months later when elder Andy Miller, who had volunteered to become our interim Director of Operations, sat down with numerous ZPC families and individuals. Andy’s aim was to take a representative pulse of our congregation with regard to our present and our future, especially as the session had begun to contemplate the possibility of launching a new building project. With no intention of being exclusive, Bob Jordan and I provided Andy with the names of about 100 ZPC households, which we believed reflected in various ways our church’s life and spirit. While these conversations were representative, we know they didn’t reflect every ZPC perspective; we continue to welcome your feedback.


Was Bob Jordan’s position targeted from the very beginning?

If there were a stronger word than No, I would use it. Only as our conversations proceeded did we begin to discern the degree to which some of our efforts — particularly those to grow and manage a larger church — had unintentionally made us less responsive to our members. After considerable thought, prayer, and deliberation, we concluded that, among other changes needed, the role of executive pastor was not a strategic fit for our way forward.

There is a world of difference between a staff position and an extraordinary person. As God calls Bob to a new place, where he will continue to provide his creative, God-honoring leadership, the kingdom will thrive and grow.


In the end, is this really just about money?

While the session’s decisions unquestionably have a financial element, and financial ramifications, they are predominantly strategic in nature. Over the years, the ZPC family has repeatedly demonstrated a willingness to step forward financially to support the work that God has given to us. This spring and summer we have endeavored to better understand how our continuing work ought to be shaped.

A significant question was raised during our July 22 town hall meeting: Is the church a business, or not a business? The Bible makes it clear that every congregation is a body — the actual expression of Jesus’ presence on earth — and not merely a human organization. Nonetheless, God’s call to stewardship reminds us that we must tend what he has entrusted to us with great wisdom. While business is definitely not our primary business, there is an operational aspect to being a church that we must never overlook.

Since the congregation responded generously to the Target 2 campaign, which raised funds to renovate our building and undertake mission projects, why weren’t we asked to support our existing budget so we could retain staff members and programs?

The session’s decisions this summer are deeply grounded in stewardship. We want to honor God in the way that we care for our facility; with the amount of time and money that we spend beyond our walls; and with best practices in budgeting the resources we’ve been given to grow our own ministries. Yes, we could prepare a budget that tries to include “everything.” In fact, our eagerness to do that in the past is what has brought us, in part, to where we are today. Simply put, our budgets of recent years expected a level of congregational growth that God has not yet provided. We still expect ZPC to grow. But we are committed to staffing, programming, and supporting missions in a way that reflects long-term, sustainable stewardship.


What about communication?

The comment heard most frequently from the more than 200 ZPCers who attended last month’s town hall meeting was, “Communicate with us…sooner…better…more frequently.” The nature of our deliberations in recent months made it hard, and at many times inappropriate, for us to pause midway and announce, “Here’s where we stand.” Therefore, to many, the session’s decisions felt like a tall and unexpected wave bursting on the shore. Please know that we are aggressively committed to a strategy of communicating, listening, and ongoing give-and-take in the months ahead.

Our next opportunity to be together is the annual meeting of our congregation on Tuesday, August 26, at 7:00 p.m. This meeting will be held in a town hall format and will include time for continuing conversation, much like our past two gatherings. Please join us. We are also planning to schedule town hall meetings in September, October, and next January.


What’s next?

I urge you also to join us during our morning worship services on Sunday, September 7, for a special opportunity to come before God with humility and repentance. This has been a difficult journey. These months have brought us to decisions the session believes will serve all of us well for the future. But there is ample evidence that along the way, we — leaders and congregation alike — have not always reflected God’s best. I, for one, need to confess my brokenness to the Lord, and to seek his healing and restoration. Worship on the 7th will afford us the opportunity to reaffirm and to receive the grace and mercy of God.