BLOG SERIES: The RE REsearch REview

For the next few weeks, we have the privilege of hearing from guest bloggers to help us think about the plans for our church’s future.

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by Megan Ferber

Have you ever had one of those very energetic friends, who has lots of great ideas, fresh vigor, and probably was, at some point in life, either a youth pastor or a middle school teacher? As an introvert, I love these people for their ability to draw me out and introduce really fun new adventures. But at some point, I start feeling fatigued and making not-so-subtle hints at them— like a cross symbol brandished at vampires.

What if this friend then turned out to have depths of wisdom and understanding? What if, after telling you about an awesome hiking adventure they’re planning that should lead to incredible views and wonderful conversations, they say, “Now, if we’re going to get this right, not lose our strength halfway and really be able to support each other, we both need first to rest and recharge. . . .”

The comparison is far from perfect, but this is similar to how I saw ECO during the denomination team’s research. The website was initially bright and flashy, designed with lots of marketing concepts in mind, and with great sounding business ideas. There were cheerful people in large congregations and lists of resources. There were plans for growth and flourishing, as well as opportunities to get involved in training, accountability groups, online video lessons, and “national gathering” meetings. 

Honestly, it was very tempting to think, “This is great for a megachurch, but our volunteers are exhausted and we’re already at our limit. We can’t do all this.”

But then ECO talked more about flourishing, and they dug a little into what that means. “Any organism that seeks to flourish needs to have all of its systems functioning properly and in fact a weak or unhealthy element can sabotage health that is created in another part of the system.” On their website and over and over in conversations with ECO church leaders, we found  the concept of flourishing is prevalent and consistent. Churches flourishing, leaders flourishing, congregations flourishing, people flourishing. And this doesn’t mean constantly doing. Rest is emphasized as part of flourishing; one ECO leader on a video joked that floating down a river in an inner tube is an underused spiritual gift. In today’s environment of being always on the go, ECO encourages rest and seeking God, and holistic flourishing.

ECO could be a partner that would encourage growth and missions and ministry to the poor, weak, and marginalized; but would also be a partner to encourage refreshment and trust in God to work through our human frailty. As a research team, we were tasked with seeking a denomination that 1) follows Reformed Theology, 2) supports equality of ministry roles with men and women, and 3) feels like us, and would support River’s Edge in what we feel called by God to accomplish in our area. What we found in ECO was all of these, plus some very, very encouraging ideas and a movement we were excited to be a part of. One among our group stated, “Egalitarian got us in the door, and we found all sorts of other great things.”

To continue my energetic friend analogy, we found ECO when we were looking for an experienced hiking buddy. But then, we learned that they were also a yoga instructor, a really good cook, and a music lover learning to play the hammer dulcimer! While recognizing that no denomination will be perfect because humans are imperfect, ECO does offer a lot of very encouraging things to River’s Edge. I’ll note a couple more specifics here.

ECO’s MIssion Statement: “Building flourishing churches that make disciples of Jesus Christ”

RE’s Mission Statement: “To encourage and equip people to become passionate followers of Christ Jesus and to embrace his mission as their own.”

So we already have similar stated goals, which is great. ECO goes further and outlines some specifics of their vision. If you want to look for yourself, check out this handout from their website: https://eco-pres.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/ecos_vision_frame-1.pdf

I know that discussing MIssion and Vision statements can truly feel very business-like and can also feel like losing ministry focus. But if used appropriately, these can be very helpful to set the direction and a common set of goals to keep in mind as we work together.

Also with ECO, gatherings and meetings focus on worship and learning. One thing we heard time and again from interviews and from visiting churches is how encouraging the MIssion Affinity Groups (MAG) are, also the session meetings, as well as the annual National Gathering (which is open to all and not just for church leaders). While the business aspects are certainly handled, the majority of time is spent on worshiping together and encouraging one another.

Taken from ECO’s website – 

One of ECO’s values is “A Livable Theology.” The strength of our faith is how we live out our Reformed beliefs in a relentlessly contextual way.

Demonstrated by:

  • Our zealous view that the sovereignty of God drives our ability to risk.
  • Our call to deeply influence culture with the Gospel, not just protect theology.
  • Our passion that renewed minds lead people to embody their faith in Jesus every day.

ECO does have a lot of new ideas. Some of these may need to be adjusted or may fizzle with learning and growth. But others may inspire us and lead to new opportunities. For me, if I want to choose a denomination partner that will produce in me and RE some good, new habits, I really like what ECO offers. Being around an energized friend who has fresh ideas but also encourages me to take breaks and trust God . . . sounds really, really good.