07-01-25

ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
July 1, 2025
We are a little less than two weeks away from the General Assembly of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) being held in Memphis, TN. Like always, I am rather giddy about attending and absolutely thrilled by the sixteen people who will be attending from Cypress Creek Christian Church. My enthusiasm was slightly diminished when I received word yesterday that registration for the Assembly is low. Though I do not want to admit the reason, it is a reflection of the decline of the church, not just our denomination. Both mainline and more theologically conservative denominations have been on the decline for two decades or longer, and though there appears to be a current reprieve from the decline, the impact remains. It costs money to attend the Assembly, and though we set aside money to help for those who need help, other churches simply cannot do so. Yet I think of it as an investment. Of the forty or so different people from Cypress Creek Christian Church who have attended General Assemblies since I arrived, a high percentage of those people have become advocates for different ministries within our denomination. Whether it be Week of Compassion, Division of Overseas Ministry, or some new church that is doing something completely off the wall, we had representatives from our church who had the opportunity to sit at a booth and have a one-on-one conversation with these folks. A Mission Partner from the Middle East told stories about efforts for peace that never make the 24-hour news cycle. An Elder from our church had a conversation with an Elder from a church in Ohio, and they exchanged frustrations, encouragement, and a few new ideas. A friend of mine who works in IT attends a conference each year with a few members from his company. The length of his conference is about the same as our General Assembly, and registration for this IT conference is $7,500. General Assembly registration is under $300. When you factor in hotel, meals, and transportation, it probably costs about $1,500/person if you are sharing a room. That’s a lot of money for some churches, but I would argue that a lot of the energy and enthusiasm around Cypress Creek Christian Church has some of its source in the experiences our people had at a General Assembly. I want to thank those who have covered their own costs when attending General Assembly and others who have provided resources so that others could attend. It is making a difference.

For all the amazing and often unseen work happening within the church, we give you thanks, Merciful God. Wherever inspiration occurs, we pray for it to be contagious well beyond the moment of inspiration. Amen.