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Author

Enoch Kwan

Publication Date

8-2008

Abstract

This ministry focus paper presents a strategy to revitalize St. Clair Evangelical Missionary Church through authentic practices central to both personal spirituality and ministry, namely worship, stewardship, fellowship, and discipleship.

St. Clair Evangelical Missionary Church (SCEMC), established in 1953 in Scarborough, Ontario, thrived for thirty years, growing to over two hundred members in 1983 with multiple staff, vibrant Sunday worship services, and a Sunday school bus. Since then, the church has lost momentum and experienced conflict. In 2002, Sunday service attendance averaged below thirty-five. Two years ago, the annual offering fell below $30,000, forcing the interim pastor to leave. The board became more concerned with constitutional rather than scriptural guidance. The much smaller Sunday school, an after-service birthday cake, a small men's breakfast group, and a small Wednesday evening prayer group remained. SCEMC became very weak institutionally, lacking evangelism and spiritual vitality.

This paper presents a strategy and action plan to revitalize SCMEC. It contains three major sections. The first section analyzes the rise and decline of SCEMC amidst its changing context. It reveals the loss of ministry and spiritual vitality, and describes recent efforts to turn the church around.

The second section establishes biblical support for the centrality of worship, stewardship, fellowship, and discipleship (“four ships”). It demonstrates how the authentic practice of these “four ships” can bring unity to Christians’ personal lives and ministries and can spawn a culture of personal spiritual vitality, clear ministry direction, relevant strategy, and effective programming.

The third section presents strategy and working plans, outlining the resources and curriculum for nurturing personal spirituality. The pastor is to become the primary model, practicing the “four ships” and cultivating disciples who in turn cultivate other disciples. The plan includes implementation timelines, utilizes all channels of influence, and enlists teachable leaders, engaging them in coaching and mentoring processes. It proposes a new ministry structure, reconstitutes small groups, and employs evaluation and correction processes for sustained qualitative and quantitative growth.

Theological Mentor: John Hull

Degree Name

Doctor of Ministry (DMin)

First Advisor

Hull, John

Document Type

Project

Language

English

Keywords

St. Clair Evangelical Missionary Church (Scarborough, Ont.); Church renewal; Church group work

Disciplines

Missions and World Christianity

Comments

This was uploaded by the David Allan Hubbard Library from the Theological Research Exchange Network (TREN). If there are any mistakes in this record, please contact archives@fuller.edu.

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