Acting on Questions
A commitment to acting on members' questions leads in many directions, from program planning to pastoral care to facilities. In general, the question needs to be raised: Does this program (ministry, staffing or facilities decision) respond to questions that people actually are asking?
For example, if people are dealing with financial insecurity, does refurbishing the church parlor respond to their questions? If people are dealing with anxiety about time management, is a decision to resurrect the Fall Bazaar a responsive idea?
To promote awareness of other people and consensus in ministries, share questionspeople are asking. Within normal bounds of confidentiality, enable entire membership to know the questions being asked in their midst
It helps everyone to know the pain and joys that others are experiencing. That's one reason people tend to respond so well to death and family tragedies. They know the question and can imagine a response.
It helps people to accept diversity and change when they know the human drama behind those phenomena. It isn't just the pastor meddling, it is movement of the human spirit.
Discuss trends. One way for people to understand their world is to see its impact on individual lives. For example:
- A pattern of layoffs can seem cold and uninteresting, until you know that people near you in the pew are asking questions about their jobs and economic security.
- If older members knew the loneliness-related questions being asked by many young adults, they might be more receptive to welcoming them and to rethinking congregational life to meet their needs.
