Commission For Tranforming Congregations, Southeastern Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church In America.
The Commission for Transforming Congregations was born out of our vision to become the Great Commission Synod. Our mission is to equip congregations to thrive in a changing world. It is this mission which directs the work of the Commission. Members of the Commission view congregational transformation as people passionately engaged, moving outside of the walls of their church and engaging their community, reaching the church homeless, moving people from membership to discipleship, creating channels for the Holy Spirit to work. The mark of transformation – changed people changing lives!
The Commission’s focus is to help congregations of our Synod deal with change. Change involves pain, and, therefore, change is often fearful to institutions and those related to them. Change in the church and its styles or methods of ministry are routinely met with resistance.
Our desire is to help congregations and their leaders confronted with change to see opportunity rather than threat. Change is a sign of life, a sign that the world in which we live is dynamic and still developing. To this end it is the Commission’s privilege to help church leaders address their opportunity for change and to shape their ministry of a hopeful future through vision, mission, and goal setting.
It is the Commission for Transforming Congregations’ belief that God calls the church to mission! We are not faithful to that mission if we just wait around for something to happen. Mission in changing times calls for a change in how we think, perceive and act as congregations in mission. A Transforming congregation is one where church leaders and the congregation wrestle together with what it means to be faithful followers of our Lord in their community. Congregational transformation happens when the church locally seeks and defines its current mission and initiates a planned process to change its ministry accordingly.
To this end, the Commission for Transforming Congregations provides resources, plans and processes for congregations as they make decisions, design ministry, and implement changes that fulfill the missionary and evangelical purpose of the church.
The Academy is one of these resources for coaching and encouraging change. TransformingChurch.com is a further expression of our support for leaders. We join those hearing the call of the Spirit into twenty-first century discipleship.
Several of our Commission also serve on the TransformingChurch.com team. Debbie Grabeldinger, who chairs our Commission, connects people with our Ministry Network. Gregg Burch is the editor of the site and Associate Dean of the Academy. Ted Coleman, hosts the Resource Toolbox.
Bryn Carlson, Assistant to the Bishop