1020 S 10th Ave, Safford, AZ 85546, US
From the Pastor
September 2024
Over the last several decades, we have experienced significant downsizing of the church. The Pew Research Center estimates that in 2020, some sixty-four percent of Americans were Christian; thirty percent were religiously unaffiliated or “none” Americans of other religions were around six percent (“Modeling the Future of Religion in America,” Pew Research
Center). Pew projects the continued shrinking of the Christian population in America, with the possibility that in a few decades, Christians in the United States will make up just a little more than one-third of the population. The rate of those leaving Christianity and the post-Christian context toward which we head can be worrisome.
When we walk into our churches on
Sunday mornings and think about who is not there and wonder what might be taking place somewhere else that is grabbing people’s time and attention, we may see reaching those people as an overwhelming challenge. Institutional anxiety and metrics for what is “vital,” budget, Sunday attendance, and buildings all may be
causes for despair. Further, there is baggage associated with the word “evangelism.” Sometimes that baggage is heavy due to evangelism’s use as a deadly tool of colonization.
Changes in the culture over the last several decades as well as the recognition that harm has taken place through unhealthy evangelism, cause us to consider how evangelism needs to change in ways that will create connections and move forward the mission of making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.
Over the next four months, a series of articles will look at ways that evangelism
can be lived out in our day-to-day lives, sharing our faith in ways that make room for growth. We’ll move from exploring our own spiritual lives to listening and being present. Each article in the series will
offer some reflections or learnings and questions that lead to action steps.
I (excitedly)anticipate many questions to arise, and that we will have some hopeful discussions about how we can continue our call to be Christ to our neighbors and to a world in need.
I love being in ministry with you, beloved-
Pastor Lesli
In September, we will embark on a new sermon series, “Almost True.” Each Sunday we will ask ourselves questions about living life and our truth and what it really means to live a truthful life. In this series we will hear how everywhere you go or turn, someone is telling you how to live.
September 1st:“The Danger with Your Truth”
September 8th:“When Self-Love is Selfish”
September 15th:“Why Don’t I Feel Like Enough?”
September 22nd:“Why Doesn’t God Give me what I Want?”
September 29th: To Be Announced
