Initially, Lamberth Memorial Baptist Church in Roxboro, North Carolina, joined CBF’s Thriving Congregations program at the urging of their pastor. “[He] really hyped it to our group,” said member of the Thriving Congregations Initiative team Donnie Powell. Yet, by the end of the yearlong learning process, members found themselves empowered and equipped to better serve the people of Roxboro and one another.
CBF’s Thriving Congregations Initiative helps churches excel in their unique ministry environments through engagement with the five traits that make for a thriving congregation: Compelling Clarity, Faithful Agility, Holy Tenacity, Rooted Relationships and Dynamic Collaboration. Once participants understand these principles, they conduct active learning experiments to cultivate the traits within their congregations. The leadership team from Lamberth was in the middle of the Thriving Congregations process when their pastor unexpectedly left to serve another church. “There was a fog of confusion that hung over the group after his departure,” Powell said. “Honestly, there was some frustration and even some anger.”
Unsure what to do next, the team turned to CBF for guidance. Each church participating in the Thriving Congregations program is part of a learning community with other church leaders, all discovering how to help their churches thrive. Cohorts meet 10 times online and three times in person during the year they are together. “I did really enjoy meeting and connecting with other churches.
They were very supportive and loving,” said Linda Warren, who assumed leadership of the Lamberth team. “The [learning community] members were a huge encouragement and even reached out to support us in our time of need,” said Powell.
Having experienced the importance of community during a crisis, the congregation at Lamberth decided to focus their efforts on cultivating Rooted Relationships and pursuing opportunities for Dynamic Collaboration.
The Lamberth congregation examined its network of relationships based on geography, community and family ties. They intentionally cultivated relationships with folks in Roxboro from different walks of life. “We also thought about how dynamic “collabs” could sprout up through these relationships,” Powell said. Partnering with other organizations in the area, the church hosted several successful events in Roxboro. “We are doing things to minister to our community and show God’s love,” Warren said.
Although their learning session was complicated by the departure of their pastor, the Lamberth leadership team believes that CBF’s Thriving Congregations program was a valuable experience for their church. During the process, the congregation learned to think outside the box and be innovative in the face of challenging circumstances. These skills helped Lamberth thrive even as they began the search for a new pastor. “I think the program is really good at giving congregations direction. [It] makes you think in a way you are not used to and that is what is really eye-opening,” Powell said. “We are very happy with the difference our church has made in the community.” The Lambeth congregation is excited to see where God leads them from here.