Pastor Beth McCaw, of Southminster Presbyterian Church, first contacted Cyclical Full Circle when her church was facing a huge transition. Located ten miles south of downtown Nashville, TN, local community needs for affordable housing and childcare have reached crisis levels. After some congregational restructuring in 2021, this small group of faithful innovators came up with a plan to respond to the needs of their neighbors in a BIG way. The plan? Building sixty units of affordable housing and doubling their existing childcare facility. Fortunately, the church’s land is large enough for this. Even more fortunately, the church community takes the Biblical mandate of caring for others quite seriously.
In my first conversation with Pastor McCaw, we celebrated the church’s ability to offer up its land for God’s highest and best use. Not only that, but we celebrated a community that willingly contributed both public and private funding. This funding has led to plans for ground-breaking in the Spring of 2024! And yet, despite the fact that it seemed like this little church had it all figured out, we determined together that the congregation needed an intentional process to navigate its own transformation alongside the transformation of the land.
Our First Meeting
Having planned out an agenda, I got a plane ticket to Nashville and began preparing for what would end up being one of the most exciting journeys of this Full Circle Guide’s career. I spent two days in early September with the leadership of Southminster Presbyterian. During our first session, we spent time listening to the Holy Spirit and one another, using prayer and scripture as our lantern to guide the way.
Let me tell you about these leaders–they showed up ready for the journey and unafraid of the destination. The vulnerability and curiosity fostered during our time together allowed for ideas to flow freely and a plan for next steps to take shape. You could feel the excitement and hope reverberating off the walls as they reflected on questions and I captured responses with markers on butcher paper. In only a couple hours, we had uncovered the key to their ecclesial transformation.
As is often the case, faithful behavior has its challenges. When Jesus called people to lives of radical hospitality, it was not without pushback. And when Southminster revealed its new vision, not everyone heard it as good news. Some members left. Neighbors expressed displeasure at changes happening in their back yards. Jesus says our disciple’s reward is great, but it’s at a high price. By using its property as a tool for mission, Southminster made a decision. They were choosing to take seriously the Biblical mandate to care for people experiencing life on the margins.
What We Do = Who We Are
For the church to be successful with its ecclesial transformation, its behavior must be congruent with its identity. There are a few essential questions to ask before doing any sort transformation:
- Why is transformation necessary?
- How are you going to make this transformation happen?
- What is this transformation going to be?
For Southminster, the answers were as follows:
- Because we believe in expressing our faith through self-giving love.
- By stewarding our land for the positive impact of our community.
- Building homes and more childcare.
By linking the building projects back to their Why, the church was directly able to share their story with the community in ways that helped others understand who they truly are. Southminster is not attempting some flashy stunt to grab the attention of prospective new members. In fact, when I asked them why they are doing this, they simply answered, “It’s what we’re supposed to do.”
You see, for Southminster, their What matches their Who. And yet, despite not being motivated by increased membership, the church has experienced recent growth, another side effect of God’s transforming love.
Our Second Meeting
Our second session was spent in the technocratic weeds of zoning, architecture, and financing the projects (my favorite!). We met with their partner non-profit developer to clarify certain details and ensure the plan forward was solid. There are lots of developers out there and not all would treat a church this well.
Additionally, most churches don’t have leaders with experience in real estate development. Without guidance, comprehending the complexities can be challenging, let alone making informed decisions along the way. This makes many churches vulnerable to being taken advantage of. I was pleased that no such thing was happening between this developer and church. My role was that of interpreter, helping the church understand what the developer’s language meant, and visa versa. I love utilizing my experience as both a pastor and housing developer in the Inland Northwest on projects like this.
Our time together concluded, I flew back home abuzz with the energy that flows from new creation. I tried telling my 3-year-old the story of a little church, whose reckless abandon of insular security was catapulting them over walls and into a bright future. I’m not sure she got it. Instead, I wrote it all down in a report, complete with recommendations for increasing ecclesial health and sustainability, developing leaders, and sharing the story. This report is now in the hands of the leaders for their use in navigating the journey ahead.
Of course, in the long run, the hope is that Southminster decides to continue working with Full Circle in the next stages of their transformation. But either way, this church’s hope-filled story of faithful presence in their community is a tangible testament for all of us seeking to be made new creations. We need Southminster’s story for those of us seeking faith communities in which we can join God’s unfolding story of radically inclusive love by serving as the hands and feet of Jesus.
Taking the Next Steps
If your church is in the midst of a transition, a Full Circle Guide can help you lead through it without getting stuck. Click here to apply for a Cyclical Full Circle Assessment today!
