by Robert Brody, Pastor of New Danville Mennonite Church & LMC Bishop

When I started my position as Pastor at New Danville Church, I was given a book with the 300-year history of the church. It contained a list of Bishops and Pastors through the years. As I looked at the list I felt the weight of responsibility for what would be my chapter at the church. 

I’ve come to realize that my chapter, if done well, should be a launching point for other chapters of the church. Just as the Bible says David served in his generation and then rested with his ancestors, each of us as a leader should realize our time is limited, and we should always be working to empower and see ourselves replaced by the next generation. But it’s not just about time, it’s about influence. If we try to lead everything directly, our influence will be limited. However, when we raise up other leaders and invest in them, ministry can spread exponentially. 

In my role as Bishop at LMC, I am creating a network of leaders who are exploring new expressions of church, not to replace what exists, but instead to enhance and expand it. One example is Mercedes Thomas, who has been featured here before, running a missional community called The Gaming Grounds. We continue to look for and network with those who have a passion to create a fresh community for Christ. We hope our network will be a place where leaders can grow, dream, plan, and explore their gifts and ideas in a very tangible and practical way. 

Keep an eye out for more about what we’re doing! Our hope is to soon have a way to connect to other leaders with a vision for a new expression of church.