I've been wondering lately, does a classis primarily exist for the ministries it does corporately or for the individual congregations represented in that classis? I know it’s a combination of those two aspects but what’s the proper balance? Is it right that congregations ask the question about classis: “What’s in it for us?” and then base their participation on the answer? Or should congregations be participating, not for what they can get out of classis, but for what they can contribute?
The stories told in response to my blog, “Relevant or Irrelevant?” focused on the sharing and support congregations bring to the classis meetings, not the ministries the classis does corporately. Both stories mentioned the leadership development that takes place at the classis level. Granted, these are just stories from two out of our forty-seven classes, but do they represent the general feeling of how classes can be most relevant?
If classes are most relevant when they address the needs and provide resources for the local congregation, then where should classis be spending its time, energy and resources?
