With ‘A Purpose-Driven’ ApproachNew Pastor At Stone Church Of The Brethren Seeks To Revitalize Church’s Programs
A new minister to the Rockbridge area is bringing the approach of Rick Warren’s “Purpose Driven” network of churches to his Buena Vista congregation.
Rev. Russ Barb moved from Lake Oswego, Ore., to take over for interim pastor David Bain at Stone Church of the Brethren in Buena Vista. Barb, who grew up in the Linville Creek Church of the Brethren in Broadway, returned to the Shenandoah Valley with his wife and two children to fill the position in May.
“It was a blessing to follow [Bain],” Barb said. “The congregation was ready for me to come.”
Barb said he wanted to return to his “denomination of birth” after serving as executive pastor at Willamette Christian Church in West Linn, Ore. Barb’s work there helped earn Willamette Christian Church the distinction being one of only 80 churches throughout the world to receive the 2004 Church Health Award from Purpose Driven.
Purpose Driven is a network of churches centered at Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif., under the direction of the Rev. Rick Warren, famous for his bestseller, “The Purpose Driven Life.” After selling over 25 million hardback copies, Warren’s book inspired the creation of the Purpose Driven church network.
Churches linked to the Purpose Driven network focus on cultivating the five purposes Warren preaches in the book: magnified worship, missionary action to teach God’s word, spiritual maturity, membership and ministry.
Barb represented Willamette Christian Church at Saddleback for an awards ceremony in 2004, followed by training and an introduction to Warren’s “PEACE plan.” Barb attended an initial briefing with Warren, then learned more about the plan’s specifics.
The initial meetings at Saddleback were intended to “get the kinks out of [the PEACE plan],” Barb said. A large part of this process was evaluating the computer program that matches a church with a missionary project either in the United States or abroad.
The PEACE acronym stands for planting churches; equipping servant leaders; assisting the poor; caring for the sick; and educating the next generation.
This action is intended to combat the five “Global Goliaths” Warren identifies as plaguing today’s world: spiritual emptiness, egocentric leadership, extreme poverty, pandemic disease and illiteracy.
“If we take care of the needs of people, then people will be drawn to [Jesus]…his compassion, his caring about people,” Barb said. What the PEACE plan is doing is meeting those needs.”
Each Purpose Driven church incorporates this plan into its mission statement as it learns more about the evangelistic purposes of the network. Forty days of “purpose,” during which the congregation learns about the PEACE plan, are followed by 40 days of community involvement and service.
Purpose Driven asked Willamette Christian Church as well as 26 others to serve as pilot churches for this plan and to mentor those hoping to link up with the network.
While serving there, Barb oversaw a project to provide over 3,000 packages of hygienic products for the homeless. Recipients gained the practical materials necessary to help them get and keep a job, as well as spiritual encouragement.
At Stone Church, Barb was pleased to find a congregation equally eager to revitalize its programs and reach out to the community. Barb said he wants to focus on assisting the poor, especially senior citizens in the area, as well as revamping the church’s children’s ministry and programs. While attending to the healthcare and well-being of the elderly, Barb said he hopes Stone Church can also provide a safe place for children to get help with homework and enjoy fellowship while their parents work.
In addition to these new programs, Barb said his congregation hopes to add more young families to its number by adapting in other ways. He added that the church’s older members suggested many of the modern changes the congregation is currently considering. They realize that the church needs young members to grow and thrive.
“We just can’t do things in church the way we did in the 1950s and ‘60s,” Barb said.
Currently, Stone Church draws in around 100 people each Sunday, compared to its 300-member congregation 30 years ago. With contemporary additions such as a video projection system to display Bible verses, video clips and other visual aids, Barb said he thinks the church will begin to attract a younger crowd.
“It’s a great time for younger families to come into our church,” Barb said. “We’re going through a reset.”
Stone Church has also used a large portion of its resources to revamp the building itself to better accommodate members and attract visitors. Last year, an elevator was installed to make the church accessible to anyone who wishes to attend. It also just replaced the church’s steeple. These are examples of basic cosmetic changes that show how much this congregation cares, Barb said. He said he hopes to open up the warmth of Stone Church’s congregation to the entire community.
“I don’t think [Stone Church] can stay small long,” said Barb.
While Barb considers himself more “verse-by-verse preaching oriented” than Warren, he said he appreciates Warren’s “seeker-oriented” approach to Christianity. This energetic outlook helps Purpose Driven churches grow and cultivate active members, he said.
Barb cited Highlands Fellowship Church in Abingdon as a good example of the growth that this contemporary stance may encourage. A member of the Purpose Driven network, Highlands has a congregation equal to about half of Abingdon’s total population each Sunday.
However, Barb is not focusing on growth. He said growth is a byproduct of following Jesus’ example in preaching, fellowship and service. No matter how the scripture is delivered, Barb said, “the message … is exactly the same.”
Stone Church of the Brethren is located at 2162 Forest Ave., Buena Vista. Those interested can read more about Rick Warren and Purpose Driven at either www.thepeaceplan.com or www.purposedrivenlife.com.
Rev. Russ Barb moved from Lake Oswego, Ore., to take over for interim pastor David Bain at Stone Church of the Brethren in Buena Vista. Barb, who grew up in the Linville Creek Church of the Brethren in Broadway, returned to the Shenandoah Valley with his wife and two children to fill the position in May.
“It was a blessing to follow [Bain],” Barb said. “The congregation was ready for me to come.”
Barb said he wanted to return to his “denomination of birth” after serving as executive pastor at Willamette Christian Church in West Linn, Ore. Barb’s work there helped earn Willamette Christian Church the distinction being one of only 80 churches throughout the world to receive the 2004 Church Health Award from Purpose Driven.
Purpose Driven is a network of churches centered at Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif., under the direction of the Rev. Rick Warren, famous for his bestseller, “The Purpose Driven Life.” After selling over 25 million hardback copies, Warren’s book inspired the creation of the Purpose Driven church network.
Barb represented Willamette Christian Church at Saddleback for an awards ceremony in 2004, followed by training and an introduction to Warren’s “PEACE plan.” Barb attended an initial briefing with Warren, then learned more about the plan’s specifics.
The initial meetings at Saddleback were intended to “get the kinks out of [the PEACE plan],” Barb said. A large part of this process was evaluating the computer program that matches a church with a missionary project either in the United States or abroad.
The PEACE acronym stands for planting churches; equipping servant leaders; assisting the poor; caring for the sick; and educating the next generation.
This action is intended to combat the five “Global Goliaths” Warren identifies as plaguing today’s world: spiritual emptiness, egocentric leadership, extreme poverty, pandemic disease and illiteracy.
“If we take care of the needs of people, then people will be drawn to [Jesus]…his compassion, his caring about people,” Barb said. What the PEACE plan is doing is meeting those needs.”
Each Purpose Driven church incorporates this plan into its mission statement as it learns more about the evangelistic purposes of the network. Forty days of “purpose,” during which the congregation learns about the PEACE plan, are followed by 40 days of community involvement and service.
Purpose Driven asked Willamette Christian Church as well as 26 others to serve as pilot churches for this plan and to mentor those hoping to link up with the network.
While serving there, Barb oversaw a project to provide over 3,000 packages of hygienic products for the homeless. Recipients gained the practical materials necessary to help them get and keep a job, as well as spiritual encouragement.
At Stone Church, Barb was pleased to find a congregation equally eager to revitalize its programs and reach out to the community. Barb said he wants to focus on assisting the poor, especially senior citizens in the area, as well as revamping the church’s children’s ministry and programs. While attending to the healthcare and well-being of the elderly, Barb said he hopes Stone Church can also provide a safe place for children to get help with homework and enjoy fellowship while their parents work.
In addition to these new programs, Barb said his congregation hopes to add more young families to its number by adapting in other ways. He added that the church’s older members suggested many of the modern changes the congregation is currently considering. They realize that the church needs young members to grow and thrive.
“We just can’t do things in church the way we did in the 1950s and ‘60s,” Barb said.
Currently, Stone Church draws in around 100 people each Sunday, compared to its 300-member congregation 30 years ago. With contemporary additions such as a video projection system to display Bible verses, video clips and other visual aids, Barb said he thinks the church will begin to attract a younger crowd.
“It’s a great time for younger families to come into our church,” Barb said. “We’re going through a reset.”
Stone Church has also used a large portion of its resources to revamp the building itself to better accommodate members and attract visitors. Last year, an elevator was installed to make the church accessible to anyone who wishes to attend. It also just replaced the church’s steeple. These are examples of basic cosmetic changes that show how much this congregation cares, Barb said. He said he hopes to open up the warmth of Stone Church’s congregation to the entire community.
“I don’t think [Stone Church] can stay small long,” said Barb.
While Barb considers himself more “verse-by-verse preaching oriented” than Warren, he said he appreciates Warren’s “seeker-oriented” approach to Christianity. This energetic outlook helps Purpose Driven churches grow and cultivate active members, he said.
Barb cited Highlands Fellowship Church in Abingdon as a good example of the growth that this contemporary stance may encourage. A member of the Purpose Driven network, Highlands has a congregation equal to about half of Abingdon’s total population each Sunday.
However, Barb is not focusing on growth. He said growth is a byproduct of following Jesus’ example in preaching, fellowship and service. No matter how the scripture is delivered, Barb said, “the message … is exactly the same.”
Stone Church of the Brethren is located at 2162 Forest Ave., Buena Vista. Those interested can read more about Rick Warren and Purpose Driven at either www.thepeaceplan.com or www.purposedrivenlife.com.
