It is not unusual for churches that have been around for generations to become more committed to tradition than to biblical objective. Survival, inward focus and tribalism often serve to limit growth. Such is the reality of the 109-year-old First Presbyterian Church of Turlock, CA. Recognizing this trend, a little more than a decade ago, FPC adopted a new statement of mission: “To know Christ and to make Him known.” Nine years of effort to change the church culture from tribal to missional has proven how well anchored the exclusive culture is. Wisdom suggests that moving the greater church outward could best be accomplished by changing one small group at a time. This project seeks to demonstrate that a sluggish and nonresponsive deacon ministry can be energized and reactivated to vital service by combining preaching and the organizational change agent called “appreciative inquiry.”
