The Church sometimes uses a hub and spoke model of ministry. In it a central congregation serves as the hub of a wheel with spokes radiating outwards in all directions.

Zion Lutheran Church in Wausau began helping smaller congregations a few years back. Wausau is a big city for North-Central Wisconsin. Zion is also located a manageable driving distance to a handful of smaller congregations. A couple of years ago one congregation reached out to us for pastoral support and services. At the time Zion had three pastors and the smaller church was struggling to find pulpit supply. After much prayer, the meeting of the councils, congregational meetings, and a mutually agreed upon contract we started to share our pastoral services, support, and love with more brothers and sisters in Christ.

Zion serves as the larger (hub) church. The other church is a smaller (spoke) church located about 15 miles east. Each church retains its own autonomy (councils, calendars, actives, etc.). And each church shares in the pastoral leadership and support of 2 full-time pastors and 1 part-time, retired pastor. Between the two churches, every single worship service is led by an ordained pastor. Shut-ins are visited. Sunday schools run unabated. Word and Sacrament are freely shared.

This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained in order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you.

Titus 1:5

Larger, hub-like churches and rural, spoke-like churches may want to consider doing something like this too. If so, Zion has some practical advice for you.

For the hub church and pastoral staff:

1. Pastors are to be the harvesters out among the wheat fields! As a pastor of a hub church, yes, you are primarily called to (and paid by) this congregation. However, don’t let that limit the scope of how you can serve Christ’s Church more broadly. There are “other sheep” out there.
2. Church councils care for the well being of their own church, and also the well-being of their pastor. Thanks be to God! But remember, Christ’s Church is bigger than your own slice of the kingdom. We must care for the “least of these, my brothers” who are without adequate pastoral support. What will the Lord say to us if we neglect them at such a time as this?
3. You are a congregation with resources – thanks be to God! Those resources can be used in supporting smaller, rural congregations with leadership – pastoral, musical, educational, or otherwise.
4. This will make pastors a bit busier, but it is good to be busy for the sake of the Kingdom of God! Of course, one must weigh the demands of two (or more) congregations appropriately. Pastors can’t be everywhere and do everything. This means the hub church will be willing to receive a little less attention from their pastor(s) because they are sharing it with another church.
5. It will be important for the membership of the hub church to know what their pastor(s) are doing at the spoke church. They are invested too and need to be kept in the loop.

For the spoke church:

1. Help is not on the way. Pastoral shortages, baby-boomer retirements, and a myriad of other issues have brought us to where we are today. Grieve it and move on. This is one model (hub and spoke) which might be able to make things work given the current circumstances.
2. God loves your church, no matter what size. You exist to glorify God where you are at. God also loves bigger churches too. They can help you. Never be ashamed to ask for help from your brothers and sisters in Christ.
3. Having pastoral support is essential for keeping vitality in a church. Churches can flounder without a shepherd or waiting for one. If you are a rural church, you know how long it takes to get a pastor and chances are, depending on your denominational affiliation, you are low on the priority list. Be proactive – find a larger congregation in your vicinity that might be willing to share their pastor. You never know unless you ask!
4. If you do connect with a bigger church, know that the primary loyalty of the pastor will be to the congregation they are called to. Don’t expect this pastor to now devote 40 hours a week to your congregation. An agreed upon contract will make clear what you can and cannot expect from a pastor or a pastoral team.
5. Be willing to be flexible to make things work. If you want a pastor to preach and preside at the Supper, changing the time you worship, even if you’ve worshiped at that time for the past 50 years, might be necessary.
6. You have resources too! Partnering with a larger church does not now mean their pastor is cheap labor. Be as heavily invested in this partnership as possible. Be generous in how you compensate the larger church in their pastoral support of your congregation. You may not be able to compensate a full-time, benefits included pastor, but you just might enable the larger church to do that very thing. Everyone wins!
7. Remember what is central for the Church: Receiving Jesus Christ and the gifts He gives in Word and Sacrament. Your worship life will have a renewed sense of importance because of this partnership. Worship will be the main area of concentration for the pastor who is helping you out.

Remember, we are not entering uncharted territory. Nor are we entering into unprecedented times. The Church has weathered far worse challenges than what we face today. This doesn’t make light of the current struggles but puts it into perspective. It is God’s will that His Church grow and flourish. May this good and gracious will of God be done among us as we look at newer (or older!) models of making ministry happen.

“You will arise and have compassion on Zion; for it is time to be gracious to her, for the appointed time has come. Surely Your servants find pleasure in her stones and feel pity for her dust.” (Psalm 102:13-14)

Whenever you see the word “Zion,” think of those who walk in the way of the Lord. Focus upon your walk and do not worry so much about the others, who is and who isn’t walking with the Lord. The Lord has promised to work all things together for those who love the Lord, for Zion. God’s goodness and grace is given to those who are walking with Him, yet there will be troubles in this age for all.

Lord, I often become so conditional in my desire to have things go the way I think they should go. Help me, I pray, to see in You the hope of eternity. Often, in spite of the difficulty of this age, I forget that You are working all things together for good. Help me, I pray, to see in You the eternal hope of glory and know that in You is life and liberty and direction. You have already provided all that is needed.

Lord Jesus, You have come that Zion may have grace. Guide me through the grace You give that I may walk humbly with You through all things. Lead me to not be anxious, but instead to be bold in faith, humble in attitude and willing to do all that You give me to do. Lead me, O Lord, in the way I should go that I may now and always walk with You into eternity. Amen.

“There they were in great fear where no fear had been; for God scattered the bones of him who encamped against you; you put them to shame, because God had rejected them. Oh, that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion!  When God restores His captive people, let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad.” (Psalm 53:5-6)

Salvation does come from the One who is the salvation of God.  He Himself has come that all who hope in the promise of the Lord would know His love and mercy.  Come then, you who wonder, come all who ponder and know the goodness of the Lord.  In the midst of adversity He comes offering mercy and grace to those who turn to Him.  Fear is displaced by the assurance He gives to those who come to Him.

Lord, You say the wisdom begins with fear.  Yet it does not remain there.  This is the beginning place.  Lead me O Lord by Your wisdom to come to the place where I see that You are the One who has been calling me to You from the beginning.  Lead me into seeing the light shining in the darkness.  You have restore us, even though we are not yet restored.  You have saved us even though it is not yet.

Lord Jesus, You have come to give sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf and to release the captives from their bondage.  Guide me in the wisdom You offer that I would come into the eternal presence of the Father and know the goodness that has always been present.  Help me through all the difficulties that arise, that I may live in the grace You have given me from the cross.  Amen.

“By Your favor do good to Zion; build the walls of Jerusalem.  Then You will delight in righteous sacrifices, in burnt offering and whole burnt offering; then young bulls will be offered on Your altar.”  (Psalm 51:18-19)

Zion, the place for the redeemed, the place of hope and eternity, the new Jerusalem.  Zion is for those who come through salvation to live in the relationship eternally given by God through the means of salvation He has made possible through Christ.  Come then into the rest, even amidst the struggles of this age.  Come and make your sacrifices to the Lord who sees and knows the hearts of all.

Lord, You have offered the way of hope for those who turn to You.  Guide me in this path that I would walk where You have shown the way and live according to Your purposes.  Help me overcome all the difficulties of this world by trusting in You.  Help me keep my heart on the path of Your leading that I would walk in the ways You have established from the beginning.

Lord Jesus, King of Zion, by Your grace, You open the way for all those who come by faith.  You make the first and final sacrifice by Your own blood to free us to come as we are through You into citizenship in Zion.  Lead me by the grace You offer to live my life toward You, with You and in You that I may being the eternal life now that shall be lived forever.  Amen.

“The Mighty One, God, the Lord, has spoken, and summoned the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting.  Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God has shone forth.”  (Psalm 50:1-2)

Look around and what do you see?  All around you is splendor and beauty.  Is this an accident?  Is this mere chance?  The fool says it is.  There is the hand of the Lord in all that you see.  Look plainly and see the magnificence of the Lord’s handiwork.  Be guided by the Holy Spirt and understand more fully the author of all that exists.  Know the Lord and come to know His handiwork.

Lord, the skeptics are all around.  They deride and jeer, mock and make much ado about nothing.  Help me move beyond this foolishness to come into Your presence and walk humbly with You, the One who made all things.  Lead me O Lord that I may follow You wherever You would take me.  Help me see in You the hope of glory and the way of living life now and forever.

Lord Jesus, God who took on flesh, You have come to lead the way of glory for all those who would follow where You lead.  Guide me O Lord today to walk humbly in Your ways.  Teach me O Lord to follow You wherever You would lead me.  May I be faithful to the calling You have given me knowing that only in You is there hope and glory now and for all time and eternity.  Amen.