I was just realizing that our church is almost half the size of what it was roughly one year ago.  From a weekly average of perhaps 225 (you could just as easily pick any number between 200 and 250), meeting in two separate worship gatherings, packing out a cozy attic space with enthusiastic worshippers... down to a weekly average of about 125, consolidated in one worship gathering, meeting in a drab multi-purpose room (in a basement, ironically).  It's safe to say that a lot has changed over the course of the last year.

And yet, I can't really think of a time when I've been more excited about  the health, well-being, vision, and direction of Zolder50.

Yesterday evening, we hosted a dinner party for the home group leaders in our church, with 20-25 people in attendance (and that's even with a few of the home group leaders not being able to make it!):  all young men and women -- the majority of whom are now Europeans -- who are taking ownership and leadership of the ministry in Amsterdam.  And believe it or not, for the most part they seem happy and healthy (not over-burdened), enthusiastic about where we are as a church and where we're going.  From a low point of just three home groups a couple of years ago, we're up to seven home groups -- with two of the groups looking to further multiply (for a total of nine home groups) in the not-too-distant future.  We're even talking about sending out our first church plant(s) before long!

Of course, the pattern for our Sunday worship gatherings can be a bit concerning.  However, when you consider that we had to change facilities seven months ago -- and as a result of the altered facilities, we had to cut back from two meeting times to just one (which also happened to be the afternoon one, which was always less populated than our evening service)... the drop-off is understandable.  And fortunately we still have new people visiting every week.  We still have non-believers being pleasantly surprised by a real community of people worshipping in spirit and in truth.  In fact, I believe a significant number of the people who have dropped away in the last year or so were actually those who came to Zolder50 as their second (or third) church service each week -- where they could passively soak in another teaching, bop along to some "cool" worship music, and enjoy the gezelligheid of so many young people who are so genuine and friendly and fun.  Thus, even though we could probably stand to restructure our Sunday worship gatherings a bit and make some adjustments to firm up some of the weaker areas of our ministry (particularly Sunday worship gatherings) -- which, encouragingly, we're already working on -- I'm not too concerned about the attendance figures for our Sunday worship gatherings, in light of all the circumstances.

More than anything, I'm just encouraged (on a personal level, as well as a ministry level) by groups like our home group leaders.  It's just fun to be around these people.  They feel like family, in a lot of ways.  Whether we're having serious discussions about the future of the church, or making pizzas together, or playing "Huuh!" together, or talking about the personal stuff in our lives -- I respect these people.  I respect their hearts for God, their hearts for people, their hearts for the city.  I appreciate their enthusiasm and creativity and wit and wisdom.  I love them.

I feel the same way about the growth and development of groups like our Servant Leadership Council and the Soul Gathering of our church.  I feel encouraged and uplifted.  And I'm grateful to God for his work in growing our church -- even if it means growing in a different manner from that which we typically envision.