On Easter Sunday, Jason Thrower will enter the pulpit as the new pastor of historic Mount Zion Baptist Church just north of Macon, Ga. It is a good place to stand.

During the interim, the congregation asked me to preach for them whenever my schedule allowed. It was a wonderful experience, after many years of hit-and-run preaching, to build a close pastoral relationship with this 173-year-old congregation with a bright future.

At times the added responsibilities taxed my mind and schedule. But the congregation has taught me much that I will carry with me.

It is easy for an editor (and others whose primary ministries are apart from daily congregational involvement) to lose touch. Too often we stand at a distance proclaiming what churches and related organizations ought to be doing.

Spending a little more up-close and personal time with congregational ministers and lay leaders provides a much needed and helpful perspective. Just dropping in for brief times is not enough.

Baptist agencies with their fancy buildings and well-titled executives are not the height of denominational life as some want to believe. Structurally, Baptists have no higher reach than the autonomous local church.

Sadly, too many congregations do not embrace the full freedom granted by Baptist polity. They act as though they are franchises of a grand denominational enterprise.

Recently I overheard Dave Odom, president of the North Carolina-based Center for Congregational Health, tell some young Baptist leaders how this came about. Ministers of the previous generation, he said, learned in seminary how to go to a local church and implement a denominational-generated program.

Everything from literature to mission emphases to revival slogans was produced, packaged and then replicated across Baptistdom — at least the southern sector.

Today, church leaders — clergy and laity — face the task of asking the frightening, yet freeing, question: What does God want us to do here, now and with what ministry partners?

Being no expert on that subject, I can only share a few lessons learned from the good folks at Mount Zion during our time together.

First, I am reminded of the value of intergenerational worship and fellowship. Some members trace their roots well into the old church cemetery, while others have moved into the area within the last year. Yet everyone is treated like part of the family.

Specialized programs for children, youth and seniors are well planned, but do not ultimately segregate the congregation by age. It is fun to see unrelated children embracing older adults as if they were grandparents.

Second, church business is handled with Christian attitudes and grace. Frankly, I have avoided church conferences over the years due to unpleasant memories of those from my childhood through adulthood.

My faith was restored at Mount Zion where everyone has a say, but the overall good of the church takes precedent over individual preferences. They passed a budget without opposition and called a pastor with about 99 percent of the vote.

I checked the sign, again — it is a Baptist church.

A third lesson for me is the way the ministerial staff is treated with respect. Affirmation for work well done is frequent and appreciated. In an era of burnout and clergy shortages, churches need to pay close attention to how they care for the ministers that care for them.

As church members, we must make sure the expectations placed on our ministers are reasonable, and that we grant to them the kind of grace we want to experience ourselves.

Fourth, the church has eagerly sought to understand the dramatic shifts in Baptist life in recent years. Their heads are not in the sand, despite a long, rich history.

The church council set aside times to openly discuss these issues, and the congregation has implemented ways for members to fund the mission efforts they affirm.

So many church leaders are frustrated with the divisive and disrespectful fundamentalism that now dominates Southern Baptist life. Yet, as they fume over it, many congregations continue to fund the fundamentalist machine for no other reason than old habits and a fear of controversy.

Doing church in the 21st century is not easy. But then, maybe we need to concentrate more on simply “being” the church to those inside and outside the sacred walls. My good trip up Mount Zion has me thinking about that more than usual.