One of the most interesting phone calls I received as a regional resource minister came from a lady who was upset over the way their pastor dressed for worship services. This was one of the churches in my area so I knew the church and the pastor. The pastor was very solid as was the church.
I asked the caller what was wrong with the way he dressed. He didn't wear a suit and tie when he preached. (I already knew that.) She went on to say that when the deacons came forward to serve communion it looked more like they were going to play golf than they were to serve communion. She just felt it was terrible how things had gone downhill in their church. I then asked what others in the church thought about how the pastor was dressed. She said she really hadn't heard anyone complain about it. I asked if anyone had complained about how the deacons dressed when they served communion. She hadn't heard any complaints about that either. She just wanted me to come and tell him that he needed to dress differently for worship services.
I explained that I couldn't do that, and wouldn't even if I could. I then explained that since she was the only one who seemed offended by it I didn't see it as much of a church problem. I asked if this prevented her from being able to worship God. She claimed it did. I then told her that probably the best thing she could do was to find another church where the pastor's dress wouldn't be a distraction to her ability to worship. She was not expecting that!
She had been a member of that church for years. Everything had been fine until he came. She had just called me so she thought I could straighten him out. Did I really think she needed to leave? If his lack of wearing a suit and tie keeps you from worshiping God then you probably need to find another church where you will be more comfortable. I'm not sure what she decided to do, but she didn't call me again.
How often we get bogged down in lesser issues! Whether it's how the pastor dresses or church music styles or which version of the Bible can be used from the pulpit or dozens of other lesser issues, these are the things that keep us from doing ministry that can make a difference. When we lose our vision for ministry is when we begin to focus on these types of problems. You can tell a lot about a church's maturity and vision for ministry when you learn what they are arguing about. Are their disagreements about the best way to minister to a new group of individuals or are they arguing about the color of carpet in their children's space? Are they struggling to decide the best way to start a new small group study or are they disagreeing over whether to allow coffee in Sunday school classrooms?
With the types of challenges I believe the church will soon face in the future, it's time to put these petty issues to rest. With a lost and dying world to reach, we don't have time for such foolishness. It's time to take control of the church away from the controllers and get down to doing the work God has called us to do.
Wednesday, May 27, 2020
Tuesday, May 26, 2020
Leadership pressures to reopen the church
President Trump announced last week that churches were to be considered essential and allowed to open. It should be noted that he did not order churches to open but said they should be allowed to open. If it is considered safe for tattoo parlors, bars, restaurants, retail stores, etc. to open then churches should be allowed to open under the same guidelines. I agree with his comment completely. However, that does not mean that your church needs to open next Sunday.
Every church is different. The people are different. Some churches are ready to open under the proper guidelines while others are not. Some have the ability to open safely, and some will struggle to do so in the current climate. Although everybody might want to get back to worshiping together, it must be done properly or more problems will occur. At least one church I've read about opened before they were ready to do so, and several people in the congregation became, including the pastor's wife who passed away. We must use wisdom and do this the right way.
Pastors are often caught in the middle of this discussion. They have people from both sides pushing them to either reopen or not reopen. I'm sure most of them are anxious to reopen themselves, but they have to make sure they protect their flock as well. Many pastors are working with their leadership boards to ensure that they will be able to reopen safely, and won't make the call to hold live services until then. Support their decision. They are looking out for your welfare. They want to keep you safe.
Some pastors won't tell you this, but since I'm retired, I will. Yours is not the only voice your pastor listens to. He or she has more to consider than your opinion or your wishes. He or she is responsible to God for the welfare of the entire congregation which carries more weight than the wishes of individuals. If you've been pressuring your pastor to resume live services before he or she feels it is safe to do so, stop it. Trust your pastor's leadership. I probably might as well go ahead and say this as well, if you can't trust your pastor's leadership that might be an indication you would be happier in another church.
That's harsh, but I served too many years as a resource minister and watched too many pastors pulled one way and another by conflicting groups in churches. This illness is serious. People have died and are dying. If the pastor and lay leaders do not feel it's safe to reopen, then trust them. Be patient. We'e waited over 2,000 years for Jesus to come back; I think we can wait a few more weeks before we return to having church services if we need to.
This pandemic has been difficult on each of us in different ways. Pastors have experienced additional stress trying to provide pastoral support when they've been unable to visit hospitals or be with families who have lost loved ones. Many have scrambled trying to learn new technologies or find those with the skills to air worship services online and on social media. I just want to encourage you to not add to your pastor's stress by trying to convince him or her to do something the church may not be ready to do.
This is a great time to pray for your pastor, for your church leadership teams, and for the church. I think we will have some challenging times ahead of us as we come through this, and prayer and your support are going to be critical.
Every church is different. The people are different. Some churches are ready to open under the proper guidelines while others are not. Some have the ability to open safely, and some will struggle to do so in the current climate. Although everybody might want to get back to worshiping together, it must be done properly or more problems will occur. At least one church I've read about opened before they were ready to do so, and several people in the congregation became, including the pastor's wife who passed away. We must use wisdom and do this the right way.
Pastors are often caught in the middle of this discussion. They have people from both sides pushing them to either reopen or not reopen. I'm sure most of them are anxious to reopen themselves, but they have to make sure they protect their flock as well. Many pastors are working with their leadership boards to ensure that they will be able to reopen safely, and won't make the call to hold live services until then. Support their decision. They are looking out for your welfare. They want to keep you safe.
Some pastors won't tell you this, but since I'm retired, I will. Yours is not the only voice your pastor listens to. He or she has more to consider than your opinion or your wishes. He or she is responsible to God for the welfare of the entire congregation which carries more weight than the wishes of individuals. If you've been pressuring your pastor to resume live services before he or she feels it is safe to do so, stop it. Trust your pastor's leadership. I probably might as well go ahead and say this as well, if you can't trust your pastor's leadership that might be an indication you would be happier in another church.
That's harsh, but I served too many years as a resource minister and watched too many pastors pulled one way and another by conflicting groups in churches. This illness is serious. People have died and are dying. If the pastor and lay leaders do not feel it's safe to reopen, then trust them. Be patient. We'e waited over 2,000 years for Jesus to come back; I think we can wait a few more weeks before we return to having church services if we need to.
This pandemic has been difficult on each of us in different ways. Pastors have experienced additional stress trying to provide pastoral support when they've been unable to visit hospitals or be with families who have lost loved ones. Many have scrambled trying to learn new technologies or find those with the skills to air worship services online and on social media. I just want to encourage you to not add to your pastor's stress by trying to convince him or her to do something the church may not be ready to do.
This is a great time to pray for your pastor, for your church leadership teams, and for the church. I think we will have some challenging times ahead of us as we come through this, and prayer and your support are going to be critical.
Friday, May 22, 2020
When God calls
I'm currently reading a very interesting book that compares Calvinism and Arminianism. The book is Arminian Theology: Myths and Realities by Roger Olson, a professor of theology at George W. Truett Seminary. He is one of today's leading Armenian theologians and wrote the book to help people better understand the differences between these two theological systems. It is slow reading but quite informative. Last night I read the following passage.
"From the Armenian perspective grace restores free will so that humans, for the first time, have the ability to do otherwise - namely, respond in faith to the grace of God or resist it in unrepentance and disbelief. At the point of God's call, sinners under the influence of prevenient grace have genuine free will as a gift of God; for the first time they can freely say yes or no to God."
This wasn't anything I didn't already know, but it took me back to the time I was saved. For years I had been enjoying life. I believed there was a God, but in many ways I lived as if He didn't exist. A couple of things happened that brought me to take a closer look at my life and my relationship to God.
I was working in a factory, often seven days a week. Our eight-year-old daughter attended Vacation Bible School that summer due to the generosity of a neighbor who took her. On Friday I came home from work, and at the dinner table she told me that day at VBS she had asked Jesus Christ into her life. The pastor told her that if she was serious she needed to come to church Sunday and make a public profession of her faith. I was scheduled to work that Sunday, but when my wife asked what I was going to do I said I guessed I would go to church. When the invitation was given, she never hesitated but walked to the front of the church.
At the same time, I found myself in trouble for some decisions I had made. I was facing possible legal problems if I didn't make amends, and time was running out. I admit I was scared. Some people I worked with were committed Christians, and I asked them if they had any material on faith. I kept thinking if I had enough faith I could get this problem resolved. I read everything they brought me!
One day I found myself alone in our mobile home. The pressure was getting to me. I know now that pressure was God calling me to Him. I got on my knees in front of my chair and prayed asking God to come into my life. Of course, He did.
That wasn't the first time God had ever reached out to me, but that was the first time I was ready to receive His grace. I've wished a thousand times I had done so earlier in life, but it took those two events to help prepare me to accept God's amazing grace. That happened back in the late 1970s, but reading a passage in a book in 2020 made it all seem like it was just yesterday.
I've often preached that we need to be ready to reach out to people when the windows of opportunity are open. My window that summer was wide open. Those windows are open the widest when someone is going through a difficult time as I was. Two events: my daughter's salvation and my own pain prepared me to hear God's call on my life.
I encourage you to look for hurting people and tell them about the grace of God. Maybe you will help them experience the same thing I did in my living room.
"From the Armenian perspective grace restores free will so that humans, for the first time, have the ability to do otherwise - namely, respond in faith to the grace of God or resist it in unrepentance and disbelief. At the point of God's call, sinners under the influence of prevenient grace have genuine free will as a gift of God; for the first time they can freely say yes or no to God."
This wasn't anything I didn't already know, but it took me back to the time I was saved. For years I had been enjoying life. I believed there was a God, but in many ways I lived as if He didn't exist. A couple of things happened that brought me to take a closer look at my life and my relationship to God.
I was working in a factory, often seven days a week. Our eight-year-old daughter attended Vacation Bible School that summer due to the generosity of a neighbor who took her. On Friday I came home from work, and at the dinner table she told me that day at VBS she had asked Jesus Christ into her life. The pastor told her that if she was serious she needed to come to church Sunday and make a public profession of her faith. I was scheduled to work that Sunday, but when my wife asked what I was going to do I said I guessed I would go to church. When the invitation was given, she never hesitated but walked to the front of the church.
At the same time, I found myself in trouble for some decisions I had made. I was facing possible legal problems if I didn't make amends, and time was running out. I admit I was scared. Some people I worked with were committed Christians, and I asked them if they had any material on faith. I kept thinking if I had enough faith I could get this problem resolved. I read everything they brought me!
One day I found myself alone in our mobile home. The pressure was getting to me. I know now that pressure was God calling me to Him. I got on my knees in front of my chair and prayed asking God to come into my life. Of course, He did.
That wasn't the first time God had ever reached out to me, but that was the first time I was ready to receive His grace. I've wished a thousand times I had done so earlier in life, but it took those two events to help prepare me to accept God's amazing grace. That happened back in the late 1970s, but reading a passage in a book in 2020 made it all seem like it was just yesterday.
I've often preached that we need to be ready to reach out to people when the windows of opportunity are open. My window that summer was wide open. Those windows are open the widest when someone is going through a difficult time as I was. Two events: my daughter's salvation and my own pain prepared me to hear God's call on my life.
I encourage you to look for hurting people and tell them about the grace of God. Maybe you will help them experience the same thing I did in my living room.
Thursday, May 21, 2020
Is your church ready for the future?
Churches and denominations have spent a lot of time in recent weeks talking about what the future holds for the church when this pandemic is over. It's probably a good discussion to have, but it misses an important point that many are overlooking. With or without the challenges brought about by the pandemic, the church is moving into difficult waters as it is going to be confronted with a growing number of challenges in the coming years. These have nothing to do with church structures or systems, They have everything to do with the culture in which we will minister.
I just finished writing a new book this week with the working title of Is Your Church Ready for Ministry in the Coming Decade? I am now in the process of contacting publishers and literary agents to see if anyone is interested in the book.
The book looks at some of the issues that I believe the church will have to confront in the next decade if it wishes to be relevant to our culture. Many of these are not new issues, but they are issues the church has either refused to address in the past or failed to adequately address. Many of them are quite disruptive, even now, and will become more so in the near future.
Some of the issues I mention are the growing divide between races in this country, the church's response to the mental health crisis affecting the nation, poverty issues, widespread addiction, the breakdown of the traditional family, the growing acts of violence sweeping the nation, sexual and gender issues, the level of distrust of authority in both government and the church, including that directed towards God and the Scriptures, and the increasing attacks on religious freedom that we are experiencing.
For too long the church has sat around wringing its hands complaining about these things but doing little about them. For instance, a study of 500 churches 98.4 percent of the pastors said they knew of people in their congregation dealing with some form of mental illness or disorder. Yet, only 12.5 percent of these pastors reported their churches ever discussed mental health issues openly.
A similar discrepancy exists when it comes to race issues. In another study only four percent of white Protestants identified racism as an issue while one-third of African-American Protestants said it was an issue. Of that number, twenty-five percent said it was the most important issue Christians needed to address. It's hard to fix a problem if people are not aware there is a problem.
Many of the challenges mentioned in the book are not new. In fact, the first-century church faced many of these same issues as has the church throughout history. But, these problems are getting worse, and as our population continues to increase I believe they will become even greater problems in the future. My other concern is that much of the church isn't ready to face them. In fact, we've often tried to avoid them or we've addressed them using the wrong tactics.
I try to offer solutions that will honor both biblical truth and grace. Sometimes, the solution can be a little messy and make some folks in the church uncomfortable, but I believe they offer the best opportunity to help people find real answers to their situations.
Please pray with me that this book will find a publisher. I believe it contains a much needed message for the church as it prepares to minister in the coming years.
I just finished writing a new book this week with the working title of Is Your Church Ready for Ministry in the Coming Decade? I am now in the process of contacting publishers and literary agents to see if anyone is interested in the book.
The book looks at some of the issues that I believe the church will have to confront in the next decade if it wishes to be relevant to our culture. Many of these are not new issues, but they are issues the church has either refused to address in the past or failed to adequately address. Many of them are quite disruptive, even now, and will become more so in the near future.
Some of the issues I mention are the growing divide between races in this country, the church's response to the mental health crisis affecting the nation, poverty issues, widespread addiction, the breakdown of the traditional family, the growing acts of violence sweeping the nation, sexual and gender issues, the level of distrust of authority in both government and the church, including that directed towards God and the Scriptures, and the increasing attacks on religious freedom that we are experiencing.
For too long the church has sat around wringing its hands complaining about these things but doing little about them. For instance, a study of 500 churches 98.4 percent of the pastors said they knew of people in their congregation dealing with some form of mental illness or disorder. Yet, only 12.5 percent of these pastors reported their churches ever discussed mental health issues openly.
A similar discrepancy exists when it comes to race issues. In another study only four percent of white Protestants identified racism as an issue while one-third of African-American Protestants said it was an issue. Of that number, twenty-five percent said it was the most important issue Christians needed to address. It's hard to fix a problem if people are not aware there is a problem.
Many of the challenges mentioned in the book are not new. In fact, the first-century church faced many of these same issues as has the church throughout history. But, these problems are getting worse, and as our population continues to increase I believe they will become even greater problems in the future. My other concern is that much of the church isn't ready to face them. In fact, we've often tried to avoid them or we've addressed them using the wrong tactics.
I try to offer solutions that will honor both biblical truth and grace. Sometimes, the solution can be a little messy and make some folks in the church uncomfortable, but I believe they offer the best opportunity to help people find real answers to their situations.
Please pray with me that this book will find a publisher. I believe it contains a much needed message for the church as it prepares to minister in the coming years.
Tuesday, May 19, 2020
What the church is doing right
During this pandemic my wife and I have spent a lot of time at home "sheltering in place." This has given me time to work on a new book that will look at some of the issues the church will face in the coming years. Some of these are long-time issues, but I believe they are getting worse, and the church can no longer avoid addressing them.
Some of these issues are the growing racial divide in our nation, the problem of mental illness, increasing levels of poverty, the drug addiction problem, violence, the breakdown of families, suicide, sexual and gender issues, the growing distrust of authority and the decreasing influence of the church in America. These are serious issues with no easy answers, but the fact that there are no easy answers doesn't mean the church should not be involved in addressing them. Scripture has much to say on each of these issues, and the church must look there to find the answers and apply them. We are called to be salt and light to our generation, and it's time we apply salt to the problems that are so damaging to so many people.
I have to admit that this has not been a pleasant book to research and write. Some of my study has been quite challenging and disturbing. I've been reminded in my own ministry when I've overlooked or missed what was really going on in someone's life. There have been times when I could have responded differently that might have made a better impact on a person's life. It has also not been pleasant to hear the pain people have experienced from the injustices they've known.
At the same time I have struggled to write this book, I have been encouraged by things the church is doing right. In the face of this pandemic I've watched churches of all sizes scramble to continue to provide worship opportunities for their congregations and people in the community. I heard just last week of one larger church that reported the number of people who have been watching its services online is far greater than their normal attendance. I've read reports of churches effectively ministering to their elderly and shut-ins by ensuring they had food delivered and their other needs were being met. Some churches are doing VBS this summer remotely, and some camps are providing a camping experience the same way. Youth and children's ministries are meeting online, and packages are being delivered to children's homes so they can be ministered to during this time.
Churches in one community joined together for a drive-through prayer meeting circling a local hospital to pray for the workers and patients. I'm sure that happened in many communities. Judicatories have provided weekly ZOOM meetings for their pastors who wanted to stay current on what was going on and to learn from one another how to best minister during this unusual time.
Yes, the church is facing difficult challenges, but we also showing that we know how to rise up to face those challenges. Jesus is right when He said the gates of hell would not prevail against His church. Keep on keeping on, pastor. We are not perfect, but the church is doing a lot of things right, and God is using us to make a difference in our world.
Some of these issues are the growing racial divide in our nation, the problem of mental illness, increasing levels of poverty, the drug addiction problem, violence, the breakdown of families, suicide, sexual and gender issues, the growing distrust of authority and the decreasing influence of the church in America. These are serious issues with no easy answers, but the fact that there are no easy answers doesn't mean the church should not be involved in addressing them. Scripture has much to say on each of these issues, and the church must look there to find the answers and apply them. We are called to be salt and light to our generation, and it's time we apply salt to the problems that are so damaging to so many people.
I have to admit that this has not been a pleasant book to research and write. Some of my study has been quite challenging and disturbing. I've been reminded in my own ministry when I've overlooked or missed what was really going on in someone's life. There have been times when I could have responded differently that might have made a better impact on a person's life. It has also not been pleasant to hear the pain people have experienced from the injustices they've known.
At the same time I have struggled to write this book, I have been encouraged by things the church is doing right. In the face of this pandemic I've watched churches of all sizes scramble to continue to provide worship opportunities for their congregations and people in the community. I heard just last week of one larger church that reported the number of people who have been watching its services online is far greater than their normal attendance. I've read reports of churches effectively ministering to their elderly and shut-ins by ensuring they had food delivered and their other needs were being met. Some churches are doing VBS this summer remotely, and some camps are providing a camping experience the same way. Youth and children's ministries are meeting online, and packages are being delivered to children's homes so they can be ministered to during this time.
Churches in one community joined together for a drive-through prayer meeting circling a local hospital to pray for the workers and patients. I'm sure that happened in many communities. Judicatories have provided weekly ZOOM meetings for their pastors who wanted to stay current on what was going on and to learn from one another how to best minister during this unusual time.
Yes, the church is facing difficult challenges, but we also showing that we know how to rise up to face those challenges. Jesus is right when He said the gates of hell would not prevail against His church. Keep on keeping on, pastor. We are not perfect, but the church is doing a lot of things right, and God is using us to make a difference in our world.
Monday, May 18, 2020
The 21st century church in the public square
Few books have impacted me more than Os Guinness' book The Global Public Square: Religious Freedom and the Making of a World Safe for Diversity Despite the first amendment to the Constitution guaranteeing religious liberty, we are seeing an unprecedented assault on that liberty. As more and more special interests have rights given to them through laws and court decisions, it is the rights of Christians that are often cast aside. As Guinness writes, "Whenever there is a clash of rights today, it is routinely said that freedom of religion and belief should be the right that must give way, and that no conscience exemptions are to be granted."
Elsewhere in the book he writes, "In what is becoming an open affront to all human rights, civil liberty is increasingly preferred to freedom of religion and belief, and when the two clash, freedom of religion and belief has even been dismissed as an obstruction - as if it were not a right at all."
We see this played out in many places in our society today. Universities are removing Christian organizations, such as InterVarsity, from their campuses because their bylaws require that their officers are Christians. The Colorado Civil Rights Commission ordered a Christian baker to provide a cake for a same-sex wedding which he claimed violated his Christian beliefs. After years in court, the Supreme Court finally ruled in his favor, but he is now being sued for a third time for a similar reason. A Marine was court-martialed for removing a Bible verse in her work area. She was reduced in rank and given a bad conduct discharge which prevents her from receiving any veteran's benefits. Her supervisor said he didn't like the tone of the verse which is why he ordered it removed. Communities are banning home Bible studies, in some cases threatening fines of $500 per day if people violate the ban. An Atlanta fire chief was fired for self-publishing a book he wrote for his church's men's Bible study group. The mayor found it offensive. It is interesting that a city councilman supported the decision to fire the chief stating that it sent a strong message to employees about how much we value diversity. They certainly did not value diversity in the fire chief's beliefs.
Seemingly, every day we read stories similar to these, and we can expect that this will not improve. As we continue to grant rights to more and more groups it is inevitable at some point these rights will conflict with the ones granted to others. As Guinness points out, those rights historically and Constitutionally recognized are the ones that will be ignored when that happens.
We have made a shift in this country from religious freedom to religious tolerance. The problem with religious tolerance is that it can become religious intolerance with the stroke of a pen. That's why our Founding Fathers were careful to note that our rights as Americans were not granted by the state but were given to us by our Creator.
What can we do? The first thing is to pray. We need to pray for a revival to once again sweep through this nation. God said He would heal the land when His people humbled themselves, confessed their sins and sought Him in prayer. Our nation needs the church today to pray that God might pour out His blessing on us.
Secondly, we need to support those persons who will work to ensure that the Constitution and the Bill of Rights are not cast aside. For many years, Christians avoided the political arena, and that has proven to be costly. Christians must be engaged in the political process electing those men and women who most share our values and beliefs. More Christians need to run for office to uphold the values that are taught in the Scriptures.
Thirdly, we need to educate people about the need for a more civil public square. That education must begin in the church because we are not exempt from incivility ourselves. Christians can say some harmful, hurtful things to other people that does not reflect well on the God we serve. We need to help people understand that when we treat all people with respect and dignity we all gain. Yes, we have different beliefs about issues, and we can discuss those, but we can do so while honoring and respecting those with whom we differ.
The first amendment in the Bill of Rights guarantees freedom of religion. It is the first amendment because our Founding Fathers recognized it as the foundation for all the other rights that would follow. They understood if that right was violated, all the other rights were in jeopardy as well. It is worth protecting for the good of all people.
Elsewhere in the book he writes, "In what is becoming an open affront to all human rights, civil liberty is increasingly preferred to freedom of religion and belief, and when the two clash, freedom of religion and belief has even been dismissed as an obstruction - as if it were not a right at all."
We see this played out in many places in our society today. Universities are removing Christian organizations, such as InterVarsity, from their campuses because their bylaws require that their officers are Christians. The Colorado Civil Rights Commission ordered a Christian baker to provide a cake for a same-sex wedding which he claimed violated his Christian beliefs. After years in court, the Supreme Court finally ruled in his favor, but he is now being sued for a third time for a similar reason. A Marine was court-martialed for removing a Bible verse in her work area. She was reduced in rank and given a bad conduct discharge which prevents her from receiving any veteran's benefits. Her supervisor said he didn't like the tone of the verse which is why he ordered it removed. Communities are banning home Bible studies, in some cases threatening fines of $500 per day if people violate the ban. An Atlanta fire chief was fired for self-publishing a book he wrote for his church's men's Bible study group. The mayor found it offensive. It is interesting that a city councilman supported the decision to fire the chief stating that it sent a strong message to employees about how much we value diversity. They certainly did not value diversity in the fire chief's beliefs.
Seemingly, every day we read stories similar to these, and we can expect that this will not improve. As we continue to grant rights to more and more groups it is inevitable at some point these rights will conflict with the ones granted to others. As Guinness points out, those rights historically and Constitutionally recognized are the ones that will be ignored when that happens.
We have made a shift in this country from religious freedom to religious tolerance. The problem with religious tolerance is that it can become religious intolerance with the stroke of a pen. That's why our Founding Fathers were careful to note that our rights as Americans were not granted by the state but were given to us by our Creator.
What can we do? The first thing is to pray. We need to pray for a revival to once again sweep through this nation. God said He would heal the land when His people humbled themselves, confessed their sins and sought Him in prayer. Our nation needs the church today to pray that God might pour out His blessing on us.
Secondly, we need to support those persons who will work to ensure that the Constitution and the Bill of Rights are not cast aside. For many years, Christians avoided the political arena, and that has proven to be costly. Christians must be engaged in the political process electing those men and women who most share our values and beliefs. More Christians need to run for office to uphold the values that are taught in the Scriptures.
Thirdly, we need to educate people about the need for a more civil public square. That education must begin in the church because we are not exempt from incivility ourselves. Christians can say some harmful, hurtful things to other people that does not reflect well on the God we serve. We need to help people understand that when we treat all people with respect and dignity we all gain. Yes, we have different beliefs about issues, and we can discuss those, but we can do so while honoring and respecting those with whom we differ.
The first amendment in the Bill of Rights guarantees freedom of religion. It is the first amendment because our Founding Fathers recognized it as the foundation for all the other rights that would follow. They understood if that right was violated, all the other rights were in jeopardy as well. It is worth protecting for the good of all people.
Thursday, May 14, 2020
Pastoring in a smaller church
Some people seem to think that a smaller church is just a miniature version of a larger church. Nothing could be further from the truth. Small churches are unique in many ways and require a different set of skills and gifts to pastor. This is one reason pastors often struggle to serve in a smaller church. Seminaries train everyone alike with the assumption that every church is the same with identical needs. This is one reason I've often argued that the traditional MDiv may not be the best degree for a bivocational pastor or one who serves in a smaller church. Many seminaries today offer MA degrees in ministry that might better equip the minister who will serve the smaller church.
What are the skills you need to effectively serve in a smaller church? The most important one is people skills. Smaller churches are often referred to as family churches with good reason. They function more like a family than an organization. Relationships mean everything in the small church. People don't join a small church; they have to adopted into the family. The same is true of the pastor. A person called to pastor a small church may serve in the position, but he or she is not going to be most effective until the church adopts him or her as one of their own. If a person lacks people skills that individual will never effectively minister in a smaller church.
Patience is another necessary virtue in the small church pastor. It seems that everything takes longer to accomplish than it should. People sometimes complain that small churches dislike change, and in some cases it's true. But in other cases it's not that they dislike change, but they are wary and need confidence that the change is warranted. Small churches remind me of the scene in the Lord of the Rings when the trees (the Ents) are meeting to decide what to do about the war the Hobbits claim is coming. The Hobbits are wanting immediate action, and the Ents plod along slowly with their discussion and finally make a decision that has nothing to do with the approaching war. (I've sat in church meetings like that!) Small churches will make changes, but they will not quickly happen.
Small church pastors need to be able to preach theologically sound messages. Many small church pastors lack a theological education which can be a challenge to effectively minister. This may seem to conflict with what I wrote in the first paragraph, but it doesn't. I am not opposed to education. I just encourage people to pursue an education that best fits with their ministry plans. As a judicatory minister I sat in many worship services in both small and large churches and heard sermons that were very weak theologically. These messages came from pastors who ranged from no theological education to a few with terminal degrees, although most of them came from ones who lacked education.
The people in smaller churches love God. They do not want a watered-down gospel. They want to hear sermons that are theologically sound, sermons that are applicable to their lives and will make a difference in their lives. In a recent post I mentioned a young pastor who preached over the heads of his congregation. That helps no one, but the folks in smaller churches can be challenged to go deeper in their understanding of Scripture than many of them have been challenged in the past. They need a pastor who can consistently deliver such sermons.
Certainly, pastors of smaller churches need more skills than the ones mentioned, but these seem to me to be perhaps the most important. If you can manage these skills you should do well serving in a smaller church.
What are the skills you need to effectively serve in a smaller church? The most important one is people skills. Smaller churches are often referred to as family churches with good reason. They function more like a family than an organization. Relationships mean everything in the small church. People don't join a small church; they have to adopted into the family. The same is true of the pastor. A person called to pastor a small church may serve in the position, but he or she is not going to be most effective until the church adopts him or her as one of their own. If a person lacks people skills that individual will never effectively minister in a smaller church.
Patience is another necessary virtue in the small church pastor. It seems that everything takes longer to accomplish than it should. People sometimes complain that small churches dislike change, and in some cases it's true. But in other cases it's not that they dislike change, but they are wary and need confidence that the change is warranted. Small churches remind me of the scene in the Lord of the Rings when the trees (the Ents) are meeting to decide what to do about the war the Hobbits claim is coming. The Hobbits are wanting immediate action, and the Ents plod along slowly with their discussion and finally make a decision that has nothing to do with the approaching war. (I've sat in church meetings like that!) Small churches will make changes, but they will not quickly happen.
Small church pastors need to be able to preach theologically sound messages. Many small church pastors lack a theological education which can be a challenge to effectively minister. This may seem to conflict with what I wrote in the first paragraph, but it doesn't. I am not opposed to education. I just encourage people to pursue an education that best fits with their ministry plans. As a judicatory minister I sat in many worship services in both small and large churches and heard sermons that were very weak theologically. These messages came from pastors who ranged from no theological education to a few with terminal degrees, although most of them came from ones who lacked education.
The people in smaller churches love God. They do not want a watered-down gospel. They want to hear sermons that are theologically sound, sermons that are applicable to their lives and will make a difference in their lives. In a recent post I mentioned a young pastor who preached over the heads of his congregation. That helps no one, but the folks in smaller churches can be challenged to go deeper in their understanding of Scripture than many of them have been challenged in the past. They need a pastor who can consistently deliver such sermons.
Certainly, pastors of smaller churches need more skills than the ones mentioned, but these seem to me to be perhaps the most important. If you can manage these skills you should do well serving in a smaller church.
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