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Thursday, May 28, 2009

Someone explain to me this ...

I have a hard time understanding denominationalism as it is traditionally practiced.

Maybe it is because I grew up with and as an adult always attended independent churches - ones where the line of earth bound authority ended locally, within the congregation ... though I did attend a church plant once were there was a oversight board consisting of several about the country. But once a local board of elders was established, that oversight board was abolished.

If "our method is the message", then traditional denomination practice is sending a message contradictory to the Bible. Clearly, with the temple curtain torn with the cross, the barrier of a priesthood between God and the common man is gone. Hebrews explains as much. Peter expresses it as "the priesthood of all believers". We approach Jesus directly, and his Holy Spirit is our guide and counselor. The New Testament is clear - there is no mediator between God and the common man anymore other than Jesus. The priesthood as being separate from all believers is dead.

But the method of denominationalism seems to contradict. Decisions locally are limited, and direction is typically from another city, another state, or even another continent. There are layers of hierarchies and intermediates. The message is that the common man is not to be trusted to hear God - and for that matter, neither is the local pastor in "important matters".

The message of this method seems to so contradict the work of Christ. What am I missing in this equation?

Thursday, May 21, 2009

How churches can facilitate growing disciples

In 2004 (according to Skye Jenathi in Divine Commodity - I thought it was more recent), the "flagship" of megachurches Willow Creek CC near Chicago got back the results of a study commissioned to look at the effectiveness of their ministry. Their philosophy had been to create a variety of programs and services for people to participate in, with the belief that frequent participation would produce disciples - as characterized by increasing love for God and other people.

In other words, do institutions produce disciples? Can programs ignite love? The study encompassed the 15000 member Willow Creek and 25 other churches that use similar strategies.

The answer was a resounding no.

What did they find that did work?

Personal Bible reading, prayer and meditation, meaningful relationship with a friend or mentor, and serving others.

Of that list, the first half of the list is best learned to be done in the context of a meaningful relationship with a mentor, not a program. The last one, probably can be done in a "program" but finding one's best spot to serve is from my experience best done with a mentor or friend to bounce things off with.

Why do so many hate going to church? It's just frustrating wanting to grow and with church programs and services all focused on the wrong things, it consumes time away from productive growth time.

Churches, IMO, would best serve and reach out through more "match-making" like activities, so men and women can find those meaningful relationships. Church's role should be to foster relationship. Willow Creek was not the first to discover that fostering knowledge or how-tos is not effective in producing disciples. We can hope they are the last.

Monday, May 18, 2009

Corporate worship a "delusion"?

Men invent means and methods of coming at God's love, they learn rules and set up devices to remind them of that love, and it seems like a world of trouble to bring oneself into the consciousness of God's presence. Yet it might be so simple. Is it not quicker and easier to do our common business wholly for the love of him?


That was Nicholas Herman, aka Brother Lawrence. At another time, Lawrence referred to those who thought corporate worship brought one closer to God as suffering a "great delusion". I think he might be on to something there to an extent. Following another person's script, I cannot recall when that has drawn me closer. Ignoring what has gone on around me and practicing solitude and silencing my thoughts of what's happening - yes, then I've sensed God's presence. And in corporate worship that was unscripted - as a group I was in did some in TX on a Friday night once a month - there were times then.

If corporate worship is a time to be in God's presence, Nick and I are in an agreement - nothing that is actually a part of scripted corporate worship brings God's presence more obvious, or in any way makes me more aware of it than when I came into the room. And if worship is to be us praising God and such, scripture makes it clear, dating back to the Old Testament, that what God wants from us is not the praise of our lips and to hear us sing about him, but rather "to do justice, love kindness and walk humbly with" him (Micah 6:8).

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Rebranding

I'm continuing to reread Skye Jenathi's Divine Conspiracy, slower this time (last time I read whole chapters at a time), and I'm in the middle of the chapter on branding.

Branding is something that has taken over marketing - rather than good products, you establish a solid name. When ValuJet went into the swamp, they rebranded as AirTran and are relatively thriving. McDonald's found that if you slap a McDonald's label on carrots or milk, kids think it tastes better.

Skye brings up much about branding in the churches, but misses just as much I realize in reflection. One of his big points is about the way worship is our major branding of churches - not theology or doctrine, but rather what is the music styling.

But he misses some major possible points (maybe as editor of the christian magazine Leadership he had to play it slightly cautious and avoid the obvious?). An example of branding - in much of our nation, when a new Southern Baptist congregation opens its doors, the "Southern Baptist" part is deeply buried. It is the new local "community church" or some other non-descriptive name, hiding itself to look like a non-denominational church. I've seen others do the same. Nearby at an elementary school, there's an Anglican church meeting as "Trinity Church" - never knew it was Anglican until visiting another Anglican church and they mentioned in announcements about a joint Thanksgiving dinner with them.

Another one more daring to make - the brand "Christian" is tainted. Biblically, disciple is a much more common label for the believers. Christian is actually mentioned all of what, once? in all the Bible. We've adopted it as a universal community, but with the label tainted, do we need to hold onto it as tightly as we do?

More over, other labels would be more descriptive of what we are to be anyway. I prefer disciple, as by definition a disciple follows the master in order to learn at the master's feet and become like the master. "Christian" has almost become a political word. "Friends" or "Friends of Christ" would be another we could use, as Jesus did use it to refer to his closest disciples. "Followers" would be as justifiable from the Bible as "Christian". They are a lot of terms we could use that are just as justified from a single Bible reading than "Christian".

If we could drop the use of "Christian", with its baggage, and use "disciple" or "friends of Jesus" or "Christ follower", would we find an easier time in our mission(s)?

It worked for ValuJet.

Monday, May 11, 2009

Too much talk

An observation - amazing that so many talk the talk of wanting God to show up at their "worship services" but there is so little listening?

Silence is rare, silence is so brief. It takes so long to quiet one's soul at times, so even if we have silence, it is almost never long enough.

Another aspect of too much talk is in dealing with others and their issues, wounds, and hurts. We quickly want to talk at them about what is hurting, rather than listening. Like Job's friends, we are quick to fill the time with our words rather than listen to the hurt and just be present.

For God to move, silence is a necessary discipline. Not a "20 minute quiet time" as is so common in evangelical circles, but real, long silence. And sadly, our silence is often practiced only in solitude. We've long lost, it seems, the practice of silence practiced in a group. We're in such a rush. When's the last time you attended a "Sunday service" where they opened with even 5 minutes of silence to allow all to calm and steady their souls for the time together?

And our teachers and preachers - so quick to do "how to" lecturing rather than instructing and equipping others to listen to God. So quick to give the fish to fed you for the day, rather than teach you to fish, and find real life with God.

There's just too much talking ...

Friday, May 8, 2009

Lack of imagination

Imagination truly lacks in our churches. I noticed that having spent some time on a board about church and men (61% of church attendance is women, and under 30 it is much higher). The solutions proposed always lack real imagination - all about sermon length, song choice, -- all more about slapping a coat of paint on the facade rather than real change.

I think this lack of imagination traces back to various church "reforms" over the centuries. We nearly killed it nearly 5 centuries ago, with the reformation and the enlightenment period. Knowledge became king, and for centuries our churches were down a path of pursuing knowledge of God rather than God. Just look dispassionately at our churches and their activities - the emphasis in meetings, Sunday School, etc is all about study, the pursuit of knowledge. And as Skye Jethani observes in Divine Commodity, for all the dominance of Christianity in the Western world in that time, how much real transformation do we see evidenced?

This pursuit of knowledge as a failure has been admitted to in action. In the late years of the last century, the shift went in 'cutting edge' churches to skill development. Twelve principles of financial management. 5 ways to a better marriage. 7 steps to obedient kids. On and on it goes. But look at the outcome - by imitating the self-help section of your local bookstore, we cheapened the power of Christ and the Holy Spirit. The result is that the migration out the door has accelerated. Why go to church for that stuff, when you can get it elsewhere? The church became just another self-help outlet, and if the vibrancy of the movement of Christ can be measured in church attendance, well, it's in trouble as attendance is dropping, especially for those under 30 and they aren't returning after marriage and kids, and the church is losing a grip on society.

And I think it all traces to a lack of imagination. We copy what was done in the past by churches of old. We copy society, repackaging what is popular in the marketplace in the Christian bookstores and in our churches (seen the diet books and programs?). It is considered radical to call the pastor by another name like "coach", or to let them wear jeans when they preach.

Another evidence on the lack of imagination is to look at the results when the imagination is engaged. For example, John Eldredge's Ransomed Heart Ministry purposely engages it. They retell the gospel as an Epic story, treat life as story. They point out that the language of the heart is story. In speaking, John and his team use film clips to illustrate story, recasting movies as modern parables. They engage the imagination by showing how modern movie heroes like William Wallace, Maximus, Neo, and many more are reflections of Jesus. And it works. The fruit of transformed lives that result is incredible.

But the need of imagination goes beyond what and how we teach. We need it in reconsidering how to "do church". We need to look to the past, but not to the past history of the church. We need to look to Jesus. Jesus didn't leave us with a pattern for doing church - he said follow him. Church is to be an outgrowth of the community that forms around Jesus. We can't even look to those few decades right after the Resurrection. No, that was what was right for that time. We cannot return, but we move forward with the same principles. Paul didn't "plant churches" - he went to new city to teach and train disciples. Church was pretty much the afterthought. Yes, he helped organize them, or perhaps rather recognized where the Spirit was organizing them and helped facilitate the work of the Spirit. We need to let our imagination flow, let God inhabit that, and see what forms it takes today. And in 10 years, let that continue. Keep going back to the source, recognize how we've changed, how culture has changed around us, and as Alan Hirsch says "reJesus" the church again.

We need Godly imagination, not repackaged history mixed with repackaged worldly consumerism and its marketing and business principles.

We need FREEDOM.

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Organizations

People in any organization are always attached to the obsolete...the things that once were productive and no longer are - Peter Drucker

Monday, May 4, 2009

Church hospitality

Hospitality is a word that comes from a Latin word for "guest". A Christian that worships God does so in part by practicing hospitality (see prior post). But do we do a good job?

In the movie Patch Adams, Patch obtains a home and uses it to practice hospitality to the sick and ailing. This gives insight on why the same root word for hospitality gives us the word for hospital. The powers that be in Patch's world accuse Patch of practicing medicine without a license, but his defense is he is just practicing old fashion hospitality, helping the others as they help him.

Jesus Christ said he came to heal the broken-hearted (a poor translation giving the modern meaning - perhaps better to say "wounded at their core"). The author of Luke thinks this so important that Jesus saying that is a part of Jesus' first recorded statements in his ministry. So sad that this is so little a part of church life.

In the early years, the meetings of the disciples were for the disciples. Today, many churches practice "evangelism" by making the meetings the place they encourage the membership to invite people to. If that is the case, shouldn't the meetings be a place of ministry, as Jesus modeled, rather than a "worship service"? Luke describes the purpose of Jesus ministry by opening with the quote from Isaiah 61 about freedom and healing. But most services I've seen are about "get in, sit down, keep quiet, sing along if you want". It's not a very hospitable atmosphere.

To model Jesus, we need to concern ourselves more with healing and freedom. Jesus and the apostles said precious little about "worship" of God, but much about continuing the mission of Jesus. He came to seek and save what was lost (not the lost, but what was lost). It's about life, healing, and freedom. If we practiced and pursued that, I believe in this day and age, we'd have no need to spend an extra dime on "evangelism". More to come on that latter point ...