“Now all this happened
in order to make come true what the Lord had said through the prophet, ‘A
virgin will become pregnant and have a son, and he will be called Immanuel’
(which means, ‘God with us’)." - Matthew 1:22-23
That wonderful season is upon us again, that time when we
gather together with our family and friends to celebrate the birth of our Lord,
Jesus. And although our traditions may
differ, during this special holiday we seem to make an extra effort to be near
those who are important to us. Airports
are crowded, mail is slowed, and highways are packed as we try our best to
share the beauty of this time.
We often see those things as trials we have to endure in
order for Christmas to come. And from
time to time we may even get angry that they are distracting us from the real
reason for the season. I’m not so
sure. You see, just as we long to be
close to our loved ones now, so God longed to be close to the ones he
loved. That’s us. And because he loved us so much, he sent his
only son to be near us. The first
chapter of John tells us that in the person of Jesus, God became human and
lived among us. That’s the kind of love
we celebrate this month.
Of all the names we use to refer to Jesus, the one we use at
Christmas is perhaps the most appropriate.
For as Matthew told us above, Immanuel means, “God with us.” Now that’s not just a catchy phrase or a line
from your favorite Christmas carol, for when Jesus was born, God was truly with
us. He was with us way back then and he
is still here with us today. And that’s
important to each of us as we try our best to live our lives of faith. But this time of year it is easy to remember
that. As we sing our songs and exchange
our gifts and enjoy our families, reminders of God’s presence are all around
us. But what about later, after the tree
is down, the decorations are put away, and the family has all gone home? Do we remember God’s presence then?
We should. For the
promise of Immanuel is not just a promise for December. It’s not meant to be celebrated once a year
and then put away in a box in the attic.
For when God came to be with us, he came to be with us forever. And even when our parties have ended and our
packages are all unwrapped, God is still here.
Waiting and wanting to be a part of our life throughout the year. It’s only up to us to make him feel welcome.
This is an incredibly busy time for rural pastors. The
services are numerous, attendance is usually up, and activities abound. We are often challenged and perhaps even a
bit stressed by the many obligations that crowd our calendars and our
perceptions that each activity is essential to providing a meaningful
experience to each of our members. In
the process of doing Advent and Christmas it is actually possible to miss out
on our own celebration of the season. I
have to admit that there have been times when I have come up for air after the
Christmas Eve service and realized that everyone else has been celebrating but
me. And while it is understandable how
we might fall into that trap, it is completely unnecessary. Because the most basic lesson that we learned
in seminary applies to this time as well – it is not about us.
Pastors and church leaders are more than just paid employees
in the Christmas service machine. Like everyone else in the church, this time
is for us as well. When God came to be
with us, he came to be with us, too. Not
just those in the pew, but everyone who calls Jesus Lord. Therefore, it is up
to each one of us, pastors especially, to make an effort to remember that this
season is not about what we do, but what we receive. And the greatest gift of
all was given in the name of the child we celebrate this week. I hope you will
take the time to experience the Christ, not just tell others about him, as you
celebrate the nativity with your family, your church community, and your own
faith.
In the spirit of his love, Merry Christmas!
Friday, December 4, 2015
Small Churches,
Powerful Worship
I have always admired people who could
play the guitar, especially pastors. The
ability to lead the congregation into an encounter with God by moving
seamlessly between Word and music is a very special gift. Certainly we can do that to a degree with
organ or piano accompaniment, but I have always felt that a pastor who can both
lead music and preach has a sense of intimacy with their congregation that
encourages a feeling of vitality in worship.
I watch my friends or my students stand up there and lead worship with
confidence, playing the familiar strains of “This is the Day” or “Open the Eyes
of My Heart” and setting a mood that is undeniably appealing, and I think, “If
only I could play the guitar…”
But I can’t…and that is a ship that has
long since sailed!
Some congregations are blessed with
musical talent. Others are not. In small
and rural churches this is a fact of life that we frequently cannot
change. We live and minister in a
relatively small pool and our options for recruiting specialized talent is
limited by the nature of our context and community. I have been blessed over the years with some
fantastic organists and pianists, but have never been in a place that had even
one reliable, competent guitar player or a group of people who could make up
even a basic praise band. But that did not mean that we could not have vibrant
worship. Vital rural churches understand that the key to success is in making
the most of our available assets, not being held back by our inherent
limitations.
I am sure that we would all agree that
worship is an essential element of the life of any congregation and is probably
the most visible act of ministry that we perform. In many ways the quality of our worship
defines who we are as a church, particularly to those who are visitors in our
midst. So why is worship vibrant in some congregations and lacking in
others? Believe it or not, in spite of
my confessions of Fender envy, it has less to do with the type of music or the
continuing debate about contemporary vs. traditional styles of worship, than it
has to do with other factors that we can control and encourage.
There are certain things about good
worship that we should simply assume.
For example, worship should honor and praise our Triune God and
encourage us to develop a strong and lasting relationship with Jesus as our
savior. In worship, scripture is essential, preaching should be faithful to the
Word, and music of some kind is an important part of every service. Nearly
every church tries to form their worship around these basics. But there are other factors that we find in
vital churches that seem to set their worship apart from the rest.
Here are a few common themes that we
find in the vibrant worship of vital congregations:
1.Worship is
welcoming.
This may seem obvious and much has been written about the need to be welcoming,
but what I am referring to is far more than whether or not you have greeters at
the door or nametags for your members. It is not enough to just say hello to
someone who visits your church or to make them comfortable or even to invite
them to your fellowship time. Those are all important things. But the key is in the service itself. Our
worship service should be developed in such a way that it is welcoming to
visitors. That means making the order of worship easy to follow, avoiding too
many hidden responses or expectations, and giving even the least experienced
among us something to think about when they go home.
2.Preaching is
relevant.
As we all know, a sermon is more than just an interesting speech or an exegesis
paper. A good sermon is based on careful interpretation of scripture, but then
that preaching has to apply to real life.
It is in the application that our members begin to put the word into
action and see meaning for their own lives.
One should not have to be a theologian in order to make that connection,
so it is our responsibility to make sure that the language we use is clear and
understandable. Save those words you learned in seminary, like exegesis and
expiation, for your conversations with your pastor friends and use the
vernacular of your congregation and community. Remember, the sign of a good
sermon is not in others seeing how smart you are, but in how faithful you can
help them to be. Everyone should take something home every week.
4.Worship is an
attitude. In vital churches, people see worship as much
more than a Sunday morning service. It is the attitude that they take with them
into everything that they do. Worship impacts the decisions we make, the
relationships we share, and even the problems we encounter. In turn, that makes
worship our motivation for service in the community. That means that the
outreach of our church, no matter what form it takes, is an extension and
reflection of our worship, even encouraging our members to feel comfortable
sharing about their faith with others who have little understanding of what it
means to know Jesus.
5.The Spirit is
welcome in worship.
We have all been in congregations where we have sat down to worship and then
felt less than inspired. When the
service becomes an exercise in moving from one item on the agenda to the next,
there is little sense of expectation or inspiration and too often the most
exciting thing on your mind has to do with your plans for lunch. In vital worship,
when the Spirit is welcome there is a sense that God is indeed present and that
an encounter with the Almighty is not only possible, but likely. Leaving room
for God means leaving room for the unexpected. It means allowing for awe and
wonder and not just order. While good planning is an essential part of our
preparation for any worship service, allowing for silence and mystery is
equally important. Being a good leader is not just knowing what to say, but
also knowing when to get out of the way.
Incomplete as it
might be, my intent in sharing this list is to get the conversation started. What
I want to avoid are excuses, reasons why we can’t make our worship have life
and excitement no matter what size our church might be. There are certain
things out of our control or that are hard to change, like the resources we
have available or the number of members in our church. But these are a few
characteristics that we find in the worship of vital churches and whether we
have 30 or 300 in attendance they give us a starting point for considering how
we might encourage and enhance the worship of our own small and rural churches.
An Online Conversation for Pastors and Church Leaders
We have been sharing together for several months now about the ways we can bring vitality to the congregations we serve. Now I want to take the next step and invite you to be a real part of the conversation in a very intentional way. The University of Dubuque Theological Seminary is offering us an opportunity to take this conversation into the classroom in an online format. I will be moderating the discussion (teaching the class) but you can be an active part of the course by participating in a series of online discussion forums over the course of five weeks. I want you to help set the agenda for our time together by asking your burning questions about rural ministry. During that time we will share ideas, discuss our own ministry settings, talk about what has worked and not worked, and hopefully leave with an idea or two that will enhance the work that we do. Best of all, this class is affordable and accessible. For only $150 per person our group will get five weeks of conversation and sharing about topics designed to impact their ministry in very real ways. And all from the comfort of your home. This class is asynchronous, which means that you can join the conversation anytime day or night, at times that work best for you. There is no travel involved and you don't have to be away from your other responsibilities. For those reasons alone, I think this is the most relevant and convenient continuing education offer available anywhere. I invite you to check it out:
“Exploring Vitality in Rural Congregations” Dr. Skip Shaffer, Associate Dean and Assistant Professor of Ministry University of Dubuque Theological Seminary
October 19 – November 22
This course will explore the practices and programs that bring vitality and vision to rural congregations and their ministries. We will examine the practices of successful church leaders, share ideas about programs that have been successful, and suggest resources that may work in your ministry setting. This will be a five-week seminar that encourages input from ministry leaders and puts us face to face with others who have brought new life to the churches they serve. We will use our time together to share those ideas and help one another develop ministries that make a difference. We have had good response so far to our invitation and a number of people have already registered. But there is still room for you. The more participants we gather together, the richer the conversation and the greater the opportunity to share ideas that will make a difference. It is my hope that we will make a statement to the larger church community and show those around us that rural ministry is alive and well and that we are able to have a significant impact on the church around us. I invite you to register today! To register or for more information, contact Bridgett Boone at 563-589-3691 or BBoone@dbq.edu. CEUs are available. First time participants in online learning at UDTS will be asked to take the Online Learning Course, an easy to complete orientation to online learning for only $75.
Friday, September 4, 2015
Cultivating Vitality
In some places you can feel it the moment you walk through
the church doors – a sense of energy and enthusiasm and life. The greetings are genuine, the people seem
motivated, the worship is vibrant, and the fellowship appears to be mutual. Most
important, it doesn’t take long for newcomers to be welcomed into the
circle. This is something you could get
used to.
There are other churches where the mood is less inviting. It
doesn’t mean that you are not greeted at the door and welcomed with a bulletin,
but there is something missing. People quietly
filter in and find their seats, but conversation is sporadic and subdued. Even when the preaching is decent, worship
often feels like a collection of unrelated elements without a central focus and
the hour seems to take much longer than sixty minutes. When the service is over, the members briefly
greet one another in the narthex and then exit without much opportunity for
fellowship, eager to beat the crowd to their favorite restaurant. You have been to this church before. And you are not excited about going back.
Vitality is something that we all want for our
congregations, but the results are often mixed. It is hard to define
specifically, however we seem to recognize it when we see it. Unfortunately, there
is no secret formula to achieve it and there is no single strategy that will ensure
success. And very often achieving that
sense of vibrancy and vitality depends on different factors in each congregational
context.
What gives a church that special aura of vitality? It is my
hope to explore this question in a variety of different ways over the next few
months. And while there is no one-size-fits-all solution, there are a number of
factors that seem to be common to the churches that we would consider the most
appealing.
Here are a few ideas to get the conversation started.
Vitality begins with
mission – Churches that have an extra sense of life are motivated by more
than just the desire to be together. Of
course, basic to our Christian faith is an underlying call to serve God through
Jesus Christ. But within that rubric, there are many things we can do to
express our faith and share the good news.
Sometimes it happens though worship, but often we find ourselves living
out that purpose through a variety of activities, some social, some
educational, some missional. Churches that exude a sense of excitement understand
that there is a purpose to everything we do together, and that ultimately reaching
out to others in God’s name is an important thing. It is what motivates and encourages us and it
is inviting to others who want to join our cause. Churches that are self-focused, where the
primary attention is on the care of the building or making the budget or having
meetings for their own sake do not share a sense of purpose that is appealing
to others outside the community.
Vital churches share
leadership – Organizations are the strongest when their members join
together to share the work and the responsibility, and churches are no
exception. I have yet to see a congregation, large or small, where there was
not enough work to go around, but the big question is in how the work is
distributed. Too often our churches look like an inverted V, with the pastor
and a few select leaders at the bottom and the others along for the ride. Members cannot expect their pastor to carry
the whole load. Those that do usually experience two things – that their pastor
will burn out, becoming less effective and eventually seeking a new call, and
that the church body will be unmotivated, since they are essentially
bystanders. On the other hand, the pastor must be willing to share
responsibility for leadership with the laity. We cannot try to do it all
ourselves. Too often in the past, members have been given jobs like Sunday
School teacher or choir director, while worship leadership, preaching, visitation,
and in some cases, decision making and administration, was left to the clergy.
Cultivating spiritual and administrative gifts and then allowing the freedom
for our members to exercise those gifts, is one of the primary things we can do
to encourage vitality in our churches. With that sense of confidence and
responsibility comes an attitude of shared ownership in the mission and a motivation
to serve God through the church.
Worship is an
attitude, not an activity - Too
often we think of worship and church and Sunday morning as being
synonymous. And while they do go
together, we are short changing ourselves if we limit our worship of God to one
hour on the weekend. In truth, worship
can be a part of our lives in a very wide-reaching and all-encompassing
way. And it doesn’t just happen in the
sanctuary. And it doesn’t have to be
limited to what we do together as a church.
Our spiritual lives are encouraged and fed by the time we spend together
in that place. But they are nurtured and
nourished when we take what we receive there and apply it to our lives each and
every day. Worship takes many forms….in
our prayers….in our devotions…in our scripture reading…in our service out in
the community…in the words we use around other people and most important of
all, in the way we demonstrate that we are people of God. Vitality happens when
worship becomes an irresistible expression of our faith and not just a rote
activity that happens every Sunday at 10:00.
Vital churches express
hospitality –
It may seem obvious, but the church should be a welcoming place. And in many
ways, our time together with the Christian community should be an opportunity
to take refuge from the rushed existence of our culture. That is why so often we find ourselves
sharing together around the table, whether for a meal, a cup of coffee, or even
to experience the love of God through the Lord’s Supper. We have said it before, but hospitality is
the language of rural life and food is its currency. Eating is never an end in
itself, but a means to a deeper kind of relationship. Food provides a bridge for conversation,
relationships, and even pastoral care. Many things have been shared over a
piece of pie that would have never been expressed in a phone call or an email.
But all of that takes time. When we
worry too much about our schedules and not enough about each other we miss out
on the rich opportunities that God has placed before us. Rushing in and out of a social setting, a
meeting, or even a worship service, is not only bad manners, but it is also bad
practice. Vital churches find the time to be in fellowship together, whether in
the coffee time after worship, a meal following a funeral, or even a special
night out with our fellow members. The
form that fellowship takes is less important than the rewards that it brings.
Activity in the church is
contagious –
One of my students did a study last year of the churches in his area and came
to discover that churches where activity was present throughout the week were
perceived to be more vital than churches that locked their doors Monday through
Saturday. Even though worship is
considered the primary public act of the church, it was the perception of
activity that made the community feel that the church was a hopping place. It didn’t usually matter what the nature of
the activity was, as long as it was church related. The mere presence of cars, people, and kids
and the sight of the lights on in the building made many feel that this was a
church of action. And some who were
interviewed even expressed the opinion that they were more likely to attend
that church because it seemed to have a lot going on. Don’t get me wrong. Activity for activity’s
sake is never a good idea. But churches
that expressed their faith by getting together throughout the week increased
awareness of the church in the community, enhanced the possibility that others
would wander in the doors, and helped their members feel that they were a part
of something special.
Congregation size
doesn’t really matter – Vital congregations come in all sizes, large and
small, and express themselves in a variety of interesting ways. What they all have in common is a commitment
to worship and serve Jesus Christ. Large
churches have the benefit of an abundance of resources, enough members to
always have a critical mass at any activity or gathering, and the ability to
provide variety for many tastes, whether in worship, service or
fellowship. On the other hand, small
churches that have a strong sense of their mission in the community can have
vibrant worship, a significant sense of purpose, and a feeling that what they
do together really matters. The truth is
that the size of the congregation cannot be used as an excuse for a lack of
vitality in worship or community life.
Neither does worship style
- The same is true for worship style.
Much has been made of the worship wars, including the place of
traditional or contemporary music, the use of a standard ordo or a free flowing
format, and even the place and timing of the services. But the truth is that we find strong churches
that fit in each of these categories.
Style does not determine vitality.
Far more important are the quality and integrity of the various elements
of the service, the faithfulness to God’s Word, and the perception that each
person was given the opportunity to truly encounter and worship and living God.
Inspired pastors
influence vitality – The attitude that pastors and church leaders take into
their work does make a difference. In fact, it can be contagious. When church
members see that their pastor is excited about his/her faith, they get the
message that it matters. When the
congregation sees that the pastor is more than a master of ceremonies in
worship, but is committed to encouraging an encounter with the living God, they
are more likely to be enthusiastic themselves.
When a family feels that an emergency pastoral call in the middle of the
night is an act of love and not an obligation, they realize that faith is more
than mere words. On the other hand, when it feels like we are distracted,
bored, or overworked (and we are letting it show), they are more likely to
bring the same attitudes to their own spiritual lives and activities. Like it or not, we set the tone in everything
we do. We establish the standard for the
attitude of any gathering by the attitude we present. Vital churches have pastors who are inspired
about their faith and are not afraid to share those feelings in all that they
do.
As we enter this new era in the life of the Christian faith,
it is important that each of us has our eyes on ways that we can effectively
cultivate vitality in our churches. We
cannot afford to be complacent, inflexible, or worse yet, boring. But we must
also be faithful to the leading of the Spirit and to the Word of God. This is just the beginning of the
conversation. There are so many more factors, observations, and ideas that we
can share about vitality in our churches, in our communities, and in our faith
and I am excited to begin to explore the possibilities with you.
That’s where I am going.
I hope you will come with me.
Tuesday, July 14, 2015
Out of the Office and Into the Church
Nearly every church building has one.
They vary in size, style and usability, and sometimes they are hard to
find, often tucked in behind the chancel walls or somewhere near the Sunday
School classrooms. In many buildings they are prominently featured right inside
the front door, providing easy access to all who enter. But in one form or another, no matter what
the building looks like, it is usually there – the pastor’s office.
For many of us our office is like a staging area, filled
with all the things that we need in order to do effective ministry. We think of it as the center of our
professional existence, the place where we write our sermons, counsel our
members, and pray to our God. Our
offices may look different, but they have many things in common – shelves of
books, piles of papers, a desk, some chairs, a computer or laptop, and often
many personal mementos. Our office is
like a “pastor cave”, our personalized space where we go to do the work of the
church.
It is important to have a place like that, a space where we
feel comfortable, where we can write effectively, where we can spread out our
resources and do exegesis, where we can meet with people who need a private
moment to talk about difficult and often very personal issues.
The office is the setting for many critical ministry
moments, but it should never be mistaken for the center of our ministry
itself. As pastors we should be careful
that we do not become office bound, that we do not fall into a routine that
takes us to our desks each day, waiting for people to come to our door. The truth is that the pastor’s office is
probably the last place many of our members want to be seen, especially if they
have a problem. And it is a foreboding
place for non-members or members of other churches who feel a need to seek out
our help. In this day and age, a rural pastor who sits in the office and waits
for ministry to come to his or her door will likely be as lonely as the Maytag repairman.
So where do we go to be the church? In the small Western
Iowa town I used to serve, there was no home mail delivery. Everyone, residents and businesses alike, had
to send someone to the post office every day to collect their mail. That
included us. Nearly every morning it
would amaze my wife that a short four block trip could take two or three
hours. Why? Because inevitably this
relatively quick task would put me in contact with several church members and
even more non-members from the local community.
While running to get the mail may have seemed like an inconvenience, it
turned into an opportunity. It was a
chance to visit and pass the time of day, and in many cases, to talk about
something much deeper. Many a
conversation moved from the weather, to “since you are here, I was
wondering…” As time went on, the people
in town knew that the pastor got the mail every morning and I came to suspect
that our chance encounters on the sidewalk were often more than just a
coincidence.
What I am suggesting is nothing new. Successful pastors have been doing this for a
long time. But we live in an era that
has advanced the opportunity. In the
past, these little forays into the culture of the community have been seen as
temporary expeditions. Eventually, the
office and “real work” summoned us back to our home base. But today technology has made our office
portable. The resources that we once
kept at the church building are now available in our smart phones, laptops, or
tablets. Keeping up with correspondence,
doing devotions, even basic exegesis and sermon preparation are made easier
through our electronic devices. We can now do those tasks anywhere. And the amount of time that we can spend out
in the community, along with the opportunity to interact in the name of God, is
increased exponentially. We no longer
need to head back to the office, except for special needs, because the office
is always with us.
In a small town or rural community, the pastor is much more
than the shepherd of a particular congregation.
Pastors who interact with everyone, regardless of church affiliation,
and who are accessible and easy to talk to, often find that others see them as
the de facto chaplain of the community. Credibility comes with time and
practice. If our eye is on serving as an
ambassador of Christ, rather than gaining new members for the flock,
opportunities for service will appear from unexpected places and in the end God
will be glorified.
Tuesday, June 23, 2015
When Mission Knocks On Your Door
“Moses is here to see you.”
It was my first day at a brand new call. In fact it was the first hour. New church, new people, new town. I was doing
all of those important things that you do when you move into your new office,
before the real work begins – putting books on the shelves, checking out the
computer, looking through the directory to try to put names with new faces –
when my secretary poked her head into the room and said those words that I
never expected to hear, “Moses is here to see you.”
Sure, I thought, Moses is here to see me. And perhaps Elijah and Joshua are sitting in
the waiting room. I was convinced that this must be some kind of church
secretary humor. Some way to haze the
new guy and welcome him to town.
I walked out of the door with a smile on my face, trying to
think of some quick comeback that would amuse the office staff and show that I
was a good sport, when I came face to face with Moses. He was the tallest man I had ever met. Fairly young, but imposing nonetheless, a new
immigrant from the country of Sudan, with the ritual scarring common to adult
males of the Nuer tribe. He put out his hand and said something that was even
more surprising than his introduction, “We have been waiting for you.”
A few minutes later, Moses was joined by several other
leaders of the local Sudanese community, who shared the story of their journey
and the difficulties they were facing integrating their families into a new and
largely unknown society, thousands of miles away from familiar
surroundings. They came to the United
States to escape the violence that had engulfed their homeland and the constant
threat of death and persecution that terrorized their families. In the refugee camps of Sudan, Ethiopia and
Kenya they had encountered the Christian faith, largely as a result of the
teaching and care of Presbyterian missionaries. So when they arrived in this
country, they sought out the church that was familiar to them and upon learning
that a new pastor was coming in a few weeks, they waited.
We talked about their needs, their wants, and their
dreams. Some things were immediate, like
navigating the school system, getting a driver’s license and insurance, and
finding decent housing for their families.
Other necessities popped up in the conversation, such as English
language classes, access to clothing, and resources for families who were about
to give birth. We bought a lot of cribs
that summer. And of course, there was worship.
They wanted a place to gather so that they could have a service in the
Nuer language. The elders would do the
preaching, but it was important for the pastor to be there, to pray and serve
as an ambassador from Jesus. More about
this in a few minutes.
Our little town in Southwest Minnesota was the destination
for a large number of new immigrants.
Hispanic, Asian, and African men and women brought their families to our
community in search of jobs and safer way of life. With several industries that seemed to be
constantly searching for new employees, including a packing plant, and a
community of people that was small enough to recognize you by sight and call
you by name, we fit the bill nicely.
Just a few years earlier, diversity had meant the difference between
being Norwegian and Swedish. Now
diversity described the changing nature of our churches, schools, and
neighborhoods.
Rural America is experiencing a new wave of immigration that
is changing the way our communities sound, the way our schools look, and the
way our churches live out their ministries.
These changes are felt more rapidly in a rural setting, where we know
our neighbors and can respond quickly to their needs. The church should be on the cutting edge as
our local demographics change, being the first to extend a word of welcome, to
be aware of the needs of our new neighbors, and to desire to be in ministry
with those who may see life through a very different lens.
A number of recent UDTS graduates, new immigrants
themselves, have been called to ministries among the immigrant communities of
rural America. They conduct services in
a variety of languages, from Nuer and Anuak to Spanish and Chinese, along with
many others. They help members of their
communities straddle the divide between an English speaking culture and
families that still reflect their homelands.
They serve as guides, spiritually, vocationally, and socially, and offer
endless encouragement to the people in their care. And they encounter the same social problems
and concerns that plague other communities, but with fewer resources and less
support. Pastors like Enna, Gilo, Paul,
Jordan, Owar, Ekram, and Tina, along with many others, serve with very little
compensation, but with endless enthusiasm. Theirs is a work that seems to be never
completed, serving congregations of believers, both officially recognized and
spontaneously conceived, sometimes meeting in shared or repurposed buildings,
rented space, or even in homes. And to a
person, they would value the help and partnership of other pastors in their
communities.
If there are new arrivals to your town,
consider how your church should reach out in the name of Jesus Christ. Are we truly living our call if we are
sending mission dollars overseas, but ignoring the needs of people down the
street? Do we effectively represent our Savior if we encourage our youth or other members to embark on short-term
mission trips to exciting locations, but fail to share with newcomers in our
area? It is not a matter of either or,
but the importance of doing both. While
this is not an exhaustive list, here are a few things to remember as you think
about your local mission efforts:
1. Always think ministry “with”, not ministry
“to”. The history of failed mission
and evangelism efforts is littered with examples of well-meaning Christians
trying to do things for others. Instead, consider entering into a mutually
beneficial relationship that openly acknowledges that we have a great deal to
learn from each other. Never think of a neighbor as a mission project, but
rather, think of ways you can walk in this journey of faith together. Sometimes the best start is simply being a
friend.
2. Don’t worry about
membership. The goal of our outreach with our international friends should
never be the impact it will have on our membership rolls. Becoming a member of
a congregation is a non-biblical concept that is a construct of denominations
to enable them to effectively tax or assess their congregations. Does that
sound too cynical? Probably, but the truth is that membership standing has very
little to do with pastoral care. We
don’t offer care on the basis of social status, economic resources, or family
relationships. Instead, think of your
church family in different terms, recognizing that the sphere of ministry to
which you are called goes far beyond the boundaries of the official
congregation.
3. Your church will
experience change. This is a
positive thing, so embrace it. If your congregation tries to reach out to the
new immigrants in your area, but refuses to entertain ideas that may change the
way they have always done things before, then you will inevitably encounter
barriers that bring your efforts to a screeching halt. Your worship services
may look and sound different, your Sunday school teachers may need to adjust
their lessons, your annual cycle of events may include celebrations that you
have never heard of, and your boards and committees may have to rethink the way
they function. Keep in mind that the
church does not exist to perfect itself, but to provide a way to do God’s work
together in a very imperfect world.
4. Worship is
essential, but the way you worship is not. Over the years we have developed
our worship patterns and practices as a way of expressing our love for God
within a particular cultural context. But our way is not the only way to
worship Jesus. When we introduce voices
from outside the culture, our worship service experiences change, but with a
richness that witnesses to the larger community we have become. When Moses and his friends came to our small
town congregation, they expressed a desire to have a Nuer language worship
service, apart from the regular worship of the church. We quickly agreed, but with one proviso –
that our Sudanese friends would also be encouraged to attend the traditional
worship of the church, and that the members of the congregation would be
invited to attend the Nuer language service.
Surprisingly, many did, attending both services with equal
enthusiasm. We prayed together, conducted
baptisms together, and shared together around the Lord’s Table. The participants may not have always
understood the language, or even what was being said, but the result was a
sense of community and shared experience that enhanced each worship gathering
and brought glory to God.
5. Culture is relative,
not normative. In our communities we
live in contexts that are comfortable and familiar to us. Our culture is comprised of things we take
for granted, like potluck dinners, high school basketball games, and 4th
of July celebrations. We have a way of
living as residents of our towns and even of this country that feels natural
and consistent. But the things that make
up our culture and even our way of life are not the same around the world. New immigrants come into our neighborhoods
with backgrounds and traditions born of a different context and often, a
different world view. When these new
friends merge their lives with ours, they may not always appreciate those
things that we assume. And likewise, we
may lack an appreciation for the customs and traditions that they hold most
dear. Our goal should not be
assimilation into a single, homogenous culture, but a sense of respect and
appreciation for those aspects of another person’s culture that they value and
celebrate. Our new friends may never understand our national obsessions with
bacon and our lawns, but that doesn’t stop us from being brothers and sisters
in the faith.
If there are new immigrants in your area, it is an essential
part of your calling to reach out and welcome them into the church family. It isn’t always easy to make introductions
and there are times when the first attempts at conversation may seem awkward,
but caring always beats ignoring. Mission
is no longer an activity or even a separate function of the church. Mission is now an integral part of the work
that we do every single day, as we work together to realize a
different kind of Christian community. A
place where all men, women and children are invited, welcomed, and encouraged
to be a complete part of the body.
What will you do when mission knocks on your door? Remember the lesson of Matthew 20:1-16. It doesn’t matter who came first or last, but
only that we answer the call.
Monday, June 15, 2015
New Life for Tired Churches
What do you call a church with thirty members?
In most denominations today, a church with only thirty or
forty members is often considered a candidate for closure. At the very least, you can be confident that
the topic has been discussed, either within the church itself or by others in
the denominational structure. However,
if you had asked the same question a hundred years ago, the answer would have
been very different. Back then, a church
with thirty or forty members would have been considered a good start.
Why the difference?
It is all a matter of perspective and identity.
From our 21st century, North American point of
view, we measure success with numbers.
How many members do you have? How many have you gained this year? How many have you lost? Then we tend to
compare those numbers with the standards set by other congregations. Our measure of a successful church is one
that is increasing in membership and consistently has more income than expenses. Congregations that experience consistent
declines in these categories are a source of concern, regardless of the type or
quality of ministry that they practice.
We feel comfortable with this corporate model of assessment, because it
is the same model that we use to assess the other aspects of our lives.
Many small and rural churches suffer from an identity crisis
based on their perceived place in the comparative pecking order. As pastors we feed that mindset in the ways
we refer to our own ministry settings.
In talking to others about the work that we do, one of the first
questions we frequently ask is, “How many members do you have?” as if that is
the most important of all identifying factors.
Too often members of these smaller churches undervalue the work and
ministry they do, simply because they are trapped in a system that puts more of
a premium on the number of people in the seats and less of a value on the
quality of their faith or the things they do in the name of the Gospel. But what if we ignored the numbers and
focused primarily on mission? What if we looked at the work that we do in our
context through the lens of service to Jesus Christ, rather than quantifiable
categories?
Smaller membership congregations have the opportunity to
renew their own sense of spiritual well-being by intentionally thinking about
the purpose of their faith community. It
goes without saying that worshiping and glorifying the Lord is our primary
purpose, but what happens if attendance numbers are low or musical gifts are
absent or the quality of worship is uninspiring for reasons that are unrelated
to the gospel itself? These factors can
accelerate the sense that a church is in decline. Worship is essential, but if worship is the
only way the congregation expresses its life together or its presence in a
community, then a decline in worship may be an indicator that the life of that
congregation is coming to an end.
Vital churches, regardless of size, discover additional ways
to express their mission to Jesus Christ.
While worship is generally an internal expression of a congregation’s
calling, other means of outreach can feed the flames of their faith and assert
the importance of the church in that community.
Let's be very clear - making disciples and providing pastoral care are
essential functions of every faith community, regardless of size. And mere
activity should never be mistaken for the real business of the church. But
activity is the language that the church speaks in its effort to be visible to
the larger community. Through visible activities the church is able to make inroads
into larger circles, often filled with those who have a marginal, or even no
faith commitment. This is an opportunity for mission and evangelism
local-style, even if we never use those words.
A low-membership church, even one that has been in danger of closing,
can experience a renewed sense of life and purpose, when its members rededicate
themselves to a particular work that distinguishes them within that context.
Mission studies are common within most denominations, but
unfortunately they most frequently occur when the church is in the process of
seeking new pastoral leadership. Too
often that means that the study is seen as another hurdle that needs to be
overcome so that we can get on with the process of finding the right
person. As a result, they often reaffirm
the most common practices of a congregation and seldom lead to new ways of
thinking or new directions for ministry. Therefore it is important for
congregations seeking new vitality to think intentionally about their identity
at a different time, when finding a pastor is not the primary concern.
Every small and rural church should ask this question - If we did not exist in this community, what
would be missed?
If the answer is nothing, then the writing is on the wall.
That church is a good candidate for closing, since it contributes little to the
cause of Christ or the community itself.
But if the answer reveals an aspect of ministry or service, then the
conversation has a place to begin.
Vitality in any church, particularly a small congregation, is directly
related to identity. And identity is
related to the ways our efforts to represent Jesus are perceived and received
by ourselves and by those in the world around us.
Many churches still live in the shadow of their golden
years. They look back on a time when the pews were full and the Sunday School
rooms crowded and think that the same type of ministry is possible today. But
with very different resources, the 30 member church cannot live the same life
as the 200 or 300 member church that they used to be. The question is not "How can we do what
we used to do," but rather, "What can 30 people do well in this place
to bring glory to God?"
What does this look like in real life? A sense of service in the name of Christ is
unique to every faith community. In one
place I served it was our commitment to meals on wheels and the impact that had
on the shut-ins around us. In another,
it was realized by renewing our commitment to the young people of the
community, regardless of faith or denomination, and providing a place for them
to gather a couple of nights a week. In other towns it might mean providing
weekly volunteers at the local nursing home or sponsoring a food stand at the
county fair with prices that enable even the poorest of families to enjoy a
meal. Some congregations have an annual
meal or event that everyone looks forward to, like a chicken supper or a roast
beef dinner. On the outside they may
seem like simple fundraisers, but in reality the ways that church members are
drawn together to make the event a success and the perception in the community
that this Christian church is doing something for others in the name of Jesus,
makes the event a success in ways that reach far beyond the number of people
served or the amount of money raised.
Even churches that have no distinguishing activities or
types of outreach can gain a sense of vitality by asking a couple of different
questions – what does our community need, how can our church fulfill that need,
and how could such an outreach serve the cause of Christ?
Being a small church is not the same thing as being a dying
church. Because numbers only tell a part
of the story. The real key to finding
vitality in small packages is in identifying our unique calling and in
realizing how that serves Jesus in this place.
What do you call a church with only thirty members? If it is committed to serving Christ,
regardless of its limitations, then I call it a success!
Throughout my career I have been continually surprised and
amazed by the power and depth of the relationships that I have formed as a result
of my work as a pastor in a rural setting. And it always appears in unexpected
ways. To the untrained eye, a trip through the rural countryside is a quiet and
peaceful experience, largely devoid of people and basically populated by
scattered herds of farm animals and large expanses of land, sometimes
cultivated, often not. The occasional visitor sees only these outward trappings
and assumes that life in this place is slow and bucolic, without challenges and
dreams, except for the constant work of making a living from the land. And even
when they know better, images from Grant Wood or Green Acres immediately spring
to mind.
But that is not the life that we rural pastors know.
While the land is important, even essential to our
existence, the life in our context is found in the men, women, and children who
call this place home. Each community,
each congregation, each family has a story to share. Their lives are full of
challenges and dreams, sometimes filled with disappointment, anger, grief, and
struggles, but often balanced by hope, celebration, joy, and promise. And into
those lives we step, called to represent Christ and his church in personal and
very real ways.
One of the greatest privileges of being a rural
pastor is that we are invited into the personal lives of the people we serve at
very private, often very intimate moments. Joining the family circle for births
and deaths, weddings and funerals, anniversaries and other celebrations, means
that we not only represent the church, but are ambassadors for Christ as well.
Learning to cultivate that gift of 'presence' is essential to the practice of
effective ministry.
One stereotype of rural ministry is that we
are caretakers for our congregations and that vibrant, creative ministry only
happens in urban areas. As you might
have guessed, I could not disagree more. While there are some churches for
which that is true, and some pastors who don’t strive for anything else, there
are many places where excitement and vitality are the norm; churches that
demonstrate a desire to bring the good news of Jesus Christ to their constituencies
with passion and meaning, and pastors who are engaged in the lives of their
members with the kind of care, concern, and faith that must bring a smile to
God’s face.
This web site is dedicated to the
encouragement of that kind of passion and vitality. It is designed as a gathering place for
pastors and church leaders who are looking for resources, ideas, and
conversation that will lead to renewal in our congregations and in the larger
church. We don’t see our rural settings
as a barrier to church growth and development, but as an opportunity to provide
the gospel for a 21st century people who happen to live in a unique
and less populated context.
Over the years we have spent too much time
and energy worrying about the loss of members, our denominational struggles,
and maintaining a style of ministry that was designed for the 1950s. Our rural churches deserve better. I invite you to join us on this journey, as
we reinvent the church, moving away from an attitude of decline and irrelevance
and toward a new expression of the faith that exudes the gospel of Jesus Christ
in the way we live our lives, the way we relate to others, and the way we
worship our God.
That’s where I’m going. I hope you will come with me.