Boxes and Labeling
I think every year the United Church Observer does a reader survey. If it’s not every year, then it seems to be pretty regular, usually about the beliefs of their readership.
This year, I was called to share my own thoughts around the results. It seemed, to the reporter, that 13% of it’s readership (who completed the survey) would fit into a “traditionalist” category. Somehow, the reporter found out about me and thought I too would fit into this category. How reporters do that, I have no idea.
The full results can be found here: http://www.ucobserver.org/faith/2011/07/what_you_believe/
It was nice to see she captured our interview nicely, and quoted from a couple of my sermons in a good context. I have to admit I was bit worried about how I might look with the article. And while I think she had me in the right category as far as a theological perspective fit, I’m not really comfortable with getting this label.
Ok, sure, my theology may be “old fashioned”, and I’m fine with that. However, for my friends and regular readers here, would you place my theological practice in this category?
As one who is trying to push the church to think in new ways, to change some of the ways it does ministry, does this fit the “traditionalist” label? (it’s ok if you think so, I could be a bit disillusioned with myself, in which case, you’re helping!)
Not that it really matters a whole lot. But I wonder what sort of affect such labels have on our clergy and churches? I know that we all don’t think the same way in the United Church of Canada, and often our differences have created great divides in our denomination. Do we need to know we think differently? Yes, of course we do. But I know in my short history of the church some of the divides and labels have hurt people deeply.
Yes we need to acknowledge our differences, but we also need to converse and learn from one another. It’s my hope the articles will help that discussion by opening doors and not closing them, even if I’m not always happy with the labels being used.
Words to the Church, Part 6 – Know Jesus
A few weeks ago I decided I wanted to spend a bit of time sharing my thoughts to the church. As a young(ish) clergy person I have some ideas after observing the state of the church over the last 10 years. Frankly, to be honest, if I wasn’t clergy, I’m not sure I’d be going to church.
So over the last few weeks I’ve been exploring some thoughts, or suggestions, I have for the church. This isn’t targeting any one particular denomination or congregation since many of us are struggling in similar ways. I started with a number of points I wanted to address. This could very well continue as I explore the church with new eyes. Eyes looking for new ideas in circumstances of dying churches. We are approaching a desperate stage in our churches, and maybe this desperation will lead to new life. For now, this is my last post on the topic, “Words to the Church”, but don’t be surprised to see more in the future.
If you’ve missed my previous posts on the subject you can view them at parts [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
Know Jesus
What is key part of our worship? Is it the music? The prayers? The sermon? The coffee?
I’ve been to a lot of churches which pride themselves on one or all of the above. They’ll say, “Come and hear our choir!” or “Come and hear our pastor preach!” Where then someone will ask “Oh? What did she preach about?” Response, “I don’t know, but she’s good!”
I don’t believe we are needing to downplay these highlights of our church. If your church has amazing music or prayers or coffee, then you need to use the gifts you have been given to their fullest extent.
But we also need to know what the focus of our worship should be. Our focus should be on God, Jesus and what the Holy Spirit is saying to us. We are being invited into a special relationship with our Creator.
A relationship so deep that God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to show us the way back to him. Jesus came and lived so that we might know how God would like us to live in the world. Helping others, showing the love of God with all people. After Jesus spent his life doing this, he then sent us the Holy Spirit to continue to show us the way.
We go to worship to be invited deeper into this amazing relationship. We have been invited to explore in a more intimate, communal setting just how much God wants to be in relationship with us. We go to be drawn deeper. To be refreshed with God’s Word. To be with others in prayer as we pray for each other and for the needs of our communities and to seek God’s answers to our prayers.
Now church is not the only place this can happen. We can have deep, personal encounters with our God anytime anywhere. But worship is an opportunity to come together and share our experiences. A chance to be renewed in our spirit as we gather into a Holy Moment with our church family. It helps set the tone for the rest of our week.
Worship is not an event for entertainment. It is not a chance to catch up on the local gossip.
Worship is an encounter with the Holy. A time to share in the mystery and meaning of our lives, and to invite God into that space so we can gain clearer direction.
We need to know Jesus. He is the reason why we gather. He is the one who calls us into this relationship. If we know him, then it makes the steps 1-5 that I already identified that much easier to follow.
Words to the Church, Part 5 – Open the Doors 2
This month I want to spend a bit of time sharing my thoughts to the church. As a young(ish) clergy person I have some ideas after observing the state of the church over the last 10 years. Frankly, to be honest, if I wasn’t clergy, I’m not sure I’d be going to church.
So I’m nearing the end of a few weeks exploring 6 thoughts, or suggestions, I have for the church. This isn’t targeting any one particular denomination or congregation since many of us are struggling in similar ways.
If you missed parts 1, 2, 3, or 4, there they are.
Open the Doors… And See Who Comes In
Photo by http://www.flickr.com/photos/smartannie/
Sometimes people are interested in church. Sometimes they wonder what it is that is so important that we’ll get up early on a Sunday morning, get dressed and head to an old building in town.
These people may be at a point in their life that maybe they are almost ready to risk entering the building themselves.
I use the term ‘risk’ here because for many it is a risk. If they didn’t grow up in the church then they probably feel like an alien walking into Area 51. They don’t know the language or the customs like when to stand or when to sit down. They don’t know what to do when praying. They don’t know how to sing the songs. They can feel completely lost. How would you feel if you went to another country and found there were no signs anywhere telling you where you are or where you might be going?
If you want to know how welcoming and accessible your church is, sit next to someone completely new to your church. See how they struggle with different parts of the service. See how comfortable they feel when they are singing the songs and saying the prayers.
But even better, help them in these spots. And then take what you have learned back to your pastor and the leaders of your church and tell them what you’ve found and work together to make it easier for people to be integrated into the worship experience.
Because if you are starting to do some of the things that I have been mentioning, then there will be people thinking about coming to check out your church some Sunday morning. People who will be very hesitant and worried they might “do something wrong” and make fools of themselves. Of course we know they can’t, but that’s how they might feel.
So make your doors open and inviting. Make your worship experience friendly for new people, maybe even assign some hospitable people to sit with or near new folks to help them find their way through the service. Help them know where the Sunday School or nursery is and other pertinent information about the building.
Open the doors. You never know who might come in!
One more post on this series to come… who do you know?
Words to the Church, Part 4 – Open The Doors
This month I want to spend a bit of time sharing my thoughts to the church. As a young(ish) clergy person I have some ideas after observing the state of the church over the last 10 years. Frankly, to be honest, if I wasn’t clergy, I’m not sure I’d be going to church.
So I’m spending few weeks exploring 6 thoughts, or suggestions, I have for the church. This isn’t targeting any one particular denomination or congregation since many of us are struggling in similar ways.
If you missed my previous posts, you can catch them here (part 1, part 2, part 3)
Open The Doors and Walk Out of Them
Photo by http://www.sxc.hu/profile/pipp
There’s an interesting phenomenon that we have in our churches. We have this thing which seems to keep us from being fully part of the community. This block does two things. It keeps us from seeing what’s in our communities that could use our help. It also keeps people from seeing what we have to offer.
Doors.
Of course it’s not really the doors. But think about it. We come to church on Sunday morning We walk inside and we close the doors behind us. Then we leave the church through those doors and lock them up when the last one leaves.
What happens inside those doors is a time where we listen to, we lay our burdens, we worship, we pray, we ask for forgiveness, we ask for all these thing from God. We get reassured we aren’t bad people, then we leave and go back to our homes and the rest of our lives.
We seem to be happy about this. We are happy we have our one hour a week where we sing our songs, we pray, we listen to the preacher.
But what about those who are outside the church? The people who are struggling with being a single parent? Or the people who are struggling with addictions, hunger or poverty? The people who feel the church has nothing to offer them? What about these people? The people who look at our closed doors and say, “Look, they’re at it again, having their hour of Holy before going back to their regular lives.” Or maybe more simply, “There go the hypocrites!”
Ouch? You bet!
So what are we doing to change that mindset in our communities? What are we doing to show that by going to our church we are learning what it means to be a faithful Christian?
The way to show this is to come out of the doors of our churches and show we care. We need to show people that we are learning about ways in which God is calling us to walk with the weak and vulnerable, the one’s in need in our communities. This doesn’t mean we need to have programs. It doesn’t mean we need to spend thousands of dollars on outreach.
It means we come out of our buildings and show people how God has touched our lives. It could mean some of us get involved with community programs. It could mean some of us will reach out to a neighbour who is really struggling. It could mean some of us will volunteer in our schools. It means different things for different people.
But the key thing is we’re seen to be taking the church, we’re taking God, out of our buildings (not that God could ever be limited to our buildings) and trying to make a difference.
Open the doors. Go out of them and see where God will take you.
Next up, we’ll see if the door can swing both ways.
Words to the Church, Part 3 – Don’t Be Afraid
This month I want to spend a bit of time sharing my thoughts to the church. As a young(ish) clergy person I have some ideas after observing the state of the church over the last 10 years. Frankly, to be honest, if I wasn’t clergy, I’m not sure I’d be going to church.
So I’m spending a few weeks I’m exploring 6 thoughts, or suggestions, I have for the church. This isn’t targeting any one particular denomination or congregation since many of us are struggling in similar ways.
To see what I’ve already posted on this topic, here are Part 1 and Part 2.
Don’t Be Afraid
Photo by http://www.sxc.hu/profile/ross666
One of the things I’ve noticed over the last while is that it seems the church is living in a state of fear.
Fear over paying the bills. Fear of what the future may hold. Fear of keeping the building upright and maintained. Fear of what people may think of the church. Fear of what people might not think of the church. Fear of being able to find a good pastor. Fear that they might not find a good pastor. Fear, fear, fear….
Continually in the Old Testament, God told his people to “be not afraid.” And Jesus continued using this phrase in his ministry as well.
Yes the immediate future of the church does look like a scary place. There is much to doubt, there is much uncertainty.
But God isn’t in the business of fear. God wants to calm our fears. God wants us to live in the strength of his guiding love and be bold in our endeavours to be faithful to His call in our lives.
Fear is an emotion which holds us back. It causes us to turn away from risk. Fear is not from God. Whenever someone became afraid of what God was asking him or her to do, God responded with “do not be afraid.”
God has a plan for us. God has a future for us. God has never abandoned His people, and Jesus has told us that he will be with us until the end of the age.
So what are we scared of?
Be not afraid, my friends. Be not afraid.