est cum est

When the Big Thing Isn't Big

2009-10-28T21:26:00.003-05:00

Tonight is the first game of the World Series of Major League Baseball. Okay…big deal. Philly and New York. This is the big deal. Networks are running reruns so not waste the new episodes in competition. They are operating under the assumption that this is the big draw, the big thing. Nope they are wrong. This might be the big deal in Philly and New York, but in New Orleans or Minneapolis or Seattle or Miami or Denver or Cleveland or Oakland, not the big thing. I will be interested in the ratings the World Series draws. I believe they might be lower than last year which was lower than the year before.

How often do we discover that what’s supposed to be the big thing isn’t? We do this all the time in the church looking for the silver bullet that is going to make the church suddenly shoot up and be all she can be. Maybe it is 40 Days of Purpose or it is being a simple church or small groups or catching that rockin’ band? Maybe the big thing is at Catalyst or at the National Outreach Convention or at the Leadership Summit or…? More often than not there is no pot of new members at the end of those rainbows.

Maybe the big thing is in actuality the dozens or hundreds or thousands of small things we do in the church that no one seems to pay attention to. Jesus seems drawn to the small things, a boy’s lunch box, a pearl, a mustard seed, a woman giving two cents when everyone around her is dropping in bags of money. Jesus took 12 guys that are not remarkable, not the “A” team and started a movement that has changed the world.

Right now in this country there are 350,000 churches. Only a handful are the big thing, only maybe 1500 are “mega-churches”, less than one half of one percent. The majority of the rest are the small things of this world. But in those small things are acts of love, compassion and grace. In those small things are daily sacrifices and gift to people most others never see. There is nothing wrong with Big Things. But right now, in this place and at this time it is the multitude of small things that I will watch and place my confidence in. For me the big thing turned out to be small thing after all.

Oh Philly is up 2 – 0 bottom of the 7th. If only the Cubs were there, now that would be a big thing.

A Great Win in the Drizzle

2009-10-26T08:15:00.003-05:00

You can list what West Bay Covenant doesn't have on a box of legal pads. You can talk about why we will always be small church or about the obstacles facing us cannot be over come. Phooey.

Last night we held a Trunk and Treat for our community. And in the drizzle and 40+ temperatures we had over 20 people, most in their 70's dressing up, decorating their cars and having ball handing out candy and blessings to over 50 kids who showed up, The parents of the kids kept saying how great this was, and thanked us over and over.

These saints loved it. They had a riot joking with one another, drinking hot cider and letting people know that Jesus loves them. Forget about what we don't have, just look at what we do have!

Nothing But Nets

2009-10-21T13:38:00.002-05:00

What makes a good partner? To be able to partner with another person, agency or company what does it take? Do the values have to mesh? Does the compatibility of the goals do the trick? What if only for this project your interests align - is that good enough?

The Covenant is launching a very worthy effort, Congo – Bed Nets for Life. This is to help combat malaria in small children. This is the leading cause of death in children in Africa. Less than 1% of the children under 5 in the Congo have a net protecting them from mosquitoes. They want to help address this issue. I believe they have a inquiry with UNICEF to work with them but they have not answered at the moment. Our church will help, and not just the children, all of us want to be a part of this. This is a no brainer. $10 a net? How many can we raise?

There is another organization who deals in nets; it is called Nothing But Nets. (http://www.nothingbutnets.net/) In 2006 Rick Reilly was writing for Sport Illustrated discovered the issue of malaria and children in Africa and challenged his readers to donate $20 for a net and the response was amazing. He kicked $20,000 of his own cash to jump start it. Since that date the campaign has sent out almost 2.9 million nets, not dollars, nets. The partners for this effort are the NBA Cares, the WNBA Cares, Sports Illustrated, The United Methodist Church, the UN Foundation, United Airlines, the Boy Scouts of America, Orkin (they have best slogan – fight the bite), Exxon Mobil and Malaria No More.

Why not the Covenant? Why not take the dollars from our children and combine them with United Airlines and Orkin and the NBA and bring the nets to the Congo. I am not a NBA fan, but I am a big fan of this effort. The goals align, the results are awesome. Why wait for UNICEF? What makes a good partner? Who can we work with to get the job done? Just a question, just a thought.

An Open Letter to Cialis

2009-10-15T10:50:00.003-05:00

To the Executive Team of Cialis:

What is with the two tubs thing? Seriously? I saw your commercial on TV last night for like the one billionth time. (Which is more than enough, way more) In all those times I have never once been tempted, thought or even mused about asking my physician for your product. My only thought is who takes a bath in the woods? I am 54 years old. There is nothing romantic, alluring or sexy about taking bath in the woods or in a field – may be at the beach – no not even there. All I think about is getting out and stepping on pine cone or something; or having Chip or Dale jump in with me. And hey, what happens if hikers happen to come by? No little blue pill is going make that batter.

I have been married almost 30 years. I am a pastor and praise God for his creative provisions. I am not a prude. Sex is good, sex is a wonderful. But the tub thing is just goofy.

Sincerely,

“Not Impressed”

Question

2009-10-15T10:30:00.003-05:00

Would Paul the Apostle have attended the church in Corinth if he hadn’t been the one to plant it and work through all the nonsense that church dished out? If he wasn’t the leader of the church would he attend the church? Frankly I haven’t a clue. He is far more mature and Christ connected than I am.

But this is a question that has rattled around in my head for a while. In fact I would like to poll sometime the ministerium of my tribe with only one query. “Would you attend the church you currently serve if you weren’t the pastor of the church?” I would ask the question on a Thursday – never on a Monday. Just only one response, yes or no.

And the answer is…

Failure Is Not an Option

2009-10-14T16:05:00.001-05:00

We are having a meeting tonight. It is still over two hours away and it is already a failure. In the Covenant are organized into conferences, with the leadership given to Superintendents. In the conference we are further organized to districts based on geography. Tonight the Northern Michigan District is gathering with the Associate Superintendent. We have nine churches and a camp in our district. Tonight at best three churches will be represented, optimistically. More likely there will be two. 20% of our district.

This is troubling because it indicates that we are a deeply dysfunctional family. We find it almost impossible to work in co-ordination with one another. The churches are irritated that the conference doesn’t pay attention to us. But when they do try to reach out you get almost no response. For better or worse we are connected in this organizational pattern. It may not be the most effective or most forward thinking structure, but it is certainly not the worst.

The central question for me is how do we work together if there is such a disconnect? How do we communicate, build relationships or create trust and respect. The churches in our district are small, and there is a strong feeling that they are disregarded by the leadership. The leadership tries to come but no one shows up. We are politely dishonest about the issue and maintain our façade of niceness and nothing is every resolved. What we are about is too important to allow this to continue unchallenged. If this is not working then what is the next thing we can try? If that doesn’t work then what is the next thing? Something has to work.

"Brand" New

2009-10-14T12:16:00.003-05:00

How does a church build a brand? Are we supposed to have a brand? Are we supposed to have a “competitive advantage”? Advantage over whom? I don’t believe I am competing against the Wesleyans down the street or the Community church or any other congregation. If anything, I am competing against the secular lifestyle, against the increasing pagan elements that are influencing my community. But what does it means for a church to have a brand?

Seth Godin speaks of a brand as being shorthand for “relationships, beliefs, trust, permission and word of mouth”. This is more than a slick logo, rockin’ website or a mail campaign to the community. When you speak about a brand like, this is something I can get my imagination around.

What kind of relationships we do we have at West Bay, not just internally but with our neighbors, with the township, with the vendors we use, with the other churches in town, with the business we exchange with? Are they good relationships, ones which benefit all parties? Are the relationships of trust and grace, compassion and love?
Are the beliefs we have a church clear and well known? Are the expressed not in condemnation or arrogance, but with a sincere desire to be clear and helpful about who and what we are? Are the beliefs we espouse the launching point for our actions? Do we actually behave as we believe?
Do we garner trust in the community? Do people see as a dependable in times of needs, safe to speak with, accepting of those who come to us for help? Do they trust us with their children, their parents or anyone who needs attention or care? Do we do what we say we will do? Do they trust us?
Are we welcome in their midst? Do we have their permission to enter their world of influence? Do we have their permission to speak or invest or even object in their world? Schools, governing structures and other community groups like Rotary or United Way – can enter their world by their permission?
What is the word on the street about us? What is our reputation in the various sectors of the community? We probably have multiple reputations? I am afraid the West bay has little of any reputation, because might be invisible to most who drive by.

A brand seems to take a long time to establish. It also seems to be something you can damage quickly. But given this description I do not see how we can neglect creating a brand for our congregation. It is a part of our witness, our being salt in this city. It is just being who we are – just doing it out loud.

What Are We Worth?

2009-10-13T07:37:00.003-05:00

There is a fair amount of conversation over Franklin Graham’s 1.2 million dollar salary. I have read about in three places just this morning. The general consensus is that that something is wrong with holding two full time positions and garnering to very healthy salaries. I cannot argue with that. Back in April there was an equally energetic conversation about Brad Braxton’s salary package which tipped over $600K. Some of the members filed suit against the church.

On the other side of the issue it has been a long standing topic that most pastors are under compensated. That their salaries do not allow them to adequately provide for their families or allow them to live to the standards of their communities. That their pensions or retirement provisions are not adequate for their needs when they retire. No one seems to file suit on their behalf when this happens.

So my question is this – what is a fair compensation for a pastor? I know it is going to be dependent to a certain extent upon the size of church and the economic conditions of the community. In general, what level of compensation is right for someone with 8 years of college and graduate education and training? Pay them at the level of a middle school principal? Teachers with a master’s degree? Accountant for a local corporation? Middle level supervisor at the local plant?

We seem to be able to recognize when someone is being paid too much. We ought to be able to recognize when someone is being paid too little. How can we recognize what the right compensation is for task they have been given?

This Is News?

2009-10-06T07:06:00.001-05:00

What exactly qualifies as news these days? On the home page of my internet carrier the news looks a lot like the cover page of Star magazine. Now the lead story on the CNN site and the FoxNews site is about how David Letterman apologized to his wife for his indiscretions. Granted the “serious” stories were all lined up with links to read, but is Letterman what we need to know this morning? And if I never see or hear from whomever Jon and Kate are that will be a wondrous gift. They have 8 kids – they ought to be busy enough without national attention. When did this get to be news? Enough already, please give me the economic forecasts, the floods, the droughts or the projections for our military actions. Give me the classics.

I Am Afraid

2009-09-30T08:36:00.001-05:00

I have a secret to confess – I am afraid. Not for me. I am for afraid for my son.

My oldest son is incredibly talented, awesomely gifted, fiercely dedicated and very successful. He is in ministry, youth ministry at good church surrounded by a great staff. He is willing to learn and grow, to share what he has gleaned with anyone. He is open and generous. He is wildly passionate about his faith. He is seeing God working in his ministry and all he wants is to see more. He has a great wife who supports him and works side by side with him.

And I am afraid for him. I am afraid what working in ministry can do to him. Not God, not his Savior, they will not abandon or forsake him. Their love and compassion are endless. No it is the church, the people, the structures that can do the damage. The demands and expectations in ministry which tempt you remove or ignore boundaries and drain yourself to dangerous levels. It is the pressure to succeed in a calling where is success is only through in Christ – but few see that. There is no finish line; no place where you can point to and say there it is done. It is never finished, never completed, always too much to do in too little time. You must draw the line. I am afraid he won’t.

I am afraid of what the people around him can and will do. The comments that can pierce your soul, the disappointments that can drain the life from you. The commitments neglected, the anger deposited at your doorstep, the misdirected accusations flung your way because people simply do not know better. The people at his church are not vicious or cruel or intentional in their harm. But they are people with emotions and failings that often say and do things without thought of the consequences.

I am afraid of what failure can do to him. I am afraid of what success can do him. They often leave you in the same location. I rarely say this aloud. I never say it him. I always say to God in my prayers for him. I am so proud of him, of whom he is and what he is doing. I say that – often, well not often enough. My fear is not lack of faith in God; but it is based in experience and close observation. I offer it up to my Father in heaven, yet it returns.

It helps to say this out loud. I know he is called, I know he is loved, and I know he is where God wants him. So I watch with pride and joy. I pray for them. I encourage as often as I can. And I hold my breath. I am afraid.

History Walking Before Our Eyes

2009-09-30T07:58:00.002-05:00

It is no secret that I love golf. I follow the PGA Tour, not just the top players but I am even fascinated by those who strive to make into the top 125 which means you have a full time job for next year. I even am fairly interested in the Champions Tour and the Nationwide Tour. I watch it on TV, I follow it online. I play on a level which makes grown men cry and children run shrieking, but I love golf.

The tour has just finished it “official” season where the best of the best competed for an obscene payday. The tournaments that remain for this year will decided who makes into the top 125 or the top 150 who have at least partial standing with the tour – who has a job for 2010. And it is no surprise that Tiger Woods won the major prize - $10 million. He is that good. He is walking history. He has won 71 times, only Jack Nicklaus (73) and Sam Snead (82) have more. He has also reached this level faster than anyone. He has 14 victories in the majors, only Jack with 18 has more. This year Woods won 6 times. Most professionals win six in a career.

One more measure of this player is the winnings he has earned. To earn a dime on the PGA you have beat 50% of the field, you have make the cut. Woods has out distanced everyone in the sport. No one comes close. Look at this – here are the top five earners on the tour, this is what they have earned on average for each tournament they have played in their career:
5. Davis Love III $65,397
4. Jim Furyk $103,833
3. Phil Mickelson $138,944
2. Vijay Singh $145,850
1. Tiger Woods $367,046
Every time he has teed it up he has earned more than twice what the next player on the list has achieved. He will become the first player to earn, to win $100 million in the history of the game.

Yeah, I am golf geek. But at this moment time history is walking before our eyes. I plan on watching every week.

Barriers and Hoops

2009-09-25T08:04:00.001-05:00

We have just completed a small construction project here at West Bay. We took two older restrooms and converted them from being older inaccessible men’s and women’s facilities to updated unisex facilities with one being handicapped accessible, something we have lacked here. The company did a great job. The whole project was a total of 88 square feet. Under $13,000.00, which is reasonable considering they took the one bathroom to the studs and completely revamped the space and it is beautiful. But…

The inspectors came, not one, not two, but four showed up – plumbing, electrical, mechanical and building. The state of Michigan requires that the job be inspected every which way but loose. Mind you all they did was replace two toilets, change the sink, remove one toilet, remove the partitions, tile the floors and walls, paint the rest, new light fixtures, fan, sink. Just a small project but permits need to be taken out, fees paid, and inspections carried out. I get the need to make sure things are done right and safe. But couldn’t just one guy come and inspect the job? This barely qualifies as job for this company. But the inspectors are immovable. In fact if you change an electrical socket, you have to be inspected. If you replace a toilet in your house it has to be inspected. Install a ceiling fan that takes both an electrical and mechanical inspector. I pressed the inspector on this and he admitted it was about the fees, or as he called them the taxes. They need money, simple as that. Oh and control, never forget control.

This is not just a rant about the goofiness of excessive government oversight. Pointing the finger at the state and county makes me ask what do we do in the church to create barriers to ministry, to prevent people using our buildings that are largely empty? What inspections, rules, committees or hoops do we make people endure so they can do the work of kingdom of God? If the youth ministry want to have a movie night with all kinds of food in the sanctuary on Saturday night what is the response? If someone wants to take the church van to pick up the homeless and transport them to the shelter or deliver meals is the process simple and easy? What do our policies and procedures say about our attitude toward ministry? Is it about control? Or is it about encouragement? It is time West Bay removed the barriers.

If I Were King

2009-09-23T08:17:00.001-05:00

There is a radio host on WGN in Chicago in the afternoons named John Williams. His is running for King. He has been for years. I would vote for him. There is just no place to vote at this moment. But his idea has got me thinking, what would I do if I were king? (A truly horrific thought.)

Out of the myriad of commands, edicts and instructions I would issue here is one that I believe might actually help. I would like to create a collection point for the best practices for churches. It could be on community level or state level. It might be on a denominational regional level or even national. The conference I work in for my tribe has 70 churches of various sizes and situations. Certainly someone has come with a few good ideas that others could benefit from. Why not make them available? How many times do we in the church try to reinvent the wheel when it comes to various policies or constitutions or planning platforms? We need a constitution at our church. We have one, it is really bad – train wreck. So we need a new one. Why not go this site and find one that would work, make the modifications – if necessary and adopt it. Anything from building use to personnel to memorial gifts, why not take the best and collect them in one place. We might be surprised where some of the best ideas come from.

I have a vague idea on how to move forward, but not really sure. I going to pitch this idea to the Honchos of our conference and see if it gains any traction. If it doesn’t I will pitch it again. Or I will look around and see if someone else has had this amazing idea as well, but they actually executed. O to be king…

"Of Whom the World Is Not Worthy"

2009-09-16T07:45:00.004-05:00

“For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty…” and so begin the citation for the Medal of Honor. If I could be anywhere this week I would be in Chicago because from September 15th through the 19th that is where the Congressional Medal of Honor Society Convention is being held. From Jacob Parrott in 1865 to Ross McGinnis in June of 2008 there have been 3447 recipients of the Medal of Honor. Today there only 95 who are still alive, and about 50 will gather in Chicago to remember, tell stories and honor those who are no longer among them.

Did you know that there are 19 men who are double recipients of the medal? They earned it twice! African-American, Hispanic, Asian and Native-American have been awarded this honor. Members of the every branch of the military have been awarded this honor. Regardless of how you may feel about the military or the wars in Iraq or Afghanistan, these are men and women who have stood in the gap on our behalf. I would love to be in Chicago among those who have with no thought for themselves went above and beyond what anyone would call duty. They exhibited extraordinary courage and sacrifice for those around them. They are more than heroes. In the words of the book of Hebrews, these are men and women “...of whom the world is not worthy”.

One More Post On "The Speech"

2009-09-08T22:06:00.004-05:00

The President gave a speech today. Not about health care or the economy or the war in Afghanistan. He didn't address a friendly or hostile audience. He addressed the students of the United States at the beginning of the school year. You'd think he had tried to over throw the Constitution by the sheer volume of objections and suspicions of what he was trying to do.

As I have said in the past, I am not a big fan of his policies or the direction he seems to be going. But he is the President, who else ought to address the student body of country? Why isn't expected that every the sitting President address the students, encouraging and challenging them. Why didn't George W or William Jefferson, or George H W address the students every year. Isn't that one of the functions of leadership?

A Church By Any Other Name

2009-09-08T22:04:00.001-05:00

In Traverse City there is stretch on the main drag where all the motels, resorts and hotels have gathered, each one vying for attention. Some are impressive structures while others are more mom and pop operations. What is fascinating is how they refer to themselves. One declares that they are “Dutch clean” which I believe means that every molecule of dirt and dust, along with every microbe has been expelled from the premises. It would make any Marine proud. Another establishment exclaims that they are “American Owned”. Well yeah. So are about 80% of the other places. I am not sure who the foreign interlopers are that has dared to put their lodge in this mix, but they will be found out. One has “fractional condominiums”, which sounds more like you get to buy a hallway and a bathroom than a fancier way saying timeshare. Some boast about their “sugar beaches” (I am not sure what those are), while others are quite proud that they will drive you back and forth to the casino. There is a bonus for you.

Driving past collection of references everyday makes me wonder how we in the church refer to ourselves, and if it is as loopy as the resorts. Well, probably. How many churches declare that they are family oriented? I have pulled that one myself. Of course we are family oriented, what else are we supposed to be? Sorry only single adults 18 - 30 allowed! Or we are a friendly church! I have never seen a church sign declare that they coldest place in town. You bet we are friendly; we talked to our friends every Sunday, which is okay unless you aren’t one of our friends. How many times have you seen a church declare that they were a New Testament Church! Seriously, what church isn’t? How many Apocrypha Churches can you find in your Yellow Pages? Words like relevant, welcoming, engaging, dynamic and exciting slip into descriptions of our churches. We try to use these words like hooks that will encourage people come in and discover what a great congregation this is. What happens when the words don’t match the reality?

Do we really think people buy these references? Do we really think they aren’t savvy enough to see past these nifty labels? Maybe, just maybe people come into our churches hoping to find a place where they will be accepted for who they are nothing more. A place where they find hope, peace and Jesus. Maybe if we advertised we are simply jars of clay holding an incredible treasure that would be enough.

They Aren't Looking For Me

2009-09-03T11:49:00.001-05:00

Everyone once in a while… ahhhh, not quite true, periodically… nope still not true, regularly I wander over to ESPN.com just to check scores, stories, standings, and on more than few occasions they want me to take a survey. Okay, sure, no problem. Question 1: How old are you? 54. Question 2: Gender? Male. After those two answers they politely give me the broom. I do not match their criteria. I am not in their target demographic. They aren’t looking for me.

In the church it has become a best practice to employ target demographics when looking to reach the community surrounding you. It makes sense; you understand the wants, needs, lifestyles, challenges and preferences of the people you have the most affinity with. It has been used effectively by many churches. The problem comes when people don’t understand the concept of the target. One church determined that they were looking to reach unchurched young families where both parents worked – between 30 and 45 years old and who had small children in elementary to middle school. When this was published the reaction of the congregation was intense. Those who didn’t “fit” in the target demographic said they don’t want us.

The problems with this response are legion, but primarily it illustrates their misconception of being a part of the church. Of course they weren’t in the target; they are already in the church. They are ones who are supposed to be doing the reaching. They are the welcomers, those serving, those inviting, caring or teaching the kids, orchestrating the work teams. The biggest hurdle we have in reaching beyond the church is to understand that it isn’t about us, it isn’t for us. Never has been, never will be. Someone extended themselves to reach us and now it is our turn.

Regardless of what you think of defining a target demographic, the question has to be answered – who are we trying to reach? Not us. We are already here. We don’t need the attention. We give the attention. The church is not looking for us, we are supposed to be doing the looking. It’s our turn.

Assets or Deficits?

2009-09-01T15:41:00.002-05:00

If you were to look at the religious landscape of our area, our church would not be the big player on the block. We wouldn’t be the midsized player; we would be the small voice over there in the corner. I serve a small church. And when you serve a small church you face a variety of temptations. One is to look over the fence to see what the “big boys” are doing. Oh yeah, we got big boys in town. Look at their toys and their buildings, websites or whatever.

Which leads to another temptation - to keep focused on what you don’t have rather than what resources that are in your hand. Some of this might be understandable. Wouldn’t it be great if we had (choose one: drummer, guitarist, male vocalists, three more young families, a slug of kids, a gaggle of teenagers and a cappuccino machine) and then we would really take off. If you serve a small church you can make up a list of what you don’t have that will go on forever. This for the most part accomplishes nothing.

It is easy to fall into that trap; you run into your deficits regularly. You see the gaps everywhere. But that orientation or mentality gets you nowhere. And too often nowhere is the destination of choice for small churches. But that is not the only alternative. A healthier selection is to focus on what you have been given. To be asset based rather that deficit based. As obvious as this sounds, it is not the popular or default option. It takes vision and creativity to see what can happen with the people, gifts and resources you have in your midst. It also means lifting up a vision for the future that encourages people to invest their gifts in this work one more time.

West Bay is a church that has an abundance of gifted people who have the time and drive to invest their gifts in their church home in order to see something happen. We have people who are craftsmen, we have people who are artisans, we have people who are tireless servants, we have people who are stunning cooks and we have musicians and teachers. We have people who are leaders and we have people who drop anything to pray. We have a great location and building that gives us high visibility on a primary road. The list goes on and on. These are gifts that allow to you accomplish great things. The assets that we have been entrusted with deserve my attention and passion. They need a direction and encouragement that we will see progress. West Bay may currently be a small church but we are not a bereft church. We have people who want to see God work one more time on this corner.

The reality is that someone will always have more than you do, that there will always be gaps and deficits, no matter what size your church is. How many churches do you know that have too much money? So look the other direction, at what God has dropped in your lap. Then run with it. Get up and go. See what happens. Forget the temptations. For once, let people wonder what it is you have that they don’t.

Both/And

2009-08-26T08:15:00.002-05:00

The Evangelical Covenant Church, my tribe, has in its fold just around 800 churches in the USA and Canada. I know this because we, like baseball, count everything. Out of those 800 or so church there about 380 congregations that average under 100 souls in attendance on Sunday mornings. I know this because I, like baseball, counted them. They are in a volume we get every year aptly named “Covenant Yearbook”; it is a page turner. Well anyway, this means that about 50% of our churches are under the 100 mark in attendance.

Another reality of our tribe is that we are passionately committed to church planting. This effort has proven over and over again to be a very effective evangelism strategy. The lion’s share of our growth has come through church planting. So their commitment is absolute.

But what about the established churches? What is being done to encourage their growth and health? We now have in place a major initiative called Veritas which is an assessment tool and resource program to help established congregations reach a high level of health. This initiative is currently staffed by one, with collaboration by the various conferences. It is an important and well crafted effort. But it is not enough. We have spent millions over the years on church planting, and we ought to, but we have not placed the same amount of resources in our established churches that are experiencing decline or are at a plateau. And yes many are not healthy, and more than a few will not survive. But most will. Most need a boast, a hand up, not hand out.

Why can’t we designate resources to the established churches that have great potential to fly? Why can’t we invest in these churches in order to see them become effective evangelism agents. For decades they have given to the denomination, many of the church plants were funded by these struggling churches. I understand resources in this economy have dwindled, that budgets are not being met, that cuts are being made. But churches are still being planted. The funds given to the established churches don’t have to be at the same level. What most of these churches need is help to fill a gap that holding then back. Why can’t we do that to a select group of them each year?

It doesn’t have to be an either/or issue, it can be, it ought to be a both/and issue.

Wanted: A Great Church!

2009-08-24T07:43:00.001-05:00

In the tribe that I belong to we have list of churches that are seeking staff, churches that are looking pastors and other members to serve with them. Right now there is about 30 or so churches on that list, 19 of them are over 100 in attendance and 11 of them are under. My guess is that those under 100 in attendance are often over looked. Too bad, because I know that at least one of those churches is a gem that shouldn’t be missed .

I would like to offer an endorsement, a recommendation for North Park Covenant Church in Machesney Park, Illinois. This church located in the northern suburbs of Rockford. They have been in existence for over 50 years, they are near a major intersection and their facility while dated is very nice and well maintained. Parking is currently adequate but will become an issue if grow occurs, and it should. The attendance is about 70-75 on Sunday. (The demographics of the area are encouraging, there is vast potential.) They run about 30 for all ages in Sunday School. Their internal demographic is a nice blend of ages. The worship is blended and they have a good worship team. They also worship well. The technology has been upgraded this spring – they did a good job.

But the real treasures are the people who populate this congregation. I served this church as their interim pastor for six months, and even seriously considered staying on. These people get it. They have a passion for Jesus Christ and for each other. They love one another tenaciously. They are willing to extending themselves for one another and those around them. They repeatedly and joyfully take the time and energy to care for each other. They love the people in their community. These people are talented and generous with those talents. They have weathered significant storms and emerged with strength.

And they take care of their pastor. They are welcoming, encouraging and grateful for what you do in their midst. They currently are challenged in their resources – who isn’t? But they are generous to those who serve them. They echo the sentiment of the Macedonian churches Paul spoke of, these saints in Rockford do not do what you expect – generosity rises out of their challenges. They will love you. They will try new things, they will take risks and they will work hard for the kingdom of God. They are more interested in ministry than status quo and they want to see God work in their area. As I said they get it. And they want to share it.

So if you are looking a church to serve and you go to the Covenant website, when you scroll down the list of churches seeking pastors don’t pass over Machesney Park without a second thought. Larger churches are not always the ticket. Facilities and budgets can be attractive, but they are not the core of the church. Just take a good look at the north end of the Rockford area. North Park Covenant is simply a great church.

Four and No More

2009-08-17T08:10:00.001-05:00

If you had 4 weeks to preach to a congregation, just 4 and no more what would you say? What themes would you use, texts to work from, words you would leave with them? Just four sermon, what would they be?

I had this opportunity twice. The first time was when I was concluding my time with the great church in Rockford, and the second time was when I was starting here in Traverse City. What four things would I want to say to a church? Leaving or entering, what would I want to tell them?

Here is what I chose:
1. Trust Jesus, John 14: 1-7. You can use words like faith or believe, but in my context, at this time trust is more powerful. If we don’t do this – game over.
2. Just Stand There, Ephesians 6: 10-18. It may be an unpopular image but I believe we are in a battle, a struggle against the forces of evil, not the people around us. But our task is not to go looking for a fight; the fight will come to us. Our task is to stand in our faith, use the gifts, tools and provision of Jesus through the Holy Spirit. Just stay standing.
3. Love Each Other, Colossians 3: 12-17. Love each other so much it is the first thing people notice about us. Who wants to join a group or organization where it is evident the members don’t like each other. Can we be the church if we do not love each other?
4. The Best is Yet to Come, 2 Timothy 4: 6-8. These verses have been my destination passage. This how I want to end my work and my life. Every journey needs a destination. Every church needs to know where they are going. For me destination is one or two steps beyond vision. Our destination is a good one.

So those are mine, what are yours?

A Safe Place

2009-08-15T21:39:00.003-05:00

Read blogs, articles, books, you name it on the church and you will find 101 reasons why the church is failing, not growing – shrinking in fact in this new environment of the 21st century. The organization is flawed, the methods have been a disaster and we have been co-opted by the business culture that surrounds us. It is our structure, it is our message or lack of, it is the consumer culture we have encouraged, it is how we have taken the gospel message of powerful transformation and turned it into a quick fix. It is… you name it.

Okay, guilty as charged. Maybe. But as I work in new setting in a church that has had more than its fair share of challenges I don’t think the majority of these charges stick. I serve a small church with limited resources as most would count. Big in heart - short in checkbook. Look around town and the largest group we can claim are people who used to go to our church. They outnumber the people who actually show up. Being here only for less than two months I certainly don’t have all of, if any of the answers to why we are not rocketing up in attendance. But I do have one or two ideas.

The central core value in my understanding of how the church works is this: Everyone has a place and everyone belongs. I have said these words over and over again for 29 years. I believe them passionately. I tend to say it during children’s sermons because it is the one time I know every adult is listening. I believe the church is where we have as place, where room is made for us, no matter who we or where we have come from. It is where we belong to one another without regard to success or failures. We belong to one another. We take the words of God seriously when he said I will never leave you are forsake you.

I believe the reason the church is failing is because we have forgotten this reality. I would say it another way, the church has ceased being a safe place. A safe place is not where our failing are ignored or tolerated. Our sins are dealt with, but they never let go of us. They never cease to tell us that we have a place with them, and that we still belong. They never forsake us.

There are so few safe places in this world. We tend live with a certainty that we shall be found out, that we are not as capable as we portray, strong as we put on, or as productive we are expected to be. We will fall short and be found wanting. If the church will not be a safe place where will we go? If the church is just like every other place that measures, judges and jettisons us, why even bother. This easily explains the consumer mentality of the current church. Consumerism is the guard against being rejected or neglected. It requires nothing more than services delivered for a fee (read offering). It doesn’t need an investment of yourself or the risk of relationship. But it also doesn’t transform your life.

It is in the safe place that the gospel that can do its best work, where it can bring about new creations. It is a safe place that will draw people, embrace them and love them. It is the safe placed that Jesus is seen and received. Safe places are not easy. They need a lot of maintenance and up keep. They are messy and often inefficient. But it in the safe place that the Holy Spirit moves.

We just had planning meeting for my new church. We spent the day praying and dreaming and came up with ambitious but doable goals for our small church. But the one thing I prayed for the most and I will work for the hardest is help this group of committed believers in Jesus make this a safe place – where everyone has a place and everyone belongs.

Beginning Again

2009-06-23T23:27:00.002-05:00

In week we move to Traverse City, Michigan where I begin a new pastorate in a new church, Westbay Covenant Church, and where I hope this time I will pay more attention to posting on a more regular basis. See you soon.

I would write more, but there are boxes to pack.

Sign of Apocalypse

2009-03-23T14:29:00.002-05:00

I was walking through Walgreens the other dayand it caught my eye. All I could say was "what in the world world of sports is this?" You know you have become iconic when you become a chia pet. Our President is a chia pet. I believe that President Obama is the first commander and chief to have such a distinction.

Surely this is a sign of the Apocalypse.

350 Billion Reasons Change Is Coming

2009-03-06T22:40:00.004-06:00

What if one day the economic crisis was bad enough, severe enough that state budgets were on the edge of collapse? Faced with this crisis, looking around for alternative revenue streams to close the gaps the governors, the legislators landed on the church. Sounds outrageous?

STATE BUDGET TROUBLES WORSEN by the Center of Budget and Policy Priorities. “At least 46 states faced or are facing shortfalls in their budgets for this and/or next year, and severe fiscal problems are highly likely to continue into the following year as well. Combined budget gaps for the remainder of this fiscal year and state fiscal years 2010 and 2011 are estimated to total more than $350 billion.” http://www.cbpp.org/9-8-08sfp.htm

$350 Billion. Awash in red ink, the states are going to look for answers everywhere. Why not the church? How many people actually go to church? Realistic estimates are around 18%, what if it was closer to 15%. How many people would cry out in outrage if they just took away our tax-exempt status? Less that 20% of the population actually goes to church. That one act would make the church pay property taxes, income taxes and eliminate the deduction taken for contributions. Hey in these tough times shouldn't everyone pull their weight? In Illinois that one change would raise 1 billion dollars per year, and that is low balling the figures. What do you think Illinois would do for 1 billion dollars? What about California, or New York? Just 15% of voters go to church. Not that many. Getting smaller every day.

All I am asking is this, shouldn’t we at least be thinking about this? At some point shouldn’t we at least admit that the possibility of this is greater than nothing? To say nothing about the question of whether or not it would be a good thing in the long term? This is a change that might be coming quicker than we have ever dreamed. 350 billion reasons are staring us in the face.