The Oldsmobile line is dead.
An automobile business that was once representative of America's middle class no longer manufactures vehicles. Things like extra wide, cushioned seats, a huge trunk and extra suspension have given way to fuel efficiency and cost effectiveness. Oldsmobile was never able to reconcile its image, and the kinds of vehicles it produced, with the demands of a rapidly changing market and foreign competition and produced its last automobiles several years ago.
The dealership at the corner of US 59 and Airport Blvd., which I pass every day on my way to work, added Acura and Nissan to its line of new vehicles about 10 years ago, and has made a nice transition as it slowly faded out its GM lines, including Oldsmobile, over a two or three year period. They have a great location, and they seem to be doing very well. They've made a successful transition.
So why can't the church make a successful transition and adapt its ministry to share the gospel with the unchurched people who now make up the majority of the community around it?
I think it can.
For a long time, the churches in America operated on an attraction model. The idea was to get people to "come to church" where they could hear the gospel message preached, where they would be inspired by worship that was "done well" and thus be convinced to walk the aisle, make a decision to follow Christ and join the church. There are some who think that model worked pretty well, the numbers were good and churches seemed to attract more people than they could handle. But the problem was that church growth fell behind population growth, and the number of unchurched people in the culture continued to increase. Somehow, we forgot that the model for church in the scripture was small groups in which the intimacy and friendship that occurred also strengthened discipleship.
As we grow in our faith in Christ, our responsibility changes, and as we are discipled, we are also to become one who disciples. Our ministries need to reflect the fact that we are following the scriptures instructions to build community in the church so that those who are brought to faith in Christ can have the same opportunity to grow in their faith that we had. The worship needs to focus on bringing us to the point where we have an encounter with the Holy Spirit, a fresh experience every time it happens. In order for Bible study to be effective, those of us who are more mature in the faith need to be spending a lot of time on our own in the depths of the word, in order to be able to teach those who have less familiarity and experience with it.
We need to think about taking our small groups ministry to the next level. Like most other things we do in the church, we have adapted them to meeting our own needs. They have served two observable purposes during their existence. They helped to attract some younger families into the church, though most of these were already "in the kingdom," and they helped assimilate them as members. They have also facilitated fellowship and relationships between those members of the church that have become involved in them. In some cases, they did produce some evangelistic results, though not consistently.
Are we ready for the next step? Are we ready to form groups that will take risks, identify lost neighbors and work on cultivating relationships that will lead to fulfilling the Great Commission? Are we ready to think about small groups the way the New Testament writers thought about the church, as functioning bodies of Christ? In order to penetrate the culture with the gospel message, we need to be ready.
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Monday, February 23, 2009
The Important Stuff
"...praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved." Acts 2:47
O.K. So I broke my rule and quoted a verse of scripture standing alone, without the context sentences before, because the verse starts right in the middle of the sentence. But the points I want to make are contained in this particular verse, and the space on the blog is so short. Perhaps you need to come on Wednesday evening for the full presentation (we're having enchiladas for dinner, you know).
Perhaps you have not yet grasped the fact that the Garden Oaks where our church is located is a much different world than it was 68 years ago when the church was founded, and it is a much different world than it was even 35 years ago, when the decline in attendance and membership that greatly diminished the size of the congregation took root. Property values have climbed, and there is an influx of people moving into the area in what we might call "droves," but they are different in culture and character from the people who lived here "back in the day." Most of them are unfamiliar with the culture of a church, aren't interested in it, and see no need to invest their time and effort to be part of one.
There may be some of you who are asking why God would put us here, at this place and time, surrounded by such a great need, yet at a point in the history of our church where we do not seem to be at our peak in terms of human resources. Churches do sometimes reach a point where they are no longer viable in terms of the ministry of evangelism and outreach. Or so it seems. But with God, nothing is impossible.
Of course, you remember the story of Gideon in the book of Judges, right? Gideon was given the responsibility to deliver Israel from a Midianite invasion. The trouble was, when he called out the men he would need for soldiers, too many showed up, at least from God's perspective. All God wanted Gideon to do was to be obedient. He had already taken care of the rest. When the time came for the Israelites to go into battle, the Midianites didn't even stick around to fight.
We find this scripture in Judges 7:15.
"As soon as Gideon heard the telling of the dream and its interpretation, he worshiped. And he returned to the camp of Israel and said, "Arise, for the Lord has given the host of Midian into your hand."
We need worship that is as filled with the Spirit as it possibly can be, obedience to the command of God to go and make disciples, and we need to pray and ask God to make us instruments in delivering the people around us. We need to be spiritual light to the people who have become our neighbors, those suffering from being beat up by the pain and hurt of the world, and who are real people with real problems who need the answers we already have in our lives. God can use us, as long as we are obedient, willing and spiritually prepared.
Where do you fit in? Join us Wednesday evening, and we might find a place for you. Dinner is at 5:30, and prayer and study begin at 6:30.
O.K. So I broke my rule and quoted a verse of scripture standing alone, without the context sentences before, because the verse starts right in the middle of the sentence. But the points I want to make are contained in this particular verse, and the space on the blog is so short. Perhaps you need to come on Wednesday evening for the full presentation (we're having enchiladas for dinner, you know).
Perhaps you have not yet grasped the fact that the Garden Oaks where our church is located is a much different world than it was 68 years ago when the church was founded, and it is a much different world than it was even 35 years ago, when the decline in attendance and membership that greatly diminished the size of the congregation took root. Property values have climbed, and there is an influx of people moving into the area in what we might call "droves," but they are different in culture and character from the people who lived here "back in the day." Most of them are unfamiliar with the culture of a church, aren't interested in it, and see no need to invest their time and effort to be part of one.
There may be some of you who are asking why God would put us here, at this place and time, surrounded by such a great need, yet at a point in the history of our church where we do not seem to be at our peak in terms of human resources. Churches do sometimes reach a point where they are no longer viable in terms of the ministry of evangelism and outreach. Or so it seems. But with God, nothing is impossible.
Of course, you remember the story of Gideon in the book of Judges, right? Gideon was given the responsibility to deliver Israel from a Midianite invasion. The trouble was, when he called out the men he would need for soldiers, too many showed up, at least from God's perspective. All God wanted Gideon to do was to be obedient. He had already taken care of the rest. When the time came for the Israelites to go into battle, the Midianites didn't even stick around to fight.
We find this scripture in Judges 7:15.
"As soon as Gideon heard the telling of the dream and its interpretation, he worshiped. And he returned to the camp of Israel and said, "Arise, for the Lord has given the host of Midian into your hand."
We need worship that is as filled with the Spirit as it possibly can be, obedience to the command of God to go and make disciples, and we need to pray and ask God to make us instruments in delivering the people around us. We need to be spiritual light to the people who have become our neighbors, those suffering from being beat up by the pain and hurt of the world, and who are real people with real problems who need the answers we already have in our lives. God can use us, as long as we are obedient, willing and spiritually prepared.
Where do you fit in? Join us Wednesday evening, and we might find a place for you. Dinner is at 5:30, and prayer and study begin at 6:30.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
The Church Experience: What Should it be Like?
"Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, leave peaceably with all." Romans 12:14-18 ESV
The early Christians gathered in small groups in the courtyards or dining rooms of the homes of its members. They didn't really understand the concept of "going to church," since what they understood was that they were the church, and it is hard to "go to" something that you already are. After they were empowered by the spirit, their ministry expanded rapidly. Their compassion gained a reputation, as did the way they conducted themselves in public, so much so that Luke notes that they enjoyed the favor of all the people.
Some notable events drew attention to their compassion, and their heart for ministering to people in Jesus' name. Peter and John healed a cripple in the temple court one day, drawing the amazement of the common people, and the ire of the Pharisees. People discovered the loving, caring nature of Christ's church and began to listen to the message it preached. They responded to it, according to the book of Acts, in large numbers. In a relatively short period of time, the message of the gospel, which Jesus had entrusted to his twelve disciples, who became the apostles of the church, spread throughout the entire Roman Empire.
The church grew fast largely because of the dynamics that existed within. It met in small groups because it used the homes of believers as gathering places. Its meager resources all went to the work of the church, or to making sure that the neediest people among them were provided for. When a group in a particular city outgrew its meeting place, they started another group in another home, all part of the same body, identified as "The Church" of that city, not as separate churches. They were empowered by a Holy Spirit which gifted them with abilities to do ministry work, and which produced a long list of fruit found in Galatians 5:22-23. The members of the church took seriously the teaching that by serving others, you were really serving God himself.
It was this very reputation that drew people close to hear the gospel message. It was not just a message from the lips, it was practiced by those who preached it. The words they spoke were backed up by the things they did, unselfish acts on behalf of people, done out of love. Three of the apostles, John, Peter and Paul, all write about the importance of the church's testimony.
"Who will harm you if you are eagar to do good?" says Peter. "But even if you are persecuted, you are blessed."
It was that kind of attitude that opened doors for the church to preach the gospel message to a pagan world and see thousands of people come to know the Lord in the first two or three centuries of its existence, even in the very face of some of the most brutal persecution any human beings have faced in all history.
So what's happened to the church today?
Actually, I think the question is more like "What has happened to the church in America today?" since what we seem to be experiencing is different from many places in the world. If you asked the unchurched person on the street, you would likely not get the same kind of description of the church that we find in several places in the New Testament.
About six months ago, I discovered a book by Dave Kinnaman and Gabe Lyons, both from the Barna group, called Unchristian. The subtitle is "What a new generation really thinks about Christianity and why it matters." It is not the typical book full of sage advice from the hottest church growth guru. The opening line of the first chapter is, "Christianity has an image problem." From there, it proceeds to organize and categorize what people think about Christianity and the church, particularly people who are not involved in it, and give no evidence of being attracted to it. It is an eye opening read, at least it was for me, very difficult to put down and yet, in some aspects, apalling.
Let's personalize this discussion and bring it down to the local church level. Join us Wednesday night as we examine the characteristics of the early church and measure ourselves by those characteristics. What is the image of our church in the view of those who are in a position to see it? It is a discussion that is probably long past due at 3206 N. Shepherd Dr.
The early Christians gathered in small groups in the courtyards or dining rooms of the homes of its members. They didn't really understand the concept of "going to church," since what they understood was that they were the church, and it is hard to "go to" something that you already are. After they were empowered by the spirit, their ministry expanded rapidly. Their compassion gained a reputation, as did the way they conducted themselves in public, so much so that Luke notes that they enjoyed the favor of all the people.
Some notable events drew attention to their compassion, and their heart for ministering to people in Jesus' name. Peter and John healed a cripple in the temple court one day, drawing the amazement of the common people, and the ire of the Pharisees. People discovered the loving, caring nature of Christ's church and began to listen to the message it preached. They responded to it, according to the book of Acts, in large numbers. In a relatively short period of time, the message of the gospel, which Jesus had entrusted to his twelve disciples, who became the apostles of the church, spread throughout the entire Roman Empire.
The church grew fast largely because of the dynamics that existed within. It met in small groups because it used the homes of believers as gathering places. Its meager resources all went to the work of the church, or to making sure that the neediest people among them were provided for. When a group in a particular city outgrew its meeting place, they started another group in another home, all part of the same body, identified as "The Church" of that city, not as separate churches. They were empowered by a Holy Spirit which gifted them with abilities to do ministry work, and which produced a long list of fruit found in Galatians 5:22-23. The members of the church took seriously the teaching that by serving others, you were really serving God himself.
It was this very reputation that drew people close to hear the gospel message. It was not just a message from the lips, it was practiced by those who preached it. The words they spoke were backed up by the things they did, unselfish acts on behalf of people, done out of love. Three of the apostles, John, Peter and Paul, all write about the importance of the church's testimony.
"Who will harm you if you are eagar to do good?" says Peter. "But even if you are persecuted, you are blessed."
It was that kind of attitude that opened doors for the church to preach the gospel message to a pagan world and see thousands of people come to know the Lord in the first two or three centuries of its existence, even in the very face of some of the most brutal persecution any human beings have faced in all history.
So what's happened to the church today?
Actually, I think the question is more like "What has happened to the church in America today?" since what we seem to be experiencing is different from many places in the world. If you asked the unchurched person on the street, you would likely not get the same kind of description of the church that we find in several places in the New Testament.
About six months ago, I discovered a book by Dave Kinnaman and Gabe Lyons, both from the Barna group, called Unchristian. The subtitle is "What a new generation really thinks about Christianity and why it matters." It is not the typical book full of sage advice from the hottest church growth guru. The opening line of the first chapter is, "Christianity has an image problem." From there, it proceeds to organize and categorize what people think about Christianity and the church, particularly people who are not involved in it, and give no evidence of being attracted to it. It is an eye opening read, at least it was for me, very difficult to put down and yet, in some aspects, apalling.
Let's personalize this discussion and bring it down to the local church level. Join us Wednesday night as we examine the characteristics of the early church and measure ourselves by those characteristics. What is the image of our church in the view of those who are in a position to see it? It is a discussion that is probably long past due at 3206 N. Shepherd Dr.
Friday, February 13, 2009
What We're Facing
On Wednesdays, we have started a series called "Church at the Crossroads," to examine our church ministry of the gospel and look at directions we need to go in the future, as well as pitfalls to avoid. We examined Paul's writing in the last three chapters of 2 Corinthians, related to his solutions to the Corinthian church, which was also sitting at a crossroads.
We are looking for ways to connect with people so we can minister the gospel to them, rather than simply finding ways to "attract" people to the church facility. Our church exists 24-7 out there, and only for a few hours a week does it gather in our building so it would seem that the largest share of opportunities for ministry would be "out there" where we live.
For many years, I taught Bible and history at Fort Bend Baptist Academy in Sugar Land. Obviously, most of my former students came from families whose lifestyle included involvement in a local church, and most of my students were involved in their respective youth groups. Some of the larger churches in the suburbs had rather extensive youth ministry programs, including youth worship bands, high tech sound, video and light equipment, and were able to offer their students the best kind of ministry activities. They went to concerts, participated in gatherings where the trendiest and "hottest" Christian youth speakers were present, camps, mission trips, and all kinds of "fun stuff" to promote fellowship and gather a crowd for Bible study. Several of my students had the opportunity to participate in overseas short-term mission trips to places like Mexico, Brazil, Slovakia, Romania, and the Philippines.
Since coming to Garden Oaks, I have discovered that several former students who have graduated from college, married, and landed good jobs in energy, accounting, banking and engineering, have moved into the Heights. In one case, a former student recently bought a home just blocks from our church. Last year, at homecoming, I found three others who live near our church. Of course, I informed them of what I was doing, and issued them an invitation to visit us at our contemporary worship service. I mean, kids raised in church, active in their youth group, participants in overseas mission trips, camps, should be easy prospects for church, right?
Wrong.
They're not involved anywhere else, either. In most cases, they haven't been regular in church attendance since they graduated from high school, and they are not particularly interested in it now. They are not connected, they do not see the need for it, and they have no interest in even coming to see what it is like. So how do you go from being in the middle of your youth group, there every time the door is open, and even serving on a mission trip (most of the ones who live nearby went on World Changers trips with me while they were in high school) to a complete lack of interest in anything spiritual?
I have to think that they missed out on the most important elements of Christian faith when they were involved in the church. I think we got so busy figuring out how to keep them engaged and coming that we forgot to teach them what they really needed to know about their faith, a faith that they professed when they went through the waters of baptism. I think they thought that the church should always entertain them, always serve them, always meet their perceived needs, and that there would never be a time when they would be expected to grow into a mature faith and become the servant rather than the one being served. We separated them out and kept them from mingling with older, more mature believers who could really teach them some substance.
I think, when we had them in the church, that they were never really exposed to the true substance of the faith, or ever had a real encounter with the Holy Spirit. Church was always done well, the music was hip and high quality, the pastor preached sermons designed to meet people's felt needs and help them find self fulfillment, and with somewhat of a dramatic and theatrical flare to keep people from being bored. Everything was planned to perfection. The only thing missing was the one thing that mattered most, a genuine encounter with the Holy Spirit.
So now that they are gone, how do we get them back?
We are looking for ways to connect with people so we can minister the gospel to them, rather than simply finding ways to "attract" people to the church facility. Our church exists 24-7 out there, and only for a few hours a week does it gather in our building so it would seem that the largest share of opportunities for ministry would be "out there" where we live.
For many years, I taught Bible and history at Fort Bend Baptist Academy in Sugar Land. Obviously, most of my former students came from families whose lifestyle included involvement in a local church, and most of my students were involved in their respective youth groups. Some of the larger churches in the suburbs had rather extensive youth ministry programs, including youth worship bands, high tech sound, video and light equipment, and were able to offer their students the best kind of ministry activities. They went to concerts, participated in gatherings where the trendiest and "hottest" Christian youth speakers were present, camps, mission trips, and all kinds of "fun stuff" to promote fellowship and gather a crowd for Bible study. Several of my students had the opportunity to participate in overseas short-term mission trips to places like Mexico, Brazil, Slovakia, Romania, and the Philippines.
Since coming to Garden Oaks, I have discovered that several former students who have graduated from college, married, and landed good jobs in energy, accounting, banking and engineering, have moved into the Heights. In one case, a former student recently bought a home just blocks from our church. Last year, at homecoming, I found three others who live near our church. Of course, I informed them of what I was doing, and issued them an invitation to visit us at our contemporary worship service. I mean, kids raised in church, active in their youth group, participants in overseas mission trips, camps, should be easy prospects for church, right?
Wrong.
They're not involved anywhere else, either. In most cases, they haven't been regular in church attendance since they graduated from high school, and they are not particularly interested in it now. They are not connected, they do not see the need for it, and they have no interest in even coming to see what it is like. So how do you go from being in the middle of your youth group, there every time the door is open, and even serving on a mission trip (most of the ones who live nearby went on World Changers trips with me while they were in high school) to a complete lack of interest in anything spiritual?
I have to think that they missed out on the most important elements of Christian faith when they were involved in the church. I think we got so busy figuring out how to keep them engaged and coming that we forgot to teach them what they really needed to know about their faith, a faith that they professed when they went through the waters of baptism. I think they thought that the church should always entertain them, always serve them, always meet their perceived needs, and that there would never be a time when they would be expected to grow into a mature faith and become the servant rather than the one being served. We separated them out and kept them from mingling with older, more mature believers who could really teach them some substance.
I think, when we had them in the church, that they were never really exposed to the true substance of the faith, or ever had a real encounter with the Holy Spirit. Church was always done well, the music was hip and high quality, the pastor preached sermons designed to meet people's felt needs and help them find self fulfillment, and with somewhat of a dramatic and theatrical flare to keep people from being bored. Everything was planned to perfection. The only thing missing was the one thing that mattered most, a genuine encounter with the Holy Spirit.
So now that they are gone, how do we get them back?
Sunday, February 08, 2009
Church at the Crossroads
"But I do not think I am in the least inferior to those 'super apostles.' I may not be a trained speaker, but I do have knowledge. We have made this clear to you in every way." 2 Corinthians 11:5-6.
Have you ever read through the book of 2 Corinthians? There's a tone of instruction and discipleship in I Corinthians much like the other church epistles that Paul writes. 2 Corinthians is more edgy as Paul becomes much more emphatic, driving to very dramatic language and expression to make his case, almost desperation in the tone as it is apparent some individuals have slipped into the church for the purpose of leading it astray, even to the point of attacking Paul's ministry.
"For some say, 'His letters are weighty and forceful, but in person he is unimpressive and his speaking amounts to nothing. Such people should realize that what we are in our letters when we are absent we will be in our actions when we are present." 2 Corinthians 10:10-11
Wow. Those last few chapters are pretty tough. Paul defends his minstry, and at the same time expresses his great concern for the Corinthian church and his tremendous love for them. They are in trouble as a result of false teaching that has crept in with some individuals who have led them astray and Paul is writing not only to set the record straight, but to try to keep the church together, and get it moving on the right track until he can get there and take care of things. They were a church at a crossroads in their existence, and Paul saw which turn in the road was full of dangerous pitfalls. He knew that their situation was delicate, and that they faced some crucial decisions that could affect their continued existence.
Garden Oaks Baptist Church is at a crossroads. After 68 years of existence, the demographic and social factors that contributed to the church reaching membership in excess of 1,000 people and attendance of over 900 have changed, and the result has been a long, slow, steady decline that has on occasion been reversed for a relatively short period of time, but the downward trend has continued. Our previous pastor once told me that he could identify four separate periods of change and approach to ministry during his 16 year tenure at the church. The period we are in now has brought us to the point where we are numerically smaller than we have been since the church first began meeting in what is now the youth building, back in the 1940's.
We once sat in the middle of a suburban neighborhood filled with young families, many of them responsive to the gospel we preach, and open to the idea that they needed it. Ironically, in 2009, after years of transition and change in the demographics around us, we find ourselves once again in a neighborhood where property values are soaring, and where people in their late 30's, 40's and early 50's are buying up both the historic older homes and lots to build new homes. But the social environment has changed. Once, a Southern Baptist church sitting in this neighborhood would have attracted interest from the residents, many of whom would be looking for a church from the very day they moved in, attracted by the programs and ministries it offered, by a young, dynamic pastor with solid preaching skills, an enthusiastic music minister and Sunday School classes that provided both discipleship and fellowship. Now, many of the people moving in are unchurched, and not inclined to be attracted to one. They are busy, their work consumes a lot of time, and their children's activities consume more. The preaching skills and age of the pastor of the church matter little, since they have no exposure or interest, and the music isn't an attraction either because they can listen to whatever they want on their ipod. Few people understand the denominational labels on churches, and among those that do, identification as Southern Baptist is likely to create a negative perception.
And so we have arrived at a crossroads. Our continued existence depends on the turn we decide to take, and which direction we go. We have several choices. The inner city area of most cities, Houston included, has become a church graveyard in the last couple of decades as demographic changes have affected churches and many have not survived. In our own area of the city, as the property values have soared, and an affluent population continues to pour in, our sister Southern Baptist churches in the area continued to decline. Several have either disbanded or merged with another church in the last five years, and most, like us, are more than 30 years down the road from the "glory days." We cannot continue the cycle of calling a pastor to preach and minister on the attraction model, seeing a few years of growth take place by transfer from other churches, watch the bloom fade from the rose and then come out on the other end smaller and less effective than we were before. At some point, we are going to reach a point of no return, where our membership will no longer be viable enough to "attract". That is not where we want to go.
I believe God still has work for us to do. The opportunities to build relationships in our community, relationships from which we can share our faith and testify to the grace of Jesus in our lives, are unlimited.
Have you ever read through the book of 2 Corinthians? There's a tone of instruction and discipleship in I Corinthians much like the other church epistles that Paul writes. 2 Corinthians is more edgy as Paul becomes much more emphatic, driving to very dramatic language and expression to make his case, almost desperation in the tone as it is apparent some individuals have slipped into the church for the purpose of leading it astray, even to the point of attacking Paul's ministry.
"For some say, 'His letters are weighty and forceful, but in person he is unimpressive and his speaking amounts to nothing. Such people should realize that what we are in our letters when we are absent we will be in our actions when we are present." 2 Corinthians 10:10-11
Wow. Those last few chapters are pretty tough. Paul defends his minstry, and at the same time expresses his great concern for the Corinthian church and his tremendous love for them. They are in trouble as a result of false teaching that has crept in with some individuals who have led them astray and Paul is writing not only to set the record straight, but to try to keep the church together, and get it moving on the right track until he can get there and take care of things. They were a church at a crossroads in their existence, and Paul saw which turn in the road was full of dangerous pitfalls. He knew that their situation was delicate, and that they faced some crucial decisions that could affect their continued existence.
Garden Oaks Baptist Church is at a crossroads. After 68 years of existence, the demographic and social factors that contributed to the church reaching membership in excess of 1,000 people and attendance of over 900 have changed, and the result has been a long, slow, steady decline that has on occasion been reversed for a relatively short period of time, but the downward trend has continued. Our previous pastor once told me that he could identify four separate periods of change and approach to ministry during his 16 year tenure at the church. The period we are in now has brought us to the point where we are numerically smaller than we have been since the church first began meeting in what is now the youth building, back in the 1940's.
We once sat in the middle of a suburban neighborhood filled with young families, many of them responsive to the gospel we preach, and open to the idea that they needed it. Ironically, in 2009, after years of transition and change in the demographics around us, we find ourselves once again in a neighborhood where property values are soaring, and where people in their late 30's, 40's and early 50's are buying up both the historic older homes and lots to build new homes. But the social environment has changed. Once, a Southern Baptist church sitting in this neighborhood would have attracted interest from the residents, many of whom would be looking for a church from the very day they moved in, attracted by the programs and ministries it offered, by a young, dynamic pastor with solid preaching skills, an enthusiastic music minister and Sunday School classes that provided both discipleship and fellowship. Now, many of the people moving in are unchurched, and not inclined to be attracted to one. They are busy, their work consumes a lot of time, and their children's activities consume more. The preaching skills and age of the pastor of the church matter little, since they have no exposure or interest, and the music isn't an attraction either because they can listen to whatever they want on their ipod. Few people understand the denominational labels on churches, and among those that do, identification as Southern Baptist is likely to create a negative perception.
And so we have arrived at a crossroads. Our continued existence depends on the turn we decide to take, and which direction we go. We have several choices. The inner city area of most cities, Houston included, has become a church graveyard in the last couple of decades as demographic changes have affected churches and many have not survived. In our own area of the city, as the property values have soared, and an affluent population continues to pour in, our sister Southern Baptist churches in the area continued to decline. Several have either disbanded or merged with another church in the last five years, and most, like us, are more than 30 years down the road from the "glory days." We cannot continue the cycle of calling a pastor to preach and minister on the attraction model, seeing a few years of growth take place by transfer from other churches, watch the bloom fade from the rose and then come out on the other end smaller and less effective than we were before. At some point, we are going to reach a point of no return, where our membership will no longer be viable enough to "attract". That is not where we want to go.
I believe God still has work for us to do. The opportunities to build relationships in our community, relationships from which we can share our faith and testify to the grace of Jesus in our lives, are unlimited.
Thursday, February 05, 2009
The Church: "My Rights" vs "Whatever It Takes"
"I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings." I Corinthians 9:22b-23
I've been "wal-martized." My wife discovered Wal-Mart when she was a college student at Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar, Missouri. They had one there, and it made life very convenient for the college community. Virtually every town we have lived in since we were married has had one, and we've become accustomed to shopping there. I knew that I had become "wal-martized" when I recently bought a wireless router for the house from somewhere else. After two weeks, it failed to work correctly, and after making a call to the service number on the box, discovered that it was faulty. I returned it to the store where I bought it, only to discover their reluctance to give me a refund or replace the product. After a couple of conversations with an assistant manager, and then the store manager, they finally agreed to replace the router with a new one, but let me know that was not usual store policy. I made a comment about Wal Mart standing behind everything they sell, and was politely told "Sir, this isn't Wal-Mart."
Lesson learned. The next time I need computer parts or supplies, I know where I will go to buy them. Wal Mart has taught me that a store should stand behind its products, and they will take anything back for either refund or replacement if it doesn't work, no questions asked. It is part of their "whatever it takes" motto that has helped them become the world's largest retailer. "You can get that at Wal-Mart," is an almost automatic sentence in American English these days. One of the first questions group leaders ask upon arriving at a World Changers project is "Where is the nearest Wal-Mart."
Wouldn't it be great if one of the first questions people asked when they moved into the neighborhood is "Where is the closest church?"
In the passage of scripture in I Corinthians 8, 9 and 10 from which the scripture citation above comes, Paul is encouraging the church to have a "whatever it takes" attitude toward the gospel. Setting personal preferences and comforts aside, Paul preached the gospel message. In doing so for the church at Corinth, he even set aside the customary offerings taken to support those in vocational ministry "for the sake of the gospel." His reason for doing so was so that he could share in its blessings. These were blessings that Paul had experienced before, and understood as being far greater reward than anything monetary could provide. Paul had discovered that seeing people come to Christ, and experience discipleship and community in the church was a far more valuable experience than any personal privilege he could have had as an apostle of the church.
It is worth some introspection and self-analysis to ask this same question of ourselves, both individually and as a church. Where are we headed? Are we simply maintaining the "clubhouse" for our own benefit or are we willing to be self-sacrificing of the things we believe we are entitled to have as a result of our tithes and our service to the church in order to experience the blessings that come when we see others benefit from our ministry service? Are we willing to do whatever it takes, without sacrificing the truth of scripture, to be the bearers of the gospel in our community, or are we simply going to collect and channel resources for our own privileges?
We are at a place in the life of our church where we need to answer these questions, and then take some action. The cycle of having a period of excitement and enthusiasm when we call a new pastor and havins some growth occur as a result of a few new programs he introduces, followed by a period of plateau and decline will not last much longer before it permanently impairs our ability to reach the community effectively. We need to decide where we are going and what it will take to get us there. As opportinities arise, led by the Spirit, we need to take advantage of them.
Are you coming along?
I've been "wal-martized." My wife discovered Wal-Mart when she was a college student at Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar, Missouri. They had one there, and it made life very convenient for the college community. Virtually every town we have lived in since we were married has had one, and we've become accustomed to shopping there. I knew that I had become "wal-martized" when I recently bought a wireless router for the house from somewhere else. After two weeks, it failed to work correctly, and after making a call to the service number on the box, discovered that it was faulty. I returned it to the store where I bought it, only to discover their reluctance to give me a refund or replace the product. After a couple of conversations with an assistant manager, and then the store manager, they finally agreed to replace the router with a new one, but let me know that was not usual store policy. I made a comment about Wal Mart standing behind everything they sell, and was politely told "Sir, this isn't Wal-Mart."
Lesson learned. The next time I need computer parts or supplies, I know where I will go to buy them. Wal Mart has taught me that a store should stand behind its products, and they will take anything back for either refund or replacement if it doesn't work, no questions asked. It is part of their "whatever it takes" motto that has helped them become the world's largest retailer. "You can get that at Wal-Mart," is an almost automatic sentence in American English these days. One of the first questions group leaders ask upon arriving at a World Changers project is "Where is the nearest Wal-Mart."
Wouldn't it be great if one of the first questions people asked when they moved into the neighborhood is "Where is the closest church?"
In the passage of scripture in I Corinthians 8, 9 and 10 from which the scripture citation above comes, Paul is encouraging the church to have a "whatever it takes" attitude toward the gospel. Setting personal preferences and comforts aside, Paul preached the gospel message. In doing so for the church at Corinth, he even set aside the customary offerings taken to support those in vocational ministry "for the sake of the gospel." His reason for doing so was so that he could share in its blessings. These were blessings that Paul had experienced before, and understood as being far greater reward than anything monetary could provide. Paul had discovered that seeing people come to Christ, and experience discipleship and community in the church was a far more valuable experience than any personal privilege he could have had as an apostle of the church.
It is worth some introspection and self-analysis to ask this same question of ourselves, both individually and as a church. Where are we headed? Are we simply maintaining the "clubhouse" for our own benefit or are we willing to be self-sacrificing of the things we believe we are entitled to have as a result of our tithes and our service to the church in order to experience the blessings that come when we see others benefit from our ministry service? Are we willing to do whatever it takes, without sacrificing the truth of scripture, to be the bearers of the gospel in our community, or are we simply going to collect and channel resources for our own privileges?
We are at a place in the life of our church where we need to answer these questions, and then take some action. The cycle of having a period of excitement and enthusiasm when we call a new pastor and havins some growth occur as a result of a few new programs he introduces, followed by a period of plateau and decline will not last much longer before it permanently impairs our ability to reach the community effectively. We need to decide where we are going and what it will take to get us there. As opportinities arise, led by the Spirit, we need to take advantage of them.
Are you coming along?
Tuesday, February 03, 2009
How Do We Reach a Changing Culture?
Wednesday evenings, we have been doing a study on the effects of a consumer mentality on the church. We've defined consumerism, shown what it looks like in the church, and addressed its negative effects. But one of the things we have also noted is that it it a cultural influence that is not likely to change anytime soon. Yet, as a church, we must still continue to function in spite of the cultural changes that have taken place all around us. We find that the fabric of the neighborhood has changed, and changed again, and that it is hard to keep up with the change.
There are some words of wisdom from the Apostle Paul in I Corinthians that I think will help us find a way to cope with the cultural change that has taken place everywhere, and sort out all of the issues related to it and to the effectiveness of the ministry of our church. We must become a church that builds community for the "weaker brother," and once we understand how to do that, we will be a good distance down the road toward relevance.
It's sort of like coming to that moment in your life when you realized, all of a sudden, that giving gifts brings you more blessing and joy than receiving them.
The first church I served following graduation from seminary was First Baptist Church of Thayer, Missouri. Though I grew up in a small town, up to that point, all of the churches I'd served were in big cities, namely Tucson, Arizona, Houston, Texas and the Dallas-Ft. Worth metroplex. JoAnn grew up in St Louis, so moving to Thayer was culture shock for us, as was serving a church in a small town. The approach to ministry in the church was very different than anything I'd experienced before as a minister.
We soon learned how to approach ministry in the culture of this small town. Fifth quarter parties in the fellowship hall after high school football games became a major outreach event, and after just the first football season, our youth group had grown from 4 people to more than 20. Joining the Rotary club brought about instant relationships with a number of businessmen in the community, as well as the high school principal and soon, I could come on the campus at lunchtime, or just about any time of the day, without having to seek permission to do so. At one point, when two students died in a tragic auto accident, I was called on to spend the day at the school helping out with grief counseling. When VBS was coming up, the superintendent, who was a deacon in the church, offered the mailing list of all K through 5th grade students in town so we could send personal invitations.
We also learned how to adapt to living in a small town. Thayer had a Wal Mart, but it closed at 7:00 in the winter and didn't have a grocery store. That closed at 6:00. There was one doctor in town, and no hospital. The closest mall was 80 miles away, in Jonesboro, Arkansas, and it wasn't much of a mall. For major shopping, you had to plan to take a day and go to either Memphis, Tennessee or Springfield, Missouri. If you lived in town, you could get cable TV, if not, you could get one channel.
When we moved to a new church field in Bowling Green, Kentucky, the ministry strategies that had worked so well in Thayer generally didn't work there. Though the two churches were about the same size, with a similar budget, the approach to ministry was completely different. Fifth quarters didn't work because our students went to four different high schools and no one went to the football games. We tried one after two of the big rival schools in town played basketball, which was the big sport, but it didn't work because the kids from the losing school were sulking, and the winners were not all that gracious. There were several Rotary clubs in town, and the one with the most business connections in it was closed to new members. Thayer was a rural community, two and a half hours away from a city of any size at all, Bowling Green was a college town, large enough to have its own television stations, a large mall and several other shopping areas. Several of the grocery stores were open all night. It was a different environment, a different culture, people dealt with different issues and the approach to ministry had to be different.
As the culture of the community around us has changed, part of our ability to reach people depends on our ability to adapt our approach to ministry in order to reach them. That ability depends in part on our spiritual preparation, and it depends on our ability to find ways that communicate the gospel to the culture. Those are going to be different than those ways which succeeded in the past. It is something that God can lead us to do, if we open ourselves to receiving a word from him.
There are some words of wisdom from the Apostle Paul in I Corinthians that I think will help us find a way to cope with the cultural change that has taken place everywhere, and sort out all of the issues related to it and to the effectiveness of the ministry of our church. We must become a church that builds community for the "weaker brother," and once we understand how to do that, we will be a good distance down the road toward relevance.
It's sort of like coming to that moment in your life when you realized, all of a sudden, that giving gifts brings you more blessing and joy than receiving them.
The first church I served following graduation from seminary was First Baptist Church of Thayer, Missouri. Though I grew up in a small town, up to that point, all of the churches I'd served were in big cities, namely Tucson, Arizona, Houston, Texas and the Dallas-Ft. Worth metroplex. JoAnn grew up in St Louis, so moving to Thayer was culture shock for us, as was serving a church in a small town. The approach to ministry in the church was very different than anything I'd experienced before as a minister.
We soon learned how to approach ministry in the culture of this small town. Fifth quarter parties in the fellowship hall after high school football games became a major outreach event, and after just the first football season, our youth group had grown from 4 people to more than 20. Joining the Rotary club brought about instant relationships with a number of businessmen in the community, as well as the high school principal and soon, I could come on the campus at lunchtime, or just about any time of the day, without having to seek permission to do so. At one point, when two students died in a tragic auto accident, I was called on to spend the day at the school helping out with grief counseling. When VBS was coming up, the superintendent, who was a deacon in the church, offered the mailing list of all K through 5th grade students in town so we could send personal invitations.
We also learned how to adapt to living in a small town. Thayer had a Wal Mart, but it closed at 7:00 in the winter and didn't have a grocery store. That closed at 6:00. There was one doctor in town, and no hospital. The closest mall was 80 miles away, in Jonesboro, Arkansas, and it wasn't much of a mall. For major shopping, you had to plan to take a day and go to either Memphis, Tennessee or Springfield, Missouri. If you lived in town, you could get cable TV, if not, you could get one channel.
When we moved to a new church field in Bowling Green, Kentucky, the ministry strategies that had worked so well in Thayer generally didn't work there. Though the two churches were about the same size, with a similar budget, the approach to ministry was completely different. Fifth quarters didn't work because our students went to four different high schools and no one went to the football games. We tried one after two of the big rival schools in town played basketball, which was the big sport, but it didn't work because the kids from the losing school were sulking, and the winners were not all that gracious. There were several Rotary clubs in town, and the one with the most business connections in it was closed to new members. Thayer was a rural community, two and a half hours away from a city of any size at all, Bowling Green was a college town, large enough to have its own television stations, a large mall and several other shopping areas. Several of the grocery stores were open all night. It was a different environment, a different culture, people dealt with different issues and the approach to ministry had to be different.
As the culture of the community around us has changed, part of our ability to reach people depends on our ability to adapt our approach to ministry in order to reach them. That ability depends in part on our spiritual preparation, and it depends on our ability to find ways that communicate the gospel to the culture. Those are going to be different than those ways which succeeded in the past. It is something that God can lead us to do, if we open ourselves to receiving a word from him.
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