I was recently looking at my blog updates from last fall and realized that I started most of my posts like this, "Well, it's been a while since I have posted and (
insert your favorite excuse here. So, no more excuses - just blogging. This post has been in my folder for a while with about fifty others, so I am going to attempt to get it finished.
I grew up in the church of Christ, that's is my religous heritage the good old Restoration Movement. When I was a kid and was told that our heritage was of the Restoration Movement, I didn't get it. I mean the way I understood it, what's to restore if you already have all of the answers? I'm not kidding. That was my thinking as a very very young man. Now, I am not so presumptious, nor do I really believe that I have even about a third of a clue about who God really is, or what He is really ALL about. I am seeking and searching like everyone else. Just asking questions, many of which I struggle with. But there is just something about open dialogue that to me brings peace and an encouraging presence (would that be the Spirit?) to my heart. I can't explain it.
Which brings me to something else I can't explain. For those familiar with my heritage, and I would also assume it may have been like this in other traditions, we alsO have had a huge focus on attendance. I mean the most important thing you could do was have "big numbers on Sunday." And the questions that were asked always sounded like this - "What was attendance today?, Was that a preacher count?, Ha ha ha ha! Boy we've got to get more folks here." And the questions and discussion always seemed to focus on how many people are/were at church. And I guess to some degree it is a noble question to ask. But... I don't know. It just feels awkward. It fits right in there with the question, "What was contribution like today? You mean it was only ....., man we gotta do something about that." Huh?
Is this what God had in mind?
I have found myself dissapointed in some of our teens for visiting other churches at different points. Actually about two weeks ago I stood up in front of our kids and I repented and I told them I was sorry. I was sorry for always being so focused on how many were there and not being focused on the ones who were there and wanting to be at that. I felt so wretced when I came to this realization. I will never do it again.
So the dilemma unfolded in my heart, does everyone have to be there everytime the doors are open to be a faithful member? Are we creating a loving, nurturing community that people want to be involved in? Are we asking the right questions about those who were there? Questions like:
How many peoples lives were changed today for being with this community?
How did the Spirit move among us today as we came into communion with Him?
Was God blessed by our time together, spent focusing our hearts on Him?
I don't know. I guess I am asking these questions because I feel a large disparity in who we are vs. who we should be. It makes me kind of sad.I think when we start asking questions like these it begins to foster opportunities for us to reach people because we've taken the numbers game out of it. And God knows it's not a game.
Neal said...
I used to be a YM. I know the pressure that you face, knowing that, in part, your job performance will be judged by numbers (now as a PM, I at least get to shift the blame for low numbers to the elders...). Thanks for realizing the really important thing...that Jesus changed the world with 12 men, that Gideon sent 99% of his army home. You can't really boil it down to a quality vs. quantity kind of thing...but having integrity in your ministry means putting numbers where they belong.
JD said...
Yes, good points. We must redefine our TRUE beliefs that move us to do the things we do.
Church = a place to go on Sunday.
Fellowship = a potluck meal after worship.
Worship = preaching
Giving = pay the preacher and orphans
Lord's Day = Sunday, and only Sunday
Sunday Dress = wear your best, you know, what you would wear to the funeral of a friend
Bible Study = What happens before or after preaching, depending on which church you went to last Lord's Day dressed in your Sunday best.
_________
We know better, but we do not believe better. And until we believe better, nothing will really change.
JD said...
Hey...bring some kids over to hear John Alan Turner next week!
Joyce said...
I find myself becoming less and less satisfied with going to "church" where the "box" is SO small. I also long for this "community" that I am reading about on so many blogs. I appreciate your post.
Grace and All Kinds of Peace in Believing!
OCAppleMBA said...
Good post. As a youth minister, I understand the dilemma to what you are discussing. What I constantly bathe in prayer, however, is that we may not be the biggest youth group in the county, but that my kids will know Christ. I tell my sponsors that I am not a "fun" guy. By that I don't mean that I don't understand how to make things fun, but I don't focus on the "fun" stuff in youth ministry. If a youth group only does fun things, in the end they will lose out, and I think we are reaping that right now. Some group can always have more "fun" than your group, so you have to focus on what you can do better than anyone else, and ours is pointing. I promise my elders, sponsors and kids that I am a better pointer than anyone out there, because I can point to Christ through all our programs. That is our functional core competency (for you MBA's out there). I never want to do any more than that, if that is not involved. When our "fun" is trumped by other groups (Jupiter jump at the AoG, DCTalk at the Baptist church), our pointing to Christ will reign supreme.
Bryan said...
Some really good thoughts in this post. I'm with you . . . I came from a Restoration Movement background, attended one of their colleges, became a pastor and after some years of doing that, realized we had been asking the wrong questions. I wonder what God's big three concerns are? I have a feeling that attendance, worship style and denomination-type wouldn't make the list.
Peace to you.
