Mission Dazed-and-Confused

Hmmm. Today, I spent the better portion of the day as the invited leader for a charge (two churches) retreat. We started the day with prayer and Bible study. I handed out sheets with three passages printed - Matthew 28:16-20, Acts 2:42-47, and Mark 12:28-31. I asked them to reflect on two questions: "1) What does this passage say about the Church (universal)? and 2) Does our church look like this? Why or why not?" There was some lively discussion in the three groups. Overall, they seemed pretty clear that they were not fully living out the Great Commandment, the Great Commission, or the example of the early church.

We spent some time talking about their current ministries, pruning ministries that didn't meet the church's mission, and about their congregational make-up. The group in the room represented the church in terms of age, class, etc. We took a lunch break, and then came back to work. I asked them to organize their ministries into three categories: nurture, outreach, and witness. By far, the majority of their ministries were "nurture" ministries, and internally focused. I asked them if their church reflected the community demographics. They initially agreed, but after further discussion, discovered that, no, they in fact did not reflect the community.

I asked them if they were committed to reaching the people in their community that they currently weren't reaching. Each person said yes. I asked them how other people in their congregations would respond. There were mixed feelings. Could they convince the rest of the congregation that reaching their community was important? They were convinced that it was.

I then asked them what they were willing to give up in order to make that happen. Earlier in the day, some dissatisfaction regarding worship was voiced (wanting it to go back to 1950's traditional worship), as well concerns about children conforming to the ways of the church. When these concerns were raised again (in the context of this discussion), I raised the point that, though they have said with their lips that they want to embrace the community and live out Christ's mission for their church, their actions did not align with their lipservice.

Unfortunately, this charge is not an exceptional case in United Methodism, or mainline denominationalism. More often than not, this charge is a microcosm of countless congregations. I have served congregations that paid lipservice to their mission, and continued to expect people to walk in the doors and join them in what they were already doing. Conform, but don't be who you are. We want you here, but don't rock the boat.

We're confused about the mission of the church. We shouldn't be. Jesus made it clear: we are to make disciples of Jesus Christ. Anything less is eventual death. If we don't keep the mission in front of us in all times and places, we get sidetracked, and we turn inward, focusing on maintaining the institution, rather than fulfilling God's mission. God help us!

But it doesn't have to be that way. Stay mission focused. When you evaluate existing ministry or consider developing new ministries, ask how it fulfills the mission. If it doesn't, don't do it! There should be no reason to be dazed and confused about our mission. Let's stay focused, and people will come to know the love of God for themselves.

Pharisees and Tax Collectors

Today's Gospel text was from Luke 18 (9-14, to be exact) - the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector. I think this text can be interpreted in many different ways. The classic interpretation is about humility. Yes, I think that's true - it's about humility. Our Christian formation lessons interpreted the text to say that everyone is equal, because God hears our prayers equally. My interpretation was a different spin.

We're all Pharisees - trying to make a list and check it twice. When you read the text, you see this Pharisee's list: "I fast twice a week, give a tenth of my income..." If I just do that, then I have followed the rules, and that justifies my relationship with God. The tax collector is us, too - because every day, we need to realize our sinfulness, repent, and put ourselves right with God again. In all times and circumstances, we can be the Pharisee, the tax collector, or both.

As I pointed out in my sermon - the Pharisee is concerned about getting it right; the tax collector is concerned about relationship. People who want to simply show up to worship and put a check in the plate are concerned about getting it right, and checking off their list. We have accomplished what God wanted us to do. We've followed the rules. We've done our duty. Unfortunately, one can be extraordinarily involved in the church - come to every Bible study, participate in every mission project, and more - and still be following the rules. Rules do not equate a relationship.

I think, so often, we forget that life is not about rules, but about relationship. This idea is true for so many aspects of our lives. Take the upcoming election, for instance. Is it more important for our ideologies about candidates, political parties, and way of thinking be right, or is it more important to be in relationship with people? Let's look at the text: who does Jesus say is justified? It's the one who humbled himself to be in relationship with God. Relationship always triumphs over right-ness.

The Pharisees and the tax collectors have been around us for centuries. At times, we've been one or the other - or both. But God keeps pouring out grace upon grace - so that whether we are a tax collector or a Pharisee - we can grow our relationship with God in love.

Faith Crisis?

Last time I blogged, I wrote about the political uprising in our country, and the need for systemic change. Each day, I become more disillusioned by the commentary, not just in our media, but by my Christian brothers and sisters related to politics. I know people who are more vocal about their political ideologies than about their faith. I have read, seen, and heard more mudslinging in this election by people who call themselves Christians than I care to write about. Frankly, it makes me sick!

I wonder why we are so focused on political crisis, and if we should be focused on a crisis of faith? Perhaps, if we focus on politics, we really don't have to look at it through our lens of Christian faith. BUT - the ancient church always encouraged people to let their faith inform their politics. In fact, their faith was a political movement. We don't have a political crisis these days; we have a crisis of faith.

I have been wondering if I'm in a crisis of faith as we move ever closer toward election day. More slinging of mud, polarization and other painful unChristian behavior is on the horizon - and I wonder if people really practice their faith anymore, or if they only practice their political ideologies. That is, until Friday. I took my children to Steak-n-Shake after school, as a treat. We ordered milkshakes (half-price during happy hour!), fries, and onion rings. We were in the middle of enjoying our snack when the manager came over and said, "This woman just paid for your meal." I didn't have time to see her (she left the restaurant already), but written on our swapped-out ticket was a note from the woman - "Have a fun day! - Nancy". This woman saw that we were out as a family, and getting ready to go to the Homecoming game, and showed us an act of Christian love. And I was grateful - not just because we got a gift of a free meal, but also (and more importantly) because I got to see a glimpse of Christian faith in action. In the midst of Christians not acting and talking like Christians, there are still some that practice their faith in word and deed. I am hopeful that our faith will win over our ideologies someday.

God's Politics

Did you know there's a mid-term election in just a couple of weeks? I have a hard time believing that no one would know that, based upon the advertisements on television, in newspapers, and the running commentaries on social media. Many candidates seem to be more intent on smearing their opponents than representing themselves to the general population. People continue to become more polarized day by day.

I have been reading comments lately that "conservatives" or "traditionalists" need a voice; I've observed conversations where "liberal" or "democrat" was said with more venom than a snake poised to bite. It's as though people think that, by shuffling the players in Congress, the White House, state, or local government, everything will get better. Our track record as a nation really shows that, no matter who leads us - Democrats, Republicans, liberals, conservatives, or a tea party - we continue to have problems and issues that face us. Before you know it, the name-calling and politicking begins again - and the cycle returns.

The issues the United States faces have much less to do with party lines, conservatives, traditionalism, or liberals. The issues the United States faces have to do with a broken system. If you re-shuffle the chairs on the Titanic, without addressing the numerous points of leakage, you still have a sinking ship. Rearranging the chairs does nothing to stop the onslaught of water; it does, however, give us something to do to distract us from doing the really hard work of transforming the system in which we live and work.

Yes, this blog seems like it's really about politics, and to some extent, it is. But, I believe that the systemic issues of the United States reflect what happens in the current church; it is also a reflection of Jewish life at the time of Jesus. The Judaic law that was so highly touted by Pharisees simply allowed them to rearrange the chairs. Yes, they followed the law, but they had no relationship with God. When Jesus enters the scene, he forces systemic change throughout all of Jewish life. Jesus didn't come to set up smokescreens; he came to heal brokenness.

God's politics require us to look at the heart of the matter - not our different and divergent opinions, but at what we can do to effect real systemic change. We need that, both for our country, and our churches.

Numbers and Forms

This week, I sent off our paperwork for our annual charge conference. I did my best to make certain every "t" was crossed, and every "i" was dotted (particularly because my son gets 1/2 point counted off on his spelling test for those errors). I also used our conference dashboard system, which reports our weekly worship attendance, baptisms, professions of faith, new members, those released, etc.

I accomplished all of this work, but I feel no sense of accomplishment. While numbers, statistics, and forms are important, none of them make a church. Yet, denominational leaders want those numbers as an indication of vitality and health (or lack thereof). What is one to do? I don't see a lot of evidence anywhere in the book of Acts, or the Epistles, where numbers mattered more than people. Even in the famous Pentecost passage in Acts 2, the focus is on people and discipleship, beginning with conversion. A number is simply mentioned at the end.

I will not discount that numbers are important, but I can assure you that, for most of this week, instead of making disciples (and I did do some of that), I was running around, making sure that I kept entering the correct number s for the dashboard, making sure forms were filled out, signed, and copied on the correct color. I wonder if, instead of reporting numbers, I had been out in the community building relationships, if there would be more followers of Jesus. I wonder if, instead of making sure the pastor's report was on blue paper, but the compensation reduction was on green, I had been able to visit someone in the hospital or stop by someone's home who visited the church for the first time last week, a disciple would have been made.

Discipleship or reporting? Which really matters for God's kingdom? I think it should be both - but the balance needs to be tipped toward discipleship. We cannot expect churches to be transformed simply by reporting numbers. While I appreciate the accountability, it does not drive me to make disciples. Good news drives me to make and form disciples.