A worsening United States economy is a huge challenge to churches. Church leaders need to prepare for it.
Even among loyal churchgoers, spiking gasoline prices, rising unemployment, unsellable houses, consumer indebtedness, sagging confidence in the future, and mounting rage over fair play in the marketplace test our constituents' willingness to support church as they know it.
Two of many examples: will Americans continue to contribute an average of $3,000 a year to their churches? Will they continue to subsidize out-of-the-way locations by driving 30 to 60 minutes at $10 to $20 a trip?
On February 11, the General Assembly Presbyterian Judicial Commission issued a pair of decisions addressing questions about the Authoritative Interpretation of G-6.0108 that was adopted by the 217th General Assembly in 2006. These decisions have important implications in the life of the church, and have already generated many questions.
The case of Buescher v. Presbytery of Olympia (Remedial Case 218-09) arose when Olympia Presbytery adopted a policy that "any violation of a mandate of the Book of Order (2005-2007) constitutes a failure to adhere to the essentials of reformed polity and thus presents a bar to ordination and installation."
The GAPJC held that this policy was unconstitutional. In doing so, it strongly affirmed several core principles of G-6.0108 and the 2006 Authoritative Interpretation:
On January 7, Charles F. "Chuck" Burge began service as executive director of the Presbyterian Lay Committee, which publishes The Layman newspaper, the Layman Online, and Reformation Press books.
He succeeds Parker Williamson, who retired as chief executive officer on Dec. 31, 2005.
Burge worked with D. James Kennedy of Coral Ridge Ministries for the past ten years, including serving as interim executive vice president. Coral Ridge ministries is based at the Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. CRPC is in the Presbyterian Church in America, a denomination that split off the Presbyterian Church in the U.S. in 1973. Prior to his move to Lenoir, N.C., to assume his new post, Burge served on the session of the CRPC and was a certified trainer in the church's Evangelism Explosion program.
Something was different. It might have been that this service was happening on a Friday night instead of a Sunday morning, but that was not quite it. The church was uncharacteristically packed, but that was not it, either. That about 99 percent of its occupants were women might have been part of what seemed so unusual in that sanctuary. But more than anything what was palpably, noticeably different in this northeastern mainline United Church of Christ cathedral was the sense of anticipation, of expectancy and maybe even downright excitement at what was about to transpire.
As a teenager in the 1970s, I was committed to following Jesus wherever he would lead. My spiritual mentors -- Christian businessmen -- directed me to follow the narrow way. They organized Bible study groups, taught spiritual disciplines, promoted moral purity, and championed absolutes. I followed their lead.
But, I also found their promotion of absolutes somewhat confusing. For example, as my parents' marriage unraveled, the mentors equated divorce with the unforgivable sin. Then our pastor separated from his wife. They not only fired him, they excommunicated him -- condemning him to eternal torment. The absolutes had to be maintained.
So I showed them things.
Not much that was spectacular, in fact,
more the usual, ordinary stuff
like wild flowers, birds and seeds,
The Psalms contain a collection of metaphors for God that focuses on protection. These include: shield, high tower, fortress, high place, refuge, rock, and stronghold. These images use "homeland security" language. But in the Psalms there is also a minority point of view that describes God as "the good shepherd" (Psalm 23), the good woman (Psalm 131:1-2), and the good father (Psalm 68:5-6).
In the "flat" world of Internet-centric communications, churches are a major beneficiary.
Powerful tools once reserved for well-heeled organizations are available at little or no cost to everyone, including churches struggling to control costs. All it takes is the imagination to see possibilities, the humility to try new ways, and the will to overcome resistance from those who distrust technology or fight any change.
Reflecting on this passage in its entirety is beyond the scope of this brief article. Two high points will be our focus. The first is the Christological confession of Martha and the second is the surprising anger of Jesus and its aftermath.
No, not the E.T. or the J.P. that first come to mind. That's E.T. as in Thompson, and J.P. as in Price.
'Tis no small thing to try to fill the shoes of E.T. Thompson. Ernest Trice Thompson and his partner, Aubrey Brown, took over the Presbyterians of the South newspaper and turned it into The Presbyterian Outlook in April 1954. In the years that followed Thompson collected articles, edited them, wrote editorials, and wrote Sunday School lessons -- and did all that every week.
In semi-retirement I turned down an opportunity to serve on the candidates committee, as we used to call it, thinking that if I accepted the assignment I'd feel like I hadn't retired from anything. I'm sure those who do serve the committees on preparation for ministry are much appreciated for the work they do on behalf of new "recruits." Here are some "post-game" reflections for the benefit of those who're soon to become "rookies" and are wondering and wavering about whether or not to enter the field.
The discussion between Jesus and Nicodemus focuses on the Trinity.
After an introduction, in the dialogue between the two of them, Nicodemus makes three speeches to which Jesus gives three replies. Furthermore, Jesus introduces each reply with the phrase, "Amen, Amen I say to you." Whenever this phrase appears something of supreme importance is being said. In the Gospel of John, only in this text do three occurrences of this rare affirmation appear. What is their significance?
Churches should be aggressive in using latest technologies, both to maximize return on investment and to communicate effectively.
An e-mail newsletter is central. The days of the printed and mailed newsletter are over. They cost too much and are read too little, especially among young and middle-aged adults. You can offer a mailed newsletter to those who prefer it, but not many will prefer it. (One large church estimates that a regular postal newsletter costs $2,100 to prepare and send, not counting staff time; an e-mail newsletter costs $15.)
Slowing down, this holy season,
may be the way to go.
Letting go, at least an hour here
and there, of that wheel
with which you drive, and which drives you.
Recently the world of spiritual study and practice has been shocked by a previously unknown revelation about the severe doubts of Mother Teresa of Calcutta. For years she could not find Christ and at times doubted her calling to serve the poor. Some people wonder if they should continue to honor her as a spiritual mentor if she had such trouble finding her way.
Slowing down, this holy season,
may be the way to go.
Letting go, at least an hour here
and there, of that wheel
To hear 800 Presbyterian college students singing out songs of praise is encouraging/discouraging.
To see those 800 wear t-shirts that boldly proclaim their faith -- many unabashedly announcing their affiliation with our denomination -- is really encouraging/discouraging.
To listen as those 800 talk about following Jesus intently, serving God sacrificially, and listening to the Spirit attentively gets downright, overwhelmingly encouraging/discouraging.
In recent months, schism has become a matter of public debate. It was once an inchoate concern, as evidenced by the first recommendation of the Task Force on Peace, Unity, and Purity that called us to avoid division into separate denominations; it is now the topic of competing published articles.
It is not surprising that there is no resolution to the current debate, for the church was born and nurtured by schism. The early church believed itself a part of Judaism, divorcing itself from Judaism only in the face of persistent rejection by the Jewish community. Western Christianity, already divided from the Orthodox 500 years earlier, was riven by schism from attempts to reform the Roman Church. Though we cherish it, what we Protestants call the Reformation is more accurately described as a protestant schism. And no Protestant tradition has escaped schism, most particularly the Reformed Tradition, probably the most schismatic of them all. We Presbyterians have our own special history of division.
In identifying "Listening Church" as a key factor in determining congregation wellness, we are saying that clergy and lay leaders must make a commitment to listening to the actual questions members are asking.
That commitment, in turn, leads immediately to a second: a commitment to act on members' questions. Not just to hear them, but to respond to them, indeed to be guided by them.
Here's a little trivia question for you: What is the one sacramental promise that we make as members of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)?
Answer: At each baptism the church is asked to promise to help guide, raise, and nurture the child (or adult) in the ways of the Church of Jesus Christ.
Working for years in business, I have been fascinated by the way we do "business" as a Church. No other organization would continue to lose more than 40,000 "customers" a year and not make major changes after two or three years. And yet the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) loses members at that rate and I find that most Presbyterians don't even notice.
2008 Vacation Bible School planning is underway. Publishers of VBS curricula give the following synopses of available material.
Concordia Publishing
Join our Friendship Trek, a hike through the Bible to meet Jesus, our Forever Friend.
Kids find faith, fun, and friends at Friendship Trek! Bullying, inclusion and social skills are hot issues for kids. Friendship Trek kids encounter the incredible love of Jesus, our Forever Friend, and practice friendship skills in a daily Good Friend Challenge.
Kids explore five friend-filled Bible stories about Jesus. They follow Jesus as He reaches out to a new friend named Matthew. They go along as a centurion's friends ask Jesus to heal the man's servant. They traipse to the temple as Jesus heals a blind friend, then go to Bethany to see Jesus raise his friend Lazarus from the dead. Finally, they huddle in a locked room on Easter night to witness the ultimate love Jesus showed by giving His life for His friends.
Jesus is the greatest friend of all!
When planning Vacation Bible School activities, Nicole Carmines decided it wasn't enough to require background checks on volunteers and to inspect photo IDs at child pickup time.
So she decided to hire two uniformed police officers to stay on church premises for the entire week. Excessive? Carmines doesn't think so.
"We constantly hear comments about extra measures that we go through," said Carmines, Vacation Bible School director at Concordia Lutheran Church in San Antonio, Texas. She says parents are grateful for the precautions -- which include everything from ID tags to a walkie-talkie network. Seven years ago, 650 elementary school-aged students signed up for Concordia's Vacation Bible School. VBS enrollment this June broke the 1,300 mark, and she believes the staff's diligent security is one of the biggest reasons.
Those of us above a certain age remember well the 80s movie "Dirty Dancing." If above 40 at the time, you had to decide whether to allow your teen-ager to see it. If under 20, it was a "rite of passage" to see a movie with a title designed to provoke your parents' censorship genes.
Many small churches are thriving today because they share ministry, mission, and/or leadership with other small churches. Once a model for the rural church, shared ministry is becoming an effective approach for urban and suburban congregations as well.
In late July, a Consultation on Shared Ministry, sponsored by the Synod of the Northeast, Auburn Theological Seminary, and the Mission at the Eastward, was held in Farmington, Maine.
Many Presbyterian congregations find themselves in changing neighborhoods, with aging members, declining membership and attendance, and with facilities they can no longer manage. Many are closing their doors, or at least wringing their hands looking for that "special pastor" to come in and turn things around, One such congregation found a new life by giving theirs up. This is part of their remarkable story.
I was called to Shiloh Bethany Church in November 2004 to become their half-time pastor for redevelopment and transformation. By that time, Shiloh was a very small congregation, with a membership of around 50 and average attendance around 25. Most of the members were more than 70 years old.
Shiloh Presbyterian Church was founded in 1884, and Bethany Community Church in about 1886 -- they merged in the 1920s.
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