The difference between self-sorting and self-preservation: Why people choose to leave a church is important

 

An interesting thing happened to me two Sundays ago that has been gnawing at my mind since.  As I always try to do when we have visitors join us for worship, I spoke with a new family in the brief moments before church was to begin.  They were, like so many individuals and families that had joined us for a week, or two, in recent years, looking for a new church home.  Other than visitors from out-of-town, and those who join us of their own accord without a previous church background (an answer to prayer!), most of those who seek a new church are doing so because of something that was amiss where they had previously attended.

Given that this happens fairly regularly, and that some of these new folk will stick around while others will keep looking, my brief conversation with this family wouldn't have stuck in my mind if I didn't have a pertinent section in my sermon on Romans 15:1-6 that I had actually written in as an addition that very morning when I was reviewing my message:

"A quick note, the current habit of Christians self-sorting into homogenous local churches which only contain people who look, act, and think like they already do is in part an attempt to avoid this hard work of self-transformation and discipleship, and thus inherently an unhealthy development in the Church as a whole.  Given modern mobility and technology it will not be easy to overcome the tendency of most people to seek out a church primarily on the criteria of being 'comfortable' there."

At that point in the sermon I added an ad-lib to the effect that the people here in this congregation don't need to agree with me on everything, especially the cultural and political issues of the day (about which most wouldn't know if they agree with me or not given my reluctance to speak publicly on them, as I've noted over the years).

Without sharing the particulars of why that one family had joined us a few weeks ago, I knew it wasn't because they were avoiding the challenges of discipleship by seeking out a homogenous church community.

But, as pastors often do when they realize that a portion of their sermon touches directly on the life of someone sitting in the pew, I hope I wasn't misunderstood, I hope it didn't feel like I was aiming those words in their direction. 

{FYI, 95% of the time the whole, "He's talking about me in the sermon!" phenomenon is the thought of the person in the pew not the intention of the person behind the pulpit.  After writing and delivering more than 750 sermons, I can honestly say that it has never occurred to me to aim what I'm writing at one individual or family, that's just not how the sausage is made.}

Here's why I hope I wasn't misunderstood: There is indeed a big difference between those who seek out a "comfortable" church where they won't be challenged in their beliefs and attitudes, and those who seek out a healthy church where they will be discipled and asked to serve.  

It isn't an easy decision to leave a church, at least it shouldn't be, even if that church has become an unhealthy, even a toxic place.  To leave feels like giving up, like conceding that you don't see much hope of things changing anytime soon.  Honestly, this topic ought to feel different to single people than to parents.  I may feel confident that I can protect myself from negativity in a church that has grown unhealthy and still be a positive influence on those around me, but taking that risk on behalf of your kids is no small thing.  Honestly, I wouldn't let my kid be a part of a church overflowing with the hatreds of "Christian" Nationalism or the materialism of the Prosperity Gospel, to give two common examples, even if I felt called to stay there myself and try to make a difference.  

In the end, I'm not in the business of "sheep stealing."  If people come to our doors because there is a problem (real or imagined) with the place they previously worshiped, we will welcome them with kindness no questions asked, that goes without saying.  Maybe God is leading them here, maybe he isn't, I'm certainly not in a position to judge that matter for them.  If where they were previously wasn't a healthy church, for whatever reason, they will be welcome among us, and hopefully they will find God's presence and the challenge of discipleship in our midst.  But I'm not trying to grow this church on the back of disgruntled Methodists (sadly a numerous bunch in our county given recent events), disillusioned Presbyterians, or angry Catholics.  What I hope for, and what all of the clergy I've known and worked with in this community for more than a decade likewise hope for, is a collective Church in our community that allows those who don't know Jesus to see glimpses of him in us.  What I hope for, and so do my fellow pastors, is that we together may add new members to the family of God, new sinners saved by grace, new lives redeemed by the blood of the Lamb.  There will always be a rearranging of chairs within our various congregations, some growing some shrinking, and a flow of people between us, what matters in the end is whether or not that migration is making the Church healthier or unhealthier, whether or not it is supporting or harming our universal collective mission of being salt and light in this world.

Sermon Video: A Living Sacrifice to God - Romans 12:1-2

What is the proper Christian response to God's mercy?  After we have received so much of it, and continue to depend upon it, how should we react?

The Apostle Paul offers a simple solution: Offer your life as a living sacrifice.  In other words, reject the false gods of this world (materialism, hedonism, narcissism, etc.) and instead embrace the pursuit of Christ-likeness.  God gave you his Son to save you from damnation, is letting God direct your life too much to ask in return?  (Hint: It isn't)

Listen to the Word of God: 62 Scripture passages that refute 'Christian' Nationalism - #8: Matthew 5:13

 

Matthew 5:13     New International Version

“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.

How cozy with the Kingdoms of this World (human governments) can the Church be before it loses its saltiness?  In other words, if the Church wields dominion in this age, determining military policy, tax provisions, environmental regulations, food and drug safety, and the whole host of decisions over peoples lives that a modern government must make {choosing not to regulate an area is of course a decision too}, will such a Church retain any of its required saltiness?

The context leading up to verse 13 of the Sermon on the Mount is the Beatitudes.  Just prior to telling his followers to be salt, an element essential for life in the Ancient World, Jesus proclaims that the Kingdom of God is counter-intuitive by declaring those whom society normally looks upon as 'losers' to be "blessed".  You see, the Kingdom of God is not business as usual, it isn't a slightly better version of this world's cultures and governments, it isn't a tweak of the old; the Kingdom of God is a radical change of human behavior and interactions on a fundamental level from top to bottom.

For far too much of Church History the Church has been content to nibble at the margins, to strive for a better world without putting the Word of God to the test by living in accordance with ALL that it teaches.  The Church has lived by faith, but only so far.  And yet, 'Christian' Nationalism would ask us to lean into this hesitancy, to go all-in on ruling here and now by using the very methods and tactics that this world has devised to grasp and maintain power.  "Be Christ-like and trust God with the results?  You naïve fool, we'd lose if we did that!", there actions (and at times words) proclaim. 

Can you honestly say, when listening to politicians, that any of them (save perhaps some on the local level) are acting in their role as public leaders according to the vision of the Sermon on the Mount?  Are any of them striving to establish the Kingdom of God?  So, why are they, politicians and pundits, being treated as leaders of Christianity?  What training, calling, and experience do they have in Christian discipleship, in leading with a servant's heart?

On of the great tragedies here is that God has called his people to far more.  To a more abundant and purposeful life here and now through radical self-denial and service.  Take back the country for God, the culture?  Why would God want them, he's already spelled out his plans for a far greater prize.

Sermon Video: "that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith" - Romans 1:8-15

Before beginning to unfold the theology of his letter, the Apostle Paul takes a moment to express his desire, both past and future, to visit the Church at Rome and fellowship with its people.  Why?  Because he knows that when they experience each other's faith they will be mutually encouraged.

Why be a part of the Church?  One reason among many: mutual encouragement.  You can lift others up and they can lift you up.

The Church is far from perfect, but is the only vehicle that God has ordained to fulfill his purpose in this Age, it is where disciples of Jesus grow to maturity together through the work of the Holy Spirit.

The danger of defining 'real' Americans vs. the necessity of categorizing 'real' Christians

It has become increasingly popular for politicians and pundits to tell their hard core followers that they represent the 'real America', and that those who have opposing viewpoints are conversely not 'real Americans'.  That this attitude is inherently dangerous, divisive, and ultimately a precursor to violence toward the group of people now labeled as un-American, even anti-American, history has attempted to teach us.  Once a group of people, defined by whatever parameter, have been deemed to be the 'other', it is a short road to convincing those who have drunk the Kool-Aid that 'they' should be incarcerated, expelled, or eliminated.

On the other hand, I have often referred to some people as 'self-professed Christians' or even 'so-called Christians'.  That such labels have been used in the past (on the wrong basis), for example during the Thirty Years War, to foment persecution and violence, is horrifyingly true, yet the need to have a proper definition of what a genuine follower of Jesus Christ looks/acts like, and call out those who fail to live up to it, remains.  Why?  

1. An earthly human kingdom vs. a divinely created spiritual kingdom

The United States of America is a human construct.  Like all governments it derives its legitimacy from God's delegated sovereignty (Romans 13:1-2), but it is no more divinely created than the hundreds of other nations that exist in our world today, or the nations or kingdoms that existed in years past.  As such, notions of citizenship in this nation have changed (mostly for the better) over the years, and are subject to changing laws and even constitutional amendments such as the 13th-15th Amendments that sought to remedy the original Constitution's flawed acceptance of the notion that Blacks were not citizens, or the 19th Amendment which gave women the right to vote.  Citizenship in America has always been a work in progress, it has always had ways in which our government and our people failed to live up to our ideals.  

Christian citizenship is different in many ways.  It was instituted by Jesus himself (Matthew 16:18

NIV  And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.), populated not with any group of people, or based in on any geographic boundaries, but with individuals called out from amongst all peoples (Revelation 7:9 NIV  After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands.), and also defined by a standard that does not change and cannot be amended (John 14:6 NIV  Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.)

Given those differences, the United States of America can, will, and should change in an effort to "form a more perfect Union", and it can be torn asunder by division.  The Church, which is the body that comprises the individuals who have been called by the Holy Spirit to follow Jesus, must maintain its original calling and purpose, uphold its given mission and parameters, and is incapable of effective division (Ephesians 4:5-6 NIV  one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.) even if it has been split in two for a thousand years, and in three for the past five hundred.  What those who claim to follow Jesus, whether they be genuine or not, cannot do is split his Church.  America, however, has no such guarantees.  We survived one Civil War, and the tumult of the 60's, but have no promise that if we continue to sow division we will survive the next conflagration. 

2. E pluribus unum vs. the Mind of Christ

The people who comprise human kingdoms and nations are never of one mind.  Attempts to force uniformity have resulted in some of history's most horrific abuses and genocides: the Spanish Inquisition, Indian Education Program in 19th century America, Mao's Cultural Revolution from 1966-76 which cost the lives of untold millions, or the ongoing Uighur genocide in China today.  In fact, differing viewpoints are a strength of human institutions, preventing them from becoming stale or blind to reality.  The generation of the Founding Fathers famously disagreed on the direction that the new nation should take on a host of issues (ask Alexander Hamilton), with some preferring the vision of Madison and others that of Jefferson.  If those who disagree, about any particular issue, are not 'real Americans', the ability of our democracy to continue to function decreases.

The Church is likewise made up of people with differing viewpoints, often contentiously, but with one key distinction that separates it from America: We are all heading in the same direction, learning from the tutor, and seeking to emulate the same hero (John 14:26 NIV  But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.    Philippians 2:2 NIV  then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind.).  Thus while those within the Church can, healthily, disagree on the secondary issues, we are united, for more strongly than any nation, on the foundational ones.

3. Law abiding citizens vs. the Law of Love

Once a person becomes an American citizen, either by birth or naturalization, that person remains a citizen for the rest of his/her days (short of committing actual acts of treason, or renouncing one's citizenship).  Each citizen is as much a 'real American' as the next.  Given that we enjoy the protections of the Bill of Rights in America, as long as people don't break the law (or aren't unjustly convicted of breaking the law), there is no legal grounds to value the beliefs and hopes of one citizen over that of another {providing that they aren't advocating for anarchy or gross immorality}.  Our representative republic helps transfer that mass of opinions and beliefs into something approximating a functioning government, but those who hold minority opinions are not less American than those who happen to currently be in the majority.  In addition, what was once majority opinion can find itself in the span of a generation, or less, to be a minority view.  That being said, you can love America, and be a fully patriotic citizen of this nation, and still hold any number of political/economic/cultural viewpoints.  I know that many partisans, especially those sold on the Culture Wars, would strongly disagree here, but if we are to have a United future, ever increasing venom against the 'enemies of the people' cannot prevail.

It is not the same in the Church.  In order to be a real/genuine Christian, there must be concrete evidence of the presence of the Holy Spirit in the form of what is known as the Fruit of the Spirit.  This term is derived from Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.  If these qualities are not present, whatever the person in question might claim to believe, he/she cannot be a true follower of Jesus.  This is not in any way a partisan viewpoint, it isn't a liberal or conservative one, but a Truth derived from the very nature of the Church itself and everything we know and understand about what it means to be washed clean by the Blood of the Lamb.

Matthew 7:22-23 NIV  Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

1 Corinthians 13:1-3 NIV  If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

James 2:14-19 NIV  What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? 15 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

18 But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.”

Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. 19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.

1 John 2:6 NIV  Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.

1 John 3:16-18 NIV  This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. 17 If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? 18 Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.

The verses above but scratch the surface on how many times the New Testament addresses this topic, each time affirming the absolute need for heart conversion, not just head knowledge or mouth proclamations.  This then is why we must distinguish between 'so-called' or 'self-professed' Christians and the genuine article.  God chose to make it abundantly clear in his Word that checking a box on a survey, voting a certain way, or wearing a cross on a necklace isn't good enough.  Outward appearances and empty words are not good enough.  Unless true life changing Fruit of the Spirit is present, on an ongoing basis, there is no reason to belief that such a person is a Christian.  Conversely, if evil is present, tolerated and habitual, there is also ample reason to doubt the sincerity of any profession of faith.

This is actually not a change from the Old Covenant to the New.  The prophets of old wrestled with a people who believed that having Abraham as an ancestor was good enough, that it would guarantee their position before God, regardless of their conduct.  That lack of genuine faith led inexorably to the destruction of the Temple and the Exile in Babylon.  Unfortunately, Jesus found that same shallow attitude present in his own day, and reacted very strongly against it: Matthew 3:8-10 NIV  Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. 9 And do not think you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. 10 The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.

It is far easier to be a good citizen of the United States than it is to be a genuine Christian.  At the same time, the United States is a far more fragile vessel than the Church of Jesus Christ, and while divisions sown in either will bear harmful fruit, we know that the Church will endure, America has no such promise.

So, the next time you hear a politician, pundit, or regular person spouting off on social media about how 'we' are the REAL Americans and 'they' are not, don't be fooled, that road leads to self-destruction.  Likewise, the next time you hear someone proclaiming their bona fides as a Christian while still embracing hate, lust, greed or the like, and/or while not exhibiting love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, and self-control, don't believe it, fruit-less Christians don't exist.

Sermon Video: How Salty Are You? Mark 9:49-50

 Having just warned about the impending danger of Hell, Jesus turns to the quality that sets his followers apart from those the path of destruction: saltiness.  Jesus uses salt as a metaphor, primarily of preserving and transforming, to warn/encourage his disciples that they are transformative agents in this world, that like salt in the ancient world, they have numerous life-affirming roles to play for the Kingdom of God.

Salt that isn't salty?  True NaCl is always salty, it always performs its function, so to with true disciples of Jesus, who all bear witness to the Spirit's transforming power through their adoption of the Fruit of the Spirit.

Sermon Video: Ashamed of Jesus? - Mark 8:38

 Can you demonstrate that you're not ashamed of Jesus by sharing a meme on social media or putting a bumper sticker on your car?  No, the hard truth of the matter is that allegiance to Jesus Christ needs to go much, much deeper.  If we are unashamed of Jesus and his teachings we not only repeat them (without changing them) but LIVE them.  We begin to think, feel, talk, and act like Jesus, to imitate him.  Unfortunately, for millions of self-professed Christians, the only difference between their lives and those of their unbelieving neighbors or friends are surface issues.  Wearing the 'team colors' so to speak, but not denying materialism, embracing sexual purity, or living a life of self-sacrificial service to others.  Ashamed of Jesus?  It isn't your Facebook feed that answers that question, but the life you're living.

Sermon Video: Take up your Cross and follow Jesus - Mark 8:34-35

 What does it take to be a follower of Jesus? The blessings are well known, but what about the cost? Salvation is free, 100%, but discipleship is costly. To be a follower of Jesus is to embark on a path of self-denial (not asceticism, but submission to the lordship of God, to his will), to take up your own cross of self-sacrificial service to others, and to follow after Jesus. Jesus went wherever he could help people, wherever he could make a difference, and he gave them what he had: truth, compassion, and love. We must do likewise.

Sermon Video: Isolation from, or Engagement with, the World? 1 Corinthians 15:33-34

Having corrected the error at the Church of Corinth regarding the reality of the resurrection to come, the Apostle Paul concludes by reminding them that, "Bad company corrupts good character." Is it true that, "One bad apple spoils the bunch"? Or can a bunch of good apples help the bad one? Which was does influence flow? Good to bad, bad to good, or both? As Christians we have an obligation to be engaged with the world, building friendships and connections to non-Christian people for the sake of the Gospel. How can we be the salt that Jesus commands us to be if we stay safe in our salt shaker of isolation? At the same time, we must retain our salty nature by ensuring that the weightiest influences in our lives are ones that are righteous and holy. This is a balance between isolation (from the world's corrupting influences) and engagement (for the sake of the Gospel) that each Christian and each church must maintain in order to be effective. We do need to be salt (righteous influences upon those living in darkness), and we also need to surround ourselves with enough other grains of salt (mature Christians) that we never risk losing our saltiness.

To watch the video, click on the link below:

Sermon Video: When we can't meet together - Hebrews 10:24-25

In this time of national pandemic quarantine, it is a powerful reminder to us of the immeasurable value of being a part of the fellowship of a local church. As a local church, it is our obligation to "spur one another on towards love and good deeds". We build each other up, we mentor and disciple each other, inspiring our fellow Christian to live as Jesus lived by doing so ourselves. It is an amazing asset that some are in the habit of neglecting, of treating as an inconvenience, or at least a choice when other more interesting ones are not there. We cannot afford this bad habit as a Church. When the church is doing something, we need to be a part of it, as much as we are able.

To watch the video, click on the link below:

The Truth will set you free: the context of a timeless truth

"Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." (John 8:32)  The Gospel of John contains many memorable phrases, including Jesus' powerful "I am" statements.  The idea that truth is capable of making people free has penetrated Western culture to the extent that the two ideas, freedom and truth, have become inextricably linked, especially in the light of the penchant of oppressive regions for propaganda and outright lies.  For examples of the cultural triumph of a linkage between freedom and truth and conversely oppression and lies, see George Orwell's 1984 , Aldous Huxley's Brave New World , or Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451.  In their own way, each of those novels is championing the ideal of Truth (with a capital T) and warning of the danger of falsehood to society.  In this they are certainly correct, for no society or government founded upon, or maintained by, lies can long endure apart from oppression.  While true, and certainly beneficial to society, this was not the reason why Jesus said that truth would set people free.  The concerns of Jesus were far more immediate, and far more specific, than championing the idea of Truth (as good and honorable a cause as that is).

By the point in the Gospel of John where Jesus says, "Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."  he has already declared, "I am the bread of life" (John 6:35-48) and "I am the light of the world" (John 8:12, repeated in John 9:5) The Truth that Jesus was offering that would set those free who were willing to accept it, was that he did indeed come from the Father to warn them regarding their sins, and to offer them salvation by believing in him.  It was deliberately a very specific truth, embodied personally by Jesus, that had the power to set people free.  Free from what?  Not merely free from oppression, as wonderful as that is, but free from something far more universal and dangerous, free from slavery to sin.  As descendants of Abraham, and heirs to that Covenant, those who listened to Jesus believed that they were already free.  It was painfully true that they were not politically free, the presence of Roman troops in Jerusalem made that obvious, but they considered themselves to be morally and spiritually free as a people who endeavored to follow the Law of Moses.  They were wrong.  Jesus sought to shatter this false complacency by warning them, "If you were Abraham's children, then you would do the things Abraham did." (John 8:39)  Abraham believed God, and took steps to demonstrate that faith, even when difficult circumstances offered excuses to doubt God.  As a result, Genesis tells us, "Abraham believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness." (Genesis 15:6, quoted by Paul in Romans 4:3,20-24 and Galatians 3:6 as well as by James in James 2:23).
Knowledge of the truth is not sufficient.  Humanity is exceedingly capable of ignoring the truth, of subverting it to our own desires, and of paying lip service to it while continuing on our own path.  Without a commitment, without allowing it to change one's behavior, truth alone is powerless.  While that is true in many areas (for example: the advice you receive from your doctor; it doesn't help you if you ignore it), it is supremely true regarding our relationship with God.  There are many people who know who Jesus was (and is), who are aware of his life, death, and resurrection, but for whom those truths have no discernible impact upon their lives.  Unless truth produces transformation, it fails. 
Which brings us back to Jesus.  Belief in Jesus is the truth that will set us free from our slavery to sin.  Trust in Jesus is the beginning of the path of righteous obedience to the will of God, and hope in Jesus is what will allow us to live our lives confident that his vicarious death and resurrection are the keys to God accepting us into the kingdom of heaven.  The Truth will certainly set us free, we just need to make sure that our journey begins with a very specific truth, belief in Jesus.

Sermon Video: Building up the Church - 1 Corinthians 14:1-12

In 1 Corinthians 13, the Apostle Paul established the supremacy of Love, but how would one rank/evaluate the lesser gifts of the Holy Spirit?  In order to impart perspective, Paul compares the efficacy of two of these: prophecy and speaking in tongues.  Prophecy is designed to encourage, strengthen, and comfort, it 'edifies the church' by sharing with the people of God the Word of God.  Speaking in tongues (foreign languages) has potential, but without an interpreter it can only benefit the one to whom the gift is given.  Thus comparing the effects of the two upon the Church, Paul strongly prefers gifts that are outward focused, rather than inward, and gifts that help the many, rather than the few (in this case individuals).  This then is our principle: seek gifts from the Spirit that build up the Church, by building up the local church, through help that is truly beneficial, in particular the sharing of the Word of God.

To watch the video, click on the link below:

Sermon Video: Run to get the prize - 1 Corinthians 9:24-27

There are few metaphors I feel more at home with in the Bible than when Paul compares our Christian journey to running a race.  What does it take to have a shot to win a race?  Certainly hard work, but also a plentiful measure of God-given talent.  In the spiritual realm, hard work and dedication are also required, but significantly, there can be many "winners" among those willing to serve the kingdom of God.  As a warning to finish out the metaphor, Paul reminds us that we cannot risk being "disqualified" from our race through immorality.

To watch the video, click on the link below:

The Church's responsibility: evangelism and transforming discipleship

One of the numerous misconceptions about the Church, coming from both those outside of it and those within, is that the Church is a place where those who are already righteous (upright morally) come together.  This is not a new issue, the Early Church struggled with the question of whether or not the Church was intended to be a place for only saints to gather, or a place where both saints and sinners (i.e. those already redeemed/saved and those who had not yet committed themselves to Christ) together sought the kingdom of God.  Following the persecution instituted by Emperor Diocletian (AD 303-305, during which 1/2 of all those martyred prior to Constantine were killed); those who had resisted and risked their lives rejected as unworthy of being a part of the Church those who had capitulated in order to save themselves.  The courageous 'confessors' chose their own bishop, Donatus Magnus (see: Donatism), believing that only a bishop could forgive such a grave sin as 'lapsing' in the face of persecution, and that only a faultless clergy could administer valid sacraments.  In the end, the North African Church was split in two, never to heal, despite the attempts of two councils, the use of Constantine's soldiers to try to force a reunion, and even the power of St. Augustine's persuasion arguing that the Church was not supposed to consist of only of those who are already pure, but of those who long to be pure.
The Church was intended, by its founder Jesus, to be a place where both evangelism and discipleship take place concurrently side by side.  As a Church it is our responsibility to both share the Gospel with those who do not yet believe, and to help those who have committed themselves to following Jesus in their transformation process from someone dominated by sin to someone overflowing with the fruit of the Spirit.  Thus a healthy church will contain both those who are, hopefully, being called by the Spirit of God to accept the Gospel, and those who are being led by the Spirit of God to more and more closely adhere to the example and teachings of Jesus.  If a local church, or a denomination, fails to attempt/accomplish either task, the results will be grim.  A church without new converts is a church whose days are numbered, it may be a great place of fellowship, and excel at making disciples of those already there, but when they grow old and die, what then?  Likewise, a church that excels in "winning souls" through evangelism, but fails/neglects to disciple these converts, will result in a people of shallow faith where immorality is tolerated and the fruit of the Spirit in short supply.
It isn't easy for a local church, especially a small church with a bi-vocational pastor, or perhaps with a jack-of-all-trades solo pastor, to hit home runs in both evangelism and discipleship.  In my experience, most of them are better at discipleship than evangelism, better working with the people they already have than the people outside their doors.  Conversely, one of the criticisms of mega-churches is that due to their size it is easier for the numerous converts (certainly a good thing) to slip through the cracks, even with a large staff and small-group programs.  All churches have strengths and weaknesses, specialties and deficiencies in their ministries, but all are equally called by God to both bring lost sinners home and work to transform those redeemed by the blood of the Lamb into practitioners of righteousness.  We must share the Gospel, we must welcome outsiders and seek them out, and we must take the moral obligations of our people seriously, striving against both sins of commission and omission.  The challenge is immense, the kind of thing that keeps pastors up at night, the obstacles are plentiful and diverse, but the task once it is being accomplished it certainly worth whatever we put into it, and more.  Imagine a local church where new people are coming to Christ on a regular basis, where both those who have recently come to Christ and those who have journeyed with him for decades are encouraged and aided toward ever increasing Christ-likeness through righteous living and acts of service to others.  Nearly every pastor wants that for his congregation, books and workshops on how to achieve it are legion, the Spirit that makes it possible is willing.  Let us pray that we may be worthy of this high calling, my church and myself included.

Good habits, running, and going to church

As a pastor, I have spoken with people more times than I can possibly remember about their need to regularly be a part of the services (on whatever day they are able to attend) of a local church where they can worship, pray, and hear from the Word of God along with fellow disciples of Jesus Christ.  I am, unabashedly, willing to encourage people to attend a church that is not my own church, nor even of my denomination, if it means they'll actually do it.  Long story short, I'm a fan of people being in church as often as possible (recognizing the difficulty of work schedules, family obligations, health, and mobility constraints).

Let me share an analogy that has been on my mind of late.  This past December I went for a short, 4 mile run prior to our Christmas Eve service.  During the course of 2018 I had completed my third Oil Creek 100 50k, had logged about 700 miles, and had achieved multiple PR's (personal records) since moving to PA in 2012 {in other words, ones that ignore my times as a runner in HS and college} in both the 10k and half-marathon distance.  It was a great year of running, my best since my early 20's, and it came to a close on Christmas Eve with sharp hip pain.  I had been experiencing hip discomfort for some time, but such things are a part of the runner's experience; this was different.  On Christmas day walking up and down the stairs of our home was rather painful.  I waited a week, tried to run about three miles, only to have the pain flair up again.  Another week resting the injury, another easy attempt to run, and the pain persisted.  January, from a training perspective, was a complete bust.  It ended with a trip to the doctor and a pair of shots (one in each hip, the left was the worst but the right was problematic too).  Now, as mid-February approaches, more than six weeks after having to bring my running to an abrupt halt, there may be light at the end of the tunnel, or I may be in for a longer period on the sidelines if the pain returns as I slowly bring running back into my routine.

What has this to do with attending church?  Running is good for my mental health.  It certainly boosts my physical health, no doubt about that, but when I don't get a chance to get outdoors (especially on our amazing local trails in Oil Creek State Park) and spend one to three hours (sometimes as many as five or six), two to three times per week, running, things start to get out of whack.  And while you might think the idea of spending a couple hours in the woods running 10-20 miles is crazy, to me it is awesome.  Not running, day after day, and now week after week, wears on me.

Here's the thing, as much as I love running (or basketball or hockey), they are nothing compared to the benefits to being among the people of God on a regular basis.  As much as I enjoy and need to exercise, I need to worship, pray, and study the Word of God among the people of God far more; and so do you.  We all need to be a part of the community of believers, we all need a chance to serve others, and a chance to receive the help of others in turn.  Christianity is not a solo pursuit, it is not the ER to be visited only in times of crisis.  Healthy habits are imperative, in the spiritual realm as much as the mental and physical.  "I spend time with God by myself" and "I pray" or "I read the Bible", while good and necessary things for those who would be called a disciple of Jesus, are not and cannot be the same as doing those same thing among a community of believers bond together by a common purpose and a common service to the Lord.

I have a 30k on the books for May, and a half-marathon the week after that.  I don't know how my training will go between now and then, but I do know that choosing to not run, if/when I can, is not an option.  Lord willing, I'll be back running the trails soon.


Hebrews 10:23-25 New International Version (NIV)
23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

The Pursuit of Happiness?

"Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" may be the unofficial motto of America, but it is not, much to the chagrin of many, the mantra of our Creator, in particular the last part.  The goal of the will of God for humanity as a whole and individual human beings as well, is not happiness but godliness.  In other words, God's aim is not that we feel happy, but that we be holy and righteous.  And while there is some overlap between feeling happy and being a person who practices holiness and righteousness, there are most certainly not the same thing.  To be a person who,  by the grace of God, chooses holiness and righteousness in this fallen world, is to be a person at odds with the prevailing self-centered worldview upon which human culture, not just American culture, is built.  It is to be a person who eschews personal gain in favor of service to others, who rejects temporary advancement in favor of projects whose fullness will not be realized until our lives are over, and it is to be a person who is willing to sacrifice one's own comfort and material possessions in the service of a kingdom which, while already established, awaits the return of its king and the manifestation of his justice.  It is, then, to be a person somewhat out of time and out of place, a person serving a king and belonging to a kingdom whose reality is not yet what it one day will be, and thus a person who is not seeking happiness, not at least according to any definition that those living for their own ends and purposes would understand or accept.  And yet, with far-ranging negative consequences, much of modern Christianity seems to have missed this point, to have accepted that the job of the Church is to help people be happy (or worse yet, to make them happy).  This is both a deviation from Biblical teaching, and a great hindrance upon the mission of the Church: to share the Gospel and make disciples.

One of the more well known portions of Scripture regarding this topic is this:
Matthew 16:24-26 New International Version (NIV)
24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 25 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. 26 What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?

There are many more examples of the call in the Word of God to serve through self-sacrifice, among them, these words of John:
1 John 3:16-18 New International Version (NIV)
16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. 17 If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? 18 Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.

In the end, as a Christian, a disciple of Jesus Christ, it isn't just about you.  Christians are part of something greater than themselves, part of God's plan for all of humanity, and have committed themselves (whether they know it or not) to serving the Kingdom of God, which means that our lives are not about pursuing happiness.

How should I interact with my pastor?

I can't speak for all of us, but perhaps some examples from my own perspective might help both my congregation and those from other flocks understand both positive and negative ways of interacting with your pastor...

• DO...Seek my help when you need it.  It doesn't matter if its the middle of the night, it doesn't matter if you're not a member, or even if you're new to the congregation.  If you are in a spiritual crisis (or an emotional, relational, financial, or health one) please don't try to go it alone.  An FYI, I may have run an ultra-marathon last week, but I'm no masochist, I don't keep my cell phone next to my bed; if you don't get an answer on my cell between 11 PM - 7 AM, leave a voice mail or text and then call the parsonage number.
• DON'T...Call me before calling 9-1-1 if you have a health/safety emergency.  I'm not a doctor, nor have I medical training beyond CPR, nor am I a psychiatrist, or a suicide-prevention specialist.  In a genuine medical emergency, seek medical help first, then call me or have a relative call me and I'll meet you at the hospital.  If it is a safety emergency, call the police, they're trained to help on those situations.
• DO...Seek my advice and counsel on issues of morality.  Applying Biblical principles to our chaotic lives can be difficult, while what you read from a book or off the internet might be helpful, we have a relationship for a reason, so that I can understand what the Word of God would say, not to someone like you, but to you.
• DON'T...Seek my legal counsel, nor my opinion on political matters.  Just as medical school was not in my past, nor was law school, if you need legal advice seek a competent lawyer.  If there is an ethical dimension to your legal issue, I would be happy to offer counsel, but the law itself is beyond the scope of my training.  In terms of politics, I do indeed have well informed and Bible-based opinions (in my case, ones informed also by a deep study of history), but you're out of luck if you want to know what they are.  Why?  As I've said on many an occasion, I will not risk your relationship with God, as supported by your relationship with his local church, in order to gain power/influence in this life.  Political power is transitory and fleeting, the Kingdom of God is forever, it isn't hard for me to choose which I care more about.
• DO...Ask questions and share your insights following my sermon on Sunday, I'm glad to hear that you liked it, if you did, but even more eager to know what your response is to the message I've prepared from the Word.  Likewise, if you're at Bible study on Wednesday, please speak up and ask questions as we work through the text, share what you see, what you've read before, the best Bible study is one of interaction.  Of course, you know that if you don't say anything during Bible study, I'm more than capable of filling the whole hour with my own talking, it just isn't as effective as a back-and-forth conversation.
• DON'T...Begin your phone call to me, or conversation, with, "I'm sorry to bother you, but..." or "I didn't want to disturb you at this hour, but..."  They're not necessary.  It isn't a bother, and you didn't disturb me, especially if the call reflects a true need.  Not only is it my job to be available and to be willing to set things aside to meet sudden needs, but far more importantly it is my calling.  As an ordained minister, one who has accepted the solemn duty to act as shepherd of a flock of our Lord Jesus, I don't consider your troubles to be an imposition; they're an opportunity for me to serve God by serving his people.  Do I value the time I share with Nicole and Clara apart from my work?  Of course I do, and nobody likes to have their dinner or sleep interrupted, but I'll adjust my schedule on a subsequent day and spend that time with my family if I end up spending an evening at the hospital with your family (for example).  If I'm on a date with my wife, or at one of my daughter's functions (when she's old enough to have functions, all too soon), I still need to know that you or your family member is in need, and I'll get to that as soon as possible, in all likelihood after my current family obligation ends, but let me make that determination, I can handle it.  My commitments as a husband and father are sacrosanct, I won't let my service to the church undermine them (nor should my congregation want me to, in fact it is their duty to prevent me from doing so if I foolish begin down that path), so you need not worry about the day/time when you need to reach out, as I said in the first point, seek my help when you need it.

That's enough for now, hopefully these will be of use.

Sermon Video: Our Prayer - Live a Life worthy of the Lord, Colossians 1:9-11

Having already expressed his thanks to God for the good report of the faith, hope, and love evident at the church of Colossae, Paul goes on to share that because he has already heard of God's work among them, he has not stopped praying for them.  As they are people already saved from spiritual death by Christ, for what does Paul pray on their behalf?  That they might live lives worthy of the Lord.  I don't know about you, but that sounds like a monumental task.  And yet, it is within the ability of every disciple of Jesus Christ, empowered by the Spirit, and as a matter of fact, expected of us.  What characterizes a Christian who pleases the Lord?  Paul lists four things: (1) Bearing fruit through every kind of good work, (2) growing in the knowledge of God, (3) being strengthened by God's power, and (4) having an attitude of gratitude {explained in vs. 12-14}.  We, as God's people, called to repentance by the Holy Spirit, CAN accomplish this by God's power; we can, and we must.

To watch the video, click on the link below:

Sermon Video: Marriage and Serving God - 1 Corinthians 7:25-35

To be a good husband, a good wife, a good parent, to truly honor those bonds in a way that please the Lord, takes time, it takes effort, and it takes resources.  This is not news, anyone who is married and/or has children knows this, which leads inevitably to the question: Can you be as effective a disciple of Christ in your service to the kingdom of God as married person and/or parent, as you can be when you are single?  Paul addresses this question while writing to the church of Corinth about their "present crisis".  Because of the difficulties they were facing, Paul encouraged them to remain single if they were, given that the "time is short" so that they might be "free from concern".

In the end, this is not a moral question of right and wrong, God has created some of us with a heart for singleness and some for whom marriage and children is a deep longing.  In order to be the servant for the kingdom of God that we have been called to be we ought to embrace that calling, if single utilizing that extra time and energy to serve others, if married working together with our family to remain united in service to God together.

To watch the video, click on the link below:

A Consumer Friendly Church? - What we can, and can't learn from the business world.

An important trait for businesses, of all kinds, is to be consumer friendly.  If those intended to purchase the goods or services provided by the company are turned off by their interactions with the company, especially those unrelated to the product itself, they will be less likely to continue to be consumers of that company's products even if they like the goods/services provided by the company.  For example: If the place that makes a decent burger down the street is habitually unclean with rude employees, won't you go someplace else?  If your doctor's office is conveniently located, staffed by friendly people, and appointments take place on time, as long as your doctor is competent, won't you continue to go to that doctor?
In business, these things are obvious, and companies that ignore them do so at their own peril, if competition exists in their market, they will lose customers until they make the experience of their customers more user friendly.  Those who fail to take customer relations seriously end up in bankruptcy sooner or later.
But what about the Church?  Is the Church supposed to be user friendly?  That really depends on what you mean by that.  It is important for a church to have a decent website, convenient parking, handicap accessibility, competent and safe childcare, proper lighting and sound in the sanctuary, service times that work for the community they are in, and other such similar things which are positive, not negative, factors in the relationship between a church and its congregation and potential new members.  Are there churches that ignore these things, making it more difficult than it has to be for people to be a part of that church?  Certainly, and everything else being equal, they will lose congregants to similar "competing" churches, and tragically some people who experienced that less than friendly interaction with a church will cease to go to church anywhere.
Where the discussion gets sticky, and controversial, is when the desire to make church user friendly spills over into the core functions of the church itself: worship, proclamation of God's Word, discipleship, and outreach to the unsaved and those in need.  If the church in question molds these areas into what their consumers (congregants) want, are at least the church thinks that they want, they risk creating a man-centered experience that puts the emphasis on pleasing people not God.  Whatever they build, even if it is wildly popular, won't stand the test of time nor will it please our Heavenly Father, for the Church gathers together to honor God, not please ourselves.  On the other hand, if the church in question sticks rigidly to their way of doing things, ignoring what their consumers (congregants) want, or even purposefully working against it, they risk emptying out the place and leaving themselves with a remnant who actually like the way things are, but no real potential for bringing in anybody new.  Both extremes are not hard to find in the wider Church today.  There are plenty of churches whose ministry feels an awful lot like they're trying to entertain people more than they are to transform people, and there are a lot of churches where the "its our way or the highway" approach has them on life-support.
This is, like so many things in society, a modern phenomenon.  Our ancestors by and large went to the local parish church that was nearest to their home (transportation being so much of a bigger deal back then).  That church was in almost every aspect a mirror image of its neighboring churches in how they did things, thus the experience for the consumer (congregant) would have been almost the same even if they had traveled further.  Today, it is not uncommon for most people who attend church to drive past a few, if not dozens, of churches on their way to the one they attend.  With denominational loyalty at all-time lows, churches feel pressured to be "attractive" to potential new members.
What is needed, as in so many things in our lives as Christians and as the Church, is balance.  Balance between what the people want and what they need, between doing things the same old way, and following the latest trends.  A spoonful of sugar to help the medicine go down, perhaps, but not a cup full, and not a "eat it, its good for you!!" approach.  If we remain in balance, we can focus upon doing what we do, as a church, in a way that honors and pleases God, and we can do so knowing that it is ok to tweak how we do what we do, as long as we keep honoring and pleasing God as the reason why we do what we do.
Should your church update its music to be more user friendly?  Perhaps, music changes over time, we're not still using Gregorian Chant are we?  Should your church consider using a translation of the Bible that is easier for people to understand?  It might help, as long as the preaching remains centered in God's Word no matter which translation is used.  Should your church start a new poverty relief program, update the way it does discipleship, or consider a new approach to evangelism?  If things are not working well now, it is certainly worth studying to see what else you could do, there isn't any virtue in continuing to do things in a way that is failing.
In the end, the Church exists to make disciples of Jesus Christ, it is our one "product" our one indispensable "service", something that we must always do with honor, truthfulness, integrity, and dedication to serving others.  How we do that very thing is open to change, different approaches work better in different locations, and at different times, but we have nothing else to offer, so if we aren't doing that, whatever else we're doing won't make up for it.
Should the Church be friendly?  Absolutely.  Easy to approach and join?  You'd better believe it.  More concerned with what the people think than what God requires?  Not at all.  Willing to compromise our core beliefs to give people what they want?  Sorry, no.  We have one Lord, one Faith, one Baptism, regardless of whatever else may change over time, that must always remain the same.  So go ahead, be more user friendly, just do so in a way that is in balance, that honorably maintains the Gospel of the Apostles, no matter how it is packaged.