For those of us who will be seeing non believing family and friends this week at Christmas gatherings, our key verse should not be one the familiar Christmas passages, but 1 Peter 3:15. Some in our family might not know the Good News deep in their hearts. There will be plenty of people gathering caught up in the heated, divisive rhetoric of the day. Some will have no hope that things will get better. There will be those suffering from life circumstances. Others discouraged over so many things.  Hence for this week of family gatherings and seeing relatives you haven’t seen since last Christmas– 1 Peter 3:15 should be on all of hearts!

What does 1 Peter 3:15 say?  Glad you asked. Here it is: But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect

Let’s be prepared to share the reason for our hope! But do so as Peter instructs with gentleness (Nothing argumentative. Don’t hit anyone over the head with your Bible) and respect– even if they disagree they need to leave the conversation knowing that you deeply love them.

May God bless you as you are prepared and are ready to share the reason for the hope that we have in Christ!

Last week General Secretary of the Church of the Nazarene, Dr. Gary Hartke, released the denominational statistics for 2019. The report seen ( here ) glowed with the numbers– telling of the Church of the Nazarene’s increased membership among other things. But let’s crunch those numbers a little bit:

Good News: Membership is up! 2,616,741 (2019) from 2,579,243 (2018) an increase of 37,498 or a 1.45% and an increase of 34.5% since 2009. Praise the Lord!

Bad News: Membership in the USA/Canada region in down. From 628,339 to 621,278, a loss of 7,061 or 1.12%. Only USA/Canada and South America saw declines last year, and only USA/Canada has had a decline over the last decade (down 5.8%).

Good News: Average worship attendance is up. Hallelujah!

Bad News (maybe, could be, probably bad news): The Average worship attendance (unlike Membership numbers) was not given by region. The Average worship attendance increase is slightly lower than the membership increase (1.12% over 1.01%). It seems logical then that there would be similar attendance increases and declines in the regions. In other words, the USA Average Worship Attendance is probably down (and may be down significantly).

Good News: The number of professions of faith for 2019 was 111,777. The Bible says: “There is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” (Luke 15:10). So, if there is rejoicing over one sinner, then clearly there is much rejoicing over 111,777 professions of faith in 2019! Thank the Lord for the work of the church worldwide!

Bad News: The number of profession of faiths are down from the previous year (down 7,057 or 5.94% and down 19.14% for the decade). The number of new Nazarenes is also down (down 5.6% and down 16.24% for the decade). In other words, our mission to make Christ-like Disciples in the Nations is doing worse not better.

Good News: 72.4 percent of the churches reporting gave all or some support to the World Evangelism Fund.

Bad News: Key word in the above statement is “reporting.” The stated number of churches reporting was 20,409 churches, but there are 30,875 churches. Assuming that if churches do not take the time to report, are probably not taking the time to give to the WEF– the more accurate numbers of all the churches might look like this:
Churches paid in full: 23.3%
Churches that paid some of WEF: 24.5%
Churches that paid nothing to WEF: 52.3% (numbers are not exact because of rounding up)

Good News: USA/Canada Per Capita giving is $1,233.33 (up from $1,226.51 or an increase of 0.56%).

Bad News: Throughout the rest of the world the per capita giving varies from a low of $13.99 in Africa to a high of $232.22 (Asia-Pacific). Per capita giving in the USA/Canada is $1000 more than the next highest giving region and $1219 higher than Africa the largest region in the world. In other words, USA/Canada continues to fund the majority of the ministry and work of the Church of the Nazarene worldwide.

Conclusion: Praise the Lord for the new converts. Praise the Lord for especially working in places like Eurasia and Africa. But all Nazarenes should be in deep prayer for the state of the church in USA/Canada. The USA/Canada church is aging fast– losing in membership and attendance. As the USA/Canada continues to age and die off, giving will also decline. Yet the global church is extremely dependent on “grandpa” USA/Canada for its funding. You don’t need to be a math major or an expert in gerontology to tell you once grandpa is dead, the money well is over. For the mission of the Church of the Nazarene to continue worldwide, the USA/Canada must be alive and vibrant. The numbers indicate that Nazarenes worldwide need to be praying for revival for the USA/Canada church. Without a reversal of the USA/Canada attendance numbers (and eventually giving numbers), the entire church will suffer and cease to operate as it currently operates.

This Sunday is my last ugly sweater wearing sermon for a long, long time. If you’ve been around Central Church this advent season, then you know I’ve been wearing an ugly sweater to illustrate the Ugly Side of Christmas. Now I know why I don’t preach in sweaters (ugly or otherwise), I get a little too warm. My options moving forward are either lose the sweater or lose the style in which I preach. If it’s OK with you, I’ll lose the sweater.

 

On Tuesday, Christmas Eve, we will be about as far removed from the Ugly Side of Christmas as one could possibly get. As we gather in the sanctuary with 1600 to 1800 of our closest friends, holding a candle and singing Silent Night, it will be an easy reminder of the beautiful side of Christmas. I’ve been telling people Central Church’s Christmas Eve Service is the most beautiful Christmas Eve service is town and our most beautiful service of the year. It’s true!

When Jesus was born in the little town of Bethlehem, there was plenty of ugly all around. The busy town’s people unaware of what was happening in stable nearby, the sights and smells of a barnyard birth and soon Herod’s genocidal efforts—nothing would indicate that the world as we had known it was forever changing. God had come. He made his dwelling among us. Angels lit up the sky with majestic announcements, but (except for a few shepherds) nearly everyone missed the world’s most beautiful night.

There is plenty of ugliness in our world too. Watch the news out of Washington, Hong Kong, North Korea, the Middle East, along our southern border or so many other troubled places and you’ll see the ugliness and filled with despair. You might not have to look that far away. It may be that your world has been less than beautiful lately. Sometimes, it doesn’t take a lot to completely mess up the beauty of God’s hopes for you and your family.

That’s why our Christmas Eve Service is so important for you, your friends and family! Don’t miss it. In the glow of the candlelight, you will be able to remember that God has an answer to our world’s ugliness. There is hope! His answer is Jesus. As we gather Tuesday night, remembering the world’s original most beautiful night, we will also proclaim that no matter how ugly the world might seem, God steps in and makes “beauty from ashes” like he did on that silent night so long ago.

I love our Christmas Eve service. Please plan on coming. Bring the whole family. Invite everyone you know. Use social media. Text your friends. Tell your neighbors. Invite the cashiers, mail carriers and folks standing behind you in line. The neighbor’s dog (Ok you don’t need to invite the neighbor’s dog. Sorry Fido). But everyone else. You will be glad you invited them and you’ll be glad to be a part of the most beautiful Christmas this year!

The list of the Top 100 USA/Canada Churches of the Nazarene in attendance over the last 20 years reveal the ups and downs of church life. (see stats below. I apologize for the uneven rows).

Only four of 1999’s top ten churches in attendance are in the 2019 top ten (Grove City, OH, Pismo Beach CA New Life, Bethany OK First and Lima OH Community Church). Three of those in the 1999 top ten now rank 52nd, 59th and 69th respectively. In 2009, there were seven Nazarene churches that averaged over 2,000 and one over 3,000 in morning worship attendance. Today, there are no Nazarene churches averaging over 3,000 in attendance and only four average over 2,000. Of those seven churches that averaged over 2,000 in 2009, one left the denomination and only two currently average over 2,000, both of which have declined in attendance.*

In 2009, there were 18 churches of the Nazarene over 1,000. In 2009, the number had nearly doubled to 35, but in the last 10 years the number of churches over 1000 has shrunk back to 25. Of the 35 churches that were running over 1,000 in 2009, 46% (16) are no longer averaging over 1,000 in attendance. Of the 18 churches in 1999 that averaged over 1000, seven no longer do.

That’s the bad news, here is some better news: Today’s largest USA/Canada Church (Lakeland FL Highland Park) was ranked 13th 10 years ago. In 1999, this year’s 5th ranked (Crossroads Community in Goshen, IN) and 10th ranked (Crossbridge Community, Ottawa IL) churches weren’t in the top 100 and the 6th ranked church (Oro Valley, AZ) was #97. 2019’s second largest Nazarene church (Fargo ND Prairie Heights) wasn’t in existence 20 years ago. While church attendance is down across the board in all denominations, there are churches that are growing, strong and healthy.

Are there any conclusions from these numbers? Some churches grow. Some decline. Some stay about the same. You already knew that. We also know growth or decline isn’t always an indicator of health. Like you’ve heard in every District Assembly at some point, “Numbers don’t tell the whole story.” But they do tell a story. Sometimes pruning (a slight decline) is needed for health and sometimes the least healthy can draw a crowd. There are several factors in determining the decline or growth in church attendance: Cultural shifts regarding church, declining or growing communities, older members dying off, younger generation not attending with the same consistency (if at all), leadership changes, social media impact, theological diversion in a church, etc. Every church’s decline or rise is as unique as their particular situation.

The real question is: What will happen in your setting large or small? When your kids or grandkids look at your church in twenty years what will they see? Will your church still be there? We need to pray, plan, strategize, develop healthy patterns and behaviors to ensure that our churches are thriving not just surviving or treading water in the years to come. It will take a renewal of relevant evangelism and a rekindling of the Spirit. Whatever your church situation (one of growth or decline), Jesus’ words are still true: “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” (Matthew 9:37-38)

*In full discloser, the church I currently pastor—Flint Central—had increased in attendance from 1999 to 2009 by 740, but declined from the 2009 to 2019 by 364. Flint Central was ranked 35th in attendance in 1999, 10th in 2009 and 13th in 2019.

Top Ten Attendance Churches in 1999
Church.                                          Att.             Members
Olathe KS College
                       2394.            2,739
Grove City OH
                             2242.            1,687
Bethany OK First
                        2,139            4,190
Denver CO First
                          2,066            3,048
Salem OR First
                            1,993           2,690
Pismo Beach CA New Life.         1,686              922
Community Lighthouse, OH
Inc./Heaventrain.                       1,546.             223
Nashville TN First.                     1,484             1,867
Puyallup WA                                1,475.            1,605
Lima OH Community.                1,468.            1,018

Top Ten Attendance Churches in 2009
Church.                                          Att.               Members
Grove City.                                    3,221.          2516
Bethany First
                               2,473           4771
Olathe College 
                             2449         3230
Yuba City Hope Point.                 2,251.           913
Pismo Beach New Life.               2,150.           855
Lima OH Community                 2,107.          1420
Gold Creek Community             2,003.          1739
Salem Fields Community          1,859.           871
Pasadena First
                             1794          1761
Flint Central                                 1,778.          1297

Top Ten Attendance Churches in 2019
Church                                       Att.           Members
Lakeland FL Highland Park.                2,572.            2158
Fargo ND Prairie Heights Community       2,313.             244
Grove City OH                                       2,289.            2876
Bethany OK First                                    2,166.            3695
Crossroads Community, Goshen IN.           1,834.            2500
Oro Valley
 AZ.                                     1,611.           1052
Pismo Beach CA New Life.                            1,578.             928
Lima OH Community.                                    1,532.           1454
Medford OR New Life                                    1,516.            1483
Crossbridge Community, Ottawa IL             1,511.             950

Thanks to Nazarene Research for the statistics (Uneven columns? Ugh! I am unsure how to correct the problem. Honestly I tried)

I’d like to say, “I’d make a great Wise man.” A quick perusal of my high school science grades (the magi were astronomers) reveals magus (the singular of “magi” for those whose high school language arts grades weren’t so hot) wouldn’t be a good career choice for me.

Joseph doesn’t work either. Using tools and following directions are not my strong suits. Of course, Joseph excelled at those skills. My carpentry abilities are limited to an eighth-grade shop-class lopsided box. Moreover, I couldn’t find my way out of a one traffic light town like Otisville before GPS and turn by turn directions.

No way could Gabriel be my match. Every time Gabriel shows up his first words are, “Fear not.” No one has ever looked at me, shuttered and been afraid. No. One. Ever.

Zechariah seems like a logical choice. He was a priest, old, and told to be quiet. Me too. In one church, a guy who would shake my hand nearly every Sunday and say, “He**uva sermon, Father!” Ummm? Thanks? My greying hair indicates I should be a card-carrying member of AARP. Those who’ve wished me to be silent for nine months are too numerous to list. Even still, I’m pretty sure I’m not a descendent of Moses’ brother Aaron which would disqualify me from the priesthood in first century Israel.

My brother (and a few boisterous former church folks) think I’m best suited to be the donkey that carried Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem. I’m not sure the Holy Couple had a donkey and besides mama always said, “older brothers and carnal members can be mean. Don’t listen to them.”

My maleness eliminates: Mary, Elizabeth, Anna or any other female types in the story.

The only choice in which I seem to be qualified is shepherd. Remember shepherding was not a great profession. Any knucklehead could be a shepherd (My only marketable skill is “pastor.” It wouldn’t surprise me if an aptitude test revealed “shepherd” as my next best vocational option). I’m not the type of shepherd who’d fight off lions and bears. Rather, I’m the type of shepherd who screams for help while hiding behind a rock. In other words, my rank in the shepherd’s union would have been apprentice shepherd, third class.

But even apprentice shepherds third class were included on the night Jesus was born. All shepherds heard the powerful Gospel message from the angels.

Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.  For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. Luke 2:10-14 KJV

Later those same shepherds became the first evangelists of the good news. “And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.” Luke 2:20 KJV.

The shepherds did what I try to do every Sunday—praise God for all the things I have seen and heard. You don’t need a Master of Divinity degree to do that. Like the shepherds, all of us qualify as spokespeople of the Good News! Let’s sing, shout and tell what we’ve seen God do and heard what God has done.

This week I officiated at the funeral of Joe Leyanna, a 93-year-old World War II veteran. His family told me how Joe had been grateful throughout his life for being spared when he missed boarding the Léopoldville, a ship used to transport troops across the English Channel.

On Christmas Eve 1944, the Léopoldville, a passenger ship prior to the war, was hastily loaded with 2,223 reinforcements for the Battle of the Bulge. An important fact you need to know, the Léopoldville was built to carry 360 passengers. You read that right, 2223 soldiers and crew were jammed on a ship built to carry 360 people. Packed in like sardines, many of the troops were from the 66th Infantry division—the Black Panthers, Joe’s division.

In the rush to get the soldiers to battlefront, the ship wasn’t loaded by unit as it normally would have been. Instead, as the soldiers arrived on the dock no matter their unit or division, they boarded the ship. I imagine, those in charge figured they’d sort it all out in France when the soldiers disembarked.

When not one more soldier could be crammed onto the ship, it sailed. There were an insufficient number of life jackets (remember the ship built was built for 360 people not 2,223 soldiers), and few troops participated in the poorly supervised lifeboat drills. The instructions were given in in Flemish not English. Still at 0900 hours, the Léopoldville sailed from Southampton as part of convoy crossing the English Channel to Cherbourg, France.  

The Léopoldville was within five miles from the coast of France when at 1754 hours a torpedo struck the starboard side of the ship and exploded. Some of the troops were rescued, but many were lost. Approximately 515 are presumed to have gone down with the ship. Another 248 died from injuries, drowning, or hypothermia. The U.S. Navy later announced the sinking of the Leopoldville had the second-largest loss of life from the sinking of a troop transport ship in the entire European Theater.

Joe missed it, because he and his sergeant had stopped to get a cup of coffee and a donut before heading to the dock.

The similarities between that Christmas Eve tragedy in 1944 and our Christmases 75 years later seem obvious. We jam as much as possible in our 24-hour days. We rush around looking for the perfect gift and expect the perfect gift in return. We disregard the warning signs and miss the point of Christmas. Like we are listening to a different language, we mindlessly fall into the cultural trap of believing that our level of spending indicates our level of love. It’s all a sinking ship.

Maybe our best preparation for Christmas is to be like Joe. Grab a cup of coffee with a friend. Relax. Stopping off at Donna’s Donuts for a tasty treat isn’t a bad idea either. Take time to be thankful for what God has done in your life. Be generous with others. Be mindful that our time on planet earth is limited. Joe had 93 years, last week I participated in a funeral of a wonderful man who didn’t wake up one morning. He was 58. Slow down. Pray. Listen. Love. Forgive. Share. In so doing, even when sailing through troubled waters, God will see you safely make it to the other side.

“OK Boomer” was a sound bite that recently went viral of Chlöe Swarbrick, a 25-year-old old member of New Zealand’s parliament, when responding to an older person heckling over some proposed legislation. The pejorative retort was used to dismiss or mock a perceived narrow-minded, outdated, judgmental, or condescending attitudes of older people, particularly baby boomers (those born between 1946-1964). New Zealand isn’t the only locale of such attitudes, it’s been reflected by various folks in and out of the church in America too.

Born at the tail end of the Boomer generation (1963), I can agree with some of criticism of my fellow Boomers. The church we, Boomers, are leaving behind is not all together healthy. Many have sold their souls to gaining power; are intolerant of new ideas; have subscribed to failed church models; and are holding on to sacred cows that have crippled the church.

Likewise, Millennials (the generation that includes those born between 1980 and 2003) are not viewed without fault. A quick google search of “Millennials are…” gives a list that says lazy, soft, snowflakes, too sensitive, entitled, among other stereotypes. The argument is that Millennials were handed participation trophies instead of teaching the importance of hard work and a zeal to be the best.

The resulting mistrust of each other’s generation has given rise to church wars that have rivaled the hymn vs. chorus debates of a decade ago. Just as then, the entire church suffers for it.

The truth is there are good and bad examples of both generations. The stab wounds are still healing in my back from the millennial knives firmly inserted by some of their know-it-all, I’m-right-you’re-wrong, don’t-care-who-gets-hurt tactics. Moreover, my heart is still broken over some viscous carnal attacks from narrow-minded, judgmental boomers. Every pastor I know has similar stories. Likewise, I have seen millennials love the church, work hard to see her succeed and deeply care for the older generation. I know many boomers who are mentoring, listening and empowering millennials in the service of the church. All generations have their share of saints and sinners.

The church has enough problems (recent Pew research says only 49% of Millennials call themselves Christians. Church attendance is down 7% in the last decade, etc.). Casting blame for the current realities of the church (Millennials: Boomers are the reason for the mess; Boomers: Millennials are the facilitators of this mess) is not helping. Both Millennials and Boomers need to work together to fulfill the Great Commission. We need less blaming and more blessing. Less pointing fingers and more pointing people to Jesus. Less suspicion and more trust. Less stereotyping and more cooperation, empathy and compassion.

The church was Jesus’ idea for all generations. Boomers, Millennials and everyone before or since must work together to see God’s Kingdom come and His will done on Earth as it is in heaven.

Do eat turkey. Rumors exist that there are some un-Americans among us eating pork or steak on Thanksgiving. Turkey is so yummy, someone named a country after it. Check any world map, you will not find a country named Sirloin or Bacon, but between Greece and Azerbaijan you’ll see Turkey.

Don’t expect the Lions to win on Thanksgiving. If they win (that’s like saying if Jupiter falls out of orbit and smashes into Neptune), make sure your heart is ready. A Lion’s victory might be one of the signs that the Second Coming is near.

Do eat canned jellied cranberry sauce. I read this week that canned jellied cranberry sauce is the least favorite Thanksgiving food. One more indicator that our country is being taken over by communists!

Don’t call the food inside the Turkey “stuffing.” Stuffing is what’s in your pillow and teddy bear. My mama calling it dressin’ (no “g”) and it was delicious!

Don’t go shopping on Thanksgiving Day. Thanksgiving’s sin is gluttony not greed. (That’s only partly in jest… Say “no” to gluttony and greed!)

Do cover your pumpkin pie in Cool Whip. There is no such thing as too much Cool Whip on pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving. I’m sorry for the mixed messages concerning gluttony (see above comments), but Cool Whip on pumpkin pie is quite delicious).

Don’t break the turkey wishbone with a friend and wish that the Detroit Tigers will be watchable in 2020. Don’t waste a perfectly good wish on the Tigers. No amount of wishing can help our Motor City Kitties. I know, I’ve tried. Believe me, I’ve tried.

Do include someone at your Thanksgiving table that might be alone this year. Is there an elderly or single person that might not have a family to celebrate the holiday? It’s not too late to Invite them to join you.

Don’t mention words like “impeachment,” “politics” or “CNN” or “Fox News” as the family gathers on Thanksgiving. All such utterances are words non-grata for a happy family gathering.

Do offer prayers of thanksgiving and gratitude. Even the most troubled among us have reasons to be thankful. Count your blessings not your problems.

Don’t miss what God is doing. God is working. He has plans for you. Good plans. Don’t let problems, diagnoses, worries or troubles divert your attention from God’s great love. Be grateful in all times. (see below).

Do memorize 1 Thessalonians 5:18: Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Thanksgiving is in one week. My prayer for you and your family is that this year’s version will be your best Thanksgiving ever… not because of the food around the table or football on TV, but because the Savior’s love is filling your heart and home.

Last night as a football game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Cleveland Browns was nearly over and the outcome decided, a player on the Browns, Myles Garrett, ripped the helmet off of the Steelers’ quarterback and hit him in the head with it. It was a terrible, vicious act. A brawl briefly ensued. It will be remembered as a sad chapter in this NFL season. Thankfully, Mason Rudolph didn’t appear to be hurt by the action

After the game, when cooler minds prevailed, Myles Garrett said he regretted his actions. I’m sure he does. But that does not negate the consequences of his behavior and no doubt the league will promptly suspended Garrett for a lengthy period of time.

It doesn’t take long for a thoughtless or mindless or sinful act to disrupt a lifetime of action. Sadly, I have seen this truth played out over and over again in the church. Pastors and laymen who have lived for Jesus in a weak brief moment give into temptation and their witness, reputation, ministry, and sometimes their family and the future are forever devastated. Like Myles Garrett, they regret their actions but it’s too late.

It’s not too late for God to forgive, but sometimes it’s impossible to repair the damage. Like Humpty Dumpty, all the king’s horses and all the king’s men cannot make the situation right again. That’s the trouble with sin: it messes everything up. It doesn’t just effect the sinner. The ripple effects of sinful behavior can last years. Sin takes us farther than we ever wanted to go, and damages people more than we ever thought it could.

Leaders, pastors, board members are not immune to temptation (you know this truth, but it bears repeating). One brief stupid moment can ruin a lifetime of good work. Run away from temptation. Do not think you are strong enough or spiritual enough to “handle” the enticement of the evil one. You aren’t, but Jesus is. Stay close to Jesus!

No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it. 1 Corinthians 10:13

Many years ago, I attended a men’s retreat that had two well marked cabins for sleeping: Snorers and Non-Snorers. I stayed in the non-snorer cabin. Apparently, a friend couldn’t read. At breakfast, my weary non-snorer cabin mates showed up a bit cranky complaining about “Terry” (the name has been changed to protect the loud, obnoxious snorer). A little later Terry, bright eyed and bushy tailed, entered the dining hall. No one said a word before the fully rested Terry proclaimed, “Wow fellas, I slept great. I’m so glad we had cabins for snorers and non-snorers, I didn’t hear one guy snoring all night!”

If looks could kill, I would have been officiating Terry’s funeral later that week. My friend Terry was oblivious to his own “sins.” Eventually the rest of the fellas had an “intervention,” Terry learned of his noisy habit and switched cabins for the following evening.

A few weeks ago, I ran into a lady who was oblivious to things much more important than snoring. Years prior, she left her church because of the (her words) “toxic environment” of the church. Shortly after her exit, her former pastor said this self-absorbed, smug lady had left the church in a “blaze of condemning social media glory.” The toxicity of his church improved (his words) 1000% with her departure. She was a purveyor of bad attitudes, gossip and lies. She was the one causing much of the trouble and with her gone, church life became a joy again. Sadly, she thought the troubles were because of everyone else but her. She was oblivious to her own sins (no quotation marks required).

Jesus warned such people when he asked: “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?” (Matthew 7:3)

Our proclivity to see our neighbor’s speck and miss our plank is why David prayed:

Search me, God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting. Psalm 139:23-24

David prayed for God Almighty to be the Eye Examiner. He didn’t want to be oblivious to his own plank-like sins and shortcomings. If he had strayed in devotion, David pleaded for God to return him to the way of righteousness. Likewise, if we are singularly focused on our neighbor’s specks while missing our own plank, then we need to hear from the Lord too. It’s humbly, reverently, periodically asking the Great Optometrist to do an eye exam for any glaring plank of poor attitudes and sinful behaviors, so that we might see clearly to the way everlasting! If (when) the Lord faithfully points out a blind spot, then our most appropriate response is repentance. Only then will we experience the healing balm of our Savior.

Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life and only a few find it.Matthew 7:13-14

In the past, when I’ve read these words of Jesus, I envisioned two roads: One wide road on one side and one narrow road on the other side. The wide side had lots of people travelling in a self-centered manner or with a very low bar brand of Christianity. Whereas, the narrow side had fewer travelers and were the faithful Jesus followers.

But as our country, churches, and people have become more and more divided, I think there are not two roads but three. There’s a big wide road on the left and a big wide road on the right and a teeny, tiny narrow road somewhere (we can debate if the narrow road veers a little right or a little left).

The entry ramps to both big wide roads on the left and right are easier to merge onto than ever. There are news channels giving directions to the easy access ramps. We slant our social media feeds to our particular wide road convictions (and block those “nut cases” on the other wide road). There are numerous talking heads that remind us how evil the other road travelers truly are.

The left wide road travelers tout how liberating the road is. Everyone is welcome! No fear of crashing on this road, even if you did crash there are no consequences. No hell to worry about. Jesus loves everyone and he would never send someone to such place. Jesus’ accepting and overlooking love is so wide that everyone is included no matter how sinful their behavior, how un-Christlike their attitudes or how unrepentant their heart. Seemingly, the wide left road travelers think the only evil is the people who do not agree with their wide left road positions. Travelers on the wide right road (and even on the skinning narrow road) are intolerant, hate-mongers, so please don’t travel with them.

The right wide road is so ridged that nearly no one can travel it. Yet many do. Fundamentalistically, the wide right road travelers use their Bibles as weapons. Literally taking the Sword and laying waste to anyone who disagrees with their interpretation. The wide right road folks see the world very much as black and white. You are either for us and are my friend or against us and are my enemy. There is no room for disagreement. Seemingly, the wide right road travelers think the only evil is the people who do not agree with their wide right road positions. “Travelers on the wide left road (and even the skinning narrow road) will be in for a rude awakening when our road is raptured to heaven,” they think.

The skinny narrow road is a difficult road to navigate. It doesn’t represent the wide left road, even though those travelling believe Jesus really does love everyone. It doesn’t represent the wide right road, even though it holds the whole of scripture is fully inspired. Narrow road travelers understand that they don’t have everything figured out. They wrestle with the issues. It’s messy. Sound bite answers usually aren’t sufficient. The narrow road seems too conservative for the wide left road folks and too liberal for the wide right road folks. The narrow road travelers are intolerant or naïve or not educated enough according to both the wide right and left travelers. Those on the narrow road are a lot like Jesus when he tearfully looked over Jerusalem as they grieve the bickering and divisions among their wide road travelling friends.

Travelling the narrow, skinny road is harder than ever. Jesus was right (correct, that is). It’s easy to slip onto either wide road but both those roads lead to destruction. The faithful, difficult, messy, skinny narrow road is still the road that leads to life and only a few find it.

Worship Leader: A costume of the Worship In Song Hymnbook.
Apparently, he/she does know what a hymnbook looks like after all.

Church Treasurer: A Body Builder costume carrying a bloody turnip
No one can squeeze blood out of a turnip better than church treasurer.

The Casual Attender: Wearing Ugly Christmas Sweater, carrying an Easter Basket
We call it like we see ‘em—or call it when we see them.

Nursery Worker: NASCAR Pit crew member costume
The real quick-change artists work in the nursery

Facility Crew Member: Superman, Batman or Wonder Woman costume
They are the true superheroes of the church—keeping the church spic and span, smelling good and ready for our members and guests.

Church Office Secretary: Hollywood Make Up Artist Costume
A good office secretary makes everything the pastors give him/her look better.  She/he cleans up bad grammar, spelling and cover-ups his/her errors.

Church Pianist: A Lock Smith’s Costume
She/He can make the keys (on the piano) work in nothing flat

Youth Pastor: A Starbucks Barista Costume
Without Youth Pastors, Starbucks would have been out of business years ago.

Church Bus Driver: A Prayer Bench Costume
No one causes people to pray more than our bus drivers (It’s a joke—we’ve got great drivers)

Sr. Adult Pastor: A Pat Sajak and Vanna White costumes for the husband and wife ministry team
Don’t all seniors love Wheel of Fortune and our Sr. Adult pastor?

Greeter: A costume in the shape of a Welcome Mat with Matthew 10:40 written on the Mat
They are a welcoming welcome crew! (Look up 10:40 in the event you haven’t memorize the Book of Matthew yet).

Usher: An Erich Brenn costume.
Ushers keep more plates moving than the famous plate spinner (You tube him on the Ed Sullivan show)

First time visitor: Indiana Jones Costume
Like Indy, first time visitors are searching for a holy thing and hoping there are no snakes and rats inside

Security Team: A Bottle of Armor All costume
No one protects like our security team.

Lead Pastor: Handsomest man in the world (in the humblest sort of way, of course, from yours truly)
No costume necessary (who do you think is writing this thing?)

 

Several People have asked me about the Membership Packet used in our membership class. This is the visual aid that I think most people were requesting.

I’ve been told that it was developed by Stephane Tibi of the World Mission Department to explain the Articles of Faith visually to those illiterate or who spoke another language than English. I have used it for several years in membership class as we walk through the Articles of Faith.

There is an old joke of a guy who had spent years alone on a deserted island showing his rescuers the buildings he built while stranded. The first building was his house. The second building was his church, and the third building was the new church that he built when he got fed up with the preaching and all the gossip at the other church (I didn’t say it was a good joke, just an old joke). People have always left churches. Folks get mad at the preacher or something or someone and like the church office stapler they are gone never to be seen again.

People were slower to leave in days gone by. If something upsetting happened at church, the people involved (because church was a family) loved each other and worked out the issue. Not always, but frequently. One didn’t change churches like you change socks. You only left your church with much weeping and gnashing of teeth.

People leave quicker today. They don’t try to work out the issue. They just leave. Either in a huff with the obligatory social media posts of all their dirty laundry or a quiet exit out the back door, but either way they are gone. Pew Research just published this:“in reversal from a decade ago, more US adults now say they rarely/never attend religious services than say they attend once a month or more (54% vs. 45%).” We are losing people.

What’s different now (unlike in the old days), more often than not, instead of trying out the church down the road or a sister congregation in the next town, often these disgruntled members stop attending church altogether. People go from faithful to faithless faster than some sports cars. They begin posting pictures of their Sunday outings on social media with the hashtag #SundayFunday.  Maybe they tune into a favorite mega church pastor’s sermon occasionally or listen to K-Love in the car, but they have no fellowship of believers. No service opportunities. They don’t receive communion on a regular basis. They pretend “Remember the Sabbath Day and keep it holy” no longer applies.  They ignore passages like Hebrews 10:24-25 that says, “Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 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.”

 If asked about their lack of corporate worship attendance, the response is something like, “You don’t need to go to church to be a Christian.” While technically true, there is no quicker way to become cold, bitter and carnal than to stop worshipping with fellow believers.

I write this not to offer a new church growth methodology to win these folks back, but to acknowledge our current reality and to weep over those who are dangerously walking away from faith. The Church was God’s idea. He knew we would need other believers to lift us up, and that we would need to be a blessing to others. God knows we need each other.

 

Thanks to James Dobson, H.B. London and the Focus on the Family organization in the early 1990’s, October has been known as Pastor Appreciation Month. Here’s what this pastor appreciates.

I appreciate church folks who…

• Love unconditionally (They love each other, love their neighbors, love their enemies, love sinners, love saints, love adherents to other religions, love those with no religion, love everybody even me. No conditions.)
• Pray frequently for their pastors and church.
• Give generously.
• Read their Bible often.
• Reflect Jesus in their attitudes and actions.
• Are kind, honest, and dedicated.
• Allow the pastor’s spouse and children to be themselves.
• Use social media to spread goodness not gossip.
• Understand that pastors (like everyone) are not perfect and are quick to give the benefit of the doubt and offer grace even when the pastor blunders.
• Uplift, encourage and cheerlead the good things happening in the church.
• Recognize that they haven’t arrived and are growing and striving to know God more and more.
• Act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with God.
• Clean the church as if they were cleaning it for Jesus, himself
• Refuse to judge their pastor based on a disgruntled squeaky wheel’s blather, but form their own opinion based on his/her personal interactions with the pastor.
• While sitting on the church board, understand that leadership is about godliness, commitment and servanthood.
• Work behind the scenes for God’s glory not their own.
• Greet church visitors like family.
• Brag on Jesus all the time.
• Offer to babysit the pastor’s kids—so the pastor and spouse can go out on a date (of course, my boys are in their twenties, married and rarely need a baby sitter these days).
• Regularly invite their friends to church and share their faith.
• Come out on mission work days just as eagerly as they show up for fun days.
• Make the tastiest pot-luck entrées (Lemon pie? Yes, please!).
• Refuse to utter discouraging but pious sounding clichés like: “I’m not being fed,” “We have never done it that way before,” or “We are looking for a more spiritual church, but it’s not about you, pastor.”
• Hate to miss Sunday church services and rarely do.
• Love a good joke and are quick to laugh at themselves.
• Encourage young adults to fulfill their potential in Christ.
• Ask questions like: “How can I help?” and “Where do you need me?”

But most of all, I appreciate that God has called me into pastoral ministry where every week I get to proclaim the goodness, mercy, grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and serve alongside some of the greatest people in the world!

Sunday begins our Spiritual Renewal (revival) Services with Dr. J.K. Warrick, General Superintendent Emeritus in the Church of the Nazarene, but DO NOT come to Spiritual Renewal services if you…

• Relish sitting in a chair muttering to yourself, “I am not being fed spiritually.” (Think of Spiritual Renewal as a Smorgasbord for your Soul. If you like feeling empty and spiritually dead, then stay home.)

• Hate good preaching. (Maybe you come to church to catch up on your sleep. The pews are comfy. Your life is hard. If you think of church as a drug free alternative to melatonin, then DO NOT come to Spiritual Renewal. JK Warrick is a great preacher!

• Like making, planning, and cleaning up after dinner. (Meals are being served Monday through Wednesday prior to Spiritual Renewal Services beginning at 6PM. Just come, eat and stay for the services. If you really like washing dishes, please DO NOT come).

• Love to pay for your meals. (The meals described above are FREE. No joke. FREE!).

• Are annoyed by excellent music. (If your musical preference is off-key, out-of-tune singers, bad musicians and worse lyrics, then DO NOT COME to spiritual renewal services. John Nicholas and the Woods Band will be leading and they are terrific!)

• Enjoy watching your kids turn into couch potatoes. (There are special services for all kids 5th grade and under. But if they attend then they won’t be watching any important life-changing You-tube videos of cats sleeping. Their couch potatoness will be negatively affected by Spiritual Renewal Week).

• Plan on never joining with God in His mission for our world. If you have won the Genesee County Person of the Year Award twelve years in a row for your service to the community, then maybe you need not come and discover God’s plan for your life.

• Have Isaiah 42:20 as a life verse. (It reads: “You have seen many things, but you pay no attention; your ears are open, but you do not listen.” If you are thinking of coming to Spiritual Renewal service, but refuse to listen or hear from the Lord, please DO NOT waste your time).

• Are Prefect (If you are perfect and have no areas in your life that need to be addressed, have never ever made a mistake, memorized every word in the Bible, always follow God’s word perfectly, have every single relationship in your life in perfect alignment with the Lord; think that you should be placed on a pedestal with a sign reading: THE PERFECT CHRISTIAN— then DO NOT come to Spiritual renewal. Spiritual renewal is for people who know that God is not done with them.).

PLEASE COME to Spiritual Renewal Services if you are hungry for the Lord. If you love when God comes upon a service and His presence is so real. Come to Spiritual renewal if you are dealing with tough issues and heavy burdens. Come to spiritual renewal if you are just dipping your toe into this “faith thing” and you’ll discover that faith, holiness and healing is for you. Come to Spiritual Renewal services! You will NOT be disappointed, and your dinner is free!

Mission’s Outreach (aka Faith Promise) Sunday is this week. It’s the Sunday we bring in a great missionary speaker (Check. Lindell Browning is our speaker, a great Nazarene missionary in the Middle East. You’ll love his preaching!). We also raise money for all of our mission efforts for the coming year. We hope people will pledge over and above their tithes. Over and above? That’s right. Robbing Peter to pay Paul is practically unbiblical at least according to Peter. Our Mission Outreach (aka Faith Promise) giving is the “offering” portion of “tithes and offerings.”

Personal Request: Given that a preacher just mentioned the word “offering” you’ll be tempted to delete this little note faster than you can say “Get Your Hand off my Wallet,” but please read on.

How do you know what you should pledge? Honestly, that’s between you and the Lord. What is it worth to you that people around the world and in Flint hear about Jesus? Before you answer that question, did you know according to this week’s NMI Prayer Mobilization Line, “There are 7,035 people groups in the world that are identified as unreached or least-reached with the gospel, in which there is no indigenous community of believing Christians with adequate numbers and resources to evangelize the people group without outside assistance.” 7,035! Did you know that through our Convoy of Hope Community Event last Saturday we served 3,328 people and prayed with 1664? There are needs around the world and there are needs around the block. Central Church is trying to meet needs both globally and locally. We need your help!

What type of sacrifice could you give to start whittling down that number of unreached people groups or advancing the gospel in Flint and Genesee County? What could you give (over and above your regular tithes) to make a difference for Jesus?

Here are a few examples:

Giving up a Starbucks coffee a week ($5) would mean a pledge of $250.
Giving up a Five Guys lunch (and eating PB & J instead) a week ($10) would mean a $500 pledge.
Giving up a Dinner and Movie with your spouse (Netflix and Little Caesars is cheaper) once a month ($100… by the way, you eat at fancy restaurants) would mean a $1000 pledge.
Giving up that dream of a Tesla and buying a Buick would mean a $5,000-$10,000 pledge (C’mon this is Flint; Elon Musk doesn’t need your money anyway).

Jesus said, “Go into all the nations and make disciples.” (Matthew 28:19). He said, “and you will be my witnesses… to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8).

Paul asked these questions: “How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent” (Romans 10:14-15).

You get the idea. Missions is important, but it doesn’t happen without our giving and sacrifice. Bottom Line: Jesus gave us the orders. We must tell our world that Jesus saves! We must disciple and baptize people. We must be about this high calling or going and sending others to accomplish this mission. This is our opportunity and our duty, Central Church! Please pray, discuss with your family and pledge to give to our mission efforts this year.

Thank you in advance for what you are going to do!

Flint is a General Motors town. General Motors was born in the city of Flint and so was the United Auto Workers Union. There are more GM retirees living in Genesee County than any other county in the country. The truck assembly plant is less than a half a mile down Bristol Road from Central Church. So when the UAW strikes General Motors, it effects our city, many of our friends and families and our church.

I’ve checked the scriptures regarding strikes and while the word “Strike” is used 95 times in the Bible. None of those instances involve picket signs. I’m fairly certain that Zechariah 13:7 is not a call to arms for the sheep of the world when the prophet states: “Strike the shepherd.” Although it makes for a fun mind game (in Far Side comic fashion) to think of sheep holding little picket signs shouting, “Hey, Hey, Ho Ho! The Shepherd Man has got to go!”

Likewise, the Bible never mentions Chevy, Ford, or Chrysler. Although it does say in Acts 2:1 that “the believers were in one accord.” I’m fairly certain that reference is not about Honda vehicles (but says more about my affinity to old, corny jokes).

That is not to say that God does not care about workers and management. He does. Of course, there were no factories in the Bible times. It was an agricultural society. Yet the Bible talks about justice when it comes to workers. The book of James states, “Look! The wages you failed to pay the workers who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty.” (James 5:4) 1 Timothy 5:18 says, “The worker deserves his wages.”

The Bible speaks to a number of feelings that can arise during a strike:

When anxious and uncertain: Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7

When discouraged: Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God. Psalm 42:5

When worried: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?” Matthew 6:25-27

When getting upset: Slowness to anger makes for deep understanding; a quick-tempered person stockpiles stupidity. Proverb 14:29 (The Message Version)

During the strike and after the strike: Trust in God at all times, my people. Tell him all your troubles, for he is our refuge. Psalm 62:8

Remember during these days to pray for the families affected by the strike. Pray for the negotiations. Pray for a speedy end to the labor stoppage. Pray for General Motors management and safety for those walking the picket lines. Finally, my friends, these words are good no matter which side of the negotiation table you sit: May you be made strong with all the strength that comes from his glorious power, and may you be prepared to endure everything with patience, while joyfully giving thanks to the Father. Colossians 1:11.

Grace and Peace!

Do you remember back in the 90’s when the rubber WWJD bracelets were all the rage among church folks? WWJD, of course, stood for What Would Jesus Do (not Wild Weekend of Jack Daniels as some college students tried to change it). What if we didn’t simply surmise what Jesus would do, but actually did what Jesus did? What if our bracelets had the initials DWJD (Do What Jesus Did)?

So, what did Jesus do? Maybe better stated what did Jesus do often that we can do too? Of course, Jesus did many things (heal the sick, duke it out with the Pharisees, eat dinner with tax collectors and other sinners, etc.) but the only reference to Jesus doing anything “often” is in Luke 5:16 that says: But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.

Hmmm… the person who arguably needed to pray the least (remember Jesus’ business card reads: Jesus, Son of God), often withdrew to lonely places and prayed. Maybe if you and I (who by definition need to pray considerably more than Jesus) prayed more, we’d see more of God’s power at work in us and through us.

Do not hear me say, “You need to pray more!” Instead, hear me saying, “I need to pray more.” I do. Ask my wife what I do “often” and she’d might say, “Rob often watches sports.” Ask my neurologist and he’d say, “Rob often has migraines.” Ask my boys, and they’d say, “Dad often tells us how nice Michigan is in an effort to get us to move.” But I want to be known as praying often. I don’t think I’ve reached the “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17) threshold, but I’ve decided to pray more lately. It’s been good. Really good.

It seems so simple. If we truly want to be more like Jesus, then we would do what Jesus often did. We’d pray more. We’d all pray more often than we currently do. As we pray more, we’d probably see different results in our evangelism, mission efforts, if you’re a preacher in your preaching or teaching, in our families and in our lives. Let’s start a campaign to begin wearing DWJD– Do what Jesus did.

Except for the two years as a seminarian when I served as a youth director at a Presbyterian church, the only church I have ever regularly attended is the Church of the Nazarene. All of my siblings and their spouses have attended Nazarene colleges. All of my parents’ grandchildren and most of their grandchildren’s spouses have also attended Nazarene colleges. As a baby, I was wheeled in a stroller to be dedicated in a Church of the Nazarene, and they’ll probably roll my casket into one when I die. The only way we Princes could be more Nazarene is if we were born in Pilot Point, Texas and named our dogs “Phineas,” “Schmelzenbach,” and “Wynkoop.”

My loyalty does not mean that I think the Church of the Nazarene is perfect. It clearly isn’t perfect. It can’t be perfect because every four years we have a General Assembly where there are over 200 proposed changes for our manual and by-laws. It can’t be perfect, because I know of too many leaders (pastors and laypeople) who have failed. It can’t be perfect, because I am credentialed elder in the Church of the Nazarene and I am not perfect.

My loyalty does not mean I view the Church of the Nazarene through rose colored glasses. Clearly, we have work to do. Our numbers in the USA/Canada are headed in the wrong direction. Our clergy are old and getting older (myself included). Many churches are staring at financial crises as older, tithing members die off while their younger counterparts aren’t giving at the same level. Every district has several churches in hospice, ready for last rites. There are too many hypocrites, bullies and carnal members filling the pews and pulpits. Our methods don’t work like they once did. Our views are too partisan. Our love is too conditional. Our mission too convoluted. Our comfort with the world is too cozy. I get it. I’m not oblivious to the challenges we face. To modify astronaut James Lovell’s famous quote, “Lenexa, we have a problem.”

Loyalty in response to these and other challenges means not grumbling, quitting or sticking our heads in the sand. Instead, it means it’s time to roll up our sleeves and get to work. Love God and our neighbor. Proclaim the Good News. Make Christ-like disciples. Reach the unreached. Serve the troubled. Be the church that P.F. Bresee and so many others dreamed we could be— the church that wears well the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene!

Usually I am a glass is half full guy. Sometimes it’s mostly full. For my wife, Karla, it’s half empty. Sometimes it’s mostly empty.

I like all vegetables. I think they are pretty. Karla says vegetables are for eating not for looking. Learning this news, I said, “In that case, I don’t like all vegetables very much.” She loves eating vegetables.

My favorite time of the year is fall. It means football is back. Baseball is still going. Basketball will soon be starting. Karla hates fall. It means football is back. Baseball is still going. Basketball will soon be starting.

I stand on a platform and speak to hundreds of people each week. Karla would rather stuff a wireless microphone up her nose than set foot on a platform, let alone speak publically.

I like adventure as long as it means staying on the ground and doing nothing dangerous. Karla has been known to skydive from 14,000 feet. Once she signed us up to zip line without thinking that I’d rather stuff a wireless microphone up my nose than go zip lining through the jungles of Mexico.

My point, frequently (but not always) opposites attract. Karla and I are opposites in some things, but we are likeminded in important matters (God, priorities, money, etc.). All marriages (whether the couple is as opposite as can be or peas in a pod) require work. Even when two people love Jesus, they still need to invest time and effort in their marriage; think of the other person’s interests above their own and genuinely strive for the other’s betterment.

One of the oldest observations in the Bible states, “That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh” (Genesis 2:24). The successful marriages are the ones that figure out that two different people must become one. Oh, not in everything, try as I might, I’m fairly confident that Karla will never become a baseball fan, and I am equally confident I will not be eating zucchini any time soon. Still, the happily-ever-after couples put Jesus first, their spouse (not self) second, work to be of one mind in the important things of life and never have your spouse so frustrated that he/she wants to stick a wireless microphone up his/her nose.

The human body has five main organs (brain, heart, kidneys, liver and lungs). Lose one of those organs and you’re dead. Similarly, the church body will die if its vital organs are not functioning. I’m not talking about the church sanctuary’s Hammond decorated with plastic flowers—circa 1974, but the vital factors that keep a church alive. From time to time, churches would benefit from having a spiritual checkup and determine how its major organs are working.

Make a call to hospice if you see problems with the following:

Lungs… keep fresh air in the body.
One quick way for a church to see an early grave is to have stale programs and ministries. No fresh ideas. No new breezes of evangelism, outreach or mission. With no fresh faces coming through the doors (or more accurately stated, not coming back after one visit), call the doctor, it won’t be long.

Kidneys… essential in eliminating waste.
Much like the flowers on top of the old Hammond organ, eliminating outdated and ineffective ministries is essential to health in the body. Some ministries run their course. Methods (not message) must change to reach an ever-changing world. If it’s no longer working, eliminate it.

Heart… keeps the blood pumping through the body.
Just as a heart pumps oxygen and nutrients throughout the body, a healthy church will pump meaning, spiritual development and service opportunities to its members. If the Great Commission is not happening, check the church’s pulse. Dying churches don’t baptize or disciple new believers.

Liver… filters the blood and keeps the body pure.
One sure way to put a church of life support is impure leadership. Secret sins among the pastors and leaders are as deadly to a church body as d-CON is to the church mouse.

Brain… our body’s computer.
Not all church failures are the result of sin or the lack of new ideas. Some churches fail because of poor decisions, little planning and bad economics. Many churches fail to recover from faulty financial decisions or the failure to recognize soon enough a changing church economic outlook.

In short, churches on hospice care are churches with:
a) no fresh ideas (lungs);
b) refuse to unload outdated programs or methods (kidneys),
c) offer little spiritual nutrition to the remaining members (heart);
d) have purity issues in leadership (liver), and/or
e) make poor decisions (brain).

If any one of these vital organ functions fail, the church is in real trouble. If two or more are kaput, call a priest it’s time to administer last rites.

Opening Disclaimer: Obviously, adding a commandment is silliness, but if an additional decree had been given the modern reader might have benefitted from these:

11. Thou shalt not post gossip on thine internet. For on the day, thou post-th untruths on thine Facebook page thou shalt surely have a carpal tunnel the size of the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel. Thou shalt not retweeth lies and rumors and falsehoods and unholy likenesses of thine enemies. For if thou shalt bear false witness of thine enemy, the fleas of a thousand camels shalt infest thine armpits. Posteth unto others as thou would like to have posted about thy own self.

11. Thou shalt not maketh reference to a church squabble with the phrase “everyone is saying.” Thou knowest that “everyone is NOT saying” whatever thou art complaining about. Thus, more correctly, thou shalt say, “me and my equally cranky friend, Manasseh*, thinketh ________ (fill in thine blank with thine latest lame grievance).

11. Thou shalt not maketh thine theological opinions based on thine favorite news outlet. Neither thy Fox News not thy CNN nor thy MSNBC is the Gospel. Such distinction is for the following reporters of Good News: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

11. Thou shalt love thine neighbor without asking qualifying questions such as: if thy neighbor voteth the way thou voted; or if thy neighbor’s skin tone is the same as thine own skin tone, or if thy neighbor speaketh the same language as thou speaketh. Be kind to thy neighbor without regard to such matters.

11. Thou shalt not cometh to thy church and never lifteth a finger in meaningful service. For if thy only behaveth like a sponge and doeth nothing, thou art in grave danger of becoming a potato, a couch potato, and I shalt spew you out of my mouth liken unto a cold French Fry.

11. Thou shalt giveth to the Lord thou tithe on 10% of thine income. Thou shalt not giveth 0%, neither shalt thou giveth 1%. Thou shalt giveth 10% and 10% shalt be thy number to giveth.

11. Thou shalt attendeth church regularly. Thou shalt not make excuses. Thou shalt not sleepth in. Thou shalt not thinkth that sports or mowing thine grass or visiting a zoo are more important than gathering with thou fellow believers. For further reference see Commandment #4.

Jesus didn’t need eleven but reduced the greatest commandments to these two: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ Matthew 22:37-39. Let’s do that!

*Obscure biblical reference is the name of the worst human in the Bible not named Judas. See 2 Chronicles 33

August 6, 2119—Kansas City, MO.  The last brick and mortar church building in the city closed today. The Rev. Joe Schmoe signed the papers to complete the sale of the once strong congregation. The building will be razed and an electric charging station for autonomous vehicles will be built in its place. The handful of members left will meet in one of the parishioner’s homes.

A century ago, brick and mortar church buildings were on nearly every street in the city. But over the last several decades church buildings like the obsolete automobile gas stations and department stores have left the landscape of our cities. Sociologists and historians have debated on the exact cause of the death of the brick and mortar church building in the 21^stcentury. There are plenty of factors:

Theological confusion.

Those religiously bent historians might point to things like a division over the proper response to the LBGTQ community, the embracing of partisan politics, the church’s silence in the face of societal injustices, little empathy for the hurting and lonely or the moral failure of prominent leaders. But it seems that all of these are examples of the problems and not the core issue. A simple reading of the Gospels show how the 21^st century church had gotten away from the teachings of Jesus and strayed from their core mission to make disciples. A church without a mission is not a church but a social club, and social clubs eventually lose their appeal and die within a generation or two.

Preoccupied People.

Plenty of people fed up with the perceived hypocritical church model stopped attending altogether. The people that did show up to the brick and mortar buildings in the mid 21^st century brought with them a social media driven world view shaped by their favorite political pundits, sports heroes and celebrity wannabes.  With them came a narcissistic mindset that the world, church and even Jesus revolved around them. They would come to church when they had nothing better going on and frequently they had something better going on. They weren’t mad at Jesus. They just ignored him or tired of his counter-cultural words.

Less Money

The few people who remained were less inclined to tithe as there was a notable difference in loyalty to the church from the members who preceded them. With less money and less people, many congregations simply could not afford their buildings. The closures were as much for economic reasons as they were for theological and societal ones.

You can still find Christians today. They meet in homes and coffee shops. They seem to be more committed to each other than those who called themselves Christian from a century ago. While smaller in raw numbers, it seems these Christians are faithful to the cause of Christ. Some people may look at the lack of buildings as a sign of decline, maybe it is an example of the old adage: Addition by subtraction. By subtracting the brick and mortar buildings, denominationalism, and theological weeds that had grown in the way, this new generation of believers seems to be more influenced by the mission and message of Jesus.  This growing phenomenon explains why many of the faithful have been heard saying, “The church isn’t dead. It’s just not warehoused in a brick and mortar building any longer.”

 

 

When I first became a Church of the Nazarene pastor, people would frequently ask if General Superintendent William Prince was my grandfather. Um…. no. Not by a long shot. This became more evident this week, when a cousin shared a 1937 Detroit newspaper article about my grandfather. The article doesn’t tell how my grandfather rescued a child from a burning building in heroic fashion. My grandfather did not lead a food drive to help the hungry in the Great Depression. I wish that were the case.

Apparently, a jury awarded my grandfather $5,000 (that’s over $92,000 in today’s dollars). This windfall came to the namesake of my brother and cousin because two men, the owner of a tavern, Fred Hicks and his son Raymond, tossed my grandfather out of their bar and beat him with a wooden mallet. Grandpa Fred claimed his knee was permanently damaged. The jury agreed.

It’s a brief article, but it gives a peek into my family history.

Princes have had a problem with alcohol. I’m not sure what prompted my grandfather’s hasty exit from the drinking establishment, but it’s not a stretch to say alcohol played a role. Of course, this incident happened approximately seven years after my grandmother (Fred’s wife) died of alcohol poisoning. Did I mention we had a problem with alcohol?

Princes haven’t always been good with money. $5000 was a lot of money during the Great Depression. When my grandfather died no one in the family worried about how they were going to spend their inheritance. There was no inheritance.

The article stated that the tavern owner was a middleweight boxer. My ancestors hit the bottle hard, but apparently did not hit the gym hard. Moreover, my grandfather must not have taken the advice that he gave his son (and my dad taught me): “When in trouble– do a lot of ‘cutting’ and ‘shooting.’ Cutting around corners and shooting for home.” Apparently, even before my grandfather’s kneecap was smashed by a wooden mallet, he was not the fleetest of foot.

It’s not a story that produces family reunion pride. We had substance abuse, money problems and we weren’t particularly smart or athletic All this to say, we were a mess.

Can anything good come out of 8376 Logan Street? Others may have given up on our motley crew. God did not. I’m not sure of where my grandfather stood with the Lord—he died before my dad met my mom. But in spite of all the dysfunction, all of Fred’s children came to faith. Many of Fred’s grandchildren and great grandchildren are serving the Lord. There are lawyers, teachers, nurses, counselors, and business people in the family. The two namesake grandsons (my cousin Fred and my brother Fred) both became pastors, so did three others. God never gave up on my family.

Your family story may include a drunk with a gimpy leg, like mine, but that doesn’t have to be the final word. God can redeem even the worst family’s story by making us part of His family and His story! Paul said this about himself, but it applies to me and my family: Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. (1 Timothy 1:15) Thanks be to God!

 

Future Church is going to look a lot different than Present Church and that’s a good thing.

Present Church:
Aging clergy
Declining attendance
Decreased giving
Partisan politics dividing the church
Young adults leaving church in record numbers.
Commitment level (even among the most devout) at an all-time low.

Future Church:
Bi-vocational ministers (like the early church*)
More house churches (like the early church*)
Less reliance on money and buildings (like the early church*)
Less politics, more Jesus (like the early church*)
An all-in, whatever-it-takes mentality of the faithful (like the early church*)

Present Church has taught Future Church what NOT to do. Present Church has gotten off track in our Americanized version of Christianity. Our voice is being convoluted by things that are not the Gospel. There’s too much carnality within our ranks. We are too political. We have too much angst and not enough Jesus. We are quick to point out the slivers in other’s eyes, while winking at the log in our own. Hypocrisy is rampant. It’s no wonder our young people are saying, “if that’s the church, thanks but no thanks.”

The Church was Jesus’ idea. He builds it, not us. If Present Church has failed Him (the previous paragraph implies that we have), then Jesus will raise up a new generation with new methods to proclaim His never changing message of hope. A new generation will look at what our efforts have gotten us (low numbers, feeble faith, anemic commitment and fearful and silent leaders) and determine that they will not be like us. They will have learned from our silence in the face of sin and our boisterous condemnations of those not like us. The next generation will not make the same mistakes.

How can I be so sure? Jesus! Jesus is the head! Jesus is our Teacher. Jesus is our strength. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him (Colossians 1:17-19). Jesus will overcome! If death could not defeat Him, then neither will our generation’s watered down, powerless, politicized, teetering, non-Biblical ways. I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. –Jesus (in Matthew 16:18).

*The Early Church had its troubles. Future Church will too. Our Enemy was, is and will be on the prowl. But Future Church like the Early Church will rely on Jesus more, because Jesus is all they will have and that will be enough.

On Tuesday night, the Central Church Board and some of the pastors joined Karla and me for a cookout at our house. (I say some of the pastors because some were out of town or had other commitments). I grilled chicken, pork, beef and hot dogs (who knows what’s in the dogs… I’d like to think it was only chicken, beef or pork). Everyone brought a dish to pass. The potluck proved to be lucky as every pot (or dish) was yummy. The conversations were even better. The rain held off for most of the night and all was good. (Tangent Alert: Let me take this space to say we have a great church board! They love Jesus and Central Church. They are leaders you can be proud of and it is a pleasure to serve alongside of them. The pastors are awesome too!).

Tonight, it’s Cookout Part II, as our home group is coming over. It’s the same drill as Tuesday only no beef (except for what may or may not be in the hotdogs). We will eat, talk, pray for one another and look a bit into God’s Word. Many times, my home group helps hash out my thoughts for the upcoming sermon. (Let’s pray they help me tonight… or we could all be in trouble Sunday morning). I love our group—they are a huge blessing!

Christians have been doing this sort of thing since before we were called Christians. In Acts 2, Luke writes about those early believers: They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer (Acts 2:42).

Back in the NO NO Days (no movies and no dancing), we used to say that the only thing Nazarenes could do was have pot-lucks. We’d say in jest that we needed to replace the dove on our logo with a covered dish as it was the best symbol of the denomination. While we were mostly joking, I think something important was happening in those church potlucks.

When folks gather in Jesus’ name for the simple purpose of eating, fellowshipping, praying and Bible study, the Lord is present. When Jesus is near, we grow together. We learn from one another. We cry with one another’s sorrows and rejoice in our victories. It’s not complicated. It’s the church at its best. It’s also not shocking that Luke further wrote: And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved (Acts 2:47). When the church is at its best, the world notices and wants to be a part of what God is doing!

Bottom Line: If you want to grow in the Lord, then do what the early believers did. Get with a group in Jesus name and eat, fellowship, pray and get into the Word. You’ll be amazed at what God will do!

Few would argue that we are living in a post-Christian America. There is anger, envy, lust, pride, and greed on all sides. Like most previous generations, we look around at the dismal state of affairs in and out of the church and say, “Come, Lord Jesus, Come.” Unlike most previous generations, very few prophets are emerging calling out our sin, directing us back to Jesus and toward the way of holiness.

Where are all the prophets?

My cynical view:
Truth telling is costly. Prophets and their families like to eat. Isaiah may have been an aristocrat. Amos wasn’t a prophet or the son of a prophet, his income probably came from sheep and figs. The Apostle Paul was a tent maker. Are modern would-be prophets silenced because they know where their paychecks are coming from and speaking out could jeopardize their livelihood? Have prophets been influenced by profits and loss?

Churches have enough trouble these days keeping members even without the preacher/prophet upsetting half the crowd. With less people attending, pastors feel pressured to keep all the folks they can. Has fear of emptying pews toned down the prophetic or controversial (yet Biblical) topics? There is no need for the devil’s temptations to be silent in the face of blatant sin when the prophetic voices are silenced by fear.

Do our preachers/prophets lack backbone?

It seems the few modern-day prophets (who are not afraid to speak truth) fall into one of these categories:

1) Retired Leaders. New-found boldness comes in direct proportion to their retirement from Big Wig status. With a secure retirement and no longer the subject of church votes, the formerly silent leaders can now utter all sorts of platitudes. Maybe the point is: Better late than never.

2) Pastors who are no longer pastoring. Disillusioned by the state of the politicized church, they have left the pulpit for another gig or have a spouse that makes a living wage. This newly voiced prophet (again unhindered by salary) will occasionally tweet or blog prophetic-like truths, but they have lost their pulpit, platform and much of their voice.

3) Pastors (usually from smaller churches) whose congregants have determined no matter what is said or written by the pulpit resident– they aren’t going anywhere. It was their church before the pot stirring pastor arrived and it will be their church after the pot stirring pastor leaves. Agree or disagree, they will wait him/her out. They’ll keep coming to church when the doors are open because that’s what they do. Of course, these small church truth tellers have a limited crowd.

That’s your list of modern day prophets. Prophets who need no money or prophets who have no audience.

Your cynical view:
“I don’t see you speaking up. I don’t see you calling out hypocrisy in the church, in politics and in our lives. I don’t hear your prophetic utterances that shake the rafters and cause a stir. You, sir, are the proverbial pot calling the kettle black.”

 My Confession:
I know. God help me, I know. I want to think that I am not afraid of half the congregation walking out following a biblical but unpopular message, but I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t a concern. Pastors and would-be prophets (myself included) remember the words from Joshua: Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9

My Hope:
My fellow boomer and X-gen pastors, let’s not wait for someone else to pick up the prophetic torch in the days ahead (I’m looking at you, millennial pastors, and I believe in you!). Today. all pastors/prophets must follow Jesus’ example and boldly speak full of grace and truth (see John 1:14)! Pray for wisdom, strength and courage and go forth proclaiming the Gospel! This generation desperately needs us to regain our prophetic voice and proclaim the powerful message of Jesus. Don’t be quiet. Be brave! Be bold… and God will be with you wherever you go!

We all know Jesus said, “Love your enemies,” but did he mean it? That’s the big question. If you say, “Yes, of course, Jesus meant it,” then it makes sense that the followers of Jesus would (I’m stepping out on a limb here) love our enemies.  Moreover, if followers of Jesus loved their enemies then those enemies wouldn’t be enemies, at least not for long. Love disarms hate. If I love them; work for their good; pray for their well-being, then I’m not behaving like an enemy but a friend.

I’m not totally naïve (just in case you are about to make such an accusation). Our former enemies might still consider us enemies. In fact, they might hate us; say and post hurtful things; and be divisive. But Jesus didn’t say, “Love your enemies as long as they reciprocate.” If our haters see us continue to love while they are still hating, then eventually they might conclude that we aren’t their enemy. Or maybe they will still hate. I can’t control them, only me.  But as I refuse to hate (you can’t spew hate and love someone too); stop lobbing mud (you can’t throw mud at someone you love); and am kind (love is kind, 1 Corinthians 13:4); then something changes. That something is me. I can’t view them as the enemy any longer.

In case you are wondering, “loving” does not equal “agreeing with.” I can love someone and not agree with their life choices. But in our disagreement, we don’t have to be disagreeable. Disagreeing does not mean disrespecting. Love does not dishonor others (1 Corinthians 13:5).

How this plays out in the real world goes against the mistaken notion that everything in life has to be “Us vs. Them.”  When social media blows up between Christians and others engaging in back and forth yapping, then the hate continues and enemies are still enemies.  Following the “Love your enemy” command means you can’t participate in a conversation like this:

“I hate you.”
“No, I hate you.”
“You are bad.”
“You are worse.”
“Blah, blah, blah…”

If you don’t think such banter exists (on a much more complicated and wordy level) then you haven’t spent much time on social media lately (congratulations for that, by the way). Malicious speech among all sides happens all the time. ALL. THE. TIME.

If love disarms hate, and If I am loving then…

LBGTQ people aren’t my enemy.
Immigrants aren’t my enemy.
Liberals aren’t my enemy.
Conservatives aren’t my enemy.
Other religion adherents aren’t my enemies.
Atheists aren’t my enemies.
Abortion rights advocates are not my enemy.
Pro-Life picket sign holders are not my enemy.
Democrats are not my enemy.
Republicans are not my enemy.

But Ohio State Buckeyes are still my enemy! Just kidding, even Buckeyes are not my enemy. Our Enemy is the Evil one. That’s it. When we engage in hate toward our enemies, he wins.  When we love our enemies, he loses. Simple. Let’s not let our true Enemy win. Instead, let’s do what Jesus said to do: In both our actions and attitudes, love our enemies (He really said it and he really means it).

 

 

 

 

 

 

July 4^th is the day we celebrate the United States of America. At times, you might get the impression that our nation’s name is the Divided States of America. I’m not naive. We aren’t perfect. We have our differences in the land that we love. What country doesn’t have problems? Our streets aren’t paved with gold and our gates aren’t made of pearls. As much as we pray that God’s kingdom would come and his will done on earth as it is in heaven, we aren’t there yet. But I’m an optimist. The squeaky wheels seem to get the media’s grease—but I like to think that most people aren’t like those squeaky wheels. Most people are good, honest and hard working. Most people have common sense. I want to side with most folks.

Most Americans like our diversity. Most folks know that God uniquely created us and gave us different gifts, ideas, abilities, talents, desires, and aptitudes. We don’t all look alike, think alike, dress alike, or like the same music or sports teams. That helps make life full and exciting instead of boring and stale.

Most churches are trying their best to serve God. Are there mean spirited churches or churches that have gotten off mission? Ugh…yes. But most love Jesus and love their neighbors.

Most folks understand that the content of one’s character not the color of one’s skin is what matters. Are there racists out there? Unfortunately. But let’s keep educating, working and singing until everyone believes: Red and Yellow, Black and White they are precious in his sight. Jesus loves the children of the world.

Most police are doing a great job. Are there some bad apples?  Sure. There are bad preachers too and bad teachers and bad burger flippers and bad you name it.

Most people on-line like to share their joys, delights and maybe prayer requests. Are there cyber bullies? Not only cyber bullies, there are cyber goofballs, cyber knuckleheads and cyber what-were-you-thinking-for-posting-that. But most folks use social media to share victories not dance on other’s defeats.

Most people recognize that politics is necessary in a democracy (refer to the above statement on how we don’t all have the same ideas). For Christians, we put our hope in the Lamb, not the elephants or donkeys, but we also understand that those on the other side of the aisle don’t hate you or hate America. We just see things differently. If we look for it, we will see we have more in common than not.

Most people want everyone to be healthy. Do we all agree on how this can happen? Nope. But if we don’t dream of a better healthier tomorrow, we won’t get a better healthier tomorrow.

Most folks recognize that’s what is happening at the southern border is terribly sad and disturbing. Do we all agree on how to move forward? No, but most people agree with Jesus who said we need to love our neighbor and to care for the least of these.

Most Americans love our veterans and want them to have the absolute best care— for their physical, emotional and spiritual well-being. Most people are rightly shaken that 23 vets take their own life every single day and we must end to this disturbing trend.

There’s more circumstances that seem divisive but don’t necessarily have to be, but you get the idea.

Most folks can’t quote Mark 8:25, but we all know its truth that says: If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. Most individuals want our country to stand strong and united for generations to come.

The divisive words and actions of others might make the news, but let us work with most Americans who long for us to be the United States of America. That is all.

There are a lot of topics that Jesus either didn’t address of wasn’t able to speak to because the situations were not present in the first century of Palestine. We can’t expect Jesus to talk about the proliferation of nuclear weapons when the capability of destroying the whole earth with a push of a button wouldn’t exist for 1900 years. Global warming wasn’t one of Jesus’ talking points. So I get it that there may be room for interpretation, when it comes to things that Jesus didn’t directly address.  We can assume and imagine, but we can’t know exactly what Jesus would have said about such eventualities. But there are plenty of others things to which Jesus spoke directly and clearly. For instance,

I don’t know all the intricacies of the crisis along the southern border of the United States, but I know Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these” (Matthew 19:14).

I don’t know all of the heartache that goes along with being incarcerated or having a family member incarcerated, but I know Jesus said, “I was in prison and you came to visit me” (Matthew 25:36).

I don’t know how to answer folks who ask about the Flint Water Crisis but I know that Jesus said, “I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink” (Matthew 25:35).

I don’t always know how to proceed with conversations within the LBGTQ community, but I know that Jesus said, “If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?  And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?” (Matthew 5:46-47).

I don’t always know the best approach regarding the benefits afforded to me by living in a terribly blessed country, but I know Jesus said, “What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?” (Mark 8:36) and “Life does not consist in an abundance of possessions” (Luke 12:15).

I don’t know all the geo-political aspects of war and rumors of war, but I know Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God” (Matthew 5:9) and he also said, “love your enemies” (Matthew 5:44).

I don’t know why denominations are pitted against each other (as if they were the Enemy), but I know that Jesus said, “I pray also for those who will believe… that all of them may be one” (John 17:20-21).

I could go on and on, but you get the idea. Maybe instead of guessing or pontificating about what Jesus might have said in some hypothetical world, we should start to listen, obey and do what Jesus DID SAY regarding many of our real-life dilemmas. It seems that if we just do what Jesus directly said to do we (and our world) would be much better off.

Fact #1: Sunday Night services in the Church of the Nazarene have gone (or have mostly gone) the way of the dodo bird.

Fact 2: Sunday Morning church attendance in the Church of the Nazarene (USA) is in decline. In some places, it is gradual; in others, it’s a free fall. In very few pockets is there growth.

Fact #1 (the non-existence of Sunday Night services) is NOT the cause for Fact #2 (Sunday morning decline), but it’s a symptom that has led to overall demise of the church.

Not trying to sound like a church curmudgeon (I remember the good old days…), Sunday nights were preceded in my early years with a NYPS (current NYI or a youth service) and then the Sunday Night service ensued. On Sunday Nights, we had youth bands playing, young people singing “specials” (sometimes they were not very “special”) and frequently those called into ministry would preach. Always there were testimonies of how God had worked in the individual’s life that week (in one church, a lady with dementia would recount that week’s soap opera details as if they were in her own family; in another, a man would tell wild tales of life with his drug addicted son and conclude by saying “where He leads me I will follow.” I am not sure it was God leading to the crack houses, but I digress). Often following the service a big group would end up at a local restaurant and tell the same funny stories over and over again.

If the above description sounds too idyllic, in a moment of full disclosure, please note:  It wasn’t uncommon for Sunday night services to feel like a train wreck or the ugly step sister of Sunday morning. There are reasons why gathering back at the church for an evening service has died.

The problem is that the essential aspects of the Sunday night service aren’t happening in our Sunday morning gatherings.

Again, I am not saying we need to revive Sunday Night services (for the record, in my current assignment we still have Sunday Night services. Last night we had a youth service going on, a VBS meeting for volunteers and a Pentecost prayer service in an upper room in the church). But we need to regain what was lost in our Sunday night services. A place where our youth can learn and use their gifts. A place to hear the stories of victories of God in individual lives. A place that makes fellowship with one another easier. In other words, a place that makes the church family seems like family.  In some churches this takes place in small groups, but in many churches these aspects of Christian fellowship have been lost.

Maybe one of the causations for our Sunday morning decline is that the church no longer feels like family. The Sunday Morning service is more like a show, a place to be entertained. There’s little connection or interaction with others. Little investment is made by the attender. They come. They listen (maybe sing). Then they leave. With little “skin in the game,” there is also little commitment and little reason to keep coming. When a better Sunday morning “show” comes to town, it’s easy to jump ship for the newer, hipper, better “worship-tainment.”

Without the communal aspects of Sunday night services, churches must be diligent to create a warm family-like experience that will keep both old and young tied to one another.  Intergenerational empathy for each other is crucial for the long-term health of the church. A commitment to making Sunday mornings less showy (not necessarily a lesser quality) and more communal, more familial is what is needed.

Can we reverse the downward trajectory in the USA Sunday morning attendance? Making the church a family again will be a good first step in that direction.

Not everyone likes being a part of a church that deeply cares about its community (They’d never say it that way. It’s kind of like saying, “I don’t care about people.” That sounds bad. So they’d never say it, but if the Gucci loafer fits…). There are plenty of church goers who’d rather their house of worship was more like a country club than a city park. There are big differences between a church that’s like a country club and a church that’s like a city park.

A country club-like church is exclusive—only a select few are welcome. It’s for “us.”
A city park-like church is open for all. It’s for “us,” “them” and “them” too. Everyone’s welcome.

A county club church keeps “those people” out.
A city park church is full of “those people” (whoever “those people” happen to be).

A country club church’s members like being with people just like themselves. Diversity is bad.
A city park church’s attenders love that everyone is not alike. Different is good.

A country club church’s members show up to be seen.
A city park church show up to celebrate life.

A country club church only values those who contribute.
A city park church values everyone.

A country club church proudly boasts of their once-in-a-blue-moon pittance for the needy.
A city park church regularly cries with those who have been beaten down by life.

A country club church is nice and neat.
A city park church is sometimes messy. The playground equipment isn’t the best or newest… and that’s ok.

A country club church would rather have kids seen than heard. The quieter the better.
A city park church loves it when kids are squealing and having fun. The louder the better.

A country club church is best summarized by the words, “Hey you kids! Get off my lawn.”
A city park church is best summarized by the words, “Have fun kids! You are loved!”

A country club church exudes snootiness (snotty-ness?).
A city park church exudes Jesus (just Jesus!).

But most of all…

A country club-like church teaches you’re better than your neighbor.
A city park-like church teaches one to love their neighbor.

Would Jesus be at the city park or the country club? We all know the answer to that question.

A week or so ago, a Nebraska farmer, Kurt Kaser, amputated his own leg with a pocketknife after his leg was caught in some farm machinery. With his leg stuck in an auger, he was being drawn into the apparatus which would mean certain death. No one was around. His cell phone was out of reach. Mr. Kaser realized his only hope for survival was to cut off his leg. (You can read his story here.)

No one in their right mind, under normal circumstances, would cut off a limb with a pocket knife. One would only resort to such measures if it was life or death. Extreme circumstances caused him to do the unthinkable.

As the abortion debate has heated up in recent days, Mr. Kaser’s dilemma seems eerily similar to what many women face with an unwanted pregnancy. The notion of ending a pregnancy goes against every maternal instinct we humans have.  Yet extreme circumstances cause many women to do the unthinkable.  (Tara Beth Leech’s article from a few years ago helped me understand this issue better).

I don’t believe that most women (at least not the ones I’ve talked to) choose to have an abortion like one chooses hair color or an item from the menu at Applebee’s. The decision is more like Mr. Kaser’s: amputate or die. When faced with an unwanted pregnancy, often women, like Mr. Kaser, feel trapped, alone and afraid. It might seem at that moment to bring a child into her dysfunctional world would only cause more grief, hopelessness and despair. Extreme circumstances lead to the unthinkable.

As a male, pro-life pastor, I understand some people view those three descriptors as disqualifiers from having any meaningful input into the abortion debate. It’s true, I can’t imagine being trapped like Mr. Kaser where my only option was to amputate my leg with a pocketknife. Just as I do not pretend to know the horrific trap that many women feel when trying to navigate the decision of having a child while their world is caving in all around them. My contribution to the abortion discussion is not more pontificating, but is the work of a pastor. I want to following Jesus lead in John 1:14. I want to be full of grace and truth. I want to help build a hope-filled and loving Christian community that comes alongside women and their babies. It’s advocating and working for a better story for women who feel trapped in their pregnancy.

Surveys show that the church is not the first-place women turn to when in the midst of an unwanted pregnancy. For some it’s the last place. That’s part of our problem.  But what if we could change that story?  What if we aren’t seen as dishing out condemnations for their present circumstances, but seen as a Jesus-reflecting, helpful place that leads women and children toward a better future? What if churches offered real concern, love and resources to women who feel stuck in an uncertain future? What if women came to our churches because we offered the most empathy and support?

The work of the church and the pro-life movement cannot stop caring at the baby’s birth, but must continue to provide a loving and nurturing community for moms and babies (and for everyone else, for that matter) throughout their lifetime. Let’s work for everyone’s well-being both in the present tense and in the future. Let’s fight for better present circumstances of women who feel their only option is an abortion and fight for a better life for moms and their babies in the days ahead. Maybe if the church demonstrates that both women and their unborn children are created in the image of God and their well-being matters to God, then women wouldn’t view abortion as their only option. Let’s be pro-woman, pro-baby, pro-both.

 

 

 

Please read the following disclaimer/facts before reading the article below:

Fact 1: My dad was an alcoholic before becoming a Christian. Had he come to Christ in a church that allowed social drinking, I believe my dad would have died an alcoholic.

Fact 2: Medical professionals are now admitting that even small amounts of alcohol can have a negative effect on a person’s well-being. See the August 23, 2018 study here.

Fact 3: The Church of the Nazarene has historically taken the stance of prohibition in part to side with those who struggle with issues of alcohol and chemical dependency.

Fact 4: Many Nazarenes are already drinking (I have had plenty of attenders, members, and leaders admit to social drinking and voice disagreement with our current policy).

Fact 5: Other historically “dry” denominations have allowed social drinking in recent years.

Fact 6: The Bible argues against drunkenness. It does not mandate abstinence or prohibit the consumption of alcohol. (Note: a case could be made that clean drinking water was not readily available for the Biblical writers and the medicinal purposes of wine in ancient times outweighed the dangers of moderate alcohol consumption.),

Fact 7: The Social Action Committee at the 2017 General Assembly passed a resolution that would have permitted social drinking. There was not a vote on the General Assembly floor because the proposal was sent to committee for further study (I do not know if a committee has been formed nor do I know what is/was the outcome or recommendations from that committee).

 

Given these facts, will the Church of the Nazarene split over the issue of Social Drinking?

I have heard from people that if the church changes its stance regarding social drinking they will leave. I liken this to their parents who made similar statements regarding the cinema 30+ years ago. They didn’t leave then, and most won’t leave now. Members won’t leave in droves should the alcohol position change. There won’t be a split. Where would the teetotaler members go?  As already stated, most once dry denominations have already allowed for (or turned a blind eye to) social drinking among its membership. Moreover, for many of the younger members in the Church of the Nazarene, drinking is a nonissue. They already socially drink.

The great likelihood is that the General Assembly delegates will pass legislation that opens the door for moderate social drinking (if not in 2021 then surely in 2025), Given my family history (see Fact 1), I will not be happy with the change. Given modern research (see Fact 2) we may regret the decision. Given our historic stance of siding with those who struggle with alcohol (See Fact 3) we may lose some of our voice with the victims of alcoholism and its effect upon individuals and families.

Ultimately, the reasoning to move away from our historical stance regarding alcohol is less about righteousness or coming alongside a struggling believer and more about pragmatism:

1) The ship has sailed. Many are already drinking (see Fact 4);

2) “Peer pressure.” Other once dry denominations now allow social drinking (see fact 5); and

3) Making a Biblical argument is difficult as the Bible doesn’t expressly forbid it (see Fact 6).

For these reasons, the prohibition against alcohol consumption seems likely to be lifted once the debate reaches the General Assembly floor. I will not leave the Church of the Nazarene over this issue, nor do I think that many others will. But I will be saddened for the children of alcoholics like myself whose family was salvaged because of the grace of God and the historic stance of a church that stood with those who struggle with alcohol.

 

 

 

 

On Mother’s Day, I would make my mom breakfast-in-bed. By “breakfast-in-bed,” I mean: burnt toast, orange juice and cheerios. I would have a jelly jar with hand-picked dandelions and a homemade card to garnish the cookie sheet that would hold the items listed. My mom always seemed thankful for the less than appetizing meal and not quite made-by-Hallmark Mother’s Day card. She conveyed an appreciated for the effort. She probably would have appreciated more my completion of any number of household chores that generally slipped my mind without parental reminders and threats of no allowance. But breakfast-in-bed was what she got.

At church on Mother’s Day, there were generally prizes for the oldest, youngest and mom with the most kids. I can’t remember my mom ever winning any of those awards. Often the ladies of the church were paraded to the front where they would sing the third verse of Such Love or some hymn.  Was this “special recognition” a prize or punishment? Once home from church, I don’t remember my mom ever sitting in the living room while the kids prepared Sunday dinner. The kitchen was her domain (Mother’s Day or not).

Mother’s Day consisted of a lousy breakfast, an introvert’s nightmare at church and making her own Mother’s Day meal. Lot-te-da!

Truth-be-told, I’m not sure any mom becomes one because of a Mother’s Day gift. Enduring childbirth and the hassles of raising a bunch of yahoos for a box of chocolates or a dozen roses hardly seems like a good deal. Most moms (sadly not all) are glad for this special, unique role and would do it all over again even without the dandelion bouquet.

To all ladies (mothers or not), no Cheerios or burnt toast, instead I offer the following:

• If you are exhausted with all the duties that come with being a mom, I’m praying for your strength and cheering you on!
• If you adopted a child or are a foster parent, thank you for your commitment to the lives of children.
• If you are struggling with infertility, I am hoping with you and holding you in prayer.
• If you are single, remember the Lord has made you completely whole!
• If you are a single mom, I pray that the Lord provides all of your needs!
• If you lost a child this year to death or miscarriage, I weep with you.
• If your child is hindered by addiction or struggling with life, then I will take you to the One that specializes in bringing home prodigals.
• If you are alone on Mother’s Day, the Lord is your companion.
• If you are surrounded by loved ones on Mother’s Day, the Lord enjoys your delight!
• If you grieve this Mother’s Day, the Lord mourns with you.
• If you celebrate Mother’s Day, the Lord rejoices with you.

If Mother’s Day brings a smile or a tear, know that the Lord is forever on your side in all of the circumstances of life.

For Pastors, the Monday After Easter means…

• Sleeping in. Hello pillow my old friend.
• Two Words: Binge NetFlix
• Queasy stomachs. Now you know why they are called “devilled eggs.”
• Dress/Suit back into a closet until a funeral or next Easter whichever comes first.
• Sugar high. For the No Candy during Lent crowd.
• Caffeine rush. For the faithfully deprived coffee drinkers.
• Back on Facebook following the Lenten fast. Scroll timeline for two minutes, realize it’s still a cesspool and life drain and decide to delete account.
• Hangovers. Hey, Episcopalians recognize Lent too. (I’m joking, my Episcopalian friends)
• Empty plastic eggs. Mostly under your bare foot at 2AM.
• Ham leftovers. Ham and eggs for breakfast. Ham sandwiches for lunch. Fried ham and scalloped potatoes for dinner. Bean soup tomorrow.
• Second thoughts. Wishing there was a little more Umpff in that “He is Risen!” line.
• Calculating. How to get yesterday’s crowd to come back before Christmas?
• Wal-Mart Trips. Easter candy 50% off.
• Fake Easter Grass in the dog’s food dish, in between the couch cushions and in the ice maker. How did it get in there?
• “Hello Pastor. This is Ima Grumbler. I hate to bother you on a Monday, but how come we didn’t sing all four verses of Up from the Grave He Arose. It ain’t Easter if we don’t sing all four verses of Up from the Grave He Arose. I’m sure the Baptists sang all four verses of Up from The Grave He Arose. I hope next year we sing all four verses of Up from the Grave He Arose.”There are only three verses in the hymn and its name is Christ Arose not Up from the Grave He Arose.“Oh. Nevermind. Good-bye.”
• Free lilies! Anyone? Anyone?
• Maybe the Easter Egg dye will come off my fingers by Mother’s Day.
• Forget something at church? Sorry, no one answers the church’s phone on Monday.
• 354 days until Good Friday (April 10, 2020).
• He is still risen! He is still risen indeed.

Once upon a time there was a boy named Johnny Pullet but his friends called him Ducky. He was the youngest child, lowest on the pecking order you could say, in his family and he loved Jesus.  His older brother, on the other hand, put on a tough outer shell, a real rotten egg, and acted as if he’d never go to church. He scrambled like a wild chicken whenever Johnny would come over. Easy invitations to attend Easter services weren’t to be for Ducky. In fact, it was hard. Boiled by his brother’s refusal to even consider attending Easter service Ducky decided to pray that the brothers would not be unequally yoked but would one day be a big happy Christian family.

One morning, as he was walking around his house (he was on the sunny side) up ahead he spied his brother who seemingly had poached an out-of-season female pheasant, a hen.  His brother also saw Ducky and laid into Johnny as his eyes grew the size of ostrich eggs. “Benedict Arnold you will be, if you tell anyone what I did,” his brother in a Yoda-like manner said, while also thinking he had done a dastardly deed.

Not wanting to get his brother in trouble, but also not wanting him to be devilled by his ways, Ducky, again, decided to pray. In a moment of inspiration, Ducky hatched a plan. He got cracking, combed his hair and ran to his brother’s house. A small place, Johnny felt cooped up in it, but he boldly asked his brother, “If you aren’t in trouble with the game warden, will you come to Easter Services with me?”

“If I am not in fowl (sic) with the law, “omeletting” you know, I will give you a carton of my finest treasures AND go to church with you.”  Ducky quickly showed him that the “pheasant” wasn’t a pheasant but just a heap of feathers from a previous hunting expedition. His brother took a gander at the feathery mess and said, “Well, I’ll be a Gizzard’s uncle, you’re right! Let’s whisk off to church!”

Proud as a rooster, Ducky walked into the church with his brother by his side that Easter.  His brother loved it and has been coming ever since. He even met a nice chick and the two planned to get married as soon as they find a fryer (friar) willing to officiate their happy nuptials.

The end.

Moral of the story: Don’t keep your eggs in one basket. Keep praying and inviting people to Easter Services in as many ways as you can. The services will be Egg-citing and Egg-cellent and your friends will be glad you invited them!

The following 29 chicken and egg (which came first?) words were hidden in the story above: Carton, Chick, Chicken, Comb, Coop, Cracking, Devilled, Duck, Eggs Benedict, Fowl, Friar, Gander, Gizzard, Hard Boiled, Hatch, Hen, Laid, Omelet, Over Easy, Pecking Order, Poached, Pullet, Rooster, Rotten Egg, Scrambled, Shell, Sunny Side Up, Whisk and Yoke

It is Holy week and the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris was on fire. You no doubt saw the video of the iconic church burn. All the world is heartbroken. The damage is in the millions. One billionaire pledged $339 million to help its rebuilding (even that will not be enough).

As I was watching the images of the fire, I wondered how historians will view this week’s events. Will they say the fire at one of the world’s oldest and most known places of worship during Holy Week is a symbol of the destruction of Christianity in the 21st century? It’s no secret that Christianity in Europe has been on the decline for decades. It is devoid of power and effectiveness. America’s Christianity isn’t far behind. So I wonder if some scholar in two hundred years will write on the “Rise and Fall of the Church of Jesus Christ,” and cite the destruction of Notre Dame to say “the best efforts of the firemen like the best efforts of a few true believers could not stop the destruction of the church. The church died in the 21st century.”

Most watchers of religious trends know that the “nones” (those people affiliated with no church and no religion) are the fastest growing group in America. They have passed the Roman Catholic adherents and every evangelical denominational membership in the last ten years. If not dead, many would say the church is dying. That’s the bad news.

Here’s the Good News: Jesus is still the head of the church. Paul wrote this:
The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. (Colossians 1:15-18). In other words, the truth that should be most evident during Holy Week, Jesus specializes in resurrection.

In light of the Notre Dame fire and the fate of Christianity, what can we do? Like the French firemen dosing the flames of Notre Dame, we need to get to work. We can’t simply shake our heads and say to the church, “Rest in Peace.” Everyone who calls themselves a follower of Jesus must to be about the urgent business of Jesus. We need to be people of prayer. Committed to living and sharing the life of Jesus. We need to love our neighbors and our communities with our presence and with our mouths sharing Christ’s love and hope.

Begin today. This Sunday is Easter. Pray for your neighbors, friends and family members who might be likely to mark “none” on a questionnaire about their religious leanings. But don’t stop at praying, invite them to Easter Sunday services. Make the appeal of Jesus evident in your life. Determine that Christianity isn’t going to come crashing down on our watch. Let us live and embody Jesus’ words so much that the evidence of His resurrection is overwhelming.

Let’s proclaim the Good News so when our imaginary historian writes in 200 years of the fire at Notre Dame it will not be of the Rise and Fall of Christianity but instead it will reflect the “Rise and Fall and Resurrection of the Church of Jesus Christ!”

1.  Make sure the family has coordinated outfits for the Easter Photo Booth at Central Church. #SayCheese #easteratcentral2019
2. Invite a Friend to Central Church’s Easter Celebration Services. #JoinMeAtCentralChurch
3. Taste the jelly beans, peeps, chocolate bunnies, Cadbury eggs, Lindt chocolate carrots, Nerds’ bumpy jelly beans, Whoppers’ robin eggs, Reese’s peanut butter eggs, and Russel Stover’s marshmallow eggs just to make sure that they haven’t gone bad.Remind yourself you are making this “sacrifice” for the children. #BetterSafeThanSorry
4. Hide eggs. Hint: Do not put them where curious dogs, cats, raccoons, mice or any other creatures in God’s Kingdom (including candy-starved dads) might find them. If the kiddos open up the plastic eggs and like the Easter tomb find nothing, there could be a riot. #HideThemInAnEggCarton #ThePerfectHidingSpot
5. Invite a family member to Easter Services. If family members experience the Resurrected Jesus then you can stop the not-so-effective rhyming evangelism strategy. #TurnOrBurn #ShakeOrBake #ComplyOrFry
6. Practice saying, “He is risen, indeed!” There is nothing more embarrassing than following the pastor’s declaration on Easter morning that “He is risen,” for someone to loudly asks, “He’s a raisin?” #HeIsRisenIndeed #EasterTradition
7. Lilly allergy? Take your meds. (There will be a few lilies in the sanctuary, because everyone knows that Easter and Lilies go together like deviled and eggs) #AhhChoo
8. Invite a stranger to Easter Services. Didn’t Jesus say, “I was a stranger and you invited me in (to Central Church)”?  Maybe not those last three words, but he did say the first part. #Matthew2535 #DoingWhatJesusSaysToDo
9. Find your Easter Bonnet in the old trunk in the basement, put it on, get your kids and tell them a story beginning with this line (they love it when you say this, by the way): “When I was your age…” #WalkedToChurchUpHillBothWaysInWaistHighSnowWearingMyEasterHat
10. Invite an enemy to Central Church for our Easter Celebration.#EnemiesNeedJesusToo

Here’s the Shorter version of your Pre-Easter Checklist: INVITE, INVITE, INVITE, INVITE!!!