What If Our Friends Asked Us to Come to Their Community?

What if your non-churchgoing friends asked you to join them for a few weekends in a given two-week period, doing what they do and going where they go. This would cause you to miss your church times, would you do it?

Some of you may have answered an emphatic "NO" to that question. Then the next question is simply, "Why?" I would guess that a lot of you would answer something like, "It would cause me to miss church", "I wouldn't feel 'right'", or "It would be odd/awkward/uncomfortable."

Here's another thought...what if your church decided to take out everything in its auditorium and replace it with some round tables, with chairs. Additionally, they stopped having regular meeting times and started having opportunities for you to come whenever you wanted to come, on Sundays (for tradition sake). When you did come, you could either sit down at a kiosk and listen to the sermon that was previously recorded or go into a room where, for bigger groups, and watch the sermon on the screen. You would also have your time to visit, maybe sitting around the tables that were set up or in an area that people could stand and visit. You also wouldn't be required to watch a sermon, you could simply come and hang out as long as you wanted. Does that sound appealing?

For most, that sounds like something so wrong and uncomfortable that it is not church at all.

What if I told you that the first scenario may be how some of your friends view an invitation to go to church with you. Does that surprise you? In essence you are asking them to interrupt their weekend plans for one, two or more weekends. They are going to a place they don't understand. Sing songs, do chants, shake hands with people, practice rituals and various other things, of which they are not familiar with and may make them uncomfortable.

I recently watched a video that talked about a churches and discipleship, by Todd Engstrom. It was eye-opening to me and showed me how our "church" gatherings may not be that appealing to others. It doesn't matter if it is a "small group" setting. These still tend to highlight the organizational aspect of religion.

People tend to not like organizational religion. The idea that everything is so formal or planned out, demonstrates how that speaks to me. To stand around and visit with people, similar to what one does when they go to an informal gathering, is "unorganized."

I doubt my church setting "remodel" will take place in my generation, but it may be a key in helping people become more attracted to church because it is more what society is like outside of our formal Sunday and Wednesday church gatherings.

I also find it interesting that Jesus went with others to their community. Zacchaeus, Matthew, and Woman at the Well all were example of Jesus being with them in their community. He didn't drop off his proverbial business card and say "Come and join us on Sunday." If He didn't do that, why do we?

Meeting them on their turf seemed to be less uncomfortable and more impactful. Maybe we could think about a way to use this principle and become more of what Christ would be to the 21st Century.

May we also be more sympathetic toward our non-churchgoing friends when they turn us down for an opportunity to join us for a church gathering.

Now it's your turn...How does this affect your view of your non-churchgoing friends?

Achieve the Splendid...I Dare You!

I am simply fascinated by people who do great things with their life. Those that make significant impacts in their community, school, job, family, church, etc. are things that I never tire of hearing about. How about you?

I tear up so often when it comes to seeing kids perform in music, plays, or other art areas. I am touched by people who are able to touch other people's lives. No matter if you do something significant or help out someone to allow them to do something significant, you still did something significant. That brings us to this week's quote...

Nothing splendid has ever been achieved except by those who dared to believe that something inside them was superior to circumstance. ~ Bruce Barton

We must be willing to be open to doing something splendid. Splendid things do not just happen, generally. Even in the lives of people who had riches, for example, fall into their lap, it was probably because a person born before them did something significant.

So what will you dare to do? What is it that you believe in yourself that you can do which you will seek to achieve?

The circumstances to get you there may not be the easiest, but the sweetness that comes from the victory will be well worth it!

Now it's your turn...What will you dare to do that is "splendid?" I look forward to the stories that follow...

RESTORE: Engaging the Culture

Think of what your culture is like. How would you describe it? Are those descriptions good, bad, or neutral? Are they simply describing the culture or are they promoting or tearing down the culture in which you live? Is it describing a culture or a subculture in which you live?

Lots of things change in culture. Some changes may enough to create a subculture within the culture. Some changes are simply the culture evolving into something different.

When you see those changes come into your culture, how are you at adapting to them? Does the "previous" outweigh the "present"? In other words, are you standing your ground to make sure you are most comfortable or are you able to adapt?

Sunday we looked at the idea of "engaging the culture" in which we live in order to make our world restored back to the greatness of which God hoped it could be. We, as His body, are called to live it out. But, in order to, live it out, we must be able to engage the culture for best possible impact.

• Engage the Language ~ There are words that have changed in their meaning and context over the years. This is not new to the "2010s" decade. This has been going on for years. Bread used to mean something you ate, but when I was born it also meant money. Crack used to mean a break in the surface of an object (or could go all the way through) but it also points to a drug. Cell was basically a term in biology, but now will refer to a phone. Turn the channel used to actually mean what it said, but now you hit a button and nothing turns. The list could go on and on. The point is, we must understand where our culture is when it comes to language so that when someone responds to our invitation to come to our house to talk about their faith and they use the word "crib" we'll know what they mean!
• Engage the Fashion ~ Fashion is also one of those revolving changes in culture. When I was in the upper primary grades the "jean jacket" was coming back in style. My parents wore those when they were teens and I had a hard time believing them. Then a few years later, the "bell bottom" came back. Along the way, tie-dye has been in style again. Shoes have changed, too. I remember when I wanted nothing to do with a "dress up" shoe for everyday, but now I like that type of a shoe to wear with jeans, but now they are "casual" and not "dress up." How about another area of fashion is make-up and hair styles. They have come and gone over time. However, now it is a social norm to have a guy wearing some make-up. How do you feel about that? Or a guy in earrings? Tattoos - another subject. Hair length - another subject. Someone predominately dressed in black clothes, does that bother you? You will be amazed if you will just sit down and talk to the type of people you snub your nose at and you will see they have a "heart" and something worthwhile to share. But we can disengage them and lose out on being effective in sharing our faith.
• Engage the Challenges ~ When a person is learning something new, they are going to become frustrated and probably have times they will want to talk themselves out of trying to accomplish the task. My son picked up learning to ride a bike without training wheels really quickly. However, there were times he wanted to have them put back on - even after he had actually learned how. He was challenged to be able to get on the bike and start pedaling all by himself. I was there to encourage and foster his learning. When you look at something different in your culture with eyes that you've never looked at the possibilities before, it will come with challenges. The fun part is, it will also come with victories. Work through the challenges and failures to get to the victories. They will come! Anticipate them!

Keep in mind that "engaging" does not mean that you start practicing the things that you find odd. It means that you will take an active role in learning about your culture so that you can have the most impact you can have in order to succeed in being a follower of Jesus.

I can just imagine there were times which Jesus was not wanting to be with certain people, but He knew that in order to be the most effective, He would embrace them. He engaged the Samaritan culture, which is a great example of doing something He wasn't used to, but He did it anyway!

Now it's your turn...What can you do to effectively engage your culture/subculture?

Maturity: How Does One Measure It?

In my lifetime I have been around a lot of people, as I have moved around quite a bit. I have seen lots of different personalities both young and old. They all have their own level of maturity. Some that are old have their times of acting like a teenager and those that are young act like an older person. Depending on the context this can be good or bad. For the older person to have the vitality of a younger person is good; the younger person to have the rigidness of an older person is bad. However, there is the other side of the coin, in that an older person to throw a fit like a teen would do, is bad. For a younger person to have patience and a level-headed demeanor is good.

What is the most scary is when you have an older person that believes they are mature just because they are older. When they expect, or should I say, demand to be respected because of their age, but their demeanor is very immature.

I have seen this in a couple of areas. One is in the church. The other is in sports. I will comment after you read this week's quote...

Maturity has more to do with what types of experiences you've had and what you've learned from them and less to do with how many birthdays you've celebrated. ~ Unknown

The church has become, in many respects, a "me church" attitude. Whatever the individual wants or deems pertinent should be done. Sometimes when something is done that is not what the person deems important, they start to complain, gossip, or just leave. Much like a child on a playground who didn't get their way with the game that was being played. Examples of this could be the direction a church is taking, leadership, worship issues, teaching styles, or decor issues.

In sports, I've had experiences as a fan, player and as an official. I have seen people who can coach and officiate so much better than the coach or official, or so they think. One of the main issues is with people who have "played" the game so long that they "must" know all the rules. But they have never really opened a rule book and read it front to back. Did you know there is not a rule in baseball/softball that "tie goes to the runner?" However, everyone likes to throw that out there - I still don't know where that came from - maybe the playground?

I remember having to stop a little league baseball game, in a rural town, just to go to my car and retrieve the rule book to show a coach he was in error. It wasn't my choice, I asked him because he didn't believe me on the field. Of course, he was probably twice as old as I was, at that time, as I had just graduated from high school the previous May. Though he was older, he didn't show the patience and maturity to let the game go, instead he wanted to try to prove he was correct. Whether I am a fan, player or official, I have seen people get upset over coach's decisions, player's inability to perform, and an official's "blown" call.

Within the quote are two important phrases to keep in mind. One, experiences will help people mature. Two, learning from those experiences is key. You take the learning out and the experience means nothing. You learn little from the experience. The gain is little. Learn much - the gain is much.

I am challenged in many areas with this quote. Probably one of the greatest challenges for me is handling conflict with my wife. I know a lot, but if I don't apply the things I know, I haven't learned much. So, as I become grayer through the years, if I lack learning, my maturity will just be skin deep.

Now it's your turn. How have you seen this quote played out in yourself? Others?

Being the Baptist Church

I was reading something last week that ended with this quote, “Aren't we all intrigued by Jesus? Ours will always be the role of John the Baptist; we must decrease that he might increase. This is intrigue in the greatest of mysteries!”

As I was reading the end of the article the middle part of the quote stood out “Ours will always be the role of John the Baptist.” Do you see how we are to be the “Baptist” church, yet? Read on…

John the Baptist was to prepare the way. His job was to go before and get the people ready for something in the future. The Baptist was to prepare the way of Jesus, before He came onto the scene.

Many people today have not made the commitment to follow Jesus. Several do not even know that they need Jesus. It is our job to get them ready to make that commitment. We are to “prepare the way.”

What an awesome privilege and opportunity! You see, we don’t know when a particular person will want to make their commitment to be a part of Christ’s church, but neither did, in essence, John the Baptist know when Jesus would make his mark on this world.

Jesus could have started his ministry at any given point in his life after His message was “prepared” by John the Baptist. Interestingly, the starting of Jesus’ ministry was shortly after John started to “prepare the way.”

As John the Baptist had a plan to prepare the people for the coming of Jesus, into their life, so we, too, are in part of God’s plan to prepare people for the coming of Jesus into their life. The question is, how are you going to prepare people for the greatest thing that ever happened to them? How are you going to live out and impress upon them that this is the greatest thing that ever could have and will happen to them?

Being a Family, “Man” Style

Sunday, I had the chance to hear instead of speak.  It doesn’t happen very often due to my profession being a minister.  

The guest speaker spoke on “family”.  This is a subject that I really think is an incentive for people who are looking for Jesus.  However, relationships are what women tend to be wanting to be involved in.  Think about it, relationships involve closeness, talking, sharing of feelings, and that is pretty much the opposite of what men are attracted to, especially those who are not WANTING church.

Are you one of those guys or is your significant other one of those guys?  A church offers “small groups” and that is, again, the opposite of what you are looking for in church.  That is about “talking” or “getting close”.  The males reading this, specifically those from 14-50 (give or take) may not care about those issues that involve “being a family”.  These types of guys are generally looking to be “islands”.  They are willing to help out on projects, but do not want to be involved in ongoing “getting to know each other” activities. Men tend to want to act like ostriches by burying our head in the sand and not talking about issues.

The problem is, we all have issues.  The other problem is that we are not cut out to handle all the issues that life hands us.  Whether we like it or not, as men, we want help, but are too prideful to ask for it.

We may not need “friends” but we men want other men to grunt with, share beverages with, high-five, exchange “did you see that [dunk…catch…flip…crash…etc.]”, or complain to.
Sometime, somewhere, life is going to hand us, men, a blow that is too big to handle.  Death, disease, bankruptcy, infidelity, addiction, etc. What do you do?  That is where you need someone to turn to.  Have trust issues?  The “family” may be the only people you can trust…family are those that do not turn their backs on you.

Family isn’t about talking, but about having those who you can be masculine around and still know that they have your back.

“Family” may not be the best “manly” word.  Brotherhood, team, fraternity, or lodge may seem more “manly”.  However, it is all the same, in essence.

What the church offers has all the components of those other “manly” words, but they do not offer the opportunity for heaven.

Sometime, somewhere you, as a man, are going to be interested in what “family” can do for you…I will be waiting for that time to show you how “manly” Christianity can be!

Prayer: For Such a Time as This - NDOP 2010

When is a good time for prayer? Always.  The question could be twisted up a bit to ask "When isn't a good time for prayer?"  Prayer is needed all the time.  That prayer could be of praise, thanksgiving, or petition.  One or more of those could be said at any given time.  It doesn't matter if it is about your life, job, health, or family.  Something good is happening.  Something to be thankful for is happening. Something needed is happening.

On Thursday, May 6th many people around the country will take part in the observance of the National Day of Prayer.  This years theme is "For Such a Time as This" and the scripture that is being used is from Nahum 1:7, "The LORD is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in Him". 

Locally, the Thomas County Ministerial Association will hold their annual observance on the lawn of the Thomas County Courthouse, from 12:15-12:45.  We are trying to respect people's time and, at the same time, would like to have as many people as possible take part in this activity.

The National Day of Prayer Task Force has set up seven areas to be praying about seven days a week: 1) government, 2) military, 3) media, 4) business, 5) education, 6) church, and 7) family.  These areas pretty much sum up the areas most would think about that needs to be prayed over.

Our government is always in need of prayer.  Democrat or Republican, it doesn't matter who the person in office is, they need prayers.  Local or national, each section of the government has to make decisions that impact all of us, in one way or another.  Pray for those in office.

Our military is in danger somewhere at all times.  Right now we may focus on the Middle East, but something could happen right here in our own country.  You may have family or friends in the military that are serving short or long commitments.  As I am reminded of our country's freedom, I not only appreciate those who serve, but want to pray for them as well.

The media does a lot to make sure that the news is covered.  It is not the easiest to keep people informed.  The media does a lot to cover local and national news.  Plus, there are a lot of people that work behind the scenes to help make the news, in any form, get to you. 

Economy.  Such a buzzword these days.  The economy has taken a plunge and is trying to grasp at about anything to get back up.  One positive point is that agriculture hasn't been too affected by this downturn.  That is good news for us who live in an agricultural area.  However, businesses themselves can come in and leave if we aren't able to support them.  Let's try to support local when we can. This will help our own economy.

Kansas is not in great shape in its education arena. Some of the reason has to do with the business and economy part of the state.  Locally, it has been hit hard. Loss of state aid has caused a loss of jobs and a loss of transportation within our school system.  Trying to grasp at various areas of which to save, many districts have cut raises, as well.  This also has had an effect on the retired educators as well.  Our local schools and administrators are needing your prayers on a constant basis to be able to have a quality education for our youth.

Churches are struggling as well. The smaller the church, the more difficult is it.  Whether it is from an economic standpoint or a spiritual one, there is always an obstacle. Pray for your church, its leaders, and its mission.

Family has changed over the years.  Unfortunately, the busier people get, the more difficult it becomes on their marriages and family.  Hence, I believe, it takes even more work than it used to take to have a good marriage and a strong family.  Kids are busy so evening meals are seldom.  Parents are working odd hours, so their not home with their kids.  Even when the family is at home, are they doing much together in quality time or are media devices (TV, cell phone, computer) taking precedence?  Let's pray that a new trend will emerge where family time is a priority.

Be praying.  Are you in a "time of trouble"? Be praying.  Keep these areas in mind as you look to be taking praises and petitions to God over the next year because "such a time as this" that we need prayer!

Stifled

Wouldn't it be great to be free?

Near our house is a dog that is tied up.  He is a good-sized dog that would be able to run a lot, if given the opportunity.  Instead, he is tied up on this cable and has about a 24 foot circle to run around in.  He has all the freedom he wants inside of that circle.  He can jump.  He can roll around.  He can run - in circles.  He can lay in his "house".  He can eat and drink.  So much to do in so little of a space.  He would probably be ecstatic to be freed from that circle.

I cannot imagine being confined to living in a circle. However, oftentimes I feel that way.  I think that many people feel that way.  Maybe it is in their family, at school, at work, or in the church.  You can do anything you want, but you cannot go outside of this circle - for one the cable will make sure you stay within. I feel sorry for that dog.  I think "If you want a dog, why make them stay in that small of a space?"

A word that is describes this type of living is "stifled".  It is not an unfamiliar word, but I thought I would look it up for the meaning of the base word, stifle...here it is...

1 a : to kill by depriving of oxygen : suffocate b (1) : smother (2) : muffle
2 a : to cut off (as the voice or breath) b : to withhold from circulation or expression : repress <stifled our anger> c : deter, discourage intransitive verb :: smother <stifling in the heat> to become suffocated by or as if by lack of oxygen

When one is not permitted to be outside of a circle they start off by feeling stifled.  They are having their figurative oxygen taken away.  They are feeling suffocated.  They cannot breathe.  If not given any air, one will either search for air elsewhere, die, or be given air where they are at.

We have "teams" but, from my perspective, if you want to do something that doesn't require monies or help from these groups, get it going!  Don't be so independent that it is kept from the church, but if you want to have a youth event, it doesn't have to be discussed in the Education & Youth meeting.  If you want to use your talents to organize a picnic, no need to go through Member Care & Activity.

The Teams are meant to keep us organized, not prevent us from doing things.  In other words, if you have something on your heart that you want to do for God...DO IT!  Why wait for a meeting...time may be ticking for your "harvest"...get in the fields and, possibly, bring others with you!

If you are feeling suffocated, discouraged, deterred...you need to get off of the leash and do things for Him!  Many references encourage us to use our talents...Romans 12, I Corinthians 12, I Peter 4:10-11 - among others.  Remember that use of talents shouldn't be reserved for our meeting times.  I use probably less than 10% of my talents when we're meeting. 

Wouldn't it be great to be free? YOU CAN...YOU ARE!!!

Some Knowledge Comes Best From Experience

How many of you know what happens within the walls, on any given Sunday, within the Church of Christ?  How about the Presbyterian Church?  The College View Baptist Church? Do you know what happens during the Lenten Brown Bag & Bible?

My point is not to endorse, nor leave out, any of the churches in the city or anywhere else.  I am simply introducing the fact that we often do not know much other church denominations.  However, we may be forming opinions about them without actually ever experiencing them.  I write this from experience and if I have had this experience, I presume others have too.  Even if you have experienced more than one place of worship, you may have formed an opinion about a place you haven't attended.

I grew up going to the same church denomination my whole life.  Occasionally, as a child I have stepped foot in other church buildings for special events (weddings, funerals, VBS, etc.).  However, I didn't go to those buildings for a "worship" time. 

I am not suggesting that one should go from church building to church building, nor to leave where they are attending.  I am wanting people to realize that sometimes what happens behind a building's closed doors may not actually be that much different than what you're used to doing in your church building.

As mentioned previously, I grew up going to the same denomination.  I was told things about other churches that caused me to form an opinion about them.  This limited what I knew to other people's opinion (most of which didn't really know much about the group they were advising me on). 

So, when it came to being a part of a ministerial group, I was hesitant, stemming from the lack of experiences I had while growing up, even into my twenties.  I had just formed opinions based on what I was told or from looking at churches from the outside.  But something happened whenever I became a part of a ministerial group, I started seeing people from other churches a bit differently.  I became close enough to ask questions about their faith and getting their answers, rather than going off of what I was told or presumed.  Even if I didn't theologically agree, I would know firsthand.  I have even took the opportunity to step foot in the buildings of other churches to see what they looked like.  I have had the opportunity to experience a few church's worship styles based on the opportunities to join in with them for special worship events (Thanksgiving, July 4th, etc.).  This allowed me to see what they were really like.

The Church of Christ, where I attend, has something significantly different in our worship settings than most all other churches in Colby.  Maybe you know about that significant difference; maybe you don't.  It is the fact that we traditionally sing without instruments.  If you've never experienced what this is like, you may be surprised.  Don't presume it is uninteresting based on face value.

I have made the mistake of judging what other churches did or believed based on an opinion that didn't come from firsthand knowledge. I have found that opinions should be formed after one experiences something for themselves.  Whether that opinion is about a religious organization or a person, don't "judge a book by its cover".  Check things out for yourself and then decide.





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Simplifying Worship

Most people come on Sunday morning to a religious facility to what has been deemed as the "worship service".  You will come expecting what is normally done: announcements, a few songs, a few prayers, communion, and a message.  However, what would happen if any or most of those things were absent?  Would you have "worshiped"?  Do you feel you must include all the normal things to indicate that you actually did "worship" while you were at a "worship service"?


A few years ago, Matt Redman wrote a song called the "Heart of Worship".  It came after he, a worship leader, decided to strip down the worship time to not include any songs.  Out of that a song came and here are some of the words from the song...

When the music fades, all is stripped away, and I simply come
Longing just to bring something that’s of worth that will bless your heart…
I’m coming back to the heart of worship, and it’s all about You, Jesus

What would happen or how would you react if we did not have any songs the whole morning?  Would we have "worshiped" together?  Or is singing so much of our service that we would feel as if we didn't connect with God if we didn't sing one song?  I think we tend to forget that song is not needed to worship (aka "kiss toward the hand", Greek proskuneo).  It is our heart that is needed to come close to God.  To humble ourself to try to connect/commune with Him.  If your heart is not in it, then it is far from God. 


Some may know that worship is also a part of our daily lives, which is where we get the word "service" (Greek latreuo).  This is a lifestyle, not a certain act of worship (see Romans 12:1-2).  This is not about song, nor is thought about in a "church" setting.


So, are you able to still come to Him even if the music was stripped way?  After all, it isn't about what songs are or are not picked, but about glorifying and lifting up the name of our Savior.  That is what worship is all about - honoring the Godhead, appreciating them, communing with them.  Allow yourself to set aside the songs and put your heart toward God, prostrating yourself (even figuratively) toward Him.


Let's not complicate worship and simplify it by seeing what it is really all about, which is not us.  "It's all about you, Jesus!"





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Sudden Service

When I've taken my vehicle to get it serviced, typically an oil change, I pull up, get out, and go into the store or the garage bay letting them know what I'd like to have done to my car. This is probably the typical way that you are treated. Maybe, if the employees are having a slow period, they may come out and ask you how they can help you.

However, imagine pulling into a place like that and having the employees running out to greet you? Not walking fast or jogging, but running! No more having to get out of your car and hope or wait to be greeted. Wouldn't that give you a favorable impression? Wouldn't you probably come back?

That is exactly what happens with a service center place called Les Schwab Tires, typically located in the northwest part of the nation. The following is something that comes directly from their website, they call it "Sudden Service"...

SUDDEN SERVICE
You come in, we come running. We’re proud to offer fast, friendly service. We hand torque your lug nuts and wash your tires and wheels. Plus, we provide mobile service trucks when you can’t make it to our stores.
At Les Schwab, "We Guarantee our Service, Like we Guarantee our Tires."
(emphasis mine)

I wish I could take my vehicle to this place just to see what this kind of service is like, wouldn't you?

What if we turned this around to a church setting? If you were visiting a church and received an out-of-the-box genuine greeting, wouldn't it make a favorable impression on you? You would probably think that you would like to come back again.

Imagine the impression that it would give to a visitor for our greeters to go to them, as they were coming in the door. Or, if it was raining to walk out with an umbrella? How about, for our own people, if our greeters went that extra step for us, how would that help our attitude as we came to class/assembly?

Let's continue it on by thinking about the impression we can give to introduce ourselves to a visitor, to possibly sit by them, and/or to even offer to take them out to eat. I can just imagine the impact we would make on someone who came through our doors, into an already foreign environment, and was genuinely lavished with hospitality.

What other things might we be able to do to cause that first impression to be "what an awesome place to be!"?

Let's become a distinct church! Let's do "Sudden Service"!

Why Our Differences Tend to Keep Us Separate

You can talk to some people about all kinds of things, but if you bring up the subject of religion, the conversation slows down or comes to a screeching halt. I don’t know why this idea came to me to write about, as I am not attempting to prove if one church group is right and another is wrong. However, when the idea did come, I thought it may develop into something interesting.

I have been in ministry a relatively short amount of time, entering my ninth year. At my first ministry position, I was not involved in the local Ministerial Alliance. I found a few ways to make my way into the community, but I kept hearing other minister’s names be mentioned with their involvement. Each one of them was a part of the Alliance. I was seeing a degree of value regarding involvement in the Alliance.

At my second ministry position I did get involved with the local Ministerial Alliance. I thoroughly enjoyed the involvement. It allowed me to be more a part of the community. It allowed our church to be visible in the community. So, when I moved here, it was natural for me to be involved with the Alliance, along with other groups.

I say all that to arrive here. Almost all of my growing up, my family or church tended to not be involved with other church denominations. You may have similar experiences during your years of growing up, in the church you attend. You may have grown up knowing about spiritual and pastoral debates, trying to prove who has the handle on a scriptural topic or doctrine. Did any type of unity develop from that or just a greater knowledge of what makes you different?

Somewhere in your church’s history a dividing line was created to cause your church’s name to be put on your building, which differentiates you from the church “down the street”. To some on the extreme side of the spectrum, that means that one cannot fellowship with one who believes any differently. Possibly worse than that is when a church has split and now the groups are “mad” so they can’t talk to each other.

Whatever the reason for the differentiating mark, does that mean we have to be like the Montagues and Capulets when it comes to a spiritual relationship? We might be able to pool our money to share seats at a sporting event, while cheering on the same team, but if it comes to pooling our money for a spiritual event, put on the brakes!

What is the advantage of trying to stay on opposite lines when it comes to working together toward a common goal? One thing I’ve learned, being in the Ministerial Alliance, is that even when you may not agree on every theological point, you can still accomplish some great things! The Alliance is not about a “show-and-tell” of who’s right. We are about collaborating together, in the realm of faith, to bring Christ to the forefront.

The Montagues and the Capulets were bitter rivals. Imagine what might have been accomplished if they would have been able to work together? When we act in this manner, we are creating a “civil war” of sorts. You may have deep beliefs concerning your stance on certain theological issues. I don’t mind if you do. I also hope that you would not let those issues be something that keeps you from being involved with efforts of the churches in our community. After all, bitter rivals put out a lot of effort trying to avoid one another, where nothing gets accomplished. Why not approach the difference in a way that understands there are differences, but greater things can be accomplished working together rather than working against each other.

In November, the Thomas County Ministerial Alliance is hosting a Thanksgiving Service at Frahm Theater. I think this will be an awesome time to come together, expressing our thanks to our Creator. We don’t have to worry about who goes to what church. We have one thing in common, Jesus. Our focus that evening is about being thankful to Jesus.

I still do not know why we tend to be able to talk about so many things except religion. I am learning to talk about it easier with folks that I know differ and not having it come to a halt or move into a debate. I am not right on every point or interpretation of every Bible passage, so that causes me to listen more and talk less.

The concept of not being so separate may be a step for you. You aren’t going to cross the bridge without taking one step at a time. Eventually, you’ll make it over. Eventually, it will become more comfortable. Maybe, eventually, we’ll all be able to live together, talk together, and work together, keeping Jesus in the middle. All the while, letting any concept of “right” be something you reserve for appropriate settings and not allow it to keep us from working together or from being civil to one another. We’ll all find out, one day, who was “right” and who wasn’t. For now, let’s focus on what we have in common, Jesus, and allow that to help us work together, rather than letting differences separate.

Being Creative

Creativity may not be a word you would normally associate with church settings, aside from children's ministry or Vacation Bible School. Creativity usually doing something that you are not accustomed to doing. It brings about new things. New things bring about uncomfortable feelings. Uncomfortable feelings bring about apprehension. Apprehension decreases speed of an idea or project. Decreased or halted speed brings about nothing getting done. So, we're back around to not being creative.

Creativity is also a difficulty when we aren't clear about what we are to be creative about. Brainstorming sessions around a certain topic are generally better than when it is totally open-ended. For example, "What shall we do next?" is too broad of a spectrum, where you will probably get some "I don't know" answers. Changing it to "Wouldn't it be fun to have a fall, outdoor, get-together? What kinds of activities could we do?"

I enjoy creativity. I enjoy being creative. I enjoy variety.

When I sent texts, with audio, to the teens for Bible Class, I would do a few things that may catch them off guard or give them a riddle-like hint as to what we would be studying that night. Just something to be creative.

I would like to see what types of creative ideas we can spur up concerning our assembly. This falls back on to the shoulders of the song leaders and me, mostly. What can we do to eliminate any "ho-hum" environments? How can we create a "if I missed today, I'd really be missing something" environments? However, though we may be incorporating it, don't leave the "getting the ideas" part up to us. If you have an idea, let it be known. Part of creativity is not relying just on your own ideas...but on the ideas of others.

Another area that is always up for the creative challenge is in the area of outreach. What unconventional things can we be doing to get people to know Jesus? Conventional methods are not out of the spectrum for ideas. Also, tweaking those conventional ideas could be something to consider. Sometimes it may be a "shock" factor that causes people to say "Wow, I never thought about doing that as a church". People are attracted at different times in their life and for different reasons. Creativity is necessary to "catch fish".

Creativity brings about new life in people. New life brings about energy. Energy produces movement. Movement produces results.

If you dig your heals into creativity then you are guaranteed not to make it to results. If you get on board with things, then you have a much greater possibility of seeing results.

Whether it is in the area of the assembly, outreach, education, or some other avenue, creativity that is couched around a clear direction is bound to have some neat results!

Let's be creative!!!

Different is Often Perceived as Better

During any given year, you will see a number of items that are being sold on TV. The may later get to the stores to sell, but they make their debuts on television. Some seem really quirky: Chia Pets, Topsy-Turvy, Shoes Under, Bump-it, Pedi-egg, Touch-n-Brush, & Wizzit.

Have you purchased any of these? Why? They probably caught your attention. You may have been won over by the commercials and 'seeing' their results. You may have thought 'now is the time I need one of those'. Regardless of the reason, you are not alone, as millions of people have bought these and other similar products for years. The real question is did it work for you? Did it work for everyone who bought it? Did you use it to its capacity or did it end up taking up space or going to a garage sale pile?

Have you ever wondered why foreign films get such high awards? They usually don't have anywhere close to the visual imagery that our films tend to have, with all the action/adventure, etc. Roger Ebert was asked a similar question, here was his response..."how many movies are you normally seeing in any given week?" Most of us would answer the same as the person he was addressing, "One". "Don't you see? That's your problem," Ebert responded. "Many of the people in this profession are seeing one or two movies a day. Those little, offbeat, quirky, odd foreign or independent films capture our attention because they are a bit different! When you are overwhelmed with such boring similarity, you begin to perceive that different is better!"

Distinction and being distinguished allows one to stand out. Understand there are good and bad ways of doing that. What I want the church to think about is the idea of being different, distinct, distinguished, while being attractive. Like I said a week ago, we are not to appear 'cooky' or 'holy roller', but to appear approachable, fun, and passionate about our faith. To make everything fit in our faith-bucket, instead of trying to make our faith fit into everything.

Individually, we can make a big difference. Collectively, we must think about being different by doing things that are out-of-the-box. They can be service opportunities. They can be buying shirts with our church name on them (and wearing them). They can be visiting visitors when they came by. They can be putting on city-wide events. They can be a number of things.

Just as the "As seen on TV" products are different, so they appear better, let's see what God opens up for us with ideas and opportunities that may be different, but different is often perceived as better!

Change is a Must

Why is it that the "top" songs on any chart changes? Why is it that Toyota is no longer using "Oh, what a feeling, Toyota"? Why does Pepsi have a new logo every few years?

The answer...change. Change is a must. Without change, we get bored. I remember being a bit bored a few weeks into my summer vacations, as a kid. Why? Because it was the same thing each day...get up, play, maybe go swimming, etc. Doing that for days on end for a few weeks, I started to get bored. Go on a trip...no longer bored. Why? Because it took away from the norm...it was change. But live out of a suitcase, that is boring.

Change is something the religious community has had a hard time dealing with over the years. We want to hold on to different things that we hardly ever change. Those that have gone through changes usually see positive results - not just numerically.

One important concept about the introduction is that if customers weren't given any change, their sales would drop. We can apply that to the church a bit to say that if change is not made our "sales" will drop. Our sales are obviously different than a business. However, what we are all about will distinguish us from other churches. Sometimes what traditionally separates us is not going to be good enough to draw people in (or keep them). We may feel passionate about them, but that doesn't make someone else feel passionate.

Think about the person who developed the Pepsi logo of the 80's. I bet they were proud of that, as their art was displayed to billions of people. But what happened when Pepsi decided there needed to be a change in the logo? Did that person lose their passion or agree there was a need for change for the sake of attraction?

With the change in the logo, did the contents change? No, just the container. Our contents are not going to change, but our container may need to change. In other words, we have to be open to something that may "look" different, but in actuality, the contents are still the same. Our passions shouldn't change, but the superficial part changes.

There is always the argument about a younger generation leaving the church. This isn't just in our brotherhood, it is all around. Part of the reason that we're losing so many is that they are stifled. They are not able to adopt the procedures/traditions of the church of years past. Quite frankly, I'm not either. I am an "adapt with the times" person, even when it is difficult. You may not understand all the "techy" stuff kids are doing (and it isn't just kids). You may not understand their music. You may not understand their style of dress (not speaking of anything immodest). However, things have changed, and if we, as a church, are not willing to adapt to the times, we are in a slow decline...like boiling a bullfrog, it slowly dies.

Tradition of the Sabbath was not to work. Pharisees said it was a sin to pick grain (among other things) when Jesus and His disciples did anything of the sort. Sabbath was the content. Jesus wasn't changing the content. Jesus would still rest...but the men needed to eat.

Let's not consider the traditions and the superficial as unchangeable. Let's be praying that, individually, we will be open to change so that, for one, we can be more attractive in our approach to customers.

If we are going to be the church of the 1st century, we'll look like a church from antiquity. If we are going to be the church of the 1960's, we'll look outdated. We are to be the church that becomes "like all men, so as to save some". That type of a church would now be a 21st century church. Let's be the church of the 21st century!

What will you do to help us get there?

Thinking Like a Customer

Anytime you get to be on the other side of a situation, you gain an experience that is priceless. You get to see things from a different perspective.

Take for instance, baseball. I participated in baseball most of my young life. It is my favorite sport. It may be slow to some, and to me, sometimes. However, it still remains my favorite. When I was 16, the small town I lived in didn't have enough players to form a team. So, I took up something I had never done before...umpiring. I thought it would be a piece of cake. These are the "tiny" leagues. Not just little league. These were small town kids, who were probably not that talented, due to the fact they were so young.

It may be true that they were not that talented, but the seriousness of the game wasn't little. This town didn't have the extremely bad parents, etc., however, seriousness was evident. Little Johnny or Susie was just as important to Mom & Dad as a Major League Baseball player was to most fans. Call a close play wrong, and you generally "heard about it". Don't call the close strike, and the murmurs behind home plate were far from whispered about.

What is this all about? It is just a game, no World Series. Though the tension and attitudes worsened as you moved up the league level, it all taught me a valuable lesson, that I learned to look forward to (believe it or not).

Like that story, things look different on the other side of the line. As you come into your church building, you are quite familiar with the good and the bad part of things. You know the people, the schedule, and everything else. However, when you go somewhere else - as a visitor - you do not know all the things about that church (building or people).

Do you know that uncomfortable feeling to go into an unfamiliar place? Keep in mind any visitor that comes our way has that same feeling on any given morning. Our greeters are in place to play a part in welcoming our guests, but we all have that responsibility. When you have visited a place, be it a church or a retail store, how could someone have made it more comfortable for you?

Part of what makes people come back is their "customer service experience". How they are treated will make or break the chances to have them return. Make it enjoyable for people. Be hospitable. Be courteous. Be lively. Be smiley. Be Christ.

Think like a customer, then treat our guests the way you'd want to be treated.

Basis of Our Efforts

What would it take to cause us to grow or attract people? I'd really like to know, if you have any ideas.

Too often the answer to that question is broad...very broad. Also, we may look at Church A and see what they are doing and their success, and want to try what they are doing. This is the model approach instead of the principle approach. This isn't the best option because you cannot replicate everything about what they're doing. As Scott McKain says, are "my efforts...based upon what my competitor is doing, not what my customers desire"?

He writes from a business perspective, however, points like this make it easy to transfer the situation over to a church setting. Understand, since it is from a business perspective, the "competitor" is other churches and the "customers" are those we are trying to reach.

We must be willing to stand out, in a good way. Stand out to show that church doesn't have to always appear the same. Or our demeanor doesn't have to appear "churchy" but real. Or our "customer service experience" can be very personable and down-to-earth.

As times change, so will the appearance of everything we do. We use computers with colored backgrounds for our bulletin instead of a typewriter. We use songs that make us "feel" different than songs of yesteryear. We use multimedia to help people learn, instead of nothing or slides. We are to be free to demonstrate our personal choice of praising God instead of scowled at for doing something different. As our young people shift into adults, they will create a change, across the board, that is unlike anything ever seen before. All of these things are still "scriptural", though different.

So, how do we attract people? We make it comfortable for our "customers". We do things that will make them want to come back. That is a very broad statement, but we must find a way to all be involved in making that come about, here. Think about what makes you return to certain places...those are concepts/principles we must apply. Those same "reasons for return" will cause people to come back to see us, too. Think about it...it's really elementary!

What will be base our efforts on...competitors or customers? Our direction will be reflected from your answer.

Things Are Always Advancing

As I have a child, we go to McDonald's on a regular basis. The "Happy Meal" is geared to have food servings for kids. Inside each of these meals is a toy/prize. These prizes are continually rotating, weekly for ten or so weeks at a time, then another line of toys will come. On the bottom of the cardboard Happy Meal containers it will tell you what is "coming next". I am getting accustomed to looking at the bottom of the container to see what's next.

Though there may be some groups of toys that I am not that keen on, I know they will be rotating (after all, the toy isn't for me anyway). That is a good marketing strategy, to be coming up with something new on a continual basis.

That is the business world, but since we are always consumers, that is our world. Which means, that is our culture and what our church exists in. As people are consumer minded, the church must also adapt to the times. If businesses do not change, people will get bored and go elsewhere. It doesn't have to be a complete transformation or remodel, but a change. If it is too drastic, people may not recognize the business and its goals. This can be the opposite side of the spectrum of change.

Take, for instance, the Happy Meal. The same three options are included in the Meal - hamburger, cheeseburger, or 4-piece McNuggets. Now, a more healthier approach is given to other options, apples instead of fries or milk instead of a soft drink. Depending on how you combine these options, the basic meal stays the same. The difference is the toy inside. It changes weekly.

This is a minor example of change. But it is a major argument for the need for continual change. As a church, what has changed lately? Past 6 months? Past year?

When it comes to thinking about change, we must do it. At least change something. If not, people get bored, complacent, and lethargic. That is the people in our congregation. So if we're feeling those feelings, why would someone come in and join us?

We must be changing. May not be our environment, but be different. We can't be model-followers, and do just what a "competitor" is doing. We have to be unique in action, not just in principle.

What can we do to be different? Let's brainstorm. That is something the teams can be trying to work on. Try not to think of something safe, but something "out of the box". People are attracted to more of "I never thought a church would do that" kind of things. How can we open our doors to others? Know anyone who needs a meeting spot? We're open for that! Let's see what we can do to cause people to "look under the box" to see what's happening next!

We're having an ice cream night, take time to invite someone! Maybe they are someone who makes great ice cream and you could even ask them to make their "famous" ice cream, who knows.

Things are always changing...let's not be left behind!

Can People Tell the Difference?

I just completed the book “The Collapse of Distinction” by Scott McKain. It was a business book that had so many applications to church-related areas, specifically outreach.

The following quote comes out of the book…“Can people tell the difference between you and your competition?” What is your answer to that? How are people supposed to tell the difference? Because this is a business book, the word “competition” will be what we would think of as “other churches”.

As I ask this question, I am not just asking about people in the other churches. I am not focusing on those that already go somewhere. I am looking at it from the standpoint of a “consumer”, those that drive by our building, read about us, or hear about us who are not currently involved with any religious group.

These “differences” are not just superficial like color scheme, slogans, building style, etc. But think about, why you choose your insurance agent over another? Why do you buy tires at one place over the others? Why do you prefer Starbuck’s over other coffee places? What makes it different?

If we’re not different, we’re not going to exist.

We may exist by having an address, but our life will be non-existent. We, all of us, have to be willing to make something seem unique and different. I am not simply referencing the fact that we sing acappella, take the Lord’s Supper every week, or “have the truth” (as we like to claim).

There has to be more than those areas that make us distinct, in a positive way, from “our competition”. Be thinking and praying how you can be a catalyst in making us distinct!

Religion: Not Just an Instution

Times have changed over the past few decades, specifically with religion. I originally was going to have the title say that religion was not an institution. However, after looking up Webster’s definition, I found that one meaning was couched around being institutional.

I am alive in a religious time which is exciting for me. I have been affiliated with the Church of Christ all of my life. Throughout my life at home, my view of “church” were the practices we did on Sundays and Wednesdays. A typical Sunday morning would look like this: go to Bible class, and then sit in the auditorium for about an hour while listening to songs, listening to prayers, watching people take the Lord’s Supper, listening to the preacher talk over my head, and then going home. We would come back on Sunday night to sing some more songs, hear another sermon, and go home. A typical Wednesday was going to Bible class and then everyone coming together for the last few minutes to sing a few songs.

Your story may differ a bit depending on your experience. However, the institutionalized part of religion is a turn off to many. It is for me, too. Religion is not about a “check off list”. Religion is not “church”, though the church is religious. I have refocused my view of religion. It is not an institutionalized view, but rather an exciting opportunity to team up with my Creator, every day. Everywhere I go, every person I meet, and every action I take should reflect the appreciation for my salvation and wanting others to be a part of that as well. I am not trying to attract someone to “church”, the institutionalized part of religion. However, I am trying to attract someone to a challenging and rewarding way of life.

For those who have made religion institutionalized, that is a huge mistake. It has led so many people down a dreary and exhausting path. It takes all the joy out of it. The little bit of time you spend in a building on a Sunday is not geared to give you “brownie points” to God. In fact, the Bible speaks against the institutionalized part of religion. Jesus came to show that it wasn’t simply offering sacrifices because God wanted their hearts more than sacrifices. So, getting together on Sunday should be about revving you up and getting you ready for the week as you go back out into a world that is spiritually dark.

One of my goals, as a minister, is to show people that religion and Christianity is joyous rather than institutional. I have been “institutional” too much in my life and it did not bode well for my faith. Experiencing the uplift that comes from teaming up with God has allowed my faith to become stronger.

Remember, that God wants you, not just your presence in a church building. God wants you, not just your money in a plate. God wants you, not your hypocritical actions.

I go through days where I am guilty of all three of these. I am constantly working to give me to Him, so I don’t revert back to making religion an institution.