The Invisible Church Split - Part II

I previously introduced the idea that the church has a large division between the young and the old. Today I want to explore some of the issues this causes on both a small and large scale. Check out Part I for more background info!

 imagecred: richardwintle via AventuresInWonderland

Locally

This is extremely difficult to nail down simply because it begins so subtly. I have a hard time deciding what I think is healthy and what is unhealthy. However, when the young don't honor the old and the old don't teach the young, both groups suffer. 

Untaught young Christians grow into weak old Christians. This causes the local church to flounder in areas of Biblical literacy, evangelism and seeking righteousness. "Old Christians" (wherever the divide may fall in any particular body) who don't experience the process of bringing others along in their walk, begin to lack understanding for those in a less mature stage of their walk. This can lead to criticism of those with struggles inside the church (and possible denial of their own) as well as eventually causing an apathy for the unsaved.

I think this also circles back around. When the elders in the church don't have compassion for the lost in sin, young people begin to polarize. You either have to be a "church person" and separate themselves from the world completely or choose to be in it. I see so many teens and young adults fall into sinful lifestyles partly because they've been told they can't be around "those kinds of people" or "those kinds of activities". They feel shame around Christians because they've been told they're guilty of sin if they break their fathers extra-Biblical commandments. 

Regionallly

Regional areas and countries fall into their own bad habits. Though we most likely all struggle with very similar things, certain cultural aspects have an effect on a divided church. One of the major ones in the US is the death of old congregations and the emergence of churches heavily weighted in numbers of young people. Many of these churches are planted and then dwindle withing a few years because of the lack of elderly wisdom. Because of the importance of social classes, in the UK there are large churches in prominent areas struggling with being superficial and lukewarm. No one wants to man up and cross lines that would make them uncomfortable. 

Globally

Internationally, I think there is actually some benefit to this sad problem. While worldwide evangelism and disciple-making see their fair share of neglect, they also get the unhealthy church's "rejects".

For example, my pastor's wife was telling me a tragic story of a missionary she knows losing his wife. As she described him she noted that he's someone people describe as "over the top" (for instance taking his wife and children to spread the gospel in the islamic middle east) but that she felt like he embodied what Jesus described for all believers to look like. 

Similarly, we had a leader who tried to explain to us that since we were so bent on making disciples, we might want to go overseas. He wasn't sure we really fit around here.

While churches all over sit in their abundance and barely acknowledge people and places who need their prayers, efforts and resources, at least they send them the best disciple makers they have (unfortunately, to it's own detriment).

What kind of issues to you find affecting your local/regional church? What other consequences do you see that I didn't hit here?

Comment/Email your answer!

I Am A Whore I Do Confess (Games Optional)

Yesterday I was thinking about situations within the congregation in which I serve. I was thinking about how many people have betrayed or degraded me when all I'm trying to do is tell people about Jesus and glorify God. They don't understand how much I care for the Church. They don't understand that all I want is Jesus and all I want for their kids is Jesus. That's why I do what I do...The thought popped into my head something like this:

"I'm tired of fighting for people who just keep taking from me." And right at that moment, Jesus reminded me (once again) that that is exactly what He did for me, through torture and to death. I, given the choice, am a traitor, a denier and a failure, and knowing that, He died for me. It brings a whole new meaning to "while we were yet sinners Christ died for us" and the second half of "forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors."

So, every week I spend hours praying, studying and teaching for students, most of whose parents and fellow church-goers would trade us in (if they haven't tried already) for a less-pierced middle-aged couple who will play lots of games and acquire a budget from the board to bring in huge bands and conferences. I'm sure I don't need to tell you, of course, how all of this would have minimal, if any, eternal value and that God's Word and His redemption require no make-over.

He is glorious. (on His own)
He is good. (and sovereign)
And He is willing, that none should perish; even us adulterous people whom he constantly has to remind that He has bought with His life.

Go into all the world and preach the good news, making disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son and Holy Spirit.
(games, pretty logos, etc optional)

Mondays With Margaret

Among the blogs I read, I see a lot of Day of the Week themed blogs...so being that it's Monday and I was perusing Margaret Feinberg's site, I decided to join the trend. Here goes!

I recently stumbled upon the word, Nonversation, meaning “the communication between two men”. I chuckled when read the definition, but realized that nonversations aren’t limited by gender. I have a lot of nonversations in my own life.
Nonversations happen when we talk about everything except the real issue we need to discuss.
Nonversations happen when we allow the weather, daily headlines, and the topics we discuss to circle around us and never really touch who or where we really are.
Nonversations happen when we don’t take time to develop insightful questions that pull, tug, and play.
Nonversations can easily become part of lives as we learn to talk about many things without really talking about anything at all. While not every conversation needs to be deep, meaningful, or challenging, I know that I can be more intentional about my words and what I communicate–discussing things that are both meaningful and delightful.

-From Margaret Feinberg's blog

I just returned from Haiti yesterday. Reading this I immediately felt like I had an outside perspective on nonversations. I know a week and a half away doesn't exactly make me an outsider, but I noticed nonversations as soon as I got home. Immediately after claiming our baggage, somebody asked about our t-shirts. As Nic explained what we'd been doing in Haiti, it became obvious that they were also Christians. Instead of talking seriously about God's magnificent doings though, we proceeded through a question and answer version of small talk. Instead of interjecting the things they probably needed to hear to take the mission field at home and abroad seriously, I spewed fluff. I stood there, anxious to get home, and wondered "what is the point of this conversation?"

I have never been a fan of nonversations. I have always said I "break" personality quizes because they don't knowhow to describe someone who loves visiting with people but hates small talk. It actually makes me extremely uncomfortable. Nic has to nearly tie me down for me to make it through "greeting time" at church without running away to the bathroom or to get coffee.I would set down with anyone for a cup of coffee so I can see how they truly are and have a real conversation.

In Haiti, it was not unusual for someone to introduce themselves and then outright ask, "Do you love Jesus?" People also frequently told us exactly what they were thinking. They weren't being rude, but any small talk would have been a waste of time. They did talk about less serious things quite frequently. But the point of such things has always been personal relationships. The pastor of the church I attended there has brought 8 Voodoo priests and witch doctors to know the Living God in the last 6 months. Do you think these transformations happened through a serious of nonversations?

I don't think so. And while I don't have an abundance of Voodoo priests in my community, I would venture to say that if we probed deeper into potentially meaningful conversations, we would see those kinds of transformations in our friends and family. If you don't have unsaved friends and family, then stop having nonversations amd get some new friends!

What are pastors for? I'm a little worked up and a lot tired.

Generally speaking, what is the purpose of a pastor? Is it just to deliver sermons? We get the English word pastor from the same root as the word pastoral, relating to the care of sheep and goats. In fact, the first definition of shepherd in my dictionary is not someone who cares for sheep, it's "a clergyman who watches over a group of people." I think it's beautiful and accurate, as the Word uses the same analogy!

So I guess my questions are really more like this: how many Pastors look after a group of people? I mean really look after, including going after lost ones and protecting the babies. Also, how much time do pastors spend truly caring for people? And how much time do they spend simply preparing messages? If you think about it, how much does a sermon or two a week really do in the grand scheme of "looking after" sheep? Does that hour ensure that they are truly fed, a healthy part of the flock and producing baby sheep? And how much are we paying these guys (or gals in some situations)? I truly believe that many pastors are highly educated and very gifted, but are they doing their jobs? I mean really, does the pastoral job description consist of merely preaching and one or two other menial tasks to assure the attendance stays up? Biblical stewardship would require us (with grace) to make sure they're earning their income.

While working through this issue in my own brain, I looked at many New Testament verses. I started by looking at the ministries of Paul and others mentioned in the New Testament; how they exhorted, discipled, taught and seemed to just be among the people while offering practical advice. Then I felt like God was leading me to places I hadn't thought to look.

First of all, what about the ministry of Jesus? Hello! Why didn't I go there to begin with?! Jesus did preach to the masses, but He spent much of His time developing several strong believers, concentrating on a few. When He did preach to large groups, He didn't exactly coddle the audience to protect His attendance numbers. He spoke the Truth, He didn't sugar coat the tough stuff and He definitely wasn't "seeker-friendly". In fact, He said some offensive, culturally challenging and sometimes crazy sounding stuff! But through those eleven men and others who heard and were "looked after", millions have come to know the truth! Why would we attempt to make any other strategy work, namely replacing true discipleship with three points and an alter call?

The second set of scriptures started in Romans 12. Paul is telling the believers in Rome to each glorify and further the Kingdom to the best of their abilities with the specific gifts that God gave them. (v 6,7) Also, 1 Corinthians 12 talks about how the unity of the body requires the uniqueness of each believer. I have concluded this: I don't believe every pastor is necessarily cut out for that position. While they each have specific gifts to offer the body, unless they are comfortable with literal "looking after" as written about in the New Testament, then their gifts might be better used from another area of leadership. Paul was a wonderful teacher and seemed especially gifted in exhortation as well. Not only did he preach when among the churches, but he developed leaders and structure. He also followed up with those churches, as seen in the New Testament letters, to assure that everything was still going well. What's important is that he was using his spiritual gifts with zeal. Even in Acts when a complaint arose on behalf of widows, the disciples recognized that it wouldn't be wise for the best preachers to stop teaching to take care of the distribution, instead it would be much smarter for responsible leaders with a gift of serving to do that. Lastly, just above that I stumbled on Acts 5:45 which says, "And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ."

In summary, my prayer is that those who truly do have a teaching gift, would do it unceasingly! I hope that the role of pastor and shepherd would be taken more seriously. I earnestly desire that each believer would feel the urgency to use their skills for God's glory. I hope people recognize that Pastors get paid because they should be so busy "looking after" people that they don't have time to make any other living, not so that other believers are deemed unnecessary. Lastly, Lord please raise up a generation of pastors and mature believers who will make disciples that are comfortable continuing this process with their own unique gifts.