Perspective

Sometimes I need to be care about the lens through which I see the world and the Body of Christ. Too often I focus my attention on what isn't happening. I see North American church people finding every conceivable reason not to participate in worshipping God, while people in other parts of the world walk for miles to gather with the Body of Christ. I see church folks in our country complaining that churches talk too much about money, while poverty stricken Jesus followers in Mozambique dance with joy to the altar, in order to give what little they have to the work of the Lord. I see congregations on our continent stressing, struggling, and battling to maintain their buildings as if preserving museums, while churches without roofs over their heads grow like wildfire elsewhere. There's no shortage of discouraging stuff on which to focus.

I need to be careful, though, not to focus so much on what isn't happening that I miss what God is doing. The Holy Spirit has directed my attention to some things I've seen in just the last few days. There's the middle school student who said that encountering Jesus in a Confirmation class changed her life. There's the young couple with limited experience with the Bible, who have just completed their first in-depth group Bible experience, and they're hungry for what's next. There's the man who has answered the tug in his heart for the church to reach to those in need outside its walls, who has taken the leap of faith to be a leading example in this. There's the woman who came to a recent small group experience scared to death, who has now decided to learn about conversion. As Henry Blackaby says, God is already at work.

Thank you, God, that the living, transforming power of Jesus finds a way, no matter how much discouraging stuff seems in the way. Keep me focused on what you're doing. Help me to spend more time rejoicing over what is than complaining about what isn't.

I'll see you around the next bend in the river.

Like a Battle Tested Sword

I'm currently plowing my way through Ken Follett's World Without End, an epic novel about 14th century England. A couple of nights ago I read a great line attributed to one of Follett's characters, Caris Wooler, who is a skeptic. She says, "My father hated people who preached about morality. We're all good when it suits us, he used to say: that doesn't count. It's when you want so badly to do something wrong - when you're about to make a fortune from a dishonest deal, or kiss the lovely lips of your neighbor's wife, or tell a lie to get yourself out of terrible trouble - that's when you need the rules. Your integrity is like a sword, he would say: you shouldn't wave it until you're about to put it to the test." (Ken Follett, World Without End. Dutton, New York. 2007. Page 545.)

In a way, the author is saying that our core beliefs are only as good as they're able to stand when challenged or tested. If that's the case, the core beliefs of many Jesus-followers in North America are being measured right now. Much of mainline Protestantism is on the decline on this continent. That's certainly the case for my branch of it - United Methodism. We cannot presume that the culture around us understands the language we use, much less that it supports or promotes what we believe. We have to present Jesus as a credible and central relationship in a complex world situation of fuel, food, and health crises on a global scale. We can see this situation as reason for despair, or we can see it as the defining challenge and opportunity of our lifetime as disciples.

Pastor Ron Watts is one of our state's delegates to our denomination's global assembly, the General Conference, currently meeting in Fort Worth, Texas. He writes with excitement about the vibrant faith and witness of many of the delegates from outside the United States, particularly from Africa and the Philippines. Many of them coming from poverty stricken and troubled areas, their relationship with Jesus and their desire to offer Jesus to others is a radiant and powerful thing. Faith in Jesus spreads like a wildfire in these places, where their integrity and commitment is challenged daily. They have much to teach us.

In the rough rapids ahead, the chances are high that many of us will capsize or get swamped. It beats paddling in circles in a stagnant pool, though. I'll see you around the next bend.

Relationship Over Preaching

Sorry; it's been a while since I've been back on the float. Busy week.

I've been paying close attention to something called evangelism for nearly thirty years. During all that time many research groups, both in and out of organized religion, have done studies seeking to find out why people come to church fellowships and why they stay. For three decades, the results of these studies have stayed virtually the same. People do not align themselves with a gathering of believers primarily because of specific doctrines, worship style, the building in which the group worships, the clergy person who leads the church, certain programs, etc. Overwhelmingly, people come to faith and join churches because of relationships. They're invited by persons with whom they have relationships that they trust and value. They stay in church fellowships because of the quality of relationship they feel there.

This raises two questions for me. First, am I in relationships through which I can introduce other people to Jesus? Like many Jesus-followers, most of my relationships exist within a tight field of church people; what some people call a "Christian ghetto." How can I do my part in helping people into a relationship with Jesus if I don't venture outside of a tight circle of relationships that only includes church folks?

Second, do people see a quality of relationship in me and in my church fellowship that would draw them? Do folks look at us and see a group of people and a way of relating that they'd want to be like and of which they'd want to be a part? No amount of high quality preaching, excellent music, or slick programming will overcome a relational atmosphere that is cold, apathetic, tense, or closed. Conversely, a relational atmosphere that is warm, open to newcomers, encouraging, and consistent will open the door to meeting Jesus in a way that preaching, music, and programs never will.

It's a beautiful day, and it's good to be back on the river. I'll see you around the next bend.

New Eyes and Old Trucks

Continuing with the question of conversion...What is it? Does it matter? Does it mean anything at all in a post-modern world?

Among the powerful insights I've had from many folks, I want to highlight two today. My friend Annette posted a response not long ago describing conversion as seeing with new eyes. We receive new sight with which to see our possessions, our status, our looks, our image, our success, etc. The new sight God gives us enables us to realize that these things will not provide the good life as we think they will, nor will they enable us to escape the pains of existence. Through our new eyes we see that only Jesus provides the peace that passes all understanding and the power to live as God designed us to live. That's a good image for conversion - seeing the same people and things, a new way.

Through a recent e-mail, my friend Dan notes that "conversion" is a word frequently associated with vehicles. In the 1970's and 1980's we heard a lot about "conversion vans." Dan talks about a currently popular reality show - "Trick my Truck." Old, beat-up, headed for the junkyard pick-up trucks are turned into customized dream vehicles. Dan says, "In that context, a conversion in Christianity is when a person, whose life is beat up and just can't seem to go on, gives their body, mind, and soul back to the one who created them in the first place and says, 'Okay, I've done all I can do to make this life what I thought it should be. I give up. You take it and trick it out LIKE YOU WANT IT.'" That speaks volumes about what it means to be converted as well.

What are your thoughts on these spins on conversion? Dan has some further words on conversion as a total process, but I'll save those for a later post. I'm getting pretty excited about the learning experience here in May on this subject. I invite your prayers, as our main aim is to enable someone to meet Jesus through this. I'll see you around the next bend in the river.

(P.S. My prayers today are with two groups of people - persons who are addicted to their work, and persons for whom food is their drug of choice. These are not areas in which "just say no," is workable, but many people deaden some pain or emptiness in their lives with too many hours at the grindstone or keyboard, and too much intake, when physical hunger has already been satisfied. I want to find good, Christ-centered referrals for help in these areas - books, Internet resources, groups, etc. If any of you have any leads, let me know.)

If We Are The Body...

Last night I attended a "Casting Crowns" concert in Murray, Kentucky. They offered a powerful experience of worship. The songs of "Casting Crowns" remind me not to just say that I am a Jesus-follower, but to be one. One of their songs is, "If We Are The Body," referring to the Church of Jesus Christ being described as the Body of Christ. I won't get the lyrics exactly right, though I hear it all the time on K-LOVE radio and other places. The lines run something like, "If we are the Body...why aren't our arms reaching? Why aren't our hands healing? Why aren't our feet moving?"

When "Casting Crowns" did this early in their concert, I tried to sing along...then the words just got stuck in my throat. I was overwhelmed by how far off target churches so often become. I felt a flooding sadness and grief over every wasted effort in time, energy, and resources that has absolutely nothing to do with bringing wounded people face to face with Jesus the healer. It was like the Holy Spirit screamed, "Please stop! For the love of God, quit going through the motions and be the Body of Christ! People all around you are wasting away and dying every day, while you go through the motions of this thing you call church. Start being the Body!"

God, I'm so sorry for everything I've done and not done to make the church some sort of a benign civic organization. I have to answer for every sermon I preached that was for display and not for response. I am responsible for every decision based more on people politics than people-saving. I deserve judgement for every occasion when I saw ministry as more of a privilege than a marching order. I have contributed to giving more attention to the comfort of the few who are on the inside, than to the many who are lost on the outside. I am accountable for all of this, and I have no hope apart from your healing mercy. Break me, heal me, reshape me, use me, or toss me aside - whatever helps bring one more person into the saving embrace of Jesus.

You all head on down the river. I need to sit here on the bank for a while. I'll catch up.

(ADDENDUM: My thoughts and prayers today are with those who are trying desperately to deaden life pains through chemicals - alcohol, illegal drugs, prescription drugs, household chemicals. Here in our area, the movement known as "Footprints" helps such folks experience Jesus as the bridge to deliverance. A "Footprints" group meets at our church facility every Sunday. You may call 573-471-3283 for details. No names will be asked.)

Conversion...In 2008 Terms

I'm receiving some great thoughts and comments on the subject of conversion. I recommend that you read the comments attached to my last blog post. I think my friend David's comments about conversion as a change in measurement are powerful. "Swimmin' upstream" is exactly right that the hardest thing to convey is that conversion is free. And "Odaat" is on the money in identifying reactions that come from those living apart from the Body of Christ and a relationship with Jesus. I'm eager for more input on this.

In the Christian Bible, the Hebrew and Greek words which we relate to the concept of conversion have a very concrete reference, that has no innate religious meaning. Specifically, they are directional terms. They refer to going in one particular direction, then turning and going in a different direction. So, as we try to understand conversion, and as we convey it to post-modern, non-Christendom age, how do we do that? What are we turning from? What are we turning toward? Are we the agents of the turning, or has someone else put up signposts, blazed the new pathway, given us a push, or whatever? Avoiding "religionese" language, and saying it as succinctly as possible, what is conversion?

More on conversion in the next post, depending on your comments...Also, some specific words on conversion as deliverance from pathways that lead nowhere. This is a great stretch of the river, and I think we're near the mainstream. I'll see you around the next bend.

Conversion?

I need to take this blog in a different direction for a while. And I need a lot of paddles in the water.

I believe we are living in a first century world. Like the first generation of Jesus-followers, we're immersed in an environment that does not know of Jesus, much less promote faith in Him. We cannot presume universal understanding of Christian beliefs, imagery, language, ethics, or practices. When we who are worship leaders say things like, "Let us pray," more people than we realize, in and out of church fellowships, have no idea what that means or what to do. Words and phrases like, "conversion," "profession of faith," or "getting saved" are vague at best, and meaningless at worst.

Recognizing this, we're going to offer a four week learning experience on conversion here. Once I was not in a relationship with the crucified and risen Jesus; now I am...What does that mean? What does it look like? How do I know that it has happened/is happening/whatever?

What would you want to know about conversion? What reaction does the word itself cause? Does it even matter? Particularly I want to know what would be the opinions and questions of people who are not connected with faith in Christ and/or with any church fellowship. We want to create an exploration of conversion that assumes nothing.

Please help with this inquiry about conversion. What are your thoughts, questions, opinions, challenges concerning conversion? You can respond directly to this blog, or you can e-mail me at gposegate@sbmu.net or poseg8@sbcglobal.net.

Making disciples is the main mission of the Body of Christ. The way we did that in 1988 does not work in 2008. We need to start with the basics.

This is a canoe...this is a paddle....this is a river....I'll see you around the next bend.

Revival or Awakening?

If you hang around established churches long enough, particularly in the Midwest and the South, you'll eventually hear the word "revival." Revival has a long and revered history among the Protestant expressions of the Christian movement in North America. Normally, when a church has a "revival," it means that the congregation hosts a series of evening services with a guest speaker, typically known as an "evangelist." Through revival meetings, most congregations seek to stir up renewed faith and enthusiasm in those who are a part of the church fellowship, to rekindle faith in those who have drifted away, and to elicit new commitments to faith in Jesus. Frequently people in churches will say, "Let's have a revival," in order to continue momentum in a church that's growing, or to jump-start a church that's declining.

I have both hosted and led revival meetings off and on for thirty years. Many have been good, Jesus-centered events. In most cases they have served as a renewal of faith for people already associated with existing congregations. In the last three decades I have found that when many church fellowships say, "We want a revival," what they really mean is, "We want it to be the way it used to be at this church." They have a memory of glory days gone by in the church's history, and they long to return to that era. So, "revival" entails reviving something from the past.

Such longing for the road already travelled has a place in the faith journey, I suppose. Both the testimony of the Christian Bible and my own experience of a journey with Jesus, though, point more to a God who makes all things new. The cross and the resurrection of Jesus are not about restoring a past glory; they are about building on what God has done in order to spring forward in faith into what God is doing and is yet to do. If, as the Jesus movement faces a new century, "revival" means recapturing past glory, then what the movement really needs is awakening to a bright new day in which to offer Christ.

It's like the difference between trying to paddle upstream to re-experience a place along the river we've already encountered, and paddling downstream to experiences and places that are yet to be. Those are my random thoughts this weekend. What do you think? I'll see you around the next bend in the river.

April Fool - Belated

On a river canoe trip, sometimes floaters have to navigate swift rapids and sharp turns. Sometimes they must negotiate tricky obstacles above and below the water level. Sometimes, though, it's good just to wave the paddles and splash each other!

On the night before April 1 I gave into a little bit of a mischievous impulse. Capitalizing on being alone in our church's facility, I went around to our staff's various work spaces and messed with them a little bit...put a telephone in a drawer here, reversed a computer monitor there, hid keyboards and desk ware in other places. I just created a little April Fool's surprise for the next morning. For the last week I've been a little disappointed that the staff members didn't rally in retaliation, or at least strike back individually.

Well, I've been out of town on Monday and Tuesday of this week. When I returned, my office had been completely redefined. Virtually every picture and plaque on my walls and desks had been recovered by comic staff photos or just random family pictures of everybody's family but mine. Every book on my shelved had been turned on their spines. Surprises of various kinds were left everyone from my desk drawers to the mirror in the restroom. To top it all off, the center of the wall display right across from my desk had been replaced with a proud emblem of the now number one college basketball team in the nation - the Kansas Jayhawks. (Those who know me well will know what an affront that is to this Missouri Tiger fan!) You have to see my entire office to appreciate it; it was a masterpiece of delayed April Fool artwork.

We've had fun all day with this among all of us on staff, and the fun has spilled out of the staff and into some of the congregation. This has reminded me what a wonderful and joyful gift I have in the people with whom I work each day. They are each and everyone one of them committed to Christ, passionate about enveloping people in the love of Christ, and dedicated to the Body of Christ fulfilling the Great Commission. My colleagues here are courageous seekers, with a deep desire to discover God's flow for our congregation and to stay in that flow. They have struggled and faced barriers. They know what it means to stand at the edge of the chasm of discouragement. Their hearts ache when churches care more about maintaining what is inside than venturing into what God is doing outside. And they can pull together and have fun with the best of them.

In many of my posts I have talked about the challenge and risk of churches moving from maintenance to disciple-making mission. Sometimes I can get pretty task-focused and maybe even somber in paddling headlong in this direction. I'm reminded that there is joy in the journey, though. And the joy is in each other, as we laugh and cry, love and suffer, celebrate and hang on for dear life, in this adventure which is the way of the Lord. God reminded me of that today, in the gift which is now my comic office, and the beloved comedians who designed it.

I'll see you around the next bend in the river, and I'm going to soak you if I can!

(For those of you who are in the Sikeston, Missouri area, you really need to see my office in its present state. I'm going to leave it that way, at least through the weekend.)

Employed For You or Set Aside For You...

So, I re-read my latest post. I spoke about the pain that will accompany transformation in many churches. This pain will come as they focus less on maintaining themselves and more on the great commission to go to all peoples and to make them disciples of Jesus. Readiness to face pain is fine...in theory. Any of us can be motivated to endure pain in order for growth to happen. That motivation usually lasts right up to the point at which the pain becomes our own, personally.

What pains might be ahead for me, having worked as a church pastor for the last three decades? For example, I have come to rely on a particular style of communication in my ministry. Essentially, it's known as narrative preaching. Each week I tell a story, and the story is the delivery system for the proclamation of Jesus the Christ. My method depends on audio input and word pictures. By today's sound byte standards it is time-consuming, as any good story requires plot development, character development, and verbal description. New methods of communicating Jesus do not depend on audio content only. They are visual and experiential. As best I can tell, such methods are multi-dimensional as well; able to convey the message through a multiplicity of media, all at the same time.

Preaching as I have learned it and refined it may be in its waning days. And I may be past the point where I am able to learn a totally different methodology brought on by the need to offer Christ in ways that are effective for a new era in human history. For those of us in the Methodist branches of the Jesus-following movement, we're familiar with the words of an annual covenant renewal ceremony. One line in that service reads something like, "Let me be employed for you or set aside for you," depending on the version used. Do I really mean that? If I could most help the Body of Christ to reach the lost on the hurting by just stepping aside, am I willing to accept that kind of pain? Hopefully my pathway of painful adjustment would lead to some other way that I can contribute to the movement. Am I ready and willing to take a path that may be totally different than the one I'm following now?

This is a scary set of rapids. I'll see you around the next bend in the river.

No Pain, No Gain?

I've been thinking about pain. Consider this statement: "We spend so much time and money on health care that a therapeutic bias emerges, and we begin to believe that we should avoid sacrifice and suffering at all cost." (Paul Borden. Direct Hit: Aiming Real Leaders at the Mission Field. Abingdon Press, Nashville. 2006. Page 97.) Borden suggests that a mindset that presumes all pain is bad has affected the primary aim of many churches. Of such congregations, he says, "They do not see their congregation as a mission outpost designed to reach lost people; rather, they believe it exists as a place where the converted may be safe from the larger, evil world."

When a church moves from business as usual maintenance to responding to God's call into a lost and hurting world, pain is inevitable. It hurts to adapt old ways of doing things or to abandon them altogether. It is uncomfortable to engage people who are different than we are. It's painful to be pushed out of our comfort zones. If we presume that pain is always something bad, as Borden suggests we do, then we naturally will presume that the causes of pain are to be avoided. If reached people, discipleship growth, and risk-taking mission create painful adjustment, then these things must be undesirable, and it would be far better to defend the status quo.

On the other hand, if churches really are mission outposts, then training for those in mission is part of what they do. Training, in athletics or the military or whatever, presumes pain at some level. The pain isn't a measure of something bad. Pain in many instances indicates muscles and tissue being used and strengthen, instead of being allowed to atrophy. I'm a runner, albeit a ploddingly slow one. If I stopped running because of pain, I wouldn't run at all. Mediocre as it may be, my running is stronger because of running through pain, not because of avoiding pain.

I'm kind of thinking out loud here. Is there a pain-free way for a church to fulfill it's mission of making disciples for Jesus? I'm inclined to say no. What do you think? I'll see you around the next bend in the river.