Be Strong and Courageous

 

Our son, Mark, gave me a copy of New Morning Mercies by Paul David Tripp for my birthday.  It contains 365 daily devotions, one for each day of the year.  Since my birthday falls on March 6, I began my one-year journey there.  I quickly discovered that the author seemed to be in tune not only with my spiritual needs but with the realities of being a disciple in a challenging world.

I found today’s message to be especially insightful.  He referenced the story of Joshua that begins in Joshua 1.  The leader of the Children of Israel faced a daunting task.  He was called to lead them across the Jordan River into the land promised them by God.  There were two distinct problems; 1) The land was already occupied. 2) The people were reluctant to move forward.  In the midst of that God’s command was clear and concise.  He must have wanted Joshua to get it straight because He repeated it three time; “Be strong and courageous.”

Like Joshua, we as disciples of Jesus are being called into a foreign and often antagonistic culture.  It is a world where the church is not only being viewed as “out of touch” but judgmental.  It is a much different world than the one we lived in even twenty years ago.  Still the command is clear.  As we go on our way we are to “make disciples,” sharing the good news of Jesus. 

The words from God to Joshua should be ringing in our ears, “have I not commanded you, only be strong and courageous.”  God promises not only to protect us but provide us with exactly what we need.   Our success does not depend on us or our words and actions.  We need to be persistent agents of grace and mercy.  This does not mean the task will be easy, but whatever the outcome, we live under the hope and promise of the Risen Savior. 

What Does Church Attendance Really Mean?

 

Weekly church attendance has long been one of the metrics we have used to measure the health of a local congregation.  If the number of people in the pews is consistent, or even showing grow, we have considered the church healthy.  In such cases the leadership is happy and the staff is commended.  Pastors and other church staff can easily fall into the “numbers trap,” feeling all is well. I also must admit it is not just a trap for the clergy.  I recall my days in parish ministry when one of the first questions asked by the Pastor on Monday morning was “how many kids showed up for youth group last night?”  I tended to gauge my success on numbers. 

In actuality, attendance has always been an inaccurate way to gage the health of a church.  Even consistent or growing numbers can be deceiving if people are there for the wrong reason.  I have often wondered; how many folks are in church to be spiritually fed and equipped for discipleship, versus how many are present simply for social reasons?  I have always felt that Bible class attendance is a better measuring stick when it comes to determining the spiritual health of a worship community. 

The truth is; none of this means diddly-squat in the post-pandemic world.  COVID-19 changed everything.  Suddenly churches were forced to pivot and switch to online worship.  As we emerge from the pandemic and people return, the new reality is hybrid worship.  Measuring online attendance is tricky.  Looking at the total number of views can be deceiving because you do not know how much people have actually watched.  Did they log on to check us out and quickly decided it was “not what they wanted” or did they just focus on the pastor’s message? 

There is an additional reality here: Church membership and even attendance does not mean what it once did.  Many of those under forty are simply not in the market to join a church.  It is more about having their personal needs and interests catered to.  They will jump from one church, and even denomination, to another simply because it is where their friends are at, or the pastor is a dynamic speaker. 

We need to ask ourselves the question: are we in the numbers game or are we interested in discipleship?  The paradigm has shifted away from filling the pews on Sunday morning to being in ministry where we are at.  The future of the church is dependent on our ability to reach people in the places where they live, work and play. 

My own pastor, Micah Miller, reminded the people at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church a few weeks back that Sunday morning is really practice for what happens in the real world.  People who worship on Sunday are the “core group of disciples.”  They must leave the building equipped and motivated to be the hands, feet and ears of Jesus.  I intentionally did not say “the voice” of Jesus.  In the past we have put a lot of emphasis on sharing the good news verbally.  In the current culture, we must earn the right to share our message.  We need to first have a relationship, and that happens when we serve and listen. 

In the future, we need to focus less on Sunday morning and more on being Jesus 24/7/365.  When we do share the Gospel message, we need to focus less on getting people to join our church and more on getting them to know and walk with Jesus. 

 

 

 

What to do About Pride Month

 June is Pride Month, and I am not sure what to do with that.  It is a thirty-day celebration marked by a variety of activities, including a Pride Parade.  It seems that there are rainbows everywhere.  Most major league baseball teams are participating by having a Gay Pride Day.  The major television networks are not only recognizing Gay Pride but doing feature stories on how far we have come as a society when it comes to recognizing our difference.

The "Gay Pride" movement traces its roots back to 1969.  Thom Higgins, a gay rights activist from Minnesota, and Brenda Howard, known as the “Mother of Pride” coordinated the first Pride march in New York City.  It has continued to grow and now is celebrated world-wide.  Contemporary culture has only fortified the movement as Millennials and Gen Z’s work to promote principles of tolerance and acceptance.  Even major Christian denominations have stepped on board, with rainbow flags and signs appearing on church property.  Even so, it is a struggle for me.  It is difficult for me to recognize, much less celebrate, a lifestyle I view as totally against God’s plan for us. 

I was challenged in my perspective on the LGBT movement many years ago.  The house next store to us went through a foreclosure and months of being vacant, falling into disrepair.  We rejoiced when a young woman bought the house.  Her parents soon showed up to help her do repairs and redecorate.  Then, shortly after she moved in, her female partner moved in as well.  Still, I extended the hand of friendship.  I got to know them.  I discovered that they both had great jobs at a major accounting firm.  They asked what I did, and I sensed a level of discomfort when I told them I was in full-time youth ministry.  My faith was now out in the open.

I still did my best to be a good neighbor.  When a lightning strike caused major damage and disrupted our routine, we joined forces and shared a generator to keep things running.  I recall helping them jump-start their car.  I tried to be friendly, always extended a greeting when we crossed path.  Still, it was a little uncomfortable.  I recall Mark and Katie, who were in grade school at the time, inquiring why when they had a pool party, all their friends were women. 

The day finally came when I saw them carrying out boxes.  Soon a van showed up and it was obvious they were moving out.  I inquired and found out they had bought another house in up-town Dallas, closer to where they worked.  In the process, I received an unexpected surprise.  The homeowner thanked me for a being a great neighbor.  She went on to say she recognized our differences but that was never a barrier.

My hope is that somehow, our brief friendship left a positive impression that as a Christian, I accepted her for who she was.  Taking it a step further, we need to remember that we are called to be Jesus, who always accepted people where they were at.  Without a relationship, He could never move them to where He wanted them to be.  Paraphrasing John 3:17, “We are not called to judge or condemn others but rather to love them and be Jesus in their lives.” 

So, while I will not celebrate Pride Month, I will view it as a reminder that Jesus came to save the lost.  He loves us, with all of our flaws and calls us into a relationship.  Only in that relationship can we discover his grace, love and the eternal plan He has for each of us.