The Daily Newspaper

 

We are one of the few families in our neighborhood that still has a daily newspaper delivered in the morning.  Five days a week I retrieve it from the driveway.  The other mornings it is delivered online.  I will be honest.  I do not like reading online versions.  I am old school and prefer to hold it in my hand while I sip my coffee.  Somehow, that feels more personal, and I feel a connection to the writer.  I do not mind shopping online or even reading the baseball scores that way, but my connection to the news must be more intimate.

My relationship to the daily paper goes back to my childhood.  In those days our family had two papers delivered daily.  The Detroit Free Press came in the morning and The Detroit News in the afternoon.  I will admit, The Free Press was my favorite.  I could always count on reading about the previous night’s games. It was a great way to start the day. 

For a time, I even delivered The Detroit Free Press.  That meant getting up at 5 am.  The papers would be on our front porch, bound with wire. The papers had to be hand-folded and placed in a cloth bag that would hang from the handlebars of my bike.  I delivered over a hundred and fifty papers each morning, completing my route before 7:00 am.   I had a real connection with my customers too, because I had to stop by once a week to collect my fee, so I could pay my bill.  All the money leftover was my profit for the week, usually around twenty dollars.

Much has changed.  We pay an annual subscription fee, so I have no connection with the carrier who delivers the paper.  Also, the paper has gotten smaller.  They have eliminated the baseball box scores because people read those online.  There are also few classified ads, people do not list things for sale in the newspaper anymore.  Now we have Zip Recruiter and similar websites so there is not need for a “help wanted” section.

There is more than just nostalgia that keeps me committed to my daily paper.  Reading the daily paper provides me with a personal connection to the news.  There is also more depth than when I just watch the news on tv.  In addition, I can pause and reflect. 

Probably the biggest reason for continuing to subscribe to the Dallas Morning News is that I can hear opposing perspective.  My daily paper does a good job of making sure multiple voices are heard.  While I do not always agree, it is important that I hear and understand viewpoints that are different from my own.  I will never understand or value others unless I hear their story.

I truly believe that is what Jesus calls us to do.  During his earthly ministry he connected with all kinds of people, representing lot of religious and social perspectives.  Nothing is accomplished if we only hear from those who share our perspective or opinions.

Daily newspapers are disappearing.  Unfortunately, many communities are left with no local paper at all. We need to support and encourage the local papers that remain.  We need them to not only keep us informed but to help us understand each other.

 

 

 

 

Discipling the Next Generation

 

Reflecting on my years in youth ministry, I must admit I was more often motivated by numbers than I was in discipling teens.  Cutting myself some slack, there were some members of my youth group with whom I had a close relationship.  I was very intentional when it came to equipping them to live out their faith.  Still, I was very aware that in the eyes of others, especially the pastor and church leadership, I was going to be evaluated on the level of participation.  I also must confess that self-pride was involved when I met with peers and we started comparing numbers. 

These thoughts came to mind as I read a recent article published by the Barna Group.  Barna identified five measurable characteristics of a holistic and active faith.

 

Spiritual practice - Praying and reading the Bible regularly

Evangelism – Sharing faith with others

Service – Volunteer and use talents to serve others

Belonging – Spend time with church friends

Calling – Feel called to integrate their faith with future career plans

 

As I considered the list, I was drawn to the reality that those are the same characteristic. we look for in disciples across the generations.  I need to be striving for the same goals in my ministry to older adults.

In the case of the Barna report, while over half of Christian teens participate in youth group, only one in four (18%) showed signs of a holistic and active faith.

The unfortunate reality is that we, as a church, usually do a poor job of discipling people of all ages.  Again, we still are drawn to evaluate our ministry in terms of numbers.  These days, if we can just keep the pews full and the budget balanced, we feel we are doing okay. As a result, often our goal is to just keep people happy and maintain status quo, rather than reaching the lost. 

We must be discipling people of all ages, but especially the next generation, it needs to be a community effort.  While we might add staff members to coordinate youth and children’s ministry, we must be ready to partner with them in the effort.  Discipleship is a community responsibility. 

 

 

The Catholic Archdiocese of Metro Detroit is facing a situation that is too familiar among church bodies.  They are looking at declining numbers, combined with increasing costs to maintain decaying urban cathedrals.  The situation was recently the focus in an article by sociologist Ryan Burge.

For clarification, that Archdiocese includes six counties in the Detroit Metro area.  Four of those counties are experiencing growth, while the other two, including Wayne County, which includes the city itself, are in decline.  When you look at the numbers, the church should be poised for growth, but that is not the case.

In 2011, 238,000 Catholics attended mass on a regular basis.  By 2024 that number had declined to 138.000.  The report also notes that since 2000 the number of infant baptisms has shrunk from 18,300 to 5,300 in 2024.  At the same time the number of funerals has declined from 9,700 to 6,000.  Did you catch that, at the current rate, the number of births is not keeping up with the number of deaths. 

From a business perspective, this is not sustainable.  Too much money is being spent to prop up aging urban cathedrals and not enough to invest in growth in the suburbs.  Additionally, there are fewer parishioners to support the ministry. 

My own church body, The Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, is facing a similar situation.  Today, the LCMS is half the size of what it was at its almost three million members in 1979.  Across the board, most urban congregations are struggling.  So are most rural and small-town churches.  The average congregation has less than a hundred people in worship on a typical Sunday.

In my opinion, too much attention, time and money is being spent to maintain what we have and not enough on growth.

In our case, the church’s leadership has shown through recent decisions, it is more interested in preserving tradition than it is on growth.  Notice I said traditions and not doctrine.  From my perspective, Lutheran theology is not the issue.  It is more an issue of practice, and how the Gospel message is presented. 

One reality is common among both the Catholics, the LCMS and other mainline denomination.  While maintaining our doctrine, we must become more focused on equipping the people we have to reach the lost around us. 

 

When someone recommends a book, I usually say thanks, but unless it is a topic that really excites me, I move on. When two or three people endorse a book it gets my attention. Such is the case with Joe Manchin’s new book, Dead Center: In Defense of Common Sense.

When someone recommends a book, I usually say thanks, but unless it is a topic that really excites me, I move on.  When two or three people endorse a book, it gets my attention.  Such is the case with Joe Manchin’s new book, Dead Center: In Defense of Common Sense.  To be honest, I have avoided most books written by politicians, but my friends insured me that this book was different. 

I admit that going in I knew very little about Senator Manchin.  I knew he was a democrat who had a reputation of being fiercely independent.  What impressed me early on in the book is how grounded and highly principled Joe Manchin is.  Raised in the Catholic tradition, he is also anchored in Christian principles.  I also valued the insights he provided on how we as a country can begin to heal from the current polarized environment.

At the close of the introduction, Joe Manchin shares his rules of the road that continue to guide his life.  One in particular caught my attention because I believe it holds the key to how our country might find its way again: “Listen with an open mind, embrace different perspectives and lead by bringing everyone to the table.”

During his time in Washington D.C., Joe Manchin made his home on a 65’ houseboat moored in a marina in the Potomac River.  He was known for hosting other members of congress from both parties.  Often over pizza and beer they would swap stories and share insights.  Joe Manchin wanted to hear all sides and never considered those from the other party to be the enemy.

Many years ago, on a visit to Williamsburg, Virginia I had the opportunity to have a meal at Christiana Campbell’s Tavern.  Early in the day, a tour guide had told us that it was George Washington favorite evening gathering spot.  Indeed, after all days debating foes in the Capital, Washington would hold court at night discussing the issues of the day informally with those who opposed him. 

It seems to me there is a powerful lesson here.  Our country just celebrated our 250^th Birthday, but to be honest my personal celebration was a bit subdued.  From my perspective, we are a divided nation.  We have established camps and find our greatest pleasure in hanging out with those who are like us.  The truth is we are a diverse country, but at the same time know very little about each other. 

We owe it to the next generation to learn from Joe Manchin and listen with an open mind, embrace different perspectives and making sure everyone has a place at the table.”  We need to find a way to be the United States again. 

 

 

Snoopy: A Hero for our Time

 

I was a freshman college student when I was invited to go on my first youth retreat as an adult leader.  The assistant pastor of my home church was the leader, and he based the program on the book The Gospel According to Peanuts by Robert Short.  It is not surprising that Peanuts is still a staple in the comic section of the newspaper.  Afterall, Dennis the Menace, B.C. and Family Circus are still around, but in my opinion Snoopy is different.  He is not the main character, yet he has become a cultural icon.  It is snoopy, not Charlie Brown, who appears every year in Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.  What is even more astounding is that Snoopy has become somewhat of a cult hero among Gen Z’s.

Ypulse, a marketing firm that traces trends among teens and young adults, recently identified Snoopy as one of the nostalgic kids’ characters that Gen Z’s and Millennials identify with. They point to the fact that the single hashtag #Snoopy has 2.4B views on TikTok. Experts explain Snoopy’s popularity among the younger generation in part due to his youthful character and the nostalgic feeling that it conveys.

It is not just Peanuts and Snoopy.  YPulse also reports that 75% of 13-39-year-olds have bought merchandise based on or inspired by a kid’s TV show, movie, or book. 

What is it about Snoopy, in particular, that young adults identify with?  I believe Snoopy embodies many of the positive qualities such as imagination, resilience, and loyalty, that resonate with Gen Z's values. His playful nature and ability to find joy in simple pleasures align with the desire for authenticity and mindfulness among younger audiences.  

Perhaps there is another reason behind the appeal of Snoopy. Snoopy is creative and he has an imagination that allows him to take on a couple of different personas, Joe Cool, and the lawyer/businessman for example. However, I believe the character that most resonates with young people is the W.W. I flying ace who takes on the Red Barron.  In that role Snoopy takes on an enemy who is both fearless and threatening.  In many ways that is like the seemingly insurmountable challenges facing all of us today.

 

The Southern Border: Crisis or Ministry Opportunity?

 

We are only days removed from the primary election here in Texas.  Personally, I am grateful for the break before the general election in November.  I was weary from hearing all the commercial and having my mailbox full of campaign brochures. The “Crisis at the Border” was the most common theme.  I heard candidates warn about the country being threatened by drug dealers and human smugglers.  Candidates were promising to “close the border, and “finish the wall.” 

Do not get me wrong, there is a problem at our southern border, but I view it more as a humanitarian crisis than a security issue.  We do not need a border wall.  What we need is a better system to process those who want to come into our country.  We also must be able to identify those who are involved in criminal activity, so we keep them out. 

I recently had a conversation with a neighbor who owns a small business in southern Dallas. My neighbor, who is Hispanic, reported that most of his employees are immigrants from Honduras.  He states they are all hard workers, and great family people.  They also are all here legally. 

That reinforces what I see on news reports from the border.  Most of those pouring into our country are families who are looking for a better life.  They just want an opportunity to go through the legal immigration process, get a job and settle in.  Our country was built on welcoming individual like this, and while our unemployment rate is low, I still see signs in many businesses announcing the need workers.

A new report from Pew Research provided me some insight into how this is also a polarizing issue.  There really is a generational divide. While eight in ten (77%) Americans over the age of 65 and seven in ten (71%) of those 50-65 responded dealing with immigration should be a high priority, only three in ten (28%) of those ages 18-29 shared that opinion.  Only one half (49%) of those ages 30-49.  Quite basically, those over fifty want to stop the flow of immigrants, while those under fifty are asking, “what’s the big deal?”

I believe one of the main reasons Millennials and Gen Z’s see immigration as a lower priority is they have grown up in an environment where diversity is a reality.  Most have gone to school with people who share both a different cultural or religious background. Many have friends who come from different backgrounds as well.

I also believe the Bible provides us with some insight on how God desires us to respond to aliens and sojourners.  In Exodus 22:21, God states, “You shall not wrong a sojourner or oppress him, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt.”  When separating the sheep from the goats in Matthew 25:35, Jesus states, “For I was a stranger and you welcomed me.”  The writer of Hebrews (Heb 13:1-2) encourages us to “Show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unaware.

As Christians, I believe we have a duty to welcome those who desire to come in our community seeking safety and a place to settle.  It is our opportunity to be the hands of Jesus.  We need to be mindful of what Matthew said about Jesus; “When he saw the crowd, he had compassion on them because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” (Matthew 9:36)

 

 

For Such a Time as This

 

For many years I was posting weekly on Blogspot.  Unlike my weekly Passing the Torch Newsletter in which I try to unbiasedly report cultural trends and possible implications for the church, my blog provided an opportunity for me to comment and give my opinion on issues of the day.  Over the last couple of weeks God has put on my heart the need to resurrect my regular use of Blogspot.  I sense we are living in unsettling times.  This election year has the potential to be especially contentious.  Like many Americans, I am troubled by this.  While I am not fearful for the future of our country, God is still in charge, I am concerned about the long-term impact of this election year.  I am concerned over the kind of world my grandchildren will grow up in. 

I have always considered myself to be a conservative, but tend to vote more based on character than political party.  One of the disturbing things that I have observed over the last decade is louder rhetoric and a higher degree of contention. In the process, lines have been drawn in the sand and there is little room for compromise. Quite simply, we have lost our ability to listen to each other and to respect those who hold alternative opinions.  As a result, we have people on different sides of an issue standing on opposite sides of the street, holding signs, and shouting at each other.  The only ones standing in the middle are police officers who are there to keep the two sides apart.

One pet peeve of mine has always been that while we have classes on public speaking, we never offer instruction on public listening.  We teach students how to communicate their opinion on a topic, but never instruct them how to listen and discern what someone on the other side is saying.  More importantly, why they hold that opinion.   There can be no discussion and compromise unless we seek to understand each other.

I recently read David Brooks’ new book, How to Know a Person; The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen.  The author addresses this issue in the chapter The Epidemic of Blindness.  He states,

“We live in an environment in which political animosities, technical dehumanization, and social breakdown undermine connection, strain friendships, erase intimacy and foster distrust.  We are living in the middle of some sort of vast emotional, relational and spiritual crisis.  It is as if people across society have lost the ability to see and understand one another, thus producing a culture that can be brutalizing and isolating.”

(How to Know a Person, page 97)

 

The unfortunate reality, from my perspective, is that Christians have become part of the problem, rather than contributing to the solution.  In the process, we have become known more for what we are against, than for what we should be stand for.  Our strong rhetoric on the issues, has drowned out the message of grace, love, and mercy we are called to represent.  This has deeply harmed our ability to reach younger generations.

My prayer is that we might turn down our voices and learn to listen to each other.  We need less emphasis on what we think and more on what others are thinking and feeling and why they hold such strong opinions.

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the sons of God.”

Matthew 5:9