Rethinking the Need for Church Buildings

I know that many urban church sit half-empty on Sunday mornings, but a conversation I had last week caused me to think it can be an issue for congregations in the suburbs as well.  In the case of the most recent discussion, it's a mainline protestant church that built a new sanctuary twenty-five years ago.  The worship center was built to seat five hundred and the congregation had no problem filling it and soon added an additional service.  Today they have cut back to the one service and on the average less than a hundred people attend.  According to their pastor, they are currently looking at their options, but selling the building is a real possibility.  It caused me to ponder the question, why continue to build new sanctuaries when there are so many current facilities that are vacant or under-used?  Looking at current trends, who will be worshipping there in twenty years?

To think only in terms of a Sunday morning worship experience is to ignore the recent trends.  Those of us over forty still might value worship on the first day of the week but those under the age of thirty don't for the most part share our enthusiasm.  Look around your church some Sunday morning and count how many adults under the age of thirty you see.  Those who study the millennials generation (those under the age of thirty) note that they consider themselves spiritual, just not in the same sense as do baby boomers. They are seeking ways to relate their spirituality to their everyday lives.   They also are looking for a place where they can discuss faith and ethical issues in an honest way. In their minds the church, as it currently exists, does not allow for either need to be met. 

A good friend of mine, Steve Sandfort, pastors a new church in Saginaw, Texas.  It's a very different kind of church plant since it's a coffee house located in a strip mall.  The Edge Coffee House is their ministry.  On Sunday morning they worship there, but the rest of the week it's a place were people can gather.  The Union Coffee Shop, close to Southern Methodist University in Dallas, is a similar ministry.  What these type of ministries offer is a forum where issues of the day can be discussed.  More than that, grace can be experienced, and not just preached. 

Instead of building more churches and worship centers, I truly believe we need to be investing in ministry to people where they are at.  We can no longer put up a building, open the doors and expect people to come.  The church needs to be where the people are.  In the case of those under that age of thirty that probably will never be within the walls of a church building.

Why I Believe in Heaven and Hell

Hell is not a popular subject.  It seems that few people want to talk about it and some don't want to believe in it at all.  A recent survey done by the Pew Forum on Religion and the Public Life indicates that only about six in ten Americans (59%) believe there is a hell, as opposed to 74% how believe in heaven.  The number of those who believe in a physical heaven and hell has been slipping in recent years.  I see it as part of a trend brought about by the opinion that a loving God would not condemn anyone to eternal damnation.  That as opinion espoused by Rob Bell in his book Love Wins.   It's also a part of the belief system of many millennials.  Another popular belief, a view also held by many under the age of thirty, is that there are multiple paths that lead to the same God.

I don't pretend to understand how God works, nor can I fully comprehend the concept of heaven and hell.  I can only tell you what I know and believe through the Bible.  Both heaven and hell exists and one or the other will be an eternal reality for all people. Need proof: Check out Luke 11:19-31 and Matthew 21:33-45.  Need further evidence that their is a battle between the two kingdoms, read the book of Revelations, just remember the victorious team is always wearing white.   When it comes to the way to salvation, again I can point to the scripture.  Jesus makes it clear in John 14:6-7 and it's affirmed by Paul in Romans 5, especially verses 18&19. 

These are not  popular opinions in our current diverse social climate where we are taught to practice tolerance.  While we need to be loving and accepting toward those who hold to different faith and belief systems, we should never stray from our beliefs and principles.  This is part of our heritage of faith and it must be passed on to the next generation.  We shouldn't be focusing on the negative outcome, but on the glory that is eternal life, and how great it will be to have everyone we know and love there with us.

Making the Bedroom a No Cell Zone

A report on one of our local television stations earlier this week caught my eye.  The feature included an interview with a local doctor who specializes in sleep disorders. He stated that he is seeing many teenagers who want to take the prescription drug Ambien as a solution to their sleep problems.  Teenagers needing a sleep aid: Why should I be surprised?  Teens are following a pattern of behavior they see in adults.  If we have a symptom, there must be something we can take to make it go away.  Unfortunately, all too often the problem is created by a series of poor decision involving destructive behaviors.  There are behaviors that are obviously destructive, like abusing alcohol or tobacco.  Others are more subtle, like overeating or not getting the right amount of exercise.  The reality is if we continue to make poor choices, we should not be be surprised if the outcome is bad.

So what does this have to do with teens and their inability to fall asleep?  It turns out plenty.  In this case the poor choices involve the use of electronic devices.  Many teens never turn them off.  They sleep with their cellphones next to them and think nothing of texting late into the night.  As a result their brains never really do shut down.  They might turn off the lights but their senses are on alert waiting for the next message from a friend.  As a result, they have trouble falling asleep. 

An  obvious solution would be to make the bedroom a "no cell zone" or at least set a curfew, like no use of electronic devices between 10 PM and 6 AM.  That should be expanded to include laptops and tablets, or whatever else in electronic in their room.  A great way to reinforce that is for you to follow a similar guideline. 

We are a sleep deprived nation.  The average teen only gets around seven hours of sleep a night while experts point out they need more than nine hours per night.  That could be a two hour sleep deficit every night.  To me that sounds like a pretty destructive path.  The solution to that issue is not found in medication, but in helping teens make better choices.

Is Sunday Morning Worship a Tradition in Decline?

The Gallup Poll has has tracked church attendance for over seventy years and maintains that around 40% of Americans attend church on a regular basis.  The Evangelical Covenant Church has tracked Sunday attendance among 200,000 mainline church (Catholic and Protestant) since the late 1980's.  Their latest research indicates that actual Sunday attendance is only 17.7%.  A similar study done by the Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion found similar results to the ECC study.  It's an accepted fact that attendance among mainline churches has consistently dropped over the last twenty years.  At the same time participation in non-denominational and mega churches has increased.

Looking at the most recent researches causes me to ask the question: What is regular church attendance?  Many Americans consider themselves to be Christian, but for them regular attendance might consist of attending Sunday services once or twice a month, perhaps even less.  I have experienced this myself recently.  Barb and I regularly attend The Crossing Church in Dallas.  The Crossing is the first new Lutheran Church plant in the City of Dallas in over forty years.  Our son, Mark, is the lead pastor and he has a real passion for those who are disconnected with the church.  The Crossing is especially targeted at millennials (adults under thirty).  To be honest, being in Church on Sunday morning, is not a high priority with them.  Many of them participate in hubs, the small group ministry, and other watch the Sunday messages on-line.  For them, regular attendance constitutes being in Sunday worship once a month or so.

While I recognize that faith and a relationship with God is a personal thing, I also value being part of a worship community.  I need my brothers and sister in Christ to help me stay focused spiritually.  I also want to hear about their personal needs and struggle.  While I value the small group Bible study that I am involved in on Saturday mornings, but I also recognize the importance of Sunday morning worship.

Those of us who are Baby Boomers, roughly over the age of forty, need to stay committed to the Sunday worship tradition.  At the same time we need to make sharing the faith outside the walls of the church a high priority as well.  We can no longer wait for the lost and hurting to come to us.  We need to be seeking opportunities to touch their lives, and when we do we must be messengers of hope.  We also need to put aside of personal prejudices and listen to them and their needs.  Through it all, we need to stay committed to being regular in worship and in daily spiritual renewal.

Graying America and the Job Market

During my years as school counselor at Lutheran High School of Dallas I annually taught a class called Careers.  It was a required course for all students during the first semester of their junior year.  Part of the curriculum involved a survey of careers.  We looked at the future job market, helping the student understand where the best employment possibilities were going to be.  One things the students discovered was that the greatest growth in jobs was in the area of geriatric services. Health care, leisure services and financial planning are all areas of potential growth.  The reason: we are a graying country.

I was born in 1946, making me one of the first Baby Boomers.  Baby Boomers are the generation born after World War II, roughly 1946-1960.  Over the last couple of years the first of my generation are retiring.  The number is only going to grow, and we are all expected to live longer.  We are going to need people to take care of us as we age.  There is an added benefit. As people retire, jobs are going to open up in all areas of the workforce, but employment opportunities are going to be especially abundant in the area of  geriatric services.

I thought of this again on Wednesday as I read an article in USA Today.  The article spoke of how the nation is aging, but it also warned of a red flag: the birth rate is declining.  There is a growing imbalance in the number of senior citizen, compared to the total workforce (those ages 25-64).  In 2010 there were 24.6 senior for every 100 working-age adults, but that number is projected to grow to over 40 seniors per 100 working-age adults by 2030.  One result is that the economic burden on children born today is increasing.  Economist project that for children born in 2015 the burden will double that of a child born in 1985.  The bottom line is the lifestyles today's generation and future children could be vastly different than it is today.

It's up to today's adults to make sure our children and grandchildren are prepared for the potential change.  As with other issues, we need to reassure them that we are still people of hope.  Our God never changes and he will equip us for whatever lies ahead.  That does not change our need to be prepared.

Sunday Morning Athletics

"Pagan Tennis Players;"  That was the reference my dad made as passed them on the way to church on Sunday mornings.  They were there every week as we passed by the recreation center that was two blocks from our church.  While we were on our way to worship, they were getting their exercise.  My dad did not approve.  Sunday morning was time for worship and not sports.

I thought of my dad yesterday.  The church we attend meets at a high school.  The last few weeks there have been parking issues because soccer teams have started using the field adjacent to where we worship.  Two groups are competing for the same parking spaces.  While we worshipped I could see them running up and down the field through the window.

There was a time when Sunday mornings were sacred.  I recall when I coached little league.  It was rule: No games before 1:00 PM on Sundays.  I recall one coach who was reprimanded because he scheduled a pre-game practice for 11:00 AM.  Times have changed, especially for amateur sports.  I have heard the complaints from parents who have to make the decision: letting their kids participate in a baseball tournament or requiring them to attend church? 

Sunday morning sports do create a dilemma, but they also provide an opportunity.  The meer presence of a person in church does not mean they are engaged in worship.  If they are sitting in the pew and focused on something else, like the soccer game they are missing, are they truly worshipping.  In the same way, should we label someone a "pagan" just because they participate in athletic competition on Sunday? 

I think we need to view this issue as an opportunity to talk about the heart of worship.  True worship requires a relationship with God.  That relationship should not be limited to within the walls of a church.  We can talk about that with our kid and grand kids, but ultimately it is the example that we set in our lives that speaks the loudest.  One of the reasons so many young people have been turned off by the church is because of what they see as hypocritical attitude: Talking about love and forgiveness in church, but not living it in the real world.

Staying Positive in the Tough Times

I recall looking to the sky as I leaving  school one afternoon in 1962.  There was concern in the air.  President Kennedy had addressed the nation on the previous evening concerning the presence of Russian missiles on the Island of Cuba.  Living in Detroit, there was a reason for fear.  In those days Detroit was the industrial capital of our country and an obvious target.  That day was not the first time that I had felt threatened by the Soviet Menace.  During my grade school days we had regular air raid drills.  Reflecting back I am not sure how much protection there was in crawling under your desk and covering your head, but when it came to self preservation I tended to be obedient.

I reflected back on those days earlier this week as I read an article in USA Today.  The article focused on the resilience of teenagers in the face of a decade filled with tragedy.  Since the events of 9/11, we have seen constant conflict in the Middle East, The Asian tsunami, Hurricane Katrina and numerous mass shootings, many occurring on school campuses.  The article spoke of how many young millennials feel that bad events will eventually give way to good.  It referenced a recent poll that indicated that many teens are returning to the values of their grandparent's generation.  There is even an increase in patriotism among today's youth and a desire to find jobs that benefit others.  The term "pay forward" is back in vogue.

It was only a year after the Cuban Missile Crisis that President Kennedy was assassinated. We were dismissed from school early that day, and when I arrived home I was surprised to see my dad waiting on the porch.  His office had closed early as well.  His first words surprised me, "Church will be full this Sunday."  My puzzled look prompted him to add, "We've been through this before.  People turn to God in a time of crisis."  He was right, and I've seen the same pattern numerous times sense.

If  the aforementioned article is correct, many of today's teens have a similar perspective.  One of those students, 15 year old Ayanna Martin of Memphis, summed it up, "I know this isn't the last catastrophe we will have to face."  She noted that she focused on her faith in a time of crisis.  She also dreams of a time when our country is again anchored to socially conservative values, and faith-based government.

As adults we need to mirror that sense of hope as we look to the future.  Our response to tragedy is the strongest witness we will provide.