Reflections on Martin Luther King Day

Today is Martin Luther King Day. Having lived through the turbulent sixties, I marvel at how things have changed. I recall sitting in a junior high classroom and hearing my teacher talk in an angry tone about how disgusted she was at seeing a "nice young white man" give up his seat on a bus to a "colored woman." A few years ago I visited the Henry Ford Museum in Detroit where the bus that Rosa Parks took her historical stance on is displayed. I reached the back of the bus where I found a mom explaining the significance of the event to her two grade school age children. This time it was a White family in the back of the bus.

I once almost had a close encounter with Dr. King. I was in 8th grade and a member of our church basketball team. Our games were played on Saturday morning in the gym at Grosse Pointe High School. Grosse Pointe was, and still is, a very affluent suburb of Detroit. In those days it was highly segregated. Dr. King was scheduled to speak at the school on a Saturday afternoon. His appearance was highly controversial. There was a strong police presence as we left after our 11:00 AM game. Behind barricades stood some angry people. They were holding signs that said some pretty ugly things.

I was home in Detroit on spring break from college on that night in 1968 when Dr. King was shot. I was at church. I had been recruited to sing with the church choir for Easter. A member of the bass section was the one who broke the news. "The King is dead," he said with a smile. There was a real sense of satisfaction in his voice. 

Now we have had a Black Man as a President and we tend to view people not by the color of their skin but by what they stand for.  I live in a house where my neighbors are Hispanic, Vietnamese and Cambodian. I recently remarked, "all we need is a Black Family to move in to make things complete." 

Thank Dr. King for being the catalyst for change.

The Church in 2018

I shared in my opening comments in the last issue that I continue to be encouraged about the future of the church.  I am not alone in the effort to keep people informed and advocate the changes needed to reach today’s teens and young adults.  One to the respected voices I listen to is Thom Rainer, the president of Lifeway Christian Resources.  In a recent article Thom Rainer focused on four significant trends that he sees in growing churches as we move into 2018.  I would like to focus on two of those characteristics.

Growing churches have made a concerted effort to abandon the entitlement mentality. Too many congregations have become religious country clubs.  Like a in a club, members pay their dues, put money in the offering plate, and get benefits.  There are classes they may attend, social groups they can join and events they can participate in. The breakout churches made intentional efforts to abandon this mentality. They have moved from being inner-focused to being outer-focused.

As a result of the desire to be more outer-focused, they are fervently searching for new paradigms.  They are analyzing those new paradigms with a desire to accept them.  They also know that the methodologies that currently work might not be effective a year from now.  Ministry is always a work in progress.  Change is a necessity.  The reality according to Thom Rainer is, “your church will either change or die.” 

My prayer is that while you will embrace change, you will also keep the gospel message at the forefront.  Today’s teens and young adults need Jesus.

A Millennial Nativity?

It is the eighth day of Christmas and in our home the magi have moved a bit closer to the nativity scene.  Our tradition is the nativity scene comes out when the tree goes up on the first Sunday in Advent.  The Christ Child does not join the scene until Christmas Eve and the magi finally arrive on Epiphany, January 6.  In addition to the manger scene we have had since the first year of our marriage, we have added a Little People nativity this year.  That is a nod to our youngest grandson, seventeen month old Daniel.  I am never sure where I am going to find the magi from that scene. I recently sat town in my favorite recliner only to find a magi holding a gold box wedged between the cushions.   

I was tempted to add another nativity set to this year’s display.  Maybe you have seen the Hipster Nativity.  I do not know why they choose the dated term “Hipster.”  To me the new nativity more reflects our millennial culture.   In the latest version, the shepherd is wearing earbuds and carrying an I-pad, I assume so he can keep his friends updated on his experience on social media.  Instead of camels the magi are riding Segways and carrying Amazon gift boxes.  Joseph is taking a selfie and Mary is holding a Starbuck’s coffee.  And there are solar panels on the stable.

I will admit that when I first saw then new edition of the nativity I was a little offended. But then I got to thinking: even our traditional manger display probably does not accurately portray the actual setting.  We tend to glamorize the tableau when we sing about silent nights, a quiet little town and sweet smells.  In actuality it was probably cold and messy, not to mention smelly. 

The only constant in any manger scene, no matter how it is portrayed, is the Christ Child.  That is an important thing to remember as we enter 2018.  Culture and style might change, but Jesus remains the same.  Values might have shifted but God’s passionate desire to love His people is consistent.  A changeless Christ for an ever changing world: That is the Good News.

My prayer is that you find some new ways to share that message and pass the torch of faith in 2018.

Keeping Christ in Christmas

I have never bought insurance from Al Boenker but Babe’s Chicken is one of our favorite restaurants.  What do these two DFW businesses have in common?  They both have invested money to use media to wish folks at Merry Christmas.  Al Boenker’s usual 1-800-Thanks Al pitch line on television has been replaced by “Jesus is the reason for the season.  In the case of Babe’s Chicken, their billboards around the DFW community proclaim the same message.  No generic “Happy Holidays.”  Al Boenker Insurance and Babe’s Chicken house want the focus to be on the Christ Child.

The Vinyard family, who own Babe’s, and Al Boenker provide me with a glimmer of hope.  It is easy to feel like Christmas is becoming more secular every year, with less and less emphasis on the “Christ” in Christmas.  Unfortunately Christians, and even the church itself, can contribute to the movement.  I recently attend the “Christmas” spectacular at one of the area’s biggest mega-churches.  There were probably 5,000 plus in attendance the performance, which was one of over a dozen the church puts on.  This year, in addition to the soaring angels and live camels, there was flying sleigh and Rudolph.  While the second half of the program told the real Christmas story, the opening section featured a tour of North Pole complete with dancing snowmen and Santa.  I am not opposed to Santa Claus and Frosty the Snowman, but I think the church needs to be careful to keep the secular out of Christmas, keeping the focus on the Babe in the manger.

The above comments come in light of a new report from Pew Research that confirms what I already knew; fewer Americans celebrate Christmas as religious holiday.  According to their research, 55% of U.S. adults say they celebrate Christmas as a religious holiday, including 46% who see it as more of a religious holiday than a cultural holiday.  That is down from 59% in 2013, including 51% who saw Christmas as more religious than cultural. 

The responsibility for keeping Christ in Christmas falls on our shoulders. It starts with the traditions we keep as a family and the stories we tell our children and grandchildren.  While courts debates whether it is appropriate for a manger scene to be exhibited in a public place, the Christ Child should be under our Christmas tree and displayed in our yards.  The message of hope and peace that the Christ Child brings must be ingrained in our conversation and all our activities during this sacred time.  Jesus must be the reason we celebrate the season.

The End of the Homogeneous Church

My first assignment out of college was to be director of youth ministry at Trinity Lutheran Church in Cape Girardeau, Missouri.  Cape Girardeau is located just south of Perry County where the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod traces its roots.  To say that Lutheran tradition ran deep in that area would be an understatement.  It was only months prior to our arrival that Trinity had discontinued having at least one service every Sunday in German.  Rumor has that one older member had questioned the wisdom of the decision by asking in German, “How will God understand us if we are not speaking German?” Like most mainline denominations the LCMS has ethnic roots in addition to the theological ones. 

The reality in today’s world is homogeneous worship communities like the ones we probably grew up with are out of step with our diverse culture.  To expect the people who walk in the door to be like us and share our ethnic and denominational heritage is not realistic.  Thom Rainer, President of Lifeway Resources, recently noted, “Gen Z will not have a majority racial or ethnic group. Those born from 2001 to today are growing up in a generation that has no majority group. For the first time in American history, whites will be a minority. That is the real world. Our churches need to reflect that real world.”

The reality is the traditional church where everyone shares a similar ethnic, as well as religious background, will soon be a thing of the past.  Homogeneous worship communities are out of step in our diverse and changing world.  As a result it can be a challenging time for those of us who grew up enjoying the fellowship and traditions of those who are like us.  What is the long-term future of your church is membership and worship attendance continues to decline?

Jesus” great commission to “Make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19-20) calls us to share the Good News of Jesus with people of all cultures and ethnicity.  In the past that required us to travel to other continents.  In today's the world they have come to us.  We are surrounded by individuals who represent different cultures and ethnic groups.  We are called to be Jesus to those people, and to welcome them into our worship communities.

Christmas is Coming and so are the Millennials

Christmas is coming and so are the Millennials.  There is something about celebrating Christmas with family and friends.  Part of that tradition is being in church on Christmas Eve.  The singing of Silent Night by candlelight still touches my heart strings.  Millennials also cherish singing the traditional Christmas carols.  As pastors and worship leaders are putting together the final arrangements for Christmas Eve services there are some things to keep in mind. 

When it comes to Millennials and Christmas Eve, it is not as much about a long-term relationship as it is reminding them of their spiritual roots.  Most Millennials have established their own lives, often away from home.  Some might even have made choices that they know not only run counter to mom and dad’s expectations, but contradict what they were taught in Sunday school.  As a result they probably are not looking for a long-term relationship with a church.  What they are looking for is unconditional love and acceptance.

Millennials also want to hear the Christmas Gospel from Luke 2.  No matter how many times the story is told, it never grows old.  Keep the service short, preferably forty-five minutes are less.  Allow plenty of time for people to hang around and visit after the service.  If you have multiple services, allow as much time between services as you do for the services themselves.  Christmas Eve should also be an “all hands on deck” event for a church staff.  It is especially important for education and youth ministry people to be visible and ready to welcome back college students and young adults.

It is also important for parents and grandparents alike is to not use holiday gatherings as an opportunity to preach or express displeasure over decisions that have been made in the past.  When Jesus gathered as a meal with people He prayed, broke bread and celebrated the fellowship.  Jesus also was well aware of the baggage each person brought to the table.  In that situation, He just loved them and appreciated their presence.  That needs to be our attitude as we welcome back young and old alike for the holidays.  It also needs to be our mindset as we gather with family and friends as well.  

In This World You Will Have Trouble...

Like the rest of the world, I was deeply grieved when I heard of the tragic church shootings in Sutherland Springs, Texas.  Unfortunately, I cannot say that I was shocked.  Mass shootings are happening way too frequently, and regrettably church communities often the target.  I was heartened to hear the strong words of hope, and even grace, spoken by the survivors and the entire community of Sutherland Springs.  I recalled the response of the Amish Community in Pennsylvania when a gunman entered a school and mercilessly murders young girls.  They too reacted with grace and forgiveness, even reaching out to the family of the shooter. 

As always, I turned to the scripture in an attempt to keep things in perspective. A couple of things immediately came to mind.

Satan will be active on this side of eternity.  The earth is his playground.  Revelation 12:7-9 provides the account.  Jesus' early followers were well aware of this.  Peter even warns, “Be self-controlled and alert.  Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:9)

The devil will often attack those who are most faithful.  The story of Job is the ultimate example.   Yet, the midst of unimaginable tragedy Job could proclaim, “I know that my Redeemer lives, and I too in my flesh will see him.”  (Job 19:25-27)  Like Job, we too should “long to see Him.”

Jesus told his followers, and that includes us, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart, I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)  We are to live each day as conquerors  because we have the ultimate "Conquer" as our leader. 

We must be living, breathing examples of hope and grace in a very troubled world.  We cannot allow ourselves to live in fear.   While we must be prepared for such attacks, we cannot allow fear to control our lives.  Rather, we must live each day joyfully and confidently.  The world, especially the young folks around us, is watching.