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.

Guess Who Is Making Poor Choices?

We hear a lot about children and teens making poor choices, but if an article I read in USA Today earlier this week is correct young mom's are making poor decisions too.  The issue is using a cell phone while driving.  The percentage of young moms doing it parallels the number of teenagers.

The study was done jointly American Baby magazine and the organization Safe Kids World Wide.  It involved 2,396 moms with children under the age of two.  According to the research, 78% of moms with young children talk on the phone while driving.  26% of the same group text or check
e-mail while behind the wheel.  Just an observation, but I suspect that the percentage for all women closely parallels that.  I also suspect that adult men are not far behind. 

Having spent time working with kids and their parents, the latest statistics don't surprise me.  I could write a book on "Stupid Parent Tricks."  By the way, there would be a couple of chapters featuring the poor choices that I have made as a parent.  I do think I drew the line when it came to decisions that involved my sons  and daughter's safety.  Driving while talking on the phone, with kids in the backseat should be an easy decision.  Don't do it.

The welfare of our children, no matter what their age, should always be our highest priority. 

A Lesson from Lance

"So, now tell me what really happened."  During my years as a high school counselor that became one of my trademark phrases.  After working with teenagers for over thirty-five years I got to be pretty good at sorting out fact from fiction.  There were certain things that tipped me off.  Obviously, eye contact was an indicator, but some kids can look you in the eye and still lie through their teeth.  Posture was also a sign.  Crossed arm or legs were ofter a tip off that the students were putting a barrier between themselves and me.  Perhaps there was a reason.  The best indication was how they responded when I began to question them about details.  Students who were fabricating the truth would quickly get defensive when questioned.  Eventually they would become agitated and sometimes outright angry.  "How dare you question me?" they might shout.

I couldn't help but draw some comparisons as I've listened to Lance Armstrong over the last couple of years.  Lance was vehement in his denials that he had used performance enhancing drugs.  The more evidence that was presented the more defensive he became.  As former friends and teammates came forward with statement that were contrary, Lance Armstrong became more adamant that he would never cheat.  Only now is he admitting that he did cheat and use illegal drugs to enhance his performance.  And don't get me started about why it's expedient to now admit he cheated or the format he chose to do it. 

When you tell the truth, there is no reason to get angry and defensive.  In the end, the truth is always going to come out, and even if it doesn't God knows the truth. 

Within a family, honesty is always the best policy, and that honesty needs to start with us.  When we are honest about our mistakes and shortcomings we are setting an example.  When we are upfront about our feelings and hurts, we are giving our kids permission to do the same.  By the way, and when the truth comes out it's time to practice grace. 

Getting Involved and Making a Difference

I spent yesterday teaching at our local middle school.  I work with the students every other Friday as part of the Student Advancement Leadership Initiative (SALI) program of LINC-North Texas.  My partner, a college student, and I teach leadership skills and mentor the students.  In addition to the time teaching, we have parent nights and also have the opportunity to accompany the students on field trips.  When I was first approached about being part of the SALI program I did hesitate.  People have the impression that since I am retired I have a lot of discretionary time.  Actually my schedule is quite full.  I work for a hospital chaplaincy service two days a week and try to keep another two days a week open for writing.  I also volunteer as an ambassador at DFW Airport one morning a week.  I was not looking for something else to do.  

In the end it was an easy decision.  It puts me into the world of teenagers again and I know I am making a difference in my community.  Since 90% students are Hispanic, I am also learning a lot about them, their families and their needs. My confidence in the public school system has also been heightened.  The school is clean and well run.  The teachers seem to genuinely care and the students are well behaved and eager to learn.

I would encourage you to find a way to volunteer with the kids in your community as well.  I realize that as parents and grandparents you are busy.  You also have your own families to to take care of, but when you get involved in the lives of kids you are broadening your perspective.  You also are showing you care about others, and you are also setting an example for your own kids.

Volunteer at your church, at your local school or community center.   Join Big Brothers or Big Sisters.  Now is the time to begin to make a difference.  By the way, if you live in the DFW area we can always use more SALI teachers.