Pastor’s Thoughts

Lots of theories exist on this topic. Here’s one that caught my attention because it referred to men and our ministry to them:

http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/0103/p01s01-ussc.html

You’ll want to read the article before you continue reading this post.

The part that interests me is the “60% male” theory. Why would they say that 60% male population in the sanctuary make a difference as to whether you grow or not? Okay, I’m out on a limb here because the article raises the issue then says NOTHING about it in the text I have.

To make a general statement, there are some differences between males and females with regard to the things that they value. Note that there are several exceptions to this, but this supposition/stereotype seems to be driving the statement.

Men tend to be goal oriented. Women tend to be oriented towards security.

Security implies a lack of change. Goals are about movement. Hmmmm…

Does this mean women perhaps can’t change as easily or maybe don’t want to as readily? Does this mean that men are less likely to be stubborn in wanting things to stay the same?

I don’t know. I have some ideas, but no real statistical data on that particular stereotype. So I’ll refrain from commenting further. But I do know that men who attend church make a bigger difference in the lives of their children.

Check out this data from a 1994 survey of Swiss religious practice :

* If both father and mother attended church regularly then 33 per cent of their children became regular churchgoers, a further 41 per cent irregular attenders and about a quarter not practicing at all.

* If the mother was a regular church attender but the father irregular then only 3 per cent of their children became regular church attenders, 59 per cent irregular attenders and 38 per cent non-attenders.

* If the father was non-practicing and the mother regular only 2 per cent of children were regular and 37 per cent irregular church attenders. 61 per cent did not attend church at all.

* Surprisingly, if the father is a regular church attender the children’s religious practice varied in an inverse relationship to their mothers’ practice. If the mother was regular 33 per cent of children were regular. If she was an irregular attender then 38 per cent of children were regular. If the mother was non-practising then 44 per cent of children became regular attenders.

* Even when the father is an irregular attender and the mother non- practising 25 per cent of the children were regular attenders and 23 per cent irregular attenders.

In summary, if a father does not go to church, no matter how regular the mother is in her religious practice, only one child in 50 becomes a regular church attender. But if a father attends regularly then regardless of the practice of the mother at least one child in three will become a regular church attender.

How does this compare to your experience?

I think, for me, there is a real mandate to change the way I lead the ministry to reach men and help them build their discipleship. It may require some real changes for all of us. Or it may not.

Publisher’s Weekly reviewed a book entitled “WHY MEN HATE GOING TO CHURCH” by David Murrow. Here’s their synopsis, found at Amazon.com.

Murrow, a television writer and producer, asks and effectively answers the question: “What is it about modern Christianity that is driving men away?” Just 35% of American men say they attend church weekly, he reports, and women make up more than 60% of the typical congregation on a given Sunday. Murrow contends that the church caters to women, children and the elderly by creating a safe, predictable environment. This alienates anyone fond of risk taking, including young men and women, but men are affected most. In order to reach men, Murrow suggests, churches must “adjust the thermostat” to embrace the masculine spirit: let men lead; give them tasks; encourage pastors to show strength and teach men through object lessons, letting them discover truth for themselves. Two of the best outreach methods: start rigorous mentoring programs and help men make friends with other men. Murrow bases his conclusions on what he claims are legitimate biological and cultural gender differences. He is aware that these observations might offend, and his thesis will find few takers among those who believe that the church needs less, not more, male influence. But Murrow’s work is quite likely to get an enthusiastic reception from many Christian men. It contains sharp observations that will provoke much discussion—and, perhaps, some change.
[Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc.]

I’ve spoken to Dan Schaeffer about Murrow’s ideas. Dan is the author of Spiritual Fathers and the leader of the Building Brothers movement.  I’m posting this from Lakeshore where I’m learning some of Dan’s ideas and principles. You can find out more about Building Brothers at http://www.buildingbrothers.org.

Dan is encouraging a deeper change than just the thermostat. The environmental changes in a congregational setting must be accompanied–and perhaps preceded–by intrinsic changes to the way ministry is perceived and pursued in the local context.

What the heck does that mean? It means that we have to challenge men to answer some hard questions and deal with the reality of the answers. It means that we have to remember that we do not follow a Tame Jesus. We must recognize that there is more to the ministry of reconciliation than just getting ourselves reconciled to God. We must change the way we reach out to one another and effect real change in the way we live our lives.

I’m going to be pressing our men to think differently about how we minister to each other and to other men. Fortunately, I have a lot of help. Jerry Brownlee and Bob Doyle are here with me to make sure that I’m taking good notes and learning this material “right side up.” I’m thankful for their enthusiasm and willingness to take time out of their schedules to learn more about ministry to men.

More on this very soon.

Filed by Joey at 6:01 pm under Church Leadership,Methodism,Pop Culture,Society at Large,Uncategorized
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Are you a teacher? This question applies to us as it did to the great teacher of the Jewish law, Nicodemus. Nicodemus was so busy teaching the concept, he was failing to live it. 

So how do we become better teachers? The most recent sermon in the Lenten Sermon Series addresses this question. The answer comes directly from personal experience.

As a pastor, a theologian, and a teacher, I’ve struggled to get the doctrine “right” for several years now. I still find myself stuck using words that only have meaning in theological contexts, maybe cloistered behind seminary walls, or socked away behind the Sunday School room door.

But on my best days, I find myself speaking to folks about what the teachings of Jesus have done for me. Personal experience, offering that same kind of experience to others. Here’s what Jesus said:

Listen carefully. I’m speaking sober truth to you. I speak only of what I know by experience; I give witness only to what I have seen with my own eyes. There is nothing secondhand here, no hearsay.

I don’t have to convince anyone of the cosmic truth of Jesus Christ, not at the beginning of the journey. At the beginning of the Christan faith journey, I just need to share the real life answers to the real life questions that I’ve stumbled upon.

In simplest terms, Jesus recognized that the Temple’s teachings and required offerings were more oppressive than liberating. The question in the lives of everyone who wasn’t a Pharisee was, “What can I do to be freed from this system of sin and atonement?” Jesus gave specific examples of forgiveness by living the life of forgiveness, demonstrating the love of God and offering grace to everyone he met, regardless of their social status.

He still demanded repentance, but it was a possible repentance, not a carrot on a string that required more and more sacrificial offerings.

Oddly enough, he required a total sacrifice rather than the sacrifice of animals and grain.

To Nicodemus, the most confusing part was being born again. To most of us, the confusing part lies in dying to ourselves so that we can be born anew in Christ’s image. Nicodemus understood personal sacrifice. He didn’t understand the concept of completely starting over. As a society, we understand starting over. We just don’t understand how to live differently after that point, so we start over and over and over… We don’t want to give up who we are. We don’t want to die to ourselves. We just want to start over and keep doing things the way we always have.

Expecting a different result from repeating the same mistakes, that’s the definition of insanity.  

So how does this grace get to us?

The basic idea of what Jesus was saying is simple: Forgiveness and grace are at the heart of God’s plan for us. But its not for the Temple to dole out. It is for each of us to live and share, and most importantly, exemplify. The reason for this is found in the words of Jesus I quoted earlier. Jesus is basically saying, “This truth is undeniable because it is not only possible, but it is being lived out in your presence in the person of Christ.”

Today, the person of Christ is seen most clearly by observing the Body of Christ, the Church.

The key is for us to make sure that Christ is visible within the Body.

Are you a teacher? Trick question. Of course you are. You teach the message of Christ every day.

Sometimes, you might even use words to do so.

Filed by Joey at 12:38 pm under Methodism,Piperton UMC,Sermons
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Yesterday, I preached a sermon that asked and partially answered a question of faith. “What are you looking for?”

Part of the answer acknowledged the searching questions that occupy our own hearts and affirmed the validity of that search. There’s nothing wrong with seeking out authentic wholeness. St. Augustine’s God-Shaped Hole comes in a variety of flavors, so different people are looking for different things. I happen to believe that all of those answers are found in relationship to God.

 But the thrust of the sermon was aimed at the many men and women at Piperton UMC who have already found the initial answers to their initial questions. Most of them have discovered that there are still holes in their lives–smaller than the originals, to be sure. But holes nonetheless.

I tried to point out that those holes are God-Shaped, too. And only God can fill them. But the process is a little different for this stage of discipleship. Once you’ve found Christ by finding the Body of Christ (the Church), the time has come to seek out Christ in the world.

So the question, “What are you looking for?” has two general answers. Both of them are “Jesus Christ.” One is the Body of Christ, and the other is the Christ of Matthew 25. “I was hungry and you fed me. I was thirsty and you gave me drink. I was naked and you clothed me; sick and imprisoned and you visited me.” When we do these things to the least likely persons in this world, we are reaching out to find Christ again.

Now, this isn’t earth shattering. Pastors have been preaching this for years–decades and centuries, even.

What was moving for me was the fact that that acolytes didn’t make it back out for the end of the service. Now, if you know me at all, you know that the symbols of the Church MUST become real for the folks I’m serving. So when the light of Christ couldn’t be symbolically carried out into the world, I asked a very simple question.

“Who will take the light of Christ into the world? Who will go out from the Body of Christ to find Christ in the world?”

Of course, the question was taken rhetorically, but I quickly corrected that situation. “Seriously, folks. Who will step forward and carry the light out?” After some punching and urging in several of the pews, an enthusiastic woman in our congregation came forward to settle the issue.

“Not so fast,” I said. “We don’t send just one out to take the Light into the world. Who will go with her?”

Before much more time had passed, half of the congregation (including every member of the choir present yesterday) was gathered in the very small altar space behind my brave volunteer.

We processed out, ate our monthly potluck meal together, then had one of the most productive Church Council meetings I’ve ever seen in my life.

I got the answer to my question. Come get yours.

Filed by Joey at 11:57 pm under Church Leadership,Methodism,Piperton UMC
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Well, you came back–or perhaps you are reading this for the first time. If you are new to the blog, read the next entry first, then scroll back up.

 I’ll wait.

 Great. Glad you’re back. So here’s the deal.

One of the reasons that Bad Things happen to Good People (insert your own definitions here) is because other Good People often stand aside and do nothing to prevent it. Martin Niemöller wrote a poem that has been translated, quoted, and misquoted (as it was this past week by your’s truly–my apologies to the literati) for decades. Here is the translation of one of his speeches:

When the Nazis came for the communists,
I remained silent;
I was not a communist.

When they locked up the social democrats,
I remained silent;
I was not a social democrat.

When they came for the trade unionists,
I did not speak out;
I was not a trade unionist.

When they came for the Jews,
I remained silent;
I wasn’t a Jew.

When they came for me,
there was no one left to speak out.

There’s more to sinning than just those things that we do and shouldn’t.

There are sins which are made up of those actions that we should do, but do not.

Personally, I’m tired of people yelling at people like you for doing things you probably don’t even consider doing. You won’t find that at Piperton United Methodist Church. You will, however, find honest discussion about the things that are left undone; those things we should all be doing.

Filed by Joey at 8:11 am under General Rant,Methodism,Political Landscape,Pop Culture,Sermons,Society at Large,Uncategorized
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