4 Reasons to Keep Church Fun

February 21, 2012 in Christianity, Church Planting, conflict, Leadership, Leadership Vault, New Vintage Church, Productivity, Theology with 7 Comments

When God led us to start New Vintage Church, we resolved to keep it fun. We wanted laughter to be commonplace. Our staff meetings are characterized by laughter–lots of it. We love to make fun of one another and be made fun of. We regularly enjoy watching/listening to comedy and tend to find what’s funny in nearly every situation. We love to make humorous videos to illustrate message concepts or make announcements. We. Love. To. Laugh.

Mission? That is always to be taken seriously–and we do at NVC. In fact, we can take it so seriously we need laughter all the more. Mission is better pursued with laughter. It keeps us from taking ourselves too seriously–while we take God’s mission seriously.

Without fail, whenever I’ve traveled as a speaker/consultant outside of my church home, I’ve noticed a correlation between laughter and church health. Churches that don’t laugh much (or where laughter is discouraged) tend to have more conflict and more fragile community than those comfortable with laughter.

Here are four reasons to keep church fun:

1. Having fun together builds community. Praying together, serving together, mourning together, worshiping together–all of these help bond Christians to one another. So does laughter. Having fun together connects people in a way nothing else can.

2. It enhances your church’s “friendliness.” People like flying Southwest because they are obviously having fun as they go about their job. Here’s a question: Do people who visit your church leave sensing your people like each other? They will grant you love each-other for a while because they assume Christians love one another. Like? That’s another matter. Who wants to join a community that doesn’t like each other?

3. Providing opportunities for laughter is a form of pastoral care. Have you ever heard someone say, after laughing, “Oh…I needed that.” Life is extremely heavy these days. We need to remember that, “A cheerful heart is good medicine, a crushed spirit dries up the bones” (Prov. 17:22). In it’s own way, laughter feeds cheerfulness of heart. If joy (a prominent theme in Scripture) is a Fruit of the Spirit, perhaps laughter can be thought of as a fruit of joy.

4. Laughter as witness. Wouldn’t it be something if we could say:

“Our mouths were filled with laughter, 
   our tongues with songs of joy. 
Then it was said among the nations, 
   “The LORD has done great things for them.” 
The LORD has done great things for us, 
   and we are filled with joy.” (Psalms 126:2-3)

I know the humor police may be nearby, exclaiming, “What about lament?” “Worship isn’t about entertainment,” and other things. So, let’s add our caveats here. Obviously lament has it’s place, and of course worship isn’t about ‘entertainment’ (whatever one means by that). However, having been to hundreds of churches, I’ve never seen one where laughter had an inappropriate place. I’ve been to many in which it had virtually none.

Laughter is a good thing. It’s a godly thing. It will bless your church.

Note: D.J. Iverson, Youth Minister at New Vintage Church, created the ad above for our forthcoming Nerf War Youth Ministry event. The elderly lady pictured is Mae. She attends New Vintage and, yes, the photo is real. When April comes…she’s going down in Nerf War.

Do This Before You Leave the Building

February 20, 2012 in Christianity, Church Planting, Current Affairs, Leadership, Social Justice, Theology with 6 Comments

For the last several years I and many of my colleagues have tried desperately to heighten the Church’s awareness that ministry (often the best ministry) happens outside the church-building walls. We’ve also suggested that a fully clogged church calendar doesn’t serve the purposes of ministry best. In fact, it can leave little room for real spiritual growth or service in the community.

Churches have engaged in “The Church Has Left the Building” or “Faith that Works” campaigns in which the church shuts down the building on a Sunday and spends the day serving the community. You may have heard or read that “We just need to get out of the building and serve.” Or, “We need to go where the people are.” True enough.

Churches can become temple-oriented rather than mission-oriented. Certainly, “attractional” ministry is increasingly difficult to sustain and can cultivate consumerism.

Nevertheless…

For many struggling churches, the problem is usually not that too much attention has been paid to what goes on inside the building. On the contrary, the problem is that not even close to enough attention has been paid to what takes place inside the building. Such is evident in decaying facilities, assemblies that are mechanical and thrown together, strained fellowship, and no clear sense of congregational mission.

Such a church is unlikely to be missional in a Starbucks or soup kitchen any more than they are in a building. While serving in the community can help refocus a church in some unique ways, it can also mask deep issues that need to be dealt with. A family that is dysfunctional doesn’t stop being dysfunctional because they change addresses.

Neither do churches.

It’s OK for a church to shock-treat itself, and it’s nearly always a good thing to pick up the basin and towel. However, service should be more than conduit for avoiding problems no one wants to deal with–like a father who throws himself into work to avoid dealing with trouble at home.

In addition, like it or not, people in our culture looking for God still tend to begin with a church building, not a Starbucks. It is true that some will go to Starbucks that might never darken the door of a church building. The reverse is also true–and probably tenfold. To this day, when people’s marriages hit the reef, when a teen is in rebellion, or when people sense a deep need for God, they try to find a church. So, what goes on “at the building” still matters a ton–whether we like it or not.

Thus, one good test of our “missionality” is our “attractionalness.” The question though isn’t, are we “attractive” to searchers, but “do we care enough about the searchers God sends us to put effort into how we do things now?” If not, it’s right to question whether we’ll care much about them out there either.

Contrary to popular belief, the greatest community impact churches are also generally great attractional churches. This is because they care genuinely about lost people, whether they are “out there” or “in here.” They pay attention to the environments they create at their facility, in their assembly, and when the church hits the streets because they care about those in need of a Savior.

So, if you run a “The Church has Left the Building” campaign, more power to you. Just make sure you understand the building isn’t really the problem. It could be the church is the problem, because the church is the church whether they are in the building or not.

So, let’s pay attention to both our “being” and our “going” at the same time. We should, because they are linked whether we like it or not. It may be the first step in being more missional is becoming more attractional – in attitude.

And, vice-versa. We’ll talk about that tomorrow.

Thoughts?

New Ministry Resource – Pepperdine Ministry Workshops Online

February 16, 2012 in Christianity, conflict, Leadership, Web/Tech with 4 Comments

For those of you interested in sharpening your ministry skills, Pepperdine University is beginning a new series of online ministry workshops you won’t want to miss.

The workshops will take place LIVE online from 11:00AM – 11:30AM PST on the dates listed below. These multimedia presentations will be roughly 15-20 minutes with some Q & A time at the end.

Here are the dates, presenters, and topics for the first several:

  • Mike Cope - 2/23/12 - When a Child Dies: Ministering to Those in Grief
  • Tim Pownall - 3/22/12 - Redeeming Church Conflicts
  • Alan Beard - 4/19/12 - Like this Webinar
  • Tim Spivey - 5/24/12 Hiring Well – Building a Healthy Church Staff
  • Connie Horton - 6/26/12 Where is God in This? Stress and Coping from a Christian worldview

I think these live webinars are going to be terrific and wanted to pass the word onto you so you can get them on your calendar now. I’m thankful for Pepperdine University and it’s commitment to strengthening the local church.

I know at least the first webinar with Mike Cope will be limited to the first 100 participants. If you don’t get in, the session will be recorded and posted on the Church Relations web site. Click here to register now.

Practices of Healthy Churches – Inoculation

February 15, 2012 in Christianity, conflict, Current Affairs, Leadership, Leadership Vault, Theology with 5 Comments

It’s the season for diseases. Flu, colds, bronchitis, you name it–it’s out there. Those who make it through the season without getting sick are generally those who take care of their bodies in such a way their immune systems remain strong enough to fight off exposure to disease. However, there is another way in which we fight off disease.

The flu shot. The polio vaccine. Inoculation.

Inoculation is “the placement of something that will grow or reproduce, and is most commonly used in respect of the introduction of a serum, vaccine, or antigenic substance into the body of a human or animal, especially to produce or boost immunity to a specific disease.”

While churches don’t want to intentionally introduce disease into the system, most have some element of disease in their system all the time. It’s the nature of the church. We are human beings with sinful natures in need of transformation, repentance, forgiveness. Even leaders bring disease into the church without recognizing it.

Whether a church Body ultimately finds itself sick or whether proper handling of the disease continues to build the immune system of the church is a matter of proper response. Exposure to disease is part of ministry. Obviously, we’re talking about sinful behavior, viral behavior–expressing itself in symptoms like critical spirit, division, apathy, immorality and the like.

Healthy churches understand the importance of health and the importance of inoculation. In ministry inoculation is the recognition of disease and dealing with it in such a way the Body emerges from the experience healthier and more immune to dangerous disease than before.

  1. Acknowledge your church isn’t completely healthy. Ever. As long as there are people in the church, sin will be present.
  2. Recognize the behavior, not the person, is the source of disease that threatens the health of the Body. People can change their behavior.
  3. Accept responsibility for the health of the church. One thing we see in the letters to the seven churches from Revelation is not only Jesus’ Lordship, but His expectation that churches correct sinful attitudes and behaviors. The good news is Jesus also provides us the spiritual resources to deal with these problems according to His will.
  4. Deal with it early. This doesn’t mean you break out a bazooka to kill a horse fly–creating leadership crises over every mildly critical comment. It means you don’t let problems grow. When we deal with problems early, the response  can be minimal. If it grows, you’ll have to deal with it more aggressively–and the problem will escalate.
  5. Deal with it firmly and biblically. Somewhere, freedom of expression became a civil right in the minds of many Christians. That’s America, not the Kingdom. In the Kingdom, it’s out of the heart the mouth speaks. In the Kingdom, we are told: “As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him, knowing that such a person is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned” Titus 3:10-11. This doesn’t mean we should try to control every thought people have. Rather, it means we recognize viral behavior and seek to correct it according to biblical norms.
  6. Choose health over “peace.” Many churches avoid conflict thinking they are “peacemaking” when in reality they are simply making cold war the relational norm in the church. They have peace like Israel and Iran have peace now :)
  7. Choose health over size. You will inevitably lose some people if dealing with conflict in this way is new to your church. If it’s chemotherapy and not inoculation that must take place for the Body to be restored to health…expect to lose some people. However, healthy churches will grow. It’s the nature of the Kingdom. Nothing, NOTHING will help your church grow over time like perennial health. This doesn’t mean every growing church is healthy. However, I am suggesting that Jesus blesses churches committed to keeping His Bride as unblemished as possible in our broken world. He also wants to redeem what is lost. Many churches like to think of themselves as being “pruned” when in reality Christ is moving their lampstand. However, I also know of numerous churches that turned around quickly and permanently after an initial period of decline by removing or correcting unhealthy ministry leaders, small group leaders, elders, and ministers.

By God’s grace, stay healthy. If you’re sick, by God’s grace, get healthy. It makes all the difference. Our congregations aren’t in a disease-free world. However, the Body grows stronger and healthier by learning to deal with disease properly.

-102,138: On Decline in Churches of Christ

February 13, 2012 in Christianity, Leadership, Leadership Vault, Personal, Religion, Theology with 10 Comments

Last last week, the Christian Chronicle reported a loss of 102,138 members of Churches of Christ since 2003. They report:

“The total number of adherents — which includes members and their children — in the nation’s historically a cappella congregations stands at 1,554,579, according to 21st Century Christian’s new statistical data sheet. That’s down 6.2 percent from the 1,656,717 adherents reported in 2003 — less than a decade ago. Another striking number: 708 fewer Churches of Christ in the U.S. in the last nine years. The nation’s 12,447 congregations represent a 5.4 percent decline since 2003.”

This helpful information simply adds weight to what many have noticed over the last several years. As striking as the numbers are, what I’ve found more striking is the response of many since. Some have an appropriate response–serious reflection on what the numbers mean and why they exist. Others have been ambivalent, or worse–smug about them. The approach seems to be, “Well good riddance to them anyway. Jesus said some would fall away. And remember what Paul said about “itching ears” in the last days, don’t you?”

I will admit having a hard time respecting that way of thinking. Churches of Christ have blamed others for their problems for too long, and until we are ready to look in the mirror and ask hard questions, I don’t expect much to change. Until the pain of change is preferable to the pain of non-change, status quo is, sadly, likely to continue.

It isn’t that all of sudden within the last decade, hundreds of churches (despite a renewed emphasis on church planting) and more than a hundred thousand Christians just decided to have their ears itched, seek out “entertainment,” or became “disloyal.” 6.3% in less than a decade. Let that sink in… 6.3% in less than a decade. These numbers are self-reported by churches, meaning these numbers likely paint a rosier picture than really exists.

Now that we’re all depressed :) are we willing to consider the idea that we have something to do with our problems? What if it’s not culture–other Christian tribes seem to reach people and “culture” has always been pagan. Why is ours so different? It’s also unlikely that we are being “pruned.” We are under no persecution.

Our primary enemy is us.

This doesn’t mean it’s all our fault or that hope is lost. It means we need to own this.

One thing is common to renewal movements: Humility. Until we can humble ourselves enough to acknowledge and repent of what ails us, we need not hold our breath waiting for renewal. One piece of good news is–the whole Movement need not change for you or your congregation to change.

So, let’s start with us. God will take it from there.

Question: Why aren’t some in Churches of Christ willing to own the decline?

Note: They are a bit dated now, but you can read the Turnaround Fellowship posts (10 parts), beginning with this one from January 3, 2010. Here are the links to the others:

There are also a set of Turnaround Church posts you can access by searching for “Turnaround Churches” in the search bar above.

May God bless you and your congregation.

 

Friday Stream of Consciousness – 16

February 10, 2012 in Books, Christianity, Family Life with 4 Comments

Here are some things I’m thinking about this Friday morning:

  • After openly predicting the Patriots by four (a pretty good pick until the last 2 minutes), DJ Iverson had everyone at the Youth Group Super Bowl party text me simultaneously to say, “You lost.” Gotta love Youth Ministers :) I do.
  • Last Sunday we kicked off our series on Revelation at New Vintage Church. It’s a ton of work to preach, but also a ton of fun. What an amazing book!
  • Gordon Fee published a commentary on Revelation at the end of 2010 in a lesser known commentary set called the New Covenant Commentary–which has an international emphasis. I appreciate the different approach, and love Fee’s commentary as an “every person” commentary. It’s not overly technical, but Fee’s mastery of the text is obvious. His 1 Corinthians Commentary remains a staple in my library on all things 1 Corinthians. With regards to Revelation, however, I’ve typically pointed people looking for a readable commentary toward two others–Craig Keener (NIV Application Commentary), and Eugene Boring (Interpretation). They are quite readable with fine scholars still doing some heavy lifting.
  • I can’t wait for baseball season! The Padres were ranked as the finest farm system in MLB. That’s great news. The bad news is, they don’t play on the Padres Major League roster.
  • Watch out for the Angels this year. They brought in a massive haul in free agency and have a nice collection of veteran and young players. Ranger fans–you still have a good team (and the only one that can compete with the Angels in the AL West). However, this Josh Hamilton situation plus the uncertainty around Darvish makes me go with the Angels this year.
  • Has anyone noticed there’s an NBA season going on this year?
  • Customer service these days is absolutely awful in some quarters. Hopefully, customer attrition, protest, etc., will work it’s magic over time–and I’m not usually that way. From government to everyday encounters with cell phone companies, etc.–everyday life in society is beginning to feel a bit like everyone is out to get whatever anyone can from whoever they need to get it from.
  • Take for example this absurd rule just passed here in my great state: up to a $1000 fine for throwing a football or frisbee on the beach between Memorial Day and Labor Day. However, apparently volleyballs and beach-balls are not dangerous. Apparently, also, frisbees and footballs are only dangerous in the summer. I’ve spent my share of time on California beaches over my 36 years on earth, spending 28 of those living within a couple of miles of the beach. I’ve never seen anyone hurt with a football or frisbee. If the city needs more revenue, find another way. That’s ridiculous. Or, keep your rule. But $1000? Come on! Try $50.
  • Despite these little shenanigans, it’s easy to see God’s light shining through society. This week, our church rallied to help a couple of single moms out in some huge ways. A man who has been away from the Lord for some time has returned. A guest at our church has started reading the Bible for the very first time, and a very lonely person has found community. These are far better things to dwell upon.
It’s all good reminder that God is in control and His works are everywhere for those with eyes to see.

What’s on your mind this Friday?

Scripture for the week. Dwell on this one for a while. It’ll change your weekend, I promise.

John to the seven churches that are in Asia:

“Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth.

To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen.

“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”

(Revelation 1:4-8)

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Mountains are Better Than Molehills

February 8, 2012 in Leadership, Personal, Productivity with 1 Comment

…when you put them there yourself. One of the best things you can do for your ministry over time is to choose to challenge yourself. This is especially true of areas of vital importance to congregational life. It will help you keep growing. It will help focus you.

Choosing to challenge oneself is a spiritual discipline of sorts. For a preacher, it might be choosing a particularly difficult message series that will not only bless the church, but also sharpen one’s study and preparation skills. For you, it might be writing a book by a certain date, overhauling the church web site to a certain level of excellence by Easter (if you’re a tech-minister), or entering a time of intense fasting and prayer for your community.

Whatever your ministry in the Kingdom, let me encourage you to choose to challenge yourself every couple of months. Do something that adds intentionality, interest, and focus. Just make sure it’s doable, and concrete. It needs a binding time-frame, and be a goal your are actually excited about accomplishing.

For many people, the reason their fitness goals fizzle is because they aren’t training for anything in particular. They are exercising because they know they are supposed to–it’s good for them. That’s fine–not inspiring, though. If we know we are taking on a major hike or a marathon in 3 months, we train more vigilantly and with greater joy–because we anticipate the payoff. We can see ourselves at the top of the mountain or crossing the finish line. Or, we are afraid of what will happen if we don’t train.

Yes, life will produce challenges on it’s own. But, those aren’t usually welcome and don’t drive us positively. Set doable, concrete ministry challenges for yourself. Set binding time frames to bring accountability (i.e., schedule that sermon series in stone). Aim them at mission and love for God. Then, watch the difference it makes.

Do any of you do this? What are some of the ways you challenge yourself?

Why Should I Stay?

February 7, 2012 in conflict, Leadership, Personal, Personal Writings, Religion with 14 Comments

I know many who read this blog are not members of Churches of Christ. However, this is an important question for any Christian Fellowship to answer: Why Should I Stay?

I conversed recently with a preacher at the end of his rope. He feels his ministry is futile. He feels everything he suggests either gets a “no,” or gets a “yes” only after a multi-month, Herculean effort that brings him to the brink of utter despair. Even then, the “yes” brings him only tepid support that lasts until the first complaint.

This isn’t his first rodeo. Not even close. But, he’s torn between his spiritual heritage and what he perceives to be the vanity of staying in churches that exhaust he and his family while quenching his gifts and training.

This is of course is how he feels after many years of ministry. His heart is frustrated, tired, broken, and he’s asking: Why Should I Stay? Not in ministry. Not in Christ. In Churches of Christ. Granted, what makes one “in” or “out” is itself complicated. But, he is talking about a clean break.

I know I haven’t told you a lot. But, you know the broader strokes and probably know someone who has felt similarly–asking, “Why Should I Stay?” 

I offered a few suggestions as to why he might want to stay, and why he might not. What would you tell him? He’s listening.

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