Attend Multiple Churches–At Your Peril

Wed, 12 June 2013 09:00:00

Dwindling church attendance has another wrinkle. A growing number of people who do attend are spreading their attendance among multiple churches.

Mom and dad may like the ambience and friends at First Church, but their teenage kids like the youth ministry at Second Church. So the family attends both churches at different times. Their neighbors have a slew of other reasons for playing "musical chairs" among various churches.

Is this a bad thing? Apparently, if you check with church leaders. Steve Hewitt at American Church magazine surveyed pastors on their churches' rules concerning membership. He found that 71 percent of churches prohibit their people from joining other churches.

Why do you suppose that is? Is it a fear of mixing a dangerous theological cocktail? Is it contributing to the dreaded consumer mentality? Is it a concern about diluting the home church's volunteer pool? Is it a sign of paranoia over church comparisons? Or is it simply a resistance to dividing the tithe?

What subtle message does this jealous rule send? That one's faith should be exercised in only one location? Might it be healthier to be thankful, especially in these days of declining church involvement, that people choose to plug in somewhere-or multiple somewheres?

Like denominationalism, exclusive church membership will continue to slide. Whether we like it or not. People today are culturally less likely to join or reserve their loyalty to any organization.

Perhaps this is the time for the church to shed one of its man-made rules. And show the world what it means to belong to the Body of Christ.

Reaching the Community-–With No Strings

Wed, 05 June 2013 10:17:00

In the face of agonizing tragedy the church stepped up.

After monster tornadoes tore through Oklahoma, the people of the church demonstrated the simple and powerful love of Christ to those they never met. And may never see again. Yet the church served, without expecting anything in return.

Local churches offered their facilities to those who suddenly found themselves homeless. Church members collected truck loads of clothing, food and household goods for the stranded. These were acts of love, performed without sermonizing, without any expectation that the victims would later fill the pews or become "giving units."

Other churches outside of the area jumped into action to assist those ravaged by the storms. Churches in Columbus, Ohio, collected batteries, tents, backpacks and baby supplies. Churches in New York sent vanloads of volunteers to clean debris from flattened neighborhoods. Churches in Indiana organized benefit concerts to raise funds for tornado relief.

These far-flung churches had no self-interests or hopes of gaining a return on their investment. They simply served. And loved.

And people noticed. An Oklahoma news reporter saw church volunteers move onto the scene after the tornadoes left. He told his listeners, "Wait for government aid and you'll be here forever. The Baptist men will get it done tomorrow."

That's the church being the church.

Sometimes, though, I wonder what keeps us from responding like that outside of extraordinary disasters. I was reminded of this inconsistency in recent weeks as we screened a preview of an upcoming documentary for church leaders and members. The film showed some Christians' efforts to serve their local communities, to bring joy to the elderly, to bring love and dignity to homeless moms on skid row.

Every time we showed the clips, several church people expressed their doubts and dissatisfaction with the servants on the screen. "Where was the gospel?" "How do we know they heard the plan of salvation?" "What good does that do the church?" And my personal favorite: "You call that church? I didn't hear any praise songs. I didn't see any pews."

For many churches, love and service have become conditional. Efforts to be "missional," to reach out, to love your neighbor are only valid if they produce a return, if they reciprocate. Or if they're wrapped in a sermon.

But Jesus made it quite clear. His second great commandment simply calls us to love those around us. No strings attached.

Sometimes the church has been visibly absent in times of real need. A public school official in Joplin, Missouri noticed this absence after a massive tornado swept away much of his city and schools in 2011. At a meeting of 150 community leaders he realized the pastors were missing. So he called a special meeting for the city's faith leaders. After Superintendent C.J Huff acknowledged that the educational system has long banned religious teaching in public schools, a pastor stood up and said, "We can't be the voice of God in the schools, but we can be the hands of God."

That was a breakthrough for Joplin schools. Throngs of church members rallied to serve as volunteers in the schools. The schools rebounded from the disaster. The students soaked up the love. The dropout rate fell dramatically.

"The results have been profound," Huff said. "Wouldn't it be nice if every community in our nation behaved in that way?"

We can be the hands of God.

9 Ways to Me-Too Your Ministry Heroes

Thu, 23 May 2013 11:32:00

When children try to dress like their parents, it's often cute. When teenagers try to emulate rock stars, it's often bizarre. When adults try to imitate their folk heroes, it's often embarrassing.

Ever since the mass media (my company included) began enabling fame for ministry leaders, adoring church people have scurried to emulate their heroes. The result has been a wave of copycat terms and behaviors-repeated not because they make sense, but because they're used by the cool and the famous.

Here's a sampling of ministry me-too-isms:

When you preach, sit on a stool.
But don't preach. Give a message.
Call yourself a "communicator."
Name yourself the "lead pastor."
Don't love people. Love ON people.
"Press in." (Don't know why.)
Call the worship location a "campus." (Even if it's in a jail or on the web.)
Refer to teenagers as "students." (But don't use the "student" word for elementary school students or college students. They're not "students.")
Dispatch men in little orange vests to direct traffic in the parking lot.

I guess it's all scriptural. "Ye are . . . a peculiar people." (1 Peter 2:9)

What would you add to the copycat list?

“Life Change Happens in Circles, Not in Rows.” Are You Kidding Me?

Thu, 09 May 2013 10:36:00

They say the "right" thing.

"Sunday morning isn't the main event. The real ministry happens in our small groups."

"Life change happens in circles, not in rows."

More ministry leaders are arriving at an intellectual or spoken conclusion that effective ministry is relational. They may say that person-to-person interaction leads to far more spiritual growth than a speech from the pulpit. But do their actions really support this notion?

I've heard pastors from high-profile mega-churches tout the ultimate ministry payoff through their small groups. And I've heard youth pastors boast about the number of small groups they've started. But a closer examination of their weekly priorities may tell a different story.

Though many verbally acknowledge the value of their relational ministries, they devote very little of their time or attention to these ministries. Though they may say people ultimately gain more from conversations and interactions with others than from their sermons, they spend 30 hours in sermon prep-and 15 minutes in small group prep.

It's often said you can accurately determine people's real priorities by examining two things-their wallet and their schedule. So, what might a church's financial and staff time commitments tell us about the church's true priorities? How much time and resources are devoted to small group involvement and other relational ministries-vs. what is devoted to the Sunday morning service?

"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

While working on an upcoming documentary film on the state of the church in America, I ran across a church in Louisiana that pays more than lip service to its relational ministries. The pastor, Wayne Northup, regularly lays out the priorities for the congregation-using the metaphor of a meal.

Notice the emphasis here. He names the Sunday morning service the Appetizer, "a place where you can get your taste buds going." The Main Course, however, is small group involvement.

And he's very sincere about the weighting of this meal. Wayne devotes major chunks of his time and attention to the Main Course. All small group leaders go through 16 weeks of training-on group dynamics, leadership, care-giving, theology, and personal growth. They're required to read five books and do multiple practical assignments.

The real work of ministry happens within these little mini-congregations. They care for one another, discuss the Bible, celebrate birthdays and anniversaries together, help one another with residential moves, engage in community service, handle personal crises, and make hospital calls. Group leaders and members are accountable for outreach, discipleship, group multiplication, and prayer support.

They are the church, the Body of Christ.

To Become the Best Church in Town

Wed, 01 May 2013 10:48:00

"Our church has the best youth ministry in town."

"Everybody knows we offer the best children's ministry in the city."

"Our vision is to be the best church in the area."

Over the last ten years I've heard statements like these with increasing frequency. Is this a good thing? Does our desire to serve God with excellence naturally lead us to want to be the best in town? Is the "best" classification the most honorable way to measure our success and effectiveness?

Most people probably view the quest for best as a helpful ambition. Driving to be better and better, at any endeavor, raises the level of quality for all. Right? Competition makes everyone better. Right? In many ways, that's true.

But what's necessary to be "best"? In any competitive field, in order to have winners you must have losers. In order to be best, you must conquer the others.

And that's where the quest for best begins to turn ugly, especially in the church.

In the church, this spirit of bestfulness and competitiveness leads to pridefulness. This has not gone unnoticed by the public. A non-churched mom I interviewed said, "Churches today just want to be bigger and better than the next one. That's not what church is supposed to be about."

Yet, the quest for best seems intoxicating. Church gurus advise congregations to find something they can be best at in the community. "What makes you stand out among the others?" they ask. The trouble is, we're not called to stand out. We're called to stand behind.

In Mark 9 we see the disciples arguing about who stood out as the best disciple. Jesus confronted their quest for best. He said, "Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all." In other words, we're not called to stand out. We're called to stand behind those we're called to serve.

If a church is not called to be the best in town, what is it called to be? It's called to serve. Humbly. It's called to touch lives with God's love, one by one. It's called to be faithful where God has placed it.

No disciple is called to conquer the other disciples in a quest to be best.

Jesus illustrated and summed up his lesson on humble servanthood by picking up one small child and urging his disciples to do the same, to faithfully welcome the small.

It's not the kind of pursuit that will jetison a church to anybody's Best 100 list.

How to Silence Your People

Wed, 24 April 2013 09:54:00

"Pastors, preach the word boldly and shut the mouths of your listeners!"

That was an actual comment from a pastor in response to one of my blog posts. My article encouraged pastors to enhance their preaching with effective communication techniques-such as those that Jesus used. These include listening to your people, and encouraging people's questions and dialog.

This pastor's comment reflects a general attitude that pervades some church staffs. The approach seems to be, "I'm the ministry professional. That means it's my job to do the talking. And it's your job to shut up."

Most church leaders aren't as blunt as the pastor quoted above. But the attitude often leaks out in more subtle ways.

I understand how this desire to silence the people becomes attractive. Much of what church leaders hear is negative or ill-informed. It can be exhausting to listen to that stuff.

And, the urge to exclusively dominate all communication is often tied closely to a minister's sense of identity: "I'm the one who went to theological school. I feel called to teach and preach. My calling is not to sit and listen to people who are not called."

And for others it's a matter of time management. "I have a lot to say, a lot to share. I simply don't have time to listen or engage in give-and-take."

But I fear this effort to muzzle the people is hurting the cause. It implies that the professional Christians are the only ones who have answers, or have a real connection to God. That's the same kind of misguided elitism that fueled the Reformation some 500 years ago.

And, shaping the church as a place for one-way communication leads to an anemic, passive enterprise. The paid professionals do the talking, share their faith, and perform the ministry. The attendees simply sit in a pew, stay quiet, and do nothing.

In addition, this approach tarnishes its practitioners into poor leaders. They become isolated, out of touch with real people, and disconnected from real life issues.

LISTEN

Rather than looking for ways to "shut the mouths of your listeners," here are some simple ways to open a conversation that leads to faith growth and effective ministry.

Provide opportunities for people to publicly tell about how God is working in their lives. Let them speak, or interview them, or show their stories on video.
Grant time, in classes, studies and sermons, for people to talk and listen to one another.
Solicit feedback. It's how you grow. It's how you know your people. Ask people how your message touched them. Use comment cards and occasional surveys. Welcome the use of performance reviews.
Visit and listen to people on their own turf-in their homes, workplaces, schools, and hangouts.
Listen to people outside of your peer group. Many pastors say they read and listen to only one group-other pastors. This leads to dangerous inbreeding. Seek out the voices of thought leaders in other fields.

Listen. This doesn't mean you should be silenced. It simply means you'll be more effective when you do speak.

The Idols of Sunday Morning

Tue, 26 March 2013 10:26:00

They cheered when the band walked on stage. Without prompting, the fans sprang to their feet.

I watched from the back of this large, high-profile church as the Sunday morning service unfolded. The professional musicians performed with precision. Their sound was flawless. Their attractive faces were projected larger than life on the huge overhead screens.

Though the screens showed the songs' lyrics, I heard no voices from the audience. I noticed that only about 10 percent of the crowd was singing along. Most gazed in silence at the talent on the stage. They applauded warmly as the band wrapped their 20-minute set.

After a couple of video announcements, it was time for the sermon. The pastor, pre-recorded on video, told us we were "in for a real blessing"-a guest speaker who would tell us how to live a better life. The speaker strode to the center of the stage and delivered a well-rehearsed half-hour speech on how God desires his people to be slender.

After several weight-loss tips, a couple of light-hearted stories, and a scripture, the speaker concluded with an exhortation to buy his book after the service at the sales area just outside the sanctuary. "In addition to a special discount, I'll be happy to give you a non-fat autograph this morning," he said. The corpulent couple in front of me grinned, nodded, and politely applauded as the fit author trotted off stage.

After a very efficient offering time, the worship announcer told us he had a special surprise for us. Then, with a lively fanfare from the band, a current contestant from television's "American Idol" emerged onto the stage. The crowd erupted into wild cheering, jumped to their feet, and craned to get a better view of the Idol.

I couldn't help but notice that after some 60 minutes of regular worship, it was the Idol that electrified the congregation.

As I drove away from this popular church, I wondered what this morning's worshippers would remember, what they would tell others about the service this day. Thinking about the congregation's response, I guessed it was the Idol.

Idols have a way of snatching our attention, our admiration, our adoration. And I suspect that's exactly why God warned us so clearly about the allure of idols. They distract our devotion to him.

But it's not just television stars that hijack a congregation's worship. Other, more common, religiously correct things upstage what should be the true object of our devotion. How often have you seen these things command more adoration than the Savior himself?

The music
The musicians
The sermon
The preacher
The famous preacher
The famous preacher's book
The liturgy
The Bible
The denomination
The building
The offerings
The attendance

What or who most frequently captures your attention, your imagination, your admiration?

You’re Not Called to Preach

Wed, 06 March 2013 09:10:00

The young man was puzzled. He heard me and other panel members cite the inherent limitations of regular lectures and sermons. After we encouraged the audience to insert some experiential elements into their teaching, he raised his hand.

"But what about the biblical mandate to preach?" he asked.

Now I was puzzled. First, I wondered how his concept of preaching confined itself to mere lecture. In order for preaching to be preaching, must it exclude everything that's not one guy lecturing at a microphone?

Then I wondered about his assertion of "the mandate." I told the audience that I didn't conclude that "the mandate" of scripture was to preach. Yes, Jesus instructed his disciples to go out and preach. But when I think of a "mandate," I think a little bigger. I'd consider scripture's mandate to be something big, such as "make disciples," or "help bring people into a growing relationship with Jesus," or accomplish Jesus' Great Commandments: love God, love people.

Those are mandates, with significant outcomes. And, as faithful followers of Christ, we need to find effective ways to pursue those mandates. That may include some preaching. But, ultimately, we're not called to preach. We're called to reach.

If we want to be effective at following the real mandates, and to be more successful at reaching people, at communicating, we would do well to look at the methods of the master communicator, Jesus.

COMPLETE THE COMMUNICATION

First, Jesus modeled a true understanding of communication. He knew that communication is not merely sending information. In order for communication to happen, people need to receive and be transformed by the message. It's Jesus' Parable of the Sower.

I often hear preachers defend the flat lecture method as pure in its own right, armored with theological education, marinated in exhaustive sermon prep, and festooned with biblical truth. All of that is good, but if it doesn't complete the communication process, it's a waste of everyone's time. It's akin to asking your child to join you for a game of catch, and you hurl beautifully thrown balls in every direction but your child's. You may feel like a wonderfully athletic pitcher, but you're not playing catch. You're playing with yourself. And your kid gets nothing out of your performance.

ENGAGE PEOPLE

Jesus used lots of methods to communicate and transform lives. He didn't confine his messages to flat lecture. He engaged his people with memorable experiences and interaction. He involved people in colorful feats. He used fish and dirt and rocks and water to engage his people. He encouraged questions. He didn't fear give-and-take interaction.

When he set out to teach about humble servanthood, he could have given a plain lecture. He could have handed out a fill-in-the-blank worksheet. But he didn't do that. He dropped to his knees and washed his people's feet. He engaged them in a way that connected, in a way they would never forget.

FOLLOW THE LEADER

If we desire to effectively pursue the big mandates, we need to act a lot more like Jesus. How? Include captivating, meaningful experiences. Allow questions. Give opportunities for everyone to talk and engage with those around them.

One Sunday in my church we decided to re-enact one of Jesus' lessons on forgiveness. The youth group rigged up a wooden pallet with a pulley at the ceiling. On cue, the kids lowered the pallet into the sanctuary. A form on the pallet was covered with a sheet. The pastor told the story of a similar experience that Jesus used, as recorded in Mark 5. "This is an account not only of healing, but of faith and forgiveness," he said. He then walked over, slowly removed the sheet, and revealed a loaf of bread and cups of wine. The congregation gathered around for a most memorable communion.

Another pastor friend wanted to engage his congregation in an experience of running from God. Before people arrived he placed an overly ripe dead fish in front of a fan in the sanctuary. For the message time, he asked everyone to move to the center aisle and stand in darkness as he related the story of Jonah. He asked the people to share with one another a time they felt like running from God. Then he asked them to share how they were feeling about this dark, confined, smelly experience.

They connected-with the message, with one another, and with God. Weeks later, one man told the pastor that this fishy experience came flooding back to him just as he was tempted to enter into a shady business deal. He turned it down because he didn't want to run from God and find himself in a "dark, smelly mess."

That's transformational teaching. It's an experience. It's Jesus-style teaching.

Making the World’s Largest Congregation

Wed, 27 February 2013 10:08:00

I just returned from the world's largest worship gathering. And I picked up some ideas for those who wish to grow their congregations to epic proportions.

I witnessed an estimated 50 million faithful gather in one place to seek the Almighty's favor, wash away their sins, and spend time with their admired religious leaders.

This is Kumbh Mela. Hindus-and others-from throughout India and neighboring countries flock to Allahabad, India, every 12 years for a six-week festival of faith.

I've never experienced anything like it. It was breathtaking, overwhelming, chaotic, confusing, and, at times, dangerous. Stampedes claimed dozens of lives.

On the main bathing days, endless streams of people crush toward the Ganges and Yamuna Rivers before dawn. Thousands of police and military personnel do their best to keep the chanting crowds orderly.

Along the way, I observed some logistical factors that may be of interest to church leaders in other countries who aspire to attract ever-larger throngs to their Sunday morning services. So, here's my list of mega-big recommendations, direct from Kumbh Mela.

IF YOU WANT THE BIGGEST CONGREGATION . . .

1. Wear nothing but ashes. Even on cold mornings, the most revered leaders bare all for the adoring crowds.

2. For obvious health reasons, make sure to use swiftly moving water for what they call the Holy Dip. And advise your favorite devotees to be first into the water.

3. Offer your attendees high-demand ministry items in the campus store, such as musk, animal bones, and medicinal herbs.

4. Equip elders with poles and sticks-in the event that visitors do not follow proper protocol. (I learned this the hard way after standing in the wrong place.)

5. Forget parking lot attendants. Just block all roads within five miles of the event and insist everyone walk.

Seriously, though, I was awestruck with the spiritual hunger in this place. So many people of all ages, all colors, and all walks of life, going to elaborate lengths to appeal to their perceived deities, to find freedom from their sins.

It was, in a way, an out-of-body glimpse of the entire world's people. I wondered what the one true God was thinking.

I found myself thanking my Lord for finding me, loving me, and redeeming me. And I prayed that he would also lead these millions of pilgrims into his fold as well. Maybe he'll use you and me to help. Not by attempting to create the largest single congregation. But by creating the largest demonstration of his true love.

The De-Churched: Why They Left

Tue, 12 February 2013 11:06:00

They left church behind. Now they outnumber those who've stayed.

Why have they turned their backs on a community of believers? What is it about today's church that keeps them away?

Over the last year, while working on a major documentary film that examines America's state of faith and the condition of the church, I've talked with hundreds of people. Many of these are de-churched. They're done with the organized church. In some cases, they're wounded. In other cases, they're simply disinterested.

Last week I interviewed Tony, a father of four young children, who left his church a year ago. He no longer attends any church. Or small group. Or Bible study. He hasn't abandoned his faith in Jesus. He's just done with what Jesus' church has become.

In some ways, he knows too much. He spent 10 years in professional ministry, some of it in a couple of America's well-known large churches. "I'm over the concerts and speeches and the contrived effort to call a gathering of 3,000 people a family," he said.

"What I value now is proximity," he wrote in his blog. "The only leaders I care to hear are those willing to know me and be known. Not in some official capacity over Starbucks with their church credit card in hand. But with a friend, a person living honestly in their own right with no agenda or 'line' to keep-but possessing the strength of character to have their own voice, doubts and convictions."

Tony worries about the hidden curriculum of pastoral leaders who intentionally keep a professional distance from their church members, who avoid forming real relationships. Tony fears the unintended take-away: maybe that's how God operates too. Unwilling to know and be known.

Tony is like a lot of de-churched people. He simply doesn't find value in participating in church as we know it. "I'm detoxing and looking for what remains that is real, that is love, and that is true."

My interview with Tony was sobering. And disturbing. But also encouraging. Because what Tony yearns for . . . is something the church of Jesus can be. If we choose to. He's not looking for perfection or polish or pious professionalism. He's looking for real people who are willing to admit they don't have it all together, but realize we're all in this together. Humbly, fumbly, looking to follow the One who is perfect.

We need Tony-and the millions like him.

What’s Bigger Than Your Butts in Seats

Wed, 30 January 2013 10:00:00

The only thing that really matters is butts in seats.

For the American church, that is the bottom line. So to speak. Large churches keep score by attendance figures. Small and medium churches fret over declining numbers in the pews. Often, when leaders talk about outreach and evangelism, they really mean convincing people to sit in a pew for an hour on Sunday morning.

Crowds coming together to hear people talk and sing about God can be a good thing. But that shouldn't be the end game.

As the church-the Body of Christ-we're here to love God and love others. The true bottom line is not about bottoms. It's about hearts and souls. One by one.

I'm convinced the American church will not thrive-by any measure-until its leaders and members lose this fleshy fixation on the numerical size of the Sunday morning flock and begin pursuing that one lost sheep, and the individuals' individual relationship with Jesus and other people.

A couple in my town have shepherded an effort to do just that in an interesting way. After Dennis and Barbara Miller started a Lifetree Cafe outreach in a local hotel, the director of a homeless day shelter asked if they'd consider setting up a Lifetree Cafe in the shelter.

The Millers jumped at the opportunity. Now, every week they provide Lifetree's "hour of stories and conversation to feed the soul" to the community's homeless. And the homeless are responding, engaging in the conversations, and basking in God's love. "They're hungry," Barbara said. "They want to know about the Lord."

But the Millers said their new homeless friends do not feel comfortable going to a church. "They're smelly. They're dirty. They're unshaven," Barbara said. The Millers have no allusion that these people will ever occupy a pew at their church, or become a "giving unit."

But that's not the bottom line for the Millers. They and their enthusiastic volunteers are rediscovering what it means to be the church.

Go on a Ministry Diet

Wed, 16 January 2013 10:22:00

It's that time of year. Time to take an honest look at your health and body. Time to resolve to make some changes.

It may be time to go on a diet. And for people in ministry, it may be time to go on a ministry diet. Time to cut back on some things. Time to eliminate some things from the diet entirely.

If you're ready to resolve to minister healthier, here are a few diet steps to get you started.

Stop idolizing famous ministry celebrities. Listen to other voices. Get some fresh perspectives-from outside the predictable, churchy, look-at-me machine.
Reduce your after-hours meetings. They're dulling your senses and killing your personal life.
Drop your tendency to be the designated pray-er at every meeting and meal. Encourage others to pray. When you do all the praying, it sends the subtle message that only eloquent professionals can talk with God.
Be careful what you measure. Obsessing over attendance and revenue leads to poor health. Instead, weigh your effectiveness on the stories of individual life change and spiritual growth.
Stop comparing. Forget that other church that has bigger attendance, bigger buildings, bigger budgets, and bigger staff. Let God use you right where you are, with what he's given you.
Control your compulsion to control. You don't have to do everything-or have everything done your way. Let others shine. Even if they don't do things just as you'd do them.
Talk less. Listen more.

So, that's a start. What's on your list for this year?

4 Ways Not to Be a Ministry Goon on Social Media

Wed, 19 December 2012 08:50:00

It's sometimes amusing-and sometimes just painful-to see how ministers use technology.

With the proliferation of social media such as Twitter and Facebook, many people in ministry devote loads of time spraying cyberspace with their words and pictures.

Used well, social media involvement can enhance ministry and help to connect with people. Used poorly, these attempts make ministers look like goons.

I enjoy following some ministry people on social media sites. Others I've dropped.

Here, from the perspective of a reader of your posts and tweets, are a few tips to use social media with flair and ministry effectiveness.

1. Be a real person. Drop the professional, all-put-together Christian facade. Your people need to see how an authentic believer does life. Write about your family, your foibles, your fun times, your failures. Share a full spectrum of real life-your joys, your sorrows, your doubts, your laughs.

2. Don't be a guru. You don't have to be the one with all the answers. Stop tweeting that endless stream of religious one-liners. Relax, the Book of Proverbs has already been written. Instead, ask some thought-provoking questions-that you don't already know the answer to.

3. Be a friend. They don't call it "social" media for nothing. Post stuff you'd mention in conversation with a good friend. If you desire to touch people's lives, be in relationship with them. Interact with them. "Like" their posts. Retweet their gems.

4. Don't be a huckster. It's okay to sometimes mention a church event, or something you've written, or a product you love. But do more than build your brand. And refrain from picking a political fight-unless, of course, you really want to alienate half of your congregation.

And if you don't really care to engage in social media, that's just fine too. Use the time to sit face-to-face with a real person. Be social.

5 Ways the Church Will Change

Wed, 14 November 2012 10:19:00

Is the American church fading away? Will the losses in membership and attendance lead to a marginalized church presence such as that in present-day Europe? What will the American church look like in ten years?

Church leaders, denominational executives, and religion researchers gathered in Colorado recently to examine the church's health and prognosis. The Future of the Church Summit was sponsored by Group Publishing.

After evaluating current trends, Summit members predicted a number of likely scenarios for the American church in the next ten years:

Emphasis on relationships. Whereas the church and congregational worship today are largely spectator-oriented, the new coming trend will prioritize spiritual growth through personal relationships.
Return to Jesus. The current church is preoccupied with the "ABCs"-attendance, buildings and cash. A Summit pastor said, "We need to deal with the idols of the church." The coming church will highly focus its mission, goals, measurements and message on Jesus.
Community focus. The church of tomorrow will be much more engaged in addressing the needs in the community. The church will be known more for its members' relational acts of compassion outside of church walls, taking ministry out rather than waiting for outsiders to come in and sit.
Conversationally oriented. The current church relies primarily on one-way messaging-from the preacher/teacher at the microphone. The new church will rely more on person-to-person conversation, sharing messages of God's love with one another. Churches will begin to trade pews for conversation tables.
Rise of the laity. Shrinking resources will trigger fewer paid ministry positions-and more reliance on unpaid ministry work. The concept of "the priesthood of all believers" will re-emerge.

Scott Thumma from the Hartford Institute for Religion Research shared data showing waning church attendance, the aging of congregational membership and the exodus of young people. The churches that are bucking the downward trends tend to be either small (fewer than 200 members), or very large (more than 2,000 members).

Thumma also cited that congregations' financial health has declined significantly over the past decade. In 2000 31 percent of congregations exhibited excellent financial health. By 2010 only 14 percent showed excellent financial health.

Congregations with high spiritual vitality dropped from about 43 percent in 2005 to 28 percent in 2010, according to Thumma.

To transition to the future, Thumma suggested congregations take a number of actions: create a listening team; get rid of the concept of church committees; learn how to be the church outside of Sunday morning.

Neil Howe, author of "Millennials Rising" and "The Fourth Turning," told Summit attendees that aging Boomers are shaping churches in a direction that young adults in the Millennial generation reject. He said Millennials are looking for environments that emphasize a sense of authentic community, variety of experiences, doing good deeds together, and student-centered learning (not teacher-focused).

Summit participants heard author Reggie McNeal predict that no one model of ministry will characterize the church of tomorrow. Rather, several different models will emerge to connect with the diverse American culture.

And British church leader and consultant Mike Breen doubted that the American church would go the way of Europe, where the church has withered. He indicated that America's entrepreneurial spirit will provide the drive and the flexibility for the church to survive and thrive in the future.

The Vanishing Seekers

Wed, 31 October 2012 08:54:00

Much of the contemporary church has fashioned itself to be "seeker sensitive." But what if the seekers are no longer seeking?

Seeker-friendly churches have been shaped with good intentions. Making church ministry more accessible to the unchurched is an admirable objective.

The reigning assumption: large masses of unchurched men and women are actively looking for-seeking-a religious opportunity, organization or event. Then, the thinking goes, we just need to create a worship service that incorporates characteristics of other professional spectator events that these unchurched folks find elsewhere. And if we do a professional job on stage, the seekers will find what they're seeking. At least that's the hope.

Increasingly, however, the seekers don't really fit this profile. It's fair to say church visitors are seeking. But these visitors are typically upset refugees from other churches who are seeking a more perfect church. It's musical chairs.

A new Pew Research Center study depicts the growing reality of the vanishing seeker. Most Americans do not regularly attend church. And the fastest growing sector is the "nones"-those who say they have no religious affiliation at all. This segment grew from 15 percent to 20 percent in just the last five years. Among those aged 18-29, the unaffiliated encompasses 32 percent of the population.

And get this. Among the "nones," 88 percent say they are not looking for a religion that would be right for them. They are not seekers.

At Lifetree Cafe and Group Publishing, we spotted this trend some time ago. We decided to drop the term "seekers." But we noted that 90 percent of the population still acknowledges a belief in God. So, we now refer to the majority as "spiritually open." They may not be seeking a religious experience, but they're open to connecting with God.

What does all this mean for the present and future church? A few implications:

Look for ways to go to the people on their turf and their schedule, rather than expect the people to seek out a typical religious service that runs on a churchy schedule.
Learn what people are actually seeking, and find ways to meet those human needs. Then form authentic relationships and earn the right to share your faith.
Move from passive spectator services to settings that allow the "spiritually open" to participate, ask questions, and share their thoughts.

When it comes to Sunday morning churchgoing, the majority is playing hide and seek. Without the seek.

Tackle Touchy Topics — and Survive

Wed, 17 October 2012 12:08:00

The planned discussion on same-sex marriage really riled him up. He feared the forum might attract "seekers" and lead them astray.

He contacted his pastor and asked, "Why are we exposing unbelievers with no biblical backing to the worst of false doctrine?"

Though this man never attended any of the discussions on controversial topics, he left his church because he said dealing with these issues was "nothing short of compromise."

Dealing with controversial subjects at church is, well, controversial. Many churches follow one of two approaches-neither of which is healthy.

Some church leaders and teachers choose to simply avoid any touchy topics. They fear people will disagree and walk away mad.
Others attempt to shut down discussion (and thinking) about controversial issues with a monologue from the bully pulpit. They dispense the "right answers" and walk away.

Many reject the idea of hearing from those with differing views. The man cited above said, "I just don't see anything beneficial in bringing obvious wolves in sheep's clothing to deceive the sheep, and then gobble up those who are already lost."

I'm afraid this fellow would have been really peeved with Jesus, who not only listened to those with differing views, but actually employed one such "wolf" among his 12 associates. Throughout his ministry, Jesus did not hide from touchy topics. He did not shun or silence those who held opposing views. He knew his truth would stand up well in the marketplace of ideas.

The church of today would do well to follow Jesus' example. We must demonstrate that our faith is relevant to all of life, no matter how controversial or difficult the issues. And we must admit that we cannot shield our people from touchy topics. If we don't deal with these issues within the church, our people will simply talk about them outside the church, without the benefit of a scriptural perspective. How could that be a better alternative?

NAVIGATING GNARLY STUFF

With Lifetree Cafe, a national network of conversation cafes, we often tackle touchy subjects. After several years of creating content for these weekly discussions, I've learned some things about navigating controversial subjects in a Christian environment. Here are some of the secrets:

1. Set a respectful tone. At the beginning, acknowledge that the issue is a hot one. Mention that people hold widely differing views on the topic. Do not disparage or belittle those who think differently than you. Establish that this will be a time for a respectful exploration of the issues.

2. Train your people how to differ. Express the expectation that people may disagree, but will do so in a manner that is friendly and loving. Ask everyone to listen to others, without interrupting, or passing hasty judgment, or plotting vengeful retorts. Encourage people to share their perspectives and stories in positive ways. Incidentally, this training and experience also prepares your people to interact and glow their faith when they're out in the world.

3. Allow give and take. Touchy topics-even those you believe have only One True Side-need to be aired in an environment of interaction. One loud voice at the microphone rarely settles anything. Allow differing views. Encourage questions. Engage people in conversation. This can even be done during sermon times with large groups of people. Simply ask thought-provoking questions and provide some time for people to talk in pairs or threes or fours.

4. Let the scriptures speak. Inject relevant scripture into the discussion-not as a proof text but as a resource and light. Resist the temptation to contort the scripture into saying something more than it actually says. Let your people explore how the scripture may apply to touchy topics. And if different passages provide different perspectives, encourage your people to grapple with those contrasting perspectives.

5. Trust the Holy Spirit. Pray. Invite God into the discussion. Incorporate God's word. Air differing views. Even allow Judas to speak. Then let the Holy Spirit do what the Holy Spirit does best. Have confidence in the power of God's truth to prevail in the hearts of your people.

Church Infighting: It’s Killing Us

Wed, 03 October 2012 08:23:00

I have recently been sick and in the hospital. During the stay, I was notified via text that my services were no longer needed."

While the pastor lay suffering in the hospital the church leadership council chose to pull the plug. And deliver the unexpected news via text message.

Cold? Callous? Yes. But, unfortunately, not uncommon. Church people-staff and members alike-seem drawn into petty conflicts that lead predictably into destruction. And this self-inflicted wounding is killing the church-from the inside out.

I recently asked a church secretary to describe the interactions she deals with during a typical week. "These people are constantly fighting," she said. "Somebody is always mad at someone for something."

"But this is a church," I said. "How often do you hear people talking about God?"

She just laughed. "Never."

It makes me sad. And it's draining the church. It's the chief cause people leave a church. Some never return-to any church.

Sometimes the ugliness starts at the top. Church staff engage in turf wars, passive-aggressiveness, insecurities, prideful positioning, controlling behaviors, and personnel buffoonery.

And sometimes it's the members who lead the way in bickering, selfishness, and side-taking over staff members. In some churches it becomes a matter of team spirit. Members decide and declare whether they're on the pro-minister team or the anti-minister team.

People take sides. People get hurt. And hurt people tend to hurt people. That's the insidious nature of church infighting. It feeds on itself.

In some ways, this is nothing new. People in the church have fought among themselves since the earliest days. It did not go unnoticed among the Bible's writers. In his letters to the Corinthians, Paul warned about the folly of going through the motions of church without the central acting out of love for another. No manner of eloquent speaking, accurate exegesis or service to the needy matters without love for another.

"If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don't love, I'm nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate. If I speak God's Word with power, revealing all his mysteries and making everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, "Jump," and it jumps, but I don't love, I'm nothing. If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don't love, I've gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I'm bankrupt without love." (1 Corinthians 13:1-3 MSG)

Jesus said outsiders will evaluate his people by the quality of their love for one another. So, if we want a strong church, a significant church, a growing church, then we must first focus inside-on loving one another.

Before we're ready to preach to the world how to live, we must first show the world how we on the inside love one another. How we learn to get along. How we learn to disagree with decency and civility. How we learn to work out our differences. How we learn to deal directly and tactfully with one another. How we learn to forgive one another.

This inward emphasis deserves a month of Sundays. Until we clean up our house on the inside we're not ready to invite guests from the outside.

Missing the Guy in the Empty Chair

Wed, 26 September 2012 11:51:00

We're producing a generation of spiritual dwarfs. Many in the church are going through the motions, but their faith lacks vibrancy, exuberance, life and contagion.

They may be saying the right stuff. Doing the right stuff. But missing the main thing.

Yesterday I met a man who gets it. He introduced me to an empty chair. At least, it seemed empty. By the way, this guy's name is not Clint Eastwood.

His name is Wally Armstrong. He's a PGA golfer, author, and friend of Jesus. He just finished a book called Practicing the Presence of Jesus.

He explained how individuals and churches so often miss the main thing-a true friendship with Jesus. He said, "Either we are caught up in a flurry of performance as we try to live the Christian life in service, or we set our minds on acquiring more knowledge in the hope that with wisdom we will gain holiness. Of course, both of these paths leave us empty, because we've overlooked what Jesus came to give us."

Armstrong described how, after spending decades hearing about Jesus in church, he chose to look at Jesus in a fresh new way. He chose to imagine Jesus as a present, contemporary friend-a companion. He pictured Jesus sitting in a chair beside him.

It transformed his prayer life and his entire relationship with Jesus. He positioned an empty chair in his den. "I began picturing my Friend sitting across from me in the chair and myself talking to him," he said. The chair experiment, as he calls it, helped to bring him "into the fullness of life and the companionship Jesus had always promised."

This is the Jesus we're missing. This is the dimension of faith we're ignoring.

Our ministry methodology so often camps only on teaching about Jesus, drilling on biblical facts, and parsing theological nuances. Or, we concentrate only on coaxing our people to work-volunteering at church, serving in the community, doing good deeds.

Please understand. Knowledge is good. Service is good. But these are not the essence of faith.

Faith is not an academic subject. Faith is not a list of DOs and DON'Ts.

Faith is a relationship. A friendship. A companionship.

Maybe it's time to pull up a chair.

Sunday Morning Fantasies

Wed, 19 September 2012 09:47:00

Bear with me as I fantasize. About Sunday morning. At church.

The worship leader begins the service with: "Everybody please be seated. I don't know why I've asked you to stand every time we sing. But whatever the reason, I realized it's become just another cliche´. So please be seated."

The pastor begins the sermon-and stops after five minutes. "That's it. I really don't need to say any more. You got the point. Some of Jesus' best stuff took no longer than five minutes to deliver. I like his style. Amen."

The pastor concludes the service with an assignment: "Spend the next week looking for God in action. Then come back next Sunday. We're suspending the singing. And the sermon. We're just going to listen to your stories of your God sightings. Have a good week."

Thanks for indulging me and my fantasies. What's yours?

“We Write All Our Own Stuff”

Wed, 05 September 2012 09:58:00

It seems to have become a badge of honor. "We don't use any outside resources."

Some people in ministry have decided to go it alone. They now spend a sizable chunk of their time creating their own curriculum, Bible studies, teacher guides, devotionals, messages, music, video and artwork.

I've heard a variety of reasons for this shift to homemade stuff. Such as:

"Nobody knows my people like I do. They have unique needs. I need to create material that is uniquely suited to them."
"My church expects me to create everything from scratch. If I don't, they'll wonder why they're paying me."
"Our church creates everything internally and brands it with our church name."
"I like being creative. This is my creative outlet."
"We can't afford professional materials."
"The Bible is all I need. Give me the Bible, the whole Bible, and nothing but the Bible."
"All the stuff on the market is garbage. I'm forced to create my own."

Though I understand some of the rationale, I'm concerned about the final outcomes and some of the side effects of being a Lone Ranger resourcer. And I'm concerned not just because I lead a publishing company. Sure, I'm interested in seeing our resources widely used. But I have a deeper concern and love for the effective work of the local church throughout God's Kingdom.

I too am a consumer of resources in my work and ministry. I appreciate the perspectives, expertise, and hard work that others build into their resources. I learned a long time ago that I can get a lot more done and accomplish my mission better when I rely on others to supply me with what they do best.

That's true in my work, and it's true in virtually every other line of work. Successful professionals everywhere look to outside professionals to provide the tools they need to accomplish their mission. You don't find many doctors concocting their own pharmaceuticals. You don't find many carpenters making their own lumber and nails. You don't find many airline pilots refining their own aviation fuel.

Yet some in the church feel compelled to attempt to do it all themselves. And it's distracting them from what they're really called to do. Their justifications for shunning outside help could use a re-examination.

"Nobody knows my people like I do." That may be true. But in a largely homogenous society with access to mass communications, your people share more similarities than differences with the rest of the population. In the larger landscape, today's national brands, mass media and franchises effectively connect with people in every community nationwide. Similarly, a good ministry resource connects with people in your church as well as people in thousands of other churches.

"My church expects me to create everything from scratch." If that's true, it may be time to clarify your written job description-to focus it on ministering to people.

"Our church creates everything internally and brands it with our church name." Shunning anything that is NIH (not invented here) is less about excellence than it is about pride. As powerful (and ugly) as pride is, nobody comes to your church because you do your own manufacturing. They don't care about your branding. They just want to experience God.

"This is my creative outlet." Hopefully, your ministry isn't about you. Find ways to exercise your creativity that do not deny your people of more effective resources. Remind yourself of that desperate yearning to escape when you endured another homespun song that Devin felt "led" to share with the captive congregation. Don't be Devin.

"We can't afford professional materials." So you spend countless hours building your own. What's your time worth? Help your church prioritize its stewardship toward those efforts that directly affect your people's spiritual growth.

"The Bible is all I need." If that's ultimately true, your people don't need you; just hand them a Bible and go home. However, it's better to follow Jesus' example. He used a variety of ideas, people and things to bring scriptural truths to life.

"All the stuff on the market is garbage." I understand. We've all been disappointed by inferior work. The world of ministry resources, like most other endeavors, includes a wide range of quality. There's some poor work, but there's also good work. Don't let the lackluster stuff keep you from finding and using good resources that will help you accomplish your mission.

The best ministry resources are created by gifted servants, pre-tested with actual participants, re-tested, refined, polished, and produced by seasoned teams of dedicated professionals. They're specialized members of the Body of Christ, who do their part so that others can do their part on the front lines of ministry.

And that's the true essence of the biblical picture of the Body of Christ. Each part does what it does best. "If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be?" (1 Cor. 12:17-19)

God doesn't call any one of us to do it all, to be proficient at everything. He simply calls us to be the part of the Body he created us to be. And to let others be the parts of the Body he created them to be. So that, together, the Body can accomplish the mission.

Steeplejacking: Taking Over Dying Churches

Wed, 29 August 2012 10:12:00

I've been talking with leaders of once-sizable churches. Every week they face the painful picture of a shrinking flock amongst the sea of empty seats.

Thousands of churches today are declining to the point of unviability. Many will be forced to close their doors in the near future.

For the faithful members and staff, this attrition feels like a vague terminal illness. They're not certain of the cause or the prognosis. Often, I've heard a wistful member ask, "What will we do when the endowment runs out?"

At the same time, a new "ministry strategy" has emerged among the younger churches in town. Some call it "steeplejacking." National ministry organizations advise local pastors to target declining congregations and overtake their properties. It's like a churchified foreclosure and eviction process as the ambitious ones attempt to acquire buildings at little or no cost. "All for the sake of the Kingdom," they say.

Once in awhile, all ends well. Both the overtaking and the undertaking congregations find ways to meet their challenges and simultaneously serve their communities and honor God. They find win-win solutions. Both see their years of faithfulness, hard work, and sacrifice developing into something valuable and durable.

But sometimes steeplejacking becomes an unnecessarily divisive and destructive exercise. This usually comes about when raw pride and hubris enter the scene. I've seen leaders of a young church communicate coldly with a struggling church, boast of their attendance numbers, and tout their plans to establish multi-site locations all over the landscape. They attempted to intimidate the shrinking church into surrendering their keys or "face the possibility of closure."

Predictably, such predatory overtures are not received warmly. And they run the risk of damaging the cause of Christ in the community, positioning Christians as those who seek to euthanize the old in order to provide a cheap place for the young.

Now, it's true that many churches are dying. It's true that many will be unable to support their facilities. And it's true that other churches in the same communities could make good use of vacant or underused church properties. And when handled with humility, love and sensitivity, churches can come together to bring new life during challenging times.

Some simple approaches can help growing churches and struggling churches come together to accomplish something honorable and worthy for the Kingdom.

FOR THE STRUGGLING CHURCH

Be open to the possibility that God may have new purposes for the faithful work and investment you've made over the years.
Involve the entire congregation in celebrating the blessings of the past, and opening hearts to what God may do in the future.
Proactively reach out to other churches to explore how you might work together to serve your community.

FOR THE CHURCH NEEDING SPACE

Pray for humility and sensitivity.
Understand and appreciate the deep pain experienced by those in dying churches.
Take on the compassion of a Hospice nurse, rather than the bloodlust of a predator.
Use good relational skills. Initially, meet personally and informally with leaders from the struggling church.
Don't tell about your success. In fact, don't tell at all. Ask questions. Ask about the challenges the struggling church faces. Ask how you might help the struggling church.
Rather than talking takeover, talk first about less threatening options, such as renting space or sharing ministry initiatives.
When considering lease or sales figures, don't be ruthless. Make reasonable offers that reflect current market conditions. The selling congregation may have good plans to invest the proceeds in other God-honoring ministries that resonate with their mission.

These are challenging times for many churches. These times call for the Body of Christ to summon abundant doses of love, respect and compassion for one another.

Forget Evangelism. Forget Discipleship.

Wed, 22 August 2012 10:07:00

Maybe it's time to mothball two of the church's favorite terms: evangelism and discipleship.

The current meaning of these terms has deteriorated into something far afield from the original intent.

Let's start with evangelism. For most churches, evangelism boils down to one of two activities:

Lecture a roomful of people about sin and God.
Hope that stalwarts from your denomination move to town and join your church.

The past few months I've contemplated the effectiveness-or lack thereof-of these approaches. Then I traveled to the cornfields of Iowa. Here, a fledgling ministry called Cana exercises evangelism in a refreshing-and effective-way.

REAL EVANGELISM

Last year Barbara Huisman and a few of her friends talked about planting a church in their hometown of Fort Dodge, Iowa. They worked with their denomination to gain support, but they stipulated that they didn't want to follow the typical church-planting model.

Instead, they dreamed of a "creative space where life and faith come together." So they leased an old downtown storefront location across the street from a budget motel that rents rooms by the hour.

While most church plants establish themselves with a Sunday worship service, Cana started with a Tuesday night Lifetree Cafe, a weekly hour of conversation about life and faith. If people are interested in a regular church service, Barbara refers them to the many churches in the community.

At Cana, the team demonstrates what Barbara calls "radical hospitality." It's a highly relational approach that community members experience the moment they step inside.

Jodie, a woman struggling with addictive behavior, wandered into Cana's Lifetree Cafe one dark Tuesday night and was immediately embraced and invited to sit with Joyce, a Cana regular who enveloped Jodie with the simple love of Christ. Jodie said that night changed her life. The non-judgmental acceptance overwhelmed her. And "God went through me like a lightning bolt," she said.

She experienced evangelism-true evangelism. Through relationship. With God's people and the Holy Spirit.

And then Jodie experienced discipleship. But not in the usual way.

REAL DISCIPLESHIP

Usually, the church approach to discipleship means sitting through informational classes and sermons. But that's not how Jodie was discipled at Cana. She spent time with followers of Christ who lived out Cana's motto: "Where your passion meets the community's need. Where miracles happen!"

Jodie's miracles began that first Tuesday night last year. Her addiction ended that night. Week after week God transformed her. She found her new and real identity in Christ. Cana's mentors surrounded her with God's love and guidance.

Then Jodie stepped forward and told Barbara she wanted to start a ministry. She wanted to form a recovery house for women struggling with addictions. It seemed like a far-fetched dream. But Barbara and the people of Cana encouraged Jodie. They suggested she seek funding from local churches. So Jodie met with leaders at a local church-and walked out with a $50,000 commitment for the recovery house.

Cana formed a new 501(c)(3) organization, and the Gateway to Discovery women's center is on its way. But that's not all. Other Cana people wanted to pursue their ministry passion for the arts. So they leased the space next to the Lifetree location to accommodate Pieceworks, a new non-profit arts ministry.

Still other people at Cana found they shared a love for horses. So they established Stable Connections, another Cana non-profit that uses horses for mental health therapy.

In just the past year, this little ministry outpost called Cana has launched three new non-profit organizations, a prayer ministry, and a community Bible time, in addition to their Lifetree Cafe.

It's a picture of discipleship. Everyday people growing in their relationship with God, becoming active disciples of Jesus, carrying his love into the community.

I like the reclamation of evangelism and discipleship I found in Iowa. It's not an academic exercise. It's not mass-produced. It's a personalized, relational approach. Much like Jesus modeled 2000 years ago.

Back-to-Church Bait-and-Switch

Wed, 08 August 2012 08:57:00

It's time to crank up the new season. As the new church year approaches, church leaders begin to roll out varied efforts to entice the unchurched to fill the pews.

Churches across the country use all kinds of back-to-church lures: special events, comedy concerts, giveaways, fish frys, and creative advertising.

But do these efforts work? Well, these techniques seem to tempt some people to check out a church. The trouble is, once they come, too many never return.

Organizers of a national back-to-church Sunday effort report that participating churches reported a 25 percent bump in the designated back-to-church Sunday attendance after last year's marketing campaign.

But we know that most churches in North America continue to see flat or declining overall attendance.

Often, it's a case of bait-and-switch. People are seduced with the candy of a special enticement, but when they come to the main course they're fed the same old spinach they remember from their childhood. (Yes, I know you may say the spinach is good for them. But it doesn't matter if they won't eat it.)

There's a back-to-church video circulating that utilizes a catchy rap featuring various cool pastor figures urging "everybody in the nation, find a location" for Back-to-Church Sunday.

This pastor rap is very well-written and performed. It's funny, engaging, and makes today's churches look friendly and inviting. And it may very well succeed in tempting some people to try out a church in their neighborhood. "If that's what church is like, I'm in."

The trouble is, the vibe in much of today's advertising is too often a total disconnect with the "product" on Sunday morning. And, ultimately, the population develops a sour perception of an entity that advertises one thing and delivers another. To them, it's one more example of church people's hypocrisy.

I love the concept of using creative, fun, engaging, relational, and friendly methods to encourage people to consider participating in a church. But, if we wish to be truly effective, we can't neglect the harder work of providing a truly meaningful experience that is worthy of the advertising.

The United Church of Canada invested in a five-year, $10.5 million campaign to change the public's perceptions. Keith Howard, the executive director of the effort, said, "The ultimate goal was to try to alter the perception of church as a place that was all about telling, control, and exclusion."

So, Howard and his team created an edgy national advertising campaign and an accompanying discussion-oriented website, WonderCafe.ca. The advertising and website generated a huge response. A leading nationally-circulated newspaper, The Globe and Mail, ran a front-page story on the campaign. The Wonder Cafe website crashed under the deluge of visitors. The population became enthralled with the lively discussion of intriguing spiritual issues.

As a result, some people did indeed visit their local United Church. But, the leaders and the members of these congregations were often unprepared for the young adults who came seeking the kind of engagement they found on the website and in the ads.

Howard explained that today's cultural climate is all about relationship. The people who were hooked by Wonder Cafe came looking for authentic relationship at the church. But those in the church "simply didn't know how to talk to these people," he said. "There is a distinct difference between being friendly and being hospitable." He explained that people may find a form of "friendliness" in the employees at 7-11 or McDonald's-or the churches. But the true hospitality that people crave is lacking. So the young church visitors didn't stick.

The Canadians commissioned in-depth research to determine why people are not returning to church. The study found that people viewed the church as arrogant, judgmental and unwilling to listen. "We are the reason people don't come to church," Howard said. Now he encourages his churches to build ministry through relationships, learn authentic hospitality, "tell" less and listen more, and provide prime time for people to share their own faith stories.

If we want people to come back to church-not just for "catch and release"-we need to work on what they'll find inside.

Acts of a Suicidal Church

Wed, 01 August 2012 09:47:00

This summer's big regional youth conference has been cancelled. Because of tunes.

The leader of the denominational office notified all the churches in the region that he decided to pull the plug. The reason? Conference organizers had planned to use Christian songs that did not come from the official denominational worship book.

He cited church rules that require the "exclusive use of doctrinally pure agenda" and "theologically correct hymns and materials."

So, what has been gained by the cancellation of the youth conference? Well, the churches' teenagers have been protected from attending a conference and hearing Christian songs penned by "unapproved" Christian composers. Instead, the kids spent the time at home listening to their usual secular songs.

Unfortunately, this is not an isolated case of churches' desperate attempts to cling to their man-made sectarian rules, relics and soapboxes. They're in survival mode. But their actions amount to acts of institutional suicide.

Most denominations in America are shrinking-some rather precipitously. Financial giving is down. Generally, the influence of the church in American culture is dimming. Faith in the institution of the church is waning, particularly among the young.

In the face of these negative trends, many church bodies have taken a bunker mentality. They've attempted to isolate, tighten controls, lob grenades at anyone outside their bunker, dig in and clutch what's left inside.

Some believe their only chance for survival lies in denominational brand distinctiveness. And they're resolved to ride their quaint distinctives to the very end. They've adopted the old Kodak brand mindset: "Our hope resides in clinging to what we've been known for, to what we've always done. If we don't stand for film, what do we stand for?" Kodak old-timers forgot they were really in the picture business, not the film business. Similarly, many in the church have forgotten they're in the faith business, not the doctrinal nit-picking business.

These churches aren't withering because they're not gripping tightly enough to brand distinctives. Their enemy is not other brands, other churches, other believers, other doctrinal nuances. The enemy is much more elemental. The enemy is disbelief.

If we want any hope of reversing troubling church trends, especially among young people, we must focus not on tribal heritage, denominational branding, theological hair-splitting, or pharisaical purity. We must focus on Jesus-and his sacrificial love for us and all people.

What Church Looks Like–in 10 Years

Wed, 25 July 2012 10:31:00

Where will you be in 10 years? in 20 years? If you're involved in a church, it may look quite different from what you're accustomed to today.

The church in America is currently shuddering under unprecedented societal change. Some churches are shuttering-closing their doors, rather than adapting to the swirling changes around us. But some are breaking through and finding fresh ways to share the ageless message of Christ with a still-spiritually-open culture.

Some of the innovation we see today was actually predicted over 10 years ago. At that time a think tank of ministry leaders from across the country met to envision the future. They accurately foresaw some changes we now see emerging.

For example, whereas the modern church looks and feels much like a theatrical presentation, the think tankers saw a church that would begin to look and feel more like a neighborhood place to gather around food and drink.

That model is sprouting up in divergent locations across the country-and outside the country.

Morning Star Church in Middleville, Michigan, worships in a former auto parts store that now looks like a homey little restaurant. "We have a DNA of worshipping around tables," says pastor Bill Wynsma. The church's website describes the vibe: "Remember those signs in some churches that say, 'No Food or Drink in the Sanctuary'? Well, we welcome you to enjoy coffee, tea and other morning beverages along with a selection of snacks."

And, more than 150 churches across the country and Canada have joined the growing network of Lifetree Cafes. I'm blessed to work with this new ministry that's designed to reach into the community with a conversion-based experience. Members of the community gather around small tables and enjoy snacks and drinks while they delve into host-led explorations of life issues-with a spiritual twist. Some Lifetree locations are inside church facilities. Others are offered in local coffee shops and community centers.

Whitsunday Baptist Church in Queensland, Australia, offers a beachfront café experience every Tuesday night. Soul Church Caféprovides "coffee, dessert, and a chat about some of the more important things in life." The ministry offers "conversation, friendship, and a little bit of what you are looking for."

In Communist China, where churches are highly restricted, Christian restaurateurs opened the Upper Room Rainbow Café in Beijing. Biblically themed décor surrounds the tables where patrons munch on cleverly named entrees. (On a recent visit, I tried the "Five Loaves and Two Fish." Tasty!) Curious Chinese residents gather here for Bible studies, Christian music and even sermons. "We consider it a dinner show," says the savvy owner, who stays legal and in good favor with the government.

So, why are these food-and-drink venues working? If we say faith is a relationship, it makes sense that our expressions of faith look relational. Sitting around a table, eating, and talking with friends about matters of faith is a relational model that Jesus used very fruitfully. And the conversational aspect allows people to interact with the message, something that resonates well with today's interactive citizens.

As we watch this trend build throughout today's church, where will it lead tomorrow? What will the church look like in 10 or 20 years? It's an important question. The better we can anticipate the coming changes, the better prepared we'll be to take the unchanging message to the changing world.

We're organizing a new think tank to analyze developing trends and explore how they'll drive change for the church in the future. This special gathering will include generations authority Neil Howe, and church researcher Scott Thumma. The Future of the Church Summit is October 22-24, 2012, in Loveland, Colorado. It's an invitation-only event for church leaders, thinkers and influencers. If you know someone who should receive an invitation, please email me at tschultz@group.com.

It's a healthy thing to read the signs and adjust: "You know the saying, 'Red sky at night means fair weather tomorrow; red sky in the morning means foul weather all day.' You know how to interpret the weather signs in the sky, but you don't know how to interpret the signs of the times!" -Jesus

What do you see coming?

“It’s about Sunday, stupid.”

Wed, 18 July 2012 09:06:00

A friend visited the large, famous church on a typical Sunday. The worship band performed with precision. The lighting and fog effects were state of the art. The pastor presented a polished sermon amidst specially built staging.

Later in the week a pastor from this church shared their ministry secrets in a seminar. He described the staff's single-minded emphasis on excellence-for the Sunday worship services. He shared their internal mantra: "It's about Sunday, stupid."

I get the point. For many churches, the Sunday service is the initial introduction for the uninitiated. It's the main conduit for new members. It's the only time most churches ever see the majority of their people. It's the culmination of a week (or more) of staff planning and rehearsing.

I get it. But I fear this laser focus on the Sunday service is slowly anesthetizing the church and clouding its real mission. It's no wonder that many people come to worship for an hour on Sunday and then fail to live their faith once they leave the church building.

I'm afraid it's too easy for an It's-About-Sunday-Stupid (I-ASS for short) church staff to begin to shade its mission toward merely filling seats on Sunday morning. That's not the same as a clear mission to bring individuals closer to Jesus, to transform their lives, to provide relational support for the Body of Christ.

Instead, the I-ASS mentality can send the unfortunate, subtle message that the ministry is really all about the show-and its showmen.

I pray the church is not about the show. I pray it's not about Sunday. It's about God-working in and through people-Sunday through Saturday. Everywhere.

We numb our people's sense of mission and ministry when we imply it's all about what the staff performs on Sunday morning. The weekly worship service is not the main event. It may be a reflection and a celebration of the main event, which is God at work every day in and through his people. On the job. At home. At school. In the car. On the bus. At the store. On the field.

We need to expand our idea of church, of ministry. We need to shift more energy and emphasis into other, broader ways to be faithful to our calling-as the church.

Church is not an hour on Sunday. Faith is not a staged show. Evangelism isn't the act of parking backsides in pews. Discipleship isn't the process of dispensing oratory to passive spectators.

We don't "go to church." We are called to be the church. Every day. Everywhere.

Why People Don’t Want to Go to Church Anymore

Wed, 11 July 2012 08:34:00

Last weekend most people in America avoided church. And, a sizable portion of those who did make it to church wished they were somewhere else. But why?

I decided to go direct to the source. I staked out a city park to ask the public why they weren't in church. What they told me echoed what I've been hearing for several years now.

Their reasons centered around four recurring themes:

"Church people judge me." A young woman told me that as a child she regularly attended church and Sunday school. But she's given up on the church as an adult. "They make me feel like an outcast," she said. "How? Why?" I asked. "Well, I'm a smoker," she said.
"I don't want to be lectured." More people today want to participate in the discussion. A man told me he's talked with over a thousand other men who've given up on church. He said, "Guys don't want to sit in a room and idly listen to some preacher do all the talking. They want to ask questions. They want to share their thoughts too."
"They're a bunch of hypocrites." I know church leaders are weary of this "excuse." But people aren't merely referring to incongruous behavior. What bothers them is the sense that church spokespeople act like they have all the answers. That they've arrived. That they're only interested in telling others what to do-"teaching," to use the church vernacular.
"I don't want religion. I want God." Most people don't experience God at church. They're not looking for the "deep" theological trivia that seems to interest some preachers. They crave something very simple. They're dying to be reassured that God is real, that he is more than a historical figure, that he is present today, and that he is active in the lives of people around them.

Those of us who remain in this imperfect gathering of the faithful need to stop talking and "teaching" long enough to listen to the majority outside our walls. I'm not suggesting their views are flawless. Or that we should design ministry merely according to consumer whims. But we do need to keep our ultimate goal in mind-to help bring others into a closer relationship with Jesus Christ.

That's what defined the ministry of Jesus himself. He boldly broke away from the habits and routines of the religious elite of the time. And he fashioned a highly relational ministry that connected with the disenfranchised.

We've heard the four cries of the common people cited here so often that we decided to address them as we shaped the national network of Lifetree Cafes. In fact, these cries form the basis for the Lifetree values that are posted and stated each week at every Lifetree Café.

You're welcome just as you are.

Your thoughts are welcome. Your doubts are welcome.

We're all in this together.

God is here, ready to connect with you in a fresh way.

Church Abusing Kids With Root Beer

Wed, 27 June 2012 08:23:00

She's one mad mom. "With soda, you've crossed a line. That was my son's first drop of soda. And it was given to him AT CHURCH, of all places!"

The furor hit social media, blogs and a television talk show site over the past week. It all started when a California "mommy blogger" sent her six-year-old son to a local church's vacation Bible school.

The boy, a soda virgin, tasted his first root beer float. At church.

The mom wrote: "Soda should not be served to six-year-olds. This should not have been in the curriculum. I find it disgusting that my son now associates God with soda."

Others joined the fray:

"I'm very nice and easy going…until you feed my child soda without my permission. Then I'm not nice anymore."
"Has soda and sugar consumption become the last accepted form of addiction?"
"Fundamentalist Christians are by far the heaviest of all religious groups."
"I'm not a churchgoer, but this whole experience has left a bad taste in my mouth."

Then others chimed in with alternate opinions:

"I certainly hope you wouldn't begrudge volunteers at a soup kitchen for giving the homeless people a cookie with their dinner."
"I'm terrified to plan our VBS snacks this year because I feel like someone is going to be angry with me."

The snack in question is one suggested in Group's 2012 VBS program, "Sky." Other suggested snacks in "Sky" are popcorn, strawberries, pretzel sticks, cheese and grapes. However, churches are free to serve whatever they wish during their VBS programs.

Conducting ministry in these days of heightened parental concern for child safety presents ever-changing challenges. From food allergies to scares over sugar, salt, gluten, food coloring, dairy and meat-it's hard to spend as much time on spiritual food.

With all the fears of the day, what are our kids learning about faith in God? Are we as concerned with their spiritual health as we are with their dietary health?

The mommy blogger wrote, "This isn't something I think would follow the saying WWJD." When it comes to refreshments, what would Jesus do? I suppose some would say he'd turn wine into water.

When Youth Ministry Stopped Innovating

Wed, 13 June 2012 08:18:00

Youth ministry has been known to pioneer new and effective forms of ministry that also influence the rest of the church. But that trend, in some churches, has largely reversed.

Some youth ministries (and children's ministries) try to mimic the form, methodologies and styles found in adult church, aka "Big Church."

That's a switch from youth ministry's earlier years, upon which I also reported in Group magazine beginning in the '70s. During that era, youth workers (predominantly volunteers) frequently experimented with approaches to ministry in order to effectively reach kids. And some of those things, because they were effective and successful, were observed and admired by the larger church, and eventually adopted. For example, the use of guitars, drums and contemporary music in general began in youth ministry and then were adopted in adult church.

But now we see youth ministry weekly gatherings attempt to imitate what goes on at 11 a.m. on Sunday in adult church. It's the familiar formula of half sing-along and half lecture. The youth pastor delivers a prepared monolog and the kids are expected to sit still and listen. Even though they're not wired to learn or retain much from this approach.

In children's ministry, some churches model "children's church" after Big Church. Line up the spectators in neat rows, and put on a stage presentation. Even though they'd gain much more from being fully involved in active participation.

It's a worrisome trend, especially because many of the methodologies employed in adult church are producing lackluster spiritual results.

What's the goal?

It's time for youth ministry and children's ministry to step back and re-examine their purpose, mission and focus. Some suggestions:

Know your audience. Start with their characteristics in mind.
Honestly ask what really works to influence them.
Know your ultimate goal. If that goal is something like helping kids grow in a relationship with Jesus, then measure everything you do against that goal.
Do what produces actual spiritual results that are linked to your goal.
Innovate. Try some new things. Just because you haven't seen it done in Big Church . . . well, that's probably a good thing.
Lead the way. There's good precedence for looking for inspiration from ministries with the young: "He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. And he said: 'Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.'" (Matthew 18:2-4)

Youth and children's ministries can--and should--be a refreshing gift to the entire church.

7 Telltale Signs of a Healthy Staff

Wed, 30 May 2012 08:12:00

I can usually spot a dysfunctional church staff from a mile off. Certain little indicators tell the story.

Conversely, other telltale signs generally telegraph a healthy staff, one that operates smoothly, accomplishes a lot, exudes a sense of team, has fun, and enjoys a powerful ministry.

Here's how to spot a healthy, effective, loving staff.

Weekly staff meetings. The entire staff-whether it's two or 200-gathers weekly for 30 or 60 minutes to connect. The agenda provides time for informational updates, brief training tips, affirmation for one another, sharing of personal updates and needs, and time for authentic prayer.
Weekly work check-ins. Each staff member has a brief, regularly scheduled time to check in with his or her supervisor to go over the past week's and the upcoming week's objectives.
Shared stories. The staff tells and celebrates the good things God is accomplishing through the various ministries of the church. Every week, all the time.
First names. The staff members refer to one another by first names. No tightly-knit team refers to one another as Mr., Miss, Pastor, Reverend, or (God forbid) Doctor. Collegiality is more important than forced "respect."
Direct communication. Staff members with concerns go directly to those who can do something about them. No whining with other staff or members.
Open parking. No special parking places (or other symbols of puffed-up privilege) for "VIP" staff.
Laughter. The frequent sound of wholesome laughter permeates a staff that enjoys one another-and the joy of serving God together.

A healthy staff precedes a healthy ministry. And conversely, an unhealthy staff cannot produce a healthy, effective ministry.

So, how many telltale signs does your church exhibit?

How Church Makes People Happy (It’s Not What You Think)

Wed, 16 May 2012 08:05:00

New research reveals the latest path to better health and well being. Go to church.

But the true link to the health benefits may not be what you expect.

Gallup found that people who regularly go to church make better health choices, experience fewer daily negative emotions, and are less likely to be diagnosed with depression. And the very religious are more likely to eat healthy foods, exercise more frequently, and generally experience higher life satisfaction.

Great! So, shall we advertise that sitting through an hour at church each Sunday will make everyone healthier? Not so fast, said the researchers.

It turns out that it's not really worship routines that correlate to better health and wellbeing. Actually, it's friends. Churchgoers are happier and healthier because of their church friends. And church friends lead to greater life satisfaction than friends outside of church.

But churchgoers who have no friends at church are less happy than those who do not go to church at all.

LEARNING FROM THE FINDINGS

Though few churches would say health and wellbeing are their primary ministry goals, these are certainly desirable side benefits. And though the Gallup study did not measure spiritual growth in this research, an earlier Gallup/Group study did find links between friendships and faith. We discovered that 74% of those with good church friends say their faith is involved in every aspect of their life. But only 54% of those without a best friend at church say the same thing.

Knowing how church friends affect wellbeing and faith, we must wonder how well churches are intentionally seizing this benefit. Yes, I know every church says it's friendly, offers groups, hosts occasional meals and events, and so on.

But what about the "main event" of the week-the weekly worship service-the time when most people make their only connection to the church? How well do most churches encourage and facilitate friendship during and around that time? Some would boast they prod worshippers to "meet and greet" for the obligatory 60-second handshake frenzy each week. But everybody in the pews knows that ritual has little to do with friendship.

If we want to encourage more friendship, we'll need to devote some real time and attention to it. Provide times-during the worship hour-for meaningful conversation. Let people talk with one another about how God is working in their lives. Pose thoughtful questions for people to respond to with two or three others around them. Encourage interaction. Break out of the spectator emphasis of the American church experience.

To be honest, I used to be bothered when I observed the ushers gathering and chatting in the lobby during the singing on Sunday morning. But now, after seeing the true friendship-and faith-that those guys share, I think maybe I'll apply for my usher badge.

No Time for God

Mon, 07 May 2012 09:56:00

Last week, at our annual leadership retreat, I asked our leaders to stop talking. I invited them to find a comfortable spot, and just be quiet. And wait. Wait for God to communicate with them.

After an extended time we reconvened, and shared what happened during that silent time. For some, it was a relaxing quiet time with no particular message from God. Others reported various divine interventions. A word. An image. A sense. A nudge. The Holy Spirit acted-customized for each person.

That unscripted time with God reminded us Who is in charge, and gave us fresh direction.

Later several of our leaders pointed to our extemporaneous God times as the most impactful elements of our retreat.

It reminded me how scheduled and rehearsed the church has become. Our worship hours are meticulously timed to the minute, or second. Our Bible studies are conducted with academic rigor. Even our small groups have become predictably regimented. Nothing is left to chance. Nothing is left to the Holy Spirit.

Our carefully laid plans often leave no room for God.

But the world craves the true presence of the Lord, a supernatural brush with the divine, the reassuring touch of love from the living God. These moments can't be planned, rehearsed or controlled. It's God's domain.

We've learned to allow such extemporaneous times in our Lifetree Café experiences. Every week I'm surprised-and inspired-by how God works. In ways we could never have planned.

David Hurlbutt, music and outreach director at a church in New York, described how God frequently surprises him at his church's Lifetree Café ministry:

"The most amazing thing for me is watching God move so visibly in that room week after week, putting just the right people at the right tables. A dad with a son at Lifetree for the first time; the son having just received his second DUI-only to sit with one of our Friendship Team members whose son had experienced the same thing."

David also described a woman who found Lifetree, "happened" to sit with some followers of Christ, and joined in the spontaneous conversation. She said after the hour: "I want to know Jesus like that." David said she prayed to receive Jesus into her heart that night.

"Only God can do that kind of work," David said. "In 20 years I've never been part of a ministry where I've trusted God more and watched his followers be used to create real God space where he moves and does the miraculous week after week."

Want to see God work? Open up, give him time, let him loose.

The Trouble With Youth Ministry

Wed, 18 April 2012 19:38:00

Youth ministry in the American church is often diagnosed as an increasingly ill patient. Some are even suggesting the patient is terminally ill.

Researchers and influential spokespeople report that a large majority of young people drop out of church after high school and rarely return. And they point out that the faith of Christian teenagers lacks depth and theological integrity.

I too am concerned by what I see happening among our young people. I've watched the spiritual trends ever since I founded Group, the youth ministry magazine, in 1974.

Though many of the trends are troubling, I find some of the pundits' analyses of the causes and the cures to be rather puzzling. Some say church youth ministry was weakened by the attraction-oriented influence of the old parachurch organizations such as Youth for Christ and Young Life.

Others propose that the real disease here is the entire genre of a ministry specifically designed for teenagers. They say that segregating teenagers for specialized ministry defies biblical models of ministry. And that, they say, has led to spiritual malaise.

Others blame the media, consumerism, technology, youth ministry books, training events, parents and senior pastors.

Some of these things may contribute to the exodus of the church's youth. But they're not the primary culprits.

The real problem is much simpler. And it's not a uniquely teenage problem. While adolescents have been drifting away, the same trend infects the American population at large. Adults too are drifting away. The fastest growing religious affiliation among adults is "none."

So, why are our young people losing faith in the church and God? It's a relationship problem. They don't think of Jesus as their friend. He's a concept or an historical figure. He's an academic subject that their churches teach. And once they graduate from youth group, they forget about the Jesus subject-just as they forget about their other high school subjects. Jesus gets left behind with algebra and early American literature.

Ironically, many youth ministry analysts suggest that the cure to the young's exodus is . . . more academic religious knowledge. They insist what's really needed is "deeper study," "stronger biblical teaching," and "more robust theology."

Thorough Bible knowledge is a good thing. I'd like to see more of it. My organization publishes Bibles and Bible resources. But kids aren't walking away from the church because they lack an adequate accumulation of Bible facts.

They lack relationship. And relationships-of any kind-rarely grow and bond primarily due to the accumulation of data. Relationships-with people and with God-develop through demonstrations of unconditional love, building of trust, forgiveness, reliance, and tons of two-way communication.

Relationships built on these things endure. And grow. And actually develop a craving to learn more.

Where do we begin? Any relationship begins with the simple discovery that someone really exists, is real, is present, is truly alive. It's hard to fall in love with someone you don't believe exists. So, we can afford to spend more time showing the present-day Jesus, rather than only teaching about the historical Jesus. We can devote more time to hearing and encouraging peers who tell how God acts and intervenes in their lives-today, each week.

We can provide more opportunities for the real present-day Jesus to shine through genuine relationships with mature believers who ooze the unconditional love of Christ.

We can plan more deep experiences, such as community service opportunities, where kids can witness God's love in action.

We can provide meaningful times of personal introspection, conviction, and immersion in the miracle of God's forgiveness.

We can devote more quiet time for kids to engage in personal two-way communication with God.

In short, building a true and enduring relationship with Jesus looks a lot like building a relationship with another person.

If we desire to see this generation of young people embrace their faith and remain loyal to the Body of Christ, we must help them become friends of God.