This is the title of the first sermon series for The Source. Those of us on the launch team were asked to come up with perceived problems with the church. What are people's common critiques of the church? What are your critiques of the church? Why do you think people don't go to church? What is out there that gives the church a bad name? I must say, as a regular churchgoer, I had more fun with this than I should have. Here was my response in a nutshell.
1. I hate it when churches differentiate between who's in church or going to church and those who are not. Whether they label it as churchgoers and non-churchgoers, Christians and "real" Christians (if you really want to make me mad, start using that dichotomy), us and them, there's always that versus quality to it and also a snobby and country club feel to that language. We're so much better people because we go to a church. We're better people because we believe in God and the rest of the people are scum. Somewhere in there we've lost sight of the fact that we're all sinners and fall short (Romans) and that we're still fully sinners (simul iusuts et peccator or we're fully sinner and saint as Christians). Just because we're Christians doesn't make us any better than anyone else or any less suceptible to sin (see various church scandals, some of which I have experienced first hand at my home congregation). And yet, that judgment is still there. Judgment because of apperances. Judgment because of lifestyle choices. Judgment because of social status. Judgment because of jobs, etc. Apparently people just like to ignore verse about judge not lest ye be judged...
2. I hate when people make sacred cows out of things that are not sacred. The first commandment is we shall not have any other gods and the second is we shall not make idols. However, it seems that we have made sacred cows or idols out of things such as worship styles, reading creeds a certain way, using certain liturgies, bulletins, music styles, etc. "It's not real church if we aren't doing _____." It's not real church if we aren't using an organ. It's not Lutheran if we aren't using the Red Book, the LBW, or the ELW (various worship books we've used as a church to help us lead worship at churches). Yes, tradition is important but when tradition starts becoming a bigger deal than God, well, then we have a major problem. And I especially hate it when just because someplace is doing church a bit differently be it because of worship styles, songs, elements of the service, etc. others don't consider it real church. I'm sorry but that's BS! Even the Lutheran Confessions (theological principles that we as Lutheran adhere to) are on our side ("Church is wherever the Word is rightly preached and the sacraments are properly administered").
3. The church also is bad at using people as they are. The church expects people to fit into certain molds. They come up with volunteer positions and then try to find the people and make them fit into the roles rather than first meeting the people and then figuring out what best fits them and how to best use their unique gifts and talents. It's like writing a job description for a very specific and important position for a person you've never met and yet you expect it to fit perfectly. People are diverse and have diverse gifts and the church isn't necessarily good at respecting taht and best utilizing people's gifts.
4. Along with that same vein is the issue of clericalism: the expectation that people in charge whether it's the staff and the pastors especially are supposed to do everything. And the worse thing is, there are a lot of pastors out there who like it that way and encourage this! The pastors believe they're supposed to be doing it all and they have little or not respect for other people's gifts or ideas. The pastors aren't suppose to be the only ones running the church and reaching out into the world. We're all in this together and we all have gifts that can and need to be used.
So, those are some of my complaints and my reasons if I weren't already a churchgoer/pastor-to-be that I wouldn't go to church and/or reasons I find church very frustrating. If you have any more to add or you want to react to something, just make a comment!
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Friday, July 18, 2008
Commitment
Last year, while I was pondering job options I got this advice from a friend, teacher, and mentor: "guard your heart." In other words, don't get too attached to the idea of taking a call here in order to make sure you don't get hurt. Don't commit because it might end up breaking your heart.
Not surprisingly, this wasn't hard for me to do. I have always been a bit jittery about commitment whether it's not getting my hopes up with jobs, relationships, and life and general. I don't like to count my chickens before they hatch in other words.
And yet, there is something to be said about taking the plunge, about giving your heart to a cause, a place, or a person. Yes, it is dangerous because you can end up getting hurt in the end if something doesn't go through, if someone doesn't reciprocate, if you're counting on something only to be let down. But at the same time, I always wonder how much we can really go forward while still guarding your heart, while still holding something back.
In order for any relationship whether it be friendship or relationship with a significant other to work, you need some sort of vulnerability. It requires commitment. And I've found the same as I've search for jobs this past year. I lost one potential call because I was guarding my heart. I didn't want to fully commit because there was a chance that I wouldn't get what I ultimately striving for and it cost me. Sure, I had everything to gain by getting placed in NC but I also had everything to lose if I committed to NC and then never got the job. I wasn't ready to put my heart and life on the line and because of that, I didn't get placed there.
Instead, months later I still found myself waiting for something to come and it did in the form of a church in the area. I prayed, negotiated with the synod, and got my name put through as a candidate. And it was scary because it was already May, most of my good friends had calls already (and deservedly so!), and my student loans were going to come due in July. And this time I knew there was no holding back. I put my all into interviewing, into preparing, into researching the congregation, and found a place that I could easily see myself calling home. But with each subsequent round came another chance for me to lose something. Each new round gave them a chance to reject me, turn me down, and spit me out into the world again, back where I started with no job and a lot of stress. And yet, even though I knew that I could get crushed so easily, there was no holding back. Each round I got more attached to the idea of me at this church. Each round I found myself plotting out in detail my first six months in the congregation. Each round I found myself more vulnerable to being so close to the job and also so close to heartbreak. And yet, in spite of all of this I found myself in a new place. I was finally ready to commit.
Yes, it was scary. I warned my friends that if I didn't get this job I would probably be a mess for at least a week. I tried to come up with a Plan B but my heart was never really into it. I prayed, A LOT. I let my guard down truly trusting that God could clean up this mess and mend my heart if it came down to that. Because even though we do not live in a faithful society, I believe in a God that is faithful in spite of everything. Yes, I will take the plunge, I will commit, I will take my guard down because I need to. This world calls for it in order for relationships to form, for there to be friendships, for there to be that true vulnerability that fosters trust but yes, we will and I'm guessing most of us have been let down. But we also have a God who promises to pick up the pieces and put us back together again and make us whole in the truest sense. And we have a God that is fully committed to us, even though we let God down and break God's heart time and time again.
But the great thing with committing is the reward will often outweigh the risks. Friendships are strengthened, relationships are deepened, and people get to know and love you for who you really are. And in my case, as I went CALL OR BUST I finally found the former. On August 6 a church in the Twin Cities metro area will vote to call me as their Pastor of Small Group Ministry and LiveWire (their alternative/contemporary worship service). It's not necessarily written in stone yet but I'm willing to commit before the chickens hatch in this case. And I hope to bring this same vulnerability to the call. I hope to be able to give my heart to this congregation, this position, this ministry, these people, and this amazing call from God. And even if they don't love me back at times (and I'm sure there will be struggles going the other way too), I will still do my best to stay committed because they were willing to take the chance on this pastor wannabe in the first place.
Not surprisingly, this wasn't hard for me to do. I have always been a bit jittery about commitment whether it's not getting my hopes up with jobs, relationships, and life and general. I don't like to count my chickens before they hatch in other words.
And yet, there is something to be said about taking the plunge, about giving your heart to a cause, a place, or a person. Yes, it is dangerous because you can end up getting hurt in the end if something doesn't go through, if someone doesn't reciprocate, if you're counting on something only to be let down. But at the same time, I always wonder how much we can really go forward while still guarding your heart, while still holding something back.
In order for any relationship whether it be friendship or relationship with a significant other to work, you need some sort of vulnerability. It requires commitment. And I've found the same as I've search for jobs this past year. I lost one potential call because I was guarding my heart. I didn't want to fully commit because there was a chance that I wouldn't get what I ultimately striving for and it cost me. Sure, I had everything to gain by getting placed in NC but I also had everything to lose if I committed to NC and then never got the job. I wasn't ready to put my heart and life on the line and because of that, I didn't get placed there.
Instead, months later I still found myself waiting for something to come and it did in the form of a church in the area. I prayed, negotiated with the synod, and got my name put through as a candidate. And it was scary because it was already May, most of my good friends had calls already (and deservedly so!), and my student loans were going to come due in July. And this time I knew there was no holding back. I put my all into interviewing, into preparing, into researching the congregation, and found a place that I could easily see myself calling home. But with each subsequent round came another chance for me to lose something. Each new round gave them a chance to reject me, turn me down, and spit me out into the world again, back where I started with no job and a lot of stress. And yet, even though I knew that I could get crushed so easily, there was no holding back. Each round I got more attached to the idea of me at this church. Each round I found myself plotting out in detail my first six months in the congregation. Each round I found myself more vulnerable to being so close to the job and also so close to heartbreak. And yet, in spite of all of this I found myself in a new place. I was finally ready to commit.
Yes, it was scary. I warned my friends that if I didn't get this job I would probably be a mess for at least a week. I tried to come up with a Plan B but my heart was never really into it. I prayed, A LOT. I let my guard down truly trusting that God could clean up this mess and mend my heart if it came down to that. Because even though we do not live in a faithful society, I believe in a God that is faithful in spite of everything. Yes, I will take the plunge, I will commit, I will take my guard down because I need to. This world calls for it in order for relationships to form, for there to be friendships, for there to be that true vulnerability that fosters trust but yes, we will and I'm guessing most of us have been let down. But we also have a God who promises to pick up the pieces and put us back together again and make us whole in the truest sense. And we have a God that is fully committed to us, even though we let God down and break God's heart time and time again.
But the great thing with committing is the reward will often outweigh the risks. Friendships are strengthened, relationships are deepened, and people get to know and love you for who you really are. And in my case, as I went CALL OR BUST I finally found the former. On August 6 a church in the Twin Cities metro area will vote to call me as their Pastor of Small Group Ministry and LiveWire (their alternative/contemporary worship service). It's not necessarily written in stone yet but I'm willing to commit before the chickens hatch in this case. And I hope to bring this same vulnerability to the call. I hope to be able to give my heart to this congregation, this position, this ministry, these people, and this amazing call from God. And even if they don't love me back at times (and I'm sure there will be struggles going the other way too), I will still do my best to stay committed because they were willing to take the chance on this pastor wannabe in the first place.
Monday, July 07, 2008
The Death of the Midnight Movie Showing
I love movies. I think this has probably come across in some of my previous blog entries. And because I love movies, I also happen to love midnight showings. Midnight showings happen when a new, big, potential blockbuster is coming out. They have a special showing at 12:01 so we can be guaranteed to be the first people to experience the movie.
Truth be told, midnight showings were a pretty geeky affair. I remember seeing Star Wars Episode III right after my first year of seminary. I went with some friends from church and one of them dressed up in his Jedi Halloween costume and I even attempted to put my hair in the Princess Leia buns (it didn't work, my hair isn't quite thick enough). I remember seeing Star Wars Episode II in college with a bunch of my college buddies. The whole theater started cheering when Yoda walked onto screen during the last big fight scene because we knew exactly what was coming.
The point being midnight showings used to attract a very specific brand of people: geeks. We had a ton invested in whatever movie it was that we were seeing. For movies like Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, and Spider-Man we were deeply invested in the characters, we knew the mythology behind the stories, and this time was sacred. Even though we sometimes know what's coming, it still is fun to watch it unfold as the director and writers have interpreted it. It's fun to see our favorite stories and characters come to life.
However, as I've gone to more and more movie showings lately I've noticed that this is not the case anymore. When I went to Spider-Man 3 last year, people started laughing at the end of the movie during a particularly dramatic death scene. Granted, it wasn't the best scene ever but way to ruin the movie for the people around you. If people hadn't have been laughing, maybe I would have been able to feel some real emotion. Basically, way to ruin the moment for everyone else.
In May after classes had finished I went to see a midnight showing of Prince Caspian in the local theater. I was by myself which was fine. There were a ton of people there which surprised me but I figured I'd roll with it. I was a big fan of the books as it was and the author, CS Lewis, was one of my favorites. During the previews I couldn't help but noticing the two girls and one guy in front me of could not stop laughing and giggling and it was really loud and obnoxious. Granted, it was the preview for Beverly Hills Chihuahua which looks like the worst movie idea ever but still, shut it. Then came one of the most dramatic, intense scenes of the movie where the hero is being tempted by a very real evil and it's really symbolic of our temptations as humans and I think it's pretty deep. All of a sudden, they start laughing and giggling again. For no reason. And they won't stop. Are you effing kidding me? I decide that enough is enough and tap their seats with my foot, hoping it will get their attention. No luck. And they're still laughing. Finally, I just do a full out soccer kick to their chairs. They finally shut up and the scene is over. What?!?!
I can't even begin to tell you how mad I was that these people were ruining the movie for me and for the people around us. Somewhere in here, the midnight movie showing has died. It is no longer the thing that only geeks and movie lovers do. Suddenly, all the cool kids who have no interest in movies but are looking for an excuse to get out of the house late on a Thursday night have started coming to these. And honestly, it has started to truly ruin it for those of us who take our movies really, REALLY seriously. And you know, I think I would be fine with it if these people just didn't talk, laugh, and giggle through the entire movie.
Will I keep going to midnight showings? Most definitely, I can't help myself. But I reserve the right to judge the dedication of the other viewers and give a swift kick to the seat if someone won't stop talking/texting during important parts of the movie.
Truth be told, midnight showings were a pretty geeky affair. I remember seeing Star Wars Episode III right after my first year of seminary. I went with some friends from church and one of them dressed up in his Jedi Halloween costume and I even attempted to put my hair in the Princess Leia buns (it didn't work, my hair isn't quite thick enough). I remember seeing Star Wars Episode II in college with a bunch of my college buddies. The whole theater started cheering when Yoda walked onto screen during the last big fight scene because we knew exactly what was coming.
The point being midnight showings used to attract a very specific brand of people: geeks. We had a ton invested in whatever movie it was that we were seeing. For movies like Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, and Spider-Man we were deeply invested in the characters, we knew the mythology behind the stories, and this time was sacred. Even though we sometimes know what's coming, it still is fun to watch it unfold as the director and writers have interpreted it. It's fun to see our favorite stories and characters come to life.
However, as I've gone to more and more movie showings lately I've noticed that this is not the case anymore. When I went to Spider-Man 3 last year, people started laughing at the end of the movie during a particularly dramatic death scene. Granted, it wasn't the best scene ever but way to ruin the movie for the people around you. If people hadn't have been laughing, maybe I would have been able to feel some real emotion. Basically, way to ruin the moment for everyone else.
In May after classes had finished I went to see a midnight showing of Prince Caspian in the local theater. I was by myself which was fine. There were a ton of people there which surprised me but I figured I'd roll with it. I was a big fan of the books as it was and the author, CS Lewis, was one of my favorites. During the previews I couldn't help but noticing the two girls and one guy in front me of could not stop laughing and giggling and it was really loud and obnoxious. Granted, it was the preview for Beverly Hills Chihuahua which looks like the worst movie idea ever but still, shut it. Then came one of the most dramatic, intense scenes of the movie where the hero is being tempted by a very real evil and it's really symbolic of our temptations as humans and I think it's pretty deep. All of a sudden, they start laughing and giggling again. For no reason. And they won't stop. Are you effing kidding me? I decide that enough is enough and tap their seats with my foot, hoping it will get their attention. No luck. And they're still laughing. Finally, I just do a full out soccer kick to their chairs. They finally shut up and the scene is over. What?!?!
I can't even begin to tell you how mad I was that these people were ruining the movie for me and for the people around us. Somewhere in here, the midnight movie showing has died. It is no longer the thing that only geeks and movie lovers do. Suddenly, all the cool kids who have no interest in movies but are looking for an excuse to get out of the house late on a Thursday night have started coming to these. And honestly, it has started to truly ruin it for those of us who take our movies really, REALLY seriously. And you know, I think I would be fine with it if these people just didn't talk, laugh, and giggle through the entire movie.
Will I keep going to midnight showings? Most definitely, I can't help myself. But I reserve the right to judge the dedication of the other viewers and give a swift kick to the seat if someone won't stop talking/texting during important parts of the movie.
Thursday, July 03, 2008
I <3 Baseball!!!
It's been awhile since I've talked about the MN Twins. Anyway, can I tell you real quick how much I'm loving this season of baseball. Everyone had written off the Twins at the beginning of the season and here we are, keeping up with the big boys and only 2.5 games behind the White Sox. Plus, the D-Rays are killing in the AL East (I love underdog/Cinderella stories).
One of the reasons I love the Twins: they can pull of plays like this!!!!!!!
One of the reasons I love the Twins: they can pull of plays like this!!!!!!!
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