The Dumbing Down of the Church

I never thought I’d agree with Marva Dawn when I first read her diatribe against so-called “contemporary worship.” In her text, Reaching Out Without Dumbing Down she sharply critiques the move toward the simplification of liturgy and the modernization of worship services. At the time I read the book I was embroiled in worship wars with a church that practiced inbred liturgy and had a very cliquish attitude about worship. Any attempt to make the liturgy or worship service warmer and more welcoming to those outside of the faith was seen as an abandonment of tradition. Unfortunately we have now, in a desperate attempt to be “relevant” and make up for staggering membership losses, have thrown the baby out with the bath water. Now churches, striving to connect with people long neglected, are practicing Wal-Mart liturgy, sacrificing the power of mystery for acceptability and following a discount Jesus. Essentially they are abandoning depth because there is the belief that if it is deep it must be offensive to the non-churched ears. Quite the contrary is true. Our world craves depth, they are searching for meaning. If the Church does not provide it they will search for it elsewhere.

During a recent Palm Sunday service there were no Palms. Holy Week is historically practiced to allow the Church to experience the days from the triumphant entry of Christ into Jerusalem through the Last Supper, facing crucifixion on Friday and glorious resurrection on Easter morning. I went with friends and family to the Palm Sunday service expecting palms and celebration and singing. The proclamation of the Messiah was to be proclaimed. I arrived on the scene knowing it would be a celebration that contained crucifixion tension to be experienced on Good Friday. There were no palms. Instead there was a vague message about nailing our difficulties to the cross (a practice usually reserved for Good Friday). There was no liturgy, no Psalm of praise or Old Testament prophesy being fulfilled in our hearing. There was just a Wal-Mart liturgy, barely a liturgy at all.

The abandonment of deep liturgy is a cheapening of the power of mystery that surrounds and is embodied by resurrection. We are a people of mystery. We practice the mysterious presence of Christ in the Eucharist. We live out the mysterious presence of God constantly with us and in us through our salvation and living out our baptism. Let us not abandon that which proclaims God’s mystery. Let us, instead, embrace it anew!

Not only do we practice Wal-Mart liturgy, we follow a discount Jesus. Jesus, creator of heaven and earth, true God of True God, light from light is now a self-help method. There are four steps to a better marriage, three ways to love your kids, how about one way to a True God? Jesus calls us to bear a cross, not become the owner of a Land Rover. Ours is a faith of sacrifice and delayed reward. Christ came to give us real life, not the easy life! “Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe. Sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow.” That is not a discount Jesus, that is a Savior!

Lastly, we crave depth. I know I sound like a broken record but look at the movies, listen to the music of our culture. There is an undercurrent that is rising that is seeking something deeper the Wal-Mart liturgies and a discount Jesus. They know that life cannot be understood in ten easy steps. They realize that there are things we will never know and that our soul craves mystery. The abandonment of depth does not have to occur when we design worship to connect with those outside of the faith, it just has to be explained. The disciples asked Jesus, “teach us how to pray.” Why, because they wanted a pattern? No, because they wanted the passionate, deep, abiding prayer life of their rabbi. The church’s charge is not to be user friendly, simplified and easy to swallow. It is to be a real, authentic body of Christ that teaches people how to get connected to God and live in a world gone mad. Let us be the people who burn so brightly that the world comes seeking light and warmth from the depth of our faith.

Gracious God, who calls us to follow you, to count the cost and to abandon ourselves that we might have real life, make us a people, make me a person, who is willing to live deeply and faithfully in a land of Wal-Mart liturgies and discount Jesuses. In the name of the One who made the ultimate sacrifice, Jesus my Messiah I pray. Amen

Here is an outline I've worked on for a workbook for local churches, especially small, struggling churches, to help them become more effective and to experience renewal. If you think this is a project worth me pursing further, leave me a comment! I am committed to finding a way to help local churches, laity and pastors reach their communities. What do you think? I remain:

Lost in Grace,
Marty

CPR For the Church

Introduction

CHURCHES: Been There, Done That!

Construction of No Hope UMC as a teaching model

1. A compilation of several of the churches I have served highlighting some

common personalities and problems. The names have been changed

to protect the pastor!

PREPARE for

Prepare for tomorrow

Realize the potential

Embrace past success

Paint the picture:

Assess assets and ministries

Resource responsibly

Encourage constantly and consistently

I. Prepare: Quit Dozing, You Ain't Closing:

Step One, harnessing the tenacious spirit of survival within small churches.

A. Making the determination to survive. This year a UMC will close every 7 days. (get stat.)

People say they prefer small churches, You are wanted!

1. Overcoming objections [no money, opportunity, community growth, etc.]

2. Teaching "as if" thinking.

3. You have to believe it before you see it!

B. What do most small congregations have that they are intensely proud of? History!

1. Building on your positives.

1. Have a "Time Line Dinner" to hear and see the church's history.

2. Mine the older members for "glory days" stories.

C. Small churches tend to be survivors! Harness that instinct for forward movement.

D. How it worked at NO HOPE!

II. Realize the need--Re-Fired Instead of Re-tired!:

1 Step Two--Pray, Stay & Play: Renewing the relational flame.

A. Decide to Pray

1. Prayer Partner Resources

2. Never too old to pray!

3. Photo Ring of Prayer

B. Decide to Stay

C. Decide to Play

D. NO HOPE become LITTLE HOPE!

III. Embrace past successes--

Step Three--Standing on the Promises!

A. You've been through the fire [or flood, or tornado, or Depression, etc] with God's

help, and you can get through this.

IV. Paint the Picture--

Step Four--Vision: You have to see it to be it!

A. Vision Bearing

1. Preaching on hope and faithfulness--God is still a God who rescues.

2. Favorite texts: Moses at the Red Sea/Nehemiah Preparing to build the Wall/

Elijah at Mt. Carmel/ II Cor. Paul--determined/Joshua "me and my house"/

Sarah "is anything to difficult for God/ Hebrew 11--Hall of Fame of Faith/

Daniel--Shadrack, etc. or Lion's Den.

B. Vision Sharing

1. One with many

2. One with some

3. One with one

LITTLE HOPE become SOME HOPE

V. Assess Objectively-- Stepping Up to Reaching Out: Harness the Power of Big Days

A. Look Around--check out the spiritual temperature

B. Look Inside--check out the space

C. Look Outside--check out the "visitor appeal"

D. Look Beside--check out the smile quotient

VI. Resource Responsibly--There is Power in Those Pews: Plug those folks in!

A. Find out what they want to do, then let them do it.

B. Listen for the clues! "why I remember when we used to..."

C. Don't Be Invisible:

If I told you that you could double, probably even triple you average attendance for one service would you at least give it a try?

D. Carr's attendance after homecoming from 15 to 20.

1. H-coming attendance at 98, lost 78, no gained 5!

2. Perspective matters--keep the hope alive!

E. People say they prefer small churches and will come back for special days, USE THEM!

Easter Prayer Book Marks doubled worship attendance over previous Easter

Friend Day and Dinner--If you feed them, they'll come.

VII. Encourage Continuously: Live, Give, and Grow: Sharing your overcoming faith with your underachieving small church.

A. Live it: Walking and Talking faith, friendliness, and faithfulness.

1. Integrity is everything.

B. Give it: Giving away faith, friendliness, and faithfulness by example.

C. Grow it:

Plant it with love: they don't care how much you know till they know how

much you care!

Water it with encouragement: 1:1:1 Rule if <>

Shine on it with praise!

SOME HOPE becomes HOPEFUL UMC!

VIII. RENEWAL

Recommit to

Empower

Nurture

Evangelize with a

World focus

And

Local mission

IX. Closing the Door on Closing the Door

Afterward

Write and tell your small church story. I love to hear about churches that move from despair to desire with God's help! Who knows, you story could be in my next book! I hope so!

No Organizations

It occurs to me that one of the reasons that mainline denominations are in significant decline is that they are intrinsically “NO organizations.” They are not designed to be permission giving but, rather, to be permission denying. Rather than embracing a “whatever it takes” philosophy of ministry, the “never done it that way” mentality is prevalent. A friend of mine likes to say that often the most obvious solution to a problem escapes us because it is too easy and too obvious to be considered. NO organizations can’t see these answers for three basic truths prevail in their operational mindset: 1) NO organizations are reactive; 2) NO organizations use obstacles as excuses for their failure; and 3) NO organizations discourage creativity. It is time to break the cycle if we as a denomination are going to move beyond our NO organization mindset!

NO organizations are reactive not proactive. They wait for something to happen so that they can criticize it thoroughly and respond with knee jerk policy statements and self-righteous pronouncements. Reactivity is a dangerous state of existence because it means you live in constant stress. Those who are acting are always waiting on criticism and weighing their decisions on their willingness and ability to stand further assaults, often of a personal nature. For those in authority, being reactive means they spend far too much time looking for problems rather than finding solutions. Problem identification is not a spiritual gift! Any fool can find a problem; it takes a leader to find a solution.

NO organizations use obstacles as excuses rather than conquer them. They see every problem as a reason to justify their struggles not realizing they their worst enemy may, indeed, be themselves. My favorite pastor once said “problems are simply opportunities for God to bless.” NO organizations are managed by the philosophy of the path of least resistance. That path usually in characterized by mediocrity and “good enough.” There is no reward for going above and beyond the call of duty or striving for excellence. When some one tries to rise and attempt conquer problems constructively they are criticized for not following procedures or used for target practice since their heads are above the crowd. NO organizations are always looking for a target rather than team member. Any fool can criticize; it takes a leader to find a solution!

NO organizations discourage creativity. They are bound by paradigms that reward stagnation. Turf wars and entrenched methodologies discourage creative thinking. More time is spent avoiding interpersonal difficulties than actually finding solutions. The obvious solutions are ignored because they would require a change in behaviors and an embracing of new levels of creativity. Any fool can discourage; it takes a leader to creatively find solutions.

So the real key seems to be leaders who are proactive, desire to conquer obstacles and embrace creativity. How do we raise up a generation of these leaders? How do we release them to create YES organizations? God help us to live and lead boldly. I remain:

Lost in Grace,

Marty Cauley, Pastor

“You can do no great things, just small things with great love.” Mother Theresa

God who continues to say YES to me despite my failures and struggles, grant me the ability to say YES despite being surrounded by NOs. In the name of the divine YES, Jesus, I pray, AMEN.