Why we are loosing ground with young adults...

I have the amazing privilege of working with spiritual sensitive and passionate young adults from across the southeast every summer. I am also charged with understanding why the Church, and The United Methodist Church in particular, is loosing ground with young adults. Why are they leaving our churches to attend college or enter the job force and never returning? What is it about the mainline church that seems to be alienating young adults who seem to be committed to Christ but never darkenour doors after they turn eighteen. After dozens of conversations during the past year and some in-depth input from the young adults with whom I work closely seem to be some common strands that run through their choice to leave the Church, or at least our version of it. Their reasons include: passionless worship; incongruity in spoken and lived values; greater focus on political agenda than spiritual formation; lack of a clear, unified vision; extreme criticism of things of little importance and finally tokenism regarding their presence. These perceptions that they carry, true or not, determine their actions.

Mainline churches seem to have worship based in the head and not the heart. The perception of passionless worship came up again and again in conversation. The music is mundane and mediocre, the pastor reads a sermon without inflection or conviction and the people fail to respond to either what is sung or what is preached. This is not to say that young adults do not care for traditional worship or liturgy. They just will not tolerate watered down, unexplained ritual and liturgy or poor quality, half-hearted worship. There is actually a resurgence in higher forms of liturgy among young adults, but the churches that they flock to for this type of experience do it very well and make it very clear why they do what they do. There is not the feeling of just going through another set of motions, another set of creeds and movements without understanding. This generation desires to experience God in wholly different ways than did their parents. They want passion in their worship. As long as they perceive our worship as passionless, they will be unlikely to return.

Secondly, the obvious incongruity of spoken values and lived values plagues them. They see this type of behavior in their culture and it sickens them. To see a Greenpeace bumper sticker on a Suburban bothers this generation of revolutionaries. Since their birth they have been told that they can change the world, and they intend to do it. Why do they perceive this lack of incongruity? First of all, within The United Methodist Church, we created a new division, the Ministries with Young People division, but did not adequately fund the division to allow it to do all that is required of it. Our denominational agencies affirm Fair Trade practices but fail to follow them at their conference retreat centers, preferring lower price to the welfare of small, struggling farmers. The rhetoric about wanting young adults in our churches and ministries while slashing funding for college ministers, Wesley foundations and campus ministry offends their sensibilities. Many of our Methodist “related colleges” do not even employ a chaplain and have removed all spiritual focus and demands from their curriculum and academics. Some have even removed the name Methodist or Wesleyan from their names to make them “more approachable.” Is there any wonder that there is a correlation between the percentage of funds going into campus ministry and the failure of young adults to return to United Methodist Churches? Or the fact that more conservative movements are experiencing growth proportional to their investment?

Another factor that plagues The United Methodist Church’s ability to reach young adults is the constant political in-fighting. As the 2008 General Conference approaches the denomination will once again be defined by its political agenda and not its commitment to make disciples for Jesus Christ. Year after year annual conferences fight over the same political issues while their membership continues to decline. Even in growing annual conferences they are failing to keep pace with population expansion. The Church’s persistent nature to make mountains out of molehills seems ridiculous to this highly practical and pragmatic generation. This is complicated when it becomes apparent that even our clergy do not have a clear understanding of our theology. Whatever happened to Wesley’s mandate to be clear in our focus and to follow his statement: “In essentials unity; in all else charity.”

Much of this confusion stems from a lack of clear, unified vision. Without grassroots understanding of the Church’s purpose and its vision for the future, it is difficult to reach young adults who desire clarity in a world filled with uncertainty. The abandonment of our heritage’s commitment to balancing social justice with evangelism leaves us without the needed bifocal emphasis that would be most appealing to young adults. They want to change their world and they realize the necessity of beginning at the local level. We must find a way to clarify our vision and renew our commitment to making disciples and changing our world.

Criticism of things of little consequence also drives young adults from our doors. Churches that balk at having a young person with blue hair or a pierced nose as part of their congregation are essentially assuring their absence. This is a generation of individuals seeking community. They are striving desperately to identify who they are and where they fit into a loving community. If that accepting, loving community is not found in the local church they will find it elsewhere. Does it really matter how many piercings or tattoos they have?

Finally, the Church’s token attempts at placating is actually alienating and not attracting young adults. Implentation of miserable “90’s style” praise services designed “for” them and not “with” them. A complete disregard for their input in the mission and vision of the local church and hypocritical statements about their importance and then complete disregard for their input. This is a generation of “doers” and not “watchers.” They do not want to send money to missions as much as they want to go be part of a missionary endeavor. They desire to put their hands where their heart is.

There is hope, however. The young adult movements that are growing have some powerful similarities. First of all they are sharply focused on spiritual formation. These movements worship with complete abandon in services filled with symbolism and depth. They realize that this is a culture of micronarratives and Myspace© accounts desiring to tell their own story and how God intersects them where they live and listen to them. They put young adults in positions of influence and responsibility and they empower them to live and lead boldly into the future. These movements have a clear understanding of their purpose and vision and are guided by them. Lastly, movements that are growing have the bifocal focus of local mission and a global vision to change the world.

Panic is setting in as The United Methodist Church continues to grey and its young adults continue to stray. Conferences are seeing their membership drop by hundreds, sometimes thousands, per year. We are loosing our connection with the next generation of church leaders allowing them to either leave the Church or migrate to other places of worship. There are several steps that will have a dramatic impact.

First of all there is the need for the Church to validate youth and young adult ministry as a primary calling especially for the best and brightest of up and coming United Methodist clergy. For years the Church has made college chaplains and campus ministers feel like they were not doing “real” ministry because they were in an extension connection. Since they were not in revenue generating ministry positions, their ministry was not considered valid. Most have stories about fellow clergy asking them when they are going to return to “real ministry” in the local church. These women and men are on the front line of ministry but often feel as though they have little connection with the Church that needs for them to be there.

Secondly, we must seal the hand-off gap between church youth groups and college ministry. Pastors need to make actual contact with the campus ministers where they are sending their youth. More than just completing a form, these interactions need to include introductions, information and contact details. Then, the campus minister needs to take pastoral responsibility for these new members of their “flock.” The lines of communication between the local church and their college students must reinforce the importance of spiritual connectivity.
The Church must reinvest in campus ministry. This may mean capital improvements to outdated facilities that have deferred maintenance due to fund shortfalls. Salaries for campus ministry must be comparable enough to be attractive to the best and brightest.

Additionally it is time to call our colleges back into the connection to claim their spiritual heritage. These institutions were founded with for the purpose of combining academic study and spiritual formation. It is time to encourage them to either take this charge seriously or for them to break their ties with the Church.

Lastly, the Church must empower entrepreneurial ministry including the intentional planting of emerging churches. Churches must be planted, in missional ways that are designed to reach young adults with the understanding that these will be mission churches rather than revenue sources for the annual conference. They will require greater investment that typical church plants and returns will need to be measured in life-change rather than in offering plate receipts.
It is not too late for those of us in the mainline trying to reach youth and young adults. The key is to redouble our efforts and refocus our mission toward being prophetic and effective in our intentional ministry toward them. We must stop with token attempts and make the next generation a mission effort. The United States is the second largest mission field on earth. It is time we become missionaries and stop loosing ground!

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10 Things I’ve Learned from Staff Training

1. Validity: I’m convinced now more than ever that team building and value understanding is more important than task training. Understanding the inner why helps with the outer performance.
2. Intensity: Training must be intense. The intensity helps break through resistance and helps the staff move beyond superficial into real depth.
3. Pace: I still have some work to do here. Next year’s schedule will reflect my learning about the pace. The campfire needs to be the last big session of self-revelation. The fun time at Fun Depot was an excellent counter-balance to the heavy stuff we’d been doing. Lastly, a plan for a couple of check-in sessions will also prove helpful.
4. Questions: Life and ministry have no easy answers, only questions. I am glad Maria brought that to a head making them think by never answering a question. By struggling early they will be better equipped to work with youth who have questions as well without easy answers given by “bobble-head” Jesus types. Live in the questions.
5. Tension: good training made the inter-personal tension much more positive than last year. There will always be tension, spiritual tension, inter-personal tension, theological tension, etc. The key is to be able to live in that tension and let it strengthen you, not consume you.
6. Focused Fun: Danelle did a great job helping them have fun but learn something at the same time. Often they had to dig out what they were learning because at first glance the activity was so fun, they didn’t realize how much they were learning. How often do we treat rubber chickens more importantly than glass balls?
7. Direction: Nilse did a great job helping the teams have direction. She is the list master, after all. This provides meaning and understanding to the overwhelming tasks at hand. She is definately a "navigator" in her leadership style.
   
8. Variety: Having a variety of trainers allowed everyone to do what they do best and connected with the staff in completely different ways. Having a variety of activities allows for creativity of expression and balance between physical, spiritual, intellectual and emotional.
9. Values & Goals: Revelation came for a lot of the staff when they had to actually start defining what they valued. For some it was the first time they sought to understand their “why” and not just their “what.” Goals as tangible and measurable objectives means being accountable to yourself and others for what you are striving to accomplish and become. I think that this section is where the staff realized that this isn’t just another job, it is a ministry.
10. Learning from the Learners: Here is where I personally grew the most, learning from those who were being taught. Seeing what connected, what caused struggle and hearing great ideas. Jessica completely re-focused the Cross Walk on Thursday night and it was far better than I had originally designed. There were several times when we (the trainers) had to re-work our plans to make sure we were helping the staff on their journey. I’m sure I’ve learned as much or more than any of the staff.

What I’m keeping…

Here are the things I know I’ll keep for next year and beyond:

• Values and Goal Setting
• Staff Manual and Ministry Values
• Habitudes
• Nooma Videos
• Danelle’s workshops (hopefully Danelle will continue to be willing to volunteer to help!)
• Theological teaching times
• Cross Walk (though it will be last thing)
• Rafting
• REAL workshops
• Collages
• S’mores & campfire
• What else? Email me and let me know!

What I may change….

Here are the things I’m considering changing:

• Pace
• Location (my allergies were really affected by Colonial though I liked the space)
• Schedule (better balance of reflection and tasks, maybe afternoons off instead of evenings?)
• Environment design (a way to get people to move around to get to know each other better)
• More staff contact prior to training
• What else? Email me and let me know!

Praise God for a great staff. I look forward to a summer that is:

Lost in Grace,
Marty

Measure Twice, Cut Once

Richard Ramsey was a precise man. This seems to be the year I loose the few men who have known me more than half my life that are not blood-related to me. Richard, aka Dick, taught me a lot about life. He was a man who modeled stability and discipline to a fault. I have never known anyone, before or since, who was so organized, structured and focused. A lifetime IBM-er, he modeled the phrase, measure twice, cut once.

I think the first time I heard that phrase from him was a cool autumn Saturday when we were building what would become the garage on his retirement lot near the intercoastal waterway outside of Bath, NC. The wind was brisk, and so cool it felt as though my face was being stretched across my cheekbones. I was helping, as best as an inexperienced carpenter can, him frame the structure. I noticed that he measured ever cut from at least two directions. He either measured top to bottom and then bottom to top, or left and right then reversed. I asked why and he said, “measure twice, cut once.” What does that mean? It means to weigh your actions because every action has a consequence. In this case he was determined to waste as little as possible during the construction process because he was on a tight budget. As a matter of fact, so little was wasted that I was amazed.

This is not the way they build houses (or garages) today. They build in a certain amount of “waste” counting on speed to make up for it. The philosophy is that faster is better, that 87 degrees is close enough to 90 that it won’t really matter and that somebody else down the line can make up for your sloppy work. I’m not sure Dick knew how Biblical the principal he taught me that day was. The Scripture tells us that we are to do our work as if it were for God and not just our earthly bosses. That we must live into a calling, not just scrape out a living. Our work is our testimony.

I am really trying to embrace this concept in my life. To measure each decision I make whether personally or professionally much more carefully than ever before. The loss of these two men really makes me aware of how fleeting life is and that every decision matters. I love Richard Ramsey as though he were my own father. His focus and determination was a model that I only hope I can follow in some small way as I try to “measure twice and cut once.” Until then, thank God I remain:

Lost in Grace,

Marty Cauley, Pastor

Gracious God who calls us into account for our lives, grant that I may follow you completely, weighing every decision with prayer and discernment and living a life that reflects my love for You and respect for those who have mentored me to follow in your path. In the name of Jesus I pray, AMEN.

Real Influence

Last Saturday I did a funeral for my best friend’s father. I did the funeral in the same chapel and the graveside standing beside the grave where my best friend is buried. I did that funeral twelve years ago. On Saturday it seem like I did it yesterday. These funerals were more like family events than friends. I spent a significant part of my childhood playing in their yard, eating at their dinner table and playing games on their den floor. As the child of a single parent in the seventies I was an anomaly. The Evans family essentially adopted me into their lives as a surrogate son. Mr. Evans has definitely taught me life lessons I carry with me to this day.

Thomas Earl Evans is probably not a man that you know. He never wrote a book or climbed a mountain. He was the son of farmer who moved to Raleigh from Louisburg to marry his childhood sweetheart, Janet. They eventually scraped together enough money to buy a small starter home in an unassuming neighborhood filled with blue collar families, children up and down the block and several retirees. He went to church every Sunday, served in the National Guard for more than twenty years, worked hard all of his life and loved his family with every ounce of his being. He was a good man in an age where good men are rare things.

Mr. Evans (I just can’t call him Tom, even though he tried to insist that I should) taught me three life lessons that have molded who I am today. He taught me about how life brings sacrifice. He helped me understand the true meaning of success. He taught me about the importance of accepting a Savior in my life to help me navigate the tough waters of adulthood. Mr. Evans was a mentor with far more influence than I am sure he ever imagined.

Sacrifice is not a popular word. It was, however, a way of life. Mr. Evans worked hard, very hard, often double shifts, so that his wife could stay home and raise their two children. This was a mutual decision. A decision that they made early in their marriage. He drove older vehicles, pinched pennies and made things last to provide stability for his family.

Sacrifice, according to Tom Evans, is what brings success. Now if you measured success with bank accounts, annuities and possessions, then he may not measure up. He taught me long ago that this was not how you measure success. You measure success by the laughter of your children, the number of friends that you have and the depth of your faith. Success is more about inner contentment than outer possessions. Success is living a life without regret.

Lastly, Tom Evans taught me about the Savior. He used to take me to church with his family every Sunday morning and back again for youth group on Sunday nights. He lived out his faith daily. He taught me the value of praying before every meal as a spiritual discipline, no matter where you are. There was something about him that let you know that he was connected to God and wanted you to be connected too.

These are lessons I have learned from a good man. A man who lived with integrity and intensity. A man that if somebody told me I was like, I would take it as a compliment. I do not believe I will ever be able to fill his shoes but it is certainly a goal to strive toward. Thank God for people in our lives that mold us without ever knowing that they have real influence. I remain:

Lost in Grace,

Marty Cauley, Pastor

Gracious God, who loves us deeply and puts people in our lives to point us in the right direction, help us to embrace these mentors, to learn from their lives and to live for You with every ounce of our being. In the name of our Shepherd, Jesus, I pray. Amen

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.

Postmodern Cathedral

Today I journeyed to a postmodern cathedral, Southpoint Mall (streetsatsoutpoint.com). Southpoint Mall is designed to have the look and feel of community with the purpose of allowing young adults to part with large quantities of money. There is both an inside and outdoor portion of the mall but the inside is deigned to look and feel like it outside. It has green spaces, high glass ceilings and event above the stores are shells to make it seem like the store is located on a busy street rather than inside a giant retail shop. Southpoint is trying to mimic the small town shop feel while housing big-dollar retailers like The Gap and Pottery Barn.

The sound of splashing water and the constant feel of a breeze caresses your face as you walk through the inside of the mall. On the outside a vendor sales fresh roasted nuts and flavored ice shavings on the Streets of Southpoint while a young man juggles for tips. The restaurants in the vicinity fill the air with the scent of expensive food being prepared from around the globe and across the street. It seems like everyone is here, from the young adult with a dozen piercings, slashed jeans and black eye liner to the soccer mom with toddlers in tow. At Barnes and Nobles grandmother is buying childrenÂ’s books with a curly headed little girl while a few feet away a man is talking on his Blue Tooth enabled cell phone while pounding the keys of his laptop feverishly. In the Metropolitan young adults browse expensive home accessories as well as funky and risque' gifts including decks of cards with different sexual positions for every day of the year. Everybody is looking for something, but I don'’t really think they are going to find it here, no matter how good the ambiancence is. This is, however, the church of the culture.

All of the elements of worship are present. There is music to set the mood piped in with hidden speakers so that your spirit is lifted with upbeat popular tunes and old familiar songs. The offering is collected with the ring of every cash register. There is a ritual of standing and sitting as hosts usher people to their table to break bread. The sacrament of Marble Slab ice cream welcome the worshippers. The preacher for the day, with messages of hope or despair, is shown on the sixteen screens of the movie theatre with Dolby sound and amazing graphic effects. The benediction of each service ends with the words of the friendly merchants saying, "Thanks! Have a good night."

How can today's church stand against this retail community of our culture? Leslie Newbegin, in The Gospel in a Pluralist Society shares how we can speak to this society of spenders whose worship is purchase, entertainment and consumption. We must construct a community that stands over and against the culture by including Newbegin'’s six characteristics:

1. Community of praise: —we must be a people who give up on being proper we have to be people of radical praise. Praise which looks up in admiration and love” to God in radical self-giving as well as praise that is filled with thanks! This community will praise and not practice the illusion of praise that fills the stores to encourage more purchase.
2. Community of truth: authenticity is essential to break past the illusion of truth that is prevalent in our society.
3. Community that cares for its neighborhood: —all ministry is indigenous! While retailers are trying to create the illusion of concern with their greetings and salutations, the body of Christ needs to really care for those in need around them. Those who worship with them and live near them.
4. Community of priests: —everyone is a spiritual leader. While the church may still have pastors, everyone will see themselves as a spiritual being able to convey and share the message of the cross and hope eternal.
5. Community of mutual responsibility: —the illusion of real community is everywhere. That is why the mall is trying to look like a small town. The body of Christ must be real community that lives and breathes as a community. We must care for our sisters and brothers.
6. Community of hope: —most importantly the illusion of self-help has to be replaced real hope that comes from God. Hope that permeates our culture of doubt and that stands in stark contrast to the bleak headlines that fill our omnipresent screens. (Newbegin, 163-170)

As I wandered across the paved, brick walkways I was keenly aware that I had failed in my attempt to reach this community. A couple of years ago I attempted to start a worshipping community that gathered in the theatre right in the middle of this postmodern cathedral. Though we gathered nearly one hundred souls the community did not reach viability before my time and my funding ran out. My burden for this generation is even more acute now that it was then. Can we reach them or must we just give them over to worship with retail liturgies and entertainment sacraments? God help us if we do not commit ourselves to reach this generation no matter what the cost. Thanks be to God that they, like I, remain:

Lost in Grace,

Marty

Theology of Koontz

Perhaps I’ve been reading far too much literature on postmodern theology and thought by the likes of Stan Grenz and Brian McLaren with complimentary reading by Leslie Newbegin but what has been tickling my brain lately is the theology of Dean Koontz. I learned years ago that cultures’ beliefs are far more prevalent in their fictional/mythological literature than in their text books. Indeed, text books lag behind the theology, thoughts and beliefs of the people by as much as a decade. You have but to read the texts burning up the book club circuit to see what people really believe and embrace.

Koontz turns out novel after novel, astounding to people like me who can barely conscieve and construct a cohesive short story. Across the board there is a mystical, metaphysical theology that permeates his texts. His books seem to embrace three components with regularity. First, there is an unlikely hero with a sixth sense or unusual gift. Secondly, there is an amazing prevalence of evil whose presence is made palatable by Koontz’s descriptive narrative. Lastly there is the necessity for the hero, to prevail, to be willing to be completely self-giving to overcome unimaginable circumstances.

From the redeemed Frankenstein monster to the child who intentionally shifts from one reality to another to avoid raindrops to the quirky frycook who sees dead people, Koontz’s heroes posses something beyond the norm. They often seem normal or only mildly odd to the casual observer, but there is a secret that haunts their existence. There is an aura of unfulfilled destiny that haunts their waking dreams.

The heroes also have the essence of a divine spark that the narrative often indicates lies dormant in most of us. The allusion to the “imageo dei” seems to resonate for him as he writes. Many of the supporting characters also seem to carry the spark of God but it is not as fully embraced as the hero of his works.

Regarding evil, it seems to ooze around the narrative like dense smoke. The closer to resolution that the characters get the more dense the fog of futility and evil becomes. In Odd Thomas it even takes the form of nearly opaque shadows that attempt to impede the hero from fulfilling his destiny. This evil seems to indicate an other worldly essence that is striving against the divine spark within the hero. The real power of Koontz’s description of evil is that it is disturbingly familiar.

Lastly, to sieze their divine destiny a willingness to be absolutely self-giving is demanded. They must be willing to give themselves away to achieve a greater good. The good that is achieved only comes after demanding struggle that always has a price. There is a presence of loss that makes the narratives seem real rather than the “happily ever after” works that lack the connection with life that makes them believable.

Koontz’s work depicts postmodern theology and values. He dismisses science as the sole source of knowledge and embraces the mystery that surrounds us. He calls into question all “realities” and leads us down the amazingly believable path of alternate existence. Embracing forms of “trans-realities” seems completely acceptable when you read Koontz. Lastly, he often has his characters look back with a fond critique of back when life was easier because everything was “knowable.”

The theology that seems to seep from these texts is a theology that embraces mystery. There is more that can be seen or known but that must be embraced to fulfill your God-shaped destiny. There are pressing, unanswered questions of God. There is the realization that there is something beyond this trifling existence. There is a desire to bridge the gap between experience and intellect. Lastly, there is an intense seeking to understand the unknowable.

To the sacramentalist in me this sounds amazing like Eucharist. May this body be broken and blood spilt to redeem a people who know that there is more than can be known. I remain:

Lost in Grace,

Marty

PS: visit www.deankoontz.com to see samples of his work.

Self-Giving

In following the line of thought from the previous blog I came across the following quote in my devotional reading this morning. Before the world was post-modern, God was!

Thankfully I remain:

Lost in Grace,

Marty

That God exists is no secret. It is clear to see!

That the human being is eternal is no secret.

It is the experience of every ready heart…

That God is immense is no secret.

All you have to do is look at the universe.

That God is the memory of the world is no secret.

All you have to do is glance at the computer.

That God is near is no secret.

You need only look at a couple on their honeymoon, or a hen with her chicks, or two friends talking, or an expectant mother.

But then, where is the secret?

Here it is: God is a crucified God.

God is the God who allows himself to be defeated,

God is the God who is revealed himself in the poor.

God is the God who has washed my feet,

God is Jesus of Nazareth.

We were not accustomed to a God like this.

From Why, O Lord? By Carolo Caretto

Deep thought of the day:
I believe that as a general rule, the weight of my prayer when I turn to God to acknowledge my failure should rest neither on self-blame nor on petition for forgiveness but on my overarching need for divine help, for wisdom to see and strength to do what is need; "O God, forasmuch as without thee we are not able to please thee, mercifully grant that thy Holy Spirit may in all things direct and rule our hearts." C. Bryant in The Heart of the Pilgrimage

“Why do events?” That was the question of one youth worker who called me as she struggled with organizing the first trip of her ministry. “What’s the big deal, we can do everything you guys do right here at home.” For her, and for you, there are four reasons that immediately came to mind: place; passion; presenters & participation in something bigger than their micro-community.

Place: Changing Environment

The first reason is that often times we need a change of location to hear the same truth that we are hearing at home. Environment molds the message. If the location is overly familiar often the message is ignored. Taking your youth to a retreat center allows them to be in a completely different environment so that they can alter their perception of everything they hear and see.

Passion: Burning Hearts

Secondly passion is why off site events matter in the lives of young people. Try as you might, you and your staff get tired. You have preconceived notions of the young adults you work with that color how you view them. When you are in a retreat setting lead by an alternative group of people we are not bound by your conceptions. The Ministries with Young People staff are chose because of their burning passion to serve Christ and invest in young adults. They are not doing it every week with the same young people so they bring fresh eyes and intense passion to what they do.

Presenters: Fresh Voices

Not only do we recruit the best and brightest young adults to staff our events, we bring in bands and speakers that really connect to where your young people are. We intentionally find a diversity of styles and cultures so that you will be able to find in our summer line up a speaker and music team that you think will reach your youth.

Participation: Bigger Community

Young people want to be part of something bigger than themselves. SEJMYP youth events allow them to connect with a community that stretches across the southeastern United States. They begin to realize that the Church is bigger than their Sunday morning assembly and youth group. They expand their ideas of what the Church is and what is possible. Every year youth connect with people from a myriad of other places and maintain contact, share their struggles and spiritual journey across the miles thanks to the internet.

NETWORK, the magazine of the National Network of Youth Ministries, in their Spring 2006 issue listed “Church Camp/Retreat/Special Event Conferences” as the most frequently indicated influence on why young people begin their spiritual journey and make ongoing deeper commitments. That is why we do what we do at the SEJMYP, to facilitate those decisions and empower them to live as radically devoted followers of the Savior. Thanks be to God that we are:

Lost in Grace,

Marty

Giving Yourself Away…

So, for this class I have been watching a lot of movies that, according to the prof, illustrate a “postmodern milieu,” whatever that means. So between Blade Runner, What Dreams may Come and The Matrix a theme seems to have arisen that is being played out in this type of movie…giving yourself away.

Then I started skimming through my favorite author of late, Dean Koontz, and started seeing a similar theme. That it is through the primary characters self-giving and sometimes self-sacrifice, that the ultimate good is accomplished. That life is not fully lived if only lived for self. There is more out there than can be seen or even imagined and it is only revealed when you are willing, even desiring, to live beyond the now and live into the future.

What is it that is worth living, or even dying, for? Will we give ourselves away so that others can fully live? So that we can fully live?

Self-sacrifice is the cost of real relationship. Now by self-sacrifice I do not mean it in some self-demeaning, accepting abuse way. I mean that the willingness to live beyond the me and embrace both micro-community of accountable relationships and macro-community of larger relationships. We live interwoven into each other’s lives, realizing that we are changed and molded by every relationship and that in those relationships we are given the opportunity to live Christ.

Isn’t this the way Christ teaches us to live? The life with the shadow of the cross ever before us. Jesus illustrated that to live fully is to embrace the cost of life. I pray that I can live the kind of life that is lived fully and that I live until I die! I can only do this if I remain:

Lost in Grace,

Marty

Gracious God, grant me the ability and desire to live and die in your presence and for a purpose far greater than my own. In the name of the One who died that we might live, I pray. Amen.

Live to Tell by Brad J. Kallenberg
Evangelism for a Post-Modern Age

These are the notes I took from Live to Tell. For the past few years I have worked with the North Carolina Conference in developing a program called The Academy of Christian Witness. This idea came about when I discovered, as part of the NC Conference Commission on Evangelism, how few pastors felt comfortable sharing their faith or teaching others how to share their faith. Kallenberg captures the heart of what I have been teaching for the past few years, simply that telling your story, then telling God's story then telling where your story was divinely interupted by God's story is the best way to share your faith. Thankfully, as I struggle in my story, I remain:

Lost in Grace,
Marty

Metaphysical Holism—groups behave like real entities that both constitue each member’s identity and have top-down influence on them.

Linguistic Holism—language is the means by which we think and act in the world and cannot be pried off the world of experience and analyzed in isolation because the conceptual language we speak determines the shape of the world we inhabit.

Epistemological Holism—set of beliefs or paradigm we have of our world that forms an interlocking set that we share with the rest of our community. It is very resilient and typically reisists change. When change comes it comes all at once (paradigm shift).

“Conversion involves a change in social identity. Second, in large measure, this new social identity is accomplished by the acquisition new language skills. Finally, conversion is constituted by a paradigm shift that results in bringing the world into focus in a whole new way.” (p. 46)

“Because conversion involves a change in social identity, evangelism must be a corporate practice, executed by a community that is the source of the new believer’s identity. Second, conversion involves the acquisition of a new conceptual language, evangelism must engage outsiders in conversations spoken in that language. Third, because conversion involves a paradigm shift, evangelism must seek to assist that shift by being dialogical in style and by, wherever possible, enlisting potential converts in telling the story.” (p. 64)

“Conversion is a timeful process of enculturation into community.”
There is a “persuasive power of participation in a form of community.”
The God factor enters in because of “the Spirit-ordained power of narrative.” (p.118)

Metaphors:

Evangelism is more like…
“sailing than proofreading.” (p. 123)
“questing than archery.” (p. 124)
“acting kindly than cobbling.” (p. 124)
“medicine than parallel parking.” (p. 125)

Rethinking Thinking

So we were talking about epistemology today in a class I’m taking on emerging cultures.

Epistemology is about how you know what you know. How do you know what you know? Does it come from inside and is acknowledged outside or does it come from outside and then is affirmed inside? Is there really anything that you “know” that is true, objective knowledge or is it all filtered through the subjective filter of our life?

Wow, that was a mouthful. I’m not even sure it said anything? The next point that struck me today was about understanding. It was tied to epistemology. Why don’t we understand? Communication is about understanding and sometimes when we are communicating with people of different filters and cultures we just can’t understand eachother. That is because we bring to ever circumstance, thought or conversation an internal construct or paradigm that helps us make sense of what we are hearing in light of what we already “know” (see, its getting a confused again, isn’t it?).

Maybe because we think completely differently than we ever have before. Maybe we will need to think completely differently than we are thinking today. For instance, there are some things my brain just hasn’t mastered yet that my nineteen year old son understands instinctually, like HALO. HALO is this complicated battle game that requires you to navigate your persona through obstacles while defending yourself against attack. The controller requires that you move at least four fingers independently of the other to perform separate functions. I can’t hardly walk and chew gum, so this manner of thought and action seems way beyond my ability…it drives me crazy. My son, on the other hand, finds it hilarioius just to walk up to me and blow me away. I guess I have to relearn how to think.

David Bosch said it this way:

“Worldviews are integrative and interpretive frameworks by which order and disorder are judged, they are standards by which reality is managed pursued, sets of hinges on which all our everyday thinking and doing turns.” Believing in the Future, p. 49

Our relationship with Jesus does that to our soul. It re-arranges how we think, believe and live. It calls us to a whole new life…transformation is scary business. Thankfully I remain:

Lost in Grace,

Marty

The Culture of Too Busy

Why are you so busy that you have to talk on your cell phone in the rest stop bathroom stall? During the holidays I’m traveling down the highway between Waynesville and Durham. It is a four hour drive that I make fairly often to pick up my daughter. I usually stop at the same rest stop which is about ½ way between the two places. As I walk into the restroom I hear this guy talking. I look around but don’t see anyone, then I realize, he is sitting in the rest stop bathroom stall talking business on his cell phone. A couple of questions came to mind..

One, why are you so busy you have to talk on your cell phone in the rest stop bathroom stall? I mean is there really any deal that can’t wait a few moments. Remember, back in the day, when you were on the cutting edge if you had an answering machine? When you weren’t home, you just weren’t home. They would call back later. Faith Popcorn, the wacky futurist, says that a lot of people are throwing out their electronic communication equipment, selling their suburban homes and moving to the country. She calls it “unplugging.” The day I heard this guy getting all torqued about something he could not control three-hundred miles away sitting in a public restroom, I almost threw out my cell phone…almost.

Two, does the guy on the other line have any idea where you are? Wouldn’t that gross you out? What if you knew that the guy you were talking business with was sitting in a public rest stop bathroom stall? Would that make you respect him more or less? It just seems kind of odd. In our culture it seems that image is everything. What you where, where you live, who you hang out with all define you. We all have skeletons in our closets. Things that would diminish others views of us. I would think this picture would definitely diminish his co-workers opinions of him, plus if you got that mental picture, wouldn’t it be hard to take him seriously ever again?

Lastly, what if he dropped the phone, would he retrieve it? I’m thinking as tied to that piece of equipment as he was, he would definitely dive in for it. This goes to priorities. What matters? It seems t me two things have a chunk of the market shares of our lives, business and busyness. They both will take all you have to give and require more. When I say business, I’m not just talking about vocation, though that is part of it, I’m talking about anything you give your life to. It could be school or work or a hobby, whatever becomes a time-idol for you. Busyness is the same way. Some of us may not concentrate on one thing but spread ourselves to thin that we are constantly in motion. If I have learned nothing else from therapy it is that busyness is usually a coping mechanism to keep us from reflecting and listening to the still small voice in us and outside of us.

So, if you catch me in the bathroom at a rest stop on the phone, remind me to unplug. Five minutes of silence won’t kill me (or you). Stop, shut up and be silent, then you may find that you will be, like me…

Lost in Grace,

Marty

The Sacramental Prophet…

Reflections on The Church in Emerging Culture edited by Leonard Sweet

My favorite line in The Matrix may well be when Morpheus tells Neo, "there is a difference between knowing the truth and living the truth." It is time the Church decided to live the Truth instead of just acknowledging it's existence.

With passion in heart and pen in hand I read Leonard Sweets collection of articles and responses from five of the Church’s postmodern prophets. In The Church in Emerging Culture Andy Crouch, Michael Horton, Fredrica Mathewes-Green, Brian McLaren and Erwin McManus write and discuss how the church effects the culture and it’s call to transform it and not hide from it. I found myself resonating with of the writers who seem to be at opposite ends of most of the discussion.

Andy Crouch is a Haurwasian leaning Methodist with strong Arminian sentiments and a focused understanding of the power of sacramental theology. His critique of the postmodern understanding of the culture does not seem to jive with my understandings of it, but his reflections on the importance and necessity for the sacraments to form and transform the world is right on. As Crouch states, when reflecting on the consumerist nature of our culture, “the Eucharist is the place where the church practices post consumerism.” (p. 83) He goes on to illustrate biblically and historically how the Church views the Eucharist as a place where real presence meets the real problems of our world. The answers, according to Crouch, can be found in embracing and practicing the sacraments in a much deeper way than the post-enlightment Church has done so in the past. “The sacraments answer the postmodern hunger for a true story after modernity’s impoverished recital of facts and figures.” (p. 85)

On the other end of the sacramental argument is futurist and social justice advocate, Erwin McManus. His church, Mosaic, attracts a rag tag, fugitive group of people who find meaning and transformation in the person and work of Jesus Christ. His critique of the Church is around its bowing to the culture instead of standing over and against the culture to implement change. He states, “To speak of culture we must move from talking about who we are to who we are becoming.” (p. 237) He goes on to argue against the church attempting to live apart from the community when he says, “Whenever the church assumes the role of an institution committed to protecting its constituency from the emerging culture, we reduce our impact to a drop in the bucket.” (p. 238)

Is it possible to bring these two together? What rings in my heart is what Wesley called the marriage of piety and social justice. Can we practice the real presence of Christ in the sacraments so that we can become the real presence of Christ in the world? Can we stand with one foot anchored in the ancient practices of the Church and speak the language of the emerging culture? That is the challenge for the church today. Perhaps this is, indeed, my challenge. My challenge may be to become a sacramental prophet. One who calls for action informed by the sacraments. One claiming the promise of baptism and desiring to live a life of dying to self. One molded and shaped by the frequent practice of the Eucharist and, thereby, called to feed those who hunger for food as well as righteousness. We, the Church, must be ancient and future without compromise. We must be transformed by our faith so that we can live transformation for a world hungry for mystery. Essentially, it seems to me, that the sacraments provide the mystery to a culture hungry to reach beyond it’s self and the practices of social justice provide the action that speaks louder than words. Thanks be to God that in this struggle I remain:

Lost in Grace,

Marty

There Is No Spoon…

A young “buddah-ish” child sits in the middle of the floor staring at spoons and “bending” them with his mind as Neo walks in to see the Oracle. This scene comes in the middle of this version of a postmodern gospel, The Matrix. This turning point in the movie weaves together the movie’s two messages. Those messages, inextricably woven together, are that we are to question reality and embrace mystery. The Matrix requires the viewer to grapple with the known and seek out the unknown.

How do you bend the spoon? You can’t until you realize that “there is no spoon.” Reality is not really reality. All that you perceive is simply a construct of electric impulses to your brain. The world is a product of your perception, therefore changing your perception allows for the changing of your world. All of reality is, then, up for grabs. Once you become aware that your reality is not reality, you have the ability to control it. To control it, you must first question its very existence.

Isn’t that how we got in to this mess in the first place? We questioned. Neo begins with an unsettling feeling that the world is not complete. That something is askew. He begins questioning and seeking answers. The answers he finds only lead to more questions. His reality isn’t real and the real world is an abysmal place of struggle and pain. Question reality.

The second message is to embrace mystery. Rather than being the definer of his own destiny he must accept that destiny is discovered amidst the struggles of embracing mystery. Signs and symbols lead to actions. Metaphor and encrypted messages from a cookie-baking Oracle provide direction but not decision. Neo discovers that he is no longer living just for himself but is living beyond himself. To fully live his destiny he has to embrace what he cannot believe and live what cannot possibly be true. He has to believe and, perhaps more importantly, allow himself to be believed in. Embrace mystery.

How like the Christian walk? Reality is not formed by perception but by mystery. We have to question reality when viewed through the lens of the Eucharist. Our baptismal eyes, newly formed in light of our embracing of the mystery of Christ, allow us to realize that all that is, is simply perception and not Truth. That which is Truth is far deeper than our ability to perceive. When we begin our faith journey it is not simply the beginning of our life believing in God but beginning to realize that God believes in us. Our God-shaped destiny is out there but seems to be difficult to discern, much less, fulfill. It requires that we question reality and embrace mystery. This is the struggle that I continue as I remain:

Lost in Grace,

Marty

Indigenous Faith...Believing Where You Are

All lasting faith is indigenous. It is birthed inside the language and culture of the tribe or group that embraces it. The names for God and the scriptures must be understandable by the people who God is laying claim upon. This explains while colonialist evangelism never made significant inroads into the two thirds world. There was the assumption that to be Christian was to be Western. It can be seen by the Christian expansion of the last decade into these areas of the world that it was not the message that was being rejected but the means of communicating the message.

In Whose Religion is Christianity, Senneh states, “The indigenous discovery of Christianity, by contrast, describes local people encountering the religion through mother tongue discernment and in the light of people’s own needs and experiences.” (Sanneh, 55) Reading Sanneh with the words from United Methodists bishops serving in the two-thirds world ringing in my ears, the symbiosis of their words was like spiritual stereo. While western Christianity barely holds on to its ever waning base, the two thirds world is exploding as the Word becomes flesh to them in their mother tongue. They are embracing God that can be named and claimed in their own language and embracamidstist the circumstances of their life. The Western church must return to a missional understanding of the faith, embracing an ever deepening understanding of the culture, in order to be able to proclaim the gospel effectively again.

What is the mother tongue of the Barnes and Noble, X-box and internet generation coming of age today. It is certainly not the language of the mid-to late nineteen hundreds. It is more attuned to the language of the first century. They are image driven and desire connections far deeper than their parents. They seek to replace broken families with whole relationships. They are spiritual but not religious, worshipful without an object of worship and seeking but not finding. During the next few days there will be multiple posts regarding the language of the post-modern culture as I journal on discoveries in literature, cultural observation and, of course, movies. How can we get them to understand that they are...

Lost in Grace,
Marty

You Ought to be in Pictures

The verbal church is dying. The church based solely upon the talking head in front of the room espousing profundities and relying upon printed text to convey truth is on life support and most people do not even know it is sick. I think I began this discover process a few years back and have seen it become more and more a reality in the past few years.

We are visual people. As a matter of fact, if you were cruising blogs you probably stopped because of the picture rather than the title of the entry. We are people who receive information through environment, metaphor and our multiple senses. I would venture a guess that most of us could not go more than a few days without receiving or conveying information in picture or metaphor. Movies understand that. They create the full environment. They are changing culture not reflecting it and are delving into much deeper spiritual issues than some churches. I’m not saying they are proclaiming the truth but they are testing the boundaries of acceptability about the truth. Movies are challenging us to think (now that’s a change) and to discuss what is reality and what is truth.

Now while some of you are aghast, others are realizing that this need to teach on multiple levels in not new. As a matter of fact, this is the way Jesus taught. He spoke of fish on the beach where the smell of fish would be hanging heavy in the air. He spoke to farmers of planting and reaping, taught while eating with sinners and even the Eucharist is a completely multi-sensory experience embodying sight, sound, taste and touch.

So, what do we in the church do to embrace this move? We have to return to using all the senses to share the Gospel. We must be intentional about creating an environment that teaches. Creating metaphors that teach, using visuals that illustrate and music that inspires are the first steps toward becoming multi-sensory. The other step we can make to teach with sight, sound, taste and touch is by sharing the Eucharist at every worship service. Not only does it make every worship service multi-sensory, it assures that Christ is mysteriously present (another value on the rise!) amidst the body of Christ gathered.

There will be controversy. Revolution always causes controversy. The change will happen, whether we embrace is or it is forced upon us, it is on the way. Will we learn and grow or continue to whither away? I remain:

Lost in Grace,

Marty Cauley

Gracious God who teaches us in many ways, help us not be limited by our own prejudices about methods but be willing to embrace the move of your Spirit. Help us to share the gospel like Paul by doing whatever it takes to help others discover You. In the name of Jesus, the Christ, we pray. Amen.