Not technology or real estate. Not education or technical skills. Not even time, although it's related. The most valuable commodity in American society today is genuine community.
Economically, the United States is number one in the world (a GDP of more than $17 trillion). But in terms of overall well-being, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development found the U.S. rates 15th. Fourteen other countries are generally happier and healthier. Why?
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Baseball's ratings are declining, and it's fanbase is aging. In an interesting article in the Wall Street Journal, Matthew Futterman shows how baseball is on a mission to be relevant in a fast-changing culture.
Sounds a bit like the church in America. Aging, declining in numbers, and denominations collapsing. Baseball has been known as "America's game." And Christianity has been known as "America's religion." You could argue against both of those today. What is the baseline of knowledge for a Christian? Martin Luther referred to three components as "the minimum of knowledge required of a Christian" (Large Catechism). Just as a craftsman knows the fundamentals of his craft, every Christian ought to know: The Creed The Ten Commandments The Lord's Prayer And not simply to recite them, but practice and grow in them. Meditate, pray, live, explore their implications, institute them in daily life. The Creed ("I believe") states who God is and what he does. The Ten Commandments are God's intended picture of what it means to live a human life. The Lord's Prayer is how we are to relate and communicate with the living God through all of life's challenges. Two factors of modern society make these three baseline components evermore important. 1.) We live in a complex society. Therefore simplicity provides a focus that cuts through the overwhelming volumes of information that exist. 2.) We live in an increasingly post-Christian society. So the basic tenets of Christianity take on greater significance. When "everyone went to church," the creed was less provocative. As fewer people speak the creed, it grows more profound. Luther recommended weekly examinations on these three components. Tell me how that goes in your home. Even if you don't quiz yourself or your family, his point was to never believe that you've mastered the basics. The basics are a depth to be mined for a lfietime. A well with no bottom. We are always living with what we believe (creed), how to live (commandments), and how to call on God through the trials of life (Lord's Prayer). Luther noted, "These have been the heritage of Christendom from ancient times . . . so that all who wish to be Christians in fact as well as in name, both young and old, may be well trained in them." At my church, we begin a series on the Ten Commandments on April 19th. "Set Free to Live Free." In December I had lunch with six college students. I wanted to hear what challenges they face and what hopes they have for the future. A common thread in each of their reflections was an intense burden to succeed. It’s no longer enough to have a diploma or even a high GPA. I’m sounding like an old man, but I feel like "things are harder for kids these days." I believe the Great Recession intensified an already hyper-competitive and status-seeking society. We are conditioned to strive after bigger and better. Positions of prestige. Jobs that are lucrative and well-compensated. Offices of honor. Places of admiration and influence. We live in a status-seeking society. It’s time for the junior high dance. The whole school gathers in the gymnasium. The music begins to play. The boys line up on one side of the gym, single file, sheepishly staring at their shoes and mumbling to one another.
The girls are gathered on the other side of the gym in small huddles, giggling and glancing, asking “Is he looking at me?” But the boys aren’t looking at them. They’re looking at their shoes. The gym is segregated and no one will walk across the room. It’s as if there is an invisible barrier, an electric fence. And anyone who crosses the center line will be shocked. And so the music plays, but no one dares to walk across the room. Bill Hybels wrote a book a few years back titled Just Walk Across the Room. I’ve actually never read the book, but the analogy is compelling. In a world of immense division, it's incredibly difficult to walk across the room – to cross barriers and boundaries in order to engage those on the other side. It's tempting to see the church simply an organization, similar to a business, a non-profit, an alumni association, or a club. Is the church just another association of like-minded people? Is it simply an organization whose commodity is religious goods and services, and whose clientele are "spiritual people"? The distinction between an organization and a movement is critical. While the church does possess organization, it is first and foremost a movement - God's great movement in Christ among his people. What are the marks of a movement that make the church more than just another organization? Over three weeks, I'm preaching on three characteristics that distinguish her from the average organization. Prayer. Unity. Gospel-centrism. Here's week two on UNITY. It's tempting to see the church simply an organization, similar to a business, a non-profit, an alumni association, or a club. Is the church just another association of like-minded people? Is it simply an organization whose commodity is religious goods and services, and whose clientele are "spiritual people"? The distinction between an organization and a movement is critical. While the church does possess organization, it is first and foremost a movement - God's great movement in Christ among his people.
What are the marks of a movement that make the church more than just another organization? Over three weeks, I'm preaching on three characteristics that distinguish her from the average organization. Prayer. Unity. Gospel-centrism. Here are 5 notes on how prayer is an absolutely critical component of the church's movement. Maybe this is nothing new to you, but things change. To make sure we're on the same page, I've been speaking this to my congregation's leadership. Before we can step forward, we must know what we're stepping into. Here are three changing assumptions that will change how we operate as the church.
Christian to Non-Christian Context We are entering/living in a post-Christian society where the institutional church is no longer a dominant influence in culture. This doesn't mean the church is dead. It simply means that as a societal force, Christianity's sway is waning. Countless books, articles, and conferences center around this topic, so I won't belabor the point. The bottom line is that we have to accept the new reality. It doesn't help to have insider Christians complaining, "Why hell won't people just come back to church like they used to?!" So what do we do? We start operating like we "live in the bush." A couple generations ago, missionaries were sent "to the bush" - exotic places like Papua New Guinea where isolated tribes had never been evangelized. A missionary had to immerse himself or herself into the culture to understand the people's language, customs, beliefs, and values. Let's assume our neighbors have no biblical foundation. Let's assume they practice a variety of religions, but are unfamiliar with the Christian worldview. Let's evaluate everything we do as if we live in a foreign context. I guarantee it will change what we do. Clergy-Centered to Every Christian A clergy-centered model of ministry meant that pastors "do the ministry." An "every Christian" model assumes that every member plays a role. Somehow we've gotten to a place where "ministry" only happens on Sundays and the pastor is the only one who does it. So Christians participate in ministry only by coming to "the Jesus show" (I heard this term recently). The "every Christian" model is nothing new (I Peter 2:9). It doesn't mean that every Christian has the same role, but that every Christian plays a role (I Cor. 12). It doesn't diminish corporate worship, but sees that one hour in the context of the other 167 hours in the week. And its doesn't diminish the role of the pastor. Pastors serve the people so the people can serve the world. So what do we do? We raise the bar. Christian membership comes with faithful responsibility. Regardless of gifting, every Christian is called to live out the Great Commission and the Great Commandment. If 60% of my city is disconnected or unconnected from Jesus (and that might be low), then 1.2 million people need to be reached in my metro area. This requires a movement, not one man. Place to People Christendom built institutions, buildings, and programs. Post-Christendom necessitates the building of relationships. In a diverse, global, and technological context, relational capital is at a premium. In another era, it was the Field of Dreams mantra, “Build a place and people will fill it.” Today the places aren't being filled. So the new mantra is, "Build a people and they will fill a place.” Our neighbors have a million places to go. But they know fewer people who care. So what do we do? Get off my computer and go find some people . . . On November 11th, 300 voting members of Christ Memorial Lutheran Church called their third Senior Pastor, Rev. Jeff Cloeter. Mindful that Jesus is THE Senior Pastor of the church, I have accepted this call. I follow a man who leaves a 37-year tenure of mission-centered pastoral leadership. Mindful this legacy, I know that I have lots of work to do. Before I embark in this role, here are ten things you should know about your next senior pastor. For readers who aren't members of my congregation, well . . . I'll let you in on this too. At this time of the year, we are encouraged to be generous. Often this makes us feel a sense of duty and obligation. Duty and obligation have their place, but I'd like to propose a better reason for giving. Paul wrote a letter from a cell block in Rome in around 60AD. He wrote this letter to the Christians in the city of Philippi as a thank you note for their financial support. Sometimes we write thank you letters out of duty and obligation. Grandma gave you $20 so you have to write a thank you. One hundred sixty-eight people gave you a wedding gift and so you have to spend 372 hours writing and mailing thank yous.
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