"Death...NOOOO..." (A Rant)

My son Will and I are huge movie buffs, and over the years we have developed our own "short hand" language, using lines from movies to make specific points to one another. One of our favorites comes from Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey, the mostly forgettable sequel to the most excellent Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure. In the plot of Bogus Journey (and I use the term "plot" extremely loosely here!) Bill & Ted are battling the Grim Reaper for the right to not be dead. Yeah, you read that right. In one scene that are playing charades with some aliens (again, I cannot make this stuff up) and the aliens are making some wild gestures and hand signals, seeming to indicate it is a movie. Suddenly the Grim Reaper blurts out a guess- "Butch and Sundance, the Early Years!" Bill & Ted look at their teammate, shake their heads in disbelief and utter this immortal line- "Death...NOOOO..."

Anytime Will or I see or hear something that seems so completely moronic, out of place or inappropriate that we cannot believe it just happened, we will look at each other and repeat that line. It happens more often than you might think. It is our way of saying "I can't believe you just went there!" 

So what does this have to do with anything? I read a blog a while back from a guy I will call Kevin- because that is his name. I refuse to tell you more than that because I do not want to send traffic to his blog. (As a side rant, are there any other 3-2-1 Penguins fans out there who have trouble saying the name "Kev-innn" with a straight face?) In a post about the current state of the Christian church in USAmerica, he made the following statement:  

"The Jesus found in scripture would act differently and teach differently if he were in 21st century America. He would be much more conservative, much more restrained. He would focus more on sin and less on loving one another. The church needs to realize that just as Jesus would have a different focus, so must we. We need to preach hell fire and damnation. People need to understand that an angry Jesus is waiting to judge us.  Talk about grace all you want to, but trust me- we will all be judged."

"Death...NOOOO..."

We cannot re-write the teachings of Jesus (GOD!) just because they seem out of step with the church of today. Instead we must change our churches to be more in step with the radical, ridiculous love and grace of Jesus Christ. We are promised in scripture that he is the same yesterday, today and forever. I try really hard not be judgmental of others, but in this case, I believe Kevin has earned the coveted Green Weenie Award for representing the WORST the church has to offer our world. In fact, I would suggest to Kev that he check out the urban translation of Proverbs 10:19- "Speak not at all, because you are gonna' say something stupid!"

My prayer today is that God will grant me the wisdom and the strength to follow and represent the REAL Jesus. The one who came to save us, not condemn us. The one who taught us that whatever the question, love is the answer. The one who gave birth to the Church so that we might follow him, not so we can mold him to our beliefs. Thank you for loving me, Jesus.  And forgive me for my judgment of Kevin.

Because of Jesus,

A Very Peculiar People

Have you ever noticed that Christians are strange? We fight like cats and dogs about things Jesus never even talked about. We spend way too much time trying to impress each other. We worship a carpenter. Christians are a pretty peculiar bunch. In fact, the Bible even says so. 1 Peter 2:9 (The Message) tells us that we are a "peculiar people" who have been "called out of darkness into His marvelous light." But in this case, peculiar doesn't mean strange, as it so often does when our society describes us. It means special. More specifically, in this instance it means we are special to God, who loved us so much He sacrificed his only Son so that we might spend eternity in communion with Him. Jesus died so that we could follow his example and show others how to walk in the Light. What a peculiar thing to do...

Demonstrating God's love is the whole reason the Church exists. It isn't intended a private club where members go to uphold sacred rituals and traditions. It isn't a supposed to be a place to argue about whether my way of worshiping is better than yours. It isn't a building where people who think they have all the answers and are better than everyone else hang out. It isn't a place where we attempt to dictate the politics of our nation. The Church was designed by God to be a living organism- a body of believers - who bring the light of Christ into a dark and hurting world. When the church gathers our message should not be "we are right and you are wrong." Instead, we should resonate with a message of hope and love. Our very lives should scream that God is love, and that is worthy to receive all the honor and praise we can possibly give our Creator!!! We worry so much about "converting" people to our way of thinking. Our job is to love them and show them Jesus. God still handles all the conversions...

When our churches are truly being the Church, working as God planned, then we are like lighthouses. When we worship God through our music, our messages, our giving and our service it is like we are shining the Light, showing all of the world what a glorious and mighty God we serve. It is true that people cannot see God. It is also true that they can, if we choose to be lighthouses, see Jesus shine through the Church and through each of us. It is not our light, not our wisdom and not our love that the world needs. It is his. Through Jesus, we are God's Plan A for lighting this dark world. There is no Plan B.  

I have heard so many people lamenting lately what a terrible place this world has become. The darkness is thick and heavy all around us. But John 1:8 reminds us that "the Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness cannot overcome it."  The question, Church, is this: Are we still peculiar enough to believe that? Have a blessed Sabbath, my friends.

Because of Jesus,

Kissing Frogs

The events of the last few weeks- particularly the reaction to the Supreme Court ruling and the tragic killings in Charleston- have left me remembering the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. I was struck during those games by the incredible diversity of the Olympic community and by their inclusiveness. Race, religion, nationality, sexual preference and politics were set aside for a fortnight as thousands of athletes pursued their dreams and goals. Even though they were in competition with one another, there was a spirit of unity. The spirit of acceptance and inclusion was truly incredible, and this week those memories have had me pondering this question- How can the Church be more like that? How do we follow Jesus without shutting the door on the world?

The first thing we need to is let go of our Better Bes. In his book Just Walk Across the Room, Bill Hybels writes that most Christians are willing to be accepting of others as long as they meet our list of things they had "better be." They had better be clean and polite. They had better be people who look like us. They'd better be ready to sing the songs we like to sing. They had better be people who vote for the right political party and come from the right background. They had better be against all the right things and for all the right things. In other words, we want the new people in our churches to be just like the old people- just like us! This is not inclusion, this is a selection process. Instead of listening to people, hearing their stories and investing in their lives, we judge based on what we think we know. And we shut them out. You may say "my church doesn't turn anyone away."  You do not have to ask someone to leave to let them know they are not wanted. Our attitudes speak volumes.

Jesus gave the church a very different model of responding to people, one that we often choose to ignore. Jesus had no list of Better Bes. Instead, he invested in the lives of those he met to the point that he turned them into Used To Bes. Think about it. Peter and Andrew used to be fishermen. Matthew and Zaccheus used to be tax collectors. Mary Magdalene used to be a woman with a bad reputation. Bartholomew used to be blind. Lazarus used to be DEAD! In fact, we all used to be dead until Jesus went to the cross for us. He didn't care what we looked like. He didn't care about our theology. He didn't care about our politics. He gave us one great commandment- LOVE GOD AND LOVE PEOPLE- and then gave his life so that we might live. It's like we were all frogs waiting to become princes and princesses, and Jesus had to kiss every stinking one of us. And he did- not to change us, but because he loves us. And because of that love, we all have the opportunity to become Used To Bes by simply following him.  

So how can the Church become more loving, accepting and inclusive? It's really not a difficult answer, although we seem to have a great deal of trouble doing it. We need to follow the Great Commandment. We need to open our hearts and our doors and love everyone, ESPECIALLY those who are not like us. We must reach out to the lost, the hurting and the helpless. We have to reach out to those who feel separated from God's love- for any reason. It is time to realize that we are all Used To Bes, and that Jesus built his church just for us. And then we must become HIS church, and do the work we are called to do. And what is the task of the church? To kiss frogs, of course...

Because of Jesus,

How To Ruin A Teenagers Faith

Strangely, encouraging this did not make the list!

WARNING: This Vintage Post contains sarcasm and overreaching general assumptions! Read with caution!


Anyone who spends anytime around middle school and/or high school students knows that they face many challenges in their day-to-day lives. Some of those challenges involve their faith. They are deciding who they believe, what they believe and how to live out those beliefs in the world they live in. You would expect the church to be at the forefront of helping these fragile followers of Jesus discover their true selves. And often it is. But on occasion the church (and the adults who "make the rules") actually provides more confusion than help. Today I want to take a look at 5 rules we use to turn teenagers away from God and towards a Double-Life Faith where they simply go through the motions of Christianity. These rules can also apply to new adult believers, so beware!

#1)  They must dress differently for church than they do for anything else. In my early days as a youth pastor most students were still being coerced into wearing their "Sunday Best" to every event at church- from weddings to worship. I myself wore a tie on Sunday for years and wore one on almost no other occasion. I was always told this was because we should wear our best for God, but I have come to believe it was a disguise we wore in the hopes that Jesus would not recognize us on Sunday after the way we had behaved all week...
#2)  They must talk differently at church than they do anywhere else. It's important for church youth to learn to speak in a language no one can explain. I'm not talking about the swearing- that probably should be different. I'm talking about "Christianese." At church, they can tell you that a worship service was"Spirit-filled," or that someone was "Saved" or "washed in the blood of the Lamb"- and give you a "Hallelujah" or an "AMEN" to back it up.  If you ask a youth at school on Monday how the church service was, about the best you can hope for is "whatever." We teach them to describe their faith journey in a language they will never use outside of church.
#3)  They must learn that we don't talk about "those things" at church. Teenagers must learn that some subjects are just unsuitable for church. Jesus may be LORD of All, but he obviously cannot deal with subjects like sex and evolution. If students hear often enough that "we don't talk about that here," then guess what? They'll quit talking about it with you and with God- and go back to gathering their info from the highly enlightened 17 year old who lives next door. Muuuuuch better....
#4)  They must learn to act differently at church than they do everywhere else. At church it is important to act happy and be nice. You must pretend to share a fashion sense (see #1) and musical tastes with people 4 times your age. As a real life teenager, your job is to be moody, grumpy and occasionally outright Gothic. Learning to pretend you are someone different at church than you are in real life is the basis of a good Double-Life Faith.
#5)  They must learn that Christians are perfect, and so are they! At church, you never admit sin, defeat or failure, because everyone knows that Christians are perfect. Those sins you committed during the week are best hidden away on Sunday, because goodness knows Jesus doesn't want to hear about them. If our kids hear often enough that our goal is to get to heaven, and that heaven is for perfect people, then they will understand the need to NEVER confess their sins- at least not when anyone in the church might hear them. Grace?  That's for losers...


History has shown us that if we teach these things well when our kids are young, we can be fairly certain that they will grow up believing that Jesus is "that one guy who lives in that one building." They will have learned that faith has no place in the real world, and that God lives in a tiny little box kept under the pulpit. They will have learned to live a Double-Life Faith. It is a lesson far too many adults have learned far too well- and now they know how to play church. Want to ruin the faith of a teenager? Maybe you should just send them to church. It's time to stop the madness. It's time to get real with our kids about faith. Quit giving them "church." Start giving them Jesus. And one more thing. Don't tell them how important they are and then not bother to learn their names or care about anything they are interested in. I'm just sayin'...


Because of Jesus,

Do We Even WANT to be Like Jesus?

About 10 days ago I shared a post called Haven't We Been Here Before? that served as the kick-off to a random new series called Things I Believe (and you probably don't)! This is post #2 in the series, and again, it is a serious one. The next one will be on why gravy is its own food group. Like I said, random! So here we go with yet another attempt at rattling the cages of the institutional church...and my own life...

Steve Taylor wrote many years ago that Christians want to be clones. That could be a good thing. We should desire to be clones of Jesus- after all, Christian means "Christ-like." But Steve's point was that too many in the church want to be clones of the person sitting next to them in the pew far more than they want to be like Jesus. It's safer. It's easier. And it's far more popular in our country today. I agree. I believe that the Church of Jesus Christ in these United States has no desire or intent to really be like Jesus. I know we can't BE Jesus- he was God- but we can strive to be like him. We are called to be like him. Don't get me wrong- I know there are millions who believe in God, who worship on Sundays, who read scripture and who claim Jesus as their savior. But being like him, really following him...well that's just too much for far too many of us. Just let me go to church and leave me alone! If we were like Jesus would we spend so much time and effort arguing about whether same sex couples should be allowed to have committed legal relationships, or would our efforts be spent feeding the hungry and housing the homeless? If we were as radical as the Christ would we embrace "turning the other cheek" over pulling out our handguns to "defend" ourselves? If we were like Jesus would we be less concerned with patriotism and more concerned with the family of God- all of humanity? If we were like Jesus the church would know no racial segregation and we would treat every sin, creed and nationality with equal love. We can never be perfect as he was perfect, but we could be so much better. If we wanted to.

And then there's the issue of money. Jesus said to the rich young ruler that to enter the Kingdom he had to "sell what he had and give it to the poor." Are any of us lining up to do that? Quite the opposite, many of our church leaders are gathering great wealth even as you read this. We have churches that teach classes on accumulating wealth, and others who see material gain as a sign that we are in God's good graces. These leaders also tend to portray under-resourced people as lazy, stupid and beneath them. That is not WWJD! God will be their judge, but if it really is easier for a camel to get through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God then people like Dave Ramsey and Franklin Graham have shrinking needles. And the humps on those camels are growing larger every day. In this country we tend to pay homage to our God and to worship our nation and our wealth. We treasure riches- you know, the stuff moths will eat, rust will destroy and thieves will break in and steal (Matthew 6:19) according to Jesus. We also love power. We love being in control, feeling like we are somehow above those around us. That's the antithesis of being like Christ. It has been said that the ONLY way to follow Jesus is on our knees. It's about surrender- and we are not fans of surrender. It's for the weak. Well guess what- so is Jesus. And anyone- ANYONE- who chooses hate over love, power over humility, aggression over peace and the flag over the cross is not going to "be like Jesus." We fool ourselves because we can be like the people in the pews and still make those choices. But that is not like the Christ. Jesus was inclusive, forgiving and sacrificial. So that's the bottom line for us all. Do we fit that definition? Or are we happy with the Jacob's Ladder description of faith? "Sing along, send some money and join the chosen few..."

So how do we become more like the One we claim to follow? He already told us. Be humble. Don't judge. Be a peacemaker. Be a servant. Take care of the sick, the downtrodden, the prisoners and those who don't think like us. Give up what we think is important and recognize that whatever the question, love is the answer. For too many years the church has buried itself in political issues, power and judgement, wanting people to be like US more than we want them to be like Jesus. It's time to quit playing church and BE the church. And the only way to do that- the ONLY way- is to be like Jesus. Do we want it? I remain unconvinced...

Because of Jesus,

Mangled Movie Lines (Church Version)

A Direct Quote From Every Church in the World!

An old improv game we used to play once inspired me to ask this question of myself, and I share it with you today. What if your favorite movie lines had been delivered at church or youth group instead of in their original scene? How might they be different? I have come up with a few- I hope my readers will come up with many more! Here we go!

• "I'll be back...as long as the church next door doesn't get a Starbucks."   Terminator
• "I'm going to give them an offering they can't refuse..."   The Godfather
• "Oh no, it wasn't the airplanes. Twas the youth group that killed the beast."   King Kong
• "Nobody puts the church secretary in a corner."  Dirty Dancing
• "You shouldn't make me play Fluffy Bunny, Johnny. My mother made me play Fluffy Bunny once...ONCE."   Johnny Dangerously
• "40 years of darkness, earthquakes and volcanoes! The dead rising from the grave, traditional worshippers and emergent worshippers living together- total chaos!"  Ghostbusters
• "Have fun storming the sanctuary!"   The Princess Bride
• "What we have here is a failure to communicate... (OOPS- didn't have to change that one!)    Cool Hand Luke
• "Of all the churches in all the towns in all the world, THAT senior pastor had to walk into mine."  Casablanca
• "The new hymnals are here! The new hymnals are here!"  The Jerk
• "There are two types of people in the world- those who like Rob Bell, and those who don't..."    What About Bob?
• "The United Methodist Women... They are not the cowering wretches we were promised. They stand. They are unruly, and therefore cannot be ruled. To challenge them is to court death."  The Avengers
• "Oh, the youth minister is very popular Pastor Ed. The sportos, the motorheads, geeks, sluts, bloods, wastoids, dweebies, d*ckheads - they all adore him. They think he's a righteous dude."  Ferris Bueller's Day Off
• "Fat, drunk and atheist is no way to go through life, son."  Animal House
• "Frankly my dear, I don't give a dad blast the gosh darn blankety heck..."  Gone With the Wind
• "What do you kids want me to do, dress in drag and do the hula?"  The Lion King
• "You say the youth group needs a bigger budget? You've got to ask yourself one question: Do I feel lucky? Well do ya, Punk?"  Dirty Harry
• "When I first came here, this was all swamp. Everyone said I was daft to build a church on a swamp, but I built it all the same, just to show them. It sank into the swamp. So I built a second one. That sank into the swamp. So I built a third. That burned down, fell over, then sank into the swamp. But the fourth one stayed up. And that's what you're going to get, Bro, the strongest church in all of Nashvegas."  Monty Python & the Holy Grail
• "Cinderella story, from outta' nowhere, about to become Trustees Chairman..."   Caddyshack 
• "They've done studies, you know. Be purpose driven. 60% of the time it works, every time."  Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy
• "Jesus is King of the World!"  Titanic

Let's face it, friends- sometimes the institution of the church is funny. It OK to laugh. I've said it before and I'll say it again-  I cannot survive a day without Jesus or laughter. And they ARE NOT mutually exclusive. Now let's hear your movie favorites, mangled for a little church humor! I'll Tweet the best ones. Have a Happy Hump Day!

Ain't Life Funny?

Last Sunday Marilyn and I journeyed to Kissimmee to hear our dear friend Wayne Cook preach at FUMC. We attended the traditional service at 11 am, and for the first time in a very long time I got to sing some traditional hymns out of a traditional hymnal. As often happens in the wilderness known as Carl's brain, this led to some very random thoughts this week concerning church music. Most of you are aware that I worked in churches for nearly 30 years (until 2007) and for the last 8 years have attended a large, contemporary church here in Tampa. Lately the choices that have been made concerning music in worship there have irritated me (especially on Christmas Eve), and pondering those thoughts led to this...

From my earliest memories of attending church services the hymns that we sang tended to be...well to be honest, ancient! In the 1970s most mainstream churches seemed committed to not singing any congregational music composed after 1900. During my early years in youth ministry I remember trying to slide in some camp/youth group songs sung with guitar on various occasions, but it was like pulling teeth- a painful process. As the years passed and my calling took me different places that seldom seemed to vary. It was at FUMC-Kissimmee in the mid-90s where Andrew Lewis first introduced me (and that church) to a new wave of contemporary praise music. These were songs that became staples of our youth worship; the congregation could handle the new stuff about once a month. As with many, many churches we created a special service (in the Fellowship Hall, because it wasn't REAL church!) for people who enjoyed the new style. It seemed that Andrew, myself and a few others were constantly pushing to get more contemporary music in worship, and Pastor John Willis was supportive, but it was never an easy discussion to have with the church elders. The music continued to be at least 100 years old for the most part. Then just when we were making some headway, Pastor Willis was moved and The Pastor Who Shall Not Be Named showed up and did away with ALL contemporary praise music. Except for Youth Sunday. And on Youth Sunday we blew their doors off...

Marilyn, Will & I then moved to Chicagoland, where the worship got more traditional and the hymns got even older! My suggestions of more modern songs were met with concerns that we were "dumbing down" worship just so people would like it more. Never did understand that argument. But all over the rest of the country worship was changing. New music was being used, appreciated and was offering new spiritual connections for many worshippers. By the time we arrived in Tampa in 2001, contemporary worships services were all the rage. Praise bands, praise choirs, microphone singers and current music dominated the landscape. And I loved it. No longer was I a lone voice in the wilderness crying out for songs that were not over 100 years old. Progress had come to some mainstream churches.

All of which brings me back to my frustration with music in worship at the church we attend now. There is no longer a need to cajole and campaign for more up-to-date tunes. You see here's the thing about irony...it's so ironic! For the last several months it has jumped off the big screens at me that we are singing almost no songs written before 2012. Don't get me wrong, some of these new songs are great. My frustrations lies in the fact that we are throwing out centuries of important church music, including some great contemporary stuff from all the way back in (GASP!) the 1990s. And it's not just that. When new songs are introduced every week, the congregation never really learns to be comfortable singing any of them. It becomes more performance than worship. It's left me feeling that limiting our worship music to songs composed after 2012 is no better than the days when were were only singing songs from the 1800s. Either way we are missing out on songs that God has given composers to share with the world and the church.

I know that I am asking for everything. I love contemporary music, but I want to sing hymns as well. People might say that I want to have my cake and eat it too. Those people are probably right. But here's the thing. As Jon Lovitz once said in a Lothar of the Hill People sketch on SNL, "That analogy vexes me. If I had cake, why would I not eat it?"  I DO want it all, because there is so much music, new and old, that sings God's praises- and I don't wanna' miss a thing! I'll get over this new frustration, just as I always got past the old ones, because in the end worship is all about Jesus- not about my musical tastes. But still I have to admit that every now and then I think about how I would lead worship (and not just music) if I were in charge. That's a rant for another day...

Because of Jesus,

The (Sun)Day the Music Died

Over the past month or so I have read several blog posts and articles that focused on the theme of singing in church worship services. At least two of them shared the same title- Why Does No One Sing in Church Anymore? I thought the authors made some interesting points, but that they were a little over-the-top with their hyperbole. Still, they left me curious. I grew up loving a song entitled How Can I Keep From Singing? Could it be true that participatory singing in worship is at an all time low? I decided to explore the question in my own church.

The church I attend, like so many others in USAmerica in 2014, features a praise band to lead the music in worship. Our band is made up pf very talented (and in some cases professional) musicians, and the music is simply brilliant. On July 13, the band was at the top of its game. Drums, percussion, two guitars, a bass. two keyboards and four vocalists on microphones blasted their way through a four song set of the latest worship songs. Normally, I am a singer. I am loud and proud, belting out songs and keeping in mind David Crowder's theory that singing praise to the LORD is not about singing well, it is about singing loud! But on this Sunday, I decided to become a spectator. I wanted to see if the congregation- about 1000 strong- was actually singing along with the band. It didn't take me long to determine that they were not. I could look around and see hands raised but lips were not moving. I could not hear anyone around me (besides the gorgeous voice of my wife) raising their voices in praise. At one point our worship leader and the vocalists on stage dropped out so your could hear the congregation in full voice- and there were crickets. The crowd was clapping, moving and responding in very enthusiastic ways- but they were NOT singing. As someone who spent a lot of years leading group singing at camp, youth group and in worship, I was fascinated by this phenomenon. I wanted to decipher the reasons no one was singing. These reasons may or may not apply to your church. But if you have a praise band and do really contemporary music, I suggest you try my experiment. Based on the articles I read, it seems to be a growing problem, not just one in my church. Here are 3 thoughts I had...

1. The congregation is no longer necessary. When I was growing up in church, singing primarily to organ or piano accompaniment, the entire dynamic of hymn singing was very different. The music was not as loud, so you could hear the people sing. There were no "golden voiced" mic singers leading the way, just an unamplified choir, perhaps a choir director, and a preacher who sometimes couldn't carry a tune in a bucket. The only singers were the congregation. You heard the people around you singing praise and you wanted to join in. This was especially true if you sat in front of the elderly woman who loved God with all her heart and sang at the top of her lungs each and every song- horribly out of tune! You wanted to sing loud. And the mosaic of voices from the gathered body of Christ was always a blessing to me. In one of the last youth groups I served I grew so unhappy with the lack of singing in our worship times that I ditched the praise band and went back to a single guitar and just the voices. The difference was amazing. I love contemporary worship in so many ways, but now we are too often drowning out the masses to the point that their voices no longer matter. I do miss hearing God's family sing together.
2. The songs are often unsingable. There are so many beautiful songs of praise being written these days by some very gifted composers and publishing companies. The music soars and the lyrics move me. But there is a problem. For the past 10 years or so, worship music and the Christian recording and radio businesses have been inseparable. Many of the current worship songs are absolutely gorgeous- and never meant to be sung by a large group. The melodies are unpredictable, which is wonderful for radio and terrible for group singing. The lyrics are deep and thought-provoking, but the phrasing is often difficult. It is easy to find ourselves lost listening to the professionals sings while we simply lift out hands in praise and think to our selves "what a beautiful song." This happened during my experiment. Our worship team did an amazing song that absolutely no one sang along with because it was NEVER meant to be sung with the congregation. It was meant to be sung TO a crowd. And that's what wound up happening. It was also a song that no one knew. Which brings us to point number 3...
3. We have come to believe that in church music, new is always better. This one may be more specific to my church, but I am sure if your music is contemporary you either have or will struggled with this one too. One reason no one sings anymore is that we never know the songs! It seems the worship leader (every contemporary church has their very own Chris Tomlin these days) introduces about two new songs every week. We sing them 2 or 3 times over the following month or so, and then it's on to something else. By the time you learn a song it's labeled a golden oldie and filed away. The Sunday of my experiment we sang 4 songs and 2 of them were brand new. One I had heard once, the other perhaps twice. Please understand- I loved the songs. But people rarely sing along with unfamiliar words and tunes. When the team does on some rare occasion break out some familiar hymns of praise, the difference in the congregation's volume is amazing. People SING Amazing Grace, When I Survey the Wondrous Cross, God of Wonders and Shout to the LORD. And I mean SING!!! There are not many songs being sung in my church today that people will be walking around the house singing because they learned it in church- we just don't sing them often enough. When I led music I wanted the songs to become part of the fabric of our group. We don't give songs that opportunity very often anymore. Too many worship leaders are buying into the myth that new is always better. No one goes to a rock concert and shouts, "Play that song we don't know!" It's something to think about.

I have a few other thoughts, but I'll stop there. This is not meant to be a condemnation of contemporary music or worship. I just want us to think about what we are doing to congregational singing, which from the time of the Psalms has been a crucial part of worship. For years the church sang songs that were hundreds of years old. Now we seem to have discarded most everything written before 2000. My own personal tastes are wide and varied. I love the contemporary sound. I love how gifted our praise team is and how much that style of music can move us. I know I could go to a different church with a more traditional feel and sing the old hymns, but then I would miss the celebratory feel of the more contemporary style. I guess I want it all! Somehow we need to find a way to strike a balance and rediscover the voice of the gathered family of God in worship. Otherwise, in years to come the famous question from Les Miserables will already have an answer. "Do you hear the people sing?"  No- I can't. 

Because of Jesus,

Creating Holy Chaos

How many of you have sat through meetings in your churches that were supposed to be Planning Sessions? You know the ones I am talking about. The idea is that you gather the people in leadership roles to think about the future of your church. These things happen on the local level and the denominational level. People are encouraged to think outside the box, to bring new wine to the old wineskins. You arrive under the assumption that whoever put together such a meeting understands that there are things that need to change and improve. You might even need to go in a different direction than the one you have been going in for the past 100 years. And yet...at so many of these conclaves any idea that is truly new, truly different, or the least bit radical tends to be shot down by the 7 last words of a dying church- "We've never done it that way before!" Churches are often so ordered, so driven by rules and traditions, that no one can remember the last time anything really new ever happened there. In a Church founded by and devoted to "The Radical Man" himself, Jesus of Nazareth, it seems rare that anything radical ever takes place anymore. These brainstorming sessions are often where ideas go to die. In my opinion, what our churches need are a few more wild and crazy moments where rules fall away and the Holy Spirit takes over. What we need is some Holy Chaos!

Somewhere along the way in my youth ministry career I attended a Critical Concerns Course at the National Youth Workers Convention led by Craig McNair Wilson.  McNair had been a guru in the imagination think-tank of the Walt Disney Company, originating many of the street theater groups you see in the World Showcase at EPCOT and at one time serving as a personal assistant to Michael Eisner. He taught us the creative brainstorming system used by the Imagineers at Disney. I used it over and over again during the last 10 years of my ministry, and found that it works on many levels to help your team actually be creative.  I share it with you today. It can be a wild and woolly process. It may just create some Holy Chaos in your midst. And it may be just what your church or ministry needs. There are 7 steps- and the order matters greatly.  They are:

The list you see above is from a 1998 strategic planning booklet I did for FUMC-Kissimmee. (Note the excellent use of a 1995 version of Print Shop!) Now here's what it all means:

1. Before you gather for brainstorming, there needs to be some agreement on why you are getting together. Are you tackling a specific issue, or looking at your ministry as a whole? Are you just "thinking out loud," or do you actually intend to do something with the ideas you come up with? People need to know these things in advance so they can do some some personal creating ahead of time and be prepared for your session. And the entire process should be bathed in prayer- before, during and after. You want and need the energy and creativity of the Holy Spirit to fill the room.
2. Allow people to throw out ideas and concepts with total disregard to cost, feasibility, practicality or any other judgement. To accomplish that, you must do this...
3. Begin every statement with the phrase "Yes, and..."  This does 3 things. It prohibits people from being negative and using their usual opening phrase, "But that won't work!" It allows for the expansion and enhancement of ideas already expressed, and it gives people the freedom to piggyback on ideas. This is a very important step. We would often put a jar on the table (like a swear jar) and make anyone who didn't begin with "Yes, and..." make a donation.  :)
4. Again, no negative thoughts allowed. No matter how ridiculous or impractical an idea may seem, this is NOT the time to point out flaws. It is also not the time to wimp out. If you have an idea, share it- and share it boldly! The idea is to come up with ideas!!!
5. Just when you think you may have drained your brains of ideas, give one final push. You don't want a flurry of ideas. You want an avalanche!!! If people seem tired, then push even harder. I remember McNair saying something like "exhaustion often precedes inspiration."
6. The wackier the better! Your wildest dreams may inspire someone else to share THE idea you have all been waiting for. To get some of your church members out of the box, you will have to SHATTER the box first! Some of history's greatest inventions began as wild ideas. Never discount the outrageous. Allow for the Holy Chaos!
7. By this point you should have covered all 4 walls of whatever room you are in with ideas, from the brilliant to the silly. Now is the time to pull out your vision/purpose/mission statement and decide which of these ideas can best help you accomplish your goals. You can follow these steps: List the needs you are hoping to address, and then group similar and related ideas into categories under the needs they might address. Pick one area of concern and then select the ideas that best respond to your church's particular needs. Expand on the ideas selected, helping others to see the possibilities they hold for your situation. This is the time to express doubts, to look at practicality and to raise questions. It is also a time to be very honest with yourselves about where your weak spots are as a church. By now you should be deep enough in the process that you know better than to discount an idea simply because it seems too big or too expensive. Keep brainstorming how you can make it happen given your reality. Keep thinking about which ideas will bring you closer to fulfilling your stated purposes. Reach a consensus about which ideas you want to go forward with or explore further. And then repeat the critical thinking with the next area of concern.

I led youth ministry teams, church councils, church staffs and a couple of business groups through this process, and I can tell you that it bears great fruit. If you would like to know more about it, email me at youthguy07@aol.com or find me on Twitter @Youthguy07 anytime and I would love to help your group experience the thrill of true brainstorming. through it. Our churches need to think in new ways. Our churches need to experience the radical call of Jesus and the wonder of Holy Chaos. Let me know how I can help you!

Because of Jesus,

#DangerDays: Blind Squirrels & the Church

Earlier this week I had a conversation with an old friend who thanked me for "being open to the little nudges of the Holy Spirit" in my writing. I responded that sometimes those nudges become pushes...or kicks to the groin! You have to respond. And often, especially as I write about the #DangerDays, I tend to pass along the pain. I have been pretty hard on the institution of the Church on this blog. I have been even tougher on individual Christians who I think buy into the message of the American church more than they seek to follow Jesus. But today I want to tell you a story of a time we actually got one right. It shows what can happen when we buy into the Jesus Revolution instead of the agenda of men. It is far too rare an occurrence, but it did happen- because a few people were willing to take bold steps of faith and forgiveness. As my Dad always said, "Even a blind squirrel stumbles over an acorn every now and then..."

I have an old friend (and yes, it really is a friend. This story of failure is, for once, not about me) who a very long time ago really messed up his life. He was a pastor, writer, speaker and a leader within his denomination. He and I met through a mutual ministry and quickly became friends. He was (and is!) one of the happiest, funniest and most spiritually connected people I had ever met, and on the rare occasions we got to spend time together we just clicked. I thought he had it all together (and chances are good he thought the same of me).  So did a lot of other people. Like most of us, he didn't. Behind the scenes he was struggling with his marriage, and eventually had an affair. He was caught in a very public manner, and things went downhill quickly from there. His marriage collapsed. He lost his ministry, which I suppose was inevitable. Many of his pastor friends deserted him (which was wrong). But some of his friends did not. Many felt his pain and repentance and offered him love and prayer instead of judgement and condemnation. He stayed in the church. He had a pastor who helped him use his many gifts to help serve their congregation. He worked for ministries that were not part of any church or denomination but that still served Jesus with their work in our world. And slowly- ever so slowly- he began to feel accepted again inside the walls of the Church.

And that is when people began to step into the #DangerDays, and our blind squirrel found the acorn. The Church- complete with as many judgmental people as you can find anywhere- began to accept him back. The people and the institution had their eyes opened to the fact that this servant of God still had much to offer. They realized that God was still using him in amazing ways. We often speak in the Church of how our sins are forgiven and forgotten by God. We humans sometimes forgive but almost never forget. But for at least this one instance, the church got it right- and got a little Holy Amnesia. Despite (or in some cases because of what he learned from) his sin, he is now one of the most respected spiritual voices I know. He is making a major difference in the lives of believers all over the country. So many times people like my friend never get that second chance because of Christians who cannot forget their sins. I have known others whose gifts for ministry were never allowed to flourish again inside the church because of their sins- and in a few cases because of their supposed sins. And the Church does tend to "eat it's own- bones and all." In those situations Satan rejoices, because if we remove all the sinners from our pews, who's left? But in this case we see what can happen when the Church truly reflects the love, grace and values of Jesus. We see that though we sin, we still have much to offer the kingdom of God. Don't believe me? Check out the bible stories of Moses, Jonah, King David, Peter, Paul and so many more. There can be redemption and restoration in our lives. That is what the #DangerDays are all about. They're about remembering that all saints have a past and all sinners have a future. If we- the Body of Christ- can remember that, then just maybe our friend the squirrel will sprint head-first into a huge oak tree and shake the foundation. Acorns for everyone! For such is the grace of God...

Because of Jesus,

Thank You, World Vision

So Christianity has found itself another controversy this week that once again threatens to poke a hole in the fabric of the Church. There has been great gnashing of teeth and tearing of sackcloth over the venerable parachurch organization, World Vision, and its hiring policies. My response? I'd just like to say thanks...

• Thank you, World Vision, for being Jesus with skin to thousands upon thousands of children over the years and around the world.
• Thank you, World Vision, for believing that when Jesus told us to "feed his sheep" (John 21: 15-19) he meant it to be both spiritual and literal.
• Thank you, World Vision, for leading the charge in taking care of widows and orphans around the world- because scripture (James 1:27) commands us to do just that! 
• Thank you, World Vision, for believing that everyone deserves a chance at a better life because the love of God whose name is Jesus came for EVERYONE!
• Thank you, World Vision, for taking both the Great Commandment (love God, love one another) and the Great Commission (go to all nations and tell the Good news) literally.
• Thank you, World Vision, for pushing us all to believe that Matthew 25: 31-46 is an important passage of scripture, one that is to be lived out in our daily lives. We are to feed the hungry. visit the sick and clothe the naked because that IS what Jesus would do. Your efforts have helped make "the least of these" around the world real people to those of us with abundance, and have reminded us that sometimes those in need live next door.

And finally, as someone who spent 28 years in youth ministry, I say thank you World Vision for your wonderful programs like the 30 Hour Famine and One Life Revolution (with Youth Specialties) that have exposed thousands of teenagers to a little taste of what it is like to be hungry, impoverished and alone. Because of you, entire generations of youth group kids have known what it means to "Let It Growl!" You helped teach us that the world can be changed by loving one person at a time. You will continue to have my support, my prayers and my contributions. You have made a difference in our churches and in our world. And it is my hope that you will continue to do what you do- loving people in the name of Jesus. Nothing matters more than that.

Because of Jesus,

10 Things Our Society Believes About Christians

Those of us who call ourselves "Christians" believe a lot of things- often a lot of different things. Our theology and practice can vary wildly depending on many factors. But the world around us often sees us as one group, with definite characteristics that define us all. Over the past few weeks I have had several conversations with "non-believers" about the things that they believe about Christians. I asked them some questions about how they view the Christians in the world around them, and I got some pretty frank answers. The friends I questioned ranged from those who are frustrated with the church but claim to be Christian to atheists, and everywhere in-between. I shared their thoughts with several others who confirmed that yes, they believe this is how much of our culture views those of us seeking to follow Jesus. It is amazing how similar their opinions were to each others- and how close they are to the views of some of the loudest sectors of Christianity itself. I will not attempt to say which are accurate. I will leave that sorting to you, dear readers. But here are 10 ways Christians are defined by those looking from the outside in...

1. Christians are hypocrites. They talk about being pious and holy and then live lives that are no different from anyone else. They talk about loving each other, but they fight like cats and dogs.
2. Christians are obsessed with what to do about gay people. You get that idea that being gay is about the worst thing you could possibly do in the eyes of God. In a related conversation, a couple of folks indicated that Christians seem to believe the parts of the Bible that are most convenient to them.
3. Christians are segregationists. They would prefer a world where they only have to interact with people who think and believe like they do. Given a choice, they want their own schools, movies, books, music and everything else.
4. Along with #3, Christians love to protest and boycott. They see it as a way of standing up for what the believe, but half the time it seems like random stuff that has no real bearing on the real world. See Duck Dynasty.
5. Christians are gun-toting, Republican voting patriots who believe that this country is greater than others because God blessed it to be so (my very non-scientific survey also seemed to indicate that they believed that there are just not that many Christians living outside of the U.S. anymore. That of course is very wrong.).
6. Christians are arrogant. They believe their way is the only way and they are seldom willing to listen to opposing viewpoints, even (maybe especially?) from other Christians.
7. Christians are pro-life...except when it comes to war, gun control and the death penalty. My respondents (and me too, if I'm honest) find this to be very confusing. 
8. Christians believe that people should follow the teachings of Jesus, but in practice they seem more committed to following the leadership of pastors. Popes and politicians. One respondent said that she felt like "Christ is too radical for most Christians." Full disclosure: I think she had heard me say that same thing a few weeks ago. But still...
9. Christians try really hard to be decent, honest and nice people because that is what the world expects from them.
10. The unanimous #1 answer- Christians are very judgmental and tend to think they are better than everyone else.

That's what my non-Christian friends are saying, and I do believe that it is a reasonable representation of some of the attitudes toward Christians that exist in this society. To my eyes some of them are unfair, some of them only describe certain groups of Christians, and some of them are a recognition of major problems within the church. What we need to remember is that to the world that we profess we are trying to reach with the good news of Jesus, perception is often reality. And I believe this is the perception of many. So I'm curious...what do YOU think of this list? Where are my friends addressing real issues and where are they buying into stereotypes? I will be curious to hear your responses. 

Because of Jesus,

Change Is Not Always Bad & New Is Not Always Better

There are two competing ideas that many corporations and organizations in this great nation of ours are struggling with these days. There are many people who are uncomfortable with change, and fight it at every turn. They choose to look to the "good old days" to determine how we should go forward. This works well for some groups. But others are all about not only embracing change, but creating it. They believe that the newer an idea or product, the better. And this also is a very successful plan for many.

My mother hates change. She hates when the grocery store changes where they keep the brand of coffee she buys. She hates when restaurants change their menus. She hates when people move and she has to break in new neighbors. And she hated change at Walt Disney World so much that she quite buying her annual pass after 15 years of having one every year. They kept changing her beloved Epcot, and she just couldn't take it anymore. And that is not even getting into what they did to Main Street at the Magic Kingdom. She despises change. And she is not alone. There is large portion of the population who tend to think all change is bad. And contrary to popular belief, these folks are not all senior citizens. People fight change.

Then there is this. On my favorite television show How I Met Your Mother, Barney Stinson once put forth the hypothesis that "new is always better!" And many of us certainly buy into that. Just look at the lines to purchase a new I-Phone anytime there is an upgrade. It is not significantly different than the previous model- but since it is new it must be better! Every new book gives us new ways to be a better leader, husband, mother or  Christian- and we believe them all! After all, these things are new. And new is always better!

The problem with these hypotheses is that nothing is that absolute. Change is inevitable, and we know that. Does anyone really long for the days of the rotary dial phone or dirt roads? But when the changes impact us personally, we draw back. We might even panic. As Garth from Wayne's World once said, "We fear change." It is so true. And that leads to a constant battle between living in a world that is rapidly changing and holding onto the things we feel are important to us. We must all learn to deal with change and with things that are new. But that does not mean that new is always better. The 2012 Olympic planning committee didn't go to Sir Paul McCartney and ask him to play something off of his latest album at the Opening Ceremonies. They wanted Hey Jude!  No one prefers The Office without Steve Carell to the show with him. The latest $2000 sneakers will never be better than my classic Chuck Taylors. Or as Ted Mosby replied in HIMYM when Barney made his statement about new always being better, "You don't go to a Guns'N'Roses concert and yell 'play Chinese Democracy!' You want Sweet Child O Mine!" New can be great. New can make our world a better place. But new is not always better.

So what got me thinking about all of this? It seems to me that that Church of Jesus Christ is impacted by both of the ideas. In fact, the church may be the one organization fighting both of these battles at once. We are, by our very being, tied to history and tradition. We are, by our very mission, trying to connect and relate to the world we live so that everyone might know Jesus. The conflict between these two things is constant. and it often plays out like this. I want young people to come to church (they're new) but I am unwilling to give up my worship time, chosen seat or preferred style of music (that's too much change) so they might feel more at home. I want the pastor to engage those who didn't grow up in the church (new people) but I hate it when we don't say the Apostle's Creed and the Lord's Prayer every week (big changes). These struggles lead to people feeling left out or unheard. In many congregations they have led to splits over music and worship styles. I grew up Quaker, so I know what it is like to see change as the enemy (Q: How many Quakers does it take to change a light bulb? A: CHANGE! Who said anything about CHANGE!!!). I also served in a church that that not only embraced change, they were constantly creating it. New was always better. Never mind history or tradition. And it bit them in the butt in the long run...

The bottom line is we cannot worship tradition, and we must not worship change. We worship only one God, only one Savior. We must open our hearts and our minds to see things the way Jesus sees them. Some old traditions are worth preserving. Some new ideas are valuable and worth adding. Remember, Jesus is the one who came to make everything old new again. If we seek to keep our message consistent and Christ-centered, but are willing to change the manner in which is it delivered, then we are on the right track. It is not about how we worship. It is about WHO we worship and how much he loves us. And praise Jesus, that is never changing.

Because of Jesus,

Team Jesus

Last night I tweeted this: Tonight is one of those times when I am so thankful that Jesus is SOOOO much bigger than any denominational label or theological tradition. What follows flowed out of that prayer...

When I first moved to Florida from NC in the spring of 1994, one of the most common questions I was asked concerned my allegiance to college football teams. To many of my new friends my faith, my youth ministry experiences and my plans for the future of the student ministry were all well and good, but what they really wanted to know was this- Florida, Miami or Florida State? These were 3 of the best programs in the country, and I needed to choose. I explained to them that while I had a long love affair with college football (even though in NC it's just a time killer until basketball season starts!), I really didn't cheer for any of those teams.  I might as well have claimed to be an atheist. For so many people, it's not about the sport. It's about THEIR team. And that's true everywhere, not just in Florida.

Lately I have begun to wonder if the same is not true of many of us who call ourselves Christians. We have a hard time heeding the advice of the sign above- we constantly seem to be majoring in the minors. For those of you who don't know my history in the church, let me recap. I was a "birthright Friend"- born into the Quaker church. When I was 5 we moved and my family became very active at a United Methodist Church, where we stayed until a pastor left and took people with him- splitting the church, devastating my parents and leaving us at home on Sundays until I was 13. My parents never really went back to church. I went to a Quaker youth group in 8th grade (1972) because my best friend kept inviting me (and there was this girl...), and from then until 1994 my identity was very wrapped up in the Society of Friends. I attended Meeting for Worship and youth group. I worked at a Quaker summer camp and attended a Quaker college. I worked as a youth pastor in 4 different churches and was even a the regional director of Youth & Religious Education for New England Yearly Meeting for a short time. I served on national boards, spoke at national and regional conferences, and was the music leader (in the days before music and worship started being the same word) at a couple of national youth events. I was Mister Quaker. And for most of those years I was much more likely to answer questions about faith and theology by attempting to give a Quaker perspective than I was to tell you what Jesus said. I knew more about MY denomination than I did about my faith. And that seemed normal to me.

When I went to work for a UMC in 1994 it seemed logical to me that I would throw the weight of my support behind my new "home team." But there were several issues with that. First of all, I wasn't "certified" by any of the right people or organizations to take any leadership roles outside of the local church. I also found myself running into different perspectives on faith and theology than I had encountered in my Quaker years. As frustrating as that was at times, it forced me to take a hard look at what I believed and why I believed it. More and more I began to realize that no matter the question in Christianity, the answer is Jesus! My belief system became less about the Quaker Faith & Practice or the UMC Book of Discipline and more about the gospels. When I went to work for a UCC church in 2000, I morphed a little more before heading back to spend another 7 years with the Methodists. For the past 7 years my family has attended a UMC church- although it is somewhat free of many traditional UMC trappings. And yet I still have very strong ties to my Quaker roots- including my official church membership. Not unlike the college football scenario at the beginning of this post, there are people who just didn't get it. If I can't identify myself by my denomination, what AM I really? Calling myself a Jesus Follower just doesn't seem to cut it with way too many people. Just loving the game isn't enough. They feel like I need a team.

Lately there has been a lot of hand-wringing and consternation about the future survival of both of the denominations I have served at great length. Both are struggling with issues that divide the church, and having a hard time focusing on the ONE who brings us together. I have avoided discussions of denominational politics, because quite frankly I see no positive value in them. The church is not in the business of fixing institutions- we are in the business of loving people. While I believe that the long histories, great works and proud traditions of both groups still have much to offer the world, I have to wonder if perhaps we have become so entrenched as "fans" that we are asking the wrong questions. Should we really be focused on whether or not we can continue to create new Quakers or new Methodists? Should we spend so much time and energy trying to show the world that we have some sort of unique insight into the greater work of God? There is much work to be done in our society, and we do that work not in the name of John Wesley, George Fox, John Calvin, Martin Luther or even the Apostle Paul. We do it in the name of Jesus. And all of our theological infighting over how to do communion and baptisms, over gay marriage, over political issues and over who is qualified to lead God's people are not the things our Savior spent his time preaching about, and often distract us from loving others in Jesus' name. Maybe I am being too simplistic. But perhaps simplistic is exactly what we need. Denominations give us rules, hierarchies and 'proper" ways of doing things. Jesus taught us to love, go and tell. WE have made it complicated.

I am a pacifist and I love silence, prayer and other spiritual disciplines because of my Quaker roots, but also because I believe it is what Jesus taught. I believe in the Holy Trinity and the power of corporate worship and symbolism because the UMC taught me the Apostle's Creed when I was a child and because I have experienced those things. My brief time with the UCC helped me to understand the need for the Church to be open and affirming to all who seek the love of God whose name is Jesus. And my favorite church leader in the world today may well be Pope Francis, not because of Catholic theology but because of his willingness to be bold with the actual words and teachings of the Christ. In short, I am a potpourri of denominational influences. And I am so thankful that I am.

So if you ask me these days what team I cheer for, it's an easy answer. I'm Team Jesus. And that's all you really need to know.

Because of Jesus,