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Wednesday 20 July 2016

HOW CONNECTED ARE YOU?

My family became Christians through the ministry of a local church when I was 10 years old. Up to that point our church experience was pretty limited. What that meant was that my Mom and Dad sent us kids to Sunday School while they relaxed at home on Sunday morning. Then, rather suddenly, everything changed and we became part of a church family. For us, and for virtually everyone who was part of that little congregation in those days, it meant we were all in. The church became our extended family and our life was wrapped up in being a part of it. If something was happening at the church, we were there. If the church was doing something special, we were involved. 

It wasn't just us. As I think back to that church of 100 people or so, I remember the Bodalys, the Pearces, the Peckhams, the Scotts, the Smiths, the Clifts,and many more who were just like us. The church was our home and the people in it were our family. We worshipped together, prayed together, worked together, fellowshipped together, and played together. We were committed to the church and to one another. 

As I think about this a particular episode comes to my mind, an example of what it was like to be part of the church family. My Dad got a call late one evening that the church basement had flooded. It was early spring and there was lots of melting snow and ice on the ground. I don't remember what the cause of the flooding was, since I was probably only about 13 at the time, but I remember slogging around with a small army of people in freezing cold water. Together we worked to move furniture and equipment and rugs made so heavy by the water it took a whole crew to carry them up the stairs. There was no question of whether or not people would show up to help. We just did.

Our church wasn't unique. Perhaps as you reflect on your home church in your early days you would have similar memories of a community that loved and supported one another. For Louise and I that kind of life continued into our adult years. Though we moved around some, wherever we lived we were totally plugged into a local church, and in many ways it became the centre of our lives. (no, I'm not taking God out of the centre - I think you know what I mean) 

This kind of spirit continues to exist for many families today. Lots of churches have a core of families that are just as immersed as we were. They support one another, volunteer, give sacrificially, and show up when the church basement floods.  There are lots of people who are just as committed to their church family as we were to my little London church in the 60's. But not as many as there used to be.

There was a time when it was simply assumed (and rightly so in my opinion) that if you were a Christian you would be a committed part of a local church. Even though the secular culture in those days wasn't nearly so separated from its Christian roots as it is today, Christians still understood that if you wanted to be strong and healthy in your Christian walk you really needed to be connected to a group of like minded people. And you needed a place where you could serve God by putting your gifts and talents to good use. Among people who were serious about serving God very few would question the need to have the strong supportive relationships, good Bible teaching, corporate prayer times, etc. that can only come by being part of a church family. 

Unfortunately, today there is a growing number of people who seem to think they can be Christians without having those solid church connections. They claim a personal faith that doesn't need the support of others, or instruction from the Word of God, or any of the other benefits that come from being strongly established in a local church. "I can be a Christian without going to church", they say. In theory, yes. In practice, not very likely. What happens so often is the disconnect from church is just one step in a life that becomes farther and farther removed from what God wants and intends for His people. Too often the path is toward a life that is indistinguishable from that of their non-Christian neighbours and friends. The end result? In far too many cases it's an almost total abandonment of faith.

Another change I see is this. Even among those who attend church, the level of commitment is often seriously diluted. "I'll go to church when I feel like it. I'm too busy to be involved. I can't give because I have my own priorities. I'll show up as regularly as I can and absorb what you have to offer, but don't ask any more of me than that." 

Sadly, in these cases everyone loses. The church loses because the potential contribution of all those capable and gifted people is lost. The individual loses because they fail to experience the wonderful blessings that come from serving and giving of themselves, and truly being part of the church family. The children of those parents who have adopted a consumer mentality lose big time, because they will never learn by example the blessings and benefits of being truly committed and connected to a body of believers. Parents beware. If you are casual about your church connection chances are high that your children will become even more tenuous in their relationship to church.

Am I just old fashioned? Are my comments simply a "good ole days" kind of nostalgia? I can be as nostalgic as anyone, but I truly think it's far more than that. I truly believe that this diminishing commitment to the local church body, and the tendency toward what I've referred to as a "consumer mentality" in church, is hurting us all. 

Would you at least reflect on this a bit? Has your commitment to church eroded from where it once was? Are you less connected to the people in the local church body? Do you find yourself coming to church to receive instead of to serve and to give of yourself? Do you have gifts that could be used for the benefit of others, but they are lying dormant? Are your children growing up without an example of parents who are thoroughly involved in the work of God?

Think about it. It's important.


Wednesday 13 July 2016

PRAYING IN THE MIDST OF TRANSITION

I'm a bit bewildered whenever I hear that most people don't like change or find it stressful.  I guess that's because I've always enjoyed change. I've enjoyed living in different communities and experiencing different responsibilities in different places of employment. Change has generally been a welcome distraction for me.

However, I recently realized something about myself. I really only like change when I'm the one doing the changing. When changes are being initiated by someone else, and I have no control over the decisions, I'm not quite as happy with that. I suppose what I'm saying is that I'm most comfortable when things stay the same around me, and that I only really enjoy change when I'm the one instigating it. 

What do you suppose has caused me to be thinking along these lines, and why in the world would I be writing about it in this blog? These are things that occurred to me when I began to think about the staff changes happening and soon to be happening at The Mission. We recently posted on the church website the job descriptions for three positions.  Megan's maternity leave means there is a need to fill the role of Children's Ministries Director. Greg's resignation creates an opening for a new Youth Director. And the board has decided to hire for a new position called "Church and Community Relations Director". 

No doubt lots of us at The Mission have become pretty comfortable with the status quo. Change means people we've grown to love and respect won't be in their leadership roles and more, and it means some uncertainty as to who will be taking on these important ministries. Where will they come from? Are they people we already know? How will those ministries change under new leadership? Change of this nature brings lots of questions, and some uncertainty.

It's going to happen whether we like it or not, so what's the appropriate response for a church congregation when changes that affect the church and the people are in the works? What should we do when we feel uncertainly about just how things are going to turn out?

The answer is pretty simple and not likely to surprise anyone. In fact I only mention it because a reminder can never hurt. We are to pray.

The Mission belongs to God. It does not belong to the Pastor. It does not belong to the Board or the members or the Brethren In Christ denomination. God established it and it belongs to Him. He has a plan to do good things in and through His work, and the best thing we can do is to let Him be in control. When God is truly in charge, and when we don't get in the way of what He wants to do, we can always be sure that His best is in store.

So then, what is our role in times of transition? Our role is to seek God, and to earnestly pray that His perfect will be accomplished. Uncertainty and concerns give way to trust as we come to God and place the future in His hands. 

So I want to encourage you, in light of some big decisions to be made at The Mission regarding staff, to pray. Here are some suggestions.

  • pray that God would make sure these ministry opportunities at The Mission come to the attention of the right people
  • pray that the Holy Spirit would unmistakably place His call on the people of His choice
  • pray that the Pastor and Board would be clearly led by God in the selection of the people to fill these positions
  • pray for the congregation, that we would be welcoming and supportive of God's choices
  • pray for those who will be most impacted by this transition, particularly the Mission Kids and the church youth
  • pray that God will empower the people He has chosen to fill these roles, enabling them in a special way to fulfill their responsibilities
I believe God is sovereign. I believe when He allows or instigates change it's because there are things He wants to accomplish. Let's be faithful to pray and trust God through the transitions ahead, giving Him complete control and expecting amazing things to happen as He works out His perfect will at The Mission.