Lately, I’ve been doing a lot of reading and research on church renewal and revitalization. One constant theme that runs through most of the resources on church renewal and revitalization is this: it is extremely difficult!

This morning, I came across this quote from Brandon Cox. “To turn things around, you won’t be able to do what you’ve been doing. Things will have to change radically and painfully, and very few churches survive the transition. You’ll have to let go of the reins and give up control. In other words, you’ll have to do the very thing human beings are most afraid to do for your church to have a chance at new life.”

Leading a church towards renewal and revitalization is a long, hard journey. There are no quick fixes.

The renewal and revitalization process requires the difficult work of:

• saying goodbye to sacred cows
• saying hello to new ways of being the church
• admitting our failures (to the point of being repentant)
• doing the hard work of figuring out who God has called us to be today
• celebrating, remembering, and learning from our past successes
• not allowing ourselves to have an unhealthy attachment to our past

Part of church renewal and revitalization is working through transitions. The transitions really pace through something like this: endings, the middle, and beginnings. We end former ways, work and transition through the middle, and then birth a new beginning.

In order to do this, churches have to have a clear focus. The church has to know where it is going. Once the church knows where it is going, it has to do the hard work of sifting through what will help and what will  hinder the church from fulfilling it’s mission and vision. This begins the difficult phase of transitions…ending some things, strengthening others, and beginning new ministries and programs that will better serve the mission and vision of the church.

All of this will bring about tension. Healthy churches will deal with the tension. The leaders will identify what is causing the tension in the middle and develop processes for working through it.

Church renewal and revitalization is difficult work.

Part of the difficulty stems from what I believe is one of the biggest challenges for churches everywhere…We have a problem admitting we have a problem.

One aspect that makes it difficult for churches to admit that we have problems is that, in general, people love their church. We love our churches, their history, their people…it works for us, right?

One of the key indicators that we have a problem admitting we have a problem is the language of, “Well, we’ve always done it that way.”

Let’s be honest for a moment, the whole “well, we’ve always done it that way” has ushered numerous churches around the world to the point of needing revitalization, renewal, or, in the spirit of honesty, a funeral.

So, when churches are faced with the hard cold facts of where we truly are, we get defensive (which is natural), we get dismissive, we get argumentative, and we are tempted to live in a state of denial.

Again, we have a problem admitting we have a problem.

For those of us in the United Methodist Church, we don’t want to admit that not paying our conference/district tithe is an act of disobedience and unfaithfulness.

We don’t want to admit that our buildings can be liabilities.

We don’t want to admit that we have become isolated from our immediate mission field.

We don’t want to admit that what we’ve been doing is no longer working.

We don’t want to admit that we aren’t as welcoming and inviting as we think we are.

We don’t want to admit that we really don’t trust our pastors, staff, and lay leadership.

We don’t want to admit that our pastors, denominational leaders, and church consultants might actually know what they are talking about.

We don’t want to admit that we have become too comfortable with being content and comfortable.

We don’t want to admit that we are fearful of giving up control.

We don’t want to admit that we are more concerned about our needs than the needs of the least, the last, the lost, and the poor among us.

We don’t want to admit that we are more attached to our past than our present.

We don’t want to admit that we are tragically behind the times.

We don’t want to admit ______________.

One of the first steps towards renewal and revitalization is to “let go of church as you’ve known it.” Church revitalization and renewal isn’t necessarily about transitioning worship styles, changing locations, getting a new pastor and so on. However, it will be about letting go of ministries, programs, ways of doing things that are no longer bearing fruit. It might be more about tweaking and strengthening current ministries than adding new ministries. I’m convinced that churches need to focus on doing less, better. Instead of adding new ministries that will “fix” the church, we need to eliminate things that are no longer effectively making disciples and improve/strengthen those things that have proven effective at the whole making disciples thing (which I’m pretty sure Jesus thought was fairly important).

For me, I think before we can “let go of church as you’ve known it”, we have to be willing to admit that we have a problem. After admitting that we have a problem, we have to make the decision if we really want to do “whatever it takes” to address the problems.

Church renewal and revitalization is difficult work. It takes a lot of time, hard work, and dedicated leaders. The good news is, renewal and revitalization is possible!

As I watch the news from Paris and read my Facebook and Twitter feeds, I’m overwhelmed with a deep sense of sadness.

I feel that it is appropriate to remind myself and others that radical religious extremists do not represent the whole.

Just like radical extreme fundamentalist Christians do not represent all Christians, radical extreme fundamentalist Muslims do not represent all Muslims. And, we can just go down the list of religions.

Those religious extremists who commit horrible, heinous acts of violence in the name of their version of God do not represent the whole.

Westboro Baptist Church does not represent the average Christian. “Christians” who blow up abortion clinics do not represent the average Christian. Jewish groups that commit acts of violence do not represent all Jews. Muslim groups that commit acts of violence do not represent all Muslims.

I know all of this is redundant, but in light of posts I’m reading on Facebook and Twitter, it’s a point that needs to be driven home.

Many Muslims, Christians, and Jews are peaceful, loving, kind, caring, people seeking to honor and serve God by loving and serving one another.

Yes, there are Muslims, Christians, and Jews who have a distorted view of God and commit horrible acts of violence in their God’s name. However, those who commit these acts of violence are the radical minority.

Before we begin to point fingers, pass judgment, and say hateful and hurtful things about groups of people based on the actions of a few, we need to spend some time looking in the mirror.

I don’t know about you, but I don’t always represent God very well. I know my hands aren’t clean. I know I’m not fully innocent.

So, rather than passing judgment on others, maybe people of faith who are not being represented well by the radical few…Muslims, Christians, Jews, Hindus, Buddhists, etc…should join together to work for peace and love.

It is finally upon us…the most wonderful time of the year! Yes indeed my friends…it’s time for the Christmas Eve Candlelight Service!

For those of us in ministry (clergy or laity), we know that every Christmas Eve, church trustees, building committees and facilities teams lift up heartfelt prayers to the Almighty (or Sweet Baby Jesus, if you prefer the Christmas Jesus) that they will be spared from that which is most dreaded…candle wax dripping on the pews/chairs/carpet/hymnals/coffee mugs/etc.

I’ve witnessed some form of the what I refer to as “the Christmas Eve candle wax worry” at every church I have served. Trust me, a great deal of time has been spent in church meetings all around the world discussing candle wax related issues. “Should we continue to use those little paper rings? They hardly create a barrier and last year three adults caught their paper on fire! Maybe we should invest in those fancy plastic guards that look like a cup you would find at a Ball State tailgate party? Have we ever considered using battery operated candles, at least for the children? Maybe we should just ask people to download the lighter app on their phones and pretend they are at a Lynyrd Skynyrd concert?”

Trust me, I’ve heard about every angle in the great “Christmas Eve candle wax worry” debate. The debate intensifies when the church has recently purchased new pews/chairs/carpet/hymnals/coffee mugs/etc. (as was the case in 2 churches I served…and “new” is generally used relatively loosely in the church…if it happened in the last 15 years, it’s probably considered new).

Listen, I get it…candles can be messy. Candles can be dangerous. Candles are like little fires!!!

Yet, for me, there is something beautiful, dare I say holy about those pesky little candles.

So, what some trustees dread, I see as a tremendous blessing…

Candle wax on the pews/chairs/carpet/hymnals/coffee mugs/etc just might indicate that your congregation has been blessed with folks in attendance who don’t know how to play by the “Silent Night” candle lighting rules! Hallelujah! Praise the Lord!

Now, I know the tendency to judge those who only show up at Christmas (and maybe Easter). But, shouldn’t we be thrilled that we at least have the opportunity to share hope, love, joy, peace, grace, mercy, and the good news of great joy with them at least once a year?

If people haven’t grown up in the church, they might not be familiar with church candle lighting etiquette. Some in attendance may be under the assumption that the point is simply to get the candles lit as quickly as possible, by any means necessary.

With this in mind, churches often go to great lengths, offering proper candle lighting demonstrations, in order make sure all know how to properly light a candle.

However, we need to consider that some of the new folks might just be so nervous…or so focused on whether or not their child is behaving…or worried about knowing how to find the restroom…or so concerned that they might do or say something wrong…or whatever that they totally miss the demonstration/instructions/fail to read the bulletin/or just freeze in the moment and “get it wrong”!

Of course, it won’t take long for them to learn that they have breached church candle lighting etiquette.

After noticing the disapproving stare from the front row of the choir and the gossipy chatter from the back of the sanctuary (“did you see how he angled his lit candle?”), one would realize he/she had deviated from previously agreed upon procedures.

And, let’s be honest…that one little moment…that moment when the candle is lit…has within it great potential.

If the person is made to feel bad for a little wax dripping, if the person receives a disapproving look or hears the grumbling, that might just be the last time we have the opportunity to share to good news of great joy with them.

However, if they receive an “it’s okay” or a polite smile or that all-knowing “I’ve been in your shoes”, or realizes that people aren’t really paying attention to them, but caught up in this holy moment themselves, it might make them relax and enjoy the overwhelming beauty of the moment.

Pastors are put in a tough spot…do we give step by step instructions on appropriate candle lighting procedures? Or do we assume folks can figure it out? Either way, wax is going to end up on the pews/chairs/carpets/hymnals/coffee mugs/etc.

For me, the question is whether we allow people to experience a holy moment or unintentionally communicate that pews/chairs/carpet/hymnals/coffee mugs/etc are more important than people? If we go overboard, we run the risk of filling a beautiful, holy moment with rules and regulations and the beauty is lost in the business of church. Hmm…I wonder if the Pharisee’s had any candle lighting rules and regulations? Ouch!

I’m sure there is a healthy balance somewhere. Either way, the pastor is going to hear about some time between the end of the Christmas Eve service and the first of the year. And, by the way, it will most likely be her/his fault!

So, for my readers who are considering attending a Christmas Eve Candlelight Service and desire a heads up, here are some pointers:

– the lit candle always stays vertical (in other words, keep the flame pointed to the sky)

– to light the unlit candle, tilt the unlit candle wick into the lit candle flame

– as soon as your candle is lit, straighten the candle to vertical (seriously, don’t waste any time in this step)

– avoid yawning, heavy breathing or singing too loudly, as this may result in wax splatter and judgmental gazes

– don’t mess with the little paper rings that are supposed to protect your hand and the pews/chairs/carpet/hymnals/coffee mugs/etc from wax drippings. Trust me, it will only make things worse and potentially start a small fire! Yes, I know it will burn, but you’ll probably only sing 4 verses of “Silent Night” and a potential repeat of the first verse (unless you go to a contemporary church where you run the risk of the band leader adding in a few “new” and “more relevant” verses) and a long prayer from the pastor in which he/she attempts to sum up the entirety of the Gospel! Most churches have first aid kits…maybe…so, seriously, it will be okay!

For my readers who tend to worry about pews/chairs/carpet/hymnals/coffee mugs/etc, here are a couple of things to remember:

– wax on pews/chairs/carpet/hymnals/coffee mugs/etc is something to celebrate. It just might indicate that more than “just the regulars” joined you for this very special night!

– while candle wax is annoying, it can be removed…yes, I know it’s annoying and time consuming…but it probably won’t impact the structural integrity of the building or aesthetic appeal of the pews/chairs/carpet/hymnals/coffee mugs/etc…maybe the wax cleaning crew could offer up prayers of thanksgiving for the folks who came and dripped candle wax while ironing out the wax???

– Relax! It’s just a little wax. And, I’ve noticed that those who tend to get the most worked up aren’t the ones who end up cleaning it up anyway!

In all seriousness, wherever you find yourself this holiday season (OMG, he’s a pastor and just called it the “holiday season”, plus I thought he just wrote “in all seriousness”) I hope and pray that you will experience something beautiful and holy!

 

Thursday and Friday, I had the pleasure of leading chapel for the Centerville Academic Christian Preschool. Once a month, I meet with the students in the sanctuary at Centerville UMC to sing songs and talk about the Bible.

Today, we focused on Psalm 150. We talked about how we can worship God wherever we find ourselves (at church, in the car, in nature, etc.). We also talked about how we can praise God with our voices, with instruments, with our thoughts, and so on.

So, I brought some of my instruments over to the sanctuary to let the kids play. As I was packing up my instruments, I made some observations.

The first is how hilarious it is that my mother bought me a hand drum with pot leaves (yes, marijuana leaves) carved into it! My innocent mother, while on a Caribbean cruise with her innocent best friend, bought me a djembe that promotes marijuana! Now, let me be very clear, I’m positive that neither my mother nor her best friend had any clue what type of leaves were carved into the drum. Had my father been on the trip, well, I’m pretty sure he would have been able to help my mother find a different drum! But, my mom bought it for me, so I continue to use it.

Another observation is that Centerville is the first place I’ve used that drum and not had someone ask me about the pot leaves. Each time I used it in Lafayette, someone asked if I knew there were pot leaves on the drum! I guess Lafayette is a bit more liberal than Centerville.

The final observation came when I was packing up my equipment. As I was loading drums into cases and gig bags, I was overwhelmed by what can only be described as the smell of Headliners. For those of you who are not aware, Headliners was a dirty, smoky bar in Muncie best known for live music, penny beers, and being the headquarters of the Muncie Matey’s. For some reason, gig bags and cases seem to hold on to smells for years. So, as I loaded up congas and drums, I was met by the aroma of a dirty, smoky bar! It brought back some really great memories of great friends and great music. Isn’t it interesting how a smell can take you back to very specific times and places?

So, I’m thankful for the preschool chapel day! Not only did I get to hangout with some cool kids and talk about God, I had a good laugh over my marijuana drum and had some fun reminiscing about the “good old days”!

This message was shared at Centerville United Methodist Church in Centerville, IN on Sunday, November 2nd. Matthew 5:1-12 was the Scripture reading for the day. Prior to the sermon, a brief explanation on All Saints Day/Sunday was shared utilizing resources from Ministry Matters and the General Board of Discipleship of the UMC. 

“Happy are people who are hopeless, because the kingdom of heaven is theirs. Happy are people who grieve, because they will be made glad.” (Matthew 5:3-4)

Our Scripture this morning came from Matthew 5:1-12. Can you imagine being in the crowd as Jesus began to deliver this teaching. He starts with these words…”Happy are people who are hopeless.” How many of us would have dismissed Jesus at this point? Are you kidding me? Happy are the people who are hopeless? If we just heard the first parts of each statement, we’d probably think this Jesus character is nuts! “Happy are the hopeless. Happy are people who grieve. Happy are the humble and meek.”  I don’t know about you, but when I’ve been hopeless, I haven’t been happy. When I’m grieving, I’m rarely happy.

Eugene Peterson, in the Message paraphrase of these verses writes, “You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule. You’re blessed when you feel you’ve lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you.”

The idea is that, when we become fully dependent, fully obedient, and fully faithful to God, we can find true happiness…no matter where we are in life. When we seek God, there is that “peace that passes all understanding”…that somehow we make it through the most difficult moments of life. We are not to look at our current situation…but look to what lies ahead…and be “full of joy and be glad.”

When we realize that this life is not the end of the story…when we realize that the reign of the kingdom of God is a very real and present thing…we can find hope, joy, comfort, peace, and, yes, even happiness. While our pain and sorrow is real and may last for quite some time, we should be working towards joy. When we think of the tremendous blessings the saints brought into our lives, we should be full of joy and be glad.

In the Gospels, we see the powerful, yet compassionate side of Jesus. We see a Jesus who brought happiness through breaking down barriers, walking with people through difficult moments, and performing miracles. “Jesus performed some miracles as signs of his identity. He used other miracles to teach important truths. But we also read that he healed people because he “had compassion on them.” Jesus was, and is, a loving, caring, and feeling person. When you are suffering, when you are grieving, remember that Jesus hurts and mourns with you. He has compassion on you.” (From Life Application Study Bible Devotion, Day 166 on Matthew 14:14)

I believe it is a miracle when God meets us in our suffering, in our grieving and mourning and turns our mourning into dancing, our grieving into gladness, and our tears into shouts of joyous praise. Jesus’ desire is not to rush our mourning or grieving period, but to offer us love, grace, mercy, compassion and peace as we suffer through the pain and sorrow of human loss.

This text is appropriate for a day like All Saints Sunday. On this day, we remember those who have gone before and provided a faithful witness of following Christ. In this text, Jesus is essentially saying that God is with us at all times. When we are hopeless, God is with us. When we grieve and mourn, God is with us. When we hunger & thirst for righteousness and justice, God is with us. The blessedness and happiness Jesus speaks of is the blessed assurance that God truly is with us…when we are hopeless, when we grieve and mourn, wherever we’re at, whatever we’re facing, through the good, the bad, and the ugly, God is with us. That produces joy and gladness. We have been blessed…we must engage life fully…we need to strive to embrace happiness, knowing that this is not the end of the story.

Our journey to happiness may be long and difficult. We may experience moments of happiness, followed by moments of grief. The key is to make Jesus the central focus of our lives…no matter what we are facing…and we’ll be able to have confidence that one day all our sorrows will fade and we will embrace true happiness in the presence of our Creator.

Pharrell Williams is a musician, producer, and currently a judge on NBC’s the voice. He seems like a genuinely nice guy. I believe his song “Happy” gives us a glimpse and idea of what happiness looks like. Let’s take a look at Pharrell Williams “Happy”

How do we, as followers of Christ, embody the happiness Jesus speaks of? Does our relationship with Jesus provide us with such comfort, peace, hope and joy that we just can’t help but sing and dance? The Bible tells us that God will turn our mourning into dancing, our tears into shouts of joy (Psalm 30:11)!

In light of Christ’s resurrection, evil, sin, not even death have the final word…though the pain and suffering may last a long time, it won’t be the final word. So, on all saints Sunday, we celebrate life! We remember those saints in our lives, we honor those saints in our lives, we celebrate the lives of those saints, and we strive to follow their example.

Let us think of the saints that have gone before. Who are the saints in your life? I think of Dale Brubaker (prophetic words of wisdom), Jay Leatherman (encouraging, kind words), and my great-grandmother Cora Bathauer (faithful example). What is it that qualifies them as saints? Their hope in Christ and their faithful witness.

One of the ways we can honor that “great cloud of witnesses” is by attempting to live faithful lives, providing a faithful witness for those who will come after us. By participating in the life of our church in our prayers, our presence, our gifts, our service, and our witness, we not only honor the saints, we honor God, and we set an example of faithfulness. Next Sunday, we will hold a Rally Day. Following the worship service, you will be invited to join us in the fellowship hall to visit tables and learn more about our ministry teams. This will give you an opportunity to sign up to participate in areas that interest you or in which you are gifted. My goal is that we would all take “A.I.M.”…all in ministry. We need each and every one of you. Whether you serve on a team or commit to pray for our church, you are a crucial part of this church. If we are going to grow, if we are going to reach more people with the good news of Jesus Christ, if we are going “to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world” it will take all of us working together. Serving the church is a step towards faithful obedience of Jesus. So, following the worship service on the 9^th, you’re going to want to sign up for something…because we won’t let you out of the building until you have! It’s going to be a busy day as we honor our Veterans as well!

Rev. Tom Heaton from Mission Guatemala will be here to share about the mission and present a challenging message that confronts our tendency to make excuses…to find reasons why we can’t serve. Tom is a very passionate and gifted preacher. His heart for missions is contagious. I am a better person because of Tom’s example and friendship. I can’t wait for you all to meet him and hear about this incredible mission. He will share about the mission in more detail during the Sunday school hour. This would be an excellent Sunday to invite your friends, family, neighbors, co-workers.