Late Wednesday afternoon, I had the joyous opportunity to stop into one of my favorite places in the world, The Heorot Pub and Draught House in Muncie, IN. There’s something beautiful about the Heorot. Every time I visit, I’m overcome with an overwhelming sense of peace, joy, rest and comfort. In all honest, there is some kind of spiritual connection for me at the Heorot, as my soul feels at ease as soon as I walk through the doors.

This afternoon, I found myself listening to Jim White vs. The Packway Handle Band’s song “Jim 3:16”. My favorite lyrics say: “Half my life I lived in fear I’d burn in hell, but now it’s clear, that a bar is just a church that serves beer.”

Currently, I’m reading a book called “The Beer Drinker’s Guide to God: The Whole and Holy Truth about Lager, Loving, and Living.”

Put these experiences together, and it’s easy to understand why the line “a bar is just a church that serves beer” keeps running through my head.  As I think about the line, I found myself thinking, “I wish more churches were like bars.” Let’s be honest, some bars tend to be a little bit more fun, welcoming, hospitable, friendly, and full of life than some churches.

Wednesday at the Heorot, as soon as I sat down, the bartender acknowledged me, finished dealing with another customer, and quickly made his way over. The bartender was friendly and knowledgeable. He was able to give in-depth descriptions of various offerings and give helpful suggestions. After placing my order, he kind of gave an affirming acknowledgement of my selection and quickly had a tasty pint of People’s Notorious BIP in front of me (I think I was missing my Lafayette friends just a bit)! He also made small talk and continually checked on me to make sure I was having a pleasant experience. He made me feel welcomed, but did not overwhelm me as if he was desperate for my business. Later, we realized some of our mutual connections to the Muncie music scene of the 90’s and did some reminiscing!

After my experience with a friendly and knowledgeable bartender, I found myself wondering who are the bartenders at church? Who are the people who are friendly, knowledgeable, and making sure guests have a pleasant experience? Are our bartenders welcoming, but not pushy and overwhelming? I can think of a few churches I’ve visited where the hospitality staff have obviously read some books, developed a system, and by golly, they are going to work that system. And, it goes one of two ways…it is cold and impersonal or it is a bit too much. Of course, there is the way of being totally ignored, which I’ve also experienced at a number of churches. Okay, maybe I’m being too hard on the church. There are a few  who get it right! Back to the bar…If I asked my bartender a question about any number of the ridiculous number of beers at the Heorot, he would have been able to give me a wealth of information. Not only that, with a few simple questions, he could point me in the direction of something new and different that might be of interest. Again, who are the bartenders at church?

In between conversations with the bartender, another patron quickly struck up a conversation. It was a very interesting conversation. It started with an invitation to play chess (which he had learned to play at the Heorot). We then talked about music and the beautiful city of Muncie. As we continued our conversation, he opened up about his multiple trips to prison and some time he had spent at the state hospital in Richmond. He talked about his family in Kentucky, his various jobs, prison food, and gambling in Vegas. He talked about how he’d been through some rough phases, but things seemed to be going well now.

After my experience talking with my fellow patron, I found myself wondering if the church is creating safe places where people can be open, honest, and vulnerable? This guy opened up almost immediately. Granted, the beverages being served may have helped loosen the atmosphere. But, I wonder if those of us in the church (especially those of us in leadership positions) are more focused on keeping up appearances than being real? How many times, when we ask “how are you doing” do we get the routine answers of “great”, “fine”, “pretty good”, “I’m blessed”, and so on? Do we have environments in the church where people can have a sense of safety, trust, and love that they can be fully honest? Do we have places in the church where it is okay to not be okay?

While I was talking and enjoying my beverage, an older gentleman began playing the piano. He played some boogie-woogie, honky tonk, walkin’ bass swingy goodness. Seriously, he was jamming! He even threw in a couple of familiar hymns! Nothing like hearing a nice Charles Wesley melody while sitting in your favorite pub! But, it wasn’t a performance. It was fun and carefree, yet beautiful! It helped usher in a sense of pure joy!

So, while listening to the gentleman play the piano, I found myself wondering if the church is too focused on performance and perfection? This guy wasn’t performing. He wasn’t perfect. But, it was enjoyable, moving, fun, and excellent (remember, excellent doesn’t always mean perfect)! I wonder if there are folks who would be willing to share their talents if we weren’t so focused on “the show” of church/worship?

It was also spontaneous. I wonder if there is any room for spontaneity in the church? I mean, I suppose we’re all up for the movement of the Holy Spirit, as long as it fits within our regularly scheduled services!

This evening, I find myself wondering what the church can learn from the bar. While we in the church may view the bar as part of our mission field, we just might have something to learn from the bar.

 

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”!