Category: DOC Thoughts
Along the Way
My friend, Rev. David Cobb, writes a blog. David is a local church minister and is a great guide and theologian for his congregation and all those that go Along the Way. Stop by for a visit to his blog or visit the Spirit of Joy congregation if you are in the Lakeville, Minnesota area.
Taking Stock
Feb. 14, 201I heard an interview last night on Minnesota Public Radio with a man who works in Antarctica. He talked about the long winters. But what really intrigued me was when he talked about preparing for trips. One trip he took inland was for three months. He had to choose everything he would take, including every toiletry item and every meal he would eat, for the full time he was away. Choosing from canned and frozen goods, he would need to decide how many meals would require frozen hamburgers, scallops, chile rellenos, soft drinks, coffee, etc. He said taking stock was the hardest part of the trip. But he had to do it. His life depended on it.
Taking stock spiritually rarely seems like my life depends on it. But what if, as I suspect in my more reflective moments, it actually does?
So here’s a start. My spiritual inventory for Lent 2013: click here to read more.
Youth & Children . . . the Church Today
I’ve been saying for a long time now that children and youth are the Church today and tomorrow. It’s more than a marketing phrase for me and one reason why I think of my service in the church as “teaching the language of faith and the practice of Christianity for the Church today and tomorrow.” Here in Oklahoma we are using that as a benchmark, vision, and mission statement all rolled into one. A friend in ministry, Rev. Evan Dolive, continues the practice of “public theologian” as he writes for the local paper in his community. His thoughts on this topic are shared in this paragraph.
Young people are not leaving the church because they have objection with the teachings of Christ, rather they are leaving because they have no place in the church. Sure churches do a great job with their nursery program, Worship and Wonder program and even youth and college programs, but after that the church has not done too well. The church has bought into the lie that the late Whitney Houston promoted, that the “children are our future.”
This, my friends, is a bold face lie.
Children, middle schoolers, high schoolers, young adults are not the future of the church, they are the “right now.” Click here to read more.
As I reflect on my denomination, the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) we too are contracting as many mainline denominations and even the “megas” are as well. I don’t think “mall Christianity” works long term and for me long term is more important than “saving souls.” No, my denomination has systematically dismantled ministry with/for children, youth, and young adults from our General manifestation right down to local congregations. It’s the easiest way to cut the budget when dollars decrease. We’ve noted in resolutions and mission imperatives that children and youth are important, even vital, for our expression of faith, but as yet have not reallocated resources to match those words. We delegate children’s ministry and youth ministry to “professionals” that may have theological training and smile at them when these people who know something about this ministry remind us that ministry with children, youth, and young adults requires everyone in a congregation, a Region, or a General ministry unit.
So, the next time I hear a Sr Minister, a Regional Minister or our General Minister and President talk about the importance of these ministries with children, youth, and young adults I’m going to vocally suggest, beginning with this post, that the next time they are offered a raise these persons set an example by declining it and asking that those monies be allocated to the children, youth, and young adult ministries in their context. If, our GMP would make that statement from the pulpit at General Assembly this year it would send ripples throughout our denomination. It would set a tone and direction. If, the next time a Regional Minister is offered a raise and announced that those funds needed to be allocated to the Region’s ministry with children, youth, and young adults that would ripple into congregations and set a different tone. If a local Sr Minister or solo Minister did the same it would set the tone, the direction, and note the actuality that children, youth, and young adults are the Church today as well as tomorrow.
I’m not saying that congregations have to become children, youth, and young adult focused only. I am saying that intentionally including this age demographic in “being” church/Church is, like an educated laity, congregational and Church reformation. It’s one way to arrest contraction before it plunges too far down the lifecycle toward death or worse, irrelevancy. That’s why some of my peers in ministry and I call this “missional ministry.” At some point this missional ministry has to be as important at starting new congregations because where this intentionally happens in local settings, congregations are born anew or revived by the gifts of the entire community. New congregations emerge with each generation and retain Disciple DNA. In Regions where this intentionally happens, leadership is learned, shared, and shaped because the ideas, energy, and presence of all ages is important to the life of the community and the structure not simply to survive, but to thrive. Thanks Evan for the words about the big lie.