CBF Needs to 'Catch a Wave'

Monday, August 30 2010 10:21:38 AM

Surfing a wave looks so easy: at the right moment the surfer paddles like crazy, then quickly jumps up on the surf board maneuvering into the curve of a breaking wave and gently balancing herself between the forces of gravity and the thrust of a mountain of water.  Surfing can be a thing of rare beauty.

The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship (CBF) needs to ‘catch a wave,’ a cultural wave.

We Baptist have been really good wave-riders.  We did it very successfully in the twentieth century; in fact, it was so easy most of us did not know we were riding a cultural wave.

The Commission on Efficiency presented its report in 1914 to the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) recommending structural changes to re-shape denominational life in keeping with the Industrial Age.  The methodologies that made the industrial assembly line work so well were applied to Baptist life.  Thus, the SBC Executive Committee and the Cooperative Program were created: the Committee managed the denomination and the unified budget system paid for it.  Without apology, Baptists in the early twentieth century paddled hard and caught a cultural wave; and indeed, it was a thing of rare beauty.

We CBFers seem to be having trouble catching a wave.  This is not to say things are going badly; we can paddle with the best of them!  There are signs of vitality all over CBF land.  In my little part of the world Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond (BTSR) is doing its essential work well.  We have 598 graduates sprinkled around the globe and many more on the way.  While most mainline seminaries are experiencing declining enrollment we are actually growing; mostly because we are focusing sharply on the needs of congregations.  When the national economy improves and we can get a little wind beneath our wings, we will soar. The BTSR story is mirrored among many CBF Partner organizations.

Even so, the movement has yet to ‘catch a wave.’

A friend sent me a link to EthicsDaily.com and an article which included a comparison between the last two times CBF met in Charlotte, North Carolina.  In 2003 attendance at the General Assembly was 4,357, in 2010 it was about 2,400.  If you do the math, that is a decline of 44.92%.  Some of this decline is attributable to the national economy, but not all of it.  Even the most enthusiastic support of CBF will surely admit, “OK, maybe we can do things a little better.”  From my perspective it simply shows we are paddling around in deep water trying to ‘catch a wave.’

Thank goodness for the Good News Task Force appointed at the 2010 General Assembly in Charlotte, North Carolina.  Commissioned to examine the structure of CBF, the Task Force is going to help us ‘catch a wave.’  I label it the Good News Task Force because its appointment is good news for all who believe in the cause!  The Task Force deserves our support and prayers.

Of course, the Task Force will face substantial resistance; change is never easy, and the deeper the change the greater the resistance.  On the one hand the task is easy, just help CBF ‘catch a wave.’  On the other hand, catching the dominate cultural wave of the twenty-first century will require foundational changes in CBF’s structure.

CBF was created with a successful twentieth century model in mind, the old SBC.  That is all we knew twenty years ago.  The twenty-first century requires a de-centralized model for denominational life: resources ‘pushed’ toward ministry action (where water hits the wheel), churches and partners resourcing each other, only doing for churches what they cannot do for themselves and a sharp focus on values (organizationally, the things we are willing to die for).

To ‘catch a wave’ our centralized system has to morph into a decentralized system, asap.

In August 1990 I was a party crasher, along with about 2,800 other people.  We heard there was a consultation in Atlanta and we showed up!  It was a day of enormous creative energy, passionate commitment and gutsy will.

All we have to do is recapture a bit of that old magic and apply it to the twenty-first century.  Then, and only then, we will stop paddling and ‘catch a wave.’

Grace and Peace.

True to Self, True to Calling

Thursday, August 19 2010 08:28:05 AM

Healthy ministers are true to themselves and their calling.

Being true to self is a moving target; we grow and evolve over a lifetime.  I remember reading an article noting the human brain isn’t fully developed until age 22.  Apparently, brain research has demonstrated the frontal lobe, the seat of judgment, is the last part of the brain to develop fully. 

When I finished reading the article, I called my adult son and said, “I understand.  Your brain wasn’t fully developed.”  He didn’t recognize the humor!

Our sense of self develops over time.  We mature.  We get a healthier sense of perspective.  In the second year of marriage everything seems of ultimate importance.  In the 32^nd year of marriage, we smile a lot and laugh-off potential conflicts; we learn to choose our battles.  We change emotionally, socially, psychologically and spiritually.

Sometimes the word ‘role’ is used negatively, as if serving a role lacks authenticity.  Actors play very different characters so convincingly we begin to wonder if the actor has a well-defined stable personality of her own.  We wonder, “Who is this person?”  Is she only playing a part?  Yet, the word ‘role’ can identify a part of life that is profoundly connected to the psychological and spiritual self: Mommy, Daddy, caregiver, sweetheart, child, grandchild, church member, minister.

In the context of ministry I hear ministers say, “I have to play the role,”  “I pay the rent,” or with deep emotion, “Why can’t I be myself?”  Ministers struggle with the role of ministry and their sense of self.  This is a key issue for ministers.  Those who make peace with the role may find fulfillment and happiness in ministerial service; those who cannot make peace with the role rarely stay in ministry.

I offer a few suggestions.

Self awareness is the most important knowledge we will ever possess.  One’s call to ministry is necessarily complex; it grows out of experience, personal history, psychological healthy (or lack thereof), personal fears and self understanding.  For instance, it is no accident my sense of call to ministry came within three months of my grandfather’s death; the first time I faced mortality questions were raised for me about life’s meaning, fertile soil for God’s work.

I often recommend counseling to seminary students.  There is no substitute for self-understanding.  One will never be comfortable in a ministerial role if she is not comfortable in her own skin.  Psychotherapy allows the individual to make peace with personal history and provides the insight to become proactive, not reactive, to life’s challenges.

A minister’s struggle with her role is, first and foremost, an internal struggle.

Center life in being, not doing.  It may be an overly psychological reading of the Gospel, but Jesus said to fishermen, “Come and follow me and I will make you become fishers of men (KJV).”  In coming to faith in Christ, we are becoming something.  The focus is on being, not doing.  In the life of ministry we seek to become a minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, we are not simply doing ministerial things.  We seek to embody the Gospel in our living.  Early in my ministry career I saw myself doing ministerial things; things I knew to do because my pastor/father did them, things I was trained to do in seminary, things I picked up form more experienced ministers.  I can still remember the sense that came to me (standing in my church office at Lakeside Baptist), “I’ve become a minister.  These ministerial things I do, I no longer do them because I have to do them; rather I want to do them, they grow out of my sense of being and purpose.”  For all of us who wrestle with the ministerial role, it is a happy day when you sense you have become a minister; as opposed to merely doing ministerial things.

Truly becoming a minister, psychologically and spiritually, is not the death of something in us but a spiritual metamorphosis.  We are becoming something by the Grace of God.

My son and his wife are pregnant.  They are happily enjoying a “isn’t this great – everything is new stage in life:” reading books, visiting the doctors, emailing reports to family.  They are beginning to act like parents and do parental things.  They changed their lifestyle: fewer parties and more nesting interests.  While they are making adjustments and doing what they believe they are supposed to do, the real moment of transformation comes when they hold their child for the first time.  There is nothing like being a parent.

Do not choose to live in a ‘glass house;’ live in your own house.  Much is typically made of expectations placed on ministers, and their families, by church members.  More attention should be placed on the minister’s acceptance of those expectations.  Cyndi and I made deliberate decisions about the way we would do family, and our decisions did not always square with the expectations of individual church members.  Sometimes this provided humor like the time grandmother types were standing around while Cyndi held our plump, exceedingly healthy, first-born.  To the question, “What are you feeding him?” Cyndi replied, “Just breast milk.”  And the delightful reply came, “Oh, my!  He can’t make it on just that!”

There were other times I said to church members, “Thank you for your suggestion.  I really appreciate your concern for my family.  Cyndi and I have talked about this and we have decided we’ll do something different for our family.”  It sounds dated now, but Cyndi and I: didn’t spank our children, didn’t require them to attend Sunday night activities (AM was required because “by the accident of birth you ended up in this particular family.  Sorry about that!”), involved our children in writing family rules (and consequences), allowed them to go to baseball practice instead of Wednesday evening mission groups for children (RAs), and allowed them to wear their hair as they chose (I never liked this decision, but it was a family decision; and it proved to be a very good decision for us).

It is one thing for church members to expect the minister to live in a ‘glass house.’  It is entirely another for the minister to agree it is a reasonable expectation.  Live in your own house.  Be intentional about the kind of family you want.  The key is being proactive, not reactive.  And, learn to deal with criticism.

Discipline self, recognize the church needs you to function well as a minister for the congregation to be successful.  This requires the minister to grow, evolve.  I am a natural introvert.  I get energy when I am alone.  Crowds can drain me.  As a pastor I worked an extrovert’s job.  While I would have been very happy “in my own little world,” the churches I served needed something different from me.  I learned to be an extrovert when the church needed a warm, friendly pastor.  Did I lack authenticity?  Was I playing a role?  I think I was working on becoming a better minister and a more balanced person. 

Who we are is always tempered by what God is leading us to become.  The Christian life is dynamic: we are moving through the wilderness to the Promised Land, we are becoming fishers of men (and women), we grow from denying Jesus to preaching like an angel on Pentecost.  Ministers must see themselves on a spiritual and psychological journey.  Fear of personal and spiritual growth is antithetical to the Christian life and devastating for a minister.  A minister’s mantra must be “with time God is going make something good of me.”

Roman Catholic theology suggests God gives a spouse to love and bless us . . .  and to ‘sand-off’ our rough edges.  Some church members love us, some ‘sand-off’ the rough edges.  Both are gifts from God.

Being and becoming go hand-in-hand in the life of ministry.

Finally, join the human family.  Because of our call to ministry, we ministers tend to think we are special, unique, different.  In many ways we are; in most ways we are not different.  Most people struggle with roles in life.  Nancy became a seminary student after a thirty year career with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).  We tease her about coming over from the ‘dark side.’  Who hasn’t heard an outrageous lawyer joke, or a negative comment about used car salesperson or Florida drivers (in Western North Carolina), or an umpire (“three blind mice, three blind mice”).

Struggle with ‘official roles’ is part of the human experience.  Ministers are not unique in this regard.

True to self -- true to one’s calling: it is not an either/or choice.  It is both/and.

Grace and Peace,

Ron

What I Learned in VBS

Friday, July 02 2010 06:10:10 AM

I taught rising fourth graders in my church’s Vacation Bible School last week.  It was my first effort as a VBS teacher.  I learned a lot and remembered things I had forgotten!

I learned children are a doorway to Jesus’ Kingdom of Love and Light.  We adults get busy with things we think are so important.  In the mornings I taught VBS; in the afternoons I worked on seminary business –strategic plans, administrative tasks, balancing budgets, catching up on work.  A few times every afternoon I looked up from my computer and thought, “I understand a little better why we enter the Kingdom as children or we don’t make it at all.”  Children have a wonderful capacity to love, trust, believe and accept. 

Andy (not his real name), who reads science fiction books when he wakes up early in the morning (goes to bed at 8 PM), listened intently as I told the story of Joseph interpreting Pharaoh’s dream – skinny ears of corn eating fat ones, skinny cows gobbling up fat cows and looking no better for it.  Andy didn’t blink an eye; he saw nothing unusual in the story at all.

 Bill had no trouble believing God is with us all the time and always eager to listen to our concerns and prayers.  With a big smile, Bill introduced me to his imaginary friend, Jim; he is tall and wears a vest.  Jill used to have an imaginary friend but she said, “I out grew her,” stated as if she were talking about the setting sun.  Strangely, Bill has not named his imaginary dog.

Carol sleeps with a sheet and two blankets, as does Sophie; who was absolutely thrilled to hear her name in our memory verse for the week.  Well, of course we read it in Greek.  Three of the children set alarm clocks and get themselves up in the morning.  Bill’s Mom pulls the sheet off him every morning.  And Jane’s alarm clock is her dog!

I learned children are better Christians than adults.  Children are as honest as the day is long.  They can be incredibly kind and generous.  Years of living does something harmful to people.  It tends to beat us down, diminishing our capacity to believe the best and trust others.  While children have a lot to learn, we adults have forgotten a lot of really important things.

I learned, again, accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior is a really big deal.  I do not pressure children to confess their sins and accept Jesus; but it is a wonderful privilege to talk with them about becoming a Christian.  It was a sacred honor to answer their questions about “being baptized” and explaining the definition of “profess.”  To a child, they all described themselves as sinners and could easily connect sin with doing wrong things.  While clear on sin, they were not so clear on salvation or how one becomes a Christian.  I gave them the best answers I could; which hauntingly reminded me of what I say to students, “If you can’t explain how to become a Christian to a nine-year-old, you can’t explain it to anyone else either.”  God has a wonderful sense of humor.  Even so, sitting on the floor with children talking about “opening one’s heart to Jesus” is about as good as it gets.

I learned, again, the utter importance of good curriculum material for children.  As fellow VBS teachers may have figured out, my church used Lifeway material this year: I substituted Genesis 1 for the material’s Genesis 2 because I know why the writers wanted to talk about ‘woman take from a rib of man;’ I skipped the ABC’s of salvation because salvation worth having does not come from a ‘can,’ and I inserted Lydia in the lesson – else the only biblical woman in the curriculum would have been Eve, ‘who messed things up!’  Lydia is a much better example of one coming to faith in Christ than Zacchaeus; and she became a splendid church leader.

I learned today’s kids connect well with the internet.  When I gave homework assignments (of course) they went straight to the internet.  I printed internet pictures of sycamore trees: the kind I grew up with in Virginia, those in England, and a picture of an ancient Israeli sycamore fig tree.  The kids were fascinated with internet pictures of Jericho, the archeological site, and the birth of stars as seen through the Hubble Telescope.  Every other day I have to remind myself the compute is my friend; children have no such problem.  It really is a brave new world!

I learned, again, why VBS is only one week long these days; though the kids were great.  I can only imagine what I must have put my teachers through many years ago when VBS was two weeks long.

I learned I can still sit crossed-legged on the floor for 45 minutes with children …. and get back up, it just takes my legs a lot longer to recover.

Grace and Peace,

Ron

Preparation or Pain?

Monday, June 21 2010 07:49:55 AM

The Great Recession and the Exceedingly Long Recovery will accelerate cultural trends that are shaping church life in America and may cripple local congregations.

As the Exceedingly Long Recovery drags on congregations need to reshape the business plan undergirding the church’s ministry.  We live in a new financial world and congregations need to adjust, quickly.

Churches must reduce building costs, debt and personnel costs permanently.  The temptation is to cut back on expenses assuming better times will return.  This is a very dangerous strategy for most churches; one that could cripple the congregation for a decade or more.  The better strategy is to assume the financial world of local congregational life has been forever altered.

Building costs may be reduced in a number of ways; lease space to an organization with similar values, a pastoral counseling practice or a church consulting group.  Think creatively about reducing building costs.

Avoid Debt at all costs.  The vast majority of churches do not need more buildings.  Instead of building larger facilities add multiply worship services and expand off-site programs (home Bible studies and fellowships).  Schedule church fellowship events at a county or city park.

Personnel costs as a percentage of the church’s operating budget need to drop significantly.  The rule of thumb in local congregational life has been to keep total personnel costs between 45 – 55% of the church’s operating budget.  In the future, personnel cost for local congregations needs to fall between 40-45%, or less.  Only exceedingly wealthy churches will be able to afford devoting 50% or more to personnel costs in the future.  The typical response I get is, “But you can’t fund our church’s ministry with less money!”  I offer as a response, “You can’t fund your ministry the way you have been doing it with less money.”  There is nothing sacred or biblical about the ministry model most churches use at the close of the Industrial Age.  The Information Age will reshape the way we do church; the sooner we change our business plan the better.

Decrease the percentage of the operating budget going to mission enterprises beyond the congregation.  While churches vary with regard to how much they give to missions, no more than 10% of the congregation’s operating budget should go to mission enterprises beyond the local church; excluding the congregation’s hands-on mission efforts (mission trips, local Habitat projects, home repair ministry, etc.).  Churches must prioritize mission gifts.

While some cost, as a percentage of the church’s operating budget, need to decline others need to increase.

Churches should increase the percentage of the operating budget devoted to ‘program’ ministries; consider doubling the amount now budgeted for this area.  Music, youth, children’s, senior adult programs will help grow the congregation.  Grow the ‘program’ area of the budget as a percent of the operating budget.

Increase the percentage of money going to hands-on mission projects, even if it requires a reduction in mission giving to denominational structures.  Mission efforts carried on by the congregation, especially in the church’s community, will add excitement and increase participation by church members and prospective members.

Increase the percentage of the operating budget devoted to training laity and providing for part-time employees.

The Exceedingly Long Recovery is an opportunity to reshape a congregation’s business plan.  In the midst of economic pain a congregation’s mantra should be “Let’s prepare for the future,” not, “Let’s avoid pain at all costs.” 

'Touchdown Jesus' Hit by Lightening

Tuesday, June 15 2010 08:03:12 AM

The King of Kings statue off I-75 near Monroe, Ohio was hit by lightening late Monday evening (6/14/10).  The 62-foot tall statue of Jesus with arms lifted (thus the nickname touchdown Jesus) was set ablaze and it’s Styrofoam, wood and fiberglass resin quickly burned, leaving only the steel structure.  The statue was build in 2004 and placed on the property of Solid Rock Church as a visual reminder of the hope Jesus offers.

Apparently, Jesus burned to the ground.  An act of God?  Maybe, but certainly an illustration the Church is not an institution but a movement.

We homo sapiens love institutions.  We love tall buildings and expansive educational space.  We constantly struggle with the Tower of Babel syndrome.  I am sure the King of Kings statue off I-75 was impressive and inspiring.  Yet at some point we must root Jesus’ continuing mission in the world, not in terms of what makes us comfortable and inspired, but in terms of his values.

I have trouble believing the Jesus of history would smile on a $250,000 Styrofoam statue.  He would surely challenge us to go sell what we have and give it to the poor.

The transition taking place in American culture, especially as its financial impact is felt in local churches, is a wonderful time for local congregations to reevaluate their ministry and focus more sharply on doing it Jesus’ way.  In fact, this opportunity may not return for a generation.

In the transition known to us as the English Reformation a small group of believers decided to go back to the New Testament and establish church polity and practice on Jesus’ words and the Earliest Church’s practices.  Today, we call those folks Baptists.

A few simple truths to remember:

Jesus is risen.  He is let loose in the world.  He is not confined to a sanctuary or human categories.  Jesus spent most of his time outside the religious establishment of his day helping people.

We are a fellowship.  Jesus followers are community, not because we meet the requirements of membership in a local church, but because we belong to him.  This fellowship knows no bounds.

We are to be known by our love, “By this shall all people know you are my disciples, if you love one another.”  This was Jesus’ dying wish.

We are a people on mission, God’s Mission.  We are to share the Good News in word and deed.

Our marching orders are fairly straightforward and direct.  We domesticate the Gospel to fit into our comfort zones.  So, we build impressive (by our standards) statues, buildings, organizations, and structures while our essential mission languishes.  Personally, I am in favor of beautiful sanctuaries, but the mission comes first.

The present moment in church life is painful because of the Great Recession and the Exceedingly Long Recovery.  Why not put the pain to good use and reshape local ministry around Jesus’ values?  We have a once in a lifetime opportunity to get it right.

Grace and Peace,

Another's Mistake, Your Pain

Wednesday, June 09 2010 06:29:09 PM

Last week umpire Jim Joyce called the runner safe and Armando Galarraga lost his perfect game.  Television reply demonstrated conclusively Joyce was wrong.  In fact after the game, Joyce apologized to Galarraga for the bad call.  Because professional baseball does not have instant replay the call stands and Galarraga was robbed of a perfect game. 

Ministers are often robbed of ‘perfect games’ through no fault of their own.  It just goes along with the joys and challenges of ministry.  I offer a few suggestions for the journey.

Never expect a perfect game.  Nine professional baseball players rarely all work together to produce a perfect game; it has happened only twenty times in the history of baseball.  Do we expect a congregation of hundreds to play a perfect game?  When one adds in the complexity of Baptist polity to the mix, it is wonder we do as well as we do!  Ministry takes place in a messy world.

Never lay blame.  If the minister plays the blame game, the church is headed down the wrong road and the minister’s heart is in the wrong place.  If the minister whines about social demographics, a declining neighborhood, people who leave the church and hard-headed members there is no chance the congregation will grasp a new dream.  This can become painfully personal for the minister.  Over thirty-five years of ministry, I have had some terribly bad calls.  In anger a church member said something about me that was not true.  And after all the gossip in the community, the church member did not have the nerve to take it back and set the record straight.  In congregational settings of high stress church members will unfairly point fingers at staff member.  It goes with the territory.  Though others may blame you, never play the blame game.

Never keep score.  God calls ministers to faithfulness, which may or may not qualify as success by the community’s standards.  While it is critical to have clearly identified congregational goals and objectives for ministry the minister’s personal goals are always related to the congregation’s goals.  The minister is successful when the congregation is successful.

Never withhold an apology.  To his credit, Jim Joyce (the umpire) apologized for his bad call.  This almost never happens in baseball.  When a minister makes a bad call, a mistake, or misspeaks an apology should quickly follow; it should be an honest straightforward, “I am sorry.”

Never expect an apology.  In a fair world, we could expect clergy and laity to offer apologies when appropriate.  I go to bed every night praying to wake up in a parallel universe, “a fair world.”  Unfortunately, I keep waking up in this unfair world.  Years ago I adopted a personal philosophy of ministry borrowed from an old movie: “Your fault, my fault, everybody’s fault, nobody’s fault, sometimes it just doesn’t matter.”  When wronged by others forgive and move on whether an apology is offered or not.

And lastly, do your best and trust the rest to God.  Contrary to popular opinion, Purgatory is designed for ministers who do less than their best.  High standards are a burden of a sacred calling.  Minister’s offer their best to God and trust the Holy One to use their gift effectively.

Seminary in Crisis

Wednesday, June 02 2010 06:45:52 AM

Bill Hull just published the book Seminary in Crisis: The Strategic Response of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary to the SBC Controversy.  Two themes caught my attention in the book. 

Hull identifies the leadership styles of Duke McCall and Roy Honeycutt in the book and their responses to the SBC Controversy.  McCall counseled Honeycutt in 1984, his successor at Southern, to lead Trustees of the seminary to refuse to seat Trustees elected by the Southern Baptist Convention.  This would have precipitated a struggle between Southern’s Trustees and the Convention for ownership of the seminary.  McCall saw this as the only strategy ‘to save’ the seminary.  Honeycutt did not accept McCall’s suggestion and sought to compromise with conservatives as the best way ‘to save’ the institution.

Hull’s portrayal of the two men, differing on the seminary’s salvation, is an interesting study in leadership and illustrates how one’s leadership perspective is deeply rooted in personal experience and personality.  The book fills-in a few gaps in the McCall—Honeycutt story and provides significant insight into the thought processes of each man, from one who knew both well. 

The McCall—Honeycutt--Southern sage was placed by Hull in the larger context of James Boyce’s vision for theological education.  As articulated by Hull, Boyce’s key insight was to provide theological education for Baptists of all persuasions at one institution.  Thus, conservatives and moderates were educated in a broader environment than either might prefer: as quoted by Hull of Boyce, students “should be so mingled together as to cause each class to recognize the value of the others, and thus truly to break down entirely any classification”.  Hull went on to say, “Once polarization was overcome, confidence, affection, and esteem could replace jealousies, suspicions, and prejudices” (pg.77).

Conservatives and moderates working together for a common cause is a grand idea.  It is a grand twentieth century idea.  

While I have the deepest respect for Bill Hull, it is appropriate to note he casts the discussion about McCall and Honeycutt in the larger context of Boyce’s vision for theological education, which was introduced in the book’s first chapter and noted in the last chapter as Hull reflected on ways to make Boyce’s original vision a new reality in the years ahead.  Thus, Hull makes the case “we can do more together.”  This theme was deeply rooted in the philosophy of the Industrial Age of the early twentieth century, which gave birth to the automobile assembly line and denominational structures like the Cooperative Program.  As applied to theological education, the philosophy of the Industrial Age built large regionally located seminaries – ‘We can do more together.’

The Information Age of the twenty-first century is headed in a fundamentally different direction: de-centralization, niche business and ministries and a focus on individual priorities over against ‘doing more together.’  As applied to theological education, the philosophy of the Information Age will build two different kinds of seminaries.  Large seminaries will grow around popular themes and trends, as opposed to classical or traditional themes in theological education (the Wal-Mart perspective).  Modest seminaries will focus sharply on specific values, priorities and methodologies (the Panera Bread perspective).  The basic philosophy of the Information Age centers in individual need, not ‘doing more together.’ 

In his last chapter, Hull asked, “Is it possible for conservative and moderates to work together in offering what Boyce called a ‘Common’ theological education?”  The answer is, “No;” not because moderates and conservatives are uncooperative (though that applies in some cases) but because foundational cultural shifts cannot be reversed.  While Boyce’s vision was wonderfully suited for the pre-industrial/industrial days of the late ninetieth and early twentieth centuries, American culture has moved into the Information Age where different cultural priorities hold sway.

Hull brings a wonderful strategic perspective to his writings.  In many regards, he is “spot-on.”  He struggles with the rest of us in understanding and embracing the cultural shifts of our time.  The old has passed.  The new has come. 

Grace and Peace,

PS.  Most of my readers will bristle at the suggestion the twenty-first century will focus on the individual rather than ‘doing more together,’ because it sounds terribly self-centered.  ‘Doing more together’ and taking care of the self are both healthy moral perspectives.  Among any number of healthy perspectives, local churches need to emphasize the perspective that relates best to its surrounding culture.  Need a verse?  “”To the weak I became weak, so that I might win the weak.  I have become all things to all people, that I might by all means save some.” (I Corinthians 9: 22)

The Disappearing Middle

Wednesday, May 26 2010 06:20:58 AM

Church life in modern American is characterized by the loss of a “consensus in the middle” and the growing influence of the political/theological right and left; as we have experienced in the national political environment.  The disappearing middle is exceedingly troubling for local churches, which traditionally based their identity and work on a solid consensus in the middle; thus off-setting the influence of extremes in a congregation’s life.  With a weakened middle, many churches are experiencing greater instability.  What is a minister to do? 

Root your ministry in the Bible.  Interpreting scripture in preaching and teaching is a unique function of clergy.  A minister who rightly divides the Word of Truth is going to be very hard to “unseat.”  This calls the minister to master scripture and to develop in the congregation a sophisticated understanding of how one interprets scripture.  Many “rump groups” in a congregation gain energy and influence around biblical issues.  Do not, do not give the courtyard of biblical interpretation over to the uninformed.  The successful minister will spend a lot of time and energy educating her congregation about the Bible and how one can responsibly interpret scripture.  Informed laity will add great stability to a congregation. 

 Focus on the congregation’s core values.  In unsettling times, it is essential for congregations to know who they are and where they are going.  In six months a congregational study can produce a handful of clearly articulated core values.  Developing two or three strategies based on those core values will provide the minister with church approved “marching orders.”  It is important the core values and key strategies are rooted in an accurate understanding of the congregation’s context (what is possible).  Armed with these values and strategies, the minister can work them in-season-and-out never allowing the congregation to be distracted from core values or key strategies.  As an example, one key strategy might be growing average Sunday School attendance in the Children’s Department.  A congregation focused on core values and key strategies will have little energy for things of secondary importance.  By the same token, a congregation which cannot identify “the big stuff” is destined to sweat the little stuff; and the little stuff will be the congregation’s undoing.

Grow the ministry.  Make the Christian life relevant to the cultural context of the church and grow the church, the number of bodies in the room.  If revenue is growing and members are joining, the minister’s hand will be strong.  When money and membership are declining every fault-line in the congregation will rise to the surface and the minister will be very vulnerable.  The minister’s destiny in a particular church is directly related to the congregation’s progress, or lack thereof.  Stagnation cripples a congregation and places a minister’s job at risk.  While quoting demographics and national trends my soften criticism, ministers are increasingly evaluated on the growth of the church.  Ministers are surely servants and helpers, but increasingly they must see themselves as catalysts spurring the congregation toward tasks, goals and growth.  Growing one’s church is essential for ministerial stability.

In the dramatic changes of modern life, ministers must help congregations find purpose and direction, and the resulting stability.  Doing less is an abdication of leadership and often the precursor of termination.  In these turbulent times, it is not enough to be a pastor; one has to also be a leader.

Grace and Peace, 

Personal Finance for Dummies (ministers)

Monday, May 17 2010 06:45:46 PM

No, I am not going to apologize for the title.  We ministers are really knowledgeable about a variety of subjects; finance is not usually one of them.  A recent seminary graduate asked me for financial advice as she begins her career in ministry.  The following is what I offered her.

Make annuity contributions a priority.  Set aside an amount equal to 10 -15% of your salary in a religious organization’s annuity program (SBC, CBF, MMBB).

Stick to a budget and take savings seriously, a little will go a long way.  Saving a little money each month will keep you out of unnecessary debt.  Put $50, $100, $500 a month in a savings account connected to your checking account.  A mutual fund connected to your account is also a good option.  Grow the balance over time to equal one year’s salary.  Ideally you want one year’s salary in a mutual fund and another two-three months salary in a savings account for special and unforeseen needs.  Don’t whine about how much money it is, just do it.

Debt is of the devil.  You will borrow money to purchase a home and a car.  Stay away from credit card debt.  Credit card debt is an instrument of the devil to entrap saints of God, and those of us trying to become semi-saints.  Ministers are never going to have significant income, thus, they must be particularly wary of debt.

If you will do these three things, you are on your way to a reasonable retirement.

Let’s talk a bit more about annuities.  It is important to choose an annuity plan with a denominational agency or organization.  Why? Because when you start pulling out the funds at retirement they can come to you as a “housing allowance” which is protected from income taxes in retirement.  This is really important.  This is a BIG deal!

In a religious annuity program you will have options of how you invest your money, from very conservative financial perspectives to higher yield/risk categories; and, it doesn’t cost to move your money from one category to another.  This is a BIG deal.  For most people who invest in the market (what you read about in the newspaper/web pages) it costs to move money (broker fees).  Consequently, it can cost a lot of money to withdraw from the market, or change your investments; if you an in a religious annuity program you avoid both pitfalls.

In your annuity program choose to invest in a “balanced fund.”  Typically this will be in the “middle” on a risk/return chart.  You want growth without great risk.  And then, just keeping sending monthly contributions and forget it. 

On your 41^st birthday, start reading the financial page of the newspaper/webpage; just stay aware of what the market is doing and the ups and downs of the economy.  On the first day of every month look online at the value in your retirement account.  Begin to pay attention to the growth of your funds.  Read a few books on investments.  A class on investing might make sense.  Don’t do anything with your funds at this point because you don’t know enough to be helpful.  Stay with the steady balanced fund approach.

On your 45^th birthday begin to think about the allocation of your retirement account.  “Balanced” has been good to you over the years.  Now, I want to add another concept: reduce your losses.

As you get closer to retirement age it is going to be important to manage your account.  Managing your account will allow better growth in your funds.  What I am suggesting is a simple method to minimize your losses.

Sustained growth in the market (Dow) is referred to as a bull market while sustained loss in the market is known as a bear market.  When you read in the newspaper/webpage about the downward trends in the market and the Dow is showing a significant decline over weeks, move your annuity money into fixed assets.  In effect you are reducing your losses.  Watch the market drop as the bear takes control.  When you read about the bottom being reached and experts are talking about a bull market and the Dow is in a sustained path upward, move your money back to a balanced fund position to take advantage of the growth.  If the growth is clearly upward, you may want to move your money to a more risky category to take advantage of the higher growth.  Because you have been reading and educating yourself for five years now, you’ll be in a much better position to manage your own financial picture.

As you reduce your losses in the market you will substantially increase your potential retirement income.  A little managing will be helpful in the last twenty years of your working career.

However, moving money in your retirement account ought to be a yearly matter; certainly not a weekly matter.  I am suggesting you move into fixed assets as the bear emerges and then move back into the market after the bull shows up (six months, maybe a year later).  Moving your money more than this will be over management for most of us, unless you have become very skilled in financial matters.

On your 55^th birthday, it is time to begin thinking about when you want to retire.  Go to a web page that specializes in retirement (AARP) and do the “retirement calculations” to see what sort of retirement account you are going to need for retirement income.  Do the math and determine the amount you are going to need in your retirement account when you reach the age when you want to retire.  Set new goals, possibly increasing your retirement contributions.  Figure a way to own your home (if you don’t) by the date you intend to retire.

Because you have been disciplined through the years (actually mostly neglectful – you put the money aside and forgot it) you have options.  Good for you!

It is really important that you press ahead with contributions in the last ten years of your working career.  The contributions will lower your taxes and increase funds available in retirement.  It is equally important that you reduce non-home debt and pay off car loans.  When you cross the retirement finish line you want as little debt as possible in every regard.  Taking a financial inventory at 55 years of age is critical to ensure you make an easy transition into retirement.

Begin to think about the level of risk of your annuity funds.  Watch the market more closely guarding against significant losses.

On your 60^th birthday set a retirement date, with an option not to retire.  It is time.  Sit down with the wonderful person who has put up with you through the years and decide on a tentative retirement date.  Keep in mind you might work longer; but set a date anyway.  Now, you have a target.  Begin working toward that retirement date as you watch your annuity investments.  The closer you get to the date the more conservative you want to be with your annuity funds.  When you retire, if you have followed my advice, you’ll be in a position to move your funds into conservative fund categories and glide on into retirement knowing what to expect.  Then, if you decide to work on after the set retirement date you are free to do it and significantly increase your retirement funds.  Or you may want to semi-retire.  You’ll have options.

This is the “quick and dirty” on retirement accounts.

Of course, you can ignore my advice.  Just know: one of the worst feelings in life is to approach the end of your working career knowing you are going to be a financial burden on your children. 

Follow the three principles I noted at the beginning of this blog and you’ll be fine.

Let me also add, I am not a financial expert.  I am writing this blog for ministers who will not talk with a financial advisor but need a few simply straightforward principles to help them get off on the right foot.

Grace and Peace,

Baptism and Church Membership

Tuesday, May 11 2010 09:02:11 AM

“Should Baptist churches adopt open membership?”  This question was posed in a number of articles in a recent issue of The Religious Herald (April 29, 2010).  Placed in the context of local ministry the question might be rephrased, “Should a local church receive into membership individuals who have not experienced believer’s baptism by immersion?”

As the series of articles noted above illustrates, there are lots of views and opinions on this subject.  Here, I do not want to repeat the arguments presented in the Herald articles.  Rather, I want to articulate what I believe are the critical issues a local church needs to face if it considers the believer’s baptism by immersion and church membership issue.  In essence, I am offering a “reader’s digest” view of the subject. 

Baptism in the New Testament is never associated with membership into a specific local church.  It is always an initiation rite into the Kingdom of God.  When baptism by immersion is practiced solely as a requirement for membership in a local church, its original meaning is diminished (rising to newness of life).  G. R. Beasley-Murry’s Baptism in the New Testament is a must read.

The standard mode of baptism in the earliest Church (New Testament) was immersion.  This is clearly what Paul had in mind in Romans chapter six when he spoke of dying to the old and rising to newness of life.  Early baptism was also an acted symbol reminding worshipers of what happened to Jesus (his death and resurrection).

How a church baptizes and who a church receives into membership are two different subjects. 

The New Testament triumphs Baptist history. 

The modern notion of membership in a local church has no parallel in the New Testament.

A regenerate church is a Baptist ideal never realized and impossible to implement.  The Baptist fascination with purity needs to give way to a healthy dose of reality.  The reason Baptists required believer’s baptism by immersion for church membership was to insure a regenerate (pure) church; they only wanted active believing Christians as members.  Therefore, Baptists of yesteryear established the believer-immersion requirement as a way of insuring a regenerate church; which has proven to be utterly impossible.  Thus, the meaning of baptism was expanded from an initiation rite into the Kingdom to a requirement for membership in a local congregation.

My thought process:  the answer to the question “Should congregations require believer’s baptism by immersion for membership?” is dependent on one’s central value.  What is more important, protecting Baptist history and the tradition of a local church, or the New Testament?  Which is more important?

If the answer is Baptist history and the traditions of a local church, then it is clear the congregation will continue to require believer’s baptism by immersion of people who have previously experienced other modes of baptism.

On the other hand, if respect for New Testament truth is the chief priority, then the answer is very different.

While I have the greatest respect for Baptist history and Baptist perspectives, I think we are wrong to require re-baptism of individuals purely as a requirement for membership in a local congregation.

My suggestion?

Local Baptist church should practice believer’s baptism by immersion for those who come to faith in Christ.  It is biblical.

Baptism by immersion should be offered, but not required, of those coming for membership in a Baptist church who experienced another form of Baptism, even non-believers baptism.  Respect for New Testament baptism, and retaining is original meaning as an initiation rite into the Kingdom, should triumph our interest in preserving Baptist heritage and history.

We tend to think believer’s baptism by immersion was a cardinal belief of early Baptists.  It was not.  In the earliest years among Baptists there were two views of baptism.  One view was believer’s baptism: only believers could be baptized --- and the mode of baptism did not matter.  The other view was baptism by immersion – and yes, infants were baptized – the “believer” part did not matter.  Fifty years after the first Baptist church a great compromise emerged – believer’s baptism by immersion.  Since the 1650s this view has held sway among most Baptists. 

The reason believer’s baptism by immersion and church membership is such a difficult issue is one ends up on the horns of a dilemma.  One has to choose which receives the priority in the discussion: New Testament baptism as an initiation rite, or the protection of Baptist tradition.

 Have fun!

Having made my case, let me add a personal note; in 27 years of pastoral ministry I never served a church which held my view of re-baptism.  All of the churches I served required believer’s baptism by immersion as a requirement for church membership.  The pastor’s view need not become the church’s view.  Every minister has to decide how much tension she wants to live with.  In my churches, there were other issues, in my opinion, which required my attention and action first.  Re-baptism was on my list of things to move toward, it just wasn’t as pressing as other things. 

The minister may want to take a long view on this subject.  Cecil Sherman raised this very issue with the good folks of FBC-Asheville.  So, did John Hewett.  So did I.  After I left the church to move to Florida, FBC-Asheville made the decision to change slightly its re-baptism policy.

Grace and Peace,