It Just Shouldn't be Happening...

Hi all. I know it's been some time, but I guess this blog is going to be more sporadically updated than regular. Oh well - better than nothing.

I want to begin by suggesting that those of you who are interested should read an article by one of my professors (and my advisor) Dr. Scott Sunquist, who wrote a two part series for the Presbyterian Outlook called "The Dangers of the Unconverted Seminary." Part I. Part II. In these articles, Sunquist addresses the problem in seminary education as they relate to practical ministry in the church today. Overall, I think he's right in a lot of ways.

I have just been reflecting this weekend on the nature of the church today, which of course many are saying is changing and in need of desperate change. I tend to agree... the world today does look more like the pre-Constantinian church than it ever has, and the model of f "Christendom," where the church has power and influence in world culture, is disappearing. All that being said, it is no longer in the United States a social norm to go to church, and the church is forced to find ways of ministering that accept this model as true. That means that in a lot of ways, the church has to look different than ever before.

In the midst of all this comes my own experience as the pastor of a small, community church. Some would argue that our church should not be surviving. In fact, I've had a couple of people this week describe how churches such as my own should be nursed into death because they'll never survive. Why? Well, most of the people in the church are somewhere between 65-85. It's an older church. At the moment, there are only two children under the age of 10, and four youth between 11-17. There are five or six people between the age of 18-35. Then there are like eight or nine people between the ages of 35 - 65. The total amount of people in worship on an average Sunday is somewhere between 35-45, and the total "regulars" who attend is somewhere close to 50. Yes, based on those demographics, it probably should be slated to die.

That is, until you look at the change between January 2007, when I started preaching there, and now. At that time, there were no children under 10. One youth between 11-17. Two or three people between the ages of 18-35. And two between the ages of 35-65. The average attendance was something like 30-35, with about 35 "regular" attenders. Look at the changes - it's remarkable. The financial situation of the church was such that they could no longer keep a full-time pastor at the church anymore and were hemorrhaging money. Now with the exception of one month so far this year, they've brought in a few hundred dollars more than they've spent. The Presbytery didn't want to allow me to take this church because they thought it was unhealthy and my being there would burn me out. They thought the people would not step up to the plate and do the needed work to fix what's wrong with the church. And yet, I love being there immensely, they love having me there, and they have not only healed the disfunction in which they formerly ministered, but they have also become passionate about serving the community - slowly, but surely. The Presbytery's pastors have said what exciting news they've heard about our church, they've actually said on numerous occasions, "We think this church will be able to afford a full-time pastor again." They had a church dinner last night in which I swear almost everyone in the church was there to help out, and everything went so smoothly. We are starting Bible studies this week that will probably involve 40% of the church.

Now what do we say to this? Call me naive, call me an optimist, but I think this means that God is slowly restoring this church from death to life. God is renewing the hearts of these people to create a strong church in the Bessemer community. God is doing what was often thought impossible. Now, I realize that in most cases, this is the exception rather than the rule. But why have we become so entrenched in a model of church that requires programs and resources that most small churches cannot have for survival? Or do we have it all wrong?

You know, my thinking is that we still base churches on the "Christendom" model. But before Constantine, churches met in homes. They had pastors who went house to house, often working another job to make money. They had members of different ages, but they were all united on a common goal of spreading the message of Jesus. And the church was growing by leaps and bounds - more than before. Now this has much to do with the nature of the church in persecution, but it also had to do with the fact that they weren't hung up with buildings, endowments, budgets and all that stuff. What mattered was the heart-attitude of that community, and its desire to serve the Lord.

Thus, I firmly disagree with those who say such churches cannot survive. There are, in fact, instances when they can. Sometimes churches do need to die for this to happen - they have to put to death the disfunction which put them in such a situation in the first place. They have to humble themselves enough to gear their church toward meeting the needs of multiple generations, especially the younger ones. But that doesn't mean they have to play with all the bells and whistles: sometimes they do (and should not be afraid to do so if that's what God calls them to do), but more often they have to just open their arms, their hearts, their minds, and their lives not only to people, but to the Savior they serve. What is vital, I think, is authentic hospitality, community, humility, and relationships with Jesus Christ. Authenticity, I believe, is the key. A sense of purpose is another. Above all is desire to know and share Jesus Christ. Bessemer, I think, has all of this going for it now, and that's why its growing. It's not perfect - but getting better all the time.

Bessemer should be dying, according to most models, but it isn't. I am encouraged every day by the amount of great things happening in such a small church. I've watched God do things through them that I've never knew God did. I've watched people's lives and hearts change, slowly but surely. Maybe the problem then isn't with the church - it's with people who are so quick to pass over the small church without giving it a chance to do what God does best in them: form a deep spiritual community. I think that's the key to any church's survival, and that's why I think that in the end, the small church will become relevant in the future of the changing church - because that's where the authentic community everyone longs for is best forged.

Well, I need some dinner... but this is what I'm thinking today. Feel free to respond. I like when people do that :-)