At the recent NEXT Conference, sponsored by CRWM, I sat in on a discussion about the "Changing World of Young Adults". The statisitcs that were shared were an eye opener. The average age for marriage today is 28, delayed from the average of 21, 30 years ago. And yet our church programs are still designed for youth group ministries that may go up to age 21 and then jump to "Married Couples". Single adults are left out.
We live in a town with 16 Christian Reformed Churches. While there may be pockets of ministries that serve this age group ( up to age 30?) at the larger churches, those single adults in the smaller churches are left with nothing. I'd like to see a movement to unite this ministry city wide. Any ideas? Is this even practical?
I've been visiting other churches recently, many with modern worship styles and spaces, quite different from the traditional setting I'm accustomed to. I appreciated the church I was at recently that announced at the beginning of the service that they had "stripped down" their Praise Band to a single soloist and guitar for a couple of weeks so that the focus was not the musicians or their talent. They said they do this periodically to be sure that the music allows for participation of everyone there rather than people watching and being "entertained". No matter what the worship style this self examination seems like a very good thing.
Is it possible that we as Christians are too passive about letting our religious holiday be "perverted" into something it's not? We look the other way as Christmas becomes about Santa Claus and we shrug when the Easter Bunny gets all the attention. We join in with the commercialism. I have asked a non Christian friend "Why are you celebrating a Christian holiday? Would you celebrate a Islamic holiday? If you did, do you think a Muslim would be OK with that, especially if you weren't on board with the meaning of it?" I then went on to explain why I celebrate the holiday and its importance to me. It's a conversation we should have more often, maybe even in line as we buy the Easter candy.
I have seen the pastor of a small church struggle with the weight of his ministry when because of lack of funds there is no other supportive staff to serve with him, to pray with or to share vision casting. The Council Is there (once a month) but much like Synod they have an agenda to follow and full time jobs to go back to the next morning. That makes for a very lonely staff meeting if you are the pastor and the only person in attendance. If we believe in the priesthood of all believers, why not develop a strong team of lay leaders? Meet together, pray together, vision cast, mentor them in their leadership role? As the article say "It is the lay leaders who will remain in the congregation after the pastor moves on to another church." Currently I know a young person who is voluntarily doing the tasks of a Worship Director while the church seeks to hire someone "with the right pedigree". Why not mentor this person into the position as a voluntary staff ? Is the "priesthood of believers" more limited than we want to acknowledge?
Instead of the scenario where the pastor serves alone, he develops his lay leaders; serving as a lead mentor in a group where they support each other in prayer, encouragement, (and a little troubleshooting) but mostly sharing excitement together about the small and the big ways God is working in the church. Wouldn't everyone benefit and God be glorified? Being more intentional about bringing lay leaders along together not only focus's more on building each other up but in the long term it builds a stronger foundation for the church as a whole. Paul said "make my joy complete by being like minded, having the same love, being one in the spirit and purpose." One doesn't have to be "the loneliest number", it can mean a unified community serving with like purpose. God may have given you a community of lay people at your church instead of professionals; work with what you were given.
Being a friend of Jan's I am glad to hear they have arrived safely! It is clear God has great plans for their time there. But I am confused. If Muslim's (or a non-messianic Jew) doesn't believe in the Trinity, how can they be worshipping the same true God as a Christian? Maybe some one from Hope Equals can answer that for me?
I heard a sermon on Worship recently and I came home reiterating exactly what is in your blog. What occurred to me was the criticism that I hear about people who complain that we “don’t hear the old hymns anymore” is often retorted with “Well, It’s not about you anyway, is it?” But it is about them. Worship is about them AND it is about God.
Worship is a relationship, providing us a way to interact with God. We edify God and he in return embraces us, loves us and instructs us.
The Holy Spirit moves us in worship individually. When I hear something in a sermon it may be different than what my husband hears because the Holy Spirit is leading me and him differently.
In the same way, a familiar hymn may bring back memories differently to each individual. Memories of a close walk with God, a journey where God carried you, or revealed something to you. Singing something familiar may be like sitting with your mother’s arm around you as you look together at a photo album. She points to a photograph and says “Remember what a good time we were having when this picture was taken?” Music is part of that relationship we experience in worship.
We have a beautiful organ at our church but have lost the organist long ago. It sits quiet, packed away in a bottom drawer with no one getting it out and turning the pages, reviving the memories. If a one dimensional photograph inspires various emotions imagine the sounds, scale and depth of a mighty organ to inspire thoughts of a mighty God, to revive memories of a time God walked beside you or for that matter to bring us into his very presence! I suggested having an “organ Sunday” once a month even though the piano was getting “the job done”. It’s true the piano is a beautiful instrument, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want to get out “the family photo album” and once again share that part of my worship relationship with God.
Posted in: What suggestions do you have for college-age ministry?
At the recent NEXT Conference, sponsored by CRWM, I sat in on a discussion about the "Changing World of Young Adults". The statisitcs that were shared were an eye opener. The average age for marriage today is 28, delayed from the average of 21, 30 years ago. And yet our church programs are still designed for youth group ministries that may go up to age 21 and then jump to "Married Couples". Single adults are left out.
We live in a town with 16 Christian Reformed Churches. While there may be pockets of ministries that serve this age group ( up to age 30?) at the larger churches, those single adults in the smaller churches are left with nothing. I'd like to see a movement to unite this ministry city wide. Any ideas? Is this even practical?
Posted in: Jane Austen, Balance, and Worship
I've been visiting other churches recently, many with modern worship styles and spaces, quite different from the traditional setting I'm accustomed to. I appreciated the church I was at recently that announced at the beginning of the service that they had "stripped down" their Praise Band to a single soloist and guitar for a couple of weeks so that the focus was not the musicians or their talent. They said they do this periodically to be sure that the music allows for participation of everyone there rather than people watching and being "entertained". No matter what the worship style this self examination seems like a very good thing.
Posted in: Celebrating Easter: Chocolate Bunny Required?
Is it possible that we as Christians are too passive about letting our religious holiday be "perverted" into something it's not? We look the other way as Christmas becomes about Santa Claus and we shrug when the Easter Bunny gets all the attention. We join in with the commercialism. I have asked a non Christian friend "Why are you celebrating a Christian holiday? Would you celebrate a Islamic holiday? If you did, do you think a Muslim would be OK with that, especially if you weren't on board with the meaning of it?" I then went on to explain why I celebrate the holiday and its importance to me. It's a conversation we should have more often, maybe even in line as we buy the Easter candy.
Posted in: Do Lay Leaders Really Matter?
I have seen the pastor of a small church struggle with the weight of his ministry when because of lack of funds there is no other supportive staff to serve with him, to pray with or to share vision casting. The Council Is there (once a month) but much like Synod they have an agenda to follow and full time jobs to go back to the next morning. That makes for a very lonely staff meeting if you are the pastor and the only person in attendance. If we believe in the priesthood of all believers, why not develop a strong team of lay leaders? Meet together, pray together, vision cast, mentor them in their leadership role? As the article say "It is the lay leaders who will remain in the congregation after the pastor moves on to another church." Currently I know a young person who is voluntarily doing the tasks of a Worship Director while the church seeks to hire someone "with the right pedigree". Why not mentor this person into the position as a voluntary staff ? Is the "priesthood of believers" more limited than we want to acknowledge?
Instead of the scenario where the pastor serves alone, he develops his lay leaders; serving as a lead mentor in a group where they support each other in prayer, encouragement, (and a little troubleshooting) but mostly sharing excitement together about the small and the big ways God is working in the church. Wouldn't everyone benefit and God be glorified? Being more intentional about bringing lay leaders along together not only focus's more on building each other up but in the long term it builds a stronger foundation for the church as a whole. Paul said "make my joy complete by being like minded, having the same love, being one in the spirit and purpose." One doesn't have to be "the loneliest number", it can mean a unified community serving with like purpose. God may have given you a community of lay people at your church instead of professionals; work with what you were given.
Posted in: Hello from the Holy Land
Being a friend of Jan's I am glad to hear they have arrived safely! It is clear God has great plans for their time there. But I am confused. If Muslim's (or a non-messianic Jew) doesn't believe in the Trinity, how can they be worshipping the same true God as a Christian? Maybe some one from Hope Equals can answer that for me?
Posted in: On the Potter’s Wheel
I heard a sermon on Worship recently and I came home reiterating exactly what is in your blog. What occurred to me was the criticism that I hear about people who complain that we “don’t hear the old hymns anymore” is often retorted with “Well, It’s not about you anyway, is it?” But it is about them. Worship is about them AND it is about God.
Worship is a relationship, providing us a way to interact with God. We edify God and he in return embraces us, loves us and instructs us.
The Holy Spirit moves us in worship individually. When I hear something in a sermon it may be different than what my husband hears because the Holy Spirit is leading me and him differently.
In the same way, a familiar hymn may bring back memories differently to each individual. Memories of a close walk with God, a journey where God carried you, or revealed something to you. Singing something familiar may be like sitting with your mother’s arm around you as you look together at a photo album. She points to a photograph and says “Remember what a good time we were having when this picture was taken?” Music is part of that relationship we experience in worship.
We have a beautiful organ at our church but have lost the organist long ago. It sits quiet, packed away in a bottom drawer with no one getting it out and turning the pages, reviving the memories. If a one dimensional photograph inspires various emotions imagine the sounds, scale and depth of a mighty organ to inspire thoughts of a mighty God, to revive memories of a time God walked beside you or for that matter to bring us into his very presence! I suggested having an “organ Sunday” once a month even though the piano was getting “the job done”. It’s true the piano is a beautiful instrument, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want to get out “the family photo album” and once again share that part of my worship relationship with God.