I am an Executive Search Consultant with the Rukes Search Group, as well as a retired CRCNA pastor. I have had the privilege of serving congregations in both the RCA and CRCNA. When I am not working, I am hanging out with my family or reading a book or fishing in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan or serving as the Commissioner of the Chicago Suburban Baseball League or playing piano.
Erin, thank you for your comment. I concur with the temptation but have not been able to identify its root cause. Maybe it is an aversion to risk. I say that because shepherding people can be difficult.
John, thanks for your comments. I am sure there are a few pastors who may be tempted by sloth. I don't know many and that hasn't been my experience. Unfortunately, the temptation of success, as well my people-pleasing tendencies, has resulted in the opposite problem: a disregard of a biblical pattern of work and rest.
Just ran across these words from a sermon on the Holy Spirit by A.W. Tozer: There is more of God in Augustine's Confessions than there is in all of the books written in fundamental circles in the last fifty years. If I were on an island and I could have a pile of all the fundamental, full-gospel literature written in the last fifty years, or have Augustine's Confessions, I would give up all the rest to keep the one book because God is in that book.
Darren, thank you for your contribution to this conversation. You encouraged me to do "some double checking and write in such a way as to how you see your hopes and dreams being realized in the context of the CRCNA." I found that suggestion interesting and. perhaps, telling. Here's what I mean: I am a pastor in the field, serving local congregations (from several denominations, including the CRCNA) where I am not seeing the denomination serve the mission of the local church. But I am to do research to be convinced that the denomination is, in fact, advancing the mission of the local church?
I am reminded of a basic principle that love is determined by the beloved, not the lover. The wife who tells her husband, "I don't think you love me." And he offers a litany of things he does that he perceives as loving. The problem being that she doesn't perceive those same acts as loving. To remedy the problem, the husband must ask his wife, "How can I love you?" In other words, he must do far less communicating and far more listening -- and then respond accordingly.
I wonder is that dynamic exists between congregations and their denominations. Could that explain the thread-like connection between the two? The denomination may think it is supporting the mission of the local church but the local congregation is not feeling that support. The denomination ramps up its communication to convince the congregation that it is supporting her, when the remedy is for the denomination to listen to its congregations. Perhaps it is time for denominational officials to sit down with each congregation and ask, "How can we help you better fulfill your mission?" (An opportunity that has never been afforded the congregations I have served.) And, then, respond accordingly.
Wendy, I am helped by the distinction between the church gathered (the local church) and the church scattered (individuals living in obedience to Christ in their homes, workplaces, neighborhoods, and world). In this scenario, the scattered Christians are attached to the Church gathered because they serve while under the spiritual authority or covering of the local church. At this very moment, for example, we blog as scattered Christians. If, God forbid, our blog got nasty, our local congregations would/should hold us accountable for our behavior. Granted, such action doesn't happen as often as, perhaps, it should.
Bill you are right on. That is the kind of info that would be delivered by regional reps to the headquarters. And the kind of info that would most-likely results in a significant reduction in denominational offices and agencies.
Thanks for pointing me to Suttle's book. I concur with the mark of faithfulness when understood as faithfulness to join with God in his mission to seek and save the lost by making disciples. But I wonder about the biblical/theological foundation for Suttle's marks of faithfulness: demonstrated growth in the leadership virtues of vulnerability, cooperation, brokenness, patience, and fidelity. How did he come to that list?
Also wondering if you would discount any connection between faithfulness and the number of baptisms/professions of faith?
Paul, thank you for your thoughtful response to Bill Hybels. I believe he has also said that the local church is the hope of the world. And I believe that statement is pretty important to his approach to ministry. But Willow Creek or Bill Hybels or the Seeker Sensitive movement are not the source of my statement. Your response, as well as Bill's, encourages me to flesh that our a bit. I hope to do that soon.
Having said that, we agree that the local church is called to join God in his mission to seek and save the lost by making disciples. Pastors would benefit form conversations about benchmarks for discipleship in their ministry contexts.
Bill, I think you caught me! Right or wrong, I have a very high view of the local church (which I think reflects my pneumatology, my love for Paul's letters to the Corinthians, and my friendship with the late, great John Williamson Nevin).
I have observed, perhaps you have as well, that many view the church politically or organizationally as a voluntary society or collective of like-minded individuals. I suggest that this type of thinking flows from the politics of American republications with its inherent call for the separation of church and state. But maybe there is more to it than that.
In contrast, I take the apostle Paul's teaching to the messed-up Corinthians church at face value. I believe the local church is the people of God the Father, the bride and body of Christ (the presence of Christ in a community), and the temple of the Holy Spirit (I Corinthians 3:16) consisting of individuals who are also temples of the Holy Spirit (I Corinthians 6:19). By the promised presence and power of the Holy Spirit at work within the local church, she can do far more abundantly than she can ask or imagine.
No other group, not even a denomination, can claim to be the temple of the Holy Spirit consisting of many individuals who are also temples of the Holy Spirit. (Granted, a group can claim that some of its individuals are temples of the Holy Spirit.) No group other than the local church can claim the promises made to churches like that of Corinth or those in Ephesus or to contemporary local congregations. That's why, for me, the local church is the hope of the world.
To your second point, I have had the privilege of witnessing many congregations throughout North and Central America minister effectively to the poor, the weak, and the forgotten. That is not to say, however, that a cluster of congregations wouldn't come together to do so together, or that a congregation wouldn't initiate a conversation with its denomination for help in this area. This may be an area where a denomination could help its local congregations better fulfill its mission.
And I affirm your emphasis on the importance of confession and accountability. I would hope that local congregations would find value in both accountability and shared confessions. In my estimation, those are two essential functions of a denomination.
Posted in: 3 Persistent Pastoral Temptations
Erin, thank you for your comment. I concur with the temptation but have not been able to identify its root cause. Maybe it is an aversion to risk. I say that because shepherding people can be difficult.
Posted in: 3 Persistent Pastoral Temptations
John, thanks for your comments. I am sure there are a few pastors who may be tempted by sloth. I don't know many and that hasn't been my experience. Unfortunately, the temptation of success, as well my people-pleasing tendencies, has resulted in the opposite problem: a disregard of a biblical pattern of work and rest.
Posted in: Confessions
Just ran across these words from a sermon on the Holy Spirit by A.W. Tozer: There is more of God in Augustine's Confessions than there is in all of the books written in fundamental circles in the last fifty years. If I were on an island and I could have a pile of all the fundamental, full-gospel literature written in the last fifty years, or have Augustine's Confessions, I would give up all the rest to keep the one book because God is in that book.
Posted in: Five Steps to Denominational Renewal - Part 2
Amen on the need for more listening and fewer surveys.
Posted in: Five Steps to Denominational Renewal - Part 2
Darren, thank you for your contribution to this conversation. You encouraged me to do "some double checking and write in such a way as to how you see your hopes and dreams being realized in the context of the CRCNA." I found that suggestion interesting and. perhaps, telling. Here's what I mean: I am a pastor in the field, serving local congregations (from several denominations, including the CRCNA) where I am not seeing the denomination serve the mission of the local church. But I am to do research to be convinced that the denomination is, in fact, advancing the mission of the local church?
I am reminded of a basic principle that love is determined by the beloved, not the lover. The wife who tells her husband, "I don't think you love me." And he offers a litany of things he does that he perceives as loving. The problem being that she doesn't perceive those same acts as loving. To remedy the problem, the husband must ask his wife, "How can I love you?" In other words, he must do far less communicating and far more listening -- and then respond accordingly.
I wonder is that dynamic exists between congregations and their denominations. Could that explain the thread-like connection between the two? The denomination may think it is supporting the mission of the local church but the local congregation is not feeling that support. The denomination ramps up its communication to convince the congregation that it is supporting her, when the remedy is for the denomination to listen to its congregations. Perhaps it is time for denominational officials to sit down with each congregation and ask, "How can we help you better fulfill your mission?" (An opportunity that has never been afforded the congregations I have served.) And, then, respond accordingly.
Posted in: Five Steps to Denominational Renewal - Part 2
Wendy, I am helped by the distinction between the church gathered (the local church) and the church scattered (individuals living in obedience to Christ in their homes, workplaces, neighborhoods, and world). In this scenario, the scattered Christians are attached to the Church gathered because they serve while under the spiritual authority or covering of the local church. At this very moment, for example, we blog as scattered Christians. If, God forbid, our blog got nasty, our local congregations would/should hold us accountable for our behavior. Granted, such action doesn't happen as often as, perhaps, it should.
Posted in: Five Steps to Denominational Renewal - Part 3
Thanks, Doug, for the suggestion. I don't know first hand, but such experiences may have played a role in the development of groups like ECO and LCMC.
Posted in: Five Steps to Denominational Renewal - Part 2
Bill you are right on. That is the kind of info that would be delivered by regional reps to the headquarters. And the kind of info that would most-likely results in a significant reduction in denominational offices and agencies.
Posted in: Five Steps to Denominational Renewal - Part 2
Thanks for pointing me to Suttle's book. I concur with the mark of faithfulness when understood as faithfulness to join with God in his mission to seek and save the lost by making disciples. But I wonder about the biblical/theological foundation for Suttle's marks of faithfulness: demonstrated growth in the leadership virtues of vulnerability, cooperation, brokenness, patience, and fidelity. How did he come to that list?
Also wondering if you would discount any connection between faithfulness and the number of baptisms/professions of faith?
Posted in: Five Steps to Denominational Renewal - Part 2
Thanks, Doug, for your affirmation of the proposal. And I'll start thinking about part 3
Posted in: Five Steps to Denominational Renewal - Part 2
Paul, thank you for your thoughtful response to Bill Hybels. I believe he has also said that the local church is the hope of the world. And I believe that statement is pretty important to his approach to ministry. But Willow Creek or Bill Hybels or the Seeker Sensitive movement are not the source of my statement. Your response, as well as Bill's, encourages me to flesh that our a bit. I hope to do that soon.
Having said that, we agree that the local church is called to join God in his mission to seek and save the lost by making disciples. Pastors would benefit form conversations about benchmarks for discipleship in their ministry contexts.
Posted in: Five Steps to Denominational Renewal - Part 2
Bill, I think you caught me! Right or wrong, I have a very high view of the local church (which I think reflects my pneumatology, my love for Paul's letters to the Corinthians, and my friendship with the late, great John Williamson Nevin).
I have observed, perhaps you have as well, that many view the church politically or organizationally as a voluntary society or collective of like-minded individuals. I suggest that this type of thinking flows from the politics of American republications with its inherent call for the separation of church and state. But maybe there is more to it than that.
In contrast, I take the apostle Paul's teaching to the messed-up Corinthians church at face value. I believe the local church is the people of God the Father, the bride and body of Christ (the presence of Christ in a community), and the temple of the Holy Spirit (I Corinthians 3:16) consisting of individuals who are also temples of the Holy Spirit (I Corinthians 6:19). By the promised presence and power of the Holy Spirit at work within the local church, she can do far more abundantly than she can ask or imagine.
No other group, not even a denomination, can claim to be the temple of the Holy Spirit consisting of many individuals who are also temples of the Holy Spirit. (Granted, a group can claim that some of its individuals are temples of the Holy Spirit.) No group other than the local church can claim the promises made to churches like that of Corinth or those in Ephesus or to contemporary local congregations. That's why, for me, the local church is the hope of the world.
To your second point, I have had the privilege of witnessing many congregations throughout North and Central America minister effectively to the poor, the weak, and the forgotten. That is not to say, however, that a cluster of congregations wouldn't come together to do so together, or that a congregation wouldn't initiate a conversation with its denomination for help in this area. This may be an area where a denomination could help its local congregations better fulfill its mission.
And I affirm your emphasis on the importance of confession and accountability. I would hope that local congregations would find value in both accountability and shared confessions. In my estimation, those are two essential functions of a denomination.
Thanks again, Bill.