I agree, Bethany. I wrote the piece; I didn't choose the artwork ... but it is in bad taste.
I have been engaged in a number of wonderful, creative discussions over the past two weeks on the 'nature of church' as we emerge from COVID.
What will the church look like organizationally. We have all done things over the past year that we didn’t imagine we could do: virtual services, virtual small group meetings, virtual offerings.
We are being forced to confront our ecclesiology. We have devoted most of the past year 'attending' worship services online. It's frankly been kinda comfortable, worshipping from the couch. My hunch is that church attendance will be way down once we return to full membership participation in a service. Can you be a fully devoted follower of Christ without physically attending a church service?
I know of churches -- admittedly larger ones -- hiring Worship Experience Directors, overseeing the 'delivery' of worship services in physical buildings on Sundays as well as overseeing a plethora of services online, reaching 10s of thousands of people globally.
Then there is a church that has recently hired an Online Pastor, not only delivering the weekly sermon but also overseeing online marriage courses, Alpha, and a 24-hour prayer line with dozens of volunteers.
A church that had planned to launch their fifth church campus a year ago, recently declared that their new Online Church was their fifth campus, reaching many thousands more than they had dared to dream with a physical building in a geographic location.
Any church that is counting on returning to the status quo is either dreaming or it is content to focus internally, preparing for a numeric death.
How do we do mission trips? What does a multi-site church look like?
It's relatively easy to find a pastor who will simply 'fill the pulpit' on Sundays. Similarly, it's relatively easy for a pastor who is looking for another church to find one that will 'do'.
The CRC isn't as homogeneous as it once was. Congregational cultures vary, even within the same classis or city. Pastors, too, come from varying backgrounds, perspectives, seminaries or Bible colleges.
So why aren't churches and pastors going to the experts? Sam Hamstra and Chapter Next, based in the Chicago area, is the perfect example of a highly qualified person who meets with church councils and congregations to determine their character, their theological perspective, and their political leanings, and then creates a church profile that is a true reflection of what the church is. And then they match that congregation to a pastor with the exact qualifications that the church needs.
Their track record proves their success. And, no, I'm not on their payroll or in any way connected to Chapter Next. Their reputation precedes them.
There is a similar organization in Canada. Nelson/Kraft works exclusively with Christian non-profits -- from organizations to churches -- to find the ideal match between the organization and the leader -- whether that's a CEO or a pastor.
Back to the church. We know too many churches and pastors that are mismatched. That's the result of a search committee that didn't conduct due diligence and a pastor who just didn't know how to ask the right questions.
We need vibrant congregations to move ministry forward. Invest in the professionals who know how to bring about that 'match made in heaven'.
I would certainly hope that Henry's suggestion -- to have pastors meet with a calling church's ministry leaders -- would be standard practice.
Here's a question that should be asked of church councils in that search process: "If you had the opportunity to re-imagine your church -- its ministry focus, its staff structure, its outreach -- if you could start from scratch, what would that look like?" This generally leads to a SWOT analysis; what's working and what's not working.
A logical subsequent question posed by the interviewing pastor should be: "What's stopping you?" And, if you dare: "When do we start?"
It is a given that racism -- bigotry -- is a sin and that every Bible-believing Christian should be opposed to it.
The challenge for the local church -- and that's really where the rubber hits the road -- is "What are you going to do about it?" You can preach against it off the pulpit as much as you like but until you engage in meaningful discussion and dialogue, and sit down with the 'other side' in an attempt to understand their struggles and their culture, very little will change.
It is a given that racism -- bigotry -- is a sin and that every Bible-believing Christian should be opposed to it.
The challenge for the local church -- and that's really where the rubber hits the road -- is "What are you going to do about it?" You can preach against it off the pulpit as much as you like but until you engage in meaningful discussion and dialogue, and sit down with the 'other side' in an attempt to understand their struggles and their culture, very little will change.
We began the series on Matthew well over a year ago. The website tells me we've had 70 sermons. We're at Matthew 12 so we have a way to go: 2 or 3 verses at a time.
The theme is "The King Has Arrived" and the gospel message is as relevant today as it was a year ago ... with COVID, racial tension, and a pending election. We're considering the Parable of the Sower ... because it comes next.
No need to search for random Psalms or mini-series that speak to our take on the issues of the day. Just sit back and let the Gospel breathe over you.
During these interesting times as the world deals with the coronavirus, I tend to focus on Psalm 46 and the familiar song that Martin Luther penned based on that psalm, A Mighty Fortress.
There are various interesting versions of that hymn on Spotify and elsewhere.
It reinforces the notion that God is in charge and that, through the coronavirus, God is at work. Our faith will not be shaken because God is a mighty fortress who controls all of creation ... even viruses.
My goal, and the suggested goal for all 6,500 Christian business and professional leaders who are part of the Canadian Christian Business Federation network, is this: "My business is God's business."
There are at least two implications: If you are involved in business, a profession, an organization or non-profit, you are re-dedicating your business to God. Secondly, God cares about your business; how it's run, how it reflects Christ-like principles, how you treat your employees, how you spend your money, how you support Kingdom causes.
One business owner, in a discussion about stewardship and his tithing habits, said: "If all that I have belongs to God, then who am I to give him just 10 per cent of my net profits!"
The response to the conflict depends greatly upon the nature of the conflict. I have seen congregations divided over whether or not to pave the parking lot, over the time of the worship service, over the cancellation of the second service. These can be worked out through patience and dialogue.
I have seen congregations divided over an Article 17 separation of pastor from congregation, or the pending installation of an elder of questionable character, or the gender issue when it comes to selecting office-bearers.
Rule No. 1. Never, ever try to solve conflict by email. It invariably fails.
When dealing with potentially church-dividing conflict, take it slow and easy. Don't make rash decisions. Bring in an outside mediator. Never allow the pastor(s) to get caught in the middle of a conflict and having to choose sides (unless they are the subject of the conflict).
Lastly, but most importantly, spend considerable time in prayer, praying for wisdom, patience and a civil tongue.
I'm attending a conference in three weeks in Hamburg Germany put on by the World Evangelical Association's Business Coalition. The theme? "Work as worship."
I'm the executive director of the Canadian Christian Business Federation, connecting with about 6,500 Christian men and women involved in business, the professions and non-profits. As we connect our 'Sunday faith' to our 'Monday work', we proclaim that work is worship.
But that's probably not what you have in mind. ;o)
That's a great position, Chris. I take it that Pastor of Worship and the Arts pertains only to the worship service and the sanctuary. Or are you also Pastor of Worship as it pertains to worship that takes place within small groups, youth ministry, and all other expressions of worship carried out by parishioners?
I guess that you get my point: We tend to assume that worship only happens on Sundays. In a church setting. I know of a large manufacturing plant with 1,000 employees who gather for worship on Wednesday mornings on the factory floor.
Imagine a church that advocates for that sense of worship.
We celebrate communion on the first Sunday of every month. It's a time to reflect upon the great gift that God had given his people: the death of His son.
As the elements are handed out, the pastor regularly reminds us that "this is only for Christians; for those who profess Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. If you don't share in that profession of faith, don't take part. As Scripture says, you are eating and drinking judgment unto yourself."
We regularly have five busloads of university students attending our morning worship services. But the biblical warning is as much for us pew-sitters as it is for those who have come to check out the worship service.
When it comes to children at communion, I would hope that parents -- at minimum -- have had that conversation with their children beforehand to determine if they indeed do profess their faith in Christ. I would also hope that a parent has enough spiritual maturity to tell one child that he or she isn't quite ready to take that step.
We seem to equate communion with a church potluck; enjoy the feast because we're all part of one happy family. So, whose responsibility is it when a child, or a teenager, or a mature adult takes communion without truly professing Christ as lord and Saviour? What does it mean to eat and drink judgment to one's self?
Posted in: COVID and Sundays
I agree, Bethany. I wrote the piece; I didn't choose the artwork ... but it is in bad taste.
I have been engaged in a number of wonderful, creative discussions over the past two weeks on the 'nature of church' as we emerge from COVID.
What will the church look like organizationally. We have all done things over the past year that we didn’t imagine we could do: virtual services, virtual small group meetings, virtual offerings.
We are being forced to confront our ecclesiology. We have devoted most of the past year 'attending' worship services online. It's frankly been kinda comfortable, worshipping from the couch. My hunch is that church attendance will be way down once we return to full membership participation in a service. Can you be a fully devoted follower of Christ without physically attending a church service?
I know of churches -- admittedly larger ones -- hiring Worship Experience Directors, overseeing the 'delivery' of worship services in physical buildings on Sundays as well as overseeing a plethora of services online, reaching 10s of thousands of people globally.
Then there is a church that has recently hired an Online Pastor, not only delivering the weekly sermon but also overseeing online marriage courses, Alpha, and a 24-hour prayer line with dozens of volunteers.
A church that had planned to launch their fifth church campus a year ago, recently declared that their new Online Church was their fifth campus, reaching many thousands more than they had dared to dream with a physical building in a geographic location.
Any church that is counting on returning to the status quo is either dreaming or it is content to focus internally, preparing for a numeric death.
How do we do mission trips? What does a multi-site church look like?
Posted in: Pastors, How to Interview Your Next Church
It's relatively easy to find a pastor who will simply 'fill the pulpit' on Sundays. Similarly, it's relatively easy for a pastor who is looking for another church to find one that will 'do'.
The CRC isn't as homogeneous as it once was. Congregational cultures vary, even within the same classis or city. Pastors, too, come from varying backgrounds, perspectives, seminaries or Bible colleges.
So why aren't churches and pastors going to the experts? Sam Hamstra and Chapter Next, based in the Chicago area, is the perfect example of a highly qualified person who meets with church councils and congregations to determine their character, their theological perspective, and their political leanings, and then creates a church profile that is a true reflection of what the church is. And then they match that congregation to a pastor with the exact qualifications that the church needs.
Their track record proves their success. And, no, I'm not on their payroll or in any way connected to Chapter Next. Their reputation precedes them.
There is a similar organization in Canada. Nelson/Kraft works exclusively with Christian non-profits -- from organizations to churches -- to find the ideal match between the organization and the leader -- whether that's a CEO or a pastor.
Back to the church. We know too many churches and pastors that are mismatched. That's the result of a search committee that didn't conduct due diligence and a pastor who just didn't know how to ask the right questions.
We need vibrant congregations to move ministry forward. Invest in the professionals who know how to bring about that 'match made in heaven'.
Posted in: Pastors, How to Interview Your Next Church
I would certainly hope that Henry's suggestion -- to have pastors meet with a calling church's ministry leaders -- would be standard practice.
Here's a question that should be asked of church councils in that search process: "If you had the opportunity to re-imagine your church -- its ministry focus, its staff structure, its outreach -- if you could start from scratch, what would that look like?" This generally leads to a SWOT analysis; what's working and what's not working.
A logical subsequent question posed by the interviewing pastor should be: "What's stopping you?" And, if you dare: "When do we start?"
Posted in: Isn't "anti-racism" negative?
Thanks, Eric.
It is a given that racism -- bigotry -- is a sin and that every Bible-believing Christian should be opposed to it.
The challenge for the local church -- and that's really where the rubber hits the road -- is "What are you going to do about it?" You can preach against it off the pulpit as much as you like but until you engage in meaningful discussion and dialogue, and sit down with the 'other side' in an attempt to understand their struggles and their culture, very little will change.
Posted in: Isn't "anti-racism" negative?
Thanks, Eric.
It is a given that racism -- bigotry -- is a sin and that every Bible-believing Christian should be opposed to it.
The challenge for the local church -- and that's really where the rubber hits the road -- is "What are you going to do about it?" You can preach against it off the pulpit as much as you like but until you engage in meaningful discussion and dialogue, and sit down with the 'other side' in an attempt to understand their struggles and their culture, very little will change.
Posted in: Share Your Sermon Series
We began the series on Matthew well over a year ago. The website tells me we've had 70 sermons. We're at Matthew 12 so we have a way to go: 2 or 3 verses at a time.
The theme is "The King Has Arrived" and the gospel message is as relevant today as it was a year ago ... with COVID, racial tension, and a pending election. We're considering the Parable of the Sower ... because it comes next.
No need to search for random Psalms or mini-series that speak to our take on the issues of the day. Just sit back and let the Gospel breathe over you.
Posted in: What Songs Bring You Comfort? Let's Make a Playlist
During these interesting times as the world deals with the coronavirus, I tend to focus on Psalm 46 and the familiar song that Martin Luther penned based on that psalm, A Mighty Fortress.
There are various interesting versions of that hymn on Spotify and elsewhere.
It reinforces the notion that God is in charge and that, through the coronavirus, God is at work. Our faith will not be shaken because God is a mighty fortress who controls all of creation ... even viruses.
Posted in: What Are Some of Your Goals for 2020? I Want to Hear Them!
My goal, and the suggested goal for all 6,500 Christian business and professional leaders who are part of the Canadian Christian Business Federation network, is this: "My business is God's business."
There are at least two implications: If you are involved in business, a profession, an organization or non-profit, you are re-dedicating your business to God. Secondly, God cares about your business; how it's run, how it reflects Christ-like principles, how you treat your employees, how you spend your money, how you support Kingdom causes.
One business owner, in a discussion about stewardship and his tithing habits, said: "If all that I have belongs to God, then who am I to give him just 10 per cent of my net profits!"
Posted in: Elders and Conflict
The response to the conflict depends greatly upon the nature of the conflict. I have seen congregations divided over whether or not to pave the parking lot, over the time of the worship service, over the cancellation of the second service. These can be worked out through patience and dialogue.
I have seen congregations divided over an Article 17 separation of pastor from congregation, or the pending installation of an elder of questionable character, or the gender issue when it comes to selecting office-bearers.
Rule No. 1. Never, ever try to solve conflict by email. It invariably fails.
When dealing with potentially church-dividing conflict, take it slow and easy. Don't make rash decisions. Bring in an outside mediator. Never allow the pastor(s) to get caught in the middle of a conflict and having to choose sides (unless they are the subject of the conflict).
Lastly, but most importantly, spend considerable time in prayer, praying for wisdom, patience and a civil tongue.
Posted in: Any Past or Present Worship Planners?
Involved in worship in any capacity?
I'm attending a conference in three weeks in Hamburg Germany put on by the World Evangelical Association's Business Coalition. The theme? "Work as worship."
I'm the executive director of the Canadian Christian Business Federation, connecting with about 6,500 Christian men and women involved in business, the professions and non-profits. As we connect our 'Sunday faith' to our 'Monday work', we proclaim that work is worship.
But that's probably not what you have in mind. ;o)
Posted in: Any Past or Present Worship Planners?
That's a great position, Chris. I take it that Pastor of Worship and the Arts pertains only to the worship service and the sanctuary. Or are you also Pastor of Worship as it pertains to worship that takes place within small groups, youth ministry, and all other expressions of worship carried out by parishioners?
I guess that you get my point: We tend to assume that worship only happens on Sundays. In a church setting. I know of a large manufacturing plant with 1,000 employees who gather for worship on Wednesday mornings on the factory floor.
Imagine a church that advocates for that sense of worship.
Posted in: Peppermints, Mentos, and Communion With Children
This deeply disturbs me.
We celebrate communion on the first Sunday of every month. It's a time to reflect upon the great gift that God had given his people: the death of His son.
As the elements are handed out, the pastor regularly reminds us that "this is only for Christians; for those who profess Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. If you don't share in that profession of faith, don't take part. As Scripture says, you are eating and drinking judgment unto yourself."
We regularly have five busloads of university students attending our morning worship services. But the biblical warning is as much for us pew-sitters as it is for those who have come to check out the worship service.
When it comes to children at communion, I would hope that parents -- at minimum -- have had that conversation with their children beforehand to determine if they indeed do profess their faith in Christ. I would also hope that a parent has enough spiritual maturity to tell one child that he or she isn't quite ready to take that step.
We seem to equate communion with a church potluck; enjoy the feast because we're all part of one happy family. So, whose responsibility is it when a child, or a teenager, or a mature adult takes communion without truly professing Christ as lord and Saviour? What does it mean to eat and drink judgment to one's self?