thornyquestions

Lay Leadership

2009-08-28T16:03:00.001-07:00

This week I released my philosophy on lay leadership. Perhaps the most underutilized aspect of church governance seems to be the lay leadership committee found in the Book of Discipline. My experience shows that we tend to do the minimum (renominate last year's leaders) or we plug names on the roster only for those names which have people attached to them find out after the fact. Or we promise those approached that they are not going to have to do anything for the position they've agreed to fill. Oddly enough, they are good at fulfilling that promise.

Without further ado, here's what I gave to the Lay Leadership:

Philosophy on Lay Leadership

First, Paul, in 1^st Corinthians 12, deals with healthy structure and leadership of the local church. Chapter 12 speaks of the body with its interlocking necessity of all parts functioning together and that diversity exists and is necessary for the functioning of the body. In addition, Paul speaks of leadership within the body.

To use the analogy of the human body, the body is divided into two systems—thinking & doing and maintenance. While this analogy is imperfect, allow me to offer the following:

The thinking and doing functions of the body consists of the brain/nervous system and the skeletal/muscular system. These two systems provide the thoughts and activities of the body. The maintenance system consists of the respiratory, circulatory and digestive activities of the body. These three systems provide the resources for the thinking/doing system to perform.

So it is in the church that we have two systems that exists side by side—The Active Ministries and the Administrative Ministries. The Active Ministries consist of Nurture, Outreach and Witness. Out of these three ministries, we do such activities as worship, Sunday school, local mission, youth and evangelism. Beside the Active Ministries, the Administrative Ministries exists. These ministry teams consist of Church Council, Pastor Parish team, Finance team, Trustee team and Lay Leadership team. The Administrative Ministries exist for the purpose of resourcing the Active Ministries. The Church Council acts as the decision making body of the church. It sets direction, determines needs and coordinates the Active and Administrative Ministries.

When a church is focused too much on the Administrative Teams and not on the Active Teams, then a church tends to become inwardly focused. The slogan becomes “we’ve got to take care of our own before we can reach out to the community.”

Becoming a Christian involves a change in the direction of one’s life. Just as the Lord’s Prayer says, “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven,” we begin to seek to fulfill God’s will in our lives not necessarily our self-determined wills. As such, a Christian in the local congregation, church, has responsibilities to the Church. In our professing our faith and becoming a member of the local congregation, we agree to support this congregation by our prayers, our presence, our gifts, our services and our witness. Our support should be understood as fulfilling five expectations:

1. 1. Worshipping God every week with a community of believers.

2. 2. Learning more about God and the Church through the activity of discipleship

3. 3. Participating in the ministry and mission of the local church.

4. 4. Supporting the local church financially with the goal of giving tithes and offerings

5. 5. An intentional and persistent prayer life dedicated to seeking and doing God’s will individually and collectively. This expectation is overarching the four above.

Men, women and youth have to achieve a sufficient level of buy-in in order for the church to be the healthy body of believers transforming the world. This buy-in consists of seeking to fulfill the five expectations listed above.

Ultimately, Lay Leadership is about putting the best and brightest Christians in the Active Ministries of a local church. In addition, the Lay Leadership seeks to place those with servants’ hearts in the role of Administrative Ministries. Out of this paradigm, the local congregation becomes focused on being in ministry resourced by the time, talent and treasury of the men, women and youth of the church.

That's the game plan for us to live into over the next two years.

Innovation

2009-08-11T19:28:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite sayings is: "The message of Jesus Christ is eternal, the medium changes with time."

So what is the message? Two of Jesus' teaching: The Greatest Commandment (Mark 12:29-31) and The Great Commission (Matthew 28:10). In the church, all innovation revolves around these two teachings.

Any thoughts?

Season of a Thousand Tiny Mistakes

2009-08-05T15:06:00.000-07:00

Recently, I heard the story of two groups asked to make clay pots. Group 1 was told to make the best clay pot possible with the resources they had. Group 2 was told to make as many pots as possible over the next 30 days. Each group was given all the resources they needed. At the end of 30 days, each group was judged to see which had the best pot. Surprisingly, the second group had the better pot. Over the 30 period, they made pot after pot learning from their mistakes. Group 1 never had the opportunity to learn from their mistakes as most of their mistakes were hidden from lack of comparsion.

Churches are like these groups. Many churches are only interested in the one pot and never see the imperfections that needed to be improved. Others learn from their mistakes and constantly improve.

As much as I have the power to inaugurate at Pine Valley, I am announcing "the season of a thousand tiny mistakes." We are about growing and learning by making tiny mistakes that help us toward greater perfection. Giant mistakes tend to be debilitating. Tiny mistakes are "teachable moments."

So we'll see how the next thirty days goes.

AC 2009

2009-06-08T21:30:00.001-07:00

In just one more day the North Carolina Annual Conference will begin. This year has its issues. First the regionalization of the United States under the amendments to the Constitution. Second, this year I'm an elder and seeking God's voice. Too often, I've seen & heard people go to the microphones for the express desire to hear their voices and wisdom. Both tend to be overrated. Third, Adam Hamilton will be speaking on leadership Friday afternoon & evening. Fourth, visiting with old friends.

In addition, I'm trying to get ready to move. A little behind, but working to make it. Don't really have a choice, have to be out by June 23rd.

Off to the races we go.

Turning the Corner

2009-06-04T20:59:00.000-07:00

It's June 5th and in less than 17 days I will be in a new church. The last few weeks have been filled. Tying ministries down for my successors to grab on and begin to own. Yes, I have successors--my responsibilities have been split between two individuals--Contemporary Worship to one & Youth to another. Youth has been handed off and the new Youth Director has hit the ground running. Praise the Lord! Thursday, I spent considerable time with my successor as Associate Pastor. She is excited and I'm looking forward to her taking the reigns on June 23rd.

I understand more the "in between times" we preach about as I'm between ministries. Yet Tuesday night/Wednesday morning, I had my first dream about my new church. I don't remember anything of the dream other than it involved my new church. (Yes, I have dreams & nightmares about my present church--God still uses dreams to speak).

So I'm trying extra hard to begin to respond to the Holy Spirit's leading on Pine Valley. My prayer time is beginning to be shaped by praying for the leaders and more than that praying that I will seek God's will rather than implementing my plans.

As such, I hope to begin using this blog to pour out my thoughts as I seek God's mind for His church.

I'm given to believe that all new appointments come with thorny questions. I expect no difference in this new appointment. I'll see how the questions come up and more importantly how they are resolved.

Let the journey begin.

5 minutes before Midnight

2009-03-12T21:03:00.000-07:00

Tuesday morning, I blogged about getting the call from the appointive cabinet. It's now Friday morning and I've not received the call. What happened? I don't know. All day Monday and Tuesday, I fretted about "getting the call." Going to bed on Tuesday night/Wednesday morning, I came to the realization, "so what?" I can't do anything to change when the call comes. So I am reminded of Jesus' words in Matthew--"Do not worry...indeed your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things [food, clothing, etc--my emphasis]. But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."

I look upon the scenario of the call not coming to the fabled "five minutes before midnight" premise (see this article: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doomsday_Clock). So I sit at the five minute mark waiting. In the meantime, I've gone back to doing everything else I'm supposed to do. As people have asked me, "Do you know?" My reply is "No, I don't. However, I know where I'll be until June 23. That's the emphasis of my priorities."

Prayer: Almighty God, you know our needs even before we ask. Grant to all the pastors waiting for the call. Strengthen them to remember your call proceeds that placed by the appointed cabinet. In Jesus' name. Amen."

Countdown

2009-03-09T22:01:00.000-07:00

It's after 1 am on Tuesday morning. Sometime today or possibly tomorrow, I get that phone call. All itinerating Methodist clergy get the call. It goes something like this, "The cabinet has met and under the guidance of the Holy Spirit have discerned you are to serve '_______' UMC." I've received two of those calls so far in my ministry. The first to my student appointment. The second to my appointment as the associate pastor at St Paul UMC. Now four years later, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, I move.

I'm excited by the new that approaches. I'm terrified by the unknown that accompanies the new. I'm sadden by the closure that comes with moving. Many people both in the church and the community have woven their lives into the fabric of my life. Sadly, part of the reality of itinerancy is the the unraveling that occurs.

In addition, I wonder about my colleagues that are moving. I know that God is in their moves as much as mine. However, do they or I when we are told that "______" UMC is receiving us realize that itinerancy is about service not fulfillment. That salary raises or decreases are not really the benchmarks of our ministry. Instead, its about bearing fruit.

Don't get me wrong, I'm willing to receive a church with with an increase, however, I realize that my sanctification needs to mature because I may not receive an increase. For too long, we pastors have come to an expectation that our financial fruit must grow while we as a denomination have allowed the Church to diminish.

At the end of the day, it's about the call. Not from the DS, but from God. Itinerancy is a reminder that we like our Savior have been called to serve and if necessary to lay our lives down for others.

Prayer: My Lord, let me keep my eyes upon your eyes. For in them, I see the reflection of the call to ministry in your Church. Amen.

More than attendance

2009-01-10T20:54:00.000-08:00

In the UMC, when I began a journey toward eldership in 1999, it seemed that guaranteed appointments were the swamp pit of mediocrity for the church. Where's the incentive to excel for God when you are able to give just a little to receive so much. Pastors seemed to have the motive that without a moral failing, I have a life-time job and a guaranteed salary with benefits. As a result, we act as risk avoiders rather than risk takers.

One reading of the Acts of the Apostles should convince us that the early Christians were about taking risks not avoiding them. Here's an blog that might remind us of the Entrepreneural Apostle--Paul and us today: http://plentyoffish.wordpress.com/2009/01/09/entrepreneurship/.
Here's to a new year in which we work in the power of the Holy Spirit to reap success for the Kingdom.

Reminder of the Call

2008-12-30T18:54:00.000-08:00

January 1, 2009 is an anniversary. You see, on December 31st 1998, I went to bed with a prayer that God would make himself real to me. The next morning, I awoke to what I have described as the scene in the Wizard of OZ, when Dorothy opens the door from her house to OZ. It was the movement from black and white to color. That morning, I awoke to God's technicolor in my life. Ten years later, my life is very different because of that prayer. I'm ordained and I'm serving under appointment in the North Carolina Annual Conference. What a difference a decade makes.

My prayer today is that God will make himself real again. To open doors I didn't expect. To visit the equivalence of OZ. To meet the people like the Scarecrow, Tin Man and the Cowardly Lion again. Actually, they all exist in our churches. Would that we as pastors be willing to share the journey with them to the Emerald City. Isn't that the call of pastors, living in communities that seek God.

My prayer during 2009 is that all pastors, myself included, live into God's reality not their own. God's plans are better than ours any day!

Betwixt & Between

2008-12-29T21:26:00.000-08:00

So New Year is almost upon us--at least the secular new year. New Year in the Church began at Advent. What New Year resolutions will you make? What habits will you change this year?
We live betwixt and between the Advents of Christ. Which are we closer to--the first or the second? Depending on your doctrine, it could be the second.
For me, I'm living in a betwixt and between time. I know I will move in June (yes, we Methodists like our summer trips to be across the conference to somewhere new). I'm engaged in my ministry, but I don't look to start things as much as prepare things for new leadership. Everyone wants to know where I'm going. Speculation is a worthless commodity. I've come to realize that I want certain things in the next appointment, but I'm reminded by the Holy Spirit of the Wesleyan Covenant prayer:
I am no longer my own, but thine.
Put me to what thou wilt, rank me with whom thou wilt.
Put me to doing, put me to suffering.
Let me be employed for thee or laid aside for thee,
exalted for thee or brought low for thee.
Let me be full, let me be empty.
Let me have all things, let me have nothing.
I freely and heartily yield all things to thy pleasure and disposal.
And now, O glorious and blessed God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
thou art mine, and I am thine.
So be it.
And the covenant which I have made on earth,
let it be ratified in heaven.
Amen.

Perhaps the New Years Resolution is to pray the prayer in earnest and live the prayer faithfully.

Happy New Year

Wisdom Reminder

2008-12-18T22:20:00.000-08:00

From Tim Keel's blog (http://www.timkeel.com/timkeel/)
"The monastic perspective can assist us specifically with regard to understanding the value of community. Imagine for a moment that the people you encounter at home, work, or school are the very people God has given you to pray with, eat with, and play with for the rest of your life. And you are supposed to thank God for this, every day, several times a day. This is what monastic people take on. And what they've learned from this particular asceticism, in attempting to live in peace with themselves and with others, may constitute their greatest gift to us. How radical to think that we can best know ourselves by embracing commitment, not rejecting it; by relating to others, not callously relegating them to the devilishly convenient category of 'other.'"

From Kathleen Norris, Acedia & Me: A Marriage, Monks, and a Writer's Life.

'Nuff said!

Getting It Right!

2008-12-17T21:34:00.000-08:00

Get two or more pastors in a room and roll out this request, "Tell me about your church." Invariably one or more of the pastors will begin to regale the others with what is wrong with their church. I know, I've been on both sides of that statement. Most of the time, this refrain is added, "They just don't get it." It stands for a myriad of shortcomings.
However, tonight--TONIGHT, St Paul got it right.
Tonight was the end of the fall semester Spirit of St Paul Wednesday night dinners and programs. More about Spirit of St Paul another post.
Here's the point of tonight. We invited 40+ students from a local elementary school to our Wednesday night program. We had a couple teachers as chaperones. In addition, we had approximately 160 of our own men, women, youth and children at the event. We served the kids first, sat them at the front of the room at reserved seats. Several of our youth acted as table monitors helping the kids with dinner and dessert.
Afterwards, we had Santa Claus come and read "The Night Before Christmas" to everyone there. Then, all of the kids from the school received a gift bag with small toys, mittens, a ginger bread man and a copy of "TNBC." Several of the kids had never been to a church before. Several were taken to our sanctuary to see it. After the evening, the kids were taken back to school to their parents.
For one evening, the focus of the evening was not about us or our kids, but the least, the lost and the lonely. For a church more willing to write a check instead of getting our hands dirty, this is the start.
Tonight, they got it right--it is better to give than to receive. Amen!

Paying Out

2008-12-15T21:05:00.000-08:00

For all you Methodist pastors, here's a thought.

Over the last couple months, we've had this internal conversation in our church about the budget. It seems that September panicked everyone about giving. We dropped tens of thousands that month over last year. As such, we've looked at the budget, tried to figure what we could do without over the period and looked to limp into the new year where all of a sudden, we will have money that we don't have now.

Over the last couple months, the question that has resonated with laity and staff is, "Are we going to pay out?" In other words, are we going to pay our apportionments in full by the end of the year. Apportionments are the funds that support the structure of the UMC. Paying 100% is so important that it's on the pastor profile we fill out each year. Bringing people to Christ is good, preaching sermons are good, providing discipleship to others is good, however, don't pay your apportionments, no gold star by your name on the pastor profile.

So we're worry that we might not "pay out."

Question: Is the focus on paying out or on discipleship? In my naive and simple way, I believe that giving even in an era of economic stress is a spiritual issue not a financial one. Many times, we frame the debate in terms of obligation. In order for us to meet our budget, we need you to give X amount. Perhaps that mindset should be framed in terms of generosity.

In John's gospel, God so love the world that he gave his only begotten son. "Only begotten" seems to imply all. Or the widow's mites. Jesus remarked about giving her all. Jesus speaks of an abundant life--does it come from obligation or generosity? Which fuels the abundant life?

In other words, if we give out of our generosity, will we worry about "paying out"? Hmm?!

Can I get a witness

2008-12-11T21:15:00.000-08:00

Ben Witherington has this video on his blog. Any pastor who has been a pastor for more than a year has a wedding story. Or several. One of mine occurred out of high school. (No I was not a pastor yet) The young couple wrote their own vows. When the time for the vows cames, the bride (an angel) recited her. The groom promptly forgot his and replied, "WOW!" We were on the floor.
Or there was the wedding in the mountain in college in a small Baptist church on the side of the mountain. It was hot that day, no air conditioning--just funeral home fans (this was 1979!) What made the wedding was the bridal march played over busted speakers--"Here Comes the Bride" sounding like Thomas Edison had produced that version.
Ah, weddings!

Can I Get A Witness

2008-12-10T22:57:00.000-08:00

Ben Wetherington has this video on his blog. Any pastor who has been a pastor for more than a year has a wedding story. Or several. One of mine occurred out of high school. The young couple wrote their own vows. When the time for the vows cames, the bride (an angel) recited her. The groom promptly forgot his and replied, "WOW!" We were on the floor.

Or there was the wedding in the mountain in college in a small Baptist church on the side of the mountain. It was hot that day, no air conditioning--just funeral home fans (this was 1979!) What made the wedding was the bridal march played over busted speakers--"Here Comes the Bride" sounding like Thomas Edison had produced that version.

Ah, weddings!

Simple is NOT easy

2008-12-04T22:51:00.000-08:00

So I begin to blog this past summer. Four blogs then silence. Blogging is simple. Put thoughts on a screen and push publish. But no blogs for several months.

Or trying to change my life--loose weight, get organize and live abundantly. Sounds simple. But it's not.

Perhaps the problem in the Church is that we are more attuned to easy rather than simple. Simple takes time to master. We like easy. We like to push the easy button and magic occurs. Simple is different. Simple requires practice. Ah, perhaps that's the missing word, practice. Practice implies effort, repeatability and sustainability.

The more I'm part of a church community, the more I'm beginning to believe that the Church is not lacking in orthodoxy as much as orthopraxis. What the church as understood and done for centuries are the spiritual disciplines. Wesley called the means of grace--study, pray, etc.

Disciplines require effort, repeatability and sustainability.

This thought resonated with me earlier today. I go to the gym to run on a treadmill for 30 minutes and 15 minutes on an elliptical walker. I don't like to go. However, the accountability of having to loose 5 pounds by Sunday, December 7 and weigh in front of the congregation drives me forward. Call it shame! It works. I'm within 2 pounds and possibly will close the gap in the next couple days with good dieting and exercising. Disciplines. Simply though not easy.

Let's shoot for simple instead of easy.

Clutter

2008-12-01T22:06:00.000-08:00

So it's been nearly 5 months since I wrote. With the exception of one individual, the world hasn't missed my profundity.

Why the silence?

Nothing to write, hardly.

Nothing to say, hardly.

Perhaps it is the realization that my life has way too much clutter. Having spent 1/2 day in a time management class in November, I have learned that clutter is delayed decisions.

Sadly, my life is crammed full of closets and boxes and tubs of delayed decisions. Sadly, most of us are encased in clutter. What decisions have we put in closets, boxes and tubs to delay the decision. Paul writing the Corinthians speaks of the day of salvation--a time of decision.

Perhaps today is the day of decision making. I know that over the last several months, I've wrestled with the need to make decisions and live out those decisions. More about those in the coming days.

However for today, perhaps the most important decision is to profess and believe, "Come Lord Jesus!" Welcome to Advent!!

Feeling Weird

2008-07-09T19:11:00.000-07:00

It has started again. Back in the summer of 1999, I received my call to ordained ministry. The call and its acceptance left me feeling weird. Then in the summer of 2001, I began my first appointment in Granville/Vance county. I remember that for weeks after the appointment, I kept telling myself that the Bishop and the DS had made a mistake and would realize that they had appointed me to a parish to minister. So for weeks, I felt weird. I kept feeling that I was not a pastor, but playing one in "real" life. Then one day, I realized that I no longer felt weird, but had become the pastor to the parish.

Well the weirdness has started again. Now that I'm ordained, I wear a stole in the traditional worship service and for the funeral I've done recently. Wearing the stole after seven years of not wearing one is weird. I have to remember the color of the paraments in the sanctuary. Prior to ordination, I just zipped up the robe and headed to sanctuary. Now, I have to put on the stole before I leave my office. In addition, I don't seem to have the hang of wearing the stole with both sides uniform. Invariably, I get one shorter than the other.

Now the good part of feeling weird--ministry is still important. It is easy to become cynically or jaded by the routine of ministry (whatever that constitutes). My prayer is that I continue to find ministry weird and exciting and challenging every day, week, month and year under appointment. Too many pastors have forgotten their first love and call. Here's to feeling weird!

Set Apart

2008-06-21T12:34:00.000-07:00

Version 2.0 of "Setting Apart". I just lost version 1.0 so eloquently developed that version 2.0 is a downgrade--see Vista back to XP.

The last week and a half has been a time of adjustment to ordination. People ask me, "Do you feel different because you are ordained?" Feel is probably not the best word to describe my understanding of ordination in my life. After 9 years, I have fulfilled the call to ministry that God placed upon me. That which began in late February/early March has come to fruition on June 11th.

Last Sunday, I wore a stole for the first time of my ministry. It felt weird because for 7 years, I have worn a preaching robe without a stole. Looking at the video after the service, I thought, "I need to do a better job of balancing the stole around my neck--one side was longer than the other."

Last Sunday like the previous Sunday and previous days, I performed the responsibillities of first a student pastor and then an associate pastor. My hope after 10 days is that I will continue to grow in Christ. That ordination opens new opportunities to serve Christ, not to lord over others or feel superior because I've been ordained.

In six months, I'll have a better understanding of my ordination. Perhaps then, I can express it better.

Healthy Congregation Initiative

2008-05-30T20:47:00.000-07:00

Our church has been moving through the North Carolina Annual Conference initiative for Healthy Congregations. This began last year with our DS giving out the initiative packets to us. I gave my packet to our Church Council chair to review. As he reviewed it and mulled over its consequences, the senior pastor began to move toward starting the initiative in January 2008. Over 5 Sundays after the 11 am service 60 to 75 people (young and old) worked through the daily Bible studies, the evaluations and each others' thoughts. So what came out of it--possibilities. The group gave ideas for action plans for the Church Council. The Council established 3 action plans: 1. Hire a youth director. 2. Emphasize local mission opportunities, especially a partnership with Habitat for Humanities. 3. Rededication to the baptismal vows--to support our local congregation with our prayers, our presence, our gifts and our services.

So where do we stand nearly a year after the initiative was given to us? Regarding the action plans: 1. We have raised over 2/3 of the money for a youth director and have begun the selection process. 2. We have hosted a group working on a habitat house earlier this year, we are moving forward to raise $4000 toward sponsorship of a home. 3. We had our Rededication service on May 18Th with a baptismal renewal service.

In talking with the Church Council chair, it appears we are at the end of the beginning. Call it the end of phase 1 and the start of phase 2.

Why Seinfeld Doesn't Work for Me

2008-05-23T12:55:00.000-07:00

Having something to say doesn't mean anyone cares to listen. And blogging tends to affirm that notion.
Therefore, this blog is launched with the intention of spurring listening, questioning and discussing God and The United Methodist Church.
Seinfeld, the TV show, announced it was a "show about nothing." Wikipedia says about the characters, "were 'thirty-something singles ... with no roots, vague identities, and conscious indifference to morals'." While that made the show such a hit on television, it makes for a poor role model for the Church. Yet the Church is filled with Seinfeld-like characters--no roots, vague identities, and conscious indifference to morals. In contrast, the Bible tells us that our baptism establishes our roots and identities as children of God. It goes on to establish that morality is not relative and individualistic but guided by standards imposed by the Creator--God. So Church what do our lives look like then?