“The report of my demise has been greatly exaggerated.” That recognizable quote from Mark Twain illustrates the current status of the Christian Church. This report has come from a number of quarters, up to and including the church. This is really kind of presumptuous, it is God’s church, not ours to judge.
The church I pastor is part of the Southeast District of the Lutheran Church, Missouri Synod. I am very proud and pleased to be a part of this district. It is very focused on evangelism, outreach, being disciples of Jesus Christ. Along with members of First St Johns, we attended the annual “Tending the Flame ” Conference in Richmond, which is a conference that builds evangelism and discipling skills. A church organization devoted to bringing the Gospel to such an influential part of the United States.
There is usually a speaker who keynotes the conference and is a speaker who is well known for his/her evangelism efforts, bringing Christ to those who are lost.
This year Reggie McNeal spoke, well known pastor, author. He is a great writer, man of God and great guy. But … Yea, I have some issues.
Believe me, I get what he was saying. There are a lot of churches out there, new, suburban, frankly these are more monuments for person pleasing then they are for God honoring. The theme of Pastor McNeal’s talks was “Get off Your Donkey”, essentially get out of your pretty churches and do some real engagement for Christ. There are a lot of these fancy churches that are attached to their monument, their church, not so concerned with the Great Commission.
The church has been around for 2,000 years, and has confronted greater challenges than post-modern neo-paganism and I have no doubt that it will continue to be. I have no doubt that Jesus’ imagery of building His church on a rock and the gates of hell not prevailing against it, ever is still valid today. Has the church gone through some tough times? No doubt, but as I’ve suggested before a lot of those tough times were self-inflicted and frankly I think Pastor McNeal’s forum touched on another aspect of that, perhaps not intentionally, but it illustrated it for me.
The problem that I see is that, again, too many new, suburban, in some aspects, almost exclusive churches that started since the 1950’s. But it goes back farther, where it seems that churches really lost sight of their vows to build the church and became social clubs, more concerned with being comfortable and not so concerned with providing for the lost in any respect, spiritual or material.
As Pastor MacNeal pointed out, we, the church, are the only self-conscious organization that is serving and proclaiming God today. We know that we are the agents of God. We do know and should practice what was ordained by Jesus.
Allow me to presume, but it seems as if McNeal is calling for a reformation of sorts and certainly it seems as if it is time for another one. The Reformation brought Christianity back to what is truly Christ-centered, God’s Word. It did away with the man-made stuff that affixed itself to the church. The church went back to Jesus’ command in the Great Commission, to baptize, to make disciples, to go into the world and not hide behind big church doors.
The issue I have is this, the Christian church has not only fallen in love with itself, and decided it was an exclusive club, but also decided that it was going to be a political force. None of that was intended by Jesus, much as the Roman Church became a political force in the medieval period.
Again I have a great deal of respect for Pastor McNeal, but I think a lot of what he talked about was probably derived from his church, the Baptist church. While I really don’t disagree with a lot of what the Baptists are actively involved in, I think that it has become way too involved in the world and has tended to ignore the Great Commission. It’s been way too involved in politics, has a very low view of the sacraments, tries to make the pastor more of a CEO then a man who should be much more concerned with being a “seel sorger” (soul doctor).
Gordon MacDonald tells of a time when he was at the clean up area from 9-ll, he was with a monk dressed in clerical apparel, where MacDonald was dressed business casual. MacDonald noted how he was pretty much ignored while the man who was attired in ecclesiastical/Christ proclaiming garb was treated with respect and deference. Clearly there is respect in the world for a man of Christ, but it seems, frankly as if those in the church don’t and the clergy does little if anything to expect respect from laity. Heck when you have some 24 year old say; “oh, call me pastor Jimmy”, well what do you expect.
When “worship” amounts to world pleasing music patting people on the head, “worship” that is man pleasing and not God-honoring you can’t expect the world to think otherwise. When you go to a Lutheran worship you “should” see true worship. You should see Word and Sacrament. Word, which is the preaching of Law and Gospel and doesn’t get into a lot of of societal platitudes, ten ways to be … , political agendas. You should be getting the fall of man into sin and how Christ, the Son of God, lived and died to reestablish the relationship with Jesus.
Has the church, that really did sell out the Gospel in the 80’s and 90’s, become irrelevant? Yes. It inflicted its own wounds. Instead of creating disciples in Christ to truly serve the world and to proclaim a message that certainly has political application, but it tried to force a political agenda, much like the medieval Roman church.
The LCMS, on the other hand, has the correct message and practice, but had its own self-inflicted wounds which mostly consisted of isolationism and provincialism.
When Law and Gospel is presented it resonates with people, it is readily understood. It’s not political, it’s not hodge-podge, it’s serious and meaningful. When we talk about baptism we are talking and expecting a true transformation. That person has been reborn, they are now a child in Christ, the old person is dead, it still lingers, we still sin, but we are now in that relationship with the Father. With that there is the hope and promise in the church. The church talks about the forgiveness, restoration of Christ. When we take His Body and Blood, it’s not just a quaint little remembrance, it is truly His Body and Blood that forgives, restores, strengthens.
All due respect those 1950s/60s building are a problem. The old churches were built the way they were for a reason, to the glory of God and to inspire awe, a tiny taste of heaven. The 1950s/60s buildings were built to be man pleasing, very little in terms of God honoring. No wonder the church is irrelevant, it’s jut become another, among many, man honoring monuments, since it really doesn’t proclaim hope and promise, forgiveness, eternal resurrected life. so yes, the church of the 50s-70sis a failure. It is suburban-man honoring-social club, this is what MacNeal is talking about and seems to be condemning. Frankly, in terms of that I agree.
The inner-city church has been doing for years what MacNeal advocates. The problem is this, what MacNeal advocates is serving and social work. OK, that’s what the inner-city church does, but it also does what is truly important, bringing the hope and promise of Christ. The people of First St Johns have stepped up and done much social outreach and will continue to do so. But what has been discovered is that much of what is done is taken advantage of by people who have no intention to do anything other than what they’ve been doing. The church should serve, but often ends up just being an enabler. I intend to develop this thesis further, but there is only limited time, resources and persons to do this ministry. I do a lot of “social ministry”, I could do it 24/7 without a problem, that’s not what I’m there for or trained for. We do serve physical needs, but more importantly doing what’s important: conducting worship that is God-honoring, disciple-making, Word and Sacrament. That church, First St Johns for example, St Thomas’ in Baltimore too, those churches are very valid and need to be built up and restored. Now if Pastor MacNeal is talking about the churches that have become superficial, sappy, irrelevant, that they should get off their donkies, OK. They should and schlep downtown to the churches where the faithful have been serving, not just food, clothes, shelter, but also genuine Word and Sacrament, the hope and promise of Christ. Well then they should, and do it quickly. But churches like First St Johns are more relevant than ever.

Since it’s been four years this week, I thought I’d post this article from the York Daily Record.

Church’s new pastor teaches Scripture, kickboxing
By AMY MARCHIANO
For the Daily Record/Sunday News
Updated: 08/03/2010 09:57:59 AM EDT# Comments

The Rev. James Driskell is kissed by his wife, Marge, after she placed his vestments on his during his ordination and installation Sunday at First Saint
The Rev. James Driskell is kissed by his wife, Marge, after she placed his vestments on his during his ordination and installation Sunday at First Saint John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in York. Driskell served an internship at the church, and the congregation chose him to be its next pastor. Driskell also teaches kickboxing lessons at the church. (Daily Record/Sunday News – Paul Kuehnel)
In his new role as pastor of First Saint John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in York, James Andrew Driskell’s mission is to save.

And maybe to teach some butt-kicking from time to time.

Driskell, 51, spent more than 20 years in the U.S. Coast Guard and the Coast Guard Reserves, retiring in 2005. He also has 20 years of experience in the financial industry.

Driskell, of Brockton, Mass., was ordained and installed Sunday as pastor of St. John’s in front of about 75 friends, family, congregation members and area clergy members. He replaced the Rev. Gene Reichel, interim pastor since the retirement of the previous pastor two years ago.

Driskell recently graduated from Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, Mo. As part of his requirements, he did an 11-month internship at St. John’s.

In March, the congregation chose Driskell to be pastor, Reichel said.

Along with his prior role as vicar, Driskell started kickboxing lessons at the church. “It’s really a community outreach thing,” he said.

Lessons are held 3 p.m. Thursdays at the church. Youths and adults participate, with attendance varying, he said.

The last session was held in February before he went back to seminary. The next session might be held next week, he said.

Taking care of your body is a way to honor God, he said.

“Everything we have is God’s. God gave it (your body) to you for a reason: to keep it healthy,” Driskell said.

Driskell, who was baptized in a United Methodist church in 1986, said he “really didn’t become a Christian” until he was 25.

The Rev. Dr. Jon Diefenthaler, president of Southeastern District of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, said after ordaining Driskell that the disciple Andrew led other people to Jesus.

“That’s what you have been doing here in this place. Lead others here to be Andrews. Lead them to Jesus,” he said.

During the laying-on of hands by clergy members, the Rev. Rob Barclay said Driskell should adapt the Coast Guard motto to fit his new role: “that of saving souls, not just lives.”

After the service, church member Tammy Cahoon said she was glad that Driskell is the new pastor. “I like him a lot. I think he’s going to be a good asset to this church.”

Had readers from Finland and Figi Islands, very cool thanks. And to the reader(s) in Brazil, thanks for your support, any input, especially anything that would resonate in Brazil (except soccer, do not do soccer 😉 ) would be appreciated. Thanks to all readers, ya, I know, compared to a lot of bloggers I’m small potatoes, but it’s still a huge kick to see folks from different countries popping up on my stat list. Thank you and please jump in and comment; “I love you, I hate you, you’re ugly, you dress funny,” whatever, it’s great getting feedback. Believe me I have no doubt I need to improve so your observations are appreciated.
I get feed back about the music at church, a lot, and I’m really sick of it! Nah, just kidding, believe me, I understand, some of it can seem kind of obscure. But first off, we have a crack minister of music, who makes that 3,000 pipe organ really go and he picks the music (so blame him). No, no, kidding again, he does a great job. He knows the right music to go with the lectionary, and the season and we all appreciate all that he does. But still the debate goes on and remember, trying to get the music to be more liturgical. Heck, we have this magnificent instrument and a guy who knows how to get the most out of it, you name the contemporary Christian musician and I probably like him or her, but Rich Mullins doesn’t play well on a huge church organ. So I will quote at length from the “The Study of Liturgy” (editors Cheslyn Jones, Geoffrey Wainwright, Edward Yarnold and Paul Bradshaw)
“…To sing a psalm or the Trisagion, to ring a bell or play the organ – these are every bit as much rites as are reading of a lesson, the saying of a prayer, a procession, or even the breaking of bread. As with any rite, the purpose of singing and music is to awake meaning and induce an attitude…”
“…Augustine goes so far as to say:
‘Apart from those moments when the Scriptures are being read or a sermon is preached, when the bishop is praying aloud or the deacon is specifying the intentions of the litany of community prayer, is there any time when the faithful assembled in the church are not singing? Truly I see nothing better, more useful or more holy that they could do (Ep 55.18-19; PL 33.204).
The liturgy is the shared activity of a people gathered together. No other sign brings out this communal dimension as well as singing… Many individual voices, however can actually be fused together, so that when they blend and follow the same rhythm, only one voice is heard – that of the group. This brings out a very strong feeling of unity and of belonging. It even touches on the essential mystery of the Church as koinonia.… John Chrysostom preached these words to his flock:
‘The psalm which occurred just now in the office blended all voices together and caused one single fully harmonious chant to arise; young and old, rich and poor, women and men, slaves and free, all sang one single melody … All the inequalities of social life are here banished. Together we make a single choir in perfect equality of rights and of expression whereby earth imitates heaven. Such is the noble character of the Church (Hom. 5; PG 63.486-70′”
“…The liturgy is a ‘festal gathering’ (Heb 12:22). A festival implies singing, music and dancing….The canticle of Moses, celebrating the deliverance of Passover, became the ‘new song’ of the Lamb (Rev 5.9; 15. 3-4) and, as such, the symbol of all who have been definitively saved by the One who makes all things new’ (Rev 21.5)…
…Basil can write: ‘…[The Holy Spirit] adds the grace of music to the truth of doctrine. Charmed by what we hear, we pluck the fruit of the words without realizing it (Hom in Ps. I; PG 29.211).”
Yeah, this is going to be my usual kavetch, but let’s get over this lame idea that music in church is “entertainment”. Can it be? Yes. Should it be? No, not necessarily. When you take Chrysostom’s perspective, people can come from all over the world, go back through the centuries, and another common touchstone would be the hymns. Yea, again my beef with the church of the past century, but the cheesey “Jesus loves me”, Tommy Dorsey pop music does not transcend, it infantalizes, but it doesn’t edify. Heck as a guy, I would say one of the big turnoffs for me in the United Methodist Church was this schmaltzy music, it wasn’t serious, it was emotion and sentiment, that’s not what being a Christian is about. Has there been good Christian music? Absolutely, but is it what unites Christians or is it too much one perspective?
One of the members of the congregation pointed out he counts how many personal pronouns (I, me, mine, our), versus lifting up in praise, acknowledging who Jesus is and not what our opinion is. As I’ve said before, I have no problem with contemporary Christian, I get into concerts as much as anyone. It’s not worship, it’s certainly a time of praise, but it is entertainment. We need to come into His presence, in His church and worship and glorify Him and quit expecting it to be for our glory and edification but His. I get it, a lot of times it’s difficult to sing, hmmm, how about this for an idea, learn to read music, it’s not that hard. Push yourself, try to get the meaning and message of the hymn. When you learn it, it stays with you, the hymn should complement the readings, the sermon, pull it all together and you should come away from worship genuinely fed.