The Times, They Are A Changin'

My friend who I've never met in person but have admired for years, Marty Duren, has written what for him is a very rare post about something in the inner workings of the Southern Baptist Convention. He does a great job with it, and you should read his thoughts on the "Great Commission Resurgence" document. I've also been meaning to write something about where we at New Hope find ourselves, so this is that rare day when both Marty and I write about the SBC. I expect Halley's comet's return before it happens again.

Having successfully avoided every state and national convention for the 36 years I have been a Baptist, you could say that I'm not really interested in what happens in the SBC. You'd be wrong. I care a great deal about what the SBC does where the rubber meets the road. That would be the local church, BTW. People seem to forget that the convention exists to serve the churches instead of the other way around, and that the various entities that make up the SBC exist for the same reason. Absent that need, they should not exist.

Our church is a contributing member of the local group of Baptist churches, the Florida Baptist Convention, and the Southern Baptist Convention. We give money. We pray for our leaders, and those who serve our Lord as missionaries. As far as I know, that's about all they want from us.

That's just not enough.

We have flung the door open for a delivery of new wine skins and aren't looking back. Our people are being encouraged to sponsor children through Compassion, World Vision, or other Christian efforts. (We'll soon hit a dozen kids!) They are engaged in helping across the world with other groups who are making a difference. For example the younger girls have in successive months made crafts that were sold to fund stainless steel food bowls for kids in Haiti, formula for an orphanage in Guatemala, and VBS materials for kids in the Ukraine. We've given the shoes off our feet (and out of our closets) to Soles4Souls.org and left worship barefoot. We're about to embark on the most radical thing I've ever been a part of - a challenge to eat as the orphans do for 5 days, and give the money difference between that and what we normally eat - to the orphans at Amazima Ministries in Uganda.

Oh and lest you think we've forgotten the Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria part of the Great Commission - we have 17 folks away on mission to Appalachian KY right now, have done more local benevolence work this year than ever in our history, and are about to start our summer movie outreaches.

And exactly what has the SBC have to do with any of that?

Nothing.

That's not intended to be a swipe at the SBC, just a fact. Times are changing. Churches are looking for ways to DO SOMETHING, not outsource it to "professional missionaries." There are many outlets for that desire that lie outside the SBC and are easy to find. Why is that? And why are the leaders of the SBC fixated on a document like the "Great Commission Resurgence" (which in classic SBC fashion will be submitted to a committee at the convention to be studied for a year) instead of asking the local church what we need?

We're going to continue to look for the most effective way our local church can change the world for God's glory. If that's through the SBC, great. But I doubt it. I also expect that we will find a better way to ensure that the monies we contribute to God's work through the SBC don't get frittered away at the state level or absorbed into the "machine" and get to the missionaries on the field. The times, they are a changin' - and I'm thrilled about how much more impact we are having for the Kingdom of God - and can't wait to see what's ahead.

The Art of Deck Chair Management

This is a modern version of the Titanic's deck chairs. Looks very functional, doesn't it. I'll bet on a sunny afternoon up on the lido deck a person might find real contentment on one of these. The trick in weather like that would be to find which side of the ship was facing toward the sun.

As long as the weather held up, and the ship was in good shape, the chair would really provide a benefit. Just keep them placed where they need to be, and maybe rub a little oil in every so often.

Those skills you'd have used to keep the deck chairs managed were awesome until they weren't.

When Titanic struck an iceberg, any time spent looking after the deck chairs was wasted. Deck chairs are a luxury item.

What brought my mind to the Titanic and deckchairs?

Our local Southern Baptist Association - oh scratch that - "fellowship of churches" has reorganized for the second time since I have been here and changed its name.

Because that's what was making it ineffective.

Right?

The Baptist Association Revisited

New Hope had a business meeting tonight to discuss the plans our local Baptist Association has for building on the lot next door. We talked about what that would mean for the association, for our neighbors here in Valparaiso, and for New Hope. Then we talked about what our response would be.

As the Holy Spirit worked among us, we worked through misunderstandings, moved past the quick and easy snap judgments, and arrived at common ground and a graceful response. I know some people have a problem with the words "Baptist Business Meeting", but if you feed Baptists dessert beforehand they are much sweeter. :)

I'm sitting here now about to go to bed and thinking about how I wish, wish, wish the association would relate to us as a smaller church. Back in January I took this up and wrote:

First: Quit trying to do the work of the local church.

Second: Quit hurting the work of the local church. Every dollar spent on associational buildings and people that cannot be justified by a resultant effect in growing the Kingdom through the work of the local church is wasted. Wasted.

Three: Help our pastors help our churches. I know we're a prickly bunch and not easily led or helped, but we are the people that God called and placed in the churches of the association to help see His will done on earth as it is in heaven. And we are the ones who will have to give an account for what we have done and haven't done. We need help - especially (but not limited to) those of us who pastor smaller churches. Every new initiative we undertake - someone has BTDT. We need the DOM and the association to serve as facilitator and network respectively. Hook us up when we get a wild idea with someone who knows how to pull it off. Help us find the resources to accomplish it. Maybe the association could serve as part file cabinet, part rolodex, part storage building.

Personally I'd love to see our association buy a trailer like they use during emergencies to feed people. Self contained kitchen etc., but with a PA system and a few of those "jumpy toys" and stuff like a rock climbing wall so we could do block parties and cross church fellowships. But that's just me.

Perception is that the current system of funding the DOM position makes him far more attentive and reactive to big churches and big church pastors. It ought to be just the opposite. YMMV. I'd love to see that position become a Missionary position again with the small church and church planting through all the churches be the focus. I know there are a lot of DOM's who do a great job of looking after the needs of smaller churches, but not all of them do.

Finally (for now) - Help us see the bigger picture. Fight us to help us see it. By that I mean the DOM has to be working to take what the pastors dream and see if it will synergize into something that will not only allow the local churches to fulfill their calling, but will help other local churches do the same. We need to see more of that birthed out of what God is telling the local churches, not out of the Lifeway catalog or a DOM association meeting.

For me, this is sort of a final attempt to try to work through what an association ought to be and do. In the small church I serve, we're not going to nod our heads anymore and send our money to anything that doesn't help us do our job more effectively than we could do alone.

Since then, none of those things has happened, if anything the local association has moved in the opposite direction. But New Hope has worked on its own to build relationships with a local Presbyterian church and the City of Valparaiso, and we'll be seeing some real impact come from those.

We just don't have the luxury of spending time worrying about them - too much to do.

If anyone anywhere can give me some examples of an association that's working to help the average sized Baptist church reach their neighbors, let me know.

Scars

He was a 23 year old on the island of Okinawa, was my father. When though he was behind some cover from the defending Japanese, he lifted his head to take a look at what was in front of his position and Pow! A bullet creased his scalp and blew his helmet off.

The young man from Georgia had seen a lot of fighting by that day's events, and he was to see some more before the war was done, but that was the only scar he carried... that was visible.

It was very hard to get him to talk about what happened as his 24th Division hopped across the Pacific. As boys, we wanted to know the details. He was not interested in giving them. All we could see was the scar.

I was in a meeting yesterday afternoon with two people from our community. Since I am followed by the tag "Baptist preacher" people seem to react in such situations in a couple of ways, generally.

They will either try to remember how their momma taught them they were supposed to act, in that case I hear a lot of "Reverend" dropped here and there, or they will at some point in the conversation let me know how great their church is or how they have been hurt by churches in the past.

It was the latter yesterday. "You don't want to know," was the response when I asked what happened. And the door/subject was quickly closed.

But here's the thing. I DO want to know. Because in this world marred by people hurting people, I probably can identify. And then I can share who helped me heal.

Jesus.

Friends, there are times when "church" drives me up the wall. It is so difficult sometimes to see past what people do to what they are - in all their imperfections and propensity to injure each other - they are the Bride of Christ - the Church. And in that is a reason to keep loving and learning to love. In that is the hope that Jesus and His amazing love will work out the divisions we've created between us and get His heart's desire. Which is...

21 May they all be one, just as You, Father, are in Me and I am in You. May they also be one in Us, so that the world may believe You sent Me. 22 I have given them the glory that You have given to Me. May they be one just as We are one. 23 I am in them and You are in Me. May they be made completely one, so that the world may know You sent Me and that You have loved them just as You have loved Me.

John 17:21-23 (HCSB)

Friends, everyone has scars. Everyday has enough trouble. We have to ask God to grant us the grace not only to stand under our burdens, but to help our neighbor bear his.

We were made to love God and each other, and placed together in places like New Hope to do more than we could ever do separately.

Pray for your church - for your pastors, your deacons, your teachers, your nursery workers. Find something to praise them for. Give them the gift of encouragement. There are far too many self-inflicted wounds on the Body of Christ.

We've Been Talking About Mobile Ministry...

We've been talking about buying a trailer so we could do a better job at ministry in local parks, and having a way to "project New Hope" into block party situations for a awhile now. I believe I have found the perfect vehicle for it.

Come on guys - who wouldn't come over and talk to us if we had a "magic bus?"

Okay, okay. I'll go back to studying about heaven for this Sunday's message. :)

It's the Book of Acts, Not Conferences

“It began with the Spirit…For without the Spirit there would be no story to tell. Without the Spirit there would be no church, no way to follow. Without the Spirit there would be no witness bearing, in Jerusalem or anywhere else.” James Dunn, The Acts of the Apostles

HT Sets and Service

"The final argument for faith in the world is not the argument of words, but the argument of life." G. Campbell Morgan

I loved the very beginning "Why are you standing here...?"

Get busy!

Random Wednesday Thoughts

- as the sun comes out of the clouds here on the Gulf Coast, my heart goes out to all those affected by the storms yesterday. The last I read 48 people lost their lives, homes, businesses, and the campus of Union University destroyed. Praying...

- Lent began today with Ash Wednesday. I can still remember when I first encountered Lent many years ago. I was still with Procter and Gamble and I had journeyed to Birmingham Alabama to help set up a new Brunos Food's store. At lunch that day a coworker left and when he returned, I looked up at him. By mistake, I told him he had something like a smudge on his face. Duh.

Our family has observed Lent quietly for many years as a way to focus on the incredible work of Jesus Christ on the cross. This year here at New Hope, I will be leading in some special worship each Sunday night during the period. Though we are not calling it Lenten worship, it will be themed that way. BTW, I am giving up my beloved hot dogs for Lent. Hope I don't go to Macon anytime soon. To be that close to NuWay hot dogs and not be able to eat them?

- Continuing our look at Romans tonight in the last part of chapter 2 and the first part of chapter 3. Lot of parallels between the attitudes of the Jews Paul is writing about and to, and we Southern Baptists. I don't have to find applications in this text, I just need to get out of the way!

- Working on a letter to our association explaining our decision to reduce our commitment to them and increase our commitments to other missions. Sadly, this is necessary and right.

Shalom

Davud

Baptist Business Meeting

And no, that wasn't as a result of a business meeting - just poking fun at the stereotype.

Just so you non-Baptists understand - we don't like these business meetings either. While we were walking up to the sanctuary from the parking lot, one of our members repeated three times through gritted teeth "I hate business meetings."

And I'd agree. But knowing they are sometimes necessary means I'm always going in with a "how can we share a vision for what the church can be?" As opposed to a "if a hurricane were to hit and we got wiped out we'd need more money in our reserve" frame of reference. LOL

But we make it through.

Congregational polity can be messy. It can drive you crazy when you are trying to get something done NOW. But it also can help a pastor (who loves the people God has given him to care for) to hear them. In fact I like to hear from them. For my experience has been that the people who are most opposed to whatever it is we are voting on don't say a word.

Tonight we took a step away from our local association, deciding to send the minimum each year and sending the difference to missions. No, that's not a misprint. We just don't think the association is doing missions so we're bypassing the structure. I was enlisted by the congregation to take a further step, that of sending a letter explaining why we were doing it. A no confidence letter I suppose is what is in order.

We'll be exploring other ways to partner with churches locally as well.

So the Baptist business meeting came to a close with no fires spotted. Doesn't mean they don't exist, but maybe they'll wait until Tuesday.

Hey coach!

One of the hardest adjustments I have had to make in life as a pastor is the sheer aloneness that goes with the job. When I say "aloneness", I'm not meaning the lack of human interaction. What I'm referring to is the lack of coaching.

When I was in business, I worked with/for someone who as part of their job description had to develop me in my skill set and improve me in my effectiveness. Ah those days with Procter and Gamble where my manager and I would sit at a table somewhere, usually a Shoney's, and haggle over where I fell this year in the measurable job performance categories. Did I "need improvement"? Or was that area one of "Significant Strength"?

Whatever the result of the interaction, we always left with some idea of a development plan that would leverage my strengths and improve my weaknesses. The goals we set had to meet a high standard. They had to be specific, measurable, achievable, and compatible with the goals of my team.

In this role, there are times when I badly need a coach. Decisions need to be made in order to see the church move forward on its mission. Sometimes that action is one I have never considered before and the church has never before taken. Complex interactions are most always part of the mix and Murphy's Law, the Law of Unintended Consequences, and always the law of "We Never Did It That Way Before" all combine to almost paralyze you.

On an ongoing basis, just as in sales, I need to grow in my abilities and skills. My aim is to constantly improve, and toward that end I'm working on two Masters degrees and have an ultimate Doctorate in Education as a prized goal. I read everything I can on preaching, on small groups, on men's ministry, on discipleship - until I have more facts than I know what to do with.

If only there was a system within the SBC to help the single staff guys like me evaluate their context, their effectiveness, and their stated goals and work through a plan to grow.

Personally, I'm very grateful for the Internet and the availability of places like the Pastors.com pastors forum which I was a part of for years, and most recently for the guys I share the Ultimate Pastors Forum with. Having the insight and counsel of men who are actively engaged in pastoral work is so valuable to me. But I know that if they could walk with me through Valparaiso, meet the people here at New Hope, and hear our vision to be more effective in reaching the unchurched, their counsel would be so much better.

Is this an area in SBC life where the association should be, but isn't? Our association is heavy on the big churches, and the smaller ones are all traditional. I would think if a coaching network was to be built, it would almost certainly have to be "affinity" based, with members gathering with like philosophies of church.

If anyone has any ideas along this line, I am all ears. Knowing the challenges of pastoral leadership aren't going to get any easier means I keep working hard to grow. But having a coach or coaches to help that process would be a blessing.

What Should A Baptist Association DO?

That's a question that I suppose has as many answers as we do associations. Our contexts are so different these days as America's demographics change. Here on the Gulf Coast and in the Choctaw association, apparently the question is valid, as a group within the association is taking up that very question.

Context does matter.

Geographic and demographic contexts matter: Okaloosa County contains the largest military base in the United States - Eglin Air Force Base, as well as some of the finest beaches anywhere. There's a wild swing between the northern and southern ends of both Okaloosa and its neighbor Walton county because of the different influences of beach versus rural or exburb. This led to the creation of a separate association for Crestview and northern Okaloosa county, and to some of the South Walton churches aligning with the Choctaw Asssociation instead of the Walton one.

The Air Force and soon to be larger Army influences mean that there's a larger population of skilled workers who are younger and prone to have families, and a contractor base (and retirees) who are older and have substantially greater income than others do. But move across the bay to Destin and South Walton, and money ramps up considerably as well as the diversity of culture. Then too, just like the tides, people come in and out of those areas for short or long term stays. Snowbirds, condo owners, vacationers, even Spring Breakers all come in and out and affect the churches. The pastor of the largest church in Destin once told me that "the snowbirds are under the mistaken opinion that we should change who we are just for them." So there are pressures inherent within the diversity that exists.

Add to that the mega vs small church tug of war, traditional versus modern, and denominational turf wars and we'll have fun fun fun convincing anyone that we're about the Kingdom of God who isn't already an insider.

Makes you want to run out and become a DOM now doesn't it?

Given our context, I'm going to take a stab at offering some suggestions. They may be stupid in your environment. If so, pay no attention to them. If they are brilliant, then by all means let me know. :)

First: Quit trying to do the work of the local church.

Second: Quit hurting the work of the local church. Every dollar spent on associational buildings and people that cannot be justified by a resultant effect in growing the Kingdom through the work of the local church is wasted. Wasted.

Three: Help our pastors help our churches. I know we're a prickly bunch and not easily led or helped, but we are the people that God called and placed in the churches of the association to help see His will done on earth as it is in heaven. And we are the ones who will have to give an account for what we have done and haven't done. We need help - especially (but not limited to) those of us who pastor smaller churches. Every new initiative we undertake - someone has BTDT. We need the DOM and the association to serve as facilitator and network respectively. Hook us up when we get a wild idea with someone who knows how to pull it off. Help us find the resources to accomplish it. Maybe the association could serve as part file cabinet, part rolodex, part storage building.

Four: Bring Us Together as people walking down the same road. There are so many splits in the people who are outside. So many fissures emerging within the SBC. calling another meeting isn't going to get it done anymore. Inviting two pastors or three to meet for lunch will. Getting to know each other as fellow stragglers will. Pastor's luncheons may be the hardest thing a DOM can pull off and may seem insignificant. But they matter. Personally I'd love to see our association buy a trailer like they use during emergencies to feed people. Self contained kitchen etc., but with a PA system and a few of those "jumpy toys" and stuff like a rock climbing wall so we could do block parties and cross church fellowships. But that's just me.

Perception is that the current system of funding the DOM position makes him far more attentive and reactive to big churches and big church pastors. It ought to be just the opposite. YMMV. I'd love to see that position become a Missionary position again with the small church and church planting through all the churches be the focus. I know there are a lot of DOM's who do a great job of looking after the needs of smaller churches, but not all of them do.

Finally (for now) - Help us see the bigger picture. Fight us to help us see it. By that I mean the DOM has to be working to take what the pastors dream and see if it will synergize into something that will not only allow the local churches to fulfill their calling, but will help other local churches do the same. The Charleston Baptist SC association has a resort ministry arm that works alongside the association with a separate board made up of churches. Ours has a ministry center that does that. We need to see more of that sort of thing but birthed out of what God is telling the local churches, not out of the Lifeway catalog or a DOM association meeting.

For me, this is sort of a final attempt to try to work through what an association ought to be and do. In the small church I serve, we're not going to nod our heads anymore and send our money to anything that doesn't help us do our job more effectively than we could do alone.

/rant off

praying commences again

*edited to remove some of the heat and leave the light - DW