Epic Conversations

Many pastors today are struggling to move their churches forward. They have a fire and passion for Christ, but the church as a whole doesn’t seem to share that fire and passion. One of the primary causes for this apathetic condition is church members. You see, the church takes on a cultural mindset when it invites people to join. We are taught in our culture that when we join something and become members it entitles us to certain privileges. For example, last year I signed up for Blockbusters’ movie club. This membership entitles me to watch as many movies as I desire for a standard monthly fee. I also receive a coupon every month for a free movie. This is not something I desire, this is something I’m entitled to as a club member.

It has been my experience that people who join churches have adopted this cultural mindset. They believe that their membership in the church entitles them to excellent worship services, pastoral care, programs and activities, as well as the right to be baptized, married and buried in the church. They feel like they are entitled to these services regardless of whether or not they are actually involved in the mission of the church. They in essence become a group of spiritual consumers. In fact, I had one parisioner refer to giving in the church as “paying dues.”

The church is the Body of Christ and the solution to this attitude of entitlement is to dis-member the body. Jesus called people to become His followers, not members of an organization. The Church of Jesus Christ needs to do away with membership completely and replace it with a covenantal relationship. Those who enter into this relationship understand they are making a commitment to follow Jesus with other Christ-followers. They learn, worship, play, serve, love, and live together as a community. This community in turn, becomes a beacon of light for all the world to see. It is a place where hope is restored, faith is built, and healing and wholness takes place. Everyone shares the love of Christ with others in their areas of influence through their testimonies and personal experiences with Jesus.

I’m praying for the day that when pastors are asked how many members they have in their churchs they will be able to say, “I don’t have any members. But I do have five hundred followers of Jesus!” Imagine the tremendous impact this would have not only on those who live within the Christ community, but on those in our culture at large.

I have served several churches over my twenty year span of pastoral ministry that offered both “contemporary” and “traditional” worship services. The result of this mentality was always the same: two different congregations under one roof! People were divided by worship “styles.” The split usually occurred along generational lines. The younger generations prefer the contemporary service while the older generations prefer the traditional service.

This is not the way God intends for His people to worship. Worship is not about style. It’s about WHO you worship and THAT you worship. Jesus had a similar discussion with the woman at the well. He said that God wants His people to worship in “spirit and in truth.”

Worship services that are fresh and new every week are not confined to a particular style. There is no set “order” of worship. All the artistic elements involved in the service, (such as songs, dramas, videos, art, dance, etc.) change on a regular basis depending on the message or messages being presented. The service flows with the Spirit as it shares the truth with the congregation. All generations can worship together as the service is neither contemporary nor traditional. It can best be described as “out of style” worship, because there is no “style” to latch onto.

Our culture is constantly in flux and worship that continues to change will always be relevant to the culture it is trying to reach. When worship gets caught in a particular “style” it becomes routine, predictable, ordinary, boring. Sameness always leads to spiritual stagnation.

It is ever-changing worship experiences that usher people into the presence of God. It’s fresh, it’s new, it’s exciting, and because of its unpredictability people can encounter God in unexpected ways. It’s time to do away with the archaic terms “contemporary” and “traditional” worship. Let’s open the doors to our sanctuaries and let the Spirit breathe new life into the church through “out of style” worship.

The title of this blog is a word that you will not find in dictionaries because it does not exist. But it should. “Demonominationalism.” What does it mean? It describes mainline churches who fly the flags of their denominations for all to see. They want the culture to know that they are Methodists, Baptists, Church of Christ, etc.

Studies consistently show that people seeking to find God today do not care about denominations. In fact, they don’t even care about churches. They are looking for communities of faith who are open and honest about who they follow, who live what they profess, and who will accept others as they are. They are searching for communities who will embrace their questions, understand their doubts, and help them face their fears.

This is why I use the term “demonominationalism” rather than “denominationalism” to describe churches who lift up their various denominations rather than lifting up Christ. You see there is a “demon” attached to the first term. That’s because this is one of Satan’s favorite tools to divide the Body of Christ.

Jesus was so concerned about this that He prayed about it in the Gospel of John’s seventeenth chapter. He said, “Father, may they be one, as we are one.” Jesus also said that when He is lifted up, He will draw all people to Himself.

Churches need to understand that when they lift up anything less than Jesus, it creates division instead of unity, confusion instead of clarity. Congregations get caught up in how they worship rather than who they worship. How you’re baptized becomes more important than why you’re baptized. Who can serve communion becomes more important than why communion is served.

“Demonominationalism” lets everyone know who’s in and who’s out. “Believe the way we believe and you’re in. If you don’t believe the way we believe, you’re out!” When the church of Jesus Christ battles against itself the world shakes its head and Satan smiles because he knows that a house divided against itself cannot stand.

I’m praying for the day that Jesus’ prayer is fulfilled. Imagine what would happen if all churches laid down their denominational banners and rallied behind the cause of Christ. It would revolutionize the world.

George Carlin, master wordsmith, comedian, and commentator on culture, passed away recently at the age of 71. Carlin gained noteriety as well as popularity with his comedy routine, “The Seven Words You can Never Say on Television.” These words are considered to be vulgar and are “bleeped” everytime they are expressed over the airwaves.

Vulgar language also has no place in church. The most vulgar phrase I have ever heard expressed in the church is this one: “The church is a business!” It is usually expressed by leaders and members of the finance committee. This phrase is obscene to followers of Jesus. The church of Jesus Christ is NOT and will NEVER be a business. If that were the case pastors would be required to have BA’s rather than MDIV degrees.

Here are some differences: Businesses are based on worldly man-made principles; the church of Jesus Christ is based on supernatural Kingdom of God principles. A business cannot afford to take an unnecessary risk; the church cannot afford not to. A business is an organization; the church is a living organism. The bottom line for a business is the dollar sign. The bottom line for the church is changed lives. I could go on, but I think you get the point. Whenever the church is run like a business it becomes a well-oiled machine on the brink of spiritual bankrupty.

There I said it! I have come out of the closet to profess to the world that I am NOT a Christian. It sounds heretical doesn’t it? How can a man who spent the last twenty years of his life as a pastor in the United Methodist Church proclaim loud and clear that he is not a Christian?

Well, look at it this way: If Christianity is all that it’s cracked up to be, then how come Jesus wasn’t one? Please understand. I am not trying to be cute, arrogant or trite. I am, however, very serious about my conviction. I no longer consider myself a Chistian and I will never consider myself a Christian again.

The reason is simple: The word “Christian” has become an adjective in our culture. We have Christian books, Christian music, Christian movies, Christian toys, Christian comics, Christian businesses, Christian politicians, Christian churches, and Christian people. The word “Christian” was never meant to be used as an adjective. It was mean to be used as a noun. Therefore, to avoid confusion I tell everyone I meet that I am not a Christian. I am a follower of Jesus. He is my Lord and Savior. He is my leader and guide. He is my passion and the love of my life. He is my constant companion. He is my best friend. Where He leads I will follow.

The world doesn’t need any more Christians, but it is in desperate need of people who follow Jesus. This distinction, believe it or not, makes all the difference in the world.

I finally did it. After twenty years of faithful service as a pastor in the United Methodist Church, I retired on July 1 of this year at the age of 57. Why retire so early? Because I was tired of being trapped and confined behind the walls of the institutionalized church. It has been my experience that churches will do almost anything to avoid following Jesus. Structures, programs, activities, fellowship dinners, meetings, etc. all designed to keep the congregation locked behind the doors of the church.

Well, no more. Not for me. I’ve scaled the walls, taken a giant leap of faith and proclaimed my freedom. Now I’m on the outside ,away from the damp and musky smell of decay, breathing in the fresh air of the Spirit. And I have to tell you I’m enjoying the view!