In preparing for an upcoming series, I looked through some planning and brainstorming notes from an earlier series. (Piece Of Work from 2009, if you must know which one.)
And as I looked through the notes, what came to my mind was, "what in the world were we thinking?"
It's obvious simply from what I jotted down that we were trying too hard to be creative, trying too hard to be inventive, trying too hard to add elements to our worship gathering.
Sometimes, when you do more, the result is less.
Less clarity. Less understanding. Less application.
I've been struck by how much less arduous is our series planning these days . . . and, I pray, how much more impactful the different series actually are.
Not that we want to stop being creative. Not that the right video or monolog or comic moment -- track jackets, anyone? -- won't bring the right feel on a certain Sunday.
It's just that we don't ever want creativity to get in the way of the Creator.
Because sometimes He can say more when we do less.
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Top Five Tuesday -- Top Five Scriptures On Eternal Life
While it can be dangerous to attach too much importance to single verses of Scripture -- thereby yanking them out of context -- nevertheless there is something so powerful about certain sentences in the bible.
Especially those that speak of eternal life.
These are the words I read to terminally ill patients and their families as they reach the end of their days.
They're the words I say at funerals and memorials.
They are, as you'll see, even the words I want on my grave marker when my time comes.
These words have formed my faith and blessed my spirit; I pray they do the same for yours today.
5. Romans 8:18 -- "I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us."
4. Luke 23:43 -- "Jesus answered [the thief on the cross], 'I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.'"
3. I Corinthians 15:51-53 -- "Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed -- in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality."
2. II Corinthians 5:8 -- "We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord."
1. Philippians 1:21 -- Christ is me is to live; to die is to gain. (This one will be on my marker.)
Hallelujah.
Especially those that speak of eternal life.
These are the words I read to terminally ill patients and their families as they reach the end of their days.
They're the words I say at funerals and memorials.
They are, as you'll see, even the words I want on my grave marker when my time comes.
These words have formed my faith and blessed my spirit; I pray they do the same for yours today.
5. Romans 8:18 -- "I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us."
4. Luke 23:43 -- "Jesus answered [the thief on the cross], 'I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.'"
3. I Corinthians 15:51-53 -- "Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed -- in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality."
2. II Corinthians 5:8 -- "We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord."
1. Philippians 1:21 -- Christ is me is to live; to die is to gain. (This one will be on my marker.)
Hallelujah.
Monday, November 28, 2011
Fashion Statement Rewind
Yesterday, Ron Dozier brought Fashion Statement to a close with a message called "Hand Me Downs."
It's been an eventful seven weeks: we prepared 193,000 meals for Fed Up Sunday, collected 1310 shoe boxes for Operation Christmas Child, and had a surge of worship attendance while drilling down into the meat of Colossians 3:1-12.
The bulk of the series and the metaphor on which it was built came from the last verse of that section of Scripture: Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.
The virtues there are not accessories or add-ons; they are the natural consequence of a life that is surrendered to and vulnerable before the God who "re-clothes" us in Christ -- the same Christ is all and is in all (Colossians 3:11).
So by way of review, here are the "one point sermons" from the series:
Your ethnicity is NOT your identity. Your Savior is.
Pity watches what compassion does.
Kindness is what you do for people who can't do for you.
Pride is self-esteem at the expense of others. Humility is self-awareness at the foot of the cross.
Gentleness is your power under God's control.
Patience fills the space between what you expect and what you experience.
What's next as we embrace Advent?
Christmas Lights. More on that later this week.
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
A BigHouse Talk
As the Student Ministry Team was away at a conference this past weekend, other staffers and volunteers led BigHouse on Sunday night.
It was another example of the recent staff mantra: the most important thing about your job is not your job. It's helping this be the best team possible.
Anyway, I was one of four people who led the teaching by giving a brief talk. The four of us all had the same title: "What I Want You To Know." We were also all given seven minutes to tell the students what it is we want them to know.
And what did I want these teens to know?
That some of them in that very room -- more of them than realize it for sure -- are called to become pastors when they grow up.
In fact, a future pastor of Good Shepherd itself might have been in the room Sunday night.
I let them know that the call to pastoral ministry comes to people of both genders, to folks at different levels of spiritual maturity, and even to individuals whom others would never pick for the job.
I also let them know that if pastoral ministry was a call on their lives, they could run as fast as they could the other way . . . but God would end up winning that race.
When I was the age of most of the BigHouse students, I had no idea what a pastor's job even looks like, much less that I might do it one day.
But God takes our lives in directions that we can barely envision ahead of time.
Except now some of our students have been given advance warning.
It was another example of the recent staff mantra: the most important thing about your job is not your job. It's helping this be the best team possible.
Anyway, I was one of four people who led the teaching by giving a brief talk. The four of us all had the same title: "What I Want You To Know." We were also all given seven minutes to tell the students what it is we want them to know.
And what did I want these teens to know?
That some of them in that very room -- more of them than realize it for sure -- are called to become pastors when they grow up.
In fact, a future pastor of Good Shepherd itself might have been in the room Sunday night.
I let them know that the call to pastoral ministry comes to people of both genders, to folks at different levels of spiritual maturity, and even to individuals whom others would never pick for the job.
I also let them know that if pastoral ministry was a call on their lives, they could run as fast as they could the other way . . . but God would end up winning that race.
When I was the age of most of the BigHouse students, I had no idea what a pastor's job even looks like, much less that I might do it one day.
But God takes our lives in directions that we can barely envision ahead of time.
Except now some of our students have been given advance warning.
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Top Five Tuesday -- Top Five Movies
I admit it: I like books better than movies.
Not that I don't like movies; just that the movie version of a book is never as rich or as nuanced as what is in print.
Nevertheless, as Thanksgiving and Christmas approach, it's time to look to film. Hollywood releases some of its highest profile pictures at this time of year, and 2011 is no exception.
So what five pictures have brought me the most movie watching enjoyment over the years? Some are light-hearted and irreverent while others are whimsical walks in the park. Here they are:
5. Ghostbusters. If you were in church this past Sunday, you know I had the shirt. It was the summer of 1984 and Julie and I returned from our honeymoon to find a nation transformed by Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray, and Ray Parker, Jr.:
4. School Of Rock. Implausible, impractical, irresponsible ... and irresistible. I smile the whole way through the final two-thirds of this one:
3. A Few Good Men. Tom Cruise transforms from a ne'er do well to a man with a mission and Jack Nicholson gets my favorite movie line of all time. Beware: language in this clip is ... colorful.
2. Sophie's Choice. When I saw this in the theater, the entire audience gasped at the final scene. None of us could even move from our seats as the credits rolled. Meryl Streep is brilliant and the conclusion is transcendant.
1. Field Of Dreams. When I saw this one in the theater, I thought it was a beautiful movie about baseball, corn fields, and personal dreams. Then I twice became a father and so when I rented it and watched it with my kids 20 years later, I learned it was about fathers, sons, and saying what you need to say.
Not that I don't like movies; just that the movie version of a book is never as rich or as nuanced as what is in print.
Nevertheless, as Thanksgiving and Christmas approach, it's time to look to film. Hollywood releases some of its highest profile pictures at this time of year, and 2011 is no exception.
So what five pictures have brought me the most movie watching enjoyment over the years? Some are light-hearted and irreverent while others are whimsical walks in the park. Here they are:
5. Ghostbusters. If you were in church this past Sunday, you know I had the shirt. It was the summer of 1984 and Julie and I returned from our honeymoon to find a nation transformed by Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray, and Ray Parker, Jr.:
4. School Of Rock. Implausible, impractical, irresponsible ... and irresistible. I smile the whole way through the final two-thirds of this one:
3. A Few Good Men. Tom Cruise transforms from a ne'er do well to a man with a mission and Jack Nicholson gets my favorite movie line of all time. Beware: language in this clip is ... colorful.
2. Sophie's Choice. When I saw this in the theater, the entire audience gasped at the final scene. None of us could even move from our seats as the credits rolled. Meryl Streep is brilliant and the conclusion is transcendant.
1. Field Of Dreams. When I saw this one in the theater, I thought it was a beautiful movie about baseball, corn fields, and personal dreams. Then I twice became a father and so when I rented it and watched it with my kids 20 years later, I learned it was about fathers, sons, and saying what you need to say.
Monday, November 21, 2011
1200 And Counting . . .
The people of Good Shepherd are pretty good with goals.
Last year, for example, we wanted to raise $150,000 for the International Justice Misison and its ministry of freedom from sexual slavery. The people of the church gave $207,000.
Then on October 30, we hoped to pack 150,000 meals with Stop Hunger Now and its mission of famine relief in Uganda. The people of the church instead packed 193,000.
So yesterday, we hoped to receive 1,000 shoe boxes filled with Christmas gifts and gospel literature for use by our friends at Operation Christmas Child.
Instead, we received 1,200. And counting. If you'd like to be part of what God is doing, you can bring a box by Good Shepherd by 5:00 p.m. Monday.
Friday, November 18, 2011
Cool Threads
If you win the Masters, you get a Green Jacket.
If you're nominated for an Oscar, you walk down the red carpet showing off your designer dress.
If you become a famous attorney, people talk about your "power tie."
If you're a rock & roll icon, teenagers wear T-shirts with your likeness on it.
What do all those have in common? They're cool threads.
To discover the coolest thread of all, check out this week of Fashion Statement.
Sunday.
8:30. 10. 11:30.
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Two Sprints & Boxes Everywhere
We are in an unusual season at Good Shepherd in that we are having back to back sprints.
The first sprint was our Radical Impact Project known as Fed Up Sunday. We're still reeling from how good God was to our community that day.
But instead of taking a pause to allow the congregation to breathe, we launched headlong into another sprint: Operation Christmas Child.
To find out more about Operation Christmas Child and its mission of providing both Christmas gifts and the gift of the Savior to children all around the world, check here.
We've set a goal of 1000 boxes for this Sunday, November 20. We've shown the videos, provided the empty boxes complete with instructions, and now the rest is up to you.
The finish line is in sight.
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Progress, Counseling, and Church Unique
I recently heard a pastor I respect very much say that church leaders who place a high value on progress are typically very poor at pastoral counseling.
What he was saying made intuitive sense: people who have a bias for progress by definition look to the future. They enjoy dreaming, provoking, cajoling, and implementing. They advance the mission of the ministry forward.
In contrast, much of counseling -- by definition -- looks to the past. It explores factors in childhood and adolescence that land people at their particular point of need. Counseling is usually a slow process with improvement coming in barely measurable increments -- if at all.
So, according to the message I heard, pastors who are wired for progress find the role of pastoral counselor inherently frustrating. The advice was pretty clear: if you want the church to advance, don't spend time in counseling sessions.
Yet hearing the CD that day brought with it a huge "Uh-oh" moment for me.
Why? Well, I want the church to progress. I don't want it to stay the same . . . and it hasn't, either in style or in number or in impact. I'd like the progress to be more dramatic, perhaps, but I still long for it.
Yet I also believe pastoral counseling is a critically important piece of what I do as a minister. I make myself available for it. If I can't do it, I ensure others can. And sometimes, I can even tell that God transcends my limitations and good results have come from pastoral counseling I've done.
So as I was wrestling with the dilemma, the name of the book we've used to help us land at Inviting All People Into A Living Relationship came to mind: Church Unique. Not Church Identical. Not Church Copycat. Not even Church Northpoint. Church Unique.
In other words, simply because I pastor whom I highly respect can't be involved in counseling due to his bias for progress, that doesn't mean I have to make the same decision.
His style works well in his setting. God is doing a unique thing there.
But he is also about a unique thing here.
So perhaps we can create a culture at Good Shepherd in which the congregation's future takes shape at the same time that personal histories gets healed.
I'd call that progress.
What he was saying made intuitive sense: people who have a bias for progress by definition look to the future. They enjoy dreaming, provoking, cajoling, and implementing. They advance the mission of the ministry forward.
In contrast, much of counseling -- by definition -- looks to the past. It explores factors in childhood and adolescence that land people at their particular point of need. Counseling is usually a slow process with improvement coming in barely measurable increments -- if at all.
So, according to the message I heard, pastors who are wired for progress find the role of pastoral counselor inherently frustrating. The advice was pretty clear: if you want the church to advance, don't spend time in counseling sessions.
Yet hearing the CD that day brought with it a huge "Uh-oh" moment for me.
Why? Well, I want the church to progress. I don't want it to stay the same . . . and it hasn't, either in style or in number or in impact. I'd like the progress to be more dramatic, perhaps, but I still long for it.
Yet I also believe pastoral counseling is a critically important piece of what I do as a minister. I make myself available for it. If I can't do it, I ensure others can. And sometimes, I can even tell that God transcends my limitations and good results have come from pastoral counseling I've done.
So as I was wrestling with the dilemma, the name of the book we've used to help us land at Inviting All People Into A Living Relationship came to mind: Church Unique. Not Church Identical. Not Church Copycat. Not even Church Northpoint. Church Unique.
In other words, simply because I pastor whom I highly respect can't be involved in counseling due to his bias for progress, that doesn't mean I have to make the same decision.
His style works well in his setting. God is doing a unique thing there.
But he is also about a unique thing here.
So perhaps we can create a culture at Good Shepherd in which the congregation's future takes shape at the same time that personal histories gets healed.
I'd call that progress.
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Top Five Tuesday -- Top Five Tuttle-Isms
A few weeks ago, I spent two-and-a-half days with a group of United Methodist pastors sitting under the teaching of Robert Tuttle, a retired professor from, among other places, Asbury Seminary.
Tuttle's time in Wilmore came after I was a student there, so this was my first encounter with him.
Tuttle is something of a theological Renaissance man, having been everywhere, done everything, and known everyone. In addition to Asbury, he's had teaching stints at Fuller, Garrett-Evangelical, and Oral Roberts.
Since I love order and predictability, I was initially put off by his stream-of-consciousness presentation. Yet slowly over the two-and-a-half days, the tide turned.
Eventually I realized, "Man, there is gold coming out of this guy's mouth and I better start mining it!"
So I did, keeping my ears open for his one-liners. Here are his five best. Actually, seven:
1. "The purpose of therapy is to turn the volume on your personal history tapes low enough so you can hear the voice of God."
2. "Jesus' suffering begins in the manger, not on the cross."
3. "The fact that the Lamb was slain before the foundation of the world means that God loved you long before he made you."
4. "Ecclesiastes is a tired old man. The Song of Solomon is a [lustful] young man."
5. "Can you sin away everything that's good inside you so that there's nothing left to respond to God? That's what happened to the Canaanites."
6. "Your greatest strengths are merely anointed weaknesses."
7. "Once, I was so mad at God I wanted to slap Oral Roberts to see if He would get the message."
Monday, November 14, 2011
It's So Much Better Than Football
I admit that many times during the NFL season I lament having Sunday evening responsibilities at church.
There are times when I wish I could simply lounge at home and watch the late afternoon game in its totality.
Yesterday, I harbored some of those feelings as I made my way back to Good Shepherd to lead the Men's LifeGroup we started back in October.
Yet after 90 minutes of video lesson, conversation, salty snacks, encouragement, and prayer I realized that the NFL had not even crossed my mind during that time.
We were dealing with matters of eternity and not triviality.
The reality is this: had I done my best couch potato impression all afternoon and early evening, I would have felt lethargic and uninspired.
Yet by engaging in life and in matters of the spirit, I was energized and motivated.
All in all, a much better way to spend time than watching football.
There are times when I wish I could simply lounge at home and watch the late afternoon game in its totality.
Yesterday, I harbored some of those feelings as I made my way back to Good Shepherd to lead the Men's LifeGroup we started back in October.
Yet after 90 minutes of video lesson, conversation, salty snacks, encouragement, and prayer I realized that the NFL had not even crossed my mind during that time.
We were dealing with matters of eternity and not triviality.
The reality is this: had I done my best couch potato impression all afternoon and early evening, I would have felt lethargic and uninspired.
Yet by engaging in life and in matters of the spirit, I was energized and motivated.
All in all, a much better way to spend time than watching football.
Friday, November 11, 2011
The Devil May Wear Prada, But Jesus Wears . . .
Fashion Statement has taken me by surprise.
Come to think of it, many of our series do. Some that I think will tread water end up surging with momentum. Others that I'm convince will launch us to new levels of ministry stay in holding pattern instead.
Fashion Statement has been, blessedly, the former. I'm grateful for the momentum it has brought us.
Of course, staging a Radical Impact Project like the Fed Up Sunday in the middle of the series plays a role in that.
So we come to Sunday #5: The Devil May Wear Prada, But Jesus Wears . . .
And you know what I'm even more excited about for the Sunday than the message itself?
Where I get to preach it.
To see what I mean, Sunday.
8:30. 10. 11:30.
Come to think of it, many of our series do. Some that I think will tread water end up surging with momentum. Others that I'm convince will launch us to new levels of ministry stay in holding pattern instead.
Fashion Statement has been, blessedly, the former. I'm grateful for the momentum it has brought us.
Of course, staging a Radical Impact Project like the Fed Up Sunday in the middle of the series plays a role in that.
So we come to Sunday #5: The Devil May Wear Prada, But Jesus Wears . . .
And you know what I'm even more excited about for the Sunday than the message itself?
Where I get to preach it.
To see what I mean, Sunday.
8:30. 10. 11:30.
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Draw Near
Hebrews 10:19-22 is a high point in Scripture:
"Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened up for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great high priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith . . . "
It's that "draw near" that gets me.
In the religion of Israel, there was distance between the people and their God.
Only certain people could enter into the temple, for example. Beyond that, only the priests could enter the centermost realm of that temple, commonly called the Holy of Holies.
So over the centuries the people had built distance and disconnect into the fabric of their relationship with their God.
And Jesus tears all that down.
What was once subject to privilege is now open to all.
What was once separated by walls and veils is now connected by the cross.
What was once remote is now intimate.
What once said "stay away," now urges "draw near."
So draw near today. On your knees or while you stand. Praying silently or writing fervently. Singing with gusto or whispering with reverence. However, wherever, whenever . . . draw near.
Because Jesus drew near first.
"Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened up for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great high priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith . . . "
It's that "draw near" that gets me.
In the religion of Israel, there was distance between the people and their God.
Only certain people could enter into the temple, for example. Beyond that, only the priests could enter the centermost realm of that temple, commonly called the Holy of Holies.
So over the centuries the people had built distance and disconnect into the fabric of their relationship with their God.
And Jesus tears all that down.
What was once subject to privilege is now open to all.
What was once separated by walls and veils is now connected by the cross.
What was once remote is now intimate.
What once said "stay away," now urges "draw near."
So draw near today. On your knees or while you stand. Praying silently or writing fervently. Singing with gusto or whispering with reverence. However, wherever, whenever . . . draw near.
Because Jesus drew near first.
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Can Wrong Methods Lead To Right Results?
We've been having some conversation around here regarding the connection between methods and results.
Now our specific subject has been Rick Warren. Most of you know him as the author of the best-selling Purpose Driven Life and pastor of Saddleback Church in southern California.
Here's the conundrum: as we consider using some of Warren's material at Good Shepherd, we see again his incomplete approach to Scripture. He often pulls single verses far away from their context in a larger book. He privatizes sections of Scripture that are meant to be read & applied in community. Many times, he is more concerned with what Scripture "means" now than with what it "meant" then.
And yet . . . his theology is orthodox. Mainstream evangelical. He is no fundamentalist, nor does he veer towards any cult-like excesses. His conclusions are almost universally sound. As far as his record in ministry, that of building a church the prevails -- well, he could hardly be more effective.
So: do incomplete methods lead to complete results?
The question is much larger than Rick Warren. There's been a great deal of consternation in the Methodist blogosphere (yes, it exists) over Beth Moore's theology and visibility in our Wesleyan circles. I've even been to gatherings where leaders proclaim, "Well, the Baptists have Beth Moore, but we have _____________", lifting up a name of a Methodist pastor & teacher many hope and pray will garner a similar influence and following.
Or even this: most of you know that I have profound disagreements with the end times theology that undergirds the Left Behind series of novels and movies. Yet many people have come to faith because of those same books and films. What to make of it?
Can methods you disagree with bring about results you celebrate?
What say you?
Now our specific subject has been Rick Warren. Most of you know him as the author of the best-selling Purpose Driven Life and pastor of Saddleback Church in southern California.
Here's the conundrum: as we consider using some of Warren's material at Good Shepherd, we see again his incomplete approach to Scripture. He often pulls single verses far away from their context in a larger book. He privatizes sections of Scripture that are meant to be read & applied in community. Many times, he is more concerned with what Scripture "means" now than with what it "meant" then.
And yet . . . his theology is orthodox. Mainstream evangelical. He is no fundamentalist, nor does he veer towards any cult-like excesses. His conclusions are almost universally sound. As far as his record in ministry, that of building a church the prevails -- well, he could hardly be more effective.
So: do incomplete methods lead to complete results?
The question is much larger than Rick Warren. There's been a great deal of consternation in the Methodist blogosphere (yes, it exists) over Beth Moore's theology and visibility in our Wesleyan circles. I've even been to gatherings where leaders proclaim, "Well, the Baptists have Beth Moore, but we have _____________", lifting up a name of a Methodist pastor & teacher many hope and pray will garner a similar influence and following.
Or even this: most of you know that I have profound disagreements with the end times theology that undergirds the Left Behind series of novels and movies. Yet many people have come to faith because of those same books and films. What to make of it?
Can methods you disagree with bring about results you celebrate?
What say you?
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Top Five Tuesday -- Top Five "Rules" Of Funeral Ministry
I don't hear many pastors of churches our size and style talk about funeral ministry.
Sometimes I get the impression that if your church is somehow "contemporary" or "large" or even "mega," then people in the congregation don't die, so pastors don't have to devote much time or attention to funerals and memorials services.
Well, however hyperbolic those observations may be, people who are connected to Good Shepherd do in fact die. And the ministry of funerals and memorial services is a vital one, especially if we are going to be a church who lives up to our name.
It's also true that the need for such ministry comes in bursts -- several at a time. We're in one of those seasons now.
So what are five "rules" we have here for designing and leading a funeral or memorial service?
1. Always remember the primary goal: to have a service that brings honor to God while at the same time doing justice to the memory of the person who has died.
2. Avoid the pitfalls of bad funeral preaching -- and, sadly, there is a lot of bad funeral preaching out there. What is bad funeral preaching? Preaching that a) denies the reality of grief; b) ignores the personality and history of the one who has died; c) uses canned poetry with trite phrases like "don't cry for me"; d) mis-uses the occasion of a funeral as an excuse to have an altar call for conversion.
3. Select music reflective of the person who has died. For example, later today we will host a funeral for an 86-year-old woman who was a charter member of Good Shepherd. We'll sing Amazing Grace and How Great Thou Art with only keyboards for accompaniment. When my time comes -- I've got some good genes so it may be awhile -- some band somewhere will sing U2's Where The Streets Have No Name.
4. Make sure the eulogy gives EXPRESSION to feelings that people have but can't necessarily articulate in their time of grief. The role of the pastor is to give language to people's emotions.
5. Make sure the eulogy gives PERMISSION to family and friends to grieve and grieve well. This is a hallmark of Good Shepherd funerals -- we remind people that grief is a good & holy gift that God gives us to get through times of sorrow. As Jesus said, "Blessed are those who mourn (and he didn't say 'blessed are those who deny' or 'blessed are those who are strong' or 'blessed are those who hold it all in'!!), for they shall be comforted." Permission opens up the pathway for comfort.
Sometimes I get the impression that if your church is somehow "contemporary" or "large" or even "mega," then people in the congregation don't die, so pastors don't have to devote much time or attention to funerals and memorials services.
Well, however hyperbolic those observations may be, people who are connected to Good Shepherd do in fact die. And the ministry of funerals and memorial services is a vital one, especially if we are going to be a church who lives up to our name.
It's also true that the need for such ministry comes in bursts -- several at a time. We're in one of those seasons now.
So what are five "rules" we have here for designing and leading a funeral or memorial service?
1. Always remember the primary goal: to have a service that brings honor to God while at the same time doing justice to the memory of the person who has died.
2. Avoid the pitfalls of bad funeral preaching -- and, sadly, there is a lot of bad funeral preaching out there. What is bad funeral preaching? Preaching that a) denies the reality of grief; b) ignores the personality and history of the one who has died; c) uses canned poetry with trite phrases like "don't cry for me"; d) mis-uses the occasion of a funeral as an excuse to have an altar call for conversion.
3. Select music reflective of the person who has died. For example, later today we will host a funeral for an 86-year-old woman who was a charter member of Good Shepherd. We'll sing Amazing Grace and How Great Thou Art with only keyboards for accompaniment. When my time comes -- I've got some good genes so it may be awhile -- some band somewhere will sing U2's Where The Streets Have No Name.
4. Make sure the eulogy gives EXPRESSION to feelings that people have but can't necessarily articulate in their time of grief. The role of the pastor is to give language to people's emotions.
5. Make sure the eulogy gives PERMISSION to family and friends to grieve and grieve well. This is a hallmark of Good Shepherd funerals -- we remind people that grief is a good & holy gift that God gives us to get through times of sorrow. As Jesus said, "Blessed are those who mourn (and he didn't say 'blessed are those who deny' or 'blessed are those who are strong' or 'blessed are those who hold it all in'!!), for they shall be comforted." Permission opens up the pathway for comfort.
Monday, November 7, 2011
Fashion Statement Fabric
Yesterday we recovered from our Fed Up Sunday by digging deep into Colossians 3:12 again: "Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience."
We learned together that biblical kindness -- of the type that comes from stripping off the old self and become re-clothed in Jesus -- can be defined this way:
Kindness is what you do
for people who can't do
for you.
So we asked people to make those words tangible on a piece of fabric (Get it? More fashion!). As an invitation, we made space and time for people to bring their fabric swatches up to our altar area where we had an array of felt tip pens.
We then asked folks to write down the name or initials of someone or a group of people to whom they could show kindness this week knowing there would be nothing coming in return.
I wasn't sure how this invitation would work out.
But it did. People came forward immediately, urgently, and prayerfully.
The picture in this post is the result.
Kindness. It's what you do for people who can't do for you.
It's what you don't say that you could say.
It's making a good impression on people you don't need to impress.
It's making an authentic fashion statement.
Friday, November 4, 2011
Serve Team Mission Fair Saturday
This Saturday from 9am-Noon, Good Shepherd will be having its first ever "Serve ...Team Missions' Fair."
This event will be an opportunity to connect with local ministries and learn more about Serve Teams, a new addition to serving options at Good Shepherd.
If you desire to work with a specific GS mission partner, serve with a regular group of folks, serve on other days besides First Serve events, or find a way to volunteer when your schedule allows...this event is for you!
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Pastoral Visitation, 21st Century Style
Those of you who know me well know how much I enjoy old-fashioned, relationship-based pastoral visitation.
I've always thought it a unique privilege that pastors can practice the ministry of presence simply by being with people, hearing their stories, and adding a biblical perspective to the conversation.
Sadly, the larger a congregation grows, the less such visitation is possible, let alone practical. Add to that the fact that city dwellers in the 21st Century are not exactly clamoring for people to visit in their homes after dark, and you can see how my schedule and priorities have changed.
Why do I tell you all this?
We have recently had a group from Bhutan begin attending Good Shepherd. They come as part of a larger group from The Neighborhood Good Samaritan Center, located on the east side of Charlotte. Our partnership with the Good Samaritan Center is one of our most vibrant, and their presence adds much to the spirit of our 11:30 worship service.
Yet I don't simply want to preach to these new friends; I want to know them. So on Wednesday, Ron Dozier and I journeyed over to Sharon Amity Rd. to practice the ministry of presence with our new congregants. It took two translators, many smiles, and the shared greeting of "Namaste," but we at least approached our goal.
But here's the best part of the story: most of the these Bhutanese neighbors are political refugees who have sought sanctuary in the U.S. and in Charlotte. And what did they help us do this past Sunday? Prepare and package 193,000 meals for famine-stricken Uganda, where the food will be delivered to . . . refugees.
Refugees helping refugees. In the midst of Good Shepherd Church.
That's even better than old-fashioned, relationship-based pastoral visitation.
I've always thought it a unique privilege that pastors can practice the ministry of presence simply by being with people, hearing their stories, and adding a biblical perspective to the conversation.
Sadly, the larger a congregation grows, the less such visitation is possible, let alone practical. Add to that the fact that city dwellers in the 21st Century are not exactly clamoring for people to visit in their homes after dark, and you can see how my schedule and priorities have changed.
Why do I tell you all this?
We have recently had a group from Bhutan begin attending Good Shepherd. They come as part of a larger group from The Neighborhood Good Samaritan Center, located on the east side of Charlotte. Our partnership with the Good Samaritan Center is one of our most vibrant, and their presence adds much to the spirit of our 11:30 worship service.
Yet I don't simply want to preach to these new friends; I want to know them. So on Wednesday, Ron Dozier and I journeyed over to Sharon Amity Rd. to practice the ministry of presence with our new congregants. It took two translators, many smiles, and the shared greeting of "Namaste," but we at least approached our goal.
But here's the best part of the story: most of the these Bhutanese neighbors are political refugees who have sought sanctuary in the U.S. and in Charlotte. And what did they help us do this past Sunday? Prepare and package 193,000 meals for famine-stricken Uganda, where the food will be delivered to . . . refugees.
Refugees helping refugees. In the midst of Good Shepherd Church.
That's even better than old-fashioned, relationship-based pastoral visitation.
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Shocked
I'm not easily shocked anymore, but Timothy Dalrymple's post "The Young Christian's Guide To Sex In Seminary" shocked me.
And made me grateful for the prevailing ethical environment at the place where I prepared for ministry.
And made me grateful for the prevailing ethical environment at the place where I prepared for ministry.
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Top Five Tuesday -- Top Five Albums
In this era of digital music, iTunes, and downloading individual songs, the craft of making entire albums often gets overlooked.
Yet back in the day -- and sometimes even today -- there's nothing quite like an artist who, in a burst of creativity and connection, records an entire album that's a) full of good songs; and b) highlighted by a great song (or two).
So here are my five favorite of all time. You'll note that the list omits some bona fide classics, such as Led Zeppelin IV, Boston, Sticky Fingers, and even Viva La Vida.
But it's my list and I'm sticking to it.
5. Tom Petty, Into The Great Wide Open. A much-underrated follow up to Full Moon Fever (which featured Free Fallin'), this makes my list because there's no filler. Every song is good, a couple are very good (For All The Wrong Reasons), and Learning To Fly is one of my all timers.
4. Don Henley, The End Of The Innocence. An album that starts with the title song and ends with "The Heart Of the Matter"(see Blog title) is strong to the core. There are a couple of late 80s period pieces like "Little Tin God" and "If Dirt Were Dollars" that harken back to the PTL scandal and the Gary Hart-Donna Rice debacle respectively.
3. The Call, Reconciled. The best album by the best artist nobody knows. "I Still Believe" and "Everywhere I Go" brought me back to faith.
2. U2, The Joshua Tree. How can you improve on an album that starts off with "Where The Streets Have No Name," "With or Without You," and "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For"??
1. Hotel California, The Eagles. I guess I am holding on to 16 as long as I can. This was the signature album of my adolescence, and the title song plus "The Last Resort" lands this as my #1.
Yet back in the day -- and sometimes even today -- there's nothing quite like an artist who, in a burst of creativity and connection, records an entire album that's a) full of good songs; and b) highlighted by a great song (or two).
So here are my five favorite of all time. You'll note that the list omits some bona fide classics, such as Led Zeppelin IV, Boston, Sticky Fingers, and even Viva La Vida.
But it's my list and I'm sticking to it.
5. Tom Petty, Into The Great Wide Open. A much-underrated follow up to Full Moon Fever (which featured Free Fallin'), this makes my list because there's no filler. Every song is good, a couple are very good (For All The Wrong Reasons), and Learning To Fly is one of my all timers.
4. Don Henley, The End Of The Innocence. An album that starts with the title song and ends with "The Heart Of the Matter"(see Blog title) is strong to the core. There are a couple of late 80s period pieces like "Little Tin God" and "If Dirt Were Dollars" that harken back to the PTL scandal and the Gary Hart-Donna Rice debacle respectively.
3. The Call, Reconciled. The best album by the best artist nobody knows. "I Still Believe" and "Everywhere I Go" brought me back to faith.
2. U2, The Joshua Tree. How can you improve on an album that starts off with "Where The Streets Have No Name," "With or Without You," and "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For"??
1. Hotel California, The Eagles. I guess I am holding on to 16 as long as I can. This was the signature album of my adolescence, and the title song plus "The Last Resort" lands this as my #1.
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