The Peer Pressure Post :-)

28 11 2007

It’s been a couple of weeks since I’ve posted anything, and amazingly, there’s a few of you out there who are actually reading this blog (thank you tremendously, by the way!), so I was feeling the pressure to throw something out there. Now, that we’re past Thanksgiving, I’m sure your calendars are starting to fill up with office parties, fundraisers, dinners with friends and a myriad other commitments along with the requisite shopping trips, traffic snarls, unleashing the decorations, etc. Is it any wonder that in the midst of all the “urgencies” of the season that overwhelm us that we frequently miss what we know is most important - the Son of God entered the world and began the mission to restore us relationally to our Heavenly Father.

Here’s wishing you the best of the Christmas season and much success in being mindful of what’s important. I will have to re-read this post several times just to remind myself. :-)


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Willow-bashing “Reveals” in its own right

20 11 2007

First off, let me say I’ve never attended a Willow Creek service in my life. I have attended a leadership conference there and watched a few via simulcast.

Recently, under the Reveal project, Willow has been sharing some of their research into what their ministry model has produced over the years. They’ve admitted some mistakes they’ve made along the way. I say all of this simply to establish that I’m not some rabid, Willow-can-do-wrong fan.

Okay, with that out of the way, I am so saddened and disappointed to see the condemnation, the “I told you so” attitude, and pure gloating among some in the Christian community over the courage a church and its leadership had to undertake some self-examination, admit their mistakes and publicly share what they’ve found. It’s out there. Just do a Google search for “willow creek” and “reveal”. Lots of prideful revelry in the links and postings that follow.

I think what disgusts me the most is all the “mature” believers and clergy spouting their judgment on Willow’s efforts over the decades - to a point where it almost seems like they desire to see its leaders publicly repent to them, before God. I can’t believe the pride in that and the repeated damage that does to the Church’s mission.

Anyway, though I have no allegiance to Willow, I would like to publicly thank them for the lives they’ve changed through their ministry efforts over the years. There are thousands of people in the Kingdom today because of all you’ve done, and thank you for the beautiful, healthy and refreshing practice of self-examination before God and the transparency you’ve demonstrated with this Reveal effort.

The mistakes you feel you’ve made are common to all of us in the church world: You seek God’s heart and try your best to minister to people. You experience some success with some of your methods, so you seize upon them and develop programs to support it. The challenge in that is not to systemize it to the point that you end up making the program “sacred” when God has clearly continued to move on.

That’s not unique to Willow. It’s common to man. We frequently run to Him when we need answers or relief, only to drift away once those are provided. For all the mud-slingers out there, try some of that self-examination medicine first and thank God for this very public reminder that’s been provided through Willow to constantly examine what we do in His light. Sincere thanks, Willow, for your humility and transparency.


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Our Preoccupation with Titles

11 11 2007

“Hi, Brother Smith.” “Hello, Sister Jones.” “Pastor Williams left you a note.” “Bishop Taylor will see you now.”

Yuck! Maybe it’s just me, but I don’t talk that way anywhere in life. Sure, I’ll call a doctor, a doctor or a military, police or fire officer, their hard-earned rank, but I’ve just never gotten how weird we are in the church with our insistence on titles. Other than “Lord”, which is only reserved for One, the rest of us are simply children of God.

I guess I became more acutely aware of this when I became a pastor myself. Before being called into ministry, I had already received a master’s degree while preparing in my former field. Sure, a few more years of applying myself and I could have gone on for that doctorate and a lifetime of being addressed as “Doctor”. An achievement? Okay, but I’m still Scott or Tank to those who know me best, and the best honor anyone could recognize me with verbally is calling me friend. I don’t need any more than that.

With all my conversation in church world today, I still recoil a bit whenever I get a message or email from “Pastor so-and-so” or I get called that myself. I am, but why does my title matter, especially to the outside world? Generally, one of the inherent functions of titles is to distinguish, or you might even say, exclude the title-holder from the general population. It’s always been most prevalent in fields and occupations where instantaneous clarification of one’s education and knowledge is important. If you’ve got the title, it means you’ve gotten exposure to the knowledge and advanced training.

Okay, before I rile up too many, I’m not at all suggesting that Christian education and personal study are not important for the Christian faith. I’m just arguing that the bestowing of titles for doing so simply does the job titles are intended to do: elevates and, in a way, excludes the title-holder from the general population. Don’t believe me? If it hasn’t happened to you personally, how familiar is the characterization of people “straightening up” or “acting right” when they know a pastor is in their midst. Usually, it’s an absolute conversation killer or at the very least, when the pastor leaves it’s a relief because everyone can go back to acting “normal”.

Do we need recognition this badly? Is it at all necessary or just emblematic of low self-esteem? The real question: Did Jesus throw his accolades around or just engage the general population? What can we learn from that? What’s more important, getting your title out there so people will salve your ego or just being your plain ol’ first name and meeting people in the middle of life?


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