Kelley Ponderings

“Helping people know and follow Jesus . . . one person at a time.”

Jan & I had the privilege of visiting Countryside Christian Church in Keizer, OR today for worship. Jerry Christensen, my youth minister when I was in high school, is the pastor there.

Countryside’s motto of “Helping people know and follow Jesus . . .one person at a time” captures my imagination (which is the first reason I like it). The motto focuses attention on Jesus. We are not building our kingdoms, or a kingdom for our “tribe” or institution; we are building Christ’s kingdom. And while there is room to quibble about the last phase, it lays out a definite strategy.

This is a motto/mission statement which appeals to the non-churched and churched. It is simple enough for everyone to remember. And finally, while you can tell if you are living up to this statement, it will always draw you into the future — as long as there is one person who does not yet know and follow Jesus.

I just started reading Communication for a Change by Stanley and Jones and already I like the book. Early on, they pose the contrast between communication for information transfer and communication for life change. Too many sermons are “about” the Bible or “about” some big truth or cause. Too few sermons are designed to motivate specific response.

Andy Stanley

At first, I was thrown off by the “a” before “change” in the title. I would have called the book “Communicating for Change.” But as I start to read the book, I see the value of “a” change. To say “I hope you change” is off-putting and too vague.” To say “Why don’t you share your testimony with 2 people this week” inspires “a” change — which gives power to the message.

I recently stumbled on a post one of the blogs I follow — Out of Ur. The post is entitled “Small Churches = Big Impact.” The article interviews Brandon O’Brien about his book, “The Strategically Small Church.” O’Brien’s research confirmed some things I have always felt.

First, small churches (for me, that’s under 150 people) can succeed if they capitalize on their inherent strengths and resist the temptation to imitate the mega-churches. Most of my ministry has been in small churches, and they have all been far more successful in my eyes than they were in the eyes of their members. I saw the impact of those churches; but their members mostly saw that we didn’t have 3 worship services or a single’s ministry with 100 new people every year.

Second, the small church offers something almost impossible for a large church to offer: intergenerational relationships. O’Brien’s research discovered that most young people want an intergenerational church, but the mega-churches segregate everything by ages. I did my Doctoral project on intergenerational activity in the church and discovered the same thing. Nothing quickens the pulse of a church as much as teenagers and retired folks working together on a service project — or worship service!

Finally, small church advocates suggest that we redefine “success” for a church. Rather than measuring success in terms of how many people come to the church, we should measure success in terms of how many the church sends out. With this measuring stick, small churches are much more efficient than large churches. I talked yesterday to a member of a church that has had 40-60 members for 100 years. And that church has sent out a continual stream of Christian workers into the mission field, pastorate, and compassion ministries. That, in my mind, is a successful church.

I’m working on assignment for the Friends Church pastors that reminds me of a common dilemma facing older churches (by “older” I mean more than 10 years old or more).

Older churches want to attract younger adults, which is good. Unfortunately, most older churches are led by a group of folks 45 years old and older. The pattern I’ve seen so many times is people over 45 sincerely trying to guess what would attract people aged 20-35 and not succeeding.

About 4 years ago (after I was decidedly in the 45+ and clueless crowd), I thought, “what would happen if I listened to what young adults have to say about the church?” I tried a little of just asking that question to church attenders in their 20’s. Was I surprised!

I was surprised first at the emotion they attached to what they perceived as the church leadership’s lack of interest in them.

I was surprised secondly at the energy and effectiveness that developed when I simply suggested, “Why don’t I help you implement some of your ideas?”

It’s a very scary thing to ask someone what they think about our church. And its true, when we ask, we may be hit with some built-up emotion. But I have to say that I every time I’ve taken the risk, God has blessed the church as a result of the dialogue that developed.

This morning, I posted to FaceBook my struggle to find old sermon recordings that I want to represent me in my new-job search. Several of my friends responding with wonderfully affirming assessments of my preaching ministry (if you want to see how wonderful I am, check it out!). (And thanks to my friends who sensed that unemployment means I need an extra bit of encouragement.)

While I did take strength in the affirmations, my original status report was not a sign of poor self-esteem. Rather, it flowed out my awareness that most of my sermons are designed for a particular moment in time. A sermon that powerfully helped people in Kelso in 2009 might not speak to any other group at any other time.

Don’t get me wrong. God’s truth is eternal, and applies at all times to all people. But the preacher’s job is not simply to tell people the eternal truth (they should be discovering that at home, every day). Rather, the preacher’s job is to make the eternal truth powerful for the moment. When I prepare a sermon, I’m asking: How does God’s Spirit want to use this scripture with this group on this next Sunday?

The preacher is far more than a Bible reader or even Bible interpreter. In one way, preaching is taking on the role of the prophet: what does the Eternal Lord want to draw our attention to today? How does Christ want to change our feelings about today’s challenges? What new obedience will the Spirit prompt?