Considering God’s Rich Tapestry

It has been an unusual month as I have preached in 4 very different congregations.  Obviously each has its strengths and weaknesses, but all were meaningful times of worship.

The first was a suburban church that has been struggling the last few years.  The facaility was built in the 1990’s.  The congregation was about 130 or so.  They were mostly empty nesters, with a few families with children.  The worship style was blended, with an emphasis on the 1970’s and 80’s.  They used a piano, guitars, saxophone and song leaders.  They had some traditional elements as well- call to worship, pastoral prayer, responsive reading from the Westminster Catechism and a benediction.

The second was a smaller suburban church of about 50.  There seemed to be a relatively even age distribution.  Musically they were also blended, but drew from the 90’s and 2000’s.  The only instrument was a piano and they had some song leaders.  They had similar traditional elements.  Though smaller, they sang louder (or at least it filled up the room better).  They were a bit less reserved, yet more formal in their dress.

The third was an urban church of about 100 that met in an old theater.  The building had lots of character with the old brick walls.  It was darker, with lights on the stage area.  It was decidedly upbeat, with more of a free church worship style.  The worship band was very good and included keyboards, electric guitar, bass, and drums in addition to the song leaders.  The congregation was multi-ethnic, but the songs drew largely from the last 2 decades.  The people tended to be younger.

The fourth was also an inner city church of about 50, which met in an old church building.  It had lots of character, like a small cathedral.  It was nice to sit in pews.  It was also multi-ethnic.  It was also a less structured service, but they also recited the Apostles’ Creed and the Lord’s Prayer to keep in touch with our heritage.  The worship team was a guitarist, electric bass and 2 singers.  The music focused primarily on the holiness and grace of God, drawing on music from the last decade.

It is wonderful to see the rich variety of congregations, facilities, and worship styles.  Too often we get stuck in our own little world.  I’ve enjoyed being enriched by the Body of Christ as I sought to enrich them with the Word of God.  It is encouraging to see God at work in a variety of situations.

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Considering Total Church

I’ve come across Total Church: A Radical Reshaping around Gospel and Community via the internet.  A growing number of church planters are utilizing the concept.  Steve Timmis, one of the authors of the book, is the new director of Acts 29 Europe.  The San Diego Church Planters’ Boot Camp, hosted by Kaleo, was on Total Church.  I’ve begun to listen, and just borrowed the book from a friend.

The concept is intriguing to me.  The church is a gospel-formed community of people being gospel-shaped.  They have a community-centered understanding of the gospel, which runs counter to the individualistic mindset of most Christians and churches today.  I’d like to consider the relationship between the gospel, community and mission more thoroughly.  It seems less like the “latest, greatest program” or method, but an attempt to return to the power of the gospel, and the emphases of the gospel.

Here is an interview with Tim Chester on Desiring God Ministries blog:

DG: Tim, what do you and Steve Timmis mean by the title Total Church?

Tim Chester: The phrase is actually adapted from the world of football (or soccer in the States!). “Total football” was a style of play associated with the Dutch international side in the 1970s.

“Total church” is our way of capturing the idea that church is not one activity in our lives. Church isn’t a meeting you attend or a building your enter. It’s our identity, our community, our family.  It’s the context for the totality of the Christian life.

DG: How would you summarize the message of the book?

TC: Total Church argues for two core principles: We need to be gospel-centered and community-centered.

Being gospel-centered means we’re word-centered (because the gospel is a message; it is good news), and it means being mission-centered (because the gospel is a message to be proclaimed; it is good news).

I think most conservative evangelicals are strong on this. But we also need to be community-centered. The Christian community is the biblical context for evangelism, discipleship, pastoral care, social involvement, and so on. That doesn’t mean meetings. It means the shared life of the community.

One of our catchphrases is “ordinary people living ordinary life with gospel intentionality.” It means doing the chores, having meals, watching sports, and so on with an intention to talk about Jesus, to pastor one another with the gospel, and to share that gospel with unbelievers.

DG: At several points in the book, you mention the value of hospitality. Do you see this virtue as lacking in the church today, and is there is an especially significant need for it in the 21st-century church?

TC: Here’s what I think is the key issue. In the book, we tell the story of a young man who invited us to do some street preaching with him. When we said it wasn’t really the way we did things, he clearly doubted our courage and commitment.

We began to talk instead about a whole life lived in mission and community, in which we were always looking to build relationships and always looking to talk about Jesus. By the end of the conversation, he admitted he wasn’t sure if he was up for that.

He wanted evangelism you could do for two hours on a Saturday afternoon and then switch off. Tick. Job done for the week. He didn’t want a missional lifestyle.

I think that’s the issue with hospitality. People want to put church and evangelism into a slot in the schedule. But we need to be sharing our lives with others—with shared meals and open homes. That can be demanding, but it’s also wonderfully enriching.

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Considering Working the Angles

I first read Eugene Peterson’s book Working the Angles: the Shape of Pastoral Integrity in the mid-90’s.  I read all of his books on pastoral ministry, finding them helpful.  A decade in to pastoral ministry, and preparing for my next call, I decided to read it again.

I found that while the book hadn’t changed, I had.  I fully agree with Peterson’s main point that pastors have largely abandoned their calling for a substitute, a counterfeit that undermines the work of God.  I also fully agree with the tasks of pastoral ministry being largely prayer, Scripture and spiritual direction.

Where I am not so on board is how he gets there.  He draws from sources  that I am at time uncomfortable with.  I’m not a TR.  I read books, and benefit from them, that are outside of the Reformed heritage.  I read Nouwen, a Kempis and other devotional writers.  I’m interested in reading de Sales as well.  But the bulk of my significant reading is within one stream of thought.

Peterson pulls from Greek mythology, neo-orthodox authors and devotional writers.  He does not often ground his thoughts in Scripture, which is odd since that is one of his 3 angles.  I think I only found one reference to a Puritan, who have written numerous volumes on prayer, Scripture and the need for soul friends (aka spiritual directors).  This I find to be a glaring weakness.

So, while Peterson’s book is helpful, it is less helpful than perhaps it could have been.  This is sad, because we do need more books that focus on shepherding people, not treating pastors as CEOs.

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Considering My New Box o’ Books

With a slight let up in work, I can get to work on the new box of books that just arrived from the Westminster Theological Seminary Bookstore.  Here’s what I got:

• Doing Things Right in Matters of the Heart by John Ensor.  I thought this was a book on sanctification.  Oppps, it is about marriage.  I suspect I’ll still benefit from reading it.
• Concerning the True Care of Souls by Martin Bucer.  I’m really looking forward to this.
• Christ and Culture Revisited by D.A. Carson.  I find all of his books helpful.  I’m interested to see how he develops Niehbur’s work and applies it to the present.
• The Courage to be Protestant by David Wells.  I shamefully confess it has been nearly a decade since I’ve read one of his books.  This will change that.
• The Heart of Prayer by Jerram Barrs.  Really looking forward to this one too.

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Considering Gospel-Centered Hermeneutics Part 3

Non-sermon related reading has fallen off the grid the last few months.  I feel like I’ve been reading this book for the better part of 6 months.  Not quite, but I have finally finished Graeme Goldsworthy’s Gospel-Centered Hermeneutics: Foundations and Principles of Evangelical Biblical Interpretation.  I already reviewed the first 2 sections which dealt with the basics of interpretation and his argument for a gospel-centered hermeneutic, and how various methods of Bible interpretation have eclipsed the gospel throughout church history.

The final section, Reconstructing Evangelical Hermeneutics, was the most difficult for me to read.  At times he covered areas of philosophy with which I was unfamilar.  So, I was occasionally thinking ‘huh?” (particularly speech-act theory).  But it was still profitable at times, just not as profitable as the previous 2 sections.

Among the areas that were helpful were his discussion of typology, and Dr. John Currid’s criteria for true typology.  This criteria is affirmed by Keller & Clowney in the DMin course available through RTS on I-Tunes.  He was also helpful in discussion contexting (his simpler term for contextualization).  The missionary mandate, as he argues, mandates this.  He also includes a chapter on the interaction and relationship between biblical and systematic theology.  He talks a great deal about how both Calvin and Luther viewed Bible interpretation, and the role of the Spirit (particularly Calvin on this front)

His Epilogue contains a few good quotes to sum all this up:

Hermeneutics is about reading God’s word with understanding so taht we might be conformed more and more to the image of Christ.

The purpose of God’s word is to bring us to God through the salvation that is in Christ.  It does this by revealing his plan and purpose, by conforming us more and more to the image of Christ, and by providing the shape of the presence of God with his people through the Spirit of Christ.

So, pastors and those who regularly teach God’s people should find Goldsworthy’s book helpful as we seek to fulfill our calling.  As the ancient children’s song says, “take up and read.”

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Considering the Cult of the Mediocre

A friend of mine just started a new position with a church.  The Sr. Pastor wanted him to read Working the Angles: The Shape of Pastoral Integrity by Eugene Peterson.  So, I lent him my copy.  He just gave it back, and I decided to re-read it.  It has been nearly a decade since I read this book.  I’ve enjoyed his books on ministry in the past.  It will be interesting to see what 9 years in the trenches will do to shape my view of them now.

Today I read the introduction during a slow spot in the ER.  Though written over 20 years ago, his words of warning still ring true.

Peterson believes that most pastors have left their post, “whoring after other gods.”  He relates meetings with other pastors when they discuss, not the difficulties of staying close to God and helping others until Christ is formed in them, but numbers and programs. 

“The pastors of America have metamorphosed into a company of shopkeepers, and the shops they keep are churches.  They are preoccupied with shopkeeper’s concerns- how to keep customers happy, how to lure customers away from competitors down the street, how to package the good so that the customers will lay out more money.”

 We have fallen prey to the mindset of consumerism and marketing.  He then quotes Martin Thornton:

“A walloping great congregation is fine, and fun, but what most communities need is a couple of saints.  The tragedy is that they may well be there in embryo, waiting to be discovered, waiting for sound training, waiting to be emancipated from the cult of the mediocre.”

That really is the joy of ministry, discovering those who long to be godly and serve others.  And then to invest in them and see them grow (with ups and downs).  For me it wasn’t so exciting to kick off a new program.  But to see someone “get it” or make some great strides in growth really stoked me.

“The biblical fact is that there are no successful churches.  There are, instead, communities of sinners, gathered before God week after week in towns and villages all over the world.  The Holy Spirit gathers them and does his work in them.  In these communities of sinners, one of the sinners is called pastor and given a designated responsibility in the community.  The pastor’s responsibility is to keep the community attentive to God.  It is this responsibility that is being abandoned in spades.”

Yeah, I can see that all around me.  People expect the glitz and sparkle.  But the reality, helping people listen to God … not so much in demand these days.   Most pastors are doing what they need to do to remain gainfully employed.  Richard Pratt used to remind us often, “If you earn your living from your faith, you’ll lose either your living or your faith.”  If you keep your faith, and live it out, not many churches will really be interested in you.  But if you stop living by biblical convictions, you may have a tough time finding a church willing to listen.  Some might say this is what I tell myself so I’ll sleep at night.  But I heard plenty of stories from other guys- many a church wants a CEO or entrepenour, not a pastor.

“The visible lines of pastoral work are preaching, teaching, and administration.  The small angles of this ministry are prayer, Scripture, and spiritual direction.”

Peterson’s point in the introduction is that these angles can be faked.  “We can impersonate a pastor without being a pastor.”  We can fool people that we are the real deal, at least for awhile.  Peterson’s book is about developing an attentiveness to God so you can help others be attentive to Him through prayer, Scripture and spiritual direction (individual and corporate).  He’s trying to move pastors back into a spiritual reality we never should have left.

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Considering “Unsuccessful” Ministry

I made a joke on a friend’s Facebook wall the other day.  He lamented playing too much ping-pong in seminary.  I joked that his ministry would be more effective if he hadn’t.  It’d be more like mine …

I figure he’s having a pretty effective ministry.  The church I pastored closed (lots of reasons for that).  I, by no means, took Winter Haven by storm for the Gospel.  But I had some meaningful ministry over those 9 years, and in the 1 1/2 years since then as I’ve done pulpit supply.

Lest we make too much of that (failure), let’s consider the Apostle Paul.  I did while trying not to wake up this morning.  Paul didn’t take every town he visited by storm.  Yes, he saw conversions- I saw a few of those.  He saw Christians grow- saw some of that too.  But he was run out of more than a few cities.  There were riots, a stoning, death threats and more.  Being run out of town might say something about you, but it also says something about those who ran you out of town.

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Considering Relative Silence

Yes, I haven’t been too active on the lately.  That is what happens when you are juggling three p/t  jobs.  Here’s what is happening, if you care.

In addition to my Stated Supply gig, I’ve gotten jobs at a hardware store, and the local hospital.  The church has called a new pastor, and my services will not be needed much longer.  So, a friend offered me a seasonal job in their store to accumulate some resources.  I also got an “on call” position as an EKG tech with the hope that with my foot in the door I can get a f/t postion if one opens up.  But now I’m in training for the better part of 2 weeks.

All this has me running in 3 very different directions.  Actually more since I’m still looking for a new church to pastor, and a full-time job locally for the transition.  Don’t forget the reality of being a husband and father.

As a result, there has been far less time for reading and writing.

The last couple of months have been busy on the pastoral search front.  There are a few churches that are considering me- nothing serious, but I’ve had more interviews in the last few months than in the previous 2 years.  So it is interesting to say the least.  We continue to pray for the right door to open up, and for God to provide for us during the transition.

It has been a long, strange journey the past few years.  We don’t understand much of it.  At times it has been quite painful for us- repeated rejection can be that way.  But we have been able to minister to a number of people.  My gifts have been used to the furtherance of God’s kingdom.  CavWife has been able to encourage others as well.  It is like we are on parade as evidence of God’s sustaining grace.  Not quite where we want to be, but there nonetheless.

For now we continue to be faithful, pray, wait and interview.  I’ll blog as I have time.  And maybe I’ll have some REALLY good news soon.

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Considering the Pastoral Search Process

A book I was reading this morning led to me to think some more of the process of searching for a new pastor, and the fact that it is a process.  If I get around to writing my book on the subject, I’m sure this will get in there.

Though the goal to find a pastor, churches should see the process as just as important as the outcome.  The process is about time, patience and love.

Some churches don’t give the search the proper time to work the process well.  They rush the process instead of seeing it as an important time to understand who they are, where they should probably be going, and how they should probably get there.  What often happens is they look for the guy who has the strengths the previous pastor lacked (if it didn’t end well), or a carbon copy of the previous pastor (if the pastor retired or left unexpectedly in a time of relative peace).  All this takes time, more than you can do in a 2-3 hour meeting once a week (if you’re lucky).  Committees need to invest larger chunks of time to work through these issues, and applicants.  I’d suggest Saturday afternoon or morning meetings- larger blocks of time to pray, think and plan.

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Considering Indulgences

Nicole Bengiveno/The New York Times

Way back in 1517, Luther attacked the use of indulgences by the Church of Rome.  They were used to provide a false hope, and a steady flow of cash for Papal building projects.  The Reformation was born.

Many, Cavman included, think we need a new (or renewed) Reformation since the doctrine of justification by faith alone as fallen on hard times in evangelical circles.  People have once again put sanctification prior to justification, just in a different form than Rome did.

But the Church of Rome has made a change that was not expected by many people.  Indulgences are back.  Yes, like the Terminator they have returned, and that is not a good thing either.

“Why are we bringing it back?” asked Bishop Nicholas A. DiMarzio of Brooklyn, who has embraced the move. “Because there is sin in the world.”

Like the Latin Mass and meatless Fridays, the indulgence was one of the traditions decoupled from mainstream Catholic practice in the 1960s by the Second Vatican Council, the gathering of bishops that set a new tone of simplicity and informality for the church.

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Considering Churches and the Financial Crunch

With the shrinkage of the for-profit sector, the not-for-profit sector will see a similar contraction.  Churches are one of the not-for-proft organizations that will be hit hard.  The government should take a lesson from other not-for-profits and cut back rather than trying to raise taxes and spend even more.  These cycles come, but governments seem to lack the discipline necessary to save in times of prosperity for times of decline.  Governments abhor a surplus and must spend it, much to our disadvantage.

Churches will be hit hard for a number of factors.

1. Unemployed members.
2. Under-employed members
3. Lost retirement savings

All of these will reduce the offerings a church needs.  If a church is small, or comprised of a largely retired population, that crunch will be most severe.  I know of a few churches that are at risk for these very reasons.  Things were already tight financially, and now these churches are on the brink and in grave danger.

Other churches will merely contract- reducing staff and/or programming. 

On the surface, this looks to be a bad thing.  As someone who is under-employed and watching the number of churches in which I could serve shrinking, I can see it that way at times.  But overall I think it presents some great opportunities for the church at large.

• Opportunity for mercy ministry.  There will be opportunities to take care of our own, displaying the love of God in a tangible way.  We are to take care of one another, carrying one another’s burdens.  There will also be plenty of opportunities to take care of the poor outside of the church- opening the door to sharing the hope we have in Christ.
• Opportunity to repent of our greed, materialism and consumerism.  Many people are having to cut back on their spending and realizing much of it was superfluous and luxury rather than necessity.  Many Americans live beyond their means- as evidenced by the average consumer debt.  It is time for that to change.  Our priorites can be reshaped, refocused by the gospel in times like these.  Good financial management programs can be utilized to instruct those in and outside of the church.
• Opportunities to reveal the greater hope we have in Christ.  Yes, this can be a time of effective evangelism as people realize they have built their house on sand instead of rock. 

So while times like these are hard, they are also opportunities for ministry.  Churches driven by the gospel will recognize this, and go for it.  Churches driven by other agendas will … be overcome and possibly close their doors.  It is in times like these when we need to trust Him who holds the present and the future, and remember that He tends to work most profoundly when it seems darkest.

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Considering Pooped Pastors

Many pastors are pooped.  Like the rest of us, they are pulled in a million directions.  The difference is, regular people often have someone who will listen to them.  Often, their pastor.  Pastors often don’t have someone to listen to their problems.  Sometimes that is because pastors put on a facade, like they aren’t supposed to struggle.  But sometimes it is because others think they aren’t supposed to have problems.

Oh, anyway… this is not a lament about that.  My former professor Steve Brown has been hosting Pooped Pastors Conferences.  I didn’t have the time to make a recent one in Orlando.  But you have to love technological advances.  They have the messages from Steve, Dan Allender and Steve Childers online.  Enjoy!

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Considering A Proverbs Driven Life, Part 1

I consider Proverbs to be “preventative grace”.  It was initially written to prepare young men for adulthood by providing practical wisdom.  It was to help them avoid the pitfalls of life’s choices rather than get out of them.  So, when I saw Anthony Selvaggio’s A Proverbs Driven Life, I was interested.  When I was offered a copy for free to review- I was estatic.

Before Selvaggio gets into the various topics that Proverbs covers, he wants to orient people to what Proverbs are, and aren’t.  Since Proverbs is a book about wisdom, it is about everyday life.  It is not about laws & precepts (he hits that again in a later section) but more like signposts.  Proverbs are generalisms that help us to make good choices by cluing us in to the typical outcomes. 

We need this book because, as he says, “people make a lot of short-sighted, self-centered decisions.”  And those decisions bring lots of misery to them and others.  We are a people who profoundly lack wisdom.

Proverbs offers us future-oriented wisdom and guidance so we can make wise decisions and live in ways that please and exalt God.

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Considering Troubled Teens

There is a new book out, Get Outta My Face: How to Reach Angry, Unmovtivated Teens with Biblical Counsel by Rick Horne, that offers assistance to families, ministers and counselors.  WTS Books has this book for 65% off , an introductory price of $4.88, until January 24, 2009 at noon.  Then it will be the customary 30% off, not a bad deal either.  [ WTS Books sold out, but received 500 more copies of the book.  When they are gone, so is the special price!]

Here is what some other authors have said about this book:

“Rick Horne has invested in teens his whole life. He has learned that he is more like them than unlike them. From years of first hand experience, he knows how to talk with them and his is not afraid of the tough ones. What you will read here is the wisdom of a man who has experienced the courage and hope that transforming grace can give to you and that hard teenager God has chosen for you to be near. This book is a call to action with biblical perspectives and practical steps that God can use to change the teenager and you as well.”  Paul David Tripp, author of Instruments in the Redeemer’s Hands, co-author of How People Change among other books highly recommended by Cavman.

“Rick Horne knows teens the kind that won’t talk and those that won’t stop talking. If you have a teenager, you need this book. In fact, don’t wait for the teen years! Arm yourself now with the timeless truths from this book that counsels moms and dads with gospel-hope for teenage trials.”  Dave Harvey author of When Sinners Say “I Do”.  (Highly recommended by Cavman)

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Considering Gospel Boldness

In Galatians 1-2 one of the dominant themes is the fear of man.  Paul, in lovingly yet boldly confronting the Galatians, and exposing the false teachers was living in the fear of God rather than the fear of man.  He was not accomodating the gospel to please anyone, recognizing the divine origin of that gospel.

On the other hand you have the account of Peter in Antioch.  He, again, succombs to the fear of man (his besetting sin, and lest you’re too hard on him- you’ve got some too!).  He shrunk back from fellowship with Gentile Christians and hypocritically followed the dietary laws out of fear, not conviction.  And Barnabas joined him.  Two important Christian leaders fell victim to this sin- and Paul displayed gospel boldness by confronting Peter publicly.

While not referring to these events, Milton Vincent talks about gospel boldness in A Gospel Primer for Christians.

“Boldness is critical.  Without boldness, my life story will be one of great deeds left undone, victories left unwon, petitions left unprayed, and timely words unsaid.  If I wish to live only a pathetically small portion of the life God has prepared for me, then I need no boldness.  But if I want my life to bloom full and loom large for the glory of God, then I must have boldness- and nothing so nourishes boldness in me like the gospel!

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Considering Why Pastors are Fired

I got this from a Pastor Finder e-mail that I received today.  I thought it was interesting.  The reasons are in reverse order (least to most common).

1. Church was in conflict when the pastor arrived. Pastors can arrive at a new church to find remaining unresolved and deeply painful conflict. This conflict will not end when you as the pastor “declare” it’s over, and they won’t be resolved with a church majority vote. Conflict only ends when the vast majority of those participating in it agree that it’s over. Make sure you take time to carefully evaluate the church before accepting a pastoral position, and ask probing questions of the search committee. Ask about any prior forced terminations. A church in conflict should not automatically eliminate them from consideration, but you must be prepared and willing to help such a church when you accept the job.

2. Pastoral leadership style is too strong.A pastor continually walks a fine line of exercising too much or too little authority. Do not assume that because the church is growing, the leadership approves of your leadership style. Honestly evaluate your willingness to share decision—making responsibilities—do you enjoy empowering others, or do you feel it slows down the process too much? Admittedly, some may dislike your style just because you dont agree with them all the time. But a pastor must learn to delegate, resist the temptation to make all decisions and commit to learning more about leadership.

3. Pastor has poor people skills.

   Believe it or not, some pastors just don’t like people. Others have been sorely hurt by them over time, and others struggle with the shepherding aspect of their position. Still others fall into a trap of people-pleasing. Study Jesus’ life and how He related to people. Understand your calling and purpose as a pastor, and obtain honest feedback from a few trusted individuals.

4. The church is resistant to change.

   Most churches—and most organizations—resist change, and at times the pastor will become the target of opposition simply because of his position. However, the pastor can cause undue stress to a change situation if he/she is not aware of why the church is resisting. Assess correctly the church’s attitude toward change, and honestly assess your own motivations for suggesting it. Study and practice good change agent principles and skills. Then acknowledge that some changes are yours to begin, but God may wish someone else to complete the work.

5. Power struggles. Pastors can find themselves caught up in a war over power and control issues with individuals or groups within the church body. To help prevent undue complications, focus on servant leadershiprather than dictatorial leadership. Share ministry with volunteer leadership, and publically give God the glory for your church’s accomplishments. Accept the fact that some will resist your leadership, and learn to deal with them in love. Above all, pray unceasingly for Gods guidance and power.

Even better is when you have more than one of those dynamics going on.  Been there, survived that- by the grace of God alone.  Search committees need to keep the context in mind when they interview a pastor who has been fired.  The pastor can be faithful, pointing people to Christ to resolve the issues, but they continually refuse.  Or, the pastor could completely mishandle the conflict, struggles and resistance in any number of ways.  It’s good to see the history of the church, as well as the pastor, to see if this is a pattern or aberration.

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Considering Money and Missions

As part of his chapter on Worldliness in Respectable Sins, Jerry Bridges talks about money and how Christians use it.  First, let’s see his definition of worldliness.

“Worldliness means accepting the values, mores, and practices of the nice, but unbelieving, society around us without discerning whether or not thos values, mores, and practices are biblical.”

Pretty good definition.  It is when we are shaped by the world instead of being conformed to Christ in how we approach seemingly trivial matters.  He points to how Christians use money as a place where we are often quite worldly.  We often don’t examine how we spend our money- only if we have enough to get what we want.  We tend to get caught in that self-centered approach to living when it comes to “our” money.

Evangelicals are giving far less money to their churches than they did in years past.  He notes that in 8 evangelical denominations (not mainline ones) people give only 4.4% of their income.  They are spending more money on themselves by keeping up with technological toys, collecting music or movies, big boy toys (boats, snowmobiles..), eating out often, etc.  But here was what disturbed me even more.

“Not only are we giving less to our churches, but it seems that more of what we do give is spent on ourselves.  In 1920, the percentage of giving to missions from total offerings was just over 10 percent.  But by 2003, that figure had declined to just under 3 percent.  That means we spent 97 cents of every dollar on our own local programs and ministries while sending 3 cents overseas.”

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Considering Advent Conspiracy

consider….

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Considering an Interesting Thought

Never trust those early morning thoughts, but I had one this morning.  I wonder how many of the churches that rejected my application are still searching for a pastor.

So, I characterized them, as best I could, according to how long they have been without a pastor.

1 year or less: 6

1-2 years: 4

2+ years: 1

So, 5 churches think it’s better to not have a pastor than to have me (and the other 50 applicants) as their pastor.  Interesting.

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Considering Helping Search Committees

I’ve talked to plenty of Pastoral Search Committees and members.  They quickly weary of listening to sermons and poring over 50+ applications, resumes and data forms hoping to find the right guy.  Yes, God is in control- but that doesn’t mean He doesn’t give us over to our own foolishness at times (see Romans 1:21ff).

Short of having bishops or Presbytery moderators appointing pastors to churches, there has to be a better way.  Right?

Bing Davis founded the Auxilium Network to help out PCA and other Reformed churches search for pastors more effectively and efficiently.

How Does Auxilium Help a Church?

1.    You can substantially cut your search time, when appropriate, while at the same time accessing a wide variety of candidates.  This allows you to not lose ministry momentum, and brings the new pastor in a timely manner.

2.    Since we come to work on-site with each church and committee, you and AuxNet come to know and respect one another.  This allows for a comfortable working relationship in which you feel like you have a professional guiding you and remaining available to you during the entire process.

3.    We take on all of the technical and subjective parts of the search process on your behalf.  This allows your committee to act as representatives of your church, while AuxNet does all the day to-day work involved in completing the process.

4.    We provide you with complete reports on final candidates, so that the search committee has only to get to know each final candidate, visit them and/or invite them to the church for evaluation, and then make a recommendation and ask the congregation to vote.

What is the process?

1.    We work directly and on-site with each search committee, helping you formulate and follow a process to find the right candidate for the job. 

2.    We work directly with you in determining a candidate profile for the pastoral opening.

3.    Once the candidate profile has been completed, we will help you post your job opening in various places.  Potential candidates will then submit their profile materials directly to us.

4.    After an established posting period, we will begin to go through all submitted materials to assess which represent the right candidates for the job.  AuxNet Executive Director Bing Davis, himself a PCA Teaching Elder, will interview each candidate several times.

5.    Each potential candidate will go through a rigorous background check, including criminal history and credit check, all references will be called and standardized questions asked, others will be sought out who can attest to the candidate’s strengths and weaknesses, and each candidate will be given a Myers Briggs Type Inventory. At the end of the process, we will recommend the top 2 candidates for the job; the church can then pursue its prerogative of choosing its pastor.

 It can be tough to trust others, but right now most churches ask laypeople with limited time to spend enormous amounts of time, and little to no experience, on a very important task.  A good consultant knows what questions to ask both the committee and the applicant to discover a good fit.

About the only thing I might add to their process is Dr. Douglass’ Church Personality Diagnostic.  His book is What is Your Church’s Personality?, and a few committees I’ve talked to are using it (here are some sample pages).  I was the wrong guy for a church for 9 years.  Real and meaningful ministry took place, but my gifting and emphasis was very different from theirs which increased the resistance at key points in my ministry.  There are other ways of looking at this.  But CavWife thinks the Church Personality Diagnostic results described me very well.

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