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Why The Church needs to change in the United States

As our culture continues to move in a post-Christian society, I am more and more concerned about The Church in the United States.  You might think I'm concerned about the lowering church attendance, and the general moral decline we see in our country.  And, I guess on some levels, you'd be right.  

But, I am actually much more concerned about the WAY The Church in the United States is handeling this changing culture.  The Church is increasingly leaning into its own subculture, running to politics, and isolating itself from the world.  Christians maturity is often measured by the level of segregation from the "world" and the depth of Biblical knowledge attained.  

For the Christian, Acts 2 is the idyllic picture of life at its best.  Believers together, with everything in common, eating together, worshipping together, doing life together.  And, all of that is good, but we don't live in an Acts 2 culture.  As John Burke says, we're in an Acts 17 culture (go ahead and read it).

The Church in the United States is increasingly disconnected from the culture and losing its voice with those who are disconnected from Jesus.

At The Journey, we want to be a church that is engaging the 70%+ of people who are doing life on their own, and pretty sure that The Church doesn't give a rip about them.  How do we do that?  And, if you're a church leader, how do you do that?  Well Craig Whitney has a GREAT blog post about this!  Check it out HERE!  (Seriously, check out this post!)

Maybe the street preacher is on to something

In big cities, like Chicago & Seattle, where we have lived - it's not uncommon to see a street preacher.  You know the type:  a milk crate, a bullhorn, some pamplets, a sign:  "Repent!  The End is Near".  

Now this is probably not the best approach in reaching the person who is disconnected to Jesus, but maybe the street preacher is on to something.  At The Journey we just finished a series "Burned By The Church" where we talked about the difference between Religion and Relationship.  Religion is focused on proper behavior, following the rules, the law.

Jesus agreed with the street preachers when he talked about the need for repentance.  Repent means to turn around from the way you are going.  It's doing a 180 degree turn.  It's not about following a new set of rules, but a change of heart.  Repentance, is really about surrendering our heart and will to God, and turning from our own way of doing life.

That only happens when we trust that God isn't going to betray us, but that He actually has our best life in mind.  When our heart turns like this, we become people of grace, rather than selfishness or self-righteousness.  Only when we live in repentance, surrendered to God, can we really live "relationship, not religion" AND help others to experience the same thing.

One of my all-time favorite books is "What's So Amazing About Grace?" by Phillip Yancey.  If you struggle with receiving or extending grace, you NEED to buy and read this book.  It was revolutionary for me in my thinking and in my heart.  Here's one quote from the book that speaks about this whole idea of repentance:

"Repentance, not proper behaviour or even holiness, is the doorway to grace."  

So, maybe the street preacher was right.  Maybe you need to repent.  And maybe that repentance will open the door to grace and a whole new freedom for your life.

A sitcom life

"Religion" is all about the outward appearance.  Check out what Jesus had to say about that.  It's why person after person that I run into has a problem with religion.  They see hypocrisy.  People saying one thing and doing another.  Some of that is perception.  Some is reality.  But, for those of us leading churches or trying to impact our neighborhoods or communities that perception is reality for many people and we have to deal with it.  

Relationship with God is not a sitcom, where everything gets wrapped up at the end of 30 minutes and we all feel better.  Life is not like that.  Life with God is not like that.  It is messy, and unfinished, and there are doubts and questions.  If you fail to acknowledge that, or simply says "well the Bible says it, I believe it, that settles it" then you are part of the problem for those that are cynical and skeptical.  

I talk with enough people that amost nothing surprises me anymore about what people have walked through in life.  Those kinds of issues aren't all "fixed" with a Bible verse and quick prayer.  

Helping people take steps in relationship with Jesus and become followers of His is a process.  You have to be in it for the long haul.  It's most often not a quick, emotional decision, but more often it's months of questions, soul searching, sharing our story, prayer.  

And, if you're going to lead the kind of church that can reach people like that, or you're going to be the kind of friend that can reach neighbors and co-workers like that, it will only happen with a heart that's broken for those around you, that's deeply in love with Jesus, and that's patient enough, and grace-filled enough to walk through the valleys and the process in a loving, firm, authentic way.

Terrifically Idiotic

My friend, Vince Antonucci, had a blog post last week that was excellent.  It was about the terrifically idiotic call to follow Jesus wherever He might lead us.  If you want to be stretched & challenged, check out his post here!  

What terrifically idiotic thing might God be calling you to?

I'm reminded of this verse.  I'm also reminded of this poster I have up in my office . . . 

The Two Things You HAVE to do to Reach People

If you're a church leader and you want your church to reach the unchurched, the de-churched, the disconnected, there are two things you HAVE to do.  These two ways of doing ministry CANNOT be compromised.  If you do just these two things, you will see an increased effectiveness in reaching people that will be visible to your entire congregation.

1.  YOU have to care about the unchurched yourself.  You have to be praying for people who don't know Jesus.  You have to have relationships with people who don't know Jesus.  You need to know your neighbors, you need to know people your kids are connected to.  If you want your church to reach out to people who are disconnected from Jesus, you have to care for people who are disconnected from Jesus.  Not because they will help your church be bigger, but because you so desperately want to see people experience life and eternity with God.

2.  You have to speak in a way that unchurched and de-churched people can understand.  There is so much here, but if you can just transition in this area, it will radically change your Sunday dynamic.  You CAN'T assume any Biblical understanding.  The minute you start using "insider" language, it tells the "outsider" that this isn't a place for them.  This is generally really difficult for people to change, because we don't even realize we're doing it.  What does it look like?  "You all know the story of Jonah . . .", "We're in the book of Romans, so if you can open up to the 8th chapter" (is that in the bible?  I didn't bring my Bible!  where is it?  I'm going to look stupid trying to find it.)

If you're a pastor, you HAVE to be connected to people who are seeking, questioning, skeptical - it will radically TRANSFORM your preaching, if you will keep that person in mind as you prepare your message.  Will your message confuse them?  Will they understand that concept?  Is there something else I need to explain?  Do I need to help them understand who Romans was written to and why?  It takes extra work, but it lets the skeptical, the seeker, to know that they are welcome in your service.  You're treating them with respect, and helping them navigate the Bible and their church experience.

If you can just begin to live out these two principles, it will radically change how you see ministry and your effectiveness in reaching people far from God.

wearing the baseball hat

This weekend was a father/son campout for Cub Scouts with my youngest son Will.  This is our first scout and his first year, so it was my first campout with him for this type of thing.  

On Thursday & Friday I was in meetings in Chicago with a great team of leaders.  I got home Friday night and we left Saturday morning for the campout.  I woke up early Sunday morning and drove the hour back to The Journey to speak at our services.  I hadn't showered, smelled like a mix of bug spray/campfire/suntan lotion/body odor.  I was wearing an old sweatshirt and a baseball cap.  

I LOVE that we have created an environment where I can do that.  Where I didn't have to come home Saturday night so I could be showered, with hair properly done, so I would be "presentable" as the "Pastor".  I'm thankful I didn't have to rise so early Sunday that I couldn't be there when Will woke up and give him a hug, because I had to get home to take a shower, etc.

Because the most important place I needed to be this weekend, was with my kid.  There are many, many pastor's kids who feel "burned by the Church" and end up resenting that their dad was a pastor.  I never want that to be true for my kids.  I want them to be so grateful that their dad helped lead a church.  Thank you Journeyers for being people that extend grace that way.  It's better this way.

Relationships not religion.  This whole series that we've been in "Burned By The Church" was preached to ME through a baseball cap, a campout, and a welcoming church.

What are my options?

Yesterday at The Journey we began a new series "Burned By The Church".  You can listen to it here!  Throughout the series we're looking at Jesus and the Pharisees in the book of John.  Yesterday we looked at an incredible account in John 9.  You can read it here on YouVersion.  

One of the things I mentioned yesterday was that I hate that Christians are often labeled "hypocrites", "self-righteous", "judgmental".  I don't want to be labeled that.  I hate that this is the perception that many have, and I hate even more, that this is the reality that many have experienced with The Church and with people claiming to be Christians.

But, what am I going to do?  I hate that, but am I not going to follow Jesus because of that?  I can't do it!  I am following a person, God in the flesh.  I'm in a relationship.  I can't help but follow Jesus - I've seen too much, experienced too much, become too convinced in my study.  Although I hate the labels, and hate that some people would label me as that, just because I follow Jesus - what are my options?  To reject Him based on those perceptions?  

Have you been holding back on following Jesus because you don't want to wear the label?  Will that really be the determining factor for you?  Can you honestly reject Jesus because of that?

Great leaders have great character

I was reminded again this week that no matter how good of a leader you are, if your character doesn't match, it will eventually crumble.  Great leaders, long-lasting leaders are people with great character.  

For years in the Christian world, people talked about accountability.  Accountability partners to ask if you were looking at porn, if you were faithful to your wife, etc.  The problem is this, and we've talked about this a lot in our staff discussions, you are only as accountable as you want to be.  I have seen people lie to their accountability partners.  You can say one thing and be doing the opposite.  You're only as accountable as you want to be. 

So, here's a couple thoughts for maintaining great character:

1.  Set up very specific boundaries and don't fudge them.  They might seem stupid to others.  Better for others to think you're being stupid, then to do something stupid and have everything fall apart.

2.  You HAVE to be connected to Jesus on a daily basis.  If that's not happening, nothing else matters much.

3.  Don't let your church or business become #1.  If your ego and identity is in that, you are sure to fail.

4.  PRAY, PRAY, PRAY - for your marriage, for your purity, for you staff relationships

5.  Handle your money well, and live generously.  If that falls apart, other areas often follow.

6.  Understand the gravity of your sin.  Understand how broken we are, and how close we are to doing something stupid.  If we start to think "it can't happen to us", we position ourselves to be arrogant and to be careless.

7.  At the end of your life, you won't wish you'd spent more time at work or on that project.  But, if you spend more time at work or on that project, you'll wish you spent more time with your family.

What other things are key to great character?

Church for those that don't like church

Sunday, was not atypical, but it did feel like I had significant, specific conversations with people that were so encouraging to me.  8 years ago, we designed The Journey hoping to be a church that reached out to truly unchurched, disconnected-from-Jesus people.

Here's a sampling of conversations I had yesterday.  I talked with a guy named Todd.  He hadn't been in church in about 30 years.  He's been part of a motorcycle club and leading a destructive life.  He always hated church.  But he's coming now, making some changes, and loving what's happening at The Journey.  

I talked with Deb, who was told about The Journey when she was getting her teeth cleaned.  She had a bad experience in church and hadn't been back in a number of years, but with some things going on in her life, she needed something.  She loved her first experience and said she'd definitely be back.

I talked to Wendy, who grew up in church, but her husband had not.  She said that he had literally never been to church before, and the first question about religion he asked her was "What's Easter all about?".  She thanked us for explaining things about the Bible, like the difference between the New and Old Testament.  They both love The Journey.

I talked to a young guy who's been through more pain and difficulty than I can even imagine.  He never was engaged in church before, but He's coming, connecting, and taking steps.  He swore multiple times in our conversation - which I only say to say that there was no filter, because I was the pastor; and I love that.  

I talked with another young guy who hasn't had much church experience, but was invited by someone, came, and thanked us - saying we were speaking directly to him.  

Journeyers - this happens almost every single week!!  If you attend The Journey, and you are a long time follower of Jesus - PLEASE don't assume most people are long-time Christians.  ALSO, YOU have a responsibility.  You have the opportunity to help mentor, disciple, encourage new followers of Jesus, and YOU have the opportunity to help others discover Jesus.  WE NEED YOU TO PLAY THAT ROLE.  We believe our eternity, and our hope in this life is found in relationship with Jesus.  It's OUR mission.