Rob Prince's Blog, page 21

Show Up

Woody Allen is credited with saying, “80% of success is showing up.” (some sites have him saying 90%). When it comes to Spiritual Renewal Week 2022 with Dr. Dan Boone, here is my quote (it won’t show up on famous quotes websites): “100% of full engaged people will benefit from Spiritual renewal week at Central Church.” Or flip this quote around and it’s equally true: “100% of those not showing up to Spiritual Renewal services will receive zero blessings from the week.”

Brené Brown said, “Courage starts with showing up and letting ourselves be seen.” Regarding Spiritual Renewal Week 2022, it could be said: “Real Heart transformation starts with showing up and letting the Lord be active in our heart and mind.” 

Singer James Taylor once told an audience, “I can’t thank you enough for showing up. It’s not the same without you.”He was right. He would have been singing to an empty auditorium. In some respects, the Holy Spirit could say the same about next week to us. 

All of this to say, Spiritual Renewal Week 2022, is about showing up. Being ready and open to God’s working in our life and in our church. 

If Moses chose to ignore the burning bush, he might have died as an Egyptian fugitive on the back side of the wilderness. Instead, he showed up and history was forever changed.

If David chose to not take his brothers their lunches and had not seen Goliath and heard his taunts, the mammoth Philistine might still be standing in the Valley of Elah (although he would be very old). Instead, David showed up and history was forever changed.

If Nehemiah chose to not worry about the broken walls around Jerusalem, he would have died a nameless official in Susa, Persia. Instead, he showed up… and you know, history was changed.

Showing up. Being full engaged. Listening and doing what the Lord asks of us is the recipe for a great Spiritual Renewal Week. I hope you have cleared your calendars and plan on being at all the services this week. 

Will attending Spiritual Renewal Week 2022 change the world?
It might change your world. 
It won’t change anything in your world if you don’t show up.

Will you look back on Spiritual Renewal Week 2022 as a pivotal moment in your family’s lives? 
It’s possible.
It’s impossible if you don’t show up.

Woody Allen, Brene Brown and James Taylor were mostly right, showing up is biggest hurdle toward a Spiritual Renewal deep within your heart and life. Jesus, most importantly, said it this way, “Seek and you find” (Matthew 7:7). In other words, “Show up!”

Post-Covid’s Big Question in Churches Across the Country: Wonder Where the People Are?

You remember the childhood rhyme and pantomime:  Here’s the church (Hands Clasped with fingers touching one’s palms). Here’s the steeple (index fingers pointed up and touching), Open the doors (thumbs are the doors) and see all the people (palms up and wiggling fingers which represent the church full of people). 

Post-Covid there is a slight variation. There is still a church (hands clasped but fingers are on top as the “the roof of the church”). There is still a steeple. You still open the doors, but there are no fingers (no people) inside. As a kid, we’d play the game that way and recited this rhyme (to the irritation of my mother): “Wonder where the people are? They’re across the street at the corner bar (Our hands once again clasped with fingers wiggling and wobbling). My mom was not amused.

No one is amused by the church attendance numbers, post-covid and are asking, “wonder where the people are?” Most churches have less in-person worshippers than before the pandemic. Pew Research found that only 2/3 pre-covid attenders have returned (see the research here). Of those 2/3 returning attenders, many are not returning to the same attendance pattern as before the pandemic. Where have all the people gone? 

There are probably several answers to the question: some people used the pandemic as an opportunity to shop for a new church; some are still cautious about covid; some regular attenders have died; on-line viewing is favorable to busy schedules or introverted ways; fewer people are visiting churches; and some, frankly, gave up on the church.

Most churches have examples of all of the above reasons. Anecdotally, it seems most folks missing-in-action are for a hybrid of reasons. Most non-returning attenders, would not say that they have given up on God (a few have). In fact, most non-returning attenders would not say that have given up on the church (a few have). Instead, they are just are not attending in person with the same consistency and regularity they once did. 

In the past, sickness didn’t keep worshippers from church. They still came unless they were running a high fever. Now, who wants to sit next to a person coughing and sniffling throughout the service? If they’re from a family, if one kiddo is sick the whole family stays home. In fact, if a person has been around someone sick (even if that person didn’t test positive for covid), they stay home. Just in case they may be contagious too. If on Sunday afternoon, they are to meet up with an immune-compromised or elderly relative, they stay home. They don’t want to catch something at church and bring it back to their loved one. Few thought in those terms, pre-Covid. People just went to church never worrying about the germs that might pick up and pass on. 

Pre-Covid the average “regular attender” worshipper attended church less than two times a month. Those numbers were trending south even before the pandemic. When I was a kid, our family attended church every Sunday unless on our death bed. Counting two weeks of vacation (see next paragraph) and maybe a sick day (maybe), we probably averaged 49 Sundays a year in our local church. Those days are over.

On vacation back in the day, we’d still attend church. Preferably, it was a Nazarene church (or closest thing to it). We’d take the bulletin home to prove our faithfulness to the pastor (under the guise of “Hey preacher, maybe you can get some new ideas from this church we visited on vacation.”). My wife’s family even attended Sunday School on vacation. That doesn’t happen anymore either. Folks on vacation might (emphasis on “might”) watch or listen to their home church service while driving, at their camp-sight, hotel room or relative’s house. Out-of-town visitors with no connection to the church are as rare as an attendance board in the foyer. 

If one was running late in the old days (by “old days,” I mean before March 2020), the parishioner drove fast. Pulled into the church parking lot barely missing a couple of teenagers who were sneaking out of the service. Rushed in. Took a back-row spot sometime between the third song and the passing of the offering plates (remember when we used to pass… offering plates, communion trays and “the peace”? No more.). Now if one is running late, the go-to response is, “I’ll catch this week on line.” No need to rush around like a maniac. 

Bad hair days; no clean clothes; early football games; late activities on Saturday night; busy week ahead; and a million other reasons are enough for folks to stay away from church on a Sunday morning with the understanding they can catch the service on-line. Such occurrences happen with far greater frequency than before Covid. 

Wonder where the people are? They are all over. Complaining about his reality doesn’t help. Brow beating current in-person worshippers will only lead to less worshippers. The answer to this dilemma is a simple one: Keep being faithful. Keep praying. Keep singing. Keep preaching the Word. Keep participating in the sacraments. Keep serving in the community. Keep loving your neighbors. Keep being the church of Jesus Christ, and the gates of hell shall not prevail. 

Lastly (most importantly), keep the welcome mat out for the not-as-frequent-as-they-once-were-attenders. When they walk through the doors, don’t say things like, “Where in the world have you been?” or “look what the cat drug in.” Instead say, “Glad to see you. Hello dear friend.” If you are a hugger, give them a hug. A fist bump will work too. Pray that while in the worship service, they will encounter God and recall all that they have missed since the last time they were in-person in church. Pray that God will strike a holy fire within them. Pray that the church will once again be filled with people, filled with the Holy Spirit, determined to reach our world with the love of Jesus.

Ten steps to a powerful movement to God.

Spiritual renewal with Dr. Dan Boone, Jon Nichols and the Woods Band is T minus 6 Days Away (there are also children’s workers and the pre-school and nurseries will be open).

Here are the steps for a great movement of God:

1.  Clear your calendar

2.  Plan on being at every service.

3.  Pray Samuel’s prayer: “Speak Lord, for your servant is listening.”

4.  Anticipate that God is going to speak directly to you.

5.  Sit down front (eliminate distractions)

6.  Sing every song, like you’re the only one in the room (hand raising is optional, but encouraged).

7.  Bring a Bible or have a Bible app open and ready. If you are a note taker, bring a notepad.

8.  Make a deal with God, if he speaks you will quickly move forward to an altar to pray.

9.  Make another deal with God, you won’t leave the altar until the matter with Him is settled.

10. Bring a friend (tell your friend to follow steps 1-10 too).

Imagine if every pastor, every board member, every Sunday School teacher, every small group leader, every musician, every singer, every usher, every greeter, every single person (man, woman or child) who calls Central Church “home” followed the steps listed above—we would have a mighty movement of God. 

It’s simple. 

Ten steps to a powerful movement to God. 

When you Wish Upon a Star… nothing happens.

I wish every church that believes the Bible is true and preaches Jesus was filled to the rim.
They aren’t.

I wish that when non-Christian people thought of Christians people they’d have nice, happy thoughts.
They don’t always.

I wish everyone who attended church before covid still attended church.
They don’t.

I wish people were nicer to those who have different political views.
They aren’t.

I wish gay people felt welcome to attend church.
They don’t in a lot of places.

I wish people didn’t get hurt in church.
Some do.

I wish anonymous letters that pastors receive contained the coward authors’ names.
They don’t.

I wish church leaders would lead in a “Jesus first” manner and not a “money first” manner.
They don’t always.

I wish kids didn’t have to worry that a shooter will come into their school.
They do.

I wish every pastor felt appreciated by his/her congregation.
Not all do.

I wish every teenager felt like adults understood what it’s like to be a teenager in 2022.
They don’t a lot of the time.

I wish Christians didn’t try to tackle nonexistent “boogeymen,” but instead went after the things Jesus said to tackle (feed the hungry, clothe the naked, give drink to the thirsty, help the sick, and visit the prisoner).
Some do, a lot don’t. 

I wish black people and white people could turn Dr. King’s Dream into a reality. 
Sometimes it seems we are years and years away from that happening.

I wish all the hungry people in our country had food.
They don’t.

I wish all innocent prisoners in jail were discovered to be not guilty of the crimes for which they are imprisoned.
They aren’t.

I wish there was no such thing as pornography.
There is.

I wish there were no rogue police officers, crooked judges or phony preachers for that matter.
There are a few.

I wish every lonely widow or widower had a friend to call when needed.
Many don’t.

I wish every child in the foster care system had a forever home.
They don’t.

I wish White Supremacists realized how stupid white supremacy is.
They don’t.

I wish. 
I wish. 
I wish.
I could go on and on.

Maybe I need to stop wishing and wishing and start praying and praying. Then maybe I should work to see those prayers become reality. 

Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.  James 2:15-17

When United Methodist Members Change Churches: One Nazarene’s Response

Our United Methodist (UM) brothers and sisters are splitting over Biblical interpretation and LBGTQ+ related issues. Local congregations must decide if they wish to stay with the denomination or exit. As this occurs, many churches will decide to remain UM (some because they agree with the Biblical interpretation shift and some for economics as the price for exiting is excessively high). In those churches that remain UM, some of their members may decide to leave. Since the Church of the Nazarene (CotN) is in the same theological tree, some may look to a local CotN as a landing place upon their exit. 

What should we offer these people?

1. Give them time. Allow them to grieve. Allow them to mourn the loss of their church home. This is hard. People will be making decisions to leave a church in which they have poured their time and resources. Some have raised their children there and it’s the only church they have known. It’s heartbreaking to leave a church you have loved. It will take time to recover.

2. Give them a space. Following months of heart wrenching decision-making both for themselves and their friends who remain UM, those looking for a church home need to simply worship in peace. Let them enjoy the singing and the Biblical preaching from the pulpit. Let them relax and take a deep breath. Invite them to join small groups, Sunday School classes and for dinner in your home. Make your church warm and hospitable. Pray that God will restore their joy. Like with all who grieve, not everyone will bounce back in the same time and manner. Give them space to move at their own pace.

3. Give them a voice. When those bereaving former UM members are ready, let them speak of their sadness. Empathize with this new reality for them. No need to offer pithy clichés like “It-will-be-ok” or “God-is-in-charge,” they know the “Sunday School” answers. Instead, these heartbroken people just need to have someone sit and listen. They will talk about it when they are ready.

3. Give them a place of service, when the time is right. Eventually, these folk, who in many cases, were the worker bees in their former church, will need a place to serve. Talk to them about their strengths. Ask them where they would like to serve and if they are ready. Then put them to work. Let them use their gifts and talents for the Lord. 

The situation in the UM church is heartbreaking on many levels. It used to be said that the CotN was running 20 years behind the UM in social matters. With the speed of communication these days, it appears that the timeline has shrunk. News travels fast. Attitudes and positions change more quickly. Will the CotN debate Biblical interpretation and LBQTQ+ issues too? Of course. The 2017 General Assembly displayed much unity regarding its statement on human sexuality (97% agreement), but that does not mean the issues contained therein will not be revisited. The CotN is not immune from the tilt of our secularized society. In other words, before casting stones at our UM kinfolks, let’s make sure our house is in order.

In all matters, pray that, like Jesus, we will be full of grace and truth.  Pray that we might fulfill Jesus prayer in John 17 to be one. Pray for God’s intervention with our brothers and sisters in the United Methodist Church. Pray for the new entity, the Global Methodist Church. Pray for a reconciling spirit and the return of the joy of the Lord. No one but our Enemy wins in these types of battles. Pray for God’s peace and mercy to all. 

The lack of Christ-like Leadership and the Demise of Christianity in America

Christian Leadership means leading in a Christ-like way. What’s a Christ-like way? It’s leading in such a manner that those around the person would think, “This person would wash my feet, if needed.” In other words, Christian leadership is all about servanthood. The Christian leader should ask themselves:

Do the folks I lead know I am servant first, leader second?
Do the folks I lead know of my devotion to Christ more than any other aspect about me?
Do the folks I lead look at my Christian walk and think I want to follow Jesus in the same manner?

If not, then you are not a Christian leader. The so-called leader might have a title with impressive letters like M.Div, D.Min. or Ph.D after their name. But if they aren’t leading like Jesus, they aren’t a “Christian” leader.

A recent study showed that by the 2070 less than 50% of Americans will identify as a Christian. See the article here). Why such a downfall? No doubt, many factors are involved. Still John Maxwell’s quote “everything rises and falls with leadership,” would deduce that a major factor for the fall of Christianity in America is the lack of Christ-like leadership displayed in the last few decades.

Too often Christian leaders (in many cases, certainly not all) have…

Climbed to the top, using the ways of the world instead of the way of Jesus.Demanded to have their way and their rights, rather than picking up a towel and basin. Focused more on politics than Jesus.Created boogeymen/strawmen to topple, while ignoring Christ and His kingdom. Been silent when needed to speak, and spoken when silence was the best response.Kowtowed to those with money rather than being faithful regarding “the least of these.” 

At some point, some of these “the rising to the top” leaders may have voiced the importance of Christian servanthood over an autocratic management style. Only to reach the top of the ecclesiastical ladder, seduced by its power, and have subsequently responded more like a shark, rather than the Lamb of God.

The result? The world has been watching and is now rejecting Christ and His bride. People are walking away in droves. Christian leaders are still responding by casting stones at society and those leaving the church, rather than confessing our own sins. Leaders have no one to blame for the demise of the church in America than themselves. 

Is there any way to turn this trajectory around?  Yes, but it will come from followers of Jesus (leaders first) displaying the attitude of Jesus. It’s leading as Jesus– full of grace and truth. It’s servanthood over salaries, titles and position. It’s the way of Jesus. Unless we walk in the way of Jesus, we are no different than those walking the ways of the world.

The Parable of the Seed on a Shelf

Once upon a time, there was a seed that wanted to grow into a great champion pumpkin. But that little flat, one third of an inch, white pumpkin seed didn’t want any help in doing so. Sealed in his package of seeds and sitting on a shelf in the local hardware store, he declared to the others, “I’m going to grow into a great pumpkin one day. And I’m going to be a champion pumpkin all by myself.”

The other seeds in the bag laughed, “All by yourself?”

“That’s right, all by myself!” he proudly proclaimed.

Well, as good fortune would have it, a nice lady bought the package of pumpkin seeds and took them home. She didn’t have a big plot of ground, so she only planted some of the seeds. The seed that made “the great pumpkin” declaration was not one of the chosen seeds and remained in the bag, on a shelf, in the garage. 

“That’s OK. I don’t need anything else, I am going to grow into a great pumpkin right here!” the seed announced to no one in particular.

The lady tilled the ground and added cow manure to it. Cow manure is an excellent source of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium which are all nutrients necessary for plants to grow and thrive. Then she planted the seeds in the rich dark soil. She looked up and smiled as the sun was beaming down on her and her planted seeds. She knew sunny warm days were important for seeds to grow. She made sure she watered the seeds every day without fail. Watering seeds is important too. She used fertilizer on the sprouting plant from time to time. Not too much. Not too little. When birds came to eat the buried seeds or when critters from the woods came to eat the growing vine and subsequent little blooms then pumpkins, she’d shoo them away with a holler and wave. If weeds tried to invade the plants’ space, she’d quickly pull those pesky intruders so they wouldn’t gobble up the nutrients in the soil.

The pumpkins grew and grew and grew. They grew larger than anyone had ever seen in that part of the country. All the nice lady’s friends urged her to take the pumpkins to the county fair. She couldn’t take them all, so she picked out two large, orange beauties and had some strong friends load them into a truck. 

At the fair, the judges inspected and smiled at both big, fat pumpkins. They couldn’t decide which was better, so both pumpkins won first place. Blue ribbons and much fanfare followed. Everyone wanted to know how to grow such large champion pumpkins.

Meanwhile, back in the garage and on the shelf, was the flat, one third of an inch, white pumpkin seed. It was still just a seed. But it had learned an important lesson: A seed can’t become a champion on its own. It needs good soil, lots of water, sunshine, fertilizer, someone to shoo the varmints and pull the weeds and some friends to help along the way. 

A seed on a shelf just cannot grow by itself. To be a champion, you need help.

Likewise, a person only sitting in a pew cannot grow either. To be a champion in our faith and in life, we really do need each other.

The end.

Join Rob tonight @ Central Church

The Answer to Our Troubled Times Might Surprise You

Too many Jesus followers get caught up in the distractions of the today’s culture. We participate in meaningless arguments. We quarrel about things that in the end won’t matter. We debate who should be in and who is out of the church, even as the debates themselves push more and more people out. We say, “we don’t like the direction the culture is moving,” yet we offer no alternatives in our bickering. We make up strawmen-boogeymen, then prove our “intellectual superiority” as we tear down these so-called threats. Those with eyes in the world see through these phony tactics, giving further evidence to ignore the church and the Truth we are called to represent.

“Shout about the evils in the world,” they say. More and more people are willing participants in what was once called sin. “Preach the Bible,” they say. More and more people no longer believe that the Bible is true. Our megaphone yells fall on deaf ears. Our biblical quotes are meaningless to them. “If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em,” seems to be the resigned conclusion of some groups. Pretend these unsettling times will simply pass over. They won’t. Short of an all-encompassing, miraculous revival, these days are here to stay. 

Here’s the problem: If we imitate or ignore the culture for very long, the culture will soon ignore us. If we simply spout hate or biblical quotes with no love behind them, the ears of culture will not hear the message.

What’s the answer?

Jesus. 

It’s always been Jesus. it’s not conferences. It’s not gimmicks. It’s not the coolest thing. It’s not gathering in a holy huddle. It’s Jesus. It’s living out the Jesus life. It’s calling people to be like Jesus. The Jesus way has always been counter-cultural (Jesus was crucified by the prevailing culture of his day). It shouldn’t surprise us that in an ever-increasing secular society, the Jesus way seems foreign too. Furthermore (watch your toes), it shouldn’t surprise us when the prevailing religious culture is also offended by Jesus (see the Pharisees). Yet, when those in the prevailing culture see genuine Jesus followers humbly incarnating the captivating love of Christ Jesus in their everyday coming and goings, it is still compelling. 

The Jesus way doesn’t ignore truth (Jesus came full of truth). But the Jesus way presents truth not as a weapon to be brandished, but as a compassionate answer to our broken system. It’s the posture of Jesus to the woman caught in adultery, “neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more.” Jesus humbly embodied grace and truth. Our culture is like that woman in John 8. It’s is broken, hurting, and yet also guilty. The answer isn’t picking up stones (or picket signs). We can’t ignore her. We can’t condone her sin. We need grace and truth. Grace is being compassionate and loving no matter what. Truth is being honest, no matter what.

The lyrics of old the hymn, “Tell me the old, old story of Jesus and His Love” is still the answer to our cultural divide. The third verse is particularly true in these loud and continuous days:

Tell me the story softly,
  With earnest tones and grave;
Remember I’m the sinner
  Whom Jesus came to save;
Tell me the story always,
  If you would really be,
In any time of trouble,
  A comforter to me.

To have any effectiveness at all, the church must “softly” and “always” be like Christ Jesus, full of grace and truth.

The Parable of the Zookeeper’s Dilemma

Once upon a time there was a zookeeper with a very nice zoo. There was only one problem with the zookeeper’s zoo. People weren’t coming anymore. They had plenty of reasons, but the truth is people just didn’t seem interested in what the zoo had to offer.

The zookeeper called for a meeting of all the animals to brainstorm for a solution to the zoo’s lack of support.

The alligator opened his very large mouth and bellowed out that the way to induce people to come to the zoo is to growl and howl and even bite a few people (if need be) to show them what an important zoo they are missing.

The monkeys declared that the best way to entice the people to come to the zoo is to imitate the behavior of the world outside of the zoo.  Have the animals working long hours in an office building. Have them busy from morning until night. Make them stressed out about getting their children into the best sporting activities and dance competitions. The fish in the aquarium were very concerned about making sure their youngest were in the best schools (of course). “Imitation is the greatest form of a complement.” the monkeys argued. 

The ostriches stuck their head in the sand. They didn’t want to think about the zoo and its troubles.

The Lamb, on the other hand, lying next to the lion whispered, “Just tell them the truth. We are trying to offer them something that the outside world doesn’t offer. It gets messy. We don’t always get it right. But tell them in here, when we are on our best behavior, they can find rest for their weary souls.” 

Few animals heard the Lamb’s suggestion. The alligators were busy growling and the monkeys were just plain busy. The ostriches asked, “What? Did you say something Lamb?”

A vote was taken and the alligator’s approach won. Growling, howling and bellowing commenced on the terribleness of life outside of the zoo. Most everyone except the lamb and the ostrich participated. 

But their growling and howling didn’t work and zoo soon closed. 

I guess the Lamb was right.

The end.