Rob Prince's Blog, page 62

The Movies, a Nazarene and a Credit Card Mix-up

Karla and I recently saw the movie Tarzan. I’m not a movie critic or the son of a movie critic but that Tarzan was no Johnny Weissmuller (anyone younger than 50 will not have a clue of Johnny Weissmuller. Too bad or as the “real” Tarzan would say, “Oon-Gowa.”). Karla liked the love story between Tarzan and Jane, but I’ve always been partial to Cheeta and alas there was no Cheeta.

Here’s why I’m telling you about our recent trip to the movies: when we went to the theatre, I paid for the tickets with a credit card. As the young clerk was handing me the tickets and my credit card, I realized that I used the church credit card instead of my personal credit card. Both credit cards are blue. They look similar. I’ve made the mistake before in reverse and used my personal card to pay for church items. But this time I used it at a movie theatre! Thirty years ago, a Nazarene preacher going to a movie theatre would have been reason for real troubles with the church big wigs.

Old time Nazarenes remember the days when good Nazarenes didn’t frequent such establishments. My first movie was as a junior in high school when I snuck out of the house to see Disney’s Lady and the Tramp. The whole time I was in the theatre filled with second graders watching the cartoon, I was praying that Jesus would not return and catch me in that evil place! When I was in the 5th grade, my mom gave a note to the gym teacher stating that square dancing was “against our religion” and I could not participate in the activity. Had I offered a church membership class, every boy in the 5th grade at Marquette Elementary School would have joined the Church of the Nazarene on the spot. To many folks, face cards were a no no too, but Rook cards and Uno cards were OK. All of this seems silly now.

Back then too often holiness was defined by what we didn’t do and where we didn’t go. Holiness seemed to be more about outward appearances than an inward transformation. At times, holiness morphed into a “holier-than-thou” type of legalism rather than an honest pursuit of a Christ-likeness.

This is not to say that holiness in unnecessary. Quite to the contrary, “Be holy for I am holy” (1 Peter 1:16) is still in the Bible and is pretty straight forward. God’s plan has always been for His people to live a holy life, and God’s power enables us to do it. Holiness is not a call to legalism nor is it the impossible dream, holiness is becoming more and more like Jesus. Plain and simple. Now more than ever our world needs people that think and act like Jesus. Now more than ever, we need holiness!

The Church of the Nazarene is not done!

Entry into heaven will not require a Nazarene membership card or knowledge of the secret Nazarene handshake (there isn’t a secret Nazarene handshake). Plenty of people will make it through the Pearly Gates who have never heard of Phineas F. Bresee (the founder of the Church of the Nazarene), Pilot Point, Texas (where the Church of the Nazarene was formed) and have never taken a Nazarene Nap (strange but true). Still, I am thankful for the Church of the Nazarene.

The following events in my life took place in Nazarene church or on a Nazarene college campus:

• Dedicated as a baby.

• Encountered many loving people as a boy that shared with me Jesus.

• Asked Jesus to take up residence in my heart at the altar of the Elmwood Church of the Nazarene.

• Baptized (Well, actually I was baptized in the “girl’s lake” on a Nazarene Campground. What does it mean when you are baptized in the “girl’s lake”? I don’t know, but I was. On that same Nazarene campground, I first recognized God’s call upon my life and, on a far less spiritual level, first held the hand of a girl that wasn’t related to me).

• Preached my first sermon.

• Sought the infilling of the Holy Spirit.

• Received two diplomas.

• Met a pretty airline employee and asked her for a date.

• Said, “I do” when the preacher asked if I’d marry that same pretty girl.

• Dedicated one son (and later baptized him) and baptized the other as an infant.

• Had a General Superintendent place his hands on my head with a group of godly ministers surrounding me and was ordained as an elder.

• Held services to celebrate that godly lives of both of my parents at their passing.

At the Nazarene Publishing House, God continued to refine me into the person He wanted me to be as I worked my way through seminary as a janitor. It was that same publishing company that would print my book and several articles in Nazarene publications.

Five Nazarene churches have had people refer to me as “pastor,” and allowed me to minister alongside them as we made Christ-like disciples in our community and the world. I have been blessed to preach in Nazarene pulpits in Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, Dominica, Russia, El Salvador, Swaziland, Israel, Jordan, Cuba and Panama.

It’s not always popular to claim denominational loyalty these days. Some folks view denominations as an out dated expression of the Church. But I’m all in. Our call to holy living and making Christ-like disciples is needed now more than ever. I’m not claiming that the Nazarene church is perfect. (They let a guy like me be a member for crying out loud). It has some flaws. Still, I don’t know where I would be if not for the Church of the Nazarene. In every significant event in my life, the Church of the Nazarene has been there. I owe the church a lot.

As we move forward I want to be a blessing and help see the church that has given so much to me continue to be a significant Kingdom difference maker throughout the 21st century. How that works in real life means addressing our issues and celebrating our victories. It’s not settling for the status quo but its also not tearing down what God has already done. I’m convinced the Church of the Nazarene has great days ahead and I’m excited to see what God has in store for His people called “Nazarenes”! But for now, I think I’ll take one of those “Nazarene Naps.”

What I learned growing up in a small church

The little church that I attended as a child never grew much. We tried to grow. We had Sunday school drives, revival services, brought in a “Christian” clown and once a year had an “Old Fashion” Sunday where people would dress up like the pioneer days. Nothing worked much. I guess the unchurched folks in Michigan didn’t want to be entertained by a Bible quoting clown or dress like Laura Ingalls to worship God. Who knew? Today the church building is a doctor’s office.

Maybe some would look back at the church that is now a doctor’s office and say: “What a failure.” I don’t view it that way. I have many fond memories and was taught some important life lessons at the Elmwood Church of the Nazarene.

Mr. Kipp always had candy for the kids. The lesson: Boys and girls matter to Jesus.

Brother Bond (I’m not exactly sure why some folks were “Mr.” or “Mrs.” and some were “Brother,” “Sister” or “Aunt”) helped me with school wood working projects. Lesson Learned: Helping pre-teens not cut off a finger with a power tool is part of being in the family of God.

I mowed Mrs. Buckley’s lawn. She always called me Freddy (my brother). Lesson learned: Mrs. Buckley had a bad memory but that was okay.

Nell Norton was the church piano player. She played most songs a little slow except for Wonderful Grace of Jesus. She raced through that one. I liked singing Wonderful Grace of Jesus. I think Nell did too. Lesson learned: God can use even a half-a-beat too slow talent, if you let Him.

Mary Vail (my Jr. High Sunday School teacher) took us to fancy restaurants and baseball games. I don’t remember any specific lesson she taught but I know she cared for us. Lesson learned: Junior Highers matter to God.

I remember Mrs. Van Dyne’s meatloaf (Lesson learned: Nazarenes are good cooks) and Norm Fisher’s haircuts (Lesson learned: Maybe the original first century “Nazarene” had long hair, but the 1960’s and 70’s variety of Nazarenes

definitely did not). There was Brother Sexton singing with his guitar (before guitar playing in church was considered “contemporary”); and Aunt Myrtle getting pinched by the rickety old theatre seats and letting out a holler. We thought she got “blessed.” Blessings and pinches sounded similar from Aunt Myrtle, I suppose.

All this to say, my home church was small; never grew; and probably could have done a whole lot better in reaching people with the Gospel. Still I learned plenty of good lessons: followers of Jesus love boys, girls and teenagers; church is a caring family not just on Sunday; and old and young people can share in life together. I honestly don’t know if I’d be pastoring today if it weren’t for some of those people and some of those lessons.

In many ways, I hope Central Church can be that kind of intergenerational church minus the “Old Fashion” Sunday and the rickety pinching seats.

Nazarene Pastors are old, white and male

The above graph (thank you Joe Foltz for posting it) is from Pensions and Benevolence Office of the Nazarene Pastors Age distribution in the USA.  When I look at this graph I see some disturbing trends.

 Nazarene Pastors are white.  Every pastor in the picture is a white guy.  The USA is changing.  If we aren’t reaching other ethnic groups we will continue to lose our influence in society.
Nazarene Pastors are male.  We are losing our female pastors (Tera Beth Leach is the lone exception).  I believe of the top 100 churches in the USA only one (Pasadena First church and Tera Beth Leach) has a sole lead pastor that is a woman.  We need our women pastoring and speaking into the life of the church.
Nazarene Pastors are old.  The largest group of active pastors is over 65.  I’m thankful for the wisdom of these pastors but if we are not calling and using our young women and men we will be in trouble in the next few years.  The church is dying and will continue to die if we do not have young women and men serving in our churches.

What this graph tells me (again) is that following the status quo will kill our church.  We need fresh ideas, new vision, and a mission strategy to reach younger adults.  The above graph gives zero indication that the Church of the Nazarene in the USA will rebound from our flat-lined (at best) attendance and growth numbers.

On this Pentecost Sunday, I remind you of a portion of Peter’s sermon:  “In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people, Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.”  (Acts 2:17-18)

Lord, let it be so!

 

 

Are Nazarene Taxes Equitable and Capping the Franchise Fees

 

The funding of the Nazarene mission includes the World Evangelism Fund (5.5% of total income), Pensions and Benevolence (2.25%), Educational support (2.25%) and district ministries (various percentages). No one I know legitimately argues against Pensions and Benevolence funding.  We need to take care of our retired ministers. While the World Evangelism Fund may have those that wonder how the funds are dispersed or the openness of the expenditures (for the less than complete view of spending and how the nearly 39 million in WEF funds were utilized see the 2015 Annual Financial Summery), still few argue against missions giving.  The college funds are less enthusiastically embraced by those in some regions of the country, but again most Nazarenes appreciate the core commitment to higher education. But legitimate questions can and should be raised in relation to the inequality of the district apportionments.

Why, for example, should a Nazarene in Wisconsin have 9.39% of their tithe used for district management, when a Nazarene in Kansas City pays only 3.25% and in Oregon only 3.05% of their tithe used in district apportionments?  I guess that means you get 6% more for your ecclesiastical dollar in Kansas City or Portland than in Milwaukee.   In 2015, Nazarenes in USA gave over 31 million to fund district management.  31 Million!  Did we really get 31 million dollars’ worth of benefit from our district taxes?   Last I checked districts didn’t baptize anyone. Districts don’t dedicate babies. Districts don’t lead anyone to Christ.  They don’t make funeral dinners.  But we spent 31 million dollars for their oversight.   Africa spent a little less that one million and has nearly twice as many districts (130 to 76) and about the same number of members.

I’m not advocating eliminating district budgets, but developing a more equitable system. More specifically, there should be a limit on district allotments and a cap on how much an individual church should be required to pay.  If the district can not make ends meet on a 3 or 4% limit then maybe it is time to consider merging districts.  Or maybe like in other parts of the world, the District Superintendent also pastors a church.  This bi-vocational DS in other parts of the world hasn’t hindered growth.  In fact, quite the opposite, those are the areas were the church is growing.  The amount of the cap on district apportionment could also be debated, but it seems that no church should pay more than $25,000 toward district management.  All this to say, districts in the future will need to get more lean or creative as local church dollars stay more local.

As USA church dollars are stretched more and more, it seems legitimate discussion should be had on how to keep more monies with the local church and less toward the costly endeavor of district management.

 

Three Considerations for 2017 General Assembly Delegates

In Church of the Nazarene at District Assemblies across the world, delegates are being elected for the annual Nazarene family reunion known as the 2017 General Assembly.  As these individuals are being chosen I offer three considerations for the newly elected representatives to prayerfully ponder as they prepare for General Assembly:

1)    International delegates must be more engaged before the General Assembly.  97.48% of the manual resolutions proposed for 2013 Manual came from the USA/Canada caucus (155 of the 159 resolutions).  Either the international church doesn’t care about such matters or doesn’t feel their voices are heard.  If it’s the former, let’s quit having general assemblies and simply vote for leadership roles electronically; save everyone the cost and time to gather; and let the USA/Canada office argue over the nuances of the manual.  If it’s the latter, then international delegates must embrace their role and offer meaningful manual resolutions for consideration. We need to hear and learn from our international brothers and sisters.

2)  National diversity on the General Board is guaranteed through the election process,  but gender diversity is not expressed in leadership roles throughout the church.  Please don’t think by simply electing a female General Superintendent we have done our duty as it relates to gender equality. The General Board, university presidents, directors and senior leadership roles in the Church of the Nazarene are heavily male dominated. Can you name five women in highly placed leadership roles in the church?  Me neither.  Let’s do something about this.

3)  Can the General Assembly theme of One Body, One Spirit, One Hope be achieved when we have Six Heads?  Maybe its time to consider that One Body and One Hope is best accomplished when there is One direction and One Leader. Our antiquated leadership by committee structure (the Board of General Superintendents) has been an ineffective model for casting vision and oversight for a while.  We’ve given these godly leaders an impossible task and removed any real authority from them.  Consequently, we are bearing the fruit of an ineffective system (a downward attendance trajectory and less engagement with the culture).  Maybe its time for the newly elected delegates to consider taking One bold step with One Heart and One Spirit by saying, “We need One Godly Leader.  We need a modern day Moses, Joshua or Nehemiah to courageously lead the way through the wilderness of secularization and the challenges of the 21st century.”

May this lead to meaningful conversation as the church thinks and prays before we gather in Indianapolis in 2017.

Chipotle, Aquaox and the Flint Water Crisis

I’ve been waiting for two and a half years to write the following six words:  There is a Chipotle in Flint!  

I love Chipotle. Silly Qdoba fans think that the restaurants are similar, but that is like saying a Ford Pinto and a Ferrari are similar or that a 13 inch, black and white Philco TV with rabbit ears and 65 inch LG OLED TV are similar. Besides missing a “U,” Qdoba will also be missing me, now that Chipotle in in town.

I cannot say with certainty but I believe there might be a Chipotle franchise in heaven (that and Chic-fil-A, of course). I also cannot say with certainty that the opening of the restaurant is in response to our church wide prayer “In Flint as it is in heaven.”  But I do know, it’s an answer to my prayers.  Luke was not writing about Flint and Chipotle, but it sounds like my sentiment with his words, “So there was great joy in that city” (Acts 4:8). Did I mention that I love Chipotle?

Chipotle isn’t the only good thing happening in Flint.  In things much more important than a barbacoa burritos (which I highly recommend, by the way), I am convinced that God is doing great things in the city.

Ours is a city with many needs but also many opportunities.  For instance, in response to the water issues some friends of some friends of mine who own a water filtration business (Aquaoxfilters.com) contacted me to see if our church would like a free church-wide system.  Central’s water is from Detroit, but our partner church Joy Tabernacle is in the heart of the city and in the center of the crisis.  To make a long story short, thanks to the generosity of AQUAOX and the hard work of Pastor Todd Womack and the plumbing skills of Central church’s Rick Marshall, Joy Tabernacle will have the water filtration system installed on Saturday. What a blessing for Pastor McCathern and the people of Joy Tabernacle to have clean filtered water!

Long ago, I heard a missionary say, “You can’t tell a thirsty person about Jesus until you’ve given him or her a cup of cool water.”  I never imagined the missionary’s comments would be true for where I lived in America.   But here we are and not surprisingly God is bringing people together to meet our clean water needs and spreading the Gospel.  Now I think Luke’s words truly are appropriate!  So there was great joy in the city! (Acts 4:8)

 

 

 

Lessons from a Snowy Day

1) Snowmen make lousy friends. While snowmen generally don’t talk about themselves and appear to be good listeners, the truth is snowmen rarely pay attention; frequently give the “cold shoulder;” and at the first sign of trouble (when things “get a little hot”) they disappear. Let’s not even discuss how snowmen are poor role models with their “corn cob” pipe habit.

2) Shoveling snow from one’s driveway and preaching sermons are similar. They both require a lot of work for something that will be mostly forgotten in a few months (Months? Who am I kidding? As far as sermons go, the words of a sermon are forgotten within minutes of delivery).

3) Managing slippery roads without snow tires and marriage counseling sessions are also similar. In both cases I frequently want to shout out: “Get a grip!”

4) Salt melts snow but not cauliflower. Salt also doesn’t melt away—bad memories, hurtful words, shame and guilt. For those things, the Holy Spirit’s work is amazing and freeing. To eliminate cauliflower and other unwanted vegetables, I have two words: garbage disposal.

5) No one can control the amount of snow that falls or the temperature outside (unless you are the evil villain in the James Bond movie). But you can control the amount of snow that remains on your doorstep and you can control the temperature of your heart. Don’t get distracted by the things you can’t control (i.e. snow accumulation); instead focus on what you can control. Keep your heart warm and the front porch clean.

6) There are a lot of great euphemisms for snow storms these days: Sno-megeddon, Sno-pocalypse, and Blizzardopoly. Kids (and teachers) simply call it “Hooray Snow day!” No matter the circumstance, keep looking at the bright side!

7) To get a snowplow to come down your street follow these four easy steps:

Clear all snow from your driveway (either by shovel or snow blower),
Return to your warm house
Remove all of your winter outerwear
Sit down in front of a fire with a cup of warm cocoa and a good book.

Within minutes the snowplow will roar down your street pushing snow back onto your driveway and filling your entrance with harden snow and ice chucks.

8) Snowflakes are individual and small, but when they stick together they can make a really big difference. It’s a lot like the church. On our own we might accomplish a little for Christ, but together we can accomplish so much more! Let’s keep sticking together!

 

Pitchers and Catchers Report Today

The best five words spoken in February are not:

 

Ground Hogs taste like chicken!

A Valentine’s card is enough

I made the Dean’s List

President’s Day Sale at Cabella’s

Chipotle will soon be open

 

All those are great words to hear but they are not as awesome as these five February words:

 

Pitchers and Catchers report today!

 

That means spring training can’t be far behind. (Start humming: “Take me out to the Ballgame”). The smell of hot dogs and cracker jack (does cracker jack smell?) will soon be in the air. The sun will be warmer; the days brighter and my dreams of the Tigers winning their first World Series since Reagan administration will captivate my imagination.

 

The words “Pitchers and Catchers report today” mean hope. There is hope that the snow will soon be gone and hope that my car thermometer will not read “0” like it did this morning. Hope is a wonderful thing!

 

Of course, for we believers our hope is much deeper than an improved bullpen (although I am excited that the Tigers relief pitchers might actually be able to throw the baseball over the plate). Paul in Romans 12:12 wrote, “Be joyful in hope.” I think that means that we believers should have giddy bit of anticipation as we wait upon the Lord. It’s like when you know the surprise gift a friend is about to receive; and you know they are going to love it; and yet it’s a surprise. The good news is almost bursting inside of you. You want to blurt out the secret; but you don’t. Instead you have a smile, deep within you because you know your loved one will be so happy when they open the gift. It’s a joyful hope.

 

We believers have a joyful hope. God is up to something in this old world. He has not forgotten us. He has not abandoned us. He is creating and making all things new. Like the news of a surprise gift, this joyful hope we have brings a deep down satisfaction that God is on the cusp of doing something so amazing and exciting. But unlike the surprise gift of a friend, you don’t have to keep this news secret. Tell it. Let the cat out of the bag. Let the world know: We have a joyful hope that God is alive and He is at work! His creative, redemptive and powerful love is about to be unleashed! That’s even better news than “Pitchers and Catchers report today!” (Although I am pretty excited about that news too! Go Tigers!)

Jesus and the Flint Water Crisis

It seems like everybody is talking about Flint these days. Our city is on the national news. Celebrities and politicians all have opinions, views and various forms of outrage on our water problems. Jesse Jackson and Michael Moore have showed up and even Cher (I got you babe) has sent a truckload of water.

 

That got the theologian in me thinking, what if Jesus himself showed up in Flint. My firm belief, of course, is that Jesus has been and continues to be in Flint as He works through his followers, but you know what I mean… If Jesus physically walked up the city hall steps, what would he do?

 

Jesus and water are seen together a lot in scripture. In Matthew 14, Jesus walked on the water. Maybe that task would be a little easier on Flint’s lead laced water supply. Water was a big part of his conversation with the woman at the well in John 4. When she came at noon to get her bucket of water, Jesus told her he could give her “living water and she would never be thirsty again.” He wasn’t speaking of the liquid at the bottom of the well, but a spring of life that could bubble up within her soul. Still, maybe if Jesus came to Flint, he would offer our residents the opportunity to never drink from their contaminated faucets again. We’d all like that.   And remember Jesus first miracle involved water. Maybe if Jesus came to Flint he could turn the mud slinging, blame-casting politician’s whine into water. That would be nice.

 

But maybe the most telling words from Jesus concerning Flint and water are in Matthew 25 when he said, “I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink.” Maybe if Jesus walked up the Flint city hall steps he would say, “I was thirsty and you made sure that I was drinking clean water. I was thirsty and you looked after me. I was thirsty and you educated me on what to do in the midst of this crisis. I was thirsty and you didn’t forget about me. ”

 

As a Jesus follower in Flint, I might not be able to pull out of my wallet enough money to fix the infrastructure of our lead pipes or provide enough bottled water for all of our residents to drink until the politicians and civil engineers figure out the next steps. But in the meantime, I can look after my thirsty brothers and sisters. I can partner with organizations in the education, distribution, and care of those whose water is not fit to drink. I can volunteer through organizations like the Red Cross. And I continue to pray that God would work, that people would be spared from the negative impact of this ordeal and that the followers of Jesus like me would step up and say, “I want to be part of the long term solution not just spout outrage when the video cameras are rolling.”

 

If Jesus came walking into Flint, I think he would say, “This is my city. I have not abandoned you or forgotten you. I love this place and I am here to make everything new.”