Rob Prince's Blog, page 62

How Spiritual Renewal Week Ruined my Marriage

At the beginning of our Spiritual Renewal Week, our wonderful Sr. Adult Pastor Dr. Steve Anthony challenged our seniors to give $100 in support of the services. I am not a senior adult.  Neither is my bride.  While she is three months closer to receiving a social security check than me (Talking point #1 for the marriage counselor: Sharing that one’s wife is older than you could be construed as a bad idea), I also thought it would be a good idea to support our revival with $100.

As Karla was preparing dinner for our evangelist, I said to her, “Hey, I’m going to write out a $100 check for revival tonight.”  Maybe the noise of the pea pods frying (Talking Point #2:  Serving pea pods to guests and a finicky husband is literally in bad taste) was distracting or possibly the aroma of baked macaroni and cheese caused confusion, but in any event she heard, “YOU need to write out a $100 check for revival tonight.” (Talking point #3: Failure to communicate).

To further complicate matters, Karla arrived a tad late for the service (Talking Point #4: The importance of arriving early), so she was sitting in the back of the sanctuary and I was sitting in the front (Talking point #5: The importance of sitting together in church).  Following the receiving of the offering (FOLLOWING THE OFFERING!!), I received a text from her (Talking point #6: No phone usage in church unless it is an emergency or to check the score of the World Series game), stating that SHE HAD GIVEN $100 for the revival expenses.  Did I mention that she sent this text FOLLOWING THE OFFERING (Talking Point #7:  Never write in ALL CAPS in reference to your wife)?

So the Princes gave TWO $100 checks for the Spiritual Renewal Week (Talking Point #8: Handling finances), and now we have to pay for a marriage counselor too (Talking Point #9:  Airing the families “dirty laundry” in an all church blog and Facebook).  For all the wonderful outcomes of our Spiritual Renewal Week, my bride and I are a casualty (Talking Point #10: How the preacher/husband might slightly embellish a story) and that is how Spiritual Renewal Week Ruined my Marriage.

While it is true, we both gave a $100 check toward Spiritual Renewal Week, it is not true that this caused weeping and gnashing of teeth or an appointment with a marriage counselor.

Why tell you my troubles (real and imagined)?  It’s a simple reminder that while our Spiritual Renewal Week with Dr. Scott Daniels (my favorite preacher) may be over, let’s not let the revival end in our lives.  Pray that God would work in your home this week.  Invite a friend to church this Sunday.  Expect great things from the Lord whenever we gather!  Let’s live into verses like Psalm 85:6:  Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you? Let’s continue to pray for Spiritual Renewal in our lives.

I’ll be Wearing Cheerful Clothing to Ed’s funeral

My friend Ed passed away last week.  He was a wonderful pastor, a great man and really fun guy to be around.  His death was unexpected and shocking.  As I read Ed’s obituary, his family placed a statement in the announcement that I have never seen before, which is saying something because I have read lots of obits down through the years.  (It’s an occupational hazard).  The obituary read:   The family… has asked that family and friends wear cheerful clothing to the celebration service.

 No one will confuse me with a fashion expert, but I’m not sure any of my clothes qualify as “cheerful.”  Out of style maybe, but not cheerful.  I’m not a Hawaiian shirt kind of guy and I don’t have any T-shirts with catchy sayings on them like the one with a finger pointing to the right and big letters saying “I’m with Stupid.”  I’m more of a polo and khaki’s guy.  Still I think I know what Ed’s family means.  No black suits and dresses.  No gloomy and drab apparel to match a gloomy and drab day.  They are calling the funeral a “celebration service.”  I’ve never been to a party wearing a black suit and tie.  If it’s a party, you show up wearing clothes that reflect the fun you are ready to have.  I think that’s the family’s point.

If the funeral service is truly going to be a celebration; and if we really believe that this is not the end for someone like Ed who has lived an amazingly wonderful Christian life; then we shouldn’t act or dress or like it is the end of the world.  Ed is in heaven. It’s a place that Paul said is so wonderful that “no mind has conceived all of the things that God has prepared.”  Ed does not need another chemo treatment; his remaining pain meds are not going to be used; he is singing and shouting from the top of his lungs.  So why shouldn’t we celebrate and wear cheerful clothing?

Ed’s wife and daughter understand the truth of Paul’s words to the Thessalonians when he wrote:   Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope.  For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. (1 Thessalonians 4:13-14)

In other words, we will miss our Christian friends and loved ones when they leave this old earth, but our emptiness is not permanent.  Our hope rests in Jesus Christ the Defeater of death and the One who promised we can defeat the grim reaper too through Him.

I might not wear a Hawaiian shirt to the service, but I plan on being thankful for a God that promises that the grave doesn’t have the final word!

The Election, me & 1 Corinthians 13

Love is patient.

I wish this political season would hurry up and be done.

Love is kind.

Your candidate is a buffoon, a liar, a cheat, a clown…

Love does not envy.

Maybe I should move to Canada.

Love does not boast.

How can you not see that I am right in this debate?  I am so right!

Love is not proud.

If I were in charge things would be different.

Love does not dishonor others.

All is fair in love and politics! Mud-slinging is just a part of the game!

Love is not self-seeking.

Listen, if I don’t take care of myself, my interests who will?

Love is not easily angered.

HE/SHE SAID WHAT?!?!?!

Love keeps no record of wrongs.

Hurt me once shame on you. Hurt me twice…

Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.

Is it “rejoicing in evil” if someone slanders a political candidate that I don’t like?

Love always protects.

Unless I’m ignoring you and your words (for good reason, of course).

Love always trusts.

You have to earn my trust.

Love always hopes.

We are a mess and we always will be.

Love always perseveres.

Always? Sometimes it dies or gets lost or drifts away or I just move on.

Love never fails.

But the Democrats fail and so do the Republicans and so do the….

Dear God, in this political season, help us love as you love. Let us be guided by 1 Corinthians 13 in all we say and do. Help us not fall prey to the angst of the season instead empower us to put our trust and hope and faith in you! Throughout this election season may we keep praying the prayer you taught us to pray, “May your kingdom come, may your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”

Pokémon Go or Disciples Go

With the risk of sounding like a fuddy duddy (Fact: if you are using the term “fuddy duddy” you are a “fuddy duddy.”), I have not downloaded the Pokémon Go app to my phone. If you are asking what’s “Pokémon Go”? Please feel free to join me at the next “Fuddy Duddy Annoymous” support group meeting on Tuesday.

Pokémon Go is the newest rage sweeping the country. The “augmented reality” game was released last week and has already has been downloaded to over 20 million phones. Since I highly doubt that many readers of this article are counted among the 20 million Pokémon crazed users allow me to use this space as a public service announcement.

The free app uses GPS to make a cartoony map of wherever one happens to be located. Yes, there are even Pokémon at Central Church. (NOTE: the plural of Pokémon is “Pokémon” not “Pokémons.” One sure way to indicate your need for a Fuddy Duddy Anonymous group membership is to refer to many Pokémon as “Pokémons.”). Anyway, in this colorful, Big Brother is watching me kind of reality, Pokémon are just about everywhere, and when you come within range of Pokémon you can “approach” them and they will show up on your phone.

You trap the Pokémon by using Pokéballs on your phone. You get more Pokéballs by going to Pokéstops. Pokéstops are generally interesting places located throughout one’s community. Imagine the jump in attendance on Sunday if Central Church were a Pokéstop. I wonder how we could make that happen?

So the idea is to walk around looking for Pokéstops and Pokémon that you can trap when you use a Pokéball. Does this make sense? If you are saying about now, “When I was a kid we played Monopoly. What’s wrong with Monopoly?” then see the above references to the “Fuddy Duddy Anonymous” support group meetings.

For the most part, Pokémon Go has accomplished for America’s youth what my mom constantly insisted upon during my summer vacations (that is, get your lazy bones out of the house and enjoy the fresh air). And while there have been a few downsides to the craze (there are reports of students looking for Pokémon but not looking both ways before crossing a road and getting hit by a car and in one case youth stumbling not upon Squirtle, a type of Pokémon, but instead a dead body. Yikes!), has been harmless fun.

So why use this space to educate you about Pokémon Go?

Without the aid of a phone app, Jesus told a rag tag group of recently failed followers in Matthew 28 to “Go and make disciples.” Jesus plan to change the world was simple: disciples making disciples making disciples making disciples. And they did it. They went throughout the known world not looking for Pokémon but for folks who needed the best news of all.

Times and methods have changed but the command from Jesus is the same: Disciples making disciples making disciples. Imagine if we could develop a Disciples Go app for our phones where believers would have the same intensity to make other disciples as the 20 million down loaders of Pokémon Go have to find Pikachu (If you are asking, “What is “Pikachu”?” Without question you need to to be at the next Fuddy Duddy Anonymous meeting). Listen our goal is not to make 7 billion dollars like Nintendo did this past week with it’s Pokémon Go app, but to make more and more disciples. App or no app the message from Jesus has not changed: Disciples Go!

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.