The Christian Century reports that one of the megachurches held up as a shining model for others recently was startled to discover through a survey of its members that about one-fourth of the members felt their spiritual growth was going nowhere.  Some of them were “dissatisfied with the church, with many considering leaving,” according to the article.  The research revealed that, “increased involvement in church activities was not necessarily accompanied by a boost in spiritual growth.”

Some would refer to the increasing activities devoid of spirituality as “playing church.”  It also can, in my judgment, be an avoidance ploy, as the busyness shields folks from wrestling with what it means to be faithful to Jesus in an unrelentingly complex culture and society. 

Feeding the church organization or program does not automatically translate into a faithful witness.  A good proportion of the 17,000 worshipers who gather each week at the aforementioned church are coming to realize all of this.

One of the responses of the church is to post “next-step tools” on its official website, listing resources such as books and videos the people can consult for answers.  On their own.  Individually.  It truly is possible to be alone in the midst of a huge crowd of people.

In all fairness, some small-group discussion groups now are being offered at the megachurch, but it appears that the main approach to addressing the problem of stalled spirituality is to encourage the people to do things in isolation.  Good luck!

The megachurch, as it reacts to the revelations of the survey of its members is working with other churches in its “network” to establish a “fee-based system” for sharing resources and ideas with others.

While the worship center housing thousands of people on a Sunday morning may be gratifying to the preacher, the church bean counters, and those who are pacified by our culture’s “success” model, it appears that something different would be more conducive to the growth of God’s reign in the world.

I once heard of a congregation of twenty-some people who are engaged in big-time ministry to the homeless in their community.  Through a sense of calling in response to the needs around them, in partnership with others, they feed several times their number of people each week at the church.   Without charge.

More and more people are discovering that interpersonal relationships with others seeking spiritual growth lend support, insight, and inspiration to their own journeys, which ultimately become more meaningful as they are shared.

Spiritual practices such as worship, prayer, study, service, and giving engage the power of God and bring new life to the church, its people, and the ministry they share.

It seems we find numerous ways to let people know who we are.  I once knew a person who occasionally tried to perform simple magic tricks.   While he was a bit clumsy in his technique, he still had a yellow diamond-shaped sign hanging from a little suction cup affixed to a car window proclaiming, “Magician On Board.” 

In martial arts, there is a system of rank denoted by the color of a practitioner’s uniform belt.  One time when I mentioned my sons to the Grand Master of the Tae Kwon Do schools in which I practiced, he didn’t ask their ages, he simply queried, “What belt?”

When I lived around Washington, D.C., I often noticed tourists who let others know where they were from simply by clothing they wore:  ball caps, sweatshirts, jackets, and t-shirts revealed the answer to the question on everyone’s mind.  (I also suspect that when they returned home, they wore similar apparel or carried tote bags emblazoned with “Washington, D.C.,” or  “FBI,” or “National Gallery of Art,” so the homefolks would know they made the pilgrimage to our nation’s capital.)

Sean Daly of the St. Petersburg Times wrote a piece about the “I Voted” sticker handed out to those who exercised their constitutional right on election day.  He satirized the pride and the peer pressures inherent in being a good citizen.

In his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus reminds his listeners (and the modern reader) of behaviors distinctive to those who would follow him:  “You have heard it said,” Jesus remarked numerous times about matters such as anger, adultery, divorce, oaths, retaliation, enemies, almsgiving, prayer, and more.  Then, he continued with something along the lines of, “but, I say to you…” and he gave his expectations and instructions.

I think Jesus really cut to the heart of the matter in Matthew, chapter 7:  “A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit…Thus you will know them by their fruits.”

Someone else has said, “Great sermons are not preached, they are lived.”

At least one candidate for president has expressed the view that the U.S. Constitution should be amended to be in line with God’s will and intentions.  Good luck figuring out all of that.  Then try and get it ratified by two-thirds of the states.  The process quickly will reveal that not everyone understands God in the same ways or attributes similar thoughts and desires to God.  Who’s correct?

Donald Miller takes the view that the word “Christian” denotes “conservative politics, suburban consumerism and ‘an insensitivity to people who aren’t like us.’”  He got this impression by attending church, and he finally stopped going because it made him so angry.  He subsequently wrote his spiritual memoir to express his difference of experience and viewpoint.  Blue Like Jazz:  Nonreligious Thoughts on Christian Spirituality was the result.  Not everyone likes his book, although five years after publication it reached number 18 last November on the New York Times list of best-selling nonfiction paperbacks.

The appeal of Miller’s book, it seems, mostly is among young spiritual seekers.  Many people, Miller discovered, are weary of the “us versus them mentality” found in a multitude of churches.  One supporter of Miller’s thoughts commented, “The typical judgmental, hate-filled, bigoted, more people knew what they were against than what we were for” approach does not reflect the “real God.”  The faith is supposed to be relevant to culture, not to dominate it, he suggested.

Makes sense to me.

I haven’t read Miller’s book, and have no plans to do so, but this discussion is pertinent as the church struggles in so many ways to find its place and strength.  While I find that the church is hampered by the stereotypes identified by Miller and others who share his perspective, I also am concerned by the trend toward individualized spirituality embraced by many of Miller’s devotees.

It would be one thing if the trend translated into people better equipped, as they interacted with others and with our culture, to witness to God’s love and ability to make all things new.  It’s something else again when the trend means “I’m getting my stuff together with God,” but there is no outward expression or effect.

When I read the Bible, I read about God’s interaction with persons, yes, but I also read about God’s interaction with a people – a people called to make God known and to be a blessing to others.

An effort has been made to portray presidental candidate Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) as a Muslim, and to plant the idea that, consequently, he is a terrorist.  No doubt there are people only too happy to pass along this bit of misinformation, whether because they believe it (because of his name and family heritage), or because they are opposed to his candidacy (for a number of reasons -- pick one).

Of course, it is decidedly untrue, but Obama's campaign now is accelerating the pace in disputing these claims as southern states begin holding primaries.  Through his public statements, endorsement letters, and on his official website, Obama is touting the fact that he is a long-standing member of the United Church of Christ, and that if he is elected president, he will be "guided by his Christian faith."  He has stated, "I believe in the power of prayer."

The intent of this response, while no doubt genuine, is to appease the masses and make Obama an acceptable, if not appealing, candidate.

There have been times, and still are places, in which serious trouble resulted from making these kinds of self-assertions.  Check the New Testament, especially The Acts of the Apostles.   Review news accounts from officially atheistic or otherwise non-Christian nations.

Christianity in North America continues its descent into being a non-factor in our culture, despite some who cling to the myth that we are a "Christian nation," but there is no persecution of adherents.  In fact, the whole matter, on the whole, has become pretty "ho-hum," even among many church members.

Seeing a candidate as a "Christian," likely translates into, "he or she is not a threat to the status quo."  Sometimes it seems we imagine we have domesticated God.

Why were the Romans so opposed to Christians back in the First Century?  Why do oppressive regimes tightly clamp down on believers?

Perhaps they understand better than we the faith's potential for "turning the world upside down," an action attributed to the early followers of Jesus.

I remember once reading a poem about Dr. King that made the same point as the article mentioned above.  One of the phrases of the poem was, “now that he is safely dead…”  The poem, like the article, discusses the reality that King has become somewhat sanitized over the years, as the national holiday celebration tends to put him on a “pedestal of perfection that does not acknowledge his complex views,” according to Melissa Harris-Lacewell of Princeton University.

King’s views on the Vietnam war put him at odds with many who otherwise supported his efforts to end segregation.  His analysis of economic justice was not universally embraced.  Non-violence was losing some of its appeal to African-Americans who looked for change to come about more quickly.  The article above quotes author and professor Harvard Sitkoff as saying that at the time of his death, Dr. King was considered by many as a “pariah.” 

All of which is not to say we should not honor King and his memory.    

Let’s just make sure that we don’t make him so palatable to popular thought and opinion that we lose what he really was all about.

Last week I heard a bit on NPR that I thought was clever and amusing.  They did a news report about Michael Bloomberg, Mayor of New York, and assigned a reporter to cover a couple of Bloomberg's public appearances to see if there were hints of a presidential campaign in the making.  The reporter devised a "bingo" card that had behaviors or traits of a candidate in each block.  As the reporter observed Bloomberg in action he checked off appropriate blocks to see if he could get a "Candidate Bingo."  You can see the Candidate Bingo card here.

I mentioned this routine in my sermon yesterday, and at one point wondered aloud what a bingo card for followers of Jesus might look like.  Of course, it would have "confesses that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and Savior."  But, what else might be listed? 

I suggested that the expectations we have of church members would be there:  regular worship attendance; passionate prayer; serious study; willing service; and, generous giving.

Further possibilities, it seems to me, would include "transformed by a relationship with God and by the practice of spiritual disciplines;" "points others to Christ through words and actions;" "embraces God's desires for reconciliation with Creation;" and "aims high by expecting and anticipating God's ability to make all things new, and by responding with ministry to others in the name of Jesus Christ."

What would you put on a Follower of Jesus Bingo Card?

If someone saw you in action, and kept track on the card, would they get a  Bingo? 

Juashaunna Kelly is a senior in high school and an accomplished distance runner on her school’s track and field team.  She also is a Muslim.  So, she has a modified uniform that she wears when she competes, with a hood concealing her hair, long sleeves, and full leg coverings.  Still, she excels in her sport. 

She recently was disqualified from an invitational meet in Montgomery County, Maryland because her track uniform did not meet stated specifications.  So, this young lady who balances her faith commitments with her youthful exuberance for physical activity was told she could not join the other runners in the meet. 

A couple of days later, she was allowed to wear her uniform in another meet, this one in the District of Columbia, and she surpassed her previous best times in three running events, winning two of them and finishing second in the other.   

Coaches from other schools see no advantage for Juashaunna when she wears her unique uniform, but I suppose rules are rules, aren’t they? It sure makes things easier when everyone has to be the same – at least for those who make the rules.   

After Juashaunna ran so well at the meet in which she was allowed to be herself and compete, she remarked, “All the talk put a little pressure on me to go out and perform.”   

Good for you Juashaunna!  You keep it up and show people that their attempts to impose limitations on you are not going to work.

Rev. Barbara Lundblad told the following story in a sermon:              

I have a friend who is a pastor in Jersey City. A few years ago she brought a parishioner into New York City for cancer treatment at Sloan Kettering Hospital. Rather than return home, she spent the waiting hours at my apartment on the third floor of the church where I was a pastor. I left for a morning meeting; my friend stayed into the afternoon. As she was walking downstairs to leave, a longtime member of the church was walking up. "Oh, hello," she said to my friend. "Were you here to clean Pastor's apartment?"

Rev. Lundblad continued:  Now, why did she ask that question? There were many other things she could have said. She didn't know my friend so she had no way of knowing that my friend is a gifted guitarist and songwriter. She graduated with honors from Girls' High in Philadelphia and later from the Lutheran seminary in that same city. She's a caring pastor and a passionate preacher. So why did our church member assume my friend had come to clean my apartment? You know, don't you? My friend is African-American. 

What do people think of you, and why do they make their assumptions?  If you indicate to others that you are a Christian, what do they think then?   

Many seem to feel contempt for people of faith in today’s culture.  The words and actions of some who wear their “Christianity” on their shirtsleeves have a deleterious effect on the opinion of observers, and the rest of us suffer for it. 

I think a different witness is called for in a world already ruptured by bitterness, division and alienation.

Today is the birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.  I vividly remember his activities and witness even though I still was pretty young when he was assassinated.   

Civil Rights was a popular subject during my tenure as Executive Director of William Penn House, a Quaker seminar center in Washington, D.C.  It was my privilege to accompany some groups on visits to Rep. John Lewis (D-GA) in his Capitol Hill office.   I read a lot about John Lewis over the years in numerous histories of the Civil Rights Movement, as he was a significant leader.  

Congressman Lewis' courage was unquestioned during those very tense days in our nation.  He was the leader of SNCC, the Student Non-violent Coordinating Committee, spoke at the 1963 March on Washington, made famous by Dr. King’s “I Have A Dream” speech, played a huge role in the Freedom Rides, and was front and center during the 1965 march from Selma to Montgomery that became known as “Bloody Sunday.”   

He suffered incredible, life-threatening violence that day and others, was arrested more times than I can count, and in my mind, is a true American hero.  Probably no one imagined that this “dangerous person” one day would become one of the most-respected members of the House of Representatives, referred to by some as the “conscience of Congress.” 

I frequently saw Congressman Lewis around Capitol Hill, our paths intersecting as we walked here and there performing our respective duties.  I’ll never forget the first time I saw him.  It was outside the Cannon House Office Building as we waited to cross the street in opposite directions.  Before the traffic light changed I spotted him across the way, in a cluster of other pedestrians.  We made eye contact during our turn in the crosswalk, and he greeted me as we passed one another.  I was thrilled.  Over the years, the same scenario played out again numerous times. 

A memorable visit to his office occurred when a dozen or so high-schoolers from across the U.S., attending the annual WPH-sponsored Quaker Youth Seminar, were treated to Lewis’ personal recollections from Bloody Sunday.  He displayed enlarged photos showing the Alabama state troopers on horses running through the peaceful marchers.  One picture showed Lewis himself being beaten senseless by a law enforcement officer.  Lewis, of course, carried no weapon and made no threats against the officer.  He was leading a march. 

Congressman Lewis betrayed no bitterness or anger at the memory.  Granted, it was nearly thirty years after the attack occurred, but he and others I met who experienced so much hatred directed against them during those nightmarish years didn’t have time for negativity.  Their purpose was not to divide, but to unite, and unity doesn’t happen through anger, hatred or bitterness. 

Other highlights for me in seminar programs on Civil Rights included a visit to William Penn House at my invitation by Julian Bond, who met with a group of students from Carolina Friends School, and multiple visits to the office of Dorothy Height, a true matriarch of the Movement, who for many years, among other leading accomplishments, headed the National Council of Negro Women.  I recall Dr. Height describing the first time she met Martin Luther King, Jr.  He was fifteen years old, and she said even then she knew he was someone special.   

Dr. King certainly accomplished a lot of good during his short life (he has been gone as long as he was alive), and inspired greatness in others, as well.

As there is continuing discussion about faith and politics related to the current presidential election campaign, I thought I would mention an incident I witnessed in this regard.   

It was during the late 1980’s when several denominations and religious groups held weekly vigils on the steps of the U.S. Capitol protesting Reagan’s policies in Central America.   One week when I was there, several heads of denominations also were present for the rally, including Rev. Dr. John Humbert, the Disciples General Minister and President in those days, and Rev. Dr. Avery Post, then President of the United Church of Christ.   

Following the outside speeches and activities, Drs. Humbert, Post and others went into the rotunda.  The rest of us crowded around as the Capitol police became very interested in what they were going to do.  You see, it’s against the law to offer public prayers or conduct religious services inside the rotunda.  John Humbert, like some of the others, was wearing his pulpit robe, so he looked like a religious person about to do something religious.  He and the others began praying together the Lord’s Prayer. 

The warnings were polite but firm from the Capitol police.  Humbert, Post, et. al. received three opportunities to cease and desist.  When they failed to do so, large unsmiling men who carried revolvers broke up their prayer circle.  Perhaps some of the spoilsports were deacons in churches in the city.  

I’ll never forget the sight of John Humbert being hustled down a hallway of the Capitol by the cops, his robe flapping and fluttering.  Next stop – the D.C. jail.  The consequence was being booked and the option of a day or two behind bars or a fifty dollar fine. 

Shortly afterwards, I sent Dr. Humbert a note telling him I witnessed his arrest and that I was proud of his willingness to make a public stand.  I knew he was going to catch holy hell.  He wrote back and thanked me for my support, suggesting that my remarks to him didn’t necessarily represent the majority view. 

Almost twenty years later, when he was well into retirement and attended a worship service where I was installed as the pastor at a Disciples church, I told him “I was there when...” He laughed and took pleasure in hearing about it again.

You will never find agreement on the issues in churches, especially a church like the Disciples of Christ, but I think it is important to apply one’s understanding of the faith in forming opinions, drawing conclusions, or expressing a point of view.