Why Have All The People Gone?

Sunday, May 22, 2011

False Promises & Failed Predictions vs. Answering the Call & Living the Life

Jesus said, ³²‘But about that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. ³³Beware, keep alert;^* for you do not know when the time will come. Mark 13:32-33

There are many reasons that people have left the Church, many causes for the decline in congregational involvement and participation in parish activities. Some of the reasons/causes are the result of grave disappointment that hopes were not answered; that wished for promises were never fulfilled; or that a prediction (and false prophecies) had not come to pass, despite all of the hype and "authorative" sounding voices that claimed it to be true! All of this points to deep longings not being met, desperate pleas not being heard, broken hearts not being touched with the kind of healing that was sought. At the same time, failed predictions, false prophecies and broken promises put forth by those who would manipulate others (some for reasons that are known and others for reasons unknown) have served to add an additional layer of suspicion and skepticism to already tainted image of what the Church is, or isn't in the minds of the public. The following is a response to the doomsday prediction put forth by a Mr. Harold Camping who ran a worldwide campign that suggested that the long awaited "rapture" so desired by many Christians was going to happen on May 21, 2011!

Over the last few weeks leading up to May 21—actually May 21 at 6:00 p.m. in the Pacific time zone, to be precise—we have all heard a lot about a doomsday prediction being espoused by a man named Harold Camping, an 89-year-old retired civil engineer who is said to have built a multi-million-dollar Christian media empire that was/is, among other things, publicizing his ongoing apocalyptic message(s) that the “rapture” would take place on May 21, at 6:00 p.m. NOTE: This was actually Mr. Camping’s second such prediction, the first being in 1994—a failed prediction written off to an admitted calculation error on his part.

Needless to say, 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 21 passed by like most any other day, with no major apocalyptic cataclysms being reported anywhere in the world. Granted, there was a small earthquake centered some 600 miles off the coast of New Zealand and a much smaller quake that struck the San Francisco area, but no disaster(s) or occurrences that could be remotely considered as being of Biblical proportion; and, as far as one can tell, no one was “left behind,” leaving family and friends to wonder what just happened.

The question is: What did happen? Not, why didn’t the “rapture” take place, but, rather, how is it possible that so many people could be victimized—led astray—by such a false prophecy, remembering that Jesus said (as recorded in both Mark 13:32 and Matthew 24:36) that he didn't even know, that “only the Father knows!” If Jesus didn’t know, who are we—as sinful human beings—to even think that we could predict or say, with confidence, when the end would come?

But, there is a much deeper, and infinitely more profound question—or should I say longing—that is present in this story than may meet the eye at first glance. Despite all of the jokes and humor that Mr. Camping’s predictions have raised in the news, and especially in many social network web postings, there is a deep longing being felt by a lot of people for the kind of joy and peace that can come only from God—and this is not something that can, or should be dismissed to abruptly. Such longings are far too real!

There are many people on this small blue planet that we share who are in desperate need—Individuals, families and communities which are suffering amidst enormous hardships brought on by war, famine, disease, poverty, and loss of hope. There are people all around us for whom life is anything but pleasant or enjoyable; people struggling to survive under the multiple pressures faced by so many of our friends and neighbors, and ourselves—loneliness, unemployment, un-diagnosed illnesses, financial worries, sickness, hunger, homelessness, fear. None of these things are humorous, or the basis of a good joke! They are far too painful, and entirely too real. Put another way, it is not surprising that so many would turn to false predictions and broken promises—especially if times are really hard. Indeed, given the difficulties being endured by so many people worldwide, the surprise is that even more people did not hop on Mr. Camping’s bandwagon!

Having said all of that, it is also very important to remember that the Christian calling is not to guess, assume or be led astray by those who—for whatever reason moves them—would espouse false prophecies and predictions that are clearly in contrast to what Scripture teaches! The Christian calling is, instead, to, "Do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with God," (Micah 6), to, "Feed the hungry, clothe the naked, welcome the stranger, care for the sick and visit the imprisoned," (Matthew 25), to live not in anticipation of an unknown date, but to live in the presence of one who promises "to be with us until the end of the ages," (Matthew 28), to live in the joy of knowing that God, "watches over our coming in and going out from this time forth forevermore." (Psalm 121). In other words, the Christian calling is to live a life in which we "Love God with heart, mind and soul," (Dt. 6) and Love our neighbor as ourselves (even those who would do us wrong)...!

The Christian calling—our Calling, as a people of Faith—is to reach out to those who are struggling under the weight of incredibly heavy burdens in life—To be a people who bring Jesus’ words, “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest,” (Matthew 11:28) to life through our deeds and actions. There is so much that we can do, and such a difference we can make when we put Jesus’ words into practice! Each time that we do so, we help someone to experience the Risen Christ in the here and now—which then points them, and us, to a brighter today, and a more hope-filled tomorrow in which future predictions, assumptions and fears are traded in for a more meaningful life based, founded and rooted in the Faith, Hope and Love that is ours in Christ—“the Way, the Truth and the Life!” (John 14:6).

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Where Do We Begin?

There are a lot of reasons for church decline, much of which is not unique to any one congregation, but is, indeed, something impacting “smaller-size” churches of all denominations throughout the United States. In part, it is the result of what some call, “a natural attrition;” i.e., decline resulting from people moving out of the area, deaths in the congregation and/or health issues limiting once active members from being able to come as they once did. For example, in one Seattle area congregation—in a space of four years--some 40 formerly active members had either moved out of the area, died, or were experiencing significant declining health issues which have limited their ability to come to worship.

Other reasons often sited for church decline, especially among “smaller-size” congregations, is their inability to offer a broader range of programs and other activities—such as those offered by larger congregations. At the same Seattle area congregation, this resulted in the transfer of membership of some thirteen formerly active people to other, larger congregations.

At the same time, over the past 40+ years, according to Church records and information found in Annual Reports and Directories, that same congregation had experienced a regular turnover of people—most often resulting from various kinds of transitions, i.e., staff changes, service time changes, etc. Once again, according to Church records, there are only 22 of 109 families—pictured in the 1977 church photo directory—who are still represented today and 38 out of 342 people pictured (38 of 519 people listed) in the 1977 directory.

The question is: What can a congregation do, given such realities? Indeed, what must be done, to turn this around? In asking “growing congregations,” especially the larger Lutheran congregations in the Seattle area, what they would attribute their growth to, the two most common answers that I have heard are: (1) Having a large percentage of the congregation be actively involved in a regular, weekly Bible Study, and (2) the ability and, willingness, to accept and embrace changes—not to the Message of the Gospel, but to the ways in which it is shared. I should also note that some—outside of the larger, growing Lutheran Churches in the Seattle area—have added a third reason for growth, i.e., location, location, location. Although it can have some impact, research and other evidence have shown that that is only a small part of it.

Bible Study is, perhaps, the single most important of the reasons given for growth. This is because active participation in regular, weekly study with others helps to keep a congregation—and its basis for decision and choices--grounded in the Scripture, rather than other places. It keeps a congregation focused on what it means to be the Church—the body of Christ in the world. And, it also moves a congregation away from arguing about “what would Jesus do,” to simply doing what Jesus did—which is the focus of the Gospel!

With regard to being able and willing to accept and embrace changes, let me quote David A. Roozen, Director of the Hartford-Institute for Religious Research, who, according to an article in the January 2007 issue of “The Lutheran” magazine has, “studied church growth trends for more than 30 years.” In the article Roozen says, “The world is filled with changing styles and generational changes. If you haven’t changed, you’re probably not connecting to the life experiences, expectations and habits of people today.” In addition, the article from The Lutheran also indicated that 70 percent of Lutheran congregations in America—which represents congregations with Sunday worship attendance of 150 or less—have either declined or only held steady between 2000 and 2005. Although there are exceptions to these numbers, the vast majority of congregations which are showing growth are those with average Sunday worship attendance in excess of 800 people. Of course, this does not mean, nor does it claim to suggest, that “smaller-size” congregations cannot and/or will not be able to grow. On the contrary, the same article highlights several “smaller-sizes” congregations that are growing.

The pattern of growth, as demonstrated in the various congregations across the country, is one of being Evangelism-focused, Outreach-oriented, Mission-minded, and Ministry-driven. What does this mean? First of all, to be Evangelism-focused is to have Proclamation of the Gospel to all people, be at the center of all that a congregation does. In such a congregation the Proclamation of the Gospel to the community and the world defines every decision, asking how does this decision help us to more fully Proclaim God’s Word to the world—our local communities?

Secondly, being Outreach-oriented means getting out of the church building and out into the community to “feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, clothes to the naked, care for the sick, welcome to the stranger and visiting the imprisoned,” in answer to Jesus words from Matthew 25, that say, “Whatever you do to the least of these, my brothers and sisters, you do to me.” Being Outreach-oriented means making a difference in the lives of those in need, showing the world that we are Christians by our love.

Third, being Mission-minded means being able to see the value and importance of taking the message of God well beyond our immediate community—the places in which we live. To be Mission-minded is to support, and where possible, to send people to participate in foreign and domestic mission work. To do such things is to have a life-changing experience. To live and work—even if for just a week or so—amidst a people, culture and experience beyond one’s own is to embrace the essence of the Gospel call to, “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations . . .” (Matthew 28) and to more fully appreciate the power of the Gospel to transform lives forever. Just talk to anyone who has!

And fourth, to be Ministry-driven is to have the Message of God be what drives our deeds and our actions, along with our choices of what programs and activities we will offer. To be Ministry-driven is to recognize the importance of Proclaiming the Gospel to the larger community and doing it—to be Evangelists! To be Ministry-driven is to recognize the importance of having the people of the congregation get actively involved in Outreach projects and other opportunities--to get out of the building, and go where people are in need! To be Ministry-driven is to engage in Mission endeavors, making them available to all members, as they are able and as their talents permit.

How might such an emphasis look at small, declining congregation? To begin with, such an emphasis does not mean that age-old honored traditions need to be scrapped or forgotten. What it means is that we take a new look at those age-old traditions and discover anew why we do them and why they are important. This, then, can lead to us in doing what we do even better, because we have a greater understanding of the how and why it is done in the first place. Such things can be accomplished through Adult Forums and Bible Studies that focus on what it means to be a Christian in a Lutheran setting. Believe me, such efforts are well worth it, as they help us to more fully connect with our history and with the greater depth and meaning of what those age-old traditions mean—including to the people who started them.

At the same time, small congregations need to recognize and support the efforts which are being conducted in their congregation to broaden their ministry expressions. This is a matter of moving beyond one’s own personal preference to recognizing the value and intent of what others are doing to broaden our ministry in order to reach the larger un-churched population around us. This does not mean having people in one service be forced to participate in the other service, or to try and create some kind of “blended” service—which, unfortunately, studies have shown, usually doesn’t work. What it means is to support one another in our ongoing efforts to celebrate our diversity and our ability to provide multiple options to the community. Division serves no one in church—and hostility toward others serves only to frustrate growth. We have two different services in order to more effectively reach more people, not to undermine either form of worship.

So, where does one start? The greatest emphasis and best place to start is by having more people—my hope and prayer would everybody—get involved in a regular weekly Bible Study or Adult Forum which speaks to the Message of God. Indeed, pastors and laypeople must be willing to have a Bible Study at any time or place that people can gather—morning, day or night. Congregations could even begin by having a small group of people commit to spending a weekend—from Friday to Sunday—in order to read together, aloud, the entire New Testament. I know of a congregation that did this, and it was a deeply meaningful experience for everyone involved. Or, we could start with one of the Gospels?

The second place in which to begin is to open our hearts and minds to the greater calling of the Gospel, outside the church building and beyond Sunday morning. This can be done in numerous ways, some of which are already being done. For example: Joining those who lead weekly services in Nursing Home, Assisted Living facilities, Homeless Shelters and Prisons/County Jails. Taking the Gospel out into the community through deed and action is, by far, one of the most powerful ways to show who we are as a congregation!

"Why Have All The People Gone:

The State of the Christian Church in America."
Published: November 2009, Publish America

ISBN: 978-1-4489-9181-5 Paperback $24.95
http://www.publishamerica.net/product16894.html
ISBN: 978-1-4512-4297-3 PAperback $9.95
http://www.publishamerica.net/product21686.html

The State of the Christian Church in America

"Why Have All The People Gone:

As Church involvement declines across America, Church-goers are asking where the people have gone? But the real question is not: Where, but, Why. Beginning with what is identified as the Privatization of Faith, Rev. Jonasen highlights 10 consequences of such a privatized faith, and what impact they are having on how the Church is defined by Church-goers and non-Church-goers alike. Things such as idolatry of the building and traditions, denominational arrogance, worship wars, failure to engage in lifelong learning, lukewarm outreach, checkbook vs. Good Book battles, poor social ministry emphasis, unrealistic demands, the desire for warm fuzzies, and the failure to embrace the true cost of discipleship. These concerns each represent a significant problem which is often denied and most certainly undermines the Church’s ability to answer its true calling. In his book, Rev. Jonasen exposes these problems and invites us into a conversation which seeks to discover solutions.

____________________________________________

Born out of a deep concern for what is happening in the Church, this book is the result of a project that I have been working on for a number of years, and it has had the support and encouragement of numerous people representing several denominational groups from Lutheran to Reformed Baptist, from Evangelical Covenant to Roman Catholic, from Presbyterian to Non-Denominational--both clergy and layperson alike, all across the United States (and even some in Canada). In the writing of it, I have sought the input and critique, questions and challenges of many, many people. It is a book that I hope will be able to encourage an all new dialogue around the question of: "Why Have All The People Gone?" Admittedly, it is in places, highly critical of some of the things that are happening--or, more appropriately, not happening. But, the focus is not intended to point fingers or assess blame. The focus--based on my study, research and experience serving the church in several parts of the country and in several different ways--is to reveal what I have come to believe is the core problem, what I refer to in the book as the "Privatization of Faith," (i.e., the inability and/or unwillingness of the people in the pews to share the faith). Following that, the book goes on to identify ten significant consequences that can, and often do, result from the Privatization of Faith, beginning with idolatry of the building, etc.

I invite you to join in this very important conversation!

Rev. "Pastor Marvin" R. Jonasen