Visiting Hope

This morning we took the drive to Vancouver so we could join Hope Reformed Church for Pentecost. Many of you will know that we spent our seminary years at Hope--first as guests, later as members and even later as staff. They were great years, and we grew to love the church. Almost ten years later, it was nice to see some familiar faces and to share the Lord's Supper with them. It was a nice morning, but I have to admit I am beginning to miss Bethel Church and the dear folks there.

Blessings, David

Exercise

One of the sabbatical goals is to get consistent exercise and to lose weight. I'm happy to report that its going okay. The beautiful weather we've been having has made it easier to get out on the bike. Another nice opportunity has been a daily work-out at the Matsqui Recreation Centre. You see, we've been volunteering each morning this week to help in the change rooms while our daughters' school does their swimming week. Between classes, I've been sweating up a storm. I haven't weighed myself, but I've got lost of exercise this week. Oh, and please excuse the picture, it looks like I'm about to be sick there on the bike, but it wasn't that bad.

Blessings, David

Help for the Small-Church Pastor

I finished off another book today. This one is by Steve Bierly called Help for the Small-Church Pastor. The main point of this book is that small congregations can be just as faithful to the church's calling as larger ones--only in different ways, unique to the small church. The book is filled with little nuggets of advise to small-church pastors. I didn't find anything overly new or revolutionary in this book, but I did appreciate its encouraging tone. The author is emphatic that small churches are unique and that as pastors come to take that uniqueness seriously and to appreciate it they will also begin to see the ways in which their congregation is and can be a faithful Christian church. In many ways, this has increasingly been my thinking over the last nine years at Bethel Church. There is much to love at Bethel church and there are lots of examples of Christian faithfulness in our church. Perhaps, we need to celebrate that and be more encouraged by it.

Blessings, David

The Small Church is Different

One of the things I find as the pastor of a small church is that so many of the resources out there are geared toward larger churches. This is rather unfortunate, especially considering the fact that most (two-thirds or more) churches in North America have one pastor and less than 100 people in the pew. I mentioned this in a recent post, the reality is that the small church is the "normal" size church in North America. We are not alone here.

I just finished Lyle Schaller's book called The Small Church is Different. Scaller was one of the first people to take seriously the unique nature and needs of the small church. This key point in this book is that the small church is not a "little big church." It is not a smaller version of the large church.  He says: "It would be unwise and counter-productive to attempt to force large-church ideas, rules, programs, procedures and models on smaller churches." He says: "The small church is different! Recognize and affirm those differences."

I resonate with Schaller. Even though his book is 25 years old, its filled with nuggets of common sense wisdom and helpful questions for small churches as they attempt to be an authentic church in their own right (rather than in the shadow of something bigger). I look forward to reading further about this from some other (more recent) authors. I'll keep you posted.

Blessings, David

Another Church Visit

Before the sabbatical began, I contacted a variety of denominational officials and seminary professors for recommendations on small churches to visit. Most of the replies were not that helpful. These professionals couldn't think of any healthy or unique small churches worth visiting. One professor said it like this: "It is rare to find a small church in the lower mainland that is not experiencing much disappointment." Wow. That's a pretty serious statement.

Even though it was hard for these church leaders to think of churches to visit, there were some recommendations. One of those is the church we visited this morning--Living Waters Church in Fort Langely. Our experience here was mostly positive. The church facilities were quite nice and very clean--right from the outside of the building to the inside. This created a very good first experience. First experiences are important. That one of the big reasons I'm always harping about keeping weeds out of our gardens, and our parking lot cleaned, and the road-litter collected, and the front door free up its dust build up, and etc. Not only is our building a big gift from God that needs to be well-cared for, but it also creates a big impression for who visit and also for those who are just driving by.

The good experience continued inside the building. While there were only a handful of people in the sanctuary, somebody was immediately there to show us where the kids program was held. Impressive to Heather was the fact that the gentleman didn't just tell us where the kids go, but actually took us there and explained things.

The explaining was good all throughout our time there. This is a Pentecostal church, and we we're unfamiliar with how they do things. But from the front, everything was well organized and explained well. That was good.

While there were only a handful of people in the sanctuary when we got there, it quickly filled up to about 100 people--and half of  them were under 30! You could really tell that they worked hard at Living Waters to be very welcoming and geared to those young people. The music was (a bit too) loud, but tasteful. The worship experience was rambunctious, but still reverent. The preaching was a bit simple, but still biblical. This is a good Christian church, with lots of energy.

That being said, I could observe and overheard some of the same challenges we have in our small church--too many things done by too few people. For example, there was one occasion where the nursery attendant was needed on the stage and so a "switch" had to take place, with the pastor heading to the nursery while the nursery attendant came up front. Likewise, the person running the powerpoint also had to take the offering. That challenge was very familiar, and rather common to most small churches.

Would we come back? No. But not because the church was somehow a negative experience, but because we are not Pentecostal and not all that keen on that worship style. I will say this, though, we had a much better experience at Living Waters than we did at any of the other churches we have visited thus far. I pray God will continue to bless them!

Blessings, David

A Sabbatical for the Family, too.

Many pastors find it difficult to balance their church life and their family life, especially as their children grow older. I have not found it especially difficult to spend time with and take joy from my family. Since the kids were born, I have been intentional about giving my family the time and the energy that they need. I love them very much.

That being said, I am aware of the tension a pastor family live in. They are under a greater "microscope" than the typical Christian family. So in a very real way, this sabbatical is their sabbatical too. That's why the sabbatical plan includes some intentional family time and also some intentional one-on-one time with each of the girls in my family. They have been enjoying this extra family time and this extra one-on-one time. Today I went for a bike-ride with Hannah. It was a beautiful day, and we chit chatted our way from Gardner Park through Fish Trap Creek and back to our home.

While the girls are are enjoying this extra focus, they are missing Bethel on Sundays. In fact, we all are. Yes, its a great opportunity to visit other churches and to learn from them. But the kids feel out of place--and so do we. Its not our church. Its not like home. One of the things we will all take back from the sabbatical is a renewed sense of belonging to Bethel. It is where we want to be on Sundays.

Blessings, David

We are not alone!

A common concern in the small church is that we are alone in our circumstances. We feel like we're the only ones struggling with the reality of our size--both its opportunities and its challenges. Feeling alone--like we're the only ones--often yields more to the challenges than it does to the opportunities. We get down on ourselves, believing we are alone and somehow inferior.

I wondered about this. Are we really alone? Are we really the only one struggling with the reality of our size? Are we the only ones with these unique challenges and opportunities? The answer is 'no'. We are not alone.

I dug up some statistics from the latest Reformed Church statistical tables. In 20o7 (the most current data available), there were 931 churches in the RCA. Of those 931 churches, 640 (69%) have an average worship attendance of 150 or less; 512 (55%) have an average worship attendance of 100 or less; and 243 (26%) have an average worship attendance of 50 or less. Closer to home, in the Regional Synod of Canada, there were 40 churches in 2007. Of those 40 churches, 32 (80%) had 150 or less in attendance; 24 (60%) had 100 or less in attendance; and 12 (30%) had 50 or less in attendance.

There you have it. The Reformed Church is filled with small congregations who have the challenges and the opportunities unique to a small size. We are not inferior. We are not worse. We are not alone!

Blessings, David

Hide & Seek?

Some churches play Hide & Seek with potential visitors. I first experienced this last year when we were vacationing and looking for a particular church to worship with one Sunday. I found them on the internet, and they had a nice website, but it didn't list a service time. Yup, a beautiful website with lots of inviting information, but it was missing this most basic piece of information.

Only a few weeks into this sabbatical, I have already played Hide & Seek with two other churches. The first was an Abbotsford church we had hoped to visit two weeks ago. It is my understanding that they are a small congregation with a unique ministry to families. Hoping to worship with them, I attempted to find more information about them--like location, service time, website, etc. That's where the game began. I found their email address and a phone number. The phone number was out of service. So I searched some more, and found another phone number. I called and left a message requesting their service time and locations. I also send an email, asking for the same information. I then called again--twice. More than two weeks later, I have received no return phone call and no return email.

Last week, I payed Hide & Seek again with another church. I had heard of this church a few years back. It has some affiliation with the Reformed Church, and is located in Bellingham. I was really interested in visiting this church. Their website was really inviting and it seemed they are doing some unique things. This particular church--according to their website--only meets every second Sunday morning as a large group (and as small groups on off Sundays). OK--but which Sundays are which? The website didn't give that information. I tried phoning--and got a dead line. I tried a couple more times--the line is dead. So I emailed, and the email bounced back to me. Yup, the website lists old contact information. Not to be deterred, I contacted the denominational office for information. They gave me some new contact information. So I called and left a message--no reply. I emailed--no reply.

Hide & Seek is a fun game to play with kids or a group of friends. But its not a church game. I am happy that we have a good clear website with all our current contact information. I am happy  that we answer our phone messages and reply to our emails. If a church really cares about its community--it needs to be accessible. How can a church grow in the Kingdom if its playing Hide & Seek with potential visitors. The question for me is this: In what ways are we playing Hide & Seek at Bethel Church?

Blessings, David

Spiritual Direction

One of the things I'm doing on sabbatical is meeting regularly with a Spiritual Director. Spiritual Direction is a fancy way of saying that we stop and take time to focus on paying attention to God's activity and our response to him. There are all sorts of ways to pay attention to God and responding to him, but Spiritual Direction makes this intentional. Listening to God with a Spiritual Director offers a measure of clarity and accountability that is more difficult to find alone.

I have been meeting with Steve Klassen of the Mark Center. Today we explored together the reality that God wants to give to his people. I have no trouble with that concept, especially as it relates to other people. As a minister, I am often helping people to see how God gives to them. What I tend to do less, is focus on how God is giving to me. You see, I am a doer by nature (most people are) and I'm more comfortable doing things for God and for myself. I take responsibility seriously--whether it is to people I pastor or to the classis or to my family or to some other thing. That is all well and good. But perhaps by taking responsibility so seriously, I take over some of God's responsibility. By doing all sorts of things for God, I miss sometimes what God wants to give me. Steve encouraged me to reflect on that, specifically the question: "What is God giving me in this sabbatical time?" I am looking forward to exploring that answer.

Blessings, David

A People's History of Christianity

When I was in North Carolina, I picked up a new book called A People's History of Christianity. I finished it off this morning. Unlike the typical History of Christianity that chronicles the ups and downs and facts and figures of Christian history, this book looks at how people actually lived their Christianity in their daily lives at the various times in History. Its filled with stories of everyday people who tried to live as Christians in the world in which they found themselves. Having studied church history on several occasions, this was a welcome change. It was enjoyable, insightful, and thought-provoking. That being said, it did clearly (and at times too forcefully) come from a theological perspective that is much different than my own (and that of 90% of Christians around the world).

Blessings, David

Church Visit

This morning we visited Peace Lutheran Church in Abbotsford. Peace Lutheran is a small congregation (there were about 60 people and only six children, including our two), just over 50 years old, with a German background. Their sanctuary is beautiful. It was the first thing we noticed, with its natural light, its wooden themes, and its rich symbolism (pulpit, table, font, cross). The second thing we noticed was how friendly the people were.

The Lutherans tends to be more liturgical than the Reformed, and Bethel Church is less liturgical than the typical Reformed church. As such, we found ourselves feeling very much as fish-out-of-water. They hymns and readings and whole flow of  the service was unfamiliar. It was all laid out nicely in the bulletin, but I found it still rather hard to follow.

This is a good lesson I learned for transfer to Bethel Church. When people walk thorough the doors for the first time, they can often feel very uncomfortable and unfamiliar with the way we do things. We can't underestimate the need to be helpful to visitors and go out of our way to help them feel at ease. Things like the location of the nursery and how Sunday School works and where they can sit and which books to use and when (powerpoint projections really help with this latter part). I think we do a good job of explaining to visitors what we are doing during the service, so they feel they can fully partake and know what's going on. But we could probably do better in those first few steps in the door--helping people feel comfortable and at ease.

On a completely different note, it was quite cute this morning when we celebrated the Lord's Supper. At Peace Lutheran, they use real wine instead of grape juice like we do. It was funny watching Hannah and Rebekah as they sipped that little cup of wine. They were both grossed-out, and their faces showed it. Too bad I didn't have a camera!

Blessings, David 

Las Vegas

We have returned from Las Vegas. We had a wonderful time--not so much because of where we were, but because we were together. It has been four years since Heather and I spent several days together, alone, without our kids. It was nice--very nice, actually.

Now about Vegas, what can I say? There is certainly a reason they call it "Sin City" and I found myself rather revolted at various times--enough said. I also found some redeeming qualities. We really enjoyed the shows. We saw Penn & Teller (magicians) and Ka (Cirque Du Soleil).  They were both excellent. The variety of hotels and their architectural design was really something to see. We enjoyed the M&Ms store--four floors of all things M&M--and loved seeing Kyle Busch's race-car! We also enjoyed our time just reading by the pool; it was certainly hot enough (100F).

I hope you all enjoy these pictures!

Blessings, David

Church Visit & Vegas

This morning I worshipped at Calvin Presbyterian Church in Abbotsford. I attended their 9:15 'Contempory' service--they also have 'Traditional' service at 11:00. It was a nice service, with about 75 people. Hans Kouwenberg is a collegue and friend. He preached a fresh sermon from John 10. The worship was also refreshing, with a nice blend of traditional and the contemporary. There were plenty of older folks, with some younger ones and children--very similar to Bethel (actually, Bethel may have a few more young families).

Now, Heather and I are off to Las Vegas for a few days to celebrate our 14th anniversary.

Blessings, David

No Fishing?

While I was away this past week, I came across this scene and had to take a picture. Maybe they don't look a signs in North Carolina--or at least this guy doesn't.

Blessings, David

I'm back -- with information overload!

I returned late last night from North Carolina. The trip was enjoyable. All of my travel went smoothly. I especially enjoyed the two-hour drive from Knoxville to Lake Junaluska--it was beautiful.  I had never been to that portion of the continent, and was especially surprised by two things. First, people are so friendly. Everywhere I went--whether it was the gas station or hotel clerk--everyone seemed genuinely nice. It was refreshing. The second thing was all those churches. People call the Fraser Valley the Bible Belt (which it certainly is not!), but it has no comparison to the sheer volume of churches everywhere in that area. On every corner, on every road, on every imaginable place there is a church.

The seminar was also very rewarding. It was well-done, professional, and exactly geared to the needs of long-term pastors (those serving a congregation for 7+ years). Our days started at 9am and ended at 9pm. It was certainly full, but also gave plenty of space for informal interaction and time to enjoy our beautiful setting.

One thing I found particularly helpful was the several inventories (surveys) we did to help measure things like stress, burnout, pastor-church fit, spiritual vitality, leadership strengths and weaknesses. I was surprised to note my stress level was higher than I might have anticipated. I suppose that will be something for me to reflect upon more throughout this sabbatical time. For that matter, I have left North Carolina with several things to ponder and pray about. It was a good experience, but of course I am happy to be home.

Blessings, David