The Two Biggest Obstacles

I've been thinking a lot over the last number of weeks about the two biggest obstacles that the small church has to face -- guilt and grief. The power of memory is important. Recalling the past and celebrating how God has been at work in our lives and in our church is valuable. It is necessary to rejoice in what God has done in us and through us and for us. The past gives our present meaning. It defines who we are and why we are. We do well when we "remember the days of old" (Deut. 32:7).

The problem is that memory, a sense of history, can also torment us. Churches can often look back into their history and remember times when things were "good". Our kids were coming to church with us. We had big Vacation Bible Schools. We had a great choir. We had lots of musicians. We had a great pastor. The pews were full. The list can go on and on. Those days were "good", and they are gone, and somehow we feel grief. We are sorry that they gone. We want "now-a-days" to be like the "good-ol'-days". We want to have that again. We miss it. And so we grieve at our loss. We mourn at what was and is no more. That grief is an obstacle to the small church. It keeps us looking back with sorrow and mourning at what used to be, instead of with joy and celebration at what God has done.

Guilt is another obstacle to the small church. While grief keeps us looking back with sorrow and mourning, guilt keeps us looking back with a sense that it is our fault that the "good-ol'-days" are gone. It is our fault that our kids don't come to church. It is our fault that we don't have enough musicians. It is our fault that our pastor left. It is our fault that our choir is no more. We don't have the past, because we wrecked it. We are somehow inadequate and so things went bad. We are not spiritual enough, and so God stopped blessing us. We are not wise enough, and so things unraveled. We don't work hard enough, and so things fell apart. That is guilt, and it is an obstacle to small church.

Grief and guilt are two obstacles that can keep us in the past. While memory, a sense of history, is vital and important in the church. Grief and guilt keep us stuck there. Our history--as individuals and as a church--is what identifies us in God and his plan for us. It gives us meaning and purpose. It tells us who we are and how God deals with us and how he promise to continue to deal with us. It is a source of celebration and joy in what has been, and of hope and promise for what is and is to come. History moves us forward in God's good plan for us. Grief and guilt get us stuck.

Blessings, David

Some Quotations

I'd like to share a few formative quotations that I have run across during the sabbatical. They summarize some of where I am coming from, both in terms of new learning and in the affirmation of existing thoughts.

On the uniqueness and value of the small church:

"Small Churches are not errors to be corrected, but intentional choices of members who put a priority on human relationships.” 
(Carl S. Dudley, Effective Small Churches in the Twenty-first Century, page 11).

On leadership in the small church:

"We need leaders who will have a long-term perspective, who realize that, while change may be slow, it is possible. We need leaders who will love the existing congregants and lead them at a pace that will not divide the church. We need leaders who will love and live among the church members. We need leaders who will live and love in the community." (Thom Rainer from here)

On being missional:

"One of the things about the missional renaissance is that it makes the old pecking order based on size of attractional crowd really irrelevant to missional effectiveness. I work with congregations from weekly worship attendance of less than three dozen to churches running over 10,000. The issue is not the size of the crowd, but the impact on the community. “Small” attendance congregations have been beaten up for decades now in the old church growth scorecard. Getting out of that game can let them be winners in a missional measure. I think this is very hopeful for small congregations who really don’t want to consume all the energy to “grow” but to release their congregations to be missionaries.” (Reggie McNeal from here)

On success in the small church:

"God measures success according to our faithfulness. Remember that verse about “well done, my good and faithful servant”? Do we do what He has given us to do, regardless of the outcome? Are we obedient to all that He commands? Do we pray without ceasing? Do we show our faith with our works? In a word: Are we faithful? If so, that’s success.

Isaiah saw few converts, if any, but he was faithful to God’s commission. Was he a success or a failure? What about Jeremiah? Ezekiel? All three men were faithful in all that they had been given to do, in the face of insurmountable opposition, opposition that God promised would be there. No one in his right mind would call them unsuccessful prophets. Yet, I’m afraid, not one of them would be invited to our conferences to speak on church growth or to preach in our chapels. Thus, by implication, we tell others that these men, and thousands like them, weren’t truly successful. That’s to our shame.

A church’s success ought to also be measured by its ability to make disciples. Making disciples is about more than getting them into the baptistry. Discipleship doesn’t end there; discipleship begins in the baptistry and ends at the grave. According to the Great Commission, discipleship includes teaching them to obey all that Christ has commanded — in other words, teaching them to be faithful.

The successful church is faithfully teaching her people. If your numbers are low but the depth of your people’s knowledge and the expression of their faith is growing, isn’t that a success? Isn’t there something to be admired in the pastor who dedicates his life to the discipleship of the little flock that God has given him? Doesn’t he who teaches others have something that he can teach all of us? If so, why don’t we let him? Again, we let numbers tell us that success is in the numbers and those that don’t have them have little success. (Peter Beck from here)

A Note from Heather

I have heard through the grapevine that there is some interest in what I (Heather) am doing during the sabbatical time. David asked me if I would blog a bit from my perspective concerning the last few months. For the most part I would classify my participation as “coming along for the ride”. Overall, this ride has been interesting and is resulting in a grateful heart on my end.

Early on in the sabbatical, David and I were blessed to have a wonderful time away celebrating our 14th anniversary. It was very good for us to have some intentional alone time. I am thankful for a husband who loves me deeply and purposeful in nurturing me. As well, I was further gifted by the generosity of my good friend Sheelah, who took very good care of my girls.

David is very organized and that has kept him focused on his goals for his sabbatical. Being that the girls and I are included in his focus, we have benefitted greatly. It has been fun and enjoyable for us to spend quality time together as a family. I especially enjoyed the few times we spent helping out on some of the School Field Trips. It was evident that the girls were proud to have mom and dad assisting. As well, we were able to appreciate more how much the teachers invest in the lives of our children.

Even though I have still had to continue in my roles as wife and mother, I have been able to find some time to do a bit of reading and have joined David in a bunch of his exercising. I read a parenting book, a book on small church dynamics, and am working on a book on prayer. Being someone who has a hard time justifying to myself that it is okay to slow down, it has been a refreshing for me to have my routine altered. I am very proud of David’s determination in exercising…there is no doubt that he has been working hard at it.

Recently, I attended a Women’s Leadership Conference at Northview Church which drew women from many denominations and those serving in varied leadership roles. Both Audrey and David had separately, on different occasions, encouraged me to consider attending. I kind of took that as a good signal of maybe God wanting me to take advantage of this opportunity. It was a very good experience. There were some very good quality speakers and awesome worship times. Above all, it was a good time to hear from God and rub shoulders with a few other women.

Our biggest stretch has definitely been our absence from Bethel. We miss our people…..our family, our friends. It has been helpful to visit other churches but not fun to always be a visitor. We are reminded of how blessed we are to have such a loving church family.

All in all, this has been a great time of rest, relaxation and rejuvenation. I have developed a greater sense of gratitude for what I have and God’s purpose for my life. I am thankful for all who have made this sabbatical possible and who have supported and encouraged us in various ways. Above all, I thank God for His continued goodness.

Blessings, Heather

Off to Ontario

I am currently sitting in a hotel room in Richmond for an early flight to Toronto. I'm going to stay at my mom and dad's home this week to pull together the various strands of the sabbatical. I also have several consultations scheduled this coming week with some ministry professionals. I'm looking forward to picking their brains. Later in the week, on Friday, Heather and the girls will be joining me in Ontario, where we will all stay together for another two weeks of time with family. I'll continue to share my thoughts and experiences, as I am able.

Blessings, David

What is God's Name?

When I was at the seminar in North Carolina in April, we were challenged to broaden our use of God's names in public prayers. In the Bible, God is referred to in hundreds of different ways, and each person (and each pastor) has their own way of referring to God. I tend to pray mostly to our "Heavenly Father", but that is just one of many, many Biblical ways of referring to God.

What is your favorite?

If you are reading this, please leave a comment with some of your favorite names for God (leave your name, too, if you would). Or if you would rather, send me an email (pastor@bethel-church.ca) with your favorite names for God. And if you are reading this as a print-out and don't have email, ask Audrey at the church to send them for you. I am very interested in hearing back about this.

Blessings, David

I Went for a Loop!

As you may know, I have been doing a bunch of biking during the sabbatical. I really enjoy it, and its certainly helping increase my fitness level. Well, biking is on hold for a little while. You see, I went for a loop. "Loop" is the technical term for falling off my bike in high gear. I was biking my usual route, along a quiet street, when a car came in quite close to me and I veered off toward the raised sidewalk. That caused my bike to side-skid, and for me to fall. I skinned my knee nicely, scraped my hand, and bruised my thumb and forearm. Thankfully, I had the cellphone to call Heather for a ride home. Hopefully, its only a few days until I'm back biking again.

Blessings, David

A Little Book

I just finished A Little Book for Small Churches that Want to Grow by Baxter Hood. It wasn't all that helpful. In fact, it was rather unhelpful. While the book was published in 1991, I'm wondering if it was actually written several years before it was published. You see it seems to champion a church growth movement that has come and gone (one popular in the early 1980's). Now I'm not against the early 80's or the church growth movement, but I do realize that the dynamics of a small church (and its community) in 2009 are quite different from what they were 25 years ago.

That isn't even the main problem with this little book. It's problem is that it assumes large church approaches to growth can simply be transfered to small churches. Everything I have experienced in the small church and everything I have read lately indicates the opposite. The small church is not a little-big-church. It is unique. It has unique opportunities and unique challenges. Failing to take this uniqueness seriously is simply not helpful. For example, if Bethel Church was to follow the strategy for growth outlined in this little book, we would need 150 volunteers and another 25 thousand dollars in our budget. This is simply out of touch with reality.

A third issue I have with this book is its overly managed style. It seems to assume that a small church can be whipped into shape and organized much like a big business. While good organization is important, one of the strengths of the small church is its close knit, family-like, care for each other. Families can't be set up into an organizational structure. They are relationships. Sure, we could try to manage Bethel Church into a sleek organization, but we would loose our relationships and some of our love and much of what makes us who we are.

One final concern I have with this book is its lack of "spirituality" (for lack of a better term). I don't question or doubt the sincerity of the author or his Christian commitment, but his approach is very weak on those things that are distinct to the the church--prayer, scripture, spiritual fellowship, etc. Yes, there are a few allusions to scripture and some mention of prayer, but God's unique work through Jesus Christ and by his Holy Spirit are mostly absent from this approach, and I can't buy into that.

Are there any redeeming qualities to this little book. Yes, there are a few tips on how to organize things and on how to evaluate things and how to go about working with committees, and the appendix does have a few helpful administrative tools. But overall, I can't really recommend the book.

Blessings, David

White Rock & Reptile Day

One of the unique opportunities that has come with the sabbatical is the ability to volunteer at the girls' school--especially since they have trouble getting male volunteers. Last Friday, I went with Hannah's class to White Rock beach where they explored sea life. It was great fun supervising my group of three girls, as they tried to find crabs and other treasures.

Even more fun than White Rock was The Reptile Guy today. I was assigned to the snake station. Check out my new friend--a 10 foot, 100 pound, python. I was very fortunate; a couple of hours after I got to hold my new friend, she "went to the bathroom" all over the school principal!

Blessings, David

Small Church Worship

This week I've read two books on the topic of Worship. The are both recent publications with up-to-date research. The first is called Where 20 or 30 Are Gathered, and is written by two Canadian Presbyterians. This was a good read, challenging small churches to worship in ways that are natural to their size and character. While it does focus on the smallest of the small churches (congregations of 15 to 50), it offers a fresh call to make worship a priority in the small church--and not just singing, but whole worship service and the whole worship space.

The second book is called Worshiping in the Small Membership Church, and is written by a seminary professor named Robin Wallace. This was an excellent book. It builds on the central conviction that God is present in small church worship. The author says it like this: "We are the right size, no matter whether we are two or three, seventeen or fifty, for whenever even two or three are gathered, Jesus has promised to be among us (Matthew 18:20)." Building on this conviction the book outlines a variety of practical considerations and suggestions for making worship in the small church more communal (meaning, everyone is able to participate), more authentic (meaning, it fits the style and character of the church and its people), and more formational (meaning, it invites us into the presence of God). However, it makes its case while staying firmly committed to worship that is grounded in scripture and in the Christian tradition. I really enjoyed this book.

Blessings, David

The Contemplative Pastor

A few weeks ago I read a book by Eugene Peterson called The Contemplative Pastor. I had the privilege of hearing Eugene Peterson speak several times when I was in seminary at Regent College, even though I never had him for an actual course. He is a pastor's pastor, offering an insight into the pastoral life that very few are able to do. He is penetrating and challenging, with a raw honesty that strikes. I find that I resonate deeply with what he has to say and how he has to say it. In this particular book, Eugene Peterson challenges pastors to get back to the basics of caring for souls--our own, our families' and our church's. This is easily the finest book I have read in many years. I plan to begin reading the next book in his "pastoral" series soon.

Blessings, David

Church Visit

This weekend we were planning to attend a small presbyterian church in North Vancouver. However, a bit of a bug has hit our home and left Heather rather under the weather. Instead, I took the girls to one of the large churches in town. It was an interesting experience. One of the first things I noticed in the auditorium (they don't call it a sanctuary) was the absence of a cross. The second thing I noticed was the absence of any natural light. While it would be nice to have natural light I found the lack of a cross rather unsettling. The music was led by a band. It was a bit too loud--actually way too loud--but it was very professional. That being said, I found it hard to sing. I was familiar with all the songs but I couldn't hear myself and I couldn't really follow very well. If I was a spectator listening to a worship band, it was great. But as a worshipper in a worship service, I found it kind of hard. In fact, I think its easier to sing at Bethel on one of those days that we have to sing acapella than it was with that full worship band. The preaching was great. The pastor (one of several at the church) was dynamic, practical and very biblical. Its the finest sermon I have heard on my whole sabbatical.

My biggest problem came at the end of the service. I don't get too easily riled up, but I was panicked. Let me explain. When it was Sunday School time, the children were invited to leave to another big room. I brought Hannah there to that large room (Rebekah was too shy) and left her for Sunday School. After the service, I returned to that location and found the room empty and locked. OK - where is my child. This huge church is foreign to me and I'm trying to figure out where the kids might be. At this point I'm concerned, because I know Hannah was already rather nervous about the strange place. I ask a few people where the kids are, and they don't know. After about five minutes, I see a little sign that points to the education wing. I follow it, up some narrow stairs, down a hallway and find some class rooms with grade numbers on them. I go to grade two, and Hannah is not there! Now I have visions of here sitting in some place scared. I ask some parents where my child might be and am told there is another grade two class. I find that and the room is locked and empty. Great. After a couple more minutes of searching I find Hannah in a grade one room. Needless to say, I was a bit panicked and concerned for Hannah. I was also mildly upset. How can they take my child without my permission to some strange portion of the church building without telling where she is?

This serves as a very good lesson for us--even though we are small--to be clear with parents about where their children are and where they can be picked up. If I was looking for a church, this large church--with all its programs--would have lost me. I left the building forgetting about the worship and the sermon, and bothered by this whole incident. I'll be calling them on Monday.

Blessings, David

Effective Small Churches in the Twenty-First Century

This week I read a book by Carl Dudley called Effective Small Churches in the Twenty-First Century. Carl Dudley (recently deceased) was for many years a professor and researcher on the lives of congregations. He is known as one of the best and most thorough specialists on the small church, especially its unique social character. This book blends the best of theological and social-scientific thinking into a practical guide for understanding the life of a small church. One of the central convictions of the author is that "small churches are not errors to be corrected, but intentional choices of members who put a priority on human relationships."

I found the book very helpful in providing a structure to some of the things I have been thinking and feeling about the small church. While there was really nothing new, it laid things out in helpful way that is both current (the book is only a couple years old), well-researched, and honest about both the opportunities and the challenges faced by the small church. Especially helpful are some of the "exercises" before each chapter and the plentiful charts and graphs to help locate the small church in its context. It is the best book on the subject I have read. I would list it as foundational reading for small church study.

Blessings, David

Biblical Perspective for the Small Church

“The LORD did not set his affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples. But it was because the LORD loved you and kept the oath he swore to your forefathers that he brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the land of slavery.”

- Deuteronomy 7:7-8

Date with Rebekah

Today I took Rebekah on her big date. We went to Mt. Baker. You'd think it would be cool up there, but it was just as warm as it is here at home. We did some tobogganing, but the warm weather had made the top level of snow rather slushy. So we resorted to a a nice walk instead. On the way home, we stopped for a picnic lunch and an ice cream cone (no, I did not have one!). We saw lots of beautiful flowers, two bunnies, and three deer (two of them in the middle of the road). We also took an adventure down some gravel road and came to a rockslide that had blocked the road. It was a nice day. Enjoy the pictures, and sorry for the dark one. I guess that's what you get when you ask some stranger to take your picture.

Blessings, David

14th Anniversary

Date with Hannah

You'll notice to the side that one of the planned Sabbatical Activities is to "spend some one-on-one time with my daughters each week." We have been doing various low-key things, like bike rides and coffee-time and the park. Today I took Hannah on a bigger date. We went to Vancouver and enjoyed the Museum of Anthropology. Hannah loved it; in fact, I think she enjoyed it more than me. After the museum, we had a picnic lunch at Jericho Beach. Then, I took Hannah to La Casa Gelato where she had to decide on one of 218 flavours of ice cream. She chose licorice (and I didn't have anything--you know, diet.) It was a nice day, and I'm looking forward to my day out with Rebekah (she wants to go to Mt. Baker).

Blessings, David