Yes, but... (long, long post warning!)

I've just been reading two online articles about doing church in a way that is welcoming and friendly, for visitors and kis.

A year ago I would have "yessed" everything they said, but unfortunatley (fortunately?) things have changed, my perceptions are way, way different. Now it's not plain "yes", rather a "yes, but...". I've come to realize that I think very differently about what church is and isn't these days, what works and what even should be attempted. In stepping back from the world-over traditions of how the denomination does things, some of them just don't make sense anymore, I can see another option. So I "yes, but" things.

Yet, I can see how some of the suggestions and thoughts will help those who need the church routine and are actively trying to make it a better experience for all involved. I honestly do salute their efforts.

::the "meat" of the post::

Some examples from the articles, followed by my thoughts (read at your peril!):

"Two little girls (one 4, the other about 4 or 5) are sitting in the row in front of my wife and me in this church of about 200. Bored as the service proceeds, they begin leafing through the church hymnal (of all things) for "entertainment." I sit there wishing with all my heart I had a Bible storybook with pictures to place before those little eyes, hungry for something to read, something uplifting to look at....on their left is a young lad (of about 11 or 12), probably big brother. Suddenly noticing how much fun they are having with the hymnal, he orders them to close it at once, and they obey. But with nothing else to occupy their time, it isn't long before they open up the exciting book again, causing the youthful vigilante on their left to terminate the delinquent activity once and for all. He confiscates the offending volume and slams it shut. How sad! I thought. And sadder yet if that boy's behavior reflected the way he himself had been treated when he was the girls' age. There are all kinds of materials out there to help parents make church attractive and fun for the younger members of God's family."

Yes, but - shouldn't church be a place where people can grow and learn and enjoy being present, being appreciated, from the very youngest to the oldest? It's not enough to just entertain our kids - they are not the future of the church, they are it's PRESENT! And they need inclusion in everything! They need to understand what is said, participate and enjoy being there.

"If I've seen this once, I've seen it 100 times. It's about the microphone! Why so many of our churches neglect to invest in a good sound system, I will never understand. After all, about the most important piece of equipment needed for corporate worship is a good sound system. What good is coming together if worshippers can't hear--or are missing 35 percent, 50 percent, of what's being communicated? And have you noticed (and this is so freaky) how often microphones behave as if they consciously were out to sabotage the sermon--even in places where the sound system's fine? In one gathering I actually saw a sound technician go to the front ten minutes into the speaker's message. Replacement mike in his hand, he ascends the rostrum (the speaker meanwhile holding forth with the defective mike); taps the new mike to test it; and hearing nothing, actually speaks into the instrument (now live): "Testing, one, two." all this, while the preacher struggles to hold the attention of the 700 people in front of him.
Once the preacher commences the delivery, it seems to me, that's sacred time, to be intruded on with the utmost of care and only when absolutely necessary. Awkward and unnecessary interruptions can cause a speaker to lose their stride and never get it back. This means that stringent testing of the sound system should come before the speaker takes the podium."

Yes, the sound is important, and this is a bit of a horror-story - but:
1. Is it more about the preacher "losing his stride" than the people connecting with God? Is the sermon really so sacred that nothing should interrupt, even if it would mean a greater explaination of God's message? Where does dialogue and interaction come in?
2. If we were doing church properly, would churches be 700-strong? Would we have to worry about holding attention, about losing people during the one-man exposition? Would we even need a microphone?
3. But if a microphone is a necessity because of church size, would it be better for folk to strain to hear you, or for you to step back and let the problem be fixed so they can hear, without trying to compete for attention?

"The last hot meal I'd had, as I arrived in this particular country, was Friday midday. I'd been looking forward to a good lunch before I'd have to preach again in the afternoon. But as I plunged into the dish set down before me, I discovered the food was beastly cold. Evidently, in that place they were carrying out the injunction to the letter not to kindle a fire on the Sabbath. They may well have been more righteous than I was, but one thing was sure: the hunger I'd been feeling suddenly disappeared. I had to face the afternoon meetings on an empty stomach (even if, perhaps, with a clearer head). But the question is: Regardless of our own local ways of doing things, how do we finesse the situation when we're entertaining guests from another culture, even from another part of the world, perhaps? I don't have the answer, but I throw out the question."

Yes we have the "hospitality" - but where does "hospitality at the expense of our guests" come from? Is obeying the letter of the law to some more important than practicing love to others? OK, I'm aware that cultural interpretations differ immensely - and the indication that this was a country other than the speaker's home country indicates it - but it bugs me that we would put ritual and "rightness" over doing the best for our fellow-man.

"In one church someone made what I considered one of the most brilliant offering calls I'd ever heard during a divine service. Speaking about what he called "deep vein" giving (giving that comes from inside), he said, "You can give without love, but you can't love without giving." Coming to his dazzling conclusion, he said (and I wrote it down): "Stewardship is the art of organizing our life so that God can spend it." The audience was impressed almost to applause. The man sat down, and the offering plate immediately came to him in full view of the congregation that had just heard him; he passed it on empty to the next person."

There's hardly an option for a "yes, but" here, just an "oh dear"! It's one thing to do church, it's another to do life for God - in every aspect. Giving to a church organization may come into question by many who have stepped away from the organization, but giving to God in so many ways, including money, is something we should never put off. It's Being instead of Doing and should be a natural response to what God has done for us. And leading others by example is only one aspect of it. Poor guy - hope he learnt something from this article, if he ever got to read and recognize himself in it!

May our words and actions line up, every minute of every day of every week...!

"Provide children's church for ages 3-10, once a month or at least once a quarter. The pastor can save his deepest thoughts for these Sabbaths!"

Yes children need recognition and something they can relate to, but what about all those other weeks? Do the kids feel a part of the church family? Do they know they're appreciated and not just tolerated/entertained? How about a totally new way of doing church, where the kids are a full part of the community and their words matter?

"Use children's tithe envelopes. The pastor can read off the names of children who tithe, honoring their faithfulness. When a kindergarten child tithes for the first time, mention it as a grace note in church. Research the source of the money being tithed so you can tell where it came from (birthday, allowance, etc). Honor the receipts for just pennies and nickels. Someday the same child will be faithful with thousands of dollars because their stewardship is affirmed today."

Another "oh dear Lord no!" I'm afraid. Yes, it's good for children to learn to give, but this way? No, I don't think so. Are we really trying to cultivate big tithers to support our business, or create kingdom-givers who will give as a love response to God, not only / necessarily to a church organization, but to all those who are in need?

"Tell stories to illustrate points being made throughout the sermon. Adults will also appreciate these windows that let in the light."

Yes, but how about the sermon being COMPLETELY a story? How about restoring the lost art of the narrative, and allowing interaction? Not just throwing in a story here and there, after which the congregation can go back to wandering-mind-status.

::the good news::

If you've made it thus far in this post, let me list a few of the very good suggestions, comments and observations that came out of these articles, the "just yesses", good for churches who gather in a church building once a week and want to be relevant to all:

"Plan memorable experiences that help them understand a sermon's abstract concepts. Making a massive ice cream Sundae or a humongous baked potato with generous toppings can demonstrate the extravagance of God's love.

Use a version of Scripture that people today understand.

Have families come up as a family to do part of the service.

Involve children in the service.

Use drama. For instance, while the Scripture is read, have teens pantomime a skit that parallels the Scripture in meaning.

At a church in Alexandria, Virginia, earlier this year, I heard "In His Image," a visiting quartet from Washington, D.C. They sang a beautiful Negro spiritual, followed by a powerful, powerful rendition of the well-known hymn "O Love That Wilt Not Let Me Go." I would travel far just to hear them sing those two pieces again! The audience could hear every word, and the harmony was so rich, so compelling, that the congregation sat on the edges of their seats, amens and applause at the ready. It reminded me that it isn't how old or how contemporary the particular piece; but the talent, the competence, and the personal surrender we bring to it.

At a church in southeast Washington, D.C., I ran into a posse of junior deacons in action. This week there was a potluck in recognition of these young leaders (all of them between 9 and 14 years of age). On hand at the potluck was an officer from the Washington, D.C., metropolitan police, himself a (senior) deacon. Apart from the respect and confidence created in developing minds by having a real officer of the law up close and personal, these youngsters received words of encouragement from him, a graphic portrayal of some of the challenges and perils of living in a huge metropolitan area like Washington, and advice about becoming role models in their church, their school, and their community. Can anyone think of a more uplifting and farsighted thing to do for the youngsters of our church? I left the place thinking, Wow!"

::and finally::
In a way I'm torn between the "in church" and "out church" views - wanting to see improvement among those who need a weekly routine as part of their faith, and knowing that there is another way that speaks to the non-routine folk.

I rejoice when my dad's church plans to host a post-modern worship seminar, includes interaction in the services, experiments with prayer stations, meets 7 days a week for fun, fellowship and food, and is growing so much that they'll be planting a second group soon!

And I rejoice when I hear of folk stepping out of the expected, taking up Christian community living, relating to their fellow-travellers and seekers outside the bounds of a church organization.

There is good and bad in both ways of living the Christian faith. There is room for improvement in both, there are things we can learn from each other. There are passionate God-lovers and passive seat-warmers in both groups.

It's pretty easy to be critical, and perhaps I have been in this post. It's easy to say "don't you people know better?" and point the finger at faults. It's harder to acknowledge the good and encourage growth toward God. It's harder to accept people for who they are, what their needs are, and where they are on their God-journeys.

Many times I want to share what I've learnt with the traditional folk I'm surrounded by, but I know that my way of seeing is not the way everyone else sees. I think things that may go completely against the grain of someone else.

All I can do is allow God to work on my heart to lovingly correct if He asks me to, to encourage always, and to live MY life as He guides me.