Wednesday, August 26, 2009

The UM Conference Door (AKA Wittenberg)

I know this may sound crazy but I had a dream in December 2007. One of those vivid wake you up dreams that made me lay in bed for another hour pondering. My reading of the Bible leads me to think that God speaks through dreams on occasion. I wonder what God was saying through this particular dream?

...I entered a large UM church with beautiful stone work and wood carved beams. It was a large traditional sanctuary that was packed with people from all over the country and world. They were excited to be there and anticipating worshipping together. There was excitement in the air.

I made my way to the room behind the altar and pulpit area. There were other people putting on robes and preparing for the service. The people were focused on who was preaching and what the bulletins looked like. They wanted to know what was going on in the order of worship. Some asked me if I knew and I didn't. I noticed a button on my robe was out of place and tried to fix it. I volunteered to preach and tried to think of what to say. I was ready to take over the service and begin to order what was happening. Then there was concern that the bulletins wouldn't be correct, etc. This went on for some time until I sensed a real panic about all these things within me. (Typical preachers dream I know!)

Finally, I remember walking out to the pulpit of the sanctuary and everyone was gone. The pews were gone and there was dust and cobwebs throughout the room. The church was dead and abandoned. Then I woke up.

My interpretation of the dream is this; we are sometimes so busy with seemingly important things like robes and bulletins and who gets to do what that we neglect the people who are hungry for Christ. If we do not serve them they leave. The church dies.

I want to suggest that the UM church is dying and at a more dramatic rate than ever before. I also want to share that this is not only through natural death but through people who are also withdrawing their memberships. This is also reflected in the numbers of all new members joining has significantly dropped over the past several years only adding to the rapid decline.

This is happening, I believe, because we are focused on the wrong things. We are focused on the things that do not matter to the people in the world.
  • I meet very few people that are concerned with how my robe looks and if I am wearing the right stole for the season. They want to know how I am following Christ and can following Christ make a difference in their lives.
  • I meet very few people that really get excited about receiving a bulletin with a mimeographed picture of the church on it. They want to know if they fit relationally into the group of people in the church.
  • I meet very few people who are really concerned with whether or not the church they just visited paid their apportionments. They want to know if the hour or so they spend there will touch their lives.
  • I meet very few people who care about the credentials and status of the preacher. They want to know does that person speaking on behalf of God really care about them and the world.
  • I meet very few people who come to church just so they can help increase the worship attendance. They come because something happens in that worship service that inspires them to be who God created them to be.
  • I meet very few people who profess their faith so they can be on a statistic report. They profess a faith in Jesus Christ because someone invested in a relationship with them and loved them no matter what.
  • I meet very few people who want a copy of our conference journal or UM Discipline. I have met many people who have asked me for a copy of the Bible.
  • I meet very few people who are impressed with church architecture. They will meet in a gymnasium if God's presence is there.
  • I meet very few people who are concerned with who can preside over a charge conference or even know what one is. They desire to be challenged to have Jesus preside over their lives for His Kingdom.
  • I meet very few people who recognize the cross and the flame. They do recognize when someone does something that makes a difference in their lives.
What we place importance on and value is where we will invest our time and energy. If we continue to invest time and energy on things that will not make a difference in people's lives for the cause of Christ then we as a organization, as a denomination, and as a church will die.

No comments: