Not long ago a pastor friend asked if he could buy me a cup of coffee. Never prone to turn down a freebie, we arranged to meet at Starbucks, enjoy a cup of joe, and do some catching up. After a journey through the years we arrived at grand central station, if anything can be more central than good coffee. He wanted to talk about ministry. Like many pastors today, he expressed frustration in connecting with the people entrusted to his care. So, it was Q and A time.
Why he would ask me about connecting with a congregation was a little puzzling. Being a 60+ geezer myself I constantly face the challenges of keeping up in a world moving faster than the speed of thought. Whatever? Still, we were savoring Verona Blend and perhaps there was a need to do some listening. So, he rattled off the demographics, all the census data about his community, age spreads, schools, recreational facilities, sports organizations, traffic patterns, growth trends, and his superlative gifts as a communicator. Still, the church was in a period of decline, the average age creeping upward, and the prospect list growing smaller by the week.
So, OK, there are a few presuppositions. Doctrinal integrity, the Lordship of Christ, mission, vision, open or closed fellowship, change readiness, congregational values and strengths, quality of the worship ministry, children, children, children, and a long litany of congregational dynamics impact the scene. Here, they all sounded so positive I wanted to know right then and there if there was a staff position open. Sounds like a place many of us would like to be.
So, the next step is to go personal. There are a few questions I always ask. What do you read every day? The Bible. What magazines do you read? SBC Life. What do you watch on TV? Gunsmoke, Bonanza, Sanford and Son, Little House on the Prairie, I Love Lucy, and The Three Stooges. What music do you listen to? Oldies but goodies. Where do you get your news? The oldies but goodies radio station. What restaurant do you visit most often? Cracker Barrel. What is the last book you have read? Chicken Soup for the Soul (1993). Where do you discover your sermon illustrations? A collection of illustrations from the 1950's. How do you plan your sermons? No strategy. Just come up with something every Monday.Then, the clincher. How does your congregation respond when you say, "And all of God's people said..."? Of course he said, "Amen". Naturlement.
There's a pattern. My friend lives in the sixties. His personal frame of reference was at least forty years ago. As Reggie McNeal used to say, if the sixties ever come back, this pastor was ready.
King David served God in his own generation (Acts 13:36). The men from the tribe of Issachar "understood the times and knew what Israel should do" (1 Chronicles 12:32). So, there's good biblical precedence for God's spokes-persons to be on point in their times, ready to lead the church to engage the culture around them in the here and now. So, here's some advice from a now 63 year old about keeping up---
[1] Learn to use technology to stay informed. There are news apps that will provide daily updates of what is happening in the world. My dad, The Chester, who was not a preacher, BTW, advised me to preach with a Bible under one arm and the newspaper under the other. It is good counsel for keeping in step with the times.
[2] Watch some contemporary TV. OK, you're right. It is a vast wasteland. But, it is a reflection of the culture around us and we should at least know what is going on out there. Of course, guard what your children see and don't get addicted. But, at least scan the listings occasionally so you'll know Sponge Bob Square Pants is a popular show but is not the latest children's sensation(aired in 1999). One friend asked me recently how much violence was in the Downtown Alley serial. Give me a break! Again, if you don't know the error here, you OOT.
[3] Read something beside the Bible. Well, yes, I read through the Bible every year and love getting in the word every single day. But, years ago, my parents engendered a love for reading in us kids and I treasure time in a favorite book each night. Well, kind of. Hariet and I both own e-book readers, the Nook by Barnes and Noble, so we have our heads stuck in them at night. My reading list usually includes a good bit of variety, but majors in my passion, leadership. I read mostly non-fiction about the great American leaders of the Colonial period and World War II, mostly biographies, histories, and always, current authors. Whatever floats your boat. But, it keeps you up on things outside the church bubble.
[4] Learn to use social media. Good grief! This is a whole new world. Here you will learn a new language, find ways to encourage and touch others every single day, and maybe understand what people are doing across the worship center every Sunday while you're preaching. You know, texting, playing Words with Friends, doing word studies on your weekly text, or ordering delivery pizza for after church. BTW, u'll ROFL at the PITNR.
[5] Work a cross word puzzle every day. This will develop your verbal skills, put a few new words in your vocabulary, and introduce you to people, places, ideas, authors, artists, and historical data that will make you more informed.
Keeping up is significant. You see, Jesus said, "My Father is always at his work". You know, is---as in right now, contemporary, this miniute.
It's not Howdy Doody Time anymore!
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