Method or Message?

I came across this article this morning on a one hour church service. It's important you read it before you continue with this blog. Here is the link:

http://www.sermoncentral.com/pastors-preaching-articles/dave-browning-the-case-for-the-hour-long-church-service-933.asp?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=BetterPreachingUpdate

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The author makes a case for a one hour church service, an increasingly popular concept in an attempt to reach people for Christ. The case is being made that it is not necessary for a church service to exceed an hour and be effective. He cites examples of how much of everyday life is broken into 1 hour blocks (TV shows, doctor visits, classes, meetings). He talks of how services can be prolonged simply by not starting on time. I agree with this. I hate when we're even a minute late. He talks of how the spirit is not limited by time. No argument. He gives a schedule of how to make it happen and the the things that can get in the way and waste time. He then tries to debunk the arguments against it. While it's good to do whatever we can to reach people with the Gospel here are some things to consider about doing a 1 hour service:

#1 Our time with God should not be compared to a TV show or doctor visit. I hate going to the dentist. Do people think spending more than an hour with God is like going to the dentist? If they do maybe we are doing something wrong and need to change.

#2 While I agree with the author,the spirit is not limited by time, he can work in the blink of an eye. We however can quench the move of the spirit when we become fixated on a time schedule.

#3 This is people pleasing plain and simple. There are all sorts of surveys as to why people don't come to church. Some have great validity that the church should address. Others are just plain personal comfort issues. Length of service, quality of bathrooms or the space between each in the other in the sanctuary really shouldn't be that big a deal. Aren't we there for God, not us?

#4 Isn't the Gospel enough? When someone comes to a real relationship with Jesus I don't think they will care about how long a service goes. Time with him becomes more important. Soccer, baseball, football, American Idol won't matter much. If we really hunger a three hour service will seem too short.

#5 This is one more example of a great problem with the American church today. Jesus said "GO and TELL" yet we want them to come to us. Consequently we try to develop all sorts of ways to attract a crowd. (which is all we really do). But what if we obey and went out to share the Gospel and people got converted before they ever came to church? We may find that they don't want an hour service.

Now I'm not going to knock those who feel this leading. I have been to hour services and they have been very nice. good worship, good message. My biggest problem is that it allowed no time to connect with God or with others. Two very important things that should happen in a meeting of believers.

Our services aren't an hour and they're not two hours. Somewhere in between. To me church is not a TV show or meeting. While there is a structure there is no need to stick to a script just to appease people and put more in the seats. While this may accomplish that what kind of believer will they be? Someone who shows up once a week because it makes them feel good? Or a committed believer who wants to do HIS will? As illustrated in the article people have some pretty important things to do so they don't have too much time for God. They could squeeze in an hour before soccer or a run but that's about it. Is God really a priority? Or just another thing to do? Like a class or doctor visit?

Method is good. There are many different ways people come to Jesus, but in the end the message alone should be enough.

Until next time,

Pastor Paul

Pastor or CEO?

This blog is called "Thoughts form the Tractor" because so many of them come while I ride my "tractor" (now a zero turn mower) cutting my rather large lawn. This one occurred to me the other day as I was out there in between the raindrops and was reconfirmed in a discussion with a friend over lunch this past Sunday.

As a believer for almost 30 years, the last 7 as a pastor, I have seen a shift in what the role of the pastor is supposed to be. I have seen it trend from shepherd to CEO. Being on the "inside" as made this easier to see but you don't have to be on the inside to see it. There is a great emphasis on what it take to be a great leader rather than a great pastor. Websites, books and seminars focus on leadership. Many suggest "formulas" for success as a pastor. The thought being if we are great leaders then people will follow. We will build a great company, oops, church. This is true and not a bad thing. Part of being a pastor is leadership. But you can be a great leader but not a great pastor.

For some reason many pastors have looked to the world to show them how to lead people to Christ disciple them and build a strong church. Several suggest books used in the business world as a good resource for this. Is the bible not enough? I get that times have changed, but the bible is timeless. I have come out of the business world and can attest that while many of these principles can work in the church we should not look to this as our new model for pastors and church growth. We need to be different not the same. Those inside and outside of our churches want to see that. They're longing to see that. We need to return to being shepherds with the bible as our guide. Not use some formula we learned at a seminar or got out of a book. We should be bringing biblical principles into the work place, not the other way around. I have a friend who owns a very successful business. About twenty years ago they brought biblical principles into the work place including a mid week bible study. (Imagine that, a bible study offered at work? Many of our churches are cutting back such things). In spite of our economic times the business has been blessed. The point is God's principles still work. So why are we looking to incorporate worldly principles in our churches? Could it be because of how we measure success? Let's face it numbers are still big in the church. How many attend and what the bottom line on our balance sheet is still a very important measures of success. Maybe we should not use numbers as our measure of success but rather impact, on lives and on our community. Are we making a difference in these areas? Or is putting a large number in a data base the most important measure of success? Could it be because we are impatient? In the parable of the talents Jesus says "Well done good and faithful servant", we all know that part, but he goes on to say "you have been faithful with little, I will put you in charge of much" (paraphrase). I believe God rewards our faithfulness even more than our results. I think too many pastors become discouraged and quit because they are being presented a model of success that is not always attainable but more importantly not what God wants. When it doesn't happen they feel they have failed. Consequently they run to the seminars and books I mentioned earlier. They miss out on the fact that they have touched lives for the better. That they have made a difference. And those they have touched can go on to touch others. This would not have happened if they were not there. I know how that is. I pastor a small church. It can be discouraging from time to time. For me I look at it like my golf game. Most of the time I struggle on the course. But in every round I have that one shot, one just like the pros, that makes me want to come back for more. So just when I feel discouraged God will bring someone to me who says "Thank-you Pastor for that message. It was just what I needed". Or "Thank-you for this church being here". Those are the shots that keep me coming back. Faithfulness can be difficult, but God rewards it and is pleased with it.

I guess my point is this: Method is part of what we do, but the message is what's most important. But when we do look at method we should probably focus more on God's method for reaching and discipling people rather than man's.

So pastor, be a pastor, not a CEO. Follow the example of Christ, Paul and others in the bible. Lead by that example. I guarantee you people will follow.

Just one man's thoughts. What are yours?

Until next time,

Pastor Paul