What part of Being Church are we Missing?

In an article entitled, “How Pastors Planned to Improve Their Churches,” David Kinnaman of the Barna Group reported on the responses of 614 senior pastors of churches throughout the United States concerning questions having to do with revamping and retooling the organization, funding and staffing, church size and leadership.

In reading this report, I was left with two impressions: 1) significant differences appear in the “above average interest” categories within the age ranges of today’s pastors and, 2) pastors are finding it difficult to answer the “foundational questions of mission and vision” of the church.

First impression. Kinnaman notes that survey differences were observed by the age of the pastor. For example, in improving their churches, pastors under age 45 had an above average interest in technology and digital media, those between 45 and 63 in fundraising help, while pastors 64 and older were higher than their peers when it came to measuring spiritual transformation.

Is it possible that technology has become such a part of “assembling church,” and funding, staffing and organizing so much a part of “doing church” that we can all too easily lose sight of being church? Church as performance? Church as business? Or church as spiritual transformation? Can we have it all or must we choose?

When it comes to techy stuff, I am a true believer. My iPhone, iPad, and Mac desktop are in daily use. Digital photography, websites, electronic media, all of that. I get it. It is important. And I know about the business of church. As both senior pastor and executive pastor, I spent much of my life with ever growing staffs and budgets. I get that, too. Like many of us, I have dabbled in, lived through and at times been guilty of losing focus in the midst of myriad leader demands.

But Kinnaman’s comment that “pastors 64 and older were higher than their peers when it came to measuring spiritual transformation” caught my attention. There is a quality about aging that brings one back to the center. Paul speaks of building on the foundation with “wood, hay and stubble” as opposed to “gold, silver and precious stones.” I’ve strewn a fair amount of the former alongside my own leadership pathway. I pray enough of the latter qualifies as eternal in Kingdom value.

 

Second impression. Kinnaman observes: “Like other organizational leaders, pastors are trying to right-size their efforts to the new economic, technological and social realities. Most pastors are open to changing their ministries, yet many of them are struggling with the foundational questions of mission and vision. In other words, they want a clear direction to pursue, not necessarily just more ministry resources, like facilities, equipment, technology or ministry tools.” This impression seems to clearly link to my first.

Some years ago, while preparing to speak at a national senior’s conference in Pennsylvania, I was grappling with an unresponsive computer/PowerPoint/projector combination that would not cooperate, no matter how hard I tried. As the start time drew near, I was desperate for a solution. All the while, an elderly gentleman had been watching and finally, to make conversation, I said to him, “I remember when we used to spend this time before preaching in prayer. Now it seems we spend the time dealing with technology problems.” He smiled, nodded and continued watching. As he turned to go to his seat, he finally spoke up. “If you want my advice,” he said, “I think you’d better go back to praying!”

The profound is often found in the most simple. I had the equipment, the technology and the ministry tools. What I needed was an old man in my life. I took the gentleman’s advice. I prayed. “Vision” cleared. “Mission” accomplished. The people experienced a moment of spiritual transformation.

And so did I.

As essential as technology may seem, as vital as the business of church may appear, we cannot forget that many past the age of 64 in the church may know little or nothing about either of these. But if they know about being church, they know when spiritual transformation takes place. They live for such moments. They know the difference between ‘assembling’ church, ‘doing’ church, and being church. I need these people in my life. So do you. They’ve been there. They remember. They keep us focused.

Walking on water is pretty amazing.

Administering the feeding of 5000 is incredibly exhilarating.

But for spiritual transformation, there is nothing like an empty tomb!

 

 

 

Ward