Hi all, I'm back in LA and trying to adjust to a new quarter and all that. There has been a lot going on but nothing that is helpful to share. It is really tough learning lessons the hard way, especially when those lessons seem to teach harsh, negative things.
I came across an article through Catalyst that addressed some questions I've had for a little while. It is an article that deals with preaching, it's role in the church, it's Biblical basis, it's effectiveness, the dependancies it creates, and other issues of that sort. I have never questioned having teaching in a church service, but I have wondered how to make it more effective because I can never remember even the most superficial things about a message within a few hours. I don't remember what the main ideas were, what verses were used, or how I realized that I could apply this in my life. I remember that it was a good message, that they had great points, and that I needed to apply that, but I don't really remember how anymore which is really frustrating and disappointing. And this probably happens before dinner that night.
So how do get this to actually stick? How do we get the info out of short term memory and into our mindset so we actually see life differently the next day? I had a couple thoughts, but I would really like to hear your thoughts on this. Do you agree or disagree with the article? Are there things you emphasize to increase the effectiveness of teaching? What do you think a church service could/should look like?
You could limit the teaching time to 20 minutes, and then spend 20 minutes of real ministry time. Let people break up into groups to discuss it, pray for each other, worship, whatever, but you can't leave! Churches always leave time for ministry at the end, but the implication always is "If you are screwed up and need help, come up front and we will fix you. If you are perfect like us, then go enjoy lunch!" and who wants to be the screwed up dude? Plus the emphasis is on the "leadership" doing the praying and healing and fixing, so what good is everyone else? But if everyone started praying and discussing...
It would be cool if you had lots of people who taught, not just one. Anyone who had a story to tell could share it. The multiple teachers would be able to really dig deep and live out an idea before they taught it. Unfortunately, now nobody is going to come to your church just for the charismatic preacher/entertainer. Interestingly, Rob Bell is probably the best teacher I've found, and if anyone could get away with just talking all the time it would be him. But Mars Hill is also the church that uses the most guest preachers of any that I know (22 in 2007 alone). They also have church members share their stories on the stage all the time, and often Rob will use their story to back what he says- it puts all the emphasis and focus on the people living the teaching, not the ones teaching the teaching.
So gimme your thoughts on this, and...
GO CHARGERS!
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5 comments:
I've been meaning to post on this article since I saw it a couple days back on your Facebook page. Here goes.
I actually started to notice this phenomenon in my own life after Ted left. I realized that I had become largely dependent upon the Sunday morning preaching and service for what I considered the state of my relationship with God for the week as well as for "spiritual food." Now sadly, though I've realized this, I haven't really done anything to change it. I think part of me hoped that Brady would fix it. (Yeah, try not to think about the logic in that too much. It'll hurt.)
So basically I agree with the premise of the article as I see it. We've turned Christianity into listening to someone preach and trying to learn more rather than applying what God has already revealed to us (I think that's called obedience). We sit and watch rather than give and serve - and that is a tragedy. I'm pretty sure I'm pretty sure I'll unequivocally endorse anything that will help the church become more fully the bride of Christ in our actions and lives and communities.
Now, my mom made an interesting comment about my explanation of the article. She vehemently dislikes people who criticize well intentioned people who are trying to serve God (here the preachers) even though they aren't perfect. We're all just trying to serve God.
Anyways, those're my thoughts.
Matt O'Connor! What's up man? I'm glad you stopped by- I tried to leave a facebook wallpost just yesterday but the wall was broken (am I the only one who can NEVER leave a wallpost because it is always broken?).
Anyway, good thoughts. The danger we run with asking questions and challenging the status quo is that we will become cynical. It is a subtle shift from dreaming about what could be to attacking what "is" right now. The last thing we need is one more group of people who have become "enlightened" into the true ways of God and feel it is their purpose in life to tell everyone else how wrong they are. And what good is it to live the perfect model of discipling and serving (if that exists) if in the process we leave everyone else behind because "they" aren't on the bleeding edge like "us". As Derek Webb says, "At the end of the day, if I'm really serious about peace I have to love people more than ideas." We don't need more sub-categories of believers, we need one Church.
I wrestle with cynicism all the time- I'm really good at sarcasm and it seems to come out automatically. Sometimes the only way I know to make a point is through extremely dry sarcasm. I sometimes wonder if cynicism and sarcasm and all that is part of the "Knowledge of Good and Evil". Because cynics already "know" what is going to happen, and it isn't going to be good, so why bother. That doesn't require any faith, any trust, and childlike-ness.
So we do need to be careful of criticizing. I didn't feel the article came across in that way, and I hope I didn't either. Please point it out if I do!
Ah, cynicism. How do I love thee? Let me count the ways...
That being said. I completely understand and sympathize with you. There somehow needs to be an improvement of what exists (which, I think, requires some criticism and some strengthening) without ever falling into the cynicism and sarcasm to which we are so apt to return. I think it has to be possible. The Lord is the god of hope and, I'd like to think, change. Maybe the answer is all that stuff David talked about like making God the center of our lives and our goal to become like him and our mouths and hearts filled with prayers - that as we live that out we become that change God desires to enact in and around us, that we have hope because He does.
Oh, as for what my mom said, she was expressing frustration with people potentially like him. She agrees that the church is too much about just listening and not enough about engaging, changing, serving, and loving. I think some of that frustration stems from having friends back when she was our age who legitimately wanted to do things better but rather than endeavoring to fix and change where they were, they started a new church. (Not that that can't be good, but I think it's often the Protestant response to disagreement.) Anyways, I don't think the church turned out to be the magical fix they had envisioned it as.
Oh, you may not know this, but she's going to Denver Seminary for her masters in I think biblical studies. I like to brag on her for that.
Also, should you ever feel incredibly bored you can check out my own musings at suchthat.blogspot.com.
Do you know what's funny about cynicism? (Well, funny in an "oh, dear God, I can't believe I've thought this is a good thing" funny way.)
Cynicism is fundamentally an attack on God's character, power, and willingness. Our cynicism is saying that God can't figure out how to change things, that he created something and now he's flummoxed as to what to do about it. I can imagine he doesn't appreciate it.
And, on that note, the chapter in Simply Christian about worship talks how much of the worship in the Psalms is worshiping God as creator for what he has made. That thought is really interesting and humbling because in my arrogance I have a hard time appreciating God as creator for what I see as a screwed-up world full of pain, and yet that is entirely the wrong perspective. We are to love and worship and appreciate God for all that he has done because it is good.
Wow, that's really fascinating...
"Cynicism is fundamentally an attack on God's character, power, and willingness. Our cynicism is saying that God can't figure out how to change things, that he created something and now he's flummoxed as to what to do about it."
Wow, thank you for exposing that Matt. It's really been on my mind the last few days since you wrote it and I am definitely going to work on that.
There is a section in the Mars Hill live worship cd I got last year that is all about our journey "Upward", aka our walk with God. It has been my favorite section since I bought it, probably because it confronts cynicism head on. It really encourages me and I hope it will help you too. I mean, there is nothing like combining postmodern philosophy, modern worship, ancient hymns, and GK Chesterton quotes. Ironically, I've found Chesterton to be quite sarcastic (he is British, afterall) but still pulls against cynicism and instead pushes awe, wonder, and hope. Feel free to check it out here. The Chesterton quotes are from "Orthodoxy". The coolest part was that I started that book right before the trip, and read the chapter the quotes are from right after I heard the songs for the first time!
The tracks you want are 2-25 through 2-28, but grab whatever you like. I put these up last year wanting to share the experience with my friends, but nobody was too excited about it. They were still listening to "My Savior Lives" I think... :) Ah, there's that sarcasm again...
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