Think on These Things

Paul Borden 101, 102, 103

This is the first in a trilogy of blogs that seeks to review the work of Paul Borden – “Hit the Bull’s-eye,” and “Direct Hit.” Paul Borden is an executive judicatory leader in the American Baptist church in California. While it is true that the structure in that tribe is different from that which we have in the Nazarene tribe, the principal themes for church growth are transferable, in my opinion.

Borden insists that what is terribly wrong in the way we do church today is a lack of authority, accountability, and responsibility. Church health and subsequently church growth cannot be assured when no one has the authority to make the necessary adjustments to move forward. Neither pastors nor district superintendents, under our system, seem to have the authority to make changes because the church boards sometimes gets in the way. The maintenance approach by most congregations could only be reversed by a system that grants permission to the pastor to take ultimate authority for the turnaround of that congregation.

Furthermore, it has become a pattern in many congregations to reward faithfulness more readily than fruitfulness. The status quo must be viewed as inacceptable to leaders. It is much easier for the pastor to be held accountable than it is for the church board. However, this would require a c-change in the structure of the church. I doubt that many congregations or district superintendents are willing to hold the pastor accountable, since there is the existence of the scapegoat of church board deference. Borden was critical of the governance fundamentals of John Carver in this area. He proffers that churches can give extensive powers to the board to the degree that the pastor/leader is left deficient of the responsibility for ultimate church growth.

Borden is passionate about transformational change in congregations, but he is convicted that accountability and responsibility can be harnessed by the very structures that were intended to be the skeleton to bring form and focus; as stated by Borden “a skeleton that does not grow and develop produces great deformity and eventually death.” Intrinsic in the present structures is the perception that the pastor adopts the shepherd/chaplain model rather than a leadership replica. What is called for, according to Borden, is a hybrid of the traditional methods and an emerging machinery that gives permission to pastor, board, and the congregation to experiment with new forms of strategies to foster transformational change.

However, Borden is quick to point out that changing structures would not guarantee change. Real and effective change comes by a reorientation and implementation of new vision, mission, and values.

MY CONCLUSION
Change is difficult! However, change can only be accomplished if there is put in place a person or body that has the authority to do whatever is necessary to employ the leadership role to effect such change. One of the most radical suggestions of Borden is that the board, ministry team, or pastor should commit to resignation if the preferred change is not accomplished in a prescribed time frame.

Who Moved my Church? – Oliver R. Phillips

Our church in the US & Canada, I believe, must address two fundamental challenges if it is to either become or remain vibrant for the remainder of the 21st century. While some lament the slow collective growth rate, this is no time for others to become the proverbial ostrich, pretending that there is no cause for alarm. Nothing changes if nothing changes!

The two challenges that should demand immediate attention are one, the rapidly changing immigrant landscape here in the US & Canada, and two, addressing the tragic gap between existing and emerging leadership styles in our congregations and districts. If Dorothy of Oz has taught us anything it is that “we are not in Kansas anymore!” Under both scenarios, the church, as we have known it in the past, has moved. New wineskins are needed for the foreseeable future.

We have been historically a missionary-oriented denomination. I have just returned from a trip to Kenya and was proud to witness the results of decades of prayerfully aggressive initiatives undertaken by faithful missionaries. I heard retired Regional Director Richard Zanner chronicle the strategy for evangelism on the continent with a litany of successes. The indigenous leaders have now been trained to be the church of the future. My guess is that this pattern has been duplicated in other world regions as well.

My concern is that, if we are not careful, we might obviate the purposes of God’s immigrant movement of people groups to the US & Canada. Should the American church intentionally develop strategy, or permit strategy to be developed to engage the hundreds of people groups who now have become integrated into the demographic landscape, the results could be a quadrupling of the present successes that we have witnessed. As I have often communicated, the movement of immigrant groups to the US & Canada is not the result of the capricious whim of our God; but God has wittingly moved people groups to these shores as a part of God’s heavenly strategy for global evangelism. We must seize the moment!

The second challenge for the US/Canada church is the tragic gap that has been created by the practice of leadership between existing and emerging leaders. Parker Palmer referenced the “corrosive cynicism” that has pervaded the ethos of the emerging leaders who are convinced that the entrenched leaders will never deliberately move in the direction of accommodating the creative juices and environment for which the emerging culture yearns. According to Jimmy Young, in his recently published book “The Leadership Jump,” three options are open for the church in the midst of this tragic gap.

One, the present (existing) leaders could cede the reigns of leadership to a selected cadre of new leaders who would guarantee a continuance of the old paradigms.

Two, emerging (post modern) leaders could choose to leave the church, frustrated that the changes they yearn for are unattainable, or far too distant.

Or three, the present leaders could empower and bless the emerging leaders with the conviction that missional leadership would be manifestly different from the old ways. This could be a very healthy partnership that merges the comfort and certainty of the past with the unpredictability and uncertainty of the future.

What are your suggestions to assist the church as we move forward into the future? How could the third option become attractive to existing congregational leaders? How could the church best maximize its missional initiatives among immigrant groups?

Think on these things!

Six Things I Discovered about John Wesley (1703-1791)
Oliver R. Phillips

Having recently read a scholarly work by Irv Brendlinger entitled ”Social Justice through the Eyes of Wesley,” I have garnered a renewed thirst to glare back into the life of this extraordinary man. Wesley was undoubtedly a man before his times who almost singlehandedly brought an end to the practice of slavery in Europe and America. There seems to be an information gap regarding the passions of John Wesley. All too often the emphasis has been on his convictions about the need for the second work of grace and personal piety. There is substantially more to Wesley than the personal salvific motif.

1. Wesley’s visit to the United States (1736-1738) exposed him to the indignities and inhumanity of slavery and the slave trade. This exposure became foundational to his later advocacy on behalf of the abolition movement.
2. In 1773 Wesley published a tract entitled “Thoughts upon Slavery,” 53 pages, which became a stinging indictment on the practice of slavery. For the remaining years of his life this document was his clarion call to end the practice of slavery.
3. On February 24, 1791, days before his death, Wesley sent a letter to William Wilberforce (anti-slavery fighter) in which he wrote “O be not weary in well doing! Go on, in the name of God and in the power of His might, till even American slavery (the vilest that ever saw the sun) shall vanish away before it.”
4. Wesley contrasted from his contemporaries in that, while they were tolerant of the practice of slavery and opposed to the slave trade, Wesley was opposed to both the practice of slavery and the slave trade as well.
5. Isaiah 58:6 was an important passage to Wesley. As such, he was unequivocal – “… works of mercy are to be preferred. Even reading, hearing, prayer, are to be omitted, or to be postponed, ‘at charity’s almighty call,’ when we are called to relieve the distress of our neighbor, whether in body or soul.”
6. Wesley condemned the temptation to withdraw from the affairs of society. He said “The Gospel of Christ knows of no religion but social; no holiness but social holiness.”
These are merely a few characteristics of John Wesley that I missed in my studies. I’m glad for this holy reunion. What about you? THINK ON THESE THINGS!

MY EPITAPH – “Then my living shall not be in vain”

I have been thinking recently about the challenge to write my epitaph. I’m sure that others would take solace in such a privilege. This impulse has been sparked by Senator Burris’ (Illinois’ controversial senator) compulsion with designing his own mausoleum. I thought this might not be such a bad idea. If you had to write your own epitaph, what would it be?

It was a cold winter’s day that Sunday. The car park to the church was filling up quickly.
 
I noticed as I got out of my car that fellow church members were whispering among themselves as they walked to the church.

As I got closer I saw a man leaned up against the wall outside the church. He was almost lying down as if he was asleep.
 
He had on a long trench coat that was almost in shreds and a hat topped his head, pulled down so you could not see his face.
 
He wore shoes that looked 30 years old, too small for his feet with holes all over them, his toes stuck out.

I assumed this man was homeless, and asleep, so I walked on by through the doors of the church.
 
We all gathered for fellowship for a few minutes, and someone raised the issue of the man lying outside.
 
People snickered and gossiped but no one bothered to ask him to come in, including me.

A few moments later church began. We all waited for the minister to take his place and to give us the Word, when the doors to the church opened.

In came the homeless man walking down the aisle with his head down. People gasped and whispered and made faces.
 
He made his way down the aisle and up onto the pulpit he took off his hat and coat. My heart sank.
 
There stood our minister.  He was the “homeless man.”

No one said a word.
 
The preacher took his Bible and laid it on the lectern.

“Folks, I don’t think I have to tell you what I am preaching about today.”
Then he started singing the words to this song:
“If I can help somebody as I pass along.
If I can cheer somebody with word or song.
If I can show somebody that he’s traveling wrong.
Then my living shall not be in vain.”

I have concluded that my epitaph is the refrain of the song that Mahalia Jackson made famous:
If I can help somebody as I pass along,
If I can cheer somebody with a word or song,
If I can show somebody he is trav’ling wrong,
Then my living shall not be in vain.

QUESTION: If you had to write your epitaph, what would it be?

The provocative author of “Tipping Point” and “Blink” both out of the box thinking books, Malcolm Gladwell emerges, and with the same penchant for unconventional thinking.

Gladwell, in his new book, “Outliers”, a quantifying sequel to the other two, scores points by disputing the idea of the self-made person. This is done by his highlighting the fact that the social construction of our opportunities is a critical determinant in our success. For instance, we are often the product of facts that we have no control over — such as being born at the right time — and arbitrary patterns frozen in our institutions and cultures.

Because of his acquaintance with Canadian sports form instance, Gladwell points out that a disproportionate number of similar birthdates of professional sports leaders lead him to conduct research on the ages of the players. He discovered that 90% of the players on the Canadian Hockey team were born between January 1 and March 30.

Great hockey players in Canada are born in January, February, or March. The explanation? In Canadian schools, “the eligibility cutoff date for age-class hockey is Jan. 1. A boy who turns 10 on Jan. 2, then, could be playing alongside someone who doesn’t turn 10 until the end of the year — and at that age, in preadolescence, a 12 month gap in age represents an enormous difference in physical maturity.”

Having spent some time on the 100,000 hour rule of professionals in the arts and sports, Gladwell hurries to deal wit the intricacies of plane crashes. From reading his book, there are five lessons I have learned from his writings:

1. A high percentage of plane crashes take place in bad weather, and when the plane is behind schedule.

2. Planes are safer when the least experienced pilot is at the helm, because the more experienced pilot will speak more forcefully about his/her assessment of conditions.

3. Greater communication takes place in the cockpit when the captain and 1st officer address each other by their first name.

4. In 52% of accidents the pilots were up for more than12 hours, which means that he or she is somewhat lacking in alertness.

5. In 44% of the crashes, the pilots had never flown together before.

ASSOCIATION OF NAZARENE SOCIOLOGISTS & RESEARCHERS

Social Values and Attitudes in the Church of the Nazarene
Winter 2008

  
                            A       B       C    D      E
Tony Campolo        4%    24%   5%   2%   64% 
Jim Cymbala          15%   15%   1%   0%   68% 
James Dobson       58%   32%  4%   0%    5% 
Jerry Falwell          9%    36%  29%  8%  19% 
Billi Graham          73%   23%   1%   1%   2% 
Will Greathouse    23%   15%   1%   0%   61% 
Stanle Hauerwas   0%    3%     0%   0%  97% 
Jack Heyford        6%    20%   3%   1%   70% 
Bill Hybels           7%     15%   3%   2%  74% 
James Kennedy    18%   27%   5%  3%   47% 
V. H. Lewis          13%   11%   2%  1%   72% 
Rush Limbaugh    6%    38%   20% 16% 20% 
John Maxwell       16%   25%  2%    0%  56% 
Brian McLaren       2%    2%    1%    1%  94% 
Chuck Milhuff      13%  21%   3%   1%  62% 
Joel Osteen          10%   28%  16% 10% 36% 
Tony Perkins        3%    10%   1%   1%   85% 
Elaine Petit           5%     6%    2%   0%   87% 
Pat Robertson      3%     40%   25%  7% 25% 
Ron Sider             0%     1%     1%   0%  97% 
Jim Wallis            0%     1%     1%   0%  98% 
Rick Warren        24%   34%    5%  3%   34% 

A — I strongly agree with this person
B — I tend to agree with this person
C — I tend to disagree with this person
D — I strongly disagree with this person
E — I do not recognize the name

What does this poll tell us about who we are as Nazarenes?

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Church Marketing 101 by Richard Reisling. This book is a rendering of some of the important steps that small churches can implement to ensure growth and increase retention rates. Reisling suggests that there are basically three factors in church growth:

• Lateral/denominational – these are Christians from other congregations.
• Vertical/relationships – these are persons invited by members and are transformed by the Christian experience.
• Curbside – these are persons who chose to visit without a personal invitation. 

According to Reisling, the most sustainable factor in growth is the vertical which involves members inviting new people. However, he indicates that most members don’t invite others because they have not come to terms with six questions that are germane. I share these with you:

• Will my friend feel welcomed? (hospitable)
• Will my friend fit in? (comfortable)
• Can I feel confident that I know how the service will turn out? (consistent)
• Will my friend get something out of the experience? (relevant)
• Will my friend understand it? (understandable)
• Will anything that could seem strange be explained through Scripture? (sensitive)

My guess is that these questions reveal some honest questions that could be the talking points for a small group concerned about personal evangelism.

What do you think?

The new Global Ministry Center in Lenexa, Kansas is a remarkable testament to the usage of space and the attempt to create cohesion and collaboration among employees. I have seen employees who I had never seen in almost nine years.

As one approaches the building from any direction it is impossible to miss the three flags that blow furiously in the winter winds – Christian, Kansas, and the American flag. In the spirit of being or becoming a global church and ministry center, I wonder about the flags that are noticeably absent. The case can surely be made for the Canadian maple leaf.

Since about 63% of our membership resides in the six world areas might it not be a gesture of goodwill to plant a flag that represents each of those burgeoning regions? Granted, there is presently no united flag that is recognized as representative of the regions. However, with some measure of creativity, a flag could be created that demonstrates geographical recognition.

This is merely another thought along the way. What are your thoughts?

May I entreat you as you read this blog-vignette with these sobering words: DON’T GO THERE!  This is not about politics. Neither is it about the personhood of President-elect Barack Obama. We evangelicals have an insatiable thirst to be conveniently myopic and inhospitable to any sane conversation about ideas or topics without allowing them to be clouded by our own religious and personal proclivities. DON’T GO THERE!

I simply wanted to share with you my amazement over the capacity of Obama’s marketing machine to raise the amount of monies for the primary and presidential campaign in the midst of an economy where some claim we have officially been in a recession since November 2007. Given, this feat is really a part of a broader narrative that is significant. Considering the prevalence of massive foreclosures, loss of confidence in the stock market, endemic suspicion of the credit rating system, moronic lending practices, worldwide collapse of banking systems, volatility of energy prices, and irresponsible reckless spending, yet millions of people contributed modest sums of monies to a campaign they thought was worth the sacrifice.

In a more expanded article that would appear in the Winter edition of MissionStrategy.org magazine, I have listed ten lessons that church leaders and those responsible for church marketing and communication can learn. Here’s my abridged list that would be expanded in the magazine:

• Diversify communication through user-generated content.
• Communicate passionately to people what they care about.
• Sustain lively communication through unexpected incentives.
• Design a simple message that is consistent, relevant, and focused.
• Maximize the opportunities that the social media presents.
• Establish a continued dialogical connection with the market.
• Expand the marketing base to include the overlooked and underserved community.
• Results must be constantly measured and evaluated.
• Tangibalize the intangibles.
• Leverage the broad possibilities of the internet.

More than 2,000 years ago, Aesop told the story of the goose that laid the golden egg, and this fable has been rehearsed under various scenarios in both private and corporate life. Fundamentally, the motif is that care must be taken not to segregate or lessen the significance of the central player in the movie of life’s circumstances.

As we celebrated the centennial of the Church of the Nazarene, and as I heard stories of the movements of God around the world, I couldn’t help but juxtapose those stories with the oft-repeated claim that the church in the U.S. and Canada is not growing. The tincture from such proclamations can adversely affect the morale and attitude of the very goose that laid the golden egg. In fact, there have been great reports of God’s movement on many districts in the U.S. and Canada.

While it could be admitted that there has been collective growth stagnation here in the US/Canada region, it must also be recognized that this is the goose that continues to lay the eggs that provide the gold for continued missional initiatives around the globe. Consider for a minute these salient centennial statistics:

• Ridgefield on the Washington Pacific district – 61 new Nazarenes
• Nampa First – 113 new Nazarenes
• Miami Bethany, South Florida district – 251 new Nazarenes
• Tulsa Family Church – 20 baptisms and 45 new Nazarenes
• Warren Champion, East Ohio district – 20 new Nazarenes
• In 2007 the goose produced 32,609 new Nazarenes
• The Los Angeles area produced 1,738 new Nazarenes in 2007
• The New York area produced 969 new Nazarenes

The goose has great nobility when soaring in flight, but can get cantankerous when its detractors clip its wings and force it to stay on the ground. But those detractors eventually are forced to acknowledge that life without it is a pain in the neck. In fact, it is impossible.

This Thanksgiving might just be the time, in the midst of clamoring for global restructuring, to say “thanks” to the US/Canada Nazarene Goose that continues to lay the Golden Eggs.