I spend almost every day of my life contemplating the
decline of the mainline churches in the United States and thinking about how we
might turn around this trend. This
decline is really nothing new. The downward
trend began in the mid-1960s. In the
face of this ongoing decline, many congregations act more like religious social
clubs for the like-minded than centers for the proclamation of the Gospel. Often, congregations pine for times gone by,
are gripped by a paralyzing fear of the future and become combative about
protecting the few crumbs that are left.
This behavior deeply saddens me, and I am pretty sure it doesn’t make
God smile.
Many have written, pontificated and mused upon the reasons
for this decline. Many others have
published articles and books with formulas and programs and adaptive approaches
for changing the direction of the decline.
I have read many of them. I’ve
written a few words on the subject myself.
Sure, a few churches flourish, thrive and grow… but their methods don’t seem to translate easily. Often, their leaders motivate through a
personal charisma that is hard to duplicate.
I have said, more than once, that if the solution to the
decline of the church was simple, someone would have figured it out a long time
ago. But, maybe the truth is simpler
than we think.
In Matthew 4, Jesus invites Peter, Andrew, James and John to
follow him to “fish for people.” He
invites them to join him in casting the net of God’s love and grace far and
wide. But this fishing for people is not
just about gathering people into church buildings. It’s not about putting “butts in the pews”
and “bucks in the offering plates.” (If
that’s our goal, is it any wonder why people don’t come?)
NO.
Fishing for people is about continuing the work and ministry
of Jesus. And what is that work? The last line of this week’s lesson sums it
up: “Jesus went throughout Galilee,
teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and
curing every disease and every sickness among the people.” (4:21).
That’s it. That’s
what “The Church” is supposed to be about:
1. Proclaiming the
Reign of God.
2. Bringing healing
and wholeness to all people.
Both are incendiary.
Both mean engaging the “powers and principalities” of the world
(Ephesians 6:12). Both mean working for
reconciliation in the midst of a world filled with divisiveness, brokenness, prejudice,
bigotry and hate. (2 Corinthians 5:18) Both mean casting the net of God’s love so
wide that it truly encompasses everyone – yes, even those the world says we
should hate, shun or reject. Even those
who might make us feel uncomfortable and yes, even those who might change us.
Perhaps if we stopped bickering over all the stupid, little things
that divide us and started concentrating on Jesus’ work of proclaiming the Reign of God
(and living as if God truly did reign in our lives and in our world) and being
forces for reconciliation and healing in the world… people would be drawn to join us. I am convinced that they would.
Peace,
Bishop Mike
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