Vol 3 No 27 - The Numbers Game

Earlier this week, the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life released the results of their annual survey of the Religious Landscape of the U.S. The executive summary, which can be downloaded here, provides some very fascinating data that any of us who are concerned about these things should take a deeper look into. One particular thing that stood out to me as I read this was the following:

The Landscape Survey documents, for example, that the number of Americans who are not affiliated with a religion has grown significantly in recent decades, with the number of people who today say they are unaffiliated with a religious tradition (16% of U.S. adults) more than double the number who say they were not affiliated with a religion as children (7%).

(Notice that 'religion' as used above is talking about the different faiths, NOT different denominations)

.I don't know about y'all, but this (while not surprising) really bothers me. It also inspires me. By the time this week is out, those of you on our snail-mail list will have received two different mailings about our Vacation Bible School, and it will have been mentioned in two straight church newsletters as well. Our Vacation Bible School program is vital to our congregation and to the community as we continue to introduce our children to the love of God through Jesus Christ. However, we cannot afford to put all of our eggs in one basket - we must accept the fact that ministry to and with children involves far more than sending them to VBS, Halloween parties, Easter egg hunts, and other special programming for the congregation.

There are no easy answers relating to how to respond to the above statistics. But I can tell you that none of us can expect them to get any better if we do not take ownership of the spiritual formation of our children. We must be intentional about not just talking a good game to our children but modeling to them a life that is lived pursuing Christ the Lord. We must be intentional about making sure that we are in worship each week with our children. We must be intentional about making sure that we are in Sunday School and/or Bible study each week, and that our children are aware of how these practices shape who we are. We must be intentional about making sure that we understand fully that we are teaching our children the importance of the Christan faith - by our actions and our inactions. The simple fact of the matter is that we cannot take a half-hearted approach to the Christian life and then be surprised by these kinds of numbers. (and I'm not just talking about parents here.)

Did I say that I was inspired by these numbers? Oh yes. Even in the midst of the challenges facing us as we raise our children (and yes, I'm talking about not just parents, but the community of faith), we know that we are not on our own in the journey. The grace of God, the love of Christ, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit is the only way that any of us will ever see any of these efforts come to fruition.

See You Sunday!
Lamar

Vol 3 No 26 - The "Team" Cliche

Late last night, somewhat in jest, I updated my Facebook status to read: All is right with the world...Celtics beat Lakers by 39 to win the title. It's been a long-suffering twenty two years and nine days between titles for my beloved Celtics, and watching them put on a great game last night was one of the most enjoyable times I've had lately. To hear the commentators talk before the series, it was a foregone conclusion in many circles that the Lakers would run all over the Celtics and that this would not even be close. Well, they were half-right: it wasn't even close. In two of their record-setting performances in this series (game four, where they overcame a twenty-four point second quarter deficit and last night's game six, where they were up forty-three and won by thirty-nine), as well as the rest of the series, it became evident that what Boston's major advantage was came from their bench - the role players who don't get much ink, or playing time (in most situations), came up big; and without a strong and deep bench, where everyone knew their role and played it to perfection, the Lakers would probably be celebrating a championship right now. For those of you who may not be aware, the Lakers won what was supposed to be the most difficult conference and had the regular-season MVP on their roster.

So what does any of this have to do with the church, God, or our faith? Well, for starters, when Boston faced their huge deficit in game four, they could have easily "mailed it in" and come back for the next game. However, they endured, persevered, and got the victory. How many times when we face times of trial or difficulty are we tempted to just throw in the towel? Remember Paul's words from Romans: "[W]e also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us." Much like a sports team down big in the middle of a game, we have a choice when dealing with life - we can give up, or dig in and remember that through Christ's victory over evil on Good Friday, the light will ALWAYS overcome the darkness.

Another thing we must remember is that everyone has a vital role to play in the life of the church. Without the contributions of the the entire team, there is no way the Celtics would have won. From the future hall-of-famers to the guys at the end of the bench - this was a team win. We cannot allow ourselves as the church to ever think that we are not needed, that we don't have anything to offer, or that some are more important than others. Paul's writings in several places talk very directly about the body of Christ and the parts thereof.

Whether in Bible study, Sunday School, worship, the missions ministries, committee work, or anything else - we must not forget that there is no part of the church, its life, or its membership that is not important.

See You Sunday!
Lamar

Vol 3 No 25 - Ministry by Self-Discipline

Planning for another year of life together with anyone, or any group of people, can be an experience full of a plethora of emotions for all involved. This dynamic between a pastor and their congregation is no different. Thinking about what all could possibly happen over the next year of our life as a congregation has me excited, enthusiastic, encouraged, anxious, nervous, and a whole host of other emotions. We are going to have the opportunities to re-visit some things we have done in the past, as well as engage in new opportunities for ministry and spiritual growth.

One of these opportunities that I am anticipating with great joy begins this week - our Mid-Week Prayer & Communion Service on Wednesday evenings from 5:30-6:00PM in the chapel across from the church office. Gathering for mid-week prayer and communion is something that Methodists have done from our earliest days, encouraged by our founder, John Wesley, who said of communion to take it as often as you can. I hope and pray you will be intentional about making time for this holy time at our Lord's table.

Another opportunity that we have had in the past and are taking advantage of again is ministry among those at our relief center, the Sager-Brown Depot in Baldwin, LA. Just today we were able to firm up the details of this opportunity to serve in ministry literally to the entire world.

The first of our weekly Thursday morning outreach will be THURSDAY, JUNE 26th. As with every Thursday, we will leave Pharr Chapel at 7:45AM and return after lunch. Not only will we be in service to the relief efforts of our church, we will also get to visit with the saints of the church who stay for weeks on end in Baldwin. I promise that if you make the effort to be a part of this ministry, it will become a lasting part of your life and your walk with God.

I completely understand that both our Wednesday evening prayer & communion service and the Thursday journeys to Baldwin take time that so many of us don't think we have (except when we are required to be at our place of employment). However, it has been my experience that time spent at the Lord's table and time spent in ministry with the mission of the church has never been time wasted, nor time I couldn't spare, and I always come away tremendously blessed. What it boils down to, at the end of the day, is quite simply this: Are we willing to MAKE time for these things? And if not, why not?

See You Sunday!
Lamar

Vol 3 No 24 - The Church Family Reality

This week, over 1,000 United Methodists from all over Louisiana gathered at Centenary College in Shreveport for our Annual Conference session. During these four days together, we fellowship, worship, laugh, love, and conduct the business of the annual conference, talking about what all God has done through the United Methodists of Louisiana over the past year and making plans for the future. It's an especially meaningful time for Erin and me, for as clergy, our membership resides not in a local church, but in the annual conference, so this week is like spending four days with our church family.

I must be completely honest with you here - like we all are when we are with our church family, there are great highs that come. Seeing some of the dearest friends you will ever have, recounting beloved memories of days long gone, revisiting a site where some of the most important events of your life occurred, meals with old and new friends alike; couldn't ask for anything more. However, like when we are with our church family, there was also occasion to see people who you didn't particularly care for or people who have hurt you tremendously in the past, as well as decisions made and ideas presented with which you strongly disagree. (All of this I experienced this week).

However, I must say that the week with my church family was absolutely memorable. Processing the past week, I realize once again that what is truly important is not any agenda that I as an individual have, but the truly wonderful experience of being with those whom God has brought me in connection with - when we look at our church family from the perspective that what's going on here is not about us, but about God, then it all makes sense.

Be sure to come spend time with your church family during worship this week!

See You Sunday!
Lamar