Before heading off into your weekend, here are three quick things that I have read and been thinking about this week. Hope they are as helpful to you as they have been for me.
Have a great weekend!
#1
I want to simplify your lives. When others are telling you to read more, I want to tell you to read less; when others are telling you to do more, I want to tell you to do less. The world does not need more of you; it needs more of God. Your friends do not need more of you; they need more of God. And you don’t need more of you; you need more of God.
The Sense of the Call by Marva J. Dawn
The world needs more of God not Todd. I needed to hear that this week. Feeling overwhelmed? Do less. The trick will be figuring out what to stop doing. That is way more difficult, at least for me, than taking on something new.
#2
A third explanation for America’s cascading social mojo is the Putnam theory described in Bowling Alone: The rise of aloneness is a part of the erosion of America’s social infrastructure. Someone once told me that the best definition of community is “where people keep showing up.” Well, where is that now, exactly? Certainly not church; each successive generation is attending less than their parents’. Not community centers, or youth sports fields. Even the dubious community-building power of the office, arguably the last community standing for many, is weakening with the popularity of hybrid and remote work. America is suffering a kind of ritual recession, with fewer community-based routines and more entertainment for, and empowerment of, individuals and the aloneness that they choose.
Why Americans Suddenly Stopped Hanging Out By Derek Thompson in THE ATLANTIC
If community is “where people keep showing up” then the issue is not more programs but more buy-in to show up consistently. It is difficult to create ritual routines in church when we see only about 35-40% of the congregation on any given Sunday. We can either complain or we can embrace that this is our new reality and see it as an opportunity. At some point…in the future…ritual routine will be missed and people will seek it out. The key is for the church to be ready and we will be. The church isn’t going anywhere. Don’t take my word for it. That happens to be Jesus’ promise.
Actually, may I change my mind on you in mid-post? Not about the church going away of course, but something else!
Sports teams have done a great job of creating the places where people keep showing up and participate in ritual routines and community. Neil Diamond’s hymn “Sweet Caroline” has replaced “Amazing Grace” for a majority of Americans I dare say. “C-A-T-S, Cats, Cats, Cats” is the rallying cry in my neck of the woods instead of “For God so loved the world.” There are highly ranked weekday radio programs and nightly 30 minute TV shows that the public shows no signs of growing tired of. Increases in ticket prices, fees, alumni dues, and $10 diet cokes at events has not diminished attendance. What has sports done to capture the attention, loyalty, and pocket books of this generation whereas the church wanes in all three of these areas? Maybe they just are better at building community? What can we learn?
#3
“I always entertain the notion that I’m wrong, or that I’ll have to revise my opinion. Most of the time that feels good; sometimes it really hurts and is embarrassing.”
Anthony Bourdain
I thought this was an appropriate quote based on post #2 above.
While I am not exactly convinced taking life advice from Mr. Bourdain is our best course of action, I do think he is on to something here. What he has described is a posture of humility. Many in the church sees traces of moral relativism to think we may be wrong. Where is the truth! That is what we demand. More certainty less nuance we cry out! If I have learned anything over my course of ministry is that the more I know the less I know that I know.
todd nelson 