Asking for Brave Sous - Again

I am still looking for one or two brave souls to join with me in developing a sermon series. Think and pray about it over the weekend and let me know if you would like to be a part of this process.

Sorry that I didn't post yesterday. SWAMPED!!!

A Wild Idea - Day 2

One brave soul has connected with my wild idea—way to go, Rocky! Today I want to explore how this joint sermon writing journey might be accomplished.

In case you haven’t figured it out, I am a technology “user” – needing someone to assist me in figuring out how to use various new technologies. My friend Glenn has lots of patience. I am hoping that he will assist me with the technology end of this project. Glenn is very involved with the integration of technology and education (he is also an Elder at my church and has sailed with me in the British Virgin Islands). He introduced me to blogs. He uses wikis with his work in the education field. With the “bribe” of another sailing trip I’m confident that he can educate me on the use of wikis.

When a couple more people sign on we will begin our communication and brainstorming. It is my vision and prayer that together we will come up with a topic for the series and tentative dates. I am open to it being an Advent or Lent series. We will share our ideas on the sermon topic for each week. We will coordinate our research and study so as to not duplicate efforts. Once we finalize the weekly topics we will determine who will be responsible for a given week. Individually we will work on an outline for “our” week. We will keep our outline available to the whole group so they can add their input. We will share possible illustrations – even if it has to do with someone else’s week! I do not envision writing out a complete manuscripts—I preach from on outline and study notes. There is a program (somewhat like Powerpoint) that is web based that I am hoping we can use. It allows the slides to be viewed over the internet (anyone will be free to view the presentation). While our churches may have very different “styles” of worship, we will suggest possible hymns and songs for each week. As we preach the series we will give constructive feedback to each other. It would be really cool if we could record the messages as podcasts to hear how each of us “tweaked” the message for our own style of preaching, church, setting and setting.

If the group is interested I could see us letting a church “magazine” know what we are up to and follow us through the project.

If this is a positive experience I would be willing to organize another event like this in the future.

My wife is in Baltimore this week. She has been part of a team of CPA auditors that is writing a nation-wide training course for her company. Each has a particular part to write. They give each other feedback and ideas. This week they are presenting the first “test” of the project. The are all giving each other feedback and making changes. Next week they will be in Washington, D.C. to “train the trainers.” Businesses are successfully doing what I am proposing we do. This combining of our passion for Christ, love of preaching and our gifts, talents and skill could help us deliver more effective sermons. The Holy Spirit is always the one who gives us inspiration and assists the person in the pew to hear God’s word. Yet, for some craze reason the God of the Universe uses pastors and teachers to be his spokespersons.

Please consider being a part of this crazy sermon writing team.

A Wild Idea - Day 1

Last year I attended a conference at Willow Creek Community Church. I learned a lot at the conference and would highly recommend a visit to Willow Creek. While there I learned that Willow Creek has several “teaching” pastors. This is so different from the experience of most churches! Most churches have one pastor that preaches every week. There is an advantage to preaching every week. I know the people and the people know me. I know many of the “needs” of those who are worshipping with us. Mega-church pastors can miss this blessing. The struggle is to stay “fresh” and “relevant.” The congregation could benefit from having a new voice every now and then.

Here’s my idea. I am looking for two, three or four people that read my blog to help develop a sermon series for use in the fall of 2006 or spring of 2007. As a group we would come up with the topic and text. Each of us would be responsible for one message. We would provide an outline for all the others in the group. We will give feedback to help improve the message.

We will use a wiki and this blog to involve as many people as possible in the process.

Post a comment on the blog if you would like to be a part of this cyber-preaching team.

Final Thoughts on Church/Pastor Options

There are numerous denominations to which a church or pastor could go to as they leave the PCUSA. A web site called “shasta.com” has a very complete list of denominations in the “Presbyterian” and “Reformed” families (as well as most other church families as well). The site provides links to the web sites of the denominations that are listed.

One denomination to look at is the Reformed Church in America. Their web site states, “Our Call in the Reformed Church in America is to build on the foundations of discipleship, leadership, and mission and to renew existing congregations and start new churches.” Four key areas are revitalizing and multiplying churches, discipleship, leadership and mission. The “consistory” for each congregation is made up of the pastor(s), elders and deacons—this group governs the local congregation. A governing body called a “classis” oversees pastors and congregations in a given geographical area. The RCA also has Regional Synods and a General Synod. I am not very familiar with the RCA so I encourage you to look closer at this denomination.

A final option that I want to touch briefly upon is not going to be a popular one—it deals with pastors. This option is to leave the full-time pastoral ministry. Pastors and their families can be casualties of the battles in the PCUSA. One of my pastor friends has resigned from his church and is taking a break from pastoral ministry. Worship wars, congregational power struggles and frustration with the PCUSA all contributed to his decision. My friend has a passion for Christ and his church, yet he is FRUSTRATED with the institutionalized church. His heart breaks for those who are apart from Christ, yet he knows that most of these people will never walk in the doors of a church. He is intrigued with the idea of starting a very non-traditional outreach geared for these folks. The bottom line is that he is no longer serving as a pastor of a local church in the PCUSA. How many others will choose to leave the ministry?

Where to Next?

My intention was to spend several days commenting on the General Assembly’s Stated Clerk's interpretation of the PUP controversy when it was released. I read it with anticipation. It made me so angry that I wanted to leave the PCUSA right then! His crotch must get very sore from trying to ride the fence of pleasing both “sides” in the ordination debate. He has been on the fence so long that he has become impotent. I needed a straight-forward answer—he gave me lawyer babble. I wouldn’t mind if he gave a straight-forward answer and then backed it up with lawyer language. Would he do that? NO!! A long-time church member came up to me before church on Sunday and expressed his EXTREME ANGER toward the PCUSA and said that he was having a hard time staying with the PCUSA. I shared my frustration. The Stated Clerk’s office gave me no tools/help in trying to decipher the PUP controversy to my congregation. The State Clerk failed me, my congregation and the PCUSA. I am going to wait a few days look at specifics of his interpretation until my anger and frustration level go back to manageable levels. Until then, I am going to look at a wild idea that I have. See you tomorrow as we start on a new journey!

Final Thoughts on Church/Pastor Options

There are numerous denominations to which a church or pastor could go to as they leave the PCUSA. A web site called “shasta.com” has a very complete list of denominations in the “Presbyterian” and “Reformed” families (as well as most other church families as well). The site provides links to the web sites of the denominations that are listed.

One denomination to look at is the Reformed Church in America. Their web site states, “Our Call in the Reformed Church in America is to build on the foundations of discipleship, leadership, and mission and to renew existing congregations and start new churches.” Four key areas are revitalizing and multiplying churches, discipleship, leadership and mission. The “consistory” for each congregation is made up of the pastor(s), elders and deacons—this group governs the local congregation. A governing body called a “classis” oversees pastors and congregations in a given geographical area. The RCA also has Regional Synods and a General Synod. I am not very familiar with the RCA so I encourage you to look closer at this denomination.

A final option that I want to touch briefly upon is not going to be a popular one—it deals with pastors. This option is to leave the full-time pastoral ministry. Pastors and their families can be casualties of the battles in the PCUSA. One of my pastor friends has resigned from his church and is taking a break from pastoral ministry. Worship wars, congregational power struggles and frustration with the PCUSA all contributed to his decision. My friend has a passion for Christ and his church, yet he is FRUSTRATED with the institutionalized church. His heart breaks for those who are apart from Christ, yet he knows that most of these people will never walk in the doors of a church. He is intrigued with the idea of starting a very non-traditional outreach geared for these folks. The bottom line is that he is no longer serving as a pastor of a local church in the PCUSA. How many others will choose to leave the ministry?

Where to Next?

My intention was to spend several days commenting on the General Assembly’s Stated Clerk's interpretation of the PUP controversy when it was released. I read it with anticipation. It made me so angry that I wanted to leave the PCUSA right then! His crotch must get very sore from trying to ride the fence of pleasing both “sides” in the ordination debate. He has been on the fence so long that he has become impotent. I needed a straight-forward answer—he gave me lawyer babble. I wouldn’t mind if he gave a straight-forward answer and then backed it up with lawyer language. Would he do that? NO!! A long-time church member came up to me before church on Sunday and expressed his EXTREME ANGER toward the PCUSA and said that he was having a hard time staying with the PCUSA. I shared my frustration. The Stated Clerk’s office gave me no tools/help in trying to decipher the PUP controversy to my congregation. The State Clerk failed me, my congregation and the PCUSA. I am going to wait a few days look at specifics of his interpretation until my anger and frustration level go back to manageable levels. Until then, I am going to look at a wild idea that I have. See you tomorrow as we start on a new journey!