Ministry Journey Blog

Process is very important, especially in the church. In fact, I would argue that process is the most important practical matter in the church. Process is more important than results. Healthy process allows room for so much more and a lack of process often yields a less helpful result and can lead to additional conflict, resentment and other challenges. The problem is that many churches tend to over process conflict and under process everything else. Process allows for multiple voices and perspectives. Process allows for greater ownership and creativity. More often than not, the process itself teaches us far more than we gain from the result. We stand a much better chance of obtaining an ideal result when we use consistent, transparent and healthy process.

I have not quite figured out why the church struggles so much with process, but there is no question that most churches do. Whether a complete lack of process, unhealthy process, outdated process or most often a combination of the three, churches continue to struggle with process and there is an impact on the fruit that they bear. Whether fear, insecurity, lack of theological reflection or a variety of other motivators, it seems as though we are not even interested in wrestling with the question about process. This has caused the church to wander and increased the identity crisis that we face.

Process is more important than results. If we gave as much attention to process as we do marketing, metrics and programs, I suspect we would see a very different church than exists today in the world.

Published on Fuller Seminary’s Burner Blog for Pastors and Leaders.

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by Marcus J. Carlson

My love-hate Relationship with the Lectionary

I have a confession. I have a love-hate relationship with the lectionary. I have served mostly in denominational churches and in the past decade I have had to develop a relationship with the lectionary to some level (whether completely or partially). I believe there are some benefits as well as some drawbacks to the lectionary, which combined with my own theology, personality, gifts and styles has led me to this love-hate relationship with the lectionary.

There are many benefits to the lectionary; the first benefit is that it helps a pastor and a church cover the whole breadth of scripture over several years. While it does not hit every verse, it is very comprehensive which is not easy to accomplish when planning on your own. It is easy to become monotonous or focus only on your favorite scriptures or topics, which is another benefit of the lectionary. The lectionary is also helpful because it is seasonal in the sense that it honors the church seasons and helps bring them to light. Unfortunately, have lost sight of many of the church seasons in a lot of churches. The lectionary also reduces the workload of choosing scriptures. Additionally, there is also the historical value of the lectionary, both in its formation and selection. We have a tendency to only value the new, which in the case of the church is a huge mistake, especially when we as individuals pick and choose what parts of our history as a church we pay attention to. The final benefit of the lectionary is the three-year rotation that allows you to visit some of the same scriptures. You might focus on a different lesson from the last time you preached it, but the word of God is alive and there is always something new to glean in a variety of seasons of life and ministry. This can be a problem if you end up repeating sermons over and over again, which I do not see as right, but have seen many pastors do. These are some of the reasons that I love the lectionary.

There are also some drawbacks to the lectionary; the first drawback is that it causes a lack of freedom for preaching, the pastor and the church. More importantly, it is not always contextual, meaning it does not always fit your context, the people of your church and community and what is happening at any given time in church or culture, not that this should always dictate the sermon. The lectionary can also be forced. I have had countless times while preaching the lectionary where I have found it very difficult to pick a lesson that I could preach with passion and make relevant, and so I probably did so with less quality. It can also create a sense of preaching laziness. I once had a teenager complain to me about the sermons at a church I served, saying, “I have been here my whole life and I have heard this same sermon three times.” I think this is unfortunate and wrong on many levels. The lectionary can lack freshness and relevance, which should not be too important, but should matter some as we lead our people into a deeper, life-changing relationship with God. The final drawback of the lectionary in my mind is that it can be too academic. It is rooted more in an academic and perhaps liberal approach to scripture than it is in a relational, transformative approach. This can be hard for congregations to find meaning in something they cannot understand.

At the end of the day, I have found it all depends on your context, but my personal approach is to use a combination of the lectionary and sermon series. I don’t pick and choose which scriptures to use each week, but I rather do it several weeks at a time to create connections and consistency. I think the lectionary is exceptionally helpful on special church days (Pentecost, Ash Wednesday etc) and during some of the special seasons such as Lent and Advent.

Dr. David Scholer’s Top Ten Reasons That Men Should Not Be Ordained:

10. A man’s place is in the army.

9. For men who have children, their duties might distract them from the responsibility of being a parent.

8. Their physical build indicates that men are most suited to tasks such as chopping down trees and wrestling mountain lions. It would be “unnatural” for them to do other forms of work.

7. Man was created before woman, obviously as a prototype. Thus, they represent an experiment, rather than the crowing achievement of creation.

6. Men are too emotional to be priests or pastors. Their conduct at football games shows this.

5. Some men are handsome; thus they will distract women worshipers.

4. To be ordained as a pastor is to nurture the congregation. But this is not a traditional male role. Rather, throughout history, women have been considered to be not only more skilled than men at nurturing, but also more fervently attracted to it. This makes them the obvious choice for ordination.

3. Men are overly prone to violence. No really manly man wants to settle disputes otherwise than by fighting about it. Thus, they would be poor role models, as well as being dangerously unstable in positions of leadership.

2. Men can still be involved in church activities, even without being ordained. They can sweep paths, repair the church roof, and maybe even lead the singing on Father’s Day. By confining themselves to the traditional male roles, they can still be vitally important in the life of the Church.

1. In the New Testament account, the person who betrayed Jesus was a man. Thus, his lack of faith and ensuing punishment stands as a symbol of the subordinated position that all men should take.

Dr. David Scholer presented this list in 1998 at Fuller Follies. It was taken, with small modifications, from a November 24, 1997 e-mail communication from W. Ward and Laurel Gasque. It is not known whether they are the authors.

Manning and Willard: Two Men Who Changed My Life…

The church and the world have lost two great thinkers, writers and men of God in the past month, Brennan Manning on April 12 and Dallas Willard on May 8. When I am asked to name those who have been mentors, heroes and individuals who have changed my life, these two men’s names often come up. When I think about the best books that I have read that shaped me, that I would re-read over and over again, these two men are always on the list. My life is dramatically different because of their voice and the world has lost two great men of God who are now rejoicing with one another in heaven.

When I reflect on the most transformative seasons of my life, particularly when it comes to my spiritual life and my relationship with Jesus, I often look to my time in college as the most transformative season of life. I was a fairly new Christian and experienced such great transformation during those four years that I would not be who I am today without that season. If I think back to my time at Eastern University, it was 1998 that was the most transformative year of all. Two of the reasons that year was so powerful had to do with these to great men, Brennan Manning and Dallas Willard. I am saddened by their lost, but have been forever changed by their voice and cannot help but think back 15 years ago when I first encountered them both.

Brennan Manning came to speak at our college in February that year. It was the first I had ever heard him or heard of him. He would become my favorite writer as I read Ragamuffin Gospel for the first time. I resonated with Brennan’s story and his words both in our sessions and in his writings continue to shape me still to this day. I never really understood grace until I encountered Brennan Manning. Because of Brennan Manning I began to understand grace and experienced Jesus in a way I never had before. I can still remember the deep brokenness I had to embrace and the immense joy as I recognized the real nature of grace for the first time. Brennan Manning showed me what the unconditional love and grace of God really meant.

That fall I took a class called foundations of Christian Spirituality. It was my first exposure to the spiritual disciplines. It was also my first exposure to Dallas Willard. Spirit of the Disciplines was one of the books for the course. Willard’s writing introduced me to a whole new understanding of what it meant to pursue Jesus and to have a relationship with the God of the universe. It was that fall that I first began to practice the disciplines that because of people like Willard have become a part of my life each and every day. Through the disciplines I have discovered God, myself and much more. Its when I discovered and began to practice the disciplines that my relationship with Jesus became real. Dallas Willard pointed me to a new way of living that has shown me what abundant life is all about.

15 years ago my life changed forever because of these two men. I would not be the Christ-follower, husband, father, pastor, spiritual director or human being I am today without these two men. Their authenticity, voice, grace, humility, and relationship with Jesus were and will continue to be transformative. Thank you God for gifting me, the church and the world with these two men. As they bask in glory with you, may their voice continue to speak into our lives it this world and may the transforming power of the Holy Spirit speaking through tem continue to change the world.

Published on Fuller Seminary’s Burner Blog for Pastors and Leaders.

Read the Article here

by Marcus J. Carlson

Oz Leadership

The Wizard of Oz was one of my favorite movies as a kid and I see its reemergence as something worth noting. Recently I found myself reflecting on three of the characters from the original movie and realized each has something to teach us about leadership. While the scarecrow without the brain, the tin man without the heart and the lion without courage are all endearing characters we find ourselves rooting, hoping for, and valuing in spite of their perceived lacking, they point to some great leadership dangers, especially in the church.

Scarecrow Leadership-leading without a brain:

Leading without a brain is dangerous not only because it is reactive and lacks thought, but also because it is hurtful to those you serve and lead. The scarecrow leader is disorganized, aloof, chaotic and forgetful. The scarecrow leader is always scattered, forgetting names, details, meetings, conversations and other important things. The scarecrow leader may be deeply relational, but they do not always seem present and aware. The Scarecrow leader is gentle and endearing, but also frustrating. The Scarecrow will often tell themselves relationship matters more than details and if people feel loved, nothing else will really matter.

Tin Man Leadership-leading without a heart:

Leading without heart is painful, destructive, demeaning and deeply damaging to everyone who works with the heartless leader. The tin man can be aggressive, demeaning, discouraging and demoralizing. The Tin Man leader needs to be in control and manages well, but is rarely if ever encouraging. The Tin Man leader is characterized by insensitivity and lacks compassion and tact and is often distant. The Tin Man leader may be very professional, effective, organized and outgoing, but they do not always demonstrate care. The Tin Man leader builds systems and teams well and provides great support, but often struggles to offer genuine encouragement to those around them. The Tin Man will often tell his or herself that accountability is most important and people will need to learn to understand that their toughness is love.

Cowardly Lion Leadership-leading without courage:

Leading without courage is deeply destructive to the organization and people the leader serves. Cowardly Lion leadership is reactive, inconsistent, fearful and lacks the trust required for effective leadership and growth. The Cowardly Lion leader is frequently anxious (perhaps internally and/or externally), has a high need for control and planning, and often assumes the worst in the midst of negative information or conflict.  The Cowardly Lion leader is gentle and humble, liked by many, but known well by few. They are often effective managers and maintain general ministry health well while struggling to lead significant change. The Cowardly Lion leader will often compensate for their leadership style by telling themselves that they are trying to be pastoral and caring and believe they are helping those they lead by minimizing or eliminating conflict. Due to their own exhaustion from conflict, they assume those they lead cannot or should not face too much conflict, lest they be exhausted too.

If we are honest, we are tempted from time to time to fall into one these categories, perhaps even leading completely out of one of these models. While we cannot avoid errors that could be categorized as lacking thought, heart or courage, we need to take these temptations seriously to avoid becoming a brainless, heartless or cowardly leader to those we are seeking to lead and serve.

Published on Fuller Seminary’s Burner Blog for Pastors and Leaders.

Read the Article here

by Marcus J. Carlson

Is Culture Leading the American Church?

The church today resembles culture more and more, and unfortunately, instead of changing the world, the church has been changed by the world. This is backwards, and while we must minister to the culture we live in, the church is losing its identity. Here are five of the ways I believe the church has been changed by the world:

The church has become overly corporate. The church has become too corporate. In fact, most churches in the United States today look and act a lot more like a business than they do the body of Christ. Certainly the corporate world can teach the church much about systems, processes, policies and how to handle finances; however, the church has not used discernment as to which corporate values should be applied to the life of the church and how those values should be applied. We treat our ministries and programs as products, look at our congregation and community members as customers, and seek to please rather than to lead.

The church is incredibly consumeristic. Evangelism has turned into marketing. We have turned the church into a fast food restaurant, seeking to have a sleek appearance in our buildings, our worship services and even our staff. We are constantly trying to find ways to meet everyone’s needs so people will come and stay. We inundate people with programs and ministries for every niche so that they do not leave us for the church down the street. We want to be sure to offer the right kind of worship service, whether it is one that ends in exactly an hour or it is a worship service that is perfectly scripted. Entertainment and comfort have replaced theology.

The church is too democratic. Most reasonable people would argue democracy is the healthiest and best form of government we have in the world today, but like any system or philosophy, democracy is not perfect. Somehow the freedom we are promised (and often feel entitled to) in our country has become the expectation in the church. We assume the values of democracy should be the values of the church, but even a cursory examination of the life of Christ demonstrates this is not the case. Our call is to sacrifice not to entitlement.

The church has become a capitalistic institution. For the record, Jesus was not much of a capitalist. In fact, Jesus was not much of a socialist either. The worship of capitalism in the church has given prominence to the prosperity gospel, one of the great heresies of our modern culture. Grace and capitalism are not always compatible, and the church is called to be a mission organization focused on service, not what it can do, earn or produce. The production of fruit is God’s business; our business is to trust God and to be faithful.

The church is dangerously individualistic. We have lost sight of community in our world. Our focus is on our own individual needs, wants and desires. Our energy is poured into our own sense of justice, fairness and our rights as individuals with laws, systems and expectations emphasizing the individual to a high level. The church iby its nature and definition is a communal organization. Yet our own focus on individual salvation often neglects our need for community, so our churches have become a collection of lonely, isolated, individual participants rather than a community of faith.

The church is called to be different. Jesus is the light of the world and the church is his bride. It is time for the church of Jesus Christ to act more like his partner and less like a religious mirror of the world Jesus came to transform.

“The Kingdom of God is not built on business principles.”  Peter Hintzoglou

This is one of the simplest ways I have heard this key truth communicated. One of my greatest frustrations with the North American church is our focus on business principles, corporate values and a general business mentality. Its one of the most profound and dangerous ways in which the world has changed the church. Its one of the most destructive patterns in the church today that is hurting leaders, ministry and driving younger generations from the church in droves. While business principles may be helpful in dealing with the finances of our churches, and may even help us create policies and procedures to help care for and protect our churches, the use and value of business principles in the church is dramatically overstated. The greatest challenges are not the use of these principles, but business principles are seen as Godly, that they are seen as an important part of the church by default and that we do not think theologically about how we do/don’t use or apply business principles to the life of the church.

The current generation of church leaders have been running most of our churches like a business, in many cases unapologetically. The profound devastation this has created, especially with staff members breaks my heart. Having been both guilty of doing soon as well as a victim of this, I speak from a place of great remorse and conviction. The church of Jesus Christ is not a business, nor should the bride of Christ been seen that way. The stripping away of Biblical principles, theology and a Kingdom vision is just as tragic as some of the decisions that we have been making around theology and the authority of the Bible. Hersey is heresy. Business principles often focus on the bottom line and are based in fear and control. The church is a community of faith. The church is focused on relationships; with God, the world and one another. The values of the Kingdom of God are in direct contradiction with the vast majority of business principles that have invaded the church. If we look carefully at the life of Jesus and are honest with ourselves, we have not taken the words, stories and actions of Jesus seriously. We have spent time piously defending ourselves like the Pharisees or in have focused on embracing the principles of the world like Pilate and the other politicians of Jesus’ day. Whether it an unhealthy focus on our own religious or theological superiority like the Pharisees or embracing the business principles of this world like the politicians, we have not focused the life, work and ministry of the church on Jesus. This is more of a confession than it is a condemnation. I have spent many years mimicking the politicians or the Pharisees and not the Christ.

We can all do better. There is hope for us and for the church.

It’s easy to be cynical about the state and the future of the Christian church in the United States (and all of North America and Europe for that matter). My wife is one of a handful of people who accuse me of being cynical, but I see myself as more of a realist. That said, living in cynicism towards the church is not the answer, nor is it healthy. What I don’t talk about enough is all of the potential I see for the church both today and in the future. I see a lot of potential for the church right now. I believe that many of the generations that are co-existing in the church right now want a more genuine, life-changing authentic faith and church experience. I also believe that those who are children and young adults are deeply passionate about poverty and other justice related issues. These two things (along with many other pieces of good news) could really help the church get back to its roots and identity. While the institution has its issues, I do not think institution needs to be thrown away. I do believe that a greater focus on the mission and the movement as a people and an institution is the answer. Taking the strength, structure and resources of the institutional church and focusing them on the mission and the movement that is Christianity could become a powerful combination for life and world change. While serving in ministry (in any capacity) may be in many ways more challenging than ever, with greater effort, focus and spirit I think that we are poised for a tremendous amount of potential to create sustainable life change in individuals, families, communities and the world.

Bill Hybels has been quoted as saying ‘the local church is the hope of the world.’ It’s a powerful quote, an utterance that seems like something of the Holy Spirit. The problem is that it does not feel like its at all true. The world needs an awful lot of hope. When I hear stories of hope and restoration, more of them seem to be coming from outside the church than from the church. When I look at the image of the church both amongst those inside of it and those who are not, hope is not a word that is often used to characterize the church today. Its easy to be critical and cynical of the church. Its rational to blame the church for its shortcomings and to hold it accountable. Its much harder however to change it. I have wanted to be an agent of change in the church, but changing the church is hard and costly. I too have become comfortable as a professional in the institution. I think Bill is right, the local church is the hope of the world. That’s our call, its our identity. Its what Christ wants of us. So where do we go from here? There are certainly some simple answers, but their application is incredibly difficult. If the church is to be the hope of the world, then we all as the church and its participants must speak hope into each and every situation. We must live hope. We must embody hope. We must own hope. We must look for, be a part of and bring about the hope of the kingdom in our homes, neighborhoods, communities and the world that God created out of love. What does it mean for you, for your family and for your church to be the hope of the world in this season and in its context?

Published at Youthworker Journal

The Way: Mark Oestreicher-editor

The Way is in the New Living Translation and is geared towards youth. This Bible includes a wide variety of tools from a long list of thoughtful contributors. Most of the contributors are youth workers or those who teach youth workers. The tools included with this Bible are introductions to the various books of the Bible, a topic and verse finder, a helpful index of the tools and great and unique photos. Also included in this Bible are devotions, justice and service moments, testimonies and challenge sections that help the reader apply Biblical truth. The tools and resources offered in this Bible are very well done. They are practical, accessible and reasonably sound theologically. There is a great diversity of tools offered in this Bible and great diversity within the individual tools. The photos are very interesting and add a depth to this Bible. I think the combinations of tools work very well together and that this Bible is a great asset, especially to adolescents, parents and youth workers. It is very missional in nature and would be a great tool or gift as a part of a mission trip or mission team. It is probably best suited for high school youth, especially those who desire depth and have a passion for service. It would be a great Bible to use as a part of a high school or college age small group or Bible study. Its more missional tone is especially relevant to a postmodern culture. Its depth and its discipleship tone could help the Bible come alive for many teenagers and young adults. It is clear that a lot of thought and effort went into the tools offered here. Youth workers may benefit from using some of the tools in their own lesson planning and study. I would consider using this most in preparing some of the lessons for youth mission teams. My only disappointment is that this Bible is only offered in the New Living Translation. I would love to see a Bible like this in other translations, especially the NIV.

Deep Blue Kids Bible

This children’s Bible is in the Common English Translation, which is often used for children’s Bibles. It’s colorful, easy to read and very kid friendly without being childish. This Bible is geared primarily for children age 8-12 and after reviewing it, I would say this age range is accurate although it would be most helpful to children ages 7-11, depending on their reading level. This Bible includes devotions, cool facts, memory verse suggestions, key faith concepts, challenges for the readers based on the scriptures, key points and themes as well as key Biblical traits and other helpful information for children. It is very attractive and offers great introductions to each book of the Bible. While the translation is often used for children’s Bibles, it is not as helpful, approachable, readable, accurate or child-friendly as other translations. The simplicity of the tools in this Bible is especially helpful, especially for children, parents and families. It could be a good Bible to give to children grades 3-5 if that is a part of your church’s tradition or practice. This Bible could be used in Sunday School classes, although the translation may be a challenge for some of the children in the younger range of the age target. It’s a solid Bible with solid tools worth having in your library. It would best be used by families that have children age 12 and under for family devotionals, reading and discussion. There are some great tools and information pieces in this Bible that would create great family conversation at the dinner table, in the car or as a part of a family devotional time. The tools included in this Bible could help parents to talk about the scriptures with their children and give them the confidence and tools to discuss God’s word as a family.

One Impact Bible

The NIV One Impact Bible by Zondervan is more than a Bible as it offers a variety of tools for its users. This Bible includes various elements at the start of each book of the Bible rather than spreading these pieces throughout the text. I found this to be helpful and certainly less distracting than many of the in-text pieces found in other Bibles. The elements offered as an introduction to each book of the Bible vary by the book, but I found each to be helpful. Some of the elements include verse highlights from the book, a devotion, prayers and introductions to the book that included some background information and history. Each of these elements are helpful, easy to read and thoughtful.  Throughout the Bible there are also mini-devotionals that include some of the same elements found at the start of the books of the Bible at a page in length. Again these include history, background, prayers, scriptures and a devotional. There are not an overwhelming number of these mini-devotionals, which is helpful. There is simplicity to this Bible that is very accessible, as it is not overdone like many Bibles that include devotionals. This extra material is well done, thoughtful and theologically sound. I would recommend this Bible more for personal use and personal devotion than anything else. In a ministry setting, this Bible is a good resource to have on your shelf as it does have some good ideas and thoughts that could be used in a lesson. The devotionals could be used in a variety of contexts as well. It could be a good Bible to give youth who are looking to read through the Bible and have some extra information as they go.

NIV Quick View Bible

The NIV Quick View Bible looks much like a bright, bold newspaper or magazine. This Bible has very easy to read text, is colorful and visually appealing. It includes a lot of full color graphics that are not for appearance; rather it offers great information including main points, highlights, facts and other interesting information. These information pieces provide great information and would be a very helpful resource when preparing a lesson. This Bible could also serve as a great additional study tool for the information that it provides. In a ministry setting, this might best be used with middle school youth as a classroom set for Sunday School or for a confirmation group because it does provide some interesting information and is easy to read. There are many good Bibles available today, and this would be a good resource to have in your library.

Rev. Marcus J Carlson has worked with children and youth for over 14 years and is a spiritual director. He current serves as Associate Pastor at Bethel Lutheran Church in Colorado Springs, CO. (marcusjcarlson.com)