I've been enjoying a brief exile this week. On Monday and Tuesday I was in New York meeting with Anglicans (or was it Episcopalians?) and discussing the future of an "every night in every home" reform movement across the church. On Halloween afternoon I was at the Museum of Biblical Art discussing He Qi's show this coming summer. On Halloween night I had a sixth row seat at Wicked on Broadway. Five stars and an amazing performance by Ana Gasteyer (Saturday Night Live) as the Wicket Witch of the West.
By Wednesday night I was on the train to hunt pheasants in the north west corner of North Dakota with my old high school/college buddies. Lots of laughs and memories, pheasants so thick you walk on them wherever you go, and three sessions getting stuck in the snow with the Ford Explorer, followed by a pheasant feast. Old friends are the best.
I returned to find an interesting thought on "exile/temple" pastoring from my friend Pastor Tim (the guy who memorizes the Gospel every week and presents it as theater/dramatic reading.) I thought it was a good way to start the week. Maybe we can begin a conversation here on pastors:
*Learning
to live in exile versus living in the temple
As a pastor
I have struggled to be a "Jesus follower"- yet often live as a
"Jesus admirer/cheerleader". I find that the way I learned to
"do church" is no longer working. Instead of people coming to the
temple (the church building) I find that we have been exiled (to the
sidelines). Sports, shopping, sleeping in, weekend trips, and endless
other options have shoved church to the edge. I live among people who are in
pain, remembering the glory days of being in the center, trying to figure out
ways to move back to the center. The "attractional model" of church
no longer works- bigger, better, fancier programs no longer draw people. I've
realized that Jesus didn't say, "Being amazing, attract people to the
church," he said "Go out into the world, embody my love, make
disciples, pass on what I've taught you." The church is painfully
learning the "incarnational model"- go, love, listen, be authentic,
wait for God to transform all of us, not just those who "have it".
So
FaithInkubators has really helped with this transition. Often, however, I feel
alone out here in south central PA. Many are despairing of finances,
attendance, etc. We get into the blame game- pastors, synod, ELCA, "those
people", the unchurched, etc. Am I crazy? The reality is exile. The temple
is long gone. I hear God saying, "Settle down. Have families. Find work.
Seek the welfare of the city." (Jeremiah somewhere). Exile is painful, but
also possibility. When you're not the center, you can't say as a "Jesus
admirer". God's grace pushes you towards becoming a "Jesus
follower."
-Pastor Tim
So, blog world, care to comment? - Rich
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