Pyrotechnics versus tradition in growing the Church

Here is a nice piece from Rev. Sarah Puryear, a young Episcopal Priest, writing about the efforts of the churches - particularly the historic and liturgical churches that grew out of the Reformation - to reach Millennials.  She notes that many of the "silver bullet" and "quick fix" strategies are rather superficial, saying:

"If churches are looking for quick fixes that might ease their sense of panic and attract young people, they need only consider the suggestions of millennial Jordan Taylor, who suggests in his video “How to Get Millennials Back in Church” the following remedies: fog machines, light shows, aggressive worship leaders, and a beard for every staff member. Taylor’s sarcastic suggestions expose a central weakness in many churches’ thinking about how to draw millennials: young adults can tell when they are the target of marketing strategies, and they generally don’t appreciate it."

She goes on to underscore new research that demonstrates the importance that parents - mothers and fathers - play in passing the faith on to the next generation.  As a society, we love to outsource "problem solving" to properly accredited professionals - and so we try this same approach when it comes to trying to keep our children connected to Christ and his Church.  Instead we should look to the time-honored practices of families praying together, reading the Bible and talking about their faith together, and of parents living a dedicated Christian life for their children to see and learn from.  This is no silver bullet.  It is simply the organic and natural process whereby a Christian parent's faith can bear fruit in the life of a child.  I strongly suspect - in the entertainment age when the TV screen (rather than the family altar) is the dominant focal point of the home - that it is the collapse of the "home church" and the Christian training of the children by their parents that is really at the root of the decline of active Christian faith in our culture.

Finally, she believes that this organic/natural family model can inform the communal life of the church as well, as she writes: 

I believe there is a parallel here for the Church. Rather than luring young adults through flashy programs or outsourcing their formation to experts, we will contribute to the spiritual formation of the next generation best by being serious about our faith ourselves. We must be serious about our faith on two levels — first and foremost, demonstrating what it means to be a Christian, a disciple of Jesus; and second, modeling what it looks like to be a Christian in the Anglican tradition. Most Episcopal churches don’t stand a chance against nondenominational churches in a pyrotechnic competition, but we have a rich and beautiful tradition in our prayer book that goes beyond short-lived trends that will seem horribly dated within a few years’ time. Our tradition will not appeal to everyone, but it will draw young adults who long for something deeper in a superficial and distracted age.

I believe the same can be said about the Wesleyan/Methodist tradition.  We share in the same liturgical and doctrinal stream as do the Anglican churches (if only we'd remember it in practice); we share with many churches a special emphasis on the spiritual disciplines and practices that can deeply anchor one's life in the life of the Triune God: the Early Methodists teach us to live by a rule of life, to practice meditation on Scripture, prayer, fasting, sacraments, silence, covenant groups, corporate praise, and so on.  I am afraid that we Methodists currently seem to be buying into more of the "let's look to the entertainment industry to find a flashy, wizz-bang, silver bullet" mentality, rather than committing ourselves afresh to the deep doctrinal truths and spiritual practices of our own tradition as a key to connecting people with Life Himself. 

In an age of loud, superficial, and often mind-numbing (rather than intellect-sharpening) entertainment/distraction I believe there are many young adults looking for ways to connect more deeply to God and to Reality.  Christ has created his Church precisely to help people do just that!

Last week our local church led a retreat of 25 people to a Benedictine Monastery.  We had among us a handful of young adults who had a great experience.  No fog machine, but instead the Daily Office.  No light show, but instead Lectio Divina.  No celebrities, but instead some genuine Christian community - what we Methodists call "holy Conferencing."  And through it all, God was near...and that was enough to feed our souls.

"My flesh and heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever...for me it is good to be near to God; I have made the Lord God my refuge..."  Psalm 73:26-28  

Engaging Chesterton on doctrine

I enjoy reading the 'Conciliar Anglican' blog now and again; it is the place to go for thoughtful posts from an Episcopal priest deeply rooted in the ancient orthodoxy ("true and right belief") of the universal ("catholic") Church across the ages.  In this recent post he engages with the always provocative G.K. Chesterton on the virtues of firm doctrinal boundaries (much maligned by certain members and even leaders and bishops of the historic Protestant Churches these days).  Read the full post HERE.

I am convinced that the recovery of firm doctrinal boundaries is a key to the renewal of Christianity in our culture.  Not that the Church needs or must have a hard and fast rule or teaching on every possible issue - that kind of rigidity leaves little room for thinking through the implications of our faith; yet on the other hand an indifferent "anything goes" attitude towards Christian teaching and Biblical (mis)interpretation - which has prevailed in some circles of historic Protestantism - leaves churches with no identity, no message, and therefore no relevance, no prophetic challenge, and no gospel consolation for the world around us.

I am one who finds such boundaries exactly where they've always been: in the historic catholic creeds (such as the Apostles' and Nicene Creeds) and in the doctrinal standards of my own denomination.  The above statue of Chesterton is in the quaint town of Ponchatoula in my home state of Louisiana.  How it got there, I know not, but I think it is great.  

I couldn't resist this cartoon

OK, this is (like all political cartoons) obviously over the top, but when I saw it I had a great laugh - the kind that is literally out loud - and felt compelled to share.

I don't know too much about the 'nuclear deal' with Iran yet, but from what I have heard
1) we get to inspect their nuclear facilities...but only after giving them 2 weeks prior notice (enough time to hide weaponizing equipment??), and also
2) we did not get any of our citizens back who are imprisoned in Iran (including Christian missionaries)
3) I worry about how Israel will respond if it goes forward - though they may accept it in the end
4) Also, some analysts are already saying that this deal does not actually prevent Iran from getting nuclear weapons, but at best postpones it (presumably until the next Presidential administration, or maybe the one after that).

If all of this is correct (and I hope this is all overly pessimistic), then it sounds like a bad deal to me.  No doubt some will argue - as the administration has done - that what we got was as much as could be realistically hoped for and that almost any deal reduces the likelihood of war.  They are probably exactly right; certainly the diplomats have far more detailed knowledge than I (or the cartoonists) have on all this, and more knowledge of the major players in Iran as well.  And obviously averting even the possibility of a war with Iran or (yet another) conflict in the Middle East should indeed be a high priority.
One does wonder though if we might have been able to "realistically" get a better deal if American foreign policy and international influence did not look so sheepish in recent years.

In any case now the President will try to "sell" Congress on the virtues of this deal.  May the Lord give wisdom and insight to our Congress as they consider ratification.

Charles Wesley quote

“Catch on fire with enthusiasm and people will come for miles to watch you burn.”- Charles Wesley