When I arrived for my conversation and lunch with Bishop Rinehart, it was the first time I had been in our new synod offices. Mike greeted me and asked me if I wanted the tour.
Curious, I accepted.
Mike led me through and introduced me to the synod staff, and then we walked into the current conference room. We stopped in front of a map...a geograpic map of the synod. On it were marked the congregations of the synod.
I am a part of the Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coast Synod.
http://gulfcoastsynod.org/AboutUs.html
If you look on the map on the web link, you will see outlined in black the land area we encompass.
Interestingly enough, our congregations are pretty clustered: the Houston area, west into Washington, Austin, Colorado and such counties, and in the more urban areas of Louisiana. But there are some very, very large gaps.
Mike pointed out the map as something that really helped him get his head around how our congregations were distributed. He found it particularly interesting our lack of congregations in far East Texas and Western Louisiana.
I made a couple of comments: #1. That's big Missouri Synod territory. Mike agreed.
#2. "We've got a big mission field."
Mike and I didn't expand that comment further and talk about it much, but I wish we would have.
I think one of the major problems in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America is our blatant disregard for planting and starting congregations.
Now, I'm sure a few eyebrows will be raised at that comment. I know at least one person connected with Chicago and even the TLGC Synod would like to dispute me and say that we are truly dedicated to starting congregations and reaching out. We have resources allocated and mission developers, etc., etc., etc.
Yeah. Right.
For every mission developer and dollar allocated, I'll show you mounds of paperwork and red tape imposed by our denomination which kills the spirit of a pastor who is seeking to start a congregation. I'll also show you more of an interest in social justice instead of evangelism. And while social justice is important, I believe Jesus' command to make disciples takes priority.
And the United States is a HUGE, VAST, OVERWHELMING mission field. Check out this link about church attendance and the average American:
http://ns.umich.edu/htdocs/releases/story.php?id=8155
Even though, we like to say we are religious, we're not really following through. Our actions aren't in step with our words. To me, this means we've a mission to connect people to Christ.
And while Christ is certainly present in the world, we can be assured of His presence at Church.
We need to be planting churches, and there is a vast mission field for the ELCA, in my opinion.
Sure, I don't agree with all the policy decisions of this church. Sure, I don't agree with all its Biblical interpretation, but it is my church. I have grown up in it and with it. And I want it to be faithful. It bothers me to see it in decline, and I believe it needs to loose the power of its congregation members and pastors in witness. I believe it needs to loose the power of its people to plant congregations be they lay or clergy. Cut the red tape, and go!
Two things in this regard come to mind:
#1. I have a fantasy of winning the powerball. I wondered what I might do with large sums of money, and something struck me the other day as I contemplated such a thing. Wouldn't it be cool to be able to head from town to town as St. Paul did and establish churches? Wouldn't it be cool to venture out and proclaim the Gospel in public places and invite folks to get together in a home or some other such place and begin a congregation? Wouldn't it be cool to say, "I will be here with you for a year or two, and then it's up to you."? Talk about people taking responsibility for their church... And, churches can get planted and grow... Maybe a return to the Biblical model of church planting might be helpful.
P.S. I know Paul wasn't rich as he headed out. I'm not as brave as he was, and I have a family to think of at this juncture. While part of me is intrigued by the adventure, because of my family commitments, I'm a little more drawn to security at this juncture of my life. Perhaps that makes me a hypocrite, and I ask for forgiveness.
#2. I remember my uncle and I visiting one day. He is a retired pastor who spent many years in East Texas serving Lutheran congregations. He made the comment, "It's hard for Lutherans to grow congregations in East Texas."
I understand the sentiments. First, this area of the South is pretty conservative. The ELCA is not exactly a conservative church, and the ideology makes for an interesting dynamic. Yet, I have found in my own conservative context, ideology doesn't matter as much to most folks. They want to connect to God, and they mostly do so through the preaching of the pastor. They are mostly willing to overlook ideology if they have a pastor who 1. Can preach a really good sermon. and 2. Is willing to admit the ideology might be or is wrong. and 3. Gives people freedom to adhere to their beliefs without trying to change them.
As I have traveled throughout the ELCA, I'm not too sure we're exactly good at some of those points. Most of the time, we pastors try to defend our positions or the positions of the denomination. We take things personally instead of allowing healthy disagreement or even acknowledging that others might be right and we might be wrong. Humility tends to be sorely lacking. And I don't exactly know many ELCA preachers who rank up there in terms of charisma and dynamism. Down south here, we compete with Pentecostals and Southern Baptists who whip people into an emotional frenzy with their words. We Lutherans aren't so good with such things. We tend to get very heady. Instead of preaching the plain language of the text, we start delving into Biblical criticism and methodologies, and before you know it, people are lost. And since Biblical criticism and methodologies tend to be seen as more liberal... Well, it doesn't help our cause in reaching out in a more conservative area.
But I am convinced it can be done. I know it can. I've seen it done, and am experiencing it right now in my congregation.
After looking at that map in the Synod Office, I am appalled at all the blank spaces.
They should be filled with dots of congregations. Small, medium and large ones.
Mission.
Evangelism.
Discipleship.
No more excuses.
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