Sermon Styles and Politics: Drew’s Response
Jul 2nd, 2008 |
(This is in response to the letter in yesterday’s post. Remember, permission has been granted and the letters have been edited to obscure identities)
Dear friend,
First of all, thank you. Thank you for your support and encouragement. Thank you for addressing this issues directly with me. Thank you for the leadership you provide. My hope is that Lafayette Church will continue to develop people with character such as yours. (That may sound grandiose, but I mean it sincerely).
Regarding the “forum style” sermons: I understand the danger of this choice, and also that this opens the door to political statements and other comments that may lead to a cringe or two. Frankly, I had a couple myself last Sunday. I also realize that we should no longer give people the choice of speaking without a microphone. The room is just too big.
I am also flattered that you want to hear more of me!
At the same time, I would ask that you continue to be patient and gracious, to leave room for those that think differently than you.
While you want to hear more of me (which, again–I love), others want more time to share. Younger generations have disconnected from the church, in part, because they haven’t been heard.
When we look at the churches that are growing today, they tend to be in one extreme or the other:
On one hand, we have authoritarian churches, where the pastor is the dictator and everybody in agrees with him, and if they don’t, they can go to hell (literally, in some cases). This happens in conservative churches, but this phenomenon also occurs in more liberal circles.
A church can grow this way–numerically, at least, as like minded people gather to have already established beliefs re-inforced.
On the other hand, there are diverse churches, where there is room for different opinions and conversation. Bruce Reyes-Chow just got elected as moderator of our denomination, and he comes from a church like that: every Sunday, he shares for less than five minutes and “facilitates conversation” for the rest of the sermon time.
Interestingly enough, Bruce’s church, though large and still growing, has hardly anybody over 30. So maybe what we are dealing with is a generational difference.
I think you know that although I am sometimes tempted by the first style (everybody wants to be dictator now and then), it will hurt our community more than it will help it if adopted.
I think the second style is better for connecting different people (which we have) and for engaging the “under 30″ crowd (which is growing–even if I have “aged out” of that demographic).
That being said, the church is poorer if it loses the perspective, leadership, commmitment and example that comes from earlier generations.
Maybe I am being too optimistic in my hope that we can continue to grow without committing fully to one model or the other. As far as I can tell, few congregations are moving forward the way Lafayette is. For us to succeed in the path that we are on, it is going to take a special bunch of people that love another (fortunately for us–I think we have that!)
Frankly, it might be easier if we had two services for the two different perspectives. Maybe we will take that path someday, but doing so divides our resources and, more dangerously, God’s people.
So I want us to continue to try to walk the line, at least for a season. Every week won’t be like last week, but I think occasionally, we will need to do something like that. In the same way, occasionally my preaching will be more “lecture style.”
It’s not easy leading a diverse group of people in worshiping God, but I do believe it is worth it. Please know that I want our worship to be meaningful for everybody in our growing community, and that includes the “old fashioned” (as you put it) people as well.
My hope is that the times when things are challenging for you, you will continue to be graceful about it, and consider your patience with these new styles a gift to those in the church that need them. At the same time, please know that it is just as important that your needs are met in worship, too. I am not going to leave behind any of the wonderful legacy of this community.
Again, thank you for your emails. This is an important conversation, and I am glad we are having it.
Drew