Time to "Occupy Christmas"

by Brian Kaylor

In the classic Christmas film Miracle on 34th Street, the Kris Kringle character wisely declared, "Oh, Christmas isn't just a day, it's a frame of mind." More than six decades later, his claim seems more obvious than ever. Our society seems to have lost that frame of mind. Or perhaps more accurately, we have lost our minds. As if the sight of huddled masses standing in parking lots hoping for the stroke of midnight so they can start shopping is not bad enough, we apparently are rushing from the Thanksgiving table to celebrate Christmas by turning shopping malls in war zones. A shopper at a Walmart in California decided to celebrate the birth of Jesus by pepper spraying other shoppers just so she could get a cheap video game console. Apparently she forgot that even though pepper spray has been banned in war, it is only supposed to be used on peaceful "occupy" protesters! Fights and even armed robberies occurred at several other stores across the nation. Additionally, after a man collapsed from a heart attack in a Target store in West Virginia, other shoppers just walked right by and even stepped over him as he lay dying on the floor. Apparently, the first two characters to find the hurt man in the parable of the "Good Samaritan" enjoy "Black Friday" sales! Three years ago, a Walmart employee was trampled to death by shoppers bursting into the store in hopes of being the first to find the best deals. Our society's growing consumerism is deadly! Each year it seems shopping becomes more and more the reason for the season. As shoppers pepper spray each other in hopes of getting a cheap plastic box or some other trinket that moth and rust will destroy, it is quite clear we need a new frame of mind.

We are not the first ones to become so distracted that we miss the reason for the season. Even the very first Christmas was ignored by the religious leaders of the day. When the magi showed up in Jerusalem looking for the newborn King, Herod brought the religious leaders together to explain where the baby could be found. The religious leaders said "Bethlehem" and quoted a scripture passage to prove it. Then, the magi left. It is the story we expect in our Christmas pageants, but it is not the reaction we should actually expect. The religious leaders apparently stayed in Jerusalem! Some guys show up and say that the Messiah has been born and all they need to know is where he is. The religious leaders know their scriptures well enough to provide the answer, but do not say, "He's in Bethlehem, let's go!" Instead, they were like, "He's over there if you're interested; bring me back a nice souvenir." You might think that if they knew where the Messiah was coming they would make periodic visits to the town just to make sure they did not miss it. Perhaps they became so callous and comfortable hanging out in the king's palace that they were not even moved by the news the King was born. How ironic that the religious leaders did not want to meet the Messiah but the astrologers did. The religious leaders needed a new frame of mind.

Two centuries later, we do not appear to be doing much better. Perhaps the view from our padded church pews is not as good as we think it is. Perhaps we need an "Occupy Christmas" effort to stop this dangerous consumerism. The annual "Buy Nothing Day" (which encourages people not to shop on "Black Friday") does not seem to go far enough (even though it was popularized by Adbusters, the same magazine that sparked the "Occupy Wall Street" movement). Simply avoiding the commercialization of Christmas for one day does not seem to be enough. When people are attacking each other so they can show they have "Christmas spirit," it suggests people are looking for inspiration from shopping catalogs instead of the Holy Spirit and flocking to shopping malls instead of churches as the sacred holiday spaces. Christmas is being lost in the chaos of a midnight "Black Friday" run to the store. It seems we are missing Advent in the midst of the shopping season. Advent is not just about lighting a candle on Sunday but instead about devoting a whole season to waiting, yearning, and hoping for the coming of our Savior. Like the religious leaders on that first Christmas, we need to get out of our comfortable realms of worldly possessions and check out life in cold, dirty stables. Perhaps this Christmas season we should move Advent to the streets. Maybe we should hold a service outside a predatory lending institution (payday or car title loans) as we proclaim God's good news for the poor and oppressed. Or maybe we should hold a service in the prison to declare God's redemption to set the prisoners free. Or maybe we should hold a service in the middle of the mall to proclaim God is Lord of Lords and salvation is free. This does not mean we need to start camping in city parks, but an "Occupy Christmas" effort might involve us following the model of the magi who left their places to seek after God's greatest gift. It means rejecting the model of the religious leaders who complacently stayed put. We must instead go tell it on the mountains, over the hills, and everywhere. Let this be our new frame of mind.


You can contact Brian Kaylor, Churchnet Editorial Assistant, at (888) 420-2426, ext. 704 or bkaylor@thechurchnet.org

Sharing Hope and Giving Thanks

by Jeanie McGowan

Who can pay any attention to the media at all these days and not be aware that there is a growing concern about the future? During this season of the year when our thoughts become a bit more focused on those things for which we give thanks, I'm especially grateful to have many things that cause me be thankful and have hope. I'm also painfully aware that there are many around me who don't seem to find many things that give them cause for hope.

What does that mean to our churches? What is the responsibility of the church within the community to be a part of bringing hope to those who feel hopeless? This question is debated frequently in both the media and in the coffee shops. What role does government play and what role does the faith community play in offering solutions to some of the huge problems we face today? Sometimes they seem so overwhelming it seems easier to just ignore them and pretend they don't exist, if they don't affect me personally. But then, as people of faith, we look to Holy Scripture to inform us and teach us what God would want us to do and to see modeled for us what Jesus actually did. When we seriously do that, it's impossible to overlook the hundreds of verses (more than 1,000!) that address these issues!

Caring for people and their basic needs should not be a "Democrat" or "Republican" issue, but rather a moral, godly expectation of those who say they are people of faith and followers of Christ. When we are more and more linked to one another across the globe, we cannot turn our backs or stick our heads in the sand and pretend that there are not inequities and injustice all around us. When children are dying from lack of food and water and there is enough food and water for all on this incredible planet, it is shameful! When a Congress in a nation blessed with abundance cannot set aside self-gratification and self-interest to honestly seek ways to solve some of our more serious problems, there is something terribly wrong.

So what does this say to your church and to mine? Aren't we already busy about keeping our doors open and tending to the weekly needs of our congregations? Where are we going to find the time to be interested in getting involved in our community? Don't we use enough energy trying to keep our congregations happy with worship style and comfort when they come together each Sabbath? How could a busy pastor or church member find time to spend a couple of hours in a coffee shop each week and get to know the people who work there and really listen to the people who come through the doors and find out what keeps them awake at night? How could an already overloaded staff member find time to mentor 2 people each week: one a longer-time member who seems to have some leadership abilities but isn't plugged in right now and the other a newer person in the church who could be a young leader developing if someone spent some time with her or him?

Those questions are honest concerns for most of us. But the truth is, that unless we figure out how to do that we are in the process of becoming completely irrelevant--a fossil in the future without a place to answer the call God has placed on our lives! It is not an exaggeration to say that most of our churches are within a decade or so of closing the doors. Read any current poll and you will see what the majority of people in our country think about "churches," "Christians," organized religion of any kind. It's pretty scary! They don't like us very much! Can we blame them? Look at what churches and what religious figures make the headlines most days. It's not a pretty picture!

However, those same people, when polled about what they think about Jesus Christ have much more positive responses--even when they don't really know that much about him. What they do know is that he loved people. He took time to be with people--ordinary people, even outcasts. They know that he, too, didn't like the picture he saw of "church leaders" and "religious folks" very much in his time! In fact, his words for them were much harsher than for the "sinners" whose paths crossed his every day.

I said all this to say that there is a way to begin making a difference in our communities, our state and even our nation. "Missouri Faith Voices" is an state-wide faith-based organization for bringing about change and hope where there is injustice and no hope (learn more at www.MissouriFaithVoices.org). If you're interested in knowing more, contact Dr. Jim Hill at jimhill@thechurchnet.org. Once-a-quarter meetings are doable even for the very busy! One is coming up on Wednesday, Dec. 1 in Jefferson City. It could make all the difference...


You can contact Jeanie McGowan, Churchnet Leadership Development Team Leader, at (888) 420-2426, ext. 707 or jmcgowan@thechurchnet.org

Asking Questions to Find God's Will

by Jim Hill

This past week I had the opportunity to meet with a leadership team as they sought to think strategically about their church's ministry for the coming year. What does God want to us to be and to do during the coming year? It was a wonderful evening as we shared about their church and its ministry. We spent most of the evening answering a series of questions. When I consult with churches and church leaders I often go with a list of questions. The questions grow out of an examination of the congregation's ministry and their community. Some of the questions we discussed included: What is different or unique about our church? How do people in the community talk about our church? How do our newest members describe our church? What do we do well? What has been our most successful ministry this past year? I always like to begin the discussion with an examination of successes and ministry strengths.

As we talked about their community and their ministry, I also asked questions designed to help the church leaders examine how they were impacting their community. How is our church like our community? How are we different? What major transitions have taken place in the last three years inside and outside our church? How are individuals and families being changed because of our ministry? How many church members have internalized our church's vision? How many church leaders have?

The futurist Joel Barker has posed a question which I have restated for churches. What is impossible or seems impossible to do today, but if it could be done would fundamentally change our ministry for the better? Sometimes it is difficult for us to envision the future. It is hard to know what God wants us to be and to do? We may need help in learning to think creatively about our ministry and the future. God specializes in taking ordinary people and accomplishing extraordinary things for his kingdom. He specializes in the impossible.

For many congregations, one of the most strategic questions is what are we going to quit doing? Baptists are far better at starting new ministries than they are at turning loose of those which are no longer effective. When we attempt to everything we deplete our resources, spread ourselves too thin, and often end up with ineffective ministries. We also wear our members and leaders out. In order to free up time, energy, and resources for new ministries and opportunities, churches must be willing to turn loose of old ministries and programs which may no longer be meeting the needs they once did. Change is incredibly difficult. It is particularly difficult for churches. It is so easy to become locked in the traditions and comforts of the past, but God’s Spirit is dynamic and alive. He is always working in fresh and exciting ways. The challenge is to see his hand at work and to be willing to turn loose of our plans so we can join him in his work. What does your church want to be when you grow up? What does God want you to be? I encourage you to start asking questions about your church and your ministry? Maybe God will give you a fresh glimpse of his plans for you.


You can contact Jim Hill, Churchnet Executive Director, at (888) 420-2426, ext. 705 or jimhill@thechurchnet.org

New Baptist Covenant II in St. Louis

In November, Baptists will gather at various locations, including St. Louis, for a time of worship, ministry, fellowship, and missions. In 2008, about 15,000 Baptists from different denominations and ethnicities gathered in Atlanta for the Celebration of a New Baptist Covenant. Churchnet leaders were involved in helping plan the gathering. The following year, Churchnet helped host a regional gathering, the Baptist Border Crossing, in Kansas City. Next week, the second national event will take place at several locations across the nation, with St. Louis being one of the places to join this exciting gathering.

The 2011 New Baptist Covenant will be occurring on November 17-19, and will take place in St. Louis at St. Luke Memorial Baptist Church, located at 3623 Finney Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63113. We hope you will make plans to join this exciting event!

The New Baptist Covenant, which began on April 10, 2006 by former U.S. President and prominent Baptist layman Jimmy Carter and Mercer University President Bill Underwood, is an informal alliance of more than 30 racially, geographically, and theologically diverse Baptist organizations from throughout North America that claim more than 20 million members. Representatives of these Baptist organizations have reaffirmed traditional Baptist values, including sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ and its implications for public and private morality, as well as their obligations as Christians to fulfill the biblical mandate to promote peace with justice, to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, shelter the homeless, care for the sick and the marginalized, and promote religious liberty and respect for religious diversity.

The schedule of the New Baptist Covenant St. Louis will include the following:
Thursday November 17, 2011
7:00 pm - 9:00 pm: A Worship Service that is open to the General Public.
Friday, November 18, 2011
8:00-9:45 am - "Beneath the Skin" Conversations about the Bible and Racism
10:00 am - 11:00 am: A Conversation with former President Jimmy Carter, Bob Abernathy, Dee Dee
Coleman, and Wendell Griffen (to be held via simulcast from Atlanta).
2:00-4:00 pm - Various breakout sessions addressing community concerns, such as HIV education/ministry, the culture of youth violence, and ministry efforts among foreign born national populations.
7:00 pm - 9:00 pm: A second Worship service that is open to the General Public, with speakers to include Carroll Baltimore, Tony Campolo, and Marian Wright Edelman.
Saturday, November 19, 2011
A Day of Service within the community (specific sites and service projects to be determined).

For more information, please view the New Baptist Covenant St. Louis website at www.newbaptistcovenantstl.weebly.com or the national New Baptist Covenant website at www.newbaptistcovenant.org. You may contact the New Baptist Covenant St. Louis team at newbaptistcovenantstl@hotmail.com, or 314-531-1978.