Telling the Truth

I wanted a more positive name for this post, so I’m calling it Telling the Truth. But after spending the day with other Presbytery leaders and hearing about assorted lies we have known and loved, I’m hoping that we stop repeating what is not the truth about our congregations.

Among the lies that are killing the Church of Jesus Christ in these days:

• If you build it they will come.
• Calling a young pastor with children will bring in young families.
• Opening a preschool will bring in young families.
• Avoiding church conflicts keeps a congregation together.
• Allowing bullies to threaten the church they say they love ensures financial survival.

Nope.

Here is the truth:

• I know a church that built a gym assuming “people would come” to use the gym and subsequently join the church. Never happened.
• It’s not “the young pastor’s” job to bring in young families. That would be the role of prayerfully discerning leaders who are called to serve all the neighbors, not just the young ones.
• Preschools do not “bring in young families” and are not tools for membership growth. We open preschools to serve families seeking excellent childcare for them and their children.
• Unresolved conflicts will eventually bubble up, often at a level that cannot be overcome without serious damage.
• Bullies do not love their church. Let them go. When they threaten to leave if they don’t get their way, quote Westley from The Princess Bride and say “As you wish.” God will bless that Church.

Most of you probably know truth from lies in Church World. But I talk with church members every day who do not know these truths. They repeat these lies in board meetings, planning committees and pastor nominating teams.

Thriving congregations do not cling to dated “pearls of wisdom.” We focus first and foremost on following Jesus who ministered to more people at drinking holes than temple buildings, who reached out to people of every age and life experience, who faced conflict head on, and who never tolerated bullies (while still loving them.)

This is the truth.

Image from an article in Forbes Magazine (Oct 24, 2015) It’s still true.