Is the crucifixion of Jesus too unpleasant for young children? Will it make them pessimistic about the world? Will it scar them emotionally?

I’ve always heard from Christian Educators that if you are looking for a Children’s Bible for your children, see how they tell The Crucifixion Story. If the text and images are age-appropriate for your child, then it’s probably a good match.

(In other words, don’t let Mel Gibson teach the story to your pre-schoolers.)

This article by Elie Mystal is excellent in terms of the current debates about sharing difficult stories with schoolchildren. Most of the people who want Critical Race Theory kept out of schools are White People. And this is why:

The founding of the country is taught through the eyes of Thomas Jefferson, not Sally Hemmings. The fight for women’s rights is introduced only through the efforts of noted suffragist and racist Susan B. Anthony, not Sojourner Truth or Frances Ellen Watkins Harper. Westward expansion is explored purely as the story of Lewis and Clark—and their helpful assistant Sacagawea. Slavery is addressed primarily through the redeeming narrative of “the Great Emancipator,” Abraham Lincoln. And, of course, students learn that any issue of racial oppression that Lincoln didn’t quite get around to solving was “fixed” by Martin Luther King Jr. and the anodyne, docile caricature of nonviolence white people have created around him. 

History, of course, is always told through the voices of “the winners.” But to keep the more difficult truths of American history from schoolchildren is comparable to keeping the most difficult truths of Biblical stories from Sunday School Children.

We are happy to celebrate the heroism of our D-Day veterans, but we omit the truth that Black and Brown veterans were blocked from receiving free college education from the GI Bill. We laud the efforts of our ancestors to open schools for young Native Americans out on the Prairie, but we leave out the parts where we forced those children to live away from their parents and unlearn their heritage. (And then there’s this.)

[Note: If you’ve never read Howard Zinn, this might be a good time, but – spoiler alert – it will make you angry if you believe the USA has achieved liberty and justice for all.]

As people of faith, in both Jewish and Christian circles, we acknowledge the failings of our forebearers Abraham, Isaac, Jacob. Saul, David, Solomon. The disciples of Jesus.

Why don’t we acknowledge the failings of our forebearers in American history?

I believe it has something to do with White Supremacy.

To paraphrase the words of Mr. Mystal:

When we teach stories that reveal that – historically – white people have been complicit in acts of violence and oppression against Black, Brown and other People of Color, it pushes against the myth that White people are the best people. And if White people are guilty of anything, it was that we mistakenly thought we were being good, that our actions were justified, or all wrongs have since been righted.

Most Christians believe that Jesus was brutally executed on a cross. And most Christians believe that isn’t the end of the story.

The wonderful news about our nation is that there is hope. There has been brutal injustice and yet that isn’t the end of the story. But in the words of James Baldwin, “Nothing can be changed until it is faced.”

Juneteenth is around the corner. Let’s read up about it, for the sake of the Gospel.

Image source.

It started in an elevator.

A Black male teenager stepped on the foot of a White female teenager. She yelped. He ran. (He knew what people assumed when a White woman and a Black man are alone together and the White woman yells.)

And in a matter of hours hundreds of Black residents of Tulsa’s Greenwood neighborhood were killed and 35 blocks of Black-owned businesses and homes were burned to the ground. It happened 100 years ago today, but most of us have never heard this story.

Someone asked on Twitter over the weekend how old they were when they first learned of the Tulsa Massacre, and – while Twitter is in no way a scientific tool – the responses were telling. No one mentioned learning about this in school. I learned about it in my 50s via Watchmen because our kids were reading it.

There is a division in our nation today about the efficacy of sharing difficult truths in order to bring about racial healing. Some believe that teaching stories about the Tulsa Massacre, for example, will only divide us more deeply. And others believe that teaching such stories is essential in understanding the divide. The same arguments are made for and against teaching Critical Race Theory to school children.

For the record, I believe it’s important to talk – age-appropriately – about difficult parts of our world and personal history for the sake of understanding each other and bolstering critical thinking skills.

Imagine teaching a kindergarten class and you announce that everyone wearing blue gets ice cream on the playground today. If you aren’t wearing blue, you get no ice cream. “Would that be fair?” Of course not. “How would you feel if you were getting the ice cream? How would you feel didn’t get ice cream?”

So is it fair that if you have pale colored skin you automatically get extras that people with dark skin don’t get? (Note: Everybody in that kindergarten class gets ice cream today.)

We like to think of our nation as fair, where everyone can prosper equally if we work hard. The people in the Greenwood District of Tulsa worked so hard that their neighborhood was called Black Wall Street. And it was burned to the ground because of false accusations, fear, greed, and – basically – White Supremacy. The KKK was active there and lynchings were not uncommon in 1921.

And so we can do better when we know that story. We know what has happened and why it can’t happen again. And we know that there is anger and fear between people with different skin colors. It’s essential that we know these stories for the sake of the Gospel, siblings in Christ. Keep in mind that there is a story we share every year about the arrest, betrayal, and crucifixion of Jesus. Without that part of the story, there is no resurrection.

Image source.

Every Pastor is Moses these days if we are doing what God is calling us to do. And it’s exhausting especially if we forget that God is with us.

We are moving God’s stubborn, terrified, distracted, often ridiculous people from where they used to be to a new place that is unknown. Some of us are moving congregations of 10 people. Some are moving congregations of 50 people. Some are moving congregations of hundreds of people. A few of us are moving congregations of thousands of people.

Moses was moving a congregation of 600,000+ or many less or many more – depending on different sources. And there were animals.

There are 28,518 members of the Presbytery (middle governing body) I serve according to the 2020 stats. It’s an enormous challenge moving less than 30,000 human beings from a stuck faith to a vibrant faith without animals. I have new appreciation for Moses every day.

This kind of work will break your heart. No wonder so many pastors focus on keeping the flower committee happy because it’s easier than making disciples.

Let’s talk about that movement to a vibrant faith. I’ll be honest with you.

Too many of God’s people in our congregations . . .

• Love their cemeteries, their buildings, their pre-school, their former pastor more than they love Jesus.
• Believe it’s “their church” because they’ve been part of it for generations.
• Are terrified that everything they love about church will be taken away if they don’t cling to it.
• Are in deep denial that their glory days are never coming back.
• Expect to grow without a full-time pastor (or one working full-time who is being paid only part-time wages)
• Ignore changes in their neighborhoods.
• Want to grow but not if it means welcoming “those people.”

Why would anyone want to attempt this way of life? Because of Pentecost.

Let me tell you what I’ve seen the Spirit of God do:

I’ve seen a tired congregation come to the holy realization that they need to close so that something new is possible where they’ve worshipped for 100 years.

I’ve seen a congregation of less than 200 raise money to transform their former education wing into transitional housing and another congregation of less than 200 move forward on building affordable housing for young adults aging out of foster care.

I’ve seen downtown churches open their doors to neighbors who need to take a shower or do a load of laundry.

I’ve seen a rural church with unused/underused property offer it up so that a Disaster Relief Warehouse could be erected there to serve victims of fires, hurricanes, and tornadoes.

I’ve seen congregations call pastors who don’t look like them but who do look like the new neighbors in hopes of making those neighbors feel welcomed.

I’ve seen congregations welcome preschoolers who don’t speak their own language.

I’ve seen the wealthiest among us make sacrifices to serve “the least of these.” And I’ve seen the poorest among us make even greater sacrifices.

This is why I’m still in the Church. But moving God’s people is not for the fainthearted. They say they want to escape Egypt, but many of them really don’t. “At least in Egypt, we knew what to expect.” Something about the devil we know.

Moses wasn’t a saint. But he is my de facto model for ministry.

Have a lovely three-day weekend. Maybe you won’t “go to church.” But you can still be the Church.

Image source.

Sometimes it’s called Study Leave and pastors (and other professionals) are expected to do it. My denomination requires two weeks of study leave annually.

So what counts as Continuing Education? A retreat with Simon Sinek? A Carrie Newcomer concert?

What books can be charged to a clergyperson’s book allowance? Brene Brown? John Green? Jameliah Young-Gooden?

Gone are the days when we clergy spent all our Study Leave time attending preaching conferences – although those conferences are still offered and often recommended. And our books are no longer solely Biblical commentaries.

Which of the activities below would your congregation consider study leave or continuing education? (Select as many as you wish.)

The truth is that – especially for preachers – EVERYTHING can inform out sermon-writing from Marvel movies to medical journals, from romance novels to podcasts about bees. This is how the Holy Spirit works. God uses everything to teach us about the meaning of life and who we are and who God is.

Although we Clergy (and others) are tasked with taking our two weeks of study leave, many pastors I know do not do it. They are offered Sabbaticals after 5-7 years of service, but they do not take those Sabbaticals. Why?

Money is an issue. Many clergy have continuing education budgets that aren’t enough to pay for a conference away from home. And churches sometimes fuss that they also cannot afford to pay for someone to cover for pastors when they are away.

Martyrdom is an issue. Many clergy are “too busy” to take time away or they fear that their congregations will not like it if take vacation and study leave time.

Not understanding the meaning of Continuing Education/Study Leave is an issue. Parishioners call it “vacation” even if you are in classes every day, especially if those classes are in a beautiful place. Some parishioners don’t realize how important it is for the church that their leaders take time to rest and reflect.

I’m curious about Continuing Education for you and/or your church leaders. Do pastors take it? Do elders have to approve it? Is there enough funding to cover it?

Please share. Thanks.

I spent some time with church leaders last week and our conversations sometimes included stories about the way a pastor has been treated by their congregation. About a month ago, I received a call from a church elder tasked with planning a welcome party for their new pastor.

Sweet Church Lady: I need you to do some spywork for me before our new pastor comes to town.

Me: I love spy work. Hit me.

SCL: I need you to find out the following information about our new pastor: What’s his favorite Bible story? What’s his favorite color? What’s his favorite ice cream? What’s his favorite liquor?

Me: I’m on it.

This is a church that saw their new pastor as a real human being with favorite things (and maybe even a favorite liquor) and the plan was to: have a new clergy stole made featuring his favorite Bible story, decorating the party with his favorite color, and giving him a gift basket with some of his favorite treats.

This will be a successful ministry. The pastor and congregation will disagree in the months to come. They will frustrate each other from time to time. But they will thrive together because the congregation already wants their pastor to feel welcomed and appreciated.

[Note: Voted Worst Teacher Appreciation Gift of 2021 was what teachers at FBC’s school received on Teacher Appreciation Week in early May. It was a single Lipton tea bag in a baggie stuck in each teacher’s mailbox. Keep in mind that these teachers have had to shift gears every week since March 2020 because of COVID.]

Everybody likes to be appreciated. And if we want our congregations to thrive in ministry, help your leaders thrive. Don’t give them coffee if they are tea drinkers. Don’t give them a gift card to Dunkin if they are watching their sugar intake. It means a lot when people know us – or want to know us – well enough to have a sense of our favorite cake or our favorite music.

The best Pastor Nominating Committees are the ones who recognize that their candidates are real people with families and I remember hearing about one PNC that learned enough about their final candidates’ families to leave personalized gift baskets in hotel rooms remembering spouses and children and even pets. It’s a lovely gesture that shows that you want to be in relationship with the pastor. They are not merely hired hands.

We all have examples perhaps of congregations who do not treat their pastors well. And yet there are many congregations out there who choose to respect and value their spiritual leaders even before they begin this calling among them.

Note to pastors: we are called to respect and value our flocks too.

This post is written in memory of George Floyd who died without the respect and value intended for every Child of God.

After a week of study leave, I have lots of insights but I’m too tired to share them today. Abraham Joshua Heschell explains the gist of my thinking:

“When faith is completely replaced by creed, worship by discipline, love by habit; when the crisis of today is ignored because of the splendor of the past; when faith becomes an heirloom rather than a living fountain; when religion speaks only in the name of authority rather than with the voice of compassion—its message becomes meaningless.”

― Abraham Joshua Heschel, God in Search of Man: A Philosophy of Judaism

I’ll have more to say tomorrow but for now, COVID has sparked a re-thinking of our faith and what it means to love God and love our neighbors. More about that this week. It’s good to be back.

I am on study leave this week in Torch Lake, Michigan and although I will be Zooming into three (just three, my friends) meetings, I will otherwise be radio silent.

Grateful for this time of rest and study before Pentecost.

A lot of us are talkers.

Although I am a Myers Briggs Introvert, I can talk with the best of them and I talk for many reasons: I have things to say, I’m trying to fill an awkward silence, I’m curious, I’m nervous.

At a family wedding over the weekend, the bride was coming down a beautiful long staircase while the organ played O God Beyond All Praising and I whispered to my brother, “This is one of my favorite hymns.”

Why did I need to say that? Was it a way of making the moment a tiny bit about me? What is to show that I know my old hymns? Why couldn’t I just be quiet and enjoy the majesty of the moment?

We’ve all experienced the scenario of someone telling a story and then someone else needs to top it or share a similar story. Why do we do this?

In these days of Zoom Meetings – especially in breakout rooms – I’m finding that even when we break into smaller groups to have more personal conversations, some people still dominate the conversations. When one person speaks more than once during a limited time frame, others will not have the chance to speak. As someone reminded me in (yet another) Zoom meeting yesterday, “People who speak more than once in a breakout room or in a large meeting with time limits are actually preventing others from speaking.”

Learning how to speak in meetings is an essential practice. Sometimes we need to teach each other:

• It’s not necessary to offer a comment for everything.
• Some things are said neutrally but we take the words personally. (i.e. Don’t be so defensive.)
• Listening is not waiting for our turn to talk.
• If we are from the dominant culture (i.e. white) it’s thoughtful to let those of non-dominant cultures speak first.

Notice in church meetings what’s going on. Is this meeting primarily a social time without much agenda but it lasts for an hour because people want to chat? Have we veered off the agenda and the moderator either hasn’t noticed or can’t reel people back on task? Are people talking over each other? Are there private conversations happening in the corner? Is there a person who never speaks up? Is there a person who always speaks up (sometimes to the detriment of actual discussion and debate)?

No church board meeting should last longer than a worship gathering unless the board is dealing with a crisis. And those attending the meeting need to come prepared so that we aren’t talking about matters that were discussed previously.

A lot of us are talkers and we would be wise to consider how our practice of talking needs to change.

Have a lovely weekend. I’m on study leave next week and hope for some nourishing one-on-one conversations as well as some quiet time.

What I’m hearing from COVID-weary Pastors these days:

• They and the rest of their staffs are exhausted.
• The average parishioner doesn’t want to do anything.

They don’t want to attend Bible study. They don’t want to return to live in-person worship. They don’t want to plan summer programs. They don’t want to serve on boards or committees. They might never “be back” when life returns to “normal.”

I’m reminded of certain pirates who are also vegetables who entertained my children long ago:

We are the Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything.
We just stay home and lie around
And if you ask us to do anything, we’ll just tell you
We don’t do anything!

Full video here.

Pirates, by definition, selfishly take the labor and handiwork of others without respect. I confess before you and God that during COVID I have often taken things without respecting the work and creativity that was generated by the hands and imagination of others. I’ve sat in my pajamas sipping coffee on Sunday mornings enjoying the music and liturgy and sermons of hardworking church professionals without even singing along. I’ve watched YouTube worship gatherings without making a financial contribution. I’ve rarely been asked to contribute a prayer or a litany. I have become a freebooter.

Because of virtual worship, congregations have not had to recruit and train greeters, ushers, nursery volunteers, or fellowship hour hosts. No one has come early to set up the coffee on Sunday mornings and unlock the doors. There hasn’t been a call for new choir members or Sunday School teachers. We who’ve relished sleeping in on Sundays haven’t had to do anything we haven’t wanted to do.

Maybe what we need to do is not about supporting the institution of traditional Sunday morning worship. Maybe what we need to do involves serving outside the walls of the church building: tutoring, weeding, cooking, cleaning, painting, and listening. Or if your church building has the capacity to host people who are hungry, homeless, addicted and lonely, get to work right there in the place where you also gather for in-person worship.

God calls us to be Jesus’ hands and feet in the world. Maybe we don’t really need ushers and coffee hour hosts, but we do need people who want to give of themselves to bring healing and wholeness to a broken world.

Pastors are exhausted from pulling worship together on a dime in the middle of a pandemic. They were doing it to nourish us during a dry time in hopes that we might be inspired to serve others in Jesus’ name. But we’ve become accustomed to sitting in our pjs like the pirates who don’t do anything.

Don’t be a pirate. It’s time to be honest swashbucklers (i.e. daring adventurers) in the name of Jesus.

The silly song “We Are the Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything” was written by Michael Nawrocki and Kurt Heinecke (1997). Veggie Tales were created by Phil Vischer and Mike Nawrocki.

Being in deep debt feels like drowning. Not being in debt feels like breathing. And we don’t talk about these things because of the shame around debt and – in some cases – the shame around not being in debt when your friends are.

One of the reasons why the financial advisor Bernadette Joy is so effective in leading people out of debt is because she openly shares her own story about being $300,000 in debt and how she paid it off in three years. You can read about it here. She carried enormous shame about her debt but by sharing her story (and of course the happier ending) she gives others permission to share their own stories shame-free. Sort of a “we’re all in this together” mentality. It’s very supportive and I speak from personal experience.

There is nothing holy about poverty. And living in poverty and/or deep debt does a number on our ability to carry out our calling in life whether we are pastors, teachers, police officers, or McDonald’s workers. Pastors should be earning enough to live without worrying that the electricity will be turned off. And sometimes we Pastors are being paid enough (not a lot, but enough) but the debt we’ve brought with us makes it impossible to support ourselves.

Debt relief is a spiritual practice.

And yet, very few of our congregations offer debt relief classes or financial training. Many of us didn’t get this from our parents and if we find ourselves having made poor decisions about money, we are too ashamed to talk about it – especially in church.

Think about what it means to be too ashamed to talk about something with anybody in our church community. This is one reason why our congregations are failing.

Instead of being a community of sinners grappling with our own mistakes, embarrassments, shame, and brokenness, we have become a community of people who seem to have it all together. We don’t dare share during “the prayer concerns” that we have tens (or hundreds) of thousands of dollars in debt. And so it doesn’t get addressed and it impacts our souls.

Imagine being the kind of church that allows for people to share their deepest shame without fear of hearing about it in the parking lot next Sunday. Imagine congregations walking with people through their financial fears so that everyone can find freedom to build financial security. Financially secure followers of Jesus are able to financially encourage others and create vital ministries that addresses the world’s brokenness.

Here’s a start: get a small group of trusted people in your church to take a finance or debt reduction class together. And maybe just one class can help make a very uncomfortable topic a little more comfortable. Ideas for classes here and here (Skill Pop virtual classes are about $20 and Bernadette Joy sometimes teaches Crush Your Debt courses.)

I wrote this piece because I want every adult to conquer debt – in Jesus’ name. We can do a lot of good with the money currently going to credit card companies.