The Avengers

Although The Avengers has been out for several weeks, I just had the opportunity to take my 13 year old grandson to see it this past weekend.  I must admit that my expectations were low despite all the hype.  This anticipated ensemble piece bringing together Iron Man (Tony Stark), Thor, Captain America (Steve Rogers), the Hulk (Bruce Banner) as well as Black Widow (Natasha Romanoff) and Hawkeye (Clint Barton) could have been a disappointment akin to John Carter, but it works.  Thanks to the creativity and vision  of director/writer Josh Whedon and solid performances of all involved  (including an established supporting cast), the movie is everything that a good summer popcorn movie should be—distracting, visually impressive, and entertaining.

The beauty of the film is that Whedon gives each character enough screen time to be personally interesting and adequate action time to show off their individual powers or skills.  He shows what happens when a group “plays well together.” Of course, the fact that Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, and Black Widow have been introduced in previous films helps.  We know who they are and the strengths and weaknesses they bring to the ensemble.  There is a need to establish some back story for Hawkeye, and actor Mark Ruffalo is given the opportunity to redeem the Bruce Banner/Hulk character from previous film interpretations, but neither task slows the story at all.

Most of the Avengers were created by Stan Lee and Joe Kirby using the “superhero with a flaw” idea:  these folks may have great powers but they also have problems like the rest of us.  Captain America is the exception.  He was created in 1941 by Kirby and Joe Simon.  Steve Rogers was the original 90 pound weakling who became a real American hero.  In this latest incarnation, Steve has acquired a flaw.  He is the man out of his own time who struggles to make sense of the world in which he finds himself and is gets simple joy out of little things like understanding cultural references (“Flying monkeys!  I get that.”)

There are some nice themes in the movie, especially the bonding of playboy/philanthropist/ inventor Tony Stark and nerdy scientist Bruce Banner, and the manipulative ways of SHIELD commander Nick Fury, but Captain America gets some the best moments.  He is everyman, the outsider, who struggles to understand this mismatched group of heroes and his place among them.  He emerges both as the moral center and the natural leader of a group of people who usually function better as individuals.  His “take control” attitude during the battle in New York City is based on the “can do” attitude that we still expect of our military.  His values and attitudes may be old-fashioned but they serve as the glue that holds the team together.  It is a bit sad, however, to see him alone at the end of the film.  What does the future hold for this solitary hero?

Although Marvel Pictures has made its mistakes (such at the two Hulk movies) in bringing these characters to the screen, someone is doing something right to pull off this film, bringing together all of these disparate characters and leaving none of them shortchanged.    Let’s hope they can continue their winning streak.  See you at the movies!

Does Membership Matter?

In recent years, I have found myself in more than one church planning meeting when the conversation goes something like this:  “How about (insert name) to (serve on this committee, be a Sunday School teacher, etc.)?”  More frequently the reply is, “But that person is not a church member.”  The objection is not based on prejudice but on church policy that requires individuals who fill certain positions in the life of church to be official members of the congregation.  The interesting aspect of this is that other members of the planning group often do not know the person’s status until the person’s name comes up. Because the person is so involved in the life of the church, the others have assumed that they were “official.”  They attend worship and participate as volunteers, their children are involved in church programs, and they may even be financial contributors—but they are not “members.”

To the best of my knowledge, the Bible never addresses church membership.  Perhaps the modern church has been influenced by the American concept of voluntary association in which we, as individuals, choose the groups and organizations of which we will be a part as members.  One unfortunate result of this attitude is that if we can choose to associate, we can also choose to disassociate.  Perhaps this contributes to the migratory nature of many Christians!

The Bible does say a great deal about discipleship.  During a Disciple Development Coaching retreat this week, I was reminded by my friend Mark Tidsworth that the church is called to make disciples rather than members.  The biblical mandate is to grow disciples not to grow the church.  We have often confused the two.

This has significant implications for the contemporary church, no matter the denominational identity.  For example, most young adults and many median adults do not care about church membership. They are more motivated by investing themselves in a dynamic Christian community where they will be nurtured and given the opportunity to serve.   I know of several people whose membership is still in a mainline church, but the only church they ever attend is a nondenominational church.  Their “membership” is in one place, but their participation is elsewhere.  One would hope that the church where they participate is also helping them to grow in discipleship.

As Mark Tidsworth has noted, “The new definition of success [for a church] is not running a good organization but developing disciples.”  The important thing for today’s church is discipleship not membership.

How Things Change

In going through some files recently, I came across a church newsletter from April 1976.  It provided an interesting snapshot of this particular church at that time.  This county seat Baptist church in a southern state was averaging over 650 in Sunday morning worship.  What caught my attention was that they had only three full-time staff members!  Today we talk in terms of a church needing one full-time staff member for every 100 worshippers.  The same church today runs about 450 on a Sunday and has the equivalent of six full-time staff ministers.  What changed?

A lot has changed in three and a half decades.  Let me suggest five primary changes that have impacted churches, their staffing expectations, and their effectiveness in mission.

First, society has changed.  In this particular case, what was once a small county seat town is now part of a metropolitan area made up not only of individuals commuting 45 minutes  to an hour to work but of  professionals and blue-collar employees in locally situated medium-sized and even large industries.  Lifestyles have changed and people are busier with more personal and family activities.  The community has a number of dynamic service, educational, and recreational organizations.  Church participation is now just one of many options from which residents can choose.

Second, as a result of the first change, there are fewer volunteers available to lead in programs and those who do are often pulled to other activities as well. The church of 1976 included fathers who worked in the community, stay-at-home mothers, and a strong tradition of volunteer service.  None of those things is true today.  This is not meant to be negative, but it is a fact.  People have more choices of where to invest their time and energy.

Third, the church scene has changed.  Let’s be honest:  there is more competition between churches for members than there was three decades ago.  Although we don’t want to admit it, most churches are growing by transfer growth rather than conversions.  In this particular community, there was one large Baptist church; now there are at least four large Baptist churches with multiple staff ministers.  And the competition is not only between churches of the same denomination.   This community has a number of nondenominational churches that draw people of Baptist background and believers seem more willing to check out other denominations when they seek a church home as well.

Fourth, congregations expect more of their ministers.  Perhaps due to the competition among churches, more is expected of ministers.  In the fast-paced media age in which we live, ministers must not only be competent but extraordinary.  We expect to be “wowed” whenever they speak before the congregation, do leadership training, or initiate a new ministry.  We want specialists in every area of church life—preschool, elementary, middle school, high school, college, young adult, singles, married young adults, median adults, senior adults, and so on.  The stress this creates in the life of a minister is a downside of their service.

Fifth, an accepted church growth strategy is to staff for the growth you want and your church will “grow into it.”  This is not a bad concept, but sometimes a church staffs for numerical growth and the growth doesn’t happen.  Population shifts, emphases change, and the economy tanks.  This results in more staff members than the church can support and unwanted decisions about downsizing.

The primary challenge I would make to churches today is to be realistic about where you are and what you can expect of staff leadership.  Culture, people, needs, and methodologies have changed.  Competent staff members want to address the issues of today and not those of yesterday in order to encourage church health.  At the same time, they cannot do it alone.  Church members must step up and accept responsibilities with the support of these professional staff ministers.  There are some things that staff ministers can do and should do, but the church is made up primarily of lay believers not professionals.  The best staff members are both ministers and equippers, but the church needs those who are willing to be equipped.

What Kind of Baptist are You?

Although some say that we live in a post-denominational age, there is something comfortable and reassuring about identifying not only with a particular denominational “tribe” but a specific “clan” of that tribe.  This is true of those who call themselves Baptists and it may well be of others, but I will confine my remarks to the Baptist tribe because that is where my primary experience lies.

I have found it very interesting to hear members of congregations who want to declare that they are just “one kind of Baptist”—Southern Baptist, Cooperative Baptist, Alliance Baptist, etc.  This is understandable, but I am surprised at their choice of a starting point.  Those motivated to declare that their congregation should related to one particular clan of Baptists begin with their perception of the clan rather than understanding and embracing who they are as a congregation.  

Let me suggest some questions that church members might ask in order to clarify their identity before they choose a group with which to affiliate.

First, what does your church believe about authority?  Is authority centered in a person such as the pastor or in the body of believers under the Lordship of Christ?  In 1 Peter 2:9, we read that the people of God are “a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”  The responsibility for sharing the good news seems to rest in the people of God rather than the pastor of God.

Second, what does your church believe about using the best tools available to understand, interpret, and apply the biblical revelation?  Does your church expect those who stand in the pulpit to have such a high regard for the Bible that they have spent years in preparation to preach and teach?  In 2 Timothy 2:15, we are told, “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.”  This great responsibility requires both openness to God and to a diligent study of the Word of God.

Third, does your church practice the equality of all believers, understanding that God accepts everyone on equal footing?  Do you acknowledge that God calls each person within the community to serve?   According to Galatians 3:28, “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”  God’s call to serve is not based on outward attributes but inner giftedness.

Fourth, does your church follow the example of Christ who declared:   “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.  He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor”?  (Luke 4:18-19)  Does your church care for people even if they do not become members and contribute to improve the “bottom line” of the church budget?

Finally, does your church allow each person to exercise his or her God-given gifts within the life of the congregation?  We read in 1 Corinthians 14 these words:  “Now about the gifts of the Spirit, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed. . . .  There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them.  There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.”  Do you honor each person’s giftedness or allow only certain individuals to use their gifts?

If you understand how your congregation responds to these questions and follows these practices, you may have a better understanding of what kind of Baptist you are.

What’s Your People Strategy?

Seth Godin is a creative thinker; he is “creative” because his ideas are not only unique but useful as well (the true definition of “creative”).  In a recent blog, he points out that businesses do not have a telephone strategy or an email strategy or a web strategy.  They have a people strategy.  He comments, “We still have one and only one thing that matters, and it’s people.”  All of these other things are tools or conduits that connect us to people.

My immediate response was to think about how this applies to the church.  We may use different terminology but when we talk about outreach, Christian education, missions, or financial growth, we are talking strategies.  The unfortunate part is that we often neglect to realize that we really need to be talking about people.

Our outreach is to people—living, breathing, needy individuals—who may benefit from being part of the body of Christ.  Our Christian education is meant to develop people as believers who will “love God and serve God forever.”  Our mission initiatives mobilize and empower people to serve others.  Our financial campaigns should be about people becoming good stewards of the resources that God has placed in their hands.

Whenever we gather to discuss how we are going to do something as a church, we should be thinking about how it impacts the lives of people.  Rick Warren did something like this when he launched Saddleback Community Church.  He visualized “Saddleback Sam”—a person with specific needs and challenges.  Of course, “Sam” was a construct, but he was a stand-in for all the people in the area that the church might reach and disciple.  Warren’s question was always, “What will this mean for Saddleback Sam?”

Too often when we began planning, we think about what our work will do for “the church.”  In this case, “the church” often means the institutional church made up of programs, buildings, budgets, and staff.  What if we began instead with the question, “What will this do for people?”  Our perspective will change radically.

A Consistent Pro-Life Ethic

Consistency is not expected and rarely honored in politics, but I have to admire the ethical consistency of Mike Flood, the Republican speaker of the Nebraska legislature.  Flood has been criticized by his fellow Republican, Governor Dave Heineman, for supporting a plan to offer state medical assistance to pregnant women who are in the United States illegally.

Gov. Heineman, a strong opponent of abortion, says this action is tantamount to supporting illegal immigration.  Flood counters that “you have a baby’s life and health in the balance.” He thinks this is important.  Of course, Heineman understands this, but he believes that churches and private charities rather than the state should take care of pregnant women who have entered the country illegally.  He cares but not too much!

But I digress.  I want to honor Mike Flood and his supporters in the legislature for understanding two things:  first, if you are against abortion, you should be in favor of caring for the mothers and babies who cannot afford their medical care; second, when people are in need and at your front door, you care for them and don’t send them on their way with a “be warmed and filled.”

If women choose to carry their children to term, they should receive medical care whether they can afford it or not.  Those who support life in utero should support life after birth.  Children should not suffer for their parents’ actions.  This is part of a pro-life ethic and what one should expect in an enlightened society. 

And then there is capital punishment, but I won’t go there . . .

Growing Agile Leaders: A Tool for Engagement

If you follow this blog, you know that I am high on Bob Dale’s book, Growing Agile Leaders:  Coaching Leaders to Move with Sure-Footedness in a Seismic World, available in both hard copy and Kindle formats.  This is a book about coaching.  Dale looks to Co-Active Coaching for this definition:  “Coaching is a growth-oriented, strategic relationship.  Coaching links two peers, equals who are in distinct roles, to collaborate as thought partners and to find the way forward for the person being coached.”  This book is written for the two participants in a coaching conversation—leaders who are ready to address their situation in order to move ahead and coaches who work with them.

The underlying theme of the book is that we live in an increasingly unstable world.  In order to find our way in such a world, we must develop new skills and ways of thinking.  Dale has a high regard and respect for leaders, but he also realizes that a leader needs a companion for the journey,   “thought partner” who will both challenge and support the leader.

For leaders, the book helps to clarify the situations they find themselves in and to examine some tools that will move them beyond those situations.  Even the best of leaders, those who have survived and prospered in the past, often find themselves in rapidly changing situations that demand a new way of thinking.  I recently facilitated an online coaching group of pastors, each facing challenging situations.  One pastor was moving his congregation out of a facility they had sold to an adjoining business and were moving into a temporary location in a school.  Another was considering what his impending retirement would mean both to him and his church.  The third was in the middle of a capital campaign and working with his staff to establish a third worship service.  Although each person’s challenge was different, they were all dealing with significant change with many components that they did not create and that they could not control!  These leaders are dealing with seismic changes.

For coaches, the book takes the coaching relationship to another level.  I have described this book to some friends as a “second level” coaching book.  There is some attention to the fundamentals of the coaching conversation, but Dale provides questions, concepts and resources that move coaching to another level.  Each discipline Dale introduces provides a new lens to examine the client’s abilities, situation, and response. He drops in some family systems theory, “whole brain thinking,” creativity concepts, and insights from a number of other disciplines to provide new perspectives to the coach.  As the coach embraces these perspectives, he or she can help the client to think about their situation in new ways that can be tremendously productive. 

Whether you are a leader or a coach, Growing Agile Leaders will be a good resource for you as you face a rapidly changing world.