Presbyterian Idol

It seems that Presbyterians in general have been freaked out about their numbers since at least the mid-1970s.  It's noted in the book The Big Sort that the decline, for Presbyterians and Catholics and Baptists and everyone, actually, began in about 1965. But now that our numbers nationally have dropped to around 1.9 million, we think that the end of the world is near.

Of course I would like it if we won the popularity contest, and had more numbers than all the other mainline denominations combined. But I don't remember reading anything about "Blessed are you when your membership tops 5 million" anywhere in the gospels.  Not even in John. Not even in the apocryphal Gospel of Thomas.  The book of Acts does talk about the day when three thousand souls were added to their numbers, and also that "day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved." (Acts 2:47).  But did you catch that?  We're not the ones that do the adding.  That's a gift from God. That must mean that our job is something else.

In the last few verses of Acts 15, we're told that Paul invited Barnabas to go with him to check out all of their "new church developments" and see how everyone was getting along.  Barnabas agreed, but said "Let's bring along John Mark too."  Nothing wrong with that, right?  The more the merrier and all that. But Paul said no. His objection had to do with the fact that John Mark had "deserted" them in Pamphylia and "had not accompanied them in the work." So quite the blowup ensued.  Barnabas and John Mark ended up going one direction, and Paul then invited Silas to go with him in another.  Funny, from that point on we read a lot more about Paul than we ever do about Barnabas or John Mark.

Some would write off this passage to the hard-headedness of Paul. But there's more going on here than that. For one, it shows me how bent we are on "church growth" these days, to the point that we are willing to take in anyone who will join our church, whether they are interested in our mission or not.  And we dare not say anything, even if it's the truth, to make anyone mad lest we lose a member. To me, that means that we have made a false idol of the numbers game, to the detriment of faithfulness. I hate to say it, but you know I'm right: sometimes the most faithful thing we can do is to bless certain members on their way, trusting God as we do. Not everyone is meant to go along. If we drag someone along who is less than committed at best and dangerous at worst, we have not gained anything and we have not furthered the cause of the Gospel.

But what about the poor John Marks of the world? Do we leave him behind to his own devices, and therefore to the wolves? Have we forsaken him?  Perhaps our job is to trust that God has not left John Mark behind. Perhaps someone else will help him, or he will help someone else.  We don't have to know that. But we do have to discern that accompanying Paul, or accompanying us, may not be his call in life.

Systems theory teaches that gearing towards the lowest common denominator does not strengthen the system. Rather, focusing on the health of the system will strengthen all of its members. That dram of wisdom, along with trusting God for the results, spares us from the idolatry of numbers.

Yes, of course, I want for there to be millions of happy and healthy Presbyterians.  That's not what I'm saying. What I do NOT want is for that to be our goal in life. Our goal is to witness to and to serve the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of Holy Spirit. If that's all that we do, we're going to be just fine.

Psychics, Pigs and Pharisees

Today's readings from the Daily Lectionary were a riot. All full of colorful characters.  From Acts 15, Peter and the Jerusalem Council, where Peter basically tells the Pharisees to get over it where God's grace is concerned.  From Mark 5, the story of the Gerasene Demoniac, where Jesus heals a man by casting his occupying evil spirits into a herd of swine. And last but not least, from 1 Samuel 28, the story of Saul - who had just thrown all the psychics and wizards out of the land, consulting (in costume) a psychic - known in Biblical lore as "The Witch of Endor." This was way too much fun to read. (And I commend them to you for your reading - but you must read ALL of them together for maximum impact!)

If there were psychics and wizards back in Old Testament times, why do we tend to freak out over them today and believe that they can no longer exist? If there were demons and evil spirits in Jesus' time, why are we surprised when we encounter them now? And what - there were gatekeepers in the church, who tried to separate the worthy from the unworthy? No!! Impossible.

But put them all together, and here's what I get:  God will use what God will use: pigs, psychics, Pharisees, you name it. Saith Peter:  "Why are you putting God to the test by placing on the neck of the disciples a yoke that neither our ancestors nor we have been able to bear? On the contrary, we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will."

God will use what God will use. Mad dogs and Englishmen.  Even Missional Presbyters. Even alcoholics, people with terminal diseases, pregnant mothers, one-legged Ph.Ds, retired pastors, grieving widowers, two teenagers and their parents. All God's children got a place in the choir. How dare we test God by trying to restrain God's grace - by trying to put a yoke on that which is freely given to us.

As my friend Tom said yesterday, "Isn't it funny how pastors use the language 'seeking a call,' when really it's God doing the calling?" God's gifts are just that: God's gifts, freely given. Our job is to suit up and answer when they come, say "thank you" even if it doesn't seem like a gift at the time, and then put that gift to use. It's been done by psychics, pigs, and maybe even Pharisees - it's the least we can do.