MOTHER’S DAY POSTSCRIPT

On Monday, May 12 – one day after Mother’s Day – I read an article in the Kenyan newspaper THE STANDARD that had this front-page headline: Mothers Speak: Pain, Power and the plea for dignity in delivery rooms.  The first lines of the article are: As the world honours mothers, Kenyan women share harrowing tales of childbirth neglect, courage and hope – demanding dignity, safety, and compassion in hospitals where motherhood begins and, too often, is nearly lost.

The lengthy article which  continues inside the newspaper describes some experiences that various women had.  One second time mother, who experiencing the unmistakable signs of labour pains, presented herself at a hospital.  “A nurse looked me over and told me to go home ‘You don’t look like you are due. Maybe come back in a month’.” When the woman insisted that she WAS due, she was sent for an ultra-sound which showed a serious problem – the umbilical cord was wrapped around the baby’s neck. Still she was sent home.  Noticing that something was terribly wrong, she returned to the hospital and was accused of “causing a scene”.  She was bounced from one doctor to the next, and finally told she would need a caesarean section.  After a 30-minute wait, she was made to walk to the operating theatre – alone. She said that her treatment “felt more like punishment than medical care”. The baby was safely delivered but the nightmare was not over. A nurse tried to force her to get out of bed before the anaesthesia had worn off and she almost collapsed

The article goes on to describe other horror stories.  I chose this particular one because it reminded me of something my own mother experienced in a Kitchener hospital.  Her family physician was to deliver one of her babies.  When he examined her at the hospital, he said, “we’ve got lots of time until the baby arrives.” Shortly after he left, the attending nurse had him paged. Apparently the doctor had left the hospital, so a hospital doctor delivered the baby.

The Kenyan woman above is quoted as saying, “Respectful maternal care is a right, not a luxury. No woman should leave a hospital feeling broken after childbirth.

In both Canada and Kenya, delivery by a midwife is an option.  In both countries, midwives are regulated health care professionals who generally are highly skilled, educated, safe, and ethical. However in Kenya, not all who practice midwifery are trained professsionals. Approximately 50-54% if deliveries are not attended by skilled health professionals.These include “traditional Birth Attendants” (known as TBA’s), as well as neighbours, relatives, and even “self – administered births”. This often results in higher risks for both mothers and babies which can result in increased infant mortality rates.

What I found shocking in the article however is that even in a hospital, horrendous conditions can exist, although I doubt that such conditions would be typical in North American hospitals. I suspect that such horror stories would be the exception rather than the rule.

.

RE-THINKING HOW WE DO MOTHERS DAY IN CHURCH

Today is Mothers Day, and while it is not a religious holiday most churches will be observing the occasion in one or more different ways.  In some churches mothers are handed a flower as they enter the church. In others they will be publicly recognized by being asked to stand, or mentioned from the pulpit, or in the pastoral prayer.  Other churches will devote the entire service, including the sermon, to the theme of motherhood. And in still others there is no sermon on this Sunday – the Sunday School presents a program to honour mothers with songs, poems, skits and other ways to single out the youngest, the oldest, the newest mother.

Today I’m going to suggest that while none of the above things is inherently wrong, churches need to re-think the way they do Mother’s Day.  Most churches today, if they are doing anything right, will have a diverse congregation that includes mothers and women who are not mothers.  There will be women who for whatever reason cannot have children and are reminded of that every Mothers Day. There are others who have miscarried, perhaps in the past year. There are other mothers who lost their children of any age by a tragic death.  And of course there are others, both men and women whose mother is deceased, perhaps even in the previous year. Even if it has been a long time since the mother passed away, most of us still miss her. Being reminded that mother “is in heaven” may be true but not necessarily comforting. The point is, she is no longer here, and we miss her.

When I was pastor of a church, I saw all of the things that I described above, and I have done some of them. For example I used to preach Mothers Day sermons about the “Ideal” or the “Godly mother”, using some of the exemplary women from the Bible. One day a mother asked me why we preachers insist on “laying a guilt trip” on mothers every year by “preaching an ideal that we can never achieve.”

It made me think.  And it also made me listen to other feedback from mothers, many of whom told me that it is sad to get all this recognition once a year, and be taken for granted the rest of the year.

I will close with two true stories.  I once sat through a sermon on Mother’s Day where the preacher spoke about Hannah, the mother of Samuel in the Old Testament.  He unnecessarily and unwisely dwelt on the fact that Hannah was barren (infertile) and how that was a sign that God was somehow displeased with her and therefore withheld the blessing of childbirth.

In another church all the mothers who were present were asked to stand and remain standing until a flower was handed to them.  In the congregation was a woman who desperately wanted to be a mother, but had miscarried just a few weeks prior. She began to weep, and ran out of the service and never came back again.  If you are thinking of writing a comment critical of that woman, please don’t.

I’m not suggesting that we do away with Mothers Day, or that it should be ignored in church. But we need to re-think HOW we do it.

SHOULD WE BELIEVE ELECTION POLLS?

CANADA’S Federal Election is just days away.  I made a promise online, that I would not engage in partisan politics online, and I intend to keep that promise. What I have to say is not directly political, though there are some political implications.

What annoys me the most about this election has to do with the involvement of the political polls, that supposedly give us a snapshot of what electors are thinking, and what would allegedly happen “if the election were held today”.  The companies that conduct and publish these polls claim to be using scientific methods to conduct the polls, and some claim to be accurate within 1-2 percentage points.

Particularly annoying are those whose headlines say, ‘SHOCKING NEW RESULTS” or YOU WILL BE SHOCKED WHEN YOU SEE THESE RESULTS.  Actually, the supposed results of polls headlined that way are not shocking at all.  Day after day they show the same results with the same prediction of which party is allegedly leading.

Here is something that should make us think.  A few months ago, in the American  Presidential election, the polls were DEAD WRONG.  All throughout that campaign the pollsters claimed that it was a “very tight race”  or “it’s too close to call – it is a dead heat etc. ad nauseam. Election night – the only poll that matters – proved the pollsters wrong. It wasn’t that close after all, and the winner was not who some polls predicted it would be.

Another thing that should make us think is the number of different polls out there who tell contradicting results?  Which poll is “more accurate”?

My personal conviction is that polls are propaganda  tools designed to manipulate voters. And who controls them? And how do we know that they are treating the data that they supposedly collect honestly?

My advice to all Canadians is to IGNORE THE POLLS, and vote according to your convictions. But by all means, DO VOTE.

I close with a quote from a former Prime Minister of Canada, John G. Diefenbaker a.k.a. “Dief the Chief” : I’ve always been fond of dogs. And dogs are the only animals that know what to do with polls”. 

Those are not my words, they are a direct quotation from the 1957 election. Maybe he was on to something.

GOOD FRIDAY – WHO DID IT ?

WHEN I WAS YOUNGER, I wondered why they called it Good Friday.  What is good about crucifying an unguilty man who did nothing but good all his life? And  even more – who is ultimately responsible?  Who  did it? A number of answers have been suggested:

 

1.THE JEWISH LEADERS. Jesus was a Jew, and his ministry  had been mainly among Jews. He was  very popular among the common people. But he was disliked by their religious leaders.  They had often been the target of his harshest rebukes as he addressed their hypocrisy.  So they decided to shoot the messenger rather than deal with the message, and they plotted to kill Him.

2.JUDAS ISCARIOT. He offered to help the conspirators with money.  He belonged to Jesus’ band of disciples, but for whatever reason he worked for the enemy. A kiss – the sign of affectionate friendship was the signal he used to identify Jesus to his captors in the darkness of Gethsemane.

3.PONTIUS PILATE, the Roman governor. The Jewish leaders had already condemned Jesus after a sham trial before the High Priest and elders. But they lacked the authority to execute anyone – only the Roman governor could do that. After publicly declaring Jesus innocent of any crime, he sentenced him to death by crucifixion – a death so horrible that Romans never subjected their citizens to it – only foreigners and slaves were executed that way.

4.THE ROMAN SOLDIERS WHO NAILED JESUS TO THE CROSS. Were they simply “following orders” , or did they share in the guilt of killing the Son of God? Perhaps an answer can be found in Jesus’ prayer, Father, forgive them. For they do not know what they do. (Luke 23:4)

Surely a case can be made for the guilt of all of the above.  But when it comes down to it, you and I did it.  It was our sin, and the sin of humanity that brought Jesus to the cross, and the love and obedience of Christ that kept Him there until “IT IS FINISHED”  The Bible says, God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21)

And that’s not all. According to Hebrews 6:6 Jesus is still being crucified today: To their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace (NIV) .

Good Friday was not good in the sense that humanity, especially religious humanity showed itself from its worst side that day.  But it was A GOOD DAY because it made available the GOOD NEWS  Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. (Acts 2:21 NIV)

 

 

 

Palm Sunday Musings

Today (April 13) is Palm Sunday.  Christians remember Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, just days before he would exit that city on the way to his execution.  The gospel accounts tell us that the city was full of exuberance and excitement as Jesus riding on a donkey, received the adulation of the crowds who waved palm branches and spread their clothing in front of them.

By the end of the week, things changed drastically.  Jesus, who had been hailed as King just days before, now stood before Pilate on trial for his life.  And the crowds were there too, only now their shouts were no longer “Hosannah” but “Crucify !! Away with him!”

What had changed? From Jesus’ point of view – Nothing. He was still who he really was – the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world – only now He was closer to fulfilling that role. From the religious leaders’ point of view?  Nothing.  Jesus was still the enemy that they were plotting to kill.  They had already condemned him to death, but  they needed Pilate’s help.  Only he could pronounce the sentence of death which the Roman soldiers would execute.

But much had changed as far as public opinion was concerned. What would cause a crowd of people who one day thought Jesus was the greatest change their minds to bray for his blood? Matthew 27:20 (NIV) tells us,
“But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus executed.” 

Public opinion can be swayed and changed.  We’re not sure how the chief priests and the elders did it, but we know they were successful.

Americans had an election just several months ago.  As this is being written, Canadians are in the middle of an election.  In both cases there has been much manipulation of public opinion.  The media, celebrities, polling companies have all played a role. Right now in Canada, the big question is how reliable are the polls?  Are they really telling us what people are thinking, or are they a tool to influence how people think?

I lean towards the latter.  While I have committed to not engaging in politics online, this phenomenon of public manipulation is not so much political as it is evil.  Why does it work? Because so few people take the time to examine their values.  If we did that, and did our homework to do our own research and our thinking, rather than letting others do it for us, perhaps the result would be different. So now we wait.

WHY I AM BACK IN KENYA AGAIN

As many of you know, I am a retired pastor, and occasionally I am asked, “why are you doing this at this stage in life? Why don’t you just enjoy your retirement?”

Today I would like to take this opportunity to answer a question that has been put to me: “Dieter, why are you still doing this?  Why don’t you just enjoy your retirement?”   The short answer to that is – I AM enjoying my retirement – immensely.  But I would offer several reasons of why I am travelling to Kenya for the sixth (6th) time now.

1.It is a tremendous privilege and opportunity to make a Difference  . On each of the previous 4 times of teaching it has been a joy to see results over the course of a semester or term.  Students who either have no experience in preaching, or have experience but no training, are by the end of the semester competent  to preach very well and they enjoy doing it. After more than 45 years of ministry, I do not pretend to know everything there is to know about preaching and being a pastor.  But I do believe that I can make a small contribution  to others, and  I consider it an honour and a privilege to be invited, now for the fifth time, to influence the lives of students who are preparing to serve in ministry. The words of former US President Jimmy Carter have been a great encouragement to me:

“I have one life and one chance to make it count for something… My faith demands that I do whatever I can, wherever I am, whenever I can, for as long as I can with whatever I have to try to make a difference.”

I am well aware that the day will come when I will no longer be able to do this. So I am doing it while I still can. I would advise anyone of any age: if there is anything that you need to or want to do, do it now while you still can.

2. My Calling  is still valid.  On June 2, 1979, I was ordained to the ministry of the Gospel. In the denomination in which I still hold credentials, this does not elevate one to a special status, but rather it is a public “setting apart” of someone who is recognized by the wider Christian community has having a calling from God.  Ordinations are valid for life unless revoked if one is guilty of immorality or heresy.  I take it very seriously that I am still under divine orders, even when no longer employed in ministry. For the record: I do not get paid anything for what I do in Kenya other than the free use of furnished house.  Needless  to say, I have revised my views about what a fulfilling retirement looks like !

3.I have come to love Africa, and the African people.  That was not always so.

In fact I recall for  decades viewing and hearing many presentations by missionaries to Africa giving their slide presentations when they came on home assignment. I found those very interesting, but not particularly relevant to my own life.  I had certain pre-conceptions about the African continent – the climate is hot, there are dangerous animals like insects and snakes, the food is strange etc.  But after being in Kenya 5 times, I have found out many more things that I actually like.  Life is very different from ours in North America in so many ways.   I have come to like the simpler lifestyle in Africa.  Overall, people in Kenya are very very friendly.  One notices that as soon as you step off the airplane in Nairobi – whether it be customs or immigration officials, security guards – they do their job but they are all very friendly – (quite unlike what I sometimes experience at airports and borders in North America, or even in Europe). That friendly tone continues wherever you go. When I commented on that to a Kenyan Police Chief (he had invited me into his office for tea while officers were busy filling out paperwork for an item that I had reported as lost), he said, “It is expected that anyone who has anything to do with the public, to be cordial”.   Of course there is a flip side to that as well:  in Kenya  there is also a lot of violent crime, and sometimes riots and street violence, and corruption at almost every level of society, but thankfully I have not had to face any of that directly.

4.Because of a great need. 

There is a great need among the people  in Kenya.  Not just materially, but in other ways too. Churches  are growing quickly numerically, [unlike in our country] but they do not not always grow in depth. Some churches do not have pastors, others have bi-vocational pastors, some of whom have little or no training.  I believe that those of us who have an abundance of the things that we need [or don’t need]  also have an obligation to do whatever we can to help those who are lacking in what they need.

Of course I have been able to do this only because of the help of many friends. This is a huge project – it takes a village. And I am privileged to have a village of faithful supporters.  I  am happy to announce that 100% of the expenses for this coming trip have been covered because of some very generous contributions, both from individuals, and also from 2 churches – Benton St. Baptist Church, (which is my church home)  and also the Martin Luther Evangelical Church in Kitchener. Donations are still coming in, and as in other years, anything over and above expenses will stay in Kenya to assist needy students.

To everyone  I say a heart felt THANK YOU! Some of you have not been able to contribute this time, and that is totally OK. Thank-you for cheering me on by continuing to encourage me and praying for me. Those of you who contributed through the Great Commission Foundation website, will receive a tax receipt for contributions made prior to the end of  a tax year.

HAPPY PENTECOST ?

DEPENDING on where you live, you may or may not be aware that today, Sunday May 19 is PENTECOST SUNDAY, or as some churches call it, THE FEAST OF PENTECOST. If you live in Canada, for example, it is much more likely that you may be more aware of this long VICTORIA DAY weekend, than Pentecost. This is after all the first long weekend of the summer season, and that will probably be reflected in church attendance today.
The thoughts of many Canadians, if not most, will not be on the late Queen Victoria, but on the opportunity to get away – hit the campgrounds, open the cottage or whatever.

If you live in Germany however, you will be very much aware that today is Pentecost. It is marked red on your calendar, and you are even treated to a long weekend, as Pentecost Monday is a legal holiday. Many churches will have services on both Sunday and Monday this weekend, although it is a fair guess that the majority of Germans will not be in church this weekend, but much rather on a “Fahrt ins Blaue” (roughly translated an excursion into the fresh air).

But if you know your Bible, then you will also know that PENTECOST is a very old feast, dating back to the days of the Old Testament. It was one of several Jewish festivals that were observed annually. Pentecost was also called the FEAST OF THE FIRST FRUITS – for it marked the beginning of one of the harvest seasons. It was observed 50 days after the Passover. It was on this annual occasion on or about the year 33 AD, that God decided to fulfil a promise that He had given long before through the Prophet Joel: “I will pour out my Spirit upon all Flesh” (Joel 2:28-32). Exactly how that took place is described by Luke in Acts 2:1-26.
Those events were dramatic, spectacular, and most importantly of divine origin. Moreover, they marked the beginning of a new era, in which we still live. An era where God’s Spirit is accessible to all how believe, for “whosoever alls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Acts 2:21)

Often when I read that account in Acts 2, I wonder how churches would react, if God were to intervene in a worship gathering in such a way. Most congregations, I dare say, would not want that. We don’t want to be shaken up to the extent that the people back then must have been. But it was precisely that shaking up that was so beneficial to them. After Peter had finished his amazing sermon found in the verses following the story of Pentecost, we read that they asked “what shall we do?” Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” And verse 41 tells us, “Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.”

It is easy to get lost in the drama of that story, such as the huge number of baptisms etc. But let us not miss the point – God’s Word tells us, “The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.” (v.39)

Because of Pentecost, which marks the beginning of the New Testament church, you and I can be part of God’s family. The way into that family is still the same, “repent and be baptized”.

So yes, I am happy that today is Pentecost. Happy, because it reminds me of the power of the Gospel, that has brought me to faith. And also that God has promised that same power, that He gave to the disciples, also to me, so that I can serve Him with power.

Happy Pentecost to you!

Going Back to Kenya

In a week from today (May 2 at 6:10 p.m.) is my departure to Kenya for the 5th time in 9 years.  I must say that I’m a little nervous because of the many things that must still be done by then, but I’m also starting to get excited.

I thought today I would answer the questions that I am asked most frequently. Some I answered in my report to our church in Kitchener, and perhaps some did not get all of the information.  For me, as I get mentally prepared, it is a good review!

F.A.Q. About Kenya

What is every day life in Kenya like?

Speaking only for myself – it is in many way similar to our life. Once I get there, I will notice and comment on the differences.  I will live in a bungalow provided by the college free of charge – the same one I used the other times.  I am responsible for the cost of electricity, gas, and water. Electricity is expensive by Canadian standards, and there usually is a power outage once a week which can last anywhere from a few minutes to several hours.  I have a rechargeable headlamp that I use after dark in such situations.

I don’t drive a car in Kenya as I find the left-hand traffic and the erratic habits of motorists overwhelming. I use a reliable taxi whenever I need to travel off the campus. The house and the administration building where the lecture halls, offices, and library are, are a short walk away – on very uneven turf mind you – so I always use a walking stick.

What is the climate like? Is it hot?

Kenya is in east Africa, directly on the equator. There are only 2 seasons – wet and dry, and they are now heading into the wet season. The average daytime temperature fluctuates between 20 and 30 degrees Celsius depending on the elevation. The coastal regions are the warmest. Eldoret, where I am going is on a higher elevation (varying from about 2,100 metres (6,900 ft) at the airport to more than 2,700 (8,900 ft) in nearby areas. The temperatures in Eldoret are more on the lower end of the scale. I have never been uncomfortably hot in the 4 times that I have been there. At night it can get down to 14C which is cold for Kenyans but just fine for me. The high altitude makes Eldoret an ideal training ground for medal-winning athletes – particularly runners. The city is known as “The City of Champions”.

What about religion in Kenya?

As of 2019 , over 85% of the population identified themselves as Christian among which 33.4% were Protestants, 20.4% Evangelicals, 26% Roman Catholic and seven percent from African instituted churches.  Furthermore, nearly 11 percent of Kenyans are Muslim. Other faiths practised in Kenya are Bahai, Buddhism, Hinduism, and traditional religions Only 2% said they identify with “no religion”.

Do you feel safe in Kenya?

Yes I do feel safe, although I take all the necessary precautions like never walking alone at night, not carrying valuables with me, etc. People who look like tourists are easy prey for pick pockets or armed robbery even.  My taxi driver – a Christian gentleman is always kind enough to accompany me if I have to go to the bank or other business. On the campus itself are security guards who monitor the comings and goings at the gate and patrol the campus at night.

Is there religious freedom in Kenya?

Yes, everyone is free to practice whatever religion they wish. The Kenyan constitution states that there shall be no state religion and that religious discrimination is prohibited

What kind of a school are you teaching at? Is it a Bible college?

It is a Bible School started in 1986 especially to train missionaries and pastors. It is affiliated with the denomination “AIC” which stands for “Africa Inland Church” – a conservative evangelical denomination.

What exactly will you be teaching there?

I will be teaching a first year class a course entitled Introduction to Ministry (Pastoral Theology) and a third year class of Biblical Preaching

What about money?

The currency in Kenya is the Kenyan Shilling.  At the moment                             $1 CDN is worth 96.91 KsH. I can use my Canadian debit card in most stores that I use or I can withdraw KsH at any ATM. Kenyans also have a unique way of transferring money with their cell phone via an app called M-Pesa available from Safaricom – the largest Kenyan phone carrier. The app can be loaded from a bank account or with cash at a Safaricom booth, of which there are many. Very convenient. You can send money to anyone who has it, or pay bills such as at a supermarket check-out by entering the “till number”. I had an e-sim card added to my dual sim smart  phone so that I can have both a Kenyan and a Canadian phone number. Finally, I would like to thank everyone for your prayers, and your words of encouragement assuring me of your prayer.  The se mean more than you will ever know.

I will let you know once I have arrived safely.  Yours in Christ’s service,

Dieter Reda

 

WHY DO CHURCHES CLOSE ?

In a special article in the Hamilton Spectator called Test of Faith, Dr. Reginald Bibby, a sociologist at the University of Lethbridge, who has studied the religious culture of North America, speaks of a “handwriting on the wall”.   The mainline groups — Anglicans, Presbyterians, Lutherans and the United Church — will says Bibby, “with a few individual exceptions, continue to shrink, and with their related declines in resources, will see most of their physical outlets sold off”, he said.

David Seljak, an associate professor and chair of the religious studies Department at St. Jeromes’ College in Waterloo goes a step further and maintains that this is not a local problem.“There is no place where the mainline Protestant churches are not in a steady state of decline,” he says. “It’s something that is happening across Canada and it has been happening for some time.”

But Why?  How is it that churches come to that state in their development?    There are some common denominators. In every case, the congregations had a long and varied history.  In every case, the congregations had grown throughout their history to a point that warranted  building edifices  on a grand scale.  If you have 1000 people attending worship, you need a place that can house that many people.  But in every case, for whatever reason, the number of worshippers could not be sustained.  Rather than grow, the congregations levelled off and then began to decline to a point where the support base – the people who donated the money – could no longer sustain facilities that needed to be maintained, and in some cases updated to meet accessibility and other building code issues.

The article that I referred to does not give satisfactory answers.  It refers to demographic issues, such as people moving out of the city centre into the suburbs.  It refers to sociological changes from the original members of the church to the millennial generation that has different needs, and according to Seljak “is spiritual but not religious.”

While some of these points may be valid, they don’t tell the whole picture, and neither will the ideas that I would add.  And the first would be a shift in theology. The so-called “mainline” Protestant churches  have shifted to a liberal theology that focuses on the rational, and downplays or denies the supernatural events of the Bible. The United Church of Canada was formed in 1925 as the result of a union between Methodist, Congregational, and some Presbyterian congregations.  Some of these denominations have a long history of a very evangelical past, which somehow disappeared in the smelting pot that became the United Church.  And other mainline churches that did not join the union have also shifted to a more liberal theology. It is an unmistakable fact that evangelical churches have a far lower rate of “closures” although there have been some.

A second reason that I would suggest, is a failure to read the “handwriting on the wall” sooner.  The churches that declined did not do so overnight.  Attendance did not plummet from 1000 to 100 or 50 from one year to the next.  In most cases the decline was gradual.  Sometimes the wrong questions were asked too late, or not asked at all.  Churches that have proudly stated that they were “not concerned with numbers”, and who tried to explain away their lack of growth, either theologically or otherwise, are now basing their decision to close on numbers.  “We no longer have the resources that we need”.

A third reason, is that at some point, the main thing stopped being the main thing.  Churches that focus on the main point of Christianity, which is following the Great Commandment to love one another and the Great Commission to make disciples (in other words spread the Gospel) are less likely to need to shut their doors as churches that are occupied mainly with lessor things. I remember being in the board meeting of a church years ago, where more time was spent discussing the financial health of the organ fund than the need of souls.  They had some segregated funds invested for the purpose of financing the maintenance of the pipe organ.  When the General Operating Fund began to dry up or go into the red, they would “borrow” from the organ fund.  At issue in one particular Board meeting was the contentious question of how much should be borrowed, when it would be repaid, and “what interest rate will we charge ourselves!” On the agenda of the same meeting was a proposal for an outreach ministry which was never discussed because the above item took so much time.  I went home crying (and I cried after many board meetings while I was in active ministry) followed by sleepless nights. The main thing stopped being the main thing.

Dr. Vance Havner first articulated a cycle known as the “Four M Cycle”    Man – Movement – Machine – Monument. Someone’s idea grows bigger than the man (or woman) and becomes a movement that catches fire and spreads, as fires tend to do.  Inevitably, a mechanism or structure – a machine if you will – is necessary in order to keep the movement and the vision of the founder alive.  But sadly, soon the machine becomes an end in itself.  Oiling and maintaining the machine becomes more important than the work which the machine was created to do.  It becomes a monument – or worse, a mausoleum  to house ideas and practices that are dead.

Havner’s image applies to both secular and religious institutions.  In the case of the Christian Church, the God-Man Jesus began a movement that grew past His human lifespan and was carried on by his followers – the apostles, martyrs, church fathers, and their successors.  By the third century at the latest, the movement became a machine – a hierarchy of an institution which was very powerful.  The humans who had that power became so intoxicated by it that they worked hard at maintaining the machine.  Taken as a whole, Christianity did not freeze into a monument. Why?  Because in all ages, there have been people who bought into the original vision of Jesus: “I will build my church, and the gates of hell will not overcome it” (Matt. 16:18) and “go into the world and make disciples of all nations” (Matt 28:19).  The secret to prevent becoming a monument is to get back to the original vision.  Reformers like Martin Luther, John Calvin, Huldyrich Zwingli and others had that vision and created movements within the movement to keep going forward.  But sadly, even within those movements there have been machines and monuments that have evolved over time.

Individual churches today, are always in danger of succumbing to that deadly cycle that ends in a monument.  The signs are not hard to overlook, but sometimes they are overlooked:

  • when the way something is done becomes more important than what is being done – in the end less and less gets done.
  • when ministries within the church become perpetuated without understanding what they mean – we do things simply because this is what we have always done and we have always done it a certain way.
  • when pining for the past glory days is more  intense than the hope of the future.
  • sacred cows  such as styles of music, particular buildings, traditions and practices that were invented by humans, and many more.

The key to avoid the trap of the 4 M’s?  Stay in the movement phase, or return to it.  What that means practically for the modern church was articulated in a blog by an Anglican, whose name I can’t find, but I like these ideas:

1) concentrating on the basics of our faith,
2) concentrating on the basics of Scripture (and more importantly concentrating on the Living Son of the Living God that Scripture points to), and
3) concentrating on basic discipleship (learning how to actually live the miraculous, restorative, healing things that Jesus taught us to do)
I don’t mean to point fingers at any church that I have mentioned here.  But I believe if more churches heeded this advice, fewer of them would close.

MOTHERS DAY

When I go to the cemetery to visit the grave of my mother on Mother’s Day or on other occasions, I keep reminding myself that Mother is not there.  In her grave in our family plot are the mortal remains of her earthly being, but she as a person, and her personality continue to live elsewhere.  Where exactly?  After studying the Bible for many years, I know that my mother is not a star shining down on me, nor is she an angel, for angels cannot be saved and redeemed.  I  can say with certainty that those who “die in the Lord” are WITH the Lord.  The actual locale is not as important to me as this fact – with the Lord.  That is what Jesus said to the repentant thief on the cross, this day you will be with me in paradise. And after the Apostle Paul ponders what would be better – to continue living on earth and serving the Philippians, he concludes that to depart and to be with Christ, is “better by far” (Phil. 1:23)

When I go to visit mother’s grave, I do not talk to her.  I used to do that in the early stages of grief, and I do not judge anyone who has graveside chats with a loved one.  I now realize that when I spoke to Mom, it was more for my sake, than it was for hers.  And could she hear me even?  I rather doubt it.  For mother, and all of the dead are no longer part of this world defined by time and space.  They are literally in another world that we do not (yet) have access to, except by praying to God.

The theologian Helmut Thielicke said something in one of his books that has helped me: to know that our departed loved ones are with God, must be absolutely sufficient for us.  No, we can no longer communicate  with them.  But Thielicke does concede that we  can say, whatever troubles us about a loved one (perhaps something that we wish we could apologize for) by addressing it in prayer to God. Will God pass messages from us to our loved ones?  Certainly He could, for God can do all things, but whether He chooses to do so or not, is really up to Him.

The Bible warns not to attempt to contact our communicate with the dead.  Many people ignore that warning, and believe that the are communicating with a loved one.  However, I believe that they are being deceived and are really communicating with lying spirits. Those spirits may well speak information known only to the deceased, but we must remember that demons, while not omniscient, do live in the spirit world and may have access to knowledge that we do not.

So for those of us, who have mothers in heaven, may we be comforted in the Blessed hope that we have in Jesus, who has conquered death