Ordination Challenge

I have just returned to the US in time to preach at a particularly interesting ordination service for the Rev (new today!) Caleb Smith, at Christ Community Church, Wheaton.  It was interesting because, as adviser to Caleb over his years at Northern Seminary, I had an especially close hands-on relationship which helped lead to his call to this small community church.  It is wonderful to see a gifted young pastor (with an equally gifted wife) so fully committed to this extraordinarily multi-cultural fellowship.

I warned him that I had been recently grabbed by a text and story in John 3:22-36  that I had never preached on before, and that I was going to prepare a new sermon.  When John the Baptist is provoked by his disciples' telling him that Jesus is now more important than him (everyone is going to Jesus!) John resists any small-minded response out of bruised pride.  Rather he states an extraordinary principle: "He must become greater and I must become less" (verse 33).

My message to Caleb was: "You are important, but not that important!" as I engaged with some of the ways in which by practical worship, robust faith and bold witness he could be sustained in a relationship, giving more glory to Christ.  Afterwards someone said to me: 'You know that challenge that "you are not that important" should really be given to all the members of the church'. Yes, sadly, too often Christians do assert self-importance and obscure Christ and his kingdom.  Actually, this summer I have heard of two local churches where members' strong personalities so asserted agendas, likes and dislikes that they destroyed fellowship unity.  Oh what damage is done when we forget the One who is really important.  Yes,  I think this theme has wider application than just at an ordination service!

At one point I mentioned some advice from E. Stanley Jones that I jotted down in my prayer journal many years ago. He listed some guidelines for Christian leadership which, I think, keep us from inflated self-importance:
- Be willing to take criticism yourself
- Be on guard that you do not become petty
- Be willing to give way in small things that do not involve principles
- Refuse to look for slight regarding yourself
- Keep the power of laughing at yourself
- Keep up the prayer life and underneath keep a surrendered heart.
It's been good to be reminded.   Do you agree?

Much huffing!

These last two weeks my postings have been absent. (You didn't notice?!)  Anyone witnessing my movements at the seminary would understand.  After major traumas (!) of moving house earlier this summer,  I have just moved my seminary office from one end of the academic office corridor to another.  There has been much huffing.  In my new role as less than full-time faculty my office space has been expectedly cut by half which has meant more decisions about what books and files are priorities, and what must go into storage.

I am immensely grateful for my new room which is pleasantly decorated with a new desk. It's always a privilege to have a study space.  But I told myself that I would take advantage of this move by winnowing down my library to essentials.  That I would put into large-scale practice my prioritizing of books by A,B,C and D (as mentioned in a recent post).  What a hope!  Instead it has been a mad scramble with massive deferral of such decisions, as unfiletered files and papers have piled in boxes haphazardly.

And now, with a false sense of having completed this task to mild satisfacton, I leave in a couple of days for two weeks' visit to the UK to see family and friends.  So, it is highly likely that my postings will remain absent as I connect with my latest grandchild and reconnect with so many others.  I am not sure when I shall next write something worthwhile (actually I am never sure quite what is worthwhile anyway).  When I return on September 13th. I am straightway into preaching at an ordination, teaching an intensive Doctor of Ministry (Sept 17-21) course and then term begins  Sept.24th.  I keep telling myself this is an exceptional summer - I hope yours has been for less hectic reasons!

Reflective practice

Last night I led a  seminar for those responsible for leading worship at my local church - First Baptist Wheaton.  I was asked to highlight some issues from my book in order to help them focus on planning Fall worship 'to the glory of God.' 

It was remarkably generous of them to give up three hours in their busy lives with a willingness to reflect.  And what a risk there is in genuine reflection!   Reflective practice involves adult learners who have already developed expertise in being open to critique their work even while they are at work.  At its best, it will allow plenty of safe space to consider afresh issues that are often taken for granted.  And there are many of those unconsidered aspects of worship planning.   Some of them are huge - like the role of the Holy Spirit or understanding of the missional church. 

Many are smaller scale.  In answer to a question last night about the offering, I was reminded of a colleague of mine who was guest preacher in a local church.  It was their habit as the offering was brought to the front for the congregation to stand and sing the doxology.  As people slowly got to their feet with little sense of joy or purpose to do their usual, the preacher abruptly stopped them: "What are you doing?" he said.   There was stunned surprise.  Wasn't it obvious that they were singing the doxology?  But, maybe, it had become so commonplace they needed reminding that returning gifts to an extraordinarily generous God is a big deal.   I am not sure whether the preacher was invited back (!) and whether this is the most productive form of reflective practice.   But, I believe, reflective practice leads to deeper people doing deeper things.   

I don't know whether reflective practice will arise from any of that wide range of issues I raised last night.  It takes time, honesty, love, and patience.  I pray that it will!     

So, what's on your list?

After my last post I expected someone to ask specifics about my summer reading!  When I was describing my A,B,C categories I didn't mention another group that looms large in my life: publisher's manuscripts.  When reading them I try to use the same steps for seeing the big picture and framing structure, but I don't feel I can ever skim if I am to write an honest foreword or endorsement.  Perhaps they form a category D because however I might grade them ultimately as A,B or C, I want to give my best by a fairly careful read. Its nearly always an honor to write a foreword because you already have a connection with the author or the subject - they have done all the hard work and I need only add a bow and note on the front!  Only occasionally I have had to decline because I could not be positive enough!

Currently, I have two forewords requested: Brian Harris, The Tortoise Usually Wins: Biblical Reflections on Quiet Leadership (Paternoster) and Lori J Carrell, Preaching that matters (Alban Institute). I also need to give an endorsement for Richard H. Cox, Rewiring Your Preaching: How the Brain Processes Sermons (IVP).  All D category.

In strictly A category terms my most recent read is Craig Van Gelder & Dwight J Zscheile, The Missional Church In Perspective (Baker Academic, 2011).  This is one of those 'mapping books' which help to locate where other significant missional leaders and trends belong in the developing missional story.  Based upon an incisive reexamination of the category A missional book, Garrell Guder, Missional Church,  this not only maps out four differing developments: Discovering, Utilizing, Engaging, Extending, but opens up an extraordinarily rich conversation on the key issues to engage us all.    I have found this extremely revealing as it locates much so much of my reading (and teaching) in useful categories.  This kind of book deserves detailed attention and I've not finished yet.   Good 'mapping books' are like this! 

On reading books

Summer time is especially good for catching up with academic reading.  I am always over-ambitious as I select the pile and nearly always end up disappointed that several books are left unread.  But much depends on taking a realistic approach.  Not all those books in the pile should be read closely!  Indeed, some need to be skimmed in order to ensure time is spent on the more significant. (My summer time reading also includes novels but these rules do not apply to them!)

Robert Webber used to advise students that they should not read an academic book word for word, page for page, chapter for chapter. Rather they should read a book like they would look at a picture, study its frame and only at the end examine its details.  Often the first look would give a clear idea how much time to spend. He suggested first reading the back cover, contents page, Introduction and Conclusion with time given over to thinking about the author's stance and books' purpose. Can you sum up in a sentence what the book's point is and how the author wants you to respond? 

To ensure you are not oversimplifying you need also to frame the book by studying the index, footnotes, and Scripture references to gain understanding of the author's sources and interpretation.  Further, the book's  structure requires its chapters to be scanned.  

All this happens to prepare you for the big question:  Is this book significant enough that you need to examine it in detail, making notes of key sections and even of vital quotations.  Some of us have good enough memories to capture the main issues for the future with few notes.  For me, note-taking has to be more extensive to keep reminding me of those distinctive ideas that now help to build up my knowledge.  Because this last stage is time-consuming the early looking and thinking is essential for setting priorities.

So, I find I have three kinds of academic books in my reading repertoire:
Grade A - I have paid critical attention to most pages because of its high caliber challenge.
Grade B - I am aware of the general issues and have given parts of the book some serious attention.
Grade C - I probably have engaged with its main issues already in other reading, or it falls outside my priority concerns.

Do you have a system for sorting out which books most deserve your attention?  Have you engaged with many Grade A books recently?  Care to share?

Remembering

Moving house means sorting out what should be kept or thrown out.  On the hoarding scale we are nowhere near the top of the scale (I think) but we have still amassed an amazing amount of material from our lives so far.  In certain moods you can argue for retaining almost all of it.  Your child's finger painting aged four, your Valentine's Day cards, your letters when leaving the UK or at any other time when they mark a significant event or friendship.  To say nothing of the talks and sermons I have been preparing for nearly fifty years (to say nothing!)  Many of you will have shared the tension of sorting out - and tension it is.

I wish we could have slowed down the sorting out process because I also had important lessons to learn. Remembering is an important spiritual art.  One of the most significant moments came from rediscovering some of my old prayer journals.  From Weds. October 7th. 1992 to January 3 1995 covered a dramatic time in my life - leaving the pastorate in Cambridge to becoming Principal at Spurgeon's College in 1993.  I was surprised by the full entries on some days, by the detailed references to the spiritual aids I was using - especially Oswald Chamber's My Utmost and E Stanley Jones' Living Victoriously, and by the painful honesty of my prayers.  At times my spiritual life really was in turmoil and page after page I pour out self-awareness and need.   

Thankfully, overall, my entries show some personal development and shining moments.  For example, on Saturday Oct 10th. I record a difficult tearful pastoral situation confronting a couple who had broken up another marriage in the church.  Then I quote Oswald Chambers: "We read tomes on the Holy Spirit when one five minues of drastic obedience would make things as clear as a sunbeam".  And as I worked on my sermon for the next day I wrote a prayer that the Holy Spirit would grant me:
Desire to love,
Humility to learn,
Courage to live,
Commitment to listen.
It was a sunbeam moment!
I need to keep remembering how God has led me through and to be reminded to keep my journaling up-to-date yet reflect on the past.  How often do you remember?

Nothing really can be said in defense

Yes, we have surfaced after our house move, travel to family in NJ, and staying with friends. Our belongings are scattered in at least five different locations and, in spite of warnings about how easy it is to lose track, certain key documents that should have remained accessible are now at mystery locations. No wonder my blog has been quiet of late!  Before I write anything else I must follow up my last (distant) post.  Michael Duduit wrote (thanks for commenting Michael) that "Nothing really can be said in defense of the annual Call Sunday."  And, oh, what negative experiences I have heard from others. 

One really troubled me.  Like a retired pastor: "I could write a few short stories about the laymen's control technique of humiliating and limiting the pastor's call from God which can too easily be trumped by the laymen's local church accountability technique under the threat of an annual 'vote of confidence'.  I personally lived through three different unpleasant and still vivid memory experiences as a sixth grader, high school youth and college student in three different churches in three different states. When I was a pastor I was confronted with the threat of such a vote in three different pastoral assignments. I negotiated a 'no contest' surrender with the promise that if I did not point fingers at 'the enemy' (I saw that done when I was a high schooler), recruit an army, or do battle - that I promised to move along as quickly as feasible.

One case it tok 13 months, another 18 months and the last one was 8 months.  I am not a fighter. I left with a clear conscience and a clear call to do just what I did - with God's grace to forgive and God's peace to reward.  I have been back or invited to come back to all the churches in question.  I have a clear conscience as I watch the rseponse of those who were responsible. I am at peace even with them.  Time has proved that Romans 8:28 applies in just such a case as that."

Grace triumphs eventually but what an incredibly sad story. I know that we pastors can really fail the Lord and our people, and sometimes mistake God's call on our lives as well as to particular places.  Yes, we can get it wrong. But what a challenge about the destructive power-structures of some of our churches.  There are Christian ways of behaving, but regularly reviewing a pastor's call as an open season for easy abuse is not one of them!