By: Rev. Dr Paul Raybon
We live in crazy times. Not just for each of us as individuals, but for the church. And you know the old definition of insanity? “To do the same thing you’ve always done and expect different results.” The way of doing church that was perfected in the mid-20th century does not work it as it once did. It’s not just a matter of being unfashionable. It is because the way church was done for much of the last 100 years left behind a lot of casualties. Narrow views and prejudicial practices left a lot of broken spirits in their wake.
Many folks have not had the benefit of experiencing church with a grace-full congregation. They bear the scars of being told they do not belong, that they are not acceptable, that if they do not bow to the powers that be, they will no longer be counted as members of the family of God.
That’s the immediate past. A past that some, who never experienced that pain, would love to return to, because it seems more secure, more normal.
I believe we are going to have to go further back for a way forward, much further back, to those crazy days after Pentecost. What the early apostles did, what the Holy Spirit empowered, crossed all human barriers and attracted people from all walks of life.
It didn’t take long for the early Christian’s to adopt a ship as the image for the new church. Powered by pneuma, Wind, Spirit. God’s Holy Spirit. Miraculously powerful, present everywhere, but invisible to human sight. Believers gather to journey in the safety of the ship, but have no control over where the Spirit takes us.
We don’t have to generate the energy to move. We only have to lift anchor, hoist our sails and see where God takes us. We navigate by the bright and morning star, Jesus, whose love, wisdom and grace will guide us. We study Him through the Scriptures so we can recognize and do the most Jesus-like things we can imagine and trust God with our destination.
Does that sound like an amazing way to live? It is. Does that sound like a terrifying way to live? Not really. Because like trapeze artists in the circus, as you go flying through the air you know, with absolute certainty, that the One you trust will catch you, every single time. This is the way to do ministry that throws love, joy and wonder in the face of uncertainty
But there is a less scary way to think about moving forward. When I worked in food service, I learned a little trick. If you’re trying to see if the spaghetti is done, pull out a noodle and fling it up on the door of the fridge. If it sticks, it’s good and done. If it falls off, it’s not.
You may not be ready to board a ship to who knows where. You may not be ready to give up the way you’ve always seen the world. You may not be ready to give up total control of your life just yet.
So, as you try to make it through these days of uncertainty, take hold of one loving thing you know Jesus wants you to do, fling it up on the fridge alongside your calendar and list of things to do, try it. See if it sticks as a better way to live. Then try another, and another. Before you know it, you will find you have left the harbor and begun a new journey. Because the love of Jesus always sticks.
These thoughts are from Rev. Dr. Paul Raybon, our partner in ministry in the Western Carolinas, who can help you and your ministry navigate congregational identity, mission, and effectiveness. He is Co-Pastor at Hominy Baptist Church near Asheville, NC and works with churches and leaders as a coach and consultant in communication, visioning, administration, and spiritual formation. Contact him for more information about how he can help you.