I write this as 2011 ends. As I look back at the past year and ahead to the New Year, I am personally very thankful and optimistic. Although we have had some rough time with illness and death in the family, this has been a good year for me and I trust in God that the next year will be even better. Michelle is now living full-time in Jackson and working for the Cape Red Cross as a donor recruiter. (See her “musings” for more.) I am optimistic because I have faith in the loving power of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit in my life.
Where my optimism falters is when I come to the state of the Church in North America. In the broader society about half of those who pay attention to public issues believe that the government is waging a “war against Christianity” while the other half believe that our society is merely progressing to the point where all faiths are treated equally. Progressives believe that the Federal government is bringing the Kingdom of God closer, while conservatives believe the welfare state is attempting to replace the church as the foundation of moral values, personal identity, and private charity. Viewed pessimistically, progressives are simply going to “progress” the church out of existence because it will no longer be needed because the beneficent government will take care of us “cradle to grave.” Conservatives will preserve the “old time religion” but will marginalize the church as a “holy huddle” of people who consume Christian radio, TV, books, and music while the rest of the world “goes to hell in a hand basket.”
Meanwhile, church attendance, giving, and Biblical literacy continue to decline in the USA. Unlike earlier decades where the country turned to both progressive and conservative religious leaders for wisdom, it is very difficult to name any religious leaders who have broad national influence. Sadly, religious leaders are more likely to provide “comic relief” than a moral compass.
It often seems that the Catholic Church is the only denomination that helps shape the national dialogue on moral and social issues. Protestant denominations seem to be more focused on internal splits over issues such as “gay marriage” and with stemming their rapid declines in membership and revenues. Nondenominational churches may flourish for a time, but too many are tied to the fortunes of a single charismatic leader and are focused on continuing to grow than on providing national or community leadership.
One of my major disappointments as a leader of the ecumenical movement in Cape Girardeau is finding that there is no such thing as an “ecumenical movement.” Pastors are willing to gather together for mutual support and sometimes for joint worship, but not to exercise community leadership. Partly this is due to the lack of common “Christian values” among pastors of different faiths. Is casino gambling a major threat to the moral climate or no big deal? Are Christians pro-life or pro-choice? Are we in favor or against the death penalty? However, even on issues where we agree, we seem to lack the energy and will for common action. Many pastors have almost no community involvement outside their denominations and congregations. They will not take the trouble to go and say the invocation prayer at the city council meeting! I am afraid that if the Church is to become once more a leading force in our community and the nation, the leadership is not going to come from our local pastors. What makes me pessimistic is that I do not know where else that leadership is going to come from. Maybe the Church needs a “tea party” of its own to shake up the religious establishment!
However, I am optimistic about how things are going with our congregation. Attendance has stabilized at about 60 persons per Sunday. Those of us who participated in “The Story” found looking at the big picture of the Bible to be very rewarding. Our music program finished the year on a “high note.” We hope that our next choir leader will challenge us the way that Dan Allinder did. Our Christmas programs and services were both fun and beautiful. We continue to struggle with fixing the last few problems with our old building, but progress continues. We lost some dear church members and family members to the Kingdom over the past year. However, we cannot be too selfish about that!
My attitude towards the worldwide Christian Church is more than optimistic. After all, the Church is the Body of Christ, and if Christ is the head, then the Church cannot fail. The Gospel will be spread throughout the world and Christ will lead us to the end of the age, until he returns in glory. Worldwide, the Church is growing tremendously, and most of the congregations that are growing are made up of Bible-reading, Bible-believing Christians. As we wait for Christ's return, we can expect the worldwide Church to continue to flourish, even with severe persecution in many countries. Please come soon Lord Jesus!
Pastor Dan
