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SPOTLIGHT on Five Small Church Ministries

God is doing something new  . . . .

2×2 invites small churches to join this page and share ministry experience—not just successes but ideas, criticisms, problems and challenges. If we don’t talk about things, how can we improve?

(If you’d like to join, send us your story. There is no cost and no money changes hands. We share our experiences, ideas, and pray for one another.)

Five churches have been part of our exchange in our first year. In this post we will spotlight their exciting ministries.

SPOTLIGHT on Glory of Pentecost in Eastern Kenya

Glory of Pentecost’s leader, Silas Kadenga, first wrote to us last spring asking us for help with their Vacation Bible School. They had read about our idea for helping small churches restore their summer outreach efforts. Their first email did not give their location. We started asking questions. We were surprised to learn they were in eastern Kenya. Our first reaction was there was little we could do to help. Our program was focused on the USA and even more locally. But we kept firing questions. The responses revealed a very different ministry scene than anything we expected.

How many students do you expect? Do they speak English? How many teachers do you have?

The answers: About 200 students. Most speak English as a second language. Three teachers and a few more that show interest but need training. Their obvious need was training for teachers and for resource material.

We pointed them to some free resources on line and kept in regular touch.

Today, their pastor sent us a notice of a new program and asked that we help publicize it.

Please join us in prayer for their new ministry.

Welcome to The Silas Faithfull Foundation

The Silas Faithfull Foundation (SFF) is the only Kenya-wide child protection charity dedicated solely to reducing the risk of children being sexually abused. We work with entire families that have been affected by abuse including: adult male and female sexual abusers; young people with inappropriate sexual behaviours; victims of abuse and other family members.

Drawing on our expert knowledge about child sexual abuse we offer a broad range of services for professionals and members of the public. These include: assessments, intervention and treatment of known offenders, case specific advice and support, training and development courses and workshops, educational programmes for internet offenders and their families, circles of support and accountability and internet safety seminars for schools (teachers, parents and children).

In 2009, The Silas Faithfull Foundation established the prevention campaign, Stop it Now! Kenya East Africa which supports adults to protect children through providing information; educating parents, carers and other members of the public; training those who work with children and families and running a Freephone confidential helpline_+254 708 403 409 +254 707 434 093_silasabali@yahoo.com  More information Stop it Now!

Through that we are looking forward to request your Support for this Organization to continue to Help more people all over the world your support of Prayer will make our Vision and Mission to be complete 

Together We Can Change the World 

 Message from founder of Silas Faithfull Foundation Kenya-wide

SPOTLIGHT on Kiorori Church in western Kenya

Simion Sagwe and his wife, Florence, have been caring for a number of widows and orphaned children in Kisii District, Nyanza Province, Kenya.. They work hard to feed and clothe them and find the money for their medical care and schooling.

We sent them a recording of a little song we thought the children might enjoy. They wrote to tell us that they learned the song and sang it in church. Now they sing it all the time. Meanwhile, back in East Falls, we often use the hymn in worship as well!

Simion has been traveling to attend classes at a Bible College. His wife is making jewelry in hopes of starting a cottage industry to support their mission work. We may be able to help their efforts. We will work on that.

We get weekly reports of their Sunday services and walks through the village afterwards to interest new people.

SPOTLIGHT on New Life Fellowship in Faisalabad, Pakistan

Pastor Sarwar Sadiq writes to us daily, sharing Bible verses and reports of his ministry. He wants to learn as much as he can about our church and writes his prayers for us, asking about our members by name. He describes the difficult mission of growing a church as a minority religion and the effect it has on their families and their children in school. He sends many photos of their ministry.

Their internet service is iffy and we are going to try to help them by setting up a mirror service on our site.

They have a vibrant ministry in their neighborhood but take mission trips into more remote areas to spread the Gospel. The above photo is from one of their mission trips.

They pray for better and affordable space for their ministry.

SPOTLIGHT on Prince of Peace, King of Prussia

Prince of Peace is a small, suburban congregation near Philadelphia. They happen to be the first congregation our Ambassadors visited two summers ago. We have stayed in touch and tried to help them with some projects.

Their current project is called “No Family Left Behind.” It aims to reach all families with worship and learning opportunities, including families including elderly, disabled, or children with learning disabilities. They are partnering with the Community Center directly across the street from their church and with Ken-Crest, a Lutheran Social Service agency.

They plan to make iPads available to help people with disabilities communicate, read, and take part in activities. The Rev. Dr. John Jorgenson, a retired pastor serving the congregation, has drawn on his years of service with the LCA in developing curriculum to develop the innovative program.

SPOTLIGHT on Redeemer, East Falls

Much of this web site talks about Redeemer’s very active ministry so we’ll list just a few.

  • Redeemer Ambassadors visit churches
  • 2×2 Foundation pioneers Social Media Ministry
  • Maintaining a Lutheran presence in East Falls
  • Staying active in East Falls organizations and government
  • Working to maintain Lutheran congregational polity by challenging actions of SEPA Synod
10 Jul 2012

Dissent in the Church — Mum’s the Word

A random Google search brought up an interesting, if dated, web site.

The site owner was disturbed about the ELCA’s impending alliance with the Episcopal Church—Call to Common Mission. He had written to all major church leaders with deep concerns, which he took no care to hide.

Frustration with hierarchy brings people on the sidelines to exasperation fairly easily. This disgruntled Lutheran cared enough to post every response from mostly regional bishops. A few of those who responded to his letter gave carefully reasoned answers. More are condescending in tone with uncamouflaged arrogance.

The writer predicted an incongruity with the new alliance with historic Lutheran values. Some form of “not to worry” was the universal answer to his concerns.

This exchange was dated 2001. Reading it eleven years later reveals that this concerned Lutheran, so easily dismissed, was right. The Lutheran Church is abandoning its historic polity. This has changed attitudes of leaders, which in the Lutheran tradition are respected more as servants than as CEOs. It trickles down very quickly to affect parish dynamics which are troubled—if not by conflict, then with complacency. Don’t rock the Church boat!

When property issues become involved, it is landing the denomination in costly court battles. The ELCA is banking that the courts will ignore their constitutions in favor of staying out of the fight under the Bill of Rights. It is a tactic that is working at least for the moment.

One thing is likely to continue. The voice of dissent—the founding platform of our denomination—is likely to be easily dismissed by the leadership club called the Council of Bishops and their coteries. Some will write smug letters. Some won’t respond at all. Very few will give the concerns meaningful consideration. Dialog will take place behind closed doors or in controlled forums. Historic Lutheran polity has been traded for some undefined benefit.

Eleven years reveal that the owner of this site was rightly concerned. The ELCA took a giant step backward in its partnership with the Episcopal Church. It doesn’t make much difference to the hierarchy. They lost no time in assuming “powers” not given to them under their own constitutions.

It makes a huge difference to lay people. They can now be assured that any dissenting voice will be muted or ignored if it attacks the powerful.

10 Jul 2012

Scalability: Religion Seeks It But Can’t Embrace It

Exponential Growth vs Scalable Growth

The Christian Church has recently focused on the Gospel account of Jesus sending his disciples into the world 2×2.

Jesus’ concept of mission was built on exponential growth. If two people are each successful in reaching two people — for a total of four — and they in turn form teams of two reaching four more— that’s exponential growth. The effort and cost must be repeated again and again. The church will grow with hard work and dedication.

This was remarkably effective. Within a few hundred years, the Gospel spread to the farthest borders of the known world.

Scalability is a bit different. It is a term that centers on the power of technology. How can teams of two reach a thousand or more people using the same effort it takes them to reach four?

The answer is incalculable—and entirely possible. The tools are in our hands to make mission work scalable beyond the wildest dreams of the early Christian apostles. The same work required to reach or teach 100 people can also reach or teach a million for basically the same outlay of resources.

So why aren’t we doing it?

Roadblocks to Scalability

Sadly, the church is not set up to take advantage of scalability.

Try this, for example. Take an idea to a religious institution. They will have a great deal of difficulty thinking beyond their own constituency. “But don’t you see,” you might argue, “you have the power to reach beyond your congregation, beyond your geographic territory, beyond your denomination.”

They will respond with confusion. “But it’s our job to serve our constituency. We work for [name the regional entity.]”  

They will try to be helpful. Scratching their heads, they will suggest, “Take your idea to [another territorial constituency that might be a bit bigger]. Maybe they can help you.”

Any denomination can reach congregations and clergy of all denominations all over the world with truly helpful information—all for the same effort that they might put into a local symposium or workshop which they would charge 50 people $25 each to attend. They won’t, though, because tradition outweighs potential.

Oddly, the efforts to take advantage of the power of the internet are not coming from the higher echelons of the Church. Many regional web sites are of poor quality and virtually all are self-focused. Some of the flashiest regional web sites focus on only their own work—not the work of their members. They are ignoring the potential to strengthen community. They are also ignoring the potential to reach the unchurched — which is their mission.

Church leadership is accustomed to publishing and teaching coming from top down. There was a time when this was necessary. Not everyone owned a printing press and distribution system. There grew to be a comfort in the control which was part of this outdated system. Because control was once possible in publishing they mistakenly believe that it is necessary. It is not only unnecessary in today’s world; it is impossible.

The system of the past is clumsy and archaic, but the Church’s entire structure is built around it.

Smaller entities—individual institutions, small congregations and even individual church members are making stronger headway.

Examples

One example,  www.workingpreacher.org, a project of Luther Seminary, features guest theologians from many backgrounds, analyzing the weekly lectionary. Directed towards pastors, anyone can study the week’s scripture guided by the insights of a seminary professor.

Another: ministry-to-children.com is a web site started by Tony Kummer, a youth/family pastor. It is a lively, interdenominational exchange of ministry ideas and resources that has a large community participating and helping one another. A small church in Africa asked for 2×2’s help in finding affordable educational resources. We directed them to this web site and they were delighted!

Jason Stambaugh writes a blog, www.heartyourchurch.com. He is an individual layperson who works in social media and is a member of a small congregation. He writes about social media in the church and other church issues.

A college student in Texas, Virginia Smith, has used the internet to help small congregations access used Vacation Bible School resources. She’s just one young person passionately engaged in mission, armed with the web. (www.vbs247.webs.com/) Virginia has been very helpful to 2×2 in networking.

And then there is this site, 2×2, the project of Redeemer Lutheran Church, East Falls, Philadelphia, a church the Lutheran denomination (ELCA) determined was too small to fulfill its mission (the old-fashioned way). Three years after locking our members out of our church building, 2×2 is reaching more than a thousand readers a month with a significant local readership with global reach. (And we are just beginning.) We offer ideas for small church ministry and attempt to prompt dialog on small church issues.

Scalable projects are our passion—not to make vast amounts of money, as is often the aim of online enterprise, but to build an new infrastructure that will provide hope and help for neighborhood ministries that we believe are the strength of the Christian Church. We believe there is fiscal potential that would provide the hands-on resources to neighborhood churches that can’t afford them the old-fashioned way. (And this is a large number of churches!)

Meanwhile, denominations concentrate on building Christian communities of a certain number so that they can afford a pastor/building and support their regional and national denomination.

This is not scalable. And it is failing. But it’s still how the Church measures success!

09 Jul 2012

Ambassadors Visit Grace, Wyndmoor

The Redeemer Ambassadors have been busy since Easter in East Falls, but we returned to the road this morning. Several Ambassadors requested a visit to a church they often pass—Grace, Wyndmoor, just a few blocks from the city line.

Grace has a great deal in common with Redeemer. Its cornerstone has 1908 on it. Redeemer’s is 1909. We learned from talking to members that the building had burned in the 1920s. Redeemer, too, suffered a devastating fire at about the same time. We both rebuilt.

One of our Ambassadors was actually very familiar with Grace, having attended the church between 1991 and 1997 and actively supporting the church as a Sunday School and Vacation Bible School teacher. There were more new faces than old after 15 years. Same at Redeemer! Why are other congregations allowed to change, but Redeemer is locked in people’s minds as the same in 1960, 1998, 2005 and 2012?

On this muggy Sunday morning, there were about 35 in attendance. The sanctuary is small and that number filled it nicely.

We were late, regretfully. We read a page on their web site that describes their education program that had a different service time than the one that was on the home page. We shouldn’t have read so far!

But we were greeted warmly and a few remembered the two Redeemer members who were active in their community for six years.

We were aware that Grace’s pastor, the Rev. Carol Ficken, has been an active member of SEPA Synod Council that has been so relentless in trying to destroy Redeemer’s faith community. This made passing the peace during worship a bit awkward. Peace takes more than a handshake.

All the Ambassadors were impressed with the organist who we believe is listed in the bulletin as the Minister of Music, Sheridan Seyfried. His understated presence at the organ may account for the congregation’s strong voice.

We visited their fellowship space, which is nicely appointed. The classrooms surrounding an open hall are decorated to resemble a small village. Having been in the midst of a renovation when SEPA locked our doors, we were able to share with a member what we had done with our ancient kitchen range and oven and discuss the challenges of making basement meeting areas pleasant.

We usually write a letter to the congregations we visit, putting the letter in the offering plate. We are going to start posting our letters here, where we can be sure all members have access.

 

08 Jul 2012

Statistics and What They Mean in the Church

Albert Einstein had a sign posted in his Princeton office:

Not everything that counts
can be counted, 
and not everything
that can be counted
counts.

Tweet this!

This is precisely the dilemma facing the modern church. We faithfully count the people who are in church on Sunday morning, the amount they give — even the number of times they receive the Eucharist.

We do not count the people who are not in church, the work and spirit offered by those who cannot give money, and the good will distributed beyond the sanctuary. They are important, too!

Good news! It’s possible to value both.

05 Jul 2012

Where the Bill of Rights Fails

Freedom to Be Oppressed by Your Religion

America was founded on the principle of Freedom of Religion. Early settlers came to escape state oppression of the emerging sects in Europe. Over the centuries, many faiths have sought refuge on American soil.

The First Amendment in the Bill of Rights prohibits the making of any law respecting an establishment of religion, impeding the free exercise of religion.

The legal system lives in fear of stepping on the exercise of religion. In recent court decisions they have gone so far as to determine that religious groups do not have to follow their own rules. That opens a new door. The leaders of religion can themselves become lawless oppressors.

That is the result of a recent Pennsylvania Supreme Court decision that determined the case brought by the Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod of the ELCA against a member church (Redeemer, East Falls, Philadelphia) could not be heard. Yes, they brought a case against a member church and then argued that the case they brought should not be heard.

The court gave SEPA Synod a victory by default —not based on evidence. They determined that it was up to the denomination to police its own rules. Fat chance.

A strong dissenting opinion concluded that if the law is applied, Redeemer’s arguments deserve a hearing. How are members of faith communities to assume that the laws they agreed to upon joining the community mean nothing?

That creates a very real problem for all the faithful. If constitutions agreed upon by religious groups when they go to the legal trouble of incorporating mean nothing, then faith communities are faced with potential lawlessness. The laity are sitting ducks for potential abuse. Clergy will run.

Faith communities can expect to be victimized by hierarchy. It is happening with greater frequency. The conflicts are usually about the value of real estate — not doctrine. Within the ELCA there are several cases of “hostile” takeovers—raids in the middle of the night or by stealth and deceit. One bishop, anticipating trouble, went so far as to call ahead to the sheriff and police department and warn them to expect a call from church members, but that they were allowed to change the church locks.

It is not the Church’s finest hour. As proven by Redeemer’s experience, Church leadership will not hesitate to use their protected status to tyrannize their members — those with the least power, the laity. You won’t read much about this on the pages of The Lutheran.

“I have the power,” Bishop Burkat was heard to say as she prepared to raid Redeemer. If so, it is a power allowed by courts side-stepping the issues. It is not a power given by the ELCA constitutions/articles of incorporation or by God.

It’s legal because the law exempts the church. Perhaps there is hope.

The law has finally stepped in on the Roman Catholic Church and its handling of crimes within its ranks—but not before a great deal of damage was done to both victims and the Church.

On this Independence Day, it is worth noting that the Bill of Rights does not protect the members of faith communities from the abuses of their own leaders. This can be stopped by the members of the faith community, but experience is proving that the religious don’t care unless they are directly affected. They are free to use other provisions of the Bill of Rights such as Freedom of Speech and Freedom of Assembly. Odds, in the current atmosphere, are against it.

What a waste of the First Amendment.

04 Jul 2012

A Tale of Two Churches in SEPA Synod, ELCA

East Lansdowne — East Falls

Today there was a celebration in East Lansdowne, a Philadelphia suburb.

Over the past seven years, the aging Lutheran congregation, Immanuel, found new life by hosting a community of African immigrants led by a pastor, who himself had immigrated from Liberia.

They named their community Faith.

Today they officially merged with the remnants of Immanuel to become Faith Immanuel. Congratulations to the new congregation, its lay leaders, and Pastor Moses Suah-Dennis.

Tuesday’s Inquirer carries the story and quotes the previous bishop of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod (SEPA), the Rev. Roy Almquist, who is ready—even in retirement—to take credit for the new congregation.

In a telling quote he reveals SEPA policy.

“Under normal circumstances, you would close a church that size,” Almquist said. “But they were determined not to close. They wanted to find a way for their church to minister in a changing neighborhood.”

He does not say who the “you” is who would close the small church. Constitutionally, it is the congregation itself that must vote to close.

In 2005, as Bishop Almquist was nearing the end of his second term, he recommended the arrangement which lead to the congregation’s merger.

At the same time, there were other opportunities beating relentlessly on his door that he just plain ignored. His inaction has been costly to his synod and to the neighborhood of East Falls.

East Lansdowne’s story is similar to that of Redeemer, less than ten miles away. The only difference is that Redeemer did not have to come crawling to SEPA, begging for help. In fact, Redeemer had more money than SEPA at the time Bishop Almquist was trying to help little Immanuel. In 2005 —and much of Bishop Almquist’s two terms — SEPA was in severe financial crisis.

Redeemer was every bit as passionate about “staying open” and had nearly four times as many members as Immanuel. Why help East Lansdowne and refuse basic services to Redeemer?

Redeemer had received a large bequest in the late 1980s and SEPA had eyes for it, actually withdrawing $90,000 from our bank account in 1998. Redeemer protested.

This conflict was unnecessary and fateful. Redeemer was left with a reputation of being “trouble.” Few Lutherans take the time to analyze the source of the trouble or to ask themselves what they might do if the Synod visited their bank without their knowledge.

SEPA returned the money (after two years of needless conflict with Redeemer) but refused to serve the congregation from that point on. Their strategy was to wait for Redeemer to die a natural death. Bishop Almquist’s message was clear: Do things my way or else. Redeemer was shunned.

Bishop Almquist refused to help the congregation find a pastor to call. Redeemer was left to fend for itself.

The rest of the story is not at all unlike Immanuel’s. Immigrants from East Africa began to join the little neighborhood church—first one family, then extended family, then friends. Redeemer found two pastors, both from Africa, willing to serve the congregation.

Having received 49 new members with many more interested, Redeemer approached the new bishop, Claire Burkat, and asked to call one of the pastors.

Bishop Burkat’s head was buried in Bishop Almquist’s play book. She took no time to consider that things might have changed since Bishop Almquist deserted his duty in East Falls.

She reviewed our reports with prejudice fueled by a six-figure deficit budget. She decided that only our white members should be counted. She assigned trustees who reported falsely that the congregation had just 13 members. (In court they are trying to hold us to a quorum for more than 70.)

Bishop Burkat pontificated, “White Redeemer must be allowed to die. Black Redeemer, we can put them anywhere.” Destroying Redeemer was the priority — not mission.  She set things in motion to force the church to close. It has now been locked for nearly three years.

Why not reward success?

The answer: SEPA was passing massive deficit budgets fairly routinely, relying on closing churches, seizing assets and selling property to make up shortfalls. Redeemer was known to have money and a valuable property.

We celebrate the successful union of Faith and Immanuel and wish them the best.

However, a wise church would also review its failures. The concurrent neglect and harmful policies practiced in East Falls are routinely swept under the rug as if the mess was all the fault of the people. This is wrong and innately dishonest.

01 Jul 2012

June 30: Social Media Day—July 1: Social Media Sunday?

Do We Need Social Media Sunday?

Three years ago, the Social Media company, Mashable, created Social Media Day. In 514 cities, Social Media enthusiasts will gather (many in a bar) to put a real live face and warm handshake to the entities that drive the keyboards and hide behind little square avatars. It will happen again tomorrow, June 30.

Perhaps we will someday declare a Social Media Sunday, a time when Social Media Ministries physically welcome the people whose lives they touch from a distance.

It raises an interesting concept? What kind of program would a church’s SM Sunday promote?

There would be a temptation to do things the way the Church always does things.

They would hold a big worship service centered around a few people doing a few things in the chancel while everyone else sits or stands (as able) on demand. They would ask the strangers to break into ancient song at appropriate times, prompted by an overpowering organ. They would focus the newbie’s attention on the scriptures as interpreted by one person for fifteen, twenty, or thirty restless minutes. They would require that they shake everyone’s hand without really knowing a thing in the world about the hand they are shaking. They would bless them as they turn to walk out the door to be greeted warmly (perhaps) by a caring pastor and one or two others before returning to total anonymity.

That’s how a church service might seem to the uninitiated. Churches all over the country do this every Sunday, many with feeble results.

(And people say Social Media doesn’t create true community!)

How would you plan a Social Media Sunday?

29 Jun 2012

For the faithful who like to think . . .

If you like to think and aren’t afraid of participating in a dialog that challenges your thinking, take a look at this new web site.

The God Debates is a forum for theological discussion presented by a panel of eleven writers from varied backgrounds, including atheists.

26 Jun 2012

Danger Zone: Trust in the Church

“In God we trust. All others pay cash.”
That’s a fairly common American sentiment.

The Church has a way of warping our innate sense of caution. The old hymn teaches us to “Trust and obey, for there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus.”

The concept of trust in God, foundational to our faith, gets projected onto trust in people, trust in leaders, trust in the hierarchy. People may not be asked to trust church leaders, but there is an expectation that they are worthy of trust. So why not?!

There are good answers to that question.

Why not?

Because Church leaders are people. Church leaders are subject to the same temptations and challenges in life. They are just as capable of self-interest and foolishness. Donning a collar or a fancy robe or hat does not change human nature.

Placing unquestioning trust in Church leaders is all the more dangerous because trust in people becomes intertwined with trust in God. If we challenge people in the Church, are we challenging God?

Recent struggles in the Church suggest that blind trust in Church leadership is no more fruitful than blind trust in politicians. Children have had their lives shattered because they trusted men whom the Church presented as trustworthy. It took decades for Church leaders to come to grips with the problem. There is no reason to mention the expense. The price paid by the victims is so much higher.

Stories that make the news are not isolated. The Church shatters relationships with the faithful in other ways as well. It is just as slow to self-correct. It may even be impossible.

Seth Godin wrote yesterday on the subject of trust. He made a valid observation. Trust grows in times of crisis, when leaders stand by their people, when the going is tough, when it would be easier to run or hide, abandoning the faithful—or to lie.

Indeed, it is in times of crisis that trustworthiness shows its mettle. It is rarely seen in today’s Church.

photo credit: jrodmanjr via photo pin cc
24 Jun 2012