Headed to Church?

In preparation for my sermon this week I was reading a 2006 survey done by Gallup.  They found that nationwide, 76% of Americans identify themselves as Christians.  They also discovered that only 42% of Americans attend worship (church, etc) on a weekly or almost weekly basis.

I'm not quite what 'almost weekly' means, but I'll pretend that it means 'as often as they're in town.'

Surely, that reflects the secular nature of the West Coast, and maybe Vermont and New Hampshire, but not here in the Bible Belt!  Au contraire, mon ami.  Gallup also broke the survey down into states.  Anyone want to guess where Tennessee fell?  The same place as Georgia:  52%.  That's how many people actively attend church on a regular basis.  52%.

I'm not great with math, so I'm just going to call that half.  Half of everyone is sleeping in on Sunday morning without any regard to God or Christian community.

Application for Northside?  Next time we're bemoaning, 'everyone must be attending the church down the street,' remind yourself that only half of everyone is attending anywhere. 

That means the fields are fertile for sowing the seeds of the Gospel.  Look at the opportunity!  I guarantee you know someone without a church home.  Several someone's, probably.  Go ahead, invite them to yours.  We're a pretty cool place to meet Jesus.

Northside is an awesome church

I was talking with Erica this evening after my Session meeting and I feel so blessed to be Northside's pastor! Taking feedback from the congregation, leaders, and elders in the congregation, I crafted three goals for our 2011 year.

1. Discover and celebrate what makes Northside unique as a church. Advertize that and let people know why our church is so great!
2. Have exciting, strong, applicable worship that is light, fun, joyful, appeals to a broad selection of people, and embraces the best of traditional and modern music.
3. Intentional discipleship focused on relationships between old and new members, small groups, accountability, and commitment.

 When I asked the elders what they thought, I received universal support.  One woman said, "It's so nice to have a direction like this.  We've never had that before.  It's good to know where we're going."  Hearing this I felt the mixed emotions of sadness and pride.  Sadness because this church is so awesome, they deserve to have visionary leadership like this; and pride, because I know God has called me here for this very reason.

How blessed am I to be leading a group of faithful Christians who are looking forward to a growing and productive ministry together!  Northside deserves the very best -- because they're neat, faithful people.  Our Lord deserves the very best -- because, well, he's God.  And that's what I'm giving:  100% of my best.  Why?  Because I love Jesus, and I love Jesus' church, and I love Jesus' people in North Chattanooga.

Am I rambling?  Probably.  Am I gushing in a totally un-manly way?  Most likely.   Do I mean it?  Absolutley!

Top 10 Reasons to Give to Your Church

10. It's a tax write off (ok, so is Unicef, the Red Cross, and Peta, but this is just #10!)

9. You might get one of those fancy brass plaques with your name on it

8. Air Conditioning certainly is nice in Chattanooga during the summer

7. You get a chance to make positive, lasting change in the world

6. If you don't who will?

5. It's more blessed to give than receive

4. You're investing in the future—of the church, of these kids, of our world

3. Because when we give, we remember that we've first received

2. Because what God is doing here is bigger than what we have resources for now

1. WWJD? Seriously. 'nuff said.

Musical Interlude

It's sad when I pick most of our songs, not because they are inspiring, but because they are not objectionable.  :(  Consider this my urgent prayer for musical deliverance at Northside!!

And let me clarify, our organist and choir director are great!  I'm railing against our abysmal songbook here.

A Tenth

When it comes to giving money, the church has taken many different courses over the years.  In the 1st Century, many Christians practiced what we could call 'proto-communism.'  That is, members of the Christian community sold or gave what they had so that everyone ended up what what they needed.  Yes, it's in the Bible (Acts 2:43-44).  Thought all good Christians were white, capitalist, Americans? 

For several centuries, beginning in the 6th, the church began selling indulgences.  Talk about a capital campaign!  The church tells you for the right price you can buy your dead relatives a ticket to heaven.  Perhaps not the most ethical way to approach fundraising, but it beats the way most politicians raise money these days.

In the Old Testament, the people practiced what was called 'tithing.'  When they brought in the harvest or gathered the flock, they would dedicate 1/10th of everything to God by presenting it at the temple to support the priests and the ministry taking place there.  Now there are some who suggest that the practice of tithing went out of fashion with prohibitions against eating lobster (Leviticus 11:10-12).

It seems that the 'anti-tithers' believe the New Testament practice of giving is more open than this strict 10% philosophy.  When they say that I simply point them to Matthew 19:21--"sell everything and give it to the poor," or Luke 12:33--"sell all that you own."  Jesus thinks 10% is about 90% too little.

Am I saying that 10% is what God expects us to give?  No.  Should we literally give everything we have, including the shirt off our back?  No.

Maybe a good compromise is to take Paul's advice to the Corinthian Church:

[T]he one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.  Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.                     2 Cor 9:6-7