I’m Listening, Sam

Mike Leake 1 Comment

Last week, while heavily medicated from getting a tooth extracted, one of my former students sent me an article to read and give him my thoughts. Because I figured my thoughts at the time would be an incoherent mess of thoughts smattered with thoughts of Sasquatch and other mythical beasts, I decided to read and respond a bit later. The article is from a millennial, named Sam Eaton, who gives us twelve reasons why he believes millennials are leaving the church.

Being born in 1981, I’m never sure how to respond to these because I’m not sure if I’m part of Gen X, Gen Y, or if I’m a millennial. So much of what the author says in this article resonates with me. In fact so many of the bullet points that Eaton suggests for improvements are things that I’m trying to build into the culture of our little church here in Southwest, MO. But I’m really not doing this because I’m trying to reach millennials, I’m doing it because it’s basic Christianity–it’s what a church should be.

What I appreciated so much about Eaton’s call is that when you sift through all the complaints what he’s simply telling churches to be biblical. It can be broken down to five points that are applicable to any generation:

  1. We should be intentional and passionate about being good listeners to every generation.
  2. We should practice hospitality
  3. We should be doers of the Word and not merely hearers (or speakers)
  4. We should be disciple makers
  5. We should pursue authentic community

All twelve points are really saying one of these five things. And I give all five of those a hearty amen. I’m passionate about seeing churches grow in creating a culture which reflects these five things. And so I’m listening. And I’m anxious to partner with millennials, like Sam, to help churches become increasingly like Jesus. However, I’ve got a few points of kick-back that I’d like to offer.

First, changing to reach a generation is why millennials are repulsed by the church in the first place. In my mind, we’ve gotten ourselves into this mess because a few decades ago we were faced with a similar crisis and we asked the wrong questions. We changed to reach the Boomer Generation. This caused us to move from center. And that’s why you are dissatisfied today.

The reason why millennials in some areas aren’t being reached isn’t because we aren’t equipped to speak to millennials. The gospel is timeless. It is counter-cultural and counter-generational. And the church that is shaped by the gospel will speak to the basic needs of every generation. So be careful when you call on churches to listen to your generation and adapt to it’s needs, because you’ll end up in the same spot in about twenty years.

Secondly, you are the church. Therefore, it is a bit nonsensical to say, “your move church”. No, it’s our move. If you are a believer in Jesus then you don’t have the option of disengaging. I get that the church can be frustrating at times. I get that it really seems like you could do so much more on your own or in some para-church ministry where you don’t have to worry about institutions and such. I also get that Jesus died for his church and not for a building. But, Jesus did die for the church. That screwed up bunch of blood-bought redeemed sinners. Practice what you preach and do what you can within your local church to make those five points happen.

Thirdly, be the change you want to see. In one of the points in the article Eaton decries the fact that millennials are often told, “we aren’t good enough”. And I get that. It’s frustrating. It’s frustrating to be called a snowflake, to not be listened to because you are younger–to be dismissed. But can I humbly suggest that the author might have been guilty of the very thing he is offended by? The whole article is basically saying millennials aren’t coming to church because you aren’t good enough for them. It cuts both ways.

Lastly, love isn’t how you feel about something. At the beginning of the article the author says that he really wants to love the church but he is increasingly feeling burned by the church and starting to understand why more and more millennials have a negative view of church. I understand this sentiment. And I think he’s saying he really wishes that the church was easier to love. But cruciform, Jesus-type, love isn’t ever going to be easy. It loves the unlovely. It’s intentional. It doesn’t sit on the sidelines and say, “Man, I’d really like to love you but you just won’t let me.” No, Jesus reaches us in all of our muck and mire. He chooses to love the unlovely. That’s the type of love that we are called to exercise towards one another. So, I get that the church can be really jacked up a times, but Jesus still loves her and washes her with the water of the Word.

Hang in there, Sam. The church has been through some pretty dark times, but she’s beautiful. We are beautiful because of the One who loves us. He is radically dedicated to seeing us be more like Jesus. The gospel is powerful enough to reach any millennial—no matter how discontent. Drop anchor there and watch the Lord work.

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Pray With Your Spouse: Day Fourteen

Mike Leake

Day Fourteen: Being Intentional Stewards

Know well the condition of your flocks, and give attention to your herds, for riches do not last forever; and does a crown endure to all generations? –Proverbs 27:23-24

This Proverb tells us a couple of things about money. First, it will not last forever. Secondly, we shouldn’t let that first truth cause us to neglect being good stewards of what we do have. Our marriages are to be spent for the glory of God. But are we really doing everything we can for God’s glory if we are not being responsible stewards of what God has entrusted to us? Can I really be certain that we are maximizing our resources for the sake of missions if we aren’t being intentional about things like budgeting (knowing the condition of our flocks). We should take careful inventory of all that God has given us, not so that we can amass a personal fortune or even pretend like money will give us security. No, we do this because our possessions don’t last forever and so we use them to further the kingdom which does. Let’s use today to pray that God would help us be intentional stewards of all that he has given us.

Lord, we are grateful that you are sovereign over everything. Every resource we have really belongs to you. We acknowledge that we are but stewards. And we confess that so often we use our possessions for our own kingdom instead of yours. We also confess that at times we are irresponsible with what you’ve given to us. Help us to see the missional reasons for budgeting and taking count of our flock. Help us to maximize every dollar and every resource we have not for our own sake but for the sake of the kingdom. Create in us a deep unity with one another on this front. Amen.

Read This! 02/17

Mike Leake

4 Theories of How a Leader Becomes Controlling

I think he is spot on.

5 Keys to Preaching on Controversial Subjects

Marty knocks this one out of the park.

Expositional Imposters

I think for many they don’t like expositional preaching because they’ve never heard it, only some of these imposters.

Ten Ways Pastors Can Be Bad Bosses

There are a couple of these I’m praying for growth in.

Why I Won’t Be Seeing (Or Reviewing) The Shack Movie

I appreciate Tim’s stance here, and will likely take a similar one.

5 Pastoral Proverbs That Stuck

These are helpful.

Bad Lip Reading is at it again with NFL 2017:

Following The Suffering Hands of Jesus

Mike Leake

For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. –1 Peter 2:21

I’ve heard in the news recently that they are going to stop teaching kids to write in cursive. I think it’s a bit silly but I’m also a tad grateful. In my mind, the sooner cursive becomes a thing of the past the better my chances of never being exposed for my continual inability to write an uppercase cursive Q. Or a lower case z. Never could get those.

Do you remember learning to write your letters? My hand is starting to cramp up remembering it. You’d trace over letters over and over and over again, and then you’d try to do it on your own. That process—under-writing—is the word that Peter uses in 1 Peter 2:21 that is translated “leaving you an example”.

If we really grasp what Peter is saying here I think we’ll be in a position to not only dismiss the heretical prosperity gospel but also prepared to suffer well.

Against the Prosperity Gospel

Here is a quote I read in a sermon awhile back from one of the founders of the prosperity gospel:

I believe that it is the plan of God our Father that no believer should ever be sick…It is not—I state boldly—it is not the will of God my Father that we should suffer with cancer and other dread diseases which bring pain and anguish. No! It is God’s will that we be healed.” –Kenneth Hagin

In other words suffering is always the path of the enemy. In Hagin’s mind the one suffering is in that situation because he or she is following in the footsteps of the enemy and not Jesus. In his mind, God’s will is to rescue you from that path of defeat and transport you to the path of glory. But that’s the exact opposite of what 1 Peter 2 is saying.

The path that Jesus walked was a path of suffering. A place where he slept on rocks for pillows and his last moments were spent nailed to a cursed tree. And he did this, Peter says, for us. Not only as our substitute but also as our example. To follow Christ is to follow the path of suffering. Tracing the letters of Jesus aren’t done with golden pens. It’s a path marked with pain and heartache and suffering but one which ends in the Father’s pleasure and ultimate glory.

The prosperity gospel keeps us from suffering well because it causes us to attribute it to the wrong hand. Rather than following the biblical call to endure suffering the prosperity gospel calls us to rebuke it, and in the process we end up rebuking the very hand of God.

Against the Pit of Uniqueness

Suffering has a tendency to turn us inward. And when it turns us inward it makes quick narcissist of us. Just around the corner of narcissism is what I’ve termed the dangerous pit of uniqueness:

It is here that you will make your bed in ashes. You’ve spiraled into depression and self-pity. Here you will become jaded and your conscience seared. You, and you alone, have been abandoned and forsaken by the God who said that He wouldn’t forsake anyone. You’re stuck in this pit with no rope. You even lack the fingernails to claw your way out. You are hopeless. (From here)

But 1 Peter tells us a different story. You aren’t swimming in uncharted waters, you aren’t blazing a new course of suffering. If you are suffering for righteousness sake (as is the case in 1 Peter) then you are following in the footsteps of Jesus. You aren’t alone in your suffering. He has been there before and he knows the road to glory. Keep on tracing his steps…following his example.

Suffering Apart From Christ

There is something assumed in this passage, though, which is often dismissed. This is suffering for righteousness sake. Let’s be honest, sometimes we suffer because we have made foolish choices and/or have been rebellious and sinful. Certainly in these times we are to fix our eyes on Jesus as well, but it’s more a call to repentance than it is a call to keep your hands to the plow.

Suffering because of doing evil isn’t following in the footsteps of Jesus. He didn’t trace this path out for you. It doesn’t mean that he isn’t there, nor that He isn’t gracious and kind and willing to restore and redeem. But it does mean that such suffering will often be messy. Consider this.

Thankfully, when my son was learning to write letters I took a photo of some of his work. Here is a picture from one of those books. Notice the process. He traces it and then he tries it on his own. (That’s a good picture of sanctification—if you don’t press the analogy too far).

isaiah letters

Some of these he knocks out of the park. He had traced some of these letters enough times that he was able to do it pretty well without a guide. Others he was still a bit off on and we had to put in more work. I’m happy to report that at the age of 9 my sons letter writing is much better than it was at this point. Practice in following the path of another has a tendency to do that doesn’t it.

Check out Isaiah’s letter “R” when he isn’t focusing on his guide:

isaiah r

That’s what a lot of our suffering looks like. We aren’t following the footsteps of our master and so our suffering looks ugly. Rather than following in Jesus and not reviling when reviled we respond with anger and rage. When we find ourselves in an uncomfortable position we threaten and grab for power instead of entrusting ourselves and our situation to the Lord. We claim the name of Christ but our suffering doesn’t model that of Christ because we aren’t following His steps. Our suffering is our own.

Let us follow the example of Christ and willingly suffer for the sake of righteousness, knowing that this path alone leads to glory. Remember whose hand it is that you follow. Don’t be shocked that when you follow the writing of a nail-scarred hand that you’ll have some intense suffering along the way.

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Image source: here