He’s saying they’re not lazy but pastors accuse them of it.  In reality they’re just busy and we expect too much of them.  I’m not sure I agree...but this really depends on “how guilty” you’re making them feel or how you’re “berating” them about it.

The whole issue of the church schedule is something I’ve been wrestling with.  For example, we say that we are “family friendly” as a church...we mean that we have several different programs for people of all ages...something to keep your whole family busy.  But what if family friendly really means creating sacred space for families to connect?  Because of creative thinking, the Associate Pastor I work with (and oversees the youth ministry) has chosen to do “youth group” type meetings only 2 times per month.  The other weeks, he spends that time investing in relationships with key leaders and families are encouraged to spend that same time with each other.  He equips parents to become the faith bearers for their kids.  I think that step has helped us take a step in the right direction of truly building families.

Instead of asking, “What should we do next?” or “What should we add?” we in leadership asked, “What can we do without?” What would a truly simple church organization look like?

Maybe reality is actually a good thing...it’s forcing us to ask tough questions about programming and who we are becoming as a community of Christ-followers.  Just like a budget crunch forces us to prioritize spending…

Thank-you, apology accepted, just don’t stop encouraging me to share Jesus as we busy-along.

Bravo, Randy!!!  While the issue at hand is not a small concern, your excellent response goes far beyond this issue. Your response brings up a priciple which has implications concerning many issues in contemporary/American Chrisitanity: The proper relationship between Christ/Church and culture viz. “in but not of” (John 17) IS reality.  Proper spiritual understanding of this theological issue is key in our post-modern/post-Christian world.  I am not saying this is easily discerned - church history reveals a variety of perspectives and practices - but, it is something we absolutely need to to get a handle on.  We need this not only to maintain a faithful witness, but to also have an EFFECTIVE Witness: True Christianity - the one we see Jesus and the apostles living in the Bible -never has, and never will “fit” into culture.  The “heavenly culture” can be communicated to and co-exist with ANY culture; but it is also CROSS-CULTURAL to EVERY culture.  People who are truly “seekers” are, by nature of the case, seeking something they don’t already have in their existing culture.  To “fit” the culture SEEMS to produce some immediately results in getting people to the Sunday morning church service.  But, what happens when they (hopefully) encounter Christ’s definition of Christian discipleship?

Christ did fit into culture.  Not everyones, but those seeking him found him right where they were at.  In their homes, in the leper colony, on the hills near town, and by the shore.  Jesus’ message changed their hearts, if they accepted it, and that still works today.  The gospel does change the way we relate to culture, but those we are trying to reach are still IN the culture and OF the culture.  We are called to go out and tell them the great story.  Historically, culture has changed directly because of Christ’s story, and we should recognize that, but also see that it is the people that have changed, and the culture is simply a reflection of the people.  As we impact more people, the culture changes.  As other forces grab people’s attention away from Christ, that affects culture as well.  Such is our battleground, let’s stay in it as we stay part of the culture that is eternal.