Nazarene Digital

A Nazarene Wrestling with Digitally Expressing the Great Commission

  • Our Walls, God’s Movement

    Our Walls, God’s Movement

    Look and see what God is doing, and join him in His work. If Christians around the world were to suddenly renounce their personal agendas, their life goals and their aspirations, and begin responding in radical obedience to everything God showed them. The world would be turned upside down.

    Henry Blackaby

    I love this quote that I recently heard.

    There is, however, something very scary in it, and it is how it challenges all our traditions and interpretations.

    It isn’t just the “bricks and mortar” that is being challenged. Even digital is challenged by this.

    In digital, we are very aware of platforms. The platforms shape the means and method of the message. They do not change the message.

    Walls of Bits and Bytes

    We, self-included, cannot sit within our digital four walls. We must spread out from Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, X (f.k.a., Twitter), Twitch, and whatever other digital platforms we’re on.

    Even it digital, people have already formed walls. Yes, they are only made of bits and bytes, yet, they are becoming rigid, too.

    In some ways, walls are good. In the digital realm, it can be easy to bust through digital walls, but should we? What makes a platform valuable to you? What makes a platform valuable to the people you are trying to reach?

    Walls and Culture

    This is where the four walls mindset/framework actually breaks down. The four walls of a physical local church are symbolic of the culture of the church. The four walls can be porous, rather than solid. The four walls could be so solid that nothing new gets in and everything (and everyone) become petrified.

    Digital may well have the same issues. Digital, it seems, tends to be more porous, but the platforms themselves lead to a development of a culture that is often is impossible for the unenculturated to break into.

    Oddly, that seems to be almost celebrated in digital spheres. Granted, comparing the sheer numbers in digital spheres to the normal local physical church (even the mega ones), it can seem that the digital is more open culturally. Appearances can be deceiving.

    Digital Culture Warning

    We in the digital space often point to the physical realm as the epitome of locked culture, while not recognizing our own.

    I am guilty.

    Digital isn’t for everyone, nor does all digital meet everyone where they are at.

    Those advanced in their digital realms do recognize that. I just wonder, however, if we are looking far enough ahead to see a potential issue.

    TikTok Culture Goes Where

    If it remains banned/blocked in the US, what will happen to its people? There is a culture on TikTok (neither supporting nor opposing, just stating).

    The culture developed on TikTok. Much of the culture was shaped by the nature of the platform (short form video), the algorithm of the platform, and the social interaction. The TikTok culture is unique.

    Its US users, now de-homed, will go where, exactly? They might try Instagram or Facebook, but probably not. YouTube and its shorts? Maybe. Perhaps old Vines or other short form platforms will return. Perhaps someone will be successful in creating a Mastodon or BlueSky iteration/server that will be successful (this is my hope).

    De-Homed Culture

    I don’t know much, if anything, about how a refugee really adapts to a new culture. Yes, I’ve heard stories (including from refugees). Yet, there is always something much deeper in that.

    Like physical refugees, TikTok-ers didn’t want to move. TikTok-ers are looking for the next place to be.

    Many people are looking for the next place to be. It isn’t just TikTok-ers. It’s refugees from other nations. People who feel disconnected from a culture they perceive as not theirs.

    God’s moving there.

  • Going Where the People Are

    When the love of Jesus Christ gripped Wesley’s heart, he knew he couldn’t keep it to himself. There had to be some way to reach the vast masses of people who would never darken a church door. Initially, Wesley was convinced the gospel could only be preached in the stained-glass setting of a church building. But with so few people attending church services, he was forced to consider other options. Reluctantly, Wesley began preaching in the open air. He would find a high spot on the edge of a city and speak to whoever would listen. Crowds of three, five, even ten thousand people would gather. Many of them were touched by the spirit of God and awakened to their spiritual state. A revival in England was born largely because Wesley was willing to take the gospel where the people were.

    Roger Ross, 7 of John Wesley’s Practices Can Change Hearts Today

    The Church of the Nazarene affirms and proudly proclaims its heritage as a Wesleyan denomination. And, yet, are we ignoring the open air?

    Where Are The People?

    Hint: they’re not at church. This isn’t news—not by a long shot. Too many churches and denominations, however, are stuck in a framework that is limiting our creativity.

    To be clear, I love the “four walls” of my local church. I just watch them limit everyone’s understanding of and participating in church life.

    Digital and the Damaged

    Digital is no panacea. There are problems with it, as with any human expression of creativity, individuality, collectivism, and so on. I see it, though, as a bridge to a revitalized even (dare I say) resurrected faith.

    There are people who were offended, hurt, harmed by people of my local church. That happens. It’s not to excuse it, to be clear.

    Because I don’t have the history, I generally have no clue. Also, because it is church hurt, people are very reluctant to share it (and I have seen why as we watch social media).

    Digital can bridge that.

    Bridging Pain

    People watched us online since we (my wife and I) came. A lot of people have watched. Some of them decided we’re safe, and have re-joined the community.

    It took a lot of time, and that’s okay. Honestly, I expect a lot more time for others to recover, if they ever do.

    Digital is safe for them. Of course, we desire them to fully rejoin the community, and not just watch online. Yet, would I rather they hear a sermon within their community (for that is still how many view it) context, than be completely alone? Absolutely!

    Should it be more than a sermon? Yes! Should there be some sort of digital discipleship if not done in person? Yes!

    Blind to the New Square

    Wesley preached in open fields, open spaces, even cemeteries! Why are we so closed to the new open spaces?

    I cannot imagine preaching at a cemetery, at least other than at a funeral, yet Wesley did. If he preached at a cemetery, why can we not preach in the places people gather digitally?

  • Are THEY Worthy?

    As we discuss church, discipleship, gatherings, small groups, etcetera, and—in particular—the validity (or supposed lack thereof) of digital gatherings in comparison to physical ones…perhaps we ought to ask…are THEY worthy?

    It’s a provocative question. Who is the “they”? Are they gamers, unchurched, unbelievers, wounded, hurt, ashamed, insulted, assaulted? Are they “worthy”?

    Are they worthy of “our” time? Are they worth “our” time?

    Are they worthy of “our” resources? Are they worth “our” resources?

    Are they worthy of us setting aside our preferences (and, for the sake of argument, the “better” physical gathering)?

    The “our” time and resources, from a Christian point of view, are not ours. Supposedly, We are to view them as God’s. In particular, we are to view them as Christ’s. We are to view them as belonging to our Savior.

    So, let’s rephrase these questions with that ownership in mind.

    Turning the Questions

    Are they worthy of Jesus’ time? Are they worth Jesus’ time?

    Are they worthy of Jesus’ resources? Are they worth Jesus’ resources?

    Now, when we talk about sending missionaries to foreign countries—especially from “the US is the best country” and a “Christian” country perspective—we say, “absolutely”. Setting aside the messianic complex that seems to often go along with that, it’s good to send missionaries. We have no problem spending hundreds of thousands (and even millions or billions) of dollars to reach “those” people in other countries.

    Yet, US church language, by and large, seems to have a completely different perspective when it comes to those that reside in the US. Church language says, they need to come inside our walls.

    More Than Evangelism

    This is not to say all are saying such. Some are utilizing evangelism and missionary language to separate digital from physical. That, at least, is some freedom to reach out digitally and to have community digitally. Yet, even this freedom still implies lesser than status.

  • New Nomads: Digital, Physical, and Both.

    New Nomads: Digital, Physical, and Both.

    It wasn’t that long ago that nomads were viewed as unstable and untrustworthy. Stability of address was part of an identity, and thus provided more assurance to ones worthiness and trustworthiness.

    However, recently that has somewhat changed. A person, for example, who remains at the same job/company for years is not the person many companies are looking for. The companies are looking for the hungry (and sometimes the desparate) to bolster the organization.

    The other reinforcement of the nomad is the freedom provided by digital. At 61, Nicky Maidment became a digital nomad. There is Katie Macleoud, who has “worked from home” in 78 countries as of 2022.

    Both Nicky and Katie are blessed with digital jobs that are easily convertible to the nomad lifestyle.

    I have an acquaintance that is travelling the world doing her job remotely. In the short time I’ve known her, she has already moved 3 times.

    Building Albatrosses1

    When we build churches and church communities, we generally build around physical locales. We don’t really trust the nomads.

    The gatherings should be, in many respects, a safe place for people, and strangers are disruptive.

    On the other hand, we are called to love the stranger. We are also called to love the nomad.

    I remember a conversation years ago in regard to college ministry. I was told we were wasting church resources on people who were just going to move away. This conversation (and the church) were in a college town.

    I wonder, how (not if) the church building, and our concept of church community, has become an albatross. Are we weighed down? Are we unable to move, adjust, go, because we are weighed down?

    Places is Good

    I don’t seek to diminish the local church. I’m a “local” church pastor. However, this seeming blindness to the world moving around us may not be good for the kingdom.

    I don’t argue (too much) that physical is better. In most cases, I do think it is ideal. I’m not, however, going to hold onto that too hard.

    Digital has places, too. Facebook, Twitter, X (the transition from Twitter to X is causing me to think of them differently, now), Mastodon, Bluesky, Instagram, YouTube are all different places. I’m not comfortable in all of them.

    Serving Nomads

    What is interesting, perhaps telling, is that my denomination, The Church of the Nazarene, has a strong missional drive. It’s not that we don’t seek out nomads.

    One of my favorite stories is Church on Camelback. To reach nomads, the Church of the Nazarene put the “church on a camel.”

    Yet, we struggle with the digital nomads. In reality, as digital networks change, the people move. It used to be Facebook. Then it was Instagram. Currently, it’s TikTok. If things continue as expected, TikTok will be banned from the US, and the people will go…where?

    Church on Camelback showed that the church is capable and even willing to go to the people. It’s only, however, with a certain framework.

    Return to Office

    I have to admit that when the big companies began to insist that their employees come back to the office now that the COVID era is mostly over, I suspected that many in the church said, “yes!”

    Things need to go back. Except, that we have yet to see what happens when the workers do return to the office. Some will go back grudgingly. Some will go back mostly willingly. What will they do?

    Some believe that those big companies are doing this on purpose to get rid of their higher paid people to bring in foreign workers. Some believe that this will ultimately reduce overhead. I believe that they will lose a lot of their institutional knowledge, and hire people back as contractors (for more money).

    These contractors? They’ll be nomads.

    Nomadic Church

    The church can’t presume buildings. Maybe, someday, we can get back to them, but it might be a very long while.

    These nomads deserve spiritual homes in their travels. Are we bowing to their selfishness? No. We’re honoring their nature.

    There’s nothing wrong with that. So, why is digital so different?

    1If you are unfamiliar with the albatross concept, it comes from the poem The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, by Samuel Taylor Coleridge. The general concept, in usage, symbolizes a psychological burden. Often it’s supposed to be a curse or guilt or shame.

  • That’s the Way We’ve Always Done It

    That’s the Way We’ve Always Done It

    “That’s the Way We’ve Always Done It.”

    Pastors dread those words.

    Pastors in their new assignments believe, understandably, that part of the reason that they are there (at their new assignment) is because they are new and will bring the new. As any new pastor quickly learns, however, the new is often only welcome when it fits within the established framework of the church pre-pastor.

    An Easy One

    My wife and I were recently called (or assigned) to a long-established church. During our interview with the church’s board, we asked, “what can’t we change?” It’s a dangerous question, but in many regards, I think it better than, “what do you want to do”, or “what is your vision?”

    A framework is set. (What is now) Our church said, don’t change the time of the Sunday Service. That’s it. We warned them, “that’s a pretty small thing.” We can live with that time. Now, if God blesses our ministry and church (and we are faithful, of course), we may have to worry about the time, but that is for the future.

    Adding

    My wife and I are big into bringing Church Year and other liturgical elements into church life. This is not some mis-guided attempt at being Romanist or “High Church”, but we find meaning in it, and it helps tell the story of God in visual ways.

    We’ve haven’t gone over-the-top, I think. We’ve done a bit of the colors and the Candle of the Presence (just added that). We are quick to say this is a symbol, a visual reminder or cue. Honestly, we probably won’t add much more. If one does too much, it all gets lost anyway and loses its meaning.

    We’ll somewhat follow the lectionary, perhaps not for all the Scriptures, but to maintain the rhythm of the church year, which is valuable to tell all the story of God, rather than the choice parts.

    Taking Away

    Honestly, we haven’t done much of that. No real need to, that we see. However, there was a structural issue that resulted in the “erasing” of our library (mostly ignored) and an “office”. It was necessary for the health of people and the integrity of the building.

    Things treasure had to be tossed. People’s “spaces” were removed. No promises have been made to restore them to what they were, instead we now ask, “what is God asking us to do with these spaces?” Meeting space? Chapel? Cry Room? It could be all of that.

    This one was easy because of health and structure, but there will be hard ones.

    The Hard Ones

    As someone who is digitally-inclined (obviously with Nazarene.Digital being the home of this post), I’ve been pondering the future of digital and my (new) local church. Digital isn’t going away. How our little expression will “do” digital (other than a live stream) is yet to be determined. I will stil continue to do VR.

    It is my wrestling with digital, though, that caused me to go down a different path of thinking and questioning.

    Pastoral Introspection

    Perhaps as the church wrestles with digital (more than merely live streaming or even web page content or video prayer meetings), we as the leaders (both pastors and non-pastors) need to recognize that much of our conversation about church, attendance, post-COVID “returns”, and the like is really us saying, “That’s the way we’ve always done it.”

    The liturgy and church year customs are for some traditions, “that’s the way we’ve always done it.” As such, it has lost much of its power and become background noise, because “that’s the way they’ve always done it.” Of course, “always” is still not all that long ago.

    We in the more evangelical Christian strains are just as bad. We’ve “always” had four songs, a prayer, and a sermon. The Evangelical Christian tradition has long elevated the sermon above almost everything else. The liturgical traditions (Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran), often elevate the Eucharist (communion) over everything.

    I believe (having experience much of it) that all are valuable. The danger always being that they become, “that’s the way we’ve always done it." Thinking critically is always important.

    Traditionalist Evangelical Christians (which, really, is only a century old, young in church years) are wrestling, again, with what the “new” church looks like, but keep looking at what use to be.

    In other words, are pastors now the worst about, “that’s the way we’ve always done it?”

    As someone who is bringing old (i.e., non-“traditional” Church of the Nazarene) stuff into the church, I regularly ask myself if I am bringing something both new (to this church) and old (tradition) because, “that’s the way they (the traditional-types) always did it,” or because it is something I believe will add to our people’s worship of God.

    Stop Learning

    I am regularly asking myself, “what do I need to unlearn?” We must be willing to unlearn.

    For the last few decades in the Evangelical Christian church (especially, though not exclusively), we have focused on what new things, modes, methods, models, information we need to learn and implement. As we feel threatened by changes in the culture (morals, technology, other faiths, etc.), we want to hold onto what we know, because we view it as safe, at it worked before.

    This was the impact of a knowledge culture upon the church. We were deeply impacted by the knowledge culture.

    Some say the current culture is now an experience culture. They might be right. So much of what we are seeing is an emotive culture. The funny thing is, though, that the church thought this was the way to get people to Jesus not that long ago.

    We’re learning. We’re learning to unlearn.

    We’re unlearning emotive worship. We’re unlearning that “just one more Bible Study” or “one more curriculum” will save the church.

    Some churches are unlearning that (“traditional”) Sunday morning service is the most effective way of being church. Some churches are unlearning that most of their efforts and expenditures must be spent for Sunday.

    Some churches are unlearning that in-person is best on Sunday rather than other days and times. Some churches are unlearning the physical centralized gathering by replacing it with digital and then releasing the people to be the church in the world.

    Concluding Thoughts

    As we try to figure out what’s next, I want us to ask ourselves, “what do I(we) need to unlearn?” We must recognize that the splinter (“That’s the way we’ve always done it”) in others’ eyes may well be (and probably is) a plank in our own (see Luke 6:41–42 or Matthew 7:3–5).

  • VR Liturgy

    VR Liturgy

    Psalm 29v2 (REB) reads, “Ascribe to the LORD the glory due to his name; in holy attire worship the LORD.”

    The REB translates הֲדָרָה as attire, while other translations use splendor. The nuance may be what one means by adornment. In context, the verse is about Heavenly/angelic beings the difference between attire/adornment/splendor may not be so clear cut as it is in more human existence or English.

    This translation obviously caught my attention. Then in Exodus 40v30-32 (as the next part of the day’s reading in the lectionary), we read that the head priests would wash their hands and feet prior to entering the most Holy place of the Tabernacle. This was in addition to another cleansing ritual and ritually clean clothes they had to put on.

    Church Clothes

    These verses brought to mind a memory of as a child where there were 2 churches sharing a space, and the Methodists (I think that’s who they were) would all put on blue robes (like choir robes) prior to entering the sanctuary and participating in their worship service. My childhood memory may be flawed, granted, yet it seemed strange to all put on different clothes to go to church.

    As I got older, I ran across the “Sunday best” concept, which makes sense, as we want to be our best selves for God, yet, I think that it was often the best self to be seen by others. On the other hand, I can see the habit of putting on the blue gowns as two-fold: (1) you’re not wearing clothes to be seen, but clean enough to not smell, comfortable to fit under hot robes; (2) by putting it on before entering the sanctuary, there is a physical “trigger” that causes one to realize that they are entering a place specifically set aside to worship God.

    Ritual Power

    As I begin my journey into VR, I can see how many of the ancient church rituals may be rejuvenated in VR.

    In a number of traditions, there are remembrance baptistries. As a person enters the sanctuary, a small sink or tub contains water that a person dips their fingers into and makes the sign of the cross on their forehead (pre-COVID).

    Then there is the wearing of specific clothes—specifically, a robe—while attending a worship service.

    What this brings to mind is how these rituals could be revitalized in VR.

    Yes, that water may not be real, but programmatically, one could receive physical feedback (i.e., haptic) when one touches the water in the virtual container, then receive more feedback when you touch your avatar with that same water.

    Putting on a robe as you enter a place wouldn’t be difficult either (says the non-programmer). While VR is, in many respects, chaos and a place of so-called freedom, putting the robe over the avatar may do some NSFW coverage, but it also creates a sense of visual unity. Granted, not sure how it would work with a non-humanesque shape (I saw a dragon avatar the other day).

    As the move to VR strengthens, rituals (whether religious or secular) will need to be developed. Based on some stories floating around, I wonder if rituals may be a necessary thing, so that people cannot behave like trolls in VR as they have been elsewhere online, because they might then truly associate their avatar with theirself.

  • Online, The Enemy

    Online, The Enemy

    “Online church” is not your best life. It’s life-support.

    It’s better than being totally disconnected, but it’s not as good as being fully connected.

    We aren’t designed for extended periods away from community.

    Someone reading this needs to go back to church. If not now, then when?

    The above was shared by an acquaintance. This is not an uncommon sentiment in “traditional” churches, and (to be blunt) it is a runaway train in my particular denomination. Because it is shared within a generally “churched” context, there are a lot of agreements with it. Yet, there are some major underlying flaws in the words.

    The Online False Church

    I reacted negatively to this quote. Yes, I’m biased (still the digital guy). The way “Online church” is defined by the context isn’t church. Yet, because of the wording, all church online is tossed out, and that is a grave fallacy. Do I think “broadcast” church is bad? No. While I would agree with the quote that it is definitely life support, there is a huge “but”.

    Broadcast church has been the norm for a generation or more. Come, sit in the pew, watch a show, be lectured at, go home. That is broadcast church. That mentality has been very strong within the 4 walls and remains so. What COVID has brought to our attention is that we lost the Way. It’s just that it became a mirror, and we don’t like the image we’re seeing (and that is a good thing).

    The Real Church Online

    Many churches struggle to have their online people connect. I will be the first to say that my church is no different, AND THAT IS MY “AREA”. Bluntly, it’s humiliating and depressing.

    However, there are plenty of examples of churches that are being successful in building community online. By community, I mean a community that makes disciples that makes disciples. It includes people that are being transformed within their community. It includes people whose lives are being utterly transformed. It includes people that have found a place where they matter and can be honest with themselves and others.

    Whom to trust?

    As for placing a lot of weight on the physical gathering within the 4 walls, I do get it. We are wired for community, and physicality is a huge factor. There are other factors that are equally, if not more, important.

    Pastors and church folks, we’ve got an issue. We are not trusted, including by ourselves. Think about many of the conversations in your church lobby, fellowship hall, classroom, parking lot, etcetera. How many honest, deep, and Jesus-centered conversations were being had pre-COVID? There were already issue with thin conversations, and rarely sharing of honest pain.

    Even before my current church, I became trained to be very careful what I shared. I still overshared contextually, in that I shared deeper thoughts and concerns than others did because I wanted to model the behavior I wanted to characterize the church. Was that a mistake? From a human standpoint, definitely. From a pastoral standpoint, probably not (again, because I wanted to model the “goal” behavior).

    The number of conversations I’ve had with people about not trusting people they worship with (even for years), hurts everytime. I understand that this undermines any commonality and any community we think we have.

    “How are you?”

    “Fine.”

    “How about them [enter sports team here]?”

    “Amazing!”

    Choose your innocuous topic. It’s being discussed openly, freely, and even (maybe) happily in your lobby (or wherever). That doesn’t make a community as the New Testament would have us understand it.

    The 4 Walled Box

    A lot of people aren’t returning to church and it isn’t because they’ve been consuming online. They aren’t returning because they don’t see why church matters to their lives. “Gathering” isn’t the issue. “Church” is the issue. What do the 4 walls of the church matter to people? Honestly, the church building is merely a symbol. It has, in many respects, become an empty one (and in these times that can seem to be literal).

    I’m currently in a “class” called Communities on Mission. One of the quotes from the opening session is…

    The Church doesn’t have a mission. The Mission has the Church.”

    If you’re like me, I had a negative visceral reaction to the first sentence. Then I heard the second sentence. I replayed it to make sure I heard it right. I thought about it and realized that it was accurate.

    What is especially accurate is how it pokes at us who are pastors.

    So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

    Ephesians 4:11–13 [NIV]

    The “works of service” is what we are supposed to be equipping our people to do. I could point out that certain non-Christian traditions do a much better job than we do. It is part of their ethos. It is also (granted) part of their work to earn salvation (which is a different issue). Yet, ultimately, they do it because they believe they should.

    To Gather

    On to the next issue…the gathering. I understand that people do not perceive gathering digitally as, well, gathering. I understand that they do not understand. Except, we need to develop a missional mindset, and gathering within the 4 walls of the church may not be our future.

    Some might say that, yes, missional for those outside of the church. That would be the majority of the population, so, yes. It is also, at this point, a significant proportion of our pre-COVID attendees.

    It can be reasonably argued that the majority of the pre-COVID attendees who haven’t come back to church (even online) are an even more important of a missional field than those who have never attended. They were somewhat connected at some point, but are no longer. The embers of faith may not be yet dead.

    Was This Really Needed?

    Now, here comes my inference, which probably comes from some of my own woundedness. I emotionally took that last statement as arrogant and condescending. Knowing the person who posted it, I do not believe that this was their heart. Nor do I believe the people who liked or “Amen”‘d it were thinking that way either.

    Even as I write this post, I am concerned that someone will respond to me in the say way (i.e., he’s arrogant and condescending). It is not my intent.

    I acknowledge that there are some Christians that watch church online that need to have their faith rekindled and their joy in Christ restored. However, I would say that the same applies to many who enter our doors.

  • Moving On and Moving Forward

    Moving On and Moving Forward

    “Forget Going Back to the Office—People Are Just Quitting Instead” was posted a few days ago in the Wall Street Journal (14 June 2021). It’s probably my wiring (and focus) to ask, “what will the church do with this?

    My expectation? Nothing.

    A few days ago, Rey De Armes was with Jeff Reed on The Church Digital Podcast. Rey was the Digital Pastor for Christ Fellowship Miami. Pre-COVID, he was already feeling the nudge of God to (re-)pursue his joy of medicine. He’s out of ministry…or is he?

    While Rey’s journey back to medicine started pre-COVID, there are a lot of pastors, church staff, and everyday Christians who will be moving on in the next few months (nope, not a statement about myself). There is a strong expectation that the next year will see a huge exit from the churches, not just the laypeople (though that is estimated to be 30%). It is expected that many staff and other leaders will be leaving, too.

    Many are flat-out burned out. Others look back at COVID, and realize what their church had become, bound. Others realize that COVID has freed them of their (and perhaps even their denomination’s) expectations and even understanding of what it means to lead the church…and, even more positively, what it means to be the church.

    The Industrial Revolution drew people into the cities pursuing a better life. The post-COVID revolution may send many people away from the cities. It used to be that the knowledge workers (including banks, lawyers, clergy, educators) would collect in particular places. Technology frees them (to some degree) from that.

    10 years ago, I was the exception. My company decided that they wanted to keep me, even though I was moving away. We arranged a way for me to do remote work. I would still commute 2 days a week (approximately), but for manufacturing this was huge.

    Fast forward to today, and what was revolutionary 10 years ago is now common. In fact, one of my sales contacts recently moved hundreds of miles away. She kept her job. She prefers the place that isn’t insanely expensive. Whole industries will be changing.

    Will the people in the WSJ article be the norm? Probably not. Does a nearly double change reflect a new reality? Yes. Are we watching wages increase in leaps? Yes. Do we know exactly how things will change? No.

    Many people are waiting to see how things will change. This may be the fatal mistake. My take is that things will be fluid for a number of years. How will organizations respond in a few years? Will they even be around to respond in a few years? Doing nothing is not a plan, or at least not a plan for success.

    What does this have to do with Rey? Well, one of the big changes I see is that the church really needs to equip its people to be the ministers.

    We clergy are to equip non-clergy folks to do the work of the ministry. Discipleship is definitely part of this. Discipleship is to be forming others to form others to be more like Jesus in love and mission. We talk a lot about love and holiness in regard to “Christ-like-ness”. We seem to skip the mission part.

    We (the church and its clergy) are at a crossroads. We can hunker down behind the 4 walls that will fall down around our ears, or we move beyond the four walls and embrace the “Wild Goose” of the Holy Spirit and move forward into the world.

  • Structure Serves Mission

    Structure Serves Mission

    Digital isn’t great because it’s the newest shiny toy. Digital works best when it serves its purpose. The purpose of digital church (or the digital expression of it) is the mission. It is a structure. If we cannot rightly divide structure from serving mission, then we are either looking at the structure wrong or the mission.

    The structure never was the mission. The mission is Christ’s…serve to save the world.

  • Godly Innovation

    Innovation is only worthwhile if it’s of God.

    Jeff Reed — “Intro to Multi-Modal“, Stadia Innovation March 2021 Meetup.

    As someone who frequently says (regarding church things), “move fast and break stuff,” Jeff’s words are both encouraging and cautionary. Jeff’s words caused a visceral response in me, too.

    Unblessed Sameness

    “Staying in the same place, the same mode, the same way is only worthwhile if it’s of God.” Now, as I write this (and thought it) I haven’t completed (beyond the 2:45 mark) the presentation of Multi-Modal, but I’d hazard a guess that there will be something along the lines of this presented.

    I love my denomination. Like any denomination (or any organization that is beyond around 2 years old), it will only move as needed (unless there is a visionary leader who can motivate others to transform the organization). I’m deeply concerned that the majority culture of the USA/Canada (region) church is stuck in its favored model.

    This is beyond digital. Even physically, the USA/Canada region seems to be stuck on that singular building concept. As property becomes more expensive, and older buildings become harder to maintain, this may be the financial death knell of the region. If the church cannot break its emotional dependency upon a single model, I wonder if God will honor that.

    A Question of Models

    Currently, much of the Western church is asking, “how do we adapt our model [singular church building] to world?” The church building and all its activities remain at the center.

    What if we asked, “what model will reach our community for Christ, and what place, if any, does this building or mode have to do with it?”

    This is not to diminish the history of the building. By no means. There are many church buildings that move (emotionally) me closer to God the moment I step through their doors. I am a strong believer in the power of place. We just have to be open (myself included) to what the place is and will be to bring the light of Christ to the world.