Learning from the Cuban Church

Fresh back from a ministry trip to Cuba, I gained some new perspectives on the American church.

First, a bit of context for Cuba. The Communist grip is palpable. “Give us our daily bread” is no trite, symbolic prayer. It’s literal. The bakery shelves are often bare. People line up daily for rations of food. Simple things like toothpaste become unavailable for extended periods.

Unlike some other Communist regimes, however, Cuba tolerates the church. And God’s people here have a special glow. We in the American church can learn some things from them.

When I returned to my own church I found myself making comparisons. Here at home the amplified sounds of our worship band and polished singers overpower the sanctuary. In contrast, in Cuba the voices of the congregation fill the room. See a video clip: Worship in Cuba

The American church has become largely a professional stage performance. The Cuban church remains a participatory worship experience. And they sing and worship with gusto. In our country we pay the professionals to worship for us.

The Cuban church’s approach to growth also struck me. A Cuban church planting coordinator explained how he helps start churches in people’s homes. As they grow they can accommodate as many as fit in the living room or the back yard. “Then what?” I asked. “Do they move to a larger building?” No, he said. The government does not authorize new church facilities. Instead, when one home church fills, they simply start another one in another home, with new leaders.

For them, the goal is not a crowd. Or a focus on a gifted communicator. Rather the focus is on Christ and his Body.

I love our country and the freedoms we enjoy. But I marvel at the faithfulness of God’s people who exude the sense of freedom they enjoy—not in the state, but in the Lord.

For Your Ears Only

As I return from a ministry trip to Cuba (more on that adventure later), I’m republishing a favorite article from last year for you:

Nationally, about 17% of the American population attends church services weekly, according to the American Church Research Project. In this blog I’ve been spotlighting some characteristics of this shrinking audience.

Today we look at the 5th characteristic–today’s loyal church goers tend to be Auditory learners. They take in and remember primarily through their ears. The contemporary church service suits them because it’s predominately an auditory experience. Simply put, Christian church services are approximately half lecture, and half sing-along. And increasingly, sing-along has become less singing along and more listening along.

So, does this predominately auditory approach give us hope for reversing the trend of shrinking church participation? Well, research shows that 30 percent or less of the population is made up of auditory learners. Most of the population processes information and thoughts primarily in other ways. They tend to tune out when asked to endure a presentation that implies they should sit still and listen.

I suspect that many if not most clergy are themselves auditory learners. Because auditory presentations work for them they assume auditory presentations work for everyone. That’s a dangerous assumption.

The five characteristics I’ve described–Audience-oriented, Anonymous, Authority-centered, Academic, and Auditory–help to describe today’s loyal church goers. For the past hundred years the church has shaped its worship times to appeal to this minority. This architecture is familiar and comfortable to the minority. So, it makes some sense to continue to offer ministry in the familiar ways. But if the church desires to grow beyond its limited impact and reach out to the majority it will need to also offer forms of ministry that look different.

I love the church. And I want to see today’s church become more effective in delivering the Good News. This passion has led me to work on designing some new approaches that fit those people who churches have not been reaching.

A result of this work has been Lifetree Cafe. It’s a new form of ministry that has been designed from the get-go to work with the majority–regular people who grapple with everyday issues and are naturally curious to see how God may be relevant to these issues. We’ve designed it to be a turnkey system that local churches and others can license in their areas. Learn more at www.discover.lifetreecafe.com.

The Outreach of Food and Drink

Want to reach more non-churched people in your community? One way is quite simple: be hospitable.

In our early research and testing for the Lifetree Café ministry, we discovered the potency of hospitality. One of the natural forms of hospitality comes through food and drink. People naturally feel more welcomed, comfortable and open when they’re offered refreshments.

So, just as you would when guests come to your home, we offer complimentary refreshments to all who come to Lifetree Café locations throughout the country. The coffee and snacks put them at ease, feel at home, and make conversation flow. The ambience set by the refreshments is a key element of Lifetree’s success and effectiveness.

Jesus repeatedly modeled the hospitable use of food in ministry. Even during a big worship gathering of 5,000, he managed to feed the whole bunch.

But most church worship services today really frown on the use of hospitable refreshments. A few years ago I served on a church committee that was tasked with refreshing one of our worship services. We decided to place a coffee cart in the lobby and offer complimentary drinks and snacks. Immediately the refreshments made a positive difference. People talked with one another more, lingered longer, and felt freer to meet newcomers.

But then the elders noticed the change. They were not happy. They observed that some worshipers not only indulged in the refreshments in the lobby; some actually walked into the sanctuary with their coffee. Shame!

They called a special 6 a.m. meeting and promptly ordered the removal of the coffee cart. Furthermore, they dictated that signs must be placed on the sanctuary doors that read: “No social beverages allowed.” That wording was carefully chosen because an elder pointed out that a simpler “no beverages” sign might suggest that communion would be disallowed.

Serving worshipers food and drink may have been good for Jesus. But it’s just too much to swallow for many church leaders today. And it’s starving our ability to reach the very people who hunger for the nourishment that our Lord continues to offer.

A Church in the Fog

I asked our friends how things were going at their church. “We got tired of being in the fog,” they said.

“I know how you feel,” I said. “My church seems to have trouble finding its way through all the fog these days too.”

Our friends said, “No. That’s not what we mean. We got tired of the fog. Real fog.” They said their church had installed a theatrical fog machine. Every Sunday towering clouds of dense fog billow across the stage and spill into the audience.

“It’s sometimes hard to see. And it’s also hard to hear,” they said. I wondered if the sound system was too weak. “No. Just the opposite. A lot of us complained the band is painfully loud. The pastor said we should wear ear plugs.” So, now, as a ministry amenity, the ushers offer disposable ear plugs to arriving worshippers.

Every Sunday the crowds file into the darkened hall and sit in the fog with their ears plugged. The pastor stands in the lingering fog and delivers an entertaining monolog.

“On a Sunday morning, it’s the best show in town,” our friends said. They would know. They both have a bit of a theater background. “After all the years we invested in that church, we hated to leave. But it got to the point we couldn’t see or hear God.”

The Fight to Be the Best

As the ash settles from the last election, the citizens enjoy a respite from the political ads. The “I’ll fight for you” ads now turn to battle cries for holding office—until the next election.

Fight, fight, fight. But who is the enemy? In America, about half the people generally vote with one party, and half the people vote with the other party. So, the enemy is usually about half the population. It’s you and me. We’re our government’s enemy.

Our politicians love the war language. “I’ll fight for you.” They are, by nature, highly competitive individuals. They salivate over vanquishing the other side. Conquering the enemy (half the population) is more exciting than serving the interests of all.

Politicians are not alone in pursuing an unhealthy competitive spirit. Sadly, the lust to conquer and dominate occurs in the church as well. The church language is, of course, softer. But the lust to be superior bleeds through nevertheless. “We want to be the best church,” or the biggest, or the most well-known. All of which, unfortunately, requires conquering the “lesser” churches.

But God didn’t create his children, or his churches, to “best” each other. He created us to be his Body, “so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it” (1Cor. 12:25-26).

Naysayers Who Kill Your Dreams

Ministries get paralyzed for many reasons. One of these reasons is perfectly predictable—and avoidable. It is the fear of the naysayer.

You’ve been there. You have a great idea, dream or vision for ministry. You know you can assemble the necessary ingredients to make it go. But then you feel vanquished by the looming naysayer. Mr. McCrotchety or Ms. Stickler is lurking in the shadows, ready to snarl a voice of doom and kill your initiative. Sometimes the very fear of McCrotchety or Stickler is enough to restrain you from even presenting your proposal.

Don’t buy it. If your dream is worthy, don’t allow these “devil’s advocates” (that term is often literally appropriate) to derail it. Don’t let the tiny minority deny the majority of your best inspiration. Guard against the damage of the McCrotchetys and the Sticklers with these principles:

1. Realize that naysayers will always lurk—regardless of the strength of new dreams. Even Jesus endured a naysayer among his 12 disciples. You’re in good company.
2. Especially expect naysayers when you propose something really significant. The bolder the initiative the more likely a change-resister will growl.
3. Many naysayers are bullies. They often get their way because their bluster intimidates the timid—even though the timid don’t agree with the bullies.
4. Naysayers’ influence can be tempered. Before presenting your ideas, prepare the ground. Speak personally with respected people in your church. Share your vision and ask them to speak up on your behalf. When they do, the naysayers and the timid ones will realize your vision has supporters. This dilutes the power of the bullies.
5. Present your idea with solid back-up information and stories. Persuade the logical people with facts. And persuade the feeling types with emotional stories.
6. Thank naysayers for their objections, then calmly present your positive views. Mention that new initiatives often have risks. God calls us to step out in faith, trusting in his faithfulness.
7. If the naysayers attempt to hijack the discussion, and you suspect they’re intimidating the timid, reserve the option to call for a secret ballot vote. This technique can return power to the silent majority.
8. Ask a respected and positive member to lead the group in prayer before a decision is made. Pray for God’s guidance, clarity of thought, and courage to do his work.

Make your great ideas come alive, survive and thrive. Respect the naysayers, but don’t let them derail the dream.

Leaders Who Can't Lead

When it comes to leadership, churches face a distinct disadvantage.

I’ve served with many different organizations, companies, and associations. They all have their leadership issues. But none compares to the leadership vacuum found in churches. And this problem plagues churches of all sizes, at all levels of notoriety or obscurity, and in both paid and non-paid positions.

Generally speaking, non-leaders occupy leader positions in most churches. This leadership drought causes a multitude of problems. Churches suffer from a stunted vision, fear-based paralysis, misalignment of goals and direction, neglect and mistreatment of staff and volunteers, budget bumbling, and on and on. Too often ministries fall far short of their potential because the people in charge, while often well-intentioned, suffer from a leadership low dipstick.

This isn’t happenstance. Predictable things cause this absence of leadership. The nature of today’s churches makes it difficult to attract and keep gifted leaders.

Frequently the volunteers who head church boards and committees do not come from spheres of leadership in their regular lives. They often rise to church leader positions because they’re good-hearted, have the time and desire, and jump at the chance to finally be a boss. The problem with their lack of aptitude and experience in effective leadership extends beyond their scope of responsibility. Their inability also repels qualified leaders, who lose patience and ultimately distance themselves from church boards, committees and teams. It’s simply too painful for good leaders to watch leadership train wrecks. So, weak leadership breeds more weakness.

Then, what about the paid leadership, the ministerial staff? Most pastors acknowledge that leadership is not their strong suit. They more often claim other gifts, such as teaching. They admit their seminaries did not prepare them for leadership duties. But they know their congregations expect them to exude effective leadership. It’s a frustrating brew for everyone involved.

Some (the really dangerous ones) believe their high-profile speaking skills automatically certify them as effective leaders.

So, what can be done? Pastors and other paid staff who lack leadership gifting need to acknowledge, at least to themselves, for the sake of the ministry, that they need help beyond themselves. They’d be well-served by surrounding themselves with a small group of proven leaders, people who have demonstrated their effectiveness in leading in the real world. These are not official or elected positions. These proven leaders serve as informal advisors, helping the pastors make good decisions, cast vision, and lead other team members.

These seasoned leaders can also eventually help to influence nominating committees to recognize and invite qualified people to serve in volunteer leadership positions. It takes one to know one.

If we desire to see the Body of Christ become more effective in pursuing its mission, we must be ready to let the heart be the heart—and the head be the head.

Whackos or Pharisees

There’s one question that defines any church’s effectiveness and ultimate survival. Oddly, this question is rarely asked—by leaders, members or even outside church consultants. But the unspoken answer to the question drives everything from mission to budget to schedule to architecture.

Here’s the question: For whom do we exist?

Ministries have basically two answers: 1) For US (current members and others just like us). 2) For THEM (the wider community and us).

I was reminded of the importance of this question this past week. Leaders from two different churches, in two different parts of the country, indicated their different implied answers to the question.

The first leader came away from a preview showing of Lifetree Café films. After watching a playful film segment of a man who believes in extra-terrestrials, he said, “We could never host anything like that at our church. It would really bring in the whackos!” He indicated his members would not be comfortable being around people who didn’t believe like they do.

His church, if ever asked, would need to honestly answer the big question with “US.”

The other leader I heard this week currently operates a Lifetree Café. He described his excitement over a Lifetree program on Muslims. A Muslim woman on the terrorist watch list showed up and participated. She stuck around for 45 minutes after the program, talking with Christians about the contrast of Islam and Christianity.

His church, if ever asked, would honestly answer the big question with “THEM.”

At your church, what’s the answer? The question needs to be asked. Literally. Everyone needs to know the honest answer. It will simplify and speed up your decision-making. It will ultimately determine your effectiveness as a ministry. It will provide gut-check realism for how your people truly view the mission of the church.

Jesus himself faced the question. His answer:

While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and “sinners” came and ate with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and ‘sinners’?” On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

What Do You Say to a Prostitute?

Temptation. This was our topic at our Lifetree Cafe outreach this week. The Lifetree film featured Ted Haggard and his fall into temptation. That was compelling in itself. But it got even more interesting.

The Lifetree audience heard how Haggard, former megachurch pastor and head of the National Association of Evangelicals, was exposed by Denver male prostitute Mike Jones. Then, the real surprise of the evening. In the middle of the room a man announced, “I am Mike Jones. THE Mike Jones.” 

He was indeed the bodybuilder gay escort whom Haggard had hired. After each segment of the Haggard film, Jones added his own perspectives on this sad story of temptation, secrecy and betrayal.

As the hour unfolded I was nervous how the participants would react and respond to Jones. Would they sneer, scold and judge him? Actually, I was pleased with how the group responded. They listened respectfully and treated Jones with acceptance.

I may have lost some of you just now. Acceptance? Of a male prostitute? Shouldn’t we seize the opportunity to condemn this villain?

One of the things we learn to do every week at Lifetree Cafe is accept people of all kinds, who come from various backgrounds and behaviors. We’ve adopted the concept of acceptance, not endorsement. We can accept all people with the love of Christ–without needing to endorse everything they do. It’s really a Christlike approach, which he demonstrated with the woman caught in adultery and many others.

Author Doug Pollock does a nice job of explaining this “acceptance without endorsement” approach in his book “God Space.”

Many who need Christ have been driven away by judgmental and non-accepting Christians, who have confused acceptance with endorsement. We need to equip our church members, youth group members and children in how to accept others as Jesus did. Showing love, respect and compassion to a sinner does not extend an endorsement for everything that sinner has done.   

At the conclusion of this week’s Lifetree hour, a Christian man approached Jones and curiously asked, “After everything that has happened with the Haggard thing, do you hate God?” Jones thought a moment, then said, “I’ve come to hate religion. But no, I don’t hate God.” 

Lost Sheep: Why Do Members Leave?

This week I listened to people who left their churches and never went back. I didn’t like their stories, for a couple of reasons.

First, it was painful to hear of their wounds. Their reasons for leaving varied widely, from mistreatment to malfeasance to neglect.

Then, it was agonizing to hear how none of them had been contacted by the churches they left. They felt ultimately disposable and forgotten.

Unfortunately, their stories are all too common. Even for churches that report shining statistics of new members, they’re often losing equal numbers out the back door. What’s happening? Why are they leaving?

Churches like to call in paid consultants to analyze their situations. Usually these hired guns interview the staff and survey the congregation. They typically uncover predictable things. But they may miss the glaring problems, which are best articulated by those who have left.

So, before you call in the next consultant, take a hint from other organizations: talk to your past customers. See what good employers do; they conduct exit interviews. It seems so obvious. But, in the church world, this contact is rare.

Why? Are we afraid of what we’ll hear? Is it too awkward? Do we feel that contacting lost members will only pander to their complaining?

Let’s forget the excuses and consider how to reach out to the lost sheep. You’ll learn how to improve your ministry, and you’ll show care for those who feel hurt. I was involved in a small team that did just that. We invited past members to sit down with us and talk about why they left our church. Without hesitation, they all agreed to meet. They talked openly, calmly and candidly. And they were so thankful that somebody finally noticed they had left and cared enough to inquire. What they told us was eye-opening and very helpful.

Here’s what we learned about contacting lost sheep:

1. Form a small team of level-headed volunteers to contact the lost sheep. Don’t enlist pastors or other church staff for this work. First, the departed members won’t be as blunt with paid leaders. Second, your staff may already feel pummeled themselves. The last thing they want to do is sit through another feared pummeling. So, select volunteers who are not currently serving in any leadership capacity at the church. These should be good listeners who will not get defensive when hearing negative comments about their church.

2. Assemble a list of those who have gone missing. Contact these past members personally. Let them know they’re missed. Ask if they’d share why they left. Assure them your purpose is simply to listen, not to coerce them to return. You simply want to know how to improve.

3. Set up a time, about an hour, to meet personally on neutral ground, such as a restaurant or coffee shop. Do not attempt to collect information through written surveys or over the phone. Meet face to face.

4. When you meet, reiterate you’re there to listen. Ask for their honesty and candor. Say something like, “I know you haven’t been around for some time. We used to see you all the time. I’d really like to hear about what might have led to your departure. It may help us avoid problems and hurt in the future.”

5. Take notes. And inform your interviewees that you’d like pass along helpful information to appropriate people who can make improvements for the future.

6. At the end of the interview, sincerely thank the interviewees. And extend a heartfelt apology that the church did not measure up to their expectations. This isn’t admitting guilt. It’s simply offering remorse and compassion for how they feel.

7. Then compile the results of the interviews. Look for any common threads. Prepare a report for church leaders who have the responsibility to make your ministry as strong and effective as it can be. Be sensitive about handling accounts of individuals who were named by interviewees. That information should be shared directly with the named individuals and/or their immediate supervisors.

8. Consider the results and take appropriate action to improve your ministry.

Part of the being the Body of Christ means noticing and caring when a part goes missing.