Posted in Life, Ministry

A servant’s heart?

Posted on by William Douthwaite

The other day someone asked me, “How do you display a servant’s heart in your ministry?” In the course of everyday ministry, I don’t take the time to think about inquiries like this. But it’s probably a good idea, since someone was interested in what I thought. I reflected on this during my morning run, and here’s what I came up with.

I think this characteristic is most visible when I’m present in someone’s life. For example, an early morning trip to the hospital to pray with someone before their surgery. Or sitting in a courtroom with someone who has to be present for a hearing. Being available for someone who stops by to talk, even though I’ve got a hundred other things to do. Calling on every raised hand at preschool chapel, when each wants to share details about their dog or cat.

Jesus became a servant by coming to be with us. I think most servant-hood looks like that, rather than just a task. Although it involves plenty of tasks, like the thousands of times I’ve set up or put away tables and chairs for worship, classes, and other events.

I think it’s a lot easier to identify a servant heart in someone else than it is to find it in your own life. Perhaps that’s because self-examination can easily reveal selfishness rather than sacrifice.

Posted in Ministry

Last week’s conference

Posted on by William Douthwaite

Last week, from Tuesday through Thursday, I attended the annual English District professional workers’ conference in Detroit, Michigan, close to where the district office is. I’ve faithfully attended many such events over the years, even though I am rarely thrilled by the program put together by the conference committee. I’ve learned I will always find a few bright spots that make going worthwhile.

First, the main speaker, Dr. Andy Bartelt, from the Concordia Seminary, St. Louis faculty was great, speaking about Isaiah 6 and 60. I especially liked his image of the breathing in and breathing out, that is, the church gathering around word and sacrament, then going out in to the world.

Second, I got to catch up with many of my friends from around the country, who I only get to see once a year.

Third, I got to meet some new people. This year, I got to know some of the guys doing inner city ministry in Milwaukee, WI, who are discovering other ways of funding this kind of work through grants and partnering with other church. I also met some men in their first year of ministry planting churches in inner city San Diego. Imagine starting from scratch, in a community of mostly agnostics and atheists, some homeless, some upwardly mobile professionals. I wouldn’t even know where to begin, so I learned a lot from our conversation. With nearly twenty-five years of pastoral ministry behind me, I’m learning to appreciate the next generations coming up, doing kingdom work, and making an amazing difference in a world that so much needs our Lord’s love.

Posted in Life

Graduation past and present

Posted on by William Douthwaite

As I get ready to attend my daughter’s graduation from the University of Florida this Friday I am desperately trying to remember my own college graduation in 1979. The only thing I can actually remember is that the speaker was science fiction author Isaac Asimov. I’m sure my dad has a few pictures somewhere, but that’s about it. And to tell you the truth I can remember a single thing about my graduation from seminary. How things have changed. After this weekend we’ll have hundreds of photos from the many who attended and share them on social media sites. I have a feeling we’ll be sitting pretty far away from the action, but like everyone else, we’ll be zooming in the best we can.

Posted in Rant

Holding the bucket

Posted on by William Douthwaite

Today I got another letter from my church body asking me for money. I get such a request from ministries and organizations from within and from outside the church several times a week. In addition I am invited to take part in fundraisers for youth, band, sports teams, and scouts. Universities and graduate schools to whom I am already paying substantial fees regularly call me to see if I’d like to give them even more of my money. It’s like the whole world (including the church) is sitting outside of Walmart with a bucket, pleading for money.

There has to be a better way to fund the ministry of the church other than begging people to let us wash their cars or buy brownies! I read an interesting comment to a Facebook post today that mentioned that a church doesn’t necessarily have to be big to be viable. Ten families tithing should be able to pay the salary for a pastor. Maybe five more to cover benefits. Another five to rent a place to worship. And another five to fund some missions and ministries. That’s all you need to do the basics! Sounds pretty simple, doesn’t it?

The thing is, few want to settle for something that basic. We want a lot more, especially that nice building to call home. And once you head down that road, you can’t afford to stay small. You have to grow because you need more givers (and you know many of them won’t be tithers). The money you put into a mortgage and maintenance will soon dwarf your expenses for staff, ministry, and missions. Before you know it, you’re sitting outside Walmart along with everyone else.

In a world where bigger is perceived as being better, I wonder how many wish their church had stayed small?

Posted in Grace, Life, Ministry

Confirmation

Posted on by William Douthwaite

Today was confirmation day at our church. Those who grew up Lutheran might wonder how I arrived at the last Sunday in April. I do like Palm Sunday, one traditional day for confirmation, but it often falls during spring break so some years that doesn’t work well. I love Pentecost, too, but when Easter is late in April, that sometimes occurs after school is out in Florida, so that can be difficult, too. So I’ve done the first Sunday in May for a long time, except for this year when I feared that my daughter’s college graduation might be that Sunday. So adapting to a multitude of secular conventions, we went for it today.

And it was great. I love teaching middle schoolers, confirmation classes, and the rite of confirmation. If no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:3) then days like this are very powerful. One thing I’ve learned over the years is that it’s not so much about what they know, although we cover a lot of material with the Small Catechism. It’s more about who they are. I always pray that emerge from the confirmation experience realizing that they are children of God, who have “washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb” (Revelation 7:15). I also pray that they’ve developed a relationship with a pastor and a church, so that no matter what else changes in their lives, they can always go back and find the unchanging, unconditional love of God in Jesus Christ.

Perhaps this is a special event for me because I vividly remember my own confirmation nearly forty years ago. At the time, it seemed like I had arrived. In retrospect, I was just getting started. When I got to the seminary and we began to review Christian doctrine, I realized a lot sounded very familiar to me. My pastor, the late Rev. Donald Sallach, had done an excellent job of teaching me the basics. I only hope that to some extent, I can do the same.

Posted in Life

What I learned at a leadership retreat

Posted on by William Douthwaite

Last night and this morning, I got my church council together for a long overdue leadership retreat, two three-hour sessions to talk about some vision and insight into their role as church leaders. We had an agenda, but that wasn’t really the most important dynamic of our time together. The best thing we did was eat, talk, laugh, pray, and relax together as a group. It is something we should have done right off the bat at the beginning of the year, especially with a number of new people on the board.

We often talk about how important relationships are when talking about our faith  with others and when inviting people to participate in a ministry or study. We encourage our small groups to do this on a regular basis. Well, guess what — it’s just important to develop the relationships between leaders who meet together on a regular basis. At least that’s what I now realize. Our monthly business meetings will feel much different now that we’ve spent time in another setting, sharing, listening and interacting. I intend to make sure we get together like this in the future to further develop this dynamic.

Posted in Life

Would anyone miss us?

Posted on by William Douthwaite

I left you hanging yesterday with the question, “What is an appropriate tool for measuring the effectiveness of a church’s ministry?” I feel the need to investigate that question and maybe come up with some answers. It is so hard to step away from numerical growth because that’s most visible and easily measurable. And bigger is better, right? Growth equals success. If you’re growing, you must be doing something right. We’ll model you. If you’re not growing, you must be dying.

The other day, my friend Jay wondered, “Where is the church” when spring break alcohol arrests quadrupled this year at Panama City beach? You can read his thoughts here. What kind of influence does or can the church have in the lives of young adults? How can we help them pursue a different kind of spring break that benefits both them and others? Isn’t there something the church can do? Is anything different in your community or community because you’re church is around? That maybe one way to measure effectiveness.

You can ask that question another way: if your church folded tomorrow, would anyone in the community miss it? That’s a painful question, because there are some days when you’d have to answer, “nope.”

Posted in Life

Flexing our Easter muscles

Posted on by William Douthwaite

Over the last few days, I’ve read lots of recent Facebook status updates and Twitter tweets about how great everyone’s Easter was. I think it’s interesting how we pastors feel the need to flex our muscles and speak of how many attended worship services, how many people got saved and how full the parking lot was. Just like we do at the gym. Hey, I’m as prone to that as anyone, but it suggests an interesting question. Does Easter Sunday really have anything relevant to say about your church? Can it be used as a measuring tool for the effectiveness of your ministry? We certainly act that way, but I’m not so sure.

Yes, our Easter Sunday attendance is higher than any other Sunday of the year. But I believe this is more of a cultural thing than spiritual. Going to church is something you do on Easter, along with buying a new dress and eating candy. It’s a ritual repeated at Christmas, and in part, on Mother’s Day (when mom asks, “Why don’t you come to church with me today?” and you feel like you can’t say no.)

If that’s the case, then Easter Sunday says nothing at all about the church or ministry. Having said that, it might make you wonder why we put so much into this one worship service per year. Think about it. We invest a lot of time, energy, and money in preparing music and messages, purchasing lillies, and trying to impress someone. And experience has taught me that everything will return to normal next week. Spring break will be over. Families will return home. All the special flowers will be gone. And the candy will be eaten.

This is not to say that I don’t think Easter Sunday is important. The resurrection of Jesus is the one fact that gives oomph to every other gathering on the first day of the week. It is the one certainty that turns our morning into dancing and our sorrows into joy. It is the one thing that can truly brings us to life. But Easter worship itself is really just an anomaly. Something that boosts our average attendance statistics (and hopefully, our offerings). It’s very much like free pastry day at Starbucks. Bat day at the baseball stadium. Fourth of July fireworks. You attract a crowd for a day, but it will be back to business as usual.

So if it’s not Easter, what is an appropriate tool for measuring the effectiveness of a church’s ministry?

Posted in Life

The blessing of being nonessential

Posted on by William Douthwaite

It’s taken a while, but one pastoral task I seem to be getting better at is “preparing God’s people for works of service” (Ephesians 4:12). I realized this tonight as we were practicing music for Easter tonight. I’ve got three other guys playing trumpet with me. And they are good. I can remember the first times I got to play for worship. It is such a great feeling to know that God can use you to lead people in worshiping him.  It was a stepping stone for me on my way to the pastoral ministry. I am so thankful that I can give other musicians that experience!

Either I’m getting better at letting go of things, or God is motivating more people. Or a combination of both. There have been times when it seemed like I had to do a little of everything. Now other people are taking responsibility and stepping up to the plate, and that’s a blessing for both me and them. One  of my goals is that if for some reason I wasn’t here, it would be business as usual. Thank you Lord for letting me be, in many ways, nonessential!