Tag: church

Posted in music

Back in the balcony, back on the horn

Posted on by William Douthwaite

It’s been four years since I played trumpet for Easter Sunday. After that hiatus, I’m at a new church that has a pipe organ in the balcony with a talented organist. I introduced myself and said, “If you a trumpet player for Easter, I’m willing to play.” She immediately accepted my offer, got me some music, and we set up a rehearsal time.

As we ascended the steps into the loft, I thought, “It’s been fourteen years since I played in a church balcony.” That was for my son’s wedding. In the meantime, I usually played hymns and descants for Easter worship. But since my retirement, I didn’t have those opportunities. Until this year.

I started getting into shape after Christmas, hoping I’d have the chance to play. Playing at home is different than playing in a church. At home, my sound easily fills the bedroom where I practice. In an empty sanctuary, standing in a balcony, in front of ranks of organ pipes, it’s different.

As a rehearsal begins, I fight the temptation to over blow, thinking I have to fill the room with sound. I forget how far the sound of a trumpet carries. I’m behind the sound, not out in the space. It’s hard to relax, getting used to a new accompanist.

But after a few minutes, it feels familiar. Air fills horn and the pipes. Music fills the air. I can feel the vibrations from the big pipes. From the corner of my eye, I follow the head and shoulders of the organist. The notes fit together. It’s thrilling and motivating. I love this.

What an enjoyable gift from the Lord to be able to make music. What a gift to give it back to the Lord, too!

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Evaluating Churches: Insights from Revelation 2 and 3

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Cosmic Timetraveler on Unsplash

Some “through the bible” thoughts from Revelation 2 and 3.

When I look at a church, whether my own or another, I tend to notice different things than God does.

  • I look at it’s size. How many gather for worship? I think most of us assume that bigger is better. They must be doing something right, right?
  • I evaluate the style. What kind of music do they have? What’s the quality of the music? What message does the music communicate?
  • I pay attention to the demographics. Is it just a bunch of old people? I like to see a multi-generational gathering, with lots of families with children.
  • What about their programming? Do they have a lot of things going on? How full is the weekly calendar of events? Is the congregation reaching out to the local community as well as supporting mission efforts around the globe?

As John writes to the seven churches, we learn that God looks at the church in an entirely different way.

  • Is that church’s activity fueled by love (Ephesus)?
  • How does the church respond to difficulties and challenges (Smyrna)?
  • What false teaching does the church tolerate (Pergamum)?
  • What false teachers does the church tolerate (Thyatira)?
  • What programs have stalled out (Sardis)?
  • Is the church pursuing opportunities for ministries in the immediate area (Philadelphia)?
  • Does the church care about people, the community, and the world? Or are they indifferent, isolated in a bubble (Laodicea)?

How can anyone not be convicted when they read these chapters of Revelation? No church is perfect. No church checks all these boxes. Every church has something to work on.

Every church needs to repent.

Any church can dig in and declare, “We’re right and they’re wrong!” How many churches will admit, “We have a lot to work on”? How many will commit to being the kind of church that the Lord wants us to be?

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Under construction

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Gennifer Miller on Unsplash

Some “through the bible” thoughts from the Old Testament book of Haggai.

“Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins?” (Haggai 1:4)

In post-exilic Jerusalem, everyone’s time is consumed working on their homes. Of course they need a place to live. But they haven’t gotten around to rebuilding the temple. The focus on day-to-day living left them little energy for their spiritual lives.

Working a job, raising a family, and maintaining a home demands much time and energy. Getting everyone up and out the door for an hour of worship is no simple task. Even when you do it for a living (like a pastor), squeezing God into life is challenging.

God knows this. Ultimately he builds his temple out of people, “a dwelling place for God by the Spirit” (Ephesians 2:22). Instead of waiting for us to make room for him, God makes room for us in his church. Instead of God being a part of what I’m doing, I’m a part of what he’s doing. Rather than waiting for me to invite him into my life, he invites me into his. Pretty clever, huh?

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Going to church with Jesus

Posted on by William Douthwaite

Some “through the bible” thoughts from Zephaniah 3.

Sing aloud, O daughter of Zion;
    shout, O Israel!
Rejoice and exult with all your heart,
    O daughter of Jerusalem!
The Lord has taken away the judgments against you;
    he has cleared away your enemies.
The King of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst;
    you shall never again fear evil.
On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem:
“Fear not, O Zion;
    let not your hands grow weak.
The Lord your God is in your midst,
    a mighty one who will save;
he will rejoice over you with gladness;
    he will quiet you by his love;
he will exult over you with loud singing. (Zephaniah 3:14-17)

The book of Zephaniah begins with disturbing descriptions of “the day of the Lord,” world wide destruction that includes Judah and Jerusalem. Rampant idolatry will come to an end with distress and anguish, ruin and devastation, darkness and gloom (1:15).

But the final chapter ends with singing, shouting, and rejoicing. The most amazing part? The Lord is right there in the middle of it all, rejoicing, exulting, and singing. In other words, the Lamb who is at the center of praises in John’s visions of heaven (Revelation 5) is right there with his people in worship.

It makes perfect sense. Our great high priest is like us in every way. He is fully human in our world, going to synagogue on the Sabbath and festivals in Jerusalem. I really like the image of Jesus going to church with his people.

I truly believe Jesus would love to be in church, at home in every form of worship found in any and every denomination. From quiet moments of prayer to joyful singing, Jesus wouldn’t miss a moment.

Churches have long been divided by worship style, language, and meeting place. The presence of Jesus in each and every place destroys those distinctions.

I just hope you like being with him as much as he enjoys being with you!

Posted in church, Life, Ministry

How Technology Transformed My Ministry Experience

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Alex Kotliarskyi on Unsplash
Daily writing prompt
How has technology changed your job?
View all responses

I’ve been retired for nearly three years now, but as a parish pastor, technology had a huge effect on how I did ministry in a local congregation.

When I started working in my first congregation in the mid-1980s, there were three ways to keep in touch with church members. You either sent a letter in the mail, called them on the phone, or knocked on their door.

By the time I retired in 2022, I had mastered many electronic ways to communicate with the church. While I still sent letters and made phone calls, I also sent email, text messages, messages through social media platforms, and broadcast an electronic newsletter each week. I never went to someone’s home without an appointment. People either weren’t home or just didn’t answer the door.

That being said, all that technology failed to silence the lament, “people don’t know what’s going on!” People just had more noise to ignore.

When I graduated from the seminary, I had a modest collection of books that I used for sermon and bible study preparation. That collection grew when I was at a church that gave me a generous annual book allowance. By the early 2000’s I found most of the information I needed on the internet, so I sold and gave away most of my printed books.

The Covid pandemic closed down in person worship services for our congregation. We were forced to learn how to broadcast worship from an empty church to members’ homes. I started with an iPhone propped up on some hymnals, moved up to my laptop balanced on a stack of bibles, until we invested in some digital camera technology. It was only a few weeks before we resumed worship in the sanctuary, but once we started, we just couldn’t stop broadcasting weekly services. As a result, people watched from all over the world. Some viewers financially supported the ministry, folks I would never meet.

When it was time to choose the next pastor, the leadership was not limited to a written resume. The selection committee interviewed every candidate via Zoom. Every prospect had a collection of online sermons to listen to. The process demanded a lot of time and energy.

Technology has been a blessing for the church since not every generation embraces new technology. But it’s also been a blessing. The church is here to communicate good news, and technology has helped her do that in so many ways.

Posted in preaching

Musings from the pulpit

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

So after a Sunday morning where my task was to lead praise worship, I thought I’d circle around and ponder how different it was from the preaching experience.

I find that preaching engages my intellectual left brain. I’ve engaged a text, developed illustrations, developed a flow, and committed the outline to memory. Even though a sermon might appear to be a monologue, it’s actually a dialogue on different levels. I am watching my listeners, gauging their reactions. I am hearing the word myself, my heart responds, and that affects my words.

I notice what’s going on in the congregation before me. I see who is there and who is not there. I watch their eyes, see a few smiles, maybe a nod or two, and wonder how some can sit stone-faced for an entire hour. I’m conscious of everyone else there with a task: elder, ushers, AV technicians, musicians. I’m aware of who’s there for the first time, who can’t keep their eyes open, children with snacks, toys, and crayons, late-arrivers, those who like to chat, who’s taking notes, and every attempt to silently open up a piece of candy. I know who’s walking through the outer doors, who leaves early, who can’t make it an hour without a trip to the restroom.

I am fully engaged with the people in front of me. They have my attention, even if they aren’t fully paying attention to me. I’ve practiced enough that some of the sermon is preached on auto-pilot. But along the way, I may leave something out or I may have a new thought to include. It’s both prepared and spontaneous at the same time.

I enjoy(ed) preaching, I believe, because of all the variables. (I’m a math guy. I like multiple variables in equations.) Some might hear and their lives will be changed. Some won’t hear a word; nothing will change. The results aren’t even in my hands. I can study, prepare, and practice as much as I want, but the results are in the hands of a higher power. The word I speak is powerful and can change a life. It can set off a temper tantrum, too. I never know how it will turn out.

I’ve just preached. I’ve just done music. I’ve done both. All very different experiences.

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Just like riding a bike

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Jonny Kennaugh on Unsplash

I was asked to substitute preach last November at the church I retired from two-and-a-half years ago. While I’ve done a few memorials and funerals, this was my first time back in the pulpit for a Sunday morning worship service.

A few months before, someone who knew I was scheduled to preach teasingly asked, “Do you think you’ll remember how?” But it’s a good question. It should be like riding a bike, right? I might be a little stiff, but preaching muscle-memory ought to kick in.

And it did. In some ways it felt like I had taken a couple of weeks off rather than two years. I could have resurrected a sermon from my archive of messages. I didn’t because old messages include things that aren’t relevant. Plus, the discipline of preparing a message assures that it will touch my heart before it reaches the ears of others. I need and appreciate that blessing.

I do not write out my sermons. I outline them using Keynote (Apple’s version of Power Point), putting a picture on each one to help me remember. That way I can preach just using my bible, freeing me to better engage the congregation.

I also volunteered to lead the praise service that day, since the leader would also be away. And teach an adult Sunday School class between the two morning worship services. In hindsight, I should have just preached rather than dividing my efforts between all those things. I enjoy doing all of that, it just takes a little more preparation to spin that many plates on a Sunday morning.

The week before I noticed that my mind was continually filled with the upcoming sermon. I would think my way through the outline, introduction, illustrations, and applications throughout the day. I had forgotten how sermon preparation moves in and occupies a lot of space in my mind. It requires a lot of mental and spiritual energy.

That’s the part I don’t miss. It sounds terrible, but I don’t miss the weekly grind. As soon as you’re done one, the next one looms. Sundays come around with precise regularity. As much as I love preaching and teaching, I don’t miss it that much. Does that surprise you? I read those words and it surprises me. It’s one of those love-hate things, I guess.

Thanks for lasting this far through a rambling post. Here’s one last thought. I am grateful for the honorarium paid for my Sunday morning efforts. I do want to mention that this is one place where inflation has not spun out of control. I received the same amount as we were paying substitute preachers thirty years ago. I know, I know, you don’t do it for the money. I’m just putting it out there.

I suppose I’ll preach now and again in the future. We’ll see what happens. I still get to teach adults and youth each month, and enjoy that a lot.

I’m still figuring out this retirement thing.

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

A box for God’s people

Posted on by William Douthwaite

A “through the Bible” devotion from 1 Kings 8.

“Will God indeed dwell on earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you, how much less this house which I have built” (1 Kings 8:27).

So why build a temple? Why build a church? Why make it look like your God lives in a box?

We naturally have places for things. Countries have capitals where the government is. Kitchens have cabinets where we stack the plates. Houses have shelves where we line up our books. Medicine cabinets hold all our pills.

So why wouldn’t you have a place for your God?

For many people, walking into church makes you feel closer to God. For some that’s a good feeling. For others, it’s ominous.

But some feel close to God walking down a trail through the woods. or looking up at a starry sky. Or holding an infant. Or reading a bible.

Bottom line: the box is for people, not God. The building is a place to gather and to be together. It’s a place to learn together, cry together, pray together, and celebrate together. If we could do it in our homes, we would, just like the early church. But when the Holy Spirit does his thing and the church grows, we just might need a bigger place to gather. It could be the beach. Or an amphitheater. Or a sanctuary.

No you can’t confine God to a box. But he’ll be there, wherever his people gather.

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

How much is all this going to cost?

Posted on by William Douthwaite

“So Solomon built the house [of God] and finished it.” (1 Kings‬ ‭6‬:‭14‬).

When I asked a Bible study class how much they thought should be spent on a church building, most replied, “Less than we do.” I thought that was an interesting answer. People like beautiful, well-maintained spaces for worship. But many underestimate the cost and commitment involved.

The temple Solomon built in Jerusalem was beautiful. Huge rocks from a quarry. Cedar-paneled walls overlaid with gold. Carved angels, engraved Palm tree and flowers, and olive wood doors. The furnishings and fabrics were exquisite.

How much did this all cost? Scholars disagree. At the very least it’s tens of millions of dollars in today’s currency. It probably cost far more than that. Too much? Appropriate for the Almighty God?

It’s true that the overhead of a building consumes a significant part of a congregation’s budget. But it’s also true that a church building is a visual that God is a part of a community. It provides a place for God’s people to gather and encourage one another to live out our faith. It is a place to go in the worst moments of life to find hope. It’s a place that reminds us we’re not alone in this. We rejoice, mourn, live, and die together as God’s people.

God didn’t need a temple. Neither did his people. They worshipped for a long time without one. They would still fall into sin with one.

When a woman anoints Jesus’s feet with costly perfume, he’s touched by the nice thing she did for him. Perhaps we should look at temples and church buildings in a similar way.