godthoughts.net

What would happen if the megachurches and their enormous campuses went bankrupt/defunct?

Would the buildings be turned into a high school campus?  Corporate conference center?   What’s the re-sale market for abandoned mega-church buildings?

Will all megachurches just continue to perpetuate themselves in the same location?  What happens when they move to a larger site?

Okay, that’s more than one big question….but they’re all related!

As I blatantly borrow from Nick Fiedler for this idea, here is a Friday Five:

Five Things You Can’t Live Without

(These are things, not people or relationships), in no particular order

1. iPod

2. laptop

3. Bed

4. Bike

5. (tie) sunglasses and running shoes

What are yours?

Multi-tasking.

Do you do more than one thing at a time?  I’ve considered this in relation to living.  I’ve talked on the phone while driving and eating (yeah, not the safest deal).  Brushed teeth and showered at the same time.  Emailed, been on the phone, and eating at the same time. Read the paper, while watching TV out of corner of eye, and listening to my wife (but how much am I really listening?).

Ever seen someone work their Blackberry while in the middle of worship service?  Yep, I’ve seen it.  Another guy answered a phone call in the middle of a funeral.  Another was tweeting while at lunch and talking with a group of people.  Were they connected or being rude?

Do we need to do more than one thing at a time?

I have been involved in super-large churches, medium, and small churches as a layperson.  I have been a pastor in large, small, and very large churches.  If a title must be used, I have always used “pastor.”  Not minister, not reverend.  The quote below speaks clearly as to why, for me.  It is from Gordon Macdonald, in the Summer issue of Leadership, 2009.

“I no longer believe the biblical title of  pastor applies if it takes three weeks for someone to get an appointment. I do not believe the biblical word for pastor applies when someone can say, ‘I’ve heard him (or her) preach for three years but we’ve never met.’….I am not criticizing megachurch leaders. I know and respect many of them. I’ve been one…But I suspect we would be more honest if we referred to a megachurch leader as a bishop or–call it what it is–a CEO or president.  But–and here’s my point–let’s save the title of Pastor for the man or woman who goes face to face with people whatever their need.”

What’s been your experience?  Agree with Macdonald’s perspective or disagree?

To borrow from Nick Fiedler’s idea (his was on books), I’m listing the five people who have most impacted my life (and yes, parents and relatives count for this one).  In no particular order:

My dad - has consistently lived a life of patience and serving others.  I learned how to pray by listening to him.  Truly a humble man and at peace with himself and God.  Would that I could end up as half the man he is.

My mom - always creative, always faithful and has shown me what encouragement of others can do for them.

my sister - she taught me to read.  That one thing alone opened up a whole world for me and something I’ve never forgotten.

my wife - yep, you’d probably expect her to be on this list, and she is deservedly.  Accepts me as I am and loves me anyway…and that’s saying a lot.

Jerry Stipp - he’s dead now, from a brain tumor.  He was a pastor of mine from long ago.  He really and truly walked out what he talked out in the pulpit. A true counterpoint to those pastors who abused and misused their role and authority.  He went away…way, way too early.

Who is on your list?

To my loyal 5-6 worldwide readers (!), godthoughts is back. We had a move and an extended time getting internet access, so now we’re back in gear.  Posts coming later!