I saw this video and said OMG (“Oh my gosh!” — that’s my “kosher” version of OMG). Some may disagree with the action this Episcopal priest took, but listen to her surrender to reality after years of frustration. And she is totally fair to the people in her parish. It’s a different world. Times have changed. Maybe this is one of many reasons so many people do independent learning. It’s sad that group experiences have been lost in the process. But this video, it summarizes what most of us clergy think. We just handle it in different ways (not all in the way she has handled it). And we say, “God, help us all.”
Watch “So we cancelled it all …”
Our rabbi message that shabbat was that G-D meets us where we are at, when G-D went to Israel, G-D met them where they were at; Our rabbi said when a rabbi came to him as a 4 year old to give our future rabbi his hebrew lesson and found our future rabbi up in a tree, his rabbi asked the 4yr old, was he ready for his lesson. Our future rabbi said yes and so his teacher climbed the tree and gave our future rabbi his hebrew lesson..What a great point, G-D meets us where we are at–respectfully–hopefully this lady will through prayer do the same–Yeshua would go to them!
As a child, and a new believer, I started doing a bible study with my uncle in order to soak in more of God. That bible study grew into more and more people, which was great! After a while those other people got busy with their lives and every week less and less would show up. One day, my uncle showed up at my house and waited for others to show. When no one did, he left disgusted. I cried. He started this study for me. I was ready to learn. But when he began expecting more he became disappointed. Sometimes, the people who show are not what you intend but whom God has called.
I’ve had issues with the direction of the Episcopal Church for years now. It’s fitting that a congregation that opens its doors to everyTHING in order to reach everyONE would have low retention.
Rabbi Scott mentioned that many churches that begin an attraction-based ministry predicate themselves on bait and switch, and it cannot last forever. I think it’s better to pump for seekers for years and years, get nothing, than inflate yourself on crowds and amusements.
Criticize the Messianic Movement. Criticize people who attend One Law even for dismissing rabbinics selectively and appropriating Israel. But I have NEVER met any group of people as dedicated to learning as bravely, heretically, and fearlessly, submitting themselves to not only the text but the context, as guys like Izzy, Danny DeJesus, and others.
One of the best churches I attended was a black church in Gainesville. When my pastor was ending at 11 pm, Tim was just getting warmed up to go until 5. I got sick of pastors pulling a single verse out, talking about how Jabez’s story means we need to have a positive attitude, discuss obstacles in our lives, and nothing that has to do with the meaningful storyarcs of the bible, the Jews, Israel, repentance, etc. Plus black churches clap their hands and stomp their feet, which is pretty rad.
The draw of MJ is the proposition that you don’t have to create a bunch of programs and coming attractions. Rather you explain to people that the Bible is something they can live out on a multiplicity of levels, spiritual and tangible. Here it is.
For all the self-flagellation we engage in, we should give a solid pat on the back.
*I say heretically in a rogue sense, not actual heresy.
PPS. Dislike for church is not what drew me to MJ. Don’t think that either.
Let me know when the book comes out.
Dr. Schiffman put it well,
“We host a Chavurah in our home on Shabbat afternoons. When people come, it’s always a blessing and encouragement. Their commitment encourages everyone else who comes. When people blow it off and give excuses why they didn’t come, we always understand, but it sends a message that they didn’t value the gathering enough to show up. One afternoon, we were preparing for the upcoming Chavurah meeting after a week when only one couple showed up. My wife expressed that this was a lot of work if no one was coming. I encouraged her to do this as service to God and not to worry. That Shabbat, eight people showed up, and the one following that, we had almost 20. People showing up was a tremendous boost, and made our service for HaShem more of a blessing. Diligence means being there. Sending regrets only produces regret. For this reason, I alway make it a point to visit people in the hospital, and go to weddings, Bar Mitzvot, and funerals. It lets people know I care and that I value them. If you don’t really care, you don’t show up. It’s a ministry of presence.”
Ultimately, our busy-ness is compromising us.
I mean, even this week, I’m choosing to go to a work-related event rather than get together with some Messianic folks for the Rosh Chodesh. If Dr. Schiffman is right, it means I’m ultimately valuing the work event over the gathering with other Messianic folks.
Doesn’t sit well, but there’s the truth of it.
I listened to all of it. My first reaction was, OK this is an Episcopal Priest. The closest thing I have ever experienced to that scenario is attending a PCUSA bible study something over a decade ago. World class instructor, Brian Burton, PhD. Really first class content, biblical exposition with real in depth perpetration. It was attended by the over 50 set. Several PhDs in the audience. There was no problem with attendance dropping off, there were 15-20 people there for the duration. When Brian decided to do a “Saddle Back Church” makeover and have us sit in a “coffee house” setting and participate in small group discussions I attended for about three weeks of that and then dropped out. It was like 1970s Larry Richards redux. Been there, done that.
What I couldn’t figure out was why a really fine scholar like Brian Burton would be caught up in anything so superficial as the “Purpose Driven” framework. Didn’t make sense. Anyway, Brian, the last I heard was teaching at the graduate level somewhere.
I don’t think the the 20-30yo folks will attend these things. I have a private source from the street scene in Seattle, a friend of 10 years duration, who keeps me posted on what is going on. It really is a different world. He is an african American who grew up fatherless and motherless, living alternately with two grandmas. He will call and talk for hours on end. But one thing he cannot seem to do is schedule a regular activity, like going the church on any particular day ever week. I don’t blame him. The churches in Seattle are nothing to get excited about. He attended Mars Hill (Mark Driscoll) on and off just for laughs. He can’t stand the guy, but he thinks it is entertaining to listen to crazy people preach. No point in actually attending since it call all be done on the web.
I is hard to figure out how much the Episcopal Priest’s congregation is suffering from mainline decline syndrome. That has been going on for a long time. If you cut the supernatural and metaphysical elements out of your gospel, who is going to bother and pay any attention. Anyway, that’s an old argument. Kind of a boring argument often found on sites like Pyromaniacs. Not a such a bad blog actually.
This comment is longer than most of my blog posts. Frankly, Derek, I don’t think the mainline denominations have much to do with Messianic Judaism. But who am I to say?
Now I feel kind of guilty because I didn’t initially have time to listen to a video (I can read so much faster than a person can speak…anyone can), but that’s kind of her theme…people not having time (or choosing not to have time).
I’m sure she and I would disagree on a good many things, but I would love to sit down with her and talk about Jesus. It’s really the whole point of my plea from yesterday.
Perhaps the problem is that she sees the two ministries as separate. She puts service and teaching into two different categories and admits not being involved in the service end of her church’s ministries. They don’t have to be polarized. There is no better time to teach about Jesus, Yeshua, then when building a house, feeding the poor, teaching a child or washing a homeless person’s feet.
Why not have a teaching before a service activity while preparing to go…a group session after to “debrief” while sharing a meal? Fit the desire to teach into the current paradigm if that is what her congregation yearns to do.
I hear her frustration, but given the 24 hour day…I applaud those who want to serve the poor and find their G-d in doing so. I would love for their spiritual leader to find a way to share her gift while meeting her congregation at the heart of their desires. Sounds like she has a pretty great group of people who perhaps have understood what she has tried to teach them.
Shelly:
It is the old problem of “active” vs. “contemplative” or “perceptive” service. Some are more on the “active” spectrum (like you, for example, though you also love learning) and some on the “perceptive” spectrum (soaking up learning). I like to think that people too heavy on the active side make mistakes but mean well and do a lot more deeds of lovingkindness while those on the perceptive side could do more, but then they do act it often is more effective because the action is well-informed and based on a vary solid core of learning and being.
And learning can happen in vocal conversation while serving sandwiches, but depth often requires a setting where books can be referred to, where careful contemplation of texts can happen.
I think she is right to grieve that so few want study. She is also right to rejoice that people want to serve needs of others.
Rabbi Leman:
I agree, G-D meets us all where we are at. For each of us, as you said, and I paraphrase here, is some are more into serving others,etc; while others are more involved in the goings on of a congregation…