So I’ve gone on and on about this “not getting fed” thing and I have to start wrapping it up. Here’s the question: What do we do when someone says, “I’m not getting fed”?
Well, I have two answers. First, we need to make sure that we’re teaching people HOW to feed themselves. I’ve made it quite clear this last week or so that I don’t think it’s my job as a pastor to “feed people” on Sunday mornings. But I DO believe it’s the churches job to teach people to feed themselves. And so, when someone says, “I’m not being fed” I need to ask myself, “Have we taught this person to feed themselves? If not, then I have to take a lot of the blame for this, and I need to do something about it.
At Forefront, we’ve tried to make sure we’re teaching people how to feed themselves. For instance:
- We do a sermon, or an entire series, almost every year on how to read the Bible. In 2007 we did “The Bible for Cavemen.” In 2006 we did a 3 part series called, “Off the Shelf and Into Myself"...
- In our “Next Steps” class we have a session on how to have a “Quiet Time” of bible reading and prayer.
- Each week in our program we provide six “ready-to-do” Bible studies that give you a passage to read, about six questions to help you dig into and apply the verses, and a study note or two offering background/context information.
- This year we made and are going to distribute a “Pursuit” book, a spiritual growth handbook that teaches six spiritual disciplines, including bible study (why to do it, how to do it, etc.).
- We had a guru at this kind of stuff come in and do sessions with our staff, and a session with leaders in our church, on how to develop intimacy face-to-face with God.
- (I'm sure there's more we could do --- what are some of the ways you all are teaching your people to feed themselves?)
So when someone says, “I’m not getting fed” the first thing I do is ask myself: Have we taught this person how to feed themselves? If the answer is no, I’m the problem. If the answer is yes, well, we’ll talk about that next time.
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6 comments:
Vince,
I kinda talked a bit about this in 5(c). I think some of it also comes down to having folks do a paradigm shift in their hearts and minds. Most folks don't truly understand how much that they yearn for and hunger for God. I am not sure how you help make that paradigm shift. Once folks realize how hungry they truly are then I think the desire to seek Him with all their "heart, mind, and soul" follows. It is a heart condition that totally requires intentionality on the part of the person. A complete and total understanding that they CANNOT do this life on their own.
If it's not the minister's job to feed people, and say I'm an average joe at Forefront and on a particular week I can't get a nonChristian to come to church with me and it happens to be my week off serving in the children's ministry, why should I bother coming to church?
Hey Anonymous, I'll try to answer your question tomorrow in a post.
I think this "I'm not being fed" problem can also arise when people don't fully embrace the mission of a church like Forefront, which is to reach unchurced people. For example, at FF they explain things more, like who Paul is or what a certain word means, instead of assuming that everyone there already knows. People who have been going to church their whole lives and already know who Paul is may view that as "beginner's church" and feel they are beyond that. In other words, they forget about the new people who need to hear it. (But for the record, I think the messages are still challenging...there's plenty of stuff in there to "feed" on.)
This just hit me, so take it for what it is worth. Many of us who are planters/future planters are considered "pastors." Pastor, as you see from the Bible, is just a fancy term for shepherd. What is a shepherd's job? It's not to shovel grass into the sheep's mouth and chew for them. It's to lead them to greener grass, fresher water, etc. The sheep are responsible for eating. The ones that the shepherd may need to help feed are the injured, the sick, the young.
This post nailed it. If we haven't "led our flock to greener pastures"--if we haven't equipped them to feed themselves--then we have a problem to fix. But if its a "sheep that just won't eat"--a Christian who should be feeding themselves AND feeding others (see Hebrews 5:11-6:2), that's a whole different (and potentially poisonous) story.
that's good stuff jen and aaron. seriously, really good thoughts!
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