Wednesday, January 6, 2016

WEEKLY COMMENTARY: Did You Know We Live In Both An Arboretum And A Jungle?



Outside of one's life in the established church, daily conditions may be very different.  Let's explore the differences.  For simplicity, let's say that life in the established church is like living in an "Arboretum"; while life outside the church is like life in the "Jungle."  Both metaphors may be needed to describe our everyday existence.  Let's use this metaphor comparison as a way of looking closely at the lives we live, in and out of church.  (We thank Texas pastor Rev. Bill Easum for suggesting this way of looking closely at the way we live our lives.)

In the Arboretum, everything is neatly laid out in a controlled environment.  There is never any doubt about whether you are on the path that will take you where you want to go.  Established church people usually like things to be neatly explained, with little or no ambiguity.

Many Arboretums are full of "do this" and "don't do that" rules, which we are supposed to follow.  Many established church people love to follow rules.  For many of them, procedure may be more important than effectiveness.  Perhaps some established church people don't think much about heresy in their church, so they seldom guard against it.  They just follow the rules they were given.

The operations of an Arboretum are predictable and slow to change.   One can go to an established church year after year and never see much change, and what change one does see is slow and incremental.  One has lots of time to adjust in the Arboretum, so things like annual meetings and annual budgets, and check-and-balance types of organization make sense.

In the Arboretum, adequate shelter from the rain and sun are provided, so one will have a good experience.  Many established church people really like the buildings, almost to the point of worshiping them.

Some folks feel entitled to the experience of the Arboretum.  After all, they have bought an admission ticket.  Often, because of having made an annual financial pledge, established church people feel entitled to not only the privilege of religion, but even more so to being cared for by their pastor.

Arboretums are so safe, it is OK to wander through them alone, even at night, if one obeys the rules.  Many established church people behave in more of a "rugged individualistic" style, rather than putting value in the use of team work.

Finally, in the Arboretum, one has no problem seeing the horizon.  You can always see where you are going or you can follow the signs.  You don't need a compass or GPS in the Arboretum.  Often established church people fail to see the need for Mission or Vision Statements.

Outside of one's life in the established church, conditions may be very different.  For most of us the alternative could be called life in the "Jungle."  It is to some degree an integral part of our everyday existence.  What does life in the "Jungle" look like?

Nothing is neatly laid out and controlled.  Unlike the Arboretum, the Jungle is a really messy place.  Nothing is where you would expect it to be and you have very little control over the environment. Intuition is now one of the most needed talents of a leader, even surpassing passion.  Messy and uncontrollable environments at first confuse most established church people, and at worst, shut them down when it comes to making strategic decisions.

In the Jungle, predators are everywhere and there simply aren't any rules to follow.  It is almost as if the Jungle dares us to test it's will.  However, established church people are often too naive to believe the reality of the Jungle and the heresies that pop out from every corner.  The Jungle does away with all the rules, except one ---- survival of the fittest. Most established church people are not used to being strategic with their resources.

Nothing is predictable and changes are fast.  The Jungle world changes from day to day. Overnight it's trails can cover up, and markers can disappear, leaving the traveler lost without an experienced guide.  Some established church people find it impossible to move fast enough to stay up with the changes, much less get ahead of them. 

We are not entitled to be in the Jungle.  The Jungle doesn't belong to us and we have to earn our right to exist in the Jungle.  All entitlements are out the window.  Too many established church people are miserable when confronted with the fact that the world no longer owes them a living, and their pastor isn't their spiritual baby sitter.

In the Jungle, when you look up there is no horizon.  The sun seldom shines through the Jungle canopy.  In such an environment one needs a very clear sense of direction.  The Mission Statement is the compass.  But, how many established church people look upon Mission Statements as an exercise in futility, rather than as a key to their future?

As far as the Jungle is concerned, Christianity is a nobody.  Gone are the days when society gave credence and special favor to Christianity.  Now it is just the opposite ----- the Jungle dislikes Christianity because the Jungle doesn't recognize it as legitimate.  Fewer people are coming to church on their own, they argue.

The Jungle has a way of tearing families apart, and helping people become addicted to one thing or another.  Some people say that most people and organizations are basically broken.  Organizations that once worked, no longer yield the same results.  When people do come to church, they have little understanding of Christianity, it is said.  What they are looking for is a safe place to find themselves, or to heal.  Too many established church people still think all one has to do is write a policy, or recite some pre-determined formula, and all is well.

Some might argue that CPC is an Arboretum right in the midst of the Jungle.  If we are wise, perhaps we will think long and hard about the foregoing metaphors.  Let's look harder to accent the positives, while compensating or correcting the negatives, so that the role of the two metaphors in our respective lives is very fruitful.
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These thoughts are offered by the CPC Adult Spiritual Development Team, hoping to encourage some spiritual growth for you in this winter season. 
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