I think this is the first time I’ve ever posted two times in one day, but here it goes:
Nobody Cared
I’m still thinking about the moral failing a pastor friend had recently. He made a comment that the news was making the rounds on the web so I thought I’d see what people were saying. Thankfully most were writing words of support for my friend, his family and the other family involved. Some were writing appropriate words of rebuke that the road to recovery was going to be a long and difficult one for him. Of course there was also the standard attacks from the “I’ve got my underwear on too tight” and “God is so lucky to have me” group.
But what I found most interesting was there was no story in the local paper. It wasn’t mentioned on CNN, Drudge, Foxnews, or USA Today. None of the TV networks did a story about it. Other than church related blogs, I could not find it mentioned anywhere else. And that made me sad. That’s right, I said it made me sad.
Not because I want my friend’s dirty laundry spread all over the web. The guy’s family doesn’t need anymore piling on or worrying about seeing it on tv, so why am I sad? Because the pastor of the one of the fastest growing churches in America had to step down from leadership and it didn’t cause even a ripple. Very few people living in his town who didn’t attend his church cared that it happened. What I’m trying to say is that even though well over a thousand people went to his church every Sunday, and thousands read his blog and twitter post, he still had not made even a ripple in the big picture.
Now, I’m not bashing my buddy, in fact I’m bashing me and every other guy who’s ever lead a church. We get real uppity and proud when we talk about how many people show up on a Sunday or have been baptized in our church. There are even award dinners in most states for the SBC churches who have the most baptisms. (I’ve been to them and it’s like a freaking awards show). Don’t even get me started on Eagle awards. But the sad fact is the vast majority of churches are not making even a slight impact in their communities. Somebody once wisely asked “would anybody in your town be upset if your church closed?”
I think every church and every pastor should be making such a impact on their community that there would be news stories worried about how teen mom’s are going to get the help they need now that the church is folding. Or a story on the front page wondering what’s going to happen to alcoholics and drug addicts now that the church will no longer be able to host a recovery group. Or a website devoted to mourning the loss of a pastor who not only talked about Jesus but made significant contributions to the area.
Churches and pastors, we need to stop spending so much time slapping each other on the back about how great we are and start impacting our communities to the degree that there would be tears if we weren’t there.
