I know it's not fair

One of the perks of being retired is a particular freedom to speak the truth.  Certainly it helps that hundreds of mundane but in many ways necessary details of being a fully functioning mid-sized congregation are no longer my responsibility.  It clears the mind to think - to begin to find the core questions, and possibly in time, some of the answers.

Believe, I mean no harm, but I am struck by how often my beloved fellow believers get the questions wrong.  As you can guess, if you are asking the wrong questions, you are bound to get the wrong answers.

Those of us who first love the Lord Jesus and second love and serve the church are challenged in this season of continual and seismic change in our institutions.  We have been fed on the Word and Sacraments through these very institutions; we have tried to transmit the faith to our children.  We have tried, often with mixed results, to live the faith in our lives.

So believe me when I tell you I say this in love.

I work with congregations in transition, that is, in the process of seeking a new pastor.  They have to fill out paperwork which asks all kinds of questions.  Too often this is one of the 5 goals they list for their future: "to attract young families to our church."  It almost makes me weep.

I wonder if they even considered listing "to attract a younger generation to life in our Lord".

Or, "to learn how to articulate the power of Christ in our lives so others might be drawn to Jesus".

Or, " to effectively guide younger people into lives of service and justice for the sake of their neighbors".

Something - anything - that would clearly identify us as people of faith who having found God's great treasure for our lives in Jesus want to walk with others until they are found as well. A pastor is especially called to lead this.  For the other, a marketing director with some good research will probably do.

Of course they will say "That is exactly what we mean when we say we want younger families in our church."  Maybe.  But church comes first; Jesus isn't mentioned.  Youthful energy is important; faith formation isn't listed.  We are called to proclaim the Good News of Jesus, not to advocate for our congregation.

Enough said.

As for an answer to their desire to attract younger people to their church, I might suggest less Bach and more contemporary music, worship gatherings on a day other than Sunday, small groups where real connections and spiritual conversations can take place, and an active presence on social media.

But really, in the end, it comes down to telling how the living Lord Jesus has changed your life as you reach out to help change their lives as well.  It's about Jesus; always about Jesus.