It was very early in my time at the seminary. And we were in a group that was spitballing about religious products and services Winebrenner might provide in the future.
Someone in the group mentioned the possibility of a degree in Youth Ministry.
And, Dave said, "I believe that you almost need to think of working with youth in terms of cross-cultural ministry."
Bingo!
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How many times has the following scenario worked itself out in the church in recent decades?
A declining church, with an aging membership, is searching for its new pastor/parish priest and the geezers who sit in the back quarter of the room every Sunday say,
"We think we should hire a young pastor so (he) can bring in the youth because we don't have teens anymore."
What invariably happens is that the young pastor who is hired has absolutely no gift for reaching the youth culture and fails to attract teens. And, though the young pastor tries to carry out the marching orders, in the end, that pastor finds (him)self in trouble because no teens show up and the shut-ins are being neglected, (he) is fired, an older pastor who knows how to visit shut-ins is hired, stays for a dozen years or so, so that when that pastor retires, the youngest person in the church is 40, maybe, 50something.
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The truth is that, in the Book of Acts, ministry was highly specialized and focused around, well, APEST gifting.
And, there's really no mention of pastoring in the Book of Acts as the job is understood today.
There's mention of prophets, an evangelist, and teachers...
...but, predominantly, the Gospel spread during that generation, through the work of apostles.
And, even within the universe of apostles, there was specialization.
More than half of Acts follows the activity of Barnabas and Paul and, ultimately, Paul and his entourage taking the gospel...
...to the Gentiles.
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One reason that the church today is declining and putrefying is its attempt to create a pastor dominated leadership culture in which the pastor is a parish priest who develops spiritual products and services to the church's laity...
...and to the unchurched world...
...in a one-size-fits-all way...
...so that the pastor/parish priest is...
...part missionary, part evangelist, inspiring preacher/prophet, teacher and, above all, comforting, nurturing shepherd.
Two observations about the pastor-as-parish-priest, failed and failing, leadership model:
1. It kicks what the Spirit empowered in the Book of Acts in the nether regions and,
2. For those of you in the ERC CGGC, it's what those well-intentioned Connecxtion groups in the new New Strategic Plan are designed to enable.
Jesus spent years preparing an apostolic culture to spread the news of His life, death and resurrection. Jesus explained how the gift of prophecy would function in God's Kingdom.
The Book of Acts describes the Spirit's work in empowering apostles, prophets, evangelists and teachers in highly specialized, not one-size-fits-all, pastor-as-parish-priest ministry.
Certainly not parish priests providing religious products and services to the laity and unchurched masses.
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Dave's insight into youth ministry is spot on...
...but applies to a broader universe.
Much of the church today is focused on parish priest leadership. Jesus announced the coming of a Kingdom expanded through apostolic servanthood and sacrifice.
The former never prospers. The latter, empowered by His Spirit, always does.
We need to change our churchly ways to His Kingdom ways.
We must repent.
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