Thanksgiving Is Our Mission

Happy Thanksgiving!

Recently I have challenged our congregations to think about what they have in abundance they can give away. What do our 8,000 members have that can be a blessing to 800,000 neighbors? I believe that every congregation has been uniquely blessed to be a blessing. Here's a simple suggestion of something you have to give away, especially today... THANKS!

Psychologist Dr. Robert A. Emmons, in an article on "The Joy of Thanks," says the physical and psychological benefits of being in a state of gratitude is almost equal to that of actual therapy:

"My colleagues and I are finding that gratitude, which we define as a felt sense of wonder, thankfulness, and appreciation for life, is more than simply a pleasant emotion to experience or a polite sentiment to express. It's, or at least can be, a basic disposition, one that seems to make lives happier, healthier, more fulfilling- and even longer." (Spirituality & Health, 4 [Winter 2002], 38ff. The Psychology of Gratitude published by Oxford University Press, USA, February 26, 2004.)

According to Emmons, recent psychological research shows that:

A person experiencing gratitude is protected from the destructive impulses of envy and greed;

The practice of gratitude as a spiritual discipline may cure excessive materialism and its attendant negative emotions of envy, resentment, disappointment, and bitterness;

Gratitude supports well-being by displacing resentment, regret, and other psychological states deleterious to long-term happiness;

Grateful people experience higher levels of positive emotions-happiness, vitality, optimism, and hope-and greater satisfaction with life.

In other words, Thanks-giving is good therapy.

I like Thanksgiving. Everybody can participate. Young, old and in between, traditional and customary rituals blend with the new. No gifts are required. It is not a parochial religious holiday. It is the least commercial holiday we have. Our national holiday of Thanksgiving is one of our country's better habits.

By the time of the Revolutionary War, official days of thanksgiving were common in the colonies. But it was President Abraham Lincoln that set the annual day of Thanksgiving to be the last Thursday of November.

Thanks-giving is what grateful and blessed people do. It's what transforming and growing congregations do in worship and in mission, inside the sanctuary, and outside on the corner. A spirit of thankfulness is a sign of God's presence and an indicator of vitality. Thankfulness is our mission! I am blessed to belong to, and serve, such a thank-filled presbytery.

I hope your plans include special family and community gatherings as we give thanks wherever we are. May a spirit of gratefulness overflow in your life as we experience each day's surprises and joys ahead.

Gratefully,

Kevin

And as you do it, you'll say,
"Give thanks to GOD."
Call out God's name.
Ask God anything!
Shout to the nations, tell them what God's done,
Spread the news of God's great reputation!
Isaiah 12.4


"Thank God! God deserves your thanks. God's love never quits" Psalms 136.1.

"Thank you! Everything in me says, "Thank you!" Angels listen as I sing my thanks" Psalms 138.1.

"I couldn't stop thanking God for you-every time I prayed, I'd think of you and give thanks" Ephesians 1.16.

"You need to know, friends, that thanking God over and over for you is not only a pleasure; it's a must. We have to do it. Your faith is growing phenomenally; your love for each other is developing wonderfully. Why, it's only right that we give thanks" 2Thessalonians 1.3.

(Texts from The Message)

Abundance v. Scarcity; Whose side are you on?

There's a battle raging in our churches. The outcome is being decided every day the congregation is sent into the world. Abundance v. Scarcity; Whose side are you on?

A few weeks ago, the PC(USA) Middle Governing Body (MGB) staff met with executive and general presbyters from the 173 presbyteries to listen and respond to the challenges of common ministry. The annual Association of Executive Presbyters meeting and the Polity Conference was held in Minneapolis to give attendees a preview of the city that is hosting next year's 219th General Assembly.

I appreciate the openness I observe at these national events. Louisville (our denominational headquarters) and Syracuse (our synod office) may seem a bit removed from our life in Newark Presbytery, but these meetings help me better understand their connection to our transforming work as communities, congregations, sessions and pastors.My last visit to Minneapolis was about ten years ago for a youth violence reduction initiative exchange and clearly, the city was undergoing a visible transformation with new buildings, skyways, business expansion and wonderfully hospitable residents.

Shortly after registering, I told a staffer of the host Twin Cities Presbytery what a great city Minneapolis was, to which they responded, "Oh, we have nothing to do with that." Nothing to do with that, indeed.

That remark made an impression on me. How disconnected was that staffer's view of the relationship between their own presbytery's mission and its city? As it turns out, this disconnect became almost a theme as I listened to a denomination perpetually focus on its own survival, even as it tries to help its member presbyteries and congregations to survive. Have we become so detached as congregations and presbyteries, synods, and denomination that we regard ourselves has having little or no relationship to help with the vitality of our region, cities, towns, or neighborhoods we live in?

Our own understandable fight for survival seems contrary to the prophet's advice when he wrote: "Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper" (Jeremiah 29.7).

This principle of reciprocity throughout Scripture incentivises our interaction. We are not alone. We are in community. We have responsibility to our communities, and as our community is blessed, we will be blessed, too. Taking Jeremiah's admonishment a step further, we hear Jesus say: "For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it" (Mark 8:35) NIV. Eugene Peterson adds even more emphasis to Jesus' words:"Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to saving yourself, your true self" (Mark 8:35) The Message.

Survival as individuals versus survival in community is the case in point from Mark 6 in the feeding of thousands of hungry people on a hill. When confronted with their own, and the crowds' hunger (survival), the disciples saw a problem that could only be solved individually: "Send the people to town so they could buy food," they advised. But Jesus saw something different. Instead of a scarcity of resources, Jesus saw abundance. Not limited by individual survival, with money as the solution, Jesus assessed the collective resources available to the disciples (five loaves and two fish), and then extended the frame of reference for a greater blessing to emerge in community.

Jesus organized the thousands into groups of fifties and hundreds. Was this, as theologian Dr. Francis Taylor Gench of Union-PSCE suggests, an example of early community organizing? With the blessing of Jesus, abundance prevailed with plenty of time, food, and resources for everyone. Individually, there wasn't much. That's what the disciples missed. Scarcity was about individuals. Abundance was evidenced in community. Only by transforming together was a transformative blessing experienced and twelve baskets of leftovers remained for even more abundant sharing with those not even present.

Around our world, abundance is winning over scarcity. For example, a previously limited, government controlled resource like clean water is freely given away to allow hope and economic vitality to flow into South American villages once held hostage by scarcity. In Philadelphia, local community newspapers faced closure when their content controlled subscription model failed. Now, partnering with a Presbyterian congregation which invested $100,000 in the project, news is now free, in print and online, promoting community and business life.

We are painfully aware of what we don't have as congregations. I hear that a lot. We can't. We don't. Our understandable response may be to conserve, protect, control, and limit. But Jesus invites us to take another look, not at what we don't have, but instead asking ourselves: "What does our congregation have in abundance?"

Our new Community Transformation Corporation is an example of Newark Presbytery's response. Your congregation offers other examples. It may require imaginative and creative thinking, but every one of our forty-one congregations has been blessed to share. What can we creatively and responsibly give away to show the Good News in new ways, alternate times, maybe in even more compelling venues?Our survival will not be found in saving ourselves. Our Synod has already begun steps in this direction with its new funding priorities.

The PC(USA) cannot save itself through control and reorganization motivated by self-help. Instead, lets ask in what ways the Presbyterian Church (USA) can more boldly release resources to bless a nation and world? This to me is the essential challenge for the 219th General Assembly. For example, could the Presbyterian church in North America be so in love with Jesus Christ and connected and committed to the vitality and wellness of a nation, that Presbyterians would lead a resurgence of volunteerism in every community in America? Imagine the difference we could make.

I look forward to your invitation to listen and learn together with your pastor and session to explore ministries inspired by God's abundance. I want an opportunity to view your communities through your eyes and, with our presbytery, view the world through God's eyes and grow through abundance.

Steps to get started: Could you organize resources differently, organize neighborhood challenges differently? Jesus said, if you want to emerge with vitality, give yourselves away. Pastors and elders: What can your congregation imaginatively redirect, release, empower, collaborate, or time-shift that would evoke more praise to God as it blesses others? The possibilities are endless. Giving ourselves away, establishing new links in our communities through our unique ministries, will result in our own growth and vitality. I am grateful for all of you. As our communities are blessed through our ministries, let's be able to enthusiastically say, "Yes! We helped with that!"

Abundance v. Scarcity; Whose side are you on?

In abundance,

Kevin

(Here's the text referred to in blog)
Mark 6.35-43: By this time it was late in the day, so his disciples came to him. “This is a remote place,” they said, “and it’s already very late. Send the people away so they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.” But Jesus answered, “You give them something to eat.” They said to him, “That would take eight months of wages! Are we to go and spend that much on bread and give it to them to eat?” “How many loaves do you have?” he asked. “Go and see.” When they found out, they said, “Five—and two fish.” …They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces of bread and fish.

Newark, NJ Blessed in Late Night

For weeks now, the Mayor of Newark, Cory Booker, has been sparing with late night TV host Conan O'Brien on NBC's The Late Show with Conan O'Brien. Always up to Conan's challenges about Newark's transformation, Mayor Cory Booker continued to step up and lift up Brick City. Last night on late night, Conan surprised the Mayor, and the watching and blogging audience, with a gift of $100,000 for Booker's project, Newark Now, which is advancing the quality of life in Newark, New Jersey. NBC, along with Conan and his wife, donated the money in order to not be part of the problem, but become part of the solution. Conan commented that $100,000 made for one expensive joke, and further promised to donate $500 to a Newark Joke Jar for each future jab at Newark's expense.

Newark Presbytery's eleven congregations in the city of Newark are places of hope, delivery stations in the name of Jesus Christ. In the months and years to come, along with people like Cory and Conan, we will continue to be channels of God's blessings to help build a transformed Newark and grow the lives of its 280,000 residents in the name of Jesus Christ. Newark Presbytery's Community Transformation Corporation is another ministry vehicle just beginning to organize to bring blessings not only to Newark, but to all of Essex and parts of Bergen and Hudson counties.

Newark Presbytery celebrates the $100,000 gift to Newark Now and is grateful for the leadership of Mayor Cory Booker and the generosity of Conan's family.

Become part of the solution. Is your community unraveling? How can your church help your community reconnect to itself? Who are the key connectors? I know forty-one Presbyterian congregations who are, and who are committed to be, key connectors of God's blessing.

Following adapted and edited from Jeremiah 29.7

“Make yourselves at home there and work for the country’s welfare. Pray for Newark's well-being. If things go well for Newark, things will go well for you.”

More information can be found at Newark's: StarTribune and StarLedger .

Building Brick City, one brick at a time.

Kevin

Compassion Fatigue or Satisfaction: Your Choice

Compassion Fatigue or Satisfaction: Your Choice.

Acts 15:36-41
Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, "Let us go back and visit the brothers in all the towns where we preached the word of the Lord and see how they are doing." Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark, with them, but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work. They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus, but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord. He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.

When it comes to Bible texts that bring out the "Dr. Phil" in us, the conflict between Barnabas and Paul concerning John Mark's suitability for work could make the Top 10. The Acts 15 text is a pivotal one in the growth of the Church as Barnabas sails out of our frame of view with John Mark, while Paul sails off into fame and glory with Silas. To me, more than a drama about conflict or temperament, this story is about how we handle the severe stressors of career and the toll it takes on us as disciples of Jesus. It is difficult, if not impossible, to be effective in our work if we are not taking care of our health; mind, body, and spirit. The importance of good health also applies to congregations and their ministry.

Each person in the Acts account was doing the best they could with the resources they had. Barnabas was not wrong in challenging Paul. Nor was John Mark the bad guy in the story. Paul was not mistaken in his assessment of the work he had to do and that John Mark was ill-suited. What is clear to me is that the very reason Barnabas wanted John Mark to go with him, was the same reason Paul did not want him to go.

The issue: What is the most effective response to life stressors and the fatigue of ministry and other compassion occupations?

While many of the people we serve function very well, there are countless others who experience emotional, physical, spiritual, and economic stressors that take a sever toll on them, and the relationships and systems they participate in.

Some members of our community are fragile. We serve those with acute mental illness, addiction, loss, and trauma requiring not only highly developed professional skills to address, but hero strength, and an abundance of compassion. Wise counselors refer severe cases to outside providers who possess additional necessary resources and training. As we share empathy with others at this level, we can experience chronic stress called Compassion Fatigue.

Empathy is a necessary attribute in offering effective care, but unmanaged empathy can overwhelm us with another's distress and leave us fatigued, angry, and even unable to care anymore. In the religious community, caregivers know that to care for others is a high privilege and a compelling mandate modeled by Jesus himself: "That is what the Son of Man has done: He came to serve, not to be served-and then to give away his life in exchange for many who are held hostage" Mark 10.45.

We tend to overlook our own needs. No one likes to talk about these feelings; they seem selfish, shameful, or defeated. If compassion fatigue is ignored, and appropriate, ongoing, self-care practices are absent, we will soon be the one requiring care.

Congregations can experience fatigue and stressors, too, either in overlooking or hyper-focusing on their own needs. Seeking appropriate and on-going care, such as that offered by colleagues or committees and staff of the presbytery, can help move us forward to a healthier place.

The mission in Acts 15 was to visit the brothers and sisters in all the towns where they had preached to see how were doing (Acts 15.36), which resulted in Paul and Silas strengthening the churches (Acts 15:41).

What factors weighed so heavily on John Mark that he did not have sufficient capacity to help strengthen others? John Mark experienced what we might call compassion fatigue. The word compassion literally means "to suffer with another" and John Mark, in that moment, was drained and perhaps in personal crisis from his previous work. Barnabas intuitively knew of John Mark's stress (being away from home) and was determined to get John Mark to a better place emotionally, if not physically. In that moment of time, Paul and Barnabas were optimized to strengthen others while John Mark was impaired and needed the strength of others. Paul set out to strengthen the churches and Barnabas set out to strengthen John Mark. Each one fulfilled their respective tasks.

If we sense that we are suffering from compassion fatigue, chances are excellent that we are. Our path to wellness begins with one small step: Awareness. Each of us, whatever our role, must develop an individualized approach and commitment to self-care for every aspect of our life. We cannot be effective with others if we ourselves are impaired from unattended stressors. A congregation can become impaired from compassion fatigue too, and become drained of energy it once had in abundance. When we take responsibility for our fatigue awareness, we alert those around us who will help resources to flow.

With the appropriate information and support, awareness will empower a journey of discovery, even healing issues that currently serve as obstacles to a healthy, and effective ministry. It is also important for us to practice ongoing self-compassion and self-forgiveness. Knowing that God loves and forgives us is wonderful news! While aiming for our best as disciples of Christ and as congregations, we must also realize our limitations personally and congregationally, then let go of what we cannot have an impact on. We rejuvenate our sense of mission and hope with simple practices including spiritual and physical disciplines, enjoyable social activities, exercise, healthy eating habits, journaling, and restful sleep which reduce compassion fatigue.

We all need a Barnabas or a Paul from time to time. Make use of your upstream of support. In the Presbyterian Church (USA), each presbytery delivers services through the Committee on Ministry and Executive or General Presbyter, or other staff. Seek out those in your professional loop that are committed to empowering your health and effectiveness. God offers abundant opportunities for health and wellness. With an increased of compassion satisfaction we can derive satisfaction from doing our work well.

Gratefully,

Kevin

Newark General Presbyter Responds to PCUSA Report of Steepest Member Loss in 25 Years

Newark Presbytery General Presbyter Responds to PCUSA Report of Steepest Member Loss in 25 Years

This news of the steepest membership loss in twenty-five years comes as no surprise to Newark Presbytery. Or any other presbytery in our region. We address the evidence of these statistics every day. I am proud of our growing effort to build collaborative energy to increase the capacity of every one of our congregations to be viable, healthy, and effective. Each of our churches is a delivery station of the Good News. How do we respond to this news?

I continue to listen and engage in conversation with our denominational upstream in Louisville about our decline. The PC(USA) messages have included: Try harder at what you have been doing; Try something new; Invite neighbors to church, Blend your worship, Become multicultural, Support General Assembly Mission directly; Apply for under-funded grants; and in the meantime, Louisville will downsize the denominational structure (again).

The reason that these directives often fail to alter our experience of institutional trauma or the congregational outcomes from decades of decline is that Louisville attributes the decline, at least in part, to death, people being removed from the rolls, and to a "gradual" drifting away from our congregations. Gradual drifting? What's gradual about twenty-five years of consistent decline?

Even the Pew Forum, whose research was referenced by denominational execs, seems more like a distraction than a reason as it identifies why people change religious affiliation rather than addressing the real reasons people do not affiliate at all.

North Americans have consistently reduced their volunteer association affiliation for more than thirty years. The questions we ask define our assumptions. In this case, the PC(USA) and Pew, ask the question: "How do our neighbors choose between Protestant or Roman Catholic affiliation?" suggesting that the focus of their concern is religious affiliation. The critical question is not Protestant v Catholic, or Christian v Muslim v Jewish, etc. The critical, core, question we must consider together is: "Why do people fail to affiliate with volunteer associations at all, church or otherwise?" Almost every volunteer association in America has been in decline for decades. From the Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, AMA, PTA, Elks, Lions, etc., to the political, civic, religious, and professional groups, membership is down.

There is a direct correlation between the membership decline of volunteer associations in North America and the associations' lack of community engagement. Even more consequential, corresponding benefits from these association networks to influence reciprocal behaviors (doing things for each other) have diminished.

It has been documented that Americans have steadily reduced their investment in "outside the family" activities. Our North American cultural milieu has normalized self-engagement and isolation. Our increasingly time-shifted ways to connect has corresponded to the rise of social media sites and technologies. We no longer derive value from connecting in person. In short, the church has experienced a reduction in its membership. However, the reduction in membership corresponds to the church's prior failure to return sufficient value to the community outside itself which could have sustained the community gathering "at the church." This destructive cycle has been perpetuated over the decades.

As Presbyterians, we have focused on ourselves, mistakenly believing that our "decline" was a Presbyterian one. We seemed to think it was our problem. How many curriculums, conferences, coaching, and action plans directed us to do something within ourselves and our space without realizing it was our almost narcissistic framing of the problem and our solution that made the situation worse. As a denomination, we missed opportunities to lead a revival of the re-investment of social capital, volunteerism, and instead, with little reflection, followed the status quo.

The good news is that our decline can be reversed by swift and decisive realignment of our congregational resources to tangibly benefit the communities we are located in. Our disconnect from the community reduced the community's connection to us. Instead of merely asking our congregants to bring a friend to church, (a fine but insufficient remedy), we must ask our congregants to re-engage in their communities. We need to invite our congregants back into their communities.

The Church is peculiarly well-suited for this transformational mandate of re-engaging communities since God has sent the Church into the world, not to be served, but to serve. We can lead our congregations as servants, empowering them to become a Reciprocating Church. A Reciprocating Church is a church that reinvests its experience of God's love into the world, so that their community knows God loves it, too. A Reciprocating Church will ensure congruence between its congregation and building capacities and by God's grace, be a healthy and effective demonstration of the Christian gospel in the Church and the world. The opportunities to be a Reciprocating Church are huge. Let's explore them, transforming together.

Kevin

.............................................................

Dr. Kevin Yoho,

General Presbyter

kevin@newarkpresbytery.org

http://www.newarkpresbytery.org

Twitter: @kevinyoho

The Season of the Church: What Time Is It?

The Season of the Church: What Time Is It?

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace. -Ecclesiastes 3.1-8

It’s interesting that the most familiar title of this ancient Hebrew Scripture is Ecclesiastes, taken from the Greek translation meaning “to gather.” The Greek-speaking Jews translated the Septuagint from the Hebrew so that Hellenized Jews, who out of necessity abandoned their ancient language, could read the Scripture. The title is taken from the word used for the Teacher (qohelet, tRl$RhOq) who “gathered” the words and the audience to listen. The title Ecclesiastes uses the same root used in the New Testament for church (ecclesia, ekklhsia). The gathered were sent out by Jesus when he said at his ascension, “In your going, make disciples of everyone” (Mt. 28:16-20). That expectation of the church “going” and “growing” was energized and empowered on the day of Pentecost. In the liturgical calendar, we are now in that season of Pentecost, the Season of the Church.

In the season of the church, what time is it? The Teacher says that there is a time for everything and the wise hearer will discern what time it is, what time just passed, what time is just ahead. If we do not humbly and honestly recognize the seasons of life, and the seasons of our church, we might be left with little more than Ecclesiastes’ pronouncement of life’s futility. The Teacher admonishes the hearer to remedy the futility with amazed reverence for God, when he writes,

“The last and final word is this: Fear God. Do what God tells you (Ecc. 12:13).

As to the seasons, we have a tough challenge in reconciling what time we want it to be with what time it actually is. To make matters even more complex, the season we are in, even if recognized, will lead to yet another season that requires more adjustment, different thinking, actions, and priorities. The Teacher of Ecclesiastes’ message to the Church is to embrace what God is delivering in the present and urges us to be open to what is emerging.

As a presbytery before God, we take courage from Jesus’ ever-presence in the Spirit as we struggle to recognize the time we are in and together in faith, embrace what God is bringing into our experience. We seek to be wise disciples followers, servants, leaders, as we move, grow, lead, and serve.

To crudely paraphrase Dylan, a church not busy being born is busy dying.

The Pentecost Church was busy being born, and kept being born, and born again, and again. We are here today due to the essential fact that the births exceeded the deaths.

For birth to occur in a sustainable period of time some things must change, be replaced, even die, as new things are being born. Every stage is humbly and deeply respected. Each person has a critical role in every time and process. Each stage leads to the next. One stage is not better than another. In the aggregate, the times of the seasons reflect the dynamic Creative, Redemptive, and Sustaining work of God. Our own Presbyterian motto, reformed yet always reforming, reflects the life cycles of the church. In awe of God’s presence, we can be empowered to recognize the times of the season of our life, and of our church as we seek to love the whole world as God sends us out to demonstrate love, kindness, justice, forgiveness, and hope.

I am proud of every congregation in our presbytery for many reasons. One reason is the incredible love each church uniquely expresses for God in Jesus Christ. Another is the positive ways each is moving away from the outdated and under-serving metaphor of mission as a Map (where predictability of the path was confidently known), toward the image of mission as a Compass (where we discern a vision for where God is leading us to go, true north, and adjusting our path to align us in that direction). I observe a sincere devotion to one another and a respect for our congregational history and place of worship. Other reasons include generosity and selflessness despite great hardship, giving to others in their communities, joy in the midst of staggering challenges, a desire to make a difference in the world, and the determination to accept God’s invitation of new possibilities.

What time is it? Consider this question for your church as a pastor and session. In what ways is your church being born anew? Soon, the Mission Council will lead the presbytery in a comprehensive review of our mission design to help make it more congruent to the time we are in, and the time that is approaching.

The Teacher knew that if there is to be room to embrace what’s coming, we must respectfully adapt or sometimes say good-bye to those notions, ideas, and forms that are ill-suited for the time we are in, and entering. Newark Presbytery is busy being born! We are birthing it together. We are not only to be changing, but growing in faithfulness, health, and effectiveness. I am grateful to serve among you as your colleague and am listening to assist you as your General Presbyter. May God bless your “going” and “growing” now, and in the time that’s coming.

Gratefully,

Kevin

Building a Smart Church

I have been thinking about how the church and business can learn from each other in my Quixotic attempt to realize the presbytery (local governing body of all ministers and elders; all churches within our geographic boundary, i.e. district, clasis). as a whole, not just the staff, as a learning community. Many critique those who espouse any business/church commonalities with Inquisitor judgement, defaulting to say, "if the world does 'this,' the church will do 'that' instead." Others may embrace inquisitive and synergetic resonance between business and church but sadly be dismissed by their critics of mistakenly applying so-called "business principles" which considered contrary to so-called "Bible-principles forgetting that all truth is God's truth from the start. So the Jesus-saves folks sometimes spend more time in saving "their" Jesus then leading salvific responses and market-place, town-hall Eucharistic responses to God's grace in the world through authentic actions of compassion and justice.

The church is unique, of course, and is unlike business in many, many respects, but at the heart there is something a smart church (referring to both the people and institutions) and a smart business (referring to both the people and institutions) should have in common: their persistent focus on others. I simply call this mission, or missional, but whatever the term, the inside of the church must get out! A church is not smart when it drinks its own Kool-Aid, focuses its self on its self, and hoards its content in inaccessible crypts and catechisms instead of giving away what it itself received free by the Grace of God.

I am particularly interested in the pastoral/congregational/presbytery opportunities during this financial crisis, so I am offering this as a blog. It would be easy to observe that the church has not conducted its mission with clear objectives or strategies or vision. The church is inextricably bound up with its own survival, taking everything in and holding its incredible content within its grasp. The church has been a ship, no, more like a boat, or sometimes more like a piece of barely floating sail-less plank moving with the water currents (as aquanauts), not where the Spirit-the wind (as pneumanauts) sends it, yet complaining along the way of their predicament. There are many full-sailed spirit-driven vessels out there, of course, but sadly, too few. To congregations with less capacity, impaired for one or more reasons, they view the sailed vessels as lucky or opportunistic betraying a deep hurt and pain of from years of decline and loss of meaning, and even more tragically, ignoring that a plank does not become a ship by accident nor the whimsy of chance, but from an intentional love for the sea, not the vessel they ride on.

There is no quick fix in economic or any other kind of down-turns or upswings. There are though many creative and proactive action steps besides putting off that second-home purchase, buying off-brand peanut butter, reducing mission giving, or turning the thermostat down; or once again, complaining about the pastor's salary relegated mistakenly to the last page of the budget as overhead instead of taking the pastor's costs and apportioning them throughout the budget coinciding with the value-add the pastor brings to the various categories of the budget, a/k/a the mission of the church.

In the real world, smart businesses use downturns to, yes, make strategic cost reductions where necessary, but more importantly, they refocus their mission on the key mission-critical tasks, even reaching out in expansion and extension of programs that would lead to optimized growth in services and/or goodwill to customers. Additionally, smart companies do not chase the decline or downturn, reducing where necessary in incremental bits of dollars thirty to ninety-days behind the reporting period. Instead, smart companies lead the downturn by drastically cutting from unproductive areas ahead of the indicators and drastically increasing line items and resources to the mission-producing parts of the business, the mission of the church.

Smart companies try to remain right-sized so they don't have to down-size when provoked by unexpected financial situations. There is no crystal ball, but the definition of a surprise is insufficient insight. Smart companies do not need to layoff staff in a knee-jerk reaction somehow admitting they did not need that staff all along. Or, maybe they simply were too arrogant to consider alternative future scenarios. Most churches and middle governing bodies and executives, me included, set a limited, artificial, local, horizon to craft our work when at the end of the day it is too little, too late to matter anyway. Smart companies take advantage of market bargains and opportunities they already had their eye on, consistently trying to increase their market value, market share, or just increased value to their shareholders and customers. For God so loved the world is a claim to a territory that God chose to make a difference in. We don't need churches to make a difference. We need smart churches to be different, to bring about different lives, different communities, and a different world.

Smart companies try to make good choices now that are in-line with their values and ideals. They are not pre-occupied with the past, with boxes of dusty trophies, or memorial plaques, or ruinous routines of resuscitation of that which should be brought back to life. Instead, moving forward with skills and competencies, a smart church and smart businesses will build on what was done before without longing for what used to be done. It is the living that need raising from the dead; from the death of irrelevance, the death of meaninglessness, the death of self-righteousness.

Churches have values and their people exemplify those values and ideals in everything they do. In crisis, companies and churches show their true values and commitments in their responses to the crisis. Their attitudes, their behaviors. Presbytery staff should look at this indicator in their churches very carefully. How a church responds in crisis reveals their default values at a DNA-level, their driving force of that church organization and organism. The insight gained after careful assessment can help presbytery staff and committees frame assessments on the move that lead to strategic transformational rebuilding during and especially after the immediate crisis subsides. History teaches us that every crisis subsides, though while experienced, it often renders us immovable. But our immovability is an illusion for the Spirit's wind of change knows no limits or boundaries it cannot push with us to the other side.

Smart companies pick up the pace, not cut back and see what happens. There are seasons to life, to economies, and to social ecologies and communities too, and smart people try to prepare for the eventualities, and when a true outlier, something unexpected, comes along they still pursue the opportunity and position themselves for the eventual upswing. In other words, even in crisis, a congruent, authentic company or individual will continue to pursue their previous corporate or life goal, modified or scaled appropriately. This line of thinking has enormous implications for middle governing body work we can explore later.

For now, let's consider a shopping experience I had in a shopping mall last week. I saw store front after store front with signage that spelled out: big SALE, 50% OFF, 10% off, REDUCED PRICES, 2nd CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION GOING ON NOW!, and the like to woo shoppers inside. From the GAP to GUCCI to RITE-AID, merchants were actually reducing their product's perceived value evidenced by the price by inadvertently admitting on that big 50% OFF sign that the products for sale now were actually never worth their full asking price prior to the sale at or before Christmas. Not every store had a discount sign, but almost all did. And in spite of the discount-mania, almost all the stores were empty. Their sales strategy for the downturn was to reduce their content's value, but the content was not worth even the lower price, apparently, or the product was just not needed, or people just had too little money to spend even on a supposed bargain. You can't save money on something you don't want and don't actually purchase.

In stark contrast, while walking that shopping mall, the Apple store had no discount sign posted in its big windows. There was nothing on sale, no price reductions, just photos hanging up of their products, and on display were countless computers, iPhones, and iPods on the tables ready to touch, feel, play with, and helpful staff to answer questions. They didn't have cash register lines because store clerks walked around with little computers in their hands ringing up the purchase and printing the receipts out on the store floor. And by the way, there was a line of shoppers out the door trying to get in! Why? Insanely great products. You don't have to discount great products to attract people because they are worth the price, they add value, they meet many people's needs so perfectly. They fit right, they work out of the box and they work the way you would expect they should, they maximize and honor their users talents. Price points are important, but people are drawn to great content and they will exchange their money, time, talent, and resources to get what they want and need.

So if a church, for example, put a sign out front and said NO MORE OFFERINGS COLLECTED, or NEW PEW CUSHIONS, or NEW BOOK OF ORDER ADOPTED, or WE REDUCED OUR BUDGET, or OUR PASTOR LEFT, would have little effect on the community's response. Maybe a smart church or group of churches would get together and learn practical tips on growing not merely surviving during our immediate financial crisis. Learn easy to apply lessons and techniques or develop new products or program content that would help others. Maybe the front sign of the church building might read:

30 ECONOMIC TIPS IN 30 MINUTES. Guaranteed!

2 FREE SESSIONS with FREE REFRESHMENTS

Wednesday: 7:00 AM and 7:00 PM

30 Minutes could save you $30

Of course, you need the content, the solid practical advise that can be put into practice. No fluff. No end times of doom and gloom. Content that will work for others. Spiritual things and even more, a way to stop compartmentalizing spiritual living and instead, offer a way to integrate one's whole life around something and someone who really matters.

Hey corner church! Instead of cutting back on the pastor's pay, giving out tracts, and putting new rubber tips on the legs of your folding chairs, why not give something of real value to the community instead? What difference does it make that the church is there? Each church decides, smart churches decide strategically with other faith-based groups in town together, collaboratively, what resources a smart church has and what a community needs.

Here in the Newark-New York area, we have not only lower income, working poor, folks, with food distribution, jobs, housing, and clothing needs to meet, but some of the highest paid executives in the world live here. And many are loosing their jobs, too, and their $2M home is now worth $500K but the mortgage is twice that. For the executives now looking for work, I am thinking of offering free workshops of how to market yourself in tough economic times, or a session on how to help your resume zoom you into an interview for a new job, or how to give yourself fully to a lower paying job, or a 10-minute seminar on the web with a simple message: It's YOU not what you DO that will get you through, or how to give your Lexus as a charitable donation to a church and a whole consortium of other churches helps the giver negotiate a great deal with a bank down the street for a cheaper downsized car at a great rate. Instead of a repossession, you get realigned with what is authentic and true.

The church needs to be offering something worth living for since Jesus gave his life on the ground (incarnation) in trade for us, (substitutionary atonement) so that everyone (God loves the whole world), can know they all worth dying for (sacredness of life) and to choose to be in a position to give what you have but can't keep (grace) to others (mission) in response to God's love (praise). Nothing's for sale or on sale in the church. We have "product" content that is of eternal worth that has already been paid for. How can we "charge" for such a gift? We all have something to give away to help another human being cope with enormous life stressors; job training, how to keep your mortgage, partner with CVS to freely deliver medications to elderly shut-ins, start new, ambitious programs for youth that further the mission of the church, acquire property assets that can later house future and expandable ministries in neighborhoods of need.

A smart church, like a smart business, will choose to offer quality content during this financial crisis and opportunity that government, communities, or other organizations can't give. Content that fits into people's lives of every language, race, location and age, that just might serve someone what they need and make the message of the Gospel simple, workable, powerful, practical, visible, attractable, meaningful, and transferable. Transformation must be transfer-mational if its to be authentic and real. Its got to be something that one can give away in relation to another person. After all, that's how the church grew smart in the beginning by giving themselves away one to one, one to others, others to many, to many, many more yet to come.

How smart is your church?

Kevin Yoho

General Presbyter

Newark Presbytery

kevin@newarkpresbytery.org