Congregations in Crisis?

I read and hear a lot these days about congregations in crisis.  Attendance is declining, influence is declining, and budgets are stretched beyond the limit.  I see signs of that as I travel.  I just read an interesting article on Resilient Congregations from Alban Institute (looks like a good resource).  They spoke of congregations adjusting to the reality around them. 

As I travel I see many congregations and where I see signs of life two things are happening: the good news of Jesus is proclaimed boldly and the people have rolled up their collective sleeves and they are facing out towards their community in a service mode. That sounds a lot like the church I left behind in the 1st Century.  The early church spoke boldly about Jesus and they served the needs of the people around them.  That's what the Apostle Paul did.  It is what the church does as the 'body of Christ'.

Not much new here today compared to what I left behind 2000+ years ago: 
1. Many competing voices for who is a savior; we know there is only one Lord - Jesus Christ.  And
2. Many people with compelling human need.  No church has to look too far to find that.  The joy of working with Wheat Ridge is that they help congregations hit that bulls eye.  Check out a very brief Mini Tour of Wheat Ridge. It includes a couple short videos that show lives changed in the name of Jesus.

Easter over time...

I was blessed this past Easter season to worship in a variety of places.  Palm Sunday was at Luther Memorial in Chicago with a palm procession that began in the cold Spring air outside the church.  Maundy Thursday and Good Friday were at Our Savior Lutheran in Gladwin, MI and Easter Sunrise was at Christ the King Lutheran in Gladwin, MI.

It was wonderful to join Christians in various parts of the country - and to think of those Christians through time, even way back to the very early Christians who witnessed all those events first hand.

Christ makes us new through his death and resurrection.  Good news - today and two thousand years ago too.  These times here in the 21st Century are so different than I'm used to back in the 1st Century.  But one thing remains the same - the love of God in Christ for repentant sinners.  That love makes us bold in our service to the King.  And that service to the King ends up touching the people around us, any in need.

Another blessing is seeing all the various ways people serve.  Luther Memorial in Chicago is getting involved in their local neighborhood helping feed the hungry people there.  That sounds like the kind of new ministry Wheat Ridge Ministries supports with grants in a wide variety of places around the country.

Partners in Health?

Pretty confusing to make sense of the health care discussions these days.  First of all the concept is strange to a 1st Century mind.  Great if you can get it! Not so great if you can't.  And the new CVS Pharmacy requirements are making the news now too. Seems some people don't like the form this 'encouragement' takes. 

Doesn't everyone win when prevention is the norm?  I can see how not feeling the pinch of the high cost of health care could make a person less interested in prevention.  And not fair if companies would lay off sick workers to lower their costs.  Seems like a partnership in health would make the most sense - everyone work for the good of the neighbor so no one is left out.

An interesting ministry in Memphis aims for exactly that - The Church Health Center and the Memphis Plan - started by a Pastor/Doctor.  Wheat Ridge connected with them for a grant on their publication, The Church Health Reader, a while back; worth putting that magazine on your regular reading list.

Exercise and executive function in the brain...

Want to help your children, your students and yourself have stronger "executive function" (that is the set of higher-order mental skills that allow us to plan and organize, make considered decisions, manage our time and focus our attention)?

Exercise!  You can check out an blog article by Annie Murphy Paul, along with some supporting documents.

A big gain for the brain, and a big gain for overall health.  A great design!

Read the comments...

OK, I'm new to this 21st Century way of doing things - especially when it comes to the electronic world - so forgive me if I state the obvious for everyone else:
READ THE COMMENTS!
Here is an example... Health and human care issues are my primary concern as I travel for Wheat Ridge Ministies, and in that arena I'm focused on applying current brain research to church, school and home.  But as I read in that arena (and Twitter has become an invaluable research tool) I've been interested in what gets said about education.  Hacking  at Education was a particularly interesting post, with so much more information available in the comments... good discussion, additional links, etc. 

Sometimes the comments can be a little hard to take with a wide variety of "it takes one to know one" silliness, and worse, that doesn't really help anyone.  But, generally, for thoughtful posts there are lots of thoughtful and helpful comments.  Now to just find the time to read it all!

Who you gona call? How about Dr David Katz?

One of the challenges these days is hearing too many voices.  If you are trying to work on your own personal health and perhaps help those around you that you love, there are decisions to be made about what to do, and how to do it.

And there are way too many voices competing for your and my attention - in general - and also concerning health and wellness.


I'd suggest one person to pay attention to.  I have others I'll post about at other times.

Dr David Katz is a helpful voice.  You may not like some of his politics, but doesn't affect his stable and reasoned voice regarding health. And the thing I like is that he is a strong voice for prevention (he is the director of the Yale University Prevention Research Center and more) - and for lifestyle health. 

One very interesting thing he has helped develop and champion is NuVal - a simple way to know which foods are really healthier when you are in the aisles at the local grocery story.

He also has a great resource for schools to help with exercise and movement in the classroom called ABC for Fitness.

Check him out...

Suck it up, Dr Luke!

OK, it's time to get back on board this social media whirlwind.  I've struggled a bit, sometimes quite a bit, trying to stay on top of this but I'm convinced it is one of the best ways to stay connected with lots of people. And I am pretty sure if the Apostle Paul were here with me, he'd have a blog along with a Twitter and Facebook accounts and be up to his eyeballs in interaction.  As he said in 1 Corinthians 9:22 "... I have become all things to all people so that, by all possible means, I might save some..."

I'll have some things to say about my life here in the 21st Century.  I'll share resources I come across that I think might be helpful.  The focus will generally be about health and human care, about giving God our best - heart, soul, mind and strength.... stewardship of our whole selves.

OK, Doc... Wheat Ridge has chosen not to send you back to the 1st Century yet... take a deep breath and dive back in!