Doing Things Differently

As a recovering alcoholic, one of the phrases I love best is "the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different result." That is what I tried to do to "tame" my addiction. I kept trying the same old things that people who are addicted try thinking I would be different. I got the same result as everyone else did. I needed to completely change my thinking, completely change my route, do something different or I would never be sober. Hence, the 12 steps.

The church is in the same position. The church has been doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different result. Over the entire existence of the ELCA, some 26 years, leaders have been doing the same thing hoping against hope that a different result will happen. What is even worse, if we look at the churches that make up the ELCA, for 20 years before the ELCA was formed, they were doing the same thing.

Statistics show that for the last 46 years, attendance and giving has declined in the Lutheran church. We have been losing people and money for almost a half of a century. What does the church do? Does it look at what it is doing? Does it think critically about how it works and what it says and the behavior of the people? NO! We simply try the same old thing hoping for a different result. Another stewardship drive with a new tag line. Another confirmation curriculum with fancy slides and a power point ready slick design. Another committee with a new leader. None of these things have solved the problem in the past, why do we think it will all of the sudden solve the problem now?

Now some will say that this is what we get for not following the Bible. They say "the ELCA has thrown the Bible out the window, so they get what they deserve!" or "that is what you get for letting those homosexuals into the church!" What these people don't realize is that is has been going on longer than just a few years and that we in the ELCA have not thrown the Bible out. We take the Bible and the call of God very seriously.

What is the solution? Well, we have to be radical, just like those in 12 step programs do. We have to realize that our church has become too set in its ways, it has become tame when Jesus calls us to step outside out comfort zones in new directions every day. We have to realize that God stills speaks today and sometimes that voice of God leads us down a new path, a new interpretation, a new direction. God's radical, alien grace tries to get us outside of ourselves, outside of the norm, outside of our human-ness into God-ness.

I hope and pray that the church of God active in the world today will stop doing the same old thing and listen because God is calling! Listen, God is calling. Through the WORD inviting. Offering forgiveness, comfort, and Joy.