`ljjrkf`^qfkd

tfqe qeb mlpqjlabok `riqrob

Authenticity and Truth

by Pat Springle

Connecting Innovators to Multiply www.leadnet.org

Wow is out; real is in. This weighty insight by Toby Slough, pastor of Cross Timbers Community Church in Argyle, TX (http://www.crosstimberschurch.org), is shared by other Next Generation pastorschurch leaders in their 30s who are growing in influence and impact. These leaders have observed a significant shift in the culture. In the past decade or two, the church needed to prove its TOBY SLOUGH relevancy by offering professional quality services, but today, people are looking for a powerful blend of truth and authenticity. Toby continues, People are sick of packaged, easy answers. They want to hear pastors who have as many questions as they have answers. If well invest the time and effort we used to spend in Wow! and put those resources into authenticity, people will come in droves, and theyll respond to even the most demanding truths in the Scriptures. Brad Bell, founding pastor of The Well Community Church in Fresno, CA (http://www.thewellcommunity.org), believes the culture today expectsand even demands authenticity. He observes, Were looking at the backside of a highly polished Christianity where everybody on the stage looks great and smiles all the time. Excellence has been defined as a terrific performance. The message of the smiles is that Christianity is always upbeat and positive: God is good every day, and every day, God is good. That may have worked for a decade, but today, theres a huge disconnect in the pew from that kind of Christianity. Theyre thinking, Either something is really wrong with me, or youre lying. Theyre looking for pastors who have the courage to say, I dont know all the answers. Im studying this passage, and its in my face. But this is what the Bible says, and you and I have to wrestle with this truth. Vance Pitman, pastor of Hope Baptist Church in Las Vegas, NV (http://www.hopebaptistchurch.com), identifies four essential elements in communicating with postmoderns: Remember that the truth of Gods Word transcends cultures.

Be authentic. Know who you are, and dont try to be someone youre not. Be a student of the culture and understand peoples motivations, hopes, dreams, and fears. Be honest and vulnerable as you communicate truth and hope.

l
The generation before us was long on truth but sometimes short on authenticity, explains Mark Saunders, pastor of Bay Life Church in Brandon, FL (http://www.baylife.org), but some on the postmodern bandwagon have focused too much on authenticity at the expense of truth. When that happens, no one is transformed. The following analysis of the most effective way to communicate with the postmodern culture will begin with a brief description of some of the most important forces that Steve Robinson preaching. shape peoples lives and their Next Generation pastors responses to truth. Next are committed to scripture, Generation pastors are deeply and they work hard to committed to Scripture, and they apply truth and honesty. work hard to apply truth with authenticity, humility, honesty and hope. Their commitment to truth has affected their ministry model, and many Next Generation pastors have redefined their ministry philosophy with a new perspective on reaching seekers and teaching Gods people. The church leaders quoted in this paper are all Next Generation pastors who have seen rapid growth in their churches and who have earned the respect of others in their sphere of influence.

`~~ `
Bay Lifes Mark Saunders gives a historical perspective: Truth is truth, but the roadblocks change. The hindrances to the gospel thirty years

To read more about Next Generation pastors and the specific challenges they face, download: Creating a Culture of Balance: A Mandate for Next Generation Pastors. http://www.leadnet.org/DownloadRegistration.asp?ID=400&Type=Downloads

ago were addressed by leaders at that time, but today, we have a different set of roadblocks. Though definitions vary for the postmodern culture, certain characteristics are clear and important. Next Generation pastors recognize the need to understand these traits so they can speak powerfully into peoples lives. The term postmodern culture includes the entire society, not just one generation. Every person is affected by the current cultural trends. Older people grew up in a modern world and have THE POSTMODERN seen culture change, but younger people have only CULTURE VALUES known postmodernity.

always wanted (and that ideal is certainly not a heroic way of life).1 The ideal life fulfills the expectations of wealth, ease, happiness and entertainment. The heroic life is one of honor, duty, sacrifice and joyful service to others. Today, people face an incredible proliferation of choices in every aspect of life, from lunch options to church affiliations, and they almost exclusively appeal to advertising instead of loyalty, truth or simplicity. In The Call , author Os Guinness reported a conversation with a megachurch pastor who lamented that he lived in fear that those who attend his church are only two bad sermons away from leaving for a church down the street. Technology has promised an easier, simpler life, but it has made us so accessible to communication from people, music, news and other sources that we experience continuous partial attentionthe sense that we are always on and we cant stop and reflect. In his book, New Rules, Daniel Yankelovich observes that While technology has promised a our culture has shifted simpler life it also causes people to from self-sacrifice to be so accessible to communication self-indulgence.
that they sense that they are always on and cant spot to reflect. Our churches have been affected by unrestrained consumerism. In an interview OUR CHURCHES with Luci Shaw for Radix magazine, Dallas Willard HAVE BEEN observed, We are designed to be creators [and] initiators, not AFFECTED BY just receivers. Yet the whole consumerist model of the UNRESTRAINED human being, is to make us CONSUMERISM. passive, and to make us complainers and whiners, because were not being given what we need. We cook up a right to that and then we say weve been deprived of our rights. We see this in our churches, which pander to consumers. They say, Come and consume the services we offer, and we guarantee you a wonderful time. Youll go out of the church door feeling good.2

AUTHENTICITY, RELATIVISM,

The postmodern culture values authenticity (trust, integrity, and vulnerability), PREFERENCE, AND relativism (your truth isnt necessarily my truth), TOLERANCE. preference (making most of their choices from a staggering array of options), and tolerance (acceptance of people, no matter what they believe or what lifestyle they choose). Advertising has had a profound impact on our expectations. In his book, The Technological Society, French cultural analyst Jacques Ellul observed, One of the great designs of advertising is to create needs; but this is possible Next Generation pastors recognize only if these needs that the postmodern culture values correspond to an ideal of authenticity, integrity, and life that man accepts. The vulnearability. way of life offered by advertising is all the more compelling in that it corresponds to certain easy and simple tendencies of man and refers to a world in which there are no spiritual values to form and inform life. When men feel and respond to the needs advertising creates, they are adhering to its ideal of life. The human tendencies upon which advertising like this is based may be strikingly simpleminded, but they nonetheless represent pretty much the level of our modern life. Advertising offers us the ideal we have

These characteristics are pervasive, to some degree affecting every person in every community. The challenge for Next Generation pastors is to communicate Gods truth to people in this culture in a way that changes lives. Ron Zappia, pastor of Harvest Bible Chapel in Wheaton, IL (http://www.harvestglenellyn.org), thinks about people in his church as he prepares each message. He reflects, As I work on my message each week, I think about particular people. I think of women in our church who desperately wish their husbands would come to faith. I think of men I know who struggle with homosexuality. I think of a man who experiences tremendous grief and guilt because he gave up his children to adoption after he and his wife divorced. As I prepare my biblical message, specific men and women come to mind. I imagine what I would say if I talked to them one-on-one about that weeks topic. Sometimes people say, Ron, it seems like you were talking just to me this morning. Little do they know, I was. I spend a lot of time working on application because I want to paint a picture of how each of these people can make Gods truth real and live a life thats pleasing to God. Weve created a culture at Harvest in which people actually want the more difficult teachings from the Bible. When I say the hard things, most of them lean forward because they value honesty and complexity. Do some walk away? Yes, of course. If some dont walk away, then we dont have a ministry like Jesus had.

Matt Chandler, pastor of The Village Church in Flower Mound, TX (http://www.thevillagechurch.net), explains that events in recent history shaped the churchs view of truth and authenticity. He comments, In the 50s and 60s, we saw a strong reaction against liberal theology, but this reaction overemphasized a rigid, literal interpretation at the expense of the narrative of Scripture. No text can be fully exegeted unless it addresses the person and work of Jesus Christ. For example, a pastor might try to boil truth down to Six Ways to Overcome Doubt without explaining the mystery of Gods will, but what happens to someones faith when the packaged formula doesnt work? The person either gives up on God, on the Scriptures, on the pastor, or on his ability to walk with God. Thats tragic. Many people grew up in a church culture that regularly gave neat, simple, packaged answers for lifes most complex issues. But the Scriptures leave us hanging with some very difficult paradoxes, Matt explains. Yes, God miraculously rescued Peter, but James was beheaded. Gods purposes are sometimes clear, but often theyre mysterious. Thats the story of Scripture, and thats the story that must be taught. I look for Jesus in the text, and I try to figure out how it applies in our lives today. I believe the Scriptures are sufficient, and the Holy Spirit will use the Word to change lives. Its the grace of Godnot personalities or strategies or how-to philosophiesthat transforms peoples lives. Some of these pastors have created a culture in which people expect, and even demand, that their teachings address the most difficult, perplexing issues in life. Mark Henry, pastor of North Metro Church in Marrietta, GA (http://www.northmetro.org), observes in his church: People in our congregation dont want to hear only those things that make them feel good. Theyre convinced that life is challenging, and they expect me to address those challenges. They want to know what the Scripture says about life in all its complexity. Their perspective drives me to study hard so I can help people understand how Gods truth and grace intersect with real life. I try Mark Henry believes that people to share out of my want to hear messages that help personal experience. If Ive them make sense of difficult truths.

p~ q
Jim Leggett, pastor of Grace Fellowship United Methodist Church , Katy, TX (http://www.whatisgrace.org), observes, The truth of Scripture transcends culture and age-based demographics. Certainly, we need to tailor the application to specific needs, but the truth never changes. The postmodern concept of preference and relativism says, I have my JIM LEGGETT truth and you have yours. You cant criticize my truth. In response, Jim tells them, For the next 30 minutes, lets make two assumptions: There is a God, and this book is Gods Word. Lets see what it says to us. From this point of reference, Jim explains, The power of Gods truth pierces hearts.

struggled with a truth, then maybe I can help others make sense of it, too. Darrin Patrick, pastor of The Journey in Clayton, MO (http://www.journeyon.net), agrees. He observes, For some reason, the offensive nature of truth is attractive and inviting to people. Theyre tired of being the objects of marketing campaignsby the secular media and by the church. They dont want to receive grace and remain passive. The story doesnt end with creation, fall, and redemption. God is also about restoration changed lives. They love being a part of the bigger story of Gods work to redeem and restore the world. Its not just about each person feeling happy. Darrin Patrick believes the Its a lot bigger than that. offensive nature of truth is inviting Its about each person and attractive to people. living for something thats transcendent, significant CONSUMERISM IS and eternal. If you dont teach the bigger story of ONE OF THE Gods great purposes, youll attract a bunch of BIGGEST IDOLS OF consumers who whine when they dont like OUR CULTURE, AND everything you say and YOU HAVE TO do. Consumerism is one of the biggest idols of our ATTACK IT culture, and you have to attack it thoughtfully, THOUGHTFULLY, biblically and powerfully. We unashamedly invite BIBLICALLY AND people to a life of sacrifice POWERFULLY. and service as we follow Jesus. Consumerism is a twisted value of wanting to be satisfied. That desire is a part of human nature, but Christ calls us to a far deeper, richer fulfillment. The path, though, is to deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow him. Soft truth produces hard hearts, but hard truth produces soft hearts. Many of those who come to church today have no history with biblical truth. Andy VomSteeg, pastor of New Vintage Church in Santa Rosa, CA (http://www.newvintage.org), explains, A lot of the people who come to our church have no

church background at all. They dont know the stories of faith, so I cant just allude to Noah or Abraham or the feeding of the five thousand and expect them to understand. I have to tell people to pick up a Bible and turn to the table of contents to find the passage for that message. In northern California, tolerance is the ethic of the culture, but we dont shy away from teaching Gods truth. Thats exactly what they need. We start with a common experience to win a hearing, and we then connect them to the principles of Gods Word that change lives. Vance Pitman has a strong conviction about the nature of Gods truth: Its incredibly insulting to our eternal God to think that he inspired truth that doesnt transcend from one generation to the next. God exists outside the parameters of time. The power of his Word isnt dependent on our ingenuity and creativity to make it relevant. Ive heard some young pastors talk about preparing for their messages. They start with creativity and then season it with truth. Thats backward. We must start with Gods truth and then salt the message with creativity. Certainly we need to understand the culture, but we begin with the truth of Gods transcendent, eternal, infallible, inspired, authoritative Word and we apply it to the issues of the culture. Everything old isnt obsolete, and everything new isnt desirable. Brad has looked at the Scriptures instructions to continue to value ancient truth as we speak to new generations. He remarks, In Malachithe book at the end of the Old Testamentthe prophet reminds us to remember the law of Moses. Centuries after the events, he says we need to go back to the archaic things of Vance Pitman makes a point to God. Today, we still need to preach from both the old and remember the archaic new testament, remaining faithful truths. In some ways, we to the whole of scripture. can be progressive, but the archaic truths of God still require our loyalty. In nonconsequential, nonessential things, Im going to be progressive I use a cell phone, I drive a car, I dress the way I like. But I need to be faithful to the archaic truths of Gods greatness and grace as the Scriptures

describe them. We cant pick and choose which parts of the Bible we want to teach. We have to be faithful to the whole counsel of God, teaching the parts we really enjoy, and teaching those parts that are wickedly convicting. We have an equal responsibility to communicate both values to the people who come to our churches. Many Next Generation pastors are reexamining some old assumptions about spiritual life, and they are assessing them against the teaching of Scripture. Brad has thought about the meaning of salvation decisions, and he has come to a strong conclusion: My biggest frustration is that weve made Christianity something you become, not something you begin. Weve made it an allinclusive resort destination where everything is pleasant and fun. When Jesus intersected peoples lives, he said one thing: Follow me. He didnt say, WHEN JESUS Pray a prayer, Check a INTERSECTED box, or Come forward. Far too often, when people pray PEOPLES LIVES, HE a prayer, check a box, or go forward, they think, Thats SAID FOLLOW ME. it. Im in. Im done. But theyve only begun the HE DIDNT SAY, journey with Jesus. And on CHECK A BOX. that journey, the outlook is decidedly mixed. Jesus calls us to suffering as much as to delight. I see so many weak, sissy Christians who put their faith in Christ years ago, but havent grown a bit. They cant figure out why they arent happy all the time like they expected. The problem is that they signed on to a pleasant destination, not a challenging journey. We need to talk much more about the journey, and we need to be crystal clear about Christs call to count the costs.

messages in movies and songs as the background for communicating Gods truth. For example, a lot of young men are into ultimate boxing. I compare my communication style to that sport because I take the gloves off and get up close as I speak raw truth to them. Im committed to speaking truth, speaking in their vernacular, and speaking it all in love.

Stacy Spencer has a reputation for relating well to the Hip Hop culture in his city because he has learned to speak their language.

Tommy Gray, pastor of Clearbranch United Methodist Church in Trussville, AL (http://www.clearbranch.org), observes that people instinctively trust a pastor who is vulnerable, and vulnerability is the essence of authenticity. Tommy explains, Today, people wont listen unless they sense you are real. In the past, especially in the South, people put pastors on a pedestal, but now they want to know if we genuinely understand their hopes and fears. When Im a bit vulnerable about my own struggles, they then give me permission to talk about problems, like divorce, that I havent experienced. They connect with me, and theyre willing to listen as I help them apply Gods truth and grace. The Wells Brad Bell observes that the traditional church sometimes didnt give people an accurate picture of the struggle to walk with God: In my experience in a traditional church, I never knew my pastor sinned because he never gave us a glimpse of any struggle in his life. My conclusion was self-doubt and self-condemnation: BRAD BELL What the heck is wrong with me? Why cant I be like my pastor? This experience built convictions in Brads life. He is committed to authenticity about his own struggles and joys as he communicates Gods Word. Every time Im authentic with people, Andy explains, theres a God moment when the Lord touches someones life. An example of this happened recently when a lady came up after the service and said, I didnt know youd be talking to me today, but when I heard you talk about your own life, I realized you were talking to me.

^ t ~ e~
Ministry in any culture requires that pastors learn to connect with the hearts and minds of those who listen. Stacy Spencer, pastor of New Directions Christian Church in Memphis, TN (http://www.n2newdirection.org), has a reputation of relating well to the Hip Hop culture in his city. Stacy has learned to speak their language to earn the right to be heard. He reflects, Its important for me to address current events my listeners care about, like music awards, and to use

Grace Fellowships Jim Leggett notes, Eighty year olds and fourteen year olds both are looking for authenticity. Older people may feel uncomfortable with it because theyre not used to vulnerable leaders in church, but they still long to follow people who are authentic. As a communicator, if you shed some clothes and become vulnerable with people, theyll respond across the spectrum. The blend of authenticity and truth is universally appreciated.
Eighty year olds and fourteen year olds are both looking for authenticity in spiritual leadership.

Young and old both want to hear pastors who are vulnerable and honest. Theres not a formula for communicating with the postmodern culture, states Chip Henderson, pastor of Pinelake Church in Brandon, MS (http://www.pinelake.org). But one thing helps us connect with people across generational lines: brokenness. A 70 year-old pastor told me, Son, your struggles when youre 70 will be the same as they were when you were 17. His advice to me was to be real with my congregation, to say, I blew it, and every person will connect with my story of brokenness. But brokenness isnt the only way to build bridges and win a hearing. Chip explains, Humor is really important, especially self-deprecating humor. People love to laugh, and the heavier the sermon, the more people need to laugh. If you give them time to breathe, you can come back with the heavy truth of Gods Word. Next Generation pastors note that their audiences feel comfortable with tension because they live in the middle of powerful paradoxes. For example, they live in an age of unparalleled consumerism, but many of them have a heart for service and missions. Some are very expressive in worship, but sometimes their lives dont reflect their expressions of devotion to God. Clearbranchs Tommy Gray talked to a Christian counselor about these paradoxes, and the counselor told him that many people have disconnected remorse from their sinful, destructive choices. They attend church regularly, but they havent related Christs forgiveness and purpose to life-altering problems such as adultery.

Paradoxes arent just in the lives of postmoderns; they are also in the pages of Scripture. Matt Williams, pastor of Grace Church in Greenville, SC (http://www.gracechurchsc.org), describes the importance of being honest about the tension found in PARADOXES ARENT the Scriptures: In the early days of the church in Acts, JUST IN THE LIVES people were praying for OF POSTMODERNS; both James and Peter to be released from jail. Peter THEY ARE ALSO IN was miraculously freed, and it was a fantastic THE PAGES OF answer to prayer, but James was beheaded. I told this SCRIPTURE. story to our congregation and then asked them, So, can we trust God? After allowing them a few seconds to wrestle with the question, I said, No, God cant be trusted to accomplish your will, but He can always be trusted to accomplish His will. If we only trust Him to do what we want, our hearts will be broken. We have to go deeper into the heart and the mystery of Gods purposes. There are things well never understand, but we can still trust God. This isnt just an academic point for me. My oldest daughter has diabetes. Weve prayed over and over again for God to heal her, but He hasnt done that. The question for our family is, Can we trust God when He doesnt conform to our desires? That truth created tension for everybody, and tension creates teachable moments. The story of my daughter and our family connected perfectly with the text, so I told our church about our struggle to believe God. That combination of sound Sound teaching and authenticity teaching and authenticity help the people at Matt Williams helps people in Matts church acknowledge the tension church acknowledge the of trusting God. tension of trusting God even though we cant see Him and we often dont understand what Hes doing. Next Generation pastors recognize the importance of tension as a teaching tool. They speak boldly about transcendence and immanence, certainty and mystery, and they refuse to give simple answers to complex problems. They grasp the tension between the

already and the not yet, that some promises are fulfilled in this life, but many are fulfilled only when we see Jesus face to face. These pastors understand, believe and teach the concept C. S. Lewis taught when he wrote, The settled happiness and security which we all desire, God withholds from us by the very nature of the world: but joy, pleasure, and merriment He has scattered broadcast... Our Father refreshes us on the journey with some pleasant inns, but will not encourage DONT JUST AIR us to mistake them for home. [C.S. Lewis, The YOUR DIRTY Problem of Pain, Chapter 7.]

I pursue Christ the way I pursued drugs, my life will never be the same. And its not. Shes living, breathing proof of an authentic faith. Next Generation pastors assume that every person who walks through their doors feels guilt or shame about something. The Wells Brad Bell observes, Theyre expecting us to bring them a holy, inspired word that, in every chapter and verse, challenges us to change. People are hungry for clear, PEOPLE ARE powerful, authentic teaching, and they long to hear it from someone HUNGRY FOR who is honest about his own struggles with the same challenges CLEAR, they face each day. Part of authenticity is the churchs AUTHENTIC use of resources. Those choices speak volumes to a culture looking TEACHING. for authenticity. Matt Chandler relates, In our area, weve got a lot of transplants from the Northeast, about 60% unreached and unchurched. They see the traditional model of church as offensive, so they look at a $74 million church building and say, Give me a break! You try to tell me that God cares for the poor and youre spending that kind of money on a building? Please! Matt explains that they dont have a coffee shop at The Village because he wants people to build relationships with barristas at all the Starbucks in the neighborhood. And we dont have Christian basketball leagues. We want our people to be out in the world to connect with people. Our commitment to be authentic determines a lot of choices for us.

LAUNDRY, THATS

We need to be careful, warns Steve Robinson, pastor of Church of the King AUTHENTICITY. in Mandeville, LA, a suburb of New Orleans (http://www.churchofthekinginfo.com), that pastors dont just air our dirty laundry in front of our congregations. Thats not the point of authenticity. We need to share honestly, but from the side of victory after weve seen God work in our hearts or our situations. That gives people hope, but just sharing our pain in the middle of our struggles leaves people feeling defeated and confused. Being vulnerable is essential, but we need to remember that we are pastors of a flock that desperately needs hope. Brad put it another way: We cant let our desire to be authentic give us permission to be pathetic.

NOT THE POINT OF

POWERFUL,

Pinelake celebrates people who have struggled but have gotten it right with stories of changed lives.

In a similar vein, Pinelakes Chip Henderson relates, We celebrate people who struggled but who got it right. People love to hear stories of changed lives. And New Vintages Andy VomSteeg comments on a particularly powerful story: Its really powerful when people hear someone talkin their own languageabout surviving a brutal situation and finding Christs grace and purpose.

^ e e~
Humility and authenticity go hand in hand. Next Generation pastors see themselves as fellow travelers on the path with those in their congregations. They dont relish being on a pedestal, and in fact, they wont allow it. Mark Saunders reports, I wont let people call me Pastor Mark. If they do, I call them Parishioner Bill. We dont call the guy who works on our pipes Plumber Bob, so I dont want people separating me from them with a title. And when they preach, these pastors make sure theyre not talking down to people, but sharing Gods truth as a friend. And often, that truth is complex and

For instance, a lady told our church about being raped, then turning to crystal meth to dull her pain. In fact, she tried almost every drug she could find before she met Jesus. She told our people, If

Next Generation pastors, like Andy VomSteeg and Brad Bell, make sure they do not talk down to people but share truth as a friend when preaching.

confusing. Cross Timbers Toby Slough spoke on the realities of loss to his church, and he told them about walking down the corridors of the hospital wrestling with God and thinking, I dont know why children get leukemia. I just dont get it. Honesty about the mysteries of God is a hallmark of authenticity.

In some parts of the country, Next Generation pastors feel the freedom to be publicly honest about their fears and flaws. Honest, humble vulnerability is essential to connect with people. But in the South, expectations are still high for the pastor to be Superman. Vance Pitman pastors in Las Vegas, but he pastored in Tennessee several years before that. He comments, If I had been as vulnerable in Tennessee as I am now, people wouldnt have appreciated it. People in the church would have dug around to find out all the dirt in my life, and it would have been a disaster. Instead of seeing me as authentic, they would have condemned me for not being the perfect pastor. Understanding the culture means grasping the nuances of expectations of each part of the country. Anger and arrogance turn off both the old and the young. Brad explains, The older generation wont listen to arrogant, young, goateed pastors who are angry at the traditional church. They cant respect us because were attacking an institution that has meant a lot to them. When we say or THE KEY TO imply that the traditional church is broken and CONNECTING IN irrelevant, we lose those men and women who have A CROSScome to us to be built up in GENERATIONAL their faith. In our arrogance, we cut off any connection MINISTRY IS with them and drive them away. But its not just a HUMILITY. problem with the older people. If were arrogant, the younger generation writes us off as fake. So to the young, arrogance appears fake, and to the old, arrogance makes us punks. The key to connecting in a cross-generational ministry is humility.

Dissatisfaction with the traditional church tempts some Next Generation pastors to identify themselves as different from those traditions, even the churches that led innovation only a few years before. Greg Holder, pastor of Windsor Crossing Community Church in Chesterfield, MO (http://www.wcrossing.org), notes, If we define ourselves by what were notnot stiff and traditional, not Willow Creek, not Saddleback, or whateverwe reveal our pride and anger. We make a point of never saying anything negative about those ministries. In many cases, weve built our ministry philosophy on their shoulders, so it would be the height of pride to criticize them. Human nature is competitive, and Next Generation pastors recognize the temptation to compare their churches with others. But humility dictates that they focus on something other than numbers. Mark Saunders reports, I told our board that we arent going to try to grow. They looked at me like Im MARK SAUNDERS crazy, so I explained that were committed to doing the right things in the right ways. If we do, God will cause the growth. If we focus on getting bigger, arrogance seeps in, and motivations get off track. We need to focus on health and allow for growth. Vance Pitman studied church WE DISCOVERED planters to discover what THAT THE SINGLE quality makes certain people successful in this work. We FACTOR THAT talked to a lot of people, he reports, and we discovered CORRELATES that the single factor that correlates with success is WITH SUCCESS IS humility. Humility produces HUMILITY. teachability, teachability leads to wisdom, and wisdom leads back to humility. Its the trait that makes church planters and every other leader for that matterresponsive to Gods leading, flexible, tenacious, and able to build relationships with all kinds of people. Toby Sloughs ministry philosophy and hiring strategy is based on humility. Our church was started in a bar, and weve grown because we

Toby Slough rarely hires anyone at Cross Timbers who cant articulate his or her story of brokenness.

are completely committed to dealing with the most painful, most shameful issues in peoples lives. People come to us because they trust us to be vulnerable and honest with them. Humility is so important to us that we wont hire anyone for a senior staff position who cant clearly articulate his or her story of brokenness. We sometimes hire young people on our staff who havent experienced brokenness yet, and I believe God brings them because our staff is a safe place for them to experience Gods grace as they experience brokenness.

dont speak at people about Gods truth; I talk with them as one who is learning and wrestling with truth just as they are. My story of applying truth is the narrative in my preaching.

MY STORY OF APPLYING TRUTH IS THE NARRATIVE IN MY PREACHING.

p j o
One of the most significant insights of Next Generation pastors is their perspective that every person who comes to churchfrom the newest seeker to the Bible-savvy elderneeds to hear the full counsel of God, with nothing left out and nothing sugarcoated. Some pastors are afraid of addressing issues that are culturally sensitive, such as homosexuality, but Next Generation pastors typically dont hesitate. Matt Chandler shares his experience: Our community has a large group of homosexuals, but we tackled the issue head on. We began by saying that all of us are sinnerswhich speaks to inclusion and grace, which are part of the postmodern ethosand we then taught both Romans 1 and the 1 Corinthians passage that says, and such were some of you. Instead of being afraid of intolerance, weve faced these issues, and weve seen massive growth come from it. Christ is the aroma of life to some and the aroma of death to others, and I shouldnt try make him smell any prettier to those who are dying. Some pastors believe that postmoderns will respond only to narrative, not propositional truth. Though they differ widely in their styles of preaching, most Next Generation pastors, however, strongly disagree with the assumption that narrative is essential for communicating today. Brad Bell has considered this issue, and he reflects, You dont have to teach narrative to communicate to postmoderns, but its also ineffective to have a simple formula promising Gods blessings and an easy life. Biblical truth is raw. I can say, This is the proposition in the text, and this is the friction it causes in me as I respond to it. In a sense, I use narrative, but its the story of people who respond to the truth of the Word. I

The context of truth is important. Gaylon Clark, pastor of Greater Mount Zion Baptist Church in Austin, TX (http://www.gmzaustin.org), describes all the aspects of the worship service before the message as the sermon before the sermon. He explains, The Holy Spirit is moving from the moment people get out of their cars, and every part of the service is designed to inspire and teach. If they are woven together, the songs, the skit, and all the other parts will prepare people to hear Gods Word. The sermon then becomes the final call to respond to God in faith. Some Next Generation pastors love to tell stories, and some are great expositors of the Scripture. To those who are still seeking and to those in the family of God, however, they teach the full, unvarnished truth in their own style. People can tell if youre trying to be someone youre not, Brad comments. In music, theres actually Gaylon Clark describes the worship a chart of fakes, but service at Greater Mount Zion as the sermon before the sermon. people can tell a cover band from the original artist. They can tell a fake when they hear it in music, and they can tell a fake when they hear one on Sunday morning. Popularity and the size of the church arent the primary measuring sticks to Next Generation pastors. They have a genuine passion for Gods truth and grace, and they are committed to impart those with authenticity.

q k k k
Some Next Generation pastors recognize the differences in the demographics of those in their congregations, and they tailor services to fit each of them. But others are committed to bringing the generations together. Larry Osborne, a ministry consultant to Next Generation and other pastors, as well as lead pastor of North Coast Church in

10

Vista, CA (http://www.northcoastchurch.com), and Anthony Trufant, pastor of Emmanuel Baptist Church in Brooklyn, NY (http://www.ebc-ny.org), have created different services for different audiences in their church families. Each service has a distinct music style to appeal to that audience. On the other hand, Windsor Crossings Greg Holder explains his commitment to crossgenerational worship: We want to see Galatians 3:28 in our congregation: neither Jew nor Greek, slave or free, male nor female, Republican nor Democrat, linear nor circular, modern nor postmodern, but all one in Christ. When I speak, I may make a reference to Gnarls Barkley (http://www.gnarlsbarkley.com) and to Gilligans Island. The younger crowd gets one, and the older group gets the other. The fact that they may not get each others reference is perfectly fine. In fact, I point out the fact that were a diverse group all following Christ, and we celebrate the differences. Greg has studied Chris Andersons book, The Long Tail, which describes the way our society has become niched. He cites the example that in the 50s, 75% of people watched I Love Lucy. At that time, there were only three networks, but Some next generation today, people have a hundred pastors recognize the channels to choose from, so importance of being no program commands such committed to crossattention. In todays music, people generational worship. prefer any number of scores of different genres, and iTunes allows people to tap into any genre they prefer. Greg is well aware of this cultural phenomenon. We celebrate different tastes and preferences, he explains, but we do everything we can to bring them together. I dont want different groups in our church to be isolated from one another. Theres something very powerful about getting to know people who see life differently and learning from them. The style of worship must be authentic. Vance Pitman explains, We dont try to have different types of worshiprock, contemporary, country, jazz, or whateverwere just who we are; no more, no less. If we tried to do all of that, people

would quickly see through THE GREATEST USE that, and theyd brand us OF A LIFE IS TO an inauthentic. But being authentic doesnt mean SPEND IT FOR shallow. Just the opposite. William James famously SOMETHING THAT stated, The greatest use of a life is to spend it for OUTLASTS IT. something that outlasts it. People want to know they are investing their lives in something that matters. And this compelling sense of purpose transcends all the segments of our culture. Everybody wants to be involved. Music plays a key role in creating a worshipful environment, but here, too, a shift is taking place in many Next Generation churches. Larry Osborne explains that many churches are moving away from presentation to participation. He identifies BE A STUDENT OF regional influences, and he observes that styles that work THE CULTURE in the Midwest have never been widely accepted in YOURE TRYING California. His advice to TO REACH. pastors is to think like a missionary. Be a student of the culture youre trying to reach and disciple, and use a musical style that connects them most effectively to God. Similarly, Matt Carter, founding pastor of Austin Stone Community Church in Austin, TX (http://www.austinstone.org), explains the role of music at his church: Our purpose is for each person to have a genuine encounter with God. If our band is just performing, people sit passively and receive, but if we involve people in worshipping through the At Austin Stone Community music, they give back to Church the worship band is God. Matt doesnt see Christfocused on involving people in centered worship music as worship so that they give a barrier to unbelievers. back to God. He notes, Unbelievers arent threatened by music that focuses on the character of Christ. They see it as authentic, and it draws them to God.

11

q `~ ^ a
Todays postmodern culture presents Next Generation pastors with significant challenges, but these leaders also see open doors to connect with people and impart the biblical truth. Their trust in the authority and power of Gods Word is matched by their commitment to rigorous authenticity. Being honest, though, isnt an excuse to simply air pain and discouragement.

Instead, being vulnerable provides an opportunity to impart life-changing truth as they identify with peoples fears, dreams, confusion and hope. This powerful combination of authenticity and truth challenges believers and attracts unbelievers. And when unbelievers trust Christ in this environment, they realize that God expects everything they are and everything they have to be devoted to him.

Patrick Springle is the president of Baxter Press in Friendswood, TX. He served on the staff of Campus Crusade for Christ for 18 years, 11 as the Texas state director. He was Senior Vice President of Rapha for three years before starting his publishing business.
PAT SPRINGLE

2007 Leadership Network (www.leadnet.org) Want to find more resources like this one? For the most current listing of free and purchasable resources, some of which are distributed solely through Leadership Network, go to http://www.leadnet.org/Resources_downloads.asp (alternate: http://www.leadnet.org, then select resources then downloads) or call toll-free 800-765-5323 or 214-969-5950 outside the U.S. and Canada. Leadership Networks mission is to identify, connect and help high-capacity Christian leaders multiply their impact.

LINDA STANLEY

Leadership Network welcomes your response. The primary writer is Pat Springle. Editorial advisors were Linda Stanley, Director of Next Generation Leadership Communities for Leadership Network; Warren Bird, Director of Research and Intellectual Capital Support for Leadership Network; and Dave Travis , Executive Vice President for Leadership Network. Contact them via Cindi.Haworth@leadnet.org

12

bkaklqbp
1

jan.ucc.nau.edu/~jsa3/hum355/readings/ellul.htm

"Spiritual Disciplines in a Postmodern World", Luci Shaw with Dallas Willard, Radix, Vol. 27, No. 2. Online at http://www.dwillard.org/articles/artview.asp?artid=56
2

13