All of us play the comparison game at some point. This is no less true of Pastors and Church Leaders. How often do I find myself checking out the website of another church to see what they are up to. If it fits my paradigm, if their style is on point, their music is relevant, their carpark is full.

It would not be hard for the carpark at my church to be full. Its not that large!

But in another way and perhaps more seriously, I sometimes find myself comparing myself to other leaders, particularly in the area of what they have achieved in a certain amount of time. Recent events with some high profile church Pastors remind me that quick spectacular success is not as appealing as what it appears. The dysfunction seemingly required in some ministries is a price I am not willing to pay.

My mentor reminded me that I need to lead out of the storehouse God has given me. I might put it that I need to lead with what God has placed in my hand. I like to think I can speak well. I like to think I lead with compassion and understanding. I wish I was more focused and strategic. Sometimes it seems I have led by accident, based on a  ‘gut feel’ of what God is saying rather than a ten year carefully formulated plan.

Then there is the intangibles. God’s favour. Blind luck. A perfect storm of circumstances. These things provide growth and favour which cannot be manufactured.

Who am I? What do I lead out of? Well I love the gathering. I sense the atmosphere with some sense of accuracy. I know what works. What ignites my joy is seeing people engaged with God, hearing His voice and responding to the Spirit. I am confident in my ability to discern people. All these things are not necessarily or exclusively human. They are gifting from God.

I am not someone else. I am me. Out of this I seek to lead. This does not excuse me from needing to surround myself strategically with others who can resource what I can’t. I pray I am thankful for who I am, thankful for who others are, and faithful and fruitful with the time I have. 

I think there is great wisdom in the thought, change the leader……or change the leader.

I have been ministering at Inglewood Church for over 22 years. There has been so much change. It reminds me of the thought that we overestimate what we can change in 12 months, and underestimate what we can change in ten years. I am not thinking that we have changed as much, nor grown as much, as what I would have liked. However there has been great change, and for the better. And growth, and for the better.

What is pressing on my heart is the change I feel coming for myself, in myself. Because you either change the leader….or you change the leader. And I feel I need to change if our church is going to continue to change and grow. I cannot stay as I am, because I want a different result. We need different results.

There is nothing within me slowing down, in fact I feel I am about to speed up. Enter into a greater season of ‘fill’.  I pray my character grows along with my skill.

Recently a church attracted some controversy (I know right, how unusual) for playing ‘Purple Rain” at the start of their service. Truth be if you are going to criticise a church for using a secular song in their service, you had better criticise me. I often employ secular songs during the service. I listen to them, check the lyrics, how they feel and will often use them for a purpose.

But the deeper question for me, in putting aside those who just like to ‘church watch’, is the question for us church leaders, where is the church heading in this regard? And is that okay? Some churches do now have lighting, musicians and performances of music which are not cringe inducing at all. In fact in the area of visual medium in some ways the contemporary church is leading the way. Environmental projection is one.

At what point do we become a destination for entertainment rather than spirituality? Or are the two mutually exclusive?

If we think back, the best art has always been found at some point, in the church. You only have to go back and look at incredible work in incredible church buildings to see that.

A cursory reading of the book of Jeremiah reveals the best performance drama, authored and directed by God, starring the actor Jeremiah.

The early church put on drama, it was a way to get the message across. It used visual mediums. Performance art. Sculpture. Painting.

For todays Church I don’t think it has to be expensive or high end. But it needs to be authentic, well done, and a reflection of who you are as a church community. Consider the pub musician. No one thinks he needs an expansive light show. A few coloured Leds on a stand and he is away. People enjoy the show for what it is. The smaller church can think about lighting, how to present the gospel in emotive and dramatic ways. We owe the gospel that much and more.

The stadium show, well that is best left to those who have the resources. But perhaps we best not criticise them. Perhaps they are just following the example of so many of Europes great cathedrals before them,

Over the last few days I have had opportunity to hear from a wise sage in Duffy Robbins. The Masterclass a few friends and I took yesterday at Vose was on communicating to young people. It was challenging and confirmed a practice I have. Duffy talked about the need to speak the language of the children and teenagers in your church.

There is a radio station in Perth called Nova. I was introduced to this by my daughter who likes the music, which is not surprising considering she is a pre-teen. There are obvious problems with listening to Nova. In particular the lyrical content of a fair percentage of the music they play. Of course they are seeking pleasure in every form it comes, and with no real sense of a moral compass. Duffy talked about helping young people see how the choices they make affect the rest of their lives. If young people made the choices they are encouraged to make on Nova we would all be in a world of pain.

However, its not all bad, in fact some of it is good. For one thing we know that all people are looking for God, but they have not yet discovered what to call Him. Contemporary music carries with much of it that sense of searching and longing. There are songs about family, about missing parents, dysfunctional relationships and the pain of regret and bad choices. In fact much of the human experience we might find in the book of Ecclesiastes.

The issue for me is language. Not the explicit language. But the language they are speaking. If I am to communicate effectively to even those teenagers within my own home, I need to speak their language. And the teenagers within my church speak this language, I don’t naturally. I mostly listen to Worship Music in my car. Or podcasts. And that is good for my soul. But listening to Nova is good for my mission.

I actually enjoy a lot of music on Nova now. Thats my confession……