Dressing the Emperor

Hans Christian Andersen told the familiar story of “The Emperor’s New Clothes,” in which two swindlers trick the emperor into believing that they have made him a suit of clothes that are invisible to people who are stupid or incompetent.  There are no clothes, of course, but everyone pretends that they can see them because they don’t want to admit to being stupid.  Eventually a young child who doesn’t know any better shouts out what everyone knows but doesn’t want to acknowledge.

It’s time to take off the emperor’s clothes at Old Union Church.  We’re very good at seeing the best in everyone and everything, at getting along and being positive.  If something isn’t going well, or if there’s a problem, we find ways to explain it away so it doesn’t sound so bad.  If someone voices a concern, most of us ignore what they say as a groundless complaint, a pessimistic attitude, or a lack of faith in what God can do in our congregation.  Over the years, I’ve done more than my share of explaining away problems, pointing out the good that is happening, and keeping everyone happy, instead of addressing issues of concern.

It’s time to say what we all know.  Our church is in decline.  Over the past ten years or so, worship attendance has dropped by about a third.  Our thriving children’s ministry has evaporated, and our youth group is getting smaller every year.  Mission giving is a fraction of what it used to be, and our outreach work has faded.  We are running a financial deficit and have to borrow money from ourselves to pay the monthly bills.  The level of energy and excitement has faded.  Those who are engaged in our church life beyond Sunday worship are overworked, because fewer people are taking part.

Old Union is an amazing church, and I’m proud to be your pastor.  People comment about how strongly they feel the Spirit when they come here.  We support one another through our struggles in a way that you won’t find in many other congregations.  I see people growing in their faith and developing their relationship with Christ in breath-taking ways.  God is doing fantastic things at Old Union, just as he has for more than two centuries.  I don’t want to see it all go away, and I’m convinced the Lord doesn’t want to either.

The first step to addressing a problem is to admit that it exists.  We can try to conduct business-as-usual at Old Union, telling ourselves that things will turn around “somehow,” or that what worked in the past will continue to work tomorrow.  We can keep pretending that the emperor is wearing clothes.  But if we do, our church will continue to decline until there’s nothing left.

I don’t know what the answer is, and I don’t even know what the problem is.  But I can see the symptoms, and I think you can, too.  I invite you to join me in declaring that the emperor has no clothes, and in finding a way to get him dressed.

Shadow Casting Monsters

God knew what he was doing when he created you.  He equipped you with everything you need to be an amazing presence in his world, to serve him with joy, and to find fulfillment in all that you do in his name.  And yet, far too often we don’t feel amazing.  Our passion goes stale, and our power dwindles away.  We lose our sense of purpose and doubt that we can make a difference in the world or bring pleasure to God.  Shadows blot out the brilliance of God’s plan for our lives and we lose heart.

If we don’t realize that shadows are darkening our lives, we may believe that the world is dim and gloomy.  But when we understand the shadows we can bring them into Christ’s presence to be dispelled, and they lose their control over us.  Which of these five “shadow-casting monsters” threaten to separate you from God’s good plan for you?  

1. INSECURITY: Humility is a Christian virtue, but this monster warps it into a cancerous disease.  It makes us question our worth and forget that there is anything valuable about us.  So we work like crazy to try to prove to ourselves that there is a spark of good in us, or we drift into a dark corner and hope that no one notices us.

 2. BATTLEGROUND: This monster wants us to think that the world is a dangerous, hostile place.  Everyone is out to get you, and you can’t trust even your closest companions.  Be prepared for everything to go wrong and for opposition at every turn.  We build such strong defenses that nothing can touch our heart, or we attack other people before they can get to us.

 3. FUNCTIONAL ATHEISM: If you’re reading a pastor's blog, you probably believe in God.  But this monster turns our belief in God into a theoretical concept that has nothing to do with our everyday life.  We assume that ultimate responsibility for everything rests with us.  We push ourselves relentlessly, to the point of exhaustion.  We pursue goals that we believe to be worthy, rather than taking time to discern where God is leading us.

 4. FEAR: This monster whispers to us that chaos is just around the corner.  All the good you’ve worked for is about to collapse.  Protect yourself while you have the chance.  Don’t use the resources that God has given you, because you may need them when the bad times come.

 5. DENIAL: We don’t like to say good-bye, and this last monster tells us that we don’t have to.  Everything will turn out fine if you just keep doing what you’ve always been doing.  There will be no decline, no loss, no death.  And above all, no painful choices.  

Which shadow-casting monster is haunting you?  Which monster is lurking in our church?  I invite you to bring this monster into the light of Jesus Christ, whose brilliance chases all shadows away and reveals our true nature as God’s beloved children.