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.