Sometimes I need to be reminded why I do what I do.
Sometimes I get busy in the business of my art, in the business of my ministry.
Sometimes I lose sight of the vision. My passion becomes just a job.
That’s when I need reminders…like this one.
I had just finished a performance of my one-man drama In His Steps, the classic novel that asks the famous question “what would Jesus do?” I had done all the normal after show routines: stood in the church foyer and shook a few hands, sold a few books and videos. I am usually the last to leave the church after a performance, and this was typical of that routine. Most of the people had left the building when I gathered up my props, packed them in my suitcase and headed out the door.
As I popped open the trunk of my car I noticed a young girl, probably about 15 or 16 years old lingering in the parking lot, then she slowly drifting toward me as I placed my suitcase in the trunk.
“Can I talk to you?” she asked.
“Sure,” I said…a bit puzzled.
“You talked tonight about ‘what would Jesus do?’ And…well…I am trying to figure that out for myself.”
“Ah,” I said. “Yes, that can be a challenge for all of us.”
“I have not told anybody this…I’m still in high school…and I’m pregnant.”
“Uh…oh…I’m sorry,” I think I said…I was pretty much speechless. Of all the conversations I have had after a performance, this was a new one.
“I don’t know what to do…or what Jesus would do. I was hoping you could tell me.”
My mind was reeling. I had never met this girl before. And here she was asking me, a perfect stranger to tell her, not only what to do, but what to do in light of the question ‘what would Jesus do?’
Searching for words I asked, ”Does the father know?”
“Yes…and he is the youth leader here at the church.”
“Oh…wow…I…uh…I am so sorry.”
Suddenly the question she was struggling with became my question. “What would Jesus do?” And I was struck with the realization that this poor girl wasn’t talking to me; she didn’t know me. She was talking to the character I had just portrayed on stage. She was talking to The Reverend Henry Maxwell, a fictional character who, from the stage, projected wisdom and conviction to do powerful things driven by that central question “what would Jesus do?” She was talking to Henry Maxwell, someone she felt she could trust. Someone who could help her.
We talked for some time. I tried to give her the best advice that Henry Maxwell could offer. There were some tears, there was a prayer. With her permission I later called the pastor of the church and told him of our encounter. While I don’t know the complete ending to this story, the pastor later assured me that the situation was dealt with and the girl was being loved and cared for in the best way possible.
Sometimes I need to be reminded.
Reminded of the things that brought me to the place I now stand.
Reminded that there is power in the arts that can change a life.
Reminded of the vision and the passion that propelled me on this journey.
Reminded of my calling.
I am reminded, and in the process renewed.
I recently returned from a few days of retreat with some fellow artists who are ministry minded. Many, myself included, make their living serving in churches where they perform almost every weekend. With a gathering like this, you are almost guaranteed to hear a statement resembling this:
You are not gonna believe this one church I performed at….”
If you are a pastor or church leader, you most likely will not want to be the leader of the “church” the artist is about to reveal. Oh sure, it might be a wonderful testimony about God’s grace and power, but more likely it will be a horror story about how the artist was treated by said church. We all have our stories, both good and bad. We have our stories about wonderful life-changing events where things went perfectly, and we have our stories about being bumped off, turned off, and ripped off at our performances. (And to be fair, I’m sure a gathering of church leaders could offer some equally amazing stories about artists that you have invited to your church—I have heard a few myself…oh my!)
As I reflected on the stories that were shared, I thought it might be good to come up with a list of a few things artists would like churches to consider in order to make a great event.
I’m sure there are other things artists would like the church to know, and perhaps some of them will chime in through the comments. And we who are artists are not without sin. There are examples of us not being prepared, not honoring the agreement and not trusting the church as well! I am also certain a posting from the pastor’s perspective might be in order. Perhaps one of you would like to submit a guest blog to me on “3 Things a Pastor wants Artists to Know!” Any takers?
We have a response! Check out the next blog: What a Pastor would Like Artists to Know
Posted by Chuck Neighbors | 20 comments
I travel and perform/speak in a different church almost every weekend and have for the past 40 years—that’s a lot of churches. You do the math. And these are churches of all denominations and sizes and colors. Lunch with the pastor after a morning service is typical. I can almost always count on being asked a question like this: “Chuck, you are in a lot of churches… what are some observations you’ve made about the church today?”
I know they want an answer with some profundity, but I don’t know if my answers will satisfy. So here are 10 random observations about the church, for what they are worth, and in no specific order. This is not a scientifically researched treatise… just my observations.
1) The medium-size church is disappearing. I am often in church buildings designed to hold 500-1000 people with less than 100 in the worship service. There seem to be churches of under 100, and the mega church with thousands of people, but not much in between—churches of 200-500 are few. Pastors routinely over-estimate their attendance. They will tell me they have 150 people in worship but when I arrive there are less than 100… this happens a lot!
2) Based on my experience it would seem that the average age in most churches today is over 50. There is plenty of gray hair and there are not very many millennials in the pews.
3) The “Meet and Greet” moment in the worship service needs go. Most churches do it and in most churches it feels forced and awkward. I see plenty of meeting and greeting before the service that seems genuine. If your main goal is to make a visitor feel welcome, I think there is a better way to do it.
4) I have rarely visited a church that matches the negative stereotype portrayed in the media or by Hollywood. (That being the extremes of super fanatical or super boring). I’m not saying they don’t exist… but they are certainly not what I have found under the majority of steeples in the country.
5) People really do “play hooky” from church when the pastor is gone. I often fill in for a pastor who is away at a conference or on vacation. I almost always hear the head deacon say, “I don’t know where everybody is today.”
6) Contrary to what the media would have you believe, the church is filled with people who care about the poor and are involved in ministries that are truly striving to make a difference.
7) At the risk of sounding like my parents… your music is too loud!
8) People still sit in the back (maybe because the music is too loud) or are very spread out in the sanctuary, making those 100 people in a space that hold 500 feel even more empty.
9) There is not much being done to encourage and elevate the arts in most churches. Other than the worship team/band, the opportunities for an artist to be involved in the life of the church are very limited. (I’ve blogged about this one before, but I have to throw it in here.)
10) It can be a challenge today to figure out a church’s denominational affiliation. Oh it still exists, but you won’t find it on church signs and in printed material like you used to. This can be good thing. It can also be embarrassing if, say, you are charismatic and think you are in a Pentecostal church, only to find yourself being stared down after raising your arms and shouting hallelujah in a Baptist church.
Like I said, no science here… just some observations from that “Christian Actor Guy!”
Posted by Chuck Neighbors | 9 comments
I just finished reading yet another article telling me and my generation of boomers how we have blown it when it comes making the church a place for millennials. According to the articles and books I have read, we are guilty of a multitude of sins. We are: too judgmental, too exclusive, too political, too old-fashioned and in general we are a bunch of haters. We hate sin, we hate sinners, and we hate those who are friends of sinners. We have it all figured out. We know right from wrong and if you disagree with us you are going to hell!
Did I get that about right?
Well, if you are a millennial reading this and you agree with those statements about us, then I want to tell you, I think you’re wrong. You see, most of those statements about the church people I know are not true. Oh sure, there are probably a few like that in every church, but not the vast majority. I spend my life visiting churches, it’s part of my job. Most of the people I encounter are far from the stereotype the media would have us believe. And here is the news flash: the people you are describing are your parents. I am the father of 3 millennials and I would be devastated if I felt my kids believed all those things about me.
As a parent I struggle, along with many in the church, to understand why so many of our children have abandoned the church. I don’t have the answers, but I can tell you if it is for the reasons stated above, for the most part I think you have it wrong. Let me address some of those points.
• Too Judgmental: While it is true that we grew up in a culture and in a time that had “all the answers,” we also live in the culture of today. Unless we have our head in the sand, we are aware of what is happening in the world around us. While we may have some strong opinions about right and wrong, we struggle along with everyone else to reconcile our our faith with the world in which we live. Some of us have faced the challenges and even changed our minds about previous assumptions. And most of the time when we listen to sermons, we are apt to be thinking about our own “log in the eye” and not about you. I don’t think many of us come to church to sit in judgment of the millennials outside the church.
• Too Exclusive: Obviously we are a body of believers united by our faith. But to set us up as a group of people who want nothing to do with people who are different from us is inaccurate and unfair. Most church people I know are concerned about others both inside the church as well as outside. I work for a charity that helps feed and care for the poor around the world. The people funding this work are church people. It’s church people that often offer free clinics, soup kitchens, and drives for school supplies for those who can’t afford them. And when it comes to politics, we are all over the board.
• A Bunch of Haters: Sure there are the few in our midst that would fall into that category, but they are a minority. A minority that is constantly reinforced in the media to make the rest of us look bad. The church at large is not Westboro Baptist Church–far from it. When you categorize us as haters, remember that millennials are our children! We don’t hate our children. Yes, we may have some strong ideas about sin and what needs to be done about our sin. But believing there is a right and wrong on a particular issue is not the same as hate. My experience is that most church people and church leaders are open to conversation about some of the things you think we hate. We may be on different sides of a cultural issue, but we don’t hate you because of it.
Most Christ followers I know are struggling just like everyone else to make their lives mean something in this world we live in. The church continues to be a place of community for us. It has it’s flaws, to be sure, for we are made up of humans who are flawed. As one pastor pointed out to me, the church the only institution that mattered to Christ. It is, or should be an institution of people known for their love, not their hate. I invite you to visit us with an open mind, talk to us. You might just be surprised at what you find.
Posted by Chuck Neighbors | 6 comments
Here I am as a “Christian actor”—notice the beard and man-dress. (Circa 1991)
I
was reflecting the other day on my profession and made the observation that I have something in common with actor Kirk Cameron. If I asked you to make a list of “Christian actors,” we would both probably be on that list. (It would be a very short list.) Kirk’s name would likely be very near the top of the list and mine near the bottom. Mine would only be on your list if I happened to come to your mind because I had recently performed at your church, and you remembered my name. It would probably listed like: “That Christian actor guy that performed at our church a few months ago.”
I have commented in the past about being labeled a “Christian actor” as opposed to simply an actor who is a Christian. When it comes to my profession and my faith I prefer to have both those words be nouns.
Somehow putting the word “Christian” in front of an occupation is either extremely limiting or sets up an expectation that is false or impossible to fulfill.
Examples:
Christian Plumber — When he finishes your pipes will only drip holy water.
Christian Carpenter — He makes lovely crosses but his doors won’t stay closed, they are always open.
Christian Mechanic — He converts all your parts, giving them new life.
Christian Doctor — No pills… but make sure he washes his hands before he lays them on you. You don’t want the last infection he healed.
Here I am as Count Dracula…a role performed by an actor who is a Christian. (Circa 1972)
You get the idea… I mean you don’t have to be a Christian to do a job well and frankly I have met some Christians in certain professions that aren’t very good at their jobs. I want a plumber that can unclog a drain, a carpenter who knows how to make a good cabinet, an honest mechanic that can fix my car, and a doctor who is willing to prescribe an antibiotic… I don’t care if they are a Christian, a Jew, a Muslim or an Atheist.
There are times when “Christian” as an adjective makes sense… Add Christian in front of minister, missionary, or maybe counselor and I understand that.
Add Christian in of front actor and you feel doomed to play only parts that require a beard and a bathrobe (unless maybe your name is Kirk Cameron). And I happen to know there several famous actors who are Christians. I won’t mention their names out of fear that you might start thinking of them as “Christian actors.” Sometimes I want play the bad guy — every good story has one. An actor who is a Christian can do that… a Christian actor… probably not.
What are some of your favorite misuses of the label “Christian?”
Posted by Chuck Neighbors | 4 comments
In an earlier post I shared the story of “Rashid,” a Pakistani Christ follower living in Athens, Greece. I just got this update on my friend. I am amazed at his bold faith in the midst of trials.
Arrested by Police and spent some hours in the Police station. I was on a full bus with refuges. A policeman snatched my cell phone and slap me on my face. After checking criminal records I was released, with warning to stay at home do not come out…or leave Greece. In the police station I shared with two guys about Jesus and Bible, and we pray together. One of them accepted the message, and wants to read the Bible and be baptized. The other wanted to meet me again and he wanted to ask some questions. Remember me in your prayers.”
Please do remember Rashid in your prayers. He will likely read this blog, so if you want to give him a message of encouragement, please feel free to do so!
Posted by Chuck Neighbors | 7 commentsImagine being beaten by your father because you were left handed instead of right handed…
Imagine being beaten publicly by your mother for not praying long enough at the mosque…
Imagine that those beatings with a plastic water supply pipe were severe enough to be brought to the attention of the police… yet when they were, they were easily dismissed because as a Muslim, this was “a family matter” not a crime at all.
Hard to imagine isn’t it? Yet that is part of the story of Rashid (not his real name), a Pakistani living in asylum in Athens. There is a lot more to Rashid’s story. After being an outcast from his family, seeking freedom and a chance to live his own life, he became one of the thousands of immigrants and refugees who have flooded Athens, where over 80% of the immigrant population of Europe find entry.
Rashid has relatives in Athens and thought he would be welcome here among them, but found out that was not the case. He has been able to find work but has been living as a man with out a country and without a family for the last 7 years.
Earlier this year Rashid became a follower of Jesus Christ. In so many stories of the Christian faith we love to hear this, and anticipate the “happily ever after” summary statement. No question, Rashid’s life is changed, and he has found peace in his heart. A follower who is eagerly sharing his faith with others, including his family. But it is not easy and not happily ever after.
Yesterday we were out in the city of Athens with Rashid. He took us to a Pakistani restaurant, a first for me. I enjoyed the food, but while we were eating government tax officials came in and began inspecting the records of the restaurant owner, at one point even inspecting the receipt on our table. This was just the first glimpse into how the immigrant population is being scrutinized here in Greece, an effect of the economic collapse in this country.
Later in the day while sitting in a public square, plain-clothed police were rounding up immigrants, arresting them and putting them on a bus. While legally in Greece, all of Rashid’s papers were not in order. He has been arrested before, and said if confronted, he would be detained and it would take some time to get everything straightened out. We could sense some uneasiness and quickly moved to another location.
Twice, while riding the subways, Greek men shouted insults at Rashid, one of them even shoving him, all because he is a Pakistani–the message clear, “you are not welcome here.” Rashid is clearly shaken, as are we. And we pray for him… and for his enemies.
Since becoming a follower of Christ, the situation with his family has gotten worse. They are trying various different things to get him to recant his faith. His mother has threatened to kill herself, and his brother is pursuing legal sanction to kill him for converting to Christianity.
Rashid’s response. “I love my family.” He is in communication with his brother and is actively challenging him to read and study who Jesus is in hopes he will also become a follower of Jesus.
Rashid’s story rattles me. You sometimes hear about those things from a distance, living in our Christian bubble… I begin to realize anew how little I have suffered. How little my discipleship has cost me.
I am learning more of what it really means to be a Christ follower from Rashid.
UPDATE! Rashid was recently arrested. Find out what happened in this follow-up.
Posted by Chuck Neighbors | 8 comments
I was disheartened to hear that Lifeway Publishers have made the decision to pull the movie, The Blind Side off their shelves. Fellow writer Ed Kee really nails it with his commentary. Please read The Power of Story – The Power that Lifeway Doesn’t Understand. I’d love to hear your thoughts as well!