Terry Linhart

Ran across this video (thanks Jalysa Smith) this past week as we’ve been discussing the church, modernity, and how consumerism has shaped ecclesiology in our senior seminar class that I teach.  One of the comments on the video says, “I miss the church. I hope it’s rediscovered in my life time.”  My take is that things are better than this video portrays. We’re experimenting with ways to connect well, to build community, to reach out, and to speak to the times.  And I love those initiatives.  So, I’m positive about the church and its efforts, and deeply committed to it.

However, there are some potential fundamental problems if we’re not careful moving forward – and this video illustrates them.  First, consumerism often (sometimes unknowingly) drives decision-making, even leadership decisions. We choose leaders or programs or content based on attraction potential, finances, and marketing.  Of course, church attenders do the same and look for a church service that “appeals” to us.  And, if we don’t like it someday, we’ll go to a church that does.

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Posted on Thursday, April 4th, 2013 at 7:46 AM in LEAD WELL. 2 comments

A year or so ago, the group of adults I was with that evening were discussing whether a church should ‘have authority’ over us or not, and what that exactly meant.  Strangely, it got rather heated. I found myself on the affirming side of the conversation while others I respected were less so.  The other longtime believers were expressing their dissatisfaction with local church structures.  The question was “why do you go to church?”  We discussed what is a church and then what is the church? And the answers were varied, as you can imagine.

The fundamental issue is the freedom that faith in Christ gives (see John 8:32).  But we also have authority, earthly authority, that we have to, well, obey.  And this seems to be more difficult for our current culture to grasp.  Further, I think it’s one of the main tripping points for young youth pastors who enter a church setting with people who are, well, human.    Andy Stanley, in his book The 7 Checkpoints, discusses the issue: read more…

Posted on Wednesday, May 9th, 2012 at 8:27 AM in BELIEF MATTERS. 2 comments

Photo courtesy of @istockphoto\@CEFutcher

In a recent discussion on books for teens,  one of the group members stated they didn’t want a book to be too ‘churchy’.  I’m sure we’ve all used that word before, particularly in youth ministry settings where we want to demonstrate relevance to ‘today’s teen’.  But I think the word is problematic, even though its use may be appropriate in some cases.

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Posted on Wednesday, January 4th, 2012 at 6:16 AM in YOUTH MINISTRY. No comments

Courtesty of @istockphoto/@pastie

I remember the first time I ever preached a sermon in a church. I kid you not, as I walked up the steps of the platform, a series of hidden emotions surprised me.  Scenes like memories from church history flooded my mind as I neared the podium.  I thought of Matthew 16 when Jesus declared to Peter and the others the authoritative and missional role his Church would have in the world. I thought of John Wesley and the circuit riders who worked so diligently and faithfully to plant churches throughout my country. And I thought of my dad, a pastor who I watched minister faithfully and effectively for years in his local communities.  I knew that I was participating in a rich tradition … and taking on a great responsibility.  And I wanted to do my best with that opportunity.

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Posted on Tuesday, January 3rd, 2012 at 7:13 AM in CONNECT EFFECTIVELY, LEAD WELL. No comments

Everyone who shows up to your ministry or group has been shaped by a rich history.  The events of their childhood, where they grew up, the activities in their adolescent days, and the post-high school choices give significant shape to who they are.  Yet there is another shaping influence that some leaders never discover to their detriment:  The history of your local context.  Each area of the world possesses a unique history full of cultural values, dominant political and ethnic groups, and religious commitment levels.

Now, I know most leaders aren’t history buffs, but I do know that many leaders make significant effort to understand the history of where they work.  They know the value in understanding the culture if they want to be successful in what they do. A business in my area (northern Indiana) will need to know the history of the Potawatomi people and the conservative and Germanic nature of the Europeans who settled here.  The influence of the Amish and Mennonite cultures, the  increase presence of Pentecostalism, and the new wave of Mexican Americans.

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Posted on Monday, April 25th, 2011 at 6:27 AM in THE WORLD, YOUTH MINISTRY. No comments

I know the title is a bit unfortunate, to have worship and war in the same sentence as church. I only use it because it was a phrase in-use 20 years ago when congregations struggled with, and at times battled over, newer expressions and methods of worship.
I was a director of music at a church in the early 1990s, about the time “contemporary worship” became the main format for music during Sunday services. It was an intense time in local churches as the “traditional” folks wanted to retain the singing of hymns while the “contemporary” people desired a more expressive and affective worship experience. Hymnals were replaced by projection screens, sitting and singing in four part harmony was replaced by 2 part choruses sung back-to-back while standing for 20 minutes. The intensity was so strong that people left churches over music styles, board meetings became shouting matches, and the whole thing was described as a “worship war.”

Nearly 20 years later, most churches have a drum set in the sanctuary, huge sound systems make many churches feel like a concert, and when a leader says, “Hey, let’s worship,” people automatically stand to their feet to sing.

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Posted on Thursday, October 14th, 2010 at 4:49 AM in BELIEF MATTERS. 2 comments