Stop, Look, and Listen
Do we attend to God, or not? Seems like a simple question and the answer would be a simple “Of course, yes!” Yet the reality of our actions might tell another story. Earlier today, in conversation with a church leader about a search for a new minister, this wise leader talked about their outgoing minister as having the rare and marvelous gift to help deconstruct old narratives that are present in the congregation’s life (which is not a hard thing to do) while at the same time offering a constructive new possibility for how to pay attention to God in a new day (which can be a hard thing to do!). What I found intriguing about this conversation was the epic truth underneath this observation: paying attention to God is more important than just doing the same things in the same ways… and somehow thinking that the result will be different!
Although we say we are practicing obedience to God’s voice, we may be practicing something else altogether. What we may be doing is closer to carrying out human traditions that we assume somehow honor God but are not the result of paying deep attention to God’s present and active Spirit in the world (Matt. 15:8-9). How do we posture ourselves and position our hearts to pay attention to God?
Some possibilities here:
In some churches, the best thing that could be done is to stop doing things—and to reflect and pray. In another conversation today with two church leaders from a church in transition, they noted how the elders and staff and congregation simply said, “Time out! We need to stop and ask what God is doing with us. We need to revisit our mission and our vision and ask how they align with God’s desire for us.” I say, amen! This congregation is following the early model of Jesus’ command of Acts 1, namely, to wait and attend for the arrival of God. And that is what these early disciples did: “they constantly devoted themselves to prayer” (Acts 1:14).
In some churches, the best thing might be to look around and see what God is already doing in the congregation or in the community. What stories are present in your congregation that speak of transformation or renewal? Where are people coming to faith? What is happening in your community that matters to God’s care for humankind? Looking around and asking these sorts of questions are ways of paying attention, keeping your eyes open to God’s action and presence. One church noticed an influx of young adults in a newly formed Sunday School class. Leaders listened to what key individuals within the Sunday School class were seeing and experiencing, and they made adjustments to other aspects of congregational life to resource and equip the flourishing that was occurring within that group.
In some churches, the best thing might be to listen for the cry and the longing of persons that are somehow within your sphere of life. Since God is actively at work in the disorder of the world, paying attention to vulnerable and broken places will likely lead to where God is present. Listening to the cry and longing may lead to single mothers, homeless persons, vulnerable teens, young singles exiting college, immigrant people, or mid-career executives who have lost their moral center. The disorder in the world is evidenced in countless ways. Yet God’s call to God’s people is singular: to listen and respond as bearers of God’s grace as gospel.
Stop, look, and listen. Such verbs are simple and elemental. Yet these verbs are easily overlooked as being too simple and elementary to shift the decline or apathy present in our congregations. We think that it must be more complicated or elaborate, or that we need to do something big or elaborate. Yet that impulse to do, to act, only reinforces a false narrative that continues to haunt way too many churches across the country. This false narrative sounds good; it is consistent with American sensibilities. Yet the well-being and future of congregations does not rest in human action nor in the pursuit of being faithful to what may have worked 25 years ago.
The true narrative is that congregations are outposts of God’s mission and presence in a disordered world. The true narrative is that congregational life and mission rests on God’s action and presence. The true narrative is that congregational leaders first and best work is to pay attention to God’s action and presence. So perhaps the best thing to do is really elemental: stop, look, and listen.
Blessings,
Carson
