The Catholic Baptists
I first came across the notion, that there may be Baptists out there that adhere to the mystery of the church, when I read an article in the Christian Century that was titled, The New Monastics. The article reviewed several sacramental communities within the U.S. that tried their best to live out what they thought the early church was all about. Jason Byasse, author of The New Monastics, described them in the following manner:
At a time when the church had grown too cozy with the ruling authorities, when faith had become a means to power and influence, some Christians who sought to live out an authentically biblical faith headed for desolate places. They pooled their resources and dedicated themselves to a life of asceticism and prayer. Most outsiders thought they were crazy. They saw themselves as being on the narrow and difficult path of salvation, with a call to prick the conscience of the wider church about its compromises with the ‘world.’ I’m describing not fourth-century monks, but present-day communities of Christians…
This cadre of present-day monks are known by the following names: (1) The Rutba House, (2) Reba Place Fellowship, (3) the Church of the Servant King, (4) the Church of the Sojourners, and (5) Grace Fellowship Community Church.
In an article by Steven R. Harmon called Catholic Baptists and the New Horizon of Tradition in Baptist Theology, Harmon sides with the seventeenth-century Baptist’s traditions that influenced their theology: “The earliest Baptist confessions demonstrate that seventeenth-century Baptists picked up the same reading glasses when they turned to the Bible as their authority for faith and practice. Baptist confessions issued during the seventeenth century are surprisingly rich with echoes of patristic doctrinal tradition.”
There are seven ideologies in which Harmon lists as identifiers of a Catholic Baptist: “(1) they explicitly recognize tradition as a source of theological authority, (2) they seek a place in Baptist ecclesial life for the ancient ecumenical creeds as key expressions of the larger Christian tradition, (3) they give attention to liturgy as the primary context in which Christians are traditioned, (4) they locate the authority of tradition in the community and its formative practices, (5) they advocate sacramental theology, (6) they engage tradition as a resource for contemporary theological construction in a manner similar to the ressourcement agenda of the ‘nouvelle theologie,’ and (7) they are proponents of a thick ecumenism.”
It is within the affirmations of such patristic traditions that Catholic Baptists are able to affirm the following in terms of sacramental theology: “We affirm baptism, preaching, and the Lord’s table as powerful signs that seal God’s faithfulness in Christ and express our response of awed gratitude rather than as mechanical rituals or mere symbols.” It is within those powerful signs that change is evoked. Methodists, Episcopalians, Roman Catholics, and Lutherans should be waving on our Baptist brethern as they tentatively try to leave their sacramental closets and join the rest of us who hold to the notion that God does something to us in such a way that we're changed forever.
A few years ago, while attending an Episcopal service one Sunday morning, I didn't feel anything special as I followed along in the reading of the liturgy, though I was trying my best to focus on the liturgy and concentrate with a prayerful attitude...but it just wasn't happening. And yet, within a moment or two, as we all shared within the liturgy of confession and penitence, something changed. As I went to the front of the church and partook in Holy Communion, I began to view those in my midst as brothers and sisters in Christ. It was at the table that we were neither rich nor poor, intellectuals or simpletons, but pilgrims connected by a presence through bread and wine.
Hmmm, is sacramental theology on the rise?
Friday, January 21, 2011
A Methodist Take on Baptist Worship: Understanding My Backyard in the Bible Belt
Author's note:
One of my deep interests deals with interfaith work and practice. As part of this passion, I've begun to do more research on various Christian communities in particular, because I feel that understanding the different facits of the Chrisitan Church is tremendously helpful when trying to develop unity and witness for a global community. Writing about other Christian traditions is also helpful for me as a confimation class facilitator--having a measurement or context in which Methodist faith practices breathe and interact with.
Baptist Worship
For Baptists, worship can be considerably different because of a major Baptist principle—church autonomy. In other words, the church decides on the way in which it will express and witness worship to the Christian community. But there are some distinct Baptist notions of worship that may be seen in most:
Baptists have traditionally looked askance at formal liturgy. They have come out of a tradition which eschewed all but the most elementary symbols, such as Bible, pulpit, Communion table, and baptistery. All candles, crosses, stained-glass windows, pictures, clerical garb, and altar cloths were taboo; and churches even refused to celebrate Easter and Christmas. More recently, however, attitudes have changed, and it is now common to see a cross and candles on the Communion table and even acolytes who light the candles (Maring & Hudson, 1991, p. 55).
Again, it is the decision of the church as to how and what worship will look like behind its doors. Another aspect in terminology is distinct as well in the way Baptists view baptism and the Lord’s Supper.
Ordinances
Both baptism and the Lord’s Supper are considered an ordinance instead of the more common term for both in other mainline denominations—the sacraments. An ordinance recognizes these Christian rites as practices of the Christian community, whereas, churches such as those following an episcopacy view these rites as sacramental—meaning that the act itself evokes a spiritual awakening or change leading to one’s salvation. Not that the Baptist views these rites as unimportant or common place, but instead appreciates the fact that the act itself is a witness to the worshipping community as well as to the broader world. As colonial America took shape, so did the ordinances in Baptist life:
Together with most other Protestants, the Baptists emphasized as central to church membership and fellowship the two basic ordinances of baptism and the Lord’s Supper. What made Baptist persuasion different was its belief that only those old enough to make an oral profession of their faith (and their conversion experience) were eligible for baptism and that baptism should be total immersion…The Lord’s Supper, usually held monthly or bimonthly (among those in good Christian fellowship), utilized a common Communion cup and fermented wine (Brackney, 1998, p.119).
Thus, not only did Christian rites viewed as ordinances demarcate Christian practice and witness, it also provided accountability for the Christian community.
One of my deep interests deals with interfaith work and practice. As part of this passion, I've begun to do more research on various Christian communities in particular, because I feel that understanding the different facits of the Chrisitan Church is tremendously helpful when trying to develop unity and witness for a global community. Writing about other Christian traditions is also helpful for me as a confimation class facilitator--having a measurement or context in which Methodist faith practices breathe and interact with.
Baptist Worship
For Baptists, worship can be considerably different because of a major Baptist principle—church autonomy. In other words, the church decides on the way in which it will express and witness worship to the Christian community. But there are some distinct Baptist notions of worship that may be seen in most:
Baptists have traditionally looked askance at formal liturgy. They have come out of a tradition which eschewed all but the most elementary symbols, such as Bible, pulpit, Communion table, and baptistery. All candles, crosses, stained-glass windows, pictures, clerical garb, and altar cloths were taboo; and churches even refused to celebrate Easter and Christmas. More recently, however, attitudes have changed, and it is now common to see a cross and candles on the Communion table and even acolytes who light the candles (Maring & Hudson, 1991, p. 55).
Again, it is the decision of the church as to how and what worship will look like behind its doors. Another aspect in terminology is distinct as well in the way Baptists view baptism and the Lord’s Supper.
Ordinances
Both baptism and the Lord’s Supper are considered an ordinance instead of the more common term for both in other mainline denominations—the sacraments. An ordinance recognizes these Christian rites as practices of the Christian community, whereas, churches such as those following an episcopacy view these rites as sacramental—meaning that the act itself evokes a spiritual awakening or change leading to one’s salvation. Not that the Baptist views these rites as unimportant or common place, but instead appreciates the fact that the act itself is a witness to the worshipping community as well as to the broader world. As colonial America took shape, so did the ordinances in Baptist life:
Together with most other Protestants, the Baptists emphasized as central to church membership and fellowship the two basic ordinances of baptism and the Lord’s Supper. What made Baptist persuasion different was its belief that only those old enough to make an oral profession of their faith (and their conversion experience) were eligible for baptism and that baptism should be total immersion…The Lord’s Supper, usually held monthly or bimonthly (among those in good Christian fellowship), utilized a common Communion cup and fermented wine (Brackney, 1998, p.119).
Thus, not only did Christian rites viewed as ordinances demarcate Christian practice and witness, it also provided accountability for the Christian community.
The Importance of Family in Promoting Positive Youth Development
The Role of the Family
The role of families in regard to their children’s development is much more than functionary—providing shelter, food, clothing, and transportation. In fact, research has shown that the most important influence in adolescents’ lives is their parents (Collins, Maccoby, Steinberg, Hetherington & Bornstein, 2000; Hutchinson & Baldwin, 2005). The categorization of 40 Developmental Assets from the research done at the Search Institute, indicate that external assets (support, empowerment, boundaries and expectations, and constructive use of time) are highly dependent on family involvement:
Support: Family life provides high levels of love and support and young person and his or her parent(s) communicate positively, and young person is willing to seek advice and counsel from parents. Parent(s) are actively involved in helping young person succeed in school.
Empowerment: Young person feels safe at home, at school, and in the neighborhood.
Boundaries and expectations: Family has clear rules and consequences and monitors the young person’s whereabouts. Parent(s) and teachers encourage the young person to do well. There are high expectations from both parent(s) and teachers to do wel(Search Institute, 1997; Witt & Caldwell, 2005, p. 10).
The Search Institute’s asset-driven approach towards positive youth development is based on the evidence that if a young person acquires a high percentage of those assets, he/she will have a better opportunity to achieve well-being:
For example, 49% of young people who indicate they have 0 to 10 of the 40 assets are likely to engage in problem alcohol use as opposed to only 3% of young people with 31to 40 assets. The same relationship holds true for being involved in violence, illicit drug use, and sexual activity…Similar percentages are found for other positive or thriving behavior attitudes such as exhibiting leadership, maintaining good health, and valuing diversity (Witt & Caldwell, 2005, p. 9).
Thus, the developmental asset model is helpful in monitoring positive youth development, especially when considering how the role of family plays such an influential part in the lives of adolescents.
It is research like the above-mentioned that suggests families should be included in the context of solution-based programs for youth. An example of utilizing the influential strengths of families is found within the multiple family group intervention approach. Within this approach or model, wisdom is diversified among group members (group leader, parent(s), and youth) in order to provide viable solutions for at-risk youth:
In multiple family group intervention, the attempt is made to acknowledge the private world of the individual, which may include suffering, alienation, and oppression, while simultaneously making an effort to help repair the fragmentation in the individual’s own community. Concurrently, each participant is viewed as a resource (Quinn, 2004, p. 8).
Viewing the family as a prominent resource, a youth development professional has a kaleidoscope of experiences and innate wisdom at his fingertips. Although family members may have ill-conceived or ill-advised notions of what constitutes productive parenting skills, they are more likely to listen and acknowledge appropriate responses if they are given voice within group scenarios.
A primary feature of a multiple family group intervention is the transformative process of viewing the “other” (Quinn, 2004, p. 189). For example, parent(s) are given the opportunity to view their children in a different light. Through a family solutions program, at-risk youth that have been perceived as “reckless,” “no-good,” “lazy,” or “dangerous” are empowered to shed those perceptions and adopt new ones through a renewed sense of narrative. The following Narrative Pedagogies Project demonstrates this type of youth empowerment through the writing and telling of their stories.
Narrative Pedagogies Project
The NPP (Narrative Pedagogies Project) is a religious education program for youth. It originated at Claremont Theological Seminary under the direction of professor Frank Rogers, Jr. Dr. Rogers’ initial aim in the program was to counter the prevailing consumer-driven mindset within youth culture. Because he believed youth were vulnerable to marketing ploys which mirrored desired cultural identities (refer to PBS’s Frontline Merchants of Cool for more information on youth consumer culture), Dr. Roger’s felt this current identity formation truncated their truer sense of themselves; and he advocated for the empowerment found within the arts (storytelling, poetry, drama, and the fine arts) in order to create meaning-making in their lives:
Young people, Rogers relates, internalize the narratives that are shaped by the people in power—in this case, by the folks who generate the commercials on TV. ‘Unfortunately,’ he goes on, ‘young people are not nurtured to be critically reflective, nor are they encouraged to question whether their own worth is tied to the products that they desire and acquire (Schier, 2009, p. 2).
The narrative design that Dr. Rogers utilizes has as much to do with the basic tenet of narrative theology as it does with youth development—having an appreciation of Life Story. A life story deals with the influential factors that create one’s narrative, which shapes discernment for moral action (Stone, 1995). In other words, the idea behind creating or rewriting one’s narrative is reflecting on the external factors (institutions, parents, other adults, peers, etc.) that become the backdrop of one’s story, and with this story one becomes empowered by this new, transcendent truth that compels a person to live and thrive within a newly-formed personhood. And it takes more than one person to do the work of narrative pedagogy.
Again, the family unit, an adolescent’s most influential source, can set the stage for positive youth development if they, too, are discerning a young person’s image through positive and productive means.
The role of families in regard to their children’s development is much more than functionary—providing shelter, food, clothing, and transportation. In fact, research has shown that the most important influence in adolescents’ lives is their parents (Collins, Maccoby, Steinberg, Hetherington & Bornstein, 2000; Hutchinson & Baldwin, 2005). The categorization of 40 Developmental Assets from the research done at the Search Institute, indicate that external assets (support, empowerment, boundaries and expectations, and constructive use of time) are highly dependent on family involvement:
Support: Family life provides high levels of love and support and young person and his or her parent(s) communicate positively, and young person is willing to seek advice and counsel from parents. Parent(s) are actively involved in helping young person succeed in school.
Empowerment: Young person feels safe at home, at school, and in the neighborhood.
Boundaries and expectations: Family has clear rules and consequences and monitors the young person’s whereabouts. Parent(s) and teachers encourage the young person to do well. There are high expectations from both parent(s) and teachers to do wel(Search Institute, 1997; Witt & Caldwell, 2005, p. 10).
The Search Institute’s asset-driven approach towards positive youth development is based on the evidence that if a young person acquires a high percentage of those assets, he/she will have a better opportunity to achieve well-being:
For example, 49% of young people who indicate they have 0 to 10 of the 40 assets are likely to engage in problem alcohol use as opposed to only 3% of young people with 31to 40 assets. The same relationship holds true for being involved in violence, illicit drug use, and sexual activity…Similar percentages are found for other positive or thriving behavior attitudes such as exhibiting leadership, maintaining good health, and valuing diversity (Witt & Caldwell, 2005, p. 9).
Thus, the developmental asset model is helpful in monitoring positive youth development, especially when considering how the role of family plays such an influential part in the lives of adolescents.
It is research like the above-mentioned that suggests families should be included in the context of solution-based programs for youth. An example of utilizing the influential strengths of families is found within the multiple family group intervention approach. Within this approach or model, wisdom is diversified among group members (group leader, parent(s), and youth) in order to provide viable solutions for at-risk youth:
In multiple family group intervention, the attempt is made to acknowledge the private world of the individual, which may include suffering, alienation, and oppression, while simultaneously making an effort to help repair the fragmentation in the individual’s own community. Concurrently, each participant is viewed as a resource (Quinn, 2004, p. 8).
Viewing the family as a prominent resource, a youth development professional has a kaleidoscope of experiences and innate wisdom at his fingertips. Although family members may have ill-conceived or ill-advised notions of what constitutes productive parenting skills, they are more likely to listen and acknowledge appropriate responses if they are given voice within group scenarios.
A primary feature of a multiple family group intervention is the transformative process of viewing the “other” (Quinn, 2004, p. 189). For example, parent(s) are given the opportunity to view their children in a different light. Through a family solutions program, at-risk youth that have been perceived as “reckless,” “no-good,” “lazy,” or “dangerous” are empowered to shed those perceptions and adopt new ones through a renewed sense of narrative. The following Narrative Pedagogies Project demonstrates this type of youth empowerment through the writing and telling of their stories.
Narrative Pedagogies Project
The NPP (Narrative Pedagogies Project) is a religious education program for youth. It originated at Claremont Theological Seminary under the direction of professor Frank Rogers, Jr. Dr. Rogers’ initial aim in the program was to counter the prevailing consumer-driven mindset within youth culture. Because he believed youth were vulnerable to marketing ploys which mirrored desired cultural identities (refer to PBS’s Frontline Merchants of Cool for more information on youth consumer culture), Dr. Roger’s felt this current identity formation truncated their truer sense of themselves; and he advocated for the empowerment found within the arts (storytelling, poetry, drama, and the fine arts) in order to create meaning-making in their lives:
Young people, Rogers relates, internalize the narratives that are shaped by the people in power—in this case, by the folks who generate the commercials on TV. ‘Unfortunately,’ he goes on, ‘young people are not nurtured to be critically reflective, nor are they encouraged to question whether their own worth is tied to the products that they desire and acquire (Schier, 2009, p. 2).
The narrative design that Dr. Rogers utilizes has as much to do with the basic tenet of narrative theology as it does with youth development—having an appreciation of Life Story. A life story deals with the influential factors that create one’s narrative, which shapes discernment for moral action (Stone, 1995). In other words, the idea behind creating or rewriting one’s narrative is reflecting on the external factors (institutions, parents, other adults, peers, etc.) that become the backdrop of one’s story, and with this story one becomes empowered by this new, transcendent truth that compels a person to live and thrive within a newly-formed personhood. And it takes more than one person to do the work of narrative pedagogy.
Again, the family unit, an adolescent’s most influential source, can set the stage for positive youth development if they, too, are discerning a young person’s image through positive and productive means.
The Youth Professional Serving Within a Pluralistic Society
Religious Pluralism
Since the Second Vatican Council (1965), under the auspices of Pope Paul VI and his successor Pope John Paul II, ecumenicalism and interfaith dialogue have shaped the American religious landscape significantly. Documents were written, foundations were developed, and committees were formed (i.e., The Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, The Commission for Religious Relations with Muslims and Jews, and the Nostra Aetate Foundation) in order to pave the way for interfaith dialogue from the perspective that the Catholic Church, among Protestants and other religious groups, lived in an environment of religious pluralism (Fitzgerald & Borelli, 2006). Such a whirlwind of interfaith dialogue was much in part a product of the lessons learned from the Jewish Holocaust—sentiments like the following ushered in the importance for tolerance and understanding of diverse religious traditions:
This monumental atrocity hovers over interfaith discussions like a brooding presence, warning that such a monstrous outrage must never happen again…We Christians will have to read the messianic prophecies with a new perspective and explain to Jewish friends why, for us, Jesus, in his death and in our experiences of his Resurrection, makes the break-through that anticipates the reign of God, and we have to listen to what our Jewish partners in dialogue have to say about the coming of God’s reign. (Sheerin, 1978, pp. 309-310, 312).
Within the cast shadow of the Holocaust, another necessity to understand one another emerged because of the demographic shifts within the American neighborhoods of a bourgeoning white majority, middle class. The need to understand one another became paramount when these shifts began to represent ethnic and cultural proximity.
In American society today, a culture shaped by a post 9/11 temperament, proximity is again an opportunity for religious awareness or interfaith dialogue to take place. Unfortunately, the reality that terrorism has landed on American soil has pushed the country’s religious conscience to point and demonize Middle Easterners, specifically those who are Muslim—often referred to as harbingers of terrorism.
Martin Marty, professor and author of numerous works on the subject of religious pluralism, suggests when faiths collide with one another that “the first address to these situations should not be the conventional plea for tolerance among them, but it is rather a call that at least one party begin to effect change by risking hospitality toward the other…Conversation and interplay follow the acts of reception; both are full of risk” (Marty, 2005, p. 1). In other words, practicing an interfaith dialogue among different groups of people, requires a proactive touch that must be genuine and authentic.
But within a world filled with militaristic agendas and entitlement notions of worth, a reactive scramble seems to be the normative response. Youth professionals should be aware that working within a context of religious pluralism is not always cut and dry. It takes a great deal of time to research and dialogue with youth and families of different faiths. And there is always the potential of an impasse. It is within those moments that the youth professional strives to do the best she can with the situation she is in. Thus, the goal is to educate and train youth in practices of hospitality.
Eduardo Ramirez, Assistant Professor of Youth Ministry at Eastern University, builds upon Marty’s notion of hospitality through his understanding of otherness:
The awareness of otherness is not a search for equality or uniformity that blurs or eliminates all differences. It is the acknowledgment of difference with the desire to relate to another individual. Yet because of otherness we attempt to go beyond differences in order to recognize the potential that others have for reciprocal relationships (Ramirez, 2005, p. 68).
Although his research is not focused on interfaith relations exclusively, he does make the case that “identity is fundamentally a relational concept; there is no identity without difference” (Ramirez, p. 70). It is differences that mirror and shape adolescent identity formation in order to perceive the inherent worth of the individual—the other.
If youth, who are of many different faiths and backgrounds, can see the value in one another’s differences, then there is the possibility for authentic religious pluralism to occur. It is the author’s viewpoint that discussing differences with one another, forces an individual to reflect and examine the inconsistencies and in congruencies as well as the inherent truths and mystery that foreshadow one’s values and belief systems. This is for the good because cognitive and effectual processes are working together—while honoring another’s feelings about his/her deeply rooted beliefs, one must examine uncomfortable areas of religious uncertainty that recently have been exposed. Thus, a place-sharing of humility and faith identity emerge for all parties involved in such an interfaith exchange.
Since the Second Vatican Council (1965), under the auspices of Pope Paul VI and his successor Pope John Paul II, ecumenicalism and interfaith dialogue have shaped the American religious landscape significantly. Documents were written, foundations were developed, and committees were formed (i.e., The Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, The Commission for Religious Relations with Muslims and Jews, and the Nostra Aetate Foundation) in order to pave the way for interfaith dialogue from the perspective that the Catholic Church, among Protestants and other religious groups, lived in an environment of religious pluralism (Fitzgerald & Borelli, 2006). Such a whirlwind of interfaith dialogue was much in part a product of the lessons learned from the Jewish Holocaust—sentiments like the following ushered in the importance for tolerance and understanding of diverse religious traditions:
This monumental atrocity hovers over interfaith discussions like a brooding presence, warning that such a monstrous outrage must never happen again…We Christians will have to read the messianic prophecies with a new perspective and explain to Jewish friends why, for us, Jesus, in his death and in our experiences of his Resurrection, makes the break-through that anticipates the reign of God, and we have to listen to what our Jewish partners in dialogue have to say about the coming of God’s reign. (Sheerin, 1978, pp. 309-310, 312).
Within the cast shadow of the Holocaust, another necessity to understand one another emerged because of the demographic shifts within the American neighborhoods of a bourgeoning white majority, middle class. The need to understand one another became paramount when these shifts began to represent ethnic and cultural proximity.
In American society today, a culture shaped by a post 9/11 temperament, proximity is again an opportunity for religious awareness or interfaith dialogue to take place. Unfortunately, the reality that terrorism has landed on American soil has pushed the country’s religious conscience to point and demonize Middle Easterners, specifically those who are Muslim—often referred to as harbingers of terrorism.
Martin Marty, professor and author of numerous works on the subject of religious pluralism, suggests when faiths collide with one another that “the first address to these situations should not be the conventional plea for tolerance among them, but it is rather a call that at least one party begin to effect change by risking hospitality toward the other…Conversation and interplay follow the acts of reception; both are full of risk” (Marty, 2005, p. 1). In other words, practicing an interfaith dialogue among different groups of people, requires a proactive touch that must be genuine and authentic.
But within a world filled with militaristic agendas and entitlement notions of worth, a reactive scramble seems to be the normative response. Youth professionals should be aware that working within a context of religious pluralism is not always cut and dry. It takes a great deal of time to research and dialogue with youth and families of different faiths. And there is always the potential of an impasse. It is within those moments that the youth professional strives to do the best she can with the situation she is in. Thus, the goal is to educate and train youth in practices of hospitality.
Eduardo Ramirez, Assistant Professor of Youth Ministry at Eastern University, builds upon Marty’s notion of hospitality through his understanding of otherness:
The awareness of otherness is not a search for equality or uniformity that blurs or eliminates all differences. It is the acknowledgment of difference with the desire to relate to another individual. Yet because of otherness we attempt to go beyond differences in order to recognize the potential that others have for reciprocal relationships (Ramirez, 2005, p. 68).
Although his research is not focused on interfaith relations exclusively, he does make the case that “identity is fundamentally a relational concept; there is no identity without difference” (Ramirez, p. 70). It is differences that mirror and shape adolescent identity formation in order to perceive the inherent worth of the individual—the other.
If youth, who are of many different faiths and backgrounds, can see the value in one another’s differences, then there is the possibility for authentic religious pluralism to occur. It is the author’s viewpoint that discussing differences with one another, forces an individual to reflect and examine the inconsistencies and in congruencies as well as the inherent truths and mystery that foreshadow one’s values and belief systems. This is for the good because cognitive and effectual processes are working together—while honoring another’s feelings about his/her deeply rooted beliefs, one must examine uncomfortable areas of religious uncertainty that recently have been exposed. Thus, a place-sharing of humility and faith identity emerge for all parties involved in such an interfaith exchange.
My Call Statement
Growing up in rural, middle Georgia, I enjoyed the lazy summer days of country life as well as spending time with my close-knit group of friends and family members who were always there for me. My adolescent years consisted of playing sports (football and baseball) and participating in church-related events—family picnics, UMYF, Christmas and Easter productions, etc. My upbringing resembled the quintessential makeup of most middle-class families—consisting of two parents, three kids, and two dogs, all of which lived under one roof.
This is the backdrop of who I am. And yet, as I’ve matured in faith and in years, God continually illuminates and replenishes areas of my life in need of renewal and restoration, suggesting that I’m a work in progress. Such illumination is humbling indeed, but is well worth the path I’ve chosen to follow from the one who called me to take up my cross and follow him. And it was those early, developmental years, foundational to my present growing in faith, that have shaped me with a positive sense of self, a belief in a loving God, and a vision of a hopeful world.
Me, Myself, and I
My parents and grandparents were very influential in my life in that they passed on their most treasured values to me: “Finish what you start,” “Live a life of integrity,” “Get an education,” “Pursue your dreams with earnest,” and “Lean on God and family for assurance.” Of course, as a teenager, I doubt I appreciated those gleanings of wisdom as much as I do now. But they did eventually seep into my late, adolescent brain.
As a teenager, I was much more inclined to strive for coolness than for positive youth development. I was the type of kid that could meander well through all of those “typical” middle and high school social cliques that vied for my attention. And though I did well within that season of life, I always felt that something was missing. I couldn’t articulate it then, but God, pushing through an elaborate montage of self-identifiers (athletics, grades, girl friends, band, art, church, etc.), was calling me to do “something.” It wasn’t until my college years that I realized God is always there, calling us to do “something” if only we will listen.
So, in response to this calling, my pastor allowed me to become the group leader of the UMYF during my senior year of high school. Later, as a freshman in college, the church employed me as their first paid youth director. The church paid me an income of $200 a month. Even though the pay was small, I loved the opportunity to work within the church. Those years of serving my home church gave me insight into what life could be like in service to others, and, in my case, to serve and minister with teens. I felt connected to a cause, and I was emboldened to pursue it.
A Loving God
As college graduation approached and I moved into full-time ministry as a youth pastor, I became overwhelmed with the intricate group dynamics and responsibilities attached to working within a mid-size congregation—200 to 350 members. My mentor and boss, Reverend Barry Ferguson, took me under his wings and showed me the ropes, so to speak. We spent numerous lunches discussing how to empower members for the ministries of the church and how to be sensitive to the needs of parents and youth. During one of our lunches, as I was asking him how to handle some issues that were arising in the youth department, he stopped me midway in the conversation and asked, “Brad, how do you spell your name?” I wondered what he was getting at, but I played along. “Barry, I spell it B-R-A-D.” “Good,” he said, “Because once you realize that your name isn’t spelled G-O-D the better off you’ll be!” I believe what he was trying to convey to me was that, when it’s all said and done, God is ultimately in control. Barry’s words of wisdom have stayed with me since those early days in my ministry, and I often reflect on them.
I’ve learned that the ministry of the church will go on with or without me. And yet, I have a great opportunity to be an agent of God’s love and mercy if I but learn to be obedient to God’s calling in my life. The apostle Paul said it best, “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that it may be made clear that this extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us” (2 Corinthians 4:7). In other words, learning to heed God’s calling in my life takes discipline through prayer, study, worship, and reflection. And this discipline (being a disciple) enables me to sense God’s presence in the world—I need not fear, for God has redeemed me and called me by name; I belong to God (Isaiah 43:1).
A Hopeful World
I do believe there’s hope for our hurting world. Over the years within the ministry, I’ve seen children, teenagers, families of all shapes and sizes give of themselves to minister to those in need through various work camps, outreach projects, and congregational settings. I’ve had the privilege to pray with and sponsor youth and adults who have ministered in places such as Haiti as well as other countries within the continent of Africa. I’m fortunate to have come across ordinary folks who are doing extraordinary things for the Kingdom…who are impassioned with God’s calling and are meeting the need wherever it appears. This is Good News!
For me, being in ministry is not by default. It is my vocation—a challenging vocation, but mine nonetheless. Whether I’m ministering to a group of youth in a Sunday school classroom or preaching to a multi-generational congregation on Sunday morning, my calling is the same and all too familiar—“speak the truth in love.”
My grandfather shared with me once that the reason he joined the Marines as a young man was because he felt that if he could become a marine, he could do anything in life. Well, I share a similar sentiment: If I can serve as a pastor with integrity, passion, love, and humility, then there’s no telling how God may use my life in order to further the Kingdom of God.
This is the backdrop of who I am. And yet, as I’ve matured in faith and in years, God continually illuminates and replenishes areas of my life in need of renewal and restoration, suggesting that I’m a work in progress. Such illumination is humbling indeed, but is well worth the path I’ve chosen to follow from the one who called me to take up my cross and follow him. And it was those early, developmental years, foundational to my present growing in faith, that have shaped me with a positive sense of self, a belief in a loving God, and a vision of a hopeful world.
Me, Myself, and I
My parents and grandparents were very influential in my life in that they passed on their most treasured values to me: “Finish what you start,” “Live a life of integrity,” “Get an education,” “Pursue your dreams with earnest,” and “Lean on God and family for assurance.” Of course, as a teenager, I doubt I appreciated those gleanings of wisdom as much as I do now. But they did eventually seep into my late, adolescent brain.
As a teenager, I was much more inclined to strive for coolness than for positive youth development. I was the type of kid that could meander well through all of those “typical” middle and high school social cliques that vied for my attention. And though I did well within that season of life, I always felt that something was missing. I couldn’t articulate it then, but God, pushing through an elaborate montage of self-identifiers (athletics, grades, girl friends, band, art, church, etc.), was calling me to do “something.” It wasn’t until my college years that I realized God is always there, calling us to do “something” if only we will listen.
So, in response to this calling, my pastor allowed me to become the group leader of the UMYF during my senior year of high school. Later, as a freshman in college, the church employed me as their first paid youth director. The church paid me an income of $200 a month. Even though the pay was small, I loved the opportunity to work within the church. Those years of serving my home church gave me insight into what life could be like in service to others, and, in my case, to serve and minister with teens. I felt connected to a cause, and I was emboldened to pursue it.
A Loving God
As college graduation approached and I moved into full-time ministry as a youth pastor, I became overwhelmed with the intricate group dynamics and responsibilities attached to working within a mid-size congregation—200 to 350 members. My mentor and boss, Reverend Barry Ferguson, took me under his wings and showed me the ropes, so to speak. We spent numerous lunches discussing how to empower members for the ministries of the church and how to be sensitive to the needs of parents and youth. During one of our lunches, as I was asking him how to handle some issues that were arising in the youth department, he stopped me midway in the conversation and asked, “Brad, how do you spell your name?” I wondered what he was getting at, but I played along. “Barry, I spell it B-R-A-D.” “Good,” he said, “Because once you realize that your name isn’t spelled G-O-D the better off you’ll be!” I believe what he was trying to convey to me was that, when it’s all said and done, God is ultimately in control. Barry’s words of wisdom have stayed with me since those early days in my ministry, and I often reflect on them.
I’ve learned that the ministry of the church will go on with or without me. And yet, I have a great opportunity to be an agent of God’s love and mercy if I but learn to be obedient to God’s calling in my life. The apostle Paul said it best, “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that it may be made clear that this extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us” (2 Corinthians 4:7). In other words, learning to heed God’s calling in my life takes discipline through prayer, study, worship, and reflection. And this discipline (being a disciple) enables me to sense God’s presence in the world—I need not fear, for God has redeemed me and called me by name; I belong to God (Isaiah 43:1).
A Hopeful World
I do believe there’s hope for our hurting world. Over the years within the ministry, I’ve seen children, teenagers, families of all shapes and sizes give of themselves to minister to those in need through various work camps, outreach projects, and congregational settings. I’ve had the privilege to pray with and sponsor youth and adults who have ministered in places such as Haiti as well as other countries within the continent of Africa. I’m fortunate to have come across ordinary folks who are doing extraordinary things for the Kingdom…who are impassioned with God’s calling and are meeting the need wherever it appears. This is Good News!
For me, being in ministry is not by default. It is my vocation—a challenging vocation, but mine nonetheless. Whether I’m ministering to a group of youth in a Sunday school classroom or preaching to a multi-generational congregation on Sunday morning, my calling is the same and all too familiar—“speak the truth in love.”
My grandfather shared with me once that the reason he joined the Marines as a young man was because he felt that if he could become a marine, he could do anything in life. Well, I share a similar sentiment: If I can serve as a pastor with integrity, passion, love, and humility, then there’s no telling how God may use my life in order to further the Kingdom of God.
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