Thursday, March 26, 2015

You $&%#ing Amateur!

I am a giant dork.  The fact that I'm about to quote from Game of Thrones reflects this.


I love Tyrion.  Everyone loves Tyrion, except in the books and show where everyone pretty much despises him.  The above quote that was made into a handy image (I don't know who made it so I can't cite it, but thanks to whomever did) was Tyrion a dwarf speaking to Jon Snow about how to make peace with his status as a child born out of wedlock (or whatever the term would be for someone born out of an act of infidelity).

This is some fantastic advice, and something I wish I had been told much earlier in life.  I think it would have helped me as an awkward youngster (and awkward adult for that matter).

I was describing my church life to a co-worker one day.  I'm part of a very small Church that is just getting started in Chicago.  We rent space and only have services once a month for the time being.  I have never attended seminary and in matters of religion I am mostly self-educated.  Most of my ministry, however, takes place outside of even our small church, as I am a law-enforcement chaplain and frequently I speak to people regarding religion in hallways, parking lots and break rooms.  Most people who see what I do are fairly indifferent.  Occasionally, however, I will get someone who attends a very large evangelical or Roman Catholic church who scoffs at my meager ministry and will attempt to throw an insult or two my way.  It was recently declared, in a rather dismissive tone, that I'm an amateur.  I have edited the actual statement and removed the colorful adjective that was with it.

And to this classification, I whole-heartedly agree.

I'm not entirely sure why the word amateur tends to carry a negative connotation.  Literally it means "Lover of" and implies that the person engaging in the pursuit is doing it for love of that particular endeavor rather than as a paid professional.  An ALPO amateur astronomer can help you find the stars just as easily as a professor working in a planetarium. 

I would argue that the vast majority of ministers are doing what they do because of their love of it.  A love of God and a love of your neighbor are great motivators for someone to enter the ministry.  I certainly do not believe that anyone would disagree with the idea that if you're performing ministry for the paycheck you're in the wrong business.

The Independent Sacramental Movement is small.  And although there are a wide variety of denominations that fall under that umbrella, with very few exceptions, most of the congregations are tiny compared to your average Catholic, Baptist, etc. communities.  There is nothing wrong with that.  Microchurches are becoming much more popular, particularly with people whose beliefs are outside of mainstream Christianity.  Finding an ISM church that rents space or meets in a private home is quite normal.

I would encourage, however, that you wear what you are on your sleeves.  I have seen many a website for ISM churches that show interior photographs of huge, beautiful cathedrals.  And while it makes for a very nice website that looks quite "churchy" if you happen to attract a potential congregant who believes they are going to attend mass at a giant stone temple but upon arrival it is being held in your apartment, the congregant may feel mislead or "lied to". 

Be up front about who you are and what you are.  If you simply meet at a coffee shop or library to talk and discuss religion then say so.  If you're a study group, advertise that you're a study group.  If you meet at someone's home then be clear about it.  As written in Matthew 18:20 "For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst."

The product is far more important than the wrapper it is in. 

2 comments:

  1. We're all amateurs, anyone who says they aren't simply proves the point. :)

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