I began my ministry with grand thoughts and great expectations. The Lutheran Church in America, the American Lutheran Church, and the Association of Evangelical Lutheran Churches had just merged to form our current body, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. This was to be 'our Church', as opposed to our parent's church. As young adults Karla and I had committed ourselves to service in this Church. Karla also had the opportunity to work in the office of the Presiding Bishop of the American Lutheran Church throughout our seminary years and had a front row seat to witness and participate in all the details leading up to the merger. My own goals were centered around being a mission developer in this Church, starting new congregations. The future looked bright.
But the world changed.
The Church stopped growing. The steady expansion of the Church that had begun in the post war era was now over. Major evangelism efforts had only the effect of curbing the losses, not extending the outreach. One of the ELCA's goals, to become a more inclusive Church, hit one brick wall after another. Little progress was made. A goal that was envisioned to be attainable in ten years has not been even moderately achieved in thirty, in fact almost no progress has been made. Major losses of membership occurred as result of Ecumenical agreements, and decisions regarding human sexuality. But most of all, my parents generation simply died. And my children's generation has simply not filled in behind them. The denomination has declined by approximately 1/3 during the last three decades.
My manic side schemed and dreamed.
Two multi-congregational parishes were formed. A new congregation was organized. A sister congregation in Russia became a focus. And in my most powerful manic episode to date I saw senior housing as a tool to expand the Church's ministry and extend its outreach. Luther Park at Sandpoint was developed. And an even larger more ambitious project, the Beacon at Southridge, was conceived and pursued, only to become a victim of the economic collapse in 2008. The hope was that these senior housing projects would provide the resources for expansion as well as the contacts with people and the opportunity for meaningful ministry. The baby-boomers would return as we cared for their aging parents.
Didn't happen.
Mania gave way to depression, and unbridled optimism to a guarded pessimism. My world collapsed. Alcoholism had to be treated. Bipolar disorder was diagnosed and treatment began. I went on disability as I began to sort out my life and seek healing.
The vision is different now.
I believe that we are in a new era in the Church's life, an unwelcome chapter in our history. The age of Christendom is over. Secularism is the norm in our society. I'm struck that I've never had the opportunity to welcome into the congregation's life any couples like Karla and I, young, enthusiastic, and chomping at the bit, ready to take the reigns and lead. And we were not unique. When I became the president of our congregation at the ripe old age of 24, I joined a cadre of other young leaders, some who had been doing the same thing since they had graduated from college.
9/11 was supposed to change things.
For a few weeks attendance was up. But unlike the two world wars and a great depression that shaped my parent's generation and fueled the Church's expansion during the post war era-- 9/11 simply didn't impact our lives much.
I have come to the point of wondering if we are heading into a period of epic proportions in the Church's life. How much more will the Church decline? How many congregations will close?
The center of Christianity is shifting globally from Europe and North America to Africa and Asia.
In our country, even weddings and funerals are becoming a secular affair.
I feel deep within my soul that our mission today has much in common with that of the Israelites during the exile. We are tasked with preserving the remnant of God's people from which the Church will be reborn after the necessary and inevitable dying occurs. What I did not realize entering ministry when I dreamed the great dreams and envisioned this wonderful new Church, was that there would be a dying and much grief to experience prior to the rebirth and new life. The soil needs tilling as well as planting. There is a lot of ground to cover between seed time and harvest.
Now, I simply cling to the promise. Even as I wonder how long this period of 'exile' will last, I remain convinced that God will not turn away from us forever. And I hope that when the Church rebounds it will become the more vibrant and inclusive body we have longed for. If we do our work well during this time of exile, perhaps the Spirit will guide our rebirth in such a manner that we might become that which we were meant to be.
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