Hear My Heart

Us versus them. Why does it seem that it has always been and will always be so? Gentiles versus Jews. Jews versus Christians. Christians versus Muslims. Religion seems to have a way of creating division. The good news is that Christianity is about relationships – not religion. So at the forefront, let me say that it is all about a relationship with Jesus Christ that brings us into God’s family that makes us brothers and sisters in Christ. Unity, not division, is the cry of our Heavenly Father. And yet the beat goes on. Perhaps it is because like all families, the Christian family has its good points and bad. Perhaps it is because even Christians are human, and human frailty causes us to give in to the temptation to fuss and feud.

In my lifetime, the church has struggled through the turmoil of black versus white, conservative versus liberal, traditional versus contemporary, and young versus old. I’m sure that many of you did not see that last one coming. Most of us are still stuck on that traditional/ contemporary battle. Do we sing the old hymns or praise choruses? Do we use the hymnal or project the words on the screen? When you put it down on paper, it seems kind of silly. In reality most of these battles have been “silly” to some extent. Never should race have been allowed to play a part in determining who could be a member of our churches. Please understand. I love a good, upbeat traditional worship service. I love a well-planned and executed contemporary service that doesn’t necessarily “rock my face off.” I use that descriptive phrase only because it was how a church was described to me recently.

Simply for disclosure purposes, I am the pastor of a very traditional church with a large population of senior adults with a good variety of younger people as well. Recently I shared with a group of men two principles that I firmly believe and know that are equally important to my church family. First, I will never disenfranchise our senior adults by taking away our traditional worship and replacing it with a contemporary service. I’m certain that I will take some heat for that statement from some of my colleagues, but if I have any understanding of scripture, I believe that even senior adults need to worship, and this particular set of senior adults have made great sacrifices to ensure that this church is still in existence. Some even mortgaged their homes to pay the bills during difficult financial times. Perhaps I am just not aware of it, but I have not seen the same commitment from those who are part of my own generation. However, having said this, the second principle is as important as the first. If we do not offer a contemporary worship service, we will lose many of our young families who are attending, and we will not reach the lost of that generation. Just as our senior adults may not be able to worship with the heavy beat of drums and the rhythmic strumming of electric guitars playing behind the singing of the same words over and over, our young people do not relate to organ music accompanying the singing of the first, second, and last verses.

With that said, I come to the point of this story. The ugly beast of division that seems to have reared its head today is the battle between the young and the old. But this battle seems to be raging not in the pews but in the pulpits. Younger minister versus older minister. I feel almost blindsided by this because, until recently, I considered myself one of the younger ministers. Recent events have caused me to reevaluate my position. During the Southern Baptist Convention this year, I was shocked to hear our leaders say that we must be very careful or we will lose our younger ministers. We must give them positions of responsibility within the convention so that they will not feel left out. While I have no animosity toward these “younger” pastors, I am filled with wonder that Albert Mohler and other “convention leaders” would express such sentiments. We have older ministers, more mature pastors and denominational leaders who have given much to the Kingdom of God and to our convention, who are being verbally attacked and ridiculed by this younger generation of ministers, but we are afraid of losing them? I will admit that there were times when I was younger that I felt the older pastors were looking down at me as just a young, immature pastor who was wet behind the ears, but I respected their wisdom because the Bible tells me that I should. But it seems that this new generation of pastors, and perhaps members of our churches, believe that at some point in life the Holy Spirit no longer leads, gives wisdom, or blesses the man of God who has served well for many years. At what age does that happen? 40? 45? 50? It seems to me that godly wisdom is given to all who seek it, and that wisdom should grow greater with age. It seems to me that since the majority of Southern Baptist members and clergy are older that they should have greater representation – not less. It seems to me that since the population of the United States is growing older rapidly that we would not want to disenfranchise this demographic but harness its wisdom and energy by including them in our ministry and ministering to them.

I know that this article will be viewed as a rant of an older minister against the younger ministers. I know that I will be criticized as being one who wants only to slap down these young “whipper-snappers” and put them in their place. I have already been accused of that, but I am not that kind of person. I believe in inclusion for all true believers. I believe the best church is the church that has a wide representation of all age groups. So to the younger ministers I say this: I will respect your opinion, but I ask you to respect mine. I will not complain about you wearing blue jeans and flip flops when you preach, but don’t complain about my coat and tie. I will not question the way you do ministry as long as you are doing ministry, but please don’t question the way I do ministry as long as I am doing ministry.

Finally, to all Southern Baptists, let me say this. Let us hold firm to the things which make us unique. First, let us renew our undying commitment to reaching the lost world through the gospel of Jesus Christ. Second, let us cherish the genius of the Cooperative Program that has allowed us to send missionaries around the world and provide theological education to our ministers that is second to none. Third, let that spirit of cooperation and fellowship guide our discussions and our ministries in the future so that the world will see that Christianity is about a relationship of unity amidst great diversity that makes us stronger.