Better days at Warner Press

Life has been extremely busy for me the past few weeks. In addition to the extra demands surrounding Easter, our family has been moving to another house. And that has left little room for acitivities like blogging.

 

I came across an article at Christianity Today on "The 40 Best Christian Places to Work". The whole topic seems somewhat goofy and off the mark in terms of what we should be really focusing on. Nevertheless, what caught my attention is the fact that Warner Press is listed as one of the best Christian places to work (actually #2 in the category "Media (100 or fewer employees)").

 

Seeing Warner Press on this list is significant because it may indicate that things may have turned around at our publishing house. If you've been around the Church of God for awhile you are well aware that Warner Press has gone through some very trying times in the last 20 years. There have been critical financial struggles, and major changes in business focus and management. I'm sure that employee morale during much of this time has been less than positive. This new list, which is based on actual surveys taken among employees, gives us some tangible evidence that the new direction at Warner Press may be firmly established and that the staff are onboard. The leaders who have brought the company through this transition need to be commended.

 

Now, if only Warner Press could build on this foundation and take a much more active role in providing important books and resources that will strengthen the church, and avoid getting side-tracked from the more trivial aspects of Christian publishing, despite the allure of greater profit. But, that's another topic for another day...

 

ONEvoice! observations

I recently received the April/May 2006 edition of ONEvoice! the bi-monthly magazine of the Church of God in North America. Here a few observations:

 

1. Ronald Duncan, in his one-page "FRONTline" column, addresses "Change in the Church of God". (Taken alongside Jeannette Flynn's recent ponderings, it sounds like this is a hot issue in the Anderson offices right now). While Duncan covers some predictable territory, there are a few noteworthy thoughts as starting points for honest reflection that hopefully can lead to change:

"Meaningful change happens when present reality is honestly acknowledged"

 

"We have ignored or shunned major problems because of our polity (governance)."

 

"We must address, with divine reflection, a tweaking of our polity in order to nurture the growth and maturation of the church. We have to find ways to confront and overcome corporate dysfunction. Led by the Holy Spirit, we have to find mentor leadership for the future. We have to find ways to carry out worldwide ministries to the dispossessed, disenfranchised, discouraged, and diseased. We have to find ways to work in the kingdom of God with all our brothers and sisters to confront evil."

 

Ronald V. Duncan, "Change in the Church of God", ONEvoice! April/May 2006, p. 6

2. Merle Strege tackles holiness in his heritage column, and correctly tries to get us to move beyond our individualistic, legalistic and moralistic orientation, and towards a mission focus. Strege reminds us that Warner and other pioneers believed that holiness is the prerequisite necessary to bring about unity, which ultimately is "the means by which nonbelievers would come to the knowledge that God had sent Christ into the world." The implications are that "such holiness will identify the church as a catalyst for reconciliation and mercy in the world rather than mark it as a community preoccupied with what Christians do not do." Merle Strege, "The experience of holiness", ONEvoice! April/May 2006, p. 27.

 

3. Obviously, we have some individuals in our movement who are prompting us to re-examine and our thinking and practice. That is encouraging. And, certainly there are congregations moving beyond status quo and engaging in outward focused ministry (for example, read the articles regarding First Church of God in Kokomo, IN, and Sixth Avenue Church of God in Decatur, AL). Exciting! But, notice the church news clips in the EXTRAvoice! insert. In almost every instance, the news being reported is on internal church accomplishments, like building programs, fundraising successes, and programs. Not to undermine these occasions for thanksgiving, but why so few reports of churches ministering in the world? I know that these 17 congregational reports provide a very small sampling of all that goes on in our 2000+ churches, but it makes me wonder if these might be an indication of the general culture within our movement. What do we really value? Have we lost our vision, passion and calling for holiness that can truly impact the world?

 

Pastor's Fellowship

In the past few weeks I received several mailings from "Pastors' Fellowship", a highly conservative segment of our movement that tends to be concentrated in the Midwest. They have been promoting their annual gathering in Winchester, Kentucky, and more recently mailed out their quarterly magazine, the Reformation Witness.

 

Reformation Witness, for those that have never seen it, is a peculiar oddity. Visually, it looks like a bad nightmare from 30 years ago, with atrocious design and amateurish layout. The articles are typically doctrinal proclamations, but rarely insightful.

 

In short, I don't "get" Pastors' Fellowship.

 

My intent is not to unnecessarily criticize Pastors' Fellowship. I'm sure there are many fine individuals among their numbers, and someday I'd love to visit Winchester and observe first-hand what goes on there. (Anyone want to underwrite this fledgling blogger?).

 

I am also a firm believer that diversity should be welcome within the Church of God. There is room for ultra-conservatives, pacifists, African-Americans, Hispanics, emergents, liberals, etc.

 

The real difficulty I have with Pastors' Fellowship (or any other similar faction) is the implied attitude of superiority that is often projected. My observation of this group in particular is that they believe themselves to be the true guardians of the reformation movement, and that "Anderson" does not quite live up to their high conservative standard. Hence the need for separate gatherings, publications, and organization.

 

What is needed in the Church of God is healthy dialogue among all segments of our constituency. What concerns me is that all of our regional, cultural, racial, linguistic and theological divisions have tended to keep us from understanding each other. We have tended to hide in our cloistered corners, afraid of engaging with one another. And Church of God Ministries, conscious of these sensitivities, has often walked with excessive caution in this political minefield, afraid to provide the leadership necessary to move us out of this crippling environment. (A big hint for Jeannette Flynn as she discusses transforming our internal culture).  

 

If we are ever to find meaningful ways to express important teachings (like holiness) and engage in critical mission, we must all come to the Table and table. We must start practicing the unity we so vigorously preach.

 

Holiness Manifesto

Last month the Wesleyan Holiness Study Project, a consortium of leaders from ten holiness denominations (including the Church of God) released a "Holiness Manifesto" as part of a goal to articulate "a contemporary statement of holiness for the future mission of the Church".

 

I encourage you to read the Manifesto, further blog reflections at CHOG Migration, and an article at Christianity Today.

 

There is no need for me to summarize the key points, but I want to make a few observations and comments:

 

1. I am encouraged to see our participation in this project. Not only do we have something to contribute, but also much to learn from others.

2. The Manifesto is one of the finest statements of holiness that I have read. While it may not satisfy those looking for an exhaustive doctrinal treatise, the Manifesto affirms holiness and states it in a fresh manner that is relevant for our time and the issues we face.

3. There is deliberate effort to correct the abuses and misconceptions often associated with holiness. For example: "Holy people are not legalistic or judgmental. The do not pursue an exclusive, private state of being better than others. Holiness is not flawlessness but the fulfillment of God's intention for us."

4. Most impressive for me is the link of holiness with mission and even the stewardship of creation. This truly takes holiness beyond its individualistic and moralistic excesses, and places it in the proper context of Jesus' message.

5. As significant as this Manifesto is, how will this impact our broader constituency within the Church of God? If this is just another lofty statement created by theologians and administrators it will die a death along with many other ideals. I would hope that it would provide a springboard for discussion within our own movement, especially at the level of local congregations. Are we prepared to enter into a new dialogue concerning holiness and its meaning for our world, or we will be content to simply regurgitate previously stated abstractions?