North American Convention - Wednesday

It's hard to believe that we've already arrived at Wednesday, the last day of the NAC. For me the hectic pace of meetings, etc. has made the past five day go by in blur!

For many the day began with the last session of the General Assembly. As outgoing Chairperson Bob Moss stated there were no "crashes" again this year, making this a rather uneventful meeting. A number of minor bylaw amendments were voted on today, as was a resolution presented regarding the National Day of Prayer. Regarding this latter item I hope to post specifically on it next week.

Once G.A. and the morning service are over things begin to move into disassembly mode. Some people begin returning home, and displays are taken down. Everyone gets ready for the closing service, which is typically well attended, largely because of a number of Anderson locals showing up. Tonight's service featured General Director Ron Duncan preaching on one of his favorite topics: the need for interconnectedness in the church. Ron was in a relaxed mode tonight, probably because of the pressures of the week mainly over, and it showed in his preaching. He was actually funny, with some impromptu moments of levity that allowed us all to share in some hearty laughter. While most of it was not intentional, it actually contributed to drawing us together! But, the evening was also marked with powerful worship and the concluding candlelight service that seemed to have extra significance this year.

Tomorrow I will share my overall reflections of the event.

North American Convention - Tuesday

Tuesday is General Assembly day at the NAC, the occasion where we gather to conduct the corporate, national business of our movement. The big change this year is the move back to Park Place church for the General Assembly, something that was regular occurrence 20+ years ago. My G.A. experiences up to this point have always been in Reardon so I don't know how Park Place worked in the past, but no one I talked was pleased with the step backward. The church was packed, with a number of people standing at times. It was very warm, as the air conditioning couldn't keep up even on this moderate summer day. And, the pews are far from comfortable. My assumption is that in order to keep the services at Reardon (along with the instruments and appropriate sound equipment) they decided on this change. But, it didn't work and hopefully next year we'll be back across the street.

Apart from the venue, General Assembly was a positive experience. We have learned to conduct business in an orderly, efficient and civil fashion. And, the good news concerning our financial situation helped make the uncomfortable seating a little more bearable. My only real complaint about the meeting itself is that sometimes I think the General Assembly borders on selling programs instead of reporting. Having a captive audience makes it tempting to use the opportunity for publicity and marketing, which can frustrate attendees. I believe this is one of the reason that attendance drops off as the day progresses.

There were several important announcements today. One is the launching of CHOG Ministry Connector, a new website to link churches and ministers for ministry positions. Also, the Communion together publication was unveiled. This is an expanded version of the Communion tabloid that has been published in recent years for pastors. Communion together has a wider range of articles in a 24 page newsletter format. It is definitely an improvement and should fill a gap in our communications, at least for those leaders desiring printed news and teaching.

Today's theme was based on the "Free" transformational aspect (i.e. stewardship). Tonight's message was brought by Tom Dougherty, a pastor who has taught and implemented good stewardship practices in his own congregation.

North American Convention - Monday

Today was a great day for convention goers to take advantage of a large menu of available conferences. For me, the School of Theology's Doctrinal Dialogue is an annual tradition. For the second year in a row a "Town Hall" meeting with General Director Ron Duncan and General Assembly Chair Bob Moss was held. Opportunities were provided for individuals to ask questions about things happening at Church of God Ministries, and the second half was devoted specifically to the matter of the future of the NAC (led by an outside consultant that has been hired to lead the process). Attendance was strong, and the discussions were polite and largely subdued (perhaps too much).

Tonight's service included the annual commissioning of missionaries, always a NAC highlight. Dr. James Earl Massey was the speaker and, as usual, delivered a strong message, emphasizing the importance of our connections within the Body of Christ. I chose to attend the Park Place service. As I reported yesterday this is an alternative venue that provides a more traditional worship experience. And, as I discovered, it was done very well with such familiar names as Paul Yerden and Dean Schields in leadership. It was obvious from their enthusiastic participation that the largely older demographic was at home singing familiar hymns (even using the hymnal!) with piano and organ accompaniment. And the coordination to connect to the sermon video feed from Reardon was almost spot on. I think this works!

North American Convention - Sunday

Sunday is a fairly laid-back day at the NAC. In the morning attendees are encouraged to attend one of the local Church of God congregations, most of which tend to swell on this day. There are minimal conferences during the day. But, by Sunday evening things start moving into full gear as many more people arrive in Anderson. The evening service has become a highlight of the convention as churches across the continent (and to a certain extent, the world) tune in online to participate in the Global Communion celebration. Tonight lived up to expectations. Fantastic music, and a very powerful sermon by Randy Bargerstock, who challenged us with "Permeating to Transform", calling us to permeate our world (i.e. definitely one to watch on online archive or on DVD purchase). Following the service there was also the annual Heritage Sing-A-Long.

Last night I indicated that Park Place was being used as an overflow venue. Tonight a new twist was introduced. Park Place participants were offered a different worship experience (i.e. more traditional), with only the sermon brought in through video. This is interesting for two reasons. First of all this has been hardly promoted. Earlier I had heard rumors that this was happening, but there were few other indications of this. It was mentioned at the beginning of tonight's service at Reardon, but even the program booklet contains no reference to an alternative service, with the exception of one obscure, passing statement. Very strange. The other interesting point of this innovation is that it marks the first time in NAC history that an alternative worship service was provided. It certainly reflects our times and is a further indication that in the midst of our growing diversity it is unrealistic to expect that a worship service can be the basis of or primary expression of our identity or unity.

I'd better get to bed. Tomorrow is a full day!

Book Discussion: Mosaic - Introduction

Since getting my hands on Patrick Nachtigall's new book yesterday, I have had a hard time putting it down. Mosaic: A Journey Across the Church of God is a profound book and a "must read" for anyone interested in or concerned about our movement. In my opinion, this is the most important writing on the Church of God since Merle Strege's I Saw the Church in 2002.

Because of its significance I want to enter into a comprehensive dialogue over the issues that Nachtigall raises, and this means more than just a simple, one-post review. I want to invite my blog readers to read this book together and enter into an ongoing discussion over the next few months. Of course, you can also comment on the book's own website: www.chogmosaic.com

If you are ready to join me in this discussion the obvious first step is to obtain a copy of the book as soon as possible. If you are at the North American Convention be sure so pick up a copy at the Warner Press tent (and get it signed tonight by Patrick himself!). Otherwise, order your copy either from Warner Press or Amazon to get started. Every Sunday I will post on the next chapter and hope that you will interact with me on the observations and analysis we discover in the book.

While not everyone may have a copy of the book yet, I want to get started today with the brief introduction. Here Nachtigall describes his intent and method of approach. Ultimately, everything goes back to the question he opens the book with: "Is the Church of God reformation movement finished?"(xi) While he doesn't yet answer the question directly it is evident that he is not convinced that the answer has to be affirmative. But, in order for us to have a bright future it is essential that we at least become aware of the realities we face. In this way our "fragmented community" can "get to know each other all over again" (xiii) and move toward a new future. Nachtigall brings this awareness to us through the stories of Church of God people around the world and presents them here for us to ponder.

I look forward to the Journey and having you with me!

North American Convention - Saturday

While technically Friday evening's Anderson University musical service marks the beginning of the NAC, the effective beginning is Saturday. And, having arrived late last evening, it was on this hot and humid Indiana summer day that the convention began for me.

Saturday is a busy day for me at the NAC, mainly taken up with meetings related to my role as an Area Administrator. And, of special significance for me was getting to hear Patrick Nachtigall address us. While he didn't actually rehash his new book for us (that is available at a separate conference on Sunday) he did share a provocative analysis of the state of the Church of God globally as he discovered it from his extensive travel and research. In short, he says that internationally we are "mostly in chaos" and he attributes that largely to the less than desirable aspects of our movement's DNA that have been uncritically transmitted to other cultures. These aspects include autonomy, suspicion of strong leadership, resistance to strong organizational structure, and lack of accountability. Nachtigall's assessment is far from simplistic. He clearly reads the situation and offers numerous well articulated insights. Ultimately he sees his book as not providing the solutions, but "a realistic platform for dialogue". I obtained my copy today and look forward to reading it as soon as possible along with posts here.

One of the most obvious changes at this year's convention is the new venue setting. Ever since the demise of Warner Auditorium we have been trying to find a new home in Anderson. The Kardatzke Wellness Center worked for a few years, but the annual setup cost was ridiculous. Last year's spread across the city (including evening services at Madison Park church) worked, but took away from the event's cohesiveness. It looks like they may have found a solution that will work for the foreseeable future (or at least until they move this event out of Anderson - but I digress!). Most everything is concentrated in one corner of the Anderson University campus, with Reardon Auditorium and Park Place church as the main gathering hubs. A two-block section of 5th Street is closed off to traffic allowing for people to congregate. Display tents are just east of Reardon in the parking lot, making this a great place to hang out. Once people catch on to the new site, and when the weather moderates, this should be a busy hub.

Tonight's keynote service was the first opportunity for this congregating to take place. The service actually takes place at Reardon Auditorium, but Park Place is setup with high-quality, live video feed as an overflow. The latter was not really needed tonight, as Reardon could have easily accommodated everyone present. When I popped in at the beginning there were only 14 in attendance (plus ushers). That will certainly change in the coming days.

This year's evening services feature Todd Braschler as the worship leader. The setting, along with the outstanding acoustics, provided a comfortable and familiar environment that contributed to a powerful experience. Mitchell Burch spoke tonight, addressing the first of the five transformational statements, "Ignite", which focuses on the Great Commission. In his vibrant, campmeeting style Burch challenged not only us individuals but our larger structures to get in line with God's mission in the world.

Unfortunately, however, reports are that no one else was able to take in last night or tonight's services. That is, cable and Internet broadcasts don't appear to have been working, a big frustration for organizers. Hopefully they will have their technical issues resolved for Sunday evening when many churches across the continent (and even the world) will be watching. [UPDATE: June 27/10: Apparently some were able to watch, but I have heard reports to the contrary]

NAC Coverage

Today I am on my way to Anderson for the North American Convention of the Church of God. As I have done now for several years I will blog daily on my reflections on the NAC. In addition I will expand my Twitter coverage which you can follow @chogblog. (For others tweeting during NAC please use the #nacchog hashtag for easy sharing). For what's it worth I will also be checking in using Google Buzz and will check Google Maps to see if there others around with whom I can connect.

The NAC continues to evolve as an event and so is the Church of God Movement. It will be interesting to watch what happens this year!

Anticipating the Journey

One of the highlights that I await at this year's North American Convention is getting my hands on Patrick Nachtigall's new book that will be released. Mosaic: A Journey Across the Church of God is major project that comes as the result of funding that permitted Nachtigall to travel around the world to "identify the top challenges facing the Church of God movement at the dawn of the twenty-first century". This could be one of the most significant writings from within our movement in many years.

I had an opportunity to talk with Patrick just over one year ago as he was interviewing people for the book. I was impressed with the questions he was asking and the insight he was bringing to the project. An article, which appears to largely summarize his recommendations, is now available on the Church of God Ministries website. Read it to whet your appetite for the book, which itself will be a must read for everyone truly concerned about the future of our movement.

When I get my hands on the book in one week I will post my own review here on CHOG Blog.

UPDATE June 26/10: Check out the book's website at: www.chogmosaic.com

The future of SHAPE

I will finally get back to my discussion on Identity shortly, but I need to comment briefly on a meeting I was at least week in Colorado Springs. The Regional Directors for SHAPE met both to share our experiences and plan for the future. This was a significant meeting on several fronts, especially since it takes place during a time that we transition away from the significant funding that has been provided through the Lilly Endowment. SHAPE (which stands for "Sustaining Health and Pastoral Excellence") has been a tremendous success in the areas in which it has been operating and is expanding rapidly to new regions.

This particular meeting was also important as we had extensive discussions on the future of this ministry. It was recognized that we have to expand SHAPE from just a three-year intensive to a more comprehensive experience that runs throughout a ministers' life-cycle. There are also some perception issues regarding SHAPE that need to be overcome, as it is still not widely understood. In addition, there is work being done on a counterpart ministry, SHARE, that takes the principles of SHAPE to the leadership in a local congregation.

SHAPE is making a difference across the Church of God and is slowly beginning to change our internal culture. It is a vital ministry that has a bright future, especially with the strong national and regional leadership behind it.