2020 State of the Church

When I was called as Senior Pastor 10 years ago, I began writing an annual letter. My intent was to give insight into where Sheridan’s ministry is and where I hoped we might go together. I keep writing it each year because of the positive feedback I receive.

Why Are We Here?

I dare say, 2020 has actually had some profoundly positive repercussions. Has it been horrible? Of course. The pandemic has wreaked havoc on the health and well-being of individuals and our society as a whole. The pandemic, coupled with seemingly countless natural disasters and the real struggle of racial uprisings, has brought us to our knees.

So, what could possibly be profoundly positive? I have always believed that difficult and high-pressure situations bring about values clarification. We are given a more complete sense of our true self when we go through difficult times. We learn about ourselves and can then choose to become a better version of ourselves with this understanding.

As the Senior Pastor of Sheridan, I have experienced the joy and pain as we have collectively tried to navigate 2020. A relatively few people have approached me because they were dissatisfied. Given my conversations with other pastors, both local and from afar, my experience has been tame compared to that of most. Some conversations surrounded the desire for the church to “open.” (Note that worship never closes, as it is an orientation of the heart and an expression, not an event. We did also move to an online expression of worship) Others wanted us to “stay closed.” Some people don’t like masks. Local health directives require them, pointing to science and medical experts.

Above and beyond the pandemic, came the conversation surrounding race. Some feel this to be “political.” Sheridan has a long history of remaining apolitical. I feel a need to be clear, conversations about race and racial injustice are not political, but rather racial justice is a human rights conversation and Jesus always protected the rights of the oppressed. As God’s people, these conversations are about how we practice faith – by loving God and neighbor (Exodus 20, Matthew 5:43 – 46, Galatians 3:27-29)

In my experience conversations about race usually end up in this place, “I don’t want my church talking about that.” “Racism is uncomfortable for me.” “I don’t like it.” “I just come to church to feel good.”

I understand this perspective. Sheridan had a ten-year history of making people feel good. “Church growth movement” principles were the dominant strategy in the early 2000s. A corrective to the days in which church was rigid, dull and uninspiring, using an “attraction model” was a necessary step in our history. The problem with the church growth movement, however, is that it focused on making individuals happy. This begs multiple questions.

Is the purpose of the church, really, to make people feel good? A better question revolves around what Jesus did. Did Jesus exclusively make people happy? The answer to that question is a firm, “no.” Jesus always spoke directly into the good and the bad – the easy and the hard – of this world. The failure of the North American expression of Christianity is that it has softened the radical nature of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. As a matter of fact, this has gone so far as to co-opt the Gospel into something that no longer “comforts the afflicted and afflicts the comfortable.” We must remember Jesus died and was raised for all (John 3:16-17).

The vision for Sheridan remains the same as it has been for the last ten years, we will allow the Gospel to challenge us when necessary and take comfort in the grace extended in community. Of all years, 2020 has made it necessary to allow ourselves to be challenged to grow. So, 2020 has served to clarify our values. I am unsure if you see this in yourself, but I think it has for the church. This is painful – but then again, most growth is painful.

And so I ask you to reflect on this one simple question, “Why am I here?”

Why are you at church? Are you at church because you simply want to be affirmed? Are you at church to hide from what is happening in the world? Are you at church to be with friends and hear a message that will make you feel better about yourself?

Or are you at church to grow your heart? To be exposed to hope in the midst of brokenness? To be challenged to be more like Christ – dying to our sin to be raised to new life in Christ? (I Corinthians 1:11-17)

Early Christians called faith and discipleship, “the Way.” I pray that you might find your way and a clarifying of your values at Sheridan and in our collective ministries.