LCMS Convention and National Youth Gathering

Categories: Concordia Conversations
by | Jul 20, 2010 | Tags: , , , , | 6 Comments »

Houston and New Orleans are both hot and humid places in the summertime.  These southern cities have been the host sites over the last several days for two national gatherings of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod — the Convention and the Youth Gathering.  A visitor to both, like me, is left with the impression that the two events don’t have much in common besides sultry venues.  Given a choice, I’ll take the Youth Gathering every time.

Personally, I don’t have much appetite for church politics.  Houston left me wondering whether the political polarization that I observed resembled the sort of factionalism St. Paul complained about when writing to the Corinthians.  While folks in New Orleans routinely exchange “high fives” with strangers walking past, people in Houston exchanged suspicious glances sizing up who was on which side.

In my work as president of CUW, I try to transcend the politics of the church.  We have lots of stakeholders and constituents, and among them are people of varying perspectives — even from within the LCMS.  That is why I enjoy working with the young people.  That is why I have “faith in the freshman” (I can’t write in my blog without a plug for the book).

So, let me throw out a few questions.  What happens to young people that causes them to become cynical when they get older?  What happens to the fresh faith of freshmen that moves so many of them to factionalism later on?  Why do the “high fives” of youth turn into suspicious whispers of adults?

Maybe you think my impressions are off base?  I’d be interested in yours.

  • http://twitter.com/bschultzy Billy Schultz

    I don't know what causes people to become cynical and factional. But what's interesting is when it becomes apparent. In my experience as a student and a staff member at an LCMS institution, there are plenty of folks that have already become side-takers, either coming into college as such or finding a side sometime during their undergrad years. I think, sometimes, these factional and cynical attitudes trickle down from a pastor or DCE growing up, whether it's explicit or not. Other times, college students come in with a mindset that only grows as they experience these church issues. Still more come in fairly neutral and “uncorrupted,” yet get pushed one way or another. It's interesting to watch as college students choose where to worship on Sunday mornings. Some go where it's most convenient, yet others lean heavily on a certain style of worship. These can have a strong impact on impressionable college students and sometimes push them into factions and cynicism.

  • Randall Ferguson

    I appreciate your comments, Pat. I thank God every day that we have a leader at CUW with your perspective. I too disdain church politics because they never seem to be about the Church; more often than not they are based on petty, personal prejudices that create a we-they posture. I am disheartened by how much time professional church workers devote to politics rather than focusing on ministy and reaching out to the lost with the precious news of the Gospel. I praise God for Christian denominations other than Lutherans because they can reach people we can not and never will when we continually limit what shape our ministry looks like. Christians everywhere are called to serve by living our faith as we share Jesus Christ in words and deeds, especially as we help those less fortunate than us. We need to spend more time doing and less time talking/arguing. Richard Stearns (World Vision) urges us to close the hole in our Gospel and embrace the whole gospel by attending to the pressing need for food, clean water,clothing, housing, and education for millions upon millions of people around the world. St. Francis said it so well: “Preach the gospel always; if necessary, use words.” This is how we should spend our time! Okay–enough politics, back to ministry . . .

  • Bob Barnhart

    I wonder, as we get older and “busier” (family and job responsibilities) we begin to spend less and less time in prayer, and studying God's word. I have found the more time I spend in prayer and studying the Bible, I tend to become less worried about issues which really do not matter eternally (ie church politics).
    I also think as we become older we tend to gravity to things which are more secure which can turn into legalism – which frequently plays out as politics. Just a thought.

  • Patrick Ferry

    No doubt more than a few young people come with pretty strong opinions, sometimes unyielding without pausing to think. That cuts both ways, of course. Factionalism, by definition, is not one-sided. I'd certainly like to affirm students in their faith. I'd also like them to think for themselves and embrace their faith as their own, not simply something someone told them to believe. There are lots of young people, however, who are open to the exploration. The story that i tell in “Faith in the Freshman” is not unique to me. In fact, these days there are lots of students, even at a place like Concordia, whose spiritual perspective is not set and even unsettled. What a great opportunity we have to engage them in matters of faith through Christian higher learning.

  • Patrick Ferry

    I think you have it right, Bob. There is a place for politics. It is not unnecessary. Unfortunately, the church has aped the approach of our polarized political process in the secular sphere. Some how we have embraced the idea that the ultimate objective is to coordinate efforts, and crank up the political machine rather than expend the effort to build consensus and achieve concordia!

  • Patrick Ferry

    I am amazed at how much time and energy is expended gearing up for conventions of the church–nationally and at the district level. I don't mean the sort of normal logistical preparation required to pull off such big events. Rather, I mean all of the conversation and communication that goes on on the side trying to shape and influence outcomes. The issues that divide us in the LCMS, when laid alongside the truly significant issues that have divided the church through the centuries, pale by comparison. We have an extraordinary concordia in the LCMS–a fact that kids in New Orleans seemed to appreciate and celebrate better than their parents and granparents did in Houston.

 
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