Our families, our churches, our towns and cities, our country, our society, our world—we would have to be close to blind, or in abject denial, not to see that, in many ways, we are coming apart at the seams.  We need a thousand remedies, or maybe ten thousand.  Just one won’t do it.  But we can’t wait for ten thousand, or even a thousand.  We have to do what we can.  So, we start with just one. 

This is not some little, unimportant topic off in a corner.

Anyone who knows me knows that I'm not a political person. That doesn't mean I'm unaware of what's going on politically in the US and places around the world, or that I don't have some political opinions.  I'm aware, and I have some opinions.  I just don't think the main issues in the world have political solutions. 

The main issue is spiritual.   

Having said that, I'm not a touchy-feely person.  I don’t like getting in small groups and sharing much of anything with anybody.  I never liked the Kumbaya stuff at camp when I was a kid, and I still, to this day, am not moved very much by most of the things that happen in current-day “worship gatherings.”  

I don’t even like that terminology, "worship gatherings."  I don’t get it that, somehow, crowds of people will bounce up and down and flail or thrash to rousing music and call it worship, but many of those same people have little real interest in deep study of biblical texts, as though that in itself is not worship—just “more boring Bible study.”  I  don’t get it because the singing and praising are important, to be sure!  But the biblical texts—this is where all the rest makes sense.  This is where the action is!  It’s where God is doing the talking on multiple levels; it's where we not only bask in the listening but engage in the conversation.  

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We would have to be close to blind,
or in abject denial, 
not to see that in many ways
we are coming apart at the seams.
 
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Now, I didn’t just say that politics has  no place or role, or that any of the Kumbaya-type things, or the highly professional music performances, or the small group "let's all hold hand" moments, are bad or not needed or even not good or that they cannot deeply impact and move some people.  I said, I'm only a little moved by such things when they become the sole or main focus of "worship gatherings."  Taken alone, they lack any real depth.  Sugar high's feel great—for a little while.  But they cannot sustain.

So, I admit it.  I’m not only weird, I’m a stick-in-the mud about many of these things.

All of this said, the importance of conversation I do get.  If we cannot converse with one another, we have no hope of connecting on any level; no ability to relate or resolve differences; no opportunity to find friendship or relationship or love or to forge deep alliances.  

We need this.  I need this. 

And one more thing.  We need to understand that conversation as ministry is a gift from God.  “Ministry” is personal.  It is nothing more than serving someone else.  We are all called to ministry.  It’s exactly what Jesus called us all to do—if, in fact, we are Jesus-followers.  If anyone thinks or sees “ministry” as a profession, then stop it!  It’s not a profession, not a job, and not a money-making activity.  It’s service to others.

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We need to understand that 
conversation as ministry
is a gift from God

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A couple of weeks ago I announced a new class called, "The Art of Conversation in Caring Relationships"  by Dr. Jame C. Savage.  We had some technical glitches so we've had to reschedule starting it for this coming Sunday,  September 22, 2024.  So we've extended the time to get into this group.

So, when this upcoming class by Dr. Savage is sometimes called “Effective Ministry Training Series,” I want to publicly give thanks to God that somebody is here to help train us in ways of serving each other through the art of deep-level, effective conversation.  In our world today, and in our churches, WE ALL need this.  Even if you think, “Well, I don’t need this,” that is your call.  Nobody, including me, is saying you're bad for it.  (I get it!) 

But please think about this:  How can there be a “we” without you?    

I’m going to throw myself into every one of our upcoming sessions.  Not because I’m naturally inclined to such things. But because I need this.  We need this. 

Gary D. Collier

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