WIlliow Creek Summit, Worship Pastors and Nominal Xian Backdrops

This week Lisa and I have had the opportunity to go to the Willow Creek Leadership Summit and hear from some of the worlds authorities on leadership in different forms. I admit I went some what half skeptical but left very impressed with the scope, heart and mission of day one of the summit.

As the today went on Lisa and I continued to meet pastors from across the East Coast. But one thing was different one thing was missing. I did not meet one single worship leader. Its not that the worship leaders were not there or were too cool or the churches did not want to send their worship pastors its that churches in the east coast do not have worship pastors. I had known his to a certain extent but today’s meeting really made it hit home. Any many pastors here represented some of the bigger churches in New England. Why? Well for one thing churches on the east coast are smaller, older and on the decline. Church budgets cannot support this position. This is not to mean that music and arts do not happen in church it just means that most are volunteer or at best part time. Essentially the East Coast is a mission field as far as resources comparatively to the Midwest or west coast.

What has blown me away with even more is the dedication of these volunteers and part timers. These unpaid individuals are some of the most dedicated heart felt leaders I have ever met. There is something I have noticed about individuals who are believers in either non Christian or Post Christian environments, they seem to work together better with other Christians because they cannot afford to fight, worship wars are not important because there just happy to worship with other believers. People living in Non Christian cultures are very passionate and involved in their church and seem very mature in their faith (I know thats a gross generalization but still). Now of course they are not perfect but perhaps can having a nominal subculture of Christianity be more damaging for faith and development and spiritual walks and disciplines then having a culture that has no concept of Christendom? Maybe its easier to both identify with church and also clearly see who you need to reach, no gray either saved or not.... I know both cultures (Christian backdrop and Post Christian backdrop) have their pros and cons but its a very intresting difference I have observed...

I’m very interested in your thoughts, especially those who have worked or lived or loved on other cultures.