Hugh Halter

Three weeks ago, I called together 12 vikings in Adullam to consider diving in at a deeper level of committment to shepherding our collective Adullam flock.  Because we have no full-time staff, we’ve run into quite a predicament helping all the rookies find a place in our mission.  Many come wanting what they read about in the TK, but fail to remember that our stories happened over a two year span and without any formal church environment.  Now, we’re playing catch up trying to figure out how to move people from observing to participating with us.

The meeting started well.  Beers were ordered, good hearted manly talk was loud, food started to roll out, and overall, it was just great to be with these men that had become dear friends.  The meeting quickly  turned colorful when a few of the dudes thought we were calling them to help the larger gathered church structures.  Most of these guys have been on staff at churches in the past, and were coming off a hard season of fighting through church deconstruction.  They all work normal jobs, struggle to pay the bills, and only come to our gatherings because their kids and wives dig it.  They usually stay outside and drink coffee while I talk, and you’d rarely see them enjoying the worship part of the service.  Yet, these guys love people. They party well and draw crowds of sojourners around them. It was a few of these mates that all of a sudden got a little edgy.

Looking back, we did say some things that opened the door, but our intentions were to draw them all back to the way we began.  INCARNATIONAL COMMUNITIES!  Despite my intent, some sharp words were shared, and in great Irish/Norsk fashion, we almost had a donnybrook ensure in the middle of an Irish pub called the Landsdowne Arms.

Proudly, I can say, there’s not a Yes-man in the crowd.  Each guy is fighting for his own heart and the integrity of our collective calling.  Tears were shed, and after a couple hours, and a few pitchers of Dublin’s finest, we realized God was up to something and what we were fighting over was worth fighting over.

I’ve often realized that we could take the easy way out.  Just call Adullam a church, put on a nice show and grow this the way many churches grow.  One problem, however, would be that most of these men would leave.  And therein lies the real issue.  Adullam isn’t about growing or not growing. Adullam is about being with the people that breath the same air I breath.  We were fighting over relationship and whether or not we could trust each other to play hard ball to keep God’s thumbprint on us pure.  They were subconsiously asking me if I was going to wimp out, and I was subconsciousy asking if they would fight for it as hard as I was.

Tonight we meet for round two. Can’t wait to be with these guys and get after it again. Church is finally fun again, it’s passionate, and scary, full of pitfalls and easy outs, but in the end, I love the challenge of staying true to Christ and true to these guys.

Bad Times ay??  Denver Post, two days ago, had the headline, “Worst Week Ever!”  The financial crisis is now not just a “could be” but a reality.  Life is now different. The global tidal wave is going to affect everyone, and no person will be able to live without feeling at least a ripple of changing economic times.
What does this mean for a US church that was already teetering on the edge of financial unsustainability?  What about all the denominations that have been feeling the pinch from a glut of declining or closing churches?  Where will their funding come from to keep the office open let alone give money away to courageous church planters?   What about the pastors who have been faithfully receiving generous salaries, or the missionaries who have been raising personal missionary support both here and overseas. For sure it’s all going to change.  I’ve personally noticed a 20% drop in my own missionary support and we just had to ask two people who were receiving modest stipends in Adullam to serve without any compensation.
I’m not a gloom and doom guy, but it’s time for a reality check.  It isn’t getting better anytime soon and the smart “called out” ones will pony up and get ahead of this painful curve.
In Adullam, we already fulfilled our biblical description of being a cave where the “distressed, downtrodden, and in debt came.”  Of our 300 people, most are in severe financial struggles. Most are young couples that are barely getting started and many haven’t ever developed in their understanding and faith of giving.
So is there an answer?  Well, maybe not to the financial crunch but it does beg a bigger question.  Is the church dependant upon money?  Does the church rise or fall based on resources?  If you’re a student of history, you’d have to say, “Heck No.”  In fact, history supports that the church actually does better under duress in almost every era and every situation.  Trial draws people to God and people to people.  It’s as reliable as a Toyota Corolla.
The only bugger with the whole situation is the leaders who have been paid for their services.  I actually believe that the scriptures teach that pastors are worthy of getting paid from their efforts, service, and sacrifice, but I temper that with the reality that it’s a privilege, not a right.  It’s a benny of a faithful people in affluent times, but it’s not normal to our collective Christian movement.
What’s normal is that leaders lead no matter what and whether or not payment is a part of the deal.  Paul modeled this and showed on several occasions that he knew it was better in certain circumstances to work a normal job “so as not to be a burden,” to the community.  He penned the great words in Philippians “I’ve learned to be content whether well fed or hungry, whether in plenty or in want.”
This is not a time for pastors to shrink back and cripple up in fear.  This is what we’ve all been praying for.  A season of time where materialistic Americans get a wake up call and face the centrality of Christ and the frailty of life and all we trust in.  But for leaders to lead they must face the big question.  Has God called me to pastor people?  If so, then we must find a way to do it come recession, depression, good days or bad.  The weak will look to reposition in order to maintain present financial stability. The true shepherds will just keep shepherding.
Let’s get’r done!!
hugh