by Rebekah Simon-Peter | Mar 23, 2015
This week of Lent, my suggestion is to give up going to church. Some of you already have. The rest of you may be wondering why on earth I would make this suggestion. Isn’t the whole push for congregational renewal to get people back in to church?
Jesus went to synagogue on Sabbath, “as was his custom.” So did Paul. So why shouldn’t we followers of Jesus, and of the teachings of Paul, go to church?
Is it that in many ways church has served its purpose?
After all, the message of Jesus has already escaped into the world. The focus on sacrificial love, the need for community, servant leadership—all these concepts have made their way deep into the culture of the world we live in. Even business leaders are counseled to practice servant leadership.
No, that’s not what I had in mind.
Is it that the idea of going to church is relatively new, at least in US history? As Diana Butler Bass writes in Christianity After Religion, people didn’t really go to church much before the Civil War. “Because of the lack of trained clergy and the long distances people sometimes had to travel to even get to a church building, parents acted as the arbiters and authorities of a faith tradition, teaching their children the bible, Christian ethics, and even liturgy in the their own homes. Mothers and midwives often baptized infants, especially those in distress. Homes often served as ritual space, as most baptism marriages and funerals happened in the family parlor.” It wasn’t until after the Civil War that religion restructured into the kinds of denominational and became more like big business.
No, that’s not what I had in mind either. Although the house church, the local Bible study, and other forms of re-emergent Christian community are intriguing.
Is it that just like you don’t have to go to a store to buy what you need, since you can get almost everything online, do you really have to a church building to fill your religious or spiritual cup? Nope. In many ways it’s true. But that’s not what I was thinking either.
The biggest reason I am suggesting to give up going to church has to do with the meaning of the word church. Church is drawn from the Latin ecclesia and the Greek ekklesia. It’s where we get the words ecclesiology and ecclesiastical.
Rather than refer to a building, biblically speaking, it means a called out people of God. Just as Jesus called Andrew and Peter, then James and John to follow him, so in a sense all followers of Jesus are called out too.
The point is, church is more about being a community of believers, than it is about the building that people may meet in. It’s more about our way of being, than our location for meeting.
So we can’t very well go to church, when we are the church. In fact, that may be a cop out. A way of avoiding our own personal responsibility for letting the Light shine through us, or actually practicing our faith.
Maybe that’s why there’s such an emphasis these days on getting beyond the church walls to do mission and ministry. It’s the church in action, out in in the world, that makes a difference. Not necessarily the quality of the building.
Or maybe that’s why more people report feeling closer to God in nature than in a church building. The buildings themselves, notwithstanding the ancient churches of Europe, often aren’t inherently special. It’s we the people—alive with the Spirit—that can be something special.
This Lent, it’s time to give up going to church. Time to finally be church.
Reggie McNeal suggests 3 ways congregations can make this shift in his book Missional Renaissance.
1. Shift from an Internal to an External Focus. Look beyond organizational goals to the needs of the community around you.
2. Shift from Program Development to People Development. Instead of focusing on delivering specific doctrinal content to people, cultivate a culture in which people can pursue their own customized spiritual journeys.
3. Shift from Church-Based to Kingdom-Based Leadership. Free people up from club-based activities like chairing committees that don’t make much of a difference to reaching out to the world around you. This can be even at the simplest levels of praying for and blessing others. Or the level of abolishing hunger or homelessness in your town.
Jesus himself spent more time out and about proclaiming the Kingdom than he ever did in synagogue. His followers were with him every step of the way. Isn’t it time we followed suit and did the same?
by Rebekah Simon-Peter | Mar 16, 2015
A friend related the following story to me.
“Before I left for church on Sunday, I realized it was the week to make a contribution 
to the church. I hadn’t been there all month and it was time to pay my tithe. I wrote the check out ahead of time, showed up in church, and was ready to give my offering.
“When it was time for the offering, the lay person up front read a beautiful prayer about giving of our time and talent as a response to God’s graciousness.
“The ushers then dispersed to collect the offering. Somehow, they never made it over to me. I was seated in a side aisle. The usher, who had earlier greeted me, now walked right past me.
“While I sat waiting for her to realize her oversight–which didn’t happen–I had plenty of time to think about the mixed messages that were being given in the service that Sunday.
MIXED MESSAGE #1
“As I sat there, I realized was there was never a clear ask. A beautiful prayer, yes. But no actual invitation to give. Mixed message #1.
MIXED MESSAGE #2
“Secondly, the offering plate never came by. Even if I wanted to give, I couldn’t. Never mind about online giving options. That wasn’t a possibility either. So, I settled in for the duration.
MIXED MESSAGE #3
“While I was waiting for the offering to conclude, I got to study the PowerPoint slide that was being used to communicate the giving message. It was a handsome slide with an eye catching photo and a large, well-lettered caption. But what a mixed message it contained!
“The graphic was a close-up side view of coins. The caption said “Give freely of your time, talents and treasure!”
Let me interrupt my friend’s story for a minute here. Anyone who knows the biblical story might guess that those coins represent the widow’s mite. Yes, she gave two coins…but it was all she had! Literally. They would also know that time, talent and treasure is code language for tithing: give 10% off the top back to God.
Insiders know this. But what about those who don’t know these stories or allusions?
They would pay more attention to the picture. Because even in this age of a slow growing economy, a picture is still worth a thousand words. I this picture was saying, “Look, no matter what we say, all we really want is your loose change. Forget about sacrificial giving, bills or checks. Just give us what’s jingling in your pocket.”
MIXED MESSAGE #4
I’ve visited my friend’s church. I know that it’s a large church, but also that it’s been operating in the red for months. Even though they support creative ministries that reach out to people on the margins, the leadership has now begun to ask people to give in order to fund the budget. They’re now printing the monthly shortfalls in the bulletin each week. That’s a sure sign that the vision of the church is no longer front and center. If it is, the people in the pews don’t know it. That too is a problem.
Could this church be strapped because of mixed messages?
MIXED MESSAGE #5
Let’s get back to my friend’s story. A graphic arts editor, she noticed what many other probably hadn’t: another mixed message coded into the slide of the coins. “Lightly embossed over the photograph was the letter c set inside a circle. This universal copyright symbol is a sign that the photo was protected by copyright. That means it must be paid for in order to be properly used.”
So, here we have a pilfered photo of coins set against the message to give generously. A mixed message about money rife with irony!
One must ask, how come the church sees itself as so poor, or so outside of the rules, that it can justify stealing someone else’s work?
Perhaps you think I am being unduly hard on this poor church. Maybe. But if insiders pick up on this, what other mixed messages might guests and visitors be picking up on?
My friend ends this story with a sad admission: “I was so frustrated by this whole fiasco–especially being ignored when it came to the offering–that I stuck my check back in my purse. It’s sitting on my counter top right now. I’m going to bring it back to church with me next week. But if they don’t bring the offering plate by me, I may not give it!”
My friend’s frustration is understandable. As is the frustration of churches who are operating in the red. But let’s think about this some more.
STRAIGHT MESSAGING
Let’s say people give according to the message they receive: coins. If everyone is giving at the level asked, this congregation could have a misguided sense of what it takes to survive or be generous. When the call goes out to give more, the regular givers may feel flummoxed. “We’re already giving! We need to get some more people in here to help carry this church.”
But why would new people want to attend or support a church that is not self-supporting through its own contributions? Or has lost its sense of vision? People know when they are being used.
If mixed messages are being given about money, where else are these kinds of messages popping up in the life of the church?
I should tell you, this is a true story. It really happened. In fact, it not only occurred in my friend’s church, it happens every Sunday in thousands of churches across America.
What might a straight message about money look and sound like?
How about this? Instead of the call to give coming through a prayer…which can be a form of triangulated or manipulative conversation…someone quite familiar with the vision of the church stands up front and announces the vision. He or she shares in an inspiring way how it is being lived out, and the difference it is making. He or she then invites people to give to support this vision. Ushers, before they disperse, scan the congregation to see where folks are sitting, and go to the people. A slide or slides celebrating the people and places being positively impacted by the vision is shown. Meanwhile, music that ties in to the vision is played or sung. People are then thanked for supporting the vision. Then the money is dedicated to God. Visitors and guests are told what is expected of them during the offering. If there is a shortfall, the vision and how the budget supports it, is lifted up in the bulletin. The sermon, too, mentions how the people are living out God’s vision in the world. And how the ministries of the church do as well.
I think we have not because we give not. And we give not quite possibly because:
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- The offering plate passes us by.
- We get mixed messages about what we are being asked to give.
- We don’t give or get straight talk about the spiritual importance of giving.
- We are are not lifting up a vision that inspires people to give generously.
There is plenty of money in the world. And there are plenty of people who want to be generous with it.
We need to be bold, inspiring, and straight with people about money. Jesus was. Mixed messages about money produce mixed results.
If this something you struggle with, it’s time to get over the frustration! My workshop Mixed Messages about Money helps church leaders just like you:
- Identify the hidden barriers to asking for and receiving larger offerings.
- Prevent unintentional communications which can sabotage giving
- Develop newfound confidence to talk about stewardship in a way that engages, not alienates, listeners
- Improved ability to tap into congregational generosity that ups giving
- Discover increased ease in talking about, asking for, and receiving money
by Rebekah Simon-Peter | Mar 2, 2015
Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Or, treat others the way you want to be treated. Everyone knows the Golden Rule.
With regrets to Jesus and Rabbi Hillel and others who formulated versions of this well-loved principle, there’s just one problem with it. It isn’t always golden. At least when it comes to interpersonal communications. That’s why my Lenten suggestion this week is to give up the Golden Rule and replace it with the Platinum Rule.
The Golden Rule assumes that the way I want to be treated, at the level of interpersonal communications, is how others want to be treated. And that my preferences apply to all people.
That’s where the Golden Rule gets it wrong. And why applying it wholesale gets leaders and churches into trouble.
Eternally Stymied
Miss DeLynda, the former Lay Leader of a once vibrant congregation, felt eternally stymied by her congregation, including the pastor. Passionate, decisive and feisty, Miss DeLynda had been sounding the alarm for years: We need to make some new decisions here, people. And fast! Otherwise, we’re going to die. She practiced the Golden Rule, right up until the time they slowly froze her out of the church! She delivered tough information the same way she liked to receive it: quickly and directly. Convinced that none of them cared about the church anyway, she left in anger and frustration. So much for the Golden Rule.
Who have you quit talking to or listening to in ministry? How is your church life suffering as a result?
In the rest of this article, I’m going to share with you how to tell if the Golden Rule isn’t working. Then, I’ll share when and how to apply the Platinum Rule instead.
The more direct Miss DeLynda got, the more indirect the pastor and congregation became. The more she pushed, they more they resisted. The more she looked them in the eye, the more they looked away. They felt bullied and discounted. She felt shut out and ignored. They had meetings about how to deal with her domineering behavior. She took anti-depressants and ate too much to deal with her frustration. They all practiced the Golden Rule in communicating with each other. But it fell far short of what they needed.
Is the Golden Rule “Golden” in your Congregation?
Here are four signs the Golden Rule may no longer be working in your congregation:
- You assign bad motives to the people you are avoiding. Miss DeLynda was pretty convinced that no one, not even her pastor, truly cared about the church. On the other hand, they felt she was just stirring the pot and creating trouble.
- You start talking about them, instead of to them. These triangulated conversations take place in the parking lot, bathrooms, before or after meetings, and with people that aren’t even involved.
- You no longer listen to what the other party is saying. You are too busy taking offense to how they say it.
- You use theological language to justify your frustrations. “Those people are standing in the way of the movement of the Holy Spirit.” “Hasn’t she ever heard ‘Be still and know that I am God?’” Once we make people enemies of God, all possibility for ministry with each other is over.
Platinum Rule
If any of these four signs are in place in your church, it’s time to implement the Platinum Rule.
What’s the difference? If the Golden Rule counsels us to treat others the way we want to be treated, the Platinum Rule takes it up a notch: Treat others the way they want to be treated. It acknowledges that we each have different motivators, stressors, goals, fears and priorities.
The good news is that this is fairly easy information to ferret out. Begin to notice how they are communicating with you, and do likewise. Let’s start with two simple communication dynamics.
Direct or Indirect Communication
Be direct with Miss DeLynda. No need for lots of frills or apologies. She probably doesn’t even need a lot of chit chat or visiting first. Just say it straight. And don’t worry, you aren’t going to offend her by communicating this way. Instead, she’ll appreciate it.
Build up to your message with this pastor and congregation. Spend some time visiting and connecting with them first. Let them know you care about them, especially if the topic at hand is challenging or discouraging. They’ll appreciate knowing your friendship extends beyond the given circumstances.
Fast Paced or Slower Paced
Miss DeLynda has a pretty fast pace. Decisive, and action-oriented, she likes to talk and move quickly. She’s okay with not having a new plan all worked out first. She’d rather begin than have to wait until every detail is decided. Give her the big picture then let her loose and she’ll make stuff happen, building momentum for the rest of the congregation.
The pastor and congregation have a slower pace. They like to reflect before giving their opinions or making a decision. Being insistent doesn’t give them the time and space they need to weigh pros and cons, consider the options, and adjust to the change ahead of them. Give them time to process before asking for a decision.
How to Implement the Platinum Rule
Ready? Try these 4 tips for implementing the Platinum Rule:
- Ascribe good motives to each individual. Understand they just have a different way of doing things.
- Using the tips above, speak directly to each other. Triangulation only hurts people, including you.
- Set aside your personal communication preferences. Instead, focus on what they are actually saying. As you get more comfortable with the Platinum Rule, gently point out how your preferences and theirs vary, without making either of you wrong or right.
- Assume the Spirit is equally alive and well in each of you, and that you are each friends of Jesus. Look for the contributions you each make to the Church and Kingdom of God.
by Rebekah Simon-Peter | Feb 16, 2015
We have a lot to learn from the “spiritual-but-not-religious” crowd.
Chances are, though, it’s not what you think.
I’ve taught a number of classes in church in which the topic of people who identify as “spiritual-but-not-religious” comes up. A growing demographic in the US, (20% of the US population in 2012), they are often the object of misunderstanding and pity among church folks. Something along the lines of “I feel sorry for them! How can they get along without God? How can they get along without people to pray for them? What’s wrong with them?”
True, some spiritual-but-not-religious folks are lone wolves. They have no spiritual community per se, just a sense within that there is More to Life than Meets the Eye. Others, however, are deeply embedded in community of every kind—unaware they should be missing us. They sense the transcendent in the ordinary, the Divine in the everyday.
I have also heard pastors remark that what these spiritual but not religious people are identifying as needs—community, people who care about each other, significance over success, a deep relationship with Something that is Bigger than Us—can all be provided by the church. If only they knew about the church, and would adapt a bit to it, they would find everything they are looking for!
Bottom line: We have this sense that if we can figure out what’s wrong with them, or what they’re missing, then we can get them “back.”
I’d like to propose a whole new way of relating to the spiritual-but-not-religious crowd. Instead of seeing them as missing what we are offering I suggest we see them as offering what we are (or may be) missing. In fact, I’d like to share with you 3 gifts we can glean from them. And how to incorporate them into your congregation.
Three Gifts From the Spiritual-But-Not-Religious Crowd
1. They are a living reminder of our roots. Every great moment in the Bible is defined by someone walking away from known reality. Abraham leaves his father and his kindred to follow God to a new land, sight unseen. Jacob wrestles with a Divine figure which is part human, part angel. Moses serves an invisible god who identifies as Being itself. Ruth gives up her cultural identity to identify with her mother-in-law’s people. John the Baptist leads people away from their day to day lives out into the wilderness. Jesus himself ushers in the long-awaited, but previously unexperienced, Kingdom. Just as these people walked away from known reality for something new, so too the spiritual-but-not-religious. Rather than see them as lacking something, consider that their spiritual journeying reflects the essence of Biblical stories.
2. They remind us of the value of experience over form. For the spiritual-but-not-religious, the direct experience of God is the goal, not doctrines or dogma which point the way to the experience. Jesus, while faithful to Judaism, experienced oneness with God. He even taught others that “The kingdom of heaven is within.” Why should we be surprised, then, when people discover direct access to the Holy, and prefer that over the form of religion?
3. They point to the convergence of science and spirituality. Quantum physics points to a conscious universe, and the deep interconnectedness of all forms of life. While some Christian believers are fighting over science and religion, the spiritual-but-not-religious folks are moving beyond duality by seeking how science and spirituality inform each other. This is cutting edge.
Applying the Gifts
How can we apply these 3 gifts from the spiritual-but-not-religious crowd in the life of the church?
- Encourage spiritual adventuring. For instance, you can offer classes on centering prayer or meditation. Build a labyrinth and encourage people on their spiritual journey. Invite a Spiritual Director to affiliate with your congregation. Ask for testimonies from congregants who have had a near death experience or other spiritual awakening. Give people the tools to experience heaven here on earth.
- Follow Jesus by teaching that the Kingdom of God is within. Then create special times for people to experience God’s presence within themselves. Encourage the use of creative arts to give expression to this reality. Re-think worship to make space for this opportunity.
- Don’t be afraid to explore the overlap of science and spirituality. Read and discuss books that hint at this such as neurosurgeon Eben Alexander’s dramatic Proof of Heaven.
The Spiritual But Not Religious in Action
A few weeks ago, I visited a spiritual-but-not-religious megachurch. Megachurch, you ask? Yes, megachurch. They actually exist!
What made this experience work? Excellent music that emphasized unity over duality. A welcome that not only affirmed God’s unconditional love indwelling all people, but their congregational acceptance of all people. Preaching that connected body and soul. Prayer that affirmed rather than begged.
But most of all, what made this a spiritual-but-not-religious service was that it assumed people wanted to experience God, and not just hear about God, or just work on behalf of God. So after initial announcements, the lights were turned down low so that the collective congregation could spend about 4 minutes in silent meditation. Likewise, after a rousing blessing sung at the end, one-on-one prayer was made available to seekers. In between, the music ranged between the sacred and secular—all of it carrying an empowering message of love.
Churches like this are spectacular, fun, and rare. Likely, they can’t be reproduced in small town Iowa or desert New Mexico or city center churches in New England. No matter. Take some of the principles offered and use them to re-create what the spiritual-but-not-religious can teach us: the experience of God transcends all. And is ever so attractive.
by Rebekah Simon-Peter | Feb 9, 2015
‘Tis the season of red: red hearts, red candy, red cards, red bows, red boxes of chocolates…all for Valentine’s Day. I love red as much as the next person, but when it comes to how followers of Jesus show love, I believe green is the new red.
In the church we know green as the color of growing in Christ, of maturing in faith. It’s the color of Ordinary Season–the weeks between Advent and Lent, and between Easter and Advent.
Green has another meaning as well. It’s also the color of sustainability, eco-friendly practices, and environmental awareness. Both the ecclesiastical and the ecological meanings are deeply intertwined.
They’re so deeply intertwined that I don’t think we can grow in Christ and mature in our faith without taking an active interest in the health and vibrancy of the Creation too. Why do I say this? The Creation is the general revelation of God, revealing God’s own nature. (Romans 1:20) We have been given dominion over it and asked to be caretakers of it. (Genesis 1-2). So wiping it out is like erasing God’s own imprint on the planet. Not a good idea. Christ himself is the firstborn of all Creation, through whom all Creation has been made. (Colossians 1:15). We have a responsibility toward it, as much as toward one another. That’s why I say green is the new red.
I want to share with you five things to start doing to green your love of God and one important thing to stop doing immediately.
Start Doing: Incorporate awareness of the Creation in Worship
When we gather to worship God we are joining our voices with the majestic choir of creation. Just as we humans gather to praise God through song, liturgy, sermon and communion, so the creation offers its praise to God, too. The psalmists write that the earth rejoices, the coastlands are glad, the trees clap their hands, and the heavens and earth praise God.
Sing: So many of the traditional songs of the church lift up creation. Sing them!
Pray: Ask for God’s wisdom in how to fulfill our role as stewards of the Creation. Focus on different aspects of the earth weekly such as different animals, rivers, forests, oceans, beaches, soil, and sky. Use your prayers to affirm positive advances being made.
Children’s sermon: Teach children about our interconnectedness with nature. Jesus told stories incorporating sky, sheep, goats, birds, flowers, mountains, and fields. So can we!
Sermon: Develop a yearly series on our deep relationship to the Creation. Incorporate the new four-week Season of Creation into your liturgical calendar. It highlights the work of God the Creator and the wonders of creation.
Observe Earth Sabbath or Environmental Sabbath, a worldwide ecumenical day of reverence for the earth around June 5, World Environment Day. Gather with other congregations in your area to hold an interfaith service. Consider patterning your service after the United Nation’s Environmental Sabbath Programme.
Holy Communion: Recognize Christ as the firstborn of all creation, our oneness with him, and by extension, our unity with creation.
Stop Doing: Thinking It’s Too Hard
All of us live on one planet. We all share the same water, air, earth, and sky. God would not give us something to do that we are not capable of. Read the Green Bible (NRSV) to get grounded in the Word in a new way. Start a Green Team. Read Green Church with your friends. Or simply begin with a prayer for courage. Just don’t say it’s too hard! Love always wins. Especially if it’s green.
Adapted in part from 7 Simple Steps to Green Your Church, by Rebekah Simon-Peter, (c) copyright 2010.
by Rebekah Simon-Peter | Feb 2, 2015
“The church thinks that young people will save the church, but actually young people want to save the world,” said Rev. Jeremy Smith, popular blogger. “If we can show them that young people can save the world through the church, then young people will gladly be a part of the church.”
Saving the world, even some small part of it, is risky business. It usually means speaking up about something others would rather keep quiet. Last month’s stirring movie Selma reminds me just how much was sacrificed to turn the tide of injustice toward justice. This month’s Black History Month reinforces the message.
Saving some small part of the world also means making ethical decisions about right and wrong: what you will stand for, and what you won’t.
So it begs the question: What is your church speaking up about? Or, what is your church known for?
If you answered: we are known for being friendly or we welcome anyone, then chances are what you’re really saying is “not much.” In that case, your church may have lost its voice. It may have laryngitis.
While laryngitis is mostly benign in humans, it’s usually indicative of a systemic problem in churches. I want to share with you what that problem is, three fears that drive the problem and three ways to transform the fear so that we can speak with a clear, strong voice.
Losing Our Native Tongue
The problem I see is that churches confuse ethics with politics. If it’s being discussed on the news or in Congress, then it must be politics. For many churches, that means the topic of conversation is now off limits. But that kind of self-censure limits our ability to speak our native tongue: the language of values, principles, and ideals, right and wrong, virtue and sin.
Meanwhile, we have left ethics to the politicians. While we claim laryngitis. Oops.
I’m not saying that re-claiming our voice is easy. It’s not. Whether we’re talking about chronic poverty, immigration, human trafficking, gays and transgendered people, economic injustice, or human impacts on the precious planet we call home the ethical issues before us are tough, tough, tough. Reclaiming its voice is the hardest thing a church will do. But it is also the most freeing. Because it causes us to truly depend on the grace of God, to walk in the footsteps of the great Hebrew Prophets, and to emulate Jesus himself.
Fears
While Adam Hamilton has done an excellent job addressing “Confronting the Controversies,” I’d like to address 3 fears that often get in the way of churches dealing with ethical issues:
- The fear of alienating people through controversy, or causing division, which in turn could mean losing financial givers.
- The fear of delving into politics, especially if it puts us on the wrong side of where our people are, either red or blue.
- The fear of losing a focus on the love of Christ, or straying too far from the spiritual.
Since I have dealt with fear #1 in a recent post, I’d like to focus on fears #2 and 3 here.
Fear of Politics: I understand the fear of delving into politics. That’s shaky ground and sure to turn off some people. The trouble is, the public arena is where ethical issues are often debated and outcomes determined. My suggestion is to bypass political parties and personalities while exploring the underlying ethical issues being debated. When we deal with hot issues from an ethical or biblical standpoint, we can put things on more neutral ground.
Speaking Tip #1: Dealing with ethics does not mean telling people how to vote, or even how to think. It does mean helping people explore the sources that can inform our thinking especially scripture, experience, tradition, and reason.
Fear of Straying from Christ: People want and need to be grounded in the love of Christ. Dealing with ethical issues actually aids this. I think of ethics as love of neighbor in action. Why would we leave that to career politicians?
Speaking Tip #2: Frame ethical matters in terms of love. This brings issues back into our territory and allows us to speak with authority and confidence.
The Power of Speech
While Martin Luther King Jr’s example has guided several generations of dreamers, a new incarnation has taken center stage recently, Pope Francis. In his brief tenure, he has managed to speak up on key issues facing the world from re-establishing good relations with Cuba, to living wages, to climate change. Is he dealing with the political? Or the ethical? I’d say its love of neighbor on a grand stage.
Speaking Tip #3: Not sure how to begin speaking up? In the style of the prophets, we can use our voices to ask: Who is hungry? Who is thirsty? Who is rich? Who is poor? Who is included? Who is excluded? Once those dynamics are identified, then we can approach it from the perspective of Jesus and his own ministry. WWJD?
Finally, be sure to immerse yourself in prayer and study. Let the still small voice guide you in reclaiming your own voice from the malaise of laryngitis. Who knows…it just might change the world.
