Proper spiritual focus should be
on God, "not us," Magnet Church speaker says

Keynoter Rorem: "The spiritual focus belongs on God and what God does, not on us."

To refocus the notion of spirituality for the modern age, it would be a good idea for church leaders to hang a second sign underneath every exit sign in their congregations. The signs should read "servants' entrance."

That was a key point brought home to participants attending the eighth annual Magnet Church event March 15 at St. John Lutheran Church in Boyertown, PA. The keynoter with the idea was Dr. Paul Rorem, who was addressing the theme, "Where the Spirit Moves." Rorem is the Benjamin B. Warfield Professor of (Medieval) Ecclesiastical History at Princeton Theological Seminary and the editor of Lutheran Quarterly. The event is co-sponsored by the Seminary (LTSP) and the Northeastern and Southeastern Pennsylvania Synods of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

His address drew upon the ideas of Augustine and Martin Luther about spirituality and how those ideas are applicable for modern ministry.

"Aren't we all for spirituality? Aren't we all in the spirituality business?" he began. The term spirituality has proved to be a mixed blessing in modern times, he noted. It was all the rage for about a decade some time ago, and an inevitable backlash to the term took place. Then came September 11 with its changing landscape that is still being sorted out in terms of the nature and extent of a spiritual resurgence.

Rorem noted that Augustine was a sharp critic of contemporaries who used their own spiritual being as a starting point for spiritual ideas. "For some at the time the focus was on their own ability and response to their own sense of spirituality. Augustine wrote that the focus should be on God – who God is and what God does."

In thinking today about spiritual matters, Rorem advised his audience of church professionals, it's critical "to reclaim the discipline of contemplative reading." He said many church leaders today don't expect to take time to ponder and reflect in depth. "But it is good to make time for a communal experience, to hear the words of another not in charge, to be willing to change."

Acknowledging a recent interest in individuals discovering their own spiritual gifts, Rorem said it is important to remember that "God pursues us. It depends on God, not me. The emphasis should be on what God is doing, not on us." He said an undue focus on personal spiritual gifts "can lead to blindness. We need to keep the emphasis where it belongs."

Pastor Sara Lilja (right) and Wallace Fletcher, who led a workshop on "Training Leaders for Effective Small Group Ministries."

Turning to Martin Luther, Rorem said Luther's writings may help modern believers refute certain tendencies of "negative theology." Such a negative theology view contends that God is hidden in darkness. The notion of God is thus not retrievable through private experience, according to this view, because it is impossible to know God. In contrast, Rorem said, Luther wrote that "God is revealed in Jesus Christ." The Cross and the life of Jesus – God's incarnation and death, enables believers to live by faith, hope and love alone. It may be true that no one has seen God, but God's only son, the glory of the Word made flesh, has made God known.

Finally, Rorem said, having a spiritual focus on what God does and what Christ has done rather than on ourselves, will have implications for corporate church life and challenge "what we are doing" as believers.

For example, which term, Eucharist or Lord's Supper, best defines the sacrament in terms of the grace of God for believers? He suggested the term "Eucharist" focuses more on "our thanksgiving," while the term "Lord's Supper" focuses more on what God has done and does through the sacrament, as well as on thanksgiving. "Which term more helps or hinders our practice of evangelism?" he asked. "The emphasis needs to be on what God does for us rather than on our praise," he said.

He praised the Seminary's mission statement for its emphasis on being committed to "preparing ordained and lay ministers of the Word as leaders for the mission of the Church in the world." He said the emphasis correctly focuses on "what we do out in the world as a response to what God has done for us." He said the notion of envisioning a "servants' entrance" sign beneath church exit signs emphasizes an appropriate modern spiritual focus: "Through our departure, we give ourselves as a post-communal offertory as we process out the door, in response to what God has done for us."

Bishop Roy Almquist of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod, preached during the beginning of the event. Preaching on passages from the Book of Numbers, he noted the temptation congregations face in life "to give up pushing, to go slower to hold on to what is comforting." Rather than succumbing to the desire to "retreat to simpler times," congregations need to respond to the challenge to "engage the giants" that serve as barriers between people and "a saving relationship with God….Don't fall back into fear or spiritual cowardice," he said. "By engaging the giants you will represent signs of hope and encouragement to others. Have no fear, Little Flock. The Father's desire is to give you the Kingdom."

Christine Summy and John Kahler, on spirituality and technology

Workshops were a highlight of the day's activities. The keynoter led one on "Hearing the Confessions of St. Augustine." The Rev. John Pearson, pastor of the host congregation, led one for senior pastors. "Spirituality in an Age of Technology" was led by John Kahler, Manager of Media and Instructional Design at LTSP, and by Christine Summy, Director of Youth and Young Adult Christian Education at Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church in Lansdale, PA. "Discipleship and Mission through Small Groups" was conducted by Pat Lyle Smith, who serves on the staff of Community Lutheran Church, Las Vegas, NV. Leading "Training Leaders for Effective Small Group Ministries" was Dr. Wallace Fletcher and the Rev. Sara Lilja of the Dialogue Center for Counseling and Consulting in Plymouth Meeting, PA. "The Big Deal About Small Groups" was led by the Rev. Randall Davey, senior pastor of the Church of the Nazarene in Fairview Village, PA.

The Magnet Church event is held each year for professional and lay leaders of large and growing congregations, or for leaders in churches desiring to grow. Next year's event, April 4, will be at Calvary Lutheran Church, West Chester, PA. Keynoter, former Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Presiding Bishop H. George Anderson, will address the theme, "Keeping Your Mission Edge Sharp."