Upside-Down Faith
Stretching, spirituality, and sciatic nerve damage
As I stood on the precipice of a new year, a daunting realization loomed large in my mind. The onset of sciatica, an unexpected intruder into my daily routine, disrupted my physical well-being and impacted my ability to connect with friends on the golf course.
The inability to partake in the simple joy of playing golf with friends, an activity that brought camaraderie and fun, became a poignant metaphor for a more profound truth.
What I yearned to do, I couldn't, and what I was currently doing wasn't working anymore.
I realized I would be required to embark on a painful but necessary journey of stretching and inversion. The parallels between my struggle and the challenges facing the post-Christian church are strikingly evident.
Stretching is a transformative metaphor for modern ministry.
I want to share a few essential principles weaving together the physical and spiritual aspects of stretching, the necessity of addressing pain points, and the crucial paradigm shifts needed in personal spirituality and church practices.
My friend Curtis Hunnicutt (The Oasis Project) has a relentless enthusiasm for stretching and encouraged me to stay consistent with my routine. It’s made all the difference.
In the same way, I want to show you how the unconventional practice of stretching/hanging upside down can be a symbol of the paradigm shift needed in our personal spirituality and communities of faith.
Hanging Upside Down
Inversion.
Hanging upside down may seem like a strange practice, but it’s one of the few things that provides relief from sciatic nerve damage.
It’s also a symbol of radical transformation.
Hanging upside down challenges conventional thought and defies gravity. Similarly, our personal spirituality and approach to church needs a radical transformation.
The post-Christian environment requires us to turn our perspectives upside down, to let go of preconceived notions, and to approach faith with fresh eyes and open hearts.
Our point of view matters.
For example, a common point of view is that hanging out with church folks during the week means we are “doing church” effectively.
But is that the best use of our time? Are our decisions for the church based on our conversations with insiders or outsiders? William Temple once said,
"The Church is the only institution that exists primarily for the benefit of those who are not yet its members."
The church will look different when we change our point of view.
I'm not suggesting that unbelievers rule the church, but shouldn't we be listening to those for whom the church was created?
Preventing Sciatica in the Church
We also need to address spiritual pain points.
In the same way that stretching/inversion can prevent physical pain, our spiritual communities must also address the spiritual pain that can hinder growth.
In a post-Christian landscape, the sciatica of the church might include rigid traditions, exclusive practices, or a lack of relevance or reverence. We can alleviate the pain by actively engaging in these issues and creating a more inclusive and spiritually healthy community.
Barna provides an inside look into the trajectory of Christianity in America.
The percentage of 18-22-year-olds (older Gen Z) that identify as committed Christians is only 19%!
Although nearly three out of four want to learn more about Jesus, most don’t even know who he is! Full report found here. That is unacceptable on our watch.
We can't afford to simply kick the problem down the road to the next generation. When we avoid short-term pain, it only creates more long-term struggle.
Trust me, I know! Ask my back!
We need fewer "friends" telling us to take it easy and more friends like Curtis willing to look us in the eye and call out our laziness. It’s time to start being stretched.
We must stop evaluating our success based on how many people attend our churches and instead count the number of unchurched people in our communities.
If your worship attendance went up but the overall percentage of people in your community who know Jesus went down, that wasn't a win. We lost!
What is the spiritual pain you are no longer willing to ignore? Will you do something about it?
Dynamic Churches
The concept of dynamic stretching seamlessly translates into the church environment.
We need a vibrant church that actively engages with the changing realities of the world. We need to learn to adapt.
Ministry stretching involves exploring new forms of worship, leveraging technology for outreach, and adapting our methods to meet people where they are.
A dynamic church is flexible, responsive, and open to innovation.
My partner in ministry, Jon Wiest, serves as the Next Ventures Director with Exponential and has worked with dozens of ministries that are pioneering new approaches to reaching the lost.
I’ve also had the privilege of interviewing scores of people innovating to reach those far from God. Do they always get it right? Of course not. Is it worth reaching people who need Jesus? Absolutely.
My friend Mike Weller starts dinner churches so people can converse about Jesus.
Then there is Paige Johnson, who uses her love of racecars to interact with people and let them know the love of Jesus.
Let's not forget Steve McVey, who is giving his life to ensure churches in rural America are not coasting but creatively helping people living on the “dirt roads” to know they are loved and seen by Jesus.
What adaptation is needed in your life or ministry for more people to realize they are known, seen, and loved by Jesus?
Partnering for Transformation
In the same way that stretching with a partner builds physical community, the church must also foster a sense of communal faith. It's not only about our individual journey but also about partnering together for collective transformation.
We, the church, are a community built for relationships and built for mission. That mission should be accomplished together.
We’re living in a fantasy world if we think any single church can reach an entire community for Christ.
Is there another pastor you can partner with this year? Is there another Christian you can work with to form an "Investigating the Bible" lunch discussion with colleagues at your work? How else could you partner?
Mindful Ecclesiology
Mindfulness extends beyond personal spirituality; it's a crucial aspect of life in the church.
We need a mindful ecclesiology aware of the cultural shifts, deeply connected to the community's needs, and reflective in its practices.
A mindful church is intentional about its mission and seeks to impact the world with love, compassion, and relevance.
It’s been almost four and a half years since I resigned from my position as Lead Pastor of Sent Church to pursue the dream of planting 1,000 churches. However, I still attend the church and recently sensed God asking me to help develop a microchurch hub in the DFW area.
I hesitated to suggest the idea to the current Senior Pastor, Kyle Ray, knowing it could be met with reluctance on his part.
Instead, he was not only willing to start new microchurches, but also was willing to send some of his best leaders to leave the church and reach people Sent Church would never reach.
That is what sending churches do. They have a kingdom perspective.
It is going to take all kinds of churches to reach all kinds of people whom God misses. To what lengths will you go this year to ensure that someone God misses knows they are missed? Pastor, who will you release to start a new ministry or church, knowing that your church may never get the credit?
Do it anyway! We need upside-down faith leadership.
The traditional hierarchy in churches is often top-down. However, an upside-down faith leadership model challenges this norm.
In a post-Christian context, leadership should be characterized by humility, servanthood, and a willingness to listen.
The upside-down leader empowers others, encourages diverse voices, and navigates the complexities of the modern world with wisdom and grace.
Home Depot is famous for saying, "You can do it, we can help."
The same is true of upside-down leaders. Be the kind of person who doesn't use people only for your purposes but empowers them to find their God-given purpose and releases them into their calling.
A Final Word on Stretching
In conclusion, as we embark on this journey of stretching, let us not underestimate the significance of an upside-down faith, leadership, and church.
Dealing with sciatic nerve damage is no fun!
However, I’ve learned through stretching and inverted hanging that I need to embrace change, address pain points, and be more dynamic in my approach to healing.
The same is true for the church.
The post-Christian environment beckons us to create communities that are spiritually healthy and transformative forces in the world.
May our stretching journey catalyze a profound paradigm shift in personal spirituality and how we do church as we navigate the complexities of a post-Christian era with courage, adaptability, and unwavering faith.
I love the following words from the Apostle Paul in Philippians 3:13,
“Brothers, it is clear to me that I have not come to that knowledge, but one thing I do, letting go of those things which are past, and stretching out to the things which are before….”
Keep stretching friends!
Dwight, thanks so much for these insights!