Against The Grain, Against the Odds

I just got back from doing the adult portion of VBS at the Pitman Church of Christ in south New Jersey. It is a remarkable church, especially since it continues to grow despite the fact that it doesn't fit any of the accepted paradigms of growing churches in this post-modern age.

Rochester Church is growing, but it fits the accepted paradigms. It has a cutting edge worship leader, a new way of approaching ministries, staffing, extensive use of video, drama, and special events to reach its community. I love it! But compare us to Pitman and it would seem that one of us should be failing.

For one, Pitman is still doing VBS. How many churches have abandoned that? [full disclosure: Rochester still does VBS but I have often wondered how effective it is and whether it should continue]. The songs they sing haven't been used in most churches for a generation. On Sunday, their songs are the older traditional songs with some newer ones sprinkled in, and during VBS they sing "Once there were three wandering Jews" and "Father Abraham" and similar songs I thought had passed on due to age and political correctness. I cringed when the kids sang out as loud as they could "JEW, JEW, JEW!" (Am I becoming a politically correct, French loving, brie eating, touchy-feely wimp? )

The building is old (they are building a new one) and every book I've read recently tells me people won't go to one like that... but they do. And the people who go there! It is a wonderful mix of white, African-American, and Hispanic. A great number of them have no former connection with any of the restoration movement's three branches and, in fact, come from all walks of life. It is a more diverse congregation than any other I will deal with this year. Even after this, my third time with them, I walk away amazed.

How do you build a church without any of the postmodern accoutrements? How do you bring them in (they run over 300 in two morning services... in New Jersey! Right where people say it can't be done, they do it) and keep bringing them in when it would seem against the grain, against the odds? Just when so many are running away from the name "Church of Christ", Pitman's minister and elders (and many members) wear the name on golf shirts, button down oxfords, baseball hats, coffee mugs, and key chains. There it is just above a drawing of three crosses. They are proud of who they are and their name.

Their secret weapon is community. Their preaching minister is Dan Cooper, an energetic, kind, and tireless community builder. His elders are positive, encouraging, and supportive. People don't attend Pitman; they are brought into the family of Christ at Pitman. Their bulletin is a long list of service projects, outings to plays and events in Philly or New York, gatherings at this or that house, or requests for families to take care of this or that person who needs help. You sense love and participation, fellowship and community all around you.

As usual, I come away humbled by Pitman. They don't "do it" the way the blogroll's reading list says they should, and I doubt any of the members knows who Donald Miller or Mark Driscoll is. It would surprise me if they've been to Tulsa or taken in an Emerging Church seminar... but they are shining like a city on a hill. They glow with grace, joy, and love all wrapped up in community. What a wonderful, wonderful congregation. God bless Dan Cooper, the elders, and the Pitman church. Thanks for the lesson.