My Personal Anti Back Row Campaign

9/22 My Personal Anti Back Row Campaign

It has been a mystery since the first set of seats were ever placed in a church. It has been studied, it has been measured, psychologists have analyzed it, experts have theorized about it but no real answer has ever been given. And just what are we talking about? Why the back seats in the church always fill up first.

It’s like the law of gravity; it cannot be broken or defied. This practice is in concrete, this activity has been set in stone, it is just the way that it is.

There’s something about sitting back there, far away from all the action. It is like a statement that says, “leave me alone!” Maybe it is a subtle form of non involvement. Maybe the preaching gets easier to tolerate the farther back it goes. Maybe the back row person just doesn’t want the preacher to spit on him. Maybe there is a back row club that I don’t know about with their own handshakes, tattoos, Bible imprints and secret codes.

Every preacher has tried their hand at moving back row people up; embarrassment, motivation, guilt, shame, freebies, discounted tithing, better padding up front, electro shock therapy, etc. Nothing has ever worked.

Maybe the real question is; why does the preacher want those in the back to move up front or at least closer? There are a number of reasons;

1. Compactness – the sight of people sitting one to a pew and scattered all around except the back few rows is rather empty feeling. Everyone on the planet knows that preaching ability rises with the amount of good “amens” and the more crowded the sanctuary looks.

2. Interest – when the front is empty and the back is crowded it just seems nobody is really interested. If that were you up front speaking and we all came and sat as far away from you as possible, what would you think?

3. Comfort – it is proven by ergonomic tests and old people’s testimonials that those seats in the back are not as comfortable as the seats in the middle and especially the seats in the front. Let’s just say they have been less used which means more cushion!!!!

4. The Speed of Sound – Do you realize that the sermon ends faster up front? By the time the last point echoes to the back row the upfront people are already at the steak house ordering.

5. Seeability – from the back you miss the action! You don’t get to see the miscues, the fumbles, the facial expressions of the preacher which tell the real story of the sermon. And what about those at the altar? You won’t get to see which people are up front praying after the sermon on adultery.

6. Politeness – it just seems so much nicer and caring to see people sitting together instead of alone. Nothing worse than seeing a visitor scanning the crowd wondering why they are sitting closer to the front than anyone else. To them that is a sign, a bad sign.

7. Spiritual Authority – if the preacher asks you to move then there must be a good, spiritual, theological reason for it and since he is your spiritual mentor it must be good for you! And the Bible says to submit to your elders.

8. Predictability – same people, same place, same look, every week. How boring is that? Doesn’t exactly explain the revolutionary spirit of the mighty Church of the living God does it?

9 Consideration – visitors always come in at the last minute and so to be considerate it would be great if they could duck in and find a back seat instead of having to scan the sanctuary and make the embarrassing walk up front.

So here it goes, I am throwing down the challenge, can Liberty Street become the first church to defy the law of the back row? Can we make a move to the middle, or the front? That will send a message to the world, to the preacher, and to the visitors who come that we are interested, in tune and involved.

And here is my second challenge; you can move back to the back when you have found someone to take your seat up front. That’s right, you can’t sit in the back until you have recruited a new person/family to take your seat up front. That should fill the church in a hurry!

Like the Beatles said, “shake it up baby!”

Broad Shouldered, Smelly, Bicep Bulging, Hairy Backed, Chest Thumping, In Your Face MEN!

Everywhere I turn in ministry and in the church there seems to be one constant need that never gets filled enough; the need for strong, affirmative, decisive and focused male leadership. Liberty Street Church used to be called the “manless church.” There wasn’t a man to be found. Women did all the work and held this place together. That is no longer the case. Now we have plenty of men but there is always a deep need at every level of the church for real strong Christian men to lead.

Let me say up front that I appreciate all the work that women have brought to the table for the church. They are doing a tremendous job in their ministries and the church couldn’t make it without them (and I wouldn’t want to try!) - but there are student/children’s/teaching/elder ministries that are crying out for strong male leadership. So many children come from homes where the fathers have abandoned their roles or have left the family and so there is no positive male role model in their lives. So many of our students have a deep need to see a man who is living for Christ without shame, a man that they can talk to, a man who is in love with another man – Jesus!! So many leadership roles go begging for someone who is tough and yet Spirit led which many men can fill.

So here goes my call; where are the broad shouldered, hairy backed, bicep bulging, unafraid Christian men who can say “YES” to a commitment of hands on ministry with children and with students and in other critical areas of ministry? Where is the man who can serve under leadership and yet get involved in becoming a role model and a mentor to others? I am thankful for every man who was taken on the projects of remodeling our buildings but we need some men who will remodel the lives of our young people.

My profession (professional ministry) is rife with soft, uncalloused, smooth talking, cardigan sweater wearing, sniffling, apologetic men with perfectly combed hair. That embarrasses me. Men are adventurers, fighters, warriors, conquerors, never back down from a challenge kind of people…But put a man in a church and that spirit goes away. I’m calling you out to put your manhood on display…

We need men, men of God, men who are not afraid to get down and dirty with our students.
We need men who are not afraid of leading.
We need men who are not afraid of getting personal and up close.
We need men who can play flag football and dodge ball.
We need men who can pray with others.
We need men who can discipline and correct the behavior of students.
We need men who know something about the Bible.
We need men who know how to love students.
We need men who can be role models.
We need men who can stand against the wind.
We need men who will put their life on the line for others to succeed.
We need men who can model how to love their wives.
We need men who won’t walk away from a fight.
We need men who hate the devil.

Are you one of those men?

And here is the deal, if you are offended by an article like this, you’re not the guy the church is looking for.