CCBlogs thinking critically, living faithfully

Carol Howard Merritt's blog

When I was in Cajun Louisiana, serving as a pastor, I learned about traiteurs. When people would get sick, they would go to the doctor and to the traiteur, just to make sure all of their bases were covered. Many of my neighbors, friends, and members of my congregation would say, “I was suffering from arthritis. I went to the doctor and I went to the traiteur, and now I’m healed. You can decide which one made me better.” And as they said it, I always got the feeling that I was voting for the doctor, and they were voting for the traiteur.... READ MORE.

Carol Howard Merritt's blog

Text: Philippians 4:4-7

I saw the car commercial, just slightly in my vision as I was walking through the basement. I was doing laundry, but I could tell that the ad was showing footage of a beautiful, expensive, luxury automobile, zooming at high speeds around the highway curves. And there was some sort of prattle going on, I don’t remember the monologue, but I think it was a man talking about how he was going to his holiday family reunion, and he was going to show them how successful he had become.

I smiled. The messages of this season are so interesting. You can show people how much you love them with a diamond. Your can make your children happy by buying them a video game. Now, you can finally let your brother and sister know that you got the biggest piece of the pie. You own the most toys. You won the ultimate tug-of-war, because you have a shiny car. Not only can you buy emotional security for your spouse, happy memories for your kids, but you can win the final grand victory for your sibling rivalry. In fact, if we believe the commercials, the only thing that money cannot buy is poverty. ... READ MORE.

Carol Howard Merritt's blog

Recently, we had a continuing education event at our church on responding to the economic crisis. As we all know, even though the markets are up, and things seem to be stable, the unemployment rate is still high. While the general population is moving on with their Christmas shopping, a huge percentage of our country is still unemployed, trying to get a job in an incredibly tight market. So the needs in our congregations, as well as the level of anxiety and depression, can be quite high.

So we gathered, with two counselors, to find out how to best support people who are suffering during this time–our friends, our loved ones, our members, and often ourselves. One pastor began his question, “When we counsel people who have lost their jobs….”

And the counselor stopped him and said, “You don’t counsel people who have lost their jobs. You are not counselors, you’re not therapists. You can free yourself from that notion.” ... READ MORE.

Carol Howard Merritt's blog

So, a while back, we were talking about membership on the God Complex, and whether it’s something that we should do away with. I have wonderful friends who think that membership is irrelevant in a 21st Century church. But, I tend to think that we should keep the concept around. I like it.

When I look at things generationally, I realize that I am part of Generation X. On the whole, many of us were not and are not joiners. Just about every social construct, from political parties to church, used to decry the fact that we weren’t engaged enough.

There was a huge drop-off. I think, partly, because people were used to the large number of Boomers, and we are a much smaller generation. So, if organizations grew a lot because young Boomers were joining them, there was going to be a downturn in the numbers when Gen X came of age, because there are simply not as many of us.

And, because, as I mentioned, we’re not joiners. Many of us are pretty cynical. And we’re very innovative. So, often, we would rather start something than join something.

Yet, I see something different happening with the college students I work with. One of them recently asked if we could start a Protestant Club.... READ MORE.
 

Carol Howard Merritt's blog

CC Pastor (which, I’m assuming from the context stands for Calvary Chapel) wrote a good comment, which I replied to, but there was so much there, that I thought we could discuss it more in depth. If you’re not into reading 38 comments, you can get the general context here.

Mark let me suggest this connection. Ms. Merritt attended a large Calvary Chapel. She considered herself smarter than the pastor there. Assuming this is true and she is not just proud [author aside: this is a very generous assumption!] why then are Calvary Chapels growing and the PCUSA shrinking? Is there something wrong or missing in the training and education that Presbyterian(USA) pastors are receiving? I think the problem is you can not replace passion with education, training or technique. There is something about conservative theology that changes the hearts of people. We may not like the fact that the PCA is opening churches where we are closing churches. Or that the Bible is not always politically correct. Or that most large and growing churches are conservative churches. Or that conservative church inspire people to give more enabling them to support their pastors.

There is in this comment the presumption that many people make: conservative churches are passionate, large, growing, and inspiring, and conservative theology changes the hearts of people.

I certainly don’t deny that. There was an emotional intensity in the congregations of my youth that I don’t experience now. But, I have to say that I’m relieved. I had to leave my conservative congregation, after witnessing a great deal of abuse (and I don’t use that term lightly) to my friends and family. I needed a congregation that recognized my call into ministry, even as a woman. And I needed a place where the church did not center around a man who was a charismatic performer, yet very aloof pastor.... READ MORE.

Carol Howard Merritt's blog

As most of us know, Barack Obama asked Rick Warren to open at the Inauguration, and there has been a bit of frustration sparking around the Internet around the choice.

Why is it? After all, Obama also invited Rev. Joseph Lowery, a great Civil Rights leader, to close in prayer, showing a balance in judgment and religious convictions.

Warren is an affable guy, who has sold a gazillion books. He has a rigid stance against abortion and same-sex unions, but he has been willing to invite Obama to Saddleback (Warren’s mega-church), and sit at the table with Obama, even with many evangelicals... READ MORE.