A Retro Look at How One Ministry 30 Years Ago, Looked Like the Pomo Ideal Today

The year was 1975, and I was 12 years old.  My father and mother had grown concerned about their two “young men” who often fell asleep in church.  To the emerging generations of that day, church often seemed boring and culturally irrelevant.  Its organ music, robed pastors, clerical collars and hymn books seemed out-of-step with reality.  And so my father began a search for “something more”.  Wanting to protect his family from spiritually inappropriate experiences and environments, he began to explore other churches.  It was through this search that my father discovered the ministry that would forever transform my life and the life of my brother, and shape our professional ministry future. 

Maranatha Ministries was an independent church plant birthed out of the Jesus Movement.  It was like no other church I had ever before experienced in my young life.  In looking back over my years, I have come to understand that everything inside me has been longing to revisit those three years and make them a part of my current life experience.  As an active participant and promoter of postmodern ministry, I have come to realize than many of the attributes that “pomo” ministries strive for, were indeed elements of the Jesus Movement ministry that I experienced in my youth. 

Cultural Diversity

I will never forget the mixture of fear and excitement as I walked through the parking lot of a “Party Place” to go to church.  I remember wondering “what kind of church would meet in a place where people partied?”  As we approached the entrance, a thunderous roar streamed into the parking lot.  It seemed like dozens of “Hell’s Angel” type bikers were invading the parking lot.   These men were rough and tough, with tattoos, chains, black leather, long hair and beards.  I thought they had come to some how interrupt the service, but this was not the case at all.  As they parked their bikes, I noticed that each one of them had a Bible in tow, concealed in a black leather case with silver studs…some studs were in the shape of crosses, others in the shape of hearts, peace signs or fish.  To my surprise, these rough men were going into church!  And they were happy, warm and friendly as they greeted people who looked very different from themselves.  This was unthinkable! 

As I entered the main meeting room, I saw that the room was filled with people of all ethnic and economic status…but this did not seem to matter to anyone.  I had never before been in a church with Asians, Hispanics and African Americans…and to be honest, this frightened and inspired me as much as did the bikers I experienced only moments earlier.  As I watched the people mill-about (Very few people sat quietly in their seats waiting for the service to begin, only the Jesus Movement Newbies revealed themselves to the ministry participants by such stoic behavior)…It appeared to me that people were being authentic and real in their interactions.  Some people laughed together.  Others were crying.  Still others were praying for each other…but the service had not yet begun!

It became clear to me over time, that part of the reason the ministry was culturally relevant to so many different people, was that this ministry truly valued and respected cultural diversity.  Rather than try to mold a unified culture typical of so many ministries today, or giving lip-service to valuing cross-cultural ministry, Maranatha proved that it was a true cross-cultural ministry by how its people loved and cared for each other.

Cultural Relevance

It was remarkable to me that so many people, from so many different walks of life, found this ministry to be culturally and spiritually relevant.   Upon years of reflection, I have come to believe there were numerous factors that led to this ministry’s early successes.

The Ministry was Contemporary.  Today, contemporary ministries are common place.  But in 1975 contemporary ministries were very rare.  I could not believe my ears when the service began with a live band!  But there was one very important distinction between how worship occurred in this Jesus Movement service as compared with most ministries today…they valued worship as a fluid and participatory process, not as a highly rehearsed presentational program.  In fact, there were NEVER any presentational aspects within these services at all.  There was no screen up front, this freed worshippers to focus upon Christ rather than trying to keep up with the words.  The worship team used their song list as a guide rather than as a script…to be honest, the worship leaders never knew exactly where the service would lead.  The musicians were very skillful and could “jam” without having to follow a scripted performance of each song.  It was normal for some one in the congregation to begin singing a praise or worship song, the band would quickly find the key and join in, as would the rest of the congregation.  Worship in this Jesus Movement ministry was a true dialogue...horizontally and vertically.

The Leadership Believed in Mentorship.  The worship team invited kids and young adults who were learning instruments to sit in the front row and play “un-plugged” and try to follow the lead of their mentors.  To allow an active role in the service for kids who would definitely mess-up was remarkable and inspirational.  It was more important to these leaders to invest into young people, and into the gifts God was developing within them, than to put on a perfect Sunday service presentation.  Allowing the kids and young adults to learn up front during a worship service was not enough for these spiritual leaders.  They also personally mentored many of us.  Their mentorship not only included the development of musical skill, but also the development of our relationship with Christ.  I and my brother were in awe of these young leaders, not just because of their musical skill, but because they cared enough to invest into us personally.  Both my brother and I trace our commitment to full-time ministry today to those few years at Maranatha and the mentorship we received.

It was not just the worship team that believed in mentorship.  The Pastor saw his role as an equipper of the Elder board.  Unlike many ministries today, only those individuals who had proven themselves to be spiritually mature were permitted to be Elders.  The Elders had three primary roles: 1) they were responsible for teaching the congregation, 2) they actively participated in leadership roles within the worship services and ensure that all that occurred in the service was honoring to God and His Church, 3) they helped care for the physical and spiritual needs of the congregation.  While the pastor would often teach, it was just as common to have one of the Elders teach…and “teach” is the proper description…for this ministry was all about learning and apply God’s Word within each individual’s life.  There were no fluffy “topical” talks.  Whether it was the pastor or one of the elders, they taught to the congregation what God had been personally teaching them.  It was almost an unwritten rule that a leader had to be living and applying a point of Scripture before they were permitted to teach it to the congregation.  It was normal to see the pastor or elders weep in worship or during their time of teaching, as they were simply overwhelmed by God’s Spirit.  This was no show or manipulative emotional appeal, but rather authentic Christian leaders living and leading in a God honoring and humbling way.

Just as the Elders were encouraged to teach publicly, they also encouraged the congregation to share how God was teaching them.  Many who came forward were being mentored by the various worship or Elder leaders of the ministry.  This was not a contrived “open-mic” time, but rather a time of true Biblical sharing and instruction.  It was normal for lay people to walk up front, open their Bibles, read a passage, and then expounded upon the passage and shared how God was applying that passage within their life.  Personal testimonies were also normative, but never contrived.  Even in a church of nearly 400 people, lay participation was the expected norm.  In response, the ministry leaders might begin a time of prayer for the lay person, or if appropriate, move into a time of praise and celebration for what God was doing.

The Ministry Was Anti-Institutional.  There was a strong push by some factions within the body to “organize” and “build a building”, but the pastoral and elder leadership stressed that while some organization is healthy, the believer’s hope and faith should be in Christ, and not in organizational structures or buildings.  Looking back, the leaders were consistent in emphasizing that the Church was the people, the body of Christ, and that no building, nor organization, could house Christ’s Church.  I remembered sensing that there was a healthy pride among the leadership that they had redeemed from the culture a public icon (a party place) that typically was used for purposes that did not honor Christ.  I recognize in my own life that I have adopted that same attitude.  My heart sinks when I hear about another church building project.  Yet my heart celebrates when I see a ministry take over a school, store-front, theater or shopping mall. 

The ministry leadership’s attitude toward anti-institutionalism extended even to the point of making a strategic decision to not replace the ministry pastor upon his death, but to continue the ministry as a 100% lay-led organization.  While this ideal would prove to have its difficulties in the months and years to come, and eventually the ministry did extend a call to a professional pastor, I believe the commitment to a 100% lay-led ministry was not born out of an unhealthy control issue by a lay elder board…as is so common place today…but rather out of respect and honor for how their pastor had nurtured and equipped them.  I remember that pastor’s funeral.  I remember the largest funeral I have ever witnessed.  I remember how the pastor’s son stood before the assembly and told the people “This was not a time for weeping, for his father had lived his entire life for this moment…and he was now praising God in heaven”.  He continued, “Was it not then appropriate that we on earth should also be praising Him?”  He then instructed the band to lead the assembly in praise and celebration.  It was the most powerful and authentic worship service I have ever experienced.  I shall always be grateful to Pastor Bergsma for showing me what an authentic church and ministry could look like.

Conclusion

When Maranatha leadership decided not to replace their pastor, my father was concerned about the long-term health and stability of the ministry, and we soon transferred to another church.  But to this day, I long for a Maranatha within my life.  When I read articles, blogs and forums about pomo ministry, it seems to me that I am not alone in my longing.  The trappings of buildings, programs and presentation have caused many of us to be detracted from the person of Christ and from our fellowship with one another.