Slug Rules

In the Washington, D.C. suburbs well-dressed businessmen and women line up early every workday near street corners and on roadsides waiting for a ride to work from strangers looking for commuting companions. If you didn’t know better you’d be tempted to assume something illicit was going on; but it’s not.

It’s called slugging. Individual commuters who want to make it through thick traffic and get to work sooner can’t use the HOV lane (High Occupancy Vehicle) unless their car, truck or van has at least two occupants. So they swing by a slug line and pick up a passenger. These potential riders in turn are looking for a quicker, cheaper way to work and will hop in the vehicle of anyone going their way.

Slugging is an elaborate system that works amazingly well for thousands of commuters every day, even though no official agency oversees it. That’s because over the years unofficial rules have evolved which govern the citizens of this subculture. Here are a few:

• Drivers and riders do not disclose their name or other identifying information.
• Riders do not ask to change environmental conditions, e.g. temperature or music.
• Drivers and riders do not discuss hot topics such as religion or politics.

The system is designed to provide one mutually beneficial service — commuting to work more quickly and inexpensively — without complicating side effects of incon-venience or personal discomfort.

It occurs to me that similar social dynamics characterize the interaction between churches and prospective attendees. Churches have a destination — growth — and swing by neighborhoods hoping to pick up people who need to get to a place where their life works better.

But here’s the problem. Unofficial rules similar to those in slugging can develop. Churches want to pick up new people, but if they are not careful they can unwittingly communicate, “We’re glad to have you here, but we don’t really want you to make yourself known. Don’t try to change the atmosphere we’ve grown comfortable with. And by all means, don’t be controversial.”

These rules to protect anonymity, comfort and status quo may be vital if slugging is to work, but they are contrary to the way the church should function.

As I write this editorial I am riding in a car (I’m slugging) with two fellow pastors on our way to a district meeting. The conversation topic is parishioners who told their evangelistically-minded pastor that if he ever allowed contemporary music into a service they would leave for good. Sounds like a slug rule. Don’t change our preferred atmosphere.

The pastor felt trapped in an impossible choice. Do I disregard the interests of people outside the church whom we need to reach? Or, do I disregard the wishes of the people in my own flock for whom I am to care?

When we look to the Gospel narratives and lessons, Jesus clearly placed more weight on the needs and interests of “outsiders.” So must we. What adjustments must we make to engage and connect with the needs of those who might be willing to look to our churches for guidance?

Believe me, I understand that worship styles, musical preferences and preaching topics have a lot to do with what makes believers feel enriched by a church service. Goodness knows, it would be hard for me to “get anything out of” a worship service with rap music and a sermon that examined the biblical and spiritual significance of Facebook-style social networking. But worship services aren’t designed “for me.”

One day we all will worship in the presence of God for eternity in perfect heartfelt expression. Until then worship is not the “great commission.” There is work to do. There’s a harvest to be reaped. One day there will be nothing more important than worship. But not now.

Jesus never taught on worship; He never commanded His disciples to spend any time developing or emphasizing worship ministries. Everything He did, everything He taught and everything He commanded was about finding and rescuing lost people. They are standing alongside the highways and byways waiting for someone to come along who can take them to the saving knowledge of God.

We’ve got to let them tell us who they are, change the atmosphere, and talk about whatever they need to talk about. For the time being that may mean our church ride is a little less edifying for us ... but a lot more fruitful. And in the end? We’ll wind up where the church is supposed to be going in the first place.