Jack Hayford Responds to Christmas Megachurch Closures
December 15, 2005
Some of you may remember that I served for 8 years in one of the Foursquare denomination's flagship churches, before becoming a Free Methodist. I still have many dear friends in Foursquare churches. And it was through that network of friendships that I received the following response by Jack Hayford to the recent announcement that several of the nation's megachurches would be closed on Christmas Sunday.
I am NOT wanting to beat a dead horse here. But since I have always considered Jack's to be an apostolic voice to the body of Christ at large, I felt compelled to post his recent thoughts on this topic. Of course, I would enjoy hearing your thoughts and reactions to what Jack has shared.
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-----Original Message-----
From: Foursquare Communications
Sent: Wednesday, December 14, 2005 6:12 PM
To: Foursquare Communications
Subject: FNS #225 Foursquare President Jack Hayford Addresses Megachurch Christmas Closures
FOURSQUARE PRESIDENT JACK HAYFORD ADDRESSES MEGACHURCH CHRISTMAS CLOSURES
On December 9th Fox News reported that several of America's largest churches would be closed on Sunday, December 25, explaining those sites would offer Christmas worship services only, on Friday and Saturday the 23-24. Jack Hayford, president of the Foursquare Church and former megachurch pastor (The Church On The Way, Van Nuys, California) was asked his feelings about this.
Q: What are your thoughts in view of the announcement many find surprising, that some Christian churches are closing their doors on Christmas Day?
A: Foremost, my thoughts are of being equally surprised, although I am not unsympathetic with the dynamics that have tempted some church leaders to make this choice. Having pastored for over 40 years, I¹ve faced the decision the peculiar timing of this year's calendar brings to the Christmas weekend.
When Christmas comes on Sunday, at least in our tradition, the majority of worshippers by far prefer a Christmas Eve occasion. Though the weekend is well attended, the Sunday morning attendance at a church which also offers Christmas Eve gatherings will pale by comparison.
Q: Then you have utilized this schedule before and closed the church on Sunday?
A: No. In fact, there are several reasons I wouldn't consider that. As a megachurch we would reduce the number of Christmas Sunday worship times, balancing with the increase of Saturday's Christmas Eve services.
Q: Megachurch leaders have explained that staffing Sunday morning events was impractical seeing a reduced number of volunteers would be available.
A: I understand completely. But a reduction in the scope or structure of a service is not difficult where creative leaders are involved. I can't see anything that would make a "chapel-style" service either less worthy or less meaningful - and it would certainly be far simpler to offer...in fact, affording a simplicity not inconsistent with the remarkable simplicity with which Christ entered the world in the first place. Just yesterday I heard of a pastor who at first was going to cancel Christmas Day services, but changed his mind, saying, "As I reconsidered, I decided to simply have a single guitar, invite the singing of both traditional and contemporary songs of the season, encourage worshippers who would to share expressions of gratitude to God for the gift of Christ - and then read the Scriptures along with a brief meditation.
Q: Would you see this as preferable?
A: Quite frankly, I see our responsibility to provide Christmas Sunday services as infinitely more than "preferable." I see it as a mandate - especially this year - 2005!
Q: Please explain.
A: First, I have pastored too long to not be aware of the fact that there are always people who want to worship on Christmas Sunday and who cannot attend Christmas Eve services. Further, I also have learned that no matter how thoroughly we may announce a schedule change, there are always people who have not heard or registered those facts. Consequently, referencing the question at hand, I guarantee there will be people who arrive at the megachurches mentioned and who will be disappointed - if not dismayed - to discover closed doors. There may not be many, but - and I can't express myself strongly enough in this regard - the Church doesn¹t exist to serve a given quantity of people, nor to serve its own convenience of schedule or program. We exist to serve people - individuals, each of whom are of value and each having personal and spiritual need for shepherding.
Q: What did you mean by "a mandate - especially this year"?
A: In America, Christmastime 2005 has underscored a national debate on the question of how we designate the holiday season. The issue of "political correctness" has, to the view of hosts of social observers, reached a point of ludicrousness when "Merry Christmas" is challenged or disallowed as a fitting greeting. I have been refreshed to see the rise of increasing numbers of non-Christians who have risen to defend the legitimacy of our Christian traditions, as well as their willingness to support the propriety of "Merry Christmas" remaining acceptable, respectable and appropriate to the season - everywhere. Thus, given this issue¹s prominence, it seems short-sighted to me that any church would not be open on Christmas Sunday.
It certainly doesn't seem to be a time for Church leadership to appear to waffle on the Day's importance in the eyes of today's society.
Q: Would you have any comments regarding your own denomination's stand on this?
A: It isn't my prerogative to make official statements on such matters, in behalf of all our faithful, local church pastors. At the time I heard the news report on this peculiar choice by some megachurches, I will confess to thinking, "What a waste of the huge influence they have." While not feeling critical of friends I have pastoring in such venues, I do feel the decision is, as I said, short-sighted. Insofar as my hopes are concerned, however, I would hope two things concerning our Foursquare Churches - and for that matter, for any church anywhere: (1) That if an announced closure has been made that a reconsideration will result in, at least, the "chapel-service" type offering creatively developed by the pastor mentioned above; and (2) That for all time, a Foursquare Church would as a general rule, never be closed on a Sunday, short of any reason less than a natural disaster or impossible weather circumstances.
The Foursquare Church | PO Box 26902 | Los Angeles | CA | 90026
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* Added later: I noticed that the Foursquare denomination's website has a link to the above communication that was sent out.
Heh, I said something similar on The Ooze about an Orthodoxy liturgy. A Sunday without the liturgy? Only if there was a hurricane or earthquake.
Though major feasts have a midnight liturgy beginning with normal Saturday vespers.
Posted by: Gina | December 16, 2005 at 10:42 PM
BTW I think it's interesting you went from Foursquare to Free Methodist. That seems almost as incongruent as Word-Faith to Orthodox, as Pavel did. But I guess there's Wesleyan Holiness as background?
Posted by: Gina | December 16, 2005 at 10:44 PM
Gina,
You're right -- the roots of Wesleyan Holiness run fairly deep in Pentecostal/Charismatic theology. LOL! And my pastor used to tell me from time to time that I was "kind of an Orthodox guy" ;)
Probably not too surprizing considering the recent quiz I took. My scores:
89% Evangelical Holiness/Wesleyan
79% Emergent/Postmodern
79% Roman Catholic
54% Neo orthodox
43% Classical Liberal
43% Modern Liberal
32% Charismatic/Pentecostal
21% Fundamentalist
14% Reformed Evangelical
Posted by: Chris | December 17, 2005 at 08:27 AM
quote
BTW I think it's interesting you went from Foursquare to Free Methodist. That seems almost as incongruent as Word-Faith to Orthodox, as Pavel did. But I guess there's Wesleyan Holiness as background?
quote
Actually I went from the "prophetic"/"Apostolic" movement to the "Apostolic Tradition and Sucession" movement. It was all very congruent... just in a non-coventional way. Kind of like going so far one way you go "full circle" the other.
Posted by: pavel/addai | December 17, 2005 at 03:37 PM
>>Actually I went from the "prophetic"/"Apostolic" movement to the "Apostolic Tradition and Sucession" movement. It was all very congruent... just in a non-coventional way. Kind of like going so far one way you go "full circle" the other.
Addai
I would say you went from Protestant Neo-Apostolic/Prophetic to Classical Apostolic.
Posted by: Fr. Stan | December 19, 2005 at 06:43 AM
Wow, Chris, though I really respect Jack Hayford, I was really disappointed by his response. Perhaps he is speaking as the leader of a denomination, vs. just being an influential pastor as in the past?
This whole issue/dialgoue has really exposed a bitter truth about the Church in America: it's institutional dimension. Can we not think of ourselves apart from this angle? Are we not more than just providers of religious goods and services? It's times like these that I can't help but think what good would come to us losing our church buildings and properties.
Ok, back to the post. I could respect his views in the first part of it. He really started losing me during the part in which he sees it as a mandate.
First of all, this whole christian debate over which words to use and where to shop is ridiculous and Christ would have no part in it. It also causes us to lose credibility with those who are not Christians around us, and makes many of us younger evangelicals or post evangelicals to not be associated with evangelicals.
Posted by: Benjy | December 19, 2005 at 01:54 PM
Wow, it is good to read something from Jack. I started out ministering in the Foursquare as well. And I have a lot of respect for Jack. Part of my problem with this whole issue (other than that we don't do a Sunday service anyway) is that much of the megachurch philosophy is consumer oriented rather than liturgically oriented. And it pretty much has to be that way to maintain such a large infrastructure. I don't envy mega-church pastors, I can't imagine how hard it would be to maintain such an enterprise and remain faithful to God's vision, but I am certain many of them do that. It was great to read Jack encouraging us to remember our ministry is to people, no matter the size of the group of people. We all need to hear that from time to time.
Posted by: Frank Emanuel | December 20, 2005 at 07:48 AM
In America, Christmastime 2005 has underscored a national debate on the question of how we designate the holiday season. The issue of "political correctness" has, to the view of hosts of social observers, reached a point of ludicrousness when "Merry Christmas" is challenged or disallowed as a fitting greeting. I have been refreshed to see the rise of increasing numbers of non-Christians who have risen to defend the legitimacy of our Christian traditions, as well as their willingness to support the propriety of "Merry Christmas" remaining acceptable, respectable and appropriate to the season - everywhere. Thus, given this issue¹s prominence, it seems short-sighted to me that any church would not be open on Christmas Sunday.
I think Jack said it extremely well.
It's not just about the IC on Sundays. It's about the IC and you and me on Christmas. Nativity. I can understand having midnite services and other special services, but to not have a Christmas Service on the one Sunday in 10 or 11 years when Christmas falls on a Sunday is Madness...
yikes.
bless you Chris.
Seraphim
Posted by: Seraphim | December 20, 2005 at 07:45 PM
We have a Christmas Service at our Church on Friday night...it is not by any means a mega church by the way. We will go to midnight mass at the local episcopal church, and then we have a choice of a United Methodist or Reformed Church for Sunday morning. I can never get enough "church". Remember thou to keep holy the LORD's day, unless it falls on a holiday and you're too busy with family to give Him an hour or two...Family before God, isn't that sort of Idol Worship
Posted by: maryellen | December 22, 2005 at 10:11 AM