In Memory of Dr. Robert H. Schuller

A couple of weeks ago, I discovered I would soon be at my 400th blog post. I was trying to think of something significant for it. Then last week, Dr. Robert H. Schuller died, and I can think of no better way than to honor him with this post.

I have long thought that besides my immediate family, Schuller and his ministry has been the biggest impact to my theology, spirituality, and ministry. And that's, obviously, not a small thing to say. It's taken me a few days to put this together because it's hard to express even some of my thoughts and feelings in a coherent manner. Here's my attempt, probably more for my own processing than for anyone else.

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A brief personal history summary first, for context.

My knowledge of Schuller goes way back to childhood, before I became a Christian. My grandma would watch the Hour of Power, although I wouldn't pay much attention. My mom remembers my grandparents taking them to the drive in church when they were little and appreciating getting to stay in their pajamas for church. My grandma has a memorial brick in the newest campus building. It essentially functions as her memorial location for me.

My awareness of his ministry increased in high school after I became a Christian, but it was really my first year in college at UC Berkeley that made things connect. Going from a little mountain town to living in Berkeley was a culture shock, to say the least. And finding a church wasn't easy. I started receiving Schuller's daily email devotions, which helped keep me motivated, hope-filled, and focused on my priorities and central identity as a Christian in the midst of a lot of worldview challenge. Berkeley culture doesn't confront worldview in a kind way, but one of the things that was central to Schuller's approach and theology was being welcoming and inclusive, finding common elements of agreement among differences in worldview in order to improve the world. This helped give me strength and change my distaste for Berkeley's aggressive cynicism into something incredibly defining in my life, building a more dynamic, rich faith. When I was asked to speak about my experience in Berkeley for graduation at my church, I quoted one of Schuller's pithy sayings to represent how he helped me keep hope and tenacity.

When I moved back to Southern California for my doctorate, I heard about a new college/young adult ministry starting at the Crystal Cathedral, only about 45 minutes from where I lived, and I thought no harm in trying it out. In fact, I'd love to be able to actually be a part of that congregation. There, I met someone who would soon become a great friend, Bobby Schuller (grandson of Robert H. and now lead pastor of Shepherd's Grove and Hour of Power). Over the next few years, I helped build The Gathering, a emerging church-inspired "church-within-a-church" and even came on staff of the Cathedral for The Gathering. Obviously, Schuller's theology and intergenerational influence was felt throughout our work.

We at The Gathering had a very different style, but the foundational stance of hope and encouragement that Schuller promoted was pervasive and drew people who had been hurt by other institutional churches (frankly, not unlike some of Schuller's then-unconventional approaches). Eventually I moved out of the area and so had to find a more local congregation.

Suffice it to say that Schuller's ministry and my life have crossed paths in deep, meaningful ways for most of life.

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With that context, these are some reflections on how his ministerial approach and theology have impacted me.

While criticisms have been and will continue to be made about the Crystal Cathedral campus due to opulence, extravagance wasn't really the goal. Rather, Schuller's first intent around unique church structures was practical, to be inclusive of those who couldn't be a part of a traditional congregation. Guideposts' memorial is a good summary of much of his original ministerial intent. Schuller's point was to create a physical space that would help people feel a sense of holiness and grandness of God, especially via connecting to the natural world. For me, that's exactly what I felt around the campus. I loved spending hours studying or just meditating in the gardens. The stairs at top of the Tower of Hope, just outside the Chapel in the Sky, was my favorite place on the whole campus because of its balance of connecting with the natural world, feeling close to God, while also looking out over the community and remembering the mission of being in the world. My wife and I had our first kiss, got engaged, and were married on the Cathedral campus. My bachelor "party" was spent walking around the campus with my best man having some good, reflective conversations. So I have good memories there even apart from the relationships built via The Gathering. I'm regularly saddened by the fact that I feel like I have to apologize for misunderstandings of intent around the grounds. But personally, Schuller's architectural efforts help me reconnect to God whenever I roam the campus. I see this nonverbal piece of his message particularly influence my incarnational theology that is so central to my faith.

In hindsight, I can see so many impacts Schuller's theology and approach have made on me. His valuing of psychology likely had some influence on my profession, and I know his regular referencing of Viktor Frankl particularly triggered my interest in studying Frankl's work, which continues to be the foundation for my psychological worldview. I would regularly cite Schuller in my graduate school papers reflecting on my worldview and theology. His words and thoughts were gateway into deeper theological exploration and reflection for me.

A fundamental positive, encouraging theological stance is central to my theology, and I doubt that's coincidental. I'm sure his approach influenced me not only directly, but also via my grandparents and mom. This was and is a major distinction of Schuller's approach, which was often controversial. Central to my ministry and passion is helping people see and experience God as loving and accepting. Schuller helped give shape, theology, and purpose to this focus. A few recent articles have quoted him from a Christianity Today interview, saying, “I don’t think anything has been done in the name of Christ and under the banner of Christianity that has proven more destructive to human personality and, hence, counterproductive to the evangelism enterprise than the often crude, uncouth, and un-Christian strategy of attempting to make people aware of their lost and sinful condition.” There are many in the world who would consider this heresy. However, I increasingly agree with Schuller completely. Most of the greatest criticisms of Christianity and religion are from those who believe in the unbiblical wrathful God supporting retributive justice. Schuller has helped rescue millions from this spiritually and psychologically damaging perspective.

Many people don't realize Schuller's contributions to international dialogue and building bridges across groups. He helped open dialogue with the USSR (he was the first Christian to be on TV there, and Gorbachev was even a guest on the Hour of Power...). His son, Robert A. Schuller, has continued these efforts, engaging in regular interfaith peacemaking efforts. I believe his efforts to find peace among and value in diverse spiritualities influenced my ability and value of promoting the same. My dissertation was focused on exemplar Muslim and Christian interfaith peacemakers. As chair of the spirituality subcommittee at a public department of behavioral health, a lot of my efforts to open inclusion of spirituality are focused on reminding/teaching people that interfaith work can not only function, but it can be powerful, beneficial, and respectful. Schuller never abandoned, minimized, or apologized for his Christian faith in this interactions. Rather, he exemplified that living as a follower of Christ was the cause for these efforts.

Despite whatever fair or unfair criticisms people may have of him, at his heart, Schuller cared about people. He loved his family deeply and well (and I know they loved him back). He wanted to bring the hope of Christ to a hurting world. He helped reshape the structure of church in a way that met people where they were at in a new culture. Even Christianity Today recognized this influence in their tribute. He helped build cultural and religious bridges to build a better world. His methods may seem cheesy and dated to us now, but they were revolutionary and effective at the time.

We could do well to remember and continue the intent of reaching those ostracized by churches and broken Christianity in creative, hope-filled, and life-giving ways. Schuller's message was one of grace and love, and I will forever treasure him for it.

Does the Building Matter?

Last week, I asked, "Does Dress Matter?" in regards to how we dress at church. This week, I want to look at the relevance of our buildings that (supposedly) inspire worship. Many readers know I was heavily involved in the Crystal Cathedral Ministries. My wife and I had our first kiss, got engaged, and got married on the campus (plus the last Star Trek movie was filmed there, which is awesome! :) ). But it was also regularly criticized for its opulence (okay, the women's bathroom was definitely extreme). Recently, there was an interesting post from a former critic of the building, recognizing some potential benefits of the architecture.

Yes, a lot of hungry people could have been fed with the money from building the Cathedral (and many other buildings worldwide). But how much have such buildings inspired people spiritually (and subsequently resulting in financial donations)? We'll probably never know for sure. However, I can say that these buildings have definitely inspired me over the years and helped keep me focused on the priorities of faith. This can seem ironic since the building can seem so superficial and in contrast to last week's post. But one of the things I loved about the grounds was how they emphasized a connection with nature, being able to see God all around us. The Chapel in the Sky was one of my favorite places, being able to see the surrounding community for miles, reminding me of the importance of touching all of these lives.

Extending one of the arguments from last week about the importance of making worship time different, I think the building really can do that. I've been part of congregations whose buildings are clearly churches, with stained glass windows and history built in, and those whose buildings were warehouses and looked more like theaters. I can't really imagine going back to the latter option. Part of it is in the style of worship that is too performance-driven for me now. But the other part is that those types don't feel like anything special or different. Walking into the Crystal Cathedral feels special. Walking into my current congregation's building feels special. It helps put me into a different mindset. There's a reason the Temple was to be created a certain way with increasing reverence for the increasing sanctity of the divisions, culminating in the Holy of Holies.

But I would resort back to my recommendation from last week. How about we create buildings that are meaningful to our own worship? After all, even buildings are simply social constructions (literally and figuratively). Just like dress, we shouldn't obtain a building to build our egos, but rather reorient ourselves to the reason we're worshipping.

Rob Bell's Modern, Graceful Hour of Power @realrobbell @CarltonCuse @godgrrl

Many people know Rob Bell left Mars Hill Bible church last year to move to LA and work with Lost producer/writer Carlton Cuse on some mysterious venture. Well, last night, I got a preview with a "beta test" of their new plans. My friend, Luthor, was able to get tickets to the show, and we wound up sitting in the front row, feet on the platform, literally three feet from Bell most of the night.

As Luthor and I were leaving and talking about the hour and a half event, I commented that it seemed like a modern, hipster Hour of Power. In many ways they were able to accomplish updates that Robert A. Schuller and others were trying to do while getting push-back to retain an outdated model.

I actually laughed inside a few times while observing some of the totally stereotypic hipsters in the audience. In one row, there were 3 or 4 guys next to each other, all with the same type of black, thick-rimmed Ray-Ban-like glasses on. I was amazed how many people seemed to have the same plaid patterned shirts, albeit in different colors. And the audience was rather white. And male. Well, there were women, but men were a bit more plentiful. Some of the production staff actually asked a few of the guys behind us to move so they could put women in because it was too many white males right in the camera's view. :)

Anyway, the night started off with a band (I don't remember the name, but they had a Southern folksy sound I liked) singing three songs. Then Bell and Cuse gave an introduction; followed by another song; an interview of Cathleen Falsani, a religion reporter; another song; a Q&A with Bell; teaching by Bell; then a closing rendition of Amazing Grace, with audience participation.

Looking at that format, it's a classic format for a church service, except for the band performing rather than leading a worship song (although there was some of that). And the Hour of Power flowed similarly, with an interview of someone about faith-related matters, followed by a message. The basic structure is there, but in a far more accessible manner for younger generations in Bell rather than Schuller (maybe it's a Robert thing that such programs can work well).

I doubt it would be officially called a church service or even Christian. From the introduction of the night and ensuing discussions, it sounds like Bell and Cuse are trying to help people see God all around them without the barriers that stop that observation. Unfortunately, "Jesus," "Christ," and "Christianity" have been given bad names due to the bad behavior of those of us who adopt his name. Sometimes we need to separate ourselves from the label in order to rediscover and re-experience the true beauty of the real Risen Christ.

One statement I really appreciated from Bell was that church is supposed to reorient people to be aware of God throughout the week rather than be just the one encounter of God during the week. While they will undoubtedly get criticism for not being explicit about Jesus and the Cross all the time (again, the Schullers have had their fair share of criticism on that front), Christ and his love were everywhere. Seeing Bell in person made me really believe that he deeply lives out his values rather than paying them lip-service like so many famous Christian talking heads. Ultimately, in my opinion, a person cannot have a full experience of grace and God without eventually encountering Christ, whether or not that person names Christ explicitly.

On the topic of criticism, one of my favorite lines of the night came from Cuse, who discussed some of the "vociferous naysayers" he encountered because of the ending to Lost. Bell laughed saying, "Is that what you're calling critics now?" I was surprised neither applied the term to Bell's detractors. Later, during the Q&A, Cuse read a question, "How have you dealt with the criticism from Love Wins?" Bell sarcastically responded, "There was criticism?" and then had a pause, seeming to consider a wise response. I impulsively responded, "vociferous naysayers," which got a nice laugh. I have to say it's fun making famous people chuckle. :)

One of the ways Bell has really earned my respect was by the way he has handled the plethora of criticism and sometimes flat-out cruelty following his writing. His lack of engagement in fruitless debate demonstrates, in my opinion, a maturity and faith not many people have. His discussion of trying to move to this and the struggle appeared so sincere and not just a PR response, which I appreciated.

Beyond these "lighter" topics, the theme for the night was grace. Falsani shared some amazing stories from her interviews with others, citing Phillip Yancey's definition of grace: "Justice is getting what you deserve, mercy is not getting what you deserve, and grace is getting what you don't deserve." I think it's an important reminder for many us. And when I get spare time again, I think I'm going to have to read some Falsani's stuff--I liked what I heard.

Bell expanded on the topic of grace during his "sermon." Ultimately, I really hope the video or a transcript of the message is released sooner rather than later. There were so many great quotes that I wish I remembered. As Luthor noted, Bell puts into word many things some of us find hard to say. And I think he did that last night.

One element that really stuck out to me was that grace lets go of having to be right and is not always logical. As Bell knows well, so much discussion in the Christian realm has to do with debate and trying to be rational and right. But as I'm learning more and more, what is right is not always rational. And letting go of having to be right brings great peace.

A couple of illustrations of this. I've been making my way through the Star Trek movies (I know, how can a Trekkie not have seen them all already). Laci and I just saw The Voyage Home, which has a subplot of Spock recognizing that the right thing is not always logical, confusing some of his Vulcan brethren.

Further, some of the psychological sciences is supporting that rationality is not always best. In DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy), for instance, the ideal "wise mind" is a balance of emotion and logic, making decisions aware of both, but perhaps going with the conclusion by one or the other.

Finally, another point that stood out to me was a question in the Q&A asking Bell what one element from another religion he would bring into Christianity. He essentially explained Buddhist mindfulness, noting the importance of stillness. He had some great quote, which I'll butcher here about modern American Christianity having a "caffeinated business" where we fear a God who is "always pissed off and if we stay busy enough, he may not notice us." While our theology does not always reflect that, our lifestyle does reflect exactly that. He noted the importance of stillness to rest in God's grace.

Ever since I took a Buddhist psychology course in undergrad, I noted the similarities between many Buddhist and Christian values, namely mindfulness. From my training and experience in DBT, this is an area of concern for many Christians, but it is actually a deeply Christian practice. Ultimately, this concept does not need to be taken from Buddhism and applied to Christianity. It is already deep in Christian tradition, although we often forget "the still small voice" and "be still, and know that I am God."

Despite Bell's use of media, I find he utilizes media in a way that actually creates a stillness in me. It does not have a frenetic feel of many Christian outlets. Rather, Bell uses the arts to focus attention intentionally and mindfully on one thing, allowing a depth of absorption that would be impossible with regular American distraction.

I'm not sure what will come of the show. I have a feeling this was a pilot that will be shopped around. I hope something positive comes of it because we need more God-centered, grace-filled shows that point people to recognize the Incarnation in daily life.

A Personal Reflection on the Crystal Cathedral Bankruptcy

Many people heard last week that the famed Crystal Cathedral, home of Hour of Power, filed for bankruptcy last week. There was also an interesting article in the New York Times about it this weekend.

Many readers of this blog and most of my friends know I was intimately involved with the Cathedral for a few years until about 1.5-2 years ago. When I moved back to Southern California from Berkeley, I visited the Cathedral, a few weeks before a new service, aimed at my age group, was about to start. I remember conversations we had about what to name the new service (later being called The Gathering).

At the beginning, we were a small blip on the radar of a major ministry, getting less than 20 people per week, mostly in their 20s. By the time we left the Cathedral campus, we were getting 150-200 people per week, literally of all races and ages. As an elder for The Gathering and later as a formal staff member, hired through the Cathedral, I saw support from the larger ministry wax and wane. Some supported us, some not so much.

Never the less, The Gathering and the Cathedral were close and dear to my heart. I was the third generation in my family to be touched by the message. I began receiving the daily email devotionals my first semester at Berkeley, which helped get me through some very difficult times before I found a church community. When my grandma died, she was cremated, and my grandpa bought a brick in the new building in her memory, so essentially her memorial site is there. My wife and I had our first kiss and got engaged in the prayer chapel on campus. We got married in one of the gardens and had our reception in the building where my grandma's memorial is.

I build deep, long-lasting friendships, not the least was Bobby (Robert V.) Schuller, grandson of Robert H., and son of Robert A., and founder/pastor of The Gathering. He married Laci and I, and I still consider him to be one of my best friends.

So 2.5 years ago, when everything started really falling apart, the failure of the Crystal Cathedral Ministries (CCM as it's known there) was not just some abstract, impersonal event. In fact, it was particularly difficult, as I knew about most of it months before it became public, requiring me to say nothing to anyone. This was hard because not only was I seeing one of my best friends and his family personally suffering, but I also felt betrayed. My family and I had invested years of time, prayer, effort, love, money, and service to this ministry to see it disregard the local congregation.

Let me backup here and fill in the gaps. CCM was formerly known as Garden Grove Community Church until the Cathedral building was built in the early 80s. The Hour of Power (known as HOP around the campus) began before the Cathedral was created and was an outgrowth of the local congregation. It was a unique, creative ministry of evangelism.

What I discovered in my time at the Cathedral is that CCM was not the priority. HOP was. Working with the internet department to simply create a website for The Gathering became a marketing nightmare. As we tried to emphasize different ministries, we were told they didn't think those should be given space on the page, as Bobby's sermons were more important (this was not Bobby's view at all).

When Robert became senior pastor of CCM/HOP, we at The Gathering had high hopes for re-orientation to emphasize mission and revitalization of an important message that desperately needed repackaging. Robert and his executive pastor, Jim Poit, were incredibly supportive of The Gathering. In fact, both frequently showed up quietly to enjoy The Gathering community without the pomp, circumstance, and attention they would receive at the Cathedral.

Robert attempted to make some significant, positive changes to the structure of CCM/HOP, and we at The Gathering did everything we could to support it. In fact, he took many of our ideas and applied them to the larger ministry (some bragging here--I started a podcast of messages from The Gathering. Robert told me he loved and idea and sought out how to do it for HOP).

The continued changes Robert proposed created increasing tension, particularly between CCM and HOP. CCM is technically the local congregation, part of the Reformed Church of America denomination. HOP is the television show. It's a separate, non-profit, non-denominational organization. My understanding is that the Cathedral grounds and buildings are actually owned by HOP. Robert was trying to build up the (literally) dying CCM congregation and help everyone feel more connected to one another and "owning" the church community.

However, the HOP machine was too strong. As a few people said, the tail was wagging the dog. The decision to oust Robert had nothing to do with him preaching from Scripture more (an oft-repeated rumor that is simply false). It had more to do with marketing and politics.

The PR machine went into full gear through the publicly-emerging tension within the CCM/HOP and Schuller family. As Robert says in the aforementioned NYT article, the financial problems began long before the economy went bad due to decisions for marketing rather than for the local congregation. Yes, the economy made it worse, but it has continually been blamed for the financial woes.

Anyone who spoke with actual members of CCM or read the public forums for CCM and HOP could easily see that emotional, spiritual, and financial support dropped because of the lack of support of the people in favor of the marketing for HOP.

It was around this time that The Gathering decided to separate from the Cathedral completely. It was not the only reason--we had been discussing it for a few years prior. However, by the time Robert was gone, there was no reason to stay.

I felt hurt and betrayed by people I had previously personally trusted. I honestly hoped for CCM to implode under the obesity of HOP. Over time, as I attempted to heal, some people who decided to still fight for CCM told me about changes they were trying to make there. Ironically, they were precisely the changes Robert attempted to implement.

I was hopeful that CCM could turn around and really get revitalized. I have an abundance of wonderful memories from there. However, hearing about the bankruptcy and the PR-based explanations with lack of any real responsibility, I have little hope again for those changes. The marketing machine still seems to rule. And that is tragic.

The tragedy of this transition over the past several years has severely clouded my perspective of and experience in church organizations. I'm very skeptical of churches that hold secrets, particularly related to finances and organizational hierarchy. I think the importance of committee governance is of utmost importance. I greatly dislike marketing (even though it's a useful thing). I'm also inclined to de-emphasize performance and large-scale elements of churches in favor of building community.

In fact, I have questioned whether any large church community can actually work in a healthy, God-honoring, spiritually-beneficial way.

In many ways, I think I've grown from the Cathedral's struggles. I do hope and pray that things can be fixed. Such a public tragedy does not just paint a negative picture of CCM/HOP-like ministries in a negative light impersonally, but it actually emotionally and spiritually injures people.

I believe what is needed is an honest acceptance of responsibility and humility. We all make mistakes. And the larger we are, the bigger those mistakes often are. The CCM/HOP problems are not unique and frankly not as bad as many. How they handle it makes all the difference, just as with individual people's conflicts.

Update 10/30/10: This is a very good video from Nightline addressing the bankruptcy.