The parakeet and the mirror...What's in a self-reflection?

Editor's note: This is the second in a series of three innovative articles focusing on the NTC commitment to plant new churches. Enjoy Dr. Ozier's unique humor and ability to communicate critical points about where we are in our disciple-making task.

By Rev. Jim Ozier
New Church Development Officer

What does a man in a tomb have in common with a parakeet and a mirror? Let the late Charlie Sexton tell you.

Years ago, when I pastored the Oak Haven Church in Irving I met Charlie and Lucille Sexton. They told that when they had young children, they also had a pet parakeet. Its name I do no know...it's a story I'll never forget.

Charlie brought it home for Christmas and told the kids it came from Santa Claws. To look into its cage you would have thought it to be the bird of paradise. It was an up-scale, extravagant cage equipped with assorted bird toys and accessories. Even the paper on the bottom was from the Wall Street Journal. This bird had everything. But the family wanted to make sure their pet would be happy, and so they provided it with a sense of "friends." Not another bird, mind you, but with a mirror, cleverly placed at the edge of the cage.

Figuring they had hatched a cheep plan to fool their pet into thinking it was in the company of another feathered friend, they retired for the evening, content with their chicanery.

Eggcept the bird didn't respond to it; at least not the way they had hoped. Instead, it stayed cowering in the opposite corner. If there had been a Dr. Phil of birds, he would say it was showing signs of fear and depression.

Now, this is no reflection on Charlie and Lucille, but it did take several days to realize the problem: the mirror was one of those two-sided types that had a regular surface on one side and a magnification surface on the other.

Inadvertently, they had placed the magnified side facing their pet. Apparently, the poor bird felt he was in the presence of a giant!

When they turned the mirror around, the parakeet ---responding to a more adequate reflection of itself --- perked right up living and singing a normal bird's life.

The season of Lent and the joy of Easter reminds us that when we fail to gain an adequate self-reflection we often respond to our world in fear and depression, sometimes to the point of paralysis. We think we are so small and our problems are SO HUGE! We see the challenges staring at us bigger than they really are; we see our shortcomings more limiting than need be.

In many ways this is what has been happening of late in United Methodism. We can't escape the statistical news about the decline of the denomination; all too frequently our churches struggle with finances, worship attendance, and declining influence within our respective communities.

Too often we feel as though we are up against such giant problems that we are almost paralyzed in fear and disillusionment. But the good news is that when put in perspective, the problems we face are not bigger than the POWER we have as Resurrection People! I'm just four months into my new position as "New Church Development Officer," and already I've heard a lot of fear and paralysis about our future and the prospect of starting new churches.

But I'd say we’ve got joyous song to sing! Our Wesleyan tradition is historically one of opening new ministry opportunities; responding to the needs of hurting people; of reaching the un-churched; of planting new faith communities in response to changing demographics.  My top priority right now is to help us get an adequate reflection of who we really are in light of the problems we face  when it comes to starting new churches. I am working on developing --- and implementing -- a strategic plan to enable us to look at ourselves in the mirror and say with confidence, "Yes! What we can do, we are doing to make new Disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world."

I need your help and solicit your input. Over the coming months I hope to be in your churches, to listen to your ideas, to preach and teach and cast the vision of creating a culture for starting new churches. I invite you to share your thoughts and to keep up with what's happening in starting new churches by visiting my blog. In the meantime, have a great Easter!