‘Meet People Where They Are’ as a Minister

Being a minister, one of the most important things I have learned, which is applicable to many aspects of the job, is to “meet people where they are.”

For instance, when meeting with a family following the death of a loved one, the interaction can go one of many ways. If the loved one had lived a long, full life and was ready to go, then the family might not be in such poor spirits and might also be upbeat and even humorous. 

However, if the individual passed away suddenly, and even more so if they passed young, the mood will be the opposite: very heavy and possibly distraught. 

As a minister, it is our responsibility to act accordingly. Meeting the latter family with a cheery smile and cracking jokes would be inappropriate. Of course, this is an oversimplification. Either way, it’s vital to enter every room with an open mind and heart and to be receptive to the needs of the family.

As mentioned earlier, this strategy comes into play for other parts of the ministry, e.g., you would craft a talk based on the audience and context of the talk. 

One place that it has become increasingly evident that we need to employ this approach is with people who come to the temple for the first time without having any kind of interaction with a Buddhist service. 

The lack of our ability to meet these people was laid out quite clearly during a session of our BCA Minister’s Continuing Education seminar. We were fortunate enough to receive an evaluation of online content. Marketing strategist Rick Kawamura, a member of the Palo Alto Buddhist Temple, made the presentation. 

One of the many points that Kawamura made that stood out to me was that we assume people are familiar with Buddhism in our Dharma talks — whereas popular social media creators do not. 

This was not presented to us as a critical shortcoming, a lack of ability or skill or care, nor did I take it that way. Rather, it was eye opening to see where we have been blind for a while and need to take another look at the way we’ve been doing things. 

Perhaps I am restating what everyone already knows, but as a national organization, we have had the great fortune of a reliable pipeline of future members because of the family nature of the temples and the programs they offer. 

My grandparents were temple members, as are my parents, and so I grew up in the temple as well (it probably also helped that the Issei and Nisei had big families to spread out the work on the farm and orchards). Recently, though, we have seen an uptick in people who are coming to temples for the first time. And, admittedly, we are ill-prepared to meet these people where they are. 

Decades ago, it would have seemed redundant to go over Siddhartha’s life for a group of adults. They would have all gone through the same Dharma School courses and, most likely, would have made a craft commemorating the lessons they learned. 

Now, it is imperative that we do not assume that everyone is on the same page. We must try to leave some space for those who have not been coming to the temple for generations. 

Jodo Shinshu Buddhism is for everyone, not just those who have ancestors from Jodo Shinshu families. And if we truly believe this, our actions, the way we teach and the programs we offer must reflect our willingness to be open to the needs of people who have not stepped in a temple before.

Of course, I believe this starts with the ministers and it isn’t an easy ask. We must be able to craft a message that will both feel fresh to people who have been coming to temple for over 80 years, but also one that resonates with people who have come in for the first time. 

We need to hold classes that build upon the classes we have given and offer new classes that teach the basics of Jodo Shinshu Buddhism. And the success of any minister is multiplied when they are supported by their Sangha. 

Hopefully, we can create an environment that is conducive to meeting everyone where they are — regardless of the strength of their connection to Buddhism. And in doing so, we can fulfill the understanding that Jodo Shinshu is a universal religion.