Monday Mornings Could be Worse

While I LOVE Michigan and try to visit there every chance I get, this is why I do not live there. So for my fellow Texans who are lamenting the lack of a real winter so far this your, let this encourage you.

Why Forgive?

Jesus is telling a story about a man who was forgiven a great debt by the king, but then refused to forgive another a much smaller debt.  When the king found out, he called the servant he forgave back before him and re-applied the debt.  This story in Matthew 18 concludes with these sobering words;

  32 “Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. 33 Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ 34 In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.

   35 “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”

Jesus saved his harshest words, not for sins of the flesh, but for sins of the spirit.  All humans commit sins of the flesh.  This does not lessen them, but it makes the universal.  Sins of the spirit, however, can only be committed by those who have committed themselves to live under the direction of the Holy Spirit having trusted in Christ.  It is a bit ironic, but true that only those who have committed themselves to following Christ are capable of the most destructive kinds of sin. 

There is no long explanation needed here.  A lack of forgiveness does not accomplish justice.  It does not satisfy our need for revenge or to make things right.  It does not harm the other person, make them accountable, or lead them to a place of regret, sorrow, remorse or repentance.  All it does is destroy the one who will not forgive. 

We can chose to hold on to pain and resentment and anger, and let life slip away.  Or we can forgive, and in doing so, choose life. 

One last thought here.  Who do you need to forgive?  Let God set you free and forgive that person.  If they are aware of the offense, call them and let them know you forgive them and are putting that episode in life behind you.  Make that call and have that talk.  Let me also ask, who is it that you need to go to for forgiveness?  Who have you wronged?  Maybe you need to have a hard conversation with someone and confess what you have done and ask for their forgiveness.  

May you find the grace of God growing in your heart to the point where forgiveness flows naturally.  May you find in that grace the courage and strength to let go of the wrong done to you.  May you come to understand that God's work of forgiveness is not complete in you, until you are one who also freely forgives.  And may you know the joy of living in the freedom of forgiveness - that which you receive, as well as that which you give.  

You Are Currently Engaged in Dangerous Activity

Philippians 3:12 I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. 13 No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. 15 Let all who are spiritually mature agree on these things.

Don't think you are engaged in dangerous activity?  Oh yes, you are!  Chances are you are reading this on some computer screen or mobile device.  Even if you are sitting in a chair in your office or home, this activity can be quite hazardous.  I know that in comparison to your stove, or knife set or power tools in the garage, your computer seems pretty safe.  But think again. 

More and more of us are spending more and more time online cruising around facebook, twitter, our favorite blogs and news sites, youtube, etc.  All of the virtual activity comes at a price.  It's not just carpal tunnel syndrome or weight gain from inactivity.  It's the loss of the life God intended you to live. 

It's the relationships that never get started, the dreams that don't get pursued, the prayers that do not get prayed, the conversations that never take place, the journeys that never get taken, the goals that are never achieved.  It is the hungry that never get fed, the naked that are never clothed, the sick that are never cared for, the prisoner that is never visited, the homeless that are never taken in, the single mother that is never befriended, the orphan that is never given a home, the alien that is never welcomed.  It is the example of self-less service to others we must set for our kids that they never see.

It is the bold adventure with God that Jesus came to empower us to live that never gets lived out in us.  To live apart from this adventure - no matter what keeps you from it -  is far more dangerous to the health of your soul than most of us ever realize or imagine.

So let's keep this short today.  May you get up, get out and start living!  And be encouraged!

The Value of Community

Acts 2:42 All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer.

 43 A deep sense of awe came over them all, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders. 44 And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had. 45 They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need. 46 They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity— 47 all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved.

Most churches have a seating arrangement.  The seats are not officially assigned, but everyone who attends regularly knows where to sit, and in some churches, where not to sit.  I was on staff at a church not too many years ago where the ministers did not sit on stage - excuse me, on the chancel area.  We sat on the floor, chancel area left. 

There was a couple who sat across the aisle from us, one row back.  They were there every week.  One week, a family of first time guests came in and sat in the place normally occupied by the couple.  When that couple arrived and saw their seats taken, the look of shock on their faces accompanied by spastic little mini-convulsions was actually quite comical.  But that's not the point of my story.  I just thought it was funny.

I talked with the first-time guest family after church and they said they had been attending one of the three mega-churches within two miles of us.   We were joined by another couple (good friends of mine) who had joined our church a couple of years earlier.  The new family shared that they were looking for a church where they would not get lost and could know and be known by everyone.  The couple who were already members chimed in that they had joined for the same reason (and they actually had) and just loved it at our church. 

At this point, I did something some might consider risky.  I asked the couple who were members if their hope had been realized.  Did they know everyone in the church now?  We had about 1000 members and about 500 - 550 attending weekly.  Their response was, "Well, we don't know everyone yet."  So I took it a step further.  I asked them what side of the sanctuary they sat on, even though I really already knew.  They said the left.  Now, you need to understand I am really good friends with these people, so cut me some slack on this next part.  I then, smiling the whole time, challenged them saying, "Tell me the names of three people who sit on the right side of the sanctuary."  They smiled back because they could not do it. 

We all have this desire to know and be known.  It is built into us by a God who also desires to know and be known.  That's kind of why you and I are even here.  But unlike God, we have a limited capacity for knowing and being known.  This is why we need each other.  It is why we need circles of friends and churches establish small groups.  No one can do life alone, but it is also true that we cannot do it as a crowd.  That's why mega-churches break down into small groups or life groups, or whatever they want to call them.  This is where the knowing and being known takes place.  So let's lighten up on the big, evil mega-churches.  When we criticize them it just makes us sound a little sad and jealous. 

But some people run to the extreme in the other direction ,avoiding people entirely.  This is far worse than any hurdle that might exist in a larger church.  Even Jesus needed the twelve.  Not even Jesus tried to do life and ministry alone.  So the "I don't need anything but my Jesus, my Bible and my TV" folks are missing it too.  And so are the "I don't need anything but God and to be out in nature" folks.  We need each other, because Jesus usually shows up in the face, or the voice, or the actions of others with whom we are in community. 

May you find your community of friends that will encourage and love you as you grow.  And may you be an encouragement to them as well.  May you know what it's like to know and be known by a wonderful community of friends.  And may you see Jesus in the face of another, even as they see his face in yours.   

Can You Be Holy?

Leviticus 19:1 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying:

 2 “Speak to all the congregation of the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy."

So does God give commands that are impossible to keep?  This question tends to come up whenever this verse in Leviticus is discussed.  How are we supposed to be holy, for crying out loud?!  And even if you understand that holy, as it relates to us humans, does not mean perfect, rather it means to be set apart for God's purposes and God's use, it is still a daunting command to have to keep. 

Here is where grace steps in.  When you and I come to faith in Christ, we receive and experience grace primarily as forgiveness of our sins.   But once we are in the community of faith and understand ourselves to be a people set apart for God, we then receive and experience grace primarily as the power to live a God-honoring, sanctified (set apart) life.  Grace empowers us to live in a way we could never hope to live otherwise.

 

The founder of Methodism, John Wesley called this sanctification process, "going on to perfection."  By that, he meant we would grow and mature to become perfected in love, not mistake-free human beings incapable of error.  Instead grace makes it possible to make every act, every conversation, every relationship, one that is marked by love.  Grace also gives us the wisdom to understand what love really is and what it is not. 

Of course we will not always get it right.  And grace meets us there as well to pick us up, forgive us and set us back on the journey toward becoming fully set apart for God.  For those who set their hearts and minds to this, God is the producer of wave after wave of opportunities for us who would ride those waves toward our goal.  As Rick Warren says, when we botch it and blow it and fall off the wave, God sends another and then another.  He is like a wave machine.  And this is what we call, grace!

So when you come across a verse that says we are to be holy as God is holy, this is not something that God has thrown out there without also giving us provision for actually doing it.  But we have to lean into grace..  You and I do not have the resources on our own or within ourselves to do this.  But by the power of the Holy Spirit, through the grace of God made available to us in Jesus, we can do this, and we must.  To move through this life as agents of grace and love, serving as ambassadors for a a greater kingdom is what we were created for.

So may you be holy as your heavenly Father is holy.  May you surrender the effort to be good on your own, and lean into the grace that is yours in Jesus Christ.  May you then become more and more perfected in love.  And as you do, may your life and all of its days be a blessing to this world, and the people God loves and longs to redeem. 

No! Not the "E" Word!

1 Peter 3:14 But even if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you for it. So don’t worry or be afraid of their threats. 15 Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it. 16 But do this in a gentle and respectful way.  Keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ.

Notice the escape clause here?  "(I)f someone asks...," Peter says.  For Christians who do NOT want to have to share or "witness" to their faith, this is the three mile wide door out of that sticky predicament.  Or is it?

When you place this in the larger context of Jesus' command to "Go, make disciples of all nations...," one begins to understand that it is also our job to engage in relationships, and in conversation within those relationships, in a way that prompts others to ask.  I am not talking about manipulation here.  I am talking about living and conducting yourself in a way that sets you apart as distinctively loving, gracious, forgiving, humble, joyful, self-less and patient.  This also means that you speak in such a way - not with religious language - but with grace, without criticism or malice or gossip, and in a way that blesses and encourages. 

Friends naturally talk about what is going on in their lives with friends, right?  Heck, we do it with passing acquaintances as well.  When in a conversation with friends, do you ever bring in any spiritual content in a natural way?  Like when a friend tells you about a neighbor whose parent dies, would it occur to you to say, "I hope that when that time comes for me, God will give me the strength to deal with it.  I just can't imagine how hard that must be."  You are not being fake or disingenuous.  As a believer, you probably really feel that way.  So why not say what you think and feel that will not be seen as out of place, and also lets people know that there is some spiritual content to your life?  I could give a hundred other examples, but you get the picture.  If people know there is some spiritual content to your life, they may be prompted to ask about that, especially when they feel it might be of some benefit to them. 

In fact, to go one step further, the Bible does not prohibit you from asking others to ask you.  In the example above, after saying, " I hope that when that time comes for me, God will give me the strength to deal with it.  I just can't imagine how hard that would be," what if you turned to your friend and asked, "What do you lean on for strength when something tragic happens?  How do you get through it?"  Who knows what kind of doors for a spiritual conversation that might open up?  So why don't we do more of that?

Yes, it is easier to avoid this and just keep any spiritual or God/Jesus references to yourself.  So why risk it?  Because people matter to God!  And as author Billy Hybels has said, if they matter to God, they had better matter to you!  That's why there is no escape hatch on this one.  All of us, if we interact with other humans at all, are called to do the work of  - here comes that word - an Evangelist.  But really, all that word means is someone who brings the Good News of God's love in Christ. All of us already do that anyway.  Our friends and all of those closest to us know what we value.  They have probably heard us talk about it many times.  Why is our faith in Christ any different?  

May God give you the grace to live and speak in such a way that others are naturally drawn to engage you in spiritual conversation.  May you pick up on the cues and pave the way for that conversation to happen.  And as you do, may the Holy Spirit guide your words and help you to bring your friend one step closer to knowing Christ as Savior and Lord.  

What Hope Does

Romans 5:3 And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; 4 and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; 5 and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

A number of years ago I read an article about what is the greatest predictor of success in a young person's life.  The sociologists doing the study tried to determine what environmental factor or character trait would be the one thing they could point to as being the success trigger. 

They looked at things like economic level and stability, IQ, education level and so on.  But there was one factor that stood out above the rest.  Hope! 

In college students, they consistently found that regardless of preparation and study time, those going in to take a test or exam with a higher degree of hope always did better by a full letter grade. 

Author John Ortberg talks about his.  He says that when we are born, we are little hopers.  When we are babies. we get on our hands and knees one day and begin to rock back and forth hoping to crawl.  Then one day we crawl and begin trying to pull up on furniture hoping to stand and walk.  Then we do learn to walk and begin getting into everything in the house and Mom and Dad hope we will go back to crawling. 

But hope is what drives us to take the next step in growth and development.  So let me ask you, what are you hoping for?  I ask because a lot of us can slip into a life that is missing any significant amount of hope.  We get stuck in a routine and schedule where everything is predictable and there is no real need for hope, for dreams, for reaching out for something higher.  So what are you hoping for, dreaming about, reaching to grasp? 

Another thing the researchers found was that people who have higher degrees of hope are much better able to overcome difficulties, road blocks and set-backs.  Those without hope are much more likely to be crushed by these and to stop dreaming about or reaching for anything. 

It may be that you have not hoped or dreamed or reached out in a really long time.  But there is still hope.  For you and for me, no matter what we have been through or are currently experiencing, there is hope.  And that hope is the love of God poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit. 

When we receive God's love poured into us, and begin to pour that love into the lives of others, a wonderful thing begins to happen.  Hope is reborn.  Confidence levels go up.  Optimism increase.  Dreams come alive.  We begin to feel again, fully alive. 

May you know and fully embrace God's love poured into you.  May you in turn, begin to pour that love into those around you.  And as you do, may your life be marked by an irrepressible, life-giving hope.   

Families that Know How to Live

Romans 12:10 Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. 11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.

This is a passage meant for the larger community of brothers and sisters in Christ.  But it also can be applied to a smaller, more specific community as well - the family. 

There are two kinds of people in the world; those who number things and those who don't.  I am the former, so . . . there are four kinds of families in the world.  And while I freely admit that these are overly-simplified descriptions, if I am honest with myself, there is more truth in them than I am comfortable admitting.

The first is the Parent-Centered Family.  Mom and Dad rule the household here.  What they say goes and all decisions, plans, rules, expectations and goals are simply announced to the children.  Life revolves around the schedule and agenda the parents.  In these families, the will of the child gets shaped, but the spirit of the child is often crushed, and they have a hard time becoming their own person as they grow up. 

The second kind of family is the Child-Centered Family.   Mom and Dad are servants to the kids.  It's all about their soccer, band, dance, baseball, play rehearsal, and voice lesson schedules.  Hundreds of miles are put on the family car each week as the parents serve as the agent for their kids' activities.  For some, their kids also participate in church activates.  But when church and sports or other activities conflict, we all know who wins out there.  And kids get that message loud and clear.  And then one day, the kids are grown and gone, and it often happens that Mom and Dad realize that all of their days have been about building a life for the kids, and they forgot to take time to build a life together.  And they don't really know each other all that well anymore. 

Some try to solve the problems of the Parent or Child-Centered Families by building a Family-Centered Family.  Family meetings and consensus building are commonplace in these families.  Input from all of those involved is sought out and considered.  And this is a huge improvement, but even this can go wrong.  In an environment where a lot of give and take is involved, sides can be chosen.  Bargains get made.  Kids learn to maneuver and manipulate to get what they want.  Mom and Dad even fall prey to this.  And pretty soon, this family is no longer marked by consensus but by competition where feelings get hurt and resentment builds. 

But then there is a fourth kind of family.  It is the Christ-Centered Family.  And it is guided by principles like do unto others as you would have them do unto you.  The one who would be great must become the servant of the others.  And it is also guided by what Paul says in Romans 12, that we are to be devoted to one another in love, and honor each other above ourselves. 

So what would happen in my family if I just said that from now on, I am going to do all I can to serve and honor my wife and my children?  And what if I could do this without fear of being taken advantage of because I know that they have the same attitude toward me and each other?  What if my family was populated by people whose every thought about each other was, "What can I do to serve and help this person be who God created them to be, and live a life that honors God and the people he loves, starting with those in our own family?"  Can you imagine?!  What an awesome kind of family that would be!  This would be a family that knows how to live!

So what would it take to begin moving yourself and your family in that direction?  How would you bring this to your family?  My prayers are with you as you consider this and begin to act on it.  Please pray for me and my family as well.  

My your family be marked by an attitude of self-less giving to one another.  May we become those who honor the other even above ourselves.  And may your family become known as one that puts the interest of others, and especially the interests of the kingdom of God, above its own.  And as you do, may your family be blessed and become a model to help others see what a healthy, God-honoring family can be. 

Is Jesus Looking for Rock Stars?

Matthew 7:21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. 22 Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; Depart from me, you who practice lawlessness."

Did you catch that?  I have read this hundreds of times and it has always just blown right by me before.  Jesus says that only those who do the will of his Father will enter into the kingdom of heaven.  Then he says that some who prophesy, cast out demons and perform miracles will not enter that kingdom.  So what does this say about how serious Jesus is about the true will of God, and our call to carry it out that some who actually exhibit the gifts of the Spirit are left outside kingdom of heaven?!  Wow!

We humans are infatuated with the sensational.  This explains in part, the popularity of the celebrity preachers I referred to yesterday.  It is interesting that Jesus, who was in danger of becoming a celebrity preacher of sorts himself, spoke these words while concluding his Sermon on the Mount.  No doubt some followers were looking for a kind of religious rock star to follow.  

And Jesus was saying here, "That's not what my kingdom is about.  And these are not the kinds of followers I am looking for.  My kingdom is made for those who would be light-bearing, mercy-showing, poor in spirit kinds of people that are willing to be transformed into ones who give their lives away for the sake of others."

We want to display the gifts of the Spirit far more than we want to exhibit the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22).  And Jesus calls this lawlessness. The exercise of the gifts without the exhibition of the fruit is of no value in the kingdom of heaven.

May you take joy in being known for exhibiting the fruit of the Spirit.  May you be like the wise one who heard the words of Jesus and then did them (Mt 7:24).  And may you find yourself being welcomed by God in this life, into the kingdom that is already at hand and among you - the kingdom of heaven.  

MONEY! Are You Nervous Yet?

Matthew 6:19 "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; 21 for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

There is an article on the Huffington Post website today about the salaries of mega-church pastors.  To be fair, the pastors mentioned are not only from mega-churches, but a good bit of their congregation members - some would say most - are actually tv or internet viewers.  These pastors are more than local, community pastors.  They have a national or world-wide following.  So casting the pastor of a 2,500 member Presbyterian church in a large metro area in the same light as these celebrity pastors is not exactly fair. 

Still, this raises the issue of how Christians, not just pastors, should handle their finances.  John Wesley, the founder of Methodism used to say (and this is a paraphrase), "Make all you can, Save all you can.  Give all you can."  I know that some may be looking for that fourth admonition, "spend all you can," but it's not in there.  Still a lot of us have replaced the last of Wesley's charges with the one on spending.  

Wesley might have said "Give all you can and spend what is necessary in order to meet your needs."  Again, many in our culture, even among believers seem to want to turn this into, "Spend all you can to establish and maintain an image sufficient to satisfy your desires and fulfill your ego, and give only what is necessary to assuage your guilt."  In case you missed it, pastors like me do the same thing.  I'm not throwing stones at anyone here.  I have been guilty of this too, and in some embarrassing ways, I still am.  But I am committed to change. 

The truth is, and Jesus taught this, if you think you know what life is and you try to grasp it, you will lose the abundant life God created you  to live.  But if you let go of the life you imagine will satisfy to embrace the way of Jesus - a life of grace and surrender and open-handed, joyful living, then your life will be marked by a constant flow of the Spirit that will bring a kind of prosperity that money could never buy. 

May you and I surrender our desires to manage our images and satisfy our egos through the wrong kind of prosperity.  May we instead be rich in grace, joy, mercy, compassion, generosity and courage.  May we be able to make all we can, save all we can, and give all we can, and then actually do it.  And may we daily follow more and more in the way of Jesus.  

Drinking Beer in the Church Parking Lot

Ephesians 2:19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household, 20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone, 21 in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, 22 in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.

 There is a value in staying connected.  Researchers are saying that the number of people in the U.S. that are actively involved in church is decreasing at a very steady pace.  There are several major contributing factors to this, but one of them is that a lot of folks just do not see the need.  In fact, according to the Reveal Study, long-time church goers indicate that their church does a poor job at helping them stay connected to Christ and to make progress in their spiritual growth. 

My own thought is that the remedy to this is found here in Ephesians.  The great need is not simply for more churches if the new ones are going to be like a majority of the old ones.  The great need is for a new church that looks a lot like the ancient church.  I won't talk about what is wrong with the present day church.  You can look at the Scriptures yourself and discern that.

What I want to talk about is how to get it right.  That involves people coming together and building a community rooted in Scripture and committed to the cause of Christ.  This is a community where grace is extended, forgiveness is abundant, compassion is flowing, encouragement is never-ceasing, and growth is expected.

Let me just say a word about that last one.  It is possible that a person can attend your church, and after services on Sunday go into the parking lot, pull a Coors Light out of a cooler in their car, pop a top and drink it, and all you-know-what would break loose.  If this person was a leader in the church, there would likely be a scandal and a crisis. 

But if that same person would never do that, but instead was kind of cold and aloof, lacking in compassion, held grudges, never led anyone to Christ, and was no more gracious, forgiving, merciful or loving than they were 35 years ago when they joined the church, chances are no one would even notice.  This would probably be no great crisis in the church.  But which of the two actions - a beer in the parking lot, or a lifetime of stagnation and indifference - should be the greater scandal? For those of you who may be concerned, no, I am not advocating beer drinking at church.  For those of you who just lost interest, thanks for reading this far.

Growth should be expected.  I should expect it in myself and in the people around me because we are connected to Christ and members of the same holy temple with Jesus as our cornerstone.  Growth is not optional.  But it is - but it is life-giving, joy-inducing, and freedom-producing.  Growth frees us to live a joy-filled life that is overflowing with power and courage and beauty and strength and peace and confidence and a radiant kind of goodness that makes living any other way seem unthinkable. 

May you stay connected to a healthy community of faith and contribute to its health as you draw closer to the heart of God in Christ Jesus.  May you continue to grow into the larger and deeper and abundant kind of life God intends for you to live.  And may others see in you the great value of  growing in community.  

Does Church Attendance = Transformation?

2 Corinthians 3: 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.

This passage is placed in a section that some refer to as "Ministers of a New Covenant."  In other words, those of us who have had our lives changed by Jesus and are in a community where we can grow to be more like him, are supposed to be changing to such a degree that we actually carry out the ongoing work of Jesus in our world.  But is that really happening?

The Barna Group has released a new study saying the answer is "no" for a plurality of us.  Forty-six percent of Americans who attend church say that attending church has no effect on their daily lives. 

As the planter of a new church start, this is concerning to me.  But the answer to "why?" is really not that elusive.  Those who are part of our launch team have heard me share that the church is an institution that exists not primarily for the benefit of its members, but for the benefit of others - particularly those who do not yet know Jesus. 

Oddly enough, when a church begins to exist for the benefit of its members, all real, significant, meaningful and life-transforming benefit disappears.  But when those in the church see themselves as being in mission to others and structuring their church to connect irreligious and spiritually curious people to God in Christ, then transformation occurs. 

Of course, care for members is important.  But if one's church is dialed in to its Christ-given  mission to go and make disciples of all the nations, then caring for members means giving them opportunities to do what God has called them to do, and to equip and care for them in preparation for, and the carrying out of that mission.  But it's all about the mission.

A church that exists for the benefit of its members when there is no significant, over-arching connection of that benefit to the larger mission, is in fact self-serving and quite honestly (avert sensitive eyes here, because I am about to use a profanity to the mind of some) sin!

May you be part of the movement to grow healthy churches where transformation is commonplace.  May you, as you participate in such a church have your own life transformed.  And may all of us who name the name of Jesus, build churches that honor not only the name, but live out the mission with a relentless focus and passion.  

Why Your Thoughts Are a Life or Death Matter

Romans 8:5-7 says, "5 For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, 7 because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so..."

People studying cognitive psychology have discovered that every thought you and I have pushes us a little closer to either despair or happiness.  So the challenge is to be careful which thoughts you entertain, and which ones you refuse to allow in your head for more than a moment.  For scientists, this is a relatively new discovery.

But Paul, the author of Romans, evidently grasped this idea a long time ago.  He says that every thought we have takes us a little closer not to happiness or despair, but to either life or death.  The mind set on the spirit is life, while the mind set on the flesh is death. 

Every thought takes us closer to one or the other, and we get to choose.  You can often tell which destination people have chosen long before they ever arrive.  If they are cold, aloof, judgmental, haughty, lacking in compassion grace and forgiveness, and this is their regular demeanor, then you can tell the end they have chosen for themselves.  If on the other hand they are joyful and welcoming and gracious and forgiving and compassionate and open-handed, you can tell that they have chosen a different destination for themselves.

It is interesting and quite sad that both of these groups of people can sit in the same room on Sundays, sing the same songs, pray the same prayers, nod at the same place to the same sermon, and yet the thoughts and resulting attitudes and actions of one leads to life, while those of the other seemingly lead to death. 

May you have the attitude in yourself that was also in Christ Jesus and set your mind on the things of the Spirit.  And may you, for crying out loud, choose life!

Hating Religion?

In the 70's, there was a popular contemporary Christian song with the lyric, "I'm not religious. I just love the Lord."  Something about that never set right with me.  Now there is a new video out called "Why I Hate Religion But Love Jesus // Spoken Word."  I had the same reaction to this as that song from 35 years ago.  It comforts me to know I am not the only one.  Check out this post from Jay Kim's blog, Farewell to the Sea below. 

HUMBLE ORTHODOXY > HATING RELIGION

I don’t know Jefferson Bethke.  He seems like a bright guy.  There’s no denying he’s thoughtful and talented and passionate.  His video Why I Hate Religion, But Love Jesus has been viewed more than 3 million times on youtube in just a couple of days.  The number will probably spike much higher as more and more people spread it virally.  I’m sure if I met him in person and we could chat over coffee, we’d agree on more things than not.  I’m glad his video is blowing up and compelling people to think. 

But I’d like to humbly respond.

Let me start with this: I AM RELIGIOUS.  There’s a whole lot of baggage that comes with the word but I have to be honest. (READ MORE)

The Wisdom of Numbering

Psalm 90:12 says, "Teach us to number our days carefully

so that  we may develop wisdom in our hearts."  

The amount of planning people put into their lives amazes me.  Some people still use paper calendars that they carry around in faux leather binders.  Others use smart phones, laptops or tablets to do their planning. 

We plan for our children's education.  We plan for our next vacation.  We budget planning for the day when we will have to replace our cars, home a/c units, and roofs.  We plan for sickness by making sure we have adequate insurance even if it involves an obnoxious duck.  We plan for retirement.  We plan for career advancement and the day when we will move into the home of our dreams.  We plan weddings and birthdays and holiday parties and school carnivals and trips to the dentist.  All of this is good. 

But there is one thing that in building our portfolios and lists of awards and accomplishments - there is one thing for which many of us fail to plan.

One day, we will die.

It's odd that the most inevitable event in the life of every person on planet earth is the one thing for which we fail to plan.   That event is the day we die.  And we all will.  It may be tomorrow.  It may not be for a really long time.  But it will happen.

Now, I'm not talking about life-insurance or funeral arangements here when I refer to planning for our death.  I am talking about living life with the understanding that one day, all of this will end, but it won't be the end.  There is something on the other side of this life. 

The Psalmist says, "Teach us to number our days carefully..." because so many of us do not.  We just go along as though this world is all there is and there will never be anything else. Or we go on as though our days will never end.

This thought has been sticking with me lately.  How do I number my days carefully and develop a heart of wisdom?  What does that look like for me?  How should this realization affect the way I move through my remaining days in this place?  I think these are good questions to ask.

May you ask these questions as well, and as you do, may you begin to number your days with care, and may God grow in you a heart of wisdom.

Be One

Galatians 3:26-28 says; “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

Paul says that there is now no distinction between those of us who are in Christ. We are one.  This reflects the prayer of Jesus in John 17 that we may be one even as he and the Father are one. .Jesus was actually praying for us to experience the kind of oneness with each other that he and the Father share.  That's astounding! 

So what difference should this make for the local church community - for you and me?  I was thinking about this very thing this morning before I read this verse.  One of the primary and best reasons to come to church is not for what you will receive, but for what you can give.  This is true even those not directly involved in a ministry.

Every week, people will walk through the doors of our churches who need love, encouragement, support, a word of comfort or counsel or just simple, uncomplicated friendship.  And you can be there for that person.  So many church goers think, "Oh, there is nothing special going on this week.  I won't miss much.  And I don't really have a job there so I can skip this time."  But it's not a matter of what you will miss. It's a matter of who will miss you. 

It's the word you could share that goes unspoken.  It's the handshake or embrace you could offer that is absent.  It's the opportunity for life-changing friendship that gets missed.  A team needs all of its players to be successful.  When game time comes, and players do not show when they could, how is that even called a team, much less a life-changing community? 

Paul says, and Jesus prays for us to be one.  We are to be one in Christ, one in heart and mind and purpose.  And we all have a part to play.  We are all needed.  We are all important.  There are no distinctions.  We are one.  And when we see ourselves and begin to act as one, nothing can stop us from being the agents of transformation and change God has called us to be.

So forget about going to church for what you will get from it.  That will happen anyway.  Go to church for the life-changing difference you can make and the opportunity to bless someone who is likely coming because they need what only you, as a follower of Jesus can offer.

May you come to know the joy of being one in heart, mind and purpose within your own community of faith.  And may your community, together as one, change the world around you.  

Tents and Tribes

Psalm 61:1-4 says:

1 Hear my cry, O God;

Give heed to my prayer.

2 From the end of the earth I call to You when my heart is faint;

Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

3 For You have been a refuge for me,

A tower of strength against the enemy.

4 Let me dwell in Your tent forever;

Let me take refuge in the shelter of Your wings.

One part of this passage has always made me uncomfortable.  It is the prayer to be allowed to "dwell in Your tent forever."  I don't want to dwell in anybody's tent.  I don't want to live a sheltered little life hiding out from the adventures this world has to offer.  Why would anybody?

The truth is, that is not what the psalmist is asking.  The term "dwell" is one that carries the implication of sojourning.  To dwell in someone's tent means you are a part of their tribe.  You go where they go and do what they do.  You are on a journey with them.

This changes everything about the meaning of this passage.  The psalmist prays in verse 2 to be led to a rock higher than himself.  The implication is that he has been living his own way, trusting in the foundation he could create for himself.  But now he realizes that this kind of life is too small and weak and causes his heart to grow faint. 

A lot of us do the same thing.  We get very busy building our own lives and our own little kingdoms until the day when we realize our resources are not enough.  Smart people then run to God like the writer of this Psalm.  However, wise people run to God to be part of a better tribe  - to dwell in a better tent - before their kingdoms collapse. 

May all of us learn to dwell in the tent of Almighty God, to stand on a higher rock, and live the adventures that await us as members of God's own tribe.  Grace and peace.

Do You Tebow?

How do you feel about Tim Tebow and the attention he is attracting?  Anyone feel like Carlos?

I’m Embarrassed By Tim Tebow

POSTED ON 09. JAN, 2012 BY LOSWHIT IN AUTHENTICITY

Tim Tebow makes no apologies about it.

He is a believer of Jesus Christ and even has his own patented prayer move.

He makes a lot of Christians happy.

He makes a lot of Christians nervous.

I’ll admit, I have said a few times things like…(read more)