Do You Love Him?

“…And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28

We Christians are often very good at quoting scripture, especially verses that bring us comfort and strength in times of need. These verses have a way of making us feel good and bring us relief in knowing that we aren’t alone and that we have One who goes before us on this faith journey. But I wonder how intricately do we know the passages that we cling to? Do we know a scripture’s complete context and the full understanding of the words we utter from memorized verses in whatever translation that we’ve memorized them from?

Do we sometimes pick and choose the passages that most suit us in our times of need? Perhaps our troubles have begun way before the physical worries manifest themselves in our lives because we have failed to include the Almighty into our day and moment by moment. God doesn’t want us simply to check in from time to time with Him, like some teenager would with his or her parents while they are out late with friends. No, instead He desires the fellowship which lasts all day.

For example, the focus verse that I have listed above has been taken out of context many times. We stop short of reading it in its full entirety because we only want the good that comes from God. We only want what we want and we fail to understand that this relationship with God first begins with love and devotion to Him. From this all things flow. Now, don’t misunderstand me. We do not love simply to have good things happen to us. God is not some genie who grants wishes if we are good to Him. We pleaded with by the Holy Spirit to love because He first loved us. We are invited to become partakers of His kingdom and to be called sons and daughters of God. There is no better invitation than that! But you see love isn’t about getting stuff…that’s not love at all. We don’t love God to get things or because it benefits us in a prosperity sort of way. No, instead a right relationship with Him demands of us our full devotion and love.

This is the path least taken in this world.
This is the place where true faith walks in tandem with the Holy Spirit.

Jesus looked into Peter’s eyes, these same eyes that stared blankly at accusers while his lips denied his allegiance to his Teacher. Jesus asked Peter if he loved Him. Not once, not twice, but three times – the same amount of times Peter had lied and denied Him. Imagine the conviction of that moment. Envision sitting there with the Son of Man and coming face to face with your shortcomings and failures? I am certain that the tears of shame would flow, and my heart would be rent.

Jesus still asks us today, “Do you love me?” He pleads with us “Let me in, allow me access to your daily life…let me be a part of who you are – can I be a part of your very identity?”
What will your answer be?

Something more to ponder today.

October 24, 2016 0

Don’t Lockup The Holy Spirit!!

I was doing homework with one of my sons the other night.
We have four children, all in school and there are some days that my wife and I scramble to help them with their collective homework – which seems to be like our laundry: never ending.

So there we were at the kitchen table, the contents of his backpack emptied and I am pouring through his homework folder trying to make sense of his disorganization (it too is a never ending task it seems). As I am finally wading through the old papers and graded papers at last I come to the homework that needs to be done. We both sit at the table and I begin reading it to him. He has no idea how to fill in the answers – it’s history, one of his favorite subjects (proud Dad moments, History was mine as well). So he doesn’t know the answers, and the questions are very specific…and then I read the very top of the page; “Use your text book from pages 265-282“. I look over at my son, “Where’s your text book?” He goes to his now empty backpack – it isn’t there. “I think I left it in my locker“, he says. “Well then, I really can’t help you with these questions, because without the text book we will probably get every one of these questions wrong.“I said this with frustration in my voice, knowing his homework would be late. School is important and to forget some as pivotal as his text book was very unfortunate.

In that moment, homework was cancelled, or perhaps postponed until the next day…all because without the text book, the homework and its questions were beyond our reach.

It got me thinking…
The Holy Spirit is a lot like that in our lives.
No, He’s not some text book that we stuff into our locker at school and forget about…but then again we kinda do leave him out of our lives from time to time. We do forget about Him. We know the story of Jesus, His love and grace and His gift to us on the cross and in the empty grave. We believe that He is preparing a place for us, but there’s more to the story. When He ascended the Holy Spirit came and never left God’s people. The Holy Spirit is still real within us and can be felt in the still small voice or the gentle prodding in our lives. Jesus even told His disciples: “I have told you this while I’m still with you. However, the helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything. He will remind you of everything that I have ever told you.” John 14:25-26

But sometimes, we leave Him in the lockers of our lives. We forget He’s even there, ready and able to help us. We think we have to guess at all of life’s mysteries all by ourselves, and so we begin attempting to take the whole world upon our shoulders…in our own strength…and when we fail (which we will) we wonder where God is, when in fact, He never left us, we forgot or left Him.

My dear fellow ponderers, take God’s holy presence with you into the fray.
Don’t forget what great power He has for you and the hope and peace He will provide you in your day. Don’t lock Him up or compartmentalize your “Church life” from your “Home life”. Remember He can’t be contained, He doesn’t want to share space in your life with false gods and earthly “stuff”. He is certainly jealous for you and me. He longs for fellowship with us, and He desires moment by moment conversations and heart to hearts.
Don’t lock up that potential, because in reality you are only limiting the joy and peace you could experience with Him intricately involved in your life…He has the answers – seek Him out and He will be found.

Something more to ponder today!

October 21, 2016 2

4 Dangers Of Autocratic Leadership In The Salvation Army

The Salvation Army is modeled after the British Armed Forces…its model from uniform to leadership is very similar. Officers, when under orders, must move to new appointments based on need and abilities. When orders are passed down, by and large they are expected to be followed. This is understood entering a college for officer’s training to become an officer. Cadets and Officers are expected to submit to authority…but what happens when that authority is abused or misused? Does that happen in The Salvation Army? Like any organization or movement, we openly acknowledge that people, even leaders are fallible and are still vulnerable to making mistakes. But what happens when mistakes go unchecked or unaddressed? Who holds leadership accountable?

This style of leadership can be useful, especially when decisions must be made and the movement is at risk. It is most effective when it is used to empower, encourage, validate and serve those that leadership leads… Autocratic or Authoritative leadership can provide a clear, concise direction and vision. This style is evident not only in a Divisional or Territorial, National or International setting, but it is also evident to some degree in individual corps, harbor lights, ARC’s and other appointments. Each of these locations autocratic leadership is usually found – and with it at times, abuse of that model can take place. Please note that I don’t say “will” but I merely leave it open to the possibility.

“Power does not corrupt. Fear corrupts… perhaps the fear of a loss of power.”
― John Steinbeck

Ponder This:
But what happens when autocratic leadership does fail and/or is abused?

4 Dangers Of Autocratic Leadership In The Salvation Army:

1. Disagreement Leads To Punishment
“The surest way to corrupt a youth is to instruct him to hold in higher esteem those who think alike than those who think differently.” -Friedrich Nietzsche

In an absolute authoritative leadership model, if followers or those subservient to the leader disagree and are outspoken about it they are punished. Even in The Salvation Army, this can happen. New appointments are given or created to mute or limit those voices of dissent. It must be noted here that our army has many instances in our brief history of dissension among the ranks from the very beginning. Historically, even in the founder’s day Ballington and Maud Booth were practically excommunicated from the army when they refused to take another appointment away from the U.S. Thus they left The Salvation Army and began their work as the Volunteers of America. Understandably there is more to this story, but even then family couldn’t disagree with the authority of the Army without fear of reprisal or punishment. Does this still happen today if one were to disagree with the current vision or a decision made by leadership?

In the autocratic model of leadership, a chief danger of such a model is the fear of ever having a dissenting opinion because it could be construed to mean one is insubordinate or perhaps lacking submission altogether. But perhaps there are times when disagreement proves commitment to mission over authority. By that I mean there are times when boots on the ground understand situations of community needs and the furtherance of the movement far better than those in leadership because they have a front row seat and they have their hands directly in those community pots and engage daily with direct services.

The abuse of the autocratic leadership model begins with a zero tolerance for disagreement and the repaying of such engagement with punishments or reassignment or appointment.

2. Talent Flees and Mediocrity Remains
When this abuse is allowed to continue, and it does from time to time, there is inevitably a loss of talent. By that I mean some within the ranks of soldiers and officers alike might leave. Why would they stick around when abusive leadership would seem to go unpunished or addressed and instead is rewarded and only those who are completely complicit to that leadership style are given appointments of authority themselves? In essence an abusive autocratic style will promote the “yes” people, while those with talent (and who had the passion and zeal) but did not always agree might never be rewarded or acknowledged. What could remain would be a hollowed out version of an organization. It wouldn’t be the vision that failed but rather the internal issues of the organization that cannibalized itself.

3. Buy-In Is Limited
“Growth inside fuels growth outside.” – John Maxwell

When abused, autocratic leadership limits the buy-in for the follower or subordinate. In our Army the buy-in for a soldier at a corps who is not invested in but instead ignored would be grossly limited. Why would they want to participate or engage in the vision if they were not included in the initial vision casting in the first place, but instead the authoritative officer controlled everything? The buy-in on such a model is a malnourished form of commitment to those in the corps council and anyone else wishing to make a difference in this movement.

This example is true from the soldier in the corps all the way up to IHQ.
If corps members, office staffs, corps officers, divisional officers, territorial officers aren’t allowed some investment and ownership within the movement and have some say in how it can continue to be relevant and innovative then disillusionment and abandonment could soon follow. Why waste their time when the decision will be made for them? Why invest of themselves when they will inevitably be told what to do anyway?

An abusive autocratic system will leave constituent left behind and or abandoned altogether.

4. Generational Losses
“Lead me, follow me, or get out of my way.” — General George Patton

Dictators of militant nations who rule by fear, will eventually have a younger generation growing up in anger and frustration and eventually revolt will ensue. This is an extreme example, but the iron-fisted autocratic leadership model might bring along a generation or two, but eventually a younger generation will rise up and consider this model to be antiquated and disconnected with reality. They might become disenfranchised and disillusioned and seek out other ways to serve and be useful in society. In The Salvation Army, perhaps the style of leadership that was once useful to us as a movement in its infancy is not longer what is needed today. Some might say if it ain’t broke don’t fix it, but what if it is in some ways broken and in need of fixing (or modifying) but we’re just ignoring the systemic issue because it seems a titanic, daunting challenge? Could it be that the younger generation is leaving the Church (big C) in general because of disillusionment and inconsistency in leadership and vision? Is society just the scapegoat?

Could abuses of the autocratic or authoritative leadership model be affecting our movement today? This is a very big question, I know that, but isn’t there a part of you that wonders if we shouldn’t even ask the question in the first place? Why is that? Do we fear that if we ask it we might face punishment or be considered “rebels”? I believe a healthy movement is one who has innovative, creative and outspoken members. A movement is just that, something that continues moves forward, not backward. A healthy movement should be one that accepts constructive criticism and takes corrective steps when needed. A healthy movement is propelled not by unhealthy models of leadership and fear, but by the Holy Spirit prompting and leading His followers onward into the fray.

Can abuses happen in our Army? Yes, and I believe they still do! From the lowly corps ministry all the way up, but I do not believe it is the norm and I am hopeful that such trappings can be avoided with prayerful consideration, holy living and servant leadership always at the forefront.

“If we are growing we are always going to be outside our comfort zone.” – John Maxwell

Something more for our Army to ponder today.
To God be the Glory!

Disclaimer:
The thoughts and opinions expressed here are the writer’s own thoughts and opinions and do not necessarily reflect that of The Salvation Army as an organization and movement…reader discretion is advised.

October 18, 2016 13

International Day of the Girl…So Far To Go…

Today is an important day!!
Perhaps you didn’t know it was today…perhaps you didn’t really even care.

But…
There is a movement out there that I believe we should all be a part of…it is the movement to ensure all girls around the world have access to education and employment! That girls from whatever corner of the earth is treated with the same equality that boys her age receive. This movement must grow and enter every corner of the world. We must push this movement and ensure that regardless of race, ideology and culture ALL girls & women are treated with equality, freedom and fairness.

This is not the case in many places of our world.
Almost all religions are guilty of suppressing female – some are still in the ideological dark ages where women are treated as property. This cannot continue! We must fight against such ideologies with education and compassion! We must stand up for those girls in our world who still have no voice in their culture. If we truly believe that all people matter, and all are equal – we cannot rest until all girls have the freedom to grow up to be whatever they want to be and are not restrained by archaic religious practices and teachings bent of controlling those they teach.

I have a daughter, she is the light of my life, and she has access to education – and I hope, with her parent’s help, we will give her every opportunity to succeed in life and she can aspire to be whoever she wants to be…but I also know that there are millions of girls like my daughter out there in the world today who will never have these same opportunities that she has. And these girls will have these amazing dreams to be and do something, but the society that they live in will prohibit their dreams and limit their access to the resources they will need to succeed.

I am just one father, one parent – but I stand with this International Day of Girls because I know that we can make a difference for ALL. It may take years, but we mustn’t give up. We mustn’t quit on those who are currently voiceless and without choices in life.

I believe in a God who created both Male and Females to live equally together in this world. I believe we must empower this generation of girls to dream big and live it out until those dreams become a reality. I also believe that if we work together, and if we persevere, we will better the lives of girls all around the world!

Let’s turn dreams into realities!
Something more to ponder today!

More reading on this topic check out these links:
How are you making a difference?
Day of the Girl – US
International Day of the Girl – U.N.
Fighting Human Trafficking -SA

October 11, 2016 0

Dear Salvation Army, What’s The Reason For The Holiness Table?

Why do we have this large table in the front of our sanctuaries? What is it for? Is it for decoration? Is it to accompany the old modesty rails? What purpose does it serve?

Have you ever wondered these questions? -So have I!
So I pondered on this, I did a little digging…and here’s what I know:

Phoebe Palmer’s “Altar Theology”

Sometimes we see the term “theology” and automatically stop paying attention because some theologies are either so convoluted and dry or they are way too complicated. Palmer’s Altar Theology is neither. In fact, it is the very life-blood which gave birth to The Salvation Army’s Holiness theology. Much of who we are, theologically, can be traced to the turn of the century Holiness/Higher Life Movements. These evangelists, Palmer being a major contributor, incorporated a major focal point in their service: a call to take a stand, come forward to the Holiness Altar and receive the second blessing, i.e. Entire Sanctification. This was less a place of kneeling (like our modern day Altar) and more a place to literally take a stand and receive this second blessing.

A lot has changed since the days of Palmer, yet this Holiness table still remains, but predominantly in the United States and England.

Is The Holiness Table Just A Relic Now?
Few understand its significance anymore.
Very little is taught on it. Is it still important to the Army, or is it just a relic of a bygone era?
This table has now become a place to put flowers, where the offering plates most likely reside, and perhaps a very large Bible with illustrated pictures. Have we lost some of our understanding of Holiness because we no longer understand what a Holiness Table is for?

Major Phil Davisson, author of Revelation: A non-scary approach Volume 1 put it this way when I asked him about the Holiness Table;
“We should teach about holiness but emphasize Coutts (General Frederick Coutts) more…The table itself has had little resonance because it has become a display table, and because no one–neither soldiers nor officers–have a very deep experiential knowledge of holiness living, and have been put off by second-blessing / second work of grace confusions…” Could it be that our lack of teaching is to blame for its near extinction?

Major Jim Garrington recently told me that he himself has given little to no thought of the Holiness Table itself and stresses the education of our soldiers as a must have in worship. If we are to use it, our soldiers ought to know what is going on. He went on to say that he is more interested in the outcomes and less the methodology of getting there. I would tend to agree with Major Garrington, as well as the thoughts of Major Davisson.

Am I making too much of this modern day center piece?
I requested more information from other scholars and historians of The Salvation Army and very few responded to my requests, which makes me wonder even more as to its perceived relevance in our modern worship and/or even historian’s understanding of such an item. Perhaps it is understood that the Altar (mercy seat) has, in some way, taken the place of the Holiness table as the site of repentance and commitment (or re-commitment to Christ)…but what of the Holiness table then? Has it become a sacred cow of sorts? A glorified decoration table?

Steve Simms, author of Beyond Church: The Lost Word Of The Bible – Ekklesia, is also a faithful Soldier with the rank of Sargent (Envoy) in the Nashville Tennessee area; I asked Steve his take on the Holiness Table, its significance in our Army today. Here’s what he said; “Personally I believe the holiness table was “sacramental” for the early Salvationists (in the best sense of the word). It was a physical object (location) that they could approach to help them release their faith beyond their physical environment and circumstances and touch the supernatural presence of the living, resurrected Jesus…Thus, the table itself is not the goal. The goal is to go beyond the table, encounter, and surrender to the living Jesus…Although the early Salvationists set aside the official sacraments of church, they (unintentionally, I believe) raised other things to the level of sacraments. Truth is, sacramental objects and/or actions are not supposed to be the center of attention. Their purpose is merely to lift our attention beyond our natural surroundings and focus it on the real presence of the living Christ. Once we are enthralled in the presence of Jesus, those things fade into the background. (examples of things treated like sacraments in TSA are the holiness table, the uniform, the soldier’s covenant, and various ceremonies we conduct.”

Steve raises an excellent point here as well!
Perhaps in exploring and even maintaining the Holiness Table we have inadvertently made it a sacramental item – and something it was never intended to be. Also, Garrington’s point is further solidified by Simms, in that it was never about the object, or in this case, the furniture in our worship halls – it is, and always should be, about the very presence of God living amongst His people. The outcome of worship, and every element within, should point to a glorified Christ preparing us to be like Him in every way!

Steve Bussey, who wrote an extensive article on the History of the Holiness Table entitled Discovering The Origin of the Holiness Table , and with whom I hope to interview next time, writes this at the end of his article that I believe summarizes where I believe we stand currently, “General Paul Radar is quoted Nigel Bovey in The Mercy Seat Revisited (2010) as saying, “The presence of the Holiness Table is a constant reminder of the central importance of the holiness of heart in the life of our Movement – a reminder that we are and must be a holiness movement. Ours is a gospel of Blood and Fire!” (p.90)

Army Ponderings Continued…
I do not believe we have finished this discussion, I believe we have only just begun.
Next time, I will have some additional contributors as we delve further into this topic.
But for now here are somethings to ponder:
* Is the Holiness Table still significant in modern worship?
* Do we inadvertently make certain objects and practices into our own sacraments – even though we perceive ourselves to be non-sacramentalists?
* Should we educate our soldiers and officers more about the Holiness Table and perhaps even reconsider our Holiness Approach and make more of an effort to circulate more of General Coutt’s ‘take’ on holiness?
* Where do we go from here? Do we remove the Holiness Tables from our halls if they have become decorating tables? Or do we overlook this so that our outcomes and focal point is always Christ?

Something more for our Army world to ponder today!
For more reading on this subject, please check out these sources:
Discovering the Origin of The Holiness Table – By Steve Bussey
Called to be God’s People – by Robert Street
Articles & Blog – by Steve Simms
Phoebe Palmer’s Altar Theology – by Lampstand Restoration
Phoebe Palmer History – by Barbara A. Howie

October 11, 2016 5

Holiness – The Only Prescription!

“…but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” – John 4:14

The Doctor’s Visit:
Suppose I had an ailment that could only be cured by going to the doctor on a regular basis. Now, suppose after my very first visit (which was fantastic and successful) I believed myself cured and instead of taking the doctor’s advice, I left and never came back…how foolish would I be? I felt great for a short time, but soon enough, my symptoms returned and I was right back where I began. You might say that I should have taken the doctor’s advice, and followed through with my treatment plan. You might also say, that I was stubborn and foolish.

The RX Application:
This is how Holiness should be to a Christ-follower!
God has prescribed to us the perfect example by which we should live – His Son Jesus Christ.

But you see, I don’t believe that Salvation is the end of this spiritual journey, instead it is only the beginning! Once we accept Christ in our lives and believe He saved and redeemed us from sin and death, we are essentially at the very first appointment at the doctor’s office! We still struggle. We still need help. We can still fall into temptation!

Christ’s prescription to us? A daily/moment by moment conversation with Him. The more we visit with Him, the more we begin to reflect who He is in our lives. Our goal (and the simple definition of Holiness) is to become like Him in every way day by day – by taking His prescription for life! Without it, we will be like the patient (me…) leaving the doctor’s office the very first time and not following his treatment plan!

Salvation is just the first dose and Holiness is the cure!
Something more to ponder today!

October 5, 2016 0

Dear Salvation Army – A Parable Of US…These are OUR People!!

“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in…” -Matthew 25:35

The Story:

In the frosted air of mid December, where ice is forming, melting in the midday sun, only to refreeze in winter’s kiss at dusk; a man zips up his camping tent for the night. It will be another bitterly cold attempt at sleep, which has proven elusive and wrought with lingering aches in limbs and ligaments. The man wraps himself up in multiple blankets of mismatched colors, extinguishes the insignificant blue flame from the juniper green propane camp stove, and settles in for another volatile night of shivering slumber as the constant freeway noise clambers on.

As dawn slips past the horizon of the army green tent flap, which has been frosted and now baptized in a hopeful light; the man untangles himself from the layers of blankets and additional coats laid down in the middle of the night, a stop gap that offered little to no help. Having survived yet another night languishing in hypothermic rest, the men unzips the tent and stretches out the pain of cramping muscles and battered tendons. Shivering noticeably through the noise of his chattering teeth, he moves as quickly as his lumbering joints can move as he seeks out somewhere to warm his tired bones.

A few blocks away, the crimson glowing lights of a red shield inscribed with the words “Salvation Army” calls out to him. The backdoor to the gymnasium has been opened, and there will be warmth within. As he steps inside, the man encounters the soup kitchen cook, draped in a white billowing apron and a broad smile. “Good morning friend!” The cook says in a deep gravelly voice by way of greeting, “would you care for some coffee?” The shivering man nods and shuffles towards an open chair as others also begin to arrive. They too have anticipated this moment, and their search for warmth, food, coffee and conversation is at an end.

The homeless man, still shaking off the bone-seeping coldness in his body, has finally found a safe haven, and with it – his dignity and hope once more…

…The Rest of the Story (As Paul Harvey used to say)
This is just a glimpse into the lives of those we serve. Some have had it better than others…
I have sat in our gym and listened to the stories some of our patrons can tell.
Some of them have truly been through hell on earth.
Some battle with constant addictions.
Some with physical or emotional trauma.
All are God’s…they are His…and He speaks to us through their stories of brokenness, pain and sorrow.
He also prods us to do something about their suffering.

Yes, Dear Salvationist, it seems like an impossible and never ending task because poverty, addictions and homelessness seem to be constantly knocking on our doors. The situations are the same, but the faces change over time! The question is – are we available to help and are we receptive to the Holy Spirit’s leading? Are we here to be a light when the rest of the world has turned the light off, given up and walked away? Can we still provide hope and love even if that person is stuck in the cycle of crisis? Can we offer it without judgement? Yes, we ought never put a band-aid on deep wounds, but can we serve first then minister? Or can ministry truly be found IN the service and care of others?

Here is a reality check: Some may never darken the doors to our sanctuaries on a Sunday morning, but are they not still a member of our congregation if they are at our facility EVERY DAY for a warm meal and a safe place to sit and rest? I think we miss a far greater opportunity that can be found on Sunday morning if we don’t engage during these moments feeding and conversing. Dear Salvationist, these are our people too! They come to us because we are the harbor and they have been shipwrecked by life. What we say, how we show love, and what we do – MATTERS!

The story I shared with you today, is real.
This man came to our corps and community center years ago, homeless, suicidal and at the end of his rope. And because the doors to our gymnasium were open, and he found warmth in the company of people in our corps, he is alive today. His life (literally his life) was saved! I know that there are many more stories just like this one wherever a Salvation Army facility is located. Doing the most good isn’t some prideful declaration to the public, instead is ought to be a phrase we ask ourselves every day both personally and organizationally – “Am I/Are We – Doing the most good”?

Make a difference in the lives you reach for Christ, and know that our “congregation” is so much larger than just our soldiery on Sunday mornings!

October 2, 2016 1

5 Indicators of a Rotting Church

“The Church right now has more fashion than passion, is more pathetic than prophetic, is more superficial than supernatural.”
― Leonard Ravenhill, Revival God’s Way

I believe that the Church is truly in trouble in the Western world.
It is not one organization or singular church but Christianity as a whole.
I do not want to sound like another alarmist or crackpot spewing lists to indicate an end of days, but I do want to cast some light into what many would deem the foundational crumbling of the Church. What are some indicators? What would some of the symptoms be of a dying and decaying church?

Here are a five indicators of a rotting church:

5. Professional Preachers
“You can have all the doctrines right, yet still not have the presence of God” -Leonard Ravenhill
We see the flashy, eloquent preacher on television and we demand that our churchs hire preachers like that…or we long to change how our “performance” at the pulpit is executed. I wonder if Jesus encountered flashy pharisees in His day? If He did Jesus certainly didn’t have many nice things to say about them. Rather, Jesus called those religious people who prayed outloud in the streets “actors” and “hyprocites”. We can have the most professional preachers in our pulpits, but if there is no substastantive message of conviction, salvation and holiness, it is all meaningless.

“For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.” 2 Timothy 4:3

Preachers, this is no excuse to go to the pulpit unprepared and unstudied, no! Instead, we must prepare harder, study more intently and lead with self-conviction and prayer! We dont’ need any more prosperity preachers. No more fluff and phoney messages with very little substance of the spiritual journey that we are all called to walk.

A Strong indicator of rot comes directly from those we have in our pulpits and those we choose to listen to on a weekly basis.

4. No Hunger For Scripture
With professional preachers, also comes a lack of hunger. Mind you, these are not always connected. I believe this is a stand-alone problem for many within our western world. If one were to journey to some of the poorest countries in the world, you would find a see hunger for scriptural truths and churches memorizes whole chapters of scripture…where is this hunger in the more prominent and prosperous countries? I believe there is a direct correlation between comfort and security and the shallowness of scriptural knowledge! Why rely on the scripture if every want, and all of life’s comforts are met (roughly speaking)?

This may sound negative, but I fear our western culture has become so soft of faith and scriptural knowledge that we are bound to enter another dark age – this time devoid of any of the truths and life lessons found in Scripture.

Is your church rotting? Ask yourself how much time is devoting throughout your week to the study and interpretation of scripture?

3. A Church That Is Prayerless & Building Bound
“A true church lives and moves and has its being in prayer” -Leonard Ravenhill
With the comforts of a western culture comes prayerlessness.
A church that prays together stays together – or so I’ve been told. How much emphasis is placed on prayer anymore? I am sure there are still some deeply prayerful places in this world. I know that I have experienced some of these moments, but I wonder if prayer has become an after thought in our services, in our weekly schedules, in our lives as congregants? Do you remember the old prayer meetings? Many of those have disappeared in our churches. They’ve been distilled down to just a five minute inclusion in our services or bible study…but should they be more prominent, more substantive? Do we still have worries and fears, sick and dying? Do we still have things that require corporate prayer?

Secondly, another indicator (a twofer for my Minnesotan friends) of a rotting church:
We become building bound – meaning that we expect our communities to come to us. We put up amazingly designed billboards, posters, flags and we wave them at the community…it’s like we are scattering bird seed in a trail hoping that people will follow it right up to our front doors. We have this grandeous idea that everything we do must be done in our buildings – what happened to evangelism? What happened to getting out into the streets? Do we still have a concern for the drunk down the street who is caught in a habitual addiction of stumbling out of the bar that they frequent? Do we still feel compassion for the family down the street that is dirt poor and cannot find a meal to eat in their cupboards? A Church who remains stuck in their building (no matter how beautiful it may be) is a dying church with little mission or outreach into the community they were birthed from.

2. A Loveless Congregation
Dare I say that perhaps this is cog in the chain reaction of not being community driven and lacking mission & compassion for others. Obviously no church ever desires to become loveless…but it can happen over time. I honestly hope that this evidence of a rotting church is the dying gasp before the doors are closed for good, and all I hope to accomplish by saying that is – we (the Church) needs to love each other more! This should be a siren call to the church to offer more compassion and selflessness amongst its congregants and its community.

If we lose the love of others, we have also lost the love of God – these two are inseparable! “Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen.” 1 John 4:20
If this happens – we will have a rotting church on our hands!

1. Comfort & Apathy
Signs of a rotting church can be born out of the comforts that have become common place in the western world. We have no need of want. Our church buildings, many of them, are being built larger and larger. The church, and its congregants, become apathetic to the needs of the community (again because all things “ministry” take place inside not outside of the church walls). Apathy is a death knell to the church. If/when we reach this point of not caring for people – we might has well lock the doors and burn the scriptures because it is useless to a dead church.

These are strong words – because I feel at times we are deaf to the warnings such as this!
We cannot allow apathy to take root in our hearts. We cannot pretend all is well when suffering is taking place in our communities. We cannot rest until mercy and compassion becomes our life blood again! Sometimes our churches get so big that we start to treat it as a big corporate business and in so doing we unintentionally leave Christ out of our missional planning.

Ponder This:
Are we striving to be or have professional preachers in our churches?
Is there still a deep hunger for Scripture in you and in your church?
What of Prayer? Do we consider supplication to be vital and intrinsic in who we are?
Have you prayed for God to give you His vision for people around you? If not begin to pray this prayer every day! When you do, may your love increase for others and any residue of apathy – may it flee from you!

Something more for the Church to ponder today – to God be the glory!

September 27, 2016 3

In Perfect Peace…

You will keep in perfect peace
those whose minds are steadfast,
because they trust in you.
-Isaiah 26:3

Can I make a confession?
There are many times where my mind is not as steadfast as it should be.
Many times I become distracted by life. The ebb and flow of problems seem to mount and I find myself anything but steadfast. My mind drifts to the chaos of it all. My mind forgets to look to the source of all of life’s strength and power…and I begin to sink.

Peter started to sink because he doubted.
He doubted that he could really pull of this feat of doing what Jesus did – walk on water.
He doubted his own abilities…perhaps a part of him doubted Christ too…
His eyes drifted away from Jesus…
He looked at his own feet, his own heart, his own insecurities, and fear caused him to sink into those murky depths.

I am a lot like Peter…
some days, perhaps I am even like the rest of the disciples still standing in the boat…not moving, not chancing anything, just watching.

Perfect Peace?
I need that perfect peace in my life, do you?
I am in need of a steadfast mind, holding firm to Christ in my often turbulent life.
Can you relate to this?
Are you sometimes still in the boat with me and the other disciples, just watching Peter sink?

Prayer:
Dear Lord, help me with my “steadfastness”…because many times I am anything but steadfast. Often times I get swept away with the problems of life, and I cannot find my footing any longer. Lord, guide my path. I long to rest in your presence. I desire your perfect peace in my stormy life. I am weary, and I wish to take upon your yoke in my life. Help me to trust you. Allow me to venture out of the boat and to walk where you impossibly walk, because with You all things are possible! Lead me Lord! -Amen.

September 26, 2016 0

Messy Church Outline: Abram/Sarai

Below is a workable outline for a Messy Church Event that you are welcome to use!
We adapted this idea, and obviously we made it our own.
There is a section for each table called “Talk About It” in which we try to get the “journeying groups” to engage in discussion and to really think about the theme and lesson of this specific “Messy Church”. We did add additional questions and I would encourage you to do so as well…this is just a primer, but this teaching method has a lot of potential.
-Enjoy!

Opening & Worship:
Started with some songs and a video:
Kids Tell: Abram & Sarai Story

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNSZ22QKDUE

Scripture Reference:
Genesis 12-21
Main points:
* God calls Abram & Sarai to go on a journey with him.

His wife Sarai can’t have children, this makes them sad.
On the journey God promises Abram that he will have more children than there are stars in the sky or grains of sand in the desert.
We are all members of this family.
God’s promise starts with small things but can become incredibly massive (stars in the sky)!
God calls us on this journey as well!Time to Depart On Our Journey! (Go to stations!)

5 Stations:
#1 Camp Tent – S’mores
#2 “Stars” Table
#3 Postcards to Family table
#4 Edible Pyramids
#5 Family Portrait Table

#1. Camping Tent – Make S’mores
Need: Graham Crackers, Marshmellows and Chocolate.
Instructions: Make s’mores while talking about camping…

Talk About: The travel must have taken a long time, and they had to endure a lot out in the wilderness. Food wasn’t always so easy to come by, but Abram and Sarai still traveled and did what the Lord instructed of them while on this journey. Have you ever gone camping? What types of items do you need in order to successfully camp? What’s the longest that you’ve ever had to sleep in a tent and on the ground? How do you think this journey felt to Abram and Sarai who were well over 70 years of age at the time? Do you think they always had a good meal while traveling? How do you think they slept each night? Would this journey have been easy on Abram and Sarai?

Scripture Verse:
“…So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah, and said, “Quickly, prepare three measures of fine flour, knead it and make bread cakes.” –Genesis 18:6
#2. “Stars” Table – Need: Black or dark paper, a bunch of star stickers
Instructions: Create a starry sky on your paper with the stars provided.

Talk About: While Abram and Sarai were on this journey, God promised them that they would have more children than there were stars in the sky! As you create your starry sky, imagine being Abram and Sarai as they have yet to experience the completion of this promise. What must they have felt? How would they have dreamt this promise would be fulfilled? Would this journey be easy for them? How many family members can you count in your family?

Scripture Verse: “He took him outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars–if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” Genesis 15:5

#3. “Postcards to Family Table”
Need: Post card/Cue Cards & Pens, Crayons & markers, coloring pencils.
Instructions: Design a post card to give to someone you love in your family, maybe someone living near you or maybe far away. Use the materials here to make it look beautiful.

Talk About: Families all have ancestors and extended relatives right? Sometimes families can be traced back for hundreds of years. Do you have any royalty in your family tree? Any ancestors who were criminals or famous? We may not don’t always get along, and sometimes we do. But family is family. And we are given time to connect and love each other. Imagine how Abram and Sarai must have felt when they went on this journey and had to say goodbye to their families? Do you think it was difficult to leave everyone behind? They couldn’t write postcards like we are doing right now, but I am sure that they treasured precious memories of the family as they hoped for the vast family God had promised to them in the future.

Someone Read Scripture Outloud: “God told Abram: “Leave your country, your family, and your father’s home for a land that I will show you.

^2-3I’ll make you a great nation
and bless you.
I’ll make you famous;
you’ll be a blessing.
I’ll bless those who bless you;
those who curse you I’ll curse.
All the families of the Earth
will be blessed through you.”

(Genesis 12:1-3)

#4 Edible Pyramid – Table
Need: Bread, Lunch meats, spreads, peanut butter, jelly
Triangle mold to cut the bread or knife (adult supervision please?!).

Object: Make pyramid sandwiches but cutting triangles of bread in ever-decreasing sizes with different fillings until you have made a pyramid-shaped structure. Only make sandwiches that YOU WILL EAT!

Talk About:
The ancient city of UR, was a strange place. There were people there who worshipped nature gods in buildings called ziggurats – they looked a lot like the pyramids that we have seen pictures of in Egypt. Despite all of their strange practices, these people never had an encounter with a god. Abram, however didn’t need a pyramid dedicated to a god to meet the real God. Instead Abram first encountered God out in the desert.

Scripture Passage To Read Outloud:
“Abram traveled through the land as far as the site of the great tree of Moreh at Shechem. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. ⁷TheLord appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring^[^c^] I will give this land.” So he built an altar there to the Lord, who had appeared to him.

⁸From there he went on toward the hills east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. There he built an altar to the Lord and called on the name of the Lord.

⁹Then Abram set out and continued toward the Negev.” – Genesis 12:6-9

#5 Family Portrait Table
Need: Paper, Outlines of Cars, Trains, Camels, horses, RV’s.
Poster paints, jars of water, paint brushes.

Instructions: Using the paper with the outlines of transportation (1 per) everyone can paint their family on a journey. Add extended family, church family and even friends. Think about who you will add to your vehicle.

Talk About: Abram and Sarai didn’t journey alone. Some of their family actually came with them. Abram actually had quite a large caravan of livestock, servants and family with him and Sarai on this trip. Do you think they always agreed while on this journey? Do you think it was always easy traveling with their family? What sort of challenges do you think they had along the way? Tell us about some of the trips you have made with your families? How long have your road trips been? Did you always get along?

Scripture Reading To Read Out loud:
^“So Abram left just as God said, and Lot left with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran. Abram took his wife Sarai and his nephew Lot with him, along with all the possessions and people they had gotten in Haran, and set out for the land of Canaan and arrived safe and sound.” Genesis 12:4-6

Closing Time: Move to another location or gather in a central place in the same room:
Suggestion – hang stars in the room…finish your celebration there!
Sing a couple of songs (if you have time)

Final talk: Highlight our time, celebrate their accomplishments
So how was your journey today?
Were you able to glimpse a little of what Abram and Sarai must have gone through as they went on their faith journey with God? Abraham was very, very old, and he was married to Sarah. They were very, very sad because they had no children. But, as we have discussed while on our journeys today, God made Abraham a special promise. God said to Abraham, “Look up and count the stars – if you can. That’s how many people there will be in your family one day…

Ask – “How many stars can you count?” God told Abraham that his family would be so large that they would be as numerous as the stars above us…wow! That’s a lot of family! And you know what? God keeps His promises doesn’t He? Look around the room at all the people here today. Just take a moment and look. We are all a part of Abraham’s family. Does that surprise you? God told Abraham to go on that journey to an unknown place, and because Abraham and Sarah were obedient, God kept His promise to them. This family of God is vast isn’t it? Think about all of the Christians throughout the world both living and dead. That adds up to be millions and millions of people, and guess what? We’re all family because of Abraham and Sarah’s faithfulness.

Prayer Response (Option)
Encourage everyone to think of something to thank God for. Ask them to put up their hand to say what they are thankful for. As people give their responses, repeat it and invite everyone to say outlout “Lord God, We Thank YOU!”

Final Blessing/Benediction:
“Lord, thank you that we are one big family of your people throughout the world and throughout history. Help us to live as one family, loving each other through thick and thin. Amen.”

(Adapted and Used – Source: Messy Church: Fresh Ideas For Building A Christ-Centered Community. Unit 1)

September 23, 2016 0

Author: Pastor'sPonderings