Dear Pastors, Authentic Joy Can Inspire Your Congregation!

The Pastor looked tired.
He gets up to preach the message and delivers an impassioned four point sermon with colorful illustrations and “all the fixin’s”…still no one comes forward to altar. He starts to doubt his abilities to lead people to Christ. He starts to grow frustrated and restless in his calling. He looks out at his church congregation and believes most are just without “ears to hear” and have settled into Christian mediocrity.

What’s wrong with this picture?
It seems like some sort of fictional story and yet this is not so uncommon among pastors today.
Many pastors get out of seminary and believe that they will make a difference…and most will. Most Pastors are prepared for the fray, and for “ministry life”. Yet, as reality sets in, the risk many might face is disillusionment, ministry fatigue, and a loss of mission.

The problem that I have with the above illustration is two-fold:
1) It’s all about the Pastor.
We pastors and ministers of this amazing grace can often get it wrong or backwards.
It’s not about us, it never was.
It’s not about how awesome we are, or how contemporary or traditional we are…it isn’t about how much media we utilize on a Sunday morning either. Oh, and it’s also not about how amazing our worship band is or isn’t. These are all surface things.

Dare I say that we as Pastors can begin to have an ego problem.
We call the shots, we make the executive orders, we plan the service and we preach that sermon that our congregation needs to hear each Sunday morning. Is it easy to miss the point of “Church”? You bet it is. Especially when it becomes all about the Pastor.

This is a real danger, so be aware of its beckoning ego-centric call!

2) The authentic joy is vacant in the Pastor’s life & ministry.
The second problem I see in the uninspired ministry goes hand in hand with the last issue.
If it’s all about us and our ministry team, we run the risk of displaying that misaligned vision to our congregations. And when we “put up a front” and paint this perfect picture for them, they see right through it. It’s like that elementary teacher who is terrified of elementary students…those kids just know when the teacher is scared to death.

Authentic joy cannot be faked.
People, especially our congregation, will know and see through inauthentic fakery.
It doesn’t matter how flowery your sermon is…
It doesn’t matter how “on point” the worship band was this Sunday…
It doesn’t matter if you have everything right on the bulletin this Sunday…
IF you aren’t authentic and you’re just going through the motions, it will be more evident than you think.

What I’m not saying today:
I’m not saying that we have to be Happy all the time – I know that it’s just not possible to put on a happy face when things are far from happy in your church.
I’m not saying that we have to perpetually seek joy and happiness for our church members either.

What I am saying is this:
Authenticity, in every season is a hard commodity to come by all the time.
I have preached those sermons.
I have lived that illustration.
I have been there.

So how do we recapture that Authentic joy once more?
Not by some feel good seminar or self-help section (but sometimes that helps).
Not by continuing to fake it and gut it out for a little while longer.
No, we have to find fellow brothers and sisters in Christ to confide in and to share each other’s burdens.
We need (and crave) fellow Pastors to tell us that they’ve been to those desert places as well.
We have to feast on uplifting, yet challenging spiritual readings by theologians and thinkers who will push up out of our funk from time to time. If the iron isn’t in the fire being sharpened by other iron, then it is growing rusty and dull.

Don’t hole up in your office.
Don’t internalize your struggles and think no one else will relate.
Don’t pretend that you have it all worked out.
Talk, share, connect with other Pastors…

We need to go back to the source of living water…and sometimes (many times) we need each other more than we think.

Capturing authentic joy and passion for your ministry once again requires other pastors, mentors and leaders to help you. Don’t become rusty and dull…let’s help recapture that spark in your life once more!

Something more to ponder today!
To God be the glory!

September 14, 2015 0

The Syrian Refugee Crisis…And You!

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”
-Galatians 6:9

The Bad:

A Syrian refugee holds a baby in a refug...A Syrian refugee holds a baby in a refugee camp set in the town of Harmanli, south-east of Sofia on November 12, 2013. Bulgaria's asylum centres are severely overcrowded after the arrival of almost 10,000 refugees this year, half of them Syrian. The influx has fuelled anti-immigrant sentiment in a country already struggling with dire poverty. AFP PHOTO / NIKOLAY DOYCHINOVNIKOLAY DOYCHINOV/AFP/Getty Images — A Syrian refugee holds a baby in a refug…A Syrian refugee holds a baby in a refugee camp set in the town of Harmanli, south-east of Sofia on November 12, 2013. Bulgaria’s asylum centres are severely overcrowded after the arrival of almost 10,000 refugees this year, half of them Syrian. The influx has fuelled anti-immigrant sentiment in a country already struggling with dire poverty. AFP PHOTO / NIKOLAY DOYCHINOVNIKOLAY DOYCHINOV/AFP/Getty Images

Since the Syrian civil war took place five years ago, an estimated 4,000,000 (that’s MILLION) refugees have left the war-torn country. Many have flooded into neighboring countries
It boggles the mind that there are countries in our world who would turn a blind eye to the plight of asylum seekers and refugees. It has been reported that some of the wealthiest countries in the Middle East are doing nothing to help welcome foreign refugees from Syria. The same can be said for some European countries as well. Let’s call it for what it is. This isn’t about fears of the economic mainframe and fears that a country can’t support a sudden influx of refugees. This isn’t about resources at all, because either the EU would step in and help as would the United Nations. In fact, just today one of the UN’s top officials said this current refugee crisis needs a global response (Source: UN Response To Current Crisis) The refusal by some nations to help displaced Syrian families is abhorrent, wrong and despicable. Apathy seems to be running rampant in parts of the world. Self-interests are in play here, as is the practice of turning a blind eye and pretending it doesn’t really exist. This is about inconvenience. Some of this is also about ethnic and ideological differences. Racism still exists. Bigotry within cultures, religion and lifestyles still exist, and is alive and kicking.

The Good:

Fleeing bombardment of their village by Syria's Assad regime, — Fleeing bombardment of their village by Syria’s Assad regime, “Um Ali,” 38, as the mother of six children asked to be called, sits in the back of the cave they have found as their own shelter. The cave, just outside the village of al Sahriah, measures about 12 by 35 feet. (Andree Kaiser/MCT)

Germany was one of the first countries to step up and do something about this humanitarian crisis.
They have pledged to take up to 500,000 refugees a year! That is amazing generosity, compassion and willingness to do something remarkable when others have turned a blind eye to the plight of these displaced families in need.
Now, the tide is (hopefully) turning – The Vatican has pledged support and is urging other nations and Christians to do the same. Some countries, like the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada and France are beginning to feel the pressure to offer more than just a band-aid solution but, perhaps a new home to many who are now homeless because of this horrific civil war.

More Still Remains To Be Done:

DAMASCUS, SYRIA - JANUARY 31: In this handout provided by the United Nation Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), Residents wait in line to receive food aid distributed in the Yarmouk refugee camp on January 31, 2014 in Damascus, Syria. The United Nations renewed calls for the Syria regime and rebels to allow food and medical aid into the Palestinian camp of Yarmouk. An estimated 18,000 people are besieged inside the camp as the conflict in Syria continues. (Photo by United Nation Relief and Works Agency via Getty Images) — DAMASCUS, SYRIA – JANUARY 31: In this handout provided by the United Nation Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), Residents wait in line to receive food aid distributed in the Yarmouk refugee camp on January 31, 2014 in Damascus, Syria. The United Nations renewed calls for the Syria regime and rebels to allow food and medical aid into the Palestinian camp of Yarmouk. An estimated 18,000 people are besieged inside the camp as the conflict in Syria continues. (Photo by United Nation Relief and Works Agency via Getty Images)

There is still hundreds of thousands of men, women and children who are seeking peace and a new home.
Syria is most notable war torn country in the news currently; but other places in the world are suffering the same fate year after year; places like Sudan – currently in South Sudan there are more than 600,000 refugees who have fled to the Southern boarders while another 1.5 million people are currently displaced and without a place to call home. (Source: South Sudan Refugee Exodus Continues)

What Can We Do?
How can we help? We are just soldiers, people, seemingly little in our community…but we are wrong, we do have a voice and must make it heard!
We must continue to give a voice to those who do not have a voice.
We must fight for the powerless, the suffering, the homeless, the refugee, the trafficked sex slaves, the child soldier.
In this current crisis, and crises like it in our world, we must stand against injustice.

In the United States:
Write your state representative or better yet call them
Here is a list of their numbers – Phone Numbers To Call
Urge them to apply pressure to offer more support to the Syrian Refugee Crisis.

In Canada:
Look up your local/governmental officials and apply pressure to help
Contact Information

In The United Kingdom:
Here are some rather current information as to what is being done in the UK –
FactSheet
But more can be done and you can urge your government officials.

I can’t list all of your wonderful countries here today but I would suggest that where ever you live, you must apply some pressure to your governmental units. Remind them, urge them to help. We cannot sit idly by while innocent men, women and children are displaced and are suffering. Turning a blind eye is a conscious choice to not care. Don’t allow apathy and selfishness to invade your heart! Do something!

More resources and information:
The Salvation Army Assists Refugees
The Greek Salvation Army Caring For Refugees
UN Refugee Agency
CNN News Report

Something more to ponder today!

September 9, 2015 1

Dear Salvationists….3 Reasons To Run From Church.

“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; ²⁰you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.”
1 Corinthians 6:19-20

Before I get a bunch of hate mail about this topic and title, let me clarify.
I am in no way suggesting that you abandon your posts and/or corps.
The body of Christ needs you.
This Army needs dedicated soldiers and officers like you, so don’t surrender or quit!

What am I saying then?

There are moments when Church fellowship has been destroyed.
There are moments when you face more hostility than acceptance.
There are moments when the body is literally broken.

Have you been there?

Sometimes the worst kinds battles occur within the walls of “Church”.
Sometimes the worst judges, juries and executioners are sitting in the pews every Sunday morning. They cast looks with furrowed eyebrows and brandish barbed words and sharpened blades of deceit. Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t in every corps, nor is it in every church, but when it does happen it can destroy lives.
Sometimes it is found in the maligned uses of Scripture to fit the needs or used as a weapon.

So why run?
What do I possibly mean by this?
I don’t want to sound like a cynic today, but I am not naive to believe that every church is practicing what they preach. This sounds judgmental too doesn’t it – sorry, I don’t mean it to be. I just want to caution you, and use this as a metaphor today. The “Church” is more than four walls. The “Church” is more than what happens on Sunday. The “Church” is more than a group of people in odd looking uniforms. The “Church” is you, it is me, it is our very bodies, our very nature as Transformed new creations. So let me speak of this “Church” metaphor today, and why we should run.

What are we to run from?
3 Reasons To Run From Church:

1. Let’s run from the Gossip Church!
“Whoever goes about slandering reveals secrets; therefore do not associate with a simple babbler.” -Proverbs 20:19
If Church is all about backbiting, slander and all kinds of verbal abuse, then run.
Don’t associate yourselves with the Church of Gossip. Don’t hang out in its halls. Don’t participate in it’s rotten potlucks full of foul intentions and underhanded comments. These things will make you sick and poison your soul. Don’t involve yourself in this tainted fellowship, instead RUN! Gossip can seem quite innocuous at first with a mere sentence of “hey did you hear…”, or “I want you to pray for so and so because they….” -Gossip is NOT edifying to the body of Christ. So don’t a part of that Church, instead run from it and have nothing to do with it at all!

“I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak…” Matthew 12:36

2. Let’s run from Weaponized Scripture!
“Do not speak evil against one another, brothers. The one who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks evil against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge.” James 4:11

If scripture is being abused and used to attack other people – Run.
Don’t take specific passages out of context in order to fulfill the needs of “Church”.
Don’t listen to such poison either.
Be mindful that this can be Church of one (me, myself and I) as well as a group of people.

Jesus didn’t care much for the abusers of the Torah and it’s many laws, this should give you an inkling of what His response would be to those who do that still today. Modern day Pharisees do exist among us. There are times to confront them and times when we should RUN from them.

If scripture is used purposely to fit a Church’s needs and/or to attack other people with it – get away from them and run! Don’t waste another moment in that fellowship. Also, spend time studying the Bible for yourself, don’t just take other people’s word at face value. Begin to develop your own understanding of what is being said. Understand the context of each passage and to whom it was originally written to. Be aware of this sort of weaponizing of scripture…the purpose of a weaponized scripture isn’t to bring people to Christ, instead it is used to condemn others and hold power and authority over them by looking down on them. If that’s the case then run from the Weaponized Scripture Church.

“If you see the donkey of one who hates you lying down under its burden, you shall refrain from leaving him with it; you shall rescue it with him.” -Exodus 23:5

3. Run From the Loveless Church!

“You have heard that it was said, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR and hate your enemy.’ 44“But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you...” Matthew 5:43-44

A Church without love is a dead church.
A heart that feels nothing for others is a sad and pitiful life.
Run from such a Church. Run from the religion of hate, judgement and condemnation. Don’t waste your time in these loveless pursuits.

“If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.” 1 John 4:20

We will not always agree with one another in Church. This is different than lacking love completely. I don’t know of any church that is void of love, lacking sometimes – yes, but not void of it. But within our hearts we can become apathetic, we can become unloving and uncaring for others. Run from this Church. Run from this desire to NOT care.

What Church should we RUN TO?

1. Run to the Church of Sincerity.
2. Run to the Church of Honesty.
3. Run to the Church of Authenticity.
4. Run to the Church of Forgiveness and Grace
5. Run to the Church of Holiness – a transforming life (He is still working on you/me/us).
6. Run to the Church of Reconciliation and Restoration of the Broken

Dear Salvationist,
We can’t afford to run into the Church of gossip.
We can’t afford to run into the Church of the Weaponized Word.
We can’t afford to run into the Church of the loveless.

If we truly want to win the world for Jesus, then we have to run to the right places.
Our hearts must be in the right place.
Our lives are His, and His alone.

Something more for our Army to consider this morning.
To God be the glory!

September 4, 2015 1

Dear Salvation Army,THIS ______Changes Everything!!

“The divine breath evokes divine harmonies.” General Frederick Coutts

Dear Army,
-Are there not days when you feel tired, worn and spent?
-Are there not moments when circumstances and reality hit you square between the eyes and you can’t help but wonder about your own breaking point?
-Are there not moments when you leave home long before the sun rises and finally enter your home once again well after the sun has gone to bed?

This is fight is not a fight that we will win on our own.
What fight you ask? The fight against sin. The fight against injustice. The fight against poverty. The fight we as Christ-followers engage in every day. We will never be strong enough on our own, yet pridefully we attempt such feats only to find discouragement and loss. We can not defeat the enemy, who is the father of lies and the bondages of sin…on our own. We are not the source of strength. We were not created to be islands unto ourselves, self-sustaining and without need of help.

Our weapons of war are provided to us.
God the Father sent His Spirit to guide and to provide.
He alone has the power to equip us in these battles we fight.
The battles are far from over.
They are turbulent and many casualties within our ranks have occurred.
Yet, because of His great love and His love for those who are lost, we carry on.

So what changes everything?
What is the tipping point within the war?
What is our secret weapon you ask?

Our power comes from the One who sends us out into the fray.
Our power comes from a band of soldiers bound together in holy prayer, without personal benefit, but for the purpose of upholding one another within the very hands of God. Our power resides in His Holy Presence sustaining us in the darkest of moments and in the most dire of circumstances. He is but a whisper away and will come to our aid even before we ask Him.

The real key to this Divine power is our faith and allegiance.
Do we sincerely believe He can still perform miracles in our world?
Do we sincerely believe that God will answer, or even hear our prayers?
Do we humble incline our hearts and ears to listen to His answers that He whispers to us?
Are we prepare to move when He sends us?
Are we ready to act and to speak when we prompts us to?

The true power of prayer resides within His provision as well as our receiving and believing.
The receptacle has to accept that which is given in order for the light to shine.
So how is your heart today?
Do you firmly believe God has orders for you?
Are you ready to humble accept those orders?
What of your brother or sister along side you in this war?
Will you make it a matter of discipline to bring them daily before the throne of God in prayer?
Can you commit to encouraging and lifting up one another?
Forget about Church politics, policies and procedures, the jostling for political powers that occur within any Church…and pray.

It is quite astounding that we often times treat prayer as some sort of last resort in our spiritual arsenal, when it is our front-line. The disciplined solider MUST intentionally seek out the front-line weapon that is prayer. It ought not remain a knee-jerk response to times of crisis; because if we gird (arm) ourselves and bath ourselves as well as our fellow comrades in this Holy power, we will be equipped and baptized in His Holy Presence.

Prayer changes everything…if we will proactively employ its power before the daily battles begin.

Questions to ponder today:
How can I employ the power of prayer before I engage the world each day?
Am I lifting up my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ (in and out of uniform)?
Have I, in the past, only resorted to prayer when everything else had failed?
How can I change my prayer life so that I can better engage the world around me?

Oh that my utterances in prayer be for You alone dear Lord.
That my heart and its intentions are bowed low before Your throne.
Gird this way, the path that you have set before me.
Baptize me again in Your Holy presence
Fill me a new today.
-Amen

Something more for our Army to ponder today!

September 3, 2015 0

Dear Salvation Army, 5 Ministry Life Hacks That Can Improve Your Ministry

You’ve seen all of the life hack ideas out there.
Wouldn’t it be great if there were Ministry Life Hacks? Well, there are.
I’ve done a little digging on the web as well as thought of some realistic ministry hacks on my own.
I should point out though that ministry hacks are necessarily short cuts or a means to short change your ministry…it still takes hard work and determination, but perhaps we should be thinking smarter about the way we do things instead of making it harder when there could be a simpler way.

5 Life Hacks That Can Improve Your Ministry
These might be some obvious and/or not so obvious to you.
The key in our ministries is to be relateable, realistic and holy.
How do we do these things?
-Consistency
-Be Real
-Be Honest
-Be Available
You get the point.
Anyway…here we go…

1. YouTube Mini Webisodes
Here’s a hack within a hack –

Your corps could do these type of videos in your services as well…it’s really very simple.
You might also consider doing these videos instead of your regular “announcement time”.

Most smart phones these days are affordable and relatively easy to navigate.
The world becomes closer to your fingertips and using it for the right reasons makes all the difference. We ought to take advantage of these media platforms. It’s really not hard. The hard part is adding content to places like YouTube that people will actually watch and/or be interested in. Make sure the videos you post are well thought out, planned and creative. YouTube channels are free. You can add one yourself with just a google e-mail account. With the use of a smart phone you can now upload simple webisodes and/or informational content to your YouTube channel. You don’t have to have a big budget on video editing equipment to get your message out to the masses. Experiment and give it a try for yourself!

2. Keep And Sync Your Lotus Notes Calendar to all your (approved) devices
(Or Google Calendar)
Again, the nice thing about modern technology is that you can organize your life.
I have a confession, I’m not the most organized person in the world, in fact I’m far from it.
I need this kind of help on a daily basis in order to keep track of my schedule and calendar of events.
You can use IBM’s Lotus Notes Calendar and have it synced to your phones…it works!
If you’re more of a web-based calendar person, you can use google calendar (Note: I really don’t work for google, seriously, it just stuff that I’ve found through trial and error that works).

Maybe you’re like me and you’re unorganized and you need help.
Try using a calendar for a month…stick with it. Any new habit has to be formed and it takes time.

3. Media Saturated Social Media Posts

Image of male touching virtual icon of social network — There will undoubtedly be someone out there who will say (and comment) “*Well, what about just using the Bible and preach the gospel, we don’t need all of this stuff!*” If that’s the case then don’t use all this stuff. This is just a means to make our ministry smarter, better prepared and sharper.

If your corps/ministry uses social media then use it well!
Put your phones to use by taking photos of events and posting them.
Put thought provoking content on you Corps facebook page, twitter account, tumblr and any other media platform you may use. Keep your corps members engaged through out the week. If your sermon on Sunday can spill over onto your website or social media page then do that! Don’t miss out on the opportunity to stay connected and be a source of hope and challenge to your corps members and community!

It’s really taking the quote “Why should the devil have all the good music” and bringing it into the modern generation. Why should the devil have all the good media content (other than the occasional “if you love God then click ‘like’ if you don’t then ignore” dumb posts you see sometimes on places like Facebook)?

Being innovative in your ministry doesn’t mean selling the truth of the gospel out.
I. Am. Not. Saying. That. (But someone will certainly accuse me of this today…just watch)
What I’m merely suggesting is we ought to use the tools that we have at our finger tips to get that message out more and in a more accessible and visible way.

4. Be Prepared!
It’s really not a new life ministry hack.
Do you remember the old Colonel or Major that used to tell you “keep an extra sermon in your bible just in case” THIS STILL APPLIES! Preparation is King! Always have a message to speak. Be creative, be innovative, be prepared! It’s so much more than the Boy Scout motto. It ought to be the Christ-follower’s motto as well!

“But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect...” (1 Peter 3:15)

Maybe put down the tv remote and refrain from watching another hour of programming.
Maybe put aside that video game that you’re totally immersed in.
Maybe get up a little earlier each morning and get some spiritual preparation under your belt by spending time in prayer and meditating on God.
Maybe put aside any other distractions that might get in the way of your preparation as a minister/Officer/Soldier/Evangelist/Worship Leader/Corps Sergeant Major/YPSM (the list goes on)…

Maybe read a challenging book about the Christian faith.
Maybe do something that stretches you.
Do whatever prepares you to engage our world and those we have the privilege to minister to.

5. Connect with Corps Members Through Intentional Social Events.

If food is the way to a man’s heart, then social events are the way to your corps people’s hearts.
How else will we connect on a fellowship level if we don’t intentionally schedule events that will allow us to “let our hair down”? All families, singles, divorcees, seniors, middle agers, young adults crave some sort of social connection other than Sunday morning worship times. Don’t skimp of the fellowship times because you think it’s a frivolous waste of time. Schedule. Connect. Don’t make it all about some sort of additional bible study time. Don’t be afraid to have some fun with your corps members. This allows them access to you as a person and not just their officer or local officer. Be real. Make the attempt. This ministry life hack is the grease to the ‘cohesive body of Christ’ cog.

These are a mere five suggestions to help improve your ministry.
Do you have additional suggestions? Comment below and share with us your insight!
Join the conversation, that’s what these ponderings are all about!

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

September 2, 2015 0

3 Lessons That Christians Can Learn From The Ashley Madison…

“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” Proverbs 4:23

Unless you are currently living in a cave (in which case it’s amazing that you’re even reading this right now) , you will know that a group of hackers recently released the names of nearly 90,000 clients who used the online “affair” site – “Ashley Madison”.

There have been some claims, mostly unsubstantiated, that nearly 400 Pastors would have to resign because of their involvement on the website. I don’t know about you, but this whole scandal just makes me sad. If church members and pastors are indeed involved in this fallout then what kind of testimony to the “unsaved” does that have? What would be the “Christian” fallout? Don’t get me wrong, I don’t wish to convey an “us vs. them” mentality here, but certainly we have to concede that we DO have a responsibility as Christians to live as “Set-Apart”. How can we set an example of godly living if we aren’t really living above reproach? How could this translate to other faith-seekers out there? Would they become disillusioned because of this display by “Christians”? Or is this just par for the course? Is this just a “Christian” issue or is it also a society issue?

Here are three lessons that Christians can learn from this whole Ashley Madison debacle:
“Truth without love is brutality, and love without truth is hypocrisy.” -Warren Wiersbe

1. The Truth Will Always Come Out:
I don’t say this to be judgmental, I say this because it’s true. Adam and Eve couldn’t hide the truth from God in the garden when they disobeyed Him, so what makes us believe that our outcomes will be any different? I know that sometimes affairs happen for many different reasons. Some because of neglect, abuse, distance, a moment of weakness and so on, but it’s still a tragedy all the same. It was never how God intended love to look like or act when it came to humankind. Sometimes I wonder if these sort of things happen because people think they won’t get caught.

I’m reminded of the scripture verse: “For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open.” Luke 8:17 If Christians believe that hiding issues and sins will never be found out, think again.

2. Christians Aren’t Impervious To Temptation:

If you think that as a Christian you will never struggle with temptation again, then you’re sorely mistaken. Temptation is still alive among Christ-followers. When Jesus was teaching His disciples how to pray, He even taught them to pray against temptation when He said “And deliver us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one”(Matthew 6:13).

If we know we struggle with a specific type of temptation, then be aware of it. Be vigilant. Be on your guard! Christians, even though they are “Set Apart”, can still stumble and fall! If some Christians have been caught in this whole Ashley Madison debacle, I pray that they find healing, forgiveness and grace on their road to recovery and reconciliation! Temptation is very real, especially among those who claim to be Christ-followers.

3. If We Don’t Guard Our Heart, We Can Easily Fall!
The last lesson is this (and I believe that it’s connected to the last lesson).
-Guard your hearts.
Put up barriers to sin and temptation.
If you have trouble with overeating then don’t drive by the doughnut shop…you get my point. Take special precautions to avoid situations in which you might fall into temptation. Be proactive in avoiding such a scenario in your life. If you’re proactive, you stand a better chance of side-stepping that which trips us up. When we guard our hearts, we guard our lives; we filter the kinds of things that we allow into our hearts and minds. We are then able to withstand such a barrage on our lives.

I don’t wish to condemn anyone who is caught up in this scandal today.
I’m certainly not perfect, and I’m sure you aren’t either.
Here’s a newsflash – The Church isn’t perfect either. In fact, our Church doors are open to all who are imperfect and require the kind of healing and grace only Christ can offer. We might be tempted to sit back, purse our lips and judge people who have been caught by this whole Ashley Madison mess…but think again. Hold your judgements and try to offer grace. I’m not saying we allow sin to continue to be active in our churches, I’m just saying allow grace, forgiveness and love to enter into the equation before we ever consider casting the first stone. I pray for grace and healing for those in need of it today! May we all seek God’s favor in all that we are and ever hope to be as Christ-followers.

Something more to ponder today.
To God be the glory!

August 31, 2015 0

“Unplugged”

They say that the best sermon one can preach comes from personal experience…this topic is no different.
I find myself looking at my “smart” phone far too much.
I invest my time in technology and social media far more than I should.

I am not saying social media is bad, on the contrary it can be a vital tool to ministry, family and life.
But you know what they say about too much of a good thing…it might just become bad for you.
I cannot begrudge social media, after all, this audience on Pastorsponderings was grown out of social media.
You matter to this blog, these ponderings, and to me…but…we sometimes need to just unplug from it all.

We have to get away from our devices and look around us.
We have to put down our cell phones, computers and tablets and spend quality time with our families.

I don’t know about you but there is this constant need to see what other people are saying and writing about on places like twitter, facebook and tumblr. We check our status’ hundreds of times throughout our day, but God forbid we ever enter a place where there are cellular dead-zones.

I’m tired of family get togethers that look like this:
We drive miles and miles to our families for holidays and after only a short time we are doing this while we sit around and soak up the electronic silences on the couches and chairs. We are mere feet from our loved ones and yet we may as well be miles and miles away. Again, I’m talking to myself in this, but it the shoe fits…

…I must confess that I am horribly guilty of this type of technological distraction.
I just don’t want any of us waking up some day when some of our family members are gone from this life and regret not spending more quality time with them instead of facebooking our closet 1,000 “friends”.

At Play:
The other day, my sister told me of her experience at the park with her boys. They went there to play and enjoy the last remaining days of summer before school begins again. As she is watching her children play, she looked around the park at all of the other parents and she noticed, with dismay, the distraction of many of the parents. Their eyes were glued to their cell phone screens. Is it no wonder our kids seem clingy and demanding of our time these days when we don’t even realize how disconnected we are from them because we’re too busy commenting on a photo or dialoging on another group or post?

Again, don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with these “social” things, but if they start becoming a distraction to our everyday lives and to our families then something has got to give…something has to change!

At Church:
Isn’t “Church fellowship” supposed to be real live connecting with people? Isn’t it supposed to be a time where we connect with God and worship Him? Isn’t Church a place where we put down our distractions and begin to LISTEN to Him? I don’t mean to say that we don’t do that else where in our daily lives, but Church ought to be a place where we unplug from the things of earth and plug into a God of the Universe. Yet, we find ourselves once again digging into our pockets for that iPhone or Android device to see what is going on with our favorite team, friend, frienemy…you get the point. Why is it so hard to unplug? Why are we constantly looking at our phones? And don’t tell me you’re just finding the scripture verse the pastor is preaching on either…maybe some of you are, but not all of you are. Are we bored with God? Are we bored with the message on Sunday? Are we easily distracted by the world around us? What is it?

I am not pointing the finger at you without first pointing the finger at me…I do this, I am equally as guilty.
I look at my screen far too many times in the day. I check status’, I read emails, I constantly text…I do all of these things. They aren’t bad things, just distracted things…especially when my son is on the soccer field playing a game…especially when my 7 year old twins want Dad time and I only give them a part of my “full attention”…especially when my 14 year old needs help with homework and I’m sitting there commenting on another post…especially when my beautiful bride is talking to me and I’m only partially listening and the other part of me is tweeting something sarcastic. You see, I need to choose my times to unplug too. I need to get away from the distractions of my devices too. I need to spend time with my family, with my church, with my God.

For Us To Ponder:
Do you need to unplug today?
Do you need a technology fast?
Do you find yourself constantly distracted by your cell phone or other devices?
Perhaps you need to “unplug” it for a while.
Perhaps you just need to put it down on the kitchen counter or nightstand and walk away for a while.
Cell phones have this awesome new invention called “voicemail” and it allows you to actually call someone back later (Sarcastic comment, sorry).

Is it time to unplug for a while? You decide.
Something more to ponder today…To God be the glory!

August 31, 2015 1

Dear Salvation Army, 5 Difficult Questions That Most Christians Will Avoid

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Today I want to open up a pondering like no other.
It’s a pondering that can often be difficult because no one seems to want to talk about it.
Many Christians will skirt around these topics and tend to avoid it at all cost.
This…is just the tip of the iceberg, and perhaps a book ought to be written about it (hmmm perhaps I will).

I’m tired of ducking this conversation, pretending as if everything is fine and we never struggle at all.
I’m tired of pretending to be something we’re not…humanly perfect in every way, shape and form.
If we, as an Army, want to move on, if we want to progress forward – we have to talk about the topics we often shy away from.
Let’s start today:

5 Difficult Questions That Most Christians Will Avoid:

Doubt (Is God Even Real?)
What do we call the Apostle Thomas? That’s right, “Doubting Thomas“. Why? Because he dared to expose the fact that he had doubts and he questioned the testimony of others. He finally gets his wish, Jesus shows him his nail pierced hands, feet and stab-wounded side and Thomas believes. Is it a sin to doubt? No. Is it a sin to question? Absolutely not.Let’s dispel that myth today about doubting. We ought to be asking all sorts of questions about God, about the Bible, about life. It’s not a sin to be inquisitive and demand more proof. 1 Thessalonians 5:21 even says to “test everything and hold onto what is good.” So let me relieve some guilt in some of you today, it’s okay to have your doubts from time to time. Pray about those doubts. Ask God for some further evidence, and/or for Him to reveal Himself to you. I do not believe the time for Godly revelation has passed. If we doubt, then seek out the answers. Don’t settle for simple answers of merely “having faith”…push back and test these things for yourself. Faith isn’t about believing what your parents or grandparents believe…it’s not familial in that way, it ought to also be a personal ideology of belief. If we do not have a foundation there, then we really don’t have a lasting foundation at all.So News Flash, don’t beat yourself up over the fact that you encounter doubts in your life. Sometimes within those moments of doubting we begin to seek out the answers on a deeper level, and we begin to get serious about establishing a personalized faith that lacks any of the frilly phrases and meaningless jargon we sometimes find in Church.
Sexuality (Pornography and other addictions)
Sometimes questions about sexuality and specific sexual addictions are swept under the rug in the church and family. It’s never talked about, and so it becomes this type of “hush, hush” conversation.We are sexual creatures, God has created us this way. Sex is good. (yes I said it, SEX IS GOOD!)
It is for creating offspring but it is also for our enjoyment. The problem, though is that we never talk about pornography and sexual addictions which isn’t only prolific within culture, but it is prolific even in the church. This is an often unspoken, private struggle, and rightly so, but we ought to recognize that the Church should be a source of honest, candidness when it comes to struggles and temptations of the sexual nature.I do recognize that addictions of any kind ought to be treated by professionals, but that doesn’t negate the responsibility of the Church (and we as an Army) to have honest conversations about its real existence among our ranks. It does exist. It is a real struggle for many, and we cannot simply cover it up and pretend it doesn’t effect us. I believe that if we are honest, this type of temptation is more prolific that we give it credit for. It doesn’t even have to be pornographic images from adult websites either, it can be things we have seen on television or read in the pages of books.

Sex is good, but we need to confront the marring of these important displays of affection by the sin nature and the distortion of sexual reality that pornographic addiction provides to our culture and to church. We cannot simply pretend it doesn’t exist and close our eyes to its existence.
If I work harder, will I become perfect? (Works+Success=Spiritual Crowns)
–The Desire To Be Perfect By Outcome based performances –
If I just sing “O Boundless Salvation” well enough…
If I just wear my uniform better…
If I do more around the corps and show others how good I can be…
If I play in the band every Sunday…
If I
If I
If I….
Don’t get me wrong, these are great things to do within our corps and our ministries, but if we believe that doing all of these things in the right order will win us crowns, and that’s all we’re doing it for, then we’re sorely mistaken.Sometimes I fear that we have this notion that doing STUFF will make us successful in the Kingdom of God. We tend to believe: All that this Army is really about is adding more to the ranks. -False.
All that we do is good works so others will pat us on the backs. -False again.
We cannot become humanly perfect…that isn’t our goal.
The Pharisees even wished to impose this on the Jews in their day, and they themselves were merely law enforcers but not law abiders. Holiness is not the same thing as human perfection. When God says to us “Be holy as I am holy” what did He mean? Is holiness about doing STUFF? No! We have to first believe and have faith before the outpouring of evidence (Works/Stuff) can be seen.So stop stressing over wearing your uniform better, or performing at a better level…these things might be important at some point, but God first looks at your heart…so how is your heart?
Is This Authentic, am I Realistic?
(putting on the “Christian coat”)
Layered on top of all of this is the “Christian Coat”.
It’s what we do to pretend everything is okay.
It’s for appearances. It’s for other people to see. It’s a facade. It’s not real. We sometimes think to ourselves, if my Corps Officer or Divisional Officer or Pastor could see how it really is at home, they would be horrified.
We have this concept in our minds that we must act a certain way in church in order to “look the part”. The sad thing is – it’s all fake, and what we’re really doing is holding true fellowship and authenticity at arms length. We aren’t really allowing others to see how it really is with us. We wear masks, we pretend everything is normal and holy at home, when it’s anything but normal and holy.Are we embarrassed?
Are we afraid our fellow Christian brothers and sisters will judge us? -Yes. I’m no fool in this either, I know how cruel other Christians can be…and it really ought not be that way. We put up these barriers and wear masks because we’re afraid how we will really be treated if others knew how it really was with us. So we wear the tunic…we put on the Christian coat…but it’s all surfaced, it’s all phony.Listen, forget what those judgey Christians are going to think.
Who are you going to honor in your authentic faith – Man or God?
In the long run who matters most? It’s a crying shame that we have to protect ourselves from other “Christians”, but maybe if we started to take off these masks and these “Christian coats” true revival and true fellowship will once again take place. Sometimes the best way to get rid of fake, judgmental “Christians” is to be real and honest and genuine. So, take off that coat.
What Do I Do When My Family Implodes?
Lastly today, what do I do when my family implodes…believe it or not Christian families struggle just as much with rebellion and issues as non-Christians families. We sometimes have this false notion that just because our families go to church we will be insulated from some of these issues. Guess what? They still exist. They still can effect our families. We get so embarrassed about how other Salvationists, how other Christians will react if they only knew we’re barely surviving at home…Can I be honest with you? Families do implode from time to time. Families will not always agree from time to time. It might be a full out battle once in a while (and some of you are saying “once in a while, try all the time!)…I think if we go back to being authentic and real, and vulnerable with one another, we would find that there would be more common ground that we ever realized. Sure, there will be the occasional sour, judgmental church goer who is more pharisee than Christian, but we would also find other authentic believers who just want someone to listen to their heartaches and the pain they are going through with their kids and/or families.I dare you to take a risk and to share your burdens with other believers…but choose wisely, find believers who will listen, who will love, and who will challenge you for the good.

These are just five difficult questions to ponder today…many times we’d like to shy away from such discourse, but I believe it’s vital to ask the question and to find the answers when they can be found.
Do you have feedback or questions of your own? We welcome your comments and questions. Let’s dialogue together a little longer on this subject.

Something more to ponder today!
To God be the glory!

Special thanks to my wife, Shanais Strissel who helps me clarify and inspires me in these ponderings!

August 25, 2015 4

Dear Salvation Army, 3 Spiritual Lessons From Football (Soccer) That Matter!

I was watching my son play a football match the other day.
In the U.S. we call it soccer, for the rest of the world it’s called Football.
Just to give you a little history about who I am; I have played soccer since I was a young boy. It began in the playground as a little boy on the Island of St. Helena. My parents were missionaries there many years ago. I played soccer in South Africa as a boy – my parents were missionaries there too. I played soccer in the United States – my parents were missionaries there too.

I love the game.
As I have grown up, so has my knowledge of the game of football.
I finally see the strategy that my father once called “Chess-like”. -A player makes one move and then a counter move…and so on. The game is built upon team work, strategy, and determination. I admire the structure of this sport that I played so long ago. I equally enjoy watching my son compete in it as well.

This brings me to my point today, Dear Salvation Army.
Here’s my metaphor for the day – There are lessons we can acquire from the game of football. These lessons can have a deep impact on our ministries. These lessons can either shape us if applied, or break us if not applied. Allow me to share these 3 spiritual lessons with you today.

3 Spiritual Lessons From Football (Soccer) That Matter!

1. Flat-Footedness Produces A Flat-lined Passion:
I have watched professional games where you can almost tell which team will win just by how they compete. The players who stay focused and on their toes (literally) will be better equipped to create attacking plays and score goals.

When you play the game of football, you must constantly operate on the balls of your feet. Being “on your toes” helps you anticipate passes, gives you an edged, and allows you to move faster. If players play flat-footed, they lose a step. That player will not be quick to the ball, and they will become reactive instead of proactive.

Are we Flat-footed or are we on our toes?
Spiritually speaking, we cannot operated our ministries in a reactionary capacity. We must anticipate and move when the Holy Spirit prompts us to move. Sitting back on our heels doesn’t prepare us for active ministry, it opens us up for failure in ministry. We weren’t called to preserve we were called to persevere!

When we go out and engage our communities…
When we get up out of the pews and help others in our communities…
When we seek to be a resource of solutions to problems and situations in society…
When we practice what we preach on Monday – Saturday…
We will cease to be flat-footed and on our toes in ministry.

2. We Can’t All Be Ronaldo and Messi!
No offense to these phenomenally talented footballers, but the game is usually never won because of one player among 12. The whole team has to contribute. The Goalie has to know his/her role. The full backs need to know their role. The midfielders and the forwards – theirs as well. It’s a team sport.

I love to watch teams like the Netherlands national team play. They pass with precision. The operate as a group. Sure, there are some stand-out talent on the team, but without players who can move the ball, pass and defend – that talent is useless.

We are members of one body (Romans 12:5, 1 Corinthians 12:12).
Each part of the body has to work with the other. This doesn’t mean that we lord over other parts and brag about our accomplishments, rather, it means we help each other along- we work together for the same purposes. Do we not have the same mission, Dear Army? Are we all equally important? Sometimes I think (and it happens in almost all Churches) we have “Stars” who tend to get all of the notoriety and credit…just like Ronaldo and Messi. Most of these “Stars” are actually very humble about their role within the Army. We must never lose focus on what is MOST important.

It’s not about who gets the credit (God should actually get this praise…right?!).
It’s not about who looks better in the uniform.
It’s not about ranks and roles and positions…although some would disagree with me.
-We need more team work and less ball hogs.
-We need more sharing of vital tools for ministry and less hoarding of these resources.
-We need to stop comparing ourselves and instead compare our lives with Christ – who ought to be the one we long to emulate and imitate.

3. Conditioning & Discipline Lead To A Successful Football Club (Spiritual Flabbiness is Shabbiness)
Okay, let’s get the cynics out of the way first – yes, of course some of the major football clubs also have MILLIONS of pounds, dollars, euros (and everything in between) to work with.

Without physical conditioning a team will fall flat on its face.
Without being disciplined in the sport, a team will fall apart when pressure mounts.
Physical strength requires sweat, toil, tears, and even pain. One cannot expect to compete at a professional level without first sacrificing time, laziness, and other luxuries. Practice is required, not optional. Determination to practice and perform at the peak of excellence is desired for all players on the pitch. If a player begins to decline or under-performs, that player may be sent down to a subordinate minor league team, or kicked off the team all together.

Dear Salvation Army, we cannot afford to have spiritually flabby soldiers.
I mean this with the sincerest amount of grace. We need to hold each other accountable. We need to press for spiritual discipline and spiritual conditioning. We cannot settle for mediocrity IF there is even a hint that we can be more and do more. God doesn’t want our leftovers on the mission fields we are called to, He wants our best efforts, or complete faithfulness, and our whole hearts. If we are to be a better Army, we have to strive for spiritual excellence and holiness. We cannot remain static if the Holy Spirit is calling us to move forward.

I love football, and I apologize to some of you that really don’t care for sports at all.
It’s an analogy that works for me.
Perhaps it will click for some of you as well.

Recap:
-Flat-Footedness Produces A Flat-lined Passion
-We Can’t All Be Ronaldo and Messi in Uniform – Be Who God Called You To Be!
-Conditioning & Discipline Lead To A Successful Football Club (Spiritual Flabbiness is Shabbiness)

There is so much more I could write on this topic, and perhaps I will in the future…but for now, this is enough fodder for one day.

Something more to Ponder today…(oh and by the way Go Manchester United!)
To God be the glory!

August 21, 2015 2

4 Wrong Ways To Read The Bible (And you may not know you’re doing it)

Let’s first admit that the Bible is an important source of help and guidance in our lives. We need the kind of hope and helps that the Bible can offer to us…but there are ways in which people can misinterpret and mistreat the bible. Today I would like to outline just four ways that this can happen, and I know you will relate in some way…so here goes:

4 Wrong Ways To Read The Bible (And you may not know you’re doing it).

The Magic 8 Ball Bible Reader…
“Dear Magic 8 Ball, if He or She is the right one for me please let me know…” Can I be honest, I have used the Bible from time to time in this manner. We use many of these narratives, poetry, wise sayings to help us decide what to do in this life. First of all, I don’t miscount that the Holy Spirit can use certain passages to help us, but if all that we do is put our fingers on random passages and BELIEVE that it’s my fortune or some sort of Divine answer, I think we’re way off base. The Bible isn’t some sort of magic 8 ball that helps us find our soul mate or win the lottery or find the right car…so perhaps we ought to stop treating it like that.
The “I’m right, you’re wrong and I’m going to prove it” Bible Reader…
Have you ever gotten into religious debates with people? It could have happened at a coffee shop, in school, or on a social media site. The next thing you know you’re both sparring over who is right and who is wrong. So you reach for your Bible so you can shoot them down and prove that you’re right and get the final word in…(and score a major victory on your religious debaters score card in heaven). If the reason we use the Bible is to prove others wrong all of the time, I fear we are mistreating the bible once again. Don’t mistake “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope…” (1 Peter 3:15) passage for being the same thing as using the Bible to club someone over the head and proving how right you are. Stop using the Bible as your weapon to prove others wrong, it’s just not helping to reach people for Jesus.
The “Dear Abby” Bible Reader…
Sorry Dear Abby and Ann Landers fans. Even though the Bible contains many life lessons from other people in history as well as books of wisdom, the Bible is not an advice column. It will not always have an answer for every life problem you will encounter. That isn’t to say that the Holy Spirit can’t guide and direct you, it just means that the Bible may not have a specific answer that you’re looking on a given subject. Similarly to the “Magic 8 Ball” reader, the scriptures of these various books put together over a thousand year or two may not always contain some magical advice for someone living in our era. In a broader aspect of course there are many, many teachable moral principles that we can draw from reading the Bible, but make sure it is read in context with the surrounding history and verses.
The “Out Of Obligation” Bible Reader…
The last wrong way we can sometimes read the bible is out of some sort of forced obligation. We grudgingly reach for our bibles and we paw through the “required” reading for the day and then get on with life. Although we read the obligatory passages we haven’t REALLY read them nor applied them to our every day living. The “Out of Obligation” Bible reader tends to read the Bible like a homework assignment…from a class they don’t like and have little to no passion for it. If we read the bible simply because we feel obligated to, the passion and love of the bible will not be present. This “wrong way” of bible reading will not help us grow (most of the time) it will only make us feel like we are forced to do it, and we might end up feeling as if none of this was ours in the first place.

Read the Bible.
I’m not saying don’t read it, just make sure that you’re reading it for the right reasons.
Be careful not to treat it as something that it’s not, nor ever intended to be.
Pray.
Ask God to help you in this.
Connect.
Get connected with a Bible study group (with the same mindset as you) who can challenge you, help you and hold you accountable.

Something more to ponder today…here’s to reading the Bible appropriately and with the right motives and intentions!

NOW IT’S YOUR TURN:
What do YOU think? Comment below and leave me some feedback on this subject.
Join the conversation!

August 18, 2015 2