Dear Salvation Army, Selling Your Soul For Relevancy…

It is one thing to be culturally relevant in our worship settings:
-For the music to be relevant to the demographics of our congregations.
-For the messages to be relevant to our target audiences.
I’m not saying relevancy is wrong…we need to be relevant to some degree!

But…

could there ever be a point at which we sell our souls for the sake of relevancy?
How far is too far?

How far do we go in order to reach our local cultures yet do not lose our souls in the process? There is no denying that The Salvation Army is needed and has the capacity to do wonderful things as we strive to help people in need. We mustn’t lose this in any transformational process. We cannot lose our identities as an Army of Salvation for the sake of “fitting in”. Booth wasn’t so much concerned with “fitting in” as he was concerned with meeting human needs in Christ’s name. He even worked with politicians to change labor laws and make working conditions safer for people by building a match factory. Booth wasn’t about merely “fitting in”, he (Catherine too of course) was about making a difference in people’s lives while sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Wearing a uniform doesn’t quite allow any of its Salvationists to “fit in”…but they are certainly identifiable, and these elements which make us stand out can help us to be a light in a seemingly dark world. We have the capacity to help transform lives with the help and power of the Holy Spirit. Our main goal should never just be about relevancy. This isn’t the main principle of what we do and who we are (or vice-versa). The principle can still be summed up in one of our oldest slogans “Soup, Soap, Salvation!” We were formed to go for souls and go for the worst. We are united under one God, One Salvation, One Hope for the whole world. We cannot water this down, but we can offer hope, love, support and grace one spoonful at a time.

Dear Salvation Army, have we sold our souls at times for relevancy?
Are we doing it right now?

Sometimes I fear that we chase the almighty dollar more than we chase after the Holy Spirit.

Sometimes I think that we fear what other entities including governments will do to us if we boldly proclaim the name of Jesus Christ in our programs and in public places.

Sometimes I wonder if we aren’t an army of Salvation anymore but rather more of an army of convenience and platitudes as long as no one is offended by the gospel.

Sometimes I wonder if we have lost a step in this march because of it.
Sometimes I wonder if we have been chasing after the approval of other people instead of the approval of God.

Sometimes…

If this has ever or is the case…then we need repentance.
If this is the case in our personal ministries we need to seek reconciliation and a realignment of priorities and holiness.

To the faithful and to the upright…show us the way!
Be examples to the rest of us.
Help us when we have gotten so focused upon pleasing the world around us that we have strayed from our first love.
I am not casting any blame upon anyone more than myself in this entry of Pastor’s ponderings today. I have felt this conviction within my heart. These are personal and yet public because perhaps, just perhaps there are others out there who feel the same way.

Join me, pray with me, pray for me…and I will pray for you as well.
We are not alone in this fight…we never were.
We are an Army, fighting side by side and with the power of the Holy Spirit who can and will provide us His strength and guidance along this dusty rugged path.

“Give me one pure and holy passion.
Give me one magnificent obsession.
Give me one glorious ambition for my life
To know and follow hard after You.

To know and follow hard after you
To grow as your disciple in your truth
This world is empty, pale, and poor
Compared to knowing you, my Lord
Lead me on and I will run after you
Lead me on and I will run after you”

(by MARK ALTROGGE)

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

October 20, 2014 0

Dear Salvation Army – The Pathway Of Duty Is Agony Sometimes!

It is not our Salvation that keeps us Holy. It is but a component of this saving grace. It isn’t our intellect that saves us either. It is the work of Christ and the continuing fellowship of the Holy Spirit within us. We are but instruments of His peace, His love and His encouragement.

Times of Trial And Wounding:
There will be times when we are accused, slandered and wounded while serving Christ. I am not saying that we look for the opportunities to be persecuted or wounded, but they will indeed come our way if we are living out kingdom priorities as kingdom people!

There will be some who will stand in our way.
There will be some who will betray us along the pathway of duty.
There will be some who will laugh when we face out trials and wounds.
Some, even unknowingly, are ambassadors of hell as they entertain and execute malicious attacks on those who are faithful.

I am not saying we are perfect by any means.
We are all faulty, we are all in need of a daily washing of God’s grace upon us. Yet, if we choose to walk this narrow path and are led by the Holy Spirit, we will face opposition, persecution and wounds along the way. It is inevitable.

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, ³because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. ⁴Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” – James 1:2-4

I’m sorry, what was that?
Pure Joy? In the midst of trials of many kind?
That doesn’t sound like a joyful or fun opportunity does it?

Yet pain comes to us.
Faith produces greater faith and reliance on God, but the side-effect in this “growth process” (for lack of a better term) is that we will experience discomfort, trials and hurt along the way.

No Pain, No Gain…
I’m not a glutton for punishment, really I’m not…but I do know that there is a desired outcome to this “faith” thing. We wish to be more like Christ is every way! Ephesians 5:1-2 says, “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as afragrant aroma” (NASB)

Becoming an imitator of God will take a journey through pain and suffering. Why? Because our fallen world won’t allow it to happen. Because our fallen, old sinful selves and habitual wanderings will trip us up. Because imitating God and becoming like His son Jesus will take immense sacrifice…sometimes more sacrifice than most of us realize at the beginning of the journey.

We will suffer at the hands of others.
We will suffer at the hands of ourselves at times.
We will experience discomfort and even pain at the lengths in with we are called to sacrifice!

Without pain we will not gain our freedom within His holiness!
It sounds sadistic doesn’t it?
It’s not. It simply is.

Your Path Right Now…
How is the pathway of duty right now for you?
Are you experiencing any discomfort along the way?
Is it because you have had to make sacrifices?
Is it because you are at times alone in your convictions?
Is it because you have faced (or you are currently facing) persecution and ridicule from others and felt the sting of it?

We are soldiers of Christ.
We have been set apart for His holy purpose!
We will find ruts in the road. We will find agony, bruised shins, and distressed hearts at times along this journey.

Do you need to come the well of refreshing again?
He is able to refresh and restore you!
He is able to replenish your spent reserves.
He can and will carry you when necessary.
He wants to encourage us today and to spur us onward even in the midst of persecution, suffering and the onslaught of those who would see us destroyed because of this faith.

Be bold.
Be strong.
For the Lord your God is with you today! (Joshua 1:9)

Carry on and know you are loved, encouraged, and supported by the Father himself!

-Just something more for our Army world to ponder today.
To God be the glory!

October 15, 2014 2

Dear Salvation Army – Motivational Leadership Vs. Coercive Leadership

“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.” -John Quincy Adams

A long time ago…I was in a meeting with a particular leader and a discussion about the usage of funding came up. It had been a cordial meeting to begin with as a group of us gathered in the meeting room with this leader. One particular person spoke up about the allocations of funds and voiced concerns that we had little knowledge of where or why our funds were being cut and siphoned from our local programs. Further voices also chimed in until this particular leader cut the conversation off by pounding his fists on the table and declared “enough, you will do what you’re told. This isn’t up for discussion anymore.” This was my first experience with coercive leadership…and I’m sure it won’t be my last. I mean no disrespect, but I have served under some very capable leaders who didn’t have to “pull rank” in order to get the message of their leadership across. They led through conviction, encouragement and decisive, yet compassionate grace…dare I say at times, this “gem” of leadership is quite rare in any organization…yet so desperately needed!

There is a time and a place for everything…or so Ecclesiastes says (and often misquoted). We must recognize that there are times when the authoritative style of leadership is necessary. We do operate within an organizational system modeled after the military after all. That being said, let’s look at two very specific styles of leadership that is often represented in our army still today.

Motivational Leadership Vs. Coercive Leadership

“Leadership is not about titles, positions or flowcharts. It is about one life influencing another.” ― John C. Maxwell

Motivational Leadership:
When done correctly this style of leadership can be the most effective means of communicating mission and vision. Motivational leaders don’t have to go around declaring their authority and pulling rank. They are respected because they are right there in the trenches with those they lead. It takes real courage and energy to be a motivational leader. It is often the harder of the two because it can demand more of our effort and time. Leading in this manner, one engages in their subordinates by showing them the way to success through encouragement while still holding them accountable. There are still outcomes to be accomplished but striving for these outcomes becomes a team lead journey where all are important and often times the leader is in the back prodding their subordinates along through encouragement and praise…picture the “little train the could” as it declared “I think I can, I think I can, I think I can“. Only within the motivational leadership style it isn’t about leadership saying “I think I can” but rather “I know YOU can!”

Other elements of Motivational leaderships include – active participation along side those they lead, recognition and praise when missions and tasks are accomplished, and lastly (less used because of the prior elements) motivation through strictness (discipline). When all else fails, the last resort (not the first) is discipline and accountability. We should not begrudge this element of motivational leadership or even its existence. We all need prodding from time to time. When the other elements of this style of leadership is exhausted and there is no other recourse, this “last resort” must be employed.

When subordinates come to this outcome through one who is a motivational leaders, it can be hard to accept, though the respect of such a leader should motivate the subordinate to get back on track in the hopes of accomplishing the team effort and desired goal(s).

In comparison:
Coercive Leadership:
Coercive leadership is forceful, demanding and often times requires others to do that which the leader themselves would not do. This style of leadership may be more effective in the short term, but in the long term may cause dissension, bitterness, attrition of the “team”, and could ultimately result in loss of vision and mission.

The “iron fist” is much easier to employ. One leads with fear. It takes less time to lead in this manner. A coercive leader can simply declare “you will do what you’re told” but this isn’t motivational, rather it is leading through fear as the primer or surrogate for motivation. This style of leadership isn’t about positive reinforcement. Dare I say it isn’t about developing good leadership for the future either. It is about “having it your way” as a fast food chain has famously turned into a slogan.

What About Us, Dear Army?
What kind of leaders do we aspire to become in our ministries?
Perhaps this topic scratches the surface of some tender areas within us. We chafe at this. Perhaps we cough nervously and look to cast a blaming glance upon others…but it does come back to us too. Leadership requires soldiers and officers of all kinds. We guide the vessel, which is this army. We can implement change within our leadership. We can set the precedent and the need for change. We do not have to lead out of a coercive leadership model any longer. It might be the easy route but what is the trade off? The trade off is that we can and will lose people that we lead along the way.

Dear Army, in order to make more disciples…in order to make more soldiers and further equip future leaders in this army, we must become the kind of leaders that others aspire to emulate and become themselves. We must set the standard all the while motivating, encouraging and strengthening those we lead. Only then will we be able to look upon the generations coming after us and pass on the mantel of this great army of salvation!

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

October 14, 2014 0

Dear Salvation Army: Why Quality Is Better Than Quantity

Jesus had more than 12 disciples…yet many left Him. (John 6:66)
Did Jesus call each one of these “AWOL” disciples? No.
Some joined the band later during the rise of Jesus’ popularity. But Jesus wasn’t looking for popularity. He hadn’t come to be lauded and complemented. He hadn’t come to start a Roman incursion. He came for so much more. He taught that purpose to His disciples, those with whom He confided in and hand-picked for such an important calling.

Dear Salvation Army, why is it that we feel it necessary at times to place quantity of soldiers and officers above quality? I don’t think anyone intentionally does this. I do not think we rush out and pick people off the street and throw uniforms on them just so we have “numbers” the next time the General or anyone else important in our Army comes to town. But we do see success within our Army as something of a quantitative thing don’t we?

Have we been going about this all wrong?
Could it be that instead of sheer numbers and all of these “Corps growth” initiatives we must first focus on the ones we already have in our pews who are undiscipled and unequipped for the battle? We serve many individuals who are marginalized and wounded by life. Some might be incapable of ever achieving the standards of “Christianity” that other churches expect of their parishioners. I have heard it said that the church is an emergency room for the sinner. It should be a place of triage and shelter for the broken and the imperfect. We serve many in our Army who not only need the spiritual emergency room but also long-term spiritual care! Some may never walk upright within the spiritual realms of leadership. Some may only crawl towards incremental spiritual achievements in their lives because they have been crippled by sin, shame and/or other spiritual, emotional and physical wounds in their lives. Can we accept them for who they are, where they are and mark these limited steps of growth? Are we patient enough to develop these wounded soldiers with grace, love and at times looooooooooooong-suffering? Or are we so focused on getting “others” more “capable”, desirable people into our corps buildings? We, unintentionally, stick up our noses at the uneducated, spiritually inept and broken cases already before us.

I don’t mean to make this an indictment because I too would wear a crown of guilt in this witch-hunt of pointing fingers. I too have walked the fine line of measurable growth and statistically accomplishments while unintentionally leaving the spiritually crippled of the corps in my dust. Shame on me. Forgive me.

What I’m Not Saying:
I’m not saying don’t seek out others to bring into your corps.
I am not saying don’t work to improve the spiritual conditions of your corps.
I am not saying don’t preach holiness and hold the standards high for all who come to the corps.

What I am Saying:
-Don’t forget those that God has already placed in your corps and on your ministry pathways.

-Don’t lose the emphasis on teaching and discipling your vital few who come week in and week out.

-Don’t lose heart when you look at statistical sheets and only see the same numbers associated with the same faces.

-Love your corps members even if they are incapable of loving you back (as hard as that may be).

-Be the very best representation of Christ to your corps, in your leadership and in your living examples.

-Don’t wait for more educated, better looking and polished people to come through your doors. Focus on the ones that God has placed within your ministry right now to love and to lead.

Why Quality is Better Than Quantity?
When we become satisfied and confident with loving and serving the few we take off the burden of false success driven ministry concepts. It’s not about packing your corps building to the brim every Sunday morning. It’s not about attempting another evangelistic ploy to rope the unchurched into your doors.

When we begin to love and to focus our attention upon those we already have within our corps (the “quality“, no matter how far from quality we may view our corps members) we will begin to truly love them, appreciate them, long to better disciple them, and serve them as Christ would the Church. When we focus our attention on the “few” and feed them spiritually, the love and “curb” appeal of our corps will become all the more evident in our communities.

We get it all wrong some times in our attempt to become like other churches. We look over the ministerial fences and long to be like “that” church that boasts 400 or more members on a Sunday. But the truth is we aren’t THAT church…we were never called to be THAT church. Our ministry and mission as the Army is very, very unique. Our mission will contain more elements of serving wounded soldiers day in and day out and maybe, just maybe we will see incremental or phenomenal life improvements both physically and spiritually. I am not discounting the work of the Holy Spirit here, He can and will perform miracles, and we must be diligent and faithful to His calling. Yet in other occasions we must also not give up on soldiers and corps members who never seem to move from their one position of initial conversion.

We know there is more to be had within the realms of spiritual growth and holiness for our corps members…but sometimes it may take a lifetime for that corps member to achieve this understanding as well. DON’T GIVE UP ON THEM! DON’T QUIT OR LOSE HOPE!

**Yes, fight for the weak, the hurting, the lost.
**Yes, keep up the evangelistic methods within your communities.
-But don’t forget to employ quality love, support and leadership to the few as well!

Just something more for our Army world to ponder today.
To God be the glory!

October 13, 2014 0

The Black-eye Of Sports

I love sports.
I am an avid fan of various sporting teams.
There are certain players that I enjoy watching play the game. There are superstars with an insane amounts of talent and to see them in action is truly inspiring. I don’t want to take away anything from these sports that I love. The game, in its pure form, can be spectacular to behold.

Recently in the news there have been stories of rampant racism, and domestic violence. Some perpetrated by team owners while other acts such as domestic violence perpetrated by big named players. It makes us sit back a bit from the couch. It makes us re-evaluate what is important in life, beyond our weekly fascination with our home town teams.

The Black-eye of Sports:
The issues are really two-fold.
1) Personal struggles.
Sometimes it’s because people have harbored ignorance and racism in their lives and these troubles that have been left unresolved and addressed. In 2014, it is shocking yet not surprising that racism is still alive. It hurts my heart to even imagine ignorance like this still kicking. It hasn’t gone away, but I sure wish it would. While other times individuals have grown up in environments where learned abuse has become a “passed on” trait in their lives. This does not excuse abuses by any means! Violence against women or children, or anyone else for that matter, cannot and should not be tolerated! When a sports figure, no matter how nationally recognized they are, is convicted or has displayed evidence of such a crime, they should not be allowed to continue to take a public stage in their respective sport. Consequences for violence should be swiftly dealt with by both the league they compete in as well as the appropriate legal system(s).

But this topic is also quite complex as well. There shouldn’t be just punishment for the offender. If these individuals have grown up in homes of abuse and in turn have become abusers as well, counseling and rehabilitation ought to be sought also. How will this cycle ever end if both the short term outcomes as well as the long term outcomes aren’t addressed?

2) Sweeping Things Under The Rug…
Sports franchises and leagues ought to be held accountable if they ignore such acts of violence by their players. The whole Ray Rice situation has been both quietly and publicly analyzed. Did the NFL try to keep the evidence under wraps? What was the extent of their responsibility? Did they scramble and only react because of the public outcry? What does it say about integrity and ethics? Understandably action was taken but if there had not been such a public response who these reactions been as severe?

Zero Tolerance For Every League!
No matter what the sport, every league should analyze how they respond to such proven crimes of domestic violence as well as evidence of racism. Serious offenses such as these ought to be handled both in the court system but also within each respective leagues. This isn’t JUST an NFL issue. I believe other leagues are ignoring potential horrific abuses of the kinds as well. I hope that every league in the US (and abroad) would implement vital policies to stop abusers of every kind long before the public gets wind of viral videos, long before there is applied pressure by the public. I am hopeful that leagues will become more sensitive in protecting the innocent instead of protecting their investments…that they seek to send a message to the rest of society that abuse of any kind is wrong and should never be tolerated.

For The Rest Of Us…
We too have a responsibility to society.
We may not know star athletes and we may not travel among classes of wealth (perhaps some of you d0)…but we should have a responsibility in our local communities and neighborhoods. We can end domestic violence. We can stop it, report it, and combat it through non-violent means. We have a voice. We have various means to end these awful, sometimes unspoken, crimes. We should never ignore such blights of society. We cannot turn a blind eye to innocent children and women being abused behind closed doors in their homes.

We shouldn’t turn a blind eye to racism in the work place, the social gather spaces or our neighborhoods either. We must actively campaign against such ignorance and injustice.

We may not be able to individually control sports leagues and their wealthy bankrolled lawyers and image consultants. But we can implement change within our own communities, stand up from the innocent and work towards publicly altering the environment in which these leagues operate in.

As a Christian and a Pastor, It is vital that we help those in need including and especially those without a voice. Abuse is no joke. It can permanently damage lives and ruin families. Speak up, take a stand and help to end domestic violence!

Something more to ponder today.

For more information on Domestic Violence:
Domestic Hotline
End Racism!
Fight racism now!
National Coalition Against Domestic Violence
Other sources

October 10, 2014 0

Dear Salvation Army – 3 Reasons to Rethink What “Church” is…

Yes, we’re a movement.
Yes, we are more than just a Church.
But what do we call what we do on Sunday’s?
Yes – Holiness Meetings and Salvation Meetings…but the elements of worship are involved aren’t they?

1. Statistics & Sundays…
I do no wish to argue terminologies today. I want to delve deeper into the heart of what we do within our active ministry roles.
We count statistics, of this we cannot deny or escape the reality of such documentation. Statistics can be an indicator of health or critical needs within our corps…BUT, what if we are too dependent upon who comes on Sunday? Is this the “make or break” issue for our ministries? Are there not other days in the week that we provide worship opportunities? Sometimes, I must confess, I have gotten caught up in the numbers game on Sunday and completely overlooked the vital importance of midweek worship opportunities.

2. Home Fellowship…
Where did the early church gather to worship with one another? In their homes. They shared what they had. They broke bread together. They grew because of this close knit “family”.

Another component that might help us to rethink what “Church” is could be one of the most pivotal fellowship tools we possess – our homes. The places we reside. Do we take the initiative to not only visit our corps members but to host frequent, yet intentional, worship times within the home, whether it be your home or someone else’? When we are away from the corps halls and we allow our “hair down” and our shoes off, we are more comfortable. We are on level ground with others gathered in our home. These are moments not to miss. These can become crucial times to personalize the gospel and our Christian relationships with each other.

These home fellowships shouldn’t be forced upon anyone, but allowed to happen naturally. Take chances. Take risks. Get to know your corps members and let the corps members know you. When we can relax within each other’s fellowship we are more inclined to talk one on one and peer to peer. This can be where true growth and decisions takes place.

3. Biblical Studies, Prayer & Holiness...
The concept of “Church” is so much more than what we do on Sunday mornings and the elements involved in our worship times. Do we collectively devote ourselves to times of biblical studies? Is there adequate times devoted to understand what we study? Is there homework and life application involved? Coupled with the need to know the Word of God better is the need for collective times of prayer. I am firmly convinced that some of our losses today within our Army has to do with the elimination of prayer meetings within our weekly schedules. Prayer is THAT important! If your corps doesn’t have a prayer meeting anymore and you are seeing a decline in your soldiery/attendance then perhaps it’s time to re-employ this powerful spiritual tool. It not only allows us to talk to our Lord in prayer but it also unifies us under one specific cause – prayer for each other. This is vital.

Coupled with biblical studies and prayer meetings should be the teachings of holiness within our corps body. I firmly believe we have lost this intentional emphasis in a large portion of our army. The need for spiritual disciplines and growth is another vital element to our army. When re-thinking “Church” does the need for holiness come to mind? Is there more to our Army than just the statistic of those who have recently made a decision for Christ? What do you do with those who have recently become saved? Is spiritual growth and holiness (sometimes synonymous) emphasized?

Wrapping this pondering up:
“Church” is more than Sunday worship.
“Church” is more than how many people come to our services.
“Church” is more than the corps building…hence the movement…
Our places of residence can be “Church”…
Our emphasis of holiness is “Church”…
Our love for everyone we can reach beyond our soldiers in uniform is “Church”.
So get on with it!

Questions:
Are there areas of your ministry that you’ve overlooked?
Have you misplaced some of the emphasis on other programs and other relationships?
Can we rethink what “Church”, or if you’re uncomfortable with that word, what “ministry” is?

Just a bit more for our Army world to ponder today.
To God be the glory!

October 9, 2014 0

The Right To Die…

Brittany Maynard is 29 and she has a terminal brain tumor.
She wants to die on November 1st. Her story can be found on most news sites today: Brittany Maynard Story

It is a sad situation. I cannot even begin to image someone so young facing the certainty of death at this point in life. My heart aches at this story.

Questions that I ponder today:
Is there dignity in death?
Are there times when doctor assisted euthanasia is appropriate?
How does faith fit into to all of this?
Can we reconcile our faith with a due date for death?

I have no answers for these ponderings today.
I mourn at Brittany’s difficult decision…but I honestly can’t see where her decision is wrong. Perhaps you might disagree with me, and that’s fine. I’ve been in the hospital rooms of the dying and the recently deceased. I’ve watched and witnessed what cancer can do to a body as it wastes away. There are fewer and fewer moments of clarity…fewer and fewer moments of “last words” while there is a lingering, painful death watch for the family to endure. Usually all that the doctors and nurses can do is make someone comfortable with pain medication and other such drugs. I can understand why Brittany doesn’t want her husband and family to go through that. I don’t think it’s selfish for her to consider this means to an end. I don’t believe in giving up hope. I do believe in miracles, but when in the face of death is there are right and wrong in the way one will meet the Father at the hands of knowledgeable doctors?

If faced with this similar decision, would I choose differently? I don’t know.
Would I want my family to suffer through the last stages of a horrific battle? Probably not. Would I want to end it before I’m too far gone? Probably.

Morality and Ethics:
I know what it means to assist with another person’s end of life decision. I understand the preservation and sanctity of human life. Yet in this case and cases like it I have to believe in a God of grace and understanding far beyond our own comprehension. There are no clear cut black and white answers here. I have to believe that life wasn’t supposed to be this way for anyone. We do live in a fallen world. We do live in a world wrought with incurable diseases and at times, hopeless situations. I am not arguing theology here, nor do I wish to debate the right or wrong of euthanasia or assisted suicide…I just wish to ponder the ins and outs of this specific sad, sad situation for Brittany.

I may not have any adequate answers for this equally complicated end of life situation, but I can tell you what kind of answers I do have. It makes me want to hold my kids and my wife a little closer. It makes me truly appreciate the time that I have on this earth a little more…and to not take it for granted. It brings the choices I make and how I treat others in this life (including my friends and family) that much more important.

My prayers go out to her, to her husband and her family. I cannot even begin to imagine what she is going through, but I do believe there is a God who loves her very much and longs to end her suffering with an eternal healing. My thoughts and prayers are with Brittany and the family today.

October 8, 2014 0

What If We Carried The Stretcher Of Others?

I’ve been thinking about a bible story recently. The about a paralyzed man (it doesn’t say how he became paralyzed) and how he is carried to Jesus by his friends. They get to the house where Jesus is supposed to be and discover the house party is standing room only. There is no way to haul some guy on a stretcher to Jesus in that crowded house…there’s no room.

I can almost imagine his friends who have carried him for a few village blocks. They breathe heavily, trying to tap some reserves of strength as sweat drips from their arms and faces. There is a purpose for this burden. There is a reason for this journey. They want their friend to be healed. Anyone else might have given up at this point. Anyone else might have said, “well we tried, I’m sorry but there’s just no other way.” Yet these friends don’t give up. These men find another way to bring their paralyzed friend to Jesus – They tear a hole in someone else’s roof. Talk about persistence. Talk about determination.

It makes me wonder how persistent we are with our friends in need. There are times when we must carry the burdens of others. There are times when we must bring broken souls to Jesus only to discover the house is full. How far will we go to carry that stretcher? How far will we go so that others will find the healing that they need? We can be a healer in the ways that we serve and love those who are hurting. We can provide a means for others to find Jesus, but we may have to go out of our way to do so. We may have to exert a lot of energy and time. Are we willing? Are we available?

Carrying the stretcher for those in need isn’t about our glory…it never was. Carrying these burdens and sharing the load for those who have succumbed to life’s challenges is a purest example of love and self-sacrifice. Are we still willing to pick up that stretcher? Are we still available when it cuts into “me” time? Displaying authentic care and sacrifice will cost us something. Are we prepared for the consequences of authentic care and love? I hope our answer is “yes“, because if we talk about evangelism yet we not willing to step up and carry the stretcher then action speaks louder than our fickle, shallow words and promises.

Give of yourself. Carry the burdens of others. Walk beside them and encourage them. Don’t quit and walk away. Be willing to give sacrificially without any thought of personal gains or returns…after all, isn’t that what Christ did for us?

-Just something more to ponder today.

October 7, 2014 0

Encouragement For A Soldier’s Heart…

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

“Mama said there’ll be days like this
There’ll be days like this mama said” -(by Luther Dixon & Willie Denson)

Are you having one of THOSE days?

Our Troubles…
Our frustrations and troubles within this world look vastly different from the early church and that of Jesus’ disciples. Yet, this verse is for you and for me today. All too often we engage souls in these ministries that we are responsible for. All too often we hear other people’s problems and they become ours. It becomes a shared burden. We provide care, support and guidance to many within our flock. We feel the burden of these cares, and sometimes they weigh heavy on us.

Other times our troubles come by way of our calling. Sometimes the ministries we have been called to or placed in suddenly become a “dry and thirsty land” with very little by way of encouragement, support and hope. Sometimes instead of a passionate, flowing river of a numerically “successful” ministry we face a slim trickle of moderate or rare numeric success which makes us ponder the questions: “am I cut out for this?” and “what have I done wrong?“…and we face discouragement, disillusionment and even depression.

Still, on other occasions these troubles come by way of outward pressures in our communities or individualistic persecutions. Perhaps we face false teachers, or we must confront immorality within our church and when we do, we’re blasted as “judgmental” and shouted at with curses and graceless comments such as “how dare you, what gives you the right?” We question if we should have just let sleeping dogs lie but in our hearts we know it was the right thing to do and we did so with grace and love. Still…troubles from without and from within have left us wounded and discouraged.

About That Peace?…
Jesus spoke these words to His disciples after telling them of not only His pending death but also of their pending troubles in the world…but there was hope. There is always hope in the Father. There is always hope in the Son. There is always hope in the Holy Spirit who guides us on this path. Have you ever heard the phrase “keep the main thing the main thing?” It alludes to the need for keeping the principle of our mission at the forefront of our minds.

Our Principle: The message of Christ (Messiah), the message of the cross, the message of salvation, of resurrection, of hope, of reconciliation, of love, and victory over sin and death.

When we keep “the main thing the main thing”, we realign ourselves with God and turn away from the problems of this world. Not that the problems of this world aren’t important, but rather, The Author of life itself takes His proper place in our priorities. From this place of understanding we then can look around our world and truly see how things are and how they could be. This is when we begin to see the world through the eyes of Christ because we are striving to live for Him alone. This is holiness. This is surrendering ourselves at the foot of the cross and then picking up our own crosses to follow Him.

Peace? What Peace?
Carrying our crosses and following Him (Matthew 16:24) doesn’t sound “peaceful” does it? Pain still exists. Hurtful accusations, slander and suffering will still occur. How could THIS be peaceful? One might ask. Perhaps “peace” means something differently than what we initially thought it to mean. It is certainly not the absence of conflict in our lives; for there is still conflict. It is not the absence of adversity, discouragement or suffering either; for we still encounter these on our path as well. Then what is this peace that Christ provides to us if it is not the absence of conflict? It is an eternal peace. A peace that transcends this temporal, mortal existence. It is a peace that alleviates the burdens of our former self as we embrace the image of Christ. It is a peace that resides in our lives because His Holy presence brings us assurance and hope. It is a peace that still passes all understanding (Phil. 4:7) yet conveys to us that we are not alone and we will overcome because He has overcome.

Dear Soldier…
Are you in need of that peace today in your life?
Are you facing discouragement, hopelessness and pain? You aren’t alone. You do not have to carry this burden by yourself. There is One who can provide you with this peace. Perhaps there is some realignment that must be done in your heart today. Perhaps we must go before the Father again with a penitent heart. Perhaps it is a simple yet constant prayer of “Lord use me and allow me to see evidence of You in my life.”

Be encouraged today! We are not alone. We are not abandoned. We are overcomers because Christ has overcome the world. Allow this peace to evident in your life today!

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

October 6, 2014 0

“Left Behind” Great Fiction But Horrible Theology…*Sigh

The reboot of “Left Behind” is set to hit theaters today (October 3rd, 2014) starring Nicolas Cage. I won’t be seeing this film in the theaters…if ever. It’s not that I don’t like Nic Cage, in fact I’ve always been a fan. It’s that I just can’t support a movie that wields such a horrendous, unbiblical view about eschatology.

How I Could Watch “Left Behind”:
Have you ever played the “what if” game? It’s a kind of game that allows you consider the “what if’s” in life. For instance, what if I watched this movie? Well, if I were to watch this movie (which I probably wont, I’ll just wait for the next National Treasure movie to get my Nic Cage fix) I would wait for the dvd release, curl up on the couch with a bowl of popcorn and watch this movie in conjunction with any other sci-fi genre movies that I enjoy watching. I might even possibly watch this movie on “cheesy movie night” a designated family movie night where we gather around the living room and watch movies that have absolutely no bearing on reality. This one, (Left Behind) quite possibly would be right after Sharknado and that other academy award winning (sarcastic cough), awesomely bad/awesomely cheesy second installment Sharknado 2. What an awesome cheesy movie night that would be!

The Real Problem With Left Behind:
Some are using this apocalyptic movie as some sort of credible means to evangelistically scare the literal hell out of people, cue up the childhood memories of watching A Thief In The Night. I am all for loving people into the kingdom and for everyone to be introduced to Christ…but this, in my opinion, is NOT the way to go about it. People shouldn’t be coerced into finding Christ through fictional-theatrical ploys such as this. Real relationships with real people = real evangelistic opportunities to know Him. Not some marketing campaign in which the writer of this fictional story makes a killing even in a mediocre movie release.

I love movies. I am a sci-fi geek, I openly admit this. I also love reading and understanding God’s Word and digging deeper to better understand what it says; but I just can’t mash these two things together in THIS movie and come away feeling the truth and even “End Times” truths have been accurately represented in this work of fiction. This is horrible theology.

IF you go to see this film in the theaters (and I hope you don’t)…
Don’t go to see this film if you want to know more about God.
Don’t go spend your $10 plus dollars on a movie ticket and then a $100 dollars on movie priced snacks (seriously who pays $30 for a bag of soggy popcorn and a soda?) and enter the theater thinking you’re going to uncover the truths of Revelation and how it’ll all “go down”. Please show me anywhere in scripture where the depictions of Left Behind are in anyway accurate!?
Don’t drink the Left Behind cool-aide and then begin chanting in “Kirk Cameron we trust“, oh wait he isn’t in this one. I’m sorry if this come off as cynical. I’m just sort of sensitive when scripture gets misrepresented and then attempts to become a big money maker…it sort of grinds on me that way. It’s fiction, take it for what it is. Don’t use it as some sort of evangelistic campaign. It just comes off as disingenuous.

Who knows, maybe six months from now I might be curled up on the couch eating my popcorn as the credits roll on Sharknado 2 and think “what the heck, let’s watch another cheesy sci-fi movie” and then Left Behind starring Nic Cage might come to mind. Who knows, maybe then I’ll watch it and roll my eyes…it could happen.

-Just a thought, and a rather opinionated (more than usual) blog post.

October 3, 2014 0