General Cox: A call to a deeper spiritual life!

Yesterday at the New Zealand Congress, Salvation Army General Andre’ Cox said “He dreams of a Salvation Army that is ‘vibrant, committed and on its knees before God” He went on to say that “Deepening the spiritual life of Salvationists is essential to moving forward as an Army, he said. “If we want to see our world change, we ourselves must be changed by God.”

Let me first just say “Amen!” General Cox is spot on in regards to this continued need for personal and corporate holiness in our Army! We cannot expect to grow or change the world without first deepening these spiritual waters in our lives. Without the Holy Spirit’s guidance and direction for His people and His Army, we can find ourselves scattered by the winds of discouragement and discord.

It is encouraging to me that General Cox is picking up where General Bond left off. We are, as an International Salvation Army, One Army and to build on this One Army we first must make sure our walk with the Lord and our maturation of faith continues. Without it we cannot and will not remain united.

As reported by IHQ’s web page, the New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga Territory celebrated some fantastic growth of Soldiery and expansion in Corps. Isn’t that awesome? It really doesn’t matter which territory you belong you, as an Army we too can celebrate their growth within this Army! Congratulations!

I believe our Army has much to accomplish in the years to come, but without first checking our hearts, motives and righteous intentions these accomplishments could be for naught…yet I too whole heartedly agree with his call for all Soldiers to deeper their faith.

How is your heart? How is your walk with the Lord today? May you continue in your walk with Him! May you also continue to be a light to all who encounter your love and passion for them through Jesus Christ our Lord!

News Source: http://www.salvationarmy.org/ihq/news/inr260913

September 27, 2013 0

“Brothers don’t shake hands…Brothers gotta hug!”

The title I have used today is a quote from one of my favorite Chris Farley movies: “Tommy Boy”. In it he discovers (falsely so) that he has a brother and so he is ecstatic to welcome him into the family. The film is a little crude at times, yet Chris Farley had a way of hamming it up for cameras which made him extremely funny.

Do you know what’s not funny in this world though? Brothers and sisters in Christ facing discouragement and frustrations alone in life. Why does this happen? Isn’t the Body of Christ supposed to uplift and encourage? Where are the helping hands at times to come along those who are suffering through various blights of discouragement?

Paul puts it rather plainly for the early church and for us still today when he says, “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another–and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” Hebrews 10:24-25 (NIV)

Why then, in times of despair, does it seem as if some are trudging through it alone?

Do you remember the story of the paralytic who wanted to be healed by Jesus? How did he get to Jesus? He certainly didn’t walk there. No, instead his friends took the time to care for him. They took the time to pick him up on his mat and take him to Jesus. In fact they had to go to great lengths to place their friend at the feet of Jesus. When they got to where Jesus was teaching they discovered that the house was full of people, there was absolutely no room for them to carry him in on his mat. So instead of calling it quits or abandoning their friend they instead devised a shrewd plan. The hefted him, laboriously up onto the owner’s roof and tore a hole in it so that they could lower him down to Jesus. (Mark 2:4) What friends! They took the time to encourage and lift (literally) their friend to Jesus.

What of us today? Do we take the time to encourage our brothers and sisters in Christ? Or are we too preoccupied with our own worries and our own busy schedules? These friends who lowered their paralyzed colleague down through a roof could have called it quits once they found the house to be too full of people. They could have shrugged their shoulders and said, “well we tried” and carried him back home with no change in his living situation…yet they didn’t. They took time out of their busy schedules. They went the extra mile. They weren’t interested in what they could get out of the situation. It wasn’t about them, it was about their friend, their brother on the mat who couldn’t move.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, there is sometimes a danger of becoming too comfortable in our lives that we lose focus on others around us. Others who could use some encouragement. Others who need to hear a word of love and kindness from their peers. We can’t afford to be little isolated islands or clusters of Church goers who never engage and connect with other parts of the body of Christ!

The poet John Donne once wrote:

No man is an island,
Entire of itself,
Every man is a piece of the continent,
A part of the main.
If a clod be washed away by the sea,
Europe is the less.
As well as if a promontory were.
As well as if a manor of thy friend’s
Or of thine own were:
Any man’s death diminishes me,
Because I am involved in mankind,
And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls;
It tolls for thee.

Today, there are fellow Christ-followers who need your support. Today there are brothers and sisters in Christ who are about to give up because they feel all alone with no one to support them. Today is another shining opportunity to be a brother or a sister to the discouraged and distraught. You can be a source of encouragement. You don’t need to be a professional counselor or a degreed Psychologist to help, you just need to be present and available.

Are you willing? Are you available? Ask the Lord for guidance and discernment and then get involved in the lives of other believers which will extend far beyond the pew on Sundays. Give them a hug, love on them and then allow God’s fellowship of love to penetrate your hearts so that self isn’t number one but Christ is first and others are even before our own wants and needs.

-Just a thought for today.

“and we sent Timothy, our brother and God’s fellow worker in the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you as to your faith...” 1 Thessalonians 3:2

September 27, 2013 0

Pastoral Battle of the Bulge

Let me meddle for a moment…ok more than just a moment. Staying in shape and eating healthy is something we must seriously consider within our pastoral lives. Not just as examples to our parishioners but also because we can and will live longer more active lives for God if we do so!

In our culture today it is very common to just go and grab a quick bite to eat because we are so busy. When we eat out all of the time we quickly realize that pastors on a tight budget have to be very selective in where we eat. Most likely the healthier places to eat are undoubtedly more expensive. So much of the time, out of convenience, we will hit the local McDonalds or the Burger King or another fast food chain that offers convenience and quantity over quality. Don’t get me wrong a good burger and fries once in a while is great to grab but it shouldn’t become our staple diet on a daily basis.

I must confess that I too struggle with this issue. I have not always been healthy. I have often succumbed to the fast food junky lifestyle. In my world, the Christmas season is one of our busiest times. Often times we find ourselves at the end of our day hungry and running through the drive-thru window at a local fast food chain. Because of this habit, largely out of necessity and busy-ness, many pastors face health issues such as diabetes, heart issues and a slew of other complications. We struggle through sleeping issues because of being overweight. We struggle through back problems and pinched nerves. We find eventually that the quality of life is, in a nutshell, miserable all because our eating habits have taken us down these sedentary roads of crisis.

Did you know that gluttony is a sin? As a pastor I’m sure you do. I’ve been convicted of this issue in my own life. It wasn’t that I intentionally wanted to become a glutton and gorge myself, but stress eating is a crux of mine. Truth be told we minister to many people who find themselves in crisis situations. We counsel individuals and couples through difficult situations. We have to sometimes confront immoral sin in the church. We deal with our stress differently. Some internalize it. Some blow up in anger, anguish, tears…etc. So eating through stress with our comfort foods leads us down the road of obesity and health issues.

Secondly, if we have children and we live on a tight/fixed income we never want to waste the food that we purchase, and so when our children only eat a certain portion and we’ve prepared more we graze because we are frugal with our resources. It’s almost a great depression era mentality in which we never ever ever throw out food but rather consume it all. This may not be an issue with some of you, you don’t have a problem discarding excess food, while there are others of us who cannot see food left on the plates go to waste.

Regardless of where you are on this spectrum it’s important to consider your health, weight and life choices when it comes to the foods that we eat.

Questions:

Q: I’m overweight and experiencing health issues now in my life how do I lose the weight and get healthy again?

A: It took a considerable amount of time to gain the weight that you are now carrying. In so saying it will also take some considerable amount of time to lose that excess weight, so don’t think it’s impossible and don’t get frustrated when you begin to get serious about your fitness/health. Consult your doctor, get a checkup and perhaps even setup an appointment with a nutritionist in your area. You must recognize that you may not, at the onset, be ready to engage in extreme physical exercise. So don’t just start jogging or take a tough physical course at the local YMCA/fitness center. Check with your doctor first.

Set goals:

What do I mean by setting goals? Start off small. After you’ve seen your doctor/nutritionist then begin setting goals slowly. You’ve heard of baby steps? Make baby step goals that are a challenge yet not overwhelming. Make a commitment to walk a couple miles a day. Make a commitment to avoid the fast foot drive-thru windows. Be determined to eat better. Avoid the heavy starched foods and the sugary sweets. Lay off the Soda/Pop (I know that hurts doesn’t it?). Carbonated sodas are not good for us. Not only the sugars in the regular sodas add to the fat in our bodies but the acids in these drinks lead to other problems in our health down the road. Make the attempt to first cut way back on your intake of Soda/Pop. Even cutting back can have some positive effects on the body. Don’t buy the gimmick that Diet soda is better for you either. Do some research and notice that excess of these diet drinks can actually be worse for you.

Lastly, don’t consider gastric bypass to be your only way out of this weight issue. It helps some, but eating habits have to be long term. Surgery is not the answer it is only a part of the solution for some who are extremely obese. Getting healthy has to involve some sort of exercise coupled with better eating habits. Just remember if it’s seems too easy perhaps it is and will not help you in the long term in the goal of keeping off the weight and staying healthy.

-Just a few thoughts today to all of you pastors out there!

September 25, 2013 1

The World A Flame (Poem)

I watched the world die today

from my three seasons porch

my comfortable perch, a safe haven

of hope drawn in by

its soft, inviting light of the day.

It spilled onto my lap, warming my feet

as I sat cross legged on the couch.

The earth was in flames today

and I watched it all burn and smolder

and finally it came crashing

down

to the ground.

I watched with horrified

interest

on the edge of my seat

fascinated and transifixed

as hatred ruled the heart

I drank another

cup of steaming coffee

rich and black

smooth as silk

down to the last bitter

earthen drop.

Bitterness tainted

more than this empty cup

as I watched

it ignited the hapless soul

as it careened out of control

diving headfirst into the souls

of others who were also hell bent

on the pathways of selfishness.

As eyes took in the flames

the heat, the spite, the maliced tongue

I wept…for this was

a vision of me

hell bent on my own

accomplishments…

hell bent on my own agendas

on my own devices and self-ladden heart

the man aflame was me…and I could do nothing

but watch it all go crumbling down

how powerless these hands and feet.

How empty all these yearnings and strivings.

How bitter the self-indulgent worries

and the blankets of careless apathy.

I saw the world burn today

as I sat and watched it all crumble to the ground.

September 23, 2013 0

‘The Way’ going to Dead End Streets!

It has happened numerous times. More times that I would care to admit…but here goes; my wife and I enjoy going on drives. It doesn’t really matter where we’re going, just to drive and get away from things. It’s therapeutic. We will get in the car, I will groan about it, until there is the assurance of a coffee stop along the way first. Placing the keys in the ignition we will drive sometimes for a couple of hours around country roads, winding lakeside vistas and suburban neighborhoods. It’s relaxing, but here’s what happens more times than I care to admit…I am a magnet for finding dead end roads. As we drive and explore new locations and new sights I inevitably turn down side roads a time or two and “bam” we see the big yellow sign that reads “Dead End”. So whenever that happens, of course, I must find a driveway or wide patch in the road and turn around because this road isn’t going to take me to where I want to go.

To the point:

The world is full of ‘Dead End’ roads. I have learned that a time or two in the span that I have been alive. Not just the dead end physical black tar kind either, but dead end choices and half constructed pitfalls within the lives and choices of people everywhere. The world can sometimes look like a cold dark place when we face these dead end alleyways and no one is there to offer us assistance. There are so many in our world in need to help along the way. Some are stuck. Some are confused. Others are mad at the world and the circumstances they find themselves in. It isn’t our place to judge, but rather our place to love.

A Christ-follower’s role:

Jesus told His disciples that He was going to His Father’s house to prepare a place for us. He even told them this one vital truth: “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6) If we claim His salvation as our own and if we are called by Him to serve, then our task as Christ-followers is to go to these dead end roads of life and proclaim ‘The Way’ to all who will hear. Going to these places requires action on our parts. We cannot wait for people to come to us, but we must go to them! It takes real effort. It takes courage and faith, but who will else will go?

There is a misnomer out there. It’s really a rationalization of immobility. This misnomer is this: if I don’t go, someone else will, so I should worry…God will bless me anyway. Let me ask: what is it that God will bless you with? Will He bless you because you kept His truths to yourself? Will He bless you because you warmed that pew on Sunday, week after week, year after year? Will God bless this kind of lack of effort on your part? No!

Don’t get me wrong it’s not works then faith, but faith accompanied by works that God will utilize and bless. In other words, we have to step out of the comforts of our churches, we have to step out of the comforts of our homes and go to those dead end places where others need to hear of ‘The Way’. Don’t kid yourself that He will send someone else. He very well may choose someone else if we are inactive, but it will be to our great loss. Do you remember the parable of the talents? (Matthew 25:14-30) The Master was going away on a journey and he gave his servants talents of money to keep and invest while he was gone. Do you remember what happened to the servant who buried his one talent of money? When it came time to report to the Master upon his return, this servant was called wicked and lazy and was cast out. That’s pretty harsh isn’t it? Yet God requires something from us when we accept His gift of salvation. We are called to invest his salvation in others.

We were once in those dead end places. We were once lost as well. It isn’t that we’re placing ourselves above others still stuck in those places but we now have a hope that we must share! We now have something amazing to proclaim. We have one in whom salvation and eternity is shared to all who believe! We have a duty to perform. We have a responsibility to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The great commission wasn’t just reserved for Jesus’ disciples it is also commissioned to us to act upon.

If you know ‘The Way’ then get going, get on with it, get out of the pews, get out of the church and go to those dead end streets to proclaim His hope to all! We will face opposition, resistance, hate and cruelty, but we must meet it with grace, hope, love and peace…the very essence of Jesus living and active through us. What will you do?

Just a thought for today.

September 23, 2013 0

An Army of the walking dead? Mentoring…How do we get out of the ‘Dry Bones’ valley?

I admit it, the photo is for shock value only…but I want to convey a point with it, so bare with me and please don’t be offended.

Have you ever been burned out, running low, on empty fumes and feel all support has ebbed away from you? If you haven’t yet experienced that in ministry then perhaps you’re a better person than I or you haven’t truly been in ministry yet.

Let me pick a scab for a moment when I say this: what is the Army doing for mentoring and encouraging its Officers? All too often I feel (perhaps it’s my fault, but perhaps not) as if I’m crawling to Officers’ Councils on an empty tank. This is most certainly not an accusation by any means on my divisional leaders, truth be told I love my divisional leaders…but I’m not a hybrid car that can run for hundreds of miles without a refuel…and going to officer’s councils to recharge just doesn’t cut it for me. One of the biggest problems I see is that as a top down organization we simply do not take the time to encourage our officers on the field as we should. It goes beyond a card, phone call, or e-mail…it’s personal contact we want. It’s trust we want, it’s knowing that what we’re doing makes a difference, that we aren’t just another statistical number on the field of officers. My biggest issue is that we are devoid of mentors, challengers, encouragers and supporters in the Army. It’s not that people aren’t trying to do this but we’ve become so busy with stuff, so busy with deadlines, so busy with meetings that we forget to find the time for our Officers.

I know I’m not the only one who feels this way…I’m just probably stupid enough to voice this concern. I don’t mean to pick scabs but we can’t just salute and go when where we’re going we find we don’t have divisional or territorial support or encouragement. Not to say that it isn’t unspoken, and I don’t want some sort of pat on the back accompanied by a handshake and an ‘atta boy’. We have lost the discipleship component in our Army…this isn’t divisionally this is nationally from what I see. I understand there’s a pastoral care department at territorial headquarters but it’s insufficient for the total forces we have on the field.

I was told a long time ago, if you have any kind of criticism you better have some sort of solution or suggestions don’t just be a negative but reinforce the positive.

Here’s a list of the positives:

1) We care about people

2) We love God and wish to serve and save those people

3) We are nationally and internationally recognized as one of the most trusted organizations.

4) We have sound doctrine and sound ministries

5) We provide and care for financially for our officers and families

These are vital to our ministries and to our families and I will never begrudge the good we do in Jesus’ name.

My desire for the Army is this:

That we stop being an Army of the living dead. By that I mean we have expectations, regulations, procedures in place for everything under the Sun which is a great thing! But what we don’t have in place is Leader to Officer mentoring/discipleship in place. We have phone numbers to call when we’re discouraged, we have a team of “outside” counselors we can talk to but unlike other churches or denominations we do not have a spiritual support system in place by which we can be challenged, encouraged and mentored on a weekly even daily basis.

Some might argue that one needs to find outside mentors to talk with and outside disciplers to challenge us…but who on the outside knows the life of an Officer on the field? Who knows the challenges we face daily and the criticisms we face from corps members or from the public? Sometimes, if we’re honest with ourselves, we feel more like the dry bones in the valley with Ezekiel than we’d care to admit. There has to be something that can be done when we get to this point. Some of us have privately mentioned feelings of unfulfillment or lack of challenge. Some would never say this on the record but some don’t feel connected to leadership because we aren’t challenged positively by them.

A wise officer once suggested a type of supporting ministry idea in which Officers were assigned/appointed together for accountability and for growth of each other. Why not?

Another suggestion was to work within the system to create mentor groups that actually would meet, pray together, share with one another and challenge each other. But the danger at times can be that it would be viewed as just another program or mundane task that is “assigned” to certain Officers.

So what is the solution to this ‘walking dead’ syndrome? I know that I am not the only one who has felt this way…there are many who do. And solutions have to go beyond just assigning prayer groups at Officer’s Councils…these are wonderful but we’re all so busy to keep it up. Solutions also have to go beyond the minimalist’s suggestions of “just pray about it” or “maybe you need to read/study more of God’s word”. Let me just say that this last answer is an insult to all who serve as Officers. Because honestly even the Apostle Paul had supporters and encouragers who remained faithful to him in his ministry.

I don’t believe this is something that we have to ‘grin and bare’. This isn’t certainly isolated nor is it healthy. But I do believe there to be worthy solutions out there that the Army could implement in order to “water the bones” so to speak. As I mentioned before we need too, as individuals must be committed to sharing and being challenged as Officers as well. None of us, hopefully, signed our Officer’s Covenant form wishing for a mundane “cushy” lifestyle without challenge both physically/Mentally and Spiritually. If we are to grow as an army and to water the ‘dry bones’ then we have to make our Officers a priority and not assume that they learned it all at training college and they don’t need help, encouragement and support.

Again there has to be more than just ‘yearly reviews’ and other such program offers. I know our leadership cares for us, but we as Officers need mentors, disciplers and those who will challenge us to continue to grow instead of drying out and become an ‘army of the walking dead’. If feel that if we were to explore some of the reasons for attrition in the Army, we would find this concern to be rather high on the list.

-Just a thought…but let’s keep this conversation going.

Some mentoring sources:

http://www.mennoniteusa.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/MentoringProgramForBeginningPastors.pdf

http://www.ctsfw.edu/document.doc?id=62

http://dunamisinstitute.org/academics/faculty/detail/5-ec4-advanced-and-specialized-ministry/13-mentoring-program-for-pastors-

September 18, 2013 1

Shine!

“He said to them, “Do you bring a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed? Instead, don’t you put it on its stand? For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open. If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.” -Mark 4:21-25

Okay, let’s get it over with…”this little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine. This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine, let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.”

Jesus spoke to His disciples and to the crowd that had gathered there. He spoke wisdom and truth to them and in the midst of these parables He begins to speak about a lamp. What does a lamp do? It illuminates a room doesn’t it? When someone walks into a dark room the first thing most people do is switch on the light so that they might see. The same principle is applied any place that is dark. One would never venture into a deep dark cave unless a flashlight was lit. Does one go into places that are dark without prior preparation? Of course not because that would be dangerous and foolish!

Similarly the Light of Christ is never to be hidden from the world! To do so is dangerous and foolish. Fellow Christians who play church on Sunday yet keep the truth of the gospel to themselves like some sort of private VIP only club are foolish and narrow minded…but if I were truly honest with myself there are times that I have treat the light of Christ this way. I have been one of those ‘members only’ Christians.

Yet if we look at how God works, does He need us to shine the light? Yes and no. Yes God wants us to share His good news to the world and yes we are partakers of His kingdom but does He need us more than we need Him? Of course the obvious answer is ‘no’! So why are we called to be ‘Light bringers’ into this world of ours? The short answer is; so that we can be Christ’s faithful ambassadors to those still in the darkness! He could clearly call someone else, and if we’re not careful He will call someone else. But He wants us to be the torch bearer.

Exposed by the Light:

This world is a dangerous and dark place. Christ brought the light so that everyone might see. What is it that we see when His light is shone upon us? For starters we see how lost we truly are. It is easy to wander in the darkness and to ignore the filth that we have allowed to blemish us. But when His light is cast upon us we find ourselves wanting, dirty and guilty. The prophet Isaiah was given a vision of heaven and in the Light of God and all that he saw, he knew that he was unclean and marred by sin. The light of God does that to His people; exposes the sins. Nothing is hidden from God. Nothing is kept locked away and private. He light shines upon us so that we might finally be free from this life sucking filth which is sin.

When Christ spoke of the light, He was talking not only about Himself but about the truth of God. Everything in this world both hidden and dirty will be exposed and known. We, as His ambassadors are to be faithful to Him. The good news is this world can be freed from the enslavement of sin and death! The good news is that darkness is just the absence of light. The good news is that God is the light that will shine upon all people here on earth. The amazing news is that Christ has come to set us free from these bonds that keep us in the darkness!

This good news must be shared to the world! This amazing light will deliver us all…and in so doing we are then called to pick up His light and share that good news to those still in the darkness.

“This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine…”

September 6, 2013 3

Catching A Glimpse of God

We were sitting in the car, another long drive up and down the mountainside. Where were we? On vacation in Yellowstone National Park. Looking out of our windows which were slightly to moderately marred by finger smudges, forehead grease and happy meal stickers, we became enthralled with the landscape around us.

Everywhere we turned, our eyes fell upon sights that are difficult to describe, yet magnificent to behold. In the back seats our older boys who had been previously engaged with electronic devices in hand now found themselves on the edges of their seats soaking in the landscape as it traveled past our rear bumper like a people-mover at an airport. We found ourselves a midst trees and rock and mountain located inside the heart of an underground, still active volcano. Wild life teemed all around us as if undisturbed by our passing presence there. Ravens, nearly the size of adult predatory hawks stalked the picnic areas looking at us with its cimmerian eyes black as night and cawing with its haunting and foreboding calls as if to say ‘pay your price, pay your price and feed us!‘

Our journey there, coated in mystery, brought on its coat tails the afternoon rains and fog. They swept swiftly in lathering the vistas with a deep apprehensiveness with wild abandon. Mesmerized, we carted off the beaten paths, viewed the very hand prints of God as pots of steaming rock burnt its undeniable offerings to the heavens.

How could one not believe in a place like this? To find solace as we kiss the faith of the One who created such a wonderment? As God, in all the wrapped mystery and awe spoke such foundations of rock and earth into being…it is no wonder we found our jaws on the floor or in the seats of our van? Is it no wonder that we lost track of minutes, even hours as we soaked in His presence like nourishment to the soul?

There was this strumming in our hearts as if we had come close to the very doors of eternity, catching mere glimpses of God through His marvelous works, drawn out and craft over thousands, even millions of years. Yet the strumming hasn’t ceased…it still continues now as I write these words. I pray it continues in the throbbing valves of my children’s hearts until they see the very face of God as well. For born out of this solitary journey we touched His hands and kissed His feet. We brought the expensive perfumes and anointed Him head and feet knowing just moments in His presence was more than we deserved…and yet He called us His own. Yet we found Him and His heart. We were caught so blindly unaware of His passionate love for us. Blown away we staggered back, brought up short by His grace and mercy as love showered down upon we, the undeserved. In those moments on that mountain, in the heart of an active underground volcano we found God…and we are defiantly reticent to return to the way we once were.

The world is charged with the grandeur of God.

It will flame out, like shining from shook foil;

It gathers to a greatness, like the ooze of oil

Crushed. Why do men then now not reck his rod?

Generations have trod, have trod, have trod;

And all is seared with trade; bleared, smeared with toil;

And wears man’s smudge and shares man’s smell: the soil

Is bare now, nor can foot feel, being shod.

And for all this, nature is never spent;

There lives the dearest freshness deep down things;

And though the last lights off the black West went

Oh, morning, at the brown brink eastward, springs —

Because the Holy Ghost over the bent

World broods with warm breast and with ah! bright wings.

-Gerald Manly Hopkins “God’s Grandeur”.

September 3, 2013 1

God called His Bride to be Sheep-stealers and growth competitive??

We utter agreements to work together. We vow to ‘come along side one another’. But are all these promises false? Are we faking it ? I’m speaking to fellow pastors and church members. Do we really intend to support each other even if we don’t belong to the same denomination or brick and mortar church?

It seems all too often that we are so preoccupied with what we are doing in our ministries that we do not have time to support the greater ecclesia. We have our heads down and we are plodding onward completely oblivious that there are other Christians in our own community struggling and in need of Christian fellowship and support.

Is this what Christ had in mind when He prayed to the Father “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.” John 17:20-21 I don’t think this is what Christ had in mind at all. In fact I believe that He is greatly saddened by our separation from one another.

Conversely then, if we are called His bride, we the church, how can we justify the sheep stealing that takes place among churches? Are we in competition with one another? Has it become strictly about who has the most congregants in the pews? Will God, one day reward us in heaven for the amount of sheep we have stolen from another flock? NO! I’ve literally seen the smirks and pride on the faces of some pastors when they compare their churches. This ought not be!!! I have witnessed the arrogance of some who look down on smaller congregations simply because of their size of memberships. This cannot exist in the body of Christ! I am not saying this because I grew up in small congregations and also now pastor one. I’m saying this because when we start comparing our church flocks and when we start looking down our noses at other Christians we allow sin and pride into our midst. After all didn’t Jesus say; “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Mark 10:42-45 (NIV)

Pastors, stop acting prideful of your accomplishments. Stop comparing yourselves with what other churches are doing and looking down your noses at smaller congregations. Don’t let pride seep into who God has call His body to be. Congregations stop trying to be better than the church down the street. Stop wearing a fake front in order to impress and steal congregational members from other churches! You are hurting the body of Christ!

Is this an indictment on the Western Church? Perhaps. But am I to judge? It’s not my place to throw blame anywhere, I’m just as guilty as the next pastor is. But what I am saying is beware, be careful pastors and church members! Satan would love nothing more than to tear you down with your pride and arrogance so that you resemble more of the world and less like Christ. Watch out, because he would love nothing more than to destroy our fellowship of believers!

God’s Bride needs to stop comparing. She needs to stop the sheep stealing and competing with itself. We cannot act like the world because we are made for so much more than this. We are to reflect the very heart of Christ…and if we aren’t then we either need to readjust our course or be prepared to face His displeasure and judgement.

August 20, 2013 0

Keys to Failure ‘We Can’t Do that, We’ve never done it that way before!’

They say that Apple Innovator and Pixar founder Steve Jobs would only become more emboldened when people told him that something couldn’t be done. This excuse is very common in churches and in church leadership today. I’ve mentioned it before and I will mention it again but churches are dying at an unprecedented rate. Why are people leaving the church? Could it be that church is no longer meeting the needs of people they serve?

I understand that church is what you make of it, but there is also a mentality within denominations and within leadership of these denominations that needs to change. This mentality is this: ‘We can’t do that‘. Why? What happened to the early church when they had nothing to lose but to be faithful to God and display His love to all they met? They grew! What has happened to the Church today? We’ve settled. We’ve stopped risking. We’ve resorted to excuses like “We can’t do that” or “we’ve never done it that way before”.

Our churches have played it safe for far too long! It is understood that no one likes to change but what are we risking if we don’t modernize and if we don’t adapt and change? We risk a slow agonizing death in the pews. Time and time again we’ve heard the same spiel from leadership…our stats are down, it’s your fault, it’s your job to get those stats up. I agree we need to increase our church attendances and our biblical instructional programs for adults and youth…but what if it’s not necessarily that our stats are down but rather the programs that we’re employing that are to blame? Many churches have specific mandated programs that the local chapters are required to do. But no one is asking the right question. So let me risk something here and ask it anyway.

THE QUESTION:

Are the programs we are required to do still relevant or are they the same tired revamped programs we’ve been doing for nearly eighty years?

These programs get dressed up from time to time but it’s the same thing…the cover or design may have changed but IT’S THE SAME OLD TIRED THING!

Don’t get me wrong I’m not railing against doing what we’re told and especially not about ministering to adults and youth, these are vital to our survival. What I am saying is that if we want to see statistical and numerical growth in our churches then we ought to have the flexibility to try new innovative ministries without being labeled ‘the rebels’ or called obstinate. If we are truly interested in getting people saved and into our churches then we have got to stop focusing so much on indicators and start focusing on the people and their needs and the needs of their families. When we can serve the needs of the families in our communities and connected with them with relevant programs and ministries then we will have succeeded in both the cause and the indicator.

If we are to finally crest that hill of “we can’t do that” and see the other side of “we can do that” we have to take risks on the journey up the hill. It won’t be easy, it never is. But if we continue only to look at the indicators to guide us instead of tackling the causes; and if we keep using the same antiquated recycled program ideas we will not stave off the terminal prognosis for our churches. I don’t know about you but I would rather risk much, fail often, face criticism from leadership than watch the continued dwindling of church goers to the point where we simply die and fade away. I would rather not be responsible for the continued death of the church. I don’t want this to happen on my watch. Better yet I won’t let it happen on my watch!!!

We cannot settle any longer. We cannot do ‘programs’ simply because that’s the way they’ve always been done. It is simply not working. If we are to find life again, stop transposing blue prints from other churches. Discover the needs of your own community. Explore the demographics. Do the research and get to know your community…then pray. Pray for the right leaders, the right ministries, and the right opportunities. God will provide us what we need if we are serving Him and loving His people! Then get to work and stop worrying what the nay sayers are telling you!

If we are to serve and love the generations in our communities and save our church it’s time to reconsider how we minister and serve them!

-Just a thought.

August 12, 2013 0

Category: Church