Searching for Nourishment

It’s amazing how far tree roots will travel to find their way into the fertilizing properties of the nearest sewer line. There was a time when, within the confines of our individual churches, the search for spiritual nourishment led us to a particular pastor, Sunday School teacher or Bible study leader. It appears to me that the religious landscape has changed. Not only are folks looking for nourishment outside their own church, but they are unhindered in telling others about what they are finding. It sort of reminds me of the woman at the well who, recognizing the possibility that Jesus was the Christ went back to fellow townspeople and told them about what she discovered.

Bailout

The media is repeating what politicians in Washington are saying, ‘that the economic crisis is so complicated and multifaceted that it can’t be explained and that most of us can’t understand it’. This seems similar to the one-time platform of the Catholic Church concerning Scripture – that the average man can’t be expected to understand the Word of God, hence the need for a priest to interpret. I’m learning that the prefaces of new Bible translations are actually telling us the same thing. In one sense Bible translators have taken the place of priests. They have convinced today’s reading public that not only is the Bible difficult to understand, it is beyond our comprehension unless they (the translators and interpreters) tell us what they think it says. How offensive is it that leaders/publishers in the religious community, as well as those in the government, presume our ignorance.

Nattering

I, along with the help of other family members, have had the grandkids (ages five and three) for 15 days while their parents are on a cruise. Did I mention it’s been 15 days? Lydia, the three-year-old is very articulate and she hasn’t stopped talking since her parents left. She just natters all the time. While with me I’ve taught her how to take a shower (rather than a bubble bath), how to bake muffins and how to wash dishes. In hind sight what I should have been trying to teach her is, Be still, and know that He is God… (Ps 46:10)

Obedience

I see fellow believers who know the Word, but seemingly pick and choose which Scripture they chose to obey. I’m not talking about those Scriptures that are shades of gray, but rather those that are so black and white no one can misinterpret them. It’s easy to apply a little righteous indignation toward ‘those who ought to know better’…all in the name of maturity of course. And then I hear Jesus say, “As for the person who hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge him. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save it.” (John 12:47 NIV) Certainly if Jesus isn’t judging their obedience, then neither should I.

Old Friends

It’s been interesting to watch our new start-up church take shape. Even though we don’t have a permanent building, furnishing and equipment are starting to appear. The most recent donations are a hand crafted communion table and both the American and Christian flags, each on a free standing pole. I find it significant that these particular items are ones that the leadership in my previous church, in an effort to contemporize the church, removed from the congregation. For me there is something very comforting in seeing these symbols of tradition return to their place of prominence, it’s certainly worth the effort and inconvenience to bring them back and forth each week.

Décor

My friend Rick drools over the full set of Harvard Classics majestically sitting on my bookshelves. Gold lettering identifying the book’s contents gleams on the red spine of each pristine book – they’re pristine because they’ve never been read. Much to Rick’s chagrin, my interest in these particular books is strictly for décor. They just really look good on the shelf. Sometimes when I’ve grown weary of one particular element of Christian service the thought has crossed my mind to treat it like a trophy. I’d like to just set it on a shelf, admire it and polish it up once in awhile when I walk by.

TMI (Too Much Information)

I recently met a man who mentioned he’d gone to Seminary. I asked about his denominational background he told me that as a Lutheran he was first a liberal and then conservative, however he’s now back to being a liberal. He currently attends two churches, one of which is located in the metropolitan area. When I failed to react to the acronym for his downtown church he explained it was a gay church. I find it interesting that he forced the conversation down this path, even though I was just making conversation. I’m still wondering exactly what it he was looking for from me - was he wanting validation or rejection. Clearly, having gone to Seminary doesn’t disqualify one from being an infant, “…tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming.” (Eph 4:14 NIV)

New Language

Lately I’ve been reading about Bible translations. It hadn’t occurred to me that, similar to the way today’s churches target their audience, publishers of Bibles are also targeting their audience. Until the mid-twentieth century the preferred name for new translations was revised. In 1970 everything became new – New American Standard Bible, New Century Version, New English Bible, New International Version, New King James Version, New Living Translation, New Revised Standard Version. I see why Scripture memorization is neither emphasized or encouraged in today’s church…we no longer have the same vocabulary.

Passing By

One young mother told me, “I had an abusive husband and for my own protection the police told me I needed to get out of town. I had money and no where to turn, so I turned to the church I’d attended all my life…and they [the leaders] turned away my request for help.” An older lady shared, “More than once when my husband was dying I asked the preacher to come by. He never did.” Certainly there may be another side to their stories, however their rejection and pain is real. In the parable of the Good Samaritan some of us can identify better with the victim, than we can with anyone else. Often requests and needs, filtered through the church office, never reach the congregational level. Consequently, who hasn’t felt that it’s our leaders and preachers who are sometimes passing us by on the other side of the road?

Are You Sure?

Last weekend a young lady stood at my front door saying, “I’m an XYZ supporter and I’d just like to ask you if you’ve made up your mind about who you’re going to vote for in November.” I told her I’d be voting for ABC and crest fallen she said, “Oh, are you sure?” Bless her heart. One of the biggest weaknesses believers have is the fact that we’re not sure of ourselves - whether it’s being sure of our salvation or being sure of our Scriptural knowledge. Of course we sabotage each other by expecting the other guy to prove himself to us. I suppose because of our human nature we come by it naturally. Even when Jesus told the disciples, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6 NIV), they were saying, ‘Oh, are you sure?’ (vs. 5 & 8)

Courtesy

I just watched a snippet of Secondhand Lions (2003) on TV. In a scene at the general store, four young-adult bullies strut in and pick a fight with old timer Hub, played by Robert Duvall. Turning his attention away from the bullies, yet speaking so they can hear, Hub tells his brother and young nephew, ‘[The problem is] everyone’s always been too courteous to stand up to these boys.’ A scuffle ensues and taking on all four punks at once, Hub teaches them a lesson. Webster’s Dictionary defines ‘courteous’ as: general allowance despite facts. I think we believers are often guilty of being too courteous when we fail to stand up to bullies in the church. Oh, we may do pretty good in a one on one situation, but let someone forcefully put an issue before a Sunday school class, a Bible Study or the congregation and all a sudden we’re uncomfortable and don’t want a confrontation. Case in point, when was the last time you saw someone of Hub’s character in action in the church?

Fruitless

Figuratively speaking, there may be little difference between a Christian and a fig tree. Like the fig tree, believers are expected to bare fruit in season. On his way to Jerusalem Jesus encountered a fruitless fig tree and speaking to the tree he said, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.”(Mark 11:14 NIV) Quite honestly, there are times in our Christian walk when we’ve shown no evidence of fruit. How devastating would it be for Jesus to say to us, ‘May no one ever eat fruit from YOU again.’

Pillars

Aside from Christ, the focus of our new start-up church is on establishing leadership and membership, rather than focusing on mission statements such as, ‘seek the seekers or disciple the disciples’. With few exceptions, all our attendees are seasoned believers and I’ve gotta tell you, it feels very surreal. Now I know we are to reach out to the lost, but I’ve got to confess…it is pure joy to be in worship surrounded by such pillars of faith. Seriously, we’re talking about a really mature Spirit here. I think this may be as close as it gets to being “surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses…” (Heb 12:1) at least on this earthly plane.

His Will

When I was drowning in the turmoil at my previous church I used any number of prayer combinations asking God to open the eyes of our leaders. A friend recently told me that for years her prayer during that time was always, ‘God, what is your will for this church?’ God never answered. One day in total surrender she prayed “God, what is your will for me [in this situation]?” Without hesitation God answered her prayer and opened her eyes with understanding. Who would have thought the answer could be so simple…some of us are just asking the wrong questions!

You're Invited

Leaving no stone unturned, politicians are desperate and impassioned for our vote. Rather than an irritation, I think the next couple of months can be an education in motivational techniques. For instance, if believers were as zealous in witnessing as politicians are for getting our vote, the impact on the church would be huge. I include myself when I say that many of us have fallen into the trap of thinking that if we simply invite someone to church we are somehow ‘witnessing’ for the Lord. Really, can you imagine the response of the Ninevites if, rather than being told to ‘repent’, Jonah had merely said, “If you don’t have a home church, you’re invited to worship with us in Gath Hepher.”

Sweat Equity

Webster’s defines ‘sweat equity’ as: equity in a property resulting from labor invested in improvements that increase its value. In the garden of Gethsemane Jesus asked that the cup might be taken from him if it were God’s will. “And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.” (Luke 22:44 NIV) Truly Jesus has sweat equity in those of us who call him Lord and Savior.

Watered Down

I have friends who for years have been faithful supporters of various Bible colleges. Over the last few years however, that has changed. Being good stewards of their resources and seeing the caliber of graduates coming out of today’s Bible colleges, they have withdrawn their financial support. It never crossed my mind that some of the problems the church is experiencing are the result of Bible colleges presenting watered down theology to their students. Many of us need to start rightly dividing the truth for ourselves rather than expecting (and accepting) the seminary graduate in the pulpit to do it for us.

Reply To All

In my email correspondence I’ve never developed the habit of sending one message to multiple people. When I’ve respond to an email in my inbox, I’ve make it a point to reply only to the sender. In the last few months however, that has changed. I now find myself in many situations where, in order to keep everyone in the loop, I have to use the ‘reply to all’ function. I thought I was finally getting the hang of it but just a few days ago I accidently sent a ‘reply to all’ and then cringed when I realized I should have been more selective in the addressees. It takes skill and focus to reveal information at the right time, in the right place and to the right people. During his ministry Jesus often told folks to keep his identity secret because his time had not yet come. What a relief when he finally allowed his followers to Reply To All.

Hard Copy

I don’t mind reading something off the computer screen, but if I really need to digest it, I print off a hard copy. I like being able to pick up a document and put it down, make notations and use a highlighter. To me there’s something more valuable and trustworthy about a document that I can hold onto as opposed to hear-say. When Moses came back down off Mount Sinai, the Israelites didn’t have to worry about whether or not he remembered the Ten Commandments correctly, because he had the stone tablets. Now, that’s what I call a really hard copy.

Memo: To The Angel...

It’s easy to get bogged down in the imagery of Revelation and I always feel a sense of relief when I come to a portion that can be clearly understood. The letters to the seven churches are pretty straight forward. We may not be able to specifically point to one of the churches and say it’s a representation of our church, but I dare say we have all seen and are aware of the collective pros and cons mentioned by John. If John had a Revelation for today’s church, I suppose he might say ‘to the angel of the church of the Methodists write…, or to the angel of the church of the Episcopalians write…’. However, critiques of any church are much more personal. Just as Jesus knows the heart of an individual, He knows the heart of a church. For us, with a general understanding of our own congregation, how would we complete this thought, “To the angel of the church that I attend write:...”?

Sarah and Goliath

Now don’t get me wrong, I know that Alaska Governor Sarah Palin is no ‘David’. I just happen to love stories of a David and Goliath nature. I think it’s going to be exciting to see a relatively novice elected official going up against the Political Establishment Goliath. It’s reported that Palin and McCain had met only twice and yet Sarah accepted the VP invitation, got on an airplane and jumped into the challenge. While many folks are questioning her lack of experience, her ability to maintain a family life with five kids and being able to serve in the second highest elected position in the land…I think God is smiling, He loves to see leaps of faith. Often we believers know that the Lord is behind us whispering ‘fear not’, but many of us fail to step out of our comfort zone, grab a sling and pick up a few rocks.

School Days

Gregg tried to get his son to tell him about the first day of kindergarten, but every time he asked a question five-year old Jason was evasive and noncommittal. After about the third question Jason finally told his dad, “I really don’t need to go to school anymore. I already know everything they talked about.” Ah yes. We believers too have been known to think like a kindergartner. We’ve attended church for years; we can re-tell the stories of Moses, Jonah and Noah and we’ve accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. We already know everything the preacher is going to talk about. Of course, it only takes a few trials and tribulations to prove we really don’t know anything…much less everything.

Labor Day

“… you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” (1 Cor 15:58 NIVb)

Who's Words?

Today’s sermons are intertwined with video clips, anecdotes and quotes of men…all of which, in theory, are meant to enhance or compliment the message. Sometimes when the sermon is especially convicting we’ll say, “That really hit home. It felt like the preacher was talking straight to me.” When we hear a powerful sermon we realize that the Spirit has a hand in it, however we also compliment the preacher on his skill as a writer and speaker. In speaking to the Thessalonians Paul says, “…when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God,….” (1 Thess 2:13 NIV) When was the last time you heard a sermon where your mind registered it was actually the word of God, and not the word of man?

Taking a Congregation's Pulse

There are still a few older congregations around who maintain the wooden announcement boards that hang in the foyer or the sanctuary. Each week the board reports the prior week’s worship attendance, offering and Sunday School attendance. I love those boards. Reading the vital statistics of a church is like looking at the medical chart of a patient. I think you begin to feel the pulse of a congregation when you see their attendance and their offerings. Many churches began abandoning the public display of statistics in favor of putting such information in the weekly bulletin. It wasn’t long before the information was removed from the bulletin and lumped together in the monthly newsletter. Some churches have now quit reporting statistics all together and apparently congregations don’t mind. I guess if your attendance is in the thousands and the offering in the hundreds of thousands it could be hard to take a pulse…and it would take a really big board.

Always Learning

Much of my Grandma’s life was spent in rural southeastern Colorado on a ranch she and Granddad homesteaded. Neighbors were few and far between but a handful of folks gathered each Sunday in the community one room schoolhouse for church. Grandma, a self-taught and life-long student of the Bible, was the teacher/leader of the group – that is unless there happened to be a visiting circuit preacher in the neighborhood. When Grandma was nearing the end of her life she was confined to a nursing home and wasn’t often alert or coherent. I decided that reading Scripture aloud to her might cut through the fog and bring her a measure of comfort and peace. One day while reading in the book of John she stopped me and asked, “Now what do you suppose he means by that?” OK I thought, was she being the consummate Bible student to her last breath, or was she in her teacher mode and testing my knowledge of the Word? Having learned from the best I said, “Well Grandma, I’m not sure. Tell me what you think?”

Ordinary People

In a newspaper or magazine I always read the Letters-to-the-Editor. Both Guideposts and World are Christian magazines, yet they each get entirely different feedback from their readers. Comments written to Guideposts are always sweet and subscribers never so much as raise their voice. A reader of World magazine however, can become so incensed over a movie review that he’ll cancel his subscription. I appreciate both types of writers who’ve taken the time to expose their feelings and express their opinion. In church, people have often told me that they feel unqualified to speak up on issues because they don’t know their Bible very well. They think others may not consider their opinion credible just because they can’t supply a Bible verse. We sometimes forget that, with the exception of Paul, all the disciples were ‘unschooled, ordinary men’. I think its safe say that the disciples didn’t know their Scriptures very well…but they didn’t let that hold them back.

The Not-So-Good Old Days

Rather than a reunion, my high school class just had a 60th Birthday party, cake and all. We didn’t have a designated MC, but one classmate decided we should pass the microphone around and each of us should tell what we enjoyed or liked about being a member of the Class of ’66. I quickly searched my deteriorating memory banks and discovered I could recall more things I disliked than those I enjoyed. There were pimples, feeling like a wall flower and being a poor academic student. As the microphone was handed to me, I didn’t want to go back and talk about the ‘good old days’. I have the same discomfort when it comes to discussing my pre-Christian days, or the side trips I took after becoming a Christian. I envy those who can honestly and freely share their Christian shortcomings and stumbles. They have a tremendous witness.

Let's Discuss

The new comments and questions on Bandwagon (August 15th) should give us some interesting discussion.

Gigachurches

I’ve naively thought that the megachurch was as big as it gets. Now I’m reading about the gigachurch – churches with nationwide video outlets of more than 100,000 followers. TV evangelists have long competed for the stay-at-home believer’s support, but I have a feeling we haven’t seen anything yet. Can you imagine the celebrity preachers of all theses gigachurches competing for the viewer’s, time, money and undivided loyalty? No doubt one of these ministers will rise to the top of the heap and be ‘greater’ than all the others. Already it’s reported that one of these preachers comes to his satellite congregation in the form of a life-sized, 3-D hologram. Left Behind here we come…

Patching the Leak

As a voter I find it frustrating that many of the initiatives put on ballots are combination wish lists. The thought process seems to be if you add on an issue that everyone can buy into, such as education, voters will give their approval. After all who could say no to supporting better education. A few years ago our church roof was leaking. Rather than just fixing the leak, the elders wanted to ask the congregation for permission to replace the entire aging-roof. The senior pastor at that time was relatively new to our community. He put forth the suggestion that they should approach the congregation to ask for a new roof and to refurbish the gym floor with a cushioned surface. (It should be noted that the preacher’s son and a couple of the church leaders were really, really into basketball.) When others questioned the preacher’s reasoning he said, “We’ll, the gym floor is for the benefit of the youth and we know the congregation won’t turn down any proposal if it’s for the youth.” Sometimes I’d just like to see us fix the leak...

Blacklisted

Lately with my email I’ve been dealing with failed mail. Apparently my email provider has been blacklisted by another provider. It appears that the only reasonable alternative is to keep my existing service and also get another email account with a different provider to handle the glitches. While it’s inconvenient, it’s not life threatening and I’m not going to take it personal. One reason it’s hard to get off a blacklist is because the keeper-of-the-list works so hard to keep it in effect. I’ve been blacklisted before, and much to the chagrin of church leaders, I’ve lived to tell about it. Actually, if we are honest, we all keep a list of one kind or another. We’re all going to be surprised when we try to hand the Lord our lists and find out He’s only interested in His own.

The Smell Test

Church membership was the topic of a recent sermon and our preacher interjected a cute illustration. “The stench inside the ark would have been unbearable if it weren’t for the storm outside.” What a great observation. We in the church are in the never ending process of cleaning up our attitudes and our actions. No matter how dirty, unsightly or smelly we are its better being in the church than it is out there in the world. “For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life…” (2 Cor 2:15-16a NIV)

Impromptu

I’m a member of Toastmasters so when I watched the recent Presidential ‘debate’ held at Saddleback Church, I did so with a critiquing eye. I actually thought Pastor Rick Warren did a good job as a facilitator. The candidates however, were at times driving me nuts. Senator Obama gets rave reviews for his prepared speeches, but it was painful listening to him field questions that called for an impromptu response. I think he had almost more ‘and, ahs and ums’ than he had clearly stated positions. McCain was more decisive and fared some what better, however he used the phrase “my friends” so often that I felt it also fell in the category of ‘and, ahs and ums’. Believers often find themselves searching for the right words, especially when we we’re in a witnessing situation. In a short period of time we’re trying to collect our thoughts, make an impression and do it all without making a slip of the tongue or offending the listener. Paul has a great solution for all speakers and communicators - “…be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.” (2 Tim 4:2b NIV)

Bandwagon

Richard Lederer, Ph.D. is an expert in the origin of words. In a recent Toastmaster article he defined ‘bandwagons’, “… [they are] high wagons large enough to hold a band of musicians. Early bandwagons were horse-drawn through the streets in order to publicize an upcoming event. Political candidates would ride a bandwagon through a town, and those who wished to show their support would ‘hop [or climb] on the bandwagon.” My previous church developed their own set of rules for riding their bandwagon. A few years ago when Bill (my husband) submitted his name as an elder candidate, he was rejected. Even though he’d served positions of both a deacon and an elder for many years, this time he was told he’d not be put on the ballot as a candidate…unless he was first willing to ‘get on board’ with the current leadership’s programs. Some wagons just aren’t worth hopping on.

Serving God or Your Brother...

In Christian publishing occasionally a wanna-be-published writer will submit his work to an editor with the caveat, ‘God told me to write this book. He gave me the words to say and it’s perfect’. Editors tactfully back away from such a manuscript because they aren’t about to edit God’s work. Similarly, in recent years one of the phrases I keep hearing from church leaders is, ‘we [elders] serve God’. You’ve got to admit that that phrase is a great conversation stopper for anyone questioning the direction the church is heading. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I thought when you serve others you are serving God. Paul brings our acts of serving into perspective when he says, “The God who made the world and everything in it… is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else.” (Acts 17:24-25 NIV)

Well Done...

When the doors of service were closed to me at my former church, I found a new niche in politics. I’ll admit it took awhile to emotionally wean myself away from serving in the church. However, God has faithfully sent encouragement my way. The morning after I was officially sworn into office I began my daily exercise regime by turning on my Scripture tape, which resumed from where it had left off the previous day. The narrator boldly said, “…Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things…” (Matt 25:23 NIV) With my spirit soaring I finished my work out, returned home and then opened my Bible to take a closer look at the passage of Scripture. Let me confess that over the years I’ve measured my service in the church as being a sizable contribution to the Kingdom and yet, here’s Jesus saying I’ve been faithful with a few things. Now I’m nervous. What does it mean to be put in charge of many things?

The Basics

It’s sort of fun to watch a start-up church begin their worship services in humble circumstances. We don’t have hymnals, but we do have a small wicker basket for tithes and offerings. When we first began meeting a few months ago the worship sing-a-longs were made possible with slides shown on the wall and accompaniment came from a key board with no extra amplification. We’ve now gone high tech and a computer is connected to a flat screen TV to display songs, Scripture and quotes. Things have been going along nicely until the computer had a technical glitch on Sunday. Making a quick recovery the worship leaders picked out a few older familiar hymns that many, but not all of us, knew from memory. For the message the preacher had us to open our Bibles and read along. At the end of the message the preacher wanted to announce our closing song but the worship leader said, “Oh, you’ll all know this one.” Leading the congregation she began, “Jesus loves me this I know…

This is a Test, Only a Test

I think we often underestimate the story of Ananias and Sapphira. This narrative is not just about the money, or cheating the church, or lying. And it’s more than just testing the Spirit…it is also about agreeing to test the Spirit. In modern times maybe we haven’t witnessed someone dropping dead from testing the Spirit, but that doesn’t mean that testing hasn’t been occurring. Even today there are things happening amongst us that occurs with the full knowledge of more that one person. Conspiracies can range from covering up for pedophiles to understating collected tithes and offerings. Actually, I’m not so sure that there’s not some Spirit testing occurring in the area of today’s marketing strategies and church growth methods.

Entitlement

Whether it’s in the political, social or religious arena there are times we all feel a sense of entitlement. Even the disciples wanted to know who would be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. By my own volition I do pretty well at putting the interests of others ahead of my own. However, all things being equal, when someone boldly puts their own interests ahead of mine, I don’t do as well. Maybe this is a hold over from elementary school when it seemed I was always picked last. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t necessarily want to be first, but if I’m as qualified or as deserving as others, why should I be last. Of course, there is the consolation that the first shall be last and the last shall be first…

No Reply

The last few days I’ve been getting emails from my cousin in Texas, but because of a glitch with my provider right now I’m unable to send a reply. Everything I send comes back as failed mail. Ken wrote, “You know if this were a conversation & not emailing, it would just be great.—Having a captive audience to talk to & they don’t get a chance to respond or take valuable time to express their thoughts or share what they know.” I hope Ken enjoys the moment, because eventually the glitch will get fixed and I will have my voice back. I sometimes treat the Lord like my own captive audience. I know He hears me, so I do all the talking. I can imagine the Spirit wanting to respond, express His thoughts and share with me…if I’d only let Him get a word in edgewise.

Ephphatha (which means Be Opened!)

When child abuse is discovered other family members in the home will often report, ‘I just didn’t see it.’ It runs through my mind that the victims might wonder, ‘did you really not see it or was it that you didn’t want to see it’? When I’ve pointed out errors, discrepancies and even sin in the church, some in the family of God respond, “I just don’t see it.” You’d think if we don’t see something that others are bringing to our attention that we would petition the Lord to open our eyes. Quite the contrary. It appears that believers think by declaring ‘I just don’t see it’ they are somehow relieved of any responsibility and obligation. When the Son of Man comes there are people who will still be feebly saying …‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison…?’…Matt 25:44a NIV

Superheroes

Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman all appear to be normal human beings…until they put on their form fitting, crime stopping attire. I think believers too can appear like the average person on the street, until they put on the Full Amour of God (Eph 6:11). Even then however, those around them probably won’t recognize that the believer is dressed up and ready to fight the good fight. For me it actually seems easier to tell when someone isn’t wearing the armor of God than it is to tell when they are. It’s not that the armor is invisible, it’s just that I don’t look at others thinking, I wonder if he’s wearing the belt of truth under his jacket and is that the helmet of salvation tucked under his arm? I think I should be more observant when it comes to a fellow believer’s armor. Maybe if I started complimenting people on their armor just as I would if I noticed them wearing a new dress or jacket. Hey, great looking sword…Wow, that’s a shinny breastplate you’ve got there…, I’m sure Nike can’t compete with those nifty readiness shoes you’re wearing. Just for grins I think when I see the preacher next Sunday I’m gonna tell him he’s got a great looking helmet.

No Experience Necessary...or Wanted

During the middle to late 1970’s over 200,000 people were killed in Cambodia. The ruling Khmer Rouge targeted the educated and the professionals for elimination. Those left alive in the country were young uneducated peasants with limited or no leadership skills. Spiritually speaking, I see a similar thing happening in the church today. One of my friends was recently church shopping and after four weeks of visiting a particular church he had the feeling they really weren’t interested in ‘mature Christians’ placing membership in the church. Inquiring of the leadership he was told the church wasn’t looking for adult teachers. “We don’t encourage adult Sunday School because when people get started [in a class] they won’t leave. We don’t want them getting comfortable in a class for a couple of years, we want them out evangelizing.” It appears that the educated and mature members are systematically being eliminated and stopped and from teaching and leading...and it’s all being done in the name of evangelism.

County Fair

As a way of community support, our body of elected officials voted to buy a pig at the county fair, have it processed and donated the meat to a local kitchen charity. I thought it was a great idea until I learned that those with expertise in farm animals and auctions were all too busy to attend the sale. Now I know what to look for when buying a ham or pork chops in the grocery store, but I just can’t picture how a pig on the hoof will look once he’s in the package. I understand there are people available to help the novice bidder, however I’ve seen auctions before. People buy animals with the nod of the head, a scratch of the nose or a flick of a paddle. I’d be afraid to even twitch. Spiritually speaking, “There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.” (1 Cor 12:4-6 NIV) I think the same can be said about natural gifts. I suppose I could learn how to judge and bid on a pig, but when others are already equipped with that gift, or service or working, I need to let them do their job!

Lasting Impressions

For many years my (previous) church sponsored a Boy Scout Troop. Once each year the Scouts would dress up in their uniforms and come to a worship service. Taking a moment before the message, the preacher had the Scouts stand up so the congregation could recognize them. In turn their spokesperson was given time to express their appreciation for the church support. Three or four years ago the troop leaders, Scouts and their families came for their yearly visit, however this time they sat through the whole service and the preacher never once acknowledged their ‘official visit’, much less introduced them. Oh, the preacher knew they’d be there, but he had decided he wouldn’t promote or support them, so he ignored them. Out of common courtesy you’d think the preacher could have, at the very least, told the Scout leaders of his decision ahead of time. I felt sorry for the kids and their families and I was embarrassed for the church. That day the church certainly made a lasting impression on those young minds.

Can't Take My Eyes Off of You...

One day a few months ago there was a striking grey haired gentleman working out at the fitness center, I’d never seen before, or since. His stature was similar to that of a six foot-plus tall Marine drill sergeant, perfectly overlaid with sculptured muscles. Most of us in the club were respectful enough not to gawk, however you couldn’t miss the stolen glances mixed with admiration and covetousness that were flying around the room. I can remember past years in the church where I could watch a few fellow believers with admiration and a little bit of covetousness. One person might have rock hard faith, another strong moral character and others possessed unwavering dedication to the Word. I know there are still people in the church with those same characteristics, but I don’t see them very often any more. Most of them have been relegated to the pew or the small group where they no longer have an opportunity to flex their spiritual muscles. I suppose it does keep the rest of us from gawking in admiration.

Nailed to the Cross

During last Sunday’s communion meditation the speaker reminded us that years ago our previous church presented the dramatic Passion Play. “At every rehearsal when it came time to nail Christ to the cross, tears would come to our eyes.” Simply hearing the speaker re-tell the event, I found myself swallowing to control the lump rising in my throat. I’ve heard hundreds of communion meditations over the years, but none has ever touched me so emotionally. I just can’t imagine actors/believers having to practice nailing Jesus to the cross over and over and over again.

When Did We See You...

I know of young terminally ill women who ask her girlfriend to join her on a girls-only mini vacation. In order to take the out-of-the-country trip, the girlfriend not only set aside her job and her own young family, she also incurred unbudgeted expenses. I also know of an older woman whose husband was terminal. She too had a request. She asked the preacher to come by the house and pray with her husband. The preacher told her no, and then he explained he was just too busy with his other duties to meet individually with people in their homes. It’s not hard to figure out which one, the girlfriend or the preacher, did the will of the Father. The busy preacher still stands in his pulpit, but the widow has left the church and very few people know why. It’s hard to believe that a minister would say he’s too busy to pray with a terminally ill patient…but then again, what do you expect when we congregants accept and tolerate such feeble excuses.

Demographics

Because the baby-boomers are retiring there is going to be a huge shift of demographics in our cities. For instance, many folks will not only be downsizing, but they will be looking for specific housing, no stairs, no yard maintenance, etc. Recently I attended a conference session where the speaker said, “The baby-boomers think there isn’t anything they can’t buy, and that’s going to change.” As though it was news to him, a voice from the back of the room said, “Wanna bet?!” Just as some baby-boomers may delude themselves into thinking their lives won’t ever change, I think many churches don’t understand that their demographics will also change. For awhile churches may be able to pull off focusing solely on youth or families, but eventually youth become adults and the family nests get emptied.

Coming Again

After an extended visit with his grandpa it was time to take five year-old Jared back home to his parents. On the way Grandpa Kenneth said, “We’re sure going to miss you.” Bewildered Jared said, “Why? I’m gonna be back.” When it was time for the Lord to return to the Father the disciples grappled with His impending absence. They weren’t ready for Him to leave. I can just hear Jesus saying, “Why? I’m gonna be back.”

GPS (Global Positioning System)

Although it’s not something I care much about, a GPS was part of the package in my new van. Recently on a short trip out of town I was driving while Bill played with the GPS. Programming in our destination, the female voice of the computer said, “Stay on this road for 16 miles.” When it was time to turn off the highway the voice said, “Turn left. In 750 feet turn right.” Because of construction on a side street I made a slight detour and at each successive intersection the computer was insistent that I make a right turn and get back on course. After six blocks she just gave up and quit talking to me. Finally, when I was able to get back on course, she decided to speak to me again and started giving me directions. Driving up in front of the house she said, “You’ve arrived at your destination.” I think that sounds like something Jesus might say when I finally get to heaven.

Speed Bump

Lately in a couple of sermons I’ve heard a contemporary preacher quoted that made me react negatively. As a listener, it was like traveling along a smooth highway and all of a sudden there was this huge speed bump. Oh, I like the quotes. They were good, correct and applicable to the message…I just don’t value the person being quoted. Parking my mind on the side of the road I thought, why was this guy invited into the Sunday morning sermon? I’ve been struggling to understand why I let my worship get derailed by the credit at the end of a quote. However, my personality is one that looks at the actions and motives of the person being quoted. I suppose if the quotes had been from someone who was dead there would be no need for me to question his motive.

Fantasy Meets Reality

When my (soon to be) three year-old granddaughter wants to emphasize words she uses sweeping arm movements, hand gestures and raises the tone of her voice a couple of octaves. Recently Lydia told me, “I’m really, really strong.” Of course I agreed with her. Finding support she then said, “I’m stronger than the Hulk.” Well yes sweetie, maybe you are. With great enthusiasm and feeling embolden she continued, “I’m stronger than God!” Yikes. If I’d just have stopped her exaggeration with the Hulk, maybe she wouldn’t have thought she could arm wrestle God and win. I think we in the church are often guilty of overlooking one another’s Hulkiness. Certainly we are to become more Christ like, however all of us, at one time or another, take it a step further and try to become godlike.

Hibernation

I was responding to an email on my computer when the screen went black for a moment and then it informed me it was preparing to hibernate. I wasn’t ready for the thing to take a nap, so I nudged it from its slumber and completed my reply. It wasn’t more than 10 minutes later that once again the computer told me it was preparing to hibernate. I think I’ve met some believers who share a striking resemblance to my computer. Over the years many talented, mature and servant qualified believers have joined my church, but their membership comes with the same caveat. Tired and burned out from their previous ministries, they just want to hibernate. So the question is, how long can one self-hibernate before you begin to lose the gifts that God has given you?

Be Ready

Because of her health issues my sister now lives with us. I find it interesting and some what maddening that in the morning she doesn’t get around, showered and dressed unless she has somewhere to go or someone is coming to visit. One day last week at 4:00 pm she said, “Well, it’s already so late in the day that I don’t see any point in getting showered and dressed.” It’s not that I care whether or not she lounges around in her comfies, but I’d like to take her with me when I run errands. The problem is that most of my shopping is not planned, it’s spur of the moment. I can’t wait for her to get dresses and put on her make-up if I need to make a quick run to Wal-Mart. I think my sister would fit right in with the five foolish virgins who didn’t think about oil for their lamps until it was time to light them. “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.” Matt 25:13 NIV

Stench

While visiting with folks before Sunday services began one of the ladies told me she’d gone fishing the day before. Putting her wiggling fingers up to her nose she said, “I didn’t catch anything, but I still have the smell of the bait on my hands.” I can relate. Sometimes, even though I’ve been forgiven, I can still carry around with me the stench of sin. The Lord may remember my sin no more, but for a time I remember it, those around me remember it and Satan certainly remembers it…and he’s in no hurry for the stench to fade away.

Ripple Effect

Last Sunday right after Communion had been served to the congregation, the servers were quietly restacking the trays when the top to one of them slipped off the table and cling-clanged to the floor. No doubt those who were just finishing their time of self-examination said a quick Amen so they could look up and see what was going on. Whispers of relief rippled from the front of the chapel and to the back with, “It’s the lid…It’s only the lid…It’s just the lid.” Translation: Thank goodness a tray of grape juice didn’t get spilled all over the light beige colored carpet. I love it when the body of Christ comes together in one thought and one mind. There’s no more appropriate time to be of one accord than when we’re gathered around the Table of the Lord.

Lawsuits

My local newspaper recently reported on political candidates in a neighboring county. The platform of one candidate for county commissioner is interesting. He says, “As far as building codes and zoning, I am opposed to them – completely.” The candidate believes if you have a zoning problem (your neighbor puts in a junkyard) you settle it between yourselves and if that doesn’t work, you take him to court. My first thought is, without building codes and zoning, there’s nothing for the court to rule on. It’s surprising how many people, even among believers, think going to court is the answer. Let me confess that a few years ago when the church leadership refused me access to the financials I requested (like the staff salaries and savings accounts) my knee-jerk reaction was ‘let’s take them to court’…but alas, First Corinthians 6: 1-8 got in my way.

Change

I see a parallel in Barack Obama’s presidential campaign and the direction many churches are going. Both promote change. If Obama is elected, only the future will tell us whether or not his theme of change will work. In the church however, we can look to the past to see if change has been successful. For instance, are those who were attracted to the seeker friendly movement still seeking? Have contemporary churches flourished or have they merely taken over and replaced the traditional church? To me it doesn’t appear that the changes made in the church have improved spiritual maturity…and in some cases we’re actually less productive spiritually than we were 10 or 20 years ago. Maybe rather than saying CHANGE YOU CAN BELIEVE IN, the church should be saying BELIEVE IN THE ONE WHO BRINGS CHANGE.

Makeover

I find the make-over shows on TV interesting. Sometimes there is such a drastic change that it’s almost impossible to recognize the ‘old’ house, person or car. Extreme Makeover Home Edition is a show whose title is somewhat misleading. The producers find a family in need and rather than refurbishing their dilapidated house, the house is demolished and volunteers build a new house from scratch beginning with the foundation. When some of us came to Christ we were really just looking for a Spiritual nip and tuck. Imagine our surprise when we got an extreme makeover. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” (2 Cor 5:17 NIV).

Worship

After learning that I started attending another church a woman said to me, “I’m so glad you’re back in church and have found a place to worship.” Gulping air like a fish out of water I explained I wasn’t back in church because I’d never left. I’ve always been in attendance. Speaking to me as though I’d been Gospel deprived she continued, “Well at least now you can worship.” It took me a few days to understand what I think she meant. Today’s church will tell you that worship is the celebration in music, hymns and praise songs which precedes the message. According to Webster’s the definition of worship is: reverence offered a divine being or supernatural power; also: an act of expressing such reverence. I think it’s unfortunate that leaders try not only to define, but also confine worship. I’ve found that over the years my style of worship has changed. Right now simply hearing a thought provoking message or reading Scripture is an act of worship for me.

The Real Question

Newt Gingrich, former Speaker of the House, preached a good sermon on TV Sunday morning. Many of his comments, supported with Scripture, came from his book Rediscovering God in America. According to Gingrich, as a nation we ask ourselves, “Is God on our side? But the real question is, ‘Are we on God’s side?’” I think we should be asking that same question of the church. Today’s trend for leaders in casting a vision for the church falls in the category of asking God to be on our side. In our efforts to fulfill leadership’s vision, we fail to ask the real question, Are we on God’s side?

Dark Secrets

Model Christie Brinkley is being criticized in her messy public divorce. The media seems to think that since her husband has admitted to his indiscretions, and for the sake of their young children, that Ms. Brinkley should not be airing the dirty laundry. I disagree with the media. The footnotes in my NIV study Bible referring to Romans 1:18-27 says, “God’s wrath is not limited to the end-time judgment of the wicked.” Whether or not we are a believer in Jesus, most people believe that God knows all our sins. However since God isn’t in the tabloid business, we think our dark secrets are safe with Him. In the Scripture, as well as in life, the penalty for our sins often begins with exposure.

Freedom

With many shedding their blood we’ve been given physical freedom as Americans. With One shedding His blood we’ve been given spiritual freedom as Christians…we are truly blessed. Have safe 4th of July weekend.

Size of Faith

In his campaign for President, Obama is now holding Values Parties. I had to laugh when I read one media ticker tape on TV that said, “Obama meeting with small faith groups.” Small faith…? Now we know that in the political arena no one really cares about someone’s size of faith, their only concern is about courting the religious-conservative vote. Jesus, on the other hand, often met people who had small faith, but His ticker tape went something like, “O you of little faith.” …followed by His observations on why their faith was so small. Actually, I’m sort of glad that faith comes in various sizes. It gives me a chance to upgrade.

Money Talks...but should it?

We lament when those who are considered pillars of the congregation leave to go to the church down the street. We grieve over the loss of spiritual maturity, knowledge and friendships. There is another loss we mention only amongst ourselves…or if it’s not spoken out loud, it certainly crosses our minds. Those pillars are the biggest givers and when they walk out the door so does their tithe. We look at one another and say, 'Don’t the leaders know they’re loosing the people who tithe the most?' When you think about it, it’s not only a silly question (of course they know their losing tithes and offerings), but it’s an ungodly question. We would do better to take captive the thought of lost revenue and adopt Paul’s attitude when he says, “…what I want is not your possessions but you.” (2 Cor 12:14a NIV)

Actions Really Do Speak Louder Than Words

A while back I was seated at a business dinner with two zealous believers, as well as some un-churched folks. During the meal the believers showed their disdain for the speaker by not acknowledging his presence, either by eye contact or applause. It was such an obvious slight that it was uncomfortable for all of us. Later, out of earshot of the believers, the un-churched folks brought out their hypocrisy guns. “They call themselves Christian and this is the way they act? They may call it being religious, I call being a hypocrite.” I didn’t, nor could I, defend the believers because even I thought, so what happened, did you two misplace the Golden Rule? I really wanted to let my fellow believers know that they blew it…but I didn’t. I decided it’s probably more important that I’m the one to learn from their mistake.

Failures and Flops

In an interesting article on leadership there is apparently a growing trend among foundation leaders to be more transparent and accountable. When they implement a program that flops, they admit it publically. One foundation executive stated, “If something didn’t work, it is incumbent upon you to make sure others don’t make the same mistake.” Wow. I don’t think I’ve ever encountered this type of moral obligation in the church. Over the years I’ve seen many ill advised programs fail, but I can’t ever recall hearing leadership publically admit failure to the congregation. The normal reaction to failures is to just cover them up with another vision or new direction for the church.

Anything Goes

No, it doesn’t. I’ve got a lot of clothes hanging in my closet that won’t go with anything I own. When I purchased each piece I thought this will go with everything. Wrong. In trying to mix and match clothing I’ve learn that all blacks aren’t black, nor are all beiges created equal. Yesterday I picked up a dark sage colored blouse to go with my light sage colored slacks. When I held them up against each other neither one looked like sage and they certainly didn’t go together. I sometimes have the same trouble with Scripture. I’ll think of a verse that I’m positive will compliment a thought and when I put them together they don’t match. Now, I realize the world won’t end if I wear mismatched clothes or misquote Scripture, however when they’re not put together properly they don’t always have the desired affect.

Price Tag

Many folks want to talk about the exodus from XYZ Church, however lately the conversations have shifted. It may be a different segment of the membership, but rather than asking why people are leaving, some are now telling me why they aren’t leaving. With few exceptions these brothers and sisters say they are staying with XYZ Church because of their particular ministry, or because of their inter-generational family. I can empathize with both situations. Some folks have spent decades building up and supporting a ministry and they feel the need to protect it. Quite honestly, going to another church might well mean that their beloved ministry will suffer cuts in funding, or possible elimination all together. And no one wants to be the one to break the heritage of fellowshipping with one’s own children and grandchildren. Interestingly Jesus doesn’t distinguish between believers and non-believers when He says, “Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.” Matt 10:37-38 NIV

Perfectly Timed

I recently returned from a conference where I campaigned for a seat on an executive board. The day before the election there was a ‘meet the candidate’ forum where I was to give a three minute speech. I had practiced my speech to the point that the timing, humor and pacing were perfect. Arriving early at the meeting I overheard staff talking to one another about each candidate having two minutes to speak. With a cranky attitude running across my face and an edge in my voice, I asked what they intended to do with those of us who had prepared for three minutes as we were told to do. “Well, you’ll just have to cut it down. Don’t worry about it. Just tell us a little bit about yourself.” I went for a short walk to collect myself before cutting the jewels out of my speech. I then went to apologize to the staff person for letting my frustration ooze onto the situation. After the speech I received a lot of positive feed back and with effort, I resisted the urge to tell people about the minute they missed. The following day during the election I garnered the most votes in my category…even beating out incumbents. Leave it to God to successfully pull off a three minute speech in less than two minutes.

Remember Me

Over the years as we’ve had a variety of automobiles. Similar to the urge to win a lottery, I’ve always hoped that each set of new license plates would have a number that was easy to memorize. One time we purchased an older basic-transportation car for Bill to drive back and forth to work. The price was right, but the car was a really ugly mustard yellow Maverick. Since it was Bill’s work car, I picked up the license plates at court house without giving any thought to the numbers. That evening we went to put the plates on the car and I just about choked when I saw that the plate was numbered 666. I’m sure the clerk at the court house had been trying for days to pawn the ‘number of the beast’ off on some naive and unsuspecting person. In any case, the car is now long gone, but to this day it’s the only license plate number I remember. I have a few sins in my life that are like that. Even though the sins have long since been forgiven, they made such an impression that they are still committed to memory.

Liar, Liar

I have an aunt (now deceased) who was honest, but not truthful. She’d never dream of cheating anyone out of anything, but she’d lie when it would have been just as easy to tell the truth. I have a low tolerance for people who lie, but I often overlooked my aunt’s lies because they came from a reality she created in her own mind. It was aggravating though. The minute you believed what she said, you shouldn’t have, but if you didn’t believe her you should have. At a recent conference I attended a session on ‘ethics’. The speaker said, “A liar is someone who doesn’t tell the truth when he has the opportunity.” Ouch! This shoe fits whether it’s in our personal life or in our Christian walk.

Customer Service?

When I worked in the customer service field the phone calls I received often had one thing in common, the caller felt they had been injured or mistreated. One day a disgruntled customer on the other end of the line happened to be a fellow believer. Face to face this brother had always treated me with love and respect. However, this day he was angry, demanding and a totally different person. Once he had calmed down, I told him who I was and immediately his tone of voice and attitude changed. I find that I too am more apt to control a bad attitude when I’m around people I know I’ll be seeing again. So why do we find it acceptable to present our Christian face only to our brothers and sisters or on Sunday mornings? Paul had it right when he said, “What I want to do I do not do, but what I hate, I do.” (Rom. 7:15) --Leslie

Powerless

At a week long conference in Steamboat Springs I was preparing to leave my room when the whole mountain village lost power. There are a lot of factors that kept me in the room. I was on the sixth floor, the meeting rooms down below were all windowless, as were the restrooms. Even if I took the stairs to get to the exhibit area there would be no air conditioning or Starbucks coffee. The good news was, I wasn’t stuck in an elevator and I had my battery powered laptop computer, minus use of the internet. The church today is all about being ‘plugged in’. I’ve got to tell you, every appliance in my room, from the coffee maker to the clock was plugged in…and they were all dead. It reminds me of some church programs trying to function without the Power of the Spirit.

Shrewd

A Colorado college professor, apparently padding his résumé, claimed to be Native American when he was not. For some people being a con-man is a means of duping others out of their belongings. I guess it should not come as a surprise that the same things happen in the church. John wrote to the church in Smyrna, “I know your afflictions and your poverty—yet you are rich! I know the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.”(Rev 2:9 NIV) It’s not that believers are any more gullible than those in the world. But it seems we let down our guard when dealing with others who claim to be Christian. We just don’t want to believe, or understand how, someone who confesses Jesus Christ can be crafty. However, Jesus warns us, “For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light.” (Luke 16:8b NIV) Jesus knows our weaknesses of not being shrewd in the church and to our own kind.

Obstacles

I recently read an article which said that the current thought processes for church growth sees ‘traditional worship styles, theological rigor and denominational distinctives’ as obstacles. So that’s what they think of our needs…they’re only obstacles. According to Webster’s, an obstacle is defined as: something that impedes progress or achievement. If our needs are obstacles to the church, exactly what is being obstructed? Do our needs hold back the Kingdom of God? Has the Gospel been squelched? Have needs undermined the Word? No. The real issue is that man has developed his own method for church growth and he won’t allow anyone or anything to get in the way of his vision. Paul has some thoughts on the subject: “I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.” (1Cor 3: 6-7 NIV) Sometimes those who focus on church growth have the appearance of holding the keys to the kingdom of heaven. But in reality, their key is nothing more than the same one the janitor has to the building.

Out of Sequence

Right now I have a multi-generational household and we’re all on different schedules. A couple of us may eat breakfast around the same time, however one may be finishing their meal while another is just starting. Since we don’t always sit down to the breakfast table at the same time, we also don’t pray together. A couple days ago I was multi-tasking in my head and forgot to pray until I already had a bit of warm buttery cheese omelet in my mouth. I stopped chewing and tried to thank the Lord, but it just didn’t work. The flavor in my mouth overrode the words in my head. When I finished chewing the unblessed bite, swallowed and again began to pray. I apologized to God…I really was sorry for losing my focus. I felt like I needed to repent before I ask for God’s blessing. It was awkward. Usually when I wake up in the morning I feel like I have a clean slate. I’m just not used to having to repent before 8:00 am.

Father's Day

A couple years ago on Father’s Day three year-old David charged into the house and excitedly handed Bill a card saying, “Happy Mother’s Day Granddad!”

Is and Are

In the midst California wild fires a firefighter was interviewed by a TV reporter. He was asked how they determine if it’s a Red Flag Day. He said, “Low humidity, high heat and strong wind.” The fire department wouldn’t sound a warning for just one of these conditions, but collectively there is cause for alarm. I’ve had folks ask, ‘So Gail, what is the problem at XYZ church?’ It’s impossible for me to answer because its not, what is the problem, but rather what are the problems. It would be great to be able to point to something specific and say, ‘It’s the high heat’. However, I’ve found in the church that only one issue doesn’t warrant raising a red flag.

Lessons from the Prairie Dog

Recently I was at a meeting with an official from a neighboring community. He told the crowd about their prairie dog problem on the floor of a prominent valley. Explaining his situation he said, “The answer is water.” As a snicker went through the audience he said, “No wait, we don’t drown them! We just have to water the grasses. Really… there are people out there that study these things. When the grasses get so high that the prairie dogs can’t see over them, they can’t communicate and then they move on.” Ah-ha, maybe that’s part of the communication problem in the church - the grass is so tall we’re cut off from one another.

Three Minutes

I’m running in another election, but this time it’s for a position on an Executive Board for state municipalities. The annual conference is next week and each candidate will have exactly three minutes to give a speech in which to garner votes. It sort of reminds me of an arranged marriage where the bride and groom don’t meet until they are saying their ‘I do’s’…or as in this case, casting their votes. Often our testimony and witness for Christ is subtle and given over time. I’m wondering what I’d say in a speech if I had only three minutes to make a cause for Christ.

Freebie

Not too long ago, I attended a trade show and met an exhibitor who had self-published a financial advice book. As I thumbed through his book and he said, “You can have the book if you promise you’ll read it.” So what could I say to that? No thanks, you can keep your book… Well, maybe I’ll read it and then again I might not… I took the freebie and walked away feeling very small. Attaching strings to things would be something I would expect from a parent. Can’t you hear a mother say, ‘you can go to the movie if you promise to take out the trash for a week’. Sometimes we believers subtly attach our own strings to Salvation. We know we’re saved but, to be really saved we need to regularly attend church, get into a Bible study and stop all our bad habits. Every once in awhile I get tangled up in my own strings. Then the Lord has to clip them and set me free again.

Equality

I think it’s safe to say that, in one fashion or another, all churches support missionaries on the field. It’s interesting to me that Paul gives us the example of the Macedonian churches supporting other churches. I don’t think we see that same grace of giving played out today. We don’t support our own denominational churches in neighboring towns, much less support the church down the street. Yes, we may join forces on a project that benefits the Christian community, but we don’t support the needs of other churches. Seriously, aside from a national disaster I can’t imagine any of our congregations contributing to the building fund of another church or helping them with the needs of their shut-ins. Paul says, “Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. Then there will be equality…” (2 Cor 8:13-14 NIV) I wonder what equality amongst our churches might look like.

Peripheral Believers

In his book Exodus, author Dave Shiflett delves into what makes liberal churches tick. One of Dave’s interviewees is a man named Gary who says, “Any sane person would agree that you’ve got problems if you’re losing a great portion of your church population. But the liberal priests would actually say it was a good thing. They said [that] ‘what we’re losing are the peripheral believers’ and that shedding all those people would actually make the church stronger.” Certainly the Good Shepherd who goes after one lost sheep would disagree. I’m amazed that we allow it to be said that believers, peripheral or not, are expendable. Satan must be celebrating at the thought of a ‘core group of people’ getting the credit for strengthening the church.

Taking the Plunge

For over seven years I’ve worshiped and fellowshipped with Ms. Clair, who is a dyed in the wool Catholic. She has faithfully attended my independent, emersion believing church, all the while lovingly and vehemently maintaining, “I’ve been sprinkled and saved. There’s no way you’re going to get me in that bathtub (baptismal).” I and many others are scraping ourselves off the floor as this senior citizen has just decided to take the plunge. Oh my goodness, just tell me the Holy Spirit doesn’t humor us! Clair is not the ‘river’ or ‘pond’ type, so she is waiting for the preacher to locate a church willing to loan out their baptistery. This will be the third baptism for one of the new start-up churches. As word spreads about Clair’s decision many of us are inviting ourselves to her baptism. I really think she could sell tickets!

Have a Seat

I have chemical allergies (perfumes and scents) to deal with and the best seat for me is in the back of a room near a door. I always try to arrive early to an event so I can find the most comfortable place to sit that meets my needs. When I go to a movie theater I won’t give up my seat for the elderly, the handicapped or the late arriver because I figure its first come, first serve. In my former church there was plenty of seating, however in my new place of worship, the seating is limited and fills up quickly...and I have a problem. From my seat in the back row I can see all the late arrivers and I feel guilty for not wanting to give up my seat to them. For some reason the first come, first serve rule works better in the world than it does in the church.

Adding to Their Number

We just had another baptism, but rather than the river, this young lady opted for a pond. At one time our denominational churches all attended a camp facility located in the mountains. Every summer attendees restacked river rocks and maintained a make-shift baptismal in the clear running river winding through the camp. Normally at a baptism you need only the dunker, the dunkee and any witnesses you can round up. At church camp however, we also had to have two or three men stationed down stream just in case the newly saved soul slipped out of the preacher’s hands. Of late we become so accustomed to not having baptisms that having two of them within a matter of a few weeks gives me a lump in my throat. I can’t even imagine how I’d react if we were like the early church where “…the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” (Acts 2:47b NIV)

Outsourcing

Today we hear a lot about jobs being outsourced to foreign markets where other countries are touted as being better producers than the United States. In a sense Jesus outsourced the Gospel when He told the chief priests and Pharisees, “Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit.” (Matt. 21:43 NIV) It takes very little imagination for me to apply Jesus’ statement to churches in America today. Reportedly the Gospel is exploding in many areas around the world while U.S. churches and denominations are imploding. It makes me wonder if it’s a matter of who’s producing the fruit.

Ignorant of God

According to Webster’s a person can be described as ignorant when they are “lacking knowledge or comprehension of the thing specified.” Although I probably wouldn’t say it to their face, I have some friends and family members who are indeed ignorant of God. However in the church it never crosses our minds as to whether or not someone knows God. After all, if they don’t know God, why on earth would they be coming to church?And yet, that’s exactly what Paul says to the Corinthian Church. “Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God—I say this to your shame.” (1 Cor 15:34 NIV). I can’t imagine thinking, much less declaring to others, that one of my fellow congregants is ignorant of God.

It Still Fits

This last Monday at a war memorial dedication it was nice to see some veterans in attendance wearing their military uniforms. There was one 92 year-old gent and his senior citizen son who were each wearing their respective Army uniforms. Since there is no way I could even think about getting into my Navy uniform, I was impressed. I complimented these veterans on their achievement and a voice from the back of the crowd said, “Yeah, now if I could only breath.” I’m thinking it might be a good idea for me to pull out the amour of God (Eph 6:13) and see if it still fits as well as it used to. If I’m truthful, I spend more time polishing and sharpening my sword than I do seeing if my breastplate is in position. And no doubt my readiness shoes could use some attention.

Grief

As I’ve discussed church turmoil over the last couple years, one reader asked me if some folks are ‘harboring extremely hard feelings regarding their previous church experience’. The inquiry was not judgmental, but rather out of concern for fellow believers. I suppose the answer lies in the word harboring, which means, “to give shelter or refuge; to hold especially persistently in the mind.” (Webster’s). In context with church strife, I believe that what some may view as ‘hard feelings’ are in fact signs of grief. I don’t think there is a prescribed way to grieve over the loss of one’s church fellowship. I’m always one for wanting to tidy things up quickly, whether it is hard feelings or grief. However, the Holy Spirit doesn’t always heal quickly.

Memorial Day

“…Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb…” (John 20:11 NIV) Today we too have the opportunity to look into the tombs of those who’ve shed their blood for America’.

FYI

Daniel just posted a comment on the April 24, 2008 blog ‘Beginnings’.

Time Sensitive

I’m finding myself on committees that sometimes deal with time sensitive material. It’s not that we can’t ever tell others the information we’ve been given; we just have to wait for the appropriate time to share the information. This, ‘think before you speak’ stuff is really hard work. I literally have to stop and ask myself where I heard what I heard and when can I talk about it. I can so sympathize with the man healed of leprosy. Jesus warned him, “See that you don’t tell this to anyone… Instead he went out and began to talk freely, spreading the news. As a result, Jesus could no longer enter a town openly but stayed outside in lonely places...” (Mark 1:44a, 45a NIV)

Got an Angel on My Shoulder

Years ago my family visited an old, well established Presbyterian Church in a neighboring community. The pastor opened his sermon by telling the small congregation what Scriptures he’d be using for the message. The sound, as we thumbed through our Bibles to find the text, was deafening. No one else in the sanctuary even cracked a Bible. If it hadn’t been for the four of us flipping the pages you could’ve heard a pin drop. I felt like every eye was on me as my Bible hummed, ‘I’m a visitor. I’m a visitor.’ Peter tells us that the angels long to look into the gospel (1 Pet 1:12). Can’t you just imagine an angel peering over some guy’s shoulder while he sits in church with a closed Bible and thinking, “Ah man…Come on.”

Repetitive

Sharing an observation, a friend told me he thought there was more gossip, back biting and meddling in the work place when an employee’s job function was one of repetitive work. It was his belief that employees who aren’t stimulated in the work place look for something to break the boredom…even if they have to help create the drama themselves. It’s an interesting theory. Applying this line of thinking to the church, we might then say that believers who aren’t spiritually stimulated could easily fall into gossip, back biting and meddling. I can see that happening, there’s not much spiritual stimulation when we’re all reading the same books, adopting the same mission statements and borrowing one another’s marketing strategies.

Backwards Glance

Last weekend at a college graduation party I met up with an old preacher friend who I’ve not seen for years. We discussed church politics and the recent church plants in the area and he asked, “So then, how are things going at the mother church?” Actually, I haven’t a clue. And what I find really surprising is that I don’t have a huge case of Lot’s-wife-itis urging me to look back over my shoulder and see what’s happening. I’ll admit that for the sake of the church family I considered trying to keep one foot in each congregation. But that was before the Lord and I had the following conversation, “…‘I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say good-by to my family.’ Jesus replied, ‘No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.’” (Luke 9:61-62 NIV)

Smiley Faces

As congregations are being dismantled and remolded there are unhappy faces all around. Those in leadership want carte blanche when it comes to implementing their targeted vision, and those in the layman classification want consideration for all the membership. Both sides have taken the turn the other cheek teaching to a whole new level…we’re turning our backs to one another. One of the accusatory comments directed towards older, more mature people is that they don’t like change. We’ve been force fed this mantra so often that many not only accept it as fact, but they’re starting to repeat it themselves. In truth, people willingly accept change when they see God’s hand in those changes. Besides, how else can you explain all those smiley faces seen in new church plants? Talk about change!