An Observation from the Y

I was sitting at my son’s basketball practice tonight watching both his team and the team on the other half of the gym conduct their practices.  At times, I could really sense the coaches’ frustration in not being able to clearly convey to the players exactly what they wanted them to do (the ages of the kids in the gym ranged from 5-10).  It was almost as if the coach had a vision in his mind that just seemed to breakdown somewhere between his brain and his mouth.  In addition, when the did clearly communicate, the kids often had a hard time carrying out the instructions.  The reality of their context interfered with achieving the goal.  As a pastor, I can identify.

What Disney Could Teach The Church

A few weeks ago, my family and I were fortunate enough to visit Disney World on our vacation.  We had a great time.  In between all the sights and the sounds, I noticed something.  The people who worked at the parks really enhanced the experienced.  The way the conducted themselves made a real difference, particularly in an era where attentiveness and customer service seem to be lost arts.

So, I began to think about church life.  I wondered, what could Disney teach us about interacting with the people who walk through our doors?  For one, the folks at Disney seemed glad we came.  We weren’t an inconvience to them.  We didn’t steal their parking spot or sit in their seat.  Too many churches treat guests like outsiders at best and intruders at worst.  It’s no wonder that they seldom make a return visit.  I wonder what kind of impression we could make on people if we genuinely were happy to see them?

Second, people took the time to interact with us.  They were not too busy to meet our needs.  How many times have people walked into our churches to be greeted by greeters who are more interested in yesterday’s ball game than them?  How often do new people walk down our halls or sit in our pews without ever receiving any attention whatsoever?  Just as tragically, how frequently do we ignore or mistreat people when we venture outside the walls of the church?  Disney seemed to understand that while their product was a mouse, their business was people.  We’re in the people business too.

Third, the employees with which we dealt knew what they were doing.  Virtually everyone we spoke with had the answers we needed.  Many of us, one the other hand are filled with uncertainty of all kinds.  Functionally, we don’t know where a second grader goes to Sunday School, or where to go to find out.  We don’t know who’s handling the sign-ups for the youth trip next month (or where to find out).  We probably don’t even know the names of the people in the pew next to us.  Doctrinally, we don’t know much about the basics of our faith.  We sort of just shrug anytime someone asks something of us.  Practically, many of us couldn’t help someone find the book of John, let alone the God it proclaims.  People have questions.  They’re looking for answers.  It would do us well to take the time to know what we need to know.

Finally, the people with whom we dealt seemed to really believe in what they were doing.  Yes, it was a job.  For some, it was their first.  For others, maybe just something to fill the void.  Nonetheless, they all seemed to know they were part of something special.  As part of the family of God, we are so blessed to be a part of something great.  We should live in a way that communicates that wonderful blessing.  People should be able to look at us and see that we are a part of something special.

The Scripture simply reminds us, “Therefore, as we have opportunity, we must work for the good of all, especially for those who belong to the household of faith” (Galatians 6:10, HCSB).  Let’s be sure to treat people in a way that enhances their experience.  Let’s show that we care about who they are and what’s going on in their lives.  Let’s be sure we have the answers to their questions, and we demonstrate that we are a part of something special.  When we do, I’m sure people will leave wanting more of what we have.

Thinking Twice About Conflict

Conflict is a part of life.  We turn on the news and we hear of tension in the Middle East.  We get on-line and we read of the rancor of partisan politics.  When we get a little closer to home, we all have felt the sting of conflict where we live and work.  We see such tensions all the time in our homes, offices, or classrooms.  Personalities, egos, and agendas rise up and create schisms.  And, as tragic as all of this is, it’s even more tragic when conflict seeps through the walls of the church, and into the hearts of those that follow Christ.

From where does such corrosiveness come?  The Bible tells us that conflict is not the work of God.  It is rooted in the selfishness of our hearts and our own earthly desires.  The Scripture says,  

“Who is wise and has understanding among you? He should show his works by good conduct with wisdom’s gentleness. But if you have bitter envy and selfish ambition in your heart, don’t brag and deny the truth.  Such wisdom does not come from above but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.  For where envy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every kind of evil. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peace-loving, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good fruits, without favoritism and hypocrisy.  And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who cultivate peace” (James 3:13-18, HCSB).

James reminds us that this evil has no place in the life of a Christian.  Sadly, too many who claim to follow Jesus are agents of conflict.  And, far too often, the body of Christ bears the scars of their handiwork.  How can we profess Christ with one breath, and destroy a fellow believer with the next?  Such behavior is unattractive, unbiblical, and un-Christlike.  It is completely inconsistently with the faith we profess.  

Are there times when conflict is necessary?  Of course.  We must always contend for the truth and for righteousness.  But, we all know that those usually aren’t the battles we wage.  We fight over music.  We find over friends.  We fight over budgets and power.  All the while, besmirching the name of Christ and the reputation of His church.  The next time we get the itch to fight, we might want to think twice.  We might want to be sure we are contending for a major point of biblical doctrine, or making a stand for the righteous behavior of His people.  We might want to be sure that our desire to flex our muscles has nothing to do with our own selfish ambition and enviousness nature.  Because if it does, we would do well to remember from where such a desire comes.

That Which We Cannot Afford to Leave Behind

Church leadership resources are everywhere.  There are conferences, seminars, books, dvds, and on-line instruction galore.  Everywhere we turn, we find someone else’s insight on how we should get things done.  We face a real abundance of information.  With all of this at our disposal, it’s unfortunate that we see a tragedy taking shape.  In recent times, we have seen churches and denominations alike make decisions to depart from the things we cannot afford to leave behind. 

Paul reminds us of the importance of staying grounded in Christ and the Scripture.  He writes,

“our hope is in the living God, who is the Savior of all people and particularly of all believers.  Teach these things and insist that everyone learn them.  Don’t let anyone think less of you because you are young.  Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity.  Until I get there, focus on reading the Scriptures to the church, encouraging the believers, and teaching them” (1 Timothy 4:10-13, NLT, emphasis added). 

In another letter, Paul would encourage Timothy to stay faithful to the teaching of the Scripture (2 Timothy 3:14-17).  He would later add, “Preach the word of God.  Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not.  Patiently correct rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching” (2 Timothy 4:2, NLT).

These words echo what Paul wrote to the Elders in Ephesus.  The book of Acts contains his words.  It says,

“Feed and shepherd God’s flock—his church, purchased with his own blood—over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as elders.  I know that false teachers, like vicious wolves, will come in among you after I leave, not sparing the flock.  Even some men from your own group will rise up and distort the truth in order to draw a following” (Acts 20:28-30, NLT). 

Paul challenges the leaders of the church to stay in sound doctrine and be aware that there may be false teachers arise out from them.

In our world today, we are surrounded by those who seem to abandon every central tenant of Christian faith, yet still profess to Christian.  What’s even more tragic is that many of these are leading others to follow them into this abyss of falsehood.  Now, don’t misunderstand me.  I’m not trying to create some legalistic concept of following God.  I’m not trying those secondary issues that are matters of personal conscience and conviction.  I’m speaking of those things of which the Scriptures clearly speak.  What’s it take to be born again?  What’s it mean to be a Christian?  Where do we turn for guidance and direction?  Who is Jesus?  What is marriage?  Why live righteous and pure lives?  And many, many more.

These questions, and many others, are clearly answered in Scripture.  Yet, we find more and more rejecting biblical revelation in favor of their own misguided beliefs.  May God forgive us and help us.  May we return to Him, and to the revelation He has given through Christ and His Word.  May we not abandon that which is essential, in order to turn to that which is inspired by the deceiver (1 Timothy 4:1-2; 2 Timothy 4:3-4).  May we stayed anchored and obedient to God and His Word.

Why VBS?

Our church began its Vacation Bible School this week.  Many would ask why we still have one.  It takes a tremendous amount of energy and effort.  People have put a great deal of time into preparing to teach, decorating rooms, and inviting families.  People have spent countless hours praying for this event.  Some would suggest that it’s a lot of effort to put towards kids that the skeptic says we’ll never see again.  Some would even suggest that we may be doing more harm than good because some children may make an insincere, emotional decision and rest in some false sense of security.

I am the first to recognize some of the pitfalls of something of this nature.  With that said, however, there are a few reasons why I believe it’s important for us to do VBS.  For one, it rallies people to a cause bigger than themselves.  This week is really like any other in our church’s calendar.  As I mentioned above, scores of people put in an incredible amount of time.  Designers and builders design and build.  Prayer warriors pray.  Teachers teach.  Sounds a lot like the body working the way that it should to me (Romans 12:3-8).

Second, it shows the love of Christ to children and their families.  In the world that we live in, so many families are fractured and overwhelmed.  Perhaps no institution in our society is under more assault than the family.  And, tragically, children often pay the price.  We have the opportunity to remind the children of our community that God loves them and that we love them.  For some of them, it may be the only time they get a chance to hear something like that.  At the same time, we can touch their parents and grand-parents with a biblical message of hope and love.

In the course of loving these children and their families, we have the opportunity to share the gospel of Christ with them.  Again, I understand what some may say about the sincerity of someone’s decision.  But, if someone (be it a child or an adult) asks to surrender his or her life to Jesus, and can express a basic understanding of sin and salvation, is it not our responsibility to help them in that decision? 

My own testimony bears this out.  I come from an unchurched family.  As a child, I would occasionally attend a Vacation Bible School in our community.  One year I walked an aisle, said a prayer, and went home and proclaimed I “had a white heart”.  I was sincere, but ignorant.  My family never went to church after that, and even though I sporadically might have attended, I was hardly a disciple.  Years later, I became concerned about my relationship with God, and asked my parents if we could go to church.  While attending a church (interestingly one of a different denomination than the one where I went to VBS), I accepted Christ as my Lord and Savior.  At the very worst, my childhood VBS experience was a gospel seed planted that was harvested a decade later. 

That’s our hope and prayer every year when we enter into this venture.  That lives will be touched.  Perhaps today.  Or maybe ten years from now when a young adult will be prompted by the Sprit of God to respond to God’s grace and accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.  That’s why we do this.  May God bless us in these efforts once again.

The Object of our Worship

The book of Revelation is a lot of things.  It is a picture of things to come.  It is a reminder that those who place their faith in Christ are triumphant in the end.  And, it’s an awesome picutre of worship.  As John ascends into heaven to look at the things to come, he gets a glimpse of heavenly worship.  He sees four living creatures and twenty-four elders engaged in worship.  As the four living creatures proclaim the holiness of God, the elders fall to the ground celebrating who God is.  John records their words for us.  The Bible says, “You are worthy, O Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power.  For you created all things, and they exist because you created what you pleased” (Revelation 4:11, NLT).

God is indeed worthy of our worship.  He is our awesome Creator and Redeemer.  He is truly worthy to be praised.  On this upcoming Lord’s Day, many of us will have the opportunity to gather with others to celebrate who God is and what He is doing.  We need to remember exactly who it is we are worshipping.  We are not worshipping a music director or a pastor.  We are not celebrating the designer of our clothes or the architect of our buildings.  We are worshipping the holy, living God.  He is the One who made all that is.  He is the One who deserves all honor, glory, and power.  He is the object of our worship.  Let’s have a great day celebrating Him.

Making Disciples or Growing Churches

Every now and then, God really shakes me up.  It usually happens when I’m in a car traveling somewhere (and no, it has nothing to do with my driving).  Recently, God really challenged me regarding my priorities.  As a pastor, I often find myself obsessing over some aspect of church life.  There are sermons to prepare for, people in the hospital to see, and administrative duties to be done.  In addition, there is all of the leading, mentoring, and vision casting that comes with your name being on the sign.  Through it all, there is the constant challenge of reaching people with the gospel. 

Just recently, in one of those moments of obsessing about the state of the church, God really spoke to me.  He challenged me to quit worrying about growing the church and start focusing on making disciples.  Now, I want to throw a few disclaimers in here before we go any farther.  For one, I fully realize a lot of people frequently (myself included) use these terms synonymously.  We often use church growth, evangelism, and making disciples interchangeably.  Secondly, in no way is this a statement against the concept of church growth.  A church should grow.  It should grow numerically, spiritually, and missionally.

With that said, let’s look at two statements Jesus made.  Both of them are found in the gospel of Matthew.  One in the middle of the book, and the other at the end.  As Jesus and His disciples entered Casesera Philippi, they engaged in a conversation about His identity.  Jesus asked the twelve what the masses were saying.  He then became very personal and asked them directly who they thought He was.  Peter speaks up quickly and boldly.  He says, “You are the Christ,  the Son of the living God”(Matthew 16:16, ESV).  Jesus commends him and then proclaims, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.  And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it“(Matthew 16:17-18, ESV, emphasis added).

We could spend a lot of time and energy talking about Peter’s confession, who is the rock, and the revelation, but that is for another time and another place.  I want to focus on what Jesus says about the church.  Notice again that He says, “I will build my church.”  He doesn’t call Peter to build it.  He doesn’t challenge the disciples to build it.  He proclaims that He will build it.  He will build it and nothing, not even Hell itself, will overcome it.

The second statement I want us to focus on is a familiar one.  After the resurrection, Jesus encounters the disciples in Galilee.  Jesus gives them their (and our), famous marching orders.  He says, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.  And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:18-20, ESV, emphasis added).  Without bogging down in a lengthy discussion of Greek grammar, we simply need to understand that the one command in the entire “Great Commission” is the one “to make disciples.”  We are to reach people with the gospel message and teach them to grow in Christ.

With these two statements, we see quite a contrast.  Jesus will build His church, but we are to make disciples.  What happens when we forget who does what?  When we build a church, we draw a crowd.  We see people respond to felt needs, be they friendship, programs, music, or personalities.  We find ourselves in an ever-widening pool that never deepens.  In the minds of many in the crowd, depth was not part of the agreement.  It didn’t come with the invite card.  As time goes on, our frustration begins to grow.  Crowds are restless and aren’t real stable.  As the crowd fluctuates, we bounce from method to method, fad to fad.  All of this is done looking for that one new tool that can keep the effort fresh.  Still no depth.  Eventually, we get tired of the puddle.

Realize once again that I am not trying to be critical of a church’s evangelism efforts, nor am I suggesting they aren’t important.  I am simply trying to remind us who actually grows the church, and what happens when we try to wrestle that responsibility away from Him.  When we place that burden on our shoulders, we build a crowd that cannot stand up to the impact of a low pressure front or win the battle with a ringing alarm clock, let alone withstand the gates of Hell.

It is our responsibility to make disciples.  As mentioned earlier, that begins by reaching people with the gospel of Christ.  I’m not sure the method matters (as long as it’s biblical and ethical), but we must engage others with the truth of the claims of Christ.  We would do well in that conversation to remember terms and concepts like love, faith, grace, and repentance.  It is also our responsibility to lead those who are following Christ to grow in a deeper relationship with Him.

Jesus will indeed build His church, and it will prevail just as He said it would.  We need to leave that to Him.  We need to begin to do what He called us to do – reach people with gospel, teach them all that He has taught us, and baptize them into a local body of believers.  He can build the church.  We’ll try to make disciples.

Getting into Spiritual Shape – Being Active in a Local Church, Part 3

The last thought I want to share with you about being active in a local church emphasizes that word “active.”  It is important that we utilize the gifts and talents we have in the service of the Lord.  For most of us, we would never walk into a bank, pull a gun, and commit a robbery.  We think nothing, however, of robbing God of our service.  We usually think of “robbing God” in terms of finances.  The truth is, however, that we rob God whenever we are bad stewards.  Stewardship includes our gifts and our talents. 

We mentioned earlier that every church has its share of problems.  No church is perfect.  All of them have areas they need to improve.  The problem is there are too many people pointing out the shortcomings and not enough people willing to be part of a solution.  Instead of tearing your church down for its problems, get involved and help solve them.  Use your gifts and your talents in a way that makes a difference in someone’s life.  If you can teach, teach.  If you can lead, lead.  If you can serve, then serve.  If music is your thing, get invested in the worship team.  You are the only one that can limit what God can do through you.  Let Him work through your gifts and abilities.  Get up out of the pew and make a difference.

The Bible says, “Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms” (1 Peter 4:10, NIV).  God has entrusted some wonderful things to us.  He has shaped our experiences and our personalty.  He has given us likes and talents and abilities.  He has blessed us with spiritual gifts.  All of these things make up who we are, and God desperately wants to use us in His service.  As you get into spiritual shape in this year, resolve to let God use you.

Getting into Spiritual Shape – Being Active in a Local Church, Part 2

Have you ever been to a live sporting event?  It’s a great place to be if you are a sports fan.  I have been lucky enough to attend several sporting venues over the years.  I have seen the Pittsburgh Penguins play in play-off games, been to a half a dozen or so major league ballparks, watched a few NBA games, and been able to watch the Buckeyes play in the Horseshoe.  I had great times at all of them.  What makes these events so special?  It’s being a part of the event.  I can see the game better on television, but there is an excitement and an enthusiasm that comes with being a part of the crowd. 

Being active in a local church is like that.  Obviously, we can worship God alone, but there is something special about gathering with other people to celebrate who He is and what He is doing.  There is something exciting about rubbing elbows with people who want to express their thanksgiving and praise to their Creator and Savior.  Simply stated, church can be a great place to worship.

I hear some of you saying, “you don’t know my church.”  Maybe you don’t particularly like the music, or your musicians struggle a little bit.  Maybe your pastor doesn’t preach as well as the guy on the radio or t.v.  Perhaps your worship service is a little too loud, or a little too quiet.  Well, believe it or not, it’s possible to still worship enthusiastically despite some of your church’s shortcomings.  Worship is more than the music or the message alone.  There is more to it than the building and a perfect PowerPoint presentation.  It’s the sum of all the parts, not just one or two of them. 

Worship is really an expression of the heart.  It’s amazing how much better our worship experience is when our hearts are right with God.  We often think that it’s the job of worship to get our hearts right.  We need to work a little harder, however, to make sure our hearts are right before we go into worship.  We would be surprised at how much things would improve if we did.

Perhaps it would help improve our heart and our worship if we spent just a little bit more time praying for the worship service of our church.  We could take some time during the week and just ask God to do something special in and through the people that lead our services each week.  Maybe your Sunday School class or your small group could take just a minute or two to lift up the following Sunday’s service in prayer.  Pray for your pastor and music leaders.  Pray for the people who stand at the door and say, “good morning.”  On an individual note, we need to ask God to help us have right hearts and attitudes.  Ask Him to deal with whatever is in your life that might keep you from worshipping Him effectively.

We can help our worship service in other ways too.  Perhaps you are a musician or a singer, you could offer to be a part of your church’s music program.  Maybe you have a good ear or like gadgets and gizmos, you could be a part of the audio/visual team.  Perhaps you could help put together the PowerPoint slides or help prepare the building.  Be willing to let God use your interests and giftedness.  Think outside the box.  Volunteer and be part of a solution.  There are countless ways we can improve our worship.  Remember, however, that the first step begins on the inside.

Getting into Spiritual Shape – Being Active in a Local Church

I often hear people say, “I don’t need a church to have a relationship with Jesus.”  There is a lot of truth in that statement.  A church cannot make us right with God, nor does simply walking in the doors to a church keep us right with God.  That being said, however, being involved in the local church is a significant part of a Christian’s life and development.  Being active in church is important for a number of reasons.

For one, it allows us to draw strength and encouragment from other believers.  It also allows us to encourage and strengthen others who need it.  The Bible tells us, “And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near”(Hebrews 10:25, NLT).  You and I need some help along the way.  It’s not always easy being a Christian.  Work gets tough.  Family life can be taxing.  It often seems like we are swimming upstream.  Where can we go to interact with people who share our values and can help us not feel so alone?  The local church.  Big or small, your church is a great place to be encouraged.

It’s important at this point to be reminded of something – no church is perfect.  Each one has its flaws and problems.  Unfortunately, some have more than others.  But the point is don’t quit attending somewhere because it’s not perfect.  Families have flaws.  We are all works in progress.  Find a church that is Christ-centered and teaches the Bible clearly.  Make sure it has a high view of Jesus and a high view of Scripture.  These are essential.  When these are in place, the other things tend to work themselves out. 

What other things are worth looking for?  It’s important to be involved in a place that looks outside itself.  If the church is interested in reaching outside  its walls, if it has a heart to reach people, then it is probably has a heart for God.  It’s too easy for a church to simply look inward, and allow everything to become inward focused.  Find a place that is interested in taking God to other people.

In the days ahead, we’ll talk a little more about why being involved is important.  But for now, find a place where you can live Jesus outloud.  Find a place you can encourage and be encouraged.  Find a place that points you to Jesus and focusses on His Word.  Find a place that tries to reach others.  If you can, that’s a place worth investing yourself in.