"I want a church like that!"

When the Devil says "NO"

2010-12-13T13:02:00.001-08:00

When the devil says “NO”

One of my favorite bible stories is when Jesus descends from the mount where he has been transfigured and a little one on one time with his father to find his disciples in a fight with the religious leaders of the day. The fight was over a demon possessed boy. You find this in Mark 9. The boy was in terrible shape; not being able to speak, having seizures, foaming at the mouth, jumping into water, jumping into fire and all the other things that go along with a “made for TV” demon possession. The father had brought the boy to the disciples asking them to cast out the demon and heal his son. He obviously had confidence in their ability to do this since they were associated with Jesus.

The disciples probably thought, “we can handle this, we’ve done this before.”

The disciples probably thought, “this is one of our specialties.”

The disciples probably thought, “even though Jesus isn’t here we will do this and maybe get some attention for ourselves.”

The disciples probably thought, “this needs attention immediately so time is of the essence, let’s get started.”

So the disciples went to work casting out the demon. They spoke the words they had spoken before to other demons but this demon didn’t leave. They spoke those words a little louder and the demon didn’t leave. They spoke those words with more passion emphasizing the name of Jesus and the demon didn’t leave. Maybe they stomped their feet while they commanded that demon to leave. Nothing happened. Maybe they waved their hands, jumped up and down, made a show, got angry. Nothing happened. The demon just sat there defying whatever the disciples were doing. It would not leave, it would not go away, it wasn’t scared, it wasn’t doing anything except staying right there in that boys life.

Enter the teachers and religious leaders. They saw their opportunity and engaged the disciples in some kind of doctrinal or theological argument. While the boy suffered the religious people argued. Can you hear the name calling? The accusations? The belittling? Been there and done that?

That’s when Jesus steps into the scene. To make a long story short he instantly healed that boy and drove the demon out. The boy convulsed and fell down as though dead. Jesus then lifted him up by the hand and gave him his life back.

Later on the disciples asked, “why couldn’t we do it?” Jesus answered, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer (and some add ‘fasting’).”

Are you meeting some of the “this kind” of demons in your life and ministry? “This kind” refers to a more ingrained, deep seated and entrenched kind of spiritual power. “This kind” refers to something more serious and evil than the normal. “This kind” doesn’t move over or move out easily. “This kind” comes in to stay and resists commands from spiritually impotent believers. “This kind” laughs at pretenders using the name of Jesus. “This kind” taunts those who have the reputation for being something but have no real power. “This kind” sneers at the formulas we use. “This kind” respects nothing but real kingdom power.

I think we live in a world where we are going to be meeting “this kind” of spiritual entity more in more. “This kind” of evil spiritual power will not be impressed or moved by Sunday school platitudes, by lackluster worship, by small group touchy feely exercises. “This kind” can smell doubt, can smell fear, can smell unbelief and can smell fakery a thousand miles away.

We can scream all we want, we can preach until our throats are parched, we can pray, declare, command, announce and claim until we are blue in the face but “this kind” will only submit to a spiritual power higher than its own. It respects no other power but the one that is greater than itself.

The greatest compliment that ever came to Paul was when a demon told some spiritual pretenders, “Jesus I know and Paul I know but who are you?” (I wonder if that demon may have thrown a few choice words in there right when he said, “who the ___________ are you?") The demon knew Paul (the great compliment) because he was feared and spoken about in hell and in demon circles. The demon clearly knew the difference between one who had power in Jesus and the one who simply used the name of Jesus as a good luck charm.

Jesus told his disciples that it was prayer that would get them equipped to handle this special kind of evil power. Prayer backed up with fasting.

I have had occurrences of meeting the hostile dark side when our simple prayer that we prayed didn’t change much of anything. We have all met the entrenched demons who won’t move until they are forced to. We have met spiritual powers in our churches, in our ministries and in the hearts of people who are so prevalent that they exist in open defiance of God’s people. These spiritual entities are daring us to move them. They openly speak to us that they own the land and they aren’t moving no matter what. They sneer at our vain attempts to remove them. They simply tell us, “NO! We aren’t going anywhere!”

Not so fast. Jesus told His disciples to meet this demon with prayer. We begin the process by praying, praying hard, praying through, praying the word, praying with all prayer.

Prayer first equips US for the battle. Prayer puts things into proper perspective in our hearts. Prayer strengthens us. Prayer changes us. Prayer makes us brave and courageous. Prayer makes us rely on God’s power and not on our ability to come up with the right combination of words to get the job done.

Prayer also calls God on the scene. The name of Jesus announces to the unseen world that the King is here, that the King’s power is on site. Prayer calls the forces of God into the situation. Prayer unleashes the hand of God.

We pray the Word of God. We pray the words of truth. We pray the truths of God which restores order. The Word of God is the sword of the spirit. It is a weapon that cannot lie, cuts down lies and cannot be defeated. It is so much more powerful when we say, “the Father says…” then when we say, “I say…”

Prayer takes the fight to the enemy. Now we are ready to command and demand and order the enemy to move. He may resist for a while but he must and will obey. He may lie and tell you that he is in charge and he won’t go and that this is the way it always will be, but he is only testing you. The enemy will move because the name of Jesus is stronger and breaks him.

I assure you that you will meet “this kind” somewhere in your life. That meeting will expose you as both weak and impotent or as one walking in the spirit. You will be exposed as either a contender or a pretender. Here is to your victory!

Luke 11:21-22 (NLT)

For when a strong man like Satan is fully armed and guards his palace, his possessions are safe—22 until someone even stronger attacks and overpowers him, strips him of his weapons, and carries off his belongings.

My Personal Anti Back Row Campaign

2010-09-27T10:27:00.001-07:00

9/22 My Personal Anti Back Row Campaign

It has been a mystery since the first set of seats were ever placed in a church. It has been studied, it has been measured, psychologists have analyzed it, experts have theorized about it but no real answer has ever been given. And just what are we talking about? Why the back seats in the church always fill up first.

It’s like the law of gravity; it cannot be broken or defied. This practice is in concrete, this activity has been set in stone, it is just the way that it is.

There’s something about sitting back there, far away from all the action. It is like a statement that says, “leave me alone!” Maybe it is a subtle form of non involvement. Maybe the preaching gets easier to tolerate the farther back it goes. Maybe the back row person just doesn’t want the preacher to spit on him. Maybe there is a back row club that I don’t know about with their own handshakes, tattoos, Bible imprints and secret codes.

Every preacher has tried their hand at moving back row people up; embarrassment, motivation, guilt, shame, freebies, discounted tithing, better padding up front, electro shock therapy, etc. Nothing has ever worked.

Maybe the real question is; why does the preacher want those in the back to move up front or at least closer? There are a number of reasons;

1. Compactness – the sight of people sitting one to a pew and scattered all around except the back few rows is rather empty feeling. Everyone on the planet knows that preaching ability rises with the amount of good “amens” and the more crowded the sanctuary looks.

2. Interest – when the front is empty and the back is crowded it just seems nobody is really interested. If that were you up front speaking and we all came and sat as far away from you as possible, what would you think?

3. Comfort – it is proven by ergonomic tests and old people’s testimonials that those seats in the back are not as comfortable as the seats in the middle and especially the seats in the front. Let’s just say they have been less used which means more cushion!!!!

4. The Speed of Sound – Do you realize that the sermon ends faster up front? By the time the last point echoes to the back row the upfront people are already at the steak house ordering.

5. Seeability – from the back you miss the action! You don’t get to see the miscues, the fumbles, the facial expressions of the preacher which tell the real story of the sermon. And what about those at the altar? You won’t get to see which people are up front praying after the sermon on adultery.

6. Politeness – it just seems so much nicer and caring to see people sitting together instead of alone. Nothing worse than seeing a visitor scanning the crowd wondering why they are sitting closer to the front than anyone else. To them that is a sign, a bad sign.

7. Spiritual Authority – if the preacher asks you to move then there must be a good, spiritual, theological reason for it and since he is your spiritual mentor it must be good for you! And the Bible says to submit to your elders.

8. Predictability – same people, same place, same look, every week. How boring is that? Doesn’t exactly explain the revolutionary spirit of the mighty Church of the living God does it?

9 Consideration – visitors always come in at the last minute and so to be considerate it would be great if they could duck in and find a back seat instead of having to scan the sanctuary and make the embarrassing walk up front.

So here it goes, I am throwing down the challenge, can Liberty Street become the first church to defy the law of the back row? Can we make a move to the middle, or the front? That will send a message to the world, to the preacher, and to the visitors who come that we are interested, in tune and involved.

And here is my second challenge; you can move back to the back when you have found someone to take your seat up front. That’s right, you can’t sit in the back until you have recruited a new person/family to take your seat up front. That should fill the church in a hurry!

Like the Beatles said, “shake it up baby!”

Broad Shouldered, Smelly, Bicep Bulging, Hairy Backed, Chest Thumping, In Your Face MEN!

2010-09-24T07:25:00.000-07:00

Everywhere I turn in ministry and in the church there seems to be one constant need that never gets filled enough; the need for strong, affirmative, decisive and focused male leadership. Liberty Street Church used to be called the “manless church.” There wasn’t a man to be found. Women did all the work and held this place together. That is no longer the case. Now we have plenty of men but there is always a deep need at every level of the church for real strong Christian men to lead.

Let me say up front that I appreciate all the work that women have brought to the table for the church. They are doing a tremendous job in their ministries and the church couldn’t make it without them (and I wouldn’t want to try!) - but there are student/children’s/teaching/elder ministries that are crying out for strong male leadership. So many children come from homes where the fathers have abandoned their roles or have left the family and so there is no positive male role model in their lives. So many of our students have a deep need to see a man who is living for Christ without shame, a man that they can talk to, a man who is in love with another man – Jesus!! So many leadership roles go begging for someone who is tough and yet Spirit led which many men can fill.

So here goes my call; where are the broad shouldered, hairy backed, bicep bulging, unafraid Christian men who can say “YES” to a commitment of hands on ministry with children and with students and in other critical areas of ministry? Where is the man who can serve under leadership and yet get involved in becoming a role model and a mentor to others? I am thankful for every man who was taken on the projects of remodeling our buildings but we need some men who will remodel the lives of our young people.

My profession (professional ministry) is rife with soft, uncalloused, smooth talking, cardigan sweater wearing, sniffling, apologetic men with perfectly combed hair. That embarrasses me. Men are adventurers, fighters, warriors, conquerors, never back down from a challenge kind of people…But put a man in a church and that spirit goes away. I’m calling you out to put your manhood on display…

We need men, men of God, men who are not afraid to get down and dirty with our students.
We need men who are not afraid of leading.
We need men who are not afraid of getting personal and up close.
We need men who can play flag football and dodge ball.
We need men who can pray with others.
We need men who can discipline and correct the behavior of students.
We need men who know something about the Bible.
We need men who know how to love students.
We need men who can be role models.
We need men who can stand against the wind.
We need men who will put their life on the line for others to succeed.
We need men who can model how to love their wives.
We need men who won’t walk away from a fight.
We need men who hate the devil.

Are you one of those men?

And here is the deal, if you are offended by an article like this, you’re not the guy the church is looking for.

I am from the future

2010-08-06T04:52:00.000-07:00

I am from the future. I’ve been trying to hide this for a long time but I decided to come out of the closet and reveal that I am from the future. I have already seen what the outcome is. I already know how it will turn out. I can see the destination that you are heading for right now. I am from the future, living in the present, to warn you about what is ahead.

To the user of pornography, the future is not pretty. You will find that this habit is greedy. It will demand more of your time, more of your money, and what once satisfied will no longer satisfy which will lead you into deeper and deeper perversion. I have already seen your end; risking yourself professionally, risking your career, devaluing your wife, divorce, isolation, public embarrassment, etc.

To the resentful who cannot forgive, things look bleak ahead. As you vow to make others pay for what they have done to you your heart simply grows cold and hard. Your anger splashes out against anyone and everyone - especially those who you love the most. You are critical and you become very unattractive. In the end you are alone.

I have been at your divorce. I watched as love, respect, compassion gave way to demands, arrogance and selfishness. When the little things that make a woman feel special stopped happening I knew where that road was leading. And I was there when the second marriage headed the same direction. I’m from the future and I tried to tell you but you wouldn’t listen.

I have already been at judgment day and watched you there. As you stood before Almighty God I saw you squirming, fishing for excuses, trying to present your case in the best light possible. It’s amazing how serious somebody can get about God when it’s too late.

Because I’m from the future I have come back to the present to warn you about what is ahead. I know what’s in front of you and I’m here to tell you that it is time to change right now! You can do something right now. I’m from the future and I’m telling you what is ahead.

A Sunday Morning Win

2010-08-06T04:49:00.000-07:00

As leaders I think you should be absolutely clear on what a successful Sunday morning church experience looks like. Some people might measure success by numbers, some by technical excellence, some by how the soloist did, and some by the quality of the sermon. We have developed a simple sentence that describes the bullseye we try to hit on Sunday morning: an encounter with the living God in a loving church. If that happens Sunday we have succeeded. Simple as that.

So what is your part to play in making that happen?

“An encounter with the living God…” Have you ever considered how God shows up at church? Is He always in the building just waiting for us? Does He come during a certain part of the church service? Is He waiting for an invitation? I tend to believe that he is waiting for us to ask Him to come, in prayer, before He shows up.

Our desire is for every single person to encounter the living, sovereign, all powerful, healing, loving, grace filled, life changing lord of the universe in every service. If God does not show up then we are wasting our time. And God tends to show up where he is invited, where he is asked, where he is hungered for, where he is wanted and where his people are assembled for his purposes.

Your part to play is to pray for his presence, to be filled with the spirit yourself, and to be ready to respond to Him even at the slightest whisper.

“In a loving church…” The church is the physical presence of Jesus on this planet. When Jesus’ people assemble that place should look like and feel like being with Jesus himself.

We can all make this a more loving church. We can go out of our way to shake hands and hug as many people as possible at every meeting. We can stand at doorways and greet. We can stop ignoring and glancing past those people that we don’t know (do you know how many times I have watched guests totally ignored? It’s almost as if we don’t even see them!). We can make room for the visitor to sit with us. We can make an intentional effort to remember names. We can do our small part to make this the most loving place possible.

So that is what we aim for every Sunday morning. Sometimes we hit it and sometimes we miss. I simply remind you to play your part in helping us to hit the target.

Microsoft ripped me off

2010-07-06T12:26:00.000-07:00

Microsoft ripped me off

1 share of Microsoft stock in 1985 that sold for $21 is now worth $7,500. I feel ripped off because I always wanted to buy that share but never got around to it. On top of that nobody ever clearly informed me that this would happen or I would have made the effort, I would have scraped up the $21, maybe even $42! And when I went in to cash in on my INTENTIONS to own that stock, Microsoft just laughed me out of the building! The fact is that I had the same POTENTIAL as every other person to cash in on that boom but I never did, I never got around to it, I always intended to and got mad at myself for bypassing the opportunity.

This reminds me of so many things in life: if we would just make some minimal investments early the payoffs are huge later. Also, we are often found kicking ourselves when we know we missed a big opportunity, one that was right in front of us but we dismissed. On top of that we sometimes show up thinking that we can cash in on good intentions and find ourselves winding up short.

I have watched disappointed “church people” who have come to expect a “payoff” from the church but never got it because they never really invested anything in the church. They always intended to go to a small group, a church picnic, have someone over for dinner, but just never got around to it. Then when they have a death, or a birth, or a wedding, or a shower, or a surgery or some other event and no one shows they complain how the church failed them. They are trying to cash in on an investment they had never made! I feel sorry for those people.

On the other hand what makes a leader so invaluable IS the investment that they make in others. The payoff is in proportion to the time and amount invested.

Bottom line? Make the investment! It is never too late to get into the market and reap rewards. Intention doesn’t get it and doesn’t payoff. We must make people our priority. Know their names, do special things for them, listen, care, love in the name of Jesus. The rewards will grow as time passes and on the day when you need them they will be there for you.

APPEAR!!

2010-05-20T10:38:00.000-07:00

Phil 2:14-16 (NIV)
14 Do everything without complaining or arguing, 15 so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe 16 as you hold out the word of life--in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing.

Did you notice the link between the crooked and depraved generation and complaining and arguing? Complaining seems to be the mark of that generation.
And did you notice the link between complaining and the children of God in the verse? Their lack of complaining made them stand out and be noticed among the depraved generation.

Complaining. Our small group made up a list of different kinds of complainers such as:
- The “never happy” complainer. For this person it’s always “too hot or too cold, too much sun or too much rain.” They’re just not happy people.
- The “pity party” complainer. This is the person who always feels sorry for themselves and aren’t afraid to talk about it as if we are interested!
- The “stir up trouble” complainer. This is the person who is using his complaints to make leadership look bad. They use complaining as a way to undermine others.
- The “thorn in the flesh” complainer. These people let every minor irritation rule their day and their attitude.
- The “nagger.” Nagging is a form of complaining. It’s the complaint that you haven’t done what I wanted you to do.
- The “political” complainer. This is the person who is always griping about the government and how they’re messing up everything. This person always has an endless list of complaints.
- The “medical” complainer. We might call this person a hypochondriac. This person never runs out of illnesses, aches, diseases, warts, sicknesses, stubbed toes, carpal tunnel, backaches… I think you get the picture!
- The “driving” complainer. This person has never been on the road with anyone who knew how to drive correctly. Its funny how many accidents they have been in that have never been their fault.
- The “life stinks” complainer. There certainly are a lot of people who can’t stand any one and are disappointed in every one. Nothing is fair in their life!
- The “work / career” complainer. They hate their job, they hate their coworkers, they hate their paycheck, etc.
- The “gadget” complainer. They hate all modern technology. It’s funny how they can barely use a computer that know every nuance on Facebook!
- The “sneaky” complainer. They always say that they know no one wants to hear their complaint but they sneak it in.
- The “sharer” complainer. These people call complaining “sharing.”

The list could go on and on. Needless to say we are told by the bible to shine like “stars in the universe” and break up the darkness. Complaining is part of the darkness. Complaining exalts the negative. Complaining is the language of the faithless. Complaining deifies the devil and devalues God.

When the bible uses the word “shine” that same word is sometimes translated “appear.” It’s almost as if Paul is saying, “I didn’t know where to go and things were dark and confusing and then…you appeared.” All of us have a testimony like that, the testimony that includes the appearing of a significant person who influenced us toward Christ. My challenge to you is where are you shining? In whose life have you appeared?

Like the verse says, hold out the “word of life” to a generation that is wandering crooked paths. Your appearing with a life giving word will make all the difference!

How to raise a Moses

2010-05-09T17:25:00.000-07:00

H2E Heaven to Earth
Here is a very simple premise we will be working from for the next several weeks. The formula is H2E which means, “heaven to earth.” We are to be bringing heaven to earth. Everyday, wherever we are, to every person, in every situation you are a person of heaven and you are bringing heavens riches and the Glory to earth. After all, we are the light to the world!

You might remember that Jesus taught us to pray, “thy kingdom come, thy will be done on the earth as it is in heaven.” That is a powerful prayer, we are essentially calling for God to show up in power like a King would. Jesus taught us to pray that the kingdom, God’s bounty and God’s abundance God’s grace and God’s power would show up on this earth.

You might remember another time where Jesus said that the kingdom of God is within you.

So my premise is that you are part of the answer to this prayer, to be bringing the kingdom to this earth. You are an emissary of this kingdom. The answer to Jesus is prayer is often for you to show up, you is a kingdom man or woman -That you would bring heaven to earth. That when you show up a little bit of heaven shows up as well. That when you show up that some of the kingdom shows up as well.

Today is obviously mother’s day and I wanna talk to you about bringing heaven to earth into your home. Isn’t that where it’s all supposed to start? Isn’t that where faith is lived out first and foremost?

So, I want to talk to parents who are raising the next generation of leaders. And I want to talk to grandparents who are great influencers in the lives of their family still. I want to talk to spiritual mothers and fathers, those people who walk in our life and blaze a trail of Godly integrity and example. In other words all of us have a part to play in the raising up of the next generation of leaders.

I have been mesmerized by the scripture I am about to read. It is so countercultural, it is so illogical, it is not what most parents are teaching their children to do. I hope that this scripture will challenge us at the deepest levels and make us think about what kind of people we are raising up these days.

Maybe I should call this sermon, “how to raise a Moses.”

Heb 11:23-29 (NLT)
23 It was by faith that Moses’ parents hid him for three months when he was born. They saw that God had given them an unusual child, and they were not afraid to disobey the king’s command.24 It was by faith that Moses, when he grew up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter.25 He chose to share the oppression of God’s people instead of enjoying the fleeting pleasures of sin.26 He thought it was better to suffer for the sake of Christ than to own the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking ahead to his great reward.27 It was by faith that Moses left the land of Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger. He kept right on going because he kept his eyes on the one who is invisible.28 It was by faith that Moses commanded the people of Israel to keep the Passover and to sprinkle blood on the doorposts so that the angel of death would not kill their firstborn sons.29 It was by faith that the people of Israel went right through the Red Sea as though they were on dry ground. But when the Egyptians tried to follow, they were all drowned.

Do you see the, may I say, stupidity of this verse?

Moses refused, rejected, disowned royalty, privilege, safety, security, comfort, having it made? Which one of us as parents born as grandparents are instilling this kind of value into our kids?

Moses chose oppression? He opted for suffering? He knew that behind door number one was hardship, a life of discipline, a life of giving up things, the hot dry desert, and he chose that over door number two - the easy life? He chose abstinence over drinking? He chose purity over promiscuity? He chose serving people over being served by people? He chose dirty hands over clean hands? Which one of us as parents or spiritual leaders are living by example and are telling those that follow us to choose the hard road?

And verse 26 he thought it better to be insulted, criticized, questioned, talked about, reproached, offended and slighted instead of being wealthy, driving a nicer car, living in a better place, being able to pay for things that other people don’t have, living in a better neighborhood, enrolling the kids in the right schools, being esteemed and sitting on the most important boards, and having your name in the newspaper? What parents in their right mind are telling their kids this kind of stuff?

And the scripture goes on to say that Moses stepped out on some pretty big limbs and some pretty small ones as well. He did stuff by faith which means that he did things without any proof that anything was going to happen but he simply did it because God told him to. People thought he was crazy.

But he was Moses and this man brought heaven to earth.
- He brought the power of heaven to earth when a series of miracles forced the pharaoh to let the people of God leave from Egypt.
- He brought the love of heaven to earth when his prayers for his people stopped their destruction.
- He brought the grace of heaven to earth when his people sinned and he prayed that God would give them a second chance and God did.
- He brought the word of heaven to earth when he instructed his people about God’s commands.
- He brought the leadership of heaven to earth.
- He brought the wisdom of heaven to earth.

I’m just saying that Moses was a man who stood between God and people and brought the power of God, the kingdom of God, he brought heaven to earth. When Moses was around people knew that it was going to be alright. When Moses started praying people knew God was listening. When Moses started leading people followed. When Moses taught people took notes.

I want to preach for a minute…
How do you raise up a Moses?

I look at this man Moses and I wonder how it is that he grew up to make choices that were so counter cultural, so out of the norm, so not what everybody else was doing. How did he defy the pressure of his day to go the safe way, to do the normal thing? Where did he find the courage to leave the nest of safety and try something daring for God?

I’m just believing that we need some people like Moses today.
How do you raise someone who’s not afraid of suffering? How do you raise somebody who takes big risks and takes on pharaohs and takes on empires with nothing more than faith in the almighty God?
How do you raise someone who looks at sin and instead of being attracted by it is totally disgusted by it and brokenhearted over it? How is it that you raise a Moses who walks away from safety, who walks away from power, who walks away from status, who walks away from popularity, who walks away from friends, who walks away from the easy life, who walks away from all the enticements and temptations that our culture dangles front of us?
And then embraces people who have been slaves their whole life, and embraces an impossible task?

How do you raise a Moses who was putting on his clothes when everybody else is taking off theirs? How do you raise a man or woman who says yes to God’s will when it isn’t popular? How do you raise someone who chooses to be holy in a world of smut? How do you raise somebody who wants to serve and keep serving when it’s not convenient and when disappointment surrounds us?

We live in a culture that puts a lot of pressure on us to conform to its way. A culture that does not tolerate deviance from political correctness. A culture that laughs at 40 year old virgin’s. A culture that calls those with clear bible convictions about the great moral issues of this day bigots, ignoramus’, rednecks, right wingers and a host of other names.

We live in a culture that shapes us to conform to get the safe jobs, the guaranteed income, and yet we abandon our dream and our passion as we do this.

Don’t you feel that you were called to be a Moses? Isn’t there something in your soul that says “I wanted to be that guy?” Isn’t there something in us that wonders if we have ever made a real God decision that went against our own comfort? Isn’t there something in us that says a “I was called and created for something more than a good paying job with Health Insurance and a pension plan?”

I’m pushing the envelope but let me go on… Are we raising up any Moses’ this day, in your family, in our church? Are we modeling and teaching our kids and our students to be nonconformists, to be risk takers, to thumb their nose at the world, to choose to identify with Jesus Christ and hurting people, to refuse cushy jobs, to get off the merry go round of what everybody expects, to go to a Mission Field, to walk up to a red sea somewhere and walk through it?

We don’t raise up Moses’ because he’s not a hero anymore. Nick Swisher is a hero, Ben Rothelsberger is a hero, king Lebron James is a hero, or Sandra Bullock or JoLo or the latest movie star is a hero. And why? Because they can hit a ball, or hit a shot, or make lots of money?

In the book “the barbarian way” Erwin Mcmanus recounts a conversation with his daughter that typifies where we are these days. He said that his daughter told him, “daddy, one day I want to make up $1,000,000,000, and I want to give it all away. I want to help the four; I want to help the needy. I want to make $1,000,000,000, and I don’t care if I have nothing, but I want to give it all to help people.
Erwin Mcmanus listen any thought to himself, “her dream is almost right, I can fix it and make it right.” He said to her, “I want you to make $1,000,000,000 in gift to the poor and the needy, but it’s not a good idea that you have nothing. Then you would be needy and somebody would have to take care of you.”
She said, “I don’t care if I have nothing, daddy. I just want to make $1,000,000,000 and given away. I don’t care if I’m homeless. I don’t care if I have nothing.”
“But if you’re homeless, our taxes would have to pay for you.”
“I don’t care if I have nothing. I just wanna make $1,000,000,000 and give it away I don’t care if I have nothing.”

Finish on other page…

Just like that story, and we have all done this as parents and grandparents, but we want to domesticate and tame our children. We want them to be sensible. We want them to be protected. We want them to be safe. We don’t want them to struggle. We want them to carry sanitizer with them to avoid germs.
But I’m just saying you can’t raise a Moses, you can’t raise that kind of man or woman who takes on the powers that be, who leads people to a promised land, who hears from God in a way others don’t if all were concerned about is safety and protection and comfort.
It’s almost as if we spend our whole life as parents keeping our children away from danger, away from challenge, away from hardship. We tell them, “don’t climb up there, don’t go down there, don’t try that, stay off, stay out, stay in.” And when they get to be an adult we don’t want them moving away from home anymore than 50 miles!
As a parent and as a coach over the years I have watched as we have tried to correct every injustice and every unfairness in the lives of our kids. We protect them, we pay for their mistakes, we make excuses, we fight their battles, we won’t let them fail, we provide them with every distraction and gadget that we can find them make their life easier.

I’m just saying that’s not how you raise up Moses. That may be how you raise up of video game addict, or a spoiled brat, or an undisciplined mouthy rebellious teenager, or a sniveling baby… But it’s not how you raise a Moses.

I’m just a little concerned that we have lost sight of raising up daring, risky, God standing, devil fighting, fear conquering, faith believing, go anywhere, do anything, kind of kids.

I look at the scripture and I see three things that we can do as parents, grandparents, and spiritual parents;

1. Dangerousity from the top.

Hebrews 11:23 starts like this 23 It was by faith that Moses’ parents hid him for three months when he was born. They saw that God had given them an unusual child, and they were not afraid to disobey the king’s command.

How did Moses get to be a dangerous man? It’s because he had dangerous parents. His parents weren’t politically correct. His dad’s name was Amram and his mother’s name was Jochebed. They already had a daughter named Mariam who was about 14 years old and a son named Aaron who was about three years old. The word in Egypt was that all baby boys were to be killed because they were afraid of the explosive population growth among the Jews.

Moses is parents obeyed a higher law. They were not afraid. They were not afraid of a Kings command, they were not afraid of political correctness, they were not afraid to stand against an immoral law. So they hid baby Moses and defied the king of Egypt until they could hide him no longer. At that point the bible says that by faith they came up with this plan to put baby Moses and a basket and float him down the river trusting that God would meet the need.

That is crazy. That is dangerous. That is unheard of. That is a reason to call HHR, DHR, 911, CPS, and anyone else you can think of.

But God had a plan and it was a beautiful plan. That basket floated until of reached the daughter of the pharaoh of Egypt. She adopted that baby for herself. And Mariam, Moses’ sister was right there to suggest someone who could nurse that baby and it was none other than Moses’ own mother.

This baby Moses was given over to be nursed and taught and partially raised by a mother who knew God in a personal way and had a dangerous faith and was politically incorrect and didn’t care what the culture was promoting and as significant and imperative to be and believe.

How can we raise kids who will be dangerous and risky if all we ever do as parents is play it safe? It begins with us. Do our kids see a spring great prayers? Do our kids see us serving in great ways? Do our kids see us writing out significant checks for God’s work? Do our kids travel with us as we go on a missions trip into some of the most poverty stricken places in our city or in our world? Do our kids see us standing against the spreading virus of sin in our time?

Me, Dave Boone, Marvin, and some other adults that I’ve been with have stood on a waterfall at Summersville Lake 40 feet - 50 feet in the air and jumped off. Our kids followed.

Our kids followed.

Leave the nest of safety, leave the life of comfortable religion, leave the life of Sunday morning church, leave the life of never sharing your faith in a strategic way, leave the life of hiding talents, minimal giving, little faith, and playing it safe. Become dangerous for God. Take a jump off of a 50 foot spiritual waterfall and see how it feels!

2. Instilling a destiny.

…They saw that God had given them an unusual child, and they were not afraid to disobey the king’s command.

I love how the bible says that when they looked that Moses they immediately knew he was an “unusual child.” There was something special about him. His parents had already felt that he was destined for something more and for something great.

I think parents to raise up a Moses look at their children and see something more than the run of the mill, just like everybody else kind of kid. I know that I have sensed about certain people that God’s hand was touching them in a special way. But I also believe that God’s hand is touching everybody in a special way and it is our responsibility as parents, as grandparents, as spiritual parents to see to it that our children and students reach that spiritual destination, that God adventure for their life.

I hope every children’s church worker, every rock kids leader, every youth counselor, every Christian education leader, and every small group leader sees a special spiritual destination, a special vocational destination for the kids that they are working with. If you don’t see and communicate to our younger people this special destination then get out of the ministry!!!!

The church is not a hiding place from the world it is a training center be equipping us to take on the world, the flash and the devil. We raise champions for God not a bunch of wimps who can’t deal with what the world is dishing out.

What do you see in the lives of your children? Who are you promoting his heroes in their eyes? What experiences are you giving them that enhance their faith? Would you be more proud of your kid if he were leading a bible study on the campus of PHS or quarterbacking its football team? Let’s get our priorities right!!!

3. Don’t neuter deuter.

Here is some pretty practical stuff and we can do to raise a Moses.

Deut 6:4-25 (NLT)
4 “Listen, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. 5 And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength.6 And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today.

It begins with us! Love Him with every fiber of your being! Honor, obey, serve, you can’t pass down what you don’t have!

7 Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up.8 Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders.9 Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

Intentionally give your faith at every opportunity to your children. Reminders everywhere.
“But I want them to make up their own mind…” doesn’t that sound educated, and tolerant…. And absolutely stupid!!!!
- Try that with high school!
- Try that with drugs!
- Try that with sexual experimentation!

We don’t do with there that somehow we want to do that with Jesus Christ?

20 “In the future your children will ask you, ‘What is the meaning of these laws, decrees, and regulations that the Lord our God has commanded us to obey?’21 “Then you must tell them, ‘We were Pharaoh’s slaves in Egypt, but the Lord brought us out of Egypt with his strong hand.22 The Lord did miraculous signs and wonders before our eyes, dealing terrifying blows against Egypt and Pharaoh and all his people.23 He brought us out of Egypt so he could give us this land he had sworn to give our ancestors.24 And the Lord our God commanded us to obey all these decrees and to fear him so he can continue to bless us and preserve our lives, as he has done to this day.25 For we will be counted as righteous when we obey all the commands the Lord our God has given us.’

This is our story. He brought us out and he took us in.

Moses wrote these words. This is what he practiced.

I’m all for raising up a few more Moses’ kind of people.

During this time, there was a Hebrew couple named, who wanted very much to save their baby boy from being killed. They already had a daughter, Miriam (about 14 years old), and a son, Aaron (3 years old). But their baby was very special to them, too, and they wanted to protect him. For three months they managed to hide the baby boy but, after a time, Jochebed and Amram knew they had to do something else.

Easter 2010

2010-04-06T09:02:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine who’s been meeting with us on Thursdays to study a book was telling me about a conversation he had with someone who had just become a Christian. This brand new Christ follower told this pastor that for so many of the people that are hanging around the bars, that are partying, that are living admittedly sinful lives… Even though they are young they believe it’s “TOO LATE.” They believe that it’s too late to turn to God, too late to be forgiven, too late to make a change, too late to start again, too late to make up for lost time. There is a sense in which they are already doomed, their fate is written.

It seems to me that we live in the world of “TOO LATE.”

The world of too late is a world of disappointment.

- Too late is about hopelessness.

- Too late is about opportunities that can never be recovered.

- Too late is about decisions that can never be changed.

- Too late is about failures that dog us the rest of our lives.

- Too late are regrets about things we should’ve known better.

- Too late means relationships that we took for granted. Too late is about time that has passed.

People who live in the world of “too late” just sort of muddle through. They have given up on brighter days and better days. They may feel trapped with what they have and where they are.

In the world of “too late” we feel that there are things, people, powers that are dictating our life. The mistake that it’s “too late” to do something about now runs my life. In the world of too late we feel that there’s no way we can change things now. Maybe even prayer won’t help. Its so late that maybe God himself has abandoned me to my fate.

Once there was a man who asked Jesus to heal his daughter. On the way to the house the man’s friends informed him that his daughter had already died and they said, “why bother the teacher anymore?” What they were saying was it’s too late even for Jesus.

But if this day means anything it proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that there is never such a thing as “to late.” Easter Sunday, resurrection Sunday, tells us that we worship the God of surprises, of the impossible, of the unexpected, of the not feasible. When they put Jesus in the grave they thought that they had finished him off because death always wins. Death always silence is its victims. Death is the ultimate “too late.”

- Death stilled the hands of the one that cleansed lepers.

- Death is stilled the tongue of the one that when it spoke hearts started beating again, lungs started breathing again, muscles started walking again.

- Death stilled the legs that walked on water.

- Death stilled the eyes of the one who could see your future.

- Death stilled the brain of the one whose intelligence knew the secrets of the universe.

- Death stilled the heart of the one who’s love and compassion and grace caused him to serve us in our need.

- Death stilled the commands of the one that made demons flee.

- Death stilled the one who brought hope, who made things new, who gave second chances, who promised heaven.

Death was crying out, “it’s too late, it’s over, there will be no more miracles because there is no more Jesus.”

And we live in a culture of little hope, little Jesus, it’s never going to get any better.

That may be where most of the world lives but here is where we live…

Acts 2:22-24 (MSG)

22 "Fellow Israelites, listen carefully to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man thoroughly accredited by God to you—the miracles and wonders and signs that God did through him are common knowledge— 23 this Jesus, following the deliberate and well-thought-out plan of God, was betrayed by men who took the law into their own hands, and was handed over to you. And you pinned him to a cross and killed him. But God untied the death ropes and raised him up. Death was no match for him.

Pardon me, but we Christ followers live in the world of RESURECTION. We live in the world of never too late. We live in the world of a living Christ. We live in a world where that tongue still speaks, where that hand still touches, where his eyes still see, where his love still forgives, where his grace still invites, where miracle still happen, where he still teaches, and where he reigns. We live in the world where resurrection still happens.

Don’t you love how that passage ends? “Death was no match for him.” A world where the end is not the end! That even death had no power, no strength no ability to stop him from doing what he was doing.

I love how this passage tells us that the betrayal of man – and who here hasn’t been betrayed by men? – and the execution of an evil plan is not the end of anything. This passage tells us that our father over rules, undercuts every situation because he is a God who is bigger and a God of miracles.

The RESURECTION tells us it’s never too late. The RESURECTION teaches us that it has never gone too far. The resurrection teaches us that what we considered dead can be brought back to life.

If there’s something that I wish you could get today it would be the hope of the resurrection. That Jesus Christ is not dead. That he still does the undoable and fixes the unfixable and saves the unsavable and forgives the unforgivable and changes the unchangeable and beats the unbeatable. This is the message of God’s people, this is the gospel.

Peter states it again… In another setting… To people who refused to believe…

Acts 4:8-12 (NLT)

8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers and elders of our people, are we being questioned today because we’ve done a good deed for a crippled man? Do you want to know how he was healed? Let me clearly state to all of you and to all the people of Israel that he was healed by the powerful name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, the man you crucified but whom God raised from the dead. For Jesus is the one referred to in the Scriptures, where it says,
‘The stone that you builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.’
12 There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.”

He states it again, “you killed Him BUT God had other plans. And now the one that you killed and tried to mute is bigger than ever and unstoppable!”

Somehow there’s an application for this scripture in America. You can’t ignore this. To go against Jesus is futile and in the end you will pay.

There is no other name. There is no other place to turn. He is the cornerstone holding everything together.

Everyday there are resurrections happening on this planet. Everyday there are people coming to Christ. Everyday there are people forgiven and made new. Everyday this miracle is happening. Why not you?

How about one more scripture?

Eph 1:19-23 (NLT)

19 I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms.21 Now he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else—not only in this world but also in the world to come.22 God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church.23 And the church is his body; it is made full and complete by Christ, who fills all things everywhere with himself.

Resurrection power. Incredibly great. The same great power that defied death, the same power that raised Jesus from a grave, the same great power that gave life to a dead body, that same resurrection power that rolled the stone from the grave, the same resurrection power that makes all creation answer to Jesus Christ – he says is for us.

I believe in resurrection power. The believe that the impossible ISN”T! I believe in the improbable. I believe in a God power that brings life out of death.

Recapture the miracle mentality. It’s not too late. It’s not too bleak. It’s not too far gone. It’s not too bad. It’s not too discouraging. It’s not out of hand. It’s not out of control. It hasn’t gone too far. It can be turned around.

The same resurrection power that breathed life and vitality into the dead body of Jesus Christ is the same resurrection power that breeds vitality in life into us. IT’S NOT TOO LATE. THE ONLY TIME IT IS TOO LATE IS WHEN YOU STOP EVEN BEING CONCERNED ABOUT IT BEING TOO LATE. IF YOU HAVE ONE INKLING IN YOUR BEING THAT YOU WANT IT TO BE DIFFERENT…IT’S NOT TOO LATE. TURN TO JESUS RIGHT NOW!

Remember Jairus, “why bother the teacher?” We bother him because we believe in miracles, because we believe in resurrection power, because we believe that he will make something out of nothing, because we believe he is still in control over all things, because we believe it’s not too late, because we believe that he makes bad things good and the old things new and dead things alive.

That is what today is all about: Jesus is above all! You can trust a man who will die for you.

I serve a living savior was in the world today and I know that he is living no matter what men may say I see his hand of her mercy I hear his voice and cheer and just that I might need am he’s always near… He lives!

This isn’t in the bulletin…but does anybody need some resurrection power today???

It's not in the bulletin

2010-02-17T07:15:00.001-08:00

Let’s never cut out the unplanned part of every worship service and small group. The part that we don’t put in the bulletin or isn’t in the manual that we are following and isn’t part of the lesson plan. The part that I’m talking about is the miracle moment, the intervention of God in someone’s life.

I refer you to Luke 6:6-11. This seemed to be an ordinary Sabbath day with the usual order of service and the regular attendees. And then Jesus showed up. After that nothing was ordinary. When Jesus shows up the words “ordinary,” “normal,” “routine” and “the usual” go right out the window.

In that synagogue that morning three different groups collided. First there was a man the Bible said had a shriveled hand. He represents every person that shows up with a need in our church every Sunday. Secondly there were the Pharisees who were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus. These people show up in church every Sunday too! They are the naysayers, those who diminish the Glory of Jesus, those who want the schedule over the supernatural. Thirdly there was Jesus. Wherever and whenever Jesus shows up the Glory of God shows up as well. The Glory of God is the unmistakable works that only God and God alone can do.

You can’t schedule into the church service the Glory of God. God's Glory won't appear in the church bulletin right in between the chorale anthem and the pastoral prayer. Can you imagine opening your worship folder this Sunday and seeing in the order of service a line after the announcements that says, “Healing of a man with a crippled hand?” But we do know this; that when Jesus shows up his Glory will be there as well.

That Sabbath morning in that synagogue these three groups collided. Jesus brings the crippled man to the front of the sanctuary. Jesus is so moved out of his love and his compassion for this man that he practically dares anyone to stop him from healing the man. It's almost as if Jesus were saying, “is there a better time for me to show my love then right now?” The Pharisees are about to go ballistic but they can stop Him. Jesus had departed from the bulletin and the service was getting messy but it would be a service that no one would ever forget.

Jesus tells the man to take his shriveled hand out from its hiding place under his garments and stretch it out. As the man reveals his crippled hand the power of God heals it and makes it a new again. Maybe Jesus is asking us to reveal the things that we are hiding, the things that we don't want to see the light of day, our crippled areas of life and stretch it out to him. Part of the mission of Jesus is the touch these areas and bring healing and new life to what once was shriveled and crippled.

I still believe in miracles. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Jesus never asked anybody to play down their expectations of who he is and what he can do. He is still the king of Glory. He is still always better than expected. Jesus is still doing miracles like this. Pray for His glory to interrupt your church service this week!

Collision

2010-02-09T10:29:00.000-08:00

“At some point, a defining moment occurs; a particular call from God collides with a concrete need in our little corner of the world. The result is an atomic energy release, filling the leader’s heart with compassion and the leader’s conscious with conviction. A new vision is forged.”
Will Mancini in “ChurchUnique”

As I was reading this I began to reflect on what my call was/is. Where was it that my call connected with a need in our little corner of the world?
- My first call was a heartfelt burden to be a Pastor.
- I remember a more specific call that God gave; to wake up His church to be the church!
- I felt a call to be part of the greatest church in the MOV, a church that leaves its mark for God through lives changed forever.

What about now? I want to be part of a group of Christians – a church – who like Paul in the NT “turned the world upside down.” I want disciples to be “produced” from this church that fearlessly live for Jesus Christ wherever they are and whoever they are with. I want our meetings together to a time of life change and miracles. Is that too much to ask?

What about you? How can you change your little corner of the world? You can do it personally – one on one with people. You can do it with others such as your small group. And we can do it together as a church. But you won’t do it without a call and a conviction and a vision.

Brian

Monday morning and the long haul…

2010-01-24T19:12:00.001-08:00

I have been pastor at my church for 21 years. That is over 1000 Monday mornings to contend with. Monday is the day after the “big day” for pastors. Monday is the day of analysis, the day to practice letters of resignation, the day we are fired up or completely worn out because of the “big day.” Out of the those 1000 Monday’s I would guess I have composed my resignation about 100 times, wanted to compose someone else’s resignation about 100 times, was completely satisfied maybe 500 times and was disappointed 300 times. Everyone has a “Monday” even if it’s not on a Monday.

When Phinneaus’ wife gave birth on the same tragic day that the Ark of the Covenant was captured and her husband and father in law were killed, she named that baby “Ichabod” which meant “the glory has departed.” She had named her whole future and her child’s future according to one bad day. We can do the same thing. We can name our entire future according to one bad day. We must get over our addiction to the emotional residue left from the last meeting, the great or disappointing service and the criticism or the praise from your last sermon. We are running a marathon, not a sprint.

Here are a few things I have learned about going the distance;
1. I don’t have to hit a “home run” every Sunday. That is way too much pressure. My call is to preach the gospel in and out of season. I have many Sundays where I struck out, bunted, hit a foul ball and some where I did hit that homer. Every week doesn’t have to be better than the week before.
2. Disappointment is the distance between expectation and reality. Sometimes my expectation is way out of whack. I used to think that every Sunday might be the beginning of worldwide revival. I still like thinking that but I am a bit more real now.
3. Enjoy the ride. Stop putting pressure on yourself to preside over perfection. Tapes break, CD’s won’t load, wrong notes are hit, the power goes out, computers decide not to work, mic’s are too loud, feedback happens. Don’t let it ruin the day.
4. Don’t become a junkie looking for the next high. Ministry does get routine sometimes. Ministry does have its doldrums. Don’t go out looking for the fix it all conference or the blockbuster new method to generate adrenaline. Plod through it.
5. What God is doing and shaping in your church takes time…a long time. Yeah, I have heard the stories about the church planted that grew to a thousand people in 6 months but those stories are rare and unusual. Hang in there, God is sculpting not microwaving.
6. Be done with competition and comparing. There is hardly anything as damaging as comparing yourself and your ministry to others because we usually compare ourselves to something that makes us feel unworthy. Be done with comparing. Let God do something unique in YOU.
7. There is a hill that threatens to break you. I learned this in cross country. I also learned that it was all mental and not physical. You can beat this hill, just keep going.
8. Every church must be fought for. The problems in the church that the last guy left and the guy before him must not be left for the guy after you. You take it on and fight for your church.
Here is to your success!

A case of the Somedays - Jason Saluman

2010-01-08T19:43:00.000-08:00

Here is an excellent post I found...

A Bad Case of the Somedays

Jason » 05 January 2010 » In All, Life & Times »

“Someday, I’m going to chase that dream.”

“Someday, I’m going to get in shape.”

“Someday, I’m going to help those less fortunate.”

“Someday, I’m going to overcome that fear.”

“Someday, I’m going to ask her out.”

“Someday, I’m going to take my family on that trip.”

“Someday, I’m going to finish that project.”

“Someday, I’m going to learn that instrument.”

“Someday, I’m going to be debt-free.”

“Someday, I’m going to be a leader.”

“Someday, I’m going to spend more time with my kids.”

“Someday, I’m going to get these addictions under control.”

“Someday, I’m going to make a difference.”

A life full of regrets is paved on a path littered with somedays.

What’s it going to take to turn someday into today?

Someone dying?

Your health going downhill?

Your kids growing up?

Why wait?

You’re not promised tomorrow!

You have this moment- where your past and your future collide.

Replace the word someday with the the words, “Beginning today…”

And take the next step to advance that someday list forward.

You do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. - James 4:14

Now’s the time!

Today’s the day!

Don’t waste your life!

You’ve got a story to live!

Go live it!

Diva's

2009-12-03T13:44:00.000-08:00

As he sits on his stately perch with the instrument in his hands / the mummering crowd stops, now he is in command / when the last note is struck applause will be expected / for upon this affirmation is his mighty ego erected / amused and condescending to his tiny kingdom he tends / never knowing that he has just lost his last remaining friends

The diva. Yeeechhhhh!!! “It’s all about me, all the time. Think about me. Anticipate me. Applaud me. Appreciate me. Adore me. Plan around me. Need me. Listen to me.” I have had more than a few of these lovely people come across my path. They are users. They are abusers. They usually isolate themselves from the rest of the church. They always think “if I leave this church it will fall apart.”

The myth of Narcissus is interesting: he spurned love by all; none were good enough until that day he stooped over and saw his own reflection in a pond, “finally I have found one worthy of my love.” Narcissus drowned at that pool as he vainly stooped over trying to kiss his own reflection.

In my experience this is a disease that plagues ministry and ministers. Narcissism dogs our trail as we are tempted to overemphasize our own importance and devalue everyone else. We are tempted to fall in love with ourselves. We are tempted to think we are better than others. We are tempted to exaggerate our talents. We are tempted to have a sense of entitlement. We are tempted to believe everyone is envious of us. We are tempted to be arrogant.

In the end the arrogant, the diva, drives away everyone. They end up friendless and ministryless! They suck the life out of people, out of ministry and out of life. When everyone and everything is used up, they move on.

It’s funny how these people operate. They create the illusion of success with a paper trail of mediocrity at best and failure at worst. They become consultants to the rest of us, they advise us, and they always seem to land in high profile positions. Very strange. Their stints are usually short because it doesn’t take long for their shortcomings to alienate everyone.

When talent is bigger than character there is trouble is on the horizon.

Detination: Glory

2009-11-22T17:53:00.000-08:00

Destination: Glory

When Jairus fell at the feet of Jesus pleading with Him to cancel His schedule so that He might come and heal his dying daughter he got more than what he expected. I’m sure he thought a quick trip to the house, a prayer, and all would be well. But on the way there were delays, crowds, others who wanted healing and that resulted in Jairus’ daughter dying before Jesus could get there. The message came simply, “Your daughter is dead, why bother the teacher any more?”

Many of us are living in the land of “too late.” Many of have secretly said these words, “why bother Jesus any more? This is over.”

Maybe our marriage is on life support, or our ministry, or something else and we have decided that “even Jesus can’t fix this.” Dead is dead. Unfixable is unfixable.

An interesting thing happens at this point in the story. Jesus invites Jairus into another story. Jesus simply says, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.” The story began with Jairus asking Jesus to walk with him, now it’s Jesus asking Jairus to walk with Him. It starts with Jairus asking Jesus to fulfill his agenda, and now it’s Jesus asking Jairus to fulfill His agenda. This is the critical turnabout that we often miss. We want Jesus’ power to be demonstrated, but on OUR terms. Jesus wants to demonstrate His power but on HIS terms. Often He is simply asking us to walk with Him because He is going to do something we can’t imagine.

And what was Jesus asking Jairus to believe anyway? It was undefined. Jesus didn’t say, “believe that I will raise her from the dead…” He simply asked Jairus to believe in HIM. The same faith that drove Jairus to Jesus was the same faith Jesus wanted from Jairus when it got hard to believe. Just believe in Jesus no matter what the outcome may be.

And then we wait. Waiting is hard. Jairus had to walk through a crowd of doubters, through the mourners, through those who thought he was crazy, but this was Jesus’ show now, not Jairus’. Jairus could have pulled the plug anytime he wanted and that is what we are tempted to do during the wait.

Destination: Glory. All Bible readers know how the story ends. Jesus speaks, life returns to the girl, and everybody is completely amazed. The fact is we could have better endings to our tragic stories if we could just keep believing and walking with Jesus. I believe in His miracle power that turns tragedies into triumphs. Jesus power is always about His glory, not ours.

I ask, “why did it happen like this? Why didn’t Jesus just wave his hand and make it better from the start? Why allow Jairus to go through the pain, the wounding, the confusion, and the testing if Jesus was going to heal her anyway?” Because there is great character to be gained in trust. Jesus teaches us through Jairus to never give up too early. He teaches us that there is still resurrection power that undoes what we think is undoable. “Don’t be afraid, just believe.” (Mark 5:21-43)

The Power of a Bigger Story

2009-11-13T07:59:00.001-08:00

I was challenged by Reggie Joiner this week. In his book “Think Orange” he talked about the power of a bigger story.

A father went to his pastor to express his concerns about his daughter going “goth.” The pastor asked what he was doing to handle the change and he said, “yell and make her go to church.” The pastor replied, “I think your daughter is choosing a better story.”

He went on. “We’re all designed to live inside a story. Your daughter was designed to play a role in a story. In this story she has chosen, there is risk, adventure, and pleasure. She is wanted and she is desired. In your story, she’s yelled at, she feels guilty, and she feels unwanted. She’s just choosing a story that is better than the one you’re providing. Plus, in the midst of placing her in an awful story, you make her go to church. So you’re associating a bad, boring story with God, who has a great story. Don’t do that anymore. You have to tell a better story.”

Do you know what that father did? That week he decided to build an orphanage in Mexico that would cost $20,000. He unveiled a plan to his family and asked them to come up with ways they could raise $20,000 within two years. He gave his family a better story. The good news is that his daughter left that lifestyle and her boyfriend within three weeks because now she was living a better story, a story where she was wanted and needed and had risk and adventure.

The bottom line is that everybody needs to experience something bigger than themselves and we need to provide the opportunity for that to happen.

As a leader and a teacher you have a great opportunity to make this happen. If church is just a boring, hour-long lack of drama every Sunday it’s no wonder people drift off to other areas of adventure and risk. But what if you could give them a bigger story? What if the story of your group contained more than just teaching and sitting in a circle, what if it contained adventure? What if your group decided to change a local school by serving there? What if the youth group decided to go on a mission trip? What if you decided to take your kids and their parents on a whitewater rafting trip? What if you challenged your students and your group to live out a bigger story – one with adventure and risk and the need of God to come through or nothing happens?

It’s not enough to dream of that story we also need to strategize how we can accomplish it and move together as one people with one mind to the mission we have envisioned.

So let me ask: what is the big story that your group is all about? What adventure can your group be on? Can we give our people a better story to live out than the one the world is telling?

Jealous...maybe that's what I am!!

2009-11-06T10:50:00.001-08:00

I have given up ever being asked to speak at any significant event for the rest of my life. The Senior Citizens Thanksgiving gathering is about as good as it is going to get for me. I am not expecting any invites from Mr. Megachurch pastor, the denominational annual convention, some church needing a revival, state youth convention or even children’s camp. Maybe, just maybe, if I play my cards right, I may get to chair a service during state campmeeting but otherwise I will never see my name in lights or on a printed bulletin again.

And why? Is it because after 25 years in ministry I have nothing to say? Is it because I am bald? Is it because I spit while I preach? Is it because I’m in West Virginia?

No…it’s because I am not a mega church pastor or TV evangelist. Everyone knows that only the guy with the big church has important things to say. It is only the phenom who just got 200 people from the church split down the road which doubled their attendance, “yes doubled!” that has wisdom. We all know that only those guys with generational preacher pedigrees in their family can preach it. The message is loud and clear that those who deserve to be heard and put on the stage are those with 1000+ in attendance in church and lift weights. The rest of us should be taking notes when the big boys climb the stage.

So desperate are we who want to part of that number that attendance numbers are fudged, consultants are hired, money is spent, buildings are built so that someone will notice! We all know that there are only a few important names in that hat and we desperately want to be one of those names.

The dirty secret of ministry is that like pro basketball, there are only a few who get to “the top.” You better be playing because you love the game, not the fame. You better be doing ministry because you love people and not because you want an invitation to unfurl your ego – I mean – wisdom - before adoring crowds. Better face up to the fact that your greatest impact will be in the lives of those few who you invest your life in.

For 120 years Noah built an Ark, preached, prayed, and pleaded with people to get saved from the judgment of God that was coming. And the end result? He lived his whole life to save 8 people. 8 people. We would consider him a failure. We would never let him preach the big meetings. He would never be considered for a leadership role. But there he is in the Bible, a hero. Maybe you are living your life for the 8, or 80 people. Don’t be ashamed. Don’t count yourself a failure. Don’t devalue your ministry. You’re never going to get the big invite but that doesn’t mean that you don’t have something to say and it doesn’t mean that you are a failure. Maybe it just means that God, in His infinite and sovereign plan, put you here for 8 people and not for 8,000. Accept His plan. Love His plan.

This never gets old....

2009-11-02T20:02:00.000-08:00

Ticker Tape or Ticky Tack

2009-11-01T13:27:00.000-08:00

Do you remember ticker tape parades? I’m not even sure what ticker tape was (probably tape that came out of a ticker!) but I do remember parades where streams of paper and confetti were showering down from tall buildings upon athletes and other celebrities. It would look like a snowstorm in August! Always felt sorry for the street cleaners though!
I even remember a few high school football games where I created my own confetti and would throw it on people after a touchdown. And more than once I would empty out the bathroom cabinet of toilet paper rolls because that was another favorite thing to toss at sporting events. When you sit up a real high in the stands, then hold one end of the toilet paper, and then hurl the other end it was pretty cool until it hit somebody in the head was bigger than you.
Ticker tape parades were celebrations of victories and great events. For a moment in time we could hitch our wagon and our identity to our beloved sports team and celebrate like we were part of the victory.

From ticker tape to ticky-tack. My word processor doesn’t even recognize ticky- tack. Ticky-tack are those small annoyances that we let get under our skin that have the power to change our whole of disposition and our whole attitude toward something or someone. Ticker tape celebrates someone else. Ticky-tack is all about us. It’s all about our issue. It’s all about the unresolved feeling. It’s all about our assumptions of why others did or said what they did or said. Ticky-tack celebrates our hurt feelings.

One thing I’ve learned from Jesus is that we need a thick skin when it comes to ministry- and serving others.

Matthew 24:6 And you will hear of wars and threats of wars, but don’t panic. Yes, these things must take place, but the end won’t follow immediately

Matthew 24:9 “Then you will be arrested, persecuted, and killed. You will be hated all over the world because you are my followers.10 And many will turn away from me and betray and hate each other. 11 And many false prophets will appear and will deceive many people. 12 Sin will be rampant everywhere, and the love of many will grow cold. 13 But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 14 And the Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations will hear it; and then the end will come.

That’s a tough environment to work in. Targeted for persecution, hated for no other reason than you follow Jesus Christ. People you once worshiped with turning away from you, betraying you, and even hating you.

Our response might or might not be found in verse 12, “and the love of many will grow cold.” We could come to the point of giving up on people, giving up on ministry, and giving up on the world. We might throw up our hands and say, “I’ve had enough! I’ve been stabbed in the back one too many times, I’m tired of being the topic of conversation for little blue haired ladies. I’m tired of swimming upstream so I’ll spin my cocoon, crawl inside, wake me up when it’s over!”

The trouble with this verse is that I have seen the love of many grow cold for a lot less trouble than these verses talk about. Thin skinned Christians are those who can’t deal with crabby people, or less than expected programs, or disappointment from leadership, or expect too much of people, or can’t stand being challenged from the pulpit. Ticky-tack Christians are those who seem more than eager to take offense at whatever doesn’t live up to their expectations. Christian professional victims.

Jesus has a word for us; “he who endures to the end will be saved.”

Jesus doesn’t sugarcoat the brutalities of ministry.. Sometimes ministry has to be “endured.” Jesus is raising up thick skinned, tough, battle hardened believers who are not easily swayed by the riff raff hanging around churches. Jesus is raising up those who know how to take a punch and keep on going.

Are you one of those? Are you one of those who still preach the good news even in the midst of all the bad news? That’s the kind of church I want!

2009-10-30T13:37:00.000-07:00

Faithfulness.

I was talking to someone recently about a job for my brother and they told me that this company that wanted to interview him was just looking for someone who would actually show up, on time. That has to be the lowest qualification for a job that I have ever known. In fact it seems so incredibly simple to meet those two requirements that anyone could do it. Guess what? They couldn’t find a person!

Faithfulness. Faithfulness is making the insignificant significant. Faithfulness is making those tasks that are assigned to you, and entrusted to you, significant no matter how small or big they are. How you handle little decisions and little tasks today will determine how you will act in your great moments of decision.

The church is built on faithful people; People who make what seems like an insignificant task, significant. And they do that task as if they are doing it for Jesus himself! Great leaders are faithful.

Faithfulness extends to so many levels. It is showing up on time. It is showing up prepared. It is how you do that job. It is how you show up, what frame of mind you have, your attitude. It is loyalty. It is dependability. And then it is repeating that same habit week after week.

I have been on teams that had faithful people showing up on time but also showing up with a negative attitude! That is not faithfulness. I would rather have a middle of the road leader who shows up every week than a great leader who shows whenever.

I thank God for faithful people! People that I just know will be there and ready to serve.