Last month, I drove cross country from Atlanta, Georgia to Walla Walla, Washington to serve the Blue Mountain Community Church as interim pastor. It was quite a trip! I started out at my son’s home and drove home to Kokomo with my wife, Tina. After packing for my four month stint here, I kissed my wife good-bye (She’ll join me soon, and I can hardly wait.) and headed west. I drove through many kinds of terrain: from the jungle-like heat and humidity that is August in the East; to the vast grassy plains of Kansas; through the magnificent Rockies and across the desolate high plains coming finally to the fertile valleys of Oregon and Washington. My little four-cylinder Ford Escape climbed up and sped down speed grades. I went through tunnels, over wide rivers and across dry creeks. My strategy was to keep going and going, everywhere the road led, because I was following a good map. Every kind of terrain had a beauty of its own, and each offered its own difficulty, but I was sure, if I stayed on that route, it would lead me to my destination.
The roads of our lives pass through all kinds of terrain: from the tangled jungles of problems, to plains of routine; from mountains of difficulty, to desolate places of spiritual dryness. Sometimes the rough parts of the road are so hard we just want to quit, because we feel we just can’t go on. The good news is that God’s road takes us home. If we are following His road map, the Bible, we are guaranteed that, and He always delivers on that guarantee. Sometimes the road requires us to persevere and endure, but we will make it, if we don’t give up. The difficult parts of any trip are often the most memorable. Whatever the terrain of your life’s road is right now, take courage. If you’re following God’s road, you are going the right way. Trust Him and never stop until he leads you home.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Why Don’t Churches Grow?
A lot of churches don’t grow and haven’t grown in a long time. The people scratch their heads and can’t figure out what is wrong. They love their church and don’t understand why others don’t. They see people come and go, but the attendance just seems to go down. The painful truth is that many of our churches are about a dozen funerals from ceasing to be. Why is it that many churches don’t grow? Of course there are many reasons, but I think the major one is that the world doesn’t see Christ in the church. Jesus’ love and the hope he gives are attractive, but too often non-Christians don’t see Him in our churches. Why is that? How are we covering Him up?
First, of all the world doesn’t know what the church is up to. We have not made clear that we are here to share the wondrous love of Jesus we have found and enjoy. Since they don’t feel the love they come up with all kinds of erroneous motives for the church.
Second, the world doesn’t think the message of the church is relevant. Generally that is at least partly because it we have not made the message clear. So they think, “Whatever they are doing has nothing to do with me.”
Third, we come across to the world as an ingrown culture. To them, we have our own jargon, we exist in our own little world. They think they wouldn’t be welcome, even if they were interested
Fourth, too often we are seen by the world as a people who argue over the strangest things: doctrines they don’t understand; the type of music that is sung in the church; the length of hair, and skirts; and whether or not to wear ties in worship.
Fifth, they see us as people to whom tradition is more important than sharing our message in a relevant way. Tradition can help hold people together, but many times we let our traditions get in the way.
What can be done? How does a church overcome these perceptions? To get past these things the people in the church first have to want to. We must decide whether it is more important to do things the way we like them, or to reassess the things we do and aim our efforts at doing what Jesus told us to do, make disciples, and make the changes necessary to reveal our wonderful Savior to a new generation.
It may sound brutal but it is true is that many of us are flat-out selfish when it comes to our church. We would rather watch our neighbor go to hell than have to change things in their church. Can anyone tell me, what Jesus is going to say about this?
First, of all the world doesn’t know what the church is up to. We have not made clear that we are here to share the wondrous love of Jesus we have found and enjoy. Since they don’t feel the love they come up with all kinds of erroneous motives for the church.
Second, the world doesn’t think the message of the church is relevant. Generally that is at least partly because it we have not made the message clear. So they think, “Whatever they are doing has nothing to do with me.”
Third, we come across to the world as an ingrown culture. To them, we have our own jargon, we exist in our own little world. They think they wouldn’t be welcome, even if they were interested
Fourth, too often we are seen by the world as a people who argue over the strangest things: doctrines they don’t understand; the type of music that is sung in the church; the length of hair, and skirts; and whether or not to wear ties in worship.
Fifth, they see us as people to whom tradition is more important than sharing our message in a relevant way. Tradition can help hold people together, but many times we let our traditions get in the way.
What can be done? How does a church overcome these perceptions? To get past these things the people in the church first have to want to. We must decide whether it is more important to do things the way we like them, or to reassess the things we do and aim our efforts at doing what Jesus told us to do, make disciples, and make the changes necessary to reveal our wonderful Savior to a new generation.
It may sound brutal but it is true is that many of us are flat-out selfish when it comes to our church. We would rather watch our neighbor go to hell than have to change things in their church. Can anyone tell me, what Jesus is going to say about this?
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Why is Church Membership Important?
This seems like a strange thing for a Church of God (Anderson, IN) pastor to write about. After all, we like to say, rather proudly, that we don't have formal church membership. Meaning we don't hand out membership cards at our churches. We like to tell people that the only way they can join is to become a follower of Jesus. While I agree with all that, I think it is important to realize that, with or without a certificate, it means something to be part of a church. There are certain things that persons should be able to expect from their church home. By the same token, there are things that church should be able to expect of its people.
But, before I get to that, let me assert that it is God's intention for we Christians to walk together as we walk with the Lord. Jesus brought His followers together and gave them the assignment to be witnesses of His life, death, and resurrection to the rest of the world. It is apparent from scripture that He always intended for His followers to work together; to be a Family; a People; a Nation. I defy you to find any "lone wolf" Christians in the New Testament. As unhandy, messy, and even heartbreaking as it can be at times, we are to do the Christian life together so we can fulfill the mission Jesus gave us.
So what should church members expect from their church? I can think of four major, reasonable expectations:
1. To encounter God through vibrant times of worship, dynamic interaction with God's Word, and loving relationships with the people of the church.
2. To be cared and prayed for, by trustworthy people with whom they share their lives, and who, along with a pastoral staff, encourage them through all the seasons of life.
3. To have opportunities to find their special gifts from God, and use them in helping the church fulfill its mission.
4. To enjoy being part of the great things God is doing both in, and through the church.
On the other hand the church should expect these things from its people:
1. To be fully committed to following Jesus Christ by seeking to grow in him, and serve his purposes.
2. To be regular in attendance, and financial support of the ministry of the church. As Jesus put it, "where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6:21 (NIV)
3. To follow the leadership of the pastor, and pray God's guidance, and blessing upon him/her.
4. To participate in a small group or class to grow in knowledge of Christ, and share His love.
5. To volunteer time, and use spiritual gifts to advance the mission of the church.
Church members, brothers and sisters in Christ, need to be able to count on each other for mutual support. The Lord should find us faithful to Him, and His work. Finally, the lost and dying world, whether or not it is aware of it, needs each of us to do our part to share the saving love of Christ with it.
But, before I get to that, let me assert that it is God's intention for we Christians to walk together as we walk with the Lord. Jesus brought His followers together and gave them the assignment to be witnesses of His life, death, and resurrection to the rest of the world. It is apparent from scripture that He always intended for His followers to work together; to be a Family; a People; a Nation. I defy you to find any "lone wolf" Christians in the New Testament. As unhandy, messy, and even heartbreaking as it can be at times, we are to do the Christian life together so we can fulfill the mission Jesus gave us.
So what should church members expect from their church? I can think of four major, reasonable expectations:
1. To encounter God through vibrant times of worship, dynamic interaction with God's Word, and loving relationships with the people of the church.
2. To be cared and prayed for, by trustworthy people with whom they share their lives, and who, along with a pastoral staff, encourage them through all the seasons of life.
3. To have opportunities to find their special gifts from God, and use them in helping the church fulfill its mission.
4. To enjoy being part of the great things God is doing both in, and through the church.
On the other hand the church should expect these things from its people:
1. To be fully committed to following Jesus Christ by seeking to grow in him, and serve his purposes.
2. To be regular in attendance, and financial support of the ministry of the church. As Jesus put it, "where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6:21 (NIV)
3. To follow the leadership of the pastor, and pray God's guidance, and blessing upon him/her.
4. To participate in a small group or class to grow in knowledge of Christ, and share His love.
5. To volunteer time, and use spiritual gifts to advance the mission of the church.
Church members, brothers and sisters in Christ, need to be able to count on each other for mutual support. The Lord should find us faithful to Him, and His work. Finally, the lost and dying world, whether or not it is aware of it, needs each of us to do our part to share the saving love of Christ with it.
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