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.
Monday, August 23, 2010
God's Love Letter
The single most powerful book in the history of the world is the Bible. That fact dumbfounds its detractors, and it is taken for granted by believers, and for the same reason. It claims to be the Word of God, who is our Creator, Sustainer, and Savior. If, as I believe, it is the God's Word to us, it should be powerful, because it is a message from the heavenly realms. The Bible has long been revered as holy by those who believe in God, and feared as seditious by those who think it is a bunch of fairy tales and myths.
What is the central thrust of this most amazing piece of literature? What message, above all else, is God sharing with us in this collection of histories, poems, laws, prophecies, biographies, and letters? I think the Bible is a love letter from the Creator to each of us. It is the story of God being jilted by the creation He loves and with whom He wants to have a relationship, and then God doing all He can to woo us back to Him. There are many other things that God teaches us in the Bible, but the main message is that He loves us. His constant love and the fickleness of people is the continuing theme of this multifaceted book.
You can trace this love for us throughout. God called Abraham and promised to make him a great nation so that He could be their God and they would be His people. He led Moses to bring the Israelites out of Egypt to establish them in the Promised Land so that He could be their God and they could be His people. Time after time, Israel rejected God and chased after other gods, but God always sent a prophet who would tell them that although there would be punishment, God still loved them and wanted them to be His people. The coming of Jesus, His sacrificial death and His resurrection were all to show us how much God loves us and wants to be our God as He calls us to be His people. God is self-sufficient. He does not need us, yet He chooses to love us and He desires our love. Over and over again He says it. The closest human experience to compare it to is the deep emotion of a lover who has been wronged and yet longs for reconciliation with his/her loved one. Here are the passages yielded by a very quick Bible study of the phrase "be their God."
The whole land of Canaan, where you are now an alien, I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you; and I will be their God." Genesis 17:8 (NIV)
Then I will dwell among the Israelites and be their God. Exodus 29:45 (NIV)
But for their sake I will remember the covenant with their ancestors whom I brought out of Egypt in the sight of the nations to be their God. I am the LORD.' " Leviticus 26:45 (NIV)
I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the LORD. They will be my people, and I will be their God, for they will return to me with all their heart. Jeremiah 24:7 (NIV)
"This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel
after that time," declares the LORD.
"I will put my law in their minds
and write it on their hearts.
I will be their God,
and they will be my people. Jeremiah 31:33 (NIV)
They will be my people, and I will be their God. Jeremiah 32:38 (NIV)
Then they will follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. They will be my people, and I will be their God. Ezekiel 11:20 (NIV)
Then the people of Israel will no longer stray from me, nor will they defile themselves anymore with all their sins. They will be my people, and I will be their God, declares the Sovereign LORD.' " Ezekiel 14:11 (NIV)
They will no longer defile themselves with their idols and vile images or with any of their offenses, for I will save them from all their sinful backsliding, and I will cleanse them. They will be my people, and I will be their God. Ezekiel 37:23 (NIV)
My dwelling place will be with them; I will be their God, and they will be my people. Ezekiel 37:27 (NIV)
What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people."
2 Cor. 6:16 (NIV)
This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel
after that time, declares the Lord.
I will put my laws in their minds
and write them on their hearts.
I will be their God,
and they will be my people. Hebrews 8:10 (NIV)
And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. Rev. 21:3 (NIV)
This is what makes the Bible so necessary to us. He loves you and me and, in spite of all our sin, apathy, and rebellion, He simply wants us to love Him back. We are invited to live in relationship with the God of the universe. I am accepting that invitation. How about you?
What is the central thrust of this most amazing piece of literature? What message, above all else, is God sharing with us in this collection of histories, poems, laws, prophecies, biographies, and letters? I think the Bible is a love letter from the Creator to each of us. It is the story of God being jilted by the creation He loves and with whom He wants to have a relationship, and then God doing all He can to woo us back to Him. There are many other things that God teaches us in the Bible, but the main message is that He loves us. His constant love and the fickleness of people is the continuing theme of this multifaceted book.
You can trace this love for us throughout. God called Abraham and promised to make him a great nation so that He could be their God and they would be His people. He led Moses to bring the Israelites out of Egypt to establish them in the Promised Land so that He could be their God and they could be His people. Time after time, Israel rejected God and chased after other gods, but God always sent a prophet who would tell them that although there would be punishment, God still loved them and wanted them to be His people. The coming of Jesus, His sacrificial death and His resurrection were all to show us how much God loves us and wants to be our God as He calls us to be His people. God is self-sufficient. He does not need us, yet He chooses to love us and He desires our love. Over and over again He says it. The closest human experience to compare it to is the deep emotion of a lover who has been wronged and yet longs for reconciliation with his/her loved one. Here are the passages yielded by a very quick Bible study of the phrase "be their God."
The whole land of Canaan, where you are now an alien, I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you; and I will be their God." Genesis 17:8 (NIV)
Then I will dwell among the Israelites and be their God. Exodus 29:45 (NIV)
But for their sake I will remember the covenant with their ancestors whom I brought out of Egypt in the sight of the nations to be their God. I am the LORD.' " Leviticus 26:45 (NIV)
I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the LORD. They will be my people, and I will be their God, for they will return to me with all their heart. Jeremiah 24:7 (NIV)
"This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel
after that time," declares the LORD.
"I will put my law in their minds
and write it on their hearts.
I will be their God,
and they will be my people. Jeremiah 31:33 (NIV)
They will be my people, and I will be their God. Jeremiah 32:38 (NIV)
Then they will follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. They will be my people, and I will be their God. Ezekiel 11:20 (NIV)
Then the people of Israel will no longer stray from me, nor will they defile themselves anymore with all their sins. They will be my people, and I will be their God, declares the Sovereign LORD.' " Ezekiel 14:11 (NIV)
They will no longer defile themselves with their idols and vile images or with any of their offenses, for I will save them from all their sinful backsliding, and I will cleanse them. They will be my people, and I will be their God. Ezekiel 37:23 (NIV)
My dwelling place will be with them; I will be their God, and they will be my people. Ezekiel 37:27 (NIV)
What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people."
2 Cor. 6:16 (NIV)
This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel
after that time, declares the Lord.
I will put my laws in their minds
and write them on their hearts.
I will be their God,
and they will be my people. Hebrews 8:10 (NIV)
And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. Rev. 21:3 (NIV)
This is what makes the Bible so necessary to us. He loves you and me and, in spite of all our sin, apathy, and rebellion, He simply wants us to love Him back. We are invited to live in relationship with the God of the universe. I am accepting that invitation. How about you?
Friday, August 6, 2010
Good for What?
God calls us to be holy:
"I am the LORD your God; consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am holy." Leviticus 11:44a (NIV)
"But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: 'Be holy, because I am holy.'" 1 Peter 1:15-16 (NIV)
It is not that he calls us to be better than any one else. He calls us to be like him: holy. Some Christians have decided that this impossible, and believe that God meant this as hyperbole, and that he doesn’t really expect us to be holy. Consequently, the lives of these Christians are no different than those of the non-Christian society that surrounds them.
Others have accepted the challenge and do their best to be seen as holy. However, their brand of holiness often gets hung up on superficial things. They tend to equate looking holy with being holy. Their attempts at this kind of holiness drive them to concentrate on the way their lives appear to others. A few demonstrate this in the way they dress; others show it in the forms of entertainment they choose, or by their selection of food and drink. These people have a list of activities that they have labeled sinful and, for them, the essence of being holy is abstaining from the things on their list. When I was young, some preachers were determined to make us holy by keeping us from using tobacco, drinking, dancing, gambling, and playing cards. Some went farther and prohibited the watching of television, and the wearing of jewelry. These preachers left me with the impression that if I kept myself from doing these things, I would automatically be holy. Then I would be a real Christian, and I would be fit for heaven. This quest to become holy started on the outside of life, with the hope that the inside, my soul, would somehow follow.
Now please don’t get me wrong. I do not want to argue the merits of any of the actions on the list that was labeled as the big sins. My point is that, when it comes to holiness, these actions are largely beside the point. At worst they are a symptom of sin within, and prohibiting them does not make a person holy, any more than putting a band-aid on a laceration makes it heal. The healing of the laceration must come from the inside out. It is the same with the healing, or sanctification, of the soul. (Sanctification literally means to become holy.)
The most dangerous aspect of this outside-in attempt at holiness is that it relies on the individual to force himself to conform to the image that the preachers set forth as holy. Most of the preachers probably didn’t mean for it to come out this way, but it did. A lot of folks who heard them thought they could earn heaven by quitting bad habits and staying away from certain “dens of iniquity.” Many stumbled and fell, and thereby thought they missed their chance for heaven. They began to believe that following Christ could never be for them. Again, I am not advocating bad habits, or iniquity dens. It is just that heaven is not something we can earn or deserve, it a free gift of God, given to us by his incredible grace, at the price of Jesus’ blood.
"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- not by works, so that no one can boast."
Ephesians 2:8-9 (NIV) >God gives us heaven, not because we are so good, but because He is so good.
So then, where does holiness come in? It comes in as we submit to the Holy Spirit and allow him to remake us from within. (See Romans 12:1-2 & Galatians 5:22.) Biblical holiness is an inside-out proposition. As the Christ-follower continually submits his life to the Lord, he takes on the characteristics of Christ, and, in effect; becomes holy as He is holy. Part of becoming holy is being a person of integrity, with high morals and ethics, but there is more to it.
How does anyone know that another person is holy? The often ignored next verse in the Ephesians passage tells us that God has good works he wants us to do.
"For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Ephesians 2:10.
It’s not a list of works we can check off, but it is a way of living, a life emphasis that pours from the work the Holy Spirit is doing inside us. Please carefully note: the works themselves don’t earn us the saving love of God. We do the works because we have received the saving love of God.
Too often people who call themselves “Christian” don’t do these works. They refrain from doing bad things, but that is not enough. They are being good, but what are they good for? Who is helped by their lives? Are they sharing the salvation they have found with people who need it, or are they so afraid of being contaminated by the fallen society around them that they have no affect at all? Too many of them hole up inside the walls of the church. Non-Christians see them as rigid judgmental people, their only friends are Christians. Some spend most of their lives sheltered from sinners, when it is sinners Jesus came to save, and sent us to bring to him. These “Christians” may be good, but they are good for nothing. Strong words? Yes, but what else can you say about people who are under orders that they refuse to carry out those orders.
What are these orders? What are the works God has for us to do? There is no mystery here. Jesus made it very plain: we are to love God, love others, be witnesses of the love and salvation we have received, and make disciples. These are broad concepts and he equips each of us to do specific things to get this work accomplished. This is where we can start looking for the work he has for each of us in particular to do. Whatever your assignment is, it will come under these overarching orders.
What kind of holiness are you seeking? Outside in? Or inside out? Are you trying to impress non-Christians with what you don’t do, or with what you do? Are you known first for the standards you hold, or first for the love you give? Are you good for something?
The challenge is to be holy as God is holy.
"I am the LORD your God; consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am holy." Leviticus 11:44a (NIV)
"But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: 'Be holy, because I am holy.'" 1 Peter 1:15-16 (NIV)
It is not that he calls us to be better than any one else. He calls us to be like him: holy. Some Christians have decided that this impossible, and believe that God meant this as hyperbole, and that he doesn’t really expect us to be holy. Consequently, the lives of these Christians are no different than those of the non-Christian society that surrounds them.
Others have accepted the challenge and do their best to be seen as holy. However, their brand of holiness often gets hung up on superficial things. They tend to equate looking holy with being holy. Their attempts at this kind of holiness drive them to concentrate on the way their lives appear to others. A few demonstrate this in the way they dress; others show it in the forms of entertainment they choose, or by their selection of food and drink. These people have a list of activities that they have labeled sinful and, for them, the essence of being holy is abstaining from the things on their list. When I was young, some preachers were determined to make us holy by keeping us from using tobacco, drinking, dancing, gambling, and playing cards. Some went farther and prohibited the watching of television, and the wearing of jewelry. These preachers left me with the impression that if I kept myself from doing these things, I would automatically be holy. Then I would be a real Christian, and I would be fit for heaven. This quest to become holy started on the outside of life, with the hope that the inside, my soul, would somehow follow.
Now please don’t get me wrong. I do not want to argue the merits of any of the actions on the list that was labeled as the big sins. My point is that, when it comes to holiness, these actions are largely beside the point. At worst they are a symptom of sin within, and prohibiting them does not make a person holy, any more than putting a band-aid on a laceration makes it heal. The healing of the laceration must come from the inside out. It is the same with the healing, or sanctification, of the soul. (Sanctification literally means to become holy.)
The most dangerous aspect of this outside-in attempt at holiness is that it relies on the individual to force himself to conform to the image that the preachers set forth as holy. Most of the preachers probably didn’t mean for it to come out this way, but it did. A lot of folks who heard them thought they could earn heaven by quitting bad habits and staying away from certain “dens of iniquity.” Many stumbled and fell, and thereby thought they missed their chance for heaven. They began to believe that following Christ could never be for them. Again, I am not advocating bad habits, or iniquity dens. It is just that heaven is not something we can earn or deserve, it a free gift of God, given to us by his incredible grace, at the price of Jesus’ blood.
"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- not by works, so that no one can boast."
Ephesians 2:8-9 (NIV) >God gives us heaven, not because we are so good, but because He is so good.
So then, where does holiness come in? It comes in as we submit to the Holy Spirit and allow him to remake us from within. (See Romans 12:1-2 & Galatians 5:22.) Biblical holiness is an inside-out proposition. As the Christ-follower continually submits his life to the Lord, he takes on the characteristics of Christ, and, in effect; becomes holy as He is holy. Part of becoming holy is being a person of integrity, with high morals and ethics, but there is more to it.
How does anyone know that another person is holy? The often ignored next verse in the Ephesians passage tells us that God has good works he wants us to do.
"For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Ephesians 2:10.
It’s not a list of works we can check off, but it is a way of living, a life emphasis that pours from the work the Holy Spirit is doing inside us. Please carefully note: the works themselves don’t earn us the saving love of God. We do the works because we have received the saving love of God.
Too often people who call themselves “Christian” don’t do these works. They refrain from doing bad things, but that is not enough. They are being good, but what are they good for? Who is helped by their lives? Are they sharing the salvation they have found with people who need it, or are they so afraid of being contaminated by the fallen society around them that they have no affect at all? Too many of them hole up inside the walls of the church. Non-Christians see them as rigid judgmental people, their only friends are Christians. Some spend most of their lives sheltered from sinners, when it is sinners Jesus came to save, and sent us to bring to him. These “Christians” may be good, but they are good for nothing. Strong words? Yes, but what else can you say about people who are under orders that they refuse to carry out those orders.
What are these orders? What are the works God has for us to do? There is no mystery here. Jesus made it very plain: we are to love God, love others, be witnesses of the love and salvation we have received, and make disciples. These are broad concepts and he equips each of us to do specific things to get this work accomplished. This is where we can start looking for the work he has for each of us in particular to do. Whatever your assignment is, it will come under these overarching orders.
What kind of holiness are you seeking? Outside in? Or inside out? Are you trying to impress non-Christians with what you don’t do, or with what you do? Are you known first for the standards you hold, or first for the love you give? Are you good for something?
The challenge is to be holy as God is holy.
Friday, July 30, 2010
The Other Side of Giving
II Corinthians 9:7 tells us that God loves a cheerful giver. Some people do give cheerfully, but many have a tough time with that. Last week I said that we get (have the privilege) of giving to God’s work through His church. This time, I want to look at the other side of giving. The side that is not so cheerful.
Some folks have a hard time giving cheerfully because their financial picture is bleak. They have over-obligated their income. This happens to people of all income levels. Several years ago, I read a news magazine article that claimed the average American family spends 110% of its income. How does anyone get happy about giving away 10% or more of his income if he is already spending more than he is making? If someone in this financial shape decides to become a tither, how can he do it? Some folks say, “Just have faith and give, then God will take care of everything.” I am the last one to say that God can’t do something, but I have found that He expects us to do our part, too. Some people are so far in debt that if they give 10%, they are not really giving their own money. They are giving away money that belongs to someone they have promised to pay. Seems to me, that is a form of stealing, and I don’t think God takes too kindly to the breaking of the 8th commandment, even if it enables the person to give. I suggest that the over-obligated person, who truly wants to become a cheerful giver, should set tithing as a goal and plan a strategy to pay off bills. Then he can enjoy the honor of giving. In the meantime, he should begin giving a small percentage, and, as bills are paid off, increase that percentage. I believe God blesses that kind of faith.
There are some people who give to get. The hard fact is that some preachers encourage this attitude. I once saw a television preacher look straight into the camera and say, “I guarantee, if you send $50 to my ministry, God will give you that job you need, or the raise in pay you have been hoping for.” I think he had a desperate need for money to build something important: like a Six Flags over Jesus theme park. (A few years later that particular preacher got caught up in a sex and money scandal and wound up spending several years in prison.) It is very true that God promises to bless those who give generously. The thing that is often forgotten is that God gets to choose what the blessing will be. If you give some money, even sacrificially, so that you can get even more money, you may well be disappointed. God may choose to bless you financially, but He may instead bless you with the ability to do without the new car, or house you were hoping for. He may bless you by teaching you how to be contented without the raise, or by helping you find a training opportunity for a job in a new field. Make no mistake, God blesses the giver. The giver has to be ready for whatever blessing God decides to give.
The other side of giving shows up another way: when people give to the Lord, but keep strings attached. Sometimes people feel that because they give to the church they should have the final say on how their money is used and what the church does. If they don’t like a program or a staff member, they withhold, or threaten to withhold, their tithe. Perhaps they make a lovely gift in memory of a loved one, and then limit the ways that gift (a room, a building, a table, etc.) can be used. This kind of thinking can cripple a church. The church winds up worrying about pleasing people who have already passed on, instead of reaching the lost.
Finally, it is hard to be cheerful about giving if you continue to think about what else you could have done with the money. Often new tithers do this. They can’t help thinking, “If only I had kept that 10%, I would have enough to take that fine vacation, buy that boat, or order a bigger steak.” The good news is that if they persist in tithing, most people will grow out of this attitude, but for some people it proves to be extremely difficult.
Let us examine our attitudes toward giving and toward what we have given. Are you giving your money, or someone else’s? As you give, are you planning what you will do with the financial blessing you expect God to give you? When you put your offering in the plate, do you let go of it? When you give, can you be excited that God is going to use it, or do you brood about what you could have spent it on? – Or are you becoming a cheerful giver.
Some folks have a hard time giving cheerfully because their financial picture is bleak. They have over-obligated their income. This happens to people of all income levels. Several years ago, I read a news magazine article that claimed the average American family spends 110% of its income. How does anyone get happy about giving away 10% or more of his income if he is already spending more than he is making? If someone in this financial shape decides to become a tither, how can he do it? Some folks say, “Just have faith and give, then God will take care of everything.” I am the last one to say that God can’t do something, but I have found that He expects us to do our part, too. Some people are so far in debt that if they give 10%, they are not really giving their own money. They are giving away money that belongs to someone they have promised to pay. Seems to me, that is a form of stealing, and I don’t think God takes too kindly to the breaking of the 8th commandment, even if it enables the person to give. I suggest that the over-obligated person, who truly wants to become a cheerful giver, should set tithing as a goal and plan a strategy to pay off bills. Then he can enjoy the honor of giving. In the meantime, he should begin giving a small percentage, and, as bills are paid off, increase that percentage. I believe God blesses that kind of faith.
There are some people who give to get. The hard fact is that some preachers encourage this attitude. I once saw a television preacher look straight into the camera and say, “I guarantee, if you send $50 to my ministry, God will give you that job you need, or the raise in pay you have been hoping for.” I think he had a desperate need for money to build something important: like a Six Flags over Jesus theme park. (A few years later that particular preacher got caught up in a sex and money scandal and wound up spending several years in prison.) It is very true that God promises to bless those who give generously. The thing that is often forgotten is that God gets to choose what the blessing will be. If you give some money, even sacrificially, so that you can get even more money, you may well be disappointed. God may choose to bless you financially, but He may instead bless you with the ability to do without the new car, or house you were hoping for. He may bless you by teaching you how to be contented without the raise, or by helping you find a training opportunity for a job in a new field. Make no mistake, God blesses the giver. The giver has to be ready for whatever blessing God decides to give.
The other side of giving shows up another way: when people give to the Lord, but keep strings attached. Sometimes people feel that because they give to the church they should have the final say on how their money is used and what the church does. If they don’t like a program or a staff member, they withhold, or threaten to withhold, their tithe. Perhaps they make a lovely gift in memory of a loved one, and then limit the ways that gift (a room, a building, a table, etc.) can be used. This kind of thinking can cripple a church. The church winds up worrying about pleasing people who have already passed on, instead of reaching the lost.
Finally, it is hard to be cheerful about giving if you continue to think about what else you could have done with the money. Often new tithers do this. They can’t help thinking, “If only I had kept that 10%, I would have enough to take that fine vacation, buy that boat, or order a bigger steak.” The good news is that if they persist in tithing, most people will grow out of this attitude, but for some people it proves to be extremely difficult.
Let us examine our attitudes toward giving and toward what we have given. Are you giving your money, or someone else’s? As you give, are you planning what you will do with the financial blessing you expect God to give you? When you put your offering in the plate, do you let go of it? When you give, can you be excited that God is going to use it, or do you brood about what you could have spent it on? – Or are you becoming a cheerful giver.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Wow! We Get to Give!!
Christ-followers are called on to be giving people. All of us are to be givers. Some folks have the spiritual gift of giving, or liberality, and are wired to give very generously. Often these folks have a lot of resources to share, but not always. Some folks, who don’t have much, are gifted to give far beyond what would be expected. The rest of us, even if we don’t have the gift of giving, do have the role of giving. I am one of those people. I love to give, and I feel honored to fulfill the role of giving my tithe and more, but I am not particularly gifted in giving. When someone with the gift of giving sees a need, his/her first move is to reach for his wallet. My first moves are to try to figure out a way to keep the problem from repeating itself (gift of administration), and how to learn from the situation (teaching). When someone who is a gifted giver suggests we all chip in, I am glad to do that. Often, I wish I had thought of doing it, but it is not generally my first reaction.
The Bible teaches a lot about giving. In the Old Testament a tithe (10%) is required to support the ministry of the temple. (If you read closely, it looks like the tithe is required three times a year so that would be a 30% annual gift) Old Testament people didn’t feel like they were giving an offering until after they had put in their tithe. The tithe reminds us that all we have comes from God, and “returning the tithe” is the way for us to acknowledge his generosity to us. So when you hear people talk about tithes and offerings, it is not really two words for the same thing. Tithes are what God requires, while offerings are our gifts to him and his work. The tithe was to support the temple, today, that would be supporting the church. Offerings might be for many things, like building projects, mission work, or special needs.
In the New Testament, money was a major topic for Jesus, and the Apostle Paul urged the church at Corinth:
On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made. 1 Corinthians 16:2 (NIV)
This could indicate a sliding percentage scale. In light of what the Old Testament says, (of which Paul was a major student) 10% is the baseline of giving for the Christ-follower. If God has enabled us to have a better income, we should expect that he may well want us to give away more.
Giving is to be a joyous experience. We get to be part of what God is doing! God allows us to share in his great work in this world. What a privilege! What an honor to be allowed to partner with him! God could have chosen another way to finance his mission, but he his chosen method is to enable us to make a living, and then rely on us to share our living with his work.
Next time: “The Other Side of Giving”
The Bible teaches a lot about giving. In the Old Testament a tithe (10%) is required to support the ministry of the temple. (If you read closely, it looks like the tithe is required three times a year so that would be a 30% annual gift) Old Testament people didn’t feel like they were giving an offering until after they had put in their tithe. The tithe reminds us that all we have comes from God, and “returning the tithe” is the way for us to acknowledge his generosity to us. So when you hear people talk about tithes and offerings, it is not really two words for the same thing. Tithes are what God requires, while offerings are our gifts to him and his work. The tithe was to support the temple, today, that would be supporting the church. Offerings might be for many things, like building projects, mission work, or special needs.
In the New Testament, money was a major topic for Jesus, and the Apostle Paul urged the church at Corinth:
On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made. 1 Corinthians 16:2 (NIV)
This could indicate a sliding percentage scale. In light of what the Old Testament says, (of which Paul was a major student) 10% is the baseline of giving for the Christ-follower. If God has enabled us to have a better income, we should expect that he may well want us to give away more.
Giving is to be a joyous experience. We get to be part of what God is doing! God allows us to share in his great work in this world. What a privilege! What an honor to be allowed to partner with him! God could have chosen another way to finance his mission, but he his chosen method is to enable us to make a living, and then rely on us to share our living with his work.
Next time: “The Other Side of Giving”
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