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Generational Thinking

Our family went up to Michigan this Thanksgiving to spend time with my wife's brother and wife. It was good to get away and we even were blessed to see some lake affect snow since they live right next to Lake Michigan. Since we were only there less than an entire day we spent time talking. In our conversations I brought up a Church that I had recommended to my brother-in-law some months ago since they were having a tough time getting connected to a congregation. His response was that they were getting connected with a Church that they had been attending for about a year. I was happy for them because they seemed to be enjoying their fellowship time with this congregation. They have had a tough time finding the right place to fit in which seems to be the case with their generation.

My brother-in-law and his wife are in their early 20's which would classify them as the Millennial Generation or what some describe as Generation Y. I began to probe them about their life of faith and their expectations of Church. For me this is research that has to be done by Church leaders everywhere. Every generation has a different outlook on what the Church should be and how to handle the functions within. As we talked I realized more than ever what big differences there is between them and those of us who are Generation X. They want a place that is more community centered and want to feel like they belong from the start. They are not as concerned about doctrinal issues as we are perhaps and want love and grace to supersede every aspect of the community that they attach themselves to. While I think that doctrine is significant I was blown away by the genuineness that this generation is looking for. So much of the time those who are younger adults get pushed to the side because of their age. Every generation has something to learn from one another and from this one grace is the lesson I believe that they want to teach.

Reflecting on my conversations with my brother-in-law and his wife took me forward to compare them to my parents generation. The boomer's as we call them are at the other end of the spectrum. They are more concerned with the structure and power in the Church in greater ways than any other generation. They cling to tradition which they attribute to true spirituality and in that process they smother the Church. While no generation has it completely right with the functionality of the local congregation these 2 generations have a lot to learn from one another. Grace is needed in greater ways in our lives together and structure in the Church most definitely has its place.

So much of the time in the Church we run in packs with people of our generation or those who think exactly like we do. 1 Corinthians is very clear that all of us have been brought together to bring glory and honor to Jesus as a community of believers. The Church that listens and communicates with each other is a Church that will go places together. The Church in America is losing ground and part of the problem is the selfishness of every generation wanting their own way. If we take James' advice to be "quick to listen, and slow to speak" we will gain ground within our local communities. Every generation is significant and every Christian that makes up the Church you belong to matters to God.

Why Would You Say That?

I was reading a Christian blog a few weeks back and noticed something interesting. The person wrote something like "when I was in Seminary!" When I read that I as shocked because it reads as if the person has gone through Seminary which is not the case. The person who wrote the quote attended a few classes at Seminary. Sometimes we want to make ourselves out to be people we are not. Unfortunately this is not the first time that I have heard this statement from someone. The pastor that I did my internship underneath did the same exact thing as the blogger and like the blogger had only a few Seminary classes under his belt as well.

I get a bit worked up when people present themselves to be something they are not. I get a bit angry when this happens with those who claim to be Christians. God did not save us for who we were He saved us because He loves us. Knowing that I am loved by God is a driving force in my life. Knowing that helps me to remember that no matter what others think of me I need to be content with who I am in Christ Jesus. Those who are not in Christ will always boast of who they are and what they have. In the Church we need to be different from the world and live lives of integrity. When we make ourselves out to be something that we are not we break the heart of the ONE who calls us His own. Being content with who we are is not always easy, but it is the road that we have been called to travel on.

Changing Seasons and New Life

The fall is my favorite time of year. I have always loved the fall since my grade school years. Most people like when the seasons change because we get tired of the way things are after a short while. For me the change of seasons is a reminder that the world and all around it is constantly moving forward. But are we changing in the Church like the seasons do with regularity? Are we becoming more fruitful each season and bringing more glory to God today than yesterday? The promise of the Christian life is one of constant change and renewal, but I wonder if we have forgotten that?

I know that without Christ my life has no value or meaning to it. I also know that without constant submission to Christ my life can get of track so very quickly. At one time in my life I did not like change very much, but in the past 2 years I welcome change in a way that I never thought was possible before. Change is exciting and always brings a fresh feel to things. As a Christian I want to be so connected to God that I allow His Spirit constantly change me from the inside out. I don't know if you want that or not, but it is a new life in the scriptures that is promised to every believer. When we learn to submit ourselves to God and truly let Him transform us we will not be as frustrated with ourselves and other people. I know from reading the word of God that I can have a greater spiritual life if I only allow God to move and submit to that movement. Like the fall I want to change and glorify God with a life of excellence.

Dan In Real Life

There is nothing that good on television or at the movies much, but every once in a while you still get a good surprise. My wife and I found our surprise when we went to see Dan In Real Life just the other day. This is a great movie about family, love, and relationships. If you need something to tug at your heart and you like to laugh then this is the movie for you.

The movie is only 90 minutes long and none of those minutes are wasted. Steve Carrel plays a newspaper columnist widower who is raising three daughters in New Jersey. The film takes his relationship with his daughters and puts them on the road together heading to a family get together in Rhode Island with Dan's family. Dan meets up with a woman haphazardly on his first day out of town and as they connect romance seems to be around the corner. The only problem is that Dan is re-introduced to the same woman and discovers that it is his brothers girlfriend. As the movie unfolds 2 people are forced to connect and make decisions concerning one another. The ensemble cast adds great flavor to a movie that is probably one of the best I have seen in the past 5 years. The director of this movie also did an obscure independent film called Pieces of April that I would also recommend. If you like a heart warming story with a bit of an independent flavor then check this one out.

Lessons From New York

Today on ESPN it was reported that former Yankees Manager Joe Torre (former Cardinal 3rd baseman) had agreed in principle to become the next manager of the LA Dodgers. Looking back on this situation with the Yankees I thought about how poorly George Steinbrenner and his sons handled this situation. It seemed that all of us knew the details of what happened between the Yankees and Torre. You did not have to even be a sports fan and you probably knew the details. When things go sour for any organization I always think that its better to keep the details in-house.

Too much of the time the Church acts like the Yankee organization. When problems arise between its members the community that its in seems to know whats going down. They might not even care about the Church and they still know. Some things that go on in the Church are usually solved, but even if they are not does the community at large need to know about it? The way that the Church handles its problems says a lot about its leadership and members. As humans we feel justified if we have been hurt by others and so we find comfort in those closest to us. The problem with this is that sometimes those closest to us are not the ones we worship with on Sunday mornings. If we love our Lord then we should show it by never profaning His name with the frustrating things that go on inside of the Church. We need to be mature and deal with any situation as the New Testament commands us to. A Church that handles all of its problems quickly and within the walls of the Church is a congregation going places with God.

Perspective & Grace

I recently took some criticism over my article entitled "Do Pastors Get Paid to Study?" This criticism came from someone I believed to be a friend at my former ministry. I decided when I received that criticism that I would meditate on it for a good while before I ever commented on it. Sometimes I have noticed that I can become a bit too reactionary at times when criticism comes my way. That is one of my personality flaws that I am desperately working on. I realized through this how imperfect I still am.

The reason that I am so grateful to Jesus is the grace He extended me when I became a Christian. My life was a good representation of what it was like to live for SELF. Even though I have found peace with God I know that there is so much work to be done. All of us are going to be criticized by other people and we need to learn to not respond quickly to what has been said. Usually when it comes it is based on someones perspective which might not include all of the details about a situation. As a Christian how you respond to others can reveal your level of maturity. A person who has been impacted by grace will learn to move forward and grow from the way they were criticized. You might be mad at first, but at some point you have also been on the other end of things as well. Grace is one of the biggest elements that is missing in our fellowships. We have an expectation of God's grace every time we mess things up, but many times we are not willing to extend grace to others for words used against us. If you appreciate what the Cross accomplished for you then start extending grace to everyone around you.......even when you think that it is not deserved. After all that is exactly how Jesus treats us every time we go running to Him.

When Was the Last Time?

I have been noticing a trend the last few years that bothers me a bit. I have noticed that people are not as courteous as they once were. Compliments don't seem to be the norm anymore. All of us to some degree probably feel under appreciated at times. This could be a sign of the times or it could just be the fact that we live in a cold natured society. You would think that among God's own people that showing appreciation for one another would be a normal aspect of our lives, but unfortunately it is not.

I made a decision a few weeks ago that I would start being a person who learned to appreciate everyone around me. This decision came after a deep conviction that I had began to mimic my culture. When I realized that I was not a person who readily gave compliments I became frustrated with myself. It is so easy to fall into the pattern of complaining about everyone around you more than you compliment them. But if you live you life like this you will rob yourself of a lot of joy. All of us have many faults! Who can say that they are perfect without any personality problems? You won't see my hand raised for that question. Everyone around us who we love deserves to hear how much we appreciate them.

You may not realize it but you have a lot of patterns in your life. Even if you are not analytical like I am you have certain things you do each week that are a part of your routing. How you use your words is probably one of the most common routines in your life. If you want to be appreciated by others around you for your good qualities then spend more energy and learn to compliment everyone around you. Let people know what you like about them and encourage them as much as possible. Life is too short for us to be negative people. Remember who you are representing everyday and learn to love everyone around you.

Say No To Gossip

This past Sunday our Church completed a 7 week series on the book of 1 John. The last sermon covered the 5th and final chapter of the epistle. Doing the background study for the sermon my heart was drawn to a sentence from one of the verses that we do not talk about much in the Church. 1 John 5:16a states "If anyone sees his brother commit a sin that does not lead to death, he should pray and God will give him life." This small sentence tucked away toward the end of our New Testaments is a reminder of our attitudes toward gossip and fellowship.It is both a warning and a reminder.

I wish I could tell you how many times that I have heard gossip in the Church, but the number is so high I don't have a tally. I think to some or many extents all of us who call ourselves Christians are guilty. God tells us through the Apostle John that there is a better way. We should pray about the person who is in sin and try to be there for them instead of talking about it to other people. Can you imagine the impact that someone would experience if you told them that you were praying for them and their frustrations? If you are close to someone and you know that they are walking in the wrong direction then come alongside of them prayerfully so that God will move in their situation. The wrong road is to talk about someones sin to others. The right road is to petition God on their behalf. God will bless those who listen to His counsel when it comes to our interaction with each other. Be a person who lives out the Word to others by taking this partial verse to heart.

Fire In San Diego

It has been several days and the fire in Southern California is still going strong. Nothing can be more devastating that losing all of your possessions in a fire. The images on the news become so discouraging. None of us would wish this type of calamity on anyone. One report on the nightly news said that Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego opened its doors up to the public. There were many grateful people who appreciated the services that have been provided there. Sometimes in the darkest moments we see wonderful glimpses of hope from other people in this country.

When things get tough and disaster hits Americans can sometimes shine the brightest. That is one thing that I love about this country. When a multitude of people are affected by disaster we see that America still has a big heart. This is a lesson for the Church of America to absorb. I wonder as I watch the news each night with the fire still raging how many Christians are stepping up to help out those in need? When calamity hits our neighbors we have a chance to minister in the name of Jesus and bless those around us. Jesus said that the greatest 2 commandments were to love God with all we are and to love our neighbors as ourselves. Do we live that out like we should?

There is not a major disaster going on in the part of Illinois that I live in, but that doesn't mean that I should be slack in loving my neighbor. There are people around me who are suffering emotionally, financially, and physically. I need to have the attitude of the owners of Qualcomm Stadium and the love of Jesus to drive me to do what I have been saved to do. The hardest part of living out the Gospel of Christ is taking the first step out of my comfort zone.

Talk About Politics at Church

This past year my wife and I have enjoyed watching the debates of both political parties. People like to whine about the President or politics, but much of what they talk about is only what the news is reporting to them. We feel at our home that we need to be informed of who believes what and what they are trying to accomplish. While I will never endorse a political party I will always talk openly for who I vote for. I will also talk about engaging politics straight from the pulpit. Recently I pleaded with people to watch the debates so that they can be better informed. The Church should never hide from politics! If anyone should care about where this country is headed it should be those who belong to Christ Jesus.

I am not certain if many Churches spend time talking about this, but I know at our Church we do. We don't always agree, but we know that this is an important time in our country and we want to be informed of what each candidate believes. In my former ministry there were some strong leaders who were outspoken Democrats and many confided in me that because of how they approached the subject that they were timid in expressing their own views. This is not productive for those who share a common faith in Christ. We have many leaders at our Church who are on both sides of the fence. Our discussions are always productive even when we do not agree. We realize that the issue of where we are heading as a country is of extreme importance to all of us. No matter which party you lean toward or where you stand on vital issues learn to talk about this with other believers. Those of us who represent Christ should be discussing major issues facing this country with each other and comparing every candidate's beliefs with scripture. Jesus engaged His culture.......why shouldn't we?

Take the Advice of a Seaoned Veteran

A few years ago my cousin gave me John Pipers "Brothers We Are Not Professionals" as a gift. It was a easy read and it felt like being mentored by a seasoned Pastor of what the role of Pastor is all about. This is one of those books that everyone in full time ministry should read. I thought about this book as I was reading about Pastoral roles on another blog early this morning. I realized that sometimes Pastors can get caught up in letting others dictate what their role should be instead of being who God called them to be.

No matter who you are or where your Church is located you will always find some or many who seem to know and understand your role better than anyone else. By listening to the constant critic you can become unbalanced in your approach to ministry. This book will not tell you how to fulfill your role in the context of your current congregation, but it is a valuable tool that will help you focus on the ministry God has entrusted to you. None of us in ministry are perfect and most of us know that, but this book is a great tool that will help you focus in greater ways.

Faith Takes Time

What do you think of when someone talks about biblical faith? Do you think of your relationship with Jesus? Do you think of Sunday morning worship? Maybe you think of your denominational heritage when the word is spoken. Biblical faith has many different sides to it. Faith is trusting in God's provision for all areas of your life. It is a trust that you are hopefully developing with God. I have a faith that God is transforming me into a better Christian by my submission to His Will everyday. But I must admit that the process to a stronger faith is the most difficult part of being a Christian.

In Hebrews 11:6 we read "And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and the He rewards those who earnestly seek Him." We get the first part of that verse right much of the time in the Church, but the latter portion of the verse is where we get hung up. Our faith in God drives us to pursue His Will and the good things that He has for us in this life. The key to growing is the pursuing! Faith is a lifestyle that wants a radical transformation of the soul so deeply that it will keep pursuing God once the initial relationship has been established.

The best way to build up your faith is through deliberate quality time with God each day. Pursuing God means that I am on my knees communicating with Him believing that He is moving through my life. We become frustrated when we get serious with God because we may not see the results we want immediately. But trust me when I tell you that God is moving to those who trust in Him and are faithfully pursuing Him. It just takes time until we see His hand moving in our situations. Most people in the Church give up on prayer because they expect immediate results. If you spend quality time with God everyday for the next 60 days you will experience your faith growing due to God's movement in your life. Be a person who earnestly seeks God and watch how you are slowly transformed into a person with a strong faith.

Helping Those Who are Married

Last spring several of us from our Church went to Indianapolis to attend the Song of Solomon Conference. All of us were impressed with the material presented that came directly from this book of the Bible. I was so impressed by it that we purchased the DVD set for our Church and just completed the series in 6 weeks. We did the program on Sunday nights so that anyone who wanted to attend from the community could join us.

Throughout this 6 week series I heard wonderful testimonies and wonderful comments about this program. As one who is a bit cynical about Church Programs I must say that I endorse this one without hesitation. No matter if you are a husband or a wife there is something in this study that everyone needs. I can testify as a Pastor that there are many unbalanced attitudes in marriages that I see in the Church. Love and respect are missing in many marriages and unless you are willing to hear a word from God it will not change. All of us struggle with issues in our marriages, but unless we deal with them they will fester and create greater problems. God has ordained marriage from the beginning with Adam and Eve and He desires that our marriages are honoring to Him by remaining healthy. If your Church has not gone through this program then look into it today so that you can make a difference in peoples lives. Just go to http://songofsolomon.com
to get more information.

This series from Song of Solomon is biblical and will make a difference in the lives of all who decide to go through it.

Biblical Literacy

What do you know about the Word of God? Because what you know about His Word is what you know about Him! The Church is becoming a place filled with those who are becoming biblically illiterate. In this country there are no good excuses for not knowing the Bible. We have so many good modern translations and Bible helps today that were not present years ago.

This literacy problem is creating an atmosphere in the Church that is looking like the rest of the world. Our thinking and approach to ministry and each other is not what it can be or needs to be. I love the Church Jesus founded and I love the Church that I am blessed to Pastor, but overall as I interact with Christians here and from other congregations I am hearing that people are not getting into the Word of God.

If we do not understand what is required of us in our relationship with God and each other how can we function properly? Without a good biblical understanding of God we will never function like we were meant to and discord will abound. Church structures are the biggest complaint I hear from those who belong to other churches and the problems come from how the church is ran. Usually it is not a biblical model. I have been down that road before and it is a hard bumpy one to go down. Only through solid continual bible study can we move forward with God and function as a true Christian community. Without knowledge we are nothing more than a Country Club with a cross on the building.

Learn to Love

On any given Sunday morning I assume as a Pastor that about 60-70% of the people sitting in the pews are hurting emotionally or dealing with major problems. On any given Sunday I could even be among that number. Just because we are Christians does not mean that life's problems suddenly have disappeared once we came to know Jesus. We live in a fallen world is a great theological explanation about the pain we all experience, but it does little good to solve the problem that we are experiencing. What we need is love and compassion from other people until we have pressed through this dark time in our life.

God has placed each of us within a body of Christ and that body is to function with an attitude of a family. We don't think about the Church as a family, but that is what God has intended it to be. Like any family if we don't communicate with one another we will not grow together. If we do not communicate with one another we will be a disjointed or dysfunctional family. I don't believe any of us want to be dysfunctional, but that is a major problem with the Church today.

Maybe part of the problem is that people are not telling each other that they are hurting or going through a tough time. Some people want others or the Pastor to read their minds and discover it on their own. But each of us is dealing with issues every week that tends to keep us inward focused. Every family that is successful is a family that has learned how to talk to one another and love each other. If we are feeling down and out and all alone maybe its because we have not let that be known to other people. Bitterness pervades the Church at times and this breaks my heart. We are commanded to love each other and love has many different sides to it. Galatians 6:10 in the NLT states "Whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone, especially to our Christian brothers and sisters." Those are words that each of us needs to digest and act upon. The Pastor cannot do it on his own. The Church was made to be a community that ministered to one another. If you start ministering to a few people in your Church on a regular basis you can expect to be ministered too as well. Learn to love the family God has placed you in and watch the love that is returned to you.

Why Do You Go To Church?

Why do you go to Church every Sunday? Do you have an agenda or are you going to worship God with a community of believers that you are connecting with? Sunday worship is the beginning of the week and it is a time to come together and celebrate as a family. While that is what it is about in its basic form we do not realize that much anymore. People are coming to Church with an agenda that revolves around their needs. Shame on the Church of America for this attitude.

As a Pastor I must tell you that I love the Church because it was started by Jesus and in a dark moment in my life during the month of February almost 10 years ago He changed me forever. I do not come to Church with an obligation to preach each week. I come to Church to worship my God with sincerity and to fellowship with my Church family. But I understand that many are coming for something. What that something is can make all the difference in your life.

If you are coming to Church to worship, hear a word from God, or to fellowship then you are coming with the right attitude and can expect God to move in you and through you. If you are coming to fulfill an agenda or out of obligation then it is time to repent of that attitude. I have seen it many times that those with the biggest problems in with the Church usually are the ones spending the least amount of time with God. If you want to experience the presence and movement of God then spend quality time with Him each day and watch how you begin to enjoy Sunday worship in a more complete way. Ask yourself why you are going to Church on Sunday. If it is for the wrong reasons then spend the rest of the week sorting it out with God.

Christian Music Makes Me Think

When I first became a Christian I listened to some hard core music. At the recommendation of my first Pastor I started to listen to Christian music just 10 years ago. It wasn't easy at first to switch from TOOL and Alice in Chains to the Christian music scene, but gradually I fell in love with contemporary Christian music. I was reflecting on all of this today as I was driving back home with my son on our father/son outing. We turned the music up and I began to praise God while he just sat back and called me "silly." The Christian music that is out there today is solid stuff that has many theological truths in it. And every once in a while a song comes along that really grabs a hold of me.

This month I heard a new song by artist Brandon Heath that I believe many can relate too. You can go to his site at http://www.brandonheath.net/ then click onto the place where it says you can watch the video. This video and the song is a reminder that change can take place in all of our lives as we keep walking with God and turning over our faults and sins to him. Plus it just has a good sound. I hope you enjoy it.

Stop Being So Frustrated

You would think that being in a relationship with Jesus would make you so joyful that other people would be beating down your door to discover you secret way of life. But that isn't how it always is in the Christian life. All of us have our moments and to the outside world we don't always show that we have a greater hope beyond this world. Sometimes we those who are outside of Christ look at us and it is like looking in a mirror to them. What do you think is the missing element? Maybe what is missing is the promises of God. Maybe you are not holding on to them and hiding them in your heart to keep you going through each day.

Our church has been going through 1 John and I love the promises of God that are revealed in this book. They motivate me to draw near to God. They remind me that this is all temporary and that God is in complete control. This past week our church was reminded of the love of God and I began to think through New Testament passages that reveal God's love to His people. I thought of Romans 8 of course and would like to share the end of that chapter with you.

"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:38-39, NIV)."

Do you see the power of God's love for you in those 2 verses? Let them become a motivator to you to love God deeply through your actions everyday. Cling to the promises of God and remember His love toward you because sometimes it will be the only thing that will keep you going.

Forward Thinking

Is your Church where it should be? Does it need change? Can you do things in greater ways than you are doing now? Then maybe its time to do something about it. Maybe its time to not worry so much about the few who get upset when change takes place and time to get on with the mission of God. That group or handful of people who do not want change in your Church are not going to change. How do I know that? Because I have experienced it in the past and it exists at almost every Church in America. It is a sad commentary of American Churches that only a few people can be allowed to hinder the progress of the Church.

Now I am not talking about change for the sake to make things more appealing. I am talking about changing anything and everything that hinders God moving among us in greater ways. That could mean implementing new leaders and asking contentious ones to step down. It could mean starting a new outreach program with only 3 people because no one else is motivated to reach out. It could mean that you have a time of concentrated prayer once a month at the end of you morning service even though it makes a few uncomfortable (the Church is not about our comfort levels). It could mean that you have family meetings once a month or quarter to make sure that everyone is on the same page even though one leader is fighting against it because they fear losing power. It could mean that you draw up new parameters for the functions of every area of leadership in your Church regardless of the few who criticize it. Are you getting where I am coming from?

Some of the things that I have mentioned we have done at this Church and every time there is a change there is a complaint. Realize that before you even step out of the boat. By realizing that it will help you become less frustrated and hopefully help you to keep moving forward. Our biggest enemy in the Church today is fear. We are frightened of change and the criticism that comes along with it. We need to overcome our fears because too many Churches are in stagnation mode right now. Is this what Jesus intended His Church to be like? No Way (as my son loves to say to every question asked)! Jesus wants His Church to be a thriving, living, active, spiritual, and dynamic place. And we want our comfort levels every time we walk through the door. If you want change in your Church then start today on your knees asking God for strength, wisdom, and insight and He will begin to direct you to what needs to be done. Paul wrote in Ephesians "Now to Him who is able to do immeasurable more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the Church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." This sounds to me that God wants to move among us in greater ways. Maybe He is waiting on His people to feel the same way.

Learn to be Silent

Pastoral Ministry is an interesting adventure. Unless you have thick skin you should probably never undertake any leadership role in the Church. Any leader in the Church is always underneath a microscope no matter who they are. You are human like everyone else, but the expectation for you life is held up to a higher measure by all. Every word spoken, action taken, and ministry started will be criticized by a few or by many. Those in leadership roles are not perfect, but there is an expectation for you to be perfect by a few people in every congregation.

While we cannot hide from criticism in leadership we can model Christ in greater ways when it happens to us. Most people in and outside of the Church let criticism cut them deeply and create a lasting wound. This is a choice and a mistake that many make. When we become hurt by criticism we need to assess a few things in that process.

1. Who is the person criticizing me?
2. Do they readily criticize others in the Church also?
3. How involved are they in the Church?
4. Did their criticism have validity in any way?
5. Did they confront me in person or through a phone call (a person who does this usually has more character)?
6. Did I deserve the criticism?
7. Is there something that I need to personally work on?

It will take time to become a person who can assess the situation, but over time it will help you mature in greater ways. Learn to ask yourself some questions like the ones that I have listed before you ever respond in any way. By learning to accept it before you ever respond you will develop greater character and glorify God in greater ways by how you handle it. James 1:26 says "If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless." When you receive criticism that is unwarranted the best course of action is to listen to the words of James and give the matter over to God and let him sort it out. Even though someone is a Christian and you have tried to work through a matter with them does not always guarantee that it will always work out. Some Christians are just more mature than others. If you honor God's word He will honor you.

Is Doctrine Dead?

Our Church has been going the the book of 1 John. This is a tough book with themes that can seem repetitive. It is a fabulous book and one that needs to be preached over and over again. I personally have never heard a series on 1 John when I was sitting in the pew as a young believer. This weeks text is taken from 1 John 2:18-27. In this text John says "See that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you." That one bit from verse 24 says a lot to the modern/post-modern church. It reminds us that we have a Christian obligation to understand the basics of the Christian faith with as much depth as possible.

We are living in a time when people of any Church background do not understand their Church background or the basic tenets of the faith. Doctrine can seem like such a dry and scary word to many, but it is a word that needs to be elevated by Church Leaders and understood by them. When the Leaders of any Church do not know, understand, and teach basic doctrine the Church is left with a group of people who are bringing in their interpretation of what scripture means to their lives instead of understanding scripture and applying it to their lives. Those of us who are called to lead must teach the basics of the faith to our people because we are obligated to do so. In 1 Timothy, Paul charges his young disciple to keep the basics of the faith and to teach it to the congregation he is Pastoring. This charge remains!

When our Church is done with its series in 1 John we will be moving into the Doctrine of Salvation until the beginning of December. Every year I take one aspect or category of Doctrine and turn it into a Topical Series using a given complete text for each sermon. This is a simple task that allows the congregation to grow and gives freedom to the Preacher to piece the Bible together on a given but yet important matter. The sheep are hungry right now and they need to be fed! They have had enough milk and it is time to give them some steak!

Overflow

We love to talk about the things that matter to us the most! I talk a lot about the St. Louis Cardinal because of my passion for baseball and my team. I tell everyone how I could do a better job than the current General Manager and point out the trades that he should have been involved in. In my own eyes I am the greatest baseball sofa Coach that ever lived. If I had a direct line into the dugout and could talk with Cardinals Manager Tony Larussa about the lineup the Cardinals would be in a much better position. At least this is what I think when I talk about my beloved Cardinals.

The things that we love in this world the most are always on our minds. As I type these words I think of how my Cardinals are on a bad losing streak that could keep them out of this years playoffs. Even though I love baseball I wonder if I fill my daily conversations with the same time dedicated to God? I am passionate about Jesus and salvation, but I have been questioning lately how much time is dedicated to telling others about this wonderful God I serve. So many different ways to do so, but sometimes I refrain out of fear of what people might think or say. I might seem a bit cultic or something. Does it really matter what other people think? Even people in the Church might find it strange to talk about God everyday! Other peoples perceptions should never stop me from talking about God. The only thing that does seem to stop me is when my walk is not what it should be.

As a Pastor there is always that perception by people that I am living on the mountain top. I wish that was what my life with Jesus was like, but it is far from the truth. No matter who we are in the Church we all have to be committed to spending quality time with God everyday. When we become committed Christians we begin to experience God moving through our lives in such wonderful ways that we will not be able to stay quiet about it. There is a pressing need in our country for people to hear about how wonderful, loving, gracious, compassionate, forgiving, and big our God is. I think the biggest problem why people are not hearing more from those inside of the Church is that the life of faith has become routine to many. I refuse to settle for a life with God of just going through the motions. I refuse to stay quiet about the goodness of God and the things that HE has brought me through. I have a faith that believes that when non-believers see God moving through the life of one of HIS servants that they will be impacted in some way.

The Church is here to help those in Christ grow through various means. As a Christian everyone has the responsibility of growing on their own as well. Whether you are a Pastor or just someone who shows up on Sunday morning. When you make a decision to start growing and put effort into the life you have been called to live you will discover over time that God will begin to move into many of your conversations. We need this in the Church! We need to stop thinking that it is strange to be consumed by God and that people are strange who want to speak about HIM whenever they get a chance. When the people of the Church begin to overflow with praises for God and what HE has done and is doing in their lives it will become a witness to the world around us. We need to be better witnesses to the world through our lifestyle in the Church. We need the overflow of God in our lives because we are losing ground. It is time for the Church to shine in new ways for the glory of God.

Solitary Confinement

I have many Christian friends who come from different backgrounds and different denominations. Over the past month I keep running into people who love Jesus but attend a different type of Christian Church than I do. When the topic of Church comes up I find that I enjoy the conversation because its usually centered on what God is doing in someone's life or about how to get the Church moving. The Christians that I seem to gravitate toward the most are the ones that care more about the Great Commission than if their denomination is successful. That probably bothers some people, but it is all about Jesus first and everything else second.

Lately I have been questioning our focus at the Church that I Pastor and the others that are out there. We seem to be building our own personal kingdoms while people around us are far from Christ and are experiencing inner turmoil. I don't want to live like this anymore! I don't want to minister like this anymore! I want radical change! I want revolution and reformission like I never have before! But that change I desire will not just happen overnight because I have a desire for it. I have to give that desire over to God through prayer and learn to "Be Still" before Him and wait for Him to move. That is the hardest part. But I believe with every ounce of my being that God is waiting for all of us to wait. I believe that God is telling us to slow down, get on our knees, and wait for His movement in our Churches. But are we willing to pray, listen, and wait?

My answer is YES! I am at a point in my walk with the Lord where I am tired of not seeing lives impacted to such a degree that the overflow is a genuine and lasting excitement for the Christian life. It starts by pouring out all that I am before the Lord and letting Him constantly conform me to His WILL! While that is easy to type and talk about it becomes much harder to live out. What will make it easy for anyone who desires the same is to become so frustrated with the current state of the Church that you are willing to pray and wait until you experience a fresh move of God. My own tradition loves to quote the book of Acts and talk about salvation, but why don't we talk about how mighty God moved through the early Church that trusted Him? The early Church spent a lot of time trusting, praying, and waiting for God and He blessed them in spiritual ways they never expected. This is the same God I serve. This is the same God whom I will trust for a fresh move. I am tired of living in solitary confinement. It is a dark and lonely place to be. It is time to break out and I am willing to wait for God to open up the door.

Do Pastors Get Paid To Study?

I was sitting in an Elders meeting several years ago at my former ministry in Ohio. One of the Elders who I had a great relationship with was teasing me about the amount of time I had been studying that month. As this was going on another Elder, who I will call Rodney (not his real name) had a very strange look on his face. When the teasing ended Rodney looked at me with all seriousness and asked if I had been using Church time to study for my sermons. When I told him that I had he began to get frustrated and a little mad. He told me that my job was to visit people during the day and I should study on my own time. He went on to talk about his military days and how he had to study "off the clock" on a regular basis. With all of the Elders now looking at both of us I explained to him that the Church paid me to visit, pray, study, and everything else that goes along with ministry. Rodney was not happy the rest of the meeting or the rest of the time I was in Ohio.

There are many misconceptions about what a Pastor does and does not do. All of us in full time ministry have very different personalities and approaches to how we accomplish things. For me I like to mix things up and work during the day and evening as well. I love to visit people and I enjoy my time in study as well. What my schedule is and what the guys schedule who ministered here before me are very different. Most leaders that any Pastor works with understands the dynamics that are involved with the different personalities and approaches by each individual Pastor. Still there are those out there like Rodney who feel that they know the best way that every Pastor should spend his days. If you are a Church leader and you find yourself frustrated with your Pastor then handle the issue Biblically and talk to him first. My situation right now is wonderful, but my heart goes out to my brothers who have to struggle through this with their leadership.

The Church needs to realize that it is imperative in todays culture for their Pastors to have enough time in study and prayer. These 2 vitally important elements are missing much of the time in a Pastors life. All of us in full time ministry need to be focused upon study beyond the Sunday morning sermon so that we are constantly filled with wisdom and insight. Our prayer lives have to take precedent over our busy days before they begin so that we are inviting God into our daily situations. Any Pastor who takes the time to pray and study several hours each day will be someone that God will use continuously. Those in the Church need to encourage their Pastors to take time for this each day. There is more power in a Pastor who prays with regularity than many realize. I always will wonder to myself why Rodney was so upset at that meeting? Would he have been so upset if he spent more time with the Lord? Maybe part of the problem is that some of the leaders in the Church think of their role as a position instead of having the mind of a servant. The Apostles in Acts 6 delegated ministry so that they could give their attention to the word & prayer. That still holds true for the Church today. I receive payment for working in full time ministry. A big part of that ministry is spending time in prayer and the word.

Communication Breakdown

Several years ago I sat outside of the Chapel at Bible College and struck up a conversation with a Pastor of a healthy and growing Mega-Church. He had a very charismatic personality and I liked him from the start. As we talked I began to question him about his journey as a Minister and discovered that he started out working with the youth and was involved with several other key areas of the Church before taking on a Lead Pastor's role. I was intrigued by this mans journey and asked him what the difference was between Youth Ministry and being in a Lead Pastoral role. He said to me "the only difference between the youth and adults is their age! No matter how old they are they still act a little childish from time to time!" I thought that was a bit strong, but figured he must of had his reasons for his comments.

I had forgotten about my conversation with the Mega-Church Pastor until the past few months. I realized that what he said had a lot of truth to it. As adults we sometimes still act like teenagers and little children. When we don't get our way at Church we pout and throw fits until we get some attention. We do this because in America we have things theologically backwards. We have begun to think that the Church is there for us and that we need to be ministered too constantly. We have been fed lies by the spoonful and have eaten every last morsel of it. Our selfishness affects the bodies that we represent in negative ways. We have become more concerned with what we want in the Church than what God wants from each of us in our communities and homes. People have become consumeristic and will now shop around for a Church that fits their own needs. Once a Church is found the disciple begins to think of themselves as a customer who needs to be served and made happy if they are going to stick around for any length of time. This mentality is killing the Church!!!

The Church does not exist to make people happy or to fit some type of personal spiritual blue print. The Church exists to edify God through ministering to each other and the community that each Church is in. One of the key elements that is missing today is humility. Dallas Willard in his book "The Diving Conspiracy" says that humility is the hardest thing for the modern Christian to grasp. Our lack of humility is causing us to battle with each other over order of service, music style, and levels of authority within many congregations. Our lack of humility keeps us from loving, serving, worshipping, and praying together like we should. Our lack of humility hinders God's blessings and movement among us. I don't know how you feel about all of that, but personally I am tired of the lack of humility I see among God's people.

Pride is the counterpart of humility by the way. It is an affective tool that Satan has used through the centuries to divide God's people. Our pride holds us back from getting to know the entire congregation at times. Our pride holds us back from listening to each other and loving one another more passionately and deeply. Pride was not a problem for the Church in the book of Acts. They humbled themselves and God moved in powerful ways. When we learn how to humble ourselves we will experience God in great ways also. The road of humility is not an easy road, but it is the best road that any disciple can be on.

Do You Love Your Neighbor?

The logo for this article is taken from a web site I sometimes frequent called Christian Church Today. I have it as one of the links listed on this site. When I found this site I was researching graduate schools over 2 years ago. I would look at the site initially every 3 days or so because they also have ministry listings and at the time I was in a tough situation with my former Church. I began to notice over time that the site had a forum section on it and all you had to do to participate was to sign up for membership. I first began just reading through the threads for a long period of time and eventually got the nerve to begin to post. I hesitated to post because while it is a Christian site I noticed that people could sometimes take theological debates and get a bit ugly with one another. Eventually I began to post and met some good Christians and experienced some decent online fellowship. I have even had some trouble with a few people just getting a bit nasty from time to time. Some of those who I have become fond of on the site have been harassed by a few rotten apples who like to come on to that site and create problems for everyone. I suppose in many ways a Christian website reminds me of the Church.

Of course all of this bickering on the website did calm down a bit through July because the website went off-line for a while and when it came back up the forum section was still undergoing maintenance. This past week the forum section was running again, but many have deserted this site for a better time of fellowship at a different location. I was among those who choose to fellowship at the other, but will continue to visit and perhaps even post at Christian Church Today. This type of bickering and frustration has always been in the Church since it started (see Acts) and it will unfortunately always be around. Paul wrote to Timothy and said that "in the last days the love of many will grow cold!" The last days started at Pentecost when Peter preached a powerful sermon and some 3,000+ were saved. We don't have to look very far today to see that there is a love problem, even within the walls of the Church building. This for me is the most frustrating aspect of the Christian life. The lack of love among God's people with each other and apart from each other. We need to learn to love as Jesus loved! We need to learn to extend grace as Jesus extended grace! I think part of the problem is our ego-centric thinking that we cling to everyday. We are being formed and shaped to be a community that loves each other and God.

I recently made a comment in the Church about someone who I think has potential for greater leadership responsibilities. When I mentioned this openly someone pointed out that the person mentioned has had some problems with their life. They were referring to the persons past sins. Isn't that incredible? Jesus can forgive us and wash us clean yet we like to point out the problems of others so easily. This is not what Christ died for! He died for the ungodly and the sinner. That is who I am! That is who you are!

While Christian Church Today website was closed for most of this month I began to frequent other Christian websites and blogs more than usual. I saw a lot of finger pointing by Christians toward other Christians. I read how each denomination has it right and how the other ones are all wrong. One of the days of this I experienced depression and headaches. This is not what Jesus suffered for. He suffered so that His people could have an abundant life. Jesus said the 2 Greatest Commandments were loving God with every aspect of you being and loving your neighbor as yourself. When the Church starts to learn the first one it will not have a problem with the latter. No matter what denomination you are in you are commanded to love your neighbor! If they bear fruit for the Kingdom they are your neighbor. When we learn to love we will learn to move forward with God into a greater spiritual depth. Everyday God gives me the choice to be a Christian who loves.

Freedom of Simplicity

Our staff just finished Freedom of Simplicity by Richard Foster who writes primarily in the area of Spiritual Formation. I have always enjoyed Foster and believe that he and Dallas Willard are 2 of the best writers of our day in the area of Spiritual Formation. Freedom of Simplicity forces any Christian to look deep within at the lifestyle they are living. Foster forces the reader to re-evaluate what we value in the Christian life against the backdrop of the New Testament. This is a book that spends time on lifestyle and our Christian role in the area of social justice. Foster is a Quaker which means that he has a natural bent toward social justice, simplicity, and conservation. Personally I think that Foster was a bit too green for me, but believe that this is a must read for any Christian servant-leader.

Unfortunately this book will probably not find its way on to the top selling list of CBD or your local Christian book store. Those in the Church today spend more time justifying a lifestyle that mimics the world instead of re-ordering a lifestyle that fits a biblical model a bit more closely. If you have struggled with material issues as a Christian and have a desire to be challenged I would recommend this book. Some consider Foster a Christian-mystic which in itself is not a terrible label unless you are in the camp of ultra-conservatism. Foster is a voice that the Church needs to hear from and listen to in the 21st century. This book is a challenge and written with a philosophers heart so do not expect to be able to quickly run through this and not have to put it down occasionally to digest the material. If you want to be challenged then spend a little time with Foster. I also recommend Foster's Celebration of Discipline to those who want to have a richer and more fulfilled Christian life.

X + Y = CHAOS

Yesterday in my travels of ministry I ran into many different types of people who represent our Church. As I look back on those interactions I realize that I engaged 4 different generations that make up the modern (or postmodern) Church of America. As I reflect on yesterday I wonder to myself if we understand our generational differences at all and even respect them? The answer is a simple no! Unfortunately we (all generations in the Church) kick and scream at times like little children wanting things done our own ways so that each generation will get what they want from Sunday morning worship or from the ministries offered from the Church.

In the past couple of years I have started to notice a trend with 2 specific generations that is starting to trouble me. The generations are X and Y (sometimes called millennials). In the modern Church I represent GenX being in my 30's and those who are Y are usually in their early 20's. The trend that I am noticing with these 2 different generations is what I like to call a "catered mentality." These 2 generations that have grown up at the height of the technological revolution are the most restless generations that this nations has probably ever known. We have grown up with television as our babysitter and our world is full of screens. Our attention span has been said by experts to have only a 3-5 seconds. We need to be entertained and always seem to be on the go. Slowing down for us is watching television for an hour or so. We have an expectation of being fulfilled or we will take our desires somewhere else and that includes that Church. These 2 generations have seen the largest divorces among any other generations in our American history that has lead to drug use, sexual addiction, homosexuality, and disrespect of most authority figures. But you would think that once a person has entered a relationship with Jesus that most of these problems would take care of themselves, but that is no the case.

Generation X & Y are two completely different generations. GenX is probably the last generation of teens who worked thankless jobs and have a quasi-hard work ethic. GenY are the children of those who did not have much and what they did have gave all of that to their children in the hope that it would bring them happiness. With all of this baggage some from these 2 generations enter through our Church doors every Sunday morning looking for fulfillment. We need to realize how they think and learn how to connect the preceding generations to them. X & Y need to learn from the generations who are ahead of them and need to connect to those from those generations for the Church to become a place of spiritual growth and nurture. Instead of battling over music and ministries we need to be finding some middle ground in light of God's Word together. The generations above X & Y need to be ministering to these younger generations who will and have begun to take over the operating functions of the Church. If generations do not learn to move forward together in the Name of Jesus there will be more chaos in the future than there is today in the modern Church. No matter what generation you are in you have a command to work together for the Lord in unity. Someone who answers Jesus' call to "love his neighbor" will respect other generations and do their best to minister too them.

Judge Not

Bible study & prayer can be frustrating! When you get out of rhythm with it you are only left with a bad attitude. When you get into a rhythm of it you begin to be convicted by the Holy Spirit of things that hinder your walk with Jesus. My conviction over the past 2 weeks has been that of judging other people. Then when I get to this weeks passage for my sermon series which is James 4:1-12 I come across the word judge in the text. I do a little language work and notice that the word judge is in the present active mode which means that James is talking to those in the Church who are currently judging or involved in actively judging others. When it comes to understanding the Bible, context is everything! Read all of James 4:1-12 and notice how James not only talks about judging at the end, but he also talks about Church battles. I think this is a good text for all of us to memorize.

I don't want anyone to think that by talking about judging others that I am suddenly Politically Correct because I probably will never cross that bridge. I am talking about judging others by tearing them in half verbally or internally because of what they say and what they do. We have many passages in the New Testament for those who sin against each other or the Church and refuse to repent. Those passages must be adhered to without wavering. But judging each other due to personality flaws seems to be a trend that has been around since the 1st Century. We forget that most of the time we have a fallen nature that is always battling with our Spiritual life. Remember Romans 7? Because of this battle we are so quick to point out most peoples faults instead of admitting our own and working through them. It could be my culture, my country, my upbringing, or perhaps my sinful nature that leads me to be so quick to pick apart others. No matter what label I ascribe to this sin it is still judging others which causes disharmony between myself and God and many around me. I am tired of the Church falling prey to this sin and I am tired of falling into this sinful trap.

I have realized through introspection and Holy Spirit conviction that I am guilty as charged by the Word of God! I realize as a Christian that I have an expectation to turn this around. I have made a commitment to God and myself that this must change. It will take time, prayer, hard work, and reliance on the Holy Spirit to get me to where I need to be. But I am willing to get through this because I have been stuck in this rut for several years now. Can you imagine being freed from the bonds of judgmentalism? I want to spend more time correcting myself and loving others than I do judging them. Remember the golden rule? We break that rule by being kind to ourselves and disrespectful to others when we pass our judgments on their faults and attitudes. I want to love like Jesus loved which means more grace and less judgmentalism. It is possible, but it requires effort.

The Fruit of the Spirit Is....

Last night I was reading on a private forum of a fellow Pastor and his struggles with the congregation he serves. When he talked about his situation it took me back in time to a situation that I would like to share with you today. The situations are so similar that I thought it was the Church that I left over a year ago. It is not the same Church, but it proves that many Churches in America have become consumed with Sunday morning instead of their relationship with Christ.

Cornerstone Christian Church (not its real name) is like most Churches in America. They cling to their traditions which primarily revolves around how they worship on Sunday morning. While at Cornerstone Christian the worship committee decided one evening that we needed to change things up a bit. One of the people proposed that we change the order of service since it had been the same for a very long time. We moved several things around and put communion (we partake of it weekly) after the sermon instead of before. The committee agreed and when proposed to the Elders they were all in agreement said it was a great idea. In just a few short weeks when I met with the Elders again there was a big problem with the new order of service. One of the Elders wives was upset and told her husband that communion should always be before the Word is presented. She told her husband that she could not focus on the Word until she had communion. This woman had been to Bible College for 1 year many years ago and was known for believing that she had a handle on the Bible more than just about anybody else in the Church. In the Elders meeting the Elder whose wife complained said we had to move it back. When asked why he repeated what his wife said and the added "who would know better than her where it should go?" We did not move it back to where she wanted it because Easter service was coming and many people enjoyed something a bit different for worship.

Looking back on this I have to shake my head and laugh a bit. We get so bent out of shape in the Church over the smallest things don't we? Unfortunately this problem I had experienced was one of many petty problems from my time at that ministry. What bothers me the most is that Cornerstone Christian represents many Churches in America. People are fighting and bickering over petty details of what should happen on Sunday morning instead of worrying about growing closer to Christ and bringing Him honor in their daily lives. When things like this happen we look just like the world to each other and to outsiders. What a shame! Then we wonder to ourselves why God is not using us or blessing our Church.

In Galatians 5:22-26 there are 9 attributes listed that are called the Fruit of the Spirit. These attributes should be flowing out of every person who is an apprentice (disciple) of Christ. We don't talk about the Fruit of the Spirit like we should. We need to be asking ourselves and others if we have these qualities in our lives. The ones we are lacking in we need to notice and pray about. 1 John 5:14 "This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us." Powerful words from the Apostle John! We need to understand that it is God's Will that we bear fruit. God desires for you to have the fruit listed in Galatians 5. The problem is that we are taking our focus of of Jesus in the Church and putting it on other things that are unfruitful. When someone becomes fruitful in their lives the Church will reap the benefits. Others will see that it is possible to live and "abundant" life that Jesus promised. When more people become convinced they will give more time and energy to their relationship with Christ. As people grow the Church grows spiritually. When a Church grows spiritually it begins to focus on reaching out instead of focusing on the order of worship. We have a duty as Christians to think beyond ourselves and the Sunday morning worship. People who are consumed with the order of worship worry me. If you are worried more about Sunday morning order of worship more than glorifying God with your life and reaching out to a hurting world you need to repent and ask Jesus to move in fresh ways in your life. You have the choice everyday to bear fruit or to become a rotten apple.

How Spiritual Is The Modern Church?

Many years ago I had a Church Leader pull me to the side because his Church was dealing with an issue of immorality. He wanted to know what the Churches authority was with members in this precarious situation. I began rambling off the different texts in the New Testament and then turned to him and said, "but you know what these verses say concerning this issue!" His response amazed me! He said "I really don't know what the Bible has to say about this issue!" When I asked him if he had ever been through the New Testament he just looked to the ground with a look of shame and told me that he had never read the New Testament.

I wish I could tell you that this was an isolated incident, but it was not. Through the years I have noticed that many Church Leaders and many Christians in the Church just don't have a good overall Biblical knowledge like they use too. Being a Pastor this not only breaks my heart, but it frustrates me to no end. We have greater opportunities than most people in the world when it comes to growth and development of our relationship with Christ. We are squandering it away because we are lazy in the American Church. Maybe part of our problem is that we come to Church with an expectation that growth should only happen within the walls of a building instead of being a continual process that we are to go through.

Every Church needs to make sure that its leaders know the Word of God and that they are promoting growth among its members. When we are not growing spiritually we are nothing more than a club or organization that meets once a week because we believe in something. The Christian life was promised to be a dynamic relationship with God. Do you feel that your spiritual life is dynamic? If it is not then can you say that it is the fault of your Church? While it does matter that you are getting solid Biblical teaching from the body that you belong too you also have a huge responsibility for yourself. We are forgetting that there is a lifestyle involved with the Christian life. Being a Christian is not a label, it is a name given to those who follow Jesus with passion and persevere with Him no matter what is happening in their lives. Pick up the Word and start growing and don't just rely on your Church to move you forward with God.

Are We Too Comfortable?

I get upset sometimes in the morning if I don't have half & half to pour into my coffee. I don't get a little irritated, I actually become a bit angry for about a half hour or so. That seems very petty and immature I think to myself as the day goes on. Through the day I forget about it and then as I am flipping through the channels at 8:30 p.m. I am reminded how immature it really is. I come across a Christian channel that primarily shows many Pentecostal programs, but this one is not Pentecostal and it is very different. The Program I watched was Life Today which is a ministry of James and Betty Robison. I believe that James Robison is a former Baptist Pastor which is a bit different from the Independent Christian Church freewill theology that I am accustomed too. His background does not bother me at all because as I have been watching the program lately I see a fellow Christian brother with a heart that takes him out of his comfort zone.


Yesterday's episode had a guest on talking about wisdom and a little booklet that the guest had written. Usually they focus on a person and the ministry connected to that person and I enjoy the show if I am interested in the subject matter. Yesterday's program had a 10 minute segment at the end that dealt with the ministry work that James & Betty do on the continent of Africa. They have a heart and passion of making sure that those without clean running water will receive it. I have known about their work for some time, but last night it tugged at my heart in a new and fresh way. It made me examine my own lifestyle and I began to think of all the little things that I complain about and take for granted. It made me realize that I live a wonderful life of comfort without a great deal of sacrifice.

Our lifestyle as Christians are very lavish in North America. I believe that God formed me and knitted me together as Psalm 139 tells me. I believe that God formed and knitted me together for this time and for the place that I live. But do I buy into the comfortable lifestyle a bit too much? I am starting to think that I have too much. I find myself wanting to learn how not to be so materialistic. I am realizing that I am not so sure of the time God has allowed me to have in this place. There is no guarantee of my life span. What I do with the time God has given me is extremely important. I must prayerfully desire to become a daily blessing in all areas of my life and learn to be a sacrificial Christian. I might not be able to touch the continent of Africa in a way that James and Betty do, but I can have a huge impact in my own community.

Everywhere there are people around us who are hurting in some way. It could be financial problems, marital problems, emotional problems, or problems just dealing with life. A disciple of Jesus in North America must learn to get out of their comfort zones and self-centered living and engage those outside of the Church in the name of Jesus if they want to make an eternal impact. Our days are filled with meeting our own needs and we see this as normal. What a shame! Matthew 25 deals with people who did the work of the Kingdom and those who did not. Every Christian should periodically look at this chapter of the Bible. Have we forgotten that there is expectations on the Christian life? We need to get moving! We need to get out of our comfort zones! Jesus sacrificed His life for us! What are we doing for Him?