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Cancer of Complacency

Posted in Church, Community, Formation on February 17, 2010| Leave a Comment »

During my prayer and reading time this morning, I was struck with an idea and I can’t let it go.  As I pray for our church and the entire movement of Christ followers, I am reminded that a true follower of the Way should be fully committed to living for Jesus and loving as he loved.

However, so often, we lose that passion.  Part of the reason, I have observed, is that we grow numb to God working around us.  In fact, we often reach a point at which we feel we have arrived – we are mature in our faith.

Unfortunately, “maturity” too often is actually complacency. Complacency is a cancer that is eating away at the very heart of the church today.

Why is it that once we have been a Christ follower for a number of months or years, we become less effective as disciples?

It is because we have lost the fire, the passion, the excitement of what it means to live for Jesus – to love like he showed us to love.

Complacency is a cancer – don’t let it go untreated any longer!

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True Community

Posted in Church, Community on February 11, 2010| Leave a Comment »

One of the catchiest catch-words in church circles today is “community.”  But what does it mean – what does it look like?

Last night in our study, In The Dust of the Rabbi, we talked about what it was like in the first century in a Greco-Roman world to be a Christ follower.  It would have meant that you would have been excluded from society – the economic world would be closed to you, the political world would be closed as well – because you no longer would be willing to sacrifice to the gods so you would be shunned and even hated.

The early Christians had no choice but to band together to survive.  They needed one another to live.  Community was a way of life – and disciples were born in, raised by and developed in that community.  But today, in our culture, the idea of community is really a little foreign.  We enjoy being with others but we also want our space.  We live in an individualistic society that praises independence.  So living in true community seems odd to us.

Regardless of how independent we may think we are, God actually created us to need others.  So what does community look like in 2010 in America?

The first thought is that the church should be that community – and that is true.  But is it?  Do people really live in community in your gathering of believers?  Is your gathering characterized by transparency, honesty and solid relationships or is it more of a social gathering for an hour or two on Sunday mornings where masks are worn and fronts are maintained?

This morning I am sitting in one of my favorite places to think and enjoy a good cup of coffee and one amazing blueberry scone – Sugar Brown’s.  As I sit and write this post this morning, I am scanning the room and here is what I see:  I see two young females at the back table who appear to be catching up after not seeing each other for a while; I see a young business professional in his suit and kindle, listening with great compassion and attentiveness to a young man who has a speech disability.  On the other side of the room is a table with three middle-aged men laughing and having a great conversation.  Right behind me are two older gentlemen discussing politics.

Now let me clarify that I do not make a habit of eaves dropping on peoples’ conversations, but I have to confess that I am a student of people.  But the point today is that what I am observing this morning at Sugar Brown’s is a clear depiction of community – the way God created it – and it is not even happening in a church (although I could argue that the scone was a spiritual experience).

Where does community happen for you?

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Seventh Grade Lesson on Passion

Posted in Church, Hope, Missions on January 25, 2010| Leave a Comment »

I have said this before, but Kristi and I have been blessed with three amazing sons!  Our youngest sang this past Saturday in Lubbock as part of the middle school all-region choir (8th chair first tenor).  I sat and beamed with pride as our son stood on the front row of those risers, singing with the rest of the “best of the best” from the schools in this area.  They did an incredible job.

We have been to a multitude of choir concerts as parents, but this one was different.  There was a noticeable focus in each of the choir members.  Each one was there because he or she wanted to be and the result was inspirational.

It got me to thinking – what if church could be like that?  What would your church look like if everyone who attended this coming Sunday, was there to praise God and to learn how to follow Jesus more passionately?  What would your community look like if everyone who attends your church on Sunday were on fire for God during the week?

You may be thinking, “That is a nice dream but it will never happen.”

I want to leave you with one question:

“Why not?”

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Terrifying Change

Posted in Church, Community, Grace on January 12, 2010| Leave a Comment »

Do new ideas make you nervous?  How about the thought of change?

Now before you get pious and think, “I am ready for change – the church needs to change;” let me suggest to you that all of us resist change.  Change is not an issue as long as the change does not touch on areas that are dear to us.  All of us have levels of comfortability and as long as the change is not encroaching on that untouchable area of comfort then we are fine.

The problem is, each one of us has a different threshold when it comes to change.  You might say, “We should be more inclusive in our church,” and be completely honest in your suggestion.  But what if a woman convicted of indecency with a child wants to join the fellowship – and teach Sunday School?

Granted, that is an explosive topic and would present many varied issues, but I throw that example out to get us to think about the ramifications of change.

Matthew 2:3-4 speaks of the fear of change.  You can read here that Herod and all of Jerusalem were frightened when they heard that God was coming to Earth.  Herod was the leader of the Jews and Jerusalem was the center of Judaism.  Now why would the religious leaders of the time be frightened at this news?

When it comes to religion, change is difficult.  We don’t like it when God wants to move us into the unknown.

I ran across this prayer from Eugene Peterson this morning and want you to think about it today and pray it if you can:

Prevent, O God, the Herodian spirit from filtering into my life: the spirit that uses religion to protect itself, and jealous of any hint of rivalry, responds to your Spirit only with suspicious fear.  Amen.

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Counter-Culturally Relevant

Posted in Church, Community, Missions on December 22, 2009| Leave a Comment »

Yesterday, the topic of discussion was centered around the attitude we have toward reaching people with God’s message of love and hope.  Today, I want to pick up the discussion with our attitude toward how we go about reaching people.

One of the catch phrases today is “culturally relevant.”  I must admit, I am a big proponent of a church being culturally relevant in the sense that church needs to meet people where they are and be able to meet relevant, real life, real time issues we all face on a daily basis.  Unfortunately, all too often, in an attempt to be culturally relevant, churches focus their attention on superficial things trying to appeal to those outside the church.  What can happen is a move to entertainment as opposed to worship.  I have touched on this issue before – you can read that post here.

When we look at the life and ministry of Jesus we find that much of what he did was counter-cultural.  He came and taught us to love our enemies, not try and hurt them.  He taught that we should live humbly, putting others’ interests before our own, not to live seeking to get ahead.  He taught not that seeing is believing but rather that believing should be enough.  The things Jesus taught and modeled did not fit the culture of his day – nor the culture our today either.

So what do we do with this?  Is striving to be culturally relevant important?  Or should we work at being counter cultural?  Do you see the tension?

I think we need both.  The age-old task of the church has always been to take timeless, counter-cultural truth and present it to current generations in relevant ways and with relevant, meaningful application.

The key is to present the Gospel message without losing the message of the Gospel.

So how will you be counter-culturally relevant today?

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God Desires Unity

Posted in Church, Community, Leadership on December 14, 2009| Leave a Comment »

God loves you – God desperately wants a relationship with you – so much so that God became a man and lived among people in order to build that relationship.  None of this is new news really.  All of us have heard the Christmas story most likely.

But have you ever come to grips with the truth that just as God wants a relationship with you and with me, God wants each of us to have a relationship with one another!  I don’t know about you, but that causes me to pause.  The thought that our relationships with each other are just as important to God as our individual relationships with the Almighty.

John 17:20-23 tells us that Jesus prayed that we would be one as he and God are one.  Why?  So that the rest of the world would see that unity and be drawn to God.

Jesus wants us to be unified – one body.  Now we all know that there are divisions among God’s people.  But do you think that brings honor and glory to God – does it draw others to the One who desires us all to be one?

In reality, we are human – we have different likes and dislikes, different ideas and different ways of doing things.  Diversity is a good thing.  But when we focus on what divides to the detriment of what unites, we have lost our way.

What separates you from other followers of the Way?  In the grand scheme of eternity, do those things that separate really matter?

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He Threw a Wide Loop

Posted in Church, Community on November 16, 2009| 2 Comments »

Yesterday, as I was settling into my Sunday morning routine at the office, my phone rang.  The news I got in that phone call took me a while to process (in fact, I am still processing it).  The news came that Danny Williams had passed away.  Danny was the pastor of the High Plains Cowboy Church here in town and a great friend.

I made arrangements for my duties and then headed to the Cowboy Church.  What I found there was a group of people hurting but doing just as God intended, leaning on one another.  One of the first people I spoke to made the statement, “Danny sure threw a wide loop.”  I have not been able to get that image out of my mind – he threw a wide loop.  His circle included a lot of people.

As I looked around the room, I realized the truth of that statement.  There were people there from multiple generations, multiple races and multiple socio-economic backgrounds – all walks of life.  They all felt welcome there – it is home.

Danny threw a wide loop because he knew that the Gospel includes every body.  It is meant for everyone – all people no matter who you are.

I know Danny is checking out the pastures in heaven today, but he leaves a posse behind that would not exist had he not understood the Gospel and had he not thrown such a wide loop.

Danny, happy trails!

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Commitment That Costs

Posted in Church, Family, Formation on November 6, 2009| 2 Comments »

Wednesday I had the privilege of sharing a devotion with the Board of Directors for an association to which I belong and I thought it appropriate to share my thoughts here as well.  So, to fellow board members who might be reading today, please forgive me for the repeat.

As I read Luke 14, I find that Jesus offers a lesson on what he expects of us who call ourselves Christ followers – believers in the way.  I have often struggled with this passage (you can read it here).  Jesus’ command to forsake (even “hate” in some translations) our families has been hard for me to understand.  I have always felt that my relationship with God should be my first priority and that my relationship with my family should be a close second.  But Jesus uses some pretty strong language suggesting that we have to completely forsake our families in order to follow him.

But as I meditated on this passage this week, I began to realize that Jesus was attempting to make a strong point both to his listeners and to us, that following him will be costly and that we should stop and count the cost before committing to follow him.  Now you may be thinking – well yeah, what is so hard to understand about that?

But I think what hit me between the eyes in this meditation is that Jesus was not just making a point, he was giving a warning.  We tend to “sterilize” Jesus words sometimes, but I think we loose the impact when we do that.  What Jesus was saying was that we need to really be sure we are ready to commit everything we have and are to him.  I think what he was saying was this, “Now wait a minute before you just jump on board because everyone is doing it.  I don’t need half-hearted, fair-weather followers.  In order for God’s plan to work, I need followers who are all-in, sold out, no turning back kind of followers.  If that is not you – then go follow someone else.”

While this may seem harsh, imagine with me for a moment, what would the church look like if everyone in it had this level of commitment?  What would our world look like if our churches were filled with believers committed to this level?

I dream of living in that world!

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Stranded On An Island With a Bible

Posted in Church, Formation, Leadership on November 5, 2009| 4 Comments »

What if you were stranded as a child on a desolate island with only the Bible to read?  Now imagine that after 20 years you were rescued from the island and you found your way into your church.  Would what you had come to believe from the Bible be consistent with what you experience in your church?

This is the scenario Francis Chan presents in the first few pages of his new book, Forgotten God.

I have to admit, I am not sure what I would see.  I say that because I have been so conditioned by my culture and my upbringing in the Baptist church that I don’t think I can say, without doubt, that there would be no inconsistencies – in fact, I think I could name a few.

So where does that leave us?  I think it should give us reason for pause.  Moving forward, I think we should:

  • Weigh everything we do against scripture – if there is no justification that can be found in the Bible for what we are doing, maybe, just maybe we should jettison it.
  • Bend what we do to meet scripture – not the other way around
  • Approach each issue with humility not arrogance – make sure your heart is beating in unison with the heart of Jesus
  • Err on the side of grace – being judgmental and obstinate has not served us well to date
  • Love – just love!

 

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A Triangle Has Three Sides

Posted in Church, Community, Formation, Missions on November 4, 2009| Leave a Comment »

I just finished Brian McLaren’s book, Finding Our Way Again: The Return of the  Ancient Practices.  I have read other works by McLaren and have never been disappointed in what he says or the impact of what his words have on my spiritual walk.  I encourage you to look into his books.

This particular book is one in a series published by Thomas Nelson covering spiritual practices.  I have mentioned spiritual practices or disciplines here before.  While the thought may be foreign to some of us, the use of different spiritual practices to draw us closer to God is as old as Christianity itself.  At any rate, in this book, McLaren focuses on three categories of practices that he suggests (and I agree) are inseparable – using a diagram of a triangle to illustrate the connection.  On one corner of the triangle we find the contemplative elements (meditation, prayer, etc.).  On another corner we find communal elements (worship, communion, fellowship, etc.).  And on the third corner we find the missional elements (service, outward focus, etc.).  The point that McLaren makes is that we cannot be complete without all three areas.

The tendency for most Christians is to strive in one or two areas to the detriment of the others.  We have to be balanced.  Contemplative elements without missional elements becomes pharisaical introversion but missional elements without the contemplative and communal elements become secular socialism.

God called each of us to a relationship with God.  The result of that growing relationship will have dramatic effects on everyone around us.  McLaren says that if we don’t have all three elements, we are incomplete and “sub-Christian.”

I don’t know about you but I don’t want to be sub-Christian.  I want my devotional, contemplative life to flow into my communal life in relating to and serving along side other believers.  These two elements should then naturally flow into service or missional efforts in the world around me.

Just remember – God did not call us out of boredom – God has a plan.  God expects us to seek to grow spiritually, grow closer to other followers of the way and to be light in a dark world.  It all goes together.

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