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Archive for the ‘Community’ Category

Like It or Not – We Need Each Other

Posted in Church, Community, Formation on January 29, 2015| Leave a Comment »

For those who may be reading my ramblings who are not familiar with my setting – I live and minister in America.  And not just America – I live and minister in the state of Texas.  And not just in the great state of Texas, but in the region of Texas we affectionately know as west Texas.  Just so that you can better grasp the environment, west does not just refer to the direction, it is a description.  Yes, we live in the western part of the state, but west Texas is more than just a direction – it is a mindset.  People do not live in west Texas for the beauty of the geography necessarily.  And the smell of feedlots and oil production aren’t a real draw either – unless you own the rights to one of those industries.

I have often mused that the only reason people settled in west Texas in the first place was because the wheels fell off their wagons during the migration to the west coast in the 1800’s and they simply decided to declare this unlikely plLocked armsace “home.”

So why do people live in west Texas?  The answer to that question would be as varied as the number of folks you ask.  But I think a common denominator to each response would be the people.  The people in our are of the state are – for the most part – genuine and friendly.  But another quality of Texans, dare I say Americans, is the attitude of individuality.  And west Texans seem to exemplify that attitude more so than many other folks I meet.  There is something of a frontier spirit – a boldness – an attitude that “I don’t need anyone else – I will make it on my own.”  And in our western mindset, we are conditioned to think of ourselves first.  “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” has been modified to “Do unto others before they have a chance to do unto you.”  As genuine and friendly as we may be, we are selfish and self-centered at our core.

And so we live our lives looking out for ourselves.  But the Bible speaks of another way.  The Bible teaches that we really do need each other – that we were created and wired for relationships.  Life is not meant to be lived in solitude.  The old adage that no man is an island is not only true but Biblical.  God created us to not only enjoy being around others but to actually be dependent on others.

As an American living in west Texas, that cuts against the grain.  It is not how I am conditioned.  But when I get very honest with myself, I know, somewhere down deep inside, that it is true.  We all need each other.

Nowhere is this more obvious than in the church.  We were each created completely and utterly unique, just like everyone else.  We each have unique qualities, gifts and passions that, when used together, compliment each other and work to fulfill God’s kingdom objectives in a way that we could never do alone.

God created us for community for a purpose.

Regardless of where you live, this truth is relevant to you in your setting.  God created you to serve alongside other believers for the benefit of the kingdom.

Are you plugged into a larger community?

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The Biggest Crisis of the Church Today

Posted in Church, Community, Hope, Leadership, tagged , on January 19, 2015| Leave a Comment »

This past week, a friend asked me a very difficult but insightful question, “What is the biggest issue or crisis the church faces today?”  I did not have to think too long about my response.  Not because it is an easy question but because I have been wrestling with it for quite some time.

There are so many issues facing the church today – immigration, abortion, homosexuality, denominational bias and in-fighting.  But over the past few months, I have come to believe the greatest crisis we face today is perceived irrelevance.  The world does not see a need for the church – the body of Christ serves little or no purpose in the world in a growing percentage of minds around the globe.

Is it possible that post-modernity ushered in post-christianity?  When culture accepts the lie that there is no absolute truth, where does that leave the church?  The answer – – it leaves the church in a state of perceived irrelevance.  A culture that does not value truth sees no need for a system of organized beliefs.

We should not be surprised by the state in which we find ourselves as evangelical Christ followers.  What troubles me though is putting my finger on how we got here.  And more importantly, where do we go from here?

These are mammoth issues with no easy answers but I think complacency has something to do with how we got into this mess.  We have become too comfortable over the years.  All the years that church involvement was the social norm lulled us to sleep.  We did not have to work at reaching people and sharing the hope of Jesus – they were coming to us.  But regardless of whether you agree with my thoughts, the real issue is what do we do about it?

I believe that the first thing we should do in any situation where we face struggles is to seek God fully.  2 Chronicles 20 tells of a king named Jehoshaphat who, when faced with opposing armies coming at them from all directions, gathered the people together and in the presence of all gathered prayed to God.  And here is key point to his prayer: “We don’t know what to do but our eyes are on you.”  Maybe, when we find ourselves facing situations, we should whisper this prayer.

The church is not irrelevant.  It is God’s plan for communicating the hope of salvation to a world with no hope.  The church must continually be finding ways to share God’s truth in relevant ways.  The truth never changes but the way we share it must remain relevant.

As overwhelming as all this sounds, I have to be honest – it invigorates me.  God calls us to partner with him to reach our world and we have been gifted with talents and passions that, when used for the Kingdom, bring life and hope.  We can make a difference in our world.  We can affect change in the situation in which we find ourselves – – but not by our power and skill.  We are able to have impact because the one who is in us is greater than the one who is in the world.  (1 John 4:4)

God is still in control.

Will we be faithful?

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Lasting Effect

Posted in Community, Formation, Hope, Uncategorized on January 15, 2015| Leave a Comment »

If you follow the church calendar, this coming Sunday is the Second Sunday of Ordinary Time.  We have made it through Advent and it is not yet time to experience Lent (which starts next month with Ash Wednesday).  So now we find ourselves in the midst of ordinary time.  One of this Sunday’s scripture readings comes from 1 Samuel 3.

As I was reading this week, I read the 1 Samuel passage (you can read it for yourself here).  It is the story of God’s calling Samuel as a boy.  One evening God called out to Samuel three times.  Each time God called to Samuel, he assumed it was Eli calling from the other room.  So he made his way to Eli each time and each time Eli explained that he had not called out for Samuel.  Finally, by the third time, Eli realized that it must be God calling the boy.  So he instructed Samuel to return to his room and if God called him again to respond by saying, “Speak, your servant is listening.”

The passage tells us that God did call out to Samuel again and he responded as Eli had instructed.  And then the passage moves to a wonderfully descriptive summary of Samuel’s life calling and ministry.  Verse 19 summarizes the remainder of Samuel’s life by simply stating, “Samuel grew up, and the Lord was with him, not permitting any word of his to be without effect.”  Some translations render that last phrase as “and he let none of Samuel’s words fall to the ground.”

As I read that summary I stopped in amazement.  I have heard this story from my childhood.  I have read it many times through the years and know the story of the rest of Samuel’s life, but I had never really thought about the weight of this one little verse.  In one sentence, the author states something that should be the goal of each of our lives.

Shouldn’t it be possible for our aspirations and passions to be summarized in such a way?  Could there be anything more concise?

As a pastor, my desire should be that God be with me all my days and that everything I do and say have lasting impact.

God, may it be so!

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Community In the Dark

Posted in Church, Community, Hope on January 12, 2015| Leave a Comment »

Closed sign

Last week I met a friend for breakfast and I encountered an interesting phenomenon.  We were to meet at 6:30 at a local restaurant.  I arrived a few minutes early thinking that I could have a little time to think and pray.  As I pulled into the parking lot, I noticed the lot was practically full of vehicles but the lights to the restaurant were not on.  Thinking that strange, I gathered my things and headed to the door.  On the door, the hours of operation were posted – opening at 6:30, but I could see through the glass door and all the windows that there were people at 4 different tables inside, sitting in the dark.

Being the curious person that I am, I entered the restaurant, found a table by the light coming from the fountain drink machine and began to observe.  All the patrons were drinking coffee and talking as if this were a normal day.  Occasionally, one of the men would get up, go to the coffee pot and make the rounds refilling cups.   At 6:30, the owner came out of the kitchen and turned on the lights, then went right back to the kitchen.

Once the customary restaurant operations began, I asked the waitress (who also happened to be the owner) about what I had just witnessed.  Her basic response was that she arrived everyday a little before 6 and put the coffee on, unlocked the door and people began showing up to drink coffee and talk.  But she did not allow the lights to be turned on because that would communicate to the passersby that the restaurant was open for business.

As I have reflected on that odd experience, it has reminded me of the importance of community.  We were created for relationships – for community.  We need one another.

These patrons were willing to sit in the dark in order to have community.  Could they wait until 6:30 to have community?  Certainly I would think so.  But they found a place that would allow them to gather and they take advantage of it each morning – even if it means sitting in the dark.

All of us need community.  Unfortunately, many never turn to the church for those relationships – they turn to coffee shops and bars to fill the need.  And the question I have to ask is, “Why?”  Shouldn’t the church be the one place people can find genuine community?  Shouldn’t people feel welcome with God’s people?

I realize the topic is not as simple as I make it sound.  Some don’t feel comfortable in church because they know the values upheld by the church and they have no intention of living by those values.  But even given that reality, shouldn’t the church strive to remind people that none of us are perfect and we all need one another to make it through the day?

I would suggest that the patrons in the restaurant, sitting in the dark to have community, are experiencing both a literal and figurative mere shadow of what genuine community should be.  Church should be the real deal because Jesus should be part of it.

Something to think about on this day.

Be blessed!

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Expect More In 2015

Posted in Community, Formation, Hope on January 6, 2015| Leave a Comment »

2015 is here and with it, the excitement of something new – a fresh start, a new year full of opportunity and possibility.

But how long will that excitement last?  How long before the stress of the everyday wears you out?  How long before the negative occurrences of the world begin to stack up and weigh you down?  It will be easy to allow the mundane or the tragic to rob you of your plans and your passion.  It might even happen without you noticing – because it is subtle.  You may look up three months from now and wonder to yourself, “What happened to my good intentions?  Oh well, that is just how it goes.”  So you’ll shrug and acquiesce to the reality that this year is just like the one before.

I would like to offer a different alternative.  What if this year, we expect more?  What if we expect more of ourselves?  What if we expect more of others?  What if we expect more of God?

Marv Knox is the editor of the Texas Baptist weekly publication, the Baptist Standard.  My inspiration for this thought comes from him.  He suggested last week that life could be different for us in 2015 if we expect more.

Do you believe that God is capable of making a change in your life?  Do you believe God is willing to make a change?  Does your life reflect that belief?

Hebrews 4:16 says, “Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”

Approach God’s throne of grace with confidence.  Some translations say “with boldness.”  The writer reminds us that we, as believers, can approach God with boldness, with confidence – with expectation.  Not because we deserve God’s action but because we believe God is a big God.

My challenge for you in 2015 is to make this a year in which you dare to expect more.  Dream big and expect God to move.  I don’t think you will be disappointed.

Be blessed!

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Agents of Transformation

Posted in Church, Community, Formation, Hope on December 3, 2014| Leave a Comment »

I try not to use this platform as a tool to promote a program or bring attention to our church in a self-serving manner.  My heart in what you will find in my ramblings here is to always point people to a deeper walk with Jesus.

But today, as we move toward Christmas and the celebration of Jesus’ Advent, my mind turns to the world and its need for a savior.  With all the turmoil in our world – war, drugs, human trafficking, abuse, fear – we see need in every direction.  But at the heart of alleviating the turmoil is Jesus.

People need Jesus.

People will see Jesus in us.

But will the Jesus they see be a true representation of who he is?

This morning, our church will gather at the parking lot of the football stadium and give away food to 200 families.  We do this every month, but today, each family will get more food than normal – a lot more.

But the real beauty of what will happen this morning does not stop at the food that will be given away, the real meaning today will come in the conversations and prayer – the sharing of compassion with the people of our community who have landed on hard times.  Today, our church has the opportunity to be agents of transformation and hope in a very concrete way.

I have to tell you – I can’t wait to see what God is going to do!

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More Than a Feeling – It’s a Lifestyle

Posted in Community, Formation, Motivational on November 24, 2014| Leave a Comment »

Here we are at the beginning of Thanksgiving week.  This week most of us will celebrate family, football and food – lots of food.  It will be a glorious time to reconnect with family and catch up.  When we are around our loved ones we are often reminded of our heritage and how truly blessed we are with family.

It is good that we set aside time during the year to consider our blessings.  It is very easy to get pulled into the daily routine that is our life and fail to see how blessed we really are – so setting aside time to remember is a good thing.

But I want to give you something to think about this week as we celebrate Thanksgiving.

Being thankful should be more than a feeling and certainly more than a holiday once per year where we stop for a few minutes before devouring turkey and dressing, and all the other things that come with a Thanksgiving meal, and offer a quick prayer of thanks.

When we consider what God has done for us, we should be filled with awe and gratitude.  This thankfulness should be so ingrained in who we are that it drives our lifestyle – our decisions and actions.  Being thankful – really thankful – should affect the way we live, not just give us pause one day per year.

So as you are gathering around a bountiful table with friends and family this week, think about how being thankful should be a part of who we are next week as well.

Give thanks!

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Hope For Today

Posted in Community, Hope on November 10, 2014| 2 Comments »

What happens when your world gets turned upside down?  What do you do when there is nothing you can do?  Where do you turn?

Regardless of what your world looks like today – remember this:

Before time began, God’s name was I Am.

When God called Moses to do something great for the people of Israel, God’s name was I Am.

Before this nation in which we live was formed, God’s name was I Am.

Before you were born, God’s name was I Am.

Before your world fell apart, God’s name was I Am.

Today, God’s name is still, I Am.

And long after you and I are just a memory here on earth, God’s name will still be I Am.

It doesn’t matter what is going on in your world today, it is not a surprise to God.  God is still on the throne and still in control.

Just remember that today and take heart!

Be blessed.

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The Third Place

Posted in Church, Community, Hope on October 22, 2014| Leave a Comment »

Scripture is clear and sociology confirms that we were not created to be alone.  We were created for relationships.  Some people are more relational than others given their personality, but even the most socially awkward person was created for relationships.

The primary relationship God desires for us is a relationship with himself.  Genesis describes an intimate scene where God came to the garden where Adam and Eve were hanging out just to take walks with them.  When God created Adam, Eve was not far behind because it was not good for the man to be alone.

The point to my thoughts today is that we were created for community.  Those who study humanity have realized that people need what they have termed a “third place.”  In our culture, we value the home as our first “place.”  Our school or work then becomes our “second place.”  But humans need a third place.  A place where they can relax with friends.  That is why bars are attractive and that is why coffee shops have popped up all over the place.  We need that third place to go and BE.

Here is my challenge – why shouldn’t church be the best “third place” around.  Do people see the church as a viable third place?  I think some do.  But why wouldn’t everyone?  The answer – perception.  People are working off an old stereotype.  One that paints churches as places of rules and hypocrisy instead of compassion and understanding.

It is time to change the perception.  It is time for people to see the church as it truly is – a gathering of imperfect people who love God and love each other.

It needs to start today.  It needs to start with me.

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What Do You Want From Me?

Posted in Church, Community, Formation on October 14, 2014| Leave a Comment »

Christianity is often labeled as a belief system of requirements complete with a laundry list of “do’s” and “don’ts.”  People protest “religion” because it is a system designed by humanity that sometimes takes the place of God all the while claiming to be the avenue by which we can reach the creator.  And often, this system is virtually impossible to follow.  It can lead to frustration and confusion.  The result has been a movement to reject organized religion.  Those doing so have grown in numbers to the point there is a name for them – the “nones.”

Unfortunately, the claim that religion is a problem is often true.  Religion can become a hinderance to an authentic relationship with God if we let it.  But don’t throw out the baby with the baptismal bath waters.  Hebrews 10:25 reminds us to never turn away from the gathering of like-minded believers together in order that we might encourage one another along this journey in The Way.

We are relational creatures.  We were created with a need for one another and even more so – a need for God.  So organized religion can serve a purpose.  We are called to be salt in a tasteless world and light in a dark existence – and we can fulfill that calling more effectively together.

But the question remains, “What does God expect from me?”

It is true, humanity has built elaborate systems to try and answer this question.  But the reality is – the answer is extremely simple.  Micah 6:8 boils down the entirety of the Christian walk into a single verse:

He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
    And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
    and to walk humbly with your God.

There it is – act as we should, love mercy and walk humbly with God.  God seeks a relationship with you.  God wants to walk with you along this journey and guide you to live as you should and to be a person that is know for your humility and mercy.  And we can lean on one another along the way and learn from one another as well.

So how are you doing.  How is your relationship with the Father progressing?

Be a blessing today.

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