More To This Life

Last Wednesday’s Upper Room devotion was one that hit the bull’s-eye for me. To read it (again), click here: http://www.upperroom.org/devotional/default.asp?month=1&day=27&year=2010&x=108&y=12
I too think far too many people misunderstand their faith in Christ to be nothing more than a guaranteed ticket to heaven. But in reality, our faith impacts our lives each and every day we walk here on this earth. The Bible contains too many phrases like “living the abundant life,” “receiving power,” or “overcoming this world” to relegate our relationship with Christ solely to a future benefit. God has every intention for us to experience the benefits of that relationship now, today! God will take care of our needs…God will guide our steps…God will go with us through the valleys: does this mean life will always be sunshine and roses? No, in fact Christ warned us that we (his followers) will have trouble, but it does mean that one thing is certain (contrary to the author’s statement that ultimately nothing is certain): my God is with me every step of this journey we call life. Think Christ is only your ticket to heaven? Try living today without God…that’s what I call hell on earth.

Two Out of Three IS Bad!

As I stated, I and several pastors from the area attended a Church Growth workshop last Tuesday in Indianapolis. It was a good meeting in spite of the weather and much less than ideal driving conditions. I would have to say I heard nothing earth shattering there…it was the basic, common sense what to do and what not to do stuff. However, one thing I heard, again, has been resonating with me since the meeting. I, or any leader for that matter, cannot take you where I have never been. Now, that sounds simplistic, but think of the ramifications of that statement. You will not grow spiritually if I am not growing spiritually. You will not worship if I do not worship…are you beginning to see the awesome responsibility of leaders? Certainly the pastor, but also worship leaders, musicians, teachers…all leaders! God has wired us in such a way that we cannot successfully tell someone how to worship God if we are not worshiping God ourselves! Oh, we can offer some spiel about what you should do, or suggest a book to read, but if I do not worship God, eventually that is going to show…not only in my life, but also in yours! That, my friends, is accountability to a higher degree! Reminds me of something I’ve said before (I think here) explaining why the Church seems to lack power and direction. Acts 6:3 gives us the basic qualifications for leaders in the church…aside from giftedness; "they are to be respected, wise, and filled with the Holy Spirit." Church leaders are not to have one or two of these qualities, but all three…anything less is a recipe for disaster.

Church Growth 101

I am preparing to get out of the office for a Church Growth workshop in Indianapolis tomorrow and wanted to share a pre-workshop observation…we’ll see if I change my story after the workshop. It doesn’t matter what programs the church tries, or what the leadership says, or what workshops one attends…if the people do not want the church to grow it will never happen. We certainly cannot do it on our own…in the Book of Acts we clearly see the power of God working thru the people to add to their numbers, so I know God has to be in it…but I also know that God wants to be in it! It’s the (church) people who can throw a wrench in the process. In Acts 2:47 a little phrase jumped out at me today: “Everyone liked them and each day the Lord added to their group others who were being saved.” Do you suppose they liked them because the believers were merely friendly? I’ll bet it was because they loved them. I wonder what the outcome had been if no one had liked them? Do you suppose the Lord could still have added to their number? Once again, I see evidence supporting the fact that we must first surrender to God if we ever hope to accomplish His will. We must develop the same burden that Christ had for sinners if we expect to point them to Him. Oh, I know God can/will attract some people to Himself, regardless of what we do or don’t do…but how many more souls in our world would come to know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior if we loved them as Christ loves them?

Life v. Death

Yesterday I was able to visit the newest member of our ‘church family.’ Westin James Floyd was born on Thursday evening to Michael & Lindsay Floyd. Because I know some of you will want to know, he weighed 7 lbs, 12 oz, and was 21½ inches long. It is always a blessing to welcome a new child into the family, but I mention this birth because of the irony. As I drove to Evansville last night I was reminded it was 37 years ago Friday that the Supreme Court’s decision on Roe v. Wade released Americans from any legal obligation to protect or preserve the life of a fetus. The debate has raged on since and continues today, and while I do not have sufficient space to begin to address the issue here, I found these statistics startling. This comes from the website of The Center for Bio-Ethical Reform (www.abortionno.org/Resources/fastfacts.html), and these are statistics for abortions in the United States, not worldwide. “Women identifying themselves as Protestants obtain 37.4% of all abortions in the U.S.; Catholic women account for 31.3%, Jewish women account for 1.3%, and women with no religious affiliation obtain 23.7% of all abortions. 18% of all abortions are performed on women who identify themselves as "Born-again/Evangelical".” As my heart ached from these statistics and the future grief inflicted on these women, I realized just how significant Westin’s birth is...praise God, I'd call it a victory!

Here I Am Lord, Use ME!

Continuing my thoughts from the past few blogs…if the world sees us (the church) as nothing more than a powerless assembly, that is good people doing good things for God, we have failed miserably. The Lion’s Club is good people doing good things…the Rotarians are good people doing good things…4-H is good people doing good things…at times each of these good organizations might even invoke the name of God in their good works! Is that what the church is to be? I don’t think so. Jesus promised us power, God delivered the Holy Spirit on Pentecost, and the Church was born…not as a powerless assembly struggling to survive in a worried world, but as an army, well equipped to battle against the principalities and powers of dark. At that moment (Pentecost) we were given the authority and credibility to boldly act in Jesus’ name to make disciples and expand the Kingdom…before Pentecost that was Jesus’ job. We, like Peter, should shout, “Look at us!” (Acts 3:4) As we do, the world should see in us the Holy Spirit flexing its muscle. There should not be a spirit of fear or anxiety; rather our eyes should be fixed on the prize as we boldly proclaim the name of Jesus. If we do, it leads us back to Acts 3:10 where we find everyone “absolutely astounded!” Are you worried yet? Don’t be, unless you are trying to act in your strength instead of the power of the Spirit. You can’t do it…doesn’t matter how big or small your church is…how good a person you are or how good your works are. We can only become the Church when God is in us because only the Spirit can do God-sized things thru us (Philippians 4:13). My prayer is that God would find us usable for the transformation of the world into the Kingdom.

Powerful vs. Powerless

Please allow me to continue thinking out loud. As to why we (the church) should absolutely astound everyone (Acts 3:10)…it seems to me that too often, when it comes to serving God, we tend to attempt only what we like and think we are good at (that is called being comfortable). Now while God certainly uses those things we are proficient at and enjoy doing, God demands much more from us than simply serving from our strengths. That is much too comfortable a place for God to leave us…although He often starts there. If we serve only from our strengths we do not need, nor will we ever rely upon the Holy Spirit. At best, if that is how we operate, the world will look at the church and see good people doing some good things for God (the powerless assembly), but they will never see the power of God working through His people to accomplish what only God can do. Think about it a moment, if we are to serve only according to our talents, why did Jesus send us the Holy Spirit? Why did Jesus tell the disciples to wait until the Spirit had come upon them? I believe it was because our best is not nearly good enough when it comes to Kingdom work. My prayer is that God would do such great things at Beulah UMC that no one with an inkling of common sense could give me or you the credit…they would immediately see it is God at work! That's the kind of church I want to be a part of...what about you?

An Adventure with God

I am posting on Sunday night, which I normally do not do, because at 6:45a I am some other adults are taking 11 youth on a ski trip to Paoli Peaks…how much fun does that sound like? Anyway, referring back to my blog of January 13…because of ongoing conversations, let me expound just a bit. In John 14:12 Jesus tells us, “I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father.” When we allow Jesus Christ to function as the Lord of our lives (remember the surrender word?) the Spirit is free to actively work within us and we will do great things in the Spirit's power. Some have commented about the Holy Spirit and its seeming absence in lives…let me just say this: if you don’t know the Holy Spirit of God, you do not know God. You may know of God, but it is impossible to know God and not know the power of His Holy Spirit. Too many people want to know of God and keep their status/comforts in this world. However, like so many things, talk is cheap and God can spot a cheap-talker a mile away, even if no one else can. But here’s the good news, once you surrender to Christ (yes, fully surrender) and the Spirit begins to work in and thru you, the difference will be obvious. Life will no longer consist of doing good things for God…instead life is an adventure of walking with God. Eternal life is not something you look forward to after you die; it is a living relationship with God that begins at surrender and extends into eternity. It is then, and only then, a powerless assembly can become the church God intended us to be.