Is this a “GOD” Thing?

My church is going through some major changes.  Over the next few months we plan to expand our sanctuary, renew our ministry systems and rename our church.  By January 8, 2012 we will be Refuge Church.  To accomplish this we’ll need to raise somewhere near $20,000, mobilize about a hundred volunteers and do a ton of behind-the-scenes work.

Sometimes I look at my “to do” list around this plan and wonder if it’s possible.  Is God in this?  Does He want it?

This morning I stumbled across an article that helped.  It began with a few scripture quotes and then gave 7 indications that a project is a “God-Thing”.

And without faith it is impossible to please God…Hebrews 11:6

We live by faith, not by sight. 2 Corinthians 5:7

For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you. 2 Chronicles 20:12

But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 1 Corinthians 1:27

God calls people to seemingly impossible tasks. It gives Him glory when I can’t do something, but He can. I can do “all things through Christ who strengthen me,” but often what He calls me to do can seem foolish to attempt (at least to others…and sometimes me) at the time. Imagine what the friends of Abraham, Moses, and Noah must have thought when God called them to what appeared to be impossible assignments. God calls people to walk by faith into the unknown.

If you know God has called you to something, don’t be dismayed if others can’t quickly identify with your calling. In my experience, God is often raising up others with the same heartbeat, but you can’t always see them at the time, so there may be periods when you have to stand alone on God’s calling. That may be for a season, but at times it could be for years. (Consider the case of Noah.)

With that in mind…

Here are 7 ways to tell it may be a God thing:

1. Everyone says it can’t be done…

2. You feel you aren’t qualified…

3. There aren’t enough resources available…

4. It makes no rational sense…

5. People call it (or you) stupid…

6. It would give God all the glory…

7. It honors God and is true to His Word…

I’m not saying this post confirms what you are attempting is from God. What I am saying is that you should not dismiss the call you believe God has placed on your life because it doesn’t make sense to others around you…or to yourself at times.

Are you in the midst of a God-calling?

Has God called you to things which made no sense at the time?

Taking “Will” For A Walk

Shannon ran across this story in “Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World.”  It’s amazing … and I can’t wait for some of the women @CGS to run across it.  (Guys need it to, but only the Women’s Ministry is using this book.)

As never before my will and I stood face to face. I asked my will the Straight question, “Will, are you ready for an hour of prayer?

“Will answered, “Here I am, and I am quite ready, if you are.”

So will and I linked arms and turned to go for our time of prayer. At once all the Emotions began pulling the other way protesting, “We’re not coming.”

I saw will stagger just a bit , so I asked, “Can you stick it out, Will?”

And will replied, “Yes if you can.”

So will went, and we got down to prayer…. It was a struggle all the way through. At one point… of those traitorous emotions had snared my imagination and had run of to the golf course; and it was all I could do tp drag the wicked rascal back….

At the end of that hour, if you had asked me, “ Have you had a ‘good time’?” I would have to reply , “No, at times it has seemed as though the heavens were brass, and God too distant to hear, and the Lord Jesus strangely aloof, prayer accomplishing nothing.”

Yet something was happening. For one thing, Will and I really taught the emotions that we were completely independent of them.

Also, one morning, about two weeks ago after the contest began, just when will and I were going for another of prayer, I heard the emotions say, “Come on, you guys, it’s no use wasting any more time resisting: they’ll go just the same.”

Then another couple weeks later, what do you think happened?

During one of our prayer times, when Will and I were no more thinking of emotions than the man in the moon, one of those most vigorous
emotions unexpectedly sprang up and shouted, “Hallelujah!” at which all the other emotions exclaimed “Amen!” And for the first time the whole of my being-intellect, will, and emotions-was united in one coordinated prayer-operation. All at once, God was real, heaven was open, the Lord Jesus was luminously present, the Holy Spirit was indeed moving through my longings, and prayer was surprisingly vital.

Moreover, in that instant there came a sudden realization that heaven had been watching and listening all the way through those days of struggle against chilling moods and mutinous emotions; also that I had been undergoing necessary tutoring by my heavenly “Teacher.”

It’s “Just” Church

One of the things that makes the church so powerful and enduring is the fact that it is a volunteer organization. When persecution comes, Jesus has a home-grown movement of people who are equipped and empowered to take the Gospel into the world.
Think of China. The church never gained much ground until it was harshly persecuted. Suddenly average followers of Jesus found themselves in exile, scattered around the country and sharing Jesus because He really is their only hope.
I love the fact that less than 1% of Christians get “paid” for sharing the Gospel. We don’t talk about Jesus because it makes us money, we talk about Him because He’s real.

That said … one of the things that makes the church in America a little “less than it could be” is that it is a volunteer organization.

People do things at church that they would never do at their job or in their home. We seem to think that if it’s not “up to par” for the office or living room, then send it church. They’ll settle for anything.

• How many of you would leave parts of your living room wall unpatched or unpainted?
• How many of us would notice that there is no trash bag in a garbage can at home, and still fill it with paper towels … instead of putting a new liner in there?
• How many of us would show up to a meeting at work, or a meal at home, 5-10 minutes late?

I could go on, but I hope you get my point. I’m not trying to make you feel bad, but I’d love it if we all stepped up. Just last week I drove past a bunch of garbage in the parking lot. It was raining, I was in a hurry and I almost kept going. Then I realized that I’d never leave that mess at my house. Why would I leave it at God’s house?Let’s all step up a little and realize that we need a little more common sense, a little more intentionality and a little more mission driven focus. God is looking for people’s whose hearts are committed to Him. No one is interested in the scraps of our time and energy.

It Only Takes One Generation …

Justin Taylor recently shared a troubling insight about how long it takes for a thriving church to die … only 40 years (a single generation).

He writes …

Sean Lucas, drawing on some of the lessons he is learning while researching the history of the First Presbyterian Church of Jackson, MS, writes:

As part of the research work that I’ve been doing, I’ve tracked down various churches that are mentioned in biographical sketches or represented in various events. Just today, for example, I tried to find information about Point Breeze Presbyterian Church in Pittsburgh (where Harold Ockenga ministered); Central Presbyterian Church in Chattanooga (where Wilbur Cousar pastored); United Presbyterian Church in Wheeling, WV (where John Reed Miller served for a time) and Central Presbyterian Church in Jackson (where R. E. Hough pastored). What do these congregations have in common? They were all thriving, large, significant churches, pastored by conservative, talented men: and they no longer exist today.

Now, the reasons why these churches no longer exist are as various as the congregations themselves. Still, as late as the 1950s, they all were thriving congregations; and if congregational death can happen to these congregations, it can happen to my congregation and to yours. God’s mercy has been evident in the fact that FPC Jackson, a downtown church, has continued to thrive and prosper even as the city of Jackson, Mississippi, has changed several times through the decades.

But it would only take a generation for a church to show signs of decay: perhaps a poor pastoral choice; a failure to continue to preach God’s Word faithfully; a transition in the church’s understanding of mission; an inability to see and adapt to the neighborhood around it. It is enough to cause us as pastors to get our knees and to beg God to continue to grant mercy to our congregations and to grant them mercy in the generations after us.

Will we be the generation that helps our church reach its full redemptive potential?  Let’s join in prayer, in study of God’s Word and in desperation seek to have an “all-in” mentality when it comes to the mission of Christ.

You can read the whole post here.

Don’t Settle for a Museum Mentality

Depending on who you listen to, between 3,000 and 4,000 churches die every year.  Most of these churches have histories that include times of great joy and fruitfulness, followed by longer times of talking about those moments.  Churches that focus on their pasts tend to die.  Churches that focus on Jesus and His mission tend to thrive.

The following is from Darrin Patrick’s book “The Church Planter” and is a much-needed encouragement for us.  We can never settle for a museum mentality.  Instead, we must push forward and raise up new leaders for the future of Christ’s mission.

Elder vs Deacon?

I was talking to a guy about how our church is run, and I mentioned our elders and deacons. His first question was, “Where did you come up with those names?” (The Bible). The next one was a little harder to answer. “What’s the difference?”

That’s a tougher one. I grew up thinking that deacons were JV elders … but that’s completely not true! A recent article in Nine Marks Journal is helpful…

http://www.9marks.org/ejournal/how-separate-deacon-work-elder-work

1. Elders: Labor to build trust with the deacons. Don’t assume they trust you by the mere fact that you hold an office. Work overtime to communicate with deacons and carefully consider their counsel. As the deacons’ trust and confidence grows, you will defeat the evil one’s divisive ways.
2. Deacons: Assume a posture of support without an attitude of “playing second fiddle.” According to 1 Corinthians 12:28 the gift of “administrating” is right up there with apostles, prophets, miracles, and healing. If you have a gift for administration and the qualities of a deacon (1 Tim. 3:8-13) you are a gift to Christ’s church. You have been given a particular “manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.” (1 Cor. 12:7) Use your gift to put down division and build up Christ’s body.

Leaders Don’t Do Ministry; They Equip People to Do Ministry

Today is the last day where were are looking at four basic leadership principles that came up as I meditated on Hebrews 13:17, Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.

#1 “Leaders Aren’t Responsible For Your Spiritual Growth”

#2 “Leaders Aren’t Responsible for Church Growth, but for Church Health”

#3: Leaders Aren’t Responsible for Keeping Church the Same, but for Keeping Jesus Central

Today we’ll look at Principle #4: Leaders Don’t Do Ministry; They Equip People to Do Ministry

Ephesians 4:11-15 tells us:

And he (Jesus) gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood,  to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

Listen to that again.  Leaders don’t do (all the) ministry … their job is “to equip the saints for the work of ministry.”  Short term, equipping is a longer, more frustrating task than doing it yourself.  Long term, it’s the only way for the church to thrive.

I think about this at home.  My daughter is growing up and it is good for her to learn independence.  Naturally, she would love for me to take care of almost every detail of her life.  As a baby we fed her, washed her and wiped her bottom.  Today doing those things would be inappropriate and unnecessary.

The same goes for followers of Jesus. Early on, you need someone to share the Gospel with you, watch your kids, maybe help you through a financial crisis and give you some counseling.  Down the road, the tables turn and you give money, you watch other people’s kids, you share the Gospel with someone else, and you give advice to someone needing counseling.  If you follow Jesus for 10 years but can’t manage any of those basic tasks, you’re the spiritual equivalent of a toddler who needs to be potty trained … and it’s largely your leader’s fault because they’ve enabled your bad behavior.

Being a member of a church is not “Pay, Pray & Get out of the Way” but “Let’s Join God on His Mission Together.”

You are salt and light … change the tone and taste of the world around you.

You have a spiritual gift … use it.

You have a responsibility regarding giving and tithes … be generous.

Just imagine … Everyone could be able to hear God’s voice in the Word

Everyone could be able to (and be motivated to) personally lead someone to Christ.

That’s what a healthy church looks like.  That’s what I commit to building.

Leaders Aren’t Responsible for Keeping Church the Same, but for Keeping Jesus Central

We’re still looking at some basic principles that govern the way leaders and churches interact as the follow Jesus. Over the past days we’ve seen that:

#1 “Leaders Aren’t Responsible For Your Spiritual Growth”

#2 “Leaders Aren’t Responsible for Church Growth, but for Church Health”

Today we’ll look at Principle #3: Leaders Aren’t Responsible for Keeping Church the Same, but for Keeping Jesus Central

Leonard Sweet put together a helpful chart that shows the different ways people adapt doctrine and cultural norms, in his book “The Emergent Church and Culture.”  There are only two things we can change, the message and/or the methods we use.  Some leaders change a combination of the two.  The following grid shows the breakdown:

Zone 1 has people who change the message, but don’t change the methods.  For this group, I would consider a few churches I know of on the East Coast who play traditional hymns, wear robes and stoles, use long liturgies and perform same-sex marriages.  The methods look exactly like what people in their church have used for over a hundred years.  The message, unfortunately, is radically different.  (see http://greenpointchurch.org for a real-life example.)

Zone 2 has people who don’t change either the message or their methods.  For example, some Canadian Reformed brothers I worshiped with back in the mid-90′s, still sang only whole notes to the Psalms, refusing any instruments or harmonies.  The message was engaging Gospel truth, but the words, forms and traditions were odd.

For both of these groups, I wonder how they draw the line as to what methods are acceptable and which aren’t.  Very few communities follow the Amish tradition of not having electricity or modern conveniences, but even the Amish use technology like iron tools and butter churns. 

Zone 3 has people who change the message and change the methods.  The Emergent Church (if there is such a thing) would fall into this category.  People here have tattoos, listen to electric guitar-driven music and employ some of the hippest tech imaginable.  While they powerfully interact with the culture around us, they seem to have little to say to it.

Zone 4 has people who change methods, but not the message.  That’s where I strive to be and where I hope CGS lands.  In fact, that’s where the title of this blog comes from, “An Unchanging Message in a Changing World.”  I hope to never back down on the difficult sayings of Jesus.  I also hope to never back away from the culture around me.  If God calls me to India, I’d better learn Hindi and how to eat curry.  If God calls me to the Mexican border, I’d better learn Spanish and how to deal with migrant issues.  Since God has called me to Seattle, I’d better learn about art, music and micro-brews.

A more classic understanding of this is from H. Richard Neibuhr’s book “Christ and Culture.”  Sweet has simplified Neibur’s 5 interactions into these 4 zones.  A funny review of Neibuhr (featuring Mr.T) can be found here.

Where do you land?

Leaders Aren’t Responsible for Church Growth, but for Church Health

Continuing to talk about how leaders influence the life of the church.  Yesterday we looked at #1 “Leaders Aren’t Responsible For Your Spiritual Growth”

Today we’ll think about Principle #2 Leaders Aren’t Responsible for Church Growth, but for Church Health.

Since we spend so much time focusing on the church’s commitment to the mission of Jesus, it is easy to think that all pastors are interested in is church growth.  I’ve heard dozens of pastors criticized for being “all about numbers” and for “just wanting a big church” when they encourage people to do personal evangelism and to invite others to church.

The truth is that while most leaders love it when their church growth, they also know that a personal commitment to evangelism is indispensable for any individual’s spiritual growth.

Church leaders and pastors can’t make you share your faith … and even if they could, they can’t make the church grow.  What they are called to do is to keep the church healthy.

There are lots of ways to define a “healthy church,” but here are a few that come immediately to mind:

• A healthy church is unselfish, knowing that the goal is not to make “us” happy but to glorify God and fulfill His mission.
• A healthy church has people who are generous with their time, talents and treasure.
• A healthy church is marked by radical honesty and real grace.
• A healthy church is governed by the Bible.
• A healthy church listens to people’s concerns but still leads boldly in the direction of the Gospel Mission.
• A healthy church worships with passion with music and words anyone off the street can understand.
• A healthy church equips every follower of Jesus to do their part in serving Him.
• A healthy church has people who are broken, yet manage to love each other and forgive each other through the bumps and bruises of life.

How else would you describe a “healthy church”?

 

Leaders Aren’t Responsible For Your Spiritual Growth

Last Sunday at CGS I preached on the role of leaders in the life of a local church.  (Check out www.cgschurch.com/sermons to hear the sermon).  At the end of the talk, I gave four points on leadership, but had to burn through them pretty quick.  Over the next few days, I want to highlight those principles, both for my own thinking and for the health of the church.

Principle #1 is: Leaders Aren’t Responsible For Your Spiritual Growth

Leaders are responsible for providing environment and the raw materials for your growth … but your personal growth depends on you and your relationship to God.

As one pastor writes: …think of it this way:  a chef can set a spectacular dinner table and cater a great meal, but at the end of the day he can’t make you eat or make you have fun.  That’s your business.  All he can do is create a great environment conducive to wonderful dining.

In 1 Corinthians 3, Paul talks about the local “big shot” teachers who had been through the church.  People grew under these different men’s leadership.  Paul is pretty clear, men serve and God gives growth:

What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor. For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s field, God’s building

Real growth comes from Abiding in the Vine of Jesus.  In John 15 Jesus says:

Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

Jesus gives salvation and Jesus gives growth.  My job, as a pastor, is to help people abide in the Vine of Jesus.  I pray that they do.  I teach so that they can.  The elders and I carve out room for classes, growth groups, prayer nights, etc so that we can abide in the vine … but we cannot force anyone to abide.

In a strange and wonderful way, we remember that God is sovereign, people are responsible and leaders are accountable.  In that mix, stay close to Jesus and grow!