I have taken a break from my blog not because I have nothing to say, but because I did not know how to put it into words. I have put together a list of things that I think are wrong with Christians and the church. The thing that bothers me is that I do some of these things from time to time.
I want to publicly tell God that I am sorry about those times I have lived in the ways described below.
Here is my list of things wrong with Christians and the church:
1) Very few are on mission. Over the last several decades the mission of the church has been to see how big it can become. The mission has been about people, but not with the same mindset of Jesus. People became the product, the way to measure success. The bigger the church the more successful the church. This can be true, however in many cases the size of the church made little impact on the individual who comes occasionally to Sunday morning worship. The mission moved from disciple-making to attracting a crowd.
2) Most have lost their focus. Bigger crowds meant that the focus began to shift. Bigger crowds meant that churches needed to build bigger buildings, have bigger budgets and have bigger debt. I read the novel "The Pillars of the Earth" by Ken Follett and discovered that churches today are no different than churches in the middle ages. The focus was on building big cathedrals with an institutionalized structure that supported the need for a big cathedral. The focus moved from disciple-making to building buildings and maintaining those buildings.
3) A lot are self-absorbed. Both churches and the people who fill churches have become selfish. They live within their own little kingdoms (they call church) and never talk about the kingdom as a whole. Their service is less about kingdom building and more about what they will get out of the service they provide. Self-promotion has become prominent within the church world. You don't believe me, ask someone how their church is going whether it is a minister or someone who goes and listen to the answer. Many times how well the church is going will be based on how many people are going, a new building project or how the church is not meeting their specific need. Very seldom is there a mention of how God is changing the lives of people in the church, those the church may be ministering to throughout the world or how many lost people came to know Jesus. We have become so self-absorbed we think less about disciple-making and more about what keeps us going to a specific church. If our wants aren't met we will find a place we are served better.
4) Most don't grasp the concept of costly grace. “Cheap grace is the grace we bestow on ourselves. Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, Communion without confession.... Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate.” ― Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost Of Discipleship
Not much more to say here accept when a church or Christian teaches costly grace--a grace with accountability. The self-absorbed can always find a place to worship that costs them nothing. Instead of disciple-making we have moved toward an attitude that being a part of a church is good enough.
5) Most don't care about lost people. We don't have the time or energy. We are trying to manage all the other things we want the church and Christianity be we can't possibly focus on the mission Jesus has given his followers to proclaim to the world the grace God wants to give them--a costly grace that cost Him the gift of His son. He did this because He loves us and wants us to know Him. While people wander aimlessly without God, we have a responsibility to reflect His image to a world that needs Him.
This all boils down to one thing--Making Disciples--People who strive to live a little more like Jesus everyday. (Matthew 28:18-20)
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
The FSM stands for--Flying Spaghetti Monster. The flying spaghetti monster is satire, it is actually the made up deity of the church of the flying spaghetti monster. This deity and symbol promotes the religious movement known as "pastafarianism."
The movement was created to make fun of Christianity and the belief in God. The idea is that the existence of God is as much of a possibility as the existence of a flying spaghetti monster. At the church of the flying spaghetti monster you will hear worship songs that include classics like--"On Top of Spaghetti" and watch clips from old "spaghetti westerns." (I don't know if this is really true, I am making assumptions. I have never worshiped pasta, I have only cooked it and eaten it. I do like pasta though)
Two things.
First, that emblem looks nothing like spaghetti. It looks like a six legged frog of some kind. The eyes are suppose to be meat balls--I guess like those mini-meatballs found in a can of spaghetti-o's. I do love the creativity of the person who came up with the new found religion, who obviously loves pasta as much as me. But the sad thing is while creating a parody filled with so much satire and while trying to elevate their own intelligence above someone who believes. They have failed to look at the facts through history that have more credibility that there is a God than not.
Here is my second point. While the car emblem is somewhat cute (although most people don't know what it is), it represents something that has no credibility. I know your argument. You will say there is no credibility that there is no God who had a son named Jesus.
But there is credibility in the symbol Christians place on their car in the shape of a fish. There is a history to the ICHTHUS that can not be ignored or denied.
The symbol got it's start during the time of Nero when Christians were being persecuted. Christians would draw it in the dirt, sand or on the entrance of a cave to let other believers in Jesus know it was alright to talk about their faith in safety. The word ichthus means fish and the letters in the Greek language stand for "Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior."
The truth is, there is a reality to the icthus symbol that stems from another truth--there was a man named Jesus, who was crucified and who was buried in a tomb. After three days, that tomb was empty and nobody could explain how it happened. It is recorded by ancient historians, some of whom were not Christian sympathizers. Something happened out of the ordinary that made men and women risk their lives to follow this man named Jesus.
For me there is only one logical answer. Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God and our Savior. And if this is true, there is a God.
Some who want to show how smart they are while trying to prove how ignorant Christians are use a spaghetti monster to get their point across. Me--I chose to use the history of a man by the name of Jesus who influenced the world at his time and still influences the world today. Which has more credibility?
I'm hungry. I think I will eat some spaghetti for dinner today.
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Revive Us Again?
How long are we going to ignore the plague that is effecting the western church? What plague? Most Christians don't even see it because they are so intent on holding on to the past. Every time I turn around there is another article stressing the exodus of 18-30 year olds who are walking away from the church and God. And what is our answer? We need to sing "Revive Us Agian." We need revival in the church and the young people will like this song because it is upbeat. That is an actual statement I heard about recently.
The thing is people are seeing there is a problem in the western church but they are not willing to address the issues necessary to change the future. Instead we think if we go back to the good old days when the church and Christianity in the western world was healthy, that will bring about revival. I listened to a friend of mine speak online recently and he made a great point. "The church thinks it needs to get out of the seventies and become a church that is relevant today. However the reality is that the church needs to move from what it was three years ago because the culture shifts every three years." (not an exact quote) His point is that if we are operating the same way we were three years ago we are in danger of not being culturally relevant.
I've been told we need to pray more for revival. While I strongly believe in the power of prayer and believe it is the backbone of the church, prayer with no action from the prayer is useless. Here is what I mean. If I commit to praying for revival in the church and I am unwilling to be relevant to the culture then I can not expect God to move in a powerful way. Could he? Absolutely! He doesn't because we are not really serious about revival. What we want is our desires to be fulfilled in hopes that revival will occur. I believe God is not into answering selfish prayers. I mean Jesus in the Lord's prayer does say we should pray for God's will to be done on earth--not our will.
Our problem with prayer, with no action on our part, is that we are not really praying for revival, we are praying for church to become what we personally like and grow at the same time. So really the focus is for the church to move back rather than move forward. It is a selfish prayer and shows an unwillingness to line up with God's will.
We forget that there is a spiritual battle going on for lost people. The culture shifts because the enemy is constantly trying to make the church irrelevant to the culture. So the church needs to constantly be shifting to stay relevant to the culture. The message never changes but staying relevant means there will be constant change.
The question really becomes are you more intent on holding on to the past or are you more intent on reaching people who are far from God? The people far from God is getting greater and greater. First, because the population on earth has spiked dramatically in our generation. Second, because the church has selfishly decided the past is more important than people who may spend eternity in hell.
The thing is people are seeing there is a problem in the western church but they are not willing to address the issues necessary to change the future. Instead we think if we go back to the good old days when the church and Christianity in the western world was healthy, that will bring about revival. I listened to a friend of mine speak online recently and he made a great point. "The church thinks it needs to get out of the seventies and become a church that is relevant today. However the reality is that the church needs to move from what it was three years ago because the culture shifts every three years." (not an exact quote) His point is that if we are operating the same way we were three years ago we are in danger of not being culturally relevant.
I've been told we need to pray more for revival. While I strongly believe in the power of prayer and believe it is the backbone of the church, prayer with no action from the prayer is useless. Here is what I mean. If I commit to praying for revival in the church and I am unwilling to be relevant to the culture then I can not expect God to move in a powerful way. Could he? Absolutely! He doesn't because we are not really serious about revival. What we want is our desires to be fulfilled in hopes that revival will occur. I believe God is not into answering selfish prayers. I mean Jesus in the Lord's prayer does say we should pray for God's will to be done on earth--not our will.
Our problem with prayer, with no action on our part, is that we are not really praying for revival, we are praying for church to become what we personally like and grow at the same time. So really the focus is for the church to move back rather than move forward. It is a selfish prayer and shows an unwillingness to line up with God's will.
We forget that there is a spiritual battle going on for lost people. The culture shifts because the enemy is constantly trying to make the church irrelevant to the culture. So the church needs to constantly be shifting to stay relevant to the culture. The message never changes but staying relevant means there will be constant change.
The question really becomes are you more intent on holding on to the past or are you more intent on reaching people who are far from God? The people far from God is getting greater and greater. First, because the population on earth has spiked dramatically in our generation. Second, because the church has selfishly decided the past is more important than people who may spend eternity in hell.
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Everybody is Curious . . . When a Church Talks About Sex
So we are in this series based on the book by Craig Groeschel, "Weird: Because Normal Isn't Working" and this week we are talking about "S.E.X." I have to say it has caused quite the stir.
I was at Starbucks yesterday morning and one of the baristas asked me about the sign. She wanted to know what we are going to talk about. So I explained which caused me to get into a longer discussion with someone else about the topic. It was good, because it made me think through what I am going to say on Sunday.
Then we get a call from a woman today who is fishing around to see what we are talking about. I explained the weird series and where the idea came from. But when you put the word "weird" and the word "sex" in the same context it does raise some questions. I have a feeling she was thinking we were going to be talking specifically about homosexuality. Trying to clarify what we were talking about she asked me if "normal" was a good thing or was "weird?" I told her the goal was to be weird.
I guess our sign is causing some people to question what we are going to talk about. The sign says:
"Weird Series Topic
Weird Sexuality
2.5.12 9:30 & 11"
I don't want to make assumptions but I think it is funny the sign less than a mile away on the Unitarian Church says:
"We Will Marry You"
Is there a values war going on? I mean if there is shouldn't they at least see what we are going to say on Sunday?
Please be in prayer for Sunday. I am going to talk open and honestly about SEX with no political agendas, no soap boxes and grace. But the truth is we have to stop conforming to the normal pattern of the world when it comes to sexuality and listen to the wisdom of God. We need to be "Weird" (different than what is normal and acceptable) when it comes to sexuality.
I was at Starbucks yesterday morning and one of the baristas asked me about the sign. She wanted to know what we are going to talk about. So I explained which caused me to get into a longer discussion with someone else about the topic. It was good, because it made me think through what I am going to say on Sunday.
Then we get a call from a woman today who is fishing around to see what we are talking about. I explained the weird series and where the idea came from. But when you put the word "weird" and the word "sex" in the same context it does raise some questions. I have a feeling she was thinking we were going to be talking specifically about homosexuality. Trying to clarify what we were talking about she asked me if "normal" was a good thing or was "weird?" I told her the goal was to be weird.
I guess our sign is causing some people to question what we are going to talk about. The sign says:
"Weird Series Topic
Weird Sexuality
2.5.12 9:30 & 11"
I don't want to make assumptions but I think it is funny the sign less than a mile away on the Unitarian Church says:
"We Will Marry You"
Is there a values war going on? I mean if there is shouldn't they at least see what we are going to say on Sunday?
Please be in prayer for Sunday. I am going to talk open and honestly about SEX with no political agendas, no soap boxes and grace. But the truth is we have to stop conforming to the normal pattern of the world when it comes to sexuality and listen to the wisdom of God. We need to be "Weird" (different than what is normal and acceptable) when it comes to sexuality.
Thursday, November 24, 2011
Almost Heaven
Dad could not get home early enough on Thanksgiving Eve. I waited in great anticipation for his car to drive up, for him to change clothes and for the family to climb into the station wagon heading for West Virginia. We were off to Maw Maw and Paw Paw's house for Thanksgiving.
When we got there Jane, Jerry, Chuck and Doug were usually already there. We unloaded the car settled in and it was almost heaven. Everyone had their room assignments and we sat in the living room catching up on life. We eventually retired to our quarters for a great nights sleep in the quietness of Wayside, West Virginia, Almost heaven.
We slept upstairs (Chuck, Doug and Me) which was great because Paw Paw kept the house so hot with the wood burning stove the temperature was closer to hell than heaven. At least upstairs was cooler during the night. If only we could experience the comfort of that heat again.
Chuck always got up before the sun and got ready by flashlight for a day of hunting. Doug and I, we slept in until we could smell sausage cooking. What an alarm to wake up to--sausage in the frying pan. We ate and then we headed for the woods for a couple hours of deer hunting. Adolescents with high powered rifles and shot guns, by themselves in the woods. Unbelievable, I know. It's West Virginia, guns are a part of life.
We never killed anything that I remember but it was fun being in the woods in hopes to get a shot off.
We would come in when they called for us. It was time for Thanksgiving Dinner. To this day I don't know how all of us sat around the same table in the kitchen. When I sit at that table today, I remember all of us gathering around that table eating: Canned green beans, canned pickled beets, Frozen sweet corn not from the store but from a summer of Oscar and Hazel spending time in the garden. And Maw Maw and Jane spending time canning and freezing.
One year Paw Paw had killed a turkey and we had that for Thanksgiving Dinner. Along with mashed potatoes, gravy, dressing, gravy, homemade rolls and did I mention gravy. We laughed and had fellowship around a meal together. We never really talked about it but I believe we were all thankful that God had brought us together for another year, Almost Heaven.
After dinner there was the pie. Wow! I do not know where my grandmother found the time. Doug and I would cut a pumpkin pie in half and we shared a pie together. No whipped cream--it didn't need it--this was heaven.
I woke up this morning thinking about this day. Today I am thankful for the family I grew up with and I am thankful for the family I have to spend the day with now.
But if there was one experience I could relive it would be that day--in that house-- in that place--Wayside, West Virginia--with all those people--Almost Heaven!
I am Thankful to have had that expereince.
When we got there Jane, Jerry, Chuck and Doug were usually already there. We unloaded the car settled in and it was almost heaven. Everyone had their room assignments and we sat in the living room catching up on life. We eventually retired to our quarters for a great nights sleep in the quietness of Wayside, West Virginia, Almost heaven.
We slept upstairs (Chuck, Doug and Me) which was great because Paw Paw kept the house so hot with the wood burning stove the temperature was closer to hell than heaven. At least upstairs was cooler during the night. If only we could experience the comfort of that heat again.
Chuck always got up before the sun and got ready by flashlight for a day of hunting. Doug and I, we slept in until we could smell sausage cooking. What an alarm to wake up to--sausage in the frying pan. We ate and then we headed for the woods for a couple hours of deer hunting. Adolescents with high powered rifles and shot guns, by themselves in the woods. Unbelievable, I know. It's West Virginia, guns are a part of life.
We never killed anything that I remember but it was fun being in the woods in hopes to get a shot off.
We would come in when they called for us. It was time for Thanksgiving Dinner. To this day I don't know how all of us sat around the same table in the kitchen. When I sit at that table today, I remember all of us gathering around that table eating: Canned green beans, canned pickled beets, Frozen sweet corn not from the store but from a summer of Oscar and Hazel spending time in the garden. And Maw Maw and Jane spending time canning and freezing.
One year Paw Paw had killed a turkey and we had that for Thanksgiving Dinner. Along with mashed potatoes, gravy, dressing, gravy, homemade rolls and did I mention gravy. We laughed and had fellowship around a meal together. We never really talked about it but I believe we were all thankful that God had brought us together for another year, Almost Heaven.
After dinner there was the pie. Wow! I do not know where my grandmother found the time. Doug and I would cut a pumpkin pie in half and we shared a pie together. No whipped cream--it didn't need it--this was heaven.
I woke up this morning thinking about this day. Today I am thankful for the family I grew up with and I am thankful for the family I have to spend the day with now.
But if there was one experience I could relive it would be that day--in that house-- in that place--Wayside, West Virginia--with all those people--Almost Heaven!
I am Thankful to have had that expereince.
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Where's Phil Today?
In a selfish world it is so nice to go and hang out at the Starbucks on Howe Rd. I had read about the community that is built in a Starbucks but this is amazing. The Baristas are getting to know what I order and are starting to call me by name. But it is deeper than just the workers, it is the people who come in on a regular basis. The regulars are starting to call each other by name and introducing each other to new friends they meet.
Every time Roland drives up people stop what they are doing to serve him. Someone always gets up and opens a door for him. He goes to the counter gets the same donut, same cup of coffee and sits down. The Baristas bring his donut and coffee out to him and sometimes the locals hand him the jumble to do from the newspaper. I don't know how old Roland is because I was always taught it is rude to ask someone there age.
When he leaves he leaves his dishes and someone cleans them up for him. He drives from the middle of Akron to be here about 20 minutes away. You know why? He says that he comes because of the people. He is just looking for community in the middle of a lonely day.
(side note) Hey Starbucks, I know you don't do commercials on T.V. and you don't have to, but this is a story that needs to be documented by your company.
Then there is the age old question I hear every time I am here and he isn't. Not Roland but Phil. Phil is in sales, he actually goes to Northwest and Starbucks is his office. When he is in town he is here working and making an impact on this small community. He knows everybody.
All the Barista's know him by name. He knows the local policemen who come in and they always stop to talk to him. He knows Roland of course and is the primary jumble provider. He holds the door open for people who have their hands full. He knows the retired couple that comes in regularly. He has introduced me to so many people I get confused with the names.
I have to say, this place is not the same without him. He is missed when he is not here.
Oh, I did not reveal the age old question yet did I?
"Where's Phil today?"
Just this morning I heard this question from a guy I have yet to meet, but Phil has and he has made an impact in this man's life.
The dynamic of Starbucks on Howe Rd. has a great atmosphere and one of the reasons is Phil. That is why I like Phil greeting people at Northwest when they come through the door.
A selfless servant who truly loves people and he makes a difference. To those who have a local hangout, you can make a difference if you walk in to serve rather than to be served.
Hey Church!!! This is what we need to be when ever we gather-- a community of people who have two things in common: 1) They love Jesus and want to be like Him 2) They love people and want to intorduce them to their friends, including Jesus.
May we all have a place where people miss us when we are not there!
Every time Roland drives up people stop what they are doing to serve him. Someone always gets up and opens a door for him. He goes to the counter gets the same donut, same cup of coffee and sits down. The Baristas bring his donut and coffee out to him and sometimes the locals hand him the jumble to do from the newspaper. I don't know how old Roland is because I was always taught it is rude to ask someone there age.
When he leaves he leaves his dishes and someone cleans them up for him. He drives from the middle of Akron to be here about 20 minutes away. You know why? He says that he comes because of the people. He is just looking for community in the middle of a lonely day.
(side note) Hey Starbucks, I know you don't do commercials on T.V. and you don't have to, but this is a story that needs to be documented by your company.
Then there is the age old question I hear every time I am here and he isn't. Not Roland but Phil. Phil is in sales, he actually goes to Northwest and Starbucks is his office. When he is in town he is here working and making an impact on this small community. He knows everybody.
All the Barista's know him by name. He knows the local policemen who come in and they always stop to talk to him. He knows Roland of course and is the primary jumble provider. He holds the door open for people who have their hands full. He knows the retired couple that comes in regularly. He has introduced me to so many people I get confused with the names.
I have to say, this place is not the same without him. He is missed when he is not here.
Oh, I did not reveal the age old question yet did I?
"Where's Phil today?"
Just this morning I heard this question from a guy I have yet to meet, but Phil has and he has made an impact in this man's life.
The dynamic of Starbucks on Howe Rd. has a great atmosphere and one of the reasons is Phil. That is why I like Phil greeting people at Northwest when they come through the door.
A selfless servant who truly loves people and he makes a difference. To those who have a local hangout, you can make a difference if you walk in to serve rather than to be served.
Hey Church!!! This is what we need to be when ever we gather-- a community of people who have two things in common: 1) They love Jesus and want to be like Him 2) They love people and want to intorduce them to their friends, including Jesus.
May we all have a place where people miss us when we are not there!
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Posting on My Wall
I have this big blank wall I sit in front of in my office. It is a sandy color and as I am looking around writing this I think it is time to give it a new look. Do you have any color suggestions?
Now that I decided that let me get back to what I was about to say. I have this blank wall in front of me I look at almost everyday. I just started to change the face of the wall a couple weeks ago. I decided that instead of putting up a picture or a work board I was going to write scripture on my wall. Not any scripture but scripture that means something to me at the moment.
I know, when we were kids we were told to never write on the wall. I have told my kids the same thing. My kids even aksed me when they first saw it, "Did you write on your wall? Are you suppose to do that?" I had to tell them I could always paint over it. They are old enough now to know how easy that really can be. And if they write on the wall now they are also old enough to paint.
I would like to share the first scripture (and only scripture at this point) I wrote on my wall. I pulled out a sharpie and I wrote:
Forget the former things;
do not dwell on the past.
See I am doing a new thing!
I am making a way in the desert
and streams in the waste land.
Isaiah 43:18-19
Then in pencil I wrote the date I posted it.
Sometimes life and ministry is hard. And the enemy has a way of making us look at the past and dwell on things we can never change or fix. Sometimes we feel like we are walking through a desert or a waste land.
God says stop dwelling on the past and look to the future. Look to Him. It does not matter what your past looks like, God is a forgiving God and does not dwell on our past. All he asks from us is to trust Him.
"See I am doing a new thing!" There is a freshness that comes in this promise from God. We need to focus on what God is doing--not dwell on the past.
Since this has been posted on my wall, and I don't mean facebook, I have often prayed asking God to show me the new thing he is doing and wants to do in my life and in the life of Northwest. The next step is to trust Him.
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