upward & inward

A Biblical Team?

2011-10-28T06:42:00.000-07:00

What Scriptural principles can be applied to teams? Here are some thoughts...

The leader must get to know the followers. This undeniably important process takes time, energy, and focus. In the corporate space, this was called MBWA (Management By Wandering Around). Here in the church we call it Ministry of Presence. Just being there in the team working, listening, laughing, and sharing.

The team members must get to know the leader. While this is not universally held as a leadership principle, in my experience (and by the Scriptures) it is a critical step in the building of the team that team members easily dismiss due to a variety of reasons. The disciples wanted to know Jesus and therefore sought Him in order to do so. We should do the same, obviously, as Christ's disciples, in getting to know the Savior, but we should also do the same to get to know those whom He has placed over us in authority. The better we know each other the more open we can be about what needs to be accomplished in the mission Christ has given us. And, the better we know each other, the more likely we'll be able to follow the next principle.

We should give each other the benefit of the doubt and speak well of each other. There is a strong human temptation to be critical of others - our leaders, fellow team members, or those who we supervise. Conversations which tear others down or subtly cast doubt on others clearly rubs against the call of the Scriptures to "consider others better than ourselves" and to "clothe ourselves with humility toward one another", and so on.

If we have a challenge with the way things are going - as a leader or a follower - then our Scriptural duty is to present the issue before the Lord (in prayer and through the study of the Scriptures) before proceeding. Next steps can include seeking independent counsel (outside the situation) or going directly to the leader or team-member to come to a better understanding of the situation. Or, it may be that God guides us to just be still and let Him handle them or us.

However, next steps should not include rallying others to our "cause". Unfortunately, this is one of the first things we're tempted to do for the obvious reason that it validates us and our thinking. But, again, the Scriptures speak against this behavior for it leads to factions, cliques, and division.

You may feel as I do that this last principle is the most difficult because a) it may expose the potential for me to be wrong and b) it requires me to trust Christ and His Word rather than my own initiative. It takes great courage to say the tough stuff in love and be willing to admit that we had it wrong. However, when we take this chance - if we do - then we demonstrate trust in Christ to follow through on His promise to take care of us when we honor Him.

What are the benefits? As the team trusts in Christ and His provision, then while there may be difficult conversations, He honors those conversations, lives are changed, and His work is accomplished to His glory. As lives are changed, the team may change, too. But, even in welcome arrivals and bittersweet departures, Christ is honored as His work continues.

What's in a Name?

2011-09-29T06:43:00.000-07:00

In the psalm of the shepherd, Psalm 23, David writes that the LORD leads him down paths of righteousness for the sake of the LORD's Name, "He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake." This is not a request as much as it is a statement. God leads David (and all His children) in paths of righteousness for the sake of His Name.

This was one of those "Ah-Ha!" moments where I was again reminded that it isn't all about us. In fact, it is rarely all about me or you. This statement demonstrates that it is, and always has been, about God. He leads us on paths of righteousness so that His Name will be honored, glorified, and given praise. The secondary result is that we are guided to live lives that are honorable, praiseworthy, and the best paths we can take for our eternity.

Jesus alludes to it in Matthew 5:20 when, in His Sermon on the Mount, he says, "In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." As we lives lives resulting from God's guidance, others praise God!

Question: how are we honoring, or dishonoring, the Name of God? Some would say that I've dishonored His Name by writing it completely rather than "G*d". I'm thankful that He knows my heart and knows I'm writing this for His Name's sake. Others would say I'm making a big deal out of nothing. The Bible says otherwise. Here are just a few examples from the NIV Bible:

Psalm 31:3 Since you are my rock and my fortress, for the sake of your name lead and guide me.

Psalm 79:9 Help us, O God our Savior, for the glory of your name; deliver us and forgive our sins for your name’s sake.

Psalm 108:9 Yet [the LORD] saved them for his name’s sake, to make his mighty power known.

Psalm 109:21 But you, O Sovereign LORD, deal well with me for your name’s sake; out of the goodness of your love, deliver me.

Psalm 143:11 For your name’s sake, O LORD, preserve my life; in your righteousness, bring me out of trouble.

Bottom line: The LORD's Name is important to Him. Therefore, when we act, when we speak, and even when we think, let His Name be glorified.

Make room in front!

2011-09-12T20:26:00.000-07:00

Let's pretend for a moment that you and I are on our way to see someone we both admire greatly. This person could be anyone, absolutely anyone in history - Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, Mahatma Ghandi, Martin Luther, Martin Luther King, Jr., and so on. We've received our invitations, the time and date has been set, and we're really on our way.

How would we approach that event?

Would it be with excitement? Or, even muted anticipation? Would it be, instead, with a casual disregard? Once we arrived, would we seek a seat in the back? Or, would we get there early for a seat as close to the front as possible?

If we are followers of Christ, worshipers of the Most High God, then whenever we gather together in corporate worship, we have this opportunity. We are not coming just for the music or the speaking - no matter how great (or not so great) they may be. Instead, we are coming to see and celebrate not a man like those in the example above, but the King of Kings and Lord of Lords: Jesus, the Messiah - Savior of the World!

This does not replace the day-to-day, moment-by-moment opportunities of worship in our thoughts, our words, and our actions as we serve others. But, coming together as the family of God, we set aside a specific time to celebrate Christ, commune together as His family, and seek Him through His Word (the Bible), and by His Spirit (the Holy Spirit). We pray to the Father, that through His Word and by His Spirit, He would make us more like His Son!

King David writes in Psalm 63:1, "O God, You are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for You, my body longs for You, in a dry and weary land where there is no water." This picture of physical - even painful - longing illustrates how much David desired to be with God. David continues in verse 2, "I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory." Going to the temple and worshiping was important to David.

We at Central Community feel strongly that this is the privilege and opportunity we have every time we gather as the worshipers God has designated us to be. Therefore, because we have a very large room to worship in, if a service is not at capacity, we close off back sections so that we can get close and in front to worship together. This simply carries forward our desire to prepare our hearts for worship as a community - His community.

So, when you see that a section in the back of our auditorium has been closed, instead of considering it as a boundary or limitation to worship, please consider it encouragement to move forward, gather close as the Body of Christ, and follow David's lead as we "earnestly seek" the One who calls us His children. Then, as God deepens our relationship with Him, He will also call others to be a part of His family so that, one day, we won't be closing sections in the back, but opening them to make more room for those who will meet His Son for the first time - for eternity.

I believe that God is doing a mighty work in this City and I'm looking forward to seeing that work unfold in Central Community and all the churches who "earnestly seek" Him!

Rocks in the oddest places

2011-09-01T06:05:00.000-07:00

I was stopped by a seasoned saint in our church yesterday with two questions regarding some changes we had made to the building.

First, he asked about why removed doors from a set of nearby bathrooms. About a year ago, we removed these doors to our bathrooms behind the Activity Center. I initially thought these should be removed because they were redundant. The doors opened to a long hallway that provided all the privacy that was required - they seemed redundant, especially for those among us who are OCD about clean hands grabbing unclean handles. However, the big deal was that we had several cases where folks (particularly men) would get in the room and get confused by another locked door that went to an adjacent locker room. In one instance, a guest was so flustered by this that he was pounding on the door and yelling obscenities. Through the addition of signage, we solved a part of the problem, but without opening a door to get in, it is unlikely that we are going to search for a door to get out. So, we removed them.

Second question he had concerned "the rocks in the sinks" - why were they there? About three years ago, we redecorated a different set of bathrooms and in that exercise of redecoration, we added rocks in the sinks. They look nice. But, they are obviously a decoration and not something functional to the use of the sink. Just as other decorations are not functional to the use of the bathrooms, the rocks add "a look" to a room that really needed to be updated. My response to his question was that "they look nice."

Here are a few lessons:

We did not communicate the changes to the church. We just made the changes. Sometimes, that's okay because the value of the change is so obvious. But, I'm discovering more and more that those times are an exception. The church needs to know what's going on - not just in the buildings we use but in the lives of the Body of Christ.

Our seasoned saints especially require communication - relentless communication, as we have called it. It can be easy for them to feel left out. And, we don't want any committed member of the Body to feel this way.

Sometimes, relentless communication still goes on three years later.

Distractions from the mission of the church - changing lives - abound. God is doing great things in the Body of Christ at Central Community. Huge, great, powerful, Spirit-filled-driven things. Lives are being changed! Yet, on top of all the distractions to deal with, the ones from inside the Body may be the most numerous.

Of course, the unstated, elephant-in-the-room lesson is this: the expense of a bag of rocks was not in its purchase, but in its mere presence in a bathroom.

(By the way, the rocks in the sinks we have are not the picture in this posting - its stock footage).

Filters...

2011-08-29T05:47:00.000-07:00

On my run this morning, I was reminded (again) that I haven't written on this blog for a while. Actually, this kind brother in Christ, with whom I had stopped to chat, simply said that he had read my blog this morning. I took it as another one of God's reminders that I need to write. It's good for me and I hope my readers enjoy it, as well.

Let's talk filters. Did you know that we perceive through a set of filters driven by our expectations? And, that these expectations are situational? A hearing-impaired woman told me a story yesterday of such an experience. She was with other hearing-impaired and deaf people and saw a man who was both blind and deaf. He had been born able to see and hear, but two brain tumors robbed him of both sight and hearing. At first, because of how the tumors left him, his appearance seemed disconcerting at best. However, this woman felt strongly that she should to meet him. And, plucking up her courage, she introduced herself (this is, in itself, an amazing thing!) and had, by signing in his hands, a wonderful conversation with a fellow brother in Christ who has now become her friend.

How many of us have missed out on blessings such as this one simply because, on a first impression, we made the wrong decision? This malady gums up the works of our relationships and ultimately robs us of the joy God has planned for us.

How are you and I filtering what we see? With an expectation of fear, distrust, and caution? Or, like the woman who literally reached out to another, are we approaching life with guarded optimism? And, what is guarded optimism really if not trust in the promises of God? He will never forsake you, nor leave you. (Dt. 31:8) Or, Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it. (Heb. 31:2) What blessings will we reap today because we purposely viewed others through the eyes of Christ?

Time to plan

2010-12-03T09:06:00.000-08:00

God has wired me to work. So, while I have a day each week to be away from the office, I still work. He works my mind and heart to be better aligned with Him. I catch up from the previous weeks and dig out of email (and voicemail) jail.

But I also try to plan.

Planning for the future is important - but while that is true, I must also realize that the plans I make are all under the complex sovereignty of God. He reminds us in His Word that His purpose prevails over our plans (Prov. 19:21). What am I left with then? I must commit my plans to Him first, then they will succeed (Prov. 16:3). Without that caveat in our planning, we're whistling past the graveyard, ignoring our ends (Heb. 9:27) and, more importantly, ignoring the power and will of the Most High God.

Given that all is up for change - my personal vision, mission, strategy, etc. - this will take a while. And, that's a good thing. In this approach, I can be more assured that I'm not getting ahead (or going sideways) of what God is leading me through.

Rest in Peace, Grandpa

2010-12-01T17:58:00.000-08:00

On Friday, November 26, 2010, Richard "Dick" Buehler, Sherry's Grandpa, passed on to his eternity with Jesus.

I met him soon after I began dating Sherry, my bride. And, over 23 years later, I've learned a lot from him. Here are just a few observations:

Grandpa loved. This was not the emotional, sappy, temporary kind of love that our common culture seems to advocate. In his generation, love was a "many splendored thing". In mine, it was a battlefield. But, the love I'm describing is God's love, the love Christ commanded us to have toward one another (John 13:34-35). This love was the one Jesus described as none greater (that a man would lay down his own life for another - John 15:13). A love that was patient, kind - not rude, envious, boastful, or proud. This love delighted in the truth, not evil, keeping no record of wrongs. This kind of love always trusts, hopes, perseveres, and protects. This love never fails.

He demonstrated that love for his wife, Gwen, who died some 8 years before he did. I never saw them disregard or disrespect one another but honestly desire to be with each other - even after over 60 years of marriage. Then, in his last days, when asked what he needed, he'd reply, "I need Gwen." This, for a married man, is the first place to purposefully and actively act on Jesus' command to love. Husbands are commanded to love their wives as Christ loved the church, laying His life down for her (Ephesians 5:22-33). I have no doubt that Grandpa would gladly put himself in harm's way to protect his bride - not only physically, but incrementally, as he placed her needs above his own.

This love continued with family and friends as he demonstrated love through generosity. Although he was generous financially, that isn't the generosity I'm describing here. Grandpa was generous with his time. Although he was known as a story teller, he was also a story listener. When he asked a question, he waited for an answer. He didn't seem to me to be one who made small talk. He wanted to know my opinion as he was willing to share his. And, although there were times when we disagreed, we still kept talking and listening to one another.

Many at the funeral could have shared their own stories about how he listened to them after delivering petroleum products when he owned a Phillips 66 distributorship in NW Indiana, or at the corner diner, or at one of his gas stations. He cared about people and he also accomplished much - a rare combination these days.

Other attributes I observed in Grandpa were Integrity and Honor. Grandpa's words matched his actions. And, I had no doubt believing that the Grandpa I knew (and observed) was the same Grandpa when no one was watching. This led to his reputation in the business community as a stand-up kind of guy that people trusted to do business right. With regard to Honor, Grandpa was unafraid of speaking what needed to be said and standing up for what was right. These attributes of Christ which he demonstrated are sadly lacking in the world today and - all too often - in the church.

So, as I spoke at Grandpa's funeral, I'm reminded that these are the times when our hearts are tender to the Lord's leading regarding change in our own lives. Looking at the love, integrity, and honor Grandpa demonstrated should lead us to follow his lead, seeking to follow in the footsteps of his example - loving our spouses, family, and friends with the love that Christ commands us to demonstrate towards them in actions as well as words. We should seek to ensure our words match our actions and that our actions are taken for what we believe to be right - not in compromise but in the sometimes difficult role of moral leadership.

Grandpa, who had a quiet humble faith, is now with Jesus...and his Gwen.

Rest in peace, Grandpa. See you on the other side....

Ode to my friend and brother, Randy Carey

2010-11-08T01:55:00.000-08:00

"Randy passed away tonight."

That’s the first line of an email I didn’t want to read.

As I write this, I’m starting my first day of a 2 week mission in Uganda. My heart breaks that I’m unable to attend the celebration of his life, saying farewell, and comforting those that mean so much to my friend: his bride, his boys, his parents, family, and friends. But, God is not surprised. Somehow, in the complex sovereignty that only He can manage, I’m supposed to be here and not there.

Often, when I called him over the phone, Randy would answer in a falsetto “Helloo?”. I still answer the phone that way occasionally and bring a smile to the caller. He was my “brudda of anudda mudda” and we would remind ourselves of that nearly each time we would see each other. When he and I would sing together, I felt I could sing better just because it was us singing. Randy included me. He encouraged me to play guitar, sing, and lead. For more than a few years, when we were on the PEAK Worship team together, we were a team. Randy would lead the congregation and I would lead the band. It worked and God was glorified.

God used Randy to change my life. He was after me to go to Lost Valley Ranch for the annual men's retreat for a few years and I felt that it was weird, because of my travel schedule, that I should leave my family for a weekend to learn how to be a better husband, father, man. I finally gave in and went with him in 1999. Walt Hendrickson was speaking from the minor prophet Haggai and switched, in the Spirit, to discuss the fear of the LORD. God used that conversation to change my life. One could say that without Randy’s persistence, I wouldn’t be in ministry, now. Although I suspect that God would have found another way, I’m glad He chose Randy to make a difference in my life. Randy wanted the best from me for God and I wanted to give my best.

The more I thought about my conversation with his wife Rhonda last week, the more I realized that my time with Randy in September was the best I could have as a last time with him. My last few moments with him was in prayer. And, now, my friend and brother is with Jesus. He “is” with Jesus. These are the times we must remind ourselves of the reality of our faith and speak of those who've passed on in the present tense. Randy is no longer with us. He is with Jesus. Randy is safely home.

Safely Home by Jon Mohr

Children, precious children I Know you're shaken,
A loved one taken. Oh but hear me. Come, draw near me. Their pain is passed now. They rest at last now, safely home.
They are strong and free. They are safe with Me.
This life is nearly shadow. Today there's sorrow, but joy tomorrow. Safely home. Safely home.
One day you will join them, all together, this time forever, safely home. Safely home.

Randy, I love you, brother. Farewell. See you soon.

Our federal government...

2010-10-16T14:15:00.001-07:00

Here's some sobering information from a site that shares analysis on government revenue and debt.

US Federal Revenue

2008 Total: $2.524T ($1.45T Income Taxes)

2009 Total: $2.105T ($1.04T Income Taxes)

US Federal Yearly Deficit (more than 3x increase!)

2008 Total: $459B

2009 Total: $1.41T

Ok, so here's the point. There are some very hard times coming where we will have to make some difficult decisions as a nation. Not to be over-simplistic, but when the revenue falls, each of us as families must take a hard look at what we can cut out of our expenses to stop or slow "the bleeding".

For a time, we might have to take on additional debt to get past a season of reduced revenue. But, the government seems to avoid these "third rails" of politics and, as a result, we're passing them down to our children and their children.

Looking at the expenses, there are no easy answers. Assuming there are inefficiencies (probably not an assumption) in the expenses, even 10% savings wouldn't reduce the deficit of 2009 to below 2x the previous year's deficit. Pretending we weren't managing 2 military initiatives (aren't they still wars?) and bringing them to pre-9/11 levels would cut the defense spending (which includes veterans benefits, BTW) by half. Even so, that wouldn't bring the deficit down to 2008 levels.

So, what's the answer? I don't have one, but I treated this as my business, here would be my approach:

1) get the efficiencies back into the system. Not sure how possible this is given that we're talking about the federal government, but we must try.

2) stop sending tax dollars to the states and communities. Leave the revenue there and let them manage their (our) own communities. There will be exceptions when there is federal presence (US Parks, Federal agencies, etc.), but this should reduce the earmark issues we've been struggling with. And, this would reduce the nominal administrative overhead that comes from handling money.

3) adopt a policy of allowing failing businesses to fail completely IF there can't be proofs that the business will recover. For example, I'm glad the buggy whip businesses weren't bailed out when that industry began to decrease when the automobile began to be accepted more widely. There is still a market for a buggy whip, but it's a niche market at best.

4) reduce or eliminate incentives to outsource labor overseas.

5) in short, adopt whatever policies promote a healthy and growing GDP. If we can't reduce spending, maybe we can increase revenue. This implies that individual and business tax rates would decrease but that revenue would increase as more individuals and businesses have higher incomes.

6) lastly, adopt policies that reduce the frivolous litigation that's prevalent in the society.

What do you think? What else should our leaders do?

For the follower of Christ, I believe we need to have our eyes and ears open to know how to help and in the helping of others, lead them to Christ.

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. 2 Cor. 4:16-18

What should we say about others?

2010-08-18T03:50:00.000-07:00

As I grew up working through high school, into the military, through my college days, and into the corporate work environment, I learned that it was perfectly acceptable to speak negatively about others while they weren't around - especially about whoever I was working for at the time - but also colleagues and coworkers who weren't living up to "my expectations." At its base level, this is gossip and God is clear about what He thinks of this behavior. As God began to convict me of these (and other) sins, maturing me in my walk with and for His Son Jesus, I learned something extraordinary: gossip dishonors God, the target of the gossip, the receivers of the gossip, and me. It's plainly a lose-lose-lose-lose proposition.

What's the answer? It's simpler than it may seem. Under most circumstances, words spoken to describe another should be the same whether they're in the room or not. And, those words should be as objective as possible and as kind as possible. These standards include the times when we seek godly (and discrete) advice about how to approach someone about an issue so that we may resolve it (for example, approaching another leader about how to lead an individual or resolve a problem).

This is something that isn't learned just once, unfortunately. We, as leaders especially, need to practice this principle daily. Why?

1) Gossip creates disunity and separates friends: Proverbs 16:28.

2) It is an attribute uses to describe the depraved (i.e., lost). Romans 1:28-31.

3) Gossip fuels quarrels. Proverbs 26:20.

Plainly, gossip undermines a team. As leaders we need to avoid it ourselves and "nip it" when it comes our way.

Warrior Airman

2010-03-07T18:50:00.000-08:00

When I enlisted in the US Army back in 1980 (yes, June 17 will make 30 years since my enlistment), the Armed Forces had been a volunteer fighting force for a mere 7 years and it showed. Morale was low and esprit de corps was even lower. Looking back now, I wonder if the pain of the Vietnam conflict, only 5 years over by then, manifested itself in a fighting force with a self-esteem problem. Maybe it was only found in the US Army and then only where I was trained and stationed. But, then again, I don't think so.

Since then, the US Armed Forces have celebrated many victories and now even though the main stream media often struggles to do so, citizens and corporations are celebrating our warriors. It now seems more "cool" to be courageous and perfectly appropriate to be a patriot. This is what I witnessed as our son Lewis graduated from Basic Military Training in Lackland AFB, TX this past weekend. The picture is of him and his friend Sam Dixon in front of the Alamo.

One of the most stirring (and emotional) moments was the coin ceremony. This is where the trainee receives a commemorative Air Force coin from his/her Training Instructor. It is at this moment that each recipient transitions from a trainee to an airman. Then, in unison, these 700 plus recipients recite the Airman's creed:

I am an American Airman.

I am a warrior.
I have answered my nation's call.

I am an American Airman.
My mission is to fly, fight, and win.
I am faithful to a proud heritage,
A tradition of honor,
And a legacy of valor.

I am an American Airman,
Guardian of freedom and justice,
My nation's sword and shield,
Its sentry and avenger.
I defend my country with my life.

I am an American Airman;
Wingman, leader, warrior.
I will never leave an airman behind,
I will never falter,

And I will not fail.

These last words were shouted with such vehemence, such force, such conviction, I had to choke back the tears - not just for my son and the pride that welled up within me for him, but in thanksgiving to God for men and women like these who demonstrate in their actions, words, and focus this John 15:13 principle, that "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends."

In God we trust and to Him I give thanks for those willing to lay down their lives so that we may be free to worship the One true God - Father, Son, and Spirit.

How do you read the Bible?

2010-02-01T10:36:00.000-08:00

How do you read the Bible?

I know, left-to-right, top-to-bottom, page by page. Ha-ha. No, seriously. How we perceive any source of information dramatically shapes how we receive the information. For example, if I'm reading a tabloid magazine or one of those forwarded internet stories, I'm going to question the truth of the story until I have confirmation from a separate source (another publication or a place like www.snopes.com). On the other hand, if I have grown to trust a newspaper and/or magazine or author, I may believe the story a little more readily before I look for outside confirmation. Get it?

So, how do you read the Bible? I hope this description of an approach I've come to might help you provide your own answer.

First, I believe that the Bible is true. Therefore, when I study the Bible, I open my eyes, ears, and mind to the Bible giving it every measure of the “benefit of the doubt.” If there is something that seems amiss, then my first assumption is that I don’t have a clear understanding and need to dig a little further. My assumption is never that it’s wrong. There is a quote from St. Anselm of Canterbury (1033-1109AD), "I do not seek to understand in order that I may believe, but I believe in order to understand." So, my faith comes first in order that I might understand. Unfortunately, some (if not most) studiers of God’s Word, have it the other way round and trip up when they can’t understand and run the serious risk of losing it all.

I believe that Scripture interprets Scripture. This means two things to me. One, that from Genesis to Revelation, the same author (the Holy Spirit) wrote all the Scripture through over 40 human authors. This means that it should all match and I can go to other Scripture to help me understand a specific Scripture in my current study. Two, that same Holy Spirit is within me (and any Christ follower) and He is available to me, by faith, so that I might understand what He wrote and how it might apply in my life.

Lastly, I believe that there are concepts in the Bible that are out of my earthly reach. Dt. 29:29 says that “The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law.” In addition to its specific message to the people of Israel, this verse also tells me that if I don’t fully understand something from God’s Word, I can trust Him who does understand it to reveal it to me in His timing – on either side of eternity.

So, how do you read the Bible?

Farewell to Africa

2009-11-16T06:17:00.000-08:00

Heading back to the United States today and plan to update this blog with pictures and text once I get all my resources together.

As I consider my nearly two weeks here, I offer just a few observations of the time spent here.

Generally speaking, the people of Africa are welcoming and pleased to receive guests. This is especially true in the rural areas of both Uganda and Kenya. In fact, a very common phrase we heard was "You are welcome." This wasn't in response to a "Thank You", but simply a declaration that we were welcome there. I want to be more welcoming to my guests.
Although poor economically, the rural communities we visited are rich spiritually. Their faith is strong as is their resolve to be obedient followers of Christ they're called to be. This spiritual wealth is something I want to invest in!
The infrastructure in Uganda is quite limited. Although the infrastructure was more advanced in Kenya, they still struggle in the rural areas, especially. Citizens in the US have SO much for which we take for granted. Clean running water, indoor plumbing, electricity, screens over the windows/doors, and smooth roads are just a few examples. I resolve to avoid whining at the minor inconveniences of daily living.
God has offered me an excellent glimpse into the lives of my extended family in East Africa. For this, I am grateful.

For what are you thankful?

Last Work Day on Site

2009-11-12T13:00:00.000-08:00

On Tuesday, it was another warm day. Joni had a great idea the previous day of setting out the tarp used to cover luggage from the top of the van as a sort of awning. Modified somewhat to make the most shade we could this was put in place again. Shade always draws a crowd. Soon we had kids, moms, and grandmas resting under the awning.

After shooting an interview with Tim and Colleen, Colleen had arranged for me to meet my new sponsor child, Janette. She's a sweet girl and shy. Because of the timing of her visit to the church site, I was unable to spend a lot of time speaking with her - so I still don't know her age or circumstance. I do have pics, tho.

Because Colleen had to drive to Kampala, I volunteered to drive the van on TAPP visits. It's amazing how that van can fit into walking trails. We had good visits and even led two older men to the Lord!

Meanwhile work continued on the building as the platform was completed, a door installed, and the roof was finished off. The building really looks good!

The end of the day was marked by a video presentation of the Gospel of John. This three-hour film was made possible by a generator, speakers, projector, a new scrim, and a whole lot of seat-of-the-pants inginuity. The team headed back to the guest house while Tim and Moses stayed back. By the end of the film there were hundreds watching on both sides of the screen!

Our last night there, we spent it getting ready to depart and planning for our role in the dedication service the following day.

The Ugandan people are kind, gentle, and most welcoming. We are blessed!

On Site at the Ngoro Church

2009-11-11T12:04:00.000-08:00

As we arrived the first day (Monday), we saw that the roof was already begun. The building is an elongated octagon. The rafters, already in place, have been treated so that they can resist termites. These pests are a problem as we learned of another church in the district which lost its original building due to an infestation. The roof is made of overlapping corregated steel. The building itself is brick. By the end of the day, the roof was in place. All that remained was the steel caps that cover where the roof angles meet along the ends and sides. The doors and windows would come in the next days.

The building site was a hive of activity as the floor was cleared and rocks were brought in to support and fill the platform area. Many of us helped in this and we were humbled as the village women and girls would haul huge rocks on thei heads! They are accustomed to this as they have to carry water from the local well to their homes. Water is carried in Jerry cans weighing 45 pounds. Some of them will have one on her head while carrying one or two at the same time.

For a time, I manned the wheelbarrow. There were some young ones who helped fill it for me. One of these, Jennifer Martha, is 14 tears old and lives with her mom - her dad is dead. Although it's difficult to support a child in this village yet, I hope that it will be possible soon. She's a sweet girl who could really use our help. They all can.

Later in the morning and early afternoon, I went on home visits to TAPP clients. TAPP is a program to help families affected by HIV/AIDS through relief and self-sufficiency programs. It is so very sad to see the devastation this disease has had on this already poor society. Hearing some of the stories of how the disease has come into the family, it also saddens me to see how we men sometimes fail our wives and children!

After lunch, I spent some quality time with the local pastors teaching and encouraging them. They are called and seek to be and remain equipped to lead their churches through a deeper walk with Christ. Hearing their stories both humbled me and encouraged me as a pastor.

The rest of the team was busy with kids, women, more TAPP home visits, and, of course, the building project. There was demonsrative joy in the village as these two different people groups came together in their common love for their Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Before wrapping for the day, the team distributed goats to widows and turkeys to the pastors' wives. Yes, they were live!

It was another great day in Uganda!

This Ain't Your Typical Worship Time!

2009-11-10T12:23:00.000-08:00

Sunday morning, after breakfast, we split up into two teams of 8 each. My team had Grant, the Toupins, Joni, Twyla, Cassie, and Matt. Tim Stevenson was also with us. They sang several songs, we sang two (I played guitar) and they asked for an encore for which we were unprepared, and there were testimonies from the community and our team. Then I spoke from John 9. The service was less than 3 hours but didn't seem that long. The picture here is of the table at the front of the service. People were instructed to come forward to present their tithes and offerings. The tithe basket was empty. The other was filled. You can see the offering basket at the top of the picture. Most of the cash came from us. There was an egg from a woman (possibly like the widow from the Bible), a note, and a partially eaten roll. Humbling.

After service there was an altar call for those who needed prayer. I was asked along with Tim to pray. All women, one had a baby wth malaria (baby Lazarus and mom Suzanne), another with stomach pains (Mary), and others with asthma and headaches.

After this we were served lunch: grits (in a cake), rice, chicken, greens with crushed g-nuts (like peanuts), fried cabbage, and tea with rolls. Yummy!

Afterwards we went to the rock drawings found in this area. There was a kid named Alex who hung around me there. He was 13 years old and a student in a Korean-sponsored school nearby. His English was good and he looked to be in good health. I enjoyed speaking with him.

Rest of the day was spent in rest awaiting our first full day at the church site.

Trip to Ngoro in the Kumi District

2009-11-09T13:37:00.000-08:00

After arriving from Kamuli, I had the opportunity to shop for some Ugandan gifts. This is something I don't do well. In fact, this is something my bride does really well - wisely choosing the right gifts is itself a gift that she has received. After getting an email list from Sherry, I made my purchases and, because some of the articles were made by widows, I was able to help others, too.

When the team travels we go in two vans with our luggage, supplies, and tools on top. Our group, piloted by Moses Magoolo, left first and landed last. In the group were Jill, Grant, Joni, Jeannie, Twyla, Heather, Cassie, and me.

When we left Kampala, the plan was to go to a guest house first because we would arrive so late. En route, plans change. We went directly to the church and was welcomed by singing, dancing, yodeling women, smiles, shaking hands, and cries of "You are welcome!" If I had to imagine what a believer's reception into heaven would be like, this picture would come to mind.

After the incredibly warm welcome, we were gathered into a large thatch-roof house and treated to a wonderful meal after we were introduced to all the key leaders of the church. The next time we receive a guest - especially from Africa - I'm going to rethink the welcome party!

The video below is yet another reception we received when we arrived at the church site on Sunday morning.

Kamuli District of Uganda

2009-11-07T04:32:00.000-08:00

Kamuli Town, in the Kamuli district, is a small town with two gas stations and several small shops to purchase food, merchandise, livestock, and so on. We stayed in town at a guest house where the couples had their own rooms and the rest of the team were divided into groups of two or three. I roomed with Moses and Carl Gordon in a small room where three twin beds were shoe-horned into. The doors were locked with a padlock and remained secure the whole time we were there. In fact, the guest house was a walled compound with a gate to drive into a courtyard in the back.

The church site is on the outskirts of town past several private schools named after Catholic saints and filled with colorfully uniformed kids. The church property was purchased at the end of a road - also purchased to reach the larger site. As a guess, I think the property is less than acre while the road is about 200 feet long.

The church, as we arrived, lacked some brickwork, a roof, doors, and windows. The trusses were ready to be put into place once the brickwork and windows were done. The building is about a 50x30ft large room. In the morning, I helped on the crew that was building a platform from where God's Word would be declared and worship led. In the afternoon, I began teaching pastors and encouraging them through the Word. About half-way through, the rain came. Torrential rains that turned the site into a muddy mess. Once the rain let up, we spent about an hour getting one of the vans unstuck and out of there.

Even though the church was incomplete, the dedication service was scheduled for the next day (Friday) at 11am. There was a tent setup in front of the church building and chairs arrayed within. As I arrived, the pastors asked if we could complete the conversation the rain interrupted the day before. Gladly, we finished our conversation and all was encouraged. We discussed how we should each rely on God's resources - His Spirit, Strength, Faithfulness, Peace, and Help in Temptation.

The dedication service began around noon and lasted until about 3:15. The picture you see above is of a young boy who sat on the front row not wanting to miss a thing! We heard from honored guests (including a Member of Parliment), the town president, the Stevensons, and I had the privilege of sharing some encouragement from God's Word. We saw dancing like I've never seen - let alone in a dedication and worship service. The kids sang and we sang a song, too. The Pastor (another Moses) and I cut the ribbon to the building and prayed over it. All was translated and there was joy, laughter, and amens. Also, it rained. Again. While it was inconvenient, we have to remember that these people, who live off the land, are blessed by the rain from God Himself. It was a very good "amen" all by itself.

Afterwards, we were treated to a great lunch and on our way to Kampala and the Stevenson's Complex.

Uganda is a beautiful place. I can see why Winston Churchill described it as the "Pearl of Africa".

We made it to Uganda!

2009-11-07T02:18:00.000-08:00

It's been nearly a week since I updated this blog. It's been more than difficult to get my laptop to connect to the network. So, I'm using the Stevenson's computer to provide a brief update.

Remember, more info can be read on Central Community's Mission Blog.

All of us arrived safe and sound (with all our luggage) on Tuesday. Tired after well over a day of traveling, it was good to arrive and meet the people we've all heard so much about. Moses was our group's driver and has been as we've traveled to one village already. He's a great guy - kind, always happy, and loves the Lord Jesus. Tim and Colleen welcomed us and continue to provide guidance, encouragement, and support as we encounter many new experiences, sounds, sights, and smells. The team has gathered together well after having to separate on our trip out.

Our first visit was to Kamuli - a town northeast of Kampala, beyond the Nile River.

The adventure begins

2009-11-01T13:32:00.000-08:00

Many of you may know that I have been planning for many months to go to Uganda. After many changes of flights, we finally ended up with a start date of yesterday morning - waaaaay too early in the morning. We arrived at the airport and discovered that our flight was cancelled which threw the team into uncertainty. Fourteen of us (another 2 had planned to come 2 days later) were at the mercy of Northwest Airlines and Delta.

After more than a few flight plans and changes, we ended up splitting the team into 2 primary groups. The first group (I'm on this one) leaves today and will arrive in Uganda on Tuesday afternoon. The second group leaves early tomorrow (Monday) and arrives Tuesday evening. Our group has a more circuitous route through Dubai and Ethiopia and the other groups follows our original route straight from Amsterdam through to Uganda.

Why go? We listen to the stories of those who've gone before and desire to make a difference - to be a part of something greater than ourselves. Of course, this can and does happen locally. However, I understand that there is great power and impact upon our lives as we stretch ourselves and seek to minister in Christ's name within another culture.

Quite frankly, this has been a difficult trip for me to consider. As I've grown older, I've also grown less tolerant of being away from home. I like being with my wife and my kids. And, while my boys are still in the home, I don't want to miss any part of their life with Sherry and me together. But, as my bride reminds me, this experience, as it has done for so many who have walked this road ahead of me, will be life-changing. And, as I seek to be the minister of reconciliation God has called me/us to be, I look forward to meeting with and enjoying my brothers and sisters in Christ in Africa.

As I progress, join me in prayer that all of us on the team will have our eyes and ears wide open to what God has in store for each of us and the courage to follow Him. Also, that God will not only protect us on the trip, but that He'll continue watching over our loved ones at home.

I hope to keep you posted as we progress, but I just don't know what opportunities will be present to update the blog.

Stay tuned!

Twitter and Facebook

2009-10-03T15:02:00.000-07:00

Ok. I've got a blackberry and I used to use it to update my status on both facebook and twitter. However, it became too clumsy to update both so I decided to just update facebook. Well, at the Innovate09, I, along with scads of others, were updating twitter to reflect what we'd been learning and the Innovate engineers were displaying the rolling updates on #Innovate09. Then, I saw a little more than what I had previously regarding the value of Twitter. I can see common themes (like Innovate09) and learn as a group what folks are learning and observing along with me. Very cool.

But, the problem remained: how to update both facebook and twitter once? Well, thanks to one of my peeps (who seemed glad to see me tweet more often), I learned that there are facebook apps that handle the integration. The one I chose was SupaSync. It integrates with my Twitter account so that whenever I tweet, it shows up on Facebook.

Just logon to facebook, search for SupaSync and follow the instructions from there. It was very easy.

Ah, technology.

Innovate 09!

2009-10-02T07:49:00.000-07:00

Spent a few days in Northern Indiana for the Innovate Conference. It's the first step in an opportunity God has provided to me to be a part of Granger's Executive Pastor Coaching Network. I'll be going there several times over the next 9 or so months to learn, think, grow, and be challenged as I seek to be the best I can be in the calling of God.

At Innovate, I observed the following (some new, some old lessons):

Every morning, my feet must hit the ground running toward Christ, His calling, and purpose (personally and professionally) - and away from self!
Each day I must review the mission, purpose, and vision for myself - and the church. This implies, of course, that these exist for myself and the church.
Within that framework, my day must be so ordered.
Task cannot always trump people.
My personal holiness impacts me, my family, and the church.
I should care more for the effectiveness of what we do than whether we make mistakes or complaints are generated.
Jesus should be on my mind - always.
Change generates momentum.
Staff are hired to lead others and build teams.
Image consultants outside the church can help us remain outward-focused.
Do we demonstrate ourselves to be a covenant community?
What God-sized dream to I have? Better yet, what God-sized dream has He given me?
The most "unchurched" community is the rural community. Therefore, how can we/I help the rural community in Kansas?
Have a red-hot marriage because my marriage represents the salvation from Christ to His church.
A church's size doesn't matter. A church's seismic waves it generates that matter - and these waves ONLY come from God.
Take care to communicate rightly to those outside the church.
Who gives a rip if ideas are original or recycled? Those whose lives are being changed do not care!
If veterans (devoted Christ-followers) complain about change, remind them that, at any given moment, the church is one generation away from extinction.
Use art wisely to educate, entertain, and to create buzz and tension to lower the walls of resistance to God's Word.

There are probably more, but these were the ones that stuck.

I'm so thankful that God made a way for me to go. I was feeling a little dry...

Can we as a nation confess dependence on God?

2009-08-28T06:16:00.000-07:00

Here is an interesting decision made in Kentucky recently. A judge considered this phrase in the charter of Kentucky's Office of Homeland Security unconstitutional: "dependence on Almighty God as being vital to the security of the Commonwealth". A state representative, also a minister, added the phrase that caused a few in Kentucky to take notice and file motions to have it struck.

However, in the current preamble of Kentucky's constitution established in 1891 this reference to God is presented: We, the people of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, grateful to Almighty God for the civil, political and religious liberties we enjoy, and invoking the continuance of these blessings, do ordain and establish this Constitution.

So, Kentuckians thank God and give Him credit for the blessings of civil, political, and religious liberties and want Him to continue giving us these blessings. But, refuse to depend on Him for security?

In His Word, God shows that He is patient, long-suffering, slow to anger and abounding in love. How long will He accommodate leaders who attempt to turn their back on Him?

The B-I-B-L-E!

2009-08-26T14:04:00.000-07:00

The B-I-B-L-E, yes that's the book for me. I stand alone on the word of God. The B-I-B-L-E.

Today, I'm confessing my love for God's Word to a group of 3rd and 4th graders. While they'll probably look at me like I grew a third eye right in the middle of my forehead, I don't care. God has sent His Spirit, to use His Word, to form me (and them) into the likeness of His Son. What's not to like about that?

"How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to Your Word...I have hidden Your Word in my heart that I might not sin against You." Psalm 119:9,11

"All Scripture is God breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness." 2 Tim. 3:16

"Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful." Joshua 1:8

People are dying so that the Bible can be read!

2009-07-28T13:17:00.000-07:00

I've got many Bibles in my house. My primary one pictured here is marked up and worn. It feels good to hold it and to read it. Better yet, it feels right. I even like the smell of its pages. God's Word is holy, active, real, accurate, and relevant. It is both a window and a mirror. And, no one is wanting to arrest or execute me because I own a Bible.

Not so in North Korea. Read this article and consider the blessing we have to have and to study God's Word openly and in freedom.

Worship AND Serve - it's not either/or, it's both/and...

2009-07-22T09:02:00.000-07:00

My bride pointed me to a post by Mark Beeson, pastor at Granger Community Church that resonated with me. In it, he shares that service to and for God is worship - just as lifting holy hands in song and adoration is worship. It's not either/or - it's both/and.

When we serve others for His sake, we are worshiping God.

Romans 12:1 - Finally, my dear brothers, in view of God's mercy offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - this is your spiritual act of worship.

When we offer ourselves to God, then we do what pleases Him. And, as Mark reminded me, God is pleased by our service - our sacrifice to Him.

Psalm 51:17 - The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

How many times have we missed the mark of true worship in the Spirit, because we ignore the opportunities to serve Him?

Writer's block or the constipation of the pen?

2009-07-15T17:57:00.000-07:00

Gentle Reader,

I'm trying to figure out why I don't want to write. Seriously. It's been since June 9 - over a month! I'm reminded of a few words from that song by Pink Floyd, "Money":

The time is gone, the song is over, thought I'd something more to say.

At the beginning of the year, I committed to write more and I did. But, I got to the end of Spring and my interest in writing had sprung. Done. Over. Nothing more to say?

No, I have something to say but I'm not quite sure I want to say it here. Ever feel that way? I want to talk about Jesus, my bride, my family, the church, government, weather, complex matter and anti-matter anti-aging compounds, and a host of other things important to me...

But, I'm just not sure they should be placed here. Jesus talks about not throwing your pearls before swine. Of course, in the context of the Sermon on the Mount, He seems to be warning against placing God's Word before those who will not only trample what is holy but tear up the ones who offered the Word in the first place. In this situation I'm describing here, I'm just not certain these topics so important to me will be considered very important or valued by others.

Which brings me to my dilemma. Two questions:

Will my thoughts and opinions and observations be considered as important as they are to me? And, should I care if they are?

What will likely happen is that my words will flow again and I'll write regardless. Until then, I'll sit in my dilemma and wade a while. Reminding me of another quote...

The waters of dilemma are tepid at best neither running, warm, or chilled. Such waters require a little stirring, warmth, or escape. - M. R. Koenigsmann.

Worship God - do we really?

2009-06-09T11:00:00.000-07:00

The Bible says: Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; and His greatness is unsearchable. Psalm 145:3

A.W. Tozer writes:

The dictionary says that to admire is "to regard with wondering esteem accompanied by pleasure and delight; to look at or upon with an elevated feeling of pleasure." According to this definition, God has few admirers among Christians today.

Many are they who are grateful for His goodness in providing salvation. At Thanksgiving time the churches ring with songs of gratitude that "all is safely gathered in." Testimony meetings are mostly devoted to recitations of incidents where someone got into trouble and got out again in answer to prayer. To decry this would be uncharitable and unscriptural, for there is much of the same thing in the Book of Psalms. It is good and right to render unto God thanksgiving for all His mercies to us. But God's admirers, where are they?

The simple truth is that worship is elementary until it begins to take on the quality of admiration. Just as long as the worshiper is engrossed with himself and his good fortune, he is a babe. We begin to grow up when our worship passes from thanksgiving to admiration.

As our hearts rise to God in lofty esteem for that which He is ("I AM THAT I AM"), we begin to share a little of the selfless pleasure which is the portion of the blessed in heaven. Excerpt from "That Incredible Christian", Page 127.

It's difficult for me to worship God sometimes. After reading this, I wonder if it's because I'm so distracted by 'me' that I don't take the time, effort, and focus to admire God.

Admiration of God is not just in corporate or congregational worship. We are to admire God all the time - in our thoughts, our words, and our actions.

Lord, may we get our eyes off ourselves and onto you so that we may admire you...Amen.

Who plans these days?

2009-06-02T06:00:00.000-07:00

How important is planning to you?

I struggle with planning. Because God has often surrounded me with those who are far more accomplished in this regard, I've relied on them to push, cajole, and sometimes shame me into it. However, even though I know how important it is, I'd much rather do something else - like watch paint dry - or simply solve problems. But, even the thorniest of problems can require solid planning to ensure they are solved rightly in a timely fashion.

We as a staff are going through an abbreviated process of strategic planning for the year. We settled on May 28 as the first day, with June 10 as the final discussions regarding what we hope to accomplish as a team and within the ministries for which we are individually responsible.

As we approached the first day, I sensed what felt like spiritual opposition to the event. I wanted to cancel it several times. Then, even during the event, Sherry and I had a personal event within the family which I found to be very distracting.

Regardless of all the land-mines on the way and on the day, we got through a pretty successful day. The team came together with great attitudes and unity - it was awesome! We laughed. We ate. We listened. We asked questions. In all that, though, there was a recurrent theme that I noticed - mainly, that there is no way the mission and vision of the church can be over-communicated. In order to ensure that everyone knows, feels, lives, breathes, and acts within the vision and mission of the church, we must communicate them - again and again and again.

What's the vision and mission? Check this post first.

The church and each of its ministry and individual or collective goals must be penetrated and supported by the mission and vision of the church. Thankfully, the draft plans we discussed were nearly completely aligned with the mission and vision. Now, we can look at our plans in the collective thought of the rest of what we heard and ensure we integrate with one another and achieve the synergy that comes from one helping the other in ministry.

God answered our prayers and continues to bless us with His leading and courage to take the bold actions required of those who aren't satisfied with business as usual but are ready to storm the gates of hell with little more than squirt guns and the enabling power of God Himself.

What's the mission and vision of our church?

2009-06-01T17:00:00.000-07:00

As we think through the filter of strategies, goals, and tactics required of us as leaders in the church, we are reminded that we already have a mission and vision for this church - and that we can and should use this foundation to form strategies to accomplish what we can to God's glory. So that we remain aware of the simplicity of what God has called us to do here at Central, here is a summary of our vision and mission.

What's the vision?

To become a biblically functioning community of believers so that the purposes of Christ can be accomplished in the greater Wichita area and the world.

What are the purposes of Christ for our church?

Exalt God in biblically aligned worship
Evangelize the lost
Encourage God's family
Educate the believer for maturity through discipleship
Equip the church for ministry and service to others

What's our mission? Changing lives: turning uncommitted people into fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ.

What's a fully devoted follower? A fully devoted follower is one who practices these five habits with a balanced approach:

Experiences and shares God's Grace
Grows into the likeness of Christ
Commits to a small Group
Discovers and uses his or her own Spiritual Gifts
Gives back to the kingdom in tithes and offerings

This has been in place for years, yet we don't hear/read/discuss enough of it.

What do you think? How should plans and results align with this vision and mission?

His divine blessing

2009-05-28T05:00:00.000-07:00

Here is another quotation from the first president of these United States, Geo. Washington. These words are from the closing words of his first inaugural address on April 30, 1789:

Having thus imported to you my sentiments, as they have been awakened by the occasion which brings us together, I shall take my present leave; but not without resorting once more to the benign parent of the human race, in humble supplication that since he has been pleased to favour the American people, with opportunities for deliberating in perfect tranquility, and dispositions for deciding with unparellelled unanimity on a form of Government, for the security of their Union, and the advancement of their happiness; so his divine blessing may be equally conspicuous in the enlarged views, the temperate consultations, and the wise measures on which the success of this Government must depend.

As I understand it, some founding leaders of this nation would refer to God in a variety of ways. George Washington often wrote in this way. In this case, He is the "benign parent of the human race." References in today's writings are far more direct. However, we can read in the president's words deference to and honoring of His good pleasure as God "favoured" the American people.

God's divine blessing, according to Washington, is "conspicuous in the enlarged views, the temperate consultations, and the wise measures on which the success of this Government must depend." To Washington, it appears that blessings of what flows from a just government in the form of a republic (as opposed to a monarchy) are divine. That is, these blessings flow from God.

What would our country be like if we counted these blessings so divinely?

Do you smile for your driver's license?

2009-05-27T18:07:00.000-07:00

I've always tried to smile for my driver's license photo. Weird, huh? However, according to this article, I wouldn't be allowed to smile if I got a driver's license in Indiana, Arkansas, Nevada, and Virginia. As I read the article, I guess I understand the motives, but, really? No smiles? What about those people (admittedly, not me) who smile even when they don't try? Would they have to try to "look dull?"

What do you think? Do you smile for your driver's license photo?

Wisdom from a President on civility

2009-05-25T15:34:00.000-07:00

In today's world, manners and civility are increasingly rare. Here are a few of today's headlines:

Northern Ireland Soccer Mob Beats Catholic Man to Death

Graduation Party Shooter Was Jealous Over Ex's New Boyfriend, Police Say

Kiefer Sutherland Apologizes for Head-Butting Incident That Injured Designer

In another era, young men (and women) were often asked to write down their own rules of civility and manners as they were taught them. In this post, you can read the approach of the first US President, George Washington, he listed his Rules of Civility & Decent Behaviour In Company and Conversation.

As I read this list, I was amazed at Pres. Washington's focused approach to dealing kindly and respectfully to others. In addition, I was also humbled in my own often coarse approach to speaking with and listening to others. Here are just a few of the president's 110 considerations.

#48 Wherein you reprove Another be unblameable yourself; for example is more prevalent than Precepts. In other words, don't give out advice, comment, or criticism to and of others unless I am already setting the example. Jesus' words of the plank and the speck of wood come readily to mind as foundation for this rule.

#49 Use no Reproachfull Language against any one neither Curse nor Revile. Our congress and media (and all of us) would do well to keep this in mind. I'm reminded of Miss California's recent treatment after her response to a question in the Miss USA pageant when I consider how far we can veer away from this standard of civility.

#56 Associate yourself with Men of good Quality if you Esteem your own Reputation; for 'tis better to be alone than in bad Company. Wow. Better to be alone than in bad company. I could have used this during my lengthy journey on the road of rebellion.

#89 Speak not Evil of the absent for it is unjust. Ok. Another biblical wisdom - don't gossip.

#109 Let your Recreations be Manfull not Sinfull. Be God's man - not a sinful man.

#110 Labour to keep alive in your Breast that Little Spark of Ce[les]tial fire Called Conscience. Is it a labor to keep our conscience alive? I guess so. For when we fly in the face of our conscience - for believers, this would be the Holy Spirit, eventually we are calloused to that which would shame us beforehand.

We all have rules, whether documented or not, don't we? What are ours?

What old people do for fun?

2009-05-20T08:52:00.000-07:00

I first saw this video years ago and it's making its rounds again. Enjoy.

Fundamentalism in America?

2009-05-19T18:00:00.000-07:00

In this article, the director of a movie at Cannes Film Festival discusses how his movie isn't Anti-Christian, but against fundamentalism. What is fundamentalism? The director, Alejandro Amenabar, describes it as "the idea that ‘I will kill you for what you think'". The story is set in Egypt in the 4th Century A.D. and includes the persecution of pagans by Christians.

For centuries, people have been destroyed for what they think. While we can look into the history of Christianity and find painful examples of how Christians have persecuted others (including other Christians) for their belief, Christians have also suffered for theirs. Fox's Book of Martyrs lists those who were tortured and killed for what they believed and goes on to describe the often gruesome ways these deaths were accomplished.

Fundamentalism, as Amenabar describes it, has a peculiar heritage and still goes on today - for religious reasons and others - simply because people don't agree with what others believe.

After seeing the following video, I'm convinced that if things don't change soon, such violence could happen today. Here is a video of the persecution of an older woman who believes that marriage is sacred and defined by God between a man and a woman.

What have we come to, America, when we treat someone so disrespectfully - especially one of our older citizens?

Another question: would you have the courage to raise the cross of Christ as this woman did? Would I?

Taliban Strikes Christians with a Vengeance

2009-05-18T18:00:00.000-07:00

Once more, Christians are singled out for abuse and persecution with no coverage from US-based media. Check this article for more information.

Are we merely an echo?

2009-05-18T06:00:00.000-07:00

When the disciples were beginning to feel real persecution as a result of their declaration about Jesus, they were told by Jewish leaders to keep quiet.

But Peter and John answered and said to them, "Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard." Acts 4:19-20

Here's a quote from A.W. Tozer in his book, God Tells the Man Who Cares:

To escape the snare of artificiality it is necessary that a man [of God] enjoy a satisfying personal experience with God. He must be totally committed to Christ and deeply anointed with the Holy Spirit.

Further, he must be delivered from the fear of man. The focus of his attention must be God and not men. He must let everything dear to him ride out on each sermon. He must so preach as to jeopardize his future, his ministry, even his life itself. He must make God responsible for the consequences and speak as one who will not have long to speak before he is called to judgment. Then the people will know they are hearing a voice instead of a mere echo.

Those who have experienced and continue to experience Jesus every day have a real story to tell. The difference between an echo and the real voice is stark. I want the real voice to come from me, not the echo. What about you?

The Oldest

2009-05-17T06:00:00.000-07:00

In this article, I learned of a man who willingly returned, later in life, to defend our country. How many men and women do you and I know who are so willing to give up so much for something far greater than themselves?

This hero gave his life for his country. As I age, may I be so willing to give up my life for the cause of Christ - whether for my family, my friends, or my country.

Declaration Time

2009-05-16T06:00:00.000-07:00

This week, my son Lewis enjoyed his last day of High School. Wow. It's hard to believe that he's 18 and ready to complete a major milestone in his life. In addition to graduating from High School, I chose this time to hold a ceremony of sorts to declare our common understanding of what it means to be a man.

In a previous post, I wrote how I believe that men of God are called to obey His will, work as He leads, and love a godly woman without condition. Well, this week, Lewis and came to the agreement that a man of God:

rejects passivity,
accepts responsibility,
leads courageously, and
and expects the greater reward.

This is completely counter to what the world defines a man to be - essentially a human male. Being a male is possessing a specific arrangement of chromosomes. Being a man is a choice.

So, this is what he and I agreed upon this weekend as a few godly men surrounded Lewis, prayed for him, and witnessed his decision. I thank God for what He has done, is doing, and will do in Lewis' life as he chooses to be a man of God.

What to do when you don't have a job

2009-05-07T06:24:00.001-07:00

Lately, I've spoken with more guys who are out of work. One guy's wife and son are in college and bankruptcy processes have been engaged. He feels lost, directionless, and wondering what God is up to in all of this. Another fellow is angry at how his loyalty has been "rewarded" as he was summarily dismissed from his job under questionable circumstances without a consistent explanation as to why was asked to leave the company.

As I consider my experiences in the workforce and lay-offs (on both sides of the table) and dismissals, I offer these thoughts for consideration. If you're going through something similar, then I hope this will help.

As responsible men and women, we have a tendency to wrap our identities in what we do and the company for whom we work. It's difficult to accept a time like this when we aren't going to the workplace and accomplishing something in return for pay so that we might provide for ourselves and our families. As the days, weeks, and perhaps months pass by, the perception of our own self-worth can diminish if we don't get a handle on what God has to say about each of us - individually and collectively as His creation and, if we are followers of His Son Jesus, His sons and daughters, adopted into His forever family.

During this a time like this, let's remember these eternal truths from God's Word.

1) God loves us so much that even though He knew we would sin against Him, He sent His Son to die for us - in advance. Rom 5:8.

2) Our self-worth begins and ends with our individual relationship with our Creator. Ps. 139, Gal. 2:20, John 1:12, 2 Cor. 5:17.

3) Independent of how we feel regarding the perception of God's presence in our situations, He is present, engaged, and invested in our present circumstances. Ps. 139, Eph. 3:14-20

4) And, there are no circumstances in which we find ourselves, that should turn us away from the discipline of the LORD and His understanding of what we require. Hebrews 12:4-10.

With these truths in mind and heart, I suggest for all of us who are dealing with similar situations to consider these helpful suggestions.

1) Restore your relationship with God. Spend time in His Word and in prayer. And, because you now have the time, measure the time you spend reading His Word and physically kneeling or laying prostrate in prayer in hours rather than minutes.

2) Enjoy this time. In other words, in joy, spend the time wisely. A wise friend of mine made this surprising suggestion to me when I was in between jobs and it was the best idea to embrace. Find someone you need to spend time with and spend time with him or her. Who knows that this may be time God has allowed to be available so that you can get face-to-face, eye-to-eye, soul-to-soul with someone you would not otherwise have the opportunity to.

3) Serve others without expectation of pay. Be selfless. Pour into others so that you may be an ambassador for Christ, a blessing from God, a mensch to someone unexpecting. Ask your church who needs help and go help them. Mow the lawn, sweep a garage, remodel a kitchen - whatever it takes - to be the best blessing you can be.

4) Refuse to fear or be anxious. Demonstrate your faith by demonstrating your belief that God, who takes care of sparrow and knows how many hairs are upon your head, will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.

5) Celebrate what God has done in your past, in your present, and in your future!

Let this time be a time of joy! Please don't let anyone - including yourself - rob you of that!

Why serve?

2009-05-03T19:34:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday at church, there were so many babies in the nursery who needed someone to hold them that we had to grab folks we knew to come and do just that: hold them.

This got me thinking: why is it so hard to find people to spend the time necessary to care for kids?

Normally, if someone brings in a newborn, that kid has nearly everyone's fingerprints on him/her before getting out of the building. Supposedly, everyone wants to hold a baby, but why is it that no one will raise his hand to be counted upon as one who will spend the time to care for a young one. Why?

Before I try to answer this, let's review something about service: it's a privilege to serve God. Privilege? When we are the devoted followers of Christ He has called us to be, then we should be eager to serve. It's not a "have to", it's a "get to." When one is eager to serve, then it becomes a privilege. According to the Bible, as we understand God's mercy upon us, then we seek Him and seek to offer ourselves as His living sacrifices (Rom. 12:1). Serving Him is worshipping Him. Worshipping Him is serving Him. Both are a privilege.

Probable answers for why believers in Christ don't serve in KIDS Ministry (or anywhere):

1) They are already serving elsewhere in the church. This is clear. If you're already serving others, then it makes sense for you to remain where God has led you to be.
2) They're not gifted or qualified to serve in KIDS Ministry. If that's true, then they should be serving elsewhere in the body.
3) They don't know they can serve. Yikes. If this is you, then find someone on staff at your church and ask them this question, "How can I help?" If that doesn't result in action, let me know, please.
4) They don't want to serve. Anywhere.

This last answer is the most troubling. Why? Because they're missing out on serving the One who created them, knows them most intimately, and has already done all required for them to have a personal relationship with Him.

If you are not serving in the church, please prayerfully consider what role God has in store for you. Our church offers a SHAPE class that helps folks understand their unique personalities and spiritual gifts so that they can serve right where God has prepared them to. Your church should be able to help there, too. Then, even if it's the most seemingly mundane of tasks, serve with gusto. Serve others, whether in or outside the church, with all your heart so that you'll please the One who created you and loves you.

Why don't we hear these stories?

2009-04-29T06:00:00.000-07:00

Read this article concerning the killing of Christians in Iraq. Why aren't we hearing more about this in the general American media? I did a search and, in addition to this article in the Christian Post, found references to this in Reuters, World Magazine, and an Asian internet news site. The only other American site was the Houston Chronicle. Even the Pakistan Daily references this tragedy.

Why must I go out of the country to read about the slaughter of the church?

The references in history regarding the criticality of Christ in the formation of this country is beyond contestation, yet we as a nation ignore the reality of His sovereignty. Abraham Lincoln was once quoted as saying "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord." He, of course was quoting the Bible, of which he was a practiced student. Psalm 33:12 was his reference. In the Bible, however, the word "Lord" is capitalized as "LORD" signifying the reserved word, YHWH.

Specifically, Abraham Lincoln knew in the mid-19th century what godly leaders proclaimed in the mid-18th century and what we 21st century leaders risk to forget: there is but one God, incarnated in Jesus Christ, and the nation who recognizes Him alone as King, will be blessed.

Leaders all over the world ignore this truth at our collective peril.

Thoughts on Uganda...

2009-04-28T06:00:00.000-07:00

If all goes as planned, and the Lord allows, six months from now I'll be in Uganda. Here are my thoughts on the matter...

1) When I was younger, I enjoyed travel. While I no longer look forward to it, I typically enjoy it once I get there. Sherry, the boys, and I traveled to Europe with my parents and sister a couple of years ago and I felt the same way. While I wanted to go visit my daughter and see her graduate from High School, I really didn't look forward to the trip itself. Of course, I enjoyed the trip and in some ways would have preferred staying. This Uganda trip is worse for me because my family isn't coming. I'll be without my bride and my boys for two weeks. Yikes!

2) While I can intellectually accept the notion that the trip will be life-changing and that I will have the privilege of forging life-long relationships with my teammates and with folks from a completely different culture, I have deep reservations about going. What else will be achieved? How will God be glorified? What will I leave undone here? For what is God preparing me and am I ready even for the preparation let alone the mission itself?

3) I have the opportunity to stay a week longer and lead a Pastor's Conference in Kenya for a dear friend and brother, Sammy Kaunga. Of it all, to my temperament, this seems like the most intriguing and tangible part of the trip. However, I need to work this out with my leadership and Sammy to ensure this is the right thing for me to do with regard to timing and priority.

While questions abound, answers remain elusive. Nonetheless, I'm thankful to God for the opportunity and will seek His guidance and presence in the journey.

Fun with Sherry...

2009-04-27T17:57:00.000-07:00

In a few short weeks, Sherry and I will have been married for 21 years (that's her at a Mercy Me concert a few weeks ago). Wow. Here are some thoughts on the first twenty-one and the next...

Marriage, as a particular relationship, is transformational, NOT transactional. What?! Anyone or anything which transforms, must lose itself first. The butterfly is no longer a caterpillar. The baby is no longer an ovum. And I am, thank God, no longer the guy she met so long ago. While I remain me, I am no longer me. I am the me who is joined with Sherry. And, she is no longer Sherry but the Sherry who is joined with greg. We're different - because we're united. We rely on each other to be who God has called us each to be - individually AND united with one to the other.

I love to hear her laugh and she still makes me laugh. I love being with her - in fact, there is no one on this planet with whom I'd rather be. While there have been times in our relationship when I have not demonstrated my recognition of this blessing, God still pours His grace upon me by allowing me the privilege of being her guy.

With regard to the next twenty, thirty, or fifty years together while we are on this earth, as God allows, I look forward to the ongoing transformation that comes from a lifetime together - united in Christ and each other.

Think that's over the top? Nah. She's worth every bit of it.

Love you, Sherry!!

Pain from the plow

2009-04-24T06:00:00.000-07:00

Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground, for it is time to seek the Lord, till He comes and rains righteousness on you.
--Hosea 10:12

Read this quote. Another from Brother A. W. Tozer...

The fallow field is smug, contented, protected from the shock of the plow and the agitation of the harrow.... But it is paying a terrible price for its tranquility: Never does it see the miracle of growth; never does it feel the motions of mounting life nor see the wonders of bursting seed nor the beauty of ripening grain. Fruit it can never know because it is afraid of the plow and the harrow.

In direct opposite to this, the cultivated field has yielded itself to the adventure of living. The protecting fence has opened to admit the plow, and the plow has come as plows always come, practical, cruel, business-like and in a hurry. Peace has been shattered by the shouting farmer and the rattle of machinery. The field has felt the travail of change; it has been upset, turned over, bruised and broken, but its rewards come hard upon its labors. The seed shoots up into the daylight its miracle of life, curious, exploring the new world above it. All over the field the hand of God is at work in the age-old and ever renewed service of creation. New things are born, to grow, mature, and consummate the grand prophecy latent in the seed when it entered the ground. Nature's wonders follow the plow. Paths to Power, 31-32.

I've always loved this quote, but right now I'm thinking, "What!? That hurts!" Change can hurt, but I know (even if I don't feel it) that when God works a good thing in my life, pain and perceived loss is typically a part of it. However, what God has shown me/us time and again is that in the midst of change what was lost doesn't compare with what He gives as gain.

Struggling with my emotions

2009-04-23T06:00:00.000-07:00

What do I mean?

In a meeting this week, I was less prepared than I should have been. What's more irritating is that I checked ahead of time to be prepared and felt assured that I didn't need to be. As a result, I missed a chance to lead. Now, we have to wait until we meet again to resolve and capitalize on an important opportunity.

Secondly, there has been a brewing issue that's turned into the "rotting carcass" in the room. In other words, everyone knows it's there, but nothing is happening to solve the problem and we all get to smell the remains. Yuck. The resolution seems simple but it's not simple - because the problem has been left unsolved since before I arrived. While I've mitigated the problem, it remains a thorny issue that will require stamina, courage, and additional patience (maybe even long-suffering) in order to solve the problem and deal with the aftermath of its resolution.

Lastly, we have just come off of a big change in whose mostly positive aftermath we are still managing. It's a typical after-project feeling that comes when we should be done, but there are still tweaks left to make and fine details which require thought, study, and rapid execution. Our expectations, therefore, remain unmet - at least for a time.

So, what's the struggle? The struggle is within me to accomplish all that's required and ensuring we're all still arm-in-arm after we take the hill. Part of me just wants to "get-er-done." But the leader in me wants us all to "get-er-done" and keep getting things done as we enjoy the win-win of a godly team: accomplishing great things for the Lord AND growing closer to Christ and each other.

Is it really over?

2009-04-22T06:00:00.000-07:00

Read this post by Michael Spencer. Are we really following the path of Western Europe - spiritual apathy, biblical abandonment, and secular victory?

Oneida, Ky. - We are on the verge – within 10 years – of a major collapse of evangelical Christianity. This breakdown will follow the deterioration of the mainline Protestant world and it will fundamentally alter the religious and cultural environment in the West.

Within two generations, evangelicalism will be a house deserted of half its occupants. (Between 25 and 35 percent of Americans today are Evangelicals.) In the "Protestant" 20th century, Evangelicals flourished. But they will soon be living in a very secular and religiously antagonistic 21st century.

This collapse will herald the arrival of an anti-Christian chapter of the post-Christian West.
Intolerance of Christianity will rise to levels many of us have not believed possible in our lifetimes, and public policy will become hostile toward evangelical Christianity, seeing it as the opponent of the common good.

Millions of Evangelicals will quit. Thousands of ministries will end. Christian media will be reduced, if not eliminated. Many Christian schools will go into rapid decline. I'm convinced the grace and mission of God will reach to the ends of the earth. But the end of evangelicalism as we know it is close.

Why is this going to happen?

1. Evangelicals have identified their movement with the culture war and with political conservatism. This will prove to be a very costly mistake. Evangelicals will increasingly be seen as a threat to cultural progress. Public leaders will consider us bad for America, bad for education, bad for children, and bad for society.
The evangelical investment in moral, social, and political issues has depleted our resources and exposed our weaknesses. Being against gay marriage and being rhetorically pro-life will not make up for the fact that massive majorities of Evangelicals can't articulate the Gospel with any coherence. We fell for the trap of believing in a cause more than a faith.

2. We Evangelicals have failed to pass on to our young people an orthodox form of faith that can take root and survive the secular onslaught. Ironically, the billions of dollars we've spent on youth ministers, Christian music, publishing, and media has produced a culture of young Christians who know next to nothing about their own faith except how they feel about it. Our young people have deep beliefs about the culture war, but do not know why they should obey scripture, the essentials of theology, or the experience of spiritual discipline and community. Coming generations of Christians are going to be monumentally ignorant and unprepared for culture-wide pressures.

3. There are three kinds of evangelical churches today: consumer-driven megachurches, dying churches, and new churches whose future is fragile. Denominations will shrink, even vanish, while fewer and fewer evangelical churches will survive and thrive.

4. Despite some very successful developments in the past 25 years, Christian education has not produced a product that can withstand the rising tide of secularism. Evangelicalism has used its educational system primarily to staff its own needs and talk to itself.

5. The confrontation between cultural secularism and the faith at the core of evangelical efforts to "do good" is rapidly approaching. We will soon see that the good Evangelicals want to do will be viewed as bad by so many, and much of that work will not be done. Look for ministries to take on a less and less distinctively Christian face in order to survive.

6. Even in areas where Evangelicals imagine themselves strong (like the Bible Belt), we will find a great inability to pass on to our children a vital evangelical confidence in the Bible and the importance of the faith.

7. The money will dry up.

What will be left?

•Expect evangelicalism to look more like the pragmatic, therapeutic, church-growth oriented megachurches that have defined success. Emphasis will shift from doctrine to relevance, motivation, and personal success – resulting in churches further compromised and weakened in their ability to pass on the faith.
•Two of the beneficiaries will be the Roman Catholic and Orthodox communions. Evangelicals have been entering these churches in recent decades and that trend will continue, with more efforts aimed at the "conversion" of Evangelicals to the Catholic and Orthodox traditions.
•A small band will work hard to rescue the movement from its demise through theological renewal. This is an attractive, innovative, and tireless community with outstanding media, publishing, and leadership development. Nonetheless, I believe the coming evangelical collapse will not result in a second reformation, though it may result in benefits for many churches and the beginnings of new churches.
•The emerging church will largely vanish from the evangelical landscape, becoming part of the small segment of progressive mainline Protestants that remain true to the liberal vision.
•Aggressively evangelistic fundamentalist churches will begin to disappear.
•Charismatic-Pentecostal Christianity will become the majority report in evangelicalism. Can this community withstand heresy, relativism, and confusion? To do so, it must make a priority of biblical authority, responsible leadership, and a reemergence of orthodoxy.
•Evangelicalism needs a "rescue mission" from the world Christian community. It is time for missionaries to come to America from Asia and Africa. Will they come? Will they be able to bring to our culture a more vital form of Christianity?
•Expect a fragmented response to the culture war. Some Evangelicals will work to create their own countercultures, rather than try to change the culture at large. Some will continue to see conservatism and Christianity through one lens and will engage the culture war much as before – a status quo the media will be all too happy to perpetuate. A significant number, however, may give up political engagement for a discipleship of deeper impact.

Is all of this a bad thing?

Evangelicalism doesn't need a bailout. Much of it needs a funeral. But what about what remains?

Is it a good thing that denominations are going to become largely irrelevant? Only if the networks that replace them are able to marshal resources, training, and vision to the mission field and into the planting and equipping of churches.

Is it a good thing that many marginal believers will depart? Possibly, if churches begin and continue the work of renewing serious church membership. We must change the conversation from the maintenance of traditional churches to developing new and culturally appropriate ones.

The ascendency of Charismatic-Pentecostal-influenced worship around the world can be a major positive for the evangelical movement if reformation can reach those churches and if it is joined with the calling, training, and mentoring of leaders. If American churches come under more of the influence of the movement of the Holy Spirit in Africa and Asia, this will be a good thing.

Will the evangelicalizing of Catholic and Orthodox communions be a good development? One can hope for greater unity and appreciation, but the history of these developments seems to be much more about a renewed vigor to "evangelize" Protestantism in the name of unity.

Will the coming collapse get Evangelicals past the pragmatism and shallowness that has brought about the loss of substance and power? Probably not. The purveyors of the evangelical circus will be in fine form, selling their wares as the promised solution to every church's problems. I expect the landscape of megachurch vacuity to be around for a very long time.

Will it shake lose the prosperity Gospel from its parasitical place on the evangelical body of Christ? Evidence from similar periods is not encouraging. American Christians seldom seem to be able to separate their theology from an overall idea of personal affluence and success.
The loss of their political clout may impel many Evangelicals to reconsider the wisdom of trying to create a "godly society." That doesn't mean they'll focus solely on saving souls, but the increasing concern will be how to keep secularism out of church, not stop it altogether. The integrity of the church as a countercultural movement with a message of "empire subversion" will increasingly replace a message of cultural and political entitlement.

Despite all of these challenges, it is impossible not to be hopeful. As one commenter has already said, "Christianity loves a crumbling empire."

We can rejoice that in the ruins, new forms of Christian vitality and ministry will be born. I expect to see a vital and growing house church movement. This cannot help but be good for an evangelicalism that has made buildings, numbers, and paid staff its drugs for half a century.
We need new evangelicalism that learns from the past and listens more carefully to what God says about being His people in the midst of a powerful, idolatrous culture.

I'm not a prophet. My view of evangelicalism is not authoritative or infallible. I am certainly wrong in some of these predictions. But is there anyone who is observing evangelicalism in these times who does not sense that the future of our movement holds many dangers and much potential?

Michael Spencer is a writer and communicator living and working in a Christian community in Kentucky. He describes himself as "a postevangelical reformation Christian in search of a Jesus-shaped spirituality." This essay is adapted from a series on his blog, InternetMonk.com .

A revolution?

2009-04-21T13:00:00.000-07:00

I came across this video and wanted to share it. Have we really traveled so far from what this country started out to be? While I don't agree with all his suggested remedies, I do agree with much of how this man describes the problems we're facing as a nation. What he doesn't emphasize is the lack of moral core we're suffering from. The early leaders of the revolution were quoted as saying, "No other king, but King Jesus!" If every leader truly made Jesus the king He has been given authority to be, what would our country be like?

Why don't I blog more?

2009-04-20T18:16:00.001-07:00

I admit it. I find it reheheheheally tough to post blogs. Why is that? Here are a few reasons...

Whenever I feel like writing, I'm doing something else. It's in the morning, usually, when it hits me to write. During the week, I'm working. Saturday, I'm either sleeping in or working on projects in the home. Sunday, I'm worshipping.
Whenever I don't feel like writing, I'd rather not try generating the enthusiasm. Seriously. When I get home, I want to eat dinner, spend time with the family, chill out, etc. Even my non-biblical reading has really dropped off.
I've become less trusting about what I should post for all to see. Not sure how to explain this, because nothing external has caused this, that I know of.
I'm facebooking/twittering more. It's easier because I can update on my phone as I go..:)

Ok. So, now that I've confessed, I'll try harder to post. In the meantime, have a great day and let me know what you'd like me to write about. That might give me some ideas on what to say.

A tribute to our Armed Forces

2009-04-14T05:26:00.000-07:00

Ok, I know this is just a commercial - a looong commercial - but I really liked this and wanted to share it.

2009-03-30T18:27:00.000-07:00

You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier. 2 Timothy 2:3-4

From A.W. Tozer:

Save me from the error of judging a church by its size, its popularity or the amount of its yearly offering. Help me to remember that I am a prophet--not a promoter, not a religious manager, but a prophet. Let me never become a slave to crowds. Heal my soul of carnal ambitions and deliver me from the itch for publicity. Save me from bondage to things. Let me not waste my days puttering around the house. Lay Thy terror upon me, O God, and drive me to the place of prayer where I may wrestle with principalities and powers and the rulers of the darkness of this world. Deliver me from overeating and late sleeping. Teach me self-discipline that I may be a good soldier of Jesus Christ....

And now, O Lord of heaven and earth, I consecrate my remaining days to Thee; let them be many or few, as Thou wilt. Let me stand before the great or minister to the poor and lowly; that choice is not mine, and I would not influence it if I could. I am Thy servant to do Thy will, and that will is sweeter to me than position or riches or fame and I choose it above all things on earth or in heaven. A. W. Tozer, God Tells the Man Who Cares, 105-106.

Wow. A great reminder to me of all that's at stake and the criticality of our roles as husbands, wives, fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, grandparents, neighbors, and leaders for the cause of Christ. There is SO much at stake.

"Stand and Defend"

2009-03-28T08:49:00.000-07:00

Many of us are tracking the incredible challenges that the leaders and citizens of Fargo, ND, are facing right now. The pictures speak a thousand words of drastic changes to their lives as they deal with the current calamity and plan for the aftermath of cleanup. One quote stood out to me from Tim Mahoney, a Fargo city commissioner as they tracked the onslaught of incoming water: "Now it's time to stand and defend."

Have you ever felt that way? I have - and I do still sometimes. Those are the times when I've done all I can within how God has enabled me, but then find it's time just to stand and defend. As I read how the federal government has responded to the current onslaught of economic and social woes, I sometimes feel that way. I feel that all I can do is stand and defend: God's honor and glory, the sanctity of life, and the sanctity of soul-to-soul relationships between husband and wives, brothers, and sisters, parents and children.

Today, there is snow outside my window - not water pouring into my living room. However, spiritually speaking, what's pouring into my living room is the dirty water of all that this country seems to encourage against God - denying His sovereignty, His complete control over creation, His love for us, and the life, sacrifice, and resurrection of His Son.

Many of the early leaders of this country were unabashed followers of Christ. This loyalty to King Jesus came out in their words and actions without qualification or apology. Maybe, as we feel the need to stand and defend, we can look to their example and simply stand and proclaim - proclaim who we are in Christ to others and how important it is to live our lives fearing Him only and receiving the blessings of wisdom and knowledge only He can provide.

Ode to Fred

2009-03-08T13:29:00.000-07:00

Today I was privileged to teach one of our Sunday School classes. Whenever I teach, I like to spend a few hours the previous day getting ready, speaking through what I feel God leading me to say, as I pray through the lessons He's teaching me so that I can teach others. Speaking to the class today, I was warmly greeted and, for the most part, intently listened to.

I suspect that Fred Winters did the same thing this past week - going to God in prayer, studying the scriptures, searching for illustrations, pinning down how his listeners might take the lessons and apply them in their lives. This morning, he drove to the church - perhaps early ahead of his wife and daughters so that he might finish his spiritual preparations for the privilege of sharing God's Word with those who have ears to hear.

During the 8:15 service, I wonder what he was thinking when a man came up the center aisle toward the front of the church. Did Fred know him? Was Fred wanting to help him?

Fred used his Bible to shield himself from the bullets showered upon him. But it wasn't enough. Fred was pronounced dead on arrival at the local hospital.

I didn't know Fred and still know very little about him. But, I mourn his death. Please join me in praying for the well-being and continued protection of his bride, Cindy, and daughters, Alysia and Cassidy. I can only imagine what they're going through.

And, pray for the members of his church. Pray that God isn't somehow blamed for this - as if He was asleep at the switch. God, the One who created Fred and whom Fred served, was not unaware nor is He now absent. God is well aware of how it feels to lose One precious to Himself.

As for the implications of security in our church, we are already aware of many potential risks each weekend service brings. However, with the help of experienced law enforcement, we are also moving toward more in-depth security to ensure the safety all who come to worship the most high God.

Dangerous Men

2009-03-02T06:00:00.000-08:00

What is a dangerous man?

The first image that comes to my mind is someone who is armed and seeks to hurt someone - anyone. But, I was reminded of a quote by author James Baldwin: “The most dangerous creation of any society is the man who has nothing to lose.”

Nothing to lose.

The Apostle Paul had nothing to lose. Everything he'd been given he considered far less than the "surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus." Do we consider Christ above all else? Really? This is a tough one. While I know from God's Word that the true treasures for me are waiting in heaven upon my arrival, I still demonstrate in thought, word, and action that I hold too tightly on that which is temporal.

To what are you and I holding too tightly that prevents us from being dangerous men and women for Christ - true world changers?

The Tithe Rap?!

2009-02-25T13:51:00.000-08:00

Funny, yet informative, video!

We love Miss B!

2009-02-24T06:00:00.000-08:00

Monday, I received the resignation of Brenda Moffitt from the KIDS Ministry at Central Community Church. She feels that God is calling her out of ministry and into her first love – teaching. I have known Brenda a relatively short time, but have grown to deeply appreciate her servant’s heart and passion for the Lord and His KIDS. Working closely with her, I have seen her come to the conclusion again and again that the administrative aspects of her role get in the way of what she really loves doing – teaching kids what they need to know to be all that they’re called to be by the One who carefully crafted each of them.

God has used her mightily at Central Community. Her smile, laughter (abundant and unique), and love for the kids have deeply impacted their lives and ours, too. Her leadership of Women’s Ministry, VBS, Junior Camp, Pumpkin Bash, the new Trunk-or-Treat, and KIDS ministry itself has been a blessing to us and will be missed. She assures us that she’s not going anywhere and, after a time of rest, looks forward to volunteering as a teacher here while she hopes to return to the public school system to teach there, too.

Of course, now I get to find a replacement...: If anyone knows of a candidate, please direct him/her to http://www.churchstaffing.com/ and look for us.

Happiness:=Perspective

2009-02-19T06:00:00.000-08:00

Check this posting out. If I could figure out how to bring the video onto my blogsite, I would...

Road Trip...

2009-02-18T06:00:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow is the day.

My son Cameron turns 16 years old and we're going to Lost Valley for my annual trek of re-creation. This will be my 11th time there, where at the first visit, 10 years ago, my life was changed. I was challenged, chafed, and humbled. Each year has improved over the last and I am SO looking forward to the experience.

This men's retreat often collides with Cameron's birthday. But, this year, he's going with me. We'll have plenty of windshield time followed by impactful seminars, great food, unbelievable views of God's creation, and warm conversations.

Sons are a heritage from the LORD,

children a reward from him.
Like arrows in the hands of a warrior

are sons born in one's youth.
Blessed is the man

whose quiver is full of them.

They will not be put to shame

when they contend with their enemies in the gate.

- Psalm 127:3-5

I am SO blessed.

None like her...

2009-02-14T06:00:00.000-08:00

In the decades since we first met

Time and love we've spent

Love from flame and ember

coal yet tender

Time spent seeking

What we should know

but long to uncover

with thrill of newness

often spent.

If I knew it then, I know more now

Your beauty, shimmer

Deeper still, still deeper

All from the One

who dwells within

All so that you love,

love deeply

since He loved deepest

before you were.

In the decades to come

may we uncover with delight

all that we discover

through Him who

loving us deeply

gave us one to the other,

my bride, my love,

vision and fragrance,

joy and grace.

Criticism

2009-02-13T06:00:00.000-08:00

In this blog, Michael McKinney reminds us that even the greatest leaders endure unjust criticisms. Some of the anonymous comments I've received are interesting illustrations of this.

In the recent study of One Month To Live, Here are the questions over which I ponder:

Does fear of comments, opinions, and criticisms from those we lead hold us back as leaders from doing what we know to be right? I'm so thankful that Lincoln didn't give up because of all the criticism and negativity that swirled around him. He knew himself, his motives, and the weight of duty he alone bore for the country - and wasn't going to let anything or anyone stand in his way of doing what needed to be done.

So, if we do fear the opinion and potential criticism of those we lead, then why? Margaret Mitchell wrote: Until you've lost your reputation, you never realize what a burden it was.

The losing, in the sense that I take it, is decreasing the value we place upon it with regard to others. Whether we call it reputation, image, or whatever, as a Christ-focused leader, our reputation with Him should be the only one we care about. In this OMTL study, I realized that my "reputation" with Christ should be the only one that really matters - which brings a second quote to illustrate this point (this one by Dr. Suess):

Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.

In the case of Jesus, who is the One who matters, He already knows how I think, what I'm going to say, and what truly motivates me. Therefore, if Jesus is truly the only one who matters, then in what ways is the maturity and growth of our leadership stunted by misguided fear? What decisions have you and I to make that we're not because the opinion of those we think matter really don't?

OMTL: The Bucket List

2009-02-09T06:00:00.000-08:00

You're so important to me

Yet I spend so little time

Yearning to be with you

Yearning instead for what I think is mine.

- M.R. Koenigsmann

In the movie, The Bucket List, two characters (played by Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson) create a list of actions they want to take before they "kick the bucket." Some of those adventures include sky diving, traveling the world, racing muscle cars, and getting a tattoo. However, the most poignant of list items revolve around the relationships with those most important to the keeper of that list.

Relationships are a mystery to those who struggle with the messiness that comes along with them. However, if we truly had a short time to live, the items on our bucket list would likely be prioritized by those which bring us closer to those we love. We listen more closely, look more intently, hug more tightly, and speak more lovingly.

Some things I want to place upon my bucket list:

Ask more questions,
Speak less and listen more
Write and/or create more - music, prose, stories, chronicles
Demonstrate in action the words I say to those closest to me: "I love you."
Laugh more each day and help others taste the joy of the Lord.
From the perspective of those most significant to me, finish strong!
LIVE!

What's on your list?

One Month To Live: Day 3

2009-01-31T06:00:00.000-08:00

Time.
Precious and fleeting,
Wasted and ignored.
If time is so important yet bounded,
why do we treat it
as if there will always be more?
- M.R. Koenigsmann

Every year is getting shorter,
never seem to find the time
Plans that either come to naught or half a page of scribbled lines
Hanging on in quiet desperation is the English way
The time is gone, the song is over, thought I'd something more to say
- Pink Floyd, Time

This thing all things devours:
Birds, beasts, trees, flowers;
Gnaws iron, bites steel;
Slays king, ruins town,
And beats high mountain down.
- J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit

The focus of today's study is the answer to the aforementioned riddle from Mr. Tolkien: time.

There are 3600 moments in an hour,
86,400 moments in a day,
604,800 moments in a week,
and 2,592,000 moments in a year.
How do you and I place value on each one of them?
Or, how does each moment measure against an eternal destination?

Questions to ask at the end of this week:
1) How effectively have you and I invested our time?
2) What was the biggest time waster? The biggest time contributor?
3) How would you and I describe this season of our lives?

One Month to Live: Day 2

2009-01-30T06:00:00.000-08:00

Day 2: Roller Coaster.

In this chapter, the Shooks offer a metaphor of a rickety roller coaster and its impact upon the rider of fear, thrill, and unknown risk. I can think of my own roller coaster experiences and how I enjoyed them as a kid and still enjoy them. However, my view of my own mortality is far more palpable and tangible than it was when I was younger.

I can remember taking my 9 year-old Isaac on his first ride on such a coaster. Tall for his age, Isaac easily passed the height limit and was excited along with all of us for his first experience on the Beast. In my eyes, the Beast still ranks at the top of the thrilling rides in my life. However, looking through Isaac's eyes as we neared the top of the first hill, I saw something else entirely. Isaac was petrified. He wanted one thing and that alone: that he should get off. Now.

He held his composure all through the ride and off the exit ramp before he erupted in tears, vowing never, ever to get on that again.

I have two thoughts on this after reading this day's chapter. First, the thing about roller coasters and other thrilling adventures like them is that we know they're coming and typically have the choice whether we're going to get on or not. Similarly, there are adventures in our lives that we have, more or less, the choice whether to engage or not. However, most of our adventures, welcome or unwelcome, are presented without option. We must ride the ride. The only option we have remaining is our attitude and approach to the adventure and those riding along side us.

Second, and this came out strong in the chapter, is that as we choose what in life we risk, how purposeful are we in those choices? I have seen this manifest itself in my life and the lives of my children where the primary motivators for this important choice is fear. Fear of the unknown, fear of loss, fear of pain, fear of embarrassment, and other fears outweigh our fear of the LORD. So, the question I'm asking myself and ask you to ask yourself is: what am I missing out on because I'm afraid of the wrong things?

From the book, the questions asked:

1) If you were certain your life as you know it would end in a few weeks, what would be your biggest regret? Why?

2) In what are of your life are you suffering from the Someday Syndrome? Make a decision today never again to use the phrase "someday, when things settle down." Realize that today is your someday.

3) Instead of a roller coaster, what symbol or metaphor would you choose to describe what your life would look like if you were fully engaged?

One Month To Live: Day 1

2009-01-29T06:00:00.000-08:00

Day 1: Living the dash.

We are going through a church-wide initiative using the book, small group, and personal journal study, One Month to Live, as written and produced by Kerry and Chris Shook of Houston's Fellowship of the Woodlands church. I am in the unique position to be leading two small groups through this study - young adults and the Youth Ministry Team. I'm not sure I will post every day of the 30 that are involved, but if I feel comfortable sharing, I will.

The primary focus of the first day is: how will you and I spend our "dash"? This refers to that little dash we will eventually have on our tombstones separating our birth year from the year of our death. This dash may represent the duration of our lives, but how does it reflect the quality of the lives we lived? I've been asked this question before, but given the consistent theme of this 30-day study, I've not thought about it as long.

When I consider the dash, I can't help but reflect on the dash lived so far. While I am so thankful for God's providence, salvation, and grace - the scope of any of these is immeasurable to me - it's hard for me not to be filled with regret over the sin I've committed, the opportunities I've wasted, and the loved ones I've hurt. It is my desire that this study will strengthen my resolve to live the remaining duration of the dash in a manner most pleasing and glorifying to God, through His Son, by His Holy Spirit.

The first day's questions are:

Name five things I’d change about my life and one to begin changing today.

How do I want to be different after this book?

Tell at least one other person that I’m reading this book. Then, ask them to circle their calendar 30 days from now and ask me how my life has changed.

"Sexting?"

2009-01-26T11:14:00.000-08:00

In this article, you can read how the lack of wisdom in today's teens are leading to some serious consequences.

But there is more to it.

Imagine being given something of great value. Think of some physical thing that would be valuable to you. Maybe it's a car or a musical instrument. Perhaps simply a whole lot of money. And, after all the value you placed upon that one thing, you simply gave it away. Not because you wanted to give someone a precious gift, but that you treated something valuable like it was trash.

This is what teens (and adults) are doing when we give away our intimacy.

Who you are, no matter what those around you may say, is important to God. He's given you your life as a precious gift. Your mind, your body, and your soul is something that God has been careful to give you. Therefore, God wants you to watch over your body, your mind, and your soul just like you would care for anything that is precious and valuable to you.

When it comes to your mind and your body, reserve yourself for someone that God has prepared in advance to receive them...as a gift. Not to be discarded like junk mail over the cell network or internet, but to be valued for the treasure you really are.

And, if your mind and body are special to God, your soul is even more so. God's desire is to be with you forever. He created you purposely for an eternity with Himself. He even ensured that you would have all you would need for this through the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus, on the cross, paying the penalty for all you've done in rebellion against the One who created you in the first place.

You and I - every part of us - are treasured by God, for God. Let's not waste it.

Poetry

2009-01-25T17:39:00.000-08:00

When I was in third grade, my teacher Miss Campbell encouraged me to write poetry. I loved it. I would write poems for her and be so happy with her genuinely kind responses to my struggling attempts at being the next James Whitcomb Riley, a famous Indiana poet and her favorite.

My niece, Kristin Baker, is a poet. I suppose she has written hundreds of poems and readily shares them with us on her blog. I encourage you to read them...they're inspirational as is she. She's married to a great guy and they have a precocious, intelligent, and beautiful little girl who has all the makings of a Christ-filled world-changer.

The Bible says that we are not to boast except to boast in the Lord. So, I boast that God is doing a great work in my sweet-niece!

Student Ministries Pastor: The Search Is Over!

2009-01-23T07:39:00.000-08:00

I am so excited to announce that Scott Parks will join Central Community Church staff as the Pastor of Student Ministries. Scott grew up in San Diego, California and felt a call to the ministry at the young age of 16. During Scott’s fulltime ministry over the past 8 years he has had the opportunity to pastor thousands of students as well as teaching at numerous camps, school assemblies, conferences, and events. Scott and his wife Candice have been married since September 10, 2005 and have a one-year old son, Joshua Kenneth Parks.

After much prayer and many conversations with Scott, Candice, and so many others, we are convinced that God has prepared Scott uniquely for this role. We look forward to what God has in store for Scott and the students as they seek to be conformed into the likeness of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Scott will begin immediately as he prepares for his family’s move from California and to get settled in his new role. Then, in early February, he and his family will make the physical move to Wichita.

So, no matter who you are or where you live, you CAN be a part of this adventure! How?

Pray for Scott. Begin praying for Scott and his family that they will be safe (both physically and spiritually) as they make this significant transition in their lives.
Pray for the students. Pray that the connection between Scott, his family, the students, and their parents will be forged strong quickly through their common love and adoration for Jesus Christ.
If you're part of the Central Community family, you can welcome Scott and his family. Warmly greet them and invite them into your lives. They are leaving their homeland and will need an open and nurturing place to ease this transition. Have them over for dinner, take them out for coffee, or whatever it takes to envelop them into the Body of Christ, here at Central.

I thank God for His patient and steady hand upon us during this transition. I also thank Him for all the volunteers and staff that He used to continue the ministry as we sought His will in this important decision.

Whoo-Hoo! Praise God!

How are you motivated?

2009-01-22T11:45:00.000-08:00

Wow! Now, I'm motivated!

Happy Birthday, Aunt Buh.

2009-01-16T05:49:00.000-08:00

Today is my sister Robbie's Birthday. My kids have always called her Aunt Buh. The reason? My son Cameron, when he was young, wouldn't call her Robbie - always Buh.

"Cameron, say Rah."

"Rah"

"Say Bee"

"Bee"

"Say Rah-Bee"

"Buh"

So, it stuck.

I'm so thankful to God for what He has done in Robbie's life through some recent and difficult years. By His grace, she daily becomes more and more like the Proverbs 31 woman He has called her to be. I'm thankful I can call her my sister - both by blood and by His Spirit.

Words to comfort. Words to encourage.

2009-01-08T12:06:00.000-08:00

Today, I read a blog posting by Mark Beeson, Sr. Pastor of Granger Community Church. In it, he offers true and loving encouragement to a dear friend who just lost his 27 year-old daughter in an automobile accident.

I held back the tears as I read these words:

"Gene," I said. "I've known many fathers. I've watched them. I've seen how they care for their daughters. I've seen them raise their kids."

Pulling him close I told him the truth I knew. "Gene, you are a great father to Rachael. She couldn't have had a better dad. She got up every day knowing you loved her. She soared because of your love. You gave her what she needed to be a wonderful wife and devoted Christian. Her years were enriched by her Daddy's love."

I finished by saying, "You're a great man. You're a great father. Rachael enjoyed what many daughter's never experience, the love of a wonderful father. You did well Gene. I'm proud of you."

Wow. There were two things that touched me as I read those words. One, connecting with Gene as a father, I lament his loss and can only imagine the depth of his sorrow. Two, these are words I long to hear spoken by my Lord and my God concerning my children - not at a funeral, but at the end of my life when I get to meet Him face-to-face.

Texting used as a part of a worship service...

2009-01-08T11:46:00.000-08:00

Granger Community Church in Granger, IN recently used cell-phone texting technology to interact with those attending their worship services over the weekend. You can read more about it here.

Question: In what ways does this approach to a worship service glorify God?

Another Year...

2009-01-08T08:03:00.000-08:00

Over 2008, I wrote 133 posts leading to 44 of your comments. Many thanks to those who take the time to read my ramblings and a special thank you to those who take even more time to add their thoughts and encouragement to the conversation.

In my first blog posting, I wrote:

"When it comes to consistent journal keeping or writing, I haven't excelled. The "tyranny of the urgent" takes hold and I don't take the time to shake loose from it. However, in the role that I've been blessed with, it may just be time to use this media for a few purposes:

Express myself
Communicate my thoughts to others who may care
Offer others an opportunity to express themselves as they respond to my ramblings
Strengthen whatever creative writing muscle God has blessed me with
Connect with other bloggers, multiply perspectives, and grow spiritually, intellectually, and emotionally"

In these last months, I have allowed the "tyranny of the urgent" to distract me from this privilege of writing. And, I will do better as I start the new year reminding myself that, in the words of that wise sage Yoda, there is no try - only "do" or "do not". As I look at my purposes for starting the blog, they haven't changed. And, for the most part, in the previous year I was able to progress through these purposes as stated. One thing that didn't happen as I'd hoped was the further connection with other bloggers, seeking new perspectives, and subsequent growth personally. This will be an emphasized purpose for the new year.

To all those who take the time to read these words I share, again, thank you and may God richly bless you and your year.

May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it. 1 Thess. 5:23-24

Student Ministries Pastor II

2008-12-22T17:37:00.000-08:00

A few comments on the search for a Student Ministries Pastor.

I have hired dozens of people in my tenure as a manager and leader. The guiding principles I have found helpful are:

Expose the candidate to as many people within the organization as possible.
Prepare the interviewers to seek the candidate's experiences in relation to the qualifications for the role.
Gather feedback from each interviewer with regard to their observations of strengths/results, yellow flags of caution, or red flags of severe concern.
Define upfront the decision maker(s) - preferably only one decision maker.
The interview should open opportunities to understand a candidate's experiences as they relate to his/her preparation for the role. What he/she "would" do is secondary to the primary purpose of discovering the level of preparedness.
We seek a win-win as we fill the role. We want a candidate to want the role. The candidate wants us to want him/her in the role.
The three spheres of criticality in filling a role are (from Bill Hybel's book, Courageous Leadership): Character, Competence, and Chemistry.
Getting the right person in the right seat on the right bus is often more important than where the bus is going (from Jim Collins' book, Good to Great).
Be as open in communication with the interviewers as is appropriate.

I'm sure there are other best-practices and principles you have found successful. What do you think?

The blessing

2008-12-01T11:26:00.000-08:00

Got a chance to meet with Sherry's Grandpa. Dick is 91 years old - still living on his own and still sharp in mind. I've only know him for 21 years but I've always liked him. He's a good man with a good heart who isn't afraid (even now) to tell me what he thinks ("this is my opinion and it's for free...").

It was great to watch my boys really listen to their Great-grandpa share his stories - so that they can remember him and the wisdom he so readily shares.

Children's children are the crown of old men; and the glory of children are their fathers.
(Pro 17:6)

The Church

2008-11-24T07:12:00.000-08:00

On Tuesday last, Sherry and I had the privilege of spending an evening with a small group from our church. Outside of their group time, they also serve together in the church. As we visited with them, we continued to experience a great model for what a small group should be. There was structure and focus on what was important. We studied the Scriptures (this week’s focus was giving thanks to God), prayed, shared announcements, and broke bread (and other yummy stuff) together. One family was missing a husband and a dad because he’s been deployed overseas. I could tell that it wasn’t just his wife and kids who missed him – the whole group recognized his absence and expressed their desire to have him back while also providing strong support for his wife and kids. Other concerns were shared. Encouragement and prayers were offered. God was glorified. Wow.

In a previous post, I asked the question “When is the Church, the Church?” A better question might be, "Who is the Church?" I witnessed my answer on Tuesday. The church is a body of believers who love God as they trust Christ, love others through actions, and put themselves after that. Only by God’s Spirit will this spark be fanned into flames that illuminate, warm, and comfort the world. He knows we need it. This group knows we need it. I wish all of us knew we needed it, too.

And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles. And all that believed were together, and had all things common; And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, Praising God, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved. (Acts 2:42-47, KJV)

Student Ministries Pastor

2008-11-22T07:26:00.000-08:00

Last week, we interviewed our first Student Ministries Pastor. He’s a great guy whom we hope to bring back for a second set of conversations along with his bride. It was good to hear his heart for students and growing them into fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ. This encouraged the team and me to see how God might use this young man’s experiences, gifts, and skills to change the lives of our students – becoming fully devoted followers of Christ.

Keep praying with us as we bring in additional candidates to ensure we're doing all we can to bring the one that God has prepared in advance to serve Him here at Central.

Be God's man!

2008-11-15T18:29:00.001-08:00

I had a heart-wrenching conversation with a youth pastor yesterday. He had called because he was interested in the open position we have at our church and wanted more detail on the opportunity. When I asked why he was leaving...well, that's where the discussion took a completely different turn than either of us expected.

Frankly, the situation in which he has found himself is grim. As he described the scenario, it was clear that he was very much afraid. And, from a human perspective, there are many reasons to be afraid: uncertain finances, doubtful leadership, and swirling rumors that threaten to undermine the stability and unity of the body of believers of which he and his young family is a part. Looking at this as one would look at any other job, it makes no sense to remain at the church.

But! This is no ordinary job and he is no ordinary man. He is God's man! He is God's chosen instrument for such a time as this. When we as Christ followers strike out in faith along this journey on which Jesus is leading us, we operate under different principles - under different orders from headquarters. We are to keep our eyes focused on God as we look beyond our circumstances and into the face of the author and finisher of our faith.

Are you at such a crossroads - struggling with a difficult decision? Are you distracted by fear, uncertainty, and doubt? Here is a summary of what we discussed yesterday. I hope that it proves helpful to you.

Is fear driving your decisions? Do not let earthly fear have anything to do with your life. Reserve your fear for God alone. God is looking to the followers of His Son Jesus to be the men and women He can depend on – as husbands, fathers, wives, mothers, and leaders in His church. Before you make any decision, determine your options and ensure they are first and foremost God’s options. Whatever decision is made, make certain it gives God the MOST glory possible. As you prayerfully approach the situation you find yourself in, consider the following:

Point everyone around you to Christ. Focus on Him and NOT the circumstances and associated fears. Let there be no gossip or no stinking thinking (Phil. 4:8). Let your words be words of encouragement.
Increase your sensitivity and resistance to your fears and others’ fears so that you ALL reserve your fear for God rather than the unknown – because nothing is unknown to Him.
Figure out which options give the MOST glory to God and ensure others (especially the leadership around and above you) fully grasp what is at stake. Statistics show that many students are leaving church at 18 and leaving their parents’ faith behind them – often never to return. These youth need men and women of God to stand in the gap for them and teach the gospel of Jesus Christ, teach what it means to be a fully devoted follower of Christ, love them, and hold them accountable to the commitments they make. What these students DON'T need are leaders who escape when it gets tough.
God used the elders and other leaders to bring you to be the leader required for the job. In other words, you're there for a reason. Make sure God's purpose is fulfilled.
Furthermore, God has called the elders to care for the called (that’s you). This includes provision for your economic requirements. Hold them to this - in love.
Whether you stay or leave your actions should be the same: whatever you do whether in word or deed, do it all for the glory of God the Father and the Lord Jesus. Let them see in you a man resolute to glorify God – even in the midst of man-made chaos..even in the face of disappointment and rejection.
Be Faithful. No matter what, be faithful.

I look forward to hearing back from this young man and am praying for him, his family, and his leadership that God may be glorified in what happens next.

Lord, do I cherish "it"?

2008-11-07T08:47:00.001-08:00

In a previous post, I wrote from an excerpt of Craig Groeschel's book "it". "It", of course, is from God - His glory, His Spirit, His Son, Himself. This book challenged me and clearly made me uncomfortable. Why? Because there are times where I focus my time on that which doesn't contribute to, in fact distracts from, what God has called me to do - namely, to carry out the mission and vision of His church.

Mission and vision: what am I doing to accomplish the mission towards the vision of God for this church? What have I allowed to get in the way of it?

Camaraderie: by whom am I surrounded who I am allowing to distract me from His divine focus? Also, by whom am I surrounded who gets "it" and wants "it" as much as or even more so than I do?

Sharing: how often do I share the Lord with others who simply don't know Him or don't care to?

Risk: what am I willing to risk in order to prepare a place (in my heart, in my office, in my home) for the Lord to dwell?

Craig makes a great and personal case for completely surrendering to the Lord so that He can: stretch me, ruin me, and heal me. This IS the most challenging for me. I've been wired to be strong for those around me - my family, my friends, my church - conveniently forgetting God's promise that His strength is made perfect in my weakness.

If you have an opportunity, read the book. And, as this blessing suggests, may you (and I) indeed be blessed with discomfort.

Decision 2008

2008-11-04T10:52:00.000-08:00

What's driving my decisions in this year's election?

A strong and effective military to make peace for this nation and the world.
Compassion for the innocent and downtrodden - this includes the unborn, the poor, the hurting, the disadvantaged, et al.
A balanced checkbook - federal, state, local.
Reverence and honor for the constitution of the United States. This document was and remains an agreement developed from leaders who were steeped in the Word of God and who bathed it in prayer. Any and all Supreme Court justices selected must be passionate about protecting the original integrity of this historic document.
Fair individual and corporate taxation. This encourages and rewards the hard work of every American while discouraging reliance on govermental largess.
Solid economic policies which encourage businesses to stay in the US while promoting stability in the marketplace.
Energy initiatives which create renewable alternatives and eliminate reliance on foreign energy providers.
And, ultimately, my love and fear of the Lord - the source of wisdom and knowledge.

What's driving your decision?

Exxon earns and pays...

2008-10-30T11:02:00.000-07:00

The big news that bothered me in these tough economic times was the profit that ExxonMobil announced today that they created in just one quarter: $14.8 Billion!

However, looking at their Q3 Form 8-K they have to file to the SEC, there is a more complete story.

In MILLIONS...
Income taxes (based on a 48% tax rate): $11,327
Sales-based taxes: $9,327
All other taxes: $11,856
Total Q3 taxes: $32,510

Wow. ExxonMobil did make a LOT of money. They also paid a LOT of taxes - $32.5 Billion.

What do you think? Is either (profit or taxes) too much, too little, or just right?

...and Dad?

2008-10-29T11:28:00.000-07:00

My son Isaac has an interesting habit he picked up from his brothers. He will walk into the room where I am and begin whatever he says to me with "...but Dad..." I typically respond with "...and Dad?" He then smiles and corrects himself with "and Dad" before launching into whatever he was going to say.

Any conjunction (but, and, however, etc.) implies a previous statement - by either side of the conversation. In Isaac's case, there is no obvious previous statement - and he's getting MUCH better at starting with "and Dad.." No, to me it seems like an ongoing conversation between us. I love that and hope there will always be an ongoing conversation between us regardless of which conjunction he uses.

Thinking about this with regard to the Father's relationship with His Son, I wonder if Jesus began in the same way, "and Dad?"

Shouldn't we consider our conversations with Him in the same way?

Weeping 2 Rejoicing

2008-10-27T18:40:00.001-07:00

Weeping, Weeping
I've blown it again
I know You love me
but not my sin

Crying, dying
You've done so much for me
May I never forget
Your gift upon the tree
Who am I that You
would give Your Son for me?

Now we journey on
with me behind You as You lead
Let me run as David ran
5 smooth stones in my hand
Watch me dance as David danced
looking to You and never to chance

Only Your face and favor
do I seek full of power and so meek.
Your thoughts alone
are my sole desire to know
beyond the depth of my understanding
echo the fathoms of your commanding
presence

Rejoicing, praising
I'm at peace again
for I know you love me
and forgive my sin.

Sprinklers!

2008-10-27T18:15:00.000-07:00

I have said to many this year that I haven't had to schedule my sprinklers to come on at all because it's been so wet this year. Really, I've only manually run the sprinklers maybe 8 times total this season. During the late summer and early fall, as the temps were more reasonable and we could open our windows at night, sometimes I heard a neighbor's sprinklers come on at 4AM. Each time I heard this I wondered why he would saturate his lawn further when we've received so much rain.

Well, this morning, I had to go to the church because a fire alarm went off and the firemen needed someone responsible for the property to come on site and reset the fire alarm and a breaker. There was, thank God!, no fire. False alarm.

However, the real mystery unraveled when I returned home. As I pulled up, it appeared that my driveway was wet. It was a clear night - so, no rain. I initially thought my neighbor's sprinklers were on, but there was no way that his sprinkler could have reached that far. While I was initially in denial, I eventually had to admit that our sprinklers were on! All that time, I thought I didn't have the sprinklers set to come on except through manual means. But, do you know what? Those sprinklers at 4am? Mine - the whole time.

In my defense, the sprinkler control box is of an ancient origin and difficult to master. Oh, well. Humility is a good thing. Apologies, of course, go to my kind neighbors for how I saturated the edge of their lawns and somehow blamed them for it. Thanks for putting up with the newbie on the block.

Oh, if I could just have a do-over...

2008-10-26T18:44:00.000-07:00

The year is 1977 - May. I'm wrapping up my freshman year in high school and have spent the school year slowly and unintentionally separating myself from my parents, family, church, friends, and, most of all, God. Approaching my 15th birthday, I take the plunge in the name of "independence" and settle for mediocrity, lies, and selfish lusts and pursuits. True independence, I discover later, is a sin. Why? Because to be truly independent means I am not dependent upon anyone. Period. That is not only impossible, but it's insane. I will be forever dependent upon the grace of God. I'm here because He allowed it. I had no choice in my birth yet I fell in the delusion that I would somehow be able to "handle it from there." What a joke - a bad joke.

By embracing mediocrity rather than the mediator of all mankind, Jesus Christ, I pursued what the teacher of Ecclesiastes decried - foolishness and vanity.

Since God changed my life, I have often wondered what it would be like if I could have a do-over. To go back in time and take the lessons to apply them more effectively in my life, would be an amazing thing. Thinking about that opportunity, here are the top three things I would do:

Hold fast to Christ.
Find someone I trust to hold me accountable
Lead

However, I know by God's word that "man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment" - i.e., there are no do-overs. So, I'm resolved to do now what I would do then:

Hold fast to Christ. Love Him, love others, pray, study the Scriptures, and serve.
Find someone I trust to hold me accountable. By His grace, I have more than one who is willing to do this.
Lead. Lead in the home, in the church, and in the community.

Would you do anything different? If so, what? How are you applying those lessons now?

Do the United States comprise a Christian nation?

2008-10-25T09:23:00.001-07:00

I'm reading an older book, "America's Christian History: The Untold Story" by Gary DeMar. The book is well documented and aggregates historical records, quotes, and commentary to make a pretty solid case for the assertion that:

A) most if not all states in the union were developed upon commonly understood biblical principles,
B) the federal government, being a collection of these biblically based states, also reflected a reliance on God and His Scriptures.
C) though a relatively recent development, the courts, text books, and media have effectively whitewashed over historical truth so that most U.S. citizens are under the delusion that God had nothing to do with the founding of this country.

Here are some facts I found interesting:

Words of Jefferson (3rd President) upon his memorial: God who gave us life gave us liberty. Can the liberties of a nation be secure when we have removed a conviction that these liberties are the gift of God? In deed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just, that his justice cannot sleep forever."
Lincoln (16th President) appointed on April 30, 1863, a "National Fast Day". An excerpt from his declaration: "It is the duty of nations as well as of men to own their dependence upon the overruling power of God , to confess their sins and transgressions in humble sorrow yet with assured hope that genuine repentance will lead to mercy and pardon, and to recognize the sublime truth, announced in the Holy Scriptures and proven by all history: that those nations only are blessed whose God is the Lord." This last phrase is from Psalm 33:12.
Andrew Jackson (7th President) declared the Bible to be "the rock on which our republic rests."
Franklin D. Roosevelt (32nd President) said of the Bible: "where we have been truest and most consistent in obeying its precepts, we have attained the greatest measure of contentment and prosperity."

If only those nations are blessed whose God is the Lord and justice from the Lord will come, when will we, as a nation, repent? Is it too late?

What shapes us

2008-10-14T17:49:00.001-07:00

I was hired (after some 33 interviews) by Hewlett-Packard in 1988 right after finishing school and marrying my bride, Sherry. My "corporate" experience up until then was nothing like the experience I was to enjoy at HP. I learned so many lessons and was shaped in so many ways during my time there. It's nostalgic now to think about it.

After Dave Packard died, the HP media talked and wrote much about him - even his flaws. One of the more memorable writings, though, concerned his 11 simple rules. Although you can go here to read them officially at the HP site, I offer them in this posting, too.

1. Think first of the other fellow. This is THE foundation — the first requisite — for getting along with others. And it is the one truly difficult accomplishment you must make. Gaining this, the rest will be "a breeze."

2. Build up the other person's sense of importance. When we make the other person seem less important, we frustrate one of his deepest urges. Allow him to feel equality or superiority, and we can easily get along with him.

3. Respect the other man's personality rights. Respect as something sacred the other fellow's right to be different from you. No two personalities are ever molded by precisely the same forces.

4. Give sincere appreciation. If we think someone has done a thing well, we should never hesitate to let him know it. WARNING: This does not mean promiscuous use of obvious flattery. Flattery with most intelligent people gets exactly the reaction it deserves — contempt for the egotistical "phony" who stoops to it.

5. Eliminate the negative. Criticism seldom does what its user intends, for it invariably causes resentment. The tiniest bit of disapproval can sometimes cause a resentment which will rankle — to your disadvantage — for years.

6. Avoid openly trying to reform people. Every man knows he is imperfect, but he doesn't want someone else trying to correct his faults. If you want to improve a person, help him to embrace a higher working goal — a standard, an ideal — and he will do his own "making over" far more effectively than you can do it for him.

7. Try to understand the other person. How would you react to similar circumstances? When you begin to see the "whys" of him you can't help but get along better with him.

8. Check first impressions. We are especially prone to dislike some people on first sight because of some vague resemblance (of which we are usually unaware) to someone else whom we have had reason to dislike. Follow Abraham Lincoln's famous self-instruction: "I do not like that man; therefore I shall get to know him better."

9. Take care with the little details. Watch your smile, your tone of voice, how you use your eyes, the way you greet people, the use of nicknames and remembering faces, names and dates. Little things add polish to your skill in dealing with people. Constantly, deliberately think of them until they become a natural part of your personality.

10. Develop genuine interest in people. You cannot successfully apply the foregoing suggestions unless you have a sincere desire to like, respect and be helpful to others. Conversely, you cannot build genuine interest in people until you have experienced the pleasure of working with them in an atmosphere characterized by mutual liking and respect.

11. Keep it up. That's all — just keep it up!

The "HP Way" as I experienced it up until the late 90's ceased to exist for the most part as I departed in 2003. Although, I suspect there may still be pockets of it left in the company. Wherever I work, I hope for joy in what I and others do and produce together. To me, this may be the shortest summary of what the "HP Way" was and should be.

What do you think? Do you have, or have you ever had, joy in your vocation? If so, what did it look like?

Charitable giving...

2008-10-12T19:50:00.001-07:00

Reading Tim Stevens' blog posting on charitable giving was interesting. I'm not sure what disappoints me more: the lack of charitable giving by our leading candidates or the lack of media attention on this matter. Be sure to read the comments from this posting and the initial posting referenced specific to Mr. Biden. Again, interesting perspectives.

Another bit of information on this subject: http://harpers.org/archive/2008/05/hbc-90003001.

Question: is charitable giving something to be considered when deciding to vote for a candidate?

How important is excellence and quality in the Lord's work?

2008-10-12T17:00:00.000-07:00

Thoughts on quality and excellence...

At Hewlett-Packard, there was a contest to caption a picture of several yellow baby chicks and one gray chick. The winner? "Paint it yellow and ship it!" This was NOT the HP-Way because also at Hewlett-Packard, co-founder David Packard was known to take ethics (including quality) very seriously. He was rumored to say that if anyone put profit or deadlines ahead of the right thing to do with regard to ethics and quality, he would personally have him fired. Both Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard took quality seriously, to be sure.

A long time ago, I received some liberating teaching. Mainly, it is this: Don't seek perfection - seek excellence. The remaining challenge? Balance and definition. What ceases to be a quest for excellence and becomes a campaign of perfection? Indeed, what is excellence as opposed to perfection?
One of my favorite choral experiences was in the Male Chorus at Anderson University. The director at the time, Dr. Gene Miller, said this with regard to quality: "Gentlemen, there is nothing inherently spiritual about mediocrity." Good enough often isn't.
During my pilgrimage, I have come to believe strongly that in all we do - whether in thought, word, or deed - we must seek godly excellence. Godly excellence, to me, is trying to do what I know will please God - not because I have to, but because I get to. All of this, of course, is done knowing that His grace abounds and that He knows what I'm capable of and what I'm settling for.
A challenge about quality is that it is so subjectively defined. "Good enough" for one may not be "Good enough" for another. This remains a burden for any strong leader. How can we as leaders link arms with those around us who really want to embrace mediocrity as the new sufficient level of excellence?

I write this not out of criticism but out of observation and a passionate desire to please the Lord. So, what say you? Is excellence worth pursuing? If so, what does it look like?

The Invisible Woman

2008-10-10T08:20:00.000-07:00

Wow. Great teaching on the danger of self-centeredness but also on how the Father sees all of what we do - and values us so!

Love and Respect

2008-10-09T19:11:00.000-07:00

Dr. Emmerson and Sarah Eggerichs came to Central on Oct. 4 and 5 to present the Biblical approach to marriage based on Ephesians 5:22-33 - namely, that Love AND Respect are to abound in marriage. Here are some further thoughts and discoveries from the conference:

The way men and women interract is not wrong...just different.
The crazy cycle: When wives feel unloved, they respond disprectfully. When husbands feel disrespected, they respond unlovingly.
Husbands breaking the cycle: "When you say (or do) that, I feel disprespected. Have I done or said something unloving to cause you to respond in that way?"
Wives breaking the cycle: "When you say (or do) that, I feel unloved. Have I done or said something disrespectful to cause you to respond in that way?"
Jesus is fixated upon each of His believers in every little thing accomplished for Him.
This means that although we may not feel like treating our spouses well - husbands loving wives, wives respecting husbands - it really doesn't matter. What matters is that, in obedience and reverence for Christ, we love and respect our spouses for His sake.
In effect, He is standing behind a wife or husband encouraging the other to love or respect regardless of their behavior (excluding abuseful situations, of course).
Both love and respect are to be given unconditionally.
The state of marriages in our world today is NOT a moral issue - it is a faith issue. Worse, it is a sin issue.

The book is great, the conference is better. We look forward to starting a small group early next month to continue the conversations.

God be praised!

The Car Show - 2008

2008-09-25T14:04:00.000-07:00

The 2008 Car Show, co-hosted by Central Community and the South Winds Corvette Club, was a great event. With 339 registered cars and nearly 100 more "host" cars on the parking lot, it was quite a sight to see. The US flags were flying across the front of the property framing 2 rows of Corvettes. Vintage cars, custom cars, hot rods, and novelty vehicles (like the "amphibicar") filled in the remainder of the west parking lots as many newcomers to the church enjoyed a picture perfect day. We prayed for good weather and glory to Him which He receives it all. This benefit event supported various kids organizations such as the Wichita Children's Home.

For next year, I hope for more intentional praise to God for lives changed as we bring in those who have given themselves fully to Jesus and encourage them to share their stories.

When is the church, the church?

2008-09-21T19:00:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to help out with the Parking Ministry and rode around in a golf cart giving rides to folks who had some distance to walk from their cars to the church building. Then suddenly, I had to be careful not to be hit by those leaving the church parking lot after Sunday School. This leads to my question: If folks go to Sunday School but do not attend one of the larger congregational worship opportunities, are they fully a part of the church?

While these folks typically attend faithfully and serve regularly within the constraints of their Sunday School class, here are some of the reasons offered for their departure:

The time between the end of Sunday School and their preferred style of worship (more traditional) is over 30 minutes and, for some, it's physically too long to sit.
Their preferred worship service is often longer than the planned 75 minutes and therefore releases sometimes closer to 12:30pm.
While their preferred service is described as "classic", the songs are often unfamiliar choruses and not their hymn favorites.
The distance between the two venues (Classroom and Auditorium) is too far to walk.
There are other family priorities which require their time and effort directly after Sunday School.
Given the way this particular Sunday School class is structured, they feel that they've already been to church.

Observations:

At least they're coming to Sunday School
The larger church body is missing out on the example these folks could be setting.
These folks are missing out on the lessons and teachings from the Senior Pastor which reflects the larger mission of the church and the Holy Spirit's leading through this leader.

But, how important is this issue and how does it affect (or reflect) the mission of this church?

The truth is, I don't know, yet. These are precious brothers and sisters who are making decisions based on their relationship with the Lord. I feel strongly that I want them to stay and worship - to be and remain a part of the body. How all that fits into what God has ordained us to do is something I'm still praying through.

While there are things that we could do to mitigate some of the issues, I'm not sure how much it will help because I have a sense that there are deeper, unspoken, issues that will remain unless addressed.

What do you think?

Parting is such sorrow...

2008-09-13T14:54:00.000-07:00

In June and July 2007, my family and I were blessed to visit my daughter, Katharina, in Germany to attend her high school graduation celebration. It was great fun and an experience none of us shall soon forget. When we left, we had to say goodbye to Katharina. What made it even more sad was that we had no idea how long it would be until we saw each other again.

Looking through some pictures recently, I came across a snapshot my sister took of me and Katharina as we shared those last moments together, saying goodbye to one another. Given that Katharina has been unable to come visit us due to her university and work schedule, this picture not only captures those moments but reminds me again of how much I miss her. Sweet girl, come see us soon!

There's platinum in them there...vans

2008-09-13T14:18:00.000-07:00

Platinum, palladium, and rhodium are just three of the precious metals that are found in most catalytic converters. For those who don't know what these are, they help reduce the toxicity of chemicals that come from your cars and trucks. Because of the rise in commodity prices of these and other metals, there are thieves that look for isolated vehicles - especially SUVs and trucks with a lot of ground clearance - and with a battery-operated sawzall - remove the device and sell it to scrap metal dealers who won't ask tough questions.

Thefts of these devices are nationwide and occur outside residential homes, in shopping mall parking lots, and at churches!

Early one morning this past week, a team of thieves stole 3 of our vans' catalytic converters - thus costing the church money we did not plan to spend. Working with the Wichita Police Department, here are some things we all can do to avoid these thefts:

If possible, get your vans and trucks inside the garage.
If the vehicles are unable to be inside, then park the vehicle in well-lighted areas.
If your vehicle has an alarm, be sensitive to it and take action if you hear it.
If your mall, church, or business uses security cameras in the parking lots, try to park the more susceptible vehicles (as stated above) in those areas.

Of course, we can also encourage police departments will put pressure on scrap metal dealers and reduce the market for this illicit activity. Thankfully, the Wichita Police is actively working on this problem and will hopefully succeed in putting an end to this practice.

Benefit of the doubt

2008-09-07T14:47:00.000-07:00

According to Wikipedia, the phrase "benefit of the doubt" means: A favorable judgement given in the absence of full evidence.

"Absence of full evidence." Isn't that faith? Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen - Hebrews 11:1 (KJV).

One of the lessons last month (indeed, the previous 46 years) and remains today is that we each should give each other the "benefit of the doubt" whenever and wherever we can. Do you find that difficult? There are times when I do.

While working with a team of German engineers at HP in the late 90s, we went through cultural training to help us understand the differences between the way the typical German professional works and communicates as opposed to the typical American professional. One key difference was along these lines. For example, to an American, receiving no news must mean bad news. In other words, if I haven't heard anything from the other part of our international team (5000 miles and an 8 hour time-difference away), then there must be a problem. On the other hand, in similar circumstances, my German counterpart would trust that if there was a problem, I would have told him. He gave me the benefit of the doubt.
One time, a member of my team confessed she couldn't trust me after hearing from another source some impactful news she expected to hear from me. Regardless of the myriad of examples where I provided support for her in her role, she had assumed the worst instead of the best of me. She didn't give me the benefit of the doubt.
Of course, I've done the same thing more often than I care to admit. And, instead of giving others the benefit of the doubt, asking more questions than making statements, I end up letting my assumptions of the intentional guilt of others ride roughshod over the truth found in innocent or well-intentioned mistakes. Sometimes, I fail to give others the benefit of the doubt.
I'm reading a book right now called "Love and Respect". One predicative principle is that, between a husband and a wife, one should treat the other as one who would not intentionally do evil to the other. In other words, we typically don't wake up thinking of ways to cause the other harm. Could this be an equally important principle to follow within all relationships?

Ok. Let's assume that we want to approach relationships more positively and therefore want to give each other an abundance of this benefit - this flavor of grace. How do we do that?

When in doubt, ask questions. "I feel excluded when I hear important news from others or from you at the last moment. Was that intentional?" Or, "What happened in that meeting? What are your thoughts?" Even better, "Help me understand." Those who've heard of Covey's "Habits" know the important principle, "Seek first to understand before seeking to be understood." Seeking to understand before the Assumption Train leaves the station helps alleviate doubt and is the first step toward offering the benefit of the doubt to another.
Always attempt to speak, and even think, kindly of others. How many times in our minds have we danced around the fire of bitterness fueling the flames with empty (and often wrong) assumptions? This doesn't get easier as we get older because we are increasingly tempted to think too highly of our cognitive skills and assume we have everything (and everyone) figured out.

Beyond all of this, though, is the most hideous and pernicious of all bad assumptions. It is when we don't give God the "benefit of the doubt." It is when we assume He's asleep at the switch or, worse, the actual cause of our malady. God is sovereign, to be sure. But the Bible says that God is never, ever, the source of evil. Nor does He ever tempt you or me. And, while sin is in this world we can expect that trouble will come. However, when it does come, let us look to God for comfort and wisdom - not blame. And, with His help, we may just look at each other and, by trusting God, expect the best intentions as we give them the benefit of the doubt.

So, in the same way, I'm encouraged to go ask Him for the answers and wait at His Word. The LORD has promised us that He will keep in perfect peace the one whose mind is steadfast because he trusts in God). As we wrestle with that which we do not understand, let's seek God's peace and give others the benefit of the doubt until further information is revealed.

What do you think?

Fine line between modeling and imitation...

2008-09-01T05:32:00.000-07:00

Great post by Mark Batterson on Imitation is Suicide. Quoting Erwin McManus, pastor of Mosaic in LA, Mark writes:

He said something that was so profound. Really made me think. "I think a lot of pastors have a dream that matches the life of the pastor who is the living the dream they want."

Wow. This really got me thinking and I'm thankful for Mark's posting for two reasons and two responses:

As a fairly new executive pastor, I occasionally find myself looking at the seeming successes of other executive pastors or administrative pastors and, frankly, questioning my call - am I the right guy in the right seat on the right bus? Or, am I just warming it up for someone else? While in some respects this is healthy humility which allows me to keep sharp and relying on God, it can foster into an insecurity blossomed from a reliance on myself rather than God.

Bottom line - I don't have to look very hard to see God's hand upon Sherry and me in bringing us to this place. He wants me/us here. He's doing great things and allowing us to lead and be a part of the adventure. And, to be faithful to the call, I must strive to learn lessons and act on them - continually seeking Godly excellence and His leadership and wisdom.
It is true that we on staff at Central encourage each other to look at other churches for transferable truths. We ask each other to identify ministry approaches that other churches have found to be successful for them that we in turn can leverage in ministries here in our church. While there is nothing wrong with this - and I have yet to find one church who doesn't want to share their lessons and approaches - there are dangers.

The first danger is just what Mark describes. When we solely rely on others' creativity and innovation, we risk losing our uniqueness, originality, and authenticity - our edge. And, for those of us who are more operational in thinking rather than creative, this can be a hole easily stumbled into. As he put it: keep learning and be yourself. Don't settle for doing something someone else thought up just because of a lazy or strictly efficient approach to getting the job done.

The second danger is not examining other church's approaches thoroughly enough and implementing something that just doesn't work in our church. This doesn't mean that we don't try new things and it should be OK to fail. However, if we can avoid some obvious missteps by using our God-given analytical thinking skills, then let's take the time to do it.

What do you think? How should leaders approach the open and offered innovation of others?
[the pic is of son Cameron. I asked him to look "questioning" which he does so well...:)]

Lessons for the month

2008-08-31T06:41:00.000-07:00

Some new (and old) lessons from August.

Ongoing administrative excellence is hard. Period. It takes constant tweaking and adjustment...and a whole lot of leading.
Pray for the best as you prepare for the worst.
People don't resist change, people resist loss.
My bride's laugh remains contagious and refreshing - at the very same time. I am blessed.
Believe it or not, there are 4 other candidates for president. Can you name them?
The power of example is more noble than the example of power. (a variation of line that Former President Clinton used in his speech at the DNC)
Man's plans are at the mercy of God's power (Republican Convention and Hurricane Gustavo)
Good leaders seek order in the swirl of issues.
Getting the right people in the right seats makes a HUGE difference in a ministry.
When we focus our attention on anything in place of God, He is grieved.
From the Love & Respect book I'm reading: Husbands crave respect from their wives. Wives crave love from their husbands.
You can't always get what you want, but you get what you need.
Think the best of others. Give them the "benefit of the doubt." In turn, they might do the same for me.
Communication, early and often, remains a critical success factor in the life of any organization.

Digging Deeper #4

2008-08-30T15:45:00.000-07:00

From the previous 3 Digging Deeper postings we now have:

* The selected text (Acts 1)

* 16 Content items

* An outline of 2 summarized text divisions

From these, we get to create a subject sentence and a lesson aim.

Subject sentence. Keeping it simple, a Subject Sentence is a complete sentence of 10 words or less whereby a reader/listener with moderate Bible knowledge will have a reasonable idea where in the Bible the text can be found. I usually mix the content summary divisions together in order to produce the subject sentence. In this example, for this text I wrote the following subject sentenct: Jesus gives last instructions and apostles choose Judas’ replacement.

So, why bother? This forces us to think critically about where we are studying in the Bible and to be succinct in our descriptions. If someone asks what the lesson is about, the answer can be short, sweet, and to the point.

The aim of the lesson. If you are teaching (even if it's just yourself), the aim of the lesson is that with which you want your students to walk away. Again, keeping it simple, the aim of the lesson is described by completing this phrase: Cause the student(s) to... I typically replace students with children because that's who I was typically teaching and, even if the students are older, we are all children of God. For this example, the aim of the lesson I have is: Cause the children to learn that Jesus’ disciples are always to rely on God’s power.

Again, why bother? It's important that we remain purposeful about whatever we do as we serve the Lord. This aim forces us to begin with the end in mind as we prepare to share with others, or simply take our Bible study to the next level. One quick note, though. It's okay to refine this aim after finishing up the next part of the process as we seek the Holy Spirit's teaching with regard to lessons, truths, and applications.

Next step is, you guessed it, lessons, truths, and applications.

The Shack

2008-08-25T05:16:00.000-07:00

The Shack, by William P. Young, challenged me in many ways. And, although I probably need to read it again to fully grasp my reactions to it, I offer these thoughts:

The tragedy upon which the book is based was really hard to for me to deal with. I understand how the tragedy must be so very tragic, because of it's importance in the rest of the book as the father's anguish over the event is addressed. Still, this "Great Sadness" was at times overwhelming for me.
The Trinity is presented in a very unique way, to say the least. And, because the Trinity is, for me, difficult to understand, much less describe, I hesitate to criticize. Regardless, however, anthropomorphisms (applying human characteristics to God) are always difficult when trying to represent the Spirit or the Father. With Jesus, it's more clear, of course.
The unity of the Trinity, clearly represented in the book, is most comforting and appealing.
The book's cover quote from Eugene Peterson equates the book's impact upon this generation with John Bunyan's impact on his generation with his book, Pilgrim's Progress. That's quite a comparison. And, I guess I can't refute it because none from Bunyan's generation is available to discuss this. But, still...
The discussion about hierarchy was difficult. The implication was that there was no need or evidence of hierarchy until after the fall of man. This further implies that hierarchy is a result of sin. Mmm. Hierarchy was evident before the fall in that God commanded man and man disobeyed God. If there was no hierarchy, then God would not have had the authority to banish man from the garden. Also, the Bible is clear about Who is in charge, yet today. And, it's not you and me. Further, one day every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord!
There is a dialogue in the book where Papa (part of the Trinity representing the Father) says that "I've never placed an expectation on you or anyone else." The point is that expectations are predicated on the "expecter" not knowing how the one under expectation will react. Of course, God can see beyond all that. Therefore, following this logic, He would have no expectations of anyone. I know we're dancing on the edges of grammar and syntax, but...really? Seriously, of course God has expectations of His children. And, while He's NOT disappointed because He already knows the outcome, He is grieved when we sin. And, He mourns the result of our sin.
Along with expectations, there is this statement: "you won't find the word responsibility in the Scriptures." Ok. That may be true. Trinity isn't in there either. But, still...they're in there. When the Holy Spirit, through Paul, admonishes me as a husband to lay down my life in love for my bride as Christ did for His, this is a responsibility. Indeed, when I am commanded by Christ to love my brothers and sisters in Christ, this has become my responsibility - not because I have to, but because I get to. It's a privilege to have this responsibility, not a burden.
The book challenged me to look for God in everything. He's not the cause of everything - like sin, for example. However, He is always there. Period. My life should reflect this truth.
My relationship with God - Father, Son, and Spirit - is the most important of my everlasting and eternal life. Bar none. This was what grabbed me the strongest. God loves me. I don't need a man-written book to tell me that because the Bible does. But, it was such a precious and comforting reminder.

As more thoughts come to me, I may share more later. All in all, I encourage the mature to read this and decide for themselves what it means and doesn't mean. However, just like the Bereans did with Paul, we must check with Scripture to ensure we understand what fits and what doesn't.

Digging Deeper #3

2008-08-24T16:37:00.000-07:00

From the previous installment of this Digging Deeper series, we have 16 content items to work with from our selected scripture found in Acts 1:1-26. The next step is to separate the 16 content items into 2-4 meaningful sections. Why do this?

Helps us develop the lessons, truths, and applications with more clarity
Forces us to again think through the Scriptures with a bit more rigor
If we use this for teaching or leading a discussion, then we can arrange the lessons in manageable chunks.

How do we describe the sections? Using as short a sentence as we can, simply summarize the story or events of the section. It's that simple. Don't get hung up on perfection. Effectiveness is sufficient. Here is how I divided the 26 verses into 2 sections:

Jesus gives instructions to His disciples and is then taken up before their eyes (v1-11)
Matthias is chosen by lots to replace Judas the betrayer (v12-26)

Next step: The Subject Sentence and overall Aim of the lesson.