If anyone is wondering, as I have been, what ever happened to the spiritual formation task of making disciples of Jesus, I think I have the answer. Decades ago we turned from a process to a program and almost destroyed our opportunity to grow disciples. We developed a system that led people to become simply religion consumers rather than committed followers of Jesus. We moved from one study to the next study with no accountability for life development. We measured attendance instead of impact because that was easier. We structured ongoing classes and programs because that was easier to manage, promote, and control. We trained people for church service rather than for community service and now we wonder why the world ignores us.
One pastor has led his congregation to ask of everything they do, "Is this Jesus?" If its not, they stop doing it. My staff and I developed a diagram from the old Serendipity model of small groups, a triagle with each side representing the essential components of disciplemaking - koinonia(including accountability, encouragement, support, affirmation, etc.), mission (what we do out in the world for Christ using our giftedness and passion) and content (what we did in all those programs for decades). I really don't think you have disciplemaking without each of those three equally balanced. If you have a better idea, please let me know.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
The Role of Church Leadership
Part of our traditional vision of church leadership goes something like this. Leader(or leaders) casts a vision and tries to get people to buy into it. Leaders develop structures to implement the vision and work on ways to get people involved in implementing the vision and filling out the structure or organization. Churches have traditonally been managed from a central authority or body that oversees what the church does and often controls the system.
In a conversation with one of our pastors this week, I affirmed his church's leadership efforts. His leadership team was simply trying to respond to what was happening among the membership on the outer edges of the congregation. Members were engaging in ministry. The leaders were simply trying to keep up with what the members were doing in response to the leading of the Holy Spirit. I see this as a good thing. People are listening to the Spirit and are engaging in ministry. The leaders are not busy trying to get the people to do something, they are encouraging and facilitating the ministry that is taking place.
This conversation led to my stating two key convictions: Our existing church system or structures cannot contain an outpouring of God's Spirit, a spiritual awakening, or a great revival. In fact, I am convinced that these structures often inhibit the movement of the Holy Spirit. When our thinking is confined to our systems, where is the room for the Spirit to act or lead? We have done such a thorough job of acclimating church members to our system, that many cannot think or act for themselves. They have to wait on a word of instruction from one of the "leaders." These leaders expend all their energy trying to get people to work in the church system in order to make the system work. Our mistaken belief is that if the church system is working well, then we are doing what God wants us to do.
Jesus made it clear if we will just listen: You cannot put new wine (outpouring of the Spirit) into old wineskins (church structures and systems).
The second conviction is that if genuine spiritual awakening occurs, no one of us can describe what it will look like. The mistake church and denominational leadership have so often made is to call for spiritual awakening and then define how that would look, i.e. specifically in terms of the existing church or denominational structure. I can say two things about the spiritual awakening for which we pray. First, it will be in keeping with the character of God as revealed in scripture, and second, the movement will be in keeping with Holy Scripture. I think if we say more than that, we are restricting and hindering.
What if leadership took a responsive position over a restrictive one? What difference would that make? Isn't that what the Jerusalem church did toward the outpouring at Antioch? They sent Paul and Barnabas to see what was happening and responded to the need for spiritual development among the new converts.
Maybe it's time to rethink church leadership!
In a conversation with one of our pastors this week, I affirmed his church's leadership efforts. His leadership team was simply trying to respond to what was happening among the membership on the outer edges of the congregation. Members were engaging in ministry. The leaders were simply trying to keep up with what the members were doing in response to the leading of the Holy Spirit. I see this as a good thing. People are listening to the Spirit and are engaging in ministry. The leaders are not busy trying to get the people to do something, they are encouraging and facilitating the ministry that is taking place.
This conversation led to my stating two key convictions: Our existing church system or structures cannot contain an outpouring of God's Spirit, a spiritual awakening, or a great revival. In fact, I am convinced that these structures often inhibit the movement of the Holy Spirit. When our thinking is confined to our systems, where is the room for the Spirit to act or lead? We have done such a thorough job of acclimating church members to our system, that many cannot think or act for themselves. They have to wait on a word of instruction from one of the "leaders." These leaders expend all their energy trying to get people to work in the church system in order to make the system work. Our mistaken belief is that if the church system is working well, then we are doing what God wants us to do.
Jesus made it clear if we will just listen: You cannot put new wine (outpouring of the Spirit) into old wineskins (church structures and systems).
The second conviction is that if genuine spiritual awakening occurs, no one of us can describe what it will look like. The mistake church and denominational leadership have so often made is to call for spiritual awakening and then define how that would look, i.e. specifically in terms of the existing church or denominational structure. I can say two things about the spiritual awakening for which we pray. First, it will be in keeping with the character of God as revealed in scripture, and second, the movement will be in keeping with Holy Scripture. I think if we say more than that, we are restricting and hindering.
What if leadership took a responsive position over a restrictive one? What difference would that make? Isn't that what the Jerusalem church did toward the outpouring at Antioch? They sent Paul and Barnabas to see what was happening and responded to the need for spiritual development among the new converts.
Maybe it's time to rethink church leadership!
Sunday, August 30, 2009
All Activity and Little Reflection
I can't believe that is has been almost TWO MONTHS since I posted anything on this blog! That's how busy summer has been. It is usually that way during the summer month. This is not a slack time in associational work. The month of May is fairly light, but June is budget preparation time, and during June and July we are working on nominating committee stuff, getting ready for Executive Board meetings in July and September. Then we have our church Key Leader Conference in August and this year we tried something really different. It was a success based on early comments we have received, but the preparation was more intense and detailed than it has ever been. Add to that a short vacation in the mountains in July and a trip to our annual 5 day reunion in Mississippi and you see why there was little time for reflection. Add to this the preparations for our daughter's wedding in September at the beach and our son's wedding in November in Tennessee, and it leaves little wonder why I have not posted on this site.
Reflection on life is an important part of living, so let me back up and reflect on a couple of experiences that strengthened my relationship with a couple of our churches. I mentioned in the previous post that I spoke at homecoming for one of our smaller churches. I also had the opportunity to go back for five weeks and lead a Christian money management seminar. It was good to get to know those folk at a more personal level. I feel like I have made some new friends. In another situation, one of our pastor's had to have bypass surgery and my associate and I filled the pulpit for three consecutive Sundays. That was a positive experience, particularly since the pastor was able to be there the final week I preached.
These are just two opportunities but they teach a very important lesson about relationships. It's hard to build strong relationships without significant "face time." Relationships take commitment. Nothing can take the place of being there with people. I hope that is a lesson I never forget.
Reflection on life is an important part of living, so let me back up and reflect on a couple of experiences that strengthened my relationship with a couple of our churches. I mentioned in the previous post that I spoke at homecoming for one of our smaller churches. I also had the opportunity to go back for five weeks and lead a Christian money management seminar. It was good to get to know those folk at a more personal level. I feel like I have made some new friends. In another situation, one of our pastor's had to have bypass surgery and my associate and I filled the pulpit for three consecutive Sundays. That was a positive experience, particularly since the pastor was able to be there the final week I preached.
These are just two opportunities but they teach a very important lesson about relationships. It's hard to build strong relationships without significant "face time." Relationships take commitment. Nothing can take the place of being there with people. I hope that is a lesson I never forget.
Monday, June 8, 2009
Are We in Denial?
Part of my "job" includes interacting with pastors and church leaders. It is a part of the work that I really enjoy. Sometimes I have opportunity to present information in a seminar form or maybe good books for them to read. It's always fun to give people things!
Those who know me well know that I am a positive outlook person. I am generally an optimist, looking for a positive outcome. Yet in my position as a mission strategist, I must also present the realities as I see them. And one big reality I see, is that the evangelical church in general, and Southern Baptist churches in particular, are declining in influence and in inpact on our culture.
Yet, most church leaders just keep on doing what they have been doing, hoping for things to get better. On pastor said he didn't finish a book I gave him because he disagreed with the author. Another said it made him angry at first, but he knew the author was correct in his assessment. The first pastor, and many of his colleagues with him, is in denial. We make excuses for why things are not improving, often blaming those we are trying to reach without acknowledging that we are simply trying to get them to do something for us that they are not particularly interested in doing, that is, come to our church. That denial represents a refusal to see the reality, the facts, the current trends, and all that goes with them. Most church leaders are doing the best they can to sustain their church system. They are busy with all the ongoing responsibilities of day to day and week to week church operations that they literally "don't have time" to do creative thinking and develop new insights. I long to give them "permission," or to get their churches to "give them permission" to stop doing a lot of things that have not significant Kingdom impact, so they can begin to explore new ways of seeking the Kingdom. That can only begin when we get over our denial.
Those who know me well know that I am a positive outlook person. I am generally an optimist, looking for a positive outcome. Yet in my position as a mission strategist, I must also present the realities as I see them. And one big reality I see, is that the evangelical church in general, and Southern Baptist churches in particular, are declining in influence and in inpact on our culture.
Yet, most church leaders just keep on doing what they have been doing, hoping for things to get better. On pastor said he didn't finish a book I gave him because he disagreed with the author. Another said it made him angry at first, but he knew the author was correct in his assessment. The first pastor, and many of his colleagues with him, is in denial. We make excuses for why things are not improving, often blaming those we are trying to reach without acknowledging that we are simply trying to get them to do something for us that they are not particularly interested in doing, that is, come to our church. That denial represents a refusal to see the reality, the facts, the current trends, and all that goes with them. Most church leaders are doing the best they can to sustain their church system. They are busy with all the ongoing responsibilities of day to day and week to week church operations that they literally "don't have time" to do creative thinking and develop new insights. I long to give them "permission," or to get their churches to "give them permission" to stop doing a lot of things that have not significant Kingdom impact, so they can begin to explore new ways of seeking the Kingdom. That can only begin when we get over our denial.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Following a passion
Sunday I spoke at homecoming in one of our churches. It's a small church with a lot of older members. Their music style is southern gospel. What is unique about this church is a ministry they have been doing for years. Each Sunday, the pastor holds services at a truck stop in Montgomery. Some days, nobody shows up. On other days there might be five or six. Regardless, he shows up every Sunday to share the gospel with those who are willing to come. Occasionally, a member accompanies him there. What I like about this is that the church is willing to do something to engage people outside the church building. None of those who participate in the service at the truck stop is likely to ever attend or join this church. Nevertheless, the ministry goes forward, and the focus is outward on the Kingdom of God, not inward on the church members or the church organization. Are there other things this church could do. Sure, and I hope they will discover some new venues that may enhance the vitality of their congergation. Now, however, I celebrate what they are doing and thank God for their effort.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Where is the wisdom?
Well, it has been so long since I blogged, some of you were wondering if my mind took a big vacation. I confess, it did. I wrote for our newsletter, but I haven't written lately for this blog. I guess I just haven't felt very creative, and I have been busy with lots of meetings.
Last week I got to participate in a men's golf retreat with my church. The weather was superb, the course was great, and my golf, for the most part, stunk up the place. Just like many of us presume upon God, I presumed that I could resume golf after a 9 month layoff and not feel any negative effects. That's not entirely true, because I knew I would not be very good, I just did not think I would be this bad.
One thing impressed me about this group of 24 who participated. I heard a lot of personal comments about individuals following God's direction in their lives. This was really encouraging. I heard about one who led his brother-in-law to Christ, and another who was seeking his next ministry after the current one plays out. Those are the kinds of stories I needed to hear. Even though I often look at churches that don't seem to "get it," I realize all around are individuals living out their personal calling from God faithfully. That is something I am thankful for.
Last week I got to participate in a men's golf retreat with my church. The weather was superb, the course was great, and my golf, for the most part, stunk up the place. Just like many of us presume upon God, I presumed that I could resume golf after a 9 month layoff and not feel any negative effects. That's not entirely true, because I knew I would not be very good, I just did not think I would be this bad.
One thing impressed me about this group of 24 who participated. I heard a lot of personal comments about individuals following God's direction in their lives. This was really encouraging. I heard about one who led his brother-in-law to Christ, and another who was seeking his next ministry after the current one plays out. Those are the kinds of stories I needed to hear. Even though I often look at churches that don't seem to "get it," I realize all around are individuals living out their personal calling from God faithfully. That is something I am thankful for.
Friday, March 13, 2009
Here is Part Three
Seeking First the Kingdom – Part Three
In the first article of the series, I talked about Matthew 6:33 and its personal application. The second article dealt with making application for the local church setting. In this third and final of the series, I want to address current threats to the church and how our obedience to this command of Jesus can address those threats.
Did you see the recent article noting the increased percentages of people who claim no religious preference? This survey affirms my long held belief that we are becoming more and more secular. Any general cultural “preference” for religion, and particularly in our regions, Protestant expressions of Christianity, has diminished greatly. Persons in these past surveys, even though they might not have been Christ followers, or church members, generally expressed a preference for the term “evangelical” or “Christian.” That is no longer true for larger and larger numbers of people.
Is this a bad thing? Obviously it weakens the “perception” of strength of evangelical Christianity, but maybe it is time for us to stop taking adherence to our common “Christian” values for granted. We all knew those who expressed a preference for calling themselves “Christians” or “Evangelicals” did not express a true faith in Jesus Christ. The church of Jesus Christ is not better off because people identify themselves in a survey as “Christian”. The church is better off when people are expressing their personal faith in Christ by being obedient to His commands and allowing Him to direct their lives.
It is also obvious that in these days that churches face some serious economic threats. Shortfalls in giving threaten our missions programs, our church program activities, our staffing, our buildings, and our way of doing church. But let me ask this question. Even if our church can no longer exist in its present form, are we not better off to seek the Kingdom first? Jesus answered that with his life. He laid down his life for his sheep. Did he not call on us to die to self? Does that command not also apply to the church? Maybe our churches are not dying to self because our leadership (I am starting with me) has not modeled their obedience to this command of Jesus. Stewardship of life and life’s resources (both are gifts from God), is one of the critical issues we face in the 21st Century.
Obviously I cannot address all the threats to the church in such a short article, but one other serious threat is holding a consumer attitude toward church and faith. This mentality picks and chooses what one wants; much like a shopper picks and chooses among merchandise in a store or from menu items in a restaurant. We need to be reminded that Biblical faith is not a matter of choosing what we want to obey or do. Christ followers are called to lives of faithfulness and sacrifice. No one would choose this life for himself. We are called into this life through faith in Jesus Christ. Bonhoffer said, “When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die…” not to pick and choose, but to live obediently under His Lordship.
I am praying for your life in Christ to be fruitful for the Kingdom’s sake.
In the first article of the series, I talked about Matthew 6:33 and its personal application. The second article dealt with making application for the local church setting. In this third and final of the series, I want to address current threats to the church and how our obedience to this command of Jesus can address those threats.
Did you see the recent article noting the increased percentages of people who claim no religious preference? This survey affirms my long held belief that we are becoming more and more secular. Any general cultural “preference” for religion, and particularly in our regions, Protestant expressions of Christianity, has diminished greatly. Persons in these past surveys, even though they might not have been Christ followers, or church members, generally expressed a preference for the term “evangelical” or “Christian.” That is no longer true for larger and larger numbers of people.
Is this a bad thing? Obviously it weakens the “perception” of strength of evangelical Christianity, but maybe it is time for us to stop taking adherence to our common “Christian” values for granted. We all knew those who expressed a preference for calling themselves “Christians” or “Evangelicals” did not express a true faith in Jesus Christ. The church of Jesus Christ is not better off because people identify themselves in a survey as “Christian”. The church is better off when people are expressing their personal faith in Christ by being obedient to His commands and allowing Him to direct their lives.
It is also obvious that in these days that churches face some serious economic threats. Shortfalls in giving threaten our missions programs, our church program activities, our staffing, our buildings, and our way of doing church. But let me ask this question. Even if our church can no longer exist in its present form, are we not better off to seek the Kingdom first? Jesus answered that with his life. He laid down his life for his sheep. Did he not call on us to die to self? Does that command not also apply to the church? Maybe our churches are not dying to self because our leadership (I am starting with me) has not modeled their obedience to this command of Jesus. Stewardship of life and life’s resources (both are gifts from God), is one of the critical issues we face in the 21st Century.
Obviously I cannot address all the threats to the church in such a short article, but one other serious threat is holding a consumer attitude toward church and faith. This mentality picks and chooses what one wants; much like a shopper picks and chooses among merchandise in a store or from menu items in a restaurant. We need to be reminded that Biblical faith is not a matter of choosing what we want to obey or do. Christ followers are called to lives of faithfulness and sacrifice. No one would choose this life for himself. We are called into this life through faith in Jesus Christ. Bonhoffer said, “When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die…” not to pick and choose, but to live obediently under His Lordship.
I am praying for your life in Christ to be fruitful for the Kingdom’s sake.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Seeking First the Kingdom - Part Two
In the last post, I looked at how an individual applies the truth of Matthew 6:33, “Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” In this portion, part two of a three part series; I want to apply those truths mentioned in the last article to the local church situation. We often are quick to make personal or individual application of the truths of scripture, but we are much slower at applying the truths of scripture in the corporate context. Perhaps it is because we live in such an individualistic culture. While our Western culture has stressed the individual for centuries, the scriptures were written with a tribal, village or family/group context. I am convinced that practically every scripture that we have individualized probably also needs to be interpreted and applied in the corporate focus of the congregation of God’s people.
So, to put this gospel truth into congregational context, I might ask the local church, “What are you worried about?” Or, as I learned in Healthy Congregations training, “What raises the anxiety level of the local congregation?
What are we worried about in our churches? I would say the two most likely answers would be “money” and “people,”--- “money” to meet the budget (i.e. keep the utilities open and pay the staff) and “people” to keep the church system running (teachers for classes, deacons to serve, people to attend). When we are worried or obsessed with these issues, we are not focusing on the Kingdom of God, we are focusing on us. This is just like those people in Matthew 6 focusing on what they had to eat or to wear.
When have you seen a church obsessed with ministry in the community in Jesus name? When have you see a church obsessed with evangelistic fervor, dying to reach the people in their community? I dare say you have not seen these. Yet, ministering to the community in Jesus name and reaching the lost in our community are Kingdom issues. Paying the bills and keeping the church system running are not. A key part of our mistake has been equating church activities with Kingdom work, and sadly to say, they are not the same. When our focus is turned inward, we worry about our programs and our buildings. We worry about our staff and about our ability to sustain our level of activities. Yet Jesus commanded us to seek FIRST the Kingdom of God. I am convinced that when we do that as the first order of business, He will take care of the other things. And, I am not so sure that we wouldn’t be better off without so many of our busy activities of church life that wear people out without providing spiritual sustenance they need to be Kingdom citizens. Yet, who will give us permission to stop doing all these things. Guess what. I hereby grant you permission to reorder your church life to focus on the things that really matter (not that my permissions is necessary) and make a Kingdom difference.
So, to put this gospel truth into congregational context, I might ask the local church, “What are you worried about?” Or, as I learned in Healthy Congregations training, “What raises the anxiety level of the local congregation?
What are we worried about in our churches? I would say the two most likely answers would be “money” and “people,”--- “money” to meet the budget (i.e. keep the utilities open and pay the staff) and “people” to keep the church system running (teachers for classes, deacons to serve, people to attend). When we are worried or obsessed with these issues, we are not focusing on the Kingdom of God, we are focusing on us. This is just like those people in Matthew 6 focusing on what they had to eat or to wear.
When have you seen a church obsessed with ministry in the community in Jesus name? When have you see a church obsessed with evangelistic fervor, dying to reach the people in their community? I dare say you have not seen these. Yet, ministering to the community in Jesus name and reaching the lost in our community are Kingdom issues. Paying the bills and keeping the church system running are not. A key part of our mistake has been equating church activities with Kingdom work, and sadly to say, they are not the same. When our focus is turned inward, we worry about our programs and our buildings. We worry about our staff and about our ability to sustain our level of activities. Yet Jesus commanded us to seek FIRST the Kingdom of God. I am convinced that when we do that as the first order of business, He will take care of the other things. And, I am not so sure that we wouldn’t be better off without so many of our busy activities of church life that wear people out without providing spiritual sustenance they need to be Kingdom citizens. Yet, who will give us permission to stop doing all these things. Guess what. I hereby grant you permission to reorder your church life to focus on the things that really matter (not that my permissions is necessary) and make a Kingdom difference.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Seeking First the Kingdom - Part One
In the Matthew 6:33, we find a verse that is familiar to most Christians, “But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” Most of us understand the context of this verse. Jesus discerned the thought processes of the people of his day. He knew their concerns. He lived among them. When you spend time with a person or a group of people, you come to know their concerns. He recognized the people of his day were focused on what they would eat or what they would wear, simple projections of the basic human needs. But, the times in Jesus day were difficult for the Jews. They lived in occupied territory. There was hardship all around. These were legitimate concerns. You and I recognize that the issues confronting people in our day are not much different from those mentioned in this passage. Often we clothe this passage in the context of simple “worry.” In reality, I think it is much deeper than that. It’s not just about worry, though Jesus uses that word. It is about the thought processes that dominate our minds and our moods.
Today’s news shows are dominated with talk about our economy. What occupies your mind most of the time? I confess, I watch TV programs to see who can explain the economic mess we are in, without much success. I doubt I am any better off for it.
But in these days of economic uncertainty, what occupies your mind?
Jesus’ challenge to those hearers and to us was to focus primarily on the Kingdom of God. Instead of seeking after wealth or personal security, he challenged us to seek the Kingdom (rule and reign) of God. What does that mean? I think it simply means to live in a relationship of complete reliance upon God, seeking to fulfill God’s will for our lives. It means that God sets the agenda for my life, not me. Uh oh! Do you fall into that trap like I often do of not allowing God to set the direction? I confess! If you pair this verse with Luke 9:23, you understand that “denying self and taking up the cross” means getting off our agenda and getting on God’s agenda.
What is Jesus’ promise that follows this command? It is a promise that we will have those things (basic needs of life) added to us (by Him). In other words, what we were concerned about – i.e. the basic needs of life – food and clothing, He will provide when we first seek His Will.
If I am concerned about my retirement fund, what I am looking for is long-term security after I retire from full-time work. That is why I have for the last 32 years put money into my retirement fund. But, the truth is, that if I trust God, He will provide for what I need, even if my retirement fund is not there when I retire. What I have to do now it to get busy seeking His Kingdom.
Today’s news shows are dominated with talk about our economy. What occupies your mind most of the time? I confess, I watch TV programs to see who can explain the economic mess we are in, without much success. I doubt I am any better off for it.
But in these days of economic uncertainty, what occupies your mind?
Jesus’ challenge to those hearers and to us was to focus primarily on the Kingdom of God. Instead of seeking after wealth or personal security, he challenged us to seek the Kingdom (rule and reign) of God. What does that mean? I think it simply means to live in a relationship of complete reliance upon God, seeking to fulfill God’s will for our lives. It means that God sets the agenda for my life, not me. Uh oh! Do you fall into that trap like I often do of not allowing God to set the direction? I confess! If you pair this verse with Luke 9:23, you understand that “denying self and taking up the cross” means getting off our agenda and getting on God’s agenda.
What is Jesus’ promise that follows this command? It is a promise that we will have those things (basic needs of life) added to us (by Him). In other words, what we were concerned about – i.e. the basic needs of life – food and clothing, He will provide when we first seek His Will.
If I am concerned about my retirement fund, what I am looking for is long-term security after I retire from full-time work. That is why I have for the last 32 years put money into my retirement fund. But, the truth is, that if I trust God, He will provide for what I need, even if my retirement fund is not there when I retire. What I have to do now it to get busy seeking His Kingdom.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Who Get's It? It's About the Kingdom of God
In my work with 57 churches in our association, I am able to gain quite a different perspective than when I was a pastor or campus minister. All of these churches face challenges in today's world. Many, if not all, have a number of committed Christ followers. However, the power of the institutional system we have created at times tends to clearly overshadow any real Kingdom focus. What do I mean by that? We (that's us Baptists and evangelicals in general)developed a very strong and powerful church system. It is organized, structured, and managed much like a business. When we adopt that business management style, we become producers and consumers of religious services and activities. As religious consumers we focus on what we want and what we want for our families instead of focusing on what Jesus would have us do and how Jesus would have us live. That means that those churches with the best programs and the most entertaining "worship" tend to attract the most "consumers."
We lose sight of what it means to be disciples of Jesus and makers of disciples. We lose our missional focus. We learned very well how to "do" church but we have not learned as well how to "be" the church.
Here is how that is fleshed out. Church members focus on whether or not they have good programs and activities, interesting and lively worship services, and whether or not they are growing, that is, getting larger in attendance, membership, and contributions. With these "nickels and noses" ideas, if things are not growing, we fall into "survival" mode, doing whatever we can to insure the "survival" of our church. As you have probably noticed, I mentioned nothing about being missionally focused. Few members are focused on doing the mission, that is, making Jesus followers.
Do you wonder who gets it? How does the one who gets it live out his or her calling while staying engaged in the church institution? I don't all have the answers, but I do have a suggestion or two. First of all, we can't wait until everybody "gets it" because everybody won't "get it." So, we have to encourage and empower those who "get it" to be involved in fulfilling their God-given mission, and we have to try to expand their influence within the existing church system. Hopefully we can surround them in prayer and support. Secondly, we have to share the light, tell the story, proclaim the good news about those who are actively involved in the missional enterprise. Thirdly, we must honor the command of Jesus who said "Pray to the Lord of the harvest to send forth laborers into His harvest." Become earnest in prayer for the missional task. Prayer changes things, but more than that, it changes us.
We lose sight of what it means to be disciples of Jesus and makers of disciples. We lose our missional focus. We learned very well how to "do" church but we have not learned as well how to "be" the church.
Here is how that is fleshed out. Church members focus on whether or not they have good programs and activities, interesting and lively worship services, and whether or not they are growing, that is, getting larger in attendance, membership, and contributions. With these "nickels and noses" ideas, if things are not growing, we fall into "survival" mode, doing whatever we can to insure the "survival" of our church. As you have probably noticed, I mentioned nothing about being missionally focused. Few members are focused on doing the mission, that is, making Jesus followers.
Do you wonder who gets it? How does the one who gets it live out his or her calling while staying engaged in the church institution? I don't all have the answers, but I do have a suggestion or two. First of all, we can't wait until everybody "gets it" because everybody won't "get it." So, we have to encourage and empower those who "get it" to be involved in fulfilling their God-given mission, and we have to try to expand their influence within the existing church system. Hopefully we can surround them in prayer and support. Secondly, we have to share the light, tell the story, proclaim the good news about those who are actively involved in the missional enterprise. Thirdly, we must honor the command of Jesus who said "Pray to the Lord of the harvest to send forth laborers into His harvest." Become earnest in prayer for the missional task. Prayer changes things, but more than that, it changes us.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Corts, Fuller Deaths are a Loss for All of Us
Last week two very influential men left this earthly life rather suddenly. Both died of apparent heart attacks. I was privileged to have met and had interactions with each of them. The first to die was Millard Fuller. A very limited part of Millard's (and his wife Linda's)story has been told widely and most people recognize them as the founders of Habitat for Humanity, a Christian housing ministry. I would encourage each reader to get The Cotton Patch Evidence, by Dallas Lee, as a background, and then to read each of Millard's books (Love in the Mortar Joints, The Theology of the Hammer, etc.) to begin to get the full impact. The goal of Habitat is to provide lost cost affordable housing to God's people in need. These homes are sold to the homeowner with no interest loans. Costs are kept low through donated volunteer labor and "sweat equity" work by the new homeowner. If you have never visited a Habitat home, or a Habitat neighborhood, that would be a start. But better yet, work on a Habitat home alongside the prospective homeowner. Due to a disagreement with the board of directors, the Fullers left Habitat a few years ago and began the Fuller Center for Housing, Inc.
Back in the mid 1980's I took a group of Alabama students to Americus, Ga. to do a week's work with Habitat. In fact, one of those students, a local newspaper writer, was the first person to notify me of Millard's death. While we were there, we had a chance to sit down to dinner with Millard and Linda at Amigo House for a potluck supper. I also had opportunity to have a personal conversation with Millard and to know something of his heart. Each morning while we were there, we met with Habitat families, children, volunteers, and staff for a daily devotional. Several of the Habitat families continued to meet with the group long beyond any obligation they had.
The highlight of that week came when working on a framed-up house. A little boy rode up on his bicycle and showing me a space in that house said "This is my room."
Later that day as I hung off the rafters of that house, I received the famous one finger salute from some driver and passengers as they honked their horn. It's hard for me to understand why some people don't want others to do well.
When we were living in Troy, Alabama, I was privileged to serve on the steering committee that got Troy/Pike Habitat started, and later served on that board for several years before moving away. Each Habitat chapter is encouraged to tithe their income to Habitat International, that builds housing in countries across the globe.
Millard was a magnificent witness of personal commitment, forsaking his fortune in worldly goods to build homes for people on earth and treasures in heaven. He clearly demonstrated the biblical truth that love requires action. Millard was active. I count it a privilege to have known Millard, to have been a campus ministry colleague with his son Chris, and to have been impacted my his life and ministry.
The second untimely death was that of retired Samford University President, Dr. Thomas Corts. Dr. Corts gave tremendous leadership to Samford across the many years he served. He was a superb spokesman for Christian higher education in Alabama and across the nation. I was privileged to serve on the Board of Ministerial Mentors for Samford while Dr. Corts was President. Our daughter attended Samford and graduated while Dr. Corts was at the helm. She also graduated from Beeson Divinity School, a school founded under Dr. Corts' leadership.
Dr. Corts was an outspoken leader in the effort to update or replace Alabama's repressive and cumbersome state constitution, and I pray all those who have joined that battle will not rest until we see the job completed. He served as the leader of that effort, and after his retirement, served a term as the chancellor for post-secondary education in Alabama. He brought impeccable credential to that task, but his leadership was not fully appreciated by our provincial acting State Board of Education. Dr. Corts got us going in the right direction to clean up the mess of nepotism, cronyism, and mismanagement in many of our community colleges. Most recently Dr. Corts served President Bush and our nation in Washington with an education initiative.
Dr. Corts was a committed Christ follower and a superb leader for Alabama Baptists. His leadership will be sorelly missed.
Back in the mid 1980's I took a group of Alabama students to Americus, Ga. to do a week's work with Habitat. In fact, one of those students, a local newspaper writer, was the first person to notify me of Millard's death. While we were there, we had a chance to sit down to dinner with Millard and Linda at Amigo House for a potluck supper. I also had opportunity to have a personal conversation with Millard and to know something of his heart. Each morning while we were there, we met with Habitat families, children, volunteers, and staff for a daily devotional. Several of the Habitat families continued to meet with the group long beyond any obligation they had.
The highlight of that week came when working on a framed-up house. A little boy rode up on his bicycle and showing me a space in that house said "This is my room."
Later that day as I hung off the rafters of that house, I received the famous one finger salute from some driver and passengers as they honked their horn. It's hard for me to understand why some people don't want others to do well.
When we were living in Troy, Alabama, I was privileged to serve on the steering committee that got Troy/Pike Habitat started, and later served on that board for several years before moving away. Each Habitat chapter is encouraged to tithe their income to Habitat International, that builds housing in countries across the globe.
Millard was a magnificent witness of personal commitment, forsaking his fortune in worldly goods to build homes for people on earth and treasures in heaven. He clearly demonstrated the biblical truth that love requires action. Millard was active. I count it a privilege to have known Millard, to have been a campus ministry colleague with his son Chris, and to have been impacted my his life and ministry.
The second untimely death was that of retired Samford University President, Dr. Thomas Corts. Dr. Corts gave tremendous leadership to Samford across the many years he served. He was a superb spokesman for Christian higher education in Alabama and across the nation. I was privileged to serve on the Board of Ministerial Mentors for Samford while Dr. Corts was President. Our daughter attended Samford and graduated while Dr. Corts was at the helm. She also graduated from Beeson Divinity School, a school founded under Dr. Corts' leadership.
Dr. Corts was an outspoken leader in the effort to update or replace Alabama's repressive and cumbersome state constitution, and I pray all those who have joined that battle will not rest until we see the job completed. He served as the leader of that effort, and after his retirement, served a term as the chancellor for post-secondary education in Alabama. He brought impeccable credential to that task, but his leadership was not fully appreciated by our provincial acting State Board of Education. Dr. Corts got us going in the right direction to clean up the mess of nepotism, cronyism, and mismanagement in many of our community colleges. Most recently Dr. Corts served President Bush and our nation in Washington with an education initiative.
Dr. Corts was a committed Christ follower and a superb leader for Alabama Baptists. His leadership will be sorelly missed.
Monday, February 2, 2009
A Call to Spiritual Renewal
I promised in the last post that I would address the issue of spiritual renewal that I sermonized a week or so ago. The text for that message was Revelation 2:4-5, 7a
Of course the entire letter to the church at Ephesus is appropriate, I just did not want to get bogged down in the other portions.
Two or three factors came to mind as the Holy Spirit led me to develop this message. The are: 1) For the past 50-60 years Southern Baptists have devised and developed every kind of program, event, learning kit, book, booklet,or magazine aimed all at helping Christians live the Christ-like life. These seem to be built upon the strong supposition that we fail to live that life because we lack the right information. Our people are trained to the gills with all kinds of awards and certificates, but we are not impacting our world. 2)The city where I reside, Montgomery, Alabama, is more "lost," to use standard SBC lingo, that it was 20,30, or 40 years ago, despite all our programs and activities. A smaller percentage of the population is classified as "born again" or "evangelical" that during the earlier decades. 3) We have become self-focused consumers of religious activity rather than disciples of Jesus. What we truly need is spiritual renewal.
The problem with calling for spiritual renewal is that we have heard that call before, only in most cases those issuing the call could describe what the renewal would look like (Sounds somewhat presumptuous toward God, doesn't it?). Let me give a disclaimer here. I do not pretend to know what it would look like, except to say that it would be in keeping with the character of God and what is revealed in Scripture.
Here are the points of the message I delivered:
1. The road to renewal begins with repentance. The church at Ephesus is called to repentance. We are called to acknowledge that our ways have failed, and that our self-focus had led us off course. We must turn away from these selfish ways and toward Christ.
2) The second step is self-denial. Oops, there is a second scripture here, Luke 9:23 where Jesus said, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me."
Have you seen churches practicing self-denial? I must admit it is not a common trait. My Illinois friend says it is because so few pastor's are practicing self-denial. Rick Warren said it best in the opening to his best selling The Purpose Driven Life when he said, "It's not about you!
3) The Third step is to follow Christ. That means getting off my agenda and getting on his. What is his agenda? Helping people.
4) We must practice listening to God. Too often our prayer lives have focused on telling God what we need. "Anyone who has ears to hear should listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches.
Of course the entire letter to the church at Ephesus is appropriate, I just did not want to get bogged down in the other portions.
Two or three factors came to mind as the Holy Spirit led me to develop this message. The are: 1) For the past 50-60 years Southern Baptists have devised and developed every kind of program, event, learning kit, book, booklet,or magazine aimed all at helping Christians live the Christ-like life. These seem to be built upon the strong supposition that we fail to live that life because we lack the right information. Our people are trained to the gills with all kinds of awards and certificates, but we are not impacting our world. 2)The city where I reside, Montgomery, Alabama, is more "lost," to use standard SBC lingo, that it was 20,30, or 40 years ago, despite all our programs and activities. A smaller percentage of the population is classified as "born again" or "evangelical" that during the earlier decades. 3) We have become self-focused consumers of religious activity rather than disciples of Jesus. What we truly need is spiritual renewal.
The problem with calling for spiritual renewal is that we have heard that call before, only in most cases those issuing the call could describe what the renewal would look like (Sounds somewhat presumptuous toward God, doesn't it?). Let me give a disclaimer here. I do not pretend to know what it would look like, except to say that it would be in keeping with the character of God and what is revealed in Scripture.
Here are the points of the message I delivered:
1. The road to renewal begins with repentance. The church at Ephesus is called to repentance. We are called to acknowledge that our ways have failed, and that our self-focus had led us off course. We must turn away from these selfish ways and toward Christ.
2) The second step is self-denial. Oops, there is a second scripture here, Luke 9:23 where Jesus said, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me."
Have you seen churches practicing self-denial? I must admit it is not a common trait. My Illinois friend says it is because so few pastor's are practicing self-denial. Rick Warren said it best in the opening to his best selling The Purpose Driven Life when he said, "It's not about you!
3) The Third step is to follow Christ. That means getting off my agenda and getting on his. What is his agenda? Helping people.
4) We must practice listening to God. Too often our prayer lives have focused on telling God what we need. "Anyone who has ears to hear should listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
What's wrong with the Church
Just over a week ago, I had the opportunity to preach in one of our local churches. I always look forward to that experience each time I get the invitation, but I must admit that since I no longer serve as a pastor, the practice of sermon preparation has suffered. I do miss that weekly discipline, but I love what I am doing.
What is unusual is that the last time I filled the pulpit in this church I wrote what I thought was one of my better sermons. Unlike most of my sermons that focus on a text and the exposition of that text, this one had three texts, and of course, three points! There was no poem at the end, however. The points were: 1)the Church in the West today has lost its cultural relevance -most of society is not interested in what we are doing as long as we don't bother them. They are not necessarily against us and are willing for us to have church for us; they are just not interested. (scripture- Paul's statement "I become all things to all men that I might by all means save some." 2) We have lost our relevance because we have lost our mission. We thought our mission was to get people to come to church. No, our mission is to connect people with Christ. Getting them to come to church is too much about us and not enough about Jesus.(scriptures -pick one II Cor 5:19, Mt. 28:19-20, Acts 1:8, John 20:22)and 3)We have lost our mission because we have lost our first love. (Revelation 2:4) We have ignored the relationship aspect of salvation in favor of the performance. We have forgotten how to love Jesus more each day because we have neglected our relationship with him.
I had the opportunity to tweak this message and preach it four or five other times.
One time I used Jesus experience with the woman at the well in John 4, to talk about our mission and cultural relevance. It is my conviction that when we serve others (outside the church) in Jesus' name, seeking to improve their lives, we will not be irrelevant.
This most recent message, I followed up on the Revelation 2 passage, to talk about spiritual renewal. That will be my topic in the nest post.
What is unusual is that the last time I filled the pulpit in this church I wrote what I thought was one of my better sermons. Unlike most of my sermons that focus on a text and the exposition of that text, this one had three texts, and of course, three points! There was no poem at the end, however. The points were: 1)the Church in the West today has lost its cultural relevance -most of society is not interested in what we are doing as long as we don't bother them. They are not necessarily against us and are willing for us to have church for us; they are just not interested. (scripture- Paul's statement "I become all things to all men that I might by all means save some." 2) We have lost our relevance because we have lost our mission. We thought our mission was to get people to come to church. No, our mission is to connect people with Christ. Getting them to come to church is too much about us and not enough about Jesus.(scriptures -pick one II Cor 5:19, Mt. 28:19-20, Acts 1:8, John 20:22)and 3)We have lost our mission because we have lost our first love. (Revelation 2:4) We have ignored the relationship aspect of salvation in favor of the performance. We have forgotten how to love Jesus more each day because we have neglected our relationship with him.
I had the opportunity to tweak this message and preach it four or five other times.
One time I used Jesus experience with the woman at the well in John 4, to talk about our mission and cultural relevance. It is my conviction that when we serve others (outside the church) in Jesus' name, seeking to improve their lives, we will not be irrelevant.
This most recent message, I followed up on the Revelation 2 passage, to talk about spiritual renewal. That will be my topic in the nest post.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
For Fear of Sounding Redundant
I write regulary for our association's newsletter, published each week on the back page of the Alabama Baptist newspaper for those families whose subscriptions originate from one of our member churches. It doesn't go all over the state like one woman in my previous church believed. She said, "I don't want people all over Alabama knowing our business." Well, she didn't have to worry. It's called a "local edition." The print media has been a mainstay for our communication effort for the past 30 or more years. But you can imagine that we discover a diminishing number of subscriptions each year, thus a reduction in readership.
Hopefully we will begin some creative electronic communication efforts in the near future to help those more "wired" to connect with what God is doing in our midst.
I say all that to say that every time I sit down to write, I get the feeling I have aleady stated this emphasis. So, with that acknowledgement, please forgive any redundancy in my thoughts and expressions. I hope to be writing more very soon.
Hopefully we will begin some creative electronic communication efforts in the near future to help those more "wired" to connect with what God is doing in our midst.
I say all that to say that every time I sit down to write, I get the feeling I have aleady stated this emphasis. So, with that acknowledgement, please forgive any redundancy in my thoughts and expressions. I hope to be writing more very soon.
Friday, January 9, 2009
Spiritual Renewal
I served for the past two years on the Leadership Team of the Network of Baptist Associations. The primary purposes of this loosely knit organization have been to advocate for associationalism, to network associational leadership, and to provide for relevant continuing education opportunities for persons serving in associational leadership. In a separate blog, www.heykenmay.blogspot.com, I wrote about my recent trip to Texas to attend the annual Summit, where I had the opportunity to meet a very distant cousin.
One of my colleagues I have connected with the past four years shared an impression with me. He said we spend so much time and energy making "mechanical" adjustments to our activities, structures, and content that result in minimal change in impact.
He is convinced that our "mechanical" changes are not the ultimate answer. The reason we are not more effective is a spiritual one. Referring to a passage of scripture, Luke 9:23, where Jesus said, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me," my friend interprets this to mean "I get off my agenda and get on God's agenda." He calls for a new spiritual awakening, saying that the church has drifted significantly but so slowly that it seemed imperceptable since the last great spritual movement in 1858. He pointed to a document he had composed while returning from a trip to South America that contrasted the church of scripture with the church and our lives today. It was pretty telling. There is no doubt in my mind that we need a great spiritual awakening and renewal today. I told my friend I have heard many people call for this in my lifetime, but they almost always seemed to know how this would take place and what form it would take. Thankfully, my friend said he did not have a clue.
All this reminded me of what my associate said a few weeks ago. He read about a monk to set out to change the world. After several years of struggle, he realized he could not change the world, so he sought to change his country. When this did not work after several years, he sought to change his city. Of course this effort did not succeed so he decided to focus on changing his family. Well, by now you know this did not happen, so near the end of his life be begin to focus on changing himself. Obviously, he got it all backwards. Spriritual renewal must begin within. I cannot effectively call for spiritual renewal if I am not seeking spiritual renewal for myself.
How does this happen? It begins with serious prayer and reflection, seeking that deeper relationship with our Lord, and our Lord's will for my very own life. As change begins there, it can then begin to spread to others. I dare not ask others to pray if I am not willing to make the same commitment, or one that exceeds what I am asking of others. How can I seek spiritual renewal in others if I do not seek it as an essential in my own life.
One of my colleagues I have connected with the past four years shared an impression with me. He said we spend so much time and energy making "mechanical" adjustments to our activities, structures, and content that result in minimal change in impact.
He is convinced that our "mechanical" changes are not the ultimate answer. The reason we are not more effective is a spiritual one. Referring to a passage of scripture, Luke 9:23, where Jesus said, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me," my friend interprets this to mean "I get off my agenda and get on God's agenda." He calls for a new spiritual awakening, saying that the church has drifted significantly but so slowly that it seemed imperceptable since the last great spritual movement in 1858. He pointed to a document he had composed while returning from a trip to South America that contrasted the church of scripture with the church and our lives today. It was pretty telling. There is no doubt in my mind that we need a great spiritual awakening and renewal today. I told my friend I have heard many people call for this in my lifetime, but they almost always seemed to know how this would take place and what form it would take. Thankfully, my friend said he did not have a clue.
All this reminded me of what my associate said a few weeks ago. He read about a monk to set out to change the world. After several years of struggle, he realized he could not change the world, so he sought to change his country. When this did not work after several years, he sought to change his city. Of course this effort did not succeed so he decided to focus on changing his family. Well, by now you know this did not happen, so near the end of his life be begin to focus on changing himself. Obviously, he got it all backwards. Spriritual renewal must begin within. I cannot effectively call for spiritual renewal if I am not seeking spiritual renewal for myself.
How does this happen? It begins with serious prayer and reflection, seeking that deeper relationship with our Lord, and our Lord's will for my very own life. As change begins there, it can then begin to spread to others. I dare not ask others to pray if I am not willing to make the same commitment, or one that exceeds what I am asking of others. How can I seek spiritual renewal in others if I do not seek it as an essential in my own life.
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