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.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
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.
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