Happy Holidays!

I'm taking a few moments during my lunch break to comment on something that just rubs me the wrong way and that is this: Every year at this time the senseless debate over a mere gesture becomes a point of contention and downright (nasty at times) “Dudley Do-Right”-masked indignation.  Heaven forbid a Christian ever greet anyone by saying “Happy Holidays” instead of “Merry Christmas” lest the wrath of fellow believers descend on them with a correction of ensuing blows to the head or gut.  Good grief!  I’ve even seen checkout clerks who cheerfully wish someone “happy holidays” only to get a nasty response of “Merry Christmas” from someone with a scowl intent only to make a point.  I guarantee you that Jesus looked more favorably upon the clerk than the patron and how ironic.  The Christmas holiday should not be cause for debate and division but of inclusion, happiness and joy.  Rather than take up a self-righteous stance on something that doesn’t amount to a hill of beans, instead donate some time at a homeless shelter or food pantry this season and help someone have a “happy holiday!”

The Dwelling Place

To encounter something, you have to go there.  There's no getting around it-you have to move.  


Last night in our Life group we discussed briefly the busyness of life.  In fact most of us were very tired.  I know that I was after having put in a full day of physical work (not my day job) following minimal sleep left me very fatigued. Fatigue was evident in the others as well.  I could see it in their eyes.  We talked about the Sabbath, sabbaticals...rest.  We talked about the things we should be doing and what we are called to do but our hands are so full of junk that to grasp the important things means to release the junk we cling to.  We can't hold everything in the palm of our hands and so choices have to be made in order to grab on to that which is good.


Our weariness isn't limited to our physical being but our inner-being, our spirituality in spite of the fact that God's dwelling place is with you and me.  This is His choice; it always has been His desire to dwell with man and yet we can't seem to hear Him.  


I look at my phone's calendar app and it's loaded with "do this and do thats."  I can schedule time for even the dumbest of things but where in November have I set aside time with God other than church; I mean real quality time?  Quality time-not the kind where I squeeze Him in but where I actually plan an encounter, a day where I decide the "to-do list" isn't going to make the cut...or anything else for that matter.


The scripture that is working on me this morning are these:


Revelation 21:3~"Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man.


Revelation 3:20~"Behold, I stand at the door and knock.  If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to Him and eat with Him, and he with me."


A true encounter happens when we leave our laundry list at home.  It happens when we set aside a time with God that has no agenda but to just be in His presence without one peep from a cell phone, the kids-from everything.  The encounter happens when nothing else in our life matters than being alone with Him and that is probably the highest form of worship we could ever give.  

The Simple Life

It's been a couple of weeks since I've slept at home.  Kristi and I have spent this whole time at our "weekend" retreat except for an occasional stop at the house for odds and ends.  Of course Kristi has other matters at the house that need her attention such as her critters. This Spring and Summer have shown us just how possible it is to live in minimal space and we actually prefer it. I can't say that this lifestyle is for everyone but it does make me think about how we have drifted from living within our means as a society. We have departed from the smaller home and fewer possessions to where we are today. Maybe the lessons of this economic mess will awaken our sensibilities. As beaten down as many of us have been, our decadent lifestyle hasn't really changed much has it?  Many of us while experiencing the loss of a home or struggling to make ends meet still are still willing to sacrifice a quarter of a week's grocery budget on one family meal at a fast food joint.  Are we learning anything?

It's really time to come to our senses isn't it? Don't these tough times require a change in habit and an "about-face" from the lifestyle and lack of discipline that got us here? Isn't it time to get honest with ourselves and get back to the basics of life? How much is enough?

Who's job is it anyway?

A recently released study that found 1 in 5 children in America live in poverty has Christian advocacy groups urging Congress to not cut financial safety net programs while attempting to reduce the national debt.~Christian Post

What should the proper Christian response be toward those that are in need?  We shouldn’t support government charity to solve poverty should we?  Should we support them by way of the church on the basis of mercy, grace and charity?  Isn't it sad that the only place to turn really is the government?

We have, over the years, let the government take our role in society of helping the less fortunate…the needy. The “War on Poverty” and social programs coming out of Washington have stripped away the church’s responsibility, yes-the church’s responsibility and we have let them take it from us.  It's a flawed idea that government-obligated redistribution of wealth is a good way to help the needy back onto their feet.  Quite the contrary, the result is entitlement programs and welfare that opposes a life-change in favor of a lifestyle of dependency; certainly no revelation there.

Only when the Christian community (with the help of secular charitable organizations for that matter) step up and live out the lessons of Jesus will we truly be in a position to help the poor, unemployed, widows, orphans, and anyone else in need.  That’s what needs to happen doesn’t it?  The church needs to step-in so that government is able to step out of the societal territory that belongs to the church. That can only happen when the church remembers the lessons of Jesus – that He wants our hearts.  That kind of change is going to require a huge leap of faith in the Christian community and church leadership must be willing to take huge risk to bring that about.  I would really like to believe that as Christians we can bring ourselves to sacrifice for the good of all.  The first century church gave of what they had so that no one was in need (Acts 2:44-45).  Today that kind of behavior at the community level is sadly defined as a cult and at the government level defined as socialism.  Call it what you like but I can’t help but wonder if that is where our societal solution lies.  If the Christian community (the church) cannot pull off caring for one another then why in the world should we expect the government to?  The fact is the government can’t and it shouldn’t.  I also understand that the times are different today than in the first century.  There are huge changes that would have to take place in the church today both logistically and administratively where her role changes from a worship-type of entity to that which resembles more the likes of a food bank and unemployment office.  I don’t know how such a shift in philosophy can be pulled off.  Maybe it can’t in these modern times.  I do know this though; the government can’t do much worse; and the church?  The church can and MUST do better.  When the church can only afford to exist, pay its bills and salaries at the cost of being charitable that is a problem especially when capacity is there to do so much more.  Only when the Christian community truly gives Jesus what he desires, their heart, will we be relevant in such a way that we care for one another and make a difference in the lifes of those in need.  No-Christian leadership should definitely NOT be calling on government to do what God has called us to do.  We don't need to delegate to "big brother" what our Father has called us to do.  This isn't a question of being hard, its a question of doing what is right.  If the local church exists with resources enough to only provide for it's own programs, members and paid staff then it's time to take a look at things.  It's interesting that the Christian Right Wing is so vocal about demanding less government and yet here are Christian advocacy groups calling for more government and entitlements at that!  Sorry pal.  As Christians we should be ashamed to demand that government TAKE from someone via taxes the resources to help the poor. This should come from us-what we should freely give.  Jesus never said it was going to be easy.

Has Your Time Come?

"But now, O Lord,
you are our Father;
we are the clay, and You our potter;
and all we are, the work of Your hand."
Isaiah 64:8


Out of dust comes clay; the raw unrefined material that God will shape and mold to His liking often times whether we like it or not.  


Thinking back on American history and how God used Abraham Lincoln I'm encouraged.  Abe was just a country boy like many of us.  He was a relatively "self-taught" man that by today's standards might not have gotten a second look to do much of anything that might make a difference in our world much less lead a nation.  The thing is, God doesn't work that way.  As with so many great leaders he starts the same way as He does with anyone of us and you can be assured He can create something from nothing.  Be confident that the same breath that breathed life through the nostrils of Adam can breathe life into your calling and mine.


The author of the book I'm currently reading "The Emotionally Healthy Church" mentions how a man's conviction to doing right can come at a huge cost-the magnitude of which you and I will probably never have to wiegh.  God chose Abe Lincoln to one day rise up and become a leader so convicted about the abomination of slavery that he would be willing to risk civil war to abolish it.  This is huge!  Imagine some leadership decisions you face.  You know they are right, just and they are necessary.  You know the cost of the decision may be high.  You also know that it is crucial to follow through because the time is at hand and by His hand.  For years some of us have let others fill in the blank that defines who we are and what we will do and they neither have the right or the foresight to do so. Perhaps it is time to bring glory through that which has been in the making your whole life because not all pottery ends up an ashtray; not the pottery of The Maker's hand.  


Danny Thomas said: "All of us are born for a reason, but all of us don't discover why."  Maybe it's time to fill in the blank for yourself.  "I was born for this, this is my time and I was created to _______________."

Is today's church really about Him? Really?

The following is an excerpt from a Barna Group report.  It got me wondering more about a hunch I have about todays church and it's bent for being trendy.  Is the church too concerned with trends these days at the cost of true spiritual discipleship and outreach?  Interesting how today, what we now call a worship "experience" used to be called a worship "service."  Does it stand to reason then, that Sunday mornings have to be sadly worth the price of admission or risk a poor show?  If you think that is far-fetched I would be willing to bet that the average church-goer does not give financially to their home church except on those Sundays they attend and that points to sadly the equivalent of the Sunday offering being reduced to an admission fee (payment for services rendered).  Has Sunday morning become more about how we feel and less about our Savior and learning Who God is in an effort we get in better touch with our own inner being?  Good grief!  The pastorate does their best by and large yet I can't help but wonder if the tail hasn't been wagging the dog too much in today's church.  Some reports I've read pretty much state that if Sunday morning isn't thorough in making you and I feel better about ourselves it's going to be a challenge to keep the lights on.  I'm fortunate to be part of a church that delivers a healthy dose of scriptural relevance and teaching and I know many attenders are "getting it."  That howver is not the case everywhere.  Now for the report. 
Barna Report:
Growing numbers of people are less interested in spiritual principles and more desirous of learning pragmatic solutions for life.  When asked what matters most, teenagers prioritize education, career development, friendships, and travel. Faith is significant to them, but it takes a back seat to life accomplishments and is not necessarily perceived to affect their ability to achieve their dreams. Among adults the areas of growing importance are lifestyle comfort, success, and personal achievements. Those dimensions have risen at the expense of investment in both faith and family. The turbo-charged pace of society leaves people with little time for reflection. The deeper thinking that occurs typically relates to economic concerns or relational pressures. Spiritual practices like contemplation, solitude, silence, and simplicity are rare. (It is ironic that more than four out of five adults claim to live a simple life.) Practical to a fault, Americans consider survival in the present to be much more significant than eternal security and spiritual possibilities. Because we continue to separate our spirituality from other dimensions of life through compartmentalization, a relatively superficial approach to faith has become a central means of optimizing our life experience.


I find it absurd that a church cannot connect the dots of spiritual disciplines, make them relevant AND in doing so teach how THAT will optimize our life experiences.  To avoid core teachings and principles of Christian living and substitute with the "warm-fuzzies" has a finite life that probably will find a church plateauing or declining before long.  I think people still seek a deeper relationship with Jesus without so much circus.  I'm interested to know what you think.

Little Kingdoms

Ephesians 4:16 (NIV): 16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

I love that verse. This and a few others like it are pretty often preached on Sunday morning. It occurred to me this week however that when it's preached, it's generally preached in the context of the individual or individuals within a church rather than the church as a body. Let me explain. We are often called as individuals to work together with other individuals within the church (the "little kingdom"); our body part called to action along with other body parts to serve a common purpose. It takes the proper working of each individual part in the body --saints equipped for service working together with everybody doing their part. The effectiveness mandates the following:

• an understanding of the priesthood of all believers versus a leader mentality
• being servant-oriented and interdependent versus self-centered and self-dependent
• working as a team versus a one-man show
• seeing the body as an organism versus an organization

I think we all get the picture...kind of, but here is where I believe we have grossly missed the the point and in the process, the opportunities set before us:

We've forgotten what makes a church, a church. She has gotten so inwardly focused that its become more about the building (little kingdom) than the community (The Kingdom). We need to change our view of church from that of a building to that of a community. By this I am not talking about a "community of faith" within our "little kingdom." I'm talking about this: Many churches, although distinct in views and beliefs, have the same needs and goals in the community. Since community is a strong element of most religions, this is a factor that enables many churches to come together to work toward a common goal with "The Kingdom" in mind rather than the predominant idea of community that is "the little kingdom." We are frequently encouraged as individuals to get to know other individuals both like us and unlike us and work together, serve together and worship together and do all the things a good "Acts 2" church does. So why doesn't the Acts 2 church take this to the next level? Why isn't the "little kingdom" pulling together more with other "little kingdoms" in the community, each a vital body part coming together to form a large body? Why aren't more churches working alongside other churches so that a HUGE impact can be achieved in their community? If our own church "little kingdom" understands the concept of "whole-body" efficiency within itself then why, why, why is that philosophy not getting across that the local church has failed to serve the Kingdom in an impacting way as a community of churches? Are we that introverted and overly focused on protectionism and even possessive? Do you suppose there is an unhealthy amount of "steeple envy" at work here as well?

The bottom line as I see it is this: the little kingdoms (local churches) do God a great disservice when they fail to come together with other churches in their community to serve the kingdom in a cooperative way that can achieve an impact that by no means within a "little kingdom" can be accomplished by herself; when she fails to do the good she knows in her heart that she can do and the difference that can make in the community. Simply put, the church needs to quit being selfish with her "little kingdom" and get serious about being "Kingdom-focused."

What's Cooking?

It's often said, "God will meet you right where you're at." That is to say He'll meet you as you are. I had planned something quite different on my mind to jot down this morning and mere seconds ago I recalled something a friend posted on Facebook a few days ago. In it he cited a song he felt might resonate with those that because of their "situation" are not more of what God calls them to be. I know this friend's heart, I know his situation-I know what troubles him. I also know that in the midst of his situation he of course is not everything...yet, that God is calling him to be but he is everything God has called him to be at this time and in this "situation." This friend happens to have the spiritual gift of hospitality. He seeks opportunity to use his gift; he injects himself into situations to bless others with it. Nothing at all to be concerned about here my friend. You are always cooking up something for somebody and in the middle of your situation...well, God is doing some cooking of His own.

Stuff

I'm up very early again this morning on account of a regular problem of not being able to turn off my head and sleep like a normal person.



I've been thinking this morning, well...I've been thinking about this all week actually, about all this stuff we have in the house. One of the cool things about writing Life Group lessons (and as Pastors will admit they do when they draft their teachings) is I draw on personal experience and emotion to develop part of the material. This week Pastor Rob is focusing on hoarding. I was proof-reading some of the Life Group lesson material to Kristi the other day and when I got to the part about how garages these days don't even get used for vehicles but are used as the largest walk-in closet in the house. Kristi said, "you should put a picture of our garage in the lesson material." She's right-I should. I would guess that at least half of what is in there (and in Kristi's storage room in the basement by the way), hasn't been touched for at least 3-years. We both tend to use the same excuse, that "we might need it someday" or "that used to be mom's or dad's." We were both convicted this week that yes, while we might need these things someday, someone else really could use it today, and the next day and the next. What we have archived "treasured" as a luxury is a very real need to someone else.



Spring is a popular time for people to take stock of their possessions, decide what they can part with and have a garage sale; maybe they'll make $50 or so. Maybe a better thing to consider would be instead of using that effort to earn $50, that we would give it away to charity. My guess is that all this stuff we might unload in a garage sale that doesn't really amount to a hill of beans financially would be valued ten-times that to families in need because you can't really put a value on need. You simply need it or you don't. Think about that. If that doesn't do it then think about this: 16% of children in the United States, are in poor families. Yes you could get $5 for that hardly worn Winter coat you don't need but someone in need would respond as if they were handed a hundred bucks. That person could be someone in your own family or mine. We just may not know it yet.

New Foundation

My brother-in-law Jeff recently returned from a mission trip to Honduras. Many of the pictures he has posted remind me of what we saw on our mission trip to the Dominican Republic in 2006. As you look at this picture you wonder why in the world would you bother to pour a concrete floor in a building that surely will struggle to stand anyway? Jeff said that a mother of five lives here. Her husband ran off and she manages the best she can. The concrete will replace an unsanitary dirt floor he said.

As I read this it hit home how powerful a metaphor this is. It's never too late to build a foundation where one never existed. It's never too late to pour solid ground where there was once sinking sand. It's never too late because our walls will never be secure and they can't endure the test of time, life and the world but God (if we allow Him to) will in the same spirit He helped Nehemiah rebuild a wall will help us secure ours. If our walls lean, loosen or fall we can always count on the solid foundation...the solid footing of Jesus to anchor upon.

Vision Statement or Vision Movement?

Very early Friday morning I was reflecting on what God has done with (and through) Jacob’s Well. This 3-year old church plant that is at a benchmark well ahead of the norm at this point is certainly one of God’s plan. This church is not (in my opinion) commissioned to be a “normal” church that moves at a “normal” pace under “normal” ways and means. I believe there is more…much more. This got me thinking about her future, anticipating God’s moves with this body located on Mitchell Dr. in Plano, IL. My thoughts (dreams?) turned to the church planting that The Well will do. I started envisioning strip mall store-front satellite churches being birthed in communities where God has identified a need. This is all very exciting to me because God is always moving and has planned ahead so shouldn’t we do the same? Shouldn’t we want do do the same? As I contemplated all of the “moves” God might be making, my excitement grew. At the same time I couldn’t help but wonder if my drive and ambition was out of place or premature. I soon realized that neither was. In fact if I ever get to the point that I don’t get excited about the things that God has planned in reaching out and how I believe He plans to use me or my brothers and sisters in Christ-then I have reason for concern. I believe one of the biggest reasons a church becomes stagnant is because of staffing with momentum killers. I happen to believe that if you pray about something long enough; your opportunity may have come and gone. This is because long and focused prayer for guidance can soon turn into procrastination and often does. Too often “let’s pray about that” is just a nicer, more churchy way of saying “I’ll get back to you on that.” I haven't experienced that kind of thing at The Well. That is why I truly believe the things I dream of for her, a shared dream by the way, will become reality. Before this can happen though, the right team has to be in place. You can't be in the "A" game without the "A" team on the field.

Like any businesses I’ve had the pleasure of associating with, the New Year often includes an element of vision-casting. The problem isn’t with vision-casting but the lack of a team (the right team) commissioned to see the vision through-to keep the momentum. Churches, like most private businesses can be full of great ideas but unless there is a team that believes and is excited about the future, anticipates and has a passion for the vision, you can forget it.

Kristi came across one of Steven Furtick’s blog posts later in the day and posted it on Facebook: http://www.stevenfurtick.com/spiritual-growth/celebration-and-anticipation/. She had no idea what I was thinking earlier in the morning. Now this morning as I sat down to jot some thoughts and the following blog drew my attention. It is very much in line with my beliefs. “Three critical aspects for future growth” by Ron Edmondson are absolutely essential for carrying out God’s plan for the local church and this can’t just be a “go through the motions” January waste of time. Strategic-planning is essential and demands the kind of dedication that can only be found in a team built with individuals that are forward-thinkers, have a passion for God and for their church and last but not least are excited about what the future could be...all three. That is what will produce results and that is what will make a vision become reality. Just so I'm not misunderstood; I couldn't care less about how many seats my church has. What I do care about and what I dream about is how many communities my church can have a place of worship in and have a stake in that community. Isn't that what community is really about? This is what excites me about Jacob's Well; the fact that if she no longer existed, she would be missed by not only one community but three or four. It's not about growing a big church and inviting people in. Its about going out seeding and growing the community. I’ve had my fill of vision statements and mission statements. What I want to see are more vision movements and mission movements.