Life is a Journey
Thoughts on LifeArchive for church
Planned negligence…
I was privileged to attend the Willow Creek Leadership Summit again this year. Actually it was at a satellite location in Springfield, Missouri. This is always a spiritually refreshing time. God speaks through the speakers and challenges us in fresh ways. I find that it is so important that as a pastor I have times away when I am fed, challenged, directed and encouraged by the Lord. It is easy to let the tyranny of the urgent discourage these times away, but they are of utmost importance. Jesus modeled times of planned negligence for the sake of renewal and time with the Father. I would be terribly unwise and arrogant to presume that I don’t need the same and more.
For me there were three favorite elements of this conference. First God used multiple speakers to confirm some areas that He has been leading me into. I deeply appreciate the confirmation God provides through His Spirit and his people. The second was a speaker named Wess Stafford. Wess is the President and CEO of Compassion International. His testimony of God’s faithfulness to use our brokenness was very powerful. I am praying and looking for ways to use his talk with our church. Finally I enjoyed a talk by Gary Hamel. Gary is the Director of Management Innovation Lab and a Visiting Professor at the London Business School. He spoke on Managing Differently Now. It was a wonderful dialogue on change and why it is essential that we sometimes change. Not change our core beliefs or Biblical foundation, but change our methods and systems for accomplishing our unchanging purpose. When the world around us is continually changing, lately at an ever increasing rate, and the church’s approach to reaching this world does not change we are ever increasing risk of becoming irrelevant to most of our world. It was both a challenging and encouraging talk. I look forward to sharing this with leaders in the church to encourage additional dialogue about the importance of appropriate change for the sake of reaching our dying world. Certainly and interesting and difficult subject.
All in all it was an excellent conference that God has used in my heart and life. I pray God continues to speak to me and guide in this journey of being a pastor. If God doesn’t lead me, I really don’t want to take the journey.
Al
Future Faith – thoughts from my bride
I woke up this morning in prayer as I do most mornings.
Although this morning came with passion for a Future of Faith. Looking out to future generations of faith.
Years ago when Al and I were newlyweds and fresh in the Lord together, in our church there were no couples our age. There were older people who had raised their children in church and had prayers that one day their children would return to the church to their faith, and to the Lord.
I thought often of God’s promise in his words, “Raise your children up in the way of the Lord and they will not depart from it.”
Many years have passed and we find ourselves at the end of the journey of “raising our children in the way of the Lord.” They did not depart from the Lord. And now they our on their own journey of raising their children in the way of the Lord.
Passing our faith on in our families is priority in our journey in Christ. Our daughters were preachers-kids. My constant prayer was that they would find a very close intimate relationship with their Lord and savior. They did.
Recently our younger daughter and her husband moved to the small community of Republic outside of Springfield, Mo. They had been living in Springfield and were attending the 1st Baptist Church of Republic, where they had found lots of couples their age that they enjoyed the worship and fellowship in that church. They joined this church and bought a home there in the community.
Not long after they become actively involved in the ministry of this church, my daughter found herself sitting beside the pastor’s daughter in a Baptist type meeting such as my daughter had never experienced in her fathers ministry. Details were never brought to the surface to anyone’s understanding, toward the Pastor. After too much stress and lack of constructive communication, the whole church staff resigned in one Sunday evening. The Pastor of youth, the minister of children, the worship minister and the Pastor.
When this Pastor came to this church, he was asked to minister in a way that he would bring young couples into the church. He did bring many young couples in to the church. They are all gone now. Now there is a new church in Republic full of young couples and also older people who have a passion for future generations in faith. In their 3rd Sunday of worship together they were 127 in attendance. Worshiping in joy and passion of raising their children up in the way of the Lord.
The 1st Baptist church of Republic recently displayed on their church sign “old fashioned music and preaching.” My question is, do they love their traditions, heritage and hymn books more than they love the Lord or God’s plan for future generation of faith?
I am a Pastors wife that God has given an extreme passion for our young adults and families in my church of 1st Baptist Pea Ridge. I am so thankful for the ministry in our church that promotes the growth of young families and the future of their children. As I become older and hopefully more mature in the Lord, my personal prayer is that I am a part of God’s ministry in a current world. I love seeing the passion of younger people worship with all their hearts in the songs of their time period more than my songs of old, because I see Christ alive in their hearts. And our Faith marches on into the future as God has purposed it to do.
In the fly leaves of my Bible I have what I call my Hall of Faith. My mentors who have inspired me with their faith. Elders of my life who touched me in a way that has formed my inner spiritual character.
Edith Burling taught me simple faith and trust and keeping a single focus on the love for God and all his people.
Maxine Lee reconfirmed the importance of loving the church, God had placed me in. She said this church needs a lot of love. “Love never fails.”
Maxine Richardson showed me faith in action, her presence, her hospitality, her servant’s heart will forever change who I am in Christ daily- thank you so much Maxine.
Maxine Morrison’s great joy and sense of humor, a spinster retired school teacher, she read the Bible through on an average of 6-7 times a year.
Edith Laramore’s caring for others, making sure the Pastor knew of ministering needs of everyone in the church, networking fellowship to care for one another’s needs. On her dying bed as I held her hand a few days before she passed away she expressed her understanding of the churches need to minister to a current world, in new ways.
There are more in my personal Hall of Faith and I am sure more to be added. It has been important for me to remember those who God used in the building of his kingdom and the future of an on going faith.
Please join me in these prayers for our church:
Truth prevails over the darkness of dissention and gossip.
God helps us to see a world in need of a savoir as more important than ourselves and our traditions.
Elders who are willing to Love and affirm young families in our church, and also pray that because we have a heart for future generations of faith, God will increase our ministry.
Protection for the Pastors and all those called by God to lead the Church.
A closing thought:
When I think back about the church that was waiting to see the children who were raised in the Lord to return. Was it the staleness and stagnant traditions of their perceived ideas of church that they raised their children up in, rather than really raising them up in the way of the Lord?
The church split my daughter has gone through left parents behind in the ole church with their good ole fashioned religion and a very small group of ole people who cling to their traditions. Their children, as young adult are willing to move on into the future ministry of new generations.
I want to be one of the ole people that wrap my arms around them and cheer them on, rejoicing in worship with them and hopefully mentoring as God calls me.
–Kim
May 1 Reading: 1 Chronicles 14-15; Psalm 132; Matthew 18
Scripture: 1 Chronicles 15:22 Kenaniah the head Levite was in charge of the singing; that was his responsibility because he was skillful at it.
Observations: The Levite placed in charge of singing before the Ark (hence before the presence) of the Lord was evidently selected for this task, this leadership role, because of his skill. Could we assume it is biblical, even intelligent to have people doing what they’re skilled at? Could it be this is more important than tenure or relations? Does this mean we aren’t being unbiblical or ungraceful when we evaluate skill in relation to roles & responsibilities?
Application: Skill matters. This may be easier said & understood than applied in the context of the local church. It seems there are other considerations. Now, grated there are considerations of attitude, walk with God, Spirit control, etc. Skill is most certainly not the only issue, but this makes it obvious that it is an appropriate biblical criteria. Duh!
Prayer: Father, give me the wisdom and courage to use your biblical standards in your church. Amen!
1 Samuel 11-12; 1 Chronicles 1; 2 Corinthians 11
Scripture: 2 Corinthians 11:2 (NIV) 2 I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to him.
Observations: Paul speaks to the Corinthian believers telling them that he promised them to Christ (as in marriage) so that he could present a pure virgin. As believers we are married to Christ. The Bride of Christ. With that in mind we should remember that He expect a pure bride. He expects us to keep Him as our love, our first and only affection. Satan desires to draw our affections away from our Lord. The day we took that step of faith – we willingly become promised to Jesus as His bride. This must impact our lifestyle & decisions!
Application: I must live my life aware that I am His bride. I must keep myself spotless and pure. I need to be aware of Satan’s interest in drawing my heart away. I must keep my passion single and focused. Nothing can take my allegience from my Lord.
Prayer: Father, help me keep my heart and devotion committed only to Jesus! Help me see this journey as being married to Christ. I want your strength to be fully and only devoted to Jesus my Lord! Amen.
1 Samuel 1-2; Psalm 66; 2 Cor. 7
Scripture: 2 Corinthians 7:9 yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance.
Observations: Paul is happy that the sorrow he caused this church led to something good. It led to repentance. He was willing to confront, to boldly deal with issues. The passage goes on to contrast Godly sorrow that leads to repentance with worldy sorrow that leads to death. I wonder how often we avoid causing someone sorrow by confronting them or telling them the truth in love and the result is that they end up with worldly sorrow and the ultimate consequence is much worse? Of course there is no gaurantee that the response will be repentance. Sometimes the response is rebellion and anger. Not all correction is received. This could be someone in our family, a child, a friend, someone in our church. Hmm. Am I off base for the passage?
Application: I must remain open to being corrected. When I am rebuked, corrected or otherwise instructed I must be open to seeing the truth about myself, my actions, attitudes, etc. I need to allow healthy correction to lead to repentance. The alternative is not good. I must also be willing to confront, direct, and instruct. Biblically, carefully and in love. The alternative is not good.
Prayer: Father, help me be sensitive. Help me listen to the still small voice of your Spirit. Help me also be open to those in my life that you might use to direct and teach me. Regardless who that might be. I want repentance rather than death. Amen.
Insider or Newcomer?
Remember Me? I’m back!
Ok, it’s been way too long since I’ve posted anything here. Let’s see if we can get this moving again.
I know last time I talked about tradition and meant to follow with something else on the subject. Too much time and too many thoughts since then.
I have a strange thought process rolling around in my mind. Who counts more? Newcomers or Old-timers? Insiders or Outsiders? Strange question? Think about it. In the average church do we base decisions on what is best for insiders or outsiders? When we consider opinions and reactions are we more concerned with newcomers or old-timers? Is that a simple question or is it more complicated than a first glance suggests?
It seems to me the longer you are a follower of Christ the less you understand how someone far from God thinks. We “once were lost, but now we’re found.” Once we knew what it was to be far from God, unfamiliar with church and how things usually happen there. We become a believer and begin to attend church. We get to know what life is like there. What is expected and accepted. We begin to grow and learn. Then one day, not sure exactly when, we become an insider. We become a part of the established congregation. We’ve been around a while. You might even call us an old-timer. Old-timer is not an age; it’s about how accepted and established a person is. You can be in the youth group for a few months and be an old-timer, an insider.
You might be an insider or old-timer…
If you’ve ever said, “Who are all these new people?”
If you’ve ever thought that it’s not fair or appropriate for someone to ask that “new” person for their feedback or opinion before they ask you.
If you can’t easily remember how foreign and difficult the initial experience at church can be.
You might be an outsider or newcomer…
If you find yourself wondering how to connect with some of these people who already have their relationship calendar full and sometimes seem to look at you like, “who are all these new people?”
If you wonder why most of the music is kind of slow.
If you wonder what makes an organ sacred.
If you don’t know what KJV, NIV, NASB, CEV or ESV stands for.
If you can’t quickly find the Bible book of Micah.
If you occasionally feel like you are in a foreign place and need a translator to understand what is happening.
So, back to my question. Who matters more? Should more decisions be made with consideration for Newcomers or Insiders? You know, policy decisions, music decisions, mission/purpose decisions, outreach decisions, pretty much everything. Well, I don’t think the answer is quite that simple. But consider this. Best I can determine the mission our Lord left us with involves some pretty serious involvement with Newcomers. If we ever develop a we vs. them mentality we are in trouble. It wasn’t so long ago that I was a Newcomer (ok, maybe it was a while…) and so were you. If any church gets an Insider mentality or approach to decisions across the board, it is a matter time before Newcomers no longer feel welcome. The ability to reach and disciple new people will significantly diminish. The word Ichabod comes to mind.
So, who matter most? We all do. Get over any mentality that produces labels. It’s about us, we, family, community. We have one Lord, one Faith, one God and Father (see Ephesians 4:1-6). You, new or not, are not separate or different. We are all sinners saved by grace, adopted into God’s family through faith in Jesus Christ. Next time you look across the table or aisle and think, who are these new, old, different people? Walk over and introduce yourself and bridge that gap! Take the initiative! Be family! Be one, as our God is one. There is no we vs. them, there is no me or them in God’s family.
Tradition, Interesting Subject…
I’ve been around the church long enough to know that tradition is an interesting subject. Now, before I say anything more, rest assured, I value tradition. Without tradition where would we be? Without the great traditions and history of the church we wouldn’t be where we are today.
I have also been around long enough to believe that tradition is often confused with truth. Because our God is the same yesterday, today and forever we seem to think that a change of methods, systems, language, music, etc. is equivalent to changing God’s Word. It seems that we often value our traditions of how we “do church” as much as we value the Mission God has given us.
Tell me, when did the tradition of reading from and using the King James Version of the Bible begin?
When did the tradition of using pianos and organs for worship music in church begin?
When did the tradition of Sunday School begin?
When did the tradition of and 11:00 Sunday morning worship service begin?
When did the tradition of singing from hymnals begin?
When did the tradition of singing from songs projected on a screen begin?
When did the traditions of Sunday evening and Wednesday evening services begin?
Now be careful. I am not suggesting all of these things should be changed or done away with. I am however suggesting that often we consider changing some of these things almost sacrilegious. It sometimes seems that we tend to value the system or method that we have used to deliver the truth of God as much as we do the truth. It seems to me there are many things in the average church that are tradition, but people view changing them as tantamount to rewriting God’s Word.
At the same time, do we sometimes cast aside important tradtions when we could continue to benefit from them?
Hmm. Let me know what you think. I have more I want to share on this subject, but for now I have to go.
“Inactive church member” an oyxmoron?
(This is a excerpt from an article I wrote for our church newsletter. Thought I would post it here and open it up for comments.)
My pondering on the Church lately has led me down this path: What do you think of when you think of church membership? I am convinced that we American Christians have often been confused about this business of membership. Many Baptists seem to have the idea that church membership is about walking an aisle to talk to a pastor, accepting Christ and being baptized if we haven’t already taken these steps, and then being added to the membership roll. We talk about when we joined the church. If we came from another church, we talk about moving our membership (often referred to in a somewhat cryptic manner as our letter) from another church. It seems to me that in this thought process we might lose some of the important essence of what church membership is all about. I suppose part of what leads me to that conclusion is the fact that often one’s “membership” in a church has very little to do with one’s involvement with said church. We join, are added to the roll and begin to attend (usually). Statistics, at least in Baptist churches, suggest that somewhere in the neighborhood of 40-50% of church members are inactive. So, something less than half of Baptists consider that church down the street “their” church, but they aren’t really going anywhere with this church they are “members” of.
By no means do I expect to thoroughly deal with this topic of what membership is all about in this article, but consider this. Could it be that we have often reduced membership to joining a group, having my name added to the roll and thereby considering that “my church”? It seems to me that a more Biblical understanding of what being a member of a local church would have to be in some manner connected to involvement and participation. The reality is that a church is a living, active organism. It is a family, a body, a bride. For individual parts of this living entity to be inactive has a significant impact on the whole. From a practical standpoint, am I really a member of a church, a Sunday School Class or a Small Group if I haven’t interacted with this group for months or even years? At the risk of getting myself in hot water, except in a few select circumstances it would seem to me that inactive church member verges on being an oxymoron. So, while I’m standing here in the hot water, from a practical standpoint it would seem the membership of FBC has more to do with interaction, participation, connection, buy-in and participation in the purpose and direction of the church…, well you get the idea. I suppose that’s why I think the number of members is a somewhat irrelevant statistic.
So, is there really any point to my rant, or am I just venting? Well, time will tell. But I will tell you that I think it is dangerous for followers of Jesus Christ to become comfortable with the status quo. So, tell me what you think…
Until next time – enjoy the ride.
A Transformed Church Building…
A couple of weeks ago Kim & I went to see a movie in a refurbished building here in town. In fact, it was the old building that used to be the home of the church I pastor. Just in case you don’t know this already, in July of 2005 we moved from the old downtown church building that had been home to this church family since 1929. It was a difficult decision, but after much prayer and research it was determined that it would be more costly to remain in the old building than to relocate and building something new. There were issues of accessibility, code compliances and space issues to name just a few of the determining factors. After a long journey of looking for land to build on, planning what the new building would be like and the actual construction process itself, our church has a new home on the west side of town.
Interesting thing though, people keep asking me what I think about what they’ve done to the old church. I have learned that not everyone means the same thing when they ask that question. Some people are asking what I think about the cosmetic changes, like the new stucco on the outside of the building. They are curious about whether I like the changes. Others aren’t talking cosmetics at all. They want to know what I think about an old church building being transformed into a place of business. The old building is now home to two movies screens, and soon a tanning salon and various other business ventures. I have quickly learned that some people have some rather strong opinions on this issue. Some feel it verges on being sacrilegious to take a “church” and do these other things in it.
So, what do I think? Well, I like the cosmetic changes. I was a skeptic during the process of covering the old brick, but the finished product looks great. I think they took an old building and improved its looks significantly. At the same time they did all of their improvements without losing the unique character of the old building.
What about using this old “church” for new things? Should we be concerned about that? Well, I wouldn’t want to see it used for anything immoral. The new owner plans for The Blackhawk Plaza to be a family friendly place, so that doesn’t seem to be a concern. You see, when it comes right down to it, the building is not the church. It is a place where the church meets. The church is a group of disciples of Jesus Christ who join together to seek the purposes of God together. Granted, there are inevitably some emotional connections to the building a church calls home. Important events take place there. People meet with God there; significant times of worship, emotional and often life changing decisions take place there. People are baptized, married, and memorial services take place there. So, it is normal and appropriate for us to connect great memories to such a place. But, is it wrong in any sense for something new to take place there after we move to a new home? No, it’s not. In fact, I would rather something take place there that adds value to our community than for the building to sit empty and be unused.
Actually I believe it is more wrong for those of us who are followers of Jesus Christ to allow inappropriate things to take place in and around our bodies. After all we learn in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (NIV) 19 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body. The building is not the temple, we are. Wouldn’t it be a tragedy to be more concerned with what happens to an old building than we are with what takes place in our body, where the Holy Spirit of God lives?
So, next time you drive by a church building, remember, we are the church, not that building. God doesn’t live in buildings made by men, but rather in the hearts of His children. So, honor God with your temple.
Life is a Journey – Enjoy the ride.
A couple of things have contributed to beginning this blog. Both of our daughters, Lindsey and Laurie, blog. You can keep current with many of their thoughts and the significant events of their lives through their blogs. Recently Lindsey sent me a link to the blog of a pastor where she lives. I enjoyed reading it and the wheels began to turn. Then last week I had lunch with a new pastor friend that has a blog. After lunch I checked out his blog and I was convinced.
I will be writing about many things here. Sometimes it will no doubt seem somewhat random. There will be thoughts about this journey that God has us on. Many times I will share my observations on the road of life. Often what I write about will be related in some manner to the church. Sometimes it will be the church I am privileged to pastor and sometimes the church in general. Sometimes I will write about family or motorcycles or just the stuff of life.
Life is a Journey. I’ve been on this journey long enough to realize a few things. I am convinced that God intends for us to enjoy this journey. I think some of the best things about the journey are the little things, the things that we didn’t plan for, the things that happen while we are on the way to something else. I think sometimes we get so caught up the busyness of trying to go too many places and do too many things that we lose the point of the journey. I fear that many people are busy going somewhere in this journey of life, but when they arrive they might be surprised or even disappointed at where the road they chose led them to. It seems to me that on this journey we really must choose carefully. We must choose our direction, our path, our values, what will be most important to us, how we will value the people we journey with, what we will do with the God that gives us the opportunity to take this journey and many other decisions that affect our journey.
So, I look forward to sharing some thoughts with you. Next time I’ll share some thoughts about a transformed church building. Until then, enjoy the journey.
Al
