In Matthew 5:33-37 Jesus speaks to us about honesty and speaking frankly.
Learn to Say No.
Jesus says, "let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No.'" We work pretty hard at honesty and keep our word when we say "Yes." The trouble is that we may say "Yes," too often. We have a tendancy to become over taxed by saying only "Yes." It is time to learn to say "No."
The worst example is watching politicians. Durring campaign time the word is "Yes." But then later when it is time to work together and make the tough decisions that are not popular with many the answer is "No." It is easy to pick on politics, but is it touigher to pick on our own version of the same tactics.
How often do parents fall into the trap of saying "Yes," to too many things that the kids want? My kids are little and so I am still learing a lot. Last year a successful pair of ministry friends told me about the two sport rule, and for the other friend it was a one sport rule. They determined before all the sporting possibilites stared that their kids would get to choose one or two sports per year. They knew the danger of saying yes to all the sports possibiliteis. So, they clearly helpd the kids to learn not to say yes to all possibilites.
How often do we fall into the trap of saying yes to too many jobs. Not just at church, but maybe in a civic club or even in our jobs. One of my core values is that God gives every believer the ability to balance their commitments to God, church and their community. God is my first priority, my wife is second, my kids are third, and my calling from God is next. Everyting else is balanced after that. I am so serious about this that I joined the Optimist club in town just to show the church that you can keep these tings in balance. This year I am the club President (only for 15 more days, term is up).
One way to see if you are saying yes to too much is to measure your margins. How much space in your life is not occupied by the text of your promises? Do you have down time to rest and hang out with your kids and grandkids. If you don't have free time for your spouse and children, you may not have enough margin. If your job and family take over and there is no room for church then somethign is out of balance the other way.
Let's mke sure that we say "Yes" to what we can really do a great job at and what we must do a great job at.
Saturday, September 17, 2011
Friday, September 16, 2011
Mountian Top Livin' #3
Here is the second truth we learn from Matthew 5:33-37 and Jesus teaching on honesty.
Don't Make Foolish Promises
In Judges 10 we find the story of Jephthah. He was a man who was a mighty warrior. He was called upon by the nation of Israel to led them into battle against their military enemies. In Judges 11:30 he made a vow to the Lord. "If you give me the Ammonites into my hands, whatever comes out of the door of my house to meet me when I return...I will sacrifice it as a burnt offering." God gave him victory, because God was gracious to Israel, not because of his foolish vow to God. When he arrived home in victory, the first thing out of his door was his teen age daughter excited to see her father!
The daughter knew the importance of keeping our vows and promises to God. Here response was,
"...you have given your word to the Lord, do to me as you promised..." What! Are they crazy. God clearly says in his law that we are not to sacrifice our children to any God or gods.
The moral of the story is in Proverbs 13:3, "He who guards his lips guards his life, but he who speaks rashly will come to ruin." When you make statements of what you are going to do, you better be ready to do it. Here are some very painful examples.
1. Don't threaten your kids with punishment and possibilities that are wild and ridiculous. If you threaten your kids with a course of action, make sure it is a discipline that you WILL follow through with. You will do them great emotional harm with threats of them loosing your love and provision. You will also do them great harm warning them forever about the disciplinary consequences, while (in your lack of self-discipline) never making those consequences come true.
2. Don't promise people help or payment that you are not sure that you can give to them. When or if you fail, you hurt them deeply. You also can develop a reputation of being the person in your group that never follows through. It is a great way to loose friends and a horrible witness to those who are looking to your example of what it means to be a Christian.
3. Don't make crazy vows to God. Some Christians have as parts of their essential doctrines the process of making vows to God. But, in those vows, there are many situations where individuals are forced out, kicked out or escape from those vows. Why make a vow to God that you don't have the power to keep. If you feel led to ministry or a ministry, understand that it is the leading of God for you at this time of your life and that his leading can change. I think his calling will not change, but understand the difference. I think that making marriage vows are acceptable. They are vows to another person and vows to God at the same time. They are acceptable only because of the nature of marriage. It is intended to end only at the death of one of the two. However, I think that if you write your own vows you need to think through what you are promising to God and your spouse before you make that vow.
4. Finally, we must realize that if we make a promise to God of any kind, we can only keep it by his power, not our own. God, I promise to follow you. I promise to never do that thing again. I promise to change what I say. God, I promise to witness. The list can go on and on. Whatever you promise God that you will do or not do, you will only accomplish by his help and grace.
Don't Make Foolish Promises
In Judges 10 we find the story of Jephthah. He was a man who was a mighty warrior. He was called upon by the nation of Israel to led them into battle against their military enemies. In Judges 11:30 he made a vow to the Lord. "If you give me the Ammonites into my hands, whatever comes out of the door of my house to meet me when I return...I will sacrifice it as a burnt offering." God gave him victory, because God was gracious to Israel, not because of his foolish vow to God. When he arrived home in victory, the first thing out of his door was his teen age daughter excited to see her father!
The daughter knew the importance of keeping our vows and promises to God. Here response was,
"...you have given your word to the Lord, do to me as you promised..." What! Are they crazy. God clearly says in his law that we are not to sacrifice our children to any God or gods.
The moral of the story is in Proverbs 13:3, "He who guards his lips guards his life, but he who speaks rashly will come to ruin." When you make statements of what you are going to do, you better be ready to do it. Here are some very painful examples.
1. Don't threaten your kids with punishment and possibilities that are wild and ridiculous. If you threaten your kids with a course of action, make sure it is a discipline that you WILL follow through with. You will do them great emotional harm with threats of them loosing your love and provision. You will also do them great harm warning them forever about the disciplinary consequences, while (in your lack of self-discipline) never making those consequences come true.
2. Don't promise people help or payment that you are not sure that you can give to them. When or if you fail, you hurt them deeply. You also can develop a reputation of being the person in your group that never follows through. It is a great way to loose friends and a horrible witness to those who are looking to your example of what it means to be a Christian.
3. Don't make crazy vows to God. Some Christians have as parts of their essential doctrines the process of making vows to God. But, in those vows, there are many situations where individuals are forced out, kicked out or escape from those vows. Why make a vow to God that you don't have the power to keep. If you feel led to ministry or a ministry, understand that it is the leading of God for you at this time of your life and that his leading can change. I think his calling will not change, but understand the difference. I think that making marriage vows are acceptable. They are vows to another person and vows to God at the same time. They are acceptable only because of the nature of marriage. It is intended to end only at the death of one of the two. However, I think that if you write your own vows you need to think through what you are promising to God and your spouse before you make that vow.
4. Finally, we must realize that if we make a promise to God of any kind, we can only keep it by his power, not our own. God, I promise to follow you. I promise to never do that thing again. I promise to change what I say. God, I promise to witness. The list can go on and on. Whatever you promise God that you will do or not do, you will only accomplish by his help and grace.
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Mountian Top Livin' #2
In the last entry I introduced you to Matthew 5:33-37. Now let's draw some thoughts from it.
Be Honest
This is pretty simple. The spirit of the law and the focus of Jesus teaching is that we live as honest people. That means, don't craft your words to mean two things knowing that someone will take the wrong meaning, yet you can claim to be honest with them. Making your yes, yes and your no, no means, be clear and honest. Don't try to hide the truth.
Real honesty also means that we are not stretching or shrinking the truth. Often deception is accomplished be making the story less than it really was, or more than it really was. When we talk about others errors, we tend to stretch. When we talk about our own errors we tend to shrink. either way, stretching or shrinking the truth, putting on the spin, is obviously for our benefit and can often be extremely selfish. Sometimes this practice is also linked with gossip and telling stories about others.
Proverbs 12:19 says, "Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue lasts only for a moment." Your dishonesty will catch up with you. But when you speak honestly, you have nothing to fear, your words can stand the test of scrutiny and examination.
This is really a very simple truth, be honest.
Be Honest
This is pretty simple. The spirit of the law and the focus of Jesus teaching is that we live as honest people. That means, don't craft your words to mean two things knowing that someone will take the wrong meaning, yet you can claim to be honest with them. Making your yes, yes and your no, no means, be clear and honest. Don't try to hide the truth.
Real honesty also means that we are not stretching or shrinking the truth. Often deception is accomplished be making the story less than it really was, or more than it really was. When we talk about others errors, we tend to stretch. When we talk about our own errors we tend to shrink. either way, stretching or shrinking the truth, putting on the spin, is obviously for our benefit and can often be extremely selfish. Sometimes this practice is also linked with gossip and telling stories about others.
Proverbs 12:19 says, "Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue lasts only for a moment." Your dishonesty will catch up with you. But when you speak honestly, you have nothing to fear, your words can stand the test of scrutiny and examination.
This is really a very simple truth, be honest.
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Mountain Top Livin' #1
Mountain Top Livin' - Keep your word.
The text for this message is Matthew 5:33-37. Here Jesus addresses the concept of honesty and truthfulness in our dealing with others. Jesus refers to a command that we are not to break our oaths that are made in God's name. Again the trouble here is that Jesus is not addressing their treatment of a single Scripture, but a tradition that looked at the Scriptures and created loopholes.
For instance, in the ten commandments God says, "You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor." (Exodus 20:16). In Leviticus 19:12 the command is "Do not swear falsely by my name..." In all the Old Testament passages regarding oaths and giving testimony, the spirit of the law is that we are to be truthful.
In the traditions that Jesus was addressing a system had been developed where oaths taken in God's name could never be withdrawn but oaths taken in the name of some created thing could be withdrawn at a latter time and were less morally binding. Apparently this opened the door to some trickery and word crafting that essentially worked on the side of the sly person who wished to be deceptive or half hearted in their commitment.
In response to this confusion Jesus says, simply let your "yes" be yes and your "no" be no. Anything more than that comes from the evil one. some have taken this to mean that Christians can never take any oath. Others have said that placing ones hand on the Bible (a created thing) in a pledge or swearing to tell the whole truth would be legalistically prohibited. I personally don't ever see a need to place my hand on the Bible to make a promise, but I am not radially against it. On the other hand, I would not ever make a promise or statement emphasised with, "I swear to God." I think that the term, "So help me God." which a prayer for help can be suitable.
Out of this troubling tradition that Jesus responds to and based on some Bible examples, we can draw some very important truths about what we choose to say as believers. In the next few entries I will elaborate on some of those truths. Stay alert for the upcoming entries!
The text for this message is Matthew 5:33-37. Here Jesus addresses the concept of honesty and truthfulness in our dealing with others. Jesus refers to a command that we are not to break our oaths that are made in God's name. Again the trouble here is that Jesus is not addressing their treatment of a single Scripture, but a tradition that looked at the Scriptures and created loopholes.
For instance, in the ten commandments God says, "You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor." (Exodus 20:16). In Leviticus 19:12 the command is "Do not swear falsely by my name..." In all the Old Testament passages regarding oaths and giving testimony, the spirit of the law is that we are to be truthful.
In the traditions that Jesus was addressing a system had been developed where oaths taken in God's name could never be withdrawn but oaths taken in the name of some created thing could be withdrawn at a latter time and were less morally binding. Apparently this opened the door to some trickery and word crafting that essentially worked on the side of the sly person who wished to be deceptive or half hearted in their commitment.
In response to this confusion Jesus says, simply let your "yes" be yes and your "no" be no. Anything more than that comes from the evil one. some have taken this to mean that Christians can never take any oath. Others have said that placing ones hand on the Bible (a created thing) in a pledge or swearing to tell the whole truth would be legalistically prohibited. I personally don't ever see a need to place my hand on the Bible to make a promise, but I am not radially against it. On the other hand, I would not ever make a promise or statement emphasised with, "I swear to God." I think that the term, "So help me God." which a prayer for help can be suitable.
Out of this troubling tradition that Jesus responds to and based on some Bible examples, we can draw some very important truths about what we choose to say as believers. In the next few entries I will elaborate on some of those truths. Stay alert for the upcoming entries!
Monday, September 12, 2011
Mountian Top Livin'
Since we have a guest speaker this week on Sunday, I am going to do something different with the sermon that is next in our series Mountain Top Livin'.
The next message from the Sermon on the Mount is Matthew 5:33-37. We are going to be looking at what the Bible says about keeping your word. You may think it is a simple subject. It can be. But, it is also very full of information. I will post the parts of the message throughout the week this week.
The next message from the Sermon on the Mount is Matthew 5:33-37. We are going to be looking at what the Bible says about keeping your word. You may think it is a simple subject. It can be. But, it is also very full of information. I will post the parts of the message throughout the week this week.
Missions Weekend
This week is our Missions Weekend. Please come prepared to hear a great message about God's work in his Church in China. Be ready for a special missions offering Sunday morning. We will also have a Star Fish part on Friday night at church starting at 6:30 p.m. The Daeger's, who were with us in August will be present. Star Fish parties sell jewelry made by ladies who have been rescued from human trafficking and are learning a new trade and money making vocation. The proceeds from the party go to set more women free! On Sunday night at 5:00 (Note this time change!) the Small Groups will meet at church to hear from Mark and Victoria Turney who are veteran missionaries to Africa, stationed in Namibia. Mark is an outstanding missionary speaker!
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Bible Quiz
It is time to get running with Bible Quiz!
Two students talked to me about starting Bible quiz this year. Now that the Assembly of God Bible quiz year has begun let's go for it (It runs from September first to September First). If you are interested in being on our team please let me know. I will get materials to you and we will start learning together. If you are a teen who is called to any kind of ministry you need to be on this team!
If you are interested in helping to coach or sponsor the BQ team or program at church please contact me.
FYI: I was a Bible quizzer, so was my wife Pastor John and his wife Stephanie. My wife Stephanie was the coach for the team that pastor John and Stephanie were on in the 1990's. I was the bus driver for the team. It was not around when I was a teen, but by the time John quizzed, there were scholarships available to Assembly of God schools for BQ teens. They are still available. If you want a scholarship to a Spirit Filled school, get on a spirit filled team.
Two students talked to me about starting Bible quiz this year. Now that the Assembly of God Bible quiz year has begun let's go for it (It runs from September first to September First). If you are interested in being on our team please let me know. I will get materials to you and we will start learning together. If you are a teen who is called to any kind of ministry you need to be on this team!
If you are interested in helping to coach or sponsor the BQ team or program at church please contact me.
FYI: I was a Bible quizzer, so was my wife Pastor John and his wife Stephanie. My wife Stephanie was the coach for the team that pastor John and Stephanie were on in the 1990's. I was the bus driver for the team. It was not around when I was a teen, but by the time John quizzed, there were scholarships available to Assembly of God schools for BQ teens. They are still available. If you want a scholarship to a Spirit Filled school, get on a spirit filled team.
Students of the Word
Today I want to encourage you to remain a student of the Word. Stephanie just finished the Bible in 90 days! Way to go Stephanie. I think every Christian should read the Bible through at least one time every year. That way, when you hear preaching, you will never hear a verse used that you have not personally read in the last 12 months. It will keep you from following many very foolish directions that un-biblical teachers will take you.
My goal is still to read the Bible as many times through as I am years alive. It is not about racking up points, but that life goal will keep me close to God and will keep my faith high and my heart pure. No matter how long you have served the Lord, you can't afford to stop being a student of the Word.
Wednesday night Bible study tonight is Exodus 15:22-27, bitter waters, the Lord provides and the Lord is our healer. Good stuff coming to ya'.
My goal is still to read the Bible as many times through as I am years alive. It is not about racking up points, but that life goal will keep me close to God and will keep my faith high and my heart pure. No matter how long you have served the Lord, you can't afford to stop being a student of the Word.
Wednesday night Bible study tonight is Exodus 15:22-27, bitter waters, the Lord provides and the Lord is our healer. Good stuff coming to ya'.
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Crowded Can be Fun!
As we head into the fall, don't be scared away from church because you thin it is too packed in the sanctuary! We are making room for more. Over 570 people have attended First Assembly since January 1st of this year. Obviously not all of them live in the area. But about 450 do! Not all of them attend at the same time. We want you to know, that if things get crowded, we will make more room for you. Don't miss church on Sunday, God is doing great things.
Finally, crowded can be fun. Honestly, I am a bit worried about having more space in the future because the intensity of our packed place is so alive. I don't want a change of location to change the faith and expectancy of worship in our church. We must keep up our spiritual fervor no matter who we meet with or where we meet. Also, when it is crowded, new people feel more a part than when they are isolated dots in a huge room. Let's make the most of what we have right now. Crowded can be fun.
Finally, crowded can be fun. Honestly, I am a bit worried about having more space in the future because the intensity of our packed place is so alive. I don't want a change of location to change the faith and expectancy of worship in our church. We must keep up our spiritual fervor no matter who we meet with or where we meet. Also, when it is crowded, new people feel more a part than when they are isolated dots in a huge room. Let's make the most of what we have right now. Crowded can be fun.
Monday, August 29, 2011
Mixed #3
Mixed Modes
This is the last entry on the Mixed Series. I am perplexed by mixes modes. That is, I am perplexed when people who claim Christ are one way in one situation and another way elsewhere. Speaking one way at work and speaking another way at church. Living a life filled with tension and anger at home and perfect peace with church friends. Treating your spouse with respect and kindness in public and treating them as worthless in private at home.
First, I think it is essential to take the log out of your own eye before you can see clearly to remove the speck from your own in this area. It is easy to read this blog entry and look at others rather than apply it to yourself or myself (Matthew 7:3).
Second, we have been raised, trained, and enculturated to live split lives. There are cultural forces that press Christians to be completely secular at work and in public driving them to suppress their values and faith to the purely private sectors of life. We need to think and examine our lives to break out of this cultural bondage with wisdom.
So, how do we fix the mix?
First, become a student of the Word of God. My daughter is a student of Mrs. Willis. That is, she is daily learning from Mrs. Willis. Are you a student of the Word? Are you daily learning from the Word? You will never be able to examine yourself without having the ruler of the Word to guide you toward a true standard of what is correct.
Second, to fix the mix we have to start with ourselves. You can't change your home, church, city or culture if you don't let God start with you first.
Third, make prayer a priority of your day. Stop having a prayer time that is marked by a list of needs. Start having a prayer time that is marked by listening to God and allowing him to search your heart. Is prayer about God serving you? God protect me, provide, heal, give me wisdom and so forth. Or, is prayer about you serving God? God search me, make me, mold me, change me to what you want me to be.
Fourth, get in a Small Group and talk about what God is wanting to do in your life with a few close Friends. Ministry happens in relationships. If you want to really be accountable to God, make yourself accountable to some friends. Simply stating what God wants to do in you will be the start of accountability.
Fifth, as you grow in God, get some personal security! Most Christians are making really bad decisions about their schedule, their finances, their marriage, their family activities and these bad choices are driven by INSECURITY and FEAR. Let's stop making choices based on fear.
Lastly, let's get really serious about where we are allowing ourselves and our family to learn about how to serve Jesus and understand the word. Do you believe in the rapture? Then why send your kids to a place that teaches them otherwise? Do you believe in sprinkling and infant baptism? Then why let others teach your kids to treat the Scriptures to trust in it? Even in the way we choose to pick devotional blogs, television ministries, and other Christian media forms, lets get choosy! I am not saying that I want you to be judgemental, but make spiritual judgements. But, get serious about what you believe. Your actions are telling your family what you value. Your sources of influence will eventually change you and yours. Last week I literally threw a very nice hard back Christian book in my garbage can. I was not even going to finish it. It don't even want it on my shelf. I don't want anyone in my church to read it or see it in my office.
On a trip last week some ladies from our church visited a powerfully strong church. They asked, how does a church become like that? My wife and I attended that church for its first 18 months of existence. It grew from 55 to 1200 in that time. At 1200 there were three full time pastors. how did they serve 1200 people? Because the church served one another! So, since we were there and a part of it, my wife wheeled around and told them how. "You have about 55 people who are so committed to their church that nothing gets in the way of that church. Your wife and family are first and church is absolutely second in your list of priorities."
She is right. If you want your kids in a great church, it is up to you to make your church great. If you want a great Pastor, realize that it will not always come from the top down, but often from the bottom up. I am not perfect, but I am also only as good as my Elders and Small Group leaders and staff that I am leading. A Pastor may be a great leader, but if no one is following, he is just taking a great walk.
Let's put away our mixed lives and live carefully, and crazy in love with Jesus Christ! I am convicted myself! Let's move on this together.
This is the last entry on the Mixed Series. I am perplexed by mixes modes. That is, I am perplexed when people who claim Christ are one way in one situation and another way elsewhere. Speaking one way at work and speaking another way at church. Living a life filled with tension and anger at home and perfect peace with church friends. Treating your spouse with respect and kindness in public and treating them as worthless in private at home.
First, I think it is essential to take the log out of your own eye before you can see clearly to remove the speck from your own in this area. It is easy to read this blog entry and look at others rather than apply it to yourself or myself (Matthew 7:3).
Second, we have been raised, trained, and enculturated to live split lives. There are cultural forces that press Christians to be completely secular at work and in public driving them to suppress their values and faith to the purely private sectors of life. We need to think and examine our lives to break out of this cultural bondage with wisdom.
So, how do we fix the mix?
First, become a student of the Word of God. My daughter is a student of Mrs. Willis. That is, she is daily learning from Mrs. Willis. Are you a student of the Word? Are you daily learning from the Word? You will never be able to examine yourself without having the ruler of the Word to guide you toward a true standard of what is correct.
Second, to fix the mix we have to start with ourselves. You can't change your home, church, city or culture if you don't let God start with you first.
Third, make prayer a priority of your day. Stop having a prayer time that is marked by a list of needs. Start having a prayer time that is marked by listening to God and allowing him to search your heart. Is prayer about God serving you? God protect me, provide, heal, give me wisdom and so forth. Or, is prayer about you serving God? God search me, make me, mold me, change me to what you want me to be.
Fourth, get in a Small Group and talk about what God is wanting to do in your life with a few close Friends. Ministry happens in relationships. If you want to really be accountable to God, make yourself accountable to some friends. Simply stating what God wants to do in you will be the start of accountability.
Fifth, as you grow in God, get some personal security! Most Christians are making really bad decisions about their schedule, their finances, their marriage, their family activities and these bad choices are driven by INSECURITY and FEAR. Let's stop making choices based on fear.
Lastly, let's get really serious about where we are allowing ourselves and our family to learn about how to serve Jesus and understand the word. Do you believe in the rapture? Then why send your kids to a place that teaches them otherwise? Do you believe in sprinkling and infant baptism? Then why let others teach your kids to treat the Scriptures to trust in it? Even in the way we choose to pick devotional blogs, television ministries, and other Christian media forms, lets get choosy! I am not saying that I want you to be judgemental, but make spiritual judgements. But, get serious about what you believe. Your actions are telling your family what you value. Your sources of influence will eventually change you and yours. Last week I literally threw a very nice hard back Christian book in my garbage can. I was not even going to finish it. It don't even want it on my shelf. I don't want anyone in my church to read it or see it in my office.
On a trip last week some ladies from our church visited a powerfully strong church. They asked, how does a church become like that? My wife and I attended that church for its first 18 months of existence. It grew from 55 to 1200 in that time. At 1200 there were three full time pastors. how did they serve 1200 people? Because the church served one another! So, since we were there and a part of it, my wife wheeled around and told them how. "You have about 55 people who are so committed to their church that nothing gets in the way of that church. Your wife and family are first and church is absolutely second in your list of priorities."
She is right. If you want your kids in a great church, it is up to you to make your church great. If you want a great Pastor, realize that it will not always come from the top down, but often from the bottom up. I am not perfect, but I am also only as good as my Elders and Small Group leaders and staff that I am leading. A Pastor may be a great leader, but if no one is following, he is just taking a great walk.
Let's put away our mixed lives and live carefully, and crazy in love with Jesus Christ! I am convicted myself! Let's move on this together.
Mixed #2
I am continuing my blog series, Mixed Methods.
I am continually finding that Christians are bombarded with mixed methods. Content is everything. The message of a loving, saving, holy God is everything! So why use material that is not aligned with your message, or even contradictory to our message? It is one thing to reference secular music in your message, but it is often contradictory to play the song as if part of the worship set. I have used movie themes to point out the condition of the human soul, but I have learned that I don't need the church to watch the movie. Also, there are some movies that have the same theme, one is R and one is PG, why build up the R movie that no Christian should watch? Why would a church yoke themselves with non-christians who provide a non-christian message for the purpose of drawing a crowd?
At our church, we purposefully engage in activities that allow us to work alongside people who may not be believers. The Relay for Life, The MS Walk and projects with the public schools, police, fire department, and EMS department are all ways we want to work with people who may or may not share our faith message. We love to rub shoulders with un-churched people and people from other Christian groups. But Christians have become mixed when we originate events and allow people to speak or sing into the hearts of our mission field with a message that contradicts our message of life through Christ.
Our methods become mixed when the goal of building relationships with the lost requires us to be dishonest or deceptive about our Biblical standards. Our methods become mixed when we use manipulative techniques to get people to respond in prayer, worship or giving. There is a place for encouragement, there is a place for excitement, a place for correction from church leadership. But those tools must always be handled gently to avoid manipulation and dishonesty.
Here are some guidelines to beat the temptation to be mixed in our methods.
1. Be transparent. Let people know exactly what you are doing and where things are going. Don't share half your vision.
2. Communicate. Give people your full vision. Don't hide your real goals. You will be surprised how fast people may go along with your Godly goals. You will also be surprised how fast they may accept the Bible message of God's love and salvation.
3. Beat insecurity. In Judges, we find insecure leaders making poor decisions. Jephthah made a foolish vow due to his insecurity and fear. Samson thought he needed a girlfriend more than he needed his hair. Don't make decisions about your methods based on your insecurities. Be more concerned about purity than losing followers.
4. Avoid comparison. Do what God tells you to do and don't fall into the trap of having to do ministry like someone else who seems to be successful in their place of ministry.
Let me end with this. At various times, church people in the distant past took bar songs and melodies and put a new set of lyrics to them. The key is that the content changed. Today some of those songs are in our hymnals. Most people have no idea that the melody started out as a non-religious tune. However, today the tunes are tightly associated in our culture with the Christian message. Content is everything. Mixed methods will always confuse the message. The message will always overcome all obstacles if we will let the message shine out pure and holy, life changing and straight forward just as God has given it to us to follow.
Check out these Scriptures: 2 Cor. 7:2-4 and Ephesians 5:3-13.
I am continually finding that Christians are bombarded with mixed methods. Content is everything. The message of a loving, saving, holy God is everything! So why use material that is not aligned with your message, or even contradictory to our message? It is one thing to reference secular music in your message, but it is often contradictory to play the song as if part of the worship set. I have used movie themes to point out the condition of the human soul, but I have learned that I don't need the church to watch the movie. Also, there are some movies that have the same theme, one is R and one is PG, why build up the R movie that no Christian should watch? Why would a church yoke themselves with non-christians who provide a non-christian message for the purpose of drawing a crowd?
At our church, we purposefully engage in activities that allow us to work alongside people who may not be believers. The Relay for Life, The MS Walk and projects with the public schools, police, fire department, and EMS department are all ways we want to work with people who may or may not share our faith message. We love to rub shoulders with un-churched people and people from other Christian groups. But Christians have become mixed when we originate events and allow people to speak or sing into the hearts of our mission field with a message that contradicts our message of life through Christ.
Our methods become mixed when the goal of building relationships with the lost requires us to be dishonest or deceptive about our Biblical standards. Our methods become mixed when we use manipulative techniques to get people to respond in prayer, worship or giving. There is a place for encouragement, there is a place for excitement, a place for correction from church leadership. But those tools must always be handled gently to avoid manipulation and dishonesty.
Here are some guidelines to beat the temptation to be mixed in our methods.
1. Be transparent. Let people know exactly what you are doing and where things are going. Don't share half your vision.
2. Communicate. Give people your full vision. Don't hide your real goals. You will be surprised how fast people may go along with your Godly goals. You will also be surprised how fast they may accept the Bible message of God's love and salvation.
3. Beat insecurity. In Judges, we find insecure leaders making poor decisions. Jephthah made a foolish vow due to his insecurity and fear. Samson thought he needed a girlfriend more than he needed his hair. Don't make decisions about your methods based on your insecurities. Be more concerned about purity than losing followers.
4. Avoid comparison. Do what God tells you to do and don't fall into the trap of having to do ministry like someone else who seems to be successful in their place of ministry.
Let me end with this. At various times, church people in the distant past took bar songs and melodies and put a new set of lyrics to them. The key is that the content changed. Today some of those songs are in our hymnals. Most people have no idea that the melody started out as a non-religious tune. However, today the tunes are tightly associated in our culture with the Christian message. Content is everything. Mixed methods will always confuse the message. The message will always overcome all obstacles if we will let the message shine out pure and holy, life changing and straight forward just as God has given it to us to follow.
Check out these Scriptures: 2 Cor. 7:2-4 and Ephesians 5:3-13.
Celebration Sunday
We are gearing up for the second celebration sunday of 2011! It will be the six month mark since our last big gathering. We will meet at the Elk's Lodge again, on October 30th. Breakfast will be at 8:30 and worship at 10:00 a.m.
Click here to see some pictures from the April celebration.
Click here to see some pictures from the April celebration.
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Mixed #1
In recent days and months I have been hit over and over with the same thought. As followers of Jesus Christ our hearts can not be mixed. I am continuously having conversations with people and about people who are mixed in their hearts. Jesus asks us to, "Be perfect as your father in heaven is perfect." (Matthew 5:48 ; 1 Peter 1:16)That is a steep hill to climb in our journey, but it is just that, a JOURNEY, not a quick sprint to perfection. because this is such a huge message in my heart the last few weeks, I am starting a blog series on the subject.
To be a holy Christian is to be un-mixed. That is, to be whole in our relationship with God. Our actions match our beliefs. Our emotions and feelings begin to match our stated faith and Biblical principals. When we allow the world to affect us rather than us affecting the world around us, we are becoming mixed.
In the book "Habbitudes" the illustration is used of a thermostat and a thermometer. A thermometer tells us the temperature of a room and its reading is determined by its surrounding. A thermostat sets its reading and then proceeds to change the room. We need to be thermostats and set a Biblical, holy tone where ever we go.
Mixed Minds
I am finding people mixed in their minds. They can't decide what to believe. They are mixed in trying to determine if they really want to serve God. They are really mixed up about what they believe is right and wrong. There is a continual wavering in their faith every time they get some new information from a high school or college class, watch a documentary on TV or hear an opinion on the radio. We can question everything, but we need to do a better job of holding on to the truth.
It is time to become students of the Word of God. The Bible has answers to almost every question that you have in life. There are very few mysteries in life that the Bible does not speak to. Where the Bible is silent, God intends to be silent and leave a mystery. There are no circumstances in life that the Bible fails to address. The primary way to know God's will, is to know God's Word.
The days of trusting our culture to guide us toward what is good are over. Simply trying to fit in will not lead you into holy living and thinking. The possibility of searching Google or Yahoo for a Biblical answer may be scarce. There are multitudes of possible answers to any question if you are looking on the web. Assuming that a person believes the Scriptures because their title is Pastor is becoming a mistake. Many Pastors do trust the Word of God, but others have placed other sources of authority over and along side God's Word. These other sources of authority eliminate some Scriptural truths and disregard others. It is time to study the Word and trust the Word of God.
There is more to come this week.
To be a holy Christian is to be un-mixed. That is, to be whole in our relationship with God. Our actions match our beliefs. Our emotions and feelings begin to match our stated faith and Biblical principals. When we allow the world to affect us rather than us affecting the world around us, we are becoming mixed.
In the book "Habbitudes" the illustration is used of a thermostat and a thermometer. A thermometer tells us the temperature of a room and its reading is determined by its surrounding. A thermostat sets its reading and then proceeds to change the room. We need to be thermostats and set a Biblical, holy tone where ever we go.
Mixed Minds
I am finding people mixed in their minds. They can't decide what to believe. They are mixed in trying to determine if they really want to serve God. They are really mixed up about what they believe is right and wrong. There is a continual wavering in their faith every time they get some new information from a high school or college class, watch a documentary on TV or hear an opinion on the radio. We can question everything, but we need to do a better job of holding on to the truth.
It is time to become students of the Word of God. The Bible has answers to almost every question that you have in life. There are very few mysteries in life that the Bible does not speak to. Where the Bible is silent, God intends to be silent and leave a mystery. There are no circumstances in life that the Bible fails to address. The primary way to know God's will, is to know God's Word.
The days of trusting our culture to guide us toward what is good are over. Simply trying to fit in will not lead you into holy living and thinking. The possibility of searching Google or Yahoo for a Biblical answer may be scarce. There are multitudes of possible answers to any question if you are looking on the web. Assuming that a person believes the Scriptures because their title is Pastor is becoming a mistake. Many Pastors do trust the Word of God, but others have placed other sources of authority over and along side God's Word. These other sources of authority eliminate some Scriptural truths and disregard others. It is time to study the Word and trust the Word of God.
There is more to come this week.
Monday, August 8, 2011
Wednesday Nights
The month of August is going to be great on Wednesday nights.
1. Our Membership Class starts this Wednesday night. If you are not a member of the church and would like to join please contact the church office.
2. J D Elleman will be speaking in the bible study this Wednesday. He did a great job earlier this year speaking from the book of Acts.
3. In the last three Wednesday nights of August Dr. Brenda Melton will be speaking about Christians and mental health issues. If you have questions about mental health issues from a Christian perspective, this may be of help to you.
1. Our Membership Class starts this Wednesday night. If you are not a member of the church and would like to join please contact the church office.
2. J D Elleman will be speaking in the bible study this Wednesday. He did a great job earlier this year speaking from the book of Acts.
3. In the last three Wednesday nights of August Dr. Brenda Melton will be speaking about Christians and mental health issues. If you have questions about mental health issues from a Christian perspective, this may be of help to you.
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Greater Prayer
I am making some changes to the way I do bed time prayer with my boys. We usually do the kneeling, short, by the bed kind of prayers at bed time. We often talk a little before we pray. It is prayer, but it is also like an emotional and psychological wind-down ritual.
So, here is my problem. That is not at all how I pray when I have my alone time with God. I walk, raise my hands and I put real effort into prayer. I pray out loud, not whispering. What I am thinking is that our bed time prayer routine is not teaching my boys to pray in the way that I pray or the way I think we need to pray to press in close to God and receive from him. So, we are doing bed time prayers differently.
Last night, the boys were in bed covered with blankets when I came in to pray. I had only been home a few minutes from my Missouri Baptist class I teach on Tuesdays. I got them out of bed. We all lifted our hands together. I told them that God wants men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer. Then I told them to start praying with me out loud about our daily prayers. I am determined that I will start using bed time prayer time to teach the boys to really pray and seek God. Some nights we will pray a little and then worship. I am going to change it up a little each day. But, the intensity level is going to go up.
So, here is my problem. That is not at all how I pray when I have my alone time with God. I walk, raise my hands and I put real effort into prayer. I pray out loud, not whispering. What I am thinking is that our bed time prayer routine is not teaching my boys to pray in the way that I pray or the way I think we need to pray to press in close to God and receive from him. So, we are doing bed time prayers differently.
Last night, the boys were in bed covered with blankets when I came in to pray. I had only been home a few minutes from my Missouri Baptist class I teach on Tuesdays. I got them out of bed. We all lifted our hands together. I told them that God wants men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer. Then I told them to start praying with me out loud about our daily prayers. I am determined that I will start using bed time prayer time to teach the boys to really pray and seek God. Some nights we will pray a little and then worship. I am going to change it up a little each day. But, the intensity level is going to go up.
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