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03-Oct-2011

Posted by : David

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System Failure

Category : church

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Is it possible to hate Jesus and love Christianity? I think so. And we all must wrestle with this. Hating Jesus and loving Christianity is embedded deeply in all of us. We all must forsake it, but it is much easier to feed it.

First, how could this even be possible? When we confess that we have surrendered to Jesus, we believe that we have salvation. And if we really came to Jesus, then we really are saved from our sins. But, after time, we find that maybe we didn’t surrender to Jesus at all, but came under a SYSTEM with the name of Jesus attached to it.

A system is simply a set of repeatable actions, when correctly applied, leading to a specific result. Systems are wonderful because they give us expected results as long as each action is correctly identified and executed. (One of the systems in our body is the circulatory system. It is a whole process of repeatable actions that pumps blood and nutrients throughout our body — as long as everything is doing its job.)

But a relationship doesn’t act like a system. A good relationship demands attention; relationships can’t “run in the background.” They need to be at the forefront of our time and attention if they are to be dynamic and life-giving. The give and take of good interaction is the life-blood of relationship. IN relationship there is love and joy, but not predictable results.

Relationship is messier, harder to understand, and unquantifiable. That is what our relationship with our Heavenly Father is like. But we don’t like this, so we run to works with it’s understandable processes and predictable results. As we run to a system, we are running from Jesus.

The three main systems that are in competition to genuine faith in Jesus in the church are doctrinalism, moralism, and pentecostalism. Correct belief, holiness, and receiving gifts of the Spirit are important parts of a walk with Jesus, but when they are embraced as THE way of relating to Jesus and others, then we surely have left Jesus and ventured into a system of works.

So how can correct belief, obedience, and living a supernatural life go wrong and make us miss Jesus?

That is the subject of my next post.

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29-Jun-2011

Posted by : David

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Should

Category : church

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One of the ways we remain blind to our own need of a Savior is our obsession with how other people should think and behave.

Take a self-assessment: how many times in the last two days have we looked down on someone (or a group of people) for what they believe or how they acted?

The picture is not pretty. We are obsessed with how other people should think and behave. We talk about it, we roll it over in our minds, and we click our tongues at the talking heads on the tv and radio who tell us how others should live.

It’s blindness. We see “the speck in our brothers eye,” but ignore our the plank in our own. We are judgmental — it’s human nature. We live in the most judgmental age, because we now have more access to what other people are doing. And, of course, one of the most judgmental things we do is call other people judgmental.

This is a major area in which we must follow Jesus. He did not condemn, although he knew exactly how other people “should” live. He didn’t die for righteous people — people who were living the way they should. He died for sinners — sinners like us. And it is a tremendous gift to shine the lamp of “should” off of other people and onto ourselves. For what we see will not be pretty, but at least it will be real — and, pray for this, that there would be enough embarrassment to reach for a Savior.

This does not mean that we will have no standards (as if that were possible anyway). It means that our standards won’t come first before love and mercy. God’s standards led God to the cross — bearing the price of his rejected standards upon Himself. And all those who count on that sacrifice walk the same path: speaking the truth in love — looking to restore, not judge (Galatians 6:1-4).

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27-Jun-2011

Posted by : David

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4 Types of People in the Local Church | An Analogy

Category : church

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Shepherds, Sheep, Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing, and Goats

  • Shepherds are those tapped by God to lead the church, to speak the very words of God to the flock. Shepherds are to be obeyed, respected, and heard with wisdom.
  • Sheep are the confessors in the church who are in Christ, bearing the fruit of the Spirit slowly, but surely. Sheep must be fed, and their meal is the word of God.
  • Wolves in sheep’s clothing are those who confess Christ, but are not in Christ. They are mostly committed to the Law, still living the “if, then” covenant. Wolves don’t know they are wolves. But you can always tell who the wolves are because they attack the sheep and the shepherds. They won’t be conscious that they are tools of Satan, they will only feel right, and therefore justified to attack the shepherds and the sheep. Wolves are to be exposed and rebuked. The shepherds must not allow them to attack the sheep or the shepherds.
  • Goats are those who are not Christians, but exploring the claims of Christ. Goats need to hear the gospel every week until God reveals them the sufficiency of Christ.

God help the church where the wolves are shepherds, the goats are the focus of ministry to the exclusion of sheep, the sheep are the focus of ministry to the exclusion of the goats, the shepherds don’t challenge those who attack the sheep, and the sheep don’t listen to the voice of their shepherds.

Be praying, for so much is at stake.

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25-May-2011

Posted by : David

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Watch Out!

Category : church

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When we get in close proximity with other people in their church soon find out that they bite. Not literally, but they use their mouths to wound. Many of us attribute this to sin, but that is really not specific enough. The problem is the law.

When we are living “under law” we evaluate people more than serve them.

The law is the best evaluation tool. It is the standard of right and wrong. If others were law-keepers, then life would be wonderful and full of blessing. And so we judge people on their performance. When they fail us we bite. If they continue to fail or fall short, we want to see them devoured — maybe by a flood of bad circumstances.

We hold up the law as a lens through which we look at our brothers and sisters. We are judges. Paul says if this is the rule of our relationships, then we need to watch out lest we consume one another (Galatians 5:15). Isn’t this the perfect description of the consumer? When we go to a store we have the implicit demand that the store be a certain way for us. We have a checklist of desires — of customer service, convenience, and products that appeal to our tastes. We evaluate the store based on what it provides for us.

There is nothing wrong with that with where you shop, but it will condemn you in the family of God. The law is fulfilled by love: not other people being loving toward you — you being loving (serving) towards them. But we don’t use the law as data to actively love, do we? We use God’s standards to evaluate other people, particularly our brothers and sisters in Christ.

So we are judges — but God will judge the judgmental. For he will not extend mercy to those who show no mercy (James 2:13). So watch out! When we are judgmental we will not feel like we are doing something wrong. We will feel like we are doing something right — pointing out the flaws and failings of another. But if that is our rule for living, then God will use the same measure of judgment we have used on others.

Instead God calls us to love and serve those who fall short and fail. Yes a Christian helps other people or their church even if it doesn’t meet their needs. Even if those other people wound them and hurt them. For that is what Christ did — loved us when we wounded him.

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02-Mar-2011

Posted by : David

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Being Right

Category : church

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Doctrinal correctness is vital to the health of a local church. Just as a physician needs to know the human body and how it works, the leadership of a local church needs to know and teach the major doctrines of Scripture.

But every church (and every Christian) needs to know that “being right” about the doctrines of Christianity is not the summit.  It’s base camp. Doctrinal correctness is the minimum standard of our calling as Christians — the foundation we launch from in our upward call.

As Paul says, in 1 Timothy 1:5, the purpose of correct teaching is love. Love is the summit. Certainly if we undercut correct doctrine, then we will never reach a summit of love — we actually end up somewhere else entirely.

But we should never congratulate ourselves for reaching base camp. Many times base camp needs to be defended — this is clear from the Scriptures. But those who fight for correct doctrine, must always know that orthodoxy is a launching pad for the love of God.

The real work has only just begun. Forgiving, bearing with those who sin against us, having mercy, laboring for justice, sharing the good news, and a thousand other acts of service issue from correct doctrine.  This is one of Jesus’ sharpest rebukes to the religious leaders of his day. They “strained a gnat, but swallowed a camel.” They neglected the “weighter things of the law, things like justice and mercy.” Jesus went on to counsel those listening to the leader’s sermons to “do as they say, but not as they do.”

So we should teach people to “guard their doctrine closely.” But if we are going to celebrate, we should celebrate what issues forth from correct belief. And if something other than love, mercy, forgiveness, long-suffering, and sacrifice comes out of our correct doctrine, then we should be sure to know that our “right doctrine” is no greater than the demons — beings who know God, but are destined for the lake of fire.

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10-Feb-2011

Posted by : David

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The Importance of Popularity

Category : church, life

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In a world with a large amount of choices, the popular win.  When we visit YouTube an incredible array of video choices pop out at us.  But we click on “most viewed” to get a good idea of what YouTube is.  If we subscribe to Netflix we might default to the Netflix Top 100 to help make our picks for us.

We do this because we don’t want to waste our time.  We want quality and we don’t want to dig for it.  If other people have enjoyed the product, we will probably enjoy it to.  So, what is popular expands to greater influence, while the least known, no matter the quality, shrinks from view.

This is just a principle of investment.  “All that have will be given more, and those that do not have, even what they do have will be taken from them, and given to the one who does.”  That quote is from Jesus talking about those who invested in eternity and those who did not.  But that statement IS a principle of investment.

Look at Walmart.  Isn’t that a classic case of those that have, having more?  And those retailers who are struggling, even what they do have (customers) are eventually taken from them and go to Walmart.  This is just a principle.  The same is true for churches in America.

The large churches will get larger. With a large amount of choices we go to what is popular because we don’t want to waste our time.  This is not a critique, just an observation.

The small churches must be aware that they can eventually lose their people if they don’t continually strive for a return on their kingdom investment. (I am writing this as a pastor of a small church). This doesn’t mean that small churches will disappear entirely, but mainly they will exist to satisfy the niche desires of a small group of Christians.

This is not necessarily a bad thing, everyone has their particular call from God.  But it is better not to kick against the goads.

*Disclaimer: I am not saying what is popular is RIGHT.  And I am also not saying that what is popular is WRONG.  Both good and evil flow along this principle.

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24-Jan-2011

Posted by : David

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Salt and Light

Category : church

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When we walk into a dark room and flip the light switch, we are immediately oriented to everything in the room.  When the light is flooding the room, we don’t stare at the lamp.  The source of light is never the focal point.  The source simply provides the resources to see everything else.

The same is true for salt.  No one just eats salt.  But we love what is salted.  It provides flavor and enjoyment to the things we eat.  The source of flavor is not the focus.

That is why our local church is so important.  She equips us to be salt and light to our little slice of the world.  The church  should never be the only focal point of ministry, but a means to an end — to equip for ministry. This is accomplished through her ministry of teaching, authority, leadership, and relationships.  As we are brought to Christ together, through His word and sacraments, we gain resources for our work, families, outreach, and loving service.

The local church, when operating according to her God-given commission, orients us to everything else. When we ignore the local church and her structures for equipping, we unwittingly find ourselves adopting false “equippers.”  We will always adopt SOME way of seeing the world: through the media, education, family history, or some combination of all of these.  And these institutions are not equipped to orient you towards life.  The sum total of their wisdom only leads us back into a dark, flavorless world.

Jesus Christ died and rose to give us a community.  Not a community that operates as a end in and of itself, but a community that gives us vision for everything.  For the sum total of God’s wisdom, given through our participation in the local church, is the confidence of seeing and, with that sight, blessing others.

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17-Jan-2011

Posted by : David

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Consumers

Category : church

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Being a consumer is not always a bad thing. When we go to the grocery store we are thinking about our needs.  The stores also want to remind us of our wants.  This is completely appropriate, but this is not how you should relate to everything.

If your thoughts, in all your relationships, are about your needs and wants, your life is going to be terrible. It will be a constant disappointment.  Sure there will be bursts of joy, when you are getting what you want.  But most of the time, a low-grade dissatisfaction and anger will accompany your life.

Consider your family.  Imagine how you would treat your children if  their existence was just to satisfy your wants and needs.  How about your spouse?  What quality would your relationship have if your spouse had to satiate your desires?  How about your relationship to your parents?  Imagine if your approval of them was only based on how you wanted them to act?

Of course we can imagine this, because this is often how we treat our family.  Do you see it?  Every dissatisfaction can be traced to our consumer mindset. Consumers are fine at the store, just don’t bring it home.

And don’t bring it in the church.  Or, at least, recognize your consumer attitude in the church.  A church operates more like a family than a store.  If we miss this, then we will always have dissatisfaction towards those who are trying to love and help us.

Here are a couple attitudes that show we are relating to our church like consumers:

  1. A consistent dwelling on the thought: “Is this church the right fit for me?”
  2. An attitude that says, “If the leadership would just  do ______________ better, than I would be happier.”
  3. Comparing the offerings of your church to another church.
  4. When you see something that needs to be improved in your church you take no responsibility to see it improved.  You only expect someone else to do it.  Or you just leave.

Certainly this list is not exhaustive, but hopefully you see how these attitudes can kill the benefit you could receive through the local church.  All of these attitudes can work at the store, but not with your local church. For a local church’s benefit is not always immediate, like the marketplace, but her power is deeper and more lasting to those who approach her like family.

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13-Jan-2011

Posted by : David

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Why You Should Attend a Weekend Church Service

Category : bible, church

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Why should you attend a weekend gathering of the church? For years this question didn’t have to be answered.  It was just assumed.  When people thought about their faith they thought about it, at least, in relation to their Sunday activities of singing, listening, and giving at a church building.

But now many are questioning the importance of the church service. Some have given up on it altogether.  Here are some reasons for this phenomenon:

  1. Sunday-centric ministry has not produced disciples like the 1st century disciples.
  2. Worship is not meant to be a one day affair.  Worship should be 24/7.
  3. Going to a church building on Sunday isn’t a “righteous” thing.  It is not a good work.

All of these critiques are valid. Attending a weekend church service is not enough to fulfill all that God desires out of His followers.  The Bible critics building centric or “event” oriented worship.  Just read Jesus response about worship in John 4.  And, of course, the weekend is not an “act of righteousness.”

But the Bible doesn’t forbid a weekly gathering of the church, either.  We can throw the baby out with the bathwater.  Just because some of the reasons for weekend attendance aren’t fully biblical, doesn’t mean there aren’t good reasons to attend weekly.

Let me give you two:

First, God has given us the Bible for our perseverance and encouragement (Romans 15:4).  God’s word is the energy that restores our initiative and drive to live the lives that God would have us live.  We need continual reminders of what God says in his word.  (Paul, Peter, Jude, and John all wrote their letters specifically to “remind”).  The weekend church service serves as those reminders: God’s word proclaimed musically, God’s word preached, God’s word fed upon in communion.

Second, we can’t just read the Bible by ourselves and expect that we are going to understand it in it’s fullness. We need teachers.  Just as no university would just set up a library and have no classrooms, neither should a local church just expect people to read the Bible for themselves and understand everything.  We don’t learn simply by reading and regurgitating.  We need people to reinforce, provide context, and give application to what is in the books.  That is how we learn.

Much more could be said, for God’s word is not simply about learning.  Yet we are foolish to cut ourselves off from the weekly gathering of the church.  For God has set it up for His people’s perseverance and encouragement.

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05-Jan-2011

Posted by : David

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99 ministry

Category : church

Your church has a moral imperative.  A moral imperative is why something MUST exist.  Can you identify why your local church must exist?  The only thing more important than asking this question is the answer.  And what is the most biblical answer?  For that, the church must look to Jesus.

What was Jesus’ moral imperative?  He gives the answer by giving us a parable (found in Luke 15):

“Suppose you have 100 sheep and one of them wanders away and is lost.  What would you do? Or suppose that a woman has ten coins and one of them is lost? What do you suppose that woman will do?” The answer is obvious.  We would leave the 99 and go and look for the 1 lost sheep.  We would set aside our 9 coins and sweep the house and look for the 1 lost coin.

Maybe a modern example would help.  Suppose you got ten $100 bills for Christmas.  And then you lost one.  Will you say, “You know what?  I didn’t have this money to begin with so I am just going to cut my losses and forget about that lost $100 and make do with my $900?”  I don’t think you would.  I certainly wouldn’t.  I would look for that $100 bill as long as it took.  I may, once I have found it, throw a party because what was once lost, now is found.

Jesus is “seeking and saving that which is lost.”  Jesus was not doing 99 ministry.  Jesus’ moral imperative was not the found.

John gives us a description of Jesus’ commission to His disciples in John 20:21: “As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”   Jesus is sending us, JUST AS THE FATHER SENT HIM. Jesus’ commission was not concentrating on the found.  He sought the lost.  Yes, He spent the majority of His time with His disciples, but that was in the wider context of seeking the lost. Discipleship was not the mission, discipleship happened in the context of mission.

So why does your church and my church exist? Is it 99 ministry?  Or are we going after the lost?

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