Category Archives: Church

1 Way To Know That You Are Growing Spiritually

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If you are growing spiritually, you may certainly be reading the Bible, praying, “going to church” and other spiritual disciplines, but frankly, you can do all of those things and still be a jerk not be growing spiritually.  These things are all vitally important for spiritual growth, but they are not necessarily indicators of spiritual growth.

So what is an indicator?  What results in a heart that is strong, blameless and holy?

“12 And may the Lord make your love for one another and for all people grow and overflow, just as our love for you overflows. 13 May he, as a result, make your hearts strong, blameless, and holy as you stand before God our Father when our Lord Jesus comes again with all his holy people. Amen.” 1 Thessalonians 3:12-13 NLT (Emphasis added my me)

One way to know that you’re growing spiritually is when you see that the Lord is making your heart grow and overflow with love for the people in your church and for people everywhere.

Let me also put it this way:  Whatever you are “full of,” you’ll overflow “with.”

If you’re full of arrogance, bitterness, anger or yourself, that’s what you will ultimately overflow with.  When we are truly growing spiritually, we begin to overflow with love for others.  This is because God Himself is overflowing with love for people and spiritual growth is about becoming more like Him.

God wants our lives to be full of Him, and He is love.  ”Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.” (1 John 4:8 ESV)

Loving people does not mean loving and approving of the sin that they do.  It means loving them in spite of it.  It involves seeing them through God’s lens –  to their potential as people created in the image of God.

So if you are “filled with the Spirit,” you will also be full of love.  And if you are genuinely full of the knowledge of God and His word, you will also be full of love – Not sappy love, but strong love.  If you’re full of something else, you’re not doing it right. :)

So what’s a way to know if you’re growing spiritually?  It depends.  What are you full of?

Side note:  If you hate the idea of ending a sentence with a preposition, which I do all over this post,  ”that’s just the sort of nonsense up with which I will not put.” :)

We Serve At The Pleasure Of The King

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If you are a Christian leader,  you serve at the pleasure of the King.  Not to get ahead, not to be honored, not to be famous, not to have power, not to plaster your face and name on everything you do.*  You are under the authority of the King, and you serve at His pleasure.

This is the essence of Jesus’ prayer, “Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”  (Matthew 6:10)

It’s also the understanding of  the Roman officer who came to Jesus requesting healing for his servant in Matthew 8:8-9:

8 But the centurion replied, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant will be healed.
9 For I too am a man under authority, with soldiers under me.  And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes, and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” – ESV

Humility in leadership helps us to avoid the foolish mistakes that arise from arrogance.  It’s the attitude behind James 4:6 and many other verses of Scripture: ”God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”  If you are leading on behalf of Christ, you definitely don’t want Him to be against you as you go.

Christian Leaders must have humility if they are to truly be effective.  They must understand that they are under authority and represent the King.  Sometimes that means serving in a place of honor, as a paid, full time Pastor or Staff Member.  Sometimes that means serving in a place that does not have the same visibility or recognition.  Sometimes it means picking up and moving across the country.

Humility is not a word that means “weakness” or “lack of confidence” or “low self-esteem.” It is a word that conveys the idea that we understand that we are under the authority of One who is greater than us.  We go at His pleasure; we serve at His pleasure; we do whatever He calls us to do.  Our responsibility is to see His will done rather than our will done on earth as it is in heaven.

I had a Professor in Seminary who told us about his first, official, paid position in ministry.  He had just graduated with a Master’s degree, and was excited to start serving on a Church staff.  The Monday of his first week at the Church, he was given his first assignment:  Clean up the vomit of a kid who had thrown up in the Church van the night before.

Welcome to ministry.  If our King grabs a towel and tells us, “This is how to lead,” then we join Him and start washing feet.  If a task is given to us by the King, no matter how menial or grandiose, it is an honorable thing for us to be doing. The honor is in the fact that we are doing something on behalf of and in the name of the One who is worthy of all honor.

Humility is a “Backpack Essential” for Christian Leaders.  We are not the King. We serve at the pleasure of the King.

* (I’m not talking about your name and face on promotional materials or websites.  I’m talking about an ongoing need for recognition.)

Watering Up The Gospel

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Recently, I heard of a pastor saying, “Trying to make the Gospel relevant is like trying to make water wet.”

I agree with that statement and I know where he’s coming from, but I would add something to it.  I would say that the Gospel is always relevant, but our communication of it is not always relevant.

You can communicate something that is relevant in an irrelevant way.

Drinking water is relevant.  Lame, rambling directions to the fountain or long scientific explanations of H20 are not necessarily so…

So…What Went Wrong?

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“So…What Went Wrong?”

I was asked this by a friend recently in a private conversation.  Truth be told, this is a great question, and it should always be asked when things don’t turn out the way we expected and hoped.

I’ve posted recently about “When To ‘Move On’ in Ministry,” but aside from the video announcement about our recent decision regarding Stoneview, I’ve not mentioned specifically what led us to that decision.

Of course, first and foremost, I should have done a better job of reading and applying the lessons from this classic work: “31 Refutably Irrefutable Laws of Lame Leadership.” :)

But more seriously and specifically, the truth of the following factors converged on us one weekend, and the decision became clear.

1. The Team didn’t materialize.

Possible team members came and went, essentially putting me in a “parachute drop” situation.  In church planting, 99% of the time, that’s a recipe for failure.  I was and am determined to not be a “Lone Ranger” in ministry – but especially when attempting to plant a church.

2. Fundraising efforts fell flat.

I was conflicted in my thinking by previous “strings attached” funds from previous experiences and was too determined early on to “boot-strap” the process.  I’m still all for “boot-strapping” your way in most church planting situations, but there should be a balance.

I waited too long to get extra funding and ironically, “paid the price” for it later.

3.  Momentum was not established.

We “trickled along” for far too long.  Interest in what we were doing was stirred with each community event or presence we established, but the “next” event or gathering was either too many days away or was too different in format or size.  For example, “Hot Dogs in the Park” was followed with a “Gathering in a Home.”  It might work for some in some places, but it didn’t work for us.  At all.

Whether that’s an accurate assessment of the “why,” I do not know.  But I do know that for what ever reason, we had no momentum.

4. Timing was not on our side.

There are times in the year that are better than others for launching services.   For example, the first of the year, Easter, or early fall are great times to shoot for, so we tried to aim for those.  Unfortunately, when we were not ready for launch at one of those times, our next optimal launch time would often be months away.  When we weren’t ready by the next one,  there was another long stretch till the next best date.

I completely misjudged the timing and then found myself in a seemingly unending “catch-22″ type of circle.  I should have resolved this in my head and actions much more quickly.

5. Our launch strategy was derailed.

We had intended to launch with preview services in a Theater in our area and it was an important part of our timeline and area of focus.

Surprisingly, as we were attempting to gather a solid launch team, another church “beat us to the punch.”  They rented out the theater as a part of their revitalization/relaunch of an an old First Baptist Church.  Which, by the way, is incredibly awesome.  How could we be upset about that?

So we weren’t upset.  …But we were derailed.  Or rather, our strategy was derailed, as  a “backup launch location” wasn’t as easy to find as I thought it would be.

But honestly, a specific location should never be a major deterrent to launching a church when momentum is established.  You can always meet in a park, a school, a warehouse, a home or something to get things going.  But as I mentioned before, “momentum” was something we did not have.

(The next 2 are not things that went “wrong,” necessarily, but were factors that made things “clear.”)

6. My family was overextended and the needle was tipping into the danger zone.

Frankly, this was the biggie.  Financial pressures, stress, uncertainty, doubt, specific needs of our kids and our pressing responsibilities as parents had taken their toll.  To continue without relief in this area for the sake of a ministry would be utter foolishness, and simply wrong.  As I’ve said before, its far easier to get a new ministry than it is to get a new family.

7. I heard God say, “Stop.  It’s time to lay this down.”

This happened after #6 became clear.  It also settled it, for me.  For the first time since beginning the process, I had a peace about letting it go.  Am I saying I heard an audible voice from the clouds? No.  But it could just as well have been.  It was that loud in my head and heart.

//

So, what went wrong?  A number of things.

But a lot went “right” as well, and the lessons learned are invaluable for our next step in ministry.

When To “Move On” In Ministry (Part 4)

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Read Part 1 here.  Read Part 2 here.  Read Part 3 here.

Sometimes it’s clear.  Sometimes it is not. These posts list possible indicators that it’s time to “move on” in ministry.  Again, all of these possible “indicators” are just that – “possible.”  Please understand that they could also simply be distractions from your calling or mission, or “red light indicators” that something in your life, family or ministry is in trouble and needs attention.

As with all things, praying, fasting and seeking God’s direction continuously can help bring clarity and focus to your situation.

That said, here are two more:

5. You can no longer honestly follow or support the leadership.

Obviously, this assumes that you are not the lead guy.  But if you find that there are “one too many” things that you can’t see eye to eye on with the leadership, it’s most likely time to get going.

The longer you stay, the more unhappy and ineffective you, the leadership and the church will become.  Better to part ways in a God honoring way than to allow things to boil.  (See Law #6 – The Law of the Scorched Pan in my free ebook.)

6. You’re at an impenetrable brick wall.

Basically, this is when you have no support, are not received well, or your opportunity for success has passed.  Nothing seems to work.  There is no progress and no impression from God that you need to stay the course and keep hammering away.

I believe these times are similar to the situation that Jesus described to His disciples in Matthew 10:14, Mark 6:11 and Luke 9:5 – Essentially, if no one listens to you and you are not welcomed, “shake the dust” of your sandals and move on.

Don’t waste your life banging your head against a brick wall. If God wants you to stay He will give you that conviction, but if not – the fields are white for harvest and there are people everywhere who need Jesus.

When To “Move On” In Ministry (Part 3)

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Read Part 1 here.  Read Part 2 here.

Sometimes it’s clear.  Other times, there are indicators that point in a certain direction.   Here are two more:

3. Your family begins to suffer beyond the normal risk/sacrifice ratio required for ministry.

There is a delicate balance between one’s responsibility to provide for one’s family and the necessity for one’s family to make certain sacrifices for the sake of the call.   When the balance tips in the direction of not being healthy for your family, it may be an indicator that a search for a new place of ministry is in order.

It’s much easier to move into a new ministry than to get a new family.

4.  The advice and counsel of Godly, trusted people outside of your ministry suggests you consider a move.

Sometimes an outside perspective from someone who has nothing to gain but the joy of seeing you succeed can bring insight you might never discover on your own.  If you are wrestling with the issue of staying or moving on from your current ministry, find wise advisors who can keep things in confidence and give you their take on things.  (Be sure to have a good wisdom filter in place when you do so.)

But when these good people suggest that you consider the  possibility of moving “out of the blue” as it were, without any prompting from you – it may indicate that it’s time to consider packing up and heading out.

I have some final thoughts on all of this that I’ll share in the next and last post of this series.

When To “Move On” In Ministry (Part 2)

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Read Part 1 here.

Sometimes God makes it unmistakably clear that He is calling you to someplace new.   Other times, …not so much.

In those “fuzzy” times, here are some possible indicators that God may use to inform you that it is time to transition to a new ministry.  Keep in mind that this is not a formula, and your results may vary…

1.  You have a growing passion and heart for a ministry or opportunity that can not or will not be realized in your current situation.

This is when that passion or heart just won’t go away.  No matter how hard you try to envision or implement it where you are, it just doesn’t work, or is continually blocked for some reason.  Like the Apostle Paul’s “Macedonian call, (Acts 16:9-10)” it can only be fulfilled in one way: Going to Macedonia.

2.  You lack vision, passion and love for the people in your area for an extended period of time.

This is not just the “Monday blues,” but a difficulty seeing what God may want to accomplish in your current ministry.  If all you can come up with are “canned” goals from someone else’s ministry, and you can’t love the people with a desire to see them become all that God wants them to be, it may be time to go.

Of course, you may just need a vacation.  But if after prayer and rest, you can’t seem to muster up love and vision for the people and place of ministry where you are, the “time to go” light may be flashing.

But wait, there’s more.  I’ll share two more possible indicators in part 3.

When To “Move On” In Ministry

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From time to time someone will ask me:  ”How do you know when it’s time to move on to another Church, ministry or opportunity?”  I’ve wrestled with this question a number of times along the way.  Here’s how I approach it.

Two quick “filters” before I share the indicators that it may be time to hit the road:

  1. You shouldn’t leave just because things get tough.  ”Obstacles are not always indicators” that it is time to move on, because ministry is not always easy.  In fact, it’s usually pretty tough.  If you are involved in ministry of any kind, you can pretty much expect to encounter obstacles and challenges every week.  That’s just how it goes.  I will go so far as to say that obstacles are usually (though not always) terrible indicators of direction in this regard.
  2. You shouldn’t be in too big of a hurry to leave. I think many people hit the road way too soon in ministry.  Usually it takes at least 2 to 3 years in one place just to deal with the “messes of our own making.”

But just as it is a mistake to leave a position too soon in ministry, it is also a mistake to stay too long.

So in the next few posts, I’ll share some of the things that could be indicators that your time in your current position is drawing to a close and your next step in ministry is  just ahead.

5 Ways To “Dumb Down” The Gospel

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I sometimes hear about churches who have been criticized for “dumbing down the Gospel.”    Usually the criticism is about their use of  modern music, preaching of practical messages, or their getting too big because they are “too entertaining”  and “only telling people what they want to hear.”

Well, there are certainly a few churches out there who have probably gone a bit overboard in their attempts to reach people, but I think that a lot of “dumbing down” happens in other ways.

Here are five ways that I believe churches can really “dumb down” the Gospel:

1. Preach only to the choir.

That is, tailor your preaching and services to those who already have experienced the Gospel.  Use insider lingo.   Assume everyone in the room knows where the book of  Micah is in the Bible.  Assume everyone has brought a Bible with them.  Assume that everyone knows all of the songs you’ve been singing for years.  Assume that everyone in the room is a Christian.  Assume that everyone in the room understands the meaning of “Propitiation” and a host of other theological terms.

2. Equate “spiritual maturity” with “knowledge” only.

Don’t emphasize doing anything.  Emphasize “knowing” everything.  Name the 12 tribes of Israel?   Check.  Define “Propitiation?” Check.  Memorize a lot of Bible verses? Check.  Dig “deeply” into Scripture to discover nuances of Hebrew and Greek that put the passage into historical and cultural context? Check.  Congratulations.  You’re mature.  Because of course, the “Spiritual Maturity” test involves written “fill in the blank,” “true/false” and “multiple choice” answers…

3. Wrap & build your Theology around a human Theologian or movement.

Put that Theologian’s name or movement in your church name, way of thinking, and pretty much everything you do.  Seriously.  Just that one guy.   I’m not talking about your denomination or affiliation, but rather, your overall perspective.  Example: Larry started the Recycled Church movement.  So I’m a Recycled Larryiest and we are a Recycled Larryiest Church with a theology of Recycled Larryism.

Use these descriptions and “Larry” rather than or along with Scripture to “defend the faith.” ….Of… Larry, I guess?

4. Separate it  from everyday life as much as possible.

Make your preaching and your worship service so unconnected to the rest of the real world that people easily leave it at church and pick it back up the next week.  Think to yourself that this is what it means to be “holy” or “set apart.”

5. Make it as dull as dirt.

For heaven’s sake, don’t be interesting or captivating.  That would be entertainment, and if anyone is enjoying any part of your worship service, you must be doing something wrong.

So there you go.  Five ways to dumb it down.

Here is what I believe is a better way:

I believe spiritual maturity is about becoming Christ-like.
I believe unbelievers should be present, welcomed and helped to understand as we present the Gospel.
I believe we should learn from and be influenced by Theologians but not wear them on our jerseys like football teams.
I believe the Gospel should impact every area of life.
I believe the Gospel is the best, most exciting news on the planet and that it is wrong to communicate it in a dull and lifeless way.

When we forget that “Gospel” means “Good News,”  the “dumbing down” cannot be far behind.

They Started A New Church

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Paul and Silas started a new church.

Acts 17:1-11 records the account of their travels to Thessalonica, and how Paul used the Scriptures to reason with the people about Jesus, the Messiah.  It tells of the hospitality of Jason, who welcomed them into his home.  It reveals the anger and obstacles Paul and Silas encountered, their imprisonment as a result of it, and their subsequent release when the new believers were forced to post their bail.

The record in Acts provides us with the story of a brand new church that encountered persecution from its beginning and was left without its founders a very short time after it came into being.

And yet – it persevered, thrived and endured.

It became an example of faith to churches far and wide, and the word of the Lord rang out from them to people everywhere….

When God wants to start a new church, He uses people He has called to do it.  And through them, with them and beyond them, God does it.

He builds His church.

Two books in the New Testament are actually letters to the church in Thessalonica.  So it shouldn’t come as a surprise that it is in 1 Thessalonians 5:24, that we find the words, “The One who calls you is faithful and He will do it.”

So now, of course, I must correct my first sentence: God, Paul and Silas started a new church.

It was from scratch.

It encountered obstacles.

It was unstoppable.

And it was worth it.