Be There!
Come To Christ from The Work Of The People on Vimeo.
This video resonates with the heart of our mission. We can be and do so much…but if we aren’t inviting people to Jesus, then all our being and doing is vanity.
LOST: Finale
No doubt the hip thing to do in churches that are engaging their culture will be to write about LOST on their blogs today. Not sure how hip I, or our church, really is but I am writing about LOST today. I know that for 6 years I watched this show, and enjoyed it, I even felt a strange sense of joy by all the “lack of answers.” In fact, the lack of answers was so much of what defined the show. People spent hours around coffee shops and living rooms talking about the content of “last weeks show” and what it meant, or what they thought it meant.This intrigues me.
My first thought this morning was a question. How often do people spend large chunks of time questioning or talking about what they heard in church this last week? I mean really, we have the same amount of time (40 minutes), and we even have our own version of commercials (announcements). Yet, most people spend little or no time pondering, wading, or digging below the surface of what they heard in church. You may have small groups, sermon based home groups, or whatever your church has labeled them…but it just isn’t the same (in most cases). The large majority of people just don’t care what you said in church…and certainly didn’t care enough to ask someone else about what they missed, or go back and review the DVR to see if it was recorded. I actually heard today that someone took notes each week and would use that to start conversations with friends for the sake of understanding better what happened.
This sounds like things people who loved God would do. (Yes, I know some do) However the vast majority of Christians don’t ever reflect on the last sermon they heard…they certainly don’t throw sermon watching parties at their house! You can argue 
your case for your small group ministry, but chances are that is a separate meeting having little or nothing at all to do with the sermon from that week, and even if it’s sermon based most people aren’t really engaging the content but instead they muck their way through the meeting to get to the food or games they enjoy afterward.
I guess if anything LOST left me feeling like the Church needs to show as much interest, even more interest in the things of the Bible than they do the latest pop culture fads. While Lost will be slated to run in a never ending parade of repeats on various channels for the next 10 years…at best it’s shelf life is 15, maybe 20 years with some reunions (although it will be hard to reunite the dead. But if anyone can manage a TV resurrection I am sure it is going to be the producers of LOST). My point is that the Bible has lasted thousands of years…maybe it’s time we develop a sense of awe about it’s content. How do we elicit a hunger for it’s story and message each week that keeps people asking questions and diving below the surface for a better look at the truth? Can we sustain a long term interest in what will be a lifelong pursuit of God’s truth in the Bible? Is this just a matter of personal growth, and is church leadership unable to have any effect on such matters?
Maybe what was great about the show is that it made some of us church type leaders ask some of these kinds of questions. Maybe in doing what it did the show led other Christians to ponder deeper truths than what they had come to accept as comfortable. I am sure this is just the first of many musings on this subject, and I am 100% sure there will be others who are much better writers join the fray. I look forward to the faith challenges in the same way I looked forward to each weeks episode of LOST. Goodbye lost… it was entertaining, and maybe more?
It’s Time We Pray Together
As our city has suffered some rough weeks it has become clear that we need to gather our community in prayer. Not just our church, but the community. A city wide prayer service has been planned for next Wednesday, May 19th at 6:30 PM and we would like to invite you and all your friends to come and join others in a time of concentrated prayer and worship on behalf of our city. We will be praying for the hurts of our people, city government, public services like Fire and Police, schools and their administrators, and the work of the churches in the area. I hope you will make it a priority to join us and many others as we join together in prayer.
People of the Rut: Part 2
“Contemporvant Growtivation!” What a buzz. A recent viral video produced and released by NP church has created quite a stir. Blogs and websites around the Christian community are posting off the charts and receiving comments galore. Why all the fuss you ask? Here is why. Watch this quick video and enjoy the tongue in cheek presentation of what happens week in and week out across America and the world in churches…
“Sunday’s Coming” Movie Trailer from North Point Media on Vimeo.
So, I will chime in with a couple comments of my own since our last post, People of the Rut, hits close to home with this video. First, let me say, I laughed so hard at this video it made me cry. Because it is FUNNY. Yes, I was challenged too…here were some of the things I thought:
What do we do each week, every week, that has great value?
What do we do each week, every week, and no one knows why?
Has the “rut of routine” gotten so deep that all we do is laugh at this video, and miss a greater set of truths?
Have our methods become so predictable and planned that they no longer represent a genuine “effort” on our part?
If I think this represents something true about my church, is there something I need to do correct or fortify our course as a church?
These are the questions I am thinking through and invite you to share your thoughts as well. There will be another post after I have had more time to chew on my own revelations. One thing is for sure, I love our large group gatherings each week and what they do to encourage and push us forward. We are earnestly seeking God and His best through us in reaching others and that is a great foundation…the only foundation…and examining that “base” is a good habit that protects us. Looking forward to your thoughts in the comments…
New Series: Fan the Flame ~2 Timothy
Beginning this week we will start a new series that will take us through 2 Timothy over the course of the next 10 weeks. I have broken this down into 4 sections so we can deal with special topics in each chapter of the book.
Fan the Flame: Chapter 1 (2 weeks)
To The Core: Chapter 2 (3 weeks)
Stand: Chapter 3 (2 weeks)
Finish the Race: Chapter 4 (3 weeks)
We will be taking a break between chapters 2 and 3 for the One Prayer series led by Lifechurch.tv and discuss the notion of the church being an Unstoppable force when united under Christ as it’s head! This series will feature me and one other staff member, plus two other pastors via video! You won’t want to miss a week over the next few months. These are shaping up to be a real faith building time on our church. Come ready to grow and be used by God!
People of the Rut
I recently watched a video presentation by Alan Hirsch. Not sure where he was and after watching the video I don’t really care. I was swept away in thought about ministry and the church I serve after hearing what I already knew to be true but had put no real effort to understanding. That truth I heard was, “the contemporary church growth model of attractional ministry may have large appeal but as a whole is ineffective.” Attractional ministry demands that people “join us” in our culture whereby they are “churched” or adopted into a church culture through some process of assimilation. The cultural divide in America is spreading. It is a fact that can’t be denied. People in America have wider interests, increased information, and more diverse backgrounds than ever before. Some things in our culture remain similar and the most relevant for us is the fact that people are willing to engage the topics of Spirituality, God, and even Jesus. However, when we start talking church the crowd of people willing to engage shrinks considerably. There are many reasons for the disdain of organized religion and I can’t take the time to unpack that here but they are well documented for those interested in that pursuit. The reasons that this model are ineffective are numerous, and the widening culture is certainly a main reason, but the one that gripped my heart was the “death of imagination.”
First, the attractional model has been the model that most churches have adopted over the last few decades. I like to think and for sake of this argument will concede that the motives for doing so are pure and based on God’s plan of redemption. (this thought is destined to become another post) As culture shifts, and it is shifting constantly, the church continues to reproduce the same efforts with more and more proficiency resulting in less and less results. This is the point I started asking some serious questions…why is that we are getting better at what “we do” but the results are worse than last years efforts? Simply, what got us here will most likely NOT get us to our next destination. The insanity of doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results (thank you Einstein) is a thought lost on most churches. Maybe we believe God will somehow supernaturally bless our efforts, but here is another place I asked a tough question. Is this hope for blessing “what we have always done” an excuse to be creatively lazy? When the results of our ministry are less and less do we use that as a judgment on those we serve or an indictment to our lack of creativity and courage?
I am guilty of relying on last years efforts without any thought of relevance or need. It hurts to say but I have enjoyed some “ruts*” for way too long. The pattern of ministry has created a groove where others have crossed time and time again, and instead of carving a new path, I have nestled gently down into the crevice that others have created and I now make it deeper. Without thought, and certainly no hesitation, I do the same things…killing my creativity, leadership, and vision. Then I fear we create and institutionalize what we do; to the point that it can’t be changed without stepping on someones toes, or someone abandoning ship and leaving for another church. This is a slippery slope and leads to a somewhat slow and agonizing organizational death. In it’s path of destruction lay the over-worked, under appreciated, passionless, and creatively crushed people of a church that has given up…and leaders that resigned in their minds ages ago.
The good news is that this can change. We can fight and claw our way out of the rut and do those things that are relevant now…and not rely on those things as “what we do” but what we’ve done. They serve as reminders that creativity, risk, courage, boldness, something different, and something daring can clear the path for greater eternal results. It is a return to some of the principles Jesus used when he walked and served on this Earth. He broke the mold and set a high mark…His path was never a groove and always challenged those who followed Him, those who opposed Him, and even those who needed Him. What has God asked you to do that is not recognized by the “people of the rut” as acceptable? Maybe the most important of all questions, does God think of your idea and desire for ministry is acceptable? If so, break free and enjoy the thrill of ministry outside the “ruts” right now.
*RUT: a habit or pattern of behavior that has become dull and unproductive but is hard to change.
Living and Dying
One of my favorite moments of each day is the quiet moment I share with my sons well after they have gone to sleep. In the quiet of night I slip into each of their rooms to make sure they are covered up and warm before I go to bed. Often I stop and think… “holy cow, I have two boys!” Most of the time I whisper prayers on their behalf praying for things like strength to stand against temptations I know they will face. I will pray they have the grace to act as gentleman in their lives as it relates to friends, women, church, family, and business. Many prayers are spent praying against the enemy of God and his efforts to win their hearts and rob them of the joy of knowing and following Jesus. Last night was a little different. I stayed up late to watch a documentary on WWII. It highlighted the sacrifices of so many young Americans to protect what I enjoy today. I heard stories of great personal loss and loved ones who beamed with pride over those they lost during this war. So, last night as I slipped in to pray and care for my boys my thoughts were more like, “I would die for you without hesitation.”
I gotta tell you it was a simple statement that is having profound effects on me today. It is nothing new, but is in this moment all new. I thought of how Christ died for me, and how he has called me to die daily to selfishness and follow Him. This verse from Matthew 16:24 came to mind:
“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”
I was so eager to confess my willing sacrifice for my sons…how willing was I to do the same for Jesus? After all, I believe He has already done this for me. Then I began thinking about the ramifications of daily dying to myself and what that would look like. Not choosing sin over holiness. Obedience rather than rebellion. Devotion instead of fickleness. It really comes down to a commitment. Am I committed to living like I am dying. Dying spiritually to my selfish ways and embracing the way of the cross. The implications go even deeper. If my faith in Christ is immediately impacted, so then would statements of devotion to my family. I confessed in that nightly prayer that I would die for my kids, wife, and family. The wave of conviction that swept over me next was, “then why won’t I live for them?”
We spend so much time thinking about how much we would die for our loved ones that we rarely consider how we will live for them. I felt conviction over certain dietary selfishness that could rob me of healthy days and the potential for longer life. I felt the shouts of anger and impatience screaming back at me and thought about how I can never have those back. I crumbled under the pressure of my own choice for work over family and what they tells my most cherished people. Although I have made major improvements in some of these areas in the last many years I am a work in progress and I am sure this epiphany is pushing me to declutter and refocus on that razor sharp edge God wants me to live on with my family…AND WITH HIM.
My life with Him will only strengthen my healthy habits towards and for my family. Dive in to your relationship with God as you seek to follow Him and deny yourself. Let that relationship change the way you will sacrifice for your family. Conisder right now how you will live to make your family more aware of your willing sacrifice on their behalf…not just in words (they are often too cheap, too easy to speak) but in your actions. Good news… you won’t be alone!
A Boys Imagination
Finding the treasure!
I think fathering boys was everything God built me for…I am not always the best daddy of boys, but I am a work in progress. Some of the things I love about my boys are the moments of adrenaline, the sense of urgency, the need for adventure, and the list goes on. I have tried to feed many of those needs in my little men. One of the ways I have been working with Brady is through story. I have concocted an 8 day story this last week and a half that has ended with major adventure for his little 5 year old mind. So much so…he couldn’t sleep the night before the big event. What did I do?
Simple. I made up an ongoing story that each night ended with…to be continued. I didn’t have to do too much creative digging…mostly I just talked about what I loved as a kid with him. The story involved little boys taking trips around their neighborhood, and became as elaborate as these same kids meeting up with spies for a treasure hunt. Interwoven into this long tale where truths from God’s word about what a boy must be to be a man.
Our simple map.
We talked of courage, honor, faithfulness, risk, saying thank you, looking for things and not giving up, and so much more. I shared about how you won’t always be perfect but when you aren’t you gotta learn to say your sorry and get better (maybe a little of Tiger Wood’s drama affected me here). All in all it is a precious time and one that I try to protect and keep each night.
As we neared the end of the story and my imaginative capacity… I thought a treasure hunt would be a great end. So we did just that. I copied a simple map from the internet. I used my iPhone to enhance the spy part of the experience. I also used the phone to act as a treasure detector. I hid the treasure while he was looking in another place…so there was no need to go bury something prior to the trip. He was surprised, curiously engaged the whole time, and eager to use his new found treasure to go hang out with daddy. (Doing something with the person who helped you find the treasure was part of the treasures instructions!)
His treasure. We are going to go to lunch and a movie!
So, now Brady and I will go spend a day having some lunch (quality time to talk and hang out) and then catch a movie which has been one of our favorite things to do for a while now. (plus the movie may feed our imagination). And, as you can imagine I am thinking about and dreaming of our next adventure together and the story line for that series.
Stay tuned as I am bound to post an update about that one as well.
Need Your Courageous Words
This will be an exciting week, but I need your courage to help pull it off. As we discuss Speaking Up for Jesus I want to show people real life examples of what I am talking about. Sound like fun? Want to give it a shot? Here is what I need:
Wanted: 3 people to share their story of how God changed their lives.
In 2-3 minutes talk about the following things:
- How or when did you become aware of your need for Jesus?Specifically, how does God make a difference in your life right now?
- Specifically, at what point did you become willing to admit you were a sinner? What got you to that place?
- What do you remember experiencing or feeling when you made that decision?
- Where did you make the choice to follow Jesus?
- How has that decision changed your life?
If you could take a minute to write out those answers (briefly please) and then share them on Sunday that would be great. Also, I am open to doing your part on video if you are game.
Missions Night: February 15th
In an effort to inform and ready our church for missions involvement in Anna and throughout the globe, our own Dr. Chuck Vance, will be hosting a special missions awareness night on February 15th at 7:00PM.
The evening will highlight the many ways we are reaching our community, our nation, and the world with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We will look at missions in Honduras, China, Africa, Louisiana, and right here in Anna, Texas. We will be doing anything from building homes, giving money, preaching in churches, prayer walks, caring for orphans, clothing needy children, serving the needs of the poor in our community, and much more. There are places to get plugged in right now and start serving for Jesus sake. This night will be very informative and help you gain insight into how we plan on attacking 2010 for the sake of the Gospel.
February 15th @ 7 PM
Pin Oaks Worship Center
120 W 4th Street
Anna, Texas 75409
Dessert will be served.
