Dear Church Diva...

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I was reminded today of a bad experience I had while visiting a church a few months ago.  And probably because I didn't get enough sleep last night, I felt compelled to write this.  I do have a favor to ask of my readers: Please don't passive-aggressively post this on someone else's wall in the hopes that they will read it and change.  That's not the point.  If you want someone in your circle of relationships to read it, the best way to accomplish this without being rude it to share it on YOUR Facebook page.

After visiting a church recently I have some advice for the "Church Diva" that sat behind me.  You know the type... they want everyone to notice them, whether it's because of their clothes, their actions or their attitude.  Well this guy must have thought the Sunday morning service was his chance to audition for American Idol, and that I was one of the judges.  Now God has blessed me with a powerful set of lungs (read: I'm loud), but I almost couldn't hear myself sing over the sound of his voice.  To be fair, he did have a decent voice.  But to be honest, I don't think anyone around him was as impressed with his voice as he was.

Enemy of the State

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So often we miss the contextual details of the biblical narrative.  Most people don't know the cultural context of 1st Century Palestine.  We forget that Jesus and the New Testament writers were real people that lived in the real world.  We must never forget that the Bible was written in space and time.  Unfortunately much of this cultural context is lost on us.  Take, for instance, the following example...

Then Jesus called the crowd, along with his disciples, and said to them, “If anyone wants to become my follower, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.  For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and for the gospel will save it.  For what benefit is it for a person to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his life?" - Mark 8:34-36

The interesting thing about this passage is that his audience knew exactly what it meant to "take up your cross.’’  Crucifixion was regularly used by the Roman occupation force as a means of keeping the Jewish population in line.  It was a gruesome/tortuous method of execution, almost always committed alongside major travel routes for maximum exposure.  It was reserved for serious offenders - a way of punishing its enemies.  When Jesus used this phrase His hearers understood exactly what He was implying.  It meant dying as an enemy of the State.

What does that have to do with us?  We can’t expect everyone to like us as we follow Jesus.  This goes against the part of us that wants to be liked.  But we have to understand that as our culture wanders farther from God, genuine followers of Christ will be more counter-cultural.

Our insecurity drives us to seek affirmation.  We want to be loved, liked and accepted.  But Jesus was telling His audience that in order to follow Him they would end up as counter-cultural enemies of the State.    The good news is that the darker the world around us grows, the brighter Christ’s light shines through us.  And that’s a good thing because the light is supposed to shine in the darkness. (John 1:5)  We need to let our light shine brightly!

Our First Priority

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"He [Jesus] appointed twelve (whom he named apostles), so that they would be with him and he could send them to preach and to have authority to cast out demons." - Mark 3:14-15

We are ALL "called" by God to serve in full-time ministry. Some are called to serve in a church (pastors), and others to serve in church planting or a foreign country (missionaries). Still others are called to serve in their occupation (painters, bankers, bakers, programmers, etc.).

Notice, though, that when Jesus called His disciples and designated them as apostles the mission and priorities were clear: They were to first be with Him. Then, and only then, were they to go out to preach and do miracles.

It is the same with us... before we go out into our everyday mission field (our occupation) we are to keep first things first. We need to spend time with God, catching His heart and allowing Him to refresh and empower us. Then, and only then, should we head out into our calling. Spending time with God provides meaning and empowerment to spread the message and bring His power to a broken world.

The Blood, Sweat and Tears of Evangelism

Jesus said to them, "Follow me, and I will turn you into fishers of people.” They left their nets immediately and followed him. - Mark 1:17-18

When Jesus invited these men to become His disciples (that was the point of this "follow me" invitation) they realized exactly what He meant, for they were fishermen by trade.

Jesus wasn't referring to the holiday weekend, relaxing, cast out a line and wait for the fish to bite kind of fishing. He was referring to the long days/nights of blood, sweat and tears, labor-intensive occupation of net fishing. It involved throwing a round, weighted net over the side of the boat, waiting for it to sink and then pulling it back in - often with little or no results. (See Luke 5:5 and John 21:3) THEY KNEW WHAT HE WAS IMPLYING AND STILL THEY LEFT EVERYTHING TO FOLLOW HIM!!!

Far too many believers are unwilling to put in the time, effort and prayer necessary to truly share the Good News of God's grace to their relational circle. We want something that is socially and financially convenient and that fits into our busy schedule and our lifestyle. This isn't effective. It won't produce the results God intended for us to have. God's way of reaching people requires a lifetime commitment to discipleship (following Him by growing in our trust and obedience to God). If we will simply follow Him, HE will MAKE US fishers of men and women.

All He asks for is our commitment to follow. If we'll do that, He'll take care of the rest!

Sacred People (part 2)

In this series of articles we're examining the life of Jesus to see what a truly sacred person looks like. And it may not be the most spiritual or holy person, although that's what we've been led to believe.  What we discover may shock you.

Sacred People (part 1)
Sacred People (part 3)
Sacred People (part 4) 

Getting out of the box

The Jews in Jesus' day lived by rigid legal standards – some established by God and others added by men.  These rules were put in place to keep their hearts and their focus solely on Him.  This included isolating themselves from people that didn’t serve their God.  As a matter of fact, Jews wouldn’t associate or even eat with non-Jews.  This tradition continued with the believers in the early years following Jesus' resurrection and return to heaven.  Their churches were made up entirely of Jews or converts to Judaism.

But God never planned to keep the message of the Jewish Messiah (Jesus) just for the Jews.  His plan all along was for men, women and children of all nations to be a part of His family.  In order to make this a reality, God had to get the Jewish believers out of their isolationist box!  A radical worldview transformation was necessary for this to happen.  Jesus warned that this would happen:

Sacred People (part 1)

In this series of articles we're examining the life of Jesus to see what a truly sacred person looks like. And it may not be the most spiritual or holy person, although that's what we've been led to believe.  What we discover may shock you.

Sacred People (part 2)

Sacred People (part 3)

Sacred People (part 4) 

Just be real

The lady that cuts my hair is a trip! (in a good way)  She has multiple tattoos (almost a full sleeve), multiple piercings, WILD hair colors and likes "eccentric" clothing.  She's nothing like me, except for our mutual gift for sarcasm and honesty :)  One day she told how she used to go to church with her parents, but never really fit in because she asked too many questions.  Questions make religious people nervous because they bring up uncomfortable topics.  Apparently in a church you’re supposed to stick to the script!  So she finally came to the conclusion that, “I don’t belong in a church.”

Unfortunately I could tell you story after story after story that has exactly the same ending.  This breaks my heart!  We have FAILED in our primary assignment – to represent Jesus to a broken world.

How God Rescues [mp3]

I spoke at Pipe Creek Community Church in Pipe Creek, TX on Sunday.  What a great church!  The basis for my message was Exodus 3:7-10.

You can listen to the mp3 by clicking here, or download it to your computer by right clicking and choosing "Download Linked File" or "Save linked file as".

Becoming a Better Lover

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Like that title? I thought it might pique your interest. I want to take a few moments and consider how growing in your relationship with Jesus can make you a better lover.

I guess maybe I should give you some background. A number of years ago I taught a series called “Redefining Relationships“ to a college group. As usual, we talked about everything from friendships to sexuality. Since this church was made up primarily of singles, this subject hit home with many of the group members. Those that weren’t facing the battles of purity were still surrounded by sexuality from the media and pop culture at every turn.

Anyway, in this series, I made a passing reference to the fact that becoming more intimate with Christ can make you a better lover. I got quite a bit of response from that statement, so I decided to develop the thought further. I thought this would also be a good subject for married couples. A healthy marriage is like a healthy garden… it requires a lot of effort to weed, water, feed and nurture, but the results are well worth it.

So, I want you to drop your religious inhibitions, take off your holier-than-thou glasses and track with me as we delve into the subject of becoming a better lover. Maybe it would be best if we started with a verse or two from the Bible, so you won’t think I’ve gone off the deep end.

Sharing your faith

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If we truly believe that Jesus is Lord of all people at all places in all times, and that after this life a person either goes to spend eternity with Him or apart from him, we are compelled to share our faith with those around us.  It's not that we're better than the people we share it with.  Rather, it's a sign that we care.  We call this "evangelism."  But Christ-followers often get so focused on results in this area that they forget about the process of someone coming to faith in Jesus.

When it comes to evangelism, many Christ-followers focus on the wrong thing.  They only define success in evangelism as actually "praying the sinner's prayer" with someone.  That's just not true.  Take a look at the graphic below:

The "Seed" referenced above is the truth of God's grace and love.  As long as we make a positive connection or impact on a person, we have been successful.  Every time I have a positive interaction with someone who knows that I am a Christ-follower I have "pushed the ball up the field."  I have just made it easier for the next Christ-follower to share their faith with this person.  They have opened the door of their heart a bit wider.  This takes the pressure off of us when we do share our faith.

This is exactly what it says about the Church in the early years after Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection:

They praised God and were liked by all the people. Every day the Lord added those who were being saved to the group of believers.

    - Acts 2:47 NCV

As this group of believers gained respect and were liked by the people around them, new people committed their lives to following Jesus every day.  It will be just the same for us.  We may not be the one that prays with a person to commit their lives to Jesus.  But as long as we're doing our part, God's will is accomplished.  Everyone has their part:

I planted the seed, and Apollos watered it. But God is the One who made it grow.

    - 1 Corinthians 3:6

Something to consider: Older believers need to keep in mind that just as younger generations see the world differently than they do, they will also come to Christ differently.  I've spoken with some young believers who can't name the place and time they committed their lives to Christ.  One guy told me he was investigating Christianity and started hanging out with an on-campus Christian group.  Somewhere along the way he started following Jesus for himself, even though he couldn't put a date on it.

So let's ask God to use us in the process of helping people discover His grace and mercy!

Lost sheep

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Jesus sent out these twelve, instructing them as follows: “Do not go to Gentile regions and do not enter any Samaritan town. Go instead to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

Matthew 10:5-6

During my devotional time this morning I realized something.  Jesus' first ministry assignment for His disciples is to go to the lost sheep among their own people. Only later does He send them out to the whole world.

It is much easier to go overseas than to go next door.  In some aspects it's much easier to tell people about Jesus in a foreign culture.  The expectations are lower.  If you are unsuccessful you can always use the excuse: "Oh well... I'm just a foreigner."  You don't have to fit in there.  You will automatically stand out.  It's not as embarrassing, to some extent.

But where does Jesus begin training His disciples?  Where is the first place He sends them "on mission?"  He sends them to their own people.  Why does He do this?  Sharing God's message of love and grace is often more difficult in your own context.  You know what is socially acceptable; what is considered "normal behavior."  You know "the rules" of what a polite society does and doesn't do.  And to go against the rules makes us uncomfortable.  It makes us stick out in a place where we shouldn't stick out.  No matter how much we value our individuality, we all want to fit in.  Maybe not with some groups; but at least with our own.

But Jesus knew something: If you can't learn to minister to people that share your culture (your traditions, customs, language, food, etc), you won't be nearly as effective among a people whose culture is vastly different to yours.  Courage is better developed HERE than THERE.  Having served as a missionary to Europe for 13 years, I can honestly say it's much easier to represent Christ THERE than it is HERE.  But if HERE is where God has you, then it's HERE that He wants to use you.

Cross-cultural mission trips are vitally important. But don't discount the value of ministry among your own people. Jesus is concerned about the lost sheep among YOUR people - this includes your neighbors and your family.

My encouragement to you today: Pray for courage.  Pray for boldness.  Pray for opportunities: that you would recognize them and take advantage of them.  And pray Philippians 2:13: "For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him."

Stick to the script

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Everyone knows there is a script we're supposed to follow.  There's a certain way we're supposed to do what we do.  It's what everyone else is doing.  No one wants to stick their head above the crowd.  If you do, it'll end up like the game above.  And besides, you don't want to be labeled as weird or a rebel.

But what would our world be like if everyone discovered their unique purpose - that thing they alone were created to accomplish?  What if we weren't so concerned about what others are thinking?  What if we chose to courageously live out our God-given mission?

God has made us what we are. In Christ Jesus, God made us to do good works, which God planned in advance for us to live our lives doing.
Ephesians 2: 10 NCV

God has created us for something significant.  He has a plan, and we fit into it.  It won't be easy.  As a matter of fact, it will stretch you beyond what you think possible.  But by stepping into that place you will sense God's pleasure in a way that others can't.  And besides, life isn't about you anyway.  God created us to live our lives for others. (Matthew 22:36-40)

If we're going to accomplish God's dream for our lives we're going to have to be willing to go off-script.  This is exactly what Jesus was accused of by the religious leaders of His day. (Mark 11:27-28)

So what is the script that you are expected to follow?  Do your relatives expect you to follow in your parents' footsteps.  Are your teachers are pushing you to pursue a certain career?  Do your friends think you already have enough children?  It could be any number of things.

Now let me ask some questions that are MUCH MORE important: Who are you created to be?  What are you created to do?  What is the unique gift God has chosen you to bring to the world?

God has invested talents and passions in you.  He will take these and add them to your experiences - even the bad ones (Genesis 50:20) - to bring a unique expression of His creativity and love to the world around you.

Have you been told that your dream is unachievable?  It doesn't matter what THEY say.  It matters what GOD and YOU say!

Yes, it will be risky.  Yes, it will be scary.  Yes, you may have to go it alone.  But it will be worth it!  And for what it's worth, you will find cheerleaders in the most unexpected places.  It doesn't matter if your mom or dad, your friends, teachers or coworkers believe in you or not.  God does!

PS. If you haven't yet discovered your purpose, this series of blogs will help you get started in the process.

Light-Filled Lives Series

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I wrote a series of blog posts a few years ago called Light-Filled Lives.  They were about how we can hear God's voice in a clearer way.  I think they are as true today as they were then.  Each one is a very quick read.  You can check them out here:

Light-filled lives (part 1)

Light-filled lives (part 2)

Light-filled lives (part 3)

Light-filled lives (part 4)

Light-filled lives (part 5)

When Life Doesn't Make Sense [mp3]

I had the privilege of speaking at my friend, Mike Burdick's church a week ago.  Mike and Christine have been our friends for a long time.  Although I had initially planned to teach on a different subject, my heart kept coming back to this one.  I think it will encourage you as it did me.

This message is a LOT longer than I usually give.  They did shorter music and announcements so that I could have extra time, and they encouraged me to speak longer than I usually do.

Click here to listen to the message.  You can also right click on the link and select "Save As..." to download the mp3.

Are you building a monument or scrawling graffiti?

Crusader graffiti on the wall of the Dover Castle Saxon Church (Image credit: John Dahl)

Before moving back to the USA our family was able to do one final European road trip.  We took the ferry from Calais, France to Dover, England, and spent the night there.  The next day we toured the Dover Castle.  It was awesome!  On the walls of the castle church we saw some Crusader graffiti scrawled into the church wall.  These men wanted to leave some sort of mark on the world before heading out into battle.

It got me thinking about our mortality.  We are not guaranteed our next breath.  No one knows what is ahead.  Before we depart we want to leave some sort of legacy that will live on after we’re gone. We only have a few short years in which to impact our world, hopefully for the better.

Some men build grandiose monuments to show how important and impressive they were.  Others scrawl graffiti over those monuments, as a small way of leaving something behind.  This graffiti “shortcut” leaves people more disgusted than impressed.  In our digital world graffiti looks more like online criticism in blog posts and articles.  It has always been easier to deface what someone else has done than to build something that matters.

Men and women of honor build something significant.  Small minded men and women seek to tear it down.  But great men and women realize that the way to leave behind a true legacy is to invest your life into serving others and empowering them to succeed.  Let's invest in the next generation of leaders while we still have time.

Don't make your calling mine

Don't make your calling mine.  What I mean by that is, don't expect me to do what God told you to do, live like God told you to live or sacrifice what God told you to sacrifice.  God created us with unique passions and talents, and we’ve gone through unique experiences.  Why, then, should I expect you to have the same passion and calling from God that I do?  It's not fair for me to expect you to have the same relationship with God and calling from God (pastoral/missions/church planting) that I do.

God told us to sell everything and move to Germany. It's arrogant for me to expect you to do the same thing in order to please God – as if I'm sacrificing more than you are for the will of God.

A perfect example of this was Keith Green.  He was an amazing minister, and was greatly used by God to stir a nation that was falling asleep.  Robin and I can still quote the words to almost all of his songs.  I believe he was used by God as a “prophetic voice.”  But like many with this “prophetic voice,” he expected everyone else to have the same heart and calling that he had.  He expected everyone to go to the mission field.

I don’t think this was right.  It happened to be right for our family, but it’s not the right place for everyone.  1 Cor. 12:12-27 makes that very clear.  Each of us has a specific calling.  It may be similar to someone else’s, but it won’t be the same.  We need to remember this and encourage everyone to find and fill his or her place.

Not good enough

Photo credit: Bianca Cimini

I just had an epiphany… I was thinking of the fact that Jesus didn’t choose any of the "Who’s Who Among Israeli Religion Students “ or “National Religion Honor Society” students to be one of His disciples.  Not one of them was trained (Acts 4:13 says they were "laymen with no training in Scripture or formal education").  He chose those that were passed over, those that didn’t make the cut.  He chose fishermen, tax collectors and political activists (radicals).

But what I had never realized before was that Jesus Himself was passed over by the religious leaders.  Even though they recognized that at age of thirteen He was gifted, they obviously didn’t choose Him to be one of their lawyers (experts in the Law).  He didn’t fit their expectations, so they discounted Him.  As Isaiah said, "He was despised and rejected by men!" (Isa. 53:3)

All Jewish children had to learn the Pentateuch (the Mosaic Law) before their 13th birthday.  We know it today as a Bar Mitzvah.  Then the religion teachers would choose a student in whom they saw a gift and refer him (no girls allowed) to the religious leaders for further training, in preparation for a life of religious service.

If you’ve been ignored or passed over because you aren’t the brightest or the best, you’re in good company.  God can use anyone who is willing to submit their lives to Him!

Book Review: "Take the Lid Off Your Church" by Tony Morgan

I just finished Tony Morgan's new eBook "Take the Lid Off Your Church - 6 Steps to Building a Healthy Leadership Team". What a short, but great read!

One of his opening statements sums the premise of this book up perfectly: “The people who hold the senior leadership positions of your church are the only chance your church has to achieve the vision and mission God designed your church to accomplish at this moment in time.”  In other words, our call is much bigger than us.  And for us to accomplish God’s mission for our lives (and our churches), we have to equip and empower others to lead.

This book is designed as a springboard for conversation.  For those that are looking for easy answers to take your church to the next level, It's not the book for you.   It is best used as a tool for self-examination.   It will help you ask tough questions… both of yourself and of your team. But the long-term results are well worth the short-term discomfort.

I will definitely be taking my senior leadership team through this book and looking at adjustments we need to make so we can more quickly and efficiently pursue God’s mission for our church.  I suggest you do the same!

New church planting blog: Courageous Confrontation

New Watermark Freiburg (Church Planting Blog): "Courageous Confrontation" - http://t.co/2q45D8BZ

Israel Study Trip - Day 2

The Land...
Today was amazing! We started out learning about the land itself: "A Land Between". It lies between the former Mesopotamian & Phoenician empires. All traffic north - south had to pass through here. It was literally the crossroads of the known world of that time. The major International Coastal Highway passed through here, as did the Jezreel Valley, which connected this Highway to the rest of the country inland.

It was from this place that God wanted to make His Name and His mercy & grace known. And it was this very place that God sent Abraham... it was like a podium from which to proclaim His nature and goodness.

The land itself is as much a character in Bible stories as the people themselves. The Bible takes place in time and space and to get the greater story you must understand both the culture and the land.

God told Abraham's descendants, "I'll allow you to live at the crossroads as long as you represent Me correctly. If you will obey Me, you'll live here forever. If you disobey, I'll take you out of this land until you're ready to represent Me correctly."


Caesarea...
We then went to Caesarea. It was a city that Herod built in honor of the Romans who made him king of Judea. He even dedicated a temple here to Tiberius Caesar (while Tiberius was still alive). The only temple dedicated to a living Caesar. He built the 2nd largest port and the only all-weather port) in the Roman empire. And he built himself an amazing palace, along with a Hippodrome (horse racing), an amphitheater and a theater. Next to that stood the Crusader Fort, with a minaret from a former mosque inside. This place has so much history from so many periods!

Historically speaking it could have been the last stop on our tour. It was here that the angel appeared to Cornelius (Acts 10). Because of this the Gospel was first preached to the Gentiles... they received both the gift of salvation and the infilling of the Holy Spirit. It was also from here that Paul sailed to Europe, never to return.

Mt. Carmel...
Next we went to Mt. Carmel, which overlooks the Jezreel Valley. What an awesome view! From there we were able to see the Nazarite Ridge (where Jesus grew up). Jesus wasn't some hick from the backwoods. The Jezreel Valley was only a few miles from one side to the other... and the world passed through here! Whoever controlled it controlled the world.

We could also see Mt. Tabor - the scene of Deborah's victory over Sisera (Judges 4), Mt. Moreh - where Elijah raised the Shunnamite's son from the dead (Judges 4), and Jesus raised the widow of Nain's son from the dead (Luke 7), and Mt. Gilboa - where King Saul & his sons died in battle, where Gideon separated his men at the Brook (), and where Jezebel was killed(2 Kings 9).

Here on Mt. Carmel Elijah challenged the 450 prophets of Baal - the god of storms, high places and fire - to a duel for the hearts of the people. (1 Kings 18) Whichever god answered by fire was God. Of course they accepted. This was at the end of a 3 1/2 yr. famine.

Baal worship originated just north of here, and had been brought to Israel by Jezebel, the Phoenician princess that King Ahab married. He basically takes the fight to Baal's home court.
This mountain was easily seen for miles from 360 degrees. Basically, Elijah backs God into a corner. If God fails to come through, everyone will know it. If He does answer by fire, EVERYONE - even the surrounding nations - will see it!

You can read the story, but the high points are:

* The prophets of Baal built their altar, and started dancing around and "prophesying". Nothing happened.
* Elijah begins to talk some smack: "Maybe your God is going to the bathroom."
* Finally, he builds an altar and has them pour buckets of water on the sacrifice. Then he prays that God would answer by fire, and in doing so would turn the hearts of the people back to Him.
* Of course God comes through! And when the people turn back to Him, the rain returns. God always listens to repentant people!

Megiddo...
Finally, we checked out Megiddo. It controlled one of the major passes into the Jezreel Valley. You could see layer after layer of archaeology. Both King Ahab & King Solomon built huge stables here for their horses, in direct disobedience to God's command that the kings not accumulate horses and chariots (the technological cutting edge weapon of that day).

In both of these kingdoms, everything looked great on the outside. Financially and politically they were well-off. But moral decay from compromise and disobedience was eroding the foundations. both of these kingdoms crashed with the king's successor.

I guess my biggest takeaway from the day was this: Obedience will enable you to stay in the crossroads. If you don't keep your heart right, your actions will follow. Then it's just a matter of time until you crash and burn!

The call to be in the crossroads comes with a cost: obedience!

Daily Downloads

My mother's sons were angry with me and made me take care of the vineyards; my own vineyard I have neglected. 

http://bible.us/Song1.6.NIV84

I find it interesting that here in the middle of a love song is an amazing leadership truth.  Those that minister to others can find themselves guilty of this verse... taking care of the needs of others while neglecting themselves and their needs.

We have to intentionally spend time with God for ourselves... downloading His heart and passion on a daily basis.  If not, we'll never finish God's mission for our lives.  There is an entire world out there counting on us to get it right!