The Power of the Church

At first glance the title of this blog can be found more as the punchline of a joke than a statment of a reality. Since the Amerian population grew by more than 18% between 1990 and 2004, but the church attendance decreased by 3% during that same period, the word "power" does not seem to fit in the same phrase with "church."

However, over the past several weeks I have been able to observe the local church make a lasting impact in a community.

• Family relationships once thought irrepairable, now restored
• Children who long attended church alone, now brought by their parents
• Couples once without food on the table, now able to share
• A church facility that sat empty at night, now used for the homeless when the weather gets cold.
• Single dads deep in debt; now with a plan to live debt free and make eternal impact with their money.
• Single moms and Senior Men, who have lived their lives apart from Jesus, now brought into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

I believe the quote of Bill Hybels, "there is nothing like the church when the church is working right." But why does it seem that it is more of a rarity than the norm for the church to "work right"? I think it is because the church believe THE CHURCH is the power. when the church thinks it is the power, egos rule the day. when the church thinks it is the power, the here and now guide decisions, instead of the eternal. when the church thinks it is the power, it serves the spiritually convinced, instead of those who have yet to hear. when the church thinks it is the power, it operates as a hotel for saints, instead of a hospital for sinners.

The reality is that THE CHURCH is not the power. The source is God's power working through the church. If the church starts taking the credit and relies only on itself, it won't be long before the doors will be permanently locked and the community around it won't even know it.

God is working today through His church. He has the power. I pray the church will be available to do and be what God wants.

For His Fame,

Brian

Heaven Rules

For the past several weeks I have been studying through the book of Romans as part of my personal Bible study. By the sovereignty and humor of God, today's passage was the first 7 verses of Romans 13 - submitting to governing authorities. This is so fitting since today is Election Day '08. In the next few hours, Americans will know the next leader of the Free World and Floridians will know if homosexul marriage will soon be a legal alternative.

As i encounter a variety of people from a variety of political backgrounds, I am sensing varying degrees of fear and concern creeping in hearts and minds. The fear is coming among Christians because of how there is the potential (as in every election) for the outcomes to be in sharp contrast to biblical standards. As a pastor, i have taught that Christians have a responsibility to vote in line with Biblical standards - because they have confessed that 'God is Lord' (ultimate leader) of their life. And if they vote only for a political party without regard for God and His standards, they cannot say 'God is Lord.'

But now the preparation for going to the voting booth is complete. That which remains is the outcomes. There is a tendency to believe that if the outcomes of this election are not in line with Scripture then God must have lost control of this country. This cannot be further from the truth.

• Has the worship of God in America apparently decreased? I believe - Yes.
• Has the Bible been replaced in many lives as the ultimate guide of life and this country? I believe - Yes again.

But these changes upon the American landscape do not mean that God is off of His throne and Heaven does not rule. The events and decisions of humanity still move towards God's ultimate purposes. All those in authority are there ultimately because of God's permission. Just because God sometimes grants a nation what it asks for does not mean that God has lost control. His ways are higher than our ways, and He is desiring to teach greater lessons in the days ahead. These lessons are usually lessons of holiness. Elections can reveal how unholy a nation has become; remind how perfectly holy God is; remind that God will one day judge sin; remind how much we need God.

In 12 hours from the moment I am typing, the voting booths in my area will close. Today, I will vote in line with Biblical standards. No matter the results, I know that God is still communicating to His creation who He is. When time is gone and only eternity exists, Americans will be reminded that because of today - God was really teaching that Heaven Rules.

Overcoming Mess

Whoever claimed that being a Christian was simple, care-free, and comfortable was not a Christian; or at least didn't live out their faith upon the surrounding culture. In twenty-eight years of being a Christian, I have found each year's spiritual journey to have increasingly difficult terrain. In fact, it can get downright treacherous and messy.

I have two kids, Baleigh (4) and Elijah (1), who God has brought into my life to remind me that messiness and clutter are built into humanity's DNA. So much of my time at home can feel like I am constantly walking behind them and picking up their latest mess or teaching them to clean up their clutter. Sometimes when I look into their playroom or into the backseat of the car it looks like the Cheerios factory threw-up or Wal-mart just had a twister move through the toy department.

The mess can drive me crazy. I am a guy who believes everything has a place and we should all take the time to put it back where it belongs. When there is no mess, I am most happy. Since that doesn't always happen, I am left to stomp around, my wife says "pout", and clean up their mess. After all, how can they have maximum enjoyment in life with all the clutter surrounding them?

What is amazing to me is maximum enjoyment is what Baleigh and Elijah know how to do. In the midst of the mess, they put on a musical. In this midst of the clutter, Baleigh puts on a concert while Elijah conducts.

I believe that in the Christian community we have often missed out on the joy God can bring even in the midst of life's clutter. The Christian life is going to be messy. After all, why else would Jesus pray for our protection (John 17) and relate that sending the Christians into the culture is like sending sheep out among wolves (Matthew 10). The church can have a tendency to become so consumed at making an unchurched world look like them, that they miss out on the joy people are experiencing through discovering what it means for them to look like God. All too often the church can push people to be conformed into the image of the church instead of the image of Jesus Christ.

I have come to believe that living a life that follows hard after the claims of Christ can be very messy at times. I have see this in the drugee that has broke free from the habits of their past while seeking to spiritually influence those who got them hooked. I have seen this in the dad who gives his life to Christ only to be sent to prison because of unwise decisions made in his past. I literally could write dozens of accounts.

The church can quickly be like me as a dad, walking behind people and cleaning up their clutter. Not because we don't like how God is working in their life, but because we like everyone to be nice and tidy so that we can be happy.

Humm, isn't it interesting that I was the one concerned with my kids mess while my kids still found joy? Isn't it interesting that we are often more concerned if someone else's life is nice and tidy so that we can be happy without considering if God is happy or without observing the miles the new Christian has traveled in their new found faith.

Maybe the person that needs to overcome the mess is not my children or the formerly unchurched. Maybe it is me as a dad and us as a church.

Just a thought,
Brian

{sidenote: do i want people to overcome their struggles with sin? Yes. But our goal must be for their faith to be authentic and not artificial; for people to live for God's pleasure and not our satisfaction.}

"you should have asked ME"

Today is Sunday. Normally at this time I am reviewing my message that I will teach in a few hours and spending time getting my heart and mind aligned with God. But today that is not happening. Why? Because Tropical Storm Fay decided to spend a week vacationing in Florida. After criss-crossing over the rest of Florida, all eyes were fixed her next target (us). The local and national forecasts were predicting endless rain, the emergency operations centers were doing their thing, and so i knew i must make some storm-related decisions as well.

Local pastors called me to find out if FHBC was having services. I told them I would let them know after I got some more information.

I consulted:

• some of FHBC folks to get their take
• the local emergency operations center
• 5 weather websites
• 2 weather TV stations
• the example of other churches in the area

And so, after much consultation and research, I made the decision. For the safety of our senior adults, because of the potentionally unsafe conditions of our Transportation Ministry, and because the Sheriff is asking everyone to stay off of the road, I cancelled services.

To comfort my decision i recalled the verse in Proverbs, "wisdom is found in many advisors."

Well, Fay came right here and went right by. No real rain. No real wind. As I laid in bed last night, and again this morning, I felt like calling the newspaper to tell them that the Doe-Doe bird was no longer extinct. And then, i heard God laying 5 resounding words on my heart, "you should have asked ME." I began to think back through my decision making process. I thought about the ministry leaders, I thoughts about the websites, I thought about the local leaders, I thought about the TV meteorologists, and then I experienced a holy collision - I did not consult with God- I did not pray.

I am now trying to answer some questions that make my heart feel like a punching bag. Do I value the combined advice of man more than wisdom of soverign God? Do I turn to technology first and the God that created today last? Do i believe that prayer is a last resort or a first line of defense?

I've been told that you really believe only what you do; therefore, I need to spend much time rearranging my belief system. Would God have directed me differently? Maybe... Maybe not...

Regardless of His answer, I still wish different words could have come - "thanks for asking"; instead of, "you should have asked ME."

Power from the Pew

Bill Hybels is quoted as saying, "There’s nothing like the local church when the local church is working right.”





After reading such a quote, our minds begin to rush to discern the magic answer that can get the local church to work right.

• Is the answer having a great facility with the latest technology?


• Is it the style of music that reflects the surrounding community?


• Is it the creativity by the pastor in the delivery of his messages?

I submit that none of these answers will suffice. While these methods will assist the church in being a missional force in a community, the magical answer is not the method.

IT IS THE PEOPLE.

When the people of God, being infused with the presence of the Holy Spirit, authentically apply the word of God in the mission field that God has placed them, eternal transformation will take place in a community. My prayer for every Christian is for them to realize the power that resides within them (the Holy Spirit), and the important role they play in affecting the outcomes God has purposed for this world to experience - A People Who Live For His Renown.

There is power that comes from the pew - the people.

Brian

Pro vs. Joe

This morning I had the privilege and honor of leading a funeral for a man named Joe who was 100 years old. Of the countless funerals I have preached, I have never been so excited. It is not that Joe won't be missed; but, rather, that Joe was ready. Since I met Joe over two years ago, he was ready to join his beloved wife of 69 years in heaven so to walk the streets of gold hand in hand. Joe pretty much taught my kids how to give a high-five as he made his weekly (and sometimes weakly) stroll through the preschool area. Often my son would hop down from the lap of whomever was holding him and ease his way over to give Joe a high-five. Joe made a deep impact across generations.

When I think of the authentic Christian life, I think of Joe. He didn't put on a front. He told you what was on his mind and of his deep love for Jesus Christ. Being in construction for 24 years might of wore out his body, but it didn't wear out his heart. Joe often said that he "worked hard in the morning to make a friend, and hard in the afternoon to keep him."

So often churches get caught up in looking professsional that it misses that it forgets to be friend. My desire is that the follower of Christ strive, not to be a professional Christian, but a person that authentically allows the power of Jesus to work in their lives.

What's the result? I can imagine that when Joe reached the pearly gates and passed through heaven's throne room that Jesus slipped down off of the throne, stuck out His nail-pierced hand and, gave Joe a high-five saying, '"Well done..."

If you ever think the Christian life is about being a pro, just remember Joe.

Brian

Religious Olympics

On 8-8-08 the world will focus in on the Olympics in Bejing, China. Athletes from over 100 countries (and probably that many sports) will gather to pursue to reach the top platform and embrace their personal gold medal.

All too often the Christian life can feel like a Religious Olympics. Churches can ask people to jump through various hoops, overcome world-record size expecations, and cheer people on to do better than they have ever done before. Sadly, this form of Olympics has led people farther away from God rather than to embrace Him to the degree Jesus died for us to experience.

After 15 years of ministry, I have seen many people try at following Jesus, some give up along the way, and even fewer reach the platform of the God-honoring life. why is this? I think it is because too many people, including many churches, have been engaging in spiritual games that Jesus never intended His followers to sign up for.

Our games say, "try harder"; Jesus calls us to die to self and live for what He wants.
Our games say, "look like us"; Jesus said look like Me.
Our games say, "go whatever way is comfortable for you"; Jesus said, "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life."

I too want to stand on a podium, get the gold, and sing the anthem, but I desire to play in a much different game - the one played on the court of Jesus Christ. The podium I shall stand on is the podium of praise to be a megaphone for the greatness of God; the gold I shall gain for doing anything in this world I shall throw back in worship to my Savior that granted the ability, and the anthem I sing will be accompanied by my teammates of the faith: "Holy, Holy, Holy, Is the Lord God Almighty. Who was and is and is to come."

May That Game Begin in You...