Resolution Blitz

It's hard to believe we are moving into the final quarter of 2009. What better opportunity to begin our New Year's Resolutions than now - for 2009. I remember the good intentions at the beginning of the year that were shoved to the back along with last week's meatloaf. But why not make a go of it? I know there might not be time to lose 200 pounds in 12 weeks, but what about matters of faith:

• The intention to invite the unchurched neighbor over to get to know them a little better;
• purchasing the new outfit for the teen because the struggling single parent can't keep up with the growth spurt;
• establishing a routine reading the Bible;
• setting up time to pray with your kids each night or before they head out the door;
• getting back in the swing of attending church as a family and then being intentional about applying what you have learned;
• finding out whose going on a mission trip and see if you can go or help them go.
• begin saving to help a family at Thanksgiving or Christmas

The list of resolutions could be lengthy, but let's review our lists, put them up around our house, and then go them. (It's good to go to church; but I'd rather BE the church.)

Happy New Year!

Digital Donations

"Does giving electronically still worship God?" This is a question that I have wrestled with for a number of years. For the last 10 years, I have been against the idea. In my mind I found it difficult to imagine people sitting at their computer screens singing "Shout to the Lord" while making on-line donations to their church.

However, in recent years the role of debit cards and other digital payments have roared to the front pew of society. Fewer people are carrying cash and even fewer people are carrying checks. For a majority of the 20-30 something generation, their financial world is entirely electronic. However, within the church giving is generally in two forms: cash or check. Is this shutting out a generation of desiring givers? Is the methodology preventing people from applying theology. Is it more godly to write a check than punch in a pin number?

I am unwaivering in several areas:

1. For the Christian, the local church is to be the place where finances are dispersed to collectively accomplish God's purposes.

2. Giving to God is to be from the "firstfruits" not from the leftovers (top-priority).

3. Giving is an expression of worship and not merely a religious exercise or check-box.

4. The base-line for giving is 10%, and the goal is sacrificial giving.

Above all, isn't the essence of giving to be a prioritized expression of worship that collectively accomplishes God's agenda through the local church to carry out where He is working throughout the world?

So help me out here -let's articulate worship-driven giving in a digital age.

Please share your thoughts.

bnall

Imitating Authenticity

If I had to choose, church life today would primarily be described as an individual sport verses a team sport. There is that gatherings in the locker room (Worship Service) and there is some time spent in the weight room (Sunday School); but then everyone goes there own way to accomplish God's plan for their individual life. I contend that there is great validity to the above scenerio - we need to be inspired together and trained together so the church can go forth and join God where He is working in our day in and day out life.

But I believe there is to be more!

I think that the church is to be more than a time of motivation. As Frances Chan said when comparing church to a college, "Church needs to function not as a lecture hall, but as a lab." In the lab setting, we don't only learn the knowledge, but we work together to figure it all out; a setting where Christians live authentically and genuially to become fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ.

I am excited that I have seen glimpses in this type of missional living over the last year or so at Ferris Hill. However, I look at the those coming in and I am concerned that we are not properly bringing them into the lab.

I remember my Anatomy and Physiology Lab in college where we had the privilege of disecting everything that didn't move. Fortunately, the Professor didn't just say, "start cutting," but rather directed us through the journey.

I have seen all too often that when a person begins to take their 1st steps in their Christian journey the church only communicates, "start trying ("cutting") and not "let's start training." For this to happen as Jesus modeled, we need people who will purposefully come alongside another and say as the Apostle Paul did, "Follow me a I follow Christ" or even, "Imitate me."

As I look over my Christian journey I often wander, "have I trained anyone or just encouraged people to try?"

What about you? Are you purposefully living for others to imitate your authenticity? Let's work on this together. Besides, the church is not about growing a great organization, but about building people.



BNall

Crossing the Gap

The longer I'm in ministry and when Sundays have drawn to a close, the greater the task of ministry that must be climbed. There can be a great tendancy to prepare for a week of ministry and exegete from the pages of the Bible and do it from the four walls of the church campus with little thought of the ongoing lives of those who will listen to the message or carry out the ministry plans. The utopia of the minister's mind can be that people leave Sunday service and ponder every syllable that was uttered and have a deep longing to return to the feet of your teaching. NOT!!!

• People leave the safety of the sanctuary and deal with the uncertainty that they will have enough work to fill 40 hours.
• Children return to homes where parents prevent them from being baptized because their parents cannot be sober long enough to talk about it.
• Single Parents wander if they will have grown-up conversation until next Sunday.

The list could go on and does....

But what we as ministers must be intentional about is jumping the gulf that WE can create between the campus of the church and the rest of the world we are called to reach. Gone are the days where church is the center of a community. Gone are the days when pastor's are the normal first voice to consult when life issues arise. (we are usually after Google, Oprah, Facebook, and Twitter.) We are called to reach people and partner with God, and His word, and His people to transform lives for God's glory- not create a pretty looking organization called church.

Jumping across that gap can be risky and calls us to leave the safety of our corner office. But God didn't call us to safety - why else would we need armor. I'm ready to jump. Anyone ready to join me?

To Move Ahead; Go Back

VBS is next week for my church. A week that has the potential for much life transformation across a generation of our church (and culture.) As with every year, I desire for kids' lives to be eternally altered and not simply emotionally hyped for a time. it seems like each year VBS can become bigger and bigger: bigger props, more decorations. I understand the philosophy, and have subscribed to it, that churches need ministry environments which capture the attention of kids in a manner similar to other envioronments in our culture. But this year, I'm doing an experiment. I'm going with the phrase: Less for More. Except for the opening Worship Rally room, there are no decorations; no tables (except in the craft room), no chairs, no crazy lighting; no costumes; no smoke machines - just God's people being the church in such a manner that the kids who come remember the people they met who have a relationship with the God of the universe (and they can too).

Let's see what God does.

All Aboard,

Bnall

It's What You Do

Christians can be highly emotional people. Pastors have been known to get so excited that they spit, and the Christianity community can get so mad they say they could "spit nails." I must confess the emotional uproar is a little out of my league. My wife has often said that I am emotionally void, and for the most part I agree. However, there is key point i need to add onto the blogosphere.

From my observation, the Christian community has a tendancy get emotionally charged but fall short of translating their energy into action. For many years the emphasis in churches has been about filling up the minds with people in the pew but looking the other way when the new knowledge does not translate into new behavior.

I don't put this indictment upon church members and pew packers; but rather, upon church leadership (of which I am). We have taught people to memorize the Beatitudes and even shown them the meaning in the original Greek; but we have failed to create a culture that expects and facilitates transformation. In general, Christians know more than we do. i contend that now more than ever, the Church must be a people who are discipled to behave differently and not just know more.

What could happen?

• the Church would take the offensive in changing the culture instead of just getting upset when it doesn't go their way or what they have been use to;
• more than the current 11% of SBC churches would experience evangelistic growth;
• giving would increase for ministries and missions
• church would become more of a life lived than an event attended.

Is the doing aspect really that big of a deal? Should we just be satisfied with just KNOWING the Bible well. I'll let 1 John 2 answer that rationale...

"3We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. 4The man who says, "I know him," but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5But if anyone obeys his word, God's love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him: 6Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did." [1 John 2: 3-6]

Just a thought - now go and do,

Bnall

Anything New?

i must confess, the blogosphere is not the center of my world. One could probably determine this by the frequency of my posts. From time to time a thought crosses my mind, "I should probably post a blog, but what's new?" During these crosswalks of the mind, I run through the events of my life since my last post that might be of benefit to someone else.

• Celebrated Thanksgiving



• I graduated with my D.Min (yea)



• Celebrated Christmas



• Began a New Year



• Teetered on the bring of pneumonia (this last one is what is helping me to sit and write this post.)

Taking a quick look at this list, and not diminishing the magnitude of the birth of Jesus, I don't see anything that is brand new. (most folks have been there, done that, and own the t-shirt factory) Nothing New?

Sadly, I think this same line of thought is what goes through so many minds when looking into the church - anything new? (Songs? Attitudes? Judgements? Opinions? Expectations? Carpet?)

Some might even think the same about the Bible only to hear the words spoken by me and Pastor's like me - "God's word does not change." But there is a drastic difference between the minimal change within many churches and the absence of change within Scripture.

Minimal change within many churches is because there is a greater desire to hold on to what has worked than to reach people discipled to engage; because change can create friction; because...(you fill in the blank)

The absence of change within scripture is not resistance; but rather, depth. Divine depth. I have made it my life's target to know Scripture and the power of the church so to engage the surrounding culture. With 3 degrees, 16 years of ministry, and 25 years as a Christian under my belt, I have spent much time studying the Bible. And still, I make new discoveries when I read God's word. I learn new details about Noah, and the family reunions of Abraham.

Are these discoveries because someone edited my Bible when I wasn't looking? No, it is because of the depth of God's word. The anchor of scripture is so deep that multiple lifetimes are inadequate. In fact, I have found that I am the one who has changed. Isn't this is the whole point of Scripture; to change me.

So the question in this blog is not primarily for the church, and definitely not for scripture, but rather for myself and for people with similar cognitive curiosity. Anything new?

Brian