A Long Time Coming June 6, 2011

Well, yesterday was the day!  What a great day.  For some 11 years, the Church at Catoosa has been leasing temporary, one-day-a-week facilities.  Yesterday was the day we began ministry in our first 7-day-a-week facility!  As I think through everything we have been through since I became pastor in 2008, I am humbled to be a part of God’s moving.

Yesterday, we studied Mark 2.  Our study revolved around verse 22.  “And no one puts new wine into old wineskins.  If he does, the wine will burst the skins – and the wine is destroyed, and so are the skins.  But new wine is for fresh wineskins.”  Seeing this verse in context, we must answer four “wineskin” questions as we begin this new journey God has set before us:

1.  Will we offer FORGIVENESS the way Jesus offered forgiveness to the paralytic?  Meeting the crippled’s physical needs were no problem for Jesus, BUT this was also not His primary goal.  The first thing Jesus said to him was, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”  What happens in our county if we share the forgiveness of Jesus to those who are hurting and dying without Him?

2.  Will we offer ACCEPTANCE the way Jesus offered acceptance to the “sinners?”  Jesus loved lost people and associated with lost people.  Now, He never gave license to them, saying, “Oh, I love you, do whatever you want to do.  Stay lost.  Act lost.  I don’t care…I love you.”  No, Jesus loved them where they were in their lostness, the whole time teaching them that there is a better way to live…in relationship with their Father.  What happens when we practice this type of acceptance?

3.  Will we formulate TRADITIONS the way Jesus honored traditions?  We have a nature that is inclined to traditions.  Traditions give us comfort and security.  The problem with the traditions of the disciples of John were that they lacked JOY.  They took the command to fast and sucked the joy out of obedience.  If we have the forgiveness and acceptance of Jesus, shouldn’t we have joy?  Shouldn’t our memories, our actions, our lives, our past, our present, and our future be filled with joy?  What happens if we form traditions that bring us closer to Jesus and the joy He offers?

4.  Will we WORSHIP Jesus the way He deserves to be worshiped?  He is the Lord of the Sabbath.  Our worship must not be governed by “rules.”  It must be governed by one simple question posed by St. Francis of Assisi: “Is Christ pleased?”  Our dress, our volume, our tempo, our style, our color-scheme, our decoration, our words, our programs, our actions, our breathing must all point to the pleasure of Christ.  What happens when you and I worship everyday in this way?

I am humbled to be a part of God’s moving in this place at this point in history.  Let’s go from here to a new place where the new wine is held in new wineskins!

 

Get Real September 17, 2010

You have heard the expression, “Walk a mile in their shoes.”  Well, to the best of my spoiled ability, I have been trying to do that.  I have tried to look at “church” through the eyes of folks who don’t really “get” church.  This is, to be sure, a long journey, but so far, I have slammed into a couple of brick walls.  Here are a few questions that I have come up with for those professing to be Christian to consider:

1.  How can the church of today display TRUE FORGIVENESS without coming off as being judgmental?  How can Christians say, “I forgive,” without it coming off as “I am perfect, and you are dirty, so I am better than you.  You need forgiveness.”

2.  How can a local church proclaim the DIVINE ABILITY TO LOVE while the community is bombarded with story after story of church fights and church splits?  If churches have the market on love, then why do they keep fighting?

3.  How can the local church proclaim Jesus’ example of SIMPLICITY when it seems to be competing with every other church and organization to “fill a calendar” with programs, events, and time-thieves?

4.  How can a local church remain focused on SERVING THE NEEDY while simultaneously building multi-million dollar facilities that typically sit empty five days a week?

5.  How can a local church proclaim the HUMILITY OF CHRIST with all of the demand to draw a crowd?

These are questions with which I continue to wrestle.  I guess the thing I struggle most with is that when a non-Christian calls me hypocrite, I don’t seem to have an arsenal of real-life stories with which I can return fire.

May we pursue Christ more than pride, more than our plans, more than programs, more than buildings, and more than beating out the other guy.

Searching for a Church (or God)? September 4, 2010

I found this article on About.com.  It makes me ask this question: is worship about me or about God?  I am not saying there are not a few “helpful pointers” in this article.  But, I approach this with caution.  Is it possible for me to find a church that meets all of “my” criteria and still not be the church God wants me to be a part of?

How to Find a Church

By Mary Fairchild, About.com Guide

Here’s How:

1. What denomination am I looking for? There are many to choose from, such as Catholic,Methodist, Baptist, Assemblies of God, Church of the Nazarene, and the list goes on and on. If you are interested in a nondenominational or interdenominational church, there are many different types of these as well, such asPentecostal, Charismatic, and Community churches.
2. What are my beliefs? It’s important to understand the doctrinal beliefs of the church before joining. Many people become disillusioned after investing a great deal of time in their church. You can avoid this disappointment by looking closely at the church’s statement of faith. Before joining be sure the church effectively teaches the Bible. If you’re not sure, ask to talk with someone about this. Some churches even offer classes or written material to help you understand the church’s doctrine.
3. What type of service structure do I prefer? Ask yourself, “Would I feel more comfortable with a structured liturgy, or a more informal service order?”
4. What type of worship best suits me? Worship is the way we express our love and appreciation to God, our awe and wonder of his works and his ways. Consider what style will allow you to most freely express your worship to God. Some churches have contemporary music, some have traditional. Some sing hymns, others sing choruses. Some have full bands, others have orchestras and choirs. Some sing gospel, rock, hard rock, etc.
5. What types of ministries and programs are offered? You want your church to be a place where you can connect with other believers. Some churches offer a very simple ministry approach and others extend an elaborate system of classes, programs, productions and more. So, for instance, if you’re single and want a church with a single’s ministry, be sure to check into this before joining.
6. Do I prefer a small or a large church? Some small church fellowships are unable to offer many ministries and programs, while larger ones can support an array of opportunities. However, a small church can provide a more intimate, close-knit environment that a large church may not be able to cultivate as effectively. Becoming relational often requires more effort in a large church. These are things to consider when looking at the size of the church.
7. What type of attire would I be most comfortable wearing to church? In some churches t-shirts, jeans, and even shorts, are appropriate. In others a suit and tie or dress would be more appropriate. In some anything goes, so ask yourself, “What is right for me–dressy, casual, or both?”
8. Call before visiting. Next, take some time to list specific questions you would want to call and ask the church before visiting. If you take a few minutes each week to do this, it will save you time in the long run. For example, if the youth programs are important to you, put that on your list and ask specifically for information about them. Some churches will even mail you an “information packet” or “visitor’s packet,” so be sure to ask for these when you call.
9. Visit church websites. You can often get a good “feel” for the church by visiting their website. Most churches will provide information about how the church got started, doctrinal beliefs, a statement of faith, plus information about the ministries and outreaches they offer.
10. Make a checklist. Before visiting, make a check list of the most important characteristics about the church you hope to find. Then rate the church according to your check list when you leave. Keeping notes will help you compare and decide later. If you are visiting many churches, as time passes you may have trouble keeping them straight. This will help you keep a record for future reference.
11. After visiting a church at least 3 times, ask yourself these questions: Was the church a place I can connect with God and worship him freely? Did I learn about the Bible? Was it a place where fellowship and community are encouraged? Are people’s lives being changed? Is there a place for me to serve in the church and opportunities to pray with other believers? Does the church “reach out” by sending missionaries, financial giving, and local outreach?
12. Begin your search now. Here are online resources to help you start your search for a church right now!
    • Christian WebCrawler Church Directory and Search Engine
    • Net Ministries Church Directory Search
13. Ask other Christians. If you still don’t know where to begin your search for a church, ask people you know—friends, co-workers, or people you admire, where they go to church. Also, check out these tips from our members:
    • How Did You Choose a Church for Your Family?

Tips:

1. Remember, there is no perfect church.
2. Visit a church at least 3 times before making a decision either way.
3. Don’t try to change a church. Most of them are set in their mission. There are so many different ones out there to choose from, it’s best to just find one that’s a good “fit” for you.
4. Don’t give up. Keeping searching until you find the right church. Being in a good church is too important to neglect.

What You Need:

• Time
• Patience
• An Understanding of What You Are Looking For

The Vision… August 5, 2010

I believe that our city, our county, and our world is searching for a church that makes a difference.  I believe a church should…

 …meet people in REAL LIFE…

             *  offer forgiveness for the past, no matter how tragic;

            *  demonstrate care for the hurting, no matter how needy;

            *  provide answers for the seeking, no matter how time consuming;

            *  display acceptance for society’s rejected, no matter how different they may be!

…build REAL RELATIONSHIPS…

             *  provide relevant music that impacts lives;

            *  require casual dress;

            *  guide in family focus;

            *  engage in honest communication, speaking the Truth in love;

            *  provide practical guidance from God and His Word!

 …lead all to become REAL DISCIPLES!

             *  who hear the Bible proclaimed;

            *  who experience true conversions made;

            *  who publicly profess their decisions;         

            *  who engage in mentoring relationships form;

            *  who are developed as leaders for God’s church;

            *  who live in a healthy community;

            *  who serve as God’s church;

            *  who share resources…money, possession, and time;

            *  who lead in planting new churches with the same philosophy!

As this happens, Jesus will ultimately invade…

Our HEARTS…giving us a desire for a radical love for Him!

      -  We surrender ourselves fully to Jesus.

      -  Our actions and our words honor Jesus.

      -  We pursue a deeper relationship with Jesus daily.

Our HEADS…leading us to pursue an accurate understanding of Jesus!

       -  We know God’s Word.

      -  We apply God’s Word to everyday life.

      -  We surround ourselves with others who can teach us God’s Word.

 Our HOMES…building a healthy community!

      -  We practice Family Worship.

      -  We influence our community.

      -  We apply our Spiritual Gifts as the Church.

 ALL of HUMANITY…leaving our comfort zones to tell Jesus’ story through relational sharing!

      -  We initiate relationships for Jesus.

      -  We grow relationships for Jesus.

      -  We go to places no Christian has gone before for Jesus.

It is my belief that this is needed.  It is my dream to be a part of it!

 

You’re (Kinda) Pretty? June 15, 2010

There is one word that has been constantly popping into my head over the past couple of days: attractive.  This past weekend, I was honored to be a part of a wedding.  My role was (secondarily) to explain the purpose of a wedding.  I guess bottom line, a wedding paints a picture of how much God loves people.  In the “beginning,” God creates everything beautiful.  We know it is beautiful because it is created by God.  Why would a perfect God who has perfect strength, perfect power, and perfect creativity intentionally create anything ugly?  It simply does not make any sense.  So, in the “beginning,” everything is beautiful…appealling, awesome, attractive. 

God speaks to create…a fact that still blows my mind.  I can’t even get a dog to chase a stick by dipping it in meat sauce and screaming, “Fetch!”  God creates everything beautiful by simply speaking.  Then, things get interesting.  God, who can create by speaking, gets His “hands dirty.”  He uses His hands to shape and mold the climax of all creation…man.  Man jobs is to worship God by taking care of all of the beautiful things God has created.  This is a huge task.  Man needs a helper.  So, God causes man to fall into a deep sleep.  While Adam is napping, God removes a rib and creates a suitable helper for him…woman…Eve.  God looks over all that He created and says, “This is good.”  “Good” meaning it reflects Him accurately.  Everything is attractive.

Well, man gets lazy.  Instead of taking care of woman spiritually, he allows her to engage in conversation with a snake…Satan.  Satan confuses her by tapping into her desires to be more like God.  Satan causes her to disobey God by eating of the forbidden fruit.  Eve, not wanting to be alone in her deceit, offers disobedience to her man.  Man willingly disobeys, longing more to please himself and his wife than to please God.  That’s when things get ugly.

As promised, God shows up, demanding man explain his disobedience.  God hands out judgment on man, woman, and the snake: separation.  The snake is separated from the woman…they will continuously be at war.  Woman is separated from man…she begins a continuous struggle for independence.  Man is separated from God…simply meaning that they cannot have the same level of intimacy they previously did.  Man and woman are cast out and promised to die…all because of the ugliness of their disobedience.

This ugliness is handed down to their child and all generations to come.  It is a curse of ugliness.  God continues to demand worship from His creation, and man struggles to worship in a worthy manner.

Next, things get beautiful again.  God could have allowed the ugly to continue.  But, God is beautiful.  He desires for man to be beautiful again.  He desires for all of His creation to be beautiful again.  So, according to the beautiful plan He had before the beginning.  At the perfect time in history, God sends His beautiful Son…the God-Man.  Jesus comes in a way man can relate to.  Jesus comes, living a perfect, divine life…without giving in to disobedience…ugliness.  This ugly world rejects His beauty…with an ugly betrayal, an ugly arrest, an ugly trial, and a horrific murder.  Things get ugly…but it is all part of God’s beautiful plan.

On the third day after the murder of Jesus, women (friends of Jesus) come to the burial site to care for His body.  Their minds and hearts are filled with  thoughts of death…ugly.  But wait, as they arrive, there is not ugly…there is only beauty!  Brightness, whiteness, and openness.  The stone has been rolled away so they might peek in and see beauty.  The tomb is empty.  The beautiful Savior has defeated ugly death!  He has arisen.  Attractive.

With today’s American culture, we are consumed with practical…how does this work for me today in my situation.  Well, I think about this work: attractive.  The Groom, Jesus Christ, has promised to come for His Bride, the Church.  He wants her to be beautiful…pure…attractive…upon His arrival.  Imagine my friend, the groom, this weekend.  Imagine him at that moment when the back doors of the theater came open.  Imagine him seeing His bride…the one he had come for.  Imagine his face watching her walk down that long aisle.  Then, imagine him when her veil was turned back.  Would he say, “Man, you need more make-up…more eye-liner…more high-lights…more whitening for your teeth.”  That, my friend, would be a very, very stupid man.  I would argue, also, that those would be the comments of a man who was not truly in love with the Bride.  Weddings are always cool for me because of how they are set up.  You see, if anyone has an opportunity to survey the scene, make an evaluation of beauty/ugly, and jet out the back door…it is the bride.  She is the one in the back door.  She is the one walking down the long aisle.  She can jet at any minute.  But, no.  She sees her groom.  She sees the man who has come for her, who gives his life to love her, who promises life to her.  She is not looking at his hair, his teeth, his overall appearance.  She comes in because of his love.  She walks down because of his love.  She says, “I do” because of his love.

This is a picture of God’s love for us.  Do we have need to make His love more attractive?  Is not the simple thought that He comes accepting us as we are not attractive enough?  Is it not attractive enough that He showed up?  Is it not attractive enough that He waits for us?  Is it not attractive enough that He gives His life?  Is it not attractive enough that He promises us life?  Why do we try to “pretty-up” God?  He is at the front, waiting.  We are at the back door.  Are we attracted to His simple, pure, honest, untainted, revealing beauty?

10 Things to Celebrate! June 12, 2010

1.  Love – Prov. 7:18

2.  Good health – III John 1:2

3.  Deliverance – Esther 9:22

4.  God’s Provision – Lev. 23; Eccl. 5:19; Is. 3:10, 65:22; Jer. 31:5; I Tim. 6:17

5.  Life – Deu. 6:2; I Chron. 29:28; Prov. 28:16; Eccl. 8:15, 11:8; Eph. 6:3

6.  Fellowship with Believers – Acts 2:47; Rms. 15:24

7.  Peace – Ps. 37:3, 37:11; Jer. 33:6; Acts 9:31

8.  Leadership – Jn. 5:35

9.  Wife – Eccl. 9:9

10.  Work – Eccl. 3:22

Distinctive June 5, 2010

One thing seems to be painfully obvious…I am created to live in community.  In my past, I have made futile (and short-lived) attempts to isolate myself from all contact with other people.  This, at best, would go for a couple of hours.  Then, I am craving social interaction.  I believe that is how everyone is.  That is why we are seeing “social networking” arise and dominate our culture.  People long to engage other people.  It must be part of what we were created to do.

So, I ask myself, “Self, what kind of community do you want to live in?”  The answer begins with beliefs.  I want to surround myself with people who share my beliefs.  Now, this does not imply in any way that I long to surround myself with people who always agree with me or always come around to see things my way.  No.  I want to live in a community of people who share my beliefs on the main things, and then challenge me to think about everything else in life from a new perspective.

Well, then, I am looking for a faith community.  I place where people have common beliefs based on faith.  So, I begin searching.  Looking around the area where I live, I find tons (tons!) of places that are faith community gathering locations.  Which one do I choose.  I am made for a specific purpose, and I want to discover/achieve that purpose with a group of people who share my belief/faith.  This helps me identify four distinctive elements for the faith community for which I am searching:

One, I want a place where I am free to express myself to the God who created me.  This does not imply that my opinion must always be valued above everyone else’s, but that I am valued as much as everyone else.  I look for a place where I am challenged to love the way I was created to love.  I am challenged to seek the God who made me, find Him, and respond to Him based on His worth.  My guide for expression must be “His worth.”  I do not want a place where others tell me how to respond.  I believe that God is mature enough to tell me what He deserves.  He will show me how to respond to Him and lead me in that endeavor.

Two, I want a place where I hear the Truth.  This is not someone’s version or adaptation of the Truth.  I want someone to tell me what is wrong with me…because the jury deliberated for about 2 seconds.  The verdict is in: something is wrong with me.  I want a place where I am not always right…where there is a higher standard than public opinion.  I want someone to take me to God and teach me what God (and God alone) has to say to me about His topics, His thoughts, His opinions.  I want someone to then guide me in finding the ultimate solution to my problem.  Now, this, at times, might seem hard for me to hear, but I need and want to hear it.  This is the only way I will ever discover the True God…to hear Truth from His perspective.

Three, I want to be surrounded by people who desire a healthy community.  This, of course, includes me.  Together, we will roll up our sleeves to sweat, bleed, and cry for each other.  I am not encouraged or challenged by people who will not sweat with me, bleed with me, or cry with me.  That kind of community is empty of passion and commitment.  I am not looking for well wishes, pats on the back, and “we’re praying for yous.”  I want to be a part of a place that sees a vision that only God can fulfill.  I want to be a part of a place that sacrifices for that vision.  I also believe that this concept overflows into my home.  There is no possible way I can be in a healthy community of faith, and those relationships not influence me to be a better husband and better dad.  No way.  I want to be surrounded by men who have experience as a husband, dad, bread-winner, lover, guardian, and guide in the home.  What a rip off if these men take their experiences and refuse to share them with me.  That’s not community and that’s not faith.  I want a community that challenges me to build my home to honor God.  There is no way…no way that my home can honor God without that overflowing into my community.

Four, I want to be a part of a place that shares these concepts with the world.  I want to be challenged to leave my comfort zone to go to a place or places that has never considered God.  If God is this good, shouldn’t everyone have a chance to hear about Him?  The key word here is “go.”  I want to be sent out.  No one drinks from a bottle without taking the liquid out.  Our community cannot expect the entire world to come and find us.  I have never once had someone randomly approach me in public and say, “Uh, is there something valuable you know about life that you could share with me to radically change all that I am?”  I want to be a part of a place that is not content to gather together and keep secrets.  If this news about the one and only God is SO great, how horrible of me to refuse to seek out someone who has never heard it.

This is what I am looking for in community…a place where I am free to express myself based on God’s worth…a place where I hear hard things that lead me to real answers…a place where everyone is joining together to help each other become something more than what they are…a place that goes outside of comfort zones to share with those who have never heard.  This place will look different and act different than any place I have ever seen before.  If this kind of place does not exist in my area…I will be responsible for building it.

Seeking Conclusions May 28, 2010

So, before I can begin to understand my priorities, I have to come to a couple of conclusions.  First of all, I believe that humans are complex beings living in a complex world.  I have seen this illustrated in my daughter.  Do you have any idea how many things my four-year-old knows how to do that I DID NOT teach her?  She knows how to aggravate, deceive, cuddle, belly giggle, smirk, distort, feel guilt, deduct, speculate, assume, and conclude.  All of these things she learned “naturally.”  If we are this complex, then there must be Someone who has orchestrated our complexity. 

Secondly, I have to come to some sort of general conclusion about the overall purpose and meaning of life.  If I want to really live intentionally, then I must be…intentional.  So, I ask myself, “Self, what are you supposed to accomplish in this life?”  I ask this, of course, knowing that this life is short and has an unexpected and uncontrollable ending.  So, I need to hurry up and get on with it if I want it to count.  I begin to consider all my life could accomplish.  It could be my goal to break some sort of record, but it seems crazy to me to strive to achieve something that the next generation will crush with the use of updated technology (technology of which I have no access).  It could be my goal to hold some sort of office, but, that too, seems crazy since office-holding in and of itself is consumed with the constant defense of the office from another.  Since my life is short, I am guaranteed not to hold any office forever.  I could make a lot of money and own a lot of stuff, but stuff does seem to rust, and then there is the pesky detail of someone else always attempting to take your stuff from you.  Therefore, I come to this conclusion.  I must seek something that lasts beyond this world…something that cannot be crushed, stolen, rusted, killed, faded, manipulated, or left to another undeserving party by default.

Well, I put these two conclusions to determine this: I (as a complex being in a complex world with a limited amount of life to live here) must pursue something eternal (assigned to me by Someone who created me for an eternal purpose).  But what?  What does that leave me to do with this life?

What’s #1? May 27, 2010

I recently sat down with a group of friends.  As usual with us, the conversation quickly turned to deep, personal topics.  We were discussing what I have heard called, “The Big Three: Time, Talent, and Treasure.”  The discussion covered a variety of fields with these three…the benefits of all three, the misuses of all three, and the lack of all three at times when we felt like we need them most.  The conversation came to a screeching halt as one friend posed this question: ”Well, what is your priority?”  His point was painfully obvious.  We use our time, our talents, and our treasures based on our priorities.  We simply do whatever we want to do.  This thought has led me to ask many, many other questions about who I am, what I am doing, what I value, what I invest in, what I care about…etc.  With these questions, I feel led to begin this blog.  I do this not with the hopes that thousands upon thousands will be drawn to this site to find the unspeakable wisdom of a wise, old sage.  I truly don’t consider myself to be wise or old.  I want to do this so that I will be forced to put into writing those things that I consider “priority.”  What is #1 in my life?  Let the pursuit begin.