First Church of Disney World

I just read an article by Gary Smalley that got me thinking. He talks about people going to amusement parks and finding fun going up and down and around, only to end up right where they started.

It got me thinking..."Is that what people get out of church?" I mean, really. Do we come to church, go up, down and around, call it fun, only to leave in the same condition we started?

Or am I putting too much pressure on a Sunday service? Where does the life change happen? Honestly, I don't think it happens on Sundays. As least not to the degree we have traditionally placed on it. Where my life was changed was in private conversations, Bible studies, personal contacts and godly friendships.

I love Sunday morning services. I hope that lives are changed there. I hope that when people leave they have a chance to become a little more like Jesus. Maybe if someone hasn't yet accepted Jesus they will be a little closer to him. Then there is the hope that someone will take that step and receive Jesus as their Savior.

I've been places that wanted to go for a ride every Sunday morning. They sat down, locked the safety bar and waited for the ride to start. They didn't like it if it didn't wow them enough. When it was exciting enough, they left no different than when they arrived.

What are we wanting out of church anyway? A fun ride that brings us right back to where we started? Not me. I want solid life change. That comes from main services that are pointed in a definite direction and small groups that foster genuine, holistic, spiritual growth.

Pray Continually

1 Thessalonians 5:17 is one of the shortest verses in the Bible. It's small in size, but massive in scope. "Pray continually." (NIV) "Pray without ceasing." (KJV) "Never stop praying." (NLT) "Pray all the time." (The Message) So what does it mean? I want to hear your comments. When you think about 1 Thes. 5:17, how does it impact you?

Sunrise

Morning is my favorite time of day. This is unfortunate for me because I'm really not much of a morning person. I don't like getting out of bed. Because of this, I don't witness very many sunrises. Usually only out of necessity of having to be up for something.

But in the autumn, when whitetail deer season opens, I get to experience a whole lot more of them. I'm up way before daylight. And while it is still dark, I slip into the woods and climb into my treestand with my rifle or my bow--waiting for one of God's most beautiful creatures to walk out in front of me.

One of the things I enjoy most about this time is watching the sun come up. It's as if a whole new world awakens before me. First, the birds begin to chirp and sing. Then squirrels and chipmunks start to scurry around. I can see the steam rise as the sun begins to burn off the morning dew. I feel the warmth on my face.

A few minutes ago, I was sitting in darkness, unsure of what was around me. (I've been followed and face to face with coyotes and other predators while in the dark.) In the dark, noises can be difficult to identify. But when the sun rises all is clear. Things make sense. I can feel the advantage swinging into my favor.

Now the spiritual stuff...

Isaiah 60:1-2 says, "Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you."

These are dark and uncertain times. The world seems to be cloaked in a shroud of darkness. Wars, financial collapse, relationship crises, etc. Yet in the midst of all of that, the Lord rises like the sun upon his people. His glory appears over his people. If it "appears" then it must be something that is visible to all.

Isaiah goes on to say that "nations will come to your light." People will notice a difference between those who follow Jesus and those who don't. We're in the same economic system, yet God's people have al they need. Our marriages weather many of the same storms, yet the stay together. (I'm speaking in faith.) Wars abound, but we are at peace.

There should be a marked difference. Not the kind of difference we create by how we dress, speak, or who we associate with. But the kind of difference God makes when he rises like the sun upon our lives--when his glory appears and is evident to all. It's the difference only God can make in the lives of those who are pursuing righteousness. It's not by our own efforts, but only by the favor and providence of God. It's the kind of difference I experience in the transformation of the forsest when daylight comes.

The psalmist says that God is a sun and shield for his people. Wow...that makes a whole lot more sense to me now. So followers of Jesus can take heart and be encouraged in the world's present crisis. Because God rises like the sun on our lives. His glory appears and is like a shield for us. This is something the world can see and take notice of...and hopefully be drawn closer to him.

Scenic Byway

So this is the third time I’ve been to Denver, Colorado in the past month. I’m the new Sr. Pastor of Dakota Ridge Assembly in Littleton. Littleton is a suburb southwest of Denver and really close to the mountains. It’s a great church and a great place to live. Not to mention the beautiful views.

These three visits have been filled with a lot of busyness. The first time, we were interviewing with the church board, meeting the staff, and checking out the housing market. The second trip was a ministry weekend when the church voted on us and we accepted. (And more checking on housing.) This third trip was for the purpose of buying a house. We had narrowed down the possibilities to a relatively short list. Vicki is pregnant with our fourth child and the doctor doesn’t want her doing anymore traveling in her third trimester. So she trusted me with this sacred task, and I’m here by myself.

We have been so busy these trips that we have not been able to enjoy the mountains. We have been amazed at the scenery and majesty of what was right in front of us, but we were too busy to experience them.

So there I was with two hours to kill before I had to be at the airport to go back home. No busywork to do, no more phone calls to make, no more homes to look at. I decided this was my chance. I took off and went as far as I could west on Colorado Highway 8 through Morrison and Evergreen. I figured I would go so far, then turn around and come back.

The views were amazing. The air cooled off at least ten degrees…maybe more. I stopped at a roadside parking area. There were cliffs leading down to a beautiful mountain stream. An artist was there with her easel committing the beauty to canvas—and doing a great job at it. I went down a rocky path down to the water’s edge. Snapped a few pictures with my iPhone and swished my hands around the water. It was so cold. I loved it.

I didn’t have much time, so I got back in the car and took off further west. All the time, taking in the magnificent views. After about ten minutes I saw a sign that signified the beginning of a scenic byway. I thought, “Scenic byway? Are you kidding? What have I been driving through for the past twenty minutes?” I couldn’t imagine it getting any better. “I’ve got to see this,” I told myself, and so I continued.

Sure enough, the scenery became even more spectacular. There were aspens, junipers, and evergreens growing along the road and up the sides of the mountains. A rushing mountain stream flowed along the side of the road. The sun was peeking through the trees just right. The mountains seemed to get larger. Out even further I could see the snow capped mountains that shone brighter today than two days ago from yesterday’s snows.

Okay, I’m not an emotional, crying kind of guy. But I almost had to stop the car. I was overcome. My first reaction was to pray out loud, “Thank you, God, for letting me live here.” My second thought was, “Is this what Heaven is like?” I’m no longer talking about scenery. As magnificent as the Colorado Rockies are, I don’t think they compare to the beauty of Heaven. I’m talking about thinking I was already on a scenic byway. Thinking that it couldn’t get any better than this…then it does. I’m thinking about Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 2:9. “No one’s ever seen or heard anything like this, never so much as imagined anything quite like it—what God has arranged for those who love him.”

You know…life is good. Jesus said that his purpose was to give us life in all its fullness. Sure we have our ups and downs. But life is good. Sometimes we don’t always feel that way about life. Things happen. But it doesn’t change the fact that life—the life Jesus gives—is good. But it gets better. For those who are in relationship with Jesus and walking with God, there remains something far more wonderful than the scenic byway.

The more I drove, the more beauty I beheld. With all my heart I wanted to keep going. It was as if the road and the scenery were calling to me, beckoning me to keep going just a little farther. Let’s see what’s around this bend…just a few more miles. But the clock on the dashboard snapped me out of the trance. I had to turn around if I was going to catch the plane back to my family. As I started back I prayed out loud again, “Lord, I’ll never turn back from you. Just keep taking me farther on the road to Heaven.”

Heaven calls to me. There is a genuine sense that there is more to this life. The farther I travel, the more beauty I will discover in Christ. There is a real anticipation of finding out what lies around the next bend. And if I keep going, I will reach the ultimate destination off the scenic byway.

Quitting Ministry

I'm ready to quit the ministry. I'm not talking about giving up being a pastor. I don't want to leave the church. And believe it or not, I'm not bitter or burned out. I'm just going to quit the ministry. I don't even like the phrase, "the ministry." I don't like being called a minister. Mainly because of what being "a minister" is widely perceived as.

Would you believe me if I said that we are not called to do ministry? Yet I am convinced it's true. I have not been placed here to do ministry. I have been placed here and called by God to fulfill a vision.

Think about it. What do you think Jesus' countenance was like when he looked at his disciples and said, "Go and make disciples of all nations." We read it fast. As if it's no big deal for Jesus to tell a small group of people to change the entire spiritual fabric of the world. No...I think Jesus was much slower and more deliberate in his tone. As if he was not only speaking to them, but all who would follow them. Maybe that's why he finished with, "And I'll be with you always. Even to the end of the age."

In Matthew 28:19, Jesus gave us a vision statement. Think about it some more. What if I told your small group at church to turn everyone in the world into a follower of Jesus? It would be a pretty tall order wouldn't it?


Take a minute and think about the drama of the moment. This is Jesus' first appearance to his disciples after his resurrection. It was a supernatural occurrence. Imagine the emphasis in his voice. "Go." "Cause all of the nations of the world to follow me."

Wow.

Makes my potluck dinner seem trivial. Or maybe it changes the focus of that potluck dinner. We have the dinner because that's what churches do. That's the ministry. That's exactly the reason I am quitting the ministry as we currently know it. I am going to start fulfilling a vision. The divine vision Jesus gave on the mountain in Galilee. "Go and make disciples." That's not to say that I'll never schedule another church potluck dinner. But it's definitely going to change how we do potluck dinners. Not to be served, but to serve.

You see, we cannot do ministry just for the sake of doing ministry. We can't plan certain events or services just because that's what a church does. How many of those things are actually helping to make disciples of all nations? Ministry is not the what, but the how. We get off track when we think that ministry is the "what" we are supposed to do. The "what" is the vision Jesus gave us. Make disciples of all nations. Ministry is how we do fulfill that vision. Let's broaden our definition of ministry. Ministry is anything that helps someone to follow Jesus.

Don't start with the end. Begin at the beginning. When we just do ministry, we are starting at the end. The vision is the beginning. Start there and end with ministry. Does that make sense?

We get frustrated because our attempts at ministry don't yield the results we were hoping for. It might be mainly because we are doing something just because we feel we should do something. But if our focus is on Jesus' vision of making disciples, we think of ways to do that. Traditional or non-traditional. Orthodox or unorthodox. Anything that leads people to follow Jesus is ministry. It's when what we do reflects and leads to what we want to accomplish. That's real ministry.

Anxious

For the past few weeks I have been feeling very anxious. There is so much going on in our lives right now. We're having a baby in a few months, we're looking at moving into a new home in about a month, a new round of small groups need to be organized at the church, and there are some personal matters that have been weighing heavily on us. Good stuff, but stuff nonetheless.

It seems that I have been going full bore for so long that I haven't really stopped to examine my feelings of anxiety. I know better than to do this (or not do this). I try to follow the Bible when it says, "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything...present your requests to God." But honestly, I don't have the first clue as to what kind of requests to make to God right now.

When I'm quiet, I calm myself down, breathe some deep breaths, and engage in some self-examination. Why am I feeling so anxious? What's going on inside of me? As of yet...I don't know. So my request to God is, "Show me what's going on in my heart."

It's times like these when I'm grateful to have a God who knows me better than I know myself. When I am anxious, God is not. When I'm confused, God is not. When I don't know how to pray, the Spirit himself intercedes for me with groanings that words cannot express. So I will glory in my weakness of humanity. The fact that I don't really know what's going on reinforces the fact that God is in control. So my heart is still because it knows that He really is God.

Doing and Being

I woke up with the realization that I actually have a blog site. I suppose I better use it. So here's what's on my mind today...

I have been preaching heavy in the church about what we ought to be. Honestly...it's good stuff. I'm seeing magazine articles and books in the future. Oh yeah...it's that good.

But here's the thing...

I have been talking an awful lot about the kind of church we need to be. What we need to be doing and how we ought to be acting. Know what? It's absolutely true. But at what point do I as the leader begin to transition from talking about the kind of church we need to be, and start being the church we need to be.

Yes, I know the church is made up of people. The people need to get on board and embrace the vision. Until they do, it's hard to actually BE that church. But the fact is, I think they know what I'm talking about now. We are at that crucial moment (hopefully not past it) where we need to shift into high gear and go before we run out of steam. This time of vision casting and education was necessary. It will still be necessary as time goes on.

My message is simple. "Jesus makes your life better." I think it's time that I get very specific as to exactly how Jesus makes your life better in my preaching. So I'm going to transition myself and my style of preaching from talking about the church, to actually being the church. Sounds like something I should already know, doesn't it? It's not that I don't know it. It's just that I have felt like people have not been getting it. But the word now is, "Ready or not, here it is."

Ministry From the Heart

The Lord was angry with Eli the priest because of his sons, Hophni and Phineas. They served in the house of the Lord and did everything they were supposed to do. But the problem was that they separated themselves, who they were, from what they did. I'm sure they made all of the sacrifices in the right way. They wore the garments just so. They made sure that things were ordered the way they were supposed to be. But when it came to their personal lives, they did whatever they wanted to do. They slept with the girls who served at the entrance to the tent of meeting. They indulged themselves in whatever would bring them enjoyment. They separated who they were from what they did.

As a full-time minister, I don't believe this is possible. Okay...maybe it's possible, but it's not at all wise or beneficial. Ministry is not a formula--a color by numbers thing. If it were, then wouldn't everybody be saved? Jesus was speaking to the religious leaders in John's gospel. He said, "You diligently study the scriptures because in them you think you have life." I'm sure they looked at each other and said, "Well, yeah. Isn't that right?" Jesus goes on to explain that life is found in him. The scriptures point to him. They read and practiced the Law of Moses to the letter. But he said they didn't believe it. That was an offensive thing to say, but true. Because if they believed Moses, they would have believed Jesus.

The point is knowing Jesus. It's believing and living it from our hearts. I can do all the things a pastor is supposed to do--read the books, preach the sermons, visit people, follow up with visitors--because in them I find what it is to be a good pastor. But if my heart is not intimate with Jesus, I miss the point. Like Hophni and Phineas. I would only be going through the motions and pleasing myself.

I'm sure that many in ministry today are a lot like Hophni and Phineas. A lot like the religious leaders who did what they were supposed to do, but missed the point. I know that I have found myself in that situation before. God, let my heart be committed to you first. If I miss the point, then I don't even want to be in ministry. May the words of my mouth and the dedication of my heart be pleasing to you.

Just Do It

I came to the startling realization today that I am not nearly as disciplined as I need to be or want to be. I have always thought of myself as a disciplined person. I suppose that compared to some, I am. But that really isn't my motivation.

I read today in Bob Roberts Jr.'s book, Transformation, that people who make significant contributions in the world operate within the same 24 hour days as I do. I have often asked the question, "How do those guys do all of that?" Sometimes it seems like I hardly have enough time to do the essentials, much less anything else. But Roberts is absolutely right. People who make significant impacts in the world are bound to the same 24 hour days, 7 day weeks that I am.

I got thinking about my days. Actually, I feel like I make pretty good use of my time. However, with a couple of simple tweaks, I have freed up 7 1/2 hours per week and have the possibility to make 10 hours per week a whole lot more productive. I'm not cutting anything out except those things that probably need to be cut out. I'll be spending my time doing those things I really want to do but feel like I don't have the time.

This is going to take discipline. It starts with an inner desire to be more than what I am. I am looking forward to deeper intimacy with God, better physical health, and more investment into my personal ministry.

I'm starting my new schedule tonight. I know it would be a good idea to read books about discipline, time management and things like that. But I think the wiser course is to just do it. It's not rocket science.

Looks Like a Girl!

Being the Church

Tonight, I witnessed the true church in action. It was what seemed to be a normal Wednesday evening service when one of our church family comes in with a problem. He was very discreet and tapped me on the shoulder during worship. His mother-in-law had been severely beaten and was in the hospital. And just this afternoon she suffered a stroke and was air-lifted to Cape Girardeau (about an hour and a half drive from PB).

He and his wife wanted to get to Cape to be with his mother-in-law but had no money for gas. After working the same job for 18 years, he suddenly lost it. His wife is working nights at a convenience store even after breaking her hip. Times are tough.

After the worship time, I presented our congregation with the need. We gathered around him and prayed for his mother-in-law. Then, one by one, everybody in the sanctuary came to him with cash in hand. I really believe that everyone gave him something. He and I were both in tears by the time it was over. He because of the outpouring of love, and me because I was witnessing the church in action.

Time and again the Bible encourages us to bear one another's burdens. That when one grieves, we all grieve. I literally saw that spontaneously unfold before my eyes. I felt like that we could have ended the service right then. Not because we had church, but because we were the church.

Jars of Clay

I'm facing a new challenge in ministry. Such a challenge that I wonder if I'm qualified to do it. On one hand, I realize that it's good to not think that you can do ministry by your own strength and know-how. But on the other hand, I know exactly how Moses felt when he told God, "Please, send somebody else!" But the more I pray, the more confident I feel. Confidence in the gifting that God has blessed me with, and confidence that God gives new anointing for new challenges. 2 Corinthians 4:7 continues to repeat itself in my brain. "But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us."

The same guy who wrote that passage in 2 Corinthians also wrote 2 Timothy 2:20 - "In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble." It stands to reason that the articles of gold and silver are for noble purposes and the articles of wood and clay are for ignoble purposes. But in a large house, both are essential. Neither are worthless. In 2 Corithians 4, the Apostle Paul likens himself to an article of clay--an article used for ignoble purposes. It is not surprising that Paul would do this considering his other writings about himself.

This article of clay (Paul), made specifically for ignoble tasks, was carrying a noble treasure (the Gospel of Jesus Christ). Somebody somewhere must have made a mistake. Shouldn't the ministry of the Gospel be carried by more noble vessels? By those more refined and polished? God knows that is not me! But by God's great mercy, he purposefully gave it to the Apostle Paul and to me. It was by design. The focus is not on the vessel, but on the treasure inside. The relatively plain vessel doesn't take away from the splendor of the treasure. Rather, it amplifies it.

There was a time when Christianity was administered only by noble vessels. We call that period "The Dark Ages." So I'm going to stop stressing about whether or not I'm qualified to take on this new challenge and rest in the fact that God knows what he's doing. If he calls me, he will perform it. And the great thing is, the treasure of Jesus will be amplified more and more.

he who has been forgiven much, loves much

Just a couple hours ago I was sitting across across a table from a 23 year old guy who is 17 days away from graduating from a Teen Challenge Advanced Training Center. He wasn't the most well-spoken person, but he said some of the most amazing things.

"The past fourteen months have been the hardest of my life."
I looked at him in disbelief. This guy had been through some rough stuff in his life. Drugs, alcohol, violence, and abuse from a young age. Yet the Teen Challenge Center is the toughest thing he's ever done. This guy wasn't the only one to say this. In fact, the more I met with guys, the more I heard this statement. I asked him why this was so, considering his past.

He looked down at the table for a few seconds, held his hands together tightly and said, "the other stuff was definitely tough. But this is tougher because my life has been changed to its core. This is real and personal. In the past I just did whatever came along. It was easy to get in trouble. But this stuff [Teen Challenge] is really tough."

"I'm a free man."
He said it with such passion. He said it again. A little slower this time. "I'm a free man." It was almost as if he was realizing it for the first time all over again. This particular Teen Challenge Advanced Training Center is a very structured and rigorous program. There is not much freedom to do things. But through it all, he and many others have found real freedom through Christ. He talked about how is old life was bondage. He was a slave to drugs and alcohol. Now, for the first time, he was really free.

He's 23 years old and starting all over from scratch. Many at his age have graduated from college and have a general plan for the rest of their lives in order. By age 23 they have probably already landed in a great job, or they have at least taken that first step. But they also leave college strapped with school debt and addicted to alcohol. But not this guy. He's not gone to college, but he has a plan. Life is wide open for him. He can do anything he feels the Lord is directing him to do without anything to hold him back. There are absolutely no limits. Now that's freedom.

I feel more enriched for having talked to Ben. I pray for God's blessing on his life. I feel that he will do something truly great for God.

To fight or not to fight

I recently had a run-in with a neighbor that reminded me of a few interpersonal relationship principles that I want to keep practicing in my life.

We have a long row of cedar trees in our front yard. They are beautiful...especially in the winter time when the branches hang low covered in snow. They can also be quite fragrant at certain times in the year. But the city approached us and said that they would have to cut them all back because they are getting into the power lines. There are a few pine trees that I would love for them to cut all the way down, but I didn't want the cedars cut. But when they "trimmed" them, they looked horrible. So I told them to go ahead and cut them all the way down.

Apparently our trees hold a lot of sentiment with the neighbors. My first contact was with someone who doesn't even live near us, but her mother does. She approached me in a very combative way. The only thing she wanted to do was advance her agenda--get me to adopt it. It was her way or the highway. She really didn't care about anything I had to say. I don't mean to sound mean toward her, but that's exactly how she approached the situation.

As a Christian neighbor, I didn't want to fight back. I don't want to do anything that could damage my witness or defame the name of Christ. I tried to tell her that it was out of my hands and that she needed to call the city. Through the course of the conversation I ended up telling her--in so many words--that it was none of her business. Her approach put me on the defensive right away. There was no way I was backing down.

Later, I told Vicki about the episode. I said, "You know, I really love those cedars and hate to see them go. And we want to be good neighbors." So I talked to the guys who were cutting down the trees and figured out a way to leave most of the cedars (although--thankfully--the pines had to go).

Later, another neighbor dropped by. My first thought was, "You have GOT to be kidding me." But Laura was incredibly sweet. She didn't want to argue, she just wanted to express her remorse. (Apparently I live in the middle of Al Gore's family!) We had a great conversation and actually built more of a bridge to one another.

There are a few differences between these two confrontations. Both had the same concern, but they were handled in entirely different ways. One came with her own set of presuppositions that there was going to be a fight. She talked to me (a pastor) of the tragedy of destroying God's creation. She was driving a car with a gasoline V8 engine, she lives in a huge house where dozens of trees were mercilessly killed so she could be comfortable. AND, she's not even a neighbor.

However, Laura, who really is a neighbor came with the attitude of wanting to build a bridge. She didn't want to fight. She just wanted to express her concern. She wasn't trying to change my mind in either direction. She just wanted me to reconsider cutting all of them down. It helped that we had already worked out another plan. Through it all, I think we strengthened our neighborhood bonds.

I thought about all of this later and reinforced a few lessons in my own life. If I am in disagreement with someone, how do I approach the situation? Am I going to decide on a fight even before it begins? I'm reminded of the Apostle Paul's words..."As far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone." Some people just don't want to live in peace and I may not be able to do anything about that. But I can choose how I initiate and respond to people.

At Least I'm Acting My Age

I recently did one of those "Real Age" quizzes. It goes beyond your calendar age and takes a peek into your lifestyle, habits, and overall health practices to see how old you really are. I guess it's true that you're only as old as you feel.

I don't know if this is the official one endorsed by Oprah, but it seemed legit enough. By the calendar I am 35 years old. My "real" age is also 35. My first thought was, "Well, duh! I can't believe I just wasted fifteen minutes of my life to find out that I really am 35 years old!" But then I just sat there and stared at my computer screen for a while.

"I really am 35 years old."

I don't know about you, but I've always thought of myself as young. That even though the clock keeps ticking, I am much younger than what the calendar says. I think and act younger. I do things that younger people do. Not that I think 35 is "old." But it's not that young either. The President of the United States can be 35 years old. I'm thinking about some former classmates in high school that are my age and have kids who will be graduating from high school this Spring while Vicki and I are in the middle of our fourth (and last) pregnancy.

It just suddenly hit me that I am not young anymore. I am solidly 35 years old. Does everyone have that kind of experience? That epiphany moment when the lights finally come on only to the realization that the lights are starting to dim? I have to watch what I eat. I have to be very intentional about staying active. Doctors want me to start doing maintenance visits that I remember my dad having to do. My six year old is asking what life was like in "the old days" when I was a kid!

I live a healthy lifestyle. I eat healthy and sensibly. I work out regularly. I've lost weight. I don't have any bad health habits. I'm trying to get enough sleep at night. I suppose that I just have to accept that if you really are as old as you feel...this is what 35 must feel like.