When pastors leave…

by | Apr 24, 2018 | discipleship, Leadership, pastor, Uncategorized

It was devastating…or at least felt like it to some. Pastor Michael announced his resignation and within a few weeks, was gone. Lots of tears were shed and conversations over coffee, across desks, or in the hallways took place. At the root… “What does it mean when a pastor leaves?”

For good or bad, my worldview on this was shaped early on in my days in the military. P.C.S. (Permanent Change of Station) orders were cause for rejoicing or regret. Soldiers, back then, rarely stayed at a station more than three years or so. That is barely time to make solid friendships or get involved in a community. Even church was difficult since everyone already there knew you would be gone soon, so friendships rarely went very deep. When orders came though…they were accepted. After all…they were orders.

Ministry works the same way. Every pastor works ultimately for Jesus. For that matter…every believer works for Jesus! Any pastor worthy of the calling is quick to salute when orders are received. It still makes the transition tough…but orders are…well…orders.

So, thinking on this today in light of the upcoming change of assignment for Jodi and me, here are seven things that a pastor’s leaving IS or IS NOT:

  • A pastor’s leaving IS NOT a statement that he doesn’t love you. He does love you with the love of Jesus. Imperfectly at times but the love of Christ nonetheless.
  • A pastor’s leaving IS NOT evidence that the congregation did something wrong.
  • A pastor’s leaving IS NOT evidence that he is “chasing success.”
  • A pastor’s leaving IS NOT a reason to also leave. There are times to leave a church, but this, in itself, IS NOT one of those times.
  • A pastor’s leaving IS difficult on him because he has built friendships and relationships with people. He has earned (in many cases) the credibility to lead the people. When he leaves…he starts over at a new place with new people. It is, of course difficult on others in the congregation as well.
  • A pastor’s leaving IS difficult on his family. Friendships (which are premium in a ministry context) change and new friends must be sought.
  • A pastor’s leaving IS an opportunity to rise up and lead. New leadership surfaces in the absence of other leaders. It is a chance for others to grow spiritually and practically in ministry. It is an opportunity to revisit the church’s core values and re-vision those values to others.

So, as for me…my heart is sore these days because it will be more difficult to grab coffee with a friend across the miles; At the same time, there is excitement about the new adventure ahead and the opportunity to meet, serve, and lead others…all because…orders are orders.

Special Announcement

by | Apr 22, 2018 | Uncategorized

This post is a special announcement that Jodi and wanted to share with you. Please see the video HERE to learn about some exciting news that we just shared with our church family.

HERE is a link to the letter that I read and that was provided to our leadership.

We love you and covet your prayers at this special time.

Until all hear,
Pastor Chris

Striking when you should be Speaking…

by | Apr 9, 2018 | Devotions, discipleship, Leadership, pastor

Numbers 20 contains a glorious and dreadful account of Moses’ leadership. It is dreadful (from man’s perspective) because an error in leadership cost Moses greatly. It is glorious because God is exalted above all people and all things.

It is not good enough to simply do the tasks that the Lord commands or the tasks of the hour, but each thing must be done precisely as God prescribes.

The people were grumbling (which is not unusual or odd given the historical record) and God appears at the doorway to the Tent of Meeting, instructing Moses and Aaron what to do. (Num 20:6-7). Moses “mostly” obeys but something is off.

Num 20:10… “Listen now you rebels; shall we (Moses and Aaron) bring forth water out of this rock?” This statement reminds me of James and John asking Jesus, “Do you want us to bring down fire from heaven and consume these enemies?” (Luke 9:54). [SIDENOTE: I have often wondered, “What would have happened if Jesus had said, ‘Sure fellas! If you can do it, go for it!’” I imagine it would have been a humbling experience for James and John.]

In Num 20:11, God responds even to Moses’ rebellion in striking the rock twice rather than speaking to it. God proceeds to meet the needs of the people despite the rebellion of leadership, but what happens next is sobering.

Num 20:12, states: But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you have not believed Me, to treat Me as holy in the sight of the sons of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them.” God ties Moses’ actions to two key themes. His disobedience was rooted in a false or deficient belief. “Because you have not believed Me…” is the root. We must recognize that to believe God is to hear from Him and to act on what we hear in obedience. It is not merely intellectual assent, but humble obedience. Second, God declares that Moses’ actions treated God as unholy. “because you have not believed me to treat me as holy in the sight of the sons of Israel…” Moses’ actions, either according to his own wisdom, self-assurance, emotional outburst, or whatever the reason, reduced Almighty God to a voice of a counselor rather than Sovereign Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer. In essence, Moses’ act elevated him in the sight of the people which necessarily meant that God was lowered down by the actions.

As a consequence, Moses would not tread on the land of promise. He would see the land because God is gracious (Deut 34), but he would not fulfill his calling to lead the people to the land (Num 20:12).

Num 20:13 states that God, in His sovereign and righteous actions, proved Himself holy among the people, including Moses and Aaron.

APPLIED: I wonder how often we hear from the Lord HOW we are to act in a given situation and then TWEAK our response a bit according to motives other than precise and perfect obedience.

  • Do we know that this is rebellion against God?
  • Do we acknowledge that such actions are an affront to Him and an assault on His holiness?
  • Do we agree with God that our actions are equivalent to throwing red paint against the canvas of His great Name as He reveals Himself as the world’s most highly acclaimed masterpiece?
  • Do we realize the consequences of such rebellion…that we forsake a degree of our usefulness to God and effectiveness in God’s plan? Our willfulness and rebellion against God’s rule and reign is SO SEVERE, that only the substitutionary death of His own Son is capable of settling the debt and preserving our hope in eternity.

We must not continue in rebellion, but willfully choose precise obedience, for anything else is to defame the Lord and steal the glory that rightfully belongs to Him alone.

The Power of Simplicity…

by | Apr 5, 2018 | discipleship, pastor, preaching, Teaching

Daily. That’s how often I receive an article on preaching. Sometimes it is two or three, but I cannot remember a day that I did not receive an article on how to communicate more effectively. Just yesterday it was on 10 ways to “call for a response.” Before that, it was on the structure of a sermon.

Most of the articles are helpful. As one man said, “eat the fruit and spit out the seeds.” There are few articles where a discerning reader cannot gain something. Often times though, reading new information prompts one to seek effectiveness by addition. We want to add a new thing…adjust to improve our ability to connect with people’s hearts. The most memorable of messages, however, tend to be those that are most simple.

Paul speaks to this by way of his letter to the Corinthians. “For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.” (1 Corinthians 2:2). Now it would be foolish to think Paul was simple-minded or simplistic in His theology. In fact, he never claimed such (1 Cor 2:6-9). Peter himself declared that Paul’s teachings were often on a whole different level (2 Peter 3:15-17), so it would be baseless to declare that his teaching lacked depth or foundation. Yet, Paul, states to this church that he determined to stay centered on the cross and Christ crucified. Why?

The cross serves as a line of demarcation.

  • One cannot argue that Jesus came to exalt Himself.
  • One cannot dispute the wretchedness of sin.
  • One cannot doubt the depth and breadth of the love of God.
  • One cannot argue against the holiness and goodness of God.
  • One cannot argue for alternative pathways to right relationship with God.

Ultimately, Paul determined that no matter where the conversation went and how philosophical it may seek to become, he would always circle back to the cross. (See Acts 17 for only one of numerous examples).

The point: We can learn from this and should embrace this in our lives. DETERMINE not to debate the latest beliefs of 20 friends on Facebook. DETERMINE not to spend you days arguing for the five solas of the Reformation. DETERMINE to rely on the piercing power of the gospel message rather than the rhetorical flourishes of a well-crafted monologue. DETERMINE to know the position of those who would debate you but so that you can turn the focus quickly back to the cross and Jesus Christ crucified. DETERMINE to boast not in your strengths but in your weaknesses that demand the grace of Christ’s strengths in your life. DETERMINE to rest in the glorious and gracious redemption of your life by a holy God who alone is powerful to save.

Apart from this, there is no power…for the gospel is the power of God unto salvation to all who believe (Rom 1:16). When doing so, we DETERMINE to shape the faith of people by the Spirit and power rather than persuasive words of worldly wisdom (1 Cor 2:4).

Lost sheep: Backslidden or Unregenerate

by | Apr 3, 2018 | church, discipleship, Faith, Pastor's Reflections

In recent months, I preached through Luke 15 and the parable Jesus tells about the value of finding the lost. It is a single parable with several “movements” or sub-texts in the story. He deals with a lost sheep, a lost, coin, a lost son in the far-country and even a lost son in the field.

I am so grateful for students of the Word that ask questions about the text. One such question came up during the series and it speaks to an important consideration: Was the lost sheep really “lost” (in the sense that he represents an unbeliever) or was he “backslidden” (a genuine part of the flock that had wandered away?) This post provides, in part, my answer to the question, because I think it is important for all believers to consider…

Thanks for your question…regarding whether the sheep, coin, and son could have been saved and backslidden. While the text doesn’t use that term or even communicate the idea directly, it is not a stretch to draw the conclusion based on the analogies of the pictures in the Parable. Remember, of course, that parables, metaphors, and analogies can only go so far and actually fall apart if pressed too far. For instance, God is not a woman nor would He ever be careless to lose anything of value, particularly a soul. That would never fit with any other part of our theology. People are also not dumb, soulless animals either. While the Bible uses the sheep and shepherd imagery a good bit, the analogy breaks down if we push it too far…unless we hold that sheep can make a moral decision to be saved.

All that being said, I would not be offended if I heard someone preach on the text from the angle that the coin and sheep were backslidden. I don’t think that is the best understanding of course, but it is tenable. Here are a couple of things that I think would inform my thoughts on why it speaks of lostness rather than a backslidden state:

  • The real issue in the text is the disapproval the religious elites showed toward Jesus for receiving tax collectors and sinners. I don’t know anyone who would argue that they (tax collectors and sinners) are saved and backslidden.
  • Jesus is addressing the religious attitudes and saying that while they are offended at the sinners, heaven celebrates when a sinner repents. I think the clearest implication is that the sinner is becoming a believer, not being restored in fellowship.
  • The work of the owner who is going out to find that which is lost is the same whether that lost one is saved and backslidden, or altogether lost. To demand that it mustbe the former creates a slippery theological slope (in my opinion), leading some to conclude that everyone (even those who bear no genuine marks of a converted life) is “right” with God, even those who live like unregenerate tax collectors and sinners…and will ultimately be in heaven even if they acted like lost people all of their lives. For me, this view would seem to blunt the edge of the evangelistic commission.
  • The celebration of the person coming to faith or the celebration of a restored prodigal (or perhaps even a better picture viewed through the elder brother) would seem to be the same…at least to me.

So, if the work is the same, and the celebration/attitude is the same, AND if Jesus is addressing bad attitudes of the religious elite toward sinners and tax-collectors, I think the most logical conclusion is that the items lost represent the unregenerate, not just the backslidden; however, there is not enough meat in the analogy to be dogmatic for that position and certainly not for the position that they are definitely backslidden.

I find a great deal of comfort and peace in the fact that the responsibility to determine is someone is backslidden, unregenerate, or even if a person is saved…does not rest with me. God knows the conditions of a man’s heart. God alone is able to judge, so I must be cautious not to demand that a person is saved or lost based on their actions. I am called to be a fruit inspector though…to be discerning…and to act faithfully toward those with fruit (encouraging, sharpening and rejoicing with them), as well as toward those without fruit (calling them to come to Christ). The work is the same! As disciples and disciple-makers, our “job” is to focus on fruit…for it is in the bearing of fruit that God is glorified (John 15:5,8).

Considerations for the Day:

  1. How is the “fruit” in your own life? Could someone make the case for your faith in Christ by pointing to your calendar…your wallet…your words…your work ethic…your attitude…your concern for others…your passion for God?
  2. How sensitive are you to the fruit of others? When you see a fruitless fig tree…do you walk by or do you address it? Does it matter if that person has a Bible on their car seat or a Koran? Isn’t the grace of God sufficient for both? Isn’t our humble posture the same with both? Isn’t our emphatic and empathetic plea the same with both…draw near to Christ?