Don’t Trust Your Eyes…Grab a Tape

by | Jun 19, 2018 | discipleship, pastor, Pastor's Reflections

It is funny to me how the simplest things in life are often the way the Lord chooses to remind me of profound truths. Moving into a new home means several things…including fatigue, lots of boxes shuffled from here to there, plenty of time unwrapping “stuff” and the hanging of the pictures.
One thing about hanging pictures…you learn quickly that your eyes are not calibrated like, for instance, a tape measure and a level. What “looks right” to me may be slightly or dramatically off…depending on my perspective.
For instance, the closer you are to the picture you’re hanging, the worse your perspective of the room is. You can’t really tell how the picture fits in the overall presentation of the room when you are holding it. Further, what looks like it is centered on a wall be way off when you step back a little…or better…when you measure it against the tape.
Just as our vision and perspective can be skewed when we are too close to a matter, our assessment of truth, morality, holiness, and righteous conduct can be skewed. We often look at ourselves with what researchers call a “halo effect.” In other words, we think more highly of ourselves than we ought (See Romans 12:2-3).  We cannot see our sin as clearly because we are in the midst of it. Others, however, may see it as they observe us because they are not so close to the sin to miss it. Still, this is not the best measure since every person’s perspective is a little tainted by our sin nature. The best measure…the Word of God and the voice of the Holy Spirit.
Before you declare your own righteousness, grab the tape (I mean the Bible). How so your love? Joy? Peace? Gentleness? (see Galatians 5). Who was the last person you shared the gospel with? ( See Mark 16:15). Who are you personally investing in as a disciple of Jesus? (Matthew 28:19-20). How is your soul condition? (See Jeremiah 17:9).
One thing I have experienced time and again when I trusted the Lord to pull a tape and measure my life: He is always faithful to give a true measure, to direct me which way I needed to move to come to center and to never be frustrated with me when I needed to start again.
Have a great day…and grab a tape!

Why I Ask You to Stand…

by | Jun 13, 2018 | church, Leadership, pastor, Pastor's Reflections

This week, I was privileged to preach at my new church. I had done so once before as part of the search process, but this week my pastor was away and the responsibility of the morning message fell to me. As has become a customary practice of mine, I invited the congregation to stand with me “in honor of the reading of the Word of God and in a tangible acknowledgment of its authority in our lives.”
I have not always had this practice. Along the way, I became stirred to begin the practice after studying texts like this PASSAGE from the Book of Nehemiah.
“And all the people gathered as one man at the square which was in front of the Water Gate, and they [a]asked Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses which the Lord had [b]given to Israel…5 Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people for he was standing above all the people; and when he opened it, all the people stood up.6 Then Ezra blessed the Lord the great God. And all the people answered, “Amen, Amen!” while lifting up their hands; then they bowed low and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground. (Nehemiah 8:1,5-6, NASB). 
3 Reasons:
  • It REMINDS ME of Authority. By standing, I am acknowledging that something or Someone more important than me is speaking.
  • It is a sign of honor. When judges enter a courtroom, “All Rise” is heard from the bailiff and everyone is expected to stand. When the President of the United States enters a room, the people stand.
  • The change of posture prepares me. When I pray, I bow my head and close my eyes. This is not required but my posture reminds me that I am submissive in that moment. I am responding to or seeking something from One who is greater…not lesser (like my servant) or an equal (a high school buddy). By standing for the public reading of Scripture, I am preparing to hear something significant.
In the age we live in, where everyone has a blog or social media following, and the role of personal opinions is often elevated to a supreme place of authority…let me offer a couple of caveats.
  • Standing for Scripture reading when I preach is a personal practice…not a biblical demand. If I am in a service where this is not the customary practice, I’ll likely not make an issue of it to stand while everyone else is sitting. Doing so may inadvertently turn the attention toward me and away from the Word…precisely the opposite of my heart’s desire.
  • My convictions should not necessarily be every other preacher’s convictions. Each man stands before his Master and gives an account for what his Master has required of him…not what the Master requires of another.
  • Finally, I recognize that the practice could become a point of challenge for people with different religious backgrounds. I remember a conversation once with Dave. He has been part of the Catholic church at a point in his life and had a bad experience. He really struggled with any practice (like the liturgical call to stand, kneel, or participate in responsive reading) that reminded him of that experience. Like the Apostle Paul, I would never want to create an unnecessary stumbling block to the faith. If eating meat causes a brother to stumble, I’d choose to be a vegetarian for the cause of Christ. Anything else is unloving. (See Romans 14:1-15:7).
So that is the why of one of my “odd” practices. Be well! I’d love to hear your thoughts if you have some for or against my practice or logic…

Hold onto your WHY…

by | May 22, 2018 | church, discipleship, evangelism, Pastor's Reflections

Eighteen years ago, a pastor friend, Herb Flavell, gave me a “pro tip” for ministry. He as a dear brother to me…being one of the first pastors to entrust his pulpit to me and the first to allow me to baptize in his baptistry. Herb told me to write down the names in my Bible of each person God allowed me to win to Christ. “Whether through personal evangelism or through my preaching,” he said, “write down everyone. When the devil starts giving you a fit one day…telling you that God can’t use you, just read the names back to him and watch him run.”

I did that for years. Then it was videos of baptism testimonies. Whatever the form…everyone needs to remember why they get out of bed in the morning and “do the work.” Now I know that man doesn’t save anyone…but God chooses through the preaching of the gospel to save those who believe (1 Cor 1:21, 15:1-2).

Resistance and spiritual warfare are non-negotiable. Victory over them is. If you don’t know your WHY, you’ll likely give up on the WHAT of your life and resign to some mere existence while you wait to die.

Victor Frankl, author of the renowned book, Man’s Search for Meaning, was a Jewish Professor of Neurology and Psychiatry. Frankl was imprisoned in Nazi concentration camps during WW II. He made the observation during the terrible atrocities of the camps…that man can endure nearly any “how” of life, as long as he has a “why.”

Perhaps we would do well to stop talking about WHAT we are doing, or HOW we are doing it and focus on explaining WHY we do what we do.

What is your WHY? Why do you work? Why do you go to church? Why do you serve, or give, or go?

Through the years, Pastor Herb’s “pro tip” has been used by the Lord to carry me through some dark periods. Why? Because the WHY is worth holding onto…

Pivotal Moments

by | May 16, 2018 | discipleship, evangelism, Leadership, missional, pastor

It is graduation season. It is an anxious time for many as seasons of life change. It is also a critical time for those who minister.

I have told several people the past few weeks that, statistically speaking, our church’s most effective outreach (if you measure success by connecting people into a long-term discipleship relationship IN THE CHURCH) has traditionally been our hosting of baccalaureate services for two local high schools. Every year (for the last nine years or so) we have several hundred people come to the church for a one-hour program as I share a message of encouragement to students making the transition away from high school. Invariably, over the next 1-3 years, one or two of those families will connect with the church. When I ask them how they came to visit our church, they tell me that they came to a baccalaureate service and enjoyed it.

Why is this service to the community so valuable? I think it is because of Pivotal Moments.

In John 4, Jesus spoke to a woman of Samaria who was the “talk of the town.” She had been married five times and now was living with another man. The gossip circles were so busy about her…that she didn’t even come to the well until the most brutal part of the day…long after all the other women had come and gone. She’d rather face the heat than their judgmental looks and deafening whispers. One day, she came and met Jesus who was waiting. He connected the story of God’s love and man’s purpose to her circumstances at a pivotal moment. She was ready. She wasn’t expecting a sermon or even to converse with anyone…much less someone claiming to have access to living water and who knew her reputation but talked with her anyway. Pivotal Moments.

Or there was the time when Pastor Timothy was frustrated and wrestling with his faith. Ministry had seemed to take its toll and his spiritual mentor…the Apostle Paul…spoke into his circumstance (2 Timothy 1) by way of a letter, encouraging him to remember who he was, where he had come from, and how God had called him. Pivotal Moments.

These two examples (along with dozens more if time permitted) remind us that God prepares hearts through pivotal moments to receive truth. Wise disciples are on the lookout for these moments because they are solid gold.

LAST STORY: Yesterday, I was running on a tight schedule between meetings and stopped by a shop to drop off a couple items. I didn’t have time to be there but was very intentional to fit the drop by in. While inside, a woman asked me to follow her to the back of the shop. When I did, she shared with me that her mom (a Christian) died six months ago and that she was vexed in her heart on how the resurrection worked. She didn’t want to talk out front because her co-workers were not believers. Pivotal Moments. So, we spent 10 minutes talking about what the Scriptures teach about death, the Resurrection, and why we can have hope of reunion if we follow Christ. [I had never met this woman before…but I recognized a pivotal moment had presented itself].

Friend, if you are a follower of Christ, He created you for such moments as these. This woman assumed that I must be spiritual since I was wearing a shirt with the church name. (I’m not sure I ever told her I was the pastor). Parents and students at baccalaureate services are tender for God’s wisdom at this transition in seasons. That woman whose husband has distanced himself, the man who is struggling to put food on the table, and the young lady in the hospital are all tender…and God placed you there to speak truth at a Pivotal Moment. Don’t miss it. Make the most of the opportunity. Pray for the opportunity. Serve during the opportunity. Represent Him.

Grace and Peace.

Courage required!

by | May 2, 2018 | Devotions, discipleship, Faith, Leadership

A man goes to the doctor and is accompanied by his wife. They are escorted to the exam room and await the doctor’s arrival. When she comes in, the doctor promptly asks, “What would you like me to say to you today? What diagnosis do you want me to declare and prescribe a remedy for?” The man and his wife are dumbfounded…because what they wanted was an examination and for the doctor to tell them what was actually wrong and simply to treat that condition.

Honestly, the story is fictional and outlandishly so…because who would ever go to a doctor demanding that the doctor simply parrot the patient’s self-diagnosis? Only a fool.

In my time with the Lord today, I re-read the story of Ahab’s demise (1 Kings 22). This verse stood out:

“But Jehoshaphat said, ‘Is there not yet a prophet of the Lord here that we may inquire of him?’ [Ahab] The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat. ‘There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of the Lord, but I hate him, because he does not prophesy good concerning me, but evil…’ ” 1 Kings 22:7-8.

Of course, the verse pointed me forward to the counsel of Paul to pastor Timothy:

1I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom:

2preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction.

3For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires,

4and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.

5But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

2 Timothy 4:1–5 (NASB95)

The fact is…the man of God is commanded and charged to speak for God and for God alone. If you read all of 1Kings 22, you see that Micaiah’s prophesy was indeed one of defeat for Ahab. It was also contrary to the 400 other assembled prophet’s statements. God graciously revealed through Micaiah to Ahab how this could be so…but the desire was for a pleasant word that uplifted the king…not necessarily the truth and particularly not if that truth was not in the king’s favor! Micaiah was imprisoned on bread and water for his services. The king committed him there as a way of manipulating him to change his tone:

“…Thus says the king, ‘Put this man in prison and feed him sparingly with bread and water until I return safely.’ “ 1 Kings 22:27.

Micaiah the prophet was not persuaded and responded in this manner:

“Micaiah said, ‘If you indeed return safely the Lord has not spoken through me.’ “ 1 Kings 22:28.

People make decisions about the church they will attend and the pastor they will listen to. They make decisions for various reasons. Some, like Ahab, want only to hear good spoken toward them. These are like the fools seeking a doctor to prescribe according to the patient’s instructions. Others, desire truth. They want it straight, even (and especially) if it hurts and prompts them to change. Regardless of the people’s desires…the man of God has but one command: “preach the word,” (2 Tim 4:2) and be willing to cling to it even in prison.

Today, even amidst cultural pressures to be silent or be approving when it comes to sin and faithless conduct…PREACH THE WORD! Be faithful to the One who has faithfully placed the truth within you and love others enough to simply speak truth.

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?