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…

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.

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.

Weep for Hawking’s Family…

by | Mar 18, 2018 | discipleship, evangelism, Faith, Leadership, pastor, Teaching

In 2002, I was introduced for the first time (that I recall) the work of Stephen Hawking. He was a brilliant physicist and a self-avowed atheist (HERE, and HERE). His work on the origin of the universe has been formative in educational curriculum to say the least.

Since hearing of his death, I have listened to many who have selectively spoken of him in nearly “saint-like” terms; whereas other, many of them Christian, have pointed out that he is no longer an atheist and has met the Lord as Judge. Consequently, opinions have flown back and forth and even a few barbs along the way. So, how should a Christian feel about Hawking’s death? Further, how should one speak of the death of an unbeliever in order to balance compassion and truth?

What is certain is that Hawking has stepped into eternity. It is difficult to say…but he entered into an eternal judgment the moment his death occurred. His fate is sealed and not by some capricious act from a temperamental God; rather, his eternity reflects just consequences for willful choices in his life to resist the evidence that points to God (Romans 1). Here are a couple of truths:

  • But for the grace of God, there go I. (Ephesians 2:8-9) No one earns righteousness with God. No one is justified by merit; rather, each person who experiences the forgiveness of the Lord does so because God is gracious and merciful, a friend to sinners and a redeemer of those who would call on Him. There is no room, therefore, for prideful reactions to the death of a lost person.
  • Amen and Amen. When Nadab and Abihu, sons of Aaron were judged and killed for their sin against God, Moses told Aaron not to cry (Leviticus 10:1-7). This may seem heartless, but it is instructive to us. A Christian, by definition, greatly desires the Lord’s honor and glory to be manifested. To wish against justice toward sin is to diminish the glory of God. To bemoan the Lord’s actions or to try to soften the consequences of sin by creating the “possibility narrative,” (i.e. “it is possible he prayed for salvation just before his death;” or, “perhaps God will forgive him since he contributed so much to science”) reduces God’s righteousness to some form of a quid pro quo. God is righteous and just. He does not reduce His standards to squeeze one more person into heaven. Instead, He fulfills the standard and invites all to seek and find forgiveness in Christ.
  • Weep with those who weep. Whenever a life is lost in death, there are people deeply affected. Weep with them. Do not act as though they should not grieve. They should. Grieve with them, sharing in their loss.
  • Commit to more fervent evangelism. (John 9:4) There will be some who will be swept up in the accolades attributed to this scientist. Some may adopt his beliefs as their own. Be more passionate for their salvation than ever before…because hell is real and God is just. Eternity is fixed at our death and it is…forever. Live your life to turn back sinners from their rebellion calling them to turn to Christ (Jude 23; Romans 12:15).