August 7th, 2012

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Toxic

Tuesday, August 7th, 2012

As many of you may already know, the church I pastor has been in a several-month-long renovation.  You can even view the pictures of the progress on that site.  I have already told the story of how this all came to be so I won’t regurgitate review it again.   Just as an update: we are taking the church building and literally flip-flopping sides with the young people.  We will go from 800 square feet to about 1800 square feet; a 10 foot ceiling to a cathedral-type; 83 chairs to (we hope) about 180 or so, and maybe more; and we will be doing it by paying cash.   Dave Ramsey would be proud of us.   :P   I am seriously hoping that doing so will allow us to hire a young man who has been attending and working with our youth as our Associate/Youth Pastor. We have done a ton of work ourselves, but have also had to hire out some of the more detailed ones.  One of those has been the painting of the new part and also the floor.

Which brings me to my topic.  The floor was painted this afternoon (Tuesday) with the first coat of an epoxy.  I had been told about its strong smell and figured to myself, “How bad can it be?”  I found out my answer today: REAL BAD!  After a lunch at the Chinese restaurant (I have to take advantage of lunches with people, especially future youth pastors since Jo does not like Chinese at all),  I went for a ride. After the ride I showered and returned to the office after some errands and just about fell over.  Strong?  Nah.  Overwhelmingly slammed in the head?  Yeah.  I was there about 10 minutes and I was talking in a foreign language.  My head was spinning.  So I headed home.

Toxic is more than an adjective for paint.  We have

Toxic churches

Toxic friendships

Toxic relationships

Toxic pastors

Toxic spouses

Toxic coworkers

The list seems endless doesn’t it?  They get inside our heads and hearts.  Sort of like that toxic epoxy.  Staying in the building would have not have killed me, but it could have given me a much unneeded headache, or it could have made me sick.  The above list will do that, although following a toxic pastor can be harmful to your soul.  There will always be those people, pastors, churches who will “call out” to us, and we have to make decision to either abandon ship, cut the ties, or go all in.   I would suggest cut the ties.  Stick with Jesus.  Don’t follow men.  Check this out.

Have you had any experience with toxic anything?  Any from my list?  Could you add any? 

Posted in Christian living, Church, Doctrine, Friendship, Just Wondering, Leadership | 24 Responses »

Glorify

Tuesday, August 7th, 2012

We lift the cross/ lift it high, lift it high/We lift the cross/ lift it high, lift it high/ (Repeat)

I have been captured by the newest Passion CD, White Flag.  I’m a little bit late to the party since it has been out for several months, even before I bought it a couple of weeks ago.  The lyrics above are from the song by that title and sung by Chris Tomlin.  Throughout the CD you will hear expressions of “lifting up the cross” or “glorifying God” or some other form of expression that calls us to honor God.  If you look up glorify in the dictionary you will find these definitions:  “To make glorious (I thought you weren’t supposed to use a word or derivative to define that word) by bestowing honor, praise and adoration, to elevate.”

The lyrics from White Flag remind me of one of my favorite verses (and my brother, Rob’s, favorite) found in Galatians 6:14: “May I never boast except in the cross of Christ.”  Today I read from 2 Thessalonians 1.  Verse 12 says, “So that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him.” 

One last verses to think about: “And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”  Col.3:17

So…to glorify God means to honor Him.  But the challenge is not to do so with just our lips. Anyone can do that.  It is to do so with our lips and life.  In fact, I daresay that our life ought to be right out front for all to see.  We have all heard the expression “Talk is cheap.”  In the life of the Christ-follower, I am not sure truer words can be said.

How do plan to honor Him today (or do you)?  How will people know that you are not boasting in yourself but in the cross?  Please don’t give the wimpy (and falsely humble) statement, “Well, it’s not me; it’s Him.”  I hate to say it, but that sounds so lame and fake to me.   I’d like to hear your thoughts.

Oh, and just in case, you may be like me and come late to the party, listen to the song for yourself:

Posted in Christian living, Church, God, Jesus, Just Wondering, Leadership | 24 Responses »