June, 2009

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Ten Stupid Things

Tuesday, June 30th, 2009

Sometimes I will talk or blog about my early life as a pastor and when I do some find it incredible.  Not that my life is incredible but the things I had been taught to do were incredible.  As a 56 year old pastor, I can look back and see that I did a lot of things wrong and often from the start of beginning a ministry at a church set the wrong precedent that later came back to haunt me.  I could tell you horror stories of situations that I got myself into professionally all because I had a warped idea of ministry.  But, in all honesty, I was only “acting” the way I had been taught.  The era in which I was raised was a different era when it came to being a pastor.  That is why I think Geoff Surratt’s new book Ten Stupid Things That Keep Churches From Growing is such a good book and one important enough to get into the hands of all young pastors.  In fact, if I had the money I would do just that.  I do have a young pastor friend or two who will receive a copy from me.   To “whet your whistle” for the book here are the 10 Stupid things that Geoff writes about:  My confessions in orange.

  1. Trying to do it all  (Guilty)
  2. Establishing the wrong role for the pastor’s family(I had a good wife)
  3. Providing second-rate worship services (Guilty)
  4. Promoting talent over integrity (Guilty)
  5. Clinging to a bad location (They were where they were)
  6. Copying another successful church (My note: or pastor) (Guilty)
  7. Mixing ministry and business (I was always a lousy salesman and was leery of pyramid schemes)
  8. Settling for low quality children’s ministry (Guiilty)
  9. Favoring discipline over reconciliation (Discipline?  What discipline?)
  10. Letting committees steer the ship  (Church structure played a role in this one so do I have to admit to this one?)

My biggest failing was #1: Trying to do it all.  I was raised when the pastor did it all-visited the sick, went to the hospital, made calls all afternoon and evening, preached 100,000 times a year (least it seemed like it), married, buried, counseled…well you get the drill.  “When in trouble call the pastor.”  When you don’t know where to turn, call the pastor.”  I often look back (a dangerous exercise) and wonder how different things might have been if I had mentored more, insisted on elders being elders, etc.  I could go on but I am sure you get the point.  Geoff spends time with each of these stupid things and what makes it an easy book to read is that I feel like I am reading his biography in a way.  I get the distinct feeling like he did these stupid things.  What I liked about the book is it practicality and even though I may not have been totally guilty of the mistake, I can see where I could relate.  What I also liked was his use of an “interview” process where he closes off each chapter giving people like Craig Groeschel, Dave Ferguson, Mark Batterson, Dino Rizzo, his brother, Greg, and others an opportunity to give their “take” on this mistake.  At the end of each chapter is what he calls an “IQ Test,” a series of questions designed to have you reflect on the chapter and to formulate some type of game plan if this particular mistake looms large in your life.

If you happen to be a fairly young pastor or know one, I would make sure I either bought this for myself or to give away.   {Disclaimer: I was not sent this book by an interested party and asked to give a review.  These are totally independent thoughts.}

How about you?  Read any good books lately that you think I ought to read?

Posted in Church, Leadership | 4 Responses »

Laughter and Michael Jackson’s death????

Monday, June 29th, 2009

Caution:  You are about to enter the “No Fun-Zone.”  I am going to admit right up front that this will not be a fun blog to read nor a comfortable one to sink your teeth into like a good piece of  white meat (since I don’t eat beef).  I am angry.  I am ticked.  I am PO’d (I don’t like to use that other word).  I am honked off.  I am fit to be tied.  All the above would describe my reaction to a post by my blogging friend, Toby, at What’s This Life For?.  First, please understand: I am NOT upset with Toby in the slightest. I am angry about the subject of the post.  Again, NOT at what Toby wrote but why he had to write it.   I was speechless, dumbfounded and found it absolutely incredulous that people who call themselves Christians (Christ-followers) would actually laugh at the death of Michael Jackson!  Since I am having trouble linking to Toby’s page the long story short is that he woke up to a Twitter of someone talking about all the Christians who were laughing at the death of MJ and making jokes about him. What kind of commentary is that when someone wakes up to a Twitter of laughter at the death of someone?

So…for what it’s worth here is my take:  I am saddened at the death of Michael Jackson.  Not because I was fond of his music.  I wasn’t.  I like Rock so his style didn’t fit me but much of his music had a beat and some of it was meaningful.  One thing can be said: the dude could dance and I liked to watch it until he began grabbing his crotch with more and more regularity.  When he did that 50% lean in Smooth Criminal I had to watch it again and again to see if it was real or a trick of the camera.   Michael’s Thriller album sold a bazillion copies and he made about that much money.  But like many celebrities he became known almost as much for his strange antics and lifestyle as he did for his music.  He became fodder for the tabloids and ammunition for religious people who looked for reasons to knock anything but “religious” music. But underneath all the glitz and celebrity and notoriety was a lost little boy.  IMHO he heard or received bad, no make that terrible advice, about needing plastic surgery. All it seemed to do was seal his fate as a clown in many eyes.  He surrounded himself with a bunch of clingers, people who used him under the guise of “taking care of him.”  Sort of like the pastor who surrounds himself with only “Yes” men.  I can’t make a judgment on his background, his accusations of childhood abuse, nor his own tortured adulthood.  But what I can comment about is how in the name of all this God, all that is holy, can a person who calls himself/herself a “Christian” laugh about the death of someone?  Michael’s background of being  a Jehovah’s Witness may have been like many of those who claim to follow Christ: I am one because I was raised as one.  Maybe in all of his wanderings and antics he was crying out for someone to point him to Someone to give his life meaning. I have found that the persona seen on stage is not often like the persona off the stage.  (Alice Cooper is a case in point).  But bravado on stage does not translate to bravado off stage.  Seeming to have it all together on stage does not mean having it all together off stage.  Did you know that Jimi Hendrix once ended a concert with a plea of “If anyone here knows real peace I want to talk to him back stage?”  No one appeared.  Several days later he was found dead.  How un-Christlike it is for a follower of Jesus to say they laughed at the death of Michael Jackson.  Did they laugh at the death of Farrah Fawcett who lived with Ryan O’Neal for how many years?  Did they laugh at the death of Ed McMahon even though he had been divorced several times?  I have no idea of their eternal state but how can anyone laugh at the possibility that someone died without Jesus?  I don’t know about you but that breaks my heart- the laughter and the death without Jesus.  Celebrity does not guarantee happiness just as going to church doesn’t guarantee heaven.  The only thing I am sure of is that a personal relationship with Jesus guarantees heaven and I can smile and laugh with the person who has made that claim.  But laughing because someone died?  I think someone needs to be taken back to the woodshed.

End of rant.  What are your thoughts?  Open forum…just be kind.

Posted in Church, Uncategorized | 14 Responses »

Ten-Accept No Substitutes

Friday, June 26th, 2009

ten

“Man, that tastes like real butter!”  “I can’t believe its not butter!”  “Cooks like real sugar.”  “This Diet Dr. Pepper is as close to the real thing as you can get.”  (my words on that one).   Let’s face it: we live in a world of substitutes.  We can buy generic drugs (which is a good thing).  Medically we can have knee or hip replacements.  Not quite the real thing but they sure hope it functions like the real thing eventually.

The second Commandment says, “You shall have no other gods before Me.”   On the surface someone is bound to say, “That sure sounds like an arrogant statement.”  Arrogant or not (and I don’t believe it is) God wants to be the only God in our life…the ONLY God. Jo certainly would have difficulty if she found my wallet and saw a picture of another woman in it and then found out we had been carrying on an affair for…oh say…five years.  Would she have a right to be upset?  Would we have a problem with her “laying down the law” that she be the only one?  In a real way, that is the spirit of this second commandment.  One Scripture I will be using is found in Jeremiah 2: 12-13: “The heavens are shocked at such a thing and shrink back in horror and dismay, says the Lord.  For my people have done two evil things: they have forsaken Me-the fountain of living water.  And they have dug for themselves cracked cisterns that can hold no water at all!” (NLT)  As the saying goes: “them’s mighty strong words.”  How it must hurt God to see us pursuing false gods (of all kinds).   As always I do appreciate your prayers for me and the folks who will listen.

Again, a shout out to Dan Drewes for the banner.

Posted in Church, Sermon Series/Topic | 2 Responses »

Clean Hands

Thursday, June 25th, 2009

Things we take for granted today were deadly years ago.  Even if you are not OC about having your hands clean, it is still a good practice to do so.  So we have all kinds of bacterial soap.  We carry around hand cleanser that evaporates.  (I started doing that on Sunday mornings now…when I remember).   Several months ago I was given a book called Letters to Pastors that I tried reading at night before I “checked out” but found it an effort in futility.  So I finally brought it to the office and now use it in the morning during my Quiet Time.  The chapters are only about 2 pages each but so far I have found them filled with good stuff.  I suggest you buy a copy and “bless” your pastor with it. In an earlier chapter he tells the story of how the death rate of babies born at Vienna General Hospital was five times higher that that of woman who had their babies at home.   In 1846 that began to change when Dr. Phillip Semmelweis became the assistant obstetrician at Vienna General.  When the baby died they called it “The Childbed Fever.”  Vienna General called it “bad luck.”   Blame went everywhere, especially onto  the foreign doctors until Dr. Phillip began to observe that doctors went from autopsies of cadavers in the morgue to birthing babies-without washing their hands. He began a crusade for washing the hands between procedures but whether you can believe it or not…it fell on deaf ears.  The hospital and doctors raised a stink and did the only thing they knew to do…they fired Dr. Phillip.  He continued to debate his case until finally the medical field listened.

Several things came to mind when I read that and think about it now.  First, how much like us it is to place the blame on someone else rather than face the truth.  Being challenged on long held beliefs is often uncomfortable and in the case of Dr. P it cost him his job.  I know many pastors (as do you) who will not challenge the status quo because of fear and I know many churches & pastors who will not accept any challenge to long held stands.  Second,  James 4:8 says, “Cleanse your hands, you sinners.” Ps.24:3-4 says, “Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord?  And who shall stand in his holy place?  He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false.” The picture of clean hands is one of purity…purity of Christ-followers but especially of those who are His public instruments.  May we all be able to sing:  “Give us clean hands, give us pure hearts, let us not lift our souls to another…O God let us be a generation that seeks, that seeks  your face O God of Jacob.”  Well…gotta go now and wash my hands.

Your thoughts?  I would like to hear them.

Posted in Church, Doctrine, Scripture look, Sin | 4 Responses »

A Song Worth Learning

Wednesday, June 24th, 2009

As many of you know (least those who read my blog) my wife and I recently visited our oldest daughter in Knoxville, TN to be with her for her recent surgery.  But I don’t want to talk about that.  I want to blog about something else.  We took advantage of Tami’s inability to attend church Sunday to attend elsewhere (June 7).  I really wanted to visit a new church plant in downtown Knoxville but since I didn’t have her along to navigate I chose to attend one that her friend and her landlords recommended and attend.  It was called Fellowship Church and you can find out more about it here. I will go on record as saying I thoroughly enjoyed my visit.  To be honest, I didn’t expect a superflous welcome.  Not with a church that size.   Jo & I went in and sat down and prepared ourselves for the worship.  The music was very well done (I would use the word excellent if that is not overused).  No smoke.  No lights flashing. (Not that I am against that)  But the worship leader was engaging and energetic.  The people who were part of the worship team were demonstrative not stoic.  The instrumentalists were good musicians but never once did I feel as though they overpowered the power of the words.   The teaching was expository on a difficult section of Scripture (2 Tim.4: 9-22).  I mean, how in the world do you make it interesting to teach someone a bunch of names?  Pastor Rick Dunn did just that with a sermon called “Paul’s Facebook.” But back to the music.  Like I have already said it was well-done, even though they had several I had never really heard before.  One has stuck in my mind and came to the forefront Sunday as I researched it some more.   They do something that many do not: they post their song list so a person might know more about a particular song.  I went looking for more information on one song and came away with some on another.  It is this latter song that has stuck with me.  Simple to learn.  Simple to play.  Pleasing to the heart of worship.  Here it is:

For more on the song itself check out Fee’s blog here. What are your thoughts on this “has been sung but about to be released” song? Hope it gave you a good pick-me-up for today.

Posted in Pick me Up | 2 Responses »

Imposters to the Throne

Tuesday, June 23rd, 2009

Yesterday’s post included an invitation to figure out what the acrostic F-I-R-S-T stood for in relation to imposters to the throne of our heart.  The first commandment says, “You shall have no other gods before Me.”  That is a struggle for me…for all of us I suspect.  So here are the answers to the acrostic.  Yours may be different but since I wrote the sermon I get to make the rules.  🙂

F-riendship. Put it another way: relationships.  This is a tough area.  None of us like to be alone but oftentimes our friendships/relationships can hinder our spiritual growth.  Even more is when we crave those earthly friendships so much that we compromise our convictions.  Here is a verse of interest: “What a person is really like is shown by the kinds of friends he chooses.”  Pr.27:19 (LB) Way too often we are pulled down rather than pull people up.

I-nterests. I Cor.10:31 says, “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” (ESV)  The category of Interests is so wide and varied…and so deceptive.  I have sometimes found myself in up to my eyeballs when I finally realize I am in trouble.

R-esources. As you can imagine this is always a popular one.  But I believe it is true that what we spend our money on and the way we spend it says what is first in our lives. Dr. Laura Schlessinger, a talk show host and a practicing orthodox Jew has the right idea: “The first commandment reminds us that our relationship with God is not casual but covenantal.” When/if we can see that it sure changes the way we view our money.  Malachai 3 tells us that if we fail to tithe we rob God.

S-chedule. There probably isn’t a one of us who hasn’t struggled with busyness.  Anne Jackson has written a book called Mad Church Disease in which she tackles the issue/problem of burnout.  She deals primarily of being burned out because of ministry responsibilities coupled with every day ones.   My concern is also the lack of time we spend alone in God’s Word reading and listening because we are too busy.  “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where He prayed.”  Mk.1:35 (NIV)  Need I say any more?

T-roubles. A fact of life.  Our scenario though is often “Trouble is here.  What can I do to take care of it myself?”  Then we get in so deep that we find ourselves crying out to God for help.  Why not start with Him?

Like I said…you may be able to put other words for your acrostic.  Mine are pretty general.  Now that you have seen mine, do you find one that particularly describes you to a “T”? Do you care to share it?  I would be willing to hear from you.

Posted in Church, Scripture look, Sermon Series/Topic | 8 Responses »

No Other Gods-A Reflection

Monday, June 22nd, 2009

Yesterday I preached on the 1st Commandment-“You shall have no other gods before me.”  I opened with the following video.  I am sure you have seen it before but it is worth listening to again.

WOW!  What a powerful video!  I think you can see why I chose to use that video given the topic.   The second part of my message was spent with the pretenders or imposters to the throne of our heart.  When God says He wants no one else there He means it but if you are like me you struggle.  Someone has said, “The only problem with a living sacrifice is they keep crawling off the altar.”  God wants to be king of my life, the king who sits on the throne.  Using the acrostic F-I-R-S-T, I showed 5 different areas of our life that are pretenders to the throne.  I will give them to you tomorrow but was wondering if you would like to take a gander at guessing them.  You can see from my post on “Ten” that two people have already done so.  What do you think the letters F-I-R-S-T stand for? See you tomorrow with the answers.

Posted in Church, Monday "I Needed That" Moment, Sermon Series/Topic, Sunday Meanderings | 2 Responses »

My Pride

Sunday, June 21st, 2009

I have been around long enough to know the old adages that go with pride.  “Pride goes before a fall.”  “Better watch that pedestal you have placed yourself on.”  I’m sure there are more.  But not all pride is wrong.  If someone takes pride in his/her work that is okay.  That generally means he/she is conscientious enough to do it right or make sure it is right. People can take pride in the way they keep their yard or their house or whatever.  I am proud of something else.

I am most grateful for my salvation. There is no way I can find the right words to say how much that means to me.

I am grateful for my wife of 36 years. Again, I cannot find the right words to say how much she means to me.   For just a slight glimmer into it though you may want to read my post from this past Tuesday, June 16th.

I am grateful for my two daughters, Tami and Janna. It is for the privilege of being their father that I talk about pride.  I tried to love them as my Real Father loved/loves me: unconditionally.  I know I didn’t always succeed. But no father can be more proud of his two children than I am.  (I know that is up for grabs but hey…I’m right in this one!)  😉

Suffice it to say: I am proud to be their father.  Thanks to my two young ladies I can take pride in being a father.  So I can honestly say…Happy Father’s Day to me.  And Happy Father’s day to all of you.

Posted in Family, Sunday Meanderings | 6 Responses »

Ten-Week 2

Friday, June 19th, 2009

ten

I think if we are honest with ourselves and with each other we all struggle with the Number One commandment: “You shall have no other gods before Me.”  In my mind and in my heart I know this commandment and what it is calling for me to do.  But in my actions and in my heart doing it is where the rub comes in.   Some cynics are bound to say that God is an arrogant, egotistical beast to expect us to put Him first above all others.  I am going to approach it with first trying to answer the question, “Who is this God?” but then I want to get practical and look at the imposters to the throne.  I will give you a clue: it is in the form of an acrostic…F-I-R-S-T.  I am curious to see what you think the letters stand for.  Take a gander at it if you care to and see how many you can come up with.

As always I appreciate your prayers for me and the church as we study.  I want to give a big shout out to Dan Drewes for the banner.

 

Posted in Church, Sermon Series/Topic | 6 Responses »

Exposure

Thursday, June 18th, 2009

I read recently that the rock group Eagles does something interesting when preparing a new song for singing at a concert.  They sit in a circle with acoustic guitars and unamplified voices and rehearse their intricate vocals.  They call this exercise “The Circle of Fear” because there is no place to hide and no way to conceal any errors they might make in the harmonies.  That sense of absolute exposure for their mistakes is what makes this drill so frightening to them.

I would call that by another name…vulnerability.  Do you remember the old commercial in which the tag line was “Never let ’em see you sweat?”  I am (and I hate/have to admit this) much older than many others who either blog or even read my blog. I was raised in an era where the pastor was told to “never let ’em see you sweat.”  By that I mean: never let people know who you really are.  I was told, in essence, to hold my cards close to my chest and never…never…be open with people.  “Have no close friends among people of the church you pastor.  Keep your distance from people and keep them a safe distance from you.”  I have to say that I was never very good at that. For some people that came naturally.  Their personalities dictated that for them.  But it was always a struggle for me because I am a naturally open person.  Now…I will be the first person to admit that there is both good and bad in that.  Being an open book might mean a person could reveal too much of himself.  Things never meant to be made public become public knowledge.  But at the same time there is some value is people seeing you “as you are.”  This puts someone like a pastor in a tight spot.  Reveal too much of yourself and there will always be someone who will twist and turn it around to use it as a weapon.  Be “too crass” and someone will be offended (as well they should be).   But at the same time put up a wall and you will be seen as too closed, too inapproachable, perhaps unreachable.  I like what Tony Morgan wrote in his book Killing Cockroaches in an essay on “10 ways to keep me awake and engaged during an entire message.”  One of his points was to use humor.  He goes on to say, “If you don’t make me laugh, I’m probably going to tune you out.  By the way, the best humor is revealed through your everyday life.” (p.177)  Humor, especially as Tony is talking about breaks down that wall of invulnerability.  Nothing gets people to see a person in another light than one who can laugh at himself over his everyday foibles.  It’s all about vulnerability.  On a smaller scale: there is a need for all of us to have what the Eagles call their “circle of fear.”  Proverbs 18:1 says, “Whoever isolates himself seeks his own desire; but he breaks out against all sound judgment.” That Scripture explains itself.

So…all skate here.  How vulnerable are you?  Do you have your “circle of fear?” Do you think it is possible for someone to become too open and when?  I would like to hear your thoughts.

Posted in Uncategorized | 5 Responses »

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