A Gathering Force
Francis Chan wrote an article back in 2008 titled, A Gathering Force for Catalyst. I found what he wrote to be very exciting, alarming and unattainable, but is it? Read part of this article and share with me your thoughts below.
“Is there any logic in believing that God started His church as a spirit-filled, loving body with the intention that it would evolve into entertaining, hour-long services? Was He hoping that one day people would be attracted to the church not because they care for one another, not because they are devoted to Him, not because the supernatural occurs in their midst, but because of good music and entertainment?
Try to imagine what conclusions you would come to if you had no prior church experience. The things in church services might make sense to the American church-attendee, but they don’t make sense biblically.
Picture yourself on an island with only a Bible. You’ve never been to a church-you’ve never even heard of one. The only ideas you have about church are what you’ve read in your Bible. Then you enter a building labeled “church” for the first time. What would you expect to experience as you entered that building? Now compare that to what you actually experience when you attend church.
What if the church looked like this? ’They devoted themselves tot he apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together int he temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.’ (Acts 2:42-47)
It describes what the world is looking for. I used to look at this passage as something that was wonderful but could never happen int he twenty-first century. There are just too many cultural obstacles for the Holy Spirit to overcome. He is powerful enough to form a sharing and loving body in our individualistic society. I doubted God’s ability to stir a body of believers to love tirelessly and give without restraint. I reasoned that this type of fellowship was probably not intended for our time. Besides, we don’t have time to love like this.
Looking back, I wonder if I came to those conclusions because there was a part of me that wasn’t sure I wanted it. It’s interesting how much our theology is driven by desire.
Something real was happening in the early church. It was something of the Spirit, too powerful to be replicated by human effort. Imagine taking a friend to one of their church gatherings. Your friend might not experience a smoothly run, professional service. But one thing he would experience: God. Do we even need to ask which is better? So much of church growth today has nothing to do with the Holy Spirit. The right team of talented people can make any church grow. When people sit through creative services, is it really God they’re experiencing?
Don’t get me wrong: I’m not saying that we shouldn’t give our best to God. If you’re a musician, work diligently are your music. If your a teacher, labor intensely over your messages. I’m just asking you to be willing to rethink what you’re doing and ask: How can we create a more biblical environment where people see and experience God?
May people see our churches and know that mere human beings could not have created what they experienced. May we seek the priorities of the early church and trust God to once again produce the fruit of the early church. ’And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.’ (Acts2:47″
Great reminder for me to not be performance based but Spirit based.
How To Become A Legalist:
This is an incredible re-post from Ed Stetzer on how to become a legalist. Obviously this is not the goal of any individual or organization.
1. Make rules outside the Bible.
2. Push yourself to try and keep your rules.
3. Castigate yourself when you don’t keep your rules.
4. Become proud when you do keep your rules.
5. Appoint yourself as judge over other people.
6. Get angry with people who break your rules or have different rules.
7. “Beat” the losers.
In interview with Howard Hendricks, Chuck Swindoll defined the legalism problem as:
…when we get into areas that are not set forth in Scripture, either in precept or even in principle. These may be such things as length of hair, tattoos and other body piercings, skirts or pants for women, makeup or no makeup. Those are not scriptural issues. Sometimes these issues are cultural, and you do have to address them when you are in that particular culture. But I think legalism begins when you do or refrain from doing what I want you to do or not do because it’s on my list and it’s something that I am uncomfortable with.
Then, Chuck gives his blunt advice:
The problem with legalists is that not enough people have confronted them and told them to get lost. Those are strong words, but I don’t mess with legalism anymore. I’m 72 years old; what have I got to lose? Seriously, I used to kowtow to legalists, but they’re dangerous. They are grace-killers. They’ll drive off every new Christian you bring to church. They are enemies of the faith. Other than that, I don’t have any opinion!So, if I am trying to force my personal list of no-no’s on you and make you feel guilty if you don’t join me, then I’m out of line and I need to be told that.
Baskin Robbins Churches
I had a friend mention to me the other day that he was fighting to have the Bible not be taught in their school because it would open the door for “other religions” to be able to do the same. I immediately got upset internally. I asked him why wouldn’t you want to open it up to other religions? Will the Bible not be able to stand up for itself? Will there suddenly be a mass exodus from religion to religion? His response was, “I don’t know what those other religions are going to teach.” We chose to end the conversation by agreeing to disagree.
Fear many times will keep us from understanding and embracing other religions. The goal of a Christ Follower is not to convince everyone that “our” religion is right and “your” religion is wrong. The goal of the Christ Follower is to live and share how to have a relationship with Christ. I love the fact that there are so many different churches. It’s like going to Baskin Robbins and picking from so many different types of flavors of ice cream. Not everybody likes the same thing. There are different styles and approaches for many different types of people on different stages of their spiritual journey. Maybe instead of being afraid of other religions we can work together to help people find what they are searching for. I believe at the end of the day Christ will make Himself known to those who are seeking the truth.
Rivalries Shouting Out Profanity
I sometimes wonder when I’m driving and I see a Verizon employee drive past a Comcast employee do they each have this bitter rivalry that they can’t even smile at each other. Do they wish harm on the other person? Is there such a competition about who’s company and in essence who is the best that they can’t stand in the same elevator together? Do they shout out profanity and insults about each other’s family and friends? What about some of these rivalries?
- BMW vs. Mercedes drivers?
- Eagles vs. Cowboys fans? Although I am pretty sure Eagles fans say a lot about a lot of things and people. May need to roll up the window for that one if the kids are in the backseat.
- Nike vs. Adidas?
- North Carolina vs. Duke?
- Coke vs. Pepsi?
- PC vs. Apple?
Do these companies wish for their competitor to be successful? Do they hope that they will grow as individuals or as a company? Do they want the very best for them? It’s not whether you win or lose it’s how you play the game, yeah right, we all know that is why you keep score. It’s to win, right? See you can say all the right things publicly but do you really mean it? Sometimes companies thrive under that winner take all, domination of the underdog mentality. What about the church?
Is your church generally happy for the church down the street that has higher attendance? The church that offers more programs or has better ministries? The church who serves the community more or has a greater impact globally through missions? The church who gets the media coverage or plants more churches? How you respond to that will directly reflect your attitude about God and His Kingdom.
- The church who cares more about the Kingdom than their own personal influence, I believe, will in the long run be the healthier church.
- The church who cheers on the church down the street as they experience life change instead of complaining about how or what they are doing, I believe, in the long run will be the healthier church.
- Too many churches bicker and fight over who they have and who they share instead of realizing there are thousands of people who need Jesus.
- I believe God blesses those who are Kingdom minded.
- I believe God cheers on the church who is more concerned about people connecting to Him than people connecting to the institution.
- I believe God celebrates when He sees communities working together to achieve something only explained by God.
- I believe that people will respond more to (a) church(es) who work together to reach communities than fight against each other to reach an individual.
I am as competitive as the next person. I want the biggest church. I want the best programs. I want the media coverage. I want see the life change. I want to have that influence to help people meet Jesus. I want, I want, I want. I want God to take individuals and use them to do something that is so insane that it can only be explained by God. I want God to transform homes. I want God to transform communities. I want to see generations affected by His Gospel. I want to be used by God.
It won’t ever happen if it becomes about me, my agenda, my personality, my vision or my effort. It is a collaborative effort of individuals and churches working together to honor God and to share His name. If everybody worked together to make God’s name famous than I believe He will build our circle of influence, our churches and our impact. It’s about serving others with no strings attached. It’s not about what you will get out of it but what can you give.
What’s your thoughts?
The Pizza/Church Turnaround
If you are from anywhere that has good pizza then you can completely understand why Domino’s relaunched their company in 2010 with new marketing and a new pizza. They threw out the old pizza and introduced a new one that did not taste like cardboard with ketchup on it. Domino’s admitted that they could no longer ride the success they had in the eighties any longer and began to listen to people and hear what they wanted in a pizza.
I’m impressed that Dominos was willing to throw it all out and start over although I am pretty sure their declining sales may have had more to say about their product than the people. It got me thinking. If Domino’s can relaunch with new marketing and new pizza why can’t the church? I wonder if churches are concerned more about the bottom line and the fear of losing market share if they change than they are about what the people really want and need? I wonder if churches are still riding the success of the past rather than risking it all in faith for the church of the future? The product is still pizza and in the church the product is still Jesus, however, many people have a bad taste of Jesus in their mouth due to various reasons; seems fake, judgmental, angry, guilt driven, only want money and so on and so on. What if the church was to do a major marketing makeover? What if the church was throw out the old ways that are not working and start over?
Jesus is the greatest thing in the entire world and offers us something that nobody else anywhere is offering. People are not rejecting God, they are rejecting the ones who are supposed to be living out God in a real and authentic way. They are rejecting the very organization that God created because it has been mismanaged and used as a way to exalt ourselves instead of exalting the one who died for it. I don’t believe all churches are doing this or have done this, but sometimes a few can spoil it for the many.
I love being a part of a church that is thinking outside the box and is truly concerned for the lost, the broken and the ones who feel like they are on the outside. I love being a part of a church thats connecting people not to programs but to a loving God. I love being a part of a church that is all about the relationships and not about the religion and the barriers that it brings with it.
If Domino’s can do a turnaround and draw people back in for pizza, why can’t the church draw people back to a real, authentic relationship with Christ?
Controversy
It’s been a while since I have written a blog that made people angry and caused them to litter my inbox with hate mails and questions of my faith, so I thought I was due.
I have been chewing on something for a while now that I think may make you angry but if you step back I believe will challenge you to live different each day. Recently many people have come up to me saying that we need to talk more about the end times and the book of Revelation and prophecy. My question to that is, why? Now before you call for my resignation and call me a heretic hear me out.
The truth is why focus so much on the future when most can’t even live for today? Why be so concerned about the details of pre-tribulation, mid-trib or post-trib? Why be so concerned about when Jesus is coming back? I ask why because does it really change anything? My answer is, it shouldn’t. Shouldn’t we live each day as if it is the last? Shouldn’t we have the same energy and passion to tell people about Jesus and a relationship with Him regardless of when or how the end times will occur? Shouldn’t we not be so concerned about scare tactics as we are with a passionate plea of repentance and life change?
I grew up hearing all about the end times. I believe as Christ followers we need to be educated about the book of Revelation, but I believe we should be just as educated about the Gospels and living out that Gospel. The end will come and there is nothing we can do to change it, except to live today with a passion and a sincerity that engages people with the love of Christ. I hate being caught up in all the details and miss the main message. I love a good debate and I also get just as intrigued as anybody else about what is going to happen and when its going to happen, BUT, I must live in the now and teach Jesus, His Love, His Death, His Burial and His Resurrection that will be what draws people to Jesus.
Live today as if it were your last. Live it with such passion and conviction that people will be drawn to Christ. Live it with such integrity that you do no harm to God’s name. Live today with a desire to see everyone you know have a powerful, life changing relationship with a loving, sacrificial God. Live today as if it were your last.
Church Growth
This is a mix on what Steven Furtick wrote on his blog at Elevation Church and a bit of what Salome Thomas El spoke on a couple weeks ago at Fellowship Church. I changed it a bit but ask yourself what if…could church really be like this?
We enable experiences and interactions that leave our people saying:
I love my church
So they’ll tell their un-churched friends:
You’ve got to come check out my church
The un-churched friends come.
We worship Jesus and preach the Gospel with excellence.
The un-churched friends leave saying:
I really like this church
Inspiring them to come back again and again until they say:
I love Jesus and I love my church
And tell their un-churched friends:
You’ve got to come check out my church…
X GAMES vs. Church
How can you not love watching the X games? I love all the tricks and I love all the spills and just the thrill of the competition gets me going. Tonight while watching the freestyle moto x one of the announcer’s said, “Oh and he went up without a trick.” If you were not watching you would have thought that the rider simply went over a jump, however, if you were watching you would have seen the rider do a back flip over a 145ft gap. The other announcer corrected the first guy buy saying, “Well he did do a back flip.” I remember watching only 5 years ago when a back flip would have won a competition. Three years ago a guy named Travis successfully landed a double back flip in competition making the single back flip not even worthy to be called a trick.
I have been pressed to remember that Jesus is the best “thing” going when it comes to the church and life. No matter how relevant we try to dress church up and how hard we try to make it flashy it is still Jesus that changes lives and takes ordinary people and allows them to be a part of something extraordinary. [Not that dressing it up or making it flashy or anything like that in church is wrong. I personally believe church should be fun and engaging because Jesus is. I personally believe that if more churches met people where they are than people would see that Jesus was standing there all along.] I do wonder though if we look at Jesus and simply go it’s “just Jesus”. I wonder if Jesus has become like a single back flip? I wonder if we have become so unimpressed with Him in our lives, so unimpressed with His power and the way that He changes lives? I wonder if we have forgotten what it was like to know Him just a couple years ago when He rescued us?
I was reminded again this week at camp that it is Jesus that changes lives and it is Jesus that rescues the broken and that it is Jesus that is still the best “thing” going for this world and for the church. Jesus may never come across flashy like a back flip to knack knack with a no hand-er lander [That's what 6 hours of x-games will do to you] but He doesn’t need to. He’s Jesus and He loves us for who we are and where we are.
What does Jesus look like to you today and is it any different than a year ago?
