From Dennis

Eldership - Part 3

Dennis Newkirk — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 18:28:51 GMT

This weekend you will be given the opportunity to vote to affirm the recommendation of the Elder Council that Aaron Ferguson and Mark Wood be installed as Elders. Both men are mature Christians who meet the biblical qualifications for eldership and have completed a rigorous mentoring process. For insight into that process, see Dennis' blog post below...

How do we Seek Qualified and Called Men for Eldership?

The Bible describes the characteristics and qualifications of elders, but not the process that a church should use to recognize men who are qualified, train them, and empower them to fulfill their calling. That means that the Lord has left that up to our wisdom and prayerful plans.
After 13 years of eldership, we’ve developed a process to help us in this selection. It is not perfect or fool proof, but it certainly is a sincere effort.

The process begins with the nomination of elders from members of the church. After an initial meeting with these nominees, we use a number of texts and workbooks to aid in the formal study of what scripture says about being an elder. After that study, the men are asked if they desire to proceed. If so, the elder mentoring team conducts interviews to review the progress of the potential elder, discuss his desires regarding eldership, and explore qualification issues in greater depth.

If there is consensus to proceed, they move to the next step. This phase has two primary elements; elder meetings and in-depth study. In this period, the potential elders meet with the council and take part in the discussions, but do not vote on issues. Simultaneously, these men begin theological training. Each potential elder is asked to provide a well-considered answer to about 80 questions. These questions cover a broad range of issues that an elder must know to adequately protect the church from doctrinal error and equip the elder for future teaching assignments. The goal here is not that each man must hold precisely the same points of view, but that he clearly accepts an orthodox position and can defend why he believes it.

There is no set length of time that this phase may last. Usually, it will continue from 1 ½ to 2 ½ years. As studies and meetings continue, the Elder Council members pray and evaluate the beliefs and effectiveness of the potential candidates. This brings the council to the most difficult step in the process - evaluating and seeking to understand the Lord’s leadership regarding the next step for each candidate. There maybe those who are clearly ready to proceed to the next step. There are those who should continue in the mentoring process. And then it seems right to tell other men that it isn’t the time for them to proceed, but that he should remain open to the Lord’s leadership and pray. Others may be told that they simply do not possess the biblical qualifications or that their attendance, participation, spiritual qualifications, or doctrinal beliefs do not indicate that they should serve as elders. Of course, along the way there are always men that believe that they shouldn’t proceed. Next, another interview is held with the potential elder and his wife to confirm that they are ready to continue to the last steps of the process.

The final phase involves presentation to the church. The names of the men are published to the church and each church member is asked to consider them prayerfully. If anyone is concerned with a candidate, he or she is asked to go to the potential elder privately to attempt to talk through the concerns. If satisfaction is not found, the member is then asked to notify the council of the situation. The council will then investigate and do their best to understand the issues and make some determination about whether they should proceed, end the candidacy, or postpone for further work. If the prayerful determination of the council is that the candidate should proceed, the church is asked if they can confirm the Elder Council’s recommendation of the individual or if believe that they must not affirm the recommendation. If there is a supermajority vote, the candidate will then be installed as an elder of the church.

Obviously, this is a very long procedure that requires a great deal of work for the men in the mentoring process and the council members themselves. However, at the end of the process, everyone involved can rest assured that we’ve done the best that we can to provide appropriate leadership for the church. The process is imperfect and we are constantly seeking to improve it, but we do sincerely attempt to understand the will of God.

I love being your pastor,

Dennis Newkirk

Eldership - Part 2

Dennis Newkirk — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 20:07:23 GMT

I had fully intended to write today about the biblical basis of eldership, but it seems that the Lord is leading me in a different direction. Instead, I’d like to try to offer an answer to the question of who should be an elder. This is important because the Bible makes it clear that there are to be elders in each church. Paul wrote to Titus and said, “For this reason I left you in Crete, that you would set in order what remains and appoint elders in every city as I directed you.” Titus 1:5 (NASB95) In those early days of the church there was only one church in a city so Paul is simply saying that for the churches to be “in order” there must be appointed elders. Therefore, understanding who should be an elder is a vital process in a church being in order.

The Bible doesn’t give us much information about the selection process, but does give us great insights into the identity of those men whom God is calling to serve as elders. In fact, two lengthy passages give us a list of 21 qualifications for the selection process. (1 Timothy 3:1-7, Titus 1:5-9) These qualifications describe those who are eligible. We must note that these qualifications should not be understood to be absolutes, in other words, held with absolute perfection. An example of this is that an elder is to be gentle (1 Timothy 3:3) but that doesn’t mean that he is perfectly gentle all the time. If these qualifications are to be understood as absolutes, there would be no men qualified to serve as elders and no church would have elders. Instead, these qualifications describe the direction of a man’s life. To go back to our illustration, he desires to be gentle, confesses harshness as a sin, and has had considerable experience with being gentle. I think of our elder Les Miller when I think of that quality. So, an elder must be a man who fulfills the essence of the qualifications.

An elder must also want to do the work of an elder; he must have a calling to shepherd people. Paul wrote in 1 Timothy 3:1, “It is a trustworthy statement: if any man aspires to the office of overseer, it is a fine work he desires to do.” You’ll notice that the prospective elder doesn’t just want to have the title but he really wants to do the “fine work” and recognizes that the Lord is giving him that desire. The text says, “if any man” which suggests that all kinds of different men can be elders. It doesn’t matter what he looks like, how much formal education he has had, how much he earns, or where he works. The issues are, does he desire to do the work and does he fulfill the qualifications? We have elders from all walks of life. Some are older and some younger. We have a realtor, physician, CEO, CFO, businessmen, and men who vocationally serve on our church staff.

Through the years, we've been asked if a person should work on the staff and be an elder simultaneously. Frankly, I think that it would be easier if the Bible restricted the eldership from people who serve on the staff. By that I mean we have to be very deliberate in making sure that there is never a conflict of interest, never a discussion of salaries, and that they realize that their calling as an elder supersedes their calling as a staff member. In other words, they have to be willing to make any decision regardless of how it might affect them. That makes serving as an elder much harder for a staff member. So why do we have staff members who are also elders? There are a number of sound reasons for it. The primary reason is that these men believe that they are called to serve as elders, they’ve been tried and found qualified to serve, and the church has approved them to serve. Actually, it is the Holy Spirit who calls men to be elders, (Acts 20:28) and we must resist making rules that would promote or exclude an individual who testifies of a calling and is found qualified. We should do everything that we can not to make rules beyond what the Lord has given to us in such weighty matters.

NEXT BLOG: What steps do we take to seek qualified and called men for the eldership?

I love being your pastor,
Dennis

Eldership - Part 1

Dennis Newkirk — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 21:05:13 GMT

Blogs are not exactly my cup of tea. Some of my pastor friends write one every day, a few write several! I just can’t figure out how they have so much to talk about. However, I feel inspired! I want to write a multi-part series of blogs on Eldership.

Why? There are a number of reasons why this may be profitable. First, the New Testament tells us a lot about true biblical Eldership. That means that it must be important to God. Eldership is also a worthy topic because so many other churches ask us about it; there is a growing interest in the subject. Another reason for this blog is that we constantly want to inform and re-inform our church about what Eldership is and how it works.

Perhaps a good place to start is with our current council. We have 14 elders and we are about to recommend more for church approval. (The church must approve each man who serves on the council.) These men have been in the mentoring process for over 18 months and are ready to take the next step. Throughout the 13 year history of our Eldership we’ve had men who have served and then left the council as did two men recently. Since we do not have a rotation established on the council, each man must be responsible for knowing when it is time to stay and when it is time to no longer function as an elder. Elders may also choose to go on a sabbatical for up to a year and then return to the council again. Generally speaking, through the comings and goings, we maintain about the same number of elders actively serving.

Our council is made up of men who serve on the church staff and men who are “tentmakers.” A tentmaker is an elder who is gainfully employed somewhere other than the church. In our case, some are in business and one is a physician. Generally speaking, we have a 50% split between staff and tentmakers all the time. There is no rule dictating that but it does seem to be the way the Lord has led.

An important characteristic of our council is that this is a group of equals. We do not have boss elders and serf elders. Each man has one voice and one vote on matters. In that way, each concern is thoroughly discussed by all and then there must be a consensus vote to be approved. In that way, a single elder has the ability to bock a measure if he feels the conviction to do so. In other words, we do not use a majority vote; there must be consensus. Thus, every man is equally responsible and accountable for Elder Council decisions. The church is protected against any authoritarian type who may want to exert too much control. The church is also benefited by a significant number of men praying, debating, and deciding together.

Our council is broken up into a variety of teams. Some work on proposing the biweekly agenda to the council, others work on writing projects, others deal with church discipline/restoration issues, to name just a few of the many teams that have functioned through the years. These teams rotate every three years so there is also a fresh flow of ideas and abilities.

Is HHBC “elder-ruled” or “elder led”? We believe in congregationalism with an Elder Council leading rather than one authoritarian leader or a group of dictatorial leaders. This protects the church and the senior pastor, which is precisely what I hoped for when we formed the council. Because we are congregational, the church votes on a number of important issues. For example, the church must approve the annual budget, the purchase or sale of property, the call of senior level staff leaders, and various other issues. Before any church vote, we protect congregationalism by making sure that there are weeks and sometimes months of open discussion before the church expresses its understanding of the Lord’s leadership. As you can see, our bylaws have many checks and balances in order to protect, provide, lead, and feed the church.

Does all of this mean that Elder Council meetings are always nice and neat? Let me ask you this; are marriage relationships always nice and neat? Where there are important relationships there will be easy and hard days.

I’ve noticed through the years that the council goes through phases. Sometimes it is simple and smooth sailing. However, frequently it is not that way. After all, there are well over a dozen men, with different gifting, strengths, weaknesses, and convictions. We all feel passionately about HHBC and want the Lord’s will to be accomplished. That takes work, blood, sweat, and tears. Just as you would expect, sometimes we disagree and sometimes our humanity becomes all too evident. Yet, in the end, we all have a love for the Lord and His church. That pushes us forward. We’ve passed many challenging times in the past and no doubt we will many more in the future. However, I think there is something right about that. The good times reveal the Lord’s blessings and the hard times keep our hands planted solidly in His. Struggles are like golf, they are good for the development of humility.

We have wonderful men serving the church on the Elder Council. I, for one, feel blessed to work with them and call them my brothers. That is another great thing about the Elderships. We are like brothers.

Next post: The Biblical Background behind Eldership

Our Kingdom Struggles

Jeff Wilson — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 15:36:42 GMT

Last weekend Dennis asked us a question, "What area(s) do you find the greatest struggle between living in the Big Kingdom (living as God has planned for us) and the Little Kingdom (living as we desire, focused on self)?"

We had people text message their responses to the question to us and below you will find a graphic that illustrates the key words that were used by those responding to the question.

Let's take the opportunity to pray for one another as we learn more about living in the Big Kingdom while we battle in this Kingdom Conflict. We are looking for God to do mighty things through this sermon series. Please make every effort to attend and bring someone with you!

New Series - Kingdom Conflict

Dennis Newkirk — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 16:11:47 GMT

Hello Friends,

I’m beginning a new sermon series this weekend called Kingdom Conflict. May I take a few minutes to tell you about it?

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek." Romans 1:16 (ESV)

It is fairly easy to define the word gospel. It refers to the good news that Jesus paid the penalty for our sins through his death on the cross and that faith in Him results in the forgiveness of sin and eternal life.

As wonderful as that is, there is something missing in that definition. The gospel does bring the forgiveness of our sins. It also secures our eternal lives. However, there is a problem; we don’t live in the past or in the future. We live now, in this very moment. Does the gospel have any power to affect today? If so, what does it have the power to do? Should our lives be impacted today by the message of Jesus?

Many of us will answer those questions very positively. It is almost obvious that we would say that the gospel is relevant today. Yet, let’s talk practically and not just philosophically. What real difference does the gospel make in your actual day-to-day experience? I’m not asking what difference it should make; I’m asking, “What actual impact is it making?”

We are involved in a day-to-day struggle between the Great Kingdom of God and the little kingdom of the self. These two kingdoms come into contact in the moment-by-moment thoughts that we think, feelings that we have, and decisions that we make.

Will you live in the Great Kingdom or the little kingdom? Is it possible that we’ve never learned how to live in the Great Kingdom practically? I think so. In fact, we may have a misimpression of what that means and how to do it. As a result we may put our trust in a substitute gospel that will never take us out of our self-orientation and into a practical experience with Christ living through us.

It is my prayer that this new series will provide biblical insight into how to live in God’s Great Kingdom daily. See you this weekend!

I love being your pastor,

Dennis Newkirk

Prayer Meetings?

Dennis Newkirk — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 19:45:32 GMT

When I was a kid, our church had something that they called "Prayer Meeting" on Wednesday nights. The strange thing about that was that the church actually prayed corporately! “Who would have thought….” I can remember one of our deacons, they called him “Strut” Stroud, getting up to pray, weeping over the prayer requests, and lots of the people punctuating his prayers with their own “Amens.” As a young teenager, I can remember getting a little fidgety at the length of the prayers and being overwhelmed by the power they had over us. Of course, we would go through the organ recital, praying for Sister Sue’s gallbladder and Brother Bob’s eyes. And there was nothing wrong with that. In fact, it got down right exciting when we saw an immediate relief of pain or would hear the report back that there was healing. Yet the thing that sticks out in my mind the most was the intercession for the lost, the prayers for wayward children, and the lamentations of repentance. It was life-changing.

This week, in a Teaching Team meeting, a radical idea was raised. Why don’t we have Wednesday evening prayer meetings for a while? The idea was met with a hearty round of fresh “Amens.” Here’s the plan; for six Wednesday nights, January 14th-February 18th, we will open the Worship Center for intercessory prayer at 6:15 p.m. Elders and other intercessors will be present to pray for your specific needs on a one to one basis. Come for prayer or just to sit in a worshipful atmosphere and quiet your heart before the Lord. During the 6:30-7:30 hour we will sing, have a Bible study on prayer, and pray over specific needs.

These are troubling times for many people. Perhaps that is why I hear an increasing desire for prayer and willingness to pray among our members. I believe that the Lord is doing something special during this worldwide economic free fall.

I’ve learned that when God calls His people to pray in a unique way there will be remarkable answers to those prayers. I encourage you to come to the “Prayer Meeting.”

I love being your pastor,

Dennis

The Currency of Christmas (part 4 of 4)

Dennis Newkirk — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 19:47:32 GMT

The Currency of Christmas
(part 4 of 4)

So, what should we do when genuine wrong has occurred? I often find it easier to say what not to do than what to do. There are certain reactions that are obviously wrong. Striking out in anger and retaliation are obviously inappropriate.

Someone in our church decided that I needed a member of the law enforcement community to hang around with me on the weekends when I’m leading the public meetings. I guess they are afraid that I’m going to hurt somebody. Actually, it started after a pastor in Tulsa received a substantial blow to the face by an unstable man who came up to him during an alter call. One of the police officers who hangs around with me is a deacon in our church and a former college football lineman. One weekend, he was back by my office with his youngest son who is still in a stroller. This kid is probably in the 120% for his height and weight but he is still a very young little guy. My wife, Marcia, who absolutely love babies and takes time to talk with every little person that she runs across, saw the little man in the stroller, bent down, got close to his face and was loving on him. Well, the little guy didn’t like the stranger in his face so he doubled up his fist and hauled off and smacked Marcia in the nose, knocking her back on her heels and ultimately square on her bottom. It was awesome! This big baby did what came naturally when a person got into his face. The problem is that so many of us “mature” Christians are still doing the same thing. Our creed is, “Hurt me, I’m going to hurt you.” We can understand and excuse babies but there is no excuse for big boys and girls.

Ro 12:19 (ESV)
¹⁹Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”

In fact, there are many times in the New Testament that Christians are commanded to break away from the world’s ways of dealing with insults, hurts, and undeserved pain. Here is a brief list. Read the words and think about your own way of dealing with those who hurt you. Take down your self-defense mechanism and be honest with yourself.

Eph 4:31 (ESV)
³¹Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.

Col 3:13 (ESV)
¹³bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.

Tit 3:2 (ESV)
²to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people.

Jas 4:11 (ESV)
¹¹Do not speak evil against one another, brothers. The one who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks evil against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge.

So, what should you do when someone offends you? Take a deep breath and honestly ask yourself the question, “Is this something that offends my little kingdom of self or is this something that will genuinely damage the big kingdom of God?” No one wants to be a doormat. Gwen Stefani has penned the lyrics of a song that has not yet made it to the Dennis Newkirk Top 1,000,000 List yet. But you’ve got to admit, while this song is probably not destined to reach the immortal heights of say, “I Want to Hold Your Hand” by Lennon and McCartney, she is making a statement that expresses the sentiments of most people. Just hum along as you read the lyrics to “Doormat.”

I'm not your doormat, your floormat
So don't wipe your feet on me
I'm not the only Garibaldi
There's more fish in the sea
I'm not your puppy, nor goldfish
So don't treat me like your pet
I'm not your butterfly, so don't try
To chase me with your net I'm
not your kneaded eraser
So don't you wear me down
I'm not your sledge, sledge hammer
I'm no tool, that you pound
I'm not your blacktop, for hopscotch
So don't jump all over me
I'm not the place where the dogs roam
At the bottom of the tree Don't you
treat me like I have no feelings
Don't you treat me like that, I have feelings
Don't treat me like that
Don't you treat me like that
Don't treat me like that
Don't you treat me like that! I'm not
your carefree, nor sugarless
Like the gum on your shoe,
I'm not the ring 'round your finger
Nor am I wrapped around you
I'm not your shoe string, your rope thing
So don't tie me in a knot
I'm not your asphalt, with oil spots
So don't use me as a parking lot

Ok, it is probably a generational thing but those words don’t exactly speak to me. The sentiment does, but I’ll bet the song is hard to dance to! That’s the problem; it speaks so clearly to us because we so often say, “Don’t treat me like that.” We might not say those exact words out loud but we say them clearly to ourselves. There comes a time to leave childish things behind (see 1 Cor 13) and concern ourselves with the good of God’s kingdom. When that is the case, you’ll act very differently than you do when the little kingdom of self is violated. Remember, you are not here to protect yourself, justify yourself, promote yourself, or glorify yourself. You are here to protect, promote, and glorify God’s kingdom. And when you do that, you’ll find that it is far easier to forgive and even take that amazing step of actually asking for forgiveness.

Is there a time when sins against the big kingdom must be dealt with in a decisive way? Yes there are times. However, remember not to mix little kingdom junk up in what you do in those extraordinary situations.

Let me wrap this up. When you live for the kingdom of God, you will live humbly. Humility requires that we sincerely seek God’s forgiveness and the forgiveness of others. It also calls us to the amazing grace of truly granting this most precious of gifts. Anyone can arrogantly protect themselves by refusing to acknowledge mistakes and ask forgiveness. That is the stuff the little kingdom thrives on; it is the atmosphere of the self. Likewise, withholding forgiveness requires no classes. We’re all already in graduate school in that department. Christ calls you to something very different. The big kingdom operates on humility, transparency, and faith that God will ultimately settle things. Grace overflows from the big kingdom like laughter bubbles out of children on the playground. That grace will radically transform the way you treat other people. It will heighten your desire to be at peace with family members, friends, and even strangers. Grace releases you to admit failure and ask for forgiveness. Grace will free you to utter those golden words, “I forgive you.” And finally, grace will provide the tranquility to accept it when those words are never given to you.

The currency of Christmas was paid when God came here to freely pour out his generous forgiveness and reconciliation to those who could do nothing to earn it. What does that prove? Among other things, it proves that only the strongest will give forgiveness and work toward reconciliation.

I hope and pray that you know of God's forgiveness and that during this Christmastime you freely give of the forgiveness that has been given to you.

I love being your pastor,

Dennis

My thanks to Paul Tripp, Gene Edwards, Wendell Miller, and Ron Lee Davis for their insights and inspiration.

The Currency of Christmas (part 3 of 4)

Dennis Newkirk — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 18:57:56 GMT

The Currency of Christmas
(part 3 of 4)

It is confession time. Almost a decade ago, I became convinced that I was supposed to give my support to a man, which meant that, in a way, I would put my reputation behind him. I was saying, I approve of this man and recommend that others trust him. It wasn’t long until his enemies turned on me. They opposed his advancement and influence in a particular organization. These people were harsh, legalistic, and vitriolic. Do you see the picture that I’m painting?

Well, he lived through the hostility and although not unanimously approved by the organization, he was overwhelming accepted. I felt good. Yes, I had taken some hits but it was the right thing to do. After all he was a great guy, had worked hard, had overcome a lot in life, and had wonderful potential. It just felt so good to do the right thing for the right reason even though I had taken my considerable share of bum along the way. Weeks turned into months and my friend was doing a good job. To be honest, he was showing some quirks and he struggled with discouragement more than I would have expected. Yet, over all, he was on track as the next couple of years passed. That is when it happened.

Another issue developed in the organization; of course that is what happens we attempt to do the work of the big kingdom. This was truly a wonderful opportunity that was full of potential blessing. It would have been the biblical thing to do. It would have spoken volumes to the community. The kingdom of God would be honored. That is why I, and a group of other leaders, fully supported it. Then the bottom dropped out. Old jealousies, bitterness, and prejudices began to boil up. People jumped to conclusions, made irrational statements, abandoned what was clearly biblical, other leaders and I were under a vicious attack.

What’s the Christian thing to do at a time like that? Buy a bazooka and start firing! Well, that wouldn’t have been the Christian thing to do but it would have felt pretty good at the moment. Actually, the Christian thing to do was to start talking to the people who were firing at us. So we did. We went from person to person, privately, confidentially, to try to work through the disagreement. In fact, the disagreement, disunity, and cacophony had become THE issue.

The original idea was now lost in the background. The more we talked to unhappy people, the more that a person’s name was raised. In fact, it seemed that this guy was the leading opponent. Now, honestly, it would have been fine if that man wasn’t for the opportunity. After all, it was a judgment call. But more than that, he had been fanning the flames of these angry people, goading them forward, snipping at us from his hidden location. Who was he? You’ve probably already guessed it; he was the same guy who I had backed, fought for, and bled for a few years before. He had never once told me that he was opposed to the opportunity. His opposition was surreptitious and deadly. Have you ever been betrayed? It is one of the most painful experiences in life. I’m sure of that fact.

Did this man wrong me? Yes. Had he acted biblically? Clearly, he had not! Now, let’s drill down to the cold hard facts and see what comes out. If I’m honest, I have to admit that mingled in with my legitimate dislike for the damage that this man had created in the big kingdom, there is also a great deal of little kingdom junk that I was dealing with emotionally in these circumstances. There are more important things in life than me jealously and zealously protecting my reputation. He had hurt me but the fact that he hurt the big kingdom is much more significant. In fact, the damage he caused himself was not even on my radar screen at the time. Did I attempt to find out why he did what he did? Nope! What was going on in his soul that would allow him to do this? Frankly, I don’t remember caring much about that question. What I can clearly remember is thinking about how unfair things were, how much I was hurt by his actions, and the way I rehearsed what he did over and over in my mind. I was calling out the waaambulance a lot in those days. Why? Because I love me and I have a wonderful plan for my life, a plan to protect me and make sure that no one messes with my little kingdom. Where do bitterness, cynicism, and self-pity come from? They spring up from the heart of the self, where self-righteousness, self-esteem, and self-advancement are highly valued and forgiveness, humility, and ministry are at best grueling.

Once more, if forgiving this man seemed like a herculean expectation, the idea of actually admitting to him that I had gossiped about him and rejected him was absolutely intolerable. After all, he had damaged my reputation, betrayed my trust, and harmed the greater kingdom work. I’m afraid that in my mind, that was the order of my concern, me, me, God. Today, I’m able to ask another question that I wasn’t even willing to approach back then, how did my reactions hurt him and limit what God was doing in his life? My reactions and motivations were clearly in the way of what God was wanting done to advance the greater kingdom in this guy’s life.

Does this mean that I should have ignored his sinful acts? Absolutely not! He deserved loving Christian confrontation. He deserved a valiant attempt to rescue him from his errors. He deserved God-like patience. Did you watch the Kevin Costner movie, “The Guardian”? It was about a U.S. Coast Guard rescue swimmer named Ben Randall. The story line was predictable but I did take away something from the movie that has stuck with me. The Coast Guard will go to amazing lengths to rescue someone who is in trouble at sea. They will face great danger at the risk of their personal safety to save someone who is in trouble. Frankly, as I look back on the way I handled that “betrayal” many years ago, I can see that I was pretty much willing to let the guy drown, after all, he hurt me. What could be more terrible than hurting my little kingdom? I wish that I had done everything possible to help him see what he was doing, ask him why he was doing it, and encourage his repentance. There should have been consequences for what he had done because he had clearly sinned without repentance. Yet those consequences did not include punishing him for having the audacity to mess with me.

Jas 4:1-4 (ESV)

¹What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? ²You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. ³You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. ⁴You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

I love being your pastor,

Dennis

The Currency of Christmas (part 2 of 4)

Dennis Newkirk — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 14:46:57 GMT

The Currency of Christmas
(part 2 of 4)

“We Have Met the Enemy and the Enemy is Us” (W. Churchill)

I have a Jeopardy question for you. This song is the most popular song played in Great Britain for funeral services. It was used by German Chancellor Schroder for his final military farewell. Former Serbian president Milosevic played this song repeatedly in his prison cell during his trial for crimes against humanity. William Shatner sang it at a Life Achievement Award banquet.

And the question is: What is, “I Did it My Way,” written by Paul Anka and immortalized by Frank Sinatra? Read the words slowly and deliberately. They are amazing in what they reveal.

And now, the end is near;
And so I face the final curtain.
My friend, I’ll say it clear,
I'll state my case, of which I’m certain.

I’ve lived a life that’s full.
I’ve traveled each and every highway;
And more, much more than this,
I did it my way.

Regrets, I’ve had a few;
But then again, too few to mention.
I did what I had to do
And saw it through without exemption.

I planned each charted course;
Each careful step along the byway,
But more, much more than this,
I did it my way.

To think I did all that;
And may I say — not in a shy way,
No, oh no not me,
I did it my way.

For what is a man, what has he got?
If not himself, then he has naught.
To say the things he truly feels;
And not the words of one who kneels.
The record shows I took the blows -
And did it my way!

Why has this song been so popular? It might be attributed to the fact that it is the national anthem of our little kingdoms. We want to rule and reign over ourselves. We’ve replaced the words of the Christian chorus to say, “I’m coming back to the heart of my worship and it’s all about me.” Jeremiah, speaking for the Lord, said these words to his people, “For I know the plans that I have for you…plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope” (Jer 29:11 NASB95). Our version is, “For I know the plans that I have for me, plans for welfare and not for calamity to give me a future and a hope with no pain, problems, suffering or sacrifice.” We love ourselves, live for ourselves, want to rule ourselves, protect ourselves, and do life our way.

So what? We’ve got to at least ask that question. What does it matter if that is the way that we are all bent? There is a clear answer but not a simple answer to that question. You see, God clearly did not create us to live in our own kingdoms. He created us for His. The Christian life is about repenting because the Kingdom of God is at hand. In other words, John the Baptist’s sermons and Jesus’ first sermons taught that we need to pray to live for God and not for ourselves. Our prayers are to be, “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” (see Matthew 6:10). Requesting forgiveness is, to use another Ali illustration, the ultimate Rumble in the Jungle. It is the soul’s tortuous battle for kingdom preference. My willingness or reluctance to ask for forgiveness and to freely offer it speaks volumes about me. These two acts reveal my fundamental motivation. It exposes my passion to either further God’s kingdom or to promote mine. When I am unwilling to confess that I’ve wronged another person or unwilling to offer forgiveness, I’m saying the pledge of allegiance to me! “I pledge allegiance to myself and to my acquisition of power, money, pleasure, and the honor of my fellowman. I will be undaunted from my pursuit of selfishness, undisturbed in my attempt at self-rule, and unconcerned about the Greater Kingdom—with liberty and mercy for me. So help me, me.”

One of the most famous battles in WWII is known as D-Day. It happened on June 6, 1944, when Allied armies stormed the beaches of occupied France and fought a long and tortuous battle up the beach and over the hills at Normandy. When the smoke finally cleared and the last drop of blood had soaked into the soil of France, there were 209,000 Allied casualties and the world was in the process of being rescued.

The scale of this battle was enormous and the scale of our battle is colossal as well. We face an intense conflict between our desire for self-sovereignty and God’s Sovereignty. While the outcome is assured, the ferocity of the fight is staggering. We will do almost anything to keep our defenses up. Surrender is not an appealing option. Admitting that we have wronged someone, that we’ve been living a life of self-promotion and self-glorification is a nauseating prospect. Let me admit it, I don’t like the idea. After all, I’d have to admit that “I’ve done it my way.” And I do not want to say that someone’s offense against my self-glorification is pardonable. Once more, if you have truly wronged me and sinned, it would make me all the more incensed. How dare you err related to me! After all, I’m the king!

I’ll try to cut back on the sarcasm because there are times when each of us will be truly wronged, betrayed, and offended. Some attacks are unprovoked and some are downright evil. Yet even in those times we still have to keep a wary eye out for the ravenous wolves of our self kingdom. Here are some thoughts that I’ve found easy to dismiss at earlier times in my life. Now, they shine in my face like the headlight of an oncoming train during the night. When I am wronged and hurt, why do I react the way that I do? Now, of course, I’m not talking about myself here, I’m talking about what others have told me (tongue in cheek). Why is it so easy to wallow in self-indulgent self-pity? Why do we let the creeping cancer of bitterness infect our hearts? Why do we grow cynical and quit trusting? What causes us to lie down at night rehearsing the events surrounding our wounds like a budding actor preparing for an audition? Why do we feel like quitting because of the way we’ve been offended?

Why? My standard operating answer to that question very clear in my mind! This is righteous indignation! You know the kind of anger that Jesus felt when he drove those money changers out of the temple. That’s why I react in these ways; I’m righteously indignant! Actually, I rather doubt that that is true.

What’s the rarest element in the world? According to the APS (a physics society), the rarest element in the world is called Francium; only 30 g exist in the entire world at any given moment. That is what these physicists say. I’m telling you that they are all wrong! I think the rarest element in the world is true righteous indignation. Maybe only Jesus was truly capable of that. Our anger, malice, indignation, rage, and wrath are all adulterated substances. Don’t get me wrong. People can experience great pain at the hands of others. Cruel things have been done, sometimes under the guise of defending our understanding of “right” and religion. My heart goes out to those who have been harmed, which probably means all of us. Yet no matter what stick, stone, word, or device that has ever been used to inflict pain in my life, I still adulterate my response to it by throwing in little morsels of the kingdom of self. What about you?

Before you decide that you’d never do such a thing, consider this…

I love being your pastor,

Dennis

The Currency of Christmas (part 1 of 4)

Dennis Newkirk — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 17:03:48 GMT

The Currency of Christmas
(part 1 of 4)

I do not want to write this article. Frankly, I don’t want to even think about this subject. I was more comfortable with it back when I had convinced myself that it was other people’s problem. I had risen above it, vanquished the foe like Mohammad Ali had crushed Joe Frazier back in 1975. But that was earlier before I came to my senses and realized that I had been on the receiving end of the rope-a-dope.

Before I get too far ahead of myself, let me lay the foundation of what I feel compelled to write. It is Christmastime. Even though these are tough economic days, people are still flocking to malls and stores spending their hard-earned cash. Who didn’t shake their heads in disgust at the news that a temporary Wal-Mart employee, Jdimytai Damour, was trampled to death by a stampede of crazed shoppers on Black Friday, the busiest shopping day of the year! Can you imagine, people who were so intent, so absorbed, to spend their money that they actually crushed an innocent man who was merely trying to open the door! Clothes, electronics, toys, in fact, everything imaginable are flying off the shelves as the rivers of cash flow from opened wallets. It is a current of currency, a tidal wave of legal tender! All denominations are gladly accepted including pocket change, singles, fives, tens, twenties, fifties, and hundreds. What is the currency of Christmas? It is the good ole American greenback.

That may be the perverted way that Americans look at it but it is all wrong. The currency of Christmas is not the dollar, it is forgiveness. That’s right; it is forgiveness pure and simple. I know that any schooled Christian’s mind will immediately transverse the centuries and cross the miles to the little town of Bethlehem and the babe Who was born to die. Rector Phillips Brooks’ inspiration following his 1868 visit to the Holy Land inspired him to write the words of that cherished carol, O Little Town of Bethlehem. We all know the words, at least the first stanza. Do you remember the last?

O holy Child of Bethlehem
Descend to us, we pray
Cast out our sin and enter in
Be born to us today
We hear the Christmas angels
The great glad tidings tell
O come to us, abide with us
Our Lord Emmanuel

The Reverend Brooks had it right; Jesus the Christ did come to the little town of Bethlehem to pay for our forgiveness. The currency of Christmas is forgiveness. He came to “cast out our sin.” But that isn’t what I want to talk about.

Now this is where it gets messy. God’s forgiveness is more than just something for you to personally enjoy. It is something that every recipient is called up and even expected to offer to others. To borrow the phrase from Hamlet, “Ay, there’s the rub.”

Mt 6:14-15 (ESV)
¹⁴For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, ¹⁵but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Jas 2:13 (ESV)
¹³For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

Ro 12:19 (ESV)
¹⁹Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”

There is my powerful old foe, the enemy that keeps raising its ugly head, the $24,000 Question, “Will I forgive?” I thought I’d answered that question and beat the stuffing out of that thing years ago. I had risen above it like the Empire State Building casts its long shadow over Manhattan. That’s the problem with our struggle with forgiveness, it is a real deceiver. Like all deception, you can think that you aren’t deceived at the very moment that you have been. I don’t want to think about it, talk about it, or write about it. Yet here I sit, pecking away at my computer, thinking that it has flattened me again, just like Ali did with Frazier.

Have you ever wondered why forgiveness is given up with such difficulty? It is like trying to squeeze a drop of water out a prickly pear in August. And do you know what is even harder? Asking for forgiveness! When you offer to forgive someone, you are taking the high ground, the road less traveled. You bless yourself when you forgive. Asking for it is far harder than giving it and giving it can be like pulling teeth. Why? I believe the same root issue exists that causes us to reluctantly offer forgiveness and find it excruciating to ask for it. Get to the root of why it is so painful to ask for it and you’ll also understand why it is so hard to give it. As my friend so eloquently likes to say it in times like this, “Same difference.”

I love being your pastor,

Dennis