Thinking Out Loud!

DISCIPLES, NOT CONVERTS!

2016-05-03T15:04:00.003-04:00

It's a discussion I had before but for a few minutes allow me to revisit a conversation that should be important for every believer.

The topic centers around converts or conversion growth vs or over against the making of disciples. Clearly, Jesus left his disciples with the command to make disciples. I think we all understand that prior to becoming a disciple, one must convert or to put it another way, repent from their sins and decide in their mind and heart to follow Christ.

In fact, Jesus told his first disciples that they should follow him but that he would make them "fishers of men." A different way to say this is that Jesus would first make them disciples and then make them in disciple makers.

There is a real question that faces all of us as we seek to fulfill the command of Christ in this modern age. I suppose it's been true in every age but it seems very appropriate for us today. Alan Hirsch put it this way, "If we don't disciple, then the culture around us certainly will."

In today's world, we are often defined by what we consume. It is the secularism of our day. We are something because of what we have or can buy, so we think. Today there exist, even in the church, a mindset that says, "I have not commitment beyond the meeting of my own needs." It is impossible to fulfill Christ' command to make disciples if this is our attitude.

The Bible makes it very clear that we are to become like Jesus. The simple truth is that if Jesus is the Lord of your life and mine, he will be the priority and we will gladly obey his commands. There is not bigger nor more important command than to do all that we can to allow him to turn us into disciple makers.

David Platt stated recently, "Shouldn't it concern us that the Bible never says, "accept Jesus into your heart by praying a prayer?" And yet, that is often our shortsighted goal. We are rather, to follow Jesus in every aspect of our lives so that we might make disciples.

I hope you are clear on the priority of this command in your life. I hope that I am too!

Don't MISS the METHOD of Jesus!

2016-03-09T09:54:00.001-05:00

I can't remember how long ago it was that I first began to hear about the discipleship strategy of Jesus. I do think that Dann Spader was the first one to drive this thought home to me. Over the years, I have thought about it and even taught on this strategy but the troubling thing for me is the lack of implementing this strategy in my life and ministry.

The only thing more disturbing is the fact that I see little attention being given to this on the local church level. Recently, I heard a sermon that made a point of how much believers tend to replace the priorities of Jesus with whatever is going on in our lives, especially those things that are "successful" and meeting a perceived need.

These things, stated the preacher, have a way of becoming a "god" for us and as a result we end up chasing these things rather than making it our number one goal to please God by doing what he wants us to do. This in my opinion is exactly what the church and individual believers have done in regards to making disciples.

Making disciples is the primary thing that Jesus wants us to do and it's the last thing he told his disciples before he ascended. The way I look at it, Jesus has a perfect memory and when he returns, he is not only going to welcome us into the kingdom of God, but his "well done" will have something to do with what we did with his commission to make disciples.

Spader, in his book "4 Chair Discipling," a recent publication notes that Christianity has put an unhealthy emphasis on the message of Jesus to the neglect of a perceivable strategy for making disciples. We need both. On page 14 of his book he writes,

"But I would argue that if you completely understand the message of Christ but fail to understand his methods, you won't truly know the Jesus of the Scriptures. Jesus was much more than just His words and message."

What do you think? Have you missed the Method and if so, why do you think that happened?

To Lead or Not to Lead?

2015-08-14T13:35:00.003-04:00

If you take the time to view the short video below by Bill Hybels on leadership, you will hear a statement like the title of this blog post.

This simple question puts the emphasis on the most important aspect of biblical leadership and for that matter, any type of leadership. Read well on the subject and you will discover that every leader is to be well fed. Case in point, I have heard something like, "Every leader is a reader!"

While I think this is true, it is clearly not enough. One can read and read for all its worth and still not be very effective in leading. The issue is not only the matter of taking in information regarding what it means to lead, a real leader must not only take it in but he or she just digest it and assimilate it into their lives. Simply put, a leader must lead.

To lead or not to lead, is the real question. To lead or not to lead is the real challenge for anyone charged with leading others. This type of leadership will not only necessitate the proper understanding of what God expects you and me to grasp about leadership, but an acceptance of the fact that our leadership is intended to bless those around us, far away and near.

The Bible is quite clear about how this work of leadership is to take place. Paul, in writing about spiritual gifts to the believers in Rome makes it very clear that the one who leads has a responsibility of doing it in a certain way. Here's how he puts it, "...the one who leads, with zeal" (Romans 12:8). You are to lead with diligence, that is, do your very best when you lead.

Is this where you are in your leadership journey? Are you leading with zeal and diligence? I hope so! If not, take the time to review your approach to leadership. Ask the Holy Spirit to give you the zeal you need to lead properly. If you do, I know you will see the difference!

I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND, DO YOU?

2015-06-08T15:21:00.001-04:00

Have you ever wondered why those who do not know Christ as Lord can't seem to understand why others do? Something that seems so clear to me, as a believer, seems like foolishness to unbelievers.

In the book of First Corinthians, Paul the apostle, spoke of those who wanted something that would prove to them the reality of Christ. Greeks wanted wisdom and the Jews wanted a sign. The world in all its supposed wisdom could not see the truth about Christ, and the Jews would not accept any sign, although many were indeed given.

My wife and I have raised our kids in the church and by the Word of God or at least we thought we did. However, at this point the result is rather discouraging. Neither of our boys profess faith in who Christ is. They are quite caught up in the philosophy and thinking of the world. They might as well be "Greek" or "Jewish," as it seems like foolishness to them. They are okay with us thinking that way, but as yet have not seen it to be true for them.

Proverbs 16:25 states a profound thought, "There is a way that seems right to a man but its end is the way to death" The frightening reality of this statement is that a person can go through life thinking they are right in their mind and heart, only to discover that they were wrong. And at that point, it's too late.

I don't want that for my boys or for anyone else. God wants the best for you and for me and that is to live our lives under the truth of who he is. When this is in place, all other things fall into line. This does not mean that a believer has no problems but rather that the believer does not have to fear. They can face anything with the peace of God in their life.

Proverbs again says in 16:9 that "The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps." Here we see what happens when a man or woman is centered in Christ. The way they plan their lives may not be perfect and without error, but the end result is that God watches over them and establishes their steps. So much so, that he (God) will "...make even his enemies to be at peace with him" (16:7).

I want this for me and I want it for my boys. I hurt when the choices they make hurt them and sometimes others around them. I long for them to commit their way to the Lord but I can't make it happen. I am committed to praying for them and will continue to keep that promise.

Perhaps you are in the same life boat. You have those whom you love, friends or family members who just don't get it. That is, they don't see why you and I love the Lord so much that we trust him completely. Someday, I hope they do. May God bless you as you keep that faith and as you share it with those whom you love the most.

YOU GET ANOTHER CHANCE!

2015-01-01T10:37:00.002-05:00

It's probably true that most people do not look at the New Year in this way, but every time we enter one, we have a chance to set a new direction for our lives.

There's something about a new beginning that can be a catalyst to becoming more effective at living our lives the way we want to and more importantly, the way the Lord would have us live. As I have given this some thought, a few ideas have emerged that seem important if we are going to be serious about making the most of our new"chance" to live more purposefully.

As a Christian, we must remember the absolute priority of the Word of God. I am taken back sometimes when I hear that people are making decisions and actions regarding something for which they have not looked one time to see what the Bible says about it. Perhaps, and even worse, is the practice of doing something in our lives, and assuming that we know what the word of God says and discover later that we are not even close to what the Bible prescribes.

Next, in order to make sure that our new effort for change in the new year sticks, we must share this with someone we trust. It has to be someone that knows us and is willing to share in our attempt to be more purposeful in our daily lives. We must share the specifics and not speak only in generalities. It seems that we must say more than "I want to lose weight." It would be better to say that this is what I weigh now and by May I want to lose 30 pounds. I want to walk, drink more water and keep track of my progress. By doing this, my friend can hold me accountable and support me along the way.

By being specific, I can commit myself to praying for results in the specific areas of need. The third thought I had was that any part of my life is important and worthy of thinking about spiritually. God is not only concerned about my faith, He is interested and concerned about everything that I seek to do, especially those things that will bring him honor. Our example above is perfect. No one cares more about your body than the Lord, since your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit.

The great thing about a new year is that there's plenty of time to reevaluate and adjust your original plans. Sometimes we overshoot our target and sometimes we underestimate what we can achieve if we put our minds to it. Regularly evaluating where we are in achieving our goals can enable us to see exactly what we need to do in order to hit our target. If we are doing well, there will be the opportunity to change our goal and achieve even more than we thought we could do.

These are very basic steps but often overlooked when we try to have a fresh beginning in the new year. I, like you, want to make the most of this year for the Lord and for all who know me. What's really great is that we get another chance to get it right and make the best of all the Lord gives us. I hope your New Year is filled with creativity, purpose and fulfillment in every way. Happy New Year!

CHRISTMAS spirit ALL YEAR LONG!

2014-12-17T10:26:00.001-05:00

There is something different about this time of the year. I get the same type of feeling when the Easter season comes around. People are seemingly kinder, more polite and just seem to be in a better mood.

I don't know if people realize that they are acting differently, but they do. Go into a store during another time of the year and you do not always sense the same kind of generous spirit or attitude. Don't get me wrong, I like it but I do find it interesting.

Indeed, we are created as emotional people. The way we feel has a lot to do with the way we act, especially toward others. But where does our emotional makeup come from? According to pastor Pete Scazzero, author of the very popular book "Emotionally Healthy Spirituality," a lot of who we are comes from how we were raised. Over the years, the emotional imprints become visible in how we look at life, treat others and in many ways, even how we relate to what God wants to do in our lives.

Once Jesus was confronted with a very important question. The lawyer asked, "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?" Jesus responded by saying, "You shall love the Lord you God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind" (Mt. 22:37). He followed it up with a second commandment just like the first, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself" (Mt. 22:39).

To be able to obey these two commandments one would have to be spiritually and emotionally healthy. If one is obedient to these two commandments, he or she would be able to have the right attitude all the time, whether it was Christmas, Easter or not. The christian's goal should be to develop a lifestyle of obedience to the degree that everything they do gives evidence of their spiritual and emotional health.

Yes, it is Christmas time and it is a special time of the year. But, everyday is special when one understands the privilege and responsibility that we have as believers in Christ.

Equipping the Saints to do What?

2014-09-03T13:45:00.000-04:00

No too long ago I read an article where the author was addressing the role of church leaders in the context of the local church. His point was simple and based upon Paul's writings in Ephesians where he defines the work of the pastor as one who "equips the saints for the work of the ministry" (4:11-13).

This would be, I think, especially true for the pastor-teacher. For many of us, he is the one who takes the majority of responsibility for carrying out this work. According to the author, this not only is true for the pastor-teacher but for the other leaders God has given to the church.

One only needs a small amount of exposure to a present day local church body to realize that much is missing today when it comes to this mandate being fulfilled. Of course, there are many things expected of the pastor and leaders that in and of themselves aren't bad, but nevertheless fall way short of what it seems God wants for the everyday believer and member of his church body.

Many will say that the primary role of the pastor is to preach. In fact, there are many who would judge a pastor to be good if he is a good speaker. While I agree that preaching the word is central and very important to the work of the pastor-teacher, this alone falls way short of the ultimate standard. What then, is Paul suggesting the leaders of the church be able to do?

The text says that they (church leaders) are to equip the saints (believers) for the work of the ministry. It would seem easy to figure out what this means but maybe not. No one would not expect believers to serve the Lord in connection to their spiritual gifts and talents. But, to get at the heart of the mandate we probably should ask a question about the primary focus of the early church at this time.

Without question, the answer seems clear. The early church was about evangelism. That is, the expansion of the gospel into an unbelieving world. With this view in mind, the use of our gifts makes a lot of sense. We are to use our giftedness as tools to be use in reaching out to a world without Christ.

Now, if we go back to the point at which we began, we can see why many churches are not growing and what must be done. In order to equip the saints for the work of the ministry, we must return to the work of equipping the saints to understand the gospel and show them how to share their faith with others who do not know him yet.

If we stop at talking about evangelism or be satisfied with preaching occasionally about the importance of evangelism, then we deserve what we get. But, if we are committed to what's important to the Lord about the church, then we must equip the saints to evangelize effectively. And this will take a lot more than mere talk. What do you think?

Is HIS Resurrection YOURS?

2014-08-08T10:56:00.003-04:00

Many folks will remember the excellent book written by David A. Dean many years ago entitled "His Resurrection and Ours! This book explained with clarity that our future resurrection is tied to the resurrection of Christ. Paul the apostle put it this way:if Christ is not raised then we will not be raised! (my italics).

Recently, I was asked to preach at my local church and I chose to speak on this topic but I approached it in a little different way. I began with the apostle Paul's words in the beginning of 1 Corinthians 15 where he reminds the believers in Corinth of the gospel he preached which had at the center of it an emphasis upon the resurrection of Christ.

At the end of Luke's gospel (24:44), Christ is seen reminding the disciples after the resurrection and before the ascension of the gospel message. It seems that these guys had a hard time remembering what was really important. Rather than worrying about overtaking the Romans, Jesus wanted his followers to think about their relationship with him.

Later on, Paul writes to the believers in Philippi that he wanted to "know Christ and the power of his resurrection (chapter 3). This to me is amazing. To think that the apostle Paul, of all people, was still in the process of knowing Christ and trying to experience his power in his life is mind boggling to say the least.

What about you and me? My sermon title recently was "A Truth worth Remembering!" This is so true. We must remember the importance of the resurrection and more so, the importance of experiencing the knowledge and power of Christ's resurrection in our lives. It is so easy to go through life on a daily basis and try to do what we do in our own power. We all know that this doesn't work. We need Christ more than we think.

So, here's a thought for consideration. Go through your day and do not attempt to do anything without first thinking about what it would mean to do it in the knowledge and power of Christ. I am trying to do this and I encourage you to do the same.

FROM CULTURAL TO SCRIPTURAL

2014-08-01T11:27:00.002-04:00

In a context where the Lord invites all people to join themselves to Him, he invites them into his house which will be know as a house of prayer (Isaiah 56.7). He will accept the prayers of his people and give them joy as they worship the Lord.

This primary purpose for the house of the Lord has unfortunately and sadly been neglected in most churches of today. If you are seeking fellowship as it is called in most churches and by most believers then you will hit gold. If you desire good food, you will be filled. If you long for programs that will scratch where you itch, look no more. Incredible effort is given to provide whatever you need, especially in larger churches.

However, if you are looking for a place where people are committed to prayer, where prayer is more than an attachment to whatever else is being done for whatever reasons, you will be looking and searching for sometime. The reason is simple. For many leaders and even pastors, prayer is cultural not biblical or Scriptural.

We pray because, after all, that's what Christians are supposed to do. We pray because we think that by praying we can get what we need. We don't pray because it the lifeline we have between sinful man and a holy God. We just do it for brief moments and move on.

Praying was never meant to be an attachment. God's house is to be a house of prayer. No wonder Jesus was upset when he encountered people who had turned it into a den of robbers (Matthew 21.13). As noted, prayer was not to be an attachment, but rather, the primary activity of God's people.

What this might mean for us is a critical question for believers longing to be the people God has called us to be. Prayer certainly isn't limited to having a room in your church designated for prayer. No, the entire house is to be a house of prayer. This has to mean that the people who make up the church are people of prayer.

What's in Your Mind and what are you doing about it?

2014-06-19T10:23:00.002-04:00

Every once in a while I come across a verse in my Bible reading that for some reason "Jumps" out at me. It causes me to pause long enough to think about a number of ways in which the verse could be applied to my life.

One such verse is 2 Corinthians 10:3-4 which states, ' For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds."

Paul argues in the verse for the idea that as believers, we have a divinely potent strategy when it comes to dealing with strongholds in our lives. In essence, as long as we use the strategy of God in dealing with our problems, there is nothing that can overcome us. We are more than conquerors in Christ.

Unfortunately, as human beings we often try to deal with the problems in our lives in the flesh. That is, in our own strength and by using man-made strategies. These, however, will always fall short of what God want to accomplish in our lives, and in our churches.

Paul uses another word in this text that most certainly should catch our attention. He speaks of weapons and warfare. Simply put, this is not a game. It is war. It is war between the forces of evil and the forces of the kingdom of God. As long as we use the weapons of God, we are able to deal with anything that comes our way.

Our goal is to take every opposing idea and place it in submission to God. Our goal is to find out what pleases God the most and live out that truth in full obedience. This must begin at the very first appearance of an opposing thought or behavior. It's at that point that we take it to God and thus take it captive, preventing it from doing any damage.

My prayer for my life is that I will be able to be obedient in this task. I do not want any thought or contemplation of sin to enter my mind to the degree that I give it the opportunity to be acted upon. I want to take every thought captive in order that I may move closer to being obedient in the way that God wants in the first place. May you experience this as well!

ARE YOU A JUNKY?

2014-04-25T10:05:00.001-04:00

Over the past few months, I have been systematically remodeling my home. This means that I have been painting, laying new porcelain tile where old carpet had been for years, putting up new light fixtures, laying new tile called Allure in my office and the bathrooms, and much, much more.

Thankfully, my youngest son was there to help as he has a lot of the needed skills to do the job correctly. Once we make it through the entire house, we will move to painting the exterior of the house and then onto putting a new roof on the house. This has been fun but it has been a great deal of work. I am looking forward to getting it done and enjoying our new environment.

Oh yeah, I forgot to say that in the midst of all this, I totally cleaned out, painted and reorganized my garage. I don't know about your garage but ours had become a "catch all" for everything. The only ones who really liked being out there were our cats. Now, it's repainted and clean. It's actually a place where you don't mind going.

During this process, I learned many things. Perhaps the biggest discovery was just how much JUNK one can accumulate over twenty five years. It was massive. Part of my work included the getting rid of all of this junk which meant many trips to the landfill and a lot of garbage being put out by my driveway weekly for a few weeks just to get some breathing room.

Junk is just that, junk! You think you don't need it but when you think about getting rid of it you begin to think of or make up ideas about how you do need it. I love the feeling that came over me when we got rid of our junk. I must say it was and is refreshing.

The other day a thought cam over me which I believe might just serve as a spiritual analogy to the experience we have had of cleaning and remodeling our house. It occurred to me that we can accumulate a lot of spiritual junk in our lives too. It is easy to add on many things, even thoughts, that prevent us from doing what God has called us to do.

This idea came to me when I recently reread the mandate from Jesus to his disciples in Matthew 28:16-20 about making disciples. It seemed all to real to me that we spend a great deal of time (too much) doing things that in essence become junk in our lives preventing us from making the missional mandate of Jesus first in our lives.

I don't know about you but I suspect it is true for you too, that you spend a great deal of your time and energy pursuing things that for all intents and purposes, are junk. Your schedule is too crammed with meaningless meetings, activities that don't lead toward or at least contribute to the making of disciples, time management issues which make it almost impossible for you to prioritize the building of relationships with lost people or even those you intend to disciple. In the end, this is junk and it keeps you from doing what Jesus told us to do, make disciples.

I know it's not exactly the same but let me leave you with this thought. I don't miss all that stuff that I got rid of. It was actually fun dumping it in the garbage. There was a time when I probably thought I needed it, but I really don't. Having done this, I do have more time to do the things God has placed on my plate to do. I am quite certain that it would be true for you too.

It's not my place to tell you what to do but could I ask you a question? Is it time for some remodeling? Is it time to get rid of some stuff or better known as junk? If so, I am confident that you too will be healthier once it's gone.

BEAUTIFUL FEET!

2014-01-22T22:46:00.002-05:00

Recently, I was taking part in a conversation about the need for more young people to hear and respond to the call of God on their lives and this call is not only to be a believer in whatever vocation they choose. But, in particular, to respond to a call upon their lives into full time Christian service.

As I grew up, it was not uncommon for pastors and even missionaries to spend time in our home. My dad, being the local pastor, was often entertaining with my mom those who came to speak at our church. This gave me many opportunities to listen and learn about the process of being called by God into ministry.

Today, things have changed as I see it. No longer is there an emphasis in our churches upon challenging young men and women to consider God's specific call into ministry. No longer are we praying that God would raise another Billy Graham. We are content to simply ask people to trust God and serve him in any way that they want to go.

This discussion raises a very fundamental question for all of us who want to see the Kingdom of God grow. Do we believe that God is still in the business of calling young men and women to serve him in specific ways? And, if we do, what has happened or is not happening in the world of the church to to take young men and women away from believing this too?

When's the last time you heard a pastor or leader in the church challenging young people to consider a call into the pastoral ministry or to serve the Lord on a foreign land? For me, it's been way too long. Now is the time for us to rethink our strategy when it comes to thinking about what someone will do when they grow up.

The apostle Paul strikes me as someone who unashamedly spoke of his calling to serve the Lord and was eager to exhort others to do the same. To his young apostolic delegate Timothy he wrote these powerful words:

Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began..." (2 Timothy 1:8-9).

To the believers in Ephesus Paul declared, "I therefore, a prisoner of the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called..." (Ephesians 4:1).

This, of course, was for all believers in Ephesus, but it is also true for anyone hearing and responding to a call of full time christian service. People who believe that God is calling them into this type of ministry can be certain that it is the highest of callings. Somehow, we have come to believe that this specific call is not that important. We have been told or it has been implied that we can serve God more effectively by being in the marketplace somewhere else. The truth is that we can serve God in any arena but nothing higher than to be called to be one who proclaims the gospel as a lifestyle.

Sadly, in the church, we have become satisfied to become participants only and mistakenly thinking that there will always be those who are called to preach. But, is that true? It seems that God has always been in the habit of raising up people to serve him but he has also used others to make that distinctive call for him. Without the preachers of today challenging others to consider the call of God to do the same, will the well soon run dry?

Perhaps this is what Paul was alluding to when he gave the following message to the Christians in Rome, "How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach good news! (Romans 10:14-15).

If we don't get this answer right, there are dark days ahead. However, I for one, believe that God is still calling people to preach and to share the good news as missionaries. I also believe that everyone else is to live our their callings in a worthy manner as well. The really important question is this, are you?

Well, I Declare!

2013-09-12T14:09:00.002-04:00

I love to tell stories about days gone by. There have been times in my life and sometimes regularly that I have set around with friends and talked about the good ole days. I know what you're thinking. Those kind of stories seem to get better or should I say bigger, every time the stories are told.

For the most part, these stories are harmless. It is a lot of fun to reflect on "Do you remember when?" Today, I have been reflecting on the many wonderful acts of God historically that are quite significant and worth remembering, especially when we think about where God might be leading us.

King David also felt this way. Hear the words of the Lord (Psalm 145:1-4):

I will extol you, my God and King,
and bless your name forever and ever.
Every day I will bless you and praise your name forever
and ever.
Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised,
and his greatness is unsearchable.
One generation shall commend your works to another,
and shall declare your mighty acts.

Notice how David is committed to declaring the goodness of the Lord to the next generation. Specifically, he wanted to tell the next generation all about not only the goodness of the Lord but do so by talking about specific acts.

God has been so good to me and my family, my church and every other aspect of my life. I want to be faithful in sharing this with anyone that I am in relationship with on a daily basis.

Over the years many of my friends have often greeted my by asking"What's the good word?" Well, that's easy, it's the good word about the goodness and acts of the Lord. May it be said of all of us that which was stated by David at the conclusion of this Psalm (Psalm 145:21):

My mouth will speak the praise of the Lord,
and let all flesh bless his holy name forever and ever!"

How about you? Can you remember all of the ways in which God has been good to you? Think about it and then share it with someone. I know this will bless the Lord

Day and night, really?

2013-08-28T11:11:00.003-04:00

I have been thinking a lot lately about the relationship between the Word of God and the way we live our lives on a daily basis. As a result of this line of thinking I was drawn to Psalms 1:2 and the surrounding verses.

This verse is simple, yet profound. David makes a bold statement about his connection to the Word of God. He declares that the Word of God is a priority in his life. In fact, he says that he spends an enormous amount of time (day and night) meditating on God's Word.

Perhaps it would be good to clarify what David is saying and not saying. He IS NOT saying that as he sat out on a rock watching his sheep that he had a literal bible (pick your favorite version) spread out on his lap so he could do his Bible study. He did not have a written Bible available. To mess with your mind a little bit, consider the fact that what he writes here is to become the Bible, the very words that we are talking about in this post.

He IS saying that God has spoken to him and through others (prophets, teachers, etc.) his Word and these are the things that David is aligning his life with in order to please God. God's law (literally his instruction) is the standard of behavior for this shepherd/to be King servant of God.

David writes that he meditates on it day and night. Does he literally mean 24 hours a day or does he mean that when he arises or goes to sleep his mind is on the things of God. I would suggest to you that the latter is more likely.

In the surrounding verses David makes clear those things that he sees as the benefit of living his life in accordance with God's Word. It brings delight into his life. There is joy in the morning and peace at night when David follows God's Word. He is confident and strong in all that he does. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, bearing fruit in season (v 3). He is so bold as to say, "In all that he does, he prospers" (v3b).

In the beginning of this book (one) and chapter 1, David makes it perfectly clear that he understands the difference between the one who puts his trust in the advice of the world versus the one who completely trusts God. David longs to be that type of person. You and I should long to do the same.

If we believe that what David says is true we must all ask a very important and invasive question. We must ask about where we get our advice. In whom do we put our trust and where do we get our advice for living life? If we believe in the written Word of God and believe that in it we find the answers to life and direction for living our lives, we should ask about how closely they are in alignment. When God tells us to do something or act in a certain way through his Word or the instruction of the Holy Spirit, do we do it? Do we think about this both day and night?

It just seems to me that if we take God's Word for what it claims to be (God's Word) then we must do everything we can to make sure that we do what it says. How are you doing? How am I doing? These seem to be very good and appropriate questions for anyone wanting to live the life David writes about in Psalm 1. No wonder he writes "Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord and on his law he mediates day and night" (Psalm 1:1).

I DO BELIEVE THE BIBLE OR DO I?

2013-07-25T11:48:00.002-04:00

I can still remember singing a particular song as I grew up, both in church and at church camp. It had to do with the Bible. It went something like this, " I do believe the Bible, the blessed Word of God, for life unto it's promises I cling..." Hopefully those are the beginning words of this song, but I am more interested in what comes next. I am concerned about how I cling to those promises found in the Bible and what I must do to make sure that I align my life with the truth of the Scriptures.

I am quite certain that each of us could sit down and come up with a list of biblical teachings, truths, or promises that are important to us. Anyone who has been a believer for a significant amount of time and made a good effort at studying the Word of God could articulate those things which they believe are worth believing and living out in their lives.

This is where the rub and the challenge comes. When we say that we believe this or that, it means minimally that these things, whatever they are, should show up somewhere in how we live our lives. For example, if we say that God is worthy of worship, we should know what worship looks like and we should be found participating in whatever worship has been determined to be. The bottom line question for me at this point would be, do I worship the God whom I say is worthy of worship.

This topic has been at the forefront of my thinking for sometime now. That's why I have spent some time thinking about what I really believe in the Bible. Note, this does not mean that there are things in the Bible that I don't believe, just that there are many things in the Bible that I believe and think that they should show up in my life and in the life of all believers.

The list that I have been working on are those things that relate to my personal life and my life as a believer participating in the church. Perhaps you have a list too. Sometime in the future I hope to do some writing on this matter but that will have to come later.

Here's what I would like to put before us right now. I would like to have us really think about what we do believe and whether or not the implications of these believed truths are showing up somehow in the way we live our lives? I would love to hear from you and get to know what you are thinking on this very important subject.

WHERE HAVE ALL THE LEADERS GONE?

2013-06-09T19:10:00.002-04:00

Sometimes I think we make life more difficult than it has to be. I also think we do this in ministry too! These days we hear a boatload of talk about leaders, leadership and even leadership development. There are books too many to number about this subject today, and a conference that promises to make you a better leader every time you turn around. But, where are the leaders?

Every time I sit down with a church staff, whether we are dealing with conflict resolution, strategic planning or something else, the subject of leadership often rears its head. It's in times like these that I wish I could conjure up a few leaders for the situation at hand, but I can't. So I wonder, where are the leaders?

The apostle Paul wrote some enlightening words regarding this subject to the church in Rome many years ago that can be of help to us today when we talk about leadership. In a passage where he is speaking about the church body (in this case, the local church of believers in Rome) and how it is made up of many members he writes the following words:

Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them; in prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness (Romans 12:6-8).

It's clear from Paul's words that not everyone has been given the gift of leadership. Leadership development is first and foremost the development of those who have this gift. They are encouraged to use this gift with zeal. They are to eagerly use this gift for the advancement of God's kingdom. What this means is that we do not have a shortage of leaders or potential leaders. God has in fact supplied the church with leaders that are to be encouraged to serve with zeal.

We have the responsibility of identifying those who are leaders and encourage them to serve the Lord with zeal. We must give them opportunities to develop those God-given skills. If, however, they are not gifted in this way, we also need to tell them so. There's not much worse in the church or in any organization, than those who are in positions to lead, but cannot because they are in fact not leaders.

In my denomination, we are providing opportunities for potential leaders to emerge. Whether they are part of a Lead Team where other pastors, pastor's wives or women in ministry can affirm these gifts in them or serving as interns in an AIMS site where a mature mentor can help them grow in their giftedness and become more effective as leaders, leadership development is happening.

Books, conferences, and other resources for being equipped as a leader are readily available but nothing can replace the understanding that you have the gift and the zeal to serve. Leaders first and foremost get their direction from the Lord. They stand out even as they blend in with those they lead.

I would agree that we are in need of those who will take up the role of being leaders. The church needs them! Families need them! Denominations need them! Our country needs them! Leaders are needed everywhere. Perhaps we shouldn't be asking the question "Where have all the leaders gone?" Instead, we should be proclaiming loud and clear that leaders everywhere should stand up and serve with zeal! God has gifted you to lead and there are plenty of resources available along the way to help you be a better leaders. The bottom line is this: if God has gifted you to lead and you know it, lead!

ENOUGH TALKING, ALREADY!

2013-05-01T15:36:00.000-04:00

I am finally at that point where I've had enough. How about you? What am I talking about? Well, let me tell you. I am tired of just talking about things. Tired of dreaming or planning and nothing every happening. I am ready for some action!

I think it's high time we moved on beyond mere talking and do something. Phrases are part of our existence. You can see them on billboards, in magazines and even framed on the walls of your local church. But, I must ask, "does it work and are you actually doing it?"

It's one thing to spend the time and energy to come up with what we believe God wants us to do but it's quite another thing to take those thoughts and convictions and turn them into tangible action. Hugh Halter and Matt Smay applied this to the church when they wrote the book, "The Tangible Kingdom." In this book, they raised the question of what the church would look like if it was tangible, and could be seen by others.

In order to become tangible the church is going to have to change. Some of these changes will cause us to squirm. It will necessitate that we venture into a world that for a long time we have avoided. We must believe that God wants us to go there (Mt. 28:16-20) and that he will protect and guide us along the way.

I don't know about you but I have heard enough sermons to last a lifetime. I have sat in enough bible studies and Sunday School classes to be among the most equipped. The real question for me and perhaps for you is to ask whether or not these things that you and I have absorbed have caused us to move toward those who need Christ or not.

It's time for the church and that means, me to make a decision. Are we going to be satisfied for another year to talk about being a disciple or are we going to say enough is enough and begin to put feet to our beliefs and convictions. I recently heard someone say that following Christ may start in our head and then move to our heart but it must in the end move to our feet and hands. WOW, that's what I want, do you?

Let me know what you think? Can you join me and say, "Enough already!" If so, I would love to hear from you.

WIll you do the Write thing?

2013-04-03T16:19:00.001-04:00

Every year I receive a box of books (about 24 in all) that I agreed to read and critique for a Christian book judging organization. I love to read so this is not a big deal. For some it would be as I have to read them in about three months time.

I actually look forward to reading the books but I must admit that most of the books really aren't that good. At times, I wonder just how the book was ever published. I say this knowing that I am not the best writer in the world either but I am being asked to give my opinion of what an author has written.

In the end, one author in each category (and there are many) is dubbed the winner. They receive some prizes and significant recognition at the annul conference/banquet for that very purpose. I even think that the banquet is in Hollywood.

I must admit that that would be quite an honor, but more importantly, for me it's all about the content of the book. Writing is an amazing vehicle for communication and yet in many circles, little of it is done or at least done well. Some will tell you that we are moving away from the written page (on paper) and before too long we will do everything digitally. I don't know about that, but it seems to me that there is still plenty of room and time for actually writing books about significant issues, regardless of how the end product looks and feels.

I have noticed or at least made an observation that I want to share with anyone who might read this blog post. This observation is in particular a thought about my own denomination. We do have books that have been written over our history. Much of what has been written has been more about our history or our theological beliefs. Little has been written by our own authors about life issues or ministry matters that would be helpful and encouraging for all to read, especially young pastors and leaders coming up in the ministry.

I have often wondered, why? I know plenty of people who are experienced and bright. Why don't they write and use their gift to bless the life and ministry of others? Or more to the point, I want them to write and be used or God to make a difference for the advancement of the kingdom of God. I am not the greatest writer but I am committed to writing and by God's grace he will use my thoughts and experience to bless, encourage and equip others to do the same.

Tell me what you think. I would love to hear it!

DIGGING DEEP IN THE SECOND HALF

2013-03-27T14:05:00.002-04:00

I know that there are many things that distinguish a great team from a good or average team. This is blatantly obvious to anyone who watches carefully the unfolding of the NCAA college basketball tournament. While there are exceptions, there is a common thread that usually shows up in the play of the great teams. That thread is simply: know how to adjust in the second half of play.

Time and time again I have seen the lesser ranked team come out in the first half "blazing hot!" They shoot an incredibly high field goal percentage, make most if not all of their free throws, keep their turnovers low and commit few fouls. This often astounds the crowd. Many think that this is leading to a big upset. But, the coach of the great team knows not to panic.

The coach and players of the lesser ranked, but nevertheless ahead at half team, are excited. They can't believe in one sense how they have played. They are excited about the fact that they are ahead. They see no reason to adjust. They figure that if it worked in the first half that it will work fine in the second half. This is their first and biggest mistake.

The higher ranked, but behind at half time team does not panic. The coach knows that panicking will accomplish little. He knows his team and he knows that they can play better. He knows that they are experienced players and are capable of regrouping. He knows that they must adjust their level of play to deal with the poor play of the first half. He talks with his team about where they made their mistakes and tells them how they can and will need to do things to correct their errors. He encourages them to go out and play with passion and the skill that he already knows they have.

Recently, I was participating in a training event that focused on living the second half of our lives with purpose and integrity. We have all made mistakes but in the second half of our lives we can go our there and lives lives that are healthy and wholesome, and making a contribution to those we live with, work with and are going to meet.

The reality is that even if we have had a good first half, or a bad first half of our lives, we are called to and able to live an even more kingdom productive second half of our lives. This will require us to dig deeper into where we have been, think about where we are going and determine with whom we will take this journey. I believe, as I was told, that we can live an even better second half of our lives but first we must dig deep into our lives for the gold that God will give us and enable us to keep on living the way he desires.

A PHRASE FROM THE STAGE

2013-03-20T15:54:00.000-04:00

Over the past few years, I have given a great deal of time thinking about discipleship. During this time, one writer (disciple maker) shared a thought with me that has been very helpful and I want to share it with you.

Jim Putnam, author of the book "Real-Life Discipleship states that one of the ways they begin to identify where a person is in their faith journey is by listening to the way they talk. He is convinced that the more mature you are spiritually, the more maturely you speak. In essence, they listen for a "phrase from the stage." That is, if a person is spiritually immature, they talk one way, while a person that is mature speaks quite differently (infant-adult).

Over the past few weeks, I have been listening for this as I have spent a lot of time in churches and other Christian contexts. It's amazing to listen and try to get a handle on where one might be in their spiritual journey. As a disclaimer, let me say that Putnam nor am I saying that this is the only barometer for reading the faith stage of a given person, but it does help.

Obviously, our goal is to see people grow in their faith and begin to hear them speak differently. We want to see and hear people become more mature in their walk of faith. Not only do we want this for others, we want if for ourselves. How are you talking these days? From what stage does your phrase come from?

I'd love to hear from you and know what your experience has been when it comes to people speaking a "phrase from the stage.' Respond and let me know what you are hearing!

What do you think about that?

2012-11-22T11:42:00.000-05:00

Recently, while re-reading "The Cost of Discipleship" by Dietrich Bonhoeffer, which is no doubt a classic in Christian literature, I was struck by something the Bonhoeffer wrote. Don't misunderstand me, I was moved and challenged by many things he said, but this one stood out for some reason.

Without question, Bonhoeffer was transformed by the thought that Christ had forgiven him of his sins. He was also haunted by the thought that if Christ did this for him, to accept this forgiveness meant that he had to totally forfeit anything that might be considered something he could bring to the table, and give his entire commitment to following Christ.

This meant for Bonhoeffer that following Christ in this way was not just for the "holy" few, but for anyone that made the decision to accept Christ and follow him. Here's the paragraph that drove this truth home to me. It was born out of Bonhoeffer's own pilgrimage into the monastic experience.

Monasticism was represented as an individual achievement which the mass of the laity could not be expected to emulate. By thus limiting the application of the commandments of Jesus to a restricted group of specialists, the Church evolved the fatal conception of the double standard-a maximum and a minimum standard of Christian obedience.

As a result of this, I began to think about the way we go about pursuing discipleship in the context of the church. It's almost as if we present it as something that only a few can achieve or even pursue. The reality is that every believer must obey the call of Christ to follow him. It is not just a mental assent to his call but an all-out commitment and pursuit of Jesus Christ.

In Bonhoeffer's own words we hear, "Only he who believes is obedient and only he who is obedient believes." This is a powerful screen for those who claim that they are saved and have accepted the call of Christ upon their lives. This means that every believer must be obedient to Christ's call for them to follow him in a fully devoted life of discipleship.

I wonder, what would the church of today look like if we followed the simple truth set forth by Bohoeffer? Are you following it? If you believe, are you obedient? If you believe, truly believe, then according to this you are one who believes. I am wondering, what do you think?

Here's What I'm Thinking!

2012-08-13T10:45:00.002-04:00

I love the church. One cannot read the New Testament and miss out on the fact that God loves the church too! Throughout the Bible, prophets, teachers and leaders of all kinds, have a deep love for the church, the body of Christ. Okay, now that this is settled and we all agree. There's something else that has been on my mind and will not leave me. That is the matter of what the church stands for and the very thing that must be priority no #1, namely "making disciples!" All of us can quote Matthew 28:16-20 which records Christ's final words to his disciples on earth. These were the very last things he told them. Think about it, if you were about to tell someone the last words that you would ever utter on this earth, what would it be? Jesus chose to give his disciples a mandate, a command, that he expected them to obey. His love for them, motivated him to tell them that if you want to please me, then obey and tell others the good news about me and show them what it means to live in obedience to the things that are important to me. Then, you will truly be my disciples. As I look at the visible expression of the church in the world today, I get a lot of mixed messages. It really only takes a short while to figure out what's important once you enter the fellowship of a local church. Is it the maintenance of the building? Is it how much money we have in the bank? Is it how great of a worship team we have up front? Is it all about the pastor or other leaders in the church? Finding out the culture of the church really doesn't take a lot of digging to unearth. The question however that must be asked is a different one. We must ask whether or not the church is fully committed to doing what Christ told his disciples at his last meeting with them to do. We mus ask, and we must see if they are making disciples? Does the teaching reflect this priority? Do the leaders of the church model the biblical pattern of making disciples? Are the resources of the church used for this purpose? Is essence, is disciple making a priority in the church? I am not writing as one who knows how to do this perfectly. I am writing as one who believes that this must be our priority and one who knows that for many churches and believers in general, it is not. What then, must be done? First, I would suggest that we should get on our knees and repent from all of the wasted effort and time that we have spent on less worthy things, instead of making disciples. Next, we must return to the Word of God and make pour ourselves into the text of the Scriptures, making sure we understand this priority and know exactly how Christ, the one who gave us this mandate, made disciples. Finally, I suspect that we should read as much as we can from those who are ahead of us in this journey. For from those who have already seen this as important and are well on their way to making disciples, we can learn a great deal. In the end, I want to ask a very important question. Are people around you growing more like Christ due to the way you talk and act or are they not seeing it. Are they feeling the impact of someone who is deeply committed to living out Christ's command or are they simply around someone who calls themselves a believer but not living like one? Are you just pretending? I know for one, that I do not want to pretend, I want to be a disciple and I want to make disciples? How about You? For what it's worth, Here's what I'm Thinking!

Here's What I'm Thinking!

2012-06-29T13:18:00.001-04:00

For those of you who know me, you will know it's coming but for the unsuspecting person it may be a surprise. Based on the picture above, I have to say it, "Life is a balancing act." Okay, I warned you. When I hear those words, I am prompted to think of all the times in my own life when things seem to be out of balance. It's not always a problem that causes me to lean one way or another. Sometimes, it's due simply to the choices I have made. All of us are prone to go in one direction or another over perhaps a different way. The reality in the midst of this is that life is made up of a variety of things that we must keep in balance. We must keep our relationship with God in order. We must work on the relationships we have with other people, especially those that are closest to us. In a similar way, we need to have some balance with the people we meet who do not share our faith or perspective on life. In the end, we need to keep some kind of balance of all three and even more if we are going to prevent a dangerous lean in one direction or another. As I looked at the woman in the picture, I got the sense that she was good at taking in all that was going on around her, yet keeping a focus on the package that she was carrying on her head. She did not let the things around her distract her or the unevenness of her path to make her go astray. If you've never seen a sight like this, it is quite a sight. Amazingly, it is mostly women who carry these types of loads. And, very often, it is small women doing it. This is interesting because we sometimes are led to believe that big people carry the weight or move the load. My observation says the opposite. In my own life, I want to be able to live a life for the Lord that has a healthy balance in all that the Lord asks of me. An unhealthy focus on things that are in and of themselves good, can turn out to be to my own demise. Where are you today when it comes to living a life that has balance? Are you lopsided when it comes to serving the Lord. Are you consistent in your study of God's word but greatly lacking in terms of living out the truth of the Word with those around you? Perhaps it would be helpful for you and me to occasionally pause long enough to gather a reading on just how balanced we are and if needed, make the necessary adjustments. Next time you lean one way or another, recall this picture and ask the Lord to help you get back to a life that is balanced and acceptable in his sight.

Here's What I'm Thinking....

2012-06-11T18:55:00.000-04:00

Anyone who knows me very well, knows that I have spent a significant amount of time reading and studying the books of First and Second Timothy. In fact, I wrote my doctoral dissertation on a few verses from chapter four of 2nd Timothy. The words of the apostle Paul, written to his young apostolic delegate Timothy continue after all of these years to ring true in my ears. I never get tired of these books and the wisdom shared by Paul with his co-laborer, Timothy. Recently, while reading 2nd Timothy, chapter two and verses 1-2, I was struck not only with the importance of these words but the intentional spirit of Paul as he shared them. Here, Timothy was charged with not only remembering what he had learned over the years as he spent time with Paul, but to entrust these teachings/truths to reliable men who could in turn pass it on to others. "You then, my child..." are the words Paul used as he shared this with Timothy. While others spent their time doing this or that, he wanted Timothy to disciple or train those who shared the ministry of the church with him to do the same. What grabs my heart as I read these words is the way in which we too are supposed to model our ministries after these teachings, but how little evidence I see of it happening today. When I think of the DNA of many of our churches today, this style of intentional disciple-making is not on the radar. We spend much of our time preparing and presenting our programs and quite often miss out on the very core of what God wants us to be doing with our time, talent and treasures. In this text, we see four generations of transferring the gospel and its implications for our lives. How far does the truth of the gospel get passed down in your church? How many disciples are truly being made? How many disciples in your ministries actually making disciples who are making disciples? Here's what I'm Thinking! In many cases, we have missed what God really wants us to be doing. Are you a disciple? Are you making other disciples? What is the real DNA of your church and the ministry it is carrying out for the Lord? I don't know a lot but this one thing I do know, if we spend our time doing things other than making disciples in our lives and in our church ministries, we have missed the mark and the Lord is not pleased. In fact, it is disobedience. Can you live with that? I can't and I won't!

Here's What I'm Thinking!

2012-06-05T17:13:00.000-04:00

Just recently, I participated in an exercise where each of us were put into a scenario where we could be evaluated by our peers. For many it was a scary situation. The setting was entirely voluntary and yet it was for those who engaged in the exercise a very rewarding experience. One common thought among all of us was that within the Christian community, peer evaluation is not very common. More often than not, many of us are prone to continue down a path of acting like everything is okay. However, what we need is some form of 360 degree assessment that will help us continue down a road toward maturity and health on all levels. At the end of Paul's second letter to the Corinthians the believers in the Corinthian church were encouraged to "examine themselves" to see if they are of the faith (13:5) and to "test" themselves as to whether or not Jesus Christ was in them. WOW, if this is what they were being asked to do, what might God expect for us today? I know that it is not necessarily fun to get evaluated or critiqued by others, but in the end it could be the difference between living our lives in mediocrity or becoming all that God expects and desires for us. What will you choose? To whom will you turn to get a fair and helpful assessment of how you are doing or what you need to do to become more healthy in your efforts to live for Christ. I would love to hear from you and know what you are doing or at the least be able to pray for you.