One for the Road

The Math of Heaven

noreply@blogger.com (Bryan Plyler) — Sat, 23 Oct 2010 01:12:00 +0000

Ten years later, our third child is here. Someone wiser and funnier than me said: "If you want to hear God laugh, tell him your plans." She is our little surprise gift from God and my latest lesson from Him, too.

I'm human, really really human. And I''ve admitted more than once that I'm a stupid human at that. Some of you say "Amen" and I understand. It seems pretty stupid now, but just a matter of hours ago, something down deep in this stupid human wondered: "Can I possibly love another child the way I love the two I've had for 9 and 12 years respectively?" I think I asked the same question 9 years ago about my second child, my son, but I guess I'd forgotten the answer or at least the certainty of it. But that all changed when I saw Anna Grace. Then I heard her cry. Then I touched her skin. Then I held her. I loved her, like she'd always been here. I loved her like I had never not loved her. We all did. And we always will.

This was another opportunity for God to teach me an important lesson that applies to more than just loving and parenting our newest addition to the family. This is a lesson that I need to understand for every kind of relationship I might ever have. I think it's probably one that everyone who reads this can use, too.

We sometimes fear new relationships, fail to initiate them, or fail to fully engage in them because we are under the mistaken impression that in order to "add" love toward someone we will have to "subtract" it from somewhere else. Love operates by the math of heaven, not the math of men. It multiplies! It is not function of addition and subtraction!

I'm grateful that God gave me a new opportunity to love. I'm grateful that he gave me the same opportunity to BE LOVED! God had a Son already, yet he sent His Son so that we might become Sons too. Galatians 4:4-7 ESV says:

⁴But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, ⁵ to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. ⁶And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!" ⁷So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.

First, God multiplied His love toward me by giving His child for me in order to make me his child too. Wow! And now God multiplied His love toward me today by giving me another child to love! Wow! Thank you Lord!

The Ripple Effect Reaches Across the Globe

noreply@blogger.com (Bryan Plyler) — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 16:40:00 +0000

As we prepared to leave at 5am this morning for the village, one of our team members handed me a copy of a national Indian newspaper. Emblazoned in bold print was the following headline:

"US Koran Burnings Spark Violence in the (Kashmiri) Valley"

There are so many things that came to mind as I read that headline. Here are the ones that burn hot in me.

Why do some American Christians feel so proud of themselves for trading THE mission of helping others to see the truth of Christ for thumping their chests and thumbing their noses at those who don't believe in Jesus by doing things that just scream "I'm right"? Mind you, I'm convinced we are right about Jesus being the way and Islam not being the way, but is it my job to go around instigating a fight? Or is it my job to speak the truth in love? If people are offended by the Gospel, there's nothing I can do about that. But if they are kept from the Gospel because of my being arrogant, belligerent, or provocative, then their blood is on my hands before God.
Though it was truly a stupid thing for this pastor in Florida to threaten or hold a Koran burning and for others to copy the idea, was it really news worthy to report it? This is another example of the media making a story rather than reporting one. Shouldn't the media bare responsibility for knowing when it is wise or not wise to report something? Trust me, I believe in freedom of the press. I just don't think freedom has to preclude wisdom. The news media made a Mt. Everest out of a pimple.
Since I believe the Pastor bears the first responsibility in the whole matter, let me go back to him for all of our benefit. He should have considered that the smallest of actions, taken up by the enemy of God (Satan), can create huge ripple effects. If he had taken the time to think of the doors his actions would close for Gospel witness, would he have done it? I hope not. But he didn't think. We often suffer with this disease of underestimating the effects of small decisions and actions and/or of not thinking things through before we do them.

I am quite literally on the other side of the globe from the eastern US state of Florida. I am immersed among a billion people whose language I do not speak and most of whom do not understand English. Most importantly, it is a nation shrouded in spiritual darkness and whose people worship the millions of Hindu gods, the god of Islam, etc. and have not for the most part heard of the truth Himself, the one true God and savior of all people everywhere, Jesus Christ. This morning at 5am I found that many of them have been pushed a step farther from, not closer to the Gospel. By the actions of an obscure man on the other side of the globe whose name they do not know, whose language they don't understand and whose God they have not met, they have been offended--not by the Gospel, but by one who claims to represent it. We need to get clear on what our mission is, think about how best to carry it out, and consider our actions carefully before we open our mouths. Our earthly actions are meddling with eternity.

Touched Any Lepers Lately?

noreply@blogger.com (Bryan Plyler) — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 20:22:00 +0000

Every miracle of Jesus--like all the other things He did or said--tells us something about His heart that should be and will be reflected in the people who love and follow Him. Notice that Jesus' heart is reflected in what he did. Most church people, church leaders, and most churches could learn from that fact alone. My favorite of all of Jesus' miracles is recorded in Mark 1:40-45. Here's part of the story:

⁴⁰ And a leper came to him, imploring him, and kneeling said to him, "If you will, you can make me clean." ⁴¹Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, "I will; be clean." ⁴²And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean.

This encounter with the leper speaks volumes about the heart of our Lord. I'm afraid it may tell us just as much about our own hearts, too. But what it tells us may not be good.

Notice that in this story, there is no necessity for Jesus to touch the leper. In fact, to do so was not only going to be potentially yucky for him, it could be terribly inconvenient. This is because technically it was supposed to then make Jesus unclean, and this would quarantine and ostracize him from everyone. Jesus could just as easily have healed the leper by saying what he said without touching the man. BUT HE DIDN'T DO THAT. Jesus touched an unclean man, not because he had to, BUT BECAUSE HE WANTED TO. Do you think the leper didn't realize this? I do.

The problem with so many modern day so-called Christians, Christian leaders, and churches is that many are not willing to get their hands dirty, to inconvenience themselves, to sacrifice anything of significance in order to be used by God to impact someone in a life-changing way. Think about that. Can you describe Jesus this way? Thankfully, no! Jesus got his hands dirty with people's junk--even pierced and bloody. He inconvenienced Himself--left heaven, was born in a manger, lived as a poor carpenter, touched lepers, ate & hung out with screw-ups like us, etc.. He sacrificed everything--Hello! Remember the Cross? HE DIDN'T JUST HAVE TO DO THESE THINGS; HE WANTED TO!

If we are going to see God move in and through us, we have to be like Jesus. If we are going to be used powerfully to impact people whose lives are messy (& after all, ours were &/or are too!), we have to get our hands dirty, inconvenience ourselves, and sacrifice significantly. Even if we didn't have to, if we're at all like Jesus, shouldn't we / wouldn't we want to.

We say we want to see God work powerfully in our time. Some of us say that we want God to work through us, to use us powerfully. But do we really? I don't know who it was who said: "We need not pray for God to use us, rather that he would make us useful." The implication of course is that if we are useful, then God would be able to use us all he wants. God make us useful. Lord, if necessary, start by showing us how unlike you we really are.

More lessons from the leper later . . .

There can be only one!

noreply@blogger.com (Bryan Plyler) — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 14:42:00 +0000

So many times I've heard preachers quote the phrase "touch not the Lord's anointed" applying it to themselves as the anointed one. I've done it, at least in my mind. We make this application hoping to discourage/warn people against messing with us unfairly (since we see ourselves as leaders in the work of God's agenda). After all, the thought goes, it would be foolish to risk experiencing God's retaliatory justice on our behalf. There is some sense in which such an application might be extrapolated from God's word. But not as flippantly as we are prone to use it.

In 1 Chronicles 12, I believe there is a great reminder to every Christian leader who is quick to spout "touch not the Lord's anointed" in his own defense. Verses 16-22 caught my attention within the context of the whole chapter. Men came to David whom God had anointed KING while Saul was still technically in that office. They came from every tribe of Israel (even from the tribe of Saul himself) and from peoples outside Israel to "help" David and even from beyond the people of Israel. They did so because they could see that God's hand was on him and with him (v.18, etc.). They came over time "until there was a great army, like an army of God" (v.22).

As I journalled through this passage today, several things struck me:

God built an army to help his anointed (v.22)
This army was a diverse and heterogeneous group
I couldn't help but see a connection to Matthew 16:18 where Jesus said: "I will build my church" (emphasis mine).
The people of this growing army were loyal to God's anointed KING (v.18)
These people joined with David because they were motivated by the clear evidence of a movement of God (v.18)

But what struck me more than anything was the stark realization that I AM NOT THE LORD'S ANOINTED. I AM NOT A/THE KING. There is only one of those. The anointed was and still is God's King. Who is that? The same one for whom David is a mere foreshadowing. JESUS IS THE LORD'S ANOINTED KING. He is also the Lord of the church. My job is not to build an army of God or even an assembly (church) for Him. My job is to be loyal to Jesus, and like the mighty men who joined David, to see myself as one of his "helpers" (v.18) with him "to help him" (v.22).

No matter what position you occupy in the church, let's agree that there is only one "anointed one" and we ain't HIM!

Unwrap at Your Own Pace

noreply@blogger.com (Bryan Plyler) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 18:52:00 +0000

We all remember those times as a kid when we wanted to open or at least know what our gift was before we could open it. You know, those times when you’d try to sneak a peek inside the wrapping paper of the gifts under the Christmas tree or the birthday gifts your parents hid in the top of the closet. I’m more patient in waiting for my gifts these days. But I absolutely cannot stand to wait when I have a gift that I want to give to someone else. My wife has to make me keep her gifts until Christmas or until any other special day arrives on which I plan to give her a gift. That’s because the very moment I get her gift I can’t wait to give it to her so she can go ahead and use it, enjoy it.

Sometimes it’s the same way with preaching and teaching. This past Sunday was one great example. A smarter man than me would have had the forethought to teach for 3 weeks on Acts 16 because there are so many gifts wrapped up in the story of that passage, all of which are incredibly encouraging and helpful for life. But as a teacher, sometimes I get over-eager and want to give all the gifts at once, right now. I get so excited about helping people unwrap the gifts God has given them, use them and enjoy them that it’s hard to pick just one then wait to give the others next week. Since I dumped all of Acts 16 with all of its wonderful gifts on folks in one sitting last week…more than most people can unwrap and carry with them at one time, I thought it would be good to give them again in a form that you can unwrap at your own pace. Use them all. Enjoy them all. And take some time to find the ones still tucked away in the passage. I'm sure there are more, but here are some that we touched on:

1. God tends to steer moving vessels

Paul was actively searching out God’s will, not passively sitting still until he understood perfectly the next 10 steps he was supposed to take. In Proverbs 3:5-6, we are told “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your path straight.” God will bend your road where it needs to go if you are genuinely seeking Him and His will. Or as in Paul’s case, God will redirect you: “You’re cold. No, getting colder…let me give you a hint”. This seems to be what he did for Paul.

2. We can assume that the needs of people, especially their calls for us to come and help, are also God’s command for us to GO AND SHARE CHRIST WITH THEM.

The man in Paul’s vision said “come over to Macedonia and help us” and Paul and his fellow laborers “conclud(ed) that God had called us to preach the Gospel to them”

3. Act NOW on what you know for sure of God’s will

“Immediately” after Paul had the vision and understood it to be God’s call to go and preach in Macedonia, “(they) sought to go on into Macedonia”

We spend so much time waiting on what we do not know before moving, when God in all likelihood is waiting on us to act on what He has shown us before revealing the next steps.

Knowing God's will for sure can be tricky if you don't know how to discern it. Soon you will be able download from www.riverchurchonline.com a "checklist" that I have used for discerning God's will in every major decision of my life over the last 10 years.

4. God’s will for you is not mutually exclusive of intense suffering

Paul obeyed God’s call to go to Macedonia and share the good news of Jesus. As a result, Lydia and her whole household believed in Jesus (and with her family & trade connections in Thyatira would take the Gospel to Asia where Paul had been prevented from going). In addition to Lydia and her household, an exploited slave girl who was in bondage to a demonic spirit was freed. All of these are incredible God-sized results! Nevertheless, obeying God’s command and being an instrument of God’s love still landed Paul and Silas in the hands of angry magistrates and an angry mob who stripped them, beat them, and threw them in the bowels of a jail and placed them in stocks.

5. THE SWEET SPOT OF LIFE IS THE CENTER OF GOD’S WILL NOT THE CENTER OF FAVORABLE CIRCUMSTANCES!

Beaten, bloodied, naked, and bruised while in stocks in the bowel s of a Philippian prison, Paul and Silas began to pray and sing! It surely was not because they were masochists who loved being beaten and abused and placed in chains! It was because they were in the center of God’s will! They could rejoice in what God was doing in and through them—Lydia’s whole household had come to know Jesus, a slave girl was free of a demon—THEY WERE IN THE SWEET SPOT!

Furthermore, when an earthquake opened the prison doors and broke loose the stocks that held them in bondage in the prison, Paul and Silas did not bolt through the door interpreting it as a windfall for them to be relieved of their discomfort. Why? Because they were in the center of God’s will. Therefore, why would they leave?

We tend to look for joy and happiness in situations that are comfortable, convenient, and pleasant, but Paul and Silas had joy that most modern Christians don’t know—joy that sings in dark smelly prison cells, from lips swollen by beatings—joy that transcends circumstance.

6. “Suffering is God’s megaphone”—C.S. Lewis

It’s not that God speaks louder to us when we are suffering. Perhaps to us, our own suffering might be said to be our hearing aid, helping us to listen for God and hear him like we were not able or willing to hear him before. But through our suffering, if like Paul and Silas we are singing and not complaining, God shouts to people around us who see where we are and hear our songs!

Acts 16:25 not only tells us that Paul and Silas were singing, but “the prisoners were listening to them”. Are you going through something difficult, something painful? People are listening to you. What are they hearing? A song? Or a complaint?

As a result of their song and their staying when they could have escaped perhaps, the jailer and his entire household came to hear of and believe in Jesus!

Afterwords--Take Off Your Prison Clothes

noreply@blogger.com (Bryan Plyler) — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 20:22:00 +0000

"This is the end, but for me it is the beginning of life." These were the words Dietrich Bonhoeffer spoke to an English officer and fellow prisoner as two men arrived to lead him away on the day before he was executed. Bonhoeffer had previously written, "When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die."

The prison doctor later wrote of observing him on the day of his execution, "Through the half-open door of a room in one of the huts I saw Pastor Bonhoeffer, still in prison clothes, kneeling in fervent prayer to the Lord his God. The devotion and evident conviction of being heard that I saw in the prayer of this intensely captivating man, moved me to the depths."

Long before that early morning when he was ordered to strip naked and walk to the gallows where he would be hanged for his participation in the resistance movement against Hitler's Nazi regime, Bonhoeffer had already laid down his life. Being stripped of his prison clothes, facing injustice, facing death itself was not nearly so daunting for a man who had already crossed what Craig Groeschel calls the Third Line of Faith. That's the line where one moves past loving Christ enough to benefit from Him (1st Line) or even contribute comfortably to Him (2nd Line) to loving Him enough to lay down your life and follow Him where he has already gone...to death.

What do you need to be stripped of? What prison clothes are you desperately holding on to? Are you willing to take off those things peacefully, calmly, willingly...even joyfully as Bonhoeffer did, and make your way naked to the gallows with Christ? What part of your life are you still "leading" rather than simply following Christ? Cross the Third Line.

The Leader's Trap

noreply@blogger.com (Bryan Plyler) — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 17:35:00 +0000

The most dangerous temptation for a Christian leader may be the temptation to focus on leading others rather than following Christ (cf. John 21:17-19). Whether you are a pastor, a parent, or just a peer to people you work with, it's easy to give all your attention to where others are in their journey, where they need to be, and how you can get them from one point to the other. But in doing so, it's possible to lose sight of where you stand yourself--in relation to the footsteps of Christ.

If we follow hard after Christ, we will find ourselves mingling with people who need leadership--not so much ours but Christ's. And it will be our following Him that they follow, not our pointing the way. People need models not pointers. Isn't that funny when you think about it? In focusing on leading you can stop following, but if you focus on following, you will be a leader.

"Be imitators of me as I am of Christ"

(Paul the Apostle) 1 Corinthians 11:1, etc.

Easter After-words

noreply@blogger.com (Bryan Plyler) — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 19:16:00 +0000

Wow! What a day! So many new faces that I couldn't keep up with them all. As I stood at the back of the room today, I remembered what it was like to have 30-40 people in attendance almost 4 years ago...today there were 263! And those weren't just nameless faces; everyone of them has a story and every one of them was connected to someone without whom they never would have come to The River Church.

Some of the stories in the room today:

A long time professing agnostic who is having his assumptions challenged by seeing real people live out a real relationship with Christ...and welcome him to journey with them
Students who came with friends to hear great news while their moms and dads slept
Multiple people who once assumed that they were doomed to live in bondage to addiction forever, but are now experiencing freedom and real life in the risen Christ
People who have been broken by divorce who are experiencing healing in relationship with the one who will never leave them
Households who spent years immersed in man-made religion and are now getting to know the simple truth of the genuinely good news that forgiveness is free to those who receive what Jesus already purchased

263 stories...For some of them, Jesus hasn't yet come to play a pivotal role. But He will. For others, Jesus has already become the pivotal "switch" in their story who turns things from dark to light.

Desperation: Mother of Invention & Prerequisite to Change

noreply@blogger.com (Bryan Plyler) — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 16:03:00 +0000

Desperation, not necessity, is the mother of invention. Food is necessary, but it's famine that makes you figure out new ways to get it. For proof of my theory, look no further than the neti pot. Popularized by Oprah and Dr. Oz (& heck no this is not an endorsement of Oprah!), the neti pot is a little "teapot" you can buy in any pharmacy which is used to clean your sinuses by irrigating them with saline solution.

It's not the pot itself but the procedure that looks so strange. The very idea is one that neither has nor would ever--EVER--occur to me (pouring water into one side of my nose and allowing it to drain out the other with the help of a long-necked little teapot, that is). But with the onslaught of pollen, the prospect of my head exploding from sinus pressure, and the raving of others who swear by it. I thought "Why not?" Long story short...it seems to have worked. But that got me thinking...

I had the testimonies of friends I trust who'd used the neti pot successfully before me. Hey, we all had the endorsement of Queen O and Dr. Oz, right? But here's the question, how desperate was the first person who decided to wash out his nose and sinuses with some saline solution and the help of his long-necked teapot? That dude or lady had some kind of headache. He or she was desperate for a change, for the sinus problems to go away. Really, really desperate! Desperation led to the unthinkable...what would never have been considered before. And what do you know? It worked!

How desperate are you for change? Are you willing to try something previously unthinkable? Are you willing to try something right in front of you in a whole new way (i.e.--teapot for a nasal rinser)? The solution may be right in front of you...maybe you're just not desperate enough...yet.

Quote to Note

noreply@blogger.com (Bryan Plyler) — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 12:43:00 +0000

This week's "Quote to Note" is once again from Mark Batterson's Wild Goose Chase. In fact, Mark dropped a couple of hammers on me this week (I'm sharing another one on Easter Sunday as we kick off "Switch"). Here's one to chew on for now:

"...spiritual maturity has less to do with long-range visions than it does with moment-by-moment sensitivity to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. And it is our moment-by-moment sensitivity to the Holy Spirit that turns life into an everyday adventure."

Sure we have to know where we're headed in life, what we're trying to accomplish. But can we be honest? Many of us stick a goal on the horizon and then make it our idol. We become so focused on that goal that we stop paying attention to God. If it's a God-given vision, we'll get there. But God may very well have a meandering course planned for you along the way that sends you to places, experiences, and people that you did not anticipate. That's adventure! And that's far better than the tunnel-visioned course we tend to set for ourselves. If we are so focused on our long-range goal that we are ignoring God's voice in this moment, we may very well miss a turn--and miss an adventure God has planned for us and others! God is just as concerned about our journey with him as He is the destination.

"The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps"

Proverbs 16:9 ESV

"A man’s steps are from the LORD; how then can man understand his way?"

Proverbs 20:24 ESV

We have a tendency to find comfort in some point of certainty in the future. We want the 1,000,000 candle power Q-beam view of what's coming. But God wants us to walk with him now in the soft glowing lamplight that illuminates only one step beyond where our feet are now, that illuminates His heels so we can follow close.

"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path."

Psalm 119:105 ESV

Don't focus so much on the horizon that you lose sight and sound of the one you are following. Listen close and follow closer.

After-words

noreply@blogger.com (Bryan Plyler) — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 01:15:00 +0000

I had to run out immediately after our Sunday AM celebration this morning to attend the SC Science Fair awards ceremony for my daughter in Columbia (And yes, that was a shameless proud parent plug for Hannah who received 3rd Place in the Engineering Division as well as the US Navy and Marine Corp Distinguished Achievement Award for Science). As a result of bugging out so quickly I missed one of my favorite parts of Sundays. I missed hanging out afterward talking to people, listening to their stories, finding out how God is at work in their lives, hearing how the day's message impacted them. I missed the "After-words" that come afterwards. Here are mine for this week...

I'm really jacked up about seeing more people and new faces step up and contribute each week--greeting people, helping with children, running sound and video, playing an instrument, setting up and tearing down our "church in a box" operation. Thanks to all the people getting involved and especially to those who are helping others find a place of significance.

Our children's ministry gets better every week thanks to great servant leaders--Thanks Denee and Lisa! Both of my children, independently and without being prompted, thanked God today for having so much fun at church. And they did that while being taught Biblical Principles. Cynthia Rabon, you rock! Thanks for loving my children, preparing so well to teach them and helping them to have fun in the process of discovering God.

Another person discovered during the course of this past week that even though we live in the "Bible Belt", there are people around us every day who literally have no idea who Jesus is or what he means to them today. Thanks Martin for stepping into the void for someone in your workplace. God is using you, and you are watching a broken life become a trophy of grace right before your eyes. Keep reaching for "people in trees".

I can't wait until next week to hear how loud our voices are heard this week as we couple Obedience with our profession!

Quote to Note

noreply@blogger.com (Bryan Plyler) — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 22:33:00 +0000

Thanks to the helpful goading of some of you reading this, I'm back in the blog saddle again. This will be my first of weekly blogs on quotes that grabbed me by the throat, the funny bone, the heart, or maybe the knoggin. Some may be from books I'm reading, like the one that follows, or from the news, or from a friend, or from who knows where else. I hope they grab you too.

I ran across this week's quote to note in Wild Goose Chase by Mark Batterson. It's actually a quote from Peter Marshall, former chaplain of the US Senate and was originally printed in his book Mr. Jones, Meet the Master :

"I wonder what would happen if we all agreed to read one of the Gospels until we came to a place that told us to do something, then went out to do it, and only after we had done it, began reading again? There are aspects of the Gospel that are puzzling and difficult to understand. But our problems are not centered around the things we don't understand, but rather in the things we do understand, the things we could not possibly misunderstand. Our problem is not so much that we don't know what we should do. We know perfectly well, but we don't want to do it."

Can you envision how different our lives, our families, our communities would be if we started practicing--putting into action--what we know to be true? If we stopped using what we don't know as an excuse for passivity? I'd love to hear your stories over the coming weeks of what happens as you and I take Mr. Marshall's challenge.

They're Here!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Bryan Plyler) — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 05:53:00 +0000

Our new additions have arrived. I haven't been this excited since Christmas Mornng when I was four or five years old. I didn't even realize that I loved my dog this much. What a sap, right?
"Lady" has delivered 10 puppies (an eleventh pup was stillborn), all are black, 5 girls, 5 boys. As you can see in the picture above, and as you would expect, mama was very tired but doing well. She is patiently nursing all 10 of her kids, cleaning them and nuzzling them constantly.
The puppies are the cutest things I have ever seen in my life! Each one fits in my hand, and their paws are so tiny that they won't even cover the tip of my pinky finger. Their tiny little whines, cries, and yelps are the sweetest sounds I've heard since my kids were babies. Watching them nurse and hearing their little suckling noises is amazing.
Finally, to watch how Lady instinctively cares for her children so carefully, gently, and beautifully leaves me in wonder of how God has made her--filled with all the knowledge she needed. It really is an inspiring wonder of creation!

Follow Your Heart...Are You Kidding Me?

noreply@blogger.com (Bryan Plyler) — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 22:28:00 +0000

There are few phrases used in our culture as often or with such romanticized zeal as the oh so ubiquitous phrase "Follow your heart". Undoubtedly you've heard it more than you can count and probably said it more than you care to admit, too. OK...I admit it...I've used it myself. I meant well when I did, as you no doubt did when you mouthed the phrase. It's not that the phrase is so darn cliche that makes it so bad. The problem is that, generally speaking, "Follow your heart" is just plain bad advice.

The hopeless romantic part of you may now be screaming "How dare he say that!" but hopefully the more rational and curious part of you simply wonders "Why would he say that?" Well, here's the simple answer for all of you from the pen of Jeremiah and the mind of God himself:

"The heart is deceitful above all things,
and desperately sick" (Jeremiah 17:9)

If our hearts are so messed up, then it seems obvious that following them is not very wise at best and pretty dumb and dangerous at worst. But there is a much wiser alternative to following your heart...LEAD IT INSTEAD!

"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also"
(Matthew 6:21)

Contrary to what you might have heard. Your heart will follow your investment. Whatever you start to invest your time, energy, effort, resources, and relationship into will become something you actually care about. Try it and see.

Hammers that Shaped Me (Part 4)

noreply@blogger.com (Bryan Plyler) — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 19:57:00 +0000

There are a couple of other statements that have impacted me, but none of them nor even the ones I've shared in previous blogs messed me up as much as this one. It's a wake-up call to every church leader and every Christian. It's a challenge to for us all to consider whether we've gotten our ministry priorities out of order.

“It’s not that the Church has a mission; it’s that the Mission has a Church.” —Alan Hirsch, author of The Forgotten Ways

Long before there was a church, even before there was an Israel, there was a missionary God. When Adam and Eve sinned in the garden, the missionary God came to find them. His purpose in choosing a nation to serve him, His purpose in sending his prophets and giving his Word, His purpose in sending His Son, and his purpose in sending the church as ambassadors of His Son were all missionary in nature. The church is the means to His end. The end is the Mission--reconciling people who are far from God to Him.

Hammers that Shaped Me (Part 3)

noreply@blogger.com (Bryan Plyler) — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 18:27:00 +0000

Every living thing reproduces. At least that's true if it's healthy. It's true of microorganisms, plants, fungi, animals, and humans. But we Christians aren't reproducing at a rate (at least in the US) that is even keeping pace with population growth. For those of you who are sleeping, I don't mean we're not having babies! What I'm talking about is that we are not producing new disciples.

Could it be that we are too hung up on information and not application in our own lives? Could it be that we are way too busy spreading what we claim to know, rather than bearing fruit of what we actually are? Listen to a hammer from Pastor Wayne Cordeiro, the founding pastor of New Hope Christian Fellowship of Oahu, leader of a global church planting ministry, and author of a number of books including The Divine Mentor :

“You can teach what you know, but you can only reproduce what you are.”

- Wayne Cordeiro

Hammers that Shaped Me (Part 2)

noreply@blogger.com (Bryan Plyler) — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 03:07:00 +0000

Peter wanted to know what Jesus had in store for John (John 21)...the disciples wanted to know if the time had come for Israel to be restored to prominence (Acts 1)...people still ponder today over questions like "Why pray if God is going to do His will anyway?", "What will be the exact timeline of the end of time?" and "How does God's choosing us jive with our choosing him?" The bottom line is that we tend to obsess over things that shouldn't take up so much of our attention. We focus over and over on how God is going to do His job while our job gets left largely unattended, whether that's praying, sharing the love of Christ with people, making disciples, etc. The simple truth is...

"You can't do God's part; He won't do yours"--Unknown

We need to spend our energy doing what God has called us to do and learning the things about Him that empower us to carry out His purpose for us, rather than spending all our energy and time trying to micromanage God. He's not going to do our job for us after all, and he doesn't need us to do His.

Hammers that Shaped Me (Part 1)

noreply@blogger.com (Bryan Plyler) — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 18:12:00 +0000

Over the last 16 years of my journey with Christ, there are a handful of "Hammers" or statements that have stuck with me or shaped me somehow. They are observations, quips, or quotes from mentors, heros, and others who have poured into my life in some way--whether they knew it or not. In a couple of cases, these "hammers" are observations or statements I've made that arose from what someone else wrote or said. Maybe you've been impacted already by some of them too, and if not, maybe you will be. They may not be original to the person I heard them from, but I'll tell you who told me anyway. I'd love to hear about "hammers" that shaped you and/or how these impact you. Here's hammer number with more to follow...

"You don't learn your way to Christ-likeness; you obey your way to Christ-likeness"

(Dr. Bill Bennett of Mentoring Men for the Master, Wilmington, NC)

Confessions, Celebrations, and Lessons from a Loser

noreply@blogger.com (Bryan Plyler) — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 20:41:00 +0000

Ok, I admit it...I'm a loser. I said I'd do multiple stories on Guatemala...but I've changed my mind. Partially because I told the story that messed me up the most on my last post. It's hard to go back to the appetizers after you've already served the dessert. So forgive me if I've let anyone down...there may be more later on developments in G'mala but for now I'm moving on.

To all 4 of you reading this I also admit I'm a loser for not blogging in a while. But I swore I'd make blogging a fun thing, a good tool, not a time gulper. I'm trying to only blog when I've got something to share or celebrate...and with that in mind...

I'm a loser in another way...Inspired by (1) Dino Sinesi who is half the man he used to be a couple of years ago (literally) as well as more recently (2) by my father-in-law, Jerry Noland, who is getting healthy and 50 pounds lighter to date, and (3) by the fact that I'm 40 pounds heavier than when I got married and 10 heavier than 2 years ago, I too have become a Weight Watcher. I've lost close to 10 pounds but more importantly I've found a system I can live with and be healthier through for the rest of my life.

Here's what this "loser" has learned...(maybe it'll help some of you or someone you know)

I now know that I really eat because I love food not because I need it (watch out all you folks who--like me--don't drink, don't smoke, but replace them with food as your vice)
I've learned that "Full" for me was "If I eat one more bite I will not feel well" rather than "I don't need more".
I eat really fast so I tend to eat more than I need before my body chemistry has time to change and tell me that I'm full
I ate way more and way worse than I ever realized before I started writing down what I eat.
The first week was the hardest part of change (Day 3 and 4 I would have killed to eat as much and as badly as I used to), but 3 weeks later I'm enjoying what I'm eating and I'm satisfied--all while eating much less and much healthier.
I'll be dealing with my food issues the rest of my life--just like folks who deal with alcohol, drugs, etc. It's not a short term thing for me anymore...it has to be for the long haul.

If I can do this anyone can...trust me!

Guatemala Stories (Part 1)

noreply@blogger.com (Bryan Plyler) — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 19:16:00 +0000

I have so many great stories to tell, but no one wants to read a long blog. So I decided I'd share one story per blog for a few days. Pictured here is Todd's 15 year old daughter, Lauren. I'm not sure of the name of the little girl in the picture with Lauren or that it is the girl from the story I'm about to tell you. But this is one story that is worth a 1000 pictures.

While playing with some kids one day, almost all of whom are barefoot in ragged clothes they've worn for a few days and dirty, Lauren grabbed some wet wipes and began to wipe the face and hands of one of the little girls, washing away layers of dirt in the process.

When Lauren had finished cleaning her up, the little girl petitioned Lauren through a language barrier for another wipe. No problem...trust me we had wipes! But instead of cleaning herself further...the little girl took the wipe over to another one of her playmates and began to wipe the grime off of that child. She repeated this several times.

Lauren doesn't speak Spanish well (though she probably understands some), so she hadn't given her any instructions. But the little girl saw what Lauren did for her, to her, and intuitively shared that with others around her. Do you think there may be a lesson there for those of us who have had the experience of being picked up by Jesus, placed on his lap, and then being lovingly cleansed of all our layers of filth? It took more than a wet wipe for him. I think there may be several lessons, don't you?

The week in preview

noreply@blogger.com (Bryan Plyler) — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 02:25:00 +0000

Guatemala is a place of incredible natural beauty and yet inconceivable poverty. It's a place where the Catholic church is inseparable from the people's cultural identity and still a place where most of the people are far from God and for whom the Jesus of the Bible is a complete stranger.

This coming Saturday, June 7, Lisa and I will be heading to Guatemala for a week with 19 others to help with a medical clinic in a rural village near the Pacific Coast. I'm really excited that I'll be able to share in Lisa's first mission trip experience. This trip will be the longest period of time she's ever been away from our kids. That's a step of faith in and of itself for her.

For the next few days, its a mad rush to get some things accomplished before we leave . . . pick up some last minute supplies, pack for the trip, get the kids to their grandparents in Wilmington, NC, etc.

Tuesday--sharing with students at "Blast with a Fast" here in Camden

Thursday--I get to hang out with Chris Ruppe, Dino Senesi, Neal McGlohon (aka: "MC Hammer"), Jay Hardwick and some others at Cypress Project in Rock Hill

The Perfect Day

noreply@blogger.com (Bryan Plyler) — Tue, 27 May 2008 05:26:00 +0000

Perfect day...

Woke up well rested beside the woman of my dreams
Heard God speak to me in His word this morning
Watched my kids' face light up as I surprised them in the lunch room to take them out of school early, then watched them laugh, splash and play in a friend's pool, and in our dog Lady's bath water.
Had a picnic in the park with good friends and charcoal fired meat (insert grunt here... thanks for bringing the grill Chris!)
Heard God speak to me again in His word at the end of the day (wasn't even in a devotional time!...I'm not nearly spiritual enough to have 2 in one day!)
Lying down beside the woman of my dreams to close the day out
Enjoyed the freedom to do all of the above and tell you about it because men like my dad, my grand-dad, my step-dad, my father-in-law, my neighbor, several friends, and thousands of strangers I'll never know and who will never know me gave their time, blood, sweat, and tears...and in many cases their lives to protect me, my family, and our freedom.

Thank you Lord! Yet another day when I got far more than I deserved...

Quick on the Draw

noreply@blogger.com (Bryan Plyler) — Wed, 21 May 2008 18:06:00 +0000

In the old John Wayne flick "The Sons of Katie Elder" , there's a scene in which an overeager deputy is loading his gun to go bring in Tom Elder (played by Dean Martin) whom he hates. The wise, peacekeeping sheriff warns the deputy to do it reluctantly.

I am a lot like that deputy. Not only am I quick to load my gun...all too often, I keep one in the chamber ready to fire...when it comes to angry words that is. "Impulsive listening" and "impulsive patience" are phrases that seem so oxymoronic to my existence that they make me laugh briefly before the shameful realization sets in that these tools are seldom found in my saddle bags. I'm quick to shoot first and ask questions later when I'm angry--especially when I don't fear reprisal (like with my kids or my wife).

The thing is that when you shoot first and listen later, there's just so much blood! Angry words are like bullets--they're painful, destructive and deadly. On the other hand, no one ever died because of a drive-by listener. No police report has ever been filed because of a random act of patience. No family ever split up after complaints such as "All you ever do is listen to me!" or "You're so stinkin' patient with me! I just can't take it any more!" That's because listening and patience are always constructive and productive, while my anger is nearly always destructive and counterproductive. God already knew that of course...just read James 1:19-20. I want to be "quick on the draw" but not with angry words...with a listening ear and patience instead.

Between the Ears of Crazy Bill

noreply@blogger.com (Bryan Plyler) — Thu, 15 May 2008 01:44:00 +0000

I planned to go "light" this post and do something totally whimsical and fun and not terribly deep, or even spiritual. But doggone it, my bud Bobby "The Bobbage" Austin in Clayton NC (www.wellspringcommunity.com/) messed up my plans a bit by turning me on to Tim Melton's blog and the poem he's posted. I just had to share the experience with you!

Not long ago we shared a message on the Gerasene Demoniac called "The Power of Story" (Mark 5) and I wish I'd known then about Tim Melton's first person look into the mind of the man with a 1000 demons. Check it out for yourself at sacrosanctgospel.wordpress.com. In spite of the author's recommendation, I suggest you read the poem first before listening to the audio track of "Crazy Bill" that Tim has provided. It'll mess you up whether you think you need it or not. Thanks "Bobbage" for sharing...and thanks especially to Tim!

Innoculated but still Sick, What now?

noreply@blogger.com (Bryan Plyler) — Sat, 10 May 2008 14:32:00 +0000

The question of the hour for this "post bible belt" missionary:

How do we relate to / deal with the "innoculated"?
When you get a measles shot, they inject into you a weakened, dead version of the measles bug. Your body develops antibodies so that when you encounter the full strength, "real" measles you aren't impacted by it. You have been innoculated against measles.

So many in the Southeast have been innoculated against the Gospel. They've had just enough of a dead, dying, weak version of the Gospel that they are oblivious to the real, full strength version. They see themselves as Christ followers but are missing the transformation that follows an encounter with the "real" Gospel--a Gospel full of Christ. They've had their shot of religion.

The folks I'm particularly concerned about are not antagonists--like the antagonistic religious leaders that Jesus faced. They are merely apathetic for anything more than nominal Christianity. As a missionary in the Bible Belt, what do we do with these people? I don't have the answers...yet...but I know it's a question that we Bible-belt missionaries, church planters, and church leaders have to wrestle with. What do you think?