Revitalize Your Church

Vibrant Ministry for the Long Haul

2012-01-27T06:00:00.000-06:00

"After more than four decades in active ministry my enthusiasm is undiminished. I'm not tired or burned out, or discouraged. In fact, I love ministry more today than ever before. As long as God gives me stregth I plan to walk through every door He opens and to do everything He calls me today. I'm not looking for a place to stop, just for wisdom and guidance to do all the Lord puts before me!"
-- Richard Exley

(HT Al Prentice)

What Do You Really Need to Know?

2012-01-26T06:00:00.000-06:00

Mark Roberts' take on a fascinating New York Times piece by Harvard president, Lawrence Summers, What You (Really) Need to Know. What are the implications for church ministry and discipleship?

Blessings in Disguise

2012-01-25T14:13:00.002-06:00

The early Salvation Army officer, Samuel Brengle, was preaching on a

Boston street corner, when a young hoodlum attacked him by throwing a brick. The blow to Brengle’s head caused severe injury, which threatened his very life.

Laid up for eighteen months, Brengle was unable to perform his duties. Housebound, he could not accomplish important tasks, and felt totally useless.

But Brengle lived by this principle: when life throws you lemons, make lemonade!

Attempting to redeem time during his housebound recuperation, he began to write a few articles to encourage people in their faith. To his surprise, the articles were published.

This launched a splendid writing career, which led to the publication of eight books with over a million copies sold. In fact, today, Samuel Brengle is known far more as the writer of books than a preacher of sermons.

Looking back on that painful ordeal, Brengle realized there was an unexpected blessing in the brick that had been hurled at him, stating, “No brick, no book!”

Similarly, John Bunyan was imprisoned for nearly twelve years in the Bedford jail because of his unbending religious convictions. This confinement caused tremendous strain and heartache for him and his family, but in those years of captivity, he wrote Pilgrim’s Progress, widely known as one of the most significant works of English literature.

Leonard Ravenhill was a pretty good preacher, until he was seriously injured after leaping from a burning building. The recovery was a long painful process.

Like Brengle and Bunyan, Ravenhill wrote in his confinement, and became a powerful voice of conscience for church leaders around the world.

No brick, no book.

No jail, no book.

No fire, no book.

Sometimes, the greatest blessing comes in the most painful disguise.

Conversations in Effective Children's Ministry

2012-01-25T06:00:00.001-06:00

Jeremy Mavis is posting a fascinating series of reflections on a Children's Ministry White Paper by Daug Paul from Eicon Community Church. (the paper is found here)

Jeremy is responding to each of the ten sections in Paul's paper, and it's really good stuff

It All Starts with Discipleship
Children’s Ministry Research
Parents as the Primary Disciplers of their Children
How People Learn
Role of the Church
What We Want Our Kids to Know
How We Will Do Children’s Ministry
The Church Equips
Parents Disciple Their Kids
What If the Parents Aren’t Christians?

Patch the Sidewalk

2012-01-24T06:53:00.000-06:00

A few years ago, our church board's annual vision strategy meeting didn't go too well. We talked around a dozen issues but ended up making only one momentuous decision:

Patch the Sidewalk!

Merits of a laying a new sidewalk vs patching the old one were discussed at length. Strong opinions were expressed from both sides. After a long, circular debate, frugality won the day.

Looking back, I sure wish I had led that meeting towards a more inspiring end.

Imagine, standing before the congregation the next Sunday with this important announcement:

"Brothers and sisters, last Thursday our church board discussed how we're going to fight evil, stir revival, win the lost, multiply disciples, transform the community, and change the world. After much deliberation, our first bold step is to patch the sidewalk!"

In the months that followed, I wondered why my board members seemed less than enthusiastic.

Here's a valuable lesson from that experience:

Church boards are meant to tap into God's great adventure -- His mission to bring hope and holiness to the neighbors and nations. Board meetings should major on the majors and minor on the minors.

In the absence of compelling vision, we end up slogging away in trivialities.

Tebow, Rodgers and the Christian Faith

2012-01-23T06:00:00.000-06:00

As a pastor, I like Tim Tebow. He obviously is on the Jesus side, and uses every opportunity to let his little light shine.

His repeated last minute comeback performances for the Denver Broncos seemed almost miraculous at times. Their overtime wildcard victory was somewhat like the plot of the movie, “Angels in the Outfield”, especially when people noticed his 316 stats (316 passing yards, and 31.6 yards per completion), which brought to mind Tebow’s keynote Bible verse, John 3:16.

The practice of “Tebowing” has spread across the nation. Pictures of various people in the famous Tebow prayer posture are posted at www.tebowing.com. In fact, I’ve heard that some folks are even getting tebow tattoos.

Closer to home, one of the shepherds discreetly tebowed in our congregation’s Christmas pageant. I got a kick out of that!

I’ve noticed that Tim Tebow elicits strong reactions from people. They either love him or hate him. People tend to refer to him as St. Timothy, or to vilify him as some intolerant bigot.

Now, I’ve never seen anything that Tebow has said or done publically that warrants the kind of vitriol and mockery he has endured. He strikes me as a very positive, definite, exuberant Christian – and a loud one at that.

And maybe that’s where the rub is. I happen to like positive, definite, exuberant, loud Christians – but not everybody shares my opinion.

This brings me to another NFL quarterback, who also is a strong believer in Jesus Christ: Aaron Rodgers.

Rodgers, like Tebow, takes the Bible seriously, knows Jesus as his Savior, believes in prayer, and lives with a holy mission. There is one major difference between them when it comes to matters of faith: Tebow is noisy and Rodgers is quiet about it.

At appropriate moments, I’ve heard Rodgers give testimony to his Christian faith. For the most part, he lives by the adage of St. Francis, “Preach Christ at all times, and when necessary, use words.”

From everything I know about him, Rodgers’ faith is just as strong and real as Tebow’s. He just doesn’t flaunt it as much.

I think this approach works much better in engaging people who don’t understand where noisy Christians come from.

My bottom line conclusion from this is that it takes all kinds of Christians to reach all kinds of people. Some (like me) are deeply inspired by Tebow’s dramatic expressions of faith on the field. Others are deeply annoyed by his antics. So for them, there’s Rodgers!

Small Town Pastor

2012-01-22T06:50:00.002-06:00

I invite you to check out this delightful blog by Marcus Lynn, packed with humor and inspiration: Small Town Pastor

The Bible Lives!

2012-01-21T09:52:00.000-06:00

The Bible -- It Lives!

By O. Wood (The Bible Friend)

Adapted by Mark O. Wilson

Generations follow generations – yet it lives.

Nations rise and fall – yet it lives.

Kings, dictators, presidents come and go – yet it lives.

Torn, condemned, burned – yet it lives.

Hated, despised, cursed – yet it lives.

Doubted, suspected, criticized – yet it lives.

Scoffed at by scorners – yet it lives.

Exaggerated by fanatics – yet it lives.

Misconstrued and misstated – yet it lives.

Ranted and raved about – yet it lives.

Its inspiration denied – yet it lives.

Yet it lives – as a lamp to our feet.

Yet it lives – as a light to our paths.

Yet it lives – as a standard for childhood.

Yet it lives – as a guide for youth.

Yet it lives – as an inspiration for midlife.

Yet it lives – as a comfort for the aged.

Yet it lives – as food for the hungry.

Yet it lives – as water for the thirsty.

Yet it lives – as rest for the weary.

Yet it lives – as light for the nations.

Yet it lives – as salvation for the sinner.

Yet it lives – as grace for the believer.

To know it is to love it.

To love it is to live by it.

To live by it means eternal life.

Farmer Tithe Rap

2012-01-20T15:16:00.000-06:00

A different way to teach stewardship -- from our friends at 12stone Church

God Fills the Gaps

2012-01-19T06:00:00.001-06:00

A True Hymn

George Herbert

My Joy, my Life, my Crown!
My heart was meaning all the day,
Somewhat it fain would say,
And still it runneth muttering up and down
With only this, My Joy, my Life, my Crown!

               Yet slight not those few words;
     If truly said, they may take part
               Among the best in art:
The fineness which a hymn or psalm affords
Is, when the soul unto the lines accord.

               He who craves all the mind,
     And all the soul, and strength, and time,
               If the words only rhyme,
Justly complains that somewhat is behind
To make His verse, or write a hymn in kind.

               Whereas if the heart be moved,
     Although the verse be somewhat scant,
               God doth supply the want;
As when the heart says, sighing to be approved,
"O, could I love!" and stops, God writeth, "Loved."

Churches are Like Horses

2012-01-19T06:00:00.000-06:00

An old farmer once gave the following advice to their newly arrived rookie pastor:

"Go slow, son. Churches are a lot like horses. They don't like to be startled or surprised. It causes deviant behavior."

(I found this little gem in Larry Osborne's excellent book, Sticky Teams)

How Are Those Resolutions Coming?

2012-01-18T06:00:00.000-06:00

My friend, Ron McClung recently wrote this wonderful piece I hope you receive as much encouragement from it as I did!

How are you doing with your New Year’s Resolutions? Enthusiasm waning? Ready to throw in the towel? If your resolutions are positive, I hope you’re still going strong.

May I suggest a few ideas to keep in mind for the New Year, based on an article I read by Dale Foster some years ago?

· Travel light. If you are like most people, you experienced your share of failures, disappointments, perhaps even resentments during the past year. Don’t drag those into the New Year with you. Instead, travel light.

· Live one day at a time. People often fail to enjoy each day for one of two reasons. Either they put off decisions they should make today and clutter up the future with procrastination. Or they borrow trouble by worrying today about what may happen tomorrow. Either method is unproductive. Live each day as it comes.

· Be generous. There’s a great deal of need in this world. Not all of it is material and physical. Much of it is spiritual as people reel under bitterness, prejudice, and critical attitudes. You can alleviate a lot of this by being generous with your praise and your positive comments.

· Face your problems with faith and courage. You have other options, of course. Some people run from their problems. Others resent them. Still others cower in fear. But we can face each day with courage, by His help.

· If you cannot change your circumstances, change your attitude. Life comes at us with increasing speed, it seems. Sometimes we find ourselves in tough situations – some of our own making, and some not. Either way, we can have a positive attitude and face life with determination

A college girl finished tacking a new calendar to her wall, turned to her roommate, and said, “This is going to be a beautiful year!”

“How do you know?” her friend asked.

“Because I am going to take it a day at a time and do my best to see that every day includes something beautiful.”

She evidently believed what the psalmist said: “This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalm 118:24 NIV).

Every one of the 366 days in this Leap Year is a day He has made. Make it your goal to honor Him in each one.

Seven Lies About Homeschooling

2012-01-17T18:14:00.002-06:00

Communication Fail

2012-01-17T06:00:00.000-06:00

Then Sings My Soul

2012-01-16T16:39:00.001-06:00

I am delighted to recommend Robert J. Morgan's beautiful new book, Then Sings My Soul, Book 3.

Like the first two volumes, Morgan shares the meaningful stories behind many of our beloved hymns. A copy of the music accompanies each story.

Diving into this book, I felt like a kid in the candy store, as I read the hymn stories and then sang them at the piano!

Four things that make this volume particularly special:

1) Morgan gives a good overview of the different genres of church music: Ancient Hymn, German Hymns, English Hymns, Gospel Songs, Contemporary. He also draws fresh water from each of those wells. I think a church would benefit greatly by exploring all these rich traditions.

2) I appreciate the inclusion of modern day hymns (i.e. "How Deep the Father's Love for Us"") This is something I have not seen in other books of this nature.

3) Morgan makes a powerful case for interwoven worship -- including both new and old in our church music selections. I agree 100%. We have not done the rising generation a favor by limiting our music to songs written within the last two years. New songs are great, but not to the neglect of the cherished songs from our rich Christian heritage. The collection of songs from church history is a great treasure. Every generation adds a few to the collection. Assuming the music from our own generation is the only kind worth singing is pure foolishness.

4) The best chapter in the book is "Hymns as Therapy: Why We Must Draw Strength from Song." Hymns certainly are therepeutic! I have personally experienced the healing power of singing hymns in private. That's why I have an old hymnal collection. It's my spiritual medicine chest!

Purchase Here

(A complimentary copy of this book was provided to me by the publisher for review on this blog.)

Slightly Dysfunctional

2012-01-16T07:30:00.000-06:00

I shared this little poem I wrote about the human condition in my sermon yesterday:

Slightly Dysfunctional

He endured a dysfunctional childhood.

He wed a dyfunctional wife.

They had some dysfunctional children,

And led a dysfunctional life.

So he went to the Lord,

And begged and implored

As he pled his dysfunctional case.

The Lord sighed and smiled

And then replied, "Child,

You're from a dysfunctional race!"

Great Commercial from Focus on the Family

2012-01-15T17:27:00.001-06:00

5 Self Care Tips for World Changers

2012-01-13T17:49:00.002-06:00

While you're tackling problems and making the world a better place, it's important to pause long enough to take care of yourself. A great post by Dr. Alex Gee: 5 Self Care Tips for World Changers

How to Meditate

2012-01-13T06:00:00.000-06:00

Psalm 1 talks about the righteous person who meditates on God's Law day and night. But practically speaking, how do you meditate?

I'm not talking about sitting in a lotus position repeating a mantra -- but meditating on God's Word.

My friend, Nellie Dee, has some good pointers in a recent blog post at Relative Inspirations.

John Wesley's Treatment Plan

2012-01-12T10:14:00.002-06:00

I really appreciated this post by John Meunier, Wesley's Treatment Plan for those who experience spiritual darkness and lose the comfort, love, joy and peace of being a Christian.

Pray Today for Freedom

2012-01-11T11:37:00.002-06:00

Toxic Mess

2012-01-10T08:29:00.002-06:00

It's easier to make a toxic mess than to clean one up.

In all relationships, you make a toxic mess by dishonesty, manipulation, pushing and demanding control.

You clean up a toxic mess by understanding, patience, trust, perseverance, and love.

The Silent Years

2012-01-09T22:20:00.001-06:00

Yesterday, I finished reading The Silent Years, a gripping novel about the life of Jesus, by Alan W. C. Green. Normally, I don't get into imaginative fictional accounts with a biblical setting. I like to let the Bible be the Bible -- and fiction be fiction.

Nevertheless, when this book came unexpectedly in the mail, I thought I'd give it the three chapter test. If I wasn't hooked after three chapters, I'd quit reading and pass the book along to someone else. I really don't feel an obligation to any author to finish a book. It's the author's job to keep me wanting to continue.

The Silent Years drew me in. This fictional narrative about Jesus, told from the perspective of his uncle, gave me fresh insights into the life of Christ I'd not previously considered. It also opened up my spiritual understanding on a couple of significant issues.

In this book, the humanity of Jesus is emphasized, and his deity is downplayed. The author certainly does not deny Christ's divinity, and as the chapters progress, we see a growing awareness of it. However, if I had written the book, I wouldn't have gone so far as the author in portraying the human side of Jesus.

For instance, there's a cloud of suspicion surrounding Christ's birth. Now, remembering that this is a work of fiction, I just assume it to be the uncle's suspicion and not the author's.

A place that made me uncomfortable was when Jesus felt that he had sinned, and needed to repent. As an evangelical pastor, I believe that Jesus lived a sinless life.

At times, early in the book, Jesus seems confused about his identiy and mission. Again, I believe he knew exactly who he was, even as a child, and that his mission was crystal clear all along.

Nevertheless I deeply appreciate Dr. Green's effort at portraying Jesus in rich personality -- How he may have experienced heartache, joy, disappointment, friendship, misunderstanding, and the like. I've never reflected on my Savior's personality so deeply as I did while reading this book.

Poor Puppy

2012-01-08T15:09:00.000-06:00

Understanding A Worldview

2012-01-08T14:34:00.001-06:00

In my sermon this morning, I used This Insightful Graphic from The Truth Project. It does a great job of showing how our theology is foundational for everything else in life.

I also mentioned that I would post the Four Big Questions that worldviews address:

1. Origin – where did we come from?

2. Problem – what’s wrong with the world?

3. Solution – how do we fix it?
4. Purpose – why am I here?

(HT Matt Guerino)

Homework:
I gave a homework assignment at church today-- to run run a favorite television program, music group, movie or book through the grid of these questions, seeking to discover the worldview of the person who created it.