Just Thinking Again?

Years ago, when blogging was new and cool, I started writing and people came together in a place to dream about what could be. And ended up hurting one another. And demonstrating in practice that it's much easier to think than it is to act.

And now, over a year since my last post, I'm thinking again.

I'm thinking about what it means to be a christian in a post-christian world.

I'm thinking about how the incarnate Son of God would react if He was placed by Father in the middle of this corporate driven model of an organization we call the church.

Bigger is not better.

The organization is not more important than the individual.

Church growth is not more important than discipleship.

Gifting is not more important than character.

Talk is cheap.

I'm going to find a way to live what I believe. It's no longer safe to dream about making a difference in France, if I can't make a difference in someone's life from my little apartment in Knightstown.

It's time. That's all I'm saying. It's time.

If no one else sees it, that's fine. I've lived alone in my head for a long, long time.

But it's no longer acceptable to find solace in dreams and thoughts. It's time to live.

That's what I think. How about you?

Character=Either/Or; Both/And

A couple of posts ago, I wrote about the need for character to catch up with our gifts and callings. It is truly necessary for us as individuals to live in obedience to everything that the Lord has taught us. This should definitely include personal holiness.

But in my reading, I have been challenged to think about this subject from another viewpoint. We have to introduce the Kingdom through signs and wonders and power, even as we continue to pursue the abiding in the vine that produces lasting fruit.

Bill Johnson, in When Heaven Invades Earth, writes "Is it possible the reason there are so few miracles in North America is because too many before us thought they had to become better Christians before God could use them? That single lie has kept us in perpetual immaturity because it protects us from the power-encounter that transforms us. The result is we have converts trained and over trained until they have no life, vision, or ingenuity left."

Let's not wait until we are "good enough" to be released with power to introduce the Kingdom into the earth. But let's determine as individuals that we are going to recognize that the old man of sin is dead in us, and we refuse to live a life of sin that reflects poorly on our Savior.

That's what I'm thinking today. What do you think?

The Mystery of the Temple

Every time that the children of Israel would prepare a place for God to dwell in the middle of them, He would always show up at the dedication. His glory would fall and those who thought it was their job to minister to the LORD and to His people would find themselves unable to work. They could only fall down and worship the Beauty of His Holiness.

The mystery of the Temple is this: God has always wanted to be close to us. He has always wanted to be right in the center of what we are doing. He never wanted a tent. He never wanted a temple made of stone and gold. He always wanted a body to live in.

Jesus revealed it when he told the Pharisees to destroy the temple and he would rebuild it in three days. Paul pulled back the veil a little bit wider when he asked us, "Don't you know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit."

Whenever we consecrate ourselves; whenever we dedicate our body to the Lord; whenever we offer our bodies as living sacrifices, He will show up. Everytime. He will consume the sacrifice. He will send fire from on high to purify our hearts. And we will no longer be able to work. We will no longer depend on our own efforts to please Him.

That's what I think. How about you?

Oops!

So much for good intentions.

There is a concept that keeps rattling around in my head. Character must catch up with our gifts and callings. I just can't get away from it.

The Bible teaches that all of us have been given spiritual gifts from God. I believe that having been given the abilities to perform certain tasks, the Lord assigns us to particular situations (places) where we can best serve Him.

But then, we need to live right. Our character must be solid. We must be people of integrity. People who do the right thing when no one is looking. People who obey the Lord and the teachings of Scripture.

I believe that this is why we struggle in our ministries. Strong gifting. Strong calling. Weak character.

What do you think?

What's So Great About Television?

For the last ten days, I have made a conscious effort to avoid television. Now, for the sake of full disclosure, it does help that my Colts were unceremoniously dumped from the playoffs.

But, in those ten days, I have been able to read 3 books and I'm nearly done with another one. I've been able to start several projects that I've been thinking about doing.

What I've found is that I've been wasting a lot of time staring at my beautiful Sony Bravia television instead of doing things for the Kingdom. We wonder why we're so ineffective and we don't see the things we dream about. One of the reasons is that we spend so much time wasting time on things that don't matter at all. In the end, Rock Band, Sportscenter, and Netflix will have all passed away and only the Kingdom of God will remain.

At least, that's what I think.

What do you think?

Are You A Fan?

Karla and I are reading a book entitled "Tribes" by Seth Godin. It's a very interesting book and I'm really enjoying it. Basically, the book is about the need for leadership in a world that has dramatically changed through media and technology.

In one section of the book, the author writes, "In an article posted on his Technium Web site, Kevin Kelley brilliantly described the world of '1,000 True Fans.' A true fan, he argues, is a member of the tribe who cares deeply about you and your work. That person will cross the street to buy from you or bring a friend to hear you or invest a little extra to support you."

I'm a fan of many things: the Chicago Cubs, the Indianapolis Colts, the Indiana Hoosiers, Bruce Hornsby, Heroes, the Matrix Trilogy, and Blu-ray movies. I am really, really interested in all of these things.

But there is something in me that makes me hesitate in becoming a fan of things that really matter. Why does it feel funny to be a fan of Christ Fellowship Church? Why does it seem weird to be a fan of my wife and children? Why does it seem strange to be a fan of another human being that I count as a friend and comrade in the faith?

I know that we should worship God and Him alone. I get that. Not a problem. But I'm not talking about worshipping another person. I'm talking about being a fan. I'm talking about crossing the street to see you, or changing my schedule to listen to you, or giving a little more to support you. By those definitions, it sounds like the church of the first few chapters of the book of Acts were fans...of one another.

What do you think?

Radical Or Just Tired?

We had a wonderful time at church last night. Instead of having 50 people spread out through a sanctuary that can seat 225, we packed the same 50 people in a cafe that can comfortably seat 20. What a different feel!

The soul of Christ Fellowship Church is much more at home in the radical air of secret home meetings than in the comfort of a modern church building with steeples and paved parking lots.

We started in the atmosphere of people who had been thrown out of comfortable denominational settings because of our love for God and the empowering presence of the Holy Spirit. We met outdoors, in homes, in abandoned buildings deep in the countryside. We were radicals. We were in love with God. We were comrades in the fight for a Christianity that truly meant something.

Last night reminded me of who I am at my best.

A radical.

Where has that guy been? Am I who I think I am, or am I just tired? Who are you?

Tell me, what do you think?

The Need For Discipline

I hate routine!
I hate schedules!
I hate calendars and appointment books!
I love discipline.

(Well...maybe love is a bit strong.)

I need discipline, anyway. I'm a person who can't eat just one potato chip. Once I start, I'll keep going back until they're all gone. I can't have a box of chocolates in the house. I'll let myself eat one, and before I know it, the box is empty.

And really, the same is true of my spiritual life. I would like to think that my heart is so pure in God that I'll just WANT to read my Bible, and pray for hours, and worship the Lord at my piano in enraptured ecstasy. But the truth is: if I don't make myself do things through discipline, I'll just sit in my easy chair and watch my life slip away like the sands in an hourglass. (Anyone still remember those things?)

Anyway, I have to be disciplined to be happy with myself...not to get God to like me more. Maybe we can talk about that subject soon.

This is a great time to work on your discipline. Try getting up at a regular time or going to bed a bit earlier. Try a Bible reading program. Make a covenant with someone to pray together. Determine to be a regular commentator on this blog. Start a diet. Start an exercise program. Do something interesting with your spouse. Try something new!

Karla and I are going to read the Bible together this year in the morning and read another book at night. How about you? What do you think about discipline? Are you going to try something new this year?

Happy New Year!

I want to take time to wish all of you a very Happy New Year!

I'm hoping that this coming year will be the best one that we've ever experience while walking with the Lord Jesus. I hope that this blog will be an encouragement to you during the coming year.

Feel free to invite someone to take part in the community.

If you want to extend your greetings to everyone, feel free to use the comments.

Excited or Steady?

Excited about Jesus or Steady in Your Walk...which is better?

Those of you who know me well understand that I have a personality which demands that I must always be involved in something new and exciting. I want to be challenged with some fresh idea or with some concept or action that demands my attention. Within days or a few short weeks, I am ready to move on to something different.

Some of my friends are not built that way at all. They don't like change. In fact, they hate change. They want life to be slow and predictable. They love to know what they are going to be doing next week, next month, next year, and next life.

I can see the pitfalls of my personality. Now that I'm rapidly approaching sixty years of age, there is less and less about Christianity or church work that I haven't heard before. I've tried a lot of methods, and have been excited about a few of them. I still love Jesus...I love His ideas and radical lifestyle...but, right now, I'm not too excited about it. I'm stuck in the mundane. And I don't wear it well.

But, this could be the right time for being steady. It could be the right time to walk things out. It could be the time to learn how to put those concepts into practice. It could build that dreaded thing called character.

Could be. What do you think?

It's Been A While...

All right then, I get the message! It's time to write again.

To be honest with all of you, I was kind of wondering if this blog was a very good idea or not. I was really looking for the kind of community that I had in the original blog and wasn't seeing it. So, I thought that maybe it was a waste of time.

But...

In the last couple of days, I've had people ask me about the blog and why I hadn't been posting anything. So, I get it. I'll start writing again.

But in the mean time, remember this: I'm looking for your input. I really want to know what you think, even if it means commenting that you read the post and want to think about the idea for a couple of days. That helps me to know that you're following the blog. By the way, you can subscribe to the post and be notified when there's a new post. Then you don't have to remember to check every day.

I hope that 2009 will be the best year ever for all of you. So, thanks for the encouragement and start looking for regular posts.

Connecting Through Music

I'm doing some thinking and I could really use the community's help. To be honest, I think that I'm stuck in some really old thinking. My idea of "proper" praise and worship comes from experiences that are now sixteen or seventeen years old. When I think of praise, I think of exuberant dancing before the Lord. When I think of worship, I think of being laid out before the Lord with tears streaming down my face. As a result of my understanding, I have placed expectations on how I think others should respond or connect with God through music. Expectations can be the breeding ground of miracles OR they can be the cause of judgment and disappointment because what I am looking for in others is unrealistic or the results of a misunderstanding.

So, here is what I need from you: What is it in music that helps you connect with God? Is it a connection with emotion? Is it that the lyrics speak to an experience that you are living? Does music allow you to bypass your intellect and release your soul?

When that connection comes (if it does come), what is your natural physical response? Do you want to sit down and be quiet? Do you want to dance?

Does just listening to the music feel like a participation to you? If the musician connects with God in some way, is that good enough for you or do you need to make a connection on your own?

Wow, what a bunch of questions! Please help. So...what do you think?

Waiting on the Lord

They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings like eagles. They shall run and not grow weary. They shall walk and not faint.

Have you ever been in times when you had to wait upon the Lord? and you would prefer not to?

There are several things in my world that need to be fixed...changed...set right. And in my mind, there are things that I could do to put those changes in motion.

But it would just be me. Not the Lord. At least, I haven't heard from Him yet.

So, I will wait on the Lord...for a while...as long as I can.

And I will believe that He who promised is also able to perform it.

How about you? Ever been in this place?

The Desires of Your Heart

Psalm 37:4 says "Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart."

I know that this is a dangerous verse for some as it seems to give us permission to be fleshly and just to want the things of this world for pleasure and excess. I understand that this verse has been used and abused by many people who don't have a desire for the things of God.

But can I say that I truly believe this verse?

I have wanted a baby grand piano since I was six years old. My first piano teacher had one in a little den where she gave her lessons. Every week, I would slide in behind that piano and receive my lesson. I loved that piano with its hard action and big tone. I made Karla promise when we got married that she would buy me one before I turned sixty.

You see, I pray when I play the piano. I sing and talk to God. It's better than any other time with the Lord.

And now, I have one.

God has granted me the desires of my heart. And I will use it to talk with Him and to worship Him.

God is great! What do you think?

Ministry or not?

The Lord really has a funny way of getting my attention.

In the last 14 hours, 7 of which I was asleep, I have had two people ask me whether or not I had heard from God about having a time of ministry.

Now, for those of you who may not understand the term, ministry is a time when people come forward in a church service and have hands placed on them during a time of prayer. Sometimes, the power of God comes on those prayed for and they manifest signs of God's power. They might fall down; they might speak in tongues; they might receive a word of prophecy; or, they might just receive prayer and go back to their seats. One never knows what might happen.

To be honest, I go back and forth on times of ministry. I know from my own experience that these times can be helpful. These times can increase faith. They can remind me that God is much bigger than me. They can get me excited again about the supernatural elements of my walk with the Lord.

But, they can also soon reduce my personal emphasis on study and personal prayer. I can get to the place where I'm not working on my character and over-time growth, while looking for the quick fix through a "touch from the Lord."

Help me out. What does personal ministry do (or not do) for you? What do you think?

An Outpost of the Kingdom

In my travels around the world, I have been able to see a few embassies of the United States of America. I have talked with personnel at the American Embassy in Paris in hopes that Dhimitry and Muriel could get a visa to come to the USA. This past summer, we drove past the American Embassy in Kinshasa, DRC, and our group was warned when Bill Lewis started to take a photo that this would be unacceptable. When traveling abroad, it's always a good idea to have a copy of your U.S. passport, and to have a good idea where the nearest American Embassy is located.

In 2 Corinthians 5:20, we are told that we are Christ's ambassadors, and that God is making his appeal to the world through us. Therefore, where we live, work, and exist should all be recognized in this world as an Embassy of the Kingdom of God. Where I am, there should be no sickness, no death, no separation, no effective use of the laws of this world. Why not? Because I am an ambassador of God's Kingdom, and I am exempt from the laws of the country in which I am planted.

This is radical thought. It is a really big thought. But I think that it is true, nonetheless.

Tell me...what do you think?

Why Is Attendance So Important?

Well...another Sunday has come and gone, and I'm left thinking about yesterday's worship services. The people seemed to be happy, the music was good, a brother from out-of-state spoke, and two little girls were baptized into Jesus. Sounds wonderful, doesn't it?

But I'm not happy.

I could worry myself sick...to be absolutely honest with you. Why? Because the attendance was horrible. There were only 109 in the morning services.

On the one hand, something tells me that the emphasis on attendance is overblown. Something tells me that it has to do with our inbred desire for something tangible to tell us that we're successful. We want to believe that what we're doing matters, and that we're good at what we do. I understand that we're not supposed to use the world's standards to judge our effectiveness or worth.

But on the other hand, each number in the attendance total represents a real person. And who really knows what's going on with that person? They could be fine...just enjoying a weekend away with family or friends. They might be on vacation. But they just might be struggling with their faith. They might be sick in their body. They might be sitting at home in the dark wondering if anyone really cares.

So, maybe church attendance matters. Maybe it doesn't. I have friends on both sides of the issue, but tell me...please...what do you think?

Heaven or Earth?

What will heaven be like? I don't think about heaven much because I'm too wrapped up with the things down here on earth. But Paul says that we are to "set our hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God." We are not only to set our hearts, but also our minds on the things that exist where Jesus rules. So I guess I should take some time to reflect on this subject.

So, I guess that in heaven there is no death, no separation from people we love. In heaven, there is no sickness that could lead to disability or death. In heaven, there are no tears that result from disappointment. In heaven, there is no poverty, lack, or hunger. In heaven, there is no division or schism. Maybe best of all, there is no sin in heaven.

What's so important about all of this? Jesus taught his disciples to pray this prayer: "Let your kingdom come! Let your will be done on the earth-just like it is done in heaven."

This is my utmost dream. Heaven on earth! Literally. Really. Vraiment!

What do you think?

How free should church members be?

In a discussion I had last night, the subject came up again about what should happen when people want to leave a church. To be honest, it's not a subject that I'm very good at. In the 24+ years that I have been the pastor at Christ Fellowship, I would imagine that I am not overstating the case when I say that over one thousand people have left my church of 150 people.

Here's how I see the problem: People have free will. If God doesn't force me to be saved or even to do His will, how can I compel people to stay in a congregation when they don't want to? People are going to do what they are going to do.

But the other side of the coin is this: Many people leave churches because of things that are correctable. They have hurt feelings; they feel left out; they misunderstood something the leadership said or did; or, they just were never welcomed into the church family. It seems to me that in these cases, much more should be done to show the love of Jesus then to simply say "they are adults and they can do what they want."

So, tell me. What do you think? How free should church members be?

Well...I'm back. I started blogging in 2002 or 2003 and blogged everyday for three years. At first, the community was amazing, gave me genuine hope for a new kind of church, and the conversation really enriched my life. I admit that it was messy at times, but I still believe that it was helpful for me and a few friends to be able to talk about things that were important to us and to our faith.

I think that it's time to start again. This time, we'll try to ramp it up a bit slower. I'm going to invite just a few friends to join the conversation. Then, I'll ask those friends to invite a couple more people they think might be interested, and we'll just see where it goes.

So, if you're game...obviously, so am I.

Here's to the new adventure.