WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT?

But he answered, “You give them something to eat.” Mark 6:37

The feeding of the 5,000. What do you think? Do you think it was a test? Do you believe Jesus goal was to get them to see there was nothing they could do about it? Keep in mind that they had just returned from casting out demons and healing the sick. Those are pretty incredible works of God. Certainly they didn’t do them by their own strength but God obviously worked through them.

What would have kept God from working through them to feed the five thousand gathered that day? Why couldn’t they have said,” Jesus we can do this through you. Let’s feed these people, how do you want to get it done?”

It would seem to me they don’t because they look at what they have and not who Jesus is. They check on their resources instead of relying on God’s power. Remember Jesus sent them out telling them to take nothing, depend on me to get it done. I think he was trying to make a point.

With me you have all you need. I think Paul said it like this, “I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:13.

We tend to twist this passage out of context and at times use it to psych us up to do the things we want to get done. All I need is Jesus to get an A on this test or get a date with that hot chick. In context Paul says the strength is there to get done what God has called him to do.

It is no different than with you. Are you answering God’s call for your life? Well if God has allowed a problem to come your way guess what, you have what it takes to see it through. Does your community have a need you have identified? You have what it takes to see it through.

What do we usually do? We look at our resources just like they did. We don’t have enough money to buy food. We are not close enough to the resources we need to feed them.

How about you? We don’t have the numbers to do that act of service. If God called you to it you do. Maybe you envision something big and extravagant? Well fish and bread fed the people but it wasn’t filet mignon.

This will probably cause you problems. Don’t be surprised. I think it frustrated Jesus too. People often times want to measure success in different ways. My thoughts for you? If God placed it before you then I have no question that you have what it takes.

Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.
He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.
Isaiah 40:28-31

God bless.

A HAIRCUT REVISITED

Several months ago I went in for a haircut. It was bad. It was very bad. It was very, very, very, very bad. I think I have made my point. You must understand that my hair is sacred. Well not really but kind of or at least to me. I know I’m rambling. No, my hair is sacred in that it is very important to me. It probably dates back to growing up having my mother cut my hair. We were a large family and we didn’t have a lot of money and so my mom saved some by cutting all of our hair.

She is a great mother not a great barber. I have pictures where if I tilted my head my hair would be straight. I have others where my sideburns don’t match. Obviously it scarred me. My hair is very near and dear to me.

So when my head was shaved, not exactly what I asked, it was a rough few months. But, if you know the story you know I had the chance to talk to my hairdresser about her relationship with Jesus Christ. This brings us back to my most recent haircut.

You see I went back. This took a little time. I actually put it off for an entire week. Finally, yesterday I returned for a haircut. My hairdresser immediately recognized me. In fact everyone in the salon recognized me. I told her I had prayed before coming.

She did a great job. My haircut looks great. But here is what I really loved. You see when we talked she was going through a divorce and she shared that she wasn’t close to Jesus. She told me that she was working on her marriage with the Pastor of her church. That it was hard but they were working on their marriage.

Would I have been okay with another bad haircut to hear this news? Yes, I would have been satisfied with another bad haircut to find out that my hairdresser is working to get her life headed in the right direction. But I am glad for a good haircut too.

God bless.

LOOK WHAT GOD IS DOING: GROWING A CHURCH IN AMERICA

If I told you I knew exactly how to grow a church what would you say? If I said I had a formula that would work almost every time would you buy in?

I do know how to get a large number of people to gather together on Sunday and identify as a church. There are several keys but the most important is praise and worship. Make sure you put on a very good show. People need to come and be moved. So you will want to invest heavily in your band. Make sure they practice a lot. This will take some finances but your main backers won’t mind, you have to grow the church for God’s glory you know. Paying everyone is the best way to get this done.

This may hit you pretty hard if you are called to preach. You can’t be terrible at it but in the end if your praise and worship doesn’t move people it won’t matter. If you are the one bringing the message you do need to understand people need relevant messages that help them with everyday life. So while the music and worship is the most important thing you can’t just preach anything.

So what are relevant messages? Ones that tell people how to have a better life. That abundant life verse needs to be the cornerstone of your preaching. Come back to that passage often. Tell people how to enjoy their kids more, their spouse more, their friends more, their home more, and their work more. I think you get the point. They need to hear your church is focused on them and their life.

Preach that with energy and people will be moved. They will be excited. They will come and tell you how great the church is. They will invite friends. They will tell about how your messages just speak to them. It will grow. You will start with one service but soon need to make it two. Who knows what will happen after two. Three? A different night?

Be careful now. On occasion you will need to take a Sunday off and give it a cool name and maybe do some t-shirts and go around town picking up trash or something. This will makes things even better because then you can talk about how you are helping your community. Obviously you will have to limit how many resources you put towards this so make sure this takes place after you have established an awesome well paid worship that moves people and tells them how to have a better life today.

You might want to try this servant thing once a year or maybe once a quarter if you are feeling very generous. You can always have people give their leftover stuff, you know things that they no longer use, to give to others. You might pick a local ministry and have them bring items a few times a year. This way your church can give something without it coming out of the budget. Remember that budget is tied up with worhsip and the praise band. Be careful how you ask for time because they have probably invested most of it having their best life now.

You will grow. In fact if you pick a smaller community where most churches are still dated you will probably grow very fast because they expect this type of worship to only exist in the big cities.

Make it good and tell people look what God has done. At some point you may stop and wonder where all of the people came from. If you started with 15 and grew to 200 and you had 12 baptisms at some point the numbers might give you pause but probably only for a moment. Obviously those already saved who have joined came because the worship is better and the messages more practical.

I just want you to understand I know exactly how to grow a church in America.

EXPECTATIONS

When you stand before your congregation what do you think they are thinking? Recently I was listening to different ministers preach from around the country. Some that I’m sure you have never heard of because they are not big name preachers with big name followings. Other ones are names you would instantly know.

What was different about them? One of the preachers is considered a great success. He is invited to speak all over the world. He is a very gifted communicator. In fact I was listening to one message series and the minister everyone knows was gone and so one of the other site Pastor’s gave the lesson. You know what. I didn’t even make it through his message. Was he not a gifted speaker? Was it not a helpful message? He was gifted and the message was relevant so what was the problem? He wasn’t what I expected. My expectations were not met.

I listened to another great message from someone you have probably never heard. Why have you never heard him speak? Expectations. No one expects to listen to him so they never will. I like listening to his messages. They bless me. Why do I go out of my way to listen to him? Expectations.

What are your expectations? Recently I had a friend asked to do a Men’s Retreat. He immediately thought of other people he could ask to speak. I asked him why, they asked you. Expectations. He felt they expected something big and huge and inspiring and life changing and, well you get my point. All together something he didn’t feel capable of delivering. We came together to pray and I simply said didn’t they ask you. Could it be that you have something to say that they need to hear?

So what am I asking? I’m asking you to understand your expectations. Everyone has them. Make sure you have the expectations you need to have. Make sure they are God directed. If you are where you are supposed to be doing what God expects, well those are expectations we should all be able to live with.

HILL STREET BLUES

“Let’s be careful out there.”

Sergeant Phil Esterhaus sent the troops out after roll call with those words. It was a dangerous world that they entered. One where anything could happen. A place where you were not always liked or appreciated. People only wanted you around if you were needed.

I don’t know if you have noticed but our culture is a dangerous place for ministers today. There are pitfalls around every corner. A world in many ways more dangerous than the one Phil Esterhaus sent the police officers into. They at least were allowed to carry a gun. They could fire back when fired upon.

I have met too many good men who love the Lord and seek to bring him glory but who have been beat down. Far too many who have inspired me and yet they work in anonymity wondering if they are doing any good.

One day I was thinking about what I wished I had. I thought to myself wouldn’t it be nice to have someone who encouraged me. It was at that point that God reminded me we often wish we had what should be doing the most. I have met too many good men who are dry and broken and tired for no other reason than the streets are a dangerous place.

Please be careful out there, I’m praying for you.

WHAT CAN YOU DO: TO MOTIVATE

I guess we will find out. When I arrived in Delta, Colorado I took time to interview many different community leaders. I asked what them about the needs of the community. There were none who didn’t mentioning the economy. All of them pointed to jobs. Those I interviewed in the schools took it a step further. They said many of the students settle and do not try to do their best. Many have no goals in life and don’t even think about trying for something better. They end up stuck in a cycle of poverty.

So what can we do to help? What can be done to try to keep people from being poor? If Jesus said be mindful of those in need wouldn’t it be good to try and help them see a way out of their situation? To be better equipped so they don’t have to depend on the government or others? Wouldn’t it be good to point them to their God-given talents? Could this opportunity allow for a deaper conversation about Jesus Christ?

I guess we will find out. The flyers have been delivered. The schools contacted. The money set aside for the savings bonds. Please pray that God will be glorified but more importantly, that people will start to look at their future differently and that utimatly this statement of concern for our community will show people the love of Christ that makes them want to know more about their Creator.