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“Go and Be” the Church

07 May , 2010 No Comments

This past weekend our church family (FBC McKinney) decided not to come to worship services but to worship through service.  We had 1,600 volunteers serve the Lord by serving our community through our “Go and Be” initiatives.

Why such an effort? Because we’ve decided to take Jesus’ words, “love your neighbor as yourself” seriously (Matthew 22:39).  He said we love God when we love others.  He said, “If you love me you will obey my commands” (John 14:21).  He said that others will know we love Him by our love for them (John 13:35).

A large church of spectator Christians tends to produce more of the same.  We have enough of those churches.  It’s important to “come and see” what God is doing “at church”.  But the Church for which Jesus died is actually on the move out in the world as His followers “go and be” the Church 24/7.  Taking one Sunday away from our gathering continues to hold high the value or serving our community as Jesus has called us to.  We have been blessed to be a blessing.

Watch this video: Go and Be video/results

Christ Transforming Culture

16 Apr , 2010 No Comments

Call me crazy but I am certain that when Christ was dying on the cross He was not thinking, “Now my followers will be able to go to church on Sundays until I return.”  I believe His vision was one of a people radically transformed by His love and, in response to His love, loving others in the same way He did.  I say this because this is exactly what He taught.

The Church Jesus envisioned was one transforming every aspect of culture, one person at a time.  By “the Church” I mean His people (not a building or even a gathering) but His followers scattered across every aspect of culture.  Christ alone will transform our culture and He will do it through His followers.  How does this happen?

When we speak of culture we are talking about multiple domains among a people.  In America it might be shown like this graphic on the left (there are clearly other ways to break down the different domains but these are the main divisions).  Often we think that the Church (or even our faith) is one domain among many and if we could just get people IN church we will impact our culture for Christ.  Increasingly, however, people are not going to church and therefore many conclude that our impact in culture is waning.  However, when we explore the early Church we see that “success” was never measured by how many were “coming to church”.  Their measure of “success” was simply dying to self, living for Jesus, and loving Him so passionately others were blessed.  I believe that God is bringing about an awakening among His people and I see a reformation of global proportions taking place.  This reformation is not about something “new” but about something very old.  It is a rediscovery of the Church, not simply gathered, but scattered.  Gathering is critical to the life and health of Christ’s followers but it is the church scattered that transforms a culture.

A better depiction of the Church is one scattered across the many domains of culture.  As Christ’s followers recognize themselves as a sent people, sharing His love with others (by serving and sharing the Gospel), we will see the culture revolutionized by His love.  When a culture is transformed it means that people across every domain are encountering Christ and His bigger Story.  His bigger Story (the Gospel) is bringing restoration and redemption to all people and to every aspect of culture.  Business people realize that they are being called into God’s bigger and better Story- blessing others through ethical business, providing income for families to have what they need, and offering necessary goods and services.  They’re actually partnering with God and His greater kingdom agenda in Christ.  Parents realize that their role is to raise children to love God so passionately that others are blessed.  Politicians and government workers rise up to serve their God-given role to protect, bring justice, and bless the people by serving them.  Educators join the great calling to teach and train up children as global citizens and servants of God.  Those in media and entertainment seek to recapture the arts to the glory of God, expressing truth and beauty in all that they do. This is the church scattered.  And like all previous reformations this one will come from the bottom up as God’s people decide to trust Him enough to live out the words of Jesus:

“Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave- just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:26-28

“Good” Friday

02 Apr , 2010 1 Comment

“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Matthew 27:46

While on the cross Jesus cried out in anguish, perhaps the most perplexing words He ever offered. In an attempt to understand more fully what Jesus meant we must go back to the Garden of Gethsemane on Thursday night and hear Him crying out to God in Ch. 26:39- “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken away from me.  Yet not as I will but as you will.”  What was this “cup”?  What was Jesus hoping to avoid?  It’s not merely death, it’s not even the physical pain on the cross.  It’s not the scourging or humiliation, not the torture of nails being driven through His body, not the horrible thirst, or the disgrace of being spat on, stripped or beaten.  It was not even ALL those things combined.  I say this because those were all the things Jesus said NOT to fear.  In Luke 12:4, He said, “And I say to you my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more they can do.”  “But,” He went on to add, “I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after he has killed, has power to cast you into hell; yes, I say to you, fear him!” (vs. 5)  Clearly, what Christ dreaded most about the cross- the cup from which He asked to be delivered if possible- was not physical death.  It was the outpouring of the wrath He would endure from His Holy Father.  The key here is a clear understanding of “the “cup”- It was a well-known Old Testament symbol of the divine wrath against sin.

Look at this and you’ll see what I mean:

“Awake, awake! Stand up, O Jerusalem, You have drunk at the hand of the Lord the cup of His fury; you have drunk the dregs of the cup of trembling, and drained it out.” Isaiah 51: 17

“Take this cup of fury from my hand, and cause all the nations, to whom I send you, to drink it.  When they drink it, they will stagger and go mad because of the sword I will send among them.” Jeremiah 25:15-16

“Drink, be drunk, and vomit!  Fall down and rise no more, because of the sword which I will send among you.” Jeremiah 25:27

What Jesus was experiencing on the cross was nothing less than the cup of the terrible wrath of God!  The Father’s holy reaction to sin unleashed on the Son.  The “cup” that Jesus was to drink was the vile, repulsive cup of sin bringing upon Him the full fury of the wrath of God.  THIS is where the story of Jesus intersects YOUR story, MY story.

“He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by His wounds you have been healed.” 1 Peter 2:24

In the garden we find the only place where Jesus addressed God as “My Father” (Matt. 26:39,42).  In fact, Mark records He prayed “Abba, Father”.  “Abba” is the Aramaic equivalent of “Daddy” or “Dada”.  I believe that Jesus was experiencing a kind of “holy separation anxiety”.  What parent has not seen the terror in the eyes of a child while being left behind- as if their eyes and their cry is saying “I can’t believe that you are leaving me!” as if to say, “Why have you abandoned me?!”  I believe that is precisely what Jesus went through on the cross, and the garden was a prelude to the pain He knew was coming.  With this cry, He yelled, “My GOD…” not “My Father” (the only place He does this).  Did the Father really abandon the Son?  Was there really violence done to the Trinity while Jesus was on the cross!?  I can’t explain it theologically nor understand it rationally, but how else can you justify this cry of Jesus?

Here’s what happened on the cross: At this cry of anguish, God’s inflexible holiness and boundless love collided, and redemption was made possible.

For you to be fully forgiven, Jesus HAD to be fully abandoned.  The “man” Jesus is not in charge, the Father is in charge.  And this is where HIS story and YOUR story collide.  Praise God for “Good” Friday. Good for us, not for Him.  What a wonderful Savior!

Core vs. Non-core (Part 2)

26 Mar , 2010 No Comments

In Part 1 I noted that a church devoted to the Gospel as the core message and proclamation will be a church in which grace is central in all things.  We noted a progression that takes place in churches devoted to the Gospel:

Grace -> Inclusion -> Diversity -> Differences/preferences -> Conflict

The more grace is offered the more diversity a church will experience and logically, the more conflict will follow.  Now, I use the word conflict, not as a negative one, but as a positive (or at least necessary) outcome and means toward even more grace.  Think about it: the greater the diversity, the more grace is necessary.  So it becomes grace upon grace.  Grace abounds in a church like this.

So, pastors- and the people of the church- are called to a difficult challenge (that only God can accomplish).  In a diverse congregation the pastor must lead in a way that honors the Lord and brings unity to the Body.  However, too many people (pastors included) believe this means that we simply maintain status quo.  Certainly this is the easiest way, but it is not God’s Way.  As a pastor, I know that when God speaks to me regarding my congregation, I must obey- regardless of what I think.

Here’s how I describe the constant role of the senior pastor:

Preserve the core AND (at the same time) stimulate progress and innovation.

I’m indebted to Jim Collins for helping me grasp this coexisting task of great leaders.  First, the role of the pastor is to constantly preserve the core.  By definition, to be core, to be essential means that it is not be open to change- never.  It means it never has been changed and never will be. If it is non-core, however, it must be open to change (or it has, by default, become core).  This is the stuff heresy is made of- either core issues becoming non-core or non-core issues becoming core. This is how the Church has moved forward for 2,000 years: Preserving the core while stimulating progress and innovation.  Any great church will be devoted to the core (and be united around the core) and we will not allow non-core issues to divide.  This is a Spirit-led strategy of leadership for a pastor and the leaders of any great church.

Of course the challenge comes when we start talking about what is core and what is not core.  How do you define what it is core?  And we all respond in unison: “The Bible is our authority!”  How do you know (biblically) what is core and what is not core?  Let’s look at that in Part 3.

Why Lent?

19 Feb , 2010 3 Comments

Growing up as a Baptist kid I didn’t know anything about Lent.  In fact, in North Carolina, I didn’t know many Catholics, (or even Episcopalians).  All I knew was they practiced some strange liturgy (at least to me, in my small little world). Praise God as I grew older I was able to get a broader picture of the Body of Christ through the study of Church history. Most of us protestants think of Ash Wednesday and the Lenten season as a “Catholic” thing while, in reality, it was part of the early church’s consistent pattern of worship.  Our earliest known reference is that of Ireneus (who died in 202 A.D.).  What I’ve sought to do is strip the Lenten season of anything that is not biblical but maintain the biblical focus of prayer, repentance, and sacrifice.  I’ve heard many sermons on Christ’s instructions to pray when He says, “When you pray…” pray like this.  But He also says, “When you fast…” fast like this.  He didn’t says, “if” you fast. Jesus expected His followers to pray and, at times, fast as a regular part of their spiritual pattern of worship.  Could it be that we (in North America in particular) could learn a few things about giving up so much of what we want and dying to our selfish need for more?  I am certain that prayer and fasting is greatly needed among believers in such an affluent culture.

What many have written off as “weird” (ashes on the forehead, giving up certain foods, etc.) I’ve sought to recapture in its purest biblical sense.  It is true that Ash Wednesday or “Lent” are not in the Bible (of course, neither are Christmas Eve services, Good Friday services, Advent, and so much of what others of us would call “normal”). You don’t see “Easter Sunday” in the Bible either (because every Sunday is Resurrection Sunday for the believer).

“Lent” may not be in the Bible but seasons of sacrifice, confession, and repentance are.  In the church I grew up in we rushed to Easter Sunday without any preparation of the heart before God.  I’ve learned much from the larger Body of Christ as it relates to the spiritual disciplines solitude, prayer, and fasting. “Lent” of comes from the Middle English word “Lenten” which means “Spring”.  The Lenten or Easter Season is a focused time of confession and repentance from “Ash Wednesday” to Easter Sunday.  40 Days from Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday (minus the Sundays leading up to Easter- because the early believers would not fast on Sundays).  Later many would go from Ash Wednesday to Maundy Thursday (40 days later).  Maundy comes from “mandatum”, meaning “mandate” or “command”.  Jesus said, “A new commandment” (mandatum nuevum) I give to you.”   So the Lenten season is a period of focused prayer and fasting (with special attention on confession, sacrifice, and repentance). Why 40 Days?  40 shows up throughout the Bible.  Moses, Elijah, and Jesus (Luke 4:1-2) all fasted for 40 days.

“Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” Genesis 3:19

The ashes remind you of your mortality and of the need to repent of sin in your life.  It was common for Jews and early believers to mourn the loss of a loved one with “sackcloth and ashes”.  Ashes were also a sign of brokenness and repentance of sin.  Confession of sin is a private thing between you and God.  It is not something to be paraded around and seen by everyone but a private moment between you and your Savior.

Fasting is the act of the will through which the follower of Jesus puts forth spiritual control over the flesh (through sacrifice- not eating) with a view to a more personal and powerful experience with God in prayer. Fasting involves giving up but is much more about receiving.  You give up in order to receive.  You die in order to live.

Types of fasts:

Total fast (be careful and receive guidance)

Water only Prepare your body for it.  Hunger pangs will go away- first 2 days hardest.

Liquid only Juices- not milkshakes! (When you don’t eat you have much more time for prayer)

Eliminate certain foods No deserts, no caffeine, no junk food, Starbucks, etc… “Daniel fast”- healthy

Media fast NO television, NO movies, NO paper, NO internet, NO Facebook, NO video games, etc.

Multiple possibilities Be creative and specific-but a sacrifice- must cost you something

During a fast, when your earthly desires kick in, you turn to the Lord and you are reminded that He is more than enough to meet your every need.  It is a wonderful way to be drawn to the Lord and to overcome the desires of the flesh in many areas of your life.

“If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened; but God has surely listened and heard my voice in prayer.”  Psalm 66:18-19 What is David saying here?  I cannot harbor unconfessed sin or unresolved sin in my life.  Any Christian who desires to fully serve God and follow Him must attack sin from all fronts.  We cannot hold on to sin but release it and the first step is to confess it. To God first and then, to others.

“For me, to live is Christ and die is gain.” Philippians 1:21 To be alive to Christ and to live for Him means I must die to myself, my needs, my wants- continually.  “In the body” is where dying of Jesus is seen through my life and revealed to others.  It is, at the same time, the place where this life (the resurrection life) of Jesus is seen.  In the same passage he says, “so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in my body.”  My life then becomes a presentation of a story- the story of the passion of Christ.  I die to myself in order to reveal His life in my.  You see, you are called not only to tell the story of the Passion, but to LIVE it, experience it.  How?  By dying to self.  But the language used by Paul is a continual dying- the process of dying- you are continually dying.  To remind you of your mortality- your body is dying and to get you focused and busy on the eternal that does not die.  You see, death for Jesus was not the end- He lives. So, how can we position ourselves to move to this dying of self?  How can I be touched by God to go to deeper levels?  By confessing my sin to Him, by showing Him that He is all I want- all I need.  Fasting is that spiritual discipline that helps us live that out in unique ways.  It’s why Jesus says, “When you fast…” (Matthew 6:16)- it was an expected practice of the believer.  It’s a way to deny yourself of earthly things in order to focus on heavenly things.

“My food” Jesus said, “is to do the will of Him who sent me and to finish His work.” John 4:34 During a fast He is your food.  The will of God that becomes your sustenance.

“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” (Psalm 51:10) Let this be your prayer this Easter season.  As you journey with Jesus to the cross, this will be the most meaningful Easter you’ve ever known.