A few issues within the modern day church in a post-everything America

I've spent the last few days working through a book that is causing me to reconsider some of my positions style-wise when it comes to how I plan and lead worship gatherings week in and week out.

The book is called "The Emerging Church" by Dan Kimball. I know, I know... the words "Emerging" and "Church" in the same sentence tends to give people the heebie-jeebies! Let me calm your fears and concerns when it comes to that, and understand that this isn't about a theological stance. It is, however, a thoughtful look at the upcoming generations that are very much a different breed. The following discourse is a set of three issues the modern church in America is facing as it comes to the problem of how to reach a generation that seems to not be interested in being reached.

In reading through The Emerging Church by Dan Kimball, there are many issues facing today’s modern church. One of these issues facing the church today is what appears to be the final loss of America as a “Christian” nation. Our society is no longer strongly tied to Judeo-Christian values, and therefore, our claim as “One Nation under God” would seem to be invalid. In fact, it might read better as “One Nation under A God… or No God, which ever you prefer.”

So many pastors cling heavily to the idea of the upcoming generations returning to their roots, which for them, are the Christian backgrounds of the founding fathers. Kimball articulates the problem with this stance very well when he questions such a pastor about children who grow up in a family system that doesn’t have roots in a Christian background. What roots will they return to? As a pastor, this is a frightening thought! How am I supposed to bring people to Christ who have no inclination as to who Christ is?

Another issue facing the church is exactly how to reach these upcoming generations with the message of Christ. Here in the Midwest, many churches are just now getting on board with the “seeker sensitive” movement. This has been driven by the examples of mega-churches like Saddleback, Willow Creek, and Northpointe. Each of these church bodies have grown almost exponentially in size due to following the seeker sensitive approach. They have all built large state-of-the-art auditoriums with the latest in technology, and removed many (if not all) of the religious icons in worship so as not to offend the non-believer. This type of worship style has found a home in many mid-America churches of all sizes, and is working well in many areas to bring young families into worship each week. However, Kimball speaks to a growing rejection of this type of worship simply because of its “chain store” feel. Many non-Christians are seeking to have a “spiritual” experience with Christ, but feel they can’t get there in the modern day American church setting. He states that some even feel like we are hiding what we are doing and what we are all about by removing the symbolic images from our worship settings!

This is a new concept for me, as I’ve been part of the push in ministry to become more seeker friendly. Apparently, I’ve missed the boat on what seekers are actually seeking. As I read through this, I actually found myself tearing up and having to repent for keeping people from experiencing God in a real and tangible way because of my own agenda. It’s no wonder people look past Christianity to other religions! While Buddhists, Hindus, and other ancient and New Age religions gladly embrace their icons and practices, we’ve turned worship to God into a trip to Wal-Mart.

The final issue I will address here is one that I find to be the most prominent one among the modern day church. Christians are getting in the way of people experiencing Christ. We who claim to follow Christ have literally shot Christianity in the foot by living lives that are contradictory to His teachings. We have given people reason to walk away from the saving message of Jesus because of our condescending delivery. Too many Christians continue to assume that we live in a time where everyone in America has roots in Judeo-Christian values, when this is simply not true. That assumption leads to evangelism that looks more and more like the Bible-thumping hypocrite rather than the hands and feet of Jesus. Kimball spoke of a non-Christian student at a Christian retreat who had been completely turned off to the message of Christ due to a guest speaker’s portrayal of homosexuality. Later in that section of the book, he recounts meeting up with that student as they were about to graduate college. That one experience soured their entire countenance toward anything Christianity had to offer, and they were still completely uninterested in anything remotely connected with Jesus. Christians are the vessel God uses to tell the world about Him in word and deed. Sadly, many of us (me included!) are missing the mark more often than not.

Are these issues we can't overcome? Absolutely not. Remember, with God all things are possible! Let us rely on God to give us the ability to work through and give the upcoming generations an opportunity to learn the solid truth of Christ in the midst of a world that continually tells them that truth is what they make it.

A Look at Luke 14:15-24

The Parable of the Great Banquet offers us a look into the type of teaching that Jesus typically did for those he came into contact with. It also gives us a glimpse into our own lives as we sift through the parable characters and see shadows that may echo our own. This passage begins with the statement of a person being blessed by eating at the feast of the kingdom of God, and then Jesus shares the banquet parable.

There are two Promises to claim in this parable which have to do with being in invited to the banquet. The first is a promise of acceptance. Jesus speaks of a man who invites important people to a banquet, but they create self-important excuses and decline to claim the promise of a seat at the table when they choose not to come. Instead, the man has his servant go into the streets and offer that same invitation to ordinary people. Those people gladly accept the invitation and claimed their seats at the master’s table. In the same way, we are invited to accept Jesus’ invitation to claim the promise of eternal life and sit at the Master’s table in heaven. The second promise is one of rejection. Many times, those who are invited to claim that very promise believe that they have more important things to do. They believe that there is “more life to live”, and therefore, choose to do just that, all the while leaving their eternal reward of heaven behind. God offers His invitation through Christ Jesus to all who will come. Those who accept it will filled with the hope and joy of knowing they will see God. Those who choose not to accept it will never get a taste of heaven, for they will be shut out and cast into eternal darkness.

The master in the parable Expresses the emotions of anger, frustration, and sadness as his invitations are turned down one by one for reason that are not important and are very self serving. His emotions express the intense desire that he had for all those invited to come and share a meal at his table. When they refuse to do so for one reason or another, his anger, frustration, and sadness expose themselves to the point that he decides to have nothing to do with them whatsoever. This is an important lesson to learn, for I believe it is an example of how God reacts when those He invites to be reconciled to Him choose not to accept that invitation for worldly reasons. Although we do not currently see His anger, frustration, and sadness, I am certain that they are authentic. We will see those emotions one day when we are before the throne of judgment. Those who have not accepted His invitation will feel God’s emotions first hand as He sends them into eternal darkness.

There are two Examples in this parable. One to follow and one to avoid. The one to follow is that of the master. He desires to fill his table at the banquet with people who will share in his celebration and happiness. When those he initially invited made the decision not to come for one reason or another, the master chose to fill his table with whomever would come. Instead of cancelling his banquet, he filled the table with the less fortunate and those off the street that gladly accepted the invitation. This is much the same for us when it comes to the invitation that God offers us through Christ. He invites us to come willingly and sit at His table, and we should willingly accept so that we might share in God’s celebration and happiness. The example to avoid is that of those who chose not to come. Rather than accepting the master’s invitation to the banquet, they chose to make excuses about why they could not attend. This incited the anger and frustration of the master to the point that, even if they had changed their mind and come to the banquet, they would not have been allowed to share in the celebration after it had begun. So it is with God, that those whosoever chooses not to accept His invitation of reconciliation through Christ, because they want to do their own thing, will be completely shut out of the celebration in heaven once it begins after the rapture even if they change their mind.

In all of this, I must give Adoration to God for His faithful promise of accepting me when I accept Him. The master in the parable told his servant to go and get the dregs of society and bring them in for the banquet hall to be full. He commanded the servant to bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame. When that wasn’t enough to fill the banquet hall, he had the servant travel the roads and lanes of the area so that he might bring in more people to fill the place for the feast. The master didn’t show preferential treatment. He simply wanted people to come and eat with him. He wanted people to accept him by accepting his invitation, and when they did, he accepted them without a second thought. God does the same with us. He invites us to come and accept Him by accepting His invitation of reconciliation through Jesus. When we accept that invitation to believe in God through Christ, He accepts us completely and unconditionally into His family. This acceptance is absolutely priceless, and yet, God gave everything in the person of His Son to give us the opportunity to accept Him and be accepted by Him. For that, I give God praise and adoration for his invitation!

However, in order for me to accept that invitation, there must be a Confession on my behalf. I must confess that I am indeed a sinner that is in need of the power of Jesus in my life to cleanse me of that sin. I must confess that I can’t do life on my own, and am in need of Christ as my Savior. This is a time of confessing wrong thoughts, attitudes, and actions to the Lord, and allowing His grace and mercy to help make restitution for our wrongs. Through the work of God’s servant, the Holy Spirit, I am invited to share in the Master’s happiness at His table. In accepting that invitation, I complete the confession of my sinful nature, and have a place at the table with God to sit and be with Him. One of the great rewards of this confession is the knowledge that, just as I have confessed my sins before God and Jesus has accepted me, Jesus will confess me before God and He will accept me when the time for judgment comes.

I give Thanks to God for his invitation of reconciliation through Christ. I have a feeling that those who accepted the invitation to the banquet gave thanks to the master for opening his home and preparing such an extravagant meal for them. In a similar way, I give thanks to God for opening heaven’s gates to me through the sacrifice of Christ, and for preparing such an extravagant home for me when my days on earth are finished and Christ comes again to establish the new heaven and new earth. This is a task that we must perform more often than not, as giving thanks to God for loving us enough to send Christ to die and rise is an important part of keeping perspective as a Christ follower.

In Supplication for myself, I choose to ask for the Father to keep me mindful of this parable, as I do not wish to treat the invitation God has placed before me with contempt or indifference. I wish to treat it as the beautiful and priceless gift that it is; the opportunity to spend eternity dining at the true Master’s table. In supplication for others, I pray very fervently for those who are lost, hurting and confused. I pray for those who have heard of the saving knowledge of Christ but have chosen to walk away from it. I pray for those who may have been hurt by other Christians at some point, and that has caused them to step away from the Master’s table invitation. It is my prayer for these that they will look again at what exactly it is that God offers them through the sacrifice of Jesus, and that they will see that it far outweighs anything that the world could offer them. I hope and pray that they will accept freely the invitation from God to be with Him for eternity, so that they will not be left out once the heavenly feast has begun. I also pray for those who have accepted the invitation of reconciliation. It is my prayer for these that they will continually remember just how much God paid to be able to deliver that invitation to us, and that we must continually accept that invitation in our lives, sometimes on a moment by moment basis.

A Look at Matthew 8:23-27

The passage in Matthew that I chose for this study is the point when Matthew speaks of Jesus calming the storm that had come up and frightened the disciples. Some might argue that this isn’t necessarily a miracle as we perceive them in the Bible, because it didn’t have anything to do with someone getting healed. However, the simple fact that Jesus could calm the waves with his hand and voice certainly qualifies as a miracle in my book.

Matthew 8:23-27 (NIV)
²³ Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him.
²⁴ Without warning, a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping.
²⁵ The disciples went and woke him, saying, "Lord, save us! We're going to drown!"
²⁶ He replied, "You of little faith, why are you so afraid?" Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.
²⁷ The men were amazed and asked, "What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!"

As we look at this passage of Scripture, we see several Emotions expressed from the disciples. The first of these emotions was fear. Some of these men were fishermen, and had most likely been out on the sea when fierce and furious storms barreled across the water toward their ships. They may have seen men get tossed overboard. They may have seen ships broken apart by the buffeting waves that were considerably larger in a storm than normal, or ships sink due to taking on so much water that they could no longer stay afloat. These memories could have been the likely trigger for their fear and trepidation of sailing through a storm.

Some of these men were not fishermen, but were of what we might call a “white collar” profession, if there were such a thing back then. They may never have been on a boat in the midst of a storm, and there is a very likely chance that their fear at that moment was caused by the lack of experience on the sea during times like these. With these things in mind, we can clearly see the possibility of fear to set in during this storm.

There also seems to be an emotion of anger or frustration with them, because even as the storm is raging overhead, Jesus is sound asleep in the bowels of the ship. The storm has awakened everyone else on board the ship, with the exception of Jesus. This angers and frustrates them quite thoroughly, which we see in their tense demand for Jesus to save them from what they felt was certain death by drowning.

The first emotion that the text brings out to me from Jesus is one of calm. Everyone else is running scared and getting all worked up about the storm outside, and yet, Jesus is sleeping peacefully inside the ship. Did Jesus know that the storm was going to come up while they were on the sea? The text doesn’t give us a clear answer, but it seems to me that He might have had a clue, as He was the only one on the ship that was apparently unconcerned with the copious amounts of water coming from the sky.

The next emotion that I see in Jesus is one of anger and frustration with the disciples for their lack of faith. Instead of following His example of being calm, cool, and collected in the midst of the rolling waves, they choose to cower in fear and demand that Jesus do something to fix the situation. Jesus first rebukes the disciples for their lack of faith and fear of the situation, and then He rebukes the wind and waves into submission as well. It would seem that Jesus was angry at the entire situation, and not just the disciples or just the weather.

The disciples express yet another emotion in the process, which is fear combined with trepidation and wonder after Jesus rebukes the wind and waves. They stand there in complete and utter amazement at the fact that nature itself follows the commands of their rabbi, and wonder who He really is. It is this particular expressed emotion that intrigues me the most in this passage, because these men have been walking with Jesus for some time, and have seen Him perform all kinds of miracles. One would think that they’d have a sense of safety and satisfaction when Jesus calms the storm, but in fact, their emotional state is quite the opposite!

We see that, in spite of the lack of faith and abundance of fear that the disciples display in this situation, Jesus still chooses to give Assistance by calming the storm. This is not unlike our own lives, when we come to the Lord in the midst of crisis. We might be completely afraid or scared of the situation, and might feel as though the waves of life are about to come crashing down around us. For many of us, this is the only time we come to Jesus for assistance with the problems of life. Even with our lack of faith and fear, He is faithful and answers our cries with help and assistance.

There is also a Command to obey within this passage of Scripture. Jesus rebukes the wind and waves, and they calm down. Much in the same way, when we are in the midst of trial and tribulation, Jesus commands us to be calm and trust in Him. When we choose to do this in a real and authentic way, then we find that He calms the storm within us, which allows us to see the path to get through the issue we are dealing with. It is important that, when that command to calm comes, we obey it so that He might show us the way that He would have us go to work through whatever situation is causing our storm.

There is an Example here to avoid, and that is the example that the disciples portray during and after the storm. They were fearful, scared, unsure of what to do, unsure of who Jesus actually was, and lacked faith. The world tells us that there is no God. Satan desires for us to believe that lie just a little, so that he might infiltrate our faith and make it counterfeit. He wants us to run scared every time some new and possibly detrimental plot twist rises up within our lives. This is not what God desires for us, and we must be careful to remember that. God desires that we know who Jesus is in our lives, and that we trust in His character of grace, mercy, and faithfulness, so that we will not live in fear.

In order to do this, there needs to be a Confession to God of the fear and lack of faith that plagues us as sinful human beings. We need to acknowledge that there is indeed a sin issue within us that causes us to doubt the character of Jesus, and in turn, whether or not He will be faithful to calm the storms in our lives if we call upon Him. If we don’t confess this, we cannot get to the heart of the matter of our lack of faith, which causes us more distress and heartache in the long run. It is of utmost importance that we choose to face this head on and give our lack of faith to God, so that He might build faith within us.

This brings us to the point of Supplication, or asking God for something that we desire of His nature within ourselves. It is in asking God to heal us and protect us from our natural tendency to be fearful and lack faith that we find the answers to be confident in who Christ is and what He has and will continue to do in our lives. The act of supplication forces us to break down the walls of self and let God in. This can be a very hard thing to do, but once it happens, it gets easier to do it each time. Notice that we don’t do it just once! This is an ongoing process of continually asking God to break down the barriers of fear so that we might gain more of the strength in Christ that we need. The process is different for each of us. It might be a once per week thing for some, and a moment by moment event for others. The frequency with which you go to God in this manner isn’t necessarily the issue, but rather, the actual act of going to God on a regular basis. It is through this process that we can be less like the disciples on the boat, and more like the disciples after the day of Pentacost.

Taking A Look At Mark 1:1-3

In reading through Mark 1:1-3, we see Mark speaking of the very beginning of Jesus’ ministry on earth. In doing so, he opens with who he believes Jesus is. In this we find a Promise to Claim. This promise is in Mark’s firm assertion that Jesus is, in fact, Christ, the Son of the living God. Mark makes no bones about his belief that Jesus is the Messiah, although he does not come out and state that publicly. It is, however, very apparent by his use of both “Christ” and “Son of God” in the first verse of his Gospel.

He then goes on to tell the story of John the Baptist. This story begins with a restating of the words of the prophet Isaiah from chapter forty and verse three in his book from the Old Testament. As these words are brought to light for a new generation of believers, we find another Promise to Claim. Isaiah prophesied in the Old Testament that one would come and prepare the way for the Lord. Mark believes that John the Baptist is the one of whom Isaiah spoke about so long ago, and that John indeed does fulfill that prophecy. We see this come to fruition through Mark’s telling of the story of John the Baptist.

These promises are ones that we can claim for ourselves in a couple of ways. First off, with Mark’s belief that Jesus is the Messiah, we are able to claim Jesus as our Messiah and our Lord and Savior. We can claim that He is the Christ, the Son of the living God. Being able to claim that proclamation brings us to the second promise. That promise, spoken of by Isaiah and again by Mark, is that of a messenger being sent to us to prepare the way and make the paths straight. Just as John the Baptist prepared the way for Jesus to do ministry, Jesus prepares the way for us to be reconciled to the Father. John baptized with water, but Jesus baptizes with His own blood shed for our sins. This washes us clean so that we might be pure and righteous in the sight of God.

In reading through this text, I believe that Mark has some Emotions that are expressed. I believe that he expresses excitement through stating that Jesus is the Son of God, and also through the restating of Isaiah’s words as a confirmed prophecy of both John the Baptist and Jesus. We, too, can experience this excitement through these words as we believe that Jesus is who Mark claims He is, and through the fulfillment of the prophecy of Isaiah as a confirmation to the modern reader that God does what He says He will do.

The words of Isaiah that Mark quotes have an Example for those of us who are Christ followers today. When Mark speaks the words “Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.”, it is important that we realize our role in that process. When we became Christians, someone made the path to the Lord straight for us. We came to a point through the help of friends, family members, pastors, teachers, etc… that our path choice was a blatantly obvious one. We needed to choose the path of righteousness, which was paved with the blood and by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross. However, without those around us making straight paths to the Lord, we may not have ever found our way to salvation. As we interact with those around us, it is of utmost importance that we are an example of Christ’s work in our lives at all times. When we do not exhibit those characteristics, the path we create becomes winding and twisted, which is hardly a straight path for others to follow to the cross. The example of Mark’s straight forward approach to telling exactly who he believed Jesus to be, and the confirmed words of Isaiah’s prophecy show us that we need to make it easy for others to find Christ.

In conclusion, I want to offer Thanks to God through what I read in this passage. I thank Him for being faithful to fulfill His Word. According to Mark, the arrival of John the Baptist on the scene fulfills Isaiah’s prophecy of one who would prepare the way for the Lord. I am inclined to believe that this is true, and I want to thank God for showing Himself faithful to do what He says He will do. This is but one example of God fulfilling the prophecy foretold in the Bible, and it is through the fulfilling of this prophecy that the ministry of Jesus begins. That ministry is what ultimately led to the greatest sacrifice ever seen, which covers my sins and allows me to be reconciled to God. I can’t help but thank Him for being true to His character and Word!

The Electric Parable

John 15:1-11 (MSG) - I am the Real Vine and my Father is the Farmer. He cuts off every branch of me that doesn't bear grapes. And every branch that is grape-bearing he prunes back so it will bear even more. You are already pruned back by the message I have spoken. "Live in me. Make your home in me just as I do in you. In the same way that a branch can't bear grapes by itself but only by being joined to the vine, you can't bear fruit unless you are joined with me. "I am the Vine, you are the branches. When you're joined with me and I with you, the relation intimate and organic, the harvest is sure to be abundant. Separated, you can't produce a thing. Anyone who separates from me is deadwood, gathered up and thrown on the bonfire. But if you make yourselves at home with me and my words are at home in you, you can be sure that whatever you ask will be listened to and acted upon. This is how my Father shows who he is—when you produce grapes, when you mature as my disciples. "I've loved you the way my Father has loved me. Make yourselves at home in my love. If you keep my commands, you'll remain intimately at home in my love. That's what I've done—kept my Father's commands and made myself at home in his love. "I've told you these things for a purpose: that my joy might be your joy, and your joy wholly mature.

How many of you have heard this parable from Jesus before? Looking back at Jesus’ time, this parable made perfect sense to use. At that point in history, there wasn’t a central water district, no sewer system, and nobody had a clue as to what chlorination was. Water was, at best, a very marginal version of “clean” depending on how far outside the city you went to get it. Nobody had ice machines, and no one was carrying around an indestructible plastic Nalgene bottle or even a metal canteen! Nope. Wine was the most sanitary drink of the day. Easily transportable in barrels or animal skin pouches, it would stay fresh for a fairly decent amount of time and would not grow bacteria nearly as fast as water transported the same way. Taking care of the grape vine was an integral part of life and commerce in those days!

What does it bring to mind when you hear or read this passage? For me it brings to mind the sprawling fields of grapes in Napa Valley California. I got to see that in 2004 when some friends and I went to a worship conference at Saddleback Church. After we got off the plane and ate at IN ‘n OUT (best burger and fries in the nation!), we had an afternoon to kill. One of my friends was a die-hard Reagan fanatic, so we drove up to the Reagan Presidential Library in Napa Valley. The place was on top of a hill that overlooked the entire wine valley, and it was breath taking! All those vines, all those grapes… All that wine that was going to be made that was more expensive than my house… Thinking of it that way, the parable was understandable, but didn’t make much sense to me. I don’t grow grapes, so while I can relate, it doesn’t hit home as hard as it might.

This parable might make perfect sense today to those of you in the Agriculture industry, it tends to be a little distant for me, because I am a techie. Sooo… I think we need to “Power” this parable up and look at it in a different “light”. To that end, here’s a version of that same parable, from the MJT, or Makeshift Jeremy Translation:

"I am the Wall Outlet and my Father is the Maintenance Man. He shuts off every power strip of mine that doesn't power something. And every power strip that does he adjusts so it will power even more. You are already adjusted by the message I have spoken. "Stay plugged into me. Make a connection in me just as I do in you. In the same way that a power strip can't turn on a light by itself but only by being joined to wall outlet, you can't be light in this world unless you are joined with me. "I am the Wall Outlet, you are the Power Strip. When you're joined with me and I with you, the relation intimate and electric, the amount of usable appliances is sure to be abundant. Separated, you can't produce a thing. Anyone who separates from me is powerless, gathered up and thrown in the recycling bin. But if you make yourselves at home with me and my words are at home in you, you can be sure that whatever you ask will be listened to and acted upon. This is how my Father shows who he is—when you produce usable light, when you mature as my disciples. "I've loved you the way my Father has loved me. Make yourselves at home in my love. If you keep my commands, you'll remain intimately at home in my love. That's what I've done—kept my Father's commands and made myself at home in his love. "I've told you these things for a purpose: that my joy might be your joy, and your joy wholly mature.

In order to more fully understand this idea, we need to look at the three main parts here of our “Electric” parable.

1. The Wall Outlet – Jesus! He is the way we tap into the mighty power of God and distribute it to the ministry we are wired for. If we don’t accept Jesus for who He is and plug into the idea that we need Him in our lives, then we’re powerless! Sure, we can do all kinds of good things, but ultimately they are not going to have the blessing and momentum that God intended.

John 14:6 is so relevant here! Jesus said that He was the way, the truth, and the life, and that NO ONE could come to the Father except through Him. It would be foolish to expect that we are going to tap God’s power and do great things for the kingdom if we don’t first accept Jesus as the source we need to plug into in order to tap that power!

2. The Maintenance Man – God! God is the one who provides power to the the Wall Outlet, and helps us to plug into that power. He is also the one that adjusts our power outlet levels, depending on how new we are to the source! That adjustment can sometimes be hard, because there are many of us that are used to being our own power source. We can easily try to unplug from the Wall Outlet and fire up our own generator again, but that only lasts so long. We need to allow Him to keep us plugged into the Wall Outlet and adjust our power output so that we can be the most effective at distributing His light and power to the world.

3. The Power Strip – Us! We are the ones who plug into the Wall Outlet and give light to the world. We have many “appliances” (ministries) that get power from us. Whether we head it up or are just a volunteer, we power those ministries through the power that we receive from Jesus. Here’s the catch – we have to be switched “on” in order to distribute that light and power!

How many people do you know that say they are plugged into the source, and yet have no light to show for it? They probably are plugged into Jesus, and the power may very well be flowing from the outlet into the power strip. However, it stops short of being distributed to the world because the switch is off!

These are the types that come to church, put a little in the plate, take communion, tolerate the music, sleep through the sermon, complain that we got out late, and then go home to fall asleep in front of the tv. I’m completely over-exaggerating here, but you get the point! There is no way on God’s Green Earth that we are going to be effective for the kingdom without having that service switch flipped into the “on” position so that we can distribute the light and power that God intended.

So, what do we need to take from this today?

1. Allow the Maintenance Man to make the necessary adjustments to you so that you can be consistently plugged into the Wall Outlet and distributing light and power to the masses.

Romans 8:28 (NIV) - And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

2. Stay plugged into the Wall Outlet so that you might be able to do all that the Maintenance Man asks of you!

Philippians 4:13 (Amplified Bible) - I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me [I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me; I am self-sufficient in Christ's sufficiency].

3. Keep your switch turned “on” so that the power can flow through you to light the world!

Matthew 28:19-20 (New International Version) - Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

Apart from Jesus we can do nothing, but with Jesus we can light the way for others to come to the Father!

One Body, Many Parts

I would assume that most of us have at least glossed over the passage in 1 Corinthians 12 that speaks about the body. We all have the head knowledge that this particular piece of Scripture speaks to, which is that we are all different, and yet, part of the same body. To refresh all of our memories, here's the passage I'm talking about.

I Corinthians 12:12-31 - The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is wit Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body - whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free - and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Now the body is not made up of one part but of many, If the foot should say, "Because i am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, "I don't need you!" And the head cannot say to the feet, "I don't need you!" On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts of that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unrepresentable are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that ts parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one parts in honored, every part rejoices with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to heal others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? But eagerly desire the greater gifts.

This idea of One Body, Many Parts, is meant to show the church that it is to be a unit. This idea is to be shown in the local church AND the church worldwide by the inclusiveness of the body, regardless of race, gender, background, financial status, job, education, or gifts and talents. We are to accept the God given diversity of our brothers and sisters in Christ so that we might truly be one body of believers made up of all kinds of people. Preachers, teachers, prophets, healers, musicians, vocalists, servants, prayer warriors, etc... We are to think of and act like the church as a great melting pot that welcomes all parts into God's family.

It is important that I stress one very important point here. We are also to welcome those who practice a homosexual lifestyle into the Church. Yes, there are clear verses in Leviticus 18 & 20, as well as I Corinthians 6, that state God's true feelings about homosexuality. However, there are also many other verses that state God's true feelings about other sins as well, not to mention that God doesn't rate one sin higher than another. God loves them, but detests their lifestyle choice. How else are we to show them the love God has and the truth about their sinful condition if we don't even let them in the doors? Let me be clear: I am NOT saying that we should invite them to serve on the Worship Team, teach a Sunday School class, or be a Youth Sponsor. I would not be kosher with that, just as I would not be kosher with a raging alcoholic, pedophile, or adulterer doing any of those things. I AM saying that we should invite them in so that they might hear the Good News, believe, and turn from their sin to go the direction that God would have them go.

Another part of being One Body, Many Parts, is recognizing that not all of us will have the same function within the body. We are not made from a cookie cutter! Each of us has had a diverse set of experiences, and no two people have had the exact same experiences. That means that we are all designed to do things that another is not, and God planned it that way! Not everyone is an amazing musician, gifted speaker, or well studied teacher. Some have those gifts, but some might just be good at service oriented things, and others still might have a bigger knack for prayer and encouragement. The body has many different skill sets on purpose, so that we might better serve when we're together.

The problem here is when folks get the idea that one gift or another is bigger, better, or more important than another. Folks, we're all called to the same mission! Our call is to continue the work of Christ here on earth until He returns. How we do that depends on our gifts and abilities! Just because I'm called to continue Christ's work on earth through Worship Arts doesn't mean that I'm any better than my friend Dave who's called to continue Christ's work on earth through being an electrician. We simply do different things within the body to further the kingdom! Ministry is our full time job, regardless of what we do for gainful employment. His is turning on lights, and mine is turning on amps and computers.

We cannot seek status with our gifts and talents, and still expect to be One Body. It just won't happen. When people use their gifts as a way to build themselves up, it creates the "pedestal complex", in which one is all of a sudden better and more distinguished than another.

I've worked with pastors and lay leaders that were doing their jobs for the status within the Body that it gave them, and they used that status as leverage to get what they wanted. Did that create unity? Quite the opposite. It almost always created a fair amount of dis-unity and chaos within the Body.

On the other end of the spectrum, the pastor I work for now has every right (by the world's standards) to be on a pedestal. He's been here almost 4 decades, and has a powerful and dynamic personality and preaching style that captures your attention from beginning to end. He could easily just go about his days prepping to preach and leaving the rest to others. Instead, he doesn't even consider his status as anything to talk about, rolls up his sleeves, and gets dirty just like the rest of us. There is no "pedestal complex" in his heart; he only has the love of Jesus and the desire for unity within the Body.

Where did he learn how to do that? What was His example? It was the example Jesus set for us that Paul speaks of in his letter to the Church at Philippi.

Philippians 2:5-11 - Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death- even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

THIS is how we become One Body, Many Parts. We consider status nothing and humble ourselves to become obedient to what it is that God has set before us. Only then will we be able to live together in unity and allow God to increase our ability to further His kingdom for His glory.

One Body. Many Parts. All ages, races, countries, denominations... Globally and locally, all working together for the sole purpose of combining our gifts and talents in order to give God glory.

I'm in. Are you?

Stewardship - More Than Just Tithing!

Money, money, money! It seems like we can't get away from talking about it in any way, shape, or form... The media talks constantly about the economy, jobs, pay rates, minimum wage, debt, stimulus packages, funds borrowed by banks and businesses, and so on. Even in the church, we talk about money every week! We have meditations, videos, object lessons, and prayers during the Offering time, and on occasion we spend teaching time in the sermon and in Sunday School to address Worship through tithes and offerings.

However, we don't necessarily spend much time on the real over-all issue of money, which is the act of good stewardship. You see, many of our financial woes are based on bad budgeting and the "buy-now, pay-later" philosophy of living, when it should be based on Biblical principles for good stewardship.

My wife and I fell into that bad budgeting lifestyle early in our marriage. We lived life charging on plastic, paying in installments, and sometimes robbing Peter to pay Paul. There were times in our life that we had the heat shut off, the lights go out, the fridge and gas tank empty, and the phone ringing off the hook with people who wanted the money we didn't have! After digging our way out of some of it, we moved to Florida so that I could take on a full time ministry position, and she worked at the church's daycare. With 2 incomes, we got complacent with our payments instead of being aggressive in getting rid of debt. Lora lost her job when the daycare closed, and we lost a 3rd of our income. Our bad budgeting strategy put us right back into the hands of the debt collectors, and the phone began to ring once again.

It was shortly after that happened that God graciously brought us here to Wichita, and allowed us to get our feet back on the ground financially. We're not out of the woods yet, but we are closer now to being free of those financial burdens than we have been in the entirety of our 8 year marriage.

It took finally looking at what the Bible says about stewardship and realizing that our version didn't match up to start the process of change!

Today we are going to take a look at 5 Biblically based principles that can help you in your journey to good stewardship.

1. Establish That God Is The Source

* Psalm 24:1 (New International Version) - ¹ The earth is the LORD's, and everything in it,
the world, and all who live in it;

* Philippians 4:19 (Amplified Bible - ¹⁹And my God will liberally supply (^[a]fill to the full) your every need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

*2 Corinthians 9:8 (New International Version) - ⁸And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.

These are just a few of the examples in the Bible where the Word speaks to God being the ultimate provider for us. As followers of Christ, our thoughts on the financial need to be tempered by these passages! We don't do anything to make money on our own, but rather, God blesses us with the opportunity to work and earn a wage so that we might have what we need.

2. Establish A Three-fold Budget - Give/Spend/Save

a. Give -

*Deuteronomy 14:22-23 (The Message) - ^22-26 Make an offering of ten percent, a tithe, of all the produce which grows in your fields year after year. Bring this into the Presence of God, your God, at the place he designates for worship and there eat the tithe from your grain, wine, and oil and the firstborn from your herds and flocks. In this way you will learn to live in deep reverence before God, your God, as long as you live.

This passage in Deuteronomy shows that tithing in the age of Law was meant as an act to remind the Israelites to put God first in all things. It was the firstfruits. For us, it would be the equivalent of giving off the gross number on our paycheck instead of the net after taxes. It was meant to be a sacrifice.

The New Testament also speaks to giving, but it shows more of the immense blessing that God want to share with us if we are faithful in giving cheerfully and obediently as an act of worship.

*Luke 6:38(New International Version) - ³⁸Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."

*2 Corinthians 9:6-15 (New International Version) - ⁶Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. ⁷Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. ⁸And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. ⁹As it is written: "He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; his righteousness endures forever."^{[a] 10}Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. ¹¹You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. ¹²This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. ¹³Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. ¹⁴And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. ¹⁵Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!

b. Budget wisely, on a Margin -

Having a written budget is having knowledge of who needs to be paid, how much they need to be paid, and when you paid them. It is important that we pay what we owe, and in order to do so we must continually be vigilant of our income and expenses.

* Proverbs 24:3-4 (New Living Translation) - ³ A house is built by wisdom and becomes strong through good sense. ⁴ Through knowledge its rooms are filled with all sorts of precious riches and valuables.

When it comes to spending, we all must do it. However, it is of utmost importance that we not spend so much that we get ourselves in trouble! This is where paper checks and plastic cards can get us in trouble.

*Psalm 37:21 (Amplified Bible) - ²¹The wicked borrow and pay not again [for they may be unable], but the [uncompromisingly] righteous deal kindly and give [for they are able]

* Proverbs 22:7 (Amplified Bible) - ⁷The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.

Please understand that some spending is necessary! We all need a roof over our heads, clothes on our backs, a vehicle of some sort, and food in the fridge. However, it is when we overextend ourselves in paying for home, car, tv, cable, internet, cell phone, clothes, shoes, jewelry, eating out, etc... then we become the wicket who borrow and pay not again. We become the servant to the lender and are no longer our own. If we are to live according to Biblical principles, we should not get bogged down in bad debt!

It is of the utmost importance that we live on a spending margin so that we can meet our financial obligations. Living on a margin means having some wiggle room in your income just in case something happens. Maybe the gas bill was more this month than last, maybe the car needed to get fixed, or the water heater went out in the house... You can cover it because you have a margin of extra money to fall back on.

c. Save -

The Bible speaks to saving for a rainy day as well.

* Proverbs 21:20 (Amplified Bible) - ²⁰There are precious treasures and oil in the dwelling of the wise, but a self-confident and foolish man swallows it up and wastes it.

Remember the story of Joseph in Genesis? He interpreted Pharoah's dreams of years of plenty and years of famine, and ended up in charge of the largest food pantry in all of Egypt! They had to save up for the time when the land would be barren for many years. That's the only way they made it through until the land bore crops again!

The church didn't have anything like that, so our stewardship committee added a rainy day fund to the budget last year, and we have been blessed to put that money back all year long! We didn't have enough in that rainy day fund when our roof finally gave way and the water rushed in. We had to come to all of you, you gave generously, and God blessed your faithfulness! We have a new roof, and there's money accumulating in that rainy day fund to fix and/or replace other items that come up as needed.

This same Biblical principle is important in our own lives as well. We must put back in order to have enough when emergencies hit our lives.

3. Be Content!

* Hebrews 13:5 (The Message) - Don't be obsessed with getting more material things. Be relaxed with what you have. Since God assured us, "I'll never let you down, never walk off and leave you,"

There is a misconception in the church today that God is concerned with us having the absolute best of the best of everything. The "Name it and Claim it" or "Believe it and Receive it" gospel is popular, but totally flawed. Some preachers and televangelists take the passages that speak of God's blessings and extravagant love for us and twist it so badly that their followers end up coming out thinking that God wants them to dress in $500 suits and drive $60,000 Cadillacs, so they go out and buy those things on credit and end up going bankrupt, all the while being told that their faith isn't strong enough to allow God to bless them!

This is utter nonsense and completely un-Biblical! God is not concerned with giving us our foolish human desires, and He certainly doesn't condone us going into extreme debt to get what we want either! God calls us to be content with what we have, and to not allow material possessions to be a stumbling block.

It kills me that my 2005 Chrysler mini-van with 68,000 miles on it was eligible for the "Cash for Clunkers" program! All that program did for many was put them further in debt by taking and JUNKING their perfectly fine higher mileage vehicle and putting the millstone of a brand new car payment around their collective family neck... My version of "Cash for Clunkers" is the Dave Ramsey version, which is that I'm going to drive my "Clunker" and save my cash!

As Christians, we should be content with what we have and save up for what we want so that we don't have to put ourselves in debt for new toys.

A good saying for us to live by in this area is this : Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without".

4. Work Hard

* Proverbs 14:23 (The Message) - ²³ Hard work always pays off; mere talk puts no bread on the table.

* Proverbs 28:19 (The Message) - ¹⁹ Work your garden—you'll end up with plenty of food; play and party—you'll end up with an empty plate

Working is a principle that is shown all throughout the Scriptures! We are called to work hard, and to do our absolute best!

* Colossians 3:23 (The Message) - ^22-25Servants, do what you're told by your earthly masters. And don't just do the minimum that will get you by. Do your best. Work from the heart for your real Master, for God, confident that you'll get paid in full when you come into your inheritance. Keep in mind always that the ultimate Master you're serving is Christ. The sullen servant who does shoddy work will be held responsible. Being a follower of Jesus doesn't cover up bad work.

Some of you are working 2 and 3 jobs to get out of debt or just to make ends meet. Don't get discouraged, for the Lord is with you! He has provided you those jobs to take care of your needs, so work hard and do your best, for it is for Him that you should be working! Some of you have been laid off and are currently living on unemployment. Many of you have been using that time for Godly ventures that He is blessing immensely! Even in the midst of not working at a job, you are still working for the Lord, so take advantage of the opportunities to show Him to the world that He gives you! For those who's needs are met by working 1 job, be thankful, and see how God might lead you to meet the needs of those who don't have work or are working multiple jobs to try and make ends meet.

5. Seek Godly Counsel

* Psalm 1:1 (New International Version) - ¹ Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked

* Proverbs 15:22 (New International Version) - ²² Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.

Godly counsel in the ways of good stewardship are VERY important in order to have success in this area! You've seen the commercials for Fidelity financial planning, right? "Stay on the line and you'll succeed!" We need the same kind of help, but spiritually. Godly men and women who have had success in the area of finances are great sources to help you "stay on the line" when it comes to stewardship. There are also some Biblically based professional groups that can help you with this as well.

One is Financial Peace University, developed by Dave Ramsey. www.daveramsey.com

Another is Crown Financial Ministries. www.crown.org

These groups are nationally known, and have materials that can help you to develop a budget, get out of debt, STAY out of debt, put back a rainy day fund, save for retirement, and still afford some of the fun things that we'd all like to have. All with Biblical foundations!

If we are to answer the call in our lives to show the world what living according to Biblical principles looks like, finances are a major part of that example. Far too many Christians live in self-imposed poverty and cry out to God to save them from their own mess. We can only Live the Adventure that God has for us if we follow his principles, and Living that Adventure is enhanced by good stewardship of our God-given resources.