I've been recovering from a running injury. I tweaked my knee in early fall, so I'm now in the process of regaining my form, feeling comfortable with my stride, and getting accustomed to the miles. It's not easy. But my greatest struggle doesn't happen at the beginning of the run. Starting out is no problem. It's near the end of a run that I struggle most. When I hit the final hill of my course today, I was physically and mentally beaten. My mind said, "Stop. It's time to walk. Take it easy. You've done enough."
As you get closer to Christmas, your mind may be crying out the same things: "You've worked hard enough. You've done plenty. It's time to lay back. It's time for YOU. Indulge. Moderate preparation will be fine. Take a break from focusing on integrity. Stop."
It's near the end of a spiritual journey that most struggles surface. You may be tempted to fizzle out just days before the Christmas Eve and Christmas Day celebrations. You may be tempted to throw in the towel as you enter the second half or final quarter of your ministry. You may feel like you've put in your time as a believer and it's time for others to take over.
As the Apostle Paul entered the home stretch of his ministry and knew he would encounter ever more challenging trials, he summed up his focus this way, "However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me--the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace" (Acts 20:24).
Paul wasn't going to stop. It was crunch time and he was going to finish.
How did he do that? Was it because he was so well trained? Was it due to his high energy level? Was he one of those overachievers who is never behind in his e-mail?
Acts 20:28 gives the answer. Paul said, "Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers."
The key to living as a finisher? The Holy Spirit. Zechariah 4:6 says, "'Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the LORD Almighty."
In these days before Christmas you need the Spirit saturated Word of God more than ever. In the home stretches of life as a believer, you need the gifts of God in Word and Sacrament. YOU can't finish. But the Savior who died and rose again can finish for you. He is, after all, the finisher of your faith (Hebrews 12:2).
For inspiration, for staying power, for joy, for faithfulness, for new beginnings, for all you need to keep going, the Living Savior will bring you home. Living as a finisher means living in His Spirit and His grace.
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Too Small or Too Big to Reach Out?
The mission church barely had 100 people in worship. Attendance was declining. The pastor had accepted a call and moved on. The community seemed unaware of the church's existence. Now what? How in the world could this dwindling group of people do anything?
That's when Marty, Al, and Richard--leaders in this mission congregation--decided to do something. "We've got to reach out," they said. "We'll die if we don't get outside ourselves."
So they reached out. The congregation decided to help launch a church. They dedicated 2% of their annual income, over and above their tithe to District and Synod missions, to help start Iglesia Luterana La Santisima Trinidad. It was located on the southwest side of Chicago in the "Little Village" neighborhood. Along with their offerings, they began a weekly food collection for a food pantry at the fledgling church. They organized workdays with the core group at La Santisima. They threw themselves into reaching out with time, talent, and treasure.
The result? Two churches started to grow. The focus on missions expanded in both congregations. These days Marty, Al, and Richard help lead a church that is still a mission congregation--even though worship has swelled to nearly 1000 people. The congregation is working to reach 200 nations around the world by 2020 AND is helping to launch two more new church plants. La Santisima Trinidad has sent five young men into pastoral ministry and has transformed countless lives in the city of Chicago. One of those pastors is raising up a new generation of leaders who start new churches and ministries.
Conventional wisdom would have told both of these churches that they were much too small to do anything. Conventional wisdom didn't listen to Jesus talking about mustard seeds.
I was visiting with a pastor who just returned from a meeting with church planters in Argentina. The pastor told me that when a congregation in Argentina reaches 100 in worship, they send a worker to start another church. That worker is supported for about three months until he can find a job. The worker immediately reaches into the community and starts gathering with people in Bible study. He raises up leaders. He seeks the lost. When his groups reaches 100 people in worship, guess what happens? The church has grown up! It's time to send more workers to start more churches--to reach the lost with the Gospel of Jesus Christ crucified. These pastors are bi-vocational and tri-vocational. Many are strategic about their jobs so they can connect with people in the community. One delivers bread to homes so he can ask the people who live there about the bread of life. Another repairs bicycles and speaks with his customers about The Way.
If in our culture we think that small churches are too small to plant churches and big churches have too many internal ministry commitments to plant churches, how will new churches and ministries ever begin? How will the lost hear about Jesus? Who is telling us that we're too small or too big? It doesn't sound like Jesus.
Ask Marty, Al, and Richard. They'll tell you how faithful God is when you get outside yourself.
That's when Marty, Al, and Richard--leaders in this mission congregation--decided to do something. "We've got to reach out," they said. "We'll die if we don't get outside ourselves."
So they reached out. The congregation decided to help launch a church. They dedicated 2% of their annual income, over and above their tithe to District and Synod missions, to help start Iglesia Luterana La Santisima Trinidad. It was located on the southwest side of Chicago in the "Little Village" neighborhood. Along with their offerings, they began a weekly food collection for a food pantry at the fledgling church. They organized workdays with the core group at La Santisima. They threw themselves into reaching out with time, talent, and treasure.
The result? Two churches started to grow. The focus on missions expanded in both congregations. These days Marty, Al, and Richard help lead a church that is still a mission congregation--even though worship has swelled to nearly 1000 people. The congregation is working to reach 200 nations around the world by 2020 AND is helping to launch two more new church plants. La Santisima Trinidad has sent five young men into pastoral ministry and has transformed countless lives in the city of Chicago. One of those pastors is raising up a new generation of leaders who start new churches and ministries.
Conventional wisdom would have told both of these churches that they were much too small to do anything. Conventional wisdom didn't listen to Jesus talking about mustard seeds.
I was visiting with a pastor who just returned from a meeting with church planters in Argentina. The pastor told me that when a congregation in Argentina reaches 100 in worship, they send a worker to start another church. That worker is supported for about three months until he can find a job. The worker immediately reaches into the community and starts gathering with people in Bible study. He raises up leaders. He seeks the lost. When his groups reaches 100 people in worship, guess what happens? The church has grown up! It's time to send more workers to start more churches--to reach the lost with the Gospel of Jesus Christ crucified. These pastors are bi-vocational and tri-vocational. Many are strategic about their jobs so they can connect with people in the community. One delivers bread to homes so he can ask the people who live there about the bread of life. Another repairs bicycles and speaks with his customers about The Way.
If in our culture we think that small churches are too small to plant churches and big churches have too many internal ministry commitments to plant churches, how will new churches and ministries ever begin? How will the lost hear about Jesus? Who is telling us that we're too small or too big? It doesn't sound like Jesus.
Ask Marty, Al, and Richard. They'll tell you how faithful God is when you get outside yourself.
Saturday, December 6, 2008
How a Gen-X Church Revolutionized an Over 80 Crowd
Hilda was nearly 100-years-old and confined to a wheelchair as a double-amputee, but she had a sparkle in her eye and the witness of Jesus on her lips. She showed me a new large-print Bible and a cute stuffed animal.
"They were gifts from my church," she said.
Wait a minute. I thought I was her church! I visited her regularly each month. We had teams of people visiting with her each week. What was this church she was talking about?
"A church in the area comes every Sunday and has worship and Bible study for all of us," Hilda continued. "We sing, hear a sermon, and even have fellowship afterward. I won the stuffed animal in a game. The pastor gave me the Bible as a gift."
The church she referred to was a newer gen-x church in the outskirts of suburban Chicago. It was a "hip" church, "cutting edge," the place to be. What were they doing in a nursing home?
Hilda told me. They were caring for many people who were otherwise forgotten. They were reaching the lost with the Good News of Jesus. They were reminding every resident of the nursing home to reach out with Christ. They were making it clear that Hilda and her friends were not alone.
Hilda couldn't get to church anymore. Now church had come to her. "Her church" was now happening in her new home. The gen-x church saw the mission field, became humble servants, and started to reach people who needed Jesus.
Hilda was a pastor's daughter. Her dad was an LC-MS preacher in rural Iowa. Hilda used to regale me with stories of life in a pastor's home in the early 1900's. In his entire career her dad didn't have a telephone. People simply stopped by the house to bring the latest news. A trip to the local hospital meant hitching up a horse to a wagon or sleigh. Her father served this congregation for his entire life--up until the moment he breathed his last breath one Advent morning as he lay beside his wife in bed. There was no Christmas tree in church that year--the first time that ever happened in history. Instead, there was a Christmas funeral.
Hilda loved her dad and loved to serve the Lord. She was an active witness for Christ every day. Her mission field was a tough one. It was a nursing home. In the midst of her own pain and loss she lifted up the name of the Savior. She reached many people. Why shouldn't she have a church nearby? Why shouldn't she be encouraged by the living Word and the power of the Cross? Why shouldn't she be able to have fellowship with brothers and sisters in Christ? Why shouldn't she be united with fellow servants to reach the lost?
An area church decided to become humble and active and launch a satellite where she lived.
Is there a "Hilda" waiting for you and your church?
Next week: Don't Cry for Me, Argentina
"They were gifts from my church," she said.
Wait a minute. I thought I was her church! I visited her regularly each month. We had teams of people visiting with her each week. What was this church she was talking about?
"A church in the area comes every Sunday and has worship and Bible study for all of us," Hilda continued. "We sing, hear a sermon, and even have fellowship afterward. I won the stuffed animal in a game. The pastor gave me the Bible as a gift."
The church she referred to was a newer gen-x church in the outskirts of suburban Chicago. It was a "hip" church, "cutting edge," the place to be. What were they doing in a nursing home?
Hilda told me. They were caring for many people who were otherwise forgotten. They were reaching the lost with the Good News of Jesus. They were reminding every resident of the nursing home to reach out with Christ. They were making it clear that Hilda and her friends were not alone.
Hilda couldn't get to church anymore. Now church had come to her. "Her church" was now happening in her new home. The gen-x church saw the mission field, became humble servants, and started to reach people who needed Jesus.
Hilda was a pastor's daughter. Her dad was an LC-MS preacher in rural Iowa. Hilda used to regale me with stories of life in a pastor's home in the early 1900's. In his entire career her dad didn't have a telephone. People simply stopped by the house to bring the latest news. A trip to the local hospital meant hitching up a horse to a wagon or sleigh. Her father served this congregation for his entire life--up until the moment he breathed his last breath one Advent morning as he lay beside his wife in bed. There was no Christmas tree in church that year--the first time that ever happened in history. Instead, there was a Christmas funeral.
Hilda loved her dad and loved to serve the Lord. She was an active witness for Christ every day. Her mission field was a tough one. It was a nursing home. In the midst of her own pain and loss she lifted up the name of the Savior. She reached many people. Why shouldn't she have a church nearby? Why shouldn't she be encouraged by the living Word and the power of the Cross? Why shouldn't she be able to have fellowship with brothers and sisters in Christ? Why shouldn't she be united with fellow servants to reach the lost?
An area church decided to become humble and active and launch a satellite where she lived.
Is there a "Hilda" waiting for you and your church?
Next week: Don't Cry for Me, Argentina
Saturday, November 29, 2008
The Church Begging to be Started
A few years ago I visited Elsa at her apartment in a local retirement center. Elsa had moved from out of state and knew not a soul in her new area. She moved to this unfamiliar locale because her niece wanted to have her close by. Elsa wasn't able to go to church so we agreed that I would visit her once each month for a brief time of devotion and fellowship.
After my first visit, Elsa asked if she could invite a friend from the retirement center to join us next time we got together. Of course, I agreed. After that visit, the two friends mentioned that they knew several people who had no opportunity to worship. Could they come too? Why, yes! Invite away! At the third visit we had half a dozen people crowded into a tiny senior apartment. After our worship time one of the newcomers piped up: "I know the activities coordinator. Why don't I arrange for us to use the chapel next time. We can even advertise the gathering at announcement time in the dining room." I told her to go for it.
A movement was afoot! We met in the chapel the next month with nearly 20 worshipers. After the worship service, two ladies volunteered to serve as a worship team--setting up everything needed for our time together. A man said that he would invite two people he knew who played the organ and violin. He was sure they would love to add music to our gathering. Four of the original core group strategized more invitations. Elsa told stories of people she knew who didn't know Christ. Wow! God was at work! We had a new church--a satellite church--a church plant--whatever it was--growing by the Spirit of God through His people.
During the Advent season you may find yourself in a few retirement centers and nursing homes. Christmas carolers will roam the hallways. But what about longer-term outreach into these places where so many are forgotten? How many of these dear people are receiving the soul-care they need?
Studies show that by the year 2030, 25-30% of the U.S. population will be 65 and over. By 2050, 40% of 65-year-olds are likely to reach the age of 90! Our nation is aging. The question is: who will be their church? Who will bring the news of Jesus to so many who never listened in our secular culture, but now need to hear of Him as they falter physically and see that death is near?
There is a hunger for real fellowship and genuine hope among older adults. If you're thinking of starting a church plant or a satellite but you don't know where to begin, perhaps you need to check out your local nursing homes and retirement facilities. It may not seem glamorous, but the harvest is plentiful. Just think, the building is available; activities directors are desperate for programming; gifted people are willing and able; the cost is low to non-existent; and loving hearts are ready to welcome you.
Why not lead the way? Why not deploy a team or two or three to start weekly gatherings?
Next week I'll continue by telling Hilda's story and how a Gen-X church revolutionized an over-80 crowd.
After my first visit, Elsa asked if she could invite a friend from the retirement center to join us next time we got together. Of course, I agreed. After that visit, the two friends mentioned that they knew several people who had no opportunity to worship. Could they come too? Why, yes! Invite away! At the third visit we had half a dozen people crowded into a tiny senior apartment. After our worship time one of the newcomers piped up: "I know the activities coordinator. Why don't I arrange for us to use the chapel next time. We can even advertise the gathering at announcement time in the dining room." I told her to go for it.
A movement was afoot! We met in the chapel the next month with nearly 20 worshipers. After the worship service, two ladies volunteered to serve as a worship team--setting up everything needed for our time together. A man said that he would invite two people he knew who played the organ and violin. He was sure they would love to add music to our gathering. Four of the original core group strategized more invitations. Elsa told stories of people she knew who didn't know Christ. Wow! God was at work! We had a new church--a satellite church--a church plant--whatever it was--growing by the Spirit of God through His people.
During the Advent season you may find yourself in a few retirement centers and nursing homes. Christmas carolers will roam the hallways. But what about longer-term outreach into these places where so many are forgotten? How many of these dear people are receiving the soul-care they need?
Studies show that by the year 2030, 25-30% of the U.S. population will be 65 and over. By 2050, 40% of 65-year-olds are likely to reach the age of 90! Our nation is aging. The question is: who will be their church? Who will bring the news of Jesus to so many who never listened in our secular culture, but now need to hear of Him as they falter physically and see that death is near?
There is a hunger for real fellowship and genuine hope among older adults. If you're thinking of starting a church plant or a satellite but you don't know where to begin, perhaps you need to check out your local nursing homes and retirement facilities. It may not seem glamorous, but the harvest is plentiful. Just think, the building is available; activities directors are desperate for programming; gifted people are willing and able; the cost is low to non-existent; and loving hearts are ready to welcome you.
Why not lead the way? Why not deploy a team or two or three to start weekly gatherings?
Next week I'll continue by telling Hilda's story and how a Gen-X church revolutionized an over-80 crowd.
Monday, November 24, 2008
The Un-Thanksgiving Note
My daughter got a nasty note the other day.
She's been experimenting with some new recipes at college. After carefully researching some new delectable dishes, she cooked a fancy chicken and pasta concoction. She and her boyfriend ate about half of the meal. Feeling generous toward a starving dorm crowd, they put the leftovers in the public refrigerator, knowing a hungry, high metabolic rate, university male would most likely scarf down the leftovers.
That's exactly what happened--except for the note they received in the empty leftover container. Yes, the leftover-eater left a note! He scribbled a short critique of the food, outlining what spices were missing according to his tastes. He recommended the addition of a few ingredients and chastised my daughter for the shoddy cooking job.
My daughter was surprised at the note. In addition to its harsh tone, she noticed that the eater didn't stop with the first "repulsive" bite. He ate half a pan--finished it off. Couldn't have been that awful. The note seemed a bit inauthentic.
What hurt my daughter most was the lack of gratitude. I always taught her: "Be happy about what you have, not unhappy about what you don't have." This guy was unhappy about what he didn't have--even though he ate until he was satisfied.
Okay, this gets me thinking: how many "un-thanksgiving notes" do I send God? How many times am I unhappy about what I don't have instead of being happy and thankful for all the Lord has given me?
Yeah, I'm an "un-thanksgiving" note writer. I complain. I wish for the next best thing. I compare what I've got to all the better stuff everyone else has. And God gets hurt by my ingratitude.
Fortunately, my "note" doesn't have the last word. In the face of the worst life offers--death, Jesus overrode our fallenness with THANKSGIVING. As Jesus stared into His friend Lazarus' tomb, He began His prayer this way: "Father, I thank you that you have heard me" (John 11:41). Then he called Lazarus out of the tomb.
Jesus' thanksgiving echoes through His cross and grave into our lives. We're not dead anymore. We have the gift of new life. Filled with His Spirit, we now say, "Thank you."
And on Thanksgiving Day--and every day--we go back to the blessings God has prepared for us. New life. Another chance.
It's just like cooking at college. My daughter is still putting together some great new recipes. She's also leaving plenty of food in the frig for the starving college students. More blessings. Another chance to say "thank you."
She's been experimenting with some new recipes at college. After carefully researching some new delectable dishes, she cooked a fancy chicken and pasta concoction. She and her boyfriend ate about half of the meal. Feeling generous toward a starving dorm crowd, they put the leftovers in the public refrigerator, knowing a hungry, high metabolic rate, university male would most likely scarf down the leftovers.
That's exactly what happened--except for the note they received in the empty leftover container. Yes, the leftover-eater left a note! He scribbled a short critique of the food, outlining what spices were missing according to his tastes. He recommended the addition of a few ingredients and chastised my daughter for the shoddy cooking job.
My daughter was surprised at the note. In addition to its harsh tone, she noticed that the eater didn't stop with the first "repulsive" bite. He ate half a pan--finished it off. Couldn't have been that awful. The note seemed a bit inauthentic.
What hurt my daughter most was the lack of gratitude. I always taught her: "Be happy about what you have, not unhappy about what you don't have." This guy was unhappy about what he didn't have--even though he ate until he was satisfied.
Okay, this gets me thinking: how many "un-thanksgiving notes" do I send God? How many times am I unhappy about what I don't have instead of being happy and thankful for all the Lord has given me?
Yeah, I'm an "un-thanksgiving" note writer. I complain. I wish for the next best thing. I compare what I've got to all the better stuff everyone else has. And God gets hurt by my ingratitude.
Fortunately, my "note" doesn't have the last word. In the face of the worst life offers--death, Jesus overrode our fallenness with THANKSGIVING. As Jesus stared into His friend Lazarus' tomb, He began His prayer this way: "Father, I thank you that you have heard me" (John 11:41). Then he called Lazarus out of the tomb.
Jesus' thanksgiving echoes through His cross and grave into our lives. We're not dead anymore. We have the gift of new life. Filled with His Spirit, we now say, "Thank you."
And on Thanksgiving Day--and every day--we go back to the blessings God has prepared for us. New life. Another chance.
It's just like cooking at college. My daughter is still putting together some great new recipes. She's also leaving plenty of food in the frig for the starving college students. More blessings. Another chance to say "thank you."
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Personal Dumpsters
I have a personal dumpster. Actually, I have two. The city gave each homeowner a set of gargantuan dumpsters for trash and recycling. These replace reasonable-sized garbage cans and recycling bins. Now the thunderous roll of dumpsters is heard echoing throughout the neighborhood twice each week. An automatic garbage collection truck screeches to a halt outside each home, lowers a claw-like mechanism, snatches the dumpster from the curb, dumps the debris hastily into the truck, and returns the monstrous container akimbo to the curb (sometimes it's akimbo; I just wanted to use that word today).
We neighborhood dwellers then obediently roll our empty personal dumpsters back to their nesting places. I have to open the garage door to put mine back. It doesn't fit through the little side door.
That baby holds a lot of garbage. Not a bad deal, really. I can load it up with some pretty nasty stuff. It all fits inside. When Wednesday comes, it's all gone. Time for a new beginning.
When I read the Bible, I hear that God gives you a personal dumpster! Ephesians 4:31-32 says, "Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you."
That sounds like some serious dumpster action. Load up Jesus with all the refuse of your life. He carts it away through His action for you--living, suffering, bleeding, dying, and rising. Each day, through Word and Sacrament, you have an empty dumpster, a new beginning, a lightened life.
Why, you can even take some of the trash from others and empty their dumpsters by forgiving them "as in Christ God forgave you."
Sounds like a mission, doesn't it? Sounds like a calling. Sounds like something grateful believers do. Sounds like a reason to reach out into a sin-refuse-cluttered world with what the world needs most.
Let the thunderous roll be heard--as you and all the redeemed people of God make the world a cleaner place with His grace!
We neighborhood dwellers then obediently roll our empty personal dumpsters back to their nesting places. I have to open the garage door to put mine back. It doesn't fit through the little side door.
That baby holds a lot of garbage. Not a bad deal, really. I can load it up with some pretty nasty stuff. It all fits inside. When Wednesday comes, it's all gone. Time for a new beginning.
When I read the Bible, I hear that God gives you a personal dumpster! Ephesians 4:31-32 says, "Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you."
That sounds like some serious dumpster action. Load up Jesus with all the refuse of your life. He carts it away through His action for you--living, suffering, bleeding, dying, and rising. Each day, through Word and Sacrament, you have an empty dumpster, a new beginning, a lightened life.
Why, you can even take some of the trash from others and empty their dumpsters by forgiving them "as in Christ God forgave you."
Sounds like a mission, doesn't it? Sounds like a calling. Sounds like something grateful believers do. Sounds like a reason to reach out into a sin-refuse-cluttered world with what the world needs most.
Let the thunderous roll be heard--as you and all the redeemed people of God make the world a cleaner place with His grace!
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