Church Planting Series, Part nineteen
John Ortberg once said that in order to get new people in the church, you had to publicize teaching on two topics: sex and the end-times. Then he commented, with tongue in cheek, that a blockbuster series would be “Sex in the End-times.”
Leaving the debate aside about the attractional model for the church, a truth Rev. Dr. Ortberg uttered is the high curiosity factor about the end-times—-especially about the book of Revelation.
People are fascinated with this book of the Bible. Even people outside the Christian faith, the de-churched, and the disillusioned are curious about this mysterious grand finale of the Scriptures.
I’m convinced that, in this strategic vision at the end of the Bible, there is method to God’s madness.
Admit it. People think church is boring. We’ve not always done the greatest job in conveying the awesome sense of a world-creating, Red Sea-splitting, fire from heaven-sending, miraculous Messiah-conceiving, ill and troubled-healing, on the cross-dying, from the dead-rising, sin-forgiving, life-transforming Savior God! In the rush of the day and clutter of the culture, the Almighty God, too often, has been getting lost in the shuffle.
This is where the genius of the book of Revelation comes in. During similar times in the late first century, Jesus appeared to the Apostle John, a reputable witness, in order to encourage suffering and straying believers. Instead of delivering a dry lecture, He gave a Scripture-saturated, eye-opening, mind-blowing vision of the invisible action in the spiritual realms. He proffered a prophetic repast that blew the doors off pagan persecution. God provided the zing that the church needed.
And it’s still zinging. People are drawn to examine this book of the Bible. They are eager to dig into the vision. They want to hear what God is saying. Unfortunately, we’ve let some confused and deceptive teachers get a corner on the market. They twist this final book of the Bible into their personal message of fear, their scheme to get rich quick, or their effort to gain control over others.
Isn’t it time we reclaim the book of Revelation for God’s wonderful purposes? Isn’t it time to remember that this book of the Bible is also one that “is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16)?
Revelation can be a great entry point for new believers. It asks the big questions and gives big answers for life. It also draws people in. God keeps the curiosity and wonder factors high in the book of Revelation. If you’d like to check out my new book, “Revelation: What the Last Book of the Bible Really Means,” as a resource for small group or large group study, click here. If you purchase a copy, please enter the discount code: 8N347JTM to receive $2.00 off every book you purchase. My prayer is that this book can help you reach out with Revelation!
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Verbosity
Church Planting Series, Part eighteen
During a recent worship experience, I found myself lost in a cascade of words. So many words were coming my way, I couldn’t think anymore. I couldn’t focus. I became distracted. The words droned on. They swirled around me. They ran together and formed a washed out, blank screen. I was in a wilderness of words, a desert where every grain of sand was another noun, verb, participle, or adjective. I lost all focus on God, His will and His Word. There was way too much talking.
Verbosity. Too many words.
I’ve encountered the fire hose blast of verbal overload in a variety of worship settings. Repetitive and overdone liturgies, litanies, and responses have numbed my brain. Droning verbal transitions between praise songs have lulled me into inattentiveness.
I’ve encountered verbosity in small groups and Bible studies. Leaders dominated the agenda, answered their own questions, and prevented any interaction between group members. No relationships could be formed. We were alone in a crowd, insulated from each other by the wash of words from the leader.
This is a problem. Words can get in the way of THE WORD. Jesus highlighted this issue in Matthew 6:7-8, “When you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” In verse seven, Jesus uses Greek words that paint the picture of verbal overflow: the verb “Battalogeo,” and the noun “polulogia.” Both words sound like a babbling overflow of verbiage. Jesus noted that verbosity is connected with pagan desperation—-a reliance upon self instead of trust in the true God.
Across the centuries, pagans have flooded the culture with word overflow. The Babylonian creation epic, Enuma Elish, contains over 6000 words in a poetic form. Today’s media-saturated world keep the verbosity flowing steadily into our lives. Contrast that with the Biblical creation account. It is a Hebrew historical narrative of only 786 words. God is the God of few words. Instead of leaving us an encyclopedia of do’s and don’ts, God gave us a book, a short book that we can carry with us, as His Word of life.
Why doesn’t God have to flood us with verbosity? His Word is living and active. His Word has power. His Word works! His Word can tolerate silence, thought and reflection because the Spirit works through the Word, “dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12). One Word of God can do what our many words can never accomplish. The Word made flesh, Jesus, gives life.
Please understand me. I’m not speaking against communication. I’m simply asking that we choose words wisely and sparingly. I’m asking that we give God a chance to speak—that we pause enough to let Him get through. Perhaps we need to think about the proliferation of words that we send into the gathering of God’s people. What are we accomplishing? What needs to change? Is there room for the Living Word of God to work in the midst of our many words? Are we overloading people or are we giving a simple, clear, and Christ-centered message?
Less is more. Jesus showed us that. Let’s not let verbosity get in the way of the Word that will not return empty, but will accomplish that for which God sent it.
During a recent worship experience, I found myself lost in a cascade of words. So many words were coming my way, I couldn’t think anymore. I couldn’t focus. I became distracted. The words droned on. They swirled around me. They ran together and formed a washed out, blank screen. I was in a wilderness of words, a desert where every grain of sand was another noun, verb, participle, or adjective. I lost all focus on God, His will and His Word. There was way too much talking.
Verbosity. Too many words.
I’ve encountered the fire hose blast of verbal overload in a variety of worship settings. Repetitive and overdone liturgies, litanies, and responses have numbed my brain. Droning verbal transitions between praise songs have lulled me into inattentiveness.
I’ve encountered verbosity in small groups and Bible studies. Leaders dominated the agenda, answered their own questions, and prevented any interaction between group members. No relationships could be formed. We were alone in a crowd, insulated from each other by the wash of words from the leader.
This is a problem. Words can get in the way of THE WORD. Jesus highlighted this issue in Matthew 6:7-8, “When you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” In verse seven, Jesus uses Greek words that paint the picture of verbal overflow: the verb “Battalogeo,” and the noun “polulogia.” Both words sound like a babbling overflow of verbiage. Jesus noted that verbosity is connected with pagan desperation—-a reliance upon self instead of trust in the true God.
Across the centuries, pagans have flooded the culture with word overflow. The Babylonian creation epic, Enuma Elish, contains over 6000 words in a poetic form. Today’s media-saturated world keep the verbosity flowing steadily into our lives. Contrast that with the Biblical creation account. It is a Hebrew historical narrative of only 786 words. God is the God of few words. Instead of leaving us an encyclopedia of do’s and don’ts, God gave us a book, a short book that we can carry with us, as His Word of life.
Why doesn’t God have to flood us with verbosity? His Word is living and active. His Word has power. His Word works! His Word can tolerate silence, thought and reflection because the Spirit works through the Word, “dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12). One Word of God can do what our many words can never accomplish. The Word made flesh, Jesus, gives life.
Please understand me. I’m not speaking against communication. I’m simply asking that we choose words wisely and sparingly. I’m asking that we give God a chance to speak—that we pause enough to let Him get through. Perhaps we need to think about the proliferation of words that we send into the gathering of God’s people. What are we accomplishing? What needs to change? Is there room for the Living Word of God to work in the midst of our many words? Are we overloading people or are we giving a simple, clear, and Christ-centered message?
Less is more. Jesus showed us that. Let’s not let verbosity get in the way of the Word that will not return empty, but will accomplish that for which God sent it.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
A New Generation
Church Planting Series, Part seventeen
I was hanging out with some young ministry leaders over the weekend. These college students and recent graduates were fired up in their faith and ready to reach the world for Christ. But they were thinking differently about ministry.
I asked one person what ministry path he was thinking about. He responded, “My life is my ministry.” He is forging ahead to become a math teacher, making every moment of his life outreach for Christ and using every opportunity to serve inside and outside the church.
Another young leader heard me make the comment, “The church is not a building; it’s the people.” He let out a loud “Amen” and proceeded to talk about the small group he is in and how they serve and reach the lost.
A young woman told me how she came to know Jesus and how she started reaching her young classmates who were on the fringes of the mainstream.
My friend told me about his college student daughter who is looking for a church while she’s away at school. One front-runner was a “church under the bridge” that met with and served the homeless.
A seminarian getting ready to graduate told me about his desire to partner with a friend to become “worker-priests” and simply live with inner-city residents to see how Jesus might open doors for life transformation with the Gospel.
There is a new generation of young ministry leaders. This generation is not thinking as much about career in ministry as they are about contributing to the expansion of the Kingdom. These leaders are not thinking as much about mega-church building as they are about making Christ’s difference in the world. These Christ-followers are thinking not as much about stardom as they are about sacrifice. These servants are not thinking as much about charging into the world with a big impact as they are about changing the world one person at a time.
How can we be good stewards of these new generation leaders? Shall we funnel them into old systems of training and church structure? Shall we tell them that they are idealists who need to get real and get with the old, established programs? Or shall we let these leaders soar by giving them permission, training, mentoring, support, and maximum flexibility to allow for a new movement of transformational ministry for Jesus?
Church is moving outside the walls. A new generation of leaders wants to bring Jesus to the world in a powerful way. Can we join them? Can we contribute to this new movement? Can we be part of a decentralized, smaller, servant-oriented, fluid network of faith communities that infiltrate neighborhoods and cities with Jesus? What will that look like? What steps must we take to get there?
I was hanging out with some young ministry leaders over the weekend. These college students and recent graduates were fired up in their faith and ready to reach the world for Christ. But they were thinking differently about ministry.
I asked one person what ministry path he was thinking about. He responded, “My life is my ministry.” He is forging ahead to become a math teacher, making every moment of his life outreach for Christ and using every opportunity to serve inside and outside the church.
Another young leader heard me make the comment, “The church is not a building; it’s the people.” He let out a loud “Amen” and proceeded to talk about the small group he is in and how they serve and reach the lost.
A young woman told me how she came to know Jesus and how she started reaching her young classmates who were on the fringes of the mainstream.
My friend told me about his college student daughter who is looking for a church while she’s away at school. One front-runner was a “church under the bridge” that met with and served the homeless.
A seminarian getting ready to graduate told me about his desire to partner with a friend to become “worker-priests” and simply live with inner-city residents to see how Jesus might open doors for life transformation with the Gospel.
There is a new generation of young ministry leaders. This generation is not thinking as much about career in ministry as they are about contributing to the expansion of the Kingdom. These leaders are not thinking as much about mega-church building as they are about making Christ’s difference in the world. These Christ-followers are thinking not as much about stardom as they are about sacrifice. These servants are not thinking as much about charging into the world with a big impact as they are about changing the world one person at a time.
How can we be good stewards of these new generation leaders? Shall we funnel them into old systems of training and church structure? Shall we tell them that they are idealists who need to get real and get with the old, established programs? Or shall we let these leaders soar by giving them permission, training, mentoring, support, and maximum flexibility to allow for a new movement of transformational ministry for Jesus?
Church is moving outside the walls. A new generation of leaders wants to bring Jesus to the world in a powerful way. Can we join them? Can we contribute to this new movement? Can we be part of a decentralized, smaller, servant-oriented, fluid network of faith communities that infiltrate neighborhoods and cities with Jesus? What will that look like? What steps must we take to get there?
Monday, August 24, 2009
What Vantage Point?
Church Planting Series, Part sixteen
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America has decided to make it possible “for people in publicly accountable, lifelong, monogamous, same-gender relationships to serve as ELCA associates in ministry, clergy, deaconesses and diaconal ministers” (quote from ELCA website).
This decision is sending waves of emotion and debate throughout the Church. But what does it all mean for the way we serve God and seek to grow His Kingdom? One takeaway is this: it requires us to ask the question, “What vantage point do you use for making decisions?”
The ELCA is using the vantage point of human observation and reasoning. To the decision makers, it makes sense to take this step. Society is changing. People have needs.
But is that a sound vantage point? What if we were to ask a few follow-up questions regarding that vantage point and human sexuality? Here goes:
-Have we managed sexuality well as a culture?
-Have we cherished women or demeaned them?
-Have we honored children or injured them?
-Have we veered into more trouble or less trouble in the area of sexuality?
You don’t have to think very long and hard to see that we’ve really messed up human sexuality. We do a terrible job! Trouble is at a high point. Women are treated as objects. Children are injured and abused. Sexual corruption is viral—-spreading as fast as the Internet allows, and as quickly as our sin-stained souls latch on to the immoral.
So, how can anyone really believe that we can get the question of same-gender relationships right when we use the vantage point of human observation and reasoning? It’s the wrong standard. It is flawed.
The only vantage point that brings workable, healthy, and life-giving results is God’s vantage point. God’s Word is His blessing that forms our lives, practices, and very souls. God’s Word is the objective vantage point that will never lead us astray. It rescues us from relying on our corrupt perspective of life. It gives us the mind of Christ. It will lead us home.
The question to ask about every issue in ministry is: What is God’s vantage point?
And the question to ask about human sexuality is: What is God’s vantage point? He’s made it crystal clear: “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh” (Genesis 2:24 and Ephesians 5:31). The gift of human sexuality is meant to reflect the love of God, the groom, for His bride, the Church. It is about self-sacrificial love. It is about creating new life (procreation). It is good. It is healthy.
The Bible isn’t cryptic about this. Sexual sin has been a destructive point of stumbling for humanity for thousands of years. God doesn’t keep us in the dark about what His intentions are, what is good, and what works.
How can a denomination lose its bearings? The same way we all do. We forsake the vantage point of God and His Word. We substitute our own twisted, darkened vantage point of human observation and reasoning.
Let’s learn from this. If you’re really about God’s Kingdom, choose your vantage point carefully and wisely.
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America has decided to make it possible “for people in publicly accountable, lifelong, monogamous, same-gender relationships to serve as ELCA associates in ministry, clergy, deaconesses and diaconal ministers” (quote from ELCA website).
This decision is sending waves of emotion and debate throughout the Church. But what does it all mean for the way we serve God and seek to grow His Kingdom? One takeaway is this: it requires us to ask the question, “What vantage point do you use for making decisions?”
The ELCA is using the vantage point of human observation and reasoning. To the decision makers, it makes sense to take this step. Society is changing. People have needs.
But is that a sound vantage point? What if we were to ask a few follow-up questions regarding that vantage point and human sexuality? Here goes:
-Have we managed sexuality well as a culture?
-Have we cherished women or demeaned them?
-Have we honored children or injured them?
-Have we veered into more trouble or less trouble in the area of sexuality?
You don’t have to think very long and hard to see that we’ve really messed up human sexuality. We do a terrible job! Trouble is at a high point. Women are treated as objects. Children are injured and abused. Sexual corruption is viral—-spreading as fast as the Internet allows, and as quickly as our sin-stained souls latch on to the immoral.
So, how can anyone really believe that we can get the question of same-gender relationships right when we use the vantage point of human observation and reasoning? It’s the wrong standard. It is flawed.
The only vantage point that brings workable, healthy, and life-giving results is God’s vantage point. God’s Word is His blessing that forms our lives, practices, and very souls. God’s Word is the objective vantage point that will never lead us astray. It rescues us from relying on our corrupt perspective of life. It gives us the mind of Christ. It will lead us home.
The question to ask about every issue in ministry is: What is God’s vantage point?
And the question to ask about human sexuality is: What is God’s vantage point? He’s made it crystal clear: “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh” (Genesis 2:24 and Ephesians 5:31). The gift of human sexuality is meant to reflect the love of God, the groom, for His bride, the Church. It is about self-sacrificial love. It is about creating new life (procreation). It is good. It is healthy.
The Bible isn’t cryptic about this. Sexual sin has been a destructive point of stumbling for humanity for thousands of years. God doesn’t keep us in the dark about what His intentions are, what is good, and what works.
How can a denomination lose its bearings? The same way we all do. We forsake the vantage point of God and His Word. We substitute our own twisted, darkened vantage point of human observation and reasoning.
Let’s learn from this. If you’re really about God’s Kingdom, choose your vantage point carefully and wisely.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Developing a Prayer Reflex
Church Planting Series, Part fifteen
A number of years ago I stood in my little mission church waiting for wedding rehearsal participants to arrive. A groomsman arrived early. He looked like a football player—tall, strong, and a bit menacing. I was surprised when he asked me this question: “Do you mind if I pray?” I told him that I didn’t mind at all. He immediately walked to the front of the worship area, knelt down, bowed his head, and began to pray in earnest.
This was unusual. Strangely enough, not many people used our little church to pray during “off” hours.
After about 20 minutes, he got up and joined some other members of the wedding party. I told him that I really admired the fact that he took time to pray. He replied, “My pastor is a man of prayer. That’s the kind of man I want to be, too. He says that prayer is the foundation of our lives. I want that in my life.”
How many times do you talk about prayer, teach about prayer, assure people of your prayers, laud the power of prayer, create prayer strategies and prayer chains, and add items to your prayer list, but never really get around to praying?
I heard a speaker say recently, “We have lots of strategic planning meetings for mission, but how many prayer meetings do we have?”
The praying man who walked into my church inspired me. I wanted to be a man of prayer—-an example for people I served. I also wanted our church to be a church of prayer—-using the gracious gift God gave us. You can’t read the Bible and not see the precious gift of prayer—and its powerful impact. Pray is the way Jesus started His day. Prayer is what Jesus did before His most intense life and ministry challenges. Do you want workers for the Kingdom harvest? Jesus said to pray for it!
After the wedding rehearsal, I prayed. I asked God to lead us to a foundational and priority ministry of prayer. He answered. He sent eager and dedicated pray-ers to saturate the church with prayer and to lift up an active prayer life to all. Our mission became founded on and laced with prayer. People routinely filled our worship area in “off hours” to pray.
The result? Many were reached with the life-saving message of Christ. Many, many lives were transformed.
I learned to pray first.
You know how it goes. People say, “When all else fails, pray.” “I tried everything I could think of; then I finally prayed.”
What if you practiced and taught a “prayer reflex”? What if prayer was the first action, the default, the automatic response to every mission idea and ministry effort? What if prayer came first? What if prayer happened immediately? What if prayer gatherings and prayers prayed consumed more time than planning meetings? What if you helped cultivate a vibrant ongoing dialog with God that shaped your actions and your decisions?
What if you did this first—-right now—-before anything else? What might God change?
A number of years ago I stood in my little mission church waiting for wedding rehearsal participants to arrive. A groomsman arrived early. He looked like a football player—tall, strong, and a bit menacing. I was surprised when he asked me this question: “Do you mind if I pray?” I told him that I didn’t mind at all. He immediately walked to the front of the worship area, knelt down, bowed his head, and began to pray in earnest.
This was unusual. Strangely enough, not many people used our little church to pray during “off” hours.
After about 20 minutes, he got up and joined some other members of the wedding party. I told him that I really admired the fact that he took time to pray. He replied, “My pastor is a man of prayer. That’s the kind of man I want to be, too. He says that prayer is the foundation of our lives. I want that in my life.”
How many times do you talk about prayer, teach about prayer, assure people of your prayers, laud the power of prayer, create prayer strategies and prayer chains, and add items to your prayer list, but never really get around to praying?
I heard a speaker say recently, “We have lots of strategic planning meetings for mission, but how many prayer meetings do we have?”
The praying man who walked into my church inspired me. I wanted to be a man of prayer—-an example for people I served. I also wanted our church to be a church of prayer—-using the gracious gift God gave us. You can’t read the Bible and not see the precious gift of prayer—and its powerful impact. Pray is the way Jesus started His day. Prayer is what Jesus did before His most intense life and ministry challenges. Do you want workers for the Kingdom harvest? Jesus said to pray for it!
After the wedding rehearsal, I prayed. I asked God to lead us to a foundational and priority ministry of prayer. He answered. He sent eager and dedicated pray-ers to saturate the church with prayer and to lift up an active prayer life to all. Our mission became founded on and laced with prayer. People routinely filled our worship area in “off hours” to pray.
The result? Many were reached with the life-saving message of Christ. Many, many lives were transformed.
I learned to pray first.
You know how it goes. People say, “When all else fails, pray.” “I tried everything I could think of; then I finally prayed.”
What if you practiced and taught a “prayer reflex”? What if prayer was the first action, the default, the automatic response to every mission idea and ministry effort? What if prayer came first? What if prayer happened immediately? What if prayer gatherings and prayers prayed consumed more time than planning meetings? What if you helped cultivate a vibrant ongoing dialog with God that shaped your actions and your decisions?
What if you did this first—-right now—-before anything else? What might God change?
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Mere Church Plantery
Church Planting Series, Part fourteen
C.S. Lewis published “Mere Christianity” in 1952. The book was based on radio talks he gave in the 1940’s. These talks outlined the basic fundamentals of the Christian faith.
What if there was a “Mere Church Plantery” book? What essentials of church planting might be included?
PASSION – The starting point is one person with unstoppable passion to share Jesus. Salary or not, the love of Christ must be passed along in deed and word.
GROWTH – Immersion in prayer, a life of worship, and study of the Bible marks every church planter and church planting effort.
TRAINING – Those who plant churches need to be seasoned in the Scriptures, faith, and life. They must be able in relationships, teaching, and the sharing of tasks.
INTEGRITY – Honoring God and His people is essential.
ORGANIZING – The church planter must be able to formulate a plan, form relationships, and help guide others into effective outreach for Christ.
COMMUNITY – Those in ministry must learn to mentor, share, and collaborate. This is not a one-person show. The goal is to create a movement of passionate evangelists.
SERVING – The goal in everything is ultimately to reach out with the Good News of Jesus.
RISK – Never satisfied, the question is always, “What next bold step needs to be taken for the sake of the cross of Jesus Christ?”
Mere Church Plantery isn’t contingent on a building, sound equipment, new computers, or even money! These are secondary to the central task of growing a movement of God’s Spirit of grace in and through people. The secondary tools might become important, but if the first things are taken care of, the secondary items will develop and will serve the primary focus.
What secondary areas might be distracting you? How do you need to get back to Mere Church Plantery?
C.S. Lewis published “Mere Christianity” in 1952. The book was based on radio talks he gave in the 1940’s. These talks outlined the basic fundamentals of the Christian faith.
What if there was a “Mere Church Plantery” book? What essentials of church planting might be included?
PASSION – The starting point is one person with unstoppable passion to share Jesus. Salary or not, the love of Christ must be passed along in deed and word.
GROWTH – Immersion in prayer, a life of worship, and study of the Bible marks every church planter and church planting effort.
TRAINING – Those who plant churches need to be seasoned in the Scriptures, faith, and life. They must be able in relationships, teaching, and the sharing of tasks.
INTEGRITY – Honoring God and His people is essential.
ORGANIZING – The church planter must be able to formulate a plan, form relationships, and help guide others into effective outreach for Christ.
COMMUNITY – Those in ministry must learn to mentor, share, and collaborate. This is not a one-person show. The goal is to create a movement of passionate evangelists.
SERVING – The goal in everything is ultimately to reach out with the Good News of Jesus.
RISK – Never satisfied, the question is always, “What next bold step needs to be taken for the sake of the cross of Jesus Christ?”
Mere Church Plantery isn’t contingent on a building, sound equipment, new computers, or even money! These are secondary to the central task of growing a movement of God’s Spirit of grace in and through people. The secondary tools might become important, but if the first things are taken care of, the secondary items will develop and will serve the primary focus.
What secondary areas might be distracting you? How do you need to get back to Mere Church Plantery?
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Public Behavior
Church Planting Series, Part thirteen
I went to a movie the other day. I actually saw it in a theater. I regretted every moment. Why? Theater behavior has undergone radical changes.
After the lights finally went down thirty minutes into the movie, and after the focus was adjusted at about the same time, the activity in the crowd began. To my left, a woman in her 70’s was texting someone during the movie. To my right, a man and woman narrated their commentary of each scene. In front of me, several people made multiple trips in and out of the theater for a variety of reasons, some which involved large quantities of snacks. Behind me, the person kept tapping the back of my seat with his foot—tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap. You get the idea.
It was a circus, a fiasco, a disorderly din of sights, sounds, and smells. I wasn’t able to become lost in the story or engrossed by the compelling plot line. I got annoyed because it felt like I invited 100 restless people into my living room to watch a rented video.
Theater behavior has changed.
When my grandparents and parents went to the movies it was a special occasion. People got dressed up. Ushers seated you. They patrolled the aisles for noise and disruption. People stayed quiet. A hush fell over the theater when the previews began.
Now, after the movie is over, I wouldn’t be surprised if many in attendance would say, “What movie?”
Yes times have changed. Public behavior has changed. Restraint is disappearing. Shame is fading. The veneer that once made lives look civil and orderly is wearing very thin. Real life is showing through.
This fact impacts church. It is a new day with new behavior and a new set of expectations for a church planter. Yes, signs abound reminding people to turn off cell phones. Yes, texting and tweeting are being integrated into some teaching. But there’s a bigger issue. Sin, brokenness, addiction, and dysfunction are very evident in people’s lives. Polite conformity to society is vanishing. This brings about some key challenges for ministry:
First, how will you reach and relate to sinners? Jesus dined with them after Matthew’s conversion. In Luke 5:27-32 He outlined His strategy. How will you uphold the integrity of the Gospel while bringing the Gospel to its prime audience: sinners?
Second, how will you address sin, brokenness, dysfunction, and unholy behavior in a clear and balanced way? How will you bring the living Word that changes lives to lives that really need changing, but do so in a way that doesn’t do damage to the mission of God?
Third, how will you not fall prey to a ministry of power and control in the midst of radically changed public behavior, but, instead, move forward in the love, humility, and truth of Christ?
Answers to these questions will help you truly reach the lost with the saving news of the cross of Jesus. Just don’t expect to eliminate coffee spills and stray Cheerios from your meeting place.
I went to a movie the other day. I actually saw it in a theater. I regretted every moment. Why? Theater behavior has undergone radical changes.
After the lights finally went down thirty minutes into the movie, and after the focus was adjusted at about the same time, the activity in the crowd began. To my left, a woman in her 70’s was texting someone during the movie. To my right, a man and woman narrated their commentary of each scene. In front of me, several people made multiple trips in and out of the theater for a variety of reasons, some which involved large quantities of snacks. Behind me, the person kept tapping the back of my seat with his foot—tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap. You get the idea.
It was a circus, a fiasco, a disorderly din of sights, sounds, and smells. I wasn’t able to become lost in the story or engrossed by the compelling plot line. I got annoyed because it felt like I invited 100 restless people into my living room to watch a rented video.
Theater behavior has changed.
When my grandparents and parents went to the movies it was a special occasion. People got dressed up. Ushers seated you. They patrolled the aisles for noise and disruption. People stayed quiet. A hush fell over the theater when the previews began.
Now, after the movie is over, I wouldn’t be surprised if many in attendance would say, “What movie?”
Yes times have changed. Public behavior has changed. Restraint is disappearing. Shame is fading. The veneer that once made lives look civil and orderly is wearing very thin. Real life is showing through.
This fact impacts church. It is a new day with new behavior and a new set of expectations for a church planter. Yes, signs abound reminding people to turn off cell phones. Yes, texting and tweeting are being integrated into some teaching. But there’s a bigger issue. Sin, brokenness, addiction, and dysfunction are very evident in people’s lives. Polite conformity to society is vanishing. This brings about some key challenges for ministry:
First, how will you reach and relate to sinners? Jesus dined with them after Matthew’s conversion. In Luke 5:27-32 He outlined His strategy. How will you uphold the integrity of the Gospel while bringing the Gospel to its prime audience: sinners?
Second, how will you address sin, brokenness, dysfunction, and unholy behavior in a clear and balanced way? How will you bring the living Word that changes lives to lives that really need changing, but do so in a way that doesn’t do damage to the mission of God?
Third, how will you not fall prey to a ministry of power and control in the midst of radically changed public behavior, but, instead, move forward in the love, humility, and truth of Christ?
Answers to these questions will help you truly reach the lost with the saving news of the cross of Jesus. Just don’t expect to eliminate coffee spills and stray Cheerios from your meeting place.
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