Church Planting Series, Part ten
NFL quarterback and politician Jack Kemp died this month. Columnist Mona Charen, a former speech writer for Mr. Kemp, wrote a wonderful tribute to this accomplished American. At the end of her article she commented: “Though he achieved great things in public life, he managed to do it without neglecting his family. That is a man in full. He will be greatly missed.”
“A man in full.” Why? Because he was a champion football player? No. Because he overcame adversity throughout his life? No. Because he made a name for himself in the political world? No.
He was “a man in full” because he didn’t neglect his wife, his four children and his 17 grandchildren.
Being involved in church planting—-and any ministry for that matter—-can become all consuming. The excitement and constant demands can eat up every hour of the day. The plans for what’s coming next can dominate your thoughts. The needs of other people can pull you away from relationships in your life-—mentally, emotionally, and physically.
The question is: will you let your calling as a servant of Christ make you a “man in part,” an inattentive husband, a distracted father, an absentee family member, a short-fused presence around the house, a one-dimensional shell of a human being—all, allegedly, in the name of Jesus?
As ministry reached a frenzied pace, Jesus said to His disciples in Mark 6:31, "Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest." Our Savior who rose early in the morning to pray, who stuck to the outskirts of town to avoid crowds, and who knew when His time hadn’t come and when it had, was all about a healthy rhythm of life. He came to sacrifice His life, but He didn’t come to wreck His relationships. He came to put it all on the line, but He didn’t neglect the people in His life. No, He served them. He ate with them. He conversed with them. He washed their feet. He loved them.
Your primary witness of Christ’s love to the world starts with the people closest to you. It starts with your family. If you want the world to take notice of Jesus in you, it’s not going to be through a sermon or ministry program or church plant. But the world will take a close look at how you love your family, how you allocate your time and attention, and what kind of person you are when you’re not on stage.
Of course, loving your family and living a balanced life isn’t just so the world sees a good guy in action. You love your family because Christ first loved His. You love your family and devote time to them because you’ve made a commitment to do it. Most of all, because it’s joyful and delightful to cherish the gift God gave you in them.
It takes work to carve out dependable time for your spouse and children. It takes persistence and discipline to establish boundaries. As life changes, it takes trial and error to establish a trustworthy rhythm that honors your loved ones and allows you to serve God’s people faithfully. But finding this rhythm reflects the character of our Creator who rested. It also makes God’s self-sacrificial love real and demonstrable in your life.
An experienced pastor friend of mine said, “If you sacrifice your family on the altar of the church, the people of the church will not admire you. They’ll think you’re a fool.” Mona Charen might add that it is a high calling and a great legacy to end your life not as a “man in part,” but as “a man in full.”
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Money, Money, Money
Church Planting Series, Part nine
I had a theology professor who never ever talked about money. He was a doctrine guy. He dug deeply into the richness of the person of Christ and mystery of the sacraments. He led us to marvel at the poetic creedal statements of the early church in the Scriptures. He dwelt in the heavenly realms and gave each of his students a glimpse of God’s glory and majesty.
Then one day—I think it was on the very last day of classes—he brought up the subject of money. Seemingly out of the blue he said, “Brothers, remember, there is never a shortage of money in God’s Kingdom. There is only a shortage of vision.”
Wow. Come to think of it, I don’t think I ever heard him speak about vision either! But this doctrine guy WAS all about the church of Jesus Christ. He WAS all about the Gospel and the need for every human being to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge.
That’s why he brought up money.
We errantly believe that there’s not enough money out there, that money is THE big obstacle for ministry, that lack of money will always hinder Kingdom growth.
Hmmm, I seem to remember that, according to Jesus, even the gates of Hell cannot hinder the advance of God’s Kingdom (Matthew 16:18). So, what do you do about money?
First, DON’T BE AFRAID. As my professor said, there’s never a shortage of it-—even during an economic downturn. The Almighty God, Creator of all things, said in Psalm 50:9-10, “I have no need of a bull from your stall or of goats from your pens, for every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills.”
I love that verse. God’s portfolio has not been affected by this economic downturn. He’s got ownership papers for everything. There are no worries when He is in charge. He’s the ultimate creative Kingdom entrepreneur. He opens doors that no one can shut. Pray and trust in Him.
Second, ASK FOR IT. I’ve worked with many capital funding efforts. One lesson I learned early is that while many church leaders lament the shortage of money, not many actually ask for it. They teach ABOUT it, they dance AROUND it, but they never ask. Sometimes you know how much to ask for. Sometimes you have to give options. I remember talking with a couple who expressed the desire to help our ministry efforts by giving a memorial donation. I started by letting them know about the blessing of a $15 hymnal donation. I ended by letting them know about a $100,000 multi-media room they could donate. What did they choose? They donated the room! Who would have thought?
Don’t hide God’s giving opportunities. Some people need to hear what they can give.
Third, CONNECT IT TO THE MISSION. Money is not the goal; ministry is. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is. If the money doesn’t advance the Gospel, you shouldn’t be asking for it. If it does advance sharing the blood-bought gift of Jesus, then make the connection! People want to be part of that which impacts people’s lives for eternity. Share the vision, the dream, the heart of God.
Finally, SAY THANK YOU. I don’t mean simply writing a thank you note-—although you should definitely do that. Continue to affirm the Kingdom impact of people’s gifts. If you’ve shared the vision, then keep making the connection. This will lift up true stewardship. Years after the couple donated the multi-media room in memory of their 19-year-old son, I saw that it became a place where hundreds of young people heard about Jesus, brought their friends to hear about Him, and grew in discipleship and outreach together. I was blown away by God’s faithfulness. Look what He did! I jotted a note to the couple about how the dream they shared had born fruit and how many young lives were being brought to Christ in that very room. And I thanked them.
Giving people a chance to give money for God’s eternal cause is worthy and good. Don’t let the devil deceive you into thinking you should avoid the topic. And don’t let a shortage of vision for God’s Kingdom convince you that God’s plans are limited by YOUR checkbook balance.
I had a theology professor who never ever talked about money. He was a doctrine guy. He dug deeply into the richness of the person of Christ and mystery of the sacraments. He led us to marvel at the poetic creedal statements of the early church in the Scriptures. He dwelt in the heavenly realms and gave each of his students a glimpse of God’s glory and majesty.
Then one day—I think it was on the very last day of classes—he brought up the subject of money. Seemingly out of the blue he said, “Brothers, remember, there is never a shortage of money in God’s Kingdom. There is only a shortage of vision.”
Wow. Come to think of it, I don’t think I ever heard him speak about vision either! But this doctrine guy WAS all about the church of Jesus Christ. He WAS all about the Gospel and the need for every human being to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge.
That’s why he brought up money.
We errantly believe that there’s not enough money out there, that money is THE big obstacle for ministry, that lack of money will always hinder Kingdom growth.
Hmmm, I seem to remember that, according to Jesus, even the gates of Hell cannot hinder the advance of God’s Kingdom (Matthew 16:18). So, what do you do about money?
First, DON’T BE AFRAID. As my professor said, there’s never a shortage of it-—even during an economic downturn. The Almighty God, Creator of all things, said in Psalm 50:9-10, “I have no need of a bull from your stall or of goats from your pens, for every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills.”
I love that verse. God’s portfolio has not been affected by this economic downturn. He’s got ownership papers for everything. There are no worries when He is in charge. He’s the ultimate creative Kingdom entrepreneur. He opens doors that no one can shut. Pray and trust in Him.
Second, ASK FOR IT. I’ve worked with many capital funding efforts. One lesson I learned early is that while many church leaders lament the shortage of money, not many actually ask for it. They teach ABOUT it, they dance AROUND it, but they never ask. Sometimes you know how much to ask for. Sometimes you have to give options. I remember talking with a couple who expressed the desire to help our ministry efforts by giving a memorial donation. I started by letting them know about the blessing of a $15 hymnal donation. I ended by letting them know about a $100,000 multi-media room they could donate. What did they choose? They donated the room! Who would have thought?
Don’t hide God’s giving opportunities. Some people need to hear what they can give.
Third, CONNECT IT TO THE MISSION. Money is not the goal; ministry is. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is. If the money doesn’t advance the Gospel, you shouldn’t be asking for it. If it does advance sharing the blood-bought gift of Jesus, then make the connection! People want to be part of that which impacts people’s lives for eternity. Share the vision, the dream, the heart of God.
Finally, SAY THANK YOU. I don’t mean simply writing a thank you note-—although you should definitely do that. Continue to affirm the Kingdom impact of people’s gifts. If you’ve shared the vision, then keep making the connection. This will lift up true stewardship. Years after the couple donated the multi-media room in memory of their 19-year-old son, I saw that it became a place where hundreds of young people heard about Jesus, brought their friends to hear about Him, and grew in discipleship and outreach together. I was blown away by God’s faithfulness. Look what He did! I jotted a note to the couple about how the dream they shared had born fruit and how many young lives were being brought to Christ in that very room. And I thanked them.
Giving people a chance to give money for God’s eternal cause is worthy and good. Don’t let the devil deceive you into thinking you should avoid the topic. And don’t let a shortage of vision for God’s Kingdom convince you that God’s plans are limited by YOUR checkbook balance.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
The Mission Service
Church Planting Series, Part eight
The grandson of a friend of mine became a pastor at a church where his grandfather had served many years before.
Imagine the thrill as the grandson sifted through old files and saw his own grandfather’s handiwork: minutes of board meetings, fliers from ministry initiatives, printed sermons and bible class notes.
As the grandson scanned old worship service bulletins, he kept coming across a calendar item that confused him. Each Sunday in the late afternoon there was a calendar listing called “The Mission Service.” What in the world was “The Mission Service”? The grandson was intrigued. In the worship bulletins after his grandfather left, “The Mission Service” listing disappeared. The church also began to decline.
It took just a few phones calls and personal visits to unravel the mystery. The old-timers remembered what “The Mission Service” was. Every Sunday afternoon the grandfather traveled to a neighboring community to hold a special service. The location of the worship service varied from community to community. Sometimes church members would attend; sometimes the pastor would venture out by himself. But every week the pastor tried something new. Some of the services kept going for months until a person was raised up to take over the worshiping community. Other services never caught on or “fizzled” out due to lack of response. But as an elderly man who grew up under the grandfather’s pastorate said, “Your grandfather taught us that a church should always be reaching new communities.”
This is a true story. This is how the church used to behave. This was NORMAL for the church. Pastors had multiple preaching stations. They tried new things. The congregation not only supported these efforts, they participated in this outreach. Why? Because a church was about reaching new communities.
The goal of a local church was not to become comfortable, or to acquire wealth, or to become the stylish place to be, or to be the “high-tech” church of the area. It was to reach new communities.
For the new pastor’s grandfather, the strategy was “The Mission Service”—-create some relationships in a new area, get people talking, do some publicity, knock on some doors, discover some needs, and go there to do something. Make a “splash” and see what God does with it.
These days we are challenged in two ways. First, we must not overlook the old and simple ways of reaching out. Get out of the office and try something! Bring the living Word of God with you and see what happens.
Second, we need to shatter the notion that a few “expert” paradigms from the last fifty years are the only options we have for church planting and ministry expansion. There are simple and exciting ways to reach meaningfully into communities. We just need to listen, watch, pray, and go to work.
What might make a “splash” for Jesus in an unreached area near you? What will your “Mission Service" look like?
The grandson of a friend of mine became a pastor at a church where his grandfather had served many years before.
Imagine the thrill as the grandson sifted through old files and saw his own grandfather’s handiwork: minutes of board meetings, fliers from ministry initiatives, printed sermons and bible class notes.
As the grandson scanned old worship service bulletins, he kept coming across a calendar item that confused him. Each Sunday in the late afternoon there was a calendar listing called “The Mission Service.” What in the world was “The Mission Service”? The grandson was intrigued. In the worship bulletins after his grandfather left, “The Mission Service” listing disappeared. The church also began to decline.
It took just a few phones calls and personal visits to unravel the mystery. The old-timers remembered what “The Mission Service” was. Every Sunday afternoon the grandfather traveled to a neighboring community to hold a special service. The location of the worship service varied from community to community. Sometimes church members would attend; sometimes the pastor would venture out by himself. But every week the pastor tried something new. Some of the services kept going for months until a person was raised up to take over the worshiping community. Other services never caught on or “fizzled” out due to lack of response. But as an elderly man who grew up under the grandfather’s pastorate said, “Your grandfather taught us that a church should always be reaching new communities.”
This is a true story. This is how the church used to behave. This was NORMAL for the church. Pastors had multiple preaching stations. They tried new things. The congregation not only supported these efforts, they participated in this outreach. Why? Because a church was about reaching new communities.
The goal of a local church was not to become comfortable, or to acquire wealth, or to become the stylish place to be, or to be the “high-tech” church of the area. It was to reach new communities.
For the new pastor’s grandfather, the strategy was “The Mission Service”—-create some relationships in a new area, get people talking, do some publicity, knock on some doors, discover some needs, and go there to do something. Make a “splash” and see what God does with it.
These days we are challenged in two ways. First, we must not overlook the old and simple ways of reaching out. Get out of the office and try something! Bring the living Word of God with you and see what happens.
Second, we need to shatter the notion that a few “expert” paradigms from the last fifty years are the only options we have for church planting and ministry expansion. There are simple and exciting ways to reach meaningfully into communities. We just need to listen, watch, pray, and go to work.
What might make a “splash” for Jesus in an unreached area near you? What will your “Mission Service" look like?
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Infiltration
Church Planting Series, Part seven
I read about Cameron Hughes the other day. He’s a Super Fan. He’s a hired gun to fire up crowds at sporting events. Hughes sits in the crowds—-just like any other fan. He blends in. But once the stadium crowd settles in and settles down, Cameron Hughes springs into action. He gets out of his seat. He dances. He urges people to cheer and shout for the home team. He peels off layers of team t-shirts and launches them into the crowd.
The strategy works. The team owners pay Hughes a couple of thousand dollars to do his thing, and it’s worth the investment. Fans enjoy the game. The crowd responds. The home team gets the home-field advantage.
It’s all about paying a price to send someone in so everything can change.
Sound familiar?
God paid the highest price as He sent His only Son into the world so everything could change. Jesus infiltrated the world-—beaten, bleeding, dying, forgiving, rising. He still infiltrates our lives—-the living Word, the water and the Spirit, bread and wine. Because of Jesus everything has changed. Life is new. Life is eternal.
Now you’re the Super Fan. You’re sent to infiltrate the crowd-—the sin-sulking, fad-lulled, hope-drained, reality-blinded crowd.
Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter worship are not necessarily your acts of infiltration. You’re equipped and sent at those gatherings. You’re fed and forgiven. You’re renewed and returned to the grace and will of God.
But where’s your infiltration?
I’ve been speaking to church planters and ministry entrepreneurs about infiltration lately. I’ve been calling this infiltration work “splash” events (thank you, Rev. Paul Meyer for the term!). How and where are you “splashing” in your community? A church planter is not as much about meeting in a building as he is about splashing in the community.
For example, you schedule an extra Easter service (on Saturday) in a growing area (or Christmas service—start planning now!). You publicize it and make it as visible as possible. You recruit a core team to attend. Then you watch for the community’s response. Who knows, you may find some servant-leaders who crave getting together as children of God! Infiltrated! A new beginning!
What if you decide to offer four weeks of Christian parenting classes in a local community center? Once again, you publicize, recruit and bring a core group. Splash! Infiltration! What might God do?
What if you offer Bible study time in two area nursing homes? What if you bring your VBS to a neighborhood that needs a church presence? What if you start a Christian young adult gathering in an area of town that is new and growing? What if you reach back into an urban area with a weekday kids ministry or after school program or mother’s day out?
Do you get the idea? Splash! Infiltration! Seeds planted! Something may grow. Momentum has begun. The Spirit is at work.
Planting churches and expanding outreach means that you pay the price to send someone in so everything can change.
It’s the infiltration that God demonstrated in Jesus and shows us so clearly during this Holy Week.
I read about Cameron Hughes the other day. He’s a Super Fan. He’s a hired gun to fire up crowds at sporting events. Hughes sits in the crowds—-just like any other fan. He blends in. But once the stadium crowd settles in and settles down, Cameron Hughes springs into action. He gets out of his seat. He dances. He urges people to cheer and shout for the home team. He peels off layers of team t-shirts and launches them into the crowd.
The strategy works. The team owners pay Hughes a couple of thousand dollars to do his thing, and it’s worth the investment. Fans enjoy the game. The crowd responds. The home team gets the home-field advantage.
It’s all about paying a price to send someone in so everything can change.
Sound familiar?
God paid the highest price as He sent His only Son into the world so everything could change. Jesus infiltrated the world-—beaten, bleeding, dying, forgiving, rising. He still infiltrates our lives—-the living Word, the water and the Spirit, bread and wine. Because of Jesus everything has changed. Life is new. Life is eternal.
Now you’re the Super Fan. You’re sent to infiltrate the crowd-—the sin-sulking, fad-lulled, hope-drained, reality-blinded crowd.
Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter worship are not necessarily your acts of infiltration. You’re equipped and sent at those gatherings. You’re fed and forgiven. You’re renewed and returned to the grace and will of God.
But where’s your infiltration?
I’ve been speaking to church planters and ministry entrepreneurs about infiltration lately. I’ve been calling this infiltration work “splash” events (thank you, Rev. Paul Meyer for the term!). How and where are you “splashing” in your community? A church planter is not as much about meeting in a building as he is about splashing in the community.
For example, you schedule an extra Easter service (on Saturday) in a growing area (or Christmas service—start planning now!). You publicize it and make it as visible as possible. You recruit a core team to attend. Then you watch for the community’s response. Who knows, you may find some servant-leaders who crave getting together as children of God! Infiltrated! A new beginning!
What if you decide to offer four weeks of Christian parenting classes in a local community center? Once again, you publicize, recruit and bring a core group. Splash! Infiltration! What might God do?
What if you offer Bible study time in two area nursing homes? What if you bring your VBS to a neighborhood that needs a church presence? What if you start a Christian young adult gathering in an area of town that is new and growing? What if you reach back into an urban area with a weekday kids ministry or after school program or mother’s day out?
Do you get the idea? Splash! Infiltration! Seeds planted! Something may grow. Momentum has begun. The Spirit is at work.
Planting churches and expanding outreach means that you pay the price to send someone in so everything can change.
It’s the infiltration that God demonstrated in Jesus and shows us so clearly during this Holy Week.
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Live Like You're Dying
Church Planting Series, Part six
Have you ever waited for test results from a doctor’s office? Have you ever been faced with the possibility that you may die? Very soon. All done.
Tim McGraw sang a song about this type of experience. It’s called: “Live Like You Were Dying."
Take a look at some of the lyrics:
He said: "I was in my early forties,
"With a lot of life before me,
"An' a moment came that stopped me on a dime.
"I spent most of the next days,
"Looking at the x-rays,
"An' talking 'bout the options an' talkin’ ‘bout sweet time."
I asked him when it sank in,
That this might really be the real end?
How’s it hit you when you get that kind of news?
Man whatcha do?
An' he said: "I went sky diving, I went rocky mountain climbing,
"I went two point seven seconds on a bull named Fu Man Chu.
"And I loved deeper and I spoke sweeter,
"And I gave forgiveness I'd been denying."
An' he said: "Some day, I hope you get the chance,
"To live like you were dyin'."
Priorities change. Risks become worth it. People become more important. Living God’s purpose becomes more urgent.
Every church plant needs to live like it’s dying. It really doesn’t have a choice, does it? When there’s no plan B, no back-up, no cushion money in the church bank account; when your church can die tomorrow, you know that you and your little group of Christ followers better get out there and share the news of eternal life.
A friend of mine was planting churches in Burkina Faso, West Africa. I remember sitting with him in a Muslim village, speaking with the Muslim elders, asking if we could hold literacy classes among their people using parts of the Bible as the reading lessons. Why did my friend ride this “Fu Man Chu Bull” (see the lyrics above)? He was living like he was dying.
Every church—-every Christian needs to live like we’re dying. As followers of Christ we’re supposed to know this. We’re supposed to know that being comfortable is an illusion, that if we eat, drink, and are merry today, our lives may be demanded of us this very evening.
Are you living like you’re dying? Is your church living like it’s dying? When you do, priorities change. Risks become worth it. People become more important. Living God’s purpose becomes more urgent.
What if you got the news that your church, church plant, ministry, or life would be over in six months? How would it change what you’re doing right now? The answer to this question might be the key to your direction in ministry and in life today.
Have you ever waited for test results from a doctor’s office? Have you ever been faced with the possibility that you may die? Very soon. All done.
Tim McGraw sang a song about this type of experience. It’s called: “Live Like You Were Dying."
Take a look at some of the lyrics:
He said: "I was in my early forties,
"With a lot of life before me,
"An' a moment came that stopped me on a dime.
"I spent most of the next days,
"Looking at the x-rays,
"An' talking 'bout the options an' talkin’ ‘bout sweet time."
I asked him when it sank in,
That this might really be the real end?
How’s it hit you when you get that kind of news?
Man whatcha do?
An' he said: "I went sky diving, I went rocky mountain climbing,
"I went two point seven seconds on a bull named Fu Man Chu.
"And I loved deeper and I spoke sweeter,
"And I gave forgiveness I'd been denying."
An' he said: "Some day, I hope you get the chance,
"To live like you were dyin'."
Priorities change. Risks become worth it. People become more important. Living God’s purpose becomes more urgent.
Every church plant needs to live like it’s dying. It really doesn’t have a choice, does it? When there’s no plan B, no back-up, no cushion money in the church bank account; when your church can die tomorrow, you know that you and your little group of Christ followers better get out there and share the news of eternal life.
A friend of mine was planting churches in Burkina Faso, West Africa. I remember sitting with him in a Muslim village, speaking with the Muslim elders, asking if we could hold literacy classes among their people using parts of the Bible as the reading lessons. Why did my friend ride this “Fu Man Chu Bull” (see the lyrics above)? He was living like he was dying.
Every church—-every Christian needs to live like we’re dying. As followers of Christ we’re supposed to know this. We’re supposed to know that being comfortable is an illusion, that if we eat, drink, and are merry today, our lives may be demanded of us this very evening.
Are you living like you’re dying? Is your church living like it’s dying? When you do, priorities change. Risks become worth it. People become more important. Living God’s purpose becomes more urgent.
What if you got the news that your church, church plant, ministry, or life would be over in six months? How would it change what you’re doing right now? The answer to this question might be the key to your direction in ministry and in life today.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
The Real Focus
Church Planting Series, Part five
Shootings have dominated the headlines this week. Those headlines include the shooting of a pastor. What’s going on? Why the violence?
Read Romans 3:10-18 for the answer. From the Psalms and Isaiah, Paul boldly exposes our sinful nature: “There is no one righteous, not even one…Their feet are swift to shed blood; ruin and misery mark their ways.”
This underscores the focus, the real focus of our work on earth. We’re not here to pack out worship services, to fund ministry programs, or to establish an excellent organization. We’re here because people are crumbling, dying, and self-destructing in a sin-broken mire that leads to eternal death. We’re here because Jesus Christ broke the bonds of that mire. By grace, people can be reclaimed from destruction.
At the beginning of every church plant and ministry start-up, the focus is not on the program. It’s on the people. In fact, it’s on one person at a time. Your goal is not to have a worship service. It’s not to crank up a ministry. It’s to bring the miracle of Jesus to a person.
I think this is why most of us get into this business, isn’t it? You’ve experienced the unparalleled new life Christ gives and you want to share it.
So you meet people. You follow the leads that come your way. You take the opportunities God gives. You develop relationships. You mentor people. You become friends. You live and speak the living Word. Then what happens?
It’s a church planting principle: People will follow your pattern.
Suddenly, you’ll be shoulder to shoulder with a growing army of people reaching the people in their lives. Suddenly, many voices will join yours in articulating the life-reconstructing work of Jesus.
A result of this focus on people will usually be worship services and ministries. But those are simply the result of the living Word inside people. Those will serve as resources to contribute to the ongoing outreach. Those will serve as growth and encouragement in the relationship-forming, people-caring process. Those will expand the beauty of being in community with each other and with Jesus.
But they are results of the focus, not the focus itself.
Whether you’re reaching the first person in your church planting or ministry efforts or you’re forming a relationship with the thousandth person you’ve met, your focus is on people. One person at a time.
Why? Because evidence shows that people are falling apart and that Christ is the Rebuilder we need so desperately. Just take a look at the headlines.
Shootings have dominated the headlines this week. Those headlines include the shooting of a pastor. What’s going on? Why the violence?
Read Romans 3:10-18 for the answer. From the Psalms and Isaiah, Paul boldly exposes our sinful nature: “There is no one righteous, not even one…Their feet are swift to shed blood; ruin and misery mark their ways.”
This underscores the focus, the real focus of our work on earth. We’re not here to pack out worship services, to fund ministry programs, or to establish an excellent organization. We’re here because people are crumbling, dying, and self-destructing in a sin-broken mire that leads to eternal death. We’re here because Jesus Christ broke the bonds of that mire. By grace, people can be reclaimed from destruction.
At the beginning of every church plant and ministry start-up, the focus is not on the program. It’s on the people. In fact, it’s on one person at a time. Your goal is not to have a worship service. It’s not to crank up a ministry. It’s to bring the miracle of Jesus to a person.
I think this is why most of us get into this business, isn’t it? You’ve experienced the unparalleled new life Christ gives and you want to share it.
So you meet people. You follow the leads that come your way. You take the opportunities God gives. You develop relationships. You mentor people. You become friends. You live and speak the living Word. Then what happens?
It’s a church planting principle: People will follow your pattern.
Suddenly, you’ll be shoulder to shoulder with a growing army of people reaching the people in their lives. Suddenly, many voices will join yours in articulating the life-reconstructing work of Jesus.
A result of this focus on people will usually be worship services and ministries. But those are simply the result of the living Word inside people. Those will serve as resources to contribute to the ongoing outreach. Those will serve as growth and encouragement in the relationship-forming, people-caring process. Those will expand the beauty of being in community with each other and with Jesus.
But they are results of the focus, not the focus itself.
Whether you’re reaching the first person in your church planting or ministry efforts or you’re forming a relationship with the thousandth person you’ve met, your focus is on people. One person at a time.
Why? Because evidence shows that people are falling apart and that Christ is the Rebuilder we need so desperately. Just take a look at the headlines.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
The Sweetness of the Cross
Church Planting Series, Part four
How many Ash Wednesdays have you experienced? What has that accumulated repentance worked in you? How have the dust and ashes formed you?
A wise professor said to me, “You can have one year of experience forty times, or you can have forty years of experience.”
Is this a “repeat” Ash Wednesday or are you being led deeper into the presence of Christ and under the shadow of His cross?
I heard Frank Wess play a couple of weeks ago. He’s a jazz flautist and saxophone player. But that description doesn’t do him justice. This 86-year-old musician hobbled onto stage with the help of a cane and a young escort. Mr. Wess steadied himself against a stool. Then he picked up his flute and melted the hearts of everyone in the room with smooth and stirring melodies and improvisation. He moved to the sax and reached inside our souls with sounds smoother and sweeter than grandma’s cake batter. His music—-his presence—-brimmed with the sweet and painful accumulation of what life this side of heaven brings.
Mr. Wess talked about his “buddy” Duke Ellington. Frank Wess had been there. And when he raised his hand to command the Jazz ensemble, the other director floated toward the wings of the stage so the man who had jazz running through his veins could teach the “kids” a thing or two about the soul of music.
You may not be 86-years-old, but is the sweetness of the cross of Christ getting into your circulatory system as you march ahead in life—and not simply appearing on your calendar?
St. Paul said in Galatians 2:20, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”
Will the beginning of Lent for you be part of a soul-stirring score brimming with the sweet and painful gifts your Savior earned for you? And will your Gospel voice melt the economic downturned, hopeless feeling, life struggling hearts of everyone in the room?
I’m not talking about whipping up some feelings or manufacturing a load of emotions. I’m talking about the sweetness of the cross in your life. I’m talking about the real impact of Jesus in you over the long haul of years.
The most powerful factor in ministry, in church planting, and in personal witness is the sweetness of the cross of Jesus in you. If it’s all just a job, if you’re simply running through another program year, if you’re in it to build funding, forget about it.
But if no one can hold you back, if you’d hobble out there—pay or no pay, if nothing can stop your determination to bring the sweet melody of redemption to the people God has placed around you, then play on. And watch souls be changed.
“But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13-14).
How many Ash Wednesdays have you experienced? What has that accumulated repentance worked in you? How have the dust and ashes formed you?
A wise professor said to me, “You can have one year of experience forty times, or you can have forty years of experience.”
Is this a “repeat” Ash Wednesday or are you being led deeper into the presence of Christ and under the shadow of His cross?
I heard Frank Wess play a couple of weeks ago. He’s a jazz flautist and saxophone player. But that description doesn’t do him justice. This 86-year-old musician hobbled onto stage with the help of a cane and a young escort. Mr. Wess steadied himself against a stool. Then he picked up his flute and melted the hearts of everyone in the room with smooth and stirring melodies and improvisation. He moved to the sax and reached inside our souls with sounds smoother and sweeter than grandma’s cake batter. His music—-his presence—-brimmed with the sweet and painful accumulation of what life this side of heaven brings.
Mr. Wess talked about his “buddy” Duke Ellington. Frank Wess had been there. And when he raised his hand to command the Jazz ensemble, the other director floated toward the wings of the stage so the man who had jazz running through his veins could teach the “kids” a thing or two about the soul of music.
You may not be 86-years-old, but is the sweetness of the cross of Christ getting into your circulatory system as you march ahead in life—and not simply appearing on your calendar?
St. Paul said in Galatians 2:20, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”
Will the beginning of Lent for you be part of a soul-stirring score brimming with the sweet and painful gifts your Savior earned for you? And will your Gospel voice melt the economic downturned, hopeless feeling, life struggling hearts of everyone in the room?
I’m not talking about whipping up some feelings or manufacturing a load of emotions. I’m talking about the sweetness of the cross in your life. I’m talking about the real impact of Jesus in you over the long haul of years.
The most powerful factor in ministry, in church planting, and in personal witness is the sweetness of the cross of Jesus in you. If it’s all just a job, if you’re simply running through another program year, if you’re in it to build funding, forget about it.
But if no one can hold you back, if you’d hobble out there—pay or no pay, if nothing can stop your determination to bring the sweet melody of redemption to the people God has placed around you, then play on. And watch souls be changed.
“But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13-14).
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