The “Family” Under Attack

We start a series on Sunday entitled “The Family Under Attack.”  I’ve struggled with the title to the series simply because of some of the applicability ramifications.  What does a 70 year old retiree need to know about how the internet is affecting our teens?  What does a 12 year old need to know about reconciling differences in a marriage relationship?  I wasn’t exactly sure how I was going to make the series work for everyone in the congregation.  Then it hit me. 

The church is a family. 

The entire body needs to be aware of how its members are being affected by the everyday world we live in.  We need to know what is attacking our family members in order to best know how to help them!  So, we’re going to start looking at how Satan is using his same old tactics (remember, nothing’s REALLY new under the Sun!) to attack the Lord’s family. 

The first Sunday in March, we’ll look at what it means to be separated from God.  What actually separates us?  Does God separate Himself from us?  No.  Not according to Paul in Romans: “what can separate us from the love of God?”  NOTHING!  You see, we are the ones that separate ourselves from God.  Our own desires, thoughts, and pride are what get us into trouble day in and day out. 

One tool that Satan uses to attack our faith?  Doubt.

Here’s the REALLY cool part.  I read this morning that “they” have supposedly found Jesus’ tomb, along with bones from his son.  That’s right….”they” are now saying that Jesus had a child.  Not a new claim, really, but when I first saw the segment, my thought was “What is this going to do to the church?”  But I had to catch myself.  “Just another attack on the faith, God is in control,” I thought to myself.  Now, later in the same morning, I read that there is VERY little archaeological evidence to
support the claims of these “experts.” 

Another attack thwarted.  Time to get ready for the next one. 

Sundays in March: The Family of God Under Attack.

My Secret

My kids and I like to “share secrets.”  Elias and Risa especially.  They’ll look at me and grin one of those irresistible grins and say “Daddy I wanna tell you a secret!”  (I think their mother started doing this with them, and I love it.)  I’ll lean in real close and their “secret” is always the same. 

“I love you!”

What a rush!  My kids are telling ME that they love me!  In fact, I wouldn’t keep that “secret” to myself for ANYTHING!  See, I’m even writing an article about it! 

Some secrets, though, are hurtful.  A lot of people that I work with have things in their life that they believe are unbearably “secretive.”  Some have told me in the past that, “if anyone else knew about this…”, but usually they cannot finish the sentence.  In reality, their secret is what is holding them back from a better life. 

Sounds like sin, doesn’t it.  Sin is hurtful, especially to God, but also to us.  Sin is confining.  It keeps us from becoming close to our Heavenly Father.  Sin is isolating.  We tend to believe that our sins are ours alone and that no one can help us through it. 

That’s where Jesus steps in and says, “I know your secret, and ‘I love you!’”

Spiritual Warfare Renewed

I’m addicted.  I’ll admit it.  I’ve watched the Band of Brothers DVD set so many times my wife can quote some of the lines.  I constantly find myself in awe of some of the things that the men of Easy Company, 506^th Regiment, 101^st Airborne in World War II endured in order to accomplish their mission. 

 

Watching the interviews at the end of the video, I almost can feel the dedication that those men had to their country and the cause that they were fighting for.  My grandfather was in the Pacific during this time.  His letters home never showed any questioning of the integrity of “the cause.”  Yes, he missed his family, but he never questioned why he was doing what he was doing.  Were there struggles along the way?  Sure. 
Guadalcanal,
Okinawa, sickness, poor living conditions, bad food, you name it. 

 

He kept on pressing on… 

 

Our lives may not be in danger the way those brave men and women’s were, but our souls are right smack in the middle of the hardest fought conflict of the ages. 

 

As we get ready for a new year, let’s renew our dedication to the One who leads us in the spiritual war we live each and every day. 

‘Tis the Season

Over commercialized holiday.  A pagan ritual that should not be recognized by the church.  Mythical celebration by first century Christians set in time to coincide with the winter solstice and therefore avoid detection.  I think I have heard every reason in the world not to celebrate this holiday.  Some members of the churches that I’ve grown up in have almost become hostile in their reaction to other family’s buying CHRISTMAS PRESENTS.  What next?

 

This world is hurting.  This world is in dire need of a savior.  In a recent movie about a “man of steel,” the hero is quoted as saying “I hear the world crying out for a savior.”  I agree.  Just look outside of our walls of the church (For that matter, look INSIDE the walls of our church).  Watch the news every night.  Sit inside city, county, and state offices of social services.  People are in desperate need of a savior. 

That savior is Jesus Christ.  When he became flesh, the Gospel story here on Earth began.  The day he rose from the dead, the triumph over Satan’s plan of death was complete.  His life is our example.  His death should be ours.  His resurrection is our salvation.  Why NOT celebrate his birth if it brings others into contact with Him.  My argument: Just don’t stop with the manger.  Finish the rest of the story. 

Was Jesus born on Christmas?  Lots of arguments for and against.  The Jewish calendar marks the 6^th month (as mentioned in Luke) as falling somewhere in August or September.  Some people refer to the sheep grazing on the hills while the angels proclaimed his birth as an indication that it was more like March or April.  One thing and one thing only matters:

 

Jesus, the incarnation of the living God, had arrived. 

Soul Searching and Fire Insurance

This week we’ll end our series of “Share the Well,” a set of lessons aimed at reshaping our idea of evangelism. 

I have to admit, though, that this series has been on the bottom of my concerns over the last few weeks.  My little family has gone through some pretty huge incidents over the past month and a half, and I’m still feeling (will always feel?) their effects.   However, I’ve re-examined my relationship with God and determined that I am being shaped for something special. 

Work has been a challenge.  Vocational Ministry is not as easy as it seemed to be when I was in full-time ministry.  Our church finalized it’s budget for 07, and I became disgusted with the amount of money that is being set aside for paying a full-time pulpit minister.  Maybe I’m jaded.  I just don’t think that a 30-something M.Div minister with 15 years of experience and 2.4 kids (I’m exaggerating, I know) can demand a 65K salary.  Two-thirds of the body does not make that kind of money.  I don’t want him to be in the poor house, but we need to get the “mush” out from between our minister’s ears to realize that there is a differernce between MINISTRY VALUE, and MARKET VALUE. 

So Richland Hills is going instrumental, eh?  I pray that a “unified eldership” has God’s Will at it’s center.  As a dear friend of mine said, “there might be a bunch of “unified elderships” that are left out of heaven.”  Jesus knew what he was doing when he prayed for unity in John 17.  We need all the help we can get. 

Conversion Process

Can you remember your birthday?  Let’s see…my first memory actually involves a three-wheeled plastic ride-on bike that I got for Christmas one year.  Nope, I can’t seem to “reach back” that far into my memory.  I CAN however tell you about my spiritual birthday. 

It was a Wednesday night.  I had just finished listening to a lesson in my Bible class over the Ethiopian eunuch.     I remember finding my dad downstairs and telling him that I wanted to be baptized.  He started scurrying around; politely brushing past people that were asking him questions (he was the Education Minister at the time for a church in
Bossier City).  I don’t remember the actual baptism, but I DEFINITELY remember what happened after I came out of the water.  Dad hugged me.  He told me he loved me. 

Is that the end of the story?  Not hardly.  It’s not really the beginning, either.  The “conversion” experience is more of a process than it is a “moment in time.”  Yes, the point of baptism is where we come into contact with the blood of Jesus.   It is there that God washes us clean.  What happens before that?  What about after? 

Think to your own experience in “meeting Jesus.”  Who helped you to “build” on your faith before your baptism?  Who helped after? 

Share the Well…Part 1

I’ve heard many jokes about being a member of the church of Christ, mostly told by members themselves.  One in particular hit home. 

 Three ministers were discussing a pest control problem.  Each minister was dealing with a family of rats that had made their “church home” in one of the pews in the sanctuary (auditorium for all of you CoCers).   Each one was discussing different ways to rid themselves of the pesky critters.

Minister 1: I’ve tried rat poison, I’ve tried traps.  Nothing seems to get rid of these rats!

Minister 2: I’ve tried those new high frequency emitters.  That didn’t even work.

The third minister smuggly sat back in his chair and stated, “Well, I finally found a way to get rid of my rats for good!”

Minister 1: Really?  I’d love to know how!

Minister 2: Me too, contribution is being affected!  Members are starting to smell things in the seats!

Minister 3: I finally decided to baptize all of the rats and make them new members.  After that happened, they left the building and never returned!

One of the goals for the Central family in 2007 concerns local evangelism.  What is the difference between discipleship (I know that can be a scary term in our fellowship) and conversion?  I saw this on another blog.  Let me know what you think:

1.  Discipleship begins prior to conversion.
2. Discipleship involves participation in community (church) prior to conversion.
3. Discipleship often involves participation and experience (in a similar belief?) prior to conversion.
4. Discipleship often involves participation in service prior to conversion.
5. Discipleship often involves participation in missions prior to conversion.

 How does this change our thinking on “local evangelism?”  Does it?  Are the above 5 statements correct?  If so, how does this alter our approach to reaching others? 

The Death of Christianity

I just read about the head of the evangelical community confessing to buying meth and other acts.  I’m not so concerned about the actual “sin” as I am the attack and black eye this event will have on the world’s view of Christ followers. 

 When are Christians going to realize that the true power of Christ comes by recognizing our own inadequacies and relinquishing them over to Jesus?  If you are SET FREE from sin, it has NO POWER over you.  None.  Zero.  Satan cannot then hold your past against you come the judgement day. 

We’re scared.  We’re scared of what people will think of us.  We should be more concerned about what GOD ALREADY THINKS OF US.  People in the world will judge us, right or wrong, by how we live in accordance with what we preach.  Christians, it’s time we put our money where our mouth is.  Forgive.  Heal.  Love.  Nurture.  Discipline.  Yes, all of those words belong in the same paragraph. 

More later…

The church of ME

I get worried whenever I hear these words coming out of Christian’s mouths:

“My needs aren’t being met by (fill in ministry name/minister name/church name here).” 

“I don’t think (fill in appropriate minister/elder/teacher name here) can connect with what I’ve gone through in life.  I just don’t think he/they have anything to say to me in my life.”

“I just don’t get anything out of worship anymore.”

Since when did the concept of Christianity become about “me?”  I don’t know that I read ANYWHERE in the New Testament about Christians looking out for themselves in the first church.  (Flipping through Acts…)   Nope.  I don’t see it. 

The SECOND we start looking to our own needs and desires is the second we lose the focus of what church should be about: getting closer to what GOD wants. 

True: We may become “filled” when we do serve others in the name of God.  This is a SECONDARY gain.  If in fact we were only out to be served, we would constantly be looking for the next “high” or “feel good feeling.”  Sounds kind of like an addiction, doesn’t it.  Maybe that’s what it is: “The church of ME addiction.” 

Millennial Church

I’ve been observing a very interesting trend in churches recently.  See what you think…

 A lot of mainstream (around 200-300 members) churches of Christ are struggling to plug young Gen X parents, their families, and young professionals (18-30)  into the “work” of the church.  Sunday evenings have become a faint resemblance of what they used to be.  My wife and I have noted that there seem to be more “golden saints” attending than members from other generations. 

Fewer and fewer families with small children are attending on Sunday nights due in part to the growing trend among Gen X parents to “protect family time.”  I’m one of those Gen Xers, and I can vouch for this idea that family time is a prized possession.  I’m not talking about working in the yard on Saturday, either.  I’m talking about deliberate spent time with spouses and children in an effort to draw the entire family closer to God.  You’d be amazed at how much these young children are being taught by their parents during this time.  I know a certain three year old that can recite the twelve tribes of Israel! 

Fewer young professionals are attending because, frankly, they attended Sunday morning and don’t see the need for repeating the same “ritual” of attending.  These younger members are longing for the connectedness that they had in youth group (hence, the “gap” from youth group to active member).  Right or wrong, their attitude is, Sunday evening is “just going through the motions.”  So, they have begun hanging out in each other’s homes on Sunday evenings in order to fulfill that need.  All the while, they’re studying God’s word together and leaning on Him and each other for their support during life’s events. 

So, good things are happening on Sunday nights for our older generation at the church building, in the home for our Gen X parents, and in other’s homes for our young professionals.  How can we “harness” this and make it better for everyone invovled?  How do our shepherds “shepherd” a church that it utilizing different means to keep the “Sabbath holy?” 

Mark it down.  This will be a growing trend in ALL churches over the next decade.  It will affect future youth groups, budgeting for ministry programing, building usage, shepherding skills needed in order to “pastor” churches, and evangelism as a whole. 

The church must adapt.  The Word does not change, but the style of delivery must.