Small Church, Big Encouragement

 Have you ever envied the big church on the other side of town?  You know, the church in the suburb or the one in the big city?  The one with fifteen paid staff members, the one with the first-class tech team, the one with the huge youth group, the one with the coffee shop built into the lobby.  And here you are.  You're serving in a small church.  Your church building doesn't even have a lobby.  Your pastor is bi-vocational and you're the youth volunteer who works 50 hours week at your real job and has four kids at home.

There are times when we look at what the other congregation has and what we don't have and, quite frankly, we feel like quitting or at least like God's going to need to perform a miracle for your church's ministry to make a difference for the Kingdom.

In these moments we don't need a bigger budget or role of members.  In these moments we need good theology.

That might not sound encouraging, but let me assure you that it is.  Let me introduce you to the word "y'all".  Some of you even north of the Mason-Dixon don't need an introduction, but y'all is the great word that means "all of you guys" to you northern folks.  If there's one southern word that the NIV, ESV, NRSV or KJV could use it is "y'all".

In the passage below let me show you a taste of "Y'all Theology" that is sure to be a big encouragement to small churches.  I will simply replace a you (meant to be plural and not singular) with "y'all" to help you see something great.

"To the church of God that is in Corinth (or place your community here), to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours:

Grace to y'all and peace from our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

I give thanks to my God always for y'all because of the grace of God that was given y'all in Christ Jesus, that in every way y'all were enriched in Him in all speech and all knowledge--- even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among y'all --- so that y'all are not lacking in any gift, as y'all wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will sustain y'all to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.  God is faithful, by who y'all were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord." 1 Corinthians 1:2-9. Matt's Southern English Standard Version

Did you catch the encouragement for your small church?

Verse 5 and 6 tell us that y'all in Janesville or Waverly or Holden or Smithtown or Springville or wherever you are, have all you need. "... in every way y'all were enriched in Him in all speech and all knowledge... so that y'll are not lacking in any gift..."

You personally do not have every spiritual gift you need to complete the task of converting dead souls and sustaining souls to the end guiltless.  But your local church body has all y'all need.

This is amazing!  God has given y'all every spiritual gift you need.  God gave the megachurch all the spiritual gifts they need, too.  Your church has the people in leadership, staff and volunteer roles that in the grace of God through Jesus Christ y'all need.  Read 1 Corinthians 1:2-9 again to see it for yourself.  Paul confirmed this truth to a rather messed up body of believers in Corinth and it is without a doubt true for your small church today.

This doesn't mean we aren't to grow and develop our gifts or to even hire more staff people.  No, this means that for the tasks your local church has in front of it today the grace to fulfill those tasks is right within y'all because of Christ.

So, the next time you're tempted, like I am, to envy the bigger church done the road remember this passage.  Thank God for the way He's enriched that big church.  Pray for their ministry to be even more fruitful and God-honoring.  Then thank God for all the ways He's blessed and enriched your local body and ask Him to reveal how y'all can use your perfectly placed gifts to serve, defend and expand the Kingdom of your God today.

Seek the Greater Glory

 Have you ever been a coward when it comes to proclaiming or even just claiming your faith?  I have.  Have you ever entertained the idea of what you might be like as a missionary in a foreign land, but then when someone asked you what you did this weekend you mention everything except for going to church and spending the afternoon with your church small group?  

We do these things often.  Most of us lack courage in the smallest of things.

Let's look at a couple of verses in John that pointed a mirror first at me and then helped me see Jesus more clearly.

"Nevertheless, many even of the authorities believed in Him, but for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess it, so that they would no be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God." John 12:42-43

Can you see yourself in this?  I can clearly.  Many of the authorities in Israel believed in Jesus but would not confess faith in Him.  They didn't confess because they were afraid.  They were afraid to be cast out of the synagogue, which was to be cast out of their society.

Have you been afraid to confess Christ for fear of being ostracized from society?  What if following Jesus puts you on the outside of the cultural current?  What if being a Christian causes you to be excluded from your group at work?  What if you're a Jesus Freak in their eyes, and not in the cool 1970's sense?

We feel this fear and we, I included, give in.  We give in because we "love the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God."

Quick question: Would you venture to guess the authorities in this story, at this time in their lives, would be counted among the saved?  I know that we can't look into their hearts and know, and I know that John doesn't say, but would you guess you would find them in Heaven if they died that night?  I would guess, with hope that I'm wrong, no.

"If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." Romans 10:9

We must be courageous confessors of Jesus.  You know this, I know this.  So, how do we do this?  Does this passage simply contain a great guilt trip?  

Thankfully, no.  This passage is not a source, primarily, of guilt but of great motivation.

"... for they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God."

We all seek glory and that isn't necessarily wrong.  We are made to seek glory.  We are made to strive for glory and to want to view glory.  This is bound up in us. The trick to being a courageous confessor of Jesus is NOT to deny ourselves glory.  The life hack to this courage is to seek the greater glory.

What is glory?  I will say in this post that glory is a weight, a scope and amount.

The Weight of Glory:

Should we love the applause and atta boys of man more than that of God?  I was listening recently to an interview with the spectacular sports broadcaster Bob Costas.  Bob recounted a story in which he had been on a program talking about whether Hank Aaron or Barry Bonds was the true home run king in his eyes.  Bob said Aaron.  Some time after that TV appearance he received a call.  "Please hold for the president," said the caller.  In a few moments former U.S. President George H. W. Bush was on the line telling Costas what a marvelous job he did conveying what Mr. Bush felt was the correct position.  I ask you this: What opinion about Bob's work has more weight: The opinion of the Twitter mob or that of the former leader of the free world?  

How much more weight does the applause and atta boy from God Almighty carry than that of the created people of this world?  Chase the weightier glory.

The Scope of Glory:

How long will the best of the glory man has to offer last?  50 years?  60 years? How long does the glory God has to offer last?  In a word: Eternity.  

"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in Heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal." Matthew 6:19-21

 

The Amount:

If I told you that you could have a gift from one of two houses, which would you choose: A gift from my house or a gift from the house of billionaire Amazon founder Jeff Bezos?  If you said mine, you're either very sentimental toward me or a suck up.  Only a fool would want a gift from my modest house and not a gift from Bezo's house (one of which he rents from Kenny G for $600,000/month).  

How much more should we want the glory that comes from the treasury of the owner of a cattle on a thousand hills (Psalm 50:12)?  How much more wonderful and expansive is the glory that God can give than that men can?

Meditate on the greater glory.  Spend time thinking deeply about how much more God can offer you than a man or all men.  You are made to chase glory.  From whom will you get the most and see the most.  Think on this and act on your conclusions today.

Christ-Anchored Courage for Fathers in a Crisis

 On Father's Day I got the joy of team preaching with my friend Dan.  You can hear that sermon here or watch it here (click the highlighted words).

We preached through Psalm 11 and I hope it encourages you today.

"In the LORD I take refuge;

how can you say to my soul, 

'Flee like a bird to your mountain,

for behold the wicked bend the bow;

they have fitted their arrow to the string to shoot in the dark at the upright in heart,

if the foundations are destroyed,

what can the righteous do?'

The LORD is in His holy temple;

the LORD's throne is in heaven;

His eyes see, His eyelids test the children of man.

The LORD tests the righteous,

but His soul hates the wicked and the one who loves violence.

Let Him rain coals on the wicked;

fire and sulfur and a scorching wind shall be the portion of their cup.

For the LORD is righteous;

He loves righteous deeds;

the upright shall behold his face."

Psalm 11 

Do You Love the Church?

 "John said to Him, 'Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us.'  But Jesus said, 'Do not stop him, for no one who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me.  For the one who is not against us is for us.  For truly I say to you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ will by no means lose his reward.'" Mark 9:38-41

Am I doing enough to be ecumenical?

Does my faith lie first in Jesus or denomination?

How can I cheer other churches on more?

As I reflected on this passage these were the questions I asked myself.  Some times, or sadly many times, we are like John in this passage.  We proudly tell Jesus how we stopped others who proclaim Him and do good works in His name.

I imagine that John expected an attaboy and not a lecture after his statement.  I suspect John really was concerned about the messengers having the right and best education before they went about the work of the Kingdom.  I honestly don't think John's motives were even mostly un-pure.

Aren't we often like John?  Don't we come to Jesus looking for approval after we spoke against the local charismatic or the TV preacher with different eschatology than our surely correct church has?  Don't we fight in the weeds when the world is white for the harvest?

Don't hear me wrong; good theology is important.  The seemingly little thing that divides our understanding really can be huge.  Yet, as my pastor once said: "God is often more okay with a needle of truth in a haystack of bad theology than we are."  

Who is an unsaved person you've prayed earnestly for?  Think of them now whether they be a son, a sister, a cousin, a college roommate, a husband, a co-worker.  Think of that individual and remember your fervent prayers for them.

Now imagine that person was reached for Jesus by someone that attends one of the denominations within orthodoxy yet a denomination that you could never, ever see yourself attending.  How do you feel about that?  Are your feelings more joyful or more concerned?  I'm willing to guess that if your feelings are more concerned for that person than joyful that you are in need of a lecture like John got from Jesus.

The field is ripe for the harvest, pray for laborers of many Jesus-loving denominations to work it (John 4:35-36).

"And He sat down and called the twelve.  And He said to them, 'If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all."  Mark 9:35

Do I lower myself to serve the Church universal?  Do I humble myself to pray for a church that I wouldn't attend?  Do I have joy for those being saved for Jesus in all churches?

Pray that you might be more ecumenical today.

A Life Worthy of Imitation

"Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ." 1 Corinthians 11:1 

My friend Harold Anderson, the patriarch of our local church, died on Thursday.  Harold was 91 years old.

When Harold died no one said "Too soon" or "What a waste."  Harold lived a long, full, productive, faithful life.  He lived a life worth imitating and, though he wasn't my relative and perhaps this isn't my place, I want to share some things about Harold that a Christian should imitate.

1) Harold Budgeted Missional Kindness

Hundreds of people through the years went to lunch their first Sunday at Grace Baptist Church with Harold and his wife Janet.   I was one of those that went to eat at Hy-Vee with the Andersons right after Sunday service.  I was 18 and they were in their 70's, but age differences didn't matter.  They wanted to help visitors of any age or background feel welcome.  So, I went to eat with them and had such a great time with these kind people that I never visited another church in Waverly.  Grace, at that time, didn't have a pastor, but they did have Harold and Janet, so it was a church worth staying put in.

Taking visitors out to lunch was a priority to them.  Their son told me they didn't have a budget line for this, but to say 'yes' to this they had to say 'no' to things they might have wanted for themselves.  

Do you budget for missional kindness or do you spend every dime you make on your needs and pleasures?

2) Harold Welcomed the Lonely Into His Family

Harold had a large family by biology.  He had a much larger family if all the non-biological members were included.  The Andersons seemed to have a knack for allowing the lonely into their family (Psalm 68:6).  Many in the church called him Grandpa and Janet Grandma and they treated so many as unofficial children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Have you made your family open to the lonely that God desires to put into families?

3) Harold was Faithful

Harold sacrificially loved the same woman for 71 years in the covenant of marriage.  In fact, almost every time you read Harold above and below this you can add "and Janet".  They were a team and so utterly one after nearly three quarters of a century of marriage.  There weren't many anniversary dances that they weren't the last ones standing.

He was a charter member of Grace Baptist Church in 1964 and for 59 years kept his covenant to Grace.  I have seen many faithful people come and go in churches through the years and there is nothing inherently wrong with moving churches, but there is something so good and pure about this kind of devotion to the local church.  I have friends and family members that are church planters and I'm sure that if you asked them if they could have someone with an MDiv or someone like Harold, they would pick a man half as faithful as Harold every day of the week.

"His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant.  You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much.  Enter into the joy of your master." Matthew 25:21

What areas in life have you been called into faithfulness?

The day Harold died, both before and after his passing, I had an older song stuck in my head: "Thank You" by Ray Boltz.  Harold wasn't one that was asked to teach adult Sunday School or to preach or to lead the signing; rather, Harold gave to the Lord from the pew, from his house, from a truck cab and from his heart.  If there's a lesson to be learned from Harold's life it's that greatness in the Kingdom of Heaven often looks, as Eugene Peterson said, like simple, long obedience in the same direction.  Harold's life was great.  He took his talents and faithfully maximized them for his Master.  I, for one, will consider how I can follow his example as he followed Christ's and I invite you to do the same today.

Humility Rooted in Power

 No one is impressed when a weak man is gentle.  Everyone takes note when a large, powerful man who is obviously capable of great violence is gentle.

No one notices when a poor person lives a simple life and feels approachable.  Everyone is impressed when an extremely wealthy person lives humbly and is down to earth.

Humility from the weak and lowly shouldn't cause you to take note, but humility from the high and mighty does.  

Look at John chapter 13 with me for a moment.  This is the chapter in which Jesus washes His disciples feet.  It's a very familiar story and in the coming weeks we will likely hear about it again.  But notice how John sets up his rendition.

"During the supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him, Jesus, knowing that the Father had given Him all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going back to God, rose from supper.  He laid aside his outer garment, and taking a towel, tied it around His waist.  Then He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around Him." John 13:2-5

There is a lot that has been and could be written about this Maundy Thursday scene.  There is the fact that Jesus washed Judas' feet in the passage alone that could spill much valuable ink worthily.  But I want you to catch what's said in verse three:

"Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going back to God,"

John wants us to see and understand that Jesus served His disciples while stooping from a position of power.  Simply being a rabbi to a group of disciples made Jesus above the lowly job of foot washer, but John goes so much further.  Jesus isn't just a rabbi.  Jesus had received ALL THINGS from God, who is His literal Father.  Jesus had come from the opulence of Heaven and was about to return to that place of holy luxury.  Once Jesus had considered these facts He got down and performed a lowly act of service on people who were beneath Him in every sense and one that was soon to betray Him.

"If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet.  For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you." John 13:14-15 

Christians, much of our humility comes from a recognition of our lowly state in comparison to Jesus, and it should.  We are immensely less immense in every good quality.  We all sin and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23).  We have many reasons for this type of humility.

Yet, Christians, to truly exercise humility in service to our fellow man, we must have humility rooted in our high stature.  We are children of the Most High God and the King of kings calls us His friend.  We have an inheritance that can never perish that is kept in Heaven for us (1 Peter 1:3-5).  

Humility that begins with an acknowledgement of the high stature that we've been graced into has the ability to be boundless.  Like Jesus, we can serve in any way and not have our stature in the reality of all reality affected.  Nothing can bump us down from the high place we've been set.  In fact, humility that stoops low ensures a higher place because God exalts the humble (James 4:10) and the last will be first (Matthew 20:16).

It is this type of humility that impresses a watching world.  It is this type of humble service that causes the world to see our good works and give glory to our Father who is in Heaven (Matthew 5:16).

Follow your Lord's example.  Take stock of what you've been graciously given and then put your towel around your waist, dip down low and serve today.

Escaping the Poverty Mindset

 Most of us live with a poverty mindset.

Most Americans would call themselves middle class.  I have met people I would consider poor and those I would consider rich and both groups happily and quickly call themselves middle class.  Everyone but a few can think of someone richer or poorer than they.  Yet, I would argue most of us live with a poverty mindset.

Let me show you what I mean from Luke chapter 12 verses 22-34.  Please pause now to read the passage.

There are three things I took away from this super familiar passage of Scripture.

1) Don't Sweat the Small Things.

Jesus enters this particular passage after talking about a rich fool.  The fool felt rich and was ready to live the retirement of his dreams and God responded with: 

"Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?' So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God." Luke 12:20-21

Jesus enters the very famous passage about not worrying with a plea for the rich to not be confident in their own wealth.  It's a strange way to get into a sweet passage about how we shouldn't worry about what we should wear or eat.  Jesus is saying that life is about more than one's 401k and enjoying great food or drink.

Because life is about more than food and drink and money then we should trust God to provide those things for us.  Jesus says that if God feeds birds, that don't matter near as much as you, then He'll take care of you; if our Heavenly Father beautifully adorns flowers, that are here today and gone tomorrow, then trust that He will take care of you.

Don't sweat the small stuff for:

"For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them.  Instead, seek His kingdom, and these things will be added to you." Luke 12:30-31

Don't sweat the small stuff but focus on the big things.

2) We Aren't Poor in the Least.

When we are anxious about the small things in life, about the cares of our basic needs, we demonstrate that we don't know our Father well.  Our Father is the King of kings and the Lord of lords.  He owns the cattle on a thousand hills (Psalm 50:10).  

Luke includes a part of Jesus' teaching here that Matthew doesn't and it's amazing.  Behold what Luke shares in the very next verse after what we just read:

"Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." Luke 12:32

Jesus is saying, "Yo, why are you living with a poverty mindset?  Why are you worrying about having enough food or any clothes to wear?  My Dad, your Dad, is geeked up to give you the empire He's established!"

Christians, why would we have a poverty mindset when we're rich beyond our wildest dreams? I'm not calling for a neglecting of the money wisdom or the work ethic in the book of Proverbs or anything like that.  No, I'm arguing that we need to have a mind that knows the immeasurable inheritance we've been given and that thinks accordingly.  Brothers and sisters, quit acting like we're in poverty, even if our bank account tells us we are.  

This isn't prosperity gospel.  This is Gospel.  Jesus tells us that we need to cast out our fears and anxieties about the small stuff and trust our Good Father who is excited to give us the Kingdom.

3) Be Generous.

Because this is true we aren't to be hoarders.  Because this is true we are to be as generous as a billionaire philanthropist.  I'm not saying you should write million dollar checks to charity when you have far less in your bank account.  That's fraud and would be foolish and sinful.  

Here's what I am saying.  Bill Gates and Warren Buffett started The Giving Pledge.  They and many other billionaires have pledged to give massive amounts of money to causes they deem worthy.  Here's the thing though, Bill and Warren and the others that have made the pledge are still the most wealthy men on earth.  Why is this?  It's because their wealth is so large and continues to grow at such a rapid rate that they have trouble giving it away fast enough.

I'm saying give like that. Give like someone who knows their inheritance can't be negatively affected by their giving.  Millions to a billionaire is a drop in the bucket.  Give with that mindset.  In fact, give like someone investing.  Jesus tells us in this passage that giving is investing and investing in something more sure than any investment the Oracle of Omaha has ever made.

"Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." Luke 12:33-34

Rid yourself of a poverty mindset and find freedom from the anxieties of the world and freedom to be generous today.