stream of consciousness

Friday Stream of Consciousness – 79

May 10, 2013 — 4 Comments

Here are some things on my mind this Friday morning:

  • My spiritual hero, Dallas Willard, died this week of cancer. I grieve for his family, and for those who’ve been shaped by his writings as I have. No other Christian author has impacted me as much as Dallas Willard. He is so much more than an author, though. Using the term “author” to describe him is a gross understatement.
  • I could post Dallas Willard quotes on this blog for a year and never run out. But, here’s one that came to mind as I was studying for this week’s message. It’s from The Great Omission: “Christians who do read their Bibles often don’t know their Bibles. The reason why they don’t know their Bibles is because they don’t really read their Bible as a treatise on reality, as something that brings change and transformation of our lives.”
  • Here’s another: “But, someone will say, can I not be “saved”—that is, get into heaven when I die—without any of this? Perhaps you can. God’s goodness is so great, I am sure that He will let you in if He can find any basis at all to do so. But you might wish to think about what your life amounts to before you die, about what kind of person you are becoming, and about whether you really would be comfortable for eternity in the presence of One whose company you have not found especially desirable for the few hours and days of your earthly existence.”
  • I was thrilled to hear my utility rates are going up again. I was just thinking they were far too low ;)
  • So all four American Idol judges are supposedly gone after this year. It’s been a good run, but it’s over. I think the best years were those when just Simon, Randy and Paula hosted–and it stayed really clean.
  • Glad to hear someone is in talks with Kiefer Sutherland to have 24 come back. However, it isn’t fair to play with my emotions this way. They must get it done. Jack needs to be back…Jack!
  • The Padres are on a roll. This is occupying my thinking to some level because of its rarity. When the Space Shuttle first landed on the moon…it was a big deal.
  • I’ve noticed people have a lot of opinions on doctrinal issues these days which are not grounded in Scripture. What I mean is that even for Christians, Scripture isn’t necessarily the starting point for shaping one’s worldview and opinions any more. Increasingly, it’s our own sense of what is right and wrong in our own eyes. Dangerous and sad.
  • Ask someone where the biblical root of their position is on a contemporary issue or doctrinal position. Fewer and fewer Christians can do so–or are interested in doing so. This of course doesn’t make their position unbiblical. However, doing/thinking was is simply right in one’s own eyes without considering God’s desires takes whatever position one takes off the mark–from a Christian perspective.
  • When I consult with churches, I’ll often ask to interview a few members of the congregation, the staff and elders. One of the questions I’ll ask them is, “If you were forced to choose one, is your congregation more loving or spiritual?” While these are obviously not mutually exclusive, I’ve never seen a church in decline where the dominant answer was “spiritual.”
  • Love is fruit of God’s Spirit. We need God to love others well.
  • Whatever happened to OJ Simpson?
  • I spent three days with the good people of the Solomon Foundation and learned some incredible stuff at the leadership conference. I got to know a lot more about two churches you ought to check out: Real Life Ministries (Post Falls, Idaho), and The Crossing (Quincy, Illinois). Both are extremely large churches that are multi-site and in, relatively, the middle of nowhere. If your church is in the country or located near “micropolis” communities, you ought to check these churches out. I’d add that Real Life is doing some amazing work in the area of discipleship, and the Crossing is doing some of the most ambitious and innovative multi-site stuff out there.
  • While at the Pepperdine Bible Lectures last week, I was thrilled to hear so many people talking about starting new churches. This is certainly a good thing.
  • Summer is stinking expensive when you have kids. And long. And awesome. And one month too long.
  • Let me encourage your church not to surrender the summer, entirely. It’s a time when people do a lot of transitioning, and we’ve noticed the summer provides one of our highest growth seasons.
  • So, if you are going to use the summer to water the horses, rotate people like a hockey team–regularly and somewhat briefly. Don’t play like it’s off-season. It’s not.
  • How can you not like the Golden State Warriors right now?
  • Dennis Bratton and Don Wilson (CCV) did a great and convicting session on Sabbath at the Solomon Foundation conference. I need to process that one and do something with it.
  • I got to play golf at Torrey Pines this past week. I’m still smiling.
  • The more time goes by, the more I love my Windows Phone.

What’s on your mind this Friday morning?

In Church Finance, Church Growth, Church Planting, Church Strategy, Leadership, Personal, Productivity, Spiritual Formation , , , , , , ,
permalink
Change

Your Problem is Not the Problem

May 9, 2013 — 3 Comments

Right now, you may think you’ve got a huge church problem. You probably do…but it may not be the problem you think you have. We humans are notorious for thinking, “If they would only…” or “If I could stop…” Sometimes, what we fill in that blank with is the problem. Often it isn’t.

In the church world, the problem is invariably leadership. Is your church stagnant or in constant tumult? It’s a leadership problem. Does the church need to change? That’s a leadership problem. Most, if not all church problems are leadership problems, which is why we ought to focus on the change of heart, mind, or system of leadership rather than the specific change itself. For, until that change happens, tinkering with what is may lead to worse conclusions than the status quo.

If you find yourself saying, “we’ve tried for years and they won’t change,” realize you probably can’t do anything about it. So, ask yourself if you can settle for what is, whether you need to change personally, or whether you need to graciously go somewhere else. That last one is a last resort–for when the environment is truly spiritually toxic or leadership is sinning and will not repent–that sort of thing.

HOW WE CONTRIBUTE TO THE PROBLEM

Sometimes, we contribute to the leadership problem from the pew or the preacher’s office by assuming only they can change, and our job is to tolerate whatever they do or decide. This isn’t true. In fact, we often help sustain an unhealthy system through quiet subservience. So, sometimes, our problem is us.

Some would call it being like Jesus to quietly endure dysfunctional leadership in silence. In fact, I heard someone I greatly respect teach this last week.

The problem is, that’s barely Jesus at all.

Nothing about it resembles Jesus’ intolerance of vain religiosity or abuses of power. When one reviews Jesus’ encounters with the religious leaders of His day, it’s hard to make the case for silent tolerance of sin or hypocrisy in church leaders. So, why do His followers put up with it? Because we are taught that’s what it means to be like Christ. Sometimes, it’s good old-fashioned fear. Or, we’re taught that we’re outranked and have no right to speak up.

Hogwash.

Being like Christ means being for truth, for justice, for mercy, for what’s courageous–and doing so for the sake of others without pride or malice. Remember you don’t have all the answers, and be willing to admit when you’re wrong. Don’t expect everything to go your way, and be steadfast in loving the church. Communicate in biblical ways that are seasoned with the fruit of God’s Spirit.

But, don’t be the problem. Don’t be the leadership problem in your church, or sustain such a sickness in the Body.

In Christianity, Church Strategy, Leadership, Religion, Spiritual Formation, Theology , , , , , ,
permalink
stream of consciousness

Monday Stream of Consciousness

May 6, 2013 — 1 Comment

Yes, I know these humble posts are usually scheduled for Fridays. However, last week was good, but insane from ministry perspective. So, I’m posting Stream of Consciousness on Monday. Sorry for the 3 day delay, but the blog was made for man, not man for the blog.

Here are some things on my mind this Monday morning:

–We baptized our beautiful daughter, Anna, yesterday morning. Of all my dad moments, it’s is unquestionably on the Mt. Rushmore. Anna is a born worshiper. God filled her soul with music and praise when He knit her together in her mother’s womb. I can’t wait to see what He’ll do with her in the years ahead.

Continue Reading...
In Church Finance, Church Growth, Church Planting, Church Strategy, Family Life, Leadership, New Vintage Church , , , , , , ,
permalink
mount everest

No Fighting on Everest

April 29, 2013 — 4 Comments

This weekend, I was struck by a news story reporting a fight near the top of Mount Everest between climbers and their Nepalese sherpas. A brawl at more than 25,000 feet, close to the summit (29,029 feet)? You’ve gotta be kidding me.

I’ve hiked Mt. Whitney and know what conditions are like at around 14,500…and the thought of doing that on Mt. Everest is almost nauseating. Even worse, the thought of hikers brawling with the smartest, most experienced, and most resourceful hikers on the mountain—those present only to help them—is ridiculous.

One would think the conditions alone would bring everyone together. One would think cooler heads would prevail and perspective maintained when it’s a matter of life and death.

Nope.

Continue Reading...
In Church Growth, Church Strategy, conflict, Current Affairs, Leadership, Leadership Vault, Spiritual Formation , , , , , ,
permalink
stream of consciousness

Friday Stream of Consciousness – 78

April 26, 2013 — 2 Comments

Here are some things Friday morning:

  • The NFL Draft kicked off last night, and the big takeaway I had was that every “draft expert’s” is about as helpful in predicting the results of the draft as NCAA hoop expert’s bracket before the NCAA tournament. Heavy on the fun and light on the accuracy.
  • Yesterday, the George W. Bush Presidential library opened. I’ve always believed he was a good man, and that belief was only reinforced yesterday.
  • Sometimes, missing out on great opportunities can turn out to be the best thing for you.
  • The Padres are off to a 6-15 start. The league is standing in fear.
  • I like a Spurs vs. Heat NBA final.
  • My distrust of American media in general was reinforced by the two headlines this week referring to the Boston bombings and a bombing attempt “Bombers motivated by religion.” Religion?
  • The next day a bomb plot was foiled in Canada, the headline read: “Muslims foil terror plot on Canadian train.” Why not religion? ;)
  • If you haven’t heard any of the testimony coming out of the Gosnell abortion clinic trial, it’s horrifying and important for people to read this.
  • I don’t like doing “topical” sermon series very much. I’m defining “topical” here very narrowly–as a series that’s not just preaching through a book of the Bible. All of my sermons have a major text I’m preaching from–and are expository in the classic sense. But, I find it more difficult to preach a series on “prayer” or “family life.” I’d rather work through the Gospel of Luke, Ecclesiastes, or something like that.
  • Happy 2-year anniversary to New Vintage Church! What an amazing adventure of faith it has been. I’m so thankful for all God’s done.
  • I’m going to say something very “Un-P.C.” here: nearly every church I’ve seen start and fail over the years focused on community impact without doing a good job of building a strong sense of spirituality in the Body. They seemed to see spirituality as “inward focus,” and go from one service project to the next without ever giving people a clear sense of why they’re doing what they’re doing–and offering the supply of the Spirit for what they are doing. Spirituality isn’t the enemy of community impact. It’s the lifeblood of community impact.
  • “Justice” is becoming the most overused, misused and co-opted word in the Christian vocabulary right now.
  • Right behind it is, “leadership.”
  • The 10U Girls Softball team I coach had the best team in the league on the ropes. So, their coach initiated the stall sequence to run the game time out–time outs, shoe tying, having the pitcher take a minute between pitches, overthrows of the pitcher with no one on–the usual. At home plate after the game had been called, the guy says, “You guys couldn’t have beaten us anyway.” My response was, “we’ll never know, because your girls are all still tying their shoes.” I get sarcastic when I’m upset. Not a great moment for me, admittedly.
  • I went to the doctor for my annual physical. Everything was fine. But, my energy has been down a bit. He said, in essence–sleep more, play more, eat right, stress low. Apparently, idealism cures.
  • But, it’s still good advice.
  • A year in ministry is better training for ministry than reading 25 books on the subject.
  • The Pepperdine Bible Lectures are almost here, and I’m really excited for Mike Cope and Rick Gibson.
  • I’m also excited to present my class, which will deal with some of the systemic issues in the leadership paradigm in Churches of Christ–particularly between ministers and elders. The content is brand new. If you’re there, I’d love to have you attend.

What’s on your mind this Friday?

In Church Growth, Current Affairs, Family Life, Leadership, New Vintage Church, Personal, Preaching , , , , , , ,
permalink