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What Is Church?

April 14, 2009 in Church with 0 Comments

On Good Friday I had the opportunity to partake in a service at Mars Hill Church in Seattle via their website.

The following night I watched an Easter service from LifeChurch.tv; Sunday I could have watched that service again or I could have “gone to church” at over a dozen other churches via the internet. When this technology became available several years ago, many churches advertised it as “services on demand”; a supplement to normal church attendance. Nowadays most churches have followed LifeChurch.tv’s lead and are referring to it as church online or an online campus.

This begs the question, what is church? Not the universal church, but the thing that the author of Hebrews was referring to when he told us not to neglect coming together (Hebrews 10:24-25). Over the last few hundred years Christians have come to define that scripture as meeting on Sunday morning (or more often) in a specific building (coincidentally called “church”) and following a specific service format that, despite the differences between denominations, is pretty similar regardless of where you go.

Does the church have to meet in a “church building”?

Do we have to meet on Sunday?

Do we have to follow a specific (traditional) format? (e.g. welcome, 2 fast songs, 1 slow song, offering, message)

Can you attend church online and still honor the scriptures by assembling with other Christians in small groups, Bible study, etc.?

Highway To Hell

April 14, 2009 in Church with 0 Comments

This just reeks of AWESOMENESS!!!! NewSpring Church opened their Easter services with a video showing Matthew 7:13 & 14 and then fades into the NewSpring band performing AC/DC’s Highway To Hell. Of course, there are those who are probably angered by this, but according to Tony Morgan (CSO @ NewSpring) over 300 people accepted Christ as a result of the Easter services, so get over it. Jesus was glorified, people were told what Hell is really about (the song simply illustrates what most of the world believes it to be, one big party) and they were also told why Jesus’ death and resurrection was and is so important. Anyways, here’s the video; to watch the entire sermon go to NewSpring’s website (should be available today or tomorrow.)

Old Posts, Pt. 3

March 23, 2009 in Church with 0 Comments

When I first started blogging I started out on MySpace. So over the next few days I’m going to be posting a few of my old writings from MySpace. Here is the third and final installment: “Reach Out Without Selling Out.”

On more than one occasion my pastor has made the following statement: “If each of us were to bring one person to church next Sunday, we would double our attendance immediately.” Now, anyone with a preschool education can figure that out, but it does raise an interesting question. If our attendance did double in one service, what are we doing to retain all those visitors? So what if we’re the friendliest church in the area or if we’ve got the best worship band or the best multimedia department. What are we doing to make visitors want to come back week after week until they accept Jesus as their savior (if they havn’t done so already) and commit to the church? It isn’t enough to have the best music ministry or the best children’s ministry or the best student ministry. It isn’t even enough to have a Bible preaching, Holy Ghost filled man of God as your pastor. To have a successful, GROWING, multigenerational, multicultural church you must have more. I’ll admit, I’m no scholar of theology, but here’s a few things I’ve learned.

1. YOU CAN’T PLEASE EVERYONE…..

so don’t try to. In the end, the only opinion that matters is God’s. It doesn’t matter how much you cater to one group in your church if God destroys your ministry because of your failure to please Him. Don’t misunderstand me – I’m not saying you should ignore people and their opinions; do that and you won’t have a church for long. As a leader, whether you’re the lead pastor or the groundskeeper, you must use discernment. As the media director at my church (and I’m giving myself a lot of creative license with that title), I welcome people’s opinions. However, that doesn’t mean I turn the volume down just because Sister “Needs To Turn Her Hearing Aids Down” in the seventh row says the music is too loud. Nor does it mean I heed the advice of a sixteen year old who thinks that 120 decibels is “quiet”. In both situations I used discernment. I respect both of them as well as their opinions, but that doesn’t mean I agree with them. My primary responsibility on Sunday mornings is to do my best to ensure an environment where EVERYONE has the freedom to worship God without distractions from multimedia. I’m there to enhance, not detract, and definitely not to make sure that one person is nice and cozy in their comfort zone. I take my duties very seriously and if anyone has a problem with that, I’ve got a backbone and a set of balls. I don’t let anyone push me around when it pertains to my duties at church. There are more than a few pastors, leaders, etc. who need to remember that when someone complains to them about a song arrangement or a change in format or the title of a sermon series.

2. REFORMISSION EVANGELISM – WE ARE ALL MISSIONARIES

You wouldn’t buy a car without test driving it, yet we’re shocked when someone we’ve been praying about for months or years doesn’t get saved the first time they actually visit a church. People aren’t going to commit to a new way of life just because you tell them how great it is. Show them; LIVE IT! Did Jesus spend all of His time in synagogues and tabernacles? NO! He hung out with sinners (Mark 2:16-18). If you’ve been a Christian for any length of time, you’ve probably heard the saying “garbage in, garbage out”. Sounds great, doesn’t it? Yet, it is flawed. The most obvious flaw: that kind of theology assumes that if Christians see and hear sin up close, they will want to participate in it. The fact is, while sin looks attractive from a distance, the closer you get, the more clearly you see it for what it really is. Now, God knows we need missionaries in this world. I have friends who are overseas right now, working for Jesus. However, just because you weren’t called to go to the other side of the world doesn’t mean you aren’t a missionary. Walk outside your front door and you are a missionary. America is the third largest mission field in the world. Start with your friends, family and neighbors. It’s a cliche, but you may be the only Jesus they ever see. In other words, LOVE THEM! Prove them wrong on their perception of Christians as hypocritical, judgmental bigots. Last October, I was driving to the mall and passed a row of picketters standing along the shoulder of Garrett Road. At least three of them were holding signs which read, “ALL FAGS WILL BURN IN HELL”. I wonder how many converts they had that day? Remember, God hates the sin, not the sinner.

3. MAKE THE GOSPEL RELEVANT

“Reach out without selling out.”

- Mark Driscoll, Lead Pastor Mars Hill Church, Seattle, Washington

The American Heritage Dictionary defines relevant as

“Having a bearing on or connection with the matter at hand.”

Being relevant does not mean we are to compromise our faith to attract people to church. Nor does it mean we are to change the Bible to placate people who don’t like everything it says. The Bible is still the infallible Word of God, sin is still sin and Hell is still very real. However, while God does not change, the methods of reaching the lost does. Paul illustrates this in Acts 17:16-34 in his sermon to the Greeks at Mars Hill. When Paul preached to the Jews, he would begin with Old Testament scripture and show how everything relates to Jesus as the Messiah. This worked because the Jews had studied the scripture all their lives. However, for the Greeks, he had to alter his methods in order to be relevant to their culture. So when preaching to them, instead of beginning with scripture, he quoted from their own poets and philosophers. In Acts 17:28 he quotes Epimenides, who had written of the Greek god Zeus, “In him we live, and move, and have our being.” However, Paul tells them that Epimenides wrongly assigned these attributes to the false god Zeus, when they are actually attributes of the one true living God. Apply that type of shift in relevance to the twenty-first century. How many times have you heard someone scoff at the notion of Christian rock? Yet, I can guarantee you that in this day and age, churches that are playing David Crowder and growing more than those playing Bill Gaither. Not that we should ignore the older songs and styles, because one day, Crowder will be old and outdated. However, we shouldn’t be afraid of trying something new, as long as the message itself is still there.

In conclusion, I only have one thing left to say.

“Culturally, I am Irish, which means I have two emotions: angry and asleep.”

- Mark Driscoll

I am not asleep.

Old Posts, Pt. 2

March 21, 2009 in Church with 0 Comments

When I first started blogging I started out on MySpace. So over the next few days I’m going to be posting a few of my old writings from MySpace. Here’s the next one: “Love God, Love People”.


“Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.”

Romans 13:8-10 (ESV)

“I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.”

1 Corinthians 3:6 & 7 (ESV)

From reading those scriptures, two things are obvious: first, it is our job as Christ-followers to love people. Second, it is God’s job to fix people. NOT OURS. God alone makes people grow. No amount of teaching, preaching, Sunday School classes or disciplines can change people. Only God can! Don’t misunderstand me. God powerfully uses his church in the growth process, but he ALONE changes people.

So what makes the church any different from the world? Gordon MacDonald said it well, “The world can do almost anything as well as or better than the church. You need not be a Christian to build houses, feed the hungry or heal the sick. There is only one thing the world cannot do. It cannot offer grace.”

Grace says you screwed up, but God accepts you and loves you as is. Does that mean that by accepting sinners God (and us as Christ-followers) is accepting wrong behavior or condoning sin? NO! We must still submit to his authority and will in our lives in order to receive salvation. But if you talk to unbelievers, few, if any, associate Christianity or church with anything resembling grace. What they feel is law – judgment, condemnation and zero tolerance. Why?

Perhaps, because many Christians, and by proxy churches, have usurped God’s role and attempt to fix sinners. Here’s another way to look at it: if you saw a Rembrandt covered in mud, you wouldn’t focus on the mud or treat it like mud. Instead, you would be ecstatic to have something so valuable in your care. However, if you tried to clean it yourself and remove the mud, chances are you would do more harm than good. So the wise thing to do would be to bring the work of art to a master who is able to restore it to the condition originally intended.

So ask yourself: can you and your church welcome a gay couple or an atheist or an alcoholic with open arms? When you consider these people, what are the first thoughts that come to mind? Thoughts that focus on what you think needs to change? Or thoughts that focus on their worth as people? Do you see the mud or the masterpiece?

To take it one step further, let’s examine the parable of the good Samaritan.

“On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?” He answered: ” ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.” But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’ “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”"

Luke 10:25-37

Obviously, the “expert” was hoping Jesus would provide him with a loophole in the law that would allow him to pick and choose who he had to love. Consider this quote from The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, “To a Jew, there was no such person as a “good” Samaritan.” So what if Jesus were to tell that parable today, in the 21st century. What group of people does the church in America demonize more than any other? Let’s see how the story would sound if Jesus told it in 2007.

“On one occasion an elder in a Christian church stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?” He answered: ” ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.” But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” In reply Jesus said: “A man was traveling along the highway, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, an evangelical Christian preacher, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a gay man, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds. Then he put the man in his own car and took him to the nearest hospital. The next day he paid the hospital saying, ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’ “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” The elder replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”"

Obviously, that scenario is a little far-fetched in 21st century society. It is rather sobering though, when you think about it. Now I’m not saying that we should ignore sin in a person’s life, nor am I saying we should never confront people with the truth of God’s word. Truth is very important, but not to those who cannot hear it. As Paul said in 1 Corinthians 8:1, “knowledge puffs up, but love builds up”. Humble truth does not shy away from presenting what is true and why it is true, but it never uses truth as a club to beat people into agreement. Instead, we need to examine a person’s trajectory as a Christ-follower. Is this someone who is new to Jesus and is stumbling, much like a child does when learning to walk? Or is this a seasoned Christ-follower who knows better, yet is still deliberately choosing a destructive path?

I’m finding more and more that people in this post-modern society don’t resist truth; they resist arrogance. Consequently, when people ask, “What is truth?” they are really asking, “Do I want to be like you?”. For many, truth is relational. “If I don’t see anything real or attractive in you, I don’t care how true you think it is, I’m not interested.” It doesn’t matter how much truth your words contain if people don’t feel that truth. Consider Ephesians 4:15 & 16; “Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.”

As you can see, love is the central theme. As Christ-followers, we are called to be Christ’s representatives. We are to literally re-present Christ to this sick, dying world. And as we all know, it was Jesus who performed the ultimate act of love while on this Earth. So tell me, what does the world see in you?

Old Posts, Pt. 1

March 14, 2009 in Church with 0 Comments

So, when I first started blogging I started out on MySpace. So over the next few days I’m going to be posting a few of my old writings from MySpace. First one up: Three Questions for Andy Stanley.

At Q, Andy Stanley of North Point Community Church (Alpharetta, GA) asked and answered three questions about the church impacting culture.


Question #1 :: Can the church impact culture?


Absolutely! There are times where we may be discouraged, but history shows us that it is possible to impact culture. Rome and colonial America are great examples.


Questions #2 :: Should the church impact culture?


It is the responsibility of the church to impact culture. Jesus said, “You are the salt of the earth. You are the light of the world.”


Salt is a preserver. We are to keep culture from rotting and getting worse.

Light is a luminator. We are to show the world what Jesus is like.


Apart from grace, unconditional love, and forgiveness, there is no hope.


Question #3 :: How in the world can the global church impact culture?


We as church leaders must figure out how, within our context, we can be salt and light. In other words, what does it mean for your unique church to be salt and light specifically to your community?


All along the way, hang onto grace and truth. Depending on how you were raised, you may be hard to one of these and soft to another.


All truth = intolerance

All grace = worthless to culture (because the truth is what sets us free)


Jesus was full in both grace and truth.


We have the potential to change culture because history says it is possible. Jesus said it is our responsibility, and we need to figure out how to be that within our context.

Blood On the Street

February 8, 2009 in Church, Jesus with 3 Comments

 

I was discussing church and salvation with a friend of mine earlier and he shared an interesting story a former pastor of his had told him.

The pastor had a young son and one year, for his birthday, bought his son his first bicycle. Of course, after a few months it was time to remove the training wheels. Once his son became accustomed to riding without the training wheels the father laid out some ground rules. Rule number one: only ride in the driveway and yard. They lived on a busy street, so it made sense; besides, their yard was large enough to keep the son content.

One day a few months later the father was on his way home from work, but when he got to the street he lived on it was backed up with traffic, which was unusual. As he got closer to his home he could see an ambulance. He pulled his car over and ran to see what happened and saw his son’s bike laying in the street. His son had just been put into the ambulance, so he ran back to his car and followed them to the hospital. The father sat at his son’s bed day and night praying for his son, but his son still died a few days later.

Heartbroken, the father drove home. Upon arriving home he walked up to the street and stood, looking at the bloodstained asphalt as people drove by. Then it struck him – to them, nothing has changed. His son died right there in the street, yet they keep driving through his son’s blood.

Of course, you can probably figure out where the story went. The pastor related it to my friend as being that every time we Christians sin, we’re “driving through” Jesus’ blood. And he said this is why he no longer considers himself a Christian. He believes in God, he believes Jesus died for his sins, but he doesn’t want to call himself a Christian until he can live up to the standards because he doesn’t want to break God’s heart by “driving through Jesus’ blood”.

Now, he’s been told that Jesus wants him to come as he is, that he can’t fix himself, that repentance is a process, that only the Holy Spirit can change him. Of course, he’s also heard the other argument: that the moment you accept Jesus and repent that there is an immediate change, that the old man is gone and you are a new creation and all addictions, vices, faults, etc. are gone.

This brings up several questions; first, while I do believe it breaks God’s heart to see Christians caught up in sin, does it not also break His heart to see someone who knows what Jesus did for them yet they still won’t turn their life over because they don’t think they are good enough?

Also, is there a difference between committing a sin and living a sinful lifestyle? In the past I’ve said that sin is a choice and that as far as God is concerned, all sin is equal, and I still believe that, but I guess I’m starting to question things such as motive. Not to justify sin, but is there a difference between someone who willingly puts them-self in a position where sin is a probability and someone who just isn’t perfect and happens to make an occasional mistake? Weird analogy here, but try to keep up. When I go grocery shopping, I take a list. I do this because if I don’t I know I’ll end up with something I don’t really need. So I make a PLAN as to what to buy. However, every grocery store has what is called an impulse aisle; Walmart calls it Action Alley and it’s the open space between the checkout section and the first row of aisles. Normally I don’t even stop when walking through Action Alley, but every now and then something will catch my eye and I end up buying it impulsively. I think sin is like that as well. There are situations that I know I shouldn’t allow myself to be put in because I know I would succumb to temptation. Yet, there are times where I let my flesh get the better of me, such as when someone cuts me off in traffic and I respond by cursing at them or showing a little bit of sign language. I don’t plan to say or do anything, it just sort of happens. But it isn’t an accident either. I choose to sin.

Which brings me back to the conversation with my friend; there are things we don’t plan to do, yet we still do them because at the end of the day we’re all human. Regardless of your name, status, title, job, etc. you’re human, which means you are not perfect. I still laugh at people who expect more of their pastor than of themselves. At the same time though, there are things each of us deal with and it is those issues that, left unchecked, will destroy us. For example, my father is a recovering alcoholic. Seven years ago he had a liver transplant. He can no longer drink. Yet the desire to drink is still there. It may be dormant but it is still there. Because of this, my father knows he can’t go to his old haunts. Sure, he can still hang out with his old friends, but he can’t do it at a bar. Even though it’s been over seven years since his last drink, he knows he’d be a fool to even test that temptation. Is he perfect? Far from it. But in the last seven years my father has come to know Christ and I know that without God’s help he wouldn’t have made it seven weeks sober, let alone seven years. 

I’m reminded of why I titled this blog Religion Sucketh. Religion leads to two things: pride and despair. Pride because we get so caught up in how good we are we begin to look down on others and their mistakes instead of helping those who fall back to their feet. And despair because it’s the opposite of pride. We are riding so high on pride that when we do sin, we have a long way to fall. Jesus wasn’t about religion.

My father’s story reminds me of 2 Timothy 4:7 where Paul says “I have finished the race”. It’s not about how fast you run, how far you run or where you place, it’s about whether or not you finish the race.

I’m going to make mistakes. It’s not a matter of if, but when. What matters is how I handle it once it’s done. Will I sit there, beat myself up and throw a pity party, or will I get up off the ground and get back to the race?


Questions? Comments?
Open floor.

Another Quickie

January 25, 2009 in Church, Jesus with 0 Comments

Every weekend, millions of people across the United States pay cover charges to get into clubs.

Some are looking for a good time.

Some are trying to escape the pain in their life.

There is no cover charge to get into church.

Yet, very few churches are full.

Most can’t even fill half their auditorium.

What is the church doing wrong?

Why Is Being Gay A Sin?

January 21, 2009 in Church, Jesus with 0 Comments

I saw this on Anne Jackson’s blog today and love it. I have several gay friends, and have been asked this question.

There is nothing I can improve upon, so instead of copying and pasting the post from Anne, visit her site and read it for yourself.

Why Is Being Gay A Sin?

This Has Been Nagging At Me

January 20, 2009 in Church, Jesus with 0 Comments

I grew up in church; a pentecostal church, to be specific.

And I was in a family where, if the church was open, we were there.

Needless to say, I’ve been a part of many revival services. Which got me thinking, why do churches still hold revivals?

Before anyone accuses me of saying anything bad about any evangelists, I am not. While I, at this point in my life, believe that community outreach and improvement is a better form of evangelism, I also believe there are many “professional evangelists” in the world who are doing exactly what God has called them to.

I also understand there are many churches that are spiritually dead and in need of a specialist (i.e. professional evangelist) who doesn’t have to answer to anyone in the church for what he says or does.

Which brings me back to my question: Why do churches have revivals?

Yes, communities need revival.

Cities need revival.

This country needs revival.

But why would a church need revival?

Here is why I ask: in all the revivals I’ve been a part of, the host pastor prefaces them weeks in advance with something along these lines:

“We need to pray for this revival (insert duration) every day.”

“We need to fast (number of meals) every day/week.”

“We need to invite as many people as possible to the revival.”

Has anyone ever considered the idea that, if we invested the same amount of prayer, fasting, invitation and preparation into weekly services as we invest in revival services, maybe churches wouldn’t need revival?

And if churches were consistently on fire and didn’t need revival, maybe a byproduct would be revival in our communities.

Arts In the Church

January 20, 2009 in Church with 0 Comments

Saw this on Barton Damer’s blog. This video is not about the church having an obligation to the arts; it is more about the impact that the arts has on our culture and how the church has not done well with that in the past few decades.

Courtesy of Collide Magazine

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