Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Headed To Catalyst
Every fall the leaves change, the football teams take the field, bands loudly proclaim the fight songs of their schools, and pastors are head to Atlanta for Catalyst! I must confess that 2009 will be my first Catalyst Conference and I'm looking forward to experiencing the Kool-Aid of Catalyst. In the end my prayer is to experience something that will refresh our vision and gives us the tools to better equip our people.! Personally, a conference isn't worth the time and resources if we can not bring back the material and place it in the hands of our people. So I'm Catalyst bound and excited about what can teach me and how it can help NRC!
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Last Letter
Ed Stetzer wrote an article that has captured my mind and I wanted to share it with you!
She was 22 years old, had just given birth, and was in prison for her faith. Perpetua was a Christian of the 3rd century. Her judges and father begged her to recant for the sake of her child. She refused. Instead she used her final days to write the story of why she chose to die. Upon hearing their verdict, she wrote, “we were condemned to the beasts, and we returned to prison in high spirits.” Later, Perpetua sang triumphantly as she marched into the Roman amphitheater to face execution.1700 years later, in Germany, Dietrich Bonhoeffer sat in prison awaiting his execution. One of the few Christians to resist the Nazis, he took a bold stand for the Gospel. Bonhoeffer was arrested after a failed attempt on Hitler’s life. During his last days, he wrote reflections on the end of life. They were mixed with courage and fear as he confessed his loneliness but proudly concluding, “Who am I? They mock me, these lonely questions of mine. Whoever I am, Thou knowest, O God, I am Thine!”Soon after, Bonhoeffer's “full and wonderful life” ended at the end of a noose. A doctor who was present at his death later wrote, “In the almost fifty years that I worked as a doctor, I have hardly ever seen a man die so entirely submissive to the will of God.”These stories confront us with the penetrating question: Have I made a difference worth recording? The power of these stories—these last letters—is they lay us bare before the call of the Gospel. The light of these men and women who burned for Christ exposes our lives as dying embers in comparison.John Piper once noted that in our prosperous culture, Christians are able to “give to the church and then devote themselves financially to building the good life and all the while keep a clear conscience.” He's right.For example, giving to the poor is thoroughly divorced from any real sacrifice. New technologies allow us to make giving possible, even when born of greed. I can sign up for programs in which a portion of my purchase goes to help the poor in Third World slums. Nice. We have created a 21st century form of indulgences in which we buy for ourselves—both goods and a clear conscience.We need to recapture the sacrificial hearts of the Perpetua and Bonhoeffer. Living in a quasi-spiritual generation, there seems no need to embrace their courage. Yet as Christians, we step into a history paved by men and women who willingly died for causes greater than themselves—from fighting injustice to radical evangelism. Jesus was the first, but His followers, in countless numbers, have counted their lives as nothing for the sake of His glory.How can we continue this legacy? Those stories undoubtedly stir our hearts, but only for a fleeting moment at best. We read, we applaud, we commit, and then we move on. Again. How do we break free of this complacency and step into the story begun for us 2,000 years ago on the cross? It can begin by writing your own story.It has been the tradition of soldiers and missionaries to leave their families a “Last Letter,” only to be read in the event of their death. These letters not only contained emotional goodbyes, but were also personal statements about why they chose risk over safety. Why the cause was worth dying for.These Last Letters are harrowingly honest. There’s no room for clichés or braggarts when you’re staring death in the face. You either intend to die for the cause, or you wouldn’t be writing the letter.These are letters of testimony. In 2 Corinthians 3 Paul writes that our very lives are letters also, written by the Spirit of the Living God. In the spiritual sense, our lives are a kind of “last letter,” the only testimony we will ever have to bear about how and why we live for the Gospel.If our life letters were assembled, what would be our contribution? Are we taking up our cross and going into the slums of Bangladesh, the brothels of Thailand and the HIV plagued orphanages of South Africa? Are we carrying on the legacy of Robert J. Thomas, who died on the shores of Korea, beaten to death as he tossed Bibles into the hands of his murderers? For all the Christians who quote Jim Eliot’s famous words about “giving what we cannot keep to gain what we cannot lose,” what exactly are we giving?Karen Watson was a member of this generation who understood her call. She was a young missionary recently murdered in Iraq. At her funeral, her “last letter” was read:
Dear Pastor,
You should only be opening this letter in the event of my death. When God calls there are no regrets. I tried to share my heart with you as much as possible, my heart for the nations. I wasn’t called to a place; I was called to Him. To obey was my objective, to suffer was expected, His glory my reward, His glory my reward…The missionary heart: Cares more than some think is wise. Risks more than some think is safe. Dreams more than some think is practical. Expects more than some think is possible.I was called not to comfort or to success but to obedience… There is no Joy outside of knowing Jesus and serving Him. I love you and my church family.In His care,
Salaam, Karen
Do I have the ability and willingness to see my life through these words? I do enough to easy my conscious but do I do enough to make a difference through the sacrifices of my life?
She was 22 years old, had just given birth, and was in prison for her faith. Perpetua was a Christian of the 3rd century. Her judges and father begged her to recant for the sake of her child. She refused. Instead she used her final days to write the story of why she chose to die. Upon hearing their verdict, she wrote, “we were condemned to the beasts, and we returned to prison in high spirits.” Later, Perpetua sang triumphantly as she marched into the Roman amphitheater to face execution.1700 years later, in Germany, Dietrich Bonhoeffer sat in prison awaiting his execution. One of the few Christians to resist the Nazis, he took a bold stand for the Gospel. Bonhoeffer was arrested after a failed attempt on Hitler’s life. During his last days, he wrote reflections on the end of life. They were mixed with courage and fear as he confessed his loneliness but proudly concluding, “Who am I? They mock me, these lonely questions of mine. Whoever I am, Thou knowest, O God, I am Thine!”Soon after, Bonhoeffer's “full and wonderful life” ended at the end of a noose. A doctor who was present at his death later wrote, “In the almost fifty years that I worked as a doctor, I have hardly ever seen a man die so entirely submissive to the will of God.”These stories confront us with the penetrating question: Have I made a difference worth recording? The power of these stories—these last letters—is they lay us bare before the call of the Gospel. The light of these men and women who burned for Christ exposes our lives as dying embers in comparison.John Piper once noted that in our prosperous culture, Christians are able to “give to the church and then devote themselves financially to building the good life and all the while keep a clear conscience.” He's right.For example, giving to the poor is thoroughly divorced from any real sacrifice. New technologies allow us to make giving possible, even when born of greed. I can sign up for programs in which a portion of my purchase goes to help the poor in Third World slums. Nice. We have created a 21st century form of indulgences in which we buy for ourselves—both goods and a clear conscience.We need to recapture the sacrificial hearts of the Perpetua and Bonhoeffer. Living in a quasi-spiritual generation, there seems no need to embrace their courage. Yet as Christians, we step into a history paved by men and women who willingly died for causes greater than themselves—from fighting injustice to radical evangelism. Jesus was the first, but His followers, in countless numbers, have counted their lives as nothing for the sake of His glory.How can we continue this legacy? Those stories undoubtedly stir our hearts, but only for a fleeting moment at best. We read, we applaud, we commit, and then we move on. Again. How do we break free of this complacency and step into the story begun for us 2,000 years ago on the cross? It can begin by writing your own story.It has been the tradition of soldiers and missionaries to leave their families a “Last Letter,” only to be read in the event of their death. These letters not only contained emotional goodbyes, but were also personal statements about why they chose risk over safety. Why the cause was worth dying for.These Last Letters are harrowingly honest. There’s no room for clichés or braggarts when you’re staring death in the face. You either intend to die for the cause, or you wouldn’t be writing the letter.These are letters of testimony. In 2 Corinthians 3 Paul writes that our very lives are letters also, written by the Spirit of the Living God. In the spiritual sense, our lives are a kind of “last letter,” the only testimony we will ever have to bear about how and why we live for the Gospel.If our life letters were assembled, what would be our contribution? Are we taking up our cross and going into the slums of Bangladesh, the brothels of Thailand and the HIV plagued orphanages of South Africa? Are we carrying on the legacy of Robert J. Thomas, who died on the shores of Korea, beaten to death as he tossed Bibles into the hands of his murderers? For all the Christians who quote Jim Eliot’s famous words about “giving what we cannot keep to gain what we cannot lose,” what exactly are we giving?Karen Watson was a member of this generation who understood her call. She was a young missionary recently murdered in Iraq. At her funeral, her “last letter” was read:
Dear Pastor,
You should only be opening this letter in the event of my death. When God calls there are no regrets. I tried to share my heart with you as much as possible, my heart for the nations. I wasn’t called to a place; I was called to Him. To obey was my objective, to suffer was expected, His glory my reward, His glory my reward…The missionary heart: Cares more than some think is wise. Risks more than some think is safe. Dreams more than some think is practical. Expects more than some think is possible.I was called not to comfort or to success but to obedience… There is no Joy outside of knowing Jesus and serving Him. I love you and my church family.In His care,
Salaam, Karen
Do I have the ability and willingness to see my life through these words? I do enough to easy my conscious but do I do enough to make a difference through the sacrifices of my life?
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Quiet Desperation
Henry David Thoreau made the statement that "Most men lead lives of quiet desperation and go to the grave with the song still in them." I believe all of us want to do something significant with our lives but fail to achieve the greatness we seek with our lives. When I look around at the situations around me I see huge stories, life changing stories, but more importantly I see the opportunity for greatness. Many times we want to do something significant with our lives but we want to pick what that something is!!! We want to be president, cure cancer, or picture ourselves pulling someone out of a burning building. However, what if God has called us to significance through our ability to rise about a difficult situation. What if our significance is found in amazing abilities to handle the situations of our lives. I don't want to look back on my life and realize that I miss the opportunity to have done something extraordinary with my life. I don't want to realize that I was called to do something great with the situations of my life and my greatness was forsaken because I missed the blessings right in front of me. I no longer want to look at my trials with quiet desperation but with the resolve to be significant with the life God's given me!
None of this might make any sense but it was running through my mind so I just wrote it down.
None of this might make any sense but it was running through my mind so I just wrote it down.
Monday, August 24, 2009
What Ifs!
When we started North River Church we started with a bunch of "what ifs!?!" What if, no one was about to say we've never done it this way before? What if, we designed the church to hold its members to higher expectations? What if, we committed ourselves and our resources to always be concerned about those outside the walls of our church? What if, we only did programming that fit into our clearly defined process and that only helped accomplish our clearly defined goals? Now that would mean NOT starting a few things people want and expect to be started but what if we could do it? What if, we could develop members who would calendar the church first, instead of last? What if, we could raise up members who would tell the coaches of the community the priorities of their home (Assuming Christ was the priority of their home.)
Well... as we enter another fall, I'm still passionate about working to build a healthy church. I am even more convinced that the church of our community needs to change its relationship with the community. The world believes that the church is angry and hates them. We as Christ-followers cannot embrace that view but must commit to loving those whom Christ loves and HE loves everybody!
Well... as we enter another fall, I'm still passionate about working to build a healthy church. I am even more convinced that the church of our community needs to change its relationship with the community. The world believes that the church is angry and hates them. We as Christ-followers cannot embrace that view but must commit to loving those whom Christ loves and HE loves everybody!
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Where Have I Been?
I can't believe how fast time seems to get away from me. As a young person I use to listen to old people talk about how time flies and I just knew they were crazy. Now I'm older and I am watching my days get away from me. I want to be a part of doing something significant for the Kingdom of God but instead I seem to get caught doing so many little things that I can't seem to get back to the main things. I use to think at 25 that I was so disciplined with my time but now as I approach 40 I realized I've never known the demands of a full schedule. Everything in ministry seems like a priority. I hear words like balance and prioritize but when the people need you all I know is that the people need you!
So what am I trying to say? I don't know!?!? Just learn a lesson from someone who is watching his days; and hold each moment precious. Make sure you give your minutes to those things worthy of your life and know what we do in this life is limited! Spend your time wisely!
So what am I trying to say? I don't know!?!? Just learn a lesson from someone who is watching his days; and hold each moment precious. Make sure you give your minutes to those things worthy of your life and know what we do in this life is limited! Spend your time wisely!
Monday, June 29, 2009
I LOVE KIDS
I know VBS is a major use of resources and manpower. I watched our church members make great sacrifices to serve the children who walked through the doors of our church. It is no small sacrifice for a worker to get off work and grab a quick bite to eat before running up to the church full of energy and pour their lives into children helping every child feel like the most important person in the world. When we look back over the last week and we think about all the man hours and money that went into making our VBS a success, you might ask what did we gain!?! And I can't answer that question for someone else but I gained the joy of having a couple boys and girls give their lives to Jesus. I was fueled watching certain children completely engaged in the Bible Stories. I left the week satisfied with the knowledge that an army full of children know how much God loves them and that the church is here for them!
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Routines
I sometimes feel like my life is filled with routines. I maintain a fairly standard schedule at work, I like going to the same places to eat lunch, I love traveling to same spots, and I have certain TV shows I'm showing addiction issues with. But I have found two things that allow me to break free from my routines. Two little slices of heaven that recharge the creativity of my life. But, they are also two little things that no one else pushes me to do, they are two little things that often times get pushed back in my day or even later in the week. Even if I feel drained without them I still allow everything to block me from taking the time to do them. SO what are these amazing little nuggets of life? My quiet time and sharing my faith. There is just something so energizing about studying God's word and watching where HE takes me, and nothing more miraculous than sharing my story and watching someone give their heart to Christ. I just wonder why I allow so many other things to fill my days with ordinary routines and push two of the most miraculous elements of my life to the back burner?!?
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