Thoughts on the Church Part 2a
This past year of 2020 has opened my eyes to one reality about the church and Christians— We suck on social issues. We are bad at them and we aren’t losing the war on social issues- we’ve lost. Most of society thinks we’re nuts and just ignores what we have to say. Unfortunately, 2020 brought more of the same. Three social issues dominated the landscape this past year; the pandemic, racism , and politics. In my view Christians made all three of these worse. Now I know this is a over-generalization and that I’m using a wide brush towards all Christians but as more and more people leave the church much of it stems from how we tackle social issues. This past year I’ve witnessed mean, cruel and unsympathetic behavior by Christians online and off towards people who think different, look different and act different. I’ve witnessed judgmental attitudes by people who exclaim loudly “Don’t judge me. and the saddest part for me, is that I’ve also witnessed these things in myself.
Back in March of 2020 when the pandemic first started in the U.S.I, like most, never saw the enormity of what was coming. When the first restrictions were handed down for churches, I figured they wouldn’t last long but as week by week went by frustration set in for many of us and that’s when much of the ugliness came out. Consider these statements made by Pastors;
“I don’t care about no COVID"
“If they come trying to tell us we can’t meet anymore, or we can’t sing, or we can’t have a Bible study anymore, that’s not going to go,” “God does not want us to allow that to happen.”
“My personal conviction is, I don’t get sick,”
The spread of coronavirus in synagogues is a punishment of the Jewish people for opposing Jesus.
“Satan and a virus will not stop us. God will shield us from all harm and sickness”
This pandemic is a scheme by Satan to exterminate elderly Christians and promote socialism
It’s no wonder the unchurched world thinks we are anti-science. I understand that everything around COVID was politized, but that doesn’t excuse shepherds of the flock from being careless, unsympathetic and ignorant to the plight and suffering of the world around them. Standing on a stage loudly proclaiming that COVID is no big deal doesn’t prove that you have faith, it just proves that you’re ignorant. Any pastor who downplays people’s concern or minimizes the suffering of people is not worthy to hold that title and is no shepherd worth following.
One researcher noted that,
Individual clergy and congregations, across faith traditions, have been sources of misinformation and disinformation, promoting messages and actions that engender fear, animosity toward others, and unnecessary risk-taking.
One of the saddest aspects of this pandemic is the number of Christians who have indulged in baseless conspiracy theories. They watch a video on YouTube or see a post of Facebook by some supposed expert and they take it as gospel sharing it to everyone on their friends list. It has always been amazing to me how a 3x5 inch piece of cloth would spur so much consternation. One pastor told me that wearing a mask was against his religion. I looked at him with disbelief, shaking my head. Not because he didn’t want to wear a mask, but that he would use the Bible and faith to justify not caring about his neighbor. This pastor never wore a mask anywhere, publicly criticized anyone who did and scoffed at the number of people that were dying from COVID complications. Too many Christians think of themselves as Americans first and Christians second and because of that they stand staunch in their individualism, that “No one can tell me what to do.” That isn’t the way of Jesus.
What I see is a group of people who are commanded to “love their neighbor as themselves” and to “clothe themselves with humility” unsympathetic to the plight of people who are suffering around them. As of this writing over 573,000 of our fellow citizens have died from Covid-related illness. Does anyone really think that the families of those 573,000 people care what they died of? No, they are missing their loved ones and from what I’ve seen, many Christians have turned a unsympathetic ear towards them.
My other job, besides pastoring, is with the Wabash County Health Department. I am a contact tracer. I’m the guy who calls when you test positive and drives you nuts to remember who you’ve been around. One day we were notified of a family who tested positive and went to church that Sunday. As we worked the case with the church trying to identify those who were in close contact and inform them of their exposure, we started to get serious push back from the pastor and board. The pastor called and said that from now on they would no longer co-operate with the health department and would handle their own tracing. This was dumb and naïve. This attitude of ignoring a public health crisis stands in stark contrast to how Christians behaved during other plagues. Historian Rodney Stark states that
“one of the principal reasons Christianity grew while Roman paganism waned in the 1st-4th centuries was because of the mercy Christians displayed toward people who physically suffered, and in particular, how Christians showed mercy during two plagues that ravaged the Roman Empire”
Maybe one of the reasons that church attendance is falling in America is because the people who are supposed to show mercy and grace towards those who are suffering don’t.
I have a co-worker who’s father believes that the vaccine is the mark of the beast. I’ve heard and read that statement from others as well. This is a ridiculous sentiment and a flawed understanding of the Bible. I know of no reputable biblical scholar or theologian who would endorse that the COVID-19 quarantine or a vaccine is related to the “mark of the beast”. For starters, in Revelation, the “mark of the beast” is by no means a medical procedure. Most likely, it’s not even a physical or visible mark at all. Contrary to some of the more fear-inducing theories that have in the past gained steam in some evangelical circles, the “mark” is not at all something that could be accidentally taken either.
Why? Because the mark of the beast (Rev. 13:16-18) is a mark that is closely tied to the worship of the beast (13:12, 15; cf. 19:20; 20:4). Thus, the mark of the beast is a mark of loyalty and devotion to the beast.
Do we understand what we are doing? When we act like this we undercut the message we are trying to tell. When we act like this we aren’t being the effective messengers of Jesus. When we act like this we aren’t acting like Jesus,. Any pastor who downplays people’s concern or minimizes the suffering of people is not worthy to hold that title and is no shepherd worth following.
Stay tuned for part 2b
Thoughts on the Church Part 1
“Hello, Brother Steve.” Yesterday at church I was greeted by someone with this phrase. I don’t often get greeted this way anymore and it brought me back. When I pastored in Kentucky it is common to greet fellow Christians with that term, whether they went to your church or not it was still Brother or Sister so and so. This moniker comes from Jesus. In Matthew 12:50 Jesus says “For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.” Paul continues this familial connection in 1 Timothy 5:1-2 “Do not rebuke an older man but encourage him as you would a father, younger men as brothers, 2 older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, in all purity.” Times have changed and where I live we don’t use those terms anymore. In our churches we talk about being a family and we have those feelings for the people in our church but it seems that we have lost that idea of looking at fellow Christians outside of our church as family. It seems churches in America have adopted more of a individualistic attitude.
Several years ago it became popular to produce T-shirts in our church emblazoned with a “I Love my Church” logo. The Church I served at the time had made several shirts with that logo on them. There is nothing wrong with loving your church; in fact you ought to love your church so much that you get involved, you serve and you give of your time, talents and your treasure. However, due to our individualistic attitude in Americans it seems that we are loving our churches at the expense of the Big C church. In Matthew 16:18 Jesus says, “I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it.” Jesus says my church not my churches. The Apostle Paul expounds on this idea extensively through his writings. In Romans 12:5 he writes, “so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Ephesians 4:4 he writes “There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling;” He writes on this theme at least 14 times so we should know that this is important. In John 17 Jesus prays that we would be one and He and the father are one. So to Jesus there is not your church or my church, there is the church.
Unfortunately it seems that this isn’t happening. Churches in America have become tribal in nature. Author Seth Godin has defined a tribe as “a group of people connected to one another, connected to a leader, and connected to an idea.” All of us are in some sort of tribe, whether it be a family, organization or a church. A tribe is not a bad thing but it can be in the church in how we treat people who don’t go to our church. We love our church family but do we love THE church family? Are we rooting for all churches and all Christians or just those inside our walls? Even pastors are not immune from this feeling of my church over your church. Pastors can be VERY tribal. This tribalism is hurting us and it’s hurting our churches. The more tribal we get the more inward focused we will turn.
A new study from Barna states that 1/3 of active Christians are not attending church and some have no intention of going back. A recent poll from Gallup found that church membership is at a all time low of 47%, down 20 points from 2000. These numbers paint a painful picture for the American church. It’s interesting that we have some of the largest churches in the history of the world but we have less overall attendance and the impact of the local church is waning in it’s local community. What’s causing this exodus from the church? Is it that people have walked away from their faith? Gave up on Jesus? That’s what we, in the church, tell ourselves to make us feel better about people leaving but that’s not the whole story.
One of the biggest trending topics on social media is #churchhurt. The stories that are shared there are heart breaking. Former faithful attenders of church, people who love Jesus, are disgusted by what they have seen and experienced and it has driven them away from the church with no intention to go back. In the last 4 months, I have had numerous conversations with people who have been hurt by the church. These people are committed Christians , who love Jesus, but have real issues with the church. These people come from all over the country, many of them messaged me when I resigned from my church. Their stories have been shocking and have saddened me and caused me to rethink my approach to the institution of the church. Some of the things they have described have been things that I have experienced and some I thank Jesus I haven’t had to endure. I have also spoke with 10-12 former pastors, who are former pastors because of how they were treated by the local church. I identify with their stories and empathize with them and know that they are all too real.
These people love Jesus passionately but have been devastated by the community they were supposed to do life with; by the very people they called family and once they left they were out. No contacts, no messages, they were out of sight out of mind. Many stories are like this:
“ I have been gone from our church for more than 2 years and never heard one word from the majority of people. Not one damn, "What happened?"
Or this one from a friend of mine.
“ Haven’t been to church since my cancer scare in September and only two folks have reached out to ask why” .
I have also heard from at least a dozen pastors who have gone through similar things. One said to me “
Sometimes I wonder if people really care for us or if they care more about what we can do for them.”
That is a heartbreaking statement and I feel for my friend. Another said
“The situation caused me to despise everything at the church. It’s a miserable experience,”
Another pastor told me that when he left his church he started getting unfriended on social media by members of his congregation almost immediately. He said,
“It was like they wanted to erase me completely from their life. I had served them, done their weddings, funerals. Visited them when they were sick and they threw me out like yesterday’s garbage.”
One lady, whose husband was on a staff of a church, told me that when they left they were abandoned by everyone, including people they had been friends with for 18 years. Friends who they had vacationed with, raised their kids together and did life with were suddenly gone because they had left the church. Another lady said
“People who leave are seen as ‘outsiders’ & subsequently treated like you’re not ‘one of them.’
Shouldn’t we be better then this? Shouldn’t we care about those who leave our church? Aren’t they still our brother or sister? Recently I was told the story of a lady who decided that God was calling her to leave her church and go to another one. When she told the ladies of her small group the reaction was like she had left the faith. The comments from her friends and the people she was “doing life with” were so mean and hurtful that now she’s in no church. We have got to do better. Maybe the reason church membership is declining is because the unchurched see that we can’t love one another. As my friend Steve said, “It is possible to have friends from other churches.” It’s possible to root on another church. It’s possible to still maintain a closeness to people who leave your church.
It’s possible to say I love THE church.
Choose the latter
I want you to know, dear ones, what has happened to me has not hindered, but helped my ministry of preaching the gospel, causing it to expand and spread to many people. Philippians 1:12
Four months ago I thought I was done with the ministry. Four months ago I was fed up with the church and church people. Four months ago it seemed that all my hopes, dreams and accomplishments were gone. Four months ago. You ever feel like that? The Apostle Paul did. He wanted to go to Rome and preach to the government officials, figuring that this was the launchpad he needed to spread the Gospel; instead he ended up in prison, chained to a guard. He had a choice to make; give up or change his perspective. He chose the latter. Instead of government officials he preached to the guards that were chained to him. He made “ the most of every opportunity” (Ephesians 5:16). Four months ago I had a choice. A choice to quit the ministry or make the most of the opportunity that God put before me. I chose the latter and I’m glad I did. I’ve been able to preach to a different group of people, many who didn’t attend church much and now the Gospel is going out to a whole new group of people.
When you feel like you’re done, when you feel like you want to quit, choose the latter. God has a different path for you and it may lead you into opportunities you never dreamed of. To make a difference in a whole new group who God wants to reach.
Revenge
I have a confession.
I had plans to release a blog that would exact a measure of revenge upon those who I believe have hurt me. I carefully composed a great piece that used scripture and truth to hit back at “those people".” They and the world needed to know the depth of my hurt. They needed to know what I and others had been through. I felt justified in my belief that they deserved it, afterall I was the victim. I worked and worked and worked. I went through draft after draft and I felt like it was perfect, I was just waiting for the right time to unleash my righteous fury upon them. To make sure I had the right tone and was not too vindictive, I sent it to my sister and brother-in-law. They have been a ministry couple for over 30 years and they would understand. After a day of thought I received a reply. They reminded me that Jesus suffered the biggest betrayal and yet chose not to fight back. They reminded me that God has me and that He will fight my battles. They reminded me that I am loved and that God has chosen me to lead a new group of people, and what a people they are. So, I have put that blog away. It will never see the light of day.
Sometimes the hurt is so deep that revenge is all we can think of. Revenge, it’s said, is a dish best served cold. That means that revenge should be put off until it’s unexpected. The problem is that while you are waiting to enact revenge, it tears your heart apart. Bitterness creeps in and all you can think about is how you will get that person back. As a follower of Jesus it’s even worse because you are also actively pushing the Holy Spirit aside and ignoring His counsel, which is sin. a Japanese proverb says
“Seek revenge and you should dig two graves.”
One for the person you want to hurt and the 2nd for yourself. Revenge will always cost you more than you bargain for. It never changes minds and it doesn’t change the situation. It will make matters worse.
I’m 53 and I like to play video games. One of my favorites is Red Dead Redemption 2. In the game you play Arthur Morgan (voiced and acted by the incredible Roger Clark). Arthur is conflicted. He has a strong desire to do right, but finds himself dragged back in. One thing he does is cautions the other characters not to take revenge. He says that “Revenge is a fools game.” Revenge will make you look like and act like a fool so much that those who had respect for you will lose it immediately. It won’t matter that you’re right. It won’t matter that you are justified. What will matter is that I didn’t live up to who I say I am.
The night I write this is the Thursday before Easter called, Maundy Thursday. It’s the night that Jesus and His 12 disciples have a dinner in the upper room. In this scene, which is just a few hours before Jesus is arrested, is one of the most powerful moments of Jesus’ ministry. As the disciples are filing in no one thinks about the washing of the feet. In that culture, a servant or low ranking individual would wash the feet of the others to remove the dirt so they would be clean to recline at the table and eat. All the disciples thought that they were too good to do such a menial task, but not Jesus.
“so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5 After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.” John 13:4-5.
Now, I have read and preached through this verse many times and I missed a incredible detail and maybe you did too. Jesus washed ALL of the disciples feet— even Judas’. Judas had already betrayed him. Already sold him out and Jesus knew it, but He washed them anyways. You know what we would have done? We would have poured the water over Judas’ head and hit him with the basin, but not Jesus. He lovingly got down and served His betrayer. He loved him to the end. That is incredible.
Lastly, when you take revenge you don’t leave room for God. Romans 12;19 says “Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the Lord. It’s not my job to take revenge. It’s my job to pray for those who hurt me.” (Matthew 5:44). One day God will reveal everyone’s hearts and everything done in secret will be laid bare; including my things I’ve done wrong and on that day God will make all things right and all of us will be ashamed.
What I have determined is that revenge costs too much. In the end it’s not worth compromising my character, my calling or my new congregation to score cheap points. I will leave it all to Him who will make all things right.
Back to Bi-vocational
I’m back where I started. 25 years ago when I started pastoring I was bi-vocational. which means I held a full time job and I pastored a church. Roughly 38% of pastors in the U.S. are bi-vocational. Many people call this part-time pastoring but if you know pastors and ministry like I do you would know that there is no such thing as part-time. Yes I may not be physically in a church office but I’m constantly working on things for the church or my upcoming sermon.
The Apostle Paul was a bi-vocational guy; For you recall, brethren, our labor and hardship, how working night and day so as not to be a burden to any of you, we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. 1 Thessalonians 2:9. Paul was a tentmaker by trade and he did not want to be a burden to the new churches that he was setting up, so he had a trade to obtain his working capital. Being bi-vocational has some draw backs (time) but has some distinct advantages. One of the problems for full time pastors is that they work around all Christians. They struggle to have any unchurched friends because they are constantly at the church. Now that I’m working in the “real” world I’m around people who have many different opinions about church. I work with one lady who is Catholic and she calls herself a “cafeteria” Catholic. She picks and chooses which of the church practices she follows( like confession for one). Another lady doesn’t do the church thing and sees no need for it. Others attend different churches and have different convictions. It all makes for great conversation.
The other day at work a few of ladies told me they were worried when I got hired because they knew I was a pastor. They thought I would judge them for the occasional swear word or give disapproving glances to things they said. I told them that I was not their judge only Jesus is. They told me I was “all right” and “good people.” What Paul knew about being a pastor in the work place is that it it gives you the opportunity to minister at a whole different level. I’ve been able to pray with a few clients over the phone, been able to sit and listen as a co-worker poured out her heart about a home issue. All these opportunities and relationships give me a chance to invite them to church and to hear the good news of Jesus. That’s what it’s about the opportunity. Paul said we must make the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.(Ephesians 5:16)
Yesterday I was asked how I could be prayed for. In this season I’m in this is what you can pray for me; Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should. Ephesians 6:19-20
The Calling
In 1994, God called me into the ministry. I didn’t expect it, didn’t want it, wasn’t looking for it; but He called me anyways. I never thought I would be a pastor. My dad was a pastor and at 18 I had enough of church. Church people were weird and in my experience they were mean and self-righteous. Growing up in a pastor’s home, I saw some of the ugly of the church(as I’m sure my kids have seen). I saw the way that people treated my dad and I experienced how much we moved. We never lived anywhere more than 3 years. I saw how cruel people could be but I also saw how grace-filled the church could be when it acted like a church instead of a country club. After seeing all of that, there was no way I was going to work in a church. I left for college to study for business and for 3 years I only went to church on Christmas, Easter or when I went home, which wasn’t often. Even when I got married and had our first child I only went once a month because I worked the other three Sundays.
Somewhere along the way Jesus began to draw me back to the church, back to serving. I have served as a Sunday School teacher, youth director, kids director, janitor, trustee- you name it i’ve been it. I even filled in for the song leader several times. As He was drawing me back an older pastor I knew, Alfred Hanna, began to bring me articles for sermon ideas. I loved Alfred, he was a pastor and church planter and started many churches in the midwest but I thought he was crazy because there was no way I was going to be a preacher/pastor. Jesus began to work on me and I began to wrestle with His call to ministry. My main objection is what it had done to me and I didn’t want that to happen to my kids. I didn’t want them to experience the moving, the meanness of church and be turned off of church (unfortunately that has happened for one of them). So I prayed and studied the scriptures until one day it became crystal clear and at 25 years old I said yes. I told Janet and she said she already knew, that God had been working on her as well. When I told Alfred he said “What took you so long?” So, I began down the path towards ordination.
The "call of ministry” seems mysterious, but God has been calling people to do His will from the beginning. He called Abram to “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you” Genesis 12:1 . So Abram went and out of him, God produced a great nation and did the miraculous because Abram said yes. That’s what it’s about really- God calling and the person saying yes. The answer is always yes to God because to not do so would be to sin against him and to miss the blessings he will show you. During my preparation time I committed to God what Isaiah promised “Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" And I said, "Here am I. Send me!" (Isaiah 6:8) I would go anywhere He told me to.
Preaching has always come naturally to me, it’s one of my gifts. Over the years I have worked at it and refined my style and study habits, but the one thing that hasn’t changed is the passion of which I speak the word of God. I have preached in front of thousands and also in front of 22, 4 of which were my family, and Janet can tell you that I still preach with the same conviction no matter where I’m at. Why? Because that is my calling. The venue doesn’t matter, what matters is the opportunity to present Jesus to people and to see their lives change. I have never understood pastors who don’t bring their all or who act like it’s a job. It’s not a job it’s bigger than that. Ministry is not convenient, it’s not a 9-5 or 7-3 position. There really aren’t any days off because crisis or ministry opportunities are seldom convenient. If I run into someone at Walmart who needs to talk to me or to pray with them I can’t say sorry it’s my day off. I’ve known pastors like this. I knew one pastor who said if he wasn’t in his current church then he wouldn’t do ministry anymore. I was shocked when he said this. The call is go where He sends me not where I want to be.
I’m now in a different season. I’ve gone from well funded, permanent building to a portable church that sets up and tears down every Sunday. I get in with the setup crew at 7:30 to get ready for the 10 am service. It’s not convenient. I’m older now and not as limber, but when I take the stage it’s the same as it has always been. I preach Jesus with everything I have. Why? Because it’s my calling- I’m a preacher and pastor and as Jeremiah says in Jeremiah 20:9 “ But if I say I’ll never mention the LORD or speak in his name, his word burns in my heart like a fire. It’s like a fire in my bones! I am worn out trying to hold it in! I can’t do it!”
The payoff of following this call has been incredible. I have seen thousands give their lives to Christ. I have witnessed God save people in third world countries, I’ve seen him save kids at VBS. I’ve seen the hardest of men fall to their knees to pray for salvation. I’ve watched people with no hope find hope that transforms their lives. I’ve had the honor to sit with many as they took their final breaths before entering heaven. I’ve stood with parents who have been told their children have died and tried to comfort them. I’ve been part of some of the most incredible times of worship and praise and I have watched God build His church to heights that I never thought possible. I’ve pastored three great churches, each with their share of joys and struggles. I’ve been accused, cursed, threatened, fired, praised, talked about, ridiculed, and laughed at, but I keep going. Why? Because I’m called. Ministry is not for the faint of heart. I was told long ago that if you can be happy doing anything else go do that.
So, why am I starting a church at 53? Because I’m called.It’s as simple as that! Hell is hot, time is short and people need Jesus. That’s what He called me to do 28 years ago and it is what I will do until I die because I want one thing at the end- to hear Him say “Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’ (Matthew 25:23)
What I'm learning about achievement.
I like to achieve.
I like the challenge of figuring things out, of setting a goal and achieving it. I’ve had a lifetime of achievement. Early on I set a goal to become a store manager at McDonalds and I did. I was the youngest store manager in my region. I set a goal to become a district manager at Labor Ready, where I worked after McDonalds, and within a year I did. When I went back to McDonalds I was known as a fixer. They would send me to restaurants that were failing and my job was to turn them around in short order. I did that to three different locations in one year. I love to achieve.
I’ve pastored 3 churches and each church grew (btw before someone gets their undies in a bunch God gives the increase, it’s my job to faithfully do what He wants me to do) .God planted in me a vision to see growth in my last church and to build a new facility and we did. I love this verse: It is my honor and constant passion to be a pioneer who preaches where no one has ever even heard of the Anointed One, instead of building upon someone else’s foundation. Romans 15:20. I love to build up what was broken down. I love to do it where it hasn’t been done before. I love to achieve.
What I’’ve learned about achievement is that without God it’s worthless. God plants vision in your heart. Right now He has planted the vision for Hope Community and I couldn’t be more excited. Sometimes there are people who don’t want you to achieve. Some who will scoff at the vision that God has planted. Some who discount you because of your past. The best thing to do is keep moving forward. Jesus talks about this in Luke 9:62(tpt) He said “Why do you keep looking back to your past and have second thoughts about following me? If you turn back you are not fit for God’s kingdom.” Jesus said to stay so focused on Him that you don’t see everyone else. That’s what I’m trying to do. I’m trying to achieve for God. I’m unleashing my talents, passion and God given intelligence for His glory and His honor. It’s what I love to do and if God did it before in my life He can do it again.
What I'm learning about forgiveness
Forgiveness is hard!
There are times that i don’t want to forgive and I am in one of those times now. I’ve had people hurt me— bad and i don’t want to forgive, I want revenge. I know that doesn’t sound very Christian or very pastor like but it’s honest and I’ll bet that you have had a time you felt like that to. In Romans 12:17 the Apostle Paul says Do not repay anyone evil for evil. But sometimes I want to. I want them to hurt as much as I hurt. I want them to experience the pain that I feel. I want it to cost them something. Paul then says Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. But I don’t want to good to them.
I am reminded that Jesus was accused, tried, beaten and killed even though he was innocent. He was betrayed by close friends, he was mocked, ridiculed, gossiped about and falsely accused and his first words on the cross was Father forgive them . You see, all of the human race put him on that cross. He went there willingly to die for your sins and mine. As Hebrews 12:2 (tpt) says Because his heart was focused on the joy of knowing that you would be his,he endured the agony of the cross and conquered its humiliation,. Jesus loved us so much that forgiveness is what drove him to die for us- to reconcile us to himself.
So, if Jesus could do that for me then I can do what God calls me to do in Ephesians 4:32 to forgive one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. It is hard and my selfish heart doesn’t want to but it is the right way to live because if I’m not careful then this unforgiveness will turn to bitterness and it will turn me from God. So, I’m working on it. I’m not there yet but it will come one day.
Here we go
I’ve decided to start blogging again. I blogged from 2009-2012 but quit and with this new season I’m in I want to document everything that God has been doing in my life and in my ministry. So, here goes.
Planting a church is definitely not where I thought I would find myself at 53 years old. I was cruising along pastoring a great church for the last 18 years, seeing God move in great ways; hundreds of baptisms, new building, incredible growth and now a few months later I find myself planting a church and enjoying every minute of it. Setting up and tearing down was a whole lot easier when I was younger but I’m loving the team I’m working with and in just our first 3 public services we are already seeing a impact. We see people coming who haven’t been to church in years or ever and their lives are being impacted. We see people who have never served before serving and a general sense of excitement for our mission ahead.
The season I just came out of ended painfully and I never wish to repeat that (more on that later) but God is restoring my heart and passion for His church and reaching people for Jesus is addicting. I never thought I had what it took to plant a church. I didn’t think that I had the entrepreneurial spirit that it takes to launch a church and I’m sure that I haven’t done it the way the books say to do it but I have tried to follow exactly what God has laid out. So far He has opened every door that we needed open and has brought the right people and resources that we need. I just pray that I please Him and see many respond to His promise of hope found in Jesus.
This is going to be a great adventure and I am ready for it.