Growing

Today I learned that even athiests are sponsoring Sunday School...who knew? Read about that here if you are interested.

I guess that caught my eye because Sunday School has been on my mind so much lately. We have a wonderful problem. In some areas, we are outgrowing our facilities. I have racked my brain over how to make more space for these growing classes, but this week I was reminded that maybe space isn't what we need. The first thing we need to do is ask God what he would like for us to do and then look for the answer he gives us.

I know that sounds a bit ambiguous, but just listen for a minute. Often times in leadership, we get so set on doing things a certain way that we neglect to look for other ways to operate. So, churches will often jump ill-advised to a two-service model, or begin a building program, or purchase new equipment or land because that seems to be the next logical step without ever praying for God's direction and looking for his hand at work. As leaders in God's church, we must always remember that God is never surprised or unprepared. When we grow as the church, it is not because of our work, God alone is responsible for bringing about the harvest. If indeed it is God who brings the harvest, shouldn't we trust him to prepare the barns as well?

Maybe instead of more space, God says multiply into more opportunities.
Who knows, maybe God doesn't want bigger barns, maybe he prefers for his workers to be in the fields...just a thought for you to consider.

Just Get Out of the Way

How can you be effective sharing the good news of Jesus as a pastor, a teacher, a mechanic, or just as a Christmas shopper? You know, it might not be as hard as you think. We serve a God who has been making himself known for all of eternity. Even creation screams his name. Ministry is not about making God relevant, he already is. Ministry and evangelism, instead, is about doing just enough to not get in the way.

You see, God doesn't need us, but he does choose to use us. Salvation is all about his work in our lives. We get into trouble when we try to make ourselves out to be more important than we are. Do enough to share the good news. Preachers, speakers, do enough to proclaim the truths of God's Word, but don't do too much. Make sure you don't get into God's way, instead, do just enough to remove obstacles that hinder people from seeing God, and then step back so that you too don't become an obstacle.

Let me know how this works for you, right now, we are seeing it work in an incredible way at Malvern Hill. God is working and we are getting to stand back and watch...Praise Him.

"Freak Dancing?"

http://www.albertmohler.com/blog_read.php?id=1059

The Cross is Secular?

Melissa Underwood of FoxNews is reporting that atheists in Utah have filed suit against the state to have memorials for fallen Highway Patrolmen removed from roadsides. According to the article:

American Atheists Inc. has filed a federal lawsuit, arguing that the 13 white, steel crosses represent the death of Jesus Christ and therefore violate the First Amendment to the Constitution, which prohibits government establishment of religion.

This is indeed a tragedy that anyone would contest such a noble memorial. It shows the growing desire of the Atheist community to not merely ignore God, but to actively push God out of the public sector...a sort of evangelical atheism.

My major concern, however, is this paragraph in the article:

The Utah Highway Patrol Association defends the crosses, which have the Highway Patrol logo on them and have been erected on government land. It says they are secular symbols that both honor the troopers and remind speeding drivers to slow down.

Unfortunately for us, the American Atheists Inc. have a better understanding of the meaning and purpose of the cross than does the Utah Highway Patrol Association. Without Christ, the cross has no significance at all for today, save the reminder of the torturous death that many have endured over the years. The only meaning for the cross is Christ who hung upon one to save men and women from their sins.

Obviously, it is crazy to suggest that the crosses should be removed, but this story should be eye-opening for everyone. It is a sad day when Americans need to be educated on the significance of the Cross from Atheists.

Great Insight on Modern Preaching

David Easler (there's your plug, buddy) has sent me the link to an article by William Willimon, the Bishop of the North Alabama Conference of the United Methodist Church on preaching to our modern culture. Willimon's warnings about accomodating our preaching to match the culture around us are timely and worthy of note.

For instance:
Sometimes in leaning over to speak to the modern world, I fear that we may have fallen in! When, in our sermons, we sought to use our sermons to build a bridge from the old world of the Bible to the new modern world, the traffic was only moving in one direction on that interpretive bridge. It was always the modern world rummaging about in Scripture, saying things like "This relates to me," or, "I'm sorry, this is really impractical," or, "I really can't make sense out of that." It was always the modern world telling the Bible what's what.


It is absolutely true that too many have understood their task of preaching to the modern world as more of a challenge of molding the truths of Scripture to fit a certain mold formed by the modern world. Or, as Willimon puts it: I don't believe that the Bible wants to "speak to the modern world." Rather, I think the Bible wants to change, convert the modern world.

May we all be found speaking the truths of the Bible remembering the words of Jesus in John 5:24...He came, not to make sad people happy, but to make dead people live.

You can read the rest of Willimon's article here: http://willimon.blogspot.com/2007/11/on-not-reaching-our-culture-through-our.html

Is It In You?

For anyone who watches any sporting event the slogan, Is It In You? should ring a bell. It is the advertising slogan for Gatorade. Of course, the purpose is to get you interested in drinking Gatorade...getting it in you. The commercials are great, the people sweat Gatorade.

Imagine just for a second if we were that filled with the knowledge of Scripture. What if someone cut you open and Bible just flowed out of you. Many people ask me how they can know the will of God and my reply is the will of God is wrapped up in his word. He has chosen to reveal his will to us in the Bible. So, if you truly have a desire to know and do the will of God, the greatest thing you can do is know the Word of God.

Is It In You? Not if you don't read it. Contrary to what you may believe, you will not be filled with a knowledge of God's Word until you are reading God's Word regularly.