Jesus Came to Be Ruler

"'And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.'" Matthew 2:6 

Image Courtesy of Flickr User Waiting for the Word

The wise men of ancient Israel were commanded to assemble at King Herod's palace. Magi from the east had come to him previously asking, "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews?" Herod demanded to know where the Messiah was to be born. They answered him by citing Micah 5:2 and 2 Samuel 5:2 which declared "And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least among the leaders of Judah; for out of you shall come forth a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel." Needless to say, Herod was threatened by the potential competition. Yet we have recorded 800 years earlier that God had foreordained this very event.

So what does this passage teach us about why Jesus came? He came to be a ruler, but not a self-serving ruler of Herod's ilk. He would be a shepherd to God's people. From Heaven's perspective, He came to be in charge and be in control. In His incarnational ministry, many responded to His leadership and Lordship. In foretelling this unique coming, David had penned generations earlier the testimony of the Lord who had declared, "But as for Me, I have installed My King upon Zion, My holy mountain. I will surely tell of the decree of The Lord: He said to Me,'You are My Son, today I have begotten You.’" (Psalm 2:6-7). Here is the Son who is king.

The word "ruler" used by Matthew is translated variously as governor, leader, or one who has the rule over. The extent of Jesus' rule extends ultimately to all places and all people. Revelation 11:5b tells us that, "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever." At the culmination of time, He will be the absolute ruler over the entire universe. Is it not wise, therefore, that we bow before Him now and acknowledge His authority to rule over us now? No wonder the first creed of the early church was, "Jesus is Lord!"

Working Ahead Toward 2014

When I worked as a Senior Pastor, I used from Thanksgiving until New Year's Day to think about, pray about, and plan for the coming year. Whether you are in vocational ministry or not, this is the right time of year to be doing the same thing. So, what do you plan to accomplish next year? It is easier for The Lord to redirect a person in motion than to motivate a person who is standing still. So, what are your plans? Here are mine.

First, I break my life up into categories. It is not that I intend to compartmentalize, just make sure that all my bases are covered. My two big categories are Personal and Professional. I will address the Personal first.

1. What will I do to grow spiritually? I have a systematic study I am doing through the Scriptures. Also, I have a list of people I pray for on a regular basis. These are foundational to everything else we do. I want to make sure I am in the place to hear the Lord when He leads and speaks. I do not want to settle for left-overs or second best.

2. What will I do to grow intellectually? Like this past year, my goal is to read 25 books and on top of that appropriate articles. I want to be faithful to love God with all my mind. I find that I do not "find" time to read. I have to "make" time to read.

3. What will I do to grow physically? That comes under the category of health and fitness. I really want to reduce and not grow! This past year I have dropped from 227 to 200 lbs. I am aiming to drop another 20. It will be interesting. It will take being faithful to a weight training and running routine. I will need to drink more water and start eating breakfast as a routine which I have not done in recent years. I will also need to be aware of the foods I eat. One goal that I do have is to reduce my best 5K running time from this year by two minutes. That will be interesting.

4. How will I grow relationally? I intend to spend quality time with Fern (my precious wife), my family (have I talked too much about my grandson?), and my friends. I also want to be more of an encourager to those in my circle of influence. I will need to determine specifically how to do these things. The key, still, is planning.

Next, I will work on my Professional category. Here are some things I want to do.

1. Excel at work. I know that I have a strong combination of abilities and experiences. I want to take those and build. Building is in my DNA. Everywhere I have worked I have been a builder. There's more building to be done.

2. Continue writing. My intention is to complete two new books in 2014. I will also continue to write a weekly blog and a minimum of five intelligent tweets a day (I intend to provide these so that others can use them). My intention is to write another two scholarly articles in the coming year.

That's a snapshot of what I intend to do in the coming year. Of course, The Lord could alter these at any time. But, I teach my students, if you fail to plan you plan to fail. So, my intention is to succeed at what God has called me to do. My intention is to be a tool in the hands of God. He will determine my ultimate success or failure. My responsibility is to remain faithful and diligent.

Now, what are you planning to accomplish next year? Have you thought about it, prayed about it, and have you written it down? Have you allocated the necessary time to do what you have planned? I hope you get to the conclusion of 2014 and are amazed at what God enabled you to do!

My Recommended Winter Reading

Last week, Fern and I spent four days in Baltimore where I attended the yearly gathering of the Evangelical Theological Society. On Wednesday afternoon, I presented a paper comparing Spurgeon's Down Grade Controversy and the precipitating events of the Southern Baptists' Conservative Resurgence. Besides sitting in on a variety of lectures and walking through the bookstore (best prices on books all year long), we were able to catch up with peers in other schools as well as former students. Four  questions are common to these catching up encounters:  "What are you writing these days? What are you reading? Where are you now and what are you doing?" I would like to take a few paragraphs and highlight the second question. 

In the last month or so, I have read three books of note and am half way through the fourth. The first two are by Daniel Pink, a business guru who takes sociological research, digests it, and applies it to business, educational, and institutional communities. The first book I read was Drive. This is a study of motivation and especially how people are motivated in their work environments. He argues that culture has gone through three phases which he identifies as Motivation 1, 2, and 3. Motivation one lasted up until approximately the year 1800. People as a whole were motivated simply to survive. The next phase, which was in effect up until 1980 or so is what I summarize as essentially the "carrot and the stick" mindset. It assumes that people want to do as little as possible. Therefore, their superiors motivate them with rewards (carrots) or threats (sticks). Since 1980, the model which has been growing in implementation is "purpose-driven." It assumes that workers want to do well, want to have meaning in what they do, and want to make a difference through their work. According to Pink, this applies to almost all institutions. Those stuck in a Motivation 2 Model will find themselves increasingly out of touch and unable to retain the services of their best employees.

Pink's newer book is entitled To Sell is Human. It is an interesting study of how almost all workers today find themselves in the position of needing to sell, even in jobs which require "non-selling sales." His point? No matter what you do, you will need to sell yourself and persuade people. So, why not do it well? This volume is packed with suggestions on how to be an effective communicator.

A third book I recently read is Bryan Litfin's Getting to Know the Church Fathers. This volume provides chapter snapshots of a select number of Patristic Fathers and Mothers.

Anyone who wants a nice concise review (or introduction) to Patristic leaders will find this volume informative and relevant. Litfin works hard to make these early Christian leaders come alive.

A final book, one that I am still reading, is John Fea's Why Study History? A more accurate title might be What is an Historian, What is History, and Why Is It  Worth the Trouble to Study? It is in fact a very sound introduction to the discipline of historiography. It is filled with discussable insights that will help any student grasp an understanding of the benefits of studying history. I thought one particularly important point was that any new history is "revisionist." It is the essence of incorporating new facts, insights, and interpretations to old events and their perception. For the record, some revisions are sound and other revisions are poor. Not all revisions are worth the paper they’re printed on.

I can readily recommend any of these volumes as tools to help you gain new insights from old subjects, or fresh understanding to new subjects.

What have you been reading lately? 

6 Reminders about Time from the Last Rose of Summer

The Last Rose of Summer

King Solomon attempted to put life in perspective when he wrote, "There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven" (Ecclesiastes 3:1). Moses prayed,  "So teach us to number our days, that we may present to You a heart of wisdom" (Psalm 90:12). And Jesus, commenting on His earthly days (and ours as well), advised, "We must work the works of Him who sent Me as long as it is day; night is coming when no one can work" (John 9:4).

Earlier today, I shot a photo of the last rose growing in our flower garden. Over the spring, into the summer, and now with the fall under way this flower finally makes its magnificent entrance onto planet earth. It will be here momentarily then just as quickly as it appeared, it will fade away. Meteorologists are telling us that early this week in Kansas City, we will have the season's first visit of Arctic air and the temperature will dip into the low 20s. Goodbye rose!

Between Scripture and the garden, I find some life-lessons that I want to be mindful of. 

1. Each of us lives in the present. Cherish the time God gives. It will not last. It will move hastily on. We cannot slow time down. We all live in the present.

2. As we live in the present, we also live in community. Even there, each of us is in a different stage of life. I glance over to watch my grandson and see his mother (my daughter) walk across the room. It seems like yesterday that she was the grandchild and I was the parent. We are together but find ourselves at a different stage of life. And time races on.

3. Life passes all too quickly. I recently saw a portrait of Philadelphia from the late 1800s in "Historic Pics" on Twitter. What stood out for me was that everyone in the photo (which captures a moment in time) is now deceased. Life was here and now it is gone.

4. We should do all we can to display the reality and goodness of God while we have opportunity. We never know when the present opportunity is the last we will have. Even the last rose of summer (or fall), declared God's glory even for only a moment...and then it is gone.

5. In the end, life is over. I have said many times, there is nothing so sure as death and nothing so unsure as the time. All of us have a date with death from this life when we will step into eternity.

6. If we really embrace the reality of the brevity of life and the infinity of eternity, would we not choose to live differently? Does Hebrews not teach us, "it is appointed unto man to die and after that the judgment?" And if we will be judged, should we not live our lives in light of that inevitable appointment? 

Even as the last rose fades, I am reminded that we will too. So, like the rose, let's live our moment in the sun to display the beauty God intended.

The Parable of the Apple Tree: Year 2

This time last year we were enjoying apples from our tree. All totaled, we probably harvested close to 200 of them. This year, however, was different. We have one lone apple. 

Just one! 

We may have another hiding in the foliage but I doubt it. To what do I attribute this under performance? I could argue that God in His sovereignty decided to withhold His hand of blessing. But this leads me to observe that God often gets blamed for things He had nothing to do with. So what is the reason?

This past Spring started out just like the previous one. Beautiful green leaves came first then what looked like hundreds of little flowers. Each was beautiful in its unique way and each had the potential to grow and ripen into a delicious and mature apple. But I was busy and did not spray the tree this year for insects. Neither did I fertilize it. So between the insects, the deer that enjoyed the low hanging fruit, and the squirrels, by harvest season there was virtually nothing left. Who can I blame? Myself and no one else.

Jesus told a parable of a fruit tree that bore no fruit (Luke 13:6-9). In this instance it was a fig tree. It had the same problem my tree has had this year: no fruit. The gardener's solution? Give it one more year. I will dig around it and fertilize it, then we will see. If there is no fruit, then we will cut it down. But hopefully fruit will be present next growing season. The difference? Cultivation. In Jesus' case, digging around and fertilizer. In my case fertilizer and spraying. But the difference is in the cultivation.

All over the world, God has planted churches which, in agricultural terms, exist for the purpose of bearing a harvest. The fruit produced is both new believers and an increasing maturity on the part of its members. In John 15 terminology, believers are branches which bear the fruit which Jesus as the vine (He is dealing with grapes in this parable) produces and God the Father superintends as the Master Gardener. The life flows from the vine through the branches to produce fruit. 

From the human perspective, the key is still the issue of cultivation. Healthy trees, well tended, must produce fruit. If no fruit is forth coming, something is wrong. Every church with no new and maturing believers ought to consider that they might have a cultivation problem. I would encourage them, moreover, not only to acknowledge the problem but to take action. My apple tree next year, if I have anything to do with it, will be laden down with apples. Why? Because I intend to cultivate it and set it free to do what it was intended to do. Grow apples! 

How about your vineyard, your harvest field, your fruit tree? Are you cultivating the life and ministry God has entrusted to you? 

The test? Fruitfulness.

5 Assumptions of Prayer

Luke 18:1 states that Jesus taught His disciples that "at all times they ought to pray and not lose heart (give up)." In fact, the challenge is for us "to cry to Him day and night." Jesus concludes that God the Father will will bring justice quickly, then asks a salient question: "when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?" In other words, will He find His people praying and trusting, or complaining with despair?

I’d like to remind us all, myself included, of prayer's assumptions.

1. God is God of the universe. He created it and sustains it with purpose. By sending His Son to earth, God initiated His desire for reconciliation with all humanity. With reconciliation comes relationship, and with relationship comes both responsibility and privilege. Prayer is both.

2. We as humans live in a world of multiple planes. The horizontal is what we see. The vertical is what we do not see. The vertical controls the horizontal. The spiritual controls the physical and social.

3. Here is where prayer steps in. Every concern should be lifted to God in prayer. Every challenge should be a matter for prayer. If something is big enough to worry about, it is big enough to pray about. Every opportunity should be processed through prayer. Every hurt and insecurity and perceived injustice should be taken to The Lord. Every problem, decision, and plan should be laid before The Lord. That is how God designed us to live.

4. We were created to live in harmony with God's will. How can we do His will if we do not know it? Should we not go to Him and ask what it is that He wants? Yes, much of His will is found in His Word. But, the specifics of our lives on a day by day basis depend on our asking.

5. Prayer, intense focused prayer, can change the direction and trajectory of our lives personally, corporately, our families, churches, communities, and even society as a whole. There is no issue that God is unable or unwilling to resolve. But He waits for us to ask. We should pray and not give up. We should pray day and night. We should be a people who are known for our faith and for our prayers!

10 Steps to Take Before Conflict Arises at Your Church

Last week I had the privilege of speaking to a group of church leaders in Nashville on the subject of church conflict. As a survivor of conflict, I shared with them insights I gained from the situation I faced. I want to share them with you.

1. Do not say it cannot happen to you. I am convinced that no matter how strong and influential you and your congregation might be, Satan can orchestrate conflict. I remind myself, if it can happen to Jonathan Edwards after 24 years as the pastor in Northampton, it can happen to anyone.

2. Take all threats seriously. When someone says, "I will ruin you," believe that is his or her intention. Then, take every step you can to deal with it. Ignoring it will only allow things to get worse.

3. Take pre-emptive steps. Pastors can do three things to minimize potential conflict. First, clarify expectations on the front end. If you have a way of doing things, or you will not come unless certain conditions are agreed upon, then put that in a "Memorandum of Understanding" and have the church vote on that when they vote on you. Unclarified expectations can be potentially volatile. Second, communicate demographic realities. Let the folks know what is happening and why. Third, update your Constitution and Bylaws to preclude being vulnerable to unwarranted attacks.

4. Make sure you are insured. An umbrella liability policy is relatively inexpensive and can be a life-saver in the midst of threats. This can offer a measure of security against potential financial ruin.

5. Retain the services of a good attorney. Have them do a risk profile on you and your church when things are going well. This can minimize potential threats to your congregation. (I can refer you to an attorney who does this if you contact me). I know for myself, especially when the attacks began, attorney Larry Crain, an Associate with the ACLJ, was a God-send.

6. Retain the services of a good counselor. Fortunately, I am married to one of the best counselors I know. Still, a sound Christian Counselor can be invaluable. Keeping everything bottled up inside of you is a recipe for disaster. Get a professional listening ear to help you process what you are experiencing.

7. Do not leave until God says so. Too many ministers resign and run at the first sign of trouble. Stay put until God tells you otherwise.

8. Here are some specific things that helped me: a supportive wife and family, confiding in close friends, journaling daily, praying in specifics, and constantly remembering that God is ultimately in control.

9. Forgive. You do not have to forget, but the refusal to forgive will place you in a self-imposed prison and life is too short to waste it there. Forgiveness is a choice not an emotion.

10. Finally, remember Genesis 50:20 where Joseph told his brothers,"What men meant for evil, God meant for good." God can use adversity to prepare you for greater ministry if you will respond to it appropriately. Keep you eyes on Him and trust Him with your future!

The Unspoken Tension Between (Some) Pastors and (Some) Laity: A Reflection And Commentary

I am speaking to the Great Commission Research Network meeting at Lifeway in Nashville on Wednesday and this blog contains part of the material I will share.

I recently read a blog and a response to it by two men for whom I have great respect, Thom Rainer and Rod Martin. Rainer wrote a blog entitled "The Unspoken Tension Between (Some) Pastors and (Some) Laity." Martin penned a response which contributed two additional insights to the discussion.

Rainer's thesis was that a growing tension exists between some pastors and some laity in churches across America. The tension, he maintains, is not pervasive but it is growing. He suggested that it is like a family secret that no one mentions explicitly, but many speak around it and near it. And, he concludes, this tension is growing. Then he observes, "this tension is one of the effective tools used by Satan to distract from those things that are of Kingdom importance." He then relates what each side is saying. 

Pastors complain of critical people: the silent majority which allows the problems, the apathetic members who do nothing, and the self-serving who take advantage of the situation. He then assesses that ministry is messy and pastors have to relate to imperfect people. Noting that the disgruntled crowd is usually small, he reminds pastors that God called them to love the unlovely unconditionally.

From the lay perspective, there are complaints of autocratic and abusive pastors, non-leading pastors, change-agent pastors who want to make too many changes too rapidly, non-pastoral care pastors, and pastors who are poor preachers. Rainer's ultimate solution is for everyone to focus on the needs and concerns of others rather than their own needs. And to be self-giving and sacrificial. He urges all parties to embody Philippians 2:3-5: “Do nothing out of rivalry or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves. Everyone should look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. Make your own attitude that of Christ Jesus.” 

Martin suggests that Rainer may have missed two icebergs crashing into our churches both centered in the pulpit. He suggests that many pastors do not understand the world we live in and as a result do not address critical issues especially from a soundly Biblical context. Coupled with that is the fact that way too many pastors refuse to call, especially the men, to anything that matters. How can men be change agents for the better in a corrupt and broken world? Pastors need to rise up and lead men to address these needs! 

I agree with what both of these men have written, but more can be said. In fact I can easily see one or more books addressing these issues.

My first thought when I read Rainer's blog was to blurt out, "better unspoken tensions than outright conflict." I pastored a church that went into a full-blown war, a "perfect storm" might be a better description. From my vantage point, here is what I saw. Maybe you can learn from my experience (nightmare might be a better word).

First, I believe three root causes were present. It started with unclarified expectations. During the conflict, I received a letter from one of my antagonists the heart of which stated, "when you came here, we wanted a preacher, not a leader." She said more than she meant to. After two decades we still were working off different assumptions and different expectations.

Added to that was the rapidly changing demographic of the area where our church was located. Ten years before the conflict, a demographic specialist told me that the demographics within the church's field of ministry were changing and we needed to change our ministry or change our location.  "If not," he cautioned,  "you will lose people to upward social mobility and you will be blamed for it." He was right. And that is the subject for another time.

A third root cause was an outdated and faulty Constitution and Bylaws. Ours did not have safeguards to preclude the unfolding disorder.

Coupled with the root causes was a complex mindset displayed by those that launched the attack. Here is my take.

1. A naive mentality was present. Music preferences were raised to conviction levels. When we started a contemporary service, I heard that we had let the devil's music into the church. These criticisms came from people who did not even attend these services.

2. I saw an owner's mentality. A small group, an old guard, most of whom lived around the church were dead set against us talking to a major business about the possibility of selling some of the church's land. They did everything possible to stop this proposal from coming to the church for discussion or vote. Their argument was "we don 't want to sell God's land." The truth is, that should have been a church decision. 

3. I saw an entitlement mentality. Sadly, the mindset was, "we have been here the longest. This is our church." For whatever reason, the notion that the entire church should have due deliberation did not matter.

Coupled with this was a Messiah mentality on the part of a few of their leaders. These people literally attempted to usurp leadership that God never gave them. And we had no way to stop this effectively.

I also saw a bully mentality. Repeated lawsuits, disruption of worship services, anonymous letters, accusations without facts, and a cheap-shot website with no owner (looped through a foreign country, with multiple anonymous blogs and articles) all added to the disarray. It is hard to disprove negative accusations.

A carnal mentality was also present. A rampant disregard for Biblical imperatives ran rampant. It was disheartening.

A gullible mentality ran with this as well. A small well-coordinated group master-minded the whole conflict. A lot of good but gullible people believed everything that was thrown out. It is sad when good people get manipulated and do not ever know or even realize what is happening.

Finally, I saw a small to medium-sized church mentality (using categories established by McIntosh and Kellar). I am all for small churches, but when a church grows, there comes a time when the management/leadership style has to change or the church finds it impossible to continue growing. One authority on church health noted that as churches grow, ministers must give up doing all the ministry and members must surrender making all the decisions. If this does not happen, the result is burnout for the ministers and chaos for the congregation.

Years after the conflict is over, the abiding question is "is the church better off?" I still have a sadness in my heart for what might have been.

Run to Win

Photo by Juan-Carlos Lagares

Last week, I wrote about running the Virginia 10-Miler road race and shared some observations. I'd like to continue that stream of thought in today's blog. 

One of my favorite PhD seminars was the Life and Letters of Paul taught by Professor Jack MacGorman. Besides giving great attention to exegeting the Pauline literature, we also gave attention to the incredibly complex cultural context in which Paul penned his epistles. Paul, no doubt was a sports fan and as such alluded to athletic contests for illustrative purposes. In 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, he alludes to running and boxing specifically, and sports in general. He refers to the competition and uses it as a metaphor and analogy for the Christian life and ministry.

Paul opens this passage by noting the obvious, "Do you not know that all who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize?" Then, he begins to make application: "run that you may win... exercise self-control...run with an aim (with intentionality)... box without beating the air (make your punches count)...discipline your body (make it your slave)...." All this Paul says is for the dual purpose of receiving the imperishable wreath (God's reward for faithful service) at God's judgment in the future, and remaining qualified to serve in the present. Even as great as Paul was, he was constantly concerned that he might live in such a way that he would not be disqualified for ministry. 

So what does that say to you and me? Here are three insights.

1. Because life is like a race, we need to run (live) in such a way that we are winners.  We can strive for the things that pass away or the things that matter for eternity. Paul says opt for the latter. By the way, Jesus said in Matthew 6:33, "Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these other things will be added to you."

2.  If we are going to be winners, we must exercise self-control. Embracing self-   discipline, having an attitude of deferred gratification, learning how to resist and run from temptation, and refusing to let human desires get out of control are all important components.

3.  Being intentional in our lives, working to accomplish things that benefit people and honor God are all important. By the way, from my perspective, Christians in general and ministers particularly have only two assignments: we prepare people for death, and we equip people for life. We should be intentional with both. So, what do you intend to do?

Here is the bottom line. Don't waste your life. Run to win!

Hard work, Preparation, and Goals: 6 Lessons from the Virginia 10 Miler

JC and I after the race.

This past Saturday, my son-in-law Juan Carlos (I call him JC) and I ran the Virginia 10 Miler road race in Lynchburg. I've run some some 5Ks this past year and have been averaging 20-25 miles running each week so long as I haven't been interrupted by unforeseen circumstances. Still, the most I have run recently up to the race was 7 miles on a flat course. Gratefully, the weather was cool and clear. We had a fine time and have good memories of a well-organized race. Still, the race was tough with its hills and completing it was difficult.  Looking back on the race I have several reflections I'd like to share with you from running the Virginia 10-Miler.

1. Not everyone is created equal. Talent must be combined with hard work. The elite runners, mostly from Kenya, were finishing when I was at the 5 mile marker. I am amazed at their stamina, strength, and speed. Clearly, their genes are different than mine. Still, these runners were making the most of their ability. Talent still requires hard work to accomplish anything great.

2. Preparation precedes performance. The better prepared, the better people perform. Preparation includes time, energy, and effort. Some people trained all year to do their best. I applaud them for their stick-to-itiveness. 

3. There is no substitute for conditioning. Even though I have run in the past, even completed a marathon, over the past three years with its busyness, I did not have the time to be in condition to even finish a 10 miler. This is determined by decisions. For the most part, I am in as good a condition physically as I choose to be. It’s important to remember that yesterday's conditioning is no substitute for today's conditioning.

4. If I want to improve next year, I cannot wait until the last minute, week, or even month to get started. I know what needs to be done. I will need to work on distance and endurance. I will need to work on hills. I will need to work on speed drills and intervals. So, for me, this year is a base line. It will be interesting to see what happens next.

5. Goals drive discipline. If I know what I want to accomplish, I will break it up into a series of smaller goals. The big goal helps me stay motivated to work each week to improve.

6. In life, we often compete with ourselves. My goal was not to beat my son-in-law. It is to beat me. How can I improve over what I've done in the past? I am also competing with Father Time. I want to do what I can while I can. Like Jesus said, "The night is coming when no man can work." If I'm going to compete, I better do it now...and have fun doing it.

On my high school track team on the left, at the finish line of the Virginia 10 Miler on the right.

10 Factors Affecting Baptists and Their Baptisms

As a Southern Baptist who has served as both a pastor and an educator, I have watched with interest the reports coming out of Nashville concerning the Task Force  appointed to study the denomination's trending decline in baptisms. As a practitioner, churches I pastored averaged baptizing over 100 people a year for over 25 years. So, it is a subject about which I can speak with some experience and knowledge.

If it were left up to me, how would I try to address the situation? My first step would be to hire the Gallop organization to do an accurate survey of our churches. Why them? They do not have any ulterior motives, pet projects, or sacred cows. In other words, for them, no options are off the table. I believe that they would, to use Donald McGavran's famous mandate, "gather abundant and accurate information."

From my limited perspective, I think issues which contribute to the statistical decline can be traced to ten factors all of which can be corrected.

1. Leading people to Christ has to be both a priority and intentional. It starts with the pastor. And it starts with the pastor search committee that invites him to come to pastor their church. If the priority of evangelism is not clearly agreed upon on the front end, then the status quo will resist its implementation. 

2. It has to do with the church's health and environment. Churches known for conflict and tension are not attractive to prospects especially lost folks who need to be saved. Church business meetings are to some degree a necessary evil, but when they create a platform for carnal members to display their personal agendas, it is repulsive to the people we are trying to reach. If churches want to reach people, they must learn to resolve issues appropriately and in a Christ-like manner. Part of this includes recognizing the God ordained leadership role of the pastor and staff. One insight that Rick Warren shared is that the larger a church becomes, the more the ministers must give up the work of the ministry, and the more the lay people must give up decision-making.

3. Churches that see people saved and baptized have created an environment that is thorough in its process from start to completion. How do we attract people? When people come, are they comfortable? Do people feel loved? Do they hear the Gospel clearly? Do people know what to do to come to faith in Christ? Does the church have an incorporation process? Are people followed up with effectively? Are prospects embraced by the people in the congregation? Are they connected with an affinity group? 

4. Churches that reach people do not overly program. Busyness such that the members of the congregation do not have time to cultivate outreach relationships can kill outreach. Here is a principle: people attract people. Make sure that your members have permission to not be at every activity. By this, they will have time to build friendships that will result in natural organic growth.

5. Pastors need to work at extending a clear invitation. Instead of saying, "let's all stand and sing, and if you have a decision, come forward," be specific. Tell people that if they want to be saved, here is how. Tell them specifically what to do. They will not know if you do not tell them.

6. The best evangelistic sermon in the world is worthless if no lost people are present to hear it. Challenge your people to constantly be inviting new people to worship at their church. A personal invitation is the most effective outreach tool the local church has.

7. We have one opportunity to make a first impression, so everything from driving on the property to the care of facilities and landscape should say, "we were expecting you and we are glad you are here." Remove every growth restricting obstacle. If you think something is a barrier, remove it!

8. Expectations are critical. Faith expects and anticipates. The church must cultivate a collective expectant heart. If on a Sunday morning 10 people prayed to receive Christ, would your church know what to do and be prepared to do it? What are your people expecting God to do?

9. It is of critical importance that those who lead are practitioners. Why would we place people in leadership who have no track record? When Jesus said, "He who is faithful in that which is least, I will make ruler over much," He was communicating a principle. We need people to lead who are doers and not just talkers. 

10. With respect to motives, are we more concerned about our image or the reality that we are impacting a lost culture less and less? The mandate that we are to function as salt and light has not been rescinded. And we can impact our culture whenever we are willing to pay the price and then do it. The notion that we are living in a post-Christian culture and we can do nothing about it is an excuse. It is "post-Christian" because we have not done what God has commanded us to do. Nothing more and nothing less.

What are you experiencing at your own church?

When Denominations Are a Waste

In my last blog, I wrote about the value of strong denominations. Today I want to address the flip side, what historians might label "the soft underbelly." When are denominations simply a waste? Here are eight scenarios.

1. Denominations are a waste when instead of fulfilling their intended purpose they work to simply perpetuate their existence. What is true for denominations is just as true for churches. Instead of focusing on why they were established, their goal becomes to keep on existing. Maintaining a bureaucracy is not a justifiable reason for existence. "Is the denomination justifying its existence?" is an honest and important question.

2. Denominations are a waste when they transition from the idea that they exist to serve the constituent congregations to the notion that the churches exist to serve the denomination. The only justifiable reason for a denomination's existence is when it can help the churches do their work more effectively. Any sound denomination should be able to articulate clearly its value to the local congregation.

3. Denominations are a waste when they cease to be sensitive to the needs of the constituent congregations. When churches are struggling or when they have vast opportunities, does the denomination's presence help or hinder?

4. Denominations are a waste when they cease to be accountable to the churches. This almost happened 40 years ago in the SBC. But finally, the power of the ballot and prayer prevailed. Does the denomination reflect the prevailing convictions of its constituency? Is the denomination sensitive to those who provide its financial support?

5. Similarly, denominations are a waste when they cease to be supportive of the churches. What do churches need? What can the denomination do to assist the churches? What can the denomination do (representing the churches collectively) that is more cost-effective than each congregation doing that same thing on its own?

6. Denominations are a waste when they engage in work detrimental to the churches. Years ago, for example, the SBC Christian Life Commission's posture on life issues was strongly pro-abortion. This was clearly out of step with the prevailing sentiment of the constituent congregations. In short, the churches were giving money to a cause that was counter to their convictions. Here is one historic example of when the denomination was a waste. 

7. Denominations are a waste when they cease to be mission driven. Why do we exist? And what are we trying to accomplish? These are questions that need to be clearly answered and kept ever before us.

8. Denominations are a waste when their leaders and executives become preoccupied with their own self importance. These jobs (ministries) are a stewardship which should be marked by a servant's heart and not a prima donna complex. Perhaps the question here should be, does the leader see himself (or herself) as one who has come to serve or be served? Elitists are not needed in God's work.

These are some determining considerations for gauging the waste or worthiness of a denomination. What do you think?

3 Reasons Denominations Are Important

I have spent my life connected to a denomination, the Southern Baptist Convention. I have also been a consistent student of culture and particularly church culture in North America. One of the mantras I have heard repeatedly is that we now live in a post-denominational church world. I find this embraced more among our younger leaders. Before jettisoning the denomination as an historic relic akin to the dinosaur, perhaps we should consider what their benefit might be. I would like to offer three benefits for your consideration.

1. For the local church, denominations should "service a common core" so that it is unnecessary to reinvent the wheel. 

Each congregation, if healthy, consists of large group worship and small group interaction. In the context of these two, we find a litany of purposes: evangelism, discipleship, worship, missions, stewardship, fellowship, ministry, and communications. Each congregation has to have organizational structure and doctrinal distinctives. Much of these can be provided by the denominational machinery. As churches embrace this common core, it provides a measure of "authenticity." It is the essence of a brand, that which distinguishes a Baptist Church from a Roman Catholic congregation for example.

2. For the local church, denominations can assist in facilitating each congregation's unique expression. 

Each church is different. Each community is different. Each church has its own "identity." Each church has a distinct methodology of how it goes about fulfilling its mission. The denomination that can assist local churches in understanding their own uniqueness while embracing a common core will find itself invaluable. This is a challenge for all denominations. Can they assist their constituent congregations to discover and maximize their own uniqueness? Again, this is of critical importance.

3. For the local church, denominations can assist in replicating healthy "reproduction." 

Each congregation is part of a larger whole which must reproduce. We are called to reproduce believers. This is evangelism. We reproduce disciples. This is discipleship. We reproduce servants and leaders. This is ministry and administration. We are called to reproduce churches. This is church planting of new congregations. We are called to reproduce missionaries for world evangelism. We are in need of apologists and polemicists. I believe that much of this can be better accomplished through the cooperative work of a denomination than by each congregation attempting to reinvent the proverbial wheel.

In short, denominations can be valuable if they assist their constituent congregations in embracing a solid authenticity, in developing their own unique identity, and replicating a healthy reproduction. The key then, for each church when assessing the role of the denomination is a terse cost-benefit analysis. Is the quality and quantity of service provided by the denomination worth the investment of expenditures? Is it accurate to conclude that churches together can accomplish more than the individual congregations can do separately? Where is this most applicable? Where is it least applicable?   

Jesus Came to Give His Followers the Keys to the Kingdom

"I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed." Matthew 16:19

Immediately on the heels of Jesus' declaration that He will build His Church, He unveils an incredible truth, "I will do it, but I will use you!" To Peter directly Jesus says, "I will give you the keys of the Kingdom; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven." What Jesus gives to Peter exclusively here is given to all disciples in 18:, 18. The issue, then, is what does this mean?

The first and most obvious answer is that keys are for locking and unlocking doors or gates. The Kingdom has an entrance and the disciples are given the keys to that entrance. The keys are not made of brass or some metal but rather the truth of Who Jesus is and what He came to accomplish. The keys were utilized on Pentecost Sunday when Peter stood to preach and multitudes were saved. Notice that the text has the "giving" at a time in the future, "I will give you."

Notice, secondly, that the binding and loosing represents the church carrying out Heaven's directives. It is not Heaven ratifying earth's decisions. "Heaven, not the apostles, initiates all binding and loosing, while the apostles announce these things," according to Charles Ryrie ( Ryrie Study Bible.p.1506).

The concepts of binding and loosing are idiomatic expressions from rabbinical Judaism. These rulings either forbid or permit certain behaviors or beliefs. What Jesus is saying is "through you, your preaching, and your writing, Heaven will make abundantly clear the doorway into the Kingdom." Through the work of the disciples all people can come to an understanding of God's entrance into the Kingdom. His name is Jesus. Either we come through Him or we do not come at all.

The significant truth is that these keys belong to every believer up to the present. No, we do not rewrite Scripture or concoct new revelation (that has been settled), but we do share the age old story of Jesus and His provision and offer of salvation. We have the awesome privilege of sharing the Gospel with those alive in our generation. Another reason Jesus came was to give us, His followers, the keys to His Kingdom. Have you been unlocking any doors?

Jesus Came to Build His Church

“And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.” Matthew 16:18

This text is rooted in a play on words between "little stone" and "bedrock." Peter is the former and the truth of Who Jesus is constitutes the latter. Peter had just made the declaration, "You are the Christ the Son of the Living God." After Jesus' responsive affirmation of blessing--"Blessed are you Simon Bar Jonah for flesh and blood has not revealed this unto you but My Father in Heaven"--Jesus makes His magnificent declaration. "I will build My church and the gates of Hell (Hades) will not prevail against it."  Here is another reason why Jesus came...to build His Church!

The Scripture is not saying that the Church will be built by or upon Peter, but rather it will be built upon the truth of what Peter proclaimed. Peter had confessed Jesus' true identity. He (Jesus) is the foundation upon which the Church will be built. In the words of F.F. Bruce, "what matters here is not the stature of the confessor, but the truth of the confession" (see The Hard Sayings of Jesus, p.143). Peter declares Who Jesus is, and  Jesus declares that He Himself will build His Church.

Notice in this passage that not only is Jesus' true identity revealed, but His work is likewise unveiled. He will build His Church. This is the first time the New Testament mentions the word, "Church." This word in the Greek text, comes from combining two smaller words, "to call" and "out of." The word "Church" literally means "the called out ones." All those who have heard God's invitation and responded constitute the "Church." 

Jesus goes on to describe the Church's invincibility, "and the gates of Hades (or Hell) will not prevail against." Though some see this as a straight forward declaration that Jesus will not allow the devil and his forces destroy the Church, I believe Jesus is actually pointing to another and equally true reality. Gates are for keeping people and possessions in, or people and possessions out. "Hades" is the normal word for death and the grave. Here, Jesus is declaring that not even the power of death will be able to halt the building of His Church. 

True, God's intention is to build the Church upon Jesus, but He will use people all through history as His instruments. Can He use you?