January 27, 2007
Let's Do Our Job
Our good friend and mentor Bruce Dreisbach has a new book out entitled Out of the Belly of the Whale. You can get a copy of it along with his other resources at LifestyleWitnessing.com. Bruce's premise is this: "The greatest underlying reason for the lack of evangelistic fruitfulness on the part of the American church is a fundamental misunderstanding about how God reaches lost people." I can't agree more.
In one chapter, Bruce speaks about "God's job and our job." It is a clear and simple understanding of what the Holy Spirit does in our lives and what we are responsible to do. For example, we have need of money. God's job is to provide what we need. Our job is to be a good steward of what He provides for us, do our work as unto the Lord, and share with others who are in need and come across our path. Our job is to hunger and thirst after righteousness, and study to show ourselves approved. His job is to fill us by guiding us into all truth. To do our ministry we need healthy bodies. Our job is to eat right, exercise, and be good stewards of the bodies He has given us. His job is to be with us and care for us when those health challenges come.
There are so many other examples. I suggest you get Bruce's book to explore how we can get back on track to truly be following God's plan for reaching lost people. It is interesting that the issue today is not that God is failing to do His job. As James MacDonald observed on a recent podcast (Walk in the Word), we fail to do our part and then when things don't seem to work, we blame God.
So, how's it going? How well are we doing our part? We are committed to doing all we can to help us all answer this question.
January 22, 2007
National Conference 2007 Update
National Conference is coming up and I wanted to let everyone know a little more about this event.
The dates are May 31 -- June 3, 2007, and the location is Sawmill Creek Resort, Huron, Ohio, just about 45-60 minutes west of Cleveland, Ohio.
The theme for this conference is: Xtreme Makeover…Church Edition.
Rev. Brad Powell, from Northridge Church, Plymouth, Mich., will speak on Thursday and Friday evenings, Dr. Kenneth Quick, author of the book Healing the Heart of the Church, will speak on Saturday. We will conclude the conference on Sunday morning. I will speak in that service and we will share in the Lord's Supper. You can read much more about the conference here.
The vision I have been casting for the past year-and-a-half is that our church really needs to get involved in the "harvest fields." I have been greatly concerned about our lack of "bringing in a harvest." The apparent lethargic attitudes that many in our church have toward the harvest concerns me. Lest there be any mistake, let me say that for me the harvest represents those who are yet to trust in Christ for their eternal salvation.
I have thought and prayed about our lack of harvest as a denomination over the years since the division in 1889. I have come to the conclusion that it is a result of our sinful disregard for our Lord's Great Commission to make disciples. I have found our churches to be hard working, but much of what they are busy with seldom produces new disciples for Jesus. I don't know about you, but I believe the church has but one mission or purpose: to see everyone become devoted followers of Jesus Christ. If what you are doing does not fulfill that mission, then I'd evaluate whether what you are doing should continue or be revamped or replaced with something that will be effective.
Now, let me be very clear. First, we do churches that are actively involved in the harvest with success. But many of our churches and local church leaders are seemingly unconcerned. Folks, if we are to have any future, we must become involved in the Harvest. Jesus said, "He came to seek and save the lost" (Luke 19:10), and He commissions us to carry on that mission until He returns for His Church.
Let me also be clear that this is not just about numbers. Large churches don't necessarily impress me and small churches don't necessarily discourage. I am not talking about size, style, and location, but about a dogged commitment to see lost people come to Jesus and become His disciples. This isn't necessarily a church problem, it is an individual problem. Let me ask: how long has it been since you have been used by God to see someone become a disciple of Jesus?
The thrust of this National Conference will be to challenge each of us to repent of our sin of disobedience to Jesus' command and to become equipped to be an effective harvester in His harvest field. Sinful attitudes must be confessed and repentance sought about our disobedience. I know this is strong language, but it represents a great burden that I believe the Lord has placed on my heart.
This conference is open to everyone. There will be a business session for the active pastors and lay delegates, but everyone from our churches is urged to attend. Seminars on Saturday morning are designed to help lead you and your church into an Xtreme Ministry. This will be a historic conference, as there has never been one quite like this in the history of our church, with delegates potentially representing each local congregation. It will also be a time where we drive a stake in the ground, draw a line in the sand (insert your own metaphor), that from these days on we will become an obedient church. Making disciples for Jesus as He has commissioned us to do.
Oh, by the way, you don't have to wait for the National Conference for this. You can begin in your own life today!
January 18, 2007
Views from the Deer Stand
I spent a few days last week in Texas at the deer ranch, hunting. Yes, I had a great time and yes I was successful in my hunt. But hunting isn't really what I want to talk about.
At the ranch this time was an interesting, older gentleman. By the way, I am finding out that there are fewer and fewer times when you can talk about someone older...anyway, in the course of our initial conversation, after we had spun all our hunting stories, he asks me, "Say, what do you do?" I told him I was a pastor. His response was classic. "Really," he said, "I believe in God and Jesus. I even read the Bible. But I don't go to church." We chatted a little more about this and he tells me how he was treated poorly in a church, so he believes but just not in the church. We talked about a personal relationship with Jesus and he assured me that he had that. He believed he was a Christian. Well, I don't know about you, but I have had that conversation with many others.
So, sitting in the deer stand early one morning I began to ponder the conversation I had with him. I began to think theologically about Christ and The Church. Christ is the Head, the Church is His Body. So how could someone say I really believe in The Head but I don't want anything to do with The Body? There is really a disconnect in that.
The Head is the control center for the body. My fingers move across this keyboard typing words that my brain (head) think. My fingers can't think for themselves. I have trained them to know how to be placed on a keyboard, which fingers are responsible for which letters, and to coordinate the movement in such a manner that words put on the screen. But my head tells my fingers what to type, they don't come up with it themselves. Every action of my body is the direct result of my head telling my body what to do.
So, if Christ is the Head of the Church and the Church is His Body, wouldn't it also be true that the Church doesn't act on its own but acts as directed by the Head? So what was this man saying?
I think he has confused the Church with the church. He thinks that when he sees a church he is seeing the Church. I can certainly understand that. There are many times that the local church does not represent the Church. That happens when the church does not listen and obey the Head but some other head becomes the one giving direction to the body. Is it possible for a local church not to be a part of the Church because it doesn't take direction from the True Head? I think not only is it possible but that I have been in churches like that.
Whenever a local church is controlled more by what some member(s) think, rather than what God thinks should be the priority and practice of that church, it no longer is representing the Church. And what is so confusing to the unchurched is that they sort of expect the local church to somehow represent what Scripture states as the purpose, direction and ministry of that church. If our local church is to be a part of the True Church then it must get its direction from the Head, Jesus Christ.
Some might say, "Yes, but I'd really like to know what God thinks." Well, you can.
A word is a thought expressed. We have a thought and then express it in words so others can know what we are thinking.
Jesus was the Word of God in flesh. Jesus is the Word (the Thought) of God expressed.
So when we see Jesus, the Word, we know what God has on His mind.
Jesus said, "I have come to seek and to save those who are lost" (Luke 19:10)
And He willingly went to the Cross so the lost could be saved. So saving the lost is a primary thought on the mind of God. He provided a plan that the lost could be saved. He provided His Body, the Church to be the instrument of getting that message out.
See, I think this is what the old gentleman was trying to say. That when a church fails to be that instrument of proclaiming salvation to the lost, then it ceases to be a part of the Church. It seems to me that there are a lot of churches scattered around that are not part of the Church. Because if Christ is the Head and we are His Body, the Body will make it a regular practice to do what the Head thinks.
Book Recommendation
Just finished 7 Practices of Effective Ministy by Andy Stanley, Reggie Joiner and Lane Jones. It is published by Multnomah and copywrited 2004 so it isn't brand new, just off the press. But it is an excellent book. It is not a program book but a book to help you sharpen your strategic thinking by asking the right questions. If you and your church are having problems with how to be outward focused, then Practice #5, "Listen to Outsiders", is a section that you owe it to yourself to read.
If you have trouble locating a copy let me know.
January 2, 2007
Three Mailings and a Happy New Year
I always know that shortly after the first of the year I received that intimating piece of mail from the IRS...my tax forms. Then the ones from the state arrive. I have even received them a time or two before the first of the year. Some things I look forward to, like the first seed catalog of the year. I don't do much gardening, but I sign up for free catalogs from the seed "places" because it makes me feel so good when I get that first one in the mail...a reminder that spring is just around the corner.
Well, some of you will soon receive mailings from this office. Some might have already received one. Actually, there will be three mailings coming:
1. The report packet for 2006. This includes the pastor's report, church report, plus a variety of other reports that provide valuable information. Oh yes, there is just one Pastor Report in the packet. For those churches which have staff who are licensed in the United Brethren church, you can just make a copy for them. Also, I remind all of you that the report is on the UB website and can be filled out and sent via email. I received the first report today from Kent Haines, on staff at the UB church in Cochranton, Pa. He will receive a new book for his promptness. Thanks, Kent.
I would really appreciate it if you could get the pastor and church reports to me promptly so we can compile the stats. I'd like to have them to report at National Conference. Thanks in advance for your promptness.
2. Unassigned Ministers. A packet has also gone out to all unassigned pastors. This includes retired pastors, those who are licensed but serving in other ministries within and beyond the UB Church, those who may be in a license process but not on staff anywhere...
In checking the files, I find that several have not bothered to report for some time. I remind all unassigned licensed ministers that you are required to report now to the National Conference. I hope to get this file current and up to date, and we'll need your report if you indeed fall into this category. If you have any questions about this, contact me.
3. Referendum Items. The third mailing going out this week is the ballot for the referendum items to be voted on in February 2007. These referenda will make the necessary changes to our Constitution to allow for one National Conference. Follow the directions in the letter. A reminder that you are to vote for your delegates to National Conference at this time as well. If you have already had that election, then simply place their names on a ballot to be affirmed. This is according to our Constitution that the delegates to National Conference must be voted on in the same election as the vote for the referendum items.
Also in this mailing is a copy of the Covenant that needs to be processed, signed, and returned to my office. I will then sign it and return it to you. Last year we gave everyone an opportunity to sign a covenant in principle; however, this will be the first official covenant signing in the history of the UB Church.
We have tried to provide clear instructions in the letter, but if there are questions, contact my office.
So, no, these mailings may not be as exciting as receiving the first seed catalog of the year, but I trust you will see their importance. UB Church history is being made this year. Every member of a UB church can have a vote as to that history and the future of this Church. And they are not as ominous as the IRS mailing yet to come.
Have a wonderful New Year and Go Buckeyes! I feel really bad for the Michigan fans. Hopefully, we Buckeye fans won't feel bad after next Monday. For what it's worth, I did root for Michigan to beat USC because I always root for the Big Ten.