As I have been in and around churches, I have served in several capacities, I found that churches often struggle with balance. Some are great at outreach and stink at discipleship. Some are great at ministry, but the worship is lacking. Some have great Sunday School but no real community ministry. Some how powerful preaching but lack ministry to members. Balance is a hard thing to accomplish, and often I see it as a result of the pastor's personality and style. The pastor leads, the flock follows. Pastors, leaders and teachers need to develop a TEAM approach. First, a church must be … [Read more...] about Church should be a TEAM activity
Failing in the Center of God’s Will
Some years ago, I was invited to speak at a statewide conference for pastors of mission churches. Northbrook Baptist in Cedar Rapids nearly quadrupled in size within a few years, so I was asked to share what we had done that others could do to grow as we had. I was to share the methods and strategies we employed so that Iowa mission pastors could see what was working and imitate it at their churches. Such a Baptist thing to do, right? I found the entire premise of the conference somewhat silly – whatever was happening at Northbrook was a unique work of God that could not and should not be … [Read more...] about Failing in the Center of God’s Will
The Fine Line between Praising and Bragging
Owen Strachan had an interesting post last week in which he reflected on another article on the prevalence of boasting in modern social media. I won't repeat it, but I would recommend it if you haven't already read it. He talks about the danger of letting social media become a tool for self-promotion and braggadocio. It is certainly a struggle to walk that fine line. I've noticed something that bothers me. Maybe I'm just being crotchety in my advancing old age. But I've noticed that same kind of struggle in our promotion of our churches in social media. It seems to me that we walk a … [Read more...] about The Fine Line between Praising and Bragging
Are You A Teddy Bear?
When is the last time someone called you gentle? If you are anything like me, it may have been a while. Most men, a good number of women and most leaders (regardless of gender) are often less than gentle. There is a honor and dignity for being hard, harsh and forceful. There doesn't seem to be a lot of respect for being gentle. Unfortunately, the church has taken a cue from the world on this one, and gentleness goes out the window. There are some overwhelming problems with this tendency. First, I think it's forgotten that gentleness is a fruit of the Spirit. That means when we are not … [Read more...] about Are You A Teddy Bear?
When You’re Tempted to Tempt Temptation
I find myself in an odd situation at this point in life: looking for a suitable job. Three years out of “early retirement” from AT&T, with two books behind me and The Guest House established, I am in an odd position that seems best described as between doors. So many have closed behind me to make me realize I was in so many places at one time that it may not have been very clear to anyone who knew me exactly where . . . or even who . . . I was. Suddenly, it seems, doors are scarce. And, I like work. Not just because I want to continue to eat or be able to read with a working … [Read more...] about When You’re Tempted to Tempt Temptation
Even God Walks Away
Jared Moore has written previously on this site of the need for moral self-control. If I understand him correctly, he rails against (for example) those who would blame women and their attire for causing men to think lusty thoughts. Mr. Moore argues that personal purity means controlling our actions, urges, thoughts, and desires regardless of the images we see or opportunities we have. I think he is absolutely correct. Personal purity is not saying, "Hey, I'm working hard over here to be good, so could you take your clothes or your movies or your books and go elsewhere? I really don't … [Read more...] about Even God Walks Away
Did Skip Bayless get Censored for Talking about Tebow’s Faith?
Saw this over at Denny Burk's site, then followed it to Youtube. Would ESPN intentionally cut away from a Tebow-related discussion because it got too "religious?" I'm guessing this is just a glitch, but it is a very suspiciously-timed one! … [Read more...] about Did Skip Bayless get Censored for Talking about Tebow’s Faith?
The Tie That Binds? The Sea-Change in Southern Baptist Culture
I have been a regular attender at a Southern Baptist church since nine months before I was born. I've been a member of 10 different Southern Baptist churches over the last nearly five decades - and what a turbulent 50 years they have been. I was saved and baptized in February of 1964 at Immanuel Baptist Church in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. It was a different denominational world that I was baptized into than the one I serve in today. I heard the frustration in my dad's voice a few years ago as he talked about his church search in the new community into which he and mom had moved. "I can't find a … [Read more...] about The Tie That Binds? The Sea-Change in Southern Baptist Culture
Your logical result is a bean field
If you leave my house and head north on the only highway that runs north out of town (the other way out of town? West) you would take Arkansas Highway 130. Almost any place you intend to go from here, that is the road you want to be on. The first direction you will get is "Go north on 130." However, after a certain length of time, if you continue to follow that first direction, you will drive through a caution sign and plant yourself into the middle of a bean field. If your vehicle is fortunate enough to survive leaving the pavement and making the two-and-a-half foot drop into the field, … [Read more...] about Your logical result is a bean field
He’s Not Listening, I Don’t Think…
In the first chapter of Deuteronomy, we can read Moses’ account of certain aspects of Israelite history. Specifically, he addresses the situation in which the people were too afraid to enter the land due to the reports of the spies. In short… Spies went. Spies returned. Spies disagreed on report. The people despaired. God sent them back to the wilderness. The people recanted. The people entered the land. The Amorites rocked. People died. And in verse 45 Moses laid it out: “You came back, sobbing like schoolgirls, licking your wounds, but the Lord totally ignored you and let you … [Read more...] about He’s Not Listening, I Don’t Think…