Pastor’s Thoughts

It takes a guy like Moses to tell people who are standing in the middle of a desert with no food stores, no national economy, and not much of a standing army that their proposed invasion of the Promised Land wouldn’t be too hard.

Here. You read it.

Pretty good stuff, no?

Well, some would not agree. In fact, there are a few who would point out that Moses was oversimplifying it. But I disagree. Moses is careful to point out that there would be challenges.

But none would be too hard. “This isn’t beyond you,” he says. “You won’t need a sailor to go get it across an ocean.”

There are dozens of moments in each of our lives in which we have decided that a goal or task is beyond us. And we give up; often before we even make the attempt. G.K. Chesterton said, “The Christian ideal has not been tried and found difficult. It has been found difficult and left untried.”

And so, masses decide not to read their Bibles. People stay away from Sunday school because they don’t understand. And the mission fields are ripe, but untended because there are thousands who have decided that they couldn’t possibly accomplish such a task.

Yes, there are some things that a person can’t do. There are some things that one person can do that no other person in the world could accomplish.

But that’s not the point here.

The point is, Moses spoke to the people of God and told them that they could accomplish the tasks that their God had set before them.

So don’t pray the impossible prayer. Don’t seek the impossible task. Look for God’s task, and don’t be intimiddated by the size of it. Don’t back down because of the scope of it. Why?

Because it won’t be too hard. Not with God’s help.

A father and son went camping (tell me when you get this memorized). The son was tasked with clearing the campsite of sticks, brush and stones. He had accomplished this task for the most part, except for a large stone in the center of the site that would not budge. He pushed. He pulled. He pried. He kicked. He yelled.

Nothing. It was too heavy; the task was too hard.

The father asked the son, “Have you tried everything?”

“I did,” came the reply.

“No, son,” he said. “You didn’t use all the tools at your disposal, because you haven’t asked me for help yet.”

Together they moved it.

There is no task to hard. Your Father in Heaven loves you too much to give you a task that is too large to accomplish–particularly if you ask for His help.

So take up your discipleship. Find your challenge. Read your Bible.

It is not too hard.

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Since right after Christmas, we’ve been dealing with questions. For four Sundays, I endeavored to answer your questions in a series of sermons that approached some difficult thinking. My apologies for rephrasing some of the questions, but I think we got some things nailed down.After that challenging series, I put together my answers to Maxie Dunnam’s Lenten Questions series. You may have read a few of those answers here in this blog. If you haven’t, I recommend them highly–but, then again, I’m a little biased.

So now that’s done. And I’m glad to get back into the Lectionary. The Revised Common Lectionary is defined as “a book or listing that contains a collection of scripture readings appointed for Christian or Judaic worship on a given day or occasion.” What it really does is keep me from preaching from my favorite books of the Bible, which include John, Acts, and Ezekiel depending on the mood that strikes me. In all actuality, the Lectionary provides a guide across the landscape of the Christian year.

With Lent and Easter behind us, we are living in the season of Easter, or Eastertide, so the Lectionary points us to the passages which point to the response of the Church to the Resurrection of Jesus. Its a great time to reflect on what the Disciples did when Jesus more or less began the process of kicking them out of the nest. Most, if not all of the disciples had grown quite accustomed to having Jesus lead them. I daresay that quite a few of them had grown comfortable in their role of wandering around behind Jesus, watching the crowd and listening to the Master do the teaching.

Imagine the roller coaster they were on. One day they were all in the zone, following Jesus and listening. Then, suddenly, he is arrested, tried, convicted, and killed. Less than two days later, they find that he isn’t dead anymore.

If I were a Disciple, I’d be a little relieved. The Boss is back, and we can go back to business as usual.  He’ll resume the mantle of teacher and leader, and I can go back to showing up and helping with the crowds.

That plan makes perfect sense–except for the fact that after the Resurrection nothing would ever be the same again. These days after Easter were something of a wake up call. They had to adjust to making decisions on their own. More importantly, they had to make the transition from follower to leader; from interested observer to dedicated doer.

And now, like these Disciples, we find ourselves looking up into the sky anticipating the Ascension–or in our case, the Second Coming. Maybe we need to realize that there is a pretty good chance that we’ll be expected to get by on our own for a while before the Master returns. Don’t forget, Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would accompany us on this journey. But we’d have to meet the Spirit and accept his guidance. 

That means that this just-after-Easter season is a good time for disciples of every age to take a good look at the road ahead and behind.

Where are you in your journey? Are you ready to strike out on your own, Disciple? The Spirit beckons each of us to strike out on our errand of ministry, our journey of faith.

I urge you to prepare yourself to make the transition from dependent disciple to dependable friend

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I had a professor in Seminary who came in and sat with the class as we were settling in the first day. He was a grad student assigned to teach a class on the culture of Christianity, so he looked like the rest of us—and he didn’t sit at the desk where we thought the professor would start out. Suffice it to say, we all said some pretty embarrassing things. We were looking for a professor. But we didn’t know who we were looking for.

The same holds true for disciples seeking Jesus, both then and now.

The passage today reveals the search for Jesus on the first Easter morning. Mary Magdalene, a devoted follower of Jesus was the apostle to the apostles. She was probably not Mary of Bethany, or the prostitute later traditions claim she was. The Da Vinci Code identifies her as the mother of Jesus’s child. I recommend sturdier stuff for your theological reading than a fictional account based on traditions that come 1300 years after the fact.

We also find Peter in what he thought would be his last search for Christ. He began his search when his brother described the teaching of a brilliant young rabbi. Andrew told his brother to “come and see.” Peter, quite often, didn’t understand what he saw, but he didn’t give up.

The last seeker in this passage is believed to be John, who is referred to with reverence by the disciples who recorded his account. John looked and saw and believed.

Each of these disciples came with some expectations. Each was surprised by what was to be found at the tomb. Each was surprised to discover that the promises of Jesus had been fulfilled. But it took time.

At the tomb, Mary Magdalene was looking for the dead body of her teacher. And didn’t find what she sought. In Luke’s version of this passage, angelic messengers ask why she seeks the Living One in a cemetery.

Peter was looking for … heck, we don’t know what Simon Peter was looking for—but he was looking. All he found were grave linens and folded cloths.

John was looking for his dead teacher, his deceased friend, and found the greatest lesson of his life.

Later, both Peter and Mary Magdalene would join John in finding something more significant than that which they sought. In fact, Mary would remain outside the tomb while the others went home. She would encounter the risen Christ, and she would become the apostle to the apostles: the one who was sent to the ones who would be sent.

Finding Jesus was never a simple proposition. Scripture is filled with disciples bearing wrong-headed notions of who Jesus was supposed to be.

The gathered crowds of Passover welcomed Jesus as a King, for that was what they sought. A king would return their national identity and sense of worth.

The priests and scribes could only see an upstart and arrogant teacher out to demolish traditions and upset their status quo. They never listened long enough to hear the truth.

The Sanhedrin sought him as a treasonous criminal, and saw only a traitor to Caesar and a threat to their power. The majority of them weren’t interested in truth, only the exercise of power.

It’s interesting how each group expected Jesus to be who they wanted him to be. None but those who dropped their masks and entered into the presence of Christ were able to finally see Jesus for who he really was.

Even Judas missed his guess. Judas, the betrayer of Christ, was a zealot who sought a divinely-powered messiah to overthrow the Roman occupation. Before the crucifixion, all Judas could see was a secret weapon, a trump card who would defeat the Roman legions as soon as his divine person had been sullied by an arrest. After the crucifixion, all Judas could see was his beloved teacher and friend, betrayed to ruthless men who murdered him.

Judas was filled with remorse and could see no other way to atone for his sin but to take his life. He saw no hope, only despair. Before the Cross, he thought he was doing the right thing. Afterwards, he thought he had done the worst thing. He was wrong both times.

If only Judas had waited twenty-four hours. That twenty-four hours would have changed everything. Had he waited, he would have learned that the tomb was empty. Had he waited he would have learned that Jesus was appearing to the disciples. Had he waited, he could have fallen at Jesus feet and asked for mercy, and received it. Can you imagine Jesus holding Judas in his arms and saying, “I understand Judas; and what you intended for evil, God used for good. I forgive you Judas, now go and feed my sheep.” Can you imagine the impact Judas would have had for Christ and the kingdom of God; had he just waited for twenty-four hours?

Jesus knew that so many of his disciples would have to take a second, or third, or fourth look in order to see who he was. Some look again and again and again. It takes time. There is much to see.

Now: For whom do you seek?

If you are looking for a wise teacher, you’ll find him. The teachings of Jesus call for radical life change. Many find Jesus to be a radical nut when first perusing his sayings. “Sell all you own and give the money to the poor.” That’s crazy.

But take a second look, and you’ll see that Jesus was showing us that there is more to life than money. He was so much more than just a wise Jewish teacher. But even the wisest teachings of Jesus were practically opaque until the Cross. Jesus had to show us the full meaning of sacrifice before his teachings became clear.

Do you seek a risen Savior? You’ll find Him. On the cross, Jesus ended the reign of sin. At the resurrection, Jesus defeated death once and for all. But if you simply cling to the promise of eternal life and delay your entry into the kingdom of heaven, you’ll miss the chance to make a difference through the life-changing teachings of Christ.

Today’s passage ends with the telling statement, “No one yet knew from the Scripture that he had to rise from the dead. The disciples then went back home.” Mary didn’t understand, not until the Risen Christ called her by name. Peter, the successor to Christ as the leader of the Church didn’t understand. John believed, but didn’t yet know what to do with his beliefs.

Once you’ve found Jesus, you must seek to find the entire meaning of Christ. Just as his teaching was meaningless without the Cross, the full meaning of Christ himself is can only be revealed by the coming of the Holy Spirit, promised by Christ on the day of Ascension. The Holy Spirit, the Comforter.

If you came here not knowing for whom you were seeking, take comfort in the fact that none of the Disciples fully realized Jesus’ identity until it was revealed to them. But still, they gave it their best shot.

Seek him while you have the chance. But seek carefully. Be careful that  you don’t inflict your expectations upon Christ. And be prepared for Christ to offer his expectations of you.

Like so many questions in life, only you can answer this one. “For whom do you seek?” I pray that the answer is Christ, and I pray that you find what you need most.

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Last week’s sermon in the Lenten sermon series was based on the chance Jesus offered to the disciples to opt out of the radical life-change that he was advocating. This challenge included the Apostles, and it includes us.

Based on the context, Jesus was pointing to the wide open approach to inviting people to the kingdom. Jesus knew that some folks wouldn’t be able to go along with what he was advocating. Then, as now, we most often obtain our sense of self-worth by comparing ourselves to others.

The Church has the task of offering salvation to everyone. That’s a lot of folks. We don’t get to refuse the invitation to anyone. There are quite a few folks we might imagine don’t deserve the offer. The list usually starts with Adolf Hitler, Saddam Hussein, or Osama Bin Ladin.

The point of last week’s sermon was simple. If you have a problem with offering grace and salvation to someone, Jesus left you an opening. You can opt out. If you intend to keep the doors closed to certain members of society, then you can opt out. If you see some cultures or races or lifestyles as unworthy of Christ’s love, then you can opt out. If you see the sins of a person’s past and somehow decide that they aren’t salvagable, then you can opt out.\

Of course, some people opt out as soon as you offer them grace. For example, I highly doubt that Saddam Hussein would ever have been willing to accept God’s grace, but that would not allow me to withhold the offer of God’s grace from him.

Jesus says again and again that we are forgiven and we don’t deserve it. He also pointed out that we are unworthy of that forgiveness if we refuse to give that same grace to others (forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us).

If you are thinking, “When did Christianity become so difficult?” you aren’t alone. I’ve had several folks tell me that this isn’t what they signed up for. I’ve apologized for the omission in their teaching, and offered them my help to come to grips with this new level of challenge.

What I won’t do is tell them that they don’t have to come to grips with this open door policy.

Next Sunday, the bar is raised again. Technically, my friends, the bar has always been this high. We just don’t spend a lot of time talking about the real challenges of Christian living.

Christians are asked to open our lives to others. We’re also asked to lay down those same lives for others–and that includes those who fall into those categories of “less than” that I mentioned earlier.

I’ll give you a hint as to the core of the teaching in Sunday’s sermon: C.S. Lewis has much to say on this issue of self-sacrifice.

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A young man in my congregation, David Fricke, hopes to teach young Ugandan children the skill of photography. David hopes that the photos that they take can be used as both a source of income and a way to communicate to the world the plight of their region. Through this mission, David and I feel that he can create a lasting impact for this small village and the orphanage on which he is focusing. Teaching them a trade will allow the children to pursue their own careers while connecting their village to the broader world.

David’s passions for teaching, cultural immersion, and photography combine in this effort to the point that he will be taking a semester off in his collegiate studies to make this dream a reality. David has mapped out his effort, including a budget for his own room and board.

Here’s the latest information from David’s mission trip from David’s mom, Judy.

David has had an interesting week, some great things, some not so great. He contracted Malaria and was sick the first part of the week, but if they know how to treat anything in Uganda, it’s Malaria. It was a mild case and they caught it early and with various meds. he was right as rain a few days later. And yes, he was taking his Malaria pills and has had all his shots etc. The disease just always tries to outsmart the latest drugs.

He spent the last part of the week building a darkroom at the school and has been in Kampala getting what supplies he can find this weekend. He is most excited about having been able to extract from his budget enough money to purchase a red 125 cc motorbike for the school!

They had rented a bike to use to go from the village to the town to pick up supplies as well as David for these next few months and the rental was costing as much as buying a new one would. So he is very pleased that he could purchase it, use it while he is there and then leave it for the school when he goes.

He has met some phenomenal people and loves the country! He’s happy and working hard! All in all, life seems good for him there!  Thanks to all who have helped support this adventure.

Love, Judy

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Are you a teacher? This question applies to us as it did to the great teacher of the Jewish law, Nicodemus. Nicodemus was so busy teaching the concept, he was failing to live it. 

So how do we become better teachers? The most recent sermon in the Lenten Sermon Series addresses this question. The answer comes directly from personal experience.

As a pastor, a theologian, and a teacher, I’ve struggled to get the doctrine “right” for several years now. I still find myself stuck using words that only have meaning in theological contexts, maybe cloistered behind seminary walls, or socked away behind the Sunday School room door.

But on my best days, I find myself speaking to folks about what the teachings of Jesus have done for me. Personal experience, offering that same kind of experience to others. Here’s what Jesus said:

Listen carefully. I’m speaking sober truth to you. I speak only of what I know by experience; I give witness only to what I have seen with my own eyes. There is nothing secondhand here, no hearsay.

I don’t have to convince anyone of the cosmic truth of Jesus Christ, not at the beginning of the journey. At the beginning of the Christan faith journey, I just need to share the real life answers to the real life questions that I’ve stumbled upon.

In simplest terms, Jesus recognized that the Temple’s teachings and required offerings were more oppressive than liberating. The question in the lives of everyone who wasn’t a Pharisee was, “What can I do to be freed from this system of sin and atonement?” Jesus gave specific examples of forgiveness by living the life of forgiveness, demonstrating the love of God and offering grace to everyone he met, regardless of their social status.

He still demanded repentance, but it was a possible repentance, not a carrot on a string that required more and more sacrificial offerings.

Oddly enough, he required a total sacrifice rather than the sacrifice of animals and grain.

To Nicodemus, the most confusing part was being born again. To most of us, the confusing part lies in dying to ourselves so that we can be born anew in Christ’s image. Nicodemus understood personal sacrifice. He didn’t understand the concept of completely starting over. As a society, we understand starting over. We just don’t understand how to live differently after that point, so we start over and over and over… We don’t want to give up who we are. We don’t want to die to ourselves. We just want to start over and keep doing things the way we always have.

Expecting a different result from repeating the same mistakes, that’s the definition of insanity.  

So how does this grace get to us?

The basic idea of what Jesus was saying is simple: Forgiveness and grace are at the heart of God’s plan for us. But its not for the Temple to dole out. It is for each of us to live and share, and most importantly, exemplify. The reason for this is found in the words of Jesus I quoted earlier. Jesus is basically saying, “This truth is undeniable because it is not only possible, but it is being lived out in your presence in the person of Christ.”

Today, the person of Christ is seen most clearly by observing the Body of Christ, the Church.

The key is for us to make sure that Christ is visible within the Body.

Are you a teacher? Trick question. Of course you are. You teach the message of Christ every day.

Sometimes, you might even use words to do so.

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Yesterday, I preached a sermon that asked and partially answered a question of faith. “What are you looking for?”

Part of the answer acknowledged the searching questions that occupy our own hearts and affirmed the validity of that search. There’s nothing wrong with seeking out authentic wholeness. St. Augustine’s God-Shaped Hole comes in a variety of flavors, so different people are looking for different things. I happen to believe that all of those answers are found in relationship to God.

 But the thrust of the sermon was aimed at the many men and women at Piperton UMC who have already found the initial answers to their initial questions. Most of them have discovered that there are still holes in their lives–smaller than the originals, to be sure. But holes nonetheless.

I tried to point out that those holes are God-Shaped, too. And only God can fill them. But the process is a little different for this stage of discipleship. Once you’ve found Christ by finding the Body of Christ (the Church), the time has come to seek out Christ in the world.

So the question, “What are you looking for?” has two general answers. Both of them are “Jesus Christ.” One is the Body of Christ, and the other is the Christ of Matthew 25. “I was hungry and you fed me. I was thirsty and you gave me drink. I was naked and you clothed me; sick and imprisoned and you visited me.” When we do these things to the least likely persons in this world, we are reaching out to find Christ again.

Now, this isn’t earth shattering. Pastors have been preaching this for years–decades and centuries, even.

What was moving for me was the fact that that acolytes didn’t make it back out for the end of the service. Now, if you know me at all, you know that the symbols of the Church MUST become real for the folks I’m serving. So when the light of Christ couldn’t be symbolically carried out into the world, I asked a very simple question.

“Who will take the light of Christ into the world? Who will go out from the Body of Christ to find Christ in the world?”

Of course, the question was taken rhetorically, but I quickly corrected that situation. “Seriously, folks. Who will step forward and carry the light out?” After some punching and urging in several of the pews, an enthusiastic woman in our congregation came forward to settle the issue.

“Not so fast,” I said. “We don’t send just one out to take the Light into the world. Who will go with her?”

Before much more time had passed, half of the congregation (including every member of the choir present yesterday) was gathered in the very small altar space behind my brave volunteer.

We processed out, ate our monthly potluck meal together, then had one of the most productive Church Council meetings I’ve ever seen in my life.

I got the answer to my question. Come get yours.

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For three weeks, we’ve been answering questions together. We took on “What’s the Deal with Hell?” and we took a swing at “How Do I Know I’m Saved?” We’ve even asked and answered, “What’s the Deal with Angels?”

Good job on the questions, by the way. But I’ve saved the hardest and most often asked question for last. The last sermon in this series is: Why do bad things happen to good people?

I thought I’d share with you the vast depth of my knowledge and answer this, in part, here in my blog. Ready? Here goes.

I don’t know.

Wow, that didn’t take long. But lets not quibble or digress just because I can’t point to a page in a book to give you a quick and easy answer to a question that is anything but quick or easy.

You might start with “what do you mean by a good person?” We all have a little evil touching our lives sooner or later.

But the real question is more about the nature of God than anything else. Why does God allow such things to happen? Some misguided folks have asked why God makes things like this happen. That one, I can answer. God very rarely puts negatives in our lives, but when God does, there’s a reason for it, even if we don’t like it or don’t understand it. Saul was harrassed by a spirit of evil which the Bible says was sent by God. James says that God sometimes tests us, but more often, the test is a result of our own decisions. Kind of like the kitten who is tested on his ability to escape after sticking his cute little head inside the plastic cup…

The Possibility of Evil
One of the things that was hammered into my head in seminary (speaking of moral and ethical testing), is the irrefutable law of the possibility of evil.

Say what? I said, “the possibility of evil.” If you get pounded with the divine two-by-four every time you steal something, your free will becomes quickly limited. And free will is even more indisputable than the notion of the possibility of evil. The possibility of evil also carries along with it the distinct possibility of good. We have the ability within us. The same human experience that produces an Osama Bin Laden is also capable of producing a Martin Luther King, Jr or a Mother Theresa, or even you.

God expects us to make good decisions. He doesn’t make that happen. And you’re not going to get the constant attention that would produce guaranteed results. That’s part of it as well.

The Bigger Picture
Here’s a story that sticks with me. Maybe it will help you as well.

Two traveling angels stopped to spend the night in the home of a wealthy family. The family was rude and refused to let the angels stay in the mansion’s guestroom. Instead the angels were given a small space in the cold basement. As they made their bed on the hard floor, the older angel saw a hole in the wall and repaired it. When the younger angel asked why, the older angel replied,

“Things aren’t always what they seem.”

The next night the pair came to rest at the house of a very poor, but very hospitable farmer and his wife. After sharing what little food they had the couple let the angels sleep in their bed where they could have a good night’s rest. When the sun came up the next morning the angels found the farmer and his wife in tears. Their only cow, whose milk had been their sole income, lay dead in the field. The younger angel was infuriated and asked the older angel how could you have let this happen? The first man had everything, yet you helped him, he accused. The second family had little but was willing to share everything, and you let the cow die.

“Things aren’t always what they seem,” the older angel replied.

“When we stayed in the basement of the mansion, I noticed there was gold stored in that hole in the wall. Since the owner was so obsessed with greed and unwilling to share his good fortune, I sealed the wall so he wouldn’t find it.”

“Then last night as we slept in the farmers bed, the angel of death came for his wife. I gave him the cow instead. Things aren’t always what they seem.”

Sometimes that is exactly what happens when things don’t turn out the way we think they should. If you have faith, you just need to trust that every outcome is always to your advantage. You might not know it until some time later…

Things aren’t always what they seem.

Now, does this mean that angels control these little outcomes? No, but it does point to the fact that there are sometimes greater ends than the ones to which we point when things are bad. In the words of that great theologian, Garth Brooks, “Some of God’s greatest gifts are unanswered prayers.”

The Problem of Togetherness
One of the worst parts of all this is the difficulty of random violence caused by living in the proximity of those who make horrible decisions. In the story of Abraham and Lot and the cities of Sodom and Gommorrah, we see the most obvious results of what happens when you live in a lousy community. No, its not a commercial for living in the right neighborhood. For once, this story about real estate isn’t about “location, location, location.”

Abraham bargained for the good people living among all that evil.

Genesis 18:32
32 Then he said, “May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak just once more. What if only ten can be found there?”

He answered, “For the sake of ten, I will not destroy it.”

Of course, there weren’t 10. So why didn’t Abraham press harder for the sake of those who were just, even if it were only a handful? I’ve been asking myself that for years. It was in looking for answers to this question of theodicy that this answer comes to light.

I finally figured out why Abraham wasn’t hold enough to press below ten people in his bargaining. Instead, the tale shows us that Abraham understood community, and the fact that when the number of good people falls below a certain number, there’s not much hope for the greater community. Abraham seems to understand that there is hope for a community, no matter how bad, if there is a core of good men and women willing to work for change. But if that core is too small, even Abraham doesn’t see much hope for the community once God has singled it out for destruction. Perhaps the individuals left didn’t merit rescue?

Merit. Let’s talk about merit…

Who Deserves to Be Spared?
This is where it gets dangerous. Abraham was pleading for the community. He did not plead for the individuals, even though the community is no more than the individuals of which it is comprised. Or is it more than that?

In any case, we find ourselves in a tough situation when we place ourselves on the witness stand, on trial for our lives or even just for our happiness. Do I deserve this tough life? What did I do to deserve such harsh circumstances?

The traditional reply of those who think and study God’s laws and morality is hard. “What have you done to merit a divine rescue?” Ouch. Me? Not much. I’ve tried to be faithful, but that’s hardly worth a “get out of jail free” card.

When my kids behave, they aren’t rewarded. When they perform above and beyond the call of responsible duty, they might get an extra cookie. Neither of them has the kind of accolades that come up to the level we’re talking about here.

Come to think of it, I don’t know many who have. But maybe you qualify. But to what extent? Even if any of us can convincingly answer that question, how many times can we expect such a sparing?

So Who’s to Blame for These Injustices?
Ah. Here’s the crux. Here’s where we get to pin this one on somebody. You might even be thinking that we’ll point all this back at God and let the chips fall where they may.

Maybe. Maybe not.

I’ll post the answer to this question after the sermon Sunday. Show up and lets chat about the answer. If you can’t be with us, watch this space in the coming days. I’ll try to get something up before long.

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The Christian Post has a great article by Nelson Searcy of The Journey Church (New York City, NY) on how to deal with five common church growth barriers. Here is a list of the five barriers with a quick summary of Searcy’s thoughts on each. My comments are added in bold italics…

Space
When a room reaches 70% of its seating capacity, it’s full. Most churches face growth barriers when attendance reaches 65, 125, 250, 500, and 1,000. It is better to grow to 300 or 400 before starting a second service. We’re at 70% on good Sundays, and over it on great Sundays. We’re over the 65 mark, and we’re still growing. We’ll talk more about that second service…

Self-Development
If the church leaders have stopped maturing spiritually and progressing personally, the congregation is not far behind. Warning signs include stale sermons, the congregation’s passion waning, and the halt of staff and church growth. If the sermons are stale, someone needs to speak up. Passion is a tricky thing. Our growth continues, even if we aren’t adding staff positions constantly.

Sharing
Churches stop growing when they become inwardly (instead of outwardly) focused. Healthy churches should have a 5:100 ratio of first-time guests. We are skirting the danger zone of being inwardly focused. That’s something we’ll be working on for the foreseeable future. Our visitor ratio is above average.

Weekly Worship Service
To keep your service strong, always try to look like a church twice your size. Just one question: If the church that is twice our size is acting like a church twice ITS size, does that mean I should try to act like a pastor of a church that is FOUR times our size?

Staff
Hiring staff is a faith issue. So is the rest of the job. The point remains, however, that we should hire staff BEFORE there is a need, and that has to be done on faith.

For more on each area, read the full article from The Christian Post.

Filed by Joey at 5:34 pm under Church Leadership,Piperton UMC
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Piperton UMC is my new church home. I was appointed here in June. The past few months have been the usual exercises in unpacking boxes, replacing lost or broken items from the move, and getting to know my new church family.

One of the reasons I was sent here is because of the demographic explosion that Piperton, TN is facing. We have a ripe opportunity to reach a large segment of the population of Fayette county over the next few years as the western edge of the county experiences growth of over 50% in the next two years.

Rather than just diving in, I’ve taken a few months to press and prod the folks at Piperton UMC. I have found that they are not the usual mix of church folks. Many small churches have an overwhelming majority of people who don’t want anything to change. The vast majority of folks at Piperton are ready to find new ways to do the old things.

The key for success, in my opinion, is to nail down those old things in terms that are clear and unmistakeable. In traditional terms, most small churches want “revival” and long for the days when people would rush the altar at the end of a service. Truth be told, most would admit that the crowded chancel rail was never all that crowded.

In more contemporary terms, we will be aiming for authentic evangelism. Put simply, we’re going to be making friends with folks, then introducing our new friends to the “friend we have in Jesus.” Since a physical introduction to the historical Jesus is impractical, we’ll be doing that by studying his teachings and sharing stories of his impact on our lives.

That’s not so new, is it?

Foundational to our efforts are the strategies that have been outlined in several other churches, including the early Christians in the Acts account.

• Meaningful Worship
• Authentic Evangelism
• Challenging Service
• Accountable Discipleship
• Christian Fellowship

Part of what I’ll be journaling about will be our successes and failures in these areas. If we do these well, I’m convinced that we’ll meet need, make disciples, and increase the Kingdom. If we fail to implement these strategies, then there won’t be much to write about.

Filed by Joey at 11:37 am under Church Leadership,Piperton UMC
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