Monday, July 23, 2007

Jesus Plus

Jesus is a man who transcends culture, history, race or social status. As I wrote in another blog, He never fits any of our labels. And yet my heart breaks when we box him up into something which we can define and manage with our puny minds.

We have a carnal tendency to make ourselves comfortable with Jesus, whereas He said, “blessed are those who are not offended at me.” Matthew 11:6 We want a microwaveable Jesus straight out of the freezer ready to do our bidding and fitting into the categories that we pre-defined that He should fit into.

What if Jesus said to you today that He simply wanted you to sit on a beach instead of some duty which you had already planned? Or what if He asked to help move somebody during your Sunday service time?

What are those things that we elevate to equality with Jesus? The list is likely endless but here’s a smattering to begin with.

Jesus + doctrine

Jesus + pastor

Jesus + church attendance

Jesus + social activism

Jesus + missions

Jesus + tithing

Jesus + duty

Jesus + conformity

Jesus + Sunday

Jesus + prayer meetings

Jesus + bible studies

Jesus + worship services

Jesus + healing

Jesus + sermons

Jesus + …

Tuesday, July 17, 2007

Everybody Knows

You can't be all things to all people.
You can't do all things at once.
You can't do all things equally well.
You can't do all things better than everyone else.
Your humanity is showing just like everyone else's.

So...

You have to find out who you are, and be that.
You have to decide what comes first and do that.
You have to discover your strengths, and use them.
You have to learn not to compete with others,
Because no one else is in the contest of "being you".

Then...

You will have learned to accept your own uniqueness.
You will have learned to set priorities and make decisions.
You will have learned to live with your limitations.
You will have learned to give yourself the respect that is due,
And you'll be a being that's vitally alive.

Dare To Believe...

That you are a wonderful unique person.
That you are a once-in-all-history event.
That it's more than a right, it's your duty, to be who you are.
That life is not a problem to solve, but a gift to cherish,
And you'll be able to stay one up on what used to get you down.

Author Unknown

Friday, July 13, 2007

Numbers

I heard an interesting story of a church that was practically resurrected from almost total annihilation. It had risen to a size of more than 3,000 before what is known as the “fall” took place. That is, the pastor of the church had run off with his secretary.

This villainous pastor had likely preached wonderful messages of love and forgiveness. Surely he was well endowed with just the right mixture of charisma and organizational genius. Likely before the “fall” he was being asked from far and wide to tell an eager throng how he had risen above the ordinary. I’m sure his CD’s and podcasts were well known. Likely a television program was about to air because of his charismatic personality. How could he give up all that power and adoration and money for some lowly secretary?

The people were shocked. Their king, I mean pastor, was not satisfied with the praises of his people any longer. Had they not given him their rapt attention and time and money and love? They felt abandoned and justly went elsewhere seeking another pastor to guide them in their spiritual journey. After all, they had been well taught by this pastor how much they needed a pastor to serve and adore.

Did I say a resurrection had occurred? After the “fall”, the church had dwindled to a paltry 300 when the next man of vision managed to step on to the stage. Some were not sure of this young upstart but he quickly won them over with his charisma, passion and in his own words, control. (I’m sure the villainous pastor that had preceded him had those same qualities as well.)

Happily today, the new guy is traveling far and wide letting others know how God redeemed his church (he was one of the paltry 300 hangers on) from the brink of destruction and today it stands as a shining symbol of 3,000+ who truly know how to follow such a wonderful pastor.

Why is it that we fail to comprehend the lessons of Samson, Saul, David, Solomon and the never ending list of kings who self-destructed in the Old Testament? Power and numbers were never meant to be handled by mere men with feet of clay. Has anyone ever heard of Gideon?

Church history informs us that at the end of the first century there were about 25,000 Christians. At the close of the third century there were some 20 million. This was done without buildings or professional clergy as we know them today.

Under Constantine’s rule (323 AD), Christianity was legalized, the first church buildings were erected and professional clergy became the elite religious rulers of the day. What couldn’t be stopped by the edge of the sword was almost destroyed through beautiful buildings and professional clergy. By 380 AD it was once again declared illegal for house churches to exist. Their small numbers were apparently a threat to the large, centralized, corporate structures. Nothing new for the early church. But it was the first time in church history that persecution was being perpetrated by the hands of those who met in beautiful buildings, administrated by paid clergy declaring themselves to be the true representatives of Christ on Earth.

I hope this young pastor whom this story is about is able to fight off the destructive process of the praises of God's people combined with the tantalizing elixir of ever increasing numbers. I fear for him as praise and numbers tendeth to corrupt or in the case of pastors, simply cause them not to care about who comes and who goes as long as the numbers keep increasing.

But why fear? There will always be the next guy waiting in the wings willing to serve this idol called numbers.

Thursday, July 5, 2007

Take the Tithe Test

This test was created by Roger Sapp. It is quite a fresh approach to the touchy issue of tithing.

True or False? 1. The Lord Jesus Christ would have tithed.

This one is false. The Lord Jesus Christ was a carpenter by profession and then after He became 30 years old He was a preacher and teacher. Neither of these professions was required by the Law of Moses to tithe anything.

Have fun with the other 9 questions plus the bonus question at Roger Sapp's website All Nations Ministries and Publications.

For even more fun have your pastor take the test as well.

Wednesday, July 4, 2007

Context, Context, Context

The golden rule of Bible interpretation is context, context, context. How often have I taught that one principle and yet I find myself being found guilty of failing to apply this vital principle. It seems that hardly a day goes by where one more pillar that I had taught or practiced in the past is being toppled over by this, the simplest of principles.

I know why it happened. I had listened to and agreed with sermons without critically analyzing the presuppositions of the presenter. I wanted the snake oil that was being sold that day. And sadly, I didn’t understand the greatest story ever told.

Evangelicals are notorious for using Biblical texts as a pretext for their own divisive or self-serving interpretations. And meanwhile the real beauty of the Bible is left collecting dust in the cobwebs of our mind or even worse paraded as a self-serving book that is merely there to scare and condemn others.

Here’s a case in point that I have heard preached passionately for years with myself adding to the deafening crescendo.

Luke 6:38 (NIV) Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."

This verse is often used to pry the last penny out of greedy hands during some emotionally charged religious service. The preacher waxes eloquent to the point where the faithful are crying out to give more and more. Always with the caveat of receiving more and more for themselves, as well. It appeals to our fleshly appetites and works majestically to fill the coffers of whatever is being bank rolled that day.

But here’s the rub. What about the context? Luke 6:29-38

Luke 6:35 (NIV) But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.

Give to my enemies? Lend without expectation of return? To my enemies? That doesn’t appeal to my natural inclinations or soothe my judgemental spirit. My religious ghetto will not be served well if I give to my enemies instead of maintaining the status quo.

I have never seen a church budget yet with an expenditure line of "Money for Enemies".

What has that verse got to do with the preacher prying my last penny from my grubby little hand and using my own greed to capture me for his grand enterprise?

Nothing.

Sunday, July 1, 2007

Merchandising the Anointing

This letter was in response and agreement to an article by Terry Somerville, called Merchandising the Anointing.

Dear Terry,

Great article on merchandising the annointing. I think it was for that reason that Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone. Mark 7:36.

I have seen the most faithful subject themselves to telling everyone about the big and small miracles of God in order to "encourage" others. But in reality some use these stories as endorsements for their own ministry.

Even further, this practice of merchandising has gone on throughout church history: one of the key objections that was at the beginnings of the reformation was the idea of indulgences. Nothing has really changed today as a pastor, a building and a program has to get paid for somehow. Not quite how Paul taught the elders from Ephesus. Acts 20:34 (NIV) You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions. 35 In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: `It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"

It's sad that the church has put a stranglehold on the idea of paid ministers because of their interpretation of the meaning of double honor and yet completely ignore the above passage.

Here's the mindset in the modern day church planting movement. I'm going to plant a church and after I work hard enough to gather in 50 people around my personality, I will be able to get a salary by teaching them tithing. So what if it's single moms, young couples just starting out in life, the elderly on limited pensions, ... I will teach them the word and visit them for a fee, oops I mean double honor.

I've been there and done that and I don't think it is less than what I see on TV with preachers merchandising the annointing. "As a donor you will receive this beautiful boxed set of ..." The only difference is the money that is being taken from the hands of the "weak" goes to a pew or cushioned seats or a nice car for the pastor.

I find it odd that we have homes that can more than adequately, even comfortably fit the church and yet somehow the mindset is that we would rather pour money into a building that is used incredibly inefficiently and a shepherd who is more like a CEO.

You don't need to pay someone if there are only 20 people to care for. How many cell group leaders get paid and yet they do the real bulk of equiping, caring, encouraging... Meanwhile pastors running the corporation need to get paid to tell cell leaders to lead their groups. And oh my, heaven forbid, if people really learned to love one another in their homes and experience Jesus in their midst just like the early church did, they might have the audacity to wonder why they need the corporation service at all.

Merchandising the annointing: of this there is no end. And God's people love it so!