A Resurrection

I am persuaded to resurrect the blogging. I am now set up in my new office and ready to crank a few out.  Check back soon…

My confessions...

This morning in a rare moment of silence in my house, I sat down with my Bible and spent some time with God.

I didn't get any ideas for sermons or sermon series. I don't have any incredible words to share. God only led me to a place of confession. Here were the confessions I had to make.

As a prideful young youth pastor, as a new father, as a Christian husband, as an, at times, weak kneed follower. As someone who often has wrong motivations, poor attitudes, and harsh words I had to confess:

Regarding the pharisees and teachers of the law...
1. Jesus instructed the crowds to follow their teaching, but "do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. They tie up heavy loads and put them on men's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them." (Mt 23"3-4) Of this I am guilty.

2.Jesus said "Everything they do is for men to see..." (Mt 23:5) Of this I am guilty

3. Jesus said "they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues, they love to be greeted in the marketplaces and to have men call them Rabbi." (Mt 23:6) Of this I am guilty

Yesterday, my friend, John Snyder twittered this question... has given me lots to think about...
"If you were a Christian but not working in fulltime organized ministry
would you still have the same demographic of followers?"

I am so often prideful and self-centered...

Glad that I am justified by faith and not by works....

So thankful that God in his mercy continues his work of transformation in my life

Humbled that he chooses to use me

In spite of ME

3 Questions

This morning I continued my study of Matthew in ch 18.
As I read, God brought a few questions to my mind. (These reflect my nerdiness and my depravity)

1. (Matthew 18:7-9) What in my life is causing me or others to sin? I know I am going to have to tone down my provocative dress. More seriously, am I using my freedom in Christ as a license to indulge my fleshly desires? What has mastered me?

2. (Matthew 18:15-20) In instructing us on how to handle conflict, was Jesus telling us to bring our escalating conflicts to "THE CHURCH"? Or should we take a closer look at the Greek here?
- Only 2 chapters prior, upon Peter's confession that Jesus was the Messiah, Jesus said that "...on this rock I will (future tense) build my church..." Jesus had not died and his church had not yet been established... So was the church as we understand it even in existence or was Jesus referring to something totally different? Would Jesus give his followers instructions that they could not know how to follow?
- The word Jesus used here is Ekklesia (which is only used 2x in the gospels). Trenchard's lexicon gives 3 definitions: assembly, church, or congregation
- I wonder if this should not at least give us pause as some would wish to use this passage as a blueprint for "church discipline".

3. (Matthew 18:21-35) Who have I failed to forgive? In light of the enormous debt of forgiveness I owe, who am I refusing to forgive? "This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from the heart".(vs 35) Wow! Particularly chilling...


So there it is... I'd love to hear your thoughts and answers...

Stuck on the mountain

Been reading through Matthew lately..
Today I was in Matthew 17 "The Transfiguration"
I've decided that I am much like Peter because

- I believe and have confessed Christ
- I love to see him do extraordinary things that I can't understand
- Am tempted to keep my faith to myself
- Would rather bask in God's provision/protection than step off the mountain and into a world that desperately needs the Light of Christ.

God is really stirring me lately.

I am really burdened to see Him work in hurting lives and families...

Guess I've gotta step up and take light to those dark places...

But it will require some things...

A sigh of Relief....

As a minister, I see myself as a steward. A steward of the gospel, a steward of my body, a steward or my life...

Although I have been called to live in freedom, I often feel pressure and it comes from this idea that I am a STEWARD of the ministry God has given me. Lately, our services are filled with so many students who are genuinely seeking to know God, seeking to know how he relates to their lives, seeking something real. Honestly, and this may be a confession that should get me fired, I don't know how to lead them. How do I speak to so many issues at one time? How do I communicate to 7th graders and 12th graders in the same service? These are not issues of hygiene, athletics, or trivia; we are tackling spiritual and eternal issues. We don't want to miss it on this one!!!

Here are God's words to me. "So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, WHO MAKES THINGS GROW." 1 Corinthians 3:6

I'm not sure if I am a planter or a waterer or anything else, but one thing I know: Although I am a steward, I am not the Creator. Only God can make things and make things grow. I am only responsible for obedience. What Freedom.

A Troubling Question

GOSPEL

Last week God began a great work in our student ministry and I can't quantify it.
I don't have stats, have no clue how many students were in attendance and so far no one has gotten wet in a baptistery, but God is at work. But this isn't my troubling question...

I feel so compelled to share the Gospel with students tonight. I do so on a fairly regular basis, but today it is burning within me and I can hardly stand it because I EXPECT that God will continue to do great things, whether I can quantify them or not.

So the question is, do I lead students in a pursuit or a prayer? Will I take my cues from Jesus and call on students to follow Him, no strings attached, just to start following Him and to trust that He will lead them where they need to go. Or do I lead them in a prayer, being careful to articulate a doctrinally correct theology of salvation, and give them "assurance" of salvation in the process. The problem is that in Scripture it seems that following Christ is valued far above a verbal "head nod" to His teaching. Do I do my students a disservice to challenge them to start following Christ, the best way they know how, and to show back up next week to learn more? Am I failing to lead them if I don't tell them how to pray a prayer of repentance? I don't want any more "christians" who have prayed a prayer but have never really followed Christ. So what am I to do?

I am really interested to hear your thoughts on this one...

Perhaps is a word I'm just not that comfortable with

Last night was an incredible night in our student ministry. We have about 50 students commit to sharing the gospel with or inviting one friend to church to hear the gospel over the next week. At about 7:30 this morning I got my first text to share what God is doing. At FREAKING 7:30 in the morning one of our students was sharing his faith and a 16 year old student gave his life to Christ.

The passage I preached last night is found in 1 Samuel 14:1-23

The key to this is that while (King) Saul and his army laid around and did nothing, Jonathan and his armor bearer went and attacked a well equipped, better trained army. What was their battle cry? "PERHAPS the Lord will act on our behalf. Nothing can hinder Him from saving whether by many or by few"

So off they went. Charging into an army of Philistines and all they had to stand on was PERHAPS. That requires incredible belief in the power of God. It is just such belief that God has used to bring revivals, shape generations, redirect cultures, etc.

God I do believe...help me with my unbelief.

About 50 students accepted the challenge, about one hundred students are being prayed over. Perhaps the Lord will act on our behalf. Nothing can hinder Him from saving whether by many or by few...I can't wait for the next phone call or text message. God is awesome.