Church...Center for the performing arts?

The church today has become the center for the performing arts. Sermons are slickly crafted, and worship is wonderfully choreographed, while the patrons in the pews are entertained to do the same. Entertained to do what? Perform, of course.

Our breaknecked pace of American culture has put us on a treadmill of "behavioral Christianity"
Evangelical Christianity has slipped into a think and do mentality. We have measured spiritual maturity simply by external behavior. After all, doesn't man look at the outer appearance? It seems to me that we have done a great job reducing Christianity to a series of disciplines. If a person goes to church, studies the Bible, prays, and is involved actively in ministry they are mature in Christ. Why? Because they are "acting" like a Christian should act.

Paul prayed for the church at Ephesus to comprehend the love of Christ, but we find in Revelation, they lost their first love. What happened? Revelation tells us they were doctrinely sound, patiently enduring, and extremely active. From all the externals the church was behaving in a healthy vibrant way. They had behavioral Christianity mastered. They had great knowledge and were busy being obedient but there was one huge problem. Their passion was missing.

Has that happened to you.? You have been so busy thinking and doing that you forgot to "be".

Maybe it is time for you to go backstage, behind the curtain of "behavioral Christianity" and reconnect with the loving intimate Abba Father.

Know and Understand Your Limits

Accepting who you are, and understanding how you are unique, will enable you to find a better rhythm for your ministry. Beyond that, consider whether you've come to terms with your giftedness. For within that realm lies your greatest potential for productivity....authentic fruit bearing as directed by the Holy Spirit. "I remind you to kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you,"said Paul to Timothy.

Stay within your limits. Don't spend most of your time doing work that is outside of your giftedness. As much as possible, stick to the things that you do best. Otherwise your heart will lose it's rhythm. In his book, Contrarians, Larry Osborne wisely observes that "we must learn to listen to the still small voice of the Spirit as He calls and equips us to be a better us , rather than a poor imitation of someone else."

I have observed that whenever pastors take on responsiblities that they're not fitted for, they end up operating in self-protect mode. That's because their weaknesses--and insecurities--are dictating their ministry. They're restless, uncomfortable...and it shows.

Is it showing in your life?

Gut Check for Sermon Prep

I remember the days when it was easy to be the lean mean sermon machine. I loved to study and crank out great sermons for those needy folks of the flock. I would be excited about the illustrations, wonderful alliterations, and three point slam dunks that would knock their wooly socks off. However this was one shepherd who needed to take a look inward before delivering a life changing message.

Here is the question. Are you allowing your sermon preparation to touch your own heart? Are you being transformed by your own preaching? If not, how can you expect your flock to hear a message of integrity, authenticity, and passion?

What checks and balances are in your life to protect you from preparing just for others?

Isn't it a shame that some pastors have compartmentalized their devotional life from their sermon preparation.

When God's Love is Taken for Granted

April 22nd 2009

How many pastors really comprehend the love of Abba Father in their lives? We may know his love in our heads but what about our hearts. Brennan Manning, in his book Ragamuffin Gospel gives insight on what God might want to say to us if we are taking his love for granted:

"And God answers, That's what you don't know. You know how much I love you. The moment you think you understand is the moment you do not understand. I am God, not man. You tell others about Me--that I am a loving God. Your words are glib. My words are written in the blood of My only Son. The next time you you preach about me with such obnoxious familiarity, I may come and blow your whole prayer meeting apart. When you come at Me with studied professionalism, I will expose you as a rank amateur. When you try to convince others that you understand what you are talking about, I will tell you to shut up and fall flat on your face. you claim to know I love you.

Did you know that every time you tell Me you love Me, I say thank you? When your son comes to you asking, "Do you like Susan 'cause she skates better and she's a girl?" are you grieved and saddened over your child's lack of trust? Do you know that you do the same thing to Me?

Do you claim to know what we shared when Jesus withdrew to a deserted place or spent the night on a hillside alone with Me? Do you know from where the inspiration to wash the feet of the Twelve came? Do you understand that, motivated by love alone, your God became your slave in the upper room? Have you forgotten that on Good Friday no angel intervened? That sacrifice was carried out, and it was My heart that was broken".......

Brennen concludes, "When I become so spiritually advanced that Abba is old hat, then the Father has been had, Jesus has been tamed, the Spirit has been corralled, and the Pentecostal fire has been extinguished. Evangelical faith is the antitheseis of lukewarmness: It always means a profound dissatisfaction with our present state. When Scripture, prayer, worship, ministry become routine, they are dead. When I conclude that I can now cope with the awful love of God, I have headed for the shallows to avoid the deeps. I could more easily contain Niagara Falls in a teacup than I can comprehend the wild, uncontainable love of God.

When was the last time you spent some solitary moments basking in the love of his presence?