I’m Headed to the Olympics! (Well, maybe not.)

Tags

2012, athletics, Church, London, Michael Phelps, olympic preaching, Olympics, preaching, seeker-sensitive, Sports

Tonight is the Opening of the 2012 Olympics in London, England. I’ll be watching the ceremony with my family and dreaming of the day they accept my petition for a new Olympic sport: Olympic Preaching.

Olympic Preaching?

I’m here to speak for a revolutionary idea. Preaching should be considered a sport. Now before you angrily hit that x in the upper right corner, allow me to present the case.

Consider preparation time. Preparing a quality sermon requires hours of diligent study. Sure, you can download a hot one from Sermon Central or some other “pastor help” website (and don’t tell me you haven’t considered it!) but for an oratorical masterpiece, you need TIME.

It might be argued that preaching requires no athletic ability. I humbly disagree. Just ask any pastor how physically exhausted they are at the end of a Sunday. Besides, is athleticism necessary? You certainly do not need it for chess, pool, or auto racing, all of which have achieved the designation “sport.”

Some will contend that a sport requires an “achievable goal.” While it would be challenging to keep an objective score for sermons (after all, much of the effectiveness is long-term and spiritual), just remember that some events considered sports do not have an objective outcome. Figure skating, gymnastics, and snowboarding are all in the eyes of the judges, and if you think sermons do not get judged, try preaching to the average Baptist congregation.

With preaching firmly established as a sport, a few appropriate changes would improve the average worship service. The worship minister could lead the congregation to begin the service with the “wave.” This will wake everyone up and help wary visitors feel at home. Of course, some will not participate, but that will make the sleepers more obvious.

Another idea whose time has come is training the ushers in the techniques of the refreshment vendors. Having them pass up and down the aisle throughout the service will increase the opportunities for giving, and their chatter will entertain those bored by a low-scoring sermon.

A long-standing problem in churches is getting someone to sit on the front row. Let’s give those willing to sit in the “spit pit,” numbers to score the sermon. This will keep them interested in the service and give the pastor immediate feedback as to how he is doing. A low score should alert him it’s time to throw in a gnarly illustration to try and save the routine . . . I mean sermon.

After a particularly good sermon, it would encourage any pastor to have the choir/worship team/staff douse him with a cooler of Gatorade. Communion wine would work, or if you’re a Baptist, just throw him in the baptistery.

There are many sport concepts that could be incorporated into a worship service. Commentators (“Well, Dan, Pastor Cameron got off to a slow start, but he’s been building up steam since he threw that humorous anecdote in. Let’s just hope he can stick that conclusion soon. The judges down front are getting restless.”), half-time, and a bullpen (a surprisingly fitting term considering some sermons I’ve endured and preached) could all become a part of our church parlance.

With today’s “seeker-sensitive” trends, I’m surprised some have not already implemented this. Give it time. We may all soon be packing our scorecards in our Bibles! I’m sure you have more suggestions for this. I’d love to discuss them, but I have to go find something that will remove Gatorade stains.

What other sporting events/activities could be integrated with church?

Be All You Can Be: The Importance of Setting the Right Goal

Tags

Charles Schultz, Charlie Brown, China Inland Mission, dreams, glorify God, goals, Hudson Taylor, James Russell Lowell, motivation

photo via Chris Downer

Have you ever dreamed of being better than you are? You listened to that singer, you watched that athlete, you tasted that meal and you said, “I wish I could do that!” In your imagination you were as good as they were. I’ve often imagined dunking a basketball. I’ve watched the talented players in college games jump to unbelievable heights and slam the ball in the goal. In my mind’s eye, I can see myself doing the same thing. Now, at my age and physical condition, not to mention height to weight ratio, that’s just not going to happen. But it doesn’t stop me from dreaming. Someone summed it up by saying, “We’re all great in our dreams.” Just because we may not reach our wildest dreams, doesn’t mean that we can’t be more than we are. The fact is that many of us fail to achieve the potential that lies within us. For various reasons, we are unable to “Be all we can be.” This is especially true in our relationship with God. Matthew 22:34-40 “But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together. Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” Why are we here? Is there some reason for my existence? Some purpose for being on this planet? This is one of the great mysteries of life. Fortunately for us, the answer is found in the pages of the Bible. It is God’s ultimate purpose for us to bring glory to Himself by being all that He intended us to be. Sin keeps us from this purpose. We are sinners by nature and by choice. In other words, we are born sinners, and we sin. It is sin that keeps us from fulfilling our potential. How can we fulfill our God-given, God-glorifying potential? It begins with a goal. A goal enables us to focus on where we are going rather than where we are, or where we have been. There are several benefits of a goal: First, a goal will help maintain our sense of purpose. We know God’s purpose for us, but over time, we can lose our sense of it priority. Having a goal helps keep that purpose. Sadly, most people today wander through life with little or no direction. Losing all purpose in life can be tragic. For some, it is even fatal. It may be a husband or wife who dies after the passing of a spouse of many years. Or a teenager who takes their own life, or a housewife at her wit’s end. Whatever the circumstances, it can often be traced back to the futility and hopelessness that come with a loss of purpose. A goal will also provide us with motivation. It makes what you want to accomplish attainable. When you see that it is possible, it motivates you. A goal determines your direction. It shows you what to do. Have you ever felt like the Senator that was aboard a train? When the conductor came by, he was frantically searching for his ticket. He told the conductor, “I can’t seem to find my ticket.” “That’s alright,” said the conductor said, “We know who you are. You don’t have to find it.” “You don’t understand,” answered the embarrassed Senator, “I can’t remember where I’m getting of.” Sometimes we feel the same way. On the train of life, headed somewhere fast, but not sure where we’re going. Goals improve our focus. They allow us to focus on improvement rather than just activity. It’s easy to get caught up in the busyness of life, rather than the business of life. In order to focus on the truly important things in life, I have to be working toward the right goal. Goals provide a way to measure our progress. They let us know if we are moving forward, and if we are still on track. There’s an old Charles Schulz cartoon where Charlie Brown is shooting a bow and arrow. He shoots an arrow that sticks in the fence, then goes over and draws a circle around it. That pretty much describes the approach of a lot of people. Just do whatever, and then pretend that’s what we were aiming for all along. That may help us claim success and feel good about ourselves, but a real goal helps insure we hit the target and make legitimate progress. It’s clear we all need a goal, but what should that goal be? How high should we shoot? Maybe you are afraid to aim too high for fear of failure. James Russell Lowell said, “Not failure, but low aim is crime.” Low aim leads to little lives. Low goals reflect self reliance instead of trust in God’s work and strength. The founder of the China Inland Mission, Hudson Taylor, said, “Many Christians estimate difficulties in the light of their own resources, and thus attempt little and often fail in the little they attempt.” When we rely only on our own strength, we will accomplish little. Thankfully we don’t have to only rely on ourselves. The Apostle Paul states, “I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.” In life, low aim may be a crime, but for a Christian, it is sin. “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment.” Jesus makes the Christian’s goal simple: “Love the Lord with all.” This is a high goal! In fact, it is the highest. The beauty of this God-given goal is that it will enable us to fulfill our God-given purpose. It is not more labor, but more love that God desires. Not greater works, but heartfelt worship. It’s not about religion, it’s about relationship. You see, if you love God, you will labor. If we worship, we will work. That’s why God gives us one goal that will complete all His purpose for us. Since we were created to love, we will only be fulfilled when we love the very one we were created to love. Thus, this one primary goal will effect God’s glory and our good. It will allow us to experience the “life more abundant.” When we love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, we will be all we can be.

9 Things Every Parent Should Pray

Tags

children, Family, Job, parents, Prayer, prayer requests, spiritual welfare

The Easter season is a busy time in church life, and I’ve had little time or energy to devote to blogging.  Here is a repost from several years ago titled, “It May Be.”

******************************************

One of the great intercessory ministries we can engage in is “praying for our children.” Not just our physical children, but the youth and children of our church. Many do not come from homes that seek to glorify God, and are in need of “surrogate” spiritual parents.

Job was so concerned about his children that he offered sacrifices on their behalf. He said, “It may be that my sons have sinned.” He understood the potential dangers that they faced. Our church youth and children face dangers as well.

1) The Danger of Religious Familiarity - Knowing the role so well that they are able to act it out perfectly while having nothing on the inside. A Biblical example of this is the sons of Eli. They were so well versed in the functions of the temple that they were serving as priests, yet God judged them, their father, their family, and their nation because of their wickedness.

2) The Danger of Social Corruption - A society that not only tolerates iniquity, but promotes it, is a dangerous environment for “church” kids. There is more access, understanding, and encouragement of sin today than at any time in recent history. Biblical Example: Lot’s daughters.

3) The Danger of Foolish Behavior - Let’s face it. We all do stupid things, and kids are no exception. I’m sure we all did plenty of foolish things when we were young! We should pray that God protect them from their own foolishness (wouldn’t be a bad idea to make the same request for ourselves!). Even the wisest man in the Bible had a fool for a son. Rehoboam was the recipient of the teaching of Proverbs, yet the first thing he did as king was the most foolish.

4) The Danger of Persuasive Friends - Whether it’s a boyfriend persuading a girl, or vice versa, this is an age old problem. Good kids do things they would never otherwise have done, if they had not been talked into it by their “friends”. From sex to drugs to crime, “bad company corrupts good manners.” David’s son provides a perfect scriptural example. “Amnon had a friend” who persuaded him to do what his conscience and teaching told him was wrong. The result was the loss of his life.

5) The Danger of Sinful Flesh - Beyond all the outward influences to do wrong, every person ever born has a sinful nature. Parents say, “But I trust my child.” You can trust them to be human. Put anyone in the right situation at the right time and they will act accordingly. Only one person ever withstood all temptation, and His name wasn’t yours or mine.

Besides praying against these dangers, what can we pray for?

1. Pray for them to have a genuine spiritual relationship.

2. Pray for them to have Godly wisdom in their actions, words, and relationships.

3. Pray for them to grow spiritually into true mature disciples of Jesus Christ.

4. Pray for God to reveal ways that you can be a spiritual parent to disciple the children and youth God has placed around you.

These should be the prayer burden of every adult believer, not just those who have children of their own. “It may be” that they will fall into these traps. Let’s make sure that if it happens, it was in spite of what we did, not because of it.

Nephos 9

Tags

9 Marks, Albert Pujols, Michael Hyatt, Tim Ellsworth, Tim Tebow, Yoda

1. Awesome book giveaway by Blogging Theologically: I’m Giving You a Library for Christmas!

2. Tim Tebow Uses Words At All Time addresses Tim Tebow’s boldness in speaking for Christ.

3. Michael Hyatt has an enlightening infographic that explains Why Sitting is Killing You.

4. Another good post by Michael Hyatt on The Difference Between Trying and Doing.

Which brings this interesting graphic to mind . . .

5.

6. Aaron Earls at The Wardrobe Door evaluates the intolerant tolerance at the University of Buffalo.

7. Tim Ellsworth is the co-author of Pujols: More Than a Game. He gives a superb assessment of Pujols departure from St. Louis to Anaheim in The better Angels of Pujols’ nature.

8. If you’ve ever been to a Sunday School Christmas party, you’ve participated in a gift-exchange game of some sort. You’ll also relate to the Top 5 Gift-Exchange Gifts Everybody Brings, But Nobody Wants. Been there . . . and got the chocolate covered cherries to prove it!

9. And . . . as a public service more holiday deals! Christmas specials on resources from 9 Marks ministries.

Update: Just caught an incorrect link in #6 above. My apologies, and here is the bonus link – the feel good movie of the year! Jaws! (Disneyfied)

And that’s a fact with my hand up!

Tags

credibility, dramatic license, pastors, Wendy Bagwell

Gospel-music legend Wendy Bagwell was known as much for his story-telling as for his musical ability. His story “Here Come the Rattlesnakes” is an example of his home-spun humor that entertained millions. No doubt about it, “Bro.” Wendy could tell a story.

KOREphotos via flickr

His favorite catch-phrase was, “And that’s a fact with my hand up.” That familiar assurance produced a laugh because you knew that Wendy was engaged in comedic storytelling. There existed an unspoken, but mutual understanding between the comedian and his audience that allowed some dramatic (or comedic) license with the details of the story.

Some pastors seem to feel they have the same privilege. They leave behind the realm of dramatic story telling, crossing the ever-so-thin line into embellishment. From there it’s only a short distance to outright fabrication.

Once a pastor, teacher or preacher is discovered to have played fast and loose with the facts, a vital sense of trust is lost. Whether by carelessness, negligence, or outright lying, you never can be sure if what they say actually happened or if you are being played – emotionally manipulated to achieve their purpose. In the end, it’s their otherwise-valid message that suffers.

I use illustrations and dramatic stories in my preaching. However, since my message is rooted in the greatest story ever told, I can ill-afford to lose my credibility as a pastor through negligence with the facts.

And that IS a fact with my hand up.

How much do you REALLY know?

Tags

Howard Hendricks, obedience, Teaching

Don’t just be a hearer, be a doer. Only when I do, can I really say I KNOW. In Teaching to Change Lives Howard Hendricks reminds us that for the Christian, there is no knowing without doing.

When you read the word hear in the New Testament, you can also read it do. Because the Lord Jesus welded those words together when he said, “He that heareth my words and doeth them, he it is who loves me . . . Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things I tell you?” His implication? “Either stop calling me ‘Lord’ or start doing what I ask you.”

The name of the game in Christian education is not knowledge — it’s active obedience.

I have a constant debate with the Lord. You see, I’m always trying to impress him with how much I know of his Word, but for some strange reason he’s never impressed.

Why should he be? Everything I know is the product of what he has revealed to me. And he’s constantly reminding me of how little like Jesus Christ I am.

In the spiritual realm, the opposite of ignorance is not knowledge, it’s obedience. In New Testament understanding, to know and not to do is not to know at all.

So the Lord says, “Hendricks, do you understand this?”

“Yes, Lord, I do.”

“Good,” he says. “The next move is yours.”

Bonzo Dog Say What?

Tags

Bonzo Dog Do Dah Band, Carl Trueman, Reformation21, urban theology

Carl Trueman has posted at Reformation 21 about The Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band On Urban Theology. While the name of the band doesn’t ring a bell, Mr. Trueman’s point certainly resonates with my thinking.

He acknowledges the importance of cities in evangelistic efforts,

as areas where there are the highest concentrations of human beings, they are inevitably significant as mission fields.

but he decries the emphasis of the urban to the neglect or demeaning of suburban or rural ministry,

But the suburbs are important too (and not simply for the faux urbanites who commute from thence for their urban church experience on a Sunday); and the countryside has its reached and its unreached. They may not be as cool in secular terms, and I would certainly not want to portray them as superior to or more authentic than the city in a way that some do . . . but it would be good to see the obsession with cities as some kind of eschatologically unique or superior entity disappearing from the trendy reformed discourse, to be replaced by much less contentiously significant biblical categories: those who see the cross as foolishness or an offence, and those who see it as the power of God unto salvation. It would also be good to see suburban and rural pastors being given their due as well.

photo via Candy Apple Red @ flickr

Perhaps my position as a rural pastor influences my thinking on this, but my philosophy of ministry influences me more. It concerns me to see young pastors buying into the mentality that urban is superior, and many leading pastors from diverse evangelical and fundamental camps have perpetuated this.

If my goal is to have the biggest crowd, then the city is the place to do it. If it’s to be hip and cool, then rural is out. But if my measure of success is to faithfully pastor a group of believers, minister to my community, and clearly proclaim the Gospel to unbelievers, then whether I serve in an urban, suburban, or rural ministry I can be obedient to God’s will.

I’m not suggesting that everyone who is involved in urban ministry has this mindset, nor am I advocating deserting the cities. In fact, no one should serve in a rural or suburban environment just to escape the difficulties of urban ministry. Each servant must seek to be obedient to the unique location of God’s call to them. The danger is in minimizing other areas of service and developing a sense of superiority about one’s own.

As Trueman concludes,

So let’s cut the pretentious gibberish about urban this and urban that and move back to more biblical, less self-serving and ultimately real categories. Yes, we need to understand cities to communicate with city people. The same applies to the suburbs and to the countryside. But that is a technical matter, not a theological one. People are still people wherever you find them.