Perfection

My observation of Christendom is that most of us tend to base our relationship with God on our performance instead of on His grace. If we’ve performed well—whatever “‘well”‘ is in our opinion—then we expect God to bless us. If we haven’t done so well, our expectations are reduced accordingly. In this sense, we live by works, rather than by grace. We are saved by grace, but we are living by the “‘sweat”‘ of our own performance. Moreover, we are always challenging ourselves and one another to ‘”try harder’.” We seem to believe success in the Christian life is basically up to us; our commitment, our discipline, and our zeal, with some help from God along the way. The realization that my daily relationship with God is based on the infinite merit of Christ instead of on my own performance is a very freeing and joyous experience. But it is not meant to be a one-time experience; the truth needs to be reaffirmed daily.

Ministry

 One of the things that must happen is that we need to redefine ministry.  It is not setting apart one evening a week to knock on doors and pass out tracts.  It is not standing on a street corner warning of the end of time and urging people to repent.  It is not the addition of yet another Bible study program in your church.  Ministry happens when we spend time with people addressing the challenges they have in their lives.  A teacher ministers when he or she encourages a child that may come out of a difficult home environment.  A small business owner ministers when he or she writes off a debt owed by someone he or she knows is struggling financially.  A person eating in a restaurant may minister to a server who is struggling at home with a smile and a generous tip.  The thing that is often overlooked in the Great Commission is the tense found in Jesus' words when He says, "Go therefore...."  The word go is better translated "as you are going."  In other words we don't fulfill the Great Commission just when we do special "church" things.  We fulfill it when we connect with people as we go through our daily lives.  Through those connections we may eventually find an opportunity to share our faith with them, and if we've consistently ministered to them we will have earned the right to do so.

Ministry

Ministry is too important to leave in the hands of the professional.  Besides, that was never the way God intended ministry to be done.  One of my favorite passages in the Bible is Ephesians 4: 11-12 that teaches us that God has given the church certain people (often referred to today as ministers) to equip the saints for the work of ministry.  For the past several decades the church has got this confused.  The church believes that the work of ministry is to be done by the paid help while the rest of the congregation gets to sit in the pews and keep score.  Nothing could be more unbiblical.  Pastors and other leaders in the church are to train the church members so they can do ministry.  This role reversal that exists in too many of our churches is one of the reasons so many of our churches are in decline and why the church has so little impact on our society today.

Every church needs to ask itself some tough questions

Socrates once said "The unexamined life is not worth living."  The same could be said about churches.  Numerous times in the life of a church it needs to begin asking some important questions about its purpose, what it believes, and what it is doing.  I'm not sure that happens as often as it should.  If you feel that your church is at a crossroads and lacks clear direction you may be at a time when your church needs to do some serious reflection.  To help you get started let me list some questions we might ask ourselves.

• Who are we here for?  This is a critical question for a church to answer because that answer really sets the tone for everything the church will do.   Many churches will respond that they are here to reach people for Christ, but do their ministries and programs show that to be the case? 
• Is what we are doing here worth the life of the Son of God?   Did Jesus die for this?  If we ask this question about everything we do as a church we may find that we're doing a lot of things that really don't matter to God.
• Who is Jesus to you?  I think of how the disciples must have felt when Jesus asked them who did the people say He was and then followed it up with "But who do you say that I am?"  From my observation over the years I think many churches see Jesus as passive and rather uninterested in the affairs of mankind because that is what they are.  On the other hand, those churches that believe that Jesus conquered death and is the only way to God are bold in their witness and ministry to those outside the church.  While most evangelical churches will give the right answer to this question, their actions do not back up that answer.
• Do you love people as much as Jesus does?  Virtually every church I serve tell me they are the friendliest church in their community, but I've attended some of them and I can tell you that many of them are friendly...to one another. How intentional is your church in making first-time guests feel comfortable and welcome?  How many unchurched friends do the members of your congregation have and how many of them are they introducing to Christ?  How welcomed would people from different cultures or races be in your church? Scripture is clear that if we claim to love God but not our brother that we are liars, and it is equally clear that we are all brothers and sisters to one another.
• What price are you willing to pay to change?  If things are not as they should be in your church, there is a reason for that.  Are you willing to pay the price to turn that around, and how much pain are you willing to endure for a season for long-term benefits?

These are just some questions to get you started as you reflect on where your church is today and what it will take to get you to a better place. Asking the right questions can help you identify the steps you need to take as a church to move forward once again.

PRAYER

The last count from Oklahoma as this post was written is 51 people dead including 20 children with those numbers expected to rise.  Unless we have been through something similar no one can imagine the pain and suffering the people, and especially the parents, are experiencing.  I'm sure some people are asking why God allowed something like this to happen, but this isn't really the time for answers.  This is a time of grief and prayer.  There will be sufficient time later for theological answers to the tragedies that befall all people.  Right now, I just encourage my readers to be in prayer for the people in Oklahoma who have lost so much.  Pray especially for the families who have lost loved ones, and in particular please pray for the parents who have lost children.  Thank you.

Good Stewards

God has given each of us a limited number of resources—in particular, time, money, talents, and energy. And we are commanded to be good stewards of each.  How we use those resources is reflective of our priorities. As Jesus said, speaking specifically of money, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21). Christians must consider how they can use their resources not solely for their own leisure and entertainment, but for the work of the gospel.

Where Are They

“Where are the young men and women of this generation who will hold their lives cheap and be faithful even unto death?  Where are those who will lose their lives for Christ’s sake, flinging them away for love of him?  Where are those who will live dangerously and be reckless in his service?  Where are his lovers, those who love him and the souls of men more than their own reputations or comfort or very life?
Where are the men who say ‘no’ to self, who take up Christ’s cross to bear it after him, who are willing to be nailed to it in college or office, home or mission field, who are willing, if need be, to bleed, to suffer and to die on it?
Where are the adventurers, the explorers, the buccaneers for God, who count one human soul of far greater value than the rise or fall of an empire?  Where are the men who are willing to pay the price of vision?
Where are the men of prayer?
Where are God’s men in this day of God’s power?”

Love Your People

Leadership is based on trust, and in a smaller church much of that trust is connected to relationships.  A pastor can go into a church with the proper educational degrees, a sound theology, and solid ministerial experience, but those attributes alone will not earn him or her the trust of the congregation.  "Pastor, do you love us?"  They want to know if you can see beyond their warts and issues and love them.  Words alone will not satisfy.  Such love must be demonstrated in the daily activities that go on in the life of the congregation.

Mother

Tomorrow is Mother’s Day — a sweet opportunity for Christians to celebrate one of God’s most significant means of his common and redeeming grace. For most, there’s some bitter flavor somewhere. We live in a fallen world. All mothers are sinful — even Jesus’s own mother knew well her need for a Savior (Luke 1:47) and for God’s mercy (Luke 1:50). Whether your own mother monumentally failed you, or you’re a mother who’s all too aware of how you’ve failed your children, there is goodness and grace to acknowledge and appreciate in almost every situation, even when deeply tarnished by sin. But for many of us, our hearts soar in thanksgiving when God brings to mind our mothers and grandmothers, or our wife and mother of our children. Among those of us raised in believing homes — in which our parents were faithful in teaching and modeling the faith — we may enjoy, all the more, the priceless privilege of fulfilling Proverbs 31:28 on Mother’s Day:
“Her children rise up and call her blessed.”

http://youtu.be/9h7gVvF1siM

Discipleship

Christians need to understand that the Great Commission includes more than asking people to make a decision for Jesus Christ.  Jesus said we were to go and make disciples.  Too many want to stop at salvation and refuse to go on to discipleship.  They are looking for a "fire insurance" policy, but they don't want the commitment that is required for one to become a disciple.  When Jesus called His disciples and challenged them to "Follow me" He took them on a journey that would completely transform their lives.  The same thing should happen to each of us when we begin our relationship with Christ, but how many Christians do you know whose lives have been transformed?  Most Christians I know are "saved and satisfied" and have little interest in going deeper with Christ.  That attitude has to change if we are to become disciples.

Doing Ministry

Anyone's vocation or avocation can be used for ministry.  A Christian who enjoys fishing could gather a group of people together once or twice a month to discuss fishing tactics, swap big fish stories, and talk about life in general which would include the importance of Christ in his or her life.  A business person could start a leadership group in the community that could meet for lunch and a discussion about the challenges of business.  Such a discussion could lead to one sharing how faith in God can help in challenging times.  The possibilities are endless.

Actions Speak

Whether or not you are aware of it, your behavior—both what you do as well as what you don’t do—affects your witness for Christ. It is an issue of testimony: What does your life say about God to the friends, relatives, coworkers, neighbors, or even strangers who might be watching you?