Church? A New Way? Continued.......

If you were one of the brave one who actually commented on the previous blog, THANKS! Feedback is lovely.

So church……yea…….I grew up in church. Did you know that? Did you know that on day number 5 of my life I was in church. I can really understand Paul when he does his little bragging session about being a Pharisee of the Pharisees. Do you remember that? [if not you can find it in the Bible. I'll give you a hint, it's in the New Testament.] I could just as easily say I am a Christian of the Christians. [so let's try it]

I was born as a fifth generation follower of Christ. On my fifth day I was brought into church. At the appropriate time I was dedicated to be raised in the fear and admonition of the Lord. I only missed Sunday school for death, major sickness, or loosing a limb. When the church doors were open, I was there. I have never been drunk a day in my life. I have never smoked a cigarette. I have never done any type of illegal drug [including marijuana for those who are not sure if it is illegal]. I was formed and shaped at a solid fundamental Christian University. Called into the ministry I served in many different capacities to serve the Lord and advance the Kingdom.

Wow! There is my pedigree. Impressed? I'm not. Not really. I mean really my only point was to say that I grew up in church. I know how it works. I can fit in. I speak the language. I know how to impress, I know how to tick off. I can play the game if put on the field.

Don't get me wrong. I am so NOT anti-church. I am so WAY pro-church that it might shock you. I strongly believe that people should go to church. Consistently. Like ya know, all the time. So to get back to our discussion, was' up with church?

Everyone has such varying opinions on what church is, or should be that it has separated people, and people groups for generations. So if you think I'm gonna write a blog to further the gulf……wrong. But church is more than a style of music, a form, a preaching, a time of prayer, a time to give $. It's more than kids programs, youth programs, drug rehab, single adults ministry and or a vibrant senior citizens outreach. It can be all of those things, or some of those things. Church, more than any of that is believers, coming together. When we come together we [hopefully] experience community. A community of faith. A place that through our relationships, God is worshipped. Through laughing, sharing, loving, crying, and hoping, a fragrant scent of worship goes up, and God is pleased. So I guess my real point is that church can have many different looks. It can have many different flavors. And that is a good thing. God is unlimited. He is multi-faceted. He is everything, and is there before you can think it. He is God.

Church Evolves.

God is.

Church? A New Way?

“I’m completely in favor of the separation of Church and State.

My idea is that these two institutions screw us up enough on their own, so that both of them together is certain death.”

George Carlin (1937- )

To say that church "screws us up" really makes a lot of you cringe doesn't it? You think to yourselves, "How can God's institution on earth do anything but create peace and harmony on earth. Come to think of it you will burn in the deep pit of fire for even putting that quote on your blog!"

Okay, you need to calm down and take a deep breath.

#1 it's my blog.

#2 I can explain.

Jesus said "Upon this rock I will build my church." But what is church? Really, what is the definition of "church?" How is it that we have accepted a definition of 'church' based solely on what we see, as apposed to what He said. If Jesus, working with & through Peter, started the New Testament church then maybe we should take a very brief look at what this entity looked like. Because I think we might be surprised. We might realize that the church of America today has more of the appearance of an executive business instead of a Spirit led/filled/guided/directed entity that is alive and moving. So before I go into my thoughts, how about you? What's your thoughts? What's your take on it? Do you feel the church as a whole is slightly askew? Maybe focusing on minors while ignoring majors? Leave a comment or two, no lengthy diatribes please, but what are your thoughts on this evolving entity called, "the Church."

Thinking Can be Scary!

I just got off the phone with one of my good friends planting a church in the Atlanta area [Hal Hardy www.thelifechurch.tv] and he got me thinking. And thinking for me is a scary thing. You see to me, numbers are important. To say they are not important in church work is a lie and most of the time false humility. Ya know. Preachers say things like, "Ah bless God, it's not about the numbers son. It's about the Spirit of God!" Well yea. Duh. But if you don't have people, then well, the Spirit of God is whooshing around your empty sanctuary not doing a whole lot.

I look at it this way;

Numbers = Souls and Souls = Influence and influence = changed communities.

Okay let's look at it the super-spiritual way: The only time in the New Testament where we see the 'strong man' over a city being cast down is when Jesus sent out his boys [disciples] to do the works. Ya know the whole healing the sick, casting out demons, and leading folks to a knowledge of Christ. And Jesus said, "I saw Satan falling like lightening…." Remember? Just a thought, could it be that Satan's Kingdom gets really messed up when average, everyday people go out and serve?

Just a thought.

Maybe?

Could it be then, if we follow this crazy thinking, that the more people we have serving a community the more messed up Satan's Kingdom in that area will be?

Just a thought.

Maybe?

Of course we have to realize that the disciples did NOT sit on a rock and study the deeper teaching of Jesus. They did NOT pull up a rock after they were sent out and say, "Hey Peter, can we go over the deeper symbolic meanings of the sower parable again? I would really love to hear the multi-layered theological meanings of how the third portion fits into the eschatological times that are upon us." NO! Jesus said go and "SERVE" "WORK" Do the Works of the ministry. Could it be that to really alter the spiritual makeup of a community it would take an average group of people, going out, and doing the works of the ministry.

Just a thought.

Maybe?

Wow! Looks like the ball is in our court. So I guess the real question is, What are you gonna do today? Who is on your hit list to serve?

[Hey Hal, thanks for making me think.]

The Ups and Downs

Well, it's Sunday morning and I'm sitting here thinking about this past week. There are still 3 launch team members that do not have jobs. Another that needs a new job [company changing leadership and employees] and then yesterday Mike Thompson [Sound Man Extraordinaire] had a heart a major heart attack. Wow! Thankfully he went to the hospital in time and they were able to get things flowing again like they need to and he is recovering well at the moment. So please continue to pray for Mike and his wife Judy as they recover from this surprising turn of events. I know he will be back behind a sound board very very soon.

Team dynamics are so much fun aren't they? Working with people is the 'funnest' most challenging thing in life. If you are sensing sarcasm seeping through the type then you are wrong. I thoroughly enjoy working with people. It challenges me because there are many things I know I can do.

I can turn on a computer and edit video

design a webpage

do a poster design

email

write a letter

I can spend some quiet time and prepare a talk

I can sit down and counsel a friend

oh the list goes on & on. However. In all of that doing I think I miss the greater good many times. If all I do is 'do' then I miss what God is wanting to 'do' in others through me.

Do you ever think that maybe we get so focused on the, "God working 'in' us" part, that we forget the, "God working 'through' us" part? A read a verse from Romans 15 the other day in prayer that said, "Our strength is for serving, not for status." WOW! There is that through us thing again huh?

These awesome people that have moved here to start SouthPoint Church are not only awesome, but they are also the very tools with which God wants to work to change a county. Think about it, if they NEVER meet people. If they NEVER get out of their comfort zones, if they NEVER share the good news of Christ, then SouthPoint will be nothing but a name and a small gathering of people. But when the tools get out of the [tool] box, and into the right hand [of the master] then things can change rapidly.

Yup. I love working with people. It's what God is doing. And I would rather be doing what God is doing then just doing.

Biblical Thoughts For the Day

Throughout the years, most of us have heard the cliché used for the church “We are the Body of Christ. We are the hands, the feet, the eyes of God.” We have heard sermons and stories about how we are to accomplish our job, because “the hand can’t do what the leg needs to, or the eye can’t smell for the nose.”

But, have we ever thought about the fact that each of these parts of the body really ARE inter-dependent? What I mean is, without the lungs, how does the heart get its oxygen? Without the feet, how do the hands get to the place where they can lay on a healing touch?

Each of us need each other for strength, support, encouragement and nourishment. God has created us to need others, and for others to need us.

So, in that light, How involved are you in the lives of those around you? Do you let others in? How many times do you make yourself available to a friend in need? Do you really mean it when you ask someone “How are you doing?” Do we stop and let them really answer?

I know I just asked a lot of questions, but sometimes we need to stop and ask them. Sometimes we need to take the time to reflect and see where we can tweak our daily habits and let God use US.

Apply this to our little bitty body of SouthPoint, you say. Ok, it’s a fact of life that the more you work out, the happier you are, and the more you eat, the more you grow. So, naturally, the more that we, as SouthPoint Church, open ourselves to give AND receive strength, support, encouragement, and nourishment, the more we’ll grow. I guarantee it.

First Preview Service

Last night was our very first preview service. It was really good. I love hang'n out wiht people and having a good time. We had three stellar guys come and hook us up with some tunes. Marco played Acoustic; Carter played drums/rythm; and Matt paved the low on bass. It was awesome! And of course, Patti sung some tunes for us.

For those of you not here (AKA living in another part of the world) we met in our house and set it all up in the gathering area. Tunes-fellowship-coffee-speaking-prayer-friends: it was an awesome night. There were things of course that I would like to change, and will, but for our very first time together I was pleased.

Other than the typical update on our preview service, let me say that God has been hooking us up with some really awesome, like minded people here in this area. People that have a desire to reach out and touch others. I find it so refreshing and life-giving to meet with someone; and their heart is in tune with God. Whether or not they come to SouthPoint, it is just refreshing to know that there are other people in this county seeking the lost. Searching, looking for dark places to go and spread light. You know, if we would hang out more in dark places, our little lights of righteousness would shine that much brighter. Just a thought.

The Saga Continues

I know all of you are just chomping at the bit for me to continue our talks on the unchurched and the most effective ways to reach them. I mean after all that is why we all do what we do right?

We do have a choice in our Christ-following-walk. We can choose to hang out and grow spiritually. To instill ourselves full and over flowing with the presence and power of the Holy Ghost to cause others that are around us to become more jealous of the spirit of God that rests on us [this is a good choice]. Or we could choose to get right with God. Accept the spiritual gifts that He has set aside for us. Recognize our God-predestined-gifts and talents that are inherent in us and then work. Strive to be around people that are NOT like us. Make sure we live and operate in places that are dark. [Because I mean after all the littlest light always seems the brightest in the darkest of places.] And show others the love and joy and hope of Jesus Christ [this is the BEST (of course this is my opinion) choice].

Okay well, that was my little soap box let's look at the next couple of 'best' ways to reach the unchurched.

6. Discern patterns of relationships in your own church.

We might think that unchurched people have NO connection with the church. However, that is not the truth. Studies have shown that many unchurched people have a spouse that regularly goes to church. If on any given Sunday you handout cards and ask them to write down three people that they are praying for to receive Christ. Inevitably you will receive a plethora of spouses. So what does that mean? Even the saved Christians in your church know people that don't know Christ.

7. Check your facilities.

The formerly unchurched spoke cogently of the necessity of having neat, clean and updated facilities to reach people.

"I saw a lot of things through unchurched eyes before I became a Christian a few months ago," one participant responded. "What surprised me was how many churches let their facilities and their landscaping go to the dogs. It was as if they were advertising 'we don't care' by the way they looked. I sure didn't go back to those places."

Okay, so clean. Present something that is nice, clean and well…….something you wouldn't mind your mother-in-law seeing. :)

How to Hike Like a Princess

Labor day. I have about decided that holidays mean extra work as a parent. Have you noticed that kids like to do more on days off? It's like they have an innate sense of laziness in parents and have a passion to crush that demon. Okay it wasn’t that bad. Actually we had a great time! We went to the city park here in Olive Branch and picnicked, hiked and played. The hiking was interesting b/c the trail really was a bit challenging. I took Sierra [8] and Phoebe [4] with me. Sierra is like an ATV so I had no concerns that she would fair well. However, Phoebe is less than outdoorsy. In fact I call her my little princess. She is only four yet she insists on wearing pink and keeping her nails nice and long. It is amazing. So needless to say I was a bit concerned about taking her on this trek.

What lies inside a person is amazing. True leadership and veracity is rarely on the surface, but usually lays deeply dormant in a person, until they are faced with an unsavory situation. Something that requires them to dig deep.

Past the people pleasing Flamboyancy.

Past the sociological properness.

Even digging deeper, past the political correctness of this century.

Phoebe, was not overwhelmingly excited about going on the hike. I think she would have been just as happy to stay at the picnic sight with Noah her younger brother. But she chose. She willingly chose the hard, adventurous road. I mean after all anybody can sit on a blanket, but it takes an adventurer to get off the blanket and see what lays just beyond the trees. (Okay, so I am waxing a bit warm, however she is MY daughter, and there is a point to this). So our small group ventured past the tree line and began to climb. Sierra was off ahead of the pack, and Phoebe stayed close to me. As we approached the first hill that loomed in front of this tiny framed 4 year old, I leaned down and said, “You can do it honey, even Princess’ need to know how to climb.”

She never stopped walking she just said, “Yea, I know I can do it. I can SO do this.”

She climbed. All the way up the hill, as her pink Converse All-Stars slipped and skidded in the dirt, you could her Phoebe saying in a tiny quiet voice, “I can do this. I can make it. I know I can, I can do it.”

(Of course you know I was proud right?)

Hill after hill she climbed. Now and then she would look back to make sure I was right behind her, and then she would turn and keep climbing. Encouraging herself all along the way. Never once crying. Never once saying I quit. Not once did she say, “This hill is too big. I’m just a little girl.” Not once.

We got to the end of the trail and we had a choice. We could walk back to the picnic area via the parking lot, or back the way we came, via the trail. I said, “Okay Phoebe, let’s go back this way it’ll be easier.”

Her jeans were covered in dirt. Her pink high-tops had an even dusting of brown silt that made them look more tan than pink. Sweat was running down her face streaking the dirt that had caked there. And her long finger nails had dirt and grime packed beneath their manicured shape.

She didn’t look like a princess.

“Dad, why can’t we go back the way we came. It was fun, and I can do it.”

We took the trail back.

I realized through this little holiday hike that I can do it. Even when the hill in front of me is sometimes a mountain, I can do it. Maybe that’s what Jesus meant when he said that if you had enough faith you could cast a mountain into the sea.

One step at a time.

Each step encouraging YOURSELF.

Now, I wouldn’t be caught dead in a pair of pink high tops, and god forbid I get my nails done, but everybody needs to climb. Life is too long to sit on a blanket and eat fried chicken. At some point we have to get off the comfy blanket and climb. It is not the easiest thing to do, but we can do it. It is not the road most traveled, and it is not what everybody else is doing, but we gotta climb. It doesn’t take special gear, you don’t even need a B.A. in trail climbing. Our Heavenly Father is right behind us the whole time. Just in case we fall, he catches. Just in case our little high-tops slip, he slides his hand underneath them to give them sure footing. And, he never leads us to a trail that 1) He doesn’t want us to climb, and 2) He never leads us to a trail that we can’t climb.

So I don’t know about you, but I’m climbing. Even if I slip. Even if I get dirty. I am NOT sitting on the blanket. It’s time to climb, the view at the top is merely a moment in time that gratifies; but the knowledge that I got off the blanket and climbed is a life time of satisfaction with zero regrets.