I help coach a pee-wee football team. It's not like I don't have enough to do, in fact, I'm like most folks - I've got more than enough to do. But I got under conviction that I know very few folks who have yet to follow Christ. Like most pastors, I get stuck in the office. And when I'm out, I'm usually with church members. Since I'm not all that disciplined, I figured I needed a outlet that would discipline my time to spend with pre-Christians. Since I am an old football coach, this seemed to be a natural fit. I believe God is in this thing. I've developed nice relationships with the kids and with 3-4 sets of parents, only one of which attends church. I'm building bridges because these folks need Jesus. I'm not a salesman, I don't use bait and switch techniques, and I'm not interested simply in these folks occupying a pew in my church. I want them to follow Christ, and I pray that I will not get in God's way as He uses me. So...here's my question to you: how is God using you to reach pre-Christians? If you can't answer that, you need to do as I did - find out how He wants to, and then get busy building bridges.
Anyway, a funny story. The first day we put on pads, one kid (7 years old) is getting hammered in the hitting drills. He's getting run over every time he's in the drill. So after about 15 minutes of this, he looks at me and says (with his mouthpiece in), "Coach, somebody's fixing to get hurt. And it ain't gonna be me." I laughed so hard I nearly fell on the ground. This kid is getting hit between the snot and the spit every play, yet his confidence is at an all-time high. I love that kid. He's amazing. And here's the deal...he's getting better every week. He's making tackles now, he' blocking better, and he loves football. There's probably a spiritual parallel there, but it's Monday and my brain is mush. Maybe I'll explore that later.
Monday, October 1, 2007
Thursday, September 27, 2007
The power of the gospel
As with Monday, last night God really manifested Himself on 2 occasions. During our prayer meeting, we discussed what the Bible has to say about what it means to be saved. We talked about things like grace, belief in who Jesus was and what he did, the presence of the Holy Spirit, persevering, abiding in Christ, adoption, confessing Christ, and a couple more. The folks really dug deep in their Bibles, and that was cool to see. Then we talked about what the Bible doesn't say about salvation - praying a prayer, joining a church, walking down an aisle, being baptized (you Church of Christ folks can stop reading now), etc.
One of the folks present candidily admitted she had trouble with a public profession of Christ. Because of her somewhat sordid past, she was a bit apprehensive about a public confession, as she feared the number of people who would be disappointed if she "fell". At this point, I asked our church to respond to her. They poured out love, acceptance, and biblical counsel. It was really a display of what "church" is supposed to be. Then we gathered around her, laughed with her, and prayed for her. That, folks, is a church being transformed.
Then I quickly left for a meeting with a couple who have recently repented and recommitted themselves to God's ways. She was a meth addict for 25 years; he an alcoholic for maybe longer than that. They were open about their fears, their faith, and their family. I offered a little counsel, but mostly I just listened and praised God for His power to transform people who follow Him. These people, according to those who have known them in their "past life", are not the same people today that they were before. That, folks, is a family being transformed.
Weeks like this one make me love what I do. It makes me want to invest in people more, and in "stuff" less. I love people with purple and pink hair who have been transformed by Jesus. I love drug addicts and alcoholics who have been transformed by Jesus. May God send more of them my way.
One of the folks present candidily admitted she had trouble with a public profession of Christ. Because of her somewhat sordid past, she was a bit apprehensive about a public confession, as she feared the number of people who would be disappointed if she "fell". At this point, I asked our church to respond to her. They poured out love, acceptance, and biblical counsel. It was really a display of what "church" is supposed to be. Then we gathered around her, laughed with her, and prayed for her. That, folks, is a church being transformed.
Then I quickly left for a meeting with a couple who have recently repented and recommitted themselves to God's ways. She was a meth addict for 25 years; he an alcoholic for maybe longer than that. They were open about their fears, their faith, and their family. I offered a little counsel, but mostly I just listened and praised God for His power to transform people who follow Him. These people, according to those who have known them in their "past life", are not the same people today that they were before. That, folks, is a family being transformed.
Weeks like this one make me love what I do. It makes me want to invest in people more, and in "stuff" less. I love people with purple and pink hair who have been transformed by Jesus. I love drug addicts and alcoholics who have been transformed by Jesus. May God send more of them my way.
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Will my generation get it?
I talked to my great friend Monday. He's on staff at a large church in the metroplex. The conversation turned to reaching children for Jesus, which is always on my heart. He told me of a large church pastor who was talking with a room full of boomers (my age group) and builders about what their greatest desire was. With unanimous accord, they said, "that our children and grandchildren would follow Christ." Hear my applause. Praise God. Couldn't be happier. Then he asked one more question, "If you would be willing to change your music to reach your kids and grandkids, raise your hand." Not one hand went up. Not one hand in the entire room.
So you tell me...is their greatest desire to reach their grandkids for Christ? Nope, it's not. Their greatest desire is to be catered to. Their greatest desire is to have their "likes" handed to them on a plate each week and their "dislikes" to be summarily dismantled. Edwards' translation, they said, "To hell with my family."
Don't get me wrong. Music won't save kids. Only Jesus does that. But music can draw kids and keep kids.
The biggest hurdle for the builder generation is music. Many, if not most, have not cleared that hurdle. Some in my church have. Praise God. But until the generation that built most of our churches makes the main thing the main thing (as opposed to music the main thing), we cannot expect to reach this generation.
So as I'm having an internal rant and rave about this, the thought struck me...What hurdle will my generation have to cross? Will it be the format of how we "do church"? Will it be the demise of denominationalism? Will it be the way we do world missions? Honestly, it really doesn't matter what our hurdle is. The real question is, "Will my generation have a greater heart for the lost than we do our personal preferences?"
I hope I do. I hope we do. Christendom in the USA may depend on our answer.
So you tell me...is their greatest desire to reach their grandkids for Christ? Nope, it's not. Their greatest desire is to be catered to. Their greatest desire is to have their "likes" handed to them on a plate each week and their "dislikes" to be summarily dismantled. Edwards' translation, they said, "To hell with my family."
Don't get me wrong. Music won't save kids. Only Jesus does that. But music can draw kids and keep kids.
The biggest hurdle for the builder generation is music. Many, if not most, have not cleared that hurdle. Some in my church have. Praise God. But until the generation that built most of our churches makes the main thing the main thing (as opposed to music the main thing), we cannot expect to reach this generation.
So as I'm having an internal rant and rave about this, the thought struck me...What hurdle will my generation have to cross? Will it be the format of how we "do church"? Will it be the demise of denominationalism? Will it be the way we do world missions? Honestly, it really doesn't matter what our hurdle is. The real question is, "Will my generation have a greater heart for the lost than we do our personal preferences?"
I hope I do. I hope we do. Christendom in the USA may depend on our answer.
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
They get it!
Two meetings I had yesterday were enlightening and encouraging...
I met with a couple - a couple I've known for several years. They used to be in our church, but joined another one a few years ago. They wanted to meet because the husband feels called to the ministry. So the Associate Pastor and I met with them for over an hour, talking about how God has touched them and asked the husband to be involved in some type of ministry full time. He quit his job at God's leading and is now listening and pursuing the next steps. He gets it! He understands that life is not about career and money, but it's about God - God and our relationship with Him that transforms us and makes us useful to Him in His work in the world.
In the midst of our conversation, the wife told us about the business she felt led to begin a year ago. She, too, felt God asking her to quit her old job, and she did. Because of that, she was able to spend 9 months with her mother who was dying. In the middle of that, God put in her path this business proposition. After her mother died, she opened the business.
But here's the part where she REALLY "gets it". She told us that God was providing for her family through the business, but in reality, the business was just a way for her to minister to people! God sends her people every week who are hurting and struggling and searching. She ministers to them, prays for them in her shop, and follows up with them in their lives. She truly understands that a job is not for our gratification, but for God's glory and so God can use us. She gets it!
I pray we would all do so.
I met with another man. He told me that as he entered the worship service Sunday, he earnestly prayed, "God, I need to hear from you. I don't want to leave here the way I walked in." God indeed met Him, touched Him deeply, and the man left transformed! This man gets it! A worship service is not about us putting in our time - or even being blessed. A worship service is to adore God publicly, with others, and being transformed!
I pray we would all do so.
I met with a couple - a couple I've known for several years. They used to be in our church, but joined another one a few years ago. They wanted to meet because the husband feels called to the ministry. So the Associate Pastor and I met with them for over an hour, talking about how God has touched them and asked the husband to be involved in some type of ministry full time. He quit his job at God's leading and is now listening and pursuing the next steps. He gets it! He understands that life is not about career and money, but it's about God - God and our relationship with Him that transforms us and makes us useful to Him in His work in the world.
In the midst of our conversation, the wife told us about the business she felt led to begin a year ago. She, too, felt God asking her to quit her old job, and she did. Because of that, she was able to spend 9 months with her mother who was dying. In the middle of that, God put in her path this business proposition. After her mother died, she opened the business.
But here's the part where she REALLY "gets it". She told us that God was providing for her family through the business, but in reality, the business was just a way for her to minister to people! God sends her people every week who are hurting and struggling and searching. She ministers to them, prays for them in her shop, and follows up with them in their lives. She truly understands that a job is not for our gratification, but for God's glory and so God can use us. She gets it!
I pray we would all do so.
I met with another man. He told me that as he entered the worship service Sunday, he earnestly prayed, "God, I need to hear from you. I don't want to leave here the way I walked in." God indeed met Him, touched Him deeply, and the man left transformed! This man gets it! A worship service is not about us putting in our time - or even being blessed. A worship service is to adore God publicly, with others, and being transformed!
I pray we would all do so.
Monday, September 24, 2007
Mulligan
Well, I tried my hand at this blogging business, but I didn't do so well. I guess a blog every 8 months isn't exactly blogging. The way I've got it figured, I made 3 mistakes.
- I thought I had to have something mind-blowing to say
- I limited the scope of my blog to narrowly
- I failed to schedule time to blog
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Lots of info, very little out-go
I've been away for a while...lots of reasons, but no excuses. I'll be a more frequent "poster" in the days ahead.
We've got a new Christian bookstore (Mardel's) in my small city. OK, it's not all that new now, but it's still new to us. This new bookstore is huge - far bigger than the really big Christian bookstore that was opened several years ago. We also have another Christian bookstore - a smaller, more homey one. Why post about bookstores?
It seems that there is much talk in Christian circles these days - especially among the conservatives (read that real conservative) of my denomination - about orthodoxy. I think this new Christian bookstore is an illustration of that: everybody wants to know something. You can find help for sermons and lessons, help for your hangups, help for your hurts, help for your habits - it's all there, it's all new, and it's all in a Christian bookstore near you!
Now, I'm certainly not against orthodoxy or dogma or doctrine. It is essential. You can't believe anything you want and still be in a right relationship to God. Doctrine is necessary, and those who don't like doctrinal sermons have a serious problem in understanding how a Christian is supposed to live this life. And in some rudimentary sense, doctrine is all that matters. On the most basic level, it separates the sheep from the goats, the saved from the lost, the heaven-bound to the hell-bound.
That said, orthodoxy was never intended to be the end-all of the Christian experience! Doctrine was not given so we could know about God, but so that we could die to self to let God live through us! We've got way too many folks whose orthodoxy is rock-solid, but whose orthopraxy is sadly lacking. They know a lot about God, but they fail to let the knowledge hit their hearts and come out of their feet. It's as though some of these folk think that when they get to heaven, God's going to give them a Bible trivia test. Or that God is going to say, "You missed that part about women teaching men. You have to spend 100,000,000 years on the back row (or front row if you're Baptist)."
So what will God be looking for when we stand before Him? After our names our located in the book of life, I have a strong suspicion (from Acts 13.22) that He may want to know, "Did you do everything I asked you to do?" What He won't be asking is, "Did you know everything I asked you to know?"
Knowing the right thing does not equate to doing the right thing. I'm the poster child for that. I know far better than I do. It's critical to understand that doing the right thing doesn't come from your head - it comes from your heart. That's what Jesus said in John 14 - three times as a matter of fact. If you love me, you will obey me. Not if you know about me, you will obey me. Until we get this straight, we will never be transformed. And going to Mardel's won't help.
We've got a new Christian bookstore (Mardel's) in my small city. OK, it's not all that new now, but it's still new to us. This new bookstore is huge - far bigger than the really big Christian bookstore that was opened several years ago. We also have another Christian bookstore - a smaller, more homey one. Why post about bookstores?
It seems that there is much talk in Christian circles these days - especially among the conservatives (read that real conservative) of my denomination - about orthodoxy. I think this new Christian bookstore is an illustration of that: everybody wants to know something. You can find help for sermons and lessons, help for your hangups, help for your hurts, help for your habits - it's all there, it's all new, and it's all in a Christian bookstore near you!
Now, I'm certainly not against orthodoxy or dogma or doctrine. It is essential. You can't believe anything you want and still be in a right relationship to God. Doctrine is necessary, and those who don't like doctrinal sermons have a serious problem in understanding how a Christian is supposed to live this life. And in some rudimentary sense, doctrine is all that matters. On the most basic level, it separates the sheep from the goats, the saved from the lost, the heaven-bound to the hell-bound.
That said, orthodoxy was never intended to be the end-all of the Christian experience! Doctrine was not given so we could know about God, but so that we could die to self to let God live through us! We've got way too many folks whose orthodoxy is rock-solid, but whose orthopraxy is sadly lacking. They know a lot about God, but they fail to let the knowledge hit their hearts and come out of their feet. It's as though some of these folk think that when they get to heaven, God's going to give them a Bible trivia test. Or that God is going to say, "You missed that part about women teaching men. You have to spend 100,000,000 years on the back row (or front row if you're Baptist)."
So what will God be looking for when we stand before Him? After our names our located in the book of life, I have a strong suspicion (from Acts 13.22) that He may want to know, "Did you do everything I asked you to do?" What He won't be asking is, "Did you know everything I asked you to know?"
Knowing the right thing does not equate to doing the right thing. I'm the poster child for that. I know far better than I do. It's critical to understand that doing the right thing doesn't come from your head - it comes from your heart. That's what Jesus said in John 14 - three times as a matter of fact. If you love me, you will obey me. Not if you know about me, you will obey me. Until we get this straight, we will never be transformed. And going to Mardel's won't help.
Tuesday, December 5, 2006
Merry Christmas?
I have to admit...I don't like "Happy Holidays" or "Holiday trees" or "Winter break". For me, it's always going to be "Merry Christmas" and "Christmas trees" and "Christmas break"!
That said, there is something about those greetings that has important implications for the transformed church. Think about it. Why, really, would Wal-Mart or JC Penney or Target feel the need to proclaim "Christmas" in it's true meaning? And why should we as the church feel offended if the CEO's of Fortune 500 companies forbid the greeting "Merry Christmas" or call them "Holiday trees" in adverstisments? What is their job? Their job is to sell stuff. Their job is not to proclaim Christmas, at least corporately. However, that is the job of the church!
I normally delete forwarded emails as fast as humanly possible. I do scan them, but only for a short few seconds. I received a forwarded email last week. OK, I received about 50 forwarded emails last week, but one in particular stood out. The way it started out almost got it deleted before I read it..."Letter from God" or something like that. I've got a bunch of those. If most of them are from God, no wonder there are so many atheists.
But this one was markedly different. The gist was this: does God really care if Wal-Mart or Target keeps employees from saying "Merry Christmas"? Does God want Don Wildmon to spend precious time worrying about such things? In the opinion of that email's writer, with which I concur wholeheartedly, the answer is a resounding "NO!"
I do believe that God desires that His followers, in any line of work, including retail, honor Him in any way they can. I also believe that God would have all His followers do something that would present an accurate understanding of who He is to the world, rather than the normal drivel we usually direct against our distinctly pagan culture.
So, in keeping with the spirit of the email sent to me, I would suggest that we followers of Jesus, instead of protesting and writing letters to the editor, do these things this Christmas season:
1. Instead of protesting your town for not having a nativity scene, why don't you and your fellow believers buy one and put it on your lawns? If all beleivers did that, municipalities wouldn't need to.
2. Say "Merry Christmas" to everyone. They may want to say it and can't, or they may need to hear that someone understands why we celebrate.
3. Instead of giving so much to those who need so little, how about giving an offering to mission causes or to Angel Tree or Toys for Tots.
4. Consider giving an offering to Samaritan's purse in honor someone you love. We did this last year, and will again, in honor of every family member. They like it, and want us to do it again.
5. Be nice. I know that you want that good parking spot as much as the other guy. I know you wished that Wal-Mart shoppers knew what a crosswalk was or that anyone knew what a "Yield" sign means. But be nice anyway. This is the hardest time of year for many people, like those who have lost loved ones or who are lonely. Suicide is a big cause of death this time of year. What if you smiled and acknowledged EVERBODY this year? It could well make a huge difference in somebody's life.
6. Give an offering to Jesus before you give presents to your family. My family, well before we open any presents, will offer a gift to Jesus. It can be a song or a commitment or a story or a conviction or a poem or an act of repetance - the gift will depend on chronoligical and spiritual maturity. But make Christmas about giving to the One who gave it all, not about how much we can give to people who need very little.
"Merry Christmas"? Most definitely. But spoken in word and deed by Christ's people to the ones who Christ came to save - the lost, the lonely, the least, and the left out.
That said, there is something about those greetings that has important implications for the transformed church. Think about it. Why, really, would Wal-Mart or JC Penney or Target feel the need to proclaim "Christmas" in it's true meaning? And why should we as the church feel offended if the CEO's of Fortune 500 companies forbid the greeting "Merry Christmas" or call them "Holiday trees" in adverstisments? What is their job? Their job is to sell stuff. Their job is not to proclaim Christmas, at least corporately. However, that is the job of the church!
I normally delete forwarded emails as fast as humanly possible. I do scan them, but only for a short few seconds. I received a forwarded email last week. OK, I received about 50 forwarded emails last week, but one in particular stood out. The way it started out almost got it deleted before I read it..."Letter from God" or something like that. I've got a bunch of those. If most of them are from God, no wonder there are so many atheists.
But this one was markedly different. The gist was this: does God really care if Wal-Mart or Target keeps employees from saying "Merry Christmas"? Does God want Don Wildmon to spend precious time worrying about such things? In the opinion of that email's writer, with which I concur wholeheartedly, the answer is a resounding "NO!"
I do believe that God desires that His followers, in any line of work, including retail, honor Him in any way they can. I also believe that God would have all His followers do something that would present an accurate understanding of who He is to the world, rather than the normal drivel we usually direct against our distinctly pagan culture.
So, in keeping with the spirit of the email sent to me, I would suggest that we followers of Jesus, instead of protesting and writing letters to the editor, do these things this Christmas season:
1. Instead of protesting your town for not having a nativity scene, why don't you and your fellow believers buy one and put it on your lawns? If all beleivers did that, municipalities wouldn't need to.
2. Say "Merry Christmas" to everyone. They may want to say it and can't, or they may need to hear that someone understands why we celebrate.
3. Instead of giving so much to those who need so little, how about giving an offering to mission causes or to Angel Tree or Toys for Tots.
4. Consider giving an offering to Samaritan's purse in honor someone you love. We did this last year, and will again, in honor of every family member. They like it, and want us to do it again.
5. Be nice. I know that you want that good parking spot as much as the other guy. I know you wished that Wal-Mart shoppers knew what a crosswalk was or that anyone knew what a "Yield" sign means. But be nice anyway. This is the hardest time of year for many people, like those who have lost loved ones or who are lonely. Suicide is a big cause of death this time of year. What if you smiled and acknowledged EVERBODY this year? It could well make a huge difference in somebody's life.
6. Give an offering to Jesus before you give presents to your family. My family, well before we open any presents, will offer a gift to Jesus. It can be a song or a commitment or a story or a conviction or a poem or an act of repetance - the gift will depend on chronoligical and spiritual maturity. But make Christmas about giving to the One who gave it all, not about how much we can give to people who need very little.
"Merry Christmas"? Most definitely. But spoken in word and deed by Christ's people to the ones who Christ came to save - the lost, the lonely, the least, and the left out.
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