The recent allegations against Bishop Eddie Long have got me really thinking about the nature of pastoral ministry. Now I don't support a prosperity gospel nor am I a huge fan of mega churches, but the attacks against this pastor - true or not - have reminded me about several things when it comes to ministry.
1. Ministry is such a fragile calling. Like character (and dependent upon it), a good ministry takes a long time to build and only one allegation to ruin. I am reminded of the grace dependent nature of the work I'm doing right now. What seems invincible and strong can only really be so by the protection of God. EVERYTHING I have and am doing is by the sheer grace of God. That said, I am reminded to go to extraordinary lengths to protect the integrity of the ministry I lead.
2. We must be careful of rock-star status. From YouTube to pop celebrity, I think the church has adopted and inherited an idea of celebrating and rallying around a pastor as rock star. Whether it's Tim Keller and John Piper, or Eddie Long and T.D. Jakes, we celebrate giftedness and persona. I wonder how Paul would have fared in today's evangelical church scene? (1 Cor 2)
3. A pastor must be accountable to his people. One sentence from the CNN article above stunned me. "Pastors can acquire so much unchecked power that members are afraid to challenge them." We've seen it time and time again. If it's not Eddie Long, it's Ted Haggart. The rock star status we ascribe to celebrity pastors isolates them, and gives them more and more power. This is such a dangerous place for any man to be. Any church that is driven by the persona of the pastor, and not a plurality of leadership needs to be carefully approached.
4. A pastor must be accessible to his people. Related to the above, the thing that makes a mega-church most unappealing to me is the trend that pastors become more and more unavailable to their sheep. Appointments to meet with a pastor can take weeks. In fact, the real work of ministry is often delegated to lay leaders because the pastor becomes busy 'leading'. Eugene Peterson once wrote that such 'busy-ness' is the beginning of a weakened ministry. When people become interruptions, I have lost my way as a pastor. Busy-ness is often attributed to one of two things: pride - I can justify how important I am by how busy I am; laziness - I let other people and things dictate my schedule, keeping me from what's truly important. How can a shepherd know his sheep and his sheep know him if he is too busy to be with them?
5. I need to check my own heart. As much as I decry celebrity status, I know that deep inside I desire it as much as the next guy. The horror of my own depravity is that I want to be SOMEONE - a rock star who is unaccountable, inaccessible, and invincible. At the end of the day when I am faced with such ugliness, I am reminded that the Good Shepherd, who has called me laid, down his life for his sheep. He didn't claim rock star status (though people wanted to give it to him). He wasn't inaccessible and pridefully independent. In fact, he was meek, gentle, humble, and sacrificial. He knew his sheep, and his sheep knew him.
That's the kind of pastor I want to be, and I can only ask that God would give me much grace and protection to, as Luther said, keep me from bringing everything to ruin.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
The Revealing God
This morning I had the occasion to rise early and meet about 65 students (mostly Jr. Highers) for an annual event we hold at our church - See You At The Pole Breakfast. It's a pretty neat event where students come to church to grab breakfast before heading off to their schools to pray (we're right across the street from a middle school).
I gave a devotion that I thought I would share. The theme of this year's SYATP was "Reveal", and as I prepared the devotion, I asked myself the question, "what is it that I'm really asking for as I pray?" When we talk about God revealing himself, do I know what we're really asking?
In the movie, "The Wizard of Oz," Dorothy and her gang come back from having fulfilled the formidable wizard's request only to be rebuffed. The following scene depicts the Wizard being revealed.
Is this what it's like that God should be revealed? Behind all that cosmic power and awesome greatness, is there nothing but a pudgy, cheeky, little fellow with too much make-up on, pulling strings and performing tricks to scare us into obeying him?
No! When God reveals himself, people see the world and themselves as they really are. Elisha prayed it for this servant (2 Kings 6:17ff.); Isaiah responded to it (Isaiah 6); Simeon experienced it (Luke 2).
Have you ever had an encounter with something so powerful, so beautiful, so wonderful that it changed you? This is what we're asking for when we say, "God, reveal yourself." We're asking that the most beautiful, just, creative, righteous, holy Being in the entire universe reveal the character and the power behind the will and purposes. We're asking God to show himself as the loving and just Creator that He is so that our lives, our relationships, even our very thought patterns would be different. If God were to reveal himself, what about our life, our perspective, our interests, or our circumstances would change?
How would we treat people? see people?
How would we talk? What would we talk about?
How would we respond to the crises? drama?
What would we live for?
Can you imagine a future in which God revealed himself powerfully and tangibly? If not, then you've got nothing to pray for. Your prayers will be nice platitudes offered for a world that doesn't matter. But if so, then perhaps the first line of Jesus' prayer in Matt 6 will matter to you: Our Father, the one in heaven, make your name to be revered as holy! If this is your future, will you start praying that future into being today?
I gave a devotion that I thought I would share. The theme of this year's SYATP was "Reveal", and as I prepared the devotion, I asked myself the question, "what is it that I'm really asking for as I pray?" When we talk about God revealing himself, do I know what we're really asking?
In the movie, "The Wizard of Oz," Dorothy and her gang come back from having fulfilled the formidable wizard's request only to be rebuffed. The following scene depicts the Wizard being revealed.
Is this what it's like that God should be revealed? Behind all that cosmic power and awesome greatness, is there nothing but a pudgy, cheeky, little fellow with too much make-up on, pulling strings and performing tricks to scare us into obeying him?
No! When God reveals himself, people see the world and themselves as they really are. Elisha prayed it for this servant (2 Kings 6:17ff.); Isaiah responded to it (Isaiah 6); Simeon experienced it (Luke 2).
Have you ever had an encounter with something so powerful, so beautiful, so wonderful that it changed you? This is what we're asking for when we say, "God, reveal yourself." We're asking that the most beautiful, just, creative, righteous, holy Being in the entire universe reveal the character and the power behind the will and purposes. We're asking God to show himself as the loving and just Creator that He is so that our lives, our relationships, even our very thought patterns would be different. If God were to reveal himself, what about our life, our perspective, our interests, or our circumstances would change?
How would we treat people? see people?
How would we talk? What would we talk about?
How would we respond to the crises? drama?
What would we live for?
Can you imagine a future in which God revealed himself powerfully and tangibly? If not, then you've got nothing to pray for. Your prayers will be nice platitudes offered for a world that doesn't matter. But if so, then perhaps the first line of Jesus' prayer in Matt 6 will matter to you: Our Father, the one in heaven, make your name to be revered as holy! If this is your future, will you start praying that future into being today?
Monday, September 20, 2010
Living in Fantasy
CNN had an interesting piece on the rise in popularity of Fantasy Football.
Having been a part of fantasy football for several years now, I can attest to the way that this little amusement can absolutely dominate a Sunday, Sunday evening, Monday evening, and Thursday. I find myself constantly checking scores, stats, match-ups, who's doing well and should be considered for waiver wire pick-up, etc.
All of this crazy frenzy just shows how prone to worship the human heart is. We are not independent, self-sustaining beings. Rather, we are constantly looking to define our lives and give meaning to it by attaching ourselves to whatever we think might provide definition and meaning. The Bible calls this idolatry, and it is part of the Myth that defines our existence. Humans are made to be worshipers, and we will worship whatever promises us satisfaction, happiness, and even glory. Whether it's Fantasy Football (note even the enticement of the word 'fantasy'), people's approval, or whatever.
I think it would be an interesting exercise to think about what it is that rules your life - what are you paying attention to? How would you fill in the blank: FANTASY ?
Having been a part of fantasy football for several years now, I can attest to the way that this little amusement can absolutely dominate a Sunday, Sunday evening, Monday evening, and Thursday. I find myself constantly checking scores, stats, match-ups, who's doing well and should be considered for waiver wire pick-up, etc.
All of this crazy frenzy just shows how prone to worship the human heart is. We are not independent, self-sustaining beings. Rather, we are constantly looking to define our lives and give meaning to it by attaching ourselves to whatever we think might provide definition and meaning. The Bible calls this idolatry, and it is part of the Myth that defines our existence. Humans are made to be worshipers, and we will worship whatever promises us satisfaction, happiness, and even glory. Whether it's Fantasy Football (note even the enticement of the word 'fantasy'), people's approval, or whatever.
I think it would be an interesting exercise to think about what it is that rules your life - what are you paying attention to? How would you fill in the blank: FANTASY ?
A Most Peculiar Unction
By God's grace, I finished a very full week yesterday (interestingly, I find that my week culminates in Sunday rather than begins on it). A friend asked me at the end of the day how I felt the week went. All I could respond was that I felt that I had really served the church well. It was a strange feeling - not one of pride or arrogance - but a humble gratitude to God that He had equipped and allowed me to serve the church that He loves so dearly. I am truly grateful!
The highlight of my Sunday was being able to preach at CF because it was a very unusual experience for me. The night before, I was on a date with Sarah, and I kept feeling this nervous anxiety in my chest and stomach. It was like the feeling you get when you know you have to have a difficult conversation with someone. The uncertainty, the nervousness, and the reluctance to do what you know you must was building up inside of me, and I felt like I was running a lap after eating a large Italian meal.
The following morning I stood up to preach and felt a loss of words (more about this later). I wasn't sure how to begin or how to broach the topic, but I gave it my all. In the middle of the sermon, as I was talking about prayer, something strange came over me. It was an urgency and passion for the topic of prayer that I hadn't planned nor included into my outline. The phrase, "It's just prayer..." kept echoing over and over again in my soul as with each mention from my lips, I was offering a sort of repentance for my own lack of belief in prayer. I felt my voice rise, my passion intensify because I felt the burden and heart of God that his church should pray. Like a confluence of two mighty rivers, I also felt the burden of so many hard situations that our people are in, so many trying circumstances, and how tragic it was that we were not praying more. I struggled to contain my emotions and to hold back the tears - how desperate our circumstances, yet how indolent our praying!
After the sermon, I sat down, and I was spent. In fact, I was so spent that I didn't want to get up for the second service. I felt like I had given it my all. Still, as I came to talk about prayer again, the Spirit's power consumed me. Interestingly enough, my prayer in the morning was out of 1 Cor 2:1-5
"And I, when I came to you, brothers,did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God."
The highlight of my Sunday was being able to preach at CF because it was a very unusual experience for me. The night before, I was on a date with Sarah, and I kept feeling this nervous anxiety in my chest and stomach. It was like the feeling you get when you know you have to have a difficult conversation with someone. The uncertainty, the nervousness, and the reluctance to do what you know you must was building up inside of me, and I felt like I was running a lap after eating a large Italian meal.
The following morning I stood up to preach and felt a loss of words (more about this later). I wasn't sure how to begin or how to broach the topic, but I gave it my all. In the middle of the sermon, as I was talking about prayer, something strange came over me. It was an urgency and passion for the topic of prayer that I hadn't planned nor included into my outline. The phrase, "It's just prayer..." kept echoing over and over again in my soul as with each mention from my lips, I was offering a sort of repentance for my own lack of belief in prayer. I felt my voice rise, my passion intensify because I felt the burden and heart of God that his church should pray. Like a confluence of two mighty rivers, I also felt the burden of so many hard situations that our people are in, so many trying circumstances, and how tragic it was that we were not praying more. I struggled to contain my emotions and to hold back the tears - how desperate our circumstances, yet how indolent our praying!
After the sermon, I sat down, and I was spent. In fact, I was so spent that I didn't want to get up for the second service. I felt like I had given it my all. Still, as I came to talk about prayer again, the Spirit's power consumed me. Interestingly enough, my prayer in the morning was out of 1 Cor 2:1-5
"And I, when I came to you, brothers,did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God."
Who would have thought that it would be my faith that was taught to rest in the power of God. This morning, I had the occasion to read something by EM Bounds that pointed me to Charles Spurgeon. He wrote about the peculiar unction of the Holy Spirit that every preacher must have. I think he explained what I experienced very well.
"I wonder how long we might beat our brains before we could plainly put into word what is meant by preaching with unction. Yet he who preaches knows its presence, and he who hears soon detects its absence. Samaria, in famine, typifies a discourse without it. Jerusalem, with her feast of fat things, full of marrow, may represent a sermon enriched with it. Every one knows what the freshness of the morning is when orient pearls abound on every blade of grass, but who can describe it, much less produce it of itself? Such is the mystery of spiritual anointing. We know, but we cannot tell to others what it is. It is as easy as it is foolish, to counterfeit it. Unction is a thing which you cannot manufacture, and its counterfeits are worse than worthless. Yet it is, in itself, priceless, and beyond measure needful if you would edify believers and bring sinners to Christ."
God, grant me through the power of your Holy Spirit to preach and work with unction!!!
God, grant me through the power of your Holy Spirit to preach and work with unction!!!
Monday, September 13, 2010
What we learn about character from a controversial NFL rule
Yesterday was the first Sunday of the NFL season, and today the sports channels are abuzz over a controversial play in the NFL that cost the Detroit Lions the game. The controversy surrounds a rule that says a receiver must be in complete possession of the ball until he comes to a complete stop. Here's an excerpt from an ESPN radio interview this morning with Mike Pereira, the NFL's former vice president of officiating. Pereira said, "Right now it's really black and white, and it's all on the receiver at this point. If he's going to the ground, he's got to hold on to the ball until he has completely finished, until he's come to a stop. If he doesn't, it's an incomplete pass."
During the game, Calvin Johnson, a superb Detroit receiver (who knows he's good), went up and caught a last second 'hail mary' pass with time running out. Here's a video clip of the catch.
Now, it's clear from the replays that Johnson made the catch, but instead of tucking the ball, he chose to one hand it and come down. Regardless of what you think about the rule, the question remains: why would Calvin Johnson, a stellar and elite wide receiver both in college and in the NFL, not tuck the ball and come down with it?
Was it because CJ was trying to break his fall? Possibly. Was it to clearly show that he had possession by palming it? Maybe. Was it to stick it to the Bears and the fans that he had clear possession of the game-winning catch (which he had just snatched from over a defender)? Most likely. I may be reading into this, but his body language just smacks of pride - and this was a recurring theme from almost every game yesterday.
It seems that after every big tackle, big catch, or big run, the respective player found it his duty to flex his muscles, flaunt his stuff, and to let the crowd know what a stud he was for making such a play. Every season, I find more and more of this kind of arrogant 'look at me, I'm a warrior' machismo on display. And yesterday CJ's seeming arrogance cost him and his team the game. CJ should have brought the ball in and tucked it. He should have simply secured it and walked away, but instead, he needed to show the world that he was superior, and his arrogance made him woefully ignorant of an important rule when it comes to catching the ball - you must end with it in your possession until the very end even if it's obvious to us that you did indeed do something spectacular.
As I think about raising my two sons, I am challenged by something another C.J. (this time, C.J. Maheney) wrote in his book, Humility. In the next to last chapter, he talks about how we must be intentional about leaving a legacy of greatness in our children's lives. One example he points out is sports heroes. In no other arena is the word 'great' used of people than in the world of sports. Calvin Johnson is a reminder of that. He is a great wide receiver who made a great catch that was a great play. But his act of arrogance is not anything like what the Bible defines as greatness.
God is not impressed by big hits and tackles, gravity-defying catches, and last-second heroics. Rather, Isaiah 66:2 tells us, "But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word." Peter goes on to quote, "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble." I want to make sure that my sons understand that what happened to CJ yesterday is a picture of what pride can cost us. I guess it is true: Pride does come before a fall (and incomplete pass).
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Some Birthday thoughts
David Brainerd, a missionary from the 18th C, posts over and over again in his diaries how he would often spend his birthdays alone in the forest reflecting on his life and how it is that he didn't live to the fullest for the glory of God. His birthdays would often end with thoughts of God's glorious grace in his life, and how good it was of God to give him another year of life in spite of his faithlessness.
I can't say that I've spent any serious time alone in forests, but I can say that every year my birthday seems to bring with it the associated reflection of "what have I done with my life?" It's been a quasi-running joke between Sarah and me for the last six years. In very much "Brainerd-ian" or maybe I should say "Brai-NERDian" fashion, I find myself repenting over wasted time, and overwhelmed by the grace of God. Last night, after a party with some good friends and neighbors, I walked to the mailbox looking up at the sky and asking God to take all of me this year. I wanted so desperately that God should make me a man completely sold out and devoted to his purposes, to be unleashed to pursue people like Jesus did with tireless abandon. Even as I write this, I feel a sense of desperation that God should do a great work IN me before He does a great work THROUGH me.
To cap off these birthday reflections, Sarah surprised me with a list of 35 significant moments from my life. I was blown away and so touched by this act of service for several reasons. First, that someone in my life knew me to the point where she could list out in chronological order the most significant God moments in my life (even if she was involved with more than half of them!) Second, that Sarah was paying attention to my annual need for reflection and remembrance. Third, that I was able to see on one sheet of paper how God has moved in my life. From the insignificant to the paradigm-shifting, it is truly amazing grace that covers every corner of my life. I'd encourage everyone to write such a list at some point because as a friend told me the other day, there is power in remembering.
In fact, in the OT, when God remembers, it always has to do with the context of salvation, and when we are commanded to remember, it usually has to do with the responsibility for obedience. With the fast pace of media, news, and technology, I think we are products of a culture that has forgotten how to remember. Perhaps one day a year, we can come back to the place of remembering who we are because of what God has done.
If you would like me to post the list of significant moments, just leave a comment (yes, shameless plug to get some movement on this blog). If I get enough comments, I'll post it.
Hope today is a memorable one!
I can't say that I've spent any serious time alone in forests, but I can say that every year my birthday seems to bring with it the associated reflection of "what have I done with my life?" It's been a quasi-running joke between Sarah and me for the last six years. In very much "Brainerd-ian" or maybe I should say "Brai-NERDian" fashion, I find myself repenting over wasted time, and overwhelmed by the grace of God. Last night, after a party with some good friends and neighbors, I walked to the mailbox looking up at the sky and asking God to take all of me this year. I wanted so desperately that God should make me a man completely sold out and devoted to his purposes, to be unleashed to pursue people like Jesus did with tireless abandon. Even as I write this, I feel a sense of desperation that God should do a great work IN me before He does a great work THROUGH me.
To cap off these birthday reflections, Sarah surprised me with a list of 35 significant moments from my life. I was blown away and so touched by this act of service for several reasons. First, that someone in my life knew me to the point where she could list out in chronological order the most significant God moments in my life (even if she was involved with more than half of them!) Second, that Sarah was paying attention to my annual need for reflection and remembrance. Third, that I was able to see on one sheet of paper how God has moved in my life. From the insignificant to the paradigm-shifting, it is truly amazing grace that covers every corner of my life. I'd encourage everyone to write such a list at some point because as a friend told me the other day, there is power in remembering.
In fact, in the OT, when God remembers, it always has to do with the context of salvation, and when we are commanded to remember, it usually has to do with the responsibility for obedience. With the fast pace of media, news, and technology, I think we are products of a culture that has forgotten how to remember. Perhaps one day a year, we can come back to the place of remembering who we are because of what God has done.
If you would like me to post the list of significant moments, just leave a comment (yes, shameless plug to get some movement on this blog). If I get enough comments, I'll post it.
Hope today is a memorable one!
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