Judge not?

In our series this weekend we're talking about Jesus' statement, "Judge not, or you too will be judged." I need your help once again.

Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you felt like you were being judged by someone? Or, do you ever find yourself being judgmental toward others?

This is going to sound crazy, BUT, I find it increasingly challenging to tell people that I am a Pastor these days. It's like they make this automatic judgment that I'm going to be judgmental towards them--ouch.

I was flying into Akron/Canton a couple of weeks ago and the guy sitting beside me asked what I did for a living. I told him that I was a teacher (I didn't want the automatic walls to go up). I kid you not, he said, "Oh, I thought you were a Pastor." "Ummm, actually I am."

I'm not at all embarassed by what I do, I just hate the way the conversation shifts and the way people change their behavior when they make judgments about what it means for me to be a Pastor. Know what I mean?

What forgiveness is not

This past weekend in our teaching time I talked about some important things that forgiveness is not.

1. Forgiving is not forgetting. With time that might happen--in fact, I hope it does. However, forgetting something quickly when you have been caused deep pain just means you have a bad memory.

On the flip side . . . forgiving and then reminding the person of how they have wounded us is really not forgiving at all.

2. Forgiving does not release someone from the consequences of their actions. Often there are legal, financial or relational ramifications to a damaging incident or behavior. Even though God showed mercy to Cain when he killed his brother Abel (Genesis 4), God still exiled Cain from the land.

On the flip side . . . forgiving does mean that I give up my right to demand revenge.

3. Forgiving does not always mean reconciliation. God always desires healthy, healed relationships. However, there are some circumstances (Ie. Sexual or physical abuse) in which, even though you have forgiven the person, you should stay away from them. Just because I forgive someone does not mean I have to meet them for coffee at Starbucks every Tuesday morning at 7.

Difficult to forgive?

I need your help.

This weekend we're continuing in our teaching series, Did Jesus Really Mean That? Last weekend we wrestled with Jesus' statement, "If you marry a divorced person, then you are committing adultery." This weekend we'll talk about, "If you don't forgive others, then God won't forgive you."

So here's where I need your help . . .

What situation do you find yourself in (or could find yourself in) that you would find it difficult to forgive?

I've been giving this some thought and the most difficult situation for me would be if someone intentionally harmed one of my children.

How about you?

It is best . . .

Jesus said, "But now I am going away to the One who sent me, and not one of you is asking where I am going. Instead, you grieve because of what I've told you. But in fact, it is best for you that I go away, because if I didn't, the Advocate (Spirit) won't come. If I do go away then I will send him to you." (John 16:5-7)

One of the things I find myself wrestling with these days is the role of the Advocate (Spirit) in my everday life--and in the life of the church. Because of the tradition in which I grew up I find myself a bit "Spirit-phobic." The last thing I want is people barking in our weekend church gatherings!

What I'm coming to realize is that Jesus left this earth PRECISELY so that the Holy Spirit could be active in my life and in the life of the church. But what does that mean . . . exactly? What does it mean to be led by, empowered by, taught by the Holy Spirit?

Faith Training

I just finished reading Faith Training by Joe White. The book is centered around passing our faith onto our children. Overall, it's not that great of a read. HOWEVER, it did inspire me to be more intentional about teaching my kids to love Jesus. As Joe says, it's not the responsibility of the school system or the church to train my children--the responsibility belongs with me as a parent!

Sooo, Tabs and I will continue to memorize Bible verses together. I'll continue to recount the stories of God's people whenever possible. I'll continue to sing "Jesus loves me" to my son Elijah when I put him to bed.

At the end of the day, or the end of my life, if I haven't raised children that love the Lord, then I have failed one of the most important responsibilities entrusted to me.

Every dance

Last night was the annual father/daughter dance at Tabitha's school. It's one of the highlights of my year--fortunately, it's one of hers as well.

The other dads warned me that as the girls get older they quit dancing with dad and start dancing with each other in riotous packs. So you can imagine how pleasantly surprised I was when Tabs danced virutally every dance with me.

As we were leaving at the the end of the evening I said to her, "Wow Tabs, we danced almost every dance together!" And my daughter responded, "Dad, that's why they call it the father/daughter dance and not the daughter/friends dance."

Life is good.

The climbing bug

My climbing partner, Tom Patton, and I have been experiencing the climbing bug once again. Sooo, we've been researching some potential mountains to climb.

Of course we had to check out Everest . . . absolute insanity.

For instance, guess how much it costs to climb the world's highest peak? $65,000!!! And that doesn't include your travel expenses to and from Nepal.

And, guess how long this little excursion takes? 2 months!!!

Not happening any time in the near future . . .

The Survivors Club

The Survivors Club by Ben Sherwood is a great read!

Sherwood asks two primary questions: What does it really take to survive? and What kind of survivor are you? (Survivor is defined as "anyone who faces and overcomes adversity, harship, illness, or physical or emotional trauma.")

The book addresses surviving everything from a plane crash to a high altitude fall to a sudden storm to cancer to a knitting needle through the heart to the Holocaust!

For instance, when you get on your next domestic flight, your chance of being killed is one in 60 million. That means you could fly every day for the next 164,000 years before you would perish in a crash. AND, there are things that you can do to increase your odds of survival even more. (And no, not flying, is not one of the precautions.)

Incidentally, people who go to church regularly live around seven years longer than people who don't.

Pick this one up.

If Jesus is my Lord . . .

If Jesus is my Lord . . .

It doesn't mean I'll walk around in blissful happiness, pie-in-the-sky irrelevance, everything peaches and cream.

It does mean I will experiencing heart-rending joy. Joy in the midst of my pain. In the midst of a broken world. In the midst of job loss and economic downturns and market drops.

It doesn't mean my team will win all of the time. (God knows that as a Cleveland fan I've found that to be true.)

It does mean that I am part of a winning team. Part of a world-changing movement bringing God's blessings to this earth. Eradicating poverty. Caring for children at risk. Affording hope to the hopeless. Loving the unlovely. Stewarding this amazing universe that God has entrusted to me.

It doesn't mean perfect health, dazzling smiles, a cut body and a modelesque figure.

It does mean being satisfied with who God created me to be. Finding contentment in my unique giftedness, talents and meaningful purpose in life.

It doesn't mean a bigger house, faster car, designer fashions.

It does mean freedom from debt. The ability to be generous. Sleeping peacefully at night because I am part of something bigger than myself.

It doesn't mean that I won't face adversity.

It does mean that I will triumph in tragedy. That I can face failure with confidence. That when I fall . . . Jesus will help me, once again, to rise to my feet.

It doesn't mean I won't be broken.

It does mean that Jesus will use my brokenness to heal others. To heal marriages, damaged relationships, addictive behaviors . . .

It doesn't mean that I won't sin--that I won't rebel against God--ever again.

It does mean that I will find forgiveness. It means that when I turn to God I will discover God waiting for me with arms open wide.

It doesn't mean that I won't die.

It does mean that I have victory over death!

If Jesus is my Lord.

The Tangible Kingdom

A friend of mine sent me The Tangible Kingdom by Hugh Halter.

Here are a few quotes that I appreciated:

What Jesus asked us to accomplish: the proliferation of global blessing and the making of apprentices of Jesus.

Yes! So often we attempt one without the other.

The longer I go, the less I know.

Ummm, I have definitely found myself feeling this.

If you go to Africa and hang out in a village of starving children, you'll get a heart for starving African children. If you hang out with the mentally ill, you'll get a heart for the emotionally imbalanced. If you want an authentic heart for people outside the church . . . you've got to be with them.

In my own experience I've discovered this to be very true. The big question is who is God calling you to hang out with in the first place? If we follow the example of Jesus it's most often not church people!

Leadership is based on choice. In other words, leaders used to get to pick their followers and tell them what to do. Today, followers pick their leaders based on whom they trust and whom they want to be like.

In other words, if we're going to lead, we had better be trustworthy leaders who are worth following.

We never reference our relationship with God as "personal." We speak of it as "communal."

When did we start isolating our relationship with God from the community of Jesus-followers? I have a hunch that it is the American way. We are so individualistic. Faith in Jesus was never intended to be lived out in isolation.

"Going deep" isn't about head knowledge or number of years following God. It's about honesty, common struggle, and being transparent in both weak and strong moments.

This is a profound truth. So often we equate "going deep" with incredible insights from Bible study and theology (which certainly have value). But I agree with Hugh that the deepest Christians I know are taking what they know and living it out in the trenches of everday life.

The Tangible Kingdom is worth reading. Pick this one up!

Northwest

This morning I spent an hour praying in the cafeteria at Northwest High School. Actually, I was one of about one hundred followers of Jesus that gathered to pray prayers of blessing for the students, teachers and community at large.

Northwest School District has not passed a levy in 17 years! Consequently, they are facing some of the most serious financial issues I've ever seen a school confront. Aside from the obvious . . . teachers are struggling to maintain a positive attitude, students are feeling uncared for, the community is divided.

But there is hope.

As we prayed I couldn't help but rejoice in the fact that 100 people were praying IN THE SCHOOL! That God delights in bringing the greatest light from the deepest darkness. That we may no longer be able to pray before announcements or in homeroom, but nothing can stop us from praying at home, in the parking lot, on the street.

I believe with all my heart that God's power is unleashed through the prayers of His people. I also believe that those same people are the answer to many of the prayers that we pray.

I can't wait to see God's Kingdom springing forth alive and well in the Northwest School District!

The big question

The big question I'm wrestling with these days is what it means to be a leader in a "missional" church? I've been asking God and I've been asking a lot of other Pastors that I respect. The answer is not coming with ease.

Reggie McNeal recently responded, "I'm not sure, but I do know that once you move in this direction . . . you can never go back."

Here are some of the character traits that I am discovering are necessary to be effective:

*Authenticity. Yes, we all try to be authentic, but there is a risky authenticity that takes following Jesus to a whole new level. Being willing to open one's life in the midst of deep struggles as well as exhuberant triumphs.

*Generosity. This goes beyond tithing to your local church. It means that we're going to be open to the gentle promptings of the Holy Spirit. Promptings that may lead to the release of your financial resources, time and energies to see God's Kingdom revealed.

*Collaboration. I've been reciting a new mantra: "It's amazing what God can accomplish when we don't care who gets the credit." Good-bye ego. Good-bye self-promotion.

*Urgency. Life is short--everyone's. Urgency is not busyness but rather a constant awareness of the necessity of God's Kingdom in every life in all the earth.

The wrestling continues . . .

Leadership Network

Just returned from a Leadership Network gathering in Dallas, Texas. We've traveled 4 times to the Big D in the past two years for a peer network/learning community with other churches from across the country. It has been very intense--very life transforming.

Monday morning's first session was spent reviewing what God has been doing in our churches since we've been involved in the Community.

Five questions were asked . . .

Question 1: What is your BHAG (Big, hairy, audacious goal)?

To ignite a movement of people with the DNA of Jesus that will inhabit every nook and cranny of society and culture!

Question 2: What's working?

Philippians 2:13 "God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him."

Hundreds, if not thousands, of Jesus-followers have gone out/are going out from RiverTree to reveal God's Kingdom now and forever.

Question 3: What's stuck?

Christology should determine our missiology which should determine our ecclesiology.

Unfortunately, over the years we've had a slow drift that flipped this around. Ecclesiology has determined our missiology which has determined our Christology.

We're in the process of getting this right! Flipping it back around. Asking very hard, very candid, very inspiring questions of how Jesus would live and impact today's society and culture. From our discoveries about Jesus we will determine our mission which will determine how we do church.

Question 4: Our biggest surprise?

That we as a church leadership are actually just catching up to what God is already doing in the hearts of His people. God is going before us . . .

Question 5: Our greatest success?

We've moved from serving others in Jesus' name (while handing out cards that say "Just wanted to love you with no strings attached"--while on the back of the card it lists RiverTree's weekend service times) to canceling a weekend of services so that people could intentionally impact their communities . . . to doing "Great Days of Service" (spending 7 days serving in our communities) to a lifestyle of really loving people and serving them as Jesus would.

In a nutshell, God has moved us from a "program" where people serve to a lifestyle of influencial serving.

Yeah God!!!