Which Team Is God On?

How many times have you caught yourself praying when your favorite team is down by two and has the ball with three seconds left? Maybe it’s just me, but I doubt it.

When we get caught up in the excitement of the moment, we tend to forget that God has children who are fans of the other team as well!

I imagine it’s that way with just about everything in life. For instance, after a terrorist attack or act of war, we are less likely to pray for the citizens of the nation who attacked us.  And when your own government’s leaders make policies you disagree with, it becomes harder to pray for God to give them wisdom and guidance to do their job. And yet, Jesus has said, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:44).

God has important purposes for our differences. Specifically, we display what is most important to us by what we will set aside our differences for. For example, when fans from rival teams stand together for the National Anthem, you know that they value their mutual allegiance to America more than their loyalty to their team. Likewise, when believers from opposing nations worship together, you know that Christ is more important to them than political interests.

Ultimately, favorite teams, national citizenship, and political affiliation have less importance in the Kingdom of God. In Christ, all believers are citizens of Heaven, servants of the King, and members of one team (Phil. 3:20, John 12:26, Eph. 4:5). One day, we will all be together worshipping at His throne!

One way we can express our submission to Christ in this life is to begin living in unity with all believers..  Instead of waiting until Heaven to worship together, let’s welcome people from all backgrounds into our Churches. Jesus said, “My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations” (Matt. 21:13).  Instead of harboring anger toward governments and political parties, let’s pray for the citizens of all nations (including our own). Remember, God is over all things, (Col. 1:17), all nations (Psalm 86:9), and all kings (Prov. 21:1).

Now, I know what you’re wondering. Yes, I’m still a huge fan of my favorite team, –I’m just a bigger fan of Jesus!

Road Trip: Carthage, TX

I recently had the privilege of spending a few hours with Dr. Allen Tilley, pastor of First Baptist Church in Carthage, TX. Carthage is the home of the Texas Country Music Hall of Fame and is the setting of the major motion picture, Bernie.

Dr. Tilley has served Frist Baptist for over fifteen years. God has used his leadership to multiply the congregation several times over. I was really interested in the fact that such a large church was located in such a small town (around 6,000 people). Dr. Tilley explained that First Baptist had changed their focus from being a “home town church” to a “regional church.” They have members who travel each Sunday from multiple counties –some as far as 45 miles each way.

One of the things Dr. Tilley noted about the church is its emphasis on outreach. Every Sunday afternoon, a group of 15-20 people saturate the community sharing the gospel. But the outreach efforts are more than just “cold calls.” An intentional effort is made to move people into discipleship through Bible studies in the church. In my opinion, this is a key factor that is missing in most evangelism programs.

Significant participation in the outreach program over the years is probably due to Dr. Tilley’s continual emphasis on the priesthood of all believers. He regularly shares his conviction that all believers are called to minister through the local church.

I really enjoyed my time in Carthage. Dr. Tilley was gracious with his time even though he is in the midst of difficult health issues, Please pray for First Baptist Carthage and especially pray for Dr. Tilley’s health.

Are We Teaching Two Gods?

Christians around the world affirm the fact that there is one God and He never changes.

Seems pretty straight-forward and basic doesn’t it? He is God, He doesn’t change.

However, when Christians use phrases like, “In the Old Testament, God is full of wrath, and in the New Testament, He is full of grace,” we betray this truth.

Did God suddenly change during the intertestamental period? Should there be a big notice between Malachi and Matthew that says, “God changed?”

Of course not. God didn’t change or alter His character, His perspective, His decisions, or His plans.

Instead, by searching the Old and New Testaments, you find both wrath and grace included in both.

For example, grace is seen in the Old Testament when:

  • God spared Adam and Eve from immediate death
  • God spared Noah and His family from the flood
  • Forgave David for adultery

And wrath is seen in New Testament when:

  • Ananias & Sapphira were executed by God for lying
  • Herod was struck down by an Angel and eaten by worms for failing to give glory to God
  • God poured out His wrath on Christ on the cross

Wrath is important because it expresses God’s passion for His righteousness. Be sure of this; we want a God of wrath. We need a God who is angry toward sin. Just think, could you believe in a God who looks at child molestation or sex trafficking indifferently? What if it was your child or your sister?

The reason most people feel God is more wrathful in the Old Testament than in the New Testament is because the Old Testament records more acts of wrath and justice. However, just because God chose to reveal more of one aspect about Himself in some books of the Bible and more of other attributes in other parts of the Bible doesn’t mean He changed. Instead, God chooses to use a progressive plan of revelation throughout Scripture to lead us toward Christ.

Throughout the Old Testament, outpourings of wrath teach us what our sin deserves. The fact that even the smallest sin angers God teaches us that there is none righteous. Unto ourselves, we are hopeless and helpless. Glimpses of mercy and grace point us toward a Savior, a Messiah who can save us. Instances of animal sacrifice and the spilling of blood point us toward a substitute who perfectly stood in our place to incur God’s wrath on our behalf.

For instance, after the first sin, God killed animals in order to cover Adam and Eve’s nakedness. As far as we know, this was the first death. Can you imagine the impact it made on the first couple? God poured out his wrath on an innocent being in order to cover them from shame before him.

When we place our faith in Christ, repenting of our sin, He takes our sin and covers us with His righteousness. Now, only in Christ, may we stand before God without incurring God’s wrath.

Same God. Same plan. Same wrath. Same Grace.

Just because the Bible is composed of two testaments does not mean there are two Gods. The Bible is one book telling one story of one God who sent His one Son to bear his wrath once and for all.

Pastors, What is Your Value?

First chore. That’s monumental in every child’s life, right? For my son, Bryce, the moment came recently when I told him I would pay him a nickel for every time he made his bed.

A few weeks his new chore, things have been going well (and Bryce is getting rich).

This morning, Bryce told me that I forgot to pay him for the day before. Oops.

I thought this would be a great learning moment, so I asked him, “what coin could I give you that would equal two nickels?”

His first guess was, “that big silver one.” Then, he was certain it must be a penny.

After I pulled out a dime, he actually laughed and said, “Dad, that one’s too small!”

I had forgotten about the mysterious way that the size of our coins doesn’t necessarily match the size of their value. It’s a good lesson for all of us, isn’t it? (Especially for pastors).

Pastors, we all know that the size of our attendance, budget, or facilities doesn’t equate with our value as ministers of the gospel. We remind each other of this often (although we rarely act as if we believe it).

But when was the last time someone reminded you of where your value as a pastor does come from?

It doesn’t come from your achievements. It’s not derived from your reputation. It has nothing to do with your gifts, talents, or abilities.

Your value as a pastor is 100% in Christ.

While that sounds simple enough, let me elaborate on what that does and doesn’t mean.

It doesn’t mean:

1)   The more you do to please Christ, the more valuable you are.

2)   The more you pastor as He would pastor, the more valuable you are.

While pleasing Christ and conforming to His image are both vitally important, your value does not lie in becoming those things. It lies in the fact that 1) because of justification, you are already pleasing to Christ and, therefore, 2) because of sanctification you are becoming more like Christ.

It does mean:

1)   Your value as a pastor is based upon Christ’s righteousness. You please God because Jesus pleases the Father.

2)   Your value as a pastor drives your ministry and is not a result of your ministry.

During the inevitable difficulties of ministry, we are all tempted to get this backwards.  But remember, your value is not a product of what you’ve done, but of what Christ has done for you and is doing in you. And anything that He does through you is all to His glory.

Whether you feel like a “penny pastor,” a “quarter pastor,” a “nickel pastor,” or a “dime pastor,” consider changing your perspective. Trust me, it’s valuable!

4 Tips for Welcoming Visitors to Your Group

When was the last time you were a visitor in a Sunday school class or Small group? For most, it has been a while. That’s why it is hard for “regulars” to see what might be glaring to visitors.

The truth is that many groups and classes who believe that they are hospitable, warm, and caring aren’t –at least not to visitors. It’s not that they are mean people, it’s just that they haven’t looked at their group through “visitor eyes” in quite a while.

Because Christ humbled himself for us, we are called to humble ourselves for the good of others. Just listen to the admonition of Paul in Philippians 2:1-8:

“…in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”

Christ’s humble servanthood on earth –and ultimately on the cross- is a model for how we treat everyone we come in contact with –including visitors.

The rest of the New Testament bears this out with frequent commands to be hospitable (Hebrews 13:2, 1 Peter 4:9, Romans 12:13).

So here are a few tips to help your group be more hospitable:

1)   Include Visitors. You know the routine, people begin showing up and mingling ten or fifteen minutes before things kick-off. During this time, there will be several “mingle groups” where people are catching up with each other. When a visitor arrives, teach your people to do more than meet and greet: you want them to include them.  Teach your group to have an “adoption” mentality where every visitor immediately gets “adopted” into a “mingle group.”

2)   Hold Visitors Hands. Adopting a visitor is more than just inviting them into a conversation. It means serving them by holding their hand through things that will seem routine to everyone else in the group. Don’t expect them to know where to grab a book or pencil. Remember that they don’t know where everyone normally sits. You’ll need to walk them through these things.

3)   Stop talking about yourselves. From my experience visiting classes, the most uncomfortable thing is having to listen to the class members talk about themselves for the majority of the time. Be careful not to let your “prayer request time” turn into gossip/catch up time. Remember, your visitors came to study the Bible –not to study you!

4)   Follow up Afterward. After the group meeting is over, don’t just say, “goodbye.” If people are going out to eat later, invite them along. Ask for an email address to check in on them during the week. If you are in a class that is prior to a worship service, invite them to sit with you during the service.

Although these are just a few simple suggestions, they can really make a difference in class. Simple put, treat your visitors the way Christ would treat them.

Escaping Virtual Reality: The Deceit of Pride

I was in seventh grade. My mom and dad had taken me to the mall for an afternoon of shopping. As usual, we planned to go our separate ways and meet back at the front entrance at a particular time.

As I wondered through the mall that day, I noticed a new storefront. It was a virtual reality video game business. Do you remember virtual reality video games?  The large headgear was equipped with internal video screens and surround sound which transported your senses to a virtual world. Depending upon the game, you may wear gloves with sensors to track your movements or be given a gun to record your shots. Most of the games had a small platform with guard rails to stand inside of to keep you from hurting yourself (or others).

The games were a hit… for a while. The idea of taking a break from reality and chasing a fantasy world appeals to most of us.  And this is healthy –as long as it is a break. Wouldn’t it be ridiculous for someone to try to live 24/7 in a virtual reality game?

Yet some of us do something similar. We live in our own virtual reality built on the lies and deceit of our very own pride.

When it comes to manipulating our senses and sensibility into believing a false reality –pride is far more effective than a video game.

  • Pride tells us the lies we want to hear and are most apt to believe.
  • Pride exploits our desire for meaning and significance into selfishness.
  • Pride twists our worship toward self.

And it does all of this while convincing us that we are walking in humility before God.

Pride is a dangerous virtual reality –without guardrails. That’s why the Bible tells us that, “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18).

Recently God was gracious to put me in a situation where I was forced to take off the headgear of pride and see the lies I had believed. It was painful, embarrassing, and yes, humbling. Praise God!

The answer to pride is to look away from the lies and look into the mirror of God’s Word (James 1:23).

You will never see your pride for what it is until you see Christ for who He is. His perfect humility is our standard for righteousness. And that is a VIRTUOUS reality!

Road Trip: Brister, Arkansas

Brister is a small community on the outskirts of Emerson, Arkansas (home of the annual Purple Hull Pea Festival and World Championship Tiller Races).

Brister Baptist Church is the heart of the small community and draws people from neighboring areas.

For over thirty years, pastor Eric Goble has led the church faithfully. I remember visiting the church for the first time about fifteen years ago. I knew right away that there was something special going on. The small sanctuary was packed for two services every Sunday morning!

I had the opportunity to preach recently at Brister while Pastor Eric was away. It is always an honor to spend time with the church family there (which includes my aunt and uncle).

Before my recent visit, a received a text from Tim Cole. Tim teaches a young adult Sunday School class. He invited me to sit in on his class.

When I told my aunt about Tim’s invitation, she explained that his class had become popular with the young adults of the church. It didn’t take long visiting Tim’s class to realize why.

Tim has a welcoming spirit and a genuine heart for people. He doesn’t put on a front; it just shows. I have a feeling the text invitation I received from Tim is probably indicative of the way he reaches out to all the members of his class. No wonder his class is growing!

I also found out that in the summer, Tim shows up unannounced weekly to mow the church property. (And all the pastors said, “Amen!”)

Men like Tim Cole are the heart and soul of healthy churches. With a pastor like Eric Goble and members like Tim Cole, the sky is the limit for Brister Baptist Church!

5 Tips For Creating Effective PowerPoint Slides

Many churches spend thousands of dollars on projectors, screens, and equipment to project video, lyrics, scripture, and sermon points. But rarely does a church spend time learning to maximize the technology through quality design principles. In other words, why spend thousands on a projector if your slides look worthless (ie. People complain because they are hard to read or too distracting).

If you are using technology to project song lyrics, Scripture references, and sermon points, you need to make sure the technology is effective and not distracting. The layout and design of your powerpoint slides are much like the delivery of a sermon: for better or worse, they both communicate. Effectiveness in communication is not a matter of being flashy or fancy, but rather it is a matter of being thoughtful and appropriate. So, if you choose to use projection technology to communicate in your worship service, take it seriously and prepare it appropriately.

I’m certainly not a design expert, but over the years I have found these tips to be helpful in creating slides that are effective:

1) Use a simple background. The idea of a PowerPoint background is the same as a picture background: to add context without distracting from the main thing. In the case of song lyrics or sermon points, the main thing is the text. The name of the game in choosing a background is to keep it simple and non-distracting. Typically, an interesting picture is a bad idea because it steals the attention away from the text. If you do use an interesting picture, consider placing the focal point of the picture (what draws the eye) to an edge of the slide away from the text so they do not compete for attention. Another way to lessen the distraction is by blurring the picture to simulate a photograph in which the background is naturally out of focus.

In most cases, PowerPoint has backgrounds already built in that are suitable for church purposes. In addition, plenty of websites offer downloadable backgrounds.

My personal preference is to stay away from changing backgrounds within the same presentation. I also tend to avoid moving backgrounds –although I’ve seen them used effectively without distracting from the text.

2) After you have chosen a background, the next item to consider is the font, size, spacing, and justification of your font. Here are a few suggestions:

  • Use a simple font that is easy to read. This is important for several reasons. First, if you can’t read it, what’s the point? Second, if you transfer your file to another computer, the chances of the other computer having the same fancy font you used from the first computer is slim. Finally, crazy fonts distract attention from the main focus.
  • When it comes to the size of the font, bigger is better. You want to make sure everyone on the back row can read the text. The best way judge this is by testing your slides in the actual location where you will be using it. Once you determine the minimum font size necessary for readability, don’t go below it. Note: just because a certain size works in one font, doesn’t mean it will work for all fonts. Test each font you plan to use. Be sure to pick a color that is in strong contrast with your background for maximal clarity.
  • It’s best to limit yourself to using no more than 2 different fonts per presentation: one for titles, and one for text. More fonts = more distracting.
  • Set the margins of your text box away from the edge of the slides. Many projectors or TV screens will cut off parts of your slide, so you want to stay a safe distance away with your text.
  • Finally, be consistent. Use the same font, size, spacing, justification and margins on every slide to keep them from looking like a disjointed mess. Make sure your titles are all the same size and font as well. Instead of creating each slide from scratch, duplicate slides and change the content in order to ensure that the margins, spacing, etc. match.

3) Limit animation: As a general rule, animations are a bad idea. They are just plain distracting. But if you must use them, do it sparingly… and then, second-guess your decision!

Also, if you transfer your presentation to another computer, chances are that the animations will not function properly on the second computer.

4) Less is more. Pastors, think of your PowerPoint as a scaled-down outline to help people stay on track. The less detail the better. Otherwise, people will spend too much attention to your PowerPoint and not enough on the sermon. Don’t try to make a slide for every little detail. Keep it simple.

This is also helpful in your presentation. The last thing you want to think about during your sermon is whether or not you are “missing a slide” in your delivery! PowerPoint should complement your sermon and serve the congregation by helping them keep up with the overall message.

5) Proof spelling, check slide order, and practice. Want to be taken seriously? Don’t project misspelled words. Want to serve rather than confuse the congregation during singing? Make sure the order of slides is correct. Want to avoid a technical disaster? Make sure the person who will be running your presentation practices with you.

Remember, the whole idea of video projection is to help communicate a message effectively. For that reason, the two key phrases I try to remember when creating PowerPoint for congregational use are 1) serve the people, and 2) remove unnecessary distractions. If the slides don’t serve anybody, don’t use them. If the slides are more distracting than helpful, eliminate them or redesign.

If you are going to have the technology, take the time to get your money’s worth. Trust me, your congregation will be grateful!

Road Trip: Little Rock, North Little Rock, & Maumelle, AR

Recently I took a short road trip to visit with several central Arkansas pastors. As I visited with different leaders, I couldn’t help thinking about how beneficial their experiences could be to other congregations. Let me share a few examples:

 

Some of the most powerful works of God in Scripture have been born out of difficult circumstances. Pain and suffering do not mean we “take a break” from ministry, but instead, pain and suffering mean we trust God to use our experiences for the purpose of increasing our ministry. There is a huge difference between these two perspectives.

Oak Park Baptist Church in Little Rock, AR is an example of how an entire congregation should embrace God’s plan in the midst of suffering –even when the plan is not clear.

In early 2013, the church lost pastor David Harris in a tragic automobile accident. Harris had served the church for over 30 years.

I had the opportunity to visit with associate pastor, Jeff Herring. Jeff explained that the church is still healing, but the healing is not hindering their ministry. In fact, the church recently began a new Wednesday evening meal for the purpose of building stronger relationships among the congregation. I can’t help but believe the increased unity and love they are experiencing from these meals is one of many ways God is using the loss of their pastor for Kingdom purposes. And, who know, perhaps in the future, Oak Park will become a resource center for other congregations who experience loss? There’s no doubt that God is moving in their midst and “working all things together for the good of those who love him and are called according to his purpose” (Rom. 8:28).

 

It was also a joy to meet Brian Shepherd, pastor of Park View Baptist Church in North Little Rock. Brian is a licensed family and marriage therapist and I enjoyed hearing about his experiences of helping people through the ministry of counseling. He also expressed a heart to help pastors in need of a listening ear.

During our visit, I was encouraged to hear about the deacons of Park View. Brian explained that they have a heart to serve the congregation. Hearing about this great group of men in his church reminded me of the importance of godly deacons who unselfishly give of their time and talents to serve others. May God bless all churches with such a group of deacons!

 

Next, I met with James Raines, pastor of Lynch View Baptist Church in North Little Rock, AR. In his mid-70’s, brother Raines is leading his church with passion and vision.  Under his leadership, the congregation has recently opened a satellite campus in an effort to expand their reach.

As I visited with brother Raines, two key themes emerged from his ministry: 1) longevity and 2) delegation.

I think every pastor needs to consider brother Raines’ example in these two areas. His longevity is marked by over twenty years of ministry in the same church. Can you imagine the trust that the congregation has in their pastor? His faithfulness speaks volumes about his commitment to the people at Lynch View Baptist.

That trust, however, is mutual. Not only does the congregation trust him, but he trusts the congregation. I loved hearing brother Raines describe the various committees of their church. While many pastors “micromanage” committees, brother Raines prefers to let his leaders run with a vision. For example, one committee in their church created a program in which the entire congregation read through the Bible one chapter a day for two-and-a-half years. Brother Raines coordinated his messages each Sunday to cover one of the passages that the congregation read during the previous week. Periodically, the church gave away study Bibles to members who were keeping up with their readings. What a great idea!

Another committee at Lynch View developed a program to provide school supplies at a local elementary school each year. The same committee also develops outreach efforts like Valentine’s Day gifts for shut-ins.

Pastors, if you are facing “burn out” in your ministry, consider giving brother Raines a call. I think you would find a wonderful resource to help you re-think your leadership style and experience a new passion for your ministry –the kind of passion that lasts into your 70’s!

 

A few miles away, I made a stop in Maumelle, AR. Under the leadership of Pastor Todd West, Oasis Church is expanding its ministry to other communities through church planting and pastoral coaching.

Recently, Oasis sent out a church-planting team to Nixa Missouri. They also support church plants and mission efforts around the world.

Todd has a heart for other pastors and spends countless hours visiting with them. I was interested in Todd’s approach to these relationships. He explained to me that he never tries to tell another pastor how to lead their church or how to be more like Oasis Church. Instead, he simply tries to help them ask the right questions and think through their issues with objectivity and wisdom. Todd shared how every pastor has a tendency to get so deep into their work, that they miss the forest for the trees. Usually, according to Todd, pastors just need someone to talk to who can help them look at situations from a different perspective. By no means does Todd presume to be a guru or expert. In fact, Todd has someone coaching him.

Visiting with Todd reminded me of the how much we all need each other. Pastors, in particular, need other pastors for encouragement, fellowship, and counsel. If I were still pastoring, I would certainly want someone like Todd to invest in me.

 

Isn’t it awesome to see the resources with which God blesses each congregation? I’m so glad to be a part of an association of churches that emphasizes sharing our resources to help each other. We are truly “better together!”

Loving Contrasts

I recently saw a picture of a soldier returning from duty overseas. In the picture, the strong, tough, muscle-bound soldier is kneeling down to hug his young daughter. I was mesmerized by the contrast.

One moment, the man was engaged in battle. The next moment, he was enjoying a tender moment with a child.

Why is it that these types of contrasts catch our attention? Perhaps it is because they capture one of the greatest aspects of love: a willingness to restrain one’s power for the sake of another.

In Isaiah 66:1-2, God proclaims a similar contrast:

Thus says the Lord:

“Heaven is my throne,

and the earth is my footstool;

what is the house that you would build for me,

and what is the place of my rest?

All these things my hand has made,

and so all these things came to be,

declares the Lord.

But this is the one to whom I will look:

he who is humble and contrite in spirit

and trembles at my word.”

God makes it clear that all power and authority is His. He points out that He created all things and that earth is merely his footstool. Then, He declares His affection on the one who stands in contrast to Him: the humble, contrite, trembling man.

Although God has the power and the right to crush sinful man (Isaiah 64:8), He chooses not too. Instead, He tempers His wrath toward man and displays His marvelous grace!

What an unthinkable contrast –that a Holy God, offended by sin, would embrace sinners who humbly draw near to Him with hearts of contrition.

God displayed His love in the grandest of contrasts through the humility of Christ. Instead of coming as a conquering king slaying all who dare offend Him (which would be all of us), Christ came as a lowly baby, grew up as a carpenter, walked among us as a teacher, and laid down His life as a sacrifice.

The ultimate contrast? The King of Kings was nailed to a cross for the glory of God and the sake of those who would believe (John 3:16). Then, He rose from the grave in victory and ascended into Heaven where He prepares a place for all who place their faith in Him (John 14:2-3). But this great offer of Salvation will not last forever. On that day, when Christ returns, those who have not humbled themselves before Him and placed their faith in Him alone will not enjoy His patience any longer. Instead, the wrath of God will finally be unleashed upon those who refuse to believe (Revelation 20:15).

On the other hand, for those who are “humble and contrite in spirit and tremble at His word,” when He returns, it won’t be as a soldier returning home to His family, but instead, it will be as a King bringing His family home. –That’s a great contrast!