Are You Causing Your Child To Fall?

“Who is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” (Matthew 18:1).

Can you imagine the shock on the disciples faces when Jesus told them that “whoever humbles himself like this child—this one is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:4)?

I imagine the disciples were expecting Jesus to point out someone like Moses, or Elijah (after all, this occurred shortly after the transfiguration). Perhaps some of the disciples were secretly vying for the position of “greatest” themselves.

Either way, I feel confident that Jesus caught their attention when He called over a child and proclaimed him or her as greatest in the Kingdom.

There are plenty of lessons to draw from that statement. However, Christ’s next two statements are the ones that have been resonating with me lately:

“But whoever causes the downfall of one of these little ones who believe in Me—it would be better for him if a heavy millstone were hung around his neck and he were drowned in the depths of the sea!” (v. 6).

Allow me to paraphrase: A terrible, sufferable death would be better than causing a child to walk in sin.

Before your mind floods with images of child predators, abusive fathers, or overbearing mothers, consider that this warning is for you! That’s right, you and me –Christian parents.

I know what you are thinking; “I’d never lead my child into sin…” I thought the same thing at first. Then, I asked myself:

  • What about the example I set when I grumble at the vehicle that cut me off in traffic yesterday?
  • What am I teaching when my son overhears me gossiping with my friends around the dinner table after church?
  • What about the times I have made fun of my friend’s weaknesses within hearing distance of my son?

I don’t know about you, but a careful examination of my example to my son causes me to wonder, “Am I betraying Matthew 18:6 by the way I parent?”

I would much rather be known as one who exemplifies verse 5: “And whoever welcomes one child like this in My name welcomes Me.”

So, the next time a car cuts me off in traffic, I’m going to make an effort to exemplify Christ-like patience. And next time I have an opportunity to indulge in gossip, I’m going to turn the subject to something positive. And the next time I am tempted to tear down someone with my words, I will choose to build them up instead.

Not only are all of these Christ-like actions, but they are also Christ-like examples for my child.

I doubt anyone would call me “greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” But, by considering the example I set before my son, hopefully I will humble myself like a child and in so doing; welcome my child into the Kingdom.

Power of a Praying Pastor

In Mark 9:14-29, Christ’s disciples encounter a boy who has been plagued with demons. As a result, the boy was blind and mute. He frequently was thrown to the ground in violent fits. He would foam and the mouth and grind down his teeth. The demons would even cause him to fall into water and fire in an attempt to kill him.

The boy’s father brought him to Christ’s disciples for healing. Yet, the disciples could not help. The demons remained and the boy’s afflictions continued.

Jesus heard the commotion and asked what was happening. The boy’s father explained the situation to Jesus. After a short conversation, Christ healed the boy and removed the evil spirits.

Later, when they were alone, the disciples asked Jesus why they were not able to heal the boy. I imagine, as pastors, we can relate to the disciples’ question.

We all have evil within our churches. Believers continue to deal with the effects of indwelling sin and the desires of the flesh. Meanwhile, Satan’s rule over the present world works to woo believers into temptation.

Although every pastor experiences some “ministerial victories” from time to time, it is disconcerting to watch the couple in which he has invested so many hours continue with divorce proceedings. It is painful to see a young boy go to prison while recalling all of the hours that have been invested in discipling him and keeping him off of the streets.

“What went wrong,” the pastor asks himself.

When the disciples asked the same question, Jesus remarked, “This kind can only be healed by prayer.”

Prayer submits to the source of all power: Christ alone. That’s why we typically end our prayers with the words, “In Jesus’ name.”

However, just because we say the words, does not mean we have submitted to Christ’s authority. I think that was what Jesus was communicating to the disciples.

Effective, life-transforming ministry never comes through the power of man, but through the power of God. Man is simply a conduit through which God works.

Prayer –robust prayer- is a tool by which we keep the conduit free of obstruction and full of faith.

E.M. Bounds once wrote, “Prayer puts God’s work in his hands-and keeps it there.”

Now, here is the interesting part of the conversation between Jesus and the boy’s father. When the man says to Jesus, “If you can heal my son…” Jesus questions the man’s faith. “If?” Jesus asks. “Where is your faith?” He probes.

The man says, “I believe, help my unbelief.”

This is where every believer in every church lives his or her life. They believe, but need the power of Christ to help their unbelief. Only the praying pastor can be of help to such a soul!

Truly, you have no ministry if your ministry has no prayer.

You Don’t Have to Sneak Up On God

The faint sound of little footsteps is followed by a pause, and then the slow opening of the door. It happens the same way every morning.

I begin reading my Bible each day in the corner chair of my home office while my son is still in bed. But, without fail, before I finish reading and praying, he rises out of bed and sneaks into my study. I’m not sure why he sneaks up on me every time (as if I can’t hear him coming). I guess it’s just a fun little game we play in our morning routine.

I love the quiet of the morning. I need the solitude to help me prepare my frame of mind for the day before me. From the moment my alarm goes off, I can’t wait to sit in my chair with Bible in one hand and coffee in the other.

Yet, as much as I cherish my solitude, when my son opens the door to interrupt, I don’t mind at all. Because what happens next is a Father’s joy.

Every morning when he opens the door to my study, I put my Bible and coffee aside and he climbs up in my lap. For about 5 minutes each day, he snuggles up to me in silence resting his head on my shoulder. I think to myself, “I hope he never outgrows this.”

Sometimes, as we are snuggling in the early morning, I think of Christ’s words to His disciples in Matthew 19:14. “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.”

In the same way my son is coming to me, I must come to Christ as a little child. In fact, that’s what my time in God’s Word each morning is all about. After all, Jesus also said, “unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:3).

So, there we are each morning, one child snuggling with his earthly father, who simultaneously is drawing near to his Heavenly Father.

Many believers hold to a mistaken sentiment that we must earn His affection and attention. However, Jesus made His desire to to love on His children abundantly clear in the words, “do not hinder them.” Just because we do not feel His presence doesn’t mean He is not there. The invitation to come as a child is just as true in the dry spells of spiritual life as it is in the overflowing times. We do not have to sneak up on the Lord -He is always welcoming His children to come unto Him.

 

Saluting Our Soldiers With the Gospel

I have never served in the military. However, I have the utmost respect and gratitude for those who put their lives on the line for our nation’s freedom. We owe a great debt to our veterans and active-duty servicemen and women.

Brandon, my best friend growing up, is one example. After the September 11, 2001 attacks, he chose to serve in our armed forces. As a college graduate, Brandon could have chosen another path. Yet, he volunteered to serve our country. Today, he still chooses to serve. I cannot thank him enough.

Recently, Brandon and I had the opportunity to eat lunch together. In the course of our conversation, he shared an idea for ministering to our veterans and active-duty personnel. Unfortunately, he explained, these men and women often have difficulty transitioning back into life at home. For months or years, he explained, they have lived in a military culture with a different language, routine, structure, and practice. Those who have experienced live combat have been exposed to horrors that the rest of us will never encounter. Many live the rest of their lives with unresolved questions and uncomfortable situations. Many feel as though they will never completely fit in when they return home. Worse, they feel isolated and alone in the struggle.

As a former pastor, I was thankful that he brought up the subject. I shared with Brandon an experience I had Sunday after Sunday when a veteran in our church would approach me with tears and say, “One day I need to come up and visit with you about some things.” I knew he was referring to his military experiences in war. And to be honest, the thought of that conversation scared me to death. Why? Because I didn’t have any common experiences to reference.

Sadly, many pastors feel the same way and this has led to a “wall of silence” between veterans and pastors when it comes to the difficulties they endure on our behalf. The unfortunate irony is the fact that as ministers of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the message we proclaim holds the only power over the difficulties that plague the souls of our veterans and active personnel.

Sadly, the veteran in our church passed away before we ever had a conversation. At his funeral, I couldn’t stop thinking about how many decades he had wrestled with issues that only Christ could resolve. While their willingness to put their lives on the line for our freedom reflects the gospel to us, we often do a poor job reflecting the gospel to them.

As ministers of the gospel of Jesus Christ, we can do better. Our churches are full of these silent soldiers. Recognizing them during services on holiday weekends, although a good idea, simply isn’t enough. Something more needs to be done –and it is long overdue. Our veterans are worth the investment.

Brandon’s idea prompted several other conversations with friends who serve as chaplains, counselors, and VA social workers. Each of them have expressed similar concerns and a desire to change the culture of our churches.

Recently, I gathered some of these folks together and we began to discuss ways that we can help churches become “Military Friendly Congregations.” After all, military families may be the most overlooked group of hurting people in the church today.

I am seeking your feedback. Whether you are a pastor, veteran, active-duty service man or woman, or a family member of someone who has served our country; would you please post feedback to help us gather ideas? Perhaps you can share more of the struggles veterans and military personnel face. Maybe you can share examples of how other churches and ministries are helping. Or, perhaps you could just let me know if you agree that this is a legitimate need in our churches.

Please, take the time to post your thoughts. I promise to put them to good use!

Lincoln’s Inbox

Travel back in time to 1861. You are a dinner guest of President Abraham Lincoln. After the main course, President Lincoln asks you to describe how people communicate in the future. You decide to tell him about email, but how? He has never seen a computer, clicked a mouse, or opened a web browser. Email is a completely abstract idea to him.

You decide to compare email to something with which he is familiar. You begin by saying, “Email is similar to receiving a letter.” That’s a good start. Now, how do you explain the fact that it is delivered via computer? Once again, you reach for the familiar: “Email is delivered through an information box. Almost everyone in the future has an information box, and they are able to send messages back and forth on them.” While President Lincoln may not completely understand, this information should at least give him a vague picture of electronic media in the future.

In contrast, imagine if you said, “Email is accessible on mobile devices, laptops and PCs. Messages are received through web browsers or software applications.” Although everything stated would be true, it wouldn’t communicate your message effectively.

Now, consider telling a new believer with no church background, “Christ’s substitutionary atonement propitiates the wrath incurred by your transgressions and secures your sanctification.” You might as well be explaining spam filters to President Lincoln!

Sharing new information with someone who does not share your foundation of knowledge is difficult, if not impossible. Even God demonstrates this principle in his revelation to humans.

When our Heavenly Father first communicated with man, He referenced familiar objects of his creation that surrounded Adam and Eve in the garden. God placed Adam in the context of fruit-bearing trees and then told Adam to “Be fruitful and multiply.” He set him in the middle of a blossoming garden and said, “Fill the earth.” He surrounded him with living animals and said, “Have dominion” over them. Everything He said to them was based upon the familiar (Genesis 1:28).

Further, the first pronouncement of the gospel does not use the term Messiah, because that concept had not entered human understanding at that time, nor had the ideas of a prophet, priest or king. However, in Genesis 3, God once again used what was familiar to announce something new: “…I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel” (Genesis 3:15). The concepts of offspring, heads and heels were familiar to Adam and Eve. That is why God used them to communicate.

Throughout the chronological history of Scripture, God began with what was known in order to communicate what was unknown. As the amount of known information increased, man’s capacity to learn unknowns also increased. Later in Scripture, through visions, dreams, talking donkeys and other means, God continued to use familiar imagery and information to introduce new ideas.

The next time we are trying to pour spiritual concepts into a new believer, attempting to share the gospel with our children, or counseling the hurting, we should take a cue from Scripture and utilize the known to communicate the unknown. Here’s a few ideas to help:

  • Use concrete illustrations from real life like Jesus did.
  • Start with basic Bible truths and build on them.
  • Spend time with people allowing them to see truth lived out in your life.
  • Define new terms using familiar terms.

The Impossible Calling of Love

Remember when the lawyer asked Jesus what was the most important law? After declaring “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind,” Jesus declares the second part of the Great Commandment, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:37-39).

The implication is that if you love God, you will love your neighbor. By the way, Jesus’ definition of neighbor is anyone you come in contact with. That means, Christ expects you to be patient with the slow driver, bless the man with 34 items in the express check-out, share your lunch with the student who left his at home, hug the lady who lost her husband –even though she gossiped about you yesterday, and help chase down a lost puppy late at night (the same puppy who has kept you up barking each night for the past two weeks.) It means blessing those who bless you, and blessing those who curse you.

That’s a really high standard, but it’s not the end of the discussion.

Later, after Jesus had washed the disciple’s feet, He raised the standard even higher: “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:34-35).

Interesting. Jesus takes it up a notch. Now, instead of loving the way we love ourselves, we should love the way Christ loves. What’s the difference? EVERYTHING.

Unbelievers know how to love themselves. I was born –like you- loving myself. It doesn’t require any divine transformation.

However, to love the way Jesus loves involves something greater than myself. It is beyond my capacity. After all, Christ’s definition of love is dying for ungrateful, rebellious sinners (Romans 5:8). I simply can’t love this way without being transformed from a heart of stone to a heart of flesh (Ezekiel 36:26).

Ultimately, loving the way Christ loves involves the impartation of grace to others. In and of myself, I have nothing to offer. After all, I’m a poor beggar too. In this regard, Christ’s command is just as impossible as the command to “Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48).

However, IN CHRIST I can do all things (Philippians 4:13) -The key words being “In Christ.” You see, just as Christ loved the unlovable (like you and me) through His physical body while Has here on earth, now He loves the unlovable through His spiritual body (believers) while He is in Heaven. He pours His grace through me to be a blessing to others (Genesis 12:1-2).

No wonder, before He left earth, Jesus gave us this important command –to paraphrase, “Continue my work on earth. Don’t worry; what is impossible with you is possible with me. So let me love through you.”

You could sum it up like this:

1)   Jesus loves your neighbor perfectly.

2)   Jesus wants to manifest His love to your neighbor through you.

3)   The only obstacle is you.

Upon Me?

In Luke 4, Jesus visits the synagogue.  According to tradition, a man in the congregation would read scripture and then explain it.  So it came as no surprise when Jesus took out a scroll and read from Isaiah 61.  The surprise came after he read.  Luke 4:17-21 records it this way:

17 And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, 18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” 20 And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. 21 And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”

Did you catch what He said?  He proclaimed Himself as the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophesy!  He was claiming to be the Messiah!  What a shock this was to the crowd at the Synagogue that day!

But don’t let the shock of the moment keep you from missing the content of Jesus’ message.  He was explaining why He had come.  Among the list he presents, two items stick out to me: 1) to proclaim good news to the poor, and 2) to set at liberty those who are oppressed.

The good news of the gospel overflowed in the way Jesus treated the downtrodden.  Unfortunately, many Churches either emphasize devotion to the Gospel or rally toward social action.  But the two do not have to be separated.  In fact, shouldn’t a true understanding of the Gospel drive us to social action?  Shouldn’t loving God with “all our heart, mind, and soul” cause us to “love our neighbor as ourself?” (Matthew 22:36-40)  If the gospel doesn’t change the way we treat the poor and oppressed, I’m not sure we’ve got the Gospel.

In verse 18, Jesus explains that the “Spirit of God is upon” Him, anointing Him to do this work.  Has it ever occurred to you that when Jesus left the earth, the Holy Spirit came to continue His work?  And when you receive the Holy Spirit at salvation, He intends to continue the same work through you.  That means the Holy Spirit has been given to you both to know the Gospel (devotion), and to live the Gospel (social action).

Shocking?  It shouldn’t be…. the Spirit of God is upon you!

What is the Age-Requirement For Preaching?

It’s a strange question, isn’t it? In everything else in life, we put age requirements on areas of great responsibility (driving, voting, military service, etc). However, this pattern doesn’t seem to apply in the church. When a seven-year-old professes a “call” to preach in front of his local congregation, nobody questions it -as if a youngster could never be mistaken when it comes to life-planning. Or perhaps, we just have a fear of questioning anyone’s “calling” from God. But what if God didn’t design this process to be a private affair? What if part of the process for confirming a life-calling is intended to happen within the community of the church? Here’s what I’m talking about:

I have a friend who is plagued by a commitment he made to God. Sound strange?

When he was twelve, my friend stood before his local church on a Sunday morning and proclaimed God’s call on his life to preach. As you can imagine, his parents stood proudly with him after the service while little old ladies hugged his neck and older men shook his hand saying, “I’m so glad God is still calling young men into the ministry.”

Today, my friend has a piece of paper framed on his wall to remind him of the occasion. The certificate is impressive with the words, “Certificate of License” written in large, script letters at the top.

In the Baptist tradition, most churches issue a “license to preach” to young men as an endorsement of their qualifications. Originally, it was meant to be a way for young preachers to garner credibility for the purpose of preaching in churches and gaining experience. Admittedly, this sounds much like the biblical practice of ordaining men for ministry, although there are subtle differences.

Unfortunately, however, the preaching license has lost its weight and purpose.

That is where my friend has found such frustration. A few years after his church licensed him to preach, his desire for preaching waned. In fact, he has no desire to preach anymore at all. Yet, the fact that a church gave him an official document and celebrated his “call” leaves him in a quandary. He wonders, “Am I called but disobedient? Was I ever called to begin with? Why would my church license me if I wasn’t called?”

Can you see the problem? While such confusion could happen to adults who express a desire to preach, it seems to be much more common among those who “surrender to preach” at an early age.

Does this mean churches should discourage young men from the preaching ministry? Of course not, but perhaps churches should re-evaluate how they respond to young men who express a desire to preach. Specifically, churches should take their role seriously and consider what they are communicating through the licensing process.

At the center of my friend’s framed license, the text communicates that the man receiving the license “has given evidence that God has called him to the Gospel Ministry.” How is it possible that my friend could have displayed such evidence between the time he professed his desire and the time (five minutes later) that he was issued a license? At twelve years old, he had never taught a class, preached a sermon, or given a short devotional. No, he was simply a nice kid from a respected family in the congregation. Those credentials hardly qualify as “evidence that God has called him to the Gospel Ministry.”

I’m not the Holy Spirit, but after watching my friend struggle with this question for over twenty years, I’m fairly confident that he was never called to preach in the first place. He simply had a desire to serve God –and the only way his church communicated an avenue to for young men to serve was through becoming a preacher. (Read that last sentence again and let it sink in.)

What if his home church had taken their responsibility more seriously? What if they had waited for a period of time before licensing him? Perhaps it would have given everyone time to observe him in practice while allowing him to reflect on his desires. His pastor, parents, and other leaders could have spent purposeful time with him to aid in his discernment and decision-making.

The good news in all of this is that my friend is not preaching these days. I know that sounds strange, but it really is a positive. Preaching in a local church is not something to be taken lightly. Souls are at stake and lives are on the line. This is not a task for the unequipped or misinformed. It certainly is not a place for uncertainty.

That is perhaps the greater danger of licensing children at an early age. Many who are licensed, yet not called by God often put their doubts aside and continue preaching because they feel like they are stuck with their profession. “After all,” they reason, “I have a license. I can’t change my mind now.”

Too often, these men began by preaching terrible sermons, yet were told they “had a gift” or “preached well.” This false sense of confidence combined with a lack of correction or guidance only reinforced bad study habits, bad theology, and ultimately, bad preaching.

Many of these men go on to preach all their lives. And guess what they do when a youngster tells them they feel called to preach? That’s right, they license them and tell them, “You don’t need any help learning to preach as long as you’ve got your Bible. That’s how I learned. Now, get ready to preach in the evening service tonight.” And so the cycle continues.

How do we break the cycle? How do we help these young men struggling to obey God?

Suggestions for churches who practice licensing:

  • Celebrate responsibly. Share with the congregation that the young man has a desire to preach and that the congregation needs to help him discern whether that desire is evidence of a life calling. This is accomplished by opportunities to practice teaching and preaching under the observation and care of the entire congregation.
  • Don’t set him up for failure. Many churches have been known to license a young man on Sunday morning and announce that he will be preaching Sunday night. This implies that 1) that his call is beyond doubt, 2) that such a call is between the young man and God and has nothing to do with the congregation (same principle surrounding ordination in 1 Tim. 5:22), 3) that discerning such a call does not require a great deal of discernment, 4) that an examination of lifestyle is not necessary –(i.e. Disregard for the integrity of the pulpit), 5) that age and life-experience have nothing to do with qualification to preach –(i.e. Disregard for the authority of the pulpit), and 6) that a lack of biblical knowledge and understanding is irrelevant to preaching (i.e. disregard for sound doctrine).
  • Consider setting a policy. It is well within the rights of the congregation to set a “licensing policy” whereby they may specify a certain amount of time in which a candidate for licensing is to be observed, skills and abilities to be demonstrated before licensing, and/or a minimum age for which the church will issue a license. A clear process for such a procedure would be helpful as well.
  • Develop a plan for training young men. Whether you license the young man immediately or not, every church should consider a training plan for young men considering preaching as a calling. This is a part of the church’s discipleship responsibility and must not be neglected. A fifteen-year-old should not have to wait until Bible College to receive training for ministry.
  • Give would-be preachers experience-appropriate opportunities. Instead of placing a young man in the awkward position of teaching for the first time in front of a Sunday worship crowd, give him smaller tasks first. Allow him to teach a children’s Sunday school class, VBS gathering, or youth devotional to gain experience before attempting more formal appearances.
  • Offer constructive criticism and encouragement. Ask church leaders to sit-in on the young man’s teaching opportunities and meet with him for follow-up afterward.
  • Consider helping young ministers afford a Bible education. Churches reveal what they value by their budgets. Formal ministry training through a trusted institution will pay dividends for the young preacher and his future congregation for life.

Taking on a more responsible approach to endorsing young ministers will have multiple effects such as:

  • Reducing future confusion and frustration for young men.
  • Enhance your congregation’s regard for preaching.
  • Strengthen the ministries of men who have truly been called to preach.
  • Protect the reputation and authority of the pulpit ministry in your church.
  • Promote the strong preaching of the gospel for generations to come.

Pastors, be courageous: don’t bow down to the pressures of excited parents or the precedent of tradition. As the shepherd of your congregation, lead your church to honor the practice of preaching, help young men discern their calling, and train the next generation to preach the gospel of Christ!

Fake Fruit

I remember walking into my mother’s kitchen, picking up the plush red apple, and taking a bite. The bite marks are still there -in my mother’s plastic apple . To this day, it sits in a bowl on mom’s kitchen counter with other decorative plastic fruit.

Looking back, the experience is comical. But it is also educational.

Paul says that the fruit of the Spirit are “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”

Notice this is the fruit of the Spirit -not the fruit of my best efforts, social reform, behavioral modification, or cultural influence. The only way to obtain this fruit is through the Spirit. Anything less is fake fruit.

For instance, I may act (fake) like I am patient when the shopper in front of me has 47 items at the 12 items or less line. I may smile as they look back and give me the obligatory “sorry.” I may stand silently and keep my cool on the outside and by all appearances look patient. But if on the inside I am boiling over in frustration, and screaming at the shopper inside my head, I am obviously not patient.

In other words, I can do a lot of things to look and act like I have the fruit of the Spirit on the outside, but unless I am truly changed on the inside, it’s just fake fruit. It is empty, useless, and amounts to no more than decoration.

Why is this important? Because Jesus is concerned about the inside. Consider what he told the Pharisees: “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness. So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.” (Matthew 23:27-28)

If you don’t have real fruit of the Spirit -the kind that requires divine transformation in your life, consider this a red flag. Fake fruit doesn’t exist in Heaven.