Your Church’s Recruiting Strategy

Recruiting in college athletics is a 24/7, 365-day-a-year task that involves seeking out talent, assessing skills, and evaluating character. Athletic programs live or die by it.

The church has been given a task similar to recruiting. We are called to evangelize, sharing the gospel with the lost in hopes they will come to Christ. Evangelism is not optional for the church anymore than recruiting is optional for a college coach.

At first glance, the call to evangelize may seem overwhelming. Just look at the description of unbelievers in Romans 3:10-11 to understand our mission field:

“None is righteous, no, not one;

no one understands;

no one seeks for God.”

Over the past twenty years, the term “seeker” has been used to describe people in search of God. However, the description Romans 3:10-11 paints of unbelievers leaves little room for the term “seeker.” Verse 11 even states that “no one seeks for God.”

That’s why I believe we need to rethink and redefine what we mean by “seeker.” I’m not anti-seeker (just keep reading). But I do believe we need some major clarifications. Every Great Commission church must be able to answer the following questions biblically:

  • What is God doing in the world (i.e. the mission of God)?
  • What is the church’s role in God’s mission?
  • How should the church perform its role?

This series of posts will attempt to answer those questions and clarify a biblical approach to “seekers.” Click here to read the article in its entirety.

She Lives Beyond the Grave

Soon it will be Bryce’s birthday. That means I’m in party-planning mode.

I imagine what it would be like if my wife, Jill, was planning his party. (Jill passed away three months after Bryce was born.) I can see her organizational skills going to work –the “invite list” would have been a mile long and everyone would have received a card in the mail, an e-vite, and a personal phone call! I wish she were here to have this special day with Bryce.

But then, the thought occurred to me that in a way, Jill is here. She has been here every step of the way.

Jill invested in the life of many women over the years. After she died, many of those women began to “stand in” for Jill. They changed diapers, babysat –even put up Christmas decorations that first year without Jill. It is as if Bryce went from having one mom to 100 moms! I feel like Bryce is blessed because as each lady ministers to him, he sees a little reflection of the impact Jill made in their lives.

It is the natural effect of discipleship. Once somebody pours into you, you want to pour into others. And when a person who has influenced you is in need, the natural reaction is to “stand in their place” for them. That’s not just being a disciple; it’s being a true friend.

The Bible says that, “there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother” (Proverbs 18:24). Christ is the ultimate friend because he “stood in my place” on the cross.

In Jill’s case, she lives beyond the grave through the influence she had on others. This is only possible because Christ conquered the grave. His life is now residing in his Children –and that’s the ultimate influence!

It causes me to ponder:

  • How am I allowing the life of Christ in me to influence others?
  • How will my legacy live beyond my lifetime?
  • Am I faithfully pouring into others in a way that faithfully reflects Christ’s life in me?

The “Aha Moment” of Marriage

Marriage is like a globe. The globe is real. You can touch it, spin it, study it, and learn from it. However, the globe is not the end of the conversation. Do you remember the first time someone explained to you that the globe was just a small symbol of something greater? We call it an “Aha Moment.”

The globe allows you to get a picture of something that is too big to see. In the same way, marriage models something for too magnificent to fully comprehend: God’s love for His children.

So God begins giving us a picture of His love for us through the first marriage between Adam and Eve (Genesis 2:24). From that moment on, the Bible continuously compares God’s love to the love of marriage -even using the term “bride” to refer to His church.

Isaiah 62:5 explains, “as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you.” The passion of God’s love for His children is portrayed in an eager groom’s anticipation to see his bride adorned on their wedding day.

Later, in the New Testament, Paul commands husbands to “love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her” (Ephesians 5:25). In other words husbands are to be miniature representations of Christ’s infinite love for the Church (like a globe represents the earth).

In Revelation 19:7-8, we find the culmination of the marriage symbol as all believers are gathered in Heaven partaking in the marriage supper of the Lamb. Finally, Christ will be together with His bride in the ultimate celebration of love.

In that moment, I can only imagine that we will realize how every wedding march, every white dress, every groom with tears of joy, every reception, and every cake were pointing us to something bigger -something unimaginable!

So husbands, stop and ponder this “Aha Moment.” The way you treat your wife has heavenly implications. Feel the weight of your responsibility. Every time you honor your wife with a patient answer, you show your neighbors the love of Christ. Every time you open the door for her or shower her with praise, you teach your children about Christ’s character. And every time you affirm your love to her in the midst of disagreements and difficulties, you magnify the unfailing love of Christ to each other and the world.

Challenge: Decide that today you will make every effort to hold up the “marriage globe” for others to see the love of Christ by the way you love your spouse. Maybe you can help them have an “aha moment” too.

How to Avoid the Worst Parenting Regret

Everyone has roles and responsibilities in life. Yet, they aren’t all created equal.

Consider the proverbial man on his deathbed who laments spending too much time in the office and not enough time with his family. The moral of the story is not to quit your job and stay home. God created work as a responsibility in which, by faith, we trust that as we work God provides.

The proverbial man on his deathbed had spent a lifetime believing that his career was his provider instead of rejoicing that God is his provider. It’s the sentiment that assumes:

·      If I don’t climb the ladder, I’ll get kicked to the curb

·      I must perform better or I might lose everything

·      Nothing is secure, so I must accumulate as much wealth as possible

Do any of these thoughts sound familiar?

It’s really a problem of idolatry in which we believe that our work is our provider. And since we do the work, we are the ultimate providers for our families and ourselves. There is no room for God’s promise of provision in this point of view.

And that’s how a person ends up on their deathbed with painful regret. It’s a regret that the writer of Psalm 127 warns of.

Psalm 127 was either written by David while reflecting on Solomon or it is written by Solomon reflecting on his children. Either way, it was written by a man who knows plenty about legacy, power, resources, and family. Both David and Solomon had a wealth of experience and wisdom to share. Just take a look at this Psalm:

[1] Unless the LORD builds the house,

            those who build it labor in vain.

Unless the LORD watches over the city,

            the watchman stays awake in vain.

[2] It is in vain that you rise up early

            and go late to rest,

eating the bread of anxious toil;

            for he gives to his beloved sleep.

[3] Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD,

            the fruit of the womb a reward.

[4] Like arrows in the hand of a warrior

            are the children of one’s youth.

[5] Blessed is the man

            who fills his quiver with them!

He shall not be put to shame

            when he speaks with his enemies in the gate. (ESV)

The first two verses point out the vanity of trying to build, protect, and maintain things God has promised to provide. Remember, this was written by a King, but is relevant to every believer. Here’s a summation:

  • Since God builds family dynasties (ie. the house of David), don’t waste your time trying to build something God isn’t building.
  • Since God protects godly nations; don’t focus on security at the neglect of righteousness.
  • Since God provides everything His children need, quit wearing yourself out to get more of what God will give enough.

These verses are not advocating laziness. The psalmist is not saying to neglect your family legacy, your city’s safety, or your personal welfare. Instead, he’s saying don’t forget that He is God and we are his people. We often desire to trade places with God. We try to build our kingdoms while He serves our interests. Yet, we are to build His kingdom by raising his servants.

Raising his servants? Yes. That’s what the final three verses address:

God doesn’t need anything from us. He is building his Kingdom. And from the beginning, He’s never asked our advice on strategy or design. Instead, beginning in Genesis 1:26-28, He has called us to “be fruitful and multiply” people in His image to fill the earth with His glory. Even after the fall, God’s call has remained. His purpose for us has never waivered.

That’s why He sent Christ to redeem us and restore His image in us. So that as we raise our children to follow Christ, we might launch them like arrows to fill the earth with His Glory!

Do we have work to do in our cities and families? Of course. But be careful not to confuse life’s roles from God’s calling. It’s easy to get caught up in building our own personal kingdoms in life expecting God to “make our children godly” if we just provide a safe, secure home for them. So we work ourselves to death and feel as though we deserve “good kids.”

But that thinking is totally backwards. We must pour into our children knowing that God will provide for our needs. (Remember, God promised Adam & Eve all the resources of creation for the task.) We must still work our jobs, save money, and pay bills. But only in faith knowing that God will provide through our work. That is different from believing that we are the captains of our own soul and the only ones able to amass power, wealth, and security for ourselves. We only need gather manna for today –God will provide for tomorrow. We don’t have to neglect our children while anxiously gathering for the unknowns of life (which only He knows).

At the heart of the issue is the deceit of our fallen nature.

We are inclined to pursue what God has promised to provide while expecting God to provide what He has called us to pursue: raising godly children. In Christ, we can recognize this faulty desire. And by faith, we can follow His calling.

Therefore, just as verses 3-5 instruct us:

  • See your children as a greater gift than your career. Children are your heritage and reward –bonuses and promotions are not.
  • Train your children to be launched out like arrows for the Kingdom! You can’t sharpen arrows at the office.
  • Never forget that God gives us joy and blessings in raising our children. They bless our lives; careers steal our lives.

The Psalm ends describing the man who has trusted God for provision and pursued the calling of godly parenting: “He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate” (5b).

It’s tempting to believe that a successful career will gain this kind of respect where even our enemies hold us in high esteem. But it’s a lie.

Let’s not wait until our deathbeds to acknowledge and live the truth.

Free at Last

In 2013, Daniel Larsen was recently declared innocent after 45 years in a Southern California prison. I can’t imagine the mixed emotions –rejoicing for being freed, angry for being imprisoned for a crime he did not commit.

Surely the question has gone through Larsen’s head: “Why do bad things happen to good people?”

But this is a baseless question according to Scripture. There are simply no good people to begin with. After all, “There is none righteous, no not one” (Romans 3:10).

Like Larsen, we often incur consequences for actions we did not commit –and that is certainly unjust. However, it doesn’t change the bigger question. Instead of asking “Why do bad things happen to good people?” We should be asking, “Why does God allow anything good to happen to us at all?”

In a fallen world, we should expect injustice, pain, sorry, frustration, and disappointment to be the norm. None of us are innocent of sin and therefore cannot expect anything different.

However, there is one exception. There was one man who was completely innocent but unjustly punished: Christ. And in poetic fashion, the innocent One took on what we deserve so that we, who were undeserving, could be set free.

Perhaps, then, Daniel Larsen’s release from prison shouldn’t point us to the reality of injustice, but to the greater picture of freedom in Christ.

Building Spiritual Muscles in the Mundane

In the 1984 film “The Karate Kid,” an enthusiastic karate student is disappointed when his first lesson involves cleaning and waxing his master’s car. Day after day, Daniel questions the point of laborious tasks such as sanding a wood floor, refinishing a fence and painting Mr. Miyagi’s house. But when Mr. Miyagi finally begins to teach him karate moves, Daniel is amazed to discover he has developed muscle memory ideal for his new knowledge of karate.

Pastors and leaders wanting to disciple other believers could learn from Mr. Miyagi’s example, because it is the same method of teaching that Jesus used to train his disciples.

Jesus took advantage of daily opportunities to lay foundations for learning before telling his disciples what He wanted them to know. He taught the 12 to rely upon God’s provision by involving them in feeding the 5,000. He condemned racism and imparted a vision for missions by introducing them to the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well. He taught them the cost of serving as He washed their feet. He used the imagery of fishing nets and fields of harvest to teach them about ministry.

Only after they had observed him at work and participated in his ministry did He begin to explain everything to them. At that point, they were fertile soil for everything he wanted them to understand.

In the western world, we teach first, and then do. But this is backward from the example Jesus set for us. Weekly Bible studies may be theologically sound, but lectures alone rarely bear the fruit of life transformation. They simply produce on-time note-takers who know how to speak a Christian dialect.

Real-life experiences allow people to develop to the point that they can absorb abstract thinking. For a disciple to fully understand what is being taught, they need an opportunity to see it or experience it first. After that, for the rest of their life, they are tuned in abstractly.

Over a lifetime, a disciple’s increasing maturity will enable him to think about spiritual concepts more abstractly and be less dependent upon concrete methods of learning. The knowledge he/she has accumulated in the past develops his/her ability to process information in the future.

Players Belong on the Field

When he began playing tee-ball, the coaches stood on the field with the players, helping them learn the game. Now that he is eight, his coaches are required to stay off of the field during play. The closest the coaches can get to the action is standing in the coach’s boxes on the first base and third base lines.

Earlier this season, Bryce learned a valuable lesson when he was tagged out at second due to not watching his first-base coach. As he trotted back to the dugout, Bryce’s coach pulled him aside and shared a teaching moment.

As I watched the coach teach and encourage Bryce, I recalled how the coach had been a great high-school baseball player. Surely it would have been easier for he and the other coaches to take the field and play rather than having to patiently work through all of the team’s mistakes.

Of course, that would be backwards, right? A coach’s job is to teach, manage, and direct the players so that they can improve, play, and win.

Imagine if the players all approached the coaches and said, “we know that you guys are much better than us, so we expect you to play for the rest of the season while we sit in the dugout and tell you what to do.” How ridiculous!

Yet, isn’t that what often happens in the church? Church members assume that since the pastors and staff are “experienced professionals,” surely they should do all of the ministering while the rest of the church watches. But that’s not biblical! Remember Paul’s encouragement to the Ephesians to:

“equip the saints for the work of ministry, for the building up the body of Christ…“ (Ephesians 4:14).

Does that mean that pastors and staff members shouldn’t do ministry? Of course not.

But that doesn’t mean pastors should do ALL of the ministry! Like coaches, pastors should help all the players get on the field!

If you are a church member, you’ve got a role to play. Stop expecting coaches to perform your role. If you are a pastor, don’t assume that its easier to just “do it yourself.” Ministry is not about getting everything done most efficiently. Its about incorporating the entire church to minister most effectively.

And that requires every player on the field.

Now, play ball!

Don’t Discount Students

Today begins the 27th annual SOAR student conference. I attended the first SOAR conference as a seventh grader who was more interested in girls than God’s Word.

During one of the sessions, the conference’s founder, Bobby Tucker, shared the story of a girl who had begun a Bible club at her school. For some reason, the idea intrigued me.

That fall, with my principal’s support, I started a Bible club at my school. It wasn’t fancy by any means. We met for about 20 minutes in the middle of lunch period every Thursday. I would spend the first ten minutes of lunch walking around to tables in the cafeteria inviting everyone who would come.

Most weeks, I tried my best to share a short devotional thought. On other weeks, ministers from the area were gracious to speak to our group.

With the help of my friends, the Bible club continued through graduation. I honestly don’t know what impact the Bible club had on my friends, but I certainly know the impact it had on me.

God used that message at SOAR, and the small commitment to start a Bible club, to set the trajectory for my life. The SOAR conference and that fledgling Bible club shaped who I am today.

This week, thousands of students will attend the SOAR conference. Our theme will focus on living a selfless, ministry lifestyle. This is a biblical calling for every believer –not just vocational ministers.

We want students to understand that no matter where life takes them, God has a ministry for them to live out –whether as a student, adult, senior citizen, executive, housewife, retiree, factory worker, salesman, or physician. The most important thing about a person is not what they do for a living, but how they are living!

Today, I have the privilege of overseeing the SOAR conference. It’s a humbling task that fills my heart with joy and anticipation. Can you imagine what would happen if 2,000 students return to their homes, communities, and schools with a commitment to ministers to their peers?

Pray with me that God will raise up new ministers who will use the platform God gives them to live out a life of ministry! Don’t discount the power of students, and a student conference, to make a difference in the Kingdom forever.

I know, because that’s my story!

Government Sponsored Missions

The world of politics is not for the faint of heart. Politicians (and their staffs) are constantly trying to gain the upper hand in situations. It is an ongoing battle –much of which takes place in the media. Many times political opponents will try to smear each others reputations with lies, leaks, and slander. Praise God for the Christian politicians who endure the madness in order to make a difference for God’s kingdom.

Daniel was thrust into this dangerous world of politics by the positions to which Nebuchadnezzar had appointed him. Like almost all politicians, Daniel had enemies who wanted to destroy his career so they could advance their own. That’s the situation that we find in Daniel chapter 6.

Daniel had risen to a position of prominence with the Babylonian King (remember how he interpreted Nebuchadnezzar’s dream in chapter 2?).  God had blessed Daniel with a place of influence in the Babylonian government for a great purpose.

In chapter 6, some government officials who were jealous of Daniel convinced the new King, Darius, to decree it unlawful to pray to any god but the King. Offenders would be placed into a den of lions. It was clearly an attempt to trap Daniel and ruin his career. Isn’t it interesting that these men seemed to know that Daniel wouldn’t abandon his faith in God? He must have had a strong testimony.

The threat of death (especially by lions) would cause most to follow the new law. But not Daniel. His commitment to God was strong and he was determined to remain true. So he chose to disobey the King (who had given him a high position) in order to obey God. What would you do?

Daniel’s faithfulness in praying three times a day –even after it was outlawed- put him in the spotlight of the King as he was cast into the lion’s den. After God protected him from the lions, guess what the King proclaimed? “Then King Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth: “Peace be multiplied to you. I make a decree, that in all my royal dominion people are to tremble and fear before the God of Daniel” (Daniel 6:23-28). God used government persecution of believers in order to broadcast His glory through a powerful king. Isn’t that just like God?

Get out of the Huddle!

I remember my first year of playing football. I loved competing and playing with my friends.

In seventh grade, the coaches did not have sophisticated headsets and hand signals to relay the offensive plays to the quarterback. Instead, our coach would substitute a wide-receiver into every play. Before the receiver would run on the field, the coach would give him the play. Then, he would go to the quarterback and tell him the play. Finally, the quarterback would approach the huddle and tell the rest of us which play to run.

When I think about God’s plan for spreading the gospel to all nations, it reminds me of my seventh grade coach. God gives us the gospel and then expects us to continue relaying the message of Christ to those who need to hear.

This first occurs in Genesis 12 when God speaks to Abram (notice his name hasn’t been changed to Abraham quite yet.)

In Genesis 12:1, God tells Abram to “go.” Sound familiar? This command is a part of God’s mission to spread out people with his Glory. God doesn’t tell Abram where to go yet, but He just says go. (Notice that it takes great faith to follow God).

Next, God makes promises to Abram. Verses 2-3 are famously called the Abrahamic Covenant. God vows to make Abram into a great nation and to make Abram’s name great. Then, God explains why: “so that you will be a blessing.”

God explains in verse three that He is blessing Abram so that “all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

In other words, just like my seventh grade football coach chose one player to take the message to the rest of the team, God chose Abram to take the blessing of God to the nations!

The Abrahamic Covenant could be summed up with the phase, “God blessed Abram in order to be a blessing to all nations.” But it doesn’t end there. The covenant extended to all of Abram’s descendants (who would become the nation of Israel).

How did that blessing come about? It was more than a financial blessing or the blessing of lands. The ultimate blessing that came through Abram and the nation of Israel is Christ. That’s right, Jesus came from Abram’s lineage (He was born into a Jewish family).

That’s where you and I come into the picture. The Bible says that if we are in Christ, we are children of Abraham (Galatians 3:29). In this way, people from all geographic nations can join in Israel as they trust in Christ.

That’s why God changed Abram’s name to “Abraham.” Abraham means “father of many nations.” Does that remind you of the old “Father Abraham” song from Sunday School? Father Abraham had many sons/ and many sons had father Abraham/ I am one of them, and so are you/ so let’s just praise the Lord!

This means that the covenant given to Abraham and Israel is now passed down to us. We have been blessed by God in order to be a blessing to all nations. Now, let’s get out of the huddle and run the play!