Pastor's blog

Can you trust anyone these days?

Pastor — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 14:11:35 -0700

In this season of financial turmoil and election fever, I'm often wondering, who can I trust? It seems the more I look into who is running for office, the more reason I have to think that no candidate is too high on the "trust" factor. (Although I am going to vote) I've learned that I can't trust the like of Lehman Brothers, AIG, or other big firms who got greedy and left investors hanging. These times call for radical trust. As a Christian, I continually realize I have to go back to trusting in God alone- no matter what the circumstances. Psalm 20:7 says, "Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God." The name of the Lord represents his character. He is the "I Am"; The God who created the universe and will exists forever and ever. Trusting is hard- because we don't want to be hurt or let down by someone we place our trust in. When we trust fully- we abandon all of our own strength and look to someone else for strength. But there's the key. The name of God represents his character: compassionate and Gracious, slow to anger and abounding in love, quick and ready to forgive. God has "unfailing love" the bible says. What reason do I have to doubt his love? We need to remember where we place our trust and our hope- not in economic firms, not in government officials, not in the strength of an army or the amount of weapons a country has. God has called each one of us to this place and this time-to display his love and show other that there is nothing better than trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ.

"Take Up Your Cross" When it comes to Parenting

Pastor — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 20:27:16 -0700

In Mark 8:34 Jesus tells his disciples, and anyone else who would follow to "deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me." What Jesus is referring to is the path of suffering and crucifixion he would endure. Self-denial can be a powerful religious discipline. But here Jesus is not talking about self-denial for its own sake. He is talking about making him the center of our lives instead our ourselves. He wants us to put our selfish nature aside and embrace his ways. One area in which I am constantly reminded to deny myself is in parenting. I have two daughters, and often when I come home from work I'd like to sort the mail, read the newspaper, or just sit down and relax. I would like some "me" time. But when I come in the door, my kids want my attention. Self denial means putting their needs ahead of my own. Instead of putting in a video and letting them sit (so I can relax), I'm called to interact with them, to talk about their day, to laugh and play with them, and to read and interact. The great irony of giving away our lives is that along the way we find Jesus. We become more familiar with his ways and how he came to give his life for us. We find what true life is all about. We find the joy or serving others and an appreciation for how Christ came to serve and not to be served. The next time you're tempted to put others aside and take some "me" time, remember that children are a gift from God and that they are brought into our lives to teach us about ourselves and so that we can learn how to put others first.

What Satisfies My Soul?

Pastor — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 18:27:47 -0700

When life gets busy, I usually look for ways to relax, slowdown, decompress, veg-out, chill-out, or just sack out on the couch! Trouble is, whenever I choose an activity to simply "escape" form life, I return with more anxiety and stress than I had before. The prophet Isaiah asked, "Why spend your money on what does not satisfy?" He called people to look to God, who satisfies his people freely, with abundance, and without conditions. I find that simply meditating on Christ and reading a Psalm or a passage of Scripture is the best way to calm my mind and relax- and yet I find I resist doing it when life gets busy. Why? Because Satan- the evil one- is an expert at tricking us into thinking that all of the temporary pleasures of life will give lasting satisfaction. See that difference? Temporary vs. Eternal? Only things that last can give lasting satisfaction. Jesus is the word made flesh, the true God of the universe- the one who existed before anything else existed. His grace is abundant and free. As C.S Lewis said, we often settle for making mud pies in the back yard when God really want to give us a holiday at the ocean- we settle for temporary pleasures. I'm trying to train myself to think about eternal things and focus on Christ as my lasting satisfaction.

Does God Laugh?

Pastor — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 14:37:00 -0700

I've often wondered if God laughs. I think he does laugh-- especially when we humans assume that he can't do something.

Several months ago when I was thinking about our church's situation of setting up every week and meeting in a school, the pessimistic side of me said, "Well, did I realistically think that our church plant would be in a new building in less than five years?"

Oh, how God must have been chuckling when I was thinking those typically pessimistic thoughts!

God had a building planned for our church. Recently we have purchased a facility on Dogwood Road- and we will have our worship service there this Sunday!

I think God does laugh.

Are you a Consumer or an Investor?

Pastor — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 13:33:35 -0700

I'm a movie person. I could watch the same movie over and over and be moved by the slight nuances of each viewing. One of my favorite movies is "It's a Wonderful Life" with Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed.

There's one scene in there that really captures the difference between going to church as a consumer versus being part of a church as an investor.

George Bailey and his wife Mary have just gotten married. As they are about to leave on their honeymoon, they see a panicked scene at the entrance to the Bailey Savings & Loan business. Old Man Potter has called in the loan and is trying to put them out of business. People are scrambling for their money.

George lets the people through the gate and tries to calm everyone down. One man bolts in and declares that Potter is offering 50 cents on the dollar for every share. Everyone scrambles for the door- but George stops them. He says, "Don't you see what's going on? Potter wants you to panic. He wants you to pay less for your shares so that he can put us out of business."

Here's where people's true colors come out. One man demands all of his shares: $242. George says, "Look- you can't take all your money out, then we'd be out of business." George explains the situation. In effect he says, "When each of you made an investment in the Savings & Loan- you made an investment in the well-being of others. You put your money in so that others could have money to borrow from and build houses. The health of one person's account depended on the investment of everyone else. By pulling all your money out now, you are risking the health of the entire group."

And so it is with the church. When people come to a church, they either treat it as a consumer- taking what we want and moving on- like the one man who wanted to withdraw all his money. Or we come as investors- people who realize that our spiritual health and well-being is a shared investment with others. If we pull out, it hurts other people as well. But if we keep investing-even in difficult times- then the health of the whole body improves, including ourselves.

1 Corinthians 12 talks about the church being like a body. A healthy body has all the parts working together. When one part of the body hurts, the whole body is affected. One part can't say to another part, "I don't need you" God has designed the church so that healing comes first through Christ, and secondly through other people. God has placed each of us in relationship with him and with one another for our benefit.

When times get tight, people's true attitudes come out. When we feel hurt or abandoned, we tend to isolate ourselves, and treat church as just another obligation. That's the consumer mentality.

But investors know better. When times get tight, we realize we need each other even more, and that when we truly stick by one another and love one another is when the love of Christ is made known. (John 13:34-35)

Are you a consumer or an investor?

Barbara Walters "revelation" and Moral Reasoning

Pastor — Thu, 15 May 2008 12:22:28 -0700

Recently Barbara Walters revealed (on Oprah) that she had an affair with a married man some thirty years ago. Maybe it was just the slant of the news report, but I was disappointed in the way one of her friends advised her at the time:

The news report read something like ,"You've got to end this. It will ruin your career."

Now that all those years have passed, I guess it won't ruin her career if she admits the affair. But is that the best reasoning we can think of? Is the preservation of one's career the right reason to end an adulterous affair? Or is an adulterous affair simply wrong period?

I assume the person who told Barbara Walters this was thinking that news of an affair between a white woman and a African American man who was elected to the Senate would be stigmatized by society at that time, so for the sake of her career she should end the affair.

But isn't the fact that she was having an adulterous relationship be enough of a moral reason to stop, no matter who the affair was with- whether he was White, Asian, Hispanic, or African American?

See, when we start making moral judgments based on the potential harmful consequences to ourselves, then we have already lost our moral footing. In effect, Barbara Walter's friend was advising her: "Stop, because if you don't you may get caught. And if you get caught your career may be over."

It is almost as if the advice came with a tacit approval of her sin- having an adulterous affair- and the only reason to stop was if she felt it could bring harmful consequences to her down the line.

The best moral basis for our decisions is what God has revealed in Scripture- otherwise known as divine command ethics. Judging actions merely by their consequences to ourselves or others is incomplete.

Why Membership?

Pastor — Thu, 15 May 2008 12:03:39 -0700

This summer we will be holding our first set of membership classes: (dates will be June 11, 18, 25 and July 9, 16, 23)

This brings about the question, "Why have members?" Some churches operate without members, other churches have members, but that membership does not mean a whole lot--other than signing a pledge card once a year.

Why membership? Because it is biblical and its healthy for the church!

1. Membership provides a way for each person in the body of Christ to be valued and affirmed. In churches such as ours that are elder led and have congregational rule, members have votes in certain decisions on behalf of the church (decisions about hiring the senior pastor, changes to the statement of faith, voting in elders, decisions about buying and selling property, etc.). Therefore membership is one way to have your "vote counted" so to speak.

2. Membership models a commitment to accountability. When someone becomes a member of the church it means that they are willing to be accountable to the elders and to the other members. Learning and growing as fellow believers means that we should carry one another's burdens (Galatians 6) and correct one another when necessary (Matthew 18). Authentic spiritual community will always run counter to our society's lone ranger mentality.

3. Recognizing that each person in the body of Christ is gifted uniquely (1 Corinthians 12), membership is a way of investing in one another's lives to build one another up. Sure, you can attend a church and be active in it and not be a member, but membership adds to the recognition that when one part of the body is hurting, the whole body is hurting. When one part rejoices, the whole body rejoices! In some ways, the church is a "mutual fund" of spiritual investment. God asks us to pool our resources for the health of the church at large!

Missions Trip to Paraguay

Pastor — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 17:57:05 -0700

Last week two in our church family, John and Josh Simons, went on a missions trip to Paraguay with E3 Partners, an organization that specializes in evangelizing and planting new churches.

You can read updates about the missions trip on John's website: www.john-simons.com.

Also, attached is the prayer calendar so you can pray for John and Josh as they are on their trip.

To God be the Glory!

Soul Sickness

Pastor — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 20:32:10 -0700

In church we often talk a great deal about forgiveness and God's grace- and for good reason! The only way to know God;s complete and total forgiveness is through God's Son, Jesus Christ and his work on the cross to pay the penalty for our sin.

But what's the path to receiving forgiveness? We don't often talk about the practice of confession, which is vital to how we experience God's grace. It's one thing to know the doctrines of the atonement and justification--that God has declared sinners righteous by virtue of Christ's work--but it's quite another to walk down the path of shame, guilt, and utter anguish over having offended a holy and righteous God. Only when we are brought to despair can we see the light that Christ brings.

Psalm 32 offers a clear picture of the soul-sickness that we experience when we have unconfessed sin in our lives. We can hide sin from others, but we cannot hide it from God- and the guilt we feel is God's ordained mechanism to drive us back to him.

Why do we hesitate to confess our sin to God, even though we know as Christians we are forgiven?

1. We do not see our sin as "our personal responsibility". It's easy to talk about sin in a generic sense. Yeah, everyone tells a fib now and then, we all covet our neighbor's possessions. Why is my sin different than any one else's? But there's the problem. All our sins are equally heinous before God- and we are each guilty of them.

2. We don't believe God will forgive our sin. Sometimes we have sinned so greatly that we doubt God could ever forgive "that". Here we give ourselves too much credit. It's actually a form of idolatry. If God forgives all sin, then by confessing we would lose our self appointed "Bad to the Bone" title. Ah, the death of self- what a travesty.

3. We don't confess our sins because we think the constant pain of not confessing is less than the pain of a clean break. This is the "I'll just live with it" approach. But sooner or later, the silent treatment with God doesn't work. His hand of discipline will be "heavy upon us" until we are in anguish.

4. We don't confess to God because we are not forced to confess to others. We assume that since no one else knows, I don't have to tell God. Or simply put, it's always easier to tell someone "It's between me and the Lord" rather than stand up and confess in front of others. Although the line, "It's between me and the Lord" usually is code for, "I'm ignoring this sin in my life, and don't bring it up again."

There are many more reasons we resist confession. Why do you think Christians avoid it? Let me know your thoughts.

3 Reasons I Love Our Church

Pastor — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 10:48:29 -0700

My wife and I recently celebrated one year with our new ministry here in Ocala. We’ve had a lot of changes over the past year: new job, new home, new baby. After reflecting on the past year, here are a few reasons why I’m glad to be part of Christ Community Church:

1. The people in our church give the Scriptures a high level of authority. As you look out over the landscape of churches in America, they generally divide into two camps: those who take the Bible as a set of nice stories and general principles, and those who view the Bible as God’s infallible, life-giving word to humanity. I’m glad our church is in the latter camp. People want to hear the “meat & potatoes” of the Bible’s message, not just come and have their ears tickled by a few verses hung together with some humorous illustrations. People’s view of the Bible reflects how much authority they are willing give God in their lives, and our people want to submit to God and his word!

2. People in our church make it a habit to serve one another. Everyone one who visits our church comments on how friendly the people are, but I’m even happier to say that the folks in our church go beyond just being friendly to being concerned for one another. Whether it’s watching one another’s kids when mom or dad has a doctor appointment, babysitting for one another so couples can go out on a date, delivering meals to those who are ill, helping lay sod at someone’s house, or any number of ways- people at Christ Community view it as their privilege, responsibility, and a joy to invest in one another’s lives. Everyone knows that just coming to church to “soak up” some spirituality doesn’t make for a vibrant, healthy congregation. I’m glad to be part of a community where people invest in one another’s lives.

3. People in our church anticipate that God will do great things. There is a culture of “Here I am, send me” in our church. God has not placed us here simply to tread water until the rescue boat arrives from heaven. God calls each one of us to find our personal mission field, to have an impact on the community around us, and to carry the sweet aroma of Christ wherever we go. People in our church want to see how God is going to use each one in our congregation for his kingdom work. Many times, the people’s faith inspires me! Whether it’s one family choosing to go on a mission trip together, or another person seeking to use musical gifts for the kingdom, our people reflect an attitude that says, “How can we fail when the Lord is on our side? He will fashion our blank canvas into whatever beautiful painting he desires. I want to offer myself to serve the king.”

Why do you love the people of Christ Community? What excites you about our congregation? Give me your feedback, I’d love to hear it!

The Blues Brothers, Jesus, and Why Men Hate Going to Church

Pastor — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 07:30:22 -0800

In the 1980 movie The Blue Brothers, Jake and Elwood Blues (played by John Belushi and Dan Akroyd), are released from prison and find out that the home they were raised in (run by Catholic nuns) is destined to close in 11 days unless $5,000 is raised to keep it open. The brothers decide to reunite their old blues band and play a few gigs to try and raise the money. What’s their sales pitch to their fellow band members?

“We’re on a mission from God.”

What motivates people and keeps them focused? A clear mission. Not just a mission related to solving injustice or doing good, but rather a divine mission. A mission that is grander than any of our human capabilities.

Jesus declared his mission early on in the gospel of Mark, “The time is fulfilled, the kingdom of God is near, repent and believe the good news.” [Mark 1:15] This mission is what the disciples lived and died for. According to church history, the apostle Andrew “told his accusers that he would not have preached the glory of the cross had he feared to die on it.” [Foxe’s Book of Martyrs, pg. 8]

David Murrow, in his book Why Men Hate Going to Church, insightfully points out that one of the reasons men are turned off by church is because most of the images and references in worship resonate with feminine qualities: loving, nurturing, songs with lyrics describing a desperate yearning for God’s embrace, to be touched by God and held in his arms. I mean- how many worship songs can you think of that describe cosmic battles with eternal consequences?

Granted, men need to realize their spiritual brokenness in the face of a holy God. But let’s face it, men aren’t typically motivated to action by word pictures revolving around the all too common “Jesus is my girlfriend” motif.

Typically, men get more excited when they sense that there is a battle they can engage in. Where’s the fight? Where’s the “mission impossible”? Let me get my armor on; let’s go on an adventure; let’s go and see if we can accomplish this task together- as a band of brothers. There’s nothing shameful about God winning battles: we know he wins the war with Satan in the end! Men- let’s engage in God’s mission- to see Christ preached to the ends of the earth. Engage with all your heart, mind, soul and strength!