Analyzing the Church's Commitment to the Its Calling

“Don’t ask what the world needs.

Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it.

Because what the world needs is people who have come alive."

- Howard Thurman (Christian clergyman, author, and activist)

Analyze where the Christian church stands today.  Take an honest look at the standing of one of the most treasured institutions of society.  Make an earnest appraisal of the modern church.  See where the church stands today.

For far too long, in the eyes of many, the church has remained in isolation.  In the opinion of some, the church has appeared inactive, almost docile, dormant and dulled, if not deadened.  Others have said that the church has simply dwindled into a state of sheer ineffectiveness.

George Barna has studied and evaluated the church for years.  Henry Blackaby has shared some insights and findings as well.  John Maxwell has offered multiple volumes on Christian leadership.  Rick Warren weighed in with The Purpose Driven Church.  There is no shortage of Christian perspectives of what the church is not and where the church has fallen short.

Don't disregard the Reformation or the Great Awakening.  Don't toss aside the Progressives or the Abolitionists.  Do not forsake the social activism of Prohibition and the Salvation Army, YMCA, and YWCA.  Don't forget how Christians fought Darwinism and the teaching of evolutionism in the U.S. school system.  Forget not Azusa Street and the likes of Oral Roberts or Billy Graham.  Do not frown upon the church's role in the Civil Rights Movement, the anti-war protests, and the pro-life debates.  Consider all of the church's storied past.

Recall that the church has been called to be more than a building.  The church has a calling as the body of Christ.  Look at Luis Palau, Chuck Colson and Prison Fellowship, and the countless missionaries and ministries that exist today.  See how many are fed, clothed, sheltered and ministered to through street ministries and storefronts alike.  See the church playing an active role in society.

Do not grapple with public opinion.  Do not spend hour upon hour debating with the church's critics.  Stand proudly and boldly to be counted among the many who diligently serve the Lord by doing all that they can with what little they have for "the least of these."



Develop Difference Makers

 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:  Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, [even] unto the end of the world. Amen. - Matthew 28:19-20 (KJV)

The Great Commission gives us the disciple-making formula.  We have been referencing it for years.  We have used it for our mantra in evangelizing the entire world, putting much of our focus on the going and baptizing with regards to all nations and unto the end of the world. 

What about the teaching part?

. . . and teach all nations. . .
. . . Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you. . .

Our discipleship process should make a difference.  It should make a difference in the people who are discipled by us.  It should make a difference in them as they become fishers of men.  It should make a difference in them to the point where they make a difference in the world around them.  We, as the body of Christ, are to develop difference makers.

Get ideas and insights on how to develop difference makers:

• Outreach Magazine
• Urban Ministry
• Life Church
• Relevant  Magazine

We need today's Christian to be able to sort through the muck and the mire.  We need Christians who will know what is truth and what is false, calling out the false prophets and standing for the truth.  We need Christians who are not blinded by the glitz and glamor of Hollywood, MTV and other fantasies.  We need people who will stand upright as the world goes astray, working in this ministry of reconciliation.  We need Christians to serve as Christ's army.

Read the likes of J.C. Ryle, Francis Chan, Oswald Chambers, Watchman Nee, William Wilberforce, and William Carey.  Try to get a hold of the works of Hudson Taylor, Richard Allen, Martin Luther King, Jr. and Al Sharpton.  Look into men like William Tyndale, Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell and John Bunyan.  Let the words of these men sink into your heart, mind and soul.  See how they made a difference.  See how others taught and trained them.  See how you can develop others to make a difference.

Technically Speaking

Technically Speaking
(Also Known As: The Massacre of the Message)

There will come a day before the last days
When prophets will instant message sermon series
And blog their latest Holy Land and missionary adventures
And then post images of JC, formerly known as Jesus Christ,
On MySpace, Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook
Without even considering what it means to the masses.
Preachers will preach from portable pulpits,
Giving mobilized messages of mass confusion
With cordless microphones and big screens overhead
As every bell and whistle explodes with evangelistic effort
Reaching multimedia masses over colossal airwaves
In the blink of an eye with the click of a button.
Missionaries will no longer be stumped by adversaries
Who cast the first stone during online forums on salvation
And the doctrine of total depravity versus God’s elect.
Seminary scholars will wrestle with street theologians
In text message arenas and with YouTube streaming
While electronic scanners are beaming bar codes for benevolence.
The message will find a new medium.
The new medium will carry the message.
Nothing will be lost.
The Good News will be just as good as it’s ever been
And the blood of Jesus will work the same as it did on Calvary.
Only we’ll Photoshop the image of Jesus on the cross
To keep it politically correct and all.
We will touch up His makeup to make Him up
To be a multicultural blend of all the ends of the earth
So that no one will be excluded or offended by his name in His name.
By the time we get done with the Last Supper,
There will be a disciple in wheelchair and one openly gay
Along with an obvious woman of color with a baby on the way.
There might even be a meatless meal of veggie trays.
The message will find a new medium.
The new medium will carry the message.
Nothing will be lost.
The Good News will be just as good as it’s ever been
And we will use the image of Christ
To endorse everything from blue jeans to bottled water.
The message will find a new medium.
The new medium will carry the message.
Nothing will be lost.
Nothing much will be gained.
Nothing will be said
For our methods will have left the message
Virtually dead in an online atmosphere
Among a universe of the spiritually dead.

A New Approach for a New Year

One of my favorite jazz cover songs of a classic song is "Everything Must Change." It doesn't matter if it is Nina Simone or George Benson singing it. The lyrics say what needs to be said to every listener. Everything truly must change.

As 2010 approaches us, I just wanted to share with those who are in ministry and business a simple approach that can assist in making the next twelve months more productive than the past twelve months. Every venture needs a plan. I am firm believer that some people can't handle a lot of information unless it is doled out to them in smalldoses. That's why I suggest the one-page business plan. It's a novel concept that can also be incorporated for ministry as well as business.

One-Page Business Plan (Format)

• Vision: a single statement that tells where you see the business/ ministry in the future
• Mission: a single statement that provides the purpose for the business/ ministry
• Objectives: Bullet points of what you need to accomplish to fulfill the mission and reach the vision
• Strategies: Methods for completing the necessary work to reach objectives
• Timeline: Detail when each strategy will be implemented and completed over the next twelve months

Start with this outline and pray over it prior to kicking off the year. Those who you serve and who serve with you will greatly benefit fromyour planning. Let you coworkers and team members review your outline and provide additional input, insights and ideas for expanding the plan.

More on business plans:

• www.sba.gov
• www.business.gov
• www.managementhelp.org

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

-Matthew 6:21

Where have you placed your "treasure?" Have you laid your treasure up in heaven as directed by the Lord? Or, like many others, have you stored up "treasures on earth?" (v. 19) It's a serious question that serves as a barometer of our stewardship and servanthood. Where is your treasure?

As stewards, we understand that all of what we have is from God and by the grace of God. Thus, the true owner of what we have is actually God Himself. We are to simply care for what has been bestowed upon us as wise stewards and servants, following the lead of our Master and fulfilling His wishes. It is unwise for a steward and servant to do what is opposite of the Master's will and desire. In essence, such simple things can become complex when we venture outside of God's guidance and rely upon our own understanding (Proverbs 3:5-6). A wise steward does as the Master instructs him or her to do, for he serves the Lord and seeks to please Him.

Keep tabs of where your treasure is directed. Identify what you do with your "treasure" from day to day in order to be certain that God is first and foremost when it comes to your livelihood. Living under grace, we should be more than available and able to understand that a tithe is not all that is required of us. Paul shares it by simply saying: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously (2 Corinthians 9:6, NIV).

Make it your business to know where your treasure goes. Track your spending habits by reviewing your bank statements and checkbook register monthly. Are you giving to God first? How often do you give to charity for the poor and needy? Is there a special program you support for the underprivileged in your community? Check out where your treasure is going.

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"Let us long to be used in the onversion of sinners."-C.H. Spurgeon

I have found it necessary to say some things to church leaders and laity from time to time with regards to evangelism. My heart's desire is that the body of Christ would become more engaged in evangelizing, sharing the gospel message of Jesus Christ with others. Whether it is passing out tracts or door-to-door evangelism, I believe that the church must take this matter to heart and make some serious moves to spread the Word throughout local communities. Naturally, a debate tends to rise from such a suggestion as to whether we should evangelize locally or send forth missionaries to the uttermost parts of the world. My viewpoint is rather simple but strategic when it comes to this debate. There really should be no debate about it. There is work to do on both fronts, but you must sincerely look at where and how God has blessed your congregation with spiritual gifts among the people. You'll have very little impact in South America if you can't even get started in South Central. Your words will fall short on foreign soil when you haven't even shared the Word in your neighborhood. Look at how God used people to influence and impact their immediate surroundings as well as people far and wide. Prayer is essential for guidance with such matters. The Holy Spirit will reveal where you need to start, and then you need to get started there first. the harvest is truly plentiful and we need more laborers to tend to this harvest, but we need people in the right places where they can be effective as led by the Spirit.