I often hear people say that they want to go "deep" in their faith, but when I pry a bit, I've found that most folks don't have a good answer for what "deep" really means. I personally believe that a church's "depth" should be measured by the waters of baptism. Without Salvation, love for people and changed lives, a church becomes nothing but an institution of higher learning that no longer functions as a Biblical Church. The depth of your church shouldn't be measured entirely by what you learn on Sundays, but by how you treat people on Mondays.
I also believe a truly "deep" church should be unapologetically "seeker sensitive" on Sunday mornings. Life-giving, Christ-centered Churches should welcome the Prodigals home. If we're not careful, we can easily turn into the self-focused, self-righteous Elder Brother in the Prodigal Son Parable who was, ironically, just as lost as the younger brother. A church filled with very knowledgeable Pharisees can provide an attractive mirage for those who seek growth and "depth" but ultimately there is no real growth without a passion to reach the Lost. That's why the amazing depths of God's Love and Grace should always be the primary focus. Proclaim the Word of God with Boldness, Love God and People Passionately, Serve Selflessly & then you will experience true depth in Christ.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Saturday, November 7, 2009
New Creation
Last Sunday was a powerful day at The Creek. Many decisions were made for Christ and this song reminded us all that we are a NEW CREATION in Him. What a beautiful promise. I love being a part of a church that continues to find new ways to praise and celebrate our amazing God.
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Lies
I don't believe that there is any decision more signifcant that deciding what you will choose to believe. The world is filled with lies that sound true and truths that are falsely labeled as lies. The Bible gives us clear direction as to what we should believe and while this list is far from complete, I've listed some of the most wide-spread lies in our culture today:
1. Lie: "It's my life and I can do what I want!"
Truth: You were bought with a price (the blood of Jesus) and your life is not your own.
2. Lie: "It's my money and I can spend it however I like!"
Truth: You don't own anything. You are only a temporary manager of "your" possessions.
3. Lie: "My choices are nobody's business but my own."
Truth: Every decision you make has consequences on others.
4. Lie: "There's no point to my life."
Truth: God has plans and purposes for you beyond anything you can imagine.
5. Lie: "It's all about me!"
Truth: It's all about God.
"Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." John 8:32
1. Lie: "It's my life and I can do what I want!"
Truth: You were bought with a price (the blood of Jesus) and your life is not your own.
2. Lie: "It's my money and I can spend it however I like!"
Truth: You don't own anything. You are only a temporary manager of "your" possessions.
3. Lie: "My choices are nobody's business but my own."
Truth: Every decision you make has consequences on others.
4. Lie: "There's no point to my life."
Truth: God has plans and purposes for you beyond anything you can imagine.
5. Lie: "It's all about me!"
Truth: It's all about God.
"Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." John 8:32
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
The Voice of Truth
The one command that God gives in the Bible more often than any other command is simply, "Be Not Afraid". Our Creator realized that fear would be our biggest obstacle in acieving a courageous life fully-devoted to Him. There simply isn't enough room in our hearts for Fear and for Faith. We all must choose which voice we trust...the voice of fear or the voice of our Father.
In this video, my four-year-old son, Cooper, makes his actinig debut. I'm a little bit partial, but I think he deserves an Oscar! I believe this short video captures the essence of fear and the power of faith. Remember, your Father loves you more than you can imagine and He has not give you a spirit of fear.
Monday, September 7, 2009
Preaching Part 3: "The Mechanics of Preaching"
Most preachers are terrible communicators. There, I said it. You know it's true. That's why it sounds offensive. The truth has always offended people! I wish it weren't the case. I wish that God-fearing, Gospel-preaching Pastors were the standard for excellence in communication, but sadly, this is not the case. This is also among the primary reasons why an unbelieving world finds the message of Jesus so unbelievable...they've never heard it communicated with clarity, excellence and passion. As a student of preaching and a teacher of the mechanics of public speaking, I've put together a checklist that I use and I believe these simple steps can be effective tools for other preachers as well:
1. Watch Yourself. You can't possibly know how you sound or look while you're preaching unless you go through the awkward process of self-evaluation. Record every sermon you preach and then meticulously watch and listen for ways you can improve.
2. Study Communicators other than preachers. Most preachers learn to communicate by watching other preachers who are also awful communicators which leads to a form of "Intellectual Inbreeding". Watch stellar preaching, but also intentionally seek out communicators outside the ministry who have mastered the art of timing and delivery. The best in the world tend to be stand-up comics, politicians, and actors who play lawyers on TV and in movies.
3. REHEARSE! Most preachers don't rehearse their sermons and it shows. People are entrusting you with their most valuable resource, their time, and if you don't put in the time to study, prepare and rehearse your message, you aren't worthy to stand before them. I don't always get this much time, but my best sermons are the result of 15-20 hours of preparation including 3-5 full run-throughs before I ever preach it to an actual audience. If you say, "How can the Holy Spirit move if it's rehearsed?" Then you obviously have no real understanding of either the Holy Spirit's power or your own responsibility as a messenger of the Gospel. Sorry, somebody had to say it.
4. Pray. If the first prayer you say about the message happens when you're in the pulpit before the congregation, you might as well just sit back down and let everybody go home early. Never underestimate the power of prayer and never overestimate your own ability. God will sometimes use ability, but God will always use prayer.
5. Give it your all. There is no higher calling than the calling to preach and teach so do it with all your heart, mind, soul and strength and God will do mighty things through you!
"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving." Colossians 3:23-24 (NIV)
1. Watch Yourself. You can't possibly know how you sound or look while you're preaching unless you go through the awkward process of self-evaluation. Record every sermon you preach and then meticulously watch and listen for ways you can improve.
2. Study Communicators other than preachers. Most preachers learn to communicate by watching other preachers who are also awful communicators which leads to a form of "Intellectual Inbreeding". Watch stellar preaching, but also intentionally seek out communicators outside the ministry who have mastered the art of timing and delivery. The best in the world tend to be stand-up comics, politicians, and actors who play lawyers on TV and in movies.
3. REHEARSE! Most preachers don't rehearse their sermons and it shows. People are entrusting you with their most valuable resource, their time, and if you don't put in the time to study, prepare and rehearse your message, you aren't worthy to stand before them. I don't always get this much time, but my best sermons are the result of 15-20 hours of preparation including 3-5 full run-throughs before I ever preach it to an actual audience. If you say, "How can the Holy Spirit move if it's rehearsed?" Then you obviously have no real understanding of either the Holy Spirit's power or your own responsibility as a messenger of the Gospel. Sorry, somebody had to say it.
4. Pray. If the first prayer you say about the message happens when you're in the pulpit before the congregation, you might as well just sit back down and let everybody go home early. Never underestimate the power of prayer and never overestimate your own ability. God will sometimes use ability, but God will always use prayer.
5. Give it your all. There is no higher calling than the calling to preach and teach so do it with all your heart, mind, soul and strength and God will do mighty things through you!
"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving." Colossians 3:23-24 (NIV)
Preaching Part 2: "The Goals of Preaching"
My family chipped in and bought me a GPS for my birthday last year. It's worth slightly more than my 94' Honda Civic, so I wanted to make sure I used it as much as possible. The key to maximizing the GPS is that you need to know your destination before you start the trip. If you don't know where you're going, then it can't possibly help you get there and you will just drive around aimlessly looking at the mesmerizing moving map on the GPS' screen.
I've heard many sermons that make me realize that a lot of pastors preach sermons with no clear destination (or "goals") in mind. It becomes painfully obvious early in the message that they don't know where they're going and they don't know where they're taking the audience. It's an uncomfortable experience for everyone involved.
It's imperative that a preacher be laser-focused on the goals of his sermon. Before he even starts preparation, he must ask himself, "What do I want these people to know and what do I want them to do?". The answers to that question represents the destination or "goals" of the sermon. Once you know where you are going, map out the most direct route possible (with a few scenic points of interest along the way to keep the passengers interested). Preachers must also remember that the ultimate goal of every sermon is to clearly and correctly lift up the Gospel and the name of Jesus Christ. If we will do that, He will do the rest.
"And when I (Jesus) am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself.” John 12:32 (NLT)
I've heard many sermons that make me realize that a lot of pastors preach sermons with no clear destination (or "goals") in mind. It becomes painfully obvious early in the message that they don't know where they're going and they don't know where they're taking the audience. It's an uncomfortable experience for everyone involved.
It's imperative that a preacher be laser-focused on the goals of his sermon. Before he even starts preparation, he must ask himself, "What do I want these people to know and what do I want them to do?". The answers to that question represents the destination or "goals" of the sermon. Once you know where you are going, map out the most direct route possible (with a few scenic points of interest along the way to keep the passengers interested). Preachers must also remember that the ultimate goal of every sermon is to clearly and correctly lift up the Gospel and the name of Jesus Christ. If we will do that, He will do the rest.
"And when I (Jesus) am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself.” John 12:32 (NLT)
Preaching Part 1: "The Importance of Preaching"
This is the first in a 3-part series of posts that will focus on Preaching. Specifically, the Importance of Preaching, The Goals of Preaching and The Mechanics of Preaching. This post will specifically address the importance of preaching.
We live in a world that has become hostile not only to the message of Christ but also to the medium by which that message is delivered. In many circles, "Preaching" has become a negative connotation that stirs up images of closed-minded hate mongers standing on soap boxes and condemning the world on behalf of a distant and judgmental God. Sadly, even in many modern churches, preaching has been downplayed or abandoned completely in lieu of services containing only worship music or experiential elements that exclude a formal sermon. While these other worship elements are good and beneficial, using them as an ongoing substitute and not a supplement to the sermon is irresponsible and completely unbiblical. There are even revisionists who claim that using sermons at all was a tradition borrowed by pagan religions and was never an intended part of God's plan for His Church.
The True History of Christian Preaching is one that dates back to Jesus Himself. Much of what we know of Jesus' Ministry in the Gospels comes directly from sermons delivered to large crowds proclaiming the goodness of God, the need for repentance and the coming of the Kingdom of God. Jesus commissioned His disciples to go out into the world and preach this same message. There has never been nor will there ever be a substitute for publicly proclaiming the Message. Nearly ever major positive shift in Western Culture can be traced in part or in whole to bold men who were unashamed to proclaim the Gospel, and Jesus is still using those who obey His command to be the salt and light of the world. In fact, there is no more powerful, revolutionary or life-changing force at our disposal than the public teaching of God's Word.
"I solemnly urge you in the presence of God and Christ Jesus, who will someday judge the living and the dead when he appears to set up his Kingdom: Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching." 2 Timothy 4:1-2 (NLT)
We live in a world that has become hostile not only to the message of Christ but also to the medium by which that message is delivered. In many circles, "Preaching" has become a negative connotation that stirs up images of closed-minded hate mongers standing on soap boxes and condemning the world on behalf of a distant and judgmental God. Sadly, even in many modern churches, preaching has been downplayed or abandoned completely in lieu of services containing only worship music or experiential elements that exclude a formal sermon. While these other worship elements are good and beneficial, using them as an ongoing substitute and not a supplement to the sermon is irresponsible and completely unbiblical. There are even revisionists who claim that using sermons at all was a tradition borrowed by pagan religions and was never an intended part of God's plan for His Church.
The True History of Christian Preaching is one that dates back to Jesus Himself. Much of what we know of Jesus' Ministry in the Gospels comes directly from sermons delivered to large crowds proclaiming the goodness of God, the need for repentance and the coming of the Kingdom of God. Jesus commissioned His disciples to go out into the world and preach this same message. There has never been nor will there ever be a substitute for publicly proclaiming the Message. Nearly ever major positive shift in Western Culture can be traced in part or in whole to bold men who were unashamed to proclaim the Gospel, and Jesus is still using those who obey His command to be the salt and light of the world. In fact, there is no more powerful, revolutionary or life-changing force at our disposal than the public teaching of God's Word.
"I solemnly urge you in the presence of God and Christ Jesus, who will someday judge the living and the dead when he appears to set up his Kingdom: Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching." 2 Timothy 4:1-2 (NLT)
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