According to the Gallup Poll on religious life in America, more than 40 million profess to be born again and one in five say they attend a Bible study weekly.

Nevertheless what seems to be an “evangelical awakening” in America is having no appreciable influence on morals and ethics.

One explanation for this impotence is the separation of the gospel from the kingdom – as if they were two separate and distinct matters. They are often referred to as the gospel and the kingdom.

In the New Testament it is the gospel of the kingdom.  In the New Testament they are connected – inseparable.

For many today the gospel is for now and the kingdom is future; which makes it possible to believe the gospel and ignore kingdom principles. In other words, enjoy the gospel without obeying the King!

So church people live like citizens of this world – not citizens of the kingdom but as children of this secular world rather than children of the kingdom.

Many are in the church who have never seen the kingdom:. Jesus said, “. . . unless one is born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”  John 3:3 (RSV)

Many are in the church but are not in the kingdom. Jesus said, “,..unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God”  John 3:5 (RSV).

And many are in the church and in the kingdom –  but they treat the kingdom as future in its coming and have no kingdom allegiance now.

In the New Testament the kingdom is both present and future . . . it is here and coming. It came with Christ’s first coming and it will be consummated when He comes again;  when He re-enters history in His final triumph!

I get to visit many different churches and hear a lot of good preaching. One of the commonalities in messages is how they begin. Most of us tell some kind of human interest story or share a common concern. This generates curiosity and identifies with the audience.

I begin many messages that way but I’m conscious that doing so often directs listeners attention to themselves, allowing their minds to focus on some personal concern or longing. As pastors, we must address topics like facing change, going through hard times, self-esteem, success, marriage, parenting, time management and stress. Issues such as guilt and forgiveness, emptiness and meaninglessness are important and should be talked about. But we face the challenge of doing so in a way that doesn’t emphasize the individual self, the Self principle.

The Lord God seeks to save and transform each one of us personally – salvation is individual but that transformation makes individuals members of a family, a household of faith. If we’re not careful, what begins as a personal decision to follow Christ can subtly become a selfish, individual orientation to spirituality.

Instead of asking. “how do we fit into God’s Salvation History story,” we have a great tendency to ask, “how does God fit into our individual personal stories?” If we’re not careful, the starting point of a message, the human interest story or our own personal experience, becomes the whole point, not only of the sermon, but spirituality. The truth is, God relates to me for my sake. I don’t relate to God for his sake. We can’t let spirituality become personal – about me instead of God.

When we allow this to happen the Bible becomes a collection of stories, principles, and steps that can be used by a creative speaker to inspire listeners. And the listeners come to hear such a speaker and feel comforted, challenged, up-lifted, and even, at times, to feel a little guilty. All the while the listener is in control of his or her spirituality. They measure out the dosage of how much they want to take in. Spirituality becomes a personal project; a quest full of deception which produces confusion and impotence.

Sermons and Bible studies oriented around the Self principle obscure the meaning of the Bible
by drawing out what meets immediate felt needs and disregarding the rest. Falling prey to this temptation ends up diluting the biblical influence in many believers’ lives. The result is an ever expanding influence of non-Biblical thinking, greed driven materialism, and individualistic morals. People end up doing whatever seems right to them at the time; a philosophy of, “if it feels good, do it” and “as long as no one else gets hurt, it must be OK.”

The church has contributed to this Self principle by our silence when people use the Bible for their individual spirituality. We are far too silent when good church people turn to the Bible to inspire their souls and to the world to inspire their success. They turn to the Bible to deal with guilt and look to the world for entertainment. They look to the Bible for comfort and to the world for excitement. Many like what 1 Corinthians 13 has to say about love, and then turn to the world to learn about sex. They quote the Bible passages on peace and then look to the world for political solutions. They want to know what the Bible says about forgiveness and then look to the world for freedom. It’s all to easy to quote Hebrews 10:25, “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together. . . “ but then demand that our churches be run according to democratic procedure.

Instead of the Word of God shaping the totality of life, the Self principle results in a spirituality that shapes one’s private world and a secularization that shapes one’s public world. This approach to the Bible accounts for seemingly spiritually minded believers being habitually self-centered rather than God-honoring in their daily lives. The evidence of this is easily seen in people’s business practices, sexual behavior, consumer lifestyle, pursuit of pleasure, and intellectual outlook.

I’m not suggesting we eliminate personal anecdotes and human interest stories – we need some of them to draw people into the truth. But let’s be careful to recognize the dangers of self-centered spirituality. Maybe this is a good reminder to make sure our own lives are committed to obeying God in everything, not just what seems convenient. We reject the Self principle and embrace the Body Life of the New Testament. We desperately practice the “living sacrifice” principle of Romans 12.

Jim

I’m sitting in the family waiting area of the Surgical Intensive Care Unit (SICU) at the University of Iowa Hospital. Every two hours family members can visit their patient for 15 minutes and this is where we all wait. There are 32 beds in the SICU and today 28 of those beds are occupied and as a result the waiting area is full.

When I came back from lunch, I sat down at a table where there’s a convenient Ethernet connection as well as power outlet. I set up the laptop and checked email but before I could even read the first message a man and woman approached and asked if they could join me.

They said, “When you were here earlier with your son we got the impression you are a pastor. Are we right?”

I said, “Yes, but I’m not really here in that capacity; my Mom is in the SICU.”

“Well,” the man said, “we would like to ask some questions. Is that OK?”

“I’ll do my best.”

They introduced themselves as a brother (Bakr) and sister (Rihana). Their 68 yr old father is in SICU with complications following what should’ve been routine surgery for appendicitis. However, when they opened him up the surgeons found he was full of cancer. They removed as much of the malignancy as possible, but while they were still in the operating room, the father had a major heart attack. Now he is on a ventilator and the kidneys are not working.

Their parents immigrated to the U.S. in 1972 from Morrocco. The mother died some years ago as a result of breast cancer. Although their parents claimed to be Muslim, their adult children have never practiced that religion or any other. Bakr said to me, “My religion has been wealth and success.” Until now he has felt no need for a god of any kind. His sister, Rihana, nodded in silent agreement – the same is true for her as well.

Now they are faced with a crises that’s too big for them to handle on their own: After 3 days on the ventilator without any improvement; little or no brain activity on the EEG, and failing kidneys, the medical establishment wants to know how long to continue.

We talked about the origin of life; why we are born in the first place; and what death is like. They asked some intense questions about “the afterlife,” paradise, and evil. Through their grief and confusion there were several times when I know the words “connected” and the Holy Spirit impressed them with truth.

We talked about all the options they face but I didn’t give them any answers about what they should do. They have to make those decisions on their own. I did give them the name of a church in Cedar Rapids (their home) where I’m sure they’ll be treated with respect and where I know the truth of God is held high.

We spent about 40 min talking and when the call came that visitors were allowed in the “bay” where their father is, they thanked me and left. I don’t know if I’ll ever see them again but the Seed has been planted.

It’s interesting to watch the people in this waiting area. Some sit in silence, not moving from one position for long periods of time. Others, like me, spend time on their laptops and cell phones. There are some families where they are obviously reminiscing; laughing one moment and shedding tears the next. Two different family groups, at opposite ends of the area, are playing cards and/or working on crossword puzzles.

I wonder how many of them sense a need to connect with God? More than that, I wonder how many of these people, like Bakr and Rihana, don’t have any idea what God is like, how much His loves them, and that only through Him can both life and death have meaning.

What you do, how you live, has the potential to impact people around you who are just like Bakr and Rihana. Don’t give up.

Jim

I think everyone ought to have the opportunity to spend five days with two busloads of teenagers! Being together 24/7 was so enlightening and exciting and, in some ways, discouraging. I learned so much from them!

One of the things we talked about a lot in the weeks prior to the trip was that this would be a group activity. (That’s a difficult concept in our radically self-sufficient culture where private rights and ultra-individualism are worshiped with great enthusiasm.) One of the priorities for traveling with teens is staying together and we had a great adult-to-student ratio of no more than four students for every adult. From the first stop for food, many of the students complained about not being allowed to wander off on their own – the were required to stay with their chaperon.

One girl said to me, “I need my personal space.” I replied, “Great, you can have all the space you need once we get back to school but not now.” She glared at me and stomped off. Individualism.

Many of the meals were provided but the selection was always limited. For instance, at Bubba Gump’s the choices were Shrimp, Fish and Chips, or a Cheese Burger. One guy saw a poster advertising crab – but that wasn’t an option for the group. He wanted crab and couldn’t understand why that wasn’t a choice even if he was willing to pay for it. Being part of a group means giving up my right to demand my way. Individualism.

One student got very upset when the security guard at the hotel stopped her in the hallway. All she wanted to do was get her cell phone from her sister in a room across and down the hall – at 1:30 in the morning. But all the students had been told they were to stay in their rooms from lights out until time for breakfast. Individualism.

Because we worship individualism more than we worship God, we’ve allowed this individualism to creep into the church as well. People tell me, “I wanted the church to have a video projector, so I used my tithe and bought one.” What arrogant individualism! First of all, if you decide how to spend the money that ought to be given to God, does it really count as tithe? Second, what if the leadership had already determined that fixing the sound system was a higher priority than a video projector? Individualism.

People who are far from God, and especially teenagers and young adults, see this level of individualism in our churches and in our lives and assume the church approves. Do we? Don’t the Scriptures call us to die to self and set aside the old ways in order to function as a community? It seems to me that we are called to live as a group – crucifying our selfish agenda in order to live in koinonia.

How do we address our culture’s destructive individualism? It starts in my life and yours. It gets worked out in the household of faith. Somehow we have to learn how to do this in ways that are obvious without being preachy. People who are far from God don’t want to be told what to do and what not to do – they need to have it modeled for them.

The “little trinity” of me, myself and I much be rejected in order to center our attention, by the power of the Holy Spirit, on the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

We become living sacrifices in order to allow the Holy Spirit to radically transform our minds, attitudes, priorities, and lifestyle.

Together in Christ

Jim

Maintain. Now there’s a word that should be permanently deleted from the vocabulary when talking about church. The dictionary defines maintain, “to keep in existence; to preserve; to keep in a specified state.” I’ve had pastors and leaders describe the church as “maintaining services” or “we’re maintaining our Sunday School.”

Honestly? That makes me sick! The last thing we should be doing is “maintaining.”

OK, so I’m on a soapbox. I admit it. And I recognize that many times the term “maintain” is used and the speaker really doesn’t mean that the church is preserving a program or a building. But think about this with me.

If church attendance is the same now as it was three years ago, what is happening? How could we possibly say we’re being obedient to Matthew 28:18-20? Or, if the only growth the church has experienced is because the 20 somethings are having babies, is that actual growth?

What are we doing to reach the people in our communities who are far from God? This is not the sole responsibility of the pastor – it rests on everyone. We are all responsible for building relationships with people who are outside the household of Faith.

And what about our church buildings? Are we concerned about “maintaining” them or using them up? Wearing them out? Maybe we ought to think of our facilities like a ream of paper for the copier. We keep the paper dry and store it so it stays flat – we treat it with care. But we also use it up!

We need to change our perspective and attitudes. If Sunday School isn’t working don’t maintain it – do something different! If we’re not building relationships with people who are far from God, then something is wrong. If we treat buildings as if we are preserving them for future generations then we need to revisit the definition of idols.

I might make one exception to using the term “maintain” if one is speaking about keeping the church van in safe, running condition. But even the van ought to be viewed as a resource that is eventually used up for the sake of the Kingdom!

Together in Christ,
Jim

On a personal note: Lois and I are privileged to be the lead chaperons for our local high school music department trip to New York. We’ll be leaving Thursday evening and returning Tuesday morning. We’re looking forward to spending significant time with this group of 80 teens and adults – some of whom have been turned off regarding church.

The call came on Saturday morning. Lois and I had just arrived home from an early trip to pick up groceries when Joy called and asked us to come to the Ottumwa Hospital “right now.” Joy and Tony’s dear friends, Chris and Melissa, had taken their 3 yr old daughter, Evyn, to the Doctor on Friday and she was admitted to the hospital. She had the flu and they wanted to give her some antibiotics and fluids to help her body fight it off.  Saturday morning Evyn’s vitals were not improving and they decided to transport her to Iowa City – the best medical facility south of Mayo Clinic. They never made it out of Evyn’s hospital room. Her heart just stopped.

Lois and I walked into the pediatric area just as the medical staff “pronounced” Evyn. We arrived to support our daughter and son-in-love but quickly realized the family’s pastor wasn’t there yet. Fortunately Dave is a friend and I wasn’t too worried about offending him. (I called him as soon as possible and told him what had transpired.) For the next two hours I had the opportunity of offering spiritual direction in a time of crises.

The medical staff recognized me as a pastor and told me that Evyn had died. I walked into the room where everyone but the parents were waiting and told them Evyn was gone. What a shock! I prayed with the family and friends who were gathered and then went into the room where Chris and Melissa were sitting on the edge of the bed holding their first-born and weeping over her still body. It’s an image I’ll cherish the rest of my life. I wept, too. The pediatrician was still in the room and we all prayed through our tears.

After a little while we brought Evyn’s almost 2 yr old brother, Isaac into the room to be with his family. And, two-by-two, other family members and dear friends joined the grief around that hospital bed.

I found the medical staff huddled together trying to process everything. I knew their faces – they are people that have delivered all our grandchildren and cared for them. To a person they were soaked with perspiration and emotionally drained. I asked if I could pray for and with them and they readily agreed. We moved out of the hallway into a room and I looked into their eyes and thanked them for “giving their all to try to save Evyn.” I prayed for them and then together we prayed for Evyn’s family. I walked out of that room grateful for the privilege of prayer.

It took about 90 minutes for everyone to get to the place where they were ready to leave Evyn’s room. In the meantime, the family’s pediatrician had to have the difficult talk with the parents about an autopsy – they needed answers. We found out Tuesday that it was Influenza B. The flu isn’t supposed to kill children that have had the flu vaccine.

It’s wonderful to be able to stand alongside the pastors who are extending love and grace and comfort to this family. Providing spiritual direction in situations like this is both tough and necessary. These are the truths we are holding up:

? God did not DO this. Jeremiah 29:11 tells us that God does not make plans to bring us harm.

? Evyn is NOT an angel. Angels were created to be “God’s Secret Agents,” to quote Billy Graham. Humans were created in God’s image and are more precious, more valuable than any angel could hope to be. Some angels actually get sent out of God’s presence while we, His children, once in heaven, will never leave His presence. If God needs another angel He just thinks the thought and its done.

? Bad things happen to good people because we live in a broken, fallen world.

? It’s true that sometimes God intervenes with a miracle and we don’t understand why He chose not to do that in Evyn’s life. But then we are reminded that God’s ways are inscrutable – to us they are mysterious and beyond understanding. What seems wise to us is foolish in God’s sight.

? No matter what, God is completely trustworthy. He will not abandon you.

There have been multiple meetings with the parents and family. We’ve prayed together again and again. Pressing the reminder of God’s constant presence into the hearts and minds of God’s people is a continual process but especially in times of crises. Wednesday, several pastors will take turns being with the family as they receive visitors. Pray for me on Thursday as I have the responsibility and privilege of leading the committal service.

Together in Christ,
Jim

I was driving this morning and took a call on my cell phone. It was a bi-vocational pastor calling to let me know he wrote his resignation letter last night after church.

I said, “Quit? You’ve got to be kidding!” Then I began to recite back to him all the good things God has been doing in the church. One bad day shouldn’t be enough. . . .

I know being a pastor is sometimes personally painful, discouraging and costly. In my years as a pastor I wrote (and then tore up) many resignation letters! The thoughtless and downright mean, personal attacks on my family were the worst times.

I remember calling a friend during one particularly discouraging time. He said, “Now is not the time to quit! In fact, it’s always too soon to quit.” I shared those words with the pastor who called this morning and I reminded him that even though he didn’t think it would make any difference to others if he quit, it would have a huge impact on him.

Maybe you’ve heard this statement, “If you quit now, quitting next time will be easier. When things grow stale, when you’ve run out of energy and inspiration, that is the time to buckle down, dig in and finish.”

Richard Halverson once wrote, “The acid test of a man’s worthwhileness is his response to the uninspired moments – how he reacts to duty and drudgery. The one who depends on inspired moments rarely finishes anything. He leaves a trail of half-baked tasks behind – muted evidence of adolescent self-indulgence.”

Those who are spiritually mature refuse to quit; refuse to throw in the towel. Don’t misunderstand, thinking about quitting, even wanting to quit, happens a lot. And maybe its good therapy to write that resignation letter. Just run it through the shredder instead of mailing it!

After all, football games have been won in the last few seconds by the losing team who refused to quit. Destructive behavior patterns have been replaced with positive habits in people who don’t quit. As pastors our reactions to difficulties impact a great number of people. They’re watching us.

Our supreme example is Jesus Christ. He was obedient all the way to the cross. He finished the work God gave Him to do.

But you, O God, are both tender and kind, not easily angered, immense in love, and you never, never quit. Psalm 86:15 – (THE MESSAGE)

God gives a hand to those down on their luck, gives a fresh start to those ready to quit. Psalm 145:14 – (THE MESSAGE)