Something that I have been convicted of recently is the amazing amount of disgusting pride that clouds my preaching.

Here’s a made up example of what I’m talking about…

I know that you have maybe heard this (pick a text or topic) taught as ______________ in the past. The only problem with that is the Bible.

Maybe when we begin to see ourselves as “beacons of truth” as opposed to others who have different theology (I’m talking about Christian theology here), then our own pride is probably blinding us to some large planks in our own lives and theology.

There is a time for correcting incorrect interpretations of specific texts, but our call as preachers is not to go on a crusade against the “false doctrine” that is taught in every church but ours.

May I truly repent of this.

~that one guy~

From an article interviewing a megachurch pastor who recently went through a divorce (his wife is also a high-profile preacher that you can see on TV).  The church took a hit, but things are looking up, the article says…

[The Pastor] said the church is taking steps to attract new members, many of whom don’t know the recent history. There’s free valet parking for visitors and an expanded coffee shop. 

I read too many blogs by church planters.  It’s a vice.  They make me angry, make me think, challenge me, test my humility, and are often good for a laugh all at the same time.

Random observation - there is A LOT of hype out there.  One church planter has a twitter feed in his side bar, where the staff all gives updates throughout the day.  In addition to adding a lot of unhelpful clutter to his site (I really don’t need to know when the intern is going to the bathroom or the admin is grabbing a apple snapple from the break room), it intensified something for me - hype.  You see this all the time on church websites, pastors’ blogs, etc.

You haven’t seen anything yet - this week is going to be even better than the last.

Buckle your seat belts - the next month is going to be unbelievable.

You’ve never seen what we’re about to attempt.

Our new message series video intro is going to revolutionize your world.

Everything seems to explosive, huge, massive, unprecedented, outrageous, and innovative.

It reminds me of going to the grocery store and seeing seven “new” kinds of laundry detergent, all with revolutionary new ph balance for the perfect blend of clean and earth-friendly scent enhancement.  Bright stickers, big claims, and flashing lights.  (Ok, maybe no flashing lights - but you know what I mean.)

Bottom line: if what God is doing in your church is that huge, you don’t need to hype it.  A move of God doesn’t need PR support from your blog.  If the only way to build the momentum is through the self-hype, you have to wonder if there’s anything actually there.

But then again, what do I know.  I don’t have anything innovative or unheard of going on - just Word, sacrament, and regular people learning to follow Jesus together.  

Best decision of my ministry: finally saying, “Stop the (innovative, earth-shaking) hype machine.  I want to get off.”

I’m reading a book right now called Almost Catholic: An Appreciation of the History, Practice, and Mystery of Ancient Faith, and loving it so far.  One of the things that has been life-giving to me over the past year or so is finding a broader place of faith than the tiny corner of evangelicalism that I am used to.  It has been so encouraging and refreshing to find my faith as part of a rich tradition of men and women, pursuing intimacy with God for the thousands of years.

(Future blog post: Christianity is not new and improved.)

In the book, the author gives a brief list that really resonated with me - marks of a faith that is truly catholic (not in the Roman Catholic variety, but rather “catholic” = universal, as in “I believe in one holy catholic and apostolic church…”.  While I don’t agree completely with the wording of every item on the list, it’s been an encouragement for me nonetheless.  Anyway, here is the list:

1. We acknowledge that our faith is larger than ourselves.
2. We believe that unity with two millennia of believers and spiritual practices is more important than faith by ourselves.
3. Our catholicity leads us to embrace those who differ from us, which is difficult, because the same catholicity leads us to seek unity more often than reform.
4. We seek to work for the kingdom of God here and now, uncovering what is sacred in the world around us, working to lift and redeem all things.
5. We seek to see the world as it is, to see the truth as clearly as we are able, with the help of the Holy Spirit.  We regularly admit to God, to ourselves, and to other human beings the nature of our sins and weaknesses.
6. We regularly pray for forgiveness for our trespasses against God and others, and we also pray regularly for those who trespass against us.
7. We practice faith that unites heaven and earth, time and eternity: seeking the company of saints, remembering Christ’s death and resurrection in the liturgy, reading the scriptures, with prayers old and new, and supporting others.
8. We support each other in faith and doubt, understanding that both are essential to spiritual maturity.
9. We regularly try to believe the unbelievable and to talk openly, but never combatively, about these things with others.
10. We look for ways to open ourselves and experience at first hand the infinite ways that Christ lives in and through people who are different from ourselves.
11. We order our days with spiritual practices that unite us with others around the world.

God, you do not exist to make my church grow.
Instead, you exist to be worshiped and glorified.

God, I do not exist to make my church grow.
Instead, I exist to worship and glorify you.

Lord, help me to live in continual reflection of this.  Guard my mind and heart from chasing fame, success, or a sense of importance - help me to find my worth and identity in you. 

This morning, I had a good conversation with a friend about the all-too-growing role technology has in my life.  I love my iPhone, my email, my blogs, etc. but I find myself more and more plugged in, more and more often, giving me more and more information, which results in little to no more real action or productivity.  Not to mention, my ability to be fully present in the current situation is being eroded away.  (Why simply sit at a red light when you can check email while you wait?)

In thinking about the quote from my last post and my conversation this morning, I want to share some practical ideas from John Mark Reynolds, who recently wrote about intentionally limiting media in order to preserve more important parts of our lives.  Here’s a sampling:

First, no “solitary media” on school days. If we watch a movie Monday through Friday, we are trying to make sure it is a family experience…
Second, no earbuds with people (planes are an exception). When we are with people (especially folks we love), then we should talk with them…

Third, (and this is a hard one for me) with rare exceptions email needs to be checked twice a day and not more often. My phone should stay off or not be answered when in meetings with other people…

Fourth, my Google reader is fine for the “news reading” time in the morning, but does not need to be checked again for the day.

Fifth, my extended reading free time (longer articles or books) should equal my “quick read” or video time…

Be sure to go read the entire article.

“It’s not that I am averse to technology; I too have a cell phone, an office phone, a home phone and an email address, and they are much needed. However, I am aware of longings that run much deeper than what technology can address. I am noticing that the more I fill my life with the convenience of technology, the emptier I become in the places of my deepest longing. I long for the beauty and substance of being in the presence of those I love, even though it is less convenient. I long for spacious, thoughtful conversation even though it is less efficient. I long to be connected with my authentic self, even though it means being inaccessible to others at time. I long to be one who waits and listens deeply for the still, small voice of God, even if it means I must unplug from technology in order to become quiet enough to hear. 

Constant noise, interruption and drivenness to be more productive cut us off from or at least interrupt the direct experience of God and other human beings, and this is more isolating than we realize. Because we are experiencing less meaningful and divine connection, we are emptier relationally, and we try harder and harder to fill that loneliness with even more noise and stimulation. In so doing we lose touch with the quieter and more subtler experiences of God within.

This is a vicious cycle indeed.”

- Ruth Haley Barton, Sacred Rhythms

I just got back from vacation, and it is so great to be back.  Great job by our esteemed guest blogger in my absence!  One of the nice surprises on my return was the following email from a reader, who happens to be a friend of mine and an outstanding part of our church family.  He gave the go-ahead to share it, so while I’m in the midst of catching up from being out for two weeks, soak in the following from Rob:

I‘m not a pastor. I have been intimately involved in church from first being saved during the period of time I was becoming a new member at a church, to assisting with that same new member class for many years. I read the Bible, many books about Christianity, church growth, discipleship, what is means to be a Christian… by many famous authors, including George Barna, Lee Strobel, Bill and Anabel Gillham, and many others. I then was elected to the board of directors of the church, which is when my faith came crashing down. I was amazed at the typically unseen “business” side of running a church. This money first, faith second attitude was very difficult for me to be a part of. I even tried to get out of the two year commitment as a board member, but was told I could not. I tried valiantly to keep God as the center of the meetings, rather than the building, the programs or many other issues that dominated the monthly board meetings. Being the person with the least experience in the church at those meetings, I feel my opinions were often overlooked. I felt like an outcast, now that I was on the inside of the very church I loved for bringing me to Jesus.

What I have learned since then, was that it was not the church or even the people in it who brought me to know Jesus. It was God, the Spirit and Jesus working through all those people. God said things to my wife and I through some of the those people, who don’t even remember saying certain things to us, that triggered our joining a home study group, that was going through an incredible time of discipleship. Everyone that joined before and after us for several years were moved by the spirit and had very strong beliefs in Jesus being the center of everything, and that we had no control over any of it. It didn’t matter how perfectly we lived our lives, all we could really do was praise Hm and be thankful for his death and resurrection. Jesus did it all! Jesus will build his Church as he wishes. Each little unit of his body, whatever the name of the church group, will grow or not based on His desires, on His time, by His methods. As “that one guy” stated, all we can do as sheep or shepherds is be Faithful.

I’ve seen God move in my life and the lives of others and He made miraculous things happen that touched hundreds of other lives; and all I and the others who Jesus surrounded me with did was be faithful, and keep the focus in front of us, like the proverbial carrot before the horse. The focus is Jesus! The cross and our redemption through His resurrection is the gift of God….

Epheisans 2:8-10 (NIV) For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

To the Subversive Pastor, “that one guy”, and all the other pastors out there, I’m praying for you and all of the sheep that you are leading, that Jesus will be the Focus, the Guide, the Church Builder, The Way, The Truth and the Life of your churches…..His churches. My spirit is flying higher thanks to this blog and those who are writing and struggling through all of it. May God continue to bless and keep you.

This is a guest post by another pastor who is fed up with the “professionalism” of the pastorate. He prefers to just be called “that one guy”.

In the post titled Transactional Sanctification the Subversive Pastor wrote the following:

I was reading about a church recently that has experienced unbelievable numeric growth over the past two years. The church is two years old and has several thousand people attending worship. In a recent conversation about this particular church, I listened to two other pastors talking about why this church has grown so quickly? The answer given? ”I’ve heard that ((Name of Pastor from Growing Church)) spends a ridiculous amount of time in prayer. That guy is with Jesus A LOT, and Jesus shows up in their church.”

I did not realize, until reading this post, that I fully believed this line of reasoning… perform good enough for God (pray enough, preach good enough, read the right books), and then God will perform for you (grow your church).

I blamed myself for the “unsuccessful” current size of my church. I bet you do too. If I could only read more leadership and entrepreneurial books. If I could only retreat once a week for a day of solitude and prayer. If I could only fast one day a week for those I lead. Then maybe God would do his part, and bring more people to hear my wonderful sermons.

What I had done, was taken God’s church out of his hands, and made it all about me, and proving my detractors wrong. I made God’s church my church, and then I was surprised when the gates of hell were prevailing against it.

It boils down to a gospel issue. Do we find ultimate purpose and satisfaction in our success as pastors, or in the fact that we have been chosen, and called, and justified, and adopted by the King and Creator of the universe?

So, why do I call this post “Perpetuating the Myth”?

Because this is our fault.

We bring this upon ourselves.

Because it’s all too easy, when the spirit brings conviction, to look for someone or something other than ourselves to blame for our situation.

(And if the attitude of “If I do, then God will accept me” is really works-based self-righteousness, then it’s opposite, “If I stop, then God will accept me” is really no different. It’s just pretending to be humble about it. 

If we say… “If I stop reading church-growth books, and spend that time chasing after God through prayer,” then we are alright. But, if we’re honest, we really say that with “…then God will grow my church” tacked onto the end.)

Do you see?
It’s not the church-growth books fault. It’s not the church-planting conferences led by 1000+ pastors fault. It’s ours. We idolize the “successful” pastors, and demand that they impart their wisdom to us at conferences. We demand the newest trickery and marketing schemes, so a couple of smart guys simply gave us what we so desperately wanted, and the church-growth book market exploded.

It’s simple supply and demand.

I am going to throw something out, that will most likely anger you, but oh well.

You… yes you… are most likely going to pastor a small church, that no one outside of your immediate area will ever hear of, and you will never be asked to lead a conference.

You need to get used to that idea, and you need to be content with it, because YOU ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR GROWING A CHURCH. JESUS WILL BUILD HIS CHURCH, NOT YOU. YOU ARE CALLED TO BE FAITHFUL!

If you can’t accept that, then go get a job. Rise in the ranks. Climb that ladder. Kiss those butts. But don’t bring that crap into the church with you.

One of the best books I have ever read is “Confessions of an Ordinary Pastor” by D.A. Carson. Carson wrote it to tell his father’s story. Tom Carson was a church planter in a post-Christian society, who, for most of his career, preached to crowds of 30 or less. He struggled with wanting his church to grow, like all of us do, but He did not succumb to the self-righteousness that we so often do. He kept going and going and trusting that God would do what He said He would do.

It’s easy for us to see what his faithfulness produced… 3 believing children (one of them a leading NT scholar), and a movement of Baptist churches in Canada. But, all he knew for years was that no one was coming. He preached faithfully… no conversions. He evangelized… no results.
But he remained faithful.

I heard about a PCA couple in France who worked for 20 years and had 2 conversions…

The real world is full of people who have much more to teach us about what it means to be a faithful pastor than all of the church-growth books combined. But we have to look for them.

Imagine this bio at a conference:

Jim planted No Name Baptist Church in Springfield over 17 years ago, and he has led it from it’s humble beginnings to over 45 in attendance each week. He has an associates degree from Small Town Community College. He, and his wife Gail, have 4 children who all attend his church.

We have much to learn from men who will faithfully follow God for decades while raising Children who walk with God as well… even while the world (and the rest of the church) will look on them with pity because of their lack of success.

May this be our desire.

~that one guy~

Today, I’m taking off for a week with my family down in Florida.  I’m really looking forward to it - especially a couple of days in Disney World.  I’m leaving my laptop at home and my wife is holding my iPhone.  Why?  Because I lack discipline, and if I hold it I’ll be checking email and reading blogs.  I am terrible at turning off and relaxing.  My goal is to be 100% fully present and enjoy my family, taking in every moment of joy and laughter.  I’ll be back on the blog soon enough once we get back.  In the meantime, I’ve got a guest poster lined up - a great pastor and my best friend.  Be watching for his post…

I thought I would leave you with a quote from my all-time hero in ministry - Charles Spurgeon.  I thought it was a particularly relevant quote to compare with the Wretched Urgency article I linked to a few posts back.  To be honest, when reading the Spurgeon quote below this past week, I was pretty convicted.  I think I really like the Wretched Urgency article because it excuses my laziness and lets me be okay with not sharing my faith regularly.  Anyway, more on that when I get back.  Here’s the quote:

If sinners will be damned, at least let them leap to Hell over our bodies. And if they perish, let them perish with our arms about their knees, imploring them to stay. If Hell must be filled, at least let it be filled in the teeth of our exertions, and let not one go there unwarned and unprayed for… Have you no wish for others to be saved? Then you are not saved yourself. Be sure of that.