He who observes the wind will not sow, and he who regards the clouds will not reap.
Ecclesiastes 11:4 ESV
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The Pulpit and the Pew Mini Series
Allow me to introduce a six part mini series entitled, “The Pulpit and the Pew: 6 Cultures bringing the American Church to its knees.”
Here is an outline of the 6 parts. I am going to devote three parts to the pulpit and three parts to the pew. Here is and idea:
The Pulpit:
1. The Culture of Swagger without Substance
2. The Culture of Pastoral Notoriety
3. The Culture of pastoral Isolation
The Pew:
1. The Culture of Hooking up
2. The Culture of Shacking up
3. The Culture of Cozying up
Part 1: The Culture of Swagger without Substance
Today, all around America, there is a lot of swag going on in pulpits of every denomination and every church. We even have what some call – “hipsters and celebrity pastors.” There is a culture of swagger in the pulpit but there is not enough substance to back it up. Every preacher has a style and it’s okay to have style. Unfortunately, style doesn’t change lives, never has never will.
Seth Godin, the one who coined the phrase Swagger without Substance, said, “we are seeing more swagger than ever—but it’s rarely accompanied by an increase in substance. Substance without swagger slows you down. But swagger without substance can be fatal.”
Now, Seth may have had marketers and not pastors in mind when he wrote those words, but we can clearly make the argument that it is a powerful description of the men and women standing in the pulpit of most American churches today.
I have always attributed the mass exodus of millennials from churches in America to lazy excuses, but I would like to add to that list – too much swagger and not enough substance in our pulpits. And I fear that it is going to get worse if something supernatural doesn’t happen soon in some American Churches.
Most pulpits in America lack five elements that make for a sustained and life changing ministry: These five elements must be restored quickly:
The rare gift of a good Shepherd
Not a self-proclaimed and self-appointed prophet or apostle. Not a hired hand whose in it just for money or glory. Not the one who Lords it over the flock. Not the one who loves himself more than he does the local church. Not the one who fails to see it as “the hope of the world.” But a good shepherd. A good shepherd is humble, caring and loving. One who lays his life down daily for the sheep. One who fights for it, protects it, feeds it, guides it and walks along side of it every beat of his heart.
The rare gift of an anointed preacher
Not a naturally charismatic figure who knows how to work a crowd and put on a show. Not the guy with style and swag. Not the guy with the ability to communicate and a mastery of how to deliver a speech or talk There is nothing wrong with having those skills. But the problem is, that’s all we find in most pulpits in America today. That’s why people are not being changed and transformed. We need more preachers with that “fire burning in my bones”, “anointing that breaks every yoke” power from on high in our pulpits again. There is a difference between mere talent and raw Holy Ghost unction. The anointing makes the difference.
The rare gift of a biblically sound pastor-teacher
Not a shallow, doubting, unconvinced and fearful minister who does not have any strong theology, or deep conviction about the infallible word of God. But a man of God who is complete and proficient, well fitted and thoroughly equipped for every good work. A work man who knows how to rightly divide and dispense deep theological truths. One who is not afraid to preach when the Holy Spirit wants him to bring instruction, reproof and conviction of sin, correction of error, discipline in obedience, and training in holy living.
The rare gift of a humble thinker
Not a blind follower. Not a copy cat. Not an anti learner, or narrow minded tongue speaking, demon chasing warrior. But one who knows how to challenge the process. A leader, an innovator. He is a scholar. He is well versed or seeks to know the business of running an organization. One who knows that marketing, and strategic planning is not of the devil. He just doesn’t follow trends because of their popularity. He has disciplined himself to look at every day, ordinary or “familier situations with fresh eyes – able to identify opportunities that others can’t see.”
The rare gift of an authentic Christ follower
He is not a Pharisee or an angry prophet who preaches one thing and doesn’t practice what he preaches. He is not an impostor, nor is he a fake. He doesn’t talk about being real only as an excuse to justify his weakness. He is a man of integrity, a man who truly fears God. A man whose life is an example of a life lived in Christ. He loves his wife and children and his church. Through the power that is at work in him, he seeks to live before them as a loving leader, a faithful husband, a caring father and a humble servant.
Thanks in advance for adding value to this post by giving me your impressions and thought on this post. Join me this weekend lifting up prayer for pulpits around America.
When Prayer Invokes Mercy
What if prayer had another dimension to it than what we have experienced? What if prayer is way out of the box we’ve placed it in? Sometimes, in our particular corner of Christendom we think that our particular tradition and prayer style is the only one God accepts. In fact , for us, other traditions just don’t measure up.
I can say beyond the shadow of doubt that our particular way of praying isn’t the only one that has something worthwhile to say about prayer. If we could just step out of our comfort zones, lean on the Holy Spirit for guidance, we would discover a lot of valuable lessons about prayer in other Christian traditions. Today I want to challenge you to venture out of your comfort zones and try a different approach to prayer.
I challenge you to try something fresh and out of the box, out of the norm. Something that will deepen and enrich your prayer life. I have been a Christian for many years now, but have only recently attempted to do a 40 day of prayer and consecration leading up to Easter. In some Christian circles, they call it Lent. In my corner of Christendom, we just don’t do Lent. But I am having a time of my life doing what I’m calling – “Going Completely Lent.”
So, we are going to go on a journey to discover a prayer tradition that I knew nothing much about until recently. When prayer invokes mercy, you touch a “whole nother level” of prayer that your normal prayer routine and exercises cannot bring you. When prayer invokes mercy, you step out of the driver’s seat, and you allow God to take control of things. Because sometimes, our prayers sound just like we are God and He is our servant.
I read a story about a young man who after his conversion had a very difficult time finding the right church to fit in until he entered into a Greek Orthodox Church. According to him, on the surface, “there were none of the worshiper-friendly trappings other churches offered. There were no comfortable seats –in fact there were no seats at all. Worshippers stood in reverence for God. The ancient Chants, mostly-wasn’t even remotely contemporary. The officiating priest didn’t make eye contact or try to appeal to the crowd.” In fact, the priest spent the entire service with his back to the congregation. Now, for me, that is different. I have never seen a priest facing the altar in the front of the church the entire time.
According to him, The prayers, particularly the “Jesus Prayer” for which the Orthodox church is known, ‘Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner’ – were especially attractive to him. He said, God was the focus of everything and he instantly felt at home in that “place where the people revered God for His majesty and respected him for His mystery.”
He insisted that the “prayers prayed didn’t tell God what to do. Instead, they humbly asked for His mercy in different situations. They prayed for the president. They prayed for the armed forces. They prayed for their country. They prayed for the sick. But they didn’t presume anything. They simply trusted God to exercise His mercy and compassion in the things that concerned them.”
I thought deeply about this and realized that we are too obsessed about telling God what we want Him to do. We abuse His invitation to ask for our daily bread. Or, I should say, we settle for only asking and telling Him what we want. But that is not all to prayer. What if we could spend our time not presuming anything, but lifting our prayers with an understanding that “He knows what we need even before we open our mouths?” I thing it will invigorate our prayer lives and sap the anxiety from our lives.
Check out these scriptures:
Luke 17:11-19
Luke 18:39
Matthew 15:22
Matthew 17:15
Matthew 20:30
The purpose of this post today is to urge you to “Let not your heart be troubled.”
just trust the Lord…he knows your need. Don’t thing you have to use meaningless repetition as the gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words. Therefore do not be like them; for our heavenly Father knows what you need, before you ask Him. Matthew 6:7, 8
So today make this your prayer – Lord Jesus Christ – Son of God – Have mercy on me – a sinner – Amen!
Watch what God will do.
When prayer invokes mercy, God is in control, and He moves on our behalf.
Stay blessed today!
Rolling Up your sleeves
1 Peter 1:13
Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
The idea “of preparing for action” is much like the phrase “rolling up your sleeves.” God is calling us to roll up our sleeves and get to work on the most important thing in life – our faith, our relationship with him.
Two thoughts from 1 Peter 1:13
1. Prepare you mind for action. Be Sober.
This means to take a serious look at life. There must come a time in the life of every person when he or she must ask the hard or most important questions. What am I doing with my life? Where will I go if I were to die today? What is the meaning of all of this, God, Jesus, this world, church, suffering, my faith and christian life etc…? Am I on the right track? Am I sober? Am I right with God – am I growing as I should – is there any room for improvement?
Being sober helps us to ask those questions. If there is any time this aspect of the Christian life is more critical and useful it is now. So roll up your sleeves and take action by asking the tough questions. 2 cor. 13:5
2. Set your hope fully upon grace.
What is grace? Grace is the unmerited love and favor of God. It is God coming down to save and bless. He is the source of all gifts which come from his infinite heart. Grace isn’t just for the past, when we first gave our lives to Jesus. It isn’t only for the present, where we live each moment standing in His grace (Romans 5:2). Grace is also for the future. God has only just begun to show us the riches of His grace! This passage is a call to rest our hope fully upon his grace that will soon be revealed. The only way we can stand before Jesus on that day is through His unmerited favor. Hebrews 12:1, 2
Roll up your sleeves it is time to partner with God for growth, maturity and effective christian service.
Photo credit: Carlos Lobato
My Ongoing 2015 Leadership Makeover
It’s not about me
What if we were less consumed with building our own platform, kingdom, status, image? what if we were more driven to serve God for his glory? What if we saw it like JTB did – “I’m Just a Voice?”
So many times I overemphasize my ministry. It’s almost as if I’m seeking to build for myself a kingdom. Unfortunately, this kind of attitude holds us back from doing exceptionally great things for God. We get distracted by status, name recognition and earthly successes We fail to see the big picture and finish strong. But I’m learning that it’s not about “my ministry” “my call” “my platform.” I’m just a voice. A great leader understands that it is not about him.
I don’t have it all together
What would it feel like to step off the pedestal and break down walls of invulnerability?
As a pastor, I sometimes feel tempted to project a certain image of myself. . The need to sound powerful and act like an anointed charismatic preacher is real. A stroke of my ego entices me to project an image of invulnerability and self-confidence. But I am learning what authenticity really means. Because sometimes I am not strong and I don’t have it altogether. I am learning to trust that God can still use me in spite of me.. A great leader is one who is not afraid of being real, vulnerable and authentic.
Competition among brothers
What if my call in life is to make others look good? What if competing for the first place meant promoting others?
The spotlight is cool but I can live without it. My call is to make others look good. If the team wins, I win. It is my mission to bring out the best in people and it’s okay if they get the glory in the process. To compete against my brothers is completely counter productive and out of character. I am learning more everyday about putting others first. I am learning how to celebrate the gifts and talents of others. A great leader is able to spot and develop young leaders. He mentors them with the sole goal of unleashing them to do exploits in the world.
Lone-Ranger
Should I go in alone? Should I ask for support and advice? Should I face the world by myself?
No one should ever grieve alone, live this life alone, die alone. God never intended for us to do life alone. The bible says, “Two is better that one because they can help each other succeed.” I get it, some people work best behind closed doors and all alone, Others think they have all the answers and love to fly solo. But at some point or time, they are going to need somebody. I am learning that great leaders need a tribe of loyal family and friends. He knows how and when to ask for their support and advice.
Seizing the moment
What if every problem we face was in fact and opportunity for us to lead? Would we step up to the plate?
Opportunities to step up and lead abound around us everyday. My oldest daughter told me how she stepped in and defended a girl from a group of bullies at school. She could had made all the excuses in the world to stop herself from intervening, but none would have been good enough. She seized the moment. Some call it reflex of courage. After giving her a high-five, I asked myself if I would do the same if I were in her shoes. The only answer I could find lies in the following quote: “courage is not the absence of fear, it is the willingness to act in spite of fear.”
Is there anything new and challenging in your life as a leader? Please share what you are learning. Thanks and stayblessed!
20 Admonishments Millennials Need to Embrace
The Pew Research Center defines millennials as having personality. They are American teens and twenty-somethings who are making the passage into adulthood. And they have begun to forge their own identity. They are confident, connected, self-expressive, liberal, upbeat and receptive to new ideas and ways of living.
Generally, millennials are less religious than older Americans. Fewer young adults belong to any particular faith than older people do today. But for those millennials who are Christ’s followers, their religious affiliation is as strong today as among earlier generations.
Unfortunately, many are beginning to see a spiritual drought creep in the camp of Christ following millennials. The culture of hooking-up and shacking up is on the rise. The culture of laziness and unemployment is on the rise. Drug abuse and alcoholism is on the rise. The life-style of fun-loving party junkies is an epidemic. Apathy is on the rise and droves of millennials who once followed Christ are leaving the church.
Huston We Have a Problem!
The spiritual vitality in many churches in America today is not strong enough to stop this bleeding. In many ways those in the pulpit are as messed up and weak as those in the pew. We need men and women with spiritual fortitude and boldness to challenge this generation. A water-down gospel, give me sugar pastor and a make me feel good sermon will not shake this generation from the shackles of spiritual slumber. We need a more radical approach.
I’m reminded of the admonitions of one seasoned man of God to his spiritual son in the Lord. Timothy was young, single and shy but he had a calling on his life. Allow me to share with you the words of Paul to this young man.
20 Admonishments from a father to a son: Based on 2 Timothy 2
1. God is calling millennials to a strong faith through the grace that is in Christ Jesus. A wimpy, lazy, indifferent faith is a waste of time and potential. Millennials have faith. All they need to do is fan it into flames. Just a little fire.
2. God is looking for reliable millennials – men and women to advance His kingdom in this world. Stop wasting your lives on trivial pursuits. God is calling to a higher cause. Men and women who would partner with God for justice, his redemptive missions, equality and righteousness.
3. God is building millennials into soldiers who refuse to get entangled in civilian affairs. When the going gets rough, they take it on the chin with the rest of us.
4. It’s time for millennials to run for the victor’s crown by living according to the rules – if not they will never get anywhere.
5. It’s time for millennials to get off the lazy boy couch and get to work. Its time to work hard and embrace diligence, and watch God will bless the work of your hands. It’s time to break free from that spoiled, entitled, honey booboo, give it to me on a silver platter attitude.
6. Millennials embrace difficulties, knowing that it makes them strong and builds their character. When they don’t understand life, they don’t run home to mama, they look to the Lord to give them insight.
7. What is your gospel…? State it in a few words. Not some philosophical thought that lack the power to make one wise unto salvation. Not some water-down, make me feel good half truth, or a person’s worthless religion. I’m talking about “Gospel.” What is yours? Millennials are gospel centered.
8. Millennials die to the world. They pick up their cross and follow Him. They do everything for the sake of the cross and the strengthening of your brethren along the way.
9. Always remember – If we died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him. Millennials have a Motto: To live is to Christ – to Die is to gain.
10. Millennials embrace grace but never abuse it. They are aware of the fact that God is faithful no matter what. He remains faithful even when they are not.
11. Millennials avoid pious nitpicking. They understand that it is of no value to anyone. That it chips away at the faith and wears everyone out.
12. In their pursuit of excellence, millenials do their best to present themselves to God. In everything they do, they offer nothing that cost them nothing. They give their best years, their talents, their gifts, their very selves. They study to show themselves approved by God. They lead their families and serve their communities of faith.
13. Millennials avoid godless chatter. They understand that those who indulge in it become more ungodly and their words spread like gangrene.
14. Millennials embrace sound doctrine. They don’t go off acting like they have a special revelation. They don’t compromise God’s truth in the name of tolerance. They don’t even attempt to explain God or make excuses for Him when it comes to His word and His truth. Millennials stay close to God’s solid foundation. They are aware that God is more that able to defend himself.
15. Millennials turn away from wickedness – they are followers of Christ and his example.
16. Millennials set themselves apart for special use in the hands of the master.
17. Millennials run away from infantile indulgence. They flee the culture of hooking-up and shacking up. They treat older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity. They break addictions to pornography, drugs and alcohol abuse. They avoid the very appearance of evil.
18. Millennials run after mature righteousness—faith, love, peace—joining those who are in honest and serious prayer before God.
19. Millennials avoid foolish and stupid arguments. They do not quarrel with anyone in your community, church and spheres of influence. That includes their social media outlets.
20. Millennials are gentle listeners and teachers who keep their cool instructing those who oppose them. They know that their struggle is not against flesh and blood, so they let go of resentments. Firmly, graciously and patiently they work with those who oppose them.
Photo Credit: Scarborough
Be thou removed: Prayer of a man they called “Consecrated Cobbler
When William Carey went to India, many a wise man would have said to him, “You may lust as well walk up to the Himalaya mountains, and order them to be removed and cast into the sea.” I would have said, “That is perfectly true; this Hinduism is as vast and as solid as those mountains; but we have faith-not much, yet we have faith as a grain of mustard seed”; and William Carey said, “I will go up to the mountain.”
Lonely and weak he walked up towards the mountain, which in the eye of man seemed verily one of the summits of human things, far above all power to touch or shako it; and with his own feeble voice he began saying, “Be thou removed! be thou removed!” And the world looked on and laughed, a celebrated clergyman, looking down from his high place in the Edinburgh Review, was much amused with the spectacle of that poor man down in Bengal, thinking in his simple heart that he was going to disturb Hinduism; and from his high place he cast down a scalding word, which he meant to fall just as of old boiling lead used to fall upon a poor man from the height of a tower. He called him a “consecrated cobbler.”
All the wise world laughed, and said he was treated as he ought to be treated. However, he went on saying to the mountain, “Be thou removed! be thou removed!” And one joined him, and another joined him; the voice grew stronger; it was repeated in more languages than one: “Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the depths of the sea!” and now there is a large company who are uttering that one word, “Be thou removed!” I ask the living representatives of the very men who first smiled at this folly,
“What say ye now?” “Well,” they answer, “you have not got into the sea yet.” That is true; but do you say that the mountain during the last forty years has not moved? No man can say that it is in the same position as it was when William Carey first went up to it. It is moving fast; and I call upon you to swell that voice, the voice of God’s Church, which seems to say, “Be thou removed, be thou removed, and be thou east into the depths of the sea!” Cast into those depths it will be; and a day will come when the nations of a regenerated East will write in letters of gold upon the first pages of their Christian history the name of the “consecrated cobbler.”
Written by William Arthur
Source: The Bible Illustrator on Mark 11
Signs & Symbols
This Week: Let them see you in me
With every breath I breathe
I sing a simple melody
But I pray they’ll hear more than a song
Lyric/Prayer
Take away the melodies
Take away the songs I sing
Take away all the lights
And all the songs You let me write
Does the man I am today
Say the words You need to say?
Let them see You in me
Let them hear You when I speak
Let them feel You when I sing
Let them see You
This is my prayer this week – that I will decrease and Christ will increase in me. That His light may shine through me. So that it is no longer I, but Christ living in me.
holy, holy, holy VS happy, happy, happy
I have never met anyone who doesn’t dream about being happy. There is this thing inside us that long for a happy life. I don’t think happiness is a bad thing to want. Our loving heavenly Father planned for our happiness. The very idea of “Shalom” in the Bible – “nothing missing – nothing broken” speaks to that fact that God provides for our happiness.
However, I also think most of go about looking for happiness The wrong way.
We seek to fill that God-Shape Vacuum (that only He alone can fill) with things that don’t satisfy.
First Things First
Most people do not know better, so they go about seeking happiness the wrong way. They go for pleasures of all kinds, but it leaves them empty and longing for more. They go for status, fame and money, but soon realize that these things just can’t deliver true happiness. They go for self-help books that only scratch the surface of how to find true happiness.
Jesus said, “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and you shall have all these things.” Holiness is what we should seek first, not happiness. Happiness is a product of Holiness.
Check this quote out:
Holiness differs nothing from happiness but in name. Holiness is happiness in the bud, and happiness is holiness at the full. Happiness is nothing else but the quintessence of holiness. An absolute fullness of holiness will make an absolute fullness of happiness. When our holiness is perfect, our happiness shall be perfect; and if this were attainable on earth, there would be but little reason for men to long for heaven. –Thomas Brooks
Too often
We hinder our happiness by unholy lifestyles.
We bring sadness to our lives by carnal choices and indulgences.
We sabotage our deep sense of satisfaction and fulfillment by our disobedience to a loving God.
We disturb and disrupt the peace, harmony and sense of purpose in our lives by ignoring His will/plan.
The scriptures say:
Happy is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers… Psalm 1:1-2
Happy are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied… Matthew 5:6
Happy is everyone who fears the LORD, who walks in his ways! Psalm 128:1-6
- They eat the fruit of the labor of their hands
- They shall be blessed, and it shall be well with them
- Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house
- Your children will be like olive shoots around your table
- You will see your children’s children
- Peace Shall be upon you
Now, that’s what I’m talking about – Nothing Missing – Nothing Broken. Holiness is the true source of Happiness. Seek Holiness First and Happiness come unto you.
If you want happiness in your relationship – seek holiness.
If you want happiness in your life – seek holiness.
If you want happiness in your vocational and professional life – seek holiness.
Holiness is what it takes. There is no other way!
__________________________
Dig Deeper:
Deuteronomy 10:13; Psalm 32:1-5; Matthew 5:3-11; 1 John 2:15-17; 1 Timothy 6:9, 10; Romans 4:7,8; john 15:1-17; Psalm 19:7-14
The word “blessed” in Hebrew means: happiness, but furthermore than that it also means inner completeness. And that’s what Psalm 1 is pointing out. How to obtain that inner completeness, through the relationship with God through our Lord Jesus Christ and being that “living sacrifice Holy and pleasing to God which is our reasonable service”- Romans 12:1&2
Walter Bright 
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