A Pastor’s Prayer Journey
Two Preachers Sharing Prayers & ScriptureArchive for church
How to live in a declining culture
“You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world.” Matthew 5:14, The Message
Exodus 19:5-6
Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, 6 you[a] will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites
1 Peter 2:9-10
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
Recently I saw a survey which really caught my attention. According to the survey 87 percent of Americans say they believe in God while 52 percent said they believed the Bible is God’s authoritative word. Now the statistic which shocked me the most is that only 36 percent believed that one should live by these principles. In other words 2/3 of Americans(most who would claim to believe in God) believe that God’s word plays no part in how they live their lives. These statistics really should not surprise us. The once favored status which the Bible and God had within American culture is a thing of the past. There is a great debate amongst many on the idea that our nation was founded as a Christian nation. Whether this is accurate or not, it is true that our nation was founded by people with strong and moral convictions which could be found in the Bible. This is not to say that our early founders were always moral people but that they at least held the Bible in high regard when it came to forming laws and shaping culture. It may be safe to say that the hold the Bible held on our culture is now a thing of the past. We only have to look at what Americans now believe about some of the moral issues of the day. Maybe the one moral issue which stands out the most which reminds us that the Bible is losing its hold on culture is what Americans believe about homosexuality and gay marriage. Over 60% of Americans believe that homosexuality is ok. 73% percent believe that gay marriage will be accepted in all 50 states at some point. These numbers have risen drastically in just a few short years and will probably continue to rise as media and politicians have taken on the cause of these lifestyles. So what should be the Christian response to our culture which is becoming more anti-God?
Fortunately the Bible has a lot to say about how we can live in a broken culture. Matter of fact when many of the Bible writers both Old & New Testament wrote encouragement to believers in how to live for God, it was written in cultures which were very hostile towards the God of the Bible. Yet God gave these holy men instruction in how we could live. In Exodus we learn that God is wanting his people to become a kingdom of priest. This idea of being a holy priesthood starts with Moses but sees it’s fulfillment in the church when Peter calls the church a chosen people and royal priesthood. The Holy nation which Peter talks about is not some nation with particular political boundaries but a called out people who would cross all national boundaries. During Peter’s time Rome was a blood thirsty, pagan worshipping, spiritually depleted society. Peter’s advice to the church in this non- Christian culture was for the church to simply be a holy priesthood. So what does a Holy priesthood look like? To understand this we simply need to know a few characteristics of priest in the Old Testament. I have listed a few of these now.
First Priest were servants. Unlike any other calling in the Old Testament the priest were truly servants of the people of God. When the land was divided up amongst the 12 tribes each tribe got land except the tribe of Levi. God had a special plan for them. They were not to own land but simply be freed up to serve throughout the whole nation. They were servants who performed the sacrifices for the people. They did not get caught up in the affairs of daily life but simply served the people in front of them. Sometimes you and I(and I put heavy emphasis on I because I am the worst offender) get caught up with everything that goes on in our culture. I get caught up with the politics of the day and the debates which go on in the media. I am not saying that these issues are not important but if we are going to be a holy priesthood than we simply need to spend more time serving and lest time debating. Jesus himself spent little time if any debating the politics of Rome. Jesus washed feet and healed the sick. Jesus fed the hungry and encouraged the broken. Priesthood is about serving people. Who can you serve today?
Secondly priest were mediators. Maybe one of the highest callings for the priesthood is that they were the go between for Israel and God. When people needed to make atonement for their sins they would bring an offering or sacrifice before the priest so that he could offer it to God on their behalf. Each year one priest had the honor and responsibility of being the high priest for the nation. The high priest would go once a year into the Holy of Holies and represent God’s people seeking forgiveness for the nation. When Peter said we were to be a holy priesthood a great part of this ministry was to be a mediator for people. We no longer have to offer up sacrifices for the sins of people but we certainly can lift up prayers for those in the World. When is the last time you prayed for a political figure? How many of us are asking God to change the hearts of those in Hollywood to make movies which honor God? When is the last time you have prayed for and invited your friends to church? Prayer for the lost and those who govern us are a huge way that we can be priest for God in our broken culture.
Finally priest were proclaimers. Not only did they perform sacrifices for people in the Old Testament but they were looked to for direction in knowing the will of God. Priest made clear God’s word and direction for people. Today as a royal priesthood we have an obligation to proclaim the good news. Christians are to be heralds who “proclaim the Lords death until he comes”(1 Cor. 11:26) This proclamation is not simply sharing that Jesus died to the World but explaining its implication for the World. The World needs to know that there is hope in our brokenness. People need to know that Jesus is the answer to their deepest need of intimacy and fellowship. Jesus is the answer to the problem of everything wrong and ultimately Jesus is the answer to the problem of death. Are you proclaiming the good news?
One of my favorite illustrations recently was one by John Howard Yoder a 20th century theologian. Yoder was trying to explain the role of Christians as priest within our society. He said Christians are like musicians at a concert. Their greatest role is to play their instrument. It would be foolish of them to step down from playing their instrument to help usher people into the auditorium. Certainly the usher is an important role but without the musician there is no concert. There are a lot of things you and I can be doing in this World. But the one thing the church cannot afford to give up is its role as a holy priesthood. We are needed to bring light into our culture. My prayer is we will take our calling to be priest as top priority in our lives.
Preaching To the Dead
I remember my first days in Bible College. Wow was I on fire. I had just recently given my life to Jesus Christ. I had known the effects of sin. My life was spiraling out of control and then when all hope was lost Jesus was right their. So with a fire in my heart and a passion to save the World I entered Bible College. I soaked up as much as I could. I looked forward to the day that I could teach and preach at my first church. And finally that day came. I was hired. Or as I would like to think, I was called in to ministry. With a Bible in my hand and a desire to do damage for the kingdom I strolled into my first church. And since that day I have learned something about many churches. They are filled with dead people.
I think it is time we start talking about the elephant that is in the room. Many churches in America are dead. Oh we have nice buildings and sing songs but let’s not kid ourselves we are dead. Our churches are filled with people who are more concerned about their own comforts than the souls of lost people. We are more concerned that we get our way rather than asking the question, “what is God’s way?” Our board meetings are filled with a spirit, but it is neither holy nor convicting. Many times we ask those who are newest in the church to change so as not to unsettle those who have been in the church the longest. We become more concerned by what is played musically rather than if worship is taking place at all. Oh I could go on but the truth is the truth and it is time for us to act upon it. The church is dying because we have allowed Satan to take refuge in our churches.
And my dear preacher friends you probably could Amen me on this. But let me say that we are part of the problem. Every time we get down from the pulpit and get praises for our eloquent sermons and simply do nothing to stir the death that exist in our church we allow the disease to grow. Maybe it is time to tell some of the little ole church ladies that they are wicked. Call them out by name. Let us approach weak-minded men who have no spiritual “balls” to repent of their unwillingness to lead their families. Let us call the sin that really exist. And as we call out the sin to the dead let us check our own hearts. For many of us are dead. But now is the time to wake up. Now is the time to repent and allow the Lord Jesus Christ to move mightily in our lives.
I truly believe that the best days are ahead for the church. But I also believe that the church we know today will not make an impact on our World. It is time that we start a revolution in the church. It is time to either wake the dead or it is time to move on. But as a warning I have found that waking the dead is an impossible task. I am not saying it cannot be done but I am convinced of this, it will not be done until repentance takes place. God is good and he wants to save lost people. He has saved me. And for that I am eternally grateful. I give praise to Him because I was on my way to Hell. But today I am on my way to an eternity with Him. I no longer plan to preach to the dead. Send me to the dying but not to the dead. I would love to hear from others. Please make your voice heard.
How a small Church can make a big difference
Many churches live in a state of defeat. We mumble and grumble about our size about what we can and cannot do. Sadly we miss out on opportunities to make an impact for the kingdom. We have believed the lie that we can do effective ministry when we get to a certain point or size. Yet God calls us to simply be faithful where we are at with what we have. So with that said let me share with you how God is moving in an incredible way in our missions program.
Last year myself along with several other members from our church went to Liberia Africa. At the time this was my third trip to Liberia. On this trip we visited with Danny Buegar who was the pastor of the United Christian Church of Monrovia. This is a church of 200 members. Their church building was simply made of some bamboo and thatched roof. During the rainy season the members would get wet during the service. But really to know more about this church you need to know more about Liberia.
Liberia ended a 14 year civil war just a few years ago. The war devastated the country. Unemployment is a staggering 85%. And even those who work do not make much. A doctor makes about 5 dollars a day. To say there is a health crisis would be an understatement. Nearly the whole population struggles with Malaria. Children under 5 have a 50/50 chance of survival. To compound health issues most Liberians do not have access to clean drinking water. Could things be worse? The answer is yes. Besides all the health problems, Liberia is a society of uneducated people. Nearly 3/4 of the children do not attend school. Spiritually Liberia has great needs. In a country where brutality has been the norm there is a great need for the peace that can only come from Christ. So that is some of the bad, but let me share some good.
For several years our church has helped out with some teaching and training teams and also have sent some supplies to Liberia to help the Liberian people. A year ago God was calling us to do more. And so we went to prayer and asked God to use us. And this is how He used us.
Our children had a VBS program in which they raised $8,000 to purchase three water systems to help clean water for Liberians. Shortly after this event we decided that we wanted to send a team to Liberia that would be more than a few teachers. We had been told by the Liberians that churches would send money to help them but very rarely would they send people. And of those people who came they only sent a few men. So we put together a team of 26 people. Half of that group was women. Knowing that the needs were great we decided first that we wanted to make sure that the Monrovia church would have a place where they could worship without getting wet. We also wanted to build a building that could be used as a school for children and we wanted this building to be a place where training could take place for other churches throughout Liberia. Besides the building we wanted to do more to help the people of Liberia. We wanted to get more water systems that could go to different places around Liberia and bring a medical team to this desperate country.
So that is a little of what we wanted to do. Let me share in just a nutshell what God provided and what He continues to do. Over this last year God provided over $150,000 in money and supplies. 5 water systems were purchased. Over $15,000 worth of tools were donated to help in the construction part of the church. Literally thousands of dollars of medical supplies were given to help towards a medical clinic. $30,000 was donated by individuals and churches to help towards the building project. Thousands of dollars worth of clothing, food, school books, VBS supplies, Bibles and Christian materials were donated and shipped to Liberia. A shipping container was purchased to send all these supplies.
Besides all of these funds and supplies going to Liberia the team of 26 people had to raise $3,000 each to make this trip. The team raised all their funds(some time when I have a chance I need to share how God provided in amazing ways.) But let me share with you what the team was able to accomplish. First we set up a medical clinic and saw in just 4 days over 600 Liberian people. We held a VBS which had 400 children attend. We held a woman’s conference that had over 100 women in attendance. During our visit we set up 5 water systems plus trained those who would be providing the water. Let me say that God was incredible. And we thank and praise him for all he has done.
So where does this leave us? Well we are still trying to finish the church/school building. We believe that with $45,000 more we will have this building up and serving the people of Monrovia. Right now all the foundation work is done. Our trip has also left us with a hunger to do more for the kingdom of God. We plan to send more medical teams in the future. We also want to help with the local churches to plant more churches and to provide more water systems. We believe that God has called us to be faithful and so we plan to dream big and see what God does. We would love for others to team up with us and do something incredible for the Lord. We would love to hear from you. Maybe God has you reading this post for the very reason of going to Liberia with us or helping us financially finish the building. Who knows but God has His plans. All we have to do is be faithful and He will do the rest.
Time for the Church to Shine
Probably the greatest waste of time for most churches is their monthly board meeting. Yes many of you know what I am talking about. We get together with other luke-warm minded friends and we talk about things which really have no impact on the kingdom. Usually anyone with any spiritual thought or even a godly insight is pushed aside(or we table the matter, which means hopefully you will drop it) for more important matters like some of our older members are not happy with the new selection of songs. Usually the hi-light of any board meeting for someone who loves God is the closing prayer. At least at this point you can go home and finish watching American Idol and feel like you have done something remotely spiritual. Ok, my goal is not to rip on churches but encourage them. So I must move on. But I share what I have shared because most churches exist for themselves and their own preservation rather than simply being the hands and feet of Jesus.
Let me say this in the nicest way possible. It is time for dead churches to recognize they are dead and either receive life again in Jesus or die. I know that was not very nice but than again Jesus was never nice. His words in Matthew 25:31-46 seem to share the same message that I am trying to share with you right now. It is time for the church to shine. We have spent too much time and energy doing nothing for the kingdom. Now is the time to rise and take Jesus to the World.
It is not rocket science. Jesus says whatever you do for the least of these you have done for me. So let’s start doing for the least of these and see God do amazing things. I am convinced that if we will spend less time talking about the maintenance of a building and simply get our hands and feet dirty God will shine throughout our communities. We are living in the some of the greatest times ever. Despite what the evening news says about our day and age God is still in control. He wants to feed the hungry, He wants to heal the sick, He wants to visit those in prison, He wants you and I to do something. So what are you doing? If the most productive thing you do in your Christian walk is attend board meetings than you probably are a goat. Sorry for the name calling, but we are what we do according to Jesus. If we are serving people we are a sheep, if we are serving ourselves well than just get in the line that is going left.
I know that this all sounds harsh. Please believe me when I say that I really want to encourage. I believe that the church has so much potential. There is so much to be done and so much that we can be doing. Just recently I came back from Liberia Africa. God impressed upon me that the World is waiting for Him to touch lives. He is waiting for us to hold a sick baby. He is waiting for us to buy a water system that cleans up polluted water. He is waiting for us to do something. So what will you do? How will you spend your time and your money? The answer to this question will determine whether you are a sheep or a board member.(whoops, I am sorry, don’t mean to offend goats)
Guest Post: The Incarnate Tongue, by Chad Holtz
Friends, I’m reposting this (with permission of Chad, the author who is a friend of mine). I’m hoping he will be writing some more prayer thoughts for the Journal in the future. In the meantime, visit his blog when you get the chance: Dancing on Saturday–jerry
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Last Saturday night our family had the opportunity to go to a church in Raleigh to listen to an Ethiopian Gospel choir. I wasn’t expecting to get much out of this concert personally other than to enjoy the enjoyment of Sophie and Eli, our two adopted children from Ethiopia. A few minutes into the first song I realized I was in for more than I expected.
Even though the songs were sung in Amharic, a tongue I do not know, I found myself strangely drawn into their music. While I did not know what was being said I knew that these people were praising and worshipping God. They were full of joy and thanksgiving. The language they praised God in may have been foreign to me but their posture towards God I recognized and even admired. Before the first song was even half way through my eyes welled up with tears and like Wesley I felt my heart strangely warmed.
Atop a mountain in the middle of a wilderness a group of people were given a new tongue. God gave Moses the Ten Words, an ethic these Hebrew people were to live by that would display for the world around them what a life in relationship to their Creator ought to look like. Israel was learning, slowly but surely, what it meant to be a people whose sole identity was given to them as Gift. They were not a people who seized identity for themselves like the nations around them but were always in a posture of receiving from God what other peoples sought to grasp. The Ten Words Yahweh gave to them on Mount Sinai further articulated what it meant to live as the people of a God whose name could not yet be pronounced (YHWH in Hebrew has no vowel points). Israel was indeed a strange tongue in the land, embodying a mode of being that marked them as peculiar. It was promised that through them all the nations of the world would be blessed but at this point in the story it is hard to imagine. Israel stops and stutters. They speak unintelligibly much of the time. Amazingly, unlike other national histories that scrub questionable behavior, Israel does not hide her poor speech – She does not hide her failure to speak well the words God has gifted her. But if Israel continues to stutter how will all the nations hear?
In a little town called Bethlehem a group of very peculiar people gathered in a stable. Like Moses before them a word from God was received as gift, this time not ten but One: The Word made flesh. The angel would announce this One’s name as Immanuel, or God with us, and in some way the promises of old will be fulfilled here, in this most peculiar place in the midst of this most peculiar people. Jesus the Jew, born in Bethlehem, will speak perfectly in word and deed what Israel before had stuttered. Jesus is the Incarnate Tongue, the Word of God perfectly spoken, scandalously peculiar and miraculously present – Immanuel. As wonderful as this Good News is we find that it is only the beginning.
It was Passover and Jerusalem was swamped. Both Jew and Gentile from nations far and wide converged to reenact the only words they knew. A peculiar band of Israel was gathered together in a room, praying, all in one accord. They had learned to speak a word that trumped the penultimate word the Passover guests have long spoken. But would the rest of the world understand? A flash. A clap of thunder. Tongues of fire. Doors crash open and out spill a people no longer speaking for themselves, no longer stuttering, but speaking the mysteries and promises of God in a tongue they do not possess as their own. It is gift. But it is a gift they cannot hoard. The nations gathered hear this strange tongue and miraculously understand. They can hear the vowel points being placed on God’s name. They, like Israel, are invited to speak a new and peculiar tongue in the world. They, like Jesus, are invited to now be God’s incarnate tongue to all the nations, announcing the Good News that indeed, God is still Immanuel.
Sitting in that church, listening to an Ethiopian Gospel Choir sing praises to God in a tongue I did not know made me think of our task as the ecclesia of God – God’s church – God’s called-out ones. Standing before my congregation the next morning I asked them, “Why do you come to church?” I offered them this answer for consideration: We come to church to be given a new tongue to speak. We come to church to learn how to speak well this language that has been given to us so that the world who does not yet know it might be attracted to it in the same way I was attracted to the Ethiopian choir. We come to church to further carry out the gesture begun in Bethlehem and fulfilled at Pentecost in hopes of becoming a people who do not speak from the nothingness within us but from the abundance God gives us. If we did only that it may well be enough. If we sing God’s tongue well we will no doubt cause people on the streets to stop and take notice – perhaps even asking if we are drunk. Some may even well up in tears and feel their hearts strangely warmed as they witness God’s incarnate tongue singing in tune.
God, help us sing well.
One Hour and No More!!!
Each day I find my passion for Jesus growing. I have by no means arrived. But I know where I need to go and it points to Jesus. I am awed by His creation! I am moved by His generosity! Most importantly I am eternally grateful that I am not going to Hell. By the grace of God and His mercy on me I have been bought. Oh how sweet this sounds as I write it. To know that I will be spending eternity with Jesus. Praise you God for all that you have done for me. I could not in a million years give you enough thanks-but let me simply give you praise in this moment. Is not our God worth every ounce of our energy? I know He is and I know many of you know He is. So with that said let me just vent for a moment.
I want to share certain words with you. Yet I am not sure if these words would be considered vulgar and foul or just simply holy indignation. Since I am not sure I will simply tell you the situation which dumbfounds me.
Several days ago I was asked to speak at a church to be their missionary speaker. The woman who I spoke to wanted me to share about our Work in Liberia Africa but she wanted to make me aware of the time restrictions and other arrangements. Now I am fully aware and respectful to time restrictions. I think some people speak to long and bore us all. Some people should not even be allowed to get up and speak(Sorry-just my unholy side). Yet as she shared with me about these time restrictions, she did so to remind me that their were those in the church who would not come to church if they knew it was a missionary speaker. Matter of fact they were going to cut the typical greeting time where someone reads something funny or heart warming they found on the Internet just so they could give me a little more time. Well that is certainly generous of them. Throughout our conversation this woman apologized to me that some in the church might be upset that the “preacher” was not preaching that day. Of course they would be. Many of those faithful saints have given their two dollars each week(none towards missions of course) and by golly they deserve to hear the guy they hired. Oh and the guy they hired had better be done in 20 minutes and or less.
I wish I could describe the whole telephone conversation for you. But in a nutshell the creator of the Universe had 1 hour and if I could cut it down to less that would help since their were some who don’t come to church to hear a missionary speaker. Good thing they were not around 2,000 years ago, the apostle Paul would not be welcome. Really though this is not the sad part to this who situation. The sad part is that the leadership does not have the fortitude to simply stand up and call these non-believers to task. Oh I am sorry let’s call them members. I would not want them to be offended.
Well okay I got this of my chest and I am sure that you have room to be critical of my heart and thoughts. Although we need not to look too far to find that we have many churches with people we are afraid to call to task because we may lose our job or reputation or who knows what. By golly if Jesus needs 1 hour and 15 minutes than he probably will not be invited to this church.
Christmas Drive Through 2007
Friends,
I shared these photos at my other blog, but I thought those of you who visit here might also enjoy them.
jerry
Post-Christmas Prayers
Friends,
I am glad Christmas is over this year. It has been a very long season. I’m glad there was no snow and that the Christmas Eve worship was well attended. We had a great variety of participants this year: A family of bell ringers, a guitar soloist, a young female vocalist, a poet read her original work, one young man (my son) played The First Noel on the piano, one woman read a short work by Peter Marshall and another read the story of Christmas Bells. The congregation sang just about every Christmas hymn in our hymn books (and we did not even have to turn on the video projector!) We lit our candles near the end from the Advent wreath Christ candle. We read Scripture. And we prayed. It was one of my favorite Christmas eve worship services ever. It was sort of strange, however, reading Scripture that evening. One of our regular worshipers is married to a Jewish man who was in attendance. I wondered, as we read from Scripture–especially Isaiah, how those Scriptures sounded to him. I wondered how he felt hearing Christians claim the promises that God made to Israel as their own. Later on that evening I prayed, “Father, I want you to be glorified through the events of this evening.”
Yesterday, we visited with my in-laws. It was a nice afternoon. I was blessed near the end of the day to pray with my brother in law, Bob, who is now going through a second round of chemotherapy to treat a tumor. I was ashamed of myself. I prayed with him, his wife, and my wife in a quiet room in the house before he left. He is about seven years my junior. I don’t normally pray for miracles, but yesterday I did. I felt sort of strange praying for such intervention, but I don’t regret doing so. Then when I finished he said he wanted to add something, so he prayed: “Lord, I want my life to glorify you.” That’s what he said. Bob is a special man. I just don’t have words to describe the change that has taken place in his life since his baptism several years ago. You wouldn’t know that Bob has a tumor growing in his body and that the experimental treatments he is receiving may or may not work. He really is only concerned with God’s glory.
Christmas is a difficult time of year. I have been struggling mightily with the idea of God’s blessing. I’m trying to understand how to receive all things with thanksgiving and, at the same time, give everything away so that I don’t have to feel guilty for enjoying with thanksgiving all that God gives to us. In other words, I don’t want to give away just so that I won’t feel guilty. I want to give away because I want to give away. I don’t even want to give away because someone needs something. I just want to give away regardless of the person receiving. I don’t want to do so because I feel guilty. I do not want to do so because it does something for me. I want to give away because I can.
I prayed at the end of the worship Christmas Eve: “Lord, remind us that Christmas doesn’t end tomorrow. Help us remember that the work of Jesus didn’t end in the manger any more than it began in the manger. Lord let us always keep before us the cross whence comes the victory. Lord teach us that Christmas doesn’t end in a manger.” I’m glad the season is over–the holiday aspect of Christmas. I’m also glad that I have today to enjoy every blessing that comes from the Father.
Father, my prayer is simple, but not easy. Lord, I want to be the type of Christian who blesses others. I don’t just mean with money. Instead, I want to be one who blesses others with my actions, my words, my writing, my kindness, my faith–indeed Lord, I want my entire life to be a blessing to someone, given in faith and hope and expectation that I am pleasing You and Bringing glory to Your Name. As we passed the light from the Christ Candle on Christmas Eve so enable us and strengthen us to pass on that same light to others the other 364 days that will exist between this year’s Christmas eve and next year’s. Lord, I give myself to you; make me an offering acceptable and pleasing in Thy sight. Amen. Amen.
Soli Deo Gloria!
jerry
Leaving the Church
Friends,
Life can be discouraging at times. Who hasn’t discovered that to be true? I take a minute to peruse the headlines at a few of my favorite websites and discover that there isn’t much happiness being spread around the world. Some bloggers are very fond of ripping and destroying everything that is against theirparticular version of Christianity. Others go out of their way to do nothing but tear to shreds in mockery and sarcasm those who are not “Evangelical Reformed 5 Point Calvinists.” (I have noticed that Calvinists tend to be very arrogant at times. Not all of them, but many of them, especially in the blogosphere.) Sadly, it is these ER5PC blogs that I visit the most because I do appreciate their high view of Scripture even if I deplore their very low view of God’s Sovereignty. This is just one thing that is stuck in my craw this morning.
I’m not innocent. I’ve done it too. I was convicted yesterday morning while I spoke about God’s grace in my sermon. All of the sudden the Spirit convicted me saying, “Look how you have treated the atheists and Darwinists who have visited your blog.” I realized instantly that I was no better than those Christian bloggers who spend all their blogging time defending their superior version of faith against the likes of those who hold an inferior position. As if any of us are saved because of our opinions about Scripture! Isn’t that just the point of grace? I see very little grace coming from some people and I realize that I don’t want to be one of them. I need to respond to people with grace because it is the right way to behave, it is the only way to show that I am saved by grace, and it is the response that Jesus commanded me to offer.
Grace. Sometimes, in moments of selfishness, I wonder what the world would be like if grace did not exist. Doesn’t grace rather complicate things?
The congregation I serve recently passed the 2008 budget. Included in the budget was a line: $1200, Minister’s Education. Now, to be sure, $1200 will pay for about 1 class per year where I am going to school. It will not cover gas expenses, books, room, or food. And besides that $1200, I did not get even a cost of living raise despite the fact that the offerings have increased this year by 5-6%. Don’t misunderstand me: I’m not complaining. I don’t preach in order to make money. That’s not the point. The point is, a husband and a wife decided that was too much: they have left the church over this issue. Well, it’s not even an issue. They are evidently the two who voted against the budget, and they have decided not to return.
What they have essentially said is this: We don’t believe the church should be that generous with the preacher. What is my response supposed to be to this? Grace. Isn’t there some room in this for a little ‘righteous indignation’, a little ‘holy anger’, a little ‘you people are so unbelievably ignorant’, or even a little ‘tossing of the temple tables’? Sadly, and yet in a liberating sort of way, no, there isn’t. Instead, the best response I can have right now is silence, the letting go.
Life can be discouraging at times. These are the difficulties we are faced with as preachers in churches. It is, to be sure, a paltry thing. I’m sharing this, not because I want sympathy, but because I want to put a face on the nature of grace–at least the grace that I am learning about right now. This is, after all, a prayer journey. My prayer today is that I will learn not to be so petty and that someday, when I’m an old preacher put out to pastor and a young preacher’s family comes along in the church I worship with, I pray now that God will help me to be gracious to him and his family. I’m praying now that God will change me in such a way now so that then I will not be like some of the people I see in the church today who have no concept whatsoever of grace.
Father,
Help me to be a man of grace. Lord, help me to be a man who understands the nature of his salvation. Help me Lord to be a man who forgives and forgets others as easily as you forgave me. I need to be gracious Lord so that I will not, in any way, fail to demonstrate to others what you have done for me. I confess Lord my own arrogance and sin and my own unforgiving attitude. I confess my ineptitude and shallowness. I ask Lord for your mercy to be evident in me so that in turn it might be evident to all. Soli Deo Gloria!
jerry
A Pastor's Prayer Journey 