Monthly Archives: February 2010

Some years ago I chose to make Friday and Saturday my days off- recognizing that meetings and schedule would often dictate that one or both of those days would end up being workdays. More often than not one or both end up being workdays…but slogging on here I am on a Friday in my office once again.

Now, I’ m not complaining about working on Friday. I am forutnate in that I can control my work schedule. I can and often do take a few extra hours here and there for personal time. Every church I have served has been extremely generous in allowing me to set my own schedule and make adjustments as necessary.

It is raining here in Oregon (no surprise there!) so it is a good day to be inside. I attended a peer mentoring group earlier this week where PAstor Tim Brown from Clovis CA shared some things he has learned about planning and leading life-transforming worship services. I came away from the day excited about the potential of planning such worship services. I know I need to be in life-transforming services- where I connect with the Spirit of the Living God. The challenge is to plan a serves in which I can both lead and participate. Perhaps the fundamental issue is learning to prepare by praying.

So, here’s praying for Sunday…

Steve

A few months ago I stumbled across The Convergent Church by Leiderbach and Reid (Grand Rapids: Kregel Academic and Professional, 2009). It was one of the best books I’ve read in several years on challenges of contemporary ministry. But, the idea of covnergence has another application. The past few weeks my wife and I have found ourselves in what feels like a convergence zone. A number of years ago we lived in the greater Puget Sound area. Meteorologists identify that area as a convergent zone where the prevailing winds are split by the Olympic Mountains and create some unusual weather patterns.

My convergent zone might be described as the place where several conflicting worldviews intersect. There are three primary worldviews intersecting in our community. First, there is a Christian worldview. This group needs to be split into two subgroups. There are Biblical believers whose worldview is different from cultural Christians- that might be a subject for another post…! Then, there is a distinct secular world view. And finally, there is a potent Mormon worldview in our community.

This convergence of worldviews is creating a type of cultural chaos that creates opportunities for ministry- and it creates potential for conflict. Because of my wife’s job- office manager of a public middle school (grades 7-8)- and my deep and extensive involvement in local, county, and even some state level groups, we are often caught in this convergent zone. I don’t share this for symapthy, but for prayer and an opportuntity to discuss this idea further. There are times we quite honestly don’t know how to respond. One example: this past week we were privileged to be intivited into a home of very faithful Mormon’s. They gathered the family and asked my wife to choose a Bible verse to share with their family. The man of the house highlighted the verse in the family Bible and asked Cindy to add her intials and the date in the margin near the verse as a record of our visit. Interesting experience. Not sure what to make of it…or what it all means.

So, from the convergence zone…

Steve!

This weekend I attended my third strategic planning session since mid-January for a third group. I have two more strategic planning meetings to attend this spring for groups with whom I work. I know, a strategic plan for me would be to evaluate the # of groups I volunteer with!

This weekend leaders from all but two of the churches in Southwest Oregon Baptist Association came together for some praying and planning. The new regional denominational structure has changed the face of what we Southern Baptists call ‘associationalism.’ In my life time Southern Baptist churches in small geographical locations – like a city or a county- linked together in ‘associations.’ These associations used to have a full time leader- often a man who had served as pastor and sensed God’s call to be a mentor and leader of pastors- who served to interpret the work of the regional and national denomination, to guide local churches towards necessary resources, and who served to assist local churches in cooperative ministry endeavors. As of July 2009 our regional network of churches (and their national partner, the North American Mission Board)stopped funding those positions in the Northwest, leaving pastors and lay leaders in these smaller geographically linked associations to develop a more grass roots driven strategy. (If this doesn’t make much sense, I didn’t sleep much at all last night—one of the men in the room I shared had a snoring problem that made it hard for me to sleep…but that’s another story for another day….)

Anyway, this group of pastors, laypersons (men and women) worked pretty hard most of the morning to identify three specific areas we as a network of churches will seek to address this year and into next. Thus,the strategic plan…more information will be coming on the website, www.swobaptist.org. Check out that site when you have time.

I don’t know if I am supposed to admit it or not, but I began reading Walter Wink’s recent book, The Powers That Be this week. He has a rather interesting take on the spiritual dimension of the evil that exists in the world. We began our time this morning with prayer (as is normal for Southern Baptists). As the facilitator asked for prayer requests almost all of the requests were for people with significant health challenges. NOW, PLEASE READ THIS NEXT SECTION CAREFULLY!

I believe in praying for the ill and physically afflicted. I have seen God bring miraculous healing in response to prayer. But I wonder sometimes if we really ever pray about what truly matters. Yes, illness matters. Pain matters. Physical pain is real, intense, and distracting and debilitating. But, where in Scripture does God promise or guarantee a life free from pain? If we are serious about advancing the kingdom of God- which was one of our strategic objectives- are we praying about the types of issues that enable us to advance the kingdom? Are we praying against the spiritual blindness the enemy uses to keep those around us from seeing and experiencing the truth? Are we praying for boldness to speak clearly- even if it might cost us physically as it does many believer across the world today? Are we praying that we might be light in darkness, or are we trying to be light in places where the light has already shone?

I realize I am physically tired tonight. The lack of sleep, the pace I’ve been keeping truly takes a toll. But I long for a ministry that not only that grows in such a way to earn the praise of my peers in ministry, but one that truly God uses to push back the darkness, one that God uses to open blinded eyes, a ministry that God uses to unveil His majesty, His presence- EVEN IF HE FAILS TO BRING THE PHYSICAL HEALING, COMFORT AND CONVENIENCE WHICH WE SO OFTEN SEEM TO BE PRAYING ABOUT!

Well, I’ve said my piece. I’ve got some work to finish up before tomorrow morning’s Bible Study hour….and I’ve got a night’s sleep to catch up on….so…till next time…

In today’s devotional reading from My Utmost for His Highest Chambers distinguishes between being constrained by the love of Christ and being constrained by our experience of Jesus Christ. The latter is what he calls an elementary testimonty…”What Jesus has done…is doing…will do….” The former is literally a testimony to Christ Jesus and His presence in our lives. The difference, according to Chambers, is the baptism of the Holy Spirit. In other words, only as we fully recognize the reality of our new life- life that  God creates inthe mold or pattern of Jesus, empowered by the indwelling Holy Spirit- can we testify of who Jesus is- not just to what He has done.

I wonder. Sometimes our testimony seems to be “come to church- you’ll like it here.” Shouldn’t our testimony be- this is Jesus- see who He is, see how He makes the presence of God known in our world, in my life?

So, if you’ve taken the challenge I issued last Sunday ( or Monday if you weren’there Sunday)…how have you drawn nearer to JEsus this week? Are you at the point where you can call attention to the presence of Jesus in your life as the Holy Spirit makes Him real?

My prayer is that we as the people of God at Winston Community Baptist will not just give testimony to what Jesus does, but that our lives will show the reality of His presence, power, and majesty. As He is exalted, He will draw people to Himself!