We are losing the ‘greatest generation.’ Over 1000 WWII veterans die everyday. That is almost hard to comprehend, but it is true. Obviously, we can’t do anything to change that. However, we can do something that will preserve their legacy. In a day when expediency trumps values, and hard work is looked upon as something to be avoided, this generation needs to have a voice more than ever. The Library of Congress has established a program that will help preserve some of their amazing stories. If you have a veteran in your life, please ask them to participate.

Here’s the link.

Luke records the conversion of the Apostle Paul three times in the book of Acts. That alone gives us a sense of how centrally important this event was to the life of the early church. The great persecutor became the great proclaimer. Only God could come up with something so monumental. Often the forgotten part of this story is the obedience shown by a man named Ananias. Luke records his story in Acts 9.

Ananias and Saul could not have been more different in their attitude and view of life. Saul was well-known, powerful, and brash. Ananias was unknown to anyone who mattered. Their differences are further shown in how they responded to God’s call. Saul responds with “Who is it Lord?” While Ananias returns, “Here I am, Lord.” One gets the idea that Saul recognized the power of the voice, but did not recognize the person. Ananias also knew it was “the Lord” speaking, but was familiar with the voice. All of Saul’s intellect, rabbinical training, political connections, and religious zeal did not acquaint him to the risen Jesus. He was a complete stranger. Ananias on the other hand was comfortable in the presence of Christ. He knew him. One has to wonder what kind of a conversion experience Ananias had encountered.

There is another aspect of this story that tells us about the character and faith of this unknown follower of “the Way.” The simple fact that he was in Damascus tells us he was authentic. Word had spread that Saul was wreaking havoc among the christians in Jerusalem, and now he’s taking his persecution show on the road. He’s received hand written authority from “the powers that be” to arrest any man or woman who is found to be worshipping Jesus. I don’t think it is a stretch to assume that most Jesus followers packed a suitcase and got out of Dodge when that news hit the synagogue. It is what most of us would do. It was the sensible thing to do. But when God needed someone to go to Saul and proclaim his message, He found Ananias in his place, in Damascus.

This is not to say that Ananias didn’t have his reservations. He does his best Moses impersonation as he offers some reasons why he shouldn’t go to see Saul, but God had none of them. So, Ananias left his place of comfort and security, and took a trip to Straight Street. He didn’t do this because he thought it would bring him joy. He didn’t go because he knew God would “give him a blessing.” He went because he had completely abandoned himself to God. He was no longer in charge of his life. When he called Jesus “Lord,” he meant it. Regardless of the circumstances, this was his rule of life. I can’t help but wonder what was going through his mind when he walked up to the entrance of where Saul was staying. Likely, he was thinking of Stephen, the one Saul had watched die because of his devotion to Jesus. He may have been questioning the wisdom of what he was about to do. Nonetheless, he knocked on the door, and in doing so, changed the course of the world forever.

Following Jesus will take you places you never thought you would go, and often places you do not want to go. Yet, we never know how our simple obedience to the voice of Jesus will be used to transform others. Following Jesus is an exercise in throwing caution to the wind and saying, “Here I am, Lord.”

This is a great example of why I love John Piper, despite the major doctrinal differences I have with him.

You’ve probably noticed that this site is not exactly working great lately. If you’ve been asked to enter a user name and password, then you know what I’m talking about. I have no clue as to why that is happening. There are some other issues that are very annoying as well. The biggest reason for the trouble is due to Apple’s MobileMe service, which is where I publish this site. Several months ago they dramatically changed how this service operates, and it has been chaos ever since. There has been a huge backlash against Apple on this. I have been holding out, trusting that Apple will get things fixed. While I’m confident they will eventually, I’m tired of dealing with it. So, in the next few days I am going to change where this site is published. All that being said, here’s why this matters to you.

Right now you can access this site two different ways. You can type “www.abandonedtogod.com” in your web browser and it will forward you to the actual web address “http://homepage.mac.com/nkypastor”. Starting this week, you will only be able to access the site using “www.abandonedtogod.com”. So if you subscribe to the site via a Google Reader or some other blog reader, you will need to re-subscribe. If you have the site bookmarked as “http://homepage.mac.com/nkypastor” then you’ll need to change it to the new address.

I hope that all makes sense. Thanks for putting up with all this mess. Hopefully it will be smooth sailing from here on out.

Tags: Personal

When Isaiah was born, I thought I was already a man. I thought I was a good husband. I thought I was a mature Christian. I thought I knew quite a lot about life and God. When he was born, I thought God had given him to me, so I could teach him all that I know. For the past four years, God has used this little guy, along with his little brother, to teach me how much I have yet to learn. I have been blessed to experience a lot of thrills in life, but nothing has ever come close to the feeling of hearing Isaiah pray. Four years into fatherhood, I now know that children are not given to those that have knowledge to share. They are given to those that have wisdom to gain. They are a gift of grace, used to teach us how our Heavenly Father see’s this world.

Tags: Personal

A generous member of our church got me a ticket to the exhibition game between UL and NKU last night. It was the first sporting event held in the brand new Bank of Kentucky Center, located on the campus of Northern Kentucky University. The 10,000 seat arena is impressive. Louisville - not so much. NKU actually had a 4 point lead late in the second half. But Louisville’s size finally got the better of the scrappy NKU squad. The Card’s heralded freshmen, Samardo Samuels was a man among boys last night. He is going to be a handful for anybody this year.

I did get to see something that doesn’t happen very often.......Rick Pitino coaching without a tie!



It was a great game. Thanks JC for your generosity.

Tags: Personal

Haiti is such a tragic place. It seems that a heartbreaking story originates from that little country every week. I don’t like to think about my boys getting old enough to go off to school. However, I have never worried that the school would collapse upon them. I can’t imagine the pain that the parents and family are facing this morning. The next time we complain about the quality of our schools, we should think of these pictures.

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Heavenly Father,

Please have mercy upon the nation of Haiti as its people are forced to endure tragedy once again. We understand that there are hundreds of children trapped in the collapsed building. We pray for the rescue teams that are working to save lives. May your presence be seen in the christians that risk their lives to save innocent victims. We ask that you would protect them and guide their hands as they sort through the wreckage. Most of all, we pray that you would preserve the lives of those that are trapped and that you would unite mothers and fathers with their children. Only your grace is sufficient to comfort and heal the hurt that this event will create. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen!

A great response to the election by Jim Wallis.

Heavenly Father,

We praise you for the unique privilege of living in America. It is by your grace we have been born into this land of prosperity and opportunity. And it is a gift from heaven that afforded us the privilege to cast a vote for a Presidential candidate of our choice today. It seems clear that millions are happy with the outcome of this election, while other millions are disappointed. Regardless of where we find ourselves on that spectrum, help us to unite in prayer for this man and his family who now has one of the most challenging jobs in all the world. He is now in position to assume a place of power that very few men have experienced. You have blessed him with a measure of intellect, talent, and ability. Yet, we are certain that he is imperfect. He doesn’t have all the answers. He will undoubtedly make mistakes. Thus, we see that he stands with us, in need of your overshadowing grace in all aspects of life.

We ask you to bless our next president. We pray for protection for he and his family. We pray that you will grant him strength to lead our country through the adversity of the next 4 years. We pray that you will help him recognize his weaknesses, and to have the humility to seek God-honoring advice when necessary. We pray for his wife and children, that they would remain united as a family as they face this new challenge. Above all, we pray that the professed faith of President Obama in the saving grace of Jesus Christ would not only be authentic, but continue to grow as he serves our nation. We pray that he would find his identity, not in a party, or a political position, but in Christ. We pray that each day he spends in the Whitehouse, would be centered on the chief goal of being your servant.

In your name we pray, Amen.

The gang and I had a chance to take a road trip yesterday afternoon to General Butler State Park. The weather was perfect and we wanted to get out of town and see some of our region that we had never seen before. On a whim, we headed south on US 42, which follows the Ohio River down to the little town of Carrolton, KY. Its claim to fame is the afore mentioned park. It was a beautiful drive and an even more beautiful park. The leaves were in full bloom, and combined with the weather, it made for a great evening. I would love to share some pictures, but we forgot the camera.

This little trip got me thinking of how nature, and specifically the seasons of the year, mirror God’s plan of redemption. God created the universe in perfect harmony, yet sin destroyed that harmony and brought about the bitter winter of death and separation from God. But God didn’t leave us “out in the cold.” Christ was born in the midst of the cold, and lived through the winter with humanity. In the fullness of time, Christ was crucified, buried and resurrected to life n the spring (a picture of a seed dying, being planted, and sprouting to life). The age of the church seems to be pictured in the mixed blessings of summer. It is a time of growth and light, but it is also filled with turbulence and storms. By the time late summer comes around, we are all looking forward to Autumn. Everyone looks forward to the fall. All the work of spring and summer are culminated in the harvest. There is a sense of accomplishment and nostalgia in the fall of the year. This coincides with the mystery of Christ’s second coming, when all storms, laboring, and turbulence will cease. Best of all, this harvest will never end. We do not have to dread the end of fall, because Christ’s harvest will last for an eternity.

Tags: Personal

Every now and then something happens in life that works to remind us of our complete dependence upon the grace of God. I had one of those moments this weekend. A longtime pastor in Cincinnati was gunned down in broad daylight Saturday morning. At first I assumed it was a random killing by a stranger with no agenda, but I was wrong. Apparently, a man that had developed a vendetta against this pastor ambushed the pastor on the streets of Covington, KY, just prior to a funeral service that the pastor was attending. Here is the story.

This tragedy should make all of us take a step back from our schedules, emails, voicemails, and appointments, and remember how quickly all those things can become useless clutter. Beyond that, I can’t help but be moved by the fact that this man was a leader of God’s church. It seems very likely that his vocation placed him in a position that led to his death. In other words, he was murdered because he was a pastor. It is likely that he made a controversial decision that the gunman vehemently disagreed with. It is also likely, that he never intended to make enemies, but his convictions demanded that he make a choice that would necessarily cause someone to be hurt and/or angry. Such is the nature of spiritual leadership. This is not new. It is not a sign that our society has decayed. It is a natural consequence of the gospel being faithfully proclaimed.

I think every christian leader should take this event to heart, and ask themselves some hard questions. Are you willing to make choices based upon allegiance to Christ, while knowing that they will create enemies for you? Are you willing to truly carry your cross? Are you willing to selflessly drink the cup of Christ? Graciously, God will not ask many of us to become martyrs, but I do believe he has asked all of us to be willing to be martyred for His sake.

To be honest, I hesitate to answer when I ask myself these questions. I’m not really sure that I am consistently willing to lay down my life for Christ. Nonetheless, I think it is a healthy thing to stretch ourselves by probing our hearts and intentions concerning this issue. Where do you stand?

“Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.  For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body.  If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well.  Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs.  So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things.” (James 3:1-4)

“And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” (Luke 9:23)

Tags: Personal

Here’s the Top 25 Non-Fiction books as chosen by The National Review.

Top 25 Non-Fiction:
1. The Second World War by Winston Churchill
2. The Gulag Archipelago by Aleksandr I. Solzhenitsyn
3. Homage to Catalonia by George Orwell
4. The Road to Serfdom by F.A. von Hayek
5. Collected Essays by George Orwell
6. The Open Society and Its Enemies by Karl Popper
7. The Abolition o fMan by C.S. Lewis
8. Revolt of the Masses by Jose Ortega y Gasset
9. The Constitution of Liberty by F.A. von Hayek
10. Capitalism and Freedom by Milton Friedman
11. Modern Times by Paul Johnson
12. Rationalism in Politics by Michael Oakeshott
13. Capitalism, Socialism, and Democracy by Joseph Schumpeter
14. Economy and Society by Max Weber
15. The Origins of Totalitarianism by Hannah Arendt
16. Black Lamb and Grey Falcon by Rebecca West
17. Sociobiology by Edward O. Wilson
18. Centisimus Annus by Pope John Paul II
19. The Pursuit of the Millennium by Norman Cohn
20. The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank
21. The Great Terror by Robert Conquest
22. Chronicles of Wasted Time by Malcolm Muggeridge
23. Relativity by Albert Einstein
24. Wtness b Whittaker Chambers
25. The Structure of Scientific Revolutions by Thomas Kuhn

I read #20 in high school, but that’s about it.

Each month I write an article in our church’s newsletter. Below is this month’s article. If your interested in keeping up with the goings on of our congregation, you can access archived newsletters here.

Vision.....Clarity.....Focus

“If you aim at nothing, you will hit it every time.”
- Zig Ziglar

The above sentence is one of my favorite quotes. It points out the need to make decisions based upon purpose and values, rather than impulse. It is also a great way of describing why the church, like any organization, must be intentional about its future. We must know who we are, why we exist, and what we are trying to accomplish. If we lose sight of those fundamental values, we will fall into a perpetual cycle of “wheel spinning” that demands energy and resources but never accomplishes the mission. Think about the implications of this truth. How difficult is it to win if no one has defined how to keep score? How hard is it to remain united if no one agrees upon the goal? This is why our decisions as a church need to be centered around three things: vision, clarity, and focus. As we quickly approach another new year, let's briefly look at these three things.

Vision
The vision for our church can be summed up in one sentence. To Exalt Christ by Equipping the Church and Extending to our Community. Our central purpose for existing is to exalt Jesus Christ. We believe the bible teaches that we accomplish this task by focusing on equipping those within our church to fulfill their individual calling, and to extend grace and mercy to those outside our church. By claiming this sentence as our vision statement, we commit to making decisions based upon what it says. This is the filter by which we shape our budget, our calendar, and our ministry. Every moment of decision should invoke this question: “Which option best accomplishes the vision of our church?”

Clarity
A vision statement is useless if it is not understood and embraced by the congregation. This is why clarity of purpose is essential. Every ministry of the church should clearly exhibit our vision statement in the way it is designed and carried out. This prevents the church from allowing itself to drift away from our central purpose. In this busy world, it is easy to get caught up in the “busyness” of ministry and forget why we started in the first place. Every ministry should be able to clearly see how it is contributing to the overall vision of the church. We should be able to clearly see whether each ministry is exalting Christ by equipping the saved, and/or exalting Christ by extending to the community.

Focus
This is the hardest part. Drafting a vision statement and creating ministries that reflect a stated vision is exciting. The dreamer in me loves to think about new ministries and new ideas. But the challenge is to remain true to the plan over the long haul. This is where focus comes into play. Focus requires us to say “no” to things that do not work to accomplish the mission. Focus challenges us to say “yes” to things that are essential to the mission but force us to sacrifice in other areas. Focus is seen in faithful dedication to the mission, even when it would be easier to drift away from it.

As your pastor, I ask you to pray that the coming year would bring about a fresh and exciting passion for the stated vision of our church. I ask that you will seek clarity in understanding how every ministry in which you take part fits into this grand vision. I ask you to serve the church with a non-negotiable focus upon the vision God has placed before us. I ask these things of you, not because I believe I have all the answers, but precisely because I know none of us have all the answers. The only game plan that has any chance of succeeding is God's game plan. It is His church. We are His people. We are called to serve His kingdom. We are commissioned to follow His vision. We can not win as a church if we do not enthusiastically embrace this vision together, seek clarity together, and keep it in focus together.

Tags: church

I noticed an interesting list at my local public library today. A group that calls themselves “The Modern Library Board” has chosen the most well-written fiction books since 1900. In addition, The National Review has chosen the “most well-written and important non-fiction books.” Here’s the fiction list. I’ll post the non-fiction list later this week. How many of these have you read?

Top 25 Fiction Books:
1. Ulysses by James Joyce
2. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
3. A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce
4. Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov
5. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
6. The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner
7. Catch 22 by Joseph Heller
8. Darkness at Noon by Arthur Koestler
9. Sons and Lovers by D.H. Lawrence
10. The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
11. Under the Volcano by Malcolm Lowry
12. The Way of All Flesh by Samuel Butler
13. 1984 by George Orwell
14. I, Claudius by Robert Graves
15. To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf
16. An American Tragedy by Theodore Dreiser
17. The Heart is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers
18. Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut
19. Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison
20. Native Son by Richard Wright
21. Henderson the Rain Kng by Saul Bellow
22. Appointment in Samarra by John O’Harra
23. U.S.A. by John Dos Passos
24. Winesburg, Ohio by Sherwood Anderson
25. A Passage to India by E.M. Forster

* How many I have read: 0

Tags: Personal

I have been struggling with a lot of decisions the last few weeks with regard to seminary. I’m currently listed as an M. Div major, which is the standard degree for students that plan to pastor. It is a 96 hour program that gives the student exposure to every discipline offered at the seminary. For many denominations, an M.Div is a basic requirement for ordination. However, the Church of God is not one of them. Thus, I have the luxury of choosing which seminary program is best suited for me. However, I’m finding myself waffling when deciding which program to pursue. A 96-hour masters level program is tough and expensive. It will require many more years and many thousands of dollars to complete. But if I make it, it would theoretically be very helpful for me, and would give me a better chance to succeed as a pastor. But I keep asking myself, “Is it worth?”


Asbury offers a lot of other options that I could pursue. They have several M.A. programs that require only 60 hours. I could specialize in anything from Christian Education to Pastoral Counseling. But that precludes me from a lot of classes that only M.Div students can take. So, on one hand, I can stay with M.Div, which requires a bigger investment of time and money, and get a strong taste of everything the seminary has to offer. Or I could go with an M.A. of some sort, which would be less expensive and time consuming, but would force me to specialize in one particular area.

At this point, I have no idea what I should do. If anyone reading this has any input or advice, I would gladly receive it.

Tags: Asbury

I’ve been attending my last weekend of class for my New Testament Introduction class the last few days. Aside from getting tired of sitting for hours at a time, I have thoroughly enjoyed it. We’ve spent the bulk of our time talking about Paul and his letters. Looking at Paul’s entire body of work is something we very seldom do in the church. We are usually too busy trying to figure out bits and pieces of Paul’s writings. But this class has helped me see that sometimes we miss the forest for the trees when it comes to Paul. One significant insight that I am still trying to process is Paul’s seeming emphasis of community. We are hard pressed to find any chapter where Paul is not in some way dealing with how Christians are to view and act toward one another. His arguments usually center around a problem that has arisen. He diagnoses the problem, reframes it for his readers, and then offers the solution. His solution seems to rely heavily upon striving for Christ-like unity, sacrificial service, and grace among the body of Christ.

Now, most any bible reader has noticed this pattern in Paul. But as of yesterday, I think many of us (especially myself) have misread Paul’s reasoning for emphasizing unity. I have always seen it as primarily a practical matter. We can’t spread the gospel if we aren’t united. We can’t transform the world and culture if we aren’t serving one another, as an example to the world. In this sense, christian community is a means to an end; the end being the propagation of the gospel. Today, I find myself thinking that Paul believed that christian community was THE end. In other words, we do not need to be united just so our churches will grow. Rather, we need to be united because that is the highest measure of success for the body of Christ. Unity that involves sacrificial service, racial, social, and economic integration, where all saints, regardless of background are served equally. The gospel is shared to the world most effectively by the church living out the principle of community. This is why Paul was so insistent to the Corinthians that they view themselves each as an indespensible part of the body of Christ (I Cor. 12). This is why he called the Ephesians to “bear with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Eph. 4:2,3). This is why he warned Gentiles and Jews alike of their utter unworthiness of the grace of God in Romans. This is why he called the Colossians to “forgive each other, as the Lord has forgiven you.” And that they must “put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony” (Col. 3). To the Philippians he called for the church to “do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves” (Phil. 2).

I think this is an issue that has huge practical implications for the church today. We’ve been guilty of wanting unity for the sake of the ministry of the church. But I think Paul called for unity for the sake of Christ.

Tags: church

Just when I’ve officially talked myself out of getting an Iphone, Apple does it again.



Check out the video here.

Tags: Personal

Check out this video - Water Is A Luxury

I took a 20-minute shower this morning. I let the water run while I shaved and brushed my teeth. I made a full pot of coffee, but drank less than half of it.

Tags: Personal

At last weekend’s SHAPE retreat, the participants were introduced to an exercise called “lifemapping.” It sounds much more complicated than it actually is. It is a tool that helps one pinpoint strengths, weaknesses, and areas in which they need to grow. I learned a lot about myself during this exercise. One of the first things that came out of this process was my need to be more disciplined with my time. I am naturally a morning person. That is the most productive part of my day. Yet, in recent months I have found it difficult to get up and out the door before 8 am. I know that doesn’t seem late to a lot of people, but for me, that was wasting a lot of quality time. The result was that I was not spending a lot of quality devotion time with God. Nor was I getting any physical exercise.

So I made a commitment, with the help of a member of my SHAPE cohort, Rev. Don Evans, to get up an hour earlier than normal. I asked Don to hold me accountable by calling me each morning at 5:30 am. He’s been faithful to do that.

The first couple of days were rough. I did not want to get out of that bed. It is amazing how much one hour changes your schedule. But I am already beginning to feel better and it is becoming easier to get up and get going. Once I’m up, I go for a short jog, followed by some light exercising to get my heart rate elevated. I have also been spending more time praying for my community and myself.

This is just one tangible example of how SHAPE has been a great blessing to me. There is no doubt that I would not have the personal discipline to get out of bed at 5:30 am if I didn’t have Don calling me. The truth is, most of us only do what we are accountable for. We all need someone to call us, to check on us, and to ask us hard questions. If you do not have someone like that, you need to find one. It will make a difference in your life.

Tags: Personal, Shape

I was privileged yesterday to spend a few hours with one of the elder statesmen of the Church of God. Dr. Barry Callen, Professor Emeritus at Anderson University, was the guest of honor at a luncheon held for Church of God students at Asbury Seminary. Dr. Callen is a prolific writer (over 30 books and counting) and has long since been considered the leading expert on pretty much anything related to the Church of God. When Dr. Callen speaks, the Church of God listens.

He presented all of us with a copy of his latest volume titled, “Following Our Lord: Understanding the Beliefs and Practices of the Church of God Movement (Anderson).” The book is designed to be a primer on what the Church of God has traditionally believed concerning everything from basic doctrine to hot button issues like abortion, homosexuality, free-masonry, etc. Some might describe it as a very loosely written ‘book of discipline’ for the Church of God. Dr. Callen wrote this book in large part because of an increasing lack of connection with our past that is occurring in our churches. The majority of the Church of God has no tangible understanding of how we were formed or where we have historically stood on some of the important social concerns of our culture. It is a book that in my opinion is long overdue.


What makes this book different from other denominational “handbooks” is that it is not written in a legislative manner. In other words, it does not provide a hard and fast list of “how the Church of God does things.” Rather, it provides a context for how the Church of God has historically understood certain issues; complete with classic quotes from important leaders of the past. In this way, the book stays true to our desire to always be a movement; to resist falling into a legalistic “my way or the highway” look at issues. Dr. Callen put it to us this way, “We believe we must remain a movement, because we follow Christ, and Christ is moving forward.”

If you are part of the Church of God, or are interested in learning more, this book is a great place to start. Every pastor should have a copy.

Tags: church of god

As I’ve thought through some of the exciting reasons why I am hopeful that the Church of God has a great future, I’m aware that to some, my words could sound condescending. I want to be very careful to point out that the Church of God is not doing very well in America right now. Most of our churches are stagnant. We have done a very poor job of planting new and vibrant congregations. And in most circles, we do not project a lot of passion and hope for a bright future. There is a lot of negativity in our ranks. So, please understand that I in no way want to paint the Church of God as the only hope for christianity in America. I am only attempting to point out some reasons for optimism for the Church that I have grown to love so much. It bothers me to see us be content to complain about our present state, and lament the fact that yesterday is gone. I want to focus on tomorrow. Hopefully that clarifies where I’m coming from.

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Reason #2 for why I believe the Church of God has a bright future. (Click here for Reason #1).

We are an anti-institutional Church for an anti-institutional culture-

The Church of God was founded upon a principle of non-denominationalism. The founders of our movement were adamantly against the name-branding and rivalry that existed among christian denominations in late 19th Century frontier America. They called themselves “come-outers” because they believed they had responded to God’s call to come out of the detrimental man-made church structures of their day, and had united under a banner of inclusiveness. They developed statements such as: “We reach our hand in fellowship to every blood-washed one” to describe their guiding principle of unity. They also strongly resisted any attempt to categorize themselves, or to even develop any semblance of a church covenant, creed, or doctrinal statement. Their mantra was “No creed but Christ, no law but love, no book but the bible.”

One can argue that these early leaders eventually created that which they so strongly resisted. Regardless, we can all see that the people who flocked to the Church of God, did so in large part because they were sick of the denominational hierarchy, and limitations that it entailed. Admittedly, this is an issue that has been a subject of great struggle from the beginning of our days as a movement. Most observers see us as “just another denomination.” In our zeal to set ourselves apart from denominationalism, we created a brand of our own, which in many ways acts much like any other denomination. There are important nuances that make us different, but in many ways we are not.

All that being said, I believe this can serve as a strength as we look toward the future. Post-modern society resists labels and embraces freedom. The 21st century world has shown a distaste for coloring within the lines. There is a prevalent distrust for institutionalism of all kinds, especially religious. Research shows that denominational loyalty is a non-factor when people choose or reject a particular church.

This is a trend that I believe the Church of God should embrace. We are a church that was, in a sense, formed from this mindset. We were formed as an anti-institutional church when society as a whole was very much pro-institution. 130 years later, our society has in a sense, followed our lead, or at least gone in the same direction. I believe we have a message that will resonate with a post-modern generation. A message of unity, accountable congregationalism, and authentic spirituality (holiness) is exactly what this emerging generation is searching for.

Now, there are some huge issues that need to be addressed if we are going to take advantage of this proverbial open door. We need to address the fact that our actions regarding unity haven’t always matched our message. We need to make sure that our congregationalism is accountable, and that we are not autonomous, but interdependent. We need to clarify that authentic spirituality or holiness is not defined by what you abstain from, but what you engage in. All this being said, I believe we are in a great position to reach an anti-institutional society with the gospel by being the body of Christ in our day and time.

Tags: church

Beth and I returned from the SHAPE retreat Saturday evening exhausted and encouraged. We both agreed that it was one of the best thing we have done together in a very long time. We spent most of the weekend in a room with 20 other pastoring couples, dealing with issues that relate to how the emotional, physical, and spiritual demands of pastoring. Al Ells did a phenomenal job leading each session that centered on these unique aspects. Al helped spend considerable time addressing the cultural shift that has occurred, and its effect upon the pastor and their family. Virtually every couple testified to the positive influence our weekend had on their relationship. I went into the weekend thinking that our marriage was about “as good as it gets.” I’ve always thought Beth and I were definitely on the right track. I still believe that, but after looking at our results and discussing some issues, I realize that we have some work to do. I better understand how important it is to accept one another’s differences, and I understand more of why we are different.

All in all, I very hopeful that this weekend will help Beth and I to increasingly understand one another, and enable us to grow closer. Pastoring is not always easy on families, but I am confident that it doesn’t have to be a detriment.

Tags: Shape, Personal, Family

October is Pastor Appreciation Month. I’m not sure where that came from, but it sounds an awful lot like something a christian bookstore would come up with, in order to sell a few extra cards. Nonetheless, I’m glad it exists. Not merely because I’m a pastor, and I, like everyone else I know, like to be appreciated. But it also serves as a good time to examine the well-being of the church. One of the best ways to test whether or not the church is healthy, is to see if the pastor is healthy. If the pastor is spiritually, physically, or emotionally burned-out, then chances are the church is not enjoying much success. Here are some sobering statistics that should make us all ask some hard question about where the church is headed.

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Pastors:

• Fifteen hundred pastors leave the ministry each month due to moral failure, spiritual burnout or contention in their churches.

• Four thousand new churches begin each year, but over seven thousand churches close.

• Fifty percent of pastors' marriages will end in divorce.

• Eighty percent of pastors and eighty-four percent of their spouses feel unqualified and discouraged in their role as pastors.

• Fifty percent of pastors are so discouraged that they would leave the ministry if they could, but have no other way of making a living.

• Eighty percent of seminary and Bible school graduates who enter the ministry will leave the ministry within the first five years. Ninety percent of pastors said their seminary or Bible school training did only a fair to poor job preparing them for ministry.

• Eighty-five percent of pastors said their greatest problem is they are sick and tired of dealing with problem people, such as disgruntled elders, deacons, worship leaders, worship teams, board members, and associate pastors. Ninety percent said the hardest thing about ministry is dealing with uncooperative people.

• Seventy percent of pastors feel grossly underpaid.

• Ninety percent said the ministry was completely different than what they thought it would be before they entered the ministry.

• Seventy percent felt God called them to pastoral ministry before their ministry began, but after three years of ministry, only fifty percent still felt called.

Pastors' Wives:

• Eighty percent of pastors' spouses feel their spouse is overworked.

• Eighty percent of pastor' wives feel left out and unappreciated by the church members.

• Eighty percent of pastors' spouses wish their spouse would choose another profession.

• Eighty percent of pastors' wives feel pressured to do things and be something in the church that they are really not.

• The majority of pastor's wives surveyed said that the most destructive event that has occurred in their marriage and family was the day they entered the ministry.

Pastors' Marriages:

• Seventy percent of pastors constantly fight depression.

• Almost forty percent polled said they have had an extra-marital affair since beginning their ministry.

Pastors' Children:

• Eighty percent of adult children of pastors surveyed have had to seek professional help for depression.

Pastors' Relationship With the Lord:

• Seventy percent of pastors do not have a close friend, confidant, or mentor.

• Ninety-five percent of pastors do not regularly pray with their spouses.

• Eighty percent of pastors surveyed spend less than fifteen minutes a day in prayer.

• Seventy percent said the only time they spend studying the Word is when they are preparing their sermons.

• (http://www.maranathalife.com/lifeline/stats.htm)

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Do yourself a favor, and commit to being an encourager in the life of your pastor, and more importantly, your pastor’s spouse. You will be making a difference, not only in the life of your pastor, but in the life of your church. I don’t say this selfishly. I say this as a matter of church health and survival.

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It is somewhat ironic (or providential) that Beth and I are leaving tomorrow for a three-day retreat with about 20 other pastoring families from around the state. It is part of the SHAPE initiative that I am part of. Al Ells is going to be leading a seminar called “Leaders That Last.” It certainly sounds as if it will be a very enriching time for all of us.

A few weeks ago, I wrote about how I believe the Church of God has the potential to prosper in the coming decades. I confess that I view the church through Church of God colored glasses, and thus am very biased. The truth is, every denomination and movement within christianity has an opportunity in every generation to be involved in the mission of God. History has proven this to be so. But I can’t help but see my church and get excited about the unique possibilities that are before us in the coming decades. The early leaders of our movement coined the phrase “evening lighters.” It was a term abstracted from Zechariah 14:7. Evening lighters believe the Kingdom of God has been unleashed, and is taking back God’s creation. Evening lighters believe they are part of the mission of God in the world. Evening lighters are those who believe God is on the throne, and that the best is yet to come. Evening lighters are convinced that the future is full of hard work, but is bright nonetheless. I am an evening lighter. So, that being said, here is one of the reasons why I think the Church of God has a very bright future.

The Church of God is agile and flexible.
This isn’t necessarily the biggest and best reason I have great hope, but it is a reality that I haven’t heard talked about anywhere. The Church of God has always been a living organism that has fiercely resisted rigidity. We fancy ourselves as a “movement” instead of a denomination (although I admit, we have struggled to adequately articulate the difference at times). We are a flexible church that is able to adjust and re-focus when necessary. In our history, we have proven we can adapt to our environment effectively. We made the transition from an evangelistic movement centered around the Gospel Trumpet to an organized collection of churches around the world. In the 1990’s we endured a leadership crisis, that necessitated a restructuring of Church of God Ministries. It wasn’t pretty, but we got it done. The century between included dozens of major hurdles and transitions that threatened the life of the church. Yet, we survived.

This seems like a small thing, but it isn’t. Attending Asbury has given me a chance to interact with several denominations and to learn their polity. The vast majority of denominations that I encounter are going through an identity crisis right now. The world has changed so quickly and turbulently, that they are scrambling to bridge the culture gap. Most are struggling to do so. Many denominations are not able to adapt because of their rigid structure. They are handicapped by their own inertia. Some within the CHOG would say we have been very much affected by this same issue. I would agree. However, we have an advantage that I think will allow us to break free from this problem. Namely, our flexibility.

The Church of God is small enough to change. She is agile enough to alter her course when she sees an iceberg ahead. Our structure allows us to efficiently (comparatively speaking) see the problem and respond accordingly. The path we are called to traverse has changed. In our existence, our North American context has moved from being predominantly christian to being predominantly secular. Our mission field was once to call religious people to an authentic relationship with Jesus. Our mission field is now to call irreligious people to an authentic relationship with Jesus. This changes things.

1. Church Planting. We must begin to focus on planting more churches, which requires that we develop and train more church planters. We have fewer churches today than we did 10 years ago. We have made some effort to plant churches, with little success. Much of this is due to the shortage of called and equipped church planters. When we have attempted to plant churches, we have often thrown the planter to the wolves with little- to-no training. This can change.
2. Equip the clergy for ministry in the post-christian world. We must train and equip pastors to do ministry in a post-christian world. This is especially true for our newly ordained clergy. Most of our pastors have not been equipped to deal with the cultural shift that has taken place within the last generation. This must change, and it can. I am proud to say my home state of Kentucky has made great strides in this area. This year the state ministry introduced a School of Ministry that will work to equip pastors seeking ordination with these types of tools and information. I have great hopes that the next generation of pastors will be better equipped when they enter the pulpit for the first