The Minnesota-based company 3M produces 55,000 products with its nearly 80,000 employees. Perhaps one of its most well-known products is "Scotch Tape." Scotch tape is wonderfully helpful with its transparent ability and adhesive capacity. Who does not appreciate Scotch Tape, especially at Christmas time?
I would like to recommend a new by-product of CrossPoint Church and I am borrowing the 3M concept in hopes that it will stick. The by-product of CrossPoint needs to be an increasing amount of prayer. A church that does not pray is like a person who does not breath. Furthermore, the more prayer there is in church, the more life there is in a church. CrossPoint is experiencing a significant degree of new life and excitment and I know we want this to stick.
So, I am recommending prayer as a greater by-product of CrossPoint, but I would encourage a 3M approach towards prayer so that the popularity of Jesus sticks. Without a 3M by-product, the popularity of Jesus would be about as long as a failed participant on American Idol.
So, what do I mean by the 3M approach? There needs to be three primary prayer foci for the church - The Members, the Ministries and the Mission. However, we must avoid what many churches do. Many churches are highly committed to the first and second "Ms" - Members and Ministries. Then, what I find, is a very distant, and sometimes non-existent category being the third "M" - the Mission of the church, i.e. to make disciples for Jesus Christ.
What happens when churches have only a 1M or a 2M emphasis upon prayer? The church becomes know for and captivated by its Members or its Ministries. This is evident when prayers for the church focus almost exclusively upon member needs and ministry recruitment. Simultaneously, the popularity of Jesus plummets because he is relegated to a God we use, rather than a God who captivates our hearts.
My recommendation for CrossPoint is for us to focus more exclusively upon the Mission of CrossPoint in our prayer lives. Let us be intentnional about carving out time to pray for the Mission of CrossPoint - to make disciples. Let us take time with our family, during our commute to work, before we go to bed, with our spouse or each night before dinner to pray specifically that God's Spirit would enable us to more effectively make disciples. This needs to be the all-encompassing point of CrossPoint. As we make disciples, Christ will be glorified as He remains center-stage and the central point of CrossPoint.
Thank you in advance for your prayers for our Mission. I look forward to seeing how Christ answers these prayers and changes us in the process. Perhaps when 3M prayers become more the by-product of the current 300+ members of CrossPoint, then maybe thousands more can come to know Christ.
Beams Away!
Monday, October 24, 2011
Monday, October 17, 2011
From Accustion to Adulation
Yesterday I spoke how men act congruent with Adam when they see themselves as the victim. After disobeying God, Adam was guilty of leveraging accusations against God for giving him the woman, and against Eve for disobeying God. As a result, Adam was seeing himself as a victim of circumstance, a victim of things occurring outside of his control.
As I look at our country's landscape, I see this same dynamic running rampantly and rabidly affecting both men and women. The President is to blame for our economic mess, Congress is to blame, the Republicans, the Democrates, the CEO's, Wall Street, Banks, etc. I have yet to hear anyone admit that they contribute to the economic problems because they live outside their means.
Are we all victims of our economic situation or any other trying circumstance? If we truly are, then what does this say about God's sovereignty? If we are simply victims, then either God is not completely in control, or God simply wants to victimize us.
Yet, we affirm that God is in complete control and is a good and benevolent God. Since this is true, how are we to respond to the trials of life? How are we to respond when we feel out of control?
Instead of acting like a bunch of little Adams, we can act like Christ. Instead of leveraging accusations against those around us, we can be lifting up adulation and praise to God for being in control, for still being good and for allowing our life's circumstances to circumcise our heart and make us more like Christ.
Can you and I take our accusations and turn them into adulation? Can we praise God instead of persecuting others? Scripture tells us in Philippians 4:6-8 to take our anxieties to God in prayer, but to do so with thanksgiving and the result is the promise of peace which will guard our hearts and minds. Accusations lead to bondage, but adulation and praise lead to peace. The choice is ours. And the fact that God created us with the ability to make this choice shows us that we are not victims. We can choose to live in bondage and anger or in peace and contentment. But we are not victims, we are more than conquerors in Christ and can live in on-going victory in Christ. This is truly good news in tough times. Peace and contentment lies with Christ changing us, not in Christ changing our circumstances.
Beams Away!
As I look at our country's landscape, I see this same dynamic running rampantly and rabidly affecting both men and women. The President is to blame for our economic mess, Congress is to blame, the Republicans, the Democrates, the CEO's, Wall Street, Banks, etc. I have yet to hear anyone admit that they contribute to the economic problems because they live outside their means.
Are we all victims of our economic situation or any other trying circumstance? If we truly are, then what does this say about God's sovereignty? If we are simply victims, then either God is not completely in control, or God simply wants to victimize us.
Yet, we affirm that God is in complete control and is a good and benevolent God. Since this is true, how are we to respond to the trials of life? How are we to respond when we feel out of control?
Instead of acting like a bunch of little Adams, we can act like Christ. Instead of leveraging accusations against those around us, we can be lifting up adulation and praise to God for being in control, for still being good and for allowing our life's circumstances to circumcise our heart and make us more like Christ.
Can you and I take our accusations and turn them into adulation? Can we praise God instead of persecuting others? Scripture tells us in Philippians 4:6-8 to take our anxieties to God in prayer, but to do so with thanksgiving and the result is the promise of peace which will guard our hearts and minds. Accusations lead to bondage, but adulation and praise lead to peace. The choice is ours. And the fact that God created us with the ability to make this choice shows us that we are not victims. We can choose to live in bondage and anger or in peace and contentment. But we are not victims, we are more than conquerors in Christ and can live in on-going victory in Christ. This is truly good news in tough times. Peace and contentment lies with Christ changing us, not in Christ changing our circumstances.
Beams Away!
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
"What's In It For Me?"
In the movie, Field of Dreams, Kevin Costner plays a character who lives in a manner consistent with the type of faith we see in scripture. Costner's character, "Ray," follows a voice by mortgaging his farm, leveling his crops and builds a baseball diamond in the middle of Iowa. Everyone thinks he is crazy and only he and a select few are able to see old time baseball players emerging from a remnant corn field to play baseball every day. At the end of each day the baseball players retreat to the corn field where they gradually vanish into the corn.
On one occassion, Ray's friend is invited to go into the corn field with the players to what appears to be a place like heaven. However, Ray is indignant! He asks one of the baseball players, "Why does he get to go?" "Why not me?!" He objects to this unfairness by self-righteously declaring, "I am the one who built this field! That's MY corn you are playing in!" Notice all of the personal pronouns.
One of the baseball players says to Ray, "But you weren't invited." Ray is incredulous and demands an explanation. The baseball player asks Ray, "What are you asking Ray?" Ray says, "I am asking...what's in it for me?" The baseball player responds, "Is that why you did this Ray? Did you do this...for you?"
Often times people get frustrated with God and disenfranchised with their churches. People don't like their life's situation or their church's direction, especially when their church focuses upon it's non-members. When a church focuses upon reaching other people rather than catering to the church people, often ask people ask, "What about me?" By asking this question people are essentially asking, "What about my needs?" "I give financially, what's in it for me?" "What about my children's programming needs?"
Sadly, even though Jesus said it is better to give than to receive, and sadly even though Jesus modeled laying down his life for us and taught us to think of other's interests as more important than our own, when people don't get their way, they hit the highway and part company with their existing church family. Even more tragic is how often church leadership boards and staff cave in to these consumeristic demands by catering to the cries of "What about me?"
Although most churches spend most of their time, energy and money on internal programming, CrossPoint desires to be different from our consumeristic culture. CrossPoint recognizes we are called to be God's holy church which demands us to be radically different from our consumeristic culture. As we increasingly continue to be focused upon those who are not members, may God supplant any "What about me?" questions with "What about the lost?" and "What about God?" questions. Aren't we glad when Jesus was in the Garden of Gethsemane, faced with absorbing our sin and being seperated from the Father, Jesus did not ask, "What about me?" I am so thankful that Jesus essentially prayed, "What about Thee?" This is what he was saying, when he said, "Not my will be done, but Thy will be done." May we all be able, by the grace of God, to say such prayers. Can you and I in the midst of our tough life situation or perhaps church frustration be able to say, "What about Thee?" Or may we in our inevitable frustrations with God and/or church leadership be able to pray, "What do You want to do in me?"
Beams Away!
On one occassion, Ray's friend is invited to go into the corn field with the players to what appears to be a place like heaven. However, Ray is indignant! He asks one of the baseball players, "Why does he get to go?" "Why not me?!" He objects to this unfairness by self-righteously declaring, "I am the one who built this field! That's MY corn you are playing in!" Notice all of the personal pronouns.
One of the baseball players says to Ray, "But you weren't invited." Ray is incredulous and demands an explanation. The baseball player asks Ray, "What are you asking Ray?" Ray says, "I am asking...what's in it for me?" The baseball player responds, "Is that why you did this Ray? Did you do this...for you?"
Often times people get frustrated with God and disenfranchised with their churches. People don't like their life's situation or their church's direction, especially when their church focuses upon it's non-members. When a church focuses upon reaching other people rather than catering to the church people, often ask people ask, "What about me?" By asking this question people are essentially asking, "What about my needs?" "I give financially, what's in it for me?" "What about my children's programming needs?"
Sadly, even though Jesus said it is better to give than to receive, and sadly even though Jesus modeled laying down his life for us and taught us to think of other's interests as more important than our own, when people don't get their way, they hit the highway and part company with their existing church family. Even more tragic is how often church leadership boards and staff cave in to these consumeristic demands by catering to the cries of "What about me?"
Although most churches spend most of their time, energy and money on internal programming, CrossPoint desires to be different from our consumeristic culture. CrossPoint recognizes we are called to be God's holy church which demands us to be radically different from our consumeristic culture. As we increasingly continue to be focused upon those who are not members, may God supplant any "What about me?" questions with "What about the lost?" and "What about God?" questions. Aren't we glad when Jesus was in the Garden of Gethsemane, faced with absorbing our sin and being seperated from the Father, Jesus did not ask, "What about me?" I am so thankful that Jesus essentially prayed, "What about Thee?" This is what he was saying, when he said, "Not my will be done, but Thy will be done." May we all be able, by the grace of God, to say such prayers. Can you and I in the midst of our tough life situation or perhaps church frustration be able to say, "What about Thee?" Or may we in our inevitable frustrations with God and/or church leadership be able to pray, "What do You want to do in me?"
Beams Away!
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Life in the Pits
Times are difficult for many of us today. Ironically in the land of the free, many people feel anything but free, they feel their lives are out of control and they can't do anything about it. Life is really the pits.
Life became the pits for Daniel in the Old Testament, and it became such for the sole reason that he chose to obey God. In other words, he followed the rules of God, did what was right and found himself in a literal pit of lions with no perceivable way out. If I were in that pit I probably would have been scratching the walls stuggling to get out. Yet Daniel did not. He was able to be still and realize his Savior amidst his situation.
Oswald Chambers said this "...it doesn’t matter how difficult the circumstances may be. God orchestrates every force at work for His purpose in the end. If you will agree with God’s purpose, He will bring not only your conscious level but also all the deeper levels of your life, which you yourself cannot reach, into perfect harmony."
May we stop struggleing and scratching our way out of the pit. May we stay in whatever pit we find ourselves, stand firm and wait upon the Lord. Afterall, he is the One who allowed us to be there and the only One who can get us free.
Beams Away!
Life became the pits for Daniel in the Old Testament, and it became such for the sole reason that he chose to obey God. In other words, he followed the rules of God, did what was right and found himself in a literal pit of lions with no perceivable way out. If I were in that pit I probably would have been scratching the walls stuggling to get out. Yet Daniel did not. He was able to be still and realize his Savior amidst his situation.
Oswald Chambers said this "...it doesn’t matter how difficult the circumstances may be. God orchestrates every force at work for His purpose in the end. If you will agree with God’s purpose, He will bring not only your conscious level but also all the deeper levels of your life, which you yourself cannot reach, into perfect harmony."
May we stop struggleing and scratching our way out of the pit. May we stay in whatever pit we find ourselves, stand firm and wait upon the Lord. Afterall, he is the One who allowed us to be there and the only One who can get us free.
Beams Away!
Monday, October 3, 2011
This is Only a Test, If This Were Really Important...
Yesterday morning in Sunday School (Faith Journey), Laura and I informed our Jr. High Confirmation class they would be "tested" on the material we had covered. They laughed, then I told them that we were serious. They laughed again. Then, I told them that we were serious. Now they were incredulous. "Why would we be tested on this?" What a great question!
I have heard it said that we only measure the things we deem to be important. This is part of the reason why companies have outcome measures and schools have tests. But if it is true that we only measure the things we deem to be important, then what can we conclude, when we don't measure anything related to what is taught on Sunday mornings?
We don't want the Jr. High students to be stressed out, and so we are going to have a fun review next Sunday via the format of "The Family Feud" game show. In the near future, we will also have them meet with some elders in the church to "test/review" with them the things they have been learning. This is not to find out what they don't know, it is for students to express what they are learning and applying. Now this should be exciting for them.
However, what struck me at the end of the class was a series of questions Laura and I asked. The first question went like this, "Is it at least partialy true that you have tests in school because how well you do in school will in some regard determine how successful you are in life?" They answered "Yes." The next question was, "Do you think the information we share with you in this class about who God is, who we are and how our Creator has created us to live, will determine how successful and content you are in life?" They were silent. Some even said, "No." Laura asked the students, "Do you think this information is relevant and important to how you live for eternity?" They had not thought of that question.
Oh how far we have come. By never testing, nor being explicit that we expect anything from students on Sunday mornings, have we not communicated that the information being shared is secondary and optional? When I mention the "we" in the previous sentence, do you interpret that to mean, "we" -the Sunday School teachers." Or did you interpret the "we" to mean, "us" the parents or "us" the congregation member who made a commitment to help this student grow up in the knowledge of Christ.
If we are going to be guilty of anything in relation to teaching students about God's Word, may we be guilty of expecting too much of them rather than too little. Television has those occassional and annoying test that interrupt programs and say "This is only a test, if this were a real emergency, you would have been expected..." By expecting much and testing periodically with what students are being taught, may we send them the message that "This is a test and because its important there is urgency and continually testing."
Beams Away!
I have heard it said that we only measure the things we deem to be important. This is part of the reason why companies have outcome measures and schools have tests. But if it is true that we only measure the things we deem to be important, then what can we conclude, when we don't measure anything related to what is taught on Sunday mornings?
We don't want the Jr. High students to be stressed out, and so we are going to have a fun review next Sunday via the format of "The Family Feud" game show. In the near future, we will also have them meet with some elders in the church to "test/review" with them the things they have been learning. This is not to find out what they don't know, it is for students to express what they are learning and applying. Now this should be exciting for them.
However, what struck me at the end of the class was a series of questions Laura and I asked. The first question went like this, "Is it at least partialy true that you have tests in school because how well you do in school will in some regard determine how successful you are in life?" They answered "Yes." The next question was, "Do you think the information we share with you in this class about who God is, who we are and how our Creator has created us to live, will determine how successful and content you are in life?" They were silent. Some even said, "No." Laura asked the students, "Do you think this information is relevant and important to how you live for eternity?" They had not thought of that question.
Oh how far we have come. By never testing, nor being explicit that we expect anything from students on Sunday mornings, have we not communicated that the information being shared is secondary and optional? When I mention the "we" in the previous sentence, do you interpret that to mean, "we" -the Sunday School teachers." Or did you interpret the "we" to mean, "us" the parents or "us" the congregation member who made a commitment to help this student grow up in the knowledge of Christ.
If we are going to be guilty of anything in relation to teaching students about God's Word, may we be guilty of expecting too much of them rather than too little. Television has those occassional and annoying test that interrupt programs and say "This is only a test, if this were a real emergency, you would have been expected..." By expecting much and testing periodically with what students are being taught, may we send them the message that "This is a test and because its important there is urgency and continually testing."
Beams Away!
Monday, September 26, 2011
Authority, Humility and The Holy
Recently, I have noticed the utter disrespect children have for adults. I thought this was because I was getting older, but a police officer I rode along with affirmed this as well. "It starts with the parents," he kept saying. I agree. Recently, I told some young kids playing on a playground to stop swearing. They asked me, "Who are you?" I said, "It doesn't matter, now knock it off!" To my amazement, they didn't care what I said. Now when I grew up, if an adult said that to me, I would have been terrified and worried that my parents would find out. There is no respect for authority and no fear either.
Further supporting the notion that respect for authority is evaporating, is the reality that we live in a postmodern world, where people are highly critical and suspect of anyone in authority. In France, very few people aspire to be leaders because there is such rampant disrespect for and constant blame placed upon leaders.
However, as an assistant coach of a 3rd and 4th grade football team, I have noticed a certain quality in the younger head coach. The head coach is a young man in the Navy. He is so different from so many other coaches because he respects the referees, the players, the other coaches and me. (He calls me "Mr. Cushing.") His respect and humility for authority and people in general is really different, it is seperate and set apart from all that is worldly. His respect for authority is rather holy.
Christians are called to submit to authority and live in humility. Christians as husbands should submit to their wives. Wives should submit to their husbands. Children should submit to parents. Employees should submit to empolyers. Congregations should submit to their pastors and leaders. All Christians should submit to civil authorities and Christians are to consider other's interests as more important than their own. And of course we are all to submit in humility to the Lord.
Do we have a spirit of humility at CrossPoint, with our family, at work, etc.? Does being holy as God is holy require humility and submission? What is at stake if we don't live in humility and submission to those in authority over us?
Romans 13:1-4 says, Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you.
God's word tells us that our inability to live in submission and humility to those in authority is rebellion against the holy God. Also, this passage assumes this rebellion is caused by fear of authority and it brings bondage from which God wants us freed. If we struggle with authority, its is because we are struggling with fear. Fear of what? I believe it is the age-old problem of fear of being out of control and under the control of someone else. This fear of being controlled by those in authority is really lack of faith in the holy who has instituted those in authority.
In short, when we do not live in humility and submission to authority, we are rebelling against God, ruining our witness for Christ, failing to live a life that is holy and living in fear rather than faith.
May CrossPoint be marked by our sincere, pronounced and pervasive quality of humility and submission so that others would notice our freedom, desire our faith and also submit to the Holy One. Without such humility is it not as compelling for others to pursue being holy.
Beams Away!
Further supporting the notion that respect for authority is evaporating, is the reality that we live in a postmodern world, where people are highly critical and suspect of anyone in authority. In France, very few people aspire to be leaders because there is such rampant disrespect for and constant blame placed upon leaders.
However, as an assistant coach of a 3rd and 4th grade football team, I have noticed a certain quality in the younger head coach. The head coach is a young man in the Navy. He is so different from so many other coaches because he respects the referees, the players, the other coaches and me. (He calls me "Mr. Cushing.") His respect and humility for authority and people in general is really different, it is seperate and set apart from all that is worldly. His respect for authority is rather holy.
Christians are called to submit to authority and live in humility. Christians as husbands should submit to their wives. Wives should submit to their husbands. Children should submit to parents. Employees should submit to empolyers. Congregations should submit to their pastors and leaders. All Christians should submit to civil authorities and Christians are to consider other's interests as more important than their own. And of course we are all to submit in humility to the Lord.
Do we have a spirit of humility at CrossPoint, with our family, at work, etc.? Does being holy as God is holy require humility and submission? What is at stake if we don't live in humility and submission to those in authority over us?
Romans 13:1-4 says, Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you.
God's word tells us that our inability to live in submission and humility to those in authority is rebellion against the holy God. Also, this passage assumes this rebellion is caused by fear of authority and it brings bondage from which God wants us freed. If we struggle with authority, its is because we are struggling with fear. Fear of what? I believe it is the age-old problem of fear of being out of control and under the control of someone else. This fear of being controlled by those in authority is really lack of faith in the holy who has instituted those in authority.
In short, when we do not live in humility and submission to authority, we are rebelling against God, ruining our witness for Christ, failing to live a life that is holy and living in fear rather than faith.
May CrossPoint be marked by our sincere, pronounced and pervasive quality of humility and submission so that others would notice our freedom, desire our faith and also submit to the Holy One. Without such humility is it not as compelling for others to pursue being holy.
Beams Away!
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Realizing the Holy and Hell's Reality
Recently there has been debate among professing Christian leaders regarding the Doctrine of Hell. Some uphold the 2,000 year old doctrine, while others object to the notion that God could send people to hell for eternity. Despite scripture's teaching on the subject, those who object, do so because this doctrine seems extreme in its punishment and this doctrine appears to malign God's character as loving and merciful. They object in part as an effort to save God's reputation. But in saving God's reputation, they are abolishing God's essence, which essentially is a dismissal of God as God.
What is important to understand about this debate is what is ultimately at stake. For those who are offended by the doctrine of Hell, they are offended because people's souls are at stake. They object that God could send people to hell. However, for those who support the doctrine of Hell, they ardently and rightly affirm this doctrine because something far more important is at stake. What is at stake is the recognition of the holiness of God. It is God's holy justice in response to our unholy, profaning rebellion that demands a punishment of hell. Holiness is God's essence and the essence of God's holiness demands hell. Therefore, for us to object to this reality is to object to God's essence and character.
John Brown, a Nineteenth-century Scottish theologian once said, "Holiness does not consist in mystic speculations, enthusiastic fervour's, or uncommanded austerities; it consists in thinking as God thinks, and willing as God wills." Perhaps when people object to the reality of hell as revealed from scripture its because they are simply not thinking or willing as a holy God thinks and wills. As this debate within Christian dome continues, it might behoove us to remember God's essence of holiness which means, "His ways are not our ways." Also it is important to remember Jesus' words in Matthew 11:6, "Blessed is the one who is not offended by me."
In short we object to the doctrine of hell, and it is this very objection that proves our sinful nature's objection to a holy God's essence and character. While the reality of hell can speak to the terrifying aspect of God's holiness, we also see that God's holiness is utterly awe-inspiring. Furthermore, because of Christ we are spared the terror and are afforded the opportunity to enjoy the blissful overwhelming Holy One.
Beams Away.
What is important to understand about this debate is what is ultimately at stake. For those who are offended by the doctrine of Hell, they are offended because people's souls are at stake. They object that God could send people to hell. However, for those who support the doctrine of Hell, they ardently and rightly affirm this doctrine because something far more important is at stake. What is at stake is the recognition of the holiness of God. It is God's holy justice in response to our unholy, profaning rebellion that demands a punishment of hell. Holiness is God's essence and the essence of God's holiness demands hell. Therefore, for us to object to this reality is to object to God's essence and character.
John Brown, a Nineteenth-century Scottish theologian once said, "Holiness does not consist in mystic speculations, enthusiastic fervour's, or uncommanded austerities; it consists in thinking as God thinks, and willing as God wills." Perhaps when people object to the reality of hell as revealed from scripture its because they are simply not thinking or willing as a holy God thinks and wills. As this debate within Christian dome continues, it might behoove us to remember God's essence of holiness which means, "His ways are not our ways." Also it is important to remember Jesus' words in Matthew 11:6, "Blessed is the one who is not offended by me."
In short we object to the doctrine of hell, and it is this very objection that proves our sinful nature's objection to a holy God's essence and character. While the reality of hell can speak to the terrifying aspect of God's holiness, we also see that God's holiness is utterly awe-inspiring. Furthermore, because of Christ we are spared the terror and are afforded the opportunity to enjoy the blissful overwhelming Holy One.
Beams Away.
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