Worth Repeating

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“Put another way, Jesus is God’s perfect pitch – the divine tuning fork to the eternal. Every tuning fork needs to be struck to be heard. The striking of the eternal, unchanging tuning fork of heaven took place when a young virgin gave birth to God’s only Son in an obscure village in first-century Israel. It struck again on a never-forgotten Friday, with the pounding of six-inch nails. The fork struck a third time – on the third day – when a meek and lowly Nazarene split a tomb wide open and came forth in resurrection life. Heaven’s tuning fork continues to strike today. But whenever we Christians fail to hear it, we lose our way.”

Leonard Sweet and Frank Viola from Jesus Manifesto

Book Review : Jesus Manifesto

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 Modern Christianity has an image and idea of who Jesus Christ is. Sadly, that image does not match who the real Jesus is. Along the way we have lost the reality of the person of Jesus Christ while striving to follow and be like Him. This is what Frank Viola and Leonard Sweet write about in their new book, Jesus Manifesto. This book is a clarion call for the believer and the church today to embrace Jesus for who He is: eternal, sinless, the once-for-all atoning sacrifice, the Son of God. It is a call to reject the notion that Jesus Christ can be who we want Him to be. It is a call to reject the notion that Jesus Christ is merely a wish-granter or a back-up plan. It is a call to reject the notion that Jesus Christ needs to be defended in social and political circles. Jesus Manifesto holds the key to spiritual renewal and revival. That key: see the resurrected Jesus and embrace Him.

Viola and Sweet have penned a masterpiece in my opinion. They have successfully shown, through scripture, how Jesus Christ penetrates every point of life because He is life. As I read this book, I found myself at a loss for words. This review won’t do the book justice. I was challenged by this book greatly. Challenged to love Him and see Him as never before. Convicted as well. This book is about a person. Viola and Sweet write, “So what is Christianity? It is Christ. Nothing more. Nothing less. Christianity is not an ideology or a philosophy. Neither is it a new type morality, social ethic, or worldview. Christianity is the ‘good news’ that beauty, truth,a nd goodness are found in a person. And true humanity and community are founded on and experienced by connection to that person.”  Pick up this book and read it. You will not be disappointed.

On This Memorial Day

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Across the nation today, Americans are celebrating Memorial Day. Each one celebrates in a different way. Some celebrate through family picnics and cookouts. Some celebrate by spending the day at the beach. Regardless of how we celebrate, it is the sacrifice of the millions of our military who have given us the ability to enjoy life as we know it. To all of our veterans, veteran’s families, and active duty military I say “thank you” for you service.

I have posted a video below that tells the story of what we are celebrating today better than any words. Please take time and watch it. The sacrifice of our military men and women giving their lives for our freedom can only be paralleled with the price Jesus Christ paid for our freedom. Enjoy.

 

The SBC in Orlando

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Messengers from SBC churches will be headed south to Orlando for the annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention on June 15th-16th. I have been able to attend several of these meetings and really enjoy them. However, I have missed the last three (San Antonio, Indianapolis, and Louisville). One highlight of the trip is the Pastors Conference on the front end of the meeting. This conference is a great opportunity to sit, relax, and decompress while listening to some of the nation’s greatest preaching and teaching. Pastors rarely have the opportunity to sit and be “preached to”. This conference allows for a recharging and re-energizing. The theme for this year’s conference is “Greater Things”. You can view the schedule of speakers here. In my opinion, this is the best line-up of speakers in recent memory.

The annual meeting itself is a mixture of business, music, and preaching. The business sessions include the election of officers, offering of resolutions, agency and entity reports, and miscellaneous business items. There is really no way to know what the messengers will be voting on. Motions can be offered on most anything, and usually are. This year, there is one item of business the messengers know they will be voting on. The recommendations from the Great Commission Resurgence Task Force will be presented for approval.

This year is an election year. Messengers will electing a new president. As of today, there are four candidates in the race. Recently all four candidates were asked a series of questions about their candidacy covering subjects such as SBC vision, future challenges, the Great Commission Resurgence Task Force, and the Cooperative Program. Here is a brief description of the four.

1. Dr. Bryant Wright:  Dr. Wright is the Senior Pastor of Johnson Ferry Baptist Church in  Marietta, GA. You can read his interview here.

2. Dr. Jimmy Jackson: Dr. Jackson is the Senior Pastor of Whitesburg Baptist Church in Huntsville, AL and the president of the Alabama Baptist State Convention. You can read his interview here.

3. Dr. Ted Traylor: Traylor is the Senior Pastor of Olive Baptist Church in Pensacola, FL and is a former president of the Florida Baptist Convention. You can read his interview here.

4. Dr. Leo Endel:  Endel is the Executive Director of the Minnesota-Wisconsin Baptist Convention and a former president of the Baptist Convention of Iowa. You can read his interview here.  

As of today, I am planning to vote for Ted Traylor. I was a Florida Baptist for eleven years. Dr. Traylor gave solid leadership to the state convention and I believe he will lead well at the SBC level.  This year’s meeting  will be eventful and meaningful. It is also a meeting that will set the course of our convention for years to come.

FIFS : John 3:30

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“He must increase, but I must decrease.” 

When something increases, you begin to see more of it. It becomes more influential. It becomes more prominent. You can’t help but notice it. On the other hand, when something decreases, you begin to see less of it. You lose sight of it. It becomes less influential and prominent. Think for a moment about a flood. When an area floods, the water that had not previously received much attention suddenly gets all the attention. You can’t help but notice it. For a period of time, the “increase” in water is on everyone’s mind. Once the flood waters begin to recede, less and less attention is given to it. It is not on everyone’s mind as much. Once the flood water “gets out of the way”, you can see a change.

John writes about “getting out of the way”. John the Baptist says that  He (Jesus) must increase, become more prominent, more influential and that I (John) must become less prominent, decrease, and get out of the way.  More than ever there is a need for Jesus Christ to be more prominent. People today need to see Him and not us. For this to happen, each one of us must make the decision to decrease, or “get out of the way” so that Christ can be clearly seen. How do we decrease? Decreasing comes from surrendering our will, desire, and pride to Jesus Christ. Daily. When we get out of the way and Jesus Christ becomes more prominent and influential, there will be a permanent and lasting change in us and those around us. Much like the permanent change left by flood waters.

 

Worth Repeating

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“The Sunday School is the church organized to do the work of the Great Commission. All other organizations within the church (discipleship training, choirs, etc) recruit its people from those who are already part of the church fellowship. The Sunday School alone is the organization with the task of reaching people. Therefore, it is imperative the main objective for the Sunday School be reaching lost and unchurched people. We must have a heart for the Great Commission. If we do not, then not only will the Sunday School regress but so will the other organizations within the church which enlist those who have been brought in through the Sunday School ministry. Therefore, if the Sunday School does not reach people, then the whole church suffers.”

Allan Taylor, from his book The Six Core Values of Sunday School

FIFS : Galatians 2:20

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“I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. ”

Dead Man Walking. This phrase is often used to describe prisoners on death row. Having been condemned to death, they walk around alive, yet waiting on their sentence to be carried out. A fearful thought. For the Christian, this phrase also describes their life. We were at one time condemned to death. A sentence handed down when, in the garden, Adam fell. Instead of being fearful, this thought is one of encouragement.

As you read what Paul has penned, you are able to sense the appreciation for what Christ had done for him and also his expectation of future care. Paul brings to our attention Christ’s crucifixion. Dying in our place. As Paul gave his life to Christ, he died to himself. He crucified the old nature and no longer lived for himself. Instead, Jesus was living in him. He was no longer his own. This new life was possible to him because of a sacrifice. There is a struggle within every one of us. The old nature is at war with the new nature. The old belief system is at war with the new belief system. It is through the crucified and risen Savior that we are able to crucify, or put to death, the old nature that will always plague us. This is a daily decision. A daily commitment. Daily, I must decide that Jesus will have first place in my life. Daily, I must decide that Christ’s name means more than my pride or want. Daily, I must decide to live in such a way that points others to the cross.

As Christians, we walk through this life alive in the Spirit and dead to self, sin, and pride, all because of a place called Calvary. We should live like dead men. After all, that is what we are.   

Worth Repeating

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“If prayer stands as the place where God and human beings meet, then I must learn about prayer. Most of my struggles in the Christian life circle around the same two themes: why God doesn’t act the way we want God to and why I don’t act the way God wants me to. Prayer is the precise point where those two themes converge.”

Philip Yancey

My Thoughts on the Final Report of the Great Commission Resurgence Task Force

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One week ago, the Great Commission Resurgence Task Force released their final report, including recommendations to be made to the messengers in June at the SBC Annual Meeting. I had written previously on the initial report that was released back in February. This final report was greatly anticipated across SBC life. There was a belief that that final report would contain recommendations that were not listed in the initial report. That did not happen. There was however a new wording of the previous recommendations with some additional explanation of the task force’s thoughts on their work. Also, one of the original components was divided into two separate recommendations. New to this report is a series of challenges set forth by the task force. There are challenges issued to the individual Christian, individual families, local churches and pastors, local associations, state conventions, Lifeway, our seminaries, the Ethics and Religious Liberties Commission, Guidestone, and all Southern Baptist leaders. These challenges reflect how each group can do their part in carrying out the Great Commission.

The final report includes seven recommendations written out in the form that each will be presented to messengers in June. As parliamentary rule goes, this report, including all seven recommendations will be voted on as a whole, unless a motion is made to divide and vote on each one individually, which is 99.9999% likely. I hope this is the case. I believe that an up/down vote on the entire report would not be in the best interest of the convention. However, I am just one pastor. Listed below are the recommendations exactly how the messengers will receive them. If presented as a whole, I would still have to vote no.

Recommendation #1:

“That the messengers to the Southern Baptist Convention, meeting in Orlando, Florida, June 15-16, 2010, adopt the following as the mission statement of the Southern Baptist Convention:”

As a convention of churches, our missional vision is to present the Gospel of Jesus Christ to every person in the world and to make disciples of all the nations.

I plan on voting yes on this recommendation. I feel this is a good solid vision for the convention as a whole while allowing the church to keep their individual visions.

Recommendation #2:

“That the messengers to the Southern Baptist Convention, meeting in Orlando, Florida,  June 15-16, 2010, adopt the following as Core Values for our work together:”

CHRIST-LIKENESS

We depend on the transforming power of the Holy Spirit and prayer to make us more like Jesus Christ.

TRUTH

We stand together in the truth of God’s inerrant Word, celebrating the faith once for all delivered to the saints.

UNITY

We work together in love for the sake of the Gospel.

RELATIONSHIPS

We consider others more important than ourselves.

TRUST

We tell each other the truth in love and do what we say we will do.

FUTURE

We value Southern Baptists of all generations and embrace our responsibility to pass this charge to a rising generation in every age, faithful until Jesus comes.

LOCAL CHURCH

We believe the local church is given the authority, power, and responsibility to present the Gospel of Jesus Christ to every person in the world.

KINGDOM

We join other Christ-followers for the Gospel, the Kingdom of Christ, and the glory of God.

I plan on voting yes on this recommendation. These are solid value to pursue.

Recommendation #3:

 “That the messengers to the Southern Baptist Convention, meeting in Orlando, Florida, June  15-16, 2010, request the Executive Committee of the Southern Baptist Convention to consider recommending to the Southern Baptist Convention the adoption of the language  and structure of Great Commission Giving as described in this report in order to enhance and  celebrate the Cooperative Program and the generous support of Southern Baptists channeled through their churches. We further request that the boards of trustees of the International Mission Board and North American Mission Board consider the adoption of the Lottie Moon and Annie Armstrong offering goals as outlined in this report.”

I plan on voting no on this recommendation. I personally believe that creating another description of giving in order to recognize and celebrate churches that choose designated giving over CP giving will only lessen the emphasis on Cooperative Program giving.

Recommendation #4:

” That the messengers to the Southern Baptist Convention, meeting June 15-16, 2010, request  the Executive Committee of the Southern Baptist Convention to consider any revision to the  ministry assignment of the North American Mission Board that may be necessary in order to  accomplish the redirection of NAMB as outlined in this report; and that the Board of  Trustees of the North American Mission Board be asked to consider the encouragements  found within this report in all matters under their purview.”

I plan on voting yes on this recommendation. I share the concern for a re-emphasis of the North American Mission Board.

 Recommendation #5:

“That the messengers to the Southern Baptist Convention, meeting June 15-16, 2010, request  that the Executive Committee of the Southern Baptist Convention and the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention consider a revised ministry assignment  for the International Mission Board that would remove any geographical limitation on its mission to reach unreached and underserved people groups wherever they are found.”

I plan on voting no on this recommendation. On the surface this recommendation makes sense. With the recent funding issues of IMB missionaries, it seems appropriate to me to keep their focus, time, and resources committed to people groups around the world.

Recommendation #6:

 “That the messengers to the Southern Baptist Convention, meeting June 15-16, 2010, request the Executive Committee of the Southern Baptist Convention to consider working with the leadership of the state conventions in developing a comprehensive program of        Cooperative Program promotion and stewardship education in alignment with this report.”

I plan on voting yes on this recommendation. I feel that the state conventions are in the best position to promote and educate the local churches regarding the Cooperative Program.

Recommendation #7:

” That the messengers to the Southern Baptist Convention, meeting June 15-16, 2010 in  Orlando, Florida, request the Executive Committee of the Southern Baptist Convention to consider recommending an SBC Cooperative Program Allocation Budget that will increase the percentage allocated to the International Mission Board to 51 percent by decreasing the  Executive Committee’s percentage of the SBC Allocation Budget by 1 percent.”

I plan on voting yes on this recommendation. More funding to the IMB is vital to the effectiveness of missionaries around the world in pushing back lostness. With the task of CP promotion and education taken from the Executive Committee and placed in the hands of the state conventions, it is a good idea to reallocate what the EC used for CP promotion and education and forward that to the IMB.

As a pastor I feel this is an important time in the life of the Southern Baptist Convention. The passing of and rejection of these recommendations can and will have far-reaching effects upon Southern Baptist life as we know, effecting conventions, associations, and local churches. None of these recommendations will be implemented immediately. These proposed changes to the structure of the SBC may be years in the making. What we must do as a local is make an individual commitment to carrying out the Great Commission where we have been planted by God. I believe in the Southern Baptist Convention, but I believe in the local church more.

Book Review : Change Your Church For Good

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 Across America today, churches are dying and they shouldn’t be. In some cases it is the fault of the congregation. In some cases it is the fault of the leader. Regardless of who is at fault, churches should be alive and thriving. Brad Powell has written a great work called Change Your Church For Good. Powell is the senior pastor of NorthRidge Church in Plymouth, MI. He writes from his experience in churches that have not always thrived. Powell has real credibility in that he has led his church from decline to a place of thriving success. Change Your Church For Good is the story of the “how” NorthRidge made the turn, along with practical concepts for every church leader. Powell constantly reminds the reader that churches can be changed with compromising the truth.

Powell reveals what keeps the church on the path toward death. Things like no clear vision, the leaders lack of courage to lead, traditions, irrelevant ministry, and poor location keep the church from becoming true change agents. Once identifying the problems facing the church, Powell gives ten solid principles for, as he says, “turning the ship’s wheel of the church”. Change Your Church For Good is not a how-to, do-this-and-all-will-be-perfect book on church growth. Instead, he gives the principles that have worked on the field of ministry through trial and error.

Parts of this book challenged me. I found the sections on communication especially helpful. Other parts were good reminders. I believe this book will benefit pastors and other leadership staff. It is an easy read as Powell has made a very serious topic engaging and more easily understood, and offers hope.