Who's Your Ruler (measuring up)

Revelation 21:16
The city lies foursquare, its length the same as its width. And he measured the city with his rod, 12,000 stadia. Its length and width and height are equal.

The last four weeks our GPS bible study has had an interesting time learning how we measure our relationship with God. It’s not with a yard stick or tape measure that we mark with, rather it is with our deep relationship that we gauge our progress.

A man or woman takes up about 2 square feet of individual space, if you like to dance (our son enjoys spinning) then you take up around 7 square feet, if I’m dancing it would be two left feet.

The town I live in is about 6 square miles; Buncombe County measures 656 square miles, the 23 counties that make up Western North Carolina encompass 11,000 square miles. The State of North Carolina approximately 53,000 square miles, the United States from coast to coast including Hawaii and Alaska 3.79 million square miles and the planet Earth including water spans a mind altering 198 million square miles. So let’s put that into perspective to the city John describes here in Revelation. A mathematician estimated the size of the Johns description at 3 billion square miles. Oh, by the way, a Reed, the instrument that was given to measure with, was about 11 feet long.

What it comes down to is this, Who’s Your Ruler?

Philippians 2:6-7 Jesus, although he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, made himself a servant; he was born in the likeness of men.

We live in a town where the railroad tracks divide many communities and some places are considered “the other side of the tracks” yet in heaven there are no right or wrong side of the tracks, no subdivisions, political parties, neighborhoods good or bad. Too often we try to measure our way into heaven by the deeds we perform.

Our position in the community or a title at the end of our name, even the people we associate with gives us a feeling of satisfaction and stature in our businesses, communities and even churches. We demand equality in our relationships and in the way we are treated. Yet God uses none of these forms of measurement to determine our eternal reward. Only one act measures up to Gods expectations and that is accepting His son Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior. It’s measured with the blood Christ shed on the cross for our sins.

The dimensions John gives us in Revelations may be a challenge to wrap your mind around. Allow me to put it this way, the New City John describes would hold 15 planet Earths within its’ walls. Still don’t get it, I will put it like this; There’s room for you!

The Apostle Paul says in Ephesians 3:16-19 “to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge-that you may be filled to the full measure of all the fullness of God”.

Have you ever loved something so much that you would go to any length to be close to it? God wants to know you, every part of you. You can make a difference, Christ working through you, in the world around you, one person, 2 square feet at a time.

Flight Lesson

2Corinthians 11:15 So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds.

While flying at high speed fighter pilots are taught how to keep their perspective while flying extreme maneuvers. It’s easy for a pilot to become disoriented while making loops or rolling his jet during high speeds. You can get so caught up in the moment you forget where you are and the power you have in your hands. In each situation you have to know where you are as well as the equipment.

Many years ago a friend of mine took me up in a vintage 1941 Stearman Bi-Plane. I loved to fly so he invited me to go with him one day. We took off from historic College Park Airport in Maryland. As we began our flight, climbing higher and higher, he asked me a question, “Do you like rollercoaster’s?” Yes, I said. Wrong answer. He throttled forward, banked the plane to the left then right, dove towards the ground and pulled straight back on the stick and all I saw was blue sky. As we climbed the engine struggled and I watched the propeller stop spinning. I felt the control stick jam into my left thigh and we rolled over and began a barrel roll toward the earth. All I remember thinking was, ground, sky, ground, sky as we tumbled for what seemed a lifetime. My friend regained control and as we leveled out he pulled back on the stick again and we made a complete loop. As we reached the top of the loop, upside down, I flung my head back against the head rest to see the ground below me. “Breath!” he shouted over the headset. My weight pressed me against the seatbelts, as we came around the loop I felt weightless, then as we approached the bottom of the loop I was pressed down into my seat. My head was spinning but by now I was screaming like I was on a carnival ride. What a rush! I’ll never forget it.

My friend was a trained pilot and instructor he knew what he was doing. This wasn’t his first time. I wouldn’t not have gone on that flight with just anyone, I trusted him. The same is true on our walk with Christ. We must be aware of who it is we are taught by as we learn and become Christ followers. There are some popular teachings that sound religious and they include things about “God” but they are far from the truth. Worship God, His son Jesus Christ and the forgiveness of our sins that comes through the blood Christ shed on the cross. That’s it. It’s not a diet, you don’t have to go through anyone else to get it, it’s not church activities, or a special cause that gets you closer to God. It’s Jesus Christ only.

How do we prepare ourselves for this journey? The Bible has the words we are to apply to our lives daily. Getting involved with a group of Christ following believers is paramount to your success as you live and work in the world around you. Find a church that teaches from Gods word and learn how it applies to your life, each and every day. It’s a weekly relationship you can’t do without. When you learn how to apply Gods word to your life it will begin to provide the meaning and substance God created you for. Ask Christ into your life today by asking Him to forgive you of your sins and allow Christ first in your life. Ask Jesus to make you into the kind of person He wants you to be. You will learn this by associating with other Christ followers and learning Gods word from the Bible. It’s a lesson that will help you pilot life’s journey.

Everyone's A Stage

Recently I was sitting in the chair at the barbershop getting my hair cut. My barber is never short on stories to tell. I’m usually there first thing in the morning to get a haircut so the stories are fresh for that day. Some mornings I don’t feel like talking and will just sit quietly in the chair while he snips and trims my hair and I’m out the door without much conversation. During my most recent visit he told me something that was so profound it bears repeating.

This particular morning I was sitting in the barber chair retelling a story about a local group of churches that had put out a call for help for an event they wanted to put on and then refused help when I had offered services from our ministry. My barber put in the proper light. “Have you ever heard of the Opera ministry”, he said. “No”, I replied. “Well, he continued, it’s all about Me, Me, Me, Me!”

Hebrews 13:15 Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. ESV

Now I don’t think that most ministries are selfish or self-centered rather they are not always equipped to know how to work with others that have resources to help. Churches just don’t naturally work together. Guarding against pride and selfishness is something I have to work on daily in my own life and ministry operations. Ministry leaders will tell you that you must be focused on your objectives and not let anything or anyone distract you from your calling. For example many times someone has said to me, “This is the way we do it at our church”, or “nobody around here will like that”. Even better yet I’ve heard it said ‘church is not a performance’, usually in reference to various styles of praise and worship music or even preaching styles. You right, church is no place for a performance, and it’s a place for worship, yours’ and mine. Many times the music at a Christian concert has moved me to go beyond just watching and listening to worshiping and at times music in a traditional church has lulled me into a sleepy comma as the organist tries to keep up with the pianist and the congregation is a measure ahead of the choir director and everyone’s face is down inside the hymnal muffled by the pages. It’s not about music or message rather worship.

Matthew 15:8 "'This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; ESV

Recently as I was writing this, a local church asked me to sing for their Sunday morning worship. The church, two months prior, had lost its pastor and youth minister at the same time, basically pressuring them out because of their efforts to create a more contemporary format. They also informed me they don’t do the “Praise and Worship thing”. As I began to sing on Sunday morning, by the way, I was leading everyone in traditional hymns and asking them to sing along, we had the words on the screen but it was all traditional music. I noticed four people walk out. On Monday one of the deacons and his wife called me and told me in a most hateful manner, I quote “did you see those people leave? Well they left because of you!” Wow, thinking to myself. People refused to worship in song so they walked out and they blamed me. They were not there to worship me rather they were there to worship the Living God and couldn’t even do that. I couldn’t believe my ears; it became clear why the staff was gone.

I was standing on the football field at Dolphin Stadium in Miami during the Half Time Show of Super Bowl 41, I watched Prince perform to a sold out crowd in the pouring rain. As he began to sing one of his most popular ballads, Purple Rain, seventy-five thousand screaming fans rose to their feet waiving purple glow sticks and singing at the top of their lungs. Standing there on that field, in that moment gave me chill bumps down to my toes; I can still see it and hear it in my mind. Even people that didn’t like Princes music were on their feet swaying to the music, it was a moment you’d never forget.

Why then can’t we worship our Creator and Savior with the same fever? God made you his instrument, so you stand on the stage of His worship and raise your hands, sing your song, lift your eyes to the Maker of the Universe. You will never be without an audience; He is watching and all of creation applauding your worship.
Ephesians 4:12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,

Church One Day

by 6ene Blankenship, Jr

I went to church this Sunday
to sing, pray, worship and praise
At the end of the service a comittee broke out
They said when you come back again
Ask the Lord before you come in
If you should sing and sway whats that all about
Come back next week if it's church you seek
So off I went considering my song
Lord fill my heart make me strong
Next Sunday I went to church
To sing and pray this time to worship
Again I was told now listen here
Your worship was loud the music with a beat
Search your heart during the week
Is God in worship with that sort tone
Again I pondered how do I worship Christ, Gods Son
This Sunday I was met at the door
Did you pray they ask, did you do as we wish
My answer was short something like this
Yes I prayed much time on my knees I spent
Asking the Lord about this church I went
To sing and worship, praise and pray
The Lord answered me in this way
Go ahead sing and pray it's from your heart this music with a beat
Get off the pew, raise you hands, stand to your feet
As for the church you ask I wouldn't know
Their faces drawn their voices low
The comittee formed the people met
But worship Me they haven't yet

Church Grower or Church Goer

Since my wife and I began our path as church planters one thing has been consistent, opposition from other church goers. Now I don't think it is on purpose or malicious for the most part but as much as we have made it a point to reach the unchurched those that attend a traditional church have provided little or no support. Most of the people we meet and talk to about our church planting efforts are kind and supportive in word only. And that's ok with me. However it should be pointed out that a few denominations are on church planting sprees. If you go to a State Convention meeting or regional ministry association gathering you will probably hear them applaud someone who has started a church. (I think the applause is a nervous response of "glad it's not me") The only problem with this process is that this message hasn't got to the local congregations, the individual in the pew. Local church congregations and pastors talk about supporting missions overseas yet, America is slowly falling into a secular nation mind set.

The small church planter is strong and focused. He may not have a huge church backing him but never-the-less is called to grow the body of Christ. I think to my own experiences to planting in Western North Carolina. A church on every corner and yet the majority of them only have a handful of members left and the church membership is aging with hardly any young families. That's the WNC area. Our first year here we spent going and visiting with churches and various people that we thought wanted to be part of a church plant and to put it mildly it has fallen flat on it's face. And to be quit honest it has left me frustrated and feeling ill about the whole process. The blame is all mine. Even though I trust in God to guild me I have let my feelings get the best of me at times. This area even started a Church Planting Network but to be a part of the Network you had to pay a coaching fee which I thought was a bit corporate for my taste. Again this came from a very large church that had members putting money into church planting efforts that they picked not what was being planted. That has beed some of my experiences.

A church grower has a different mindset than that of the typical church goer. The church grower takes the task of spreading the gospel literally. The bible commands us to go make disciples. In 2011 the church is going to have to change to reach the young families of this generation. This will hit alot of nerves and make some that read this think who is he to say these things!? All you have to do is look on the bookshelf at the local Christian bookstore and look at the church starting section and you will see volumes of covers sharing the latest greatest church planting strategies. And even on Sunday morning it preached from the pulpit but the hearts of the congregations are not available or willing to support church planting. I'm not talking about money. Yes, it takes cold hard cash to start a church but even more important is the maturity of the Christ follower to help grow and reach the next generation.

The church goer may show up on Sunday sit in a Sunday School class and then occupy a seat during the preaching. Beyond that it may not go any further. If you are still reading take time right now and pray about your relationship with your heavenly Father and your own worship. Most preachers I've heard speak usually say at some point that we are not meant to merely occupy a pew. Yet, he would lose his job if he actually preached about the lack of vision and apathy in the congregation.

The Church Grower is a visionary. He is focused on the equipment it will take to get it off the ground. Lets just take for granted that the church planter has spent hours on his knees seeking Gods will and countless pages of study reading the bible for guidance. It takes getting people together finding equipment and letting the community around you know where you are. Although it can't be done by one person it usually is, the pastor/planter and his wife. Talk about burn out. There are no church planting support groups that can understand what he goes through to plant and start a church. One things for sure the people that need to read this won't ever see it. If they do please call me I will suggest how to help.

This post isn't for the weak hearted or those who don't like confrontation, ugh. It's for the one with a vision and a heart for adventure. Gods great adventure.

Have you heard

The other day I came across an announcement for a message entitled "wake up call for Gods people". It made me think, "are Gods people asleep?...yeah, pretty much." If we lived our lives as true Christ followers would we need a clever marketing strategy, book and cd series to wake us up.
Micah 6:7 "Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?"
What do we do to make things right with God? Do we increase our activities at church, enroll in a new committee, teach another class, become more involved in the church, tithe more? NO! Instead get on your kness and ask for forgiveness of the pride, the hatelful way you have treated people, for not standing up for what is right, for keeping silent when you should have spoken out, for putting your own agenda before Gods. The church, you and I, are not to be political machines in our worship. How are you and I different in Christ?
Matthew 3:8 Bear fruit in keeping with repentance.
Pride and self-importance don't bear repentance instead it looks more like "what's in it for me." You may not act like it on the outside but the heart reaveals true motives.
Jeremiah 4:14 O Jerusalem, wash your heart from evil, that you may be saved. How long shall your wicked thoughts lodge within you?
Keep reading, it gets' better. If you and I are to make disciples and share the life changing message of Christ in this world our lives must reflect Christ in us. The "wake up call" may simply mean getting your life in perspective to Christ. Before Christmas I read the story of George Washington at Valley Forge December 24, 1777. The story moved me and I told everyone in my family to read it before Christmas. It reminded me that men have taken a stand for whats right despite the overwhelming odds against them. Today we have forgotten what it means to stand-up for the right. Boldness is viewed as an undesirable trait. Yet these men stood in the face of great opposition and it proved victorious.
Have you heard that God loves you and wants to know you. Only through a repentant heart will you have access to the Creator and Father of Jesus our savior. Have you heard that your mistakes, pride and willful disobidience can be forgiven if you will ask. If you know Jesus as you Lord but have fallen into the trap of doing it your way repent ask Jesus to search your heart get right with Him and begin to live a life filled with the power of the Holy Spirit residing in you. Have you heard? Now tell someone.

Holy Day

Thanksgiving was awesome this year. Another fried turkey under my belt... literally. Last year was our first year to try fried Tom and everyone agreed, it's the way to go. So once again, we took the family out on a deer hunt, Suzanne stayed at home to prepare the fixins'. This was Devins first hunt and she enjoyed it very much although not a deer was to be found we still had a great time. Earl, our GPS Outdoors ministry leader took point as our trail guide alone with his daughter Fiona.

We spent about 3 hours in the woods then made our way back to the house. This is my time to cook, turn on the gas, light the burner, get the oil to temp and gently lower the 13.5 lb Tom into it's final resting place. 45 minutes later a golden bird is lifted onto our Supper plates for a tasty meal.

This year the whole family agreed that we needed to find the tallest tree we could get into the front door for our Christmas. So off we go to the Farmers Market and Suzanne our cheif negotiator goes to work. Suzanne is good, I mean she could have talked the gunmen off of the clock tower. The first tree vendor we come to has some very tall trees but for our needs it has to be thin and tall. So the owner takes us to a tree standing up against another tree and the light shown down, this was the one. No more looking around, stop, make sure it's wel shaped and let the negotiator loose. Suzanne begins her magic, I mean it's an art, we work as a team but she's the lead. She makes her offer, looking the owner square in the eyes, he counters, she makes one more offer and walks leaving me to explain. The two of us, men, now have a choice to make, I either exchange cash with the owner or we both walk away with our ears pinned back. We drive away with a 14' Christmas tree from the hills of Avery County. Her work here is done.

Christ is at the center of everything our family is and does. No one, nothing and no circumstance will ever change that. God can change a life one day at a time it's only our stuborn pride that truely hinders God from working through us and in us. Church leader, pastor, deacon, elder or member, if you put your pride aside and let Christ truley have first place in your life you will never be the same.

On the Road

We enjoy almost everything cowboy. I will be the first to admit that I don't work as hard as most cowboys I know. Some of the cowboys I know put in tremendous hours that no accountant gives overtime too. It's time in the saddle, so to speak.

This past weekend my family and I had were invited to hold Cowboy Church for the North Carolina Single Action Shooter Society State Match better know as Uprising at Swearing Creek in Salisbury, NC.

I gathered the whole family for this outing, besides Clay, my son, loves to stay in hotels, it's just something he has always liked to do and trust me he experiences everything possible when he gets there. We even brought Fletcher, our cowdog, along. You can't have Cowboy Church without the dog.

It's an experience to go out as a family to a new town. Especially when you're only gone for a day. As light as we tried to pack, including sound system for cowboy church, we still loaded the car down. So we loaded up the truck and moved to Bever... I mean headed for Salisbury. Once we got to town we dropped our luggage and headed for the range, (gun range) to check out where we going to put on Cowboy Church. One of the things I like about SASS is that know matter where you go you always run into friends from some other event. And we did just that in a matter of oh about 2 minutes of being on the range. We ran in to 4 people we had seen at the Del Rio Wild West Days in Tennessee. Plus a leather maker we met at the High Country Cowboy Shoot in Asheville.

I'll tell you right now I believe in my heart that this is how God wired me. Being on the road with Cowboy Church. It just makes me happy to see people that I met or that came to a Cowboy Church we put on somewhere else in the US. If I had my way I would do this every month in a different location.

Sunday morning comes (turn the clocks back) and we set up for cowboy church and 25 people show up. Suzanne, my wife, has been part of the service line up since I asked her to do a short devotional each week at drive-in church here in Asheville. And sure enough the ladies that were there got right in to it. We sang some songs and heard Gods message.

After the service we decided to go get a bite to eat and then go back to the final shoot-out. We said our good-byes and pointed our ponies west toward Asheville and reigned in another trail drive'n, hat tippin', church in the dirt.

Thank you Lord for the opportunity to share your message through ordinary lives, lived in extraordinary days, following an awesome God.

The Church Disfunctional

Another-one bites the dust. A recently hired youth minister here in Western North Carolina is out of a job. Although the details are sketchy the fact is he is gone. I know about some of this churches process because I had spoken to the search committee about the youth minister position and after they hired this young man this spring they assured me that they had found "Gods man" for the job. Yikes!

The church is losing youth by car loads. They are tired of the drama and politics of the "church tradition" and just don't want to deal with it in church. So they don't come to church. In this blog I'm going to put some thoughts out and I hope you respond with your views on this delima facing our churches today.

Let's look at a two areas affecting church growth in today's generation. The is first is structure and the second is format.

No one will admit it but it is widely known that if you make the wrong person upset in the church it could mean your job as a staff member is short lived. Why is this happening? The church staff should run the church operations not the congregation. Churches here in Western North Carolina are about ten years behind the worship styles in other cities. This may be upsetting to those of you who think that a piano and organ are the only acceptable forms for worship. If this is the case then I would submit that the worship styles in many churches is thirty years behind. If you walk into any Red Brick church in this area you will understand what I am saying. The music is driven by a 50 or 60 year old choir director and being accompanied by a piano or organist. And the music being played is from the Hymn Book. The young people that are there are dying from boredom. This is the thirty year gap I am speaking of. If the staff were to understand the need to reach today's generation and make the necessary changes to the worship format the church council would call an emergency meeting and discuss the future employment of their pastor, and choir director. And afterwards they (pastor, music minister, youth minister) may not have a job.

A youth minster will not be allowed to operate any program that would reach today's youth without upsetting the church body, if that church body is made up of traditional or older members. Don't get me wrong a mature church body is needed to pass on the knowledge of the scripture and relationship with Christ. A church stuck in a 1975 style it is not growing. Don't believe me, just look at how empty churches are today or just go and try to sit through a service. Most services are boring and cold. There are very few churches that are really reaching young families.

It's time to make room for the next generation and stop threatening to stop tithing if it doesn't go you way.

Second is format. Let's look at the youth ministry. Many churches youth format is lacking in depth and substance. So a youth minister begins to format a weekly program to fit the community. Well meaning church members begin to criticize the program and next thing you know your youth program is over and families are leaving. The youth ministry will never succeed like this. If the church body voted the minister in then they should be smart enough to know that it takes time to work out a new position. The opposite usually happens, the youth minister, at least here in Asheville, is gone within a few months of hire. This is not because of the youth minister causing problems, it is usually a result of the church body and staff feeling threatened by new formats and programs.

It is sad to see so many churches dying on the vine because they won't allow the staff to do their job. We have started 4 Cowboy Churches and even in the Cowboy Church this has been something we have faced. The cowboy churches here in North Carolina are just duplicates of the churches the pastors come from. Same old music and format. So how are we going to bring in young families, those that don't attend church now?

It is my observation that we need to update our delivery. The message doesn't change but the way we get it out needs to. Duplicating the church of our youth is not reaching the family of today. The baptist convention will say the same thing and everyone in attendance will nod their heads in agreement and whisper to their neighbor, "yes brother", but after they get back home and someone suggests changing the worship format you'll be the first one to assemble the search committee for a replacement staff member because someones on the way out.

If your church is losing members or not growing it's time to think about who the problem is. You'll either grow or make excuses for the short fall.

Yeah, I'm talking to you!

Invisable

"Membership has it's rewards", one business quotes to entice consumers to use it's services. Recently I have had some interesting conversations about membership in a church. And the responses I get are as varied as the number of people I have spoken too.

Does church membership equal rewards, earthly or eternally? Since I began my journey as a church planter I have encountered some, well-meaning, misinformed, yet educated men who have tried to set me straight, as it were, on how to "do" church, (cowboy church). Some have said, "if it doesn't meet on a Sunday then it's not church", others have said because we have church at a rodeo arena or outdoor venue that it is not church. I've been told that it's more of a "service" but it's not church. Most of these guys are career pastors with a salary and retirement plan. Most have never gone out and planted a church without a full time income to back them. It would be safe to say that most would not even venture into that arena for fear of losing their car or home.

So back to membership. If a church requires membership to participate in it's activities or voting power in which color the carpeting will be, or will the pastor be here next week or not, does this entitlement into the hallowed halls of church life provide a proper setting for christian service or social posturing?

Look at the following example. Recently I ran into a friend who is familiar with our church planting efforts here in Western North Carolina. To which our conversation began on the lack of vision residing in many of the nearly empty pews in the established church venues. In order to fulfil their desire to worship the Living God they go to a large church where they find comfort in just going in to worship and then leave with out making contact with another person upon entry and exit. Now what I know of church is the exact opposite of that experience. Church should be a place of sharing and carrying one anothers burdens. Instead church, in many eyes, is a social networking location of the popular and posturing population.

Any wonder why church is not meeting it's intended mission in our communities. Each week an email from the NC State Baptist Convention Worship consultant fills my in-box saying the same thing, maybe a little nicer but he is going around and hawking church services to observe their worship style or lack of and then sends his thoughts through the world wide web on how our churches are missing the mark in worship.

Like my friend who shows up each Sunday to the Mega Church, (because it's easy to be as face in the crowd), only to get fed and leave without any other contact save than that of the Holy Spirit. Do you get the picture yet? This is the coming generation of leaders in our churches. Why is the picture of so many of our churches filled with members only? I'll never forget Mark, the pastor of Victory Baptist here in Asheville said to me when I brought one of my ministry leaders and best friends to church one Sunday, Mark took me to the side and said,"You may not want to bring visitors with you right away until people get used to you being here." No kidding, this pastor was afraid of new people coming in and upsetting the "membership". Yikes!

Does membership have it's rewards in church? Where will the leaders of the church in 10 years come from?

Matthew 15:8 "'This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me;
Matthew 15:9 in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.'"

The Lord desires your authentic worship. John 4:23 But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.

The one membership that counts is the Grace of Christ and the salvation from our sins He gave us from the cross. Bring your worship and that is the membership with eternal rewards. Popular and posturing have no room in Gods Kingdom, His arms provide plenty of space for your worship, come as you are. Allow Christ into your heart to make you into the kind of person He wants you to be

Church Signs

Have you ever driven by a church and read the marquee. Some have quaint phrases or some profound message in a single sentence. Does it make you wonder, "who writes this stuff?", or "wow! I never knew that!", better yet, "what?!". Do you think Jesus carved a plaque for the front of his house with some deep thought from the writings of Moses, so that everyone who walked in would know he knew the "Book"?

It makes one think, doesn't it. Is there a book somewhere with these phrases listed by month and day, topic or doctrine? Maybe there is one for Southern Baptist, Mega Baptist, Methodist, or some variation of your denomination. What would the sign read if were layed out by the facilities neighbors, former members or past employees? Should churches even have a sign out front that is able to be changed daily or even weekly? Some mega churches have billboard size signs that splay it's activities for all that pass by.

So next time on your way to church think about the signs God is trying to get you to read. I'm not talking about words on a board but the words God is speaking to you each and every day through the life you live.

Look at this verse, Jesus said, Matthew 12:39 But he answered them, "An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah."

The people that put signs out for you to read may be as wayward as the passer-by. If you want the true word read the Bible, learn Gods word from the source. God may be putting signs in your path right now, the way you respond to His prompting is make Christ first in your life. Then you will be able to understand the signs that you pass by each day and determine which ones matter and the ones that mean nothing.

Don't be distracted by words on a marquee read what really matters. Gods words is a sign of His love for you and I. That's a sign worth a second look.

Leadeship

The other day someone mentioned to me that a local church was looking for a new pastor and that I should ask the search committee for an interview. The pastor of the church she was talking about had suddenly quit before the Wednesday service and he had only been there a few months. About 2 weeks before I happen to hear someone else talking about the same church and a recent interim pastor that had preached a couple of Sundays. They had mentioned how much they enjoyed the pastor that was filling in the void left by the younger pastor. The person also said, "I wish we could get him to be our full time minister". The only problem I saw with their request was that the interim pastor they were talking about was almost 90 years old and no one would relate to this pastor but the older members. How would that attract younger families?

So back to the original conversation with the individual that mentioned that I should apply at this church. My response was probably taken the wrong way but my reply was this, I said, "that church wouldn't want me!" Any more when I see a red brick building it makes me turn away because most of those congregations are running the young ministers off because they don't want a pastor to reach the young families that live in the communities around them, they want church to be like it was when they were young, 40 years ago.

Why do I keep coming back to the red brick church? Because there is so much pain and turmoil behind those walls. It's on my mind because God has put it there and I've got to address it. Now I'm not some influentional member of a denominational board or even looked upon for advise from church leaders but if I were I would be telling the older generation of the church leaders to wake up or get left behind. But no one is asking my opinion.

That opinion, by the way, is not only mine but the voice of so many crying out in our communities around us. If we go out and reach people for Christ, invite them to church and then drop them into 1974 it is not going to last. Those families won't stick around for very long. Recently I was having a conversation with a pastor that was afraid for his job, he was the pastor of a very volatile small town church, he had tried change with the church and almost got fired, so he bowed to the pressure and went back to the way it was. But he told me that he was afraid to try anything new because if he invited some of the young families around the church he didn't want them to come in and leave. So do you see the delima, a pastor afraid of new people because of his churches tradition. He is also afraid of losing the big tithers because they have threatened him with withdrawing their tithe. Wow!

Who will go!? Maybe someone who is reading this has an answer to reaching the young families today with the gospel of Jesus Christ. Someone with influence, fearless in the face of tradition, yet humble in the delivery of the saving message of our Lord and Savior. A new generation of the church, not the organization of Christians doing the business of the church which usually leaves in it's wake a path of disappointment and conflict, but a movement of Christ followers moving with the Holy Spirit leading and guiding their every move. This requires integrity, trust, strength and the ability to stand up for the cause of the Cross. Savy!

Red Brick Church

Do you think the church of 2010 is relevant today? You know the one, a red brick building that's been there since "19 something", and each Sunday there are 10 or 20 cars in the parking lot that could park 50 or 60. It's the one you remember from your childhood, the organist and pianist played each week and hymns were sung with every ones face buried in a songbook. It's "church from 1974".

If you walk in that church today it looks like, sounds like and operates like it is 1974. There may be 4 young families there only because they are related to someone in the church. The rest of the congregation is slightly older than retirement age. Does this sound familiar yet? This church is run not by the pastors leadership but by a few local families and if the pastor or staff do anything that doesn't fit into the "1974" model he may be a sermon away from getting kicked out. Another unemployed, young pastor. Seem familiar?

I'm not writing this to upset anyone but rather to hear your feedback.

The New Testament Church which Christ ordained is very different from most churches that are operating today. I see churches dying on the vine every day and the congregations that are the stewards of theses churches letting them fade into the past by not embracing the communities within their ministry. A lack of real leadership and vision.

Would Jesus accuse us of being "graves full of white washed bones"? Ill equipped to reach the communities around us.

Recently Earl (GPS Outdoors) and I were camping and ran out of fresh water. Since we were next to a large river we refilled our canteens with the cool, clear, rushing water within easy access of the camp site. Now, did I drink this water directly from the stream? No! If I did Earl would have to carry me out (not an option) or end up being air lifted out. It's a pretty river but not for drinking. Instead we used a water purification system to make this water drinkable and quench our thirst. The same may be true of many of the congregations today. Hearts are hard and proud. Only one person can wash us clean and purify us. Jesus. Do you hear what I'm saying?

God doesn't like proud or hard hearts. That's our will. How will He work if the church is an institution more concerned about individual feelings and traditions or how long this family has been in this church? Many of these places are almost empty today, I know I've been in them and the congregation sits distant and with arms folded not wanting to hear "that kind of music or a message like that"! Alot of church administration today is like trying to drink that water from the river, it may look good; cool and clear, but if you try it without being prepared it'll make you sick.

So tell me, what do you think? Where is Gods word of salvation in Christ going to be preached? That's His will. Can the Red Brick Church survive?

Is It In You

God, at times, can seem so far away. Understanding His plan for our lives seems complicated. The church establishment seems to create more questions than answers. Let me help you clear up some of the confusion.

First ask God for forgiveness of your sins. You may think that's corny or not cool but you've got to do it. Second believe that Jesus Christ is Gods only son, it's ok if you have questions but the only way we have access to God is because of what Christ did for us on the cross. Jesus provides that access for you and me. Third say it; Jesus I want you to live in my life, come into my heart, make me into the kind of person you want me to be. To have Christ in your heart you have to say it yourself, no one can do it for you. He'll change you from the inside out.

Seems too simple doesn't it but God says if you want to have eternal life you first have to know His son Christ Jesus. All your talents and all that you live for are because of who God made you to be. If you are wondering who God wants you to be just ask Him, he will show you, it's in a book called the Bible. You can do it. Get around other people who believe it, they can help. If you have questions about where people that believe in Jesus are just ask me and I can help point you to Bible believing Christ followers.

Don't put it off, do it today.

Lie'n Around

It's funny what happens in the life of a pastor. We work for little pay, or at least I do, put up with churhces that have us come and speak to their congregations but somehow forget to send us an honorarium that we agreed upon. It causes stress on me because I don't want to be a bill collector but I end up having to ask churches to pay me what we agreed upon. Then they don't want to pay.

Then there are those that think a pastor is the kind of guy they can walk over with no consequence. If I disagree with someone then I must not be the kind of pastor I should be. Recently I heard "you call yourself a preacher?" This came from a man who claimed to be law enforcement because when I challenged him to produce his credentials he refused. He did it to intimidate me but it didn't work so he has to find a way to get back at me, kind of like two boys on a playground. He may not do that again.

Does being a pastor and doing Gods will mean being a passive man and letting people walk over you.

As a pastor I have a family to care for bills to pay and try to lead people in worship. The problem lies with the human condition. Just because you claim to be someone doesn't mean that I automatically accept your claim. During a recent incident someone got involved in a conversation I was having on the phone. A lady just walked up and got in my face. So, I asked them to please mind their own business. But they continued to get involved. It was really weird. Since that happened all of a sudden I hear back that I cursed people out. Wow! It never happened but someone started the rumor. So not only does someone poke their head into my business now the same person has to make up a lie to make it sound better for there purpose.

I'm amazed that the same people will be in churches this Sunday, sing hymns, pray and look at you and smile. But God is not present. Maybe it's just Western North Carolina but our hypocrisy has no boundary.

Our move to Asheville has been difficult over the past 3 years. The church planting experience has been met with many obstacles. As I have been studying and going deeper into scripture I discover that this is nothing new. The Bible says expect trouble doing Gods work. It feels like I've been beat-up and then kicked while I'm laying on the ground. If you know me, one thing you'll soon discover is that I don't quit and I will question your authority. The Bible tells me to test the spirit and many of the men I come in contact with have a questionable spirit.

It's not pride or arrogance but knowledge that drives me to feel this way. The knowledge and power of God being bigger than all the darts and lies that come my way. The Bible warns of slothfulness as a way to ruin. What I have experienced while here in Asheville is not a physical laziness but a mental slothfulness. Double minded Christians or people claiming to be but only having a convenient relationship with Christ. If it fits their agenda then they make it fit into Christ. Instead of Christ changing, the attitude is I'll make Christ fit into my life.

Yeah we all make mistakes, pastors included, but I have yet to understand the Christian just waiting to strike at the first sign of weakness. My spirit feels like a long dusty trail, little rest and even less food and water. Green pasture seems like a distant horizon.

MERGE

2 Corinthians 5:20 tells us we are to be ambassadors for Christ. One of the goals for our young men and women is to be changed by Christ. We trade our wants and desires for who Christ wants us to be. The best way to learn this is to see it in practice. Better yet, go out and get your hands dirty working at who Christ want us to be.

So as we are on the path God has called us to, we help others MERGE into the life He has planned for us. I’ll put it this way, allow God to come into your heart and He will begin to change you mind (your old way of thinking), your sinful ways and you will see a change in your life.

You trade the road you are on for the one God wants you to follow; MERGE. Bible knowledge is good to have, Sunday School can provide deep insight, Preaching from the pulpit can stir you and a Wednesday night group can provide encouragement for your week but nothing preaches like experience. Putting it into action. Not just a casual relationship or book knowledge of Christ but changing our path for His.

MERGE will seek opportunities for our youth to put into action the lesson and values Christ wants us to share with those around us. You learn it then pass it on, teach it to someone else. It, the Good News, becomes part of their life, MERGE.

Preachin or Practicin'

There is a verse that recently caught my attention. Jeremiah 12:5 "If you have raced with men on foot, and they have wearied you, how will you compete with horses? And if in a safe land you are so trusting, what will you do in the thicket of the Jordan?

"How will you compete with horses?" We've had groups that said they would help support our work but no one ever shows up to work. Others have just out-right made up lies about us and yet the same men will stand in the pulpit and tell their members to "not quit" and yet they have told me to "give it up". Yet when I read this verse in Jeremiah it all makes a great deal of sense to me. The same opposition has been experienced by the heros of the Christian faith long before I was ever called to service for Christ.

Many of the church planter blogs I read have faced the same situations and do they quit, no! They are not called by man, they are called by the Holy Spirit. This doesn't mean that I am above anyone, only that God has called me to a purpose and I won't stop no matter what others say.

When Suzanne and I began our church planting mission we knew of the pit falls of church planting. It was a commitment we both spent much time in prayer about. Early on we made up our minds that our church plant would reach the unchurched, not the "swapped church." Now to qualify this let me explain. Many of the successful church planters that I know, you know, the ones that begin with 50, 100, 200 people. The majority of these members are from another church in the area and not unchurched. The planter mearly swapped people from one church to another. Are they really reaching the unchruched?

Thats the challenge in church planting, if you want to support the work you need people and those people need to tithe to support the staff. Then on the other hand if you are really going to reach to unchurched it will be a challenge to support that new work because people that haven't been raised in church take time to understand what it means to support Gods work. How does a church plant survive? Is a successful church plant a group of rechurched people with 150 each week in attendance or a room with 15 or 20 who have found Jesus, turned their lives around and that now have a personal relationship with their Savior that wasn't there before. The Southern Baptist would rather see 100+ strong with money coming in. How do I know this? It has been said to me.

It's hard with only 15 or 20 people showing up each week, but you know what, those that are showing up are comitted and will tell you their relationship with Jesus is new and strong. That doesn't look good on a monthly report. The Bible I read doesn't teach that, it teaches instead a mission of going to the lost and preaching the good news.

Yeah, we have faced opposition and I have learned that instead of saying "why me?", I say "why not me?". Thats a hard thing to face and even put up with when Christian leaders are the ones causing the opposition. God didn't call me to the paved path, He called me to the wilderness where people are and they need to hear the Good News in a practical way. That's how people come to know Jesus it's through a personal relationship.

Would you like to know Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior? You can ask Jesus in to your life right now. First you must admit you are a sinner, sin seperates us from God, ask God to forgive you of your mistakes. Next believe that Jesus is the Son of God and accept the gift He gave us of forgiveness, finally confess your faith in Jesus as your Savior. Ask Him to take up first place in your life. Now call us or email us and let us know of your decision and we will help you on you journey. If you live in Western North Carolina come over and visit with us, we would like to meet you and help you in your personal growth in Christ.

These are challenging times for us all. It helps if we have someone we can turn too, a friend that understands. God will never let you down, He wants to know you and has a plan for your life.

Shine'n Boots at the Rodeo

Here is a video I set up during the Southern Finals Rodeo in Asheville, NC Saturday night November 14. The Ag Center was packed and this video condenses 45 minutes of shining shoes into about a minute and a half. We shined shoes from 6 PM until 10:30 PM Saturday evening. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did being there shining all these boots. Earl (Trail and Outdoor Ministry Leader) is in the white hat and Gene (pastor) is wearing the black hat. All together we shined about 125 pairs of boots over the 3 day finals event. Look for us at a Rodeo - Shining for Jesus.

Don't quit

Things don't always work out the way we expect. You can plan for every possible turn and twist and still miss something along the way. Does that sound familiar? I've heard that tape play over in my head a time or two. The good news is that in Gods timing success and failure can be measured by the service given for the cause of the gospel. We all want to see doors burst open and crowds of people showing up to ministry activities. When in reality it takes boots on the ground and time in the saddle to effectively share the Good News in our communities. I was watching a horse trainer working with young horse and someone said how long should it take to get this horse trained enough to ride. The trainers comment back was one of a wise cowboy, he said, "wet saddle blankets", or better yet time in the saddle. No magic training session or slick presentation can replace the time honored advice of hard work and commiment to solid ground work. It all comes down to "wet saddle blankets". You just have to get in the saddle and go.

In John 9:4 Jesus says "I must work the works of him who sent me".

There is a time when all of the fancy books and seminars are over and a time has come to place a boot in the stirup, swing you leg over the saddle, grab the reigns and give a kick and go forward. Not everything will come with a wrapping and a bow. The work of the disciple or minister takes commitment and a willingness to accept there are people that will oppose their efforts and there are people that will support them. But in either case it is the motivation of the worker that wells up deep inside and causes them to move forward or retreat at the first sign of discomfort. Our examples come from Christs' service. You can't seperate Christs words from his life, they were bound together even to the cross.

To a cowboy church planter that equates to miles on my Ford, to you it may mean time in Gods word or getting involved in a small group. I would challenge you to stop thinking about it and get to it. Those words of the trainer still ring in my ears, "wet saddle blankets".