In the church, we have those who criticize the music.  “It’s too loud”, “doesn’t mention Jesus enough”, “the musicians aren’t skilled”, etc.

People who criticize Bible teachers are plentiful.  Teachers are complained about for being too positive, too long winded, too boring, and not deep enough, to name a few.

The problem with criticism is that it’s so subjective.  A great deal of opinion goes into criticism.

You know the old saying(s), “Opinions are like noses…” or “Opinions are like bellybuttons…” or “Opinions are like wristwatches…”  You get the picture.  Everybody has one.

The other problem with all this criticism is that it does a horrible job of representing a loving, forgiving Jesus.  We become a culture of fault finding, rather than a people of grace.  1st Peter 4:8 tells us that “Love covers a multitude of sins.“  I believe it also covers a multitude of sermons we didn’t care for, praise songs that were botched, and church decisions we didn’t agree with.

I often wonder how the rest of the world views a church that criticizes other churches for the way they worship, preach, decorate, or perform outreach.  Or, worse yet, a church that is full of gossip and division.  How is that environment supposed to appeal to the lost?  That’s like inviting a hurting person to come and be a part of an unhealthy, dysfunctional family! If our church signs were truthful, they’d say, “Come and be miserable with us!”

I’m not saying all criticism is bad.  Honest feedback can be a welcome gift, but I have reservations about anyone who makes it their “ministry” to criticize others.  There are better platforms to stand on.

If our role as Christians is to point others to Christ, then I suggest we be more like Jesus.  Sure he confronted pharisees, but he also healed the sick, freed the demon possessed, fed the hungry, and demonstrated greater love than any other in history.  Maybe we should hold off on the criticism until we’ve done some healing, delivering, feeding, and loving.

If we can be more like Jesus, more seekers will be drawn to Him.

We should think about that the next time we feel compelled to criticize.

“You may find hundreds of faultfinders among professed Christians; but all their criticism will not lead one solitary soul to Christ.” ~Dwight L. Moody

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Ever find yourself saying these things?  I know I have, many times.  Heck, I’m the king of “I just want to be in God’s will.”  In fact I’ve spent entire seasons of my life (sometimes lasting a year) trying to determine God’s will for me.

It can be a really unpleasant place to be, this position of in-between, uncertainty, and longing to know what to do next.  After all, we just want to make God happy right?

Although I can’t sit here and tell you exactly how God wants you to spend your life, I can tell you a few things that I’ve learned that will help you discover His plan without losing your mind in the process.

Learn to trust.  A cry for “clarity” is often an indication that we really don’t trust Him.  We want to see more clearly, but that’s because we don’t have faith that our lives are really in His hands.  Learn to accept uncertainty with grace and believe that He will not abandoned you to fumble around in the dark.

Do something. Sometimes we put the brakes on serving or committing to anything for fear that we won’t be available once we figure out what God’s will is.  Stop being so selfish!  There are bigger needs out there than the warm fuzzies you’re seeking.  Don’t you believe that God is big enough to move you on  when He’s ready to reveal His plan?  1st Peter 4:10 tells us to use our gifts to serve others.  To not be serving is to be out of God’s will, so serve.

Pray. To say that you’re “seeking God’s will” but to not be praying is simply lying about what you’re doing.  You’re just worrying about your future.  Seriously, there’s no single act that will bring you closer to discovering God’s will than praying.  In fact, God’s will is that you pray!  (1st Thessalonians 5:18)

Cultivate intimacy with the Father. In times when God is not offering you a plan or a map, He is offering you Himself.  Don’t mistake his silence for indifference.  It’s a call for intimacy and, in time, you’ll learn to cherish that quiet intimacy more than anything else.

God’s will is a call to become. At the end of the day, Father God is far more interested in who you are becoming than what you are doing.  Focus on becoming all that He created you to be and the doing will come naturally.  In fact, you may even find yourself stepping into His plan without even realizing it!

One last thing: God is not cruel.  He is not playing “find the plan” and deliberately making it hard on you.  He’s not high fiving the angels saying, “look at that idiot trying to find my will.”  His will is not a needle in a haystack that you have to find or God will be unhappy with you. He loves you and wants you to experience “life abundantly”.  He may even have several options for you to choose from.  He probably even wants you to have a wonderful time exploring them!

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I heard that phrase lots while I was growing up and, to be honest with you, I had no idea what it meant until well into adulthood (along with many other colloquialisms, I’m a slow learner).

The thing that really brought this alive to me was ministry, and dealing with such a variety of people.  I remember praying for a young man one night at the tail end of a church service.  He came asking for prayer because he was struggling with thoughts of violence.  He claimed he would drive the streets at night looking for a fight to pick.  He said he couldn’t help himself and really wanted God to intervene.  Out of the blue (or by inspiration of the Holy Spirit) I asked him what kind of movies he liked to watch.  He proceeded to give me a list of the most violent, agro-filled, angry films on the market.  What surprised me was that he really didn’t know why he felt so violent all the time!  He was clueless to the fact that all the garbage he was taking in was making its way out.

What we fill our souls with doesn’t end with our subconscious reactions to entertainment though.  One lesson I’m constantly reminding myself of, as a minister, is that I can’t give away what I don’t have.

As leaders, we have a responsibility to be filling up.  If we’re going to give others more than pithy sayings, trite answers, and fake smiles, then we MUST be filling ourselves up!  We must be on our knees before Jesus, we must be filling up on His word, and we must be gleaning from the faith generals that have gone before us.

So many leaders are running on an empty tank and they’re useless.  They’ve exchanged refueling for the sense of accomplishment they get from working ridiculous hours.

OK, I’m going down a rabbit trail so I’ll end.

You can’t squeeze blood from a turnip, you can’t get salt water from a fresh water stream, and you can’t get depth, wisdom, and anointing from a leader who isn’t deliberately being filled with the Spirit and wisdom of God.

Take time to be filled up.  Read, pray, rest, and grow.  The people you are leading need you to.

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Mission statements are extremely important.

A mission statement is like a compass.  It keeps you heading in the right direction when distractions or hard times come.  It keeps you focused on the main thing and urges you onward when passion wanes and feelings just aren’t there.

Since mission statements are so vital to organizations, I think they should be important to individuals as well.  After all, a stated ideal and standard for living helps to keep us moving toward the life God has for us when circumstances are draining our focus and passion.

A few years ago, I developed a personal mission statement that I could hang on the wall as a reminder when the going gets tough.  Needless to say, I reread it A LOT to keep me committed to what matters most.

Maybe it will inspire you to prayerfully write one.  What do you think?

I commit to always strive to grow in The Lord until the end of my days here on earth.  I commit to cultivating intimacy with God, communicating to Him through sincere prayer, passionate worship, and acts of service to Him and His people.  I will not give begrudgingly or sparingly, but I will give all of myself in relationship to Him because He worthy of this and far more.  I will read, listen, and run hard after Him with all of my soul, mind, and strength.

I commit to loving my wife with undying faithfulness, unrelenting commitment, and tender affection.  I will strive to treat her with great understanding knowing that she is my equal partner and God’s gift of new life according to 1st Peter 3:7.  I will raise my children in the way they should go and teach them to choose the right path according to Proverbs 22:6.  I will love them, protect them, care for their needs, and be a godly father to them.  I will be patient, gentle, nurturing, and honoring to my family.  I will refuse to allow work, hobbies, relationships, ministry, or the cares of this world to come between my family and me.

I commit to God’s calling on my life to creatively communicate His love and hope, to invest and lead those He gives me the privilege to do so with, and to be a blessing to those around me and abroad.  I will not forsake my calling because my calling will not forsake me according to Romans 11:29.  I promise to give, love, pray, sing, build, work, serve, and go beyond my limits for the sake of the call because His love compels me and my love for Him is beyond words!

Always and Forever,
Lee

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This is a picture of my copy of My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers.  This poor little book in a mess.  I’ve been reading this very copy daily for over 20 years!  The cover falls off and large chunks of the book slide out of I don’t hold it just right.  I love this book and I’ve wrung so much out of it!

I know it sounds strange, but this beat up old book really inspires me.  I look at it and think, “I want to be like this book.”

Let me explain:

This book gets read. It doesn’t just sit on the shelf looking pretty.  It has a message and that message is heard and makes an impact.  You’ve heard the saying, “You may be the only Bible the some people will ever read.”  Well, I want to be a book that God’s message can be communicated through.

I catch something new every time I read through it. Chambers is deep and that’s one of the things that keeps me coming back to this book.  One of my greatest fears is becoming stale and irrelevant.  I long to be a deep well that others can draw from.

It’s old but powerful. This one is much like the second one.  I know I’m not really old, but I’m at the halfway point in my life and I think often about how aging will effect the impact I’m able to make on the world around me.  I long to hold onto my zeal for Jesus and to keep my vision strong.

It’s spent. Seriously, look at that thing.  I really don’t know how much longer I’ll be able to go without buying a new one.  I’ve brought it everywhere with me for the last 20+ years.  I’ve read it over and over.  I don’t want to reach the end of my life wishing I’d been spent more for the cause of Christ.  I want God to wring every last bit out of me for His glory.

I love how Paul puts it in 2nd Corinthians 12:15, “I will gladly spend myself and all I have for you.”

Lord, spend me to the last ounce of all I have and am.  Amen.

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Let me be more specific; life is hard if you want to live it.  NOT living life is easy.  Just grab the remote, game controller, magazine, drink, or whatever other escape device you prefer and… cease.  Stop engaging.  Stop trying.  Just vegetate.  You have no idea how attractive that sounds to me at times.

The big lesson I’ve learned over the years is that living, REALLY living, is difficult.

Want a great marriage?  WORK for it!  Read books, attend conferences, talk to each other.

Want to raise great kids?  Put your back into it!  Take parenting classes, read, spend time with your kids.  For Pete’s sake your hobbies can wait!

Want to be in better shape?  Complaining about being fat won’t get you there.  Get up earlier and hit the gym.  It’s a pain.  It’s a struggle.  It can be a total drag but it is so worth it!

Almost two years ago I started my own business.  I can’t even tell you how many times I wanted to give up.  It wasn’t unusual to go for weeks without work.  IT WAS SO HARD!  But you know what?  It was totally worth it! If I would have taken the easy way, I would not be nearly as happy as I am today.

Choosing the difficult thing is not only immensely rewarding, but it also strengthens us.

As I move into the next big phase of my life (planting a church) I’m acutely aware that it’s going to be one of the most difficult challenges I’ve ever undertaken, but I also know it’s going to be worth it.  Lives are going to be changed, eternities decided, and needs met.  I’m confident that it will be worth it and, five years from now, I’ll be glad I decided to do the hard thing.

So what about you? What’s the hardest thing you’ve ever done?  Was it worth it?

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Christmas is almost here and my kids are exploding with anticipation!

I totally love their enthusiasm!  They go around the house singing Christmas carols, talking about what Christmas day is going to be like, even dancing!  It’s powerfully cute and it reminds me of myself at 7 years old.

The other day one of my boys came up to me and gave me a hug.  While he was hugging me, I felt something wet on my face.  I looked up to see that he was crying.

“Why are you crying?” I asked

“I just love you so much at Christmas time.” He said.  I’m not sure why the fact that it’s Christmas time moved him to tears when he loved on me but I almost wept myself.

I have to admit, I’ve been thinking an awful lot how I wish I felt the same way.  Instead of anticipation, I tend to just go through the motions.  Christmas can feel like so many additions to my task list, instead of a wonderful celebration.

All of this eager expectation that my children are experiencing reminds me of a very important time in my life.

I was in my late teens and I was soaking up God like a sponge.  I was reading through the Bible for the first time, attending church every time the doors were open, and serving in the youth ministry.

I remember the anticipation I would feel as I pulled into the parking lot of our fellowship.  I could hear the music coming from inside as I walked through the parking lot.  My pace would quicken and my heart would beat harder while I stepped through the doors.  I just knew I was going to encounter God there, and I did!

I spent many nights crying out to God for his touch on my life.  I prayed so hard for Him to use me.  I also shed countless tears as I thought about how much He loved me and I did my best to express how much I loved Him in return.

Much like Christmas, I tend to lose my faith anticipation a lot these days.  I don’t run from the car to the church doors expecting a touch from Jesus, I often see many of my faith practices as things to check off a task list, and I can’t remember the last time I wept at the thought of His amazing love.

It’s no wonder I pray the words of Keith Green’s song “My Eyes are Dry” so often.

My eyes are dry.  My faith is old.
My heart is hard.  Prayers are cold.
What can be done for an old heart like mine?
Soften it up with oil and wine.
The oil is you; your Spirit of love.
Please wash me anew in the wine of your blood.

Just as my kids anticipate Christmas, I long to anticipate intimacy with the Father in my life.  THAT’S  what I want for Christmas! Anticipation.  Expectancy!  A hunger for Jesus that supersedes regimen, fatigue, and whatever else the miles have left encrusted on the wheel wells of this aging hot rod.

That’s my prayer for you and for me; that we would be granted the gift of anticipation. That we would approach our faith like kids on Christmas eve.  That we would get our hopes up, that our pulses would quicken when we walk into a prayer meeting, and that we would cry tears of gratitude when we worship.

Amen.

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OK, the challenge officially begins!

In my last post I issued a challenge to get rid of some of the “stuff” that clutters our homes and our lives; to travel lite so that, when God calls, we can be available and not be weighed down by possessions we don’t need.

I called the challenge “Down to One” (D21) and the idea is to take things you have several boxes of, and narrow those things down to only one box.

My first self-challenge is an unusual one.  I have several boxes of MREs (Meals Ready to Eat).  I started stocking up on them a while back because they make great camping food.  They’re also convenient when the power goes out for more than a day.  All you have to do is add water, wait for them to warm up, and eat them.  They’re not too bad either.

Well, I haven’t camped in forever and it’s been three years since we’ve lost power for more than a day so they’re outta here!  The director of a local homeless shelter told me they would be massively appreciated there so I’m hauling them over on Friday.  So long MREs!

How about you?  Have you started positioning yourself to be used by God?  Have you been storing food that other people could use?

Tell me how it’s coming!

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One question I kept asking myself during the move was, “Why do we have all this stuff?!”  Don’t get me wrong, we’re not pack rats and we usually only shop out of necessity (as opposed to shopping because it’s fun or entertaining).  I just kept wondering why we were lugging so much stuff every time we moved.  It was really troubling to think we paid for so much stuff that was simply being stored in the basement or attic.  It pretty much sickens me to think that Americans have more stuff in storage than what the rest of the world owns COMBINED.

During the move, my wife kept bringing up really good “What if?” questions.  “What if God calls us to…” and “What if God asks us to give…”

What do “What if?” questions have to do with owning too much stuff?  Everything!  What if God calls us to overseas missions?  What do we do with all of our stuff?  Something tells me that Paul did not have a bunch of junk in a self-storage unit as he spread the gospel across Asia Minor.

What about the cost of all this garbage?  I wish I could get my money back for every DVD I only watched once or every book I never read or every accessory and trinket I thought would make my life so much better.  That money could have gone to sponsor a child or take that mission trip I said I couldn’t afford to take.  An even sadder situation is when people can’t afford to give or go because they’re strapped with debt.  An over-sized car payment or maxed-out credit card can seriously hinder a person from being available for God to use.

It really is a brilliant demonic strategy if you think about it.  “Let people have all they want until they’re too buried by possessions to be able to go when God says go.”

I believe that God wants me and my family to be in a position to be used by Him.  He wants us to be ready.  I have a friend who sold his house and moved into an apartment just because God might call him overseas.  That may sound extreme to some, but when God calls, he won’t have to spend a year getting rid of everything before he goes.  I know some people really take issue with this kind of thinking.  They’re thinking, “I worked hard.  Why shouldn’t I enjoy lots of possessions?  I have a standard of living to maintain!”  I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, “We should be far more concerned with our standard of dying than our standard of living.”

So what are we going to do about it?  I’m going to issue myself (and you, if you choose) a challenge.  I’m calling it my “Down to One Challenge”.  What does that mean?  It’s simple; if I have three boxes of something, I’m going to narrow it down to one box.  For instance, I have several boxes of things I’ve filed away for ministry purposes.  It’s time to scale back to one.  Do I really need to keep all those catalogs, old conference notes, and brochures “just in case”?  I also have tons of camping gear (I’ve gone once in the last three years), collectibles, and music gear too.  Some things I’ll give away like I did here.  Other things I’ll sell.  And some of it will go to Goodwill or in the trash.

It’s not about being anti-stuff or taking some vow of poverty.  It’s about living without the trappings of too much stuff so we can be available when God calls.

So how about you?  Are you in?  I’ll be posting my challenges here on this blog and it would be great to hear your thoughts.

Down to One

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I’d really like to _______________, but I ________________.

I think we all have something sitting on the backburner of our life.  Let’s talk about it.

Just type your completed sentence in the comments section below.  I’ll start it off by adding the first comment.

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