Administrative Note

I will be copying a few posts from my Multiply site to this site. No one really reads that other site anyway. Actually, I am not sure if anyone reads this site.

You Are Planting a What?

There is a phrase that often perplexes me even though I know what it means, church plant or planting a church. To the religiously minded person a church plant could be one of a variety of ferns or memorial wreaths at the front of a church “sanctuary” and near the “altar”. I am not sure of the purpose of these plants other than to reverse global warming or to provide a hedge to separate the clergy from the laity. Still, they look nice sometimes.

However, “planting a church” brings in even more confusion to the uninitiated. The first absurd image that comes to mind is of a missionary planting little steeples in the ground. If it were only that simply! Don’t we wish that we could go to the local Christian book store and buy a church planting kit? Just add water. I was driving in the States once, and one of my daughters commented on the number of lakes that we saw along the way. I told her that there were so many because there was a sale on lake kits at Wal-Mart. The instructions simply said, “Just add water.” The kit included a shovel. They love and hate my jokes.

So then, how does one “plant a church?” I must admit that there is a lot of pressure on pastors and missionaries to produce the outward product of a dynamic Sunday morning meeting, but this is a sad goal if that is our goal. Our job is to reach the lost and make disciples who can in-turn do the same. These people then reach every aspect of their community so that dramatic changes are seen in families and in nations. The culmination of all this is what we call a healthy church, the fruit of obedience to the Great Commission. This healthy church also happens to meet together a few times during the week.

So many pastors are stressed about keeping up the Sunday morning appearance. It takes so much emotional and physical fuel, and it leaves us somewhat empty, just another job. Let me say something bold yet simple here, we are not called to build churches. Christ builds His church. We are involved in planting and watering but God causes the increase.

Unless the Lord builds the house,They labor in vain who build it;Unless the Lord guards the city,The watchman keeps awake in vain. It is vain for you to rise up early,To retire late,To eat the bread of painful labors;For He gives to His beloved even in his sleep.
Psalm 127:1,2

Excuse me while I go water our new plant, Kiyevicus Cultivaticus Evangicus. It should bloom soon, but a few more gardeners would be helpful.

Gossip: I’m Glad They Don’t Talk About Me

Wow, I am such a fortunate guy. Let me explain. I have noticed a trend over the years that whenever I am with other people they never speak badly about me. However, they do sometimes speak badly of others, but I can dismiss this because they don’t talk about me.

Well, I need to give these people a little more credit. They don’t always speak badly of others, but they do sometimes reveal a lot of details about the lives of others, their failures, their marriage problems, their inadequacies and shortcomings especially in the area of ministry. It is so tempting to join in the conversation because it makes one feel accepted when people invite you in the confidence “of others”.

I am also glad people don’t talk about me because I feel inadequate at times, I am not the perfect husband and dad, and I have shared my inadequacies with my friends. I have made a few dumb mistakes in ministry and in life, and sometimes I just did not know how to do what I was doing. The average guy.

Then there are a few leaders whom I know that don’t talk about anyone. They are tight lipped, and you can’t pry their mouths open with a crowbar. One of them is my pastor, Mike. I can’t get any news out of the guy, and I am quite sure no one can get any “negative” news about me from him. Thanks Mike!

I know another leader like Mike, but he would want to remain nameless. He praises everyone in public – and in private. When he talks about people’s accomplishments he embellishes them to make the people look really good. He has done this to me, and I felt awkward because I know the failures that have accompanied the accomplishments. This guy just didn’t feel the need to mention the failures and shortcomings. However, he did mention his own shortcomings on the mission field which made me feel a lot better about my clumsy journey. He has helped many in the same way.

No, I am not stupid, just being constructively sarcastic. I know that if my closest friends would talk about their closest friends in front of me then my life might be too juicy to pass up when I am not around. Don’t worry; I am not paranoid about people talking about me right now. Really, all is quiet on the Eastern Front. It is just a point that has to be made. I have run my mouth at times, and was convicted later. No one is really innocent in this.

We reap what we sow, so I am without excuse if my name goes through the ringer. I can contribute to an overall atmosphere that will eventually turn on me also or lift me up. I find that I must prepare my heart when getting around crowds and even leaders. I tell myself, “Mike, don’t talk so much. You WILL be tempted to gossip especially under the guise of ministry. Just shut your mouth.” I also try to preemptively praise others so that any attempt to gossip by others will have to go through an awkward barrier. It is a discipline.

When there are many words, transgression is unavoidable, but he who restrains his lips is wise. Prov 10:19

Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear. Eph 4:29

He who conceals a transgression seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates intimate friends. Prov 17:9

Christian Victory & The Battle at Kruger

No, Kruger is not a city occupied by the Philistines in the Old Testament. It is a national park in South Africa where some tourists took a very rare video of a pride of lions attacking a baby water buffalo. As you can see in the video the attack begins like many you have seen on Animal Planet. A large buffalo tries to ward off the lions, but the buffalo’s calf follows too closely. The lions capitalize on the situation by chasing the young calf into the water. While in the water the lions get in a tug-of-war with a crocodile, and the calf is the rope but the lions wrench it from the mouth of the crock.

Then things change, and they change unexpected and drastically. You can watch this video which has finally caught the attention of National Geographic because it was a viral hit on Youtube.

The calf is rescued by an extraordinary display of courage from the herd, and the lions experience something that they never experienced before, defeat of the predator by the prey. The irony of nature is that the buffalo has superior strength and superior numbers, but in its mind it is the prey and the lion is the predator.

As Christians we often develop a victim-prey mentality that determines the outcome of any given battle before it starts. This is ironic considering the strength of the God whom we serve and the resources that He has bestowed upon us for spiritual battle.

Our adversary also has the ability to sniff out the weak among us – it is often us – and he isolates that person while the flock grazes in ignorance. It does not take much effort to rescue the weak, just a phone call, a visit and some encouraging prayer.

Also, the best defense is often an offence, and as soon as Christians know their identity, calling and power the sooner victories will follow. We also need to take care of the weak and young among us.

Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor. For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up. Furthermore, if two lie down together they keep warm, but how can one be warm alone? And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart. Eccl 4:9-12

Atheism: Camping at God’s Grave

Concerning belief in God there is a broad spectrum of positions ranging from devotion, to acknowledgement, to ignorance and finally direct opposition. I have met many people in my life all holding different positions. Many religious people are indifferent, and most who call themselves atheists or agnostics are only stating a shallow opinion on the subject.

However, standing at opposite ends of the spectrum are two camps that look at each other in total disbelief and fascination. The committed atheist wonders at the life committed to the unseen deity, but the believer must also wonder about the commitment of the atheist. I checked Google today and there were 15 million hits for the phrase “There is no God”.

Motive & motivation are always a factor in belief or unbelief, and I marvel at the determination of the atheist to prove that something does not exist. He even becomes angry at that thing that does not exist to the point that he seems to be camping out at the grave of God, always digging a hole to prove that it is empty. He can’t seem to tear himself away from digging much like a dachshund my wife once had growing up. He was obsessed with turning over large rocks in the back yard to see what was under them. After he turned over the rock he would proceed to do it again and again until we stopped him.

The committed atheist often becomes one at a young age before having devoted a lot of study to the subject. There is usually some event that has shattered his view of God. It could be the failing of a leader, a misrepresentation of some biblical truth by a charlatan or an unexplained loss. Personal failings are often projected onto God with illogical results. “I am mad at God about myself, so I will keep him in exile. I will maintain his nonexistence.” Simple revenge. All evidence after this is seen through these glasses as objectivity is lost and the radical is born.

You would think that once the idea of God has been eliminated that the person’s anger and moral crisis would disappear; however, for the committed atheist it often intensifies. I see a similar thing in people who have unresolved issues with a loved one who has passed away. In their hearts they are still arguing with that person to the point that they feel anger when they visit their grave. Some atheists are in a worse situation because they are angry with what they believe is an empty grave.

One aspect of radical Atheism’s continued fight with the nonexistent god is what it considers to be “the problem of evil”. While claiming that evil exists – an assumption that requires an absolute morality - they claim that a benevolent god whose existence defines good & evil does not exist because evil exists. Once again, their hearts reveal that they are waging a personal debate - based on God - with a personal God…who can’t exist. A non-existing god is kept in place as the whipping boy for humanity's failures, and the radical atheist can scarce live without him.

There are a great many arguments on each side of this great debate, and I have encountered many of them. I am one who has committed his life to knowing a personal God, but I do not understand a life committed to proving God does not exist. If God does not exist then our existence is short. Why waste time debating unless the questions of the soul concerning God are not really answered? Why not “eat drink and be merry for tomorrow we die” as Solomon said?

Life is indeed short. All sides agree. Eternity is long. Atheists do not agree on this, but in private they wish for a good eternity when they reach their later days. The irony of it all is that God did have a grave. He became like us, lived like us, died like us and inhabited a grave for a few days. The grave could not hold Him though. It will not hold us either from entering one of two eternities. Pascal wagered that closing the door on God is not wise, and even though it is an old wager it is still a good one.

And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him. Heb 11:6

… the men said to them, "Why do you seek the living One among the dead? He is not here, but He has risen! Luke 24:5,6

Consider This: God in the Circle?

That was the argument. A young freshman who just finished his first philosophy class made his presentation. You know the class. It is the one where the professor asks the question, “Can God make a rock so big He can't move it?” For the young aspiring atheist this seemed to be the lynchpin he needed to disprove God.

On this day young Huxley - this is what I like to call him - had another proposition, much more advanced. He began by drawing two circles on the board. One circle was empty, and the other had another circle in it. “Consider this”, he said. “Consider two possible universes, one with god and one without…” The argument goes on an on using basic set theory to somehow show there is no God.

However, young Huxley had way overstepped his intelligence, and so had his teacher. In response, my proposition to him was: Let’s not consider two possible universes, but let’s just attempt to consider one, the one that we are in.

Wow, a circle! I am sure the guys in genetics, atomic physics, astrophysics, cosmology, math, biology, etc would really appreciate this answer. I wish that I had used it on all my physics and math exams. However, if I had done so my professors would have also written a circle on my paper, better known as a ZERO.

While my classmate drew his circle and said, “Consider a universe” he had only considered a “circle”. While this circle was being drawn the best minds in every other faculty on campus were stretching the limits of human understanding just trying to “consider” their own portion of the universe. It is a daunting task.

Just consider the world around us, its beauty, its complexity, its wonder. Consider yourself, your emotions, imagination and even consider the fact that you can in-fact “consider” anything at all. I do not attempt here to prove that there is a God. I only ask seekers of knowledge to consider ALL that is before them, if they can.

There are many professional “considerers” in the world of academia who stand in awe of what they have studied. Some believe there is something or someone behind it all. Some have come to know a personal God, but some have not. Yet, they have all obeyed the biblical commandment to truly consider. May they all come to ultimate truth.

There are others who draw circles around God, draw circles around truth, hide behind constitutional amendments and ultimately refuse to consider anything that would cause awe or shake their world views. My question to the young atheist is this: Can you prove to me that you have the ability to even consider the present universe in its entirety? Have you really done the work? Have you even seen all the data? If not, can you make the conclusions that you do? Wiser men than us have wearied themselves trying to wrap finite minds around infinite things. Some circles are just not big enough.

“It is an accursed evil to a man to become so absorbed in any subject as I am in mine”
“I am weary of my work. It is a very odd thing that I have no sensation that I overwork my brain; but facts compel me to conclude that my brain was never formed for thinking.” Charles Darwin

…and I set my mind to seek and explore by wisdom concerning all that has been done under heaven It is a grievous task which God has given to the sons of men to be afflicted with. Solomon, Eccl 1:13

The Typist: Monkey, Maker or Lucky Mud

I was discussing the new movie Expelled with my daughters the other day, and I was able to recount to them my own experience with the Intelligent Design vs. Evolution debate. For those of you who do not know, the movie is a documentary about free speech restrictions and harassment towards people – in the US of all places – who adhere to the Intelligent Design position.

As a Physics student who was also a new Christian at the time I often found myself in the middle of debates, but one occurrence always comes to memory. It took place in my Thermal Physics class where we were discussing the mathematical representation of entropy. Hey, don’t tune out here. I will keep it simple.

Here was my professor’s presentation: How long would it take a monkey typing randomly to eventually type out Hamlet with no mistakes. The monkey of course cannot read, and we assume that in this thought experiment that even if we gave him 4 billion years of trial and error he would not just evolve into William Shakespeare and figure it all out. He is just a random key puncher.

Next, we increased the odds by allowing 30,000 monkeys to work together for 4 billion years. A lot of bananas needed for motivation. Will one of them come close to typing out Hamlet? The statistical answer is “NO”. Then my professor likened the odds to this happening to the odds of humans and chimpanzees not being genetically related. Yes, he used this to support evolution. Since there was very little difference in our two DNA's he postulated that we must have come from the same line.

The argument made a weak point, but there were other problems. The DNA line was similar, but it did not point to a common ancestral origin. It pointed to a common originator, designer or Creator as some us refer to Him. In much the same way that engineers use the wheel for a myriad of inventions the Creator used four limbs, a trunk and a head for most of His design.

I said nothing in class that day because I had a plan up my sleeve. The monkey argument had a more gaping flaw, so the next day before class I snuck in 30 minutes earlier and wrote on the board, “What is the statistical chance of nature at the typewriter being able to type out the classic work known as DNA in 4 billion years?” Hamlet contains over 130,000 letters and the odds of it being typed with a universe full of monkeys is 1 in 10^183,800. This is basically ZERO.

Now for DNA. The human genome contains about 3,100,000,000 letters which is equivalent to 100 Manhattan phone books. This is 23,000 times the letters in Hamlet. We still come out with ZERO CHANCE, a bigger zero if you know what I mean.

Yet here we stand pondering the typist. Shakespeare, whose DNA is similar to a chimp, can type out Hamlet and a few other works, but a chimp cannot type out the word “banana”. There is another Typist I think – you may not agree – and in light of the sheer impossibility of wind, water & fire being in the publishing business it is not unreasonable to inquire if there is a ghost writer behind it all.

My professor – one of my favorites – walked into the class, read the board, grunted and then erased my question. He did not do the math.

The heavens are telling of the glory of God; and their expanse is declaring the work of His hands. Psalms 19:1

Meeting Me & Becoming Them

Even though you have ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. 1 Cor 4:15

There are some questions that God will not answer directly. It’s as if He waits until our maturity level or experience gives us a basis for understanding the answer. For me one of the questions in life has been understanding my leaders and being frustrated because they just could not understand me. As I grew, learned to forgive and began to lead others there was still a subtle nagging sting of past misunderstandings and hurts that remained without closure. Then the answer came from two directions at once.

I met me. I never planned to meet him, and I was not prepared to meet him. Actually, I began to lead people – some of them young leaders – who reminded me a lot of myself when I was a younger leader or when I started following Christ. As I began to help these people through familiar struggles I became surprisingly embarrassed. It was as if I was in one of those dreams where I am naked in a room and no one notices except me. (don’t laugh, you know you have had this dream too) The nakedness I now felt was in realizing how I must have looked to more mature believers and leaders when I thought I knew it all. How patient had they been? How much had they overlooked? This was the first half of God’s answer to me. I had met myself.

The next part was the hardest part. As I helped these growing leaders I found myself offending them in the same way that my leaders had hurt me. I meant well, but their expectations were too high. I never meant to offend. I explained and apologized. Some forgave and grew. Some did not. In this moment God answered. I had not only met myself but had become those whom I could not forgive. Understanding came, the offense in my heart lessened or vanished altogether and I realized the truth of the matter.

• Spiritual fathers are great, but they are few and far between.
• Even if we have spiritual fathers we need to have realistic expectations. Herein lies most offenses. They are perceived offenses.
• Leaders are not God, they are not our real fathers and as we grow their influence has to decrease as we become fathers ourselves and get to know The Father.
• God cannot answer some questions without growth on our part. If He simply told us the truth we might not believe it.
• Mirrors come in many forms.
• Even at our best we are just like those whom we can’t seem to forgive.

When G.K Chesterton was asked to contribute an article to the Times on “What is Wrong with the World?” he responded with the letter:

Dear Sirs,
I am.
Sincerely yours,
G. K. Chesterton

Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness.
Heb 12:9-10

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Forrest Gump & True Prosperity

Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers.
3 John 2

There are few in this world who do not want prosperity or success. The goals of each are as varied as their nationalities, religious or economic backgrounds. Some ideas border on the absurd where success in crime is a goal, success in relationship(s) – the plural here already indicates failure – is exalted, or owning half of New York is sought after. My favorite is someone who considered that becoming disabled at work – on purpose - and collecting disability for the rest of their life was success. Never mind the inability to walk.

John tells us that there are three areas where he desired prosperity for his friends. He wanted them to prosper in all spheres, not just one. He also wanted them to have good health. However, he indicates that these areas of prosperity are somehow in proportion to our souls prospering. This is a far cry from those who work this as a formula in reverse order. They think that health and wealth produce inner peace, and the adherents of this are not confined to the secular realm. Sadly, some prosperity teachers in the church expound this error every day on airways all over the world. While claiming that Jesus is still the center the proportion of time given to talking about money betrays the true value system.

Having the resources that I need for life is a good thing, but I must first comprehend what “Life” actually is so that I can live it to the fullest. One of the best examples of a fully lived life in recent history was Forrest Gump. In fact, the film has become iconic in its portrayal of a broad period of American history, and Forrest’s simplistic value system often ran against the grain of society to the point that he looked stupid. His answer was quoting his favorite philosopher, his mama, who said, “Stupid is as stupid does.” If we look at the daily news we would have to agree with his mama. Very prosperous people do very stupid things. However, Forrest, who was a little slow, was not so stupid after all because he did some very wise things.

• Forrest was not opposed to wealth. “One less thing,” was his response. He took his wealth and donated much to a hospital, built a church and he then “cut the city’s grass for free” because he was not trying to get rich. Forrest was generous.
• Forrest was loyal to a fault. He gave half of his wealth to Bubba’s mother even though Lt. Dan said he was an idiot for doing so. Bubba had died in Vietnam, but the promise was 50/50 when they planned to go into business together. Forrest was an honest man.
• Forrest did not grow cynical when he experienced loss. His life had many ups and downs, and he grew reflective instead of bitter when pain came his way. The reason might be because his goal wasn’t to be up or avoid being down.
• Forrest was too stupid to understand prejudice. Oh that the world was his kind of stupid, but the world is a different kind of stupid, the kind mamma talked about.
• When the shrimpin bidness was not going well Forrest turned to God. It did not matter to him that he was the only white guy in the church. Forrest witnessed to Lt. Dan and even got him to go. God eventually showed up in the shrimpin bidness.
• Forrest never stopped loving his friends even when they rejected him. His loyalty and optimism wore down the cynicism of Lt. Dan, and even though Jenny had ruined her life she was won over in the end by his simple yet steadfast love. Even though he was not a smart man he knew what love was, and this was the bedrock of his prosperity.

Ultimately, Forrest’s simple faith brought more inner contentment than many Christians have. “Why”, you might ask? I will try to make it simple. Many Christians have adopted the goals of the world as their source of identity and security. They want too many things, and even too much of a good thing can be a bad thing. Forrest even thought that Elvis may have died because, “He probably sang too many songs.”

Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.
Phil 4:11-13

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Healthy Church: No Pets Allowed!

Just the other morning I looked out the kitchen window to see an amazing sight. A very large gray fox had just emerged from the forest and proceeded to casually walk down the snowy path in front of our house, most likely looking for some breakfast. This scene took me back to childhood when I often accompanied my uncle fox hunting all over eastern North Carolina. This was an adventure for me. No guns were used because the art of the hunt was the training of the dogs who took part in the hunt.

The most peculiar thing about the dogs – and my grandfather never failed to remind us – was that they were not pets, and he did not want us to make them into pets. They were bred and trained for the hunt and nothing else. Like wild animals there were alpha males and females among them yet they were tame enough for the likes of me. These dogs were in-fact so well trained that if they came upon a deer or rabbit during the hunt just one specific voice command would signal them to abandon that chase and return to tracking the fox.

To the dismay of many Christian hunters there are no dogs allowed in the average church, but unfortunately there are some very territorial pets to be found. The pets that I allude to are not animals but pet doctrines. Don’t misunderstand me here. Doctrines are important and form essential foundations for our lives. They have an intended purpose, but that purpose is not to become pets.

A doctrine becomes a pet when it becomes a favorite doctrine taking prominence over all other truths. Even domesticated pets become alpha males, and pet doctrines become the alpha doctrine of the senior leader, church or denomination. They become preeminent, and adhering to them to the very letter becomes the basis of acceptance over all else.

A doctrine also becomes a pet when it is seen as the catch-all solution to all problems. This usually happens when a leader receives a tangible spiritual benefit from a certain teaching or the influence of another leader’s ministry. This could be a healing, deliverance in some area or even a restored marriage. While being well intended it is also short-sighted to think that what we personally benefited from is what everyone else needs at a given moment. I am reminded here of the man who became a dietician because a change in diet radically improved his life, or my favorite, some chiropractors who believe that all diseases can be remedied by proper alignment of the spine.

The worst example is when an immature church member or even church leader devotes enormous time to studying a particular biblical truth. This is fine, but as soon as they come to a clear understanding of this truth – if indeed they are correct – they turn around and require that all others come into quick compliance to their position without inquiry. They fail to afford to others the same patience and time that they afforded to themselves in seeking out these truths. This is particularly divisive, and brings great harm to the church.

Entire movements can rise and fall over these pets, and millions of lost people enter into a godless eternity because churches are too busy grooming their pets and entering them into competitions with the pets of other churches to even notice.

God’s truths, as used by us, have to line up with God’s purposes.

…until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love. Eph 4:13-16