Friends are Friends Forever…Moving Pianos!
Filed under: Church Revitalization, Random Thoughts, church growth
This morning, I am a little sore…no, not upset or miffed, just physically, some of my muscles are complaining. Two days ago, a friend wanted some help moving a piano. Now, for those of you who move pianos all the time, this is no big deal, but to myself who am a teacher for a living, lifting a 1/2 ton piano was more than I am used to lifting in the average day. Are we like that as a church? Are we so not used to doing the “heavy lifting” in this world that when it does happen, it causes pain? When we have to reach out to others in our community, is that so out of the ordinary that it makes the church groan a bit? If so, there is a solution, just like my own situation. Just like I can decide to either stay out of shape or hit the gym so that I won’t feel this weak next time someone needs my arms to help move a piano, the church can sit back and say “We won’t do that again.” or get the congregation used to stepping out of the comfort zone until it becomes natural and normal…then you have to up the workout!
New Logo for In Search of The Great Pastor Conference!
I want to thank you for reading my blog! Here is the new logo for the In Search of the Great Pastor Conference coming up on February 25-26th!
If you are a senior pastor I hope you are making plans to come! If you aren’t a senior pastor, I hope you are encouraging your pastor to grow by attending a conference where he can both help others and help your himself and your church!
What is the secret to reviving a dead church?
Filed under: Church Revitalization, Encouragement, Random Thoughts, church growth
The secret to reviving a dead church at the base level is simple. People must fall in love with God to the point that their love is contagious! Have you ever noticed how on a personal level, there are people that you like to be around? They inspire you to be a better you. There are also people that make you cringe when you see them coming. Admit it, there are those negative people that inspire you to be a better you by getting out of there as quickly as possible. Churches are the same. Is your church one that inspires people to live and love like Jesus? Or is it more the discouraging church that drives people away? Before I get any hate mail, I am not talking about watering down the gospel so as not to offend people. If the WORD OF GOD offends people, they need to be offended, but when the church offends them, then the church has a problem to fix. Beg God that your church can be one that is making a difference in your community through the contagious love of Jesus Christ! When that is taking place, you will no longer be a dead church!
Why do Missions?
I have been in many different denominations in my life and one of the huge differences I have seen is that some put an emphasis on missions, and others don’t. The usual reason given by those who don’t give money to or send foreign missionaries is that there are too many people here in the USA who need the Lord to spend money in other countries. I am offering a third option. Missions is wherever you are! If that is in small town USA, then that is your mission field. If you are in a urban setting..that is your mission field. If you are outside the USA, then that is your mission field! So what about giving to “missions”? We are the richest country in the world…at least until we collapse. I make more in a month than most people in the world make in a year! Even though I make less than the “average American”. People taking the Gospel to those outside the USA don’t have the luxury of working a side job to make ends meet. Many times due to visa restrictions, they are not allowed to work. We then have a choice to make. Live in our luxury and make excused, or give to those who are working to take the Gospel to their mission field! (Please do not confuse this with the idea of giving to those who don’t work and want to live off of others.) I have never had to miss a meal because I gave too much and then didn’t have money to buy food. God encourages us to test HIM in this…HE will make up the difference!
Prosperity Doctrine???
Lately, I have read a few great books by authors not writing from a biblical or christian world view. Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki, Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill and The 9 Steps to Financial Freedom by Suze Orman. Each of these books bring out an interesting point, especially since they are not written for the “Christian” market. That point is that giving is an important part of wealth. As Americans we are wealthy. If you feel poor see my previous post about this. By giving more, we open up our lives to receive wealth in many forms. There is something about not trying so hard to hold on to money that the rich understand well. Solomon, the richest man to ever live, the man who has tried every pleasure and found them meaningless, knew what it was to give lavishly. He built the temple of our Almighty God! Does this mean that if we write a big check to the church this week that next week we will be millionaires? No, it doesn’t, but a lifestyle of giving does lead to being happy, successful and even possibly wealthy. Try giving more to see if God doesn’t make up the difference. Each of these “secular” authors found this biblical truth to be true. I think that while being a follower of Christ in no way guarantees riches, following God’s plans concerning money are the best financial plans that one can follow.
Paris and Back in three days!
Tuesday afternoon, I took off for Paris…in my truck. While I had a great time working with my father in law in Paris, Tennessee – No one there speaks french. Paris,TN isn’t really trying to be Paris, France, but it does have a replica Eiffel tower. Is your church like that? Are you trying to be just a sort of imitation of another church. Did you just put in new carpet to look like another ministry? Each church should be part of THE CHURCH – The body of Christ. Thus each body of believers need to seek God to find out HIS plan for that congregation. It will never be just a cheap copy of another church.
Doing it right!
If you have ever heard the expression, “Good enough for church work” in regards to something being done halfway right, how does that make you feel? Solomon, when he built God’s temple used the best materials and the best craftsmen that money could buy. He spared no expense! When the priest’s clothes were made, God gave very specific guidelines about how they should be made. Do we take that same reverence for God into our lives today? Yes, God is our father, friend, comforter…yet at the same time, HE is also ALMIGHTY, THE CREATOR, KING OF kings, LORD OF lords, WORTHY OF ALL PRAISE! Let us not forget those attributes of God!
Giving Final Exams…
Being on the professor side of the desk rather than the student side has its advantages. For example, we write the final exams and grade them, which is work, but we don’t have the stress of having to study for them. Even though I take my own exams in order to make a grading key, it isn’t stressful. I know the answers already because I wrote the questions. It got me thinking. Life is kind of like an exam. We are the students trying to figure it out. God gave us a great study guide in the Holy Bible, but HE isn’t stressed! He already knows all the answers! Nothing in this life catches HIM by surprise! We never have a problem or issue come up that HE isn’t prepared for! Why do we try to trust in our own wisdom when HIS is so far beyond ours?
Are you using an upsell?
Some people are turned off by the “upsell” for those of you who aren’t marketing majors, that is simply the idea we run into every day when we buy a product, for example a BigMac at McDonald’s, and then we are asked if we want to turn that into a meal, or supersize it etc. In church, do we try to increase the “sell” or do we really believe that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is enough to change people’s lives? When we try to convince people that life will be good if they only accept Jesus, isn’t that an “upsell”? If we try to add a side of traditions or rules to salvation, what is that accomplishing? If we try to supersize Christianity, it will only result in cheapening the gospel and in making fat, lazy “christians” who aren’t Christ followers at all.
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