23

Jump Start # 2022

Posted on January 23, 2018 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2022

Ephesians 1:3 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.”

It occurred to me the other day that we pour a lot of articles, sermons, and in my case, Jump Starts, in the direction of those who struggle, who are discouraged, who are having a tough time and often are not strong spiritually. I think we should do this. They need help. Help the weak, is what Paul told the Thessalonians. But, in all of this, there is a segment that gets hardly any notice at all. Few sermons and few articles are ever addressed toward those who have done well, both physically and spiritually. There are success stories, but we only hear about the prodigal side of things first.

 

I know many Christians that own their own businesses. They have climbed the ladder of success. They have set examples all along the way of how to treat others, run a profitable business, and not allow money to ruin them. They are generous, helpful and continue to be extremely engaged spiritually. They have helped others by giving them a chance and hiring them. They have poured a lot of money into people.

 

I know Christians who were successful in athletics. They played college ball and some even played professional sports. Their names are known among sports fans. They learned how to juggle the schedules of practices, games and worship. They have not let success ruin them. They are humble, kind and ready to help anyone. Sometimes people try to use them or take advantage of their status, but they don’t seem to let that upset them. And with the success, they have continued to walk faithfully with the Lord.

 

I have know Christians that were very successful in the world of academia. They are recognized and admired by their peers. They have had wonderful careers at impressive universities. They have authored books, research papers and taught hundreds of students through the years. They have not allowed their learning to distort their spiritual priorities nor to make them feel elitist among brethren.

 

The success stories. We don’t hear much about that. Generally, we point out Paul’s warning toward the rich, to not be conceited nor to fix their hopes upon riches. These folks got that. They don’t do that. But is that it? Only warnings for the successful?

 

It is good to look around and see stories of success. Brethren who are wealthy but not worldly. Brethren who are at the top of their field, but not stuck up. Brethren who are admired but not ruined by their success.   Today, I preach the funeral of such a man. He was kind, generous, devoted to God and family and loved the Lord with all of his heart. He put a stake in the ground for the Lord, a long time ago. Because of that a congregation still exits. His heart, teaching, influence and money has helped dozens and dozens of people through decades. I am one of them. When going through a valley, he was the first to my home. Encouraging, helpful and kind, we got through that valley.

 

There are marks or traits I have noticed in successful and godly brethren. They are worth noting. They are worth our attention.

 

First, no matter how busy, bothered or tough things were, they always put the Lord first. You’ll find with most successful people, that there are periods of lean years. The economy turns sour. Supplies are hard to find. Hard to find workers. Long days and longer nights, not only trying to keep the doors open, but mindful of the families that were counting on them for a job. Cutting corners with integrity never crosses their minds. They are honest and true to what they believe. I’ve known some who went without their own paycheck for a while, just to keep things going. Some have dipped into their own savings rather than close the doors. In those dark moments, you’d see an open Bible on their desk. You’d see them at the church house, often teaching a class. They didn’t let work define them nor control them. I have sat at the table with millionaires and famous All-Stars in sports. And do you know what the discussions were about? The Lord. The kingdom. How we can help others. This is what was on their radar. This was their concern.

 

Second, they never forgot that they had been blessed by the Lord. They knew their hard work and long hours meant nothing without the helping hands of the Lord. They were prayerful. They were thankful. And, they were generous. Light years ago, when I was in college, there was a man in the church who owned a gas station. He’d tell all the college kids who attended there to go by and fill up. It was donated out of his pocket. That probably wasn’t that big of a deal to him, but to a poor college kid, a full gas tank was like gold in the bank. I’ve seen brethren give a handful of cash to a family that was struggling. I’ve known people who had college funded because of someone’s generosity. Funerals have been paid by brethren who were generous. And among us preachers, who doesn’t have not one, but many stories, of someone helping out that young preacher’s family. This just seems to be in the DNA of many successful brethren. They have been helped by the Lord and now, they want to help others. What a blessing they are.

 

Third, they never seem to be too good to do what seems to be the humblest jobs. Leaders in industry, sports or education, names that are spoken with respect among their peers and in their circles, there on a Saturday morning, at the church house, cleaning a toilet. Or, there they are, helping a family move. Or, they are sitting in a surgery waiting room, with a family from church. I’ve seen these same successful people, bend over after services and pick up a piece of trash that was on the floor. I’ve seen them stoop down and with a smile as big as the sky, talk to a little one. I’ve seen them pick up babies and carry them out to the car as a young mother struggles with bags, kids and keys. To look at them, you’d never know that they were so rich, famous and successful. They didn’t spend all their money in showing off. Yes, they had fine homes, but they used them. People were always invited over. They traveled, and often, very often, they came back with names and addresses of churches and brethren to be helped. They never thought of themselves as better than anyone else. They’d cry when someone came to Christ. They’d rejoice at weddings. They loved the people of God and you’d find them among them all the time.

 

Fourth, they realized that their real treasure was with the Lord and in Heaven. So many of these successful brethren, have kept congregations funded financially. Disaster strikes. A furnace, or air conditioner goes out. A leak in the roof. There is little money in the church’s budget to fix such things and who steps us, it’s these brethren. They have personally supported many preachers out of their own pockets for years. So many places would have closed the doors long ago, had it not been for these successful brethren. And, it’s not just the money. They poured themselves into the work of the kingdom. They have visited, taught and invited people all of their life. Many who were working for them, were taught and many became Christians because of them. I truly believe these folks would have been the same, whether they owned the companies or were janitors working for that company. It’s just who they are. They love the Lord and are blessed to use their talents and money to help others and to help the kingdom.

 

Their successes are examples to us. We live in selfish times. Young people are driven to spend everything on themselves. Image and substance seem so far apart these days. The showrooms glitter with the new and fancy, but there is nothing in the warehouse. Empty lives. Shallow thinking. A lack of the servant spirit. Today’s churches are having to beg young people to even show up. So, many are too busy to teach. They are too busy to have families in their homes. The young are driven to be successful, but for the wrong reasons. Success can ruin a person. Look at the story of the man who tore down his barns. Read Ecclesiastes. What’s happening among so many young people today is so different than what see among these successful spiritual giants.

 

Blessings in the hands of someone who realizes they are blessed becomes a tool for good. Blessings in the hand of a fool, becomes disaster. I’m not a fan of a young 19 year old making millions and millions of dollars to play pro sports, when he has no compass, direction nor purpose in life other than “it’s all mine!” Usually that story doesn’t end well. Wrong people. Wrong thinking. Disaster looms on the horizon.

 

Don’t be jealous, not talk down those brethren among us who are successful and spiritual. They have helped the kingdom more than many of us ever could. God bless their number. They are an example to all of us.

 

It’s good once in a while to give a “That’a boy” rather than always pointing the finger in condemnation. We can make successful brethren feel ashamed because of their success. But in so many cases, they shame us because of their generous, humble, serving spirit. They were that way when they started out and they have always been that way. If you can’t have someone over to your apartment for a ham sandwich, you probably won’t have someone over to your fine home, years later for a steak. It’s not the size of the place, or the food on the table, but rather, the size of the heart that matters. Some seem to get this. Some don’t.

 

My friend, Dick Harmon, was one such person who got it.

 

Well done, good and faithful! We can all learn from you.

Roger

 

22

Jump Start # 2021

Posted on January 22, 2018 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2021

Romans 8:29 “For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren.”

 

The past several Jump Starts have been looking at challenges facing today’s church. Leaderships need to give serious thought as to where their flock is and where the Lord wants them to be. Sometimes that look presents a picture that we do not want to see. Things can look pretty good at 32,000 feet in the air. However, when we are up and close, we see that things look differently. Busy people, as we are today, demands a busy eldership that sees where we are and what is grabbing our attention. I was in a paint store a while back, looking at shades of green paint. Goodness! I never knew there were so many shades of green. It got me dizzy. Too many choices. The shades of error can be just like green paint. So many, shades. Some hardly even look like error, but they are.

 

In our final chapter in this series, challenges facing today’s church, we want to look at conforming ourselves to be like Jesus. In this fast paced, modern word, where there is an app for just about anything, being like Jesus seems so far and distant from our world. We are rarely idle. We are rarely without some form of electronic media running near us. Kids no longer look out the car window as they go down the road. They are looking at the video screen in front of them. That’s not wrong, it’s just the world we live in.

 

Being like Jesus, that’s what God wants. That’s what the Gospel shapes us into. That’s what we ought to want, but it can seem like an impossibility. Jesus was always where He was supposed to be. We are not. He was always thinking the best, we don’t. We was always pure, sometimes we are not. We fight feelings of prejudice. We struggle with indifference and apathy. We are so busy with life that we barely have time for church services. If we could have a drive-thru for church, some would like that. That’s our world!

 

The challenge facing today’s church is not filling up the pews. It’s not meeting budgets, paying off the building, or adding on. It’s not finding more leaders. The great challenge is getting Christians to live like Jesus. Getting us to think spiritually, not once in a while, but all the time. What a difference that would make. To think spiritually, before we make a decision, what a difference that would make. To think spiritually while on a date. To think spiritually before the question is popped or the answer “yes,” is given. To think spiritually when applying for a college. To think spiritually when accepting a job offer. To think spiritually while choosing what movie to watch. What a difference thinking spiritually would be. I think we’d complain less, if we could think spiritually. I think we’d not be so bothered if we could think spiritually. Set your mind on things above is what we find in Scriptures. It’s that “setting” part that gets us. We may put our minds on spiritual things for a moment, while sitting in church on Sunday, but our minds don’t stay there. It’s not set. Our minds move. They move to worry and fear. We get stressed and tired on the inside. We can be so distracted and so bothered about so many things. Off in the distance, we hear the Lord calling our names, just like Martha. “Roger, Roger, you are worried and bothered about so many things.” Get that mind set on spiritual things! That’s the key.

 

How many times does a person get into some spiritual mess and his first statement is, “I guess I wasn’t thinking.” Obviously! The dangers we put our souls in, often times could be lessened if we thought spiritually. Our concerns about church attendance would not exist if people thought spiritually. Modesty wouldn’t be a problem among God’s people if we thought spiritually.

 

We can preach and preach about modesty, friends, finances, attitudes, habits and on and on we preach, but until we start thinking spiritually, someone has to tell us what’s right and what’s wrong. The mature, Hebrews says, have trained their senses to discern good and evil.

 

Two thoughts immediately pop out of that expression.

 

First, senses are trained. We potty train children and house train pets. On their own, our senses are untrained. We are likely to say anything and do anything. No limitations. No borders. No restrictions. Untrained, we’ll make a mess. Untrained, we’ll probably make the wrong choices. Untrained, are we are not pleasing the Lord.

 

Who trains us? How do we get trained? The text implies that the mature have trained themselves. They did this with the word of God. It is the word of God that tells us what is right and what is wrong. It’s the word of God that warns us and motivates us. Trained by the Scriptures. Shaped by the word of God. Trained senses realize that some things should not be said. Trained senses recognizes some things should not be looked at.

 

Second, senses are trained to discern good and evil. Not everything is spelled out in the Bible. Some things have to be discerned or figured out. There is more than just the obvious. What about influences? What about consequences? Some people do not recognize the difference between good and evil. This is why some will say, “I don’t see anything wrong with this.” They don’t. They can’t. Their senses aren’t trained. They can’t recognize good and evil. Everything looks the same. The criteria comes down to how does it make you feel. If it is something that I want to do, then it must be good. If I don’t want to do it, then it must be evil. I become the standard. I determine good and evil, right and wrong.

 

So, the great challenge facing today’s church is not just teaching the Bible, but it’s getting folks to think spiritually. It’s getting people to train their senses. It’s getting them to discern good and evil. “Just tell me what to do,” isn’t the way to go. Think for yourself. Look within the word of God. Think. Think spiritually.

 

Imagine the number of prayers that would be racing Heavenward if more and more were thinking spiritually each day. Imagine the change in attitudes if more and more were thinking spiritually. Imagine the people who would be apologizing because they were now thinking spiritually. Imagine how shepherds in the church would have it so much easier if more and more thought spiritually.

 

That’s a real challenge. Getting more and more people to live like Jesus. And, just how is this accomplished? Preaching and teaching. That’s always been the answer. Keep showing more and more people the word of God. Keep the image of Jesus before our hearts. Don’t settle for just getting by. Don’t be content with filled church buildings. Conformed to Jesus is the challenge.

 

I hope this series has given you some things to think about and talk about. Hopefully it helps us to see what our great mission and work is before us. The challenges are great, but greater is He who is in us than He who is in the world.

 

Roger

 

19

Jump Start # 2020

Posted on January 19, 2018 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2020

Psalms 122:1 “I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord.’”

We’ve been looking this week at challenges facing today’s church. It is easy to see from these series that there are many. Meeting these challenges takes real leadership, vision and direction. Congregations that do not have true leaders, tend to flounder and drift. And this, leads us to our next thought about challenges, keeping things alive and moving.

Taking things for granted, is an expression we know all too well. We get into routines, we get distracted and we can take our marriage for granted. Things can become stale and even dull. Work can get that way. Day in and day out, basically the same things, over and over. You do your job because you need a paycheck but if a rich uncle died and left you a boat load of money, you’d leave that job in a second. The passion for work is no longer there. Friendships can do the same thing. They can become tiring and stale. Going out to eat can be the same. Tried all the places. Nothing exciting. You have to eat, so you just pick a place.

That same spirit can spill over to worship and Bible classes. Another Sunday. Another sermon. Another quarter and another new class. Old. Tiring. Same. We go, because we are supposed to. We go, because we know that we need to, but for many worship has sunk to mediocrity and we seem to be stuck on auto-pilot. New members seem excited because everything is new for them. They love the worship. They love the classes. They love everything. But for those who have been around for decades and decades, everything seems about the same.

And, herein lies one of the great challenges facing the church today. How to keep our worship relevant, fresh, passionate and God focused? The routine of worship can become dry like toast. Same faces. Same things being said. Same people teaching. Same methods of teaching. Same. Same. Same. We shuffle in tired. We sit and try not to be bored, minds racing all over the universe, then we leave and go about life. Week after week. Most wouldn’t dare admit it, but this is where worship has sunk to in their lives. They come more to catch up with each other than any other reason. Some come out of habit. And, when you have a whole church building full of this spirit, the congregation and the worship seems dull, tired and lifeless.

Some just accept things this way because they don’t know what else to do. Some, especially, the younger ones, begin being pulled towards more exciting and different forms of worship. In time, some of them will leave.

What a challenge facing the church. What can be done? Is it the church’s responsibility to keep believers interested in God? Shouldn’t they have enough faith within them to be drawn towards God? I have been with churches that seem sleepy. The singing seems sleepy. The preaching seems sleepy. The atmosphere seems sleepy. And, you look around, and not surprisingly, you see people sleeping. Modern churches answer to this is to turn worship into a rock concert with screaming bands of singers, light shows, fog machines and preachers that act more like a comedy club than preachers of the gospel. It’s hard to be sleepy in those places. Food, drinks, even T-shirts are sold. It’s a night out to the concert, or ballgame. It’s a “Wow factor.” The crowds love it. Tons of energy and money is poured into keeping things fresh, moving and exciting. Never a dull moment in those places. No dead air moments. No pausing. No time to think, reflect, meditate nor contemplate. It’s moving at lightning speed. The younger crowd loves it. It’s just like Aaron’s golden calf. They were dancing, singing and having a great time when Moses came down that mountain with the Ten Commandments. That worship was violating the majority of those commands that Moses held in his hands. I doubt anyone asked, “Do we have to go?” What a blast. Yet, do we want to go in the direction of the golden calf. That didn’t turn out so well for Israel.

How does today’s church worship God in a practical, Biblical, passionate way? We can’t compete with light shows and fog machines. Our preachers realize that God isn’t on a stage, but rather, upon the throne. We know that worship is about God, not us. The carnal, make-me-feel-happy culture of today doesn’t get that. They’d rather change God than change themselves. Find a verse they don’t like, just ignore it and pretend it doesn’t exist. We know better than that. God focused has always been the center piece of our worship. Our songs praise Him, not glorify us. Our preaching is built around His word, not our happiness. Our prayers are about His will, not ours. What can be done?

First, passionate worship is found in hearts that are passionate about God. The mega church syndrome is built around the church, not God. The church is the center piece. Passionate worship comes from those who are passionate about God at home, at work and when with other believers. Artificial stimuli, such as loud music, lights and smoke, are very similar to the high school pep rally. It’s geared to fire you up and get you excited. It works, for the moment. It’s much like cotton candy. It looks amazing. It tastes great. But there’s nothing to it. And, it doesn’t last. The pep rally ends and the feeling ends. The cotton candy is put in your mouth and it dissolves. It doesn’t fill you, help you, nor give you any strength. Passionate worship begins with people who love the Lord. They are walking, talking, studying, praying about God all the time. They are glad to gather to worship. They see the value in worship. They look in their Bibles to learn, not just fact and new information, but to see God.

Second, we must strive to always do our best when worshipping God. Worship is our gift to God. Don’t give Him the leftovers. Don’t give Him a tired mind and a bored heart. What you do before you come into the church building can set the tone for how your worship will be. Those that lead, must work extra hard to do their best. They are not competing with others, but just themselves. Preach the best that you can preach today, Mr. Preacher. Lead those songs the best you can, Mr. Song Leader. Put thought into what you are praying about, Mr. Leader of Prayers. Gone are the days of just winging it. Get down to the church building early, the days you are to serve. Prepare yourself. Go over what you are to do. Put thought into it. Imagine those men carrying that ark of the covenant. What an honor it was. Imagine that High Priest going before God, representing the nation. What an honor. And, here you are. Are you dressed like you are going to change a tire on your car? Why? Are you just picking out the songs to lead as you walk up to the mic? Why? Are you pulling out old, dusty sermons, because you don’t want to do the work you are supposed to do? Why? Maybe it’s time for you to sit out and get yourself together. You are standing before the God of Heaven. You are leading the people of God. Give it your best. How dare you come with a tied, bored, sleepy spirit within you. Lift up your eyes and look into the Heavens. The Great God who has blessed us, heard us, and forgiven us, is who you stand before. We need to demand the best and be our best. Sloppy worship is not only embarrassing to visitors and members, but it’s shameful before God. Football teams prepare all week for the big game. Do we prepare for worship?

Third, how about the rest of us that are sitting in the pews? Are we giving God our best? We want the song leaders, the preacher and others to do their best, but we are fidgeting about, playing on our phones, day dreaming, sleepy, and offering God nothing. Worship isn’t a spectator sport. I was watching a college basketball game last night on TV. When bored, I flipped channels. We do that with our minds when we are not engaged, connected and trying. Sing robustly. Pray deeply. Lower the nets into the depth of God’s word. Thank God. Praise God. We need naps on Sunday afternoons, not because church was so sleepy and boring, but rather because of all the effort and energy we’ve poured into fellowship and praising. When a guy says, “I don’t get anything out of worship,” what he’s really saying is, “God doesn’t mean much to me.” When I watch my Purdue play basketball, I get involved. I talk to the TV. I coach from my chair. I yell at the players. I talk to the refs. I’m engaged. Love my Purdue. Love what they are doing this year. I went to a game recently. First time in decades that I saw a game at Mackey Arena. Sat four rows from the top. Even there, it was great. It was great because it was Purdue. Now, translate that to God. Love my God. Love what He has done. Love to think about Him. Love to read His word. Love to talk about Him. Love to sing to Him. Sleepy worship? Not for this guy. Bored? Never. The focus is upon the amazing God.

Stop trying to change the worship of God into a comedy club. Stop blaming the church for what may be a problem in your heart. Stop just offering God whatever we feel like. Make it the best, from beginning to end. Put thought, purpose and direction into worship. The tone set from leaders has a lot to do with this. The spirit from the song leader, through the preacher, found in the Lord’s Supper ought to be passionate, thankful and energetic. God is good to us.

Maybe it’s time for some to step it up. Maybe it’s time we took a look at our attitude towards worship and more so, towards God. Maybe it’s time we started giving God our best, no matter which side of the pulpit we are on.

O how I love Jesus, O how I love Jesus…more than a song, it’s simply the way it is!

It’s a challenge, but you can step up to it!

Roger

18

Jump Start # 2019

Posted on January 18, 2018 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2019

Matthew 28:19 “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.”

Well, I didn’t intend for this to happen, but it did. A couple of days ago I wrote about challenges facing today’s church. That led to another Jump Start yesterday on the same topic. And, here we are with still another installment. A series has developed.

 

Another great challenge facing today’s church is reaching others and evangelism. Teaching the Gospel to the lost and bringing them to Christ is the main avenue for a church to continue and grow. In far too many places, the number that moves away or passes away by death, out paces the number being converted. The congregation is losing numbers. Unless something changes, the future looks bleak. Given a decade or two, will there even be a congregation still meeting there? Much of our energy is devoted to keeping house and not reaching out.

 

Herein, lies one of the great challenges facing the church today, converting the lost.

 

Part of the problem lies in the fact that too many do not have a burning desire and love to save the lost. They’d rather just maintain what we now have. New people brings in people that we do not know and they do not know us. I feel some have the idea that we have preachers, let them do that work. Yet, each of us has our own network of family and friends and we could open doors of opportunity among them.

 

Second, times have changed. With that, people have changed. Certainly, some core issues remain the same. Man continues to sin and needs a Savior. That has never changed. But the thinking of man and the way he operates has. Many congregations continue to have Gospel meetings, in which a visiting preacher is invited to come and preach salvation lessons. However, no one except the church attends those lessons. No visitors visit. No one comes who is lost. The work and effort has missed it’s mark. There was a time when many, many people from the community came to Gospel meetings. On a Monday evening, a visitor may hear what’s wrong with denominationalism. He’d go home upset and look through his Bible. He’d come back the next night, hear another lesson and be immersed in Jesus Christ. That once worked. Today, using that same game plan, a person would hear that first lesson about denominationalism, and he would go home and never come back. He’d close the door forever. Likewise, there was a time when you could knock on a stranger’s door, start a conversation about life and arrange a Bible study. Many of us have done that for years. Today, if you knock on a stranger’s door, he’ll probably not answer it, or if he does, his first words will be, “WHAT!” You have bothered him and now he is in no mood to talk to you about anything. Do we and do congregations recognize these changes?

 

Third, there was a time when you could hand someone a tract and they would read it. A recent poll revealed that 80% of Americans did not read a book last year. Folks aren’t reading much. To hand someone a twenty page, black and white, tract and expect to get back with him on that, probably won’t be successful. There has been bold cultural changes in the past decade. Sexual identity issues, same-sex marriages, the I-generation that is in love with self, fears commitments and is unsure of who they are, dominate the social media blogs. People want legalized pot. Many are weary of the old time religion that seems tired and out of place.

 

And here we are, trying to stay afloat in a world that is flowing downstream, smiling and having a good time as they go. Challenges. Challenges in evangelism. Before us are some important decisions. We know enough that the only way a person is saved is by teaching the Gospel of Christ. That cannot change. It’s the methods that we are looking at. Continue to hold gospel meetings with a sign in a church yard that we hope some random car will pull into the parking lot and they will walk in? Continue to knock on doors? Continue to   mail out flyers and cards hoping some stranger will just walk in and then be converted?

 

We look historically, and we notice that methods have changed. Long gone are those two week meetings with nearly hour long preaching every night. Once that worked and was effective. Today, the members couldn’t endure it, let alone hoping for a visitor to come. That method wasn’t working so most churches made changes. The meetings were shorter. The sermons were shorter. Preachers started using series of lessons that tied everything together. They started preaching lessons that would be useful for anyone in the audience.

 

One of the greatest challenges is to even recognize these things. Those that don’t, scratch their heads and conclude that the world today is no longer interested in God. However, the stats don’t support that. The number one downloaded app for phones and tablets is YouVersion, the Bible app. The last I looked, over 100 million downloads of that app. If people are not interested in God, why are there so many downloads of the Bible? With all the other apps available, why do people continue to go to Bible apps? Maybe, instead of hoping for people to show up at the church building, we need more conversations like Philip had with the Ethiopian. Out of the temple. On the road. In his vehicle. It wasn’t about coming to my church, but coming to Jesus.

 

The mega church concept is very appealing to many people. Large crowds, where you do not have to connect unless you want to. Impressive music. Light shows. Cutting edge message that is laced with modern expressions and humor and the impression that I am right with God. Little fellowship. Little accountable. Little expectations. Little fear. So, divorce is never discussed. Modesty, never comes up in lessons. Partying, drinking, not touched. A lifestyle that allows one foot in the church and one foot in the world. Pretty cool. Pretty appealing. It’s either the no religion, or the mega church concept, this is where people are today.

 

How does the church today compete? How does the church today deal with these evangelistic challenges? Stay the course, which isn’t really working. Keep telling ourselves that no one is interested in Jesus, when that isn’t true. Or, finally, take a serious look at our methods and our purpose.

 

  • Take inventory of those tracts. Has anyone read them? Maybe it’s time to change them. Short, colorful, bullet point articles that can be read in a number of seconds. Just a bridge to the next step. Or, ditch them, and try some other method.

 

  • Try finding ways to meet people outside of the building. Instead of always inviting people to come to us, let us go to them. Many are having Bible studies in coffee shops and other places. This is nothing more than Philip and the Ethiopian on the road.

 

  • Talk and emphasize Jesus more than the church. We are the church. It’s not about us. It’s about Jesus. Most folks don’t have a clue about Calvinsim, Premillennialism, or most of the other “isms.” In fact, most don’t really care about those things. That’s not the topic of the hour. Have you ever asked your co-workers, “what’s keeping you up at night?” You’ll find it’s finances, relationships, fear, worry, kids, parents, stress—the very things found in Jesus’ sermon on the mount. How to live? How to die? Is this the way things are supposed to be? Have sermons, classes and discussions around those things. This is where people are. This leads to a foundation of Christ.

 

  • This is definitely a social media world. Try something on Facebook or Twitter. Put together a short video. Share those things.

 

  • Be there. Show up at the funeral home for a co-worker’s mom. Take food to a neighbor. People still need to see Christianity. We love to talk doctrine, but the world needs to see love. Don’t turn your back when others are. Don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty helping someone. Remember, Jesus touched the eyes of the blind and the leprous arms of the diseased. He was there. Are we? Or, are we hunkered down behind closed doors of a church building, wondering why no one comes in? I’d love to see, on a warm Sunday evening, a church moving cars out of the parking lot, filling the place with chairs and having a singing outdoors. Let the community hear and see you.

 

There has always been challenges in evangelism. Don’t give up. Don’t always conclude, ‘it’s the people.’ Take a look at what you are doing. Stand in the shoes of a visitor and take a look at your methods. It may just be that some adjusting needs to take place. We don’t cook over wood burning stoves these days. Our cars are different than those early model T’s. TV is different. Our phones are different. Yet, we still cook. We still drive. We still watch TV. We still talk on the phone. It’s the technology, the methods, the equipment that has changed.

 

Put some fresh eyes on what you are doing. There is a huge world that needs Jesus. Don’t give up.

Roger

 

 

 

17

Jump Start # 2018

Posted on January 17, 2018 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2018

1 Thessalonians 5:14 “And we urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with one another.”

 

Yesterday we took a look at challenges that face today’s church. In that Jump Start we addressed the special needs child, paying the preacher’s salary and finding the help to keep up with technology. There are other challenges. Greater challenges. People challenges. We will explore those today.

 

About our passage, listed here are the unruly, the fainthearted and the weak. There are reasons why some are like this. With the help Paul advised, these folks could change. The unruly could become a team player. The fainthearted could become courageous. The weak could become strong. People do not stay the same. We tend to put everyone in categories, with nice labels and then we keep them that way, forever. We do not allow the unruly to be cooperative. We will always remember how he once was. That sticks with us. The weak will always be weak to us. That not only isn’t fair, it isn’t something that we’d like others to do to us. We haven’t always been as we are. We’ve grown, changed and gotten better. People gave us a chance.

 

People challenges that churches face today:

 

  1. The volume of people. In many cities today, there are large congregations. This is fairly new. It wasn’t too long ago that one could count, on one hand, the congregations throughout the country that numbered around 300. There are many today. Those large sizes involve lots of people. Every person has a history, needs, baggage and trials and temptations that they face. Every one of them. Often, the shepherds of the church are so busy that they only deal with the train wrecks that happen. The teenage pregnancy. The divorce. The one arrested. The one kicked out school. The addiction. Major problems. But so many others may be headed for their own train wreck and possibly some could be prevented, but the number of people involved can be staggering.

 

What can be done? First, more need to see the valuable importance of leading God’s people. More elders. This takes time and sometimes there just aren’t any more. Second, continuing to teach solid, practical Biblical lessons about living for Christ. Teach. Teach. Teach. Third, you who are spiritual, restore such a one, is what we find in Galatians. More folks need to help out, get involved and have a voice that leads to Christ.

 

  1. The complexity of problems takes time. The parents with a prodigal who sits in a jail. Simply writing a card or sharing a verse doesn’t do all that they need. The young mother who, because of a divorce, is now struggling with jobs, bills, parenting all on her own. She needs help. Again, just a card or sharing a verse won’t do all that she needs. The grieving widow who is scared and alone for the first time in her life. She has to make some important decisions and again, simply a card or a verse doesn’t supply all that she needs. The complexity of issues and problems takes a lot of time. That is a challenge. The larger the congregation, the more of this is found. Long discussions. Multiple meetings. Many trips to visit. This is what comes with our fellowship and our love. When we look at our verse today, who would help the weak, encourage the fainthearted and admonish the unruly? Those who were spiritual. Pouring all the attention on the weak, leaves the unruly to continue his spiral downward. Ignoring the fainthearted because of dealing with the unruly may lead to their departure, permanently.

 

What can be done? Keep in touch is foremost. Open lines of communication. Share the load. Pray often. Try to look at every sheep. How is everyone doing? Don’t assume. Be efficient and organized and keep your ears open.

 

  1. There are some issues that we do not understand well. Mental illness is that way. Most of us do not understand it. Most would think, just don’t be that way. It’s not that easy. We don’t understand why a person needs so many meds for what they are going through. It’s hard to understand addictions, whether it’s alcohol, drugs, gambling, spending or porn. Most do not understand eating disorders. Most compulsive behavior is beyond our understanding. Just telling an anorexic woman, “Go eat,” won’t end her problems. Just telling a transgender teenager, ‘dress like a boy,” won’t end his problems.

 

This is an area that has always bothered me. There isn’t much in the Scripture about mental illness. Demon possession wasn’t the same thing. It’s hard to understand why someone is the way they are. It’s harder to understand what to suggest.

 

What can be done? It might help to find a professional counselor in the area that the elders can interview and have confidence in. One that is conservative in thinking and is pro-marriage. One that stands upon the Word of God. When difficult challenges come, elders and preachers can help spiritually, that is our field, but these other areas are beyond us. Suggest that they see someone that you have confidence in. Decisions have to be made about paying for it if the person cannot. Sending a person away without options, without help isn’t going to solve nor deal with any of these challenges.

 

There are many dysfunctional and broken homes in America today. People growing up in these environments often leave with issues and baggage that they carry most of their lives. Some carry these issues into their marriages and their parenting. It gets messy. It’s complicated. There are many who have been abused—verbally, emotionally and sexually. They carry fresh wounds. These problems include dealing with the past, forgiving, blame and moving on.

 

Leadership of elders and preachers need to study about people. Lessons in classes and sermons about forgiveness, family and love must be considered from where many are today. We are facing and talking about things that never were talked about two generations ago. You don’t read about these things in the old papers that brethren wrote.

 

A loving church would never send someone away because they are different or has issues. They will work with a person. They will help a person. They will point that person to Jesus. But realize, there is an air of challenges all around that person. Some in the congregation wish they would go somewhere else. Some may be suspicious and cold toward that person. Sometimes there are some bumping that takes place. Words are said. Just like kids at home, we need to be reminded that we are a family and no one is going anywhere else.

 

These challenges are tough, but we have to believe and trust the Lord. Greater is He who is in us than he who is in the world, is what John wrote. With God, we can do all things. The right love, with the Scriptures and good can be accomplished.

 

These are the challenges that we face today.

 

Roger