06

Jump Start # 2405

Posted on August 6, 2019 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2405

Proverbs 27:23 “Know well the condition of your flocks, and pay attention to your herds”

 

Within the past week and a half I have had some long and serious discussions with five different preachers. They live all over the country. Some of these discussions were face to face. Some were over the phone and one was via email and texting. These preachers are talented, good, and have made noticeable differences in the congregations where they preach. But something was very common in all of these discussions. All five were discouraged. All five have given thought about moving. And, sadly, all five, pointed to the same reason as to why they were discouraged. It wasn’t the money. It wasn’t how folks treated them. It wasn’t the hours they put in. It wasn’t where they lived. It wasn’t feeling pressured or squeezed. All five were discouraged because of the leadership in the congregation. They felt like their work was handcuffed and limited. They were in the dark about what was going on. They weren’t included in big plans, such as bringing in another preacher. The leadership was content to drift along with the way things have always been. And, these five wanted to do more. They saw great potential. There were opportunities all around them. They were filled with great ideas but those ideas fell on deaf ears. The leaders were more content to manage the church like a business. The deacons were treated as mid-level managers that carried out the decisions of the elders. And, these preachers could see that the church was suffering in some ways. There was a gap between the flock and the shepherds.

 

It’s discouraging to see what could be, but at the present it’s not. Teachers feel this way. Coaches feel this way. Parents feel this way. And, we preachers get this way. Sometimes ideas are just not feasible. There isn’t enough people necessary to complete the task, or it’s simply too expensive at this time. But sometimes ideas are shot down simply because the leaders don’t want to do them. There is no real reason. Sometimes it’s a power and control issue. If it’s not their idea, then it won’t get done.

 

Our verse is essential to this discussion. Discouraged preachers either move or quit. No one likes being discourage. No one likes to always hear “No.” No one likes the reply to an idea, “We’ll get back to you on this,” and then they never do. No one likes being treated second rate. No one likes secrets being kept from them.

 

Our verse aims at the work of shepherds. Know well the condition of your flocks, is something that ought to be stenciled on the walls of the church building. How are the folks doing? If the preacher is discouraged and they are clueless to that and they do not know that they are the source of that discouragement, one must wonder what the rest of the flock is experiencing? How many others are discouraged and it bypasses the leaders? How many others are having troubles but it’s not noticed?

 

The situation with these five preachers also reveals that there is a wall blocking transparency and good communication between the shepherds and these preachers. One might think, “Why don’t these guys just tell the shepherds how they feel?” There is a fear factor somewhat involved as well as knowing that the big picture, improving things and doing more for the church may all be destroyed because of a conflict between the preacher and the elders. They have tried to make suggestions that would improve their relationship with the leaders but those were not received well. So, these five march on doing their work, but inside their hearts are wondering how much longer they can hang on there.

 

It is so easy for leaders to take the 32,000 foot view of a congregation and believe all is safe and all is sound. No real trouble. Everyone is at peace. But a much closer look, an individual look at each person, may show that there is some special attention and needs that are not being met. Paying the bills on time, and keeping any major uprisings from taking place is not a job well done. Sheep are starving in the pews. Some are dying in the pews. Some are lost in the pews. And, so many elderships throughout the country do not see this taking place.

 

Know well the condition of your flocks.

 

Here are some suggestions. Chew on these.

 

First, talk to your preacher. Put the cards on the table in a kind way. Let him know that you love him, appreciate him and want him to stay. Preachers are not moving much these days. The pool of preachers is small. Stay the course, don’t make any adjustments and you’ll be looking for a new preacher. It many places, the leadership is older than the preacher. It may be very hard for him to talk without the fear of getting reprimanded or fired. Put him at ease. Encourage him. Ask him how you, as shepherds, can help him in his work.

 

Second, invite the preacher and include the preacher in your meetings. This is where most of the frustration lies with preachers. They feel like they do not know what is going on. Interestingly, in Ephesians four, evangelists and pastors are united in the same verse as those who are equipping the church. Preachers need to know their limitations and understand that they are not junior elders. They do not have the authority nor the role of an elder. However, in trying to help people in the congregation, being aware of situations helps the preacher in what he teaches and preaches. The role of the preacher and the elder ought to be one mind, and one heart. It is as the coach and the quarterback. Understanding each other, and trusting each other and helping each other only builds a stronger and better congregation. Some have said that it is unscriptural for the preacher to be in meetings with elders. Really? Where is the passage that even says elders have meetings? Shepherding doesn’t take place behind closed doors in those meetings. That’s where plans are discussed, classes are talked about and strategy is formed. True shepherding takes place outside of those doors. Maybe this is where some of the problem lies. Shepherds are not the CEO’s who run the church. They are shepherds who walk among the sheep. Shepherding takes place in front rooms, and coffee shops and over lunch, as shepherds connect face to face with the sheep. Shepherds help the sheep. To do that, they must be around the sheep.

 

Third, the stronger the bonds that are made between the preacher and the eldership, the better things will be. Others can feel the tension that may exist when things are not right. Suspicion, secrets, and not trusting each other only spells trouble and doom. Do things together socially. Enjoy each other’s company. Rather than fighting against each other, work together. In this, both the preacher and the elders will learn that there are talents, insights, foresight, vision and strengths that can help each other. Elders can learn from younger preachers. And, preachers can learn from elders. So many of the young preachers are skilled with video, social media and have ideas that many older men may not understand. Listen to these ideas. Chew on them for a while. Do some homework. Then make a decision, but it will be a well informed decision. Visit other congregations and see what they are doing. Learn from others. Give books to each other that will help each other. If the player on the field feels like he is soon to be traded, his mind won’t be into the game as it ought to be. It’s not much different for the preacher who feels he may soon be replaced. How long would you like your preacher to stay? Have you told him that? How about telling him we’d like this to be your final place. How about letting him know that you have his back and you’re there for the long haul? And, preacher, when you are discouraged, you must be careful with your attitude and your mouth. Undermining the leadership leads to a mutiny and in most movies, someone is put on a little boat and left to drift alone. That little boat may be for you preacher, if you cause trouble.

 

Work as a team. Be one mind. Be one voice. Now, how can that be, if we don’t share, connect and get together? What an example from Jesus, when He told the disciples, “I now call you friends, not slaves. The slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you” (John 15:15). No secrets. Transparent. On the same page. Trusting each other. There for each other.

 

Here’s the challenge—this week, shepherds reach out to your preacher and ask if you could get together. The agenda? We, the elders, want to see what we can do to make things better for you and how we can draw closer to each other. Will you try that? I fear if some don’t, things will spiral downward.

 

Know well the condition of your flock. How is your preacher doing? Do you know?

 

Roger

 

05

Jump Start # 2404

Posted on August 5, 2019 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2404

1 Peter 4:9 “Be hospitable to one another without complaint.”

 

Our verse today combines an action with an attitude. The action is awesome. Hospitality, at the core means the care of strangers. We know it better as friends having each other over for dinner. It’s going out with some folks after services. It’s receiving a card of encouragement in the mail. Hospitality means someone is thinking about you. It shows that you are loved. We preachers are often on the receiving end of much hospitality. We preach these simple lessons and folks open up their homes and cook like it was Thanksgiving. It stretches our waist lines and expands our spiritual hearts.

 

But Peter sticks an attitude with this wonderful action. Do the hospitability, but don’t complain about it. Other versions use the word “grumbling.” Don’t grumble. God has never been a fan of complaining. Israel did that long and hard in the wilderness and it wearied God and He allowed that faithless generation to die in that wilderness. We like to complain. The weather, the traffic, the way our favorite team is playing, the economy, politics, the temp in the church building, the length of sermons, the price of food, the long lines at stores—we sure can complain. And when we preachers preach about complaining, it comes across that we are complaining about complaining!

 

Hospitality is an important step in helping new families fit in and get to know others. Hospitality is a wonderful way to really talk, share and help one another. But, there is that complaining part. What Peter is showing, similar to what Paul did in Corinthians with love, is that the good that we do can be ruined by our sour spirit and complaining heart.

 

Why would someone complain? This just cripples the wonderful time some can have.

 

First, hospitality involves a sacrifice on your part. If you have people over to your house, you need to clean it, put stuff up, run the vacuum and all of that takes some effort on your part. Then, there is cooking some food. There is an expense and time involved with that. The very nature of hospitality is sharing, and, to be honest, some simply do not want to share. They want to keep all that they have for themselves. Why do they practice hospitality then? Maybe they were pressured into it. Maybe they thought it would bring some positive return to them.

 

Second, some may complain because they are always doing the hospitality and are never on the receiving end of things. If I have you over, then you ought to have me over. Not everyone thinks that way. Not every one feels that way. That is not always necessary. There is no rule about that. And, you can nearly hear the complaints falling off the pages of your Bible. “Why is it always our family who has to do these things?” “Why doesn’t anyone else ever do anything?” Those are great questions and some people just couldn’t answer them. And the complaints fall, and it just wrecks any good that can be done. It sours our hearts towards others. We begin to judge and make false thoughts about others. “Well, they have so much. Why aren’t they doing more?” Maybe they are and you just don’t know about it. Maybe they aren’t and they need to learn and you could just be the right example, that is, if you stop complaining.

 

Third, some people just don’t understand the good that comes from hospitality. I have a yellow folder in a special file cabinet. It holds all the thoughtful cards that people have written to me through the years. They have thanked me for being there, for helping them, for teaching them. When the dark days come, and they do, and I begin to wonder if I’m doing any good, I go to that folder. It reminds me of all the lives that have been touched by the glory of the Lord. Some don’t know how to do hospitality. They have come from homes in which they have never had anyone over other than family. They have never written a card of encouragement. They have never learned. So, it’s hard for them to do it because they are not sure how.

 

Fourth, some are intimidated by others. They got to someone’s home and there is a banquet with all the fancy things and they even have three forks at the table. You love it. It’s amazing. But all through this, you are thinking, “We could never do this.” We don’t even own that many forks. And, you feel that you must match what others have done, and you can’t. So, you don’t. Hospitality is more about the company than it is the food. It’s more about fellowship, sharing and connecting than the spread on the table. To be honest, I’ve been to some places, and it’s over-kill. Too much food. Too much fancy. Paper napkins, with plastic forks, and paper plates and a hotdog—is just fine. Have some fun together. Sing some songs together. Get into a deep discussion together. Through the years I have met some very wealthy brethren. I have eaten some very fancy food in a very fancy fashion. It was fine. I have also sat on folding chairs around a card table and have had some of the best times ever. Hospitality isn’t about trying to “one-up” the next guy. That ruins the good that comes from it.

 

 

Fifth, some people are just not the best house guests. Some don’t watch their kids too well. That’s happened to us. Some people don’t know when to go home. That’s happened to us. Some filled their plates with so much food, that I had to order a pizza for my kids after everyone went home. Yes, that’s happened. I had people say, “I’ve never been in a preacher’s house before” and off they go exploring as if my house was on a home tour. I’m not sure what they were expecting, maybe a red phone that was a direct line to Heaven? It’s just a house. We’ve had people spill drinks, drop plates of food and clog the toilet. But you know what? None of those things stopped us from having people over again. We’ve had people over and they left without even thanking us. We’ve had a few things broken after people were over. But none of those things kept us from having others over and none of that was worth complaining about. Who are we going to complain to? And, when you do, isn’t that a bit like gossip?

 

But all the good that has come from hospitality is well worth all the things we had to do. Because when people go home, you have dishes to do, chairs to put up, floors to be swept again. It’s ok. The connections spiritually, and the good that is accomplished is worth all of that. This is what I believe Peter is getting at. Do it, but don’t complain. Do it, and don’t talk about others. Do it and watch the good that comes from this.

 

We may have hundreds of friends on our phone and Facebook, but we can’t have anyone over from church? Why is it? Place is too small? Don’t let that bother you. Don’t have much to offer? Ask them to bring some things as well. Don’t know what you will talk about? You’d be surprised how smoothly conversations flow when brethren are together. Invite two couples over—one that you know well and one that you don’t know so well. That works.

 

Be hospitable…that is the mark of a warm and friendly church. But don’t ruin it by complaining.

 

Roger

 

02

Jump Start # 2403

Posted on August 2, 2019 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2403

Romans 14:12 “So then each one of us shall give account of himself to God.”

 

I heard the following on a news report the other day. I suppose it’s a true story. A man had been convicted of murder. At his sentencing, he pleaded for leniency. His basis was because he had an excellent credit score. I nearly fell out of the car laughing when I heard that. What does paying your bills on time have to do with murder? He wanted the judge to show some favor to him because he had good credit.

 

But, then don’t we do the same with God? Here’s a guy who believes he ought to go to Heaven because he’s coached his kid’s soccer team. A band mom thinks she ought to go to Heaven because she’s volunteered so much to help the band. Here’s a person who gets up early in the mornings to pick up liter along the busy roadways. Here’s someone who rescues dogs that have been abused and abandoned. Then there is the retired teacher who volunteers to help students after school. These are all grand and noble deeds. These are all acts of love and kindness. These things help others and they make the world a better place. But just as a good credit score has nothing to do with killing someone, neither does helping pitiful dogs have anything to do with our souls and Jesus.

 

Our society has bought into the idea that if you volunteer, do some good deeds, show some kindness, all of that will look good on your application to Heaven. Heaven will be certain because “good people” go to Heaven. And, just what is a “good person?” One who volunteers. One who helps others. One who is kind. This is the kind of stuff that is preached at funerals. Little about faith. Nothing about Christ. All about goodness.

 

Having a good credit score is great, but it has nothing to do with taking someone’s life. And, so it is the same with all these other things that qualifies us as a “good” person. Those are nice, but they really do not have much, if anything, to do with our love, obedience and walk with the Lord. It is easy to think of judgment much like a balance sheet or a pair of scales. We all know that we have done wrong. However, if we pile more into the good side of things, those scales will balance out and possibly, they may even lean more to the good side than the bad side. Just keep doing more and more good and that will take care of the bad.

 

Now, there are several things wrong with that concept.

 

First, it allows us to keep doing wrong. As long as there is more good than wrong, it will balance out. So, one doesn’t really have to stop the wrong, just don’t let it get out of hand. Moderation, we hear is the key. A little wrong is ok as long as you are doing mostly good. Where do we find that in the Bible? The words of the Bible are to flee and stop wrong. Does good credit level out taking a life? Who knows how much good it will take to cover a wrong? Live pure and righteously is what God wants. Walk in faith. Keep the commandments.   You don’t find any encouragement to continue on in things that are wrong. NEVER.

 

Second, this thinking takes God out of our salvation. This is a system of works. Do more good than bad and you’ll go to Heaven. The Bible teaches that we are not saved by works. You cannot do enough good. The illustration of sin in Matthew 18 is ten thousand talents that were owed. It took 600 denarius to make one talent. One denarius was a days wage. Six hundred days of working to make one talent. The man owed 10,000 talents. That becomes over 16,000 years of work. An impossibility. That’s the point. You can’t do enough good to bring the balance back level. There isn’t enough time and you can’t do enough good. Without Jesus, we’re lost. Without Jesus, there is no hope. It is the grace of God that saves us. We must believe and walk by faith. A person doesn’t go to Heaven because they are “good.” Over and over the Bible tells us that there is none that is good. Heaven is for those who have trusted in the Lord and done what pleases God.

 

Third, when we finally understand this, we are happy to do what we can for the Lord. Putting a smile on the Lord’s face is more important to us than anything else. He loves us and we love Him. We live pure because He wants us to. We worship, praise Him, defend Him, and honor His name, because of what He has done for us and what He has promised us.

 

Our verse tells us about this judgment. Each person must give an account of himself to God. Now, consider what that means:

 

First, judgment is individual. We aren’t judged as nations, congregations or even families. Just me. Just you. By ourselves. There is no hiding behind someone. There is no being overlooked in the crowd. Now, just how this will be we do not know. Alphabetically? By generations? Randomly? We might think, this will take a long time because there has been a lot of people since Adam and Eve. But if God can create everything in six days, He can get through this.

 

Second, judgment is personal. We must give an account of ourselves. That’s tough. I’d rather give an account of someone else. And, as we do this, God already knows. There is no blowing smoke, lame excuses, passing the buck, blaming others—it’s just you and God. Give an account. Why didn’t you worship Me? What would you say? Why did you not forgive that person? What will you say? Why did you not obey Me? What would you say?

 

Third, judgement is before God. We must give an account to God. To Him. If it was one of the apostles, we’d say, “You know how it is…” Or, “you’ve been this way, haven’t you?” Or, “We’re all human…” But it is before God. Holy. Pure. Righteous. Almighty. The one who thundered on the mountain. The one who all Heaven bowed to in Revelation. Just you explaining to Him, your life. Your poor, poor, pitiful life—yet He knows how you were blessed. He knows what opportunities you had. He knows your heart.

 

Looking at these points ought to make us shudder. I don’t have a chance—but you do. It’s because of Jesus, that makes all of this possible. Our love for the Lord and our trust in the Lord is the hope that we have. We can’t preach enough, do enough, read the Bible enough. You simply can’t do enough. Remember Paul’s words: there is a faith that he kept, there is a fight that he fought, and there is a course that he finished. Perfect? No, but he was true to the Lord. He held on to God’s unchanging hands. We don’t get Heaven because we go to church on Sundays. It’s not because we are “good” people. It’s not because we have a great credit score. It’s because of our faith in Him and His amazing grace. We get Heaven because of Him. He is the one who invites us in.

 

I doubt the murderer got a lesser sentence because of his credit score. I hope we realize what really matters for us—our faith, which becomes our walk in the Lord.

 

Roger

 

01

Jump Start # 2402

Posted on August 1, 2019 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2402

Romans 10:17 “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.”

 

The religious community was rocked with shocking news this past weekend. Best selling author, Joshua Harris, who wrote the book, “I kissed dating goodbye,” announced that he and his wife were divorcing and he was no longer a Christian. He has apologized to the LBGTQ community for things he has said about them. So, this author who wrote a great book on purity has now kissed God goodbye.

 

All of this brings us to the discussion of how does one believe and how does a believer “disbelieve?” What Harris admitted is something that happens throughout the church every year. We hear of couples divorcing and one dropping out completely. When folks reach out and try to open a conversation, the reply is short, sad and to the point. “I do not believe anymore.” Sometimes the statement is wrapped around the church. I don’t believe the way you do. And the person dances off to a nearby church that is more into fun and self. But other times the declaration is, “I don’t believe in God.” And with that, the person kisses God goodbye.

 

So, we must begin with how does one become a believer? Understanding this, helps us to understand how one kisses God goodbye. Our verse defines the process. Belief in God is based upon the word of God, or the Bible. It’s not a feeling. Without the Bible, our faith wouldn’t be much different than the pagans. They worshipped rivers, the moon, the sun, and had idols for all kinds of things, including animals, that they considered to be gods. While God is everywhere, God is not everything. God is not a tree. God is not a cloud. God is not a feeling. God is real.

 

Our faith is built upon the truthfulness of God’s word. The Gospel of John concludes with these thoughts: “these have been written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.” Feelings are hard to describe. God uses evidence, proof, facts. These undeniable facts lead to conclusions, which builds our faith. The children’s song, “Jesus loves me, because the Bible tells me so,” illustrates this concept. We know God loves us because His word says so. His word is true. His word is proven. His word has stood the test of time. His word is accurate. The apostles were sent into all the world preaching the Gospel of Jesus. Young Timothy was told to preach the word. We believe because the Bible is so.

 

This is the reason our Bible classes must teach the Bible. This is the reason our sermons must be laced with Bible. We are not sharing our opinions. We are not persuading and changing moral behaviors because we feel that it would be right for society. We are teaching the word of God. How is that we know we are forgiven? A feeling? No. The promises of God’s word, the Bible. How do we know that there is a Heaven? We just know there is? No. The Bible tells us so.

 

Our faith is not in each other. Our faith is not in the church. We can let each other down and even disappoint each other. Our faith is not in some historical tradition. It has nothing to do with politics. It’s all about the Bible. I believe in Jesus because He is real. How do I know He is real? The Bible.

 

Through the years I have heard people wonder, “What if none of this is true? What if man actually wrote the Bible?” Christians have responded, “Well, at least I have lived the best life.” That’s the wrong answer. The Bible is so true, that there is no other possibility. Man could not have written the Bible. Jesus is. There are no plausible alternatives. The evidence is overwhelming. There is too much proof. Internal as well as external evidence is off the charts. The Bible is from God. Absolutely. Positively. Base my life upon it.

 

This is what our faith is built upon. We believe because it’s true. We believe because of the evidence. We believe because the Bible. And, the more time one spends with the Bible, the deeper, richer and stronger that faith becomes.

 

So, how does “a believer” quit believing? There can only be two answers, which really are the same.

 

First, a person has to deny all the evidence. He has to no longer believe the Bible is true. He has to close his eyes to all the facts. We can do this in other areas of life. It happens in marriage. One spouse is having an affair. Friends bring evidence to the faithful wife. She refuses to believe it. She has an answer for everything. Turth be, she’s living in denial. She doesn’t want to admit the cold fact that her husband is cheating. Somehow, she thinks by denying this, it will go away. It doesn’t exist if she doesn’t admit it, she thinks. Some can do that with the Bible. They don’t want to admit that God expects them to live a certain way. They don’t want to acknowledge the truth that God will some day judge all of us. So, by denying the obvious, maybe it will go away. It never does. Maybe by ignoring the facts, I don’t have to face them, think about them, nor deal with them.

 

God’s word is true, whether I believe it or not. I can preach His word, distort His word, or even deny His word, but that doesn’t change the fact that it is there and it is true. And, when a person says, “I know longer believe,” a great reply question would be, “Upon what evidence have you changed your mind?” Now, it may be the harshness of life. A loved one dies. A child is killed. Unfairness. Yet, had they studied and known that Bible, they would have understood the answers to those things. However, it is easier to say, “I don’t believe simply because life didn’t turn out the way I wanted it to.”

 

Second, behind much of this is someone who doesn’t want to be confined by God’s rules and restricted to a lifestyle of holiness and purity. Sin and the devil has much to do with pulling the rug out from faith. It comes down to faith and sin. The more of the Bible that believe, the less you’ll like sin. However, the more of sin you embrace, the less of the Bible you’ll like. You won’t find a heart filled with faith in the life of one who longs for sin. The two are opposites.

 

Why does a believer stop believing? He allowed something else to take the place of Christ. He lost his first love. He lost his focus.

 

And, when one kisses God goodbye, they are kissing, hope, salvation and Heaven goodbye. Is it possible for such a person to come back and again believe? Certainly. It’s going to be a journey, but it can be done. He must start over and look at the truthfulness of God’s word. He must be honest. He must stop listening to doubters.

 

The apostle Thomas wasn’t going to believe until he saw with his own eyes the resurrected Jesus. A week passed. Where was he? When the following week rolled around he is still with the apostles. He’s not sitting in a bar with a drink. He’s not with the Romans. He’s with believers. Don’t you expect during that week he was asking a lot of questions? Don’t you think he was trying to find the answers he needed. When Jesus appears, he believes. Having questions is fine. What do you do with those questions. Do you feed your faith our your doubts?

 

The true reason why a believer stops believing is because he closes his eyes to God and spends too much time sitting among the enemy and drinking the poison of Satan. You do that, and you’ll likely lose your faith.

 

Roger