Church

February 23, 2015

“The Doxology” Kimmie-Style

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost! Last week, I marveled as my daughter Kimberlyn praised the Lord with “The Doxology” on Tulsa morning news. Proverbs 18:16 reminds that a person’s gift opens doors. Wow, Kimmie. What a gift! What doors lie ahead? May you keep using your gifts to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ. You go, Girl! Click the link if you would like to watch Kim Simon Doxology

October 17, 2014

God Is Working

God is at work in the world.

In the very popular book Experiencing God, Henry Blackaby and Claude King discuss seven realities of experiencing God:

God is always at work around you.
God pursues a continuing love relationship with you that is real and personal.
God invites you to become involved with Him in His work.
God speaks by the Holy Spirit through the Bible, prayer, circumstances, and the church to reveal Himself, His purposes, and His ways.
God’s invitation for you to work with Him always leads you to a crisis of belief that requires faith and action.
You must make major adjustments in your life to join God in what He is doing.
You come to know God by experience as you obey Him and He accomplishes His work through you. (Blackaby and King, Experiencing God: Knowing and Doing the Will of God, 50)

Are you cooperating with what He is doing?

October 2, 2014

10 Inadequate Motives for Leadership

Do you aspire to lead? Terrific! Leaders are wanted. Actually, Godly leaders are desperately needed. “Here is a trustworthy saying: Whoever aspires to be an overseer desires a noble task.” (1 Timothy 3:1 NIV)

Twenty-first century church leaders are profoundly needed. The world has had too many wash-outs and burn-outs. One of the central reasons for many failures is improper motives driving a person to lead in a sphere of ministry to which God has not called them. Christ’s Body needs faithful leaders that will finish the noble task to which they have been called.

What is your motive behind your desire to be a leader in the church? Carefully evaluate your motives. Why do you want to lead? Motivation is the key. Why are you seeking to be a leader? For yourself? For Christ? Are you seeking after God’s agenda or your own? Jesus told His disciples, “I seek not to please myself but him who sent me” (John 5:30b NIV). Is pleasing God at the root of your desire to lead? Are you living for God’s fame?

Don’t be too quick to excuse your own self-promotion. The Old Testament prophet Jeremiah cautions his secretary Baruch, “Are you seeking great things for yourself? Don’t do it!” (Jeremiah 45:5 NLT) Self-centeredness is a chain that binds you. Paul warns that some preachers actually “proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition rather than from pure motives” (Philippians 1:17 NASB).

Check yourself today. Is your foundation to lead built on any of the following inadequate motivations?

A desire for respect from your peers?
A desire to be recognized by the public?
A desire to show off your gifts and talents?
A desire for an official title in front of your name?
A desire to prove your worth or earn your acceptance?
A desire for power or to have authority of others?
A desire to be paid?
A desire to be praised on earth for your generosity or good deeds?
A desire to be served by others?
A desire to be more important than your currently are?

What is your motive? What is pushing your desire? Why are you aspiring to lead?

October 1, 2014

Psalm 23 Shepherd

A few hours before his death, a founding member of Valley Fellowship gave me a ceramic lamb and encouraged me to shepherd the flock. Everett Brooks was ready for heaven, but he wanted me to finish the race God marked out for me. I keep that lamb at my office to remind me of God’s call upon my life.

Several times, the New Testament connects shepherding imagery with the responsibility of a church leader. Peter proclaims, “Be shepherds over the flock God has entrusted to you. Watch over it as God does: Don’t do this because you have to, but because you want to. Don’t do it out of greed, but out of a desire to serve.” (1 Peter 5:2 GW) In Paul’s farewell address to the Ephesian leaders, Paul declared, “Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock that the Holy Spirit has appointed you to as overseers, to shepherd the church of God, which He purchased with His own blood.” (Acts 20:28 HCSB) Many within our modern twenty-first century society have little personal experience with sheep, but the shepherding analogy remains an apt picture.

“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.” (Psalm 23:1 NASB)

Shepherding is an appropriate analogy for describing the ministry of a pastor or church leader. Jesus Christ is the Chief Shepherd in charge of His flock – the Church – and He knows the best methodology for the care of sheep and adopts the best approach for the care of His sheep. I should imitate His example in character and in care-giving. To emulate Him and become an effective pastor or under-shepherd, I must maintain firsthand relationship with the Chief Shepherd Jesus Christ.

My dad did his best to model for me how an under-shepherd should live in connection with Christ. I still honor Dad by attesting he was the same man at home that he was in the pulpit. Today, I opened a folder with some of my dad’s old notes and read something I thought was quite appropriate. On one of the pages was a handwritten outline of Psalm 23. I am pretty sure Dad was copying or paraphrasing something he had heard or read, but I don’t know from where. Here is what was written (with a few edits and added Scripture verses):

“He makes me lie down in green pastures.” (Psalm 23:2a NASB) He makes the sheep lie down in green pastures which He Himself has already surveyed as good and healthy for the sheep.

“He leads me beside quiet waters.” (Psalm 23:2b NASB) He leads the sheep beside quiet, restful waters that He Himself has already examined to be clean and pure for the sheep.

“He restores my soul.” (Psalm 23:3a NASB) He restores the souls and lives of the sheep – after He Himself has examined each sheep for its faults and hurts.

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“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.” (Psalm 23:4 NASB) He comforts the sheep with His rod and staff while they travel through dark valleys before which He Himself has traveled.

“You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.” (Psalm 23:5a NASB) He prepares good grazing land for the sheep even when they are surrounded by wolves, knowing a satisfying diet will keep the sheep from wandering away from the flock and being eaten by the wolves.

“You have anointed my head with oil.” (Psalm 23:5b NASB) He anoints all the heads of the sheep with oil which will protect and keep flying insects from bothering His sheep.

“My cup overflows.” (Psalm 23:5c NASB) He causes the diet of the sheep to be so satisfying which will cause their wool to be healthy and plentiful.

Dad, thanks for writing that down. I am pondering Jesus’ example as the Good Shepherd. Jesus called me into ministry as His under-shepherd. The call is real; the mission is vital; the task is formidable, but I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength. Essential shepherding duties seem to never end, but my personal connection with Jesus Christ provides me with the spiritual strength to accomplish His will.

“Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” (Psalm 23:6 NASB)

September 30, 2014

Do Something Extraordinary

God wants ordinary people like you and me to do extraordinary things for His glory. Extraordinary incidents testify God is working through us. Our steps of faith show the people around us how great HE is. It really is not about us. Our attitude needs to match John the Baptist who declared about Christ, “He must increase; I must decrease.” Stay humble and let God do His thing.

“The people who KNOW THEIR GOD shall prove themselves strong and shall stand firm and do exploits [for God].” (Daniel 11:32b AMP)

Relationship with God opens the door for exploits – not in your own might, but in His power. When you know your God, you display great STRENGTH. When you know your God, you take quick ACTION. When you know your God, you act valiantly. When you know your God, you STAND FIRM. When you know your God, you prosper. When you know your God, you battle against kingdom of darkness. When you know your God, you DO EXPLOITS.

If you are thinking “I can’t do that”, you are the exact one to whom God is calling today. God works through ordinary people. God doesn’t quit on His projects until the job is completed, and He isn’t finished making you into what He wants. The worst thing you could do is disqualify yourself by giving up.

You are qualified to do something – simply because you are a believer. God has a plan and purpose for you. The enemy desires to stop or steal what God wants to give to you. Don’t let the devil steal it! Accept the reality Christ’s forgiveness. You blew it in the past, okay, but the blood of Jesus cleanses. God forgives. You can do exploits, not because you are perfect, but because you are in Christ. Don’t worry if its messy, you can do something significant.

God saved you to serve. Saved people serve people. Find a need and fill it; find a hurt and heal it. The bigger the need you fill the bigger the glory God receives. Do something extraordinary for the Lord. Serve Him by serving others at work, at home, at church.

God works through ordinary people. Let Him work through you. Do something extraordinary for His glory.

September 19, 2014

Persecution isn’t new

I cried last night as I watched televised reports of the torture and killing of thousands of Christians. Here in the States, we may be jeered, but we scarely suffer to point of shedding blood.

During His public earthly ministry, Jesus Christ experienced rejection and abuse, yet He proclaimed, (John 16:33 AMP)

Why am I surprised by persecution? I pause today to remember that persecution was a reality for the Body of since its inception. The early church experienced great criticism and harassment.

Early Christians were regularly viewed as a Jewish sect that believed the Messiah had appeared in the form of Jesus Christ. From the outset the principal Jewish leaders opposed and criticized the proponents of this new “heretical” sect. The Sanhedrin and prominent Jews incited persecution that lead to the martyrdom of many. The Book of Acts and the Pauline Epistles record some of the great effort leveled against early believers. At first the ruling Roman government avoided stepping into what was viewed as infighting between Jews, but this soon changed. Falsely inspired by the burning of Rome, Nero focused his cruelty upon Christians living in Rome. Early Roman persecution indicted Jews and Christians as a single unit, but rigid persecution of Christians continued under the Romans because of several practices of Christianity. Persecution triggered Christianity’s spread.

During its first 300 years, Christianity was a unique and potent religion that set the early believers at a distance from traditional Roman practices and customs. The Church was constantly standing apart from popular culture because of the close association between pagan worship and Roman culture. Early Christians avoided pagan social events, and were viewed as anti-social and disrespectful. The teachings of Christ were a radical departure from the polytheistic religions of ancient Rome, and the early Church was consistently seen as anti-government or at least anti-judicial.

The teachings of Christ led believers to deny several pagan Roman traditions and to abstain from numerous social activities. Early believers rejected the accepted polytheism of the day, refused to acknowledge the many Roman gods, and promoted a strong monotheistic belief that challenged Roman institutions. When Caesar began to demand worship, Christians declined; therefore, Christians were considered traitors, treasonous, and even atheistic. Occasionally, the secretive Christians were even blamed for epidemics and disasters. Christian love was misconstrued, and cultured-pagan prejudice was inflamed by the growth of Christianity within the ignorant lower classes.

False rumors and suspicions abounded. Misconceptions regarding Christian rituals, such as meeting in groups, calling one another “brother,” and practicing communion, caused many to view the Christian sect as despicable and dangerous to civilized society. Fictitious reports circulated of incest. Some erroneously believed that babies were hidden inside of communion bread. Misunderstood Christian practices were viewed as counter-culture and treacherous. Christian leaders tried to address the concerns and answer the questions of their critics, but persecution continued.

During its first 300 years, the Church experienced intense persecution and tremendous growth. This small, heretical Jewish sect ascended to the status of the foremost religious belief. Persecution actually spurred the early burgeoning Church to spread out from its Jerusalem base and take the Gospel beyond the borders of Palestine and into the heart of the Gentile world. The martyrdom of Stephen and increasing pressure caused many believers to exit Palestine and enter cities throughout the empire, even to Rome itself. The Diaspora allowed Christian missionaries, such as Paul, to have a starting point throughout the Greco-Roman world.

Persecution in the second century was highlighted by the martyrdom of Ignatius of Antioch, Polycarp, and thousands more who refused to recant. Systematic persecution of Christians was not widespread, but believers were persistently persecuted. False rumors abounded concerning the Church, but apologists such as Justin, Tatian, and Tertullian, embarked upon explanation of the Christian faith. Tertullian documented “that the blood of the martyrs was a seed, for the more it spilled the greater the number of Christians.”

Teachers like Clement, Irenaeus, and Origen tried to refute erroneous misconceptions about Christianity. Facing the possibility of death when brought before the courts, countless Christians maintained true to their confession. There is no way to know how many pagans came to Christ as a result of these steadfast believers, but it is clear that the Church continued to enlarge.

Tribulation didn’t stop the early Church and I can learn from their example. The actions, attitudes and activities of Christ-followers will always be misunderstood and misconstrued.

Early believers endured and so shall I. The Church remains and I am part of what Christ wants to do on earth.

Persecution isn’t new.

(1 Peter 4:12-14 PHILLIPS)

September 17, 2014

Cross-Bearing for Dummies & Smarties

Cross-bearing isn’t optional for a Christ-following disciple. Jesus said, “Whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14:27 NIV) What is cross-bearing? Basically, cross-bearing is giving Jesus Christ first place in my life. When I adopt willingness to do whatever it takes for God to be glorified in and through my life, I am bearing my cross. When I lay my life on the line – even to the point of death – then I am cross-bearing.

For some, cross-bearing involves death, but even death cannot keep a person from pleasing the Lord. Shocking recent reports from the Middle East tell of thousands of believers who have been killed. Radicals unsuccessfully tried to make Christians deny Christ. The kingdom of darkness violently assaults the Church, but the blood of martyrs testifies to God’s glory. The ultimate sacrifice of life could be a part of cross-bearing, but for most of us cross-bearing has to do with how we live here on earth.

Water baptism is a powerful symbol of cross-bearing – burying an old life in exchange for Christ’s life. Alan’s testimony from the baptistry on that day touched my heart. Here was a guy publicly announcing his decision to offer every part of himself, his choice to bear his cross.

Cross-bearing encompasses every dimension of living. Evangelist Billy Graham wisely affirms, “Salvation is free, but discipleship costs everything we have.” The Apostle Paul stresses, “Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to Him as an instrument of righteousness.” (Romans 6:13 NIV) What a call! Every part? Wow, I have got some work to do.
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Many years ago, Thomas À Kempis bemoaned the lack of cross-bearing by many within the church of the 1400’s. Kempis called for renewed devotion. His message is still relevant in the 21st century. Kempis wrote:

“Jesus has many lovers of the heavenly kingdom, but few bearers of His cross. He has many desirous of consolation, but few of tribulation. He finds many companions of His table, but few of His abstinence. All desire to rejoice with Him, few are willing to endure anything for Him, or with Him. Many follow Jesus to the breaking of bread, but few to the drinking of the cup. Many reverence His miracles; few follow the ignominy of His cross. Many love Jesus so long as no adversities befall them, many praise and bless Him so long as they receive any consolations from Him; but if Jesus hides Himself and leaves them but a little while, they fall either into complaining or into too much dejection of mind.”

Cross-bearing is part of that process by which I am changed more and more into Christ’s likeness. Cross-bearing is a characteristic of someone maturing spiritually. Spiritual maturity is not automatic – it is a process. I am certainly not perfect. None of us is perfect yet. Therefore, I must surrender myself daily. Jesus Christ declares, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross DAILY and follow me.” (Luke 9:23 NIV) I must choose EVERYDAY to deny myself and follow God’s will for my life.

“In every Christian’s heart there is a cross and a throne, and the Christian is on the throne till he puts himself on the cross; if he refuses the cross, he remains on the throne. Perhaps this is at the bottom of the backsliding and worldliness among gospel believers today. We want to be saved, but we insist that Christ do all the dying. No cross for us, no dethronement, no dying. We remain king within the little kingdom of Mansoul and wear our tinsel crown with all the pride of a Caesar; but we doom ourselves to shadows and weakness and spiritual sterility.” (A.W. Tozer)

I want all that God has for me, so I gotta grab my cross. Lord, grant me grace to bear my cross and follow you today.

September 16, 2014

Lord, I Just Don’t Understand

Do you ever wish you were young enough to be comforted by crawling up in the lap of someone you know that loves you?

Rational minds can have a hard time understanding many things. Because I live in a body and my earthly experience is so grounded in time and space, many concepts are difficult to understand. But . . . I want to understand.

I really want to understand. I wish I understood how God knows everything I have done and will ever do. I can’t completely understand eternity or heaven. Creation is a huge subject. God’s speaks – boom! – life is created, but none of us were alive to witness it. I have studied the subject deeply but still wrestle with the tension between God’s sovereignty and my own free choice. Why the cross; why was Roman capital punishment the method preselected for Christ’s death? Why are some people instantly healed and others struggle with seemingly life-long pains? I want God to tell me why some of the most righteous people I have known died much earlier than I would have liked. I think many people at times struggle with that “betrayal barrier” – feeling as if God has somehow not done what we thought He should do.

I have been a Christ-follower for many years, but I am still not satisfied with my limited understanding. But as I think about my desire to understand, I am struck by the fact I don’t understand many things in the natural world of which I am daily a part. For that matter, I don’t fully grasp how electricity works (but I still keep on flipping switches to light up the room), and I know God is much larger that than my puny brain can fathom.

The incarnation – God clothing Himself in flesh – is a big hurdle for some people. God became a baby? Have you ever heard of the attempt by a little boy to talk with an ant? The boy had a hard time. About the only think the boy could think to communicate successfully was to become an ant himself. That is what Christ did when He clothed Himself in flesh and lived a sinless life here on earth. That may seem simplistic, but lots of concepts are hard to understand. I don’t think honest questions are a bad thing.

You know, Billy Graham, one of the most famous evangelists of the late twentieth century, had a crisis of belief. Graham struggled with philosophical and psychological questions that he simply couldn’t answer. Lee Strobel writes of Graham’s story:

“I was trying to be on the level with God, but something remained unspoken . . . At last the Holy Spirit freed me to say it. ‘Father, I am going to accept this as Thy Word – by faith! I’m going to allow faith to go beyond my intellectual questions and doubts, and I will believe this to be Your inspired Word.'”

Rising from his knees, tears in his eyes, Graham said he sensed the power of God as he hadn’t felt it for months. “Not all my questions were answered, but a major bridge had been crossed,” he said. “In my heart and mind, I knew a spiritual battle in my soul had been fought and won.”

For Graham, it was a pivotal moment. (The Case for Faith, Zondervan, 2000, p. 10-11)

You have read to this point. Could this be a pivotal moment for you? Ultimately, we all have to cross the barrier of doubt with a choice. Where are you going from here?

I think God’s Word is great place to start – for anyone with questions! Are you willing to listen and to read and to search the Bible to see if your question has an answer there?

In the book of Acts, the Bereans were praised for their honorable fiber because they really dug in the Bible to see if what Paul was preaching was factual. The Bereans were free from prejudice, not allowing what had transpired days before to cloud their discernment. God commended their diligence. “Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica [who violently rejected his message], for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.” (Acts 17:11 NIV) Their willingness to listen, study, and respond to God’s Word is what made them noble.

Ultimately, I take comfort from knowing that God is God and I ain’t. Some things I will never fully grasp. The ancient Israelites had to learn this lesson too. Moses wrote, “The Lord our God has secrets known to no one. We are not accountable for them, but we and our children are accountable forever for all that he has revealed to us, so that we may obey all the terms of these instructions.” (Deuteronomy 29:29 NLT) Wow, I will never understand some things – secrets reserved for God Himself. But . . . I am responsible to doing what I already know to do.

Okay, Lord. I get it. I guess I don’t have to understand. How about just letting me crawl into Your lap?

September 12, 2014

The Lord says, “I am with you”

Do you feel weary? Sometimes our bodies are exhausted – even when we are doing something great. The picture below was taken last year. Patti and I were seriously tired and ready for sleep. We were on a wonderful trip, but I can see the weariness in our eyes. Sleepless-in-Amsterdam may be a good place for a funny selfie, but tired and weary is never a good place from which to evaluate or to plan your life!

Before the 10:00 AM Sunday service on August 17, 2014, I was praying, centering myself for worship. Standing just in front of the sanctuary platform, I recalled Proverbs 3:25-26 and Matthew 6:34, passages I had meditated on during the last week. In that quiet moment, I felt the Lord speak to me an encouraging Word for the gathering congregation. I share it today, because it will encourage you. You might feel weary, but I have good news for you. Emmanuel is with you today. Here is what I heard in my spirit:
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“I am with you. I am Emmanuel. You need not panic over alarms or surprises just around the corner, I am right here with you; I will keep you safe and sound. I am with you. Don’t work youself into a frenzy. I haven’t abandoned you. I am here. Give your entire attention to what I am doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. I will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes. I am with you. Rejoice despite anxious circumstances, wearisome schedules, frustrating clients, pressing bills, or uncertain appointments. My wisdom will guide your path, My discernment will inspire your understanding, and My joy will flood your heart. I am with you.”

September 10, 2014

A Church and a Christian School Can Work Together

Life-giving Christian schools do exist. I am a senior pastor of church with a twenty-seven year old Christian school and I have a strong conviction about the necessity and benefit of good Christian schools. I am personally invested in Valley Fellowship Christian Academy, including regularly teaching Bible classes and elementary chapels. With a God-given responsibility to train their children, many parents find an excellent partner with a quality Christian school.

Recently, I read a blog post (from a pastor I respect) that questioned whether or not Christian schools “work”. Unfortunately, I think past disappointments flavored his viewpoint. He advocated that Christian schools work for some but devastate other children, however his logic is flawed. Poor experience by some does not justify a broad attack against the Christian school movement. Parenting “works” for some children, but for some their parental experiences devastated their lives. Some kids have a good experience with parents; some do not have a good experience with parents. Do we discredit or disavow all parenting? Of course, not. And, Christian school cannot be so easily disavowed.

Under the guise of Christian liberty, he suggested the abandonment of Honor Codes because he thinks they are legalistic and without room for repentance. Honor Codes, like the Ten Commandments of old, are a standard for living that should not be discarded. Wise Christian educators do allow for repentance. Respect the distinctive of a particular school. Some Christian schools have an evangelistic mission (allow anyone); some Christian school have a discipleship mission (limit pre-Christians). Different points of view are studied and debated in a Christian school, but an effective teacher will communicate truth.

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Students attending a school that shares space with a local congregation DO NOT get TOO MUCH of church. A building isn’t the reason for the poor experience of some. Many own daughters love and serve God after spending their academic careers (until college) in a school that shared space with a church. Positive experience of my own children and the constructive experience of many others testifies that a church and a school CAN work together. It can work for a school and a church to share property. Also, the financial reality is that many Christian schools would not exist without a local congregation willing to “share” space in order to see children trained and transformed through a real encounter with Christ.

Based upon more than thirty years of personal observation, students do not need Christian schools and public schools to fare better. If I could go back, I still would not send my daughters to a public school, but I would send them to life-giving Christian school. If a Christian school was not an option, then I would homeschool. Christ affirmed that a fully-trained student will be like the teacher. I want my kids to become more like Christ and a healthy partnership with good Christian school educators increases that potential.