My writing is a source of personal therapy for me — as well as ministry and hopefully encouragement to those who read faithfully or just happen to stop by on occasion. Your support and feedback is often expressed privately through emails or Facebook messages, which is just fine with me. However, for the past year or so a handful of persistent ‘fans’ (wow, I really hate that word in this context) have encouraged me to take this site to a different level.

Well, today I’m venturing into a new place, looking to horizons unknown — but believing that God has placed me in this role for such a time as this. As a man deeply passionate about Jesus Christ and profoundly loyal to this place called America, that God has blessed from generation to generation — I am stepping up to be part of the solution to what is wrong in our nation.

With church attendance steadily dropping across denominations, and moral decay exposing the ugly roots of deeper spiritual problems, I am going with my gut and kicking into high gear that long-held notion of mine, that one person really can make a difference. The fact of the matter is that if our country truly does want to experience the continued blessings of God, then we must as individuals fall on our faces in humility, repent of our sins, and plead for God’s hand of blessing on our nation.

As you might imagine, I have been called everything from a ‘right-wing kook’ to a ‘religious nut.’ And quite frankly, you can’t stay in ministry as long as I have if your skin is thin. The bottom line is that I care far more about my God, and far more about my country, than I care about the wide assortment of labels that may be used to characterize my actions.

As Christians, I believe the time is now to rise up and be counted. With ever-increasing rules, regulations, and laws being made in spite of our Constitution, this ‘land of the free’ is seeming less so all the time. I believe in a sovereign God who remains in control of all things and surprised by nothing. However, I also believe that with freedom comes great responsibility.

Those who would seek to destroy our great nation will achieve their goals through several key ways: (1) increasing government control and decreasing personal liberty; (2) decreasing and/or censoring news and public information; (3) weakening national security; (4) violating the separation of church and state by bowing to the gods of hedonism and political correctness; and (5) diminishing the exceptionalism that for more than 200 years has made America a beacon of light in a dark world.

I don’t know about you, but I’m not going to bow to those who have done nothing to deserve respect. The very future of our nation is at stake, and for the sake of my children, I will not allow her to go down without a hard-fought campaign. There’s a line in the popular Lee Greenwood song, God Bless the USA, that I’ve never really liked. It says, ” ’cause the flag still stands for freedom, and they can’t take that away.”

Don’t be fooled by the emotions evoked by this patriotic selection. Yes, they can. And yes, they will take our freedom away – that is, if enough good men and women don’t band together to stop the evil that is all around us. I happen to believe that within each of us lies the potential to do great good.

Today I invite you to join me in standing up for America. The battle will be long. The mission will be treacherous. But the victory will be sweet. It will not be won through a revolution; it will be won through a spiritual revival in the hearts and lives of God’s people.

Of course, I am well aware of the risks associated with taking such a hard stand. I will face criticism from some of my friends, some of my family members — even some of the ones in my own church. There are, in fact, many people I respect a great deal who believe differently than I do. All I can tell you is that when I look at the situation in our country, I can clearly see that we are at a critical point that goes far beyond the left- and right-wing arguments from ten and twenty years ago. This is not about Democrats or Republicans or partisanship at all. This is about an all-out war on the heritage and Judeo-Christian values on which this country was built. And having weighed my options, I believe the benefits will far outweigh any risks to my reputation and my ministry.

With great respect, I ask you to join the fight for freedom today. If you’re like me, then you likely have a job, a family, and a very full plate. That being the case, you are probably not able to invest countless hours fighting for the causes you believe in. To assist you in this effort, I have set-up a very simple page on this site where you can ‘Get Involved’ and show the naysayers once and for all that one person can make a difference!

If not you, then who? If not now, then when?

Don’t settle for the passivist mentality. Don’t deny personal responsibility in the name of the sovereignty of God. Throughout Scripture, God most often answered the prayers of His people with His people. There is absolutely no reason to believe His method is any different at this point in time.

Yes, friends, it is possible to love both God and country. This is how. The time is now.

I will continue to use this site as a source of encouragement, inspiration, and insights on many different topics related to Christian life and leadership. I hope you will be a part of my ‘virtual family’ through your comments and personal thoughts. It is always a blessing to hear from readers.

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Men do it. Women do it. Children do it.

Even in the presence of good company, worry can leave you feeling restless and alone.

It has been said many times that most of the things we worry about never happen. And that may be true. But those of us who struggle with worry somehow feel a sick sense of control over those things that often top our ‘worry’ lists. Things like health, finances, relationships, death, war, intergallactic collisions. See? It’s just the little things that keep us up nights.

In His teaching on worry, Jesus said this:

This is why I tell you: Don’t worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Isn’t life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the sky: they don’t sow or reap or gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you worth more than they? – Matthew 6:25-26 (HCSB)

Paul, in writing to the church at Philippi, said:

Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses every thought, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. – Philippians 4:6-7 (HCSB)

That wonderfully devoted missionary, Corrie Ten Boom, not only influenced the lives of those with whom she shared Christ personally, but even in her death, her words come alongside believers today, reminding us of the importance of simplicity in the Christian life. Her common-sense approach to worry puts it in an everyday framework: “Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow. It empties today of its strength.”

Whatever it is that concerns you most today, lay it down at the feet of Jesus. Place it in the hands of the One who already knows the anxious state of your heart and feels compassion for the burdens you bear. Spend some time thanking God today for His loving care. And whatever you do, don’t let the worries of your tomorrow ruin the quality of your today.

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What things cause you the most worry/anxiety? How do you handle those concerns?

And while I personally enjoyed the distraction, I must admit that it will take more than fireworks and franks to get my mind off these colossal issues that threaten to choke the very life from our republic should a sharp and effective course correction not be made — and soon.

If you read this blog often, then you know that I am a huge advocate for personal responsibility. In contrast to the philosophies opined in the news media, pointing fingers and assigning blame is truly of little help. That’s where the church comes in.

You see, I believe that Christians have a responsibility to do something phenomenal in today’s American society — something that could radically transform the face of the Church as we know it. And yes, I understand that few facets of our economy have been so hard-hit financially as churches and non-profit organizations. When the budget gets squeezed at home, those expenses are among the first deemed ‘discretionary’ — like it or not. Just yesterday I was contacted by yet another ministry colleague whose staff position will be eliminated at the end of the year.

As a realist and a pragmatist, I struggle with optimism. I’m a pretty black-and-white kind of guy. I’m fine with calling a spade a spade, although I probably won’t waste my time trying to convince those who don’t necessarily see things my way. But here’s what I think: I believe that the church in 21st century America has the potential to transform society in ways not seen since the days of the early church, as described in the book of Acts.

As states follow the nation’s lead and assume higher and higher levels of debt, vital services will be significantly reduced, if not eliminated altogether. These services include healthcare, counseling, education, and childcare. And there are ways for the Church to step up to the plate and assume responsibility for filling in the gaps that, quite frankly, it should have been doing all along.

Somewhere along the way, the American Church began to take on the attitude of its typical parishioners. The Church began to believe that its effectiveness was largely dependent upon some of the most superficial things — like state-of-the-art facilities, larger-than-life personalities, highly specialized niche ministries, and entertainment-based programming.

In fact, I would argue that this is still the model of the local church that many so-called pastors, priests, or shepherds would esteem as the pinnacle of success.

They would be wrong. Dead wrong.

As American religious life evolved, many of the seeker-sensitive churches of the 80′s and 90′s made a very subtle, in fact, almost indiscernible transition. They moved from seeker-sensitive to consumer-driven. I suppose that once these churches reached ‘seekers,’ then those individuals continued to expect church to be all about them instead of all about Him. Consequently, the landscape of this great nation is now littered with hundreds, perhaps thousands, of churches that don’t know what to do or how to cope when the money goes away and the lights go out.

I have an idea. I think that it’s then that the Church should best be positioned to tell the world, in effect, “It’s showtime!”

It’s time to show the world that this Gospel we preach is real, is relevant, and is right here. It’s time to show the world that the message we carry is not hindered by a weakened economy — not if we’re really passionate about the message in the first place. It’s time to prove once and for all that if a few ordinary fishermen with no formal training and no budgetary funds can reach people for Christ, then so can we!

Will things improve in America? Well, I guess that all depends on how we define improvement. Do I think the economy is going to take off again and let us enjoy the perks and privileges of being a nation of plenty? No, I emphatically do not believe that. We have essentially kicked God out of our schools, our courts, and our public gatherings in order to satisfy the outcries of a few literally misguided souls. Consequently, I think that God is working out His purposes, and our comfort level is of no concern to Him whatsoever.

However, I do believe that the Church is going to see drastic improvement. I think that improvement will center around four major shifts in the life of our local churches, some of which are transitioning even now:

1. Ministry as we know it will look and feel very different than it does in many of our churches today. We will be forced to view our budget in the light of greatly limited resources. The glitz and glamour of entertainment-based programming will be replaced by ministries that meet the very real physical and spiritual needs of people who are discovering what humility really means.

2. Ministry will become increasingly community-based. In fact, many churches will have no building at all.

3. True believers will be identified only after the faux ‘Christians’ fall away. I hate to say it so bluntly, but the churches in this nation are filled with people who will be stunned and amazed to find that their pet project or ministry must take a back-seat to more hands-on and real-world ministry. The sad truth is that our churches will be better off without them, because to the faux ‘Christians,’ it was never ‘all about Him’ in the first place.

4. As God allows our nation to go through this period of change, the Church will be marked by renewed passion, sharper focus, and more intentional ministry. As a result, we will see people won to Christ because of a true spiritual hunger that for so long has been numbed by a steady diet of materialism and pride. Talk about feeding the monster!

Now please don’t misunderstand me. I’m not a prophet, a priest, or a king. These are merely my thoughts and impressions, albeit after a period of prayer and searching. I could be wrong. And I certainly wouldn’t claim to lay out a timetable for all this. Besides, God could hear and answer the prayers of His people and restore this land to a place of wealth and luxury that we could only dream of. But when I think about how He lived among us during His ministry, I don’t think of extraordinary; I think of extra ordinary.

Plain. Simple. Humble.

So, I guess the answer to our prayers is entirely dependent upon what it is we’re praying. Are you praying for God to stem the tide, protect your assets, and keep you comfortable and secure? Or are you praying for God to do whatever it takes to get people’s attention, that they might see Him and believe before it is too late?

The truth is that, according to Scripture, sooner or later everyone is going to confess Him as Lord. My job as a believer is to pray that God will do whatever it takes – and use me as He will – to make sure that as many people as possible confess, “Jesus is Lord” on this side of eternity.

When this life draws to an end, that’s the only thing that will matter anyway.

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I’m in the process of becoming what Christ wants me to be.

Rather than spending a lot of time focusing on what I want to do in the year ahead (even though I have a few things in mind), I think my energy would be better served seeking what God wants to do through me.

This world is such a chaotic place, and as I’ve alluded to a number of times before, sometimes that gets me down. I’ve learned through the years that there’s no shame in expressing emotions. There’s no shame in being real, authentic, transparent. There are risks involved with all those things — but I find that the joys far outweigh the vulnerabilities — and the opportunities for heart-to-heart ministry are found most readily at the intersections of our weaknesses. Even the psalmist dealt with emotional highs and lows, as evidenced in his writings. And I seriously doubt that he’d care much about playing the role of ‘perfect Christian’ that our culture seems so eager to cast — all for the sake of tearing down later in the theatre of public opinion.

I’m not the only one with doubts and fears either. In fact, what would a Christmas play be without an angel to say, “Do not be afraid”?

I’m not the only one who sometimes ventures off-course in my daily time with God. In my walk with Him, sometimes I lag behind . . . sometimes I wander ahead.

I’m not the only one who sometimes says things I shouldn’t say and does things I shouldn’t do. It’s called sin, and Scripture clearly tells us that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23)

I’m not the only one who sometimes wrestles with priorities and suffers the physical, spiritual, and emotional consequences of an unbalanced life.

No, I’m not the only one. But there’s still not much consolation in that fact.

Here’s something different though: I am the only one who can moment by moment make the choice to surrender my will to that of the Father . . . to allow myself to just sit with Him awhile . . . to be still and know that He is God.

I’ve heard it said that the longer you live, the more you realize you don’t know. As I cross over into a new year, I will view it as a new beginning of sorts. But more than that, I will choose to view each day as a precious gift in which the God of the universe allows me to know Him more fully and share His message more freely with those who need to hear.

I’m not a cookie-cutter Christian. Instead I am hand-crafted by the Master, called according to His purposes, and fearfully and wonderfully made to bring glory to Him alone.

That, my friends, is what I want to do best in the year ahead — in whatever form it may take.

I pray God’s richest blessings on you in the new year. More than that, I pray that you will know how wide, how long, how high, and how deep is the love of Christ. (Eph. 3:18)

Here are 30 questions I’m already pondering as I think toward 2010:

PERSONAL LIFE

• What do I want to be different in my personal life?
• Who do I want to influence?
• Who do I want to get to know?
• What subject do I want to learn more about?
• What books do I want to read?
• What habit do I want to break?
• What habit do I want to develop?
• What friendship(s) do I need to re-evaluate?
• What places do I want to go?

FAMILY LIFE

• What words do I need to say more?
• What words do I need to eliminate altogether?
• In what relationships do I need to invest more?
• What boundaries do I need to re-negotiate?
• What household chores do I need to do more?
• What values do I want to instill?
• To whom do I need to say, “I’m sorry”?
• Who do I need to forgive?
• Who do I need to affirm/encourage?
• Who do I need to appreciate more?

SPIRITUAL LIFE

• What work do I want to see God do in me?
• What secret sin do I need to stop?
• For whom do I need to pray more?
• What spiritual disciplines do I need to develop?
• How can I intentionally develop relationships with non-believers?
• With whom do I need to intentionally share my faith?
• What part of my life do I need to give more completely to Christ?
• What community ministry do I need to personally invest in?
• What individuals do I need to personally help disciple?
• How much does God want me to give financially for Kingdom work?

I encourage you to take one question each of the next 30 days — and seriously ponder it throughout the day. Customize this list by replacing some questions with others that God brings to mind for you. At the end of the month, you’ll have a pretty good idea of how you’d like 2010 to be . . . and you won’t have to worry with making last-minute promises that you’ll probably end up breaking anyway.

By investing this time in prayerfully considering these questions, you’ll exchange resolutions for a roadmap. As always, I’d love to hear how it goes.

Perhaps I’m not so timid. Perhaps I’m not so smart. Whatever the case, this Sunday is a day for trading spaces at my church. And while I’m cautiously optimistic that the moves will go smoothly, I’m also understandably nervous that in spite of my best efforts, maybe there’s a detail or two I’ve overlooked — or a class or two I haven’t yet discovered!

Still, our church is overdue for a purposeful shuffle. This is just the first of a number of moves I anticipate over the course of my ministry here. I’m excited about the opportunity this move will provide us to minister in new ways to our young and median adults. By setting aside an area for relationship building, in keeping with biblical community, I think we will be poised to reach new people.

And as an education pastor, I’m always having to remember the truth in this statement: “100% of the people we will reach are not here yet!” What we do at church is not — and must never be — all about us. The church, in fact, is the only organization that exists for the benefit of those who do not belong to it.

Problems arise though when classes become too attached to a particular space or specific chairs or some other detail. While I have had a few critical comments in the past several weeks, I rejoice in the fact that most people have been exceedingly gracious in this process, many of them simply expressing enthusiasm for the change itself.

But I’m definitely not a person who makes changes for the sake of change alone. Here are a few key reasons changing spaces can be helpful in the life of a church:

1. Changing spaces forces us to view rooms in a different light. Space is a resource for reaching people. And through the years, as class sizes fluctuate and leaders come and go, space can begin to be used in ways that are not in the best interest of the church as a whole. For example, when one class of 20 people occupies a room that will comfortably accommodate 40 — and blocks access to two or three peripheral classrooms — then it’s time for a change.
      
2. Changing spaces causes us to look at the big picture. Over time it’s easy for classes to develop a “first-come, first-served” attitude with regard to rooms. Classrooms are not created equal. And who wouldn’t want a bigger space. After all, that’s the American way, isn’t it? As much as possible though, classrooms need to define a space. For example, it is certainly helpful both to guests and greeters to have all young adults in one area, all senior adults in one area, all single adults in one area, and so on. Of course, this is not always possible, but I think it’s important to do the best you can with what you have to work with.
       
3. Changing spaces encourages us to be flexible and adaptable. Believe it or not, I don’t enjoy change all that much — particularly when I’m the one insisting on it! However, I am constantly reminded that any church with no need to change spaces is not a place I’d really want to serve. That’s because only healthy and growing churches have constant space issues. People in growing churches recognize that adaptability is a real necessity.
        
4. Changing spaces teaches us to put others first. When faced with moving to a smaller classroom or a less comfortable building or a higher floor, it is natural to become frustrated — even grouchy at times. The good news is that the change itself should be cause to celebrate because obviously God is up to something! One of the real benefits to our changing of spaces is that several rooms are being freed up in order to begin new classes.
        
5. Changing spaces reminds us that all the space belongs to God. That’s right! It’s not ours anyway; it’s his space to use. We just get to borrow it for a season. And no change is permanent. With the passing of time, the space one class loved so much may again be theirs to use — all depending on the needs of the church as a whole.

For now though, change is maddening for some, exciting for others — but challenging for all. Don’t worry . . . those who are happy today will be unhappy at another time. That is, unless they truly begin to grasp a sense of God’s big picture and recognize that He’s much less concerned about chairs and coffee pots and paint colors — and much more concerned about the people who will come to know Him, in part, because of such resources.

I pray that God will help me to keep focused on the main thing. I pray the same for you — wherever you may serve.

It is my sincere belief that the times in which we live are urgent. And while I am confident in my eternal destiny by virtue of faith in Jesus Christ, it’s hard sometimes to not be afraid . . . to be anxious . . . to worry about tomorrow.

To all those who are in Christ, we truly have nothing to fear. The apostle Paul wrote in Philippians 1:21, “For me to live is Christ and to die is gain.” Of course, that doesn’t mean we necessarily look forward to experiencing trials and death, but we have the very promise of Jesus who himself acknowledged the anxious feeling that most of us have from time to time. He said, “In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33b)

The thing about having a personal relationship with Christ is that in spite of all the troubles, the questions, the frustrations, and the heartaches of this world, we can still experience abundant life. If you do not know for sure what would happen to your soul if you died today, I can’t think of anything more significant to you at this time.

God loves you more than you could possibly imagine. And He wants you to choose to enjoy that abiding peace and joy that can come only from a relationship with Him. John 3:16-17 says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”

If you have never trusted Christ as Savior and Lord of your life, what are you waiting for? Scripture states plainly that one day every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. I urge you to make sure — make absolutely sure — that you are ready to meet Him whenever that time comes for you. For those who wait until the mass chorus of confessions, it will be too late. I’m so glad that even though this world is not my home, Jesus has made a place for me. He’d love nothing more than to prepare a place for you too!

If you have questions about how you can experience this abundant life and hope for tomorrow, please feel free to contact me. You may also visit the sites listed below.

Real Life Stories of God’s Transforming Power
Here’s Hope for You

Here are a few of them:

1. Start utilizing a different benchmark. In my own denomination, the annual church report focuses on enrollment and attendance. You know what? I don’t really focus a lot on the enrollment number because many of those folks couldn’t be found with help from federal agencies! I think the more helpful thing on which to focus is the number of people who are serving in our churches. Jesus wasn’t merely enrolled in something, nor was he just an attender. He was involved with the people through ministry and service. And I think service is a hallmark of a growing disciple.

2. Don’t feel the need to do it all. So many churches today get overwhelmed as they try to keep up with other churches in their communities. No one church can do everything. There are many great opportunities in ministry, but we must be able to say ‘no’ to some things so that we can say ‘yes’ with our whole heart to some other things for which God has uniquely gifted that particular congregation.

3. Connect with the community. After all, that’s where the people are! So many times we do everything in our power to get people to come to church, when the fact is that Jesus told us to follow His lead and go to them. By building relationships with people where they are, we can model a kind of servant evangelism that is very needed in our world today.

4. Have fun together as a church. Christians so often get a bad rap for being ‘sticks in the mud.’ But I know from personal experience how much fun we can have together. Be intentional about creating opportunities to have fun and fellowship with one another through classes and small groups — and as a whole congregation. People are naturally drawn to folks who know how to have a good time!

And finally . . .

5. Invite people to be a part of what you’re doing! Research shows that most people who are unchurched would likely attend a church service or activity, if only someone would invite them. For too long we have believed the naysayers who tell us that people don’t want to be bothered. Nonsense! In this world in which we live, people are starved to death for real relationships with people who care.

Remember, spiritual growth is always the main thing . . . but numerical growth is definitely an indicator that cannot be ignored. And every church should find at its base a ministry strategy firmly grounded in prayer and Scripture.

IT’S YOUR TURN!

• What is one small thing you can do to help your church improve its potential for growth?

Change is an interesting thing. It happens whether we like it or not. It’s one of those things that is so natural. Times change. Seasons change.  And yet so often in life, we get comfortable and begin to fight against it, working hard to protect that which keeps us feeling safe and secure.

Well, as the discipleship guy at the church, so much of the actual change process falls under my umbrella . . . which makes my job challenging as well as rewarding. I’m the one who gets to explain to teachers why we’re combining groups or changing spaces or doing something a little different than has been the case. It can be a scary thing, to be sure! (for both parties, I might add)

I guess what I’ve come to realize through my years in ministry is that even I tend to get stuck in ruts. Without adequate challenges, I can become dependent on that which is known. It’s easy to begin relying on lesson plans from days gone by rather than taking the time to re-create something fresh and exciting. It’s easy to call on the same leaders for recurring tasks because, after all, they’ve proven they can do the job. And it’s easy to rest on my laurels and tell myself that things are — dare I say it? — good enough.

Believe it or not, I am very aware of the various emotions that accompany change: feelings of fear, doubt, grief, loss, and anxiety, just to name a few. Change does not come easily for most of us. But I believe that when we stop changing, we stop growing — as individuals and as churches.

I like what the pastor said on Sunday, that we must take an unchanging message and repackage it in ways that are relevant to people in today’s culture. We can’t be eight-track Christians in an iPod world.

With a recent move to Arkansas, my family and I have experienced a whole lot of change in the past few months. And I kept telling myself that this blog looked good enough. But I knew that wasn’t the case.

You see, sometimes we fight battles in our heads that our hearts have already won. So, I’ve spent some time refreshing the ol’ blog . . . bringing in some new colors, new style, and a slightly new way of doing things.

I figure if I’m going to expect anyone else to embrace change, I’m going to have to set the example and lead out in my own life too.

So, I hope you enjoy the look and feel of the new blog . . . just some little changes here and there that will hopefully help advance the message of Christ to people who need to know about the hope we have in Him.

IT’S YOUR TURN!

• What is the hardest thing about change for you personally?

Just gone. Vanished. Without a trace.

How would your community be different without the influence of your church? Here are some questions I’ve been pondering in recent days, regarding such an event:

• Would my community be a darker place due to the abence of light emanating from the lives of our members?
• Would more people be hungry . . . homeless . . . poorly clothed?
• Would community organizations miss the involvement of our people?
• Would far fewer people be subjected to the life-changing message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ?
• Would people sense a loss of hope? A loss of spiritual healing? A loss of help during times of trial?

Or would most people go right on about their lives with no notice . . . no mention . . . no care about what happened to that church?

If the church is to be relevant to a lost and dying world, then these are questions that must be asked — and answered in a way that brings glory and honor to the name of the One who gives life . . .Jesus Christ himself.

What kind of questions are the driving force at your church? The questions we ask determine the answers we find.

Spend some time this week thinking this through . . . and take a moment to share your thoughts.