It’s the time of year when commercials seem specifically designed to make us believe we’re a bad husband, bad friend, bad parent, if we don’t get a tremendous gift for someone, right? I mean, maybe you spend weeks pouring over catalogs, surfing the web late at night, looking for just the right gift for that special someone, and finally you think you’ve got it. Then, the next night you turn on the TV. All you want to do is watch a little football, or maybe catch the end of Elf and there it is – you know the one. The commercial with soothing music and the garage door opens and in the bay is a shiny black Lexus with a red bow on top, and the cute, perky wife leans over and gives the man a deep, lasting hug. All of a sudden, you are the worst husband ever!
Now, I don’t know anyone who’s actually ever received a Lexus for Christmas, and I certainly don’t know anyone who’s given one. But imagine just for a minute, that you did. Imagine you saved up for years and years, and just once, for that special someone, you plunked down 50 large and brought home a Lexus LS and because you’re a good negotiator, you got the dealer to throw in, at no cost, one of those big red bows. And you drive it home, and park it in your neighbor’s garage until the big day, and on Christmas morning, that special someone wakes up and walks out into the driveway and sees it. And the reaction? Well, it’s a little subdued – not quite what you expected, but you know you did the right thing, so you wait. And days go by, but the Lexus never moves. And Winter goes and Spring comes, and you walk out into the garage and the red bow still sits on top and the odometer still reads 0. When you question your spouse as to why they are still driving the 8-year-old minivan, they just shrug. How do you feel? It was a perfect gift, you paid a high price for it, and it’s going unused.
Did you know God paid a price for you? Did you know He saved you not just so he could spend eternity with you, because he wants that – he’s crazy about you. But he also saved you so you could help advance His kingdom. I know this because if he just wanted you in heaven, he could have taken you away right then. Instead, he left you here and gave you, along with His very spirit, spiritual gifts you can use to help Him find others to spend eternity with. How are you doing with that? Are you giving everything you have to build His Kingdom here on earth? Is your heart broken for people who are far from God?
In his book, Forgotten God, Francis Chan writes that his youth pastor used to ask: “what would your church (and the worldwide church) look like if everyone was as committed as you are? If everyone gave and served and prayed exactly like you, would the church be healthy and empowered? Or would it be weak and listless?”
What would your church look like if everyone was as committed as you? Would there be a band on stage every week? Would it have enough people to teach kids on Sunday morning? What would small groups look like if everyone were as committed as you? What would neighborhood outreach look like? What would the weekly offering look like? What would your city look like?
On the other hand, what would your church look like if everyone were engaged in using their gifts to the extreme?
If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully. –Romans 12:6-8
Don’t leave your spiritual gifts in your garage. It’s time to get out the key and fire those babies up!
Showing posts with label Romans. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Romans. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Youth Pastors- Quit Today!
Yesterday, there was yet another story of a youth pastor accused of sexual misconduct with a student - three girls, in this case, including one that claims to be pregnant with his child. As a volunteer youth pastor (and as a father), it breaks my heart to hear stories like this. Every week I work with high school students, and its easy for me to see that some girls (and guys, for that matter) are crying out for attention, just wanting to be loved, noticed, and approved of.
As a youth pastor, we are in a position of authority, and often a trusted confidant for these vulnerable students. And every time a story like this one comes out, it puts a black mark on the Church universal, on our calling, and on the God we serve. As a youth leader (pastor, volunteer, or otherwise), we need to be laser-focused on leading and shepherding these kids to The One who can save us- Jesus Christ. This is SO IMPORTANT- the stat I heard this week is that the average college student who was active in an evangelical church in high school, walks away from his/her faith by October 15 of freshman year.
So, I just want to say one thing to anyone in the church who works with students- check your heart. If you are doing what you're doing for any reason other than to lead students into a life-changing relationship with Christ, then STEP AWAY FROM YOUR MINISTRY. If your doing it because you like hanging out with high school students, or it makes you feel young, or it gets you away from your family, or it pays the bills, or because YOU ARE ATTRACTED TO HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS, then QUIT TODAY! No matter how big your ministry is, no matter how connected your students are to you or to each other, no matter how many other people look at what you do in awe, STOP if your only goal is anything other than leading students to Christ.
Youth groups need to be a place for students to get away from the pressures they face in school and with friends. They need to have adults there that walk alongside parents, not work against them. They must reinforce the idea of not conforming to the ways of this world, but being transformed by the grace of God. They need to be a place where parents are assured that their precious son or daughter will be built into, shepherded, loved (asexually) and accepted by people who love Jesus more than their own bodies. If your are not willing or not able to do this, then quit. It's okay. God has something else planned for you.
The church should be set apart. We are the bride of Christ. Just like in every other area of our Christian walk, people need to see from the outside how we are different from the world. If inside the church looks like the world, then what's the point? If a young girl is as likely to be led astray by a youth pastor as by a fellow student or a teacher or a coach, then why should she even bother with church? We need to be a refuge for teens struggling with their sexual identity, not a place where they can experiment with it.
If you're not willing or able to do this, quit today. Don't quit the church - it needs you and you need it- but step down from your position. Do it with all humility and grace. Because if you wait until it's too late, it could end in humiliation.
Please, check your heart.
As a youth pastor, we are in a position of authority, and often a trusted confidant for these vulnerable students. And every time a story like this one comes out, it puts a black mark on the Church universal, on our calling, and on the God we serve. As a youth leader (pastor, volunteer, or otherwise), we need to be laser-focused on leading and shepherding these kids to The One who can save us- Jesus Christ. This is SO IMPORTANT- the stat I heard this week is that the average college student who was active in an evangelical church in high school, walks away from his/her faith by October 15 of freshman year.
So, I just want to say one thing to anyone in the church who works with students- check your heart. If you are doing what you're doing for any reason other than to lead students into a life-changing relationship with Christ, then STEP AWAY FROM YOUR MINISTRY. If your doing it because you like hanging out with high school students, or it makes you feel young, or it gets you away from your family, or it pays the bills, or because YOU ARE ATTRACTED TO HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS, then QUIT TODAY! No matter how big your ministry is, no matter how connected your students are to you or to each other, no matter how many other people look at what you do in awe, STOP if your only goal is anything other than leading students to Christ.
Youth groups need to be a place for students to get away from the pressures they face in school and with friends. They need to have adults there that walk alongside parents, not work against them. They must reinforce the idea of not conforming to the ways of this world, but being transformed by the grace of God. They need to be a place where parents are assured that their precious son or daughter will be built into, shepherded, loved (asexually) and accepted by people who love Jesus more than their own bodies. If your are not willing or not able to do this, then quit. It's okay. God has something else planned for you.
The church should be set apart. We are the bride of Christ. Just like in every other area of our Christian walk, people need to see from the outside how we are different from the world. If inside the church looks like the world, then what's the point? If a young girl is as likely to be led astray by a youth pastor as by a fellow student or a teacher or a coach, then why should she even bother with church? We need to be a refuge for teens struggling with their sexual identity, not a place where they can experiment with it.
If you're not willing or able to do this, quit today. Don't quit the church - it needs you and you need it- but step down from your position. Do it with all humility and grace. Because if you wait until it's too late, it could end in humiliation.
Please, check your heart.
Thursday, July 10, 2008
The Theology of Hypocrites
You didn't think, did you, that just by pointing your finger at others you would distract God from seeing all your misdoings and from coming down on you hard? Or did you think that because he's such a nice God, he'd let you off the hook? Better think this one through from the beginning. God is kind, but he's not soft. In kindness he takes us firmly by the hand and leads us into a radical life-change. - Romans 2:3-4
Everyone hates a hypocrite. Some of the more enduring and fascinating news stories involve people who are getting their "just desserts" for something they've railed against in the past. A well-known pastor who teaches against homosexuality caught in a homosexual relationship. A politician who made his name as a tough crimefighter caught up in a prostitution ring. There aren't many things that get people excited like seeing a once-smug celebrity doing the perp walk.
You don't have to ask too many non-christians what they think about Christians before the word "hypocrite" comes up. If you didn't know, the word hypocrite comes from the Greek, literally meaning "actor." Specifically, a hypokrites was an actor in a Greek play who played multiple characters, and had to "change faces" throughout the course of the drama. So how did Christians seem to co-opt this description? Well, for one thing, many Christians have become known far better for what they are against than what they are for. We're more interested in boycotting McDonalds because of their stance on homosexuality than we are on reaching homosexuals for Christ. We're far more inclined to protest abortion clinics than teach scared teen girls about the love of God.
Paul had this exactly right in this verse above from Romans...pointing the finger at other's misdoings does not forgive us our own. In fact, boldly proclaiming the wrongs of others intensifies the spotlight on our own sin, and makes it so much more satisfying to naysayers when we eventually show our human side.
When Jesus gave instructions, he told us to "go and do." Not go and protest. Not go and boycott. Not go and complain about. Go and do. If we would spend more time doing for others instead of judging them, maybe the word "Christian" wouldn't leave such a bad taste in a lot of mouths.
Everyone hates a hypocrite. Some of the more enduring and fascinating news stories involve people who are getting their "just desserts" for something they've railed against in the past. A well-known pastor who teaches against homosexuality caught in a homosexual relationship. A politician who made his name as a tough crimefighter caught up in a prostitution ring. There aren't many things that get people excited like seeing a once-smug celebrity doing the perp walk.
You don't have to ask too many non-christians what they think about Christians before the word "hypocrite" comes up. If you didn't know, the word hypocrite comes from the Greek, literally meaning "actor." Specifically, a hypokrites was an actor in a Greek play who played multiple characters, and had to "change faces" throughout the course of the drama. So how did Christians seem to co-opt this description? Well, for one thing, many Christians have become known far better for what they are against than what they are for. We're more interested in boycotting McDonalds because of their stance on homosexuality than we are on reaching homosexuals for Christ. We're far more inclined to protest abortion clinics than teach scared teen girls about the love of God.
Paul had this exactly right in this verse above from Romans...pointing the finger at other's misdoings does not forgive us our own. In fact, boldly proclaiming the wrongs of others intensifies the spotlight on our own sin, and makes it so much more satisfying to naysayers when we eventually show our human side.
When Jesus gave instructions, he told us to "go and do." Not go and protest. Not go and boycott. Not go and complain about. Go and do. If we would spend more time doing for others instead of judging them, maybe the word "Christian" wouldn't leave such a bad taste in a lot of mouths.
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