Guest Post: “The Church and Joy” November 5, 2009

[Today's guest post is from Trey Morgan, who preaches in Childress, Texas. Trey's blog, found here, is one of my daily reads, and includes brief but thought-provoking posts several times each week. Trey is married to Lea and they have four boys. We are grateful that Trey took the time to write this next-to-last post in our series "The Church and...".]

I love hanging out with happy people. People who are full of joy and life are my kind of people and I find myself drawn to them.  I’ve also noticed that in the same way that I love being around joyous people, I find myself naturally avoiding people who are constantly unhappy.  I think you probably agree that most people feel the same way as I do.

If there is anyone in this world that should be joyous, it’s a Christian.  Our joy shouldn’t be dependant upon our circumstances, but upon our future.  We’re all going to have bad days. We’re all going to have daily frustrations, but our focus should be on the good, the spiritual and the future we have.  It’s all about our focus.

Sadly, too many Christians focus only on the negative things in their lives. If it’s bad, they want to dwell on it and tell about it.

“It’s my back.”

“It’s my children.”

“It’s my marriage.”

“It’s my job.”

“It’s my church.”

I still remember the place where I was standing when I heard Ms. Griper (as I like to secretly call her) say something that shocked me.  Everyone knew how much she disliked her preacher, her church and her life, because she told anyone who would listen.  As I stood there listening to her spill about what she didn’t like about the past Sunday’s worship service, she stopped and said, “You know, I don’t know why I can’t get my husband to come to church with me.”  Well, duh, I wonder.  I didn’t want to visit her church with all the bad things she was always saying so why would her husband?  There was NO joy in this woman’s life, and if you spent any time with her at all, she’d suck the joy out of your life.

There will always be people who have no joy because they choose to focus on the wrong things.  Kind of like the “One-Uppers” of this world, who no matter what, will always one-up whatever you’ve had happen with something much worse.    If you had to go to the dentist, they’ll tell you that they just had 4 root canals that same day. If your dog got hit by a car, it just so happened that their dog was mauled on the front lawn by a lion while all the kids were watching in horror of course.

It’s about focus. As a Christian we must focus on what we do have, not on what we don’t have.  Let me help you, just in case you’re not sure about what you have as a Christian…

• You have a Father in heaven who is madly in love with you.
• You have forgiveness, mercy and grace through Jesus.
• You have the gift of prayer, anywhere, anytime and any place.
• You’ve got church family that loves you and cares for you.
• You’ve got a future in heaven that no one can steal from you.

If those aren’t some great reasons to be joyous, then there’s no hope for you J.  Your focus affects your joy.  What are you focused on?

“Be full of joy always.  And again I say be full of joy.” 

~Philippians 4:4 (NCV)

Guest Post: “The Church and Bible Study” October 29, 2009

[Today marks the 9th edition in our "The Church and..." series. Our guest writer today is Drew Kizer. Drew preaches for the Ashville Road church of Christ in Leeds, Alabama. He has served there since 2000. A graduate of both the undergraduate and graduate Bible schools at Freed-Hardeman University, Drew also makes regular trips to Russia, where he helps train preachers and conduct evangelistic work. He is the author of three books. Drew is married to Julie and they have two beautiful children, Ava and Jackson (their newborn!). We are grateful for Drew for so many reasons. We hope you will read  his words carefully and see a man who loves God's Word. Also, make sure you check out Drew's blog, Truth and Repose, here.]

What would happen if the Bible were lost?  Some people, I imagine, would say this is impossible, but it has happened, and it can happen again.

During the first half of the seventh century B.C., Judah was ruled by two wicked kings: Manasseh and his son Amon.  Together they enveloped God’s people in a shroud of wickedness for 57 years.  During this time God’s Word was utterly lost to the people, and the temple in Jerusalem was desecrated.

Upon Amon’s assassination in 640 B.C., his eight-year-old son Josiah ascended to the throne.  During a temple renovation project he had ordered, a copy of the long-forsaken “book of the law” was found (2 Kgs. 22:8).  This was read to the king who, upon hearing these words, tore his clothes in dismay and immediately executed an extensive series of religious and social reforms.

The Bible practically disappeared again during the Dark Ages.  During that time the Bible was not available to the common man.  And while there were copies in the Greek and Hebrew languages, most of the available editions were in Latin.  In a world where much of the human race was illiterate and those who could read and write did not speak Latin, the Bible was again lost in obscurity.

In a lonely library during the early sixteenth century, Martin Luther studied law at the University of Erfurt in Germany.  One day, while hard at work, he found to his surprise and great delight a copy of the Bible in Latin.  He consumed it, having never seen one before.  The first passage he read was the story of Hannah and Samuel.  When he returned to his room that evening, he wished to himself, “Oh that God would give me such a book for myself!”  From that point forward, new truth began to dawn upon his mind.  He would later say of his chance discovery, “In that Bible the Reformation lay hid.”

If the Bible has disappeared before, could it not happen again?  Look around.  There are signs that it is already happening.  Political scandals invade public offices on every level.  Over 40 percent of marriages end in divorce.  Churches are forsaking biblical authority, exchanging truth for “what works.”  Every decade sees American falling deeper into moral depravity.  The picture is bleak, but true.  The signs are obvious to anyone who cares to notice.  The Bible’s influence is fading.

The only way God’s Word will gain a foothold in society is for it to be studied and preached in God’s church.  Bible study is an indispensible work of the church.  Christians are to be the “light of the world” (Mt. 5:14-16); the “manifold wisdom of God” is to be made known through the church (Eph. 3:10).  If the Bible vanishes, the blame lies on the shoulders of Christians, no one else.

Seeing the Profit

Consider the following advantages to being a part of a congregation that is engaged in a study of God’s Word:

1.  Bible study is good for a church’s health.  Like the church at Laodicea (Rev. 3:15-17), churches that suffer from biblical illiteracy become “lukewarm.”  The Bible’s instruction regarding zeal, love and good works, however, turns up the flame, causing churches to boil (cf. Titus 2:14; Heb. 10:24).

2.  Bible study is the only way to combat false teaching.  Jesus says, “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves” (Mt. 7:15).  Jesus’ metaphor of “sheep’s clothing” reveals that false teachers’ disguises are both comforting and convincing.  So how do we avoid false teaching?  Jesus answers, “You will recognize them by their fruits” (v. 16).  That is, by comparing their teaching with what is written in the New Testament, we may expose them for who they really are.

3.  A study of God’s Word also brings meaning to our lives.  The scriptures teach that we were created for holy things, not worldly pursuits (Is. 43:7; Acts 17:26-28).  C.S. Lewis once said,

A car is made to run on gasoline, and it would not run properly on anything else.  Now God designed the human machine to run on himself.  He himself is the fuel our spirits were designed to burn, or the food our spirits were designed to feed on.  There is no other.

An animal is not wired this way.  A mule can plow the same field day after day, and that’s okay with him.  He doesn’t fear death or wonder where he came from; he doesn’t need promises for the future.  But we do.  The Bible is where we find these promises.  Without it, life doesn’t make any sense.

4.  Bible study profits a church’s growth.    Throughout the book of Acts we see a correlation between teaching the Word of God and church growth (Acts 6:7; 12:24; 19:20).  This is because the power of God’s salvation is in the gospel (Rom. 1:16; Jas. 1:21).  The church will not grow (at least, not in terms of actual growth as God sees it) unless its members learn, study, and preach the gospel of Christ.

Setting up a Plan

What should Christians do once they are in the “study”?  Here are some suggestions:

• Read.  Read the Bible.  Read other tools and resources that will aid your understanding of the Bible.  Stay up to date on challenges facing the brotherhood using monthly periodicals.  Read anything that will be of value.
• Memorize.  There is no better way to stamp the Word of God on your heart.  The Psalmist “stored up” God’s Word in his heart so that we would not sin (Ps. 119:11).  So should we.
• Record.  Make a list of your goals for study, reading and memorization.  Track your progress.
• Review.  Once you have memorized a verse, you will have to go back over it several times before it becomes permanent in your memory.  Even then you will have to freshen up on it.  Review is also important in just reading the Bible.  Those who read through the Bible every year say they pick up new insights every time.

God’s Word is powerful and effective.  Isaiah testified of its force, saying,

 

For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.  (55:10-11)

A church that studies the Bible is a church that is healthy, happy and growing.  Elders should consider setting up a plan for study within their respective congregations.  They will see results.

Guest Post: The Church and Money October 22, 2009

[Today's post is the 8th in our continuing "The Church and..." series. It is written by Craig Ford, who is a missionary in Papua New Guinea. Craig is one of the writers at the blog Money Help for Christians. You can subscribe to the blog's RSS feed here. We are grateful for Craig's insight into this topic, and for taking time to write for us.]

I grew up believing that discussions about money carried a certain amount of ‘unholiness’.  Those who are truly spiritual elevate themselves above such petty issues and instead focus on more important discussions of salvation, baptism, heaven, and hell.  I assumed that the truly holy are those with shrinking bank account balances.  The man who squanders all his money on fast food, cars, and entertainment but has little in the bank is a man of God, while the man who saves, lives frugally, helps others, but has money in the bank is a heretic.  I would be fine to accept my impressions if it were not the case that I know many others who carry the same thoughts about Christianity, Bible, the church, and money.

Several months ago I taught a Bible class where I gave the class a set of words (each word on a piece of paper).  I asked them to put the words into order of the frequency that those words appear in the Gospels.  The words were Kingdom of God/Heaven, Love, Salvation, Baptism, Hell, Money, and Saved.  You know the word that produced the most discussion (before I even introduced the class topic)?  Money.  “No, it goes near the top” one person said. “ No way, there isn’t much about money in the gospels,” another challenged.  And then the discussion took off.  Is it at the top or bottom?  Depending on your counting strategy money is either number two or number three on the list (behind Kingdom of God/Heaven and love). 

Why churches need to talk about money more.

Imagine a man who had a deadly cancer spreading through his body.  And yet, neither this man nor his family ever brought up the subject.  Furthermore, the man never sought any form of medical treatment.  Would you claim what this man is doing is healthy or unhealthy?  Unfortunately, many churches simply ignore the topic of finances and thus allow this cancer to continue to spread.

We need to know what the Bible does and does not say about money.  We need a better understanding of the darker and lighter sides of money.  We need to be challenged towards generosity.  We need to be educated about earning, spending, giving, and managing money.  

In Ephesians 2:1-3 Paul characterizes an unregenerate life by the following characteristics:

(1) Following the ways of this world.

(2) Following the ruler of the kingdom of the air.

(3) Gratifying the cravings of our own sinful self. 

How does the church combat these negative influences today?  We preach about it, study about it, write about it, pray about it, and talk about it.  But when it comes to finances, the church is often silent.  When the church is silent, I believe people naturally revert back to the influences outlined in Eph. 2:1-3.  They follow the culture at large, the Devil, and satisfy themselves.  There is no more clear example than our interaction with money.

Nine reasons why the church needs to talk about money more often:

1. Jesus talked a lot about money.  I believe Jesus talked about money because he knew money held inherent dangers for Christ followers.  A way to combat those dangers was by teaching and reemphasizing a kingdom value regarding money.
2. When money is not addressed, it will quietly and subtly consume us.  Our natural selves are not good money managers.  Biblical money management must be an intentional decision.  We must ask ourselves: Am I handling my money in a way that honors God?  Are my purchases reflective of my Christian values?  Am I free from the love of money? Our budget can be a statement of faith.
3. We are always learning about money management.  Society is telling us how we should use our money, but is the church?  Through osmosis we absorb teaching about money.  If the church is silent, how will people learn to adopt a biblical view of money management?  Paul exhorts us to be transformed instead of conforming (Rom. 12:2).  Unfortunately, Ron Sider has shown that statistically Christians tend to conform in terms of how they handle money.  See Scandal of the Evangelical Conscience,   
4. Almost all of us have daily interactions with money.  Christians have not withdrawn themselves from the interaction with money or use of money.  Therefore, churches ought to present biblical teachings and resources on how to appropriately earn, give, save, and spend money.
5. Money is a limited resource (at least on a personal level).  Every dollar used to purchase one item is also a dollar that is not being used for another purpose.  Money management requires spiritual discernment as we seek to determine how our funds ought and ought not to be spent.  This is typically called stewardship.
6. It is not uncommon to hear that the single greatest sin in America is materialism.  If that is the case, the church needs to be presenting a Godly view of money management and money ownership so that we can redirect Christians against the trend of materialism. 
7. Compared to the world, God has different expectations of how Christians handle money.  I outlined seven factors in a post entitled What is the difference between biblical finances and personal finances.
8. I believe money is a clear and present danger to Christianity.  The more we openly discuss it, the more likely we are to avoid its dangers.  Christians have the opportunity to use money in a way that is either spiritually destructive or a spiritual blessing for others to the glory of God.  
9. Church members need biblical advice and guidance when dealing with difficult financial questions.  They might be wondering about tithing while in debt or bankruptcy.  We want to infuse God’s guidance into those difficult choices.

If you are interested in learning more about the relationship between the Bible and money, I suggest you check out the “Bible and Money Page” on Money Help for Christians.

Guest Post: The Church and Her Elderly October 15, 2009

[Continuing our "The Church and..." series, we are glad to have brother David Lemmons as our guest writer. David now preaches for the Bellevue Road church of Christ in Dublin, Georgia. He is in his 27th year of ministry, having preached in Missouri, Mississippi, Tennessee, Arkansas, and Kentucky. David is a graduate of the Brown Trail School of Preaching and Freed-Hardeman University. He also is a graduate of the Memphis School of Preaching's 3rd year degree program. David is married and has three children and one grandchild. We are grateful for David taking time to write today's post. Make sure you check out his blog, LemmonsAid, here.]

In an unscientific examination of those who attend the assemblies where I preach, I have recently discovered that 29% are sixty-five or older.  From United States Census Bureau statistics gathered at SeniorJournal.com, I have learned that growth in this age category in the next five years is expected to be 40%.  Further, this group will increase from 39 million today to 89 million in 2050.  During the same period, the under-15 population is expected to move from 62 million today to 85 million.  From another source I have read: “Life expectancy in the developed world has nearly doubled in the past century. By 2010 one-third of all Americans will be between the ages of 50 and 80.”  For one who is interested in the well being and growth of the church these statistics and similar ones which you can discover suggest an area for increased focus and planning.  That being: “The Church and Her Elderly.”

The church and her elderly ARE TIED TOGETHER.  The title of this article is part of a series designed to focus in on the church’s many relationships.  Taken as a stand-alone topic, this phrase might seem to be a bifurcation, a setting of the church on one side and elderly on the other.  I know this is not Adam’s intention in assigning me this topic.  I read with interest his excellent article in the September 2009 issue of Think magazine (p. 7).  Here he raised two thought-provoking questions:  “Why do congregations have separate activities for our elderly and for our young adults?  Does this not completely thwart the idea behind Titus 2:1-5, where the older members of the congregation are to teach the younger?”  The elderly are part of the church and when things are done which isolate them from the rest of the congregation on a continual basis, the result will not be what God had in mind and the blessings of Titus 2 will go missing.  There surely is a place for “intra-elderly activities,” but working toward more mixing of the age groups seems a wise thing to me.  So, though in this article we will be “segmenting” the church and the elderly for the sake of discussion, we do so fully cognizant that it is one body, tied together.      

The church and her elderly CANNOT AFFORD TO RETIRE FROM EACH OTHER.  The elderly have way too much to learn from those who are younger and they have far too many joys to mine from relationships with their more energetic fellow members.  Those of us who are older must keep sharp minds to be able to stay up in conversations with the younger.  I was delighted to come across a listing recently of 47 Ways to Fine Tune Your Brain.  For an older person to retire from secular employment may be the goal of a lifetime, but there is no acceptable age for retirement from the Lord’s Army (Ephesians 6:11ff).

The church and her elderly COULD BE MUCH MORE INVOLVED IN EVANGELISM.    I am convinced that the church everywhere needs greater emphasis upon personal involvement in evangelism.  Who better to take the lead in stirring up a local congregation in this area than those who are older?  It has been my experience that the older segment of the church generally have lived in their particular location longer than the younger, who tend to move often for employment purposes.  With such being true, the prospect lists of older members have to be longer than their younger brethren.  A team composed of an older member with many contacts and a younger member with lots of energy would surely be productive of much good.

The church and her elderly HAVE TO COMMIT TO USING SCRIPTURE AS GUIDE (2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:3; Colossians 3:17; John 12:48).  This is so basic that it might tend to go unstated, but we must appreciate and emphasize its importance.  I was a little bit surprised to read in a book review of Aging Wellby George E. Vaillant, Trudy Bush report “older people often become less dogmatic as they age and express less interest in the tenets of the faith that the churches preach.”  This book was based upon a longitudinal study of three groups of people who were followed continuously for six to eight decades.  I believe that members of churches of Christ would fare better if included in such a study, but caution is nonetheless vital here.       

The church and her elderly MAY FIND THE RANKS OF ELDERLY INCREASING IN PERCENTAGE OF TOTAL MEMBERSHIP.  Statistics given at the beginning of this article seem to indicate such could be coming.  Some might tend to take that possibility to be a negative, but souls are precious and in a sense ageless.  Our task will always be to make the best possible use of all of the available workers in the vineyard.      

The church and her elderly MUST KEEP EYES ON JESUS WHILE RUNNING THE RACE (Hebrews 12:1-2).  If our race is to be continued to the finish line of heaven, keeping our eyes on Jesus will set us in the narrow pathway that leads to eternal life (Matthew 7:14).  It will prevent us from going to the right or to the left of the safe way.  To have a perfect example to follow blesses all of us tremendously.

The church and her elderly SHOULD ACCOMPLISH GREAT THINGS IN THE KINGDOM.  When we study the examples of older men and women in Scripture we are amazed at what they were able to accomplish to the glory of God.  Caleb’s insistent “give me this mountain,” of Joshua 14:12 at the age of 85, is but one example of what an attitude of optimistic determination can produce.

The church and her elderly WILL BE REWARDED!  What a beautiful day that will be when all of God’s singers get home!  Frank Chesser writing about joyless Christianity calls it a contradiction of terms and states the truth when he writes:

Life grows sweeter and more meaningful with each passing day.  The hoary head quickens the anticipation of the joy that shall be on the morrow.  A thousand lifetimes of suffering would seem nothing, with Heaven at the end of the way.  How indescribably lovely is the joy of the Christian life! [Voice of Truth, Volume 43, p. 99].

Certainly, the church and her elderly WON’T BE WITHOUT JOY.

Guest Post: The Church and the Community October 1, 2009

[Today's post is the 5th in our "The Church and..." series. The author today is Joey Sparks. Joey is the youth minister for the Midway church of Christ near Jasper, Alabama. He started his work there in 2003. Joey is married to Amanda and they have one pet: a dog named Lucy. Joey graduated from Freed-Hardeman in 2005 with a degree in Biblical languages and a minor in history. He is currently pursuing an M. Div. from Amridge. You will want to visit Joey's blog by clicking here.]

4 Body Parts the Church Must Use to Reach the Community

I’m thinking that the word “community” was created by the Department of Redundancy Department. It’s a compound word made up of “common” and “unity.” Seriously, the existence of communities ensures that everyone in our towns, workplaces, schools, and little league teams, shares something in “common” with one or more members of the local church.

Local church members are actively and constantly interacting with people who have spiritual, physical, emotional, and social needs. Thus exists the perfect situation to utilize the work and resources of the Lord’s church to meet these needs.

Acts 6:1-7 provides some helpful qualities that should describe the church’s work and presence in local communities. The apostles choose seven men to help distribute food to the neglected Grecian widows. Though the situation may not be parallel in every case, it highlights some important qualities we must have to reach out to the community.

Need-Oriented Eyes. First, the disciples respond to a need. The need was brought to the apostles’ attention through a complaint. In this case, the complaint represented an actual need, not personal preference. The Greek widows are starving while the Jewish widows are fed.

Thousands of people with needs live in the communities surrounding our congregations. When we serve the community, we must serve to meet needs of people. As I plan service events for our young people, I sometimes forget to plan what’s best for the needs of those we’re serving. We’re here to serve them, not to make it easy on us as the church.

Authentic Heart. The apostles respond not out of spite or to get the Greeks “off their backs.” By suggesting that waiting on the tables would interfere with their works of teaching and praying, they legitimize the need of the widows and the continuing work of distributing food. The apostles didn’t seek recognition for their efforts in feeding the widows; nor did they push to be lauded for their solution. Their heart was wrapped in the mission of saving souls. Serving the widows was part of that larger mission.

Whether performed by the church, her leaders, or members, the community easily recognizes sincere (and therefore insincere) service. Publicity can be used wisely and in a way that pleases God, but we must make sure our goals of service are honest, sincere, and authentic. The glory belongs to God, not our local church or our leaders.

Carefully-Selected Hands. The apostles’ solution was to pick seven men from “among you.” Not only were these men Christians, but they had a Greek background. They were also to be “full of the Spirit and wisdom.” They needed more hands to work, but not just any hands. They needed the right hands.

Members are the local church’s biggest resource for making an impact in their communities. The needs we must meet are people’s needs; thus the solutions to them are found in the hearts and hands of people. Programs don’t solve problems, people do. As displayed in Acts 6, the right people solve problems and meet needs.

Divinely-Led Feet. The apostles were committed to fulfilling their purpose: prayer and ministry of the Word. The solution in this instance was the result of their spiritual focus and perspective. Their statements don’t slight the distribution of food, but affirm the inclusion of the Lord in His own work.

Churches and their leaders must be led in all decisions with continual prayer and study. Reaching out to the communities around them must involve these spiritual disciplines and the attitudes from which they arise.

Following this incident, the word of the Lord spread and people became Christians. As we pray for guidance and direction in our communities, we need to remember that the Lord has promised the increase (1 Corinthians 3:6). Though authentic service may not lead to conversions on every occasion (Jesus washed Judas’ feet in John 13), if we have the eyes, hearts, hands, and feet God desires, our communities will see Him and glorify Him (Matthew 5:16).

Some things we’ve done over the past several years to reach out to the community:

• School Supplies Giveaway
• Young people buy Christmas gifts for children at the local domestic violence shelter (we call it Christmas Round-Up)
• Made custom teddy-bear shirts (that say “Love BEARS all things”) for widows and those who’ve lost loved ones
• Painted or carved pumpkins and delivered them to area nursing homes
• Cleaned cages, mowed grass, etc. at local humane society
• Play Wii Bowling at assisted living center
• Performed puppet shows at nursing homes, senior centers, and daycares

—————————-

As a closing note, Joey mentioned to me that the website Sermon Central recently published a list of “94 Community Servant Evagelism Ideas for Your Church.” Check out that list here.

Guest Post: The Church and the Pulpit September 17, 2009

[Today's guest post comes from Scott McCown. Scott preaches for the church of Christ in Parrish, Alabama, where he has served since 1999. He has been in the ministry for 24 years overall. In addition to preaching, Scott is also an excellent song leader. You may wish to check out his blog, "The Morning Drive," by clicking here. We appreciate Scott's time in writing today's post.]

Not long ago on a Religion Q&A site, one person replied to the question: “What do you expect from your minister (preacher)?” with a description of their preacher.  This description is a good indication of what the Church expects from the Pulpit.

•  He is dedicated to following Christ. He cares more about people than image, he is a servant rather than a celebrity. He is not power-hungry.
• He is willing to admit when he’s made a mistake. And quick to forgive those around him. It is easier for me to grow in Christ because I know that I am deeply, genuinely loved. That I am accepted as is, while encouraged to grow.
• He honors and respects his wife, He loves his children, he is an example of a family man.
• He is willing to laugh at himself. In his sermons he passes on stories that lift people up.
• He sees people for who they are. He is an encourager and a good listener.
• He models his ministry after the image of Jesus washing His disciples feet. He makes it his goal to serve, just as Christ served us and gave himself for us.
• He prays . . . a lot. And he devours the scripture.
• He isn’t trying to share some sort of theoretical faith he learned in seminary; Rather, it’s a faith he is living–”join me in following Christ.”
• He sees himself as equipping all members for ministry. He is not there to entertain us or to make us happy; but to help, teach, and encourage us, so that we can be ministers we can be to those around us in whatever role we are found.

 The Apostle Paul was, in many ways, a “pulpit preacher.”  He spent three years located and serving with the Church in Ephesus.  He describes his time there to the Ephesian elders in Acts 20.  By looking at his words, we get an idea of what the pulpit is about:

“You yourselves know how I lived among you the whole time . . . serving the Lord with all humility . . . how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you in public and from house to house, testifying . . . of repentance toward God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. . . . for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God.” (Acts 20:18-21, 27b – ESV)

 

Paul encouraged a younger minister, Timothy, in the following ways:

 . . . For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time. For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle  . . . a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth. (1 Tim 2:5-7)

 . . .  But as for you, O man of God . . . Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. (1 Tim 6:11)

 

 . . . Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. (2 Tim 2:15)

 

 . . . Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. (2 Tim 2:23-35)

 

 . . . preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. . . .  As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. (2 Tim 4:2-5)

 Here are my conclusions:

 The Pulpit is NOT

1. A venue for your soap box or personal point of view.
2. An avenue to vent anger or call names.
3. A place to push your political standings.  There are times to take moral stands, but preach the morality issue and do not make it a political speech.  Resist telling people how to vote, tell them what God says and let them decided what to do.
4. A way to make a living.  You can make a living while filling a pulpit, but do not enter ministry just to make a living.  If you can make a living doing something else, then do it.

 What the Congregation Expects

1. Sound teaching:  Make sure you are letting the text speak and not speaking for the text.
2. Studied material: Good sermons take time to study, write, review, edit, and reflect before presentation.
3. Significance: Sermons should have an impact on the daily lives of the listeners. 
4. Simplicity:  Theological babble impresses lectureship crowds, but keep weekly sermons simple.  Educational levels in most congregation varies from children to well educated adults.  Try to reach each group where they are.
5. Servant mentality:  A preacher is not in control of the congregation.  As a servant of the congregation, look for opportunities to serve others.

 What the Pulpit Expects

1. Time for the Preacher to Study:  Those that fill the pulpit full-time receive support so that they can spend extra time in study.  A while back, I started referring to the room I use at the building or the area of my home as “my study.”  I don’t have “office hours.” Instead, “I am usually in my study at the building” during certain hours.  Using the word study lets people know what I am doing while there, and helps people respect my study time.
2. Take the Message to Heart:  There was a preacher who presented a lesson on  Loving One Another.  One lady who always complained about others not treating her well, shook his hand saying, “that was a great lesson.”  “Thank you,” he replied, “How are you going to put love in action this week?” 
3. Toleration: One person cannot be in more than one place at a time.  “I called the building, but no one answered” and “That preacher never visits” are expectations that should not co-exist.
4. Togetherness in Service:  Every member is a servant “As each one has received a gift, use it to serve one another . . .” 1 Pet 4:10.

Guest Post: The Church and Technology September 10, 2009

[Today's post is the 2nd in our series entitled "The Church and...". The writer today is my friend Dale Jenkins. Dale preaches for the Spring Meadows church of Christ in Spring Hill, Tennessee. He wears many hats, including cohosting iPreach the podcast with me. It is a joy to work with Dale in this way. Make sure you check out his "Blog that Binds" here.]

“And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” (Colossians 3:17).

Somewhere between 1436 and 1450 Gutenburg is credited as having invented the printing press (wonder how many people thought, “I should have thought about that”). The first uses of it were religious in nature. The first book printed was the Bible and the first book printed in color was the book of Psalms. Charlie Carter was the first man between Montgomery and Dothan Alabama to have electricity.  After he had it run to his house, he ran a wire from his house to the church building and it is believed that the second building in that 100 plus mile stretch to have power was the church building. One of the first public buildings to have air conditioning in Nashville was the Granny White Church of Christ.  The first radio station in America was KDKA in Pennsylvania, going on the air in November 1920. Less than three months later Calvary Episcopal church began the first live religious broadcast (It’s a little known fact that he also said: “Send your love offering in and be sure to include the call letters of the station you hear this broadcast on”). The broadcast was of their services and was broadcast over what was then called a “wireless telephone receiving apparatus.” (1) According to the Barna Institute’s 2008 study 9 out of 10 churches of 250 members use large screen projections, 75% of churches of 100 members or more have a web-presence. (2) Churches have long led the way in technology. 

In fact, some of us believe that the reason God has allowed technology to be developed is primarily so that the church can take it captive for His cause and use in every good way! (2Co 10:5); so that the glory may go to God in all things (Col 1:18). 

But the speed with which technology has increased is amazing. Turn around twice and you’ll miss it all (turn around three times and you’ll get dizzy and fall, trust me I know).  It took radio 38 years to reach 50 million listeners. TV took 13 years to reach 50 million users. The Internet took four years to reach 50 million people (iPreach is still on it’s way to getting it’s 50 millionth listener). (3)

Or think about “social networking.” As best I can research, the term really didn’t even exist until about 2005.  But consider: In less than nine months, Facebook added 100 million users. More than 120 million users log on to Facebook at least once each day and more than 30 million users update their statuses at least once each day. Combined, more than 5 billion minutes are spent on the site on a daily basis. The site has more than 250 million active users.  Over one billion photos are uploaded every month. And 30 million users update their page via their mobile phone.   If Facebook were a country, it would be the fourth most populated place in the world (it would also need a landmass, but that’s another story). This means it easily beats the likes of Brazil, Russia and Japan in terms of size. 

Then there’s Twitter: Over the past 12 months, Twitter’s year-on-year growth rate has broken the 1000% barrier.  The chief Twits don’t like to share numbers, but it is estimated that Twitter currently has between 6-10 million users. And there is no doubt that it is growing rapidly.  And, “Twitter” is now officially a term in the English Dictionary.

The internet has “virtually” replaced the library, bringing it “home”.  Wikipedia has more than 13 million articles and boasts over 60 million unique users a month.

75 billion videos are likely to be seen this year via YouTube.  And it will serve around 375 million unique visitors during this year.

And if you’d told me I would be writing a guest blog 9 years ago I would have thought of the ’70’s horror flick (The Blob). According to Technorati there are more than 133 million active blogs and 900,000 new blog posts are created every 24 hours. Universal McCann reports that 77% of all active internet users regularly read blogs. (4)

Anyone who thinks technology is nothing more than a passing fad or that the church is “wasting it’s time playing with toys” better get their head out of the sand.  So how can the church that preaches the ancient truth get the most out of modern tech tools?  Here’s a few tips:

• As technology changes remember the things that don’t. All the changes can sometimes leave our heads spinning and leave us wondering if we will ever catch up, ever utilize it all or ever get a grip, so focus on what does not change: The Word of God, the Love of God, the Purpose that God has for us.
• Manage technology. If you buy everything out there you will go broke and tomorrow someone will tell you of two more things you need and one of the things you bought yesterday that is already outdated.  It’s a vicious cycle, so decide what you want to do.  Just because someone tells you that you need the latest and greatest doesn’t mean you do. Make sure what it does is something you want and need. 
• Don’t underbuy: Don’t stay 10 years behind.  You’ll make the church appear irrelevant.   Obviously there is a delicate balance between numbers 2 and 3 there.  Here’s a suggestion.  Budget in a part of your budget each year and you should be able to pretty much stay as current as you need to.  I’m not sure, but a good measuring stick would probably be 3-5%. 
• Use committees: Avoid the “tech guy” syndrome. While most churches may have a “go to guy” few people know all the sources and resources needed for a total tech picture.  Having a committee not only involves more people it also will give you different vantage points on how to accomplish what you want to accomplish.  Use the energies of all you can and you will get the most out of your systems and tech goals. 
• Explain why! When the church goes viral with Twitter, FB, streams it’s services, launches into PowerPoint, etc. there will be those who do not see the value and wonder why churches would spend time and energy on “that junk”.  Take time to explain how you intend to use it for outreach or edification. If done well most people will understand and appreciate it. But remember, that requires that you think the “why’s” through first!
• Be careful about building too much around technology. Frankly church is not about the new and shiny but about an old rugged cross.  If you build your ministry on technology it will fail you.  And if you are using it and it does not work, please don’t spend 20 minutes trying to get it going again. MOVE ON. 
• Use technology to draw you closer. Some churches have lost the personal touch.  Some tech tools can help foster community but most tend to isolate us to a screen and keyboard.  Make sure you are still connecting with people and people to people! 
• Sometimes the sound becomes too much. Turn off. Allow people the opportunity sometimes to totally disconnect – do take a technology “fast”.  Sometimes don’t swamp them with your latest gadget or little thing you learned that you can do with technology. Sometimes people need a retreat FROM the new to the old. 

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REFERENCES:

(1) Armstrong, Ben, The Electric Church, Thomas Nelson 1979

(2) http://www.barna.org/barna-update/article/14-media/40-new-research-describes-use-of-technology-in-churches

(3) http://cyberschoolbus.un.org/briefing/technology/tech.pdf

(4) http://econsultancy.com/blog/4327-20-+-mind-blowing-social-media-statistics