the calling

Looking for a church with a powerful preacher? Are you a church looking for a new pastor?

While character, competency, and chemistry with existing leadership and staff are all important, the most important factor of all is calling. Simply put, if the man in the pulpit—or the one you’re considering putting in the pulpit—is not called by God, then I advise you to look elsewhere.

If a man isn’t called to pastor a church, then I don’t care how godly he is, how competent he is, and how much chemistry he might have with people. Calling trumps everything.

Frankly, if a man isn’t called by God to shepherd a group of people he has no business doing it. He might be effective—maybe even very effective—but if he doesn’t have the call of God to do what he’s doing, then, well, he ought to be doing something else.

Why? Because God has gifted and called him to do something else, something that betters fits his spiritual gifts and passions.1 If he or the church leaders have misread his calling the man’s not playing to his strengths, and the inevitable result is ministry that’s not as effective as it could be.

Ministry is not a job, it’s a calling. I say again, if a man isn’t called by God to pastor a church and all the things that it requires, then he should move on. Or, if you’re under his leadership, you should strongly consider finding another church.

Blunt? Oh yeah. Harsh? Maybe just a tad. Unbiblical? Not at all.

Jeremiah was an Old Testament prophet called by God to preach to his fellow Jews. Unfortunately, his message wasn’t well-received and the overwhelming majority of people rejected both him and his message.

After complaining to the Lord a little, Jeremiah says this:

“But if I say, ‘I will not mention (God) or speak any more in his name,’ his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot.”2

Now this is a man who’s called by God to preach. He can try all he wants to hold it inside and not say anything, but he can’t. It’s “like a fire” inside of him and, at the end of the day, he can’t stop speaking on behalf of God.

I say again, this is the kind of man you want in the pulpit, someone who has a divine compulsion to preach and teach. And if no one will hire him, then he’ll do it on a street corner and anywhere else he can find.

If a man would be satisfied being in the business world, teaching youth or doing anything else then he shouldn’t be in the pulpit. The man in the pulpit should be called by the Creator of the universe to do exactly what he’s being asked to do.

So are you looking for a church with a powerful preacher? Then look for someone with a divine compulsion, a man who has no choice but to preach and teach God’s Word.

Are you looking for a new pastor? Then look for someone like Jeremiah, who’s divinely called to preach and teach Scripture.

Settling for anything less is, well, less. And why in the world would we do that?

“But if I say, ‘I will not mention (God) or speak any more in his name,’ his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot.

1  See Romans 12:4-8 & 1 Corinthians 12

2  Jeremiah 20:9

the throne of grace

Dear Heavenly Father,

We come before you to confess that we have doubts. Some of us doubt you love us, others doubt the truth of Scripture, and still others doubt our salvation.

We come before you to confess that we have fallen short of your expectations. Some of us have sinned, others have been unfaithful, and still others have been poor stewards.

We come before you to confess that we are burdened with life. Some of us are worried, others are afraid, and still others are lonely.

We come before you to confess that we are seeking your will. Some of us want your will to be done with our health, others want your will to be done with our finances, and still others want your will to be done with our relationships.

We come before you to confess that we need you more than ever. Some of us need your healing power, others need your comfort, and still others need your wisdom.

We come before you to confess that life is meaningless without you. Some of us are in awe of who you are, others in awe of what you’ve done, and still others in awe of what you will do.

We come before you to confess that you are King of kings and Lord of lords. We all acknowledge you as Lord, we all acknowledge you as Savior, and we all acknowledge you as the author and perfecter of our faith.

“Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”1

1  Hebrews 4:16

known by god

Okay. I give in, Lord.

I’ve repeatedly asked you to give me something to write about today, but the only thing that comes to mind is Psalm 139. I can’t seem to get it out of my head. Every time I start to write something totally unrelated all I can think of is, well, you know.

So, with some reluctance today’s blog entry is the Psalm in its entirety. Not sure who needs to read this, but apparently someone does. If it ministers to you, the glory goes to the Lord because heaven knows I resisted doing this with every bone in my body.  

God’s will be done, even if it makes this blogger look a bit lazy today.

“O LORD, you have searched me and you know me.

You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.

You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.

Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O LORD.

You hem me in--behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me.

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.

Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?

If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.

If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.

If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me," even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb.

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place.

When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body.

All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.

How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them!

Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand. When I awake, I am still with you.

If only you would slay the wicked, O God! Away from me, you bloodthirsty men!

They speak of you with evil intent; your adversaries misuse your name.

Do I not hate those who hate you, O LORD, and abhor those who rise up against you?

I have nothing but hatred for them; I count them my enemies.

Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.

See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”1

1  Psalm 139

how much time is left?

Wiping the sleep from my eyes, I sat up on the couch and looked down the hall. The bedroom light was on and the door partially open. Not sure what was going on, and still half asleep, I shuffled toward the light.

The closer I got, the worse I felt. The closer I got, the slower my feet wanted to move.

I stopped at the doorway and slowly pushed the door open, dreading what I would find, knowing what I would find.

There, in bed, were all three of them, three of my closest friends in the world. And one of them was now dead.

Nobody said a word as I walked in, staring at my friend’s face the whole time. His eyes were closed but he had a pained look on his face, his mouth wide open. His wife still held him in her arms, not wanting to let go, not able to let go.  

I sat down on the bed with them, and no one spoke for the longest time. There wasn’t any need. We had suspected he wouldn’t last the night, and he didn’t. That’s why we had all gathered at his house. The end had finally come, just minutes before I woke up.

There would be no more hospital visits, no more hanging out with him at his house after getting off work, and no more experimental treatments.

I will never forget the look on my friend’s face lying in bed. Never.

And yet that painful memory is softened considerably with another—better—memory. The last time we talked, the last time he was able to communicate, he smiled weakly, shook my hand and said, “Thanks for coming by, Chris.”

I can still see his smile, despite the intense pain. Even though we had barely said a word to each other the whole time I was there, he truly appreciated my company. I could see it on his face. I can still see it on his face.

I miss my friend so much. A part of me died with him. And yet, we got to spend a lot of time together in his last months—I had made sure of that.

Why do I share this story with you today? Just a reminder that we all have limited time here on earth.

I’m alive right now, but will I be later today? Maybe, maybe not. The same goes for you and everybody else who’s been blessed by God with the gift of life.

Because of that reality, what do you need to do right now? Make a phone call? Write an email? Text somebody? Stop by for a visit?

“Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.”1

Hug your spouse. Call your folks. Hold your children in your arms. Text your friend. Make memories with your grandchildren.

Surely you’re not going to just stop reading this blog and go about your business as if nothing’s changed, are you?

I didn’t think so. So, what are you waiting for? Do what you need to do.

Trust me. You’ll be glad you did.

1  James 4:14-15

praying for others

“Can I pray for you?”

His face lit up like a Christmas tree at the offer.

“Yeah, oh yeah,” he said with a grin. “I always appreciate prayer.”

After we prayed he was still smiling from ear-to-ear. We shook hands, said goodbye and he added this as he walked out the door:

“You have no idea how much this has helped.”

While he was grateful for the financial help to buy some gasoline, I truly believe he was referring more to the prayer.

So why don’t we do that more? Pray for people, that is. As in right then and there vs. in our prayer closet later that day.

First of all, we may be scared. At least that’s a factor for me. The fact is, not many people pray for others in person or while on the phone. It’s just, kind of, well, scary. Agreed?

Second, we may be wary of making a fool of ourselves. After all, the person who needs prayer probably isn’t expecting to be prayed for at that very moment, and besides, it’s not like you’re a pastor. Who wants to make a fool of themselves?

Third, we may not be used to praying aloud and don’t think of ourselves as very eloquent. I mean, there may be long stretches of silence as we think of what to say, and once we think of what to say there’s the chance we may stumble over the words. Can you say embarrassing?

Those are all valid reasons why we may shy away from it, and there are no doubt others as well.

And yet…

·         We miss out on the chance to minister to somebody right then and there.

·         We miss out on seeing the gratitude in their faces.

·         We miss out on an opportunity to grow in our faith.

Besides, if we’re honest, how many times have we promised to pray for someone and then forgotten to do it? If you’re like me, too many times to count.

So what do you say? The next time somebody asks for prayer, instead of promising to do it later let’s pray right then and there. Whether we’re talking face-to-face or on the phone, let’s do it right then and there.

I know it can be scary. I know there’s a chance we’ll make a fool of ourselves. And I know we’re not totally comfortable praying out loud and don’t think of ourselves as eloquent.

But trust me, the risk is so worth it.

If you had only seen the look on that man’s face this morning…

He wanted prayer, needed prayer and was walking on cloud nine afterwards. It made my day. And it will make your day as well.

Go for it.

“Pray continually.”1

1  1 Thessalonians 5:17

pride in the pulpit

A long-time Christian who has been visiting my church gave me a compliment today, something that actually makes me quite sad.

He said out of all the ministers he’s known—and he’s known quite a few—I’m the only one who has ever admitted I'm not perfect.

While I should be grateful for the compliment, my over-riding reaction is how pathetic that makes those of us in the ministry look. If the other preachers who the man has sat under have presented themselves as somehow better than everybody else, shame on them.

Regular readers of this blog know how passionate I am on this topic. Ministers are not—I repeat, are not—any better than the people in the pews. Take it from me, we sin just like everybody else. There’s not a perfect one among us. Not. A. Single. One.

“All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”1

The “all,” of course, includes me. And it also includes your pastor, whether he admits it or not.

That said, of course we should have high expectations of our spiritual leaders, and of course we should expect them to be among the most spiritually mature in the congregation, but they are not perfect. Nor should they present themselves as such.

In fact, I strongly believe that being honest and transparent is an effective communication strategy. In my experience, admitting I’m not some kind of spiritual superhero connects with many people, perhaps even most people.

Besides, I’m not some kind of superhero. I’m just a regular guy who happens to be a pastor.

Can I be blunt, at the risk of upsetting a lot of ministers out there? If your pastor makes a practice of condemning sins in your life without ever admitting a crack in his own armor due to pride, well, I’d start praying about finding another church.

You need to find a servant-leader, someone who models Christ-like humility. After washing His disciples’ feet, Jesus said this:

"You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.”2

Does this describe me all of the time? Absolutely not. Not even close. Remember, I’m not perfect. Nobody is. But pastors—above all, pastors—should be diligently striving for this kind of humility and a servant’s heart.

It’s one thing if a minister doesn’t see the logic or need to be transparent from the pulpit—we’re all entitled to our own opinion—but if he thinks and behaves as if he’s better than everyone else, well, that doesn’t sound very humble to me.

Have I been a little hard on pastors? Probably.

But now you know where I stand, don’t you? Please, please, please don’t think of your minister as being superior to you in any way.

Why? Because he’s not.

“All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

1  Romans 3:23 

2  John 13:13-17

the power of music

Music is amazingly powerful, isn’t it? It can transport us back in time and change our moods in the blink of an eye. At least that’s how it is for me.

For instance, whenever I hear disco I think of when my wife and I first met and went dancing several times a week.

The mood? It brings a smile to my face, falling in love and having a great time doing it.

Hearing The Guess Who makes me think of sitting in a friend’s family boat on the Lake of the Ozarks as a teenager.

The mood? Nostalgic for my youth and the carefree life.

Hearing the Beatles brings a long list of memories, but mostly of my good friend Sean, who was an avid fan.

The mood? Grief, since I miss my friend dearly and the bond that we had.

Listening to Raze reminds me of my family’s weekly movie nights when my kids were little. The kids would take turns driving with me up to McDonalds or Burger King for takeout. There and back we’d crank up the music and rock out.

The mood? Sad because my kids are grown up and my role as dad is largely over.

Amy Grant whisks me back to my early days as a Christian and walking the streets of Boston for hours while on a business trip.

The mood? Excitement because of my brand new faith and the joy of exploring a city I had never been before.

Yes, music is amazingly powerful. And as I’ve discovered since becoming a Christian, God can use it to His advantage when it comes to worship and devotion.

For instance, I melt when I hear “There’s Something About That Name,” “How Great Thou Art” and “Holy, Holy, Holy.” Those songs never fail to whisk me into the throne room of God.  

And then there’s the obscure song called “Indescribable,” which is a beautiful summary of our Lord’s attributes. I regularly listen to that song over and over again, filling my heart with praise for our great God.

What about you? There’s nothing wrong with listening to secular music, but do you ever fill your heart and mind with melodies that build your faith? Do you ever listen to music with doctrinally-sound lyrics and a God-fearing message?

If you don’t, please give it a try.

Being transported back to a time long ago, complete with long-forgotten memories is a wonderful thing. But being transported into the very presence of God? Oh, my friend, it doesn’t get any better than that.

“I will sing to the LORD all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.”1

1  Psalm 104:33