A Great Poem, and a Good Critique

This poem by Jefferson Bethke has gone viral on youtube. Over 12 million have viewed it. It's on the difference between Jesus and religion.

It's very good. Have a look at it. If you're a Christian you'll probably agree with his sentiments. And if you're not a Christian, you'll probably by sympathetic with his critique of "religion."

Of course, poems paint with broad strokes. They are intended to evoke an emotion or two and elicit some kind of gut response. They are not usually intended to be sliced and diced at the most minute level. So we need to be careful not to make too much of them--"to make them walk on all fours," as one of my professors put it.

Still, at risk of engaging in a little "conservative over-analysis and reaction," I think Kevin DeYoung does a [generally] helpful job of digging a little bit deeper in his exploration of the poem:

http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/kevindeyoung/2012/01/13/does-jesus-hate-religion-kinda-sorta-not-really/

The Pain of Ministry

I haven’t written anything for a couple of weeks. Avoidance perhaps? Not really. How about guilt? Ah, now you’re getting a little warmer.

Psychologists have a specific term for this: “survivor’s guilt.” After any traumatic event, like war or a fatal accident, those who are still alive and return home feel guilty. Sure, they may have wounds themselves. But at least they’re able to hobble back to the place they call home; others don’t have even that privilege.

In the last few weeks, we’ve been through a pastoral transition that has been really painful. Not ugly, like they can easily be. But really painful. The most pain is shouldered by a great family who has made LakeView Church their home this last year. Good people who invested their energies and entwined their lives into this spiritual community in the belief that it would be their home for a whole lot longer than a year. We all shared that belief and hope. And now they’re moving on. To where, they do not know.

And that’s incredibly painful for them and for many of us—for different reasons and in different ways.

While there’s so much I love about the church, I hate the reality that things like this ever happen anywhere. More than that, I hate that this has happened on my watch in our church with people I really do care for. It’s not that my pride is wounded that I wasn’t able to navigate us to a better outcome (well, maybe it is, just a little). It’s that, while the leadership has been walking lockstep together through all this, at the end of the day the success or not of the staff is my responsibility. And I have to wear that and eat it and live with it and submit to it. But I can still hate it. And I can still dream: if only our church was a little bit bigger and we had an Executive Pastor who handled personnel and I could stay above the fray!

So now you can add survivor’s envy to survivor’s guilt.

I never heard about either of those conditions in seminary.

But I did hear about one painful leadership situation. Ok, Scripture has way more than one. But one in particular comes to mind. In Acts 15, Paul and Barnabas have been enjoying doing effective ministry together but something almost unthinkable happens between the Great Apostle and the Son of Encouragement:

36 Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us go back and visit the brothers in all the towns where we preached the word of the Lord and see how they are doing.” 37 Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark, with them, 38 but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work. 39 They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus, 40 but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord.

One can only imagine all the angst and turmoil that accompanied this rupture. It must have been one of the lowest points in ministry for both of them. It must have just devastated everyone who was part of their “circle.”  And yet I am so glad that it happened, and that the Spirit of God, through Luke, recorded it for us.

I’m so glad for this passage, not for justification, but because it’s a God-given reminder that ministry is often attended by pain. Certainly we should never seek to create pain. And when it seems unavoidable, we should try and ameliorate it. But we should never be surprised by it, as if such a thing is never possible in the church or among Christians. Paul and Barnabas show clearly that it is.

They also show that our Sovereign God can ultimately bring about his good purposes from circumstances that are less than ideal. What had been one mission, was now two. Paul headed in one direction with Silas, Barnabas in another with Mark. And the work of the kingdom spread.

Perhaps most significant of all is that, about a decade after this event, Paul writes an astonishing line to Timothy from his prison cell. At the end of his life, he asks Timothy to “Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is useful to me in my ministry” (2 Timothy 4:11).

What I love about this little snippet tucked away in the pastoral epistles is that it says there is hope. There is hope that even in the midst of the pain that invariably accompanies ministry, there can be healing. There can be forgiveness for the hurts. There can be restoration. There can be a recognition and even a celebration that God works in and through us all in diverse and amazing ways.

In others’ pain, and in my own, that’s what I’m praying for. With one exception. Let’s not wait a decade. Let’s let it start now. 

Church Aint What It Used to Be

Pastor Tased, Woman Stabbed After Church Service
(ST. ELMO, Ala.) - The Mobile County Sheriff's Office is investigating a bizarre case out of St. Elmo, after a church pastor was tased, and a woman was stabbed during a fight.
It happened at the New Welcome Baptist Church after Sunday service.
Simone Moore is a self proclaimed R&B artist, he ran unsuccessfully for the US Senate, and he's a teacher in Mobile County. Now, Moore is wanted by the Mobile County Sheriff's Office after authorities say he tased Rev. Daryl Riley.
Deputies say it all started when Moore, who worked as the Minister of Music was handed his last paycheck, and told by Rev. Riley that his services were no longer needed. Investigators say that's when Moore tased the pastor.
A fight ensued, and deputies say Harvey Hunt, a deacon at the church, pulled out a pocket knife and began stabbing Moore's mother, Agolia, in the arm.
Six people were injured in the fight, all have been released from the hospital.
Lashea Gray lives near the church, she told us, "It was unbelievable for it to be at that church, a lot of people go there, never heard of any problems. That was shocking to me to see that going on."
Warrants have been signed for both Moore and Hunt.


Source: http://www.local15tv.com/mostpopular/story/Pastor-Tased-Woman-Stabbed-after-Church-Service/Em_GtXEWUEqdvmdx0jlAmQ.cspx

The Elephant Room

Last Thursday I was treated to an intriguing day conference in Illinois: 'The Elephant Room.' About 200 of us were part of the studio audience for the above seven pastors' conversations, from different perspectives, on a variety of contemporary church issues. The feed went via satellite to numerous locations and, I'm guessing, will likely be made into a dvd series, so sitting in the front row with some buddies just a few feet away from these guys was a lot of fun. Maybe sometime I'll share some thoughts on the cult of personality. :)

Here were the conversations:

Preaching to Build the Attendance vs. Preaching to Build the Attendees
Matt Chandler and Steve Furtick
Is the goal of the weekend sermon evangelism or sanctification? Is it biblically legitimate to plan a whole series for reaching seekers? Is preaching to "felt needs" the opposite of "preaching the Word" or can they work together? What does it mean to "preach the Word" and how do we know we have done it? If we have failed to preach the "whole counsel of God," what topics will we likely have avoided? Is the message helped or hindered by a marketing package? When is the shaping of a series an access point for people and when has the "package" become a distraction?

Unity: Can't We All Get Along? vs. Discernment: My Way or the Highway
Steven Furtick and James MacDonald
What criteria should decide whom a pastor publicly endorses/partners with? When do my associations negate the orthodoxy of my own ministry? Is there ever a time to publicly critique another pastor? Is sincerity enough to draw my endorsement? When does my energy over non-essentials limit and isolate my fruitfulness?

Culture in the Church vs. Church in the Culture
Mark Driscoll and Perry Noble
Does it matter that culture sees the church as unconnected and out of touch? Are movie clips and secular songs effective in leading people to Christ? Does a pastor really need a "brand?" How and when does style mute the message of the Gospel? What do churches miss when they choose to ignore the lessons of the broader culture in leadership and organizational management? What chance does the "dork" have in reaching people and building his church? When does our emphasis on style become a subtle form of Arminianism? What are some things you've seen churches do that go too far to penetrate the culture or not far enough?

Love the Gospel vs. Share the Gospel
Greg Laurie and Mark Driscoll
Why does it seem that those who revel most in the Gospel are least effective in seeing people saved and baptized? What are the elements that cannot be left out of the Gospel without distorting it? What is the meaning of "free offer of the Gospel" in preaching and is it biblically modeled or mandated? Why give an invitation when the biblical mode of confessing faith is baptism? Does preaching Christ in every sermon require a full explanation of the way of salvation?

Money?
David Platt and James MacDonald
How has materialism infiltrated the church? What is the true meaning of stewardship? Are big beautiful houses of worship an artistic expression of praise or an extravagant self indulgence? Is Jesus ministry normative for the minister's finance? How is the current trend toward poverty influencing the North American church for good/bad? What is the impact of renouncing money upon spouse/children? What is a biblical standard of living for a minister of the Gospel? Is it wise stewardship to make your teaching resources free?

Multi-Site: Personality Cult vs. God's Greater Glory
Perry Noble and Matt Chandler
Is it biblical for someone to pastor people they never see? Are multi-site and massive ego synonymous or is there a place to pursue this course in humility? Is celebrity status the fault of the pastor or the people he is trying to lead? What's the difference? What dangers must be avoided in the multi-site approach? What can we say to those who label multi-site an unbiblical ecclesiology and what must they explain?

Compassion Amplifies the Gospel vs. Compassion Distorts the Gospel
Mark Driscoll and David Platt
How important is it to express the compassion of Christ in tangible ways as pre-evangelism? In what ways is compassion ministry an 'easy out' and safe haven from the offense of proclaiming Christ? What is our obligation to express the compassion of Christ beyond the household of faith? Are we really responsible to affect change in every needy area of the world simply because technology allows us to know about it? Are we supposed to reach cities or individuals? What have you done that elevated compassion in your people without drawing them away from evangelism?

Team 500 Pastors' Retreat Continued...

There is such a wealth of wisdom and insight and compassion in this group of men. So powerful to be able to pray together for our churches, for the work of God, for personal and ministry challenges we are facing.

We've had a great couple of days together. Finishes tomorrow around midday. No agenda, other than that which we created. At the very start, we put up about 8 blank sheets on the walls with different categories and questions like:

• One or two things we must talk about:
• Something I could use your collective wisdom on:
• Spiritually I could use some advice on:
• One success story I'd like to share
• I could use a breakout session on... etc.

Occasionally, they get a bit "cheeky," as we say -- like this one I photographed:

Sunday's Sermon on Elders

A couple of folks have asked about the message on eldership last Sunday. Did anything specific prompt it? Is something going on at LakeView? Short answer: no. Long answer: no. We have a great elder team and we’re doing really well together. 

Our philosophy behind sermon series is not just to respond to current needs and issues (very important), but to also address issues that are important for our long-term health. Understanding what Scripture says about church leadership is pretty important for everyone in the church: elders, congregation, pastors, staff. Hope that clarification helps.

This Sunday we’re looking at being members together in the Body, another key topic. Then we jump right into ‘Mythbusters,’ which we’re praying will connect well with unchurched people, but also Christ-followers. After all, if we’re honest, most of us have questions about the faith, right? I sure do. And Peter tells us “always be prepared to give an account for the hope that you have” (1 Peter 3:15). 

I Hate Hate

Yesterday the Supreme Court decided that the 'Westboro Baptist Church' can continue to do this. I'm sure, like me, the Justices would have personally liked to have trussed up the offenders (the parents, at least), and dispatched them to a dark, soundproof room for a year or two. But I guess this is the price of maintaining genuinely free speech. No doubt jurists will dissect the decision for years to come and there will be great debates about what constitutes hate speech and how to balance everyone's competing rights.

But for my part, I hate it. And I'm glad I can express it here and express it now:

• I hate their hate.
• I hate the fact that a little band of 70 or so inbred, related folks with a crazy patriarch named Fred can pawn themselves off as a church and get so much publicity.
• I hate that these parents are destroying their kids.
• I hate that some naiive people will assume this is Christianity and that God is hateful.
• I hate the fact that they have singled out one sin, and ignored their own damning self-righteousness and arrogant vindictiveness.
• I hate that they don't seem to have read a word of the four Gospels, in which Jesus repeatedly has the harshest words for those who trumpet their own goodness and others' sinfulness.
• I hate their distortion of the Gospel, as if God's primary concern is to simply get people to improve their behavior, rather than come to know him as Savior and let him change their lives
• I hate that I am proud that I am not like them.
• I hate that the ugliness and pride and blindness I see in them resides in me, though it manifests itself in different ways.
• I love that I've been redeemed from the consequences of that, and pray they will be too.