Happy Birthday, Rebekah!

Today my youngest child, our daughter Rebekah, turns 14.  Joye and I can still remember the “polite” way she hurried us to the hospital on the day of her birth.  It was a Saturday morning early (but not still dark); she was born at 10:23am in downtown Boston.  Boy, did I worry that she would want to arrive during rush hour on a workday!  Thank goodness, that didn’t happen.

And today she celebrates another milestone in her young life, and in ours.  As our final child, we recognize that the experiences she completes are likely the last time we’ll see them “up close and personal.”  The next time around, it will be from a distance in the lives of our future grandchildren.

What can I say about Rebekah?  She has been the most relational child I’ve ever known.  She loves people so very much!  She would often tell me that you had made a new friend, but when I’d ask her the new friend’s name, she wouldn’t know.  It still makes me smile.  There are no strangers to Bekah, only friends.

And her love for people is only rivaled by her love for animals.  At this young age, she’s already founded a club called the “Save the Animals Club” created to protect and defend endangered animals, both domestic and wild.  She is certainly a protector and nurturer at heart.

I’m certainly better for that.  She has taught me so much about life, love, people and God.  She has a passion for Him that makes me proud…I wish all of us had that kind of passion, that kind of joy, that kind of love within us.  The church, and the world, would be a better place if we did.

Happy Birthday, Rebekah; your Dad’s proud of you.  Celebrate, sweetie!

Time Away

Well, I’m back from our family vacation in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.  My wife, Joye and daugther, Rebekah, had a great time.  We stayed at a place that advertises that it has 10 pools and 40 Jacuzzis (wow!), in addition to the Atlantic Ocean out its back door.  It’s a wonder we didn’t float away. 

The weather was great, the R & R was needed, and the family time was exceptional.  I just wish we’d had more of it.  It was my first time there (Joye went there several time in her childhood years) and loved it!  Not too crowded, not too hot, and lots of things to do…it was a wonderful week.  If you haven’t been there and you’re considering an East Coast beach locale, I’d highly recommend it.

One reason I like the beach has to do with the ocean…I love the sound of the ocean.  It’s constant rhythm is soothing to my soul and helps me reflect and relax.  And I need that; how about you?  Too often I get caught up in the urgent and get uptight (way too uptight!!! ask my wife or kids), and I need to be reminded of the wonder of creation and its balance and beauty.  It’s a continual testimony to our great and mighty God, who makes all things good.

 

Celtic Pride

Well, it happened last night…the Boston Celtics won their seventeenth NBA championship in more than convincing fashion.  They outdueled the Los Angeles Laker in record fashion last night to close off a six game series victory and end the storybook season in the biggest turnaround in basketball history.  From last place to first place, from doormats to champions, these Celtics played like a team with great defensive, a deep bench and strong leadership.

But it wasn’t without its challenges.  Game four saw the Celtics in Los Angeles, down 24 points in the first half, and still twenty midway through the third quarter before they started the most remarkable comeback in NBA playoff history.  The game ended with a five-point Celtic win, as they stifled the Lakers in the second half and showed the focus and determination that wins championships.

The lesson:  never say die.  The Celtics refused to quit, to give up even though they faced a mountian that had never been climbed previously.  The value of endurance and perseverance cannot be overestimated.  How the church needs to learn and apply these values in its life!  Add faith to the mix, and no wonder Jesus taught His followers, “With God nothing is impossible.” 

Remove the Queen

So I was reading a book entitled “11 Innovations in the Local Church,” by Elmer Towns, Ed Stetzer and Warren Bird over the weekend, in anticipation of Neil Cole’s visit with us and came across a very provocative thought. 

In the chapter on Organic Church, attributed to author Stetzer I believe, he tells of another well-known Christian author and speaker Alan Hirsch, and an illustration he uses to talk about “the church.”

Hirsch says that the best way to learn how to play the game of chess is to “remove the queen.”  In other words, when you deliberately eliminate your own queen from the game, you are forced to learn how to use the other parts more intentionally and holistically.  You don’t depend upon the queen as a “crutch,” but recognize the value and import of every piece and are able to apply your strategy more strategically and effectively.

Hirsch goes on to say that in the American church today, “the queen” is the Sunday morning experience.  He believes that most churches today are so dependent on this–in calendaring, in budgeting, in energy and time given to preparing, that they don’t do much else, failing to apply the Body holistically to the commission Christ has given us as His church.

I’m teaching through the book of Ephesians currently at the church where I serve, and it’s interesting to note that this book, the most comprehensive treatise in Scripture on the theology and behavior of “the church,” nowhere even mentions the Sunday morning experience (unless you include it in 5:19-21 which appears to speaks to the Christian life 24/7) as a highlighted part of church life.

Perhaps the apostle was more focused on us being the church than just doing church, with the rest of the six and a half-days of the week also in mind.

originally published at http://www.mybcmd.org/blog/5 on June 11, 2008

Organic Leadership

Neil Cole is one of my heroes in ministry.  He “gets it.”  He understands that movements don’t happen in systems that are based on buildings, money and professional ministers. 

This weekend Neil has been with us here in Columbia, to train current and future church leaders in the values and priniciples of organic church life and leadership. 

Some of the thoughts he has shared are listed here:

• There are two kinds of Christians in the world:  those who live the adventure and those who only read about it.
• Future leaders are best “farmed” and not “recruited.”  We need to start developing people on the journey toward leadership before they even become believers.
• Our God is a “green God.”  He recycles trash, turning garbage into glory.
• In God’s Kingdom, true leadership is not based on authority; rather, authority grows out of leadership.
• Everyone is aspiring to get to “the top;” no one is aspiring to get to “the bottom,” and yet Kingdom values are upside-down to those of the world.
• The best leader is not the one with the most followers, but the one who has transferred leadership capacity to the next generation so they can do it themselves.
• The greatest sin of the American church is self-preservation.

Watch for Neil’s new book “Organic Leadership,” coming out later this year.

originally published at http://www.mybcmd.org/blog/5 on June 9, 2008

The Storms of Life

We received word yesterday morning that our firstborn, Sarah, will have to leave Canada–”deported” is the word she used–because her paperwork for renewal of her immigration status was incomplete.  As you might imagine, she was devastated, and our hearts broke for her.  So far away, so little we could do, she depended on friends to put her up for the night and get her to the airport so she could come home to live with us for a while.  With only the clothes on her back, she arrived subdued and in shock last night.

We have embraced her with prayers over the past twenty-four hours and now as well with our hugs.  She will be fine, but the pain is real and the future is unsure.  It’s in time’s like these that we need to be family, not with solutions or plans, but with love and service.

In recent weeks, we’ve been inundated with pictures and video of the tragic devastation that has taken place around the world.  Cyclones, earthquakes, tornadoes, floods…these wreak havoc with lives, families and communities, leaving a wake of destruction in their path.  In a large number of instances, homes can be replaced and over time villages rebuilt.  What can’t be erased are the loss of life and the scars that accompany these experiences for all involved.

If I’ve learned anything over the past day from my daughter’s experience, it is that we’re all in this together.  We have to do what we can to love others and serve them, without theologizing or blaming or pretending we have all the answers to the “whys” of life. 

It’s in times like this that we have to stand up and be the family of God.  Love someone today for Jesus’ sake; serve them with humility and strength that He alone can give.  And let’s allow our Lord to share with them His wisdom personally–even regarding the value of the scars–as they endure the storms of life. 

originally published at http://www.mybcmd.org/blog/5 on June 6, 2008

How Do You Spell S-U-C-C-E-S-S?

How do you spell s-u-c-c-e-s-s?  We ‘ve assumed for way too long that “nickels and noses” are the key benchmarks to success in church life.  I say assumed, because for decades now, these are the things that we “report.”  Whenever we talk with our colleagues, this is what we share; whenever we send information to the denomination, this is the information we give.

Could it be that we’re measuring the wrong things?  After all, we’ve been measuring these things for a long time, and I’d be hard pressed to say that the Christ-follower movement is making progress toward Kingdom goals in America. 

So what should we measure?  My friend, and fellow blogger, W. David Phillips, has posted a column on this to make us think…and it did that for me.  Remember, neither he nor I are saying this is what we should measure, but rather these items are listed to make us reflect.  Click here to read it. 

What we measure says a lot about us and what we value.  And what we value often determinations our expectations and attitude toward others.

People will seldom perform above our expectations, so if we want different results, it seems to me that we must spell “success” better in the future than we have in the recent past. 

What do you think?  How should we spell s-u-c-c-e-s-s?

originally published at http://www.mybcmd.org/blog/5 on June 6, 2008 

 

Family Matters

This has been a big week in the life of our family.  All three of our children have had, or will have, significant changes coming to their lives. 

Sarah, our firstborn, received final acceptance into the Applied Journalism program at the university where she had previously been accepted in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.  She is at Kwantlen Polytechnic University as one of only twenty-two students accepted into the program.  Joye and I, as you can imagine, are very proud of her.

Jonathan, our middle child, was hired yesterday for his first job.  He will begin work at Michael’s Arts and Crafts store on Thursday.  As a young man with a passion for art, he is excited about the possibilities that this will help him become more acclimated to that world and his own involvement in it.  (He also picked up his Maryland Driver’s Handbook on Saturday, so a test is coming soon…there now, you’ve been warned!!!)  Good for him.

Rebekah, our youngest, prepares for her second annual assessment on the violin this weekend.  She has worked hard and applied herself well.  Her poise and determination have impressed me throughout her training.  She also moved into a larger bedroom in our home the last few days, one that will afford her more room and individuality.  She’s happy, and we’re delighted for her, too.

Joye and I are sitting back and watching our children grow up right before our eyes.  While the dramatic changes of this week are unusual, we are reminded that life comes at us quickly.  While there is a sense of satisfactory and joy, there is also a sense of personal sadness.  They are moving on in life and may not be with us that much longer.  So we’ve got to make the most of what we share in life…now.

Family matters.  And because it does, we need to be sure that those who are in that unique relationship with us know that, not just through our words but also in our actions. 

This is true of our church family, too.  We need to take advantage of the rich opportunity God has given us to grow in community with brothers and sisters in Christ.

And I for one, don’t want to miss out on what God still has in store for my family.

originally published at http://www.mybcmd.org/blog/5 on June 3, 2008 

Manny Being Manny

Last night I was given the opportunity to attend the Orioles-Red Sox baseball game here in Baltimore.  Anyone who knows me, knows that I am a HUGE Red Sox fan.  And as luck would have it, one of our best players was on the verge of an historic achievement.  Manny Ramirez, the eccentric, “I’ll do it my way” leftfielder, had the chance to join an historically small club of baseball titans: those who have hit 500 or more home runs in their career.

My friend, Bob, and I watched in the seventh inning last night as Manny did it; he launched a 410-foot shot to right center field.  It was a no-doubt-about-it home run.  Good for Manny.

Ramirez has received a lot of press the last few years for being, well, rather unique.  By all accounts, Manny marches to a different drummer.  So much so, that sportswriters coined the phrase “Manny being Manny” about him.  Like it or not, it’s just his way and he refuses to cave in to the pressures of the masses who seem to imply he should do otherwise.

I have to admit, that while he is baffling and befuddling at times, I admire Ramirez for sticking to his guns.  He is going to be genuinely himself at all costs, and he doesn’t seem to care if others think he ought to conform or not.  He’s not going to be something he’s not.  He loves what he does, and he seems to love life…and it shows!   That’s just Manny being Manny.

This atttitude toward life and vocation and peer pressure is something I wish I showed more often personally, and saw more often collectively.  We as the church need to be non-conformists who are genuinely living out the life God gives us with joy and zest…and fun!  And when others don’t understand (and they won’t) and when others encourage us to fit into their mold (and they will), we need to genuinely stay focused on our Lord and the task He has for us at hand.  It may not be 500 home runs, but you know what?  I suspect it is eternally far more significant than that. 

“…Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.  Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith…”  Hebrews 12.1c-2a 

originally published at http://www.mybcmd.org/blog/5 on June 1, 2008 

Doing the What of Ministry and Forgetting the Why

Yesterday while our family was traveling together from my son’s baseball practice back home, we were listening to one of his history tapes (he’s homeschooled).  This particular one dealt with the significant changes that shook the world in the late 1800’s.  It mentioned among other things the creation of both the Salvation Army and the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) and their dramatic impact not only on England, where they originated, but also upon the world.  I was reminded that both organizations started with an evangelistic intent, seeking to share the Gospel in word AND in deed with those who needed it. 

Yet I am also aware that at least here in America, both groups are rarely mentioned in the same breath as “evangelism.”  Each provides significant services to their communities, including addressing social needs, but neither is known today for their “evangelistic zeal.”  In some instances, in fact, it may be quite the opposite.

It’s interesting to note that their beginnings were different in at least one aspect.  The Salvation Army established churches, which in turn proclaimed the Gospel and got involved in social ministries.  Even to this day, some of those local congregations are still in existence!  The YMCA, though, was more a parachurch organization in its origin, coming alongside the church to do evangelism, but not specifically functioning “out of” it or “for” it.

Could it be that the consequences of those original, founding decisions have determined to a large degree where these organizations are today?  The Salvation Army is largely known as a social service industry; the YMCA, a recreational industry.  One shifting its focus from local church-based evangelism to social ministry; the other shifting from parachurch based evangelism to something even more secular, in some instances, even opposed to support for Christian ministry.

My wife mentioned this morning that perhaps this is because they “did the ‘what’ of ministry and forgot the ‘why.’”  I think she’s right.  It’s a subtle shift, but significant.  The originating vision of both groups is legitimate and needful.  I’m not trying to suggest that we should ignore meeting the needs of others, physical, social, emotional, or spiritual.  But if we forget why we’re doing it, then it’s a slippery slope that can digress into something never intended or desired.

The two lessons I draw from this:  first, where you start in the journey–the DNA, the founding vision, the partners involved–all go a long way toward determining the final outcome of the churches we are called to plant; and second, the most important question you may ever answer–and one that you need to constantly ask yourself and the church over and over–is “why do I/we do what we do?”  Without these constraints to guide us, organizational morphing may be inevitable.

originally published at http://www.mybcmd.org/blog/5 on May 23, 2008