I have had the opportunity to see LeBron James play in person several times.  He is truly a phenomenal athlete! His combination of size, speed, strength, agility and quickness is without peer in the history of the NBA.  He seems to be a team player, and, in many ways, mature beyond his age of 25.  He appears to genuinely love his hometown of Akron, OH and shows continued loyalty to his childhood friends and coaches.  

  The frenzy that is surrounding his free agency and signing has reached a fever pitch, with the one hour TV Special on ESPN tomorrow night (Thursday, July 8). I personally hope he stays in NE Ohio.  Of course I would like to see LBJ stay with the Cavs and win an NBA Championship (or 6).  

 I hear a lot of my Christian friends talk about LeBron with such venom and, dare I say it, hatred.  We don't even know the guy! They say, "He is so arrogant!" Try being humble when you have been told, "you are the best, you are the greatest!", since you were 13 years old. It would be tough to be humble if, every time you drove to your office, there was a twelve-story banner of you staring you in the face, on the building across the street.

  LeBron is 25 years old. "But, he is 6' 8'' and weighs 260lbs!" He is 25 years old. "He makes millions and millions of dollars!" He is 25 years old. "He is probably one of the most recognizable human beings on the planet!" He is 25 years old. I have two children older than LeBron.  I cannot help but look at him, and think like a father.  I would hope he could stay close to his family and his roots.  At best, he will have another 12 years in the league, with his whole life ahead of him.  

  I don't know if LeBron is truly saved or not.  Some life-style choices he has made are inconsistent with that of a devoted Christ-follower.  But with all his talent, all his fame, all his wealth, I cannot help but wonder, when he lays his head down on his pillow at night, does he ever wonder, "What lack I yet?" I actually hope he does wonder that.

  How would Jesus respond to LBJ?  I see much of the rich, young ruler (RYR) in Mark 10, in LeBron James.  And we know how Jesus responded to him, "Looking at him (Jesus) loved him" (Mark 10:21).  We want to jump right to the part where Jesus told the RYR to sell all he had and follow Him.  But before that, Jesus looked at the RYR and loved Him! I don't know all that the Lord would ask LBJ to do, but I know that He loves him.

  But I also know this.  It is very difficult for people with LeBron's talent, charisma, wealth and fame to see their need for salvation.  It is easy for them to be blinded and deceived by the riches of this world.  Even the Lord Himself said, "How hard it is fo those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God!" (Mark 10:24).  But Jesus also gives this word of hope, "With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible" (Mark 10:27).

  So here is my hope and prayer for LBJ.  I hope that, whether he stays, or whether he goes, he was a life-changing experience with the Lord Jesus.  I pray the Holy Spirit apprehends his heart and that LeBron repents and comes, empty handed to the Savior. I don't want to see LBJ saved and radically following Jesus for what LeBron can do for Jesus, but because of what the Lord Jesus can do for LeBron.  If his best opportunity for that to happen is in another city, I pray he goes.  But, if it is here, I pray he stays.

  Again, he is a 25 year old young man. LBJ, "remember your Creator in the days of your youth."

We don’t need another Pentecost anymore than we need another Bethlehem or another Calvary.  What we do need is to appropriate the power of the first Pentecost.  But we can learn some important lessons from Pentecost…

God will create the opportunities

God has provided the power, but

We can’t stay in the upper room.

The first “church plants” in the Book of Acts in Samaria (see Acts 8:12ff) and then Antioch (see Acts 11:19) and the first church planter was a deacon, Phillip (Acts 8:5).

In the cases, of Samaria and Antioch, the church at Jerusalem was just trying to catch up with what God was already doing and blessing (8:14-15; 11:21-22)!

Church planting in the early chapters of Acts was not a response to an organized strategy, but a result of everyday folks "preaching Jesus" wherever they went. 

Church planting in the Book of Acts was the by-product of aggressive and intentional proclamation of the Gospel.

The word “fellowship” is mentioned once in the book of Acts (2:42).

The word “preach” (10:42; 14:15; 15:21; 16:6; 16:10; 17:3), “preached” (3:20; 4:2; 8:5; 8:12; 8:25; 8:35; 8:40; 9:20; 9:27; 10:37; 13:5; 13:24; 13:38; 13:42; 14:21; 14:25; 15:36; 17:13; 17:18;  and “preaching” (5:42; 8:5; 8:25; 10:36; 11:19; 11:20; 14:7; 15:35; 20:25; 28:31) 35 times in the Book of Acts.

“Fellowship” in the New Testament was the sense of community that existed among the believers that were On Mission together in proclaiming the Gospel.  Fellowship was not the ROOT of the Gospel; Fellowship was the FRUIT of the Gospel.

The Book of Acts does not teach an evangelism strategy that does not include disciple-making.

   Let's say I want to hire you to do a job for me for the next thirty days.  Let's imagine that I am a man of unlimited resources...  (I'm sorry, I got caught up in my own imagination. Let's get back to the story). Our contract requires that you complete the full thirty days, or you forfeit any compensation, and you will not be paid until the thirty days are over.  And let's imagine, I give you the option of being paid in one of two ways. You can be paid $30,000 a day for 30 days of work, or I can pay 1 cent the first day, with a promise I will double the amount every day for the next 30 days.  Which would you choose?  If you choose $30,000 a day for 30 days, at the end of 30 days you will have $900,000. But if you choose the second option, at the end of thirty days, I would pay you $5,368,709.12, almost six times the first option!

   We live in a culture that wants instant gratification.  This is why many of us are so deeply in debt. This mindset is prevalent in our churches. One resource promises to teach you how to double your church attendance in ninety days.  I am confident these folks have a good heart and sincere motives.  But such strategies often neglect setting up the systems for healthy, exponential growth for the sake of "quicker growth".

   At the Southern Baptist Convention in Orlando this week, the messengers overwhelmingly approved the Great Commission Resurgence Task Force report.  One of the recommendations calls for the North American Mission Board to come up with an aggressive church planting strategy.  This past year, NAMB reported 1,256 new churches planted in the Southern Baptist Convention.  While we praise God for each of these new congregations, that is 1,256 new congregations from a denomination of 44,000 churches, 1,200 Associations and 42 State Conventions.  Why such little return on such a large investment?  I believe is because we have only 4.8% of Southern Baptist Churches that presently are sponsoring a church plant.  The way forward to reach North America with an aggressive church planting cannot only be, "How do we get more money for church planting?", and, “How do we get churches that are presently sponsoring church plants to sponsor MORE church plants?” but, also, "How do we get more churches to become sponsoring churches?”

   Imagine again, what could happen if we enlisted 500 Southern Baptist Churches each year, for the next three years, that had, not only a heart for church planting, but a history of church planting to sponsor a church plant (Sponsoring Churches) AND to coach two other churches each (Supporting Churches) to partner together to plant a church.  The second group of churches would have a heart for church planting, but not a history of church planting.  At the end of three years, there would be four congregations, the Sponsoring Church, the two Supporting Churches and the New Church.  Now imagine these four congregations become Sponsoring Churches and each recruit two new Supporting Churches to plant a new church.  The cycle would be repeated in three year cycles, but the key to success would be the first three years.

   Now, after three years, it might not look that impressive.  But, following such a strategy, in ten years, we could see 33,000 new churches, with 13,500 Sponsoring Churches (an increase for 4.8% of churches sponsoring new works, to 21%) and 27,000 Supporting Churches (see below for detailS. Pardon the "Scarlet, Grey and White" catagories. I am a rabid Ohio State Buckeye fan)!  And in ten years, there would be an undeniable culture of church planting in the SBC.

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 Total                     Sponsoring 500 500 500 1500 1500 1500 4500 4500 4500 13500                     Supporting 1000 1000 1000 3000 3000 3000 9000 9000 9000 27000                     TOTAL 1500 1500 1500 4500 4500 4500 13500 13500 13500 40500 New Churches 500 500 500 1500 1500 1500 4500 4500 4500 13500 33000 at 75% 375 375 375 1125 1125 1125 3375 3375 3375 10125 24750 SCARLET SCPH1-1 SCPH1-2 SCPH1-3 SCPH2-1 SCPH2-2 SCP2-3 SCPH3-1 SCPH3-2 SCPH3-3 SCPH4-1 GREY GRPH1-1 GRPH1-2 GRPH1-3 GRPH2-1 GRPH2-2 GRPH2-3 GRPH3-1 GRPH3-2 GRPH3-3 WHITE WHPH1-1 WHPH1-2 WHPH1-3 WHPH2-1 WHPH2-2 WHPH2-3 WHPH3-1 WHPH3-2 The first three years (2011-2013) focus on developing 3 teams of 500 sponsoring churches and 1000 supporting churches In subsequent three year phases, the supporting churches and church plants become sponsoring churches Projections are based upon 75% participation from Phase to Phase The key to success is focusing energies in developing the leadership/coaching capacity of the sponsoring churches in 2011-2013, but especially in 2011

    Someone would say, “I have seen this before. This is not new.”  True. But the difference here is, this is not driven by a denomination, but by the vision and passion of the true missional strategy center, the local church.  This is not to neglect the involvement of the local Baptist Associations, State Conventions and the North American Mission Board.  On the contrary, they serve the role for which they were originally established.

    The SBC has spoken clearly of our desire for a GCR.  Let's pray as we move from vision to implementation.

To God Alone be the Glory! 

   It had rained that morning, so the roads were still a little wet. I was really concerned that we might see someone go down.  As the bikers approached, I would yell, "Watch your speed, down-hill, to your left!" I did this for about 90 minutes.  Another volunteer said, "He's going to wear hi voice out", to which Randy replied, "Don't worry. He's a preacher."  Fortunately, with over 100 bikers, two times past our position, we saw no accidents.

   I had lunch yesterday with one of my favorite people, Pastor Rick Duncan of Cuyahoga Valley Church in Broadview Heights, OH.  He had just finished a teaching series about different faiths and how we has Christ-followers can share the Gospel with these groups.  Two of the passages he used in the final message of the series were...

Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6) and,

And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no othername under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." (Acts 4:12).

   While most Christians would give a hearty "Amen!" to these verses, the majority of us live as if we don't believe them.  Why do I say that?  Because 95% of us will never leade a person to faith in Jesus Christ.  The majority of Christians will never share the Gospel with a lost person. And here's a shocking stat, 48% of Baptist pastors have not shared the Gospel with anyone (outside of their preaching) in the last three months! We say we are Evangelicals, but we act like Universalists.  Universalists believe all paths lead to God and everyone is going to heaven.  You might say, "I don't believe that; Jesus is the only way!" So, who is the last person you with whom you shared the Gospel?

   Imagine for a moment if there was no positioned along the course at the dangerous intersection I described above.  What if the sponsors of the event decided, "That is just not that important"?  What if instead of being on the course, we were back at the registration, wearing our volunteer T-shirts, drinking coffee, eating donuts and having a good time?  You would say, "That would be crazy and irresponsible! The reason the volunteers were there was not to get the T-shirt and donuts, but provide safety and protection for the racers." True.  And why are we still here as Christ-followers?  Is it not to warn the lost about an impending judgement and point them to the Cross?

   As we approach the Southern Baptist Convention in Orlando and the very important matter of the Great Commission Resurgence, let's remember that restructuring is of no value if we are not passionately, intentionally, regularly and personally sharing the Gospel.

  Or did you come just for the T-shirt, donuts and coffee?

    Another important part of the Southern Baptist Convention is the election of the Convention President.  The Convention President serves as the Moderator of the Annual Meeting the following year.  He also is an ex-efficio member of all SBC committees and trustees boards.  He will select the individuals who will serve on the Convention's, Committee on Committees.  This Committee is given the task of electing the trustees for the convention's various agencies, boards and seminaries.  The SBC Convention President is much, much more than a ceremonial position.  These guys put in lots of hours and hard work.

   This year, four names have already surfaced as candidates for SBC President.  While I believe all four of these men would serve the SBC well, for me, one of them embodies what Southern Baptists are all about, Dr. Ted Traylor, Pastor of the Olive Baptist Church in Pensacola, FL.

   I had known of Dr. Traylor ministry for several years, having heard him preach at the SBC Pastor's Conferences.  I was impressed with his passion for souls, his commitment to the inerrancy and sufficiency of Scripture, but, more than anything, his love for the Lord Jesus and his love for the local church.  Six years ago, I had the privilege of meeting Dr. Traylor in person.  Dr. Traylor and one his deacons, Travis Fryman, (former Cleveland Indians and Detroit Tigers third baseman), were coming to Cleveland to participate in a regional meeting of North American Romanian Baptist Churches.  A mutual friend was able to set up a meeting for some local leaders with Dr. Traylor and Travis Fryman.  At that time, Dr. Traylor served as a trustee for the North American Mission Board (NAMB).  Cleveland had been selected as a sight for NAMB's Strategic Focus City emphasis for 2005-2007. Dr. Traylor wanted to hear first hand about our work in Cleveland.  He had very encouraging words for us, prayed for us and committed to do what he could to help us.

    Several weeks later, Dr. Traylor was invited to speak at the Greater Cleveland Baptist Association's Annual Meeting, which would be held in October of 2004, an invitation he graciously excepted.  We were excited to have this wonderful man of God officially help us kick-off our new year.  But then, in the early hours of September 16, 2004, Hurricane Ivan made land-fall in the Gulf Coast.  Pensacola was hit hard and Olive Baptist Church suffered extensive damage.  It took a couple of days before I was able to talk to Dr. Traylor.  We were glad that Olive was doing well and we were prepared to tell Dr. Traylor we understood that he would not be able to attend our annual meeting, which was only a little over a month away.  However, Dr. Traylor surprised us all by saying, "Lord willing, I am still planning on coming."

   Dr. Traylor's presence at our meeting was such a blessing.  He preached an anointed message, and then, topped it all off by saying, "And I want to go on record tonight by saying, we want to help you all plant a church here in Cleveland."  Even in the midst of recovering from their own devastation, he still had his eyes on the fields, white for harvest.

   I have had the honor of pastoring that church plant, Church of the Hills, for the past two and a half years.  Dr. Traylor has been a personal encourager and Olive has been a wonderful partner, praying for us, sending mission teams and financially supporting us.  One of their members, Gail Powell, even moved to Cleveland and lived here for two years to help us get started.  Dr. Traylor doesn't just talk and preach about Acts 1:8, he lives it in his personal life and leads the church he serves as pastor to flesh it out.  He is a strong supporter of the Cooperative Program and a great encourager to young pastors.  He will serve our Convention well. 

Specifically, we looked at Exodus 25-36 at God's command for the contributions and construction of the Tabernacle. The Tabernacle was the place where God chose to manifest His presence. It was also the place where God made provision for the atonement of sins through the offering of blood sacrifices.  We live on the other side of the Cross, and we understand that the one true and efficacious sacrifice has been made by the substitutionary death of Jesus Christ.

The people's response in giving for the construction of the Tabernacle was overwhelming; in fact, that had to be told to stop! (Exodus 36:4-7) Why did they give so much? Because their hearts were moved (Exodus 35:21-22,29). These people understood the significance of God's presence and God's provision. Maybe they thought about what it was like to be separated from God and the joy of redemption. We too should reflect upon the redemption we have in Christ and let that stir our hearts and inform our giving.

Talking about giving can be challenging, especially in seasons of financial difficulty. During the message, I read an exert from a letter given to me by a COTH attend-er. This person (and family), has experienced first hand the faithfulness of God as they were obedient to Him in their giving.  I wanted you to be able to see the whole letter. Hopefully, you will be encouraged and challenged by this family's journey towards faith and obedience and experience to joy of giving!

Blessings,                                                                                                                        Pastor Randy

As I listened to your last message on giving I felt God tug on my heart to share my story.  I grew up in a household that always tithed on what we received.  It is a pattern that I have continued into my adult life. I suspect that someone listening to this is thinking, “but you don’t know my struggles.  I can barely get through on what I make.  There is no way I could give

That’s a normal response and actually a very logical one.  But the commandment from God to give our offerings isn’t about logic.  It’s about faith and trust.  God makes some specific promises in the Bible about our giving.  And in Malachi 3 especially God makes a covenant with us.  Starting in verse 10 He says “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. "Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it." I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not cast their fruit," says the LORD Almighty.

Talk about a powerful promise!  I can tell you that God has NEVER failed to deliver on that promise.  Even when times seemed pretty dark, we were never without the money we needed at that exact moment.  And God was never late – ever.  I always had the money exactly when I needed it.

One time I had just written our check to the church knowing that we could have used those funds.  But my heart was intent on obeying God.  Two days latter we received a settlement from our insurance company of $500 for an automobile accident that had happened over 4 years earlier.  The check from the insurance company was more than double the check we had just given to the church.

Another time we had a family emergency and had to spend $800 dollars on emergency plane tickets.  On the flight home I asked God to help us find the money to pay for those tickets.  We had literally just walked in the door when the phone rang with an offer for a short-term job for someone we had never even talked to before.  When we were done with the job we ended up with $801 in profit – enough to cover our plane tickets.

Right after 9-11 our family went through a serious financial crisis.  My husband was laid off and I got a pay cut equivalent to 60% of what I was making.  In a matter of a month we lost 75% of our family income. 

We ate macaroni & cheese, hot dogs, only shopped at the discount grocery stores, turned the heat down – scrimped on everything.  And we continued to give.  We got the most mysterious checks in the mail from unemployment funds that we didn’t know existed.  We picked up work in the strangest ways – it often felt like it was raining down on us just like manna from heaven. Enough for that day and enough to keep us trusting God to keep His word for our provision.

We lived frugally but even at that we were stretched to pay for basic needs.  But we never had a bill we couldn’t pay.  We would go to the store to make purchases and receive huge discounts just by being there at the right time. 

Christmas 2001 we decided we really wanted to put up a tree but weren’t sure how to pay for it.  We went to buy the tree and ended up with one that had been marked down 50%, plus that day was on sale for an additional 60% off. So we bought a $70 Christmas tree for $12!!  And it was one of the most beautiful trees we ever had at Christmas.

I had to take a flight for business which we had to pay for out of our own pocket.  Because of 9-11 I ended up with a $500 flight for under $100.  The hotel had some issues with their electricity and my stay only cost $25 and they gave me a free hot breakfast – eggs & sausage! From that trip we were hired for a job that lasted for 4 years as a direct result of that visit.

At the end of 2003, we were once again making full salaries.  We realized to our amazement that in spite of how tight things had been, we hadn’t touched a single dollar from our savings. There are many more examples that I could give of God’s faithfulness. 

This is such a tough issue for most Christians.  Sometimes one partner wants to give but the other is reluctant.  To husbands I would say if your wife wants to tithe but you do not, let her tithe on whatever income she brings into the home.  I would say the same thing to wives about their husbands.

We have to remember that God is not capable of lying; is not possible.  His promises remain true.  And I believe that He really enjoys blessing us because of how it grows our faith in Him and builds up our relationship with Him.

We have to be careful not to give just for the sake of becoming prosperous as the end result. It’s not about getting rich; it’s about being obedient. God may choose to bless us in that way but His intention is to prove to us that He will provide for us – at all times and for all our basic needs.  These include emotional, spiritual and relational needs as well as financial needs.

The original intention of God’s commandment to tithe was so He could take care of the needs of the priests and their families.  If they did not have to worry about shelter, clothing and food for their families, then they were free to serve God and His people.

God knows our hearts.  And He knows that when we give with a pure heart that He can trust us.  In the midst of tough financial times He is going to take care of those who give back to Him what is His to begin with. This is how He continues the cycle of care that has been in existence since the days of the tabernacle.

I close by urging anyone reading or hearing this that is struggling financially to trust God in what He says.  Try it for just 3-months with a pure heart and then watch what He does. You will be amazed at how He keeps his word.  Listen again to what He says and rest in this promise: 

Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.

It's Friday morning! How has the "Challenge" worked for you (or on you!) this week? Hopefully, you had, and took advantage of, many opportunities to intentionally speak grace into the lives of others. And, hopefully, someone did that for you.

For many of you, Friday signals the end of the work week. Where has it been the most difficult to live out the "Challenge", at home or at work?

One final thought I want us to consider as we approach the weekend regarding our words... The religious leaders of Jesus day accused Him of doing the works He did through the power of Satan. Jesus said, such a statement reflects the wickedness that resided in their hearts. In fact, Jesus went on to say...

"for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned"      Matthew 12:37

Jesus is not saying that meerly changing our speech, our words, or our vocabulary will make us right with God, but our words are an indicator and evidence if our heart IS right with God.  Our words are a symptom of what is going on in the heart. 

We have all had the experience of treating the symptoms of an illness without getting the cure.  We know there is no cure for the common cold, but there are plenty of medications that treat symptoms. If my speech is continually abrasive, corrupt and harsh, I can know, it not an issue of habit, it is an issue of heart.  But, the same can be said if my words are kind, caring, loving and encouraging, it is not an issue of habit, but an issue of heart. God is not interested in just changing my vocabulary, He desires to change my heart! That tranformation involves, not just the surrender of my tongue, but my total person...

"I appeal to you therefore, brothers by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.  Do not be conformed to this worls, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."            Romans 12:1-2

I pray you have a great weekend.  If you can, tune into to Moody Radio Cleveland WCRF, 103.3 FM on Monday at 8:05a, as Mark Zimmerman and I talk about how the Ephesians 4:29 Challenge went.

Randy

I can imagine there are some folks that have taken the Ephesians 4:29 Challenge who wonder, "So, does this mean I can ONLY say nice, sweet, complimentary words? Aren't there times we need to say some hard things?" There certainly are.  The intent of the challenge is to cause us to think before we speak.  And when we need to have those difficult conversations we need to make sure we take time to think AND pray before we speak.

How do these "difficult conversations" fit into the overall idea of "building up" from Ephesians 4:29? If you have ever done any type of renovation and/or home improvement projects, you know that this type of project is very different than new construction.  New construction is much easier.  In renovation projects, there is often a "tear out" phase.  It actually feels like you are moving backwards, but it must be done!

While becoming a follower of Christ makes us a new creation, there is still some old stuff in our lives that needs to be addressed. Some of that "stuff" could include life-style choices, patterns of behavior, speech, attitudes... it can be a pretty extensive list (I am thinking about MY list)! God's purpose is conform me into the image of Christ (Romans 8:29). God uses His word, His spirit, and life circumstances in this process.  He also uses other people.

During my thirty years of being a Christ-follower, I can think of several times that God used a friend in Christ to speak truth into my life that, at first, was hard and difficult for me to hear.  But, in the end, I was grateful for their investment in my life.  If we feel like we need to have a difficult conversation with a friend, here are a few guidelines...

Tomorrow, we will conclude this series of posts by looking at the place where all of this starts, the heart.

Let's remember each other in prayer...

Randy

As we start Day 3 of the Ephesians 4:29 Challenge, I want to remind all of us the goal of the challenge is not perfection or guilt if we mess up.  Rather, it is to create a greater sensitivity to the power of our words and conversations. It also is a reminder that our words are an indicator of what is happening in our hearts.

Yesterday as we looked at Ephesians 4:29, we saw two distinct categories for words in the verse.  "Corrupting" which literally means, "rotten and putrified". These words could be careless, thoughtless comments, or intentional harsh words, meant to inflict pain on the hearer. 

But there is another way to communicate.  A way that ADDS grace to another's life. Words that enrich the lives of others, words that are "good for building up." The word for "building up" in the original language of the New Testament, pictures the construction, or renovation or improvement of a home.  Do you ever watch the home improvement programs on HGTV? (These programs are dangerous and I must confess I don't like those handymen that can do all that stuff. I am dealing with my envy, really, I am). The designers on these programs are given a budget, come up with a concept for a home, a room, and/or addition, and develop a plan. They then purchase the necessary materials and get started on the project. Along the way, they make adjustments, but finally (and it does take longer than 30 minutes!) the project is completed.  Most of the time, these projects don't start with the designers wandering accidentally and aimlessly into Loews or Home Depot. They have a plan in mind before they go there.

In the same way, God has a plan for our words, "that it may give grace to those who hear." So, how do we do that? Have a plan, "as fits the occasion" (Ephesians 4:29c). Instead of my words being random, reckless and careless, I can speak with purpose and care, building into the lives of others. That means I take the time to assess the needs of others. I can then, express appreciation to others for the ways they have allowed God to use them to bless my life and the lives of others around them. I should look for opportunities to encourage others that are struggling in their walk with God. I should affirm in others the growth I see in their lives.  This means I take the time to think about others, and ways my words could add grace to their lives. What kind of "grace" words do the people I will see today need to hear?

You are probably thinking, "But, aren't there times that we need to say some difficult things to others? It is not all, compliments, praise and affirmation, is it?" If you are thinking that, you are correct.  We will talk about how to do this, and still be building others up, tomorrow.

Let's keep one another in prayer.

Randy

Here it is, Day 2 of the Ephesians 4:29 Challenge.  How was Day 1?  One friend wrote and said he found himself intentionally thinking about and measuring his words before he spoke.  That's the idea.  In fact, as we look back at Ephesians 4:29, it is clear that Paul puts our words in two distinct categories... "corrupting talk" and words that are "good for buiding up". Today, I want us to think about the first group.

The word "corruptive" in this passage is a Greek word that means, "rotten, putrified, no longer fit for use, worn out, of poor quality, worthless".  It was a word that describes fruit that has gone bad. All of us have probably let some apples, peaches or bananas stay around the house too long. Kinda gross, isn't it?  There are some things, when they "go bad", can actually be harmful, even deadly, like outdated medication. Other things, like certain chemicals, can actually become corrosive.

This first type of speech includes words that are careless and thoughtless.

They would include certain vulgar words and curse words we have carried over from our "former lives" that have no place in our new life in Christ.

It would also include sarcasm. Today's comedians make their living off this type of speech.  The intent of sarcasm is to "mock or convey contempt".  When directed at others, we are intentionally trying to belittle them. I know this may be a shock to some Christians, but sarcasm is not a spiritual gift.

Grumbling and complaining would also be "corrupting".  As a believer, when I complain, I am communicating to a lost world that I am not satisfied with the lot and life God has given me. By the way, God takes complaining seriously (see Exodus 16). The Apostle Paul admonished the Philippian believers to, "Do all things without grumbling," (Phil. 2:14). Is there ever a proper way to complain? Sure. We want to help businesses improve their services. But most of my grumbling and complaining is not thought out and constructive, it is a result of personal frustration that things did not go the way I thought they should go.  What should we do with our legitimate frustrations? What should we do with our complaints? Take them to God in prayer!

"Evening and morning and at noon I utter my complaint and moan, and he hears my voice."                                                                                                               Psalm 55:17

While I could go on (I have a long list of ways I have personally blown it with my words!), I want to give one more; hyper-critcal words.  This type of "nit-picking" is a favorite past-time among many Christians. "The music wasn't the way I like it at church, not my style".  "The pastor spoke too long." "The church was too cold (or too hot)." "There was a baby crying."  And we bring this one home with us. We use it on our spouse and our children. But, if we stopped and thought about it, most of us would never want to be held to this impossible standard of perfection we expect from others.

Okay. Enough of that! The idea here is not to beat us up, but to make us more sensitive, thoughful and careful about the words we speak. How do we do that? Here are a few suggestions... Pray and ask the Holy Spirit to help guard your words today.  Ask your family and friends to help hold you accountable in this area (but remind them, this is not their opportunity to beat you up!). Memorize Scripture passages (like the one at the top of the page) related to our words and converations.

Tomorrow we will look at the second category of words and speech from Ephesians 4:29, those that "build up".

Please pray for me as I will for you this day!

Randy

Some of you reading this post know what "The Verbal Challenge" is about and some of you don't have a clue.  So, to bring everyone up to speed, let me give a little history...

A few weeks ago, we were in a teaching series at Church of the Hills (COTH) called "GENERATIONS" from Titus 2.  COTH is seeking to be an intentionally inter-generational because we believe there is great value in being a community that has both the wisdom from age and the energy from youth! In second message in this series, I talked about how God is creating a new people (1 Peter 2:10), a new community, that would be known for its faith, hope and love.  As part of the response to this message, I asked us all to read Ephesians 4 and Romans 12 during the following week.

This past Saturday morning (9/26), I was spending time in Scripture and journaling. I use "The Loving God Journal" by Pastor Rick Duncan of the Cuyahoga Valley Church as a guide for my quiet time. Included in the journal is a plan for reading through the Bible in a year. Again, I was directed to Ephesians 4.  I had already underlined verse 29 in my Bible (that ought to already tell you something about what God is working on in my life!).  As I thought more about this verse, I wondered, "What would it be like if, for one week, I intentionally sought to remove the harsh, hyper-critical, complaining and sarcastic words from my conversations, and replaced them with appropriate words of affirmation, encouragement, praise and thanksgiving?" So I posted this thought in the way of a challenge on my Facebook page and, almost immediately, I started see responses. The vast majority of these responses were from people who, like me, genuinely struggle with this issue in their life, and, who want to see a change.

One of the people who saw this post was my friend, Mark Zimmerman, from Moody Radio Cleveland, WCRF. Mark is one of the hosts for the Weekday Morning Show, 5-9a. Mark asked if I would like to come on and talk about "The Verbal Challenge" on Monday morning (9/28).  I had a great talk with Mark today and will be back on next week to have a follow-up conversation.

As a part of this challenge, I thought I would try to practice what I preach (always a good goal for a pastor), and offer you some words of encouragement.  The way I want to do this is through some blogposts over the next few days related to "The Verbal Challenge".  Hopefully, some of you will post responses. Sometimes responses may be describing the ways we have seen changes in our own lives and in the lives of our families and co-workers, because of the change in our speech.  Other times, the responses may be very transparent in nature, about how we weren't as careful and thoughtful as we should have been with our words.  That's okay.  The idea of "The Verbal Challenge" is not perfection, but a greater sensitivity to the power of our words.  We certainly want to pray for one another!

One of the things that occurred to me this morning is communicating the importance of understanding the context of the passage in which Ephesians 4:29 was written. Beginning in chapter 4:17, the Apostle Paul was addressing the Ephesian Christians on how their life-styles should be radically different from their former life-styles, before they came to know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.  In fact, the change in their lives was SO radical, Paul referred to the difference as "the old self" (4:22) and "the new self" (4:24).  Paul tells the Ephesian believers to...

"put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness" Ephesians 4:24 ESV

Paul then begins to challenge these believers about their life-styles, part of which is their speech.  But here is a very important point, Paul was talking to people who had the potential of significant change because they had been made new in Christ! Paul was not challenging unbelievers to change their speech, he was challenging believers. Why did Paul not challenge the unbelievers to change the way they talked?  Because he knew that change of this nature is an "inside job", one that begins by a person first giving their lives to Jesus Christ.

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come."                                                                                      2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV

I am aware that there may be someone reading this who desperately wants to see their speech and language change, but they have not had their heart changed through faith in Jesus Christ yet.  It is through the power of the indwelling Christ that we see lasting and meaningful transformation in our lives.  Maybe for you today, God has used this post to show you the real need in your life is forgiveness of sin and eternal life through Jesus Christ.

2,000 years ago, the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, willingly went to the cross to die for our sins. He was crucified, buried, but on the third day, God the Father raised His Son to life.  And because Christ lives, we can live also!  If today, you realize that you have never opened your heart up to Jesus, but you want to do so today, pray this prayer...

"Dear God, I know Jesus is Your Son and that He died on the cross and was raised from the dead.  Because I have sinned and need forgiveness, I ask Jesus to come into my heart.  I am willing to change the direction of my life by acknowledging Jesus as my Lord and Savior, and by turning away from my sins.  Thank You for giving me forgiveness, eternal life and hope. In Jesus' name, AMEN."

If you prayed that prayer, please let me know.  I want to do what I can to encourage you in your new life in Christ!

So, here we go... Day 1 of "The Verbal Challenge".  I pray it is a great one for you!

Randy

I lost my Nordonia Hills Chamber of Commerce name tag.  Most of you know I am on the chamber.  I had it last week and wore it to another function.  I distinctly remember putting into my bag after the event. It would not have been a big deal, but today was the Chamber's membership "Blitz".  We were to go out and meet business owners in the community that are not a part of the Chamber and encourage them to take a look at membership.  I like this because I like meeting new people and it is always fun to answer their question, "Why is a church a part of the Chamber?"  We belong because it helps us to connect with our community and find ways to serve, to give tangible expressions of God's love.  So, this was a big day, and I couldn't find my name tag.

I know I had it at home.  I remember seeing it in my bag at home. I was careful when wearing it because the clasp for the pin on the back was broken, but it could still work. It must be somewhere in the house.  So, the search began last night.  I searched every bag I own, three times. Dressers, drawers, counters, under beds... no where. I figured, "Well, I hope the folks from the Chamber office have a "generic" name tag.  

So I went to bed last night, a little frustrated.  Add to that some other frustrations (O.K., several other frustrtions), and, well, I just woke up in a bad mood.  I got my coffee, sat down with my Bible and began my quiet time.  As part of my journaling, I ask God to show me a verse or part of a verse for each day.  Some days the words jump off the page.  Other days, there is a "nudging" towards a verse.  Today was a "nudge".  My verse for today was Proverbs 23:18...

"Surely there is a future,and your hope will not be cut off."

As I meditated on this verse, I felt God saying, "Son, I know you are a little frustrated right now, but it is going to be all right. I haven't forgot about you."  I did not have any overwhelming feelings at that point, but I knew I could take God at His word.

So, I left the house to meet up with the other Chamber members at Chik-Fil-A at 7:15am.  When I got there, I could see Laura and Stephanie from the Chamber were already there and setting up (Chick-Fil-A was command central for the "Blitz"). As soon as I walked in and arrived at the table, Stephanie reached down, and picked something up to hand to me, "Here's your name tag". Whuh? I know my name tag was lost at home. "Didn't you tell us you needed a new name tag?" I had told them several weeks ago.  What I was holding was not my old, broken name tag, but a new name tag. At that point, I could hear God whispering to my soul, "See, I told you I haven't forgotten you."  I about had a spell (A Baptist euphemism for "I was REALLY happy") right there in Chick-Fil-A.

I know God has alot of big stuff going on right now.  War, poverty, crime, sin in general, world missions and evangelism, I mean, REALLY important stuff.  But it is also good to know, He still cares about the small stuff too.

Since that time, I have come to understand professional baseball is a business, a consumable product.  Today, there is very little loyalty on the part of management and players to each other, because "it is a business".  In fact, today it is newsworthy if a player stays with the same team throughout their entire career.  I must confess, I find it amusing when the guy making $6 million a year says he needs more money because he is "thinking about his family"!

Here is my concern.  This same mindset of the business world has permeated our churches.  In his book, The Divine Commodity, author Skye Jethani writes, "we've turned God into a consumable product" and this mindset has led to "the breakdown of community through market-driven individualism".  The acceptance of the consumer mindset into our Christian culture has caused some Christians to be constantly shopping for the church that best fits their "needs".  Once they find that church, they hang around long enough, until they find a better deal.  You would think this approach of pandering to the consumer would have increased church attendance in America, but the opposite is true.

"The percentage of Americans engaged in a local congregations has been declining for years.  In 1990 approximately 20 percent of the population attended church on any given weekend.  By 2004 the figure had dropped to 17 percent. If the trend continues, by 2050 only 11 percent of Americans will attend church.  Although megachurches have multiplied across the fruited plains, the numbers show that Christianity is consolidating and not expanding."                                                                                           Jethani, pp.17-18

My point is not to level a criticism against all megachurches and megachurch pastors.  Many of these churches and their leaders are struggling with this same issue of "spiritual consumerism".  The fact is, people can be just as consumeristic in a church running 40 on Sunday morning as a church running 4,000 on Sunday morning (see if this sounds familiar, "I LIKE a church where I know everyone").

So, what do we do?  I believe one of the answers is to change our orientation from thinking about "me" to thinking about "we".  The Apostle Paul emphasizes the communal, corporate life of the Body of Christ over the individual's experience.  Of course, we are saved as individuals. The individual must open his/her heart to the Lord Jesus (Romans 10:9-13).  But the moment we are saved, we are "baptized into one body - Jews or Greeks, slaves or free - and all were made to drink of one Spirit" (1 Corinthians 12:13) To the Romans, Paul wrote, "so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another" (Romans 12:5).

Imagine what would happen if we began to think and live "we", not just "me".  Such a change in orientation will inform our conversations and our emotions (Ephesians 4:25-27. Thinking "we" instead of "me" will guide me in decisions on what I do with my money (Ephesians 4:28), my time (Ephesians 5:15), my worship (Ephesians 5:19-21) and my relationships (Ephesians 5:22-6:9). 

Living "we" instead of "me" will be a challenge in this world, because it goes against our selfish and sinful natures.  But, remember, we have the Spirit of God, we have the Word of God, and... we have each other.

Church of the Hills and the Nordonia Hills YMCA

September 13, 2009

Over the past several weeks, the leadership of Church of the Hills has been presented with, what we believe, is a unique opportunity of entering into a Collaborative Partnership with the Nordonia Hills YMCA.  For COTH, this partnership would solve the majority of issues related to our facility needs, while also enhancing our outreach into the community.  We had hoped to have more details before making an announcement to our church family.  But because of several factors, we believe it is now prudent to give you a summary of our discussions with the YMCA and where we are in this process.

TIMELINE OF DISCUSSIONS

Friday, August 14, Pastor Randy Chestnut received a phone call from Lisa Gillota, Executive Director of the Nordonia Hills YMCA.  Over the past several years, the Nordonia Hills YMCA has experienced some significant financial challenges (see September 9, 2009 News-Leader article).  Lisa asked Pastor Randy if Church of the Hills would be open to a discussion with the YMCA to see if a possible arrangement could be worked out allowing COTH to have more space for worship, office space and on-site storage space at the Nordonia Hills YMCA. 

August 14- August 19, Pastor Randy shared this possibility with Rick Duncan of Cuyahoga Valley Church, Ron Gregory, the staff of Church of the Hills and our financial accountability team, Ron Gregory, Randy Hyde and Ed Sabo.  These all felt the idea was worth exploring.

Thursday, August 20, Representatives from COTH met with Lisa Gillota and Akron YMCA Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Larry Griffin to discuss a possible collaborative partnership. 

Saturday, August 22, Lisa Gillota e-mailed Pastor Randy, asking COTH to submit a proposal for a Collaborative Partnership, that focused on space needs, budget for space usage, examples of mission-based projects and ways to engage the community in programs and services.  This needed to be submitted by Monday, August 24.

Sunday, August 23, the COTH financial advisory team and Pastor Randy met for prayer and to discuss the request for a Collaborative Partnership proposal.  A draft for a proposal was completed and submitted via e-mail.

Thursday, August 27, the YMCA Board of Trustees reviewed and approved the draft of the Collaborative Partnership Proposal.  The YMCA Trustees have asked their lawyer to draw up a lease agreement.

Tuesday, September 1, the YMCA notified its members that the Nordonia Hills Branch would be transitioning from a membership branch to a program branch (See News-Leader article).

October 1, The Nordonia Hills YMCA will begin removing all fitness equipment.

BENEFITS OF THIS PARTNERSHIP

This plan would be mutually beneficial for both the Nordonia Hills YMCA and Church of the Hills.  Just a few of the benefits for Church of the Hills would include, but not be limited to…

• A multi-year lease
• On-site storage of all COTH equipment
• Facility space for weekday ministry and Bible-study programs
• On-site COTH offices
• Significant savings in facility rental/utility costs
• Collaborative mission projects based on shared mission, vision and values

NEXT STEPS

The direction and initial discussions for this proposed Collaborative Partnership are moving in a very positive direction. Two major steps yet to be completed are…

• … approval from the City of Macedonia Building Department on new occupancy plans, including any necessary modifications, and
• … signing of a lease agreement.

CONCLUSION

We have seen God move in some amazing ways over the past four weeks.  We look expectantly to Him and wait patiently on Him for wisdom and guidance.  Please join us in prayer!

It is Saturday. Another beautiful Saturday in Northeast, Ohio!  And if it is summer and you live in Northeast, Ohio and it is not raining, you mow your lawn.  It is almost a biblical precept. I am not sure where that is written, maybe 2 Opinions.  I like mowing my lawn (please notice I said MY lawn).  I think there is something therapeutic about lawn mowing.  Maybe it is because it is one of those projects you can look at when it is done and… it is done!

So, before I start to mow, I empty the clippings that were still in the grass catcher (I know from some of OCD types, a cold chill just ran down your spine).  I took the bag around to the back of the house to place on our patio.  That way, it would be there when I came around back with the mower after mowing the side of the house (Now the OCD types think there is hope for me!) I wanted to place the bag in a place where the dog would not drag it all over the yard when he came out on his lead.  So I walked over to place it in between our small charcoal grill and the water hose.  As I looked down, I couldn’t believe my eyes… Denise’s glasses!

A little history here will help.  Denise lost her glasses on August 6.  At first, we weren’t that concerned. Denise is slightly near-sighted.  We casually looked for them.  Then after a couple of days, our search became more intense.  We took everything apart, mattress and box spring off the bed, clothes out of the drawer, laundry out of the basket, food out of the freezer (hey, we’re almost fifty, so, who knows).  I mean we looked every where in the house… three times!  We looked in the cars several times.  Nothing.  We figured we had thrown them out accidently with some newspapers.  Finally, we were resolved we would have to do something else.  Denise contacted her optometrist to get a prescription for disposable contacts.  Our thought was, we would wait to see if the glasses ever turned up.  If they didn’t before Denise was finished with the first batch, we would buy new glasses.  To be honest with you, we had both given up hope of finding them.  But there they were!  The only thing we could figure out is that they fell out of her pocket after watering her flowers. 

So I stuck the glasses in my pocket and waited for several hours. No! I would have been a dead man if I had done that.  I immediately went into the house.  Denise was getting ready to go to the store.  She saw me behind her in the mirror as I was coming up the stairs. She saw I had a HUGE smile of my face. “What?”, she asked.  I had the glasses in my hand, behind my back.  I pulled my hand around.  At first, she just looked at them curiously.  Then, she realized what I was holding.  There was an eruption of joy! She giggled like a child.  She was smiling from ear to ear.  I got a big hug.  They weren’t damaged at all. She cleaned them up and put them right on.

As I was going back outside, God impressed upon my heart, “That is the kind of joy I have when a sinner is saved!”  I have been thinking about that ever since.  God in unbridled, unreserved and uninhibited joy over the salvation of the lost! 

Besides the lesson on joy, there is a couple of other lessons for me from this experience.

• Lost things can turn up when you least expect them.  We had searched and searched and searched again for those glasses. We had given up hope of finding them.  And then, when we least expected, there they were.  It can be a lot like that in ministry.  You work and work. No fruit.  You pray, plan, pray some more… no visible results.  And then, when you least expect it, that friend, relative, co-worker that you had given up hope for ever being saved calls, telling you the good news, “I gave my life to Jesus!”

• God has His reasons for His delays.  Sometimes we even get to see them, as I would see…

  One of the items we found in the tub was a "decision card".  For those of you unfamiliar with that term, it is a card used in some churches to register a decision made following a public invitation to respond to the Gospel in a worship service.  The card was dated "April 7, 1979".  The card belongs to me.  That is the day the Lord Jesus saved me!  That means I am coming up on my 30th "spiritual birthday"!  I could never imagined what God had in mind for me.  I have been in full-time vocational ministry for almost 22 years.  God has given Denise and I the privilege of serving as North American Mission Board missionaries for over five years. Praise Him for all His grace and mercy!

  That day, April 7th, was not the first time I had set foot in Baptist church.  That would have been a year earlier, Easter Sunday, 1978.  I went because someone invited me... Denise.  I wonder what would have happened if she had never invited me to church?  I shudder to think of what my life would be like without Christ. I also wonder if there might be some people in our circle of influence, relationships, families and neighborhoods who would be willing to go to church this Easter (Sunday, April 12), if only someone would invite them?

  We have been thinking about how to make this "The Best Easter Ever"!  In my last post I wrote about our personal preparation.  Today, I want to focus on our personal invitation.  Here are three simple things we can all do...

  It is exciting to think about what your simple invitation may mean to someone's life here and now and eternal address!  Who knows?  It made a difference for me!

BLESSINGS!

Pastor Randy

  The purpose of the tele-conference was to think about how to make this Easter the best Easter ever at our churches.  We have had only one other Easter at COTH, and it was awesome!  But, I believe this year can be even better.

  Nelson said one of the reasons he believes this Easter can be the greatest Easter ever in our churches is the openness that exists in people's hearts to God.  He said people tend to be open to God when, 

• They are in transition
• They are under tension
• They are in trouble
  

  That sounds like today! So, how do we move towards having the best Easter ever.  Easter Sunday is just 4 weeks away, but it is not too late for personally and corporately planning for the best Easter ever.  In this post, I want to talk about personal and corporate spiritual preparation.  

  What would it be like this year if, instead of rushing right up to Easter, we took time for personal preparation? What would that mean?  Here are a few ideas to challenge us all...

Over the next several days, I will be posting some other thoughts on making this the best Easter ever for ourselves personally, and together at Church of the Hills.

BLESSINGS!

Pastor Randy

I was so excited as I drove to church that night.  I was the first one to arrive at the church parking lot.  As the appointed time came, no one else had shown up.  I waited for another 15 minutes... still no one.  At this point, I was starting to get discouraged.  Twenty minutes passed... nobody.  I turned on the radio in my car and heard Babbie Mason singing "Each One, Reach One",

" Tonight a man is somewhere proclaiming the Good News,

Winning families to Jesus all around his neighborhood.

He tells them God is able to make their house a home.

He wants to win his world to Christ, but he can't do it alone."

As I sat in that parking lot alone, I had a good little cry.  No one showed up that night.  Well, that's not exactly true.  Jesus showed up.  So Jesus and I went visiting.  We started with some deacons!

Fast forward to this past weekend.  The weather had been brutal all last week in Cleveland.  It looked like the snow and sub-zero temperatures were going to subside by Sunday morning.  I woke up Sunday morning, looked outside and saw we had received about 4 more inches of snow and it was still snowing.  So I got out my snowblower and cleared my driveway (at 5am. I am sure my neighbors were impressed!).  I started out for the Nordonia Middle School at about 7am.  On the way, I was listening to WCRF, and guess what I heard?  Babbie Mason singing, "Each One, Reach One."  But this time, I didn't cry.  I had a smile on my face.  Why?  Because, I knew that there was a team of folks at NMS already, setting up for our ADVANCE meeting and our worship service.

Who was there?  The wonderful COTH staff and their spouses.  Our staff has been facing a number of challenges... sickness in their families, car problems, trying to sell a home, etc...  But you wouldn't know it from the joyful way they serve.  Who else was there.  There were young fathers of newborns on the set-up team.  I am thinking these guys are not getting a lot of sleep these days.  Another young man's wife is scheduled to have labor induced this Friday.  There is a teacher, who finds time to grade papers in between set-up time and services.  Young mothers are there, with their children.  The kids are helping set up.

There are also those that are, well, not so young (like me).  These folks could be at a church that already has its furniture in place on Sunday morning!  They could be saying, "We've been down this road before and we aren't making that trip again."  But they don't.  They drive the truck, cut the bagels, make the coffee, set up the chairs... All so people might have the opportunity to know Christ!

As I was reading my Bible last night, God nailed this verse on my heart...

"As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight." Psalm 16:3 ESV

I really like the way the New Living Translation puts it,

"The godly people in the land are my true heroes!  I take pleasure in them."

As I have been reflecting on this verse, I just wanted to say "Thank You!" to all of you that are taking part in this journey called "Church of the Hills".

You guys are my heroes!

"If only you would be altogether silent!  For you, that would be wisdom.  Hear now my argument; listen to the plea of my lips."

OUCH!  Did you get what Job said?  He basically said, "The smartest thing you guys could do right now is shut up!"  Yet, over and over, Job says to his friends, "Please listen!" Job did not want his friends opinions, advice, theological ponderings or criticism.  He wanted their ears and needed their compassion. 

The Book of Job seems to have more questions in it than any other book in the Bible. Many of these questions are left unanswered. I believe as we get older and as we mature in our faith, we become a little more comfortable with the fact that God does not answer all our questions.  And if God does not choose to answer all the questions, why should I feel like I need to?

So, maybe all that friend (or your spouse, your children, etc...) really wants from you and me is to LISTEN... and love them!

In his book, "The Unchurched Next Door", Dr. Thom Rainer states 82% of the unchurched are at least "somewhat likely" to attend church if they are invited.  In another survey by LifeWay Research this past year, 78% said they would be willing to listen to someone who wanted to talk about their Christian beliefs. The number rose to 89% among adults 18-29 years of age.

So where is the problem?  According to Dr. Rainer, it is with us.  "Are Christians inviting non-Christians to church?  The heartbreaking answer is no.  Only 21 percent of active churchgoers invite anyone to church in the course of a year.  But only 2% of church members invite an unchurched person to church." (The Unchurched Next Door, p.25)

I want challenge all of us NOT to say "no" for our un-churched friends.  How? 

Invite an unchurched friend or relative to attend worship service this weekend.  Offer to meet them at them in the parking lot.  Walk in with them and introduce them to friends.  Sit with them during the service.  Offer to take them out for lunch after the service.

Ask your un-churched friends if you can talk with them about your faith. Before you do, I would make a couple of suggestions...

Remember, Jesus said "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few" (Matthew 9:37).

Be "the few"!

Church planting can be tiring, difficult and just plain hard work.  But, we know for Whom we labor and the Message we bear.  And we are glad we are making this journey together!

From the Chestnuts, a very Merry Christmas!

In his excellent little book, "Living the Cross Centered Life", C. J. Mahaney is right on target with this concept...

  "Every one of us can honestly claim the title "worst of sinners"; it isn't specifically  reserved for the Adolph Hitlers of the world.  "We may justly condemn ourselves as the greatest sinners we know," writes William Law, "because we know more of the folly of our own heart than we do of other people's."

  So admit it:  You're the worst sinner you know.  Admit you're unworthy and deserve to be condemned 

  But don't stop there! Move on to rejoicing in the Savior who came to save the worst sinners.  Lay down the luggage of condemnation and kneel in worship at the feet of Him who bore your sins.  Cry tears of amazement."  pp.129-130

Someone might object to such a view of ourselves.  Does not such talk encourage low self-esteem?  The Apostle Paul did not seem to worry about us thinking to lowly of ourselves.  In fact, he wrote to the Romans...

"For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgement..." 12:3

Certainly, there are those who have been beaten down emotionally to a point of questioning their self-worth.  But the cure for such feelings is not a denial of our own sinfulness, but finding our true identity in Christ. 

Timothy Keller writes... "The Christian gospel is that I am so flawed that Jesus had to die for me, yet I am so loved and valued that Jesus was glad to die for me. This leads to deep humility and deep confidence at the same time. It undermines both swaggering and sniveling. I cannot feel superior to anyone, and yet I have nothing to prove to anyone. I do not think more of myself nor less of myself. Instead, I think of myself less."

So, what would our communities look like and feel like if we all adopted such an attitude?  What would happen if we looked upon others with more and more grace, instead of holding them to a harsher and harsher judgement?  What if, instead of being so quick to find the faults in others, I was more diligent in addressing the sin in my own life.

Lord, let it begin with me.

This "evil speaking" can take many forms, but I want to look at just three, sarcasm, unnecessary criticism and complaining.  Why these three?  Maybe because these are the ones I see most commonly practiced in our communities, or maybe it is the three I am most guilty of.  Probably, both.

Sarcasm is almost an art form in our society. I have three younger brothers, and when the four of us get together, the "zingers" begin to fly!  With us, I think it is a weird, 'manly' way of expressing affection (but I am not so sure anymore).  One of the things that makes sarcasm work is, there is usually a hint (emphasize HINT) of truth, or perceived truth in the statement.  When sarcasm is used in our churches, it leaves people feeling belittled. We are trying to be witty and cute and we end up being cruel and uncaring.

I will lump unnecessary criticism and complaining together.  Generally, criticism is leveled against someone, while complaining is broader and can apply to circumstances. Over the years, I have noticed there are people in the church who feel it is their calling to find a grey cloud for every silver lining.  Some feel like it is their "gift" to the church to point out everything that is wrong with the church.  These folks have a way of quickly lowering the spiritual temperature in a community.

How do we rid ourselves of such destructive patterns of communication?  I think Paul's words to Titus are appropriate...

"...to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people." (3:2)

What would happen in our churches and homes this week if we all decided to put this verse into action?  What if, when I felt the impulse to speak evil of someone, I just kept my mouth shut?  What if, instead of being critical I was kind and courteous?  What if, instead of complaining, I offered to help?  Do you think it would make a difference in the climate of our communities?

I think it's worth a shot.

In Paul's letter to the Philippians, he challenges his readers to move away from selfishness and move towards selflessness.

"Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others."  Philippians 2:3-4 ESV

In his book, "Life Together", Deitrich Bonhoeffer offers seven principles for eradicating selfish ambition from Christian communities.  I have summarized these and provided some related Scriptures...

That is an intimidating list!  Without the Holy Spirit, the Word of God and the Christian community, I think it's impossible.  Over the next several days, I would like to have a conversation about the challenges these principles present.  Also I would like a dialoge on how we can put these principles into practice, journeying from selfishness towards selflessness.

I, for one, need to make the move.

"I don't respect people who don't proselytize. If you believe that there's a heaven and hell, and people could be going to hell, and you think, 'Well, it's not really worth telling them this because it would make it socially awkward'...How much do you have to hate somebody not to proselytize?"

These words are from Penn (of Penn and Teller).  Penn is an avowed atheist, yet his words are a challenge to all of us that claim the name of Christ-follower. 

This is worth your time.