Hold on Loosely

I don’t know about you, but I am a control freak! My wife once bought me a shirt that says, “I have Control Issues” with game remote on it. But when you think about it we all have control issues to some extent. We feel that we have certain things or rights that are owed to us. Maybe you are above such things, but I know that I am still working it out. Here is a simple test below.

Next time you received poor customer service gauge you reaction. Do you get angry? Do you feel that you were robbed of something that you were owed? Do you feel that you were devalued? Do you want to give them a piece of your mind (for some of us it would be a smaller portion size than others)? The feelings that you are working through may be feelings connected to a sense of entitlement. This does not mean that we should excuse poor customer service. But what is our motive for exposing the problem? Is it that we feel that we deserve it or is it that we want to improve other’s customer service? A better motive may be that we want to improve that organization!

If you really want to tackle this issue common to many of us, read Philippians 2: 1-8. In this amazing passage of the Bible, Jesus chooses not to cling, or hold on, to His rights. He exercises a humility that is not wrapped in self-glorification, but is connected in a love for others. I think that if we want to really grow in the area of releasing control, it begins with receiving the kind of humility that Jesus exercised.

This Sunday I begin a new journey in my life. I will be between ministries. I will be missing the amazing ministry of Oak Ridge BaptistChurch ,while I begin the process of searching for where God wants us to land next. My natural desire is to control, work hard, and to make this next part of the journey happen. But what is needed is for me to HOLD ON LOOSELY and allow God to open the right door.

So, I’m excited to share at Grace Baptist Church in Seaford at 10:45 AM a message based on Philippians 2: 1-8. A message that I need to adhere to first as I prepare to release control, so that God can have more. I’ve heard it said that sometimes we need to LET GO TO GET A BETTER GRIP.

Death Procedes Resurrection

It has been a while since I blogged. For a while I was doing it pretty consistently to help with our devotion life in worship arts. I decided to take the time to put up a quick blog to update everyone with the changes that the Lord has been brining our way.

As many of you know, I take off some time post Christmas to pray about what next steps the Lord may be asking of our family and me. This year brought a surprise. I was fasting, praying, and reading through the book “Transforming the Rural Church in America”, when the Lord surprised us with an unexpected ask. Many of you may not know that the church in America is in BIG TROUBLE. 4,000 churches close their doors each year in our nation. 1,700 pastors will leave the ministry this month. 80% of the churches in North American are plateaued or declining. These are staggering statistics and as my wife and I prayed and read this book we found that our heart began to be burdened to be a part of changing this reality!

The problem – we are a part of a great church, we love the people we serve with, and we are very comfortable with the stage of life we are in. A BIGGER PROBLEM – obedience is more important than location, friendships, or our comfort. As believers we are called to follow after Christ and not our own desires. John 12:23-26 really brings this reality home for us.

²³ Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. ²⁴ I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. ²⁵ The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. ²⁶ Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me. John 12:23-26 (NIV)

We realized that the Lord was asking us to step out of our comfort to be a part of a movement to revitalize the local church. After all, Oak Ridge (Our current Church) was a church that experienced revitalization. The key was that they were willing to do whatever the Lord asked of them to reach their community under the leadership of a pastor who was willing to do just the same. For more information on this movement watch this video: http://vimeo.com/59186399.

Therefore, at the end of February we will be dying a little. We will be dying to our comfort to pursue God’s next call in our lives by stepping into the Pastorate of a church who wants to partner with us to reach their community. A church that is ready to do the hard work of revitalization. We believe that God wants to do this for every church that is willing to make church not internally focused but externally focused. One that is willing to focus on their community being transformed by the power of the Gospel of Christ. A church where the pastor’s humility and sacrificial love is reciprocated by a church family who is willing to release power and control to see a God-Sized Turn-Around.

Many of you have asked what you can do. The greatest need that we have at this point is prayer. Prayer that the Lord will direct us to the church that He intends for us to shepherd and that the church has been prepped by God’s Spirit for the transformation. If God brings a church like this to your mind, you can also let us know and let them know about God’s call on our life. Then please pray that we can be a part of leading and witnessing the miracle of resurrection that we have seen at Oak Ridge in another church. Also pray that God will call at least 4000 pastors this year to step into the work of revitalization. Let’s be a part of praying and working hard to revitalize churches throughout our great nation.