I was invited, but I did not qualify

I think one of the greatest inventions of our modern culture has to be Caller I.D. I absolutely love the fact that I can screen telemarketers and political surveys and all other nuisance calls. This morning my phone rang and the caller I.D. popped up as one of those vacation clubs, you know 4 days and 3 nights in some great place all you need to do is listen to a a brief presentation on the benefits of vacation club ownership. Instead of hanging up, which I normally do, I began to listen. I told them the destination I would like to visit and they said great they had an open and looked forward to seeing me there. Then the consultant asked me a few questions...

• Was I married - check
• Was I between the ages of 28-55 - check
• Was I willing to listen to the presentation - check
• Finally; one last question did my income meet a certain level - no

It was at that point she said I am sorry this offer is not for you and she hung up. I was available, I fit the profile they were looking for, I had all the qualifications they desired but one - my income did not stack up!

After she hung up the phone, I started thinking what if God dispensed his grace in the same way? Can you imagine having all of the qualifications but one and then being told, I am sorry but this offer is not for you! No God does not work that way everyone is welcome to his "Ultimate Vacation Club a.k.a. Heaven" And just in case you are unsure about this look at these verses.

John 14:1-3, "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.

Ephesians 2:8-9, For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.

Luke 14:15-23, When one of those at the table with him heard this, he said to Jesus, "Blessed is the man who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God." Jesus replied: "A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, 'Come, for everything is now ready.' "But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, 'I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.' "Another said, 'I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I'm on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.' "Still another said, 'I just got married, so I can't come.' "The servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, 'Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.' 'Sir,' the servant said, 'what you ordered has been done, but there is still room. Then the master told his servant, 'Go out to the roads and country lanes and make them come in, so that my house will be full.

I love that last verse, "Go out to the roads and country lanes and make them come in, so that my house will be full."

Just in case you are still not sure, read this story from the day Jesus died. The one who deserved hell received heaven, and that is good new for all of us!

Why I do What I do

Yesterday's post regarding longevity got me thinking about longevity in ministry. I stated yesterday, the average NFL career is 3 1/2 years. That is not very long when you consider all the time that is spent to get one to the NFL. I was thrilled to discover recently ministers are sticking with their calling longer than the average NFL player. Currently the average stay of minister in one church is 7.7 years. This is good news, when I started in ministry 29 years ago the average stay was 4.5 years. Ministers are staying in their churches longer and that is a good thing for both the minister and the congregations they serve.

Why has the length of ministry increased over the past few years? I can think of several reasons.

1. Ministers are better equipped for the changes of ministry, education and resources are readily available for ministers to continue refining their skills in ministry. The allure of "greener pastures" is not nearly a draw as we continue to grow in our present ministry.
2. Longevity increases the minister's ministry to the local church. Research tells us the longer a minister stays with a local the church the more healthy the church becomes. Church leaders and ministers understand it is not enough for the church to simply grow numerically, the church needs to be healthy as well; one of the best ways to secure congregational health is through a long term ministry.
3. Attitudes have changed regarding ministry friendships in the local congregation. When I began ministry 29 years ago, there was an unwritten rule not to have close friends with members of the congregation. I am glad to say that attitude has changed. Some of my best friends are members of my congregation, my small group is essential for my spiritual as well as emotional health. We are a relational people, we need people in ministry. I cannot imagine a ministry without good friends.

I am closing in on 5 years of ministry at PBCC and I can honestly say, I think my best years are a head of me. I serve a great church, yeah we have our ups and downs, but I cannot think of a better place to serve. PBCC has given me opportunities to grow continually by sending me to conferences and purchasing resources, we are constantly looking at our systems with a goal of become a more healthy church and I have many good friends in the congregation. PBCC is a place where I can grow in my ministry and I look forward to continuing my ministry for a long time.

Longevity

ESPN announced this morning Brett Farve is a grandfather. Now that is not big news, men become grandfathers everyday. What is news is the fact that if Farve plays next season, he will be the first grandfather to play in the NFL. That fact alone speaks to his longevity. Brett has been around awhile! Considering the nature of the NFL, this speaks volumes about his ability to play in a league where the average career is 3 1/2 years. We should congratulate Farve for his accomplishment and celebrate the fact that here is a man who has found something he enjoys and still has "a fire" in his bones that keeps him playing despite the occasional injuries, the routine of training camp and the contact of the game.

Longevity is necessary in our Christian walk as well. Our faith is not a sprint, but a marathon. We do not get points for a fast start, but for finishing well. The Apostle Paul told his young apprentice, Timothy that he had completed the race well.

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing. 2 Timothy 4:7,8

So my challenge for all of us is to stay faithful to the cause of Christ. However, the challenge for the believer is not to simply grow old in the faith, but to grow up in the faith. We grow old in the faith by simply letting time go by, but we grow up in the faith, by practicing the disciplines of faith; prayer, study, fasting & giving, just to name a few. I believe those who grow up in the faith have a better chance of remaining faithful to the cause of Christ. Those who grow up in faith remember the words of Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:58,

Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

It is that attitude that keeps us going for the long haul. We need to finish well, for Jesus is waiting for us at the finish line. So congratulations Brett, may we have the same desire to live out our Christian faith as you have had for the game of football.

What's Next?

Well by now many ministers have looked a their numbers from Sunday are pleased with the response. I have seen the numbers from several of my freinds churches and I must say Easter was a big day in many of our churches. The question now is what's next, what happens after the big day? Will there be responses next week? Did people see something last Sunday that will compel them to return next week? Maybe I am expecting too much, but I hope we did somethings Sunday that will peak the curiosity of some people for them to say, "Let's check it out again." Yesterday was all about opportunity and hopefully we gave people the opportunity to consider Jesus.

Speaking of opportunity, A woman shared with me today her experiences of visiting PBCC Sunday. She told me when she arrived she sat alone and then a man approached, introduced himself and then offered to pray with her. I don't know who the man was but I am glad someone seized the opportunity and prayed for her. She then told me a woman came up to her and sat with her though out the service. She said she was amazed at how friendly the people of PBCC were to a total stranger.

Two people seized the opportunity Sunday and as a result a woman's life was changed. Church, I cannot tell you how important it is to seize the opportunities and take advantage of the God moments in this life. With that in mind, I want you to know I am looking forward to see what's next!

Sunday Night Reflections

A few thoughts from an amazing day.

• I am amazed at the power that comes from the spoken word of God.
• Kicked off worship with a gospel version of "O Happy Day" - that will always get you excited about the resurrection of Jesus!
• All areas of the tech team hit it out of the park today. We used a variety of elements to communicate the truth of the gospel and they did not miss a beat, thanks team!
• Did you know a few of the guys on the tech team worked at the church until 11:30 Saturday night to get things right for Today?
• When people respond like they did today, I am reminded I am simply the instrument God uses for it is not about me or my ability.
• I started blogging 2 months ago; today I received confirmation that is wise a wise thing to do.
• I believe the series our new series on Total Forgiveness will be just as powerful as our "Storm" series.
• To all our childcare volunteers; THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!
• Our Indiana friends head north this week, I will miss them all. Hurry back.
• I will admit I was a little nervous using the taxi driver and nun story today.
• Mark 16:7 has got to be one of the greatest verses ever recorded regarding forgiveness. The verse reminds us all that God is the God of second chances and it is found in the phrase "and Peter".
• Remember there is nothing to gain by holding oneself in unforgiveness and there is everything to gain by releasing oneself from unforgiveness and beginning the process of healing.
• I am still pumped from today's worship.
• Want to know if prayer works; Just ask the Hanke Family

It Never Grows Old!

The last verses of John 19 reads;

At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid. Because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there. (John 19:41-42)

When you read these verses at face value they seem pretty bleak. Death by crucifixion, a hurried funeral and a borrowed tomb. Too often in life, we focus on bleakness of defeat, believe me it does not get any bleaker than John 19:41-42. However that is not the end of the story. For the next chapter of John begins;

Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don't know where they have put him!"

So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. Then Simon Peter, who was behind him, arrived and went into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, as well as the burial cloth that had been around Jesus' head. The cloth was folded up by itself, separate from the linen. Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. John 20:1-8

Everything still looks bleak, especially in the eyes of Mary, note her words; "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don't know where they have put him!" However, we see a ray of hope in the actions of the apostle John; He saw and believed - He saw what? A folded piece if cloth? An empty tomb? He certainly did not see Jesus (that would come later that same day) No, but he saw enough to believe something had happen that would change the world forever. He did not understand everything but he did believe. Tomorrow is Easter Sunday and once again we will tell the story that never grows old - Jesus is alive. Thousands will meet in churches around the world to celebrate that fact that we serve a risen savior. You may have heard the account in John's gospel 20 times or you may be reading it for the first time today, but I promise you this if you will believe the words this account will never grow old in your life and one day when you see Jesus face to face you will be glad you chose to believe!

Coming Together

Things are starting to fall into place for our Easter Sunday Worship. The week's message is finished, the worship team is putting on the final touches for Sunday, and we have ramped up our volunteers. I am really looking forward to Sunday. I would be lying if I said this Sunday was not my favorite Sunday to preach, not because of the larger than usual crowd, but because this Sunday above all other Sundays focuses on the ultimate victory Jesus had (and has) over the grave. As a minister I have stood with many families in funeral homes and at gravesides as they mourned the loss of loved ones. For many the separation from a loved one is very difficult, However this Sunday reminds all of us our separation is only temporary, one day we will participate in the greatest family reunion ever! The reunion of the family of God. So while everything is coming together for Sunday, I look forward to the time when God brings us all together - See you there!