Against The Flow

Anybody that has ever heard me preach knows that I love UFC and Mixed Martial Arts. Fight Club is one of my all time top ten movies. Some preachers golf to relax, I FIGHT. I’ve been involved in Martial Arts since 1980. I’ve always believed you needed a little MMA background to survive in most churches, It’s just the nature of the beast sometimes. Scot Longyear, has provided a great post for another reason for “Bloody knuckles.” He writes…

“And from the time John the Baptist began preaching until now, the Kingdom of Heaven has been forcefully advancing, and violent people are attacking it.” – Mt 11

The kingdom should be forcefully advancing. Every shoulder to the plow. Everybody rowing hard. Warriors who, when the camera zooms in, have a half-crazed look in their eyes. Advancers who don’t look like everyone else because they spend all their energy in advancing.

Yet sometimes the church looks more like a group of well-dressed people sitting in offices than they do warriors…Read more here

Read more here

My New iPhone

It’s not a toy, it’s a tool!

So often in ministry we get pumped up about the holidays. Yet, we many times are unaware of those in our churches that hate the holidays. Maybe hate is the wrong word. But, there are those in our churches that for them the holidays are tough. For years I’ve been guilty of not thinking of those in my church that for them the holidays are a difficult time. For what ever the reason, the holidays are depressing or are a reminder of another time that they would rather not deal with.
I’ve recently found myself in a similar situation. This week has and will continue to be tough due to a lot going on in my life. I know this period will soon pass, but boy how the time is dragging. I find myself looking for answers, knowing that they will only come with time. I know I’ll come through this storm, better for having travelled through it, and will have another life experience to draw on to minister to others, as many have ministered to me in these days.
So enjoy and celebrate the holidays with gladness, but be mindful of those who need your prayers.

One thing that I have learned in over 2 years of my Church Planting experience is that this thing is messy. You promote the fact that you are a church that welcomes all, all many times shows up, with all its baggage. It can be overwhelming sometimes. The other thing I’ve learned is that the unchurched, those far from God are the people we want to see our ministries reach. The following is a post from Chris Elrod. You’ve got to love his passion for those far from God in this post.

“Curse words are just words…but oh what a tapestry of division they can weave. Recently I was meeting in a restaurant with some other church leaders. Sitting near us were two truck drivers that were cussing up a storm in their conversation. In between f-words and a-words one of the guys said REAL LOUD…”you gotta love that sh*t”. That was the final straw for one of the pastors at our table and he asked the waitress if we could move to a different location…because he was offended by the language of the men. That’s when it hit me…some people are offended by cussing…but it’s music to my ears. When I hear cussing…I hear people far from God. When I hear people far from God…I hear an opportunity to make an impact for the Kingdom of God.

I seriously don’t understand “leaders” that plant churches that appeal to themselves. I don’t understand “leaders” that plant churches to reach other church people. I really don’t understand “leaders” that plant churches with no real heart to reach people far from God.

Don’t get me wrong…reaching people far from God is messy. They cuss…they have serious issues…they smell…they drink…they live lifestyles that are at times really repulsive. Reaching people far God also means going to places that church folks have been taught not to go. People FAR from God do not hang out in Starbucks or Junior League meetings…they hang out in bars, porn shops, downtown streets, bowling allies, courtrooms, emergency rooms and R-rated movies. It’s not easy…it’s not pleasant…it’s not always rewarding. However, reaching people far from God with the Gospel of Jesus Christ is what the Father called us to do.

I know that quite a few potential church planters read my blog so let me say this to you. If you don’t want to do ministry that is messy…don’t plant a church. If you just want to “feed the saints”…don’t plant a church. If you just want to stop having to take orders from your current pastor…don’t plant a church. If you just got fired, let go or laid off from a ministry position…don’t plant a church. If you are still trying to impress seminary professors with your preaching skills…don’t plant a church. In fact, if you think planting a church is cool…don’t plant a church. If you think those things, It’s probably going to be best for you to get a job in your state denominational office…where it’s safe, there’s a steady paycheck and you only have to interact with other Christians.

On the other hand if you love the smell of vomit and beer….if you love to hear about people’s addictions…if you love hearing the f-bomb dropped by every member of a family (including kids)…if you love people wearing halter tops and Budweiser t-shirts in the Sunday service…if you love people putting three dollars cash in the offering plate and crossing their arms during worship…if you love getting 3 a.m. marriage counseling calls…then by all means…plant a church. I’m not talking about you liking that stuff…I’m talking about…you gotta love that sh*t!!!

Church planting done right is messy…and attracts messy people. If you don’t have a passion for the mess…if you don’t hear someone cussing and think, “That person is a potential guest for my church”…if you don’t wake up every day with an unquenchable thirst to see people far from God come to know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior…church planting is going to be a miserable experience for you!!”