Tangible Results

Pastors have oftentimes hung their inner feelings and sometimes their self-image on the tangible results of the ministry that surround them. Wanting to see whether or not the Budget is being met, Baptisms are happening, Bodies are in the pew, and Buildings are being built. Those in the ministry can be as self-indulgent as anyone else and the reason why I say this is because I am in the ministry and I can be self-indulgent. There are times that I have wondered "am I being effective?" I have believed that I was being effective, but the tangible results weren't there at the moment. There was a lack of conflict at times and at other times life was full of conflict, but I was wondering where was the positive momentum forward for the Kingdom. Two things have helped me and I pass them on hoping that they help you along with one side note. One, others have gone before us who have felt alone and have felt like they weren't accomplishing anything for the Kingdom but they were faithful - Noah, Jeremiah, Elijah. They learned when it was all over that God wanted faithfulness and obedience over all else. Results are up to Him. This leads to the second truth that I have learned. I am to be about God's work not my own. This is about pleasing Him and not me. Ultimately, I do serve an audience of one, and how freeing this wonderful reality is. One final side note, the last few weeks there has been an unusual amount of "tangible results" in the ministry. People have gotten saved more than normal, people are speaking with me about God calling them into the minstry and other wonderful works of God. Does this mean that God just started to work. No way! He was at work all the time, but He was gracious enough to ket me see under the cover and it is so encouraging to see His Spirit's work in people's lives. So keep your chin up and your knees down and let's do our greatest work for the Kingdom.

pollen and other bad pick ups

Why is it we normally pick up bad things from our culture and environment, but we don't pick up by "accident" good, moral, honorable issues that build up our character. We hang around people that are spoiled in their character, and then find that out that we aren't acting right. I watch Garrett my oldest son every year have swollen eyes and sneeze his little head off every spring, because of the unseen pollen falling from the trees, grass, and weeds. That unseen pollen affects how Garret lives just as the lives of people around us affect us unless we are being very intentional in living Christ honoring lives.



Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper



Psalms 1:1-3



We can affect those around us but it is like swimming upstream not downstream. We have to be very intentional to not allow the culture and those who are poison spiritually to not bring us down. The intentional things that we are to do are to be prepared to engage the culture with the gospel and with God's love. The culture needs to see Jesus in action and that is us - the church. At the same time we must be prepared to not succumb to the temptations that will be around us that will bring our attitudes and thoughts down in the gutters. Love people, Love God and keep your head and knees on the floor humbly at all times before God.

Time Passes and Good Intentions

It soon will be June 1st and we will be hurling ourselves to the halfway point of 2008. How many things did we intend to do that have never gotten done that we should've accomplished. There is an innate problem in all of our lives to allow things to go unsaid, undone and unrealized what should be said, done and accomplished. From the statements of "I love you", "I am proud of you", "You are doing a good job" to "How did you do that? I had no idea you could......." there is a list in most of our lives of things that should've been said and we sincerely meant to, but we just never did. We all have a list of things that we want to accomplish around the house, in our own personal lives, or with our families that we just haven't done. Let's remember that the clock is ticking. Time is passing. Good intentions won't matter in eternity, but right actions will. God forgives bad decisions but we can't get back time that is wasted. May we use the rest of 2008 wisely. I speak to me!

Life Changes

Has anyone noticed that gas has gotten to $4.00 a gallon? Who would've thought it? I remember a day that gas was just hovering around a dollar and heard stories from my parents about how gas was around a quarter. For some people this is a reminder of the upcoming economic doom and that may be so. For some people this is a reminder of how that the end is near and that the fuel costs explosion is proof of it and that may be so. What I know to be true is that this is proof of how that everything changes.


To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven: A time to be born, And a time to die; A time to plant, And a time to pluck what is planted; A time to kill, And a time to heal; A time to break down, And a time to build up; A time to weep, And a time to laugh; A time to mourn, And a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, And a time to gather stones; A time to embrace, And a time to refrain from embracing; A time to gain, And a time to lose; A time to keep, And a time to throw away; A time to tear, And a time to sew; A time to keep silence, And a time to speak; A time to love, And a time to hate; A time of war, And a time of peace. Ecclesiastes 3:1-8


I am certainly not trying to be depressing because many changes in life are good as we see from Solomon's writings. Every spring we see changes that are good. When you see that there are changes that aren't good around you don't be surprised. When you see changes around you that are positive give God the glory for it. His blessings are good and are undeserved.

Church Problems

I wanted to pause in the blogs that I have been writing on the topic of God's calling and speak very quickly on the topic of church problems. I recognize from the years of growing up in churches that church life can be painful and distressing. I have seen numerous church splits in my life and I have seen many problems of people who believe that they are in control of certain areas of the church and God forbid that anyone would invade that area. Some of those people are pastors by the way or other staff people. It has been very helpful to be reminded that the church is owned by Jesus Christ as He is the founder and Savior of it. We are blessed to simply be a part of this wonderful thing called The Church - called out ones, The Body of Christ. I am blessed here at NorthWoods to not have to deal with on a regular basis the normal church problem that I have seen for many years while I was growing up. I do know this, "we are all one step away from stupid." We must be sober and vigilant because Satan would like to see another church lose its testimony in the community. May we be faithful to the Head of the Church. May we not forget who the Head of the Church is and may we remember that ministry is always to be shared not to be held onto. This is the the plan of Jesus Christ for the ministry of the church.

People, People, People

It was my intentions when I started this blog to every week give some insight on the scriptures and/or on christian leadership. The last blog for example was on "calling" and how that works in our Christian journey. It has been over a month since I have made an entry, and the reason goes directly to the issue of calling. We are first called to God and we are second called to people. This is true no matter where you may be working, living or functioning in society. How do we know this? When we look in God's word we find that He is always all about people. This last month has been full of people issues and people opportunities for me that have kept me away from the computer and you know what? That is just fine with me. God came to seek and save those who are lost, and He has called the church to be a place that is equipping and edifying the body for the purpose of serving Him, and growing to be more like Him. This means that when we boil everything down we find that we every believer is called to God and that they are called to serve people.

Called?

We use certain words on a regular basis in the Christian life that has no meaning with in Christian circles or without. We speak these words with great clarity but they have lost their clarity because we have forgotten to regularly define our language as we have gone along in our Christian journey. One of these words is the word "called" as we regularly hear people in ministry say that they are called into whatever area of ministry they are in. Are only ministers called? Are only people called into vocational "ministry?" Here is a definition of called "calling is a unique and individually based invitation to join God in accomplishing His purpose through each of us." This means that people other than "professional" ministers are called such as Mary the mother of Jesus, Esther as the queen for such a time as this and Joseph to be 2nd in command of Egypt to preserve Egypt as well as his family through the famine that would be coming. God calls people other than professional ministers and He calls them into places other than vocational ministry. God calls people today to be Fathers, Mothers, Doctors, Electricians, Teachers, any and every job that is out there God calls people to. There is still a larger question: why is it when we think about calling we think about a job? Is that what God calls us to 1st and foremost? How about this promise we will deal with that issue next week when we come back together, but until then why don't you think about who, what or why has God called you to first and foremost?