Grow Up

In the past few weeks I have become very overwhelmed about the lack of maturity in believers. I have talked with pastor after pastor that has expressed how difficult it is to get the young men in their churches to do anything. After preaching at a BCM service at Georgia Southwestern State University I see why. We have a maturity problem; men that refuse to grow up.

I was horrified last Wednesday at what I saw. It was like a watch an overglorified youth group. The leader got up and did announcements for trips and fun activities. They watched a funny video then they had almost 40 minutes of worship, which left only 20 minutes for preaching the word. (I preached 40 minutes and could tell some didn't like it). There were people there almost my age and one guys and gal that were actually older (age 30). Some of these kids are in their 20's and are still living at home, eating Captain Crunch and playing video games. The whole thing just makes me sick.

No wonder there are so many maturity problems in our churches. We dumb down the youth minitry send them to college where they still attend youth services at a BCM then they graduate and expect church to be the same way. Maybe thats why my generation is missing.

I could write for days and never say all I wish I could. I just wish people would grow up!!!

Revival

We had a mini-revival last week with three of Byromville's former pastors. First let me say that its great for the current pastor to see that former pastors can come back and are welcomed with open arms. That says a lot for a Southern Baptist church. The preaching was great and the food and fellowship was amazing. People were laughing and talking and embracing each other.

However, I found myself wondering if people were really being moved by God. On the last night I got my answer. God used an 85 year old lady in my church to bring out revival in me. She came to the front and took me by the hand and in her own words told me that she wanted to do better. I was floored. This woman is 85 years old and holy! But she wanted more. God used her to speak in volume to me. The longings of the Apostle Paul to press on to know Christ more began to flood my mind. I was overwhelmed by the weight of God's presence at the front of our little church.

I certainly hope that if I make it to 85 I have the zeal of this lady!!

Baptist Preachers

I don't want to be a Baptist Preacher!!!! That sounds crazy at face value because I pastor a Baptist Church but let me explain something to you. When you hear the term Baptist Preacher what comes to your mind? I see a loud, red in the face, pulpit slapping, friend chicken eating, Sweat-Tea drinking, coat and tie wearing, 3 point sermon having, 30 minute preaching, seminary loving man. That's what I think about when I think about a Baptist Preacher and I don't want to be one!!!

I'm serious I have a big soap box to get on and I just can't help it. I met a fellow pastor today at a pastor's meeting. He was a young guy; more than likely 35 or 36 just by looking at him. He introduced himself to me and exclaimed that he thought he was a young pastor until he met me. Then he asked me something that to be honest I am tired of hearing. He said, "You go to seminary" with what appeared to be a very judgmental look as he gazed at me from head to toe. I simply said, "nope" and went on about my business. This attitude just erks me!! Did Peter go to seminary? How about John? Last time I read Acts the Bible said they were "untrained" men. They walked with Christ and did what he said. I have experienced, personally some stupid comments from Baptist leaders. While I was working on my 4-year I took some preaching classes. My professor marked off on my sermons because he said I was too comfortable up there. I put my hands in my pockets and walked around too much. I just took the deduction. A friend of mine who is in youth ministry preached at his church one Sunday. His pastor told him after the service that a baptist preacher didn't preach from a big hard-cover bible but a smaller bible that he could carry around. I know guys that spend more time talking about their seminary than they do their churches. Baptist are supposed to raise their hands in worship I heard.
Thats for the charismatics. The list could go on and on.

Now why am I ranting and raving? I love being a Baptist I really do. I love the doctrines and the structure of the church. But I don't like the program-driven mentality. I don't like the idea that we are to "do" church instead of "being" the church. I don't like how complicated and professional we have made the pastorate. If that's what it means to be a Baptist Preacher then I want a different title. I want to be a pastor of a Baptist church; not a professional but a wild-eyed crazy man that loves Jesus and His bride. I want to read my bible and do what it says instead of sitting around trying to make sure it lines up with the Baptist church. When I do get a masters I want to forget all about school and focus on the bride of Christ instead of bragging on my education and degrees. I don't want to feel like I have to only preach 30 mins and not a minute longer. I just long and thirst for the simple church of the Bible and not this monster that seminary and the convention have produced.

I guess it could be worse though. I could be a Methodist...just kidding.

Cant Sleep

You would think I would be in the bed. I only got about 2 hours of good sleep last night and I am dog tired. I just can't stop my thoughts from running off. There are a million things going through my mind; I'm trying to reconcile another miscarriage (2 in almost 4 years) and I can't. Is it part of some plane? Maybe it is divine judgement? The supper religious statement is that I am building character. But none of this makes it any easier. None of it helps bring meaning. The only time I can remember feeling this frail and human was the last time this happened to us; the last time we lost a child. Am I that selfish? Is this more about the absence of control or about a child. I really disgust myself...maybe it is judgement.

Why does the feeling of frailty cause us such grief? When it's financial or even medical we still have a since of control; like there is something more we can do. There is still a feeling of hope. For a cancer victim there is the hope of chemo or radiation. For the financial struggle there is the hope of assistance from a friend or relative; the hope that pinching pennies will help. But something like this is completely out of my hands; there is nothing I can possible do. I pray God will help me come to some clairity on hope because one of the points in my sermon this Sunday is about that very subject; HOPE. How will I ever be able to preach that message in the shape Im in?

I don't even know if this blog makes sense. If it doesn't just chalk it up to no sleep. All I know is the journey I am on is not a fun one. It is like being strapped into the passenger seat of a car you don't want to be as you watch a maniac take you for a drive. I'll let you know how the trip goes. Good night guys!!!

My Only Instrument

Today was a tough day for my family. We had our first baby doctor appointment and things did not go well. Mary Kathryn looks like she is 8 to 9 weeks pregnant but the baby only made it to about week 5. We will go for some test and things next week to confirm unless MK's body finally figures out something is wrong and she has a miscarriage before then. We are very heavy hearted and crushed and we are struggling to practice what we preach.

Everything within me keeps saying "just worship." The struggle is knowing how. Its easy to do it with instruments of happiness and security but how do you worship with pain and suffering? How do I allow God to be glorified in me through my satisfaction in this? My mind is tormented by anger but I must worship. I've got to find a way to play these instruments. Pray for me!!!

Church People

Church people amaze me at times; amaze in that they act like pagans at times and try to hide it with spiritual statements. Today I managed to speak with a few guys in ministry that I know. The hot topic of conversation is the new church that my former pastor and another good friend of mine are starting in the Americus area. This church is going to be a "Family Integrated Church". Now let me honest for just a moment. If this was going to be the typical church plant pastors and leaders would be excited and behind it all the way. But this church model is not only different but it is the furthest thing from Baptist. This obviously causes some people pain I guess because there are pastors and leaders that are talking about this thing behind my friends backs; making statements of their disapproval and apparent disdain for what is being done. Just because it is different people feel threatened. The whole thing just amazes me!

Why are people so afraid of being challenged on the way we do things in church? These guys are not hurting anybody. They are not saying they are the best church or the only church in the area. They are simply offering something different. Do they personally think its the best? Of course! Why else would they be doing it? But don't most people attend a local church that lines up with what they believe? Again all these attitudes and statements coming from pastors just amazes me. Now before I get all self-righteous I will admit that I don't like to be challenged but at this point in my life I am open to it. I think that is the point here. You and I must be open to being challenged and we shouldn't be angry or threatened by those who think we are wrong or we think they are wrong.

Rhyme and Reason

If you get to know me you will find out that I am a talker. I can't keep my mouth shut for I have an opinion about everything; just ask me. In order to get things out I blog (obviously), email, and I am a member of several Internet debate forums. Through these outlets I hear the opinions and thoughts of many people and I am frustrated at the current approach that many "Christians" take in debate.

I want to know when feeling and experience and personal reflection took the place of the Bible!!! Seriously if one more person tells me they are correct because they "feel" I'm going to scream! If feeling or simple belief made anything true then everything would be true. Now I don't want to sound all self-righteous and pretend that I don't struggle with trying to justify my beliefs based on my emotions because sometimes I do. But I tell you the truth...I want to be biblical. I want to read the bible, take it at face value, and do what the bible says. No more emotions and feelings. No singing and dancing like a little worldly puppet. I want to be man of God and if I want to be a man of God then I better hid his word in my heart and speak it and preach whenever I get the chance.

My Mentor

I called my mentor in ministry today to see how things were going. He was the pastor of my home church when I first received a call to ministry. He was the one that pushed to church to licenced me into the gospel ministry because he saw a calling of God in my life. He encouraged me and counseled me through some difficult times in my life and I will always be grateful. I have always viewed him as my Apostle Paul and me as his Timothy.

After spending some time on the phone he confessed to what I already knew. He was depressed; down and out about the difficulty he has been going through over the past few years. I understand that sometimes Christian people struggle but its hard to see your mentor that way. I guess I always thought of this guy as superman. I'm just praying for his strength today.It's hard to see the people you love when they are down.

American Idol

There is a gigantic idol in America today. It's not a statue or image. A.W. Tozer said, "Let us beware lest we in our pride accept the erroneous notion that idolatry consists only in kneeling before visible objects of adoration, and that civilized peoples are therefore free from it." Some of the most civilized and "christian" people you know are flaming idolaters and they may not even realize it.

If America could change its national anthem I believe it should be the tag line to a song that you have heard in several movies and television shows. The lyrics simply read, "money, money, money, money.....money". If you know the tune then you obviously now the 80s. We are so stinkin greedy and money driven in our culture. We value possessions and investments over the two most important institutions God ever created; marriage and family.

Although I was on vacation last week and not in study and sermon prep God still showed me quite a few things. First He showed me the sad state of our nation in the area of marriage. Now we all know the statistics that a little over half of the marriages in this country end in divorce. The Southern Baptist Convention is not immune to that statement. However, as I was watching a local news channel in Florida I heard some shocking news. It seems that the divorce rate in the southern part of Florida is on the decline. Before you shout amen listen to the reason given for the decline. Apparently, due to the economic hardship that many people would face on their own they are deciding to stay together. Basically their financial situation is the driving force for their marriages. Secondly God revealed to me a truth I have been reading about and meditating on for a few weeks now. People love prosperity more than children. As Mary Kathryn and I were sharing the wonderful news that baby #2 was on the way I had 3 people make statements or ask questions that showed that money was a higher priority to them than kids. The whole thing just makes me sick to be honest. Money over marriage. Cars and houses over children....what have we been reduced to in this world. I'll tell you; a bunch of moeny hungry, selfish, maniacs that are missing the blessings of God in our spouces and children.

Great News!!!

God continues to be so good to me and my family. On July 8th, while we were on family vacation, Mary Kathryn and I found out that baby #2 is on the way. We are so incredibly happy and excited! I don't think it will really start to settle in until Mary Kathryn starts to get big. We are enjoying the process of coming up with names (we have plenty of girl names but no boy names at this point).

All I know Is that I can't wait to to meet my son or daughter. Cooper is so amazing I can't imagine all the joy that two children will bring. God is just so good!

As You Are Going

As I talk with many pastors I have noticed that one of their struggles is discipleship. They struggle with effective ways and or methods of growing people into mature believers. We will try all the latest or fanciest programs and bible studies to try to draw better discipleship training numbers on Sunday nights yet it just seems like nothing changes.

Over the past few weeks as I have been meditating of the scriptures, praying and talking with some friends of mine I have come to a conclusion. We are not effective in discipleship because we have place too many time restraints on it. You can't adequately disciple a person in a one hour class on a Sunday evening. In the Great Commission Jesus tells us to "Go" and this word in its original language means "as you are going." Discipleship happens as we are going. I have found some of the best and most spiritually beneficial encounters have happened when I wasn't even looking for them; when I met a guy from my church at the gas station and we talked about the things of God.

I must admitt that this has taken much pressure of me and my ministry. Now I just look forward to the opportunities to disciple outside of the four walls of my church because those moments are the ones that really matter.

Real Men

Look around your church and I bet you will see with your own eyes what groups like The Barna Group and the Nehemiah Institute are say is true; we are loosing 75 to 88% of our young people after their freshman year of college. Those ages 19 to 25 are absent from our churches. But I find myself asking a serious question. Where do our young people learn it from? The reality is that a parent has 100 times more influence than a Pastor, Youth Pastor or Sunday School teacher. At best a church leader will spend a few hours a week with a teen but a parent has much more time than that.

In addition to absent teens we have absent men in our churches. According to Barna, "Without women, Christianity would have nearly 60% fewer adherents." His research shows that women are 100% more likely than men to be involved i discipleship. They are 57% more likely to participate in Sunday School. Women are 56% more likely to hold a leadership position in a church (don't' believe that one just go and look at who is serving on the committees in your church). There is an absence of real, spiritual men in our churches. No wonder churches are so weak!

Some have offered help in this area. Various books and studies have been written to try to engage men and get them back in church. But to be honest these studies are trying to put band aids over a gaping wound. Most of these books and teachings focus more on being macho and hard core than they do on being biblical. A real man doesn't have to kill things with his bare hands and then eat it. A real man loves his wife and disciples his children.

I could go on and on for days on this issue but I wont. I simply want to ask a question. Where are the real man; the saved men; the biblical men? Where are the guys that are willing to step up and be spiritual leaders? Until these men show up our churches will be doing a doggy paddle in the middle of a vast ocean, dodging as many waves as they can.

What Is Biblical Truth

Women shouldn't be pastors; Parents should be the primary source of their children's discipleship not youth pastors and Sunday School teachers; Homosexuality is wrong. These are a few statements, based upon scripture. How do they make you feel when you read them because your response reveals much about who you are and what you stand for? Many people hear things like this and they cringe because these statements are very much anti-cultural and most Christians are very in to the culture and they do not even realize it.

Why is this such a big deal? Many believers are operating in a worldview that is not biblical. As a result our churches and ministries are not biblical. Let me paint a picture for you that I believe captures the heart of modern-day Christianity. One day a woman came into her pastor's office to speak with him about the message he preached on Sunday. This woman was upset because the pastor said from the pulpit that homosexuality was a sin and that a person living within that lifestyle is not bearing the fruit of true repentance and without repentance we can not be saved. She proceeds to tell the pastor that she disagrees; that a practicing homosexual is loved by God and He would never send them to hell. The pastor asked the woman to back up her claims with scripture. Very heatedly she tells the pastor that her son is a homosexual and she refused the believe that God would send her son to hell. The pastor very patiently encouraged the woman to site a passage of Scripture that validated her belief but she didn't have one. She simply said, "I don't feel in my heart that God would do that."

This little story, that came off the top of my head, is similar to conversations that take place every day. Many Christians are so worldly that they will side with their personal feelings or beliefs over the Word of God. Then, trying to justify their feelings, they twist other verses and create doctrines and theologies that belittle the God that gave them life.

So I ask...What is biblical truth? Is it what the Bible says or is it what the Bible says, as we interpret it? My friends I want to tell you that it is what the Bible says and that's it! Truth is not our feelings or emotions but what the Scripture clearly teaches. And we should be okay with that for if we are not then I would assert we are in trouble at the core of our relationship with Christ. For if we can't take God at His Word what else do we have? The answer is chaos and unfortunately that is what many of our churches are today.

Season of Repentance

Sometimes we look at repentance as the one time thing that happens in the blink of an eye; a time when a person does a complete 180. However I have learned something new about repentance in my own life. For the past few weeks I have found myself in a season of repentance; not just a one day type of thing but daily hitting my face and telling God how sorry I am for being wrong. I have realized that my views on family, church and evangelism have been severely misguided and even unbiblical.

My journey began a little over a year ago when my good friend Chase put a book my hands entitle Way of The Master by Ray Comfort. God used that book and the prayers of my friend to bring some serious conviction in my life about evangelism. The Gospel I preached was watered-down, weak and even worldly. I didn't help a person confront the reality that they were a sinner that had offended God.

During some recent bible study and sermon preparation God again brought me to my knees with conviction. As a believer in Christ I have always believed and taught that we should be most concerned about the things that God is most concerned about. However, my actions have not been lining up with my preaching. God is most concerned about His glory. Even in salvation the God is most concerned with His glory than He is our fire insurance. So I've been repenting for making evangelism more about an eternity free from hell than the glory of an awesome God who loved us enough to save us.

But wait there is more, much more. It has come to my attention that I've been a lousy husband and father. Before God ordained the church He ordained marriage and family. Mary Kathryn and Cooper should be coming before my church but that has not been the case. Once again my good friend Chase gave me a book and to him I say "keep them coming buddy". This book is entitled Family Driven Faith. God has used this book, that I am not even finished with, to rock my world. I have to repent and change everything I have ever thought about discipleship; to get it from the church and back into the home where it belongs.

Now you would think the past few weeks would have been horrible with all this conviction and repenting but nothing could be further from the truth. I feel great; like a 100 pound weight has been removed from my chest. I look at my wife and daughter in a new and wonderful light and our family time has reached a new and much deeper place than ever before. And as a result I actually feel like a more effective pastor. I know that sounds weird but it's true. I pray that my church and my friends and complete strangers would get a hold of the truth I have found and find themselves in a season of repentance.

My Sharpest Arrow

As a minister your goal is to make committed disciples of Christ; to motivate people, from the preaching and teaching of scripture, to be passionate about their Savior. You want your people to sharp and powerful arrows that have a deep impact on the world for Christ. I've been thinking a lot about arrows lately; mostly because of the conversations I have been having with a friend of mine about Psalm 127:3-5 and I have come to some conclusions.

Arrows must be crafted and this process can take quite some time but the end result is well worth it. Sometimes arrows hit or miss therefore it can take a few shots before a desired end is reached. Some people within my ministry are easier arrows to work with than others; some will just be sharper than others and some will have a deeper impact. All this sounds good. It might even make for a good book or chapter in a book but the one thing I keep asking myself is our of all the arrows God allows me to work with which one should be my number one? The answer is found in Psalm 127:3-5. My children should be the sharpest and most powerful arrows that my ministry produces. Up top is a picture of my daughter, Cooper. She will be one year old on Thursday. She is so full of personality and life and energy. Which will grow into gifts and talents that I'm sure her mother and I have never even thought about. But as I look at her all I can think about is her college education, the people she will become friends with, her husband even her children. The reality is that Cooper will have an impact on people; what type of impact will be determined by me.

I do not have all the answers but one thing I do know and I pray this will spur on any parent that may be reading this....I want my daughter to be in love with Christ and passionate about His mission in this world. I want her to be a soul winner comparable to any theologian and preacher I admire. I want little Cooper to grow up and refuse to marry a man who is less committed to Christ than she is. I want my baby girl to grow up to be one sharp arrow that leaves an impact for the Kingdom.

After Taste of Revival

Well our 3 day mini revival was concluded last night at Bryromville Baptist Church and all I can say is wow. This was brother Myke Harbuck's first revival meeting and you never would have known it. He did a great job! His messages were straight to the point and they hit you right in the face. I would say they were short but brother Myke wasn't telling a lie when he said he was good for at least an hour of preaching. But now that the meetings are over I can't help but wonder how my people are feeling. What taste was left in their mouth after the faithful preaching of God's Word?

I'm praying that what usually happens after a revival meeting will not happen in Byromville. Most of the time we do anything we can to get the taste of revival out of our mouths so we can get back to life as usual. I keep using the word taste because the type of preaching we just heard is bitter-sweet. It's difficult to take and hear at first but it produces good things like repentance and change. True revival is the recognition of God's people that they are far from Him and that they need to return; this means giving up some things and making some changes in life. Most Baptist I know don't like to do those things. But we must change, we must press on towards maturity and excellence otherwise our churches will die.

I think A.W. Tozer said it best. He said that a church is in one of only three places. "They are in rut, rot or revival." I'm tired of the rut religious activity and playing church. I'm certainly sick of the people of God rotting away because they never use any of their spiritual muscles. I'm praying for a God-sent revival in my life and my church. You know not one person made a profession of faith at our meeting. There where not very many who made their way to the altar. But I don't consider what happened to be a failure. Revival happens on God's time; not ours. He will do something in Byromville when the people respond to Him in the proper manner. As long as we are seeking revival we won't find ourselves in on of the other two places; rut or rot.

What really matters

Tonight's service was an interesting one. I finished up a sermon series from Isaiah 6:1-10 tonight on the "Three Realities of Revival". I desperately want to see true biblical revival in my church; not just a pep-rally for Jesus. The theme of tonight's message was evangelism. Isaiah saw the need to go and speak the truth of God. He realized he came from a generation of "unclean lips". I simply shared with my church that if we can not be serious about evangelism then how could we say we are serious about Christ. Then as I was preaching a thought occurred to me.

What's the one thing we won't do at all in Heaven? Some think it's cry but the Bible speaks of God wipping our tears away so there will some crying. The answer is evangelism. If this is the one thing we will not be doing in Heaven then shouldn't it be the one thing that consumes us now. I used the quote from Wesely that is located at the top of this page. I think it says it all. Why are we not sharing our faith all the time?

What are they looking for?

I heard something very interesting on the radio yesterday. According to some recent research from Lifeway when looking for a church to attend the unchurched gravitate more towards churches with a traditional look. The guy on the radio said the same thing I was thinking; "that seems odd." All of the gurus out there paint a picture of the unchurched as being people seeking after the new or the modern. As a result more and more churches are meeting in places that don't look like churches. More and more gimmicks and or methods are being used to "draw" in the unchurched. Yet Lifeway's research shows they are attracted to the older buildings. The reason given my the radio personality was a connection to the past. Unchurched people like the older, gothic style churches because those buildings make them feel a connection to the past.

This totally reinforced my vision as a pastor. We don't need to reinvent the wheel. We simply need to do the old things with more passion and zeal. We don't need to build the "me church" where everything is about pleasing self and gratifying self. We can build upon the foundation of the past and use that to reach people for Christ.

God IsFaithful

My God is so faithful, even when I am not. If you read my blog you read about some of the spiritual warfare in my life; specifically an older congregant that I had managed to offend. Well today Jesus answered the many prayers that have been lifted up this person's behalf.

At 1:00 this afternoon I received a call from this person. They apologized and asked for my forgiveness. I was so shocked. I don't know why I was amazed; after all I preach and teach that God answers prayer. But when they asked for forgiveness my mouth dropped and I couldn't speak for a few seconds. God had gone to battle on my behalf.

I just wanted to share this experience today. I am so blessed and so amazed by my Savior. I can't wait to see what He will continue to do in Byromville.

A Great Funeral

Yesterday I went a funeral. Two of my church members lost a sister this past Thursday night. She was sick with cancer and this death was expected. When I walked in the church, about 20 minutes before the service was to start, there was standing room only. The place was absolutely packed! I couldn't help but marvel at the amazing testimony of this woman and her family has people where packing into a sanctuary that probably sat 300 people comfortably. As amazing as this was the thing that really blessed me was the service. The hymns being played on the piano where great; I found myself humming along and an older gentlemen standing next to me asked me if I sang in the choir. Two younger pastors lead the service; they read scripture, prayed and shared poems and stories on behalf of the family. The uplifting part about the whole thing was that this service felt more like a worship service than it did a funeral. I've never experienced anything like it.

But shouldn't a funeral for a believer be that way? It should be a time of rejoicing and worship of God because a believer has gone home. I praise God for allowing me the opportunity to be at that funeral service. It has been an encouragement to me ever since I left. I pray my funeral can be something like that to people.