Christmas

The Christmas Season is upon us. Life can become frantic as we try to keep pace with all the demands we allow to crowd our lives. Sometimes we need to stop and take a breath, and consider what this season of celebration is all about. We encourage you to pause a moment and consider the Christmas Narrative in a fresh way. Put yourself in the shoes of those we find in the Christmas Story.

We sing about the Three Kings who came from the Orient following a star to the place of the birth of Christ. In all probability these individuals were not kings, but foreign priests or spiritual advisors who were following the stars to the place where a king was to be born. We might wonder how God could use people like this to confirm the fact that the Son of God was born on earth!

Then there was Mary. Why did God choose Mary to be the one to give birth to the Son of God? What about Mary’s dreams and plans? All of life was going to be affected! Yet, Mary was humble, obedient and devoted to her Lord. God used her to help change the world.

And then there were the farmers. Well, we know them as shepherds. To them was given the most amazing news! Good news of great joy – which was to be for all people! God didn’t give them the news to keep to themselves.

Then of course, there is the Centre of the whole story – Jesus! We can become enamoured with all the trappings of those surrounding the story and forget that the whole point of what was going on was that God was stepping into this world to bring hope.

The Power Of A Positive Perspective

What do you think about most often? what consumes your thinking?

Do you spend hours dreaming about winning the lottery and what you would do with the money if you were to win millions? Do you worry about your children or grandchildren? Do you agonize over problems and problem people at work? What do you think about?

Do you tend to think negatively or positively?

How and what you think makes all the difference. What you think can kill you or it can give you life, hope and a future. A healthy life comes from healthy thinking. You really are what you think!

In Philippians 4:4-8 Paul wrote, Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things.  

We discover here that we can develop a healthy way of thinking by first acquiring a positive perspective. We are to rejoice in the Lord always. No matter what circumstances we face, we can see either the positive or the negative. What do you see?

Secondly, develop an optimistic attitude. We are told not to be anxious about anything. Isn't it strange that we find all kinds of excuses for worrying about things going on around us. We drown in a sea of "what if's." Yet, most of those "what if's" never come to be. Give whatever it is you are worrying about to God and let God worry about it. Only worry if you believe you can handle the situation better than God.

Finally, when you stop spending your time worrying, you will continue to think about something. We are encouraged to think about what we know to be true (not all those things we speculate about), Think about what is honorable, what is right (not everything that is true, is right for us to think about), what is pure. Think abou what is positive and thankful, waht is worth an A+, what is excellent and what is worth a standing ovation.

I have a hunch that our lives would change if we changed our thinking to follow the instruction in Philippians 4.

*These thoughts are a summary of the second sermon in the series "The Power Of A Positive Church" I have been preaching at Bethel EM Church in Three Hills, Alberta.

Transitions

Life is about to change for Debbie and me once again. Beginning October 1, 2011 I will begin serving as "Intentional Transitional Pastor" at Bethel EM Church in Three Hills Alberta.

After serving as senior/lead pastor for several decades, we came to Didsbury three years ago where I would serve as associate pastor. When we came I was asked how I would adjust to the role of associate pastor after serving as senior pastor for so long. I said I didn't know, and we would have to see. I was given the responsiblities to oversee the worship, small group, newcomers and adult education ministries. I looked forward to the opportunity to try somethings I had always wanted, but had never had the time.

After one year of serving in this role, I did not feel settled in what I was doing. I told myself that I needed more time to adjust. After two years I knew that this role was not for me. Too much of me was pressing me to be involved in the strategic leadership of the church. I missed preaching on a consistent basis and managing ministry programing was not "getting me up in the morning." I began to pray regularly - weekly if not daily - that the Lord would show me me where he was directing me. Silence. I continued to pray and journal about my interaction with the Lord, and about his apparent silence on the matter.

Finally in the Spring of 2011 I could no longer remain silent. I talked to a few key people about my inner need to make a change. Still, the Lord was not opening any doors. In time I talked to our senior pastor about what I was going through. Fortunately he was completely supportive in my quest to find God's place for us.

Part of our dilemna was that we felt we would like to stay living in Didsbury for at least another year - for various reasons. How could we make a change and remain living here. Then the thought crossed my mind, "what if there was a church within driving distance of Didsbury that needed an interm pastor?" Then we could remain living here and I could use the gifts and passions that God has given me. I talked to our Regional Ministers about this, but there seemed to be no church in the area that needed an interm pastor.

Then the Lord began to reveal His amazing planning. The senior pastor at Bethel EM Church in Three HIlls resigned. The church decided they wanted someone to come in for about a year to be their Intentional Transitional Pastor (ITP). We began to dialogue and in the course of time the decision was made for us to leave Zion EM Church in Didsbury to become the ITP at Bethel Church in Three Hills.

On October 1st, I will officially begin ministry in Three Hills. We will continue to live in Didsbury where Debbie will keep her job at Front Porch Realty and our daughter Liesel will live with us as she completes her studies at Rocky Mountain College in Calgary. Of course we will miss the regular fellowship at Zion Church - and particularly the worship team I have been leading - our Life Group - and the staff at the church. But I am excited about the work that lies ahead and the opportunity to make a real difference in God's church.

He Is Alive And It Makes All The Difference

I wonder what that "first" Easter morning was like. I expect that for most people it was an ordinary morning to begin a week. However, for the followers of Jesus it was anything but ordinary. Their leader had been taken from them. Then, to their surprise, Jesus Christ rose from the dead and conquered death.

Jesus is alive and it makes all the difference. This was my theme as I preached my sermon on Easter Sunday. Jesus is alive and it makes all the difference becuase He (by His Spirit) is with us 24/7 now - which is both comforting and challenging); He desires to guide and direct us as we ask him and follow his leading; He conquered death so that we may also live (life does not end when we physically die).

Jesus is alive and it does make all the difference. To listen to the full sermon go to www.zemc.org and follow the links to listen to a sermon on April 24, 2011.

Courage & Hope

Interesting… I read in a devotional this morning… on worship…

“If you have been involved in the worship ministry of your church for any length of time, there have probably been some disappointments along the way…. Maybe there have been times when people have not truly recognized the time and effort you and the others have devoted to worship ministry…. Or perhaps someone was critical of you or the others.

Whatever the case, you have certainly been disappointed. There may have been times when your hope for things getting better had vanished. Perhaps you’re there now.

Even in the midst of difficult times God still offers you hope. Do you have the courage to fish again? Will you call to God in time of trouble? For those who are willing, His hope is still there.”

Keeping up to the "new thing"

One of the catch-words in church ministry these days is "cutting-edge." We are supposed to keep up to the latest and greatest if we are going to be effective. If we don't people will leave our churches and go to churches where they can find what they are looking for. In the book "Times of Refreshing" Arlen Salte wrote,

"One of the sobering realities that has come with being in full-time ministry so many years has been seeing the "hot" thing come and go. The inability to change and to stay fresh is one of the greatest challenges in ministry."

It seems to me that we have been lured into a superficial world where sacrificial life change is uncommon. Jesus called people to deny themselves and follow him. They were to take up their cross and follow him. "Blessed are the persecuted." I suspect that once we get back to a genuine life-change experience, there will be many in this world who will desire to experience what we are experiencing.As soon as I read that, I thought, "is that what church is supposed to be?" Is the church and the Christian life really so superficial that unless it keeps up to the latest 'fads' it will fail and die away? I hope not!

Like a Flower in Spring

I have been reading through the book of Isaiah over the past few weeks. Much of the first 39 chapters is pretty depressing. There are warnings after warnings of God's judgement on the people. It makes you want to skip those chapters entirely. Because of sin and rebellion against God, some detail is given about how one nation will be destroyed, anther devastated, and the people of Israel will be looted and dragged into captivity.

At one point King Hezekiah is a hero for turning to God in a time of national crisis and the nation is spared for a time. Then he shows his true colours when he is told that after he is gone the land will be looted and even his family will be ravaged, and he glad. Why? Because there will be peace in his life time.

Finally after all that darkness we come to Isa. 40. What at turn in focus and feeling. Suddenly we hear the words "comfort," "He gathers his lambs," "The Lord is the everlasting God," and "those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength." It feels like spring has arrived after an Alberta winter. Flowers start to bloom and there is the healing warmth of the sun (without the threat of spring storms).

I am reminded that God is a God of justice and a God of Grace. When we turn against God, we will be held accountable. But when we turn to God, God extends his grace and bring forgiveness and refreshing into our lives. There are times when we experience pain - even excruciating pain, and he brings us to a place of healing and wholeness. And we have the promise of perfect wholeness in eternity.

So, as the writer to the Hebrews wrote, "Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." (Heb. 12:3)

Listening before we speak

As a pastor, I preach and teach, but who are people really hearing? Mark Buchanan put it so well when he wrote in his book "The Rest Of God,"

All our authority is derived. Either God gives us words, or we are only giving opinions. Either God vouches for us, or our credentials are forged. If anyone ever stops to listen to you or me, this had better be solidly in place: Our speaking comes out of our listening. What we say comes out of what we hear. We have to be people who listen, day and night, to God. Our utterances ought to be as Jesus' were: an echoing of the Father, an imitation of him. They ought to be a holy ventriloquism, a sacred pantomime. Peter puts it this way: "If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God" (1 Pet. 4:11). That verse should be paired with Jesus' statement: "He who has ears, let him hear."*

This "advice" is so timely for me because I am taking some time to prepare for preaching and teaching as I read this. May my preaching and teaching be what God desires to say, not simply what I think people should hear.

Service of Worship

Quoting from "Times of Refreshing", Gerrit Gustafson reflects on a conversation with Mother Theresa... he asked what worship meant to her...

"If you really want to bless the Lord and pour out your love on Him, He has told us how to do it." And then she quoted Jesus' words in Matthew 25: "Inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me" (NKJV).... She challenged me with these words: "If you really want to lavish your love on God, pour out your life on the needy."

... On my flight home, somewhere between Delhi and Frankfurt, I came across these words in Hebrews 13: "Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise -- the fruit of lips that confess his name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifice4s God is pleased" (Hebrews 13:15-16).

Worship is about bowing down before God and serving him with all of our lives.

Worship and the 5th Commandment

It is my father's 84th birthday today. Today I want to honour my father by telling you of some of the ways he has significantly shaped my life.

• He loves God and does whatever he knows to and can to follow Him
• He loves his family. When I was a young lad he took me along to where he worked - even when it was out of town. We had regular times of playing games together as a family.
• He loved to travel and instilled that in me. I got to go along on several of trips when I was 10 and then when I was 16.
• He was always early - we were always the first to arrive at church. I still prefer to be early.
• He worked hard. I remember many times when he would be covered in sweat from his hard work.
• He enjoyed music and led worship in church for years. Of course back then he was called a "song leader." We often sang together as family. Mom & Dad would sing together. And many times they would go to hospitals, senior homes, First Nations villages, and prisons to sing for people.
• Although I never did get to see him play, I am told he was a good hockey player.
• He heard me preach my first couple of sermons. The second one being at Miracle Valley, a rehab centre in the Fraser Valley.
• He did what he could to reach out to those who needed Christ. Even sending out literature to those who may be open to listen.
• Etc.

I don't think of it very often, but my Dad impacted my life in a major way. I thank him and honour him for being a man of God who cares enough to make a difference in this world - and particularly his family.

Boredom in Worship

Today I want to share some reading with you. From "Times of Refreshing" with this section being written by Tom Kraeuter.

I remember the first time we took one of our children to a movie theater. Everything about the experience was fascinating for the youngster. Even before we got inside the building, just buying the tickets was an adventure. Of course, after that, giving the just-purchased tickets to the guy who rips them in half took some explaining. Walking down the softly lit corridor to the correct theater caused questions about all the other movies being shown. Choosing a seat was a big dilemma: Was the first row too close to the screen? Was the back too far away? Would somewhere in the middle be best? Which side of the aisle? Near the aisle or closer to the wall? By the way, where is the rest room?

Everything was brand-new. I had to keep reminding myself of that. Over my lifetime, I'm sure I've been to a dozen movies. This was old stuff for me. Though perhaps I had never been to this particular theater before, I had been to many movies. My child, on the other hand, was a first-timer. Everything he saw was a brand-new experience for him. There was a wonder and amazement that I had lost in the movie-going experience.

Once we've done something once or twice it becomes old hat to us. Our usual reaction today to practically anything in life is, "Been there, done that. " What would be the reaction of Wilbur and Orville Wright if they took a ride on a modern jet. Their first flight was the distance of the equivalent of the wingspan of a 747. We, on the other hand, get on a plane and open a book or magazine to keep from being bored.

Unfortunately, we can too easily have the same complacency in our worship. Over time we can become accustomed to the words, the actions, the emotions, the music and begin to tune it out.

On the other hand, in (Psalm 92:4-5), the psalmist said, "You make me glad by your deeds...I sing for joy at the works of your hands. How great are your works...how profound your thoughts!" These are not words of complacency. There is clearly a freshness and enthusiasm in these words.*

When you and I approach a "worship service" are we complacent or do we come with a sense of amazement and expectancy?

*Times of Refreshing: A Worship Ministry Devotional, Tom Kraeuter [ed], Training Resources Inc., 2002, p. 27.

An Amazing Worship Event

One of my favourite Bible passages is Isaiah 6. As I was reading this I discovered some key elements of a worship service.

ISAIAH 6:1-8
In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another:
"Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory."
At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke.
"Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty."
Then one of the seraphs flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. With it he touched my mouth and said, "See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for."
Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?"
And I said, "Here am I. Send me!"

We see here that worship involves
1) Connecting with & seeing God (for who He really is)
2) Actively Participating in Worship
3) Confession & Repentance
4) Receiving Forgiveness & Cleansing
5) Responding To God in Service

Follow the Leader

Leadership can be a fearful thing. Especially when people watch and follow. In the book "Times of Refreshing" Bill Rayborn writes,

Anyone involved in the church worship ministry is seen by people in the congregation as a leader. You may not want that to happen. You might dislike it when it occurs, but that won't change the fact that people see you as a leader. Whether you want to be or not, you are an example to someone. People will look at not only how you button your coat but also how you treat your spouse and children. They will take notice of how you drive and how you respond when you're tired or overworked. They will observe your actions when you're at a restaurant, at the mall, or in church. You will be an example for someone."

That is quite a challenge - and it not only applies to pastors, but to all leaders.

At first I respond and say "that's not fair." Then I read the Apostle Paul's writings and he invites people to follow him. To do as he does. As he follows Christ, so others should be able to follow him. Does that mean that we put on an act so people will "think" we are better than we really are? No. It means that as we genuinely life for Christ, people should be able to follow and be following Christ.

Your thoughts?

Holiness and Worship

At the conclusion of my Sunday School class this past Sunday, I asked my class to consider the following question. "Can a person live a sinful life during the week, then come to the church on Sunday morning and expect to be able to worship?"

This morning I read from Isaiah 1. Here is part of it. Read it and let me know how you think it relates to the question I asked my class.

Isaiah 1:13-18
Stop bringing meaningless offerings!
Your incense is detestable to me.
New Moons, Sabbaths and convocations--
I cannot bear your evil assemblies.
Your New Moon festivals and your appointed feasts my soul hates.
They have become a burden to me;
I am weary of bearing them.
When you spread out your hands in prayer,
I will hide my eyes from you;
even if you offer many prayers, I will not listen.
Your hands are full of blood;
wash and make yourselves clean.
Take your evil deeds out of my sight!
Stop doing wrong, learn to do right!
Seek justice, encourage the oppressed.
Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow.

"Come now, let us reason together," says the LORD.
"Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.

Skill and Worship

When leading worship in a corporate worship experience, is skill important? Or is it simply the heart that matters?

In reading from the book "Times Of Refreshing" this morning I found a quote from 1 Chronicles 15:22 where it says "Kenaniah the head Levite was in charge of the singing; that was his responsibility because he was skilful at it." Often we read in the Old Testament that people were chosen for certain tasks (i.e. building the tabernacle) because they were skilful at it.

It is interesting to me that when it comes to worship leadership in the church that we tend to set aside the "skilful at it" part because we somehow get the notion that someone who is playing or singing skilfully is showing off.

Now, it is important that anyone involved in worship leadership - as the leader or team member - not only be skilful, but filled with and led by the Spirit of God. In the New Testament, when leaders or ministry personnel were chosen, the first prerequisite was always that they be filled with the Spirit. It would seem to me then, that those of us who are involved in worship leadership should be continually filled with the Spirit as well as developing our skill in worship ministry.

Church and Marriage

This coming Sunday, I will be preaching on "Keys To A Lasting Marriage." We were looking for a song to sing as a congregation after the message. It is almost impossible to find a song that relates to the subject that we can sing together - at least one that in on any list of songs we might sing in church.

It seems kind of strange that in a day when the church works hard whthin society to keep marriage Biblical and based on Christian values that we never sing about it in church. Does marriage have nothing to do with worship? If we bow down before God and serve him, is marriage not included in that worship?

What do you think? Why don't we sing about marriage in church?

Judgment and Grace

I finished reading Ecclesiastes today. In the final chapter the author begins by telling us to remember our Creator in the days of our youth. Then he lists a bunch of reasons why. My goodness, what a list! Remember your Creator before... you can hardly see, you stoop, your teeth are worn, you can't sleep in, you are afraid in the streets,... and then you finally die! Once again he states "Meaningless, meaningless, everything is meaningless!"

Then at the very end of the book we find a conclusion.
Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter:
Fear God and keep his commandments,
for this is the whole duty of man.
For God will bring every deed into judgment,
including every hidden thing
whether good or bad.

After reading this, I felt kind of hopeless. Once you are no longer young, life seems so awful and it all is meaningless. And then God judges EVERYTHING you have done. I get such a picture of being under intense scrutiny with the judge waiting to beat you every time you do something wrong.

Then I am immediately reminded of 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." The judgment that was/is/will be on my wrongdoing has all been laid on Christ when He carried our sin on the cross. When He paid the price for our sin in a way that we never could. I no longer need to fear the Judge. I now worship Him! I bow down and serve Him!

Breakforth

Breakforth Canada in Edmonton on the weekend was a wonderful experience. When the band began to play, we began to sing and I could "feel" the music, I began to weep as my whole being became engaged in worship.

For years, in many conservative, evangelical churches, we have been directed to worship with our minds alone - and maybe our mouths. Zwingli, the Swiss Reformer, taught that our senses should not be involved in our worship. He therefore removed musical instruments and any artwork from the Grossmunster in Zurich so that people would not be "moved" to worship but would choose to worship.

Are we really only to worship God with our minds? Are we not told to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength? Are we not to worship God with all of who we are? Does that not included the mind, emotions, body, etc?

At Breakforth, I picked up some materials on "Experiential Worship." Bob Rognlien teaches the very concepts that I have been thinking about for a number of years. I look forward to reading what he has to say.

I suspect that God intends for us, and invites us, to worship Him with our mind, soul, heart and strength. What do you think?

Culture and Worship

A comment was made to me recently that has caused me to think about the relationship between culture and worship. I was in a conversation about a particular aspect of corporate worship when the comment was made "I guess you just don't understand our culture."

The first question this comment raised for me is "do we worship culture?" Do we bow down to and serve our culture? Of course, we are all affected by our culture. Culture often shapes us in ways we don't realize or recognize. When our culture is at odds with or hinders our worship of the One True God, will we say "no" to our culture and go against culture? But then, in our multi-cultural society in Canada, which culture do we worship? Ethic culture? Youth culture? Which segment of youth culture? Church culture? Which brand of church culture? Builder culture, boomer culture, buster culture, gen x,y,z culture? You get the picture.

This leads me the the second question which is similar to the first: how much does or should culture affect our worship? Even if we don't choose to bown down to and serve culture, how much should we allow our culture to affect our worship? It is certainly true that we will most freely and genuinely worship when we can worship within the context of our own culture. The interesting thing is, that in many churches the corporate church worship experiences do not accurately reflect the culture of the local community. We sing different styles of music in church, we often dress differently (our Sunday-going-to-meeting, or church clothes), and we act differently. People who are very active, animate and expressive suddenly become still and inexpressive in corporate worship.

Then thirdly, is it possible that our worship should help shape culture? If our culture is unhealthy or hindering us in our genuine living a life of worship, should we wave the white flag and say "too bad, but that is just how it is?" Or should we rather change how we do things in our corporate worship which will help to bring change to our culture?

Anyway, there is much more that could be talked about on the subject. What do you think?

Ecclesiastes Musings

Once again I was reading from Ecclesiastes. Two things struck me this time: 1) Solomon's understanding of life after death (or not); 2) How we take part of a verse in the Bible and often quote it while ignoring the second part of that same verse (or verses surrounding it).

Ecclesiastes 9:9-10 "Enjoy life with your wife, whom you love, all the days of this meaningless life that God has given you under the sun-- all your meaningless days. For this is your lot in life and in your toilsome labor under the sun. Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the grave, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom."

Solomon seems to indicate that you may as well give life your best shot - while you are living - because that's all there is. After you are gone, you ain't gonna be doin' nothin'. Of course we know from the rest of Scripture that life on this earth is not the end. As a matter of fact, it is really only the beginning. Certainly what we do on earth affects our life after.

It is interesting to me that we often quote, or hear quoted, the first part of verse 10. "Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might,..." A good quote to encourage those who may have a tendency toward laziness. However, the reason that he gives, which is the second part of the verse (which we don't quote, and likely didn't even realize existed) is because there is no more to our existence than life on this earth.

With this rationale, are we inclined to worship our work rather than the One who invites us to work and looks forward to spending eternity with us?