Walking Humbly Before God

The problem with soap boxes is, when you stand on one, you’re higher than everyone else. I’ve jumped on a few in my time, especially recently, and they rarely solve problems I’ve noticed. They just give people an easier target, and they elevate your pride because you see everyone else’s bald spot from up there. Well, okay, but they do have a tendency to elevate your pride.

And they don’t solve arguments or dissension unless people know just how much you love them, and everyone is open to God. Yet, there’s a tendency for me and others to preach harder, more forcifully, and attack the very issues that are impeding our church. To say, “look! Here’s what the Bible says!”

Does it work? Quite often the answer is no. Sometimes because people are prideful, sometimes because I am prideful, and many times both.

Romans 3:4 … God tells the truth, even if everyone else is a liar. The Scriptures say about God, “Your words will be proven true, and in court you will win your case.”

In the end, God is the only perfect one. All of my self-righteous ramblings mean nothing. (and neither do yours by the way)

God is the only perfect one, and perfection and meaning and purpose are only found in Him. My purpose is in humbly repeating what HE said. Pride in leadership got Moses punished. We cannot demand God do great things for us, while we look for one another’s faults. Build each other up is the command isn’t it? That goes for us preachers, too.

News I Care About That No One Else Does

Is it just me, or does anyone else think what Tony Dungy said after his team won the Super Bowl is one of the most important statements that has been made in years? Parents of teenagers, coaches, teachers, administrators, and all the rest of us should sit up and take notice that two coaches made it to the Super Bowl as Christians, and coaching as Christians. Dungy never cusses, and never even raises his voice.

Here’s what Sports Illustrated’s top guy Peter King said:
Coach of the Week
Tony Dungy, head coach, Indianapolis. There is no better lesson in the sport of coaching-office-couch-sleepers than for Dungy to win a Super Bowl with a brilliant defensive gameplan while spending time with his family Thursday night, Friday afternoon and night, and Saturday afternoon.

And here’s what Dungy said last year at a Fellowship of Christian Athletes event.

I didn’t like Dungy before I learned all this… Mainly because he played for the Steelers in 1975 and beat my team in the Super Bowl. Yeah, the Cowboys.

Speaking of the Cowboys, they used to have a Christian coach in Tom Landry. In fact, I was privileged to hear Landry speak at Promise Keepers a couple of years before he went to be with the Lord. Doing things “the Lord’s way,” as Dungy said actually works, and we need more of that in every job and every home don’t we?

Oh, the other bit of news. The Dallas Cowboys hired Wade Phillips to be the new Head Coach to replace Bill Parcells. Parcells never did things “the Lord’s way.” And with Dallas, he never won a playoff game, either.

I hope Phillips is a lot more like Dungy and Landry than Parcells.

This Seems to Be a Big Question

Just recently our elder board wrestled, and I mean wrestled, with what our official policy would be toward the issue of drinking. No one really disagrees with what the Bible says, but you know, it’s a whole different ball game in how churches apply what the Bible says.

We’re not the only ones facing this issue. A church in St. Louis that has been doing an awesome job of reaching people for Christ, is now in the midst of controversy because they have been going to a local pub and holding “discussions” over every sort of spiritual topic or current event. It’s an outreach for them, but to do it in a place that serves alcohol… well the Missouri Baptist Convention isn’t looking too highly on it to put it mildly. Pay attention to the comments at the bottom of the blog. The pastor of the church posted a couple himself.

And at some Christian forums at www.gracecentered.com, they have a thread running with the topic, “Is it Okay to Drink and be a Christian?” Lots of back and forth there with many points of view. Guess we’re not the only ones who have struggled with the issue, trying to balance the unity of the church, setting good examples, and reaching the lost without damaging any of those things.

What have we done at our church? Well glad you should ask. *shuddering* Scrolling down you probably can tell I’m not to keen on Christian leaders drinking because it grieves some brothers and sisters, and could cause people to stumble into sin. That’s the big no,no… causing someone to stumble into sin. In fact, where your Bible version says “offend,” in I Corinthians 8-10 or Romans 14, the original Greek word literally means “entice to sin.” And that can be different than simply offending someone’s sensibilities. Some people are offended when we wear blue-jeans in church, and all of us know it’s impossible to please EVERYONE. However, when something we do, no matter what it is, causes someone to stumble, well that’s not good. That’s bad. The Bible says if our eating or drinking or whatever causes someone to stumble, then don’t do it. So that’s our church’s policy.

Does that leave the door open for a church leader to take a drink? It could. No doubt about it. One of our church leaders might believe he isn’t causing anyone to stumble in a particular situation, and might take a drink firmly believing he is doing nothing wrong according to the Bible. The Missouri Baptist Convention wouldn’t like that stance, but it is Biblical at least. The issue isn’t the one drink. (although depending on your body weight it might be because drunkenness is a sin always) The issue is are you causing someone to stumble or not? And on the other side, the same passages say it’s wrong to judge our brother over “doubtful” issues like these. In other words, being a Christian leader is all about putting other people first, not just a rule or two. In the end, our church felt the Bible’s instructions and the fact they didn’t institute a “rule” either… might teach us that considering each other is the real lesson, the real focus, whether we take a drink or don’t take a drink.

And we hope that by enforcing the Bible’s way of dealing with problems, namely that if you are wronged you go talk to that person. Or if you believe someone in your church is caught in a sin, “you who are spiritual” go restore that person (the New Living Bible says “help them find the right path”) gently, as friends, then we will overcome these issues in unity and as friends. People will see things from different perspectives, understand the consequences they may not see, and grow in their own faith together. There’s always something in Church that I think should be different, or someone I disagree with. I find that in every Church, and I find that in the Bible, so it’s not a new thing. We have different opinions quite often. But we also have the same Lord and Savior, the same eternal destination with all those other people we disagree with on (fill in the blank).

So for us, we’re going to enforce dealing with issues as the Bible tells us to, and Lord willing we’ll all grow together, and love one another better. -even when we don’t always agree.

Looking In or Looking Out

Which is it? Are you looking out where thousands of people don’t have the same hope, the same assurance that God is with them, don’t have the same promises of forgiveness and a new life, or just looking in at yourself or others? Looking inside the church or outside?

By looking I don’t mean casually gazing, I mean concentrating, focusing, worrying, and spending time on. Which direction has captured your attention? Sometimes I think we forget, or forget to remember, or something…. that the people on inside are saved. They have plenty of problems of course, and weaknesses we have to keep working on, but the bottom line is they are in the boat and despite the warts, they are going to live. So without discounting any of the issues, they are still not necessarily as urgent as the guy with the alcohol addiction, or the woman who was turned off from church and God when she was a teenager, or the family that is about to break in two, or the kids who are making the choice right now between the boat you’re in or the empty promises the world is offering.

Which way do you look first? Which direction has your priority?

Even Paul put up with issues, bent over backwards for some, and made sacrifices in order that nothing would hinder him from reaching those on the outside.

1Co 10:33 just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.

Someone went under out there. Again.

Did you see it?