My Son Almost Died…But…
How many of our lives would be different if not for God? That’s certainly true for my family. Here’s a story many of you may not know, from the time our second son was born and …
For a pdf of this story, click here.
On Preaching Notes
I’m frequently asked about my preaching notes. In the video below, I explain the logic behind how I structure my notes. I know such things aren’t one size fits all, but hopefully there’s something helpful in there for you.
To see a page from my preaching notes on Isaiah 6:1-4, click here.
I LOVE the Truth!!!!!!! I Looooveeee!!!!!!!! It :)
I LOVE the truth!!!!! I looooveeee!!!!!! it 
My life verse is Jeremiah 15:16: Your words were found unto me and I did eat them, and they became in me the joy and rejoicing of my heart. Outside my home and church office this verse is prominently displayed and summarizes what my life is all about. Here’s how it all began:
A large burgundy, Scofield reference Bible. I purchased it at a bookstore I can’t remember the name of at a mall I can’t remember the name of about a mile from the house I lived in for my first 19 years. I walked to the store, took out my very own hard-earned, and somewhat scarce cash and plunked it down so the cashier would release me to leave with my very own Bible. I took it home and sat at a table in a quiet corner of an upstairs bedroom and began to pour over the pages. I had NEVER done it before–not like that, not for myself, to feed my soul and satisfy my longing. I love God’s Word. I love the truth I find there. Truth ( I am fond of saying) that has satisfied the greatest minds in human history. Truth that has stood the test of time.
The older I get the more laid back I get about more things, but not about the truth, not about the Scriptures, not about the Bible. I am more and more casual about people and politics. I really have no idea who should win any election or how to fix the economy. I am increasingly laid back about sports teams and other meaningless allegiances. I’m so much more easy going when my kids see smaller things differently, or I can’t make it work, or I don’t get my way, etc.
But MORE AND MORE AND MORE, I have no patience for people who distort and deny God’s Word. I just can’t take it. I can sit back and smile about a lot of things, but I can’t take preachers, or practitioners, who think they are somehow helping the kingdom of God by distancing themselves from or diluting the explicit statements of Scripture. I hate it when I hear it because I love the truth. Here’s a quote from an article I wrote some time ago as a blog post written for Leadership Journal’s “Out of Ur” blog.
We are expected to obey our Master and to accept His Word without equivocation. Cavalier questioning of the explicit statements of Scripture regarding the necessity of the new birth, the priority of biblical proclamation or eternal destination of the lost, or any other thing the Bible proclaims with clarity cannot build a stronger, more Christ-honoring church no matter how sincere the messengers. Critiquing the church is good; disregarding or diminishing the revealed truth of our Founder is not good, no matter how ‘nice’ the people are who do it.
I love the truth of God’s Word, and so should you! Even when I don’t fully understand it, even when I fail to live it, even when I foolishly seek another source of soul satisfaction . . . Not for long, God’s Spirit always brings me back. He loves God’s Word too!
John 16:13 “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak.”
It’s God’s Word – more and more, I LOOOOOOVEEEEE IT!!!!!!
James
Honestly? I Just Cried When I First Saw This
Hey you gotta check out this video clip. Be sure to watch the testimony in the middle of the song.
1) I cried because the testimony is so authentic. The rap is by a guy named Johnny Griffin who has attended our church for more than three years. He is not a hired gun, or someone brought in from the outside for effect; he is one of our guys. He has also served behind the scenes in our youth and inner city ministries. I don’t believe in rushing gifted people to the platform and we didn’t do that here. JGriff really loves the Lord. He and his wife are using what they have been given to impact others every day. Yeah = Authentic!
2) I cried because the act was so courageous. Sad but true, church folks can be so quick to judge as wrong anything outside their preference list. Standing up in front of a congregation that is young but majority anglo/contemporary vs. minority/hip hop in their background and musical preferences took a lot of courage on JGriff’s part. Yeah = Courage!
3) I cried because it was so ‘diverse.’ Remember that guy back in the 90’s who taught the ‘homogeneous church growth principle? He was really whacked. Fact is the greater glory is God’s not when people with commonality congregate put when people from ‘every tribe tongue and nation’ worship together. For more than 10 years we have been working hard musically, in our staffing and in other cultural sensitivities to welcome all minorities to worship with us at Harvest. Today the diversity in our church greatly exceeds the diversity in our community and I am truly thankful for the way that honors God. Yeah = diversity!
4) I cried because the testimony was so powerful. I am just not over the power of the gospel to change a person’s life. I love hearing JGriff say in such a creative way how God never gave up on him and pursued him til he yielded. He did the same for my son Luke who is leading in the video and who brought this worship service with JGriff to our church. I am thankful for that faithful pursuit in my life and trusting God to do the same in the life of everyone I am close to. Yeah = Gospel!
5) I cried because it’s true. Jesus Christ is the ‘ONE WAY,’ the only way, the right way, the narrow way, the perfect way, the joy producing way, and my heart wells up with joy every time I get to celebrate that. Yeah = Jesus Christ!
Watch it again, I have . . . many times.
james
Hey Young Preachers: Use more Commercials in Preaching
Note: To see a list of James’ regular commercials, click here. (These pages are pulled from here).
Weariness is Sin? You’ve got to be kidding . . .
OK, so here is an early sabbatical report. I am reading in Revelation (my goal for the preaching calendar at Harvest starting in the fall, but no Elder approved yet :)) and I come across Revelation 2:3: “I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name’s sake and have not grown weary.” Then I remember that Galatians 6:10 says, “Let us not grow weary.” And in Matthew 11:28 Jesus says, “come to me all you who are weary.”
Putting this all together I glean:
1) That people are commended for not growing weary which means we have a choice in the matter.
2) We are commanded by the Holy Spirit through Paul not to grow weary.
3) Jesus offers himself as the antidote to weariness.
I am reading a book by Wayne Cordeiro called Leading on Empty and it is laying out the common denominator of Senior Pastors hitting a wall of total exhaustion around their 20th year of ministry. He uses words like burnout and depression. Thankfully, I can’t honestly embrace either of those terms but I know I have been tired in a way I never have been before. A deep bone tiredness that doesn’t go away with a night’s sleep or a day or two of rest. Honestly it’s helpful to me to see in the Scriptures that this deep weariness is something I am responsible to avoid through a healthier more balanced life. I hear the call to “come to me and rest,” and I am not blaming anyone else for this weariness. It’s my responsibility, and allowing myself to get to this place when I know better has got to be sin. Now I have a biblical basis for putting the responsibility where it lies: on me. Repentance is a good place to start.
Lord forgive me for not prioritizing my own health and balanced life in a better way. Help me to see that in nourishing my soul, keeping my mind free, and my body fit I am also serving you. Help me to make changes during this time of reflection that will alter the trajectory of my service to you and make it more sustainable for your glory, I pray in Jesus name, AMEN!!
To Kill an Abortionist!
OK, so what did you think when you heard that abortionist George Tiller was shot and killed by a pro-life fanatic this past weekend? Did you even know who George Tiller was? Only the most prolific late-term abortionist in America. “Abhorrent evil for financial gain” kind of summarizes his life.
Tiller is the poster child for a seared-conscience- pseudo-Christian. He has aborted tens of thousands of babies moments before their birth. (Abortion is murder any time after conception, but even many pro-abortion Americans shudder at illegal late term abortions.)
Only recently, Tiller was accused on 19 counts of illegally aborting viable babies in violation of a state law that requires a second physician – without legal or financial ties to the abortionist – to sign off on the procedure once the unborn child reaches a state in which it could survive outside the womb. He has an actual incinerator inside his ‘factory’ and destroys the murdered baby parts even as the mother exits the building. Youtube has many videos of Tiller announcing his confidence that he is doing nothing wrong.
“Some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons . . . seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron” (1Timothy 4:1-2).
The Wichita Eagle reports Tiller was shot just after 10 a.m. Sunday at Reformation Lutheran Church, where he served as an usher. (That pastor has a lot to answer for.) The Associated Press reports the suspect arrested is named Scott Roeder, a known fanatical foe of abortion.
Is this murderer a Christian? Is the murderer he murdered at a Christian church a Christian? How wrong is the wrong of wrongdoing to stop the wrongdoing of another wrongdoer? Answer: very wrong! This question is on the edge of what we discussed last week: the difference between the personal ethic Jesus requires of his followers (Matthew 5-7), and the protection/punishment ethic the Lord has entrusted to civil governments (Romans 13:1-7) that frequently FAIL to do their job.
Inside each of us is a God given longing for justice. If we focus exclusively on a particular injustice in society or in our own lives we will become bitter and eventually irrational. Nowhere is this more common than on the front lines of the fight against abortion. How difficult to see up close the greatest injustice of our day unrelenting and increasingly undeterred. Where the injustice is greatest, the greatest faith in the ultimate wrath of God is needed.
Romans 12:19 ” Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, “VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY,” says the Lord.
Gerald, (also posting here on Straight Up) just reminded me that the command to leave place for God’s wrath is followed immediately by the Romans 13 passage describing the government as “an avenger carrying out God’s wrath.” (v.4) Surely if our government would do its job in dealing with these murderers there would be less temptation for people to take matters into their own hands. However this clearly does not in any sense justify taking matters into our own hands.
Where government authorities fail in their job, we are to wait on the ultimate justice of God Himself. Of course Tiller deserved death, but in God’s time and according to the means God has ordained. NO ONE HAS THE RIGHT TO TRY AND DO GOD’S JOB FOR HIM!! That is always wrong and a set back for the countless faithful people who war against the evil scourge of abortion with patient reason and Christ honoring, law abiding resistance. We are to focus by faith on what is promised in the future:
Revelation 19:11-15 “And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. His eyes are a flame of fire . . . from His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations . . .and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of Almighty God”
Every abortionist and every elected official who supports their slaughter will answer to God for their failure to protect the most innocent life among us, the unborn. We are commanded, COMMANDED! by our Master to WAIT for that day.
Dr. Al Mohler rightly summarizes on his blog: “Murder is murder. The law rightly affirms that the killing of Dr. George Tiller is murder. In this we must agree. We cannot rest until the law also recognizes the killing of the unborn as murder. The killing of Dr. George Tiller makes that challenge all the more difficult.”
Common Mistakes Made by Young Preachers
One of my greatest joys these days is working with young preachers, trying to ‘fast track’ them through some of the lessons I have learned through almost three decades of preaching. I was blessed to attend some great schools, but truthfully most of the bit I have learned about preaching came from painful Sunday afternoons of lamenting the ‘getting it wrong’ and determining to do it better next time. I am humbled and blessed by the thought that my lessons learned through much travail can be given to hungry young preachers just starting out. Ok so here’s some of the mistakes I made and observe:
Happy Memorial Day !
I hope you have a great day with your loved ones today. I received a comment on one of my blogs from a guy named David. He took a piece of message shrapnel that he claims is a quote from one of my messages and it reminded me how careful I need to be in making a ‘passing comment.’ Here’s what he wrote:
Well - so what does the famous pastor think about torture? You mentioned in church that you supported Bush’s War On Terror (I bet you would love a never ending war). What is your stance on water boarding? Still supporting US soldiers being sacrificial lambs in Iraq?? How come your sons are not in Iraq-Afganistan? You want honesty - u got it.
1. I am a patriot not a party member so I support whomever is president with prayer and belief in a God who is bigger than their errors in judgment and even bigger than their unbiblical, in some cases, evil policies.
2. I am not a pacifist. I believe America has a right/obligation to defend itself and that governments have been ordained by God with the ‘punishment of wrongdoers,’ as one of their highest responsibilities (Romans 13:1-7).
3. I was privileged to attend several private White House briefings where President Bush made a very strong case that the war on terror and the ongoing battle against insurgents in Iraq was the same thing. I do believe Americans are killing terrorists and establishing a potential foothold for democracy in an area of the world that threatens both America and our allies.
4. I believe that war involves, and even requires, levels of brutality that are beyond the ability of the average citizen to comprehend. I do not believe the cause of our soldiers or our government is advanced by the sensationalizing of an issue of interrogation for the sake of political gain (i.e., House Speaker Pelosi who has now apologized).
5. I believe that President Obama is naively heading down a very dangerous road thinking that we can reduce terrorist intent through compassionate reason. His error is rooted in a failure to understand the true nature of evil.
6. I believe we have seen that America is also capable of cruel actions toward enemy combatants, but I do not believe that harsh interrogation methods are examples of that cruelty (as the Abu Grabe prison etc. would be).
7. I am thankful for a country where freedom is worth fighting for. I am thankful to have my home in a place where the debate over what is legal and legitimate in times of war can be carried on by its citizens and elected officials in a civilized and mutually respectful manner.
8. Most importantly. I believe today is a very difficult day for families whose children are serving in a war they may or may not agree with and certainly have many legitimate issues to object to. Nothing touches us like the lives of our children do, and I pray for every family with an empty place at the table today, especially for those facing a future where that place will never again be filled.
I’m gonna go pray about all this. Have a good Memorial Day.
james
Learn to love the Critic: God is Speaking!
Is this a place for a pastor to share his heart? Is this a place for the people who follow my ministry to connect with the reality that I am the furthest thing from some big-time radio preacher . . . just a fellow Christian on this journey of following Jesus and trying to get it right? Yeah, that’s what I think this blog is about, so let me tell you the way things really are. I am beginning a sabbatical and trying to get some rest. As I begin I must confess that I continue to go through an extended season of personal wounding in ministry. It’s not coming from one person or place, but from a variety of sources. I am under no illusion that this is anyone’s doing but my own, truly.
I am into truth-telling in private contexts, but I am not into pointing the finger in public. In fact I really prefer for others to pick up their own mirror and figure out what God is teaching them. I can only say that I have not found very many believers willing to reciprocate my heartfelt passion that we must always hear and humbly respond to the difficult criticisms of others. In fact I believe that we should assume even as a brother or sister is speaking to us that what they are telling us is true. It is truly their perception and that in itself gives it substantive validity.
I have just completed a personal inventory using what is known as a “level three” instrument (only two others in the world, see www.flippengroup.com). It involves a lengthy personal inventory completed by you and 6 associates that know you best, and is used by high capacity leaders in every sector around the world. Good news = I have a lot of strengths and everyone sees them; bad news = I have a lot of weaknesses and everyone sees them. I sat down with the organization that administers this inventory. They were brutally frank with me about a lot areas I need to see and grow in and I loved it, not because it was easy, but because fact based, unfiltered feedback is really hard to come by. I try to see this kind of input as God coming to us through that person.
The channel He uses is often imperfect and could easily distract us from His voice. But don’t let your desire to dismiss the message by disqualifying the messenger get the best of you. Somewhere in the middle of the whitewater racing toward us, somewhere in the center of that stream of criticism, is God’s voice and the pure water of His will for us. Whenever I have nourished my thirst for greater Christ-likeness from that living water it has satisfied my soul deeply and changed my life dramatically. I am excited to be in the rapids again, spending my sabbatical paddling toward personal life transformation. I know God has used this season of wounding to prepare me for the part that is painful.
I must refuse to be distracted by those who refuse the mirror of God’s word and prefer self-imposed oblivion and move away from the fire whenever it gets too hot. My passion must be to be a man of God’s Word, first and foremost in the way that impacts my own heart. More and more I see the tougher seasons of relational let down as a time when God is pulling us back and more deeply into His Word. I praise Him for it!
Ps 119:67, Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep Your word.
Ps 119:71, It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I may learn Your statutes.
Ps 119:75, I know, O LORD, that Your judgments are righteous, and that in faithfulness You have afflicted me.
Yeah that’s it for sure. God faithfully using others to pull us more deeply into His Word and into His Son. And that’s a good thing, a really good thing!
U R loved, and God is good!
James
PS> Tune in thursday for more dramatically lame illustrations, keep those votes coming.
Top 5 Worst Illustrations of ALL Time (let’s retire them)
One of the things that makes the life of a preacher challenging is the need for fresh illustrative material for every sermon every week. The preacher, in seeking to persuade men and women, is looking to teach the mind and challenge the will of every hearer. Stuck in the middle is the all important aspect of emotions. Preachers need fresh moving stories that impact the hearer at an emotional level. Sadly, there are a number of over-used illustrations that step beyond emotion to sentimentalism at best and cheesy at worst. I think it’s time we vote on the worst ones (some of which I have used but VERY long ago) and retire them once and for all. I will lay out the worst of the worst in the next two posts and you can vote for the worst ones. I promise I will never again use the ones we choose to retire. (Preachers and hearers are all welcome to participate.)
#1 The Toy Boat Story
This is where the little boy works to save a few pennies to buy the wood to make a boat but the boat runs away down some creek and the boy is heart broken. Then wandering the streets one summer day he sees the boat (apparently found) and goes into the store to reclaim what is his. Refused by the store owner, he gets a job in the store and over a series of weeks, earns the money to buy the boat back. Leaving the store with boat under arm he exclaims (drum roll please) “You are mine twice! Once because I made you and twice because I bought you.” Now the story teller can never leave the obvious analogy to the hearer. He must say in addition. “You know ladies and gentlemen, we are just like that toy boat . . . ” This one is way past its golden anniversary. Let’s buy it a gift and send it on its way.
#2 Footprints in the Sand
This is the dream sequence where the guy complains to God that while their life together was like a walk on the beach, there was only one set of footprints during the most difficult seasons. To which the Lord replies, “No my child . . . ” well you know the rest. While this story is actually moving, and reflects a biblical reality, its frequent—no constant—use in sermons, wall pictures, post cards, cross stitches, gift plates, etc. ad nauseum, has really diluted its already overly sentimental message. Frustration with its over use has led to knock offs, which contrast the message of personal responsibility such as ‘butt prints in the sand.” Google that if you want to read it. Kind of funny, all pretty over done. I vote we take this illustration and put it into hospice immediately.
Tune in next time for:
The kid on the bridge with his dad when the train comes.
The tellers at the bank who are learning to recognize counterfeit money etc.
Also you will get a chance to add your own retirement suggestions and vote for the absolute, ‘this one must go’ worst illustration, OK? This is good work. Let’s do it together and freshen up the pulpits of America.
PS, if you gonna comment in defense of these tired cheesy stories, . . . yeah, save your breath!
High Deposit, High Withdrawal
What’s the cultural ethos of your church staff? After twenty years of ministry, I’ve seen how a “high deposit, high withdrawal” culture leads to healthy, open relationships, where things get done and staff can grow. Here’s a video explaining what we at Harvest mean by the term “high deposit, high withdraw.”
james
More Grace . . . ?
2 Peter 3:18, But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Kathy and I were sitting with one of the original 18 people who started Harvest Bible Chapel, on Saturday night after the service. It is the first time in a long time that this woman had a chance to share her heart with us. What she said to me could not have come at a better time. She said, “I can’t believe how much the Lord has grown you in grace; you always had the truth piece but I see so much grace coming out in your teaching.” Such a compliment can be too generic to really benefit the hearer so I took some time to reflect on where the ‘chisel’ has been hitting my hard heart, and hopefully it can make you more receptive to the most precious and needed of qualities: grace!
Acts 4:33, And with great power the apostles gave witness . . . and great grace was upon them all.
1) I have a lot more experience with the reality of my own sinful bent and I have no illusions about that same struggle in others. We are all selfish and prideful apart from Christ and it is terrifically difficult to keep doing ministry with the same people unless we are seeking and receiving much grace from the Lord. I pray for grace in me and pray for the wisdom to see it and strengthen it in others.
Matthew 5:25, “Come to terms quickly with your adversary…”
2) I am quicker to work out a compromise and that requires more grace. Relationships get sideways because someone asks for something we think they don’t deserve or takes something we believe was not theirs. Most often the commodities are non-tangible. “You took my dignity.” “He will never get my position no matter how hard he tries.” “I’m the one who deserves that recognition,” etc. Mercy means withholding what is deserved, and grace is giving what is not deserved. Together they are powerful tools to quickly build relational reconciliation. Without them, relational conflict lingers and sours the core of relationships.
Ephesians 4:32, Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.
3) I am more committed than ever to heart-felt forgiveness. Without question, the #1 evidence of Christ in us is our readiness to extend that same grace to others. I must be getting old and tired but I don’t want to carry the weight of unforgiveness one second longer than I have to. Nothing is more important to me than having my heart clean and contrite before the Lord. Of course that joy is impossible in a heart that is filled with resentment and bitterness toward a person we believe has wronged us.
It is now more than 20 years since Kathy and I started Harvest with those 18 people. 12 of the original 18 left the church after 18 months, two of those have gone to heaven, leaving only four. But by God’s grace I not only have the same wife and family (sadly, many in ministry cannot say even that) but I also have the same elder board chairman, the same associate pastor, the same personal assistant, etc. I wish I could tell you that my most ardent adversaries have been outside the church, but they have not. I wish I could say that the people I have most often had to forgive were the banker and the baker, but fact is, most often it’s the believer on my right and left that I am having to make peace with. I have a long way to go, but I know where I am headed. I want to be like Jesus—FULL of GRACE and FULL of TRUTH. That is the glory of knowing and growing in Jesus Christ.
james
I Want the Whole Gospel
I Want the Whole Gospel
Every single ounce of truth; give it to me straight just like it is in the Bible.
I want the whole gospel:
Don’t dilute the living water—it might not quench my thirsty soul.
I want the whole gospel:
Turn on the light of Jesus Christ and don’t shield my view—I need every beam of His radiant glory to dispel the darkness in me.
I want the whole gospel:
Don’t block the door, or I might not get through.
I want the whole gospel:
I need an accurate map to the narrow road, because only a few are finding it.
I want the whole gospel:
Because I am wholly lost, God’s verdict is wholly just, and my damnation is wholly certain.
My heart is wholly depraved and my sin is wholly mine.
My efforts are wholly futile and my escapes are wholly hopeless.
I need a whole Savior, whose whole suffering, wholly satisfies a holy God.
Please, please don’t cut the corners. It’s appointed unto man once to die and I have to be sure I get it right.
I have to have the whole gospel—give it to me straight. Nothing else will do!
Yes…God help us, let’s give the whole gospel.
5 Distortions of the Gospel in Our Day
Our oldest son Luke, sent me a link a while back that quoted A.W. Tozer and James Kennedy (both wonderful Christian leaders in their day). Both men believed that many, if not most, professing believers they encountered around the country were not actually saved. They were deeply troubled by the distortions of the gospel that were the result of trying to get the gospel to more people—well-intentioned, yes, but eternally dangerous for the souls of men and woman who had not heard the whole message.
The article prompted me to look in my files for something I remembered writing a while back. Here it is . . . What gospel have you heard and believed?
Five Distortions of the Gospel in Our Day
1) The Cake Mix Gospel: If we leave out key ingredients our souls will never “rise” to God. We don’t need the message reduced to some irreducible elements, we need the whole gospel. You don’t expect your car to run without all the parts. You don’t expect your body to function without all the organs working properly. You don’t expect a cake to taste right if it’s rushed and readied without the right ingredients. The gospel without repentance is not the gospel. Acts 18:26, And he [Apollos] began to speak out boldly in the synagogue. But when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately.
2) The Cultural Gospel: Skip the postmodern sales job and go for the heart where human need never changes. Understanding the ‘culture’ is much less important than knowing what the Bible says about every human heart separated from God. We don’t need slick sales people giving out the gospel. We need bold, Spirit-filled messengers with a deep heart of compassion for lost people. The gospel without authoritative/binding truth is not the gospel. Acts 17:30, In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.
3) The Cool Gospel: Jesus transcends fashion trends. Marketing Jesus is cheap and powerless. We don’t need to ’spin’ the message, we need to say it. We need to stop shaping Jesus in some misguided effort to make Him appealing. Jesus doesn’t need to be like us; we need to be like Him. The gospel wrapped in stylistic packaging is not the gospel. Revelation 3:17, “Because you say, ‘I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing,’ and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked.”
4) The Carnal Gospel: What Jesus can do for me: health, wealth, always happy, never hurting? Jesus solves those issues, but not in the way we may think. He’ll change what you want a lot more than what you have. The selfish gospel that promises things Jesus doesn’t promise is a lie and is sentencing the lost who listen to a shocking surprise in eternity. The gospel of “me before Jesus” is not the gospel. Mark 8:35, “For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it.”
5) The Careful Gospel: Let’s not upset anybody, just keep ‘em comfortable and coming back; there’s lots of time for folks to figure it out. The gospel of “get them to church, and in time everything will come together as long as we don’t offend them” is a dangerous gospel. Well-intentioned is not enough. The gospel without urgency is not the gospel. 2 Corinthians 6:2, Behold, now is “THE ACCEPTABLE TIME,” behold, now is “THE DAY OF SALVATION.”
Do you understand the implications of a distorted gospel? What horror to imagine many people thinking they are ready to meet God only to find out they never were because they believed a distorted gospel. Matthew 7 predicts just a scene of shocking surprise. Matthew 7:22-23, “Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’ Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine, and acts upon them, may be compared to a wise man, who built his house upon the rock.”
I wrote a little poem called, “I Want the Whole Gospel,” I’ll share it with you on Monday. Have a great weekend of worship and the Word!
James
I Love Church Planting!!
It was the hardest thing I ever did. And now we have done it many times, but it does not get any easier. Taking precious resources that are hard to come by and for which there are so many competing demands . . . taking 300+ people who you have loved and shepherded, some for many years, and inviting them to leave the church and launch out to start a new work. . . saying goodbye to one of your most gifted and fruitful staff members, or sending out a guy you really need at home. These are very hard, but as with most of the hard things God asks us to do, the reward is even greater!!!
Check out this video made by our church plant in Oakville, Ontario, where Robbie Symons is the Senior Pastor. When Kathy and I watched it, it filled our eyes with tears and caused our hearts to rejoice, to the glory of God.
Today is the start of Harvest University here in Chicago. Hundreds of church planters and church leaders amazingly from around the world. It started as an idea, became a conviction and now by God’s grace it is becoming a movement. Yes, hard. But TOTALLY worth it!
Quick Update
Hey:
Sorry I haven’t been posting since Easter. I have been traveling a lot and pretty tied up. Look for an update early in the week on the following exciting things:
1) A clearer direction for the book I have been wanting to write about the church.
2) An overview of the Gospel Coalition Conference that just ended.
3) A report on my evening with Mark Driscoll at the Cubs game = very positive.
4) A report on the Mega Metro Conference in Colorado Springs, a gathering of the Sr. Pastors of the largest Southern Baptist churches in the U.S.
5) An update on my health (also good news, so far) and some exciting things going on with Harvest and Harvest Bible Fellowship.
I am going to be consumed for the next 48 hours with a new message from the life of Samson, “Sensual Wanderer Come Home!” Have a great weekend.
Your friend,
james
A New Harvest in Brampton, Ontario
All this week I am featuring posts written by our future Harvest Bible Fellowship church plant pastors. I’ve asked them to tell us a bit about who they are, where they will be going, and to share their hearts as they move forward in obedience to God’s call. Up next is Ted Duncan, who is planting a church in Brampton, Ontario, just north of Pearson’s Airport in Toronto… Harvest’s 6th Canadian church!
God has exceeded my expectations in growing churches and changing lives among Harvest Bible Fellowship churches, and I am planting one because I want to see Him do more.
I have had the privilege of serving on staff at Harvest Oakville in Ontario for the last five years. It’s exciting to see how God has grown our little group of 25 people, meeting in an accountant’s office in Oakville, to the point where we can now plant a daughter church in Brampton to the northeast! This new church will be Harvest Bible Chapel Rolling Meadows’ third ‘granddaughter.’
Brampton is a rapidly growing city with a diverse ethnic and religious population, and we’re planting a church there because we want to help seek and save the lost…reaching Brampton with the gospel is an important component of fulfilling the Great Commission. And while there is an evangelical presence, the Canadian Christian culture has a propensity towards trendiness and novelty; our desire is to be used by God to call back a generation of Christians to robust and passionate discipleship.
I have seen God do a lifetime’s worth of work in just five years of ministry in Oakville, but I am convinced that this is only the beginning, and pray expectantly, as did Moses, “O LORD God, you have only begun to show your servant your greatness and your mighty hand…” (Deuteronomy 3:24).
And, believing He “is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us” (Ephesians 3:20), I eagerly expect to see Him move in Brampton and among the nations represented there.
For more information, visit Harvest Brampton on teh web at www.harvestbrampton.com, or connect with Ted at tduncan.harvestbrampton@gmail.com.
A New Harvest in Frankfort, Kentucky
All this week I am featuring posts written by our future Harvest Bible Fellowship church plant pastors. I’ve asked them to tell us a bit about who they are, where they will be going, and to share their hearts as they move forward in obedience to God’s call. Up next is Jacob Reaume, who is planting a Harvest Bible Chapel in Frankfort, Kentucky…
I am planting Harvest Bible Chapel-Frankfort, Kentucky. Frankfort is a strategic city. It is the capital city of Kentucky, and is within an hour of three other major population centers (Lexington, Louisville, and Cincinnati). Our vision is that Harvest-Frankfort will be a launching pad for church planting across the state.
No other institution like the local church exists. It is the epicenter of God’s work on Earth. From within the church, God calls pastors, evangelists, and missionaries. Under the leadership of the church, God builds mission agencies, crisis centers, food banks, and orphanages. As the Gospel is preached by the church, sinners are saved. God intentionally builds His church to make known His glory by redeeming the world. The church exists to make disciples.
So why plant a new church? Planting churches is the surest way to accelerate our mission of making the Name of Jesus Christ famous in the world. I am planting a church because I believe that eternity is real. Souls are in the balance. Hell is horrific. Heaven is glorious. And in Frankfort, Kentucky, men and women are perishing. Frankfort needs churches – churches that love people – churches that preach Christ – churches where God is alive – churches that aggressively seek the lost – churches where prayer is answered – good churches – biblical churches. The world needs more of these churches. Frankfort, Kentucky, needs churches where all members labor together in harmony with the aim of assaulting the kingdom of darkness with the light of God’s Word! I am a church planter because I have an unquenchable burning desire to win souls, and I happen to believe that the church is God’s vessel to bring the Good News of Jesus to the world. The people of Kentucky need good churches now!
For more information about Harvest Bible Chapel, Frankfort, contact Jacob at jreaume@harvestbible.org.
A New Harvest in Palos, Illinois
All this week I am featuring posts written by our future Harvest Bible Fellowship church plant pastors. I’ve asked them to tell us a bit about who they are, where they will be going, and to share their hearts as they move forward in obedience to God’s call. Up next is Ryan Hall, who is planting a Harvest Bible Chapel in Palos, Illinois…
The Palos/Oak Lawn area is located just 25 miles southwest of downtown Chicago. Since my wife and I both grew up in the area, we understand Palos can be both city and suburb, both religious and secular. The Palos region is rich in diversity, having people of Polish, German, Irish, Hispanic, African American, Dutch and Arab descent. We are excited to reach people representing many nations with the Gospel by planting Harvest Palos this fall.
Since there is a Christian presence in the Palos region, some object, “Aren’t there enough churches already?” Many believe that the present work being done by existing churches is sufficient to fulfill the Great Commission. They reason, “If you give existing churches the time, the money and the leaders, the Gospel will reach down every alley and around every cul-de-sac.”
The truth is, the work being done at present is greatly insufficient—in quantity and in quality. In terms of quantity, there are simply not enough churches. The population in the United States quadrupled between 1900 and 2000, yet the number of churches has only doubled. The church is far from keeping up with the population. If all of America went to church this Sunday, every church would need to seat 1,000 people . Let’s agree the work is nowhere near finished and put this objection behind us.
In terms of quality, there are simply not enough good churches. Most churches in the U.S. are declining or dying. “Eighty percent of American churches are on the downside of their life cycle,” and, “Thirty-five hundred to four-thousand churches close each year.” Surely this cannot be what maximum Kingdom impact looks like.
In order to fulfill the Great Commission, the church must gain ground. The most effective way to do so is to advance into new territory, plant the Gospel flag in the ground and watch the gates of Hell disintegrate as salvation spreads. I am a church planter because God called me, “to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in [Christ]” (Acts 26:18).
For more information about Harvest Palos, visit us at www.harvestpalos.org.
A New Harvest in Raleigh, North Carolina
All this week I am featuring posts written by our future Harvest Bible Fellowship church plant pastors. I’ve asked them to tell us a bit about who they are, where they will be going, and to share their hearts as they move forward in obedience to God’s call. Up next is Mike Willis, who is planting a Harvest Bible Chapel in Raleigh, North Carolina…
“People all over the world are flocking to Raleigh. With 1.5 million people, it’s the fastest growing city in the United States. The Raleigh metro area enjoys diverse industry, three major Universities, a four season climate, and proximity to the ocean and the mountains. And though it has plenty of ‘churches,’ Raleigh is lacking when it comes to true disciples of Jesus Christ.
I was born and raised in Raleigh. I went to college in Raleigh. I know the people that make up Raleigh. Most importantly, I know God’s heart for Raleigh– “that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow…and every heart confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:10-11). God has called me to plant a church in Raleigh to proclaim His grace and to promote subsequent Christian growth through true discipleship to Jesus Christ.
Many in Raleigh call themselves Christians, but few could actually be called “disciples.” Many in Raleigh expect Heaven to be their eternal home, yet Christ will say to many of them, “I never knew you” (Matthew 7:23). Many in Raleigh think they are saved because of their moral upbringing, their inferior man-made justification, their good yet imperfect deeds, their (consumer) membership in a church, or their (merely mental) belief that Jesus is Savior (which demons also have, see Matthew 8:28-29; James 2:19).
Jesus commissioned His disciples to make disciples (Matthew 28:18-20). The disciples responded in obedience to their resurrected Lord. Churches were planted as a result of, and in order to proclaim, Christ.
Disciple-making must continue today by planting churches. True disciples of Christ proclaim God’s Word, exalt Christ’s name, pray expectantly, and evangelize boldly. Raleigh needs more true disciples. Therefore, Raleigh needs disciple-making churches!”
For more information about the new Harvest Bible Chapel in Raleigh, visit http://harvestnorthraleigh.org, or send e-mail to info@harvestnorthraleigh.org.
I love church planting . . . in Miami and . . . :) stay tuned
Easter was ahhhhhhmaaaazzzzing. Again!! Our Easter was a blow out—overflow crowds in twelve services with 18,300 in attendance. Seriously, wow. There were hundreds of decisions for Christ, and kneeling, weeping, broken wanderers down at the front in every service coming back to the ONE who rose to give them such incredible mercy. Yea for God—for raising His own dear Son from the grave and pouring out His grace every day in every place, building His church. I am so glad to be giving my life for the church of Jesus Christ. Truly, ‘the gates of Hell will not prevail against it.’ Awesome!!
Looking back now, 10 years ago, sending out our first church plant was the hardest thing I ever did. Taking precious resources that are hard to come by, and for which there are so many competing demands . . . taking 300+ people who you have loved and shepherded, some for many years, and inviting them to leave the church and launch out to start a new work. . . saying goodbye to one of your most gifted and fruitful staff members, or sending out a guy you really need at home. This is very hard, but as with most of the hard things God asks us to do, the reward is even greater!!! Now we have done it many times, but it does not get any easier. This week I’m gonna feature some of our best going out to start new churches. Check back every day for a new story of a wonderful young preacher being sent out to start a church . . .First up is Jason Fevig, who is planting a Harvest Bible Chapel in Miami, Florida. Jason writes…
“Miami is post-modern, multi-ethnic America. It boasts the largest Spanish-speaking population in the Western Hemisphere outside of Latin America. Miami is also one of the largest cities in the United States with a population well over 5 million strong. Though the city is bursting with people, only 150,000 (or 2%) of them are followers of Jesus. This tragic reality means that Miami is as desperate for Christ as many countries in the 10/40 Window.
We believe the reason Miami is in such bad shape spiritually is because the church there is weak. Miami desperately needs churches like Harvest Bible Chapel who proclaim the authority of God’s Word without apology, who lift high the name of Jesus through worship, who believe firmly in the power of prayer, and who share the good news of Jesus with boldness.
Great cities like Miami are flashpoints on the battlefields—places where the fighting is most intense and victories are the most strategic. Because cities are centers of power and influence, they are a chief target of the forces of darkness.
We are seeking to plant a church that will plant churches throughout Miami and fill it with the Gospel of Christ so that the people of the city are changed at every level. Our purpose and aim are to stop nothing short of invading and transforming Miami with the Good News of Jesus and we’re asking God to begin a church that will catalyze life change in Miami, South Florida, and beyond.
Our heart and passion are to mobilize an army of disciples to live as missionaries in their homes, neighborhoods, and workplaces so that, as Jesus said, our light will shine bright and the world looking on may see our good works and glorify our Father in heaven.”
Harvest Bible Chapel Miami will launch in the fall of 2009. For more information, check out: www.harvestmiami.com.
Quiz: Is Your Church Vertical?
I am really starting to enjoy this blog. I am learning so much about people and what is on their hearts. Several have asked what I mean by the subtitle for this blog, “first vertical and then missional.” If I ever get to that book about the church, that book about what we have been trying to be about for the past 21 years, I think I will call it Vertical Church. That’s what we have been going for, and from the very beginning it has been an experiment that asked these important questions:
• What if there was a church that believed God actually wrote a book called the Bible and that human souls were profoundly altered in hearing its truths proclaimed with passion and practicality, as the very words of God?
• What if there was a church that believed God was actually listening when we prayed, that He considered the pleas of His people when they cried out to Him from their hearts in faith and powerfully moved in people’s lives in response?
• What if there was a church that believed the fields are truly “ripe to harvest,” and that authentically being the hands and feet of Jesus to people in pain was far superior to seeing the gospel as a horizontal transaction of human persuasion and cultural savvy?
• What if there was a church where the people had as their first and most fervent focus, the adoration of God’s Son? Where worship was not part of the service or part of the week, but the consuming passion of the congregation and its leaders—not for themselves or even for the good feeling it brings, but truly for blessing the heart of God and inviting His presence in the midst of every ministry involvement?
Harvest Bible Chapel is not all of those things, not perfectly, but it helps from time to time to remember what we are shooting for. We want to be a vertical church. Just that. If we get the vertical right, the horizontal takes care of itself. People who are truly intimate with God the Father will have a genuine heart to transfer that love relationship to those around them. People who have God’s heart must have a heart for lost people. People who love the Word of God and seek to obey it will always have a powerful impact on the lost around them. Yes, YES! I believe it with all my heart and I am seeing it before my eyes. Make the focus and consuming passion of your church a vertical one, and the missional elements of ministry will happen as naturally as breathing.
“Yes, when I, even I, the Son of Man am lifted up from the earth, I will draw all peoples to myself” (John 12:32).
10 Question Verticality Quiz: (Give 5 for the strongest yes and 0 for the weakest yes.)
1. Are the songs we sing about God or about what God has done for us?
2. Do the people on the platform come across as ministers or as entertainers?
3. Is the sermon coming clearly/continually from what the Bible actually says and does it cover the hard parts of Scripture, not just the popular ones?
4. Does the sermon challenge me to change and grow, versus just something to know?
5. Am I pressured over time to join a smaller group where I can express and experience biblical community?
6. Do I find the people I meet to be humble and overt in their love for Christ, or more guarded and private about their faith?
7. Am I challenged to find a place of ministry where I can use my gifts and shoulder weekly kingdom responsibility in working for God?
8. Do the leaders of my church find ways to draw the focus away from themselves and onto Christ and what He is doing?
9. Does my church invite me into sacrificial work for Christ that does not benefit our church at all: feeding the poor, church planting/missions, etc.?
10. Does my church seek to follow the biblical pattern for church governance and elevate the Word of God in all it does, including church discipline?
SCORE:
Vertical Church: 40+
60-Degree Church: 30-40
Horizontal Church: 20-30
Find a New Church : 0-20
The Public Rebuke of False Teachers
What an incredibly difficult thing it is to think and act like a Christian when we are so incredibly immersed in our culture. The job of thinking biblically, while the deafening noise of societal norms rings in our ears and our own personality biases our convictions, can seem impossible.
I receive some interesting comments on this blog, not all of which get posted. Especially pointed were several recent comments related to my post about Brian McLaren. I didn’t specify McLaren’s denials of the orthodox teaching on Hell (see note 1 below), or penal substitution (see note 2), or Scripture (see note 3) because the main audience for this blog is immensely familiar with McLaren’s writing. Another reason I did not detail his errors is because that has been done extensively in such helpful books as D. A. Carson’s Becoming Conversant With Emergent, and Why We’re Not Emergent by DeYoung and Kluck. (Tim Challies and Doug Wilson also have helpful reviews of McLaren’s Generous Orthodoxy.)
I do not view Brian as an ‘erring weaker brother,’ worthy of sympathy or olive branches, but rather as a dangerous false teacher who repackages mainline liberal theology. (Have the past 50 years not been adequate to see how liberal theology empties churches and damns souls?)
More dangerous still is that McLaren packages his false teaching and denials of Scripture as solutions to some of the excesses currently plaguing evangelicalism—the danger being his winning over of young people who have legitimate complaints about the current church, but who lack the discernment to see that his solutions are often unbiblical even when his critiques are fair.
Bottom line: my article was making the point that all denials of orthodox Christianity end up in a theological dumpster, not bearing fruit or winning souls to Christ. “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my word will not pass away” (Matthew 24:35).
What was amazing about some of the comments I received was that they were not put off by the critique, but by the naming of the specific person who promulgates these deceptions. Several comments stated in the strongest of terms that it is unbiblical and unwise, even unloving, to name the names of false teachers and opponents of the biblical gospel. Is that true? Is it wrong to publicly call out those who attack the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ? Even when their denials are much more public? Let’s see what Jesus, Paul, Peter, and John have to say about how to deal with false teachers. Do they confront it? Do they, in many instances, actually name the people involved?
Jesus:
Matthew 7:15 “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves.”
Matthew 23:31, 35 “So you testify against yourselves, that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets. . . so that upon you may fall the guilt of all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.” [In this instance Jesus did not need to name the false teachers as He was face to face with them and calling them out publicly in the temple square.]
Paul:
2 Corinthians 11:13 “For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.”
2 Timothy 2:17-18 “And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymeneus and Philetus; Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some.”
2 Timothy 4:14 “Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm; the Lord will repay him according to his deeds.”
Peter:
2 Peter 2:1 “But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves.”
2 Peter 2:15-16a “Forsaking the right way, they have gone astray, having followed the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; but he received a rebuke for his own transgression…”
John:
1 John 4:1 “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.”
3 John:9-10 “I wrote something to the church; but Diotrephes, who loves to be first among them, does not accept what we say. For this reason, if I come, I will call attention to his deeds which he does, unjustly accusing us with wicked words; and not satisfied with this, he himself does not receive the brethren, either, and he forbids those who desire to do so and puts them out of the church.”
Likewise, the early church Fathers were so committed to the public rebuke of false teachers that they actually named heresies after the false teachers who promoted them (i.e., “Arianism” after Arius, “Pelagianism” after Pelagius, etc.).
Let those who complain about naming false teachers state how Jesus and the apostles were wrong to confront those in error, personally and publicly, in their time. If they cannot do so, let them show that what we name as false teaching is, in fact, the truth. If they cannot do either, then let their mouths be stopped.
And let us all live under the authority of the Word of God, rather than embrace a sentimental, unbiblical approach for dealing with error in the church of Jesus Christ.
“Mark them which cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them” (Romans 16:17).
Notes
(1) See his New Kind of Christian, 126. See also The Story We Find Ourselves In, 167. Here McLaren, through a fictional character, rejects the question of Hell outright as inappropriate. See also his The Last Word and the Word After That, which discusses the doctrine of Hell at length. In both latter works, McLaren caricatures and subsequently rejects the traditional doctrine of Hell.
(2) See The Story We Find Ourselves In, 102, where McLaren, again through a fictional character, equates substitutionary atonement with divine child abuse. See also this online interview where McLaren caricatures penal substitutionary atonement as “God is incapable of forgiving unless he kicks somebody else.”
(3) See A New Kind of Christian, 45-59, as well as his Generous Orthodoxy (all of chapter 10, but especially 164). In both places, McLaren denies the relevance of words such as inerrant, authoritative, or infallible when referencing Scripture. See also Generous Orthodoxy 293, where McLaren denies that Scripture presents clear propostional truth claims that can be defended and known with certainty.
On the Key to a Powerful Service Close
I am trying on this site to both connect with people personally and resource those in pastoral ministry. One of the things we get a lot of feedback about at Harvest is the way we close our services. The message and the music have to be in sync, totally, or impact is lost in the critical moments that everything has been building toward. I am always amazed at pastors who put hours into their sermons and then kind of ‘wing it’ at the end. Here are some things we think about to make the most important minutes of the service also the most powerful.
The Ever Elusive REST…Want It? By God’s Grace I Have It! :)
Rest is the God-given capacity to have peace, even when the circumstance that would burden your heart is not resolved. Okay, this one will be brief, because I believe its power is in its simplicity.
Psalm 37:3-7, “Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness . . . Rest in the LORD and wait patiently for Him.”
Psalm 37 is the 8th-longest Psalm in Scripture. Unusually, for one of David’s psalms, it is directed not to God, but to His people. It follows no logical progression, as it was originally 44 verses—two for each letter of the Hebrew alphabet. In other words, it is an acrostic poem.
The theme is trusting God during a season of perceived injustice. Next to almost every verse you could write one of three words: trust, wait, or rest. Rest is best understood as “peace without resolution,” and I am not ashamed to admit I have experienced way too little of that in my life. For that reason I have been poring over Psalm 37, praying for understanding as to how that promised rest (Matthew 11:28-30) is experienced. My study and meditation on Psalm 37 has yielded this single insight which has been incredibly impacting for me.
Trust without Waiting = Striving. I have done too much of that. Proverbs 20:3, “It is good that a man should stop striving.”
Waiting without Trusting = Worrying. I have done too much of that. Matthew 6:25, “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life.”
Trusting + Waiting = Rest. I trust that God will work for my good. I have done what I know to do, and now I must wait for Him. I am at rest! I have peace without resolution, and it is a wonderful experience for which I thank the Lord.
Psalm 37:25-26, “I have been young and now I am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken… his descendants will become a blessing.”
Letter to a Dying Church
In April, we will celebrate the 5th anniversary of a noble act by a dying church known as Crossway Baptist Church in Niles, Illinois.
Formerly known as Belden Avenue Baptist Church, they had been, in their glory years, a fruitful, thriving centerpiece of the General Association of Regular Baptist Churches. During the 80’s and 90’s they experienced much division and reduction in membership, as well as frequent turnover in pastoral leadership. Left with only a handful of members and unable to meet the budget even for facility upkeep and utilities, they sought the Lord for wisdom and came to Harvest Bible Chapel for help. Five years ago in April they voted “to never vote again” and became an extension campus of Harvest. We provided staffing, leadership development, building renovation, live worship, and teaching by video.
By God’s grace, their weekly attendance is now over 1400, with more than 200 hundred baptisms to date. Many others who had stumbled or lost their way have discovered a dynamic community of believers where they can worship, serve, and have fellowship in Christ. It is the most racially diverse of our campuses and they are bursting at the seams. Currently they are planning both a building program and a church plant further into Chicago and are making a huge impact in their community. It has become a very exciting center of kingdom activity.
Sadly, many churches in the position they were in do not make the courageous decision they made. Imagine a letter that might be written from someone at our Niles campus to a local church facing a similar choice…
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
The tests have been taken, the analysis is complete. You have fought valiantly and faithfully, but your church is going to die, soon . . . if you don’t do something.
We know how you feel and remember the pain when we were forced to embrace our prognosis. We took great comfort in Jesus’ words, “Unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit” (John 12:24). At the time we could not have imagined how the death of our church, as we knew it, was God’s way of giving us a ministry in our community beyond what we had even hoped or imagined . . . but our death was God’s way to new life!
It was hard to see people we did not know come in and begin to plan our services. The music was different, the service order kept changing, the bulletin, the ushers—everything changed so quickly, and for a few weeks coming to worship seemed actually painful.
It hurt to see some who even voted for the changes leave because of the discomfort it brought. It was hard to see workers we did not know in our Children’s Ministry. It was difficult to watch the building we had so jealously protected filling up with ’strangers.’ But gradually, our feelings began to change.
I think my heart turned around with finality that first time Pastor James gave the Gospel and invited those who had prayed to receive Christ to come forward for baptism. He was on the video screen and I remember watching the people responding on the ‘main campus’ and wishing that could happen right here in Niles. Then, from the corner of my eye, I saw people walking down the aisle at our church . . . and then I couldn’t see at all as my eyes filled with tears. How long, how very long it had been. Sadly, I couldn’t even remember the last time the front of our church was filled with people kneeling in humility, bowing their hearts to Christ as Savior and Lord. And the diversity . . . as kids we had sung of Jesus’ love for all the little children, “red and yellow, black and white,” but now we were seeing it.
Well, the painful first few weeks are long forgotten now. I remember being so mad at “Jim” for bringing ‘these people’ into our church. Looking back, I am so ashamed of the way I punished him for having the courage to what was best, even though it was frightening. In fact, I rarely think of our past now . . . or all the bickering, and the critical spirit that had ensnared my soul. All that has been washed away in the abundant fruitfulness of serving and seeing God work so powerfully. Our church is full-to-overflowing in four services, and we are so far from our inward/survival focus that it’s hard to even remember.
We have our own pastors, Mohan, Brian, and Andrzej, and we have wonderful, dynamic worship and a challenging biblical message, and a place to belong and serve. And young people are everywhere—college students, young families, single parents, a youth ministry with over 75 teens and, best of all, babies. In the past an occasional former attender might show up to have their baby dedicated, but now our own nursery is spilling over with new life. How I love to sit and rock them, and sing to them, and pray that they will follow the Savior who has been so much to me.
Our service is translated into Polish and Spanish, and we have Hispanic and African-American, as well as many Romanian and Indian members—not just on the fringes, but entering in. Yes, Sunday is now the best day of my week, and coming to “our Harvest” is the great joy of my life.
Don’t fear, dying church; do something courageous. Find the most biblical, fruitful, prayerful, evangelizing church you know and ask them to come and help. If the Lord pricks their heart toward an unselfish act of sharing their resources, you have A LOT to look forward to. I don’t know how many more years the Lord will give me, but I have learned an important thing about death: It’s not the end, it’s the beginning of something even greater the Lord has in store.
Much love and prayers for your courageous faith,
A very elderly and delighted member of Harvest Bible Chapel in Niles.
A Personal Update
Well, I am very excited about the growing audience for this blog, 33k hits in the last month! So I hope the content is interesting and helpful and a good way for those who connect with one of our Harvest Bible Chapels or with Walk in the Word to connect with me personally.
Here are a few personal updates:
1) The cancer treatment ended with radiation #45 on Friday. We are now back in Chicago and excited to get back to ministry at Harvest. I have a good feeling about the results of the treatment but we won’t know anything certain for a while. A blood test every four months should show the PSA dropping, and if it goes down and stays down I can be declared “cancer free” after five years. So, it’s the kind of thing we just need to put out of our minds now and get back to ‘abounding in the work of the Lord’ (1 Corinthians 15:58). Thanks to everyone who has prayed and contacted us with expressions of love and support. Forgive us if we have not gotten back to you directly; the outpouring of care for Kathy and I has been truly awesome.
2) Kathy and Abby fulfilled a lifelong dream over March break and went with some friends to the Atlantis in the Bahamas. I was originally supposed to be with them but, alas, my treatment was not done on time. They were very well cared for by a ministry team from Calvary Chapel Ft. Lauderdale who does ministry at a youth camp there called Patmos. Kathy and Abby were really impacted to see where they house and care for people dying from AIDS. They were also blessed by the Bible study/worship and warm fellowship.
3) Landon is on his way home from California now, driving the car we had out there and enjoying a few sites with Jordan Donald and three other college friends. Pray for their safety as they drive. Landon called yesterday very excited as he gazed over the glory of the Grand Canyon.
4) Luke and Kristen are flourishing in their marriage and with our new grandson Carter. We watched him last night as they went to do High School Ministry, and so enjoyed holding him and rocking him to sleep. Kathy is beside herself with joy when she holds this precious little boy so filled with hope and promise for the future.
5) I am very energized to get back to work at Harvest. We will be expanding our elder board and redefining their role to fit with a church our size. We are exploring the possibility of new satellite campuses. We are partnering with Twelve Stones, a counseling ministry in Indiana and its leader Garrett Higbee. Our hope is to bring ‘next generation’ biblical counseling to our Harvest, all Harvests, and to the church at large. This is a very exciting venture.
5) Writing: I am excited to be back in partnership with Moody Press and look forward to working with them on two books, Turning Your Trials to Gold and Always True (the promises series). I am hopeful that, by God’s grace, the very difficult journey that brought these two series into being can be used for good in the lives of others. So many are walking a difficult road just now and it is a privilege to preach and write the messages from God’s Word that become the rock we can stand on.
(And, oh yeah, lifelong dream, I bought a Harley. My friends are terrified, my wife is supportive. I am being very careful, and having some fun! )
Love to you and yours,
james
Was My Loved One Unsaved When They Died?
Last week I posted a letter I wrote to a friend when her saved mother went home to heaven. Interesting how many people commented on my dealing with the death of a family member whose salvation was unsure or unknown. Kathy and I struggled through the death of her father now almost 20 years ago. I never encourage Christians to express certainty in these matters. Paul told Timothy “the Lord knows those that are His” (2Timothy 2:19). Only He knows the condition of a person’s heart or how they may have cried out even in their last moments like the thief on the cross. In any event, it is the uncertainty that burdens the heart of those who know the Lord. Here is a video where Kathy and I discuss settling into the sovereignty of God in a matter so immensely personal. I pray it is a blessing to those in similar circumstances.
Comment Guidelines (Follow the Rules and Keep ‘em Coming!)
Well, I am a couple of months into this blog thing and for the most part I am really enjoying it. Some folks think I owe it to them to post their comments. Ummm, no I don’t! What I think I do owe is an explanation of what I will post and what I will not. So here goes:
1) I will not post comments that are too long, try to keep it under 300 words (or get your own blog
2) I will not post comments that simply repeat an opinion already given multiple times (for or against).
3) I will not post comments that are harsh or cruel ( disagreement is good, even strong disagreement, just not mean spirited).
4) I will not post comments that link to articles I cannot confirm as sound (unknown or no time to check).
5) I will not post comments that ascribe statements to me I have not made or opinions to me I do not hold.
Other than that, keep those comments coming, the discussion is edifying and the disagreement is enlightening.
