Now What?

Thanks for coming...See you at Christmas!

We just celebrated one of the biggest days for church attendance in America. Churches were packed, preachers were excited, and nursery workers were exhausted!

Now what? Are we content to have one day of impact on the unchurched and dechurched? 

"I have not hidden your deliverance within my heart; I have spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation..." Psalm 40:10

Sometimes churches view Easter as their shot. They spruce up the decorations, throw away some junk, and bring out the double-barrel gospel sermon for those unwitting souls who wandered in the doors. However, this thinking misses the individual call of disciples and keeps the gospel "hidden".

Don't hide the gospel at church
Churches should preach the gospel. But we live in a society that is growing skeptical of the church and its message. Believing that Sunday's sermon is the greatest opportunity to reach the lost, will always miss a large part of the population that isn't wandering into church, even on Easter.

Don't hide the gospel in your heart
We are to hide God's Word in our hearts (Psalm 119:11), but as fuel to resist sin, submit to God, and be a witness to the lost. People rarely come up and ask if I might happen to know the way to Heaven. So I must speak of God's faithfulness and salvation within my circles of influence (school, work, family). Not all will care, but some will. 

The Easter story only becomes boring and stale when we put it away for the year. Like those women on the first Easter Sunday, let us go out as a witness of the empty tomb and a powerful Savior!

When Sharing Isn't Caring

The church in Acts 2 did not practice socialism. 

Acts 2:44 says the believers had "all things in common" and were selling their possessions in order to assist needy believers in their church family. This wasn't required socialism, but chosen sacrifice. 

Clearly Christians should care about the plight of the poor. But the conversation we're having in America right now about government welfare providing for people from the cradle to the grave is not only unwise, it's unbiblical. 

Oh yes I did.

"When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap your field right up to its edge [or gather what has fallen to the ground]. You shall leave them for the poor." Leviticus 19:9-10

For those who owned land, God placed rules on how they could harvest. Certain portions of the harvest were off-limits to the owner (the edges or things that had been dropped) as welfare for the poor. But notice the owners didn't gather up the grain and bring it to people. The people had to come and gather it for themselves.

Paul writes in 2 Thessalonians 3:10, "If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat." This is not an admonishment against welfare for those with disability or even a time of unemployment. They're willing to work, but a circumstance has prevented it. Paul was speaking against a culture of unmerited welfare, which I have personally seen infect entire communities in our country.

There have been times I have received government assistance in my life. And this assistance drove me to one end: never needing it again. That's why I was the first in my family to go to college. My family didn't have the money for it, so I joined the National Guard, took out some student loans, and got my Bachelors and Master's degrees. Those debts have been repaid, and I have the education that was needed to pursue the opportunity to become a pastor.

A socialist welfare state is not caring...it's careless. It steals ambition while failing to maximize the talents and abilities God has placed within us. So let us care and meet the needs of the poor. And let us always challenge them as we do so, that God has plans that are far better for them. God, not the government, is our provider.

Call the IRS! The Pastor's Being Political!

"A shepherd must tend his flock. And at times...fight off the wolves."-Reverend Oliver

Our church treasurer may freak out if she reads this post, but there is no worry. It's often said pastors cannot endorse a political candidate, but that is false. Churches are not permitted to endorse candidates, and a pastor may not use his church assets, pulpit, or publications for such endorsements. But as a pastor, I remain a free American with all the rights and privileges therein.

So when I heard my man, Ted Cruz, was holding a political rally in Rockford this morning, I grabbed up my teenage son and took him down to see the Senator. Simply hearing a presidential candidate in person has already sparked some great questions from him.

Character counts for me when we're talking leadership. Whether it's a political candidate or a college basketball coach, I want someone I can trust to live an example of leadership before my children.

As a citizen, I want someone who values the lives of the helpless. I want someone who challenges the impoverished to pursue a bigger dream than a government to meet all their needs. I want someone I can trust.

The rules for ministers are clear. We should not instruct our parishioners on who to vote for. I feel the same way on many issues of our faith. My role as pastor isn't to tell people what to believe, but to guide them to God's Word in order to form personal convictions built on the ultimate truth.

An American minister is still an American citizen. If you have any concerns about your rights, I encourage you to visit the following link, IRS Tax Guide for Churches and Religious Organizations, and read pages 7-8 that easily illustrate the law and examples of compliance or violation. I read it in less than 5 minutes.

SO I ENDORSE...your right to vote. Many don't because they believe politicians are all the same. Maybe the reason for that is because the same people vote year after year. If we suddenly engaged even the 2.6 million people in Illinois who are able to vote, but not registered, we might see some real change in our country.

Big Church or Small Church: Which is Right?

This is not another post on Andy Stanley. 

Here is my take on the difference between big and small churches:

• Big churches tend to do things with excellence. 
• Small churches tend to do things with intimacy. 

Personally, I've always preferred a smaller church experience (less than 300). The opportunity to know my pastor and my church family has always been important to me. Yes, we are more likely to struggle with finances and ministry help, but together these obstacles can become opportunities for the small church.

However, I recently gained a new perspective on big churches during lunch with a fellow laborer in the gospel. His reason for favoring big churches was simple: "I love the atmosphere of joining with a large group of people and experiencing worship together." To him, there is an encouragement that comes from seeing so many other believers joining him in song, praise, prayer, and discipleship. 

[The early church] "devoted themselves to the apostles teaching, and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer." Acts 2:42

The early church exploded in Acts 2 as thousands were saved, so you could argue for megachurches from this passage. You could also argue for small churches since these believers worshiped in smaller groups in a variety of homes. 

But why argue at all? If you are happy in your church why do you care what size church someone else attends? I care when someone goes to a church that doesn't believe the Bible is inerrant, or advocates baptism for babies. But if you feel a greater connection with God as you worship with 1000 other people in a solid church, then go for it. 

Yes, Andy's comments on the selfishness of those who attend a small church initially made me a bit perturbed (thanks spellcheck). But I think I hear what he was trying to say, and Christians should always make that effort with one another. Let's stop presuming large churches or small churches are better. Instead, let 2 Timothy 2:23 be our guide: "Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels."