BLeach

Sending or Embezzling

I came across some January findings from David Barret of the World Christian Encyclopedia.  Looks like the church is experiencing a higher volume of ecclesiastical crime than global missions.  About 22 billion dollars is being embezzled annually by church staff members, compared to about 21 billion dollars being sent for global mission.

Ouch.

Here's a novel idea.  Why don't we lead our churches with financial integrity, double our sending output, and take Jesus to the nations!

Coffee with a Kick

Warning: you may not want to read this post if you send your food back because of bugs or hair.

A few weeks ago I met with our Movements team at a coffee shop in Detroit.  I won't mention the name.  If you look at the picture you'll know why. 

This was a first for me.  Michael's coffee had...

blood on it.

And no, it wasn't his.

Trinity

This Sunday I'm planning to start a new three week series on the trinity.  My head is spinning after some serious study today:)

For what it's worth, my goal with this series is not to sound smart.  Anselm was smart.  And you can read his ontological argument for the existence of God in most theology textbooks.

And certainly this being so truly exists that it cannot be even thought not to exist.  For something can be thought to exist that cannot be thought not to exist, and this is greater than that which can be thought not to exist.  Hence, if that-than-which-a-greater- cannot-be-thought can be thought not to exist, then that-than-which-a-greater-cannot-be-thought is not the same as that-than-which-a-greater-cannot-be-thought, which is absurd.  Something- than-which-a-greater-cannot-be-thought exists so truly then, that it cannot be even thought not to exist.

I recognize that word absurd:)

I'm not as smart as Anselm.  But I do hope to be simple.

Bottom line: who God is determines who we should be.  And the nature of one God in three persons has alot to teach us about community, partnership and prayer.

Here's to hoping this series makes sense:)

Safe

I once heard it said that the church is only to be a safe place, comfortable for all who attend.  It didn’t sound right.  It’s hard for me to say for sure, because safe sounds like a church word.  It sounds like a Christian word. And maybe that’s the problem.

What if safe isn’t as sacred as it seems?  What if playing it safe is synonymous with missing the point?

As a lamb Jesus wept at the grave of Lazarus.  He was gentle.  He was humble.  He was sympathetic.  But as a lion he roared.  He was fierce.  He was bold.  And the grave stood at attention.

We want safety without the possibility of danger.  We want guaranteed comfort.  We want Jesus to whisper.  But what if He’s ready to roar?

To lead a church is to live like the lion and the lamb.  At times we comfort the afflicted.  We sympathize and counsel.  Then there are moments that demand courage and conviction.  We call for change and confront the status quo.  We risk our popularity and afflict the comfortable.

Most leaders like to be liked.  I’m one of them.  I don’t like criticism.  So playing it safe often appeals to me.  But then my soul starts cracking.  I can hear Jesus roaring inside me, calling corpses in my city from their spiritual graves.

Eventually I open my mouth and join in His bold call for resurrection.  Corpses start walking, many of them out of bars and jails and other places you might expect.  But some start emerging from unlikely places.  Some stand up from their pews.  Others walk out of bible studies.  And a few even step out from behind their pulpit.

The comfort zone is a large area where Christians tend to hang out.  But disciples eventually emerge from complacent shadows to walk the way of Jesus.

And if the goal of life is to spend it for eternity, they inadvertently stumble onto the safest way to live.

Stirred

Moses spent 40 days on Mount Sinai without food or water.  I don't think he had much time to eat.  His heart was attached to God's heart by way of a divine USB cable.  God was downloading a breathtaking amount of vision (Exodus 19-35).

By the end of his fast, Moses had a detailed plan which included the construction of the Tabernacle.  What he lacked was the resources for constructing the dream.  For those he asked the Israelites to help.

Take from among you a contribution to the Lord (Exodus 35.5).

I love their response.

And they came, everyone whose heart stirred him, and everyone whose spirit moved him, and brought the Lord's contribution to be used for the tent of meeting (Exodus 35.21).

Contributions for the tabernacle weren't forced.  There was no heavy handed appeal from anyone in leadership.  But people were moved to give; moved on the inside by the generous activity of the Holy Spirit.

I've been stirred again this week.  As a church we've been meeting missionaries and praying for the nations.  Last Sunday Greg Mundis opened our eyes to an unsettling discovery.  Out of 500 million people in Europe, no more than one percent claim any allegiance to Jesus.  I haven't been able to shake that one.

I feel stirred.

I feel moved.

I'm anxious to give.

Tomorrow we'll have the opportunity to respond to the Holy Spirit. 

• We'll be taking a one-time sending offering to strengthen our first daughter church, The Oaks.
• We'll be making our annual Faith Promise commitments for mission giving this year. 

I promise not to pressure you.  No one in leadership is going to tell you how much to give.  But perhaps you hear an inner voice, stretching you, moving you, stirring you.

What if we all just listened to Him?