Category Archives: vision

Election day prayers.

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It’s election day, and I’m up early and EXCITED to vote for…the guy I’m voting for.   I’m not ambivalent about the outcome.  I think the results of this election matters.  I still have hope for our country and its people, but I PERSONALLY believe that we are heading into some truly difficult times as a nation.  (Full disclosure: if you ask Josiah, he would say I ALWAYS predict gloomy things for the future :-) )

Reality is reality.  Bills…even bills you toss in the wastebasket and ignore…eventually come due.  Poor choices in our past ALWAYS affect the choices available to us in the future.  I believe that to be true of people, families, and yes, even nations.  I’m not voting for someone to lead us into an immediately bright future of financial and cultural success,  but I am voting for who I feel will be the best captain in a storm…captaining a ship that is already taking on water.

I’m not at all sure how this day will play out.  I personally have a strategy in mind for my family, business, and actionchurch for either a Obama or Romney win. (I hope you do as well)  However, My hope for the next four years is based on EXACTLY the same thing as it was four years ago.  In the end I trust GOD.  He’s proven himself to be all powerful and ever faithful.  He’s proven to be so much wiser than I can ever be.  He’s prove also to be merciful and caring…and far beyond generous in the blessings he’s poured out on our family (and our actionchurch family) in the midst of some truly difficult circumstances over the last four years.

So this morning I’m praying for you, I’m praying for us, I’m praying for our nation.  I’m praying EXACTLY the same thing I prayed four years ago on this morning.   The following is taken from what I posted on November 4, 2008.

  • Let’s pray for wisdom for Whoever gets elected. (It’s not like we can move to Mars if things don’t go well in the USA- I want whoever wins to “govern well”)
  • Let’s pray that the Church (actionchurch in particular) can become an example of people of very different political ideals and cultures coming together to worship God and serve others! (kinda like they managed to do in the Book of Acts.)
  • Let’s pray that God will show us how to advance God’s kingdom plan for earth in whatever political/economical climate exists.
  • Let’s pray for all those who will be disappointed by this election…whether their candidate didn’t win…or won and wasn’t able to “make all their dreams come true”… Let’s pray for the disappointed and the hopeless…that they will find real hope-in the Creator who is never “up for election”.

I am certain that the same God who has clearly answered so much of that prayer is STILL in charge of our future.

“Praise the name of God forever and ever, for he has all wisdom and power. 21 He controls the course of world events; he removes kings and sets up other kings. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the scholars.  (Daniel 2:20-21)

Easier…

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Sunday I mentioned in this week’s installment of “In God we trust” that when the disciples “kept asking” Jesus to use his power to fix the problems they had as a nation…to remove the heavy boot of the roman empire from their collective throats…Jesus instead said that they would “receive power to become his witnesses” (Acts 1:6-10)  Hindsight allows us to know what they did not as they watched him disappear into the sky.  Jesus was predicting the Church!  Jesus didn’t use his power to change their world, he gave THEM power to completely turn their world upside down by re-telling his story, and reenacting  his teachings as a community.  (And, if you’re keeping score at home, God USED the Roman Empire to spread his message to the whole world! More about that Sunday…)

Here’s some thing that I didn’t have time to share Sunday:  It would have been MUCH EASIER for Jesus’ followers if he would have “freed Israel and restored our kingdom” as his disciples pleaded with him to do.   Instead, Jesus chose to set up HIS kingdom through the local church.  The path that Jesus leads the church is rarely the easy one…  I believe that is still true today.

It’s EASIER to bond together to become a powerful and courted “voting bloc” than it is to bond together to serve others and share the Good news of Jesus.

It’s EASIER to refer someone to a government program than it is to get involved in the messy business of helping them (and mentoring them) in their finances or lifestyle.

It’s EASIER to lobby legislators to write laws that limit behavior than it is to change hearts by being a light in the darkness.

It’s EASIER to entrust political parties to deal with homosexual marriage, abortion, drug abuse, and religious freedom than it is to get involved in the messy, broken, lives of those who need the good news of Jesus just as we did when we were in darkness.

It’s EASIER to trust that the seemingly unlimited supply of “other peoples money” will be enough to care for those in need, than it is to trust that God has entrusted US with enough to help those in need around us (and across the globe).

It’s ALWAYS EASIER to trust a new idea or policy to “fix America” instead of the OLD and DIFFICULT truth found in scripture.

All of those things are easier…none of them are as POWERFUL as what Jesus had in mind when he ignored his followers request for a quick fix and headed back to heaven…

8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”-Jesus  (Acts 1:8)

Minority opinion

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During the month of October we’ve been talking about 3 results of actually trusting God (inspired by Isaiah Chapters 8 and 9)

  • Not thinking like everyone else thinks.
  • Not fearing what everyone else fears
  • Fearing God, and trusting him to protect us.

It sounds simple, and to be honest,  my first impulse is to think “EVERYONE should think like that!”.  EVERYONE should fear God!  EVERYONE should trust him instead of the failing governments, political parties, and leaders of our world.  Let’s make some signs.  Let’s start a “In God we Trust” Facebook page.  Let’s buy some ad time.  Let’s start a “don’t think like everyone else thinks-Trust God” bus tour. Let the campaign begin!  Sounds promising…except…that’s not the way it works.

Trusting God has RARELY been a “majority opinion”.   Although “I believe God exists” polls at nearly 90% in the US (and 100% in Hell),  “I trust and follow God in all my decisions” is not going to win any (honest) opinion polls…even among the Sunday morning church crowd.  The nation of Israel was (and is) a small nation surrounded by enourmous opposition.   Jesus preached to tens of thousands, but on the opening day of the church in Jerusalem, only about 120 of his followers stayed and prayed.

It’s frustrating to back the “right” side and still be in the minority.  (And no, that’s not a hidden reference to Ron Paul folks or Kurt Busch fans. :-) )   Jesus said it this way:

“You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. 14 But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it.  (Matthew 7:13-14)

Yet Jesus gave his life for EVERYONE.

ANYONE.

That’s the power of the Good News of the Bible.  ONE man, Jesus, started a movement of God-Trusters that has outlasted every empire, Nation/State, political party, social movement, corporation and Religion.   Peacefully.  As a “minority opinion”.  That’s the power of God.

Which is why I still think everyone should trust him…even when they don’t.

 

Checking the box

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This Sunday as we talked about the “how and why” of worship at actionchurch, I used various “check the box” examples of proper and improper worship from the Bible.

I was ATTEMPTING (and I’m not sure how successfully) to point out that simply going through scripture and copying (or NOT copying) various forms of worship throughout the years does not necessarily cause us to be “worshippers who worship in spirit and truth” as Jesus called us to be.  “Checking the Box” on Moses’ instructions to the Israelites about how they should worship, doesn’t mean that God is honored today.  “Checking the Box” on the Apostle Paul’s instructions for women not to have distracting hairstyles and Jewelry written to another church…in another time…in another culture, won’t either.  Worshiping the  One True God goes far beyond checking any box or list.   It simply can’t be accomplished by following a checklist of approved words, songs, or actions.

But, we are all “Box Checkers” at heart.  Most of us find comfort in guidelines and handbooks to reinforce our confidence that we have “done it right”.  So, for all of you Box Checkers  (and I count myself in your crowd) Here’s the one Checklist in scripture that I think might actually lead us to true and acceptable worship:

15 Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it. 16 But do this in a gentle and respectful way. Keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ.  (1 Peter 3:15-16)

  1. _____ Make Jesus the Commander of your life.
  2. _____ Be ready to explain your faith story in a gentle and respectful way.
  3. _____ Live a life above reproach

I think that should about do it…

How many of those boxes can you check in your lifetime?

Doing Church as a Team

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One the things that I’m most grateful for, looking back since the beginning of actionchurch, is the great team that we have been able to assemble.  The actionchurch “Crew” is as diverse, talented, intense, funny, opinionated, sarcastic, hardworking, “real”, and loving cast of “characters” that you will ever meet.  I’m thankful to be included in their team.   Here’s a few thought from Sunday about why I think that “doing church” as a team is the best way to do ministry.

  • The “wins” are bigger…and more fun to celebrate.  There’s always going to be a bigger celebration after a winning football game than a winning long jump.  Doing church as a team allows people with specific talents to “carry the ball” for the entire team…and when everyone pitches in to do their part the results are amazing.  SO proud of Kenna, the events team, and the entire crew and crowd of actionchurch for OWNING the BigASKList!
  • When you are Down…someone is up.  Romans 12:15 commands us as followers of Christ to “laugh with those who laugh, and cry with those that cry”  There’s nothing like a team to allow you to encourage others…and be encouraged.  I cannot imagine trying to do something as difficult as a start-up church-alone.
  • You GET TO apologize (often).  At first look that may not seem like a benefit…but it truly is.  Operating with a team of people you care about, will absolutely illuminate your faults and failures.  The ONLY antidote is to apologize sincerely…and often.  The great thing is that apologizing deflates pride…and allows you to experience being accepted and loved IN SPITE OF your failures.
  • Good Stuff rubs off.  It’s mega-rewarding as a leader to see the principles and traits you teach and live “rub off” on your team mates.  It’s even better to realize that you are also being changed by doing church with your team. It is a rare week that goes by that I don’t walk away from a Sunday morning feeling like I have learned something from a fellow crew member or Management team member.  Most weeks I’m the guy with the microphone, but I am constantly learning and being inspired by what happens off-mic!


That’s some reasons I’ve been thinking of since Sunday that make me grateful to be part of the actionchurch team.  Want to be part of the actionchurch team? Talk to a crew member or email info@actionchurch.com.   Did I miss apologizing to you this Sunday? There’s always next week. :-)