Winning the World and the World Cup

The Bible tells us that we are to follow the example of Christ, who has called and anointed us to be His ambassadors, His representatives in this world.  We read in 1st Peter 2:
21For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps:

1st John 2 addresses the concept of walking as He walked.   We follow the Lord in salvation as well as in sanctification - in becoming more like Him as His disciples.  And, we follow Him in sharing our faith.  Christ commissioned us to go into all the world and preach the gospel.  The tools and the means to do that are more pronounced than ever before.  But, we also recognize that as we follow in His steps., we can have impact on those people with whom we directly interact.   There may be an occasion you have today to share what God has done in your life through Jesus Christ - it's important that we take that call seriously.

2nd Corinthians 5 defines a key role that each of us play in God's plan for this world:
18Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation,19that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.20Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God.

The summer marathon known as the World Cup concludes this Sunday with the championship game between Germany and Argentina.  As you know, the team representing host country Brazil was ousted in rather convincing fashion by the German team earlier this week.   And, while the games have featured not only intense drama and thrilling competition, activity surrounding the tournament involves the sharing of the gospel message - by evangelists from Brazil.

Christianity Today highlights the work of the gospel that is going on there.

Rudi Zimmer of The Bible Society of Brazil says that, "Brazilians are football-mad...We want the Bible to have a prominent presence amidst all the excitement. It's an unprecedented opportunity for churches and Christians here to share God's Word with local and foreign fans, and we want to equip and encourage them to do that."   Volunteers for the Bible Society of Brazil are passing out 20,000 copies of the Gospel of John in eight different languages.

About 100 evangelicals hit Copacabana Beach to hand out 15,000 booklets on the history of Brazil and soccer, including an article by Brazilian soccer star Kaka, who says that "the true sense of victory is having Jesus in my life," reports Yahoo news.

Child Evangelism Fellowship has reportedly made up thousands of soccer ball in the colors of evangelism, an adaptation of the "wordless book": gold (heaven), black (sin), red (atonement), white (righteousness) and green (growth).  These were intended to be passed out to schools with the explanation of the gospel.

The Brazilian Baptist Home Mission Board developed a strategy for handing out yellow cards to fans as a way to begin conversations about what they've done wrong and how they can be made right through the gospel.

Tomorrow, more than 1,000 Brazilian evangelicals plan to circle the Maracanã soccer stadium to "send a message of peace to the world," according to Yahoo news.

As the CT article states, "Brazilians have a history of traveling to witness when other countries host the world's most famous soccer tournament, but this time they've got a home field advantage."  People literally from throughout the world have been converging on the nation the last few weeks - what a great opportunity to fulfill the Great Commission when the world comes to you.

More than 90 percent of Brazilians claim to be Christian — making it the world's second-largest Christian population, with 8 percent of the total (lagging only the United States' 11.3 percent). While most of those are Catholic, evangelicals have expanded from 15 percent of the population in 2000 to 22 percent in 2010.

Just a few thoughts about this unique opportunity to share Christ:

One of the by-products of our increasingly global society becomes the ability to share the gospel with people throughout the world.   Through improvements in transportation, we can go to tons of places in short-term and long-term applications.  We can routinely get people into various areas for missions trips, and we might experience improved access to a variety of people-groups.   And, people will travel and even move into areas where there are significant international populations - I think of the missions trips that our friends in the Christian vocal group No Other Name sponsor in Nashville, where you have a variety of nationalities that live there.  Or, the work of Plywood People and other groups in the Atlanta region of Clarkston, which was described by TIME magazine as the "most diverse square mile in America."  Through international travel, we can interface with people from "all the world."  Now, Brazil is experiencing the world coming to its doorstep, and its Christians are providing inspiration to all of us to seize an opportunity to share.

And, the rapid improvements in technology also give the ability to share the gospel with people around the world.  I think of the millions who have accessed the message of salvation through Christ through such websites as PeaceWithGod.net, with which Faith Radio partners - it's an outreach of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.   Also, there's Global Media Outreach, that provides website content that is coordinated with terms and topics for which people are searching.   

There are creative tools to share our faith, and I am thankful for ministries that continue to share the word and equip the saints.  And, you too, can be an instrument that God will use for His glory, as you are willing to share what Jesus has done for you.

7 Lies That Christians Believe - Part 2

In the book of 3rd John, the apostle writes about the importance of walking in truth and in the prosperity of the soul:
2Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.3For I rejoiced greatly when brethren came and testified of the truth that is in you, just as you walk in the truth.4I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.

The absorption of the truth of God brings life and light to our souls.   God wants us to be healthy in our the realm of our soul, which includes the state of our minds.  Incorrect thinking about the Lord and His ways will lead to incorrect and even destructive actions; our lives will not produce the fruit or the fulfillment that God desires for us to have.  We seek to counter the lies of the enemy with the truth of God's Word - Satan's will for your life is to bring bondage and misery, rooted in disobedience to the principles of God.  God desires for us to experience the life-changing, life-freeing truth of His Word and to abide in His love and power.  The mind is a key battleground and we must train our minds with truth.

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Today, I want to continue our pursuit of truth and provide some encouragement to tell ourselves the truth - what God says about us in His Word and how His principles actually work, according to the Scriptures.   Yesterday, I countered these familiar lies:

God can’t love you – you are not worthy of His love.

You are invincible and the center of your own universe.

Your relationship with God is directly related to how much you do for Him.
Now, I want to deal with an area that can be paralyzing, and that is buying in to fear.  It may go something like this:  Things might be going well now, but the other shoe could drop at any time or a variation: Things are not going well, and conditions will not improve.  I think that some people, in their human condition, may just have a hard time believing that our lives could actually produce joy rather than misery and hope rather than heartache.  And, even when there is a blessing of God that comes our way, an improvement of our condition may be a temporary fix.   So our expectations are fueled by fear, and not faith.

2nd Timothy 1 challenges us to think rationally and reject the fears that could bring us down:
7For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.8Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God,9who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began...
So, there you have it - even when we do encounter suffering and our circumstances seemingly go south on us, we can walk in a manner of being free from fear and reliant on God's faithfulness.  Our expectation can be in the power and purpose of God, and we can walk in the peace of God, no matter what.  The Bible tells us is Isaiah that He will keep the mind stayed on Him in perfect peace.   Break free from fear today and enjoy the hope of Christ.

Another lie is somewhat related to the last one in that it deals with a pessimistic view of life - specifically other people.  It's: You can’t trust people; they’ll only let you down – they’re out to get you anyway.  Sure, we have been disappointed by others and perhaps we have acquired a victim mentality or a persecution complex.  But, we serve a God who believes the best for us, who is for us and not against us, and I believe that He desires for us to believe the best about other people.   Some insight into the nature of Christ's love is found in 1st Corinthians 13 - it: 
7bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.8Love never fails...
Sure, people will let you down, but do you really believe that people are against you, intent on doing you harm - in a general sense?   If you do, I would encourage you to rely on the One who will never let you down, who always wants the best for you, who is for you and not against you, and allow Him to change your point of view.

Another destructive lie that I came up with is: Try to work your problems out for yourself, and when you’ve exhausted all your options, try God.  Trust in or reliance on God is not one of many options for our situations.  If we have been born again, the Spirit of God is in our hearts, and He is placed there to direct and strengthen us, acting in accordance with God's Word to enable us to live a fulfilling Christian life.  We are called to be dependent on God, not independent of His direction.  So, when we make a decision, we do it in accordance with the wisdom of God.   He doesn't call us to try other courses of action and then use Him as a fallback - no, He offers us the treasures of heavenly wisdom and knowledge, so that we may experience what He has in store for us.

Paul wrote to the church at Colosse about the people of Laodicea in Colossians 2:
1For I want you to know what a great conflict I have for you and those in Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh,2that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ,3in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.4Now this I say lest anyone should deceive you with persuasive words.

Paul really, really wanted to get the message across that He wanted to see God's people walk in truth.  We have access to the mind of Christ, and as we abide in Him, His ways become our first option, really our only option, for our walk in life.

Finally, the seventh potentially damaging lie that I came up with is that God’s way is best, but you need to help Him out a little.  God does not need our help.  And, we need more than just some assistance from time to time when we get in a jam - He wants us to be totally dependent on Him.   Perhaps we have the head knowledge that we need to follow God in a situation - and we do - but we still try to figure things out for ourselves.   And, when our human wisdom contradicts what God's Word says or how the Spirit is directing us, then we have to guard against defaulting to our own human understanding.   Proverbs 3 is clear:
5Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;6In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.7Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and depart from evil.
Remember Proverbs 14:12, which reads:12There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.
I think one of the great challenges of the Christian life is to recognize that as believers, we are to no longer occupy the throne of our lives - we have surrendered to a higher authority, One who loves us, who has our best in mind, who knows us well, and who is calling us to walk in His truth.  He does not need our help, nor does He request it.  The phrase, "God helps those who help themselves," is a misnomer.  He does call us to walk in obedience, and we are called to act as He leads, but not to help Him out.  He is totally sufficient for us!

7 Lies That Christians Believe (and There Are More) - Part 1

In John 8, Jesus identifies the devil and warns against aligning with him:
44You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.

Two chapters later, we read that Jesus described the work of the enemy, saying that he comes to steal, kill, and destroy, contrasting that with His work - to bring abundant life.   We're told in Scripture to resist him, and one important tool is found in 2nd Corinthians 10, where we are told to take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.  Every thought.  Satan is the father of lies, and he wants to deceive, distort, and distract the child of God with His lies - but we can counter that deception with the powerful truth of God's Word, the Sword of the Spirit with which we exalt Christ and embrace and establish His truth.

Last week, I referred to a piece on the Faith Street website about lies that pastors believe, in the context of a significant number of pastors who desire to leave the ministry.

How sad.  And, it occurred to me that we buy in to lies in our own consciousness that would discourage us, distort our view of God and His faithfulness, and even make us unproductive in our Christian life.  Sometimes we will fall victim to the aggressive lies that the enemy, who is termed by Jesus as the "father of lies," will place in our minds.   Other times we believe the press that we write about ourselves willingly - ultimately, the origin is the same, the delivery method is similar - in our minds, but we make a conscious choice to walk in a false spiritual reality.

So, I crafted a list of 7 lies that we might believe about ourselves relative to our relationship with God.   This is by no means exhaustive, but I think this list can provide us with some food for thought today.

First up, God can’t love you – you are not worthy of His love.  

There are several layers of deception here.  God's love is unconditional, and is extended to all.   So we don't place limitations on the love of God. His love was demonstrated by the sacrifice of His Son for us so that we might have relationship with Him. By thinking that there is something we can do to exit the love of God is placing an unscriptural emphasis on works - on what we can do to earn His love.   His love is not something we can earn, but rather something that we receive and experience.   

The truth is found in 1 John 3:

1Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!

Or, how about Romans 5:

8But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

The next lie: You are invincible and the center of your own universe.

We're human; we have an exaggerated sense of our own importance.   And, when it comes down to the plans we make and our decisions, there is a tendency to do it ourselves.  We have to be so careful that we don't make life all about us and expect life to revolve around us.  That is certainly not the way of the Creator. God doesn't not want us to consult with Him or give lipservice to His presence and His principles - He desires for us to humbly recognize that our lives are not our own.  

The truth is found in 1st Corinthians 6:

19Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?20For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's.
We were created for the glory of the Father; no He does not exist to please us - the opposite is true. In Isaiah 43:7, as God is expressing to and through the prophet His desire to bring people into a relationship with Himself, He refers to:

7Everyone who is called by My name, Whom I have created for My glory; I have formed him, yes, I have made him."

One other lie that we have to guard against is that: Your relationship with God is directly related to how much you do for Him.  

Now, there's a fine line here, because our faith in Jesus Christ and the presence of the indwelling Christ will produce evidence in our lives.   James said that faith without works is dead.  But we can become so intent on validating our Christian credentials that we wear ourselves out spiritually in trying to somehow do enough to make God like us, to know that He is pleased.

I want to please God, but I have to make sure that I am not attempting to earn favor with Him.  We cannot regard Him as some cruel taskmaster who has placed unreasonable expectations on us in order to stay in His good graces.  That is not a love relationship - that is not the nature of the relationship to which He has called us.  Sure, we have to guard against complacency in our walk, but our fruit, the evidence of our salvation, flows as we regard Christ is our life and allow His Spirit, His very life, to flow through us and enable us to please Him, not from our own effort, but simply by His grace and power.

Jesus addresses abiding in Him in John 15:

4Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.5I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.

There are more - and I want to cover more of these lies that can trap us tomorrow.

Who Are You? - Thoughts on Our "Spiritual Resume"

Through the power of God, you have been given a new identity in Christ Jesus, and the power of the Holy Spirit through you is producing fruit for His glory, testifying to the presence of the Lord in your life.   Some encouraging words in Ephesians 2 underscore this spiritual fact:
8For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,9not of works, lest anyone should boast.10For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

I think it's helpful from time to time to reflect on who we are in Jesus - we are new creations in Him, He is working in our hearts, and how we comprehend and act on that new nature determines the type of behavior in which we engage.   We are building a spiritual resume based on the works that He is performing through us - not that we are working in order to earn favor with God, but He is working through us to produce what He desires, as we allow the Spirit to flow through us.

Throughout the pages of the Scriptures, we gain some insight into who we truly are in Christ Jesus - what He has done in our our lives and how He has transformed our hearts.   We have been born again and re-created in His image, and to each of us, Peter writes in 1st Peter 2:
9But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;10who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.

Two relatively new studies, one from the South and the other from New England, indicate that religious affiliation may actually be a negative factor in whether or not a person gets a callback from a job application.

A Washington Times piece recently highlighted the “Religious Affiliation and Hiring Discrimination” field experiments, in which scholars found that “applicants who expressed a religious identity were 26 percent less likely to receive a response from employers.”

David Lewin of the Berkeley Research Group and UCLA professor is quoted as saying that, “These studies do tend to show there will be factors in resumes that will lead to bias...,Religion could well be one of them.”

Both studies submitted resumes to jobs where a resume could be emailed, and for each posting, several resumes were submitted with similar templates but a variety of faith-based information.

The scholars used a template of a candidate who had graduated in 2008 or 2009 with a 3.7 or higher grade point average and participation in extracurricular activities. The religious identification was made through a membership in a university-related religious organization.

The study stated that, “Including such religious information on resumes is realistic for college graduates because they generally lack extensive work histories and tend to compensate by listing involvement in extracurricular activities and volunteer experiences...These activities include participation in political, community, or identity-based organizations.”

On the job hunting website Monster.com, experts advise applicants to consider only including information that will “get your foot in the door.”

The site says, “Every bit of information on it should be selling your value to potential employers...You may leave out organization names that disclose your cultural background, religious affiliation, sexual orientation and other possible targets of discrimination."

So, what to do with this information?   Well, I think that it certainly indicates what is becoming apparent in our society:  attitudes toward people of faith have changed.  In a report on the survey at ReligionNews.com, University of Connecticut sociology professor Michael Wallace, who led the studies, is quoted as saying that, “We have kind of a schizophrenic attitude toward religion in the U.S....We are a fairly religious country. We acknowledge religious freedom and religious diversity but at the same time, we don’t like it when religion is brought into public places such as the workplace or schools.”

Jeff Allen is quite direct on Matt Barber's BarbWire.com website.  He writes, "...these two studies are providing a quantitative value to what many of us have known for quite some time – a growing number of employers have a palpable animus towards the faith of prospective candidates. This also exposes the sad fact that there is currently a new unwritten anti-religious employment qualification: People of faith need not apply."

You may remember that in one of my conversations at ICRS, a guest highlighted how at one time in our culture, there was a religious predisposition, resulting in a greater openness to matters of faith.  Now, it is possible that Christians who wish to share their faith have to demonstrate the authenticity and attractiveness of that faith before they even begin the conversation.

I tend to be a "full disclosure" kind of guy, so I would have difficulty not including this faith participation on my resume if I were applying for a job.   But, I want to share a thought I had about each of our spiritual resumes.   The employment resume is building a case for a person to be hired by a business or company - it's telling a story.   Well, each of us has the components for a spiritual resume.  We are not presenting that information and telling that story in order to be accepted by or "hired" by the Lord - and I am very thankful for that.

But, as Christians, our faith in Christ and our true identity cannot be separated.   And, our spiritual resume becomes a documentation of God's faithfulness to us.  So, we are building a history that essentially validates who we are in Christ and what He has done in us.

Praying In the Name of Jesus

In Psalm 33, we read a passage that describes a sovereign God who is involved in the lives of individual people, and, I believe, in the operation of nations:
10The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; He makes the plans of the peoples of no effect.11The counsel of the Lord stands forever, The plans of His heart to all generations.12Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, The people He has chosen as His own inheritance.

A blessed nation is one that puts God first, right?   That's what verse 12 says.  And, our leaders have the choice whether or not to align with God and His wisdom, relying on His providence - or not.  We can follow His counsel, which I believe the brave founders of this nation did, or reject His principles and experience the removal of His hand upon our country.   I think we can see that America is deeply divided with respect to whether or not we rely on God.   That's why it's so important that we come before the Lord in prayer - for our leaders, for an awareness of the Lord, and for revival in our land.  Spiritual awakening will come only as the church takes seriously the issues at hand, speaking to God fervently and being willing to speak to our culture boldly.

Daniel can be a great inspiration to us - he was a man who trusted in God for wisdom, who was intent on living in a "set apart" manner, who would not cease to pray, even though he was told not to.  Because of God's strategic positioning of this man in the lives of leaders, he had enormous influence.  He courageously stepped up to interpret the king's dream.  He said in Daniel chapter 2:
20Daniel answered and said: "Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, For wisdom and might are His.21And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise And knowledge to those who have understanding.22He reveals deep and secret things; He knows what is in the darkness, And light dwells with Him.

In Carroll County, Maryland earlier this year, a commissioner opened up a meeting with a prayer, which had been the tradition in the county until a Federal judge had barred Carroll County commissioners from invoking Jesus Christ in their pre-meeting prayers. According to the Baltimore Sun, Commissioner Robin B. Frazier did just that — twice — saying she was willing to go to jail for her beliefs.

She said, “That is an infringement on my First Amendment rights of free speech, and I think it is a wrong ruling...," before starting a prayer that included the line, “Let thy blessings guide this day and forever, through Jesus Christ.”

Barnett is quoted by the Sun as saying, “This might be a good opportunity to demonstrate how our Founding Fathers, and leaders all throughout our history, have upheld the idea that we are a nation based on biblical principles.” She went on to say, “We're one nation under God, and I believe that's where our inalienable rights come from.”

She said that she would be using the words of George Washington as she prayed, quoting, “I beseech thee, for the sake of him in whom thou art well pleased, the Lord Jesus Christ, to admit me to render thee deserved thanks and praises for thy manifold mercies extended toward me.” Even though there has been some doubt cast on whether or not Washington said the prayer, I still believe her point is clear and valid.

Her stance drew a written warning from the residents who sued the county to stop the prayers, which they say excludes people who don’t share the commissioners’ beliefs. In a letter to the board’s lawyers, the plaintiffs had said they would seek contempt charges if she did not back down.

In a statement in response to the ruling, the County Commission said that it would continue to fight the case in court but recognized that the judge's ruling had the force of law. The members “respect the judge’s position in our American legal system,” the statement continued.

The judge had issued a temporary injunction saying that the commissioners can continue to pray at the beginning of meetings but must refrain from mentioning deities linked to any specific faith. He rejected an argument that the board members were praying in a personal capacity, writing that the invocations amounted to “government speech.”

The commissioners’ statement said they believe the term “Lord of Lords, King of Kings, creator of planet Earth and the universe and our own creator” and several others would pass legal muster.

The board added that it “does not discriminate against anyone based on their religious beliefs or non-beliefs.”

The Sun reported that the board had suspended its practice of allowing so-called, "sectarian" prayers, but after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Town of Greece, New York, the judge who had issued the original order lifted his injunction, and the board voted unanimously to resume its prayers.

Commissioner Richard Rothschild voiced his support, saying, "I think our system of government is derived from Judeo-Christian principles, and it's important to recognize those principles now in government."

The commissioners plan to take turns leading prayers to open meetings.

Rothschild called hearing Frazier say the first prayer after the removal of the judge's order a "freeing" experience.

"I thought to myself that I could now pray consistent with my conscience, and no longer violate my own spiritual beliefs."

According to Amy Howe's analysis of the Greece decision on the SCOTUS Blog website,

Nearly thirty years ago, in a case called Marsh v. Chambers, the Supreme Court held that the Nebraska legislature’s practice of beginning its sessions with a prayer by a chaplain who was paid by the state did not violate the Constitution...Today, by a bare majority, the Court agreed.

She pointed out that the Court said that nothing in the Marsh decision suggested that legislative prayer can only be constitutional if it uses “neutral” language that refers “only to a generic God.” She surmises that to the contrary, the members of Congress who wrote the First Amendment would have expected prayers to contain exactly the kind of “explicitly religious themes” about which the plaintiffs complained.

It's been quite a remarkable year from the high court, including the Greece case and the Hobby Lobby decision - but that fact that these were 5-4 decisions underscores the deep divide concerning the expression of faith.  The divide exists, but that doesn't mean that we should be intimidated when it comes to publicly expressing who we are as Christians.   And, we can disagree about our means of expression of faith without being divisive or provocative.   

On this day before Independence Day, we can reflect on the rich Christian heritage that has been present throughout the history of our nation.  There is evidence in the writings and the actions of those whom we call our Founding Fathers that a reliance on God was paramount in their lives, and we can see evidence of God's hand to sustain our nation.   And, as our personal faith in Christ drives our public practice, we can be encouraged that the concept of religious freedom is foundational in the history of this nation.  We can be motivated to be bold in our faith and compassionate in our countenance.

Failure - Not the End of the Story

I believe the Scriptures teaches that we are not to cover up our weaknesses or gloss over our failures, but to show ourselves as flawed individuals who have been transformed by the grace and power of God.  Consider this passage from 2nd Corinthians 12, where the apostle Paul is in a spiritual conversation with the Lord Himself about his "thorn in the flesh":
9And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.10Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

The apostle Paul definitely did not possess a fear of failure; in fact, he is a great example to us of how we can regard weakness in the context of God's overall strength.  If we accept that we are flawed human beings and rely on the abundant power of God, then we can be more effective in our display of His nature.  Failure is not the end of the story, it can be a springboard to a deeper and more committed walk with Christ, a life that is marked by His nature flowing through us.

I would like to think together about the abundance of grace that is available to us through Christ, and also to be encouraged to be extenders of the grace of God to others.   Here are the words of Romans 5:
15But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man's offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many.16And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned. For the judgment which came from one offense resulted in condemnation, but the free gift which came from many offenses resulted in justification.17For if by the one man's offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ...

Author and pastor J.R. Briggs has written a piece in the On Faith section of the Faith Street website that is quite provocative and can hopefully motivate us to encourage our pastors.   He says that he has repeatedly asked this question to dozens of pastors and Christian leaders.  It's:

What lies are you tempted to believe in ministry?”

Here are some of the common answers:

I have a small church, which makes me a bad and ineffective pastor.

My addiction has no effect on my congregation.

More speaking opportunities at ministry conferences means I’m a legitimate pastor.

The size of our buildings, budget, and attendance are the only viable way ministry success can be measured.

If I pastor better, God will love me more.

I can please everyone and be faithful to my calling.

If I preach better, my church will grow.

My physical health and wellbeing are not spiritual matters.

I don’t need help.

I don’t have time to rest.

God’s grace is big, but it’s not big enough to cover what I’ve done.

My personal identity is directly related to my ministry performance.

Briggs relates his own temptation to believe those answers. He poses this question: Why do we believe them?

He then writes, "Because in our time, the definition of ministry 'success' has been professionalized to the point that it mirrors mainstream American culture’s definition of success. We celebrate and perpetuate metrics of success borrowed from the pages of business management textbooks. And these metrics of success are chewing up and spitting out pastors at an alarming rate."

Here are some statistics:

1,500 pastors leave the ministry for good each month, citing burnout or contention in their churches.

80 percent of pastors (and 84 percent of pastors’ spouses) are discouraged in their roles.

Almost half of all pastors have seriously considered leaving ministry for good in the past three months.

For every 20 pastors who go into ministry, only one retires from the ministry.

50 percent of pastors say they are unable to meet the demands of their job and are so discouraged that they would leave the ministry if they could, but have no other way of making a living.

Briggs identifies what he calls a "...widespread Super Pastor mentality" that "has led us to believe that pastors never struggle, never doubt, never get discouraged, and never wrestle with feelings of failure — just because they’re pastors."

He goes on to say:

The entrance exam to the Christian life is the admission of failure. We call this “confession of sin” or “repentance.” And yet many pastors believe they can’t admit when they have failed and sinned. Dozens have told me they are petrified to open up and share how they are really doing. They feel unsafe to share their doubts, struggles, sins, and discouragement with the people they’ve been called to shepherd and serve. Instead, pastors wear masks and go into hiding, desperately hoping they won’t be exposed.

It’s a vicious cycle, one entirely absent of the very element that makes the Christian story so beautiful: grace. We pastors hide our failures, fears, doubts, and weaknesses, and grace only becomes a theological and theoretical religious term for the pulpit on Sunday mornings.

No pastor is a Super Pastor. Pastors are broken failures in need of grace. Just like you.

I really think Briggs does a good job of calling attention to some of the struggles of pastors and can hopefully provide some practical insight for all of us.  Some takeaways for us:

First, we need to make sure that we are affirming those who serve in spiritual leadership over us. We have seen statistics highlighting the discouragement of those in ministry - as members of the congregation, we can help to provide encouragement.  We designate October as a month to recognize and affirm pastors, and now is not to early to begin planning something special.  But, I think that is a great starting point to building a culture of encouragement, where pastors and their families can be built up, and can even feel comfortable enough to be vulnerable with their own personal struggles, and receive grace from the congregation.  We have to be sure that we are ready to extend that grace to our anointed leaders, who are flawed individuals, just like us.

Another thing that comes to mind is that we have to make sure that we deal with our own failures and see them as opportunities for God to do His work through our lives.   Failures, mistakes, sins - they are not the end of the story and do not disqualify us from faithful service to our King.  No, we learn from our missteps, rely on God to give us strength to take a different course in the future, and allow Him to direct our steps.   Failure should not hold us back, nor should fear of failure - because we can know that when we miss the mark, there is grace that is abundant for us.

Lessons from the Lobby

In every area of life, we are called to be witnesses for, representatives of the Lord Jesus Christ.  And, that includes the way we approach our occupation.   The Bible tells us that we are to do all things for the glory of God, and we read in 2nd Corinthians 4:
5For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus' sake.6For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

We are carriers of the light of Christ, and we are to evaluate our practices in light of His truth.  And, there will be times when we have to stand on conviction, when we are called to say "no" when seemingly the rest of the world is saying "yes," and vice versa.   So, it's important that we make up our minds to act in a manner that pleases God and make quality decisions to follow Him and stand on His principles, no matter what.  We develop this mindset through careful study of God's word and allowing His truth to shape our convictions.

We are believers in Christ, and we are entrusted with carrying His light and to stand against practices and principles that do not please Him.  Here are some strong words from John 3:
19And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.20For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.21But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God."

The anticipation had been building since the U.S. Supreme Court announced it would take not one, but two cases involving a mandate from the Federal government, the Department of Health and Human Services, requiring employers to provide contraception and potential abortion-inducing drugs in their health care plans. Two family-owned businesses, Conestoga Wood Specialties and Hobby Lobby, filed suit against the mandate, and their cases were heard by the high court earlier this year.

Yesterday, the ruling finally came.  The Alliance Defending Freedom, which represented the Hahn family, the owners of Conestoga, in a press release, said:

The U.S. Supreme Court affirmed Monday that two family-run businesses, Conestoga Wood Specialties and Hobby Lobby Stores, do not have to surrender their religious freedom in order to remain in business. The court determined that federal law protects the two families from being forced to act contrary to their beliefs by the Obama administration’s abortion pill mandate.

Alliance Defending Freedom Senior Counsel David Cortman said, “In its decision today, the Supreme Court affirmed that all Americans, including family business owners, must be free to live and work according to their beliefs without fear of government punishment. In a free and diverse society, we respect the freedom to live out our convictions. For the Hahns and the Greens, that means not being forced to participate in distributing potentially life-terminating drugs and devices.”

Lori Windham, Senior Counsel for The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty and counsel for Hobby Lobby, is quoted as saying, “This ruling will protect people of all faiths. The Court’s reasoning was clear, and it should have been clear to the government. You can’t argue there are no alternative means when your agency is busy creating alternative means for other people.”

ADF quotes from the majority opinion (RFRA=Religious Freedom Restoration Act):

“In holding that the HHS mandate is unlawful, we reject HHS’s argument that the owners of the companies forfeited all RFRA protection when they decided to organize their businesses as corporations rather than sole proprietorships or general partnerships...The plain terms of RFRA make it perfectly clear that Congress did not discriminate in this way against men and women who wish to run their businesses as for-profit corporations in the manner required by their religious beliefs.”

The dedication of both the Green and the Hahn families is inspiring, and I wanted to interject some thoughts about one of the families involved here.  The Becket Fund reports that Hobby Lobby was founded by David Green in an Oklahoma City garage in 1972 with $600 in borrowed funds, In the company’s early days, David, his wife Barbara and their two sons, Steve and Mart, would work together building frames around the kitchen table. The first retail location was just 300 square feet. Now, it has grown into more than 556 stores in 41 states, with 70 more scheduled to open this year.

The Green family believes that “it is by God’s grace and provision that Hobby Lobby has endured.” Therefore they seek to honor God by “operating the company in a manner consistent with Biblical principles.” The Greens live out their evangelical Christian faith in their business.   Their generosity toward employees and toward the culture at large is impressive.   The company's minimum full-time hourly wages are now more than 90 percent above the federal minimum wage. Minimum wages for part-time employees are also well above the average for retail. Hobby Lobby has increased its minimum wage for full-time hourly employees by $1 an hour five years in a row. In addition, the company has added thousands of jobs in the last year alone at a time of slow employment growth nationwide.

The Greens and their family businesses are fully committed to a true work-life balance for their employees. To allow them to spend time with their families, Hobby Lobby stores are open only 66 hours per week and close most nights at 8 p.m. In particular, as part of that commitment to employees and their families, Hobby Lobby stores are closed on Sundays – the most productive and profitable day of the week for any retail business.

In 2010, Founder and CEO David Green and his wife, Barbara, signed on to the Giving Pledge, agreeing to donate the majority of their wealth to philanthropy. In the letter announcing the donation, Green said, “From helping orphanages in faraway lands to helping ministries in America, Hobby Lobby has always been a tool for the Lord’s work. For me and my family, charity equals ministry, which equals the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”

So, there is a unique dedication to Christ that is evident in the work of Hobby Lobby, and I wanted to use the Green family today to share some lessons for our own practice of faith.  First of all, the Greens apparently do not separate their faith from their work.  How we approach our vocation, as Christians, is an extension of who we are as believers.   Not only do the Greens speak about their faith freely, not only do they run gospel-centered full-page ads for Christmas and Easter in major newspapers, but their practice toward their employees is an expression of their concern for the people who work for them.

And, they also see their profits as a means to fund the work of the gospel.  They apparently regard their revenues as a blessing from the Lord, and they want to use their funds to bring honor to Christ and to spread His message.

Finally, the Green family of Hobby Lobby participated in a path of significant risk regarding the HHS mandate, they stood on and pursued conviction.   When this troublesome regulation was handed down, they could have complied and probably received very little criticism or consequences.  But, that was not their approach - they felt that they had to speak out, that they did not, by their actions, want to participate in a practice that takes life.   They put their business on the line in order to uphold their convictions, and therefore the religious freedom of not only their company, but others as well.