I've been doing a lot of reading about a strategy for organizational change called Appreciative Inquiry. While it's not new to the corporate world it seems to be rather slow in catching on in churches. The premise of AI is that all organizations have some positive things going on. By capturing the spirit of those positive things the organization should be able to move forward much more quickly without spending so much time, energy and money on putting out the fires of "problem solving." As I've read the case studies and poured over the concepts I've been struck by the simplicity of the concept. But I've also begun to see some of the Biblical basis for this change strategy.
Jesus' introductory discourse (Matt 5-7) is built on the concept of highlighting successes. The Beatitudes as we call them, are pronouncements of blessing because of the attitudes and actions of those who receive the blessing. The basis of the gospel message is one of recounting the victory of Jesus' over sin and death with an eye toward our own similar victory (1 Cor 15). The entire letter to the Hebrew Christians is filled with stories of the successes of Christians and was written for the specific purpose of showing the strength of an enduring faith in Jesus Christ.
As I continue my journey toward the educational pinnacle of a Doctor of Ministry degree, I am looking forward to employing the principles of AI in helping the congregation I serve to become a highly evangelistic, productive body of God's people. With His help, our memories and the sharing of stories we will do just that.
Monday, October 17, 2011
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Fall is in the air
Our move from East Texas to Maryland is complete. Of course, every move brings changes that are rather obvious...new house, new routes to learn, new church familes to meet and new regional "worldviews" to name a few. One change that we often forget about though is the climate difference. When we left Texas we were in the middle of an awful drought. The daily temperatures were still rather summer-like and there was no real relief in sight. We arrived in the D. C. area to steady rain, temperatures that were some 30 degrees less than what we had been experiencing and leave that were beginning to make their wonderful color known.
As I've observed those differences I've been reminded of God's amazing work of creation. Each year it plays out for us all over again. The seasons bring their unique perspectives of life, the terrain shows off the mighty hand of God in the rising and falling of hills and the streams and rivers exhibit the power of the Lord to provide all that we each need on a constant basis. The reminders that I am experiencing right now take me back to the words of the apostle Paul in Romans 1 when he wrote, "For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities--His eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made so that men are without excuse."
That's right...nature reminds us that God exists and that we rely exclusively on Him for our very existence.
I pray that as Fall sets in whereever you live you will be able to be reminded of His providing hand, His unmatched power and His amazing love.
As I've observed those differences I've been reminded of God's amazing work of creation. Each year it plays out for us all over again. The seasons bring their unique perspectives of life, the terrain shows off the mighty hand of God in the rising and falling of hills and the streams and rivers exhibit the power of the Lord to provide all that we each need on a constant basis. The reminders that I am experiencing right now take me back to the words of the apostle Paul in Romans 1 when he wrote, "For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities--His eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made so that men are without excuse."
That's right...nature reminds us that God exists and that we rely exclusively on Him for our very existence.
I pray that as Fall sets in whereever you live you will be able to be reminded of His providing hand, His unmatched power and His amazing love.
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Another Beginning
This coming Sunday, October 9th my morning sermon will be entitled, "New Beginnings". In this 2 lesson series we'll explore some of the opportunities we've been given to start all over again in light of the new ministry we have begun with the Silver Spring church. Inmy research for that lesson I opened the Christian Chronicle online and read the story of a new sister in Christ. It's always thrilling to hear of the new birth of another of God's children but this one was different...this babe in Christ is 108 years old! That's right, she was baptized at the age of 108!!!
When she was born electricity hadn't reached very many in our nation! She was only 42 years removed from the Civil War. But at that advanced age she came to understand that it's never too late to start over again. The lesson is clear and simple...in Christ Jesus, every person is new, every morning is amazing and every opportunity presented is another new beginning.
My prayer is that I will NEVER waste a single new beginning as I try to show my great God how much I love Him and appreciate what He has given to me...a new beginning with an awesome ending!
When she was born electricity hadn't reached very many in our nation! She was only 42 years removed from the Civil War. But at that advanced age she came to understand that it's never too late to start over again. The lesson is clear and simple...in Christ Jesus, every person is new, every morning is amazing and every opportunity presented is another new beginning.
My prayer is that I will NEVER waste a single new beginning as I try to show my great God how much I love Him and appreciate what He has given to me...a new beginning with an awesome ending!
Monday, September 12, 2011
A Heart to Work
The last half of Nehemiah 4:7 records, "the people worked with all their heart." Taken out of context this could be a confusing statement. But when you consider it in the story of Nehemiah it becomes a powerful reminder of what God's people are capable of doing when they make the choice to work side by side in service to God and each other.
The wall of Jerusalem had been destroyed several decades earlier. Under the leadership of Nehemiah the people had undertaken the monumental task of rebuilding the wall, both as a means of protection and, possibly more importantly, as a psychological reminder that their Capitol City was once again a vibrant, important place. We can't begin to imagine the hardship these folks endured in order to accomplish the task. What we can understand though is that they had a desire to see this project finished...they had a personal stake in successfully rebuiling this wall.
The statement at the end of chapter 4:7 tells us how important it was to them. They poured themselves into it. They sacrificed to make certain it was completed. They set aside things that were important in their lives in order to accomplish this unified mission.
As their leader, Nehemiah understood the importance of relying on the power of God to get the job done. He knew they would get discouraged and that there would be opposition. But he also knew that God had brought him to this particular place to accomplish this construction project so he showed the people the power of God by leading them through the process.
There are many lessons that can be gained from a close study of the book of Nehemiah. There is none more important though than to see the power of a unified body of believers allowing the strength of God to push them far beyond what they ever imagined they could do. It's time for Christians in the 21st century to learn that lesson and put it into practice.
The wall of Jerusalem had been destroyed several decades earlier. Under the leadership of Nehemiah the people had undertaken the monumental task of rebuilding the wall, both as a means of protection and, possibly more importantly, as a psychological reminder that their Capitol City was once again a vibrant, important place. We can't begin to imagine the hardship these folks endured in order to accomplish the task. What we can understand though is that they had a desire to see this project finished...they had a personal stake in successfully rebuiling this wall.
The statement at the end of chapter 4:7 tells us how important it was to them. They poured themselves into it. They sacrificed to make certain it was completed. They set aside things that were important in their lives in order to accomplish this unified mission.
As their leader, Nehemiah understood the importance of relying on the power of God to get the job done. He knew they would get discouraged and that there would be opposition. But he also knew that God had brought him to this particular place to accomplish this construction project so he showed the people the power of God by leading them through the process.
There are many lessons that can be gained from a close study of the book of Nehemiah. There is none more important though than to see the power of a unified body of believers allowing the strength of God to push them far beyond what they ever imagined they could do. It's time for Christians in the 21st century to learn that lesson and put it into practice.
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Answered Prayer
It never ceases to amaze me, even though I really shouldn't be surprised, when the blessings continue to roll. We continually read of how faithful God is in fulfilling His promises, taking care of His people and answering prayers, but the truth is, we find ourselves somewhat taken aback when those blessings, care and answers are aimed squarely at us.
Over the past several months I've been on my knees on a constant basis asking the Lord to lead me where I can be used the most effectively. We've agonized over doors that opened and then shut, doors that never opened we wished would and even doors that we had no idea were there. We've listened as He has allowed us to peek through windows of opportunity and then watched as He pulled the blinds on them.
Just over a week ago the final door opened and we were allowed to step through it. Our continued prayer has resulted in a difinitive answer. The funny thing is...I was surprised when that answer came. I was relieved, overjoyed and yes, surprised. I guess it's really not funny at all...odd is a better description. After all, I claim to believe in the power of prayer so why should I be surprised when He answers? Some would say that's the "human" response and I suppose they are right. But prayer is a faithbased understanding of God's amazing work in our lives. It allows us to open ourselves to His voice, His leading, His plans and be grateful when He blesses us with obvious answers.
Now, as we follow His lead we will work at being honestly open to further answers and blessings as He sends them our way.
Over the past several months I've been on my knees on a constant basis asking the Lord to lead me where I can be used the most effectively. We've agonized over doors that opened and then shut, doors that never opened we wished would and even doors that we had no idea were there. We've listened as He has allowed us to peek through windows of opportunity and then watched as He pulled the blinds on them.
Just over a week ago the final door opened and we were allowed to step through it. Our continued prayer has resulted in a difinitive answer. The funny thing is...I was surprised when that answer came. I was relieved, overjoyed and yes, surprised. I guess it's really not funny at all...odd is a better description. After all, I claim to believe in the power of prayer so why should I be surprised when He answers? Some would say that's the "human" response and I suppose they are right. But prayer is a faithbased understanding of God's amazing work in our lives. It allows us to open ourselves to His voice, His leading, His plans and be grateful when He blesses us with obvious answers.
Now, as we follow His lead we will work at being honestly open to further answers and blessings as He sends them our way.
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Reaching Up, Reaching Out, Reaching In
There are many churches that have adopted a variant of the Reaching Up, Reaching Out, Reaching In motto. It's easy to remember and can spur interest in the programs the church has determined to employ. I certainly like the concept and firmly believe that it captures the essence of the Christian life. I wonder sometimes though how much energy our churches have put into making this concept the overarching principle of their various ministries.
We typically look at Reaching Up as pertaining to our corporate worship on Sunday morning. But when the Lord was asked about the greatest or most important command He quoted Deuteronomy 6:5, reminding those who heard Him that Reaching Up is supposed to be a constant part of life (Mk 12:30). By giving ourselves entirely to God we surrender self and focus on His amazing love and grace. I can't help but think of Paul's instruction to the Roman Christians when he told them, "...offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship" (Ro 12:1).
The idea of Reaching Out is a reminder of the second half of the greatest command, "Love your neighbor as yourself" (Mk 12:31). While we seldom look at this passage as a call to evangelism the truth is, there is no greater way to prove our love for our neighbor than to introduce them to the Great Physician. Far too often we emphasize acts of benevolence and fellowship as our programs that fulfill our desire to Reach Out and offer all kinds of excuses for not providing the Bread of Life instead of the Loaves and Fish. Yes, feeding the hungry, clothing the naked and meeting the emotional needs of those around us is part of reaching out. But when those areas of work become the focus of Reaching Out I'm afraid we've missed the real mission of the church.
We have become very good at Reaching In...at least reaching in to the people that are most like us. We are social animals that truly need Chrstian fellowship. We certainly need to spend recreational time with our spiritual family and build lifelong relationships. But we can't allow ball games and visits to the local buffet become the focus of our congregational activities. Our Christian associations must be aimed at all Christians, regardless of their backgrounds, current social standing or marital status. We need to seek ways to, "...consider how to spur one another on to good deeds...(and) encourage one another...) (Heb 10:24-25). We all understand that the world won't help us walk more righteously. We need sweet fellowship with the saints that emphasizes our mutual spiritual growth, that turns ballgames and buffets into opportunities to give a helping hand in reaching our common goal of living life showing our appreciation for the grace God has poured out on us.
Next time you look at the motto "Reaching Up, Reaching Out, Reaching In" I pray that it will bring to your mind the awesome life God has granted us. I hope it will push you to review the things in your life and determine to make each one match up with something in that motto. I pray that the churches that have adopted it will find themselves weighing their activities to see if they are truly accomplishing what they say they are.
We typically look at Reaching Up as pertaining to our corporate worship on Sunday morning. But when the Lord was asked about the greatest or most important command He quoted Deuteronomy 6:5, reminding those who heard Him that Reaching Up is supposed to be a constant part of life (Mk 12:30). By giving ourselves entirely to God we surrender self and focus on His amazing love and grace. I can't help but think of Paul's instruction to the Roman Christians when he told them, "...offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship" (Ro 12:1).
The idea of Reaching Out is a reminder of the second half of the greatest command, "Love your neighbor as yourself" (Mk 12:31). While we seldom look at this passage as a call to evangelism the truth is, there is no greater way to prove our love for our neighbor than to introduce them to the Great Physician. Far too often we emphasize acts of benevolence and fellowship as our programs that fulfill our desire to Reach Out and offer all kinds of excuses for not providing the Bread of Life instead of the Loaves and Fish. Yes, feeding the hungry, clothing the naked and meeting the emotional needs of those around us is part of reaching out. But when those areas of work become the focus of Reaching Out I'm afraid we've missed the real mission of the church.
We have become very good at Reaching In...at least reaching in to the people that are most like us. We are social animals that truly need Chrstian fellowship. We certainly need to spend recreational time with our spiritual family and build lifelong relationships. But we can't allow ball games and visits to the local buffet become the focus of our congregational activities. Our Christian associations must be aimed at all Christians, regardless of their backgrounds, current social standing or marital status. We need to seek ways to, "...consider how to spur one another on to good deeds...(and) encourage one another...) (Heb 10:24-25). We all understand that the world won't help us walk more righteously. We need sweet fellowship with the saints that emphasizes our mutual spiritual growth, that turns ballgames and buffets into opportunities to give a helping hand in reaching our common goal of living life showing our appreciation for the grace God has poured out on us.
Next time you look at the motto "Reaching Up, Reaching Out, Reaching In" I pray that it will bring to your mind the awesome life God has granted us. I hope it will push you to review the things in your life and determine to make each one match up with something in that motto. I pray that the churches that have adopted it will find themselves weighing their activities to see if they are truly accomplishing what they say they are.
Thursday, August 18, 2011
In Control
In my Wednesday night Bible class we are doing an overview of the Bible. Quite often an overview turns into a multi-year project that focuses on every verse but this is truly an overview. I've dug out a theme for each book, selected specific chapters that I believe are key to understanding the theme and even tried to narrow a verse or two as central to revealing the purpose of the book. By following these outlines we're generally able to get through four or five books each week.
One of the books we looked at last night was the book of Job. As I was doing my own review of Job it dawned on me that this is a book that teaches one very simple yet difficult to accept truth: No matter what is happening in life, our God is not only in control, He is always worthy of our praise and honor.
For some of you that may be a "DUH!" But I believe that for most of us it's a fact that we have verbally acknowledged but haven't completely bought into. We tend to believe that, because we know ourselves and our circumstances, we are best equipped to handle things ourselves. Job seemed to have that idea. He was so confident in himself that He was willing to verbally challenge the Lord.
What I find amazing though, is that when I rely on my own ability to control situations and circumstances, they almost always get messed up. When I humble myself to the point of truly allowing God to lead, those difficult times and decisions become much easier to deal with. Perhaps that's why James said, "Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up" (Jas 4:10).
One of the books we looked at last night was the book of Job. As I was doing my own review of Job it dawned on me that this is a book that teaches one very simple yet difficult to accept truth: No matter what is happening in life, our God is not only in control, He is always worthy of our praise and honor.
For some of you that may be a "DUH!" But I believe that for most of us it's a fact that we have verbally acknowledged but haven't completely bought into. We tend to believe that, because we know ourselves and our circumstances, we are best equipped to handle things ourselves. Job seemed to have that idea. He was so confident in himself that He was willing to verbally challenge the Lord.
What I find amazing though, is that when I rely on my own ability to control situations and circumstances, they almost always get messed up. When I humble myself to the point of truly allowing God to lead, those difficult times and decisions become much easier to deal with. Perhaps that's why James said, "Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up" (Jas 4:10).
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