Success

1 Corinthians 3-4

There is an inversion of power in the church. It began with Jesus who said that the first shall be last and the greatest among us is the servant of all. Paul carries on this thought by showing that the things valued by the world mean nothing in the Kingdom and that Chrisitan leadership is really servanthood.

That's the way it is in the church. I mean ideally, of course, not literally.

Literally, actually, in point of fact, the church uses the same scorecard as does the world. The one with the most (followers, buildings, staff members, money, viewers, blog readers, sales, power) wins. What was true in Corinth is largely true today.

I'm just saying.

So let's talk about it. What is a "successful" church? What is "effective" ministry?

Denominations

1 Corinthians 1-2

Simple question today, folks. Are denominations unbiblical?

Paul makes it quite clear that naming onself after a particular Christian teacher, or even after Christ himself—as if some Chrisitans don't follow Christ—is silly at best and divisive at worst.

What then should we make of denominations like The Wesleyan Church or the Lutheran Church or the Mennonites or the Disciples of Christ?

Are denominations—

A. Illegitimate, manmade divisions in the body of Christ?
B. Silly, anachronistic structures that should be abandoned?
C. God-ordained gatherings of like-minded Christians who cooperate on the mission?
D. Something else, namely ___________________ ?

Little Jewel

2 Thessalonians 1-3

I wonder if LaHaye and Jenkins got their idea from 2 Thessalonians. These were the first people to wonder if they had been "left behind" at the second coming of Christ.

This under-utilized little book is actually quite interesting and contains many points to ponder. I name but two.

What is it about Christians that makes us such easy prey for freeloaders, loafers, ne'er-do-wells?

And why, if Paul mentions sanctification so much do Christians talk about it so little?

Any Day Now

1 Thessalonians 4-5

Wow. There's a lot packed into these little chapters.

The return of Christ is what gets all the press in 1 Thessalonians, but notice how many times Paul mentions these themes as well:

Sexual morality
Sanctification
Responsibility (vs. idleness)

How would you summarize the content of these chapters in a single sentence?

We're Good

1 Thessalonians 1-3

How much nurture do baby Chrisitans need in order to grow up in the faith? Paul seems concerned that he had to leave these folks, but Timothy's report finds them growing in good order.

The Corinthians, as we'll see, had a brilliant assistant pastor named Apollos to take up after Paul, but they were plagued with problems.

Maybe pastors do more harm than good? Is it possible that some of the Christian groups who downplay the role of professional clergy actually have the right idea?

Feel free to comment on this passage, the Parable of the Sower, or the explosive growth of the church in China--after all the missionaries left.

Apocalypse

Acts 27-28

These chapters represent a huge shift in the life and ministry of Paul. He has been under arrest for some five years now. While is not actually in jail (more like house arrest), he has limited freedom. He is able to preach the gospel in Rome--a longtime ambition--but only under guard. Wiith Paul immobilized, his enemies within the church became more aggressive, and his later letters deal heavily with answering critics and combatting false teaching.

Tradition holds that Paul was released from this imprisonment shortly after the book of Acts comes to a close but was imprisoned again martyred within four years.

How would you respond if your greatest achievement and greatest hardship came at the same time?

Live by the Sword . . .

Acts 25-26

Paul has been adept at manipulating the system, up to a point. Having gotten himself arrested (did he have to go to Jerusalem?), he has deftly used internicene conflict, language, rights delcarations, intelligence reports, and rhetoric to his advantage. If being in prison for three years can be considered an advantage.

Now, in an attempt to avoid being extradited back to Jerusalem (and certain death), he appeals the the Supreme Court, as it were, and for a trail before Caesar.

That's fine, excpet that he could have been released if he hadn't asked to be tried in Rome.

Can you think of a time when your use of politics (even at church) has backfired?

Can you think of a time when God has used your lame machinations for a good result--in spite of your ineptitude?

He's good at that.

I Plead the Fifth

Acts 23-24

Paul's trial before Felix marks the first time the church (rather than Jesus) was called to account in a civil court. While Paul discouraged Christians from bringing lawsuits against one another (see 1 Cor. 6), he himself was no stranger to the courts.

If your church were a defendant in a civil lawsuit, what guidelines do you think should govern it's behavior. Would this be an occasion to present the gospel to the world? Are there certain legal tactics you would or would not use?

What about bringing a lawsuit against an unbeliever? Is that something you would consider doing? On what possible grounds?

My Country Tis of Thee

Acts 21-22

Paul has an interesting habit of playing the Rome card when it suits him. Most of the time, he's content to identify himself as a Jew. A Hebrew speaker. A son of Israel.

But when it serves his purpose, he speaks perfect Greek (the common language of the ancient world) and stands on his rights as a freeborn citizen of Rome.

To what extent is it permissible (or advisable) to use the state to advance the gospel. Do you suppose that Paul would have passed a law banning abortion if he could have? Would that have been a help in spreading the good news about Jesus? What about making prayer in schools compulsory?

We're citizens of the state, and we have the right to lobby the government and to vote. Don't we?

Movement

Acts 19-20

What did the city clerk in Ephesus have in common with Gamaliel, the Pharisee from Jerusalem?

They both recognized that if God is truly behind something, it cannot be stopped. A movement of God needs no defense and cannot be opposed.

Here's my question: Everywhere Paul went, there were riots; everywhere I go, they serve brunch. What am I doing wrong?

It's Not Easy Being Green

Acts 17-18

Our boy Paul is having some problems. He's getting run out of the synagogue, run out of town, hounded from place to place, and finally laughed off the hill. All for standing up for Jesus.

Not everybody latches right on to the idea that God had a son, allowed him to die, then raised him from the dead.

IYHO (in your humble opinion), what is the hardest part about communicating the truth about Jesus to the people in your culture?

I'll Just Take My Toys and Go Home

Acts 15-16

London to Philly to Indy to bed. That was our day yesterday. We're glad to be home and have way too much to tell. I'll blog more tomorrow when my brain and my body are finally united in one time zone.

In the meantime, let's try to get everybody on the same page. What's up with this Jerusalem Council? And Paul and Barnanbas? When is it OK for Christians to part ways? When should they tough it out and stick together?

Home Sweet Home

Acts 13-14

Rats. It's over already. And I didn't even get to meet Sir Paul. We'll be back in the Corn Belt by suppertime.

So you think you want to start a church? List the problems you see here, and the opportunities. What advice would you give to a would-be missionary?

Bringing in the Sheaves

Acts 11-12

Heather and I are privileged to speak together at two congregations in Surrey, morning and evening. I can't think of a better end for our visit than to worship with believers here.

From Jerusalem to Antioch, the center of gravity is shifting in the church. That's happening now, by the way. In 2050, which country do you think will send the most missionaries? Brazil? Nigeria?

Pillars of the Church

Acts 9-10

Today Heather will speak several times at the Lilies Counselling Centre. Heather's story is extremely powerful. We are praying that God will use it to bring hope to many people throughout this day.

Back in Acts, here they are: Saul and Peter, the stalwarts of the early church. Compare them. Contrast them. Which do you most identify with?

Church Growth

Acts 7-8

We travel to Eastleigh today, where I will speak to the Kairos men's group at St. Thomas Church. I'm very excited for this opportunity, for I have a great desire to motivate men to live thier faith.

Blogwise, riddle me this: Would we have a church if there had been no persecution?

Final Answer?

Acts 5-6

Tonight, Heather will appear on the "Cross Talk" live television program from 9:00 to 10:00 pm. Much of our day will be preparing for that, plus maybe some fish 'n' chips. It is London, after all.

PS: If the Holy Spirit is so real and powerful, why, oh why, does the church keep having problems?

The Perfect Church?

Acts 3-4

This is day two of touring London. More double-decker rides, then we're going to a show. Wow. They even have Broadway over here!

Close your eyes and picture the Jerusalem church. How is your church like it? How is it different? Is that OK?

My Heart Strangely Warmed

Acts 1-2

This is day one of touring London. Look for me at City Road Chapel, birthplace of the Methodist Movement. For a guy who has wesleyan.org in his name, that'll be a highlight.

BTW ... why don't more churches choose their leader by rolling dice? Are smarter? More faithful? What do you think?

Can You Say "Jet Lag"?

Luke 23-24

You know, there's a lot of water between Philadelphia and London. We're hoping for early check in at the hotel followed by a crash-and-burn style nap. After that, who knows? Maybe dinner at one of London's famous Indian restaurants.

The Walk to Emmaus appears only here in Scripture. What do you think they talked about?

PS: Whenever Heather and I travel, we manage to come up with some kind of adventure. This time, our flight was delayed leaving Indy for over two hours. Meanwhile, Lydia was en route to Philadelphia to meet us, unaware that we were MIA and in danger of missing our London connection. One of Daddy's worst nightmares is sitting by helplessly while his baby girl gets stranded alone in an unfamiliar city. Rather than panic about it (my first reaction, always), Heather suggested that we pray. Duh. Shortly thereafter, a very helpful gate agent got a message to Lydia in Philly to let her know our status, and we did finally get there just in time to hook up with Lydia and run to catch our London flight.

Maybe God does care about the details of our lives?

After a long flight and a seemingly longer bus ride, we're safely in our hotel. Now we're headed out in search of an Indian restaurant. All you have to do is swing a dead cat to find one.

Across the Pond

Luke 21-22

Hey Team ... Today Heather, my daughter Lydia, and I are headed for England today. We're excited about visiting the UK (my first, Heather's third) and some humbling ministry opportunities.

I'm committed to reading every day, but I may not have much time to blog.

Please help all of us stay on track by posting a comment or two throughout the week. I'll chime in if I can snag any free wireless time.

Cheerio!

For today's reading, how much like Peter are you? Would you have picked up the sword? Denied Jesus? Any connection?

You Know You're a Hypocrite When

Luke 19-20

Being a hypocrite is like having bad breath. Everybody knows it but you.

Wouldn't it be great if there was a handy tool, a self-evaluation to help us figure out whether or or not we're being hypocritical. I'm picturing a Jeff Foxworthy sort of a thing.

You know you're a hypocrite when—

• You give the finger to a slow driver because you don't want to be late for church.
• You insist on paying tithe on your lottery winnings.
• You ask your husband if you butt's too big and get mad when he tells you the truth.
• You swear in front of our kids but not in front of the preacher.
• You . . .

G'head, fill in the blank.

Not Until You Beg

Luke 17-18

In myBible, these chapters begin with what Art Fleming would have called "Potpourri"—a collection of miscellaneous material which NRSV editors have imaginatively labelled "Some Sayings of Jesus."

But it's in this soup-to-nuts collection that we find some of the most intriguing and challenging of Jesus' teachings.

In particular, I'm looking at this saying on forgiveness, a variation on the old "70 x 7" routine. Here Jesus says to forgive somebody 7 times a day, if they are repentant. In other words, forgive them whenever they ask. No limit.

Really?

Seven times a day for lying to you?
For gossiping about you?
For stealing from you?
For cheating on you?

I know what you're doing. Same thing I am—looking for a loophole.

Find one?

Play It Again

Luke 15-16

Jesus was a great storyteller, and these chapters are his greatest hits—the best of his stories collected in one spot.

• The Lost Sheep
• The Lost Coin
• The Prodigal Son
• The Dishonest Manager
• The Rich Man and Lazarus

Which one is your favorite, and why?

(PS: Yesterday I heard an outstanding sermon by a very promsing young preacher who is also one of my authors, Jeremy Summers. What blew me away was that rather than reading his Scripture text, Jeremy recited it from memory—John 15:1-17. That lent much more emotion to the passage than simple reading usually does and heightened the impact of his message. Maybe we should all be memorizing a bit of Scripture?)

The Year in Between

Luke 13-14

"Sir, let it alone for one more year, until I dig round it and put manure on it. If it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down."

In a good economy, it's easy to get by with underachievment. And that's what most of us do, spiritually. We putz around at the Christian life. We fight temptation—part of the time. We pray occasionally.

We love others, sort of. We honor God just enough to get a "satisfactory" review. But we're not doing a great deal to deepen our relationship with God, love others deeply, or advance the Kingdom.

That'll fly for now, but not forever. A time of judgment is coming. It would be impossible to read Jesus' teaching without seeing that. Sometime—next year?—it'll be in or out, fish or cut bait, produce fruit or be cast into the fire.

What is the "fruit" you will produce 365 days from now?

Where'd They Go Wrong?

Luke 11-12

I always feel a teeny bit of sympathy for the Pharisees and thier comrades, the lawyers and scribes. These people—

• Studied scripture
• Tithed their wealth
• Associated themselves with people of good reputation
• Attended church (well, Temple or synagogue, but religious services in any case)
• Lived blameless lives

These are all the things I've tried to do and taught my kids to do as well. Most of you have too.

Yet they missed the point entirely. They were religious but unspiritual, diligent but ungodly, righteous but unloving.

How does that happen? Could it happen to you?

We Four, No More

Luke 9-10

John answered, "Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he does not follow with us." But Jesus said to him, "Do not stop him; for whoever is not against you is for you."

Why do religious people always want to make their faith an exclusive club? Even we Christians, who are bent on making converts, are usually trying to attract people who look, act, dress, and think as we do. It goes without saying that they'll share our taste in music.

Maybe it's a control issue?

I hate to be the one to break it to you, but that's not gonna hold up. Jesus is about making the circle wider. So when people who tick you off have big success in ministry, you've got to get over it.

Be honest. Who would you most like to see join your church? Brad Pitt? Barak Obama (he's looking)?

And who would you least like to see? Your ex? George W. Bush?

Dude. It's a kingdom, not a club.

Quid pro Quo

Luke 7-8

What you get from God your relationship with God usually depends on what you put into it. That's the rule around Jesus. You see that in—

The Sinful Woman. People who have been forgiven for a lot are very grateful. So, people who approach God with a sense of entitlement and are stingy toward others obviously haven't developed much of a relatinship with God.

The Centurion. People who have big faith get big results. That was true also for the woman wo was sick for 12 years.

The Sower. People who receive God's Word with an honest and good heart go on to be effective in the Kingdom, while those who get distracted by money, TV, the Internet or whatever, don't.

Is that pretty much the way it works?

If so, based on what you are now putting into your relationship with God, what do you expect to get back?

What Would Jesus Tip?

Luke 5-6

Reading two chapters of the Bible every day is like drinking your morning coffee from a firehose. There's way too much to ponder here.

I'll settle for this one jewel from the crown—the crown being Jesus' Sermon on the Plain (more popularly known as the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew's Gospel).

Jesus said, "Forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap; for the measure you give will be the measure you get back."

Let's name a few practical things we could do today to put this advice to work. I'll say one to get us started:

• Overtip a waiter, even when the service is lousy.

Your turn.

1950, Here I Come

Luke 3-4

John the Baptist was a throwback. I'm talking about old school. A fire-breather. An Amos-and-Elijah style prophet. A real man of God.

Listen. Anytime you get tax collectors and soldiers (read gangsters) mending their ways and turning to God, you've got an old-fashioned revival on your hands.

But that wasn't it. That wasn't the big show. Jesus didn't come to turn back the clock 700 years to the days of Elijah. He came to bring a new day. JB was just setting the table. The main event was good news, healing, freedom ... for everybody.

Not surprisingly, lots of people weren't ready for that.

So what about you? Are you hoping God will bring back the glorious past? Or are you interested in the future?

You've Got to Be Kidding

Luke 1-2

Luke wants to write an "orderly account" of the life of Jesus (and the early church), but few things are more disorderly than God getting involved in the lives of people.

Mary swallowed the whole thing hook, line, and sinker, but Zechariah seems to voice a more common reaction to hearing God's plan for your life: "I don't believe it." Why are the people who pray for God's help so unlikely to accept it when it comes.

So what about you? What is God trying to do in your life right now. And is your reaction to it more like Mary's or Zechariah's?