Attempt Great Things for Who?

“Expect great things; attempt great things.” Originally spoken in his sermon to the Baptist Association meeting in Northampton, England, May 30, 1792, William Carey, the “father” of the modern missionary movement, used the citation to urge his Baptist colleagues to enter the missionary enterprise.  It formed the twofold division of his sermon, framing the challenge he set before them.  Today, we see the quote paraphrased often by agencies and individuals as “Expect great things from God; attempt great things for God.”

I believe this admonition is extremely relevant today.  Can I get an amen?  Isn’t the single-most important focus for believers today to attempt great things for the cause of Christ?  There might be a hindrance, however, when we interpret this challenge from a fleshly viewpoint rather than a spiritual viewpoint.  Attempting great things for God elicits the common inclination to focus on accomplishments.  The pride slips in—“Look what I’ve done.”  We may get impatient—“I’m doing all the right things, why isn’t something happening?”  Discontentment rears its ugly head—“I thought all of this would make me happy.”  Jealousy may become a factor—“Look what they did.  I am attempting greater things than they are.”  Even material gain enters the picture—“If we attempt this, we will certainly get more results and we can do more stuff.”

When attempting great things for the cause of Christ, let’s be careful to observe our motives and attitudes.  These reveal a good deal about our relationship with the Lord and whether we are motivated spiritually rather than fleshly.  Here are some wise things to consider about the things we attempt:

The ways of success should not be reduced to a formula. Dependence on past successes lead to an independent spirit, rather than a dependent spirit where you are looking to God for purpose and direction.  I am afraid that churches tend to adopt the “how to” methods of secular businesses, looking for the factors of success and applying them across the board to the management of a successful spiritual enterprise.

When we mimic the successful strategies of others, we eliminate our need to be problem-solvers, to think reflectively, and to look for solutions from the Lord.  Oh, all the other nations have great leaders, why can’t we have one of the same stature and success?  Our church needs a preacher like that church because they are really bringing ‘em in.  Have we not forgotten that we are fearfully and wonderfully made and that God knows the plans He has for us?

God is more concerned about our character than our accomplishments.  Accomplishments are outward, character is inward.  If you see someone attempting great things for the cause of Christ, check to see if it comes from inward motivation or from the desire to be in the position of being noticed by others.

Experiencing failure does not mean we are not accomplishing something. When we gain a holistic view of our life and when we do not compartmentalize our faith, then every component of life with its attempts and accomplishments and failures comes under the Lordship of Christ.  As expressed in Romans 8:29, we are being conformed to the likeness of Christ, conformed to His image.   Begin to live your life today not from the temporal, but from the eternal perspective.

U.S. Presidents on Their Faith and the Bible

I ran across some notes I had taken years ago from an old book, Profitable Bible Study by Wilbur M. Smith.   In my notes from this text, there were quotes from selected U.S. presidents about the Bible.  These quotes reveal much about the person and perhaps are instructive during this election year.  Also, the quotes indicate a good deal about the president’s relationship with God, their conception of their role as a national and spiritual leader, and their understanding of the importance of God’s Word in their own lives.  Here are some brief quotes for your review and consideration:

Abraham Lincoln:  “In regard to the Great Book, I have only to say, it is the best gift which God has given man.  All the good from the Savior of the world is communicated to us through this book.”

John Quincy Adams:  “So great is my veneration for the Bible and so strong my belief, that when duly read and meditated on, it is of all books in the world, that which contributes most to make men good, wise, and happy.”

Andrew Jackson:  “The Bible is the rock on which our republic rests.”

Woodrow Wilson:  “I am sorry for the men who do not read the Bible daily.  I wonder why they deprive themselves of the strength and the pleasure.  I should be afraid to go forward if I did not believe that there lay at the foundation of all our schooling and all our thought this incomparable and unimpeachable Word of God.”

In November, 2008, we face an important decision as a nation—who do we vote for to lead this nation?  As a Christ follower, I want to carefully and prayerfully consider the impact of this important decision.  I want to know how the candidate views his relationship with Jesus Christ and whether his decisions are weighed in prayer before his Lord.  I also want to know how important God’s Word is to him and if he deems it necessary as a leader to go to God’s Word for answers.  Is this too much to ask in this postmodern age where pluralism seems to reign in the minds of the people within the Washington beltway and in the political fringes of this nation?

What would you say about your relationship with Christ and about the Bible?  Where are you in your assessment of the need for God’s Word in your own life?  Does your faith make a difference in your own decision making process? Let’s turn to the author and perfecter of our faith, Jesus Christ, and to God’s Word for answers to our decision in November.

Obama and McCain Going Public with Their Giving: Observations for the Next Generation

By now you are probably aware that both Barack Obama and John McCain have posted prior year personal tax returns on their respective websites for public inspection. Public officials being public about private financial matters merit some positive and public praise. But let’s be careful as we scrutinize the candidates’ charitable giving.

Yes, we see that Obama’s giving was minimal for years 2000-2004 (close to a cumulative $10,000 for these 5 years) and suddenly shot up in 2005 as he honed in on his candidacy for President. This coincides with a dramatic increase in his AGI to $1.6 million the same year; however, total charitable giving was still less than 5% of the Obamas’ AGI. In contrast, McCain’s charitable giving appears relatively stable from year to year within a range higher than 20% of his AGI. We do know that his wife Cindy inherited a fortune from her family and that her tax returns have not been made public. The Foundation they give from favors the private schools their children attended.

I don’t care to analyze the candidates and their charitable giving at length, but what are some observations we might make for Christ followers and next generation stewardship from this cursory review?

Why not start with the fact that our tax returns are not made public, but our Lord knows them. If we truly believe in an omniscient God who knows us and watches over us, then our giving is no mystery to Him. So, to whom are we accountable? It would appear that public officials publicizing their tax returns strive for accountability to the public that they serve; likewise, as a Christ follower we should strive for accountability to our Lord we serve, properly handling the resources that flow through us. A good question to ask is, “Lord, what do You want to give through me?” Not, “Lord, what do you want me to give?”

Also, our giving to the Lord’s ministry should not be done to gain favor in the eyes of other people. Political candidates especially seem sensitive to gaining favor from groups as a way to enhance their political stature. Sometimes I fear that the successful business owners within our congregations seek positions on stewardship campaign committees to gain the favor of their fellow congregants rather than truly being sacrificial. What happened to the “not equal gifts, but equal sacrifice”? I’ll never forget the time we joined a church and went to the counseling room with a couple of deacons, one a real estate agent who on the way out of the counseling room gave me his card and said to call him if we were interested in buying a house. Business owners should nail their business cards to the cross when they come to church.

Another observation is that public officials give themselves to their parties first. Undoubtedly this influences their charitable giving. Who have we given ourselves to? I like to think that we, like the Macedonians in 2 Corinthians 8:5, first give ourselves to the Lord and to His will. Then, out of that giving flows the freedom of passionate stewardship of what God has entrusted to us.

Do we owe an account to the public? Yes, to be the faithful stewards of the witness of how Christ has changed our lives. Public officials may deem their financial transparency adequate, but show me one who is willing to go the extra step to be accountable to the Lord. The next generation cannot afford to compartmentalize their stewardship, but to make it one of the marks of their devotion to a cause that is greater than any political party on the face of the earth.

Narcissism and God’s Will Don’t Mix

It is heartening to see the number of churches today that offer enriching courses to their members. The courses cover the gamut of biblical topics. At my own church it is always interesting to see which classes fill up the quickest, perhaps as a commentary on where the heart of the church is at the moment.

In a recent conversation with a pastor friend of mine, he shared that it is never a problem to fill up a class covering the topic of God’s will. I thought to myself, “This is good that so many want to know God’s will for their lives.” Doesn’t Scripture tell us we are fools if we do not know God’s will? “Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is” per Ephesians 5:17. But really, what is the reason so many people want to attend a class on God’s will, yet eschew classes on evangelism, doctrinal studies, how to study the Bible, and missions?

Maybe it’s narcissism. I rarely hear someone say things like, “I want to know God’s will for the church” or “I want to know God’s will for mankind” but rather we hear “I want to know God’s will for me.” That is good and fine, but what if God’s will for you is not a path of rosy comfort? The false perception about God’s will is that it is all about us, when it really is all about Him.

One key to discovering and readily accepting God’s will is to die to yourself. We talk about it quite a bit, but have we made the step to really die? One passage from Scripture that perhaps sheds a little light is in Hebrews 9:16-17: “In the case of a will it is necessary to prove the death of the one who made it, because a will is in force only when someone has died; it never takes effect while the one who made it is living.” My lawyer friends agree with this assessment.

God agrees with this assessment as well. Our surrender is a first step in discovering God’s will. It requires obedience, and may require some sacrifice. It will always require surrender so that our death to ourselves makes way for becoming alive to God’s will, whatever that may be. His purposes, His plans are what matters. We adjust our lives to this as we discover God’s will. It is for His glory and not our own.

Check your motives next time you want to know God’s will about a matter. Take the narcissistic self off the throne and put the Lord there in your heart and mind. We might need to stop asking questions about whether we are reformed enough in our theology, but rather whether we are transformed and conformed enough.

Walk with the King today, and be a blessing!

My First Capital Campaign

My wife Lisa and I learned an important lesson early in our married life about stewardship. We lived in a great community and were members of a great church. The preaching was good, the Bible lessons were good, the people were good, and most importantly, the food was good. Every time we entered the sanctuary for worship we went with anticipation.

After being members of this church for a couple of years, I remember the church entering into a capital campaign. The campaign was for additional building space and the pastor asked everyone to pray about what the Lord would have them give. Well, this was a unique thought to us. Pray and ask the Lord to direct what we give. I had already debated the finer issues of giving in my mind, like should I tithe on the gross or the net, and now the pastor was asking us to pray for direction in what we would give for this campaign.

I did pray. Lisa prayed too. We talked and read Scripture, listening for the Lord’s voice. We were a young couple. We had only been married a couple of years. Most young couples don’t have that much discretionary income. One income (teacher’s salary at that), no kids. Well, the Lord probably doesn’t want us to give much. I already give, why give more?

It wasn’t long after that that the Lord impressed on us an amount that we were to give. Lisa and I prayed about it and wrote it down in our Bibles. Still didn’t know where this amount would come from but we were confident the Lord would show us.

Well, the Lord did show us soon. We felt the Lord impressing us to move to Atlanta for a new career and to sell our home. You know what? We had only been in our little brick ranch home two years but we made more money than we needed when we sold it. Now you know the rest of the story.

I once read that stewardship is what one does after saying “I believe.” I want to be a good steward of what the Lord has entrusted to me. As we learned in our first capital campaign, this means being willing to give back to Him for His goodness toward me. When you encounter your next giving challenge, pray about what the Lord would have you do and anticipate seeing what happens.

For further reading, see Matthew 6:19-21, Philippians 4:10-20

Faith and Governance: The Role of the Ministry Board

Wisdom. Dedication. Leadership. Advisors. These are all terms commonly used to describe nonprofit board members. And all of these terms are applicable and relevant. But what about board members of the average nonprofit ministry? Is there one role that is more needed or desired over another? Or should other roles be added to the list?

To start, ministry board members play a unique role that contrasts with the secular nonprofit boards. Ministry board members are involved in spiritual work, that is, the mission of their organization takes its lead from the Lord and so all that comes under the heading of the organization is subject to the Lord’s leadership. This may sound overstated, but you might be surprised at how some board members of Christian organizations forget their spiritual roles.

Yes, there are common obligations for both secular and Christian boards. For example, board members have responsibility for the organization’s mission and strategic direction, for ensuring its fiscal health, for hiring and evaluating an executive director, for being an advocate of the organization, for making and monitoring policy, and for developing resources. In the Christian organization, let’s add to the list these items: ensuring the witness of the institution, promoting a Christian worldview, maintaining standards based in Scripture, and keeping the organization accountable to God.

Ministry board members have a double dose of responsibility. One thing is certain–continued success for the ministry depends on regular prayer and seeking the Lord’s direction above all else. Board members should not take this role too lightly. Spiritual direction is key and should drive all other decisions of the organization.

This spills over into developing support for the ministry. Board members must view fund-raising not as a transaction, but rather a chance to be involved in the transformation of the giver. When we understand that God owns it all and that we have a duty to be good stewards of all entrusted to us, it becomes exciting to be involved in the asking process. This is a direct invitation to lay up treasures in heaven, to have something credited in heaven to the giver’s account.

As ministry board members grab hold of the transformation process and realizes the significance of their roles, they will be better equipped to exercise faithful leadership for the organizations they serve.

Reflecting on Declines in Giving to Religion

By far, the largest amount of charitable giving in the United States on a year-by-year basis is to religious causes. So, should we be concerned if we see shifts in certain factors surrounding this area of philanthropy?

Maybe so. The alarm sounded with the recent release of a study by the Indiana University Center on Philanthropy indicating generational changes in giving to religious causes. The story goes like this—baby boomers give less to religious causes than their parents did when they were the same age, and members of Generation X give even less. Accompanying this trend, younger people attend religious services less than their parents or grandparents. According to the study, the decline in giving may result from the decline in attendance at religious services.

Believe it or not, this is a trend that all charities watch. The reason—givers to religious causes tend to give to more groups of all kinds. If giving to religious causes declines, a potential shortfall results in giving to other groups as well.

Another barometer to watch is the annual report on philanthropy called Giving USA. Here we see that total dollars given to religious causes increased over the past 40 years, but expressed as a percentage of total giving in the U.S. religion’s share has fallen from near 46% to 32%. In fact, giving to religious organizations showed the lowest growth of all the many subsectors of charitable giving.

So, what’s up? I’m not an expert, but there are some concerns that I think we all as ministry leaders and believers should try to remedy.

First, I wonder if we have gotten away from the biblical view that possessions play a role in our spiritual development. Scripture makes it clear that the way a believer handles their possessions reveals much about their hearts. Are ministry leaders preaching and teaching this? Some may say “yes” but some also have embraced such a seeker-sensitive mindset that they might be afraid to emphasize stewardship with their congregations or supporters. As put in a new book edited by Wes Willmer, Revolution in Generosity, ministry leaders may focus on the transaction with the believer rather than on the transformation of the believer when they give. Transformation should be the focus.

Next, I wonder if all these years of capital campaigns and stewardship drives are catching up with us. When the church or a ministry spends a great amount of time in this mode, it causes the preacher and other leaders to behave like development officers of a large nonprofit organization. This could de-emphasize the biblical message about stewardship to the detriment of the long-term development of devoted stewards. The bottom line is that ministry leaders should stick to teaching what the Bible says about stewardship, about the transformation of the heart that reflects where we are in our relationship with our Lord. This is a sure way to make an impact on the finances of the organization.

Finally, I hope we can address the generational issues that are sure to arise regarding stewardship. Are we teaching biblical concepts of stewardship to the younger generations? Is there a difference in how these generations behave in giving because they have more demands for their income? I thought God demands it all, because it is His anyway. There is an upcoming generational shift of resources that will be huge according to current research. Are we showing these younger generations how they can make an impact for Christ now and how they can lay up treasures in heaven? The next generation, and the generation after that, will reflect the values that we have left them and that we have taught them. It is time for ministry leaders, church leaders, and mature Christ followers to take the lead in conveying biblical stewardship to the next generation.

Let’s practice what we preach.

Google-ing John 3:16

You all have felt it. It was just a matter of time. Years of surfing the internet has finally caught up with us. Yes, I am talking about the effect of spending massive, cumulative amounts of time online on our brains.

For me, I can think back into the 1990s at some point when the web enticed me into its massive reserve of available information. I had been a library junkie all my life, leafing through pages of information about places and things I enjoy for long periods of time between the stacks. Now thanks to the internet, I could search volumes of information with mere clicks. Pretty soon I got to be very good at this and could ramble through web page after web page without processing anything but key words from the pages. Now, I must confess, these days the web has become the conduit for lots of the information that flows into my mind.

Writer Nicholas Carr expresses his concern for how the internet affects our brains in a recent article in The Atlantic, “Is Google Making Us Stupid?” Carr says that his past decade on the computer rendered him unable to concentrate, that perhaps the neural circuitry of his brain is remapped and his memory reprogrammed. Further, Carr says he used to be able to immerse himself in books and long articles, relishing the narratives of these talented authors; however, today he becomes fidgety and cannot endure any extended amounts of time reading. Huge amounts of research can be done in little time, a boon for writers like Carr, but this form of “power browsing” mimics a form of skimming, i.e., hopping from one source to another source and retaining only small snatches of information.

This may have implications for future generations of Christ followers. Young believers, and some not-so-young believers, today spend huge amounts of time plugged into something, whether it be the internet, cellphones, blue-tooth devices, making some look like human cyborgs. Even text messaging is a hybrid, cyborg-ic form of communication with its short, pithy remarks and lack of care over spelling and form. Our imaginations can run with this stuff and cause us to worry over the technological advances that supposedly have made our lives easier and more advanced. The web has woven something, and I think it is our brains. There may be an appearance of wisdom, but something is lacking.

Is there any wonder that fewer today are reading their Bibles? (Check out the Barna polls). We all know that God’s Word is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16), but how can it be if we are unable to meditate on it, dwell in it, and talk about it coherently? Have we been reduced to a mish-mash of gray matter that cannot process even one book of the Bible without losing focus? It is time to counter this trend and return to the tried and true methods of observation, interpretation, and application of God’s Word so that our faith, which is more precious than gold, will be refined and be our one constant in a day of rapid change. God’s Word is a lamp for our feet, and a light for our path—it is not merely a hyperlink to heaven in this cyber age. It appears we may be just one step away from the New Revised Google Version of the Bible.

Doctrinal Dilemmas in the 21st Century?

Is the church in the 21st century equipped for teaching and preaching sound doctrine? If we look at different trends today, one might conclude that there are issues in answering this question affirmatively.

For example, a recent report in The Christian Century indicates that the economic forces causing a “tightening of the belt” in the general population in the United States likewise has affected colleges and seminaries. Declining enrollments and rising costs have forced both colleges and seminaries to re-evaluate the effectiveness of certain programs and to adjust to financial shortfalls. One seminary stopped offering Bible courses (yes, you heard it right) and encouraged students to take those courses at other institutions. Also, the curriculums of some seminaries today abound with various practical ministry courses, such as handling the finances of church and how to run small group ministries, leaving little room for traditional Bible and theology courses. These trends also resulted in the downsizing of faculty and staff in important areas of study within the seminaries.

Another barometer that perhaps reflects this issue of doctrinal dilemmas is a study of trends in attitudes toward biblical truths held by Christians in the U.S. This study by The Barna Group, cited in their report from May 21, 2007, show that two-thirds of Christians in the U.S. agree that their purpose is to love the Lord God with all of their heart, mind, soul, and strength, yet their beliefs and behaviors call this into question. According to the Barna study, declining numbers of Christians believe in an omnipotent and omniscient God, a sinless Jesus, an adversary called Satan, and a responsibility to share the Gospel. Also, smaller numbers of believers read their Bibles outside of their regular church attendance each week (41%) and even smaller numbers attend any kind of Bible study group or small group fellowship throughout the week (19%).

Whatever we do in response to these trends, we should keep in mind that our purpose and the purpose of our church is to maintain the pre-eminence of Jesus Christ in all that we are and do (Colossians 1:24—2:5). We should work within our sphere of influence to insure that believers embrace sound doctrine within their churches and in application to their daily lives. Even the word “doctrine” may strike fear in the mind of a believer, however, we must emphasize that the word merely means “teaching” and that sound doctrine is “healthy teaching.” In Paul’s letter to Titus, he gave instructions that Titus must teach what is in accord with “sound doctrine” (Titus 2:1). Scripture encourages us to both know about God and to know Him personally and experientially (Jeremiah 9:23-24, John 17:3, Philippians 3:7-9).

Where are you today in this matter? Take that first step of repenting of your sins and believing in Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord (Mark 1:15). Obedience is better than sacrifice, and doctrinal matters are a joy to know and apply to our lives once we surrender our wills to God’s will as an act of obedience in every matter of life.

Lessons Learned from a VW

Back in the early 1980s Lisa and I moved to Tallahassee, Florida so that I could attend graduate school at Florida State (Go ‘Noles!). This was less than a year after we were married and it was a time we learned a great lesson about how the Lord provides. We had packed our belongings into a U-Haul and stuffed some smaller items into our Volkswagen Rabbit (remember those?) Lisa drove the Rabbit and pretty much followed me from North Georgia to Florida. Soon after we left Monticello, Florida heading toward Tallahassee I looked into my rearview mirror and noticed no Rabbit! I pulled over at a little store and waited in the parking lot for several minutes. Finally the Rabbit appeared over the hill. Lisa pulled in behind me and started explaining the unusual circumstance regarding the car. Apparently the oil filter had come off the car causing the loss of most of the oil and the car had shut down as she pulled over on the side of the road. A couple of good ol’ boys from Monticello stopped to help. They noticed the problem and drove the short distance back to town to get some oil and a filter. They put oil in the car and soon she was running. We thanked the Lord for the help and finally made it into Tallahassee.

Not long after that I started noticing a knocking noise in the engine. For those of you with cars you know that a knocking noise in the engine is not good. I took it to the Volkswagen dealer. Upon inspection the mechanic determined that the engine would have to be rebuilt. Oh no! Here we were stuck in a hot Florida town with no family and no car and little money like most newlyweds and graduate students. Lisa and I started praying and asking the Lord for help.

Well, a miracle took place. Within a week we received a letter from the Volkswagen corporate headquarters. Opening the letter we discovered that the particular year model we were driving had trouble with the loosening of oil filters and that if we had experienced trouble to contact the local dealer. I soon after headed to the dealer and showed them the letter. They called and verified that Volkswagen would cover the full costs of any repairs related to this problem. We were shouting Glory Hallelujah all day and night.

Now, what does this show me about my Lord and stewardship? First of all I serve a Lord who knows the things we face. Psalm 91:15 says “He shall call upon Me and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble.” I thought that if God knows when a sparrow falls to the ground surely he knew about my Rabbit. I knew that God was faithful to help me and that I should call for His help. God was with us.

Secondly I thought about whether we should have even gone to Tallahassee to graduate school. Well, God must have wanted us there because he provided while we were there and He took care of every need. Proverbs 3:5-6 says to “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your path straight.” Again I did not understand until later that God was teaching us to trust in Him as our Heavenly Father and that He would provide the resources for us to be in His will.

Finally, I thought about giving. If my Heavenly Father gives so abundantly to me, why would I not want to give back to Him and His work? God takes care of our needs yet many miss the blessing of being able to give back to the Lord. God provides a way for us to do this and that is through giving to His church and His work. Lisa and I were blessed to find the church where God wanted and we made so many good friends and learned many spiritual lessons that have stayed with us all our lives. Jesus said to his disciples in Luke 6:38 “Give, and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom.”

I praise God that over the years He has taught me to trust in Him and to be involved in the work He is doing. My prayer is that you will ask Him to show you how to trust Him more and more, especially in the area of giving.