A Christ-follower with a limp: February 2017

Sunday, February 26, 2017

Must Love Dogs!

“Everyone thinks they have the best dog and none of them are wrong.” W. R. Purche

Okay, don’t hate me, but I don’t like dog movies. They always have sad endings. I think I’m allergic. When I watch one, my eyes can water.

As a child, one of the first movies I remember my Mom taking us to see was Old Yeller. What a great movie...and I don’t ever want to see it again. It was wonderful tale of a boy and his dog; it was just so sad.

Over the course of my life, I’ve had several dogs. Jane is wonderful in that she knows that I love dogs and wouldn’t want to live without one. And I’m a big dog person. Some folk love a “pocket dog.” Not me, I want a dog that when he comes in the room, everyone knows he’s there. I’ve hardly ever met a dog that I didn’t like. I even carry dog bones in my car. I learned that from my brother Mike, who was also a dog person. After Mike passed away, his wife told me she kept finding dog bones in all his jacket pockets.

The first dog that I remember was Blackie (we weren’t real creative with names). Blackie was solid black. We weren’t sure where he came from. He just wandered up one day and adopted us. Blackie was some type of German shepherd mix. He was very smart and he loved us. When the bus brought us home from school, we had a couple of drivers who’d even let him on the bus. He’d saunter down the aisle, give everyone a kiss, and then get off. What I remember the most about Blackie is that he was protective. If he felt that someone was a threat to one of us, he made sure that person knew they weren’t to mess with us. If another aggressive dog came toward us, Blackie risked his own life to protect us. I’ve had brothers and sisters in the Lord like that. Your reputation, your name are always safe with them. By God’s grace, I want to be protective of my brothers and sisters, too.

The first dog Jane and I ever owned after we were married was Molly and she broke our hearts. She was so sweet and so much fun. Jane and I were in terrible ministry situation. (You know it’s a bad ministry when you cry together in your living room the first Sunday.) Molly was a bright spot, bringing lots of joy. But Molly couldn’t avoid temptation. One warm day something across the road attracted her attention. She hit the screen door just right, popping it open. Jane and I screamed at the top of our lungs, as she darted across a highway. A utility truck struck her. I can still see her body flying through the air. Over my years of ministry, I’ve met Christians like Molly. They don’t see the danger, though others are screaming warnings, they race headlong into the highway of temptation.

But if you lose a dog, wait a little bit before you get another one. Jane and I were so brokenhearted at losing Molly, we looked in the paper that day, found someone with a litter of puppies and picked up Sherlock. He was a Heinz 57 medium sized dog and was one of most annoying dogs I’ve ever owned. Jane called him sassy. She’d scold him and he’d bark back at her. If he got off his chain, it took hours to find him. All of us know Christians like that. They’re edgy. They push it. If someone tries to gently correct them, they let you know that they don’t like it and aren’t going to take it.

Even though she’s been gone a few years now, I think our whole family would agree that Dakota was our favorite. She was a big golden retriever, one huge ball of yellow fluff. Aaron was about 10 when we got her. He’d wrestle with her, lay on her, torture her but she loved it. If you threw a ball for her, you quit long before she ever did. On one occasion we were at a lake and her tennis ball sunk to the bottom. If I hadn’t called her away, I think she’d have drowned herself diving for it. She was one of the kindest dogs I’ve ever owned. It took a long time to get over Dakota’s passing. When we had to finally put her down, Dr. Molitor saw the heartbreak in our eyes and nudged us out the door. Dakota was so kind. There aren’t enough kind people in this world. Worse, there aren’t enough kind Christians. Everybody loved Dakota. I wonder if more people would want our Savior if they saw His kindness in us.

Then there’s Ernie, our chocolate lab. Ernie is a rescue dog. We actually had to have a home inspection before they’d “place” Ernie in our home. His foster parent said, “Ernie thinks he’s a rock star” and he does. He bothered me a bit when we first got him home. He was aloof, like we were fortunate to be allowed in his royal presence. If Ernie rides in the car, he doesn’t lay on the seat. He sits up like royalty, viewing his kingdom as his loyal subjects drive him down the road. Ernie doesn’t play with toys. That’s beneath him, unless it’s a Kong with food inside. But he’s my dog. He’s there waiting when I walk in the door. It probably helps that I give him a treat each time. Ernie thinks he’s the king of the house. While pride has no value, it’s so enticing. And Ernie still thinks he’s a rock star, though an aging one (Think Mick Jagger). Yet, Ernie is absolutely dependent on us. Apart from us, he’d have no food, water or exercise. We drive him to the vet and pay the tab. He’s totally a recipient of our grace, and so you and I are totally dependent on a gracious God, though we may not acknowledge Him. If it weren’t for His grace, we would be and have nothing. That doesn’t somehow keep us from pride and thinking we’re something.

Then, there’s Harley, the latest addition. Harley was Jane’s idea in a moment of weakness. Her given name was Arlee. We drove to Michigan to retrieve her from a friend who felt it wasn’t fair she was cooped up in the house all day. Harley is the loud one. She’s cute. She’s a lover but she’s a barker. Someone walks down the street. Harley barks. A leaf blows. Harley barks. She makes a lot of noise but it’s rarely important. There are Christians like that. They make a lot of noise, continually barking about something but there’s not much substance to it. They just like to bark a lot.

I love dogs and but I love people more. I understand why dogs misbehave. It’s their nature. I don’t always understand when Christians do, or when I do – we have a new nature. “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come” (2 Cor. 5:17).

Can we help you spiritually? Can we help you know Jesus better? Please check out more resources on our church's web page, Gracechurchwi.org. Or, call us at 262.763.3021. If you'd like to know more about how Jesus can change your life, I'd love to mail you a copy of how Jesus changed my life in "My Story." E-mail me at Carson@gracechurchwi.org to request a free copy. Please include your mailing address.

Monday, February 20, 2017

I love my church!!

“The church that I go to might just as well be my home. The people I go to church with are more like family. Where else can I get this show of love? A. J. Chilson

This past week I’ve been reflecting on how blessed I am to be your Pastor and how much God has blessed me with our church!

This may surprise you, but there are weeks when I do not enjoy (and even dread) what I believe I must preach from God’s Word. Because our church is committed to systematic and expository preaching, I don’t pick and choose a text. For example, currently we’re working our way through Luke’s Gospel. If I had my way, there are sections of Luke that I’d simply skip over. The Bible has some very tough passages, even hard passages. They make us uncomfortable. They step on our toes. They do soul surgery.

Then, as a preacher my calling requires that I bridge two worlds – the world of the Bible and today’s contemporary world. God’s Word was never meant to be a textbook or to merely fill us with head knowledge. It’s to reveal God to us and show us how to live rightly, in a way that pleases God. It’s easy for us to imbibe the worldview and attitude of our culture.

Scripture teaches us that the Bible is a mirror that continually corrects us (James 1:22-25), redirects us and by the power of the Spirit, radically transforms our thinking and lives. There are many Sundays when I share what I believe God’s Word teaches much as a doctor shares bad news with a patient he dearly loves. It’s hard, but he knows that he must. The Apostle Paul refers to this as “speaking the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15). I must be faithful in sharing God’s truth. It’s my duty and God-given responsibility. And my passion and heart’s desire is for you to love Jesus and to grow in His grace. It’s hard to communicate how much I appreciate how you respond when I have to say the tough things from Scripture.

Very, very few times in nearly thirty years of being your Pastor has someone been angry or irritated with me for sharing what Scripture says. Though some pastors receive a constant barrage of snarky letters and e-mails for a sermon or their ministry, that very rarely (like nearly never) happens to me. It’s so unusual, that I can hardly remember the last time I received correspondence from someone who was ticked off. Let’s be honest, we all know tact is unfortunately not my greatest strength, though I’ve grown light years in that area by His grace. And I’m so thankful that in nearly thirty years, I’ve received only one or two anonymous notes.

Our church is at a critical juncture. One, where in many churches, Satan can cause division and wreak havoc – we are building a new building. As with any major building project, nearly everyone has an opinion on the various aspects of that building. And there’s nothing wrong with that. God gave each of us an individual mind and unique personality. We bring all of that through the front door of the church. Yet, I am so thankful that even with the diversity and strong personalities, there has been continual unity. We are committed to the same cause! We are committed to a common goal – building a building that glorifies God and helps us reach our community for Christ! Because it’s truly not about us, it’s about Him!

And we are so blessed, that though some churches have cliques and coalitions where there’s “politicking” behind the scenes, we just don’t have that at Grace. Some churches are all too similar to the New Testament Church of Corinth: “For it has been reported to me by Chloe's people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. What I mean is that each one of you says, ‘I follow Paul,’ or ‘I follow Apollos,’ or ‘I follow Cephas,’ or ‘I follow Christ.’ Is Christ divided?” (1 Corinthians 1:11-13). While we may disagree, there’s a commitment to disagreeing in a gracious, Christlike way. I’m so thankful that I am a pastor, not a referee.

While we need to grow in prayer and our commitment to prayer, I’m thankful that when a special prayer request goes out, folk in our church pray. They want to support that person or family before the Throne of Grace! It’s like a spark that sends our church family to its knees.

And your compassion never ceases to astound me. For example, last Thanksgiving when we challenged the church family to help out families who were financially struggling, we were overwhelmed with the response. I thought we’d do well to fill a box for each of the families. We didn’t just fill a box, we filled a couple of boxes. Then, the boxes were so full, it took two people to carry them. What a blessing!

As with any church family, unplanned situations, emergencies and needs continually arise. What a joy that we have folk who time after time will make a meal, give a ride, make a phone call, sub in the nursery, shovel a walk and a thousand other little ministries. At Grace, we truly have one pastor but well over a hundred ministers. You willingly and graciously serve, and do it over and over again!

And thank you so much for not taking yourselves too seriously. Scripture says “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine…” (Proverbs 17:22, KJV). This world is so stressed and anxious, often about the miniscule. If today’s world was a heart patient, the doctor would put them in ICU for off the chart hypertension. Yet, what a blessing to come to Grace and find rest and relief. Our church has a consistent pattern of keeping things in perspective. There just aren’t that many things worth getting all worked up over, particularly in light of eternity. I so appreciate that you know when to really care and when there is a true crisis. You also know how to keep things in perspective and not to “freak” out over the trivial or mundane.

I am about to complete three decades at Grace Church. If the Lord gave me the opportunity to start all over again, I’d ask for the privilege of being your Pastor once more! I am very, very blessed!! Thank you!

Monday, February 13, 2017

If we build it...they may come.

“God is not calling us to go to church. He is calling us to be His Church…the hope of the world.” Craig Groeschel

Building a building for a church is unlike building any other building. For example, if you’re building a house for your own family, your focus will be on what meets your needs, preferences and tastes. On the other hand, if the church is merely a religious business, the focus is on attracting new customers. The bottom line is attendance and budget increases.

At Grace, we believe our mission is given to us by the Lord Jesus – it’s the Great Commission. It’s not about numbers or even converts, it’s making more disciples. A building is a tool to help us fulfil that mission.

To be Great Commission focused the building must primarily be about those we’re seeking to reach. It must feel friendly and transparent. As our society increasingly becomes unchurched, it’s vital that any building we build is seen as a place of hope, grace, caring, acceptance and love. Personally, I like the analogy of a clinic. While a hospital is for the sick, a clinic is for the sick yet is also committed to keeping the healthy healthy.

A new church building is not about increasing “customers.” At Grace, this commitment is a vital part of our DNA. We’re not looking for nor do we desire that folk already in good churches leave that church family because our building is new with better amenities (and coffee J). We believe the Bible teaches that a local church is a Body (1 Corinthians 12:27). One does not amputate and transplant haphazardly. Leaving a Bible-believing church should be very painful. There should first be valiant attempts at problem-solving, as there would be with a body, prior to an amputation.

Because there’s a lack of biblical understanding of the local church in American Christianity as a body or even family, many believers bounce from church to church. They don’t commit and if their agenda or “felt” needs are unmet, they’re off to date another church. And because a church is to love and care, they hurt the church family they abandon on a whim. They approach the church as a consumer: What’s in it for me? Rather than as a regenerate servant of Jesus Christ: How can God use me to be a blessing in this local church family?

The ideal in the Great Commission is a go (Matt. 28:19-20), not a come. Each believer is to go into their “mission field” (where they live and work) and build Gospel bridges. There should be a constant flow of those befriended by believers coming to new life in Christ and being discipled. Simply put, we gather for edification; we scatter for evangelization.

Because of our commitment to what we believe is a New Testament model, we seek to have what are truly worship services. We seek to be God focused with the teaching and preaching on heart issues not “felt” needs. We’re committed to systematically share what God’s Word teaches.

That, though, brings us to a Big Question: If we’re gathering for edification…Are we scattering for evangelization? The sad answer is NO! How do we know that? Look around. Look in your own heart. Look at your friendships. Do we regularly see believers bringing individuals they’ve led to Christ to church and that they’re in the process of discipling? When was the last time YOU shared the Gospel or led someone to Christ? What lost person are YOU currently building a Gospel-bridge with? Discipling?

For the most part, it’s not happening. While Jesus was the friend of sinners, most Christians aren’t friends of sinners. If they are, their purpose is only on being a friend, rather than sharing the Gospel. Unfortunately, too many Christians have difficulty relating to someone who’s unregenerate.

What should we do? Do we keep waiting, praying and hoping Christians will finally get serious about the Great Commission? Yes and no. Because in spite of our failure to go, God loves people so much He brings them to us. Most churches who are reaching people are reaching those who walk through their doors. The church at Philippi was founded with individuals who were part of a worship service, yet didn’t know Jesus. 1 Corinthians 14:23 talks about sensitivity to lost people attending worship services. God in His grace brings lost people through our front door. It makes sense then to make it easier for them to come through those doors.

Believers are a minority in this culture, so then each of us is a missionary in a foreign culture. Missionaries adapt their methodology to their culture. That’s very New Testament (1 Cor. 9:19-23). What missionary in a foreign country would expect natives to learn the missionary’s language so the missionary could share the Gospel? Instead you learn the language and culture, and adapt in order to win the lost in that culture. It’s very simple. It’s why we’re committed to building the type of building we’re building.

Most lost people are not interested in coming through the doors of a church that looks overly churchy. They’re not looking for some stained glass feeling. They’re looking for relationships, love, hope and purpose. Our particular culture is not educationally driven. While education is important, it’s not a driving factor. It’s why we’re not building a “school” ministry. Our particular culture is not artistically driven. The Arts are important but they’re not a driving factor. While there are segments in our culture that have other focuses, Wisconsin speaks “sports.” It’s our DNA.

During the next few weeks many will be nearly depressed. Football is over and there are little or no sports until baseball’s opening day. In most restaurants, if there is a TV, which channel is playing? ESPN. What brings people regularly together in homes or bars? The game. This is why we’re committed to building a multipurpose room that can be used for various sports and teen ministries, yet where we can also worship. We’re committed to speaking the language of the culture God has placed us in.

We must make our building inviting in the language of our culture. We’d be poor stewards to miss opportunities because of idealism. As we befriend the lost and see them come to Christ – the excitement of new spiritual life motivates us to be more committed to the “go” of the Great Commission.

Monday, February 6, 2017

I confess...I'm a Fair Weather Fan

“I’m such a fair weather fan,

I disown my team when they almost lose.”

In spite of all my “trash talking” for the past few weeks, I have to confess that I’m a fair weather fan. I do hope the Falcons win this afternoon. And I’m in good company…it’s easy to hate Bill Belichick and Tom Brady.

I’m sure it helps you to love football if you actually played. My Dad prohibited us from playing, explaining that he’d seen too many middle-aged men suffering from lifelong football injuries. Then, when I was growing up, the Falcons were a fairly young team (the franchise began in 1965) and they just weren’t very good. The only players who stand out in my mind from that era are Tommy Nobis and Greg Brezina.

While my Dad actually had season tickets for at least one season, he wasn’t an avid fan. Though he watched college football on Saturdays (University of Georgia), I don’t recall an NFL game ever being watched in our home. Add to that, because I was part of Independent Baptist churches for much of my life and we always had Sunday night services, until 1996, I’d never actually watched a Super Bowl. We were often guilt-tripped into coming to church instead of watching the game with slogans like “Super Christians come to church on Sunday on Super Bowl Sunday.” So the next day when everyone was talking about the big game or the commercials, I didn’t have a clue what they were talking about.

There are lots of fair weather fans. Falcon fans are notorious for being a bit fair weather. It’s always easier to cheer for a winner, but tough to hang in there for a loser. Pardon my potential blasphemy: Does it really matter?

It’s great to cheer for a team and enjoy them, but if they win or lose, does it alter your life? Will it truly make a difference? Some fans are actually depressed for several days when their team loses. Some get into fights and even riot if their team loses. It’s just a game. And as our Cub fan friends reminded us for over a century, “there’s always next year.”

Something far more serious though is a “fair weather Christian.” Be honest. What does it take to sidetrack you in your Christian life? For most of us, very little. Why is that?

Primarily, it’s because many of us have never developed a theology of suffering. Somehow we naively think that in this life we’ll have smooth sailing. In many ways, when we trust Christ as Savior and know that we’re going to Heaven someday, we expect Heaven now. We’d probably never actually say that, yet it’s often bubbling somewhere just below the surface.

We’re as confused about God and how He works as Job’s friends were. Many think that if things are going well, no one’s sick, there’s little or no suffering, then we must be pleasing God and doing the right thing. We quickly thank God for His blessings and protection, as if they’re signs that He’s on the job and we’re doing the right thing. Yet, when things go bad, we tend to think, “What did I do wrong?” Or, become judgmental of others when they have trials, as Job’s friends did, assuming when bad things happen to someone, it’s some type of divine Karma. Some are so confused that they think that God owes them? None of this is what Scripture teaches.

Jesus promised Heaven to those who trust Him as their Lord and Savior, but not in this life. He clearly warned us, “In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). This world is the closest thing to Heaven unbelievers will ever experience; it’s the closest thing to hell believers will ever know. Sin and suffering are inevitable for even God’s people in this life. The reason we choose to be faithful and not succumb to fair weatherness is that we’re confident that all the suffering is temporary. No matter how horrible it is, it’s transitory.

Today your life may seem like hell, but it isn’t. Hell never ends. All of our present suffering will end, decisively, once and for all. Periodically, we wonderfully have foretastes of Heaven now, but once we experience Heaven, it will last forever. Our hope is to view today in light of tomorrow. “We are looking forward to new heavens and a new earth” (2 Peter 3:13).

Recently, I went to the dentist to have some cavities filled. If you’re like me, going to the dentist to have work done is one of your least favorite things in life. Yet, it wasn’t too bad. I’d asked beforehand how long my appointment would take and was told an hour. An hour isn’t very long…I can endure nearly anything for an hour. Plus, I have a great dentist who’s very careful to make procedures as pain free as possible.

Every heartbreak in this life is like that. And even in the midst of our harshest pain, the child of God is never alone. Jesus walks with us through the valley of the shadow of death. His grace is sufficient. If that grace was enough for Him on the Cross, surely it’s enough for me and for you.

As Christians, we know the worst is temporary and fullness of joy awaits us. Hebrews 11 tells us of men and women who did much for God. They persevered because they trusted, knowing the Father had something better for them. They believed His promises in spite of extreme suffering.

When Charles Wesley, the great hymn writer, was sailing across the Atlantic after a failed mission trip in the Colonies, a huge storm struck and Wesley was terrified. Yet the Moravians, the evangelical Christians on board, gathered together, prayed and sang some psalms. “Alas,” wrote Wesley in his diary that night, “I have a fair-weather Christianity.”

As the inevitable storms crash on your life, trust the Father. Cry to Him for grace and faith to persevere until you arrive Home. Because anyone can be fair weather. God’s fullness of joy, peace and richest blessings are for those who determine to rest in Him and be faithful through the storms.