Being part of the Solution

Yesterday I wrote about the crisis in ministry.  This is something we all know, many understand and not a few have experience.  It is not enough for us to look at the situation, shake our head in disgust and lament loudly the tragedy. There is a solution and we must work toward that solution.   

Being part of the Solution:

Lorie and I are going to be part of the solution to this crisis and turn it into an opportunity. We are partnering with the Standing Stone Ministry to provide care for pastors who are in the thick of spiritual warfare and who need an ally.

With Standing Stone we want to guide ministry leaders into healthy ministry and see those healthy ministries in every city transforming their communities for Christ. We will do this by establishing trusted, confidential relationships with ministry leaders and their spouses.

God never wastes a hurt, but uses it for good.

In our years of church ministry, Lorie and I have, on occasion, experienced deep emotional pain and loneliness. We have also experienced the power of inner healing and the impact of someone being there for us. We want to pass on that blessing to others. To provide trusted, confidential, no-cost care for ministers and their families in the moments of hardship.

We have decided to commit the last quarter of our lives to helping ministers and their spouses and thereby fulfill God's call on us for the Cause of Christ.

Tomorrow, the on going conversation.

At the crossroads of crisis and opportunity

This morning as you attend worship in your respective congregations there is a very strong likelihood that your minister is at, in or facing a crisis.  This crisis could prevent your congregation from fulfilling its God given opportunity and calling  

The church in America is at a crossroads with remarkable opportunity but also with a gigantic problem.

Opportunity: There appears to be a sort of revival occurring, especially among young adults and uniquely among young men. For this revival to take root, we need seasoned and experienced Christian leaders who will help nurture and disciple this next generation of believers.

Hence the gigantic problem:  Those seasoned and experienced Christian leaders are in big trouble.

Consider these chilling numbers.

• 47% of pastors report feeling lonely or isolated.

• 65% say they are not talking to a therapist, counselor, spiritual advisor, or mentor.

• 18% of Protestant pastors have considered quitting due to the stress of ministry.

• 40% of certain denominations reported mild or worse depression.

• Declining Well-being: the percentage of pastors reporting "excellent" mental/emotional health plummeted from 39% to 11%.

• High Stress & Burnout: Roughly 63% of U.S. Protestant pastors report stress as a major challenge; this disproportionately affects younger pastors.

• 70% of pastors lack a close friend, and 50% do not meet with an accountability group.

• Mental Health Stigma: Despite the crisis, nearly 50% of pastors rarely or never discuss mental health concerns, feeling they cannot discuss their own struggles.

• 20% of Protestant senior pastors report contemplating self-harm or suicide in the last year. 

Ministers who are living in a constant level of crisis will not be able to effectively lead their congregations, train new leaders and disciple new believers. Something needs, indeed must, be done.

Tomorrow being part of the solution.

Psalm 100

 Psalm 100

Sometimes it is hard to contain our emotions.  When it comes to our love for and praise of God that is a good thing.  This little Psalm has often been used in the public worship of the church.  There is a term in the Hebrews that is often used to describe this Psalm as a whole.  In verse 4 we read “Give thanks to Him”.  That is a translation of a single Hebrew word that means ‘a confessional offering’.  We are familiar with an offering of money, service or praise but this might be new for us.

What is a confessional offering anyway?  To confess is to tell the truth or to say that which agrees with reality.  The context of this Psalm is both the reality of who God is that is His character and how we respond to Him.  Emotions are powerful and wonderful things, God given reflections of our Maker.  Having been corrupted by the fall our emotions have to be guarded and stewarded.  The best way to do that is to know God and what He has done.  Reflecting on Him and allowing that to be the genesis of our emotions ought to be our goal in worship. 

“Lord, let my praise and emotions for You grow out of an understanding who You are and what You have done. AMEN.”

Psalm 99

 Psalm 99

This beautiful Psalm is so delightful to read that it is easy to enjoy it on the surface and fail to notice its powerful, majestic theme.  This Psalm is a wonderful point of meditation if, when we slowly say the Lord’s Prayer, we contemplate “hallowed be thy name.”  Worshiping God because of His holiness is expressed in three spheres.

While God revealed Himself to the Jews He is not just the God of the Jews, He is God over all. His special presence in Zion is an occasion for all people to honor and worship Him because “Holy is He.” (vs. 2-3)

His holiness or moral character is expressed in justice.  Justice is more than a ruling in court.  It also includes systems that are fair, that protect the weak and restrain the powerful.  Notice right treatment is closely linked; be at the “footstool” of God.  Noble ideals that are not connected to understanding God become second-hand ethics and will always spiral down into personal preference for our own ethics. Instead, we worship Him because “Holy is He.” (vs4-5)

Thankfully, God is not some distant deity but rather is here with us, interacting with us.  Verse 8 offers three powerful lines that every follower needs to remember.  God is involved in our lives.  First He answers us.  He is an active participant in our every day living.  Second God forgives us.  Were He completely retributive, we would all die with our first sin, but He is gracious to us. Third, at the same time, He chastises us for our misdeeds.  God’s discipline towards us is always corrective and not just punitive.  The last line of verse 9 returns to our theme, “For holy is the Lord our God.”  

Don’t read this psalm too fast and miss the power and the beauty it offers.  

“Thank you God for You. AMEN”

Psalm 98

 Psalm 98 

“O sing to the Lord a new song…” These words have at times been fighting words and what we called the worship wars: the battle of musical styles. What we see here is a call for our current living and active faith to be expressed. This is not about style but about the fact that the heart that is impressed with God must express itself. There is no merit in either old or new music. But a heart set on fire by love and adoration of God will swell with love in the old songs but will also have to express itself in a new way.

Notice also the three tenses in this psalm. Our praise is deeply rooted in the historic fact of God's interaction with man in history, the past. (vs 1-3) Second, and as a result, creation worships and praises God. From the music of human worshipers to the worship expressed in the functions of nature, everything before God worships Him. (vs 4-8). From the past to the present and into the future, God is praised as He comes to set all things right. (v. 9)

“Lord, help me to live a life that is constantly expressing my worship to You new and fresh. AMEN.”

Psalm 97

 Psalm 97

What is it about human beings that we seem to want to be afraid? Perhaps it is our fallen sinful nature. Perhaps it is the influence of demonic powers. No doubt it is the motivation of money and control; after all fear is a powerful marketing tool. Verse 1 of this psalm ought to set our minds at ease.

In this one verse we see two key points that ought to set our hearts rejoicing. First God reigns. The word translated "Lord" is "Yahweh" or "Jehovah." This is the Self-existing One, the “I AM that I AM”, the Eternal, all-knowing, all-powerful God who rules. He has assumed His kingship. 

Second, His rule extends to the “many islands”. The most distant shore is not beyond his power. We might say it this way in our time and culture: “from the movement of the tiniest subatomic particle to the far distant edge of the universe”.

 Fear is pointless for the person who is under the care of the ruler of the universe. What could separate us from the love of God? Nothing except our own stubborn will and choice.

“Lord, grant me peace and confidence as I contemplate who You are and how great You are. AMEN.”

Psalm 96

 Psalm 96

One of the well-intentioned but badly misguided developments in the recent church is to equate worship with the songs we sing, typically three in number on a Sunday morning. Some churches expand this to worship in giving, namely offerings, or worship in word, the sermon. What we see in this Psalm is more of worship as life and in everything.

We see worship in evangelism and praise in conversation with non-believers. Did we ever consider defending the faith to an atheist as an act of worship? Sharing the truth of a Creator God is worship. Interestingly, in verse 6, the word "idols" could be translated as "non-existing things." Which is a good description of the power behind “evolution”. Certainly we must worship in the community of faith, as we see in verse 6. But that needs to carry over to our lives and every moment. Could our lives of holiness reflect God's holiness (verse 9) and be an act of worship? If alone in nature, can we worship in the marvel of a cloudless night sky or a roaring sea or a majestic forest? Yes, in fact, every moment ought to be a moment of worship.

“Lord, help me to worship You in every moment, in every breath, and in between every line in the story of our lives. AMEN.”