I need your help completing a project.

June Bug figuring out the world one Proverb at a time.  

Several years ago I wrote a weekly article for my church’s newsletter.  Being a relatively small congregation there were times of the year in which there just wasn’t much news for the newsletter.  One week I was struggling with finding anything to write.  In desperation I shared a funny story from my own life, changed the names of the characters, and applied an applicable Proverb. 

That next week I got more comments and compliments on my story than I ever got from reporting the church “news.”  Who would have imagined that a funny story would be more interesting than the fact that Wednesday night’s family meal was going to be tacos? 

A few weeks later, I needed something to write. I remembered a great story a friend told me that happened in his ministry.  Using the same characters, I wrote another story. Then it happened again.  Besides finding that people actually read these stories, I found it was a lot of fun to write.  And so was born a collection of stories I call, The Adventures of June Bug Johnson: growing up in the shadows of the Proverbs. 

After what seemed like years of indecision and writing and rewriting, I submitted the collection for publication and the publisher said, “YES.”  My first book is about to go to press and you can imagine the excitement that I have for this project.   

"The Adventures of June Bug Johnson" is a humorous and nostalgic look at the wisdom of the Proverbs as shared through the lives of Deroy “June Bug” Johnson and his grandpa Lymon (pronounced Lemon) Johnson.  June Bug is sometimes the agent of folly, sometimes the casual observer to other’s folly, and sometimes he is the mediator of wisdom.   Grandpa Lymon connects June Bug with the wisdom of Solomon as he quotes the Proverbs and explains what they mean. 

In all these stories there is a nugget of truth. Around the tidbits of fact I filled in details to add flair and color, so this is a work of fiction based on imagination and reality.  In some cases, all I did was change the names of those involved and fill in details or add Grandpa Lymon’s sage advice.  At other times I began with almost nothing.  For example, one story is built around a picture of a refrigerator with the words “hell is hot” painted on it.  I have no clue what the back story is, but my imagination was able to create a fictional account.  Each of the twenty chapters is a self-contained, short story ideal for bedtime with grandkids or for personal relaxation and smiles.

  

As a first time author publishers are not exacting throwing advances at me.  Fact is the likelihood of this being a big, financial success is somewhat small.   I need your help. There are three ways you can help me if you are so inclined.

First, in order the get this project jump-started, I need to raise $1,000 to cover basic marketing costs and the first run of printing.  There are more details involved in this than I ever imagined.   I have set up a GoFundMe sight should you want to be a patron of this project.  Any gift of any size will be greatly appreciated.  For each gift of $20 or more, I will provide you a serial numbered, autographed, first edition.  Contributions can be made through this link.

https://www.gofundme.com/qj3c2j-help-me-publish-my-first-book

Second, I would like for you to buy a copy of this book.  I suppose that goes without saying, but if I don’t ask you to buy it, you may not buy.  The publisher informs me that it should be available toward the end of October.  Buy a copy, read it with care and if you like it keep it, if you don’t, you can give it to someone as a Christmas gift.  When the books are available I promise I will let you know how you can purchase a copy.

Third, I need help developing the networks that are needed for book signings, book clues, library events, etc.  If you know someone in one of those arenas please introduce us.  Additionally, one of the stories that did not make it into the book is a Christmas story.  I used this story at my church’s Christmas party.  I would be honored to discuss presenting a Christmas program for a social or church event.

Thank you for your indulgence in letting me share my bit of good news. 

Better Preaching: Two approaches

What are people looking for when they walk in your church?  The results of a recent Gallup survey might shock you and certainly flies in the face of most of the conventional wisdom.

I recently watch a TED talk by Saturday Night Live writer Will Stephen on how to give a great TED talk.  As I listened to his presentation, I couldn’t help but think that he has served as many preachers’ homiletics professor.  I strongly recommend you view his TED talk for comic value.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8S0FDjFBj8o

For the moment, I will sum up his comments with the following outline:

·      Begin with “Nothing” to say.

            Compensate for having nothing to say with style.

            This can be accomplished by gestures, voice inflection, and facial expressions.

·      It is important to connect emotionally with your audience.

            Do this by asking a question that involves obvious audience participation.

            Tell a personally embarrassing story that will allow you to appear humble.

·      Make your sermon sound intellectual, even if you have no clue what you are talking about.

            The aggressive use of multimedia can keep you from having to work hard to develop something meaningful.

            The use of attractive stock photos with vaguely ethically sounding but pointless words will give you a strong, moral appeal to your audience.

·      Move to a strong conclusion.

            Having said nothing your conclusion needs to be nothing.

            Make sure you audience leaves with a feeling. 

            It doesn’t matter what that feeling is.

Sad to say, I have heard more than a few sermons developed with this system.  Sermons that are higher on entertainment value than they are substantive.  Preaching done based on relating to the target audience.  We have been told that people want church teaching to be relevant to life and under that guise we slip to the lowest common denominator of what is trending now.  Someone once said to me, “We have to do the newest, new thing.” 

But there is good news and a second approach.  In a recent Gallup survey the most important reason for people attending worship was “Sermons or talks that teach you more about scripture”.  Stop and let that soak in.  The reason people come to church is to be taught scripture.  Not how to feel good, how to get wealth, peace and prosperity, not to find a positive thought to carry them through the week.  They come to learn from and about scripture.  They do want relevance.  The second most common answer as to the most important reason to come to worship was “Sermons or lectures that help you connect religion to your own life”.   Even in the quest for relevance people want it from the Word of God. 

For the last generation the evangelical church has made a head long rush to be relevant.  So much so, that in some cases relevance has edged out scripture entirely.  The list of substitutes that have slipped into the teaching and preaching in America is almost endless.   But apparently what people are hungry for in a preacher is someone who will, “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, handling accurately the word of truth.”

I am not opposed to PowerPoint in sermons.  I think video can sometimes help prove a point.  I believe that a great story is priceless.  But more than any of these things the modern preacher needs a Bible, a notebook and pen, a few good study aids and a lot of quiet time with the Lord we claim to proclaim.

For more information on the Gallup Survey follow this link:

http://www.gallup.com/poll/208529/sermon-content-appeals-churchgoers.aspx?utm_source=alert&utm_medium=email&utm_content=morelink&utm_campaign=syndication

When you play free and loose with Biblical interpretations you can end up very confused.

"I don't think that means what you think it means".

Khanyi Mbau is an actress, TV and radio personality, model and a terrible exegete from South Africa.  Recently in an interview she was questioned about her cosmetic surgeries.  Having grown up in a Christian home she used the Bible to justify her ornamental procedures.  Rather than try to explain what she said, I will let her explain how the Bible vindicates her choices.

She said, “The Bible says I am who I am, through Christ who strengthens me.  If God is your father, it means you’re a god because God gives birth to a god.  So, if you’re my father, why can I not be a god and the Lord says we’re all gods among each other. What does a god do?  A god creates because my father created this earth through His image. 

“I can create my own version, my own earth, through my own vision, as long as it does not affect the next person, but it is my journey. So in my mind, the image and how I see myself is what I’m creating in the physical because everything first happens in the spiritual before it happens in the physical.

“So how I see myself is the most beautiful woman – flawless, filtered every single day of my life.  And that is the problem, once we start seeing ourselves as creators of our time, we will reach our goal because you’re not looking at someone for inspiration, you’re remembering who you are through the God that created you.”

Come again! 

When we play free and loose with Biblical interpretations we can end up with some pretty strange conclusions.   With a vague reference to a passage of scripture that is taken out of context, given a little twist and made into a great sounding cliché that has nothing whatsoever to do with the word of God, she can justify her plastic surgery. 

Not all misapplications of scripture are as misguided as Khanyi’s but it happens even in churches that claim to be committed to the authority of the Word of God.  I recently listened to, or at least tried to listen to, a sermon from a preacher that equated the Hindu practice of Kumbh Mela finding the universal by bathing in the Ganges River, with the Biblical teaching of being born again.  The speaker went on to say, “Jesus was God’s way of showing us how to live a life being connected to God.” 

But before we cast any exegetical stones we need to look at some of the passages that are not saying what a lot of Christians claim that they mean.

Luke 11:9-10 is not a blank check from heaven.  Ask, seek and knock and you will get what you want or at least that is the way we hear that passage portrayed.  But the grammar indicates keep seeking, asking and knocking.  In view of Jesus’ comments in the context about the Holy Spirit perhaps this passage has more to do with our passions changing as we seek God than getting a new BMW.

Matthew 18:20 is not about a few folks gathering for prayer meeting.  When “two or three have gathered” together is about church discipline not about the small groups.

Jeremiah 29:11 is a promise that God has all kinds of goodies just waiting to pour out on us.  Not so much.  Yes, the Lord has a plan for the people to whom He is speaking and that plan is 70 years of captivity in a place they don’t want to live under a tyrant that roasted Ahab the son of Kolaiah in a fire.  Taken out of context this verse is all warm and fuzzy.  But in context it is a call to patient endurance of difficulty to accomplish the greater plan of God

2 Chronicles 7:14 is God’s plan to save America right?  Actually, that verse is just a part of a sentence, it is the answer to a specific prayer Solomon prayed in chapter 6.  Solomon is promised that if God brings calamity on His chosen people (Not America by the way) and if the people repent God will relent from the calamity He has sent.   If you insist that verse 14 applies to America then I insist that verse 15 applies as well.  Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to the prayer offered in this place.  If you will use this passage as a formula for national revival and repentance then you must arrange for every US citizen that needs to repent to go to Jerusalem to the Wailing Wall and there repent.  We ought to preach and teach repentance, but let’s not do it by taking scripture out of context. 

Phil 4:13 tells me “I can do anything through Christ who gives me strength”.  One young college football player became a bit of a Christian pop star by writing this verse in his eye black. And if you take it out of context and ignore the original language that is exactly what this verse means.  But Paul was talking about dealing with the hardships of ministry as related to poverty or sufficiency.  He refers in a preceding verse to ‘secret’ a word from ancient mystery religions associated with specific divine insight or knowledge.   This verse has nothing whatsoever to do with football, weight lifting or passing a Finnish language exam.  It is about the strength to learn to live with the adversity that is the result of Paul’s apostolic ministry.  If you say it applies to every situation a Christian faces then I must ask in response, “Was Christ’s strength sufficient for this young man as a pro to beat the Steelers but not the Patriots?  That is a puny strength if you ask me.   

I recall a troubling statement from my hermeneutics professor.  “There is only one correct interpretation of scripture and that is what was in the mind of the Holy Spirit when He inspired the text.”  God’s word is no longer God’s word when it no longer says what God meant it to say.  How many times have we take a favorite passage out of context to say what we want it to say?  When we play loose with God’s Word whether we are a model or athlete or a preacher/teacher we can end up in some pretty strange places.

Exegetical Error Extra

For those of you who are a little more into sports and who are less likely to be offended here is an Exegetical Error Extra for your consideration.  

Tim Tebow who misused Phil 4:13 as his theme verse for football gained a bit of ignominy in the SEC championship game.  The Gators were ranked #1 and were expecting to win the game.  They were however routed in a blow out.  That night the reference he had painted in his eye black was John 16:33. 

John 16:33 “These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”

Near the end of the game, as it was obvious that the Gators would not win, he is pictured surrounded by his teammates who are patting him on the back and consoling him as he is crying really hard.  Someone took the picture and super imposed a different verse into his eye black.  The new verse was Is. 22:4:

Therefore I said, “Turn away from me;
    let me weep bitterly.
Do not try to console me    over the destruction of my people.”

No one can doubt Tim Tebow's faith and commitment, or his outstanding character, but let’s be honest Isaiah 22:4 has as much to do with football as Phil 4:13 or John 16:33.

Help me do a little personal research by taking a survey.

Rather than my typical comments about church and culture I am going to ask you to take about 6 minutes to tell me what you think. 

Very simply, I need your help to learn how to help churches.  

Having spent 25 years as a pulpit minister I now find that I am a bi-vocational minister.  My other job is as a church consultant.  I work with two companies that serve the church market.  In one we help churches develop their stewardship ministry, including capital campaigns for major projects, debt repayment, or ministry expansion.  The other company provides creative building solutions for churches.  Both companies offer outstanding resources for churches.  

Here is the rub.  Ministers are notorious for being difficult to reach.  Having been a minister I understand about being over extended so that certain things fall below the threshold of attention.  Being the church's senior minister and the unofficial gate keeper for boards, and committees the minister's default answer is often 'No".  

The point of this survey is: Help me understand how I can help you.  What we offer can be a great help for some congregations.  My goal is to find those churches we can help and present our offerings while not wasting the time of ministers, their staff or myself.  So, if you will take this short survey it will help me greatly.  DO NOT worry. Your participation in this survey will not result in you getting a sales call unless you want one.  The survey is completely anonymous.

I will ask that only those who are in the ministry take this survey.

Use this link to access the survey.

 https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/WHJNBZD