Is worship our problem?

Psalm 95

There is a correlation between the worship of God by His people and their faithfully living for Him.  This Psalm is about that link.  The Psalm begins with a description of worship (vs. 1-2) and the cause of that worship, namely God’s greatness (vs. 3-5).  In verses 6-7a we see as a part of our worship our posture and relationship with the One who is worshipped.   Three postures are described for being before God, all of which express radical humility; worship: literally to prostrate, bow and kneel.   It is striking how different these postures are from the pompous and proud bearing we often see in our churches.  In regard to relationship we are described as sheep.  The motif of the Lord as our shepherd is perhaps the most common and sentimental of metaphors we have for our relationship to God.  It bears remembering that the shepherd does what is good for the sheep, which may not be the same as what the sheep are inclined to or want to do. 

Sadly, what is described as contemporary worship is often almost entirely unlike the description we see in the first part of this Psalm.  We have replaced “let us sing” with “let us watch a concert”.  I attended a pallet church once (Pallet church: noun, a pejorative term that describes churches that will follow any fad that comes along in an attempt to grow numbers, so long as that fad doesn’t require real hard work.  “If we put old pallet wood on our stage it would make us cool and we can attract cool, seeker people) in which everyone stood as the praise band did a mini concert and the audience looked on with remarkable disinterest, but no singing. Instead of concentrating on God’s greatness and what God has done as we see in verses 3-5, we direct our attention to how we feel about God or how we feel about what God has done or what we want Him to do.  The teaching is often reduced to self-help pabulum, political activism, lazy rehashing of old sermons, or a monologue of self-aggrandizement.  We down play offerings, to the point that some churches only have a collection box near the exit, forgetting that sacrifice as an act of worship was God’s idea.  If the Lord’s Supper is shared at all, it often falls into the dry ritual of a somnambulating automaton or the awkward, unprepared spectacle of those who dabble in what they do not understand.  And as for prayer… “What is this thing ‘prayer’ of which you speak?”  We measure the quality of worship based on how much we like what transpires.  We have bought the lie that if we put on a good show we can attract a crowd.  That has happened in some mega, big-box settings.  But generally, all we have accomplished is a dumbing down of God’s people and not extending the Kingdom at all. 

In the second half of verse 7, we see what may strike us as a random shift.  The Bible doesn’t do random.  In the balance of this Psalm is God’s description of Israel’s great moral failure and God’s response that rebellion.  In short, their hearts were hard, they erred in their hearts, and they did not know God’s ways. Their external failure was the result of a bad, or may I say, a misaligned heart.  It is no random thing that the Psalm expresses.  Right worship is set in contrast to the rebellion of a wicked heart.  How does God intend to correct or realign our hearts?  He works the change through the means of worship!  This Psalm is echoed in Hebrews 4 with a warning for the church. 

Since the rise of the seeker driven and seeker sensitive movement we have focus our worship and programing on finding and appealing to the wants interest and felt needs of target audiences.  We have offered a dessert buffet of whatever people have wanted. One church had professional Christian wrestling.  (Please give me an airsick bag.)  But for all our pandering we have in the last generation not seen the promised growth of the church, unless you count growing weakness, indifference and carnality.  But as the second half of this Psalm says and Hebrews quotes, there is “Today.” Beginning now let’s restore the worship of our God and the salvation He has brought by the cross.   That alone has the power to change the church, and the lives of men.

Why Use Coleman Stewardship Services?

Why Use Coleman Stewardship Services?

The simple acrostic R.E.E.F. outlines why partnering with Coleman Stewardship Services makes sense.

Returns: Christian organizations or churches that use Coleman have greater returns.  The average church using a Coleman campaign raises 2 to 5 times as much money as an in-house campaign.  It is not that we are smarter than the people in your congregation.  But we offer expertise that most likely is absent in your pews.  Almost anyone can do what we do, with 30 years of experience.

Experience: Most churches do not have the experience to effectively lead a campaign. We have done over 600 campaigns.  Every minister preaches on giving occasionally, and most have taken part in a little fund raiser to send some kids to camp or help with the one time cost of a mission project.  But few leaders in the local church have every directed a church wide stewardship campaign.  

Efficiency: We will, in effect, become extra staff for your development office.  This allows you to focus on what you do best while outsourcing non-core competencies.In the 50 to 60 hour work week most pastor's really do not have time to develop an effective stewardship campaign. The mono-focus of a consultant helps avoid distractions. This will allow the leadership to remain focused on the vision and mission of your church.We do not do pastoral care, weddings, baptisms or funerals at your church

Flexibility:  If every church were alike then one stewardship training program would be all that is needed.  At Coleman we design each campaign with the congregation's, culture, ethos, history and vision in mind.  Giving is giving, but not all needs are the same.  We offer a three year major capital campaign for larger churches with larger needs.  We also offer a campaign developed specific for churches that are smaller but still have a vision and dream for ministry.   

Contact me for more information about Stewardship Campaign Success.

Charlie Crowe

352-548-4837

Born into a Privileged Position

Psalm 87

As a society we are often hostile towards the idea of privileged position. In almost all areas of life we esteem the self-made man, who from a humble beginning with no advantages, obtains success in his/her given field. We do this in matters of spirituality as well. There is a certain allure to the testimony of the Christian who grew up in a wicked, crazy, and dysfunctional home and yet becomes a solid, spiritually, mature saint. If we take this as the norm and to its radical conclusion, every other generation needs to be wicked in order for the other generation to have maximum spirituality.

This abrupt Psalm knows nothing of disdain for privileged birth. Instead this song praises the very idea of an advantaged position afforded by birth. Before the days of a synagogue, Jews living some distance from Jerusalem might see the temple only occasionally. The physical presence of a temple, the reminder of God's covenant, calling, and intervention for His people could only be seen after a long and expensive pilgrimage. For Jews living far from Jerusalem this was a rare privilege that was enjoyed less often than it would be enjoyed by the poorest dweller of the city of Jerusalem. Even those Jews born in Jerusalem and who had emigrated far from home had carried in their hearts and memory the advantage of the experience of living near the temple.

As incredibly frustrating and irritating as the church (and by this we of course mean the people not the building) can be, there is or at least should be a profound advantage of being born and growing up in the company of God's people. This Psalm is a call for the church to live to the highest standard in our fellowship. Damage done by the people of the church, which undermines the privilege of being in the church, is unconscionable. There ought to be nothing greater than living in the close press of God’s people. The person born into and growing up in the community of a people who love God genuinely and live that out is the highest, privileged birth that one could ever enjoy.

What Only God Can Do!

Psalm 85

Some time ago a phrase became popular in the Christian subculture that was used so much that it became a cliché to the point of meaninglessness.  The phrase “It’s a God thing” was meant to express God’s divine care and supervision and was roughly equivalent to Providence, but much cooler and less theologically precise and stuffy.  It was used of circumstances resulting in a particularly beneficial event to a ministry.  But as with any overused adage it decayed to banality.  “It’s a God thing” degenerated to the point that finding a parking place near a store entrance was God at work.  It was never applied to the parking place at the outer edge of the parking lot.   But misuse and misunderstanding doesn’t mean it never happens. There are those things that only God can do and that is the time to say, “It’s a God thing!”

Psalm 85 is a brief Psalm of praise for God’s bringing the exiles back from captivity.  This moment in God’s salvation history is filled with wonder and marvel, but one specific verse expresses a “God thing” in its purest and richest form, verse 10.  The couplets are not opposite of each other, but can be in conflict with each other. 

In this verse, we see that Mercy and Truth have embraced each other like friends long separated.  It is almost as if they have lost contact with each other and have a happy and unexpected meeting.  But this happy meeting has a conflict.  The truth of the matter is we are guilty; we have worked hard to deserve punishment, wrath, exile and even death.  But while horrifically guilty, Mercy or Lovingkindness deeply desires that we be exempt from the penalty of our guilt.  Mercy and Truth hold the court papers that argue the opposite sides of the case. They are almost like a prosecutor and a defense attorney who were undergrad fraternity brothers suddenly reunited.  Here they are, old friends hugging and laughing and talking a mile a minute in the middle of a busy airport concourse oblivious to the others around them. 

Righteousness and Peace are even closer; they kiss.  Often Righteousness, or shall we say Justice, and Peace do not get along very well.  Justice demands that the wicked man be arrested, placed in handcuffs put in the squad car, and transported to jail.  Anyone who has seen reality TV police shows can testify that Shalom, tranquility, a sense of well-being, peace or wholeness, rarely accompanies an arrest.  Justice is breathless and sweaty from the chase; his temper while controlled is short.  The batons, Taser, pepper spray, and sidearm do not invite tender affection, but demand compliance.  If the wicked man is not restrained and controlled there is no justice for the victim.  Sometimes justice demands more than a Peace Officer; it demands bombers and artillery, invasions and tanks.  Justice for enslaved Europe demanded that Chamberlin’s “peace in our time” give way to the hell of World War Two.  Here again we see a reunion that looks more like a reunion of separated lovers than a landing at Normandy.  Peace and Righteousness are kissing; this is no perfunctory greeting but the outward expression of a powerful, deep love.

In some way the return of the exiles from Babylonian captivity saw these two couples in blissful union.  That was a mystery for those who returned.  They would never be able to work out the equation by which God made it all fit together.  The return of the exiles did something more.  It prefigured the day when on the cross God could bring together the apparently conflicting demand of Mercy, Truth, Justice/Righteousness and Peace.  Consider the wonder you would feel if you were there in the airport concourse, you wore the handcuffs, you were extradited for a trial you knew you would lose and you see the reunion.  The loud, happy foursome in genuine affection touches, holds, and laughs together.  They look at you and you know it will be more than all right; it will be more than you can imagine.  That is the marvel of the cross, which is what only God can do, that is the real “God Thing”.

God's grace and Flattery

Psalm 78

Please read the passage before reading this devotion.

The retelling of the history of God’s care for His people is a recurring theme in the book of Psalms.  Part of that retelling includes the unfaithfulness of Israel and Judah toward God and His dealing with them.  This is the core of Psalm 78.  In this Psalm there is a key theme about God’s grace that we need to take to heart and marvel over.  Sometimes people try to strike a bargain with God.  It is sort of a foxhole religion, “God, if you get me out of this I promise I will do better, turn over a new leaf, etc.”  That is what we see in verses 34-39.  While we may hold this foxhole religion with some distain we see here a picture of God’s superlative grace. 

In the just punishment of Israel’s sin they turn to God.  In the crisis of the moment they find “religion”.  The wrath of God being expressed in the oppression of their pagan neighbors generates repentance and revival.  We all have a tendency to get religious when we are in a fix, suffering or trouble.    It is hard to find the very impious just before life and death surgery.  Piousness is treated like a credit card, it is whipped out and promises are made about future payments (good deeds) in exchange for current purchase.  Get a good outcome to this operation and I will pay with good deeds in the years to come.  In ministry you see this with great frequency, people get really holy when they are about to get the short end of a divorce, a criminal charge, or a medical diagnosis.  Church attendance spiked in the U.S. for the three weeks after 911.  But once the crisis is passed the religious fervor cools; the worship and the change of heart was only flattery aimed at fooling the “old man upstairs”.  We have all seen it, hated it, and perhaps done it.

But here is the marvel.  We all know it is a hypocritical, feigned pile of double-dealing jive, but grace prevails.  Verses 38-39 are almost unbelievable.  For the first 34 verses this Psalm describes Israel’s miserable moral failure in contrast to God’s faithfulness.  Verses 35-37 describe their faith as the crisis variety that was nothing more than flattery and lies that never went near the heart.  Then in verses 38-39 we see God’s mercy and compassion in forgiving and holding back His wrath because His compassion took into account human frailty.  He knew their hearts were divided even as they confessed their sins and turned to Him.  He knew it was lies and flattery and He had mercy anyway.

I once had a conversation with a Christian man who was dying.  He was just days away from his end.  He was tormented by the fears that maybe he was insincere in his faith and God would not accept him.  I was once asked, “How do I know if I really mean it when I repent or I am just saying it?”  I had someone asked if because they didn’t understand all that baptism means when they were baptized if they needed to be baptized again.  When a person looks back at public sin with self-loathing and they wonder if the actions of repentance are God-driven or culturally driven what do we say?  These are not the questions of people looking for a license to indulge.  It is a reminder that we need to stress and address the greatness of God’s grace.  C.S. Lewis put it this way in That Hideous Strength “This is the courtesy of deep Heaven, that when you mean well He always takes you to have meant better than you knew.  It will not be enough for always He is very jealous, He will have you for no one but himself in the end.”

What more can we do than to love the One who so respects and honors us even when we are an alloy of selfish and pious motives?  When we consider this great grace we are bound to want to do right and little by little our motives become more pure.  We may still have doubts about the purity of our motives, but that itself is perhaps a good sign that we mean well and God can take that as very close to pure motives. 

World class stewardship coaching for smaller churches.

MX3

Who put the fish on Peter's line?  Who put the coin in the fish's mouth?  When we give we are only giving back to God what He has graciously already given to us.

Small churches can benefit from quality, professional, stewardship consulting as they move toward fulfilling God’s purpose.  Consider the features and benefit of a stewardship campaign that is specifically designed for smaller churches.

• Flexibility in developing the campaign.  Each campaign is built to meet the specific needs of each congregation.
• Optional Vision Development.  There is an optional training built around developing the church’s long-range vision.  This affordable option is not required and may not be needed for your specific situation.
• A Shorter Campaign.  Not every campaign needs to be three years long.  By design our campaign is completed in one year. 
• Team size appropriate for your congregation.  The steering committee for this campaign is the right size for a small congregation.  You will not end up with 2/3s of your church on a committee. 
• Detailed manuals.  The process of the campaign is laid out in manuals with calendars to make sure that everyone knows what to do and when to do it so that each step is easy to take.
• Greater results.  On average churches using a Coleman campaign raise 2 to 5 times as much money as an in-house campaign.   
• Less stress.  Having a stewardship consultant relieve the pastor of having one more program to run.
• Convenient payment plans.  There is no need to pay for the campaign up front.  Three payments make the campaign very affordable.
• Lower cost:  Our campaigns are a fraction of the cost of most consulting fees and provide an excellent return on the investment.  

If you serve as a pastor or leader in a church of less than 125 in weekly attendance give me a call and let's talk about the difference a capital campaign can make for your congregation.

Charlie Crowe

352-548-4837

Charlie@Colemanssi.com