Revitalize Your Church

The Best Way to Master the Desire is to Desire the Master.

A very insightful article by my good friend, Phil Stevenson, in Expanding Wave: In a January 2009 lecture given at Talbot Seminary, Charles Van Engen observed that of the 168 hours (24x7) in any given week active church members will give five of those hours to the church. That low number shocked me. In the 1980’s, I had heard that active church members would invest up to twenty hours a week. Prior to Van Engen’s remark I had understood it had slipped to ten. Regardless of the number, it appears that the time those most committed are willing to invest in the local church is eroding. My question: What are we encouraging people to do with the other 163? I understand a segment of those hours will be for food and sleep, but there is a huge chunk of hours we need to leverage. How these hours are leveraged would appear to be built on two potential philosophical foundations: Retrieval: This is getting those hours back for the church. We pull, prod and plead to have them show up for, serve at ...

Note to self: Edit church cookbooks BEFORE printing. Even if 'Guinea pig is regarded as a nutritious meal in the Andes. It is easily digested and has a lot of good nutritional content ," Sorry, Lutherans, It's best to leave that recipe OUT. We were caught, once, with a church cookbook recipe that slipped through the editorial process. It was called "Cal Can Surprise" The recipe went something like this: 1) Open a can of Cal Can 2) Put it on a plate and serve it to your guest. 3) Watch their surprise, when they taste it. Sort of along the order of baked guinea pig. (HT CMS)

Some dear friends of mine have a sign hanging over their doorway as you leave the house. It reads, "Live Life Joyfully!" I like that! It is a beautiful reminder, as they go out to face the world; that we really can choose how we are going to live. Most folks don't think they have a choice in the matter. They believe that joy and happiness are simply the result of good fortune. When "things" are going well, we're happy. Snoopy captures this thought when he defined happiness as "a piece of fudge caught on the first bounce." This perspective takes us on an emotional roller coaster -- up one moment and down the next. Now, I love roller coasters -- but emotional ones are not so fun. If circumstances dictate our level of contentment we are doomed to misery. Bad things happen to everybody! We all go through struggles, hardships and pain. If a "bad day" has the authority to plunder our joy, we're all in deep weeds. Yet, there is a ha...

An old man lived alone in the country. He wanted to dig his own tomato garden, but it was very hard work as the ground was hard. His only son, Vincent, who used to help him was in prison. The old man wrote a letter to his son and described his predicament. Dear Vincent, I am feeling pretty badly because it looks like I won't be able to plant my tomato garden this year. I'm just getting to old to be digging up a garden plot. I know if you were here my troubles would be over. I know you would be happy to dig the plot for me. Love, Dad The son replied: Dear Dad, Don't dig up that garden. That's where I buried the bodies Love, Vinnie At 4 a.m. the next morning, FBI agents and local police arrived and dug up the entire area without finding any bodies.They apologized to the old man and left. That same day the old man received another letter from his son. Dear Dad, Go ahead and plant the tomatoes now. That's the best I could do under the circumstances Love you, Vinnie ...

Spent a wonderful day with Rich Avery, Director of Wesleyan Native American Ministries, his son Brandon, Pastor Ben Drown, and Ralph Jacobson, who served as the chauffer. This was Rich's first visit to Hayward, so we gave him the grand tour of the LCO Reservation, and introduced him to several of our ministry leaders as well as our missions committee. Rich is an outstanding leader. He gave us some keen insights, which will be quite helpful to us as we continue to build bridges with the reservation.

I've often heard that pastors live in glass houses -- well, this one is doing it literally.

Ed Kleinhammer, a member of Hayward Wesleyan Church in northern Wisconsin, is known throughout classical music circles as one of the greatest trombone players in the world. Recently, he was declared a "Living Legend" by the International Trombone Association. His career with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra spanned 45 years (1940 to 1985) and took him to all the great cities in America, as well as many nations around the world. Born in 1919, Ed found Christ early in life through the ministry of the Swedish Lutheran Church in Chicago. His faith in the Lord has guided him all the way along. At 18, Ed wrote the following poem in honor of his Savior: We know thou art present, O Lord when we pray. As we look to Thee for happiness from day to day. The mystery of life falls much short of prayer, For only too often The world pours us sorrow which is heavy to bear. We ask for more love for the things that are good, For inspiration and peace in the things that we should. As we live in t...

I had the privilege of recently reading the two books summarized in my last post . At first glance, they appear to be "chick books", and I wasn't so sure I wanted to read them. . . but once I dove into the lake, I discovered that the water was just fine! Aurora is the true story of a religous colony established in Oregon in the 1800's. Jane Kirkpatrick made these people of the past come alive with her vivid writing, as well as weaving in historical pictures and crafts. I had never thought of crafting as journaling -- but that's what it is. . . at least in some cases. She showed quilts, for instance, that told a woman's story -- of joy, heartache, longing and hope. I will never look at an old quilt the same way again -- and I have a new respect for the craft. During the journaling class I taught last week, I spoke of "crafting as journaling" and especially focused on quilting. I used the Aurora book as an example of what I meant. A Flickering Ligh...

AURORA Wrap yourself in a fantastic journey, a remarkable commitment, and a spare and splendid story . Master storyteller Jane Kirkpatrick extols the beautiful treasures, unknown to a wider public, rediscovered in the Old Aurora Colony of Oregon’s lush Willamette Valley. The people and legacy of Aurora, a utopian community founded in the mid-1800s, will stir your imagination, hopes, and dreams; and remind you that every life matters—that our lives are the stories other people read first. ~Featuring~ Unique and treasured quilt pattern variations More than 100 photographs, many never-before published, from 1850 to today Cherished stories from Aurora descendants Rich images of fine crafts from the Aurora Colony and private collections An introduction by renowned American artist John Houser Aurora is about the difference every ordinary life can make—and a beautiful celebration of a time and place in which people expressed their most cherished beliefs through the work of their imagination ...

My son, Adam, wrote a beautiful poem. You can read it here. . . . Life is the river, the heart is the boat

Indiana Wesleyan University professor, Dr. Ken Schenck, recently shared some good thoughts concerning evangelism in the 21st Century. I think he hit the nail on the head!

Flat is the new up. -- John Krafcik, President and CEO, Hyundai

The problem with being a bridge, is that you get stepped on from both sides.

Hmmmmm

Poor guy -- I think they should cut him some slack.

Ron, from the library, called and left a message for me last evening -- the new John Grisham book ( The Associate ) is waiting for me at their circulation desk! Yippeee! About six weeks ago, I put my name on the waiting list -- and was number 84. Since then, I've been badgering the library staff on a regular basis. "Where am I on the list now?" So, I watched my slow climb, from 84, to 63 to 41 to 25 to 8 to 1. I've been number 1 on the list since last Thursday. Now, it's finally my turn. I hope it's as good as the wait.

The winner of my "Gardening Eden" give-away is: (Drumroll please. . .) JEFF RUGGLES of Williston, ND! Congratulations Jeff! Honorable Mention goes to my dear sister-in-law, Linda Weaver Wilson, whose name was submitted by her loving husband, Sam, in honor of her birthday. Sam -- I guess that means you're going to have buy her a birthday present after all. Seriously -- Linda -- I'm going to send you TWO good books! Thanks to everybody who participated. For those who really want a copy of Gardening Eden , You can buy it here.

God's time for revival is the very darkest hour, when everything seems hopeless. It is always the Lord's way to go to the very worst cases to manifest His glory. -- Andrew Gib

Please pray for Dave & Mary Lou Stevens, the beloved cooks for all our FLAME (non-traditional ministerial preparation) Courses. They were in the middle of a FLAME in Stroudsburg, PA, when Dave became seriously ill, and was hospitalized in a local hospital. Please pray for the volunteers who jumped in as substitue cooks -- and pray also that their culinary offerings will not lead to indigestion. (just jesting about the indigestion! I know you guys will do do great. The Lord can work miracles, and the director, Wayne Richards is truly grateful for your willing spirits!)

I am going to give away a free copy of Michael Abbate's Gardening Eden (see last post) Here's how we're going to do it. For the next 26 hours, I'll be collecting names -- you can submit your name in one of two ways: 1) Leave a comment here at the blog with your name and town. 2) e-mail me at orangeluther@hotmail.com with "Eden" in your subject line. I will need your name and town. At 8:00 AM tomorrow (Thursday the 23rd), I will put all the names in a hat - and pull out the winner!

In honor of Earth Day, I'd like to recommend Gardening Eden by Michael Abbate' . It's a compelling call to be better stewards of the earth (or The Garden.) Living in the Wisconsin northwoods, I am privileged to see the splendor of creation every day. When I go into the woods, I find it easier to hear from heaven. By the river side, my soul finds peace. My heart goes out to the city folks who are surrounded by asphalt. Where can they go to experience such re-creation? God made our beautiful earth for us and need to take better care of it! Abbate' presents a clear biblical case for Creation Care. He sounds like a normal guy-- not like some weird environmental activist. It just makes good common sense! In the second half of the book, he lists 50 practical tips for conserving energy and other simple lifestyle solutions. These tips will help you be a part of the solution rather than the problem -- and will save some serious cash as well! Download first chapter here Purchas...

I finished Larry Osborne's 10 Dumb Things Smart Christians Believe on the airplane last week. My initial response to the title was, "That's pretty bold and/or arrogant." Now, I've met Larry personally. He's a good man, and doesn't strike me as arrogant at all -- so I settled for "That's pretty bold!" At least he uses lessens the sting by using the word, "smart." In this book, Larry writes about various spiritual "Urban Legends" that, if left unchecked, can harm people in their spiritual journey. Most of these issues are reflect TRUTHS that are taken too far or misunderstood: 1) Faith Can Fix Anything 2) Forgiving Means Forgetting 3) A Godly Home Guarantees Godly Kids 4) God Has a Blueprint for My Life 5) Christians Shouldn't Judge 6) Everything Happens for a Reason 7) Let Your Conscience Be Your Guide 8) God Brings Good Luck 9) A Valley Means a Wrong Turn 10) Dead People Go to a Better Place My favorite take-home poin...

Seth Godin on rapid change in the communications business. How does this relate to church?

Here's an exercise I conducted with my Journaling Class last night: 1) List five vivid memories for your childhood. Which ones rise to the surface? 2) What feeling is attached to those memories? 3) Is there any connection between this and how you experience life as an adult?

Tonight, I taught a class on Creative Journaling at the Hayward Branch of Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College. The students were great, and a fun time was had by all.

Giving Up Something You Love for Something You Love Even More -- From a great post by Craig Groeschl

Today, I gave a "First Person Narrative" sermon. I had been planning to preach on Peter and the two miraculous catches of fish (John 21 and Luke 5.) Early this morning, as I was giving my last "go-over", an idea popped into my mind. Instead of just TELLING the sermon, why not BE the sermon? Rather than talking ABOUT Peter and the big catches of fish, what if I BECAME Peter and shared these stories First-Hand?? So, I took the risk, drove home quickly and grabbed my fishing hat, pole, net and tackle box -- for visual effects. I've heard about this kind of preaching, but have never personally tried it. I think it went pretty well. The people were engaged, the message came through, and the text spoke for itself. Cathy overheard a little fellow whisper to his mother, "They ought to put that story in a book!"

Wayne Cordeiro shared a very good post recently: Preaching for Base Hits

What a joy to have Adam (our oldest son) and Allegra (our lovely daughter-in-law) with us this weekend! We went to Backroads Coffee Shop this morning -- and then took a back roads scenic "long cut" home! We saw a flock of Canadian geese, a momma wood duck with her ducklings, and a baby loon. It was awesome - and we would have missed the whole show if we had staid on the main roads. That's the way life is -- the best treasures are nestled away where the paths are unworn. Adam has a new blog! Pay him a visit here.

John Maxwell recently posted an outstanding article on decision making in challenging times: Crises Call for Critical Choices

I just returned from speaking to a wonderful group of Wesleyan pastors from the Western Pennsylvania District. They were fantastic -- hung right in there with me as I blabbed along! My host, Shawn Cossin, is an outstanding young pastor (former state trooper) who is has a thriving ministry at Sandy Lake Wesleyan Church. It was a real joy to get to know him. We have kindred spirits! Shawn definitely has a bright future. Our conference was at Hyde Wesleyan Church -- which is famous for it's amazing missions program. I don't think there's a church anywhere that's more intentional about blessing the nations than these guys. I was blown away. Unfortunately for me, their senior pastor, Bob Croft, was on sabbatical. So, I'll have to wait to catch a few pointers from him. I was especially delighted to reconnect with my friend, Jeremiah Gomez. He's a sharpie! It was also a joy to visit with District Superintendent Randy Swink and his wife, Gayle. They're doing a gre...

Gary Lamb, lead pastor of Revolution Church in Canton, Georgia, writes about life as a small town pastor at The Sticks Blog: In a smaller town if your church starts growing and impacting the community EVERYONE knows you. I didn't say everyone likes you but everyone does you! It can make a simple task like going to the store for a gallon of milk a big deal. It can make something as relaxing by taking your family out to eat and turning into a non-stop counseling session because everyone in the restaurant knows you and just needs a "couple of minutes" of your time. Lose your temper and make jerk of yourself? Yep, it becomes town gossip. Gotta make a tough decision? Trust me, it will be the topic of discussion the next morning as the old men gather at the same diner everyone morning. That's life leading in a small town. (I can relate to that!!)

"It would be nice if we could pay our income taxes with a smile, but normally cash is required." " I am proud to be paying taxes in the United States. The only thing is – I could be just as proud for half the money."

1) How Much Did You Make Last Year? 2) Send It In!

Outstanding communicator, John Maxwell, recently shared how he goes about filing material for future reference. Great stuff -- especially for those of us who preach. One thing Preachers and Prisoners both need -- Good Files

Swedish Church Unveils Lego Jesus It took them one and a half years and over 30,000 lego pieces. At least you can give them credit for being creative!

Small Town Pastor, Stephen Kingsley, Answers Atheist's Easter Challenge Kingsley's Website

Dr. Jim "Umfundisi" Lo, recently suggested the following questions to consider when attempting to discern God's will regarding a decision: 1. Will it honour God? 2. Is it consistent with Scripture? 3. Is it the “best” thing that could be done? Is there something “better” to do? 4. Is it my heart’s desire? Is this something I really have a passion for? 5. Does it fit who I am as a child of God? Does it fit my skills, gifts, resources, abilities, capabilities, limitations, etc.? 6. Does it fit God’s overall plan for my life? Has everything He’s brought me through readied me for this opportunity, this purpose, this adventure? 7. Are there, or has there been, any providential leadings toward this course of action? 8. Am I willing to submit this decision to God’s will? 9. Is there, or has there been, an inner conviction and compulsion to undertake this course of action? Has it been confirmed through another person? Through the Holy Spirit? Through H...

Yikes!! This chart says we have some very significant challenges before us. See also Newsweek's Article recent article: The End of Christian America This is certainly a matter of concern, but I am reminded of the old phrase from Mark Twain: "Reports of my demise have been greatly exaggerated!"

Russell D. Moore is just dead wrong on this one . (No pun intended.) It's an article in Christianity Today, opposing the practice of cremation. Seems to me, he's making much ado about nothing., and I'm frankly surprised the CT folks bothered to print it. Ashes to ashes. Dust to dust. From dust we come, and to dust we shall return. There's absolutely nothing wrong with speeding up the process! (A little kid remarked, "There's somebody either coming or going underneath my bed!") God is certainly BIG enough to handle the resurrection of cremated bodies (Moore grants this in the article.) It felt to me like this article was putting unnecessary yokes on people's shoulders. Seems to me, people should do what is best for their situation. If you prefer to do the full casket and burial for your loved one, that's fine and dandy. You should do it. There are certain advantages to that approach, and most stem from tradition. However, it's wrong to chastise ...

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You don’t fail when you invite people to repent and follow Christ and no one responds. You fail when you don’t invite people to repent and follow Christ. -- Craig Groeschl

Spam Level "Declines". . . to 97.3 Percent of All E-Mail

Shortly after 3:00 p.m. this afternoon, our dear young friend, John LaFontaine , passed away. He was only 32. We've been praying much for John ever since he was diagnosed with aggressive cancer about four months ago. He fought valiantly. Yesterday, he was in a lot of pain. It seemed like a Gethsemane of sorts. Then, today was his Calvary. I am heavy hearted right now. John was such a strong and faithful soldier for Jesus. His only aim was to bring glory to God. This is true in his death as well as his life. Last summer, John organized an event on the Reservation called " Heartfest ." Singlehandedly , he built a bridge between the Christians from the LCO Reservation and the larger Hayward area. We ate together, sang together and shared our stories. It was a beautiful experience I'll never forget. Also, John volunteered at the jail several times a week, leading Celebrate Recovery Groups. He gave his life away to others -- and it's no wonder that hundreds showed up...

Today- The Holy One The Lowly One The Lonely One The Only One - Died To reconcile us to God- Amazing Grace! -- Leonard Ravenhill, in Heart Breathings

Great post by Tony Morgan on Church and Chicken Livers!

Let No Man Despise Thy Youth

Crown of Thorns Galaxy Photographed in Space

According to a Newsweek poll of 1,003 adults, released April 7, less than half (48 percent) believe religion can answer all or most of today's problems. The percentage is the lowest number Newsweek has recorded since it began polling Americans on that issue in 1957 (when 82 percent believed religion could answer the problems of that time). Also, 68 percent of Americans think religion is losing influence on American life, up from 62 percent in 2007 and 46 percent in 2005. And 81 percent say that's a "bad thing." from The Christian Post

It was truly a delight to recently discover Experiencing the Spirit written by Henry Blackaby and his son, Mel. In a soul-gripping manner, these two godly men call us to a deeper walk with the Lord, and challenge our spiritual mediocry with this simple concept: Repent, Trust, Obey and Be Filled With the Holy Spirit! As I was reading this book, it seemed to be reading me! What a delightful treasure! Books like this don't come around very often. Experiencing the Spirit ranks right up there with my other spiritual "meat and potatoes" books -- such as Andrew Murray, Hannah Whitehall Smith, Wesley Duewel, Bounds, Tozer, and Brengle. (Most of those are more a hundred years old -- how exciting to find a fresh expression of the same thing!!) Speaking of treasure, if you haven't read Randy Alcorn's little book, The Treasure Principle , There's a recently revised edition available with a profound concluding chapter: 31 Radical, Liberating Questions to Ask God About Y...

Chuck Warnock shares a good post on how to provide quality ministry and pastoral care to high-needs members. Take home point -- it takes 25 people to adequately care for a extra needy person. If the pastor and one or two others try to do it all by themselves, everybody will end up frustrated.

Busy Moms Learn How To Balance Family and Faith

Patrick Morley is offering a free online version of his latest book, How to Survive the Economic Meltdown. Get your copy here

I ask no bliss But this, To know Thy will, And it fulfill, In every part So that my heart, Without alloy, May know the joy By peace Or rod To please My God. -- Leonard Ravenhill in Heart Breathings

A man was being tailgated by a stressed out woman on a busy street. Suddenly, just in front of him, the light turned yellow. He did the right thing, stopping at the crosswalk, even though he could have beaten the red light by accelerating through the intersection. The tailgating woman was furious and repeatedly honked her horn, screaming in frustration, as she missed her chance to get through the intersection, while also, dropping her cell phone and makeup. As she was still in mid-rant, she heard a tap on her window and looked up into the face of a very stern looking police officer. The officer ordered her to exit her car with her hands up. He took her to the police station where she was searched, fingerprinted, photographed and placed in a holding cell. After a couple of hours, a policeman approached the cell and opened the door. She was escorted back to the booking desk where the arresting officer was waiting with her personal effects. He said, 'I'm very sorry for this mistak...

Congratulations to Jim Vileta, who was the 14th person to respond to the free book offer yesterday. Keep your eyes open -- because I'm going to do this again in a few days!

"Motivation is everything. You can do the work of two people, but you can't be two people. Instead, you have to inspire the next guy down the line and get him to inspire his people." -- Lee Iacocca, Auto Executive

Over 300 people have visited Revitalize Your Church since my "Book Give Away" was posted -- and I'm kind of surprised that 14 people haven't e-mailed me already. Just to make sure you understand . . . I am giving away an awesome book absolutely free to the 14th person who e-mails me with "Clutter Free" in the subject line. (Be sure to use the e-mail address I included in the post.) We're almost there -- but I really would hate to see the day pass without someone claiming the prize!

I will give a FREE copy of Clutter Free Christianity to the 14th person who e-mails me: send to orangeluther (at) hotmail.com Note I listed it as (at) here rather than @ because I don't want to get spammed. Be sure to put "clutter free" in the subject line. I'll report back on who won.

My dear friend, Ed Kleinhammer , a "Living Legend" who played trombone for the Chicago Symphany Orchestra, stopped by my office around Easter time a couple of years ago. He had a question for me. "Pastor, I am writing an article for the International Trombone Journal, and I'm focusing on Mahler's Symphony #2 -- Resurrection!" "Whenever I hear this beautiful masterpiece it feels like Easter, and a little foretaste of heaven.", he continued, "That's where I need your advice." "Do you think it would be appropriate to call Easter "a keyhole peek into heaven?" "You're FABULOUS, Ed! Yes! It's a keyhole peek into Heaven! I'm going to use that one on Easter Sunday!" experience the symphony here. and here -- the grand finale. Aufersteh'n, ja aufersteh'n Wirst du, Mein Staub, Nach kurzer Ruh'! Unsterblich Leben! Unsterblich Leben wird der dich rief dir geben! Rise again, yes, rise again, Will yo...

Question: Who is happier? A man with 11 million dollars or a man with 11 children? Answer: A man with 11 children -- because he doesn't want more! (a funny from Clutter Free Christianity )

Robert Jeffress, senior pastor of First Baptist Church, Dallas, has written an inspiring new book, Clutter-Free Christianity . With an engaging and humorous style, Jeffress goes right to the heart of what it means to please God. So often, our lives are overflowing with a thousand different things. We become distracted by many demands clamouring for our attention. Even as ministers of God's peace, we can find ourselves too busy to fully experience it. We end up being too busy and resenting the intrusions. That's not God's best for us. Jesus said, "only one thing is needful." Clutter-Free Christianity reminds us of that "one thing." It's a matter of the HEART! From time to time, we need a de-cluttering -- a good "Spring Cleaning of the Heart! Reading this book was a soul cleansing experience for me. I felt like I was sitting at the feet of a wise and godly father, receiving deep (but simple) spiritual truths. It helped me slow down a bit and catc...

"If you get impatient the world gets out of order and the soul falls into a web of confusions." -- Oliver Steeds

He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose. -- Jim Elliot (missionary martyr)