Revitalize Your Church

It's been a real joy having Bill Ballenger and team with us in the Wisconsin northwoods this week. They've been conducting school assemblies all around the area -- and everything is culminating today with the Break the Grey Concert tonight at 7:00 p.m. The concert is free, and is at Hayward High School. Local band, Found Broken (Wes Wilson, Luke Wilson and Trevor Young) will open. If you're local, I hope you can make it!  You'll be glad you did.

It is a real privilege to join the team representing Hayward Wesleyan Church today at the LCO Health Fair.  This is the third year we've been a part of it, and have found it to be a wonderful bridge to the community. It will be held from 9:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. at the LCO Convention Center. Hundreds of people participate in this event, and I am amazed at how many of them have a connection of some sort with our church.

A few years ago, my friend, the Illinois Wesleyan District Superintendent, Dr. Ray Barnwell and I were scheduled for an early morning flight after a week of teaching together in North Carolina. Our mutual friend, John Vernon, offered to put us up the night before at a care facility he managed, Wesleyan Arms Nursing Home. “We often have extra room,” he noted, “and would gladly host you for the evening.” That sounded like splendid idea! So, Ray and I were dropped, suitcases in hand, at the doorstep of the nursing home. Ray leaned towards me and whispered, “As soon as we’re settled in, I challenge you to a game of checkers in the day room!” “You’re on!” I replied, “as long as we can catch some Lawrence Welk before the night is through!” We entered the lobby, where a kind hearted receptionist glanced up from behind the welcome desk and smiled. “Can I help you?” I replied, “John Vernon said we could have a room here tonight.” “Oh? He did,” she responded, perplexed. “Hmmm. ...

Take the 10 question quiz on-line Religious IQ Test at CNN. The accompanying article, "Don't Know Much About Religion?  You're Not Alone." is based on a 32 question poll from the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life.   The results are striking: "It's not the evangelicals or Catholics who did best -- it's atheists and agnostics.  It's not Bible belt southerners who score highest -- they came at the bottom.  Those who believe the Bible is literally the Word of God did slightly worse than average. . ."

The Bottom Line of Pastoral Ministry: Love God and Love all the People. It's a matter of attitude and action, impacting everything we do, and not merely theoretical. How is this priority demonstrated in your life?

My sons, Luke (guitar), Wes (bass) and their friend, Trevor (drums) will be the opening act for the Break the Grey concert on Thursday night (7 p.m. at Hayward High School) They did our call to worship at church yesterday morning -- and woke everybody up!!

Steve Furtick , the young,  passionate pastor of Elevation Church in Charlotte, NC, preached a 24 hour long sermon, promoting his book, Sun Stand Still. Either they took the clock off the back of the sanctuary wall, or he was waiting for someone to fall out the window. Actually, with Steve preaching, it probably felt like only 24 minutes.  I've sat through a few 24 minute sermons that felt like they were 24 hours long.

Ten Tips for a Church Financial Crisis

Leaving Religion May Be Bad For Your Health

Next week the Break the Grey Tour (Bill Ballinger)   is coming to Hayward for several school assemblies, and concluding with a rockin' free concert on Thursday night, Sept. 30 at 7:00 p.m. Found Broken, a band consisting of my sons Luke (guitar), Wes (bass) and their friend, Trevor (drums) will be the opening act.

How To Wreck Relationships

"Churches don't make disciples.  Disciples make churches." -- Alan Hirsch

Everybody has a "pay day" and a "play day". If you pay now, you can play later -- but if you play now, you will have to pay later - and the price might be higher than you expected. There's no such thing as a free ride. You reap what you sow. If you do not humble yourself now, you will be humbled later. If you do not discipline yourself now, you will be disciplined by life later. If you live on credit now, you'll have to pay compound interest later. If you are selfish now, you will be isolated and lonely later. If you are negative now, life will get worse later. If you are angry now, you will be bitter and ugly later. If you fail to be kind now, you won't have friends later. If you are a "people pleaser" now, you will sacrifice your integrity later. If you don't cherish your family now, you won't have a family later. If you don't work hard now, you will not succeed later. If you fail to make healthy choices now, you will feeble and f...

Happy Birthday to my mother, Elsie Wilson, who turned 88 today! She's still going strong! I share Abraham Lincoln's sentiment, "Everything I am and hope to be, I owe to my angel mother."

A limited number of copies of I Am, a new movie based on the Ten Commandments , is being made available for church showings in the month of October, 2010 (With an emphasis on 10/10/10) Once, they called it the City of Angels. Over time, it has become the City of Lost Souls. Ten strangers entangle themselves in the spider web that is life in Los Angeles today. Unknowingly, they are living out the Ten Commandments one by one. As they struggle to solve their problems themselves, things only get worse -- their problems multiply, and spill over into the lives of so many others. Yet there is one presence that never leaves. One lone voice of love, reason, and compassion in the midst of lives on fire: the great I AM, God Himself. It's the ultimate love story that changes everything. We're going to show it at Hayward Wesleyan Church at 6:30 p.m. on Sunday, October 10.

" With all the hatred in this world. . . this good world. . .let us be kind to one another." -- Walter Breuning, the world's oldest man, who turned 114 today.

Today, my friend, Dann Pageler introduced me to Heartland Ministry Network , an outstanding new resource to help pastors in small communities (associated with Trinity Bible College.) I was privileged to join them on a conference call with Shannon O'Dell, who I happened to quote on my blog earlier this morning (prompting Dann's e-mail.) Shannon shared some keen insights on transformational ministry in the rural context. He really inspires me! Some great thoughts from the conversation: 1. "Churches with less do more!" 2. "The less resources you have, the more you have to plan ahead." 3. "Resist the urge to settle." 4. "The goal of a rural church should be to reach the last, the lost and the least." 5. " Don't let church bullies (who want control without responsibility) dictate the future direction of the congregation." 6. "Your marriage is a reflection of your walk with God. 7. "If you're weary, ge...

"Leadership is resisting the urge to settle." -- Shannon O'Dell Wow -- I really needed to hear that one. It's so easy to settle into complacency when you have a good situation and long tenure. I've been reading his outstanding new book, Transforming Church in Rural America, and will be reviewing it here in a couple of weeks.

A great devotional thought by Don Polston.

In honor of today's Chequamagon Fat Tire Festival, I am sharing a poem I wrote a couple of years ago: Amid cheers of loved ones, out-of-towners, and smatterings of locals congregated on Main Street's crowded side The vast Bicycle Armada glides. Two thousand five hundred, did I hear? Sailing furiously down Main Street Into the wooded wilderness. Two thousand five hundred look-alikes On fat tired bikes. But they, themselves seem neither fat nor tired (yet!) Hunched over handlebars, determined The helmeted hopefuls fly In wild-eyed animation. Wave after wave, the countless waves go by inspiring awe, and even tears from sidewalk sentimentalists who with wave and cheer, race on with them -- vicariously. Two thousand five hundred souls hodgepodged, Cobbled together from different ilk. Following the clarion call. . . From Minnesota and Montana Texas and Kentucky. From urban sprawl and hamlet Together, they ride. Farmer and Banker Undertaker and Mechanic Minister and Bartender Togethe...

We’re all fundamentalists, but the issue is what our fundamental is. The Christian fundamental is a Man dying on a cross for his enemies. There’s the truth. -- Scot McKnight

"Holiness is not for our own personal benefit -- but that others may see Jesus." --Matt Ohime

Rehearsing is for Cowards (a Seth Godin post)

"I'm Tigger!" little Suzie shouted as she jumped up and down in the back seat of the car. Her frazzled mother repeatedly asked her to stop bouncing. "Be a nice little Tigger and sit down." "Precious, Mommy wants you to stop being so active right now. Be a good girl and buckle up!" “Sweetheart, this is getting on Mommy's nerves!" Finally, realizing that her requests had fallen on deaf ears, Mother pulled to the curb and screeched to a halt. "This is IT!" she shouted, "I've had ENOUGH! If you don't sit down and start behaving this minute, you are going to regret it, young lady!" Instantly, the little girl stopped bouncing and settled down. "That's much better." Said Mother. As the car pulled from the curb, Susie muttered under her breath, "I may be sitting down on the outside, but I'm bouncing like Tigger on the inside!" As a minister, I have witnessed the tragic results of destructive choi...

IHOP Sues IHOP

"We have put our sense of duty on the throne instead of the resurrection life of Jesus." -- Oswald Chambers

This week, I've been teaching a Wesleyan Church History class for those seeking ministerial preparation. I have thoroughly enjoyed taking a journey through yesteryear with these dear brothers (and sister). We've had fun. They're a great crew!! It all goes back to Wesley. Speaking of Wesleyan History. Here are a few things I've posted on the subject: Apostolic Succession 20 Most Influential Wesleyans Sermon Steroids Staying Happy in Jesus Boundless Faithful in the Wilderness Jailbreak John Wesley's Holy Club Questions Spirit of Humility JoAnne Lyon 3 Steps from Vladimir What Do Wesleyans Do Well? On Wesleyan Doctrinal Distinctives On the Side of the Angels Heart Check Mean Altar The Wesleyan Connection The Heaven of Heavens What Would Wesley Say?

Some people bring relief when they arrive. Others bring relief when they go! I like to call the former, “old shoe friends.” When you have an old pair of shoes that are really comfortable, they just go along with you naturally. They’re not squeaky and they don’t pinch your toes with every step. They’re not two sizes too small. In other words, they possess a welcoming, broadness of spirit. After all, as Benjamin Disraeili said, “Life is too short to be little.” Old shoe friends accept you for who you are, and believe in you. You can turn to them for advice, knowing that they have your best interest in mind, and that you are not their project for “fixing.” You don’t have to wonder where you stand with these friends. You know they love you, regardless of what happens. This is not to say that old shoe friends won’t confront you if they see you making a mistake that is hurtful to yourself or others. A true friend will tell the truth, even when it hurts. “Wounds from a friend are better than ...

"It's one thing to believe in something when you don't need it to be true. It's another when everything is riding on it." I just finished a fabulous novel, Cliff Falls , by C. B. Shiepe. This page turner revolves around exploited child television star, Clay Grant, who disappears on his eighteenth birthday after an arson fire destroys the Hollywood studio backlot, and spends the next fifteen years on the run, hounded by the media. He goes from place to place trying to fit in, until he is discovered again. He eventually lands in jail, after a fight with an aggressive, determined photographer, and brought up on charges of tax evasion. A kind minister who knew him during his television days, comes to the rescue, bailing him out of his plight, and offering a new start in the small town of Cliff Falls. The plot thickens after his arrival, however, as the pastor's own family members are forced to face their own need to drop the mask and be real. Cliff Falls draws the...

"There is a principle of self, which disposes us to despise those who differ from us; and we are often under its influence, when we think we are only shewing a becoming zeal in the cause of God." -- John Newton

I think my blogger friend, Chuck Warnock, hit the nail on the head with this piece regarding Pastor Terry Jones and his ridiculous grab for attention. Jones embodies the very fundamentalism he seeks to destroy.

To be a serious writer requires discipline that is iron fisted. It’s sitting down and doing it whether you think you have it in you or not. Everyday. Alone. Without interruption. Contrary to what most people think, there is no glamour to writing. In fact, it’s heartbreak most of the time. -- Harper Lee This is true about being a serious pastor too, except in the pastoral work, it's not alone and with plenty of interruption.

I once heard my friend, John Maxwell, say, “Your attitude determines your altitude.” How true that is!! When you boil it down, just about everything in life is related to attitude. Did you know that a poor attitude is the number one reason why people are dismissed from their jobs? Do you realize that attitude is the primary difference between mediocre football teams and Super Bowl contenders? Do you understand that your success in marriage, work, and living depends largely on your attitude? Quality of life is not measured by what happens to you - but by how you respond. As Helen Workman said, "It's not what you have to meet, it's how you meet what you have." A doom -and -gloom pessimist will find problems in every possibility. An optimist will see the opportunities in every obstacle. A set-back is a dead end to a pessimist. For an optimist it is only a detour. A pessimist longs for the "good old days", while the optimist believes that the best is yet to com...

Bryant Wright provides an excellent ariel view of Islam and the biblical roots of the Middle East crisis in Seeds of Turmoil . I've read several books of this nature, and have found most of them to be interesting but cumbersome. Wright's book (provided for review by Booksneeze) was a surprisingly easy read. For those versed both in Scripture and contemporary affairs, the book is a bit elementary. Readers looking for an introductory biblical perspective on the Middle East crisis, however, will find it a good option. Purchase here

Ideas are a dime a dozen. Millions of people have great ideas, but never get around to doing anything with them. What a tragedy to see so many unrealized hopes and dreams. Why do we put off the important tasks of life? Why do we allow ourselves to settle into the plateau of mediocrity? Here are a few possible explanations for this phenomenon: 1) We tend to value comfort more than accomplishment. When forced to make a choice between the two, most people follow the path of least resistance. 2) Fear of failure can keep us from starting. Of course, the greatest failure is not trying. I'd rather attempt something great, and fail -- than to attempt nothing and succeed. 3) Poor time management keeps us from fulfilling our dreams. If we don't schedule the important things into our lives, they won't get done. Poor planning leads to hectic living - with little to show for it. 4) Our actions reveal our true priorities. We live what we really believe - regardless of what we say. Rethin...

I heard an interesting radio program on PBS the other day regarding the neuro-science of music. Researchers discovered that when you hear music you enjoy, your brain releases endorphins, causing you to feel good, and have a overall sense of well-being. If, on the other hand, you hear music you don't like, your brain releases adrenaline, the fight or flight hormone. This might explain a lot of the conflict that happens in churches over music. It's merely a matter of endorphins vs adrenaline!

During last Saturday's wedding, I was asked to shares Wilferd Arlan Peterson's inspiring tribute to matrimony: The Art of a Good Marriage A good marriage must be created. In marriage the "little" things are the big things. It is never being too old to hold hands. It is remembering to say, "I love you" at least once a day. It is never going to sleep angry. It is having a mutual sense of values, and common objectives. It is standing together and facing the world. It is forming a circle that gathers in the whole family. It is speaking words of appreciation, and demonstrating gratitude in thoughtful ways. It is having the capacity to forgive and forget. It is giving each other an atmosphere in which each can grow. It is a common search for the good and the beautiful. It is not only marrying the right person -- it is being the right partner."

In searching for God, many people tend to look for the miraculous and supernatural. Instead, we should be attending to the ordinary, -- Philip Yancy My note: This is true in marriage and family life as well. It's the day to day interactions of thoughtfulness that count

Praise Song Fail

"People will forget what you said. People will forget what you did. But, people will never forget how you made them feel." -- Maya Angelou

"The best gift I can give to the people in my life is to find a way to live with deep contentment, confidence, and joy in my daily experience of life with God." John Ortberg

The quest to control circumstances and other people always leads unhappiness. We cannot control others, but we can control ourselves. We cannot control outcomes, but we can control our responses. Let go is to let God. Recently, a friend shared this beautiful piece, penned by an anonymous author. I think it sums up the idea beautifully: To let go does not mean to stop caring, it means I can't do it for someone else. To let go is not to cut myself off, it's the realization I can't control another. To let go is not to enable, but allow learning from natural consequences. To let go is to admit powerlessness, which means the outcome is not in my hands. To let go is not to try to change or blame another, it's to make the most of myself. To let go is not to care for, but to care about. To let go is not to fix, but to be supportive. To let go is not to judge, but to allow another to be a human being. To let go is not to be in the middle arranging all the outcomes, but to allow ...