Revitalize Your Church

A few weejks ago, as the young people led us in worship, they sang the strangest song about hurricanes, sinking oceans, and a sloppy wet kiss. I struggled to make sense of all those metaphors. Sloppy wet kiss? Where in the world did that come from? Why were we singing such sophomoric emotings? I scratched my head, and jotted a note for Tuesday's staff meeting -- "No more sloppy wet kiss songs." In the days that followed, I couldn't get the chorus out of my mind, "O, how he loves us so. . ." I went online to see if I could find out a little more about the meaning behind the song . . . and WOAH, was I ever surprised. I'd misundertood the meaning and context. "How He Loves Us" was written by John Mark McMillan, after the death of a close friend. The main point is that even in our pain and anger, through the darkest fog of confusion, God's love breaks through. The song captures a heart of praise, from the crucible of suffering. Understood in t...

Yesterday, I worked on a book chapter entitled, Empty Pastors: Clouds Without Water. In it, I explore the reasons why ministers end up running on empty, when the Gospel they carry is so rich and FULL of life, joy and peace. Pastors Run Empty. . . 1. When Responsibilities Exceed Energy. 2. When Pretentions Exceed Reality. 3. When Pleasing Exceeds Shepherding. 4. When Outflow Exceeds Inflow. 4. When Serving Exceeds Loving. 5. When Duty Exceeds Delight.

O God, I have tasted Your goodness, and it has both satisfied me and made me thirsty for more. I am painfully conscious of my need for further grace. I am ashamed of my lack of desire, O God, the Triune God, I want to want You; I long to be filled with longing; I thirst to be made more thirsty still. Show me Your glory, I pray, so that I may know You indeed. Begin in Your mercy a new work of love within me. Say to my soul, ‘Rise up my love, my fair one, and come away.’ Then give me grace to rise and follow You up from this misty lowland where I have wandered so long. A.W.Tozer, The Pursuit of God

The interior life is everything when it comes to ministry. There's nothing more difficult and frustrating than trying to "minister" to others when your own soul is dehydrated. Operating out of the overflow, on the other hand, works spendidly. That's the way we are designed to serve -- in the rivers of Living Water!" In the Spirit, you can "go with the flow!"

“Lord, make this the moment of my full salvation! Baptize me now with the Holy Ghost, and the fire of pure love. Now, cleanse the thoughts of my heart, Let me perfectly love thee.” -- Prayer of Hester Ann Rogers, early Methodist leader (from An Account of the Experiences of Hester Ann Rogers and her Funeral Sermon by Hester Ann Rogers and Thomas Coke)

We are filled up to be poured out. Fill up with love -- and then pour it out. Fill up with faith -- and then pour it out. Fill up with hope -- and then pour it out. Fill up with joy -- and then pour it out. Fill up with the Spirit -- and then pour it out. We're blessed to be a blessing. If we fill up. but don't pour it out -- we're bloated. If we pour it out, but don't fill up -- we're depleted. Keep filling up and pouring out! That's how we're created to live and serve in this world. Let the river flow!

John Bloom has written a great post over at Desiring God -- When You Don't Feel Like It, Take Heart .

Izaak Walton, the patron saint of fishing, wrote a beautiful biography of his friend, George Herbert , who served a minister in a small village (Bemerton, England), until his life was cut short. Herbert's life was a candle, buring bright for Christ. As a young man, he desired a place in the courts of the King - -and was on the fast track towards such a royal position during the reign of King James. God had other plans for George, however -- and selected him to serve in HIS court -- The Court of THE King of kings. George served a small parish, St. Andrew's Church at Bemerton with gladness and wholehearted enthusiasm, demonstrating the love of Christ in all his doings. He considered his small town ministry the most important mission on earth. He wrote a wonderful book on pastoral work called The Country Parson which is packed with excellent advice for ministers who serve in small places (or large places for that matter.) I few quotes from Herbert: "In God and His service ...

The camel at the close of day Kneels down upon the sandy plain To have his burden lifted off And rest to gain. My soul, thou too shouldst to thy knees When the daylight draweth to a close, And let thy Master lift thy load And grant repose: Else, how canst thou tomorrow meet, With all tomorrow's work to do, If thou thy burden all the night Dost carry through? The camel kneels at break of day To have his guide replace his load. Then rises up again to take The desert road. So thou shouldst kneel at morning's dawn That God may give thee daily care Assured that He no load too great Will make thee bear. -- Anna Temple

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

In Difficult Moments - Seek God In Quiet Moments - Worship God In Painful Moments - Trust God In Every Moment - Thank God (My good friend, Harold Adolph (missionary doctor to Ethiopia) recently shared this nugget of inspiration with me.

This morning, I was refreshed by a deep reading of "O Splendor of God's Glory Bright", which was written by the 4th Century Bishop, Ambrose. (translated 1910 by Louis Benson) O splendor of God’s glory bright, From light eternal bringing light, Thou Light of light, light’s living Spring, True Day, all days illumining. Come, very Sun of Heaven’s love, In lasting radiance from above, And pour the Holy Spirit’s ray On all we think or do today. And now to Thee our pray’rs ascend, O Father glorious without end; We plead with Sovereign Grace for pow’r To conquer in temptation’s hour. Confirm our will to do the righ, And keep our hearts from envy’s blight; Let faith her eager fires renew, And hate the false, and love the true. O joyful be the passing day With thoughts as pure as morning’s ray, With faith like noontide shining bright, Our souls unshadowed by the night. Dawn’s glory gilds the earth and skies, Let Him, our prefect Morn, arise, The Word in God the Father one, The Fat...

Troubled in spirit this week, I happened upon this beautiful hymn in the old Methodist Hymnal. It was written by a rural pastor, Hugh Stowell, and published in The Winter's Wreath (1828) From every stormy wind that blows, From every swelling tide of woes, There is a calm, a sure retreat: Tis found beneath the mercy seat. There is a place where Jesus sheds The oil of gladness on our heads; A place than all beside more sweet; It is the blood bought mercy seat. There is a scene where spirits blend, Where friend holds fellowship with friend; Tho' sundered far, by faith they meet Around one common mercy seat.

I was deeply inspired by Frank Viola's rich and insightful e-book, Bethany: The Lord's Heart for His Church. You can download it here. This book is like a Spiritual Thanksgiving Dinner.

A lthough things are not perfect B ecause of trial or pain C ontinue in thanksgiving D o not begin to blame E ven when the times are hard F ierce winds are bound to blow G od is forever able H old on to what you know I magine life without His love J oy would cease to be K eep thanking Him for all the things L ove imparts to thee M ove out of "Camp Complaining" N o weapon that is known O n earth can yield the power P raise can do alone Q uit looking at the future R edeem the time at hand S tart every day with worship T o "thank" is a command U ntil we see Him coming V ictorious in the sky W e'll run the race with gratitude X alting God most high Y es, there'll be good times and yes some will be bad, but... Z ion waits in glory...where none are ever sad! (author unkown -- sent to me by my sister-in-law, Sandy Wilson)

"In the deep jungles of Africa, a traveler was making a long trek. Coolies had been engaged from a tribe to carry the loads. The first day they marched rapidly and went far. The traveler had high hopes of a speedy journey. But the second morning these jungle tribesmen refused to move. For some strange reason they just sat and rested. On inquiry as to the reason for this strange behavior, the traveler was informed that they had gone too fast the first day, and that they were now waiting for their souls to catch up with their bodies." -- Lettie Cowman, Springs in the Valley

Unite the pair so long disjoined Knowledge and vital piety Learning and holiness combined And Truth and Love let all men see. -- Charles Wesley

"Worry is like a rocking chair," the old saying goes, "It keeps you busy, but you don't get anywhere." Thomas Brokovec, a noted authority in worry research, said that 30 percent of us are non-worriers. 15 percent of us are chronic worriers. Everybody else fits somewhere between the two extremes. This means that 70 percent of us worry at least some of the time (not to mention the "macho's" in the 30 percent who just won't admit it.) Chances are, you worry too much. Before you even know what's happening, a tidal wave of anxiety crashes upon you, and it takes ever ounce of energy you can muster just to keep your head above water. When floods of worry enter your mind, what can you do about it? Here are some ideas. 1. Face the Issue: Instead of being overwhelmed by the problem look for possible solutions. rite down your options and examine them objectively. Horace said, "Reason and sense remove anxiety, not villas that look out upon the se...