Bored with God?

It is now common practice in most evangelical churches to offer the people, especially the young people, a maximum of entertainment and a minimum of serious instruction. It is scarcely possible in most places to get anyone to attend a meeting where the only attraction is God. One can only conclude that God's professed children are bored with Him, for they must be wooed to meeting with a stick of striped candy in the form of religious movies, games and refreshments.

This has influenced the whole pattern of church life, and even brought into being a new type of church architecture, designed to house the golden calf.

So we have the strange anomaly of orthodoxy in creed and heterodoxy in practice. The striped-candy technique has been so fully integrated into our present religious thinking that it is simply taken for granted. Its victims never dream that it is not a part of the teachings of Christ and His apostles.

Any objection to the carryings on of our present golden-calf Christianity is met with the triumphant reply, "But we are winning them!" And winning them to what? To true discipleship? To cross-carrying? To self-denial? To separation from the world? To crucifixion of the flesh? To holy living? To nobility of character? To a despising of the world's treasures? To hard self-discipline? To love for God? To total committal to Christ? Of course the answer to all these questions is no.

We are paying a frightful price for our religious boredom. And that at the moment of the world's mortal peril. (Man: The Dwelling Place of God by A.W. Tozer)

A.W. Tozer is one of my favorite authors/preachers to read. I was introduced to his writings in college by one of my mentors in ministry. His words are both prophetic and convicting of the current state of American spirituality. It is a little known fact that Tozer began his ministry in 1919 when he was called to pastor a small storefront church in Nutter Fort, West Virginia. Until this morning, I did not realize that I was living close to where Tozer began his incredible journey in the ministry.

As I was reading from a devotional given to me by my best friend, Tozer on Christian Leadership, I read the above quote. I have used the first part in sermons, particularly to teenagers. I would use the quote to defend my lack of "student ministry games" so common in student ministries. However, I never read the last part of quote or at least pay any attention to it.

We justify such religious pragmatism by pointing to our numbers and saying, "We are growing!" Perhaps, but to what extent? Does the growth in numbers justify the means by which we have grown? It is tempting, especially in my area of evangelism, to develop the "any means necessary" philosophy. Some argue that end justifies the means and as long as the means are spiritually and scripturally ambiguous (not directly opposing Scripture), it is permissible.

However, I think we are missing the point. We, followers of Christ, have become so bored that we feel the need to entertain and be entertained. In return, we argue that those who are perishing desire to be entertained all the more. Does a man trapped in a burning building desire the firemen to perform a comedy skit to the song Disco Inferno? No! He wants them to run in and save him from the flames! He is not interested in a well polished method or performance. He simply wants to be saved from a fiery death!

I am convinced that those who are lost, without Christ, are not as bored with God as those in our pews. They may be bored of boring Christians and boring churches, but they are not bored with God. Why have we pushed blame on the lost for our own boredom with God? Why have we justified using the glitz and glamor of entertainment to "win the lost" when it is nothing more than to keep our own church members happy? Unbelievers are not bored with God, we are!

Are we to remove any element of fun from Christianity or from the Church? Absolutely not! Does this mean that we must do away with any form of entertainment in our churches? No. However, we ought to ask ourselves, if we were to remove everything from our churches (the musicals, the concerts, the socials, the summer camps, the multimedia approach, etc.) and all that remains is God, would He be enough? Would God, as the only attraction, cause our churches to grow or diminish? If this were the case, I am afraid that our churches would decline in membership and attendance. But, I believe they would increase in passion, spiritual depth, worship, and, dare I say, evangelistic outreach and response.

The result may be the exchange of church members, seeking to be entertained, for Christ-followers, seeking the very glory of God; an exchange of the bored for those who are still in awe of their God!

Is this not the very definition of a revival?

May we never be bored of God!

Persecution Breeds Evangelism?

As a part of my role as Director of Evangelism, I am working on a strategy/evaluation for to measure the evangelistic health of a church. My goal is to have an evaluation tool to use to help churches develop an evangelistic strategy and passion. I am using a number of resources from Thom Rainer's Effective Evangelistic Churches to defining characteristics of the Great Awakenings. Also, I have been studying through the Book of Acts. All resources seem to point in the same direction. Here is the list of areas for evaluation and strategy that I have come up with:

1. Prayer- (Acts 1:12-14)

2. Teaching/Preaching- (Acts 2:14-41)

3. Passionate Leadership- (Acts 4 and 5)

4. Emphasis on Missions- (Acts 1:8; Acts 8:1-4)

5. Community Focused- (Acts 2:45-47; 4:32-37)

6. Use of Small Groups- (Acts 5:42)

7. Intentional Discipleship- (throughout Acts)

My question is: does persecution play a role in effective evangelism? Throughout Acts, the Church seemed to become bolder through increased persecution. Throughout church history, evangelistic growth seems to be coupled with persecution. Even in the Awakenings, there was a sense of societal persecution. As I read of churches in Africa, Korea, China, and various Muslim countries where Christians are persecuted, there still seems to be an evangelistic fervor unlike here in the United States. Some may argue that they are persecuted because of their evangelism, but are they persecuted because of their evangelism or are they evangelistic because of their persecution?

I cannot escape the thought that persecution breeds evangelism. If one is willing to face persecution and die for their faith, then sharing the Gospel is not difficult. Is it possible that the decline in personal evangelism in the United States correlates with the lack of persecution or at least the willingness to endure persecution? We have become safe. Sure, we treat mockery and gossip as equivalent to persecution, but have we become too safe in our faith?

I am not sure what this means for us or how it affects our churches in the United States. However, it does challenge me to think (or re-think) my own passion for evangelism and obedience to share the Gospel. If I lived in a country where believers are truly persecuted, would it embolden me to share the Gospel all the more or cause me to remain silent?

Encouragement from a Bold High School Sojourner

Tuesday morning, I led the orientation for the summer missionaries that are serving in West Virginia. As I got to know these students and their stories, it was remarkable the connections we had in common. One young lady attends Troy University and knows a former student from my student ministry in Oneonta. Another young lady attends The University of Alabama (I guess she had no where else to go) and also knows a couple of my former students from Oneonta. A third young lady attends the University of Mobile and knows a friend in the ministry from . . . you guessed it, Oneonta. I have no doubt that this was a reminder that planting your life in a community really does make a difference in your ministry.

As encouraging as these connections were, nothing could prepare me for the overwhelming encouragement and blessing I received from an upcoming senior in high school from Georgia. This young lady is only seventeen years old and is 500 miles away from home. She committed to serve the summer in West Virginia without the comforts of home. Why? Last year, she attended a PowerPlant Mission Trip in West Virginia and God gave her a passion for West Virginia. Shortly after that trip, she searched ways to come back and serve in West Virginia. So, here she is, giving her summer as a missionary to West Virginia. What courage!

However, the story does not end there. Though she attends a wonderful church in Alpharetta, Georgia and has a strong support system from her student ministry, her parents are not followers of Christ. In her words, her family "just doesn't want to talk about religious things." Her parents are not hostile to the Gospel, they support her involvement in church and her decision to serve as a summer missionary. They are just not interested or concerned about spiritual things. Her goal as a summer missionary is to reach as many people for Christ in West Virginia as possible, but she also hopes that her experience here will allow her the opportunity to tell her parents about Christ.

Wow! This young lady has absolutely no spiritual support from her parents and still has given her life fully to Christ! What an indictment on many young people (and adults for that matter) in our churches. Serving in several churches as a student minister, I was constantly blown away by the apathy of many teenagers who had strong godly parents. However, I was even more discouraged by teenagers who used the lack of spiritual example from their parents as an excuse to live a lukewarm life.

So, what can we learn from this young lady? Here is what she taught me: the extent of which you follow Christ comes from your personal passion for Christ! Being a true Christ-follower is not based on a godly pedigree. It is not based on a heritage of strong ministries. It is not based on golden opportunities to stretch your spiritual wings. It is not even based on the depth of preaching you submit yourself to. Being a true Christ-follower is based solely on your personal passion for Him. Everything else is circumstantial. It is about passion. As Luke 14:25-35 reminds us, without passion for Christ, we cannot be followers of Christ.

My heart is thankful from this young sojourner from Georgia. She has encouraged and challenged me to be more passionate for Christ.

Wow, I used to spend my life teaching teenagers how to follow Christ and now a teenager teaches me.

I have truly been blessed this week.

Grow Where You are Planted

"Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon, 'Build houses and live in them; and plant gardens and eat their produce. Take wives and become the fathers of sons and daughters, and take wives for your sons and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; and multiply there and do not decrease. Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on its behalf; for in its welfare you will have welfare. Do not let your prophets who are in your midst and your diviners deceive you, and do not listen to the dreams which they dream. For they prophesy falsely to you in My name; I have not sent them,' declares the LORD . . . 'For I know the plans that I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.’” (Jeremiah 29:1-12)

Ministry is tough, especially on families. For many ministers and their families, the ministry is a series of uprooting, moves, and replanting. This is especially true with us. Stephanie and I have served in six different churches in fourteen years. The longest and most fruitful ministry was at First Baptist Church in Oneonta, Alabama; we served there for five years. Since his birth, Davis has lived in six different houses and he is only six years old. We have experienced our share of uprooting and replanting. Though we believe most of our moves were following the will of God (some moves are debatable), it is still a difficult life.

So, what is different with our newest move to West Virginia? First of all, I can say that we are completely convinced that God has called us to serve in West Virginia. Secondly, in a recent devotional, I received the assurance that only God can provide. In Jeremiah 29, God speaks to His people that are living in exile. He tells His people to build homes, plant gardens, marry, have children, and seek the welfare of the city in which they live. Why? Because God uses those who grow where they are planted. In other words, God would be able to use His people in Babylon, to change the society, only if His people lived with the intent of staying. Though the uprooting of the people from their homeland to be sent in exile was an act of judgment, God still had a plan for them to prosper, if they planted their lives where He sent them.

Why does this passage make a difference in my life and in my ministry, especially now? It reminds me of a nugget of wisdom from one of my mentors: "The best place for you to serve is where God has planted you." I have no doubt that God has planted us in West Virginia. He has given us this wonderful opportunity to serve the churches and people of West Virginia. It is an opportunity and responsibility I do not take lightly. Frankly, we are tired of uprooting our lives; we are tired of moving. We are wanting to plant our lives and God has called us to do so in West Virginia. And we plan to grow where He has planted us.

Need more evidence: check out my shirt in the picture! If I wasn't sure, would I, a diehard Georgia Bulldog fan, wear blue and gold?

Barren Altars

In preparation for my new ministry, I have been reading on the subjects of revival and evangelism. One of the books I am reading is Leonard Ravenhill's Why Revival Tarries. This is the third time I have read this book. The first time I read it was during my first semester at seminary. I read it again a few years ago while serving at First Baptist Church of Oneonta, Alabama. As I look back, I have read this book at critical pivot points in my ministry. The result was a renewed passion for Christ. I pray this be the case again.

In the past few years, I have passed this book on to several of my close friends. In giving them this book, I had only one requirement: they were to write notes, thoughts, underline key sentences, etc. After reading the book, they passed it on to someone else. When I received my copy back, it was filled with the thoughts and notes of five different people. The result is amazing. As I am reading it for the third time, I am finding the thoughts and notes of my friends to be just as refreshing as the book itself. What a heritage!

Why Revival Tarries is a classic on revival. But more than that, it is a challenge and call to repentance for our lack of desire for the glory of God. Ravenhill is convicting about the lack of the glory of God in our churches. His words are a judgment on the modern church, especially churches in the United States. Could it be that we have really strayed so far away from God? Could it be that we have exchanged the glory of God for the gluttony of materialism? Have we allowed politics to usurp the preaching of the Gospel in our pulpits? Have we allowed being a follower of Christ to be reduced to social status rather than a call to die to ourselves? Is it possible that God may cry, "Ichabod, the glory is gone!" over many churches?

If we are honest, especially in the United States, we are dangerous close to hearing God cry, "Ichabod!" Why? I believe our passion has grown cold. Our baptismal waters are stagnant. Our preaching has become powerless. Our prayers have become nothing more than wish-lists. Our pews are full, but our altars are empty.

What is the answer? Listen to Ravenhill: "Preacher, if your soul is barren, if tears are absent from your eyes, if converts are absent from your altar, then take no comfort in your popularity; refuse the consolation of your degrees or of the books you have read written! Sincerely, but passionately invite the Holy Spirit to plague your heart with grief because you are spiritually unable to bring to birth. Oh, the reproach of our barren altars!"

We need the Holy Spirit to plague our hearts with such grief that we cannot continue in our current spiritual state. We must be stricken deep within our hearts. We must be broken. We must repent!

God, grieve my heart! Break my spirit! Renew my passion!