5 Prayer Needs: Need #5

The final prayer need we have listed is simply called “Church Membership.” I'd like you notice some things about this:

1. This doesn't say “Calvary Baptist Church Membership.” We're praying here that people will become members of a church, not mandating it be this one.

2. This doesn't say “Church Attendance.” This isn't about just showing up. Rare is the organization that allows people to consider themselves “members” without being active participants. We churches have almost cornered the market on allowing people to join and then expecting nothing out of them. We're praying for people to be active participants and supporters of the church they are members of. Just as you can't join a ball team or the Rotary Club without committing your time and finances, we are praying that people will grasp that within joining a church.

3. This also places a burden on churches to educate and train church members and potential members. I had a good conversation with a church member Wednesday about things in the 'church covenant' in which we discussed that we don't ensure people know what's in it and commit to it before they join. (I'm actually not sure it's mandated in our church constitution. Something to consider.)

4. This is also about realizing church membership is about more than having a place to have your wedding or a church to list in your obituary. Church membership should be about where you are right now. If you are a member of a church that you cannot attend because you don't live there, you're a member of the wrong church. You should be a member of a local church. Get up on Sunday, find a church that preaches the Word of God, and join it. And stay put, serving the Lord your God there. If you want to come back to your hometown to get married, it can be worked out. I'm all for being cautious about handing out building keys or letting just anyone pop in to use a church facility, but let's not let facility policies be a stumbling block for people's obedience. Same with providing care for people in crisis. If someone has lost a loved one and God burdens your heart to fix a meal (or organize one), should you check the church roll? No. Just do it, and if there's nothing that cannot be adjusted happening, use the church fellowship hall. Let your church membership be where you are, where you are going to church. Non-resident church membership is one of our unbiblical habits in Baptist life. If you aren't here, you should be a member where you are. We're praying people will take that seriously.

5. This is also about, when you read Hebrews 10:25, what church meetings are for: encouragement and growth. We're here to learn and encourage. Are you coming to encourage? Yes, there are times when we come to church because we have needs. I'm fully aware of that. That's why preachers take vacations and go to church somewhere, because we have needs as well. What do we need? We all need encouragement, to be emboldened to the task God has given us! We all need better equipping.

Church Membership is about more than just a name on a roll sheet. Let's pray for a better understanding of that fact.

Doug

5 Prayer Needs: Need #4

Our next listed prayer need is to pray for people to grow in personal stewardship. What does this mean? Stewardship is about taking care of something that doesn't really belong to you, but has been entrusted to you. It's primarily about stuff, although it can include a broad sense of responsibility for people. What areas do I have in mind for personal stewardship?

1. Money. Let's deal with the elephant in the room. A portion of this prayer is that people will be willing to practice good stewardship with their money. However, while I would teach that this includes tithing, it's not limited to praying people will give more to the church. It's about praying people understand that 100% of their financial assets belong to God Almighty, because He's the one that gave those assets to you. He didn't give them as your property, rather as your stewardship. I believe that it starts with trusting a tithe given back, but it doesn't stop there. We're praying that people will use all of the money they have been given for God's glory.

   Now, that takes many forms. Starving your children to send money to a televangelist isn't glorifying God. Bankruptcy rarely glorifies God. We're not talking about signing your paychecks over to the church here. We're talking about, before you buy that brand new flat screen TV to replace the one you bought last year, asking whether or not there are better ways to spend the money. Church needs, missionary needs, the needs of the poor....before you make political contributions, are there places in the Kingdom that could use it?

   {side line here: Most people are angry with Congress and Wall Street for their handling of finances. Why? Because it wasn't their money. It was, or is, someone else's money. Some of it was mine, some of it yours. They have chosen, and continue to choose, to be poor stewards of the money entrusted to them. Are we as Christians treating God as Congress and Wall Street treat us by spending His funds on our own luxuries?}

2. Physical possessions. Now that we've talked about money, there's the stuff we've already bought with our money. Your new car. Your house that's bigger than you need. Your flat-screen TV. Your nifty new Blackberry Bold with Wi-fi (that's me)....Are you using them for God's glory? Realize that, if you've got empty seats in your car on the way to church, there are empty seats in church too, and maybe there's a correlation. How can you use your home for God's glory? Open your doors! Be a place people can come and be loved and hear about God. Pick a night and do it. Consider adopting or fostering children. These are all things that may happen as we pray for stewardship of our stuff. God has allowed us to have it, now let's prayerfully consider how we may use it!

3. Time. 168 hours, to be exact. That's how much everyone has each week. Some of that time is fixed, it has to be spent in certain ways. Some of that time is free. We're praying that people will use their 168 hours in a manner which glorifies God fully. We're praying that, as we are good stewards of our time, God is glorified in the things we have to do and the things we choose. This is praying that our work hours will be a light for God, that our leisure activities will be worshipful, that our family times will honor Him, and that even our rest will work to further the Kingdom. We're praying here that people will choose the activities for themselves and their families that will expand God's Kingdom. That before we commit to one more ball team or dance group, one more hunting club or shopping trip, we are prayerfully asking: Is this good stewardship of my time?

   And closer in, am I spending more time on Facebook than I should? What about my TV habit? Do I really need to watch hours of BBC Sitcoms from the early 80s to survive?

Praying for others in personal stewardship is risky, though. It's easy to violate Romans 14 and start to judge our brothers for how they spend their time when we fail to consider how we're spending our own. Which is why, folded into all of the above, there are examples of some of the things I wonder about in my own personal stewardship of time, stuff, and money. As we pray, we should be driven to consider our own behavior.

We should also be driven to consider our church behavior, whether we are, as a church, being good stewards of what we have as a church. That, however, is another discussion.

Doug

Five Prayer Needs: Need #3

The third prayer need we have in our books is to pray for each individual's personal evangelism.  What does this encompass?  Let's look at a few things:

1.  Personal evangelism is about evangelism.  Evangelism is about telling good news.  For Christians, we associate this with the Good News: that Jesus Christ, Son of God, dwelt among us for a time, living a sinless life, and dying as the substitute sacrifice for sinful humanity.  That He rose from the grave by His own will, and that He will judge all mankind based on their faith in Him.  That all who come to Him He will not cast out. (John 6:37)

2.  Personal evangelism is about being personal.  It's done on a one-to-one or one-to-few basis.  We're not talking about seed casting by leaving tracts in doctor's offices or holding signs by the road (while those could be valuable), we're talking about personally speaking with others about whether they have faith in Christ, whether they are blood-bought saints of the Lamb of God.  And doing so in a manner that is pleasing to God and respectful to personal needs.  (For example: don't witness to the waitress and then be rude to her or stiff her on the tip!!!)

3.  Personal evangelism is about people.  More than anything, personal evangelism is our work in the ministry of reconciliation between God and man.  This is not about politics or church preferences or even moral behaviors.  This is about showing people how to have a right relationship with Almighty God.  We have no agenda but souls saved for the sake of those souls, not our own glory, when we participate in personal evangelism.

This is what we're talking about when we talk about personal evangelism.  Why does it matter?  Luke 12:8, Acts 1:8, and other verses remind us that those who are followers of Christ will tell the world about Him.  Thus, we're praying that followers will rightly share the Gospel, in an effective and honorable manner.

Thanks!

Doug

Fiver Prayer Needs: Need #2

Yesterday's blog was about prayer need #1 from our prayer list.  Today we'll look at need #2:

Growth in Christ (2 Peter 3:18):

18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.

2 Peter 3:18 (ESV)

What are we considering in this request?  We're addressing general maturity in Christ.  Another word for this is discipleship, the practice of being a disciple of Christ.

Why?  Because it's a necessity.  The Lord Jesus Christ spoke of entering the Kingdom as being "born again" or "born from above" in John 3.  I doubt that He chose the example poorly!  Rather, I think His point should be taken not only about the entrance, but the growth process.  Just as we expect newborn babies to eventually walk, talk, and be potty-trained, so newborn Christians should be reasonably expected to grow in grace and knowledge of Christ.

How so?  First, to grow in grace: grace, as Peter uses it here, I think refers to our treatment of others.  As we follow Christ longer, we should be growing in our ability to treat others as Christ would treat them.  We should be more patient, more encouraging, and more gracious to them.  We should be more forgiving to those around us. 

In all, growing in grace is growing in the ability to treat others as God has treated us through Jesus Christ.  Think that might need some prayer from others to help us get through it?  We grow in grace ourselves by praying others will grow in grace, and we grow as others pray for us.  Why?  Because prayer asks God to work, and when God works, there's precious little that stops Him!

Second, to grow in knowledge.  Now, the times of the New Testament, and the Old, for that matter, know nothing of knowledge or faith that does not result in action.  I think I've said it before on the blog, and I know of I've said it in person: if we really know God's truth, our behavior changes to adapt to God's Word.  This is true: if we know God, we learn to act like He wants us to act.

Now, this is not about rule-keeping.  It's not about following another person's opinion.  Romans 14 addresses a large portion of this: that for some, rule-keeping helps them to grow, and for others, those same rules aren't necessary.  Note: we're talking here about debatable rules, not the non-declinable behaviors of Christians: fellowship with believers, prayer, a life of holiness.  We're more into the "Should I journal or not journal?" or "Is it okay for Christians to listen to secular music?" discussions.  You're not more saved (or less) if you have Brad Paisley or Rob Thomas in your iTunes playlist.  (We'll await the angels to rule about any use of Windows Media Player.)  As we grow, we should be allowing God to work in us about what is or is not appropriate.

So, we should be praying for our brothers and sisters to grow in grace and knowledge.  We should also be driven to grow in grace and knowledge ourselves. 

 

Doug

(Quick plug: want a great story on forgiveness?  Check out Andy Andrews' book The Heart Mender.  No, I don't get anything for you clicking there, it's just a good read. Review coming soon.)

Five Prayer Needs: Need #1

Yesterday in church, I presented a challenge to the members of Calvary Baptist Church to take a portion of our church membership roll and pray for the members of this church in 5 ways.  I'm going to expand on those 5 needs this week on the blog, which will hopefully shed enough light on the matter.

The first need listed for each person is Salvation.  Now, this word gets lots of differing connotations.  The intent here is this: salvation as seen as being put in a right relationship with God through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross and His resurrection.  The Bible passage associated with this request is Romans 10:9-10:

9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.

Romans 10:9-10 (ESV)

 

What are we praying for here?  That will draw people to Himself, causing them to confess with their mouths the Lordship of Christ and believing in their heart the truth of His death.  Now, we'll not mince words here with this statement: this belief results in behavior.  A belief that results in no life action is vain and empty.

Why do we pray for this?  Because we understand the Bible to teach us that all need salvation to be at peace with God (Romans 3:23, Isaiah 53:6, Romans 5:8).  And just as we see that God sent His Son to save the world, not condemn it (John 3:17) and wants all to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9), yet must give sinful people what they have earned (Romans 6:23).

So mankind needs saved, basically from what we deserve, which is the wrath of Almighty God.  There are none so amazing that they do not need this salvation, and none so awful they cannot be blood-bought by Christ.

Yet because of our sinfulness, it takes 2 things for a person to be saved: the move of the Spirit of God in their lives and the witness of God's Word.  Typically the witness is supplied by a person directed by God, but it also comes from 'scattered seed' like Gideon Bibles left in hotels (or stolen, then left someplace else!).  We will be more certain of seeing those in need of salvation confess and believe if we first ask God to move in their lives and then, driven by our heart that they not perish in hell but rather come to repentance, we will be the witness of God's Word.

Why pray for the salvation of those who already claim to be believers?  2 reasons: assurance and certainty.  What's the difference?  Assurance is needed for those who truly are saved but have doubts.  God can increase their assurance.  Certainty is need by those who aren't really saved but think they are.  How so?  We often "strike while the iron is hot" and quick-baptize people in our churches.  Years later, they are convicted by the Holy Spirit that they are not truly believers.  We need to pray that these people will be convicted and move in response to God's work in their lives.

In all, we as people are able to evaluate fruit, but unable to correctly judge the hearts of people.  So, we pray that all will be saved and then act in accordance with those prayers.  When we think a person is saved, we pray that God will confirm the fact in their lives or convict them of its falsehood.

Doug

Love puts us down where we belong

With apologies to Joe Cocker, Jennifer Warnes, and Will Jennings, I've decided to take their chart-topping hit from An Officer and a Gentleman and find fault with it.  Of course, if Louis Gossett Jr. shows up and kicks me like he did Richard Gere in that film, I might take it back.

This was brought to mind with a letter I received yesterday.  It was from the Recording Secretary of the Southern Baptist Convention.  Now, for those of you vaguely unfamiliar with SBC politics, this part will be confusing, but every year there are certain committees that are formed/appointed to help manage the process and decisions of the SBC as we meet for our annual meeting.  It's necessary to do this because an annual SBC meeting is anywhere from 7,000 to 12,000 (or more, there's been 20,000) messengers coming to vote on SBC business.  There's processes for verifying that votes are only allowed to people with a legitimate right to vote (you have to be approved by an SBC church), processes for nominating the board members of various agencies, processes for determining resolutions to pass on to the body, and processes for determining what business actually gets to the floor.  There's even a committee that meets to determine who sits on the committee that makes nominations. 

Now, about 3 weeks ago, I got an email informing me I had been recommended to participate in one of these committees.  It would have required me to recommend people into positions of influence within the SBC, sort of a gatekeeper to who gets influence.  To say the least, I was slightly (read:quite a bit) excited at the opportunity.  I'm not exactly the SBC insider I once wanted to be, but it felt good to be moving towards fame and glory within my denomination (yes, it's a denomination and a convention.  Stop that.)  I agreed over the phone to serve with this committee, and was told to expect a phone call or a letter in the next week or so.

Meanwhile, it's been a few weeks.  No call, no letter, until yesterday, when I received a letter thanking me for agreeing to serve on a different committee.  In truth, it's a slightly less significant role in the internal machinations of the SBC.  I was, personally, unsure of how to respond.  I didn't know if I had offended someone or done something wrong to be "demoted."

Then I remembered something.  I had been pondering who I knew that I could recommend to anything in the SBC.  I had come up with 2 non-preachers and about half-a-dozen preachers I knew well enough that I would recommend.  That's not enough.  By far, it's too few non-preachers, because the SBC was never intended to be managed by professional clergy.  We'd be Credo-baptistic Presbyterians.  Not that there's anything wrong with that, but that's not us.  I had been praying that God would guide me on who to nominate and how to handle the situation.

This is an answer to prayer for me.  God, in His love, put me down where I belong.  My responsibilities will be much more fact based and much less relational based.  I will be doing something I'm much more suited for instead of something I wouldn't have been good at doing.

In all, love has put me down where I belong.  It's been good on the ego, because my hats fit better again, and it will be good for those I'm working with, because I'll be doing something I should be.

In what ways have you ever been "put down" only to realize you needed it?

 

Doug

Another thought inspired by coffee

I have become, in recent years, a coffee drinker.  How did I get started on this habit?  Well, it was once an occasional indulgence, especially when around my father in the evenings.  He tended to make some nice flavored coffees after dinner at Christmas or Thanksgiving. 

Then, about the time I started a 3-year stint as a bi-vocational pastor.  This was while we lived south of Memphis, and the church was in Northeast Arkansas.  This required an early start and a long drive.  Coincidentally, the local Exxon convenience store chain was running an "all-coffee half-price" special.  So, a 20 ounce cup of coffee was running about $0.80, whilst a 20 ounce Mountain Dew was $1.19.  And I think Dew is worse for you than coffee.  So, I began to drink a 20-ounce Bengal Traders every Sunday morning, then Sunday mornings and Wednesday nights.  Then when it got cold, many work mornings.  I was particularly partial to the French Vanilla with one of those little cups of Southern Butter Pecan creamer.

Then we moved to Monticello, and there's no Bengal Traders coffee to be had here.  I began to buy Millstone from Wal-Mart, and then, after receiving a bag of Cameron's Coffee from a friend, I started ordering directly from them.  Then I switched over to Green Mountain Coffee, and especially enjoy their single-origin coffees, like the Los Nacientes Special Reserve Coffee or the Sumatran Reserve.

Why all this fuss about coffee?  And isn't all that fancy stuff more expensive than Folgers or Maxwell House?  It is indeed that, but it's worth it. 

However, to cover the increased cost, I drink much less coffee than a lot of the Folgers drinkers do.  Generally I make enough coffee to fill one travel cup per day, except for Sundays, when I make a bit extra.  It's worth it, to me, because the quality of the coffee is that much better and the taste is better.  I'd rather have a well done small pot of coffee than a mediocre large pot.

Which led me to this thought: do we often think that way in our lives or our churches?  How much of what we do dilutes our resources and quality?  For example, I have a set budget for coffee.  I can spend it on a lot of Folgers or a little bit of whole bean fresh roasted coffee.  I choose the quality over the quantity.

In our family lives, are we, perhaps, so insanely busy because we've chosen a quantity of activity over a quality?  That rather than choose 1 or 2 things to do, and do them well, we instead take on nearly anything that comes our way.  Not that all that we do or that I hear from people that their time goes to do is bad, much of it is good.  Yet how much of the quality of involvement goes away because of dilution? 

Often, our churches go the same route.  Rather than concentrate our efforts and make sure our resources go to doing a few things well, we resist and insist on doing lots of things, sometimes resulting in doing many of them badly.  Should we not reconsider?

And as we reconsider, keep in mind our core purpose: Worship God with all we and tell others about Jesus!!  We as churches do not exist to compete with world groups or even community organizations, but rather to be churches and do what only churches can do.  That's where our efforts should be.

So, in what ways are we sacrifice quality for quantity?  How can we change?  Because, eventually, we'll have to.

 

Doug