Kingdom Challenge!

A while back, I was sitting in the break room eating lunch with a couple of young guns when I received a text from my wife, “Do you mind if a homeless couple spends the night with us tonight?” One of my friends immediately gave me a high five and said, “Dude, that’s awesome! Your wife rocks!” The other said, “No @#%$ way!” and expressed his fear and reservation to such a request. I thought the two responses were interesting because I instantly felt both emotions. My two friends represented the battle that goes on within our own hearts when we are faced with entering into the plight of others.

It is probably because of the urban setting, but since our move to Denver, we have definitely been exposed to more homelessness and street corner beggars than we ever did in our 20+ years in our suburban Atlanta home. It has not been uncommon to be asked by a stranger for gas money while gassing up our own car or for bus fare as we leave the grocery store or for a dollar for some coffee as I enter the McDonald’s. Most of these requests are harmless and simple. They aren’t going to break my bank. These strangers simply need a couple of bucks to keep them going on their journey.

To my shame, I have not always responded well to even these simple requests. I have questioned the validity of the requests, the character of the one requesting and whether if it is even good stewardship of my money to give it randomly to strangers. In fact, I believe I have been trained in my religious world to be cautious in this area. Heaven forbid that I give money to a stranger who may use it to perpetuate their own bad habits! But Kingdom living demands a different response.

In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus teaches what this Kingdom looks like and how we are to live in it. At one point, He says, “Give to the one who asks you and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.” The Gospel of Luke records it like this, “Give to everyone who asks you.” Jesus says this in the context of responding to your enemies, to an evil person, to someone who is taking advantage of you. He is saying, that regardless of validity or character, we should respond generously and graciously to everyone who makes such requests. This is the Kingdom way! Sounds irresponsible, doesn’t it? Sounds like a quick way to the poor house! But maybe that’s the point. Jesus became poor so that we could be rich. Maybe we should become poor so that others can be rich. We will never follow the radical teachings of Jesus without changing our consumer-minded, materialistic-driven, American Dream ideology. Our eyes need to be opened to the Kingdom and to Kingdom ways.

So Pattie and I have made some adjustments. We are a tightly budgeted family but we have set aside some money (not much but some) just to respond to these random strangers we meet along the way. We don’t normally carry cash but we carry this cash so we can readily respond to those in need. You can only give what you have and if you don’t plan to give, you will consume it on yourself. Take this challenge with us. Set aside 10 or 20 dollars a week during the month of October for “everyone who asks.” See who God brings along your path that you can make rich, someone who needs to experience the “good news of the Kingdom of God” rather than just hearing about it. If no one asks, let it accumulate and give it to World Vision or some organization that helps the poor. And then, please, I want to hear your stories. Let me know how God uses you.

So what about the couple who wanted to spend the night? I’ll get to that in the next post.

A Prayer of My Heart

Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long. Psalm 25:4-5

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8-9

A prayer that I have prayed probably more than any other is found in Psalm 25: Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths. This prayer especially flowed from my heart and lips during this past decade of my life as church planter and pastor. I leaned on this prayer as I sought direction and as I faced decisions for our church. I prayed it often, sincerely, earnestly, and expectantly but I did not realize the shallowness of my prayer.

I am, first and foremost, a believer. I believe. I read God’s Word and readily and easily accept it as true. I have placed my faith in Jesus Christ. I have bought into His claims as Son of God, Savior and King as well as His plan and purposes for me and for this world. This leads to a second characteristic that defines me. I am a follower. Because I believe, I follow. I have not always done this well but it has been my intention. I say these things, not as boasting, but to show the simplicity with which I approached this prayer. “I believe in You, Lord, and if You will simply ‘show me Your way and teach me Your path,’ I will follow.”

When I speak of the “shallowness” of my prayer, I mean that I was dealing with the surface issues, the current circumstances, the care of that day or moment. And, to be honest, I did not always receive the answer or clarity or affirmation that I felt I needed for the particular situation. But God’s ways are higher than my ways and His thoughts are not my thoughts. Although He is concerned about our everyday cares, His purposes run deeper. The way of the Lord is the way of the heart. Was I really wanting to learn God’s ways and be shown His paths or was I simply wanting Him to bless my ways and sustain my present path? Was I willing to abandon my path for His?

At the time it didn’t feel like I was facing those questions. It is in retrospect, as I sit here in Denver, that I realize that God truly answered and is still answering this prayer. He changed my course, set me on a new path, moved me to a new place, opened my eyes to the ways of His kingdom, showed me His incarnational ways, and allowed me to envision a different life and ministry.

So I challenge you to make this your prayer. Pray it often, sincerely, earnestly, and expectantly. But pray it carefully. The surface of your life may need to change drastically in order for God to do the deep work in your heart and take you to new heights for that is where His ways lie.

2 Authors, 3 Journeys, 1 Heart

I am in the process of reading two different books by two different authors. I am enjoying both immensely and would recommend them to any of you. But what has been standing out in my mind is the differences between these authors, not in word and content, but in background, personal histories, and their unique journeys. The first book is In The Name of Jesus by Henri Nouwen. It is a short, 100 page paperback book but is packed with profound truth. Henri Nouwen was a Catholic priest. His religious practice led him to take vows of celibacy and poverty. He taught at Yale and Harvard as a theologian before taking an obscure post at a home for the mentally disabled.

The second is by Mike Sares who planted and pastors Scum of the Earth Church in Denver. His book, Pure Scum, chronicles his life from his Greek Orthodox background to ministering in the Presbyterian denomination to beginning a street church that has no denominational ties and crosses into street subcultures that have little light. He is not a young man. He started seminary in his 40’s and began Scum when he was turning 50. He writes with humility and grace. We attended Scum two weeks ago and had the pleasure of meeting him. His ministry is raw but he is a much needed beacon to what he calls “the left-out and the right-brained.”

Then I add myself into the mix - the reader. I come from an independent Baptist background trained early in a Baptist university and seminary. I love these roots but I eventually found myself an outsider, no longer fitting into the mold that they had cast. After more than a decade in a Southern Baptist church, God moved me outside denominational walls. Now I find myself at 50 in Denver working at the airport trying to plant seeds of the Gospel and sow love into the lives of neighbors. This is a setting that had become as foreign to me as if I had moved to Ukraine, Bhutan, or any other distant field.

I write this only to say that God is greater than the walls and boundaries we have established, much more vast than the God we believe in, unlimited in His reach, unfettered by denominational and religious chains, free to move as He will in the hearts of men. “There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called— one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” (Eph 4:4-6) I am long past the days when I thought that only the Baptists had things figured out. So when I read the stories of a Catholic priest or a Greek Orthodox/Presbyterian/Street preacher, the heart of this Baptist/non-denom pastor/missionary is knit with them, joins with them, rejoices, applauds, weeps with them. Paul wrote that our stories “are a letter from Christ, . . . written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.” That which the Spirit of God etches on our hearts can be “known and read by everybody.” Different journeys, different backgrounds but one heart. This is one of the mysteries of the Gospel.

Daily Bread

The most important miracle that Jesus performed was the feeding of the 5000 and, similarly, the feeding of the 4000. The feeding of the 5000 is one of the few events that are recorded in all 4 Gospels. It is also the only miracle that Jesus draws attention to and reminds the disciples of its happening. This was not a circus act, a mere performance, a random display of power, or just a sign of who He is. It was a lesson to be learned and it will do a great deal for our peace, comfort, and security to learn it.

Shortly after the feeding of the 4000, Jesus had an encounter with the Pharisees and Sadducees who were demanding a sign from heaven. Jesus would not perform for them and went on His way. With the confrontation still on His mind, He warned His disciples of the “yeast” of the Pharisees and Sadducees. The disciples, in the meantime, had moved on from the event and were preoccupied with bread or, more accurately, the lack of bread. When they heard Jesus speak of “yeast,” they immediately thought He was chastising them for forgetting the bread. Jesus sharply rebukes this notion:

"You of little faith, why are you talking among yourselves about having no bread? Do you still not understand? Don't you remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered? Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered? How is it you don't understand that I was not talking to you about bread?”

Immediately following the feeding of the 5000, Jesus made the disciples get in a boat and set sail for Bethsaida so He could have some much needed alone time. Hours later, He made His own way to Bethsaida via a short cut across the lake walking on the water. Halfway, He met His disciples struggling with their boat against the wind. When they saw Jesus, they were terrified. They thought they were seeing a ghost. Mark describes what happened next in the sixth chapter of his gospel account:

Immediately he spoke to them and said, "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid." Then he climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. They were completely amazed, for they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened.

Daily bread is a Kingdom reality. It is a non-issue. But the lesson of the loaves goes far beyond the provision of mere food. Its not just about “bread” but encompasses His total awareness of our needs. When we don’t understand this miracle, we become preoccupied with meeting needs that God has already said He will meet. When we don’t understand the loaves, we will worry and fear over things that we should never worry about or fear. When we don’t understand the ease of which God can supply, we will tend to err on the side of safety and security rather than to risk it all for the sake of Christ, His Kingdom and its Gospel. Whether its our small faith or our hard hearts that keep us bound to this world systems and preoccupied with “bread,” it is time to put our full trust into the compassion of our King who says:

"Come, all you who are thirsty,
come to the waters;
and you who have no money,
come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
without money and without cost.
Why spend money on what is not bread, 

and your labor on what does not satisfy?
Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good,
and your soul will delight in the richest of fare.
Give ear and come to me; 

hear me, that your soul may live.
I will make an everlasting covenant with you,
my faithful love promised to David.”

I Want To Be red Box!

The other night, I went to a place I hadn’t been in a while - Blockbuster Video. Remember when Blockbuster was the main place you went for your video rentals? Remember when you wondered if the movie you wanted would be there or not? Oh, how far the mighty have fallen! The store was practically empty with hit after hit movie available on the shelf. I almost felt bad for them.

Blockbuster is an example of a company that did not change fast enough for the times. I can only guess how this happened. Maybe they had no imagination of delivering videos in any other manner or maybe they felt secure in their position at the top of the video world that they saw no reason to change. No matter the reason, they have been dethroned and nearly rendered obsolete by companies like Netflix and Red Box that offer cheaper and more convenient ways of delivering videos to customers.

The church has also been guilty of Blockbuster mentality. Although, most of my friends and probably even you seem to be involved in churches that you love, where God shows up every Sunday, lives are changes or at least touched, and you leave encouraged and blessed, the reality is that the church is and has been on decline for many years. Let’s look at the traditional church as Blockbuster. The traditional or denominational church is in steepest decline. Although they use to be the main way church was presented and embraced, they offered little or no change as the times and culture changed. It doesn’t mean they are all in decline or that God is not using them or showing up there. Yours may be an exception. I’m just saying that, statistically, they are losing ground the fastest. They, like Blockbuster, are being less frequented and left behind. They are still present but not the force they once were.

Netflix came along and quickly cut in on Blockbuster’s dominance. They lowered overhead by eliminating the storefront, utilized technology by being internet driven, eased customer frustration by always having the desired title available, offered cheaper rental rates with no late fees, all while allowing customers access to DVDs from the comfort of their own home. The contemporary church has grown in a similar manner. They downplayed the importance of a building by renting existing community spaces such as schools and theaters, utilized current technology to connect to a generation that has, not only, grown comfortable with such technology but relies on it and requires it, and made church easier by creating a more “come as you are” atmosphere. But even with the success of the contemporary church movement, we have not stemmed the decline of the church in America. We still need to find new ways to bring the Kingdom and it’s Gospel to the world.

That’s why I want to be Red Box. Red Box has also had great success in providing movie rentals to the customers. They have a smaller inventory and all rentals are just a dollar but the true brilliance of Red Box is that they are where you are. I rarely used Red Box until moving to Denver but they are everywhere here. They are in Wal-Marts, McDonald’s, the grocery stores, the drug stores, anywhere that people are already going. There is no extra stop at a specialized store and you don’t have to wait for it to come in the mail. You can get it where you are at the time that you want it. I believe that God has called me to a similar approach. If, in all our efforts to try to get people to come to church, people are still staying away and the church remains in decline, then why not take church to where the people are? What if, instead of starting “local” expressions of the church, we started true “community” expressions of the church? What would happen if you started being the church in your specific community, on your street, in your sub-division? What if people from your community started gathering in your home or at your clubhouse? There are movements like this happening all over the US and I want to be part of it. That’s why we have moved into a place where community should be more of a natural element - an apartment complex. If, as statistics say, 95% of apartment dwellers do not attend a local church then why not bring the church to them? I believe that God has called us to advance the Kingdom and it’s Gospel one community at a time starting at Hampden Heights in Denver, CO. It won’t be easy or without its obstacles but perhaps, as Jonathan told his armor-bearer before entering an impossible battle, “the Lord will be with us” and we will see “Red Box” churches spring up all over Denver.

Abraham or Moses?

When I first began to talk to people about the move God was making in our lives, many of my Christian friends who were familiar with the Bible quickly likened our calling to that of Abraham’s.

“The LORD had said to Abram, ‘Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you.’ ”

On the surface, I could understand and appreciate the comparison. God was asking us to leave our country (or, in our case, our state) and our family (both immediate and extended) and go to a land (another state) that God had shown us. A land that we were not familiar with, that we had no ties to, and what seemed to be a completely random choice of destination. But deep down I did not feel the connection. I was drawn instead to the story of Moses and the Exodus.

When we said “yes” to this Abrahamic-like call, it was not long before I realized that I was no Abraham. I could not just pull up the old tent stakes, load the camels, and be on our way. The main obstacle: a house that would not sell. God blessed us with our house in 1996. It was an absolute answer to prayer. There was clear divine guidance that led us to this house. It was love at first sight. It had many of the features that Pattie had always dreamed of in a home. We were thankful to raise 3 of our children there. We were delighted when it became “Papa and Grand’s” house to the grandkids. There was no doubt that it was a complete blessing from God.

But because we live in an Empire, things can change in an instant. Jobs change, income levels drop, costs increase, and suddenly we’re struggling to keep up with what God has blessed us. This is not God’s fault. It is the nature of God to bless us and it is the nature of the Empire to burden us. If we are not careful to manage our blessings, we will fall victim to the Empire. Then the Empire has us right where it wants us - slaves to the system. We become like the children of Israel in Exodus 1. The system tells us that the solution is to make more bricks. We become occupied with “more” and we soon forget that we are Kingdom people. The day we remember that we have a King and that we don’t have to follow the tyrant of this world any longer is the day we cry out and say, “God save us!” It is also the day that the King hears us. He always hears the cries of His children.

And so it was in my case. The blessing had become a burden and eventually the burden had become a weight and that weight was like an anchor keeping me where I was and disabling me from following the God I loved and from living the life I desired. So I spent many nights in my front yard asking God to set me free and to release me from the burden of my home. And He heard me. And He answered. And He set me free. Not immediately or overnight but in His time. And it was perfect.

Then we became like Abraham. Free as eagles, happy sojourners, resident aliens, tourists. Free to follow, free to obey, free to go! And we did. Now we are here and committed to live as children of His Kingdom.

I don’t believe God requires everyone to move but if He called you, what would it take for you to follow? What keeps you rooted where you are? What tent stakes could you already be pulling up just in case He speaks? You are not ready to answer an Abrahamic call until you experience your own personal exodus out of the Empire and into His Kingdom. I pray for this in every child of the King!

Note: Blessed are the one’s who have managed their financial and personal lives in such a way that they have already risen above this world’s systems, who have eluded the chains of consumerism and materialism that have captured so many. They are not many but they do exist. Thank you for your example.

My Personal Exodus!

There have been three shifts that God has been making in my life over the past few years. It has been a very distinct and undeniable work in my life. It has been a journey from one place in my life to another, a transforming process of heart and mind, of which I was unaware that I needed to take or undergo. At least two of the shifts, I believe, are ones that every Christ Follower needs to make. The third may be more personal to me in my situation and more distinct to my calling but is worthy of consideration none the less. You will not make these shifts from the comfort of your home. They don’t happen when the checking account is full, the kids are all doing well, the mate is loving and attentive, or when life couldn’t seem to get better. They are born out of struggle, difficulty, hardship. They happen when the job is lost, the family is falling apart, the health report is not good. The journey opens up to you when you are crying out, hurt, lost, confused. The process is near when you are discontented and think there should be more to life or that at least life should be better. Unfortunately, you rarely learn about these shifts in church. These are not decisions you make from a pew. These shifts are forged in the wilderness, in desolate times, and often in lonely places. For it is there that God reveals Himself. It is there that you truly begin to follow the path of God. You don’t experience Manna from heaven or water from the Rock by staying in Egypt. And that brings me to the first shift.

He has been moving me from the Empire into His Kingdom. Empire living is living that is deeply embedded in this world’s systems and thinking. It is represented in Scripture as Egypt. We are unaware of how entrenched we are in this world. We are blinded by consumerism, materialism, individualism and many other isms that cause us to live like slaves rather than sons and daughters of the Kingdom. We are free and are meant to live free. We are “born again” into the Kingdom of Heaven. Our citizenship has changed. We literally have to experience our own personal “exodus.” It involves a wilderness experience but the Kingdom lies on the other side.

I have much more to say about this but I will save it for other times. In order to not be too wordy, I will also save the other two shifts for a later date. Let me leave you with this: Are you experiencing difficulty or hardship? Is your heart crying out to God for relief and help? Is there a general discontentment rising up in your soul? Maybe this is just the beginning of a powerful and wonderful journey on which GOD is leading you! Maybe this is the first step on your own personal “exodus.” Maybe the most surprising thing is that you never realized that you needed such a deliverance. Maybe the “wilderness” that you are experiencing now is the path to a freedom and life you have never experienced before! Go with God! Journey with Him! Let Him do the perfect work in you!