The Internet "Killed" the Local Pastor

On August 1, 1981 a significant cultural shift occurred as MTV launched by showing their first music video: Video Killed the Radio Star by the Buggles. Culturally, music moved from an almost strictly audio venue to one that included video. No longer was an audio track sufficient; a creative (or at least corny) video was needed to keep up and compete in the world of music television. Thirty years later another significant cultural shift has occurred- the Internet pastor.

Francis Chan, David Platt, Mark Driscoll, John MacArthur, and Matt Chandler. With just a few keystrokes or mouse clicks anybody with Internet access can watch hundreds of sermons by these and many other popular pastors or download their many books. As an unfortunate result, we may sit in church on Sundays comparing our pastor to the teaching styles of these men. Critiques may sound something like:

• “Francis Chan would have used a great object lesson to illustrate that point"
• “Driscoll would have gotten much more fired up about that”
• “Dr. MacArthur would have never used so many stories”
• “Matt Chandler would have inserted a pithy comment right there”
• “Does he really even care for the lost? David Platt would almost be crying if he made that statement”

And the list goes on. Because our local pastor’s podcast probably won’t be listened to by more than a few of the congregants or write best seller books- we can dismiss him as sub-par compared to the other guys. The Internet has “killed” the local pastor. Fellow Christians, this cannot be!

Our local pastors have been given a tremendous responsibility to shepherd their local congregations (1 Peter 5:1-3). Instead of comparing them to our favorite Internet pastors, we need to:

• Praise the Lord that they faithfully and accurately teach the Word of God each week.
• Be thankful for their everyday pastoral care for the local congregation: counseling, weddings, funerals, hospital visits, etc.
• Encourage them to continue “raising the bar” for the congregation to become Great Commandment and Great Commission Christians- engaging a lost world for Jesus Christ!
• Come along side them as the body of Christ- serving in the mission and ministries of the church. It is everybody’s responsibility to share the Gospel and make disciples, not just theirs.

 I am so thankful for the pastors in my church: Pastor John, Pastor Gary, Pastor Dave, and Pastor Ben. I have learned much from them and it is a joy to serve alongside them. May I never take them for granted, unfairly compare them to popular Internet pastors, and strive to make their ministries a joy.

Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be no advantage to you.

Hebrews 13:17

For the record, this video has never been cool, rad, or awesome

Engaging Our Cities

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; plant gardens and eat their produce. Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease. But seek the welfare for the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on its behalf, for in its welfare you find your welfare. –Jeremiah 9:4-7

Consider the following statistics from Rockford, Illinois, my city:

• 50% of Winnebago County 2008 births were to unmarried mothers, the highest since 1980
• Ranked the 9^th Most Dangerous City in the U.S. based on 2010 data
• Violent crime 251% higher than national average (2011)
• 10.3% unemployment, almost 50% higher than national rate of 7.3%
• 30% of regional households have income before the poverty guidelines
• 63% have high school or less education. National average is 57% 

This is alarming data about a city in desperate need of improvement. Thankfully, the Transform Rockford initiative has launched to turn the city around in the coming years. This is a great time for followers of Jesus Christ to engage by working toward the welfare of the city and be a gospel presence in the process!

It is easy to complain. It is easy to flee. But, it is difficult to stay and engage in the improvement effort- with a good attitude.  The prophet Jeremiah instructed God’s people to seek the welfare of Babylon, a dark and pagan city, during their exile. As exiles in this world (1 Peter 2:11) let’s do the same by being attentive of the needs of our cities, rather than ignoring them or dismissing them as “somebody else’s problem”.

While attending a Transform Rockford visioning and brainstorming session this week, I met a mother and her twenty-year-old son. Less than five years ago they fled from a refugee camp in Congo and landed in Rockford, Illinois. A few months ago, her other son and his brother was gunned down and killed in the city streets. They stated, “we left one war zone and entered another”. Powerful words.

Ultimately, the Gospel is the only answer to ultimate transformation. Yet, as followers of Jesus Christ, we must first step out of our comfort zones and engage in the process- for the good of the city and the Glory of Jesus Christ!

Reference: www.transformrockford.org

Chasing Squirrels at the Old Country Buffet

We are constantly presented with new articles, blog postings, or videos to contend for our attention in an internet saturated world. Like a dog distracted by every squirrel on a walk around the park, I often hit share or retweet before contemplating the material’s content or implications. I chase squirrels in cyberspace.

Part of the issue is the vast amount of very good material available online. Currently, my blog roll contains about 30 sites and authors which I daily review; a number which cannot be reasonable processed with depth or care. I treat the onslaught of information as a buffet experience rather than fine dining. At a fine dining restaurant, I’ll order a delicious steak from the menu to enjoy and savor. However, at a buffet, I’ll pick up a steak, along with a pork chop, fish, and piece of chicken. The steak is one selection of many and is consumed without much or any thought. After clearing my plate, I’m off to get more and will continue eating until I’m ready to “burst” if not careful. My internet “dining” is the same way; I am consuming much information but not savoring the rich content.

I’m tired of chasing squirrels at the Old Country Buffet and want to do something about it.

Looking ahead, a few action steps which I intend to implement:

•  Reduce the number of blog subscriptions and people/organizations followed on Facebook or Twitter by at least one third (as a start).
• Whenever sharing a post or article on Facebook, take the time to describe why I found it important, how I was challenged by it, and what I intend to do as a result.

 I hope that I will be more focused, chasing less squirrels and “savoring” the content of good internet content as a result. How about you?

Fifty Years From Now

Fifty years from now I want to be celebrating 63 years of marriage to Danielle. I want to rejoice in my children following Jesus Christ with their whole hearts and lives. I want to see my grandchildren saved and surrendered to Jesus. Fifty years from now I want to offer The Lord over six decades of committed service in the local church. I want rejoice in the kingdom work that God allowed me to participate in and see dozens of people walking closely with The Lord and bearing much fruit because of how He used me to invest in others and faithfully plod along in His service. Fifty years from now I want to look back on a career worked with integrity and purpose, making much of His Name. I want to praise Him for His ongoing provisions and the opportunities invested in world-wide kingdom work through the many resources entrusted to me and a life of sacrificial giving to that end. Fifty years from now I want to echo the words of Paul, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." (2 Timothy 4:7)

I do not know whether The Lord will grant me another fifty years of life in this world. However, the scenario above is where I want to aim and keep before me. This is what I want to think about in accordance to Philippians 4:8, "Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things." 

There are so many temptations and desires present in my life everyday which could easily destroy my fifty year plan. However, keeping it before me daily, including times of temptation, will impact my decisions. With these goals, they should promote placing any necessary safeguards to guard my integrity; they should drive me to a deeper relationship with The Lord through a hunger for His Word and devotion and desperation in prayer. The goals should affect my relationships. The plan should affect how I spend my time, talents, and treasures. These end goals should affect my entire life.

What is your "fifty" year plan? 

Turning the World Upside Down

Still bruised and sore from being beaten and jailed in Philippi, the Apostle Paul and Silas entered Thessalonica, a city of about 200,000 people. Met with further hostility and violence, they were accused of having turned the world upside down by saying that there was another king- Jesus (Acts 17:6-7). Much can be learned from Paul’s gospel determination 2,000 years later as we move forward with gospel determination as ambassadors for Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians5:20).

As I study the account in Acts, there are four key characteristics for turning the world upside down worthy of consideration in 2014. 

1. Courage. As previously stated, Paul and Silas had just been beaten and imprisoned in Philippi. They were kicked out of the city. Yet  upon entering Thessalonica, Paul entered the synagogue to engage the Jews, as was his custom (Acts 17:1-2). He was determined to preach the gospel and was not swayed to do otherwise- even during hardship. A couple of questions for us:

• Are we courageous in engaging our culture for the sake of the gospel, or are we scared of it? 
• Are we more afraid of what people will say or think than of God and being His servant?

2. Content. Paul reasoned with them from the Scriptures. It was his final authority. A couple of questions:

•  Do we know Scripture well enough to articulate the gospel and provide a reason for our hope from it?
• Do we have a regular daily habit of reading the Word? 
•  Are we growing in our knowledge and understanding of the Word? Are we diligently studying and investing in the tools and resources needed to gain understanding?

3. Converts. God used Paul through the faithful teaching of His Word to draw men and women to salvation. Many will reject the gospel message, but some will be saved!

• Are we living in such a way as to expect people to be saved or are we living with a defeatist attitude, convinced that nobody will believe?
• Knowing that some will be saved through our faithful proclamation of the gospel, are we prepared to ensure they are discipled in their new life as a Christ-follower?

4. Conflict. Paul’s message resulted in conflict. He was driven out of Thessalonica and while preaching in Berea shortly afterward, the Jews from Thessalonica showed up to agitate the crowds against Paul (17:10-13). Teaching the reality and penalty of sin and the exclusivity of the gospel thru salvation in Jesus Christ alone will result in conflict. We see this in our world today.

• While we shouldn’t go looking for persecution and conflict, are we expecting it (for the right reasons)? How are we preparing for it, in a society increasingly hostile to the gospel of Jesus Christ?
• When conflict occurs, how do we respond? Our response will affect our testimony greatly.

As individual believers and communities of faith in our local churches, may it be said of us that we are turning the world upside down by declaring that there is another King, Jesus Christ in 2014!

Reference

MacArthur, J. (1996). The MacArthur New Testament Commentary: Acts 13-28. Moody Press. Chicago.

My Top Books of 2013

2013 has drawn to a close and it is time for my annual “top books of the year” posting. In 2013 I set the goal to read 30 books but finished the year having read 47. Here are my top five books with a few honorable mentions at the end:

5. The Shallows: What the Internet is Doing to Our Brains by Nicholas Carr. The internet is rewiring our brains and causing us to think differently. The long term effects are catastrophic. This book caused me to think differently about the internet and do something about its negative effects in my life. See previous blog post about the book here.

4. I Am a Church Member by Thom Rainer. A Scripturally-rooted book on biblical church membership. Taken seriously, this book could transform local congregations and ultimately communities and the world for Jesus Christ. See previous blog post about this book here.

3. Follow Me by David Platt. In his outstanding follow up to the best seller Radical, Platt answers the question about what Jesus really meant when He said “follow Me”. As stated on the back cover, it is a call to die. It is a call to live. Solidly biblical and needed  teaching for the 21^st century church in America.

2. Living by the Book by Howard and William Hendricks. This book first appeared on my top books list in 2009. However, I returned to the updated edition in 2013 and was challenged richly as it provides many strategies for digging into Bible study through the observation, interpretation, and application techniques. I am already planning to reread again in 2014.

1. To Live is Christ, To Die is Gain by Matt Chandler. A powerful and convicting book studying Paul’s letter to the Philippians. Chandler addresses our need to have Jesus Christ as our treasure- with everything paling in comparison to knowing Him as Lord. This book will also be reread early in 2014. 

It was challenging to narrow the list down to my top five, after reading nearly fifty books. Therefore, a few honorable mentions (all excellent books), in no particular order:

·         Stop Asking Jesus Into Your Heart by JD Greear

·         Called to Stay by Caleb Breakey

·         The Insanity of God by Nick Ripken

·         Eric Liddell: Pure Gold by David McCasland

·         Resisting Gossip by Matthew Mitchell