Month: May 2015

Why I’m Afraid to be a Pastor

Being a pastor is risky business. A few years back, I made a list of my top 10 greatest concerns about being a Pastor. Every now and then, I need to go back and remind myself of these things. So here’s my list…here’s why I’m afraid to be a Lead Pastor. I’m afraid…

  1. I’ll confuse my role with my identity
  2. I’ll fall into doing more than being
  3. I’ll use people rather than loving them
  4. I’ll serve more out of emptiness than overflow
  5. I’ll perform for an audience of many rather than an audience of one
  6. I’ll measure my success by plates and pews, butts and bucks
  7. I’ll focus on the church and forget the Kingdom
  8. I’ll develop a culture of deficit rather than a culture of gratefulness
  9. I’ll read God’s Word to preach it rather than read it to live it
  10. I’ll get so wrapped up in my outer world that I neglect my inner world

Do What Jesus Did

Jesus…

  1. Revealed the Father
  2. Messaged the Kingdom
  3. Served the poor and powerless
  4. Friended sinners…and
  5. Made disciples who went out and did more of the same

What if every Jesus follower simply did what Jesus did? I think we’d be known for what we’re for rather than for what we’re against… and we’d never run short on stories of life transformation.

Who am I?

Who I am is not what I do, who I know, or what I’ve achieved. Who I am is who’s I am. Loving Colossians 3:3…”For you died and your true self is hidden with Christ in God.” Who I am is God’s Beloved.

I don’t have the time for polishing, perfecting, and promoting an ‘image’. Besides, I died.

Mordecai’s Mess

Reading Esther. Getting ready for Sunday’s talk.

What do you think?

Would Mordecai have bowed to Haman if he’d known that the outcome of his decision to stay standing…

  1. jeopardized the life of Queen Esther
  2. triggered a potential genocide, and
  3. almost sent him to the gallows?

Standing up for seemingly minor convictions can lead to major consequences. When is it better to bow?

What’s a Disciple?

characteristics-of-a-disciple“From the start, God’s design has been for every single disciple of Jesus to make disciples who make disciples who make disciples until the Gospel spreads to all peoples.” -Platt

So what’s a disciple? (mathetes: learner, apprentice, follower)

NO one in Jesus’ day had to ask the question. Everyone knew. A disciple walked in the dust of his rabbi. He memorized his teachings and interpretations. He thought as he thought. He mimicked his manners. Then, when ready, he’d get sent out to replicate.

Association. Imitation. Delegation

A disciple of Jesus is:

  • Someone who believes what Jesus believed, behaves the way he behaved, and joins him in his mission
  • Someone who yearns to be like him, longs to be with him, and strives to do what he did

Making disciples is our ‘family business’. We’re all in it.

Bored with Jesus?

I understand. Time for another look. I’m having fun getting to know the Jesus…

  • That showed up at lots of parties
  • That knew how to tell great jokes
  • That left most people saying ‘huh?’
  • That was fearless with his feelings
  • That raised questions and dodged answers
  • That picked fights with ‘church-going types’
  • That couldn’t be pigeon-holed
  • That was predictably unpredictable
  • That let his disciples try to correct him
  • That transformed everyone who took the time to know him!

It’s hard to get bored with a Jesus like that.