Dangerous Church

The following blog I read a few days ago has been with me ever since. I thought maybe it was time to share it with you...

Guest Blog: Miles Paludan

As an Australian surf lifesaver, I patrolled dangerous surf locations, looking for the international sign for distress… a raised hand. Twenty years later as a campus pastor, I’m still looking for a raised hand… those committing their lives to Christ. However, rather than patrolling dangerous and uncomfortable places like homeless shelters, bars, hospitals, or the wrong side of town, I find myself in safe, comfortable places like staff meetings, LifeGroups, prayer meetings and churchy blogs.

When I look at the life of Christ, he could regularly be found in dangerous locations, with people in distress: houses of tax collectors, marketplaces with the non-religious crowd, and leper colonies. How about you? Are you like me… only venturing out to a Starbucks or your Inbox?

When was the last time you found yourself in a dangerous place? Where were you?

This is a two-fold challenge to me:

In order to make our church "dangerous";

I need to go into "dangerous" places.

Into the Wild: My journey

We are gearing up to start our "Into the Wild" series. One of the things I'm doing to get ready is simply reading through the entire Exodus story.
I'll be honest- it's harder than it sounds.
The story starts off great- action, adventure, plagues and fire.
But then it starts to bog down.
I'm probably not supposed to say that as a pastor, but it's true. The first half is great, up through about chapter 20. Then it gets in the laws. A few interruptions spice things up- a golden calf and Moses glowing face- but it's still tough to wade through.
But it's vitally important.
It's one of those disciplines that are rewarding not in the moment, but in the long haul.
But that's a lot of what a trip into wild looks like. In the big picture it's an awesome adventure. But in reality it's a hard, difficult and trying experience.

It's like reading the blogs of our friends biking coast to coast on the Sea 2 Sea trip. The idea is awesome, exciting and inspiring: bike across North America to raise funds and awareness in the fight against poverty. How great is that!

The the trip begins. And reality sets in- day after day, week after week, of riding mile after mile. After 4 weeks and hundreds of miles, the adventure is not so glamorous. It's more about sore muscles, saddle sores, sunburns, and missing the comforts of home.

But for those who persevere there is unparalleled satisfaction awaiting them. I imagine.

So that's what I'm up to. I'm persevering through the entire Exodus story, into Numbers, Leviticus and Deuteronomy. At the end is a great reward!

Join me if you want to prepare your heart for this awesome series. Try to read through all of Exodus, and see what twists, turns and surprises await in the adventure. It's wild!

Impossible is Nothing

Series: Breakout
July 27, 2008

Today is our final Breakout Sunday. The past 9 weeks we have driven through a book in the bible called Philippians. And in doing this we have been driven to face this book on it’s own terms. We have heard one thing over and over and over again- rejoice!

"Rejoice in the Lord always, I will say it again, rejoice." And Paul has said it again, and again, and again. Over and over he has called us to a life of rejoicing. Of remembering and rehearsing the boundless joys of knowing Jesus. Through Jesus there is joy inexpressible, there is peace all surpassing, there is hope all inspiring available to anyone and everyone. No matter who you are, where you are, what you’ve done, what’s been done to you, what’s in your past, what’s in your present, what’s in your future. To all who give their life to Jesus there is JOY!

So here’s the question for us this morning- have you put rejoicing into practice? Are you more joyful now than 9 weeks ago? Do you have more you can rejoice in? Do you have eyes to see, ears to hear, and lips to praise God and rejoice in his goodness? I want us to examine our lives, look at the message of this book, and ask ourselves, have we moved forward into a more joy-filled life in Jesus? Because if you haven’t, you’ve kinda missed the point. And I desperately don’t want you to miss the point before we close this series. I want you to break free and breakout into the joy-filled life of knowing Jesus. I want you to sense the doors that hold you back opening up, to feel the chains that tie you down drop off, the sense the weight on your shoulders lifting off. I want you to breakout! I want you to feel like Andy from the "Shawshank Redemption"…

(WARNING- this clip does contain one swear word. Do not watch if you will be offended by the "s" word. We edited it out in the service.)


Listen to the sermon at www.connectionschurch.ca or read the manuscript at cccsermons.blogspot.com

You talking to me?

This is the upcoming series at a church I like. Really. They are growing like crazy and doing awesome things. They polled their church and these are the top questions their people have…

July 13th - What Is Sexual Sin? (6th most popular question)
July 20th - Can I Lose My Salvation? (5th most popular question)
July 27th - How Do I Know God’s Will For My Life? (4th most popular question)
August 3rd - Is It OK For A Christian To Drink Alcohol? (3rd most popular question)
August 10th - How Can I Enjoy Entertainment/Culture (movies, television, music, etc.) without distracting myself from Jesus? (2nd most popular question)
August 17th - Are We Living In The End Times? (BY FAR the most popular question)

If I understand the culture I'm working in, and the people we're reaching out to,
these are NOT the questions they are asking.

It is very apparent that this church, while reaching many lost persons, is definitely steeped in a "Christian sub-culture" and that the congregation is primarily the "already converted."

Connections is not trying to be another church for Christians. We are a mission to the lost.
This is my modified list of how I think the people we are trying to reach with the love of God might respond to these questions.
(Again, this is how I think people far from God would respond to these questions. These are not my responses, but how someone who doesn't know Jesus and who didn't grow up in the church would read these questions)

6. "What is sexual sin?" What are you talking about? Sex between consenting adults is not a sin. What's sin anyways? Why are you Christians so stuck in the past?!
5. "Can I lose my salvation?" I didn't know I need saved. Saved from what- boredom, my family, poverty, the church? I definitely needed saved from religious people!
4. "How can I know God's will for my life?" This might be interesting. I'm actually pretty fatalistic, but would like to hear more about this. (George's note: I think that wanting to know God's will for one's life is the one universal longing found in this list. This could preach at Connections.)
3. "Is it OK for a Christian to drink alcohol?" Well, I'm not a Christian, so why does this matter? And what does it have to do with faith? Didn't Jesus turn water into wine? I assume he drank it afterwards!
2. "Can Christians watch movies and TV?" Again, I'm not a Christian, so I'm not sure this applies to me. But it's funny how, on one hand, Christians boycott movies, but then some of the
sleaziest guys on TV are preachers. Incidentally, does this mean Christians shouldn't own computers or surf the internet?
1. "Are we living in the end times?" Of course we are! At the current rate of environmental degradation the earth will not be able to sustain life for future generations. If we don't radically change the way things are done, these truly are the last days.
But I think Christians might have something else entirely in mind in asking this question.

So that's how I think many in our church would respond to these topics if they were approached in the usual "church" way. They want to talk about sex and finding purpose in life, but they wouldn’t frame the questions the way Christians do. Half these questions totally miss where they are at and what they believe are their needs.

If we want to attract people who are far from God to a worship service, we have to answer the questions they are asking. What we don't have to do is try to answer the questions that Christians have been asking for generations, for which they have often already formed their opinion, and for which there usually isn't a definitive/authoritative answer. This is, as the bible says, a chasing after the wind.

Know who you are trying to win over- those far from God, or those trying to find the church that they think is perfect. We are working to win the lost.

Bottleneck

This first year of Connections we got a lot done because I simply made the decisions. No Committees, no process, often no discussion. Just, "Do this, here's how." But this freedom is starting to become our prison. Too many things are happening for me to manage it all.

Actually, to many things are not happening. I can't make all the decisions anymore. I don't have the administrative or organizational gifts to wrap my head around everything that needs to happen.

• I need to share our vision and values and draw people in.
• I need to start projects/ministries so they can be handed off to others. (Note: I've learned the difference between asking somebody to do something, and giving somebody something to do. The later is better in nearly every case. You come along side someone, show them what's being done, tell them what you want done, hand the privilege of taking over to them.)
• I need to empower more people to own more of the ministry.

And I do mean people. Not committees. Committees don't advance mission. God advances his mission through his Spirit through his people. We need people, small groups of people with one or two people leading, advancing the mission of our church.

We need to advance our Connection Groups
A volunteer coordinator
A volunteer handbook
A Creative Arts Team
A Stewardship Team
A new Advisory Team
A Marketing Team (or community awareness team, or some group, whatever their name, that will prayerful engage the best ways to make our church known in our community)
A Community Service Team

It's all part of the reinventing process of launching a church. What worked to get us started won't work us into our second year. My ownership got the ball rolling. Now others owning the mission will take to exponentially higher places. Through prayer, discernment, and engagement we will position ourselves for a great second year of growth.

Back in the Saddle

After a few days camping last week it's great to be back at it.
Time away from ministry isn't really time away- it only postpones what still needs to be done. But the respite provides needed rest, reflection, and perspective.

So here are a just a few random thoughts:
Prayer is AWESOME! Last night we gathered for our monthly prayer meeting and just a few attended. So we took the opportunity to lay our hands on one another and pray. Let me assure you- if you've never been the recipient of prayer and touch by loving, mature Christian brothers and sisters, you have not experienced one to the greatest joys of our relationship in Jesus. You will be humbled and inspired, you will probably cry, you will receive insights that will astound you, you will feel healing, you will feel encouraged, you will be changed.

Let me also assure you of this- if you have not prayer over someone in this manner you are missing one of the most awesome experiences of the Holy Spirit. In the giving and receiving of prayer we tap into the greatest power available to us.

I love our Connection Group. I can;t wait for Sunday nights, and I hate for them to end. I love gathering together, sharing our lives, laughing, eating, discussing the bible, praying for each other, dreaming about the next steps for our church.

I love preaching. I loved hearing from Ben on Sunday. He did an awesome job. It was very necessary for me to finally sit in a service and not preach (I'll blog about what I observed sometime). But now I'm itching to be back! I was out one Sunday, and yet I feel like I now have the urgency of eternity to make up. But that's what every preacher needs every Sunday- the overwhelming conviction that the message this Sunday is the most important message one will ever give.

I'm a people person. I'll drop just about anything to be with someone. It's also funny to me how much I'm alone. I'll sit in my office for several hours. I have no music on, no distractions, I'm just doing something like this- blogging, emailing, doing some of the necessary administration to keep this mission going. But for me, it's all about being with people. That's what I love. That's what energizes me.

And that's enough for now. I have to go meet with someone!

Gone Fishing

I'm going camping.
In fact my family is already gone.
I set up camp yesterday but came back to town to help a friend work on his basement.
Stuff like that is actually relaxing for me.
Perhaps even therapeutic:
First, you demolish lots of stuff;
Then you make your plan;
Then you get to use cool tools to see the plan come to fruition.

But I digress- now I'm getting ready for three days of camping.
No email, no blogging, no meeting with anyone else.
Just me, my family and an old pop-up camper in God's creation.
I plan to wake up early, read the bible every chance I can get, take lots of praying hikes, and so not to sound too spiritual- I mostly plan to just play with my kids and be in the moment with them.

But hey, the camper needs a bit of work, so that should be fun!

Talk to you in a few days!

Worlds Collide

The other night night my worlds collided.

It was 11:30pm.
Robin and I were watching TV before sleep; The Colbert Report was on; His guest was Bishop N.T. Wright.

The woman I love,
the man who cracks me up,
the contemporary theologian whom I admire most.
It's was like a perfect storm of everything I love. To hold onto that moment forever would be pure bliss.

You can see it here if you wish. I make no promise that you'll enjoy it any where near as much as I did. (You'll have to jump to the end for the interview with N.T.)

http://www.comedycentral.com/colbertreport/full-episodes/index.jhtml?episodeId=173610

The Drama Begins

Sometimes I think there's a lot of drama in the life of a church planter.
Then I come home and talk to my daughters.

Eden started a band with her friends on Saturday.
"Vibrating Hearts"
What a great name for a girl band.
She wrote an amazing song for an 8 year old on Sunday. Honestly. We are definitely encouraging her writing and music skills.

But you know artsy music types.
Vanity, jealousy, gossip, backstabbing, egos...
You think I'm being dramatic, but I assure you, this week we've seen it all.

Today Eden said she's leaving the band.
Yep, after less than a week she's moving onto a solo career.
(Actually, there been some talk of a new duo forming with an older girl.)

Of course this left an opening in "Vibrating Hearts," so my younger girl, Karis, is taking Eden's place. The rest of the band doesn't know this yet, but I think Karis will win them over. She's a charmer. Too good of a charmer I'm afraid.

I'm pained for my daughters as they learn the difficult lessons of doing life together.
Perhaps the band is the perfect analogy:

• Finding you own voice
• Letting others find theirs
• Working together
• Fostering creativity while retaining our sanity
• Doing what's best for the group instead of yourself
• And the list could go on.

Her little band, and her little life, is like a microcosm of our church, and church in general. Part of me wants to try and teach her all the relationship lessons I've learned over my life. But I know it rarely works that way.

And often the best music comes out of the struggles we work through.

So watch out world- Vibrating Hearts, or some other band, will soon be rocking your way!

Tenacious Audacious Prayers

The prayers I make really specific for Connections often seem to be answered. I guess this has something to do with praying the way Jesus taught us! So this is me getting specific. Now God can tell me if I'm off base, or answer them and show we are on target.

• First, I really would like to break the 200 barrier this summer. How cool would that be! While everyone says churches can't grow in the summer in Canada, we can just give God the glory for doing something awesome!
• An Administrative Director. Plans have fallen through for the guy we thought could come on staff, and actually be our first 1/2 time position. Does this mean we continue with the volunteer culture, or look else where? I'm keeping my eyes open for someone else in our community who might step into this role. After all, it is biblical (1 Cor. 12:28).
• A Ministry Centre. I have a great office down town for a great price- FREE! Can it serve as an office for our church? I don't know. But if we can get someone else to give us free office space, that would answer the question!
• 52 Commitments to Jesus Christ- one for every week of ministry this year. Since we're halfway through the year I'm praying for an outpouring!
  

These are the things I'm praying about that have less specific and outward answers. But I'm praying for them tenaciously:

• The revamping of my advisory team
• Putting together a stewardship team
• Finalizing our second year plan
• Launching our Connection Groups plan

Faith Workout

Series: BREAKOUT
July 6, 2008

...in the midst of the small decisions, nearly all of us have larger decisions weighing on our minds. In fact I bet everyone here has some very significant decision to make in the near future. Maybe you’ve been putting it off, maybe it’s right upon you. Where am I going to go to school next year? Is this really what I want to be studying? Do I really see this relationship going anywhere, and do I like where it’s going? DO I really want to quit my job? Do I really want to take this new job and move my family? Some of these decisions will changes our lives forever. Some of these decisions we cannot help but approach with fear and trembling because we know just how important they really are. These are the decision for which we actively and even desperate seek God’s guidance. And we have this assurance from the Bible- God works in us to will and act according to his purpose. God is working on our behalf.

How do we work with Him? We W.A.T.C.H. for God’s will to be revealed.


Listen to the sermon at connectionschurch.ca or read the sermon at cccsermons.blogspot.com

Monday Musings

It's been a week since I blogged, and that was just posting my sermon.
So what have I been doing besides my usually ADD blogging?

First, check out Robin's blog to see the family updates. She's amazing, http://robinsaylor.blogspot.com/

So what's been happening...

• We took last week to celebrate twice, both Canada's and US independence. Hey, it's our duty as dual citizens!
• We had a Connections Group Party last Sunday (June 29th) and just enjoyed friendship!
• We celebrated Monday and Tuesday by hiking, biking, canoeing, then going to the Sawkins for a party. $1000 worth of fireworks right on the farm! I love Canadian rednecks- they make me feel at home!
• Wednesday, Thursday and Friday I tried to sneak away for some solitude with the bible and my calendar, but people kept getting in the way.
• I love people getting in the way! Had some great connections last week.
• We gave out over 600 balloons and invitations in downtown London. Kids love balloons. They are like kid magnets- the things give themselves away. Our teams has some awesome interactions, and we pray we've planted a seed in their lives.
  
• Our Slow-pitch softball teams ROCKS! and I hit a homer! I sang the American Anthem as I ran the bases, then cheered for Uncle Sam. We hung out at Kelsy's afterwards. I love our team!
• We saw number go up again this Sunday, even though everyone says July and August are the worst attendance months in Canada! Not sure why, but June was our plateau month, now we need to push past 150 again.
• We are still praying to smash the 200 wall so we can quickly become a worshiping church of multiple communities.
• Sarah DeVries is our Families Ministries Director. Now that she has had month under her belt, and things are going well, I'll blog about her, and this ministry, soon.
• So much more to say, but hey, we all have a life.

And now I'm off to have a day of solitude to plan for our Creative Arts Team Meeting tonight!
(Solitude means I have only two other meetings planned!). I am so psyched for this- we'll be planning for the entire fall!


Now breakfast, devos with the kids, and off to my day!