I'm Voting in this Election 2016.

I've done a lot of praying for this upcoming election. I have gone through a lot of emotions as well. I've tried to navigate the media spin and political rhetoric. I'd like to give a few thoughts and then tell you who I'm not voting for (and why) along with who I am voting for (and why). So first, a few thoughts:

1. I vote primarily from a Christian perspective. I desire to vote with a Biblical worldview that influences my personal life as well as my public life. In recent years it has become increasingly difficult for Christians to choose the 'clear' choice of candidate for president of the United States.

2. I don't believe the White House, whoever wins the elections, provides the answers our nation needs. The answers will be found in God's house, by people who have humbled themselves, prayed, sought the Lord, and turned from their wicked ways. (2 Chronicles 7:14) To put your trust in a president or government is idolatry. Our help comes from the Lord.

3. As a people who are called to be salt and light in the world, Christians have a responsibility to be involved and speak into the political process. In the context of truth and with grace we should be a prophetic voice in the midst of political rants, angry voices, and immorality. We cannot hid in a monastery or ivory tower.

4. By sharing my opinion of who I will vote for, I am not necessarily de-spiritualizing you, though I believe my choice is best. :-) I am attempting to do what I am called to do: discern the times and choose the straight and narrow path that leads to everlasting life. I will one day give an account of the votes I cast, so I will seek to give a public account now.

5. I don't believe that a third party vote is a wasted vote. I won't elaborate on this issue, but I'll refer you to the following article for your consideration.

So, let's look at my take on the candidates...

1. Hillary Clinton. She is in full & active support of the murder in the womb of a baby. She has been zealous for her support of abortion for a very long time. One of the greatest evils perpetrated by our society right now is the murder of children in the womb. Protection of the pre-born is a must for my vote. She also plays into race baiting for political gain and has been supportive of homosexual/transgender agendas. Her unethical activities and obvious deceit further promotes the reality that she has a skewed moral compass. The long tenure in politics that she has, does not affect my vote. Her Vice-Presidential pick, Kaine, has a conflicted and irrational view on Abortion (He is personally against it, but thinks it should be legal).  I would never vote for Clinton.

2. Donald Trump. He has a sordid history of being unprincipled except with his value of money & power. He has made millions from casinos and strip clubs. Casinos that have decimated many individuals and/or their families. Strip clubs that have played to the lusts of many while treating women as objects for male pleasure. (He also owned the Miss Universe beauty pageants from 1996 to 2015 which are milder forms of the exploitation of women.) While I certainly don't mind someone refusing to be politically correct I don't think that means you can be derogatory towards women, minorities, immigrants or any other group. Multiple marriage, multiple events of adultery, unfaithfulness characterize his personal life (if you didn't like Bill Clinton because of his personal life, don't vote for Trump either... and for those who refused to condemn the sexual immorality of Bill Clinton; stop being so loud in your condemnation of Trump). I also disagree with him on immigration. I really like Mike Pence his Vice-Presidential pick, but not enough to accept Trump. I just can't swallow the Trump pill.

3. Gary Johnson. The Libertarian candidate has picked up some numbers with the overall discontent people have with the two major party candidates. However, Johnson, doesn't provide any more moral high ground than any of the others. He is, in essence, a Republican without morals. While he doesn't actively support abortion, he believes that murdering a child in the womb is the "personal choice" a mother has to make. He is for the legalization of drugs and constantly directs major/significant issues from federal decisions down to the "states need to decide". While I believe in federal overreach and I am, as a Christian, leery of big government (any Christian who isn't needs to take a long look at history), Johnson isn't a viable alternative.

4. Jill Stein. The Green Party candidate is basically a liberal democrat with a penchant for the environment. Again, her stance on killing babies which she declares is a "reproductive right" is counter-Christian. Her party is inundated with influences like PETA and other groups that lean toward eco-terrorism. She says she is married to a Protestant Atheist... I'm not sure what her spouse is protesting then? Fringe and border line fanatical, Mrs Stein is not receiving my vote.

5. Darrel Castle. The Constitution Party candidate is a little known contender who is into small government and a strict constitutionalist. A big proponent of states rights (a small or even insignificant issue in my mind). However, he does seek to hold the moral high ground with issues of abortion, homosexuality, etc. He claims to be a Christian and does more than just claim it. He is very much involved in his local church and even founded the Mia Foundation, a Christian ministry in Romania that ministers to homeless children. The biggest difference I have with him is probably over issues of immigration. I am for immigration reform and a pathway to citizenship for immigrants who are here already. I can vote for the Constitution Party candidate in the general election.

6. Gloria La Riva. The Socialist Party candidate (also a candidate for the "Peace and Freedom Party") is a little known candidate from the infamous party. Socialism always sounds good in theory, but has never functioned well. My concern as a Christian though, is less about governmental structure and more about moral compass. Socialism (which I call Communism Jr) tends to be inherently atheistic. Government becomes the socialist's god. One part of their 10-point program is safe, free, & legal abortion on demand. With that point alone, not to mention others, Gloria has forfeit further exploration into her candidacy.

7. Evan McMullin. The American Party candidate is part of a very small party. Most are unaware he is running, like a few others on the list. He is from Utah and tends to be a conservative, traditional Republican. He previously worked for the CIA and identifies as a Christian, but is actually a Mormon (which is not a Christian). This video on youtube is a little troubling as he claims to be personally against gay marriage, but is not willing to seek to overturn legislations or rulings that are anti-Biblical marriage. While there are a number of shared values on many moral issues, due to his religion and various stances on issues important to me, I will not vote for him.

8. Tom Hoefling. I believe he is the "American Party of Iowa" party candidate. He is a conservative Christian candidate that is not well known and will probably not be on most ballots. I probably would not be able to vote for him even if I wanted to, but I'm sticking with Castle.

While this election years is a difficult year for many Christians who are struggling to identify who to vote for, I am voting with the assurance that Jesus will remain on the throne. He is the one we need, He is our nation's only hope!

Our nation is obviously changing. Some good things are taking place, lot's of changes that do not appear to be positive. One thing I believe that is changing is the two party system we have in our nation. I think that would be a good thing.

But that's enough from me. What do you think? (Be nice please.)

Why I Don't Drink Alcohol...

Deeply divided people hold strong opinions on the issue. I'll share mine. I don't drink alcohol. Period. I hold to total abstinence. Here's why...

1. There is no good reason to drink. Sure, many people argue their freedom to drink in moderation but they cannot answer this one question: What's one good reason to drink? I know, they'll throw up the bit about medical benefits (funny how people trying to legalize marijuana use the same rational). It doesn't hold water (or wine). Outside of preference or a misguided assertion of "my rights" there is no reason to drink alcohol.

2. There are some strong, clear dangers to drinking alcohol. Drunkenness always begins with one drink. Broken families, ruined finances, sexual assaults, murder, death, etc are often rooted in the fact that one or more parties were involved in drinking alcohol. Alcohol is simply not worth the pain that it causes or even the pain it could cause.

3. As Christians we are exhorted to be sober minded. To be able to think clearly and reasonably is not something that comes from drinking alcohol. The Bible exhorts Christians to have the mind of Christ. That doesn't happen under the influence of alcohol. People under the influence of alcohol never make better decisions than when they were sober... never. Do not be drunk with wine, wherein is excess, but be filled with the Holy Spirit.

4. The line between moderation and drunkenness is not clear. Sure police departments have tried to draw the line between moderation and drunkenness with their take on an objective blood-alcohol content level, but I'm pretty sure normal people can only determine such things in subjective manners. The warning sign of drunkenness is alcohol itself.

5. It impairs my ability to be prepared for spiritual warfare. If one of the greatest spiritual battlegrounds is my mind and alcohol clouds my mind, even a little, then it is affecting me on the most important battlefield. There is too much at stake spiritually for me to give into a momentary lapse of sound-mindedness.

6. I don't drink alcohol for the sake of others around me. Let's assume that I could "drink responsibility" as the beer companies are always encouraging us to do. What if my drinking leads others to addiction or even death. The industry is often highly sexualized as well. Watch the beer commercials and you find an industry that makes a mockery of women and trivializes sex. No alcohol for me, I won't share in its consequences on my family, neighbors, and community. It really does hurt my witness.

7. It is non essential for my existence. Those who argue for alcohol don't like to acknowledge that life without alcohol is better. Alcohol contributes in no way toward the betterment of my life, my family, my mental state, my social skills, etc. Period.

8. I am a pastor. That's not to say I abstain because I might lose my 'position' otherwise. It is due to the fact that I have sat at too many bedsides of people dying of cirrhosis of the liver. I have sat in the wreckage of too many marriages. I have sat on the side of the street by too many who have lives devastated by alcoholism. I have gone with family members to the morgue to identify their child who died because of drunk driving. I have come to hate alcohol.

9. It is addictive and harmful. There are literally millions of people who have become captives of their own desires and often hate the fact that they feel they cannot stop drinking. I know that not everyone become addicted, but there is too much danger in the fact that you, or someone you love, could become addicted. "Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has strife? Who has complaining? Who has wounds without cause? Who has redness of eyes? Those who tarry long over wine; those who go to try mixed wine. Do not look at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup and goes down smoothly. In the end it bites like a serpent and stings like an adder. Your eyes will see strange things, and your heart utter perverse things. You will be like one who lies down in the midst of the sea, like one who lies on the top of a mast. 'They struck me,' you will say, 'but I was not hurt; they beat me, but I did not feel it. When shall I awake? I must have another drink.'" Proverbs 23:29-35 (ESV) The word for it is alcoholism.

10. It is a false solution to my problems and difficulties. Often the allure of alcohol is that it will help us relax, forget our problems, or give a reprieve to our daily toil. At this point it becomes an idol. Jesus is the strong tower we are to run to for help. Jesus exhorts us to cast all our cares upon him. Jesus is the answer, not the counterfeit savior: alcohol.

"Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler, and whoever is led astray by it is not wise." Proverbs 20:1 (ESV)

Also check out...

Why I Don't Play the Lottery

Why I Stopped Giving to the Poor

My Ordination Means Something...

I was ordained in the church of the Nazarene on July 28, 2005 by Rev Paul G Cunningham at Nashville First Church of the Nazarene during the TN Church of the Nazarene District Assembly.

Rev Paul G. Cunningham was ordained in 1965 by General Superintendent Hugh C. Benner.

Rev Hugh C. Benner was ordained in 1923 by General Superintendent Roy T. Williams.

Rev Roy T Williams was ordained in 1908 by General Superintendent Hiram F. Reynolds (at Pilot Point, TX at what has come to be regarded as the founding date of the church of the Nazarene).

Rev Hiram F. Reynolds was ordained in 1886 by Methodist Episcopal Bishop John Flether Hurst.

Rev John Fletcher Hurst was ordained in 1862 by Methodist Episcopal Bishop Thomas Asbury Morris.

Rev Thomas Asbury Morris was ordained circa 1820 by Methodist Episcopal Bishop Robert Richford Roberts.

 

Rev Robert Richford Roberts was ordained circa 1803 by Methodist Episcopal Bishop Francis Asbury.

 

Rev Francis Asbury was ordained in 1784 by Rev John Wesley (an Anglican Priest).

Rev John Wesley was ordained in 1728 by Anglican Bishop (of Oxford) John Potter.

  

John Potter was ordained/consecrated in 1715.
Jonathan Trelawney was consecrated in 1685.
William Sancroft in 1685.
Henry Compton in 1674.
Gilbert Sheldon in 1660.
Brian Duppa in 1638.
William Laud in 1621.
George Montaigne in 1617.
George Abbot in 1609.
Richard Bancroft in 1597.
John Whitgift in 1577.
Edmund Grindal in 1559.
Matthew Parker in 1559.
William Barlow in 1536.
Thomas Cranmer in 1533.
John Longlands in 1521.
William Warham in 1502.
Richard Fitzjames in 1497.
John Morton in 1479.
Thomas Bourchier in 1435.
Henry Beaufort between 1435-1398.
Roger Walden in 1398.
Robert Braybrooke in 1382.
Thomas Brentingham in 1370.
Simon Sudbury in 1362.
William Edendon in 1346.
Ralph Stratford in 1340.
Robert Wyvil in 1330.
Roger Northborough in 1322.
John of Halton in 1292.
Anthony Beck in 1284.
Henry in 1255.
Walter Kirkham in 1249.
Walter de Gray in 1214.
William of S. Mere L'Eglise in 1199.
Gilbert Glanville in 1185.
Peter de Leia in 1176.
Roger of Gloucester in 1164.
St Thomas Becket in 1162.
Henry of Blois in 1129.
William of Corbeuil in 1123.
Richard de Belmeis in 1108.
St. Anselm in 1094.
Thomas in 1070.
Bl. Lanfranc in 1070.
Siward in 1058.
STigand in 1043.
Eadsige in 1035.
Ethellnoth in 1020.
Wulfstan in 1003.
Elfric in 990.
St. Aelphege in 984.
St. Dunstan in 957.
Odo in 927.
Wulfhelm in 914.
Althelm in 909.
St. Plegmund in 891. (First Archbishop of Canterbury)
Formosus in 864.
St. Nicholas I in 858. (Last Roman Catholic Pope in my line of succession.)
Benedict III in 855.
Leo IV in 847.
Sergius II in 844.
Gregory IV in 827.
Valentine in 827.
Eugene II in 824.
Paschal I in 817.
Stephen IV in 816.
Leo III in 795.
Adrian I in 772.
Stephen III in 768.
Paul I in 757.
Stephen II in 752.
Zachary in 741.
Gregory III in 731.
Gregory II in 715.
Constantine in 708.
Sisinnius in 708.
John VII in 705.
John VI in 701.
Sergius I in 687.
Conon in 686.
John V in 685.
Benedict II in 684.
Leo II in 682.
Agatho in 678.
Donus in 676.
Adeodatus II in 672.
Vitalian in 657.
Eugene I in 654.
Martin I in 649.
Theodore I in 642.
John IV in 640.
Severinus in 640.
Honorius in 625.
Boniface V in 619.
Deusdedit in 615.
Boniface IV in 608.
Boniface III in 607.
Sabinianus in 604.
Gregory I in 590.
Pelagius II in 579.
Benedict I in 575.
John III in 561.
Pelagius I in 556.
Vigilus in 537.
Silverius in 536.
Agapetus I in 535.
John II in 533.
Boniface II in 530.
Felix IV in 526.
John I in 523.
Hormisdas in 514.
Symmachus in 498.
Anastasius II in 496.
Gelasius I in 492.
Felix III in 483.
Simplicius in 468.
Hilary in 461.
Leo I in 440.
Sixtus III in 432.
Celestine I in 422.
Boniface I in 418.
Zosimus in 417.
Innocent I in 401.
Anastasius I in 399.
Siricius in 384.
Damasas I in 366.
Liberius in 352.
Julius I in 337.
Marcus in 336.
Sylvester I in 314.
Melchiades in 311.
Eucibius in 309.
Marcellus I in 308.
Marcellinus in 296.
Caius in 283.
Eutychian in 275.
Felix I in 269.
Dionysius in 259.
Sixtus II in 257.
Stephen I in 254.
Lucius I in 253.
Cornelius in 251.
Fabian in 236.
Anterus in 235.
Pontian in 230.
Urban I in 222.
Callistus I in 217.
Zephyrinus in 199.
Victor I in 189.
Eleutherius in 175.
Soter in 166.
Anicetus in 155.
Pius I in 140.
Hygiums in 136.
Telesphorus in 125.
Sixtis I in 115.
Alexander I in 105.
Evaristus in 97.
Clement in 88.
Ancletus (Cletus) in 76.
Linus in 67.
The Apostle Peter a fisher of men and one of the original 12 disciples who was called and sent by the Incarnate Messiah: Jesus of Nazareth.

Wow! That's cool.

Some of my sources:
Succession of Roman Catholic Popes.
The Apostolic Succession  of the Anglican Mission in America.
The Hierarchy of the Catholic Church.

10 Reasons I Became a Feminist...

A few reasons why I became a feminist:

1. The importance of motherhood. I am tired of people and society in general degrading the significance of the woman's role as mother. Many people act as if motherhood is an unimportant, insignificant role that women are forced into due to their low societal value. Nothing could be further from the truth. Mothers have more impact on their children than any other human being. Women, don't let anyone downplay your role as Mom.

2. Equal doesn't mean the same. Intrinsic value, social equality, economic equality, political equality, etc. None of these are to say that men and women are the same. There are many obvious, measurable, and scientifically identifiable differences ranging from DNA, to biology, to hormonal chemistry, to sexual, to psychological differences. Don't relegate women to be the same as men. There is a difference!!

3. Economic Exploitation. It bothers me when I hear that women are paid less for the same job when they have the same or more experience, education, or training. I understand to some degree how business and economics works, but I also understand what manipulation and taking advantage of others looks like. Be fair.

4. Sex-Trade. The obvious exploitative nature of the sex industry (pornography, 'adult' stores/movies, prostitution, strip clubs, etc) is appalling and grieving. The fact that a civilized society that claims to value women allows such things to take place is absolutely astounding. It's not free speech its exploitation.

5. Abortion. The fact that females (not to mention males) are killed daily in our nation from this so-called medical procedure should drive everyone to call to an end to this infanticide. Time & space would prevent me from addressing the fact that so many people have abortions simply due to the fact they have come to find out that their child is a girl. It's not a choice, it's a murder.

6. Dress & appearance. Largely influenced from our sex saturated society and drawing from the 'adult' industry, Hollywood, 'beauty' pageants, and much of the modeling industry we have promoted a culture that leads our young girls to dress provocatively and sexually, drives young women (and sometimes old) to anorexia and bulimia, and leads to sexual immorality along with teen pregnancies, single mothers, and depression among women to name a few. I am against the objectification of women.

7. Sexual assaults & violence. Also arising out of our sexualized culture which makes females the object of male sexual satisfaction is the alarming reality of sexual & domestic violence. With the death of chivalry (males treating females with honor, dignity, and respect) came the illegal but pervasive concept that men could impose their will on women. (Check out the books: "Wired for Intimacy" and "Hooked" for more information.) This is a real problem.

8. Transgender. The fact that women are biologically different transcends one's personal opinion about what their gender happens to be at any given time. Ones perceptions may be fluid, but reality is reality. Our existence should be about aligning our perceptions with what is true and real. Males claiming to be females is an affront to rational and ethical society (not to mention biology). Gender dysphoria is considered a disorder for this reason. The impact of this goes beyond bathroom usage or locker changing rooms, but places women at an unfair and unjust disadvantage in sports, the Olympics, and many work place settings. There is a very real difference in the role of men and women, biologically, emotionally, & even spiritually. This cultural trend is robbing women of what it means to be female in the truest sense.

9. Combat positions. Putting women in active combat positions like the front lines of engagement is wreck-less, irresponsible, and unwarranted. Again, females are equal to but not the same as males. It is not a promotion of equality to put women in active combat positions... it is the social degradation of  female distinctiveness.

10. Women in ministry. Biblical context is important in this discussion. The Old Testament includes women in leadership like Miriam (Exodus 15:20), Deborah (Judges 4:4-5), Huldah (2 Kings 22:12-20), Noadiah (Nehemiah 6:14), and others. The New Testament also includes some examples of women  in ministry and leadership like Anna (Luke 2:36-38) and Phoebe (Romans 16:1-2). Acts 2:17-18 gives us the promise that God will pour out His Spirit on male and female and they shall all prophesy (preach). For more food for thought check out the following article by Dr. Craig Keener. Taking one verse and eclipsing the rest of the tenor of Scripture is bad exegesis.

For the reasons above, I am now a feminist... although NOW has rejected my application for membership.

Dear Lay Person...

Here are ten things every pastor wishes their congregation knew but doesn't know how to say...

(1) Your pastor has feelings. No seriously, they really do! Dealing with troubled marriages, addictions, mean-spirited people, complaints, and troubled spiritual lives can really weigh heavy on a person. It is no small thing for the pastor to get up in the pulpit on Sunday with a smile on their face after they have just visited a young man in jail, been witness to parents letting their children know they are getting a divorce, or counseled with that man dealing with a pornography addiction. It can break the strongest person. And if you say hurtful things to the pastor, even if you think you are right, learn to say: "I'm sorry." If you do have criticism, never do it publicly (a cowardly way), but go to them privately and season your speech with grace.

(2) Your pastor needs encouragement. Don't expect a pastor to ask for it, just give it. If your pastor does something meaningful that you appreciate, do not take it for granted, let them know how much it meant to you! Discouragement is real! It is discouraging to watch people "fall by the way-side" after you have spent days and maybe weeks or months investing in them as a pastor. Your pastor always gets discouraging calls; maybe you could give an encouraging call (without asking for anything). A few simple words of encouragement can do much to quench the many voices of discouragement and actually encourage your pastor.

(3) Your pastor is probably under-paid. (Just assume they are and it is the church's responsibility to provide for their pastor and pastoral family.) I know people think pastors ought to be paid minimum wage so they can "rely on the Lord." The pastor does rely on the Lord, there's no need for further 'testing.' Pastors, when considering their education level as well as the ordination process of some denominations, have a very rigorous process to undergo before being fully ordained! The level of support that most churches provide is not even comparable to the amount of time, resources, education, giftedness, and other factors that it takes to become a pastor. Many pastors struggle to even pay off their under graduate or graduate education with the financial support they receive while pastoring a church. That, along with family responsibilities, financial expectations to give to the local church in special offerings (above & beyond tithe), and other financial issues, places a huge burden on the pastoral family. If we are not careful, we hold financial expectations on our pastor that are unfair. In many cases, when pastors retire from ministry, they are left to live off a social security check or the retirement fund of their spouse (shame on us). If we do not honor God's spokesperson to the local church; God will not honor the church.

(4) Your pastor is under constant spiritual attack. Yeah, they deal with temptation too. It's kind of like this: If you were fighting in the revolutionary war and you had one shot at the army charging at you, would you shoot (a) the hundreds of foot soldiers charging or (b) the man riding the horse with a big plume in his hat? You got it! The pastor is in a place of leadership and if a pastor falls morally it causes a lot of discouragement and damage to the kingdom. Of course the Devil is going to target your pastor... especially if he is leading with integrity and the anointing of the Holy Spirit! Pray for your pastor. He needs it. Who will stand in the gap for their pastor?

(5) Your pastor's spouse has the hardest job in the church. I can't leave this one out. The pastor's spouse is not technically a staff person of the local church. Problem is, "pastor's wife" is its own position! Expectations are higher for this non-paid position than any other position in the church. Too many people believe the pastor's spouse ought to be a wonderful pianist, the friendliest greeter, a proficient Sunday School teacher, a fashion icon, a model of humility, a compassionate counselor, and the list goes on and on. There are a few things that are difficult for the pastor's spouse: unfair expectations from the congregagtion, everything they say or do is under scrutiny, their kids have to behave and act better than everyone elses kids, they get no down time, if they were really transparent their mate might be out of a job, and so much more. Being a pastor's spouse can be one of the most lonely roles in the church. They often cannot even afford to have friends in the church for fear of betrayal or gossip. Try to make things pleasant for your pastor's spouse: let them know they are appreciated and do not make them the "back-up plan" for every ministry in the church. Protect your pastor's spouse, because your pastor needs their spouse more than they need you.

(6) Not everything is the pastor's fault. This is hard to believe, I know. The pastor is certainly an easy one to blame everything on because they are the visible leaders of the local church. Don't point fingers at the pastor every time something goes wrong or someone in the church is mad about something. If the preaching is not up to par maybe it is because the pastor is spending too much time vacuuming the sanctuary. If there needs to be more people visited, maybe its because he's too busy putting out the fires of discontent that you or others are starting. Do something to help cover for him! If more people need to be visited; visit them. If a Sunday School class needs to be taught; teach it. If no one will do the power point; volunteer. Step up and into a place that you can be part of the solution instead of the problem. Blaming someone else for the church's lack of effectiveness does not work! (Blame did not solve anything for Adam & Eve either.)

(7) Your pastor wishes he was Superman, but is lucky to pull off Clark Kent some days. There are some things he just won't be good at... sorry. Not every sermon will be a home run (that doesn't mean you shouldn't listen to them). Generally, the pastor won't be strong in every single area of pastoral ministry. That does not mean they are a failure, it means the church needs to function as a body instead of "paying the preacher to do it all." If a good pastor is guilty of anything, it is trying to be good at everything and then failing at everything. When you see your pastor trying to take on one more thing in the church, that is the time to be stubborn and demand that he not add another thing to his list (tell him to add it to yours). This may be a shock to some, but your pastor does not know everything... of course problems occurs when people treat their pastor like he does not know anything.

(8) Your pastor is on call 24/7; try to be sympathetic when it comes to his time. Be considerate. Do not call your pastor before 8am or after 9pm except in an emergency. Try to work out the small stuff on your own. Do not be a "tattle tail" either. If there is a serious moral short coming, sure, that needs to be dealt with. But your pastor probably does not even care that someone looked at you cross-eyed during the offertory. If that teenager keeps talking during service you deal with it or get over it. You know that guy you keep complaining is dropping cigarette butts in the flower bed, the pastor is trying to lead him to Christ. One day you may need the pastor in a real emergency so do not be the person always crying wolf! (As a side note, I might add that an over whelming majority of what people think is major, is in fact minor. Get a life, get a job, get out of your little world and try to catch the big picture of what Jesus is doing in the world around you!) Your pastor really cares about you,  but do not take advantage of that fact.

(9) Quit being so sensitive about EVERYTHING! This is a hard truth to swallow, but your pastor is not sitting around all week thinking of ways to offend you in the sermon on Sunday (and if they are, you must be a huge problem in the church). Keep in mind that the church is a family so we sometimes have conflict. Conflict is not bad in and of itself, it is what we do in that conflict that matters. Try giving your pastor the benefit of the doubt. Do not take everything personally. That chip on your shoulder may be restraining your pastor from doing what needs to be done to see the church move forward. Who wants to be a stumbling block? The reality is, your pastor wants what is spiritually the best for you and the church.

(10) Don't make your pastor stand alone. If your pastor has really been called of God there will be times he must make a stand for truth. When he does that, your responsibility is to be a supporter of biblical truth. Stand with him. Complainers, slanderers, gossips, and those causing division in the church are always vocal, why not be vocal about supporting your pastor if he is standing up for what is right? Too many people hide in the trenches and let the pastor lead the charge into the lines of immorality while they sit safely in their bunker silently "admiring" their martyr pastor and discussing who they can find for a new pastor when this one gets eaten alive on the battlefield fighting for truth. Your pastor will only be able to take so many bullets with everyone hiding behind them before they will have to leave your church... wounded. Then you'll get a pastor who may or may not stand up for what is right and you will have a wake of unsolved moral issues in your church that you will expect the next pastor to deal with alone as well. Sometimes this is as simple as letting them know verbally that you support them standing for truth. (It is never about 'sides', but it is about whether your pastor is doing right!)

I hope this gives insight to some lay person on how they can better be an Aaron or Hur for their Moses (Exodus 17:10-13). I have been blessed to have served some of the best churches in the world. I have consistently found in each church, people who are devoted to God and committed to caring for the spiritual leader. I hear horror stories from pastors of terrible situations that make my heart burdened. I write this article out of a desire to communicate perspective no grind an ax. 

Pastor, what might you include in a letter to a congregation? Lay person, what do you think your pastor might write?


Also check out these other articles…

Dear Pastor

Women Preach!

My Ordination Means Something

Dear Pastor...

What every lay person wishes their pastor knew. Written from the perspective of a lay person in the church.

1. Walk with God. We know you have some clear gifts & talents for ministry. You are a warm, friendly, maybe even charismatic person. But all that won't make a difference if you don't keep walking with God. Many of us know that you are extremely busy and have a lot on your plate. We also know that it is most important that you stay close to God. Pray and seek the face of God, everything else will take care of itself. We want to follow someone who is being led by the Holy Spirit.

2. Come and see me. It seems old fashioned and a lot of us lay people are embarrassed to say it because we know you are busy... but we really want you to come and visit us in our home. We need a chance to connect with you in a setting we are comfortable in. When I'm in the hospital, I'd love to see my pastor. A read of the ministry of Jesus in the New Testament would indicate being present with people was pretty important. You can make a difference by spending your valuable time on your people. Is it about people or programs?

3. Don't change everything. When you first arrive and start changing everything (even small things) it makes us uncomfortable. While we love you and are glad you are with us, we are still learning to trust you... we don't really know you. We know some things need to change. Please give us a chance to learn to trust you and your leadership. Plus, it may just be that the way we have been doing something is the best way to do it! Also remember that we have had a lot of pastors who thought their preferences were more spiritual than ours.

4. Preach with passion. We're not looking for a regurgitation of a lecture you heard in bible college or seminary. We are looking for the truth that you zealously believe. Let that be apparent to us. It may be difficult for us to explain, but there is a difference between preaching and teaching. We have heard a lot of preachers who don't even seem like they believe what they are talking about. We don't want emotionalism, but we need to see some passion.

5. Stay away from petty conflicts in the church. Of course there are two or three people who can't agree on the paint color in the Jr High Sunday School classroom. Don't sweat that. You have more important things to worry about. As you keep leading us toward Christ, it will help us to get things into perspective. We will sort out some of our differences over time; we are a family after all. Please focus on the big issues.

6. We will care more about what you have to say when we know that you care about us. We have had pastors who sent out fancy newsletters, put together extravagant ministry programs, and waxed elegant in the pulpit on Sunday. One thing most of us have missed is having a pastor... not just a preacher, administrator, etc. Visit the elderly of our church and the ones that can no longer attend who are in nursing homes and hospitals. Let us know you care, not only about potential "workers" or "givers" in the church, but also about those have nothing to offer, but need to be ministered too.

7. We are not nearly as concerned as you are about "growing the church." Wait, let me explain. You want the attendance to be high, the offerings to be up, and the Sunday School rooms to be full. We do too, in a way. However we are more concerned about our neighbors & family members who do not know Christ. We're praying for our co-workers and our friends who are lost and desperately need Jesus. I know, we are really saying the same thing, but look again... we may not be.

8. Be patient with us when we are hesitant about your "big idea." We have had pastors in our past who presented the greatest idea ever. It was costly (we may still be paying for it), it took a lot of time, it caused a lot of division, it may even have been divisive. Some of those big ideas were really just bad ideas that failed miserably. Extend us a little grace since we get cold feet when the pastor brings a big idea to us. Maybe some time to think and pray about it, like you have been doing before you presented the idea, would be helpful.

9. Try to understand why we do what we do. Be sensitive to the things we feel strongly about. Don't be upset we have convictions. You are probably not our first preacher so we've been taught by others pastors who have shaped our way of understanding God and living out our faith. Instead of investing all your time and energy in trying to convince us to let go of the things we believe God wants us to be doing, just love us. Be thankful that we are really serious about living out our faith in Christ and not just attending church once a week.

10. Challenge us. We know there is more that God wants to do among us. Walk with us through those things. Preach faithfully the word of God to us... even though you may be afraid to offend us. Those of us who are truly seeking holiness will not be offended when you present the truth from God's Word with boldness. Don't challenge us where you think we have need, challenge us where God leads.

What might you include in a letter to a pastor?

Also check out my letter to lay people...

Dear Lay Person

How to Make Your Church a Great One

1. Pray. Don't skip this one. (I know you knew it was going to be on here.) Take some time to pray. Start with yourself. In an age of express, quick, drive through, microwave mentality, just stop for a few moments every day. Find a closet to pray. Cut yourself off from the world (and turn off some stuff) for some time to enter the presence of God. It's the best thing you can do for your church.

2. Invite. You are positioned for optimal impact to many people in your life. Sure, some may decline your invitation to worship or Bible Study or the next outreach event. But you are a child of the Most High God, you are not easily deterred! You have family, neighbors, co-workers, peers, and others that need an invitation. You may be the only invitation to fellowship with the Savior that some people ever receive.

3. Encourage. It is a much ignored spiritual gift. Your pastor can use some encouragement. Those who lead discipleship classes, those who head up teen ministry, those who lead in worship, etc. All can use some encouragement. Let them know what they are doing well, because they have probably been told numerous times what they are not doing well. You can turn the tide of the next worship service by being an encourager.

4. Volunteer. The next time you hear about a need in the church volunteer. It will be worth it! It will expand the impact of your local church. You will help fulfill the mission of God in the world. There may not be a lot of earthly fanfare, but you are about the business of the Father. It's also a way you fulfill your calling and purpose. The church can do more together.

5. Welcome. We all have a tendency to greet, converse, and be friendly with people we already know. Try scoping out someone less familiar this coming Sunday. Go up to them and welcome. Want to go a step further? Try introducing them to other people you know (including the pastor), tell them why you choose to worship there, share with them some of the things you think make your church a great place to grow in the Lord. They care less about the "production" and more about the people.

6. Worship. Unfortunately the worship time in church has become more like a concert or a performance. There is less involvement than in days past. That's not worship. If you are standing or sitting through worship without being involved (singing, emotionally, intellectually, etc) then you have missed what you are there for. Worship is not waiting to "feel" a certain way... make a choice today to praise God in thanksgiving.

7. Love. You know how every church has those weird people that attend? (If you don't, you may be new or you may be the person.) It's the kind of person that is different in so many ways that people have a tendency to avoid them. Choose to love them instead. You know how there is that one abrasive personality. Love them. You know how there is that one quiet person that always sits alone? Sit by them... Love them.

8. Honor. We have become ultra casual in our society and in the process lost the 'know-how' on showing honor. Lots of people do not like to be referred to by their titles as they feel that can be prideful. That may be understandable, but don't forget that we are called to show honor to certain people. The Bible says that elders in the church are worthy of a double honor, especially those who preach & teach (1 Timothy 5:17). One of the ten commandments is that we honor our father & mother (side note: why is it becoming popular in some circles to not honor parents on their respective days set aside in the secular calendar?)  Give honor to whom honor is due!

9. Seek. You have to approach faith in Christ not as having arrived, but as moving forward toward the goal. That's not to say that there aren't things you obtain now, but it's also not to say that you can come to some kind of static state of being in which growth is no longer necessary. Jesus said the hungry will be satisfied because the Father does not give a stone when his children ask for bread! The great churches are comprised not of the best facilities and furniture, but of a people hungry to be more like the Father and willing to do what they can to be in His presence.

10. Live it out. One of they biggest accusations you hear about many churches is that they are "full of hypocrites." A hypocrite is someone who does not live out what they claim to be. No one really likes a hypocrite or wants to be around one, but too many people are becoming one by not living out the life they claim to have in Christ. Make sure your life mirrors what you say you believe about God.

What might you add?

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The Funeral God Attended

Two women cried as their two brothers yelled profanities and threats at one another. Some of her extended family surrounded her to comfort her. The two men looked like they were about to become physically aggressive at the slightest provocation by the other. They stood inside the doors of the church which was a converted gymnasium and now served as the location of the funeral I was to officiate.

It was 15 minutes past the announced start time of this memorial service. The sibling were the four children of the man to whom we were suppose to pay tribute. The problem was that following his cremation the urn had been lost. Each sibling blaming the others had agitated an emotional torrent in what had shaped up to easily be a volatile memorial service.

I had arrived about 10 minutes early and was the first one to arrive at the church. I had not been the first choice of the family to do the service as I only knew one distant family member who had called me following the designated minister having a stroke sending him to the hospital. As people showed up for the service I made the assessment that this could be a potentially difficult service.

Most of those showing up arrived in older model vehicles that had probably been through more than the average fender bender. Dents, different color hoods or doors, scratches, & scrapes were a must to blend with the parking lot inhabitants that night. The people who emerged from the vehicles matched their vehicles.

They were a people that had definitely experienced the hardships of life. Faded tattoos and numerous piercings covered exposed skin... and there was much exposed skin for the brisk fall evening we were experiencing. As I greeted the first arrivals their teeth betrayed a drug habit that had taken a toll on their smile and on their family too. Stale cigarette smoke and alcohol was the chosen cologne of the night.

After the four children arrived we entered the converted gym to do a quick set up that included a framed picture of the deceased as well as a vase of single stem fake roses that would sit on a small table in front of the podium. The revelation that no one knew the whereabouts of the urn had precipitated the yelling and what was quickly approaching a physical fight.

Somewhat nervously I asked the two brothers to step outside if they were going to continue to fight and use profane language as they were in the house of the Lord. I was in church, but I certainly didn’t feel like I was in church. As the growing mob moved outside there was some shoving and jostling about. This funeral would probably be best as a short memorial so that I could quickly return to my normal, safe life.

45 minutes after the announced start time I went out onto the front steps of the church and, with a raised voice, let everyone know that the memorial service was starting. I told the daughter, still crying, that the urn was not necessary for a memorial service and that they could find it later.

I walked up onto a makeshift platform and welcomed the 60 or so people who had filtered in the side door and found seats. Family and friends were permitted to share memories of the man whose picture looked back at the people seated across the sanctuary. I cringed inside as another person stood to tell about their family member. “My uncle was a great one to drink with. He is so funny when he is drunk.” Those sitting around him chuckled with nods of agreement. A number stood at their seat and shared inappropriate memories of their departed friend or family member. I squirmed as I tried to figure out how to curtail the current proceedings.
 
Finally an older gentleman stood to his feet and looked around at those in attendance. “I know that he made it to Heaven because the Bible says most Americans will make it.” I took a shocked moment to process as this claim sunk in. I was on different turf, not my own. I wasn’t even in my local church...

With what little boldness I could muster I stood and approached the podium. The man who had made the statement was continuing in his theological lecture as I interrupted. “Sir, I’m going to ask you to sit please. Thank you for your willingness to share.” The man, with eyes fixed on me, slowly sat down as I continued. “Before I read from the Bible and begin the sermon I need to clarify a couple of things. Number one: The Bible does not say that most Americans make it to Heaven. It doesn’t say anything about Americans. It actually says that the only way to Heaven is through Jesus.”

With that I transitioned, rather awkwardly, into a standard funeral sermon. I opened by reading Scripture and then praying. As I articulated sermon points I realized that there were three men standing by the side door in the sanctuary who had each lit up their cigarettes and began smoking. Children were running around the aisles treating the place more like a gym than a sanctuary. I gave allowance for the fact that many had probably never been in church and we were, in fact, in a gym.

People began perusing their cell phones and others were talking without “church voices” to one another while I was waxing eloquent. For any preacher, being ignored is disheartening but I was physically tired from a long busy week and had reluctantly agreed to oversee this memorial service which had now cramped my schedule due to its longevity. And now the obvious apathy toward me and my subject matter was a bit overwhelming.

As my zeal for the ‘form’ sermon I was preaching began to die down a proverbial bucket of cold water hit me hard. One man in the back stood up walked across the aisle to another man and told him a joke that ended with both of them giving long & loud belly laughs. Not only was I in a sort of self-righteous shock, but no one even seemed to notice them laughing because of the general tumultuous sound level in the gym.

I now spoke with empty words as my mind shifted gear and I lifted up a rather broken prayer. As words continued to come out of my mouth, and be ignored, my mind engaged in prayer. “Lord, help me. Why have you brought me here?” In my plea rising from my weariness and broken dignity, the Spirit of God came.

With a voice not quite my own I said, “Everyone in here right now needs to sit down, be quiet, and pay attention because what I’m about to tell you is the most important thing you will ever hear.” As I waited for a response the words settled into the crowd like a clasp of thunder. Everyone made their way to a nearby seat and those sitting turned their gaze again to the disregarded preacher in the front.

My attention was drawn to the three men who were still standing, albeit with shock on their faces now, by the door. I came up with new orders: “You men need to put out your cigarettes and have a seat because you need to hear what I am about to say.” They flicked the remainder of their
cigarettes out the door and made their way to their own seats.

Now with the rapt and full attention of this rough bunch of social outcasts I realized I had not been called to perform a function for a memorial service. I had been called to be an evangelist tonight. Over the course of the next hour and fifteen minutes I shared the Gospel in its entirety to a crowd of
ruffians who were enamored by a message that it seemed they had never heard. The presence of God was working among tattooed individuals with long criminal records and serious addictions. Broken family lives and addictions were a staple among the crowd to which I now shared the Good News of new life in Jesus Christ!

Silence throughout the message indicated the attention of adults and children alike. As I ended my sermon, I invited those present to come to the front where a niece of the deceased who give them a rose as they paid their last respects. At this point, however, they were looking for something more than a memorial and tribute.

“I will pray then move to the side so that you can pay your last respects. If you would like for me to pray with you I will be standing right over here.” With that I bowed my head and closed in prayer. As I finished they played “My Heart Will Go On” with Celine Dion, but as I looked up from the prayer there was already a couple in their 30's standing before me. “We’d like for you to pray for us,” the woman said with a tone that indicated she was prepared to be rejected.

As I started to pray for them I was shaken out of my prayer by a man in his late 20's who’s shaved head exposed a number of scars and tattoo behind his ear that went down his neck into the collar of his shirt. “I want you to pray for me too.” Excitement at the prospects filled his voice.

“You will need to wait. I’m praying for these folks right now.” I had never been interrupted in prayer by someone who just couldn’t wait to be prayed with. When I finished praying for the couple and opened my eyes in search of the next man I discovered a line of around 50 people waiting to be prayed with. They were broken and most of them had heard for the first time that there was one named Jesus who had offered Himself up on their behalf. They wouldn’t miss it for anything.

That memorial service lacked an urn or a dead body of any kind. It did not adhere in almost anyway to the social or cultural norms of a funeral. But it had something much more important and in some ways even unexpected. God attended that funeral.

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Position, Power, & Real Leadership

One of the current weaknesses of the church, universally speaking, is its leadership. I am not speaking of every leader or pastor, but a large number of those in leadership across denominations, regardless of their distinctive doctrines.

I'd like to point out a few causes and maybe symptoms of this...

1. Leadership has been chosen based on who would create the most stability. We have a tendency, when we elect or appoint leaders, to choose those who would prove to be best at maintaining the status quo. We want leaders who will cause the least amount of turmoil, conflict, or strife. I don't think we should find "fighters" to be our leaders, but we need leaders who are not afraid to go against the "trends" of those at ease in Zion or worldly philosophies.

2. We have chosen as leaders those who are administrators rather than prophets. (I know that administration is a spiritual gift. 1 Corinthians 12:28) In unhealthy over emphasis and sometime dependence upon administration has played into my first point. The church has found itself well organized, well categorized, and full of bureaucracy. Note: Administration follows growth... it doesn't initiate it. A myth of ministry is that a catalyst for church growth is what takes place in the office rather than in the sanctuary or outside world. May we find our prophetic voice again.

3. We do not expect fruitfulness from leaders. We have a tendency to reject any kind of measure of fruitfulness of our pastors or leaders. We abhor accountability. Even on-going accountability for ordained ministers in some denominations rests solely on continuing education typically without regard to whether their ministry has seen conversion or measurable discipleship taking place. If they have a certain degree or skill helpful to the mechanism or human organization we tolerate fruitlessness. Jesus, however, was pretty clear that those who bear no fruit are to be pruned so that the body may be fruitful again.

4. Most denominational ordination requirements involve doctrinal education, but less personal holiness. Individual expectations of moral and ethical living are being dismissed more and more as judgmental or legalistic. While competency and character are important to have together, we have defaulted to valuing competency above character. Character is always more important than competency. See for example the "unlearned men" that compromised the leadership of the New Testament church. Check out the job requirements even for serving tables in the NT church (Acts 6:3). The church needs to hold unswervingly to the reality that people can be forgiven, but also to the reality that there are consequences/discipline attached to wrong/sinful decisions. Before people are called to a ministry task, they are first called to the Savior.

5. Many pastors are too busy pushing their preferences. They have spiritualized their preferences and methodologies. They lack an understanding of the people they minister to and with. There can be a kind of spiritual or cultural arrogance. We have ministers well equipped with methods, creative ideas, evangelistic programs, etc. who do not know how to adapt to their environment. They go to a seminar or conference that talks about a new ministry idea and then return to their church with an abrupt & often radical change to implement immediately. Pastors need to start operating like missionaries; becoming more aware of the people they are suppose to serve.

6. Leadership often harms itself by seeking to appeal to an outside source for legitimacy rather than identifying the original purpose of the core. Lots of leadership becomes distracted by cultural fads. They grow out of touch of the grass roots members and workers. They lose focus of the core mission of the church or ministry and promote instead what those on the outside, who may not even share any core doctrinal beliefs, are saying. The people they are working with often grow agitated or even resentful at the fact that they are leading in a different direction and even sometimes a different purpose. What was the purpose of your church? What was a defining factor of your denomination? Pastor, get in touch with the root system.

7. Many pastors and church leaders view the people they serve in their local churches, conferences, districts or dioceses as "ignorant crowds." The view is that their leadership position and/or training has given them a superior opinion than nearly everyone else that holds position below them. It is not always a conscious thought process, but is often inherent in the mode of operation and decision making. It is not only offensive to volunteers and lay people that leaders work with, but dismissive of a great deal of ingenuity, creativity, and effectiveness that comes from everyone working together.

8. Some leaders allow position to define them rather than define their position. While leadership (and even administration) is very important in the over all functioning and unity of the body of Christ it is not simply a role to be filled. Too many leaders today are seeking a position that will define them and give authority or recognition to their ministry. The best leaders are those who are naturally identified by the body as capable, gifted, and called to that place of service. "Position" should not be earned by political jockeying, but obvious divine appointment.

9. Operating in ministry without regard to a Biblical framework spells certain doom. Socio-political issues that are highlighted on cable news networks are often borne of the sensational and can distract leadership from operating within a clear biblical frame work. Many pastors or other leaders never assess trending fads for their biblical validity. An inherently spiritual body, must be guided and operated in the context of specific and intentional spiritual principles borne of God's Word. The life of any church or ministry that seeks to be of eternal value must operate from an eternal mind-set/context.

10. Implementation of change can cause a lot of harm to a leader and/or those being led. Change is an important and inevitable reality in every church or organization. The problem many leaders face is how to implement it, when to implement it, and what kind of change needs to be implemented. If done incorrectly it can harm the whole body or alienate the leadership. Often the problem comes from the rapid rate at which change is introduced and then implemented. Often resistance to change is, in reality, a call for information. Leadership has failed to communicate clearly the why, how, when, where, etc. Wisdom is needed by leaders who are initiating change.

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I Fired Jesus

I had to fire Jesus. Wait, let me explain, I'm sure you'll understand. We were in need of an assistant pastor at our church and Jesus, though a little extreme, seemed to fit the bill. We hired him, but later had to fire him. I know, I know, I can hear the criticism already: "You fired Jesus!?" But you don't understand the problems that arose when we brought him on staff at the church. Let me explain by giving you the 'short list' of things we discussed before we let him go.

I fired Jesus because...

1. He kept chasing people off. We had a big day planned with a hip music group, a meal, and some great fun. Jesus got up at the beginning of the service and told everyone they came for the food and games instead of Living Water. It was embarrassing! Especially when people got so upset that they got up and left. It seemed like he was more concerned with having people who were totally dedicated to God. John 6:24-27

2. He kept putting clarifiers on love & grace. I pride myself on being vague. Love, grace, righteousness, and even holiness are encouraging words when not being specific about them. Could Jesus let the sermon on love stand for itself? No. He started teaching people that if they didn't obey God's Word, then they didn't love God. We are trying to convince people they are Christians and it seems like Jesus is trying to convince them they have a sin problem! John 14:15-24

3. He was always preaching about taboo subjects. I only allowed him to preach a few times from the pulpit, because his subject matter tended to be controversial issues. Hell, divorce, homosexuality, death, repentance, hypocrisy, gossip, and religiosity were all covered in one sermon. He would have failed his homiletics class for sure! He wouldn't soften his rhetoric about sinfulness. He wouldn't explain his extreme stance on some issues. It's like he expected everyone to love God with all their heart. Matthew 5-7

4. He made a ruckus at the coffee shop in the foyer. Actually, he was charged with assault. Come on. Everyone has a coffee shop in their church now right? Well, Jesus simply went berserk when he found out what was going on. It was coffee. Jesus kept talking about prayer afterwards. I know of at least 5 people who go to church for no other reason than the coffee so it has to be a good thing... right? John 2:13-17

5. He called people out in the congregation. More than one person has left our church after Jesus called them out for specific sins. One day he told a group of people publicly that the man who prayed in the service was too long because he was trying to be eloquent and intellectual instead of humble and repentant. Jesus seemed to have no filter when it came to rebuking. Luke 18:10-14

6. He caused conflict in some families in the church. Being a church in the South we pride ourselves on family. We are strong on the family. But Jesus was implying that God was more important than family. He even told some people that unless they hated their family they weren't really Christians. Matthew 10:34-36 & Luke 14:26

7. He recommended not helping someone in need. We try to help people in our church. I'm not talking about teaching them how to be stewards of their resources or help them find a job or hold them accountable for purchasing the wrong things with their money. I'm talking about just giving money out. Jesus had the nerve to go against the collective wisdom of the church by saying that if someone didn't work, they shouldn't receive assistance and that it was the responsibility of the family to help the person before the church!? 2 Thessalonians 3:10-12 & 1 Timothy 5:16

8. He told everyone to buy a gun. He didn't have a membership in the NRA, but he told the congregation one Sunday to prepare for the end of time by purchasing a gun. He kept talking about everyone being ready. I didn't really like that he would talk about "end times" anyway, but to encourage people to buy a gun?? Luke 22:36

9. He hung out with the wrong crowds. Don't get me wrong, we want to minister to them too. But Jesus took it a bit too far. He treated them just like me! No, He didn't compromise or put them into leadership while they were in their sin. It just seemed like he cared for people who's picture wouldn't look good on our website or promotional brochures. Matthew 9:11

10. He didn't have a degree. His dad had been a carpenter. Don't get me wrong, he knew everything there was to know about the Bible, but he didn't have a formal degree. There were often times when Jesus seemed confused as to why we purchased fog machines and stage lighting. Had he gone to Bible College he would have understood. He had total disregard for my masters of Divinity degree. He took a few classes, but spent most of the time refuting the teachers of the law and even accusing them of pride, hypocrisy, and outright evil. Matthew 23:1-36

11. He talked to "demons." This just freaked people out. Sure, I know, we believe in angels, demons, etc. But talk to them? It made our church seem fanatical. Spiritual warfare is for Hollywood and Pentecostals, not normal Christians. Luke 8:30

12. He called people names. It's one thing to disagree with someone; it's another to call them names. He actually called some leaders in the church a "brood of vipers." And then asked them how they planned on getting out of Hell? Matthew 22:33

When our leadership executive committee finally confronted Jesus with the list above, along with some others, he did the most shocking thing conceivable: He didn't respond to accusations made against him. He just sat there as we tried to reason with him. So, I think you'll understand why we had to let him go.

Before the meeting was over we tried to be generous by offering him a severance package. His response: "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God."

Why I Don't Play the Lottery

Just a few reasons why I don't play the lottery...

1. I don't use those things that cause detrimental addiction. I have a tendency to stay away from things that have warning labels from Surgeon Generals or help lines to help you stop using their product. If there is a danger of bondage... I stand firm in my freedom. "Play responsibly" is my signal to not play and thus be responsible.

2. I care about the poor. Lottery is like the proverbial carrot on a stick for those dealing with poverty. It is the elusive pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. However, in reality, it is the parasite of another dollar siphoned away from essential needs. For the sake of others I abstain and look forward to the time when the lottery is discarded.

3. I care about families. Every dollar spent on lottery tickets is a dollar neglected in a place of higher priority. If you really want to care and provide for your family, don't chase ghosts through the fog. Get a job, be faithful, and take your family to church on Sunday. The lottery has never helped a marriage, raised a child, or reconciled a family, but it sure has broken many homes. Don't be deceived.

4. It is bad stewardship. I have heard people talk about the revenue going toward "a good cause" like education. But the truth is that less than 1/3 of the total revenue goes toward the "good cause." Most goes toward winning, advertisement, administration, etc. You want to give toward a good cause, find another way to do it that doesn't have the enormous overhead. Something tells me, however, that few are thinking about helping their local schools when they are buying their ticket.

5. It is contrary to contentment. I have learned the reality of the fact that there is great gain in godliness with contentment. Coveting leads to unrest, discontentment, and anxiety. I want to learn to be at peace whether I have much or I have little. Right now I have all I need. It doesn't mean I won't have more some day or have less some day. But I am going to be grateful for what I have.

6. The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. It isn't evil itself, but is sure is the root of it. Coveting, jealousy, laziness, greed, lack of self-discipline and the list goes on. All these things can sprout a life focused on the pursuit of temporary wealth. The fruit of a life consumed with the love of money is something we vilify and hate in others, but are sometimes blind to in ourselves.

7. Winning would be on the backs of literally millions of other people who have lost. They may not miss my few dollars that I refuse to spend on lottery tickets, but I refuse to be part of something that costs so much to so many. How can I claim to love my brother when I participate in something that is so detrimental to him? How can I rejoice in my winnings when there is some child out there without good food to eat because his parent thought the way out was through the lottery. No, I cannot risk being the oppressor.

8. You'll lose. The chances of you dying on the way to purchase your ticket are much greater than you winning the lottery. It has been said that the lottery is a tax on those who are bad at math. Maybe you won't miss the change you spent today on lottery tickets. But the money spent on an alluring mirage can actually add up quickly. Maybe wealth would come quicker from starting a savings account.

9. Even if you win, you'll probably still be a loser. The day the winner is announced there are tales of philanthropic ventures and charitable gifts. All the good that will be done with the winnings. A year later there is often brokenness resulting in family discord, marital divorce, bankruptcy, greed leading to more gambling and loss, hate, grudges, and even homelessness and murder. No it doesn't happen every time someone wins, just some of the larger winners. Do you want to tempt the odds again?

10. I'm a Christian. There are more important things to me than money. I have come to the apparently rare revelation that money is not the greatest need of my existence. It does not solve my problems. It does not bring me fulfillment. It does not make me whole. It does not last forever. I live for a higher purpose. 

Also check out...

Why I Don't Drink Alcohol

Why I Stopped Giving to the Poor

A Perspective Changer

I made a pastoral visit in the summer of 2013 that could change your perspective. If you have a few minutes I want to share with you about that visit. (Warning: Some of the details of the visit are fairly graphic.)

This particular day I was making a fairly routine visit that I had made before. I was in the middle of Lexington, KY a urban, generally well kept city. Many people living in Lexington would never know that a neighborhood existed like the one that I was preparing to enter. Is is located just off a major road in Lexington, but hard to access as you have to go down a couple of streets, under the major road, and veer off onto the gravel extension of the street. (Who knew there were actually unpaved roads in Lexington?) The gravel extension of the street is fraught with pot holes, usually filled with gray colored water. The street, if you can call it that, ends in front of a little hovel. I take a right into the dirt/grass driveway of a smaller block building with a roof that had obviously long lost its ability to keep weather out. There were numerous "additions" to the original block building that had probably been constructed by someone with the carpentry skills that I possess... which isn't saying much.

I stepped out of my vehicle barely missing the deep muddy ruts that presented themselves as the driveway. As I closed the car door behind me I realized I was wearing my new brown pants. I had purchased them under the watchful eye of my wife only a couple of weeks before. "I better take care of these," I thought to myself.

There was a stale stench that beckoned me to the front door. Broken concrete masqueraded as the front porch. Grass had taken up residency in some of the cracks. The front door was obviously not a standard size door as my head bringing a height of about 6 feet would clear by only an inch or two. I have always been thin, but the width of this door would present a problem to someone slightly larger than I.

My knuckles rapped the small door and a couple of the window panes shook in their positions. A dirty white curtain prevented me from seeing into the tiny block home. Someone on the inside yelled something. I said: "It's Pastor Jared." Someone again yelled something, though still somewhat inaudible. I presumed they said, "Come in," but was unsure through the door. I became more unsure as I reached for the door knob. It was old, rusted, and covered with the grime of many dirty hands before me.

As the door opened any previous stench was eclipsed by a new wave of even stronger smells. The odor is indescribable and took me a few moments to adjust to. My mind reminded me that entering the home would mean that I would "smell that way" for the rest of the day. The door's threshold was concrete. A few inches in you can see where some vinyl had given into the traffic of a main entrance.

Vinyl flooring through the rest of the room could barely be seen through the dark brown layer of dirt and probably other things on the floor. There were definite path ways through the room I had just entered where other feet had repeatedly travelled. The paths were mainly from the door straight through the room to the entrance into the next room, but there was also a short path to the left that led to a grimy television set sitting on top of a small dresser. The dresser had lost all but two of its handles and was missing the front off the bottom drawer and was covered by scuff marks on the visible side. There appeared to be a potted plant on the floor next to the dresser that had given up the ghost at least a year ago.

A couple of bulbs hang from a broken light fixture on the ceiling in the room. It was not centered, but it was not functioning either. Only one bare bulb struggled to light the dim room. There were two windows, but one was covered with cardboard. The other had sun bleached curtains pressed against the window by boxes piled up in front of it.

As I stepped further into the room I noted the elderly lady lying in an old hospital bed to my right. The hospital bed had once been new, but had long since lost its ability to function. It was now covered in sheets that dated to the late 1960's or early '70's. The age of the sheets was less noticeable than their clear lack of laundry detergent. The sheets were long overdue to be washed.

Her regular spot on the bed was clearly marked by a now permanent indention in the "needing-to-be-replaced" mattress. Her left leg was covered in what appeared to be a brace. I found out that she had fallen a couple of weeks before and broken her leg. Due to her age, it meant that she would never walk again. She hadn't walked in years before that for a reason of which I am still unaware. Her world was as small as the room she now inhabited.

There were a few other people that lived in the place that I was now standing, but apparently none of them felt compelled to help her to the bathroom (if they even had one). It was apparent at this point that at least some of the smell that had sought to overwhelm me when I first arrived at the home was coming from the bed she was in. She probably had not participated in any personal hygiene or use of a formal bathroom since leaving the hospital. She looked up at me as the little TV shared a heated discussion of two people on the local news segment that was playing.

Her body lie in the bed as one lies on their death bed. Her limbs, neck, and face betrayed her lack of a healthy diet. She would have no home cooked meal tonight; just something out of a can... warmed up if she was lucky.

Behind her on the wall roaches made their way in all directions. My entrance had caught them off guard and they now scurried here and there, but never seemed to find a hiding place. A quick glance around the room revealed that all the walls were occupied not by pictures of family, certificates of degrees, or decor. Just roaches and smudges of discoloration that could have origins in many different places.

She smiled from her bed revealing a dental nightmare. The teeth she still had were only on the bottom and were few in number. They too were discolored by time and cavities.

She raised her hand toward me. A quick vision of hand sanitizer passed through my mind. I didn't have any on my person this particular day. Her nails were long enough to hide a brown layer of dirt that could be seen through the nail. Her skin was loose around the boney fingers that called for my clean hand. I was reminded of the smell and the origin of much of it and where her hands might have been recently.

"How are you doing today?" my voice spoke. It wasn't even out all the way before I realized the absurdity of the question. She mumbled something about no one in her family caring for her that was almost unintelligible.

It was then that I noticed that the sheet of her bed had let go of the corner of the mattress closest to the door by the head board thus revealing occupants underneath. Bed bugs were unashamedly roaming the seem of the mattress. I recoiled.

We chatted for a few minutes about the weather, the current news, her family, her condition, what the doctors said about her leg, and other filler topics. I was ready to go. The uncomfortable feeling was not diminishing but growing as I stood in the small space between the bed, the dresser, what appeared to be an old, dilapidated couch covered with sheets & clothes, and the door I had entered the room through.

"Is it okay if I pray for you?" I always ask that question (and have never been turned down yet) before I leave someone's home.

"Pastor" she said extending her hand again "Please pray for me." I remembered that I had other visits that day. I may go into someone's home that would not appreciate their pastor smelling like the room I was now in. The longer I remained in the room, the more direct contact I had with its occupants the more I would smell like this place. The roaches and bed bugs leered at me as well. It would be unfair to risk taking some parasites with me to someone's clean home. You don't have to touch someone to pray for them do you?

She had trouble extending her hand, but she obviously wanted mine. I looked into her eyes; one slightly swollen. Her picture would never make our website homepage. She would never serve on the local board of leadership. Her family has no teachers or doctors or lawyers or nurses or professionals of any kind. She would never fill the roll of a Sunday School teacher or musician. She would never be featured on the evening news as a model citizen. She was by all accounts, it seemed, the least in Lexington, KY.

My hesitation gave way. I took her hand that was so thin and fragile in mine. My knee took its place among the grime and filth of the floor next to her bed with my nice new pants. My mind sought to block the stench that was stronger closer down to her and I put my other arm around a body that was diseased and broken from years of abuse (some of which may have been self-inflicted).

I prayed. Not the normal pastor prayer. I just prayed. And I held her.

God came. For a few moments the concerns about paying the electric bill slipped away, the smell was forgotten, the dirt, roaches, and bed bugs disappeared, the sorry-excuse-for-a-house melted away, and even the television noise dissipated as Jesus stepped down into that room.

The glory of God filled that place. I cannot explain it. I cannot orchestrate it. I cannot hardly believe it. But I experienced it. As I said 'Amen' I looked down at her. She smiled and almost laughed. We had both been in the presence of our King.

I write this considering what some of the current church culture is proclaiming. "Your best life now!" Unfortunately, she doesn't have any extra monthly income to purchase that book. Others are involved in a drive to "End Poverty." They haven't reached her yet. And something tells me the world will never have enough to reach everyone like her.

My goal is not to be critical of either viewpoint. I believe that on some level those who espouse each viewpoint have a sincere desire to serve Christ. My point is just that I think we might have lost sight of what's to come. We want to promise people their best life now or work to end suffering of any kind in this world... both noble goals at some level. But the real hope we have is yet to come. When Christ returns all suffering will cease! All sin will end! All trials will be over. Temptation will come to an end. The Enemy will concede his defeat.

An old song, by Ester Kerr Rusthoi, that I sang growing up came to my mind:

"Sometimes the sky looks dark with not a ray of light,
We're tossed and driven on, no human help in sight;
But there is one in Heaven who knows our deepest care,
Let Jesus solve your problem- just go to Him in prayer.

It will be worth it all when we see Jesus,
Life's trials will seem so small when we see Christ;
One glimpse of His dear face all sorrow will erase,
So bravely run the race, till we see Christ."

What do I do as a pastor? I go into places marked by the Fall of humanity and the marring of sin and share hope in Christ. It doesn't matter where it is. It could be in Buckingham Palace or it could be in a little run down shack in Lexington, KY. While it isn't "theologically correct" I think it's a little more glorious when it happens in little shacks like the one I visited that day. Thank you Jesus.