As I got out of the car here at the Shreveport airport, my sister grabbed me and said, "I just wanted to say that your children were great this weekend. They were great to have around and always had manners." Now, I know my children and I know that they have their moments when I wonder if they are human. Any good things in them I attribute to my wife, Jana is an awesome mom.
It was good, however, to have someone else see something in them to brag about. My sister wanted me to know that she saw in them something that would make me proud as a dad. I sat here thinking that if someone was in conversation with God and said "God, let me tell you about Jerry..," what would they say? Is there anything in my character, values, speech, lifestyle that they would think that God would need to know because it would make him smile. Would they talk about how I loved like he loved, gave liked he gave, served like he served...or would they find it hard to find something good to say? Or maybe, all they could say is that I was a "good" guy.
Think for a minute, in the way you live the one life that God has given you, what in it would make Him smile?
Jul 16, 2009
Jul 15, 2009
A blog for pastors from a pastor
Hey Pastor,
If you know or have heard me you know that I am in no way conventional. I have a passion to take the timeless truth in the scripture and communicate in a way that captures people's attention. I love that fact that people who question if there is a God come to Piedmont because we make them think. We have done some things that traditional church people would think is outrageous. I think that Piedmont is the "coolest" church in Middle Georgia.
However, there is a new thing that many pastors are doing. They are using words like damn, hell, and crap in their message. They are doing it in the name of being cool, relevant, and hip. My response is to say shut-up. If your content is so shallow that you have to use that kind of language, then you have nothing to say.
I love creativity, but that is not creativity...that is stupidity. So stop trying to be cool, start just being you, fall in love with Christ, and be more concerned with having something to say then how you say it.
Ok, all those who are not pastors can begin reading now
If you know or have heard me you know that I am in no way conventional. I have a passion to take the timeless truth in the scripture and communicate in a way that captures people's attention. I love that fact that people who question if there is a God come to Piedmont because we make them think. We have done some things that traditional church people would think is outrageous. I think that Piedmont is the "coolest" church in Middle Georgia.
However, there is a new thing that many pastors are doing. They are using words like damn, hell, and crap in their message. They are doing it in the name of being cool, relevant, and hip. My response is to say shut-up. If your content is so shallow that you have to use that kind of language, then you have nothing to say.
I love creativity, but that is not creativity...that is stupidity. So stop trying to be cool, start just being you, fall in love with Christ, and be more concerned with having something to say then how you say it.
Ok, all those who are not pastors can begin reading now
Jul 13, 2009
Be different
Ok, I have been all into facebook and faded from the blogging scene. However, I have been missing it, and so I am back.
I was reading an article while sitting in the airport today and a statement caught my eye. A young teen was quoted about his small town and he said, "They may be Christian people but when they get out of church it makes no difference." What a sad statement, but I would bet that most of you can understand this statement...maybe even agree with the kid.
Somewhere along the way Christianity became a belief system and no longer a movement. It became something you did, and not something that invaded everything about you. It became more about keeping God happy, and less about following His lead. It turned more academic, and less kinetic.
I think a big part of the shift centers around a change in church. Today we expect the church to grow us spiritually. In many people's mind, it is the church's responsibility to "grow me," the result is I do not have to take ownership of my own relationship with God. So I just go to church, leave, and do life with little difference from those who were not at church.
Reality is, I am responsible for my spiritual health. Church is a part, but so is reading the scripture on my own, fighting to forgive those I do not want to forgive, stepping out in faith with a lot of fear, watching my words, giving a percentage of my income even in these kinds of times, seeking God's leadership, etc. That is what will make me different.
I was reading an article while sitting in the airport today and a statement caught my eye. A young teen was quoted about his small town and he said, "They may be Christian people but when they get out of church it makes no difference." What a sad statement, but I would bet that most of you can understand this statement...maybe even agree with the kid.
Somewhere along the way Christianity became a belief system and no longer a movement. It became something you did, and not something that invaded everything about you. It became more about keeping God happy, and less about following His lead. It turned more academic, and less kinetic.
I think a big part of the shift centers around a change in church. Today we expect the church to grow us spiritually. In many people's mind, it is the church's responsibility to "grow me," the result is I do not have to take ownership of my own relationship with God. So I just go to church, leave, and do life with little difference from those who were not at church.
Reality is, I am responsible for my spiritual health. Church is a part, but so is reading the scripture on my own, fighting to forgive those I do not want to forgive, stepping out in faith with a lot of fear, watching my words, giving a percentage of my income even in these kinds of times, seeking God's leadership, etc. That is what will make me different.
May 4, 2009
need
Have you ever had something that seemed so basic and simple trouble you. Today I was thinking about all the potential that we are seeing realized at Piedmont Church, and all that we could do. In all that I found myself saying, "If only we could get..., If only we could develop..., if only we could...." I then got up from my desk to get a refill of Diet Coke and I said out loud, "God you know our need."
I said it half as a prayer and half in frustration. All of a sudden that simple phrase hit me like a ton of bricks...He DOES know our needs. He really does. He knows what we are capable of and what we need to take
PC (Piedmont Church) to the next level. He knows PC's needs better than we do. I am to work hard to cast vision, challenge everyone through scripture to never remain the same, to create systems that result in momentum, and to push everyone to live beyond themselves by serving and inviting people to come to PC with them. But our needs, our real needs, he knows them and I will ask in confidence that he will supply them.
I walk back into my office with a great sense of confidence in my walk.
He knows your need...he really does.
I said it half as a prayer and half in frustration. All of a sudden that simple phrase hit me like a ton of bricks...He DOES know our needs. He really does. He knows what we are capable of and what we need to take
PC (Piedmont Church) to the next level. He knows PC's needs better than we do. I am to work hard to cast vision, challenge everyone through scripture to never remain the same, to create systems that result in momentum, and to push everyone to live beyond themselves by serving and inviting people to come to PC with them. But our needs, our real needs, he knows them and I will ask in confidence that he will supply them.
I walk back into my office with a great sense of confidence in my walk.
He knows your need...he really does.
Apr 8, 2009
Passion and Wisdom
Today I listen to someone and afterwards I found myself thinking that passion without wisdom is very dangerous. Passion is a good thing and it causes people to want to follow you, it causes you to be committed to a plan or cause, and keeps you moving forward. However, passion alone is not healthy. Passion without wisdom is like a race car with the throttle wide open but without a steering wheel. It can create havoc.
Also, having a "good heart" is not a substitute for wisdom. I will hear people talk about a decision someone made and say that their heart was right, good, pure, or sincere. As if that means that anything they do or decide is right and good. I know a lot of people that have done the wrong thing fully believing it was the right thing. What they lacked was not passion or a "right heart," what they lacked was wisdom.
I guess this is why God challenges us to pray for wisdom. He tells us to ask for it and he will give it liberally.
So today ask God to give you wisdom and I believe he will begin to take you through things that will do just that.
Also, having a "good heart" is not a substitute for wisdom. I will hear people talk about a decision someone made and say that their heart was right, good, pure, or sincere. As if that means that anything they do or decide is right and good. I know a lot of people that have done the wrong thing fully believing it was the right thing. What they lacked was not passion or a "right heart," what they lacked was wisdom.
I guess this is why God challenges us to pray for wisdom. He tells us to ask for it and he will give it liberally.
So today ask God to give you wisdom and I believe he will begin to take you through things that will do just that.
Apr 5, 2009
Sunday Evening Reflections
Thoughts about Sunday at PC:
-We did communion today and to be humbly honest...it was awesome. I have no doubt that we took people back to the cross. I had one tell me that she was so impacted that she did the "ungly cry."
-I really think that today we reclaimed communion from the meaningless religious activity that it has become in many churches. Sorry, I never like to criticize other churches but I am passionate about this, maybe a little angry too.
-Band rocked and the songs selection was very good
-Chuck, who drives the All-star Kids Long Trailer, is incredible. We could not do it without you.
-We challenged the a lot of volunteers today with changes to our regular procedures in several things and they, like always, adapted like a champ.
-I needed to be at PC today because I needed to be reminded that God is madly in love with me, and that is what we did.
Next week is Easter and I am looking forward to it.
-We did communion today and to be humbly honest...it was awesome. I have no doubt that we took people back to the cross. I had one tell me that she was so impacted that she did the "ungly cry."
-I really think that today we reclaimed communion from the meaningless religious activity that it has become in many churches. Sorry, I never like to criticize other churches but I am passionate about this, maybe a little angry too.
-Band rocked and the songs selection was very good
-Chuck, who drives the All-star Kids Long Trailer, is incredible. We could not do it without you.
-We challenged the a lot of volunteers today with changes to our regular procedures in several things and they, like always, adapted like a champ.
-I needed to be at PC today because I needed to be reminded that God is madly in love with me, and that is what we did.
Next week is Easter and I am looking forward to it.
Apr 3, 2009
AWOL
I know, i have been so AWOL with my blogs. I just got out of the habit and keep wanting to post but never did. The result is nothing got done, even though my heart had good intentions.
I wonder how many of us have great intentions in our heart but are AWOL on action. We want to be a better husband, wife, boyfriend, girlfriend, etc, but we don't put action behind that "good heart." We want to be a better employee, boss...we want to lead our family to know Christ better...we want to have have a better whatever...and the list goes on.
The problem is that nothing gets done because, though we have the right heart, we lack initiative. Scripture tells us that "those who don't work, don't eat." Isn't it time to not allow the "my heart is good" thinking stop us from acting. Ask yourself right now, "What is the one thing you really need to do that you have put off, and off, and off from doing?" Go now and make one step in that direction and ask God to guide you. You just might find that a new chapter in your life begins now.
I wonder how many of us have great intentions in our heart but are AWOL on action. We want to be a better husband, wife, boyfriend, girlfriend, etc, but we don't put action behind that "good heart." We want to be a better employee, boss...we want to lead our family to know Christ better...we want to have have a better whatever...and the list goes on.
The problem is that nothing gets done because, though we have the right heart, we lack initiative. Scripture tells us that "those who don't work, don't eat." Isn't it time to not allow the "my heart is good" thinking stop us from acting. Ask yourself right now, "What is the one thing you really need to do that you have put off, and off, and off from doing?" Go now and make one step in that direction and ask God to guide you. You just might find that a new chapter in your life begins now.
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