Knowledge will increase...

What a week!

Just got back in from a radical church conference with a group of pioneers in the work of Jesus. It was challenging and horizon broadening. First, the church where we met was BNC (brandnewchurch.com). I must admit I got a little skeptical when I began my journey to Bergman Arkansas, home of Brand New Church. My ministry is here in Arkansas, I live here, I know what the wasteland of Arkansas looks like, and before last week I was like, Nathanial, “Can anything good come from there?” It was after I passed the second guy with groceries driving a four-wheeler, and was greeted with the indelible aroma of huge chicken coops, I knew this conference was going to be different (my fear was it was going to be way different). I was right it was different. Crossing the top of the hill an amazing thing happened, an incredible structure appeared on the left hand side of the road. A very contemporary building branding the name Brand New Church. Sweet! I thought they got some rich chicken farmer maybe even a Tyson person to fund his own personal church. I was wrong, what I discovered at BNC was a group of people passionate about lifting up Jesus, and He (Jesus) has responded by blessing this work. Who can argue with a church running according to the Campus Pastor 1200+ every weekend in a community of 400? Shannon Odell the Senor Pastor and visionary leader encapsulated his passion and the essence of the success he has been given by saying “The greatest thing I do is lead my wife and my family.” That was worth the trip. I know Shannon does a lot more than that but it is refreshing to hear someone who is getting it done, bring light to the fact that our core relationships are what gives us success, and success at the cost of our core relationships is ultimately… failure.

I will write more in the weeks to come but the following is something that God spoke to me as I listened and shared with these incredible leaders:

IT IS WHO

When it comes to the question of the God life we ask the wrong question. We want to know how. We concern ourselves with systems, plans, and programs. We believe that if we can emulate a certain path our destination will be the same as the one we want to be like.

Jesus tells us in John 15: “apart from me you can do nothing”. What happens when we ask people how they got to where they are (overcoming drugs, losing weight, helping their kids, getting out of debt, or overcoming depression for example) and they answer “Jesus”? Truth is we almost automatically discount what they said. We don’t want to hear that. We want a system to follow, a to-do list to keep. We don’t mind considering starving ourselves from calories, doing a million situps on the latest ab appliance, but the maintenance of a relationship with the Change Maker doesn’t seem like something we want to accept. We want to know “how”, not “Who”.

In church leadership it is the same. As pastors we want to know “how” churches accomplished things. What resource, program, technology, or secret gave this church we admire the accomplishment? So we ask all the wrong questions. Jesus told us God’s house is to be a house of prayer. Why? Simple… because the “Who” is much more important than the “how”. The attempt to change the human heart based on the “how” will result in a chain of sand. It may appear to be something but the test of time will bear out its temporary nature. God is the maker of heaven and earth, He alone has the power to melt and remold the image of broken man into the likeness of His Son. Who does that? Jesus. How does He do that? Relationship.

Learning

I’m fasting. I fast because I want to know God more intimately. I want to know His assignment better. I want His power to carry out what He wants done. I want me to be out of the way and Him to live boldly in me.

What I am learning so far…

1. Pastors are prideful. Based on a conversation I had with a pastor recently I have come to this conclusion. Pastors want a new and improved church. To reach the world for Christ isn’t good enough. To become surrendered followers isn’t good enough. In these conversations you have to have new reasons for church. Things such as “we are here to be creative”, “to generate leaders”, “to cultivate small group communities”, “to live by purpose”, and so forth. What is true is that pastors want to be recognized as being different, special, some how more connected to God with a unique spiritual mission. Why? I asked myself. The answer came in my hunger. We want to be significant and we don’t feel like we can be significant unless we are unique and people are drawn to our uniqueness. How ever you slice it that is pride. We chase after crowds and compromise the essential mission because we want to look good. Am I doing this?

2. I move too fast and pray far too little. As ministry grows the need for discernment, prayer and intentional decisions becomes far more important. I have come to the conclusion that I am going to work very hard to listen to God better. To make decisions in the right time, and to look to do things that are fully endorsed by God. The following formula is going to be a guide after prayer…People first, Programs second, and Buildings third (I believe this is the value system of God). If the choice is between a pastor coming on to help with people, or a new building or technology, we choose the pastor. If the choice is between moving a part time person to full time or expanding a program, we will choose the person. If the choice is between a nice facility or more shepherds, the choice is shepherds. Every decision will be bathed in prayer and opportunity will not be the gauge to action. God will dictate the action. Am I listening and am I making decisions based on what God values?

3. The construction material of the church is people. Jesus was a carpenter he built things but we have no record of Him ever building a structure, but He is building His church. What is the church? People called, who respond, who commit, who live and grow into those who know Jesus and make Him known. The New Testament does not contain one building being built to house the church. Not one. The church was simply a group of people who believed that Jesus is who He says He is and they could do what the Bible said they could do. They were committed to that. Why is it if that is true the lions share of a churches budget is designated toward paying for buildings? Scary but very good question. What are we building?

To be continued…