A New Reformation?
We had dinner with Chuck & Deb Wood and their sharp son, Wes friday night. Chuck is with Navigators and ministers to the troops at Fort Benning. We first met them about a month ago on a friday night at Atlanta Bread Co. They were there with about 20 troops holding a bible study fellowship. We met most of these troops (here for airborne training). The men were bright and alive and you could tell something special was happening in that group.
This friday, we heard Chuck & Deb's life story and heard how they minister to the troops. They bought a house in Russell Co. across from the back entrance to the base. From their back yard, they can watch the troops jump from the C-130's in the landing zone in Alabama. Their home is large on design because they typically house 2-3 of the troops and on weekends, their home becomes a "safe zone" for the troops and their friends.
These good people live their faith, morning, noon and night. They (like my YL friends) have souled out to the Great Commission. Their life isn't about their 401k balances, the next promotion or saving for a beach house - their entire life work is about serving the Lord.
That as a way of introducing a new theme ... I sense there may well be a new reformation beginning in Christ's church. Chuck & I discussed this friday night. He is seeing it all across the military. Navigators, which was on the decline on military bases, is now exploding. Seven new chapters have opened on bases across America and men are coming to the Lord. He senses something very different is happening in the Church.
He senses much of what I have been writing about in the community churches. Men are hungry for more. More. There is so much more. He sees that in the troops - there is a need, a desire, a hunger to go deeper - much deeper - than previously before. He senses Aslan on the move. Seeing 20 very bright, eager young troops spending their friday nights at Atlanta Bread Co. eating dinner and studying God's word confirms this to me. God is moving in the lives of our troops.
I think there is a new reformation starting in Christ's church. Jesus came as a revolutionary. Man had taken religion and twisted it into a bunch of rules that were not of God. Christ came and tore the curtain. Christ was a revolutionary. Man was using religion to hold other men as captives. Christ came to set the captive free.
1500 years later, Martin Luther nailed the reformation to the wood door of the church and started a new revolution in the church. Man had taken Christianity and twisted it with a bunch of rules to serve man's needs. The leaders of the Catholic Church were corrupt and abusing the power God had given to them. Luther came in as a revolutionary to set the captive free. God used Luther to launch a period of great growth and freedom in the Christian faith.
I think a new reformation/revolution is beginning. More to come...
Soar!
Sunday, July 22, 2007
Saturday, July 21, 2007
First Baptist Opelika
Last Sunday, we drove to Opelika to attend First Baptist Church. A great friend of mine is the YoungLife leader in Auburn. He was in my wedding and we worked together for about 8 years. I've written about Jim before - how he left the "world" and followed Christ into ministry. We went to Opelika to worship with Jim and see his home.
I've written about FBC Opelika before but that was only heresay - we've now seen it firsthand and I want to put a post up to honor what God is doing in that town. FBC anchors downtown Opelika. It's steeple is the tallest structure on the "Skyline". In a lot of ways, it is a traditional downtown, Southern baptist church but in a very real way, it is vastly different.
FBC has acquired about 4 blocks of Opelika. The old AmSouth Bank across the street is now part of FBC. They are doubling the size of this 2 story structure and it will contain their administrative offices and youth ministry. On another side of the block there is a singles ministry building and a high school ministry building. It is obvious that the ministry to youth, to college kids, to singles is more than just a token effort. FBC is putting money where the ministry is - there are dedicated buildings to each ministry and you can see the buzz and energy around each ministry. The sanctuary is undergoing a big renovation and expansion that will increase seating by 50%. FBC's budget is nearly $4 million. $4 million is a lot of money especially in a smaller town like Opelika. It is obvious that God is moving physically in a big way in Opelika.
But He is also moving in the Spirit.
We attended their contemporary service. All services (3 of them) are in the fellowship hall which seats I'd guess 6-700 folks. The contemporary service was full. As we walked in, a man greeted us and we told him we were friends of Jim's and he welcomed us and spoke to all 4 of us. We took our seats and I watched this man move around the aisles helping people find their seat, welcoming them and praying. I'm not sure he was praying but I sensed he was. You got the feeling that he was milling around the aisles up and down and from left to right speaking to whoever he could but also praying over all in the building. He was unassuming and modest and serving.
He was the senior pastor.
He stayed in the aisles during the praise music. Only when it became time for the sermon did it become obvious he was the preacher. When he stood up, he made a few brief announcements and welcomed everyone. He was talking about something and there was some confusion and he looked down at one of the associates and said, "You run this place, help me!".
Now, contrast all that with what we sometimes see in our "mega-churches". It all becomes about the senior pastor - his teaching ministry, his stage, his program, he runs the church, the associates all work for him ... it all is about him. This guy at FBC is serving. You can see it. He gives the stage over to his worship team to do what they do best. He gives over the administration to the associates that know how to administer. He is a servant leader in the truest sense.
Is it working? You bet. That contemporary service had upwards of 600 folks in there and 1/2 were young adults 20-30 years old. We were blown away by how many young men and women were there. Sure it is a college town but it was July and most of these young people we were seeing were young professionals, singles, newly married - not college students. The church is busting out at the seams and the Holy Spirit is tangibly present.
The leader is humble and serving those that work with him and those that worship with him and the result is a church with a $4 million budget and tons of fresh, excited, energized folks engaged in the bigger story.
Soar!
Last Sunday, we drove to Opelika to attend First Baptist Church. A great friend of mine is the YoungLife leader in Auburn. He was in my wedding and we worked together for about 8 years. I've written about Jim before - how he left the "world" and followed Christ into ministry. We went to Opelika to worship with Jim and see his home.
I've written about FBC Opelika before but that was only heresay - we've now seen it firsthand and I want to put a post up to honor what God is doing in that town. FBC anchors downtown Opelika. It's steeple is the tallest structure on the "Skyline". In a lot of ways, it is a traditional downtown, Southern baptist church but in a very real way, it is vastly different.
FBC has acquired about 4 blocks of Opelika. The old AmSouth Bank across the street is now part of FBC. They are doubling the size of this 2 story structure and it will contain their administrative offices and youth ministry. On another side of the block there is a singles ministry building and a high school ministry building. It is obvious that the ministry to youth, to college kids, to singles is more than just a token effort. FBC is putting money where the ministry is - there are dedicated buildings to each ministry and you can see the buzz and energy around each ministry. The sanctuary is undergoing a big renovation and expansion that will increase seating by 50%. FBC's budget is nearly $4 million. $4 million is a lot of money especially in a smaller town like Opelika. It is obvious that God is moving physically in a big way in Opelika.
But He is also moving in the Spirit.
We attended their contemporary service. All services (3 of them) are in the fellowship hall which seats I'd guess 6-700 folks. The contemporary service was full. As we walked in, a man greeted us and we told him we were friends of Jim's and he welcomed us and spoke to all 4 of us. We took our seats and I watched this man move around the aisles helping people find their seat, welcoming them and praying. I'm not sure he was praying but I sensed he was. You got the feeling that he was milling around the aisles up and down and from left to right speaking to whoever he could but also praying over all in the building. He was unassuming and modest and serving.
He was the senior pastor.
He stayed in the aisles during the praise music. Only when it became time for the sermon did it become obvious he was the preacher. When he stood up, he made a few brief announcements and welcomed everyone. He was talking about something and there was some confusion and he looked down at one of the associates and said, "You run this place, help me!".
Now, contrast all that with what we sometimes see in our "mega-churches". It all becomes about the senior pastor - his teaching ministry, his stage, his program, he runs the church, the associates all work for him ... it all is about him. This guy at FBC is serving. You can see it. He gives the stage over to his worship team to do what they do best. He gives over the administration to the associates that know how to administer. He is a servant leader in the truest sense.
Is it working? You bet. That contemporary service had upwards of 600 folks in there and 1/2 were young adults 20-30 years old. We were blown away by how many young men and women were there. Sure it is a college town but it was July and most of these young people we were seeing were young professionals, singles, newly married - not college students. The church is busting out at the seams and the Holy Spirit is tangibly present.
The leader is humble and serving those that work with him and those that worship with him and the result is a church with a $4 million budget and tons of fresh, excited, energized folks engaged in the bigger story.
Soar!
Saturday, July 14, 2007
Desire
It has been 2 weeks since my last post. Much is happening. in Narnia when it was dark and bleak, hope first appeared when this line was muttered by a beaver, "They say ASLAN is on the move." Aslan, the Christ figure - the very menion of his name made the children both excited and scared. Sometimes following God is scary.
My good friend has "landed" in his new post with Young LIfe in a small town far from home. He gave up the "world" and moved his wife and three young children to a strange town so he could minister to teenagers. Teenagers! Tough group to sell everything and move for but he has a passion for working with kids. He loves ministering to high school kids and he is excellent at it. Yet, he has landed in Narnia and it is cold and dreary and there is a budget to meet and the White Witch is running near him. The enemy (foul one to quote Bill Shorey) is trying his best to plant fear into my friend's heart but there, it will find no place to dig in. My friend is sold out to the Lord.
But is it always safe to follow God? Does He promise us a "good" ilfe if we follow him? No. Yes to the eternal question but no, it isn't promised to us on this earth. Abraham was called out by God. "Follow Me Abraham, leave your family, leave your job, leave your town, leave all that you hold dear, all that you know and are comfortable with ... leave that and follow me. I'm not even going to tell you where I am sending you - just go and I will tell you when you get there." Sound safe?
David. Called out by God and he spent 20 years of his life ... running for it. Sound safe?
Is it safe to follow God? A ship in a harbor is safe but that isn't what ships are made for. (its a great quote) A man isn't made to be safe. God isn't safe. He calls us out.
I sit here on friday night at 2:30 in the morning and I cannot sleep. God is calling me out and I am scared. The enemy/foul one is trying to get in but I feel the Holy Spirit. Even at the darkest of what the enemy has hinted at, whispered to me - i feel the Holy One. I feel his hand on this I am about to do.
My journey is a journey of desire. Why would a man decide to climb Everest? Think about that. Why on earth would anyone set out to do this? Eldredge says "There are many fine reasons not to do it. Climbing Everest is an intrinsically irrational act - it is a triumph of desire over sensibility. A feat of only accomplished through desire."
That desire in me comes from God. He put those creative abilities in me for a reason. He wants me to use them. I am that ship in the harbor and He wants me to sail. He didn't build me to stay docked in the safe harbor. He built me for battle.
The same is true for my YL friend(s). They were built for battle - the battle over the souls of those teenagers. They didn't come out of the womb saying "I think I'll minister to youth some day" - but that desire was installed in them in the factory. Praise the Lord they are following His call - they are being called out into Narnia, called out of their homes, jobs and all they know that is comfortable....called out to follow Him.
Soar!
It has been 2 weeks since my last post. Much is happening. in Narnia when it was dark and bleak, hope first appeared when this line was muttered by a beaver, "They say ASLAN is on the move." Aslan, the Christ figure - the very menion of his name made the children both excited and scared. Sometimes following God is scary.
My good friend has "landed" in his new post with Young LIfe in a small town far from home. He gave up the "world" and moved his wife and three young children to a strange town so he could minister to teenagers. Teenagers! Tough group to sell everything and move for but he has a passion for working with kids. He loves ministering to high school kids and he is excellent at it. Yet, he has landed in Narnia and it is cold and dreary and there is a budget to meet and the White Witch is running near him. The enemy (foul one to quote Bill Shorey) is trying his best to plant fear into my friend's heart but there, it will find no place to dig in. My friend is sold out to the Lord.
But is it always safe to follow God? Does He promise us a "good" ilfe if we follow him? No. Yes to the eternal question but no, it isn't promised to us on this earth. Abraham was called out by God. "Follow Me Abraham, leave your family, leave your job, leave your town, leave all that you hold dear, all that you know and are comfortable with ... leave that and follow me. I'm not even going to tell you where I am sending you - just go and I will tell you when you get there." Sound safe?
David. Called out by God and he spent 20 years of his life ... running for it. Sound safe?
Is it safe to follow God? A ship in a harbor is safe but that isn't what ships are made for. (its a great quote) A man isn't made to be safe. God isn't safe. He calls us out.
I sit here on friday night at 2:30 in the morning and I cannot sleep. God is calling me out and I am scared. The enemy/foul one is trying to get in but I feel the Holy Spirit. Even at the darkest of what the enemy has hinted at, whispered to me - i feel the Holy One. I feel his hand on this I am about to do.
My journey is a journey of desire. Why would a man decide to climb Everest? Think about that. Why on earth would anyone set out to do this? Eldredge says "There are many fine reasons not to do it. Climbing Everest is an intrinsically irrational act - it is a triumph of desire over sensibility. A feat of only accomplished through desire."
That desire in me comes from God. He put those creative abilities in me for a reason. He wants me to use them. I am that ship in the harbor and He wants me to sail. He didn't build me to stay docked in the safe harbor. He built me for battle.
The same is true for my YL friend(s). They were built for battle - the battle over the souls of those teenagers. They didn't come out of the womb saying "I think I'll minister to youth some day" - but that desire was installed in them in the factory. Praise the Lord they are following His call - they are being called out into Narnia, called out of their homes, jobs and all they know that is comfortable....called out to follow Him.
Soar!
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