Category Archives: Wrestling With Scripture

Discipleship, Preaching, Sermons, Wrestling With Scripture, Youth Ministry

5 Ways to Avoid Graduating from Your Faith

June 1, 2009 mjfelker1980 1 Comment

We celebrated Senior Sunday yesterday as we honored and blessed the class of 2009. The point of my message was to challenge these teens to not graduate from their faith when they graduate from High School.

I based my message on 2 Timothy because it is probably the last letter Paul sent the young minister. Paul’s life was coming to an end and in this letter he lays out the “non-negotiable” for Timothy. Paul’s final words to his young friend highlight the things that will help Timothy grow his faith long after his mentor moves on. I think this letter has a lot to say to you and me and our young graduates.

1) Don’t Be ASHAMED of Your Faith

“For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self–discipline. So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God,” (2Timothy 1:6-8 TNIV)

This culture- especially the culture found on many college campuses- wants you to be ashamed of your faith in Jesus Christ. You will feel the need to apologize for being different or for having a different morality than those around you. It was much the same for young Timothy. The minute you begin to apologize for what you believe or the minute you begin to be embarrassed by the gospel is the minute you begin living on your own understanding and move away from living in the power of God.

2) PURSUE Righteousness

“Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.” (2Timothy 2:22-26 TNIV)

When you step foot on your college campus or when you start in the workforce you are going to see people in pursuit of many things in their lives.

People will be in pursuit of grades.
They will pursue power.
People pursue glory for themselves.
People will be pursuing what feels good.
They will pursue what’s easy or what they can get away with.

They will pursue all kinds of things but not necessarily what is Right or what honors/glorifies God.

3) ENDURE with God’s help and protection

“You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, persecutions, sufferings—what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, the persecutions I endured. Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them. In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.” (2Timothy 3:10-15 TNIV)

Keep on keeping on. Once you decide to not be ashamed of the gospel and set you heart/mind to pursue God’s ways with your whole being- ENDURE!

Find your pace and trust that God will carry you through.

4) Fall in Love with GOD’S WORD

“All Scripture is God–breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that all God’s people may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2Timothy 3:16-17 TNIV)

How do you know the power of the Gospel- the truth of Jesus? How do you know what is right and how to follow it? Where can you find encouragement to endure? You find these things in God’s Word.

5) Intentionally RECOMMIT- Everyday/Every way

“In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.

For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near.

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.” (2Timothy 4:1-8 TNIV)

Everyday and in every way you have to recommit in your heart to follow Jesus Christ. Living out and believing in the Gospel takes recommitment everyday.

Every one of us is just one day away from graduating from our faith. Each day brings its own troubles, challenges, & changes that jockey for 1st position in our hearts.

These graduates aren’t the only once susceptible to the world around them. Each one of us in here must pledge allegiance to the Gospel of Jesus Christ every single minute of every single hour of every single day.

Discipleship, Ethos, Experience, Faith in Action, Leadership, Ministry, Prayer, Worship, Wrestling With Scripture

A New Story

April 24, 2009 mjfelker1980

In a few hours I head out to our second annual Men’s Ministry Retreat. This year’s theme is Lead Like Jesus and I will be co-leading a discussion group tonight focusing on leading like Jesus in our homes.

In their book, Lead Like Jesus, Ken Blanchard and Phil Hodges state clearly that to lead like Jesus you must become a servant. In Matthew 20:25-28 we see Jesus telling his disciples the difference between leadership as defined by the world and leadership as defined by the Father.

“Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave—just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:25-28 TNIV)

Leading like Jesus requires us to tell a new story. Right now, the story most men are telling to their families is that a) Work comes before family b) My relationship with my child will always be strained and c) “Me” time is more important than “We” time

We need to be telling a different story.

Don Miller tells of a time when he met with a good friend over coffee. His friend begins pouring his heart out to Don telling him about how his marriage is suffering, that they are struggling to pay off the bills, and, on top of all that, his 13 yr. old daughter has turned goth and is dating a real loser. They found pot in her room and they are fearful of all the destructive behavior they are beginning to see in her life. His friend tells Don that he has done everything he can- from threatening to ground her to keeping her locked in the house to sending her to youth group (the horror!). The results have been less than encouraging and seem to have driven her further and further away. His friend felt frustrated and felt like a failure.

Don thinks for a minute absorbing all that his friend has said. “I think,” says Don, “that your daughter doesn’t like the story you’re telling her.”

No doubt his friend became a bit perturbed by this answer. Don says, “Ok wait. Hear me out. We are all designed to live in a story. Your daughter wants to live in a story where she is wanted and accepted and needed and loved- hence the loser boyfriend. She is looking for excitement, risk, and adventure- hence the drugs. She is looking for an identity and a purpose- hence the new, goth look. That’s the story she is living in.”

Don then challenges his friend by asking him, “What story are you telling her as her father? Maybe you need to tell a better story.”

The friend thinks about what Don has said for a few days. He then calls a family meeting. He gathers his wife, goth daughter, and younger son together and tells them that he has a project for them. He had contacted an orphanage in Mexico without first telling anyone in his family. This orphanage needed a new building and it was going to cost them $20,000-$25,000 to build a new one. “I don’t know how we are going to raise this money- we are up to our eyeballs in debt,” he tells his family, “but we really need to do something about this and I would really like it if we could do this together. Oh, and we only have two years to do this in. Any ideas?”

That night didn’t end well as you can probably imagine. The family stormed off and Don’s friend was left in the living room all by himself. However about a week later his son comes to him and says that since they will be going to Mexico they will all need passports and could he begin looking at getting the passports. Then his wife comes and offers to sell one of the cars. Then his daughter comes and says that she posted about this plan on MySpace and that she was asking her friends to do the same so that they could begin taking donations.

Two weeks later the boyfriend is gone, she is no longer isolating herself from the family, and they all start to turn the corner in their relationships to one another.

So what happened? The daughter (and everyone else in the family) got caught up with the new story. They all felt needed and felt that they had a purpose. They became the heroes instead of the bit players. They knew that they were called to something greater than themselves. They had become the servants rather than the served.

As parents, as adults, as leaders we are the ones that initiate the story in our families and churches. It is up to us to get caught up in the story God is calling us to and to guide our loved ones into that story.

So the challenge before you is to ask, “What story am I telling?”

Is your story one of self-service or self-sacrifice? The first one is a pretty lousy tale.

The latter was told by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

“Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like–minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

In your relationships with one another, have the same attitude of mind Christ Jesus had:

Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.

And being found in appearance as a human being, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!

Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:1-11 TNIV)

Discipleship, Ethos, Faith in Action, Prayer, Wrestling With Scripture, Youth Ministry

Event vs. Lifestyle pt. 2

April 16, 2009 mjfelker1980

So yesterday we looked at 3 mindsets that keep us trapped by the idea that serving others is merely an event to DO rather than a lifestyle to BE LIVED OUT!

One Time Event Perspective:
1) Serving Seems Like a Waste
2) Serving Can Be Scary
3) Serving Hurts

These mindsets limit us and shut our hearts off from true service. But what if we changed our perspective? What happens to our service/attitudes when we realize that we’re called to BE servants? What changes might we see?

Serving Has a Purpose
By framing service as a lifestyle we gain long-term perspective and our individual acts of service no longer seem wasted time or money. You begin to build relationships with those you serve and you can see small changes to their lives and situations (even if only incremental changes). Your serving does have a purpose! You are helping others. You are lifting others up. You are loving others! You are doing this all while glorifying God. Living a lifestyle of service shows others that you care for them and that you love them. This models the care, concern, and love of the Father. Serving has a purpose but you don’t always get to see it in the short-term.

Serving Becomes Natural
When things seem unnatural to us they automatically fall into the realm of scary. It is human nature to be afraid of the unknown or uncomfortable with the strange. When we serve once a year or every once in a while we don’t have time to get over our fears. One of the biggest fears we all have is being scared of things that we don’t feel like we are good at. Starting out, no one feels like they are good at serving. We are great at receiving service from others but carrying it out is another story. We become confident in tasks the more frequently we practice them. In AA they tell you to “Fake it til you make it.” I wonder if this advice will help us gain confidence in our service? The more you serve, the easier it becomes. The more you serve, the less you be afraid.

Serving Hurts
Yes, Serving Hurts was on the last list. However, when we only see serving as an event to check off our list serving only hurts our muscles, our bottom line, our time, and our pocket books. These are the only costs involved in event service- well, they are the only costs we care about. When you live a life of service though something else begins to hurt- your heart. As you come in contact with broken and hurting people your heart can’t help but hurt. When you look at the task before you and come to grips with your desire to make a difference your heart hurts. When you begin to see the world through the eyes of those that you serve your heart hurts. When it comes to changing your perspective about service I think about a prayer I once read. It said, “Father, may my heart break for the things that break your heart.”

When you pray that prayer get ready. You will no longer simply DO service. Your desire will no longer be for serving in the short term. You won’t be trapped by fear or apathy any more.

You’ll be changed. You will BE a servant.

Campus Ministry, Discipleship, Ethos, Experience, Faith in Action, Wrestling With Scripture, Youth Ministry

Event vs. Lifestyle pt. 1

April 15, 2009 mjfelker1980 1 Comment

I had the opportunity to speak in chapel at Dallas Christian again this week. I have been able to speak to the students there about a dozen times over the last few years and I very much enjoy being with the students there and sharing Jesus with them.

I was given the topic of “Service.” Now, being that this could be a very broad issue I decided to do two things. 1) I wanted to be up front and honest about our attitudes surrounding “service” and 2) I wanted to leave these students with a few practical “service” ideas that they could begin practicing right away. So, the following is what I shared with them earlier this week.

“Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. If you speak, you should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If you serve, you should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.” (1Peter 4:8-11 TNIV)

I think we can all agree that we, as followers of Jesus, are called/challenged to serve others. We are to be servants of all and in doing so we show others the love of God and proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ. The problem comes when we fail to live lives marked by service. Service or serving others should be a lifestyle for the believer rather than an event to check off our Christian “to-do” lists. We aren’t called to DO service but are called to BE servants.

When you look at service as merely an event or something that you simply check off a list every once in a while, your serving can be hindered by 3 things. These 3 things seek to stop your service dead in its tracks by trapping your mind in fear and apathy.

Serving Can Seem Like a Waste
You step into a situation and you begin to immediately call things into question- “Do these people really need help?” “Have they even tried to get a job?” “Why are we here?”- or you begin to become hyper-critical- “All we are doing is slapping paint!” “It is too hot!” “Nobody said ‘Thank you’ to us!!!” Because you see service as a one time event your heart isn’t in a condition to really see the people your are helping. You have no long-term perspective on how to show and embody love in this situation. No wonder it seems like a waste.

Serving Can Be Scary
The people you deal with. The neighborhoods you have to go into. The equipment you use. The weirdoes you encounter. The situations you’re forced into. Serving can be scary and when something is scary we avoid it like the plague. We’re in, we’re out, and we leave a smoking trail behind us as we hightail it back to our homes and what’s comfortable.

Serving Hurts
While in high school I was helping tear down a garage for a family during work camp. As we were shoveling debris away I stepped right onto a nail. I threw down my shovel, pulled out the nail and the board it was attached to, and threw it down the street as far as I could. For the rest of my time there all I thought about was how much my foot hurt (and if I was going to get lockjaw). I wasn’t thinking about the service. I wasn’t thinking about love. I wasn’t thinking about Jesus.

I’m not going to lie to you. I have to battle against every single one of these mindsets. Romans 12:10 says that we are to “outdo one another in showing honor” (ESV). This means that service is an all new mindset. Service is 24/7/365. Service is a lifestyle. If we can begin to change our minds/hearts about service than our fears, our bad attitudes, and our focus will then be centered. We will then be focused and empowered by the embodiment of true sacrifice- Jesus Christ!

Event vs. Lifestyle pt 2 Tomorrow

Bible Study, Discipleship, Ethos, Experience, Wrestling With Scripture

Apples and Oranges

March 6, 2009 mjfelker1980

I recently attended a seminar for medical professionals and chaplains (of which I am neither) which featured Len Sweet, one of my favorite authors.

Sweet is a futurist and a theologian. His ideas have had a profound effect on the way I see, approach, and carry out ministry. Sweet speaks in images and during his keynote he gave me two pictures for approaching and integrating God’s Word that I’ve been wrestling with since that afternoon. While Sweet took these images in a different direction I believe that he planted a seed of thought in me and here is what has grown.

We must approach God’s Word- the reading, studying, and following of the Bible- like apples and oranges.

When I worked at a school I saw the dark side of Bible study. Most want to study God’s Word like they approach dissecting in biology class. They want a clean environment where the subject is surgically and carefully cut open. They poke and prod around inside until something of note is found. Then thy pull is out, observe it, note it, weigh it and then either discard it or preserve it in glass jars put on display for all to see. The problem with an autopsy is that the subject your are studying must be dead.

But God’s Word is “living and active.”

What if we approach the reading and integration of God’s Word more like the way we eat an orange or an apple?

I love oranges. When I get a hold of one the anticipation is palpable. I gently open it up. The aroma and the essence of the orange is all around me. I take in piece by piece not to observe and discard but to savor. I receive nourishment and refreshment from each segment. My senses are awakened and I feel revived because I have found life and health inside this fruit. Eating an orange is also a messy experience. The juice gets all over your hands and you are left with citrus scented fingers for much of the afternoon.

So it is with Scripture. We have been promised that within the Bible we will find the words of life. Study should never be to pull out and discard. It should be taken in, savored, and used to nourish our lives and point us to Almighty God. This approach leads to life change. You are forever changed by the Word when you allow it to permeate your mind, heart, and hands. Sometimes this is messy. Dissection gives quick answers, observations, and results. Digestion takes a little longer and the process is largely out of our hands. Relying on God is always harder than relying on your own white-coat lab notes.

While I tend to enjoy the effects and experience if eating oranges I know that I also need to eat more apples.

You eat apples whole. You take it in your hand and you just give it a good bite. You dive in all the way and all the way to the end. An apple has a start and a finish.

God’s Word also must be experienced as a whole. God’s story- His-story- is the good news with a beginning and an end. It starts with creation and moves through the whole of God’s revelation giving us a glimpse of His ultimate victory and glory. It tells us who God is, who we are, who/where God wants us to be, and how He is getting us there. When was the last time you experienced God’s Word as a whole? My guess is most of us eat more oranges than apples. However a good, balanced diet will include both.

Same goes for your spiritual health. When you study don’t dissect- savor and enjoy. Be changed, nourished, and revived by what you find and experience. Also, don’t just take in the Word piece by piece. Go all in and experience the Word as a whole- from beginning to end.

What are you waiting for? Take a snack break and experience what I’m talking about. May you be forever changed by God’s goodness and favor. May you take in His fruit and may it lead to health and growth and life in ways that impact you and those around you.

Bible Study, Discipleship, Ministry, Remarkable, Technology, Theology, Wrestling With Scripture, Youth Ministry

Teaching and Reaching

February 18, 2009 mjfelker1980 3 Comments

Last night was an epic moment for me in youth ministry.

Everyone who came to Bible study came with their own Bible! Seriously… It was a beautiful thing!!!

As a minister in the 21st century I often wonder if we have created an impossible scenario where the teens/adults in our ministries/churches don’t feel the need to bring their Bibles because we provide the text for them via PowerPoint or some other presentation software. Maybe they don’t feel the need to have their own Bible because we too often only use one or two verses in our lessons or jump around from book to book. This too often leads to proof texting (boo!) and a blasé attitude to actually bringing, reading, and engaging with the Word on a personal level. I’m not saying we should stop projecting scripture- we shouldn’t- I just wonder if we make it too easy for people to just look to the screen.

This semester we have been slowly working through 2Timothy using Barry Shafer’s inductive Bible study Rock Solid Faith.

This has been a great introduction to the inductive method of study. The way I describe it to my teens is by saying that we are using the Bible to study the Bible. Simple as that. By prompting the teens to read and dig and explore they naturally come across what God is saying to them. Living inside the text allows the heart to tune into the Holy Spirit’s prompting and guidance.

What I sensed happening last night is that these teens are interested in what their Bibles have to say- that is, they want to hear from God! They really engaged with the passages last night and shared some great things- even some laughs as well! That’s what youth ministry is all about.

On a side note, one teen was reading his Bible from his iPhone last night using the YouVersion app. I have talked with a few of our adults who are using the YouVersion Blackberry app on Sunday mornings. Another thing to consider in this 21st century ministry climate: as the technology evolves will we see it as a distraction or as a tool? One leads to avoidance and stagnation- the other leads to adaptability and growth. Which will you choose?

Book Review, Discipleship, Ministry, Questions, Resources, Theology, Worship, Wrestling With Scripture

Quick Thoughts About the Holy Spirit and Our Worship

February 5, 2009 mjfelker1980 1 Comment

“All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (John 14:25-27)

“When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me. And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning.” (John 15:26-27)

“But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment:about sin, because people do not believe in me;about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned. I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.” (John 16:7-15)

While there are many debates and discussions about the Holy Spirit’s role in our worship I want to focus on some things that Jesus tells his disciples right up front about what the Holy Spirit will do in their lives. Rather than sift through meaningless debate let’s look to the source and see what Jesus has to say about it (I’m crazy right? See what Jesus has to say!?!? Weird I know but go with me on this one).

I would encourage you to read John 14-16 before you read here any further. Then grab a pen/pencil and mark every time Jesus mentions the Holy Spirit (Advocate, Counselor) and mark what Jesus says about the Spirit’s role in the lives of his followers.

Here is what I found.

The Counselor, the Spirit of truth- lives in those who love Jesus and is with them (14:16-17)
The Counselor, the Holy Spirit- teaches us and reminds us of what Jesus said and did (14:26)
The Counselor- testifies about Jesus (15:26)
The Counselor- convicts the world of guilt in regard to sin, righteousness, and judgement (16:7-11)
The Spirit of truth- guides us into truth, speaks what he hears (16:13); brings glory to Jesus by taking what is Jesus’ and makes it know to the world (16:14-15)

So how does this knowledge help us as we gather together for worship? It means that as we worship, as we focus on glorifying God in Jesus Christ, the Spirit is there with us. He teaches us and reminds us of who God is, what his Son taught and accomplished, and how dependent we are on the loving and powerful God. The Spirit allows us to testify to Jesus and the saving power of the cross. The Spirit convicts me and everyone else about their sin and calls us to righteousness. Ultimately it is the Spirit in us and working through us that empowers our worship to make Jesus known through our lives and throughout the world.

That take a lot of pressure off me as a leader. I humbly submit to the Spirit knowing that it isn’t the powerpoint, lesson, or even the songs that glorify God and change lives. It is the power of almighty God in Jesus Christ through his Spirit that allows us to worship in spirit and truth. If we fail to recognize this than we are merely relying on man-made tricks to get people feeling “worshipful.”

Kauflin ends the chapter by challenging leaders to ask the following questions:

1) Next Sunday, if the Spirit stopped empowering your worship, would anyone notice?
2) Would you?

The questions are to you and me. Would we notice? I hope so. I hope we would notice and then humbly submit to God to send a fresh outpouring of his Spirit so that we might be changed – “for the good of the church and the glory of the Savior.”

Book Review, Discipleship, Leadership, Resources, Worship, Wrestling With Scripture

Working Definition of a Worship Leader 1

February 3, 2009 mjfelker1980

In Worship Matters, author Bob Kauflin laysout his working definition of a Worship Leader. He states,

A faithful worship leader
magnifies the Greatness of God in Jesus Christ
through the power of the Holy Spirit
by skillfully combining God’s Word with music,
thereby motivating the gathered church
to proclaim the gospel,
to cherish God’s presence,
and to live for God’s glory.

Let’s unpack this definition and get at the heart of what Kauflin is saying.

A Faithful Worship Leader…
Here faithful is defined as “adhering to the observance of a duty, keeping your word, fulfilling your obligations. It involves being loyal, constant, and reliable.” Kauflin rightfully argues that God isn’t concerned with the worship leader being exalted with fame and/or popularity. God is first and foremost seeking worship leaders who are faithful to Him. In my favorite section of this chapter Kauflin writes,

Although we never know exactly how people are going to respond during a meeting, we tend to reap what we sow. If we sow to God’s glory in Christ, we’ll reap the fruit of people in awe of God’s greatness and goodness. But to do that we must faithfully paint a compelling, attractive, biblical picture of the Savior. God isn’t hiding from us, waiting to see if we’ll find the right combination to unlock his blessing. He is eager to work through us as we faithfully lead our church into a clearer understanding of his glory.

In the margin of the book I wrote a great big ole “BOOM!” around this passage. Kauflin is exactly right. We can’t be faithful to tends because they come and go. We can’t be faithful to styles or to particular songs. We are called to be faithful to God Almighty. Anything less would be foolish.

Magnifies the Greatness of God…
When leading others in worship, I always seek to begin with songs that proclaim the greatness of God. I love hearing the church sing songs like We Praise Thee O God, Hallelujah, Praise Jehovah, How Great Is Our God, Indescribable, and Awesome God. I often will read a Psalm that reminds us of the nature of the God we sing to and pray to and worship. Kauflin begins this chapter by quoting Psalm 145:3:

“Great is the LORD and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable.”

Kauflin believes that when leading worship the leader must be clear and specific about God’s nature and acts so that we remind people just who this God is and what he has done. Basically, we need to make sure that we communicate through the songs that we sing, the scriptures that we read, the prayers that we pray, and everything else we do proclaims that God alone is worthy of our worship. He warns that unless there is a strong biblical foundation for our worship we will run the risk of worshiping a feeling, emotion, or style. Reminding people of who God is and what he has done- not an upbeat song or warm fuzzy feeling- provides the appropriate foundation for our affections.

In Jesus Christ…
One of my biggest complaints with some churches and ministers is when I gather with them we can often spend an entire worship experience together and the name of Jesus rarely, if ever, comes up. There is a guy on TV that preaches and I have never-NEVER- heard him talk about Jesus. What’s with that? It isn’t just guys on TV. Too many ministers and preachers have forgotten to heed the example of Paul and have failed to deliver the message of “first importance.” The message of Jesus Christ and his death for our sins.

Kauflin encourages those who lead worship with this challenge,

Everytime we step up to lead the congregation, we should present a clear picture of “the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2Cor 4:6). We come together to retell, remember, and respond to the gospel and all that it accomplished. We have been saved to trust in, love, desire, and obey the matchless One who is the only Savior of the world and the radience of the Father’s glory.

Therefore, one of our primary thoughts as we plan a Sunday meeting should be: Will our time together cause people’s view of, trust in, and desire for God’s glory in Christ and him crucified to increase?

That is a great challenge and one I will take with me every time I step up to lead.

Through the Power of the Holy Spirit
I know sometimes I get so wrapped up in the lighting, the mood, the right songs, avoiding the wrong songs, pacing, verse numbers, atmosphere, sound system that I feel like leading people in worship is my job and mine alone. I believe that by controlling all the right elements that I can change peoples focus and attitudes toward God. While I don’t really believe that my actions/focus might say otherwise.

Kauflin begins by saying that churches can magnify the greatness of God in Christ and still “fail to demonstrate the kind of empowered living and passion that the gospel should produce” because churches/leaders “attempt to worship God apart from the power of the Holy Spirit.”

One of the most haunting conversations I have had was with a leader with one of the ministries I served. We had had numerous issues with spiritually impoverished people- infighting, rampant sin, rebellion against authority, ill-will, and lack of leadership. One day while lamenting these issues he turned to me and said, ‘Micheal, maybe were are seeing these things because the Holy Spirit has never been welcomed here. We are wondering where his presence is in the middle of all this and I’m thinking he isn’t here because people have never invited him here.”

There is so much we speculate about when it comes to the Holy Spirit. We spend nearly 100% of our time when speaking about the HS either avoiding talk about the HS or arguing about the unknown mysteries of the HS. I think it is time we remember what we do know about the Spirit’s role in worship.

Tomorrow: The Spirit’s Role

Discipleship, Ethos, Leadership, Ministry, Sermons, Theology, Thoughts, Wrestling With Scripture

Are We Human?

January 26, 2009 mjfelker1980

I had the opportunity to speak at the junior high and senior high chapels at my alma mater this morning. I really enjoy speaking and teaching and so I try to take every opportunity that comes my way. I look at it as “honing my speaking skills.” Jay Leno hits the comedy clubs. I hit the guest speaking circuit.

I was given the assignment to speak on “What is the definition of humanity?” Real easy huh?

I decided to approach defining humanity by the way we treat others who are different from us. Meaning, our humanity depends on us treating all men with dignity, respect, kindness, and compassion.

This first issue the church dealt with was with racism. The Jewish Christians were unwilling to fully accept the Gentile Christians. This bred hostility and an attitude of exclusiveness.

“We’re in. You’re out. Deal with it!”

In Ephesians 2 Paul reminds us that, regardless of our past, we all have a brand new beginning with Jesus. Because of his mercy and grace, we have been brought inside. We belong to one another and to him. He goes on to say,

“It was only yesterday that you outsiders to God’s ways had no idea of any of this, didn’t know the first thing about the way God works, hadn’t the faintest idea of Christ. You knew nothing of that rich history of God’s covenants and promises in Israel, hadn’t a clue about what God was doing in the world at large. Now because of Christ—dying that death, shedding that blood—you who were once out of it altogether are in on everything.

The Messiah has made things up between us so that we’re now together on this, both non-Jewish outsiders and Jewish insiders. He tore down the wall we used to keep each other at a distance. He repealed the law code that had become so clogged with fine print and footnotes that it hindered more than it helped. Then he started over. Instead of continuing with two groups of people separated by centuries of animosity and suspicion, he created a new kind of human being, a fresh start for everybody.

Christ brought us together through his death on the Cross. The Cross got us to embrace, and that was the end of the hostility. Christ came and preached peace to you outsiders and peace to us insiders. He treated us as equals, and so made us equals. Through him we both share the same Spirit and have equal access to the Father.” (Ephesians 2:11-18 MESSAGE)

We are part of a New Humanity. Being human means that we live out the Greatest Command not just in our cozy holy huddles but by loving those who are considered outsiders. Loving the unloveable. Jesus is our example and our mark.

Through the story of the Good Samaritan we learn that being this new human means we care for those who are a different race and religion than we are.

Through the woman at the well and the woman caught in adultery we learn that this new humanity show compassion to those whose moral compass points a different direction than our own.

Through watching Jesus heal the lame, the diseased, the poor we see that being human is loving the broken.

Have have you shown your humanity to others today?

Discipleship, Ethos, Experience, Faith in Action, Leadership, Life, Ministry, Wrestling With Scripture

They Could Not Take Your PRIDE

January 19, 2009 mjfelker1980

Every year on this day I celebrate the life Martin Luther King with a post of one of Dr King’s speeches. Sometimes I post the full text or I highlight some of moments that speak to me as I read them. Today I want to post my favorite quote from Dr. King. It is short. It is to the point. It is powerful. I think a lot about this quote in life. Too often we feel that the task before us- whether it be a grand task like Justice or a seemingly insignificant one like Self-Discipline- is impossible.

Press on and keep pressing. If you can’t fly, run; if you can’t run, walk; if you can’t walk- CRAWL.”

Having this attitude, this focus, and creed helps me keep crawling to a better day for my self, my family, my ministry, and all those whom I come in contact with.

I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:14)

This is my goal. This is my ideal. This is my mission. Press on and keep pressing… fly, run, walk, or crawl.

Whose crawling with me?

MichealFelker.com