It's Called A Universe!

Pastors across America struggle with the persistent and accelerating decline of the church. They pray, preach, and ponder. The decline is unrelenting. Why?

Robert Bellah is the Editor of a book published in 1985, Habits of The Heart. It is a study of the profound loss of 'community' in America. In that title he coined a phrase to describe this devastating onslaught - Ontological Individualism.

The essence of that term describes the desire to be utterly and absolutely independent of one another.

God created mankind as a community of being all connected to and impacted by the conduct of the others. The hue and cry today is "what I do is my business"! Really?

Not so.

Every divorce tears at the fabric of our nation. The children of divorce stagger under the loss of a father.

Every act of adultery tears at the fabric of our nation. Remarriage takes the cause(s) into the next union and repeats same.

Every robbery tears at the fabric of our nation. Incarceration solves nothing. We need confession, repentance and restitution.

Every murder tears at the fabric of our nation. Those who kill should be executed.

The church must enter the Marketplace and declare with compassion and clarity the oneness that mankind shares. Truth is transcendent and applies to all people in every land without exception. Grace makes the application of this Truth possible.

Chasing Fantasies

He who works his land will have abundant food, but he who chases fantasies lacks judgment. (Proverbs 12:11, NIV)

 The text says literally - - has a needy heart.

As I write (12/13/13) people across America are pouring millions of dollars into the purchase of  Mega-Millions Lottery tickets. They hope to win ($400 Million+). It has rolled over (meaning no one has won since October 1st). Your chances of winning are like getting struck with a meteor. Talk about a FANTASY!!

This proverb is constructed with anti-thetical paralellism. Work your land and find abundance. Chase fantasies and watch your money fly away like a leaf in the autumn winds.

Better to run to the Person and Finished work of Jesus Christ. There you will find eternal life and abundance beyond description.

"THANKFUL"

The Pilgrims at the first Thanksgiving were likely a subset of Puritanism and possibly prayed a prayer like this one from The Valley of Vision:

O My God, Thou fairest, greatest, first of all objects, my heart admires, adores, loves thee, for my little vessel is as full as it can be, and I would pour out all that fullness before thee in ceaseless flow.

When I think upon and converse with thee ten thousand delightful thoughts spring up, ten thousand sources of pleasure are unsealed, ten thousand refreshing joys spread over my heart, crowding into every moment of happiness.

I bless thee for the soul thou hast created, for adorning it, for sanctifying it, though it is fixed in barren soil;

for the body thou hast given me, for preserving its strength and vigour, for providing senses to enjoy delights, for the ease and freedom of my limbs, for hands, eyes, ears that do thy bidding;

for thy royal bounty providing my daily support, for a full table and overflowing cup, for appetite, taste, sweetness, for social joys of relatives and friends, for ability to serve others, for a heart that feels sorrows and necessities, for a mind to care for my fellow-men, for opportunities of spreading happiness around, for loved ones in the joys of heaven, for my own expectation of seeing thee clearly.

I love thee above the powers of language to express, for what thou art to thy creatures. Increase my love, O my God, through time and eternity.

Pastor - Is This YOU?

I recently had exchange with a Pastor, a friend of many years (1973). His perception of folks such as I who are Church Consultants (I prefer the ID 'Pastoral Liaison') is quite low. In one of our exchanges I posted the following. Let me know if I am a "Grumpy Old Man" - our children got me that Video for Christmas one year - our spot on accurate.

Having said that, 70% or more of the people in evangelical churches are simply unregenerate. I am hated for declaring this but the conduct and the absence of genuine fruitfulness - - Disciples fully formed in the image of Christ - is exhibit 'A' that supports my thesis. When I started IgniteUS in 2000 I used the figure of 3,000 church closings each year. This week Thom Rainer in a BLOG post said that figure is now 8,000 - 10,000.

This is true because Pastors lack both the wisdom, courage, skill and tenacity to identify that lostness, lovingly confront those lost people, and see GOD change their hearts which only HE can do. Pulpits pump out bland moralisms rather than flaming heart transforming Truth. Quite simply most gatherings that fly under the banner 'church' are nothing more than a building whose architectural capital feature is a steeple. They have no exegetical/theological definition of what a Disciple is and therefore no process to measure spiritual formation. There is no Elder/Shepherd accountability applied to the sheep for the growth in grace Peter commands (2Peter3:18). They tell me if they attempt that they will get fired. Who are you serving? 57% of evangelical Pastors would walk out the door today if they had a way to care for their families. The Scripture calls them hirelings. They have activity that will wear you out but on December 31st the vast majority of those who are present for every service are no more like Christ than they were on January 1st. If they attempt to apply such the NAKED TRUTH will be revealed so they continue 'going through the motions'. My fear is that many/dare I say most will hear those frightful words - - Depart from ME, I never knew you!

When I started IgniteUS I chose the name "Neros Broken Fiddle". I did so because the church is fiddling while the nation/world burns, consumed by the culture in which they exist. The LORD warned the nation of Israel not to adopt the folk-ways & mores of the nations they were going to displace. They ignored Him and so do we. I was affirmed by David Wells many years later when I read in one of his five (5) titles that very description. We changed our name but the reality that I noted still exist, in fact the acceleration of decline is nothing short of stunning.

What say you??

The Almond Tree Blossoms

Solomon describes the aging process in Eccl. 12:5 by using the Almond Tree. When the blossoms come to full maturity they are grey in color. When an old man looks in the mirror his hair is grey (if he has any!)

This is the inevitable cycle of life. We are born. We race through the arrogance of our youth. All too soon we look in the mirror and we are grey! Yikes.

This cycle of aging is also true for churches, all organizations. They are born, they flourish. They age.

I am working with a church, once filled with 2,700 members. They now have 371 'on the role'. 47% of this number are age 70+. The actuarial table for a male in this state says the expected life span is 78 years of age. 38% of this number are already above age 75.

It is extremely difficult (as in nearly impossible) to affect transformation among such a demographic.

The Lesson - DO NOT squander the days of your youth local church. Constant unending relentless Reformation & Renewal from the day you are born is the best antidote to this Almond Blossom Syndrome.

What is the demographic age of the church where you serve? Better know this and sooner rather than later!!!

A Tribute - To the "Small Men in my Life!"

We are all profoundly influenced by people. Often the recognition of their influence comes long after they are gone. The "Small Men" I am writing about refers to their physical stature not their character or influence upon my pilgrimage. None were over 5'-7" tall. They are virtual giants in their continuing influence on me as a man and as a Leader of Men.

#1 - My Paternal Grandfather - William Fillinger. In 1929 when the market crashed he purchased a farm. He had been an engineer and traveled the country establishing manufacturing plants for the U.S. Gypsum Co. His eye sight was compromised. He wore 'coke bottle' glasses. In this new occupation I was privileged to learn much from him. He was intelligent and creative. In those days the 'sellers' walked away with only the clothes on their backs. Everything else, house, barns, livestock, equipment all went to the buyer.

The desk in my study (cf. the photo) was in the house. It, like so many of life's richest treasures, was covered in black gum varnish. When stripped and refinished it sparkles as a marvelous piece of furniture that graces my Study. This is a tribute to my memory of my grandfather.

My Grandfather had turn signals on his cars long before Detroit added this feature. The only exception - his only worked when you turned the wheel. There were two (2) bushel baskets under a work bench in the garage. As a boy of 9-10 I was absolutely convinced that anything in the universe that you might need was in one of those baskets. He could fix or repair almost anything. His quiet intelligent creativity continues to influence me to this day.

#2 - My Maternal Grandfather - Lester Short. Hard work - diligence and persistence. I remember working side by side with him. When we built something it was done properly, no compromises. I suppose he as well as I would be characterized as 'driven men'. When we finished lunch he would say as the last fork full of food was consumed - 'OK, let's go!' At the age of 4 when my mother sat down for a coffee break while cleaning house I said to her - - 'Mother, isn't this wasting time?' (as recorded in my baby-book) WOW! Did he impact my life or what?

I remember sitting at the dinner table with him and the discussion centered on righteousness as expressed in the care of animals. He cited Proverbs 12 - Whoever is righteous has regard for the life of his beast . . . (Prov. 12:10). He took me duck hunting. He guided my trembling hands while hunkered down in a duck blind to down a green-winged teal on a cloudy October morning. That memory is as fresh as every morning sun rise.

#3 - Dr. George Lawlor - Koine' Greek

I did not begin under graduate studies until age 27. My interest in High School was baseball not academics. So, when I began language study I was petrified to say the least. We began with 32 in the class - finished with 12. Dr. Lawlor insisted on precision in knowledge, especially in the language of the NT. I can hear him to this day beginning each class with the injunction - - 'know those endings!' I still have hanging in my study the 'vocabulary ring' I carried 24/7 in my endeavor to 'know those endings'!

He was impeccably dressed. He could serve as a mannequin for Hart, Schaeffner & Marx. His passion for Truth as revealed in the Greek text of the NT matched his dashing but humble appearance. I had the joy of knowing him up close and personal through a series of service opportunities. He was a scholar, a theologian and a dedicated instructor of men who would become pastors. Machen's Grammar mastered.

#4 - Dr. James Boyer - Gramcord

 Humility personified. He organized and systematized the Greek NT. This became Gramcord, one of the first digital versions of the Greek NT. He was quiet and dedicated. He retired early to care for his wife in her latter days. This was simply the only thing he could do because that is who he was.

He helped me and countless others acquire proficiency in the study of the Greek NT.

We must each be who God made us. Part of His 'making us' is the people He uses to shape and mold us. I am forever thankful for these four (4) men and their contribution to my life and to my capacity to serve the kingdom of God. Thank you William, Lester, George and James. I pray that I have invested well those skills and competencies you graciously built into my life.

Sound Doctrine & Church Health

Recently read the Book of Titus in my Bible Reading routine. I noted in Titus 1:9 & 2:1 the meaning of the word translated 'sound'.

The word is 'ugiainousei. (cf. Arndt & Ginrich pp. 839-840)

The ministry of IgniteUS is dedicated to seeing the church become Healthy & Effective disciplemakers. The church is a theological entity. When and only then the church practices Sound Doctrine can she be healthy. We provide what we have labeled our 14 Effectiveness Criteria. These areas when embraced with integrity result in a healthy & effective NT church.

More to come in the 10/15 News Letter. Ask yourself this question - - If the church I lead is only as healthy as our adherence to sound doctrine, what is the health of that church?