A Place For The God-Hungry

Beginning today, I am on vacation. That also means that I am taking a vacation from this blog for a few weeks.

The next post will appear on Monday, July 20.

In the meantime, I want to tell you how much I appreciate you coming to this place. Many of you come here several times a week. Some of you read "A Place for the God Hungry" daily. I take none of this for granted. I am grateful.

A number of years ago, when I began writing this blog, I never really thought about how many people might eventually be reading it. It never occurred to me that regular readers would live all over the United States and in other countries as well. Today, I am so blessed that our paths have crossed.

I write these posts, primarily, for the daily encouragement of people who are just trying to deal with life. I post about a variety of things that interest me. At times, I will reflect on a book I read or something I saw in the news. I sometimes write posts for those who serve as ministers/pastors/church leaders, etc. Yet most of the time, these posts are intended to encourage in some way.

When I write, I will sometimes think about you sitting in front of your computer reading a post like this.

Some days, I will think about you...

• ... as a mother just trying to deal with life with all of its pressures and stresses. You have so much going on as you deal with your children, your spouse, your house, etc.
• ... as a single person, maybe divorced or maybe never married. Maybe you are thinking about the future and wondering what the future holds. You sometimes feel nervous about your job, the economy, and on and on. You try to remember to trust God each day.
• ... as a Christ-follower who is trying to stay on the right path. Yet, there are so many distractions and discouragements. You are thankful for God's grace as he has forgiven your past sins and is now empowering you to live in the present moment.
• ... as a minister/pastor/church leader, etc. Or, maybe you are the spouse of someone in this role. Serving in a role like this (as a minister) can be very, very difficult. It can also be very lonely as you probably know. Perhaps at times you also deal with discouragement. I think about you as I write some of these posts.

So again, thanks for regularly coming to this place. See you Monday, July 20.

Tomorrow will be my last post, last use of Twitter, and last Facebook update until Monday, July 20.

July is normally a wonderful month for me. Each year, I am away from work for two weeks of vacation and then two weeks of study in preparation for the fall. So during the first two weeks of vacation, I won't be posting on this blog, Twitter, or Facebook (not sure that is a word). Later, I will talk about the vacation and study time. I will also post about what is in store. In the meantime, I will post a "Be Back July 20th" sign on this blog.

I have to admit, I always get a little nervous about disappearing from this blog for two weeks.

• Maybe some regular readers will be slow about coming back. (Surely not.
• Maybe I will miss the chance to connect with new readers of this blog.
• Maybe some occasional readers will check in a few times and then not really think about checking again on July 20.

Nevertheless, I have found it helpful to take a break from this blog and to regroup each year.

During these two weeks away, I will be thinking about what I plan to post next, etc. I plan many of these posts over a period of weeks. Sometimes, I scrap the plan and go with what is on my heart and mind at the moment.

I am always open to your suggestions and input regarding this blog. Quite often, posts on this blog are triggered by your comments.   

If you read this blog and have never left a comment, I want to encourage you to do so. You have something to offer. After all, you are uniquely you! You have a way of seeing life and thinking about life that is worth expressing and hearing. Some of the most interesting comments I have read on this blog came from ordinary people who are simply expressing themselves. So again, if you read this blog regularly and have never commented, please let me encourage you to do so.

I would like to hear what you think about this. What has been your experience?

I mentioned to you in a recent post that I am spending much time in 2 Corinthians right now. There is a fascinating section of this book that I have read a number of times. The text is 2 Corinthians 2:14-7:4. Paul is being accused by some opponents of not being the "real deal." He responds by defending his integrity and role as an apostle and as a Christian minister. He reminds these people of the Gospel and its implications for ministry.

These opponents were apparently taking advantage of this church by promoting themselves. Meanwhile, they took Paul's refusal to do so as a weakness. "Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, like some people, letters of recommendation to you or from you" (3:1)? Also, "We do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake" (4:5).

I know many ministers. I have witnessed many, many examples of self-less service. Away from microphones and the Sunday morning spotlight, these people give to others in ways that no one ever sees. I am not impressed with their ministry because of their speaking ability or their public gifts. Rather, it is because they live as "... servants for Jesus' sake" (4:5).

On the other hand, I have also seen subtle and not so subtle acts of self-promotion. I cringe when the message from the minister seems to be, "I am important." (I am not referring to a person living out an important role in the life of a church. Rather, I am referring to a self-consciousness that manages to communicate to others, "I personally am important and need to be noticed.")

Sometimes, this same spirit is seen in the way some congregations appear to jockey with one another for position in a certain community. It almost appears that they are in a race to the finish, competing with every other church in town. Yet, is Christian ministry really supposed to be about churches competing with one another?

I am thinking through some of these concerns as I read through 2 Corinthians again and again. I would appreciate hearing your thoughts and observations. What does this look like where you live? What has been your experience?

***

Questions:

What are some examples of ministers who serve in ways that reflect they are "... servants for Jesus' sake"? How have these people impressed you?

What are some examples of subtle and not so subtle self-promotion today (not searching for names but examples of behaviors that you have seen)?

Why do some congregations seem to almost be in competition with others in their communities?

Have you ever walked into a room and then closed the door behind you only to realize that you were locked in?

Charlotte and I had been invited, along with our small group, to dinner at a family's new home. They had only lived in this house a few weeks. They were still making adjustments and taking note of what needed attention. I walked into a restroom just off the living room area. I closed the door behind me, locking it. Then, I saw a screwdriver beside the sink.

Sure enough, the door was not only locked but it would not open -- at all! Now I realized why a screwdriver was in the room. This had happened before.

Have you ever been locked inside a church? You entered freely. You were excited to become a part of that fellowship of believers. Yet, now that you are inside, you keep finding locked doors.

1. You may find a locked door when you question the traditions and customs of the congregation or the denomination. I am not talking here about attacking the traditions or customs or condemning them. In some circles, one dare not even ask a question that might elicit a response that goes beyond the standard accepted answer.

2. You may find a locked door when you read the Bible and wrestle with its implications for our lives today. Not long ago, a young minister told me that he had finally heard the unbelievable. He said that, in a moment of frustration, a gentleman in his church exclaimed, "I don't care what the Bible says, I don't like it and don't want to do it!"

3. You may find a locked door when you share with some in the church a dream for ministry in your community and beyond. You then realize that not everyone shares your excitement. At first you can't figure out why. Then you begin to realize that this dream is apparently upsetting some who are committed to the status quo. Those who put a premium on the status quo often see the church as a spiritual recliner. Let's just sit back, enjoy being saved, and be content to watch life go by.

4. You may find a locked door when you realize the objective of the congregation seems to be keeping people happy and content instead of reaching others who are living without a relationship with God. Consequently, a young minister may hear something like this in his church: "Let's just do what we have always done, but let's do it better. There is no reason to change anything." After awhile the young minister grows discouraged and slips away. Or, he just gives up and stops dreaming.

I am convinced these doors can be unlocked and God working through his Spirit can breathe new life into churches both small and large. These doors don't have to be locked. A fear-based faith will always try to control by discouraging anything that appears to be outside our comfort zone or familiar system. Consequently, the doors gets locked. On the other hand, a grace-based faith will change the hearts of men and women and cause them to live in perpetual thanksgiving.

I am not interested in doing anything that is unbiblical or moves us away from the core of the Gospel. Yet, I am interested in getting back to the very heart of what Jesus was about.

As long as we talk among ourselves and the conversation never gets outside ourselves, we will continue to play intramural theological games. However, when we begin to look and listen to the people on the street, we might hear questions that are not being asked behind these locked doors.   

People have street-level questions and desire a street-level hope. After all, Jesus was the street-level savior who brought hope to the world.

This is something I have been thinking about lately. Will you give this some thought as well?

***

Question:

Do you see other doors that are often locked inside a church?

What important questions do you hear from people outside churches?

Her name was Emma Daniel Gray. Just the other day, she passed away.

For 24 years she cleaned the White House at night. Each evening she cleaned the president's office and paused when she came to the president's chair. At that point, she would pray, still holding her cleaning materials. During all those years, she prayed for each president who sat in that chair. She prayed for six different presidents during the time that she worked at the White House. What did she pray? She prayed for these presidents to have blessings, wisdom and safety.

Emma Daniel Gray made a difference.

• Who knows how God answered these middle-of-the-night prayers.
• Who knows what God did when he heard this simple woman utter a prayer each night on behalf of one of the presidents.
• Who knows how God moved because this woman prayed.

Consider these words: "The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective" (James 5:16). When we pray to God, we are participating in a moment that is powerful and effective.

So when you come to the chair, what do you pray?

(The information regarding Emma Daniel Gray comes from Patricia Sullivan of The Washington Post.)

***

Questions

When you pray for your spouse, what do you pray?

When you pray for your special friend, what do you pray?

When you pray for your minister/preacher/pastor, etc., what do you pray?

What is the prayer of your heart as you pray for these people?

Have you ever read a biography or autobiography that was difficult to put down? Have you ever read the story of another woman or man that caused you to really think?

When I was a child, a branch of the Dallas Public Library opened near our home. I often went to this library on Saturday mornings. Much of my time was spent in a section of books that contained the biographies and autobiographies for my age group. I loved these books. I read stories of presidents, generals, coaches, and world explorers. I read the biographies of people like Abraham Lincoln, Clara Barton, Winston Churchill, Louisa May Alcott, and many, many others. I read the biographies of people who lived in the USA and in other countries as well. It was wonderful.

I continue to love biographies. Just the other evening, I walked into a Barnes & Noble bookstore. Within a few minutes, I was thumbing through the new biographies. I stood in one place looking at biography after biography. There is something about reading a great biography that not only helps me understand the person who is the subject of the book but also sometimes helps me understand my own story.

Almost eighteen years ago, our family was traveling through Missouri. We spent one night in a downtown St. Louis hotel. I vividly recall getting up early the next morning and slipping out of the room while my family slept. I went downstairs to find a cup of coffee and a place where I could read. For the next hour or so, I sat at a small table on the sidewalk, nursing a cup of coffee, and read William Martin's biography of Billy Graham. This biography was so refreshing to me. Graham's integrity spoke volumes and was encouraging and even inspirational to me. I suspect that one reason for remembering the morning so vividly is that Graham's story encouraged me at a critical time when I was very discouraged with my ministry.

Now please think for a moment about some of the biographies you have read. Think about the people who were the subjects of those biographies.

***

Questions:

What attracts you to read a particular biography?

Whose life story have you read that you particularly enjoyed?

Whose life story would you one day like to read?

Have you ever known someone who had a knack for saying the inappropriate? I'm talking about those people who say things to others that cause you to cringe and wish you could hide!

My dad was in the hospital a number of years ago after a heart attack. He had an angioplasty procedure ("the balloon") done to clear the blockage. That evening, when he was resting in his hospital room, a friend of my parents came into the hospital room to visit. He leaned against the wall and began talking about a friend of his who had a similar procedure done. He went through this long, detailed story and then paused. My dad was weak, having just come out of recovery. He asked in a faint voice, "What happened to him?" His friend answered, "Oh he's dead! That balloon didn't hold." I saw the mortified look on Dad's face. Then the guy said, "Well, I've got to go." Out the door he went. So much for encouragement.

I would like to think that what I say is shaped by following Christ. In various situations, I want to say what is appropriate. After all, I am a Christ-follower.

Yet, every day we hear the inappropriate:

*Stupid -- Not really thinking about how what I say might impact someone else. "I can't believe you don't know how to do this?"

*Thoughtless -- Some people just blurt out what enters their mind and don't seem to use any filter.

*Immoral -- Some people have a way of turning innocent remarks or comments into something sexually suggestive or explicit. I once worked (in college) for a large company. I worked in an office area in downtown Dallas. There were approximately fifteen people in our area. Late one afternoon, an older manager was telling dirty jokes to a couple of female staffers. An older woman walked into this conversation, unaware of what was going on. She became the butt of the next joke.

*Rude -- Some husbands/wives have given themselves permission to be very rude in the way they speak to their spouses. Sometimes this is done under the guise of "I just need to get my feelings out."

*Discouraging -- A young minister preaches one Sunday morning. He has only been preaching for about six months. He rarely hears any feedback that is encouraging. Meanwhile, several people harshly criticize him each week.

We could talk more about what is inappropriate. But let's think about what it means to speak what is appropriate.

Saying what is appropriate is sometimes difficult. After all, sometimes a father has to correct his child. At times a wife may have to confront her husband. Sometimes one may have to talk with her close friend about what she is seeing in her life. Yet, there is a way to speak that is gracious yet firm. There is a way to speak that is kind and yet truthful. There is a way to speak that is Christ honoring and appropriate.

At times, we all make mistakes in what we say. Yet, I don't want to simply shrug my shoulders and say, "That's just the way I am."

I have often had to say, "I'm sorry." On a number of occasions I have said, "That came out wrong. I didn't mean it the way it must have sounded." I have said to my wife and my children on a number of occasions, "I'm sorry for my tone of voice."

Each Sunday, every single word I utter during a sermon is recorded. I take great care in what I say to our congregation each Sunday. I want these messages to be both true and appropriate for the moment. Yet, I need to also have that same concern regarding what I say during the remainder of the week. These words are not recorded like those Sunday messages. Yet, my words are recorded in someone's mind. These words are no less significant.

***

Question:

In what ways have you seen appropriate words bless others? How have you seen inappropriate words hurt others?

I've got a question. What are the secrets in churches?

I believe that in churches everywhere, people have secrets. These are secrets that men and women have in their hearts. These secrets may involve feelings, questions, sins, past experiences, addictions, future intentions, etc.

Some of these secrets include:

1. The man who has always had some serious questions about the Bible. Is it really God's word? How can I know this? How can I know there is a God and that he really loves me? What if I have doubts?

2. A woman continues to be impacted by a dark secret. She had an affair years ago while she and her husband were going through some difficulties. No one in her church knows this. She was never completely honest with her husband. The memory, guilt, and some nagging questions continue to haunt her.

3. A middle-aged man has always been brash and outwardly tough, yet no one can ever penetrate his emotional wall. His secret? Many years ago when he was an adolescent, he was molested by older teenagers. He reported this assault to a relative only to be told that he shouldn't have been a wimp but should have been tougher.

4. A young minister is repeatedly told by church members how important it is to not offend people or do anything that might upset someone. Now some years later, he finds himself going along with whatever the influential people in his church want. He has lost any sense of who he really is. His secret? His true feelings, opinions, and desires are never expressed to the church. He continues to stuff his true thinking and feelings.

5. A woman grew up in a chaotic family. Her secret is her anger. She harbors such anger toward her mother and often feels great guilt for some of her thoughts. She tries to live a normal life but occasionally flies into a rage with her immediate family.

6. A husband and father is preoccupied much of the time with his next drink. He can't imagine really having a good time where there is not some drinking. He looks for opportunities to drink and often drinks in secret. He thinks about drinking quite often. One would never know any of this by the image he projects at his church. This is his secret.

7. A longtime member of a church listens one Sunday morning as an elder in his church tells the congregation that anyone can come to these elders and talk and pray. Yet, he thinks to himself, "You say that now, but if you knew my secret, you would wish you had never said that."

8. A middle-aged woman has some very real questions regarding a few of her church's traditions and practices. She does not feel welcome to even raise the issue with the leaders of her congregation. She remains in the congregation because of lengthy friendship ties. She chooses to remain silent about the questions on her heart.   

None of the above people have names. I composed these scenarios after reflecting on the many, many conversations I have had with people through the years. For years, I have heard people talk about what was really on their hearts and the difficulties of such secrets.

Each one of these secrets is a part of someone's story. So often the story and the secret are never told. People can be a part of a church for decades and never utter a word about their secret. Consequently, such an important part of their story is never told to anyone.

Think about what you have seen and heard through the years. Think about the late night conversations over a cup of coffee with friends. Think about what you have observed from simply being a part of a congregation.

***

Question

What are some of the secrets that exist in churches? (Remember these might be thoughts, feelings, sins, past experiences, addictions, future intentions, etc.)