Churches in the midst of change...

If a person follows blogs or even glimpses at twitter one will note the many different perspectives on decline in the SBC. I am one who has said for more than three years now that the decline is not really a decline but an adjustment of what the true numbers were all along.

In the early nineties I noted at my first full time staff position that the numbers I had been told concerning membership of the church were not actually the real numbers - some 300 difference to be exact. As our church began to grow and we were faced with the need for a Capital Campaign we experienced the benefit of Dr. Bob Eklund and his approach to raising money. It included a series cleaning up and working of the membership list.

The process actually caused our church weekly attendance to increase and ministry to many took place where nothing had occurred for years. I guess one could say that this was Regenerate before the word actually became a catch term! Yet still the fact remained that on record our church showed a decline. To me that STINKS!

The blame or responsibility of the records does not fall on one or two people. It was not the result of a Pastor inflating the numbers. It was poor church record maintenance and poor church member ministry! Yet according to the SBC system of tracking - we were dropping while attendance and giving were going through the roof! This part of the subject will be covered later in detail. Yet the fact that this situation is actually occurring leaves one forced to admit that as Culture changed and attendance/participation of people in church changed, churches make few if any adjustments over the years.

With this revelation I am beginning a series today on what is occurring in many churches and what we might do to reverse the dangerous trend. Our culture has changed. Our world is changing daily. But has the church adjusted to meet the needs of today? What type of adjustment is needed and how can we make this change without throwing out the Gospel?

The rhetoric of some on blogs wreaks of finger pointing and "denominational"/"convention" responsibility. That type of rhetoric is shallow and should be noted as such. Reality is not what some think but rather what has been, is, and will be!

I believe that many churches are about to experience a great move of God! Some will miss it!

Which group do you want to be in? We are in the midst of many changes!

How is your church adjusting?

Seeking the face of God for Americans

Did you notice that instead of saying America that I stated Americans in the title. It dawned on me tonight during our mid week study on Spiritual Awakening that we often state in our praying "America" but seldom hear or say "Americans". I realize that the two can be used interchangeably but I also noticed tonight the meaning and impact of stating that we are praying for Americans!

I do believe that we have lost the understanding that we are to reach people! On my desk is a packet that came in the mail today concerning the 2009 Lottie Moon Christmas Offering. As I read through the different things it included something caught my attention - it is more about people! And this is a good thing!

I think that maybe God is trying to wake us up to the reality that indeed people count! We as people are to be reaching people! Personal witnessing is always the Biblical way! And yet in our prayers lives seldom do we find American Christians praying to seek the face of God and praying for Americans!

Let's seek the face of God and pray for Americans as we adjust our activity to be more people focused.

I think this is what the Great Commission Resurgence is all about!

Calling people to REVIVAL!

As strange as it may seem, I do not think most of us realize that as Pastors, teachers, and ministry workers our first goal is to call people to Revival. As I was reflecting back on the convention this weekend it dawned on me that there was a video message played during the Tuesday session by my friend Dr. Ron Herrod leader of the COSBE. In fact as I thought back on that moment it dawned on me that very few paid much attention to the video message.

I have know Dr. Ron for years. In 1996 he led a 4 day Revival for our church in Louisiana that saw over 40 accept Christ and follow the Lord in Baptism. It was huge for a church of only 200 at the time. In the months that followed we baptised more and more! In fact, that year we added over 100 to our membership! What did Dr. Ron preach - Jesus and Holiness! It worked!

I realize that baptisms are not Revival as Biblically defined but I also realize that people bringing people to church and sharing Jesus with them does not happen apart from Revival. That is what happened in 1996. Our people awakened to what God desired of us and we saw the fruit.

Why have we stopped the calls for REVIVAL?

Why are we not begging and pleading with people to seek God with all their heart? Why are we not broken over the condition of our land? Why are we not realizing that God is exactly what we need and we need Him bad? Truth is - He is all we need!

Will you join me in calling people to REVIVAL?

THE GCR - Let it RISE!

Well I rolled into K town tonight with the family tired and with a long list of work items for Thursday and Friday. But before I get to that list I thought I would make a few observations about the SBC GCR and the obvious or not so obvious perspectives coming out of Louisville.

Crusaders: Clearly we have witnessed the unveiling of the true crusaders in the SBC. It is not a hidden fact that I am not a Calvinist. In fact, I am probably a 3 or 4 pointer depending on how the definitions and implications are being applied on most days. Yet, the post convention writings of some have shown that due to the ill advised speech of Dr. Chapman and a few loose cannons at the mics Tuesday night, the Calvinist Crusaders have found enough meat to start up the FEAR WAGON again. Why is it that there are those who desire to push Calvinism more than the GCR? Even Ascol wrote of one of the mic commenter's being a BI person. They just have to have something to crusade against. Why not get on board and get back to reaching people with the Gospel of Jesus Christ? Ascols latest post seems a good step in that direction. I pray this continues.

Stats: This one is baffling to me. We had more younger people present this year than last. A larger attendance this year than last. Yet we are told numbers are not everything yet we told the decline is the reason we must change our beliefs yet we are told we are not changing our beliefs. Crazy isn't it? Stetzer (the numbers guru) spent much of the convention spewing his take of numbers to the media outlets of the world. Yet in doing this he made a huge mistake. The following quote reveals this:

"The question, Stetzer said, is whether 'we can have similar beliefs but simultaneously have, within certain parameters, different ways to engage culture, different ways to worship on Sunday morning...I think we can."

Stetzer mixes issues in this comment and totally distorts the picture. The SBC is not having an issue of "ways to worship"! True there are some churches who struggle with this. But the SBC does not have an issue with this - maybe he should have been in on some of the music at the convention. Stetzer is pushing the numbers issue to push the idea of Emergent type approaches which are not all Biblically sound.

Vision: My line of "THAT'S IT" for the week came from Johnny Hunts Presidential Address. I have listened and been ministered to by Dr. Hunt for years. He was a frequent guest at Liberty. When he gets down and preaches - I smile! The line that hit the chord in my heart was "Let it RISE"! Here are the basic lyrics of the song:

Let the Glory of the Lord / Rise among us / Let the Glory of the Lord / Rise among us / Let the Praises of our King / Rise among us / Let it rise // Oh, let it rise //
Let the songs of the Lord / Rise among of us / Let the songs of the Lord / Rise among of us / Let the joy of our King / Rise among us / Let it rise // Oh, let it rise //

This hit the whole of all we should be focused on in our churches - Let The Glory of the Lord RISE! May we heed the call to put down selfishness, flesh desires, worldly ways, and let His Glory rise in our lives and in this world!

Next Steps: Now Ronnie Floyd and the appointed group will get to work. We need to pray for these as they seek God's will in this area. I answered the challenge from Dr. Floyd tonight to join and be one of 5.000 who will pray daily for the group and for the SBC.

I will close this post listing the group and asking each of you to pray with me as they embark on this critical task:

The 18 members are (including Johnny Hunt): Ronnie Floyd (chairperson), Jim Richards, Frank Page, David Dockery, Simon Tsoi, Donna Gaines, Al Gilbert, J.D. Greear, Tom Biles, Danny Akin, R. Albert Mohler Jr., John Drummond, Harry Lewis, Mike Orr, Roger Spradlin, Bob White, Ken Whitten, and Ted Traylor.

Historic Tuesday at SBC in Louisville

Today was a great day in so many ways for the SBC.

Here is a sampling:

1. Wade Burleson lost a challenge to Bart Barber serving as a Trustee of SWBTS. His stated reasoning behind the personal attack at Bart was a supposed conflict of interest due to Bart being a past Adjunct Professor. Wade obviously missed the fact that having a PhD graduate and in the same person one whom had also taught in the past would make Bart one of the most reasonably qualified to serve in such capacity. Wade also, though attempting to be gracious in his challenge, must not have thought much about Barts integrity or else he would have known or simply asked if Bart would continue to teach, which Bart had already said he would not. Wade lost the challenge in a huge way and in so doing had Bart Barber affirmed individually by the whole of SBC. This in and of itself was pretty incredible. I wonder where the thousands who Wade says he speaks for are? They were obviously not in Louisville.

2. The GCR motion passed overwhelmingly! Truly this is historic and as a signer made me smile and applaud greatly.

3. Anyone can speak at a mic. And many did this year. Though some of the attempted motions and comments made were out of line, we all must appreciate the fact that the SBC is still about the people.

4. It should be clear after this years convention that those who would say the BI movement is the "trouble makers" of the SBC have been totally and completely wrong. Clearly there is a divide with Morris Chapman and some others in leadership. Clearly there are fringe groups who are disconnected from the norm of the SBC. Clearly those called BI are not part of either group.

5. It was hot and humid in Louisville! Enough said!

It was a great historic day!

Monday thoughts from the SBC

The following are just a few thoughts on the SBC so far (Pastors Conference etc.) from Louisville. The family and I are about to go out to eat so this will be short and to the point.

Site - poor! The set up for this year is horrible. Eating establishments, transportation, temperature, etc.. Nothing against Louisville itself but Indy was much better as was San Antonio to some degree.

Pastors Conference - I have found it odd that Stetzer and Greer loved to slam and propagate false ideas during there times under the banner of unity. I am not sure who is fighting whom but those two really missed the mark. Th hype over the younger generation not being present is just that HYPE. Now if one wants to discuss leaders sons - that is for another day! :)

Huckabee - gave a very prophetic and spot on speech (wish it were more of a sermon)! He actually made the point that some in the SBC are missing - we will only be blessed as we stand for righteousness. He and Luter had some thump.

Atmosphere - the set up and location makes the atmosphere tough this year.

One other thought - I am not seeing the number of older generation guys that I am use to seeing.

More tomorrow!

What's in a name?

Have you ever thought about all the fads that come and go. I have been lately and it has really got me to thinking deep - real deep. As one of the guys in SBC life who sits in the middle of the age definitions (no red corvette yet!), I have seen some of these fads in SBC life. Most are tied to programs. Some are tied to names alone. They are usually promoted as being NEW and FRESH. In the end, they often are only "gimmicks" to get our attention.

Please do not get me wrong - we need our attention caught! As a Pastor I understand the need for attractive and relevant. In fact, without it today one is doomed to status quo which eventually results in failure. I have come up with some pretty cool stuff at times yet I find that my staff is always better at this than I. That is one reason I hire the type people I do. We must get peoples attention. There is no doubt with this truth in my mind or practice.

Today there seems to be more of the same in Christian circles. Some even fail to see the underlying principle for what it is. And this is where I am some concerned. The article here is a good one at identifying this thought. I wonder though if we realize that today the push for new is actually a push for something more different?

Missional is the buzz word for now. I submit that it is running it's course in the same manner that Purpose Driven ran it's. But the effects of missional are moving us far more than we realize. We are losing our sight of basic doctrine and obedience to Christ. We are losing our understanding of Holy living. We are losing our bearings. I am for being missional if it means reaching people with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I am for being missional if it means getting beyond our tired programming and doing real ministry! But am with everyone who claims missional and am I for everything done as missional?

A name means much! A recent push on the television shows this with the commercials that advertise the ability to the tracing of ancestry for any individual that pays a fee. The commercial even says that our ancestors left us something valuable - our names. Funny how the secular guys get this and yet we Christians forget it!

An example beyond missional is the term Christ Follower. On the surface it seems great. It identifies or distinguishes us from the bad terms of "christian" that the media has hung over us and some of our own have tainted. But as a Biblical Christian I am more than a follower, I am the dwelling place! Christ lives in me!

Some may say that this is petty. I think Biblically it is huge. Anyone can follow. Anyone can say that I chose to follow. But only those who repent can be indwelled. Only those who accept Jesus as Lord can say they are a Christian. Big difference in my opinion.

A name means something. In fact, it means more than we realize. Whether one is missional or a follower, or has a contemporary approach or traditional????? Look beyond the surface and watch out for the fad. The substance is what matters the most.

There is a lot in a name and then again, maybe there isn't!