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Is the Traditional Church Dead?

2012-01-24T11:10:00.000-06:00

Do you rememberthe song “Jesus Loves the Little Children”. I remember singing it every Sundaygrowing up. “~~Red and yellow, black and white they are precious in hissigh~~t.(wait that’s the old non pc version) Every color, every race, all arecovered by his grace. Jesus loves thelittle children of the world.

I love the church. As Jesus’ love extends to all men,every color, age, and demographic, the church should be a picture of that thatlove. Here is the struggle; God has created every person different. A senior adult will worship and “do church”far different than a young family with kids. Most churches divide along raciallines, economic lines and age lines. There was a day where most churches werevanilla and style played miniscule role. That day is gone. Today the dividebetween people in churches is growing larger and larger. You can go to a churchjust for cowboys or motorcyclists. It seems the new church is defined more bycommon interests than anything else.

I am the pastor of a “traditional church”. I have a heartthat we would not be a church that is defined by our worship style, racialmakeup or hobbies. As the divide in churches grows greater and greater how cana traditional church still function? Here is my answer, the gospel must be atour center. The church should be apicture of heaven on earth. Heaven is not defined by any one race. It is notdefined by any one social class of people. Heaven does not care about hobbies.In heaven every tongue and tribe of people will be gathering around God’sthrone celebrating the great act of God’s redemption. What if church could do that? What if wefound our unity in God’s gospel and not in our silly wants and desires?

This Sunday as you walk into church ask yourself onesimple question… Am I here to celebrate what I want or am I here to celebratewhat God has done?

2012 Resolutions

2012-01-03T15:02:00.001-06:00

Ok so here we go… my new year resolutions.
1. To go beyond just reading my bible.

I have noticed in my life how easily I can let devotion fall into pattern. I wake up, run, then read. There is nothing wrong in having a pattern in life as long as the pattern does not become mundane. It’s my prayer and hope this 2012 to do more than just check off boxes but instead read the word of God as it is the very bread of life.

2. To invest spiritually in my children.

It is really easy to come home from a long day of work, settle into my favorite recliner and relax until bedtime. As a pastor work is hard and emotionally draining. I have the privilege of investing spiritually into the lives of my people every day. That said, the most important people I need to invest in are waiting at home for me after work. I must begin to invest in my kids.

3. To become the pastor of Memorial Baptist Church.

Wait, you say, aren’t you already the pastor of MBC? Technically, yes. In actuality, no. A pastor is not made in a business meeting, he is made in a hospital room. It is my hope this 2012 to love the people of MBC and be with them both in their good times and their tough times.

4. To continue to blog weekly.

I did pretty well last year. I want to continue to grow in my ability to write and communicate about the things of God.

5. To run a marathon.

Hopefully by this time next week I’ll have accomplished this.

What do you see?

2011-12-28T17:06:00.000-06:00

Recently my daughter has moved from recognizing letters to reading words. She has been working for months through stage one reading books, but I did not notice her brilliance until a few days ago when we were in the car. Ana’s has a new habit where she reads EVERY sign on the road. Every trip to the grocery store, gas station and church is filled with the play by play commentary of Ana announcing the companies and advertisements that we pass. For her it is a momentous experience as whole new world has been opened to her. Where my eyes have begun to churn the signage into white noise, Ana’s are popping with each new word.

Yesterday in my devotion I read the first few chapters of the book of Revelation. At the beginning of the book John exhorts 7 churches to fix their specific needs. The specific call I noticed was for a church that had begun to treat Christianity in a business as usual type of way. His call was simple, return to your first love.

I think we all get to a point in our faith when Jesus is no longer eye popping. Sadly we take the world changing gospel and churn it into white noise. The call for each one of us is simple, we must return to our first love and become childlike in our faith and rediscover the wonder of a Jesus Christ. As you read scripture, go to church and think about Jesus, are you even slightest bit excited or is it just white noise.

We Are Moving

2011-12-11T12:15:00.000-06:00

Today is a bittersweet day for the Faulks. This morning at WesternHeights Baptist Church I officially said goodbye as God has called me to pastorMemorial Baptist Church in Pasadena, Tx. It is a sad day today as I rememberall of the good that God has done in my family’s life and our church over thepast 4 years. It is tough as we begin the process of saying good bye to manygood friends. God has been good to my family in His call for us to be atWestern Heights. We will miss all of our friends, church, and town dearly. We love each and every friend we have had theopportunity to know here in Duncan.

The Gospel According to Robert Irvine

2011-11-29T14:47:00.001-06:00

One of my favorite shows to watch on television is a FoodNetwork show called Restaurant Impossible. The show follows Chef Robert Irvineas he is challenged week after week to turn around small, failing restaurants.In this pursuit he is given an interior designer, a construction chief, a verylimited budget, and 3 days. Most restaurants he walks into stink, haveunappetizing food, and have a decorating scheme that looks like the 60’s neverleft.

In the show Chef Irvine tackles about everything. With agreat amount of huffing and puffing and a little paint he takes the outdateddecor and changes the look and the feel of the establishment. After tacklingthe decor he then turns and reeducates the wait staff. In the final step of the show he then turnshis attention to the most important problems in the restaurant, the lackingleadership of the owner and the unappetizing menu. The show teaches time andagain that if the owner does not lead and the product does not excel, then therestaurant will fail despite its new look.

I have connected with this show because God has put aburden on my heart to pastor in established churches and see them excel. It isno secret that most churches (85%) are now declining and are within ageneration if not less of permanently closing their doors. In a good majorityof them they have tried redecorating more than just their walls. They havetried style, programs, and any number of things in attempting to revitalize whatseems to be a sinking ship. The problem is they have changed the paint withoutever looking at the bigger issues that keep them from turning the corner.

For the church to turn around it must go back to its menuand ask who and what it is serving. I believe that we as churches haveforgotten what we exist to serve and have instead begun serving things thatcannot sustain us in our future. We have directed our menus at trying todevelop ministries and services that reach out solely to a saved and culturallyChristianized crowd. I believe that this applies to both the “traditional”church and the “contemporary” one. What we have done in this is build an entiresystem of churches that attempt to grow off one another’s losses.

What must change? Ithink we need to overhaul our menus. We must go back to seeing growth throughmen coming to trust Jesus, not men transferring their membership. We mustdesign our church life to put our church bodies back in contact with people whodo not know Jesus, not just plan and enjoy events that entertain us. We mustlose the concept that people just randomly come to visit church and realizethat me must go out to meet them and invite them.

The gospel is just as powerful as it always has been. Thechurch has a bright and glorious future ahead of it. God will not forsake hisbride. We are not looking at church impossible. That said we must change thefoundational things that have kept us busy and blind. We must get back to theone thing that matters most: gospel centered living and church.

Happy Thanksgiving

2011-11-24T14:01:00.001-06:00

Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope you have as much fun today as us!

Is God Angry with Oklahoma?

2011-11-08T09:57:00.001-06:00

It has been one crazy year in Oklahoma. This past year wehave had a snow storm that shut down the state, tornados that left trenchesacross counties, a drought that dried up nearly every tank , temperatures thataveraged a high of 103.8 in July and 105.5 in august and this past week multiple earthquakesincluding the largest in Oklahoma history. What is going on? I’ve noticedwhenever major weather events happen; conversation always turns to ask aboutGod’s role in it. Are these catastrophes signs of the end times? What part doesman play in their cause? Is God angry with Oklahoma? Is it His judgment?*

For me, I just don’t know if I can buy that these naturaldisasters are the purposeful acts of God. Don’t get me wrong God has useddisasters and other means to judge men in the past, but he has always sent amessenger before it to communicate its purpose. Here’s my take.

1. God created theworld perfect, man messed it up.

Oh no! Have I become one of those left wing, treehugging, vegetable eating, love the earth people? Did I just say that theadverse weather that we are seeing more often today than ever before is man’sfault? Yep, and its biblical. God did create the world in perfection. “And God saw everything that he hadmade, and behold, it was very good.” (Genesis 1:31) In that though, before you andI ever existed, man messed up the earth. “And to Adam he said, “Becauseyou have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of whichI commanded you, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ cursed is the ground because of you;” (Genesis 3:17)

2. A broken world will continue to get worse.

As sin was brought into the world both man and the earthfell under the same curse: death. I know that my body will never be in a bettercondition than it is in now. My body will only get worse until I die. I knowthat because sin is in this world my body will face its curse daily until I goto be with God. The earth has the same curse. Just like our bodies, the earthis slowly dying because of the effects of sin. I’m not a scientist and I cannot quantify how this will work. I am a theologianand I see scripture paints a picture of a dying earth suffering from thefallout of sin. We see more and more natural disasters because our world growsolder more affected by the curse of sin.

3. Natural disasters should point our eyes to God’sgrace.

Is there hope? Yes. When we attend the funeral of ourdearly departed friends the message is always the same, our hope lies ineternity, not in today. Are we saddened by death? Yes. As we mourn we know thatdeath is curse that we are still subjected to until Jesus comes back.

As we watch natural disasters it is much like attending afuneral. We look at the damage of a world cursed by death and are saddened. Ourhearts do hurt when we see the destruction they bring along with the loss oflife. We cannot look at these disasters without hope. Just as physical deathpoints us to eternal life so the dying of this world should point us to God’sredemption of it.

“For the creation was subjected to futility, notwillingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creationitself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedomof the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creationhas been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And notonly the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit,groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of ourbodies. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope.For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, wewait for it with patience.” (Romans8:20-25)

* Henry Blackaby- The tsunami was judgment http://www.bpnews.net/bpnews.asp?id=19983

* Pat Robertson- Haiti made a deal with the devil http://youtu.be/aQ4dA6kZsEs

Does God Want Tim Tebow to Fail?

2011-11-02T06:00:00.000-05:00

We’ve seen it a hundred times over… athletes celebrating victory after victory praising the name of God. KurtWarner, Derek Fisher, Mariano Rivera, Sam Bradford, Josh Hamilton: All winners,all men adored by fans and media, allmen who gave the glory to God. Perhaps they were raised up so that in their moments of triumph, God might be glorified.

But then there’s Tim Tebow. A man who does more than just give God credit at the end of a game. He lives his faith OUT LOUD in every way possible. If there ever was a player to be lifted up, gifted to win Super Bowl after Super Bowl it would be him. If God so desired, Tim Tebow could be his evangelist to millions. The problem is, Tim Tebow is failing as a quarterback in the NFL. Give him two or three more starts and he may be heading to a broadcast booth near you. What did Tebow do wrong? Is there some sin that must be confessed, some greater proclamation that needs to be made? If God lifts up athletes for His glory why then is the face of Christian athletics doing so poorly?

Perhaps I can share a view that I know is contrary to all that we have seen and heard in Christian sports. What if God gets more glory inTim Tebow’s failure than in his victories? Turn on ESPN, you can hear talk show host after talk show host butcher Tebow’s game and throwing ability. Immediately following it though they talk about how he is not a fake but instead a man who genuinely believes in Jesus. If Tebow won a championship his God praising sound bite would last all of a few seconds. With his humiliation and demise his character and faith are discussed constantly. Could God have raised Tim Tebow up to fail epically in the NFL so that Tebow’s faith might be seen clearly? Certainly.

Paul would teach this principle from his own life “For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” Worldly success has never been the benchmark of God’s favor. How many disciples of Jesus died as rich and powerful men? How many died in humiliation?

I hope Tim Tebow goes on and has a spectacular career, but if he doesn’t I hope that barrage of comments continues. I hope that he continues to be a lightning rod in the media so that his faith under trial might be seen clearly.

I’m an Athlete?

2011-11-01T09:09:00.000-05:00

I came to a realization this past week. I am an athlete. Throughoutmy childhood I always played sports. Despite my love for all things sports Iwas also the slowest and shortest kid. When teams were picked I was always thelast one picked. I never felt like a real athlete. I guess I came to my current conclusion aboutmy athletic state as I completed my third half marathon. Over the course of thelast 6 months I have learned a great amount from my training that I thinkapplies well into the world of church.

1. Big events are easy. Almost all churches move from one major eventto the next. Each one of these events requires hours upon hours of preparation andthought. Big events require a tremendous amount of volunteers and effort. On the day of the event, the momentum of themoment carries all of your time and preparation from beginning to end. A bigevent is much like a giant wave, once it gets started just hold on.

2. Recovery is the tough work. As most churches live frombig moment to big moment there is always a great let down after the event. Ifyou check attendance in churches the week after Easter or Christmas it is plainto see. I have found in running that my toughest run is not my long mileage runbut instead my shortest run, the recovery run. It is the run where you have to loosenup your muscles from the wear and tear of your big runs. It follows, the biggerthe run the more difficult the recovery. In church there are many major eventsthat we ride: a conflict that drives the church, a major push over a holidayseason, a building project or even a season of unprecedented growth. Often inthese times all you can do is ride the wave until it mellows. The real workbegins once the wave is gone. After the big event you are tired and you want tohold on to either the glory of a bygone moment or the bitterness of a difficulttime. Recovery is tough because you have to get back up, forget the big momentand get back to business.

3. Endurance is not an afternoon run, its a lifelongpursuit. I always believed what made anendurance athlete was their ability to run for 2+ hours at a time. I haverealized in my pursuit of 13 and then 26 miles that endurance is not on raceday but instead found every day. It takes much more strength and will power towake up daily before 4 a.m. than it does to show up for a race and run for 2+hours. In every church we have the temptation to be defined by our big moments.The strength and will power of the church though is not found on our big daysbut instead found in our every days.

Not that Ihave already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it myown, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do notconsider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what liesbehind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal forthe prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:12-14

And the Antichrist Is…

2011-10-24T21:57:00.001-05:00

Here is an odd fact… The Rapture was supposed to be on my 30th birthday. Harold Camping became the latest in a long line of discredited prophets to set a date and watch it fail. Happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me, happy birthday dear… ZAP… has anyone seen Wes?

If there is anything that has soured the general public in our country towards the Christian faith recently it has been an unhealthy view of the end of the world. Both you and I can name countless preachers who preach solely from the book of Revelation promising timelines, signs, and answers. We all can remember men and women who have placed dates on calendars only to watch them pass by.

As I began to study for my sermon this week I came across a term which carries so much baggage in today’s world that I am cautious about even touching it. It has been connected to our current president, Elvis, Hitler, John F Kennedy, and even Prince William. It is my hope as I preach from scripture this Sunday morning and as I blog that I would bring clarity to this very muddied term…

Antichrist.

The word is used in two contexts in the Bible. The first is certainly the one which has the most attention brought to it and is the most well known. This being is the agent of Satan come to deceive the hearts of men and lead them away from Christ. (2 Thess 2)

The second way in which the word antichrist is used is the way we will approach it this Sunday. 1 John 2 18 states “Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come.” The passage brings many questions to my mind… Does this mean that there are multiple dispensations of the antichrist? Does this somehow point to a complex system that must be dissected and people named? Here’s my conclusion: these “antichrists” are men who were a part of the church but now, by their lives and actions, are opposed to Christ.

We know that John wrote his first letter with the purpose of assuring a church of their salvation after many of their members fell out of the church and into their sins. I believe John uses the term antichrist to show the seriousness of situation. He uses this loaded term like a line in the sand to show who belongs to God and who opposes Him.

Every church has watched as men and women have come in, joined them, and fallen away. 1 John teaches us a very simple concept: you know you belong to Christ if your life displays his work; everyone else lives in opposition to him. You are either for Christ or against Christ.

As I type this I can think of many close friends, some I was in the youth group with, some I went to a Christian college with, some I have had the privilege to pastor and love but have fallen away and live lives far from Jesus. If I take John at his word, as I understand this, any person who is not displaying the work and light of God is lost, living in rebellion to him, and in need of a savior.

As I type this I pray that God might put on my heart and yours these people who were with us, but not of us and give us a passion to take the good news of Christ back to them so that they might turn from their rebellion and to Christ.

Frank Barnes, McDonalds Coffee and One of the Hardest Question I’ve Been Asked

2011-10-18T10:39:00.000-05:00

About once a week I go and meet one of dear friends and heroes.Frank Barnes, 86, is currently the pastor of Shady Grove Church in southernOklahoma. He was the 2^nd Baptist church planter in the state of Washingtonand has led and planted churches across the northwest. One of his most important accomplishments is a red bookthat he wrote for his discipleship classthat became the standard for much of the way we as Southern Baptists work today.I don’t know why I told you all of this except I want you to see how fortunateI am to have a Baptist legend to learn from on a weekly basis.

This morning I met Frank at McDonalds and we talked overa cup of coffee. We both shared and thought through our sermons for Sunday witheach other. After about 20 minutes of conversation, Frank asked me one of thebest and most difficult questions I have ever had to answer. He said “The bibletells us to take up our cross, what does that look like in real life for mypeople?”

I thought for a second and considered all of what thecross symbolizes… shame, disgrace, humility, pain, obedience, and even death.To tell you the truth, Christian’s lives here in America are hardly marked bythose characteristics. In fact, we see ourselves as a privileged class. Whatwould taking up a cross look like in America today? I could not think of anyexample of a commitment so great that it would encompass the cross. Our sicknessis not our cross to bear. Our struggles at work are not our crosses to bear. Thepicture of the cross is of giving yourself over in complete humility to torture,pain and suffering because Jesus matters that much. What would it look liketoday?

The only think I could think of to my friend’s questionwas of a man (whom I will call Bob for his safety) I met in south east Asia. I met him once on a trip totake a few pictures of groups of indigenous people for the IMB. Bob was a born againbeliever who lived for Jesus in a public way. I learned his story one morningwhile we had breakfast together (notice all great meetings happen overbreakfast). In his country one’s faith directly affects their place in the socialorder. The party of influence there is the communist party and membership intothat party gives you a foot up in life. The problem in joining the party isthat you must accept the communist ideals, one of which is atheism. Not knowingall of this I asked Bob why he didn’t just join the party. He looked at me andsaid in a very gentle way, “Wes don’t you see that God’s word says that we can’tserve two masters.” For Bob, following Jesus meant that he would never makemore than minimum wage. For Him it meant that his kids would not have the opportunitiesof other’s their age. For him it meant humility and a life of poverty. What does it mean to take up your cross? Formy friend Bob it meant that Jesus was worth more than anything else in thisworld.

I wonder what it looks like here. What would happen if wevalued Jesus more that all of the pleasures that we chase? You tell me, what doestaking up your cross look like?

Sundays Are For Sermons

2011-10-16T14:25:00.001-05:00

Authentic Worship...

2011-10-12T09:03:00.000-05:00

I saw this video a few weeks back and had a good laugh. It is a very telling video of our commitment to God and approach to worship.

Don't Serve Me an Empty Plate

2011-10-11T08:49:00.000-05:00

I have never gone to a restaurant for their plates. OnSundays after church Jennifer has never asked me whether I wanted to go to thesquare plate, circle plate, yellow box or white bag restaurant. The draw of anyrestaurant is simply not the medium they serve off of.

What brings us to restaurants? We go to eat FOOD. The plates, boxes and bags they are served inare simply the carriers of what we came to get. We go to eat enchiladas, pastaor a good burger.

This week at church we are starting a new series throughthe book of 1 John called “How do I know?”. As I have studied and thoughtthrough the big ideas of the book I have found one big theme. 1 John teachesthat you know you are a follower of Jesus when his authentic work is seen inyou.

We are the plates and God is what fills us. It does notmatter how much you shine a plate up, without food a plate is pointless. Allmen are born empty and in need of filling. In Christ God has filled us andgiven us our value.

The question we will ask for the next few weeks will besimple… How do you know you belong to God? The answer is quite simple. Are you filled?What are you willed with?

Does God Exist?

2011-09-27T16:57:00.000-05:00

Recently I have been greatly intrigued by the science of apologetics. Apologetics finds its heart in 1 Peter 3:15 “but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you”. My motivation is simple, I have a passion to know the truth and communicate it to growing number of people who do not believe in Jesus as God.

I write this post today for my cousin in law, Elise, who was recently given the assignment of looking at the atheistic world view and the Christian worldview. My reflection comes directly from a lecture series from Oxford put together by Ravi Zacharias Ministries. I will be pulling particularly from the lecture of Dr. Alister McGrath, the Head of Centre for Theology, Religion and Culture at King’s College London.

I want to be upfront -- I cannot prove that God exists, neither can any atheist prove that God does not exists. What I can offer are pieces that put together paint the picture that is most clearly seen.

Rational response-

“Everything that moves is moved by something else.”Thomas Aquainus

Where better to start a discussion of the existence of God than the beginning. If you can prove the world’s creator, whether from a big bang or an intentional Creator, you can prove the existence or non existence of God. The problem of atheistic philosophy is that they have no answer for the order of the world or the eternal nature of it. Something had to move first, the world is simply too complex and ordered for it to be by chance. This is not just a Christian response but instead the main stumbling block of many atheistic thinkers. Richard Dawkins, the face of modern Atheism states in this way, "I am intrigued by how the universe came into existence, with the laws of nature already written into it." Something had to write the laws by which the world works, and they are just too perfect to be done by chance.

Cultural Response-

"We are here because God wants us to be here, and he longs for us to discover Him.” Augustine of Hippo

The great overwhelming majority of the world seeks a deity of some kind to worship. The global desire for religion shows that men have a deep longing to worship something greater than themselves. If God were a figment of imagination and we humans were to evolve to point of not needing him, we should have already reached that point. The thing is, we do seek God, and every generation feels a longing within them for a true beauty, wonder and knowledge. Why is this? I believe men and women are hard wired to seek God. The sheer number of people who worship something points to a someone who has created them to worship. “To be truly human means to discover God.” (McGrath 2011)

Empirical Response-

“I believe Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen, not just because I said it, but because by it I see everything else.” C.S. Lewis

Ultimately every worldview, religion or belief system whether God centered or not is asking the same question -- how did we get here and what is our purpose. I think the principle that the simplest answer is often the best answer applies well in our understanding of how we see God here. I believe Christianity is the clearest and most coherent explanation of the world. When the Christian world view is applied to see the world, it makes sense. When you take the Atheistic world view and apply it, it leaves too many questions unanswered. Their world view cannot make sense of the order of the world, the natural moral pull of humans and sacredness of every life.

Moral response-

“Without an absolute transcendent notion of good we cannot live out the good life." Iris Murdoch

Killing is wrong, so is stealing, and so is rape. How do I know? These core moral ideas are both written on my conscience and given by God in his written word. You could poll a hundred people and come to a unanimous decision that these things are all wrong. Why? Because they are all written on our consciences. The Christian worldview knows that there is a standard of truth because a greater being (God) holds that truth. “God has disclosed himself in nature, in Christ and in the Bible so that we may know what goodness is.” (McGrath 2011) When you remove a greater being, you remove any and all authority which leaves no common morality. What is good for you is good and what is good for me is good.

The concept of God is foreign to many people because you cannot touch, see, or smell him. We can, though, touch the world we live in, fell the pull of the moral standard he has left within us, see the beauty of the world around us, be dumbfounded by the perfect order of creation, and feel the wonder of the universe. God is real. Perhaps the burden of proof is not on those who follow what is natural. Perhaps the burden is not on those who believe as God has wired us. Perhaps the burden of proof is on those who wish to reject what is humanly natural and cling to a false emptiness.

*McGrath, Alister. "The Existence of God." Foundations of Apologetics. Oxford: Ravi Zacharias International Ministries, 2011.

Would You Serve You?

2011-09-26T16:23:00.000-05:00

This past week I had a conversation with a friend aboutthe Christian witness in restaurants after church. As a former waiter I haveseen firsthand the influx of business on Sundays as men and women dressed intheir Sunday best all descend on restaurants around the noon hour. For the restaurant it's big business; for thewaiter it is often the worst day of the week. Why? From my experience andconversations with other waiters and waitresses, I have found that we as Christiansare the worst customers on Sundays. The reputation of the church is that we arechincy tippers, demanding of servers, and rude. Don’t believe me, Google “Church Tippers on Sunday”.

I have spent some time thinking and wondering why we as Christiansact this way. Is it because we have sat for hours listening to sermons and areready to get home to our recliners? Is it because we have given so generouslyin the offering plate that we can’t tip on the food plate? ~~Perhaps God has equippedus to be his instrument of wrath upon these workers who should be in church onSunday mornings.~~ (I can’t even stomach the last one.) Sadly these are all excusesI have come upon from Christians trying to justify their place.

Ultimately I think it’s because we somehow think that weare better than the rest of the world. I wonder if we think thatbecause we are Christians we somehow become superior people.

The truth is, of all people in this world, we as Christiansshould have one thing figured out. We as Christians should know that we are thelowest of the low. We are the scum of the earth; we are sinners destined forhell.

Our only value is that we have been redeemed by Christ. We are what we are not because of the clothes we wear, the money we tithe, or the positions we hold, but instead we are what we are because of Christ.

This week in church we are studying the restoration ofPeter. Peter is much like us in that hewas a man who believed that he had things together. He even told Jesus onnumerous occasions of his unyielding loyalty. I believe the turning point of Peter’s life was the evening when he denied Jesus three times. At the moment hefinally denied Christ, Peter saw himself for who he was, a broken humiliatedman.

After Jesus’ resurrection He approaches Peter. Hecomes with one purpose, to take a man humiliated and broken and show him wherehis life is found. He says Peter do you LOVEme? Peter responds yes I love you. Jesusasks again, Peter do you LOVE me? Peterresponds, yes I love you. At this momentJesus understanding that Peter does not feel he can love Jesus in the way thatJesus asks responds, Peter do you love me?To which peter responds, yes I love you.

Jesus approached Peter where he was, a broken and humiliatedman.

The story of the Bible is not about men and women whohave things figured out. It is not the story of kings and of wise men. The Bible is a story of broken and humiliated men coming to the understanding thatGod loves them and forgives them.

Tonight, go out and eat. At your table, pray foryour server knowing that they are just like you -- broken and in need of a savior.When you meal is over, tip them 20% for our greatest purpose is to bring men toJesus who has pulled us up out of the ashes.

High School: Clear Backpacks, Lockdowns and Zero Tolerance

2011-09-20T06:00:00.000-05:00

All I needed to know about life I learned from ConverseJudson High School.

1. The easiest way to prevent weapons on campus is to requirethe student body to carry clear backpacks.

2. The easiest way to prevent fightsis to hire a former NFL player to handle discipline.

3. The easiest way toprevent misconduct in general is to have a lockdown procedure akin to a jail.

I,Wesley Faulk, survived Converse Judson High School. My school proudlyheld to a zero tolerance policy. The policy was simple -- if you mess up, youpay the price. On the other hand if you are good, you survive. My high schoolis the ultimate example of justice, punishment for misconduct, and privilegefor upstanding behavior.

I am glad that God does not work with a zero tolerancepolicy. Justice for any man is punishment for we all have rejected Him in bothour actions and hearts.

This week inchurch we will be looking at Thomas. Thomas was the disciple who did not believein resurrection. In fact he emphatically told his fellow disciples “I willnever believe.” Thomas got his chance; justice for him would be the end of hiswords, death and hell. I am glad that God does not work with a zero tolerancepolicy.

Upon Thomas’ sad declaration, Jesus comes to him andgives him a second chance. Jesus movesto Thomas in grace and gives him every bit of proof he needs to believe. Jesusshows that He is a God of second chances.

Every person at some point rejects God. We do it byeither intellectually denying him or by denying him through our sin andactions. Jesus is the God of second chances. He comes to us, knowing ourrejection, and gives us all we need to believe.

A Blog About Numbers

2011-09-14T06:00:00.000-05:00

As I write wesfaulk.com, my heart and desire is to put togethera blog that shares deep Christian ideas in ways that any person can understand.I keep track of statistics to understand what topics are most relevant to my audience,where my blog is being viewed, and of who my audience is. YesterdayI looked back at a general view of my blog since starting it. I thought I wouldshare with you a small bit of what I have found.

Here are my statistics:

This blog has been viewed from 104 different countries including47 in the 10/40 window, the most unreached area in the world for Jesus.

The United States is by far the primary country inviewing my blog with 87% of my hits.

My top 5 states are Oklahoma, Texas, California, NewYork, and Georgia.

My bottom 5 states are Maine, South Dakota, North Dakota,Montana, and Alaska.

The Average person spends 1 minute and 22 seconds on thesite and views 1 ½ pages.

52% of all visits to wesfaulk.com are first time visits.

76% of visitors on this site are from Windows computers(the highest) and .03% on this site are from the Nintendo Wii platform (thelowest).

16% of visitors come directly, 16% come through Facebookand 14% come from a Google search.

My highest viewed post is Healthcare, School Bonds and Calvinists.

Blogs that touch on political ideashave 4x more hits than blogs that speak to Christian ideas alone.

So, after lookingat my stats, what would you take from this?

Santa, The Easter Bunny and Jesus?

2011-09-13T15:07:00.000-05:00

One day I believed in Santa, the next I did not. The 24hour deterioration of my belief in St. Nick started on school field trip. I wastelling my best friend about what I had asked the jolly saint for and heresponded that he did not believe in Chris Cringle anymore. “Why not?” Theanswer was simple, my best friend figured out that Santa was as real as the toothfairy, Easter bunny and the Chupacabra. He made me mad. I wanted to hold on tothis childish fantasy… I had proof. So I went home and asked my parents about it. “Mom, Dad… is Santa real?” No.

Looking back I owemy best friend a big thank you. Imagine if I had walked through life neverrealizing that Santa and company were figments of my childish imagination. Justimagine a 30 year old, any 30 year old still writing letters to Santa, placinghis unbrushed teeth under his pillow, hunting in his yard for eggs and wishingupon stars. I guess the moral is that at some point we all have to grow up.

This week at church we are going to look at the resurrectionof Jesus. It is the central piece of our faith that separates us from everyother system of belief in the world. Here is the conclusion I have come to… Ifwe do not believe that Jesus resurrected physically, then Jesus is no differentSanta, the Easter bunny, the Tooth Fairy and the infamous Chuppacabra.Scripture states it like this in 1 Corinthians 15 “If Christ has not beenraised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then thosealso who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If in Christ wehave hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.” If Jesushas not been raised from the dead, Christians are simply people who hold to achildish fantasy.

I believe that Jesus has been raised from the dead. Ibelieve that he is now seated at the right hand of God as our advocate. Ibelieve that one day I will follow him in resurrection. At some point in life every person must decide what is real and what is imagination. This I know, ChristJesus is not a figment, he is God’s Son, crucified for our sins and raised fromthe dead. He is the real deal.

9-11: A Testimony of a Survivor.

2011-09-11T06:00:00.005-05:00

What Man Meant for Evil from North American Mission Board on Vimeo.

9-11 and Southern Baptists

2011-09-10T06:00:00.004-05:00

9/11's Impact on Southern Baptist Disaster Relief from North American Mission Board on Vimeo.

9-11 Heroes: Disaster Relief Workers

2011-09-09T06:00:00.004-05:00

The People in Yellow Shirts from North American Mission Board on Vimeo.

God's People Showed Up from North American Mission Board on Vimeo.

9-11 Heroes: Chaplains and Church Planters

2011-09-08T13:26:00.000-05:00

Unsung Heroes in Manhattan from North American Mission Board on Vimeo.

Church Planting in Post-9/11 New York from North American Mission Board on Vimeo.

Sundays are for Sermons

2011-09-04T04:00:00.000-05:00

Blogging About Blogs

2011-09-03T08:46:00.002-05:00

Here is a weekly peek into what I am reading.

Ed Stetzer gives us our church sign of the week.

Nathan Finn has composed a series of blogs talking aboutwhat it means to be a Baptist.

Jeff Brewer wants you to remember 10 things about missiontrips.

Tim Chester shows the incredible value of dining room evangelism.

Ed Stetzer talks about one of my favorite ministries: disaster relief.

Marcus Glover gives pastors a new tool for sermon preparation.

Russell Moore shows who is at the forefront of the Calvinist debates.

Steven Furtick notices how easy it is to turn God’sblessings into curses.

James MacDonald shares that the Elephant Room is comingback.

Jenn Faulk: Running the Race

2011-09-02T04:00:00.000-05:00

As most of you know, Wes and I began a regular running routine back in March. Since then, we've run a 5K, a 10K, and a half marathon, all in preparation for the "big one" -- a full marathon that we're scheduled to run next January. We're SO excited about where we've been, where we are, and where we're heading in our running...

... but you'd never guess it if you just happened to see what I look like during that first mile. I'm not a morning person as it is, so it's nothing short of a miracle that I'm out of bed just after sunrise, hitting the pavement. And "hitting" is the right word -- I plod along without any grace or agility, thinking "ow, ouch, ow, ouch" with every footfall. Mile one is no fun for me, as my body wakes up and fights against what I'm doing. I once heard another runner say of his perspiring brow, "That's not sweat. My fat cells are just crying." If this is true, mile one makes my fat cells sob, and as I try to keep it all out of my face, I think to myself, "I hate this sport!"

Then, something happens. Mile one is done, and with it, the soreness starts to ebb away, the pace picks up, and my attitude improves significantly. Getting started is, without a doubt, the HARDEST part of running, at least for me. By mile ten, I'm pumping my fists in the air, telling myself, "I love this sport!"

And then, I wake up the next morning. And I'm right back to where I was. Mile one, all over again.

Maybe I'm unusual, but it's a constant struggle to keep at this. It's a challenge to stay disciplined in this because nothing about long distance running comes naturally to me. My body and my attitude fight against the running schedule, and it's only when I commit to it, in spite of how I feel, that it becomes possible.

I think walking with Christ is a lot like this. I'd love to tell you that I'm one of those people who naturally radiates the joy of the Lord and who, in the very deepest sense, always has the mind, heart, and attitude of Christ. But those people just don't exist. I'm convinced of this because scripture says it very plainly -- there is NO ONE who does good, not one. On our own power and in our own strength, we are without hope, struggling through "mile one" of our walk with Christ, our fleshly selves fighting against the discipline, obedience, and godliness that God's Spirit is working out in us. We are hopeless without Christ, incapable of any good without Him, unable to even call on Him without His enabling us to do so.

And while this sounds like bad news, it's absolutely freeing. Mile one is a beast, as we struggle with our own sinful natures, knowing that as we continue to fight the good fight and walk with Him in obedience, even though we struggle, He will make it possible for us to run all the other miles in victory. Sure, we'll probably wake up the very next day with the same inclinations towards sin, but we can trust that Christ is victorious in even this and that we can rejoice in the humility our struggles impart in us and how this gives Christ's redeeming work even greater glory.

So, even though it doesn't come naturally and even though everything in me fights against it at times, I will get up and run tomorrow. And I will walk with Christ.

I Worship a Plate of Fajitas?

2011-09-01T04:00:00.000-05:00

Growing up in church I have heard my fair share ofsermons on idols. To be honest I have preached a tremendous amount about them.It is easy to preach on and easy to dodge, as long as you keep idols as woodenfigures and antiquated gods. Idols, though, are not just figurines -- they are thethings in this world that tear our attention and affections from God to servethem. Idolatry can be the love of money, the love of your job, the love of the acceptanceof others, or even the love of your kids. Don’t get me wrong -- there is nothing intrinsicallywrong with any of these things. All of them are profitable for man if kept insubmission to the love and adoration of God. Anything can become an idol whenit replaces part of your affections for God.

It is easy to preach on idols as long as I keep themgeneral. It is much harder to deal with idols when I have to take a seriouslook at my life and find my own.

As I write today, I guess this is a bit of a confession.I want to get this out there because I am tired of being subject to this idol.I know clearly that I struggle daily in my affections to the Bible Belt idol,food. I am not that overweight, but I am overweight. The last thing I want to do in this postis somehow turn a heart issue into a weight loss issue. I am not trying to Christianizea diet.

Here are my struggles -- I crave food. I get excited andwill dwell on food especially if I have a night out with my wife or a good mealcooked at home. I have a hard time saying no. When there is food around the office,I crave it to the point where I give in and eat. I have a hard time stopping. Iknow the feeling of being full, and yet the taste of food compels me to continueoften after I am stuffed.

You may be reading and think… Wes, this is just part ofbeing human. We all crave and are satisfied by our food. What’s the big deal? Ihave pondered recently the passage where Jesus calls himself the bread of life.The truth in my life is that I do not in the slightest crave Jesus like I cravea plate of fajitas from Chili's (it’s the best Mexican food we have in Oklahoma). Ido crave Jesus, but not in the same way that I crave fajitas. I don’t know if Ican say I hunger for God after missing a day in his word like I hunger for ameal when I miss it.

Here is my suspicion; I don’t think I am the only one. Weall live in a culture that feasts at every meal. As you're reading this, you mayyourself be panged by the hunger of your favorite restaurant. Have you ever hadthat burning inside for the word of God or time in prayer with him? Friends,our fight with food is not just a health issue or weight issue. Our fight withfood is a heart issue. If our hunger for food is greater than our hunger forGod then it has it has become our idol.

My hope and my desire is that we put our devotion to foodunder subjection to God. My hope is that we can find that satisfaction in God isgreater than any food which will leave us hungry.

A Lesson from a Sewage Plant

2011-08-31T06:00:00.002-05:00

There are few experiences in my life more clear and unforgettable than the time I visited a water treatment plant across the street from my High School. I had experienced its smell every time we got a west wind that blew from the plant to our school. I remember my biology teacher thought it would be beneficial for us to see how our toilet water was cleaned and filtered back into nature. The most vivid part of the whole experience was not watching the clean water or the chemicals. The great and nauseating moment was when we stood feet from the waste water. We all moaned and groaned as we inhaled the ghastly fumes of waste. It was in that moment that our biology teacher made the remark of the day… “get over it, it’s the mess you made.” The point was clear… we all contributed to the mess, and someone had to clean it up.

Tonight as we come to look at the last part of Samuel’s farewell speech in 1 Samuel 12, we see the people react to the faithfulness of God and their unfaithfulness. It is in this moment that they say “we have added to all our sins this evil, to ask for ourselves a king.” They got the picture, by asking for a king they rejected God. They understood clearly the mess that they had made. In this, though, Samuel communicates clearly one of the central truths about our God. He states “Do not be afraid; you have done all this evil. Yet do not turn aside from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart.” The simple truth that Samuel shares is that God is not a vengeful God who desires for us to stay in our messes. It is his heart and his purpose to pull us out of the messes we make and wash us. Ultimately this is seen in him sending his son to die for our sins. Where we have sinned and made a mess of ourselves and this world, God has washed us by the blood of his Son. Today for us who live in Christ we live clean because of the grace of our God.

Jesus Was Not a Casualty of War

2011-08-29T06:00:00.004-05:00

Every country is built on the men and women who give their lives in its service. Our country particularly has millions of people who have given not just their time and effort but also their physical lives to provide and protect the liberty we enjoy. For me, one of the most patriotic moments of my life was when I stepped onto the grounds of Arlington National Cemetery and saw row after row of men and women who had given their lives for this great nation.

Each one of these graves was a life given to our nation, a sacrifice to liberty, and a martyr to a higher calling. Not one of these people, though, marched into battle with the purpose of dying. By joining the military these men knew the commitment they were making, but even with death as a possible outcome, they did not go and fight in order to die. A military that sends it soldiers to die is a military that loses wars.

Over the past month at Western Heights Baptist Church we have looked at the steps Jesus took on his way to the cross. The central question in our series is “who killed Jesus?” This coming Sunday we come to our conclusion. Jesus was more than a casualty of war. He is more than a life taken in the fight against evil. Jesus Christ came not to fight and give his life if necessary; He came with the purpose of giving His life. Though Judas, Annas, Caiaphas, Peter, soldiers, a crowd, and every sinner played a part in the death of Jesus, He is not a casualty of ours. Jesus Christ willingly and deliberately came to earth for the purpose of dying on the cross, resurrecting from the dead, and conquering death. He did it not because we forced Him into death but because he loves mankind to the degree that He gave himself for us.

Our savior is not a casualty of war; He was and is a willing sacrifice given to us as an eternal gift.

Jenn Faulk: We Trust in ACs

2011-08-27T06:00:00.003-05:00

This week, our air conditioner stopped working.

We're no strangers to broken air conditioners. After fighting with an ancient one for the first few years we lived here, we gave up and bought an entirely new one this past spring. It was sleek, it was shiny, it was new!

And now, it's broken. Well, that just figures.

Fortunately, the unit is under warranty, so the part is set to be replaced just as soon as our AC guy gets it in, which should be Saturday by the latest. We have a separate window unit to keep the girls safe and cool, so apart from a little discomfort for us, this is all no big deal. Right?

It really isn't. And it really wasn't. Except all the drama between discovering the broken part and now has pointed to what indeed is a HUGE problem -- I have a hard time trusting God. As soon as the AC started making a funny sound, I started to panic. What if it was broken? What if it wasn't covered by warranty? What if we had to buy ANOTHER unit? It didn't take much to get me mentally calculating how much this was going to cost and wondering how in the world we were going to afford it. I was just a few mental steps away from being completely destitute, and I couldn't handle the remote possibility.

All of my redeemed life, I've been the first to boldly assert that God will meet all my needs. In college when I couldn't figure out what in the world I was going to do with the rest of my life and how I was going to make a living, I confidently said that God would provide and not leave me penniless. In seminary when I was poorer than I had ever been, I confidently said that God would never let me starve. And from one foreign mission field to the next, I've confidently trusted that God would provide for all my needs.

And He has! But the thing is, I can see places in the world where HE HASN'T. Children starve, people die, and horrible, awful things happen. In my worldly way of thinking, God doesn't always provide. But I know that Scripture is true and that God's word SAYS He provides, and so I'm led to conclude that Scripture is not wrong -- only my all-too-human interpretation of it.

What if the correct reading and understanding of God's provision is that God provides peace and comfort in a world full of trouble? What if, when God says He will provide, He's not calling us to place our trust in Him to do what we feel is fair but to place our trust in Him even if He does something that seems completely unfair to us?

This is hard. And while my broken air conditioner is NOTHING in comparison to the true troubles in this world, I wonder at my attitude, my lack of faith, and my insistence that God will deliver me from even this slight calamity. Why is my trust in financial security and not in God? Would I trust Him if we lost everything tomorrow? Would I trust Him in severe hardship? Would I trust Him if He didn't provide in the way I expected He would?

I don't know. I pray that He would change me so that I would.

Blogging About Blogs

2011-08-26T06:00:00.003-05:00

Here are a few blogs from the past week to get you thinking…

Jay Thomas wants you to know what it means to be a Senior Pastor.

Perry Noble shares a few basics about evangelism.

Perry Noble shares why he loves Sundays.

John Nielson discusses youth ministry done well.

The Resurgence shows why starting well is an essential.

The Resurgence asks when Christianity is idolatry.

Ed Stetzer shares a remix of the Nascar Prayer.

Ed Stetzer shares another tacky church sign.

Pain is Weakness Leaving the Body...

2011-08-25T06:00:00.000-05:00

Monday 5 miles, Tuesday 3 miles, Wednesday 5 miles, Saturday 13 miles. Run. Run. Run.

For the last 6 months I have steadily built mile after mile into my legs. I have diligently trained, completed 5 ks, a 10 k, a half marathon, all the while building to reach a marathon. Then on a Saturday morning run I made the greatest mistake of my running career—I tied my laces on my shoes too tight. My run was a simple 9 mile jog from my house to downtown Duncan and back. As I was making the turn out of my neighborhood on mile 3 I felt a slight soreness on the top of my foot, but I ignored it, simply repeating “pain is weakness leaving the body” in my head throughout the rest of my run. The result of this simple mistake was a deep bruise in the top of my foot that did not heal quickly.

Over the past few weeks I have tried light runs, stretching, tying my shoes tighter, looser, and even running in my old pair of shoes to solve this problem. I knew the solution but just did not want to lower myself to do it… rest. I did not want to rest because it would kill all the momentum I had built over the past 6 months. It seems that an injury (some less real than others) has always been what has derailed my exercise program from year to year. I was just not ready to quit.

So what did I do? After my bruise seemed to grow and grow, I rested. After a week of rest Monday arrived… 5 miles. I laced up my shoes, stretched out my legs, drank a good bit of water, and hit the road. I wish I could say that it was the easiest run of my life, but it was not. My legs were tight, my foot still ached a bit, it was HOT, and in the end, I finished.

I know more than ever how easy it is to get derailed by a nagging injury. I have learned that truly pressing on means listening to what you need both in the good times and in the tough times. I knew that I have to get back on the road if I want to complete my final goal, a marathon.

In the book of Philippians, Paul uses an illustration from running. He says, “ I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Life is not always easy. There are some days you need to rest and others that you need to just get back and go. In all things life is about pressing on towards the final goal, the upward call of God.

Who Would Jesus Vote For?

2011-08-24T06:00:00.001-05:00

Every four years our nation has the opportunity to make a decision that will shape our future -- our presidential election. With our election coming, a few things are obvious—1. No matter what the current president has done, his opposition will see him as the worst president in the history of America. 2. There will be plenty of men and women who are sure that they can do the job FAR BETTER than the current president. 3. Every candidate will make hundreds of promises that they will never fulfill. 4. Several candidates will make the case that if Jesus was alive today, He would vote for them.

I am always shocked by how quickly we (Christians) believe that the right elected official can change the religious makeup of our country. We fall into the trap of thinking that policies and laws will bring a revival among us. As a pastor I walk a careful line knowing that when I speak, I carry the responsibility of a prophet bringing forward the words of God. My job is to simply speak what scripture says. There is a great temptation to use the pulpit for political advantage. It is at this point that I always remember, Jesus was never politically involved. In questions of governmental authority he said “give to Caesar what is Caesar's and give to God what is God’s”. When asked about His kingdom by Pilate (a politician) His reply was simple, “my kingdom is not of this world.” Jesus taught and we must realize that no nation will turn to God because its government institutes Christian laws.

Tonight we are continuing our study through the book of Samuel. In Samuel’s farewell address, he shows the fallacy of having a man as your king (especially when you can have God) and then instructs the people to follow God.

1 Samuel 12:14-15

14 If you will fear the Lord and serve him and obey his voice and not rebel against the commandment of the Lord, and if both you and the king who reigns over you will follow the Lord your God, it will be well. 15 But if you will not obey the voice of the Lord, but rebel against the commandment of the Lord, then the hand of the Lord will be against you and your king.

I believe with all my heart that there is no politician who can fix the moral problems of our country. I believe that there is no politician who can turn the people of this nation back to God. I believe in my heart of hearts that the only way for the people of America to come to know Jesus and live in a way that honors him is for the church to return to its first calling—the Great Commission. Laws don’t save people, Jesus does. If we truly desire to change this country, we must take the energy that we will expend talking, thinking and politicking and turn it into sharing the gospel. Only Christ can change the heart, and only a changed heart can lead you to live for Christ.

A New Take on the Nascar Prayer

2011-08-23T12:25:00.001-05:00

I saw this on Ed Stetzer's blog. Normally I would wait till a blogging about blogs post, but this was too funny.

Choose Your Friends Wisely

2011-08-23T06:00:00.003-05:00

My parents always told me to choose my friends wisely. The logic is simple; you become who you hang around. When you hang around troublemakers you either become a troublemaker or you get lumped in with them. When you hang around the good kids, you get lumped in with them. Though there is always an exception, the principle has stood firm.

This Sunday night we find Jesus in an unexpected group. Sunday night we find Jesus among the company of thieves hanging on the cross. It is the last place you would think to find the son of God. On the other hand, Jesus was never one for the company of the over religious. He challenged them, but they never saw their need for him. Over and over you see Jesus in the company of men just like the ones he was crucified with. Why? Jesus came to bring life and hope to men who were all destined for death and punishment.

Jesus became just like the people he was around. There is a big difference, though. Where my time spent around troublemakers led me into trouble, Jesus’ time spent around humans like us led us to righteousness. Jesus was crucified a condemned man; he was condemned for the sin of mankind. “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2Corinthians 5:21)

Jesus Died by Popular Vote

2011-08-22T06:00:00.005-05:00

It is much easier to see truth looking back over history than looking forward in the middle of it. Throughout history many groups of people have rallied around what they thought were noble clauses but in the end were proven false. German families stirred by nationalistic pride rallied behind genocide. Christians have murdered one another, Muslims, innocent women, and others all in the name of Christ. Looking back over history it is self evident that we as human beings have a murderous tendency when we rally in mass.

Over the past two weeks we have looked at the primary characters leading to the death of Jesus. From Judas to Pilate to Peter we have seen how we fit into the story of Jesus’ death. This coming Sunday morning we will look at the people of Jerusalem and how they were given a chance to free Jesus. Jesus was brought to them, and they chose to send him to the cross. Interestingly enough, at the moment that Jesus life was offered to them, they swore allegiance to Caesar, an act of worship in that time, and denied Christ.

I wonder where we would have stood that day? What would we have yelled? I am a conservative person; I tend to trust the authority over me. I wonder, knowing that I would have respected the priests above me, if I would have yelled “Crucify Him”? I wonder if I would have kept the party line, afraid of the implications of taking a stand, and simply remained silent?

I know this, scripture tells us that the crowd ultimately condemned Jesus to the cross.

Jesus did not send fire from heaven down on the crowd. He did not yell condemnations on them. In the moment that Jesus was presented to crowd, bloody, beaten and condemned to death, he chose to walk to the cross to die for the very people who condemned him. He walked to the cross to die for you and for me. We are the crowd, we are the betrayers, we are the people who put Jesus on the cross. In this we are condemned by our sin and rebellion. In this Jesus died taking the punishment for our murderous ways and giving us his perfect sinless righteous life.

Sundays are for Sermons

2011-08-21T06:00:00.001-05:00

We started a new series this week, "Who Killed Jesus". Here is the audio from both Sunday Morning and Sunday Night.

Jennifer Faulk: Sunday Morning Begins on Saturday Night

2011-08-19T00:00:00.005-05:00

Today I premiering a new segment on my blog. Every friday I am going to feature my wife Jennifer Faulk to blog about being a pastor's wife.

The best advice I've ever been given as a ministry wife was this -- Sunday morning begins on Saturday night.

I've learned from hard experience how true this statement is. I've had weeks where I don't even think about Sunday morning until the alarm goes off at 6am, the girls run out of toothpaste, Wes needs a shirt ironed, the girls run out of toilet paper, I need to make coffee, Wes can't find his shoes, the girls run out of patience waiting for breakfast, I can't seem to locate five minutes to do my hair, and the dog causes an uproar of biblical proportions when he eats a pancake straight off the breakfast table. Those Sunday mornings could have been salvaged if I had started getting ready for them twelve hours earlier, preparing for the most practical needs of my family and saving the pastor's sanity and peace of mind in the process.

Like I said, I've learned. Here in trenches of Preschool Parenting, I've gotten combat-ready, with everything laid out the night before, a tight schedule in place, and a lets-get-them attitude as soon as the alarm rings. I can get everyone ready, fed, and out the door in twenty minutes if necessary. I have it together! I am the pastor's wife -- hear me roar!

But I've noticed lately that even with all of my practical preparations for Sunday morning, I often miss the most important preparation of all. After an evening of getting everyone's business settled so that we can worship without distraction, I neglect to prepare my own heart to meet with God. Too often, I operate on the assumption that I'm ready "as is," that I don't have time to study during this season of my life (especially not that close to Sunday morning!), and that, pridefully, I already know what the pastor is going to say because he's been talking to me about it all week along. It's easy to justify coming into worship with a distracted heart, my mind far away from Scripture, and my prayer life stunted and at a standstill. "God understands," I tell myself.

And, truthfully, He does. Which is all the more reason why I should make it, why I WILL make it, a priority to sit at His feet in preparation for Sunday morning. As the many things that must get done in order for Sunday to run smoothly for our ministry family demand my attention, I WILL take the time to seek God's face and study His Word, knowing that this is the most important preparation of all.

My Answer for "The U"

2011-08-18T14:41:00.000-05:00

The world of sports seldom shocks me. I know that what we see on TV of athletes has been cleaned up by spinster after spinster. That said, I was shocked by the stories and practices of the University of Miami that as I read about them in Yahoo this past week. From parties and strippers to abortions, the underworld of collegiate football floored me. The story breaks down like this. A booster of the University of Miami sought to sweeten the pot for several key players by giving them gifts, bringing them to parties and in some cases finding them prostitutes. My pessimism thinks that this is not an isolated incident. I don’t think that this is the only university or booster involved in these shady practices. I think this is simply a case where you pick a rock up and see the cockroaches underneath.

As a pastor I care little about the mess that this booster and these athletes have made. I care little about the NCAA infractions broken. What intrigues me is what would cause a “grown up” man to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on these collegiate athletes indulging their fantasies.

This is what I have come up with: We are all wired to worship the true and living God. In sin we deny this fulfillment and go search out pseudo gods that will give us a quick fix. We chase after food, video games, jobs, porn, etc. The problem with these pseudo gods is that they don’t fill us up. What happens next is that we begin looking for the next step in our lust. If a common meal doesn’t fill us we move to the buffet. If video games don’t fix our fantasies we go and begin acting out what we had previously done with a joy stick (which can be seen throughout our country today). With this booster it was simple; the college life was his God. He yearned for it to such a degree that he paid whatever price was necessary to hold on to it. When the fix wasn’t enough he dove deeper.

The problem with pseudo gods is that they will never fulfill. You dive deeper and deeper chasing after them and eventually you hit rock bottom realizing how empty both they and you are. This booster when left at his rock bottom saw how empty his life and gods were and so he exposed them.

The answer to pseudo gods is one of two, when you realize how empty they are you either find different pseudo gods to chase after or you go to the true God who forgives your idolatry and brings you true fulfillment. Most likely if you are reading the blog of a pastor you are not dealing with the same struggles and desires as the players of “The U”. That doesn’t mean you don’t have these false gods in your life. My call for you is simple, find the pseudo gods in your life, turn away from them to the true God who alone can fulfill.

Blogging about Blogs

2011-08-18T06:00:00.002-05:00

Here are a few blogs from the past couple of weeks to get you thinking…

Alvin Reid confronts one of the greatest sins we as ministers have, our bellies.

Ed Stetzer puts together a collection of hilarious church signs 1 2 3

Ed Stetzer details the how great a hold pornography has on our country. 1 2

Confessions of a Small Church Pastor asks when a church should close its doors.

The Gospel Coalition asks a tough question about Tim Tebow.

Perry Noble reminds us bible belt Christians of two very important truths.

Reason For The Hope tries to find the proper balance in children’s evangelism.

Is Jesus the Dirt You Sweep Under the Rug?

2011-08-16T14:35:00.000-05:00

Last week in church we started a new series: “Who Killed Jesus?”. It is my hope through this series that we see ourselves in each character. In Judas we see how we have betrayed Jesus in our sin. In Annas we see how God took our place in judgment. In Peter we see how we deny Christ by seeking after our own comforts and safety.

This Sunday night we see Pilate. As I have studied I have been particularly intrigued by this story. Pilate knew that Jesus was innocent. He knew that the Jews were simply looking for him to use his power to rid them of their annoyance. In this story, Pilate states one of the most interesting lines in all of scripture. Given the evidence of Jesus’ innocence and possibility of a Jewish riot, he marginalizes justice to preserve his power and place. He proclaims “What is truth?”. In this he condemns Jesus for his comfort.

I wonder how often we marginalize Jesus for the same reasons. We cower in our knowledge sweeping the truth of the gospel under the rug hoping that we will not lose our comfort and place over it. The truth of the gospel never changes; the offensiveness of God’s truth never fades. All of that said, we must never deny the perfection of Jesus for our comfort.

I don’t think we have the problem of denying Christ. Our problem is not rejecting Him. What I see is that we marginalize or omit him. As we spend time with our lost family members, he just is not a topic to be discussed… it would make family conversation to weird. As we go to work we leave Christ at the door. Our problem is not that of Peter who openly claimed not to know Christ. It is that of Pilate who washed his hands of him so as not to deal with him. The question is simple… is Christ the dirt you sweep under the rug when you are around unchurched friends, or is he your glory and pride?

The Sizzling Summer Half Marathon

2011-07-25T10:46:00.000-05:00

I think I can call myself a runner. Until this weekend I felt I was a novice looking into a new world… but this weekend it all changed. This past weekend I ran 13.1 miles, completing my first half marathon. Here are a few reflections 13.1 miles in the making.

1. Dream Big. 4 months ago I was a couch potato. 4 months ago I found out that my blood pressure was akin to lava about to explode out of a volcano. 4 months ago my workouts consisted of feeling sorry for the contestants on the Biggest Loser. In response to my doctor’s encouragement to either get fit or get medicated, I decided to become a runner. I convinced my wonderful wife to sign up with me to run a half marathon. Again, when I put my credit card on the dotted line I could not run 3 miles. I know today, with a commitment to work, you can go as far as you dream.

2. You never know what to expect when you start something new. The Sizzling Summer Half Marathon and I both had one thing in common -- it was our first. As with any inaugural event, every step was a learning process for its organizer. All of the countless hours of time, energy, and stress placed over it were finally put into play. There were mistakes, lots of them, but at the end of the day, a race was held. As my inaugural first half, every step was a learning process for me. All of the countless hours of training were summed up in 2.5 hours. I made mistakes… failing to go to the bathroom before the race, catching myself running a 7 minute mile while I am a 11 minute miler, or even placing a Justin Bieber song on my music playlist. At the end of the day, though, I finished the race. These mistakes (by the race and by me) are opportunities to grow. When I run the Kelsey Briggs half, I will be a better runner because I learned how to run a long race this weekend.

3. Know your limitations. Running a 5k or a 10k is different from running a 13.1 mile run. With the 5k and 10k I was able to run the entire race with no walking and no water. In a 13.1 mile 90 degree run, this strategy would lead me to a quick finish in an emergency room. In this run I understood that I needed to listen to my body, drink when I needed water, and walk when I need to slow down.

4. Fellowship is found in working toward a common goal. On my run, I found myself surrounded by runners that were at the same level as I was. As we struggled, strived, and sweat, we did it together. More than once I had runners encourage me as I looked down. I saw many slow to check on runners who seemed overheated. I only knew 2 runners on the course this past weekend, but I shared a common goal in fellowship with those around me as we all were striving for 13.1 miles.

5. Some people can’t be pleased. This was an inaugural race. There were many things that will be far better next year. At the end of the day I had a good time running on a shaded course accomplishing a goal 4 months in the making. My wife and I left pleased that we had conquered this course. The evening after the race I went online to check the Facebook page of the event only to see many mean spirited complaints that took shots at the race coordinator. I knew there were mistakes, had some thoughts of what I would improve, but I never thought I would see the hate language toward a fellow human being that I saw in the wake of this race. It honestly reminded me of the people who I waited on when I worked in a restaurant who would nitpick a meal in an attempt to get it for free. I remember one person who called me an idiot because I served them a Pepsi instead of a Dr. Pepper.

Let me sum up my overall thoughts… In everything, dream big. Know when you step into any new adventure, you will make mistakes, learn, and grow. As you embark on your big dreams, don’t try to be something you’re not -- be yourself, know your limitations. As you strive, look around and see who’s striving with you -- that’s real fellowship. Finally, as you take big steps into big dreams, know that there are people who will never be pleased… don’t let your naysayers discourage you from your goal.

Bloging About Blogs

2011-07-18T16:11:00.000-05:00

Today as I cleaned up my blog reader after a busy summer, I read over a great number of blogs that challenged me, encouraged me or made me think. Because of this, I think I would like to start posting some of my favorite blog posts weekly or biweekly. In my own study I try to read bloggers from all points of a spectrum. If I studied only what left me comfortable, I would never be stretched.

Alvinreid.com- In this blog post, Dr. Reid looks at the struggle all Christians have in settling into a Christianized life.

Edstetzer.com- This post is about a church plant in a theater. As I read this post, I thought about my friend Brian Bowman as he has been sent out to plant Valley Life Church in Phoenix Az. I am proud that our association and our church have partnered with Brian to put a church where there is none.

9marks.org- Bobby Jamieson has just written a new book “Am I Really a Christian” discussing the topic of nominal Christianity. He has a video on the blog discussing the topic. I am interested in picking up the book and seeing what it says.

PerryNoble.com- This blog serves as a great reminder that everything we do is to please God.

Would You Give the Baseball Back?

2011-07-12T14:36:00.001-05:00

A few days ago, Derek Jeter, Captain Clutch, reached a milestone in his career that placed him in the company of baseball greatness. 3000 hits (2999 more than my total). It was truly a sight to be seen. Jeter did more than hit one into the hole in center, he knocked it into the grand stands. It was the capstone of a clutch career.

Waiting on the first row of the bleachers was Christian Lopez. Lopez caught what would be a hand stitched baseball that in an instant became a six figure payday. Congrats. By pure chance this Yankee fan caught an expensive piece of baseball history. Lopez, though, was not looking for a payday. He was not looking to cash in on this hand stitched treasure. His first reaction was to give the ball to the man who would cherish it the most, Derek Jeter. Lopez did not try to bargain with Jeter or sell him the ball. His only request was to meet the Capitan of the Yanks. For Lopez, a true Yankee fan, his treasure was in meeting Jeter, not cashing in on him.

As I pondered the reward this man sought, the scripture came to my mind, “Where your treasure is, there your heart is also.” To a true Yankees fan, meeting the ultimate Yankee is a much bigger deal than making money off of him.

This Sunday we will begin a new series on the great prayer Jesus prayed for his disciples in John 17. This prayer begins very simply -- that His disciple might find everlasting life in Him. What I found interesting in this study is Jesus’ definition of that life. “3 And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God,”. Jesus makes the simple point that eternal life is found in knowing God.

How often do we look at the work of Christ and see the six figure payday attached to it? We think of heaven in terms of the lack of suffering, or dream of the mansion that we would inherit. When we think of heaven we think of great reunions with family or golden streets. Often what we miss when we think of heaven is the center of what heaven is all about: knowing God.

If I were to challenge you this week it would be this -- would you trade the family reunions, the golden streets, and the relief from suffering for an opportunity to know the one true and living God? For where your treasure is, so your heart is as well.

The Gospel According to Toby Keith

2011-07-05T07:04:00.000-05:00

A few years back country music artist Toby Keith wrote a song that completely captured the modern human spirit. “I like talkin about you you you you usually, but occasionally I wana talk about ME!” Whether you like it or not, our lives are driven by a passion and goal of making much of that beautiful person in the mirror. We dress so that others know exactly who we are. We share conversation about the things that please us the most, and grow bored in conversation that does not. For the average person, life is about making as much of yourself as possible.

Sadly the place where this love of self is most prevalent is often the church. In church we attempt to show everyone around us how righteous we are. In church our worship has turned from an adoration of God to and adoration of the style that pleases our ears the most. It seems that in churches today most every decision is made by what would be pleasing to us men.

This is just not the way church and life were supposed to be done. In Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount He says “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.” Church should not be a place where we go to show off how righteous we are, instead it should be a place where we show how broken we are and how righteous Christ is. It should not be a place where we adore a style that pleases our ears, but instead where we adore a savior who died for our sins. The church should never be a place where we make much of ourselves, instead it should be a place where we get to show off how incapable and fallen we are as men, and how great our God is who redeemed us and changed us to be like Him.

You you you may wana talk about you, but I want to talk about Him.

No Shirt No Shoes NO SERVICE!!!

2011-06-14T07:40:00.000-05:00

We all know the sign. When you drive up to any convenience store, grocery store, or restaurant, it’s there. No Shirt, No Shoes, No Service. In a simple way these institutions have communicated that they do not want you walking naked and barefoot into their establishments. It’s not much to ask, but it keeps the proper decorum of these fine establishments.

As I read through scripture this morning, I noticed a verse that had all but escaped my attention for the past 30 years of my life. This verse sits at the end of chapter 16 of the book of Romans directly after one of those long lists with names in it. I don’t know what it is about me, but when I see names in a list in the Bible my eyes just go into skimming mode. I think for the past 30 years I have just skimmed over this verse because of its proximity to a list of names.

Romans 16:17 I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them.

The church exists to glorify God by bringing the hope of Christ to men without hope. We are called to meet our neighbors and friends where they are. Our temptation, though, is to place signs on our windows that set a decorum for our fellowship. The longer we know Christ greater this temptation is. Our no shirt, no shoes sign requires people to dress certain ways, live morally, and come with a reverence towards God before God ever changes the heart. This practice is contrary to scripture. Do we celebrate their sins? Absolutely not. Should we love the hopeless, bringing them to the source of hope? Yes!

What doctor looks at a patient in the hospital with cancer and tells them to come back later once they have healed… then he will treat him. It would be malpractice. As Christians we are called to bring sick men to the true Physician. The question is whether or not with good intentions we have sent them away to heal on their own because of our decorum.

What hit me this morning was one word… obstacle. Have I with good intentions created obstacles for hopeless men? As Christians we must look with critical eyes at our churches and ask what obstacles have we built with good intentions. Once we begin to see them we must tear them down so that we might be able to bring the love and hope of Christ to every man.

The Dublin 10-2-4k

2011-06-11T18:34:00.002-05:00

For the past three months my wife and I have dedicated ourselves to running our legs off. We started running for a 5k, with the plan to run a marathon in January. Today my wife and I completed our first 10k race against diehard runners. Here are a few thoughts from the race.

1. Random acts of kindness are always appreciated. We had a man rig his sprinkler to mist runners as they passed by. Thank you, sir.

2. Just because you start quick does not mean you finish first. Out of the gate there were many who elbowed for position. Many of those fighting for the best start were walking mid course. Running is all about finishing, not starting.

3. Encouragement is loved. Throughout the course we had Dublinites cheer for us. It kept us going. At the end of the route with about two tenths of a mile left I saw my daughter, Emma, cheering. It gave Jenn and I the gumption to continue.

4. Our race was not won today. I did not just decide to go out and run 6 miles today. This race was run every morning that I laced up my running shoes and ran 1 mile, 3 miles, 5 miles. As with all of life, a commitment to practice pays off.

5. The race did not end today. Monday morning I am going to wake up, lace up my shoes, and hit the pavement.

I got married to have a wedding?

2011-06-10T09:59:00.001-05:00

December 18, 2004. How could I ever forget that day? All the planning, preparation and anticipation was for this one singular day. I woke up, met my fianceé for breakfast, had coffee with my dad, then I put on my tux for a day that would change my life. December 18, 2004 was the day that I married Jennifer Faulk. I remember the ceremony, the candles, the flowers, my friends, family and specifically the cake!!! All of this said, all of the planning and preparation were void and useless if they were just for a 30 minute ceremony on a Saturday. The wedding was not an end in itself but instead it was the beginning of a lifelong relationship. The wedding was the firecracker that began my marriage.

As believers we look back to Jesus Christ with great fondness. We see his work on the cross as magnificent. Often though, we glorify the catalytic event only to forget what it began. This week at church we will be looking at Jesus departure and the work of the Holy Spirit.

We love looking back to Jesus because we can picture him. We can imagine what he looked like when he broke bread. We can see him in anguish as he hung on the cross. We can picture His glory as he ascended into heaven. We begin to struggle though when we think about the Holy Spirit. We can’t picture him, we can’t see him… He is Spirit. Jesus taught that where he married us on the cross, we find our marriage with God in His spirit.

John 16:7 Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.

The cross cannot be and end in itself. The cross of Christ must be the entrance for every man into an abundant life both now and eternally given by the Spirit of God. You don’t get married to have a pretty wedding. You get married to spend your life with who you love.

Abiding in Christ, Our Safe Place

2011-05-25T18:46:00.000-05:00

Last night tornados came tearing though our state and region. They left behind a trail of destruction and despair. Men and women moved to their safe place only to realize that they weren’t as safe as they thought. We mourn with those who lost life, property, and home.

I remember looking out the window, seeing a wall cloud begin to form above our city and grow in intensity and size. Oklahoma is always windy, but seeing these monster clouds, you can’t help but have respect for the storm coming. I had heard the reports of what was coming and knew that our state was expecting dozens of tornados over the course of a few hours. As a family, we have a plan for a tornado -- go into a bath tub, cover ourselves with our children’s mattresses, and pray. This time felt different, though. I knew that our safe place was not as safe as I wanted. So I picked up our phone, called a church member who had an underground shelter, and secured a reservation in their safe place if things got bad. We were fortunate. As the wall clouds built, they passed without trouble. Others in Oklahoma were not as fortunate.

What I learned when watching the reds and purples on the television screen was the need for a true secure place. Over and over again men and women have emerged from their safe spots to find that the world around them was destroyed. Had they been standing in their front yard or sitting in their car, their safety might not have been so sure.

This Sunday morning, we are going to look at a simple passage in scripture. Jesus teaches that He is the vine and we are the branches. Our life, our security, and our home is found in Him. Separated from Him, we find death and destruction.

I think every man has a makeshift safe place, but when real storm comes, it is shown for its strength. We build these safe places through virtue, works, church attendance, and many other things. Sadly they are just not that secure.

There is only one true safe place… abiding in Christ. There is nothing in this world that can shake Christ, nothing in this world that can move Him. In Him is life and safety and hope.

Where is your safe place? Where is your hope?

Book Review "The Take Action Bible"

2011-04-26T19:16:00.001-05:00

Want to make a difference in the world for Christ and don’t know where to start? The Take Action Bible would be an excellent resource for you. The bible is a standard New Kings James Version with no cross-references or footnotes. As with most bibles, to keep it in a slim profile the font seems to be 7 or 8 pt. font. Maps and concordance are standard as with most base bibles.

What separates this Bible from others is its full color stories throughout the text. Every insert averages 7 pages focused around a certain serving theme. These inserts include highlighted scriptures around the themes, stories about real people living out them out and a place to reflect and journal. I specifically enjoyed the personal stories. Often in reading “take action” stories you hear of people doing huge things that you could never do. This bible includes stories of people doing big things but shows where they started. This bible really shows how any person could do big things with their life.

*I received the copy of The Take Action Bible free from booksneeze.com a reviewing arm of Thomas Nelson Publishers.

Consuming Christianity

2011-04-19T09:08:00.000-05:00

There is a new threat to Christianity that is far more dangerous than anything we have seen before. It is far more dangerous than the universalism of Rob Bell. This threat is more influential than any atheist campaign. This threat has the power to render the church completely and utterly useless. What is this grievous threat you may ask? Chocolate Crosses.

Laugh all you want, chocolate crosses are the very problem of modern day Christianity. Sure they are just as likely to give you cavities as their bunny counter parts and are just as likely to make you have the wondrous sugar high with the debilitating sugar crash, but the danger of these confectionary relics has nothing to do with what they are made of. The great danger of Chocolate crosses is what we've made of them.

The chocolate cross is a symbol of what we have made Christianity into. Many Christians react to the secular consumerism of religious holidays. To us, Santa is a misspelling of Satan, and the ears of the Easter bunny are secretly the horns of Beelzebub. How do we react to this consumerism? We consume religious stuff. As Christians, we consume more around our holidays than kids from their Easter baskets. What do we consume -- religious services and programs. We celebrate cantatas, special services, reenactments and celebrations. We all have our chocolate crosses.

Is it wrong to participate in these religious activities? Certainly not. The call of Christians though is not to consume. Do we really make an impact for the Great Commission when we attend 5 services in a week as opposed to just 3? As believers our call is not to consume the cross but to participate in it. Jesus said “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. “ He did not say “if anyone would come after me, let him schedule his time so that he attend church more often.” His call was not to consume, but to participate.

Cross participation leads us to live out the redemption of Christ, not just simply to dwell on it. When we consume Christianity, we feel more religious and closer to Christ. Consumer Christianity does not draw you closer to Christ, it draws you closer to products you enjoy. When you live out the cross of Christ, you live in a relationship with him.

As we celebrate Easter this year, are you simply a consumer or are you a participant?

Desiring God

2011-04-12T12:46:00.000-05:00

There are books that of great help, rise to the top of book lists and fade with time. There are also books that stand the test of time to become books that help shape the face of Christian culture. From the moment I read Desiring God 10 years ago, I realized that I was reading a book that would shape the world of Christianity.

Desiring God is book about a simple concept that “the chief end of man is to glorify God by enjoying him forever.” I remember growing up in church, hearing lessons about morals, bible characters, and salvation. I never understood that my joy as a person was directly tied to my satisfaction in God. Desiring God has helped me understand that the abundant life that God desires all believers to have is found in Him.

In this book, Piper moves through the major doctrines of the Christian faith by showing how each exists to glorify God and lead man in a fulfilled relationship with His creator. If you have not read Desiring God, it is a book worth your time and effort.

The Grace of God

2011-04-12T09:16:00.000-05:00

In recent days I have found grace more and more difficult. I understand that grace is undeserved merit given by God to all men. I have always understood that grace is unconditional. My struggle is that in my heart of hearts I believe that I am worthy of receiving grace, all the while thinking that those who have hurt me should get their just desserts.

This past week I finished reading “The Grace of God” by Andy Stanley. This book to me was not a great revelation of any sort. I don’t think that through it I learned anything stuningly new. This book served as a reminder to me of the depth of sin within my life and relief of freedom that grace brings. Throughout the book, Stanley shows from scripture to scripture the nature of God’s grace from the fall of man to our redemption on the cross by Christ. Over and over the book has shown me the complete and utter helplessness of man and saving sweetness of grace.

In my life this book has stirred me to realize how little I believe in and practice grace. I think we all desire grace for ourselves and judgment for our enemies. This book has refocused my heart to look at others through the same grace that I so desperately need.

*I received the copy of The Grace of God free from booksneeze.com a reviewing arm of Thomas Nelson Publishers.

Shaka, Jimmer, Kemba, and Jesus?

2011-04-06T09:55:00.000-05:00

I am not a college basketball fan. It’s not that I have anything against it, it just is not a segment of sports that registers with me. To me, Shaka Smart is a female R&B singer and “the Jimmer” is a new workout. All of that said, I love the NCAA tourney. In March Madness I become an avid fan of schools that I didn’t even know existed. This year I was a diehard fan for Texas, BYU, VCU, and Butler. Next year, who knows who I will root for. My condition is simple, I am a bandwagon fan. All it takes to earn my affection in the month of March is a great name, a cool shot, or a Cinderella story. I am content to stay in this lukewarm bliss, because I know that I will always root for the winner.

I pastor in the Bible belt. Here in Oklahoma it is not hard to find what the bandwagon belief is. Interestingly enough, I do not know a single person who does not believe in Jesus at some level. It is trendy and culturally appropriate to believe in Christ. One can go door to door and find that most every person in our community believes in Jesus and declares a church as their home. The truth is though, just as I am not a real fan of VCU or Butler, there are many today across Oklahoma and in America who “believe” in Jesus but don’t actually follow Him.

In scripture we see that demons (actual ones, outside of Wake Forest and Duncan High School) believe in Jesus. Are they saved? We know that Satan believes in Jesus. He does everything he can to stop men from following God. Even the rich young ruler believed there was something special about Jesus. If belief is enough, why are the devil, his demons, and many others not saved?

Over the past week I have been pondering John 12:42-43 “Nevertheless, many even of the authorities believed in him, but for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess it, so that they would not be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God.” What we see is a group of people who believe in Jesus but out of selfishness and fear refuse to follow Him. They ate when Jesus broke the bread. They stood amazed while Lazarus walked from the tomb. In all of this, they were never willing to sacrifice the comfort of their lives to follow Jesus. In my opinion, their belief was found void, because genuine belief results in following Christ.

Trusting in Jesus is more than just saying a prayer. It is more than belonging to, attending or even giving to a church. Trusting Jesus is the sacrifice of yourself so that you might follow Christ. In this a Christian will be radically different from his community, whether in a Muslim country or in the heart of the Bible belt. It is easy to jump on the Jesus bandwagon, yet never really commit to him. The true heart of the Christian believes and follows Christ whether through easy or tough times.

Returning to the Cross

2011-03-30T09:27:00.000-05:00

We all come to church with a unified focus, right? We all come with humility knowing that we are new people purchased on the cross unconditionally, right? The truth is, a multitude of people come to church with multitude of reasons. In many places church is center of right standing in a community. For others the church is a business that is to be grown. In some places church is the local extension of a political organization that exists to push moral legislation through. The more I pastor, the more I realize that I will never understand all the motives and reasons that drive church participation. With dozens of motives driving church participation, I have realized that these same motives pull for the attention and focus of the church. Church success then is derived from political action, business pragmatics, or community standing.

I am an idealist. Deep down I ask why churches can’t be focused on the main thing- Jesus Christ. I read passages in scripture that speak of a common mind and a shared vision. I wonder why we as church people cannot come fully realizing the lordship of Christ in His church and the call of His commission. Instead of this, churches today are consumed with musical tastes, debate over secondary issues of scripture, and ultimately power struggles to see whose motives drive a church. In this we leave God’s perfect design.

There is only one solution for the church. The solution is not a program or a style. This solution is not a motive but instead a foundation. The church must return to the cross. At the cross we realize our unworthiness before God. At the cross we realize the root of sinful motives. At the cross we find humility knowing that we are no greater than our savior. At the cross we find our mission. At the cross we understand that our righteousness is that of filthy rags and our hope is in redemption.

The church has chased solutions for its lack of authenticity for far too long. The church will never be relevant if all it has is style. It will never be nation changing if all it has is political ambition. The church will never truly grow as long as pragmatics drive it. All of that said, an authentic church founded on the cross will change a nation as the gospel penetrates the heart. The authentic church will be more relevant than hipster clothing or a style of worship. The authentic church will see immeasurable growth as people come to find something real.

We must return to the cross. Our churches will have no life without first embracing the death of Christ. Will you go to the cross?

My Ton of Bricks

2011-03-29T20:15:00.000-05:00

It is easy to give God lip service. For most of us, at the moment of conversion the only fear we have is that of the people around us who will stare at us while we walk down the church aisle. Our greatest fear is the line of hand shakers we have to meet as we stand at the front of the church. To tell you the truth, my call to ministry came with the same lackluster fears. I knew I was called, but I never counted the cost.

This past week I sat with my director of missions over a cup of coffee at our local hospital. We were sharing our joys and struggles. We shared with each other our hopes and disappointments. As I was sharing a few of the struggles in my life I came to a realization. In retrospect this realization came more as a ton of bricks being dropped on my head. My realization was simple -- I was considering myself as exempt from the sufferings of my faith.

I wanted to have an easy time. I want to share my faith and have people turn to Jesus. I want to have a life fruitful to Christ. In this, I want a life without struggles and pain. I want to be a part of God’s plan while at the same time exempt from its cost.

As I have studied over our text for Sunday morning I have dwelt on John 12:27-28: “Now is my soul troubled. What shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.”

Jesus knew the pain that was to come on the cross. He knew the agony he would deal with as he would slowly suffocate. He knew the wrath that was to come for our sins. In this his response was simple -- the purpose of God far outweighs any of the pain that accompanies it.

Our call is simple -- to pick up our cross and follow Christ. We must count the cost. We must realize that there will be pain in our future. In all of this, though, we must realize that any cost paid will pale in comparison to the purpose God has for us. The question I leave is one I am stewing over myself… Am I, are you, willing to suffer the cost in order to carry the cross?

Believing in Conversion

2011-03-08T09:49:00.001-06:00

Evangelism in a culturally Christian area is difficult. One can go door to door and simply ask the members of each household if they are saved and the answer is a resounding yes. This morning I woke up to read Desiring God for the third time in my life. I once read it in college when John Piper seemed to step into the public eye for the first time. I read it for a worship class in seminary the second. This time though, as I read it, I understand much of Piper’s presuppositions serving as a pastor in the Bible belt. One paragraph particularly hit me this morning:

Someone may ask, “If your aim is conversion, why don’t you just use the straight forward, biblical command ‘Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved’? Why bring in the new terminology Christian Hedonism?”

My answer has two parts. First we are surrounded by unconverted people who think they do believe in Jesus. Drunks on the street say they believe. Unmarried couples sleeping together say they believe. Elderly people who haven’t sought worship or fellowship for forty years say they believe. All kinds of lukewarm, world loving church attendees say they believe. The world abounds with millions of unconverted people who say they believe in Jesus.

It does no good to tell those people to believe in the Lord Jesus. The phrase is empty. My responsibility as a preacher of the gospel and a teacher in the church is not to preserve and repeat the cherished biblical sentences, but to pierce the heart with biblical truth.

Could it not be that today the most straightforward biblical command for conversion is not, “Believe in the Lord,” but, delight yourself in the Lord”?

The great work of evangelism in a Christian culture is not getting people to pray a prayer, most already have. It is not getting people into church, many attend and know nothing of God. The great work of evangelism in the Christian culture is leading people to a conversion where the things of God become the treasures of their hearts.

Let me illustrate: I love my wife and children. I can say that and it be void if my life and affections did not reflect this truth. Perhaps I say I love my wife, but if I give my work all of my time, what do I really love? I could say that I love my kids, but if I ignore them in order to watch TV, where are my affections truly set? I might say that I love my wife, but if I never darkened the door of my house, choosing instead to fill my life with affairs, bars and buddies, are my words actually true?

We often treat conversion as a magic trick. If you say the magic words, abra cadabra, you're saved. The affections of one’s heart are the true tell of the Genuine conversion. If you are truly saved, then your desires are changed and the things of God become far greater than anything else.

What does your heart long for?

Who’s In The Church: The Insider

2011-02-28T06:00:00.000-06:00

We’re at church. Together we come for a common purpose, work for a common goal, and live for a common savior. At least it is that way in a perfect world. The thing is... we don't live in a perfect world. The church draws numerous people with numerous goals, striving for different purposes all under the umbrella of a common savior.

How do we unite? How do we serve when we are all serving in different directions? For some the answer may lie in creating a church environment where only those who think alike, look alike, and act alike are welcome. For others the answer is to simply provide an environment like a mall food court where everyone gets something different. To tell you the truth, I don't know the answer. I know there are differences, that many come to church for a variety of reasons. In the next few blogs I would like to reflect on our differences so that we might understand each other, learn to appreciate each other, and in turn, learn to lean on each other’s strengths.

Our first personality in church is the church insider. You can generally spot this Christian by their dress, language, and attitude. In a pursuit for holiness, the insider has removed himself from the culture around him. Generally they educate their own children or send them to Christian private schools. Their radio is generally set to play Christian music on the way to play basketball in a Christian league. They have a great desire for church programming as it is often their form of leisure. As to friends the insider traditionally has no friends outside of the church world.

Positively the insider is well educated in the church. They support it financially and with their time. They are often the cornerstones of fellowship in the church.

On the opposite hand the insider struggles with evangelism because they have so separated themselves from the world around them that don't know many who are not a part of the church. The insider often looks judgmental from the outside because they subscribe to christianized things and often balk at the secular world.

We must learn from the insider the necessity of holiness, their passion for fellowship, and zeal for the things of the church. The insider must strive to build relationships in a culture that often seems repulsive to them. We all have our strengths, and we all have our weaknesses.

* this blog comes in reflection to the third chapter of "Next Christians" by Gabe Lyons.

I Have A Dream: The Need For Vision

2011-02-16T08:50:00.002-06:00

Martin Luther King Jr. was driven by his values. He valued the equality of all men to the point that he gave his life for his belief. Martin Luther King Jr. knew his mission. His mission was to bring racial equality to a country that oppressed it’s minorities. Martin Luther King Jr. would not have been the racial reformer he was if it was not for his vision. Many men in MLK’s time held to the values, but they did not rise to become reformers. Many men held to MLK’s mission but never gained the influence and notoriety of Dr. King. What made Martin Luther King Jr. so different was his vision.

What was Dr. King’s vision? It was a simple speech where he painted a picture which men and women could see of an America who stood, played and lived unified.

Vision is the mission and values with flesh around them. Our values as churches are constant. Our mission never changes, but our vision moves and adapts as the world changes. As churches we are aware of our values. We know evangelism, fellowship, unity, prayer, love and the Word are things we hold dear. I believe we all agree that our mission is to make disciples of all nations. I think we fail because we don’t have a dream of what it looks like today. Many times we had a vision 10, 20, 30 years ago and have not allowed it to adapt as the world has changed.

As churches we must dream a new dream. Our dream must be rooted in our constant values. It must be centered by our mission. Our dream must be relevant to today and adaptable for tomorrow. Today if you could paint a picture of your church in 10 years what would it look like? If you could foresee the church in 30 years, what are the possibilities? Do you have a dream?

On Mission

2011-02-15T08:37:00.000-06:00

Last week a great mission stood before me. My mission was to obtain and secure valentine gifts for the three most important women in my life. I knew that was no easy venture. There would be obstacles and challenges before me. That said, failure to complete this mission would mean the disappointment of 2 preschoolers and an out of my league wife. As I looked upon this mission I knew that I needed to drive straight to Wal-Mart, go directly to the red pink aisle and buy what was necessary. The challenges were great. On my way I could have faltered and chosen to spend the money on a route 44 drink and order of cheddar peppers. Once at Wal-Mart I could go and spend it on something I “needed” such as coffee or ice-cream. I did not. I drove straight by Sonic, passed the freezer aisles, passed by the coffees and went directly to the red pink aisle.

Silly as it may seem we live on mission in some way. In every life that are certain purposes that must be fulfilled. We purpose to live financially viable lives so once a month our mission is to pay our bills. We purpose to survive so we go on mission by eating. We purpose to provide for our families so we go on mission to work every day. Are there obstacles? Absolutely. We see a new gadget and so we spend our money on that and in turn fail our mission in paying our bills. We wake up with a headache and in turn abort the mission of going to work. Failure to complete life’s missions results in failure to meet life’s purposes.

Both Christians and churches share a common purpose: to glorify God. We also share the common mission in accomplishing that purpose: the great commission (Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.). The great temptation for all of us is to get distracted and miss our mission. As churches we often get distracted with programs, fellowships, funding and buildings. All of these things are good, but if they aren’t a part of the great commission mission they are vanity. As Christians we get busy with life, friends, church, programs and any number of things. All these are well and good, but we must not get distracted from our primary mission.

I guess I am challenged today. I must look at my life and ask if I am on task in accomplishing my mission and in turn fulfilling my purpose, or am I living from distraction to distraction. I must look at my leading of God’s church and ask are we accomplishing our great mission and fulfilling our purpose, or are we wasting time moving from distraction to distraction. How about you? What about your church?

Do I Really Value...

2011-02-14T08:32:00.000-06:00

I have many values in my life. I value God. I value my family. I value my church. If you were to ask me whether I valued world peace, orphans in Africa and the end of starvation and illness throughout the world, I would agree that they were values as well.

There is a difference between my first set of values and my second set. My first set is actual values. I invest my time, life and energy into those values. The second set is different, they are aspirationial values. I have nothing invested in creating world peace, have done little to support orphans in Africa, and have not done much to end illness or starvation.

Every person and organization has these two sets of values. Our actual values are defined by what we invest most of our time, money and energy into. These values range from the important such as family, God and work to the trivial such as video games, movies and vices. These values are not just positive things. An actual value is what you invest in.

As to the other set of values they are what we aspire to be. One can say they value health, but it is only aspirational if you eat junk food. You can say that you value Evangelism, but it is only aspirational until you share your faith.

As we “do church” I wonder what would happen if we defined our actual values and measured them against our aspirational values. As churches we say we value Christ centered fellowship, evangelism, discipleship, and love, but if we placed a mirror in front of ourselves would we see those values or would we see others.

Book Review "The Next Christians"

2011-02-01T11:57:00.000-06:00

Most Christians and pastors are concerned about the alarming trend of young adults running from the church. In this genre there seem to be a wide spectrum of books that have the answer to the ills of the church. Some encourage you to a change of style, while others lead you to revamp your programs. Most paint a grim picture for the 21st century American church. In The Next Christians by Gabe Lyons, he takes a different perspective of the turn in the church. In this book he attempts to show how a new generation in the church is not the destruction of it but its restoration.

I will gladly admit that I did not agree with everything in this book. That said, If I read only things I knew I would agree with , then how would I be stretched, and how would I grow. There are several treasures in this book that make it worth a buy. What I find so worthwhile in this book is that, Gabe Lyons does a remarkable job in the second chapter of defining how people tick in the church. As a pastor I have come to see in greater depth how many people are wired, and also how I may communicate and think differently than them. From there he moves to define the next generation of Christians. He calls this group restorers, and pursues what they believe and how they tick throughout the rest of the book.

I would gladly recommend this book with caution. I recommend it because it has stretched me, has helped me understand both the people in my church and a generation that we all are so desperate to reach. I would caution it in that I do not know if I could come to the same conclusions as the author.

I reviewed a free copy of this book from- http://waterbrookmultnomah.com

Sundays Are For Sermons

2011-01-30T05:00:00.001-06:00

The Church of the Deep Well pt. 2

2011-01-26T08:59:00.000-06:00

There is a big difference between ranching and shepherding. On a ranch, all the cattle stay inside of the barbed wire boundaries. The rancher comes on a regular basis to feed the flock, he tends to their needs, and after the work is done, he leaves the flock to itself safely inside of the its barbed wire protection. The shepherd is different. For the shepherd there is no fence of protection, only a pen for nightly sleep. The job of the shepherd is to lead the flock to green pastures. The job of the shepherd is to care for the flock while they are moving. The job of the shepherd is to protect the flock from the dangers of the open fields around him.

In leading the flock, it is not unusual for the shepherd to travel amongst other shepherds. The sheep mingle, but their loyalty is to the voice that calls them. As the sheep travel, the shepherd knows where water is, where grass is and where home is.

The difference between the church of the barbed wire and the church of the deep well is as simple as a rancher and a shepherd. In the church of the barbed wire there is no travel, no purpose, but comfort and safety inside of its boundaries. In the church of the deep well the flock travels. The flock follows its chief shepherd (Jesus Christ) and is also led by its under shepherd. This is a church that is not afraid to live in the world. It is a church that finds rest in a small pen, but its mission is going. The foundation of this church is not in the secondary rules that keep it safe, but in the shepherd who guards it and the living water it returns to.

The fellowship of the Church of the deep well is found in its shepherd and in turn found in its mission. Its fellowship is not defined by its fences but instead found in its travels and in the voice it follows. In turn what defines the fellowship also defines its aim- evangelism. A flock that is in the world, seen following the chief shepherd, walking alongside other sheep is a flock that will bear witness to the shepherd and lead other sheep to follow as well. Every church has a choice. They can be a church wrapped in barbed wire, safe, fed and cared for, or they can be a church defined by its shepherd, seen for its travels, leading other sheep to follow. Is the church a ranch, or is the church a flock?

38th Anniversary of Roe vs. Wade

2011-01-24T11:55:00.000-06:00

As we come to the 38th anniversary of Roe vs. Wade we need to stop and sense the gravity of how this decision has affected out nation. I saw this video on the gospel coalition's website...

The Church of the Deep Well pt. 1

2011-01-24T09:29:00.000-06:00

Every community has a center. For most its center is not its city hall or police station. For many communities their center is not the First Church. In my community the center of town is a street called Brookline Drive. On the East side of the street sits a Braums. On any given summer night you can drive by and see about half the city of Duncan. On the west side of Brookline Drive sits the true center of Duncan, Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart is the one stop shop for the city of Duncan. You can go and get your medicine, toys, electronics, furniture, office supplies and food all in one visit. As you drive up to the massive parking lot you can clearly see that there are more cars parked in the lot than most likely the whole of parking lots throughout the city.

The city of Duncan is supported by a primary industry. We are a Halliburton town. Even though we are a town defined by a primary business, we also support a hospital, schools, farms, ranches, restaurants, and businesses. Once you begin to see the melting pot of people, you can hardly define its work force only by Halliburton.

How is a town defined? I believe a town is defined by its center.

Last week I wrote a little about how churches attempt to define themselves by building walls of secondary issues to keep their fellowship together and to keep others out. This week I would like to describe a fellowship that is defined by its center, not by its fence. For clarity’s sake I will call this church- “The Church of the Deep Well”. I would love to claim this idea as my own, but again this is a reflection of ideas I gleaned while reading Deep Church.

In The church of the Deep Well, the community is not defined by walls that keep outsider out and insider in, but instead it is defined by what’s at its center. Just like the city of Duncan every person who claims Duncan as their home lives in a close enough proximity so that they can go to the center and get the necessities of life. In the Church of the Deep Well your connection to the community is defined by your proximity to the center… the spring of eternal life. In this community outsiders are not kept walled out and its membership is defined by the gospel, not by secondary walls. Over the next few days, I am going to unpack this idea a little further. I will leave you with this question though- Is your church defined by secondary walls or the primary gospel?

Sundays Are For Sermons

2011-01-23T05:58:00.000-06:00

The Church of the Barbed Wire Part 3

2011-01-19T08:56:00.000-06:00

In my opinion there is nothing more important than evangelism and discipleship in the local church. God’s commission for men is to make disciples, and He has given the church the responsibility to equip them for that end.

Going back to thinking about the Church of the Barbed wire, a place that is defined by the walls it creates around itself, we must understand that like any church, it believes in evangelism. At this church as men exit the fenced church yard they go knowing that their call is to bring others inside.

Imagine with me walking through an open field. As we walk I begin to tell you the wonders of the ranch I live on. I tell you that it is a beautiful place, wild flowers cover the hills and a scenic lake sits at their feet. I tell you of the feast we eat around the campfire and the fellowship we have in bonding. Finishing those words we walk up to the outer fence. A sign sits on the outer fence that describes what you must be before entering the ranch itself. In despair you realize that you are disqualified from coming on the ranch. At that moment you turn back not to come in.

In the Church of the Barbed Wire its members are active in inviting and encouraging the lost to come and meet Jesus. The only problem is that before they can see the love of God at work within His body they are met with sign after sign that tells them what they must be before entrance into the church. What this church has done is added extra scriptural non written stipulations as to what’s necessary for entrance. Before you have the opportunity to see what’s happening on the inside you must fit into the culture.

As I have observed Christ in the New Testament, I have noticed that He seemed to have two voices. One voice was a voice of mercy and grace in which he spoke to the broken, sinful and rejected of the world. The other voice was one of reproof to the religious who sought to build barriers to keep sinful men from God. As we as Christians go out to share our faith to a world that needs hope, do we take them straight to our savior, or do we take them to the fence where they see what they need to become before gaining entrance to the savior?

The Church of the Barbed Wire Part 2

2011-01-18T08:58:00.000-06:00

Sunday Morning, church time. You pull up to the Church of the Barbed Wire, and it doesn’t take long to see what it's all about. As you approach you notice the building, a small sign on the front door tells you that the Bible of choice in this house of worship is King James. A greeter opens the door to meet you. He is dressed to the nines, 3 piece suit, tie, and polished shoes. You wonder if you are underdressed wearing your nice jeans and button down shirt. As you walk through the halls to the Sanctuary you notice that everyone looks the same, white, middle class, well dressed and churched. As you sit down a couple walks up to you and lets you know that you are sitting in their seat. They let you know that since you are a visitor it would be allowed for the week, but next week they would prefer to have their place back.

The service begins. You notice that the order of worship is exactly the same as your grandmother's church in the country. As the Music Minister leads you know the songs… they are the same ones you sang when you were a kid. You still don’t know what an Ebenezer is and you don’t think that you have ever hithered before. The Sermon had 3 points… you wonder why God organized every passage in threes. The service comes to a close, they sing their last song… a man scoots close to you and attempts to hold your hand. Men holding each other’s hands… weird.

The story may seem a bit silly for those of us who attend church, but we must always remember how odd the church culture is to outsiders.

Every church has a culture, but at the church of the barbed wire their culture has been set, and their fellowship is defined by who fits into that culture. In this church the secondary and style things have been made of first importance. This problem is not one that is just an older church problem but instead is a problem when any church young or old finds its definition in the church culture it creates. The Church of the Barbed Wire fences in all who fit in their culture, but it also fences out all who don’t belong.

The fences of the church are simple… theologically if you differ in Bible translation, escatology, and other secondary theological issues your fenced out. Clothing is another fence… if you don’t dress like we do, then you have to change your dress to match us. This can be suits and ties, and also hipster clothing. In the Church of the BW the service itself is a fence. This church will begin to make its order and style sacred, becoming a style not recognized by other generations.

God’s intent in the church is that the gospel would be the unifying factor for men of many cultures to worship God together. What happens in the church of the barbed wire is that we have placed fences up so that we keep other cultures, peoples and generations out of church so that we can worship our religion.

The Church of the Barbed Wire Part 1

2011-01-17T09:52:00.000-06:00

It doesn’t take long to drive through southwest Oklahoma to find its most distinguishing feature. It’s not the rolling hills, or the rundown barns. It’s not the wind torn trees or the sporadic town. Southwest Oklahoma’s most distinguished feature is its barbed wire fences. As you drive mile after mile you see them. They are the simple barriers that divide the open country side into units.

At one time cattle were pushed up what is now the 81 corridor on its previous name the Chisholm Trail. There were no barbed wire fences, not land subdivisions. It was just a beat down trail that moved cattle from one place to another. What happened to this trail? Why was this land subdivided and the parries split into pieces. People settled.

Ok Ok, I know, what one earth do barbed wire praries have to do with the church?...This is a church blog right? A few months ago I read a book that has helped shape my view of church ministry. This book simply looked at how churches define themselves. One example it gives is of a field that is fenced in on every side. This is a church that prevents any and all who think, act and live differently than them from joining their fellowship. This is the condition of most churches today. They are defined by their beliefs that differ them from others. For clarities sake, over the next few blogs I will call them the church of the barbed wire. Over the next 3 blogs, I will outline four ideas about the church of the barbed wire. First, what makes its fellowship? Secondly, I will discuss its evangelism. Thirdly I will answer what its discipleship looks like. Finally on Friday, I will discuss what its leadership structure it.

The question then becomes… What about the other model? What is the alternative? You will just have to wait till next week for that.

Friday Fun: Benny Hinn, The Dark Lord of the Sith

2011-01-14T06:00:00.003-06:00

Preventing the Gospel

2011-01-13T09:33:00.000-06:00

Recently there has been a question that has been heavy on my heart... What are we doing to prevent the gospel? My answer is simple, we have made the gospel more about cultural assimilation than we have about redemption.

In Namibia, Africa there is a people group known as the Herero. The Herero people are directly related to the Himba people except one big difference. Where the Himba people still live in a state of undress as they have for centuries, the Herero people have accepted a civilized dress of the early European 19th century. As Europeans began to colonize the African world they sought to Christianize the natives by teaching them their culture. Today the Herero women still wear Victorian dresses. The people still believe in the ancestor worship of their kin the Himba, but they do it “Christianly” in their 19th century gowns.

Today in any church we are faced with a choice… to convert people to our culture, or to convert them to Christ. When our desire is to convert one to our culture, we demand that they dress like we do, act like we do, sing like we do and live like we do. In this, we actually prevent them from coming to the gospel because we add hurdles for them to cross before they have entrance into the body of faith. When people are converted to Christ, they come expressing Him in their clothes, in their cultural norms, and in their cultural expression.

What’s easier? It is much easier to accept people who fit only your culture. When you begin to reach people for Christ and not culture, they will bring with them a new expression of faith in Christ. This expression will stretch church and change the church, but it will also bring new life to the church. The question for every church is, what binds us here… a cultural form of religion or Christ himself?

A Medium Rare Confession

2011-01-12T15:53:00.002-06:00

There is nothing in this world better than a nice large, tender, juicy, well seasoned, medium rare steak. From the first bite till it's gone, there is nothing that moves me like the flavor of a perfect steak.

I have always had a love hate relationship with food. I love to eat it and I hate the way it makes me look. There is nothing that can capture my appetite yet leave me feeling worthless in the morning as a good meal. Here is my confession-- food is an idol in my life.

An idol is anything that takes one’s affections away God. When your value is based on how you look or how you much you weigh then who is your god? If your greatest longings are for what you eat next then what is your god?

My journey into this realization came a couple days ago... I was talking with a friend over coffee at McDonalds on the topic of fasting. He asked why one would fast, and my reply was that in fasting we deny what charms us so that we find our complete fulfillment in God. We give up bread so as to be filled by the bread of life.

As I drove away from that meeting I realized something.... My value is in my weight, and my longing in food.

What would it be like to hunger for God like I hunger for food? What would it be like to wake up in the morning and realize that my value is in God not in the plus or minus of the scale?

I guess this is my confession -- I have made an idol out of food. So now it's time to destroy the idol, to find my value in God, and to crucify the desires of my flesh. Does that mean that I stop eating? No. Does it mean that eating must fall under the control of God? Yes.

A Busy Church

2011-01-11T14:02:00.000-06:00

Have you ever noticed how busy you can get around church…. Standard activities are Sunday School, Morning Worship, Discipleship Training, Evening Worship and even Wednesday Prayer Meetings. It seems that activity after activity can add up to a full life of church and its activities.

Have you ever asked the question of whether Jesus would be pleased with the religious world that we have built? If Jesus were to come would he consider that our church world would be worth his death? Did Jesus die so that we would be busy?

This past week I preached a sermon on the 1 Corinthians 13. The passage simply states that all things done in church are simply noise if not rooted in love.

As I grow and learn in the pastorate I am increasingly convinced that we spend more and more time in activities to cover for the loss of authenticity in the church.

How do we recover? We must first realize that an active participant in church does not equate to saved person. We must begin preaching a true gospel that leads to genuine decisions. We must desire changed lives more than busy ones that produce efficient numbers. Finally we must again see God as the hope of our churches not our ingenuity.

Just a thought for a Tuesday afternoon.

Sunday's Sermon

2011-01-11T09:24:00.002-06:00

Did Jesus Die To Make You Happy?

2011-01-05T09:18:00.000-06:00

If I were to define my theory on church it would be that I am a simplest or a naturalist. In evangelism, I do not think that weekly visitation program is needed when the body truly understands what God has done in their lives and they share it naturally with those closest to them. In discipleship, to me it is much less a class and much more believers spurring one another along in life. In fellowship, as we live the Christian life we should lean on each other for support. I know I’m an idealist, but if you can’t shoot for God’s perfect intention for the church, why even meet?

All of this said, my theory about the natural working of a church is greatly in question when we as churches naturally turn out class after class of teenagers who drop out of church by their sophomore year of college. What must we do to fix this problem… we are living in a time when most churches have youth ministries, youth programs and large youth budgets. One might say that even with all of that we are poorly educating our kids in what/why we believe.

I think the problem is not that we are poorly educating our kids, but instead that we are naturally educating our kids excellently. In “Almost Christian” Kendra Dean makes the point that most of our kids believe exactly what we believe, and have the courage to live it out. She believes that a new religion has crept into the sanctuaries of the Christian Church and taken over. What is this new religion you ask? Therapeutic Moralistic Deism.

What is therapeutic moralistic deism? It is a belief system that holds that God exists to make us feel better about ourselves. Its end is in getting us to live happier more moral lives. To it, God simply stands back letting us live the lives we want, yet available to give us a few encouraging words when we need them.

In this new religion, the chief end of man is not the glory of God or even the holiness of oneself; it is the happiness of his life. You come to church when you need it, leave happier than when you got there, and maybe hear about how you can be nicer while your there.

So as young people have heard from pulpits and teachers, they become the new evangelists of TMD. As they see the example of moralism and self help from their parents, they drop out of church, knowing that this god is waiting for them when they need him.

How do we right the ship? The calling of the church is not to make good moral happy people. It is to share the good news of the gospel, call people to leave everything and surrender to a God who demands them to take up their crosses and follow Him, and to settle for nothing less. What our kids need first is to see that in their parents. They need to know that church is more than just a civic club or a badly done Oprah show. As we adults show the genuine work of the gospel in our lives, they will naturally show it in their own lives.

*this post is a reflection of the book “Almost Christian” by Kendra Dean, if you are interested in learning more here is the amazon link.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer: Finding Joy In the Midst of Sorrow

2011-01-04T08:56:00.001-06:00

Bible read, check. Book read, check. Prayed for needs, wants and desires, check. All this and I still feel empty. They say that practice makes perfect, but often practice leads to monotony. I have always puzzled over Paul’s statement in Philippians where he said that all that mattered in this world he would count as rubbish compared to knowing Christ. I desire to desire Christ in that way. I ache wanting to know what it would feel like to be in a relationship with God in that way.

Recently I have been reading through a long biography of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a pastor theologian who led German churches to stand against the Reich church. He was a man who when given the choice of honor in America as a college professor or martyr under the hand of Adolf Hitler chose death. He is the embodiment of Paul’s statement “I want to know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share in His sufferings, becoming like Him in death.” Seeing the conclusion of his life makes me realize how small a commitment I have and how little I actually suffer for Christ.

How do you get to the point of surrendering everything to know Christ? How do you rejoice while sitting at the mercies of men who like Hitler care only care for their empire and fame? How do you delight in the things of God, when often a life lived in pursuit of God leads you to suffering and earthly shame?

Here are my thoughts…

1. When all you do is soak in God’s word, but never live it out, you are left spiritually rotten and empty.

2. When you begin to serve God, you serve him knowing that your service will lead to persecution.

3. When persecution comes you realize that it is not your end, but instead the proof that you are living for Christ.

4. When persecution comes you count it as joy, knowing that you are living a life worthy of God.

5. As persecution comes, you lean not on yourself, but on God who upholds you and strengthens you.

6. As you depend on God, your desires change to become His desires, your strength moves from your strength to his, and your joy is found in pleasing God not pleasing yourself.

In a day where church is the center for self help, easy preaching, and marketed services, what would it be like to be body that serves in such a way to draw persecution? Perhaps the solution for the church is not another marketing campaign, music style or service offered, but instead a genuineness lived by each member that points to God and draws the attention of a persecuting world.

Sunday Sermon

2011-01-03T10:45:00.002-06:00

My Bad Hair Year

2011-01-03T08:50:00.003-06:00

It is a brand new year, a time to look behind us at where we have been and a time to look forward to where God is leading us. I have been doing a great deal of reflecting lately and had a good laugh at myself as to my recent past here at WHBC.

A little over 3 years ago my family moved from Okinawa, Japan to Duncan, Oklahoma. In Okinawa I had the privilege of leading a young growing church. We moved to Oklahoma to a church where the average age in the young adult department was in the 40s.

I have always been a believer that every pastor is a missionary to his community. In Okinawa I wore a high and tight not really out of choice, but instead because that was the haircut that Japanese barbers gave young Americans. I desired to fit in so I looked at the preachers in the Duncan area and I adopted their hair style, the bouffant. From the day I landed on the ground I attempted to act and live 20 years older than I was. I felt I needed to act older than my age and so I compensated for it by pretending to be what I was not. Wesley Faulk is not an old timey preacher who wears a bouffant.

In Ecclesiastes 1 Solomon lays out a long set of sayings all starting with “a time to be”. There is a time to be born, a time to die, a time to mourn, a time to dance. Over the past few weeks I have come to a shocking conclusion… Western Heights Baptist Church did not call a 60 year old preacher with a bouffant, they called me. There is a time to be a 60 year old preacher, and there is a time to be a 29 year old preacher. I believe without a shadow of a doubt that God called me to be the pastor of this church, and in that, I must be who God created, Wesley Faulk, a tech junkie, Bible preaching pastor. There is a time to be 60, but I have at least 30 years until that happens.

New Year's Resolutions

2011-01-01T00:01:00.002-06:00

Happy New Year!!!

So it’s a new year and as a part of that I am taking a bit of time to look back over the past year. It has been a roller coaster of a year with both blessings and struggles. I have seen God work in my life in ways that were both tough and necessary to move me to a greater dependency on Him. This year I have begun realizing the overwhelming power of prayer in my family’s life. I have realized beyond a shadow of a doubt the faithfulness of God for his called men. I also have come to understand that I must never be content in my growth as a father, a Christian and as a pastor… Here are my “New Year’s Resolutions”. It’s my hope that come December 31,2011 I might look back and see how I’ve grown in these areas of my life.

1. For me- to blog at least once a week. My relationship with wesfaulk.com has been an on again off again failure. I started writing on the sight to express my dreams and hopes for the church and ministry, but through a few hard times, I let it go to the wayside. It is my hope for 2011 to blog regularly on my sight.

2. For my family- to make the time spent with them matter. I have noticed there are times when I come home from a long day of work to sink in to my favorite chair, turn on my favorite station and ignore the most valuable people in my life. Jennifer, Ana and Emma… It is my hope this year to spend QUALITY time with you, investing in our family.

3. For the church- to lead it with boldness to fulfill the great commission. I am a people pleaser. At church this leads me to lead pragmatically hoping to please everyone. It is my hope this year to lead the church to please God first. It is my hope to lead our church to become on mission for God’s great purpose.

4. For God- To share my faith as a normal part of my life. It is so easy to let church stay at church and think that it is my ministry. It is my hope this year to not lead an evangelical life in the pulpit and a cowardly life at home. My desire for the coming year is to allow God complete control in my life where He is evident in my words and actions everywhere I go.

Kindle Books To Share

2010-12-30T21:08:00.000-06:00

I just wanted to post the books Amazon.com told me were available to lend. Let me know if you would like to read one of these books.

Going to Disney World!!!!!

2010-12-20T15:26:00.000-06:00

A quote and a thought

2010-12-12T20:30:00.002-06:00

“It is a question of the freedom of God, which finds its strongest evidence precisely in that God freely chose to be bound to historical human beings and to be placed at the disposal of human beings. God is free not from human beings but for them. Christ is the word of God’s freedom.” – Bonhoeffer

At Christmas time it is so easy to get distracted on so many side things that we miss the main thing. We go to parties, attend church, see family and friends… but if the incarnation of Christ is not center in our hearts this season, we have missed everything.

Sunday Morning Sermon

2010-11-22T09:13:00.002-06:00

First Video Post

2010-11-11T14:33:00.001-06:00

Sermon Audio: Who Is Jesus?

2010-11-08T08:55:00.000-06:00

Success: How Do You Define It In Church?

2010-10-26T08:27:00.000-05:00

Pay the bills, balance the budget, maintain the membership… this is the life of the local church. Recently God has been working on me helping me realize that life is so much greater than filling a seat. He has helped me see that the aim of the church is far greater than maintaining numbers year to year.

The last month I have lived with a large amount of discontentment in my heart. I believe this discontentment is a good thing in that it is leading me to see a vision of the church far above complacency. As an example, this morning I woke up with a singular question in my head… what is a successful church? Adding to it, when do you declare victory in your vision? Is success found when we grow to be 200, 400, 10,000 people strong? Is success the contentment of every member of the church, building it in such a way that everyone likes me? Is success simply surviving while the other 85% of churches die?

Here is what I have come to: success cannot be quantified on a board. There are many mega churches that allow people to sit status quo, never dealing with the membership’s heart. I have also realized that success in ministry means that some people will just be upset. A harsh reality that I have found is that I am no greater than Jesus. If Christ, the son of God, was despised by men, if his message was a stumbling block to many, then who am I to think that I can wrap it up so it will be pleasing to all. A true sign that success is happening is that people react to you like they would react to Jesus. I have also realized that success cannot happen in complacency.

What is success? Success is men and women coming in the doors of the church and leaving changed by God’s word. Success is fellowship that exists to spur one another along in the Christian walk. Success is a church that sees its highest goal in glorifying God. The fruit of a successful church is believers who are heavenly minded and broken hearted over their friends who do not know Christ. The fruit of it is families led by Dads whose hearts see their chief goal as making disciples at home. Success in church is simply a body of believers who live to be changed by God.

Our New Office!!!

2010-09-07T19:31:00.000-05:00

I Just thought I would share a few pics of our new office!!!

My Desk

My Desk and book shelves

The Secretary's Desk

Booksneeze.com Review: Seeds Of Turmoil

2010-09-07T08:01:00.001-05:00

There are few subjects more polarizing or interest grabbing than the current conflict between Israel , their allies and the Muslim world. In Seeds of Turmoil, Bryant Wright a pastor in Georgia, attempts to show how the current state of affairs in the Middle East was born out of the family disaster of Abraham, Sarah and Hagar. Wright takes the reader through both the biblical foundations of the conflict and the historical progression of the state of Israel and its Muslim neighbors.

I decided to read this book to learn both history and theology on this conflict. This book delivers both. Be warned though that Wright holds a distinct point of view regarding the nation of Israel that is often held in dispensational circles. As to the read I was expecting a page turner because of its subject matter, but found it be opposite. For me this book this book was a labor to read. I had trouble keeping focus as the author tried to walk a fine line of biblical scholarship, historic accuracy and life application. In this line he excelled in explaining his view of scripture, and historical accuracy, but moments of illustration and life application seemed to be distraction from the main focus of the book.

I received the copy of Seeds of Turmoil free from booksneeze.com a reviewing arm of Thomas Nelson Publishers.

BookSneeze.com Book Review: Patton, The Pursuit of Destiny

2010-08-25T08:18:00.000-05:00

Friends, I have recently discovered that Thomas Nelson is giving their newly published books to bloggers in return for an honest unbiast review. Below is my first review: Patton, The Pursuit of Destiny.

Patton, The Pursuit of Destiny by Agostino Von Hassell And Ed Bressen is an easily read detailed account of one of America’s generals whose footsteps seem larger than life. In this account of the larger than life general you are taken from General Patton’s birth and childhood, though his training, into detailed accounts of his military career and all the way through his death.

In honesty, I am not a scholar of history and knew little of Patton or the details of either WW1 or WW2. That said, I gained a great appreciation for one of the great men of our country and for the military strategy of the allies in the second world war. I did feel the author did not look as critically as necessary at many of Patton’s grandiose actions often rationalizing them away by explaining Patton’s emotional state or past. I also struggled as novice to Patton to follow the progression of his wartime efforts. One might consider holding this book in one hand and a map in the other as places begin to get jumbled as the story moves quickly. Overall though, the author does a remarkable job of showing how a man who felt he had a destiny to die on the battle field ended up leading our military to victory.

I received the copy of Patton free from booksneeze.com a reviewing arm of Thomas Nelson Publishers.

The Growth of a Beast!

2010-08-13T12:29:00.001-05:00

It never hit me till my wife posted a few pictures on her page of how quickly German Shepherd Dog has grown. Enjoy!

April

May

June

July

August

Just for kicks, here is a video of great singing, and an even better behaved dog.

Wake Up to a New Day

2010-08-12T20:17:00.000-05:00

It didn’t happen on purpose. It was never our intention. Our transformation almost seemed as easy as going to sleep and waking the next day. One night we are mission minded the next we wake up comfort minded. One night our heart is for the lost and next for ourselves. Like looking out the window and looking back into mirror we changed from a people who cared about the world to a people who cared about ourselves. This is the plague of the established church. Most churches start in a dream to change the world, but as churches contain self centered people (myself included), if we are not deliberate and purposeful in all decisions, we find ourselves naturally making comfort based decisions not kingdom centered decisions.

Recently I have had the privilege of being a part of a renewal in our local Baptist association. As churches we sat together and put our budget, our priorities, and our activities under a microscope. In unity we came away knowing that we wanted more… we wanted to go back to the very reason for our existence: to work together as churches to accomplish greater things in association with each other than we could alone. Out of a year long process we decided that our greatest goal would be to accomplish one thing: to plant a church.

It is my hope that at Western Heights we might do the same. It has been my prayer lately that our church might recapture a vision greater than itself. It is my hope that we can humbly look at who we are and see what great things God can do through us.

Book Review: Deep Church- A Third Way

2010-07-19T09:30:00.000-05:00

Nobody is content with the church as it stands now. We are as disjointed as the modern family. On one side you have you traditional… they are the group with suits on telling the stories of the good old days of Billy Sunday, Billy Graham, and Billy Bright. As you continue to look across the room you begin to see the boomers. The boomer clan is all focused on the stage and has the music booming. The band is distinctive, dressed to the nines with their shirts untucked, modern hair and wrinkles from the top of their forehead to the bottom of their chins. It’s as if the Rolling Stones were playing. Finally as you look across the room you see the last group- the emergents. Dressed in shorts, flip flops, and looking bored at the whole scene. Put off by the pomp and circumstance of the traditional, repelled by the façade of the show put on by the boomers, they simply want to go home spend time within their community and hang out.

How on earth do we all get along? How on earth do we ever accomplish God’s call to us in being a church? The Traditional think the boomers are power hungry and think the emergents don’t care about church. The boomers think the traditional are stubborn and think the emergents are lazy. The emergents think the traditional are Pharisees and the boomers are fake.

As the church moves forward and attempts to reach a new generation, a general rejection of the boomer philosophy has been accepted as megachurches have produced big numbers through big programs and big bands all the while producing an 85% drop out rate among millennials. In light of this, churches are asking tough questions and either moving more traditional or moving to accept a new emergent point of view.

As both camps begin to see where the other is heading, the discussion begins. On one side the traditional group dresses down the emergent group, telling it that all it cares about is the social gospel. It tells the emergent church that it has no hold on the gospel. At the opposite end the emergent church tells the traditional church that it is all institution and no substance. It tells the church that it holds to a form of religion but denies its power. As both sides argue neither listens to one another.

In Deep Church by Jim Belcher he proposes a third answer to the ills of the church. He claims to have found a middle ground between the emergent church and the traditional church- the deep church.

Jim Belcher is an insider to the emergent church. Out of his ministry have come many of the leaders of the emergent of today. Many years after he led many of these trailblazers of the emergent church, he began to ask tough questions about the movement being with it in its birth and seeing it grow. As he asked those questions he came to the conclusion that the emergent church raised valid questions about how the church currently stands but had a few misgivings in some of their answers.

In this book he describes 3 churches- 1. The traditional church 2. The Emergent Church 3. The Deep Church, which is his solution for the church today.

1. The Traditional Church- This church he proposes is like a field with a fence around it. The fence is truth… to take residence within the fence you must subscribe to both the foundational truth, for example the Nicaean Creed, and to its secondary truth, issues like tongues and church government. Any one who deviates from either foundational or secondary truth is found has no room inside the fence.

One great problem he shows about the traditional church is that there is no room to discover. There is no room to ask questions. It is a place where any deviance of belief means separation from the fellowship.

2. The Emergent Church- to him the emergent church is much like a group of sheep in a field. The bounds of the flock are defined by the flock itself. In the emergent church the community is front and center. Every person is given an equal voice and any question is on the table.

The caution that the author ran into was when he walked into one of the churches, it was a warm place very worshipful in nature. As he began to dialogue with the pastor the pastor told how everyone had an equal voice in the community. He then said that scripture held one seat just as each member held a seat. For Belcher, scripture could not just be a voice in the community, it had to be the guiding voice of the community.

3. The Deep Church- For the deep church he draws the picture of the well at the center of the community. He believes that when foundational truths (the well) are at the center of the community, no person will stray too far from the living water. He believes the community is defined not by its people or its secondary truths, but instead community is defined by its proximity to the well.

As he shows that there is no room to question in the traditional church, the deep church gives you room to question without compromising its core truths. As he shows that there is no source of truth in many emergent circles, he believes the well centers the community.

Within this point there were points where I overwhelmingly agreed, and as a traditionalist there were points where I scratched my head. I have asked many of the questions that the emergent church has asked about the traditional church and yet I have also had some of the reservations that the traditional church holds to.

If there is a book that has an honest look at the shape of church today it is this book. He holds no punches from either camp, yet will build up the strengths of both. I would recommend this book for any person looking to understand what is happening in church today.

Frozen on the High Dive

2010-07-12T17:12:00.000-05:00

Since birth I have been wild about swimming, almost to the point of having been born with gills. My summers were spent growing from baby pools to the shallow end to the deep end. All that preparation and work still never prepared me for the high dive. It was a wooden platform fixed above the deep end of the pool which seemed in my 5 year old eyes as nearly 2 miles above the surface of the pool. We all waited our turn. First my older red headed cousin ran and jumped into his favorite ninja move propelling himself right into the deep end. Next up was my dad. Not to be out done by his nephew, he jumped attempting to do a some sort of can opener-cannonball- belly flop where the waves would come pouring out of the pool. Now… my turn… I mustered my energy, stepped to the ledge of the platform and… froze. I could see the impatient kids behind me annoyed by my cowardice. I also knew that the easy path, the path of safety and security, was also the path of shame. It was the walk down the stairs past every one of the kids who saw my shame. I also heard the lifeguard… “go or get off”. Finally I saw my dad, treading water just below the platform. “Wes, don’t worry, just jump, I’ll catch you”. So, after what seemed like hours in slow motion, I did it. I jumped straight into my dad’s arms. It was awesome. I ran straight back up the stairs. This time it was to outdo my cousin- I had a Ninja Turtle move to do.

In John 4, a man approaches Jesus. He knows what Jesus has done, has heard the stories for himself, yet he had not seen a miracle with his own eyes. This man’s son was sick, and in one brave and daring act, he simply asked Jesus to heal his son. Jesus told the man that there was not enough evidence for him to make such a request, yet the man asked more fervently. Seeing the man’s persistence Jesus told the man to go home for his son was healed. Upon coming home the man saw his son and asked his servants when he had recovered… their response correlated perfectly with the exact moment Christ spoke.

In life, we all must take leaps of faith. In life, we all must understand the limitations of our own flesh. The man of our story this week knew there was no hope for his son if Jesus did not intervene. The truth is, there is no hope for any man if Jesus did not intervene. We are all destined for death. We are all bound to hell. That’s just what we deserve.

On the cross, Jesus Christ accepted the death for all men by bearing God’s wrath for our sin. What scripture teaches is that we are called to simply believe that Jesus has done what scripture says He has done. It is to jump out of the safety of self reliant works and hold solely to Jesus Christ. Faith is believing that God will do what He says He will do. It is not our faith that brings us security -- it is God who brings us our security.

Shadowman

2010-06-28T16:42:00.001-05:00

The greatest you will ever be is when you are nothing. So give up, surrender, and stop trying. No matter how hard you try, how good you are, and how much you accomplish, you simply are not Jesus. God’s call for you is not to have your best life not, nor is it to be best you that you can be. The problem with these phrases is you. The gospel is not about you. Redemption is first and foremost about God.

So if the gospel is not to make me great, what is the gospel? The gospel is making God great and making me nothing. The Christian life leads us to lead lives as shadow men. Our aim is to become less and less of ourselves and more and more about Jesus. As we become just a shadow of our former selves we allow God to be fully seen in us.

This coming week we will study John the Baptist. John was approached by his followers asking why Jesus was attracting so much attention and in his wake John was receiving less and less. John’s response to his followers has set the example for what we as believers are to do. He stated “He must increase, and I must decrease.”

When people see you, do they see you? Do they see a person striving to be good? Do they see a person who goes to church? Do they see self righteousness or do they see Christ. The man who lives in the shadow of Christ is a man who is not seen for his good works, but instead allows God to be seen in Him.

Condemened By Works, Saved By Grace

2010-06-21T16:21:00.000-05:00

The cross is pointless, grace is worthless and faith is empty if the gospel is dependent on you.

It is, and always will be our desire to dumb down the gospel of God. Grace is so foreign to our way of thinking that our natural desire is always to follow our own good works. We claim that our works are grounded in grace, but ultimately if we are honest, we all pursue our good works seasoned by grace.

This week on Sunday morning we will be studying John 3:16-21 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.””

To understand what it means to be saved, you must understand your condition outside of salvation. We are condemned, fallen, sinful people who worship ourselves while rejecting God. Jesus Christ did not come to condemn the world because our actions and nature have already accomplished it. Left alone we are men and women who have made a mess of things. The hope of the human condition is dead, killed by its own lustful desire for sin.

Grace means God works when we didn’t deserve it.

Grace means God sent his Son because he is love.

Grace is the work of God in spite of human idolatry.

God’s Great Surprise

2010-05-19T06:00:00.011-05:00

I’m not good with surprises. When I have gotten a great gift for my wife I can only guarantee one thing -- she will know of the surprise before the big day because I will spill the beans. My wife is the same way. Sadly this leads to well planned gifts that get delivered to one another a month before the actual event. There are no surprises at the Faulk house.

In the time when Jesus came, the people of Israel had everything figured out. They had studied history enough to understand their culpability, to know that repentance and right living was necessary, and to anticipate a savior. They had studied Judges and understood the sinful pattern of their past and the redemption that was to come if they turned to God. They had studied the prophets to know that God had great promises for them if they just got right with the Lord.

There they sat in anticipation. They looked for the next military leader. They looked for the next Samson or David. They were assured that when God would come He would come in such a way that Rome, who currently occupied their land would be overthrown, and they would once again live as the jewel of the earth.

Then… SURPRISE!!! God sent His Son, born in humility, destined for death… the perfect sacrifice, not just for the Jews but for the redemption of all men. (1 Corinthians 2:9) “But, as it is written, What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him.” God worked in a way that we as men could have never imagined. Where we were expecting a king, God sent a shepherd. Where we were expecting a man of great stature, Christ came as a man whose looks were just normal. Whatever we thought was coming, God surprised us by doing something that can only be attributed to the wisdom of heaven. Jesus Christ is God’s great surprise.

I agree with Joel Osteen?

2010-05-18T06:00:00.008-05:00

Your best life now -- God wants you to have your best life now. That’s what I hear from preachers who garner the attention of the main stream media. It seems to be the message that will attract a crowd. It is the message that will gain job security for a minister because people want the good life.

I don’t agree with the philosophies of many health and wealth guys… but I agree that God wants you to have your best life now. The question we must ask is what does your best life now look like? Is your best life now a life of luxury and convenience? Is your best life now a life of power and pride?

Sadly, I think we have allowed the values of the world to become our values. We think a good life is a life where we are financially endowed. God shows that a good life is lived in daily dependence of Him. We think that greatness is found in stature and power. God has shown that greatness in found in gentleness and humility.

In the second chapter of 1 Corinthians, Paul draws a contrast between earthly wisdom and heavenly wisdom. “Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away. But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory.”

What we learn in this passage is that God has revealed His wisdom, the truth of Jesus Christ crucified, for our glory. Our best life now is when we define our values by God’s values. It is where we find glory in God’s work, not in our vanity.

Are you living your best life now… your best life is not a life lived in pursuits of the values of the world, but your best life is a life lived in pursuit of the wisdom of heaven, Jesus Christ.

Churches Are Hemorrhaging Young Adults – Why? By Brent Prentice

2010-05-12T08:47:00.000-05:00

Evangelicals have failed to pass on to our young people the evangelical Christian faith in an orthodox form that can take root and survive the secular onslaught. In what must be the most ironic of all possible factors, an evangelical culture that has spent billions on youth ministers, Christian music, Christian publishing and Christian media has produced an entire burgeoning culture of young Christians who know next to nothing about their own faith except how they feel about it. Our young people have deep beliefs about the culture war, but do not know why they should obey Scripture, the essentials of theology or the experience of spiritual discipline and community. Coming generations of Christians are going to be monumentally ignorant and unprepared for culture-wide pressures that they will endure. Michael Spencer from: Coming Evangelical Collapse

If we can’t retain our children in the faith, what is really going on in the church? Richard Ross

The statistics vary concerning the dropout rate for churchgoing young adults (ages 18 to 30), but they don’t vary enough to dismiss the reality that we are losing our children at alarming rates. In Essential Church? Reclaiming a Generation of Dropouts, Thom and Sam Rainer report that 70% of young adults drop out between the ages of 18 to 22 years. If you have attended enough meetings you will find that others estimate the number is closer to 90%. Any percent is one percent too many, but for certain the alarming numbers beg the question, “What can we do?”

I agree with Jeremy Freeman (Evangelism: Making Converts vs. Making Disciples), I don’t think that the solution to this problem is a denominational fix. As a matter of fact, I think the solution to this particular challenge is going to have to start at a much more fundamental level – in the home. The church should and will have to play a big role in equipping parents to get the gospel to their children, but until we have Spirit-filled and empowered parents taking the primary responsibility for making disciples of their children, we are going to continue to see an evangelical collapse.

I recently attended the Missional Ministry Conference in Norman, Oklahoma and during one of the optional times I inadvertently ended up in a youth minister’s breakout. The time was led by Richard Ross who has been doing youth ministry for 30 years and is now a “professor to the next generation of youth ministers” at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth. He began the session by alluding to the alarming drop-out rate of our young adults who have exited our youth groups and said, “We have found out that pizzas and lock-ins didn’t do it, so what is the problem?”

The problem is youth ministers and youth ministries have been seen by many as the primary strategy or means for making disciples of children and youth. The home should be the primary place and parents should be the primary teachers. Ross illustrated this by using chairs to describe three kinds of parents and the kind of children they raise.

Categories of Parents

Chair 1 Parents – Chair number one parents deeply love Jesus and it shows in all their life. These parents look at everything through the lens of scripture in allegiance to Jesus and make decisions accordingly and their children see it. They are not perfect parents but they live all of life for the praise of God’s glory.

Chair 2 Parents – Chair number two parents are good people who mildly enjoy church. Ross calls these people, “good ‘ole Baptists.” They go to church and may be somewhat active in serving and giving, but at home their life does not reflect a comprehensively biblical faith that is devoted to God’s glory through Jesus. In the life of these parents their children see a disconnect between everyday life and church or spiritual life.

Chair 3 Parents – Chair number three represents “pagan parents” or openly unbelieving parents. These parents go with the flow and have no interest in religion or faith as evidenced for example by their lack of connectedness to any church.
Results of the Three Parent Categories

It is worth noting that there are exceptions to these generalizations about parents and children, but Ross pointed out that the research he was using revealed the following results.

Chair 1 Results – Parents who are first chair parents tend to have first chair children. Again, sometimes first chair parents will have third chair children and most of us have seen this, but they primarily raise first chair children.

Chair 2 Results – Second chair parents raise third chair children. Ross asserts that this often is not seen immediately in the life of the child, but later on in life this child becomes a pagan person and parent instead of holding the middle ground.

Chair 3 Results – Third chair parents raise pagan kids - with “wonderful exceptions.”

Why? Why is there no middle ground for parenting if we want to raise up disciples instead of “pagans” or unbelievers? Ross says, “Profession without life is a disconnect for children. There is no middle ground.” It would concern me if any seasoned Christian were surprised by this since Ross is essentially echoing the Bible and Deuteronomy 6:1-9 when Moses writes that the word of God and the application of it is to be a part the life of the family at every opportunity. In verse 7 the Moses instructs that the people of God are to diligently teach their children the word of God. Surely, if that has changed it is only in our minds and not in the word of God. Christian parents ought to be the primary disciple makers in their family. The book of 1 Timothy illustrates this point in the NT by asserting that a man must be able to manage his own house if he is to hold an office of leadership in the local church. It makes perfect sense doesn’t it? Why would we put someone in leadership over others in the local church if they can’t even discipline themselves to make disciples in their own home?

Ross also referenced the George Barna Research Group as saying that the foundations of faith are crystallized by the age of 13 years. Obviously that does not mean a child will be set doctrinally and theologically by that age, but even Richard Dawkins, “the world’s most famous atheist”, knows that if you can “indoctrinate” a child early on, they will have a faith foundation for the rest of their life. Children need to see and know that God is real in the lives of their parents and that in seeing it visibly lived out they also can bank all of life on the God of the Bible just as mom and dad have. If they don’t see a devotion to God in the lives of dad and mom why would they be more devoted? Christianity is not a half-hearted religion or faith. God demands that we love Him with all of our hearts and the reality is that we simply cannot hope that our children will be something that their parents are not. Life just doesn’t work that way. As the saying goes, “If you want the people you lead to bleed (Jesus), then you are going to have to hemorrhage (Jesus).

I am not saying that parents in the church I pastor are not trying to make disciples of their children (I know quite the opposite) and I of course can’t speak for other churches entirely, but I can connect the dots and I have been enough places to know that we are not winning the battle for the hearts and minds of our children in our “Christan” homes the way that God intended in His Holy word. Neither am I saying that evangelical Christianity (The Church) is on the verge of collapse for this reason alone, but I have to believe that this has as much to do with it, if not more, than our methodology deficiencies or need for denominational restructuring and reform. What I guess I am saying is that we have to help families do what the Bible says they need to be doing, and perhaps more than anything we need the Spirit of God to bring about a revival for loving and doing the word of God in our homes.

I want to tack on one other thought in defense of youth ministers. I am a pastor who has the privilege of working with a fantastic youth minister. He loves Jesus and loves our students and works very hard for God’s glory, but it is not his job to be the primary disciple maker of youth in our church body. It is the parents job. I’ll say it again, it is not the youth minister’s job, biblically speaking, to disciple the children of Christian parents. He may be an important influence and supplement in the lives of youth, but the parents should be the primary disciple makers in the life of their children. If the parents are ill equipped to make the home the primary place of discipleship, it is the churches place to equip and train and encourage them to be the kind of teachers and models that God intended them to be. If we have children and youth who have unbelieving parents, it is the churches job to take on more of the responsibility. If a home is a single parent home, it is the churches responsibility to partner with that single parent as much as they can to get the gospel to that person’s children. I am not trying to get the local church off the hook, but lets not make it so the youth pastor is beating himself up trying to keep children out of the third chair because the parents are doing a second or third chair job. Alvin Reid, Professor of Evangelism and Student Ministry at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, says that parents are the anti-drug because studies show that if a parent is involved in the life of their child and will listen, the child will be less likely to do drugs. Parents have influence even if they don’t know it, and they should use it to point their children to Jesus.

Ministries for children and youth should be supplemental. Christian parents must take responsibility to disciple their children, and pastors and churches must help them see and live this. If we do not grasp this with a deep and life-changing conviction our churches are going to bleed to death because we did not retain young adults. And all of what I have said only begs other questions. For example, if a person walks away from the local church made up of people Christ died to forgive, is that person really even a Christian. But that will have to be for another time.

What must increase in the church today?

2010-05-11T06:00:00.022-05:00

It often seems that the necessary path to get ahead in life is through a selfish pursuit of pride and conquest. Those who make it big are hardly ever humble and meek, but instead they are men who will stop at nothing to get ahead.

Think with me for a moment about the giants in our society. Do we praise athletes who sit quietly and praise their teammates, or do we lift up men who boast in their abilities and put on sport center highlights to be seen?

Think again about our politicians... Do we vote for quiet men of substance, or have we elected men of great oratory skill who seem to care more about their climb up the ladder of influence than the people they say they represent?

Surely our churches are immune from this power hungry prideful culture, right? As a pastor, this is my concern. I believe that much of the trouble in church today is that people have made the church into a business that seeks its own gain. Pastors have used smaller churches as footstools to move up the ladder. Smaller churches in turn have begun to believe that they are of less value than larger ones because they have been left at the feet of pastors on the rise. The truth is, whether in church or life we find no value in doing things right; we find value in moving up.

This past week in church we looked at the call and message of John the Baptist. Three statements stuck out to me as we looked to John.

John 1:8 He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.

John 1:20 He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, "I am not the Christ."

John 3:30 "He must increase, but I must decrease."

This coming week we are going to look at Jesus calling his first disciples. The interesting thing about the calling of the first disciples is that they were John's disciples before they were Jesus'.

John 1:35-37 The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples,36 and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God!" 37 The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus.

John was not a prideful man. He was not a man who sought his own glory or his own advancement. John sought to magnify Christ through all that he did. Time after time John was asked if he was the messiah and his response was to say no and quickly point to Jesus. In our passage John did not try to retain his base of disciples, but instead he saw his purpose in leading them to Christ.

How often do we live this life for our glory or advancement? As Christians our call is to do the same as John did- deny ourselves and magnify Christ. When Christ is in our lives we have a hope that the world needs and desires, and the question for you and for me is whether we point them to Christ or to ourselves.