Matthew 7: 28-29 (The Message)

“When Jesus concluded his address, the crowd burst into applause. They had never heard teaching like this. It was apparent that he was living everything he was saying—quite a contrast to their religion teachers! This was the best teaching they had ever heard. “

            We find these two verses at the end of Matthew chapter 7----- the end of a remarkable collection of the teachings of Jesus, teachings that could realistically occupy our attention for the rest or our lives. I love the way The Message states it. It was clear to the people that there was a difference between teaching something you know and something you know about.  Frankly I don't think it is different today. I think people by and large can figure out the difference between someone who is teaching about something they have "learned" about through study and people who have actually lived it. How many of us would like to go up in an airplane with someone who has studied about flying and knows everything there is to know about it, but has never actually flown an airplane! No, thank you.

            We'll Jesus was different and he punctuated this difference in the next several chapters of Matthew. Jesus transitions immediately from teaching about the kingdom of God to demonstrations of the kingdom of God. After driving out demons or healing the sick, it was not uncommon for Jesus to state 'The Kingdom of God is in your midst."   Jesus wasn't just about the words.   He backed up His words with his works. He not only talked about compassion, he demonstrated it. When his cousin John the Baptist was executed, Jesus wanted to withdraw to a deserted place, but the crowd quickly found him.   Instead of complaining about not having time for himself, the scriptures say,  "He saw the people and moved with compassion and he healed the sick and did miracles amongst them."

            I'm afraid we can be accustomed to the Word without the works. We love to listen to the Word being taught.   We love to talk about the Word.  We love to study the Word, all of which is a good thing, but it's not enough. It would be like going into a restaurant and studying the menu and then saying, " I'm not going to get anything to eat, I just like to study the menu! "

            Jesus was about the Word and the works, demonstrating God's compassion for and desire to intervene in people's lives. His disciples followed his example and became "word workers” themselves.

            The question for you and me is this:  are we going to be people who just know all about Jesus and the things he did, or are we going to follow his example? Let's hear people say, "Gosh it's apparent they are living what they are saying!" 



“When you experience the deep pain of loneliness, it is understandable that your thoughts go out to the person who was able to take that loneliness way, even if only for a moment. When you feel a huge absence that makes everything look useless, your heart wants only one thing--to be with the person who once was able to dispel these frightful emotions. But it is the absence itself, the emptiness within you, that you have to be willing to experience, not the one who could temporarily take it away”  (Henri Nouwen).

I will be the first to admit that I’m the last one who wants to welcome the pain of loneliness into my life. Experiencing the emptiness within you is difficult to do.  The temptation is to nurse your pain or to escape into fantasies about things that will take the loneliness away. But when you can acknowledge your loneliness in a safe, contained place, then you make your pain available for God’s healing. It is God who we need to turn to in our pain.

Loneliness can be something that drives you to Him and causes you to rely upon Him.  Pain allows us to get in touch with our desperate need for God. God wants to touch you in a way that permanently fulfills your deepest need. It is important that you dare to stay with your pain and allow it to be there so that you learn to own your loneliness and trust that it will not always be there. The pain you suffer now is meant to put you in touch with the part in which you most need healing, your very heart. No human being can heal that pain. Still people will be sent to you who will mediate God’s healing, and they will be able to offer you a deep sense of belonging that you desire and bring meaning to all you do. Dare to stay with the pain and trust God’s promise to you.

Sometimes the hardest pain to live with is the pain that we bring upon ourselves by our own selfish actions. As John Holland, former President of Foursquare International was fond of saying, “Don't waste the pain.”  Some of my friends call this the “stupid tax.”  The key is that we learn from it. As C.S. Lewis said,  “If our house was a house of cards felled by one strong gust of wind, the worst mistake we can make is to go about gathering up the cards and building the same house.” 

Whether the pain of loneliness is self-inflicted, or brought on by the actions of others, in God's hands it becomes and instrument of healing and contentment.  If we don't run, hide, or avoid it, then it can be a tutor; it can help teach us to trust and depend on God, the very thing we are called to do in every circumstance and situation.   “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding (Proverbs 3:5). He will direct the course of your life.  Embrace the pain and allow God to embrace you in your pain. I am confident that you will know He is all sufficient.



Do I have your attention? Some of you may be shocked, some of you may be sickened, some of you may be saying to yourself, “What they said is true, he's nuts!”

OK, let me explain what I mean, which could make it worse, but here it goes:  A few years back I was invited to speak at a men's retreat. The thought occurred to me that I should begin the first session by coming out naked! Yep, buck-naked!!!!!! OK, maybe some sandals to protect my delicate feet, other than that, come out in all my splendor. In my mind I could clearly see the reaction. I could see guys falling out of their chairs laughing. I could see them staring at me in complete and total disbelief, but most of all, I could see and hear a group consensus emerging....”Put something on!”  If I had actually done this, it would have made these men exceedingly uncomfortable. They would not have been able to endure me standing before them naked. And this reminded me of church!

We say we want to be open, transparent, honest, accepting, but we work really hard at covering up our imperfections and we become really uncomfortable when we are exposed to the imperfections of others as well.

There appears to be somewhat of a double standard at work in our midst, "Come as you are,” but  “Change, at least on the outside as soon as possible!”  The raw, naked truth makes us very uncomfortable. I think mostly because we don't know what to do with it. We tell people they just need to make right choices and everything will be OK.   Gosh, I wonder why Jesus never thought of that? Are you going to tell me He did? Is it some sort of Omega code hidden in the Sermon on the Mount?

You can argue that Jesus invited us to “Come and die” and that's a choice. But Jesus never invited anyone to do anything. Jesus was at the right hand of the Father when all that exists was created...the One who said, “Let there be light and there was light,” doesn't invite, He commands. When Jesus says, “Follow me,” it is not a suggestion. In Jesus’ time if a Rabbi said, “Follow me,” there was no other answer but “Yes.” It was the greatest honor of that time. It meant you were the best of the best of the best. I was like being asked to serve the President of the United States; you just did it.

Are there multiple-choice options when Jesus says, “Come to me”? Are there some other ways to find rest? Is there some other way to learn from Him, be instructed by Him than to come to Him?  I contend it is not simply a matter of ”right choices” or a commitment to a particular program that leads to life. I would contend that it is complete, total surrender to the One who says, “Come to me all you who are burdened and heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”  A set of principles will not give you rest, a series of right choices will not won't give you rest, the right affiliation will not bring peace and contentment. It's not in a principle; it's in Him.  Before Him we stand “naked and unashamed” and He clothes us in His perfection, His “rightness” so to speak.

It seems to me that there is no way to enter into the community of faith as those who follow Jesus, other than to admit that we fall impossibly short of His perfection. There is no way to be a “Christian” other than to admit that we are completely and totally un-Christ like.  In classics language we are sinners, who need a savior. But it appears, having once admitted that, we try to distance ourselves from that reality as quickly as possible.  Conforming to our new surrounding, acting and looking like everyone else, so others won't see that having come to Christ we are still flawed and hopelessly lost without Him.  We learn the language of church, adapt to the culture and blend in, all the while struggling with the fact that we are still sinners who need a savior, but can no longer admit it once we are "in” so we cover up. Moses did it and Paul busted him. Moses was in the presence of the Lord and he radiated that presence and it scared the people, so Moses wore a veil. Paul rats him in telling us that Moses wore the veil long after the glow had gone. Hmmm sound familiar?  

One of the things I really appreciate about “High Church” is the fact that communion is the center of the whole liturgy.  The altar, the place where we openly admit we are sinners, serves as a reminder to us that “If we confess our sins, because He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”   In a sense when that is done we do so in nakedness. We are unable to pretend that we don't fail, that we aren't flawed, that we don't sin. Perhaps that is one of the reasons why Jesus instituted Communion as one of the central sacraments of the faith----So the pretenders can't pretend.  It's a place where we have admit that even though we made all the right choices and followed all the right principles, kept all the right promises, we are still sinners who need a Saviour. You cannot take communion and cover up your flaws, in fact, if you take Communion, you are admitting you are flawed, that you fall short.  I just wish that afterward we wouldn't go back to pretending and covering up.  I want to get naked! I want to be who I am, warts and all! I want to be loved by God's people like I am loved by God.

I don't want to feel like I need to cover up, because my pain, my brokenness, my failures make others uncomfortable in a church culture that says if you come to Jesus your marriage will be better. If you come to Jesus your kids will be better. If you come to Jesus your finances will be better. Is that the Gospel?  And I don't want others to cover up because they feel their pain, their brokenness, and their failures will make me uncomfortable.

We are what we are; we are who we are. Before God we are naked and unashamed, before each other, not so much.

I just want to be who I am and what I am, the same person before God as I am before others. I don't want to have to try and hide, try to conform, try to cover up for people when I don't have to cover up for God. But unfortunately, I feel like I need to, I feel like I have to because my “nakedness” makes others cringe.

"Just as I am, I come to thee..."

Naked I came into the world; naked I will leave this world, blessed be the name of the Lord!

Not exactly the uplifting title you would expect for a blog post,  but there is some truth in it, especially in light of Proverbs 12:1,“Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid.”   I actually love this verse and the NIV translation leaves little to the imagination.  One does not need a full working knowledge of the Hebrew language to get the idea that’s it’s pretty stupid to run from God’s discipline.  It’s pretty clear that in God's economy correction is a good thing and beneficial to us, yet in my experience most people are not naturally inclined to embrace it, or like it, let alone love it! But correction, in particular correction that comes from the hand of God, is a necessary and unavoidable part of relationship with God---“because the LORD disciplines those he loves” (Proverbs 3:12).

The problem is that when I am being corrected and disciplined by God, I don’t always see it as the hand of a loving Father who is looking out for me and helping me grow spiritually. I tend to see the testing and sundry of other not so appealing elements and it is my tendency to avoid it at all costs. Yet I know that it is through the times of correction that I experience the most spiritual growth.  It is when life picks me up and slams me to the ground that I am made acutely aware of my need. And that is the place I actually find to be the safest. When I am aware of my need, it causes me to turn to the only One who can meet that need.  The Apostle Paul, who seemed to be always cognizant of God’s refining fire, called it “glorying in weakness.”

The important thing is that we need to be aware, alert and paying attention when the time of correction comes, so that we do not try to escape or elude it.  We need to be careful not to seek to invalidate the correction because it comes from someone or some situation that we deem unworthy of bringing correction to us. Remember God used the Philistines to bring correction to the Israelites.  God can and will use any way and means to bring about the work and growth He desires in His children.  Let’s not forget this certainty: “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it”  (Hebrews 12:11).

Let’s not be stupid.  Let’s not allow ourselves to hate correction, even though we are not always too thrilled with the painful process. Let’s find reassurance in the fact that correction is an indication that God loves us, knows we exist and is looking out for us.  Amen to that!

Years ago when I was a part of John Wimber’s pastoral team, one of the team members reported on a person that he had prayed for during the Sunday service. I could tell he was frustrated by the experience as he looked at John and said,  “You know that guy comes forward every week and gets prayer for the same thing.”  John looked at the guy and said, “Yeah?”   “Well, I can’t believe it; I don’t think he’s repentant. He comes forward every week repenting of the same thing.”  John looked at the guy and said,  “That’s just great” with a smile on his face and a twinkle in his eye.  The man was a bit startled and said, “What do you mean, that’s great?”  John said, “Hey man, I think it’s great that although this guy keeps blowing it, he’s not giving up. His heart is still soft, he feels convicted over his sin, and that’s wonderful. “Then in that special Wimber way he ended by saying, “It takes as long as it takes.”

I loved the whole interaction John had with the team member; it was so refreshing and so instructional.  I firmly believe in the point John was making: As long as the man keeps coming and doesn’t give up, there is a chance things will “take” one day and he will be set free.  I want to have that kind of place; a place where people can keep coming and we won’t give up on them. A place where we see our role as encouragers and supporters of the work God is doing; not judging, not condemning, but rather embracing and loving people right where they are in the restoration process.

God has done this for me and I feel called to lead a work that will be places where we can all grow and be renewed, transformed, and restored by the grace and mercy of God.   I believe that God is calling me back to the place I experienced my greatest failures to be an example of His kindness and mercy. I have learned some things in the wilderness, in the valleys and in the dark and lonely places.

First and foremost, I have learned that He is sufficient, that He is faithful, that He is forgiving and He never gives up on us.  I believe there is plenty of room in our local communities for a church like this, a fresh work----a new wineskin if you will.

The simply fact is the church nationwide is shrinking; various statistics indicate that more than 10 churches a day are closing their doors! And there are considerably less than that launching. The United States is now the largest English speaking mission field in the world.  New church plants are substantially more effective at reaching the un-churched than older and established churches. Yes, we are all aware of the exceptions, but as a rule, church planting is the most effective form of evangelism.

I expect to reach primarily two types of people:  the de-churched and the un-churched.  I expect to assimilate some folks who have quit going to church anywhere --- the “de-churched people.”  They are discouraged, feel disconnected, and no longer feel that they belong. Some are bruised and feel that the church has let them down and certainly that people have let them down. Restoration Fellowship will provide a chance for a fresh start, a place that is safe and provides a place to worship and fellowship with others who will welcome and encourage them. Restoration Fellowship will be highly relational and organic, rather than institutional.

Additionally, I expect to reach un-churched people through their connections with “de-churched” people. People who have been “out” for a while primarily have friends who don’t attend church anywhere, and through these relational networks we will be introduced to people who we can develop relationships with and dialogue with regarding “the hope we have within us.”

I believe God wants me to plant Restoration Fellowship.   He wants me to step out in faith, returning to a place where I was first introduced to Him and where I have my spiritual roots and heritage.

I don’t expect it to be easy. I expect opposition and skepticism, but that doesn’t matter. What matters to me is whether or not I am doing what God has called me to do and to be.  When you are certain of your calling and purpose, circumstances aren’t as likely to influence you. 

In Paul’s letter to the church at Philippi he instructs the church to have the “same attitude as Christ Jesus.”   I think this applies to everything in our lives, yet there are many who would rather cling to and defend their defenseless positions than extend grace to church leaders who stumble and fall.   I am troubled by the attitude that many in the church have toward pastors who are thrown off course by the snares of sin.

For instance, I have a friend who has been in ministry for many years. Until recently he had a wonderful reputation, but this all changed when he failed miserably as a pastor and elder.  Yes, this shocked everyone around him, but did he somehow take God by surprise with all of this? Was God aware when He called him into ministry that he was going to flame out at some point?   Has God’s view of this wayward child changed from what it was five years ago?    Has God now turned His back on him, unwilling to have any contact with him? Has God said to him, “You can no longer fellowship with me”?   Does God avoid contact with him?  Let’s hope not, or we are all in trouble. God remains faithful to His children, even when we are faithless.  Shouldn’t it be our aim to have this same attitude?

How can we allow ourselves the latitude to treat pastors with distain because they have “disappointed us” or sinned against us?   Who is sin ultimately committed against? Isn’t it God? David, busted in the quagmire of his sinfulness, cried out, “It’s against you and you alone that I have sinned.”  When someone like my friend sins and fails in his responsibility as a leader in the church, whom does he sin against? The people in the church? If that is ultimately true then why isn’t the opposite true? How about when a member of the congregation sins? Are they sinning against the pastor? Should we have a time each week in which the pastor forgives each of the members of the congregation who have sinned in the past week? I understand the importance of making an apology and seeking forgiveness on the part of the leader, but that never seems to be enough. In general people tend to pull away from the fallen leader, lest there be interference with the person experiencing the consequence of their sin.

It reminds me of the time when Nathan exposed David’s worst sinful actions through a parable.  Not knowing that he was the “rich man” being referred to in the parable, David became indignant over the horrific behavior of this man.  He was brought to his knees when Nathan said, “You are the man!” David was finally undone, finally humbled, finally repentant.  Nathan approached David not only as God’s prophet, but also as David’s friend; being a faithful friend did not interfere with the heavy price that David had to pay for his sins.  Nathan didn't pull away, but rather played a very significant role in David’s repentance and restoration.

As for my friend and many others like him, there will be people who will give him the help he needs, but it’s a shame that for the most part, it won’t be any of the ones you would expect. It won’t be the ones who he ministered to for decades.

If you know my friend, or know someone like my friend, don’t be afraid to pick up the phone and reach out to this person. I promise that buying him a hamburger will not interfere with the consequence of his sin, honest!

Your Brother Isn’t Your Enemy

For many years I ministered alongside John Wimber, founder of the Vineyard movement, best-selling author, pastor, international conference speaker, and worship songwriter.  John was a remarkable person and quite an innovator when it came to “how we do church.”  There is no doubt that John’s contributions to contemporary Christianity have influenced a significant portion of the Church throughout the world.

During the early days of ministry when John introduced new ideas and new approaches to ministry, he was often criticized and attacked by others from within the church.   Many of us who worked with John questioned him about his unwillingness to respond to these attacks or challenge their legitimacy.     John would respond simply by stating, “Your brother isn’t your enemy.”  After a short pause, he would add, “He may act like it, but he’s not.” 

Over the years I have seen many Christians act as if their brother is their enemy. One church criticizes another, warning people away from this thing or that; in most cases this is done without any first hand knowledge of the people involved in that particular ministry, or clear understanding of their actual beliefs.  It reminds me of the time a few years back when I was doing some construction on a house. The owner of the house and another gentleman asked me what I thought of Rick Warren’s book, The Purpose Driven Life.  I responded positively about both the book and Rick saying how much I admired him and what he is doing.  This unleashed a whole series of cynicisms about Rick and his book.   Of course I realized at that point that they really weren’t interested in my opinion of his book, but rather were looking for a platform to expound their dogmatic views.  I asked both of them a simple question:  Have you read the book? Neither of them had, yet they were more than willing to share their negative opinions regarding this “unbiblical” book with me and anyone else within earshot. They based their opinion of Rick and his book on hearsay.  Had they opened the book and read it, they would have realized that they were attacking a brother who is preaching to the world that there is more to this life than materialism and that God has a purpose and plan for their lives! 

I think we can all agree that when the Apostle Paul instructed the Ephesians to  “Put on the full armor of God” that he was concerned about the devil’s schemes, spiritual warfare, and the power of darkness. I don’t think he had “friendly fire” in mind, yet we so often have to use our spiritual armor to stand against the attacks and criticisms from those who claim to be brothers and sisters in Christ.   It is astonishing and shameful that we bite and devour one another, rather than attack the real enemy. Yes, we do have a real enemy and he is not your brother!  He roams the earth “seeking whom he may devour.”   He doesn’t need our help!     “If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other” (Galatians 5:15).

A simple word of encouragement to us all: Give your attention to what God has called YOU to do.  Keep in mind the Apostle Paul’s exhortation to the Philippians:  “Make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves“ (Philippians 2: 2-3).

When you are tempted to criticize and attack a brother or sister in Christ, remember “Your brother isn’t your enemy, even when he acts like it!”    

Throughout the Bible we see people who were chosen by God to represent Him and do His work here on earth. In many cases we see great leaders who were also reluctant servants.  For example, it is obvious that Moses was called by God to deliver the Israelites from the oppressive hand of Pharaoh, yet he wasn't too eager to receive the calling when God first spoke to him.  The exchange between God and Moses in Exodus 4 is almost comical. Moses keeps making excuses and finally says, "O Lord, please send someone else to do it."  Gideon was a surprise pick.  He was reluctant to heed the call of mighty warrior because he felt inadequate being from the weakest clan and the youngest in his family.   He asked God for sign to confirm his calling.  Saul reacted to being anointed by hiding in the luggage! My guess is not only was David’s family confused by the passing over of his older brothers by Samuel when looking for Saul’s replacement, but to pick the baby of the family!  That just wasn’t done.  I’m thinking David wasn’t sure what the heck was going on either. Joseph, who after being left in a pit by his brothers, certainly couldn’t have imagined one day being elevated over them, or for that matter, his whole family.  My guess is that by the time he was sold into slavery, falsely accused by Potiphar’s wife, cast into a dungeon and seemingly forgotten by all, his God-given dream was a faded memory.

Over the thousands of years of human history there have been millions of men and women who believe that God has spoken to them, tapped them to do His work here on earth. In fact, it would be the exception, not the rule if you spoke to someone involved in leading a ministry for them to say there was any other reason for doing what they are other than having been “led by God” to do it. Call it what you want, “anointed,” “called,” “spoken to,” or  “a visitation.”  Everyone in ministry believes they are doing it because God has chosen them for such a work.   Most of us have known someone like this, or have been involved in a ministry in which someone who is leading the ministry has stated that they ‘”feel called.”  There is nothing wrong with this. I would place myself in that category as well.  I, to this day, can take you to the exact spot in San Clemente, California, where I believe the Lord first made me aware that He was “calling me” into ministry, and that was 50 years ago. I know the street address. I have visited the place. Yet from that point forward it has been anything but “upward and onward!”  The fact is, for me, it has been many times a very confusing thing to be “called by God.”

It appears to me that there are many who are confused when it comes to this calling; many who interpret it in many different ways. You have people who see themselves as “God’s anointed.” Since people are warned not to “come against God’s anointed,” it can mean, “Don’t question what I’m doing.”  For some reason I have always contrasted that against the exchange in Acts between Paul and the Bereans. I’m sure the Bereans knew of Paul’s reputation, that he was an Apostle, called by God, “anointed.”  Yet they didn’t seem to feel obligated to buy what he had to say without first examining the Scriptures to see if what he was saying was true.  Can you imagine the response of some of our present day “anointed ones” if anyone “under” them responded to their teaching or instruction by saying, “Well, that’s interesting. Let me spend some time checking it out in the Scriptures to see if you are telling the truth!” They would most likely be insulted and say, “Are you questioning my integrity?” “Are you calling me a liar?” Which of course isn’t the case, but the defensiveness of “the anointed ones” sometimes points to some real insecurities in people, who logically shouldn’t be afraid of a little question. By the way, if you are involved in anything that doesn’t allow for examination, scrutiny and even descent, I would simply say this, “Run Forrest Run!”  

I would like to leave you with these points for consideration: First, just because someone feels like they are called by God into ministry, it doesn’t necessarily mean that they are.  Second, if they are, it doesn’t mean they fully understand what it means and how to work it out. Third, it doesn’t mean they are going to handle it perfectly.   Finally, if you are one who feels that you are called by God, specifically for one ministry or another, you don’t have to constantly proclaim and explain this to everyone; just do it, even it you feel insecure, or reluctant about it and find yourself coming up with a hundred excuses not to.   Do what you believe God has called you to do. Do it with humility, kindness, grace, meekness, and compassion.  “Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience” (Colossians 3:12).