“A TIME TO MOVE FORWARD!!”
It is no secret that there is a deep and growing concern for the trends that we are seeing at Morning Star. While lives are being changed and we are growing our sense of mission, other key indicators are showing a rather steady decline. For example, this year to date our weekend worship attendance is down by nearly 20 people a week over last year and about 50 a week over 4 years ago. Our giving is holding steady, but is behind the pace we need to keep if we are going to achieve our goals for mission and ministry this year – for example we have not made a Mission Share gift to the Nebraska Synod since about this time one year ago which means we are not extending our mission and ministry through our Synod and ELCA. While our debt is relatively small (about $ 230,000 at this point), the interest payments we make each month (@ $1, 200) further reduce our ability to engage the mission and ministry to which we are called.
In the grand scheme of things “crisis” is probably too strong of a word. However, we certainly have a deep and growing concern about our ability to be the Morning Star that God would like us to be and that we would like to be – a vital center for mission committed to being the light of Christ in a world of darkness.
To say it another way, focus on these trends can quickly move us from a mindset of mission and ministry to a mindset of “self-preservation.” Self-preservation cannot be the main focus in the Body of Christ. A self-preservation mindset pulls people from looking outward to looking inward. Self-preservation thinking limits mission thinking to the extent that the choices we make pull us into scarcity thinking – what we can’t do instead of who we are and what we are called to do as caretakers of God’s abundance.
The central nature of being the church is being the Body of Christ is mission. God calls His church into a mindset of seeing God’s abundance and then asking how we use God’s blessings for the sake of the world. A mission focus helps the church see God’s abundance as blessing for behaving in ways that reach out for the purpose of changing lives, serving the needy and hurting and drawing people more deeply into a life-changing relationship with Jesus Christ. This mission is only accomplished when each person lives as a disciple and does their part as a caretaker of Kingdom things.
I recently read the story of a college choir that was all set to present its package of music in a large church. The program of sacred song was to be carried live by a local radio station. When everything appeared to be ready, the announcer made his final introduction and waited for the choir director to begin. One of the tenors was not ready, however, so the venerable conductor refused to raise his baton. All this time, nothing but silence was being broadcast (radio stations abhor silence). Growing very nervous, the announcer, forgetting that his microphone was still on and that he could be heard in the church and on the radio, said in exasperation, "Get on with it, you old goat!"
Later in the week, the radio station got a letter from one of its listeners -- a man who had tuned in to listen to the music from the comfort of his easy chair. When he heard "Get on with it, you old goat!" he took the message personally. He had been doing nothing to further God's work, and this startling message was enough to convict him and get him going again.
You know, sometimes we need a wake up call. Sometimes we need to be reminded to “Get on with it!” We need to be challenged to rethink our apathy or our disengagement. I wonder if this current situation isn’t just a prompting to move us into renewing our commitment to the outward focus of mission and ministry.
But I can’t do it alone. Neither can you. It takes all of us recommitting ourselves to our call to discipleship and ministry. So, let’s get on with it. Let me suggest a couple of steps to help us get started.
1. Recommit yourself and your family to regular worship. If you’ve just slacked off, commit to one more Sunday a month. If you’ve gotten out of the habit take some time to create a new habit. If you haven’t been around for a while, now is as good a time as any to make your way back. If there are practical problems that prevent your attendance, please let myself or another leader know so that we might attempt to find a solution with you.
2. Recommit yourself to generosity. Commit yourself to be regular in your giving of time and resources. This isn’t a plea for increases, just a plea for regularity with the commitments you’ve already made. Every week, we have room for worship leaders and servants – greeters, communion assistants, coffee hosts / hostesses, nursery attendants and the list can go on. Your generosity of yourself spreads like a good immune system to wart off apathy and self-centered thoughts.
3, Recommit yourself to the community, the body. Just like a body needs every part and member of the body, the community of faith needs each disciple. Maybe it is time to set aside an old excuse or an old hurt in order to make a new commitment of faith. Maybe it is time to forgive or ask forgiveness in order to open up a new door to fulfilling what God has in mind for you. When we gather as a body, we encourage and uplift each other in the presence of God. We find strength in numbers. And God delights in our witness.
The bottom line is that it will take all of us “getting on with it” to begin to reverse the trends we are seeing. It will take all of us finding ways to make new commitments for the good of the Kingdom. It will take each one of us being willing to step out in faith, to even step out of our comfort zone in order to rebuild our mission focus and get back on the track of a fitting Kingdom Mission for Morning Star.
As your Lead Pastor, I truly believe that Morning Star is exactly at the point in its life where a new burst of energy, faith and excitement is about to take place. I believe that the power of the Holy Spirit is moving among us with renewing vitality. I believe that God has great plans for us.
And, I’m delighted that we are partners in this ministry at this point in history.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
The Value of Saying “Thanks!”
It might have been the first prayer we ever learned: "God is great; God is good. We thank Him for our food." And perhaps it started us off with an understanding of the very positive impact gratitude can have in our busy, noisy lives.
You see, a sense of appreciation for all the positives of life, a sense of gratitude for the abundance God has freely bestowed to us, coupled with praise to the God who has provided them, gives us a clearer sense of ourselves and our relationship to the Deity who is the giver of every good gift. Our “attitude of gratitude” is an affirmation that God’s grace is real in our lives.
Rubel Shelly writes about when his son was about four years old, and it was his turn to say a prayer of thanksgiving over lunch. “With open-face sandwiches on the plates, he folded his hands and began. ‘Deah God, we fank fee . . .’ (Note: He wasn't doing well with his r- and th-words at four! But back to the prayer . . .) ‘Deah God, we fank fee foh de bwead and de tomato . . .’ (Another Note: Yes, he was peeking! But back to the prayer . . .) ‘And we fank fee foh de meat and foh . . . and foh . . .’ (Final Note: He knew what lettuce was, but it just wouldn't come to him at that critical moment. So he pointed his still-folded hands toward it and continued to pray . . .) ‘And foh dis stuff. Amen.’”
It’s a cute story, but it gets to the heart of the matter. A bit of thanksgiving at mealtime (or anytime) is such a tiny piece of our spiritual lives. However, being thankful is good. Honoring God as the giver is better since we can’t claim credit for any of it!
So may we be reminded of the wonderful gifts of food and air, friends and work, sunshine and rain and every blessing we enjoy. All are blessings we did not create and for which we can take no credit. It is good to recognize them as gifts and to be thankful. And the bigger blessing is our little bits of thanks make it even more natural to turn to our Creator in stressful times to name our hurts and pains, our stresses and our troubles, and to ask for God’s help without feeling guilty as a thankless beggar.
I remember this verse: "Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done" (Philippians 4:6).
You see, a sense of appreciation for all the positives of life, a sense of gratitude for the abundance God has freely bestowed to us, coupled with praise to the God who has provided them, gives us a clearer sense of ourselves and our relationship to the Deity who is the giver of every good gift. Our “attitude of gratitude” is an affirmation that God’s grace is real in our lives.
Rubel Shelly writes about when his son was about four years old, and it was his turn to say a prayer of thanksgiving over lunch. “With open-face sandwiches on the plates, he folded his hands and began. ‘Deah God, we fank fee . . .’ (Note: He wasn't doing well with his r- and th-words at four! But back to the prayer . . .) ‘Deah God, we fank fee foh de bwead and de tomato . . .’ (Another Note: Yes, he was peeking! But back to the prayer . . .) ‘And we fank fee foh de meat and foh . . . and foh . . .’ (Final Note: He knew what lettuce was, but it just wouldn't come to him at that critical moment. So he pointed his still-folded hands toward it and continued to pray . . .) ‘And foh dis stuff. Amen.’”
It’s a cute story, but it gets to the heart of the matter. A bit of thanksgiving at mealtime (or anytime) is such a tiny piece of our spiritual lives. However, being thankful is good. Honoring God as the giver is better since we can’t claim credit for any of it!
So may we be reminded of the wonderful gifts of food and air, friends and work, sunshine and rain and every blessing we enjoy. All are blessings we did not create and for which we can take no credit. It is good to recognize them as gifts and to be thankful. And the bigger blessing is our little bits of thanks make it even more natural to turn to our Creator in stressful times to name our hurts and pains, our stresses and our troubles, and to ask for God’s help without feeling guilty as a thankless beggar.
I remember this verse: "Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done" (Philippians 4:6).
Friday, June 10, 2011
A Story with "Heart"
Did you hear the story from the Major League Baseball Draft earlier this week?
The Texas Rangers drafted two players from the University of Georgia Bulldogs: Zach Cone 37th over-all in the fifth round and Jonathan Taylor 1,000+ over-all in the 33rd Round. The two have been teammates since their years at Parkview High School. They were both quality players for the Bulldogs program.
But what is newsworthy in this story is that Jonathan Taylor, a Junior outfielder, will probably never be able to play baseball again. He is paralyzed from the waist down and confined to a wheelchair after an on field collision with his teammate and friend, Zach Cone, in early March.
The Rangers selection of Taylor was to show a token of support for his rehabilitation process. It was also a way of acknowledging the talent he possessed. An honor roll student his first two seasons, Taylor had a .312 career batting average over 117 games for Georgia and may have had a future on the diamond.
The story is that Taylor was in rehab when he got the Ranger’s phone call. His mother described the news as “awesome” and said her son’s face “lit up” when he heard about the pick.
Baseball fans will know that teams often use the last rounds of the draft to symbolically draft players who may never play for them. The most famous might be from 1987 when Tommy Lasorda used a 62nd-round pick on a little-known catcher as a favor to a family friend. (Guy by the name of Mike Piazza.)
As of this writing, it is noted that in the 40th round, the Houston Astros selected San Jacinto College reliever Buddy Lamothe, who had a 0.86 ERA before being paralyzed in a recreational accident.
These kinds of stories remind us that dreams do come true. And they give us confidence that even organizations like Major League Baseball have a heart to do what is right.
I hope it’s a trend that will spread into other areas of our society and lives.
The Texas Rangers drafted two players from the University of Georgia Bulldogs: Zach Cone 37th over-all in the fifth round and Jonathan Taylor 1,000+ over-all in the 33rd Round. The two have been teammates since their years at Parkview High School. They were both quality players for the Bulldogs program.
But what is newsworthy in this story is that Jonathan Taylor, a Junior outfielder, will probably never be able to play baseball again. He is paralyzed from the waist down and confined to a wheelchair after an on field collision with his teammate and friend, Zach Cone, in early March.
The Rangers selection of Taylor was to show a token of support for his rehabilitation process. It was also a way of acknowledging the talent he possessed. An honor roll student his first two seasons, Taylor had a .312 career batting average over 117 games for Georgia and may have had a future on the diamond.
The story is that Taylor was in rehab when he got the Ranger’s phone call. His mother described the news as “awesome” and said her son’s face “lit up” when he heard about the pick.
Baseball fans will know that teams often use the last rounds of the draft to symbolically draft players who may never play for them. The most famous might be from 1987 when Tommy Lasorda used a 62nd-round pick on a little-known catcher as a favor to a family friend. (Guy by the name of Mike Piazza.)
As of this writing, it is noted that in the 40th round, the Houston Astros selected San Jacinto College reliever Buddy Lamothe, who had a 0.86 ERA before being paralyzed in a recreational accident.
These kinds of stories remind us that dreams do come true. And they give us confidence that even organizations like Major League Baseball have a heart to do what is right.
I hope it’s a trend that will spread into other areas of our society and lives.
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