Criticizing is easy - Shepherding takes work

Aren't you tired of hearing people criticize the "American Church?" I am. It's so easy to do. But what good does it do? It only puffs us up and makes us feel good about being not that bad. It's really sad. It doesn't take a prophet to see how we've fallen as His Church, but come on - enough is enough.

I'm a pastor. I figure the best thing I can do for Jesus' Church is to be a good example and to pastor well - not to be an expert or a critic, but as a learner; one who is growing in ways to care:

1 Peter 5:2-4

"shepherd the flock of God that is among you,
exercising oversight, not because you must,
but because you are willing,
as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve;
not lording it over those entrusted to you,
but being examples to the flock.
And when the Chief Shepherd appears,
you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away."

Being an example and caring deeply for the flock has rippling effects - positive effects. Sitting back and being the expert, or critic doesn't produce anything but a critical spirit in others. I know it's the "in" thing to do and it does sound impressive. But if people are drawn to us in our criticialness, they're certainly not drawn to the Lord in us - since our Lord Himself is deeply in love with His Church.

In the passage above, Peter mentions that it's "God's flock." We are His treasured posession. He chose the word flock which is a term of affection, endearment. He has deep affection for His people, His Church; people who name the name of Jesus but are all flawed and sometimes act foolishly ...people like...well, like you and me.

Heb 2:11-12

Both the one who makes men holy and those who are made holy
are of the same family.
So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers.

Who is them?.. them that Jesus is not ashamed to call "Brother... sister"? If this only applied to those who followed Him all the time, then He'd be ashamed of us all. Yet, he includes all of us: He's not ashamed to call us who believe in Him his brothers and sisters. Are you ashamed to call those in your congregation "brother," "sister?" How about in other congregations?

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All I'm encouraging us all to do is this: Let's get in sync with Jesus in His love for His church. The bottom line is this: Jesus loves His Church, though it's quite faulty, and we ought to join Him in His deep love for His Church for which He died and intercedes.

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Eph 5:25-26

Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her

Rom 8:33-34

Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen?
It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns?

Christ Jesus, who died

— more than that, who was raised to life —
is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.

Are we partnering with Jesus as He intercedes for His Church? Sure, we can't close our eyes on all the craziness that has crept into the Church. We need to free ourselves from that insanity. We also need to admit that, yes - Christians can be the flakyest, compromising, selfish, hateful and proud people on this planet, and we do need to warn, to exort, to encourage. But we can do so in a way that brings life - not in a critical way.

So, the next time I hear a criticism of the Church, instead of screaming "ENOUGH ALREADY!," I'm just going to let people gripe all they want and attend to my own business - of being an example and of shepherding the dear people of God that He has entrusted to me as His under-shepherd.


...........................................“It is not the critic who counts,

not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles,

or where the doer of deeds could have done better.

The credit belongs to the man in the arena,

whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood,

who strives valiantly…who knows the great enthusiasm,

the great devotions and who spends himself in a worthy cause,

who at best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement,

and who at worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly,

so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls

who have known neither victory or defeat.”

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- Teddy Roosevelt

"It's happening..."

It's 4:15 a.m., and our daughter Candace walks into our room and says, "It's happening...". We knew what that meant. We knew what was happening. Life. Life was happening. New life was being born. Number six grandson was soon going make his grand entrance into this crazy and awesome world. Enter Roman Grey: take your first breath, be cleaned up, footprinted, wrapped in swaddling clothes and handed over to your "glad-it's-over" and overjoyed mom (her first words to her newborn were: "I've missed you!").

Candace and her family stayed at our home because the hospital was close by and she was in the "any day now" mode. Soon after she woke us up, Mark, Candace and her sister Jenni were on their way to the hospital in one car and my wife followed in our car. Then...it happened. According to the World Population Clock, Roman Grey became the 6,485,000,000th person (give or take a few thousand) to grace the planet Earth with a witness of the image of God -

Later that morning my whole tribe filled the hospital room in which dwelt the new celebrated baby: my wife, all the 6 grandkids, my two dear daughters and their awesome husbands. At one point, I was observing it all through the lens of my camera, taking scores of pictures of all the life that was happening in the room: everyone taking turns holding the baby, Mark wiping the creamcheese off the new baby's head (his sister Ivana accidently anointed him from an Einstein's bagel she had just eaten), Candace, thankful for the quick delivery (about an hour), reminissing with her sister Jenni - the unofficial but effective doula (birthing coach) - over that recent emotion-filled hour, Jillian jumping for the string that held the "It's a boy" balloon which was stuck to the ceiling. I thought, "This is life! Life is good! Kids, grandkids, joy!" I felt like the richest man in the world.

It was still happening. My family who brings me so much joy, was happening. Life was happening. Newborn life. Family life. I felt very bless'd to be alive. And it's still happening.

As Grand Poobah of the tribe, a prayer for Roman Grey seems to be in order:

"Father in heaven, bless my new grandson Roman Grey. Thanks for his awesome parents and family You've given him that will love him, and model for him Your ways. May he grow up to be a strong man of God. May his life be a tale of great chivalry wooing people to You*. May he contrast this grey** world with the many colors of Your ways and Your love. In Jesus name and for His sake!"

* Roman - from the French word romance, which means: to court or woo romantically; treat with ardor or chivalrousness, or, the colorful world, life, or conditions depicted in such tales

** Grey - dull or dark - as in a gray, rainy afternoon, or, lacking in cheer; gloomy (a gray mood).

I Live To "Wow" My Heavenly Father

What??? Do you really think you can "wow" the Almighty? The Creator of heaven and earth?

The short answer: Yup. You see, we were created to "wow" someone - to please someone. Many people live for themselves - to "wow" themselves. Many live to please others - to "wow" others. But we, as followers of Jesus, understand that we were created (and have been re-created) and called to "wow" God - to please God.
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2 Cor 5:8-10

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We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So we make it our goal to please him,

whether we are at home in the body or away from it.

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ,

that each one may receive

what is due him for the things done while in the body,

whether good or bad.

Did you catch that? "So we make it our goal to please Him!" That assumes that we actually can bring pleasure to God. Is that truly possible? The short answer again: Yup!

God, who is the Great Creator, actually created us for His pleasure - to please Him, bless Him, to "wow" Him. But one may ask, "How can we bring a genuine pleasure to a God who is totally sufficient in Himself, totally complete in Himself (Father, Son and Holy Spirit)? Good question. The God, who created us, also had the ability to create within Himself a pleasure that only we, His awesome image bearers, could fulfill. He's opened that part of His heart up to us and we can either bring to His heart genuine pleasure or grief.

The genuine plesure we can bring to God is not a pre-programmed, micro-managed pleasure that He makes sure will take place. That kind of "pleasure" would be the same kind a father would experience in this scenario: a father has a rebellious and sloppy 10 year old son who refuses to clean his room, so the father forcebly opens his boy's hands, making him pick up each garment and toy. When the father's finished, he sits back and says, "My, what pleasure you've brought me by cleaning up your room!" Yeah, right!

Compare that scenario to the same rebellious and sloppy son who cleans his room without even being asked to do so, because he values the relationship he has with his father and understands that he has the power to "wow" him. That's what I'm talkin' about. That's pure pleasure his father would experience. In fact, the father, upon walking in the clean room may say, "Wow! I'm so pleased with you, son."

We must understand here that we became pleasing to the Father, accepted fully, when we believed in Jesus. Yet, there is another level of pleasure we can bring to Him. Why else would Jesus encourage us to seek the approval from God verses man's approval? He rebuked the Pharisees for seeking praise from man instead of seeking praise from God:
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John 5:44

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How can you believe if you accept praise from one another,

yet make no effort to obtain the praise that comes from the only God?

The Roman Centurian received praise from Jesus after he did something that "wow'd" Him. Luke records that "...Jesus marvelled..." at his faith - which was working through a heart of love (for his servant - see Luke 7:2-10).

We were created to live for something, someone greater than ourselves; not just to live "to not sin so much" or "to not breaking our Father's heart." We're created for His pleasure - to "wow" Him. Faith and love wow God. No, He's not surprised at what we're capable of doing. He knows all we are capable of - the opportunities, possibilities to please Him or grieve Him that each moment affords us. But He marvels when we actually move in faith, in love. He's pleased when we push aside that which grieves Him and choose that which pleases Him - wow's Him.

And "wow-ing" Him is not just in those great exploits. I can picture God saying, "Wow!" regarding the woman who is faithful in her care-giving to an elderly parent or friend. I can hear him say of her, "This woman continually puts her own life aside and pours out to this friend for the greater reward I promised her. What faith! What love! Wow!"

What else do I think "wows" God? Being faithful - in a age of unfaithfulness, showing equal devotion in each and every task (integrity - and qucik repentance when we blow it), growing in love one for another, the way we believe God - take Him at His word (without faith it is impossible to "wow" Him / to please Him - Heb. 11:6), the way we trust Him and (even) rejoice in difficult times. When we're living this kind of Life, if you listen, you will hear Him saying, "Wow! Great job, son (or daughter)." And the greatest final "wow" we can bring to God is on That Day (the Judgment Day of reward for the believer ....refer to the passage above - 2 Corinthians 5:7-10) when his Son rewards us with a full reward.

Wowing God? I'm just following Jesus' example. He said,
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John 8:29-30

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The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone,

for I always do what pleases him."

Similiarly, through Jesus Christ's His enabling power working in me, the Father's "wow" is what I live for. Can we actually do something to put a smile on our Father's face? You betcha. Believe it or not, you can.

We're going to live to "wow" someone because we were created this way, whether it be to wow yourself, or another. I'm just choosing that someone to be my Heavenly Father. I think He's worth all the wows we can bring to Him. And this is not a one time decision - it's a continual day by day, moment by moment decision. And He is continaully helping me as I often hear Him whispering to my spirit these kinds of sobering questions: "If you're not living for My "wow," whose "wow" are you living for? If you're not living for My reward, whose reward are you living for?

When you wake up in the morning, I challenge you to start the day with this thought /prayer: "I am not created to please myself - I am created to please my Father in heaven. Father, help me to wow You today." I believe it will transport you out of the realm of worldly spins into the realm of the Kingdom of God.
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Phil 3:15-16

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All of us who are mature should take such a view of things.

And if on some point you think differently,

that too God will make clear to you.

Only let us live up to what we have already attained.