grace Posts

Core vs. Non-core (Part 2)

26 Mar , 2010 No Comments

In Part 1 I noted that a church devoted to the Gospel as the core message and proclamation will be a church in which grace is central in all things.  We noted a progression that takes place in churches devoted to the Gospel:

Grace -> Inclusion -> Diversity -> Differences/preferences -> Conflict

The more grace is offered the more diversity a church will experience and logically, the more conflict will follow.  Now, I use the word conflict, not as a negative one, but as a positive (or at least necessary) outcome and means toward even more grace.  Think about it: the greater the diversity, the more grace is necessary.  So it becomes grace upon grace.  Grace abounds in a church like this.

So, pastors- and the people of the church- are called to a difficult challenge (that only God can accomplish).  In a diverse congregation the pastor must lead in a way that honors the Lord and brings unity to the Body.  However, too many people (pastors included) believe this means that we simply maintain status quo.  Certainly this is the easiest way, but it is not God’s Way.  As a pastor, I know that when God speaks to me regarding my congregation, I must obey- regardless of what I think.

Here’s how I describe the constant role of the senior pastor:

Preserve the core AND (at the same time) stimulate progress and innovation.

I’m indebted to Jim Collins for helping me grasp this coexisting task of great leaders.  First, the role of the pastor is to constantly preserve the core.  By definition, to be core, to be essential means that it is not be open to change- never.  It means it never has been changed and never will be. If it is non-core, however, it must be open to change (or it has, by default, become core).  This is the stuff heresy is made of- either core issues becoming non-core or non-core issues becoming core. This is how the Church has moved forward for 2,000 years: Preserving the core while stimulating progress and innovation.  Any great church will be devoted to the core (and be united around the core) and we will not allow non-core issues to divide.  This is a Spirit-led strategy of leadership for a pastor and the leaders of any great church.

Of course the challenge comes when we start talking about what is core and what is not core.  How do you define what it is core?  And we all respond in unison: “The Bible is our authority!”  How do you know (biblically) what is core and what is not core?  Let’s look at that in Part 3.

Core vs. Non-Core (Part 1)

12 Mar , 2010 3 Comments

I’ve been asked recently to post my thoughts and approach as a pastor of a diverse, growing, and dynamic church in transition.  I’ve met with several pastors recently who have sought guidance in the leadership of churches in decline.  The challenge for these pastors is always the same: They have a clear calling and vision from God and they are leading some (or many) people who don’t want to make necessary changes to get there.  First of all, (for all my pastor friends) every church is unique and each pastor must seek the Spirit’s guidance in his own context.  It is true that all churches are in transition; it’s just some just don’t know it- you’re either growing or you’re dying.  But I have learned that certain truths are transferable in pastoral leadership form church to church, regardless of size or demographics.

So, here’s the first of a three-part series on what is at the heart of transitional leadership in the church.  I’ve stated this in several contexts of leadership and I believe it will be helpful for other pastors/leaders who are struggling to guide their flock.  The main challenge in transitional leadership (leading change) in the church is a collision of core vs. non-core issues.  Here’s how I explain it: The core of the Church is the Gospel of Jesus Christ (even more, Jesus Christ Himself).  We are called to share, explain, proclaim, and live out the Gospel.  Mostly, even a defense of the Gospel becomes unnecessary if it is lived out and explained.  But this is the core: That Christ died for our sins and it is through Him alone that all can be saved.

Here’s the progression of thought and why there are (and should be expected) conflicts in churches: Our Gospel is a Gospel of Grace.  This is the one message we have.  Our God is a God of grace and He offers His grace freely to all so we offer that same grace freely to others as well.  If we do not, by definition, it is something other than grace that we offering.  Of course, grace means inclusion will be a high value that follows.  The Gospel of grace means that His love is available to all; our God is an inclusive God and wants everyone in His family.  Inclusion will logically bring about diversity in the Body if we’re really a community of grace.  With diversity then, logically, will come different opinions and preferences and ultimately conflict.  No one should be surprised when conflict comes in the church.  If there is no conflict (particularly in a transitioning church) it simply means that you’re not leading and not reaching new people.

So here it is: Grace > Inclusion > Diversity > Conflict (the challenge of every pastor proclaiming the Gospel of Grace).

So, what’s a pastor to do?  If he’s doing his job he’s got trouble!  The great task of the pastor/leader is to constantly define the core. Here’s the Good News: The core is the Good News- it’s the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  You don’t have to figure out what the core is.  We preach Christ and Him crucified.  Our mission is clear: to know Christ, grow in Christ, and show Christ to the world.  By definition then, that defines all that’s not core.  A pastor (and a church family) must decide that they will examine, explore, unpack, and live out the core.  In fact, I think it is the Christian’s duty to die for the core.  But it is also equally important that we understand that we will not die for non-core issues.  And we will not let non-core issues divide us.  By definition, the core does not change (and never will) but if it is not core it must be open for change.  It may not need to change but we must be willing to allow it to change.  Non-core issues (styles, preferences, forms, programs, traditions) must be open to change or they have become core.  This is the stuff that pseudo-Christian cults are made of: non-core issues become core (or core issues become non-core).

The leaders role then, is to constantly bring people to the core, define the core, proclaim the core.  As we rally around the core, the non-core issues become secondary, even trivial because we start to realize that, in the end, the core (the Gospel of Jesus Christ) is all that matters.  Let’s stick to the core and never let non-core issues divide us.  in Part Two I’ll talk about how to preserve the core and, at the same time, stimulate progress and innovation.

What’s Your Story?

06 Mar , 2010 No Comments

My Story- the Grace of Jesus Christ

My story is the story of God’s transforming grace that has changed my life.  I was blessed to grow up in a Christian home and was going to church nine months before I was born.  My mom and dad are committed followers of Christ.  So I learned about Jesus from a very early age and when I was 9 years old I wanted to make a decision to trust Christ with my eternity.  Looking back, I didn’t know much but I knew He had died on the cross for my sin and that in Him I would find forgiveness and not have to pay the price for my sin before a holy God.  I sat in my grandfather’s house, with my dad, as they explained that God loves me and that Jesus had come to die on the cross so that I might have a relationship with Him.  I could live with Him, now and throughout eternity.  And so, with child-like faith, I asked Jesus to forgive me of my sin and I told Him I wanted Him to be the Leader of my life.  I know that it was then that the trajectory of my life was forever changed.

Throughout my teenage years I was in a great youth group and I got involved in Young Life and later Campus Crusade for Christ on the college campus.  I began to serve God through these ministries and through my many relationships.  My junior year of college I knew clearly that God was calling me into vocational ministry.  Following seminary, I was serving as a Youth Minister in Dallas when I had a “Grace Awakening” that was life-changing.  Though I was a committed follower of Christ and serving Him in a great ministry, I sensed my motivations were skewed.  You wouldn’t have known this outwardly, but inwardly I was driven by a need for approval, a kind of need to be needed.  Ministry provided me a way to help, encourage, and bless others.  In return I blessed by a sense of purpose because I was making a difference in the lives of others.  But I realized I was not serving to honor Christ alone, but because of what serving others could do for me as well.

Several things converged in my life at that time but perhaps the most significant was a new revelation from God’s Word, found in 1 Corinthians 5:21 that says, “He made Him who knew no sin to become sin on our behalf, in order that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”  I understood the first part of that verse but it was the second part that changed my life.  God was telling me that He had forgiven me fully, accepted me unconditionally, and loved me completely.  Through Christ’s death upon the cross, He had made me righteous (perfect) before Him.  I realized anew that my identity was found in Him alone- not in my performance or through the approval of others.  I was able to embrace His grace fully and from that day on I’ve determined to live in it.  This is why I can genuinely love others- even those who disagree with me or are unkind to me.  It’s really not my grace to give, but God’s grace.  I’ve since learned that when I serve Christ for any reason other than to make Him known, it becomes a form of idolatry- serving ministry (or others) instead of Him.  On our best days, ministry is simply an overflow of the one relationship to which He has called us.  The greatest joy of my life is telling others about this life-changing grace of Jesus and being there when the Light comes on.

For more stories or to post your own, go to: www.10000stories.org

TOP TEN in 2010- my New Year’s resolutions

30 Dec , 2009 2 Comments

TOP 10 for 2010

1. I will wake up every day and pursue Christ.

2. I will bring my best energy to the people I love the most (remembering that nothing makes up for failure in the home).

3. I will let grace rule in all of my relationships.

4. I will keep “prayer and ministry of the Word” (Acts 6:4) my first ministry priority.

5. I will graciously and patiently lead us forward, recognizing the fact that there will always be naysayers (some people’s default mode is “no”) and that God often calls us to move ahead with those who will come.

6. I will constantly lead our church to rethink how we engage an ever-changing culture with the Gospel (so that we will not drift into irrelevance).

7. I will not let the regrets of the past or worries of the future impact my decisions in the present.

8. I will delve deeper and deeper into the mind of Christ to discover more clearly what He envisions His Church to be.

9. I will do what I do best and encourage and empower others to do what they do best.

10. I will daily live an authentic and contagious Christian life (and have lots of fun doing it).

… all by the grace of God.

Tiger Woods: More will never be enough.

18 Dec , 2009 No Comments

We’ve proven again that in this age of technology, in which everyone has opinion (and the ability to express it), we have created our own Tower of Babel.  Much being said, but very little is intelligible, thoughtful, or helpful.  Out of the noise comes this editorial (link below) from the Dallas Morning News.  This is probably the best perspective I’ve seen on the news of Tiger Woods.

It reminded me of the parable of Jesus in Luke 12 of the man who wanted bigger and bigger barns.  He had all he needed but he wanted more.  Jesus is reminding us that apart from a life with God, more will never be enough.  We will never be satisfied until we are completely satisfied in Him.  Of all this lessons learned from Tiger’s situation, this is the most powerful.  According to our world’s standards, here’s a man who had everything one would ever need in a hundred lifetimes (including a beautiful wife who seemed to love him very much). But it wasn’t enough.  What should this tell us about the human condition?

I’ve prayed for Tiger.  Perhaps he’s realizing he’s not more influential than Jesus Christ (as his dad prophesied) but in fact, needs to be influenced by Jesus Christ.  I pray this will lead him to see that he’s not the Savior and is, in fact, in desperate need for a Savior.  How else will he find forgiveness?   And before we throw anymore rocks at Tiger, let’s stop and look at our own lives.  Am I longing for more when I’ve been given more than enough?   Have I come to a point in my life where I am fully satisfied in God alone?

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/opinion/editorials/stories/DN-tiger_1215edi.State.Edition1.2f6533a.html