I'm Going To See Jimmy Buffett Baby!

Tuesday, April 1, 2008

You see that picture to the left?

That’s exactly where I’ll be sitting at the end of August when Jimmy Buffett comes to Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City. Floor 5, row 26, seats 3-4.

I’ve been trying to get tickets for Lisa and me for like, no joke, three years now. Every time he comes to town I get on Ticketmaster and the tickets sell out in minutes.

Not this time baby. I jumped online and Jesus opened up the internet highway and held back the forces of darkness and bamm! Instant 20th wedding anniversary date!

Any other parrot heads out there?

Obama’s Former Pastor Should Graciously Repent

Monday, March 31, 2008

James 3:1 says, “Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers and sisters, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.”

Years ago when I first read that verse I thought it meant that those who teach in the church will be judged more strictly by God on judgment day. I wonder if that’s all James was implying.

Maybe James also meant that the words of teachers in the church would be examined more closely by people with skin on 'em too – which, in our day means the media, community leaders, politicians, pundits, and even fellow believers. That’s certainly been the case with the inflammatory words of Barack Obama’s former pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright.

Lately clips of Wright’s sermons have been racing all over the internet and the 24 hour news channels, so there’s no need to re-type those statements here. We’ve all heard them.

While I’ve been hesitant to say anything about this issue, Wright is a fellow pastor, and since part of the reason I write this blog is to encourage and prod fellow pastors, I feel compelled to say just two things.

First, while slow to do so, Obama has come out and publicly denounced these statements by his former pastor.

“All of the statements that have been the subject of controversy are ones that I vehemently condemn. They in no way reflect my attitudes and directly contradict my profound love for this country." (Associated Press, 28 March 2008.)

Those looking for ammo to keep this attack going against Barack on this issue need to simply let it die. It’s ridiculous to think that everyone at the church I serve is 100% in line with every single statement I make every single Sunday morning.

Second, as a pastor, Rev. Jeremiah Wright should come out and graciously repent.

Not because it will help Barack’s campaign.

Not because people disagree with him.

And not because it will help bolster his reputation.

But because he’s a disciple of Jesus.

My guess is if James were still around, he’d probably say the same thing.

8 Creative Things Churches Did For Easter

Friday, March 28, 2008

Here are eight pretty creative things churches around the country did for Easter that are worth checking out:

1. Gary Lamb and the folks at Revolution Church dropped 50,000 Easter eggs from a helicopter. Dude, it takes a real man to drop 50,000 eggs from a helicopter on four year olds. I love this idea! Check out the story and pictures.

2. Craig Groeschel and the folks at Lifechurch.tv handed out fortune cookies with a note inside of them inviting people to their new series starting on Easter called “The Warrior.” They placed huge barrels of these things outside and asked people to give them to their friends.

3. The funniest Easter video has to go to the video posted by Eric Bramlett and the folks at Community Christian in Naperville. It was the first installment of their series called "Losing My Religion" which started Easter Weekend. Check it out HERE.

4. A close second has to go to the video posted by Tony Morgan at New Spring Church promoting “The Man” series which began on Easter. Check it out HERE.

5. Travis Johnson and the crew at Life Point Church did a Moonlight Easter Egg Hunt (7-9pm) and had 7,000+ people show up. How creative is that idea? A moonlight Easter Egg Hunt!?

6. Perry Noble’s post “Signs that your church lacks vision” was challenging to read post-Easter and gave me a kick in the butt to get me thinking about next year.

7. Check out the things Granger Community Church had people hold in their hands during the service. HERE are the pics from Mark Beeson's blog.

8. Finally, here's one of the coolest things that happened this past Easter: Greg Surrat and the guys down at Seacoast Church started a new campus in one of the most crime-ridden areas of the country. Just goes to show that you can be on the edge with all the bells and whistles AND still get it as a disciple. HERE is the story.

Why Pastors Yield To Sexual Temptation – Pastors Gone Wild (Part 1)

Thursday, March 27, 2008

Fourteen years ago my wife and I helped launch a new church in Dayton, Ohio. Five years later when we felt called to move to Philadelphia, the church was thriving, in its own building, and looking at very bright future.

Finding the right pastor to follow me was essential.

After an exhaustive search we felt God brought us the right replacement. He was a leader, full of vision, and all his references were glowing. Words cannot express how relieved I was. I loved these people dearly and didn’t want to leave them under the care of just anyone. Fortunately God provided.

Within six months he had an affair.

When he left his wife and two young children and shacked up with my daughter’s former dance instructor the church was devastated. I was devastated. His family was destroyed.

But do you know what hurt more than anything? It was preventable.

Soon after it occurred, people in the church said, “If Brian had been here, this wouldn’t have happened.”

They didn’t say that because they believed I was a super-pastor and somehow less vulnerable to sexual temptation than anyone else. They just knew I took precautions, and have done so for the last 20 years of ministry.

“The first thing he did,” one of the elders told me, “was throw out the accountability questions you had us ask each other every week. He said they were too legalistic. He also got rid of the rules for how the staff were allowed to interact with the opposite sex. He said they were way too unrealistic for today’s world.”

What was he referring to? He was talking about the two things that protect not just pastors, but any leader from falling into sexual temptation: solid ground rules and accountability.

Here were the ground rules we had in place for interacting with the opposite sex:

1. No staff member will ever meet alone with the opposite sex in a room without a glass window in the door or the door open.
2. No staff member will ever meet alone off-site with the opposite sex.
3. No staff member will perform long-term counseling.
4. No staff member will ever talk about their own marital struggles with the opposite sex.

Unrealistic for today’s world? I don’t think so.

And here were the actual accountability questions that were thrown out:

1. Have you spent time in God's word and in prayer at least five times a week since we last met?
2. Have you shown your spouse the affection that God asks of you since we last met?
3. Have you spent quality time with each of your children since we last met?
4. Have you lost your temper since the last time we met?
5. Have you spent any amount of time with someone other than your spouse since we last met?
6. Have you found yourself lusting after anyone since we last met?
7. Have you looked at pornography of any kind since we last met?
8. Have you honored God with your finances since we last met (by what you've given, what you've kept and what you've spent)?
9. Have you exercised at least 4 times a week since we last met?
10. Have you maintained healthy eating habits since we last met?
11. Have you taken a full day off each week since we last met?
12. Have you in any way misrepresented your answers?
13. What areas do you really need prayer for and unflinchingly pressed on the next time we meet?

Too legalistic? Unrealistic for today’s day and age?

I don’t think so.

Here’s the only thing I really understand about why affairs happen: affairs take place when loving, committed, and broken people like you and me let down their guard.

That’s it.

Read other posts in this series:
Pastors Gone Wild – New Series Begins Today
Why Pastors Yield To Sexual Temptation (Part 1)
Does Your Pastor Really Believe In Hell? (Part 2)
Effeminate Pastors (Part 3)
Overweight Pastors (Part 4)
People Pleasing Pastors (Part 5)

Check Out Michael Jr. On November 14th!

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

On Easter Sunday we announced that Michael Jr. is going to be our headline act at Comedy Night on November 14th. Mark the date and start pumping your non-churched friends to join you. It’s going to be a pretty cool night.

Look for more information at the end of August, but in the meantime check out his website at http://www.michaeljr.com/ for some pretty funny clips. Here’s just one of many.

Pastors Gone Wild – New Series Begins Today

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Today I’m beginning a series of blog posts I’m calling “Pastors Gone Wild.”

No, I’m not going to be post lurid video clips that Snoop Dog took of me and some pastor friends of mine lifting up our shirts at Mardi Gras. I destroyed those tapes long ago. :)

I want to talk about the dark side of a pastor’s world, and the sometimes underhanded ways pastors act toward other pastors, their churches, other churches in their community, their families, and oftentimes themselves. But I want to do so only because I think we can learn from our mistakes.

I offer these musings not from the perspective of someone who has it all together, but as someone who has made some really stupid mistakes myself over the years.

To that end I invite you to settle your stomach and focus your gaze on your computer monitor. This may not be pretty.

Brian

Read other posts in this series:
Why Pastors Yield To Sexual Temptation (Part 1)
Does Your Pastor Really Believe In Hell? (Part 2)
Effeminate Pastors (Part 3)
Overweight Pastors (Part 4)
People Pleasing Pastors (Part 5)

Taking Time To Decompress

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

A mentor of mine once told me, “Brian, as a leader, you have to balance long, intense periods of work with time away with your family to decompress. Get in the habit of working your butt off AND doing really cool stuff with your family and you’ll be in ministry for a very, very long time.”

I’ve always taken that advice to heart. If you're a leader you should too.

So, after working 75+ hours last week in preparation for Easter and preaching 6 services this past weekend, we headed out right after church to spend a couple days in Washington D.C.

The first thing we did was go to our hotel – The Hyatt Regency, just 2 blocks from the Capital Building. I got a killer deal (pays to shop around man!). The indoor pool was awesome (a must for small kids) though the water was f-r-e-e-z-i-n-g! Afterwards we ordered dessert through room service and then watched Monsters, Inc. I think I was snoring about 20 minutes into the movie. I was out.

The next morning we headed over to The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. Words cannot describe how powerful those few hours were.

I thought my kids would get bored halfway through, but they were overcome with emotion. We just went at their pace and slowly answered questions. The pictures, videos, and relics from concentration camps were almost too much to bear. The last exhibit we went through was called “Daniel’s Story,” designed just for kids. At the end it was hard to hold back the tears.

Afterwards we slowly walked through The Mall, meandering through buildings and monuments. I saw this car which reminded me that there are still Christians working in our nation’s capital!

Unexpectedly, besides the Holocaust Museum, the highlight of the entire trip for me was stumbling onto The Old Ebbit Grill, just a few blocks from the White House. The place was packed, but I talked the maitre d' into giving us a spot at their stunningly picturesque bar. The Old Ebbit Grill, I soon discovered, was Washington’s oldest saloon (est. 1856), and our bartender, Marcus, gave us the inside scoop on the history of the place as well as the unlikely visitors that have meandered through its doors.

“It’s cool when the President shows up,” he said, “but the Secret Service comes in and gives you a choice. You either leave right then, or you stay until he’s done. If he has dessert, it can be a long night.” Marcus was the best tour guide we had the entire trip.

After our burgers we walked around the White House. The President’s annual Easter Egg hunt had just concluded and The Jonas Brothers, a popular teen band, were rocking it out on the South Lawn. Pre-teen girls were leaning on the fence and screaming, “We love you Joe! You’re so hot Nick! Kevin I love you!” It was kind of odd – you go to see the President and one of your youngest daughter’s favorites bands are playing on the South Lawn. So we just stood there and listened to the Jonas Brothers, for free.

One of my girls turned to me and said, “Dad, I just love Washington D.C.”

I said, “Yeah, it’s like this all the time.”

Things Too Good Not To Share

Friday, March 21, 2008

Moonsand
I’m in trouble. My youngest, somehow, someway, got sucked into some commercial on the Disney Channel and now all she can talk about is “Moonsand.” Have you seen the stuff? First it was Care Bears, then Littlest Pets, now it’s “Moonsand.”

It’s sand. With coloring. For $10 to 20! Talk about marketing genius! Getting a job to market sand would have to be, like, the crappiest job ever. But some 24 year old kid somewhere came up with the idea to color it, re-name it, and then package it at a 95% mark-up. Now they can’t keep the stuff on the shelves.



Now that’s creativity -- taking an old story and making it new! I want to hire that kid for my staff. Speaking of staff hires…

Staff Searching Etiquette
We’re searching for a worship pastor and I was just reminded again this week of our commitment to NEVER talk to someone until after they've been given permission to talk to us by their Senior Pastor or Executive Pastor first. The ways of the kingdom world are not the ways of the corporate world. Spiritual leaders never "steal" people. Plus, I firmly believe that if God is calling someone to our faith community, then the community that person is with will sense that calling too.

Gorilla off to a great start!
I just got done talking with a pastor who wanted 45 copies of Getting Rid of the Gorilla fast. If you want to order 20 or more copies I can get you a 20% discount plus shipping! Just drop me a line at brian@moviechurch.com and we’ll get them right out to you.

Some great blogs I stumbled upon…
Phil Vischer, the Veggie Tales creator, has started blogging
Church Relevance keeps cranking out innovative church concepts
Bradley Wright at Yale keeps challenging me

Blast from the past
I love catching up with old friends! My old Preaching Professor from Kentucky Christian University, Louie Webber, dropped by my blog yesterday. It was great hearing from him. You can check out his blog at: http://www.louieweber.com/. He's one of the reasons I became a Senior Pastor!

Here’s the comment I left on his blog…

Dude,

Talk about a blast from the past.

You know, when people ask me how I got into ministry, I often share how in my first preaching class at KCU I had this prof named Louie Webber and after my first sermon (which royally stunk) he said, “Brian, if I were God, I would call you to a lifetime of pulpit ministry.” And that was it.

I lost track of you man. You were so dynamic I thought either you’d keep doing what you’re doing and have incredible kingdom impact. Either that or you’d leave the faith and move to Montana and start a new religion with 16,000 followers and I’d be watching The Nightly News with Brian Williams one night and there you’d be, holed up in a cabin with 1,500 federal troops surrounding you and suddenly you’d come out guns ablazing like Young Guns or something.

Glad you chose the Jesus route, tats and beard not withstanding. Looking forward to catching up.
Brian

Have a Powerful Easter
I’m praying that you have a great Easter. As my friend Dick Alexander always says, “Give ‘em heaven!”

Brian

7 Ways We Keep Church Hoppers From Staying

I think two of the most dangerous influences any church faces are: (1) Spiritual leaders who have lost their first love and (2) the onslaught of church hoppers. Having wavered before in my faith and flirted with losing my first love with God, I know firsthand how dangerous the first one can be. But that's something we spiritual leaders have control over. The second one...not so much.

I call church hoppers “connoisseurs of fine churches” because they’re continually on a quest to find the church that is spiritual enough for them, will endlessly engorge themselves on the “services” of the churches they attend, and always have a critical word to say afterwards whenever “church” doesn’t meet their standards.

Here are seven things we try to do to keep church hoppers from wearing out their welcome.

#1 Ask church hoppers to commit to tithing and serving in your 101-201-301 classes
That usually takes care of it right there. Because church hoppers are consumers by nature, anything that strikes them as sacrificial will surely turn them off. As a ministry friend of mine used to tell me, “At the first sign of trouble, raise the bar.”

#2 Tell your people to stop inviting their Christian friends to church
This past Sunday I may have been one of the few pastors out there that stood up and said, “Please DO NOT invite your Christians friends to our Easter services. We want other churches in the area to know we have their back. Also, we want to grow this church through conversion growth, not transfer growth. Let’s pack this place out with people who are keeping God up at night because they are living far from him.” I strategically do that 3-4 times a year.

#3 Preach short sermons
Howard Hendricks used to say, “Keep them longing, not loathing.” I buy into that philosophy. I try to speak anywhere between 21 and 26 minutes max. That drives church hoppers nuts because they want to “be fed.” I’m not interested in “feeding people” unless they are in the early stages of their spiritual journey. Church hoppers as well as Christians further along their spiritual journey need to be feeding themselves. Anything I provide on Sunday morning should be in addition to their own self-directed spiritual nourishment. One point, one scripture, 21-26 minutes, that’s enough.

#4 Don’t sing 9,345 worship songs
Church hoppers, 9 times out of 10, came from a church background where they were taught they needed 5-6 worship songs to really connect with God. That needs to be re-taught. Where did we get the idea that worship = singing anyway? That’s part of it, but only a small part of it. Every part of the service is worship. Every part of my life is worship. Limiting your worship songs except for occasions when you are led by God to expand the repertoire forces people to recognize this or leave.

#5 Keep your services short
We keep our services to 55 minutes, period. That’s it. That’s because we believe “church” is more than the official service that happens on a Sunday morning. It’s what happens before, during and afterwards. It’s what happens during the week when 2-3 gather. Experiencing a well-conceived 55 minute service to the church hopper is like spending your whole life overeating and then sitting down for a healthy, well-proportioned meal that someone else serves you. “Hey, I’m used to eating 16 pieces of fried chicken for dinner and 8 servings of bread! Why do I only get two? Waah.”

#6 Eliminate Christian “insider” language from the way you talk on the stage
The fact that I say “Leader” and “forgiver” from the stage drives church hoppers nuts. “You meant to say ‘Savior and Lord,' didn’t you?” At issue is an old mission’s word called “contextualization,” which basically means we need to speak in the language and culture of the hearer, not the speaker. The Greek word “kurios” doesn’t mean “Lord” in 21st century American idiom. Your old Bible translation from 50 years ago may read that way, but people aren’t talking that way today. Challenge your “insider” language and watch how church hoppers and their friends file right out of your services.

#7 Sing Non-Christian songs in your services on occasion
This past weekend we opened our service with Jet’s “Are you Gonna be My Girl?”

On Monday I promptly received an email about it…

This past weekend, I could not believe my ears. When worship opened up, I heard the opening chords for Jet’s- "Are you going to be my girl?" I was expecting the Apologetix parody version, “Are you gonna be Ike's girl?”

But in listening to the lyrics it sounded like they were covering the actual Jet Song – a song about figuring out how to get a one night stand, for a girl who came to some club or party with another guy.

I am hoping that I was mistaken and they were playing the Christian Parody version because I am having a real issue with wrapping my head around why it would be remotely ‘OK’ to play this content in a worship service.

There is a line between having a light fun service to reach the new/non-believer and cheapening the value and truth that the gospel can stand alone to reach out to someone. This may have crossed it.

Frustrated…

Name Withheld


Here was my response…


Frustrated,

I got your email and appreciate you taking the time to shoot me your thoughts.

I must say that while I appreciate your concern, this is certainly not the first nor will it be the last time we sing non-Christian music in our worship services.

We do this because we are trying to reach both non-Christians as well as Christians in the same service, and playing a non-Christian song up front in the service, we have learned, puts people far from God at ease.

Our philosophy has always been that Christians should be the ones that should be made the most uncomfortable in church, not the non-Christians. The way I put it is this -- we will always choose to offend the Christians before the non-Christians.

Seeing that you are frustrated, and given the fact that I talked with a bunch of people far from God on Sunday who loved the energy of the song and felt connected to the service because of it, it appears that we have achieved our goal.

My suggestion is this -- weigh carefully whether or not you want to be a part of a church that sings music like this, and plays difficult to watch video clips, and a host of other things to reach people far from God. If not, then now would be the time to look for another church before you put down roots too deep.

If on the other hand this is the kind of church you want to be a part of, I would welcome you to join in with everything you have and start reaching out to people far from God.

I hope this helps.

Thanks!

Brian

Church hoppers can be a lethal bunch, so don’t make them too cozy. However, and I’ll blog about this at another time – please remember that God can also be leading some of those people to your church too. But that’s a post for another day.

Top-Ranked QB Pryor commits to Ohio State

Thursday, March 20, 2008

Terrelle Pryor, the nation's top-ranked high school quarterback according to the ESPN 150 and the top unsigned senior, announced that he'll attend Ohio State at the news conference at his high school in Pennsylvania on Wednesday.

That’s right. The 6’ 6” QB is headed to play for God’s team, baby.

Eat that Michigan and Penn State fans.

For more on the story click HERE.

Are You Ready For Easter?

Thursday, March 20, 2008

I wanted to share some thoughts about how to prepare our hearts and minds for Easter. But I decided that the best thing I could do was provide a link to a video our Art’s Team edited and showed before our celebration of the Lord’s Supper two weeks ago.

It Takes A Real Pastor To Preach A Sermon On 1 Kings 14:10

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

This sermon really spoke to me. For years I've been struggling with this issue, unsure what to do, until now. Should I sit down? Should I bow to peer pressure and stand up? I was conflicted!

Now I know what God thinks on the issue.

This real sermon is about 5 minutes long, but it's well worth the wait. It's an actual sermon, delivered by an actual pastor, and inside a real church.

Listen brothers in Christ and change thy ways...

12 Reasons I Love Living in the Philadelphia Suburbs

Tuesday, March 18, 2008

In the Fall of 2010 our church will be planting a new “daughter” church. Our goal will be to first identify a catalytic church planter and then encourage 300-400 people to go with that planter to start a dynamic new church 10+ miles away from CCV’s campus. Over the next 25 years we will do this at least 20 times.

The problem is we don’t have a church planter yet.

We’re certain that person isn’t on our staff, which means that someone “out there” is being prepared by God to lead this effort.

There’s a chance that person reads my blog. That person might be you.

If so, future church planter, I want to take a few minutes this morning and tell you why the Philadelphia suburbs are an incredible place to raise a family and why we just love living here.* Here goes.

#1. History Galore
Where else can you go in this country that has more history than Philly? Last year we spent the day at William Penn’s Pennsbury Manor (pictured left). It was incredible. There are Revolutionary War battlefields everywhere. Center City has more sites to explore than you’ll ever be able to visit. From Washington’s Crossing to the Brandywine Battlefield – if you’re a history buff like me you’ll find there’s more to explore and learn than you’ll ever have time for.

#2. Sports
Philly sports fans are crazy. I mean it. We went to a Phillies opening day a few years back and three fights broke out just in our stands alone. It was more entertaining than the game itself. Our fans are serious about sports. Why? We’ve got it all. What other town has The Eagles, The Sixers, The Flyers, The Soul, The Wings (they’re a Lacrosse team…just go with it), The Kixx, and The Phillies? Villanova, St. Joe, and Temple just made it to March Madness. On top of that we’ve got LaSalle and Penn (okay, they stink, but I’m on a roll) and a boatload of smaller schools. We even have a professional MLS soccer team coming in 2010.

#3 Center City
Forty minutes away Center City is packed with amazing stuff. However, it won’t take you forty minutes to get there because you’ll get lost. Nobody uses the proper names for the streets around here – Rt. 76 is “The Schuylkill,” 476 is “The Blue Route.” Go figure. Each street changes names 6 times before you get to where you’re going. Okay, I digress; back to the point…Center City is amazing. Countless museums, the Reading Terminal Market (pictured left), The Italian Market, South Street where all the hippies and drunken college students hang out, amazing historical graveyards and theaters – only New York City has more stuff to do (but there you have to be around Mets fans…and who wants to do that?).

#4 Hot Air Balloons
In the warmer months they’re everywhere. Two years ago we were in the middle of soccer practice and a hot air balloon just landed in our field. It was crazy. “Hey down there, can we land?”

#5 Wawa
People here eat at gas stations that serve food. I know that sounds strange, but trust me they’re really cool. Wawa? I know, every time I drove by one the first few weeks I moved here I laughed, “Hey, it’s Wawa. Wawa. Wawa. Wawa.” I couldn’t stop laughing. It comes from an old Ojibwe name for “goose.” Every corner of every town has a Wawa near it. Lisa is addicted to their coffee. Every day, once a day, she has to get her “Wawa coffee” or she’ll go into anaphylactic shock.

#6 Rita’s Water Ice
Another funny name, but awesome stuff. The first time I heard of water ice I said, “Isn’t ice made out of water? Water? And Ice? Water Ice?” It’s an old Italian delicacy – ice shavings with syrup flavoring poured over it. Every opening day in the spring (this Thursday actually!) people will line up around the store to get their first “water ice” of the year.

#7 The Perkiomen Trail
There’s this amazing bike trail which goes from this beautiful park called “Green Lane Park” and connects all the way down to Center City. It’s beyond cool. Last summer our family took a bike ride towards Center City because I convinced everyone we could possibly make it there and back all in one day. Five hours later my youngest was crying and my other two girls and wife were complaining (Lance Armstrong call me…we need to ride together my friend)…anyway…we had to take a taxi back. Beautiful trails for those with tough rear-ends.

#8 Awesome Weather
The weather is great here. Mild “sunshiney” winters. Temperate summers. The only downside is that people can’t drive in the snow here. We’ll get 2 inches of snow and they’ll cancel school and make a mad run on the stores for milk and staples just to make it through the arctic conditions. It’s hysterical for someone who grew up in blizzardville Ohio.

#9 Valley Forge National Park
Valley Forge National Park is just minutes from our house. It’s great for the history but even better for the walking and bike trails. It’s stunning. On one 15 minute car ride we counted over 100 deer in the fields.

#10 Cool family stuff
Get this – just minutes from our house we have the Elmwood Park Zoo and ski slopes called Spring Mountain.

#11 Community Festivals
We have every community festival imaginable going on throughout the year –everything from the Philadelphia Folk Festival to the world-famous Kennett Square’s “Mushroom Festival” (it smells for miles). Fall is a favorite time for our family. We always head own to Linvilla Orchards to take a hayride, pick pumpkins, and eat a zillion hot cinnamon donuts.

I could go on and on about The King of Prussia Mall, and little quaint out of the way towns like Yellow Springs (pictured left), or ramble on about the trout fishing or how we’re two hours from everything here – the Poconos, New York City, Baltimore’s Inner Harbor, the beaches at the Jersey and Delaware shore, the beautiful rolling hills and stunning old Dutch farm houses. But the most important thing you need to know about this area is below.

#12 The People Are Incredible
You could have all of the stuff I just listed above and more, and if it weren’t for the people here – their incredible honesty, the way when they put their mind to something they’re unstoppable, their transparency, their love for family – you could have every amenity in the world and if you took away these incredible people you’d be left with nothing.

Future church planter, I’d like to invite you to begin praying about becoming a part of the work God has been doing here for hundreds of years now – starting with the gentle Quakers and now placed squarely in the hands of 21st century believers like you and me.

There may be lots of cheaper places you could go, or newer, or faster growing. But you’ll be hard pressed to find a place that will sweep you off your feet more than Philadelphia.

I’m waiting for your call.

Brian

*Fellow CCv'ers, did I leave anything out that should be on the list?

Social Change Agents – Christianity’s Greatest Critics – Part 5

Monday, March 17, 2008

This will be the last post in my series, “Christianity’s Greatest Critics.”

I saved the most damning for last.

In a January 13th, 1997 Time Magazine interview, Bill Gates was asked about his religious beliefs and church participation. Gates responded, “Just in terms of allocation of time resources, religion is not very efficient. There’s a lot more I could be doing on Sunday morning.”

While Gates has talked very little over the years about his belief in God and the afterlife, it’s widely held that he straddles the fence between being an agnostic and an atheist.

The common perception held among the Christian community is that not only are atheists and agnostics intellectually wrong about God, they live morally inferior lives. “If we can’t convince people not to swing over to the “No God” side based on intellectual argument, at least we can show how atheists like Gates are self-centered moral jerks,” we tell ourselves.

Strangely, in 2000, Gates and his wife Melinda founded the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Just look at their morally corrupt mission statement:

"Bill and Melinda Gates believe every life has equal value. In 2000, they created the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to help reduce inequities in the United States and around the world. There are two simple values that lie at the core of the foundation’s work: 1. All lives—no matter where they are being lived—have equal value. 2. To whom much is given, much is expected."

Crap, that wasn’t what we expected out of an agnostic.

Here’s another thing we didn’t expect: on June 26, 2006, Gate’s friend Warren Buffett, another agnostic, announced a pledge to donate 10 million shares of Berkshire Hathaway Inc. stock (BRK-B) worth approximately $31 billion at the time to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

No money was pledged to religious foundations. Not a penny.

Why?

Because Buffet and just about everyone else on the planet believes churches are irrelevant, and in most cases they’re dead on accurate.

Jesus has called his followers to pick up their crosses and follow him – changing people’s live both now and for eternity.

Christians have nailed the changing lives for eternity part.

It’s just that most of us have been ignoring the now part.

And Bill Gates, and Warren Buffet, and our schools, and neighbors, and communities, and just about everyone else on the planet have passed us right by.

Social change agents have leveled what I consider the most damning critique of all, without ever opening their mouths. They have rendered Christianity useless in the minds of religious outsiders because they are doing what the church should be doing.

While everybody else is out in their communities changing the world, we just contentedly sit back and “have church services” to get people to heaven. And so the world has ceased to expect anything out of the church, which is worse than any situation the most vocal critics of Christianity could have created.

In October 2006 the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Muhammad Yunus, founder of the world renowned Grameen Bank. Yunus’ bank provides low interest loans to the poorest of the poor in an effort to help them start their own businesses and break the cycle of poverty.

Yunus is a Muslim.

Here’s what I’m wondering: why didn’t a Christian come up with this idea?



Read other posts in this series:
Christianity’s Greatest Critics – Part 1
South Park – Part 2
Stand-Up Comedians – Part 3
Late Night Talk Show Hosts – Part 4
Social Change Agents – Part 5

Late Night Talk Show Hosts – Christianity’s Greatest Critics – Part 4

Friday, March 14, 2008

In November 2006, Ted Haggard was removed as the Senior Pastor of New Life Church in Colorado Springs after allegations of homosexual sex and drug use was made public by Mike Jones, a former prostitute.

Initially Haggard denied ever meeting Jones, but with the constant media attention, Haggard eventually admitted to using drugs and “sexual immorality.”

What’s interesting is not that we learned the facts of the case in the first place.

What’s interesting is that most of us either first learned them or were kept abreast of them by a late night talk show host.

Leno milked Haggard’s story for months, as did the rest of his late-night posse.

In the early 1900’s some of the most influential people in American culture were the editors of the New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Wall Street Journal.

Now the heavy-weight sluggers of the post-Christian arena are Jay Leno, John Stewart, David Letterman, Bill Maher, Jimmy Kimmel and Conan O’Brien.

Why do these guys hold such sway over our culture and as a result have great influence of people’s perception of Christianity?

1. Late night talk show hosts combine humor with the distillation of really boring information. When was the last time Brian Williams or Katie Couric made you bust a gut?

2. With the onset of TIVO, it doesn’t matter when a show is aired, I can watch it anytime I like.

3. Leno, Letterman, and Stewart understand the power of sound bites. Sound bites sway public opinion. Sounds bites help people form opinions. A sound bite is a concise statement that can be easily repeated; emphasis on “repeated.” Unlike most pastors, including myself, these guys are masters at this. If we were, casting vision would be a cinch.

4. Late night talk show hosts aren’t afraid to tell the truth and tick people off just to get a laugh. Because of this people have learned that they are one of the few voices out there to turn to get unbiased news. Why do more people under 30 turn to John Stewart on Comedy Central to get their update on political developments than turn to traditional media outlets combined? People say CCN leans towards democratic candidates and Fox supports conservative republicans. Leno will make fun of both. To the average Joe, these guys are “equal opportunity offenders.”

5. Finally, cultural icons need late night talk show hosts to push their junk – music, books, TV shows, and movies. Because of this there is a built-in wave of good feelings towards these guys set in motion by the most visible and revered superstars in our culture. Over time this love fest towards the “gatekeepers” of access to the population at large infiltrates the perception of common folk like you and me. When the most popular kids in your school decided they liked someone, didn’t all the kids fall right in line?

One of HBO’s most popular shows is Real Time With Bill Maher.

Recently Maher went on a rant about religious belief in America. His humor was off the hook and his satire was biting. In fact, it was so vitriolic they removed it from You Tube right after I posted it! Here's another taste of Bill Maher's views on religion. BE WARNED -- THE LANGUAGE IS PRETTY NASTY.

Tell me if these guys aren’t the new Bertrand Russell’s of our time.



Read other posts in this series:
Christianity’s Greatest Critics – Part 1
South Park – Part 2
Stand-Up Comedians – Part 3
Late Night Talk Show Hosts – Part 4
Social Change Agents – Part 5

Stand-Up Comedians – Christianity’s Greatest Critics – Part 3

Thursday, March 13, 2008

Five months ago comedian Kathy Griffin, star of her own reality show, “My Life on the D-List,” won an Emmy. Standing before the crowd to accept the award she said,

"A lot of people come up here and thank Jesus for this award. I want you to know that no one had less to do with this award than Jesus," an exultant Griffin said, holding up her statuette. "Suck it, Jesus. This award is my god now."

Of course there were the petulant cable TV reporters who took her to task for her remarks.

Of course the Al Sharptons of the evangelical world were quick to rush in and cry foul.

But nothing came of it. Not a thing. Why? Comedians rule post-Christian America.

Had Kathy made her remarks about, God forbid, the prophet Allah, her show would have been immediately cancelled, the organizers of the Emmy’s would have issued an apology, and her life would have been relegated to the K list somewhere.

But none of that happened. Why? In post-Christian America comedians can get away with anything.

Why do comedians have the ear of the religious “outsiders” in our country?

1. Unlike leaders in church world, they’ve earned the trust of people with their lack of hypocrisy. They live exactly how they say they live.

2. This may be obvious, but they make people laugh.

3. Unlike the majority of pastors, they make their points quick and to the point.

4. They are self-effacing. The biggest target for their jokes is always placed squarely on their own backs.

5. They know how to tell a story.

One of my preaching mentors is not coincidently a comedian named Dane Cook. He’s a nominal Catholic who is living about as far from God right now as you can get (based on his comments alone).

I listen to everything Dane Cook puts out. I study his timing and go to school on the way he tells stories. I’ve learned more about communicating to a post-Christian audience from Dane Cook than from any pastor I’ve ever heard. I don't listen to him to help shape my message. That's set in stone and unchangeable. I listen to him for help shaping the method of delivering the message.

Listen to the way Dane attacks atheism in the following clip. The greatest pastor in America could have stood before this exact crowd and delivered an attack on atheism and the crowd would have rolled their eyes and yawned.

But not this night.

Not with Dane Cook.

For better or worse, comedians rule post-Christian America.



Read other posts in this series:
Christianity’s Greatest Critics – Part 1
South Park – Part 2
Stand-Up Comedians – Part 3
Late Night Talk Show Hosts – Part 4
Social Change Agents – Part 5

South Park – Christianity’s Greatest Critics – Part 2

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

On August 13, 1997, Comedy central piloted an animated sitcom named South Park. Situated in the fictional town of South Park, Colorado, the new cartoon centered on the brazenly foul antics of four third grade boys – Cartman, Kenny, Kyle and Stan. It immediately became a hit.

Filled with pop-culture parody, some really bad language and intense satirical handling of everyday events, the show instantly became a 30 minute mirror on all things hypocritical, especially religion. Unfortunately back then, as now, the church wasn’t watching.

In episode 709, titled “Christian Rock Hard,” Cartman and the boys decide to start a Christian rock band instead of a regular rock band because they think they can dupe Christians into buying their CD’s.

Kyle: I think our band better buy a whole bunch of music CDs to listen to for inspiration.

Cartman: [stops] Inspiration. Wait a minute, [turns right and walks away from them] that's it. Inspiration, you guys. Don't you see?

Stan: See what?

Cartman: [turns around] Our band should play Christian rock! [beams with pride]

Kyle: Christian rock?!

Cartman: [races back to the band] Think about it! It's the easiest crappiest music in the world, right? If we just play songs about how much we love Jesus, all the Christianland will buy our crap!

Kyle: That's a retarded idea, Cartman!

Cartman: [protests, takes a step towards Kyle] It worked for Creed!

Stan: I don't wanna be in a stupid Christian rock band!

Cartman: [steps towards Stan] You just start that way, Stan, then you cross over. It's genious!

Christians used to be known for producing great art and classic literature, now we’re so afraid of the evils of the culture at large we’ve created a Christian subculture where we buy and sell sub par Jesus junk. Purged of bad language and suggestive dress, we’ve insulated ourselves from the non-Christian culture at large.

Christian has become a corporate marketing niche. In America we have Christian paraphernalia galore. We have Christian bookstores, Christian television stations, and Christian websites. Those who are curious can flip through a Christian best seller, thumb through a multitude of Christian magazines, or sit back and enjoy a blockbuster Christian motion picture. One can quickly find Christian solutions for any and every problem a bewildered American faces—there are Christian exercise videos, Christian weight-loss programs, and now, thank goodness, even Christian vitamins.

I’ll never forget walking out of Mel Gibson’s “The Passion of the Christ” and saying to Frank Chiapperino, “That was the biggest evangelical hype since Y2K. We were dupped.”

I wish I had watched South Park’s critique of Mel Gibson’s anti-semitism in their episode, “The Passion of the Jew” beforehand.

I would have saved $8 and a wasted afternoon.

Read other posts in this series:
Christianity’s Greatest Critics – Part 1
South Park – Part 2
Stand-Up Comedians – Part 3
Late Night Talk Show Hosts – Part 4
Social Change Agents – Part 5

Christianity’s Greatest Critics – Part 1

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Today I’m beginning a series of blog posts entitled “Christianity’s Greatest Critics.”

1 Peter 3:15 says, “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.”

For centuries the greatest critics of Christianity always came from the academic world. At that time Christianity was viewed as primarily an intellectual assent to a list of beliefs rather than a person to be followed and a life to be lived. Naturally then those skilled in Cartesian linear logic (man, haven’t used that word since grad school) were the ones best skilled at showing Christianity’s flaws.

In previous generations Christians feared people like Bertrand Russell and his intellectual attack on Christianity in his book “Why I’m Not A Christian.” He was an intellectual to be feared by the flock. In response the church produced their own intellectuals who would share “reasons to believe.”

We now live in a post Christian world; a world in which Christians and “outsiders” are both swayed less by logic and more by emotion, popular opinion and self-depreciating humor.

Popular authors like Richard Dawkins and his book The God Delusion, while selling many copies, are spitting in the wind. They make a lot of noise but nobody’s listening. Their intellectual arguments never gain traction and influence public opinion like in previous generations.

The world has changed and so have those who are pointing out the flaws of everyday Christians.

Who’s leveling the greatest critique of the church these days?

I’m glad you asked.

Read other posts in this series:
Christianity’s Greatest Critics – Part 1
South Park – Part 2
Stand-Up Comedians – Part 3
Late Night Talk Show Hosts – Part 4
Social Change Agents – Part 5

The Power Of Skin On Skin

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Today I am spending the day at an event designed to bring together seasoned pastors with younger guys like myself. Most of these guys lead churches of tremendous influence and over the years have dealt with endless problems, issues, brick walls, and the like, and have managed to remain joyful and excited about ministry. More than one has shared how they’ve been tempted to quit endless times but because of God’s strength have stuck it out. Just being with them and seeing their faithfulness emboldens me to keep pressing on and keep smiling.

When we read through the letters of Paul in the New Testament, it’s easy to gloss over the lists of names at the ends of each book, names like Aristarchus, Tychicus, Sosipater, Timothy, Phoebe, Silas, Lucius, and Jason. We shouldn’t. Each name had a face. Each name carried a story. Each name marked a human being who struggled and probably died serving the same Jesus we serve. One of the reasons I think God left these seemingly insignificant endnotes in the Bible was to remind us of the power of seasoned Christian mentors.

Paul poured his life into these men and women. Everything they went through, Paul beat them to the punch. Imprisoned? Been there. Beaten? Paul had the scars on his face. Discouraged? Lonely? Impoverished? Paul had experienced it all. When Paul spoke about suffering and God’s presence and the miracle we experience when we persevere, it meant something; it carried weight. Paul’s words brought life. His presence brought calm to anxious hearts, and his perseverance made people believe that they could persevere too.

I thankful for the guys who, for whatever reason, have chosen to take me under their wing and share their journey with me – guys with names like Ray and Paul, Doug and Tom.

A Greek Orthodox gal told me one time that she thought saints were simply people who make it a little bit easier to believe in God.

They’re probably people who make it a little bit easier serving God too.

My Sermon That Addressed Obama's Church's "Black Value System"

Tuesday, March 11th, 2008

Based on the comments received it appears that a few people have taken my previous post about Barack Obama's home church's "Black Value System" as an underhanded attempt to dissuade people from voting for him.

Here's a LINK to the message I gave the Sunday after that blog was posted where I discussed why I brought this up in my blog and the relevance it had to addressing "favoritism" in the church. You can listen to it online or podcast it.

We've been going through the Book of James in a series we've entitled "The Games We Play." That Sunday's topic was favoritism (James 2:1-13). Showing favoritism to anyone based on race, gender, socio-economic status, country of origin, etc., is simply unacceptable for followers of Jesus whether they are white, black, asian, hispanic or whatever.

Most Relevant Church Buildings In America

Monday, March 10th, 2008

Church Relevance recently published an article I just had to share: 7 Innovative Church Buildings. Check the pictures of these churches out. Pretty interesting stuff going on out there in church architecture.

Hope your week gets off to a great start!

Brian

David Cook...Taking Pastors To School

Friday, March 07, 2008

Wednesday on American Idol one of the contestants named David Cook did a wicked remake of Lionel Richie’s sappy “Hello.” Of course you remember Hello – “Hello, is it me you’re looking for?” We all sang that in front of the mirror to that hot chick we didn’t have the guts to talk to in the lunchroom (or at least I did).

Richie released it in 1984 and it went on to be what many consider his signature song. That was 24 years ago.

When David Cook remade it on Idol it caught me off guard because I immediately thought, That’s what I should be doing with the message of the Christian faith every Sunday.

…taking something that meant something in a different time and era and refashioning it to speak to a new one.

Some pastors don’t get this. Most of the time I’m one of them.

Most pastors keep singing “Hello” as if it’s 1984.

Man, this is how it’s done. Check it out…

Christianity's Biggest Forgiveness Myth: "If I Don’t Forgive, God Won’t Forgive Me"

Thursday, March 6th, 2008

Yesterday I received my first copy of Getting Rid of the Gorilla in the mail. It was kinda wierd holding it after it had been just an "idea" for so long.

Here's another excerpt of a section of the book that I think will be helpful to people who are struggling to move on after a hurt:

I’ll never forget a compelling sermon I heard years ago on the topic of forgiveness. The basis for the message that day was Matthew 6:14, 15:

“For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.”

The pastor talked at length about the fact that God loves us so much he is willing to use the threat of hell to force us to wake up and forgive those who hurt us. With passion in his voice, he talked about how awful it would be not to go to heaven for all eternity because of some temporary though painful event that happened to us on earth. Pacing back and forth across the stage, he told story after emotional story to try to convince his listeners to let go of the past and move on. Then, with tears in his eyes, he concluded his message with a heartfelt plea to forgive those who hurt us while we still had time.

After the service, I walked to my car and thought to myself, That guy’s an idiot. I was shocked, for two reasons: I couldn’t believe such a negative thing would come to mind so shortly after a church service; I expected more restraint. More important, I was the guy who preached that sermon. The whole time I was speaking, I was thinking to myself, Wait a minute, this doesn’t sound right, even if it is exactly what these verses seem to be saying. There’s got to be more to the story.

I was confused. I had been repeating exactly what I heard my pastor teach while I was growing up and exactly what my seminary professors had taught me in their classes. In fact, the more I thought about it, the more I realized that I had never heard any other interpretation of Matthew 6:14, 15 anywhere—not in the churches I’d attended, not on the radio or on television, not from Christian friends—not anywhere. I was disturbed. My questioning seemed heresy filled.

I began studying what great Christian leaders throughout church history thought about this passage. I was shocked to discover that they taught the same things I had preached! Look at what some of the most influential pastors and theologians in two thousand years of church history said about the need to forgive in order to be forgiven:

The man who does not from his heart forgive him who repents of his sin, and asks forgiveness, need not suppose that his own sins are forgiven of God.—St. Augustine

God has promised us assurance that everything is forgiven and pardoned, yet on the condition that we also forgive our neighbor. . . . If you do not forgive, do not think that God forgives you.—Martin Luther

The only Law of admission to His forgiveness is that we pardon our brothers for any sin against us.—John Calvin

A forgiving spirit . . . is a sign that we are in a state of forgiveness and favour ourselves: and that, if we are not of such a spirit, we are not forgiven of God.—Jonathan Edwards

I realize that it’s pretty audacious of me to disagree with some of the greatest theologians of all time, but I have to humbly and graciously break rank with them: Our forgiveness is not dependent upon our forgiving others.

Let me explain why.

The Goal of Living Frugally (Frugal Pastor – Part 8)

Wednesday, March 5th, 2008

Today I’d like for us to think about why it’s important to live a frugal life.

--It’s not to avoid debt, though that’s a big part of it. Being frugal is the key to stop the use of consumer debt as a lifestyle tool.

--And it’s not to have money left over after our expenses to invest and build wealth with, though that’s certainly part of it too.

Living frugally has one goal: to enable us to have money left over after our needs are met to give as generously as possible to God-led initiatives.

William Penn, the founder of Pennsylvania and an influential Quaker in the Colonial era, wrote a small book called Some Fruits of Solitude. In it he wrote about this very topic,

“Frugality is good, if Liberality be join’d with it. The first is leaving off superfluous Expences; the last bestowing them to the Benefit of others that need. The first without the last begins Covetousness; the last without the first begins Prodigality: Both together make an excellent Temper. Happy the Place where ever that is found.” (Some Fruits of Solitude, William Penn, Reflection #50).

“Frugality is good, if Liberality be join’d with it”
Being frugal and then giving away the wealth you’ve created to meet the needs of other people is a good thing. What isn’t good? Two things Penn says.

“The first (frugality) without the last (liberality) begins Covetousness”
Being frugal without an eye to giving away what we don’t use for our own needs leads to “Covetousness.” That’s not a word we use anymore. Greed is a fairly good synonym for covetousness. It was one of the “seven deadly sins” identified by medieval theologians. Basically it is a thirst for what we don’t have. Being frugal, Penn says, without liberally giving away what we retain to those in need simply creates a thirst for getting more money.

“the last (liberality) without the first (frugality) begins Prodigality”
Prodigality was another old English word we don’t use anymore. Prodigality simply meant “excessive spending.” It was a description of lavishness.

Have you ever met someone who gave away lots of money they didn’t have? That’s prodigality. Giving away money you don’t have, while putting money on credit cards and having nothing in savings, is just as bad, according to Penn, as being stingy and never giving money away.

“Both together make an excellent Temper. Happy the Place where ever that is found.”
To me, that’s the goal of frugality. Not so much the act of giving but what happens to people as they give.

As a pastor much of my time is spent in the reclamation business – helping people reclaim their lives out of the ditches they’ve allowed themselves to drive into (having, of course, driven myself into many ditches myself).

Probably the biggest ditch people drive themselves into is divorce.

Excessive spending is usually the vehicle.

Show me a marriage where a couple has (1) learned to work together on their finances and (2) learned to live as frugally as possible and (3) taken their excess resources and given them away to God-inspired needs…you show me that marriage and I’ll show you a home where a sign could be placed in the old English idiom, “Happy the Place.”