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Living in the Land of OZ: Three Ways for the Church to Posture Herself in a Foreign Land

09 Tuesday Apr 2019

Posted by in Christian Life, Church, Gospel, Kingdom, Leadership, Ministry; Leadership;, Mission, Theology

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The influence of Christianity upon Western society seemingly has become a past experiment. As the Enlightenment experience failed—failing to eliminate all societal ills and bring about a human utopia—so too has the “Christian Nation” or Christendom failed. As a result, the church has struggled with this shift—and now find herself, in many ways, confused as to her role and posture in a pluralistic, secular, post-Christian, and skeptical environment. In other words, the church in North America has finally realized they are no longer in Kansas but in the land of OZ (or biblically speaking, in Babylon). And now believers and churches across the denominational spectrum are asking the question, “What do we do?” 

Believers and churches across the denominational spectrum are asking the question, What do we do?

In many ways, the North American church in the twenty-first century finds many similarities with the people of God in Jeremiah 29. [The dissimilarity that I must point out is that God was in a covenant relationship with the nation of Israel, whereas America is not.] Jerusalem had fallen. No longer did Israel experience cultural and national hegemony. Now in captivity, Israel experienced life as a sojourner, alien, and minority. They were marginalized. Obviously, many saw their newfound position as difficult, demoralizing, and depressing.

In response to their newfound foreign environment, they had a few options with regards to how they would posture themselves towards the larger culture. First, they could have just faded off as a sub-cultural hermit—sitting and longing for the ‘good ole days’ as they faded into irrelevancy. Second, they could have taken a more antagonistic, resentful, and angry approach, one that was mean-spirited, violent, and intolerant. Second, they could have bashed the Babylonians over the head with the Torah. Third, they could have accommodated the Babylonians—thinking “if we can’t beat ‘em’, join ‘em’.” Or, they had a fourth option—God’s option. They could seek the peace of the city.

Embedded within this Spirit breathed option, there are at least three particular ways the people of God were (and are) called to seek the peace of the pagan land.

1) Live here as if you were living there. We are to live everyday normal lives as if we were living in the homeland. God informs His dazed and confused people to, “Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce. Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease” (Jer 29:5-6). In other words, God tells them to live here as if they were living there (back at home)—faithfully tilling and cultivating both land and family while they multiplied in the land. Seeking the peace of the foreign land begins by living faithfully as if we are in the homeland. [Keep in mind that for believers today, our “homeland” is the new city where Jesus will have made all things new (Revelation 21).] 

God tells them to live here as if they were living there.

2) Live to bless, not curse. God expresses that His people take up the task of blessing the pagan nation. This is quite remarkable! The people of God were to live as a blessing, praying to the Lord on behalf of the nation as they seek the flourishing of the pagan city. For in the city’s flourishing, God’s people will flourish. While the scope of this article does not permit me the time to dive into the notion of “blessing,” this vision, nevertheless, harkens back to both Genesis 1 where God blesses humanity (Gen 1:28) as well as the prophetic promise God made to Abram, “through you all the families of the earth will be blessed” (Gen 12:3). Blessing a pluralistic and pagan city means believers will work for and towards the common good in a way to bring flourishing and functionality to every sphere of life.

Blessing a pluralistic and pagan city means believers will work for and towards the common good in a way to bring flourishing and functionality to every sphere of life.

3) Live faithfully, not forcefully. We are to strive for faithfulness, rather than striving for world change. In this passage, there is nothing about seeking the transformation of the city. God doesn’t ask them to work towards transforming Babylon into a theocentric (Jewish) nation. God doesn’t ask them to transform the Babylonian culture and cultural practices to those that more align with the Torah. While change may very well take place, God’s call to His resident aliens was a missional posture of faithfulness—faithfulness in all areas of their life, as they seek God and the welfare of the pagan city. 

God’s call to His resident aliens was a missional posture of faithfulness—faithfulness in all areas of their life.

In applying this notion to the cultural context of the church today, please don’t misunderstand what I’m saying. I completely agree that the gospel is transformative; the gospel changes individuals, families, cities, and even nations. To a certain degree God did bring change in Babylon through the faithfulness of people like Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. My point is that the goal for the people of God is faithfulness to God and to His call, work, and mission in the world.

In neither Testament does God ever assign the task to His people of world change or city transformation—forcing people to believe and behave like the people of God. 

The mission of the church is to witness and make disciples. We witness and make disciples by working as ambassadors for the kingdom of God, serving as agents of blessing for the city, and inviting people to follow Jesus as their King who is in the construction process of making all things new. In sum, we simply share and show the gospel of King Jesus!

The mission of the church is to witness and make disciples.

In closing, may the church today—in finding herself in this foreign land like Dorothy found herself in the land of OZ—seek to live faithful lives reflecting the characteristics, attributes, and signs of God’s kingdom life in our homes, vocations, relationships, and ethics. May churches seek the “welfare” of the foreign city, living as agents of blessing rather than antagonistic, mean-spirited, angry, resentful and defensive agents. And finally, may we take the posture of faithfulness—faithfully calling people to follow Jesus. 

Pre-Clean Before the Deep Clean

02 Tuesday Apr 2019

Posted by in Christian Life, Church, Discipleship, Gospel, Ministry; Leadership;, Theology

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We have decided in the Laxton house to hire someone to clean our home a couple times a month. Given our busy schedules both at work and chauffeuring the kids back and forth from their events, we thought it best to hire someone to help us keep our house clean. 

On the eve before the cleaning person started, my wife frantically goes around barking orders at everybody to clean the house for the “cleaning lady.” I’m sitting and listening to this thinking to myself(because I don’t want to upset momma; because when momma’s not happy, no one is happy), “What? This is crazy! We have to clean the house for the “cleaning” person?” For a man, it didn’t make sense. However, Joannie explained it a little more to me and then it still didn’t make much sense. [Ladies, what can I say…I’m a man.]

This got me thinking about how some Christians communicate (whether unintentionally or intentionally) about “cleaning up” our lives, and how many outside the church view themselves before darkening the doors of a church building or thinking about giving their life over to God. 

Here’s the misconception: We think we need to pre-clean before Christ does a deep clean. 

Like I said, Christians communicate whether intentionally or unintentionally that there’s some self-effort that goes into cleaning up a person’s life before Christ comes in to do a deep clean. My feeling is that this is unintentional. In other words, churches don’t really know they are doing it. But they do so through their posture. 

The posture of many churches communicates to people that you need to be a certain kind of person to make it here. Your worldview can’t be too crazy. You need to be somewhat moral and decent. You need to use a PG (or at the most PG-13) language. You need to do a little bit of homework so that you can understand a smidgen of what’s going on—since few will do anything to try and reach communicatively where you might be. In short, you need to be somewhat put together. 

Such a posture communicates to “dirty” people that they need to have some things straightened out before Jesus does a deep clean in their life. This kind of posturing frustrates people with already dirty lives. Just like our house, we knew it was dirty. We knew it wasn’t put together. That’s why we “hired” someone to clean it. So, being told to clean it before the professional cleaning person came was frustrating. In essence, we were being told to do something we had yet to do.

When churches posture their engagement this way with a lost world that waddles in their dirty sin, they wind up pushing them further away. When the church (even unintentionally) communicates that a dirty world must do some pre-cleaning prior to attending Christian community, they tell them to do something they don’t know how to do and to do something that only Jesus can fully do. 

One of the glories of the story of the Gospel is that “dirty” people found Jesus attractive. They encountered Jesus in all their filth. There was no pre-cleaning that happened. Sure, some were cleaned after encountering Jesus, others left still in their mess. Nevertheless, they encountered Jesus in all their nastiness. 

Dirty people found Jesus attractive.

The church must have a posture where people in all their filth feel safe enough to encounter the glorious Christ. If not, we aren’t as much like Jesus as we imagine. Truthfully, I believe the church, by in large, has a lot of work to do in reimagining such a posture where “unclean” people feel comfortable enough to approach. [Hint: we can start by realizing that we don’t have it all together. We might dress up and play a good part, but we all have our own mess and our own struggles. We call this vulnerability and authenticity. Those two places are a good start in creating a safe environment. Never forget the difference between a believer and an unbeliever is Jesus. It’s not our morality or how we seem to have it all together. It’s simply Jesus!]

Never forget the difference between a believer and an unbeliever is Jesus.

The other thought that’s a misconceptionis when people think they need to clean their life up before coming to God. If I had to guess, this misconception finds its roots in shame. In other words, people are ultimately ashamed of who they are, what they do, and how they feel. They feel they don’t add up. They feel they aren’t enough. They feel defeated. Thus, they feel shame. 

Shame is a powerful deterrent from God. It is what drove Adam and Eve into hiding. Because there’s this innate feeling that we don’t add up to a being that (if He exists) is transcendent. And so the thought goes, if God is real, and He is who He says He is, then I need to get my act together before I come and bask in His presence—much less join His family. 

The overall thrust of this way of thinking is what most religions teach. You work your way out of shame into God’s good graces. In other words, you pre-clean your house before God does the final clean. But, that in no way is the Gospel message. You don’t have to pre-clean your house. You don’t have to tidy up the home of your heart. Jesus comes into the darkest and dirtiest residences and makes them miraculously new.  

You don’t have to tidy up the home of your heart. Jesus comes into the darkest and dirtiest residences and makes them miraculously new.  

Some might come back and say, “That sounds all well and good. But what happens if I make it dirty again.” Truthfully, it’s not “if” you will make a mess again, it’s “when” you make a mess again. What makes the Gospel so unbelievable is that Jesus not only comes to clean the home of your heart, but to make your heart His home. Jesus has covenanted (not contracted) to not only do a deep clean justifying your past, present, and future sin, but to work with you to bring about a sanctifying cleanse where you become more like Him. Over time you will have less and less mess.

What makes the Gospel so unbelievable is that Jesus not only comes to clean the home of your heart, but to make your heart His home.

In closing, I ultimately realized why my wife asking our children to pre-clean before the professional cleaner came. However, when it comes to our lives, I’m grateful that Jesus doesn’t ask us to do some pre-cleaning before He does His deep clean. I’m grateful that Jesus enters into our mess and chaos (regardless of how bad we think it is) and not only cleans it but takes up residence to keep it clean as He leads us to our glorious future home—eternal life with Him in the new city.  

Your Church Might Be A Country Club If…(Part 2)

27 Wednesday Mar 2019

Posted by in Christian Life, Church, Discipleship, Gospel, Leadership, Ministry; Leadership;, Mission

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In my previous post I began outlining four identifiers that your church might be more like a country club than a church. Once again, I’m not knocking country club memberships. If you are a member of one, I give you permission to sing along with Travis Tritt—loud and proud—“I’m a member of a country club….” [If you are a country music fan, maybe you just got that song stuck in your head for the remainder of the day. You’re welcome!] 

The reason for my posts is that I fear many American believers view the church as a country club. Or at the very least, they practically behave as if the church was indeed a country club. Regardless, viewing the church or behaving as if the church is a country club distorts both the identity and the mission of the church. 

Knowing the characteristics of a country club can help protect the church from becoming or being viewed as such. Here are the remaining four identifiers that your church might be more of a country club that members pay for than the church that Jesus died for.

1—Your church might be a country club if your members worry about public disruption.

One of the benefits of being a member of a country club is that you don’t typically have to worry about the public infringing upon your property. In other words, the members of the club can enjoy the exclusivity of the club’s amenities. They don’t have to vie for tee times, tables in the dining room, the pool, or the tennis courts. In short, they can enjoy their club with minimal crowd or public disruption.

For many churches, and church members, they don’t like crowds—they don’t like newer people coming in and disrupting the way things are. They want their same parking spot for both their car and their rear. In addition, church members may fear more newer people means more newer things. In other words, if the public comes in, they may shape the church house into something they aren’t comfortable with. 

I know what many church members say. They say, “We want to grow and reach new people.” What they really mean, however, is, “We want to grow and reach new people as long as it’s convenient and agreeable for us.” In other words, they are fine as long as the newer people don’t rock the boat or disrupt what they have going on. It’s incumbent to keep in mind, Jesus didn’t die for His people to protect their exclusivity, but for His people to proclaim and demonstrate the inclusivity of the gospel—that Jesus is for all mankind. 

2—Your church might be a country club if you view other churches (“clubs”) as competition. 

The last thing you want if you are a club owner—or a club member at that—is people leaving and going down the street to the newer, bigger, and fancier club. In fact, if a club starts losing lots of members to the club down the street, they begin to see them as their big bad competitor. As a result, there tends to be a sour taste towards the “other” club. In addition, there tends to be reactive measures taken by the “losing’ club. Instead of having their own identity and crafting the club accordingly, they copycat the club down the street—thinking such measures will plug the leak. 

Churches should be different. Churches aren’t in competition with one another but are partners in the Great Commission. I believe the reason why many churches and church members see each other as competitors is because for the last thirty years or so, there’s been a lot of swapping going on. Something happens at one church, and people leave to go down the street to the other. Or, another church sprouts up with a “better” band, preacher, children’s ministry, and environment, and people from the “older” church leave to attend the newer. Such a cycle is built upon consumerism which drives competition. 

Church leaders must learn to be secure in who God has called them to be and what He has called them to do. While every church has the same call and task—or the same message and mission—the way they go about enacting them should have flexibility. In other words, church shouldn’t come in a one-size fits all mold. As J.D. Greear expresses, “We are to marry the mission [and the message], and date the method.” Every church must seek the face of God to determine how they are to flesh out their call and task there in their locale. Keep in mind, it may not look like the church down the street. And that’s ok. 

Don’t misunderstand what I’m saying. I’m not suggesting there’s nothing to learn from one another. I think there is plenty we can glean from the various models and styles of church. However, the minute we see another church as a competitor and not as family is the minute we Americanize the church’s mission—to be better than the church right down the street. 

The minute we see another church as a competitor and not as family is the minute we Americanize the church’s mission.

3—Your church might be a country club if 99.9% of your programs and events evolve around members.

Have you ever noticed the calendar of a country club? Almost every single event and program is for its membership. There might have been more, but the only event that I saw on the calendar that involved outsiders was the member-guest golf tournament. Like I said, there could have been more, I just didn’t see them. Such a practice shouldn’t be odd though. Should it? The members do pay for the club’s services and amenities. Thus, it would only stand to reason every event and program would revolve around the members.  

Having every event and program revolving around members isn’t a bad thing if implemented at a country club. However, it is detrimental if implemented at a church. The church is a body or organization where the membership doesn’t exist for itself but for those who have yet to join. If churches aren’t intentional, they will find that most of what they do is geared for insiders not outsiders. But if churches will stay true to their Christ-given mission, they will develop their ministries and programs with non-members in mind. If not, they are well on their way to becoming a country club. 

4—Your church might be a country club if you create an environment of becoming before belonging. 

If you are going to belong to a country club, you will have to become of member of that club. It is as simple as that. Sure, some clubs offer you an opportunity to try out the golf course and the kitchen prior to joining. Nevertheless, if you are going to belong and find community at the club, you will first have to become a member. Just out of curiosity, I wonder what would happen if clubs allowed people to belong to the club before they became a member? Perhaps more people would join?

In the church there’s a small debate over the progression of people’s faith and involvement with the church. Do people believe (in Christ), then become (a member of a church), and then belong (to the community)? Do they belong, then believe, and then become? Once again, I don’t believe there is a one-size fits all for every person. However, I do believe the church must be flexible on each person’s process and progression in the faith and involvement with the church. 

Having said that, I do believe churches should be very careful at creating environments that prohibit people from experiencing Christian community before they actually become a Christian. In other words, churches would do well to create safe environments for people to belong before they believe and even become. Just out of curiosity, what kind of impact do you think a church could have if they created safe places for nonmembers (people far from God) to belong as they explored faith, engaged in a Christian community, and witnessed authentic worship? 

Country clubs are places that provide services people pay for, whereas the church is a body of believers providing service for the king who died for them.

In closing, there’s definitely more that could be said with regards to churches behaving more like a country club than what Jesus intended for them. The reality is, country clubs are places that provide services people pay for, whereas the church is a body of believers providing service for the king who died for them. When church leaders and church members keep this at the forefront of their mind, they will be a missional vehicle advancing the good news to a people in desperate need rather than a recreational vehicle enjoying the amenities of a religious club. 

Your Church Might Be A Country Club If… (Part 1)

25 Monday Mar 2019

Posted by in Christian Life, Church, Discipleship, Gospel, Kingdom, Leadership, Ministry; Leadership;, Mission, Uncategorized

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I have been involved at three country clubs in my life. The first CC was under my parents’ membership in Covington, TN. The second CC was as an employee serving as the assistant to the golf pro in Canton, GA. The third was at an affordable club I found in Louisville a few years back. Let me just say, I have an affinity for golf!

I’ve also grown up in the church and have been in vocational ministry for almost 20 years—serving as a Lead Pastor for the past 12. Let me say, with all her blemishes and imperfections (of which I am a part), I love the church! 

Having been a part of both country clubs and churches—as well as studying the North American landscape—I think for many Christians it’s easy to confuse country club membership with church membership. In this two-part blog, I want to highlight eight identifiers (four in each post) that your church might be a country club.

Keep in mind, Jesus didn’t die for the church to be a country club. Jesus died and rose again for the church to be a commissioned conduit to take the good news to the ends of the earth! 

With that in mind, here are four identifiers that your church might be a country club.

1—Your church might be a country club if the goal is to keep members happy. 

A country club is a service provider. For many, they provide golfing, swimming, tennis, dining, and entertainment services. Thus, if their services don’t appeal and appease the members, they will soon experience a decrease in membership. As a result, if members complain about the conditions of the locker rooms, the quality of the greens, the attire of the staff, or the taste of the food, country clubs will work to rectify the problem. A club’s future and sustainability is fueled by the satisfaction of the members. 

A church, on the other hand, is a mission vehicle. A church’s goal isn’t to keep members happy consuming a service, but to equip members to be sent out proclaiming and demonstrating good news. However, many churches have been turned into country clubs as they field an onslaught of complaints and suggestions. When churches are crafted into the image of consumers they distort the image of their Savior. 

2—Your church might be a country club if the leaders are seen more like a board of directors.

Many country clubs have a group of people called the board of directors that oversee the activities and effectiveness of the organization. In short, the board is mostly comprised of business people that are mainly concerned with two things: membership happiness and the club’s bottom line. Thus, board of directors are inclined to measure a club’s success based upon the bottom line of bodies and budgets. 

In the New Testament, church leaders were never referred to of as a board of directors, but as apostles, pastors (elders), evangelists, shepherds, and teachers (Ephesians 4:11). And these leaders were to equip the members for the work of the ministry (Ephesians 4:12). Did you catch that? Those who belong to the church are to do work! Gospel work! I don’t know about your club, but I never experienced my club calling for a work day for members to tidy up the property. Members pay others to do the work so that they can enjoy the benefits of the club. 

Church leaders aren’t a board of directors but a body of developers.

Beware, churches that are primarily built on a country club mentality will experience a bottom-line effect when they have leaders that call members to work—getting their hands dirty—for the sake of God’s glory and others’ good. 

3—Your church might be a country club if people with affluence carry all the influence. 

For many, membership to a country club carries a connotation of status and wealth. Our culture is conditioned to treat those of status and wealth differently than those without the position or the deep pockets. I’ve witnessed first-hand how the owner of a multi-million-dollar company received preferential treatment compared to the retiree who drove a UPS truck. It’s not that the retiree was treated poorly, he just didn’t carry the weight the million-dollar business man did. 

I’ve also witnessed first-hand in the church world how status and wealth can get one a prominent place of influence in the church. Never mind the person of affluence swims in a theological, missional, and spiritual kiddie-pool. Yet, because of the influence his affluence provides him, he is able to bend the ears of the board of directors (leaders), which ultimately gives direction to the bent of the church.   

Affluence should not be a factor for giving one influence in the church. People that should be given a voice and weight are those who exhibit an authentic and deep abiding love for Jesus and His mission.

Success in business doesn’t mean maturity in mission. 

4—Your church might be a country club if the membership is homogenous. 

There’s seldom diversity in club members. Most members are cut from the same piece of cloth. They live in the same area, go to the same schools, dress the same way, vote for the same political party, etc. In short, most country clubs are set up for homogeneity. 

The church, however, was birthed for diversity. With the mission to create a peoplefrom all peoples, Jesus envisioned a diverse church—a third race as some have expressed. Therefore, churches should be about engaging, reaching, and cultivating the diversity represented in the community around them. Therefore, churches should experience racial, cultural, socio-economic, political, and to some extent denominational diversity. In doing so, the church demonstrates the in-breaking reign of God to unite a people from all peoples through the blood of the Lamb! 

In closing, I’m for both country clubs and churches. Given my affinity for golf, I understand the benefits and environments of country clubs. Given my love for Jesus and having studied His affection and mission for the church, I understand who the church is and what the church is to do. But the two entities are entirely different! A church isn’t a country club, and a country club isn’t a church. 

Kiss of Death

12 Tuesday Mar 2019

Posted by in Christian Life, Discipleship, Gospel, Ministry; Leadership;, pain, suffering, trials

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I’m a Star Wars fan. I’ve seen all the Star Wars multiple times. No, better yet, I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve seen each episode. In fact, if I’m doing some work—whether reading or writing—I’ll put on one of the episodes in the background. 

My favorite moment in recent episodes comes in Episode VII, The Force Awakens, when Han Solo and Chewbacca enter the narrative. Oh, talk about nostalgia! As we catch up with Han, we learn that he and Leia were married and had a son, Ben Solo. But the dark side twisted Ben’s mind and he became known as Kylo Ren. 

As you could imagine, Han is devasted by his son’s choice and seeks to “save” Kylo Ren by convincing him to turn from the dark side. If you’ve seen the movie, it is a very dramatic scene in which Han aims to penetrate the heart of his son. Just when you think that Han had persuaded him, Kylo Ren thrusts his red light-saber into the heart of Han. Their eyes lock one last time, and then Han falls off the ledge into the dark abyss. 

BETRAYAL! We cringe every time we see it. Not only do we cringe, but our hearts skip a beat when we see it. It doesn’t matter if it is fictional or real. 

Probably the greatest reason why we cringe at betrayal is because we’ve experienced it at some level—whether intentionally or unintentionally. Maybe it was from a parent who deserted you, a family member who abused you, a sibling who stole from you, a spouse who cheated on you, a friend who lied about you, a boss who terminated you, a believer who wronged you, or a church that abandoned you.  

I’ve experienced betrayal multiple times, even within the context of church. Regardless of where it comes from, betrayal is never easy to accept and digest. Betrayal is like a kiss of death—especially since the hurtful and painful blow comes from someone who has been relationally and lovingly close. 

While most of us have experienced a kiss of death, there is one who experienced the greatest kiss of death—the greatest act of betrayal—in the history of the world. His name was Jesus. Jesus’ experienced the kiss of death by a close associate, Judas, for 30 pieces of silver. And when leading the guards to the place where Jesus was, Judas approached Jesus, embraced Him, and gave Him a kiss. And the rest is history. Jesus is then arrested, beaten, tried, and crucified. 

Whether you are a follow of Jesus or not, such a betrayal is hard to comprehend. Why would Judas do such a thing? Why would he turn his back on someone so good? So loving? So kind? So humble? So miraculous? Did he really despise Jesus that much? Did he really need money that bad? 

While we could focus on the “why” all day long, I believe that it is more helpful to focus on the outcome. In other words, rather than zooming in on Judas as to why he betrayed Jesus, I think it’s more beneficial to concentrate on how Jesus responded and what ultimately transpired days later in the life of Jesus.   

When we look at Judas’ betrayal in the totality of Jesus’ arrest, crucifixion, and resurrection, we come away with this main principle: 

The kiss of death brought the breath of life.

In other words, Judas’ betrayal eventually brought about the death of Jesus, but Jesus’ death and resurrection would bring about life for the world. 

For the remainder of this post, I want to look at this principle from four different angles so that we can feel its gravitas.  

Angle 1: Judas’ Betrayal is Part of a Larger Story

Guess who wasn’t surprised by Judas’ betrayal? Jesus. During the Passover meal with His disciples, Jesus divulged that one of the twelve would betray Him—knowing it would be Judas. In addition, some scholars believe that the Old Testament forecasts that the Messiah would be betrayed. In short, Jesus knew that the pathway to the cross went through the town of betrayal. 

Just because Jesus knew that the pathway of obedience involved betrayal doesn’t lessen the pain of being wounded by a close associate. However, while the pain is real, the perspective is essential. Jesus understood betrayal as part of a larger story that God was writing. Therefore, He could trust the Father who was the author of humanity’s story. Judas’ action didn’t get by the pen of God, it was actually going to be used for the purposes of God. 

Remember: Betrayal isn’t the story of your life, it’s part of the story that God is writing for your life. 

Angle 2: What Judas Meant for Bad, God Used for Good

This angle is very similar to the angle taught by Joseph in Genesis 50 when he graciously expressed to his brothers, “You planned evil against me; God planned it for good to bring about the present result—the survival of many people” (Gen 50:20). Likewise, Judas meant to harm Jesus by handing him over to the authorities in an effort to pad his pockets with silver. However, what he meant for evil in ending a life, God planned to use for eternity to provide the means of [eternal] life. 

Because of Judas’ betrayal, Jesus was arrested, beaten, and nailed to the cross. But Jesus’ pain wasn’t wasted—the pain of both the betrayal and the execution. In fact, His pain became the world’s provision. Never underestimate the plan, purposes, and power of God of how He can use the pain you experience from a betrayal.  

Remember: The pain caused by your betrayal—however demented and evil it was— can become someone else’s provision. 

Angle 3: The Outcome of the Betrayal Doesn’t have to Define One’s Identity 

Think about the outcome of Judas’ betrayal on Jesus. Because of Judas’ betrayal, Jesus was arrested and condemned as a sinner and criminal. But that is not who Jesus was. Jesus wasn’t a sinner and a criminal. Jesus was the Son of God, the Lamb slain before the foundation of the world, the Lion of the tribe of Judah. Jesus knew who He was and what He had been called to do on planet earth. Nothing that Judas did—no matter where it landed Him—could taint Jesus identity.

I know firsthand how betrayal can lead to an unpleasant outcome and the unpleasant emotions that go with it. Whether the betrayal led to abuse, abandonment, embarrassment, termination, etc., it’s easy to believe that you are a loser, something is wrong with you, you aren’t good enough, or that you are damaged goods. In other words, it’s easy to define yourself by the outcome of the betrayal. However, may we never forget that the outcome doesn’t have to define who we are but is an opportunity to declare whose we are. 

Remember: Your identity is in Jesus. 

Angle 4: Betrayal Doesn’t have to End with Harboring Bitterness but with Releasing Forgiveness

The last angle really is a culmination of the previous angles. Since Jesus understood Judas’ action was part of a larger story in which he (Judas) wasn’t the author; since Jesus knew that God would work good from Judas’ bad; since Jesus’ identity was in the Father not any outcome Judas’ actions brought about; Jesus could then release forgiveness rather than harbor bitterness. 

From the cross Jesus uttered the words, “Father forgive them for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). Scholars debate the direct object of Jesus’ forgiveness who had ignorantly participated in His crucifixion. Without delving into the debate, it is certainly an option that Judas was part of the ignorant who participated in Jesus’ arrest, trial, and execution. If so, Jesus paved the way for Judas’ to receive forgiveness. However, Judas never received the forgiveness Jesus offered since he was so stricken with grief and depression that he committed suicide. Nevertheless, Jesus wasn’t consumed with vengeance, wrath, bitterness, anger, and hostility towards those who wronged—nor betrayed—Him. He lavished upon such with love, grace, mercy, and forgiveness. 

Remember: Bitterness is a cancer that eats at your heart, whereas forgiveness releases healing. 

In closing, everyone at some point in his or her life has experienced the act of betrayal. Depending on the nature of the betrayal—the who and what—will determine the severity of the hurt and pain. The closer the betrayer is to the wounded and the more damage inflicted by them—like Kylo Ren killing his father Han Solo—will make the act of betrayal feel more like a kiss of death. However, as we have briefly seen in and through Judas’ betrayal of Jesus, the kiss of death can bring about the breath of life. 

If you are dealing with a betrayal, no matter how painful it is, regardless of the outcome of the betrayal, Jesus can work in and through you to bring about life—not only for you but for those God places in your path.

Gospel-Centered Parenting Made Easy

24 Tuesday May 2016

Posted by in Christian Life, Family, Gospel, Leadership, Uncategorized

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In our culture we are constantly looking for something to make life easier. We are looking for a communication device that makes communication easier. We are looking for a car that makes transportation easier. We are looking for a self-help book that gives counsel and advice that makes life—in a particular area—easier. And so when it comes to parenting or the functionality of family, there are people that are looking for a way to make it easier. In fact, a book that comes to mind is Kevin Leman’s book, Have a New Kid by Friday. Wow, any book whose title promises to give you a new child by Friday (especially when it’s already Tuesday afternoon) must have some principles that can be easily applied to make parenting easier J.

This past Sunday at Springdale we addressed gospel-centered parenting (or families) from Deuteronomy 6. (You can view the message here). Now I admit, the title of this blog is a little bit confusing and misleading because gospel-centered parenting, as we learned this past Sunday, is anything but easy. In fact, in our own power it is impossible. Studying for the message on gospel-centered parenting made it quite clear that I often fail miserably.

Although it is impossible to be a gospel-centered person, parent, or family without daily surrendering to King Jesus and asking the Spirt of God to fill us, there are some things we can practically do that can make the pursuit of gospel centrality easier.

  1. Give yourselves grace, because God does. I think many parents put so much pressure on themselves to be a perfect parent that when they fail they beat themselves up. Maybe they let their anger get the best of them and go off on their child, and then for the rest of the day (or week) they constantly tell themselves that they’re such a horrible parent. Joannie and I call these times, Parent-Fail—times where we just blow it. And here’s the truth parents—and this goes for those who aren’t even parents—we will blow it! It’s a given. Although “positionally” in Christ, God sees us as perfect, practically (in practice) we are in the sanctification process of being conformed in the image of Christ. Also, I want to give a quick word to those parents who may have grown children. I know there are many parents with grown children who may not have known Christ when their child(ren) were under their roof, or who may not have been the gospel-centered parent they should have been. If that’s you, please know that God loves you and that His grace is sufficient for not only you, but your children. No matter how bad you blow it, or think you blow it, God loves you! He loves you despite your faults, failures, and imperfections. So, don’t beat yourself up over something that it is in the past. As Paul shares with believers in Philippians, “[forget] what lies behind and [strain] forward to what lies ahead…” (Phil 3:13). You cannot go back in time and change what is done. Thus, allow God’s grace to cover you.
  2. Give Him your worry or concern. The Bible teaches us not to worry (Matt 6:25). Obviously that’s easier said than done—especially with regards to our children. We constantly worry. Parents worry about their child’s health; their friends; their academics; bullies (or them being a bully); their future; the [chaotic] world and them living in it; and their safety and security. In short, parents can be the quintessential worry wort. And I get it since I am a parent of three. However, here is a freeing truth: Jesus loves your children even more than you do! I know there are difficult situations, circumstances, issues, and tragedies that parents and children go through. But in all things, God loves you extravagantly and He is in the process of recreating and renewing the world and your life. And one day God will wipe away every tear from your eyes for He will finally and completely make all things new (Rev 21:5). Thus, in the meantime you can trust God supremely—even with your children—for He loves you extravagantly; and not only because He loves you, but because He is the sovereign King over the universe.
  3. Give yourselves to making Jesus the hero of the home. James 1:16–17 states, “Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” The Bible teaches that every good thing that you have—your family, your spouse, your children, your health, your energy, your talents and abilities, your job, your paycheck, your house, your clothes, your food, your friends, your day offs, the vacations you take, creation, etc.—are gifts from God. As such, its important to be very quick to ingrain into your children that all the blessings of life that they enjoy have been gifted to them from their heavenly Father, their gracious King. For instance, Joannie and I have some pretty smart children. They do very well in school. I joke around and say they get their smarts from me. But, truthfully and biblically, their academic and intellectually abilities do not come from me (or even their mom who is wicked smart), they come from God. Thus, I constantly remind Caleb and Ellie that it is God who gives them the ability to do well in school. In addition, I make it a daily prayer with them that they turn around and use the gifts that God has given them to glorify and reflect His goodness and grace in their lives to those around them. Why? Because I want Jesus to be their hero! To make Jesus the hero of the home, is to (1) make much of him throughout the day and in all things, and (2) make sure your world lovingly revolves around His glory, His mission, and His word.
  4. Give yourselves to living out an alternative reality of what it means to be human, to be a family, and to be a parent. In other words, constantly ask Christ, is this how You want us to live? Is this how You want us to respond? React? Do we need to say no to this? Say yes to that? Am I pleasing You with how I’m leading my family? Am I trusting You in this area? Are there any idols (smaller gods) I’m struggling with? What gospel-centered community (i.e., church) do You want us to be devoted and committed to? The truth is that gospel centrality is countercultural to the ways of the world—it’s a life that’s an alternative reality to that of the world. Gospel-centered parenting will be, according to those who do not know Christ, a whole different reality. As the world looks at the way you lead and shepherd your family, God desires that you become a window by which they get a glimpse of the kingdom of God. By asking yourselves these questions and more, you’ll keep God in the forefront of your lives and live in a manner where He takes up the preeminent place in your life, thereby allowing people to see what it means to live life centered around King Jesus.

In conclusion, gospel-centered living and parenting is impossible! Once again, the only way to be a gospel-centered person (and parent) is to love Jesus with all your heart, soul, and might. When you love Jesus as such, Jesus takes up residence as the centerpiece of your life by which all facets and areas of your life revolve. When this happens, through the power of the Spirit, Jesus lives both in you and through you. The four thoughts above—giving yourself to God’s grace, being worry-free because of your trust in Christ, making Jesus the hero of your home, and living an alternative reality—are meant to be reminders and aids for how you can surrender your life to King Jesus and allow him to do through you what He wants to do and what He alone can do.

The Ministry of the Towel: Service in the Vein of Jesus

17 Tuesday May 2016

Posted by in Christian Life, Discipleship, Gospel, Ministry; Leadership;, Service, Uncategorized

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Towels play such a humble role in our lives. We use towels (whether regular or disposable) for a variety of reasons—drying off, cleaning up messes, laying on at the beach, etc. To be honest, I never really think of towels that often, yet they are so ingrained into the rhythms of my everyday life.

This past Sunday I asked the question, “What if towels (regular or disposable) ceased to exist?” How would their absence affect our lives? Not to be overdramatic here, but we would be dirtier, filthier, nastier, and messier. Could you imagine having to drip dry every day after exiting the shower? Could you imagine not having anything to clean the toilet with—especially the one where your 11-year-old has a tough time aiming 🙂

Thus, when thinking about the ministry of the towel, I’m sure we would all agree it makes us go WOW! Towels do so much to enhance our lives for the better.

Jesus, in John 13, takes upon Himself the ministry of the towel. Before sharing the Passover meal, Jesus disrobes his outer garments and wraps a towel around his waist, and after filling a basin full of water begins washing the disciples stinky, nasty, bunion-infested, feet. In doing so, Jesus assumes one of the lowliest positions and postures of the day—a Gentile servant/slave.

But why on earth would he serve like this?

Before answering this question, I think it’s important to understand why other philosophies, religions, and people serve today, which will show the distinction between their service and Jesus’ service (and the kind of service His followers should embrace).

  1. Atheists serve for self-fulfillment and exaltation. Given that Atheists have no over-arching purpose in life other than self-glory and satisfaction, their service—if they do serve others—is for their own benefit and fulfillment.
  2. Most religions who advocate service, do so for the purposes of gaining God’s favor, blessing, and even salvation. They serve not to [ultimately] give, but to [ultimately] receive. They give their time, talents, and treasures—their lives—as payment and penance to satisfy God.
  3. Some serve out of moral compassion. It’s embedded within human nature to have moral compassion since we are created in God’s image. Usually service out of moral compassion is demonstrated in parents, family, friends, or a tragedy—whether natural disaster, terrorists attack, death, etc.—that grips our heart.
  4. Some serve because they are forced or compensated. Some may call this the service industry. We pay people to serve us—massage our feet, clean our hotel rooms, give us manis and pedis, collect our trash, clean our house, wash our car, or cut our grass.
  5. Some serve out of pride. We call these people “posers.” They are trying to be someone they are not. They give the impression that they are a servant, serving at the pleasure of other people, but what they are really doing is serving themselves.
  6. Some serve out of insecurity. We call these people “people-pleasers.” People-pleasers constantly serve others through either their humble acts or their conciliatory attitude. Their motives for doing so is to build up their security (or self-esteem) in the eyes of what other people—whether their boss, friends, spouse, etc.—think of them.
  7. Some serve to get a return. We call these people “shark-investors.” They see others as investments. Thus, they serve others only to the degree of their return, or what they will get back. A phrase that corresponds with this kind of service is, “I’ll scratch your back, if you scratch mine.” Many politicians would fit into the category. They serve people and promise to do such and such in exchange for their support and vote.
  8. Some serve to elevate their position and notoriety. We call these people “brown-nosers.” Brown-nosers constantly serve people in an attempt to be noticed to the degree that something good might happen to them—get a promotion, a raise, or an invitation to be in the “cool” crowd.

These are some of the many reasons why people serve others today. Yet, this is not why Jesus wrapped a towel around his waist and served His disciples by washing their feet. And these are not the reasons why we should serve and love people today. In observing Jesus’ service and love in John 13, there are at least three reasons why Jesus radically and humbly served and loved others. And these become the reasons why we should radically and humbly serve and love others today.

First, our love and service should be in the vein of Jesus’ love and service on the cross. When we serve, we should be demonstrating the way Jesus loved and served people when He went to the cross to die for the sins of the world. As such, our service and love should be sacrificial, selfless, and costly. Our service and love should strive to make Christ known among both our neighbors and the nations.

In addition, our love and service should be done from a place of need not convenience. We live in a culture of convenience; thus, we serve, love, and give if it’s convenient. Yet, this is not the way of the towel ministry of the Jesus. Jesus served from a place of need—seeing that we were sheep without a shepherd, seeing that we were broken in need of healing, seeing that we were separated from a holy God in need of a bridge—and willingly and humbly lowered himself in the most inconvenient way to meet our need!

When it comes to serving and loving our family, friends, church, community, city, and world, we must realize that it will be an inconvenience.

If we wait to radically serve and love people when it is convenient, we will be waiting a lifetime.

Second, our love and service should seek to enhance one’s condition. In other words, those that God has placed around us (be it our spouse, children, co-workers, employees, company, community, orphans, widows, widowers, families, etc.) should be better off as a result of our presence and service in their life. That night when Jesus washed the disciples’ feet, practically speaking, they were cleaner. Their lives had been enhanced to some degree.

When we serve and love others, one of the goals should be to enhance or elevate their lives in some way.

Enhancement, or flourishing, can be multifaceted; it can be emotional, spiritual, physical, social, financial, vocational, etc.

For instance, James 5:16, 19 states, “Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. . . . My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.” If one follows this verse, they will be serving and loving another brother or sister to the degree that their life is spiritually enhanced.

Another example of serving and loving to the point of enhancing one’s life can take place when a financial savvy person, who manages their money well, teaches another person how to manage their finances and become a good steward. Through their love and service of teaching and mentoring in the area of finance they enhance and elevate that person’s financial acuity.

Third, our love and service should tangibly demonstrate God’s desire as well as our desire to be in relationship with that person. In other words, Jesus doesn’t call our love and service to be done at a distance, but to be done up close and personal. Jesus tells Peter that if he doesn’t let Him clean his feet than Peter has no share, no connection, no relationship with Him. While Jesus is communicating a deeper truth about the need for continual confession and cleansing that allows Jesus, the gospel, to continually renew us, He is also communicating that the ministry of the towel (love and service) is personal and relational.

Jesus served in such a way that He expressed His deep desire to know us—to be personally and intimately connected to us.

Later in the Gospel of John Jesus exclaimed, “Greater love has no one than this that he lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). Jesus served in such a way that it became a tangible and practical invitation for people to become part of the kingdom and family of God. Thus, our service and love today should be a tangible and practical invitation for people to know us, but even more importantly for people to know our great God and King and become part of His family.

While this type of love and service can take on various manifestations, I ran across a story about Eric Liddell—The “Flying Scotsman” and the famous Olympic gold medalists who refused to run on Sundays—that powerfully illustrates this type of love and service.

What some may not know about Eric Liddell is that he became a missionary to China. While in China WWII broke out. After Japan invaded China, Eric and his family traveled back to Canada for a furlough and thought about just staying there to wait out the war. However, God moved so powerfully in their lives that they simply couldn’t stay in the safety and security of Canada. As a result, they returned to China.

After their return it became extremely dangerous for the family, especially since Eric’s wife was pregnant with their third child. After spending time in prayer, they decided that Eric’s wife and children would return to Canada while he stayed back serving in China. That would be the last time he would ever see his family.

Eventually things got worse in China for Eric and all other foreigners. Since Japan considered them enemy nationals they were sent to an imprisonment camp. While there, without his family, he served the people of the camp. He helped clean the communal toilets for hygiene purposes. He taught the camp school, organized various sports for the kids, and even planned worship services. He also looked after 300 orphans who were in the camp.

As time passed in the camp, people started growing weary of the difficult conditions. Many people became unhappy, selfish, and even started stealing food. However, Eric didn’t. He stayed positive and cheerful, teaching others to love their enemies—including the Japanese.

One of the stories that struck me about Eric Liddell while in this imprisonment camp was about a 17-year-old who had completely worn out his shoes. Knowing that this young man had no shoes Eric wrapped up his running shoes as a gift and handed them to this teenager. The historic shoes that once wrapped the feet of a gold medalist, now had been taken off and put on a 17-year-old teenager with dirty feet.

That’s the purpose of the ministry of the towel. It’s to take off our shoes and put them on other people’s feet! It’s about taking what is so meaningful and special to us (time, talents, and treasure), and imparting it to others. It’s about giving and serving from the perceived need not our personal convenience. It’s about serving at the pleasure of and for the glory of the king!

I’m certain that Eric served and loved people because he felt the same way serving as he felt when he ran…”he felt the pleasure of God.”

The prison camp was better off because of Eric’s presence. That young man’s life was enhanced as a result of Eric’s love and service. In fact, because of Eric’s extraordinary love and service, one man promised God if he survived the war he would become a missionary to Japan. Think about it. One man was so moved by Eric’s life of service and love that he was willing to give his life to go to the country that had caused so much hurt and heartache.

In closing, are we serving and loving in such a way that we point back to the love and service of Jesus on the cross? Are we serving and loving in such a way that it enhances the lives of those around us? And are we serving and loving in such a personal way that we are inviting people to join the family of God?

When we serve and love in such ways we take upon ourselves the ministry of the towel which makes people go WOW—not because of who we are, but because of who Christ is in and through us!

Budgeting Grace

02 Wednesday Mar 2016

Posted by in Christian Life, Gospel, Uncategorized

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I’m so glad it’s finally March. Why, you ask? Because it’s a new budget cycle. You see, Joannie and I have a monthly budget where we allot a certain amount of money for giving, groceries, gas, bills, personal expenditures, entertainment, and miscellaneous expenses. By the end of the month our spending budget is slimmer than a shoestring French fry on hydroxycut. As a result, I have to wait until the first of the month to go back to Starbucks, buy some more milk for my Fruitloops, and have a breakfast date with my wife (which we did yesterday morning J).

This budget thing got my wheels turning this morning. What if God gave us a grace budget each month? How soon would we spend through that budget? Sixty-minutes? One day? A week? Could we make it a whole month? Just think about the amount of grace that would need to be available in the account to cover our dirty minds; to cover the times when we act under the influence of selfish pretenses; to cover when we yell at our children for not flushing the toilet; to cover our greediness when we fail to be generous; to cover the California howdy that we give our fellow traveler that cuts us off in rush hour traffic; to cover our self-glorifying good deeds; and to cover the countless times we fail to give thanks, to give praise to the King of Glory. I’m sure you get the picture.

If there was such thing as a grace budget, I’m sure we would all agree that it would need to be extravagantly substantial to cover all our faults and failures, and sins of omission and commission. Great news, there’s no such thing as a grace budget. In fact, the Bible teaches that those who confess their sin and place their faith in Christ as Lord (King) and Savior are forgiven of their past, their present, and their future faults and failures, and sins of omission and commission. In other words, their sin-debt has been paid in full, and they—through the deposit of the Spirit—have been bestowed a never-ending budget of grace. I love the way John puts it, “For from his (Jesus’) fullness we have all received, grace upon grace” (John 1:16).

It is because of Jesus we have a stockpile of grace!

In light of Jesus’ never-ending, everlasting, overflowing, and extravagantly abundant account of grace that he has provided us, how should our lives be impacted?

1. We should live in light of grace. Paul states in his theological treatise (which is Romans), “What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?” (Rom 6:1–2). In the context, Paul explains how the law exposes and increases sin, but grace comes in, and in abundance trumps law. Paul understood that some might understand the marvelous and extravagant presence of grace as a license to continue to sin, to continue living any way they wanted to.

However, that is not at all what the presence of grace does in one’s life.

Those who understand the measure and meaning of grace realize that grace transforms and serves as another law by which people live.

As a result, rather than living by the law of Moses that served as a means to expose and increase sin, Jesus’ grace serves as a means to forgive sin and incite a life of sanctification—a life that, through grace and the power of the Spirit, is [being] transformed into the image of Jesus.

Understanding that we have been saved by grace, and are being sustained and sanctified by a relentless and never-ending account of divine grace, we live a faithful life that exuberates—in every area —a gratefulness and thankfulness to our gracious King. Thus, no matter how much month or how little month is left, God’s abundant grace is readily available to encourage us and exhort us onward in faithful obedience.

2. We should show others the grace that has been shown us. In other words, we should provide the same type of grace account to others that Jesus has provided us. Think about it; the same unmerited favor and love shown us—stinky, slimy, sinners of planet earth—is the same kind of favor and love we should show others.

I know what you’re thinking, because I’m thinking the same thing: “I’m not Jesus!” I get it. It’s hard to show grace to others—especially those who wrong and hurt us, to those who annoy and disturb us, to those who disregard and dismiss us, to those who are mean and hateful, and to those who are different and unlike us. Yet, in showing these people unmerited favor and unconditional love we image Jesus. For it was Jesus who showed us—people who had wronged, hurt, annoyed, disturbed, disregarded, dismissed, and who were completely different and unlike him—grace!

I believe what Paul wrote in Ephesians 3 is helpful for us here. He writes,

For this reason I, Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles—assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for you, how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly. . . . Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God’s grace, which was given me by the working of his power. . . . To me…this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things, so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.

Paul basically explains that God showed him (who according to himself was the chief of all sinners) grace so that he can share and show grace to others, especially Gentiles! We know through the New Testament that Paul’s grace account towards others never ran dry. He persisted, even in much suffering and pain, to share and show God’s amazing grace. Paul’s persistence in being a geyser of grace to others finds it origin in the never-ending spring of God’s amazing grace that had been shown him.

You may be reading this and going through a tough time. Maybe you feel as though you haven’t been yourself. Maybe you feel as though you’ve been short with others—your spouse, your children, or possibly your co-workers. Maybe you haven’t been as giving or generous as you would like. Or maybe you are struggling with a sin, an addiction. And your struggles have left you pretty flat, downcast, and frustrated with yourself. What you really need now is to know that there’s some extra grace in your account!

In God’s economy, grace is abundant and always available.

So, withdraw some grace and apply it to your life. But remember, don’t apply it so that you can go right back to the pattern of living that robs you of the joy of God’s grace.

Some may be reading this and realize that your grace budget for others isn’t where it needs to be—it isn’t imaging Jesus’ grace account for you. In fact, there may be someone that you are having a difficult time showing any grace because they already (from your perspective) emptied the grace account. And what you need today is a little reminder of Christ’s grace account for you. Is it painful? Absolutely. Is it humbling? Totally. Is it worth it? Let me ask you a question back: Was Christ’s display of grace to you worth it? Of course it was.

I can speak from my own life and say that I am extremely grateful that God’s budget of grace never fails, never runs out, and is always readily available—24/7/365 days a year. So while my financial budget may struggle at the end of the month, I know that “through many dangers, toils and snares I have already come. Tis grace has brought me safe thus far and grace will lead me home.” And this same grace that is readily available for me is the same grace I need to make readily available to others.

Cruising with Mickey Mouse: Things the Church and Disney have (or should have) in Common

04 Friday Dec 2015

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Last week my family and I went on a Disney cruise thanks to my mother-in-law! We had the most wonderful time—eating unlimited desserts, watching the shows, sitting by the pool, taking in majestic ocean views, being surprised by the little towel figures at night, and an all-day child-center. In experiencing a Disney cruise for the first time, and having some down time on the boat, I jotted down some things that I think the church and Disney have in common—or at least should, to some degree, have in common. While I jotted down more, here are the top five.

  1. Disney has created a global brand.

Disney is not just a North American name or a Western name, but a global one. It doesn’t matter if you’re from Indiana or India, Colorado or Chile, South Dakota or South Africa, Kansas or Kenya, or Hawaii or Hong Kong, most people have heard of Mickey Mouse, and perhaps Walt Disney. And if they have the resources, they have experienced or plan to experience Disney in some way.

The global phenomena of the Disney brand means that its message along with its characters and stories cross-translate to the various cultures and peoples throughout the world. The message of “where dreams come true” and the characters of Mickey Mouse to Cinderella, coupled with each character’s story, resonate with every boy and girl throughout the world—not to mention every person regardless of age.

The universality of the inclusive branding of Disney is something that the church shares in common.

God is a universal and inclusive God who’s on mission to redeem a people for himself from all peoples of the world.

Thus the message of God along with his people and their stories should capture and resonate with the hearts of every people, regardless of age, throughout the globe.

  1. Disney makes it their aim to bring joy to others.

Now before you pushback on this one and say that they are in the “business” of bringing joy to others, I want you to think about how good they are at this aim compared to all the other “businesses” that aim to bring a joyful experience to others. Sure, with Disney, people pay to experience joy…happiness; however, while I am sure something exists that tops the Disney experience, I have not been to or experienced any other business that does a better job at excelling at bringing joy to others.

On the boat, kids lived in a state of joy, and parents and grandparents experienced the flood of happy and joyful feelings as they experienced the elated emotional wonderland of their children. To my chagrin, there were even newly weds and adults on the boat without children that seemed to be delighting in enjoyment. In short, when people come in the presence of Disney—be it a cruise, the parks, or its movies—joy fills their lives.

Think about this, Disney brings temporal joy to those who pay for an experience, but the church is to bring and be joy for the world through and by the free grace of Jesus Christ.

In other words, we bring and are joy for the world not because they pay for it, but because Christ has paid it and we just live in that joy.

  1. Disney has a diverse team that serves its mission.

One of the interesting things that I learned while on the boat is that there were over a thousand crew-members from 55 nations. That’s just on one boat! I think it would be safe to assume more nations are represented in the Disney universe—in its different venues and sectors. What does this suggest? That Disney has a mission that fosters unity even in diversity.

As it stands, it seems that Disney does a much better job than many churches in embodying a mission that fosters unity in diversity. Why? Because they have united around the mission of “where dreams come true” and being the happiest place on earth where customers/consumers leave having their joy-jars filled. In short, they come together to fulfill the Disney experience of which its customers anticipate.

On the other hand, the church has a difficult time with diversity because instead of coming together around the mission of glorifying God by sharing and showing the gospel of King Jesus in all spheres of life as God creates a people for himself, they, many times, get bogged down in the pseudo-mission of making it about themselves—their preferences, traditions, rituals, and goals—to the degree it isolates those who are different.

The more complex you make mission, the more fragmented and homogenous it becomes; the simpler you make mission, the more heterogeneity can flourish.

  1. Disney’s engagement with culture is multifaceted.

While I cruised with Disney, there are so many other cultural veins where Disney is present. They own TV networks (outside of their Disney networks, Disney also owns ESPN, ABC, A&E, and Lifetime), radio stations, music and book publishing companies, film companies (including Pixar, Lucasfilm, and Marvel), and theme parks. Disney literally has its hands in the business, entertainment, sciences, arts, and education realms. Because of its cultural production in these different areas, Disney has helped shape and craft culture. The shaping and crafting of culture has given them a lot of cultural capital.

This notion of a multifaceted cultural engagement can be (needs to be) something that the church learns from Disney. And, for those of you who are unaware, the church has had a multifaceted cultural engagement in its history (think of hospitals, schools, and other organizations and institutions).

I’m not suggesting that the church create an alternative Disney with theme parks filled with Bible characters; but I am suggesting, as James Hunter and Andy Crouch have in their own way, that if the church wants to help shape, craft, reach, and/or speak into culture, it needs to, at the very least, contribute to it. This can be through the creation of ideas, businesses, arts, sciences, educational institutions, organizations (and NPOs), and entertainment.

I believe the mission of the church isn’t only reserved for the spiritual realm, but the material and cultural realm.

Thus, I believe the church is not just called to be convictional-prophets living in the cities sharing the good news of Jesus Christ and warning people to flee the wrath to come, but also culture-producers working in the cities showing the good news of Jesus Christ and the kingdom he inaugurated and will one day consummate.

When we share and show the gospel in its entirety, we become a movie-like trailer providing a glimpse of the soon coming, radiantly glorious consummated kingdom where everything [culturally] done in the city will orbit around and reflect the glory of King Jesus.

  1. Disney propagates happy endings and for dreams to come true

Disney is all about happy endings. Every Disney movie or story that I can remember (except for “Old Yeller”) has a happy ending. In fact, one of the Disney musical lines from “Pinocchio” is: “When you wish upon a star, makes no difference who you are…when you wish upon a star, your dreams comes true.” Disney has provided narratives where the prince shows up right on time to awake the sleeping princess, where the evil villain is finally defeated, where the family is reunited after a treacherous journey, where they find the treasure and live happily ever after, and where the world is saved from annihilation.

I think the notion of longing for happy endings and for our dreams to come true is theologically on point.

Scripture teaches that due to our sin, we have created the environment of unhappy endings and shattered dreams, and cannot do anything to reconcile that. However, we long for our happy ending, our lives to be made right, our world to be devoid of pain, evil, and suffering.

It’s in our doom that God promises our Deliverer; it’s in our recession in sin that God promises our Rescuer; it’s in our suffering God promises a Savior; it’s in our waywardness God promises the Way; and it’s in our chaos God promises a King. Given our plight, God sends his Son Jesus—the universal, rightful, Creator-God, King, and hero—to experience the ultimate unhappy ending so that he can give all those who call on his name the most incredible and eternal happy ending—where they truly live happily ever after in the New City.

In closing, I’m grateful for the things we can learn from all kinds of businesses, people, and experiences and apply them to our understanding of Scripture and church. I have great appreciation for Disney as a company and what they do. While they have a great product and provide a great experience, I believe we (the church) have a great Savior and if faithful provide an eternal foretaste of the glory divine.