The Summer Riddle?

So, what is it about summer? We should have the very most available time. Kids aren't in school. Most of their extracurricular activities are on hold. Days are significantly longer. But we have less time. It's like being a kid at Disney, a million things to do and experience collide with the physical realities of time, space, and energy. So we either run ourselves to death, like that kid, because we want it all and we must have it now, or we make some things priorities and say "No" to the rest.

Which are you? How do you choose which things to do, assuming you do? To set priorities, you must have a standard against which you test everything. This is your worldview; it's how you attribute value. So, what's your standard?

Prayer Request

I need to ask all of you to pray for me this week. I know that I set this blog up to be about the CONNECT Ministry and said that it wouldn’t be about me, but there are times when you feel totally overwhelmed. You cry out to God for deliverance and it doesn’t come. In the silence you seem to hear Him say, “My grace is sufficient.” You wonder if this isn’t another season of testing, where God asks you to demonstrate your true faith, not the phony stuff you show everyone else on Sunday morning, but the true depth of your commitment to and reliance upon Him. And it’s especially at times like that they you find you desperately need the community of faith, fellow Christ followers who will cover you in prayer and speak into your misery the encouragement that will help you stand strong. “You can make it. Persevere. We are here to walk this road alongside you.”

Tomorrow, three teenage girls will be flying in from California to spend a week with their friend, my daughter, Courtney. DON’T LAUGH! THIS IS SERIOUS! You see, I am the only male person in this household. I have a wonderful wife and two precious, teenage daughters. I bought a male dog, but they even conspired against his manhood. I now call him “Unique,” but he’s more of a eunuch. So, to three females and an emasculated dog we add three more teenage females! And here’s the worst part: we have only two bathrooms!!

So, pray for me as only loyal brothers and sisters in Christ can. And I’d love to hear your suggestions for coping with these unbearable circumstances. Perhaps I should find a pool hall to hang out at. Maybe I’ll get a tattoo. Or… I’ve always wanted an excuse to buy a Harley.

What Does God Want Now?

A passion of mine is listening to the preaching of the Word of God. If you were to borrow my iPod, you’d be disappointed if you were hoping for music. It’s filled with Sunday sermons and leadership messages. A mentor of mine taught me that I don’t have to work so hard if I continually sharpen my axe. That’s what I do when I have time alone (driving, mowing, etc,).

But not all preaching is wonderful. Sadly, I have listened to many pastors present the gospel as purely a sin problem in the present. “You’re a sinner…You deserve punishment…You can’t save yourself…Jesus, who is God, paid the price Himself…If you put your trust in Him, He will save you from your punishment…[maybe something in here about repentance, depending on the ‘flavor’ of the church]…Now you can look forward to a wonderful future place with God.” Don’t misunderstand. I believe this all to be true. However, is that the fullness of the message of the Bible? That’s a rhetorical question. The answer to anyone who has seriously considered God’s Word is a resounding “No!”

The sad thing is that, although we do a great job of distilling the message of salvation down to “Four Spiritual Laws” or a few verses in Romans, that is not God’s entire plan, and we generally do a pathetic job of communicating the full message of the Word. What’s worse, we call that “the gospel.” Well, the term we translate as “gospel” (euangelion) literally means “good news.” Now, news that helps you deal with your sin problem is good indeed. However, the term was used to identify a message concerning victory in war or the birth or enthronement of a king. When Jesus spoke of the gospel, it was usually concerning the Kingdom of God. Also, in the New Testament epistles, the gospel is much broader than the solution to the sin problem of individuals. Even in Romans, Paul’s presentation of the gospel goes well beyond our familiar Romans Road version.

If Christ is King, what is expected of His subjects? Did God save you because He simply couldn’t imagine spending eternity without you? [Again, a rhetorical question… “No!”] If the gospel message is about God’s Kingdom being established and the powers of darkness being defeated, if Christ has redeemed you from enslavement and established you among His people with a place in His Kingdom, are there any expectations that naturally flow from those truths? Our salvation is not the equivalent of a “Get out of jail free” card. So, what does God want from you now?

God Moving His Mighty Hand

When is the last time you read the book called Judges in the Old Testament? I’ll confess that this is one of the most difficult for me to read. It’s not because it is filled with the Law, like Leviticus, or because it has never ending lists (Numbers) or genealogies (1 Chronicles). It’s because I see myself in the description of God’s people during the days of the judges. The plot is rather simple. God shows up and blesses Israel and they praise Him for His provision. Then, they basically say, “We’ve got it from here, Lord,” and they proceed to ignore Him and His commands and to pursue after other gods, “After that whole generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation grew up, who knew neither the LORD nor what he had done for Israel. Then the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the LORD and served the Baals” (Judges 2:10-11). Time and time again, they would forget the Lord and wander. And time and time again, the Lord would allow their enemies to oppress them. Then they would cry out again and the Lord would answer by sending a deliverer. And the cycle starts all over again.

In the times of my greatest failures, I realized that I was doing what seemed right in my own mind and not abiding in the Lord. It’s not that I was doing “bad” things; it’s that I was working out my plans under my power. They were times when I essentially said, “I have it from here, Lord. You can go help someone else who really needs it.” How arrogant! How foolish!

A mentor of mine taught me godly leadership this way, “Remember the sons of Issachar. They are commended in Scripture for their wisdom in this way, ‘men of Issachar, who understood the times and knew what Israel should do’” (1 Chronicles 12:32). He impressed upon me that the job of the leader is to discern where God is moving His mighty hand and to get right there and “ride the wave,” to use my Southern California lingo. And my experience has been that, when you do that, it’s like riding a tsunami!

We are in the midst of perhaps the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression. Everyone is affected, even if they still have a steady income. I trust that God’s people are calling out to Him to rescue us, to rescue this nation. Both inside and outside of the church, people are looking for deliverance. Many hope that our new president is the one whom God has sent. I won’t speak to that. I will tell you where I see God moving His hand. It’s right here at Grace Church.

We just launched our new food ministry, Taste of Grace. We had dozens of people in the church indicate that they wanted to be involved in this benevolence-based outreach. Their hearts were for hurting families, both inside and outside of our congregation. They brought diverse passions. Some wanted to see mommies take excellent care of their children. Some wanted to see our church demonstrate its compassion in a tangible way. Some wanted to reach out into our communities and meet people at a basic need in order to begin the process of helping them move to where God wants them to be. In a mere six weeks, we formed a leadership committee which carried this ministry from concept to reality. And it was clear that God was moving among the people at Grace since we generated orders for 166 boxes with very little promotion.

Here are some comments that have come in to the Taste of Grace email account (tasteofgrace@lgbc.org):

I just learned of this extraordinary opportunity regarding, "Food for All". I see that I missed the cutoff to apply for July. Is there any possible way to place an order for July? I have two children, ages six and eight and was laid off the end of May. I could really use the help. If not, is there a cancellation list in case someone does not show up to pick up their order? My phone number is . I live right down the street from Grace so it would not be a problem if it were last minute. I would be more than happy to come if someone cancels......Thank you so much for getting back to me so quickly. I will be there by noon on July 11th. I am so excited and grateful that the girls and I may be able to purchase groceries inexpensively. It's been difficult and brings tears to my eyes that you provide such help:) What a blessing to learn about your program. Thank you so much for providing such a wonderful benefit. When I start working again, I will be happy to help contribute donations and provide help with distribution to give back!

Good morning – one of your church members told me about the Taste of Grace food ministry you are operating. My husband and I are interested in participating. I searched your website for details but couldn't find answers to some of our questions. What's the scoop? How can we be involved? I'll check back when the August menu is posted. This is an awesome ministry! Thanks

Good Morning Pastor Steve, I hope this finds you healthy & well. I saw you in the lobby yesterday prior to the 10 am service and wanted to talk to you about The Taste of Grace Ministry. Sunday mornings are a busy time and you were chatting with several people and I thought it best to catch you today via email. I’ve been attending Lititz Grace for the past 2 years. I actually met you last fall at a CONNECT meeting. I’ve been praying for quite some time as to how I could serve God and utilize my passion for healthy & wellness at LGBC. When Pastor Scott announced Taste of Grace, I got very excited. I’m an Oncology Nutritionist and in the past I have taught nutrition classes as a ministry to people within the church body, to help them learn about good stewardship of the body God has blessed us all with. As a dietitian, I know that we need nutritious food to give us strength and energy and those principles are also found within God’s Word. As a part of Taste of Grace are you interested in providing any nutrition teaching in handouts or other forms to participants? I would love to provide any service I can in this area.

Hi. My wife and I were wondering if you need things like loose leaf lettuce and spinach to give to people? Let us know.

It’s clear to me that God has prepared Grace Church to reach out through the Taste of Grace ministry. He has allowed the times. He has provided the workers and prepared the hearts. And He is drawing the people. My hope and prayer for the people of Grace Church is that they would be faithful. The leadership of Taste of Grace is doing all that they know to do. We have a marketing team that is distributing brochures to places where people in need gravitate (schools, social services, fire, police, etc.). But the most effective method of getting the word out will continue to be a grassroots movement. Take literature to those you know, especially those who don’t know the Lord, those who are looking for a cause, or those who can benefit from affordable groceries. Buy boxes and take them to the desperate, widows, the fatherless. Do you have other ideas? Comment on this post or email Taste of Grace (tasteofgrace@lgbc.org).

He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8

Get yourself into position where God is moving His hand and enjoy the ride of your life!

Man Creates His "Ideal" Group Experience

A lot of what I’ve done over the past 9 months is to talk with people at Grace Church about group life and our vision for the CONNECT Ministry. Many think that groups are simply about feeling connected to Grace Church. Certainly, that is part of our desire, helping the hundreds of people who have come to Grace in the last few years become well-integrated into our church family. Of course, being a “Church of Small Groups” means so much more than that, and I will blog more fully on that in the weeks to come.

I want to talk a little about the reactions I have received, one in particular. Most people at Grace had never experienced anything like what we are currently creating in the CONNECT Ministry. And with anything new, there’s a degree of fear. Perhaps that’s too strong a word… let’s say “uncertainty.” “Who will be in my group?” “What if I don’t like them?” “Will they expect me to share the deepest hidden things in my life, the things that even make me hate myself?” “What if I’m not accepted?” The comment I get is usually, “I’m looking for a group of people who are (like me).” The “like me” is defined in a lot of different ways. Maybe it’s young couples with preschool kids. Maybe it’s 20-something singles. Maybe it’s 50-something empty nester professionals in Manheim Township who like golf and hunting and their wives make the best venison sausage you’ve ever imagined! You get the point. They want to minimize diversity in the hope that they’ll fit in. This isn’t wrong, and it is understandable.

However, it’s not God’s design for His church. Our community is intended to be profoundly diverse. God intends the world to look at our community and say, “What’s up over there? Those people shouldn’t even be talking to one another and look at the love and commitment they have among them!” It’s something that everyone desires deep in their heart, community where they can be accepted, even celebrated for who they really are, who God created them to be. No more masks. No more pretending. No more rejection. Frankly, when we think that real community can only happen when everyone is “just like me,” it demonstrates that we don’t fully appreciate that authentic Christian community is not something that we create; it is a work of God Himself.

There’s nothing wrong with getting into a group that looks a lot like you. It’s a great place to start if you’re unsure about group life and want to “test the water.” My hope is that you wouldn’t settle there for years. God’s people are not like the yacht club. They are like the Coast Guard. There are ships being tossed about mercilessly on tumultuous seas and the Coast Guard is on a rescue mission. Age, skin color, life stage, social status, language, even citizenship aren’t taken into consideration. They are people worth saving. The incredible thing about God’s people is that no one is the “right” demographic. We’ve all been adopted into this family by a gracious Father.

Take a look at this video of a man who created his “ideal” group experience. Perhaps not perfect, but perfectly safe. Enjoy...

What To Do With the Talker…

When a group first starts out, it usually takes a bit of time to get the conversation freely flowing. People need to get to know one another and become comfortable with the environment before they open up and share. How long this takes is dependent upon a number of variables and the leader of the group is generally the one who helps or hinders this process. People tend to share best when the leader models transparency, even vulnerability, for the group.

But sometimes, group members are ready to unload. Especially in our culture, people carry tremendous burdens for fear of rejection or judgment for sharing areas of their life that they are struggling with. Whether it’s a persistent temptation or a deep wound from the past, people struggle with their desire to find support and guidance in community and their anxiety over the reaction of those trusted. Group members who share quickly have determined that the benefit of sharing outweighs the risk involved. Sometimes, the disclosure is overwhelming; sometimes it’s even inappropriate.

Groups need to be aware of the struggle that the talker is dealing with and respond in an appropriate manner. Some will want to respond with God’s truth and others with His love. Both are needed! Love without truth leads to co-dependency. Truth without love usually tends to wound rather than to promote healing. These are Meeting and Moving opportunities and we need to minister like Christ to the person sharing such issues. Remember that the Lord’s harshest words were reserved for the self-righteous, not for the broken.

Sometimes, you’ll have the person who just loves to talk. Maybe it’s deep. Maybe it’s for attention. Again, the group, especially the leader, needs to allow time and space for this person to be heard, but also limit his/her time so that everyone has a chance to engage in group discussion. Often, one-on-one time outside group is necessary to explain to the over-talker that they need to be respectful of everyone’s need to be heard. When your group gets to the point of comfort and health, you can all begin to rejoice in the talker. Remember, it’s the talker who will usually help your group to reach out to others – after all, that means more people to hear him/her talk. :o)

Enjoy this clip. Often, they are just born talkers (no comments on gender!)…

Taste of Grace

Those of us who have put our faith and hope in Jesus, understand and value the grace of God in our lives. We know that the grace He has given to us is not because we deserve it, but because He loves us. Our God is a giver. He gave us His own Son. This is the reason that we are generous people – we are being made in the likeness of our Savior and He is a self-sacrificial giver.

But these are difficult economic times, both within the church and in our communities. People have lost savings, retirements, even jobs. Face it, we have experienced times of plenty in the past, but these are lean years for most and desperate times for many. And these are the times that the Lord has ordained and His message to His people remains unchanging…

You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:14-16)

So, what should be the response of the people of God to the tribulation in the world? We are to be like Jesus. How was/is Jesus? He loved people so much that He sacrificed everything to meet them right where they were, in their blindness, in their debility, in their poverty, in their depravity. And what did He do? He offered them a taste of the grace of God. So that is what we are going to do.

Taste of Grace is a food ministry that is beginning here at Grace Church this month. Through this program, we want to help people meet their need for nutritious food. This is an opportunity for us to put feet to our faith. For those in our church who are struggling, this ministry will help them feed their family. For those who have enough or even much, Taste of Grace provides opportunities to be better stewards of the blessings God has given. And for those who have no relationship with Grace Church, we have another way to show that we care because we are devoted to a God who cares.

Let me tell you about one CONNECT group that is already using this ministry opportunity. Our Lancaster group is having a Bake/Yard Sale this weekend. All of the proceeds are going toward buying food boxes for sharing in their area. Additionally, they are distributing fliers on the ministry to everyone who visits their event. They see Taste of Grace as a God-given opportunity to reach out with the Gospel of Grace to a hurting, desperate world.

Is this just about food? Of course not! It’s about rightly understanding that every person is made in the image of God, precious in His sight, and deserving of dignity. It’s about building relational bridges over which the gospel can be shared. It’s about meeting people wherever they are and using all that God has given us to help move them to where He wants them to be. It’s about Christ being formed in us. It’s about faithfulness.

For more information, visit the Taste of Grace web page (www.lgbc.org/TastofGrace.htm) or email to tasteofgrace@lgbc.org.

Taste and see that the LORD is good. Oh, the joys of those who trust in Him! Psalm 34:8