It Is Well

I’m setting in our living room on this Thanksgiving night watching the fire in the fire place, reflecting on the day and reading a little news. Wow, what a paradox! The fun family gatherings and amazing feasts of the day almost seem muted now - or maybe just matched story for story with so many accounts of pain, struggle, conflict and tragedy all around us. As I read the stories, my own story of grief and loss seemed magnified in the moment as well.  Empty places at the table today and missing conversations with those I dearly love and greatly miss felt like heavy weights around my heart all day. 

As my sadness was building my eyes were drawn to the plaque Vicky placed on our fire place mantel when we first moved here. Certainly truer words have never been written! Thank you Horatio Spafford for penning those incredible lyrics of promise and power 150 years ago from the depths of your own loss. 

Jesus was speaking to His followers in John 14 about death and loss! It had to be a heavy moment for them as He explained that very soon He would die and what that meant. Then in verse 27 he kind of shifted gears and in the midst of that despair spoke these powerful words; “Peace I leave you, my peace I give you. Not like the world gives it. So don’t allow your heart to be troubled or afraid!” 

There it is! Right smack dab in the middle of the deepest kind of grief Jesus broke through, over ruled the pain and fear and helplessness that comes with loss and replaced it with peace - real peace - heaven peace!  Then He said - That other stuff is not allowed! I love that part. It’s a part of that declaration that I sometimes overlook. That must have been what Spafford experienced after having buried all five of his children, a son from an illness 2 years earlier and 4 daughters in a ship wreck just days prior. That must have been what inspired him to write his amazing gift to us all - to me this evening!

For that promise, for that power, for that presence, for that song, how can I help but give Thanks - today and everyday!

Does a Leader's Vision Matter?

On October 29, 1941, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill visited his alma mater, Harrow School, in London, and delivered what some consider to be one of the greatest speeches of all time. Churchill had only been Prime Minister a little more than a year, having been appointed to the position by King George VI following the resignation of Neville Chamberlain.

At that time Great Britain was mired in World War II and her alliance was losing the war. In that past 2 years Germany had conquered much of continental Europe. Poland, France, Czechoslovakia and others had fallen to Hitler’s blitzkrieg and the nation was now pretty much on her own. German bombing campaigns were taking a toll on both the landscape and the morale of the people and Churchill was facing a great deal of criticism for it. Discussions were being held at high levels of the government about how to negotiate an end to the conflict.

Faced with what must have seemed like overwhelming circumstances, Churchill began his speech briefly acknowledging the "catastrophic events in the world." But after just a couple of sentences he quickly changed the tone to declare what he believed was reason for hope amid the conflict. Then, about midway through, he inserted a charge that became the hallmark of both this speech and, to some extent, his legacy:

"...never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never-in nothing, great or small, large or petty - never give in except to convictions of honor and good sense. Never yield to force; never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy."

Two months later the US had joined the alliance following Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor. Six months after that Japan's advances were halted beginning with a decisive win at the battle of Midway. A couple months later Germany was pushed back in North Africa, then defeated in Stalingrad.  By the spring of 1943 the allies had slowly gained the upper hand in the war. In less than 18 months following Winston Churchill's defiant declaration at Harrow in the face of fierce odds, the entire course of the war had changed. It took a while to finish the task but Germany surrendered in May and Japan in August of 1945 and the second world war came to a victorious end.

There were, without doubt, many factors that changed the outcome of that war. But I can't help but wonder how much Churchill's speech at Harrow School mattered in turning the tide? Did that explicit challenge to "never give in" have any affect on the morale of the soldiers? Did it inspire the British people at all? Did it impact American leadership in some way? I wonder what Churchill's enemies thought of his fanatical commitment to seemingly fight to the end? Then it begs other questions like - Just how much impact can a clear and challenging call to action from a passionate leader who is committed to the cause have on a nation? What difference can it make in an organization? To a team?

Food for thought!

Ferguson, Staten Island & Racial Unrest

The recent tragedies in Ferguson, MO and Staten Island, NY have brought new attention to the old issue of racial unrest in our country. The deaths of two African-American men, Michael Brown and Eric Garner, following altercations with white police officers, have poured fuel on a fuse that has continued burning in our communities. These terrible events, including the riots and heightened racial tensions that have followed, have caused me to wrestle with how I feel and how I should respond as a follower of Christ. Here are some thoughts.

A life lost - especially through violence - is always tragic! Our hearts go out to the families of these two men. Their worlds are forever changed and no amount of sympathy or understanding can replace what they've lost. We pray for God's peace for them in this difficult time!

I hold law enforcement in high regard and will always honor them for what they do. They put their life on the line every shift to keep order and protect us. Every traffic stop has the potential to be their last. They are the front line in our civil society. Last Saturday NYPD officers Wenjian Liu and Rafael Ramos were murdered while setting in their patrol car in Brooklyn, reportedly in retaliation for the deaths of Brown and Garner. The next day officer Charles Kondek was shot and killed while responding to a noise complaint in Tarpon Springs, Florida. Last year in the U.S. over 100 police officers were killed in the line of duty. These families have also suffered great loss and we grieve for them. They've sacrificed to help keep our communities safe. Law enforcement will always be my first call when I'm in trouble. They are not perfect people. But they deserve a high degree of respect and support for the vital job they do.

It goes without saying that it's best not to break the law. Certainly if you're approached or stopped by law enforcement, please don’t resist arrest or defy instruction. Whether you’re white or black, rich or poor, to do so will likely only escalate the encounter and rarely end well. Police have a very difficult job to do. Resisting arrest only makes that job harder and puts everyone at greater risk.

The grand juries in Ferguson and Staten Island looked at the evidence in these cases and determined no criminal charges were warranted against the officers involved. But that doesn't mean there are not significant legal, vocational, financial, emotional and personal consequences for these men. Because of these events the lives of officers Darren Wilson and Daniel Pantaleo will never be the same. Federal investigations continue for both. Civil actions seem likely. Officer Wilson has resigned from his chosen career and officer Pantaleo's actions are still under review. Our societal systems are a long way from rendering a final judgement in these matters.

I don't understand using violence against innocent people or destroying their property to make a point. Protests and demonstrations have long been the right, even the responsibility, of a free people with a grievance. But to turn those demonstrations into riots of destruction and violence makes no sense and is just plain wrong. Attacking and killing those that protect us must be considered a most grievous offense! "God, please protect those in law enforcement and surround their families with your presence during these difficult days."

Having said all that - I have to also admit that I have no context to understand the point of view of an African-American man. I have little history of being stereotyped or discriminated against. As far as I know I have no descendants that were once slaves. I wasn't raised in poverty and I've never lived in a community where the opportunity to succeed seemed almost non-existent.  I've visited those communities, usually on mission trips, and my heart broke for people that seemed trapped in despair. But the fact is I've spent most of my life around people that look, talk, think and act like me. So I have no basis to understand what many in their community experience. I don't know what they know and haven't felt what they feel. I have not walked in their shoes.

There’s little doubt that racial bias still exists in our country. Surely we've made progress over the past 150 years. But just as surely, we're no where near having eliminated it. Therefore, there is more work to do, and I have an obligation as a Christ follower and a citizen to help do it!

There seem to be forces in both the white and black communities that are dead set on perpetuating racial bigotry toward the other in our culture. I hear it in music and see it in so-called entertainment. It's evident in formal speeches of leaders and casual talk in communities. There seems to be those in the black community that want to keep racial unrest alive and well. Some may even benefit from it. There are certainly those in the white community that talk shamefully of “White Pride” and encourage discrimination, bigotry and even violence. I love our first amendment right to free speech and will always defend it. But these fringe voices need to be marginalized and their messages drowned out if we are to live by the declarations of our nation that all men are created equal and that we are one nation, under God.

2 Corinthians 5:16-20 says... "Because of [our new life in Christ] we don’t evaluate people by what they have or how they look. We looked at the Messiah that way once and got it all wrong, as you know. We certainly don’t look at him that way anymore. Now we look inside... All this comes from the God who settled the relationship between us and him, and then called us to settle our relationships with each other." [The Message]

This is a message to all Christ followers! God's heart calls us to listen to our African-American brothers and sisters in Christ that are telling us they're hurting. We must work to understand their fears and disappointments and then address the causes of those. We must preach, teach, model and live reconciliation and continue working to heal wounds. We must speak up and stand up, while telling the voices of bias and bigotry to shut up or pack up!

And finally - the church must push back against social injustice wherever it’s seen, whatever color it displays and whatever language it uses. Whether it’s human trafficking, extreme poverty, religious persecution or racial discrimination - we must battle against oppression and work to create a culture where every life is valued. We must live out the message of Micah 6:8 "He has shown you, O mortal, 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."  This is a time for the church to shine - reflecting the heart of God that sees all men and women as prized creations made in His image.

Making Vision Reality

Every leader knows the importance of vision to an organization. With out it the endeavor will flounder and its people will be passionless and ineffective, resulting in mediocrity at best and out right failure at worst.

Unfortunately there is often a disconnect between the vision statement that an organization "adopts" and the practical day-to-day activities of its people. The vision itself can be good and right and even well stated, yet struggle to penetrate the organizational culture and therefore influence how the organization functions.

This morning I was inspired on that subject by an excerpt from Dr. John Maxwell's book "The 17 Indisputable Laws of Teamwork" that was cited in my devotional email from Equip. In this short writing Dr. Maxwell starts down a path that leads to operationalizing vision within any organization.

"Arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them-the children of Israel. Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you, as I said to Moses." Joshua 1:2-3

People need to be shown the team's vision clearly, creatively, and continually. Whenever I endeavor to cast vision with the members of my team, I use the following checklist. I try to make sure that every vision message possesses the following:

• Clarity: brings understanding to the vision (answers what the people must know and what you want them to do) 

• Connectedness: brings the past, present, and future together 

• Purpose: bring direction to the vision 

• Goals: bring targets to the vision 

• Honesty: brings integrity to the vision and credibility to the vision-caster 

• Stories: bring relationships to the vision 

• Challenge: brings stretching to the vision 

• Passion: brings fuel to the vision 

• Modeling: brings accountability to the vision 

• Strategy: brings process to the vision

Excerpt from The 17 Indisputable Laws of Teamwork

For vision to be realized it has to make its way into an organization's culture and continually inspire its people. For that to happen the vision needs to show up everywhere. From stories to strategies, actions to emails, in conversations and presentations -- when most everything a leader says and does connects back to the vision that dream can begin to take hold. Otherwise the vision statement might look good on the letterhead but that's about all it can do.

Submit to God-Given Authority

This excerpt from The Maxwell Leadership Bible caught my attention this morning. It's one of those teachings that's sometimes hard and sometimes easy - depending on whose authority we're under. Yet there's no exception or caveat provided.

"Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves."  Romans 13:1-2

"Paul gets practical in how to apply our beliefs to our lives by challenging us to submit to God-given authorities. For children, this means parents; for adults, this means leaders in government, the workplace, and the church."

"Why should we submit? Is it because these leaders are the smartest, most reliable individuals on earth? No. God simply provides us with an authority test. Before we will ever become leaders of integrity, we must learn to follow other leaders, regardless of differences. In fact, the acid test of character comes when we disagree with legitimate authorities. When we refuse to demand our own way and instead submit to others, our hearts are right. This is when God can trust us to lead others."

Of course the trick is in balancing honor and submission with advocacy when we disagree with an authority over us. Is there room for conscientious objection and even defiance? What about on moral or Bibical grounds? Perhaps - but it's dangerous territory to be sure. As Maxwell points out - the larger work is the development of our own character. So there is a clear burden we bear here. While we defend values and advocate for principles and conventions we believe in, we must also maintain appropriate honor, respect and submission to those in charge. Even if while doing so we are praying for the completion of their tenure. 

Team Building & Cardinals Baseball

Well it's happened again. The Saint Louis Cardinals have won another NL pennant - their 19th overall and 4th in the last 10 years. They are in the post-season this year for the 10th time in the last 14 years. How do they do it? In an era of free-agency, salary caps and the resulting high mobility of players, how do they continue to put together winning teams year after year?

As I was thinking about that I remembered a discussion at work a couple weeks ago. Our Operations Team was talking about hiring practices and building teams. The question then was very similar - how do we continue building a winning team in all of the various departments throughout our organization? In that conversation we identified 5 C words to pay attention to when choosing people. Now that I think about it, those 5 C's of Team Building can be seen in most any organization, business, or church that is successful over a long period of time -- just like the Cardinals.

1. Character - In the long run it doesn't matter how much a person knows or how good they are at their job. If they don't  live with honesty and integrity, if they're not dependable, if you can't trust what they say and do, if they continually put their own interests ahead of the team's or organization's, if they're not ethical in their dealings, both on and off the job, they will eventually cause more pain than profit. More often than not teams that consistently "win" are made up of men and women of high character and a strong moral core.

2. Chemistry - How many times have we seen very talented teams fall apart at the end of a season, only to learn later of the chaos and discord in the locker room. Every coach knows that good team chemistry is critical to long term success. When team members like and respect each other, trust each other and have shared values and organizational goals, they tend to support each other's efforts. That collaboration produces a synergy that multiplies the team's effectiveness and overall performance. Conversely, as my grandpa used to say, "one bad apple can spoil the whole barrel." Bad chemistry is toxic to a team.

3. Competence - Winning teams have talent. Even the greatest coach in the world can't win without players that can play.  Average skills will usually produce average results. Highly competent and highly skilled team members can not only perform at a high level themselves, but their work often raises the performance of others as well.

4.  Calling - In vocational ministry a divine calling is a given. Men and women hear the whisper of God in their heart and that calling fuels their efforts. But a calling, or a passion, or an intrinsic desire to go to work can make a big difference to every person in every job. Whether it's because they like the product, support the mission, believe God has called them to the work, or just enjoy the task or the challenge or the people or the culture, when a person likes their job they are simply more effective at it.

5.  Capacity - One of the keys to the Cardinals success this season has been the development of their "home grown" talent. Over half of their World Series roster came up through their minor league system. When assessing talent, a couple great questions to consider are:  "How good could this person be in a few years?" and "How much can I grow them?" Finding raw or baseline talent that is both teachable and full of potential can provide a winning edge to any team or organization.

Go Birds!

Random Thoughts about Death, Life, Moms & Friends

We buried mom this week. She would have been 73 next month. It had been 11+ years since a massive stroke robbed her of most of the faculties that I take for granted. Much of that time she spent in and out of hospitals or rehab and nursing facilities. Last Tuesday morning she was finally set free from that nearly dead body and today is with Jesus! Thank you God! On this Saturday morning after I'm thinking about several things...

Moms
Mom loved her kids... all 3 of us. No matter her circumstances she always cared and provided for us - sometimes working 3 jobs to do it. Growing up I thought moms loving their kids was a given. But after years of working with children at camps, on mission projects and in schools I'm aware that's not true. There are simply way too many kids navigating life without a mom's love and way too many moms abandoning what has to be one of life's greatest callings. Thank you mom for your great and enduring love!

Death
It stinks! Figuratively, literally, absolutely, conclusively! No matter how long or how severe a disability is it seems we are never completely ready for a loved life to end. Yet ready or not...! Even as I had prayed for mom to be freed from her awful condition I always sensed that I was not quite ready to say goodbye. I was right. And that's all I have to say about that!

Hope
While I may not have been ready to say goodbye - mom was certainly ready for death! Not only was she way past tired of that broken body, mom also had a rock solid conviction about her future in the next life! She believed passionately in the promises of Holy Scripture summed up in these two declarations: "...to live is Christ and to die is gain" (Phillipians 1:21) and "To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord" (2 Corinthians 5:8) She was a life-long follower of Jesus Christ and because of that she knew that the life she has today would be far, far better than the one she had last week! And because I share her belief and have committed my life to Christ I'll see her again someday in Heaven. So really my goodbye is more like a "I'll see you later mom." In fact, that's exactly what I said the last time I spoke to her last Sunday!

Heaven
I'm not really sure what it's like. The Bible is crystal clear on some things. Like that it's reserved for those who trust their life to Jesus Christ and commit to following Him. But it seems foggy on other matters with only snap shots and blurry glimpses of that reality. Maybe God knew we couldn't handle knowing much more. Streets of gold? Mansions? Crowns? Singing? Whoa - now if that one's for real then mom's right at home. She loved music! She had an absolutely beautiful voice and was an accomplished pianist - both of which the stroke robbed her of. Yet even though in her later years she struggled to form the simplest single words in conversation, she somehow could sing along in complete phrases while listening to her favorite gospel songs. I bet I know what she'll be doing for the next thousand years or so!

Life
When mom went to the nursing home we all knew that would be her final residence in this life. A few weeks after she went there she and I were talking one day and she seemed so sad. The nursing staff had told me that she wouldn't eat or respond much. (btw - that staff of nurses and aids at Lake Point in Augusta, KS were incredible in the way they cared for mom and loved on her.) As we talked I remember hearing a God whisper to encourage her to find a ministry. So I told her something like - "Mom, the only way you'll ever find joy in this place is if you first give it to others. This place is full of hurting people. Find a way to serve them - even with your disability. Give them some joy and I promise God will give you back more than you give."

To be honest I never really knew how she did with that. She usually seemed sad when I visited, crying when I arrived and when I left. But at the funeral one of her nurses shared that mom was considered the resident greeter. Evidently she was always at the front door in her wheelchair smiling and acknowledging folks as they came in. I knew she was usually there when I arrived but I thought she was just waiting for me. Then came these words from the nurse: "She had a smile that would light up the room and always wanted to make others smile." Wow - way to go mom! And thanks for reminding ME! I won't forget.

 Friends
A few days before mom died my sister had called to tell us mom wasn't doing well. I called my brother, told our daughter and son, let a few friends know, and then we all headed to Kansas to be with her. From that moment on we began receiving texts, calls, Facebook messages, cards and emails from so many friends, family and co-workers. They were coming in literally from all over the world. Each offered their prayers and support. It has been so encouraging and we have felt so loved.

Mom's funeral was planned to be a small grave-side service. We all anticipated that it'd be mostly immediate family and maybe a couple of life-long friends. Before the service we gathered at a little Methodist church for lunch before heading out to the cemetery. As we sat down to eat I looked up and almost couldn't believe it as extended family and friends I hadn't seen for years began to show up. How did they know? Where did they hear? We felt so honored and again so loved. We didn't eat much but oh what a great time it was to reconnect.

When we arrived at the cemetery we stepped out of the car into a cold January-in-Kansas wind. It was about 20 degrees and we were all bundled up. As we walked toward the grave we suddenly noticed that even more had arrived at the cemetery for the service. My co-pastors at NorthBridge had driven 4 hours one-way from Springfield to stand in near zero windchill weather for a 30 minute service. Others had traveled from all around the area. We were overwhelmed and again felt so loved and supported!

I have a fresh understanding of why God urges us not to get lazy, as we're so inclined to do, and forsake connecting and encouraging each other (Hebrew 10:25 MG version). During this past week we have felt so encouraged by our families, friends, co-workers, those we see daily and those we haven't seen in some time. God has used them all to bless us during this difficult time!

On Mission at Pan-Am Games

Last week Vicky and I returned from a mission trip to Guadalajara, Mexico where the 2011 Pan-American games were taking place. Our brothers and sisters in the Emmanuel Baptist Convention there were launching a major evangelistic effort in conjunction with the games. We went with a team of 17 from Greene County Baptist Association - 6 from NorthBridge and 11 from 6 other churches in the association. Our mission was to work side-by-side with our Mexican friends to share the message of hope in Christ Jesus.

Mission trips have always provided "spiritual marker" moments in my life and this one was no exception. First,  the team itself was incredible. They are rock solid men and women of God with a passion for proclaiming the name and fame of Jesus Christ! It was so much fun to get to know them and serve for 8 days together. They taught me a great deal about faith, love and sharing the message of God's grace. The ages of our team ranged from mid 40's to mid 80's and it was so cool to watch those well beyond retirement age laying it all on the line to advance the Kingdom of God in another culture.  Plus, having crossed the 50's line myself a year or so back and working with a lot of young church planters these days, it was nice to be in the younger half of the age spectrum for a change :)

As for the people, the pastors, and the churches of Guadalajara - they are amazing! God is clearly at work through them drawing this unreached part of the world to Himself. Written words are simply not enough to tell you this God story. You need to see pictures and video and hear the sounds of the city. Actually you need to experience what God is doing there for yourself. But that's another post for another time. In the meanwhile watch, celebrate, and please pray for the people and the churches of Guadalajara.

GIC2011 and more

What a great GIC2011. From the Opening Ceremony to the small group gatherings, serving projects and Sunday’s Celebration services, God certainly used our missionary and ministry friends to help us see more of His heart. I am so proud to be a part of a church that embraces God’s global mission.

We spend a lot of time encouraging each other to share Christ with friends, family, neighbors and co-workers. We talk regularly about keeping our antenna raised to opportunities for spiritual conversations and about offering simply invites to church, group gatherings, and events. But God’s heart is for the world – all people – everywhere - not just Americans or those of us in southwest Missouri. And He’s chosen us for the 21st century. Unlike generations before us every church, every person can not only share Christ with their neighbor but can also have a global impact by helping declare the message hope in Christ worldwide.

If you’re a NorthBridger and haven’t yet indicated what God whispered to you last week about praying, going, and giving over the next 18 months, please use the GIC feedback card to share that with us. Those cards will be available again Sunday. Just fill one out and drop it in the offering box in the Giving Center. Later we'll share what God has said to all of us together as a church.

A huge thanks goes out to Lisa Holbert and our GIC team. It took an army of volunteers working in the areas prayer, hospitality, guest relations, technology, students, children, small groups, serving projects, meals, worship, and more. Thank you ! Thank you! Thank you! Only heaven knows the full impact of your service to Him and the church these past several months.

Sunday, October 23, we are going to launch a new teaching series that I'm very excited about. During this teaching we'll talk about what happens when this life is over. This series, called “What’s Next,” will explore what the Bible says about death, judgment, Heaven, & Hell. What’s true, what have we made up, what does the Bible say and what doesn’t it say? We’ll explore these questions and more during these 4 weeks. This would be a great series to invite a friend or co-worker to church with you. Maybe offer to take them to lunch after church and pray for them during this series that their heart would be open to God.

Don’t forget our Trunk or Treat party on Halloween night. This is always a huge community event for children and families on our parking lot. We’ll have rides, games, food, and lots of candy – and it’s all FREE. Invite all the families you know to this fun and safe Halloween alternative. Ed & Paulette Kitterman lead our terrific team of volunteers for this big event. If you can provide a game, serve food, park cars, or serve in any way that evening let them know by signing up this Sunday in the Café area. Maybe your small group would team up to provide a game. Come in costume or just be your self – but don’t miss this evening of fun and ministry!

Don’t forget to pray our mission team sharing Christ right now at the Pan American games in Mexico. We're looking forward to bringing a full report of what God has done through this evangelism effort.

It's an honor to serve our great God and Savior Jesus Christ with such a incredible church!

Blessings!
Pastor Michael

The Death of Bin Laden

Sunday, May 1, 2011 will likely be one of those days we remember for a while. If not the date then certainly the experience of hearing for the first time that America's military had found and killed our most wanted terrorist. I was sitting in my living room with my wife and our son who had stopped by for a visit. Suddenly our son looked up from his Blackberry and said it looked like Bin Laden was dead and President Obama was about to address the nation.

While we watched and waited for the president to speak a couple thoughts kept running through my mind. How am I supposed to feel right now? What should my reaction be? Now I knew what my initial reaction was - a mixture of satisfaction and joy sprinkled with a small measure of relief. What I didn't know was whether it was the right reaction or the best response as a Christ Follower. Then I began to wonder if my brain was trying to over analyze the situation. It does that occasionally.

After the president spoke I consulted the Twitter world and my Face Book friends to see what others were thinking. I thought about tweeting myself but after composing a couple different statements and deleting them I decided to wait a bit to pray and process what we were all experiencing. So here I am - the next day - sorting through a variety of thoughts and feelings and forming a few opinions in the process:

1. Justice has been done. America's most notorious enemy has been defeated. What made Bin Laden's behavior so evil in the eyes of the civilized world was that many of his murderous acts were against the most innocent in society. 9-11 was the biggest but certainly not the only example of that. Not only did he indiscriminately kill civilians including women and children, but he used women and children as human weapons to do it. War is one thing - murder is another entirely. He was a self-confessed, global mass murderer on whom society appropriately imposed the ultimate penalty.
   
   
2. One of the primary responsibilities of government is to protect its people. Logic follows and history confirms that the best way to do that is from a position of strength. When an enemy attacks a society that society better respond and be able to impose significant consequences on the enemy. Otherwise they invite more attacks from other enemies and will eventually fail in that primary obligation. This doctrine of deterrence has proven throughout history to be an effective strategy for maintaining peace and keeping societies safe from invaders. Bringing Bin Laden and his cohorts to justice is a part of that on-going effort.
   
   
3. Heaven does not celebrate the death of any person who dies without the hope of Christ. Therefore, as a follower of Jesus Christ, neither can I. Now I can't know Bin Laden's heart. But his words and actions indicated that he didn't know the one true God through faith in Jesus Christ. The Bible is crystal clear on this point. Without Christ we are all lost to God for eternity. That's why God is incredibility patient and not willing that any should perish but that all should come to know Him through repentance (2 Peter 3:9). I know the Bible is full of stories of God bringing judgement and even death on the enemies of His people and those who oppose Him. But no where in those stories do I see God celebrating those deaths. Heaven does not open and angels don't burst into dancing and singing when people die without Christ - regardless of who they are or what they've done. In fact, I believe that Heaven morns the loss of another soul to Satan and Hell for eternity.

6 Things I Love about Kingdom Leaders

As I write this we are set to launch our 2nd Global Impact Celebration at NorthBridge. It's a time when missionaries and ministry leaders come to our campus for 5 days to share their stories. These experiences are like few others for me. They stir my soul and energize my mind. I think I just love being around Kingdom leaders like these - partly because of 6 words...

1. Calling - People don't do what these men and women do without an awareness of God's call on their life. A single life, acting out of a divine calling from a Holy God, is a powerful force for good in this evil world.

2. Mission - Their cause is Jesus' cause - people. It's not about buildings or dollars. They are reaching into the pit of Hell itself and reclaiming souls. They are running into the face brokenness to bring wholeness. They are on the front lines of an unseen war, battling the enemy of God for every single life. They know why they get out of bed in the morning. Because every life matters... to God... and therefore to them!

3. Passion - When Kingdom leaders talk about their work I feel their passion. Whether telling of triumph or heartbreak their stories are punctuated with emotion. Their work matters - and they are sold out to it. This is no 9-5 gig. This is real life and heart and eternity stuff. It touches their soul... and it touches mine.

4.  Character - In spite of isolated exceptions, Kingdom leaders are the most honest, authentic, and hard working people on the planet. They know they represent Christ to the world. Even though they're still human and mess up, they work hard at living with integrity and discipline. While others are fighting for position and possessions these men and women put a serving towel over their arm and ask what needs done.

5. Risk - Kingdom work is hard and playing it safe won't get it done. Helping the hurting and bringing hope to the lost requires sacrifice and innovation. It means trying and failing and learning and trying something else. It means risking relationships and reputation. Sometimes it means putting life itself on the line. But Kingdom leaders believe the cause is worth the risk!

6.  Blessing - Kingdom leaders make God smile! Like a child that brings joy to a parent, God loves those willing to trust and serve Him. He blesses those who work for peace and show compassion. He empowers those who lay it all on the line to show and tell of His great love. He rewards those faithful to His calling. Simply put, God loves Kingdom leaders. And, frankly, I like hanging out with folks who please God.

Social Media - The New Neighborhood?

Some time ago I started getting emails from people inviting me to join their favorite social networking site. Most of the time I just hit the delete button. Then one day, after some prodding from my kids, I decided to join one just to see what all the fuss was about.

You know those movies where the magician waves his hand, there's a pop and a puff of smoke, and something that wasn't there suddenly is? Well it wasn't quite like that... but close. Today I find myself "updating my status" and leaving comments on Face Book several times a day. I'm tweeting and following tweets, blogging, instant messaging, and having more interactions with a greater number of people than ever before.

This week I've instant messaged with a couple of friends across the country that I hadn't talked to for years, used Skype to talk with another friend working in eastern Europe (complete with video), and discovered a close family relative on Face Book who I didn't even know existed. That's just this week. So what's going on here? Is this just some crazy fade I've fallen into? Check out this YouTube presentation from the folks at Socialnomics.



It seems to me that the concept of "neighborhood" may be changing. In my grandparents day they would walk down the street to the corner market, pausing and talking with a half dozen neighbors along the way. They'd stop in to check on Mrs. Smith who'd been ill and they'd wave as they passed Mr. Jones mowing his yard. Just that quick drop-in or smile and wave said volumes about those relationships. They were friends - more than just acquaintances. They were neighbors!
In many ways that's what this new network of connections feels like to me. When someone pushes the "like" button on my status or leaves a comment on one of my postings it feels like a high five from a friend... like that wave to a neighbor that means 'I might be over later to borrow your lawn mower.'

If this social media is in fact a new 'neighborhood' culture I have to say that I like living here... a lot! The ability to open my smart phone and check to see what my friends are up to at any time is pretty cool. I can read their comments and respond with my own 24/7/365. It's a feeling of continual connectedness - of authentic and, maybe more importantly, ongoing community.

So what are the implications of this new type of connectedness? In my world I'm wondering what opportunities and what challenges this presents for organizational leaders and for the church? How does it impact the way we mentor and coach and teach? Does it change the way we think about groups, classes, community, or even our scope of influence? How might outreach and marketing be different and what impact does this new neighborhood have on ministry? Those are just a few of the many questions I'm processing.

Now I'm wondering what my new "neighbors" think about all this! Because my lawn mower really is broken again. 

Help! I Need Somebody.

Do you recognize those words? Help, I need somebody. Help, not just anybody. Help, you know I need someone. Help! In 1965 those lyrics gave The Beatles yet another #1 hit in both the U.S. and the U.K. They were written by John Lennon at a time when he was struggling to deal with the rapid rise of success. "I was fat and depressed and I was crying out for 'Help'," Lennon later told a magazine. Those words were the "first crack in the protective shell" that Lennon had built around himself, wrote Ian MacDonald.

Recently I've been reading and teaching from the book Life's Healing Choices by John Baker. Interestingly Baker points out that those very words are the doorway to a life-changing journey toward healing and wholeness. In fact they are absolute requirements to experiencing freedom from what Rick Warren calls the "hurts, hang-ups, and habits" that keep us stressed out, drained, depressed, and hopeless.

For all of us, that act of saying "Help! I need somebody" is an acknowledgement that we're not really super heroes and that we don't have all the answers. They bring to light what we work hard to keep hidden - that we're really broken, inside at least, and that we can't fix ourselves. They declare what God and everyone else around us already know - that we're really not God.

I'm learning that this idea of playing God is as old as the Garden of Eden. In the beginning God said to man about Eden (I'm paraphrasing here of course) 'All of this is for you. Enjoy. Have at it. Just one thing I ask. So that I know and you know you're choosing to love and obey me, stay away from this one tree. Just the one! Don't eat its fruit. But all the rest is yours.' Then the enemy, Satan, appeared and said - 'It's ok. Take a bit. It's good. And if you eat it you'll be like God.' So they ate it. And we've been trying to be God ever since.

"Help! I Need Somebody" is a great declaration that we finally realize we're not God and that we really do need Him to guide our lives. It is the starting line for every kind of healing and recovery journey. Of course it's one thing to acknowledge our need. It's another thing entirely to be willing to receive help. The world is filled with people who know they are hurting and empty but just aren't ready to receive the hope they need.

But just uttering those words can convey a willingness to change direction. When spoken with broken awareness of our desperate need they act as an invitation to change us, to make us different, to make us whole.

When I was younger, so much younger than today, I never needed anybody's help in anyway. But now these days are gone, I'm not so self assured, Now I find I've changed my mind, I've opened up the doors.

And that, of course, is the point of the help and the hope that God offers. It sets us on a new path, in a new direction, with new life in Him. Jesus repeatedly said "cast your cares on me," follow my ways and learn of me," "I've come to give you new life."

Help! I Need Somebody are the words that help us begin to change course, to stop pretending, to stop hiding, and to stop the hurting. They are words of pause and of openness. They are words of surrender. But they are also words of acceptance, of attention, of willingness to take one step and then another and another in a new direction. They are words that open up closed doors and allow the healing grace of God to penetrate deep into our pain, our sorrows, our emptiness, our soul. That's why Lennon's words really are a loud message of hope whether he knew it or not.

Help me if you can, I'm feeling down. And I do appreciate you being 'round. Help me get my feet back on the ground. Won't you please, please help me? Help me. Help me.

Sounds like a great pray to me. One that we all need. One that I've prayed... again... today!

In God We Trust

Like everyone else I've been paying attention to the financial world these days. What a mess! The Dow is dropping like a rock, the President is on T.V. talking crisis, banks are failing, and Congress is spending hundreds of billions (that's with a B) on a big chunk of our private financial sector - which doesn't seem like a good thing in a free-market economy.

So how am I supposed to be feeling right now? Should I be worried? Scared? Depressed? Angry? Should I take action? And if so, do what? Or should I sit tight - and what exactly does that mean?

I was thinking about all this the other day when I took a dollar bill out of my pocket to pay for something and noticed the backside. It had four words printed on it that I had almost forgotten were there... IN GOD WE TRUST. And in that moment I got some sense of clarity about all this.

In the Bible in Acts 27 the apostle Paul and others are sailing along when suddenly they are caught in a major hurricane that threatened their life. Now that sounds like a great metaphor for what we're experiencing in the markets. When I read that story again I realized that their experience provides some insight for us as we navigate through this storm. In fact, that story addresses the most basic questions I have right now: How did we get here? What should I NOT do? And What SHOULD I do?

First, HOW DID WE GET HERE?
Just flip on the news. A lot of folks have opinions about that and probably few of them are completely correct. It does seem complicated. But Paul's story about his storm isn't so much. It tells us (vs 9-11) that for starters, they had LISTENED TO THE WRONG COUNSELORS. "... Paul warned them... But they followed the advice of (others)..."

Does that sound familiar? The Bible is full of teachings about carefully handling money, being responsible and accountable, not over-extending, meeting our needs but also being generous in helping others and advancing Kingdom causes. But often times haven't we tended to listen more to other voices? The ones that say, "Buy now & pay later," "You deserve this," "It's only fair," "Everyone else has one" and "You can be generous when you have more."

The Bible is also pretty clear about chosing our decision makers wisely. But once again we have tended to select those in authority over us, not on the basis of biblical principles or evidence of Godly character and integrity and values. But instead, based on what they promise us, how they make us feel, or which party they're in. So now many of our most prominent national leaders navigating us through this storm are the same bunch that led us here in the first place by not paying attention to God's ways. Yep - it seems that, like Paul's story, we've probably listened to the wrong voices.

Paul's story also says that they got caught in the storm because they just FOLLOWED THE CROWD (vs 12)! That sounds about right. Everyone is living this way, buying houses and stuff we can't really afford, spending those credit cards that come in the mail everyday. Credit's easy and every one's doing it. It's the American way, right? Forgetting, of course, that the crowd is rarely right and that God's ways are different from man's ways. That we're to be responsible for our own actions. That Christ-followers are to be salt and light in the world, to set the example, to be different - even peculiar.

So how did we get here? How did our nation's ecomony get in such a mess? Corporate greed? Sure - partly. But that alone comes up a bit short don't you think? After all, greed is not a new sin. It's been around a while. Corrupt officials? Absolutely - some of it. There is plenty of evidence that many in congress have been protecting and collecting from Fannie, Freddie, and others they were "overseeing" and whose collapse seems to have triggered this mess. And we'll probably put some of them in charge again.

But maybe, just maybe, a big part of the problem is us - citizens of America. Even more specifically - Christian citizens. Oh, it's not that we shouldn't buy houses or cars or take vacations. But maybe we have become so comfortable with living in this land of affluence, and so confident in our human financial systems, that we forgotten where our abundance came from in the first place. Maybe we've become so self-sufficient that the foundational truth that our founders boldly stamped on our currency really no longer applies.

Maybe, then, to learn fully who is responsible we need to also take a peak in the mirror. And while doing so, to humbly tell God, as individuals and on behalf of our nation, that we're sorry. Maybe the way back starts by owning some responsibility for taking God's blessings for granted and moving away from dependance on Him. Then, of course, we should probably set out to choose and behave differently.

Now the doing differently part - that's going to take some work. But to start with I've taken one of those dollar bills and placed it face down on my desk. Every day now that eagle and that weird looking eye stare at me, as if to see if I'm still paying attention to their most important message - That it's not In our money we trust, In Wall Street we trust, In our 401k we trust, or even In government we trust. It is, it always has been, IN GOD WE TRUST.

Is this an Election Season?

Wow - can you say POLITICAL CAMPAIGN! Between the ads, pundits, campaign calls, and polling surveys it's starting to feel like we've been in this election season for... oh about 3 years now. BUT HANG IN THERE! Don't get too tired and turn off completely. Voting is way too important in a free democratic society like ours. I know you’ve heard it before but it’s true – voting is a great privilege! So tough it out, get informed, and plan to vote wisely. Ok, that's my mini-sermon for today.

Seriously, as you know there are some very important positions to be elected this year. So in case you're still trying to figure it all out here are some tools to help you.

1. If you're not yet registered - then GET REGISTERED RIGHT AWAY! The deadline is October 8. Here is a link to the Secretary of State's office where you can print out a registration form and mail it in. Also, here's a link to CitizenLink.com, a profamily organization run by Focus on the family. There you can register right on line and hit send.

2. If you're confused about the Presidential candidates here are a couple of resources. About six weeks ago both candidates participated in a Civil Forum at Saddleback Church in California. They each answered the same questions posed by Pastor Rick Warren. Here is a link to watch the entire hour and a half Saddleback Civil Forum. It's very informative about the key policy positions and personal values of both candidates. Plus here is a link to watch small sections of the forum broken down by individual questions.

3. At the CitizenLink.com site you can also find out information about state & federal legislators and candidates for state offices.

4. On Sunday, November 2, I'll be sharing a message titled "The Kind of Leadership America Needs." It's based on a message given by Rick Warren to his church following their Civil Forum. Don't worry - I'm not going to be telling folks how to vote. (They wouldn't listen even if I did!) But I will help us examine what the Bible teaches about how to choose leaders. We'll close the service by spending time praying for our nation and for the election.

So I encourage you to get registered (if you're not already), get informed, pray, and be a part of the process. God blessed us so much by choosing that we would live in this nation - at this time in history! Don’t blow it by not helping to select our leaders.