A Red Dot Sermon

What in the world is A Red Dot Sermon?

Something that fits for the first Sunday of a new year.

Something that fits as we celebrate the church's response to What Child Is This?

Something we'll do together on January 2, 2011.

Sunday.

8:30. 10. 11:30.

Conversation & Posture

A couple of people have let me know in a loving way that I sometimes talk to people while backing up, walking away from them.

That's really bad.

It conveys all the wrong messages: I'm too busy, I'm doing something else, I'd rather be somewhere else, I don't have time.

Yuck.

So I've been thinking about the balls of my feet . . . as in leaning forward on my feet while engaged in conversation. It's awfully hard to back up and lean forward at the same time.

Maybe then I'll convey some right messages: I've got time, This matters, I'm glad to be right here.

The Creed

Since church was snowed out this past Sunday, I briefly watched a televised service from another, more liturgical church in our area (they cancelled for 12.26 as well; this was a re-broadcast from back on a snow-free day in November).

As part of the liturgy, the congregation stood and recited the Apostles' Creed together.

Three thoughts came immediately to mind: 1) thank God for the brave and wise souls who compiled the creed in antiquity; 2) this is really the Christian Pledge of Allegiance; and 3) we need to use it more in our services and sermons.

In terms of the translation to use, the Creed is much like the 23rd Psalm: the older, the better. It's one of those pieces that sound more majestic and poetic in the king's English. So here goes:

I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth.

And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy catholic Church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting. AMEN.

Top Five Tuesday -- Top Five Signs Of "Big People"

I once heard Jack Hayford -- long time pastor of The Church On The Way in Van Nuys, CA and the author of the contemporary hymn Majesty -- say this about growing a church:

You don't want to grow a big church. You want to grow big people.

I like that concept.

And I saw much evidence of "big people" -- people living unselfish, Spirit-filled lives -- in our Christmas Eve celebrations. Here are the Top Five:

5. Parents teaching their children the value of sacrificial giving at a young age by taking them to the altar to present their offerings to What Child Is This.

4. Volunteers who gave up their Christmas Eve to work in the decidedly un-glamorous ministries of welcoming, blessing seats, candle wax removal, and crowd control.

3. Staffers who approached me throughout the night with the question that is music to a pastor's ears: "What do you need me to do?"

2. The brilliance of the actors at the 5:00 G-Force children's experience and the skill of the musicians at the 7:00 and 9:00 praise and worship services.

1. Most remarkably, we had a team of people host our Room In The Inn ministry on Christmas Eve. RITI is a ministry with and for our homeless neighbors in Charlotte, and each Friday night during the winter we house 12-14 people who have no other lodging. It takes between 20 and 30 volunteers to pull off a RITI night. This year -- again, on Christmas Eve -- we had two young men with small children volunteer to spend the night at church and we had another crew of people come in early on Christmas morning to serve breakfast and clean up. Big people indeed.

5, 7, and 9

So this is Christmas.

At 5:00 this evening we'll have a high-octane Family Celebration with music, drama, and word coming from our G-Force Children's Team. Having seen the rehearsal, you can expect to be blown away.

Then at both 7:00 and 9:00 we'll host Candlelight Praise and Worship. The focus of our conversation will continue to be Luke 4:19 -- "He has sent me . . . to set the oppressed free."

Since that's what Jesus does, that's what we'll do: set oppressed people free.

So the Christmas Eve service will culminate with an offering (Yes! An offering on Christmas Eve!) in support of our partners at the International Justice Mission, a world-wide organization dedicated to freeing victims of the modern day slave trade.

Based on how this church has already responded, I can't wait to see what will happen on this Holy Night.

Appealing To People's Best

The first results are in from last Sunday's What Child Is This offering in support of the fight against the global slave trade and human trafficking.

And they're pretty spectacular.

When we combine them with the offering we'll receive on Christmas Eve for the same cause, well ... I think we'll all be amazed.

I've had a couple of people mention to me that they had some anxiety about the series -- it's a heavy subject, the appeal for money is overt and unfiltered, and it's so different from our ghosts of Christmas past at Good Shepherd.

Yet I think this project will prove yet again something powerful about the people of this church: when you invite them to "live large," to live a life on behalf of others rather than self, they invariably respond in big, beautiful ways.

It's all about appealing to what is best in people.

Look for more of that on Christmas Eve.

The Theology Of Colin Cowherd

As a lot of you know, Colin Cowherd is far and away my favorite radio personality. He is smart, funny, and provocative.

And he is also defiantly non-religious.

So he'd be surprised that I title a post after his own theology.

But I do so because almost every day Cowherd says something so wise and so revealing that it could come straight from the book of Proverbs.

Yesterday it was this:

If you resent success you'll never achieve it.

Doesn't that one deserve a chapter and verse? Proverbs 32:1, if you will?

And the truth of that saying speaks more to pastors -- people like me! -- than anyone else. I can't think of any vocation with more peer-to-peer resentment than parish ministry.

I've been on both sides of it -- the resenter and the resented.

I'm praying I'll learn to celebrate rather than resent the success of others.

Then maybe, just maybe, there'll be more in my own life to celebrate as well.

Top Five Tuesday -- Top Five NFL Helmets

One of the best Christmas presents I ever received was a football uniform when I was six years old.

One of the best I ever gave was a football uniform -- to Riley, when he was six years old. It was of his favorite team. (See below.)

So it got me thinking . . . what are my favorite NFL helmets? Which helmets combine both "classic" and "cool" so that I'm drawn to the design, if not necessarily to the team wearing them?

Just so you know -- when I was young, I was so into football helmets that I thought Vikings were birds because Minnesota's helmet design looks like wings.

Anyway, here goes . . .

5. Indianapolis Colts. I like the colors, the simplicity, and the fact that the design endured the move from Baltimore to Indianapolis.



4. St. Louis Rams. See above, though the move was from LA to St. Louis. The design always struck me as menacing and powerful.



3. Denver Broncos. When the Broncos switched uniforms before the 1997 season, the new look was widely criticized. Then they won the next two Super Bowls and you never heard complaints again. I love the mix of colors and movement in this one. Plus, now I can see this on Tim Tebow.



2. Dallas Cowboys. Classic, clean, iconic. Doesn't hurt that they were my boyhood heroes. This is one that should never change.



1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Just. Plain. Cool. They switched to this design in the late 90s (away from a God-awful, pastel-colored, sword-eating, faux pirate) and Riley was hooked. They're still his favorite team. While I don't like the team in the way he does, I've got to admit that the uniforms can't be beat.

Freedom

Here's how we led up to our "Big Ask" yesterday.

At the end of the sermon, seven of our young worshippers came out on the platform carrying large photos of children from around the world who have been victims of human trafficking.

We told the stories of the global children through an audio presentation written by Chris Macedo and narrated by Marcy Smith.

As the moment neared its conclusion and the background music gained in intensity, Marcy gave the "reveal": "thanks to the work of the International Justice Mission, the children pictured AND the children holding the pictures now share one precious thing in common -- FREEDOM."


Then our Good Shepherd children turned their photos around to reveal the word FREEDOM spelled out on bold letters.

We moved into "He Reigns" and "Chosen Generation" and people poured up to the altar to offer their financial gifts to our project.

What Child Is This? The Freedom Giver

That's really what the whole What Child Is This series is about.

Freedom for people held against their will.

And how we can be part of this bigger thing the Christ child is doing.

People are already responding.

Will you join them?

Sunday.

8:30. 10. 11:30.

Wall Photo Goes International

A few months ago, a friend of mine from church undertook a real labor of love. A professional photographer by trade, he took a shot he called "Smokin' Ace," had it mounted, and gave it to me as a gift.

It's pretty spectacular.

So now it's on the wall in my office, of course.

Here's what the studio set up for the photo looked like:



But now it gets interesting.

He posted the photo on his Flickr account.

The tournament directors from a professional (ATP) tournament in Kuala Lampur Malaysia saw it, loved it, and want to use it as the logo for their event in 2011.

Agreement reached, fee paid, and now what's on my wall in Charlotte, North Carolina will be in markets throughout southeast Asia.

Small world, huh?

Rejecting & Embracing Holiness

Hebrews 12:14 contains some of the strongest words in the bible: "Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord."

Yikes.

I was speaking with a friend and advisor recently and the subject of holiness came up. He quickly said, "There's something about that subject that is at the heart of who you are, isn't there?"

My answer was quick: "Yeah, but I hate it."

He brought balance: "It might be better to say, 'and' I hate it."

I think that's a fair perspective. Something in me wants to pursue holiness, longs to teach on holiness, was trained at a school that is founded on holiness (Asbury Seminary) . . . yet another part of me wants nothing to do with the subject, either in my life or on this pulpit.

Because part of me recognizes that a life of genuine holiness is a life in which I give up control. A life in which I don't get my own way. A life in which, as John the Baptist said of Jesus, "I must decrease so that he might increase."

And I don't want to preach or teach in a way that creates a community that is "holier than thou" or encourages people to drift towards spiritual pride.

But my reluctance doesn't change the truth: without holiness no one will see the Lord.

So the better angels of my nature love holiness. The worse angels don't.

I'll keep you posted as to who comes out on top in that one.

Top Five Tuesday -- Top Five Reasons I'm Excited About What Child Is This

When Chris Macedo welcomed people to worship this past Sunday, he spoke of the ways that our What Child Is This project stokes a "fire" in his "bones."

I'm much the same way.

Here's why this series has changed this Christmas from "oh, another one" to "WOW! I can't wait!":

5. I get to ask people without any subtlety to "give like crazy" because we'll be giving it all away.

4. Our partners with the International Justice Mission are smart, dedicated, and passionate about the cause.

3. It gives the people of Good Shepherd an opportunity to live for something larger than themselves.

2. Its mission is embedded in the mission Jesus proclaims for himself in Luke 4:18-19:

The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to release the oppressed,
to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.

1. Because adolescent girls in Thailand, Cambodia, India, and the U.S. who have been forced into prostitution will be freed for life abundant.

Gathering Music, Ambience, & Second Looks

Each Sunday morning, we have background music playing in the Worship Center to help set the mood as people arrive.

Usually, it's a mix of mid-tempo pop songs, some from Christian artists and others from mainstream acts such as Coldplay.

The music goes a long way towards fostering conversation among our worshippers and creating an atmosphere of excitement and anticipation.

And then yesterday happened.

I kept noticing that the gathering music was instrumental. And somber. Even a bit depressing.

I thought perhaps our team had opted to try something completely different. Since I trust the judgment of those around me, I didn't question too much.

But before the 11:30 service, I couldn't take it anymore. So I asked the sound crew and music team what was behind the choice of gathering music.

The answer? Because the different gathering selections for our different services come from an iPod, the team had simply pressed "Play" that morning and the song sequence from the most recent service in the Worship Center had come up.

What was our most recent service in the Worship Center?

A funeral. On Friday.

No wonder the gathering music prepared us more for somber reflection than exuberant celebration.

We made the correction, changed the music, and immediately the atmosphere in the room changed ten minutes before worship began.

The atmosphere you craft reinforces the message you communicate.

Lesson learned.

What Child Is This? A Good News Bringer

Jesus answers the question of the Christmas hymn "What Child Is This?" in Luke 4:18-19:

The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me to preach good news to the pooor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisons
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to release the oppressed,
to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.

This week, as we move further into this series, we'll look at what it means for Jesus to bring good news.

And we'll see how his good news relates to modern day prisoners all around us.

Sunday.

8:30. 10. 11:30.

Jonah & Relativism

I read Jonah this morning and noticed a verse tucked away in its opening scene that I had long overlooked. As the storm gathered strength against Jonah's flee-to-Tarshish cruise liner,

All the sailors were afraid and each cried out to his own god (1:5).

At first glance, it appears that the bible is here teaching some kind of theological relativism: individuals or people groups or religions all have their own gods and we're fine as long as we pick one that best suits us.

If it was good enough for the sailors on the ship, it's good enough for us.

That's what many Americans -- Christians included -- have opted to believe.

Yet that's a wrong-headed reading of Scripture as well as an irresponsible approach to theology.

Jonah 1:5 is a classic case of the bible describing what it does not endorse. Just because it reports Gentile sailors praying to their own gods does not mean people of the Book are free to pick and choose their own gods as well.

In fact, the point of Jonah 1 is the silence that meets all those prayers.

Only when Jonah the Hebrew prays to Yahweh the maker of heaven and earth does the storm still.

Rather than teaching relativism, Jonah 1 refutes it. In fact, look at the conversion of the sailors that follows the calming of the storm:

At this, the men greatly feared the Lord (Yahweh), and they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows to him (1:16).

Instead of each having his own god, they now pay honor to the One God.

Mushy religious pluralism? Not a chance.

Instead, it's a robust defense of Judeo-Christian monotheism.

Big Cat Week -- The Real Must See TV

I was getting ready to study a bit the other night.

That's usually how I do some of my best sermon prep.

It didn't work this time, though.

It's Big Cat Week on Nat Geo TV, and once the show is on, I literally can't take my eyes off it.

There is simply nothing like watching lions in action. Playing, hunting, eating, roaring.

So the sermon had to wait. The cats were calling. Here's what it's like:

Top Five Tuesday -- Top Five Things A Pastor Shouldn't Say While Preaching

There are certain things we pastors sometimes say while delivering sermons that run counter to our best interests -- and undermine the effectiveness of the message we're communicating.

So here are five phrases I try my best to avoid:

1. "If you don't listen to anything else I say, hear this . . . " What you've just done is render the rest of your message meaningless. Not to mention creating some unnecessary drama around this thing you're "fixing" to say.

2. "In conclusion . . ." Deadly on two counts: 1) people immediately start gathering up their pocketbooks, cellphones, and kids so they can beat the parking lot traffic; and 2) worse, most pastors who say this keep talking! I heard a message not long ago in which the pastor spoke for 20 more minutes after uttering those deadly words.

3. "I am reminded . . . " My very first professor of preaching at Asbury Seminary told us not to use this phrase. I'm not sure why, but since I'm still eager to please my teachers, I don't.

4. (When at a funeral) "I never knew [the deceased], but . . . " You've just lost the congregation, not to mention minimized the person who has died. After all, that funeral service is not about you; it's about the grieving family and the memory of one now deceased.

5. "I didn't have much time to get this message ready . . ." You had time. You just didn't make time. The acknowledgment also lessens credibility. Immediately.

Teaching & Reproducing

No, I'm not teaching on reproduction. I'll let others handle that.

But I've been mulling over something a pastor said about pastoral ministry:

We teach what we know, but we reproduce who we are.

I'm pretty confident that I can do the first part. There are some subjects about which I know a fair amount -- the Gospel of Mark, the letters of Paul, and how to prepare and deliver a eulogy, for example -- and so I can teach on those things.

But reproducing who I am? I'm not as sure about that one . . . or even if it's desirable.

I suppose I hope that the congregation will become passionate about the things I'm passionate about . . . cultivating a small church feel in a large church body, becoming a thoroughly 'full color' congregation, and, in this season of the church's life, the rescue of slaves from bondage at the hands of oppressors.

If those are reproducible (is that even a word?), then I'm on board.

In the meantime, I'm going to keep pondering what that pastor said about pastoral leadership:

We teach what we know, but we reproduce who we are.

Do you think that's true? Or not?

What Child Is This Launch

So it starts Sunday.

We've been praying, planning, and dreaming for a couple of months.

I've been talking to as many people as possible about this crazy thing we're doing for Christmas 2010.

I've even asked my family who lives so far away to get involved.

It's What Child Is This? Part teaching series, part crusade against injustice, and part collaboration with our friends at the International Justice Mission.

It's a Christmas series unlike any other we've done here.

And I can't wait.

Because we want to break people's hearts with the reality of 21st Century slavery and then open their wallets to do something about it.

Sunday.

8:30. 10. 11:30.

Theology In Therapy

Awhile back, I had a meeting with a man struggling with issues from his past.

He'd been involved in some things as a young man that continued to haunt him into adulthood. He was pretty sure he'd never shake the darkness of yesteryear.

It so happens that I had prayed especially hard before our meeting that God would have me say things I wouldn't normally say.

And so I heard an answer to that prayer come out of my mouth.

"You're trapped in karma," I said. "You've forgotten that grace is way more powerful than karma ever could be."

He sat up. It turns out that subconsciously he HAD assumed that the universe would demand an exact payment for his misdeeds of days gone by.

Then I played the pastoral trump card, at least in this case: "It's like that U2 song says, 'grace . . . she travels outside of karma.'"

Turns out the man is a huge U2 fan. He'd just forgotten the truth of the song.

We prayed that he would be drenched in grace that day. And so he was. His parting words: "darkness has been lifted today."

That's what grace does.

Here's the song.

Smart Enough To . . .

I got some good leadership advice at the Y the other day.

I was speaking with someone about the business that he owns and operates. He summarized its success by saying, "I'm smart enough to hire people smarter than me."

I like that.

In many ways, I've lived it at Good Shepherd. I didn't set out to hire people smarter than me, mind you, but when I see the way the staff takes some raw ideas that I have and improves them exponentially, that's the conclusion I have to reach. You'll see a lot of that in the design and execution of our next series, What Child Is This?

With what kind of people are you surrounding yourself?