One Pastor's Perspective

In praying through this idea that we, the church, are called to be a hospital ship instead of a “Love Boat,” there is one big, glaring detail we cannot deny:  We’ve become more like love boats because we’ve built our churches around personal preference and comfort.  Our programs, our decor, everything about us is centered around what we want and what we prefer …

Even in our actions, programs, and habits.  We really are called to reach the wounded.  In order to do that, we need to move beyond what we want and what we think “should be” and start asking God what He wants.  IN EVERYTHING.  We say our purpose is to worship Him, that we exist for His pleasure.  To serve Him.  To build His kingdom.  And to make this transition, we MUST make it all about Him.

He must increase, and we must decrease in this equation if it is ever to work!!

Ron Barker challenged our deacons and then our entire church this weekend:  The church is the ONLY ORGANIZATION he knows of that does NOT exist for its members …  We are called to be more of a hospital ship, and NOT a “Love Boat.”  But the modern church really has become more of a Love Boat in recent years and our marketing and consumerist attitudes haven’t helped!!

This short blog, that YOU will finish, asks this question:  What will it take FROM YOU to help Ebenezer become the hospital ship that it needs to be??  What will YOU need to do to help the transition from Love Boat to Hospital Ship??  YOU will complete this blog, in a sense, with your response in life …

Are there changes ahead?? You tell me.

Are you THERE FOR THE SHOW or READY TO GO??

Sometimes I wonder what God really thinks of us.  Day in and day out I (along with the rest of Ebenezer’s staff) live, eat, breath, walk, and talk Ebenezer.  It’s in our blood … And we love this church, so it’s not a difficult thing to do.  I will also be the first to admit that none of us are perfect … We all make mistakes from time to time.  I probably make more than my fair share.  I should also admit that I am not qualified to judge anyone … I have plenty of planks in my eyes.  Kind of hard to see the splinters in others.

Sometimes it’s easy to see the fruit in the lives of others, though.  It’s not hard to see when someone is totally sold out to God.  When they believe in His will and follow it as closely as they can.  Sunday night when he shared a testimony in worship, Olin Bullock referred to “giants” in God’s kingdom, many of whom have walked the halls at Ebenezer.  I know some of those giants, too!!  People who believe it and live it.  They bless me!!

One that I won’t name told me recently God convicted him to do more and be more for His kingdom … I look at this friend, this much older man, and wonder how he could possibly be more of an ambassador for God??  This dude is a GIANT!!

When I see and hear faith like that, it makes me ask myself “DID YOU SHOW UP TO BE SEEN, OR TO SEE GOD???”  There is a great fellowship factor at Ebenezer.  Most churches have that factor as well.  But there is more to being the church than just being together!!  Being the church really means BEING TOGETHER AND FOLLOWING HIM.  TOGETHER.  INDIVIDUALLY.  EVERY WAY YOU SLICE IT.

I wish we would all honestly ask ourselves EVERY Sunday, “Did I show up to be seen, or to see God?”  I wish we were ALL HERE and giving God a place of honor EVERY SUNDAY.  And I hope and pray we will ALL be able to answer “TO SEE GOD!!”

OBEDIENCE … TRUST … REALZING WHO GOD IS AND WHO I REALLY AM …

Those are what our four week emphasis on financial freedom was all about.  And too many of you thought it was all about money …

For the most part, people HATE it when preachers preach about money.  And, honestly, I don’t know too many pastors who LOVE to preach about it.  But that is really NOT what it is all about.  If you looked deeper than the surface on this one, it is about OBEDIENCE.  It is about having the right relationship with God, which puts EVERYTHING ELSE in our lives into the proper perspective.  If we see God where He rightfully is, NOTHING ELSE COULD POSSIBLY BE ABOVE HIM.  Not the plans we have for ourselves.  Not the ideas we have about money and stuff.  Nothing.

My prayer for Ebenezer is that we will all put God where He rightfully belongs in our lives.  And if we seek Him first, seek His kingdom and His righteousness first, all the other things will be added in the right places in life.  And that is a promise from Jesus Himself!!

If you missed any of the four-sermon series, you may find the entire thing HERE:

http://vimeo.com/channels/236240

Just begin with God’s Ownership and work your way forward!!

I was talking to a friend yesterday about missions … and he was on a roll.  He said something that rings true, no matter how you slice it:  When it comes to missions, you either need to GO, SUPPORT IT, or MOVE ASIDE (Get out of the way)!!!  He’s right!  There are only three positions on this issue … Now, in the community that is a group of people focused on Christ (a church), we will try to carve out many positions and perspectives.  That is natural because we are a GROUP of IMPERFECT PEOPLE.  But there are really ONLY three valid responses.

Life in a church really is the same way.  You SHOULD either lead, follow, or get out of the way.  Truth is, you can do much more than these:  You can be a sniper, that takes shots at things from afar.  You can be completely apathetic, and not care if the place burns down around you.  You can be an arm-chair coach, that questions every call and critiques every play.  (Reminds me of the guy that sat a few rows behind us at Clemson games that SWORE he could beat that team with a bunch of 8th grade girls.  He was a REAL joy.)  You can be a comparison shopper, that always knows of a church that does it much better than the one you are a part of.  You can be bitter about the past.  You can be doubtful about the future.  You can question the abilities of those God has called as leaders.  You can do a variety of other things that do not focus on God.  ORRRRRR ….

You can acknowledge the fact that your church IS NOT perfect, but be glad God has given you a church family.  And you can jump in and LEAD … jump in and SERVE … be a part of the SOLUTION, not a perpetuator of the PROBLEM.  There are problems in every church.  The Lord KNOWS Ebenezer has it’s share of problems!  Why are there problems in every church?  Because NO CHURCH IS PERFECT.  Every church is made up of imperfect people.  So, you can ask God “Where can I make a difference?” and when He shows you, jump in and MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

Part of the SOLUTION, not a perpetuator of the PROBLEM.  Which will you be?

Why am I so chippy right now?? That’s what SIX funerals (I didn’t do two of them, but they affect me in personal ways) will do to you in a little over two weeks.  Thankfully, they were all disciples of Christ, so I will see them all again!  And all of them had a unique impact on the kingdom:

One of them was a caretaker.  Ironically, she took care of everyone but never wanted ANYONE to fuss over her.  I accidentally caught her in the hospital once … She wasn’t angry that I didn’t use my ESP to know she was in the hospital.  In fact, she told me she’d purposefully hidden it from me because she knew I had too much to do.  She will be missed.

Then there was a friend who did not attend our church, but much of her family does.  She was at death’s door six weeks ago and then God brought her back.  And she used her last three weeks to point her family to Him, praising Him and sharing her faith in Him.  They had one more Christmas and heard much about what God had done for her in life.  She will be missed.

Then there was a man who used to attend EBC.  He was a real friend to me.  Had been since I came here almost 17 years ago.  He and I shared a great love for UNC Basketball.  The last time I visited him in the hospital, he had the best quote:  “People pick on me about UNC turning the ball over so much in the past couple of years.  I just tell them ‘it’s hard to dribble the ball with all those championship rings on your fingers.'”  He had a great faith, attributing his mother for teaching him all about Jesus.  I loved that guy, as does his family.  He will be missed.

Then there was a lady who was best friends with the first one I described in this post.  She was unique … She taught piano to half of Florence County.  She served Ebenezer for YEARS and had the unique role of serving a sister church down the road too… at the SAME TIME!!  It’s rare that you can make a difference in two churches at the same time, but that’s exactly what she did.  In a tremendous way.  She will be missed.

Then there was this man who was a friend.  He and I had a lot in common in the realm of HVAC.  He worked to make sure people had what they needed.  He was a worker bee, and a great one.  Shared his faith with his actions.  And it is hard to let him go.  He will be missed.

THEN … there was this man who, to say he was my friend would be a gross misstatement.  He took on the role of guardian angel for me and for the rest of the staff at EBC.  He was a worker, a helper who liked to do his good deeds in secret (as Jesus said they should be).  He did so much at EBC on a regular basis I would break this blog if I listed it all.  I still cannot imagine EBC without him.  He will be missed.

So, by my count, that would be SIX.  SIX soldiers who have marched on to their reward.  And I am praying God will raise up faithful people to continue their callings!!