We Need You - Christ Community Church

As many of you know, my family and I moved to the Magnolia/The Woodlands area in June of this year to begin the process of planting a church, Christ Community Church.

God has been blessing our work and we are weekly meeting new people who are excited about our work and desire to join in.  Over the next few months we will continue meeting people and adding to our core/launch team.

Some Important Dates:

• January 16th - Preview Service @ 10:30am - Bear Branch Elementary
• February 13th - Preview Service @ 10:30am - Bear Branch Elementary
• March 20th - Preview Service @ 10:30am - Bear Branch Elementary
• April 3rd - Public Launch Service @ 10:30am - Bear Branch Elementary

More than ever, we realize that church planting is a Kingdom project, and we need your help.  We need people who will commit to praying for and with us.  Also, we are needing to raise over $50,000 by the end of 2010 to cover start-up expenses, rental of the school, salaries, etc.

Ways that you can help:

• Spread the word - www.c3magnolia.org
• Join our Prayer Team
• Give Financially

We thank you ahead of time for your help and we look forward to partnering together with you in this ministry endeavor.

Core Group Characteristics

Recently I have been asked, “What type of people are you looking for to join the core group of the church?”  Below are a list of qualities/characteristics that I believe are important.  If you know anyone who meets these qualifications and you believe that I should meet, please put us in touch (www.c3magnolia.org).

1. Christian – It is important at this stage of planting the church that we have people who are followers of Jesus Christ.
2. Biblical – In order for all of us to be moving the same direction, we must all be submitted to the authority of the Lord and His Word. 
3. Missional – Our community exists to make disciples of Jesus Christ.  This occurs through all people of the core group understanding that all believers are called to live on mission in their immediate context.
4. Flexible – Church planting has a lot of twists, turns, and bumps along the way.  We need people who are flexible and willing to ‘go with the flow’ as we move forward through the beginning phases of planting.
5. Generous – We are in need of families who are willing to be generous with their time, their gifts, and their financial resources.  During the core phase, we are not in a position to minister to the need of those who are not willing to contribute to the mission.  Furthermore, it is our desire to do our very best to avoid a consumer type church that allows people to attend and take, without participating in the life of the church.  This is important to begin cultivating now as we are gathering a core.
6. Committed – Lastly, we need individuals and family who are willing to commit for a set period of time.  We understand that there are times where the Lord will call someone away, but it is important to have some consistency in the early stages.  

What am I missing?

One Name

“I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment. For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. What I mean is that each one of you says, “I follow Paul,” or “I follow Apollos,” or “I follow Cephas,” or “I follow Christ.” Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?”

(1 Corinthians 1:10-13 ESV)

By God's grace, many of men have gone before me in church planting, so I don't feel I have to go at it blindly.  One thing that I believe needs to be reiterated time and time again is the fact that above all else, we exist in the name of Jesus Christ alone, by grace alone, through faith alone.  There is a great temptation that has existed for generations to divide so much that we miss the whole point of the Church based upon theological convictions.  While I value greatly theology, doctrine, and the Bible, I think that it is easy to get so entrenched in a 'camp' that we deny the existence of the Body of Christ and live as 'The Body Parts of Christ.'

Learning from those who have gone before me, I understand and embrace the importance of clearly articulating certain convictions and beliefs at the beginning of a church.  There have been pastors who have not articulated these convictions and have ended up in hot water with the people of their church because of their unarticulated theological convictions.  This is a fine line, but a necessary one at that.

Last night I was talking with a new friend who has been visiting our church for the last few weeks and we were discussing Reformed Theology and the church.  I shared with him specific convictions that we have and why I feel that it is important to articulate them clearly and often early on in the life of a church plant.  He responded with a great point, quoting the above passage, and it got me to thinking a lot about the Church as a whole and some divisive issues going on throughout.  Some of the issues of basic doctrine need to be confronted, but other areas can go too far and lead us to a place of claiming a name other than Jesus.

On one hand, it is important to let people know that you are Reformed or Calvinistic in your hermeneutic (the way you read and interpret the Scriptures), but on another hand, it is crucial that you do not forsake the banner of Christ for the banner of Calvin, Luther, Wesley, or the like.  What a tough balancing act!

I believe that we are to be a people identified first and foremost by our allegiance to Jesus Christ.  If we begin there, then we can then delve into the deeper mysteries of the Scriptures together, seeking how to "spur one another on towards love and good deeds." (Hebrews 10:24).

Again, I am convinced that it is very important to articulate clearly non-negotiables at the onset of a church-plant, however, it is also equally important to not carry any other name than Jesus Christ as the identifier as a people.  If you are a 'Calvinistic' or "Arminian' congregation, begin as one for Jesus Christ, and as your family grows, be up front about how you are, but never forget whose you are.

Helpful Resource:

We're finally here!

So, this blog is two weeks late, but I wanted to let the few of you who still read it know that we have finally made it to the Magnolia area!  God has been so good to open doors at just the right time.  I knew that while I was going through the transition, but I still seem to have short & long-term memory lapses.  Anyone else there with me?

We have decided to live in an apartment for at least a year in order to meet people, and free up time to focus on planting the church.  I must confess, I LOVE IT!  First of all, we have 2 bathrooms now (with locks on the doors!), and are right in the area we want to plant in.

Thanks to all of you who have been praying with and for us during this time!  They have been heard.

I will be writing on here more often, Lord willing!

Recommended Reading:

Better is Open Rebuke...

“Better is open rebuke than hidden love. 

Faithful are the wounds of a friend; 

profuse are the kisses of an enemy.” 

- Proverbs 27:5-6 (ESV)

Steph and I had a wonderful time with our pastor and our good friend, Justin Hyde, in Denver, CO this past week for the Acts 29 Boot Camp.  It was an encouraging time of meeting fellow church planters, learning from seasoned pastors, and enjoying quality time with Steph and Justin.

Our assessment for membership into the Acts 29 Network was Friday morning.  There are tons of rumors and stories about how grown men are made to cry, arguments that almost get to the point of throwing punches ensue, etc.  However, this was not our experience at all.

We met with three sincere Acts 29 Pastors who truly appeared to have our best interest at heart.  They confronted me seriously about my favorite sin, busyness.  They led Steph and I through a series of probing questions helping me to see how my busyness effects/affects my own heart, my wife, my daughter, and my little seedling of a church.  I hate my sin...

Now, I could see how some grown men might be made to cry by this experience, but I was so overwhelmed with gratitude, that Steph and I left the process eternally grateful to God for people who did not measure success the same way the world does and cared more for our hearts, our marriage, our daughter, etc., than our "success".

Part of my busyness has been due to necessity, as in, providing for my family.  However, part of it has been motivated by my lack of faith in God's continued ability and desire to provide for all of our needs.  I live in a constant tension of living by faith, not wanting to be lazy, and needing to provide for my family.  The assessors helped me to identify my need for growth, maturity, and most of all, transformation in this area of my life.

There is much more to be discovered on this subject, but suffice it to say right now that we need your prayers.

Please be praying for:

1. Continued godly sorrow that leads to repentance.
2. Someone to buy our house so that we can get settled in Magnolia/The Woodlands.
3. Discernment about what needs to go from our lives, what needs to be added, etc.
4. More discipline in our lives.
5. God to continue to bless our new little community.

Lastly, if you are in the process of planting a church at any stage, I highly recommend you look into partnership with the Acts 29 Network if you align with their vision and doctrinal distinctions.

Book Recommended to me:

Inspired...

My bride recently had a landmark birthday and since then has been blogging on a daily basis.  I realized that I missed blogging.  However, I thought I missed it because of my own vanity, i.e. liking people to read my grand ideas and then leave a comment, etc.  To be honest, though, that's not it.  Steph has like 4 times the amount of readers I do, and often I write and receive no comments.  I'm okay with that.

This will continue to be my personal blog, which will be a culmination of my life with God, my family, as a pastor, as an entrepreneur, etc.  If you are looking for my pastoral blog, you can go here.

Looking forward to writing more frequently.  You're welcome to join the ride!

I'm back...

Church planting, book publishing, dual living (home and lakehouse), traveling, meeting, preparing, etc. etc.... Lots of excuses, but I suppose no good reason.

I met with an editor today. Looks like I'm actually going to REALLY work on publishing my story.

More to come soon.

'Love is Something You Do' by John R. Bisagno

I am excited to announce that my publishing company, Lucid Books, released Pastor John R. Bisagno's 35th Anniversary Edition of Love is Something You Do. This is a revised and expanded (12 new chapters!) edition of his 1975 release under the same title. We are very excited about this project and feel that God will use it in great ways. Here is what people are saying:

“Love Is Something You Do will change the face of marriage in America. This book should be in every library and tucked away in the heart of every marriage.” - Dr. Tim Clinton, President, American Association of Christian Counselors

"Martin Luther said “A man can become more like Christ in a marriage than in a monastery.” How true. Marriage chisels us in the image of Jesus with every decision of faithfulness and commitment. This book will help to shape you and your spouse. Let Dr. Bisagno speak from the heart of a faithful husband and effective pastor to guide your marriage to be all that God desires." - Pastor Gregg Matte, Pastor, Houston’s First Baptist Church

"Once again John Bisagno has captured the heart and imagination of his readers. In this clear concise writing, John makes a case for love as a verb. Love is Something You Do stimulates the heart, motivates the mind, and saturates the soul with helpful, holy hints." - Ralph Douglas West, Pastor, The Church Without Walls

“I had the joy of being under John Bisagno’s leadership for 25 years as he served as pastor of our church in Houston. I love and respect him and Uldine, the love of his life, so much. ” - Beth Moore, Author, Living Proof Ministries

"This is the book America's been waiting for." - George Gallup, Jr., Pollster

Click here to get your copy or request it at your local bookstore!

(Disclaimer: New laws require me to let you know that if you buy this book, I will profit financially. So, there's that.)

Proverbs 18:22

"He who finds a wife

finds a good thing

and obtains favor from the Lord."

- Proverbs 18:22

Steph and I have been married 9 years today. I love her more everyday and thank God for blessing me with an amazing, God-fearing, humble, and hilarious wife! We have so much fun together.

We are on our little anniversary get-away. Yesterday we went shopping in the Rice Village and used some of our gift cards to buy me some new clothes. We had a blast! Then we went to see a movie and finished the night by enjoying some Maggiano's. This morning we got up and went for a couple's massage. It rocked. Now we are enjoying some time at our favorite coffee shop and then going to The Melting Pot tonight.

For 9 years, here's 9 things I love about my wife:

1. She loves Jesus. Not superficially, but consequentially.
2. She's easy to look at.
3. By some miracle she loves me.
4. She's a phenomenal mother.
5. Her laugh. If I can get a belly laugh from her, then I know what I said was REALLY funny.
6. Her desire to disciple women and her faithful perseverance in doing so.
7. Her passion for orphans.
8. Her authenticity.
9. She's my best friend.

I pray that as we move into our 10th year that we will continue to spur one another on to love and good deeds. Here's to many more.

Christ Community Church of Magnolia - New Site

Click here to visit the new site!

Church Planting

We announced to our church yesterday that we will be moving to the Magnolia/The Woodlands area to begin a new church plant. I will be serving as the Lead Pastor/Elder. Our church has been so gracious to us here in Brenham and they are fully behind this move and have committed their support to us in every way possible. It really is a great thing to be a part of a church planting church, and experiencing first hand them "putting their money where their mouth is" both figuratively and literally.

This has been on the horizon for some time, but I wasn't sure of the timing until recently. Through a series of events we found ourselves spending more time at our friend's lake house and more time in The Woodlands area. Now if you are familiar with The Woodlands area, then you know that there are a lot of churches. However, what you may not be aware of is that the population is booming out there, and there are a lot of people not going to church anywhere.

Also, to be honest, we like the area. It reminds us of where we grew up, but has a lot of trees, so that's a bonus!

We know a few people who are pastoring out in that area and who are planting churches themselves. Our heart is to go and serve alongside of them and partner together for the sake of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is not our desire to compete, but to "spur one another on to love and good deeds." So far, every minister/pastor we have talked to out in that area have been extremely kind and welcoming. For this, we are grateful, and acknowledge God's favor.

I have already received a lot of questions regarding the church, and most of the information will be on a website that I am currently building and should have online soon. However, here's some of the details:

• Target Area: Where Magnolia and The Woodlands meet: Click Here to see.
• Will I keep traveling with Transform Ministries?: Yes. I love to travel and preach and that is definitely part of my calling. For the next year, I do not see too much changing with my travel schedule, but I may become less available on Sundays. However, depending on how quickly the Lord grows His Church, how Steph feels about my travel schedule, my elders, etc, all of those factors will be weighed. But for now, keep the invites coming!
• When will we move?: We are working on some last minute touches to our house here in Brenham and will put it on the market hopefully in early January. Once we are able to sell the house, then we will move to the Magnolia/The Woodlands area.
• Do you have a name for your church?: Yes. We just received notice from the state that our non-profit corporation has been approved: Christ Community Church of Magnolia
• Who will we be affiliated with?: We are currently being assessed by Acts 29 and sent by Christ Church in Brenham as well as Crossbridge Church in Sugar Land. I have a video conference in early January with the Texas Baptists (BGCT). We will also partner with our friends in the San Felipe Baptist Association.
• When will we start?: We are hoping to gather some folks together at least once in January to share the vision of the church and see who might want to serve as missionaries with us. We hope to have some folks to begin meeting weekly with for Bible study, prayer, and fellowship starting in February. Our plan right now is to not do anything on Sundays until we are actually living out in that area. We will probably not launch public services (that is, when everyone is inviting whoever they can) until we have a committed core of 40 or so.

If you have more questions you would like answered, please feel free to E-mail me.

Here's how you can help:

1. Pray: Please pray for my family (the move, church planting, transitioning, finances, etc), for the new church plant (we need people, we are essentially starting from scratch!) We are asking God for a few families (singles are welcomed too!) who are believers and desire to live as missionaries in their current context and we are praying that we would see people come to faith early on in our ministry. Please also pray for finances. A lot of people don't like to talk about money, but it's the fuel that is necessary.
2. Spread the Word: If you know folks in the area who do not currently attend a church, or who are missionary minded who would like to know more about the church. Please help by getting us connected with them.
3. Give: If the Lord would lead you to support this new ministry opportunity, there are two ways to do so. 1) You can give to Transform Ministries if you are wanting to support Steph and I specifically as missionaries for the next year or, 2) You can give to the church. You can e-mail me by clicking the link above if you would like to give. Also, just a practical way to help out would be gas cards, Starbucks cards, and Amazon cards (a pastor needs a library, no? :-) ), as I have a lot of meetings and commuting to do.
4. Pray some more.

Well, this is all for now. Thank you for your friendship, love, and support. We are grateful to God for His people and we are looking forward to being a part of what He is doing in Montgomery county!

David Gamboa - The Shadow and Night Fire

Get it. Listen to it. Enjoy it. Thank me later. Word.

Click Here to Get it

Free Ministry - January 2010

I was just challenged by an old friend to trust God. This is not an issue of desperation, but determination. The Gospel MUST NOT be hindered by economic hardships and I am determined to be about my calling, even though times are tough. Therefore, I will speak at any event for FREE in the month of January. If it is out of state, then I might need some help getting there, but other than that, if there is a need, I will be there.

See Casey's Calendar

Invite Casey to your Event

Writing and ADD

I've been working on my first book and I am reminded how annoying ADD can be. I'll be writing along, nailing a point, and then boom, a paragraph is injected in the midst of a very focused chapter that was a spin-off of a sentence above. Quite frustrating, oh and did I tell you about what happened at the mall today? <-- See!

Overall, today was a productive day. I am working on a book dealing with apathy in the church: the reality, some causes, and biblical solutions. It's in the early stages, but the last few days on this writing retreat have been very fruitful. I have a lot more organized outline(s) and thoughts to move forward with. Lord willing, the book will be ready to publish Spring 2010, but we'll see how it goes. Thanks for your prayers and I will be keeping you updated.

Who Cares?

I can't tell you how often I hear students and adults alike use the phrase,"Who Cares?" or "I don't care." There are other, more colorful ways that this is said at times, but this expression is far more revealing than one might understand. The fact is, the church is dying a slow death from misplaced passions about things that don't matter and apathy towards things that do really matter.

Now, it is NOT my intent to suggest that ALL arguments about the style of church music, the manner in which we facilitate communion, pre-mid-post-a, whether one is a 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 27 point whatever, etc. are irrelevant. There are issues like this that must be considered and explored biblically. However, I do propose that these vigorous fights, debates, and splits are robbing us from caring about things that really matter. The two primary things that come to mind in this assessment are the Great Commandment and the Great Commission.

To be honest, an increasing amount of American Churches (or American Christians for that matter) don't seem to care so much about these two things. Sure, these 'Greats' are in the majority of our mission/vision statements, but how much is this really being lived out? Are we as vigorous about caring about the 'widows and orphans' as we are about making sure that people are using the appropriate translation of the Bible or are refraining from whatever we perceive to be sinful? I wonder what would happen if we were more about the Great Commission of seeing the whole person transformed, and not just managing sin and changing behaviors?

Behaviorism as a measure of success for 'biblical discipleship' shows that the charge of the prophet Isaiah, and also Jesus' charge against the Pharisee's continues to be true today, “And the Lord said: “Because this people draw near with their mouth and honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me...” (Isaiah 29:13, Matthew 15:8 ESV) This indictment directly confronts the prevalent belief that as long as we look like we are godly and give an appearance of being 'nice and well-behaved' then we are making an impact on culture. While external transformation should truly be a part of sanctification, it is not the end nor should it be our final goal.

If God does not revive the church in our land, it will continue to decline. The apparent attitude today is, "Who cares?" Well, I do and hope that you do too.

More to come on this issue in the weeks and months to come...

'Why' Series: Part 2 - Brenham

We have lived in Brenham for over 2 1/2 years now and are grateful for everything the Lord has been teaching us. However, I am still often asked "Why Brenham?" by friends and new acquaintances I meet on the road. I'm sure that different people have varying reasons for their inquisition, and there is no doubt that Steph and I have asked ourselves that on more than one occasion. So, I thought it appropriate to pose this question and offer some answers in the midst of my 'Why' Series. In order to organize my thoughts, I'm going to address the various reasons in a numbered list.

1. We believe that the Lord called us to move here. No cliche intended. However, if you have known us for any amount of time, you would know that it would have to be the Lord to move us outside of our 'comfort zone' (Please forgive the overused phrase...) into a context that neither of us have ever known prior to moving here. While we do have a Starbucks here, we moved from Sugar Land, TX where we had 4 Starbucks in a 1/2 mile radius. We left a new home built in 2003 for a home built in 1936. This raises another question: Why would the Lord move us here? Which leads me to my second reason.
   
   
2. To sanctify us. Sanctification is the process of becoming holy or more like Christ. We have experienced some of the most fruitful and wonderful times in our family and ministry and some of the darkest times as well since we have been here. There have been several occasions when all we had left was the Lord, His calling on our lives, and one another. We have struggled with sin, both that we have committed, and with sins committed against us. We have wrestled to understand why certain things happen the way that they did. However, through all the ups and downs, we have grown in the Lord and closer as a family. My wife has always been a huge encouragement to me, but over the past 2 1/2 years I have seen her experience a deeper intimacy with the Lord, and extremely consequential ministry in the lives of others. Our marriage has been stretched, yet strengthened through it all.
   
   
3. To help plant Christ Church. Our good friend's Pastor Justin and Brandi Hyde moved out here from Houston to let their roots go deep and Justin had a strong calling to plant a church. To be honest, I thought he was nuts at first. After all, why would anyone choose to leave the city to live in the country (no offense to all my country friends!)? Also, church planting is tough enough in booming suburbs, so how in the world would we be able to plant a healthy church in a small town, especially coming in as outsiders? We have certainly faced our share of challenges, but we have received such hospitality from a few of the churches in town, and have seen God grow His church from 7 to 50-60 every Sunday in just 2 short years!
   
   
4. To minister to students at Blinn College. This small Jr. College boasts of over 2,500 students enrolled annually. By and large, there is not one church here in Brenham that can minister to, disciple, etc. that many people. I certainly don't think that we have all this figured out, but I do know that we have seen several Blinn students come to faith, be discipled, and even become involved in ministry.
   
   
5. To be blessed with great friends. We have great friends back in the Sugar Land area still today, so this is not to say that we needed friends due to the lack of friends. However, we have been blessed with some great friends that we would have otherwise never had if we weren't here. It is humbling to think about how we knew one couple when we moved here and then forced our Realtor and his wife to be our friends when we moved here. Since then we have made so many great friends!
   
   
6. To help us learn to slow down. We did not realize how hectic our lives were back in Sugar Land. We were ALWAYS busy! While we were blessed with so many friends we all were so busy that it was tough to get good time together. Since we have been here in Brenham, we have really learned to value of being able to slow down, enjoy each other, spend plenty of time fellowshiping with our community, and flexibility to serve those who are in need. In a way, it has helped us to be a little less self-focused out of necessity (i.e. so busy that we didn't have time to be self-less). Also, being an itinerant (traveling) preacher, my life is often hectic enough, so it is nice to come back home and slow down.
   
   
7. Because it was the hard thing to do. At the time when we sensed God calling us here we were also considering other planting options in Los Angeles, in town, or staying put at a thriving church-plant. Plus, I was still going to seminary in Houston, so it would make sense to stay put until I was done. However, I remember what Dr. Woo used to say (and I'm certain he still does), "When you have several options in front of you, God is usually calling you to the hardest one." This season has been a tough one in many regards, but we have been forced to be dependent on Christ in so many ways that I am grateful for the good and the bad. Blessed be His name, anyone?
   
   
8. To be a nobody. As most of you know, I have the privilege of speaking to thousands upon thousands of people each year sharing the Good News of the Gospel. It is very humbling how God chooses to use people like us to do His work. However, being in front of so many people so often it is tempting to think higher of yourself than you ought to. This is a constant temptation for me, but being in Brenham has helped to balance that out. No one really knows who I am, or at least really knows me well, so they don't care who I am or what I do (I'm not saying this in a negative way at all). The people in our church and friends in other churches who know me and are my friends love me for me and aren't wrapped up in what I do or who I know. They just like me (or dislike me) because of who I am. This is definitely a blessing, because I'm not a big deal, but sometimes when you are entrusted with authority and a platform, you can become deceived. I really see how God has used this season to keep me in my place.
   
   
9. To gain valuable ministry experience. There are many universal truths regarding church planting that transcend time, space, and culture. However, there are also many things you won't learn about ministry in a smaller town unless you are in this context. What I have learned is too much to put down in this post, but let's just say that through failures and successes I have learned things about God, forgiveness, grace, judgment, trials, and victories that I do not believe I would have learned in my previous context. I have learned how to love people, to serve them, to speak truth in love, and to let them love me in return.
   
   
10. The Question is the Answer. Ultimately, the question, "Why Brenham?" is exactly the reason. This is not a strategic ministry location for my 'career' in ministry. This doesn't make practical sense in a lot of ways. Thus, God HAS to move and if He doesn't, then we will sink. The very fact that my family and I are here right now is a God thing that requires God to move, to bless, to provide for, to rebuke, to restore, and to bring His Kingdom on Earth as it is in Heaven.
    

We don't have a strategic reason as to why we are here. In some ways, moving here has likely closed some ministry doors. However, we have opted to value faithfulness and obedience as our standard for 'success' instead of salary, position, busyness, number of people in church, etc. Perhaps we are in error, and if so, I pray that God would be gracious to us and correct us. Yet, if we are growing and maturing in faithfulness and obedience, then we rejoice in Him!

'Why' Series: Pt. 1 - Programming Evangelism

As I continue to read through the Bible, God is always kind to illuminate the Scriptures in a fresh way. I occasionally make the mistake of reading through Acts (sarcasm implied) and I start questioning things. If you don't know me very well, then you might not know that I have a lot of questions. One of my favorite questions to ask is, "Why?"

Thinking about church today, I begin wondering about why such intense programming is necessary? Of course people are busy, but I think the problem lies much deeper than just that. It seems in many places that the church is either expected, or assumes the responsibility to program sanctification. This is so normal that it doesn't seem that many people even think much about it, but when you compare it to the teachings of the New Testament, there is definitely a disconnect.

One of the primary areas that I am baffled is about are evangelism programs. Now I am not questioning at all the validity of training people on various ways to share the Gospel, to live missionally, or to help them understand the biblical commission all believers have to make disciples. I think that is to be expected and encouraged. However, I think it is odd that if churches don't provide evangelism 'programs' then by and large, evangelism doesn't normally happen.

This observation is not an attempt for me to point the finger. I'm just as guilty at times of not being aware of the great privilege we have as believers to share the best news with people from all backgrounds. However, being a minister, I wonder what has happened from the times of the New Testament, the Great Awakenings, etc., to this seemingly sterile approach to evangelism.

Why do we have to schedule something that should be a natural response to the grace of God given to us in Christ? Why are we placing the responsibility of our own sanctification in the hands of the church to schedule it for us? Why are we so content to view church through consumeristic lenses and to make our selection of where we will do life based upon the music program, youth program, kids program, singles program, college program, discipleship program, missions program, etc?

Look, I understand that we are ministering in a fallen world, and our people are busy. Also, I understand in a post-Christian nation that it is becoming less and less acceptable to share the Gospel openly. However, if we get so bogged down into the programming of evangelism, discipleship, etc, then at what point do we expect believers to do these things because they are, well, they are believers?

If you have an evangelism program at your church, praise God! I'm grateful that the Gospel is being preached, regardless of the means or motivation. However, I do believe that our brothers and sisters who have gone before us have modeled for us how to BE Christian and not just DO Christian things. Something to think about...

Bible Study Prep

I've had the privilege of walking through Galatians for the church-wide Bible Study at Christ Church here in Brenham. There is a special place in my heart for Paul's letter to the Galatians as this was the book I was teaching through (feebly at that!) in the fall of 1999 when God called me into full time vocational ministry. This small letter confronts major issues dealing with legalism, the Law, and liberty that are still prevalent in the modern church of today.

As I am preparing to teach through Galatians 2:1-14 tomorrow evening, I am encouraged by Paul's fidelity to the Gospel, and his passion for the freedom of Christ to be realized in the lives of believers, both Jew and Gentile. Martin Luther's Commentary on Galatians has been a very helpful resource in preparing for this study. He provides great insight into the confrontation of legalism and the healthy expression of liberty as it pertains to the Church.

This is the first time in quite a while that I have had the privilege of leading a more in-depth Bible Study, and I had forgotten how much I love to teach the Bible! Don't get me wrong, when I preach, I teach the Bible, but this is different. With true Bible study prep, I have the opportunity to slow down and ask some harder questions. Less time is spent on developing illustrations, and more time is spent wrestling with the text for understanding, insight, and by God's grace, revelation and illumination.

So, for all of the brethren out there leading Bible Studies, be encouraged! God is faithful to continually reveal to us more of Himself. This is not for our own selfish consumption, but for the sake of His Kingdom and His people. What a privilege we have in rightly dividing the Word of God!

A long day...

God is very good to us, no cliche intended. He just is. I had a wonderful time with family this past weekend and some fruitful time of ministry. I've driven more this weekend than I have in quite some time, but I feel that even the time on the road was fruitful. The next few months slow down as far as traveling goes, so I hope to use that time to be productive writing some new sermons/talks, curriculum, blogging, and working on a book.

For those tracking along with me on the writing project, Steph doesn't like the title 'The Church's Silent Killer', and that alone is enough for me to re-think that. So, I'm open to suggestions. We will be heading to a friends lake house next week to spend a few days writing and doing some speaking near by. Please pray for that time to be fruitful.

Well, I'm tired, so I will go for now. More blogging to come this week.

What to Write?

As I mentioned in my previous post, it is time for me to start writing my first book. The hang-up is no lacking content, but lacking some direction. I have been and continue to be praying and seeking the Lord as to what would best serve His work and trust that He will lead.

Here are some of the ideas that I have been thinking about. They are in various stages of development, but I thought I'd share with those of you who would be willing to pray with me and perhaps offer some insight. These are working titles:

1. Consequential Faith: A study of Matthew 6 (and various cross references) on pursuing a faith that matters.
2. The Church's Silent Killer: Confronting the apathy in the American church, the problem, the challenges, and some biblical solutions.
3. Living Biblically: Topical books discussing issues facing today's teens: Relationships, Discipleship, Campus Ministry, Family stuff, Purity, etc.
4. The Whole Naked Truth: Confronting issues of purity pertaining to students. Not only dealing with abstinence, but also re-casting a vision for biblical marriage as something to look forward to and actively pursue.

There a few more ideas, but they are more chaotic thoughts that are not organized, so I will spare my readers from them for now... I'm just glad that I already have a publisher to work with. That relieves some of the initial pressure.