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Church and Chick-fil-A

Fellow pastor Perry Noble posted this on Wednesday and I thought it was so good that I wanted to pass it along to you.
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I love Chick-fil-A!  (AND love Tim Hawkins' song about it…you should watch it here!)

We eat there at least two or three times a week (not kidding…we’ve actually pushed that number up to 6-7 a few times.)

The food is ALWAYS good, they get the order right nearly every time and their customer service is second to none.  It is always clean and no matter how long the line seems to be people are always served as quickly and efficiently as possible.

So, imagine my surprise when my wife came home the other day and, as we were catching each other up on the things that had taken place while we had been apart all morning and afternoon she told me about a bad experience she had at Chick-fil-A.

I was immediately frustrated!  (Any husband would be!)  AND…before I knew it I had literally told myself in my mind, “Well, if that’s the way things are going to be then I guess we just won’t be going to Chick-fil-A anymore, they’ve lost my business.”

TIME OUT!!!  How stupid was THAT thought?  Seriously, let’s review…

• #1 – They ALWAYS deliver great food!
• #2 – They ALWAYS have friendly people!
• #3 – They ALWAYS have a clean environment!
• #4 – What my wife had experienced was not in line with what normally happens.

(AND…I want to be completely fair to Lucretia, she was NOT saying she would not go back, nor was she angry…she was just telling me about her day and I am the one who became irrational!)  :-)

I lost my mind!  I was literally going to allow one bad experience with one employee ruin a reputation of excellence that had been consistent for years!  (AND…no one knows what was going on in that employees life…she could have had one of the worst days of her life and was trying her best to just hold it together until she could clock out!)

Before you agree with me too quickly…I think there are people who have done the same thing to the church!

It has become quite popular, even in some “Christian” circles, to bash the church for all of the dumb things that she has done.

I have met people since being in ministry for over 20 years that have the same attitude with the church that I almost had with Chick-fil-A!  They will attend, serve, be devoted to a local church for months or even years…and then, all of a sudden…

• Someone didn’t call them when they were out for two weeks.
• Someone said something hurtful to or about them.
• They didn’t like what the preacher said.
• They didn’t like what the youth group was doing.

I could go on and on…but you get the point.  There are times when people will allow one thing in the church to trump the decades of ministry and impact that have taken place through that body of believers, and that’s a bit insane.

• Yes, if you stay in a church long enough I promise you that you will see hypocrisy.
• Someone will say something to you or about you that will hurt you.
• Decisions will be made that you do not like.
• There are going to be sermons that make you mad.

When that happens the enemy is going to try his best to convince you to just walk away…because he knows that the first step away from God is usually getting people to step away from the people of God.

Yes, the church, EVERY church, has made some unwise decisions and, in the process have hurt or disappointed people along the way…but let’s know throw the baby out with the bathwater…

• She’s STILL being built by Jesus–that makes her important!
• She’s STILL reaching out to the broken, the forgotten and the poor.
• She’s STILL making a difference that’s going to be seen for eternity.
• She’s STILL GOD’S PLAN for reaching the world.
• She’s STILL necessary for believers!  (If church is not necessary then why did Jesus say He would build it, died for it, will one day redeem it and spends so much time in the NT talking to it and about it?”

No, the church is NOT perfect…but neither are you (or me!)  So, when we’re tempted to walk away because of the one thing that seems to hurt us or trip us up we should simply ask, “is this consistant with this churches character?”

Stay in a church long enough and you will have a bad experience…but let that push you closer to Jesus as you recognize that HE uses imperfect people in His plan, which means sometimes they get it wrong, and then beg the Lord to teach both them and yourself how to best deal with the situation…because, she’s STILL the church and STILL His bride.

Now…anyone want to go to Chick-fil-A with me?  :-)

Fall Back!

American readers - don't forget to set your clock back one hour this Saturday night before you go to bed or - HORRORS - you'll arrive at church one hour early! (That would be a first!)

And UK readers, we'll catch up on our time with you since you did this last weekend.

Enjoy your extra hour of sleep!

Spurgeon's Last Sermon

Charles Haddon Spurgeon, "Prince of Preachers," preached his last sermon at the Tabernacle in London on this day, June 7, 1891. Dan Graves, in his article "Spurgeon's Last Sermon from  the Tabernacle", shares this interesting article at Christianity.com. I enjoyed it so much I wanted to pass it along to you. I've always felt that it's important we know our church history; it gives us a better appreciation for the men and women God has used in the past. And a deeper appreciation for God's work through the ages. Thanks to Mr. Graves for these wonderful antecdotes.

"Years before, [Spurgeon's] ministry had almost come to an early end. His congregation had grown so large they had to erect this special building to accommodate the crowds who came to hear him. While it was being built, he rented a hall in Surrey Gardens. At 22 years old, he had already been preaching five years. An overflow crowd filled the Surrey Garden hall. As he prayed aloud, pranksters yelled, "Fire," and shouted that the balcony was about to collapse. In a panic, people surged toward the exits. Seven people were trampled to death and dozens more taken to hospital badly injured.

"Spurgeon collapsed in horror. He had to be carried from the pulpit and fell into such deep depression that he later said he doubted anyone had ever passed as close to madness as he and yet escaped with sanity.

"The Tabernacle opened in March 1861. There Spurgeon preached to 6,000 every Sunday for thirty years. That was no mean feat in the days before microphones and was possible only because the Lord endowed him with a commanding voice. From the pulpit, Spurgeon expounded the truths of scripture in a clear and distinct, if showy, style. Each week one of his sermons was published. He quoted frequently from the world's great literature. More importantly, he preached Christ Jesus. In one of the first sermons he preached in the Tabernacle, he declared, 'If I am asked what is my creed, I must reply, It is Jesus Christ.'

"His showmanship was criticized as irreverent. Spurgeon pointed out that through it souls were won. The Lord had called him to preach to the lower classes, and he must present the gospel in a manner they could understand.

"For his final talk, Spurgeon described what it is to have Christ as our captain. He amplified on the story of David at Ziklag. David and his men had returned to find their city burnt and their wives and children taken captive. His men wanted to stone him. But David strengthened himself in the Lord, and under his leadership, the men recaptured their wives and children. At that time, David stood up for some exhausted men who had stayed behind guarding the baggage. Christ, said Spurgeon, is like David. He stands up for the weak.

"'We are all one in Christ Jesus. Surely this ought to comfort those of you who, by reason of feebleness, are made to feel as if you were inferior members of the body ... ' Spurgeon showed that David attributed recovery of their families to the Lord and drew this conclusion: 'If it is all of free grace, then, my poor struggling brother, who can hardly feel assured that you are saved, yet if you are a believer, you may claim every blessing of the Lord's gracious covenant.' Christ, the Son of David, is 'the most magnanimous of captains.'"

Bibliography:

1. Boreham, F. W. Life Verses Volume 1. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Kregel, 1994.
2. Conwell, Russell Herman. Life of Charles Haddon Spurgeon: the world's great preacher. Philadelphia: Edgewood Pub. Co., 1892.
3. Day, Richard Ellsworth. The Shadow of the Broad Brim: the life story of Charles Haddon Spurgeon, heir of the Puritans. Philadelphia: The Judson Press, 1934.
4. Living Leaders of the World. Prepared by an able corps of distinguished authors, such as Gen. Lew Wallace, et al. Chicago: Hubbard, ca. 1899.
5. McGraw, James. Great Evangelical Preachers of Yesterday. New York; Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1961.
6. Pike, G. H. Charles Haddon Spurgeon. Funk & Wagnalls, 1892.
7. "Spurgeon, Charles Haddon." Dictionary of National Biography. Edited by Leslie Stephen and Sidney Lee. London: Oxford University Press, 1921 - 1996.

Image: An interior view of the Metropolitan Tabernacle looking down towards the stage. The Tabernacle was built for the popular Baptist preacher Charles Spurgeon between 1859 and 1861. It had a capacity of 6,000. The Metropolitan Tabernacle is still a large and thriving church today.English Heritage NMR

Hudson Taylor On God's Provision

The great English missionary statesman, Hudson Taylor (1832-1905) was a missionary to China. He founded the China Inland Mission, which at his death included 205 mission stations with over 800 missionaries, and 125,000 Chinese Christians.

Taylor was a man who lived by faith and understood God's provisionary care for His children. One of our LCC elders, Bill Clark, recently passed this quote along to me. Leading a church that has decided to live debt-free means that we have to rely on God to provide for every penny - up front - on every major initiative that we do. Our Hilton Head Island campus is in the midst of this faith step right now. The following truth is one I need to memorize!

"It really is just as easy for God to give beforehand, and He much prefers to do so. He is too wise to allow His purposes to be frustrated for lack of little money, but money obtained in unspiritual ways is sure to hinder blessing."
- (Hudson Taylor in Early Years: The Growth of a Soul, Dr. & Mrs. Howard Taylor)

The Gospel of Prosperity and Its Irony

 
In speaking to numerous people last week, as the news unfolded that Robert Schuller's Crystal Cathedral filed for bankruptcy, a number of them expressed mild shock, wondering how this could happen. After all, this is such a well-known church, led by such a magnetic personality, in such a beautiful setting, with such a magnificent facility!

Personally, I find it disconcerting when any church hits the shoals financially - I know we have worked very hard the last two years to keep our church's financial head above water - but considering the gospel Schuller and the Crystal Cathedral have preached for decades, I can't help but find it ironic that those who adhere to and loudly proclaim prosperity theology are now facing financial bankruptcy and ruin.

Dr. Al Mohler writes:

       The news that the Crystal Cathedral had filed for bankruptcy protection made for an instant sensation. The church established by Robert Schuller, the very prophet of “Possibility Thinking,” [is] now forced to seek protection from its creditors, listing $55 million in debt, including a $36 million mortgage.
       The Los Angeles Times ran “Cracked Crystal” as a headline. The New York Times reported that the “landmark megachurch” would continue, even as it sought protection from its impatient creditors. From coast to coast, the news traveled fast.
       In his 1986 book, Your Church Has a Fantastic Future, Schuller provided what he called “A Possibility Thinker’s Guide to a Successful Church.” The book is a manual for a ministry built on pure pragmatism, sensationalistic promotion, a therapeutic message, and a constant and incessant focus on thinking positively.
       His message about money was simple: “No church has a money problem; churches only have idea problems,” he asserted. 
       In an odd and upside-down way, the news of bankruptcy at the Crystal Cathedral makes that point emphatically. The most significant problem at the Crystal Cathedral is not financial, but theological. The issue is not money, but this ministry’s message. The “gospel of success” is not the Gospel of Jesus Christ, therapy is no substitute for theology, and “Possibility Thinking” is not the message of the Bible.

Read the rest of Dr. Mohler's thoughts here.

When Church is Dishonest - Part Two

Churches can fall into the trap of dishonesty when we...

3.  Talk about certain issues. When we inflate numbers or stories into things they are not.  When we "round up" to make it sound like there was greater interest in an event. When we inflate a personal experience to make up for what was a pretty lackluster deal in the first place. When we tell others that "God showed up" when He really didn't. Although subtle, things like this emanating from a church only promote dishonesty.

4. Attempt to be all things to all people. When a church sets out to meet every person's every need and to make people happy, the church is not only being dishonest toward people, it is especially being dishonest with itself. I recall talking to some people who were new to our church. They told me they had been searching for a church home, but they couldn't find a church they had been happy in. And guess what? They weren't happy with our church either and eventually left. They are probably still unhappy (looking for a "New Testament" church, no doubt.)

I can tell you about any number of church attenders through the years who have given me an earful about our church being uncaring or not reaching out toward them in their time of need. I have very often discovered that people in the church brought them meals, gave them money, prayed for them, drove them places, were called upon by pastors and elders. Yet the family still felt as if the church had not responded. You know what I think really happens in these situations? The pain these folks are in - and it is real - has not gone away.

God does not always take away our pain, so we cannot and should not give people the impression that He will or that we as a church can and will.

So, what can a church do?

Be honest in everything. Preach the gospel without apology...regularly. Reach out to people with the love of God. Address the issues people are having to address on a daily basis. Talk about what is in the newspaper or television and help others see things from a biblical viewpoint. Don't over promise that God or His Church will do things He said we don't or can't. Don't seek to meet every need of every person. It's impossible to do and ends up frustrating everyone in the process.

Billy Joel sings, "Honesty is such a lonely word./Everyone is so untrue./Honesty is hardly ever heard./And mostly what I need from you." It's what the world needs from the Church as well.

When Church is Dishonest - Part One

Really? Churches are dishonest?

Let me explain...

Certainly churches that intentionally act dishonestly are few and far between. But let me challenge your thinking a bit today, especially for those of us who are church leaders. Aren't we being dishonest - even if it's unintentional - when we create and project unrealistic expectations? For example, we can fall into the trap of dishonesty when we...

1. Over promise. I think the one that gets me the most is when churches over promise and tell their community that, "We are a New Testament church...just like the one closest to Jesus' and Paul's time. We operate according to New Testament church practices."

Okay, aside from the obvious that there are no OLD Testament church practices, do we really want to promise this? I wonder, which New Testament church do we have in mind? The Ephesian church who abandoned Paul and had some serious racial issues? Corinth, with its drunkenness (stemming from the communion wine), guys sleeping with their step-mother's, and divisiveness? Or maybe the stellar Galatian church, steeped in suffocating legalism? Over promising something we simply are not is simply dishonest.

2.  Avoid talking about certain issues. When we are afraid to talk about certain topics, when we avoid speaking about certain issues, we are screaming that we are somewhat irrelevant and people then make the assumption that God and His Church are irrelevant. We never intend to be dishonest, but when we don't talk about the real issues of life, we are giving an inaccurate impression.

Come back tomorrow for part two - and some encouragement on how the Church - people who follow Jesus, who is the Truth - can not only project honesty, but also live authentically, in this present age.
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Image: Freddy Corbin's wrist tattoo