Rob Prince's Blog, page 48

The Dos and Don’ts of Thanksgiving

Do eat turkey. Rumors exist that there are some un-Americans among us eating pork or steak on Thanksgiving. Turkey is so yummy, someone named a country after it. Check any world map, you will not find a country named Sirloin or Bacon, but between Greece and Azerbaijan you’ll see Turkey.

Don’t expect the Lions to win on Thanksgiving. If they win (that’s like saying if Jupiter falls out of orbit and smashes into Neptune), make sure your heart is ready. A Lion’s victory might be one of the signs that the Second Coming is near.

Do eat canned jellied cranberry sauce. I read this week that canned jellied cranberry sauce is the least favorite Thanksgiving food. One more indicator that our country is being taken over by communists!

Don’t call the food inside the Turkey “stuffing.” Stuffing is what’s in your pillow and teddy bear. My mama calling it dressin’ (no “g”) and it was delicious!

Don’t go shopping on Thanksgiving Day. Thanksgiving’s sin is gluttony not greed. (That’s only partly in jest… Say “no” to gluttony and greed!)

Do cover your pumpkin pie in Cool Whip. There is no such thing as too much Cool Whip on pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving. I’m sorry for the mixed messages concerning gluttony (see above comments), but Cool Whip on pumpkin pie is quite delicious).

Don’t break the turkey wishbone with a friend and wish that the Detroit Tigers will be watchable in 2020. Don’t waste a perfectly good wish on the Tigers. No amount of wishing can help our Motor City Kitties. I know, I’ve tried. Believe me, I’ve tried.

Do include someone at your Thanksgiving table that might be alone this year. Is there an elderly or single person that might not have a family to celebrate the holiday? It’s not too late to Invite them to join you.

Don’t mention words like “impeachment,” “politics” or “CNN” or “Fox News” as the family gathers on Thanksgiving. All such utterances are words non-grata for a happy family gathering.

Do offer prayers of thanksgiving and gratitude. Even the most troubled among us have reasons to be thankful. Count your blessings not your problems.

Don’t miss what God is doing. God is working. He has plans for you. Good plans. Don’t let problems, diagnoses, worries or troubles divert your attention from God’s great love. Be grateful in all times. (see below).

Do memorize 1 Thessalonians 5:18: Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Thanksgiving is in one week. My prayer for you and your family is that this year’s version will be your best Thanksgiving ever… not because of the food around the table or football on TV, but because the Savior’s love is filling your heart and home.

Myles Garrett isn’t the first to regret a brief stupid moment

Last night as a football game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Cleveland Browns was nearly over and the outcome decided, a player on the Browns, Myles Garrett, ripped the helmet off of the Steelers’ quarterback and hit him in the head with it. It was a terrible, vicious act. A brawl briefly ensued. It will be remembered as a sad chapter in this NFL season. Thankfully, Mason Rudolph didn’t appear to be hurt by the action

After the game, when cooler minds prevailed, Myles Garrett said he regretted his actions. I’m sure he does. But that does not negate the consequences of his behavior and no doubt the league will promptly suspended Garrett for a lengthy period of time.

It doesn’t take long for a thoughtless or mindless or sinful act to disrupt a lifetime of action. Sadly, I have seen this truth played out over and over again in the church. Pastors and laymen who have lived for Jesus in a weak brief moment give into temptation and their witness, reputation, ministry, and sometimes their family and the future are forever devastated. Like Myles Garrett, they regret their actions but it’s too late.

It’s not too late for God to forgive, but sometimes it’s impossible to repair the damage. Like Humpty Dumpty, all the king’s horses and all the king’s men cannot make the situation right again. That’s the trouble with sin: it messes everything up. It doesn’t just effect the sinner. The ripple effects of sinful behavior can last years. Sin takes us farther than we ever wanted to go, and damages people more than we ever thought it could.

Leaders, pastors, board members are not immune to temptation (you know this truth, but it bears repeating). One brief stupid moment can ruin a lifetime of good work. Run away from temptation. Do not think you are strong enough or spiritual enough to “handle” the enticement of the evil one. You aren’t, but Jesus is. Stay close to Jesus!

No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it. 1 Corinthians 10:13

Do you Need an Appointment with the Great Optometrist?

Many years ago, I attended a men’s retreat that had two well marked cabins for sleeping: Snorers and Non-Snorers. I stayed in the non-snorer cabin. Apparently, a friend couldn’t read. At breakfast, my weary non-snorer cabin mates showed up a bit cranky complaining about “Terry” (the name has been changed to protect the loud, obnoxious snorer). A little later Terry, bright eyed and bushy tailed, entered the dining hall. No one said a word before the fully rested Terry proclaimed, “Wow fellas, I slept great. I’m so glad we had cabins for snorers and non-snorers, I didn’t hear one guy snoring all night!”

If looks could kill, I would have been officiating Terry’s funeral later that week. My friend Terry was oblivious to his own “sins.” Eventually the rest of the fellas had an “intervention,” Terry learned of his noisy habit and switched cabins for the following evening.

A few weeks ago, I ran into a lady who was oblivious to things much more important than snoring. Years prior, she left her church because of the (her words) “toxic environment” of the church. Shortly after her exit, her former pastor said this self-absorbed, smug lady had left the church in a “blaze of condemning social media glory.” The toxicity of his church improved (his words) 1000% with her departure. She was a purveyor of bad attitudes, gossip and lies. She was the one causing much of the trouble and with her gone, church life became a joy again. Sadly, she thought the troubles were because of everyone else but her. She was oblivious to her own sins (no quotation marks required).

Jesus warned such people when he asked: “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?” (Matthew 7:3)

Our proclivity to see our neighbor’s speck and miss our plank is why David prayed:

Search me, God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting. Psalm 139:23-24

David prayed for God Almighty to be the Eye Examiner. He didn’t want to be oblivious to his own plank-like sins and shortcomings. If he had strayed in devotion, David pleaded for God to return him to the way of righteousness. Likewise, if we are singularly focused on our neighbor’s specks while missing our own plank, then we need to hear from the Lord too. It’s humbly, reverently, periodically asking the Great Optometrist to do an eye exam for any glaring plank of poor attitudes and sinful behaviors, so that we might see clearly to the way everlasting! If (when) the Lord faithfully points out a blind spot, then our most appropriate response is repentance. Only then will we experience the healing balm of our Savior.

Why the current cultural roads are so hard to navigate

Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life and only a few find it.Matthew 7:13-14

In the past, when I’ve read these words of Jesus, I envisioned two roads: One wide road on one side and one narrow road on the other side. The wide side had lots of people travelling in a self-centered manner or with a very low bar brand of Christianity. Whereas, the narrow side had fewer travelers and were the faithful Jesus followers.

But as our country, churches, and people have become more and more divided, I think there are not two roads but three. There’s a big wide road on the left and a big wide road on the right and a teeny, tiny narrow road somewhere (we can debate if the narrow road veers a little right or a little left).

The entry ramps to both big wide roads on the left and right are easier to merge onto than ever. There are news channels giving directions to the easy access ramps. We slant our social media feeds to our particular wide road convictions (and block those “nut cases” on the other wide road). There are numerous talking heads that remind us how evil the other road travelers truly are.

The left wide road travelers tout how liberating the road is. Everyone is welcome! No fear of crashing on this road, even if you did crash there are no consequences. No hell to worry about. Jesus loves everyone and he would never send someone to such place. Jesus’ accepting and overlooking love is so wide that everyone is included no matter how sinful their behavior, how un-Christlike their attitudes or how unrepentant their heart. Seemingly, the wide left road travelers think the only evil is the people who do not agree with their wide left road positions. Travelers on the wide right road (and even on the skinning narrow road) are intolerant, hate-mongers, so please don’t travel with them.

The right wide road is so ridged that nearly no one can travel it. Yet many do. Fundamentalistically, the wide right road travelers use their Bibles as weapons. Literally taking the Sword and laying waste to anyone who disagrees with their interpretation. The wide right road folks see the world very much as black and white. You are either for us and are my friend or against us and are my enemy. There is no room for disagreement. Seemingly, the wide right road travelers think the only evil is the people who do not agree with their wide right road positions. “Travelers on the wide left road (and even the skinning narrow road) will be in for a rude awakening when our road is raptured to heaven,” they think.

The skinny narrow road is a difficult road to navigate. It doesn’t represent the wide left road, even though those travelling believe Jesus really does love everyone. It doesn’t represent the wide right road, even though it holds the whole of scripture is fully inspired. Narrow road travelers understand that they don’t have everything figured out. They wrestle with the issues. It’s messy. Sound bite answers usually aren’t sufficient. The narrow road seems too conservative for the wide left road folks and too liberal for the wide right road folks. The narrow road travelers are intolerant or naïve or not educated enough according to both the wide right and left travelers. Those on the narrow road are a lot like Jesus when he tearfully looked over Jerusalem as they grieve the bickering and divisions among their wide road travelling friends.

Travelling the narrow, skinny road is harder than ever. Jesus was right (correct, that is). It’s easy to slip onto either wide road but both those roads lead to destruction. The faithful, difficult, messy, skinny narrow road is still the road that leads to life and only a few find it.

The Perfect Halloween Costumes for Church Folks:

Worship Leader: A costume of the Worship In Song Hymnbook.

Apparently, he/she does know what a hymnbook looks like after all.

Church Treasurer: A Body Builder costume carrying a bloody turnip

No one can squeeze blood out of a turnip better than church treasurer.

The Casual Attender: Wearing Ugly Christmas Sweater, carrying an Easter Basket

We call it like we see ‘em—or call it when we see them.

Nursery Worker: NASCAR Pit crew member costume

The real quick-change artists work in the nursery

Facility Crew Member: Superman, Batman or Wonder Woman costume

They are the true superheroes of the church—keeping the church spic and span, smelling good and ready for our members and guests.

Church Office Secretary: Hollywood Make Up Artist Costume

A good office secretary makes everything the pastors give him/her look better.  She/he cleans up bad grammar, spelling and cover-ups his/her errors.

Church Pianist: A Lock Smith’s Costume

She/He can make the keys (on the piano) work in nothing flat

Youth Pastor: A Starbucks Barista Costume

Without Youth Pastors, Starbucks would have been out of business years ago.

Church Bus Driver: A Prayer Bench Costume

No one causes people to pray more than our bus drivers (It’s a joke—we’ve got great drivers)

Sr. Adult Pastor: A Pat Sajak and Vanna White costumes for the husband and wife ministry team

Don’t all seniors love Wheel of Fortune and our Sr. Adult pastor?

Greeter: A costume in the shape of a Welcome Mat with Matthew 10:40 written on the Mat

They are a welcoming welcome crew! (Look up 10:40 in the event you haven’t memorize the Book of Matthew yet).

Usher: An Erich Brenn costume.

Ushers keep more plates moving than the famous plate spinner (You tube him on the Ed Sullivan show)

First time visitor: Indiana Jones Costume

Like Indy, first time visitors are searching for a holy thing and hoping there are no snakes and rats inside

Security Team: A Bottle of Armor All costume

No one protects like our security team.

Lead Pastor: Handsomest man in the world (in the humblest sort of way, of course, from yours truly)

No costume necessary (who do you think is writing this thing?)

 

Articles of Faith Visual Aid

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Several People have asked me about the Membership Packet used in our membership class. This is the visual aid that I think most people were requesting.

I’ve been told that it was developed by Stephane Tibi of the World Mission Department to explain the Articles of Faith visually to those illiterate or who spoke another language than English. I have used it for several years in membership class as we walk through the Articles of Faith.

Pew Research Reports What We Already knew: We are losing people

There is an old joke of a guy who had spent years alone on a deserted island showing his rescuers the buildings he built while stranded. The first building was his house. The second building was his church, and the third building was the new church that he built when he got fed up with the preaching and all the gossip at the other church (I didn’t say it was a good joke, just an old joke). People have always left churches. Folks get mad at the preacher or something or someone and like the church office stapler they are gone never to be seen again.

People were slower to leave in days gone by. If something upsetting happened at church, the people involved (because church was a family) loved each other and worked out the issue. Not always, but frequently. One didn’t change churches like you change socks. You only left your church with much weeping and gnashing of teeth.

People leave quicker today. They don’t try to work out the issue. They just leave. Either in a huff with the obligatory social media posts of all their dirty laundry or a quiet exit out the back door, but either way they are gone. Pew Research just published this:“in reversal from a decade ago, more US adults now say they rarely/never attend religious services than say they attend once a month or more (54% vs. 45%).” We are losing people.

Unlike in the old days, more often than not, instead of trying out the church down the road or a sister congregation in the next town, often these disgruntled members stop attending church altogether. People go from faithful to faithless faster than some sports cars. They begin posting pictures of their Sunday outings on social media with the hashtag #SundayFunday.  Maybe they tune into a favorite mega church pastor’s sermon occasionally or listen to K-Love in the car, but they have no fellowship of believers. No service opportunities. They don’t receive communion on a regular basis. They pretend “Remember the Sabbath Day and keep it holy” no longer applies.  They ignore passages like Hebrews 10:24-25 that says, “Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”

 If asked about their lack of corporate worship attendance, the response is something like, “You don’t need to go to church to be a Christian.” While technically true, there is no quicker way to become cold, bitter and carnal than to stop worshipping with fellow believers.

I write this not to offer a new church growth methodology to win these folks back, but to acknowledge our current reality and to weep over those who are dangerously walking away from faith. The Church was God’s idea. He knew we would need other believers to lift us up, and that we would need to be a blessing to others. God knows we need each other.

 

Pastor Appreciation Month: One Pastor’s Perspective

Thanks to James Dobson, H.B. London and the Focus on the Family organization in the early 1990’s, October has been known as Pastor Appreciation Month. Here’s what this pastor appreciates.

I appreciate church folks who…

• Love unconditionally (They love each other, love their neighbors, love their enemies, love sinners, love saints, love adherents to other religions, love those with no religion, love everybody even me. No conditions.)

• Pray frequently for their pastors and church.

• Give generously.

• Read their Bible often.

• Reflect Jesus in their attitudes and actions.

• Are kind, honest, and dedicated.

• Allow the pastor’s spouse and children to be themselves.

• Use social media to spread goodness not gossip.

• Understand that pastors (like everyone) are not perfect and are quick to give the benefit of the doubt and offer grace even when the pastor blunders.

• Uplift, encourage and cheerlead the good things happening in the church.

• Recognize that they haven’t arrived and are growing and striving to know God more and more.

• Act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with God.

• Clean the church as if they were cleaning it for Jesus, himself

• Refuse to judge their pastor based on a disgruntled squeaky wheel’s blather, but form their own opinion based on his/her personal interactions with the pastor.

• While sitting on the church board, understand that leadership is about godliness, commitment and servanthood.

• Work behind the scenes for God’s glory not their own.

• Greet church visitors like family.

• Brag on Jesus all the time.

• Offer to babysit the pastor’s kids—so the pastor and spouse can go out on a date (of course, my boys are in their twenties, married and rarely need a baby sitter these days).

• Regularly invite their friends to church and share their faith.

• Come out on mission work days just as eagerly as they show up for fun days.

• Make the tastiest pot-luck entrées (Lemon pie? Yes, please!).

• Refuse to utter discouraging but pious sounding clichés like: “I’m not being fed,” “We have never done it that way before,” or “We are looking for a more spiritual church, but it’s not about you, pastor.”

• Hate to miss Sunday church services and rarely do.

• Love a good joke and are quick to laugh at themselves.

• Encourage young adults to fulfill their potential in Christ.

• Ask questions like: “How can I help?” and “Where do you need me?”

But most of all, I appreciate that God has called me into pastoral ministry where every week I get to proclaim the goodness, mercy, grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and serve alongside some of the greatest people in the world!

DO NOT come to Spiritual Renewal services if…

Sunday begins our Spiritual Renewal (revival) Services with Dr. J.K. Warrick, General Superintendent Emeritus in the Church of the Nazarene, but DO NOT come to Spiritual Renewal services if you…

• Relish sitting in a chair muttering to yourself, “I am not being fed spiritually.” (Think of Spiritual Renewal as a Smorgasbord for your Soul. If you like feeling empty and spiritually dead, then stay home.)

• Hate good preaching. (Maybe you come to church to catch up on your sleep. The pews are comfy. Your life is hard. If you think of church as a drug free alternative to melatonin, then DO NOT come to Spiritual Renewal. JK Warrick is a great preacher!

• Like making, planning, and cleaning up after dinner. (Meals are being served Monday through Wednesday prior to Spiritual Renewal Services beginning at 6PM. Just come, eat and stay for the services. If you really like washing dishes, please DO NOT come).

• Love to pay for your meals. (The meals described above are FREE. No joke. FREE!).

• Are annoyed by excellent music. (If your musical preference is off-key, out-of-tune singers, bad musicians and worse lyrics, then DO NOT COME to spiritual renewal services. John Nicholas and the Woods Band will be leading and they are terrific!)

• Enjoy watching your kids turn into couch potatoes. (There are special services for all kids 5th grade and under. But if they attend then they won’t be watching any important life-changing You-tube videos of cats sleeping. Their couch potatoness will be negatively affected by Spiritual Renewal Week).

• Plan on never joining with God in His mission for our world. If you have won the Genesee County Person of the Year Award twelve years in a row for your service to the community, then maybe you need not come and discover God’s plan for your life.

• Have Isaiah 42:20 as a life verse. (It reads: “You have seen many things, but you pay no attention; your ears are open, but you do not listen.” If you are thinking of coming to Spiritual Renewal service, but refuse to listen or hear from the Lord, please DO NOT waste your time).

• Are Prefect (If you are perfect and have no areas in your life that need to be addressed, have never ever made a mistake, memorized every word in the Bible, always follow God’s word perfectly, have every single relationship in your life in perfect alignment with the Lord; think that you should be placed on a pedestal with a sign reading: THE PERFECT CHRISTIAN— then DO NOT come to Spiritual renewal. Spiritual renewal is for people who know that God is not done with them.).

PLEASE COME to Spiritual Renewal Services if you are hungry for the Lord. If you love when God comes upon a service and His presence is so real. Come to Spiritual renewal if you are dealing with tough issues and heavy burdens. Come to spiritual renewal if you are just dipping your toe into this “faith thing” and you’ll discover that faith, holiness and healing is for you. Come to Spiritual Renewal services! You will NOT be disappointed, and your dinner is free!

What Mission Outreach (aka Faith Promise) Means at Central Church

Mission’s Outreach (aka Faith Promise) Sunday is this week. It’s the Sunday we bring in a great missionary speaker (Check. Lindell Browning is our speaker, a great Nazarene missionary in the Middle East. You’ll love his preaching!). We also raise money for all of our mission efforts for the coming year. We hope people will pledge over and above their tithes. Over and above? That’s right. Robbing Peter to pay Paul is practically unbiblical at least according to Peter. Our Mission Outreach (aka Faith Promise) giving is the “offering” portion of “tithes and offerings.”

Personal Request: Given that a preacher just mentioned the word “offering” you’ll be tempted to delete this little note faster than you can say “Get Your Hand off my Wallet,” but please read on.

How do you know what you should pledge? Honestly, that’s between you and the Lord. What is it worth to you that people around the world and in Flint hear about Jesus? Before you answer that question, did you know according to this week’s NMI Prayer Mobilization Line, “There are 7,035 people groups in the world that are identified as unreached or least-reached with the gospel, in which there is no indigenous community of believing Christians with adequate numbers and resources to evangelize the people group without outside assistance.” 7,035! Did you know that through our Convoy of Hope Community Event last Saturday we served 3,328 people and prayed with 1664? There are needs around the world and there are needs around the block. Central Church is trying to meet needs both globally and locally. We need your help!

What type of sacrifice could you give to start whittling down that number of unreached people groups or advancing the gospel in Flint and Genesee County? What could you give (over and above your regular tithes) to make a difference for Jesus?

Here are a few examples:

Giving up a Starbucks coffee a week ($5) would mean a pledge of $250.

Giving up a Five Guys lunch (and eating PB & J instead) a week ($10) would mean a $500 pledge.

Giving up a Dinner and Movie with your spouse (Netflix and Little Caesars is cheaper) once a month ($100… by the way, you eat at fancy restaurants) would mean a $1000 pledge.

Giving up that dream of a Tesla and buying a Buick would mean a $5,000-$10,000 pledge (C’mon this is Flint; Elon Musk doesn’t need your money anyway).

Jesus said, “Go into all the nations and make disciples.” (Matthew 28:19). He said, “and you will be my witnesses… to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8).

Paul asked these questions: “How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent” (Romans 10:14-15).

You get the idea. Missions is important, but it doesn’t happen without our giving and sacrifice. Bottom Line: Jesus gave us the orders. We must tell our world that Jesus saves! We must disciple and baptize people. We must be about this high calling or going and sending others to accomplish this mission. This is our opportunity and our duty, Central Church! Please pray, discuss with your family and pledge to give to our mission efforts this year.

Thank you in advance for what you are going to do!