It’s more than closing the back door

Someone who is in a small group in the church is five times more likely to remain active in the church than someone who is only attending worship services.

Think of the implications of this statistic. That person in a small group is five times more likely to be in ministry. Five times more likely to share their faith. Five times more likely to have a deeper knowledge of the Bible. Five times more likely to hear the gospel.

So the issue is not simply about closing the back door. It’s about believers having a closer walk with Christ. It’s about churches becoming healthier as a group.

From “I Will — Nine Traits of the Outwardly Focused Christian” by Thom Rainer, page 43

You can't help but want to get up and dance!

Think, Learn, Succeed

"Are you succeeding or just surviving?" All of us want our lives to count for something.  We want to feel as though we've lived up to our full potential. And yet there are times when it seems that the best we can do is just get through another day.

Dr. Caroline Leaf, in her new book, "Think, Learn, Succeed," believes that we can leave the "same old-same old" life behind by understanding how the mind works.  In doing so, Leaf writes, a person can "redefine your past, reimagine your present, and realize your future."

If you are adverse to change, you should probably not read this book.  Because Dr. Leaf will challenge readers to do just that - change your mindset.  She takes on established thinking and, in many cases, turns it upside down.  And if you've ever felt that you're not as gifted or as intelligent than others, Dr. Leaf offers hope and encouragement.  She makes it clear throughout the book - you can learn to learn.

Ready to change your mindset? Read this book.

I had a black dog, his name was depression

Luther’s Morning Prayer

I thank You, my Heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Your dear Son, that you have kept me this night from all harm and danger; and I pray that You would keep me this day also from sin and every evil, that all my doings and life may please You. For into Your hands I commend myself, my body and soul and all things. Let Your holy angels be with me, that the evil foe have no power over me. Amen.

Just Plain Exhausted

I'm tired Lord
drained

just plain exhausted

But now let me not
just dwell on my weariness
but on Your strength
Direct me to
Your Holy Word
O You who were
wearied for our sakes
even to the cross
Let me find my refuge
in You
Send Your holy angels
to minister to me
and bear me up
Refresh renew and strengthen me
Give me the peace
the world cannot give
Restore to me
the joy of Your salvation
You have promised
You will come
Abide with me then 
till I find my final rest
in You

Donald Deffner, "Prayers For People Under Pressure," page 88

What to do when you can't get out of bed

As someone who suffers from anxiety and depression, these words brought comfort and reassurance.

If you feel like you like you can't get out of bed, take a deep breath and let God know.  Admit your heartbreak. Confess your sadness. Pour out your heart to God. Lie in the darkness and ask Him for help. Embrace your dark night of the soul. Let Jesus know that He'd better do something because you can't do anything.  Lean hard into God's arms; when you do, you will be embraced by grace.

Take life one heartbeat at a time. Let each step be enough. Lean on a trusted friend or a compassionate counselor who can share the burdens of your heart and soul. Ask God to open doors of help and restoration. Patiently watch and wait.

Then, don't fret about the future. Resist thinking about tomorrow. Fight the urge to fast-forward to what your life may be like in the long haul. Press pause on worrying about how or if your feelings of woe will be fixed. There's a better way. When you can't get out of bed, fall into the care of the One who knows how to bring you through the worst wilderness. You may not get over it, but God will get you through it.

Michael W. Newman, "Hope When Your Heart Breaks," page 112, published by Concordia Publishing House

How do you pray?

Jeremiah stood before God to pray for his people (Jer. 18:20)

  Peter knelt to pray (Acts 9:40)

Nehemiah sat down when he prayed (Neh. 1:4)

  Abraham prostrated himself while praying (Gen. 17:3)

Ezekiel prayed in a loud voice (Ezek. 11:13)

  Hannah prayed silently to the Lord (1 Sam. 1:13)

Paul prayed and sang in the Spirit (1 Cor. 14:15)

  David prayed in the morning (Psalm 5:3)

Isaac prayed out in his field in the evening (Gen. 24:63)

  Daniel prayed in his house three times a day (Dan. 6:10)

Anna prayed night and day in the temple (Luke 2:37)

What does all this prove?

  There are lots of ways to pray.

SO, PRAY!

Unshakable Hope

           I am known in some circles as a “second-career” pastor.  In my first life, I spent 17 years in radio broadcasting.  I began as a weekend announcer and worked my way up the ranks.  As I progressed I became the general manager of a radio broadcast group.  It took me from behind the microphone and put me in charge of programming, administration and sales.  And as general manager, I was the trouble-shooter.  If one of our stations had something unusual come up, I was the guy who got the call.

            That why I wasn’t too concerned when one of our managers called my office one day to say, “George, I hope you’re setting down.  We have a problem at the station.”  With confidence in my voice, I calmly asked, “What’s going on?”  The manager answered, “One of our radio towers just came down.”

            I sat down.

            I prided myself on being able to handle any situation, to keep my cool while everyone else was braking out in a cold sweat.  But this was one problem that couldn’t be solved with a phone call or a brief trip.  Losing a radio tower meant a loss of power and coverage and, more importantly, a loss of needed revenues.

            For a brief moment the situation seemed hopeless.  And I felt sick.

            That’s how it is when we live without hope.  Confidence in the future disappears.  Faith in dealing with present circumstances vanishes.  Our expectations crumble just like a damaged radio tower.

            After you finish reading this, why don’t you take a little inventory…of your life.  An honest look might reveal some area of your life that needs to be changed.  Maybe a bad temper needs to be curbed.  Or some lustful thoughts need to be extinguished.  Or harsh words need to be swallowed.

            You say, “I’ve tried to change but it’s hopeless.”  Maybe you should set down.  Or better yet, drop to your knees and ask the God of hope to be at work in your heart today and this week.  Through the power of the Holy Spirit you are God’s new creation.  2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come.”  God began this process in your life at your baptism.  Titus 3:5 tells us, “(God) saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy.  He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.”  And God continues this work through His Gospel of grace as you hear, read and meditate on His Holy Word.  The Apostle Peter wrote in his first letter: “For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God." 

            Beginning September 9, Life in Christ will offer a sermon/Bible study series called, “Unshakable Hope,” based on the new book by Max Lucado.  During his many years of ministry, Lucado has discovered that nothing brings more hope to a hurting or confused or lost person like the promises that God makes in the Scriptures.  Hope can be restored when life feels hopeless.  It happens when the Holy Spirit, working through that Word, gives the needed assurance that nothing can separate any of us from God’s love.

            I hope (there’s that word again!) that you will join us starting on September 9^th.  All of us can use a little hope, right?

What happens when you throw yourself in Jesus' arms?

Corrie ten Boom, a Dutch Christian, who hid Jews in her home during World War II and was eventually arrested and imprisoned in a concentration camp by the Nazis, recognized (God's) love. Two decades after her release she gave hundreds of devotional messages via radio in the Netherlands. In one of them she says,"When you throw an empty bottle in an ocean, it will immediately fill with with water and be surrounded by ocean water. If you throw yourself in Jesus' arms in complete surrender, you will be filled and surrounded by an ocean of God's love."

From, "Craving Connection," page 91

Planning Small Groups With Purpose

How do you creates a small church feel when your church has thousands of members?

Steve Gladen can tell you how.

His new book, "Planning Small Groups With Purpose," has the subtitle, "A Field Tested Guide To Design and Grow Your Ministry."  Gladden has been the pastor of the small group ministry at Rick Warren's Saddleback Church for 20 years.  For churches with struggling small groups or wanting to begin such a ministry, Gladden's book is a useful tool.

This book lives up to its name - it is a planning guide for developing a small group ministry. It was created so that small groups fit a congregation's particular makeup and purpose instead of simply copying what Saddleback did.  The book is best suited for use by a ministry team but it can't be implemented in a session or two.  But, given the time and attention, "Planning Small Groups With Purpose," is a helpful guide for planting small groups in any church. 

Who is my neighbor?

Here's a little tidbit from Bo Giertz...

Who is my neighbor? Someone I can reach with my service. I become his neighbor.  Just like the Samaritan, of whom Jesus said: Go and do likewise.

From "To Live With Christ," page 595

Top Ten Ways to Encourage Your Pastor (by the Babylon Bee)

The Babylon Bee is a fantastic satirical presence on the web.  They never fail to bust my gut.  But now they're stealing my Top Ten List idea! I'm mean, who are these people to take my original idea and use it for their own good! (Oh, wait a minute.  I stole the idea from the Letterman show. Oops!). Anyway, here's their list (and remember - it's satire!)

10) Just tell him he's worthless

9) Conk out in the front row

8) Belittle his wife

7) Make sure he knows he's not John Piper (or whoever the big shot is in your church body)

6) Write him an anonymous critical letter

5) Drop the F-bomb

4) Make sure he knows you would be volunteering more if literally everything else weren't more important to you.

3) Call his sermon a "speech"

2) Quietly change churches without letting anyone know

1) Ask him what book of the Bible the church has been studying for the last three years.

For the full content of this list, go on the internet and google "Babylon Bee."  Then, be prepared to laugh!

Another weekend, another opportunity to worship

Hi gang! We've almost survived another week of heat and humidity.  Although it seems hard to fathom right now, this too shall pass. However, do not pass on the opportunity to worship your generous God this weekend.

If you don't have a church home, try ours! Here's the worship schedule for this weekend at LICL:

Saturday @ 5 pm

Sunday @ 8, 9:30 & 11 am

We also have a Fellowship event this Sunday - A potato bar with all the fixins with ice creme sundaes.  There will be games and other activities taking place as well. And, we keep the Fellowship Hall cool! So, come and join us!

Have a blessed weekend!

Top 10 Signs You're At A Bad Church Council Meeting

I've been very blessed at Life in Christ with outstanding lay leadership.  Other pastors haven't been as fortunate.  You know the council meeting isn't going well when:

10) All financial decisions are decided by rock, paper, scissors

9) The council president has a conniption when the secretary tells him she doesn't have the minutes because "her dog ate them"

8) One member makes a motion to punch another member in the mouth. Motion carried.

7) The meeting doesn't begin with prayer but with a loyalty oath to the council president

6) A call comes in from the IRS that your treasurer won't be attending the meeting

5) The member at large responds to every proposal with "we've never done it that way before!"

4) The gavel of leadership is passed down from Homer Johnson to Homer Johnson Jr.

3) The congregational president goes after the pastor on his Twitter account

2) The council votes to move their meetings to Chili's because of their quiet meeting room and Tuesday half-price chicken wings

And the number one sign you're at a bad church council meeting?

1) The "minutes" are called "hours"

Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit

This time three years ago, my dear, sweet wife and I traveled to St. Louis to attend a training seminar at the headquarters of the Lutheran Church, Missouri Synod.  While we were there some in our group had a chance to see the Synodical President's Office. 

I thought I had died and gone to heaven! President Matthew Harrison's office was full of books, books, books, crosses, and mementos collected from his many travels. The crucifix above hung on the wall behind his desk. I was so busy taking pictures I didn't hear how Harrison came to own this cross.  But as you can see, it was captivating and beautiful. 

The uniquness of God's love

God loves you just the way you are. If you think His love for you would be stronger if your faith were, you are wrong. If you think His love would be deeper if your thoughts were, wrong again. Don't confuse God's love with the love of people. The love of people often increases with performance and decreases with mistakes.  Not so with God's love. He loves you right where you are.

Max Lucado

A prayer for vocation

Lord of my life, I ask Your blessing on my daily life and especially on my work. My work is good because Your hand is upon it. Do not let me turn my to selfish purposes. Forgive me when I fail.

Help me to remember that You are still Lord when I feel discouraged and useless when I am tense and angry. Help me to remember You are still Lord when I am satisfied and pleased with my accomplishments.

Take my work into Your own hands. Give blessing to all I do and say. Use what I accomplish as a blessing to others, for Jesus' sake.  Amen.

From "Lutheran Book of Prayer," page 180

Thoughts on love

That's what God's love is. It loves sinners like us, who are hopelessly separated from this Divine love.

God shows exactly the thing God's love wants to give us when He sacrificed the dearest thing He had.

From "To Live With Christ." pages 545-46

High Impact Teams

One of the biggest challenges in the church is creating and developing ministry teams that work together. It's hard work to bring a group of people together to pursue agreed to goals and objectives.

Lance Witt is referred to as a pastor's pastor.  He understands the challenges that pastors, leaders and their teams face.  His new book, "High Impact Teams," is a welcomed and needed reference tool that will benefit any ministry team.

Witt is very candid about describing the mistakes he made while in ministry.  Most importantly, he learned from those mistakes and one of the goals of "High Impact Teams" is helping ministry leaders and teams avoid those mistakes.

The book covers a gamut of subjects, from how leaders define what success should look like to how to have a difficult conversation resulting in a win-win for both individuals.  Although any pastor or ministry leader would find reading the book helpful, Witt has designed the book for use in a group or team setting with discussion questions following each chapter.

I found the book highly accessible and easy to read. I particularly like reading books by those who write from experience.  That is just one of the reasons to read "High Impact Teams."

Have an enemy? Here's a comforting thought

It is not that with God we have no enemies, but that along with our enemies we have God.

Dan Paavola, "Our Way Home," page 149

Short and sweet

Worship with us this weekend at Life in Christ.

Today at 5 pm.

Tomorrow at 8, 9:30 or 11 am.

That is all!

Blessings!

Top Nine Ways Churches Drive Away First-time Guests

Unfriendly church members

Unsafe and unclean children's areas

No place to get information

Bad church websites

Poor signage

Insider church language

Boring or bad service

Members telling guests that they were in their seat or pew

Dirty facilities

The list was taken from Thom Rainer's book, "I Will."  The focus of the book is on encouraging church members to think less about what they want from the church and, instead, consider what they can give to the church.  Rainer, however, also provides some thoughts on what a church needs to do to encourage first time guests to make a second visit.  Reviewing the list, it seems like church leaders shouldn't even need to be told that a messy or unkept children's classes or play areas are a huge turnoff for parents.  Making people move from "your" seat is just plain rude. I wonder what kind of a difference it would make for more churches if they took this list seriously?

One answer - maybe more people would hear about the love of Jesus Christ.

The grass isn't always greener on the other side

Ever asked God, "What is Your plan for me? Where do You want me to serve You?"

Sometimes we can get very frustrated doing what we're doing.  We're certain that real satisfaction lies with the next job or next opportunity.  Well, there is no harm in exploring future options.

But while you check out other things also realize that God has you where you are right now for a reason. Sometimes, when we focus all our efforts in doing the best where we are at, we begin to discover the fulfillment we'd been seeking all along.

I like the comments below from Pastor Colin Smith. 

"Focus your best effort on what God has given you to do right now. It’s easy to waste your life, always looking at the next thing, but the best place to flourish is where God has set you down. Whatever God has given you to do, do it with all your heart! My pastor used to say, 'Colin, there are no perfect places. The best place to flourish is where God has set you now'."

Smith's comments really resonated with me because I've fallen into the trap of thinking that "the grass is greener on the other side." And sometimes that really is true.  But often that new job or opportunity doesn't work out the way we hoped it would. We didn't get what we were looking for. Peace and satisfaction are not found in a new job, relationship or hobby.  What we're looking for can be found only in Jesus Christ.  

This is why the apostle Paul writes in Colossians, chapter three: "Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts...Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly...and whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

The Come Back Effect

How does the saying go? "You don't get a second chance to make a first impression."  Wise words the church needs to embrace!  You can have the best band or organist.  You can have an inspiring speaker. You can have the nicest facility.  But if your church lacks hospitality, first time visitors might not make a second appearance.

But it doesn't have to be that way.  Jason Young & Jonathan Malm have written a new book, "The Come Back Effect," that every pastor and church leader needs to read.  Implementing their suggestions could make the difference for your church as it reaches people with the good news of Jesus' suffering, death and resurrection for the forgiveness of sins and the certainty of eternal life.

According to Young and Malm, having hospitality greeters is not a church program.  It's a culture - a culture of hospitality - that must be introduced and cultivated.  A spirit of hospitality is something that is felt by first time guests. 

Another important point stressed in the book is that hospitality is "valued from the top down." It's an important guiding principle stressed by the pastor; it's a ministry that is equipped with resources from church leadership; it's having team leaders valuing the volunteers who make or break the culture of hospitality in a church.

If your church has lots of first time "tire kickers," who never show up again, "The Come Back Effect" is the book your leadership needs to read  - today!

Book provided for review by Baker Books.

Wise words from Yogi Berra

If you're a person of my generation, you can't help but remember the New York Yankees.  In the 60's they were described as the Bronx Bombers and the middle of their lineup featured Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris.  The Yankees were fixtures in the World Series.  You either loved or hated them.

However, nearly everyone loved their catcher, Yogi Berra.  He was a great hitter and very good behind the plate.  But it was what Yogi said when his catcher's mask came off that made him endearing.

Yogi was once asked by a teammate, "What time is it?"  Yogi answered, "Right now?" You gotta love it.  Anyway, here are Yogi's wise words for the day:

You should always go to other people's funerals, otherwise they won't come to yours.

I think Yogi would agree that you should also go to church this weekend.  Why not Life in Christ? Worship today at 5 pm or tomorrow at 8, 9:30 or 11 am.  You'll hear more wise words.  Just not from Yogi.

Top Ten Things The Pastor Is Doing When He Steps Out Of A Service

Ever wonder what the pastor is doing when he steps away from the service for a moment? Probably one of these things:

10) Looking for the service bulletin he forgot

9) Taking a call from his Fantasy Football League Commissioner

8) Trying to find the Tall, Non-Fat Latte with Carmel Drizzle that he left in the Narthex

7) Grabbing a quick donut from the kitchen

6) Praying that the organist will kick it up a notch

5) Going to the cry room...to cry

4) To wake up the people at the sound board

3) Perform CPR...on his sermon

2) Practicing his Joel Osteen inspired smile

And the number one thing the pastor is doing when he steps out of a service:

1) Going to pay for his Uber Eats delivery of his Scrambled Egg McMuffin!

The Christian Way

Something to think about today...

The Christian way is different; harder and easier.  Christ says, "give me all.  I don't want so much of your time and so much of your money and so much of your work: I want you... no half-measures are any good. I don't want to cut off a branch here and a branch there. I want to have the whole tree down...Hand over the whole natural self, all the desires which you think innocent as well as the ones you think wicked - the whole outfit.  I will give you a new self instead. I will give you Myself; my own will shall become yours."

CS Lewis from "The Joyful Christian"

First pray, then tip

            I was listening to a Christian radio program not too long ago when the speaker said something that was totally unexpected.  “Christians,” the pastor said, “we’ve got to get our act together about tipping.  When you eat out at a restaurant, don’t leave a Christian tract as a tip.  Most servers work hard and aren’t paid very much.  It’s the tips they earn that pay their bills.  Do the Christian thing – give those servers a good tip.  Leave the tracts at home.  You’ll give a much better Christian witness if you leave a good sized tip!”

            If my two daughters had been listening with me, I’m sure they would have been singing out, “Amen!” and “Hallelujah!”  Both of them worked in restaurants while they were in school and encountered all kinds of folks.  One night I’d hear about a couple who had a simple meal and then left a very generous tip.  Next time, one of the girls would call to say that they served a party of 12 who demanded an extraordinary amount of time and energy and then ended up leaving a $10 dollar tip.  They also received as tips, business cards, coupons and, yes, Christian tracts.  As one of my daughters told me, “Dad, you can’t spend a tract!”

            So let me say, yes, Christians should tip generously for good service.  Leaving a tract instead of a tip probably doesn’t create a very good impression for a hard-working server.  But I also believe that if we Christians want to offer a positive witness for the sake of Jesus Christ, there is something else we can do besides leaving a good tip.  When our food is served, we need to pray.

            Specifically, we need to offer a table prayer before we eat the food served to us.  We ask God to bless our meals at home, don’t we?  Why not in a nice restaurant or our favorite burger joint?  If we’re eating out, it’s because God has blessed us with the means to enjoy a meal away from home.  All the more reason to give thanks to God for His many blessings.  Besides, when you just take a moment to bow your head and offer a word of thanks to God for your food, you identify yourself as a follower of Christ Jesus.

            When our kids were growing up, we taught them this simple prayer: Come, Lord Jesus, be our guest.  And let these gifts to us be blessed.  Amen.  In Martin Luther’s Small Catechism, he offers a wonderful table prayer: Lord God, heavenly Father, bless us and these Your gifts which we receive from Your bountiful goodness, through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.  Psalm 118, verse one provides a good but simple prayer: O give thanks unto the Lord for He is good, for His mercy endures forever.  And some people have memorized Psalm 145:15-16 as a table prayer: The eyes of all look to You (O Lord), and You give them their food at the proper time.  You open Your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing.

            If you’ve never prayed in public at a restaurant before, it might seem a little awkward at first.  But don’t let that keep you from giving a positive witness of your Christian faith to your server and those around you.  And, if you have children, you’ll be teaching them how to let that little light of their faith in Jesus shine out to others.

            

            If you don’t have a table prayer, consider one of the prayers I offered a moment ago.  If you or your family have a favorite prayer of blessing, then use it.  You’ll enjoy giving testimony of your faith in Christ Jesus.  Remember: pray first…then tip.