NPC #1

Tomorrow I leave for the National Pastors Conference. I am hoping to meet up with some family, some old friends, while traveling with some new friends.

Most of all I hope I can meet with God.



More tomorrow...


P.S. Thanks Jeanne for the laptop! I am glad I could help you out with your Lenten fast.

In God We Mistrust?

Last week I was encouraged to think about how my life would change if I truly trusted in God. Trusted that God loves me, trusted that God has the best in mind for me, trusted that God was on my side because of what Jesus has done for me.

Well, I have honestly been thinking about this all week and here are some changes I have come up with:

-My total outlook would change. I would live more generously and with less friction.
-Life would not seem so complicated.
-My spirit would be lifted and lightened.
-I would feel freer to be who God created me to be. I would be more interested in being who God created me to be.
-I would love more and judge less.
-I would not be so worried about appearances or being taken advantage of.
-I would be more flexible and relaxed.
-I could forgive.
-I would be an optimist.
-Life would be more joyful.

With all that said, why don't I live like I trust God? It is obviously better than living like I don't trust him or as if I halfheartedly trusted him.

I guess I am just scared to let go. Hmmmm, that leads to anther question, "what am I scared of?"

I am scared God won't do what I want, when I want it. In other words, I am scared of losing control.

This is an interesting thought. Why would I be scared of losing control of life that is destined to failure without God. I must understand that I only have the illusion of control, where God truly is in control.

Since you asked...

A while back I sent a resume to a church on the right coast that was looking for a pastor. Now, I hate sending out resumes, but I hate the "process" that follows even more.

So, somewhere along the "application process," I quit playing the game.

Me:
John,

Please withdraw my name from your list of candidates for the position of Pastor of Community and Discipleship at #%$#^% Community Church.

Chip Anderson



#%$#^% Community Church:
Chip,

We are sorry to hear of your withdrawal of your name from our list of candidates. If there was anything related to the application process which was a part of your decision we would certainly like to know if you have any suggestions for improvement. In any case, we wish you the very best in your search and pray that God will lead you to just the right position for you and Debra.

In Christ,

John


Me:
Dear John,

Everything thing about the “application process” seemed so impersonal: the one email I received simply said, “Please see the attached,” the form letter used my legal name and not the name I use everyday and there was a lack of interest in me as a person. All of this contributed to this distant feeling. There was nothing personal about this process. There was no call to put a voice with a name, there was no information about the process itself, no, “Hey tell me your story. What makes you tick? What are your passions?” This is rather ironic to me since your church apparently values community so much that you are looking for a “Pastor of Community.”

Don’t get me wrong I know where you are coming from. I have walked in your shoes. You have a whole congregation of people waiting for you to find a person. They are asking every week, if not more often, about your process. You have a room full of people on your search committee who have families, jobs and lives outside of being a search committee. They are busy people. You have a stack of resumes to plow through, references to check, and questionnaires to send and receive. Looking for the right leader is a daunting task. I would hope in the future your team would seek out ways to infuse their personalities, their passion for God and their church and their love for people into the search for your new Pastor.

Honestly, with things feeling so impersonal, corporate and sterile, the questionnaire you sent seemed more like an assignment with a due date than an exploration of the possibility of partnering together for the purpose of living out God’s kingdom. In the end, I just lost interest in filling out the questionnaire. This served as a sign to me that I am most likely not the right person for #%$#^% Community Church, so I withdrew.

God’s blessing on your search,

Chip


#%$#^% Community Church:
nothing



Grrrrr, there has to be a better way of doing this!

Contributing to their own demise

"The LORD saw how great man's wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time. The LORD was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain."

So what have we as men done to women to make them think the exploitation of their own gender is acceptable, nay fashionable?

I am amazed why I see I women, and more so when I see “girls”, wearing a shirt or hoodie which promotes Playboy, Hooters or Skin Industries. How did we sell women on the idea they are only good for their parts when they are attractive and willing to have their identity wrapped up in what men think of them? I am truly lost here.

· Do they think they are supporting their man but participating in these trends?
· Are these fashion accessories so trendy, women are willing to belittle themselves to seem hip?
· Is there a general lack of self esteem that manifests itself in a need to be approved of by the lowest common denominator?

We had to work very hard in order to get a society like ours. We have created a world that has legitimized and de-stigmatized porn, where it is OK to objectify women and established a culture of unreal expectations. All the while, getting women to promote it for us!

I thank God I have sons! I don’t have to worry about Brats Dolls, sexy underwear or skin tight, low cut tops. I just have to raise men who respect women and view them as created with the imago dei, who can appreciate real value and who can ascribe true worth. All the while knowing what is good and right as opposed to what is right now and good for nothing.

Crap! I’m not sure who has a bigger job.

An Open Call...

Can you believe it, we just started Lent and now we are thinking about Good Friday?

In preparing for Good Friday the Evergreen Creatives are furiously working on several prayer stations. In conjunction with these we would love to have several people involved in writing some readings for our gathering on March 21st.

We will be contemplating the last seven words/phrases of Jesus from the cross. The Scriptures are listed below and as you can see we need 7 people to help out.

Would you be willing to choose one of the passages of Scripture, meditate on it and capture your thoughts, emotions and reactions on paper? These readings could look like a poem, a prayer or a hymn. It is our hope each reading will further increase our understanding of the significance of Christ's death, bridge the centuries to connect us with his suffering long ago and help to bring his pain and sacrifice for humanity alive in our lives.

If you are interested let me know. We would love to have the readings finished up by March 1st so we can tie the all the aspects of worship (music, songs, stations, readings, homily) together. When they are finished up go head and e-mail to me @ chip@evergreenlife.org

If you have any questions, let’em rip!

Here you go…

#1
Scripture: Luke 23:34
Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” And the soldiers gambled for his clothes by throwing dice.

#2
Scripture: Matthew 27:46
At about three o’clock, Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” which means “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”

#3
Scripture John: 19:26-27
When Jesus saw his mother standing there beside the disciple he loved, he said to her, “Dear woman, here is your son.” And he said to this disciple, “Here is your mother.” And from then on this disciple took her into his home.

#4
Scripture: John 19:28
Jesus knew that his mission was now finished, and to fulfill Scripture he said, “I am thirsty.”

#5
Scripture: Luke 23:43
And Jesus replied, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

#6
Scripture: John 19:30
When Jesus had tasted it, he said, “It is finished!” Then he bowed his head and released his spirit.

#7
Scripture: Luke 23:46
Then Jesus shouted, “Father, I entrust my spirit into your hands!” And with those words he breathed his last.

A little Me on church leadership

Home-Grown Leadership

I hate interviews. The whole job search ordeal bugs me. Recently, I was involved in an interview process that lasted nearly five months and consisted of a conference call, six face-to-face interviews in one day, plus background and reference checks.
My dislike of job hunting and interviews has little, if anything, to do with the actual places I have applied, and everything to do with the process.
The job hunt is like dating. Everyone involved showers, gets all dressed up, combs their hair, sprays on their favorite scent and tries to have a good time all the while hoping for a love connection that leads to a lasting relationship.
Shortly after making a commitment, the guard is let down and real truths are revealed. Expectations are changed or revealed for the first time and things that were once pretty grow dull. It is at this point when the shock of a relationship based on superficial façades and very little time together becomes crystal clear.
What saddens me most is not that I have been drawn into working relationships like this, but that the church uses this very same model for hiring her pastors. When a leadership vacuum arises in a local church a committee is usually formed to send out a clarion call for a new leader -- typically an outsider, a gunslinger, a pastor-for-hire -- to come and save the day.
Part of the problem lies in the fact that churches have copied the corporate model of hiring without thinking theologically about leadership. One church application questionnaire asked, “What salary level do you believe is necessary to make you comfortable and effective in ministry?” Another church’s job description states that they are looking for a “Functional CEO.” This kind of thinking seems to be at odds with Scripture.
In the early days of the young Christian church, Paul gives Timothy advice in 2 Timothy 2:2, “You have heard me teach things that have been confirmed by many reliable witnesses. Now teach these truths to other trustworthy people who will be able to pass them on to others.” This sounds similar to what Jesus said to his disciples, “Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations…Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you.”
Notice any pattern here? Paul taught Timothy who was to teach other people, who in turn would faithfully teach other people! Similarly, Jesus revealed the kingdom of God to the disciples and in so doing modeled what the disciples were to teach to others.
This organic model of developing church leadership can be seen coming to life through church history. Jesus taught John. John taught Polycarp. Polycarp taught Irenaeus, and so on, and so on and so on. The very reason we even have pastors today is because of this chain reaction dating back to the early church’s value of entrusting the teaching of Christ to faithful men and women who taught, mentored and discipled others right up to the present day.
The “dating method” of providing church leadership is a modern convenience, one the early church did not have. It was not possible for the early church to list open leadership positions in denominational newsletters or on church staffing websites. They could not pull from a professional class of clergy because one did not exist.
I have to wonder, has the church grown lazy in its commission to “make disciples?” Shouldn’t some of these disciples grow to become leaders in their own community? We seem to think it is simply easier to follow the corporate world’s hiring methods, to hire a professional pastor rather than train someone in a pastoral role. Could we go so far as to say that the church has shirked its responsibly to raise up leaders and likewise has pressed Christian colleges and seminaries into developing an elite group of specialized churchmen?
In general, I would say that the church has missed the boat on raising up its own leaders and the almost universal need to staff leadership positions with people outside one’s church community confirms this. Now, would I go so far as to say that hiring a church leader from outside one’s own body is sinful? No. Is it less than ideal? Yes.
When a local church takes seriously its responsibility to disciple people, those with gifts in leadership will emerge (1 Cor. 12:27-28). When our church community is looking for elders, we take note and see who is essentially already doing the job on their own. Thus, our future leaders have been leading, pastoring and caring for our community long before they are given a title or even a salary. If a church faithfully passes on the truths of Jesus and is observant of those who are growing spiritually, it will find leaders and pastors already serving and loving their own community!
By filling leadership positions with those who are already a part of a worship community, no one needs to go through first date jitters. Relationships have been established and people really know each other. There is no need to “make a good first impression.” No one has the awkward duty of carrying the conversion along if things don’t go well.
With pre-exiting relationships, trust has been established and does not need to be built. (If it does, then the wrong person has been chosen for leadership.) For the most part those selected for leadership have shown their faithfulness by being a contributing part of the community.
Choosing leaders from within gives the community an invaluable opportunity to have first-hand experience of the potential leader’s life. There is no façade that needs to be removed. There is a corresponding truth between what the person does and says and between what they value and truly believe. Since familiarity exists, hiding is harder to do.
The community knows the very heart-beat of the home grown leader, since they have spent time growing together. The person’s passions, desires, and spiritual growth are a matter of public memory and can be easily charted. Blind spots and shortcomings are recognized and addressed up front. This minimizes the shock of seeing what the other looks like without their makeup on, so to speak. And because they are known, the home-grown leader is encouraged and supported, rather than scrutinized.
While compatibility in the dating method is key, it is not such an issue for the home-grown leader. This person knows the focus and vision of the community and has already bought into it because it is their vision too. An outsider has to be baptized into the common vision of the existing community. The home-grown disciple does not.
The use of organic leadership is also a solid indicator of whether a church is faithfully teaching scriptural “truths to other trustworthy people.” It can be seen as a litmus test of their efforts to grow and disciple people. Regardless of whether a Christ follower is ever a church leader, it is still the church’s responsibly to help them along the path to Christlikeness.
Establishing any long-term relationship requires wisdom and commitment. Brief meetings and background checks only reveal a portion of a person and risk future disillusionment. Conversely, home-grown leadership provides an realistic and faithful way of recognizing future church leaders and pastors. There is no need to pump-up a resume, dress the part or even to sell one’s self, since the community has witnessed the individual’s growth, passions and abilities firsthand.
Of course, you can still utilize the dating method and risk the most frightening aspect of it -- the possibility of getting dumped before a real commitment can even develop. This is usually harder on the candidate than it is on the organization. I’ve been there. If you were wondering about the outcome of my own marathon job interview process…they said, “let’s just be friends.”

A little Tim Keller on the Missional Church