I will have the honor of leading the opening invocation of the Illinois General Assembly on March 24 in Springfield, IL. I am looking forward to this opportunity as the Illinois State Government has often been in the news recently. Unfortunately, the news has not been the most positive. I ask for your prayers as I prepare for this event. If you are interested in attending the session with me on that day, let me know.
Here is an interesting note I received today from our LCMS president about representation in the US government:
Speaking of Washington, D.C., I note that two new members of Congress are members of LCMS congregations as well. They are U.S. Reps. Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo., and Erik Paulsen, R-Minn. They join two incumbent congressmen who also are Missouri Synod Lutherans: Rep. Dave Reichert, R-Wash., and Rep. John Shimkus, R-Ill.
A total of 23 Lutherans-14 Democrats and nine Republicans-currently are serving in the 111th Congress. In addition to the four LCMS members in the House of Representatives, there are 13 representatives and four senators who are members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and two representatives who are Wisconsin Synod Lutherans.
According to a study by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life, 30 percent of those in the Congress are Roman Catholic, followed by Baptists (12 percent), Methodists (11 percent), Presbyterians (8 percent), Episcopalians (7 percent), and Lutherans (4.5 percent).
Please keep these and all our legislators and other government leaders in your prayers and encourage your members to do the same.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Ash Wednesday
Today is Ash Wednesday. We begin the Holy Season of Lent as we count 40 days till Easter (excluding Sundays). We are less then seven weeks away.
A couple of things in regards to today. First, just a reminder that Ash Wednesday worship is tonight at Lord of Life at 7pm. Second, today we begin our church wide Lenten fasting challenge. Many of you committed to taking this fast and I pray it will be a blessing for you to grow in your faith.
Some of you have come and asked me specific questions about the fast. My first response to most of these questions has been to remember that the fast is done in Christian freedom and is not out of obligation. In other words, we should not fast because we have to, but because we want to. Second, it is not about the details, but about the spirit of the fast. That was a problem with the Pharisees in Jesus day. They got so wrapped up in the details of their spiritual practices that they missed out on what it was all about.
Here are a couple of things to keep in mind:
1) The challenge is to fast for 24 hours from dinner on Tuesday, till dinner time on Wednesday. So have dinner on Tuesday night, but avoid that midnight snack. Then hold back from breakfast and lunch on Wednesday, breaking the fast with dinner that evening. What it boils down to is essentially a 24 hour fast.
2) Take your vitamins. Feel free to take in juice or water. Limit your activities for the day. Don't go off an run a marathon. Pace yourself.
3) Use the time you would have devoted to eating for spiritual exercise be it prayer, the study of God's Word, or just quiet time with the Father. You might consider joining me at noon at Lord of Life in the Fellowship Center for about a half hour for prayer.
4) Consider using the $5-$10 you might have spent on lunch and consider how you can use that money you would have spent on yourself and use it as a blessing for someone else.
5) Know you are going to be hungry. That's ok. When you are hungry, turn your thoughts to your need for the Lord. Call out to him. Cry out to him. Ask him to be your bread of life. Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
We know that fasting is not a magic wand. Fasting is not to convince God to do what we want him to do. But it puts us in a place to better hear God and listen. It helps us tune in and connect with him on a much deeper level.
Here are some final parting words to ponder from an old Lenten Hymn titled: "O Lord, Throughout These 40 Days":
O Lord, through-out these 40 days
You prayed and kept the fast;
Inspire repentance for our sin,
An free us from our past
You strove with Satan, and you won;
Your faithfulness endured;
Lend us your nerve, your skill, and trust
In God's eternal Word.
Though parched and hungry, yet you prayed
And fixed your mind above;
So teach us to deny ourselves
Since we have known God's love.
Be with us through this season, Lord,
And all our earthly days,
That when the final Easter dawns,
We join in heaven's praise.
A couple of things in regards to today. First, just a reminder that Ash Wednesday worship is tonight at Lord of Life at 7pm. Second, today we begin our church wide Lenten fasting challenge. Many of you committed to taking this fast and I pray it will be a blessing for you to grow in your faith.
Some of you have come and asked me specific questions about the fast. My first response to most of these questions has been to remember that the fast is done in Christian freedom and is not out of obligation. In other words, we should not fast because we have to, but because we want to. Second, it is not about the details, but about the spirit of the fast. That was a problem with the Pharisees in Jesus day. They got so wrapped up in the details of their spiritual practices that they missed out on what it was all about.
Here are a couple of things to keep in mind:
1) The challenge is to fast for 24 hours from dinner on Tuesday, till dinner time on Wednesday. So have dinner on Tuesday night, but avoid that midnight snack. Then hold back from breakfast and lunch on Wednesday, breaking the fast with dinner that evening. What it boils down to is essentially a 24 hour fast.
2) Take your vitamins. Feel free to take in juice or water. Limit your activities for the day. Don't go off an run a marathon. Pace yourself.
3) Use the time you would have devoted to eating for spiritual exercise be it prayer, the study of God's Word, or just quiet time with the Father. You might consider joining me at noon at Lord of Life in the Fellowship Center for about a half hour for prayer.
4) Consider using the $5-$10 you might have spent on lunch and consider how you can use that money you would have spent on yourself and use it as a blessing for someone else.
5) Know you are going to be hungry. That's ok. When you are hungry, turn your thoughts to your need for the Lord. Call out to him. Cry out to him. Ask him to be your bread of life. Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
We know that fasting is not a magic wand. Fasting is not to convince God to do what we want him to do. But it puts us in a place to better hear God and listen. It helps us tune in and connect with him on a much deeper level.
Here are some final parting words to ponder from an old Lenten Hymn titled: "O Lord, Throughout These 40 Days":
O Lord, through-out these 40 days
You prayed and kept the fast;
Inspire repentance for our sin,
An free us from our past
You strove with Satan, and you won;
Your faithfulness endured;
Lend us your nerve, your skill, and trust
In God's eternal Word.
Though parched and hungry, yet you prayed
And fixed your mind above;
So teach us to deny ourselves
Since we have known God's love.
Be with us through this season, Lord,
And all our earthly days,
That when the final Easter dawns,
We join in heaven's praise.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Challenges
This was a really good weekend. We had 200 some people attend our Fireproof Movie Event at Lord of Life. As part of the movie event, many of the couples committed to taking the 40 Day Love Dare Challenge. Barbara and I are going to be doing this ourselves for the next couple of weeks. All the couples who participate in the challenge will have the opportunity to renew their vows on April 5, which is Palm Sunday.
This week Lent begins. Ash Wednesday service will be at 7pm at Lord of Life. I am excited for the celebration of Easter this year. Lent is an important time of preparation for the celebration of the resurrection. On Easter we will be doing the One Month to Live Challenge. I am going to lead the staff through that challenge starting tomorrow during our staff meeting.
So I have got a lot of challenges going on now. I've got the Love Dare, the Fasting Challenge, and starting tomorrow the One Month to Live Challenge.
So thanks for your prayers to stay faithful to these challenges.
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Made to Stick
This is a book I would highly recommend to any preacher or teacher. It is about why there are some messages or ideas that you heard even 10 years ago that are fresh in your mind, but other messages even yesterday that you cannot recall a thing.
The authors of this book establish six characteristics of messages or ideas that "stick". They use a simple acrostic SUCCES. SUCCES stands for Simplicity, Unexpectedness, Concreteness, Credibility, Emotional, and Stories. Using these concepts effectively will dramatically improve the ability to drive your idea home.
One concept I was able to identify with was what the authors termed "the curse of knowledge." The curse of knowledge is when you are knowledge in a certain field you begin to talk shop. The problem is that most people are not able to talk shop with you. And you forget they cannot talk shop and don't have the knowledge you have. So you end up talking over their head.
A concrete example of this is tapping out the beat of a song like Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star. It would seem obvious that as you tap out the song, that another person would be able to identify it. But the reality is it would be practically impossible except for a miraculous guess. It would seem easy for the other person to identify the song because it is so clear in your head. But the other person does not have in their head what you have in your head.
What I took away from this book was a new way to evaluate the sermons I prepare. Making sure as best as I am able that each sermon I prepare has at least one sticky characteristic. The more the better!
The Discipline of Reading
As I begin a new message series tomorrow about spiritual disciplines - I have been thinking really hard about the disciplines I practice. Beyond the spiritual disciplines of studying God's Word, prayer, quiet time, worship, etc - there are some disciplines outside that realm that are important. We might even call them spiritual disciplines, because at the heart every discipline is spiritual in some way. These other disciplines might include excercise, flossing your teeth, or making sure to spend quality time with the family every day.
One discipline I have taken a harder look at recently is reading. Two of the most well known pastors in America are very high on reading. In a podcast I was recently listening to of Rick Warren, he shared that he read his way out of every slump in ministry that he had ever been in. Bill Hybels says, "Great leaders read frequently. They read voraciously. They read classics and new releases. They soak up lessons from the military, from academia, from politics, from nongovernmental organizations, and from church leaders who are leading well. They refuse to let themselves off the hook in this regard, because they now all great leaders read."
As part of a senior pastors' network and trying to learn as much as I can about leading the church, I have been doing a lot of reading lately. It has been a blessing to me. There are so many good books out there. I wish I had more time to devote to reading them.
I am going to try something new on this blog. I have made it a goal to read two books a month and then write a review of each one. I often find that I will read a book and then put it on the bookshelf and there it will stay. In an effort to help me better apply what I learn in these books, I want to take a few moments and to write some of the insights I was able to gain from reading the books. Maybe it will give you a few ideas as well.
One discipline I have taken a harder look at recently is reading. Two of the most well known pastors in America are very high on reading. In a podcast I was recently listening to of Rick Warren, he shared that he read his way out of every slump in ministry that he had ever been in. Bill Hybels says, "Great leaders read frequently. They read voraciously. They read classics and new releases. They soak up lessons from the military, from academia, from politics, from nongovernmental organizations, and from church leaders who are leading well. They refuse to let themselves off the hook in this regard, because they now all great leaders read."
As part of a senior pastors' network and trying to learn as much as I can about leading the church, I have been doing a lot of reading lately. It has been a blessing to me. There are so many good books out there. I wish I had more time to devote to reading them.
I am going to try something new on this blog. I have made it a goal to read two books a month and then write a review of each one. I often find that I will read a book and then put it on the bookshelf and there it will stay. In an effort to help me better apply what I learn in these books, I want to take a few moments and to write some of the insights I was able to gain from reading the books. Maybe it will give you a few ideas as well.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Fasting for Spiritual Breakthrough
This Sunday we kick off a brand new message called Holy Habits, Wholly Living. It is about the spiritual habits (disciplines) that help us listen to God and connect with him in a deeper way. In one week, we will be entering into the holy season of Lent. Lent is a time of reflection and repentance. It is a time for us to listen to the voice of God. So it is an appropriate time to begin this new message series. (Ash Wednesday Worship will be hosted at Lord of Life on Wednesday, February 25)
The first message in this series will be a message on fasting. Fasting is not a discipline that we often talk about or practice. We live in a culture that encourages us to indulge ourselves and to never deprive ourselves of anything our heart desires. So fasting is incredibly counter-culture experience that many of us have failed to practice.
But Jesus tells us in Matthew 6:16, "When you fast . . ." He didn't say if you fast. He said when you fast. Jesus expected his followers to engage in this practice of fasting. It was not optional. He knew that it is as important for the spiritual growth of his followers as prayer, worship, and Bible study.
So I want to invite you to come on Sunday and learn about this ancient discipline of fasting. During this time, I will also challenge us as a church to engage in a Lenten fast in anticipation of spiritual breakthrough and revival.
It may be something new to many of you that you have never done before. But I am confident you will discover a blessing. I pray you will discover fasting is not so much about what you give up, but about what you gain and are able to give to God. You will be surprised.
The first message in this series will be a message on fasting. Fasting is not a discipline that we often talk about or practice. We live in a culture that encourages us to indulge ourselves and to never deprive ourselves of anything our heart desires. So fasting is incredibly counter-culture experience that many of us have failed to practice.
But Jesus tells us in Matthew 6:16, "When you fast . . ." He didn't say if you fast. He said when you fast. Jesus expected his followers to engage in this practice of fasting. It was not optional. He knew that it is as important for the spiritual growth of his followers as prayer, worship, and Bible study.
So I want to invite you to come on Sunday and learn about this ancient discipline of fasting. During this time, I will also challenge us as a church to engage in a Lenten fast in anticipation of spiritual breakthrough and revival.
It may be something new to many of you that you have never done before. But I am confident you will discover a blessing. I pray you will discover fasting is not so much about what you give up, but about what you gain and are able to give to God. You will be surprised.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Warm Sunny Florida
Could not have picked a more perfect week to come to Florida. It is cold, rainy, and icky back in Illinois. We've had beautiful weather, plus lots of fun.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Politics and Church
Note: I will be on vacation next week. There will be no “Weekly Email” until I return the following week.
Politics are difficult to talk about in Church. Politics are something that often divide us, yet when we come together as a Church we seek to be united. Politics are not the only thing - there are many forces in this world that seek to tear us apart. That is why it is so important for us to follow Jesus’ example to practice grace and forgiveness and that we seek to listen and understand one another more than we seek to preach to each other.
There is no doubt with the transition in the Presidency of the United States, there has been a change in regards to many controversial policies. As a church we must affirm the truth, but speak it in love. We must affirm our creator God as the author and sustainer of life and that he alone holds the right to give it and take it away. We affirm that he is the author and creator of marriage and that his design in Genesis was for marriage to be between one man and one woman.
In a recent statement, Rev. Gerald Kieschnick, the President of our Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod, stated on abortion:
The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS), since its inception, has steadfastly proclaimed the miracle of human life from conception until natural death. As we march with other concerned Americans, we underscore our belief that Christ Jesus sanctified all human life by His birth, life, death, and resurrection for all mankind.
In regards to same sex marriage:
We pray that all people, especially men and women properly united as husbands and wives, will honor God's divinely ordained relationship of marriage. We do so with the deep conviction that God intends marriage to be a picture of the relationship that exists between Christ and His bride, the Church. And we pray that all husbands and wives will give thanks to God for the blessings of marriage—loving, honoring, and cherishing one another, even as Christ does the Church.
Regardless if you are a Democrat, Republican, Independent, Libertarian, or whatever – we are blessed to live in a nation that offers the privilege of freedom of speech. We are blessed to be able to have a voice that can be heard.
It is important that as a church we use that voice to speak in behalf the 50 million children that have been aborted since Roe vs. Wade, who had no voice. It is important to speak in behalf of the many women who hide their voice in guilt and regret after having an abortion. It is important we speak in behalf of God’s design and plan for life and marriage. But we always do so with love!
There will be times when we disagree with our leaders and their policies. There will be times when we will grievously disagree with them. But no matter who holds “office” we pray for them as one whom God has established as an authority (Romans 13:1-2). There is not a politician on either side of the aisle who is perfectly free of blemish (whether is name is George W. Bush, John McCain, Barack Obama, Rod Blagojevich). It is sometimes easy to see the speck in the eyes of the other side without seeing the plank in our own.
In the end, we recognize our mission is to go and make disciples of all nations. Our mission is not to change politics, but to bring transformation to hearts and lives for Jesus Christ. When lives are changed, everything else will follow. We pray for REVIVAL in our nation and that we would truly be a nation that could say, “In GOD we trust!”
Politics are difficult to talk about in Church. Politics are something that often divide us, yet when we come together as a Church we seek to be united. Politics are not the only thing - there are many forces in this world that seek to tear us apart. That is why it is so important for us to follow Jesus’ example to practice grace and forgiveness and that we seek to listen and understand one another more than we seek to preach to each other.
There is no doubt with the transition in the Presidency of the United States, there has been a change in regards to many controversial policies. As a church we must affirm the truth, but speak it in love. We must affirm our creator God as the author and sustainer of life and that he alone holds the right to give it and take it away. We affirm that he is the author and creator of marriage and that his design in Genesis was for marriage to be between one man and one woman.
In a recent statement, Rev. Gerald Kieschnick, the President of our Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod, stated on abortion:
The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS), since its inception, has steadfastly proclaimed the miracle of human life from conception until natural death. As we march with other concerned Americans, we underscore our belief that Christ Jesus sanctified all human life by His birth, life, death, and resurrection for all mankind.
In regards to same sex marriage:
We pray that all people, especially men and women properly united as husbands and wives, will honor God's divinely ordained relationship of marriage. We do so with the deep conviction that God intends marriage to be a picture of the relationship that exists between Christ and His bride, the Church. And we pray that all husbands and wives will give thanks to God for the blessings of marriage—loving, honoring, and cherishing one another, even as Christ does the Church.
Regardless if you are a Democrat, Republican, Independent, Libertarian, or whatever – we are blessed to live in a nation that offers the privilege of freedom of speech. We are blessed to be able to have a voice that can be heard.
It is important that as a church we use that voice to speak in behalf the 50 million children that have been aborted since Roe vs. Wade, who had no voice. It is important to speak in behalf of the many women who hide their voice in guilt and regret after having an abortion. It is important we speak in behalf of God’s design and plan for life and marriage. But we always do so with love!
There will be times when we disagree with our leaders and their policies. There will be times when we will grievously disagree with them. But no matter who holds “office” we pray for them as one whom God has established as an authority (Romans 13:1-2). There is not a politician on either side of the aisle who is perfectly free of blemish (whether is name is George W. Bush, John McCain, Barack Obama, Rod Blagojevich). It is sometimes easy to see the speck in the eyes of the other side without seeing the plank in our own.
In the end, we recognize our mission is to go and make disciples of all nations. Our mission is not to change politics, but to bring transformation to hearts and lives for Jesus Christ. When lives are changed, everything else will follow. We pray for REVIVAL in our nation and that we would truly be a nation that could say, “In GOD we trust!”
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