Okay... so our son and his family were over this afternoon for dinner. Nothing fancy. Cooked some chicken on the grill, slapped a slice of provolone cheese on top, and served it was pasta and spaghetti sauce. Um-um-good.
Anyhow, after dinner Aaron and I go out for our favorite past-time: throwing rocks in the lake. There's something about making those splashes that's stuck with me ever since I was a kid. Aaron likes it as much as I do. The challenge is, after throwing into the lake all the rocks behind our house for the last 2 1/2 years, the place is pretty picked over. Rocks are now few and far between. Luckily, the phone company was working recently laying FIOS cable, and they turned up a bunch of new rocks. In Aaron's words, "Yippee!"
Being right handed, I pry a large rock out of the loose ground and place it in my left hand, pry out another and place it, too, in my left hand, then finally pry out a smaller one and place it in Aaron's little hand. As I look down on the rock in his hand I see a couple of tiny ants on it, apparently disturbed and disoriented by my foraging, crawling frantically back and forth as the yrealized they were no longer in the safety of their colony. Not knowing how he would react to the little insects so near his hand, I softly whispered in his ear, "Look at your hand, Aaron. A couple of ants were on the rock." He casually blew them off with one big breath, then said with glee, "But look at YOUR hand, grandaddy! You have LOTS of ants!"
I turned to look only to see not only the two rocks, but my hand and my entire arms literally COVERED with swarming ants. AAAARRRGGGGGHHHH!!!! I THREW down the rocks, and began brushing the little beasts off my hand and arm, much to the delight of Aaron who by now was laughing uncontrollably. "Grandaddy, you're SO silly!"
OBVIOUSLY, I wasn't frightened by ants. OBVIOUSLY. I was, however, significantly startled by the sudden and unexpected appearance of the huge number of those rascals, and they liberty they were taking cavorting all over my personal space.
Content now that my arm was once again my own, Aaron and I turned to head back to the house. As the sun began to slip below the horizon and the breeze brought a chill to our faces, I thought back on the lesson I'd learned from the ants: How often are we so focused on the few problems of another that we remain oblivious to the swarm of problems overtaking us.
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
new beginnings
The other day I heard a terrible racket. In seeking to find its source, I came across a man using an electric saw to cut a piece of pressure treated lumber. He was in the process of repairing a lamp post I'd seen toppled in the parking lot several days earlier. "Somebody back into it?" I asked. "Nope," he said. "Just fell over." And after a pause added, "Rotted clean through", and nodded his head 
in the direction of a piece of wood on the ground.
"Turn it over," he suggested. And when I did, it revealed a totally different appearance. Its interior had been eaten out by termites. When I touched the 
wood it broke apart like Styrofoam. "You'd never know it by the outward appearance," the man continued, "but every one of them posts is in the same condition," as he pointed toward the eight or ten other lamp posts in the parking lot.
in the direction of a piece of wood on the ground.I looked down at the post. He was absolutely correct, it had rotted off right at ground level. "Look at that," he said as he gestured toward another post beside the first. I Looked. It appeared to be a piece of another post- good wood, nicely painted.
"Turn it over," he suggested. And when I did, it revealed a totally different appearance. Its interior had been eaten out by termites. When I touched the 
wood it broke apart like Styrofoam. "You'd never know it by the outward appearance," the man continued, "but every one of them posts is in the same condition," as he pointed toward the eight or ten other lamp posts in the parking lot.I couldn't help but think how many churches and Christians are like those lamp posts. On the outside there's every appearance of health and stability, yet the inside core has become diseased, fragile, and broken. And while our first thought is to just slap another coat of paint on the outside and keep on going, what we really need most is to allow God to cut out the part of us that has died, strip us down to the good, bare wood, and rebuild us from the inside out.
In every life… in every church… there comes a time to set the old aside and to start afresh. There comes a time to receive a fresh breath from the Spirit. There comes a time to intentionally and willingly open ourself completely to God's sovereign work in our life. There comes a time for new beginnings…
Isaiah 43:18-19 NASU
"Do not call to mind the former things, or ponder things of the past. Behold, I will do something new, now it will spring forth; will you not be aware of it? I will even make a roadway in the wilderness, rivers in the desert."
Friday, September 14, 2007
is that coffee fresh?
This past Sunday, as an illustration in my sermon, I compared myself to my daughter. She's a coffee connoisseur- she can go into Starbucks and order something and know exactly what she's ordering! I'm much more like my wife...
[I'll never forget the time we were waiting for a flight in the airport. I went to get us coffee, but came back empty handed. My wife asked, "Where's my coffee?", to which I replied, "The menu was so confusing, I couldn't even tell what they carried, much less how to order." I mean, there wasn't even a small, medium and large anything! And the menu mentioned whipped cream and cinnamon. On coffee?! Anyhow, my wife, desperately needing that coffee, set down her book and started striding toward the beverage kiosk. Her walk had that "follow me, watch and learn" attitude. So I followed. And I was amazed. She glanced at the menu only for a second, and ordered some mysterious concoction as it she'd been drinking it all her life. The attendant, as he began to prepare it, asked a couple quick questions over his shoulder, to which my wife replied "double" to both. She received her coffee, paid the attendant, smiled at me with a wink, and turned briskly back towards her seat and book. I could hardly move- I stood entralled at her prowess in this area which was so foreign to me. And suddenly a pride began to build inside of me. This wise and powerful woman was my wife!
I'd just about made it back to my seat at the gate when I heard the sound. What was that?! There it was again, this time followed by a yowl. It was my wife! What had that wicked attendant done to her coffee? I looked quickly around- where was security?
Then I tried the coffee myself. YEOW!! It was thick... and bitter... and strong enough to pave highways with! She said, "I wonder if it has anything to do with that "double-double" stuff?" "You don't know?" I asked. "Heck no," she said. That sly fox- she was just trying to look cool. She had no more idea what all that stuff meant than I did. "You want this junk?", she asked as she offered me the cup. "You kidding?" I said. She walked to the trash can and dumped it in. $4.50 down the tube... and I bet it ate a hole in the trash can. But I digress...]
Anyhow, I mentioned how I'm such a "non-connoisseur" that I'll often go back to the leftover pot of coffee a couple days later and nuke a cup in the microwave to warm it up. As long as there's nothing growing in it, I figure it's fair game.
Then I met someone from church the other morning for a cup of coffee and a conversation. I sipped my coffee as I talked, and over the course of the conversation went back for a couple of refills. Man, this stuff was good! When I left, I told the young lady behind the register, "That was GREAT coffee! Thanks."
I was about halfway to my car when it hit me. They had prepared their coffee the way it was supposed to be prepared. And it showed. It was really good. At home, I kind of haphazardly measure my coffee into the filter, let it set on the burner for hours, forget about it until later, and then microwave it several times over the next couple of days before I drink it. I'd become so used to the junk I drink that when confronted with genuine coffee I was overwhelmed by its goodness.
And I thought: how often do we become similarly lax in our relationship with God. We forget about Him for days at a time, give Him the leftovers of our time and our attention, offer the quick prayer before bedtime to try and catch up on our righteousness, and then complain about the fact that "religion and church isn't everything it's cracked up to be." But then we stumble upon a genuine experience with God and, just like that fresh, real cup of restaurant coffee, we suddenly realize how special such an encounter is... and we clamor for more. The taste of the real thing should cause us not to settle for anything less- in our coffee or in our relationship with God. (To hear more about such a genuine encounter with God, click here or here.)
Oops... gotta run. The microwave just beeped! :)
[I'll never forget the time we were waiting for a flight in the airport. I went to get us coffee, but came back empty handed. My wife asked, "Where's my coffee?", to which I replied, "The menu was so confusing, I couldn't even tell what they carried, much less how to order." I mean, there wasn't even a small, medium and large anything! And the menu mentioned whipped cream and cinnamon. On coffee?! Anyhow, my wife, desperately needing that coffee, set down her book and started striding toward the beverage kiosk. Her walk had that "follow me, watch and learn" attitude. So I followed. And I was amazed. She glanced at the menu only for a second, and ordered some mysterious concoction as it she'd been drinking it all her life. The attendant, as he began to prepare it, asked a couple quick questions over his shoulder, to which my wife replied "double" to both. She received her coffee, paid the attendant, smiled at me with a wink, and turned briskly back towards her seat and book. I could hardly move- I stood entralled at her prowess in this area which was so foreign to me. And suddenly a pride began to build inside of me. This wise and powerful woman was my wife!
I'd just about made it back to my seat at the gate when I heard the sound. What was that?! There it was again, this time followed by a yowl. It was my wife! What had that wicked attendant done to her coffee? I looked quickly around- where was security?
Then I tried the coffee myself. YEOW!! It was thick... and bitter... and strong enough to pave highways with! She said, "I wonder if it has anything to do with that "double-double" stuff?" "You don't know?" I asked. "Heck no," she said. That sly fox- she was just trying to look cool. She had no more idea what all that stuff meant than I did. "You want this junk?", she asked as she offered me the cup. "You kidding?" I said. She walked to the trash can and dumped it in. $4.50 down the tube... and I bet it ate a hole in the trash can. But I digress...]
Anyhow, I mentioned how I'm such a "non-connoisseur" that I'll often go back to the leftover pot of coffee a couple days later and nuke a cup in the microwave to warm it up. As long as there's nothing growing in it, I figure it's fair game.
Then I met someone from church the other morning for a cup of coffee and a conversation. I sipped my coffee as I talked, and over the course of the conversation went back for a couple of refills. Man, this stuff was good! When I left, I told the young lady behind the register, "That was GREAT coffee! Thanks."
I was about halfway to my car when it hit me. They had prepared their coffee the way it was supposed to be prepared. And it showed. It was really good. At home, I kind of haphazardly measure my coffee into the filter, let it set on the burner for hours, forget about it until later, and then microwave it several times over the next couple of days before I drink it. I'd become so used to the junk I drink that when confronted with genuine coffee I was overwhelmed by its goodness.
And I thought: how often do we become similarly lax in our relationship with God. We forget about Him for days at a time, give Him the leftovers of our time and our attention, offer the quick prayer before bedtime to try and catch up on our righteousness, and then complain about the fact that "religion and church isn't everything it's cracked up to be." But then we stumble upon a genuine experience with God and, just like that fresh, real cup of restaurant coffee, we suddenly realize how special such an encounter is... and we clamor for more. The taste of the real thing should cause us not to settle for anything less- in our coffee or in our relationship with God. (To hear more about such a genuine encounter with God, click here or here.)
Oops... gotta run. The microwave just beeped! :)
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
"rrr...ri-bit"
One night a couple of weeks ago I got home a little later than usual. I walked up the steps, and as I stepped onto the porch was startled as I almost stepped on a toad. In seven months, that was the first time I’d seen him, and the question in my mind was, “How in the world did he get there?” From ground to porch there are nine steps, each one anywhere from 8-10” in height. And the toad was small. As I tried to imagine him stretched out as long as possible, I couldn’t vision his being able to reach much more than 5 or 6 inches at the most.
After that night, I began to look for him regularly. And he is always there. When I check at 8:00 he hasn’t yet arrived, but when I check back at 9:00 he’s there. So, sometime between 8:00 and 9:00 he arrives. I’ve never yet managed to catch a glimpse of him on the journey. When I look out the door in the morning, around 6:30, he’s long gone. In my simple world, this was a mystery. Where did he come from? How in the world did he manage the steps? And what motivated him to make the journey?
Then it hit me. I looked at the porch just outside the door. It was littered with dead gnats, flies, moths, and the like. And I remembered that every time I go in and out of the door at night they fly all around me. The porch lights attract them, and… and it was this entomological buffet that was apparently attracting my warty little friend. He could sit from dusk ‘til dawn below those porch lights and eat until he was full. And so fulfilling was his feast that he would risk life and limb twice each day to negotiate those steps which separated him from his dinner. The preacher in my head then started thinking…
While that little toad was willing to place his life in jeopardy every night to obtain a meal that satisfied him less than a day, there are many Christians today who are unwilling even to risk personal comfort for the sake of the Kingdom of God. Yet Jesus said, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it.” (Luke 9:23-24 NASU). Dr. Jesse Northcutt, my preaching professor in seminary, would often quote from the book of Philippians. It seemed that his favorite passage was Philippians 2:5-8 (NASU):“Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” As he used to paraphrase it, he’d say, “A call to follow Christ, is a call… to die.” To die to self. To die to selfish desires. To die to personal agendas. It is a call to surrender all of self to the one we call Lord.
Many churches today could learn a few lessons from that toad- perseverance, tenacity, and sacrifice just to name a few. And if a toad could do that for something as fleeting as a few bugs, how much more should the people of God be willing to risk all for something as wonderful as God’s Kingdom? Can you imagine what could happen if all of God’s people everywhere made that sort of commitment?!
After that night, I began to look for him regularly. And he is always there. When I check at 8:00 he hasn’t yet arrived, but when I check back at 9:00 he’s there. So, sometime between 8:00 and 9:00 he arrives. I’ve never yet managed to catch a glimpse of him on the journey. When I look out the door in the morning, around 6:30, he’s long gone. In my simple world, this was a mystery. Where did he come from? How in the world did he manage the steps? And what motivated him to make the journey?
Then it hit me. I looked at the porch just outside the door. It was littered with dead gnats, flies, moths, and the like. And I remembered that every time I go in and out of the door at night they fly all around me. The porch lights attract them, and… and it was this entomological buffet that was apparently attracting my warty little friend. He could sit from dusk ‘til dawn below those porch lights and eat until he was full. And so fulfilling was his feast that he would risk life and limb twice each day to negotiate those steps which separated him from his dinner. The preacher in my head then started thinking…
While that little toad was willing to place his life in jeopardy every night to obtain a meal that satisfied him less than a day, there are many Christians today who are unwilling even to risk personal comfort for the sake of the Kingdom of God. Yet Jesus said, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it.” (Luke 9:23-24 NASU). Dr. Jesse Northcutt, my preaching professor in seminary, would often quote from the book of Philippians. It seemed that his favorite passage was Philippians 2:5-8 (NASU):“Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” As he used to paraphrase it, he’d say, “A call to follow Christ, is a call… to die.” To die to self. To die to selfish desires. To die to personal agendas. It is a call to surrender all of self to the one we call Lord.
Many churches today could learn a few lessons from that toad- perseverance, tenacity, and sacrifice just to name a few. And if a toad could do that for something as fleeting as a few bugs, how much more should the people of God be willing to risk all for something as wonderful as God’s Kingdom? Can you imagine what could happen if all of God’s people everywhere made that sort of commitment?!
Sunday, August 5, 2007
vision hijacking... whoops- there it goes!
I was talking with a colleague the other day. We were discussing challenges faced in churches today, and brainstorming the most effective way to reach today's culture- is it possible to transition a portion of an existing church to become fluent in the language and practice of current culture in order to reach people of that culture, or is the only means of accomplishing the goal to plant a brand new church with the DNA of that culture you're trying to reach? The discussion is not merely academic; it is essential if the church is not to lose an entire generation.
As the dialogue continued, my colleague reminded me of the danger of "vision hijacking", where a church (built on specific beliefs and practices) accepts so many new members with eclectic experiences that suddenly the original vision and purpose are "hijacked" (either innocently or malevolently) by the new majority, and the church becomes something different than it was originally intended to be.
Hmmmmm....
I think back to Matthew 16:18-19 when Jesus commissioned the church. It was to be a bold entity on the offensive against the kingdom of darkness. I look at Acts 2 as it recounts the birth of the church at Pentecost, and see it putting into practice the calling given it by Jesus.
And then I look at so many churches today. WE have hijacked Jesus' vision! We've taken a Body that was created to risk everything as it drew it's power from Christ, and removed the risk and worked to make it safe. we've built large savings accounts for those "rainy days" and tempered our decisions by the filter of "what makes everyone happy". We've chosen our own comfort over a passion for those without Jesus. The vision has indeed been hijacked, and the result is a church sustained by its own ever-weakening power. Why has the church lost its power? What is stifling its growth? As Pogo said, "We have met the enemy, and he is us!"
For an examination of what the church originally was, check this link.
As the dialogue continued, my colleague reminded me of the danger of "vision hijacking", where a church (built on specific beliefs and practices) accepts so many new members with eclectic experiences that suddenly the original vision and purpose are "hijacked" (either innocently or malevolently) by the new majority, and the church becomes something different than it was originally intended to be.
Hmmmmm....
I think back to Matthew 16:18-19 when Jesus commissioned the church. It was to be a bold entity on the offensive against the kingdom of darkness. I look at Acts 2 as it recounts the birth of the church at Pentecost, and see it putting into practice the calling given it by Jesus.
And then I look at so many churches today. WE have hijacked Jesus' vision! We've taken a Body that was created to risk everything as it drew it's power from Christ, and removed the risk and worked to make it safe. we've built large savings accounts for those "rainy days" and tempered our decisions by the filter of "what makes everyone happy". We've chosen our own comfort over a passion for those without Jesus. The vision has indeed been hijacked, and the result is a church sustained by its own ever-weakening power. Why has the church lost its power? What is stifling its growth? As Pogo said, "We have met the enemy, and he is us!"
For an examination of what the church originally was, check this link.
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
"A Neat Encounter"
We just finished our Wednesday evening program at church- things are scaled back a bit due to it's being summer, but we still have Wednesday Night Dinner followed by a Bible study and prayer time. Normally the group of 20-30 folks is made up of pretty much the same people. That's not a bad thing... I'm just saying that most of the faces are familiar each week. Tonight, a 20-something young lady entered and sat down just as we were finishing dinner, and no one knew her. She happened to sit next to me, and I introduced myself ("Hi, I'm Chuck. What's your name?") She told me. I welcomed her and folks around our table all said hi. We made sure she got a glass of water and a slice of coconut cake.
We started our Bible study, and as a good discussion began, I heard an unfamiliar voice join in. It was the new young lady I'd just met. She contributed to the discussion several times over the next thirty minutes, at times somewhat passionate about the topic at hand. When everything was wrapping up, I had a chance to speak to her one-on-one. She's a busy person- full-time student with full-time job. I told her about our Sunday worship and Bible study, and invited her back to Wednesday evenings. I really hope she'll return.
But what impressed me the most was that she came all alone to a place she'd never been, to a setting which provided little if any anonymity, and she joined right in. I mean, it was like she was one of the family. I hear and read a lot today about "seeker sensitivity" in churches- how focused we must be on making things suitable for the guests who might come our way. Sometimes we give that so much attention that we might overlook the fact that the Holy Spirit is still at work in the hearts of people who are honestly seeking. And especially for those He brings our way, for those who are seeking a God-encounter, we just need to "be" the Body of Christ. I think that happened tonight, and it was a neat encounter to witness.
We started our Bible study, and as a good discussion began, I heard an unfamiliar voice join in. It was the new young lady I'd just met. She contributed to the discussion several times over the next thirty minutes, at times somewhat passionate about the topic at hand. When everything was wrapping up, I had a chance to speak to her one-on-one. She's a busy person- full-time student with full-time job. I told her about our Sunday worship and Bible study, and invited her back to Wednesday evenings. I really hope she'll return.
But what impressed me the most was that she came all alone to a place she'd never been, to a setting which provided little if any anonymity, and she joined right in. I mean, it was like she was one of the family. I hear and read a lot today about "seeker sensitivity" in churches- how focused we must be on making things suitable for the guests who might come our way. Sometimes we give that so much attention that we might overlook the fact that the Holy Spirit is still at work in the hearts of people who are honestly seeking. And especially for those He brings our way, for those who are seeking a God-encounter, we just need to "be" the Body of Christ. I think that happened tonight, and it was a neat encounter to witness.
Friday, July 13, 2007
Google this!
At least once a week, I check the report statistics for our website (www.chuckandlari.com). I'm interested to know where the visitors come from, what they're viewing, and what they're downloading. Saw something the other day that was new to me- it showed searches people had used to find the site. Thought that was interesting. Fact is, using some of their search phrases, it's a miracle they even found us!
It reminded me that often we have no idea what people are looking for when their path crosses ours. The smile on their face might not indicate the brokenness in their heart. Their gruff manner may reveal no clue of their desperate search for a loving relationship. Their seemingly arrogant confidence may offer no hint of the uncertainty that plagues them. They're looking -we're all looking- for something. Sometimes, we're just the only one who even has a clue what we're looking for.
As a pastor, it's easy to become driven to address the needs of the "seekers" who come your way. But just as with my web page, I never really truly know exactly what search has brought them to us. So rather than flip-flop back and force trying to address something I can't even define, I try my best to offer a consistent, balanced diet of what I believe God would have us know- that He made us, He loves us, and He's on a mission to get us straying sheep back into His fold. If someone comes one week, they may hear a message heavy on the loving part. Another week what they would hear might stress the restoration part. But show up regularly, and you'll hear the entire message presented many different ways.
Be yourself. Be real. Be consistent. And be ready to help whoever God brings across your path.
It reminded me that often we have no idea what people are looking for when their path crosses ours. The smile on their face might not indicate the brokenness in their heart. Their gruff manner may reveal no clue of their desperate search for a loving relationship. Their seemingly arrogant confidence may offer no hint of the uncertainty that plagues them. They're looking -we're all looking- for something. Sometimes, we're just the only one who even has a clue what we're looking for.
As a pastor, it's easy to become driven to address the needs of the "seekers" who come your way. But just as with my web page, I never really truly know exactly what search has brought them to us. So rather than flip-flop back and force trying to address something I can't even define, I try my best to offer a consistent, balanced diet of what I believe God would have us know- that He made us, He loves us, and He's on a mission to get us straying sheep back into His fold. If someone comes one week, they may hear a message heavy on the loving part. Another week what they would hear might stress the restoration part. But show up regularly, and you'll hear the entire message presented many different ways.
Be yourself. Be real. Be consistent. And be ready to help whoever God brings across your path.
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