Today I am feeling an overwhelming sense of gratitude for the people who volunteer to serve Jesus through the local Church. Too many times, the preacher gets the recognition for the work done in a Church, and that needs to change. If you are not familiar, October is Pastor Appreciation month (a thing I hate by the way), and I think we should make it Church Volunteer Appreciation month.

Take today as an example to you. This morning I drove into the Church parking lot that a volunteer worked on improving over the weekend. I walked into a building cleaned by people who donate their time, and they even clean the bathrooms. This week someone stopped by and fixed the ceiling in the entryway, again they did it in the free service of Jesus. Today a lady will lead another group of ladies in Bible study, solely for the joy of the Lord. Tonight for the youth group, a couple of ladies will prepare food; several adults will lead small groups, and the guy who organizes it will all give their time for the kingdom of God without receiving a penny in return. Days like this amaze me as people serve only to further the work of the Lord in and through our community.

Sure, I do a lot every week, including many things of which no one knows. The Church leadership has blessed me with enough money to provide for my family for doing it. But when you measure my few hours against the work of a couple of hundred volunteers, there is no comparison.

What makes the Church I lead great? What makes any Christian community of Jesus great? It is the power of God working through people who willingly give their time to him.

I hope you are one of those people who know the joy of serving the Lord. If you are, for you, I am genuinely thankful. If you are not, it is never too late to start. Thanks to everyone in the name of Jesus, and may he bless you during my Church Volunteer Appreciation month.

We live in the age of the “LIKE.” If you are not familiar with what I am talking about, then you have not spent any time on social media. If you post something onto most of the current media platforms, there is a button below where people can show their recognition of that post. Facebook has moved beyond the simple like button by adding a couple of emojis you can also use. If we agree with something, we hit the button at the bottom that shows our approval, and then we move on with our lives.

I have come to believe that the like button means absolutely nothing. Watching the responses to my posts has always been amusing to me. I will share a post about commitment to Jesus above all else, and the lady who rarely attends worship because she is so busy will like it. There are posts I see others share about various aspects of the Christian life, and I will look to see who hit their like button. Almost always, people with little visible sign of faith show their approval.

This led me to write in my notebook, “Liking Jesus is not the same as following him.” Obedience is greater than approval.

We must always be cautious of thinking that smiling and saying, “I agree with that” or “I like that” are signs of a mature faith. God does not need your approval or your agreement; what he desires is your obedience.

Maybe before you hit the like button the next time, you should ask yourself, “Do I agree with this in principle or in practice?”

Your theology is flawed … and so is mine. That is the first thought that went through my head as I listened to a preacher recently. The topic and passage he was speaking about were one of those of which I was overly familiar. I have studied it in English and Greek. I have read numerous commentaries, listened to countless sermons, and gathered dozens of articles on this one piece of scripture. As the preacher was speaking, I could hear flaws in his interpretation and arguments.

I am not saying this proudly; I actually say this humbly. My second thought was, “How many times have I spoken about topics that I had not researched enough?” I wonder how many times I have misspoken about God, not from an erroneous position, but a slightly flawed one.

As I processed these thoughts, I came to a few realizations for those of us who follow Jesus.

1. Humility is a crucial issue. A believer must maintain a mindset that says, “I don’t know everything.” I fear anyone who thinks they have the Bible mastered. Everyone must be willing to admit their lack of knowledge in some areas.
2. Real followers are lifelong learners. There is so much to learn and know about God, his word, and his will. When I think I have learned everything, someone comes along and shows me something new in a book or teaching. Our humble attitude must lead us to continual study.
3. Ask, “Am I teachable?” Is your mind open enough to learn new things if they are presented to you? Are you willing to listen to the viewpoints of others? If someone showed you an area where you need to change, would you look?
4. Draw lines in pencil. You may view some issues wrongly. Maybe you are not entirely wrong, but perhaps you need to move the line an inch or two as you learn more. Do you have enough space in your beliefs to move if you see that you and God disagree on something? Pharisees draw lines with markers; disciples use a pencil.
5. Be content with incomplete information. There are areas of my life that I have decided I will never be an expert. Faith is a unique discipline in that it touches every other area of study. It raises questions of science, philosophy, psychology, literature, and a host of other topics. I want to learn them all with in-depth knowledge, but there is never enough time. Keep learning, but know there will always be some areas just beyond your grasp.

I do not write this to discourage you but rather to encourage you. There is so much to learn. So, keep learning. Read, listen, study, and open yourself up to a world of ideas. You will need to process these ideas through sound interpretation principles, clear thinking, Christian tradition, and other logical tools.

I frequently tell people; the Bible is like the ocean. It is shallow enough a child can play in it, and deep enough no diver can reach its depths. The sad result is that we always have flaws we are working through in our beliefs. The good news is that we have a lifetime to learn them.

Recently I was debating whether it was time to stop writing or keep working. The numbers have been down this year as far as the total visitors and readers. This is the first time the numbers have declined in six years. As part of my soul searching and prayer, I came to this one big question, “Why do I have a blog anyway?”

While there may be several small answers to that question, there are four big things I hope that my writing and ministry do.

1. Teach. I want to teach people everything I know. I hope to primarily teach people about the Bible, its characters, and what it means to live by faith.
2. Lead. There are some topics that are not covered in the Bible, and yet are essential to know if you are part of the body of Christ. I want to share my insights from study and experience to benefit others.
3. Challenge. One way to grow is to challenge yourself. If you want to get better at a sport, you are better to get a tough coach who pushes you to do your best. As a pastor, I want people to move beyond shallow faith and into the deep water of spiritual maturity.
4. Encourage. I pray that my words in some way touch the soul of people and give them a bit of strength for their journey. I don’t just want to be out in front of people showing the way, and I also want to stand beside them when they need hope or possibly a friend.

These are the big goals for my writing. I make no pretense that I am an excellent writer or that I am putting together any ground-breaking original context. My hope and prayer are to help people on their spiritual walk with Jesus. As long as my words are helping one person, I will keep on writing.

The people who love the Church the most are those who have the most invested in it.

I originally wrote down that line after someone shared an article on social media about all the problems with the Church. Shortly after it was posted, people started commenting on their agreement with the post. Many of the people who posted their words about this article were people I knew. Some of them had attended the Church I lead. Suddenly, like the voice of God, I saw one thing all the names had in common. None of them were personally invested in our Church.

By being personally invested, I mean they did not attend regularly, they were not connected to any small group, they rarely gave financially, and they do not serve in any ministry. They have a casual connection to the Church at best, and they would not have called it their extended family.

The Church in the Bible is referred to as the family of God. We are brothers and sisters in Christ. Paul even encourages older members to be viewed as parents in the faith. It is a powerful image, but it also comes with some strings attached. If you are a part of my family, other than in name only, then there are expectations on you. My parents were expected to raise me and instruct me on how to live. My siblings and I had daily responsibilities to do around the house. My children expect me to care for them, guide them, protect them, and take care of them. Being in a family is more than sharing a last name; it is about being personally connected.

Every Sunday afternoon, my wife hears me complain about all the people who skipped worship this week. Honestly, it has nothing to do with my ego as a leader. I could care less if I lead a large Church. My frustration is that people are missing out on what our family is doing. I see people who have not invested themselves in the work of the Lord through our Church, and the result is that they have become like a guest. Guests are not the same as family. Guests come in, and they judge their surroundings and the owners of the establishment. Guests think, “I would not do it that way” and “I would make that better” and a host of other thoughts about how the family functions. A family embraces our flaws and loves people because they are “my people.”

One of the toughest parts of ministry is getting people to be personally invested in the Church as a family. The flip side is that it is also the most rewarding thing I watch. When people love, help, serve, give, and bless one another, it is difficult to describe.

Maybe if you are critical of the Church, you should ask yourself, “Do I see those people as a part of the family of God, or am I just judging them like a guest in their house?” Your view of the Church reveals more about you than it does about those who attend each week.

The song played quietly from the piano. My preacher would lead only this one song. It followed his sermon each week and was labeled in the printed program as the “Hymn of Decision.” Some Churches call it an Invitation Hymn, but I always preferred the idea that it was a time to decide something.

Usually, there were only a few songs that were played during this time. Great hymns like Amazing Grace, Just As I Am, Wherever He Leads I’ll Go and the granddaddy of them all; I Have Decided to Follow Jesus.

After his sermon, my preacher would lead this song, and between each verse, he would hold up his hand and pause the pianist, and he would give another appeal to decide today. This would be repeated through each verse until we reached the end. Some weeks, people went to the front of the Church and talked with the preacher. He would announce that it was a re-dedication, transfer, or baptism. The congregation would be seated, and the program would end with their public decision. Other weeks nothing happened, but that did not deter him as he led us through the song the following Sunday.

For years in my ministry, I tried to emulate what I saw growing up with limited effect. I always knew who was coming up at the end, and if not, I was terrified. Quite often, it was a person who wanted to say something to the congregation, and it drifted into less of decision time and more of a time for people to share “what God was laying on their heart.” After a few years, I abandoned the practice and started standing at the front after worship, making myself available to anyone who wanted to talk. I started teaching a membership class, and the number of people who came to follow Jesus rapidly increased, and I never went back.

I suppose, as with all traditions, something was lost. The drama at the end of the program and the occasional spontaneity of someone coming to Jesus was removed. The biggest thing that may have been lost was that there was no longer any special moment for people to make a decision.

The word decide comes from the root word “cis” and its variants “cid” and “cide.” These originate from Latin and mean to “cut” or “kill.” Think about words like suicide and genocide. Therefore, a decision is a “cutting off” of all possibilities except for one; if you are decisive, you have “killed” all other options. The word is a conscious choice to move forward in one direction.

No longer do I stand at the front of the Church after the sermon and offer a formal decision time. That does not change the fact that each one of us must reach a point where we decide about Jesus. We need to burn our bridges or ships and move forward with only him as our leader.

I know when I preach, teach, and even write, there is someone who is wavering in their commitment. Someone is straddling the fence while trying to move forward. Maybe for you, today is the time to quit trying to walk two paths and finally decide.

Would people know that you follow Jesus by watching your life? If you did not share any verse on social media, would people know you were a Christian? If you removed all religious imagery from your clothing, vehicle, and home, would anyone have any idea that you were a believer?

There are three things in your life that demonstrate your faith without you ever saying a word.

1. How you spend your TIME. A glance at your schedule, and you can see your priorities without any explanation.
2. What you do with your TALENT. God gives each one of us unique gifts and abilities; the question is, “Are you using them for the kingdom of God?” Do you see your talents as reserved for work or as a means to make money?
3. What you are willing to share of your TREASURE. Jesus could not have been more understandable, “Where your money is, there your heart will also be.” A quick scan of your finances and where your money goes will also reveal your heart.

These are the three most prominent indicators of faith, and none of them require you to say a word. I guess that it is easier to share posts that you agree with on social media than to do any one of these things. Decorations and religious paraphernalia demand less of you than a daily sacrificial commitment.

It is easy to let our words about Jesus be many, and our actions be few. A real test of your faith is what you are doing with your time, talent, and treasure. All other measurements of your commitment are flawed.

A follower of Jesus should not always be busy. That sounds so counter-intuitive to us in so many ways. We believe, if we want to make an impact for the kingdom of God, then we need to be doing as much as possible. We need to attend more classes and small groups. We need to volunteer for every good thing in which we are asked to help. We should allow our children to be involved in anything to show them that we love them as God wants us to do. The fuller our schedule, we think, the more significant our imprint on the world and the better we appear as a believer.

Through the years, I have noticed that there is one major flaw in this thinking. We do not leave space for God to work. Reading through the stories of Jesus, I am continually reminded that he never seemed to have much of an agenda. People would sometimes come to him, and other times, he almost blindly walks into things. He happens to be at a well when a woman comes for a drink. He runs into a funeral procession on his way to something else. People stop him for conversation, healing, and confrontation. His days always appeared full, but it is not because he is overly committed to activities. He moves and works, and God puts everything together.

One of the primary reasons you need to keep free time in your schedule is so that God can use those moments to do his work. I am not saying he is doing nothing when your days are packed, but I think you may be missing some interactions that might be divine appointments.

There are two questions God is placing on my heart this week. First, do I have enough room in my life for God to direct my steps? Are there moments in which I have no agenda? Second, am I allowing God to work on me and through me during those times?

This week is full of possibilities for God to do amazing things with your life. Have you left enough room for him to do his work?

Here are some of the best articles I have read in the past few weeks. I hope you enjoy them and have a great weekend.

‘You may think you’re too far gone – you’re not’: 90-year-old accepts Jesus as Saviour and gets baptized – This post makes me so happy.

THE “OTHER” 10 SECOND RULE – This is incredibly thought-provoking.

How to Have an Affair-Proof Marriage – Vintage Bob Russell

What Makes a Good Marriage? The 3 Ingredients that Matter – Sheila writes so many good articles about marriage. This is a prime example.

Why You Might Want to Reconsider Your Short-Term Trips – I have had dozens of conversations about this very topic. Worth considering.

Sometimes the Problem with the Gym can be a Problem with the Church – simple encouragement with an easy to understand analogy.

I cannot be trusted. I don’t mean I cannot be trusted as a pastor in this Church, although to a minor degree this is true. No, I mean that I cannot trust myself. The prophet Jeremiah writes in Jeremiah 17:9, “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? (NIV 2011)”

It is hard to imagine in some ways, but the person we should trust the least is ourselves. Our own heart can deceive us and do it very well. In the next verse in Jeremiah, he pleads with God to examine his heart, but then he adds an interesting line. He wants God to reward each person according to their deeds and what their actions deserve. What Jeremiah sees is what few of us like to admit; we deceive ourselves when our hearts and our actions are not aligned.

We spend so much time inside of our heads, and we know our thoughts can be good, just, and righteous. Our natural tendency is to evaluate our relationship with God and our spiritual growth based on what goes inside of ourselves. We know the right thing to do. We have excellent intentions to one day do them. We are against people who don’t do those righteous acts we admire. We support people who are living out what we believe. The only problem is that we never do anything with it. Our actions do not reflect our heart.

In the New Testament, James, the brother of Jesus, writes to the Church and says this, “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. (James 1:22 – NIV 2011)” James tells the followers of Jesus that we can deceive ourselves by knowing God’s word, but never acting on it.

One of the biggest tests that I encourage people to use is to listen to yourself. When you talk about faith as something between you and God, that is a warning sign. When someone questions your commitment, and you say, “God knows my heart.” This can be another warning sign. I once heard Edwin Louis Cole say, “We judge others by their actions and ourselves by our intentions.”

The other way to check yourself for internal deception is even more practical. Write down your actions each day for a week and see how much of it reflects your heart. My professor told the story about a class at Bible college. The teacher asked the student to list their priorities on the chalkboard in the front. The class was happy with the list they compiled as good Bible-believing leaders. Then the professor said, “Now take out your calendars and see how that looks compared to your listed priorities.” Suddenly everything changed because their actions did not line up with their perceived needs. Why? The heart is deceitful.

There are other things you can do to test yourself like having an accountability partner, having close Christian friends and seeking wise counsel, and perhaps those would be helpful to you. Find a tool that works for you and aim to become more self-aware. All of us lean toward self-deception, so I am here today to warn you, be careful who you trust.