Bringing out the worst in people is easy. Walk into a room with a scowl on your face and the overwhelming look of disapproval. When someone speaks to you, be short in return. Better yet, cut them off and voice your opinion with disdain for their thoughts. If you do answer a question, be passive-aggressive and sarcastic. Let your words come forth with volume and force no matter what you are saying. You can walk into a room with another person or group of people and make them all upset about their day.

What if bringing out the best in people is just as easy? Walk into a room with a smile on your face and a tone of approval. When someone speaks to you, listen to all they have to say and validate their feelings. Do not be short in your response and use a calm voice, no matter how emotional you feel. Avoid passive-aggressive statements and sarcasm. You can walk into a room and calm everyone’s emotions and bring joy to their day.

This is true no matter what room you are walking into this day. It can be a room with your co-workers, boss, spouse, children, friends, or neighbors. You can be the thermostat that controls the feelings in the room by merely minding your words and demeanor.

Everyone makes people happy. Some make people happy when they walk into a room and others when they leave.

Because of the current situation in our country and state, much of the Church has gone underground.  Lately, we have not met publicly, and so much of what we do goes on under the radar.  You cannot see the people serving each week.  There is no conversation around the coffee pot about the impact being made on people’s lives.  The movements of God are hard to see without the public spotlight of our weekly meetings.

I want everyone who is a part of a Church anywhere to know; God is still working through his people.  His people are still serving in the name of Jesus.  Meals are still being provided for those in need.  Spiritual conversations are still taking place. People are giving of their resources for the work do the Lord.  Those with servants’ hearts are finding ways to serve outside of the Church building.  The kingdom of God is still moving forward like a mighty army. 

One thing I pray that this time of shutdown will do for people is to remind them that their work is for God alone.  Our service in his kingdom is to an audience of one.  You do not need people to be present for you to do something in the name of the Lord.  No one needs to hold the camera and capture you doing that good deed.  In fact, maybe our most pure form of Christian service is done when no one is looking.   

What people did not see is God working in and through you.

The past few weeks have tested everyone’s faith. This is also true for every Pastor I know, including myself.

It seems like if you are a religious leader, you should approach this time with faith and confidence. At first, I felt like that was the case. When I thought this was going to last for a couple of weeks. Last year we survived missing three Sundays for snow, ice, and a power outage. I saw God show up and do a mighty work when we were not able to meet as a group of believers during that time, and I knew he could do it again.

Then the weeks continued, and we are not going to meet for ten weeks IF we make it back together in June. This is unprecedented. I have no point of reference for seeing God work in a situation like this one.

There are days my faith wains, and I start to give myself over to worry. When we meet again, will the people come back? What is this going to do to the new believers who have not had the support they need during this time? Will the finances ever recover? Will the Church I lead ever be the same? The list of questions that haunt my mind seems never-ending.

What do I do when these thoughts come? I do the same thing I tell my people to do. I lead hard into God. I pray. I read the scriptures. I find other Christians to encourage me. I search for the positive and push back the negative thoughts. I take a walk. I read a book. I cry out to God to show me where he is working. I look for stories that reveal how God is working on the internet and social media. I write in my “grateful journal.” I do all the things that I think will keep my focus on God.

There is no special feeling that God gives you when life is uncertain. There is no magic formula or specific prayer that makes everything seem okay. Instead, I find that God works in the little moments where we open ourselves up to him. Lean hard into God, and you will find he is trustworthy even when everything else is uncertain.

Through the years, people have asked about my study habits when it comes to the Bible.  The essential tools for me sit right beside my desk on a filing cabinet.  They are literally an arm’s length away from me while I sit here and type.  Here are my Bibles, why I have them, and how I use them. 

1. A Quest Study Bible – 2011 NIV (New International Version) edition.  This is a simple tool I use to read through a passage the first time.  The Quest Study Bible has questions with answers along the side.  They are not overly detailed but enough to get you thinking.  This is where I start to engage the Bible.  Read and ask questions. 
2. A plain NIV – 1984 edition.  This is the Bible I grew up reading. I refer to this for differences in translations between 1984 and 2011.  There are no published notes, but I have several handwritten thoughts that I have put in the margins over the years.  It is like a familiar place I visit to get my back to my roots. 
3. An Interlinear New Testament.  This is a Greek version of the Bible with the translation underneath each line.  I took three years of Greek in college, and the words make sense to me, without being an expert.  On the left-hand side of the passage is also the New American Standard translation of the Bible, and on the right is the New International Version.  This way, I can read the original language and translation, along with being able to compare it to modern English translations.    
4. An ESV Study Bible.  Much of the Evangelical world is moving toward the English Standard Version of the Bible.  It is a good translation and handles the original languages well.  This also has hundreds of thousands of notes, maps, graphs, and every type of study tool included.  This is always the last source I look at for information. I want to know what I think it says without hindrance, then see what other people think of it. 

These four Bibles are right beside my desk and have been there for almost six years. They are not the leather Bible I preach from each week.  They are not the software that I use to help me dig deep into a passage.  These are the tools I use to read the word of God and understand it on my own. 

I suggest anyone who reads the Bible get a couple of different translations to read.  You need one with no notes.  Finally, a study Bible will help you get answers when you have questions about your reading.  With these two or three Bibles in your hand, I think you can understand over 90% of the Bible with no other help.    

Bibles are not always cheap, but investing in the right tools will help you over a lifetime. 

This week I start a new sermon series at the Church I lead.  It is called “Homewreckers,” and I will be looking at the six most significant issues I find in marriages.  If these things are left unaddressed, they will wreck a home and hurt the people inside of it. 

The topic of marriage is near to my heart.  My wife and I have worked hard through the years to develop as a couple.  We both have a burden for other couples we have met and the struggles they are going through each day.  We have both counseled numerous people both professionally and in private conversations since the beginning of our marriage. 

There is one phrase that keeps coming back to my mind as I have been preparing for this sermon series and thinking about the people we have helped.  It is “people need to have ‘real and raw’ conversations about marriage.”

They need real conversations that require total honesty.  In our culture, being real usually means being vulnerable and sharing your flaws.  One tendency of couples is to define their problems in terms of the other person’s behavior.  “If they would do this or they would not do that, everything would be better.”  A real conversation is the opposite.  It means saying, “I have this problem, and I need to work on it.” We need to be real in our marriages.

The second type of conversation needs to be raw.  For me, a raw interaction is one that requires you to talk about touchy subjects.  The topics for raw conversations are unlimited, including things like abuse, pornography, sex, libido, anger, forgiveness, past sexual partners, living together, finances, budgets, your in-laws, parenting, and even religion.  These discussions need to be held to get at the issues even when they feel uncomfortable to talk about with anyone, including your spouse.

This upcoming sermon series is called “Homewreckers,” and the subtitle is “real and raw conversations about marriage.”  My hope is not just to talk about the problems we face but to get you and your spouse having real and raw conversations at home. 

So I invite you to join us online at adriancc.org this Sunday and every week for the next eight weeks.  I am praying this will be exactly what your marriage needs to help it improve. Feel free to start working ahead.

If you do not address the issue.

Everyone has issues. We all encounter setbacks, struggles, unexpected challenges, disappointments, detours, disagreements, derailments, and problems. These things throw all of us out of our usual patterns of thought and behavior.

These things happen in our jobs, with our children, while dealing with our parents, and even in our marriages. They come at us out of the blue and changed our outlook.

The key to a happy life is learning to address the issues. When something happens, we cannot sweep it under the rug and ignore it. We must face it head-on and handle it. Talk it out, even if the conversation is hard. Make the necessary changes. Find a different road and move forward in confidence.

Right now, I can bet you have one issue in your life that is driving you crazy. It keeps you up and night while you toss and turn. You dread the thought of the confrontation it brings. With every day you leave it alone, it gets bigger and more frightening.

I know you do not want to deal with it because you are scared, tired, and worry about the outcome. The harsh reality is that the only way to conquer it is to address it. Maybe today is the time to get the monkey off your back and get things headed the right direction again.

It is only a problem if you do not address it.

So why not today?

There is a difference between attending a Church and being a part of a community of faith called the Church.   

In one, a person sits to watch other people worship, and in the other, the person worships with people of like faith. 

In one, a person allows others to use their gifts to serve them, and in the other, the person uses their gifts to bless others. 

In one, a person wants other people to give of their resources so that they can have the programs to meet their needs, and in the other, the person gives their resources so that other people might be blessed through them.  

In one, a person expects people to be friendly to them, and in the other, they are a friend to other people.

In one, a person expects other people to make decisions that make them happy, and in the other, they take a risk by becoming a leader of other people. 

The list of comparisons is long and often subtle.  The difference between going to Church and being the Church is usually a change that cannot be seen without careful examination.  For a community of believers to become “your” Church, there are adjustments that need to be made.  It is not just a change in language but a difference in attitude and actions. 

I was recently asked, “What is the best sermon you have ever heard?” It is definitely an interesting question to ponder. My favorite preacher was Fred Craddock, before he went home to Jesus a few years ago. His sermons entitled, “Who Cares?” and “When the Roll is Called Down Here” are ones that I have heard so many times I have them almost memorized. The late Calvin Miller has a sermon on Habakkuk called “I Wanna Get Washed,” and it is the single most creative and engaging sermon I have ever heard. My professor Mark Scott’s sermon on the cross called, “Catch the Spirit of Calvary” is a classic and deserves consideration.

The more I thought about the question though, the more it perplexed me. I have listened to thousands of sermons in my life, and all of them have blessed me in their unique way. God has spoken to me at times in unexpected ways. He has used different preachers to say something into my life, usually at just the right time. While many of their sermons would not have been considered the best, they contributed to my spiritual growth.

My main problem with this question is it makes the sermon a speech, and we are to sit in judgment of its content and style. Maybe a better question to ask is, “Which sermon has had the greatest impact on your life?” Which one of them helped you to grow spiritually in a new and exciting way? Was there ever a sermon that helped you come closer to God in knowledge and action? The best sermon is the one that makes you live like Jesus.

This past week has been stressful as the Church leadership was evaluating our future at Adrian Christian Church. After dozens of emails and a few in-person conversations, we made the difficult decision to stay closed through May. We know other Churches in our area will be opening, and yet we made this choice. Here are some of the reasons we will remain closed.

1. The leadership has prayed about this and sought the Lord’s wisdom and leading. This appears to be his answer to us as we have examined the data. We are in agreement with this decision.
2. Businesses are supposed to allow so many people in their buildings according to square footage. If we adhered to that rule, our square footage would only allow us to have 100 in the building and 22 in the auditorium. That number is based on people having enough space for a 6-foot distance.
3. We are supposed to adhere to the 6-foot rule for social distancing. That would require two chairs between people in the auditorium and only using every other row to be compliant.
4. With social distancing, there is no way for us to have an infant nursery. We currently have several during both our programs. Those kids would then be brought into the auditorium. They could be a distraction, are exposed to more people, and add more people to the room.
5. We were not able to figure out a way to keep our children’s worship space compliant. These young kids are often all over each other. It would be difficult to keep them apart. We could not provide a snack unless it was sealed, which could drive up expenses. That means all our children would have to be in worship. There is the possibility of them being a distraction, plus it changes the face of our congregation. We value our children’s education on Sunday morning.
6. We have several Senior Citizens who are at risk and should not attend yet. Also, we have a group from the Willow Creek Group Home who should not be attending. This will reduce the number of participants at best. It potentially puts people at risk at worst.
7. We have two programs, and we could not figure out and easy way to clean and disinfect areas between programs. That includes bathrooms. It would require numerous volunteers committed every week for this project.
8. We poled the congregation on Facebook. 48% of the people said they would not attend in the immediate future. We know that if we meet now, there will only be a handful of people.
9. Because of low attendance, we feel like we would still need to continue producing the program on video as we are currently doing.
10. Our Church building has a small lobby and entryway with a narrow hall leading toward the children’s ministry area. These tight spaces would violate social distancing. They would also require frequent cleaning from people potentially touching the walls.
11. There is a suggestion that we should have separate doors for entrance and exit. This would work fine in the auditorium, but it would be difficult to enforce.
12. Our videos seem to be working well. We feel no need to rush back and offer a small program that is nothing like our ordinary worship for attendees, especially parents and guests.

These are most of the reasons we decided to stay closed. We will keep monitoring the situation and adjust if anything changes. Otherwise, we will reevaluate in a month and determine how we will move forward then. Please keep the leadership in prayer as we seek the best for our congregation.

In the past few weeks, my mind has been working almost non-stop. I have been thinking about the past, the present, and the future of the Church. I have been trying to figure out every move forward with precision. There have also been several random ideas that are not connected. I wanted to drop a few of those here today, and you might find them interesting while I take this time to clear my head.

1. I have been praying for marriages during this time very specifically. This much time together will either make or break most couples.
2. One of my biggest concerns in ministry is for marriages. So many couples are unhappy and just endure it or end in divorce. It breaks my heart.
3. Is anyone practicing social distancing? I know when I go to the store, no one stays six feet away from me, except my family.
4. My desire to be a movie star is gone. I hope to never work before a camera again after this experience.
5. Never thought I would thank the Lord for technology, but I am happy we have still been able to share sermons and materials together as a Church. (Is it okay to go back to hating it after all this is over?)
6. I could not have imagined how much extra work it would take to not meeting weekly. Making plans and decisions can be emotionally draining and time-consuming.
7. Beyond thankful for the people who have sacrificed time and energy to make our weekly programs. There is never enough praise for them.
8. I have developed some new ideas and skills through this time that I hope to use in the future.
9. Excited about my new marriage series that kicks off on Mother’s Day. I think it could help several couples if they will listen and act.
10. Super sad I have not seen my mother in a year. I hope to visit her as soon as all of this is over.
11. Watching myself preach on Sunday is a weird experience. Seeing your mannerisms and quirks on the big screen is unnerving. How do you people put up with it? (oh yeah, sleeping through it makes sense now)
12. I miss seeing everyone. I hate not having worship on Sunday. I know this is not true for everyone.
13. My biggest concern is people coming back to worship when we open again. I fear some people will be lost from the Church and possibly from the Lord forever. Once you quit being active, it is so easy to stay that way.
14. Grateful for the Church I lead. Their patience, tolerance, kindness, generosity, and love have been apparent through this time. May the Lord bless all of you this coming weekend.