I must admit that even after a lifetime of reading the Bible, there are still some stories that seem crazy.  I have read them in context, sought out scholars’ teaching, and asked people wiser than me, but still, these stories are unique.  If you have read any of your Bible, you know exactly what I mean.

The Bible contains stories of talking donkeys and ax heads floating.  Chariots of fire descend from heaven, and bears attack a group of children at the urging of a prophet.  Then there is a story in Exodus chapter 4 verses 24-26 that no one seems to explain adequately. For those who read their Bible at all, there are often as many questions as there are answers.

One aspect of faith is the embracing of mystery.  There are just some parts of walking with God that we will never understand.  That is okay.  We are trusting the one who does comprehend far more than we can imagine.  Faith is not just trusting in a God we cannot see; it is also trusting his words which have parts we do not totally grasp. 

Sure, I encourage you to keep reading, searching, and asking questions until you find a reasonable answer.  Each story has a few possible explanations, and you accept the one that makes the most sense to you. Remember that faith is not God telling us everything but trusting him with everything we do not understand. 

Suppose I asked you about your spiritual life, marriage relationship, parenting skills, and general Bible knowledge.  Most people would say to me, “There is room for improvement.”

We acknowledge that in many of life’s significant arenas, we could do better. 

Saying there is room for improvement is not the same as saying, “I am trying to improve.”  Both recognize our need to get better, but only one person is doing anything about it. 

Recognizing your shortcomings is a great first step toward a life that God desires.  Developing improved actions, no matter how small, is more significant than knowing there are issues. 

You have the room, so why not use it?

Every Monday, I have the privilege of depositing a paycheck from the Church I lead.  I attempt to give a total effort every week and always try to earn my money.  I still consider it an enormous blessing that I get to work for God and be paid enough to take care of my family.  God has been good to me, and I have not missed a paycheck in 28 years. 

But every Monday, there is also this strange feeling that comes over me.  While I get the blessing of being paid, the Church would not exist if it were not for all the people who serve each week.  It takes dozens of people to contribute for free to expand the kingdom of God.  

Recently I heard a Church consultant talk about how Churches do not need volunteers to fill positions.  They need people called to ministry who are willing to contribute merely because they follow Jesus.  These precious people are the hands and feet of Jesus each Sunday morning. 

Today I am thankful for everyone who ministers in any capacity in the Church I lead.  I am also grateful for all the people who served in any Church this past weekend.  These are the individuals that God is using to expand his kingdom.  They are good people, and most of them are good for nothing but the joy that awaits when they hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”   

Beginning a new venture is exciting.  People take pictures of the first day of everything.  Some businesses frame the shovel that first broke the ground or the first dollar that was earned.  Others celebrate with grand openings, parties, and social media blitzes.  Everyone can name dozens of new things being started all around them. 

Getting started is significant.  The determination to begin is needed for success.  But let me ask you an honest question, “How many projects have you started that you were not able to finish?”  While we might be able to tell you all the exciting new things going on around us, we can also tell you of all those that ended without any fanfare. 

Success is not starting well; it is finishing strong.  This is true in life but especially important in the life of faith.  Jesus tells a parable in the gospel of Matthew chapter 13 about four types of soil.  All of them receive seeds.  Three of them have the plant start growing.  Only one makes it to harvest.  Only one produces fruit in the fall and brings the farmer joy.

I love conversion stories, baptisms, and new people at Church.  I also long for a Church full of senior adults who have endured to the end.  When I was young in ministry, I only liked the new, but now I love the old as well.  Maybe that is because so few make it to the finish line of faith. 

Finishing requires trust, grit, endurance, patience, grace, and strength of will.  Today I am thankful for the people who have walked the road of faith for a lifetime.  Most of them will not be celebrated, but they are the real heroes in our Churches.  This is the time of year we celebrate people finishing all kinds of schooling, and we must remember those who are accomplishing something far more significant.  Maybe this weekend, when you see someone who is ending a life of faith strong, be sure to tell them how much you admire them.  They are the goal, and we must never lose sight of that – or them.    

Recently I ran across an interesting parable.  It is not one from the lips of Jesus, but it has caused me to think about my faith.  All sources call it a “Chinese story,” and some say it is from the Taoist background.  Sadly, that is a belief system built on nature rather than God, but I still think there is some truth in the story.

Here is the Parable:

While I do not agree with all the conclusions, it still has a fascinating insight. The essential teaching of this tale is that you never know how things are going to turn out. I do not believe it is because of random chance or the ancient rhythms of nature. My conviction is that God is at work, and we have such limited perspective that we do not clearly see his plan until we have lived through it. One person said that faith is only understood by looking in the rearview mirror. I think there is some wisdom in that type of thinking.

This story reminds me that all truth comes from God no matter where it originates. The simple lesson here is that our limited vantage point should keep us from ever being filled with pride or discouragement. Faith for a Christian is trusting God when you do not know how things will turn out in the end.

When you walk across the valley and get closer to Goliath, the more massive and scarier he looks.  The thing you fear the most always looks bigger up close. 

The irony is that the closer you get to God, the more powerful he appears.  He is more significant than anything you fear.

When David walked into the valley that day, he was closer to God than Goliath, and it seemed like no competition. 

The question is simple, “Are you drawing closer to your faith or your fears?” 

This past Sunday, I spent some time watching people.  I did not walk up to talk; instead, I took a few minutes to observe the people before our worship, between our programs, and after everything was finished.  Their interactions were interesting and inviting.  It was good to see everyone so connected when you consider where we have been in the past 18 months. 

One year ago, our Church, along with thousands of others, went online.  We were allowed to meet back in person last June, and that is when I did something unique.  Our Church pulled all its online programming each week and went back to only providing an audio version of the sermon. 

This was an intentional move to get more people back into our Sunday morning meetings.  For many, once the habit had formed of not attending, it was easy to stay away. I did not want people to settle for digital worship alone.  That is because I live with the conviction that the Church is more than we expect and realize. 

Church is showing up and shaking hands and giving smiles while saying, “Good morning.”  It is making new friends and reconnecting with older believers. It is all age groups, genders, races, backgrounds, and personalities together in the name of Jesus.  Church is having conversations before and after worship that sometimes last until I tell them to lock up when they leave. 

The community of faith is not just a sermon to teach you a little Bible once a week.  It is people serving together and blessing one another.  It is singing the songs of faith to the Lord with other believers.  It is praying with people and for people both corporately and individually. 

It is not just the support and encouragement you find each week.  Many have their faith stretched as they deal with difficult people and situations.  This requires more prayer and working through issues as flawed people who are all saved by grace.  Failure and mistakes will teach us forgiveness, compassion, and the depth of love in the name of Jesus. 

Church is more than a sermon and a few worship songs you watch on Sunday morning.  It is more than a passive experience of spiritual things while watching in comfort.  Church is people meeting in unity and faith until we become the family of God. 

Eventually, we are adding video back to our website, and I am praying it will not become a replacement for being the Church.  I hope people will watch and be blessed, but it will not be their Church without being together with one another. 

This last Sunday, I watched everyone, and I saw the Church.  The community of people who come together in the name of Jesus is irreplaceable.  Sure, it is not perfect, but there is nothing like it on earth.   

I have not posted one of these in a while, but I continue to save articles that I find thought provoking. Here are a few for you to enjoy over the Memorial Day Weekend.

A REMINDER TO PARENTS: “WE’RE NOT RAISING VOLLEYBALL PLAYERS”

What if my kid doesn’t have any friends at church?

Should Churches Pay Off Medical Debt for the Poor? (I have been thinking a lot about doing this)

Nearly There

The Reason You’re Bored with the Bible

18 Things to Tell Your 16-Year-Old Son about Sex and Relationships

7 Things to Consider When God Calles Your Beloved Pastor to Another Ministry

A Few from Seth Godin

A letter to your future self

Uncountable

The consequence

The urgent changes

Several about Marriage –

3 Things I Wish I’d Known Before I Divorced My Wife

25 Quick Ways to Show Your Husband Love–or Your Wife Love!

6 Ways to Improve Your Marriage

3 Ways to Make a Better Bid for Connection

You Love Your Phone More Than You Love Me!

Finally – I enjoyed this video about Solomon’s Temple. Great visuals for understanding a major part of the Old Testament.

Being a leader exposes you to some of the ugliness of the Church.  The more someone gets involved in the activities of their faith community, the more unsightly parts are going to be exposed. 

I think of it this way.  When we were recording our sermons to go online, the product on the screen did not look anything like the room where we recorded them.  What was shot in front of the camera was clean, clear, and without flaws, but the other side was a different story.  There were cords everywhere, light stands, blankets to reduce the sound, computer monitors, and what might look like a total mess.  There was beauty with the right camera angle, and when someone came into the room, they were surprised to see the chaos. 

That can be a picture of the Church.  On Sunday morning, everything is pleasant, but behind the scenes can be personal struggles, inflated egos, sin, and unpleasant conversations.  Through the years, I have witnessed young, and naïve people become Church leaders and later leave the Church entirely from what they experienced.  I wish it were not true, but I have witnessed it, and sometimes I have contributed to it. 

The blood of Jesus is the only thing that unites us.  The Church is not a group of people who come together because we are perfect and have a great idea to change the world.  We are people who come together because of his grace, and he is transforming us. 

Occasionally things happen that restore your joy for the people of God.  Like a dysfunctional family who somehow, every holiday, has these glorious moments of love and connection.  If you hang around the Church long enough, you will see the ugliness, but you will also see the beauty. 

Over the past three weeks, my family has been blessed by the Church I lead.  People have shown grace and mercy through my failures, given gifts to my son, become friends with my mother, and been an enormous blessing to my life.  I could spend pages telling you the stories of how I have been reaffirmed in my love for the people of God. 

The Church is a flawed group of individuals who get it right every once in a while.  This week I am thankful for my family of faith.  Thanks to everyone who has blessed my life. Thanks for looking beyond the mess and sharing the love of Jesus.  I pray that one day everyone gets to experience the Church the way I have recently because then you would know why I still love it. 

I made a joke to a man one time, and he didn’t laugh.  It was not until sometime later that I learned the topic I made fun of was something he struggled with in his life.

I spoke with her about issues involving Church, and she was short, angry, and noncompliant.  Later I discovered her marriage was falling apart and had reached the breaking point. 

My conversation with her went completely wrong after an innocent question, and it left me mad and confused.  The following week she told me about her struggles with depression and the lows she had been feeling.

There have been so many times that I have left conversations and encounters angry, confused, and resentful only to find out later that the person was profoundly hurting themselves.  Often, we do not know the darkness someone is walking through in our casual encounters.  Their lives may be a mess, and they hurt other people in their efforts to make sense of it all. 

To be a Christian means that we treat people with the grace we have received.  Sometimes we need to be reminded to give extra grace to the people who frustrate us the most.  They are likely walking through something painful themselves.  The old saying is that “hurt people, hurt people.” If that is true, then grace-filled people should meet these people with grace upon grace.