The Future of Video Church: The Small Town Model

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 11:00:00 -0600

When Jesus gave his followers the Great Commission, he said,

I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

The church is the vehicle Jesus created to fulfill this Commission.

This week I've been discussing the video church movement, which takes existing and new technologies to advance the message of Christ into the world. I have intentionally used the words and examples of some of America's most prominent and successful Christian leaders to point out the pros and cons of video campuses.

The truth is that it's too early to know the full impact the video church will have on Christianity. Early results have proven that video church is a valid vehicle to spread the Gospel, and people come to a salvation relationship with Jesus whether the pastor is live or video.

I am a supporter of video church, and think it is a very good use of resources for a church to expand beyond the four walls. Video allows a church to potentially impact many communities in it's area, and this brings me to an idea that churches interested in video campuses should consider. It's a small town concept that involves one main campus in a town, and video campuses in surrounding communities.

This small town concept might have campuses roughly 20-30 miles apart from one another, providing opportunities for people to attend the church closer to home. Additionally, the campuses serve as a vehicle for the whole church to minister to many different communities instead of just a single one or few.

Since the video church concept is still relatively new, small towns will probably be the last to welcome the idea, so it might take some effort for a church to pull off the small town strategy. However, once it takes hold in a community, the idea will be better welcomed.

Tell me what you think.

The Future of Video Church: Video Pastors vs. Real Pastors

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 11:00:00 -0600

I am a tech-loving guy, and when new technology rolls onto the market, I'm always interested to see how it will impact what I do and how I live. This week, I'm looking at the concept of video church. As it is presenting itself in the church world today, video church is essentially a multi-site duplicate of a central, main campus.

The best known video church in America is LifeChurch.tv, which has a dozen physical locations (a thirteenth will be added soon) in five different states, and a virtual, Internet campus. Pastor Craig Groeschel heads up this tech-savvy church that has used technology in ways that no one dreamt possible a decade ago. And, this church gets results, lots of them. LifeChurch.tv has used the multi-site, video strategy to reach tens of thousands more people for Jesus than a single campus could ever reach.

I point to LifeChurch.tv as probably the best example of video church in America today. They are the standard bearer.

But, one of the biggest arguments against video church is that video campuses prevent churches, or at least inhibits them, from developing and sending new pastors out into their communities. Yesterday, I quoted from this article with Rob Bell, one of the most innovative pastors in our country today. He isn't keen on video campuses, and in regards to the video vs. sending-them-out argument, he offers,

There is something more powerful than simply beaming yourself into other
locations, and that is raising up disciples. Over time that will go farther and
faster, but right now it will be more work and slower. With technology today
it's easy to spend all of your energies reproducing your own voice, but there is
a longer view that says, what if instead of beaming video to those ten
locations, we train ten people who can go there and lead? That's a very basic
question that should be in the mix somewhere.

And, that is a very valid point that needs to be discussed. It also goes back to the point yesterday that we don't yet know what the long-term impact of video campuses will be on the church.

I think in the end we will discover that both points of view are correct, and a church that does video campuses should also send out disciples to start new churches in their communities. I believe there are instances when a video campus would be better suited for a community, and there are situations where sending out new pastors will be the better option. Churches need to be open to both possibilities.

Tell me what you think. Tomorrow, I'll present an idea for video churches that I believe would be a winner, but it will take some guts and lots of patience.

The Future of Video Church: Holograms

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 11:00:00 -0600

I came across this post from Tony Morgan talking about how new technology could bring holograms to multi-site churches instead of video boards and projectors.

Clark is a technology company that specializes in providing new technology to churches. They are behind this particular use of holographic preacher.

If the video campus has been a hotly debated topic in the church world, I imagine the holographic preacher/teacher will be an even more divisive issue. In reality, though, a video projection of the preacher and a holographic presentation of the preacher are the same thing.

While I personally like the idea of this type of technology, I can see the argument against it. One prominent, and surprising detractor is Rob Bell, pastor of Mars Hill Bible Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Rob is best known in Christian circles for his Nooma series of videos, which are designed to reach unchurched people in innovative ways that the tradition methods do not.

Rob recently spoke with LeadershipJournal.net about his ministry, and addressed the topic of video campuses.

"It's powerful but there's also a dark side. Video is not church. You put images and music on a screen, and people will listen. But it's also dangerous. You're playing with fire. I think video technology deserves to be scrutinized heavily."

He went on to add,

"I don't think we know yet what the long-term impact will be on disciple-making. In 10 years we may discover what particular kind of Christ follower is formed by video preaching. I see warning lights on my dashboard. It's unclear what video may do to the ways we conceive of life together."

And, that is a very good point to remember. We know what the typical results of a health pastor-per-campus church looks like. We have yet to see the long term effects of video campuses.

I suspect that 30 years from now we will realize that there is no differences between the two types of churches. In fact, we'll probably find that video and hologram campuses are an efficient way to conduct church.

Tell me what you think about holograms and video church. Tomorrow, I'll address whether or not video campuses prevent new pastors from pastoring.

Monday Ten

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 06:00:00 -0600

1. I had a great opportunity to use my new golf clubs this weekend. The weather was wonderful...finally.

2. I chose not to use my new golf clubs, because I chose to spend Saturday and Sunday doing yard work and playing outside with the family. That's probably better than golf anyway.

3. The weather was so nice on Sunday that I cracked open the grill and cooked some burgers and hot dogs for lunch. Few things are as tasty as the year's first charcoal cooked foods.

4. Had a good night at North Point Saturday night. Attendance was down in KidPoint, but that was probably due to the nice weather.

5. By the way, if you've never tried Saturday night church, I'd suggest giving North Point Church a try. You're not doing anything on Saturday night anyway. Plus, you get to sleep in on Sunday.

6. Earthquakes...Earthquakes...Earthquakes.... In recent days, we've had big ones in Haiti, Japan, Chile, Taiwan and now Turkey. I know earthquakes are common, but we've had some sizable large ones in recent days.

7. I'm not certain of any connection, but Jesus said in Matthew 24, "Don’t let anyone mislead you, for many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah.’ They will deceive many. And you will hear of wars and threats of wars, but don’t panic. Yes, these things must take place, but the end won’t follow immediately. Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in many parts of the world. But all this is only the first of the birth pains, with more to come." Connection or not, Christ's words about earthquakes certainly make you wonder.

8. The Bible in a very interesting book. Murder, espionage, betrayal, creation, destruction, deceit, immorality and redemption. And, that's just the book of Genesis.

9. The national tournament of the NCCAA Division II begins Tuesday. KWFC will be broadcasting the games Baptist Bible College will be playing. In my 15 years of working for the station and college, this is the first time they've been in the national tournament, so it's kind of exciting.

10. By the way, I'm the current Singing News magazine Golden Mic award recipient. The month of March is mine.

Take Your Drinks Elsewhere

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 11:00:00 -0600

Okay, I know I'm going to step on toes with today's post, and that's only because those who will be offended actually believe that the building they worship God in is some kind of holy ground that should be respected more than Christ himself.

I was visiting recently with a friend from Indiana who commented that she and her husband were frustrated by their church's leading board, who just the night before had held a fiery discussion about drinks being brought into the auditorium (aka: sanctuary). Apparently, the pastor's wife (not my friend, by the way) was taking the blame.

I don't pretend to understand the full dynamics of this particular situation, but I've witnessed this scenario several times. And, it's one of the stupidest things that Satan uses to get our focus off of God.

In this case, it was drinks being brought into and littering the auditorium (yet there was no concern about the bulletins that get left in the seats after service). I've seen a Sunday School teacher get angry over a children's class using his room on a Wednesday night. I've seen excitement come to a screeching halt over whether or not the blinds were open or pulled shut on the auditorium windows. I've sat in meetings listening to people, claiming to be mature Christians, detail why a fellowship hall shouldn't be painted (their reason: kids might scratch the painted walls). And, twice I've had the privilege of hearing the rage over removing the 100-pound battleship, called a pulpit, from the stage.

The perceived problem in each of these cases was that the church would be dirtied, damaged or destroyed in some way. But, in all truthfulness, the real problem was personal and spiritual. You see, when we get our focus on how the building is used, it becomes more important than people coming to Christ. In each of the cases I cited above, the churches involved were either stagnant or declining. Salvations and spiritual growth were not occurring. And, it was all because the people in those churches had allowed Satan to distract them with silly things.

When Jesus charged Peter and the other disciples with the task of creating the Church, it wasn't so we could squabble over fellowship hall curtains or the color of carpet in the auditorium. Jesus charged the Church with spreading the Gospel message to the world, and leading the world to God.

Somewhere along the way, however, this command has gotten lost in translation. Friends, the buildings we worship in are merely tools to be used. When we fuss and prevent the buildings from being used, we become agents of the Devil by preventing God from fully using the resources He gave us to spread the news about Jesus.

So, the next time someone fusses over a drink being taken into your church's auditorium, remind them that Jesus came to this earth to give life changing drinks (living water), and we should represent him in a like manner.

Monday Ten

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 11:00:00 -0600

1. It's March 1st. Spring is just 20 days away. My money is on it still snowing in April. This cold weather is getting old.

2. I'm a bit sad that the Olympics are over. It was neat having something interesting and different to watch each night. The three highlights for me, USA winning gold in the four-man bobsled (who could've seen that coming); gold in men's figure skating (again, who would've guessed); and finally, the silver in ice dancing going to an American pair at their first Olympics. Great stuff.

3. My wife and youngest child were under the weather for this weekend. Sickness is sickening.

4. My wife bought me a belated Christmas gift last week -- new golf clubs. I can't wait to use them.

5. Since it's been too icky and cold to hit the golf course or driving ranges, I've been practicing putting in my living room. This has gotten my boys interested in golf. I'm afraid something is going to end up broken.

6. It dawned on me today that six years ago, when we were putting our first child into kindergarten, school seemed so different from the way it was when my wife and I were kids. Now that our second child is in kindergarten and our oldest is moving into the middle school years, our kids' schools seem normal, and I can't remember how we did it 30 years ago.

7. I'm anticipating a quiet week at home and work. The home part usually doesn't pan out, but work should be quiet this week.

8. I see where Vincent David Jericho is back on the air...sort of. On the Internet. I enjoy political discussion, and even though I'm not the biggest fan of VDJ, I do respect what he brings to the table.

9. My pastor is going to be in Haiti with Convoy of Hope for part of this week. This coming weekend, he'll be interviewing the head of Convoy during our worship services.

10. Finally, this week will contain some sadness. A college roommate of mine lost his wife to cancer last week. She was 36 and leaves behind her husband and two, young children. The funeral is Tuesday.

Church Customer Service - Part 2 of 2

Thu, 25 Feb 2010 11:00:00 -0600

Yesterday, I brought up the subject of a church's customer service. Most churches probably have not thought much about the importance of the interactions that Christians have with non-believers inside the church.

Most visitors will not have close contact with the pastor or worship team, except for the cursory hand shake as folks leave the church, or perhaps the post-service home visit. Instead, your visitors will come into direct contact with several of your church members during their time there, and the impression you congregation makes will have a lasting impression.

It's my belief that the most important element of your church's worship team is actually your greeter team. This is the first point of contact for anyone who darkens your door. If your greeters are moody, don't smile or have poor hygiene, your congregation and your visitors will begin the day with a very bad impression. Your greeters have to know where stuff is in your church. They have to open doors, be friendly, and be willing to help visitors find their way.

The next most important element has to be your children's workers, and the crew that checks children into their respective areas. Parents want to know their kids are going to be safe and in good hands. If your check-in crew and your workers don't instill confidence, those parents will be distracted during the service as they wonder about their kids. A childrens crew that knows what they are doing will calm parents' fears over the safety of their young ones. Plus, and this is a huge plus, if the kids go home excited about what they just experienced, there is a good chance they will be back.

Ushers are like greeters in their interaction with people. It amazes me that most church ushers don't know how to ush (hat tip John Maxwell). In most churches, the usher is only the designated offering collector. They don't actually do anything else. In reality, the usher is a helper, and should carry the attitude of a helper --helping people find their way and helping people find a seat (especially in crowded services) -- all in addition to collecting the offering.

And, while this last group of people is last on the list, it doesn't diminish their importance. All your other workers and leaders are customer service representatives of the church, as well. Their interaction with people coming through the church will leave an impression, whether good or bad.

The ultimate lesson here is that customer service is very important in a church. The volunteers and staff representing your church at any given time should be expected to leave positive impressions. Your leaders should coach people on how to perform good customer service.

While your volunteers and staff may not be preaching the message or leading worship, their attitudes and the way they interact with visitors will go a long way toward building a lasting relationship with newcomers.

Church Customer Service - Part 1 of 2

Wed, 24 Feb 2010 11:00:00 -0600

Two recent visits to fast food restaurants in the same franchise have driven home the importance of good customer service.

Over the weekend, the experience at one of these local establishments was memorable for how bad the service was. Have you ever had one of those drive-thru experiences where you have to give your order three or four times, and they still get it wrong? Such was the case.

Contrast that with the recent visit to another one of these establishments where the person at the drive-thru window was cheery and friendly. The order was correct, and you left the place feeling better than when you arrived.

It's all about customer service. Service either makes or breaks a business' reputation. Bad service will run a business out of a town where other businesses offer good service. No matter how good the food might be, no one wants to eat where the service is bad.

Let's translate that into your local church. It doesn't matter how good the music or preaching might be, if the visitors that come to your church are met with poor "customer service," they will leave and never return.

Customer service in a church has nothing to do with making people feel good. In fact, many times the Gospel message makes people very uncomfortable. Instead, it involves the interactions your visitors have with the people in your church.

Tomorrow, I'll talk about some of these areas of the church where good customer service must be a priority.

My Church

Tue, 23 Feb 2010 11:00:00 -0600

"I'm not happy with the stuff they're doing to my church."

"My church is the best."

"This doesn't feel like church anymore."

"Our church is so much better than that old fashioned one across town."

How selfish and arrogant we are when it comes to the church. We get ourselves worked up over this change or that music selection. Our feathers get ruffled when someone paints the hallways, or replaces the seats. We get down right mad when the pastor announces that we are ending a long-standing program.

Why all the fuss? Why do we get riled up? Simple. Because it's all happening in OUR church.

Jesus said to Peter in Matthew 16:18, "Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it." (NLT)

Did you catch it? Right in the middle of the verse that establishes the church, the man delivering the vision for it claims it as his own. Jesus says, "...I will build MY church...."

It belongs to Jesus, not you or I. How arrogant of us to try to steal ownership of Jesus' church, so that we can satisfy our selfish desires! Additionally, it becomes problematic for us to ask God to build our church instead of building His church.

It belongs to Jesus. As you head toward Sunday, recognize this fact and put it into play.

Monday Ten

Mon, 22 Feb 2010 11:00:00 -0600

1. The human body's ability to adapt is very strange. After months of cold, bitter winter, a weekend in the 40s and 50s feels wonderful. But, in three months, 40s and 50s will feel cold and bitter.

2. Speaking of the desire for warmer weather, Major League Baseball's spring training is underway, AND the college baseball season began this past weekend for the Missouri State Bears and Missouri Tigers. The Bears went 0-3 and the Tigers were 2-1 in weekend action.

3. I love baseball. Of all the great sports in the world, baseball is my favorite. I'm looking forward to the start of the high school season, and taking my kids to see our high school team play.

4. Round One of swim lessons concluded for our boys this weekend. We're going to give them another dose, plus lots of visits to the pool before summer. They love the indoor pool at our local gym.

5. My wife is taking swim lessons too, and doing a wonderful job.

6. I learned how to swim as a kid, but probably could use a refresher. However, my main focus is weight loss, right now. Swimming can come later.

7. My weight loss plan is simple: two parts eating and one part exercise. In other words, Eating: (1) I need to NOT go back for seconds and (2) make better choices of what I put on my plate; Exercise: I just need to get some on a regular basis.

8. Major life decisions are on the horizon, but I don't have a clue what they might be. I know that's a vague comment, but it's the reality of the situation.

9. This is going to be a busy week at work. Two things are going to make it challenging. First, I'm taking off Thursday to take care of some personal business. Second, the Baptist Bible College Patriots begin post-season basketball play. This year's men's team has the talent to make it to the national NCCAA tournament.

10. Speaking of Patriot basketball, I had the opportunity to work the broadcast of a game last week. It reminded me of how much I miss doing play-by-play.

Fortune Cookie Christianity

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 11:00:00 -0600

A couple of weeks ago, the staff where I work went to a local Chinese restaurant for lunch. While there, we got the customary fortune cookie.

Fortune cookies are always fun. Inside their golden goodness lies a simple, little fortune. A word of wisdom, encouragement, or puzzling statement. Now, as much fun as the fortune cookies are, everyone knows there isn't any real substance to the fortunes inside. They're just generic statements some company prints out on paper.

While looking at my little fortune, it dawned on me that these pat, little answers are very similar to the way we talk about Jesus in the company of others. I was reminded of the many Bible studies I've sat in where older, supposedly mature Christians would respond to questions in the Bible study by giving generic, easy answers.

I pick on those who are supposed to be mature believers, because, well, they're supposed to be. Instead, I've witnessed time and time again where a deep question gets an easy answer with no real meaning. But, most believers fall in this category.

The reason for fortune cookie Christianity??? The answer is simple. We don't know our Bibles. That's it. There's a reason to read your Bible.

Someday you'll be faced with questions about your faith. If you don't know what the Bible says, you'll look as foolish as a mature believer who gives pat answers to complex questions.

Monday Ten

Mon, 15 Feb 2010 11:00:00 -0600

1. Why is it that so many of the holidays in which we remember the greats of the Christian faith get tainted down wih commercialism? You have Jesus (Christmas & Easter), St. Patrick (next month) and St. Valentine (yesterday). Faith isn't the only thing these three share. The days in which we remember them have been commercialized in order for the corporate world to make big bucks. (Example: A local florist increased their price on a dozen roses by 300% just for this past week.) Yes, I'm complaining. I have nothing against capitalism, but it seems like culture is like, "Hey, here's a follower of Jesus (or Jesus himself), lets make a buck."

2. Did the Valentines Day date two days early, and took my wife to a nice Italian restaurant and a movie. I wasn't over fond of the movie, but loved the time with my bride.

3. Quality babysitters are priceless!

4. Saturday night, I experienced the major negative associated with giving kids a lot of candy. My 4th/5th grade class at church was super-wound up, wouldn't listen, and were very disruptive. PTL for non-candy-related holiday weekends.

5. Sunday was another great day, spent inside all day watching the Daytona 500. What should've been a three hour event turned to a six hour marathon. I hate pot holes.

6. It was fun watching local boy Jamie McMurray come away with the opening win of the NASCAR season. The best part was his tear-filled celebration. Everyone loves a genuine winner.

7. My six-year-old son did his best to make Valentine's Day super-special for his mother and father. He loves arts and crafts, and created a couple of special items for us. He's a sweet kid.

8. You may not believe it, but I'm not that big of a southern gospel music fan. That may seem strange to you, especially since I've worked for a southern gospel station since the mid-1990s, but it is true. My preference is kicked-up praise and worship music. What can I say, I like electric guitars.

9. That being said, I am looking forward to some concerts my employer is hosting this year. They are going to be dynamite. The next big one is in April, and features Gold City, the Hoppers and 2nd Generation. After that, KWFC Day at the Ozark Empire Fair will be Monday, August 2nd. I can't say who will be there just yet, but it'll be a blast. Then, in October, we're bringing in a couple more great groups. That fall date is the one I'm really interested in.

10. I'm sick of snow.

Radicalis

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 11:00:00 -0600

This week, Saddleback Church and Pastor Rick Warren are hosting the Radicalis conference. Some of the country's best teachers and preachers will be sharing insights with church leaders during this conference.

Check it out at http://www.radicalis.com.

Monday Ten

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 11:00:00 -0600

1. Way to go Saints! How ironic that after Hurricane Katrina, there was much speculation that this year's Superbowl champs would be relocating to Oklahoma City or San Antonio.

2. This was the first year my boys seemed interested in watching the Superbowl. They cheered for the Saints, while my wife rooted for the Colts. Loser got to clean toilets.

3. My oldest son was really into the game this year. In fact, he was really into football this year. My wife says he's been watching me and my interest in the sport, then copying that interest. It's both good and weird to be a dad.

4. My oldest boy jumped and hollered around the living room when the Saints won. He was happy, because one of his best friends was born in New Orleans.

5. My son's celebration reminded me of his second Superbowl party, the year the Rams won. I was jumping and hollering, and scared the boy half to death.

6. Superbowl commercials aren't what they used to be. I think marketing firms have run out of good ideas. But, there were some interesting ones to note:

• All the fear mongering over the Focus on the Family commercial featuring Tim Tebow and his mother, Pam, was all-about-nothing. The ad was harmless, happy and fun. Hat tip to the marketers behind it. Very clever way to get people to the Focus on the Family website. And, the ad made the critics of the spot look very foolish. By the way, did anyone else think Pam Tebow looks and sounds like actress Mary Steenburgen?
• The Doritos ads were all pretty good. And, they didn't use marketing firms to come up with the ideas. They were all created by Doritos consumers. I had a friend who helped create one ad. Sadly, it didn't make it to the game.
• The beer ads in years past were the ones that left people laughing and talking the next day. This year, not so much. In fact, they were mostly dull and unmemorable, but at least there were horses.
• Careerbuilder.com let website visitors vote on the ad that should make it to the big game. Sadly, the funniest ad was left on the website. No one got to see the job fairy. It was funnier and more memorable than the "Casual Friday" ad.
• There were a lot of manly ads. Dodge Charger led the way. I like seeing men treated like something other than a dumb chimp.
• Use of the Internet was a premium in ads this year. I saw a lot that directed people to company websites to learn more. Very smart.

7. This weekend saw the kickoff concert of the KWFC concert series. It's a new venture the station is embarking on. Around 600 people braved the snow to see Three Bridges and Chris Hester. And, they all had a great evening.

8. In April, KWFC will bring in Gold City, the Hoppers & 2nd Generation. At KWFC Day at the Ozark Empire Fair, gospel music fans will enjoy Signature Sound Quartet. And, in the fall, we're bringing in Triumphant Quartet and the Greenes.

9. Right about now, Outreach Magazine should be conducting surveys of churches nationwide as part of their annual "census." Results of the largest and fastest growing congregations should be out in eight or nine months. Last year, my church was in the top 10 fastest growing. Should be interesting.

10. It's snowing again this Monday. Most folks I talk to are sick of the snow...except those friends from Colorado. You know who you are.

Monday's Ten

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 23:00:00 -0600

1. It's Superbowl Week. We don't have a pony in this show, so we're picking the feel-good team...the Saints.

2. We still haven't planned out our SB meal for Sunday evening. Typically, we get some ribs from Cheddars, and chow down, but this year we may do something different. Our boys are kinda interested in the game this year, but aren't overly fond of ribs. (I'm not sure why.)

3. The end of pro football season is always bittersweet. The season's end makes for a long wait until August for the pre-season, but it also means that baseball is around the corner.

4. I love baseball much more than any other sport, so obviously, April can't come quick enough.

5. With the departure of one of our on air staff, I'm changing air shifts beginning today. You can now hear me live noon-3p weekdays on KWFC. Jonathan Edwards moves into the 3p-6p slot.

6. I'm excited about some of the changes we've made recently at the radio station, and some that are around the corner.

7. One exciting event coming up for gospel music fans in the first concert in the new KWFC Concert Series. This Friday night features Three Bridges and Chris Hester at Evergreen Church in Springfield. The show starts at 7 p.m.

8. I think people will be blown away by Chris Hester. The dude has some great country pipes. It comes from his Oklahoma upbringing.

9. Today is Help Haiti Day. Visit kwfc.org to learn more.

10. Finally, anyone else sick of winter? The forecast is calling for about a pretty good chance of cloud cover in Punxsutawney, PA‎. I'm hoping Punxsutawney Phil doesn't see his shadow, so winter will end early.

There's More In Store

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 11:00:00 -0600

The first month of 2010 is almost in the books. How has it gone for you? Is 2010 what you expected it to be? Better? Worse?

Well, I think for most of us, it's probably a little early to lay out a verdict. But, I will bet that many of the resolutions we made on January 1 have been laid by the wayside. And, some of our resolutions have been revised, or taken a different shape than we originally intended.

How many times has that happened to you -- a dream of yours becomes something other than what was originally envisioned? Sometimes that dream goes sour, and unforeseen details derail it. But, sometimes that dream explodes into the unimaginable.

For the Christ-follower, the unimaginable is what we are promised. Ephesians 3:20-21 tells us that God is able to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. In other words, these ideas God lays on our hearts are only the beginning of a great and awesome adventure.

I was reminded of this truth this week. NewSpring Church in Anderson, South Carolina, celebrated it's tenth anniversary. You can watch the 2-1/2 hour service here. It struck me as I watched the retelling of the church's story, that they had no clue ten years ago that their small group of 15 people, meeting in a living room, would have around 15,000 celebrate together in a special service at the BILO Center in Greenville in 2010.

During the course of the service, pastor Perry Noble read a letter he had written in 1996 to his wife, telling her of the burden God was placing on his heart to start a church that was going to be unlike any other church they had seen. But, even he admits to having no idea how God would take that call to plant a church and turn it into a multi-campus force in South Carolina, on the Internet and in Kenya.

I think about the church I attend, North Point Church in Springfield, Missouri. My family started attending when the church was only 11 months old. At the time, there were only around 800 attending three services in a renovated movie theatre complex.

The kids area was a blast, because the floors were slanted (formerly theatre seating), making it difficult for kids to stand up. The youth room was filled with old sofas (also on a slanted floor), and the theatre seats in the worship center creaked when you sat down to watch the service take place on a cramped stage.

This year, North Point will turn seven. I doubt anyone that attends NPC could have ever imagined how God would carry out Ephesians 3:20. Last year, NPC was the ninth fastest growing church in the U.S. Today, the average attendance is over 4,000. Each week, dozens of people commit their lives to Jesus.

And, we do it over five services on Sunday and SATURDAY. That's right, Saturday. What many people thought couldn't be done is happening at NPC. Other church in the Springfield area, large and small, have attempted Saturday services, but ended them after they didn't live up to what was hoped for. But, NPC recently added a second Saturday evening service to accomodate the growth.

Just like what is happening with these two churches, our minds cannot conceive the many different and exciting things God has in store for His followers and His churches if they are obedient to Him.

Monday Ten

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 11:00:00 -0600

1. My family has been dealing with head colds all this week. I hate being sick, especially with a head cold, because it messes with my voice. Radio people dealing with vocal cord issues is not a good thing.

2. I should be getting the last of my tax information this week. Time to get prepped on all the paperwork. Does anyone really like tax time?

3. Saturday night church services at North Point were very good. The KidPoint (elementary) are had 100 kids for the 5 p.m. service. That's the most we've ever had on Saturday night.

4. I felt a little guilty, because I had only eight 4th/5th grade boys during that service while others had 15-25. But, my eight boys were extremely well behaved, with was probably more amazing than the 100 kids.

5. This is going to be my last week hosting the late afternoon show. I switch to a different time slot next Monday. My wife is happy, because I'll be getting home earlier.

6. I'm a little disappointed in this week's weather. I had some outdoor work planned at the house back when the forecast called for sunny and 40s. But, that's up in the air now that we probably won't get out of the 30s, and expect a wintry mix of precipitation.

7. I had some good responses to last week's posts on tithing. Tithing is really a no brainer, but we do have to train our brains to not be so selfish with our resources.

8. The fiance of one of my best friends just got back from Haiti. She works for an adoption agency, and brought back 15 Haitian children to complete adoptions here in the U.S.

9. The great need in Haiti will gradually fade from the headline news, but the need will still be there for a very long time. You can still help by contributing to the Convoy of Hope.

10. I have heard very good reports from churches in the Springfield area who have raised tens of thousands of dollars to donate to the Haiti relief effort. Way to go Church!

They Give But They Don't Tithe: Part 2 of 2

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 11:00:00 -0600

In Malachi 3:10 God says, "Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test!"

Tithing was important for the Temple in Old Testament days, because it was the design God had created to take care of the priests (who could not work while serving in the Temple), and to operate the ministry of the Temple. That translates directly to the Church today, where our tithes (primarily monetary giving) goes to pay the salaries of the employees of the local churches, and provides the means to operate the ministry of the churches in their communities.

Without the tithe coming in from all believers, the local church suffers, and the worldwide Church cannot live up to its full potential.

My pastor friend that I referenced in yesterday's post told me that most of his congregation give, but they don't tithe. I know other pastors who have encountered this, especially in the current recession. They end up losing income of their own, because the church can't pay them. The various ministries of the church get cut, because there isn't enough funding for them.

Let's do a little math. The average income in America is around $50,000. In a hypothetical church of 200 (50 families of four) making this household amount, the total gross income is $2.5 million. Of that, ten percent should be tithed, giving this local church $250,000 annually. That would be enough to pay staff, conduct all the ministries of the church, and have enough left over to expand or plan for the future.

On the flip side, if all these 50 families do are to drop $5 in the offering plate every week, the total income for the church would be $13,000 -- a difference of $237,000. Obviously, the $5 thing won't keep the lights on at a church. It wouldn't even feed one of these families of four.

These two examples are both extremes. Reality exists somewhere in the middle, but I used the extremes to point out the potential impact of tithing, and the devastating impact of the "$5 special."

Tithing isn't a hard issue to comprehend. God made it very simple to understand and to apply to our lives. And, He leaves the choice up to us. God won't be striking people dead for not tithing, but He can't bless the people who won't tithe. And, the reason he can't bless the people who don't tithe is because these people don't trust God with their money.

So, how does a person go from being a non-tither to tithing on the full extent of their income. I believe it begins with prayer. Since tithing is primarily a trust issue, you need to work on improving that trust relationship with God. This begins by studying the Bible (all of it, not just on tithing), praying to God, and applying the lessons God teaches you.

While you're in the process of building trust, you also need to start somewhere in your giving. If you struggle with letting go of your money, I suggest starting small, and set a time frame for the future.

If you're just getting into the giving spirit, try the $5 special for a few weeks to get into the habit of giving. Then, gradually increase that amount to $10, $20 and $100 dollars. As you adjust to a life of giving, you'll also adjust to living within your means.

These baby steps will eventually lead you to giving ten percent off of your net income. The tithe off of the net is actually pretty easy to do, since you see all that money coming into your account. It's easy to do the math off of what you actually brought home.

The big jump, and the leap of faith comes when you tithe off your gross income. You never see the gross, because taxes, retirement, health and other deductions come out of it first. This makes the challenge of the full tithe a little harder to swallow. I suggest that once you start tithing off of your net income, then you should also set a date in the near future (2-3 months) to start tithing off your gross income. This allows you to prepare for it, and determine in your mind that you'll make this leap of faith regardless what comes your way.

You'll need that determination. Just about everyone I have spoken with on their tithing experiences say the same thing. They didn't seem to have any financial struggles until they began tithing. But, once they made that committment to tithe, it seemed that things started breaking around the home. Gas prices jumped. Cars needed repairs.

Since tithing is a trusting-God issue, that makes it a spiritual issue. It should not surprise anyone that Satan would try to discourage you once you begin expressing your trust in God. Again, this is where the prayer time becomes very important. You need it to stay in contact with God, and maintain that trust and determination.

Last thoughts on tithing: It is not a get-rich-quick scheme that God organized. There is a tendency to read Malachi 3 and assume that the blessings are going to be returned in monetary form. God knows the heart of every person. He also knows our needs and desires.

If we seek monetary gain from our act of tithing, God probably won't grant it. Instead, your blessing will come in different areas. Perhaps a better job, an improved relationship with your spouse, greater ministry opportunities, etc.

Tithing is also not an approval system. I know this will be hard to believe, but there are people out there claiming a relationship with Jesus who will use their tithe as a weapon. If they approve of the decision the church leadership makes, they will give it. But, if they disagree with the direction of the church, they withhold their tithe as a way to punish the church and its leaders.

This type of activity is not only destructive to the church, but as Malachi 3 also points out, it is stealing from God. You are cheating Him of one of the things he asks. The tithe is not designed as a method of voting your approval. To use it that way, I believe, is an indication of an individual's true heart and reflects directly on their relationship with God, or should I say the lack of a relationship with God.

So, there you go. Tithing in a two-part nut shell. What do you think?

They Give But They Don't Tithe: Part 1 of 2

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 11:00:00 -0600

"They give, but they don't tithe."

That was the line a pastor friend of mine recently used to describe the financial state of his congregation. His church is in an economically depressed part of the country where finances are tight and unemployment is high.

I sympathize for his church's situation, but sadly, his tithing condition is not limited to his church and town. Probably even worse is that "giving, but not tithing" isn't even limited to economic condition.

I've been involved in church ministry in one form or another since the mid-90s, and I have seen this condition regardless of how the economy is doing. Granted, "giving but not tithing" is much more common in a poor economy, but I think there is something that needs to be addressed regarding the financial gifts we give to the church.

For those unfamiliar with the term, a tithe is a tenth. It means ten percent. In the Bible, the tithe was ten percent of an individual's (or family's) gross income or production.

Leviticus 27:30 points out that "One tenth of the produce of the land, whether grain from the fields or fruit from the trees, belongs to the Lord and must be set apart to him as holy."

Malachi chapter three has what is probably the most recognizable statements regarding the tithe. Included in this section is God's personal challenge to us to test Him on whether he will bless the tither or not.

So, how does this apply today? Well, I believe that everyone should give or their time, ability and finances. Giving may come in the form of helping out a local charity, or volunteering at the local elementary school. And, yes, it can also happen at church, but we'll save that for the next paragraph. What I want to get at is that everyone should develop within them a giving, self-less heart. A giver can go a long way toward meeting the needs of their community.

As for the tithe, this is strictly a God-and-His-people thing. Leviticus commands it to be done, and Malachi is the dare to try it. Here's how I look at it:

• If you don't make any income, or produce anything, or have no talent, then there is nothing to tithe. The only thing I would add here is that you should be careful in determining what makes up zero income/production. It is human nature to try to twist the facts and cheat God (that's why Malachi 3 exists). Be honest with what you are getting and giving.
• If you're dropping the $5 special in the offering bucket each week, month, quarter, etc., then you obviously aren't trusting God with your finances, and/or haven't bought into the whole God and Jesus thing. If you can't trust God to give him ten percent of your income, then perhaps you should do some soul searching to find out if money might be more of a god to you than the God of the universe.
• When you get into tithing, there is always the debate on what part of the income you should tithe. Should you tithe the net or gross income? Should you tithe things like tax refunds, gifts and the like? I think if you study scripture, you will find that God asks for a tithe off the gross, before you or the government gets their share. If you give God the net, then don't be surprised if your blessings have a "net" kind of feel to them. As far as extra sources of income, like tax refunds, gifts, etc., you're going to have use a dose of honesty to decide these. My take on it is that if you didn't already tithe on the income you receive, then you should do so. This especially applies to tax refunds where some people may have no taxable income, but because of things like child tax credits, they receive money back that wasn't part of their normal wages. If it's extra, consider tithing off it.

Ultimately, tithing is a trust issue. How much do you really trust God?

If you're interested in becoming a regular tither, check back tomorrow, and I'll give you some easy steps.

No More Unchecked Power

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 11:00:00 -0600

Congratulations to Scott Brown on his historic victory yesterday in Massachusetts. The people of Mass. voted for the country on Tuesday, and put into place the only chance conservatives have of derailing the liberals; unchecked power.

Any political party dreams of the opportunity to be able to enforce their agenda without any real opposition. That may sound good if you're the party in command, but unchecked, or absolute power has a tendency to corrupt. It will lead politicians down paths they would have never believed possible, and toward problems they never imagined.

Such is the case with the Democrat Party. The unchecked power they received in 2008 was clearly not a mandate to do whatever they wanted. It was merely a desire by the people to change what the country had for the previous eight years. Unfortunately, voters jerked their knees too much in '08, and gave Dems too much power. Yesterday's election in one of the most liberal states in the country proved that. The people declared that they wanted that power to be balanced.

What is great about the Brown victory is that he campaigned on very specific things. His campaign was all about breaking the Dems' super-majority in the Senate, and stopping the legislative train wreck in Washington. Where the Democrats didn't have a real, straight forward mandate in 2008, Congress and the President now have a clearly defined mandate from the voters in Massachusetts, and it's contrary to the current legislative plan.

Now, with that being said, Republicans should also take note. The MA voters' mandate is a shift toward the conservative. The notion that the GOP should be a moderate or liberal party has now been debunked. The GOP would do well to throw out the progressive voices in their midst, and return to being America's true conservative party.

Additionally, Republicans should prepare for a couple of things. This coming November will likely bring a huge swing in Congressional seats. No party can make as many unpopular decisions as the Democrats have, and still keep their power. Should the GOP return to power in Congress, there are two key things that Republicans need to remember.

1) Don't get cocky. When the party won Congress in 1994, it didn't take long for the power to go to the heads of the new power mongers. Within four years, the Contract with America had been shelved for special interests and personal gain. By 2006, the People had their fill and began moving power to the Democrats.

So, should Republicans regain Congress in the fall, they need to remember the mistakes of their past, and keep a level head about the offices they hold.

2) Don't become wimps. The GOP had been the minority party for so long, that when they won the majority in 1994, they didn't know how to act like winners. Instead, they acted like wimps. Areas where they could have and should have followed through on the public mandate (Contract with America), they ended up compromising with a powerless opposition. No politician should ever compromise when their constituents give them a clearly defined mandate.

A Little Hillsong

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 11:00:00 -0600

Instead of a written blog, how about a little worship today. Here's one of my favorites - Hillsong's "From the Inside Out."

Monday Ten

Mon, 18 Jan 2010 11:00:00 -0600

1. Had a very good weekend. Saturday night church was great, and got a lot of things done around the house on Sunday.

2. We met up with a friend at church Saturday night that we had not seen in several years. I probably came off as a bumbling idiot, because I didn't recognize her. She had colored her hair, and had a few other changes since my wife and I last saw her. After she said "Hi" to me, I had to apologize to her for not remembering her name. In reality, I remembered the name, just wasn't ready for the new look. My wife had a similar experience, only not as embarrassing.

3. The phrase "any given Sunday" proved incredibly accurate this weekend. Who would've thought that both the Dallas Cowboys and Arizona Cardinals, who had hot offenses last weekend, would have their hats handed to them this weekend? And, who would've thought the J-E-T-S, Jets! Jets! Jets! would be a win away from the Superbowl? This is turning out to be a great post-season in the NFL...unless you're a Cowboys fan.

4. My wife is about to get me a late Christmas gift...golf clubs. I need a new set. My starter set just doesn't cut it.

5. Rebekah's Christmas gift (new stove) arrived a couple of weeks ago. She baked cookies in it for the first time over the weekend. Very nice.

6. This past week, my four-year-old son told my six-year-old son, "We'll teach you how to burp!" As a parent, how do you respond to that?

7. The radio station I work for, KWFC, is getting geared up for something new and exciting. February 5th kicks off the KWFC concert series. It features Three Bridges and Chris Hester. I'm excited about it, mostly because I get to hang with Chris. He's a great guy. I'm trying to talk him into coming to church with me that Saturday night. It'll rock his world.

8. I was talking with an artist recently, and we both agreed that overproduced music is not a good thing. We both prefer real and authentic, as opposed to computer-corrected.

9. Does anyone remember synthesizers and midi-keyboards? Some are still around today, or have their functions built into electronic keyboards. They should have a sledge hammer taken to them. Seriously.

10. It's MLK day. I'm a little saddened by two things this day:

• The first is the governmental calls to service. There's nothing wrong with volunteering, but I think we're kinda missing the message that Dr. King taught us.
• The other thing that saddens me is the rash of racial jokes I hear coming from some white folks regarding people of other color. Do you really think they're funny? Huh?

10a. Oh, and while we're on the subject of race, I often times get upset over the reverse discrimination junk that goes on in our culture. The white man has caught the brunt of this lately. I think what ticks me off the most is that we can't just all be people, the political correct movement forces us to see retribution by punishing other people. That's just plain wrong. Punishing people today who had no part in yesterday's offenses only maintains the cycle of hatred. God views us all equally. We should do the same.

Haiti Is Hurting

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 11:00:00 -0600

Apologies for not blogging this week. I've been ultra busy, and have been taking in the crisis in Haiti.

I don't think we can ever imagine the horror that is taking place in that island country. For years, Haiti has been plagued by violence, corruption and poverty. It is one of the spiritually darkest places on the planet. Yet, today, it is a country that is hurting.

Today, I would encourage you to send a financial gift to the Haiti relief effort through the Convoy of Hope. Convoy has a long history of meeting needs during disasters. Your financial gift will allow Convoy to purchase the necessary items that are desperately needed in Haiti.

Jesus said, "You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father."

After watching news reports about the pitch black of the night now that there is no power in the country, these words bring some extra special meaning. Add to the situation that Haiti has a strong satanic influence, and the importance of Jesus' words become much stronger.

We could sit by and claim this is God's judgement on a corrupt and rotten nation. And, there could possibly be some truth to that. After all, Sodom and Gomorrah set the precedent.

However, I don't believe it is our place to be concerned about God's judgement on people. Instead, this is our time to be the "light of the world." This is our time to help, to pray and to contribute.

You know, Jesus' instructions are quite simple. Maybe, just maybe, God is going to use this tragedy to bring hope and light to the Haitian people who are hurting so badly right now.

Monday Ten

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 11:00:00 -0600

1. My wife decreased our redneck value today. She bought a new mailbox. Our mail woman busted our old one up last winter trying to beat ice off of it with a hammer.

2. My wife loves her new stove. The other one had just about given it up for good, so timing was great on this new LG stove.

3. It was a weekend of change for us and our church. New service times saw the addition of a second Saturday night service. This is great for us, because we can teach kids in one service and attend worship during the other.

4. I sent in my bio information to the Singing News. I'll be in their March 2010 edition as their Golden Mic winner.

5. My wife signed us up for a year membership at a local gym. I'm going to drop some pounds and put on some muscle.

6. The warmer weather has finally allowed me to allow my dog outside again. That string of sub-zero temps was terrible.

7. Oddly enough, I never thought a person would really be able to tell the difference between -3 and +10 degrees, but you really can. +10 is much, much nicer.

8. I'm ready for a beach vacation...but, aren't we all.

9. The radio station I work for is going to introduce an annual concert series this year. Right now, we're aiming for four shows, including our anniversary concert. The first event is February 5th at Evergreen Church, and features Three Bridges and Chris Hester. It'll be good...and free (love offering).

10. I used to love cold weather. Now that I'm in my mid-30s...not so much.

Guest Blog from my pastor

Fri, 08 Jan 2010 11:00:00 -0600

Thoughts are hard to come by on this busy Friday, so I'll redirect you to today's entry from my pastor, Tommy Sparger. Enjoy his take on Psalm 51.