This blog is shut down.

This blog has been shut down. I have moved to a new address. All the content here is available there, plus much more. Click here to go to my new blog.

Click for My New Blog

Click here for my new blog. If you bookmark it, be sure and bookmark the new site. You can also subscribe by email or blog reader. You will need to resubscribe even if you have subscribed in the past. This blog will no longer be operational. All updates will be placed on the new blog

Coming Later Today: Blog Upgrade

My new updated and upgraded blog will be operational later today. I will include a link on this page when it is ready for all to see. Thanks for your patience.

We have a winner!

Mike Hoyle won the MP3 player for correctly guessing that I will use Mr. Potato Head as an object lesson on Sunday. Coming soon, Mike will be able to download my messages and listen to them at work, around the house, while doing yard work. I know he can't wait.

You don't want to miss what Mr. Potato Head can teach us about the Body of Christ and our piece of that body this Sunday. I plan on having the new and improved blog up and running on Monday, September the 10th. Stay tuned for some other giveaways.

Giveaway

In case you haven't read the blog about last Sunday, I included a question and the first person to answer correctly gets an MP3 player. Read the question and make your guess here. Also, next week, after the blog gets its upgrade, I will be having a couple of other giveaways. You don't want to miss it.

Great Sunday

Going into a Labor Day service (or any service on a holiday), I always have relatively low expectations. I probably shouldn't since God is so awesome, but I typically try to set myself up not to be disappointed, so I go in thinking the worst. But this past week's service was awesome. The worship was great and people really responded well to my fishbowl illustration. And best of all, I didn't break them (like I did a couple of times in practice.) But the best news was that we had 10 or 11 families visiting. That was awesome. God has been so good to us this summer. I can't wait for what He has in store for us this fall.

Don't miss this Sunday. I have another object lesson, and this one has to do with a favorite toy that millions of kids have played with over the years. I have a gift to the first one who guesses it. James, you and my family are ineligible to play since you know the answer. Biscuit, you can't play either (if you even read my blog). Plus anyone else who has already got wind of it can't guess. Only one guess per person.

How about those Tigers!

Don't have much to write today. I think I stayed up too late last night watching Clemson dominate Florida State, and then hold on by the skin of their teeth. Great start to the season. Go Tigers!

Coming Soon: Sermons on Demand

Last week I announced an exciting change coming up. And since then I haven't written much. There are really two reasons why I haven't written much and they are both related. First, I am busy upgrading my blog and adding some new bells and whistles. The biggest upgrade will be the ability to listen to messages online. You will be able to come to the blog and click on the latest messages to listen or download. You will have the capability to subscribe to the podcast where the messages will automatically be downloaded to your computer ever week. With all these changes, I have been working more on the changes and less on content.

The second reason I have not been writing that much is that I inadvertently disconnected all of my subscribers as I was making changes to the blog. It looks like I have not been able to reconnect them. I had about 13 or 14 email subscribers and they have been without their subscription service for about 3 weeks now. Since the blog is in transition, I have not been writing much. Things will pick up once the change over is made, and you will be able to resubscribe for the new blog. Sorry for the inconvenience.

What's God Saying?

This morning I was reading through the book of Zechariah. But I was not just reading to gain knowledge, but really trying to listen to God. As I was having that private time with God, God showed me though His Word that whatever we accomplish as a church is through God's grace and not by our own strength.

As I contemplated on that thought, I asked myself what difference would that make in my life if I lived as though that was true. First, I would trust God more. I would pray more. Second, I would have more confidence knowing that it was not my effort that brought about change. Third, I would be more patient instead of just trying to make it happen. Finally, I would always give God credit for what is done.

Has God said anything to you lately? If so, what? Are you listening?

Why We Do What We Do

Two weeks ago Glenn McKeithan shared with me an awesome story that sums up why we do what we do. He shared with me that his sister and brother-in-law recently visited our church. That may not seem like a big deal, but it was because Glenn said his sister had been out of church for years and that her husband had never really been active in church. But after visiting our church they commented, "if there was a church like this close to us, we would attend." Glenn heard from his mother the other day that his sister and brother-in-law are now in a search for a church where they are from, and the catalyst for all this was their visit to Friendship. Sometimes we never know the impact on the kingdom that are efforts have, but we need to continue plugging along because it is making a difference. We are different to make a difference. Do you have a story that illustrates why we do what we do? If you do, I would love to hear it.

Missed Opportunity

I feel like a missed an opportunity the other night to share the love of Christ. I was in the grocery line waiting my turn when I noticed the lady in front of me, with baby in tow, was having a dilemma. She had brought several cans of formula to the register and some diapers, and as she was counting her money she realized she didn't have enough money. She had to tell the cashier to put three of the cans of formula back.

Immediately I thought I should say something and offer to buy the cans of formula. But being naturally introverted, I started talking myself out of it. What if she doesn't want my help? What if that insults her? What is she takes it the wrong way? What if I don't have enough money? By then, she had paid and was heading to the door, and I had missed an opportunity to share a random act of God's love.

I missed that chance. I blew it. Has anything like that ever happened to you? Where the moment it is gone you realize that was a chance to love someone like Jesus did? Let me know if you have ever experienced that by leaving a comment.

Something Exciting is Coming

For those of you who are enjoying the blog, I have an exciting announcement coming up in the next week. Stay tuned for more info.

Problems with Blog

I have had some problems for the last couple of weeks with people not receiving updates or email updates to my blog. I have attempted to fix the problem. If you are still having a problem getting updates, you may want to try to resubscribe again. Sorry for the inconvenience.

Being Connected with God

Perry Noble, pastor of NewSpring Church in Anderson, SC, has a great post today on being connected with God. It goes perfectly with what I have been preaching on the last few weeks. Check it out here.

First Impressions

One of the recent decisions I have made is to change James' job title unofficially to our Pastor of Worship and First Impressions. Or as he says it, "the pastor of magnification and beautification." With this responsibility, he will be giving leadership to all of our ministries that make an initial impression on those who come to our church (usher/greeters, building/grounds maintenance, etc). We often don't think about how the newcomer views us. The first impression is often a lasting one.

Here is a great blog on this subject.

It Pays to Have a Happy Face

My wife didn't read my blog today (she never reads my blog. She says she gets enough of it at home.). But she did experience the reality of the benefit of having a happy face. She pulled into the drive-in at Taco Bell this afternoon, and when they asked to take her order she proclaimed, "I don't know what I want yet, but I am so excited to be at Taco Bell." When she got up to the window to pay they told her that her meal was free. The manager said because she was so excited to be there, the least they could do was to give her the meal free. See, it does pay to have a happy face.

Have You Looked At Your Face Lately?

I came across a great blog by Jeff Kaputsa. Jeff is a pastor in Wilmington, NC. Check this out and examine your face.

I just said that!

This week at the end of the service I was speaking about the concept of our church not needing "members" in the traditional sense, but "ministry partners." I happened to be reading another blog and saw someone else discussing the same idea. Check it out here.

Catalyst Conference

Just wanted to keep this growth opportunity in front of you. The Catalyst conference is being held in Atlanta on October 3rd-5th. We are taking a group from the church and would love to have you go with us. Catalyst is a conference for "next-generation" leaders who desire to impact their world. It offers a "unique approach to programming and learning, defined by a fun, dynamic attendee experience". If you desire to grow as an influencer in your world, this would be a great learning opportunity. Also, you get to hang out with me and with Pastor James. (you don't want to miss that!)

Check out the conference website here.

Click here for a highlight video. (This is cool.)

Registration for the conference is $269 if you register with our church. (If you sign up before August 30th, it will only be $229) Let me know if you are interested in going.

Michael Vick's Jury

The Good News of Long Pants?

My wife had a doctor's appointment today, and as my wife usually does, she got in a conversation with someone while she was waiting. She was sharing about what God was doing in her life and reaching out to a young lady who did not have a relationship with God, when another lady decided she would butt in on the conversation. She proceeded to try and "witness" to the young lady Tarsha was talking to by telling her that God didn't like it for people to wear shorts (which the young lady was wearing). Now it was okay to wear shorts when you are working around the house or going camping (?), but that was not proper attire when you go out in public.

People like that make me scream. How is the good news of long pants going to reach anyone for Jesus. After the preacher lady walked away, Tarsha told the young lady that what she had just been told was not the way God was. The young lady replied, "that is why I don't go to church. I am living with my boyfriend right now, and I know that they wouldn't accept me." Wow! We wonder why the church in America is not reaching more people. Maybe it is because we are pushing away the ones Jesus came to love, and we are too busy preaching the good news of long pants.

Why Our Church Must Keep Changing

As a church, we have created a culture of change where we are constantly evaluating things and changing things to be more effective. Sometimes change may frustrate people, but there is good reason for changes. Here are a few:

1) We are not there yet.

We have not yet arrived. We are not yet become all that God wants us to be as a church. While I feel we have an incredible church, we have not yet reached the level of excellence that we desire in our worship service, our small groups, our youth and children's ministries, our greeting/hosting ministry, etc. For this reason, we have to constantly evaluate what we do, and attempt to jettison things that are not effective, and try to begin things that will be more effective.

2) We get comfortable and church becomes about us.

Be honest. Most of the time we don't like change because WE don't like change. It feels uncomfortable. It takes us out of our comfort zone. It is not usually a chapter and verse we can point to that makes us dislike change. It is just our personal feeling and opinion. Change forces us out of our comfort zone and it helps us not get too "comfortable". It reminds us that this is not all about us. We exist for those who are not yet here.

3) Culture is changing and we always have to strive to be relevant.

I have several copies of the King James Version of the Bible. It can be difficult for me to understand sometimes. Romans 7:8 - "But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence." I have no idea what that means. In the Holman Christian Standard Bible which I preach from, it says,"And sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, produced in me coveting of every kind." That makes more sense.

Some churches are speaking KJV Christianity to a 21st century audience. Is it any wonder some people walk away and say that church is irrelevant? We are committed to presenting Christ in an understandable way. For that reason, we must change our methods to reach a changing culture. While the mission and message never change, our methods change constantly.

Happy Birthday, Matt, From a Guest Blogger

Today is my birthday, and so far this week has been terrible. But my friend Doug Mize is going to lighten up the Connection Point with some memories from the past about me. Doug had the privilege (I think) of going to college and seminary with me. So he knows me as well as anyone knows me besides my immediate family. Doug shares ten things that you should ask me about. Let me go on record saying that though all of these occurrences did actually happen (except maybe number 9), I do not necessarily agree with Doug's perspective on all of them. Despite that fact, I will leave Doug's comments unedited (including spelling) Here is Doug's guest post...

Top 10 Matt Stories That Everyone Should Ask Him About
By Doug Mize

If you want to really know Matt Galloway then you deserve all the facts. Here is the pertinent info that every well-rounded member of Friendship Church ought to know.

My personal reflections written to Matt are in parenthesis.

1. Ask Matt about the time that a lady from the local Wingate College Restaurant threatened to “slap his face.” This was only the first similar threat of many to come. (Matt, she must have been a Baptist too!)

2. Ask Matt about the time he ‘convinced me’ to sneak into the New Wingate Building after hours for a visit with some friends. (Matt, it was your idea, right?)

3. Ask Matt about the time he ran the Clemson Triple Option during an intramural game and ended up with the ACL tear. (Our team was never the same after that.)

4. Ask Matt about the time one of our seminary buddies struck out on purpose for the last out during the baseball championship game because he didn’t like Matt and me removing him as the pitcher. (We had come from 5 runs down and you and I were on deck.)

5. Ask Matt about the time Tarsha and my wife were to sing the National anthem at the Minor League Baseball Game but missed it because we were late partially due to Matt’s conviction about driving his car over the speed limit. (I have ridden with you Matt and have noticed that you must have received superior revelation on this particular conviction.)

6. Ask Matt about the time that he and I played Fantasy Baseball with a roommate during our seminary years to learn that our roommate had been cheating, and Matt and I had to practice Matthew 18. ("I don’t know what you are talking about fellas.")

7. Ask Matt about the time us and the girls through (threw) a surprise birthday party for a friend that walked through the door mad and then left while slamming the door right in the middle of us singing Happy Birthday to You. (And many mooore!) (Doug, I think it was because we confronted him on his cheating.)

8. Ask Matt about the time that some demon processed man called us at Wingate and kept us up the rest of the night on Halloween. (What were we thinking?)(I believe Doug meant "demon-possessed")

9. Ask Matt about the time he blew his top at me because I kept dominating him at some stupid balloon game we played at our college apartment. (Matt, I would have acted the same way if I kept getting drubbed like you did.)

10. Ask Matt about the time that he drug me to meet this new girl Tarsha and her friend Janet in Chapel Hill after they had been to a Garth Brooks Concert. As I recall, I was pretty much a party pooper that night. But hey, I got a hot wife out of the deal, minus the black hat. (Thanks Matt…You are still the man for that one!)

Why God Calls It The Body

Just a quick thought on why God calls the church the body: often when one part of our physical body is compromised, another part of the body will pick up slack to help the compromised part keep going. In other words, the body looks after its own parts. When one part is down, the other part does its share to keep things going.

That is what Tarsha and I have experienced this past week. There is no way I can adequately express my gratitude toward each part of the Body who has helped us through this difficult time. The prayers, phone calls, notes of encouragement, food, flowers, offers to babysit, clean the house, wash my car (okay, I made that one up) has overwhelmed us. You guys are awesome. We have even received notes from families who are not yet an "official" part of our body, but who already feel a part. This love that has been displayed is why Friendship Church is the awesome church it is. Thanks to all of you.

Arrangements

The visitation for Tarsha's dad is Wednesday night from 7-9 pm at McNeil Funeral Home in St. Paul's, NC. The funeral will be Thursday at 6:00 PM at St. Paul's United Methodist Church in St. Paul's, NC.

Tarsha's Dad

Tarsha's dad passed away this morning around 2:00. Continue to pray for the family. I appreciate all the prayers and all the acts of love that people have done for us. It means more than you can know. No arrangements have been set.

What A Rotten Week

Tarsha's dad is getting worse. There is really nothing more that can be done except for us to continue to pray for God's intervention. Thanks to all who have been praying and all who have called and offered help and those who have helped out in so many ways. You have been awesome to Tarsha and I.

Update on Tarsha's Dad

Tarsha's dad did not have the procedure today (or yesterday since it is now past midnight). He has developed some type of infection and he is not able to have the procedure yet. Please pray that the fever will subside and that he will be responsive to the neurological tests. A decision will probably be made on Sunday on what needs to be done next. Thanks to all those who have been praying.

Update

We have just found out that the machine they were to use to perform the procedure on Tarsha's dad is broken. It will not be repaired until Monday. (That is the sorriest excuse for a hospital I have ever seen. The name of the hospital is Cape Fear Valley Hospital in Fayetteville, NC.)

Tarsha's dad is being transferred to Charlotte. I am not sure what hospital. Marcus, Tarsha's brother, knows the hospital, and one of Tarsha's cousins is a nurse in Charlotte, so she knows the reputations of the hospitals and different doctors.

They are planning on transporting Mr. Ferguson ASAP. Please pray for him during this critical time. Also continue praying for the family.

Pray for My Father In Law

Some of you have already heard, but if you haven't, my wife's father was rushed to the hospital yesterday with a bleeding aneurysm. We left the beach yesterday, where we were on vacation, and travelled to be with Tarsha's family in Fayetteville.

Right now Tarsha's dad is stable, but he still needs a procedure that is very dangerous to stop the bleeding from the aneurysm. The bleed is deep in his brain, so the only way to get to it is through a vein via his groin. It is much like a catherization, but they have to go all the way to his brain. They will then put in three stints to keep the veins from having a spasm - and then they will insert a coil at the part of the brain with the aneurysm with the hopes that it actually forms a clot to stop the bleeding. It is a very risky procedure, but it is the only option. Right now the procedure is scheduled for sometime tomorrow. We do not know the exact time yet. Thanks for praying.

The 5 Coolest Things I Saw at Northpoint

This past weekend my family was at Northpoint Community Church in Atlanta, GA. Here is a list of the 5 coolest things I saw:

1) Hundreds of volunteers at Children's ministry orientation training on a Saturday - We went by the church on Saturday and it looked like church was going on. There were hundreds of cars in the parking lot. When we went in we found out they were having orientation training for their children's workers. By the way, their children's environments are awesome! (I will try and post pictures at a later time.)

2) Teenagers being trained to impact the life of children - Another cool thing I saw was tons of teenagers being trained on Saturday to work with children on Sunday mornings. Often teenagers can be pretty self-absorbed when it comes to ministry. But Northpoint has mobilized them to impact the next generation.

3) Age groups excited about church that usually are not excited about church - The church was filled with children, teenagers, and young adults. These age groups are notoriously absent from a lot of churches.

4) Two auditoriums filled to overflowing - During the service we attended, it was difficult to find a seat in either auditorium. Many people sat outside in the lobby and hallways watching the service on closed circuit TV.

5) A preacher's kids who still wants to have something to do with God - You hear the horror stories. Preachers' kids who grow up not wanting to have anything to do with God. It is great to see Andy Stanley, a preacher's kid, not only having something to do with God, but in the ministry also.

Can You See It?

The Bible makes it clear that without vision, the people perish. Without a clear direction, things just go haywire. This is certainly true of a local church. It helps to know what our preferred future looks like.

God has given me a clear vision of what He desires our church to be. It is a church that exists not for itself (the way most churches do), but for those who are outside the church. We are called not just to be members of a church, but missionaries to our community.

We envision a church where each person is seeking a personal, intimate relationship with Jesus, and where each Sunday is a celebration of that relationship.

We envision a church where each person is connected to a small group of believers for community and accountability and encouragement.

We envision a church where each person is using their God-given gifts and talents to create an environment where people can experience the love and presence of Christ. When we serve we are not just greeting people, teaching children, babysitting babies, manicuring lawns, etc. We are creating an environment where people can encounter the love and presence of Jesus.

We envision a church where each person is actively investing in the lives of people outside of the church and are inviting them to experience what God is doing at Friendship.

Blythewood Football and the Vomiting Dog

Forget the Michael Vick controversy. Forget the scandal surrounding NBA referee, Tim Donaghy. We have a sports mess right in our own backyard. For the second time in just a few months, the defending state AAA football champions, the Blythewood Bengals, have been caught breaking the rules. The latest infraction, engaging in full contact drills before August 1st, has cost coach Reggie Shaw his job. The Bengals were spared by the SCHSL the fate of forfeiting their whole season. They will get to play, but they will not be able to compete in the postseason and attempt to defend their championship. Just last spring, the Bengals were caught practicing in full pads during spring drills, which is against the SCHSL rules.

How could they get caught doing the same exact thing only a few days after the SCHSL ruled they would be ineligible for their spring indiscretions? What were they thinking? They evidently were not.

Proverbs 26:11 says "A dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his foolishness." This post is not meant to add in any way to the hurt that this football program is undergoing. Instead we need to learn a lesson. There is something in us that is broken and that draws us back to the dumb things we do. I have seen this dynamic at work in my own life. Why do I keep doing that same thing? Why do I say those hurtful things to my wife? Why can I not break this cycle of destructive behaviors? We naturally have this tendency to repeat our foolishness. Only through Christ can we break free. In Romans 7, after Paul comments on this same pattern in his life he writes, "Who will rescue me from this body of death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord." We need to learn a lesson from Blythewood football and the vomiting dog.

Random Thoughts

Here are some random thoughts on a Wednesday afternoon:

1) I am ready for football season. It is right around the corner. Clemson should be poised to have a good year. Lugoff-Elgin High School is ranked in the preseason top 10. And the Atlanta Falcons don't have a quarterback. Oh well. A good season for two out of three of my teams isn't bad.

2) I am getting old. This past weekend I attended my high school's 20 year reunion. 20 years!!!!! I don't feel old (at least not very often). I am afraid to ask the teenagers in our church if I look old.

3) Working out is no fun after you have missed two weeks. It hurts.

4) Summer is never long enough. I can't believe school is starting in just a few weeks.

5) I can't wait for this weekend. That probably sounds like I am ready to hear myself preach, but actually I will not be preaching this week. My friend Billy Wilson will be preaching (You don't want to miss Billy.) In the meantime I will be in Atlanta rooting for the Braves and going to Northpoint Community Church.

Baptismal Service

We are holding a baptismal service at the Kershaw County Aquatic Center located on Battleship Road on Sunday, August 19th at 7:00 p.m. We did this last year and it was an awesome experience. We will also have a ice cream social after the service. Bring a gallon of your favorite ice cream, or better yet, bring some homemade ice cream. If you would like to be baptized, contact the church office at 803-438-2611, or email me at mtgallo@juno.com. See you there.

Fat Christians

Are you a fat Christian? Click here and find out.

Books To Read To Help You Understand Why We Do Church The Way We Do It

1) Inside the Mind of Unchurched Harry and Mary by Lee Strobel - Great book on what those outside the church think about those inside the church. It is a little dated. It was written in 1993, but it is still a great book.

2) Simple Church by Thom Rainer - This book is the result of a research project that shows that the churches with the simplest approaches to ministry are the most effective in reaching and growing people. A key idea that it teaches is that in church life - less is more.

3) 7 Practices of Effective Ministry by Andy Stanley and Lane Jones - Great book on the strategy of church. By the way, most churches don't have a strategy to accomplish anything. Most only have a vague idea of what they want to accomplish.

4) Can We Do That? by Andy Stanley and Ed Young - These two pastors talk about the innovative approaches that their churches use to reach people and grow people. It begins to help you think outside the box that most churches are locked in to.

5) The Bible (especially the Book of Acts)by Jesus - There is nothing like a fresh reading through the Bible to point you outward to the fields that are white unto harvest. Nowadays it seems like many pastors (and churches) just want to blame those in the fields for not being spiritual enough to come to church. I think we missed the part about going to get them.

The Power of An Invitation

It is said that 85% of unchurched people will come to church if you invite them. Think about that. 85% of people that don't go to church would come at your invitation.

An invitation has power. My wife is one of the greatest inviters I know. It doesn't matter who you are, if you are close to her in a checkout line, in the produce aisle, in the doctor's office, you are probably going to get invited to church. Just last week, we had a family come that my wife invited from Wal Mart and another young man that my wife invited from Burger King. There was another family from the Dollar Tree that is supposed to be here this week.

My wife doesn't have some special gift. She has just learned about the power of an invitation. You can do the same thing. Maybe you aren't comfortable inviting that stranger, then invite that person you know - your neighbor - your sister - you coworker. There is power in an invitation.

Upcoming Services

You will not want to miss the next couple of weeks at Friendship. This weekend I am continuing the series entitled, "Is There Something More?" This series helps us understand how we can have a close, intimate walk with God and how to eliminate the obstacles that sometimes prevent that from happening.

On August 5th, my friend, Billy Wilson, will be here talking about how God is at work in China. Billy is a missionary to China. He teaches there at one of the country's biggest universities. Incredibly, he has been invited to teach Bible at this large secular universities in an atheistic country. You will not want to miss what he has to share.

Roots, Hidden Stink, and a Missing Wall of Defense

The past 24 hours at the Galloway household has been interesting. Tuesday night about 7:00 our septic system began to back up. The kids came running in telling me the toilet was overflowing, and then the next thing we know the septic system was backing up in the bathtub. What a mess!

It was so late that we couldn't get a plumber, so we had to wait until the next day. When the plumbers came they discovered roots had grown up around the pipe leading to the septic tank. All of a sudden the memory came flooding back. We had the same problem just a few years ago. Hidden stink came shooting out in the tub and the toilet, and roots were to blame. We were told that we needed to do something about them, but once the problem was cleared out, we forgot to deal with the "root" of the problem. Not until the mess started spewing out again did we remember our previous problems.

Our spiritual life is often like our septic tank. Sometimes in our life, hidden stink begins to back up into our life, and the problem is some roots in our life - a root of bitterness, a root of greed, a root of lust. But often once the crisis is over, we forget about the roots and never deal with them.

As the plumbers dealt with the "root" of our problem, he discovered another problem with our septic system. Most systems have a wall of concrete around the pipe leading to the tank to act as a wall of defense to protect against roots. Our system never had such a wall of protection.

All of us need a wall of defense against hidden stink backing up into our life. That may be accountability partners, a home group of fellow believers, and the practice of a regular quiet time with God. Don't neglect to build a wall of defense in your life to protect yourself. If not, your life may end up filled with hidden stink.

Buttpaste?!?

Perry Noble, pastor of Newspring Church in Anderson, SC, is one of my favorite bloggers. Here is one of his best.

What's The Point?

Last week I wrote "Church members are not to view themselves as consumers. They are not just club members. Instead church members are partners in the mission."

You can read about it here.

So what is the mission of the church? Even better, what is the point? You can put a mission statement on the wall or print it in the bulletin, and no one pays attention to it. But a better question is "what is the point?" What is the goal we are shooting for? The point is this: we exist to reach people and to help them reach their potential in Christ. We exist not for ourselves. We exist for those who are not here.

If that ceases to be the point, we will begin to turn inward. We will fall into the trap of just fillng up the schedule with church activities that make us happy. We will cease to be a church on a mission and instead become a club full of self-serving members. Every activity should be accompanied with the question: "why are we doing that? What is the point?"

Everything we do should be filtered through this question. And if it the answer is not the point...then doing it is pointless.

Life is too short; resources are too scarce; time is too limited...to waste time on stuff that isn't the point.

Top Five All-Time Favorite Country Songs

I am not a country music fan. In fact, I never listen to it now. But when I was a child I was forced to listen to countless hours of it while I rode around in the car with my Mom and Dad. From those formative years, several songs are ingrained in my memory. I can still recite the chorus to most of these, and can sing almost the whole song on another. So here it goes, not in any particular order.

1) Drop Kick Me Jesus Through the Goalposts of Life - "End over end, neither left nor the right." I had to start with this Bobby Bare classic. Being a pastor, I had to start with a song with great spiritual content. There is absolutely no truth that the praise team is working on this for next week.

2) If I Said You Had a Beautiful Body - "Would You Hold it Against Me? If I swore you were an angel, would you treat me like the devil tonight?" I had to include another one with spiritual themes. Great song by the Bellamy Brothers.

3) Put Another Log on the Fire - "Cook me up some bacon and some beans, go out to the car and change the tires. Wash my socks and sew my old blue jeans. You can fill my pipe and then go fetch my slippers, and pour me up another pot of tea. Then put another log on the fire, babe, and come and tell me why you're leaving me." Glaser brother classic. Enough said.

4) Kawlijah - "Poor old Kawlijah, well he never got a kiss. Poor old Kawlijah he don't know what he missed." Originally done by Hank Williams (not junior), I am partial to the Charley Pride version.

5) Okay, so there are really only four country songs I really like.

A Tribute to Elease

Last Thursday I attended the funeral service for Elease. Elease was an African-American lady who used to babysit me and my brother and sister when we were young. I learned several things from Elease during those years she kept us. Just a few are:

*The power of example. One of my clearest memories of Elease is her sitting at the kitchen table reading her little, green Gideon Bible. This impacted me to want to know God more and read His Word.

*Homemade french fries are awesome. She made the best.

*Women can preach. I know that should stir up some comments. The thing I remember most about Elease is how she would line me and my brother and sister up and preach to us. Not just lecture us - she preached to us. By the way, she was an ordained minister (Don't send me nasty comments. I didn't ordain her.) and I guess she felt we were her congregation.

*You can eat a tomato just like an apple. Yep, she used to just pick it up and bite into it.

*God often speaks in ways you don't expect. Elease used to tell me over and over that one day I was going to be a preacher. Now this was hard for me to believe since I was so shy I wouldn't talk to relatives, let alone strangers. But she was sure I would one day be a preacher. Years later when I felt the call to ministry - I remembered what Elease used to tell me.

Elease, thank you for impacting my life.

Join now...no obligation...money back guarantee

I am always skeptical of the no obligation, money back guarantee thing. It doesn't matter what it is. It may be a book club, CD club, and jelly of the month club. I never believe the no obligation thing. I always think there is a catch.

However, many people go for that kind of offer. It is the consumer within them that just can't pass up a "good" deal. Over my years in ministry I have noticed that many church members view membership like they are joining a club. If they decide they are not getting the service they need, then it is time to move on to another club that will better meet their needs. I have even seen some ask to get some things back that they have donated!

But that is the wrong picture of church membership. Church members are not to view themselves as consumers. They are not just club members. Instead church members are partners in the mission. They have decided they believe in the mission of the church and they agree to partner with the church to fulfill that mission. They partner with their gifts and abilities, with their influence, with their giving. When you join the mission, it is not a "no obligation" type of commitment. Being a church member should focus you outward toward others and the world, not focus you inward towards yourself.

A church will never become all God wants it to be when its members have a consumerist, no obligation, money back guarantee attitude. A church is to be made up of people who believe that God is up to something big and He wants to use us in the process of reaching people for Him and helping them reach their potential in Christ.

A Trip Outside the Comfort Zone

This past week I took a trip outside of of my comfort zone. Friday I had an MRI for my shoulder that I injured a couple of months ago. It hadn't responded to physical therapy, so an MRI was the next step.

For most people that would be no big deal. 20 minutes in a confined space shaped like a coffin - no big deal. But I am a big chicken when it comes to tight, closed in spaces shaped like coffins. I checked on the form they gave me that I was "slightly" claustrophobic. I was "slightly" claustrophobic just thinking about it. Once I was in the "chamber of fear", I began to get outright panicky. I told her I "needed to get out". I seriously thought of walking out right then. After all, I can deal with some pain in my shoulder for the rest of my life.

But here is where the skill and care of the technician kicked in. She acted like my fear was normal and natural. She did a wonderful job of assuring me that everything would be okay. She gave me some helpful tips to alleviate my fear and she walked me through the next 20 minutes step by step.

I know some of you are wondering why your hyper-phobic pastor is sharing this story. But after I was finished with the MRI, it occurred to me that there are some who we invite to our church or who would like to come to our church, who are faced with the same type of fear. (Will I be expected to know what's in the Bible?, Will I be judged for my clothes or my lifestyle?, Will I even know what to do?) And while many may say that their fears are irrational (like my claustrophobia), they are still real.

And just as I almost decided to walk away from the MRI because of my fear, many make the decision to walk away from church (and therefore Christ) because of fear. We have the responsibility to help others through those barriers, just as the technician helped me through my fear. We need to create an environment that is friendly and warm and where we help people find comfort outside their comfort zone. That can come in small things like a greeter who volunteers to walk a new couple in to help them and their child find the right place to be, proper signage that points the way to the restrooms, and people who reach out in kindness before and after a service. Maybe not in so many words, but they indicate if you need anything, I will be right here to help you.

Being outside your comfort zone is not fun. It is downright scary. And if we desire to reach people for Jesus, we have to be committed to helping those who are taking that step into the unknown. We have to help those who are scared and full of fears. I'm so glad someone did that for me.

The Church in the Bubble

I have been back from vacation for a little over a week now, and during that time away I had plenty of time to think about the question, "why do I do what I do?" Not just why am I a pastor, but why am I leading our church to get out of the "church" bubble and become a powerful connecting force in our community? It sure isn't because I like to just stir things up for the sake of stirring things up. I hate controversy. I like people to like me. So why bother trying to become a church that is going to reach this generation? Why bother getting out of the bubble?

Believe me, I have contemplated that question quite a bit. And sometimes I am frustrated and throw up my hands and say, "why bother?" But the thing that keeps me going is Jesus command to us to go and make disciples in Matthew 28. He is saying go and reach people for me and help them reach their potential. And that is what drives me on.

If you look around, the church in North America has totally forgotten the mission. We talk about it. We give lip service to it. But if you want to see what the church's focus is - look at where we spend our money, where we devote our time, and on what we expend our energy and passion. Over what are we frustrated or over what are we saying, "if only..."? And when you look at those things it is clear the church in North America's focus is on being a clubhouse for religious people who like to hang out with people like them. It is all about us.

Most churches live in a bubble. Inside that bubble they have their own church culture with their music, language, dress, etc. But people outside the bubble see "the church in the bubble" as increasingly irrelevant. They are interested in spiritual things and how to connect with God. They are interested in Jesus. They simply don't think that the church in America has any answers for them. They don't want to live in the bubble.

For most churches, if you want to connect with God, you have to come inside the bubble, learn to like the way things are done inside the bubble, and then you can connect with God. I am afraid that the church is substituting being immersed in church culture for an authentic, intimate relationship with Christ and real Christlike character. I want our church to get outside of the bubble and connect with people,and help them connect with God. Pray that God will help us get out of the bubble.