Leaving Gracefully

Over the past couple years, I have witnessed several committed people in the church leave the congregation where they were serving (both paid, full-time ministers and church members/volunteers). Some of these departures have been personal choices, made by the people leaving (job switches, ministry moves, etc.). Sometimes the choices are made for them (fired by church, family emergency move, etc.). Sometimes people have chosen to leave for reasons and situations happening inside the church.

Switching churches is a decision that carries with it an incredible impact for you, your family, and the families that surround you. In the midst of such an important choice, I ask you to consider keeping one attitude central in all things you do. Christ's attitude is the one we are called to follow (Philippians 2:5). He has called us to have an attitude of love. In fact, that's how our personal witness to the world is supposed to be established.

³⁴"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. ³⁵By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."

John 13:34-35

Reputation...who will people both inside the church and outside the church think about when your name surfaces? Will they think about Christ or not? I'm not asking whether you left a fair situation...if you agreed with leadership...if you were making a point...or if you were treated correctly. I am asking what your reputation as a Christian looks like?

Do people remember Christ when they remember you? Do you love the Kingdom of God enough to do everything you can to promote Christ's cause with your speech and your actions, whether online, in a public setting, or in private meetings? How will leaving the church you are currently at impact the Kingdom? What can you do to represent Christ and develop His reputation of love among the congregation you are with...the one you just left...the one you are heading towards?

The instructions we can find in the Lord's prayer are powerful and convicting:

^9"This, then, is how you should pray: 'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,¹⁰your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven."

Matthew 6:9-10

When leaving a congregation for any reason, whether by your own choosing or not, who's kingdom will you consider first? Notice ___________ (insert your name in that blank) is left out of the beginning of the Lord's prayer. That's because it's His will that matters...it's His name that is to be set apart...it's His Kingdom that is to be considered first in all things.

If you are choosing to leave, is it to further the Kingdom of God? If you are asked to leave, will you choose to uphold the Kingdom of God no matter what people say or do? I'm convinced that words and actions based in self-focused anger (the usual emotion that gets us focused away from God's will) can NOT be the foundation for any type of positive Kingdom work.

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these."

Mark 12:30-31

Remember that Christ died for the church. The people that make up the church can sometimes make really bad decisions that cause us to be angry. However, when we give in to our anger and lash back, it is the Kingdom of God that suffers most. God loves the church...He died for it. We need to love it no matter what...imperfections and all.

Paul understood this when he wrote to the church in Corinth:

^1"If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. ²If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. ³If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.⁴Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. ⁸Love never fails."

1 Corinthians 13:1-8

Paul makes the simple point that nothing we say or do matters if we fail to love...period. Sometimes we get mistreated by the people that make up the church. However, if we check our love at the door to make a point, we fail to represent Christ and become no better than the people that have mistreated us.

"Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms."

1 Peter 4:10

God's grace is an unbelievable gift given to us...HIS CHURCH. It's time to be thankful enough for the grace you have received from Christ to show it to others.

Sometimes that might mean leaving a congregation to move on to a new one in order to further Christ's Kingdom. When you leave, show thankfulness, love, and grace to the congregation you have had the honor to serve.

Sometimes you might be asked to leave a congregation. When you leave, show thankfulness, love, and grace to the congregation you have had the honor to serve.

Like Paul wrote, "Love never fails." Never stop showing love towards each other, the church that Christ gave His life for. Put His Kingdom first by deciding to unconditionally show patience, kindness, forgiveness, protection, trust, hope, and perseverance towards those who surround you. Trust in God and bring honor to Him. Stay strong.

tim

P.S. “A person is remembered for his entrances and exits.” - Shakespeare

That's a shame...

Webster's dictionary defines "shame" as:

Pronunciation: \ˈshām\ Function: noun

1 a : a painful emotion caused by consciousness of guilt, shortcoming, or impropriety

I was blessed to have a very carefree and enjoyable childhood. I have a younger brother Matt whom I have shared a ton of awesome memories. We fought just like brothers normally do...but nothing too serious. I've said some stupid things and done some stupid things, but I don't remember ever doing anything where I truly felt shame...well, that is until I stole.

I've always loved cars...it started with Hot Wheels. never thought I needed any hotwheels until my neighbor came over one day and I saw that he had an Indy Car. My brother and I had a ton of them...plenty more than we could ever use or needed...but we didn't have an Indy Car. I had to have it, and instead of just asking my friend if I could have it, borrow it, or even better, maybe ask him to trade for it...for some reason I decided to just take it. When we started cleaning up, I buried it in with all of ours, and he had a bunch and never missed it when he packed up his cars. He left, and I dug out my brand new Indy Car. I had gotten away with it! Wow...that was easy! I thought the story was done and I could go on with my now Indy Car Hot Wheels filled life.

When dad came home, he saw the Indy Car, and being a racing fan, he excitedly asked where I had gotten the car. Uh oh...hadn't thought this part of the theft through...

"Where did I get it...ummmmmmm...uhhhhhh...(nervous pace...clear throat)...ugh...ummmmmmmmmm...at...uhhhhhhh...K-Mart...I got it at K-mart!" Nothing like stealing and then covering it up with a lie or two...surefire formula for success!

Dad turned to mom and, having noticed how weird I was acting (I'm a terrible liar...I guess that's a good thing), asked her a question, "Did you guys go to K-mart today?" Uh-oh...I hadn't thought this part of the thievery out either. I'm not a very good thief either.

Mom looked at me, then back at dad, and with one simple word she destroyed my entire, incredibly well thought out plan. "Nope!"

My parents don't really approve of stealing, or...as it turns out...lying. I was made to return the vehicle to my neighbor friend (what a great friend I was), and then returned home for my punishment (like facing my neighbor and apologizing wasn't enough...c'mon dad). Turns out...it wasn't enough.

After my punishment was over, I was sore, but also very ashamed. It was a new emotion I hadn't experienced much, if ever, before. When I saw my parents, their now lack of trust in me caused me to feel an uneasiness. I couldn't look at my neighbor...I was too embarrassed. Shame caused me to close myself off to a lot of people around me...it caused me not to act.

Shame is very dangerous to Christians. It's a weapon that Satan uses immediately after we fall prey to sin...in fact, I believe prolonged shame could be considered a sin. How many opportunities to serve the Kingdom of God do we pass on because we are too ashamed of our past or even our present? Satan wants us to hold onto our guilt and shame is his tool of choice. When we hold onto our past, we deny the love and forgiveness that Christ has waiting for us and we sacrifice the opportunities to serve His Kingdom that He has waiting for us.

Check out 2 Cor. 5:17-21: ¹⁷Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! ¹⁸All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: ¹⁹that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. ²⁰We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. ²¹God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Christ's sacrifice has given us all hope...it's up to us to decide to accept Him and be reconciled to God for our sin or to hang on to our guilt and shame and miss out on the life He has waiting for us. Christ calls us to action (ambassadors), not shame.

Don't miss out on the opportunities He has waiting for you. Represent Him. Stay strong.

tim

endurance

As Paul is challenging and encouraging Timothy to start a church in Ephesus, he throws down the following statement in 2 Timothy 2:3, "Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus." Paul knows all about enduring hardship and what it takes to remain faithful to the kingdom, and he wants to encourage Timothy to stay strong no matter what.

Jesus knew that following and obey Him was going to be hard. He talked about the difficulties His disciples would face all the time. "In this world you will have trouble. But take heart, I have overcome the world." John 16:33. He was also very straightforward about what it meant to truly be His disciple. "If you love Me, you will obey what I command." John 14:15. Here, we see Paul indicating and reminding Timothy that the road of faithful service is tough, and endurance is key.

This is just a simple reminder to forget about excuses. Jesus taught that we need to hold fast to Him, the Way, Truth, and Life. It's an extremely simple teaching and basic instruction, but yet excuses creep in over and over and distract us from Him. The bottom line is this, will you be a person of influence or not...will you endure like a good soldier/disciple of Christ or not? Will you compromise your integrity, grab ahold of excuses, and settle for the substitutes that this world has to offer or will you simply hold on to Jesus?

Jesus prays for you, us, the church in John 17. Part of His prayer is this, "May they also be in us so that the world may believe that You have sent Me." John 17:21 When people observe and listen to you, do they have reason to consider Christ or not?

Hold fast to Jesus...don't settle for anything else...ever. Endure...Stay strong.

tim

Love and Balance

Love...the most powerful thing on earth

Balance...keeping everything in perspective

These were the two things that John Wooden believed to be the most important two things on the planet. He taught those things...he lived those things...he set a quality example for anyone who's ever alive to follow.

The earth is a better place because of how John Wooden chose to live his life and the qualities of Christ that shone so brightly through him.

Here's a few of John's great quotes:

Ability is a poor man's wealth.

Adversity is the state in which man mostly easily becomes acquainted with himself, being especially free of admirers then.

Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are.

Be prepared and be honest.

Consider the rights of others before your own feelings, and the feelings of others before your own rights.

Failure is not fatal, but failure to change might be.

Don't measure yourself by what you have accomplished, but by what you should have accomplished with your ability.

If you don't have time to do it right, when will you have time to do it over?

If you're not making mistakes, then you're not doing anything. I'm positive that a doer makes mistakes.

It isn't what you do, but how you do it.

It's not so important who starts the game but who finishes it.

Material possessions, winning scores, and great reputations are meaningless in the eyes of the Lord, because He knows what we really are and that is all that matters.

Never mistake activity for achievement.

Success comes from knowing that you did your best to become the best that you are capable of becoming.

Talent is God given. Be humble. Fame is man-given. Be grateful. Conceit is self-given. Be careful.

The main ingredient of stardom is the rest of the team.

The worst thing about new books is that they keep us from reading the old ones.

What you are as a person is far more important that what you are as a basketball player.

You can't live a perfect day without doing something for someone who will never be able to repay you.

You can't let praise or criticism get to you. It's a weakness to get caught up in either one.

There are many things that are essential to arriving at true peace of mind, and one of the most important is faith, which cannot be acquired without prayer.

And finally, consider the words of Paul as he describes love:

"¹If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. ²If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. ³If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames,but have not love, I gain nothing. ⁴Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.⁵It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. ⁸Love never fails...¹³And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love."

1 Cor. 13:1-8a, 13

John, thanks for choosing to honor the God that made you by consistently living for Him. I can only hope that we follow your example and let Christ's love shine brightly through all of us.

John Wooden...great basketball coach, greater human being. He will be missed.

Live for Christ...stay strong.

tim

my pleasure

My family and I finished celebrating Memorial Day with a meal at the local Chick-fil-a. I've commented to several people lately how I've always been impressed with the customer service at any Chick-fil-a. I always feel important and cared about after a visit, even if it's a drive through. Yes, I'm really just buying a simple chicken sandwich, some cool cut fries, and some sweet tea (all of which are done very well, but nothing really fancy), but it always seems like the folks at Chick-fil-a treat people that go there like they are at a 5 star dining establishment.

Back to tonight...My wife had made "reservations" to try out the new spicy chicken sandwich (it's good by the way, and I'm not a fan of spicy foods). We came in and walked up to the counter, where we were greeted with a smile and were asked if we had made reservations (odd for a fast food restaurant). We said yes, and were then escorted over to a special section of the restaurant that had been decorated and set apart for those with reservations. The tables were decorated, complete with a fresh cut rose in the center of the table. We were then waited on at the table...order taken, drinks brought, food brought, condiments brought, drinks refilled, dessert offered...anything we needed or asked for (again, we are at a fast food restaurant). We were checked on just often enough, and well cared for...all this at a fast foot restaurant. I left with a smile on my face because I love Chick-fil-a food and my belly was happy, but more so because of how my family and I were treated. We were treated better than at several other places where the expectations were much greater due to reputation (and prices).

Three different times I thanked people for bringing things (ketchup, extra napkins, and ice cream...excuse me...ice dream) and all three different people answered with a simple, "My pleasure." Now, I know that's probably what they are trained to say, but there was a smile and sincerity behind each answer. I watched and heard the same response and sincerity displayed to everyone around me, no matter how loud, annoying, selfish, kind, compassionate, quiet they happened to be. No matter the person, no matter the situation, "My pleasure!" was the answer. Sincere care and a servant's heart was shown to all.

"Be kind and compassionate to one another..." Ephesians 4:32

Stay strong,

Tim

tie the knot

I love fishing, but it sure can get expensive. Boats/Motors are very expensive. Gas is expensive. Sunglasses can be expensive. Bait can cost a lot. Rods and reels can be incredibly expensive (I still have my first reel...the good ol Zebco 33...prices sure have gone up since then!). This list can be neverending. Bass Pro Shops fishing catalog is gigantic and filled with "must haves" in order to catch that next big one.

Here's the thing...you can spend all the money in the world, but if you don't know how to tie a good knot, you're wasting your time. You can have the most expensive boat with the latest and greatest GPS & depthfinder electronics...fastest, most powerful motor...all the right gear, and if you can't tie a good knot, you won't catch one fish all day (unless you use the good ol' boy "dynamite" method...not recommended). It's all about the basics...you've got to start there!

For centuries, people have been figuring out how to be a Christ follower. It saddens me to see all the different ways people have "figured out" and "discovered" how to get to heaven. Saying the right things, wearing the right things, being in the right buildings, having the right stuff...this list could go on for a long time too.

Here's the basic, bottom line that we too often forget in the hustle and bustle of our oftentimes overly religious society...Jesus looked person after person in the eye and simply said, "Follow me." Deep, transforming, powerful...that statement is revolutionary, if we obey it.

Jesus knows your life, this society. He knows what it takes to get to heaven and doesn't ask anyone to do anything unreasonable. He simply asks us to do what He has already done & experienced.

Take some time to search your heart. Have you gotten caught up in what the world says following Jesus looks like or are you focused on Him? Make sure you have a solid foundation in Christ and Christ alone. Tie the knot...Follow Him!

Stay strong,

tim

is grace enough?

grace: favor,goodwill, generosity, kindness, indulgence; formal benefaction.
"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." 2 Corinthians 12:9
These are the words of God back to the apostle Paul after Paul pleads with God to deliver him from a difficult situation/temptation/"thorn".
I can only imagine trying to have this conversation with God if I was Paul.
Me: Um...God, that's great, but what about all the churches I've started for You? Can't you help me out a bit here?
God: My grace is sufficient for you.
Me: Yeah...I caught that. But how about the missionary journeys...they've gotta count for something. Little help here?
God: My grace is sufficient for you.
Me: Shipwrecks, floggings, beatings, snakebites...all for you God. C'mon...Please?
God: My grace is sufficient for you!
Me: I love your grace God. Really, I do...I'm unworthy...I get that...but I could do so much more for You if I wasn't distracted by this junk that keeps bugging me!
God: My grace is sufficient for you!
How many times have I had similar conversations...asking God for deliverance from something that He might purposefully have me in the middle of to be a display of His grace and love? Maybe instead, I should concentrate on letting His light shine no matter what and be content with His amazing grace.
Is it truly enough?
How about in your life? Is His grace truly sufficient for you? God will never love you any more or less than He does right now. He has given you everything you need to accomplish His will through your life RIGHT NOW! What an amazing honor! Will you delight in His grace and draw strength from Him? Is God's grace truly enough if that's all you truly have and end up with?
Be content. Give thanks in all things. Believe and live like His grace is sufficient for you.
"May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all."2 Corinthians 13:14
Stay strong.
Tim