Lessons from 15 years of planting, preaching, and pastoring.

Why Jesus Hates LOST

2010-05-25T09:58:01+00:00By |Church Plant Lessons 101, Random Thoughts|

With a title like that, I knew you'd read. I really don't know  if Jesus would give LOST a single thought, but maybe he would since the show's creators felt it necessary to bring him into it. For the last six years, I have been a die-hard, committed, and faithful fan of the television series, LOST.  I watched the pilot and every episode that followed.   I watched like an addict looking forward to his next fix.  Until that amazing Wednesday each week (Tuesdays for the FINAL season), I would  religiously review old episodes, watch the pop-up shows, download You Tube clips from freaks who looked like they'd never have girlfriends, I searched the web for clues, followed all of the fake web pages created for Oceanic, studied Dharma pictures, debated theories with friends,  every week for 6 long years.  Though it angered me to have ONE answer given for every [...]

Half-filled Pews

2010-05-18T13:13:28+00:00By |Church Plant Lessons 101, Random Thoughts, Re:Sermon|

I attended a church many years ago where they would publish the name of the pastor who was going to preach a week in advance.  Sadly, because the church was polarized around this one guy, on his "off weeks", half of the church sat at home worshiping with "Pastor Sheets." Before I became a pastor, I was the worst (or best) critic of pastors and their sermons.    I would size up the preacher within minutes, judging his voice, his tone, his verbal fillers, his charisma (or lack thereof), his clothes, his manliness, his hair, his text or topic, his illustrations, the length of  his sermon, his points, his theology, the number of verses he quotes, and whether or not he includes an altar call.  If the pastor or his sermon were weighed and found wanting on Sam's Scales of Successful Sermons, I too would be staying home or visiting another [...]

When wolves are (mis)leading the sheep…

2010-05-11T00:01:21+00:00By |Church Plant Lessons 101, Random Thoughts, Re:Sermon|

1st Timothy is a letter to a leader of a church about leadership.  In preaching through the first chapter in Paul's letter first letter to Timothy, it occurred to me that we/I approach it from one perspective.   We know that Timothy is a godly shepherd and that his flock is being attacked by the wolves Paul identifies.  This fact is clear from the books of Acts and the letter itself.  As pastors then, we naturally preach through Timothy, assuming God is speaking to everyone else but me  (the common error we all make).  In other words, pastors assume they are the "godly shepherd" and that their critics are the wolves.  It seems that those listening might assume the same thing--that the critic, questioner, or person who leaves is always the Big Bad Wolf. As I preached in the last sermon: " this is not a charge for pastors or anyone to become Wolf-hunters, marking every person they don’t [...]

Beware of Big Bad Wolves

2010-05-03T16:34:31+00:00By |Church Plant Lessons 101, Random Thoughts, Re:Sermon|

In Paul's final meeting with the elders of the church at Ephesus, he warned them about wolves that would rise up FROM WITHIN the church to destroy it.  Shortly after he left, wolves did come and, eventually, Timothy was sent to deal with them.  In the first 11 verses of the first letter to a young pastor, we learn a lot about finding and dealing with the wolves that ARE all around us: What are wolves? A wolf is a hungry "animal" that is looking for sheep to eat.  Unlike a sheep, he doesn't trust the shepherd, won't follow the shepherd, and all around dislikes the shepherd.  The disdain a wolf has for a Shepherd isn't a hidden thing because wolves never stop talking, especially about how much they feel the shepherd is in fact harming the sheep.  They fill their mind, the air, and the internet with lies and [...]

The “unconditional/conditional” Love of Jesus

2010-04-13T09:53:30+00:00By |Church Plant Lessons 101, Random Thoughts|

Speaking about love as "conditional" won't win you a lot of fans.  Seeing as you and I are the only ones that read this blog, I'm not too concerned.  I realize that if a third person reads this blog, I'll be psycho-analyzed to the hilt as people ponder why I would write something like this...it must be a "Daddy Wounds" or, at the very least, a  jacked up view of Jesus from a pastor who, three years ago, taught English to high schoolers. Growing up, my parents always told me that they would, "love me no matter what."  I believed them, still do.  In retrospect, however, I remember that they "loved" me with that damn wooden spoon a lot (My Dad just used his hand because it was about as thick as a 2X4).  I don't remember feeling the "love" when mom gave me THE LOOK from across the table [...]

Church Planting Lesson #17: One moment of grace will wipe out 100+ critics, complaints, and concerns

2021-07-04T18:13:11+00:00By |Church Plant Lessons 101|

LESSON #17:  One moment of grace will wipe out 100+ critics, complaints, and concerns... Last night, the men of Damascus Road gathered for some good Bible and some good brew.  Every other Tuesday, men gather to delve into Systematic Theology--an organized study of our God.   For our last gathering, we discussed the providence of God and, specifically, His relationship to evil.  We examined some disturbing passages that forced us to ask some hard questions about the "evil" that comes into our lives.  At one point I asked if God could cause, give, permit, allow, or ordain us to have a terminal illness. As I asked this question, I knew I was sitting next to a good friend (will call him Bob) who came to our church with his lovely bride (will call her Betty) about a year and a half ago.  In that time, they have grown in their [...]

Buried with Jesus – Easter

2010-04-05T22:26:39+00:00By |Church Plant Lessons 101, Note to Self...and Others, Random Thoughts|

Easter Sunday brings out the best and worst in pastors.  Come Monday morning, I often find pastors sharing their "numbers" like their comparing score cards at end of 18 holes.  Through blogs, emails, and online networks, pastors throw out attendance at services, the numbers of people who watched on line, reported"conversions", spontaneous baptisms, are shared like men trying to one up one's another's scars.  I don't know how many people attended our Sunday gatherings.  We didn't "broadcast" live to anyone.  And I don't think anyone had a "come to Jesus moment" or, if they did, they didn't tell me.  I do know that we baptized eight people...I think. But. no offense the other seven, there was only ONE that really moved me--my second son. Landen James Ford has wanted to get wet with Jesus for over two years, ever since he saw his older brother get buried in Lake Stevens.  [...]

The problem with Christians and Helicopters

2010-04-04T22:39:41+00:00By |Church Plant Lessons 101, Random Thoughts|

The problem with Christians and Helicopters: Exhibit A Favorite quote: “If you're going to catch a fish, you have to have bait,” he explained. “If it takes a helicopter dropping 5,000 eggs to get people to come to church, it's worth it. There are souls to save.” Exhibit B Favorite quote: "Which, really, was the aim of the event, he said -- to show the community what the church stands for. "We wanted to show the community that we're about the love of Jesus," Gagnon said, "we wanted to give back to the community." Exhibit C Favorite quote: "Children who registered for the Egg Drop could win a Leapfrog Leapster, Nintendo DSi or iPod Touch in drawings. A Blu-Ray player was given away to an adult at the end of both Easter services."

Maundy Thursday – the Last Supper

2010-04-01T20:12:55+00:00By |Church Plant Lessons 101, Random Thoughts|

The last week of Jesus' life prior to his death is known as week is known as the Passion or Holy Week.  This week is described in Matthew chapters 21-27 ; Mark chapters 11-15; Luke chapters 19-23; and John chapters 12-19.  Maundy Thursday is the name given to the day on which Jesus celebrated the Passover with His disciples, known as the Last Supper.  The word “Maundy” is derived from the Latin word for “command.” The “Maundy” in Maundy Thursday refers to the command Jesus gave to the disciples at the Last Supper, that they should love and serve one another just he had exemplified in washing their feet (John 13.3-17). As Jesus served, Luke records in chapter 22, verse 24 of his gospel, that the disciples were busy arguing who the greatest in the kingdom is going to be.  Walking in on King Jesus' coattails, they assumed, had its [...]

Pastor’s DON’T have E.S.P.

2010-03-30T10:10:48+00:00By |Church Plant Lessons 101, Note to Self...and Others, Random Thoughts|

What super-power have you always wanted?  Many of us probably remember the League of Justice.  These were the comic book heroes that, no offense, were like the white trash of comic books.  Every knew that Marvel had better superheroes because the Man of Steel which laser eyes, freezing breath, ability to fly, was just a bit too much.  Do you remember the wonder twins? You probably remember their stupid monkey "gleek" which, upon entering high school, I found out was a method of spitting that I could never do.  For their power, the wonder twins would touch hands and each could take the form of something.  The girl could take the form of any animal and the boy could take the form of anything made of ice.  Other than being purpose, the girl's power made some sense-"form of a bear...eagle...dog."  The boy, however, never made any sense to me.  How [...]

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