In response to the tragic events in Charleston, SC, my friend from college responds with what many of us believers already know to be true...and wish so many more would come to understand. Used in its entirety with permission of the author, Randy Streu.


The Problem:

Folks, we have a Problem.

No, there's no point in denying it, because the evidence is all around us. When peaceful people can't study the Bible in Church without being shot down for no other reason than the color of their skin, it's clear we have a Problem. When white cops kill black men, and we start digging for justification instead of lamenting another life lost, we have to admit there's a Problem. When we're so afraid of a people because some folks that looked a little like them murdered a bunch of other people that we can't help looking at them suspiciously -- or even declaring their very religion an enemy -- then we must look and see we have a Problem.

And the problem with the Problem is, we don't even know what the Problem is.

Racism is not the Problem.

When we have to lock our doors at night, and feel trepidation every time we send our kids out to play, we have to acknowledge we have a Problem. When we check the internet to make sure the sex offender living down the block wasn't convicted of crimes against children, we find evidence of the Problem. When we feel the necessity to carry weapons, and to learn to defend ourselves from petty criminals and government tyrants alike, we're trying to deal with the Problem.

But we fail, because crime is also not the problem.

When thousands of people across the globe are murdered daily, not by bullets, but by hunger and disease; when children cry because they can't get away from the water dripping onto their heads from the makeshift homes they're living in; when women and children alike are forced to sell their youth, bodies, and self worth just to eat, we must see we have a Problem.

But poverty isn't the Problem.

Moms on welfare aren't the Problem, and neither are the rich (regardless of how honest they are or are not). Black people aren't the Problem. White people aren't either (not even white cops). Immigrants, legal and otherwise, aren't the problem. Neither homosexuals nor bigots, Republicans nor Democrats, feminists nor misogynists are, in truth, the Problem. The Problem isn't hatred, it isn't murder, it isn't disunity, it isn't theft, and it isn't disrespect.

The Problem lives everywhere, from shanty towns to high rises, from mosques to churches, from small business to Wall Street, from house to house and street corner to street corner.

The problem is, we can't deal with the Problem, because identifying the Problem is problematic in a society that wants to believe its problems are its own. But this problem is global.

The Problem is what it is, and remains the Problem whether you or I acknowledge to truth of its existence or not -- and the evidence of its pervasive nature lives on in every cry of hunger, scream of fear, or shout of rage.

The Problem is sin.

And the Problem lives in me, and it lives in you, and there's not a damned thing any one of us can do about it.

But thank God, we don't have to.

Jesus Christ took care of the Problem for us over two thousand years ago, when He took the burden of the Problem on his back and pounded it, through His own wrists and ankles, into a wooden stake.

So why is it still here? Why do we -- you and I and this whole world -- still have to deal every single day with this Problem? Because He can't lift a burden we won't admit exists.

It's true, we can't change the world. You and I, we can't take care of the Problem. We can't even alleviate its symptoms! But we can acknowledge the Problem in our own lives. We can hand deliver our Problem to the God who loved each one of us enough to wrap Himself in our flesh and sacrifice Himself on the altar of our stubborn selfishness. And we can, by His example, love those of us who haven't yet admitted their Problem to themselves, and guide them to the hands of the One who can take it away.

So, yes. We do have a Problem. We have a big Problem, and it's killing us, one by one, a soul at a time. But we also have a God who is far greater than any Problem we could ever have.

It truly amazes me how God works out the schedules of man. This afternoon was no different, and little did I know, I would end up in a service that I desperately needed, and afterward, talking to an incredible man of God, who also happens to be the lead pastor of the church.

As my current job has afforded me the opportunity to visit a number of churches on Sundays and Wednesdays alike, I often fly under the radar, in particular with regards to Bring Me 70, almost as if I am just taking the service in, rather than promoting something that is still in start-up mode. However, tonight, the calling of ministry arose, so did my perceived need for Bring Me 70.

As we made our way to the lobby, he explained that he had built a pretty good team of people, and in particular some in pastoral positions, that have allowed him to expand his ministry to other pastors and churches and places of influence, whether in their home community or surrounding areas.

Now, obviously, every church and community loves a pastor that is totally committed to their particular people, but eventually, if the life and ministry-related experience of the pastor is not utilized to impact and influence other relationships and opportunities outside the church, then doing church has the danger of becoming routine.

And as this particular explained, routine has the potential to diminish how you feel God's role in your life, as though you are not capable of God doing great and wonderful things in and through your life. (I wrote down how he said, but of course, now, it's not in front of me, b/c is truly profound.)

If the church is not growing, in maturity, in discipline, in ministry and ultimately, in numbers, then eventually the pastor will feel as though nothing is going on our no ground is being gained. There is a time for each...if your growing in numbers, you'll eventually need to focus on maturity; and if you are focusing on maturing what you have, then growth might not be playing as significant a role in your outreaches.

In the end though, growth and development by definition, require the expansion of borders.
New conversations. New relationships. New opportunities. New strategies. New ventures.

The cool part is, as that pastor engages outside of the church, he or she will naturally return with new vigor and new insight as to what and how new elements and strategies can be implemented into their church that will take them to the next level, to accomplish greater things for the Kingdom and glory of God.
.

This article from Barna Group appeared on my twitter feed today and it ties in perfectly with the purpose of Bring Me 70 and we need to be diligent in praying for and supporting our pastors and church leaders. It's an interesting read and the stats are incredible to say the least.  I encourage you to check it out and consider how you should pray and encourage your church leaders and their families.  

Prodigal Pastors Kids.

I am the worst of offenders when it comes to procrastination. And this morning, while reading Luke 13, I looked up Matthew Henry's commentary on verses 6-9.  I recommend looking it up.

He shares that the story of the master wanting to cut down the non-producing fig tree, because for three consecutive years, there was nothing. Yet, the gardener steps in and explains that he needs another year, to work with the tree and the soil to change the outcome.

This is the story of grace. While the tree was representative of Jerusalem, it very much hit home upon my reading it today.

The tree was in the vineyard, where it had the best soil, best environment, best resources...and yet it had nothing to show for itself.

Thus, is the case, for many Christians and churches and religious organizations and individuals alike.

You have value. You are of value. You are valued by those around and by God. We would do well, not to waste any of it (time, resources, opportunities, or financs) on things that have little to no impact on the world, let alone eternity.

Some will know immediately how to correct the issue and begin the turn-around process now.  Others like me...may have a little bit of a journey in front of us. But that must not deter us, but motivate us all the more. Don't undervalue what has been wasted. Don't continue to waste what you have undervalued.

I heard an incredible sermon this morning, that was part 3 of a series titled "Free." The pastor spoke from Romans about Paul's battle with the flesh and living according to the law versus living by the Spirit.

Some take-away points include:

"Christianity was never intended to be normal religion." Religion tells you "what you ought to do, what not to do, and then you are toast."

"The law is really good at showing us how screwed up we are."

And finally,

"If you walk by the Spirit, you can't focus on 'just not sinning'."  Trying to keep a list of do's and don'ts is the attempt of "If only I don't sin."

Whereby, walking by the Spirit begins to produce fruit that does not worry about breaking the law.

I think this is particularly difficult for pastors...at least it has the danger of being difficult.

The pressure. The finances. The staff. The congregation or lack thereof. The maturity of the congregation or lack thereof. Comparison to other pastors and churches. Comparison to the success of those in the seats. The struggle for those who don't show up to church consistently, but want God to do the miraculous in the life consistently. (another message today, that God has gone miles for us, but we don't give an inch for Him.....post on that later!)

If it is hard for the congregation to stay focused on walking by the Spirit, then how much harder for a frustrated Pastor and leadership team!

That is the plan of the enemy. It is a dual-strategy approach. Get the people frustrated so nobody shows up to church, thereby frustrating the leadership. Get the leadership frustrated so that they'll abandon the people and they'll disperse.

So, to the pastor and the pew....guard against the control of the law and the failure that ensues, as none of us are perfect. Walk by the Spirit, where the worry of breaking the law doesn't not control you; and watch the fruit of the Spirit take over your life and be the story that points back to Christ, as our lives were and are intended to accomplish.

I had "one of those moments" earlier this evening. You know the kind... you know what to do, but struggle, all to often I'm sad to confess, to implement it into your daily life and furthermore make it a priority.

SEEK FIRST....The Kingdom Of God.

No matter what you do, who you are, how well you do what you do, how often you do it, how well you actually live who you are... it is all rubbish if it comes second to God. Harsh words; but words I was reminded of a little too recently.

Whatever it is, carries no weight if God has not done it, gone before you, sent you, provided for you and led you through "it" all. Even if "all these things" that are added to it, were not included, SEEKING the kingdom of God would still be worth it.

First is a placement on priority. If you remove that, then "seek the kingdom of God" becomes a statement of necessity.  A sunroof and cool wheels and an awesome stereo are meaningless if you don't have a car!!
 
If I focus on seeking the kingdom of God period, then perhaps I won't have to struggle as much in remembering that I need to do that first. In the meantime, though, I do need to do that first. SEEK.

And it's not just an individual battle. It exists within the corporate church body. As Pastor Jim Cymbala of the Brooklyn Tabernacle shared in a session at the 2013 General Council for the Assemblies Of God, worship and the lights and the music and environment and the sermon are nothing if people do not enter in and give glory and praise to God and are compelled to draw closer to God. He pretty much made his point along these lines: "that the earlier church had the preaching of the Gospel and multitudes believed and were saved. In 2013 we have "all this stuff" and churches are declining." Somewhere we have not only stopped seeking first, we simply stopped seeking. I am guilty of both.

For years, within the church, we have looked to "the next generation". That's not to say the current generation of pastors and church leaders is not effective or fulfilling their promise or calling. Many of them are effective and some continue to stay the course and fulfill their calling.

However, the current rate for pastor leaving the ministry is well over 1,000 per month. Not only is this dangerously alarming, but in the context of "the next generation" what are we doing to decrease this incredible rate of departure? What are we doing to support current leadership, so they become a legacy of great ministry and not a "I used to be..." line on a resume.

What I sense in my heart, are very simple and practical solutions to reverse this trend. Pastors are human, just like their congregations. Yet, somewhere between the pew and the pulpit, both parties forget this fact.

Pastors struggle with being real, in terms of how their marriage operates. Really...who likes admitting that you argued in the car on the way to church. It's one thing to for morning to start off that way, then put a smile on your face as greet your friends in the cafe. Try another if that's happened only an hour or two before stand in front of hundreds with a message of salvation.

Pastors struggle in their finances. Then go home frustrated wishing they could help the young family struggling to provide a Christmas for the kids. Multiply this a couple times over, if the church itself is behind on a couple of bills. Or property taxes.

A struggling youth pastor wants to put on an all-night New Year's eve party. The church is tight on cash, so the youth pastor works overtime at his secular job to pay for the party. His wife and he argue because he's not home with his kids for most of that month.

Children's pastors can't put on a successful vacation bible school because parents refuse to adjust vacation schedules so the event can be properly staffed.

A pastor watching with an overwhelming number of people struggling to find employment, but the church is in trouble. So while he's praying for your employment situation, he goes home on the job search, praying the same prayer....hoping he won't be competing for the same job he just prayed God would open up for you.

And the scenarios are endless. Are at least up to another 1495 per month! I know Pastors deal with real issues, and some are pretty heavy duty issues. Much like people inside and outside the church deal with and need professional or expert help with. Financial, Mental, Behavioral, Thought-patterns. But most of what helps me get through the day is what most pastors don't have.

People who stick around when life gets hard. People who help when life gets hard. People who pray through circumstances with you. People who when you say "this is what's going on" and we're letting you know so you can pray with us, not share with others. It's one thing for a pastor to be transparent. It another for transparency to happen and still have a congregation standing with you. The unknown of whether the congregation stands or runs is where pastors get stuck. I'm not 100% confident that that is always the case; just 100% confident that if I were a pastor, that's how I would feel. And for what it's worth, whenever someone in my life suggested that I should go into ministry,  I immediately tried to figure out how I would handle that 1st scenario....argue on the way to church, then preach?  No problem.  Right.

Pastor want successful ministries. But I would venture that part of their feeling like they have a successful ministry begins with them having a successful home-life. I can't imagine the frustration of having a child living a life far from God, while praying for hundreds of other people's kids and grand-kids. Thankful for your break-through. Sleepless over their own.

7 Days. 7 Men. 10 churches. Outside of deacons and board members, if 7 men stood by their pastors, to pray over their lives, encourage them, offer support...basically just took care of them, as you would your best friend..."You sure you are doing okay?"...making genuine connections with your pastor and staff and their families, would go a long way into turning this situation around. Ladies, you can do the same for the women pastors at your church, and pastors' wives. Granted, you might not become best friends, hanging out with them all the time. But conversely, how many people on Facebook are constantly posting how blessed they are that someone wished them a happy birthday and posted it to their wall. "Wow, I have such great friends, thanks for all the birthday greetings." And a majority of them are from people they haven't seen in months or years, and yet keep in touch "online".

Yet we don't know that our pastor has a kid with some serious struggles. A marriage is on the rocks over money. Foreclosure of their home looms on the horizon. They fear the church could be next. And they're going on a job interview the day before they perform the wedding ceremony of your son or daughter.

If 7 men of 10 churches took a more active role...not in the church, necessarily, just a more connected relationship with pastors. 70 men in a community, to help carry the burden.

The world is going down hill fast. We don't have time to raise up and prepare and groom 1500 NEW pastors a month.  People need their church now more than ever and people who aren't in church will soon find themselves in a place where they will give it a try. The unsaved will be ready for church and the church will have closed it's doors; because it's people were out of touch. And the pastor couldn't do it alone.

I believe they are praying....crying...BRING ME 70!

ps: Staggering stats, from NY Times, August 2010 , over @ http://www.pastorburnout.com/pastor-burnout-statistics.html