When the music fades
All is stripped away
And I simply come
Longing just to bring
Something that’s of worth
That will bless your heart 

I’ll bring You more than a song
For a song in itself
Is not what You have required
You search much deeper within
Through the way things appear
You’re looking into my heart
:
I’m coming back to the heart of worhip
And it’s all about You
It’s all about You, Jesus
I’m sorry, Lord, for the thing I’ve made it
When it’s all about You
It’s all about You, Jesus
Lindell Cooley “When the Music Fades”

This is one of my favorite worship songs. Ultimately what we do in the church planting world is all about Him. If it isn’t then go find a job running a computer, teaching school, or sales, or whatever it is that you won’t to do, but don’t play around with the Kingdom of God. People’s lives are at stake.

Come to think of it, if you are a believer even those jobs above should be all about Him. Too often we make the divide between sacred (worship/preaching/teaching/praying) and secular (making a living and everything else we do). Ultimately our lives, our jobs, our worship, all that we do should be about Him.

So as the excitement fades and “all is stripped away” what are you doing to make sure the “buzz” is about Jesus. Not your church, not your Easter Egg Drop, not your great sermon, not your great band, what will you do this week to make it all about Jesus. Jesus said, “If I be lifted up, I will draw all men to myself.” Lift up Jesus.

“Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.” I believe that was Shakespeare. I know that somebody will correct me if I am wrong, and I probably am.

But, here’s the deal. A lot of church plants did something on Saturday they tried something that only a few have tried. Were there mistakes? You bet. Were there people upset? Absolutely! Did people go to jail? Only a few that we know of. The question is though were people in attendance on Sunday that wouldn’t have been there otherwise, the answer is almost SURELY!

Sam Braswell tells this story. A lady emailed him about her disappointment that her son did not get any eggs. On the way home the boy was crying. Mom took the time to tell the child that Easter was not about eggs but about Jesus, the next day at church he prayed to receive Christ, which she says probably wouldn’t have happened had it not been for his disappointment and her telling him about Jesus! God can make Egg Salad out of our broken eggs. That probably doesn’t even make sense.

Here are some numbers I have heard: 6o, 12, 5, 25, praying to receive Christ. 18 new families, 12 new families, 27 new families. Was it worth it? Yeah.

Guys here’s sage advice from an old church planting guy: Take your lumps, apologize profusely,  make it right as much as it depends on you,  AND DO IT AGAIN NEXT YEAR! BIGGER, BETTER, MORE CONTROLLED, MORE ORGANIZED! BUT DON’T BACK DOWN FROM THE NAYSAYERS.

Thank you God that you did whatever it took to redeem a wicked and fallen generation. May we never forget.

My understanding of time indicates that as I write this (about 9 a.m. ATL time), 2000 or so years ago the soldiers were removing Jesus from the cross. Battered, bloody. The people around fearful. What will they do with Him? One of the religious leaders of the day will claim the body and offer a tomb for burial. It will be a hasty burial because Sabbath is quickly approaching. The body is not prepared as it normally would have been. Laid in a tomb, dark, cold, alone.

“By His stripes we are healed.” Our weak personality flaws. Our fear. Our failures. Our sin. Scripture says our sin is “removed as far as the east is from the west.” “God remembers our sin no more.”

God does not see you and I as we see ourselves. We are reminded daily of our sin and weaknesses. Perhaps there is someone in your life that keeps reminding you of your past. Or someone that is quick to remind you of your present and reminds you daily of your inability to be perfect. Or maybe there is someone that keeps telling you that you are no good and will never make it in this world. THIS IS NOT HOW GOD SEES YOU! GOD SEES YOU PERFECT, COMPLETE, WITH A PREFERRED FUTURE!

It is because of Easter that God can see us as Perfect and Complete. When you look at yourself do you see the Easter view or the pre-Easter view? If you are still looking at the pre-Easter person then you may be giving yourself permission to sin. If you see the Easter view you are able to better combat temptation because you see yourself as God sees you and not as the person you were. “By His stripes YOU are healed!” Live it.

Free! Clean! Resurrected as a new person! Only in Jesus! Celebrate!

Imagine walking into a room prepared for a party and something just isn’t right. The host for some reason has forgotten one of the known customs. Where is the servant that will wash our feet from our long walk? Isn’t this customary. Now imagine THE teacher, leader getting up from His seat and beginning to do what the servant was supposed to do.

I heard this story from a friend of mine. At a very large church in Marietta right before a big weekend service the building was undergoing it’s traditional cleaning for the guests that would arrive for the holiday. The janitor of the church fell ill while cleaning the men’s room and had to leave for the day. My friend happened by the church and walked into the restroom to find this very well known TV Pastor cleaning the toilets in the mens room.

What job am I too good to do? I know that most of you church planters are doing things you never thought you would do. Jesus was about to face the worst night anyone could imagine. Trial after trial, beatings, scorn, but not too busy to wash the feet of men that would become the church. I wonder if the disciples knew what Jesus was about to do. I wonder if His service to them ran through their minds as they turned their backs on Him?

Remember tonight was the last meal. Tomorrow His body and blood given for you and me!

From scripture the best we can tell Jesus did not make a personal appearance on Wednesday. He perhaps was preparing himself for a very trying next couple of days. He had been exalted, He had cleansed the temple. Excitement, Joy, Anger, Righteous Indignation. Jesus showed it all in just a few days. But next would come the true trials.

The trial of knowing that one of His closest advisors will betray Him, but serving him anyway. The trial of knowing that His right hand man would deny Him in the midst of His greatest trial, but washing his feet anyway. Probably knowing that after the resurrection Thomas would doubt Him, but eating with him and serving him anyway. Knowing they would all cut and run and yet Jesus is sitting there teaching them, serving them, and having deep personal fellowship with them. Are these the guys you want to do ministry with?

Truth…people will let us all down sometime. Greater truth…we have let others down at sometime. Jesus gave us a good example. When people let us down we love them anyway. Easter always reminds me that I have failed Him often, yet he loves me anyway. Imagine the impact on the world if we could catch that same attitude.

Two years ago I stood at the empty tomb in a garden in Jerusalem and served communion to our traveling companions. I cried as the realization hit me that for the first 20 years of my life people told me I was no good, useless, would end up in prison or worse and yet Jesus went to the cross for me, He rose for me, He ascended for me and today He intercedes for me! Amazing Love How Can it Be?

Most people hate changes. I have a neutral view on them. I like changes in my daily routine. I very seldom take the same route when I travel so that I can see different things. I even take alternate routes home and to the office just to break the routine. I like to eat a variety of foods. I don’t like a set menu every night of the week.

 On the other hand, I don’t listen to a variety of music. I know what I like and am not open to change. No country stations on my radio dial, no opera, no classical, no hip-hop and unfortunately because of the poor state of Christian radio in Atlanta, no Christian radio either. I like rock music from just about any age. Not pop, rock. I love loud guitar and loud drums. I do have some easy listening but very little. I’m the same way about my worship. Although I have said many times I hope when I turn 70 I’m not in some Kid Pastor’s church saying, “I wish they’d do ‘Open the Eyes of My Heart’ like we used too.” But I like worship the way we do it at WRC. It’s not bad other places, it’s just what I like.

 And then there are changes that are real changes. First, let me say the sky is not falling…but we have had four resignations this week at WRC. Now don’t start the parade of resumes’ we are probably going to shuffle pastoral responsibilities to those already here. Secondly, we will replace those that have to be replaced from WRC members.

Sometimes these kind of changes produce fear in people. Who’s next? What will I be doing? Will my job change? How will I be able to handle more responsibility? I am reminded and want to remind those of you who are meeting the challenges of change, “God is not a God of fear.” “Perfect love casts out fear.”

I do believe one of the strengths of WRC has been it’s ability to withstand change. We work not from fear but from the belief that God is in charge and “if He be for us, who can fight against us.” No Fear! Forward!

Of all the holidays Easter is the holiest to me. I struggle with the seclurization of Easter more than Christmas. My wife and I exchange holiday cards at every holiday. I really struggle with a cheery card at Easter. In fact some years ago I just told my wife that you can get a card if you want but don’t expect one from me. I am a total and complete Grinch when it comes to the Easter holiday.

I have decorated my share of eggs and hidden them. I have hosted the easter egg hunts and (although ours were boring compared with a million eggs being dropped from a helicopter) spring fairs. I just struggle with shedding a tear about the death of Jesus and giving out colored eggs and making them the same holiday. At least Santa was a Saint and at least the Magi brought presents as a symbol of our traditions. But I just can’t figure how a bunny and easter eggs fit into the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. And for those of you tempted to send me the myth of connection, I already know it.

I’m not criticizing, reach people any way you can. But please separate the two. Keep the death and resurrection a holy moment. Celebrate communion with as much zeal as you distribute easter eggs. This do in remembrance of Jesus.

I just gotta say it: GO DAWGS!

I said I wouldn’t post a lot of personal comments, but last night I had an experience. My youngest daughter that is graduating from UGA this summer will follow that up with marriage a couple of months later.

Last night we bought THE dress. She had driven from Gainesville to Powder Springs to try on dresses. I think over 20 different shops, many dresses tried on, and dozens of websites until she found THE dress. I wish I could post the pictures but then there is a slight chance that her future husband might stumble upon this blog and so I won’t post any pictures. But she was beautiful standing there looking in the mirror. There was this one candid shot that I wanted to take so badly but the salesperson said I couldn’t take pictures until we had agreed to buy THE dress. And the moment passed. We got some beautiful staged shots, but the moment passed on that candid, natural shot.

I hate to make a lesson out of everything, but that’s my nature. Here it is. In church planting as in any venture there is a time to seize THE moment. It is natural. It is freeing. It may be a decision about THE place, THE staff, THE vision, THE mission and there may be much confusion and consternation, but then THE decision is made and you breathe a sigh of relief. Things suddenly become clearer and the church comes more clearly into focus.

Here’s to all you church planters out there who are awaiting THE decision, praying, seeking direction from God. May He supply THE answer today, and may you breathe a sigh knowing God has prepared THE way.

A few minutes ago the alarm on my phone rang with a reminder of an appointment at noon for lunch. The only problem was that it was not the meeting I was expecting. Panic! I thought I had double booked. On my calendar the alarm was for tomorrow. So I made a hasty phone call to apologize and to reschedule, but the calendar not the phone had the correct information.

Have you ever double booked? I have always prided myself on having never missed an appointment. In 30 years of ministry and career I have only missed 2 appointments because of forgetfulness (that I can remember anyway  ). But as I get older the brain cells are dying at a record pace and I find myself more and more dependent on a calendar and technology. From an earlier post I confessed my ignorance of all things technological so this drives me crazy.

Anyway I am reminded daily of a need to have the correct tools to get the job done. I talked with a church planter yesterday about whether to spend the money to buy some equipment to better help him do what he needs to do. My advice, get the best tools you can to do the best job you can and don’t apologize. If you are reaching a generation under 40 (?) it is expected that you will have the technology to communicate and accomplish your tasks. For my own advice I hope soon to have a calendar that syncs with my phone then I for sure won’t have to panic.