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Thursday, June 30, 2005
July 3rd is looming
Sunday is looming close on the horizon and I'm coming down from a long cold and a hard week. Needless to say, the sermon isn't ready yet... but I've got the topic and direction, even the title, which is the hardest part as far as I'm concerned.
Thanks to a single sentence in a Warren Wiersbe book I was reminded of one of my favorite passages/stories in the Old Testament. In Joshua, the Israelites are in danger of disconnecting from God. Having reached the promised land they were experience great comfort and prosperity, they also were now becoming several generations removed from the horror of Egypt. There was a danger of them stepping away from the God, and the covenant, that was their source of blessing and salvation. So as visual memorial to the hand of God in their midst they begin building stone monuments on the sites where they experienced the move of God's hand. These landmarks served as a reminder to them of Yahwah's blessing, but also served as a reminder to the heathen nations that this God was different and more powerful than their gods.
As long as these monuments remained, they would never forget their loyalty, the sacrifices made, and the devotion they needed to maintain. Can you see the parallel?? It was like a lightning flash when I saw it!! As Americans we build monuments as landmarks to great people and events of the past. They serve to remind us of national loyalty, patriotic sacrifice, and devotion to country. Who can see the Washington Monument without thinking of freedom... or the Soldiers at Iwo Jima without thinking of suffering and endurance... or the Vietnam Memorial without thinking of loss and sacrifice? We build national monuments to remind us of where we've been, to honor those who paid a price, and to push us to greater devotion.
Joshua and this Israelites built stone monuments to continually point to a living God who offered spiritual renewal and relationship to an undeserving people. There was spiritual freedom and tremendous national blessing for following the God to whom these monuments were erected.
Then, hopefully, I'll be able to bring the message home and speak to monuments in our own lives.... how landmarks are important on our spiritual journey. We should identify them, celebrate them, and continually remind ourselves, and those around us, of the powerful and significant ways God has blessed us.
Make sense? Man, I hope so!
posted by Kevin at 6/30/2005 08:46:00 PM
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Monday, June 27, 2005
Passionate Preaching
Rob Bell, Pastor of Mars Hill Bible Church in Grandville, MI, is becoming something of a legend among modern preachers... and it's a bit odd because, well, he's so different from all of the other 'great preachers' in the world. In fact, Rob is not much of a preacher, but is one of the best teacher/ communicators I've ever seen. You're about to see why. What saddens me though, is that these statements from Rob do not reflect every preacher. I gotta admit, I find a lot of resonance in Rob's words... and I strive to fulfill a similar mission every time I speak. Possibly that is why I enjoy communicating so much. Rob says:
Weekly teaching can be destructive to creativity.
I don't teach something that has not been a part of me for six months to a year. Think about it, if I asked you to talk about your wedding or something else that has changed you, would you really need notes?
What would happen if on Monday morning you sat at your computer and instead of staring at blank screen, you're already looking at ten teachings that could take place and decidiing which one was the most ready to be taught, or most needed to be taught?
The best messages are not purchased off a shelf or a website, but are grown in your own backyard.
As a teacher, you need to live with a text - allow it to ferment in you, take up residence in you - then connections begin to be made.
We have people who can sing notes, but where are the soul singers? The pulpit has been the home of technicians and analysts, but where are the prophets and poets - the wide eyed crazy people? Teaching should be a dangerous and daring art form, not a science.
The Bible is about real people in real places in real times. It's taking place in an on-going historical narrative. What we need to remember is that we are in the same historical flow. Teaching is about connecting real people in real places in real times with us, here, today. We live in the same flow of what God is doing in history.
Your job is the relentless pursuit of who God made you to be... to be about anything else is sin.
Are you teaching because you have to say something, or because you have something to say? People, especially outside of "Christianity" know when you are passionate. That kind of passion makes them say, "Maybe this stuff really did happen."
- copied from the Awakening blog.
It's my prayer that more of our nation's pastors will take cues from the success of Rob's style and presentation. There is something to be said for ENGAGING an audience.
posted by Kevin at 6/27/2005 11:49:00 PM
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Saturday, June 25, 2005
Creative Idea :: Romans 7
"Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin?"--Romans 7:24
This is one of my favorite passages in Scripture. A few years ago my ole' roomy Geoff helped me out in a video version of verses 15-24. It was for a Seminary class. In it, to the sounds of Sarah Mclaughlin's "Angel", the talent walks dejectedly in the Dallas Trinity river floodplain with CG (character generator) cover from this passage. It's black & white, very moody, and extremely effective. Sadly, I've rarely had chance to use it. Created as a Bible study opener, it just kinda poses the question/problem of Romans 7, but never wraps it up. Its a GREAT piece, if I do say so myself.
If you would like to download the video, called "No Condemnation", visit the site which shall not be named or here for a limited time.
Point being. I used this clip at the beginning of my message on the passage, then talked through the passage, ending up in Romans 7:24. The Greek says, 'who'll deliver me from this body of death?'! In studying, I found that there are several references in literature and history of people, in the B.C. and Pauline days, chaining dead corpses face-to-face and hand-to-hand to live humans for torture, sport, and punishment. Eventually, the rotting carcass would begin to infect the live person with decay causing his death also.
What an amazing picture of this body of death (the flesh) that we must live within!
To illustrate, I carried chains throughout the sermon. And during the conclusion, I gently allowed them to clang as a reminder to those involved of the power we have (through our union with Christ) over this body of death.
posted by Kevin at 6/25/2005 12:50:00 AM
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Sunday, June 19, 2005
Creative Ideas :: the Prodigal
If you're looking for a great, contemporary, and relevant song to match with the age-old story of the Prodigal Son, check out Coldplay's song: Clocks. We wove it through with text of from Luke 15.
posted by Kevin at 6/19/2005 03:59:00 PM
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Friday, June 10, 2005
Reports
Saw this post over at Churchmarketingsucks.com and it reminded me of what a great church I get to be a part of:
"What would happen if every Monday morning there was a quick report on the radio about the weekend church wrap up? Highlights from churches around the area of people's lives being changed, kids doing better in school, teenagers no longer victims of poor decisions, marriages that are finding hope, and single moms who found a place to belong? ... The real question for pastors is what would this report look like if there was such a thing? How would your weekend service wrap-up be reported? Would it change every week? What would be measured? Who would they talk to for sound bytes? Is what happens in your church on a Sunday worth being talked about on Monday?"
_______________________
Thing is, I get one of these 'reports' in my inbox every Monday morning. Here is a portion of what it said our comments were this weekend:
"Just awesome."
"I’m so very excited and happy to be back here in the mornings."
"What can I say? Wonderful, I thank God for M’top."
"Happy Anniversary, Bill and Linda!"
"I love M’top. Thank you Bill for your message, I need to respond to many things."
"2nd visit, thanks for the visit and the mug."
"good, but I think if we are trying to appeal to the unchurched, a slightly shorter service would be more effective and appealing."
"Very good. I know the way I have to go now."
"Very welcoming and friendly."
"thank you for a wonderful worship experience and Bible teaching."
"A very good experience, different, but I really enjoyed it!"
"I realized my connection with God has not been what it should. I needed this message for a lot of reasons."
"I got the message today."
posted by Kevin at 6/10/2005 12:27:00 AM
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Tuesday, June 07, 2005
July 3rd
I've been asked to speak in Sunday Services on July 3rd. I'm really excited about it, and also a bit nervous. Maybe I always will be when I speak, especially on Sundays. Sundays are the big leagues and no pastor (especially ours) takes them for granted.
Perhaps a bit of my emotion with this particular message will be that it occurs on Independance Weekend. And I love my country... but giving a message on a weekend like that is, well, not easy. Pastors make it look easy, but its not. You must share Christ, speak of our country, not make it a rally, and balance a line for people who might not share your particular view on our country.
Now, I am ALL for being bold and honest and not holding back when it comes to speaking the truth of the Bible. But the Bible doesn't talk about America... so you really can't speak with the same authority about the grand ole' US of A as you can God.
So... it will be a challenge and I am excited to begin preparing for it, even though it's a bit intimidating. The general outline/thrust of the message has to be finished by Tuesday of next week so it can be handed over to the Programming Team to develop the rest of the service around the message. So there's also not much time.
Ideas?
posted by Kevin at 6/07/2005 11:19:00 PM
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