Ten Things the Government Needs to Learn About Budgeting That I Learned From Running a Church

Here we are again. It’s crunch time and the politicians are making a big fuss about the budget. Democrats blame the Republicans, Republicans blame the Democrats, the sky is blue, grass is green… Such is life.



In the past two years, I have become the Senior Pastor at a small church here in Phoenix. As a youth pastor for years, I never had to worry much about the budget, the elders and Senior Pastor did that. Now, it’s my job and I’ve learned that it is harder than I ever realized. Running a church is really just running a small business from a financial point of view*. Running a Government is no different from running a small business, either, just a matter of scale.


I’m still trying to get my mind around all of the issues of the business side of church, but here are some lessons I’ve learned that might just help Congress.


1. It’s easy to nickel and dime your way to deficit spending.


Most of the issues I’ve encountered when it comes to going over budget aren’t about the big expenses. Yes, occasionally an AC compressor will give out in July or an irrigation accident will destroy a neighbor’s yard and require repair, but the truth is, it’s all the little expenses here and there that build up. Paper is $35 a case. Toner is $120 a cartridge. We chose to print a hundred of those posters and suddenly, we are over budget. Workday projects, repairs, and maintenance always cost twice what you expected and necessitate three trips to Home Depot. Whoops, we did it again. This is what makes budgeting so hard, because $28 here and $55 there doesn’t sound like much until you do it too many times.






2. It’s easier to spend when it’s someone else’s money


My family is all about debt-free living. We don’t use credit cards, we don’t get car loans, and we try very hard to consider our expenses so we don’t overspend. However, when it comes to making choices of what to buy or not to buy at work, it’s easier to think, “Oh, we’ll just move the money over from another area to cover it,” or, “This item is on sale and we’ll surely use it someday, so we’ll go ahead and buy it now and replenish the fund later.” The problem is: it’s much easier to be brutally realistic about finances when you are talking about paying the rent to keep the roof over your head and paying the electric bill to keep your own lights on.



3. You don’t reduce the deficit, cut it entirely and work on paying off debt.


My earliest recollection of politics comes from the budget fights of the early eighties. I remember the politicians saying, time and time again, “We must cut the deficit.” Even as a teenager, that sounded very weird. I wasn’t even good at math, but I knew that a negative is a negative whether it was $1000 or $1 billion dollars. That’s like trying to dig yourself out of a hole by using a trowel instead of a spade. Either way, you’re still digging a deeper hole. Nope, you gotta learn to live within your means and NEVER spend in the negative.






4. There’s always a bunch of good things to do with the money, but not always a bunch of money to do good things with.


Church is all about this. There’s always someone who has a ministry need. The homeless need fed. The orphans need shoes. People in Africa need medicine. People in Japan just had a natural disaster. Poor families need Christmas presents. Missionaries need sent. Tots need toys. Trees need angels. Drives need canned food. On and on and on and on. All of these are good things, and all cost money. The simple truth is we just cannot do them all. We have to say, “No,” to some of them. That hurts, that’s difficult, and that’s absolutely necessary.


5. Look at your priorities.


Yup, that’s what this comes down to. Prioritizing. Sounds easy, right? List all your bills in order of urgency. Begin dividing up your money to pay for those. Then, create a rainy day fund and put a good percentage of money into that account to cover unforeseen problems. Then, if (IF) there is money left over, begin adding those things you want to do in priority order. Parcel out any remaining funds for those items until you run out of money. Then, say, “I’m Sorry,” to the rest of the items.






6. Consider other options to pay for things.


So, there are good things leftover from your list (see items 4 & 5 above). Gosh, there is one of them that you really, really want to do. It’s such a good idea, but we just don’t have the money in the budget for it. Great. Let’s do it. Here’s how: go to the people and sell it to them. Tell them what a great idea it is and why we should do it. If they’re on board, then they’ll help pay for it. If not, then back to the drawing board. What other ways might we fundraise for this? Who else can we get behind this idea that might help? Where else can we cut or where else can we earn the money to make it happen? What if the church as a whole doesn’t provide for it, but individuals within the church who are passionate about it get creative and make it work?


This leads us to an especially important message for the American People and our Silly Politicians. Are you ready… Wait for it…


The Government is not the only one who can provide money for good things to happen! Whoa! Step Back! You mean that private investors can do charity? You mean that churches and community groups can be responsible for some of this stuff? You mean families can actually help each other? You mean communities can get together and make something work? All of this without our Mommy the Government doing it for us?


Abso-stinkin-lutely!



7. Good stewardship matters for good character.


I know you may not believe it, but church is not about money. Our message is one of hope and truth. We point people to a righteous God. But, our message gets awfully muddled when we misuse the money that is entrusted with us. Why would someone trust us to listen to our message if we aren’t open and transparent about something as basic as our finances? Why would someone believe that God wants us to care for the poor if the church community spends all its money on events for themselves? Where is our integrity when we say we care about the poor in third-world nations who live on less than a dollar a day, but we spend $50 million on a new building for our church to meet in? As a church, the message is simple: people see the way we spend our money and it reflects on their perception of the truth of our message.


Dear Congress, this applies to you. America was once a shining beacon in the world. Is it anymore? If we expect people in developing nations to believe that democracy works, we’d better be showing them that it does. Our message of the American Way is marred by our financial failures.


8. Someone has to pay the bills and it ain’t fair to leave it for someone else.


A house of cards is bound to come tumbling down someday. It’s funny, but there is a parable about building your house on sand versus building it on solid rock. Now, Jesus wasn’t talking about our budget there, but the lesson still rings true with our finances. We may be able to spend in a deficit for a few years (or generations if you are the government). We can get away with it for a little while, but eventually the bills are going to be called in. It will be time to pay up. It just isn’t right to spend freely now, knowing our children will one day face crushing austerity measures and crumbling economy, just so we selfishly can have everything we want now. For a household, this may mean bankruptcy. For a church, it could very well close us down. For a nation, the end results are almost unthinkable.






9. Brutal Realism is Required.


This is true of thousand dollar family budgets, hundreds of thousand dollar church budgets, multi-million dollar industry budgets, and trillion dollar governments. When it comes time to cut, EVERYBODY must give a little. Pet projects must go by the wayside. If they are good, then maybe they can return someday. This is probably the biggest problem we face as a nation. Everyone agrees that the budget must be cut, but nobody is willing to give away their pet project. The arts community wants the budget cut, just not the National Endowment for the Arts. Soldiers want the budget cut, just not a dime from the military. Teachers want the budget cut, but nothing from the schools. Seniors talk about how they lived through tight times in the depression, but the AARP isn’t about to discuss ANY changes to Social Security or Medicare. It doesn’t matter whether you are a Republican or a Democrat, you want everyone else to tighten their belt, just not you. It’s time to cut everywhere. It’s hard, but sometimes you have to go through EVERY line item on the budget and make adjustments. It hurts, but it is necessary.


10. Yes, budgeting is Hard – Quit Whining About It.


I hate numbers. I detest accounting. I loathe detail work. So what? It’s my job and I have to buckle down and do it. Every year, we have to look at the budget. We have to crunch numbers. We have to make hard decisions. We have to give up things. We have to say, ‘No.’ So, I get a cup of coffee, treat myself to a donut that I’m not allowed to have, I sigh a little; and then I get to work.


Dear Congress and Mr. President (of any administration and any party). Despite what you may have been led to believe, we did NOT send you there to enrich yourself. We sent you there to make hard decisions and to be leaders. Please listen clearly to the following Public Service Announcement: “Suck It Up!!!” Quit whining, work together, give till it hurts, and tell the lobbyists and your own constituents, “I know you want this, but we just can’t afford this, so the answer is No.”






There are some who would say all of this is naïve. Sure, this stuff applies to households and small businesses, but the government just doesn’t work that way. Well, they are right about that last part: it doesn’t work. What we are doing with our money doesn’t work; it is a house of cards that is past due for a collapse. We, the American people of any party, truly are naïve if we think this can continue much longer.


I don't have all the answers, and trust me, this is still a work in progress in my own life.  But, I do know that this lesson will be learned someday... The easy way or the hard way.



* Oddly enough, I wasn’t required to take a single class in Bible College or Seminary called How To Run A Small Business 101.

Lights

Love everyone… This includes people who think differently than you, difficult people, and those who have hurt you.

Feed the hungry and give water to the thirsty.

Visit the prisoner.

Provide for the widow

Care for the orphan.

Invite in the stranger and immigrant.

Be hospitable.

Clothe the naked.

Care for the sick.

Stand up for the marginalized and defenseless ones.

Be humble.  Treat others as better than yourself.

Speak carefully.

Be slow to anger.

Don’t show favoritism towards the rich, famous, or powerful.

Don’t love money and don't be a slave to it.  Be wise and generous with your finances.

Practice justice.

Give mercy.

Shelter the homeless.

Don’t envy.

Don’t be selfish.

Make peace whenever possible.

Be gentle, kind, and caring.

Don’t be arrogant and boastful.

Be patient.

Use your gifts to help others.

Be self-controlled.

Don’t be hypocrites.

Speak the truth but don’t be a jerk about it.

Be trustworthy.  People should believe what you say.

Don’t talk bad about others.  Gossip and slander are destructive.

Do good deeds.  Even when it’s hard.  Even when others don’t.

Be respectable.  Live so you have a good reputation with others.

Do what is right, even if you suffer for it.

Don’t drink, eat, party, or anything else to excess.

Be clear-minded and alert.

Serve others even when it means sacrificing your own comfort, especially if it means sacrifice.

Treat those older than you with respect and those younger as brothers and sisters.

If someone has screwed up in life, restore them gently.

Don’t listen to liars, idiots, or those who stir up trouble.

Respect and obey the government so.  Even the ones you didn’t vote for.

Don’t fight with one another and don’t be quarrelsome and divisive.

Don’t sleep around, treat your body and others with respect.

Be a good example.

Take care of your own family, whether you like them or not.

Live with joy and contentment even in tough times.

Be generous and willing to share.

Respect your parents and treat your kids well.

Treat your spouse well.

Forgive those who have hurt you.  Quickly.

Don’t take what doesn’t belong to you.

Be honest in your business dealings.

Don’t be a slave to pleasure and entertainment.

Study God’s word and teach them to others.

Don’t put up with false teaching.

Pray.

It’s not about gimmicky services.  It’s not about ‘relevant’ music.  It’s not about being seeker sensitive.  It’s not about bigger and better props.  It’s not about rock star preachers and self-help messages.  It’s not about growth at any price.  It’s not about hooks to get them in the door so we can spring the trap on them.  It’s not even about us versus them. 

We shouldn’t have to paint up the gospel like a $20 hooker in order to try to attract people.  P.T. Barnum showmanship and used-car-salesman trickery have no place in the body of Christ.  If you believe that ostentatious glitter and flashy extravaganzas are what is required to for people to come to belief, then that suggests to me that you don’t believe that the gospel is enough yourself.

Neither should we be the obnoxious and arrogant evangelists who beat people with a twisted gospel or try to trick them into hearing it with cartoon tracts and baited questions.  Protest signs, angry words, and megaphones have no place here either.

It’s about a radically gentle, life-changing love that affects us enough to become living evidence to others.  It’s about individual, personal change and the struggle of daily turning towards God and His way, as evidenced in the list above.  It’s about walking together through good times and hard times.  It’s about turning away from the world of self-aggrandizement, self-enrichment, and selfish pleasure.  That was the message at the beginning and that is the only relevant message in a world of distraction and dissipation that we live in today.

If our lives actually reflected change, people might actually see our deeds and realize the truth of God’s message.  It’s almost as if that’s in the Bible (Matthew 5:16, 1Peter 2:12)

The message of the cross is offensive only because it acknowledges the evil in all of us, even those who think they are good people.  And,it offers grace to everyone, even those we don’t like or we don’t feel deserve it.  If we offend people with the gospel for any other reason, we are not being faithful to the message. 

Read the above list* again.  This is what a follower of Jesus looks like.  I think that the rest of the world would have much less problems with ‘Christians’ if more of us looked like this.

Do your deeds reflect God’s message? 

Do your actions demonstrate your faith?

Does your life show that you believe in something that matters?  Does your growth and discipleship demonstrate a way that might help others?  Do your actions exhibit a faith that is a light to others?

If your friends, coworkers, family, and neighbors didn’t know you went to church services, would they still know you were a follower of Jesus?

Perhaps it is time for each individual in the church and the church as a whole to take Peter’s advice in 1Peter 3:3-4.

³Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. ⁴Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight.

Let us become lights to this world through our quiet but active devotion to our God and to the people around us.  Let each of us be like a simple, single candle burning in the darkness instead of trying to be garish neon facades like the Las Vegas strip.

* this list is a compilation of exhortations and admonitions taken from the Gospels and Epistles of the New Testament.

Observations from the Front Porch

I sat on the front porch rail listening to Ken and Daniel strum their guitars. We waved periodically as people we knew walked past the cabin on their way back to their cabin or to the cafeteria. Occasionally someone would stop and talk for awhile, but often they just waved and went on their way.

Ken’s daughter Jennifer sat next to us weaving pine needles into a decorative garland that would have been at home on any Appalachian front porch.

Only…

We weren’t in the Appalachians. We were sitting on the front porch of the Nurse’s cabin at summer camp in Pine Summit Church Camp, Prescott, Arizona. Ken and Nancy, volunteers from our church, were the camp nurses. Daniel and his wife were also volunteers, leading praise music during sessions. And, the people walking by weren’t just our neighbors, they were the volunteers and youth at the church camp.

I had just spent a week in Durango, Colorado with a bunch of high school kids, living together in college dorms for the High School summer camp and now I was in Prescott with a hundred elementary and Junior High kids for their camps.

Spending a week with your fellow Christians at a church camp can be an amazing experience, not because of the highs of worship or excitement of rock walls and other adventure experiences, but because of the mundane things that we often miss in our frenzied life back home.

Traveling together, living in close quarters, and experiencing community on a small scale is powerful, in a way that you cannot understand until you have lived it.

There is something healthy about watching the senior pastor cross the hall with his towel and shower shoes, a days scruffy growth on his face and sleep in his eyes. It may not be pretty, but it makes him seem more human and definitely decreases the hero-worship factor that some try to cultivate.

Or, walking together down to the cafeteria to pray as a group and then going in to see what culinary surprises were in store today. Those short conversations on the road are the start of long friendships. At their camp, our high school group even visited the grocery store and then came back to their cabin to prepare a huge feast together where everyone did their part; there was more food than an army could eat. That shared meal together was a lifetime investment in just a few hours.

This sort of rubbing up against each other, living life in close proximity, is missing from our world and from our churches, especially in big cities. It is just this sort of shared life and transparency that leads to healthy relationships and personal growth. It’s harder to hide behind a mask when you sleep in the room next door to each other. It’s harder to pretend to be better than someone else when you just flushed the toilet two stalls down from them. Interpersonal skills, sharing, and forgiveness are all tested when you travel crammed together for days in a van. Mistakes are made, drama occurs, tears are shed, and yet, they are all dealt with and we grow…because, in close proximity, we have to. You don't get to run away and spread your drama on Facebook. You get to grow together here and now.

Shared jokes, small conversations, meals together, and late nights on the front porch together build strong communities. It’s just too bad that more people don’t experience this. Perhaps we need church camp for adults.

The Keys to the Church

Why do you go to church?

There are probably lots of reasons: worshipping God, seeing friends, learning about the Bible, tradition, getting a break from the kids, comfort, hope, or just a chance to eat some of Carol’s delicious ginger snaps at the hospitality table. All of these are excellent reasons, but I have two more for you to consider that are absolutely key to your walk with Christ.

Ask yourself a question, “What do I remember from last Sunday’s sermon?” Can you remember the scripture that the pastor preached? Can you remember any of his points? Was it inspiring, did it affect your life? Did the communion meditation touch you? If you have kids, did they learn anything in Sunday school?

Transformation is the goal of each of these examples of teaching God’s word, not information. When you study God’s word, it must lead to transformation, to growth within your life. Maybe not every time, but most times, there should be some sort of resulting growth from your encounter with God. This is the proverbial ‘AHA Moment’. The time when God’s Word and His Holy Spirit come together, making you realize that you need to change or grow.

Application is the next step. When you hear God’s Word, you are called to be obedient and do something about it. Scripture is full of action verbs: “make disciples”, “do as I have commanded”, “love one another”, “give generously”, “serve one another”, “use your gifts”. Christian life is not passive pew-sitting on Sundays, but an active way of life throughout your week. What we learn on Sunday transforms us in growth and we apply it throughout the rest of the week.
Transformation and Application go hand in hand. If you don’t come to some sort of transformation then you don’t realize how to apply what you have learned. Even better, as you apply what you have learned, it often leads to more transformation in your life.

Let me strongly encourage you to consider these two keys, Tranformation and Application at your next Bible study or when you come to Church next Sunday. Look at yourself and ask, “Am I growing and am I doing?” Then, make it a point to focus on what you are studying or what the sermon is about. Take notes. Go to lunch afterwards with a friend from the church and discuss the lesson and how to apply it in your lives. Decide together how each of you will apply the lesson this week and then talk about it next week to find out how you did. You will be amazed at how your life changes and at the excitement you will have in your Christian walk.

God loves you for who you are, but He wants you to grow and He wants you to do what His Word says. Take His calling to Transformation and Application seriously and you will have the keys to the church.

Originally written for 'The Mountain View' MVCC Newsletter 09/20/09
Copyright © 2009 Rodger S. Loar (rloar@mvccaz.com) All rights reserved.

Ten Things I Wish for the Church

Ten Things I Wish For the Church

I did not grow up as a Christian. I just didn’t know anything about God. When I began to follow Jesus in my early 20s, I did not take his call passively. I got involved, I got moving, I got to work. Often, when I look at the church, I see people who sit in pews for an hour and then rush off back to their lives that are basically non-christian.

It makes me sad to see the waste of it all. If God’s people really took His call seriously on their lives, some amazing things could happen in our churches, neighborhoods, our nation and our world.

I wish…

Number 10: I Wish that Christians would give their time to God. Our society is so driven by busy-ness, rushing around to the next meeting, working two jobs, and getting our kids involved in every extracurricular activity possible, investing countless hours driving them everywhere and never mind their spiritual growth, their moral values, their peace of mind (or yours). Stop. Slow Down. Say no. Take time. Turn off the Television. Quit doing every hobby on earth. Tithe your time, that is give up enough of your busy-ness that you can use 10% (at least) of your time to do God’s work, to discuss values with your kids, to just spend time making a difference. AND, don’t forget to take some additional time in peace, rest, retreat, prayer, and relaxation.

Number 9: I Wish that Christians would break their love of money. This is another area where we have followed our society. We spend and spend and spend and then borrow more so that we can keep spending. We have to have Televisions in every room, the latest cars – two of them (along with the latest car loan), the biggest house (along with that gigantic mortgage), the coolest gadgets, iPods, Rock Band, vacations, maxed-out credit cards, travel, etc. etc. etc. Quit spending every dime you have and begin giving 10% (at least) to God’s work. Give to your local church, give to missions, give to homeless shelters, give to charity, etc. Heck, buy some groceries for the single mom next door. Then, save another 10% over and above any retirement account that you have. Then, live within the rest without borrowing.

Number 8: I Wish that Christians would remember why they came to God in the first place and then share that good news with their friends and neighbors. This doesn’t mean grabbing a bullhorn and heading for the street corner. It means engaging people you care about in honest, heartfelt discussions about spiritual things.

Number 7: I Wish that Christians would understand that following Jesus has little or nothing to do with politics. You may be guided by your faith as you vote, but I don’t remember Jesus saying anything about legislating the Kingdom of Heaven.

Number 6: I Wish that Christians would disciple. Jesus called us to do this in Matthew 28:19. Spiritual and personal growth is supposed to be a part of our Christian walk. That means personal, small group, or one-on-one exhortation outside of the Sunday sermon. Do you have a more mature Christian speaking into your life? Are you working with someone else?

Number 5: I Wish that Christians would teach the Word to their children. I have worked with youth and children for more than a decade and I see a consistent truth: Kids whose parents study the Bible outside of church and talk about spiritual things with their kids have better, well adjusted, and active Christian kids. Those who expect the youth group to teach their kids are the ones whose kids leave the faith as young adults. Deuteronomy 6:4-9. Parents, takes some time each week (if not daily) to read the Bible together and talk about it. This takes us back to Number 10 above, you have to make time for this. The added benefit, is that it will help you, help your marriage, and bring your family together.

Number 4: I Wish that Christians would remember Christ’s gentle message of grace to the hurting, the lost, and the sinners. He reserved his anger and rebuke to those that were using religion to press down on those same hurting, lost, and sinners. This is an important message for the abortion debate, the homosexual marriage debate, and any other place where we come into conflict.

Number 3: I Wish that Christians would remember that faith calls for action. Read and follow the words of James 1:27, Mark 12:31, Malachai 6:8, James 2:14-18, Matthew 25:35-26, Matthew 5:13-16, Matthew 6:2-4. Serve, volunteer, give, love, help. Don’t just sit in the pew on an occasional Sunday and believe that you have done your Christian duty for the week. Read Matthew 25:41-46 and take the warning to heart, God takes this very seriously.

Number 2: I Wish that Christians would remember that we are all human. Christian sometimes try to act like everything is OK, keeping their mask on even though they are hurting inside. This pushes new people away because they look at their own lives and realize they can’t be perfect. This is also an issue with leaders. People put pastors on a pedestal and then are hurt when the pastor falls. We are all sinners, saved by grace.

Number 1: I Wish that Christians would return to the strong community of the early church where we lived together, ate together, and served together weekly if not daily. Maybe it is a big-city thing, but it seems that everyone lives separate lives except for Sunday from 10:00 – 11:15.

This is the last installment in my Top 10 in 10 Days. I hope that you have enjoyed it. I have appreciated the response. My goal was to get my Christian and non-Christian friends all thinking about God, religion, the Bible, and spiritual things in their lives. This is an important area of life that many people neglect.

My next post will be next Monday in the A.M.

Ten Books of the Bible that are Worth Your Time to Read

Ten Books of the Bible that are worth your time to read.

If you didn’t know it, the Bible is not one book. It is a library of 66 books that tell God’s story collectively. The books are written in three different original languages over a span of 1600 years by more than forty men on three different continents. These books were written by scholars, prophets, shepherds, fishermen, generals, physicians, tax collectors, tentmakers, prisoners, servants, and rabbis.

Though I would say the entire Bible is worth reading, I have included below some recommended books that are definitely worth your time to read.

Number 10: The Gospel of Luke. This is the longest of the Gospels. It was written by Luke, a Physician assigned to research the eyewitness testimonies of Jesus and his ministry. It contains the most information about Jesus.

Number 9: Judges. I recommend this book regularly to Junior High boys when they tell me it is boring to read the Bible (as a Junior High boy, everything is boring if it requires reading). This book is great for boys because it has swords, battles, blood and guts, tentpegs through the skull, daggers in the belly, and people chopped to pieces. It’s like an Arnold Schwarzenegger movie without the bad accent.

Number 8: Esther. I recommend this book to every Junior High or High School Girl that I ever meet. It’s a great book to show that a girl can be brave and do amazing things for God. It’s one of my favorites too, because it contains the greatest ironic plot twist ever. It’ll leave you cheering for the good guys.

Number 7: James. This is an awesome book for all Christians because it is a call to put your faith in action. No sitting on your butt in pews in this book. Get off your freakin duff and do God’s work.

Number 6: Proverbs. Because we all need some wisdom. This is a great book to read in a month because it has 31 chapters. Read one chapter a day and I guarantee you’ll be wiser by the end of the month. It has great advice on money, laziness, gossip, and marriage, as well as information on running a kingdom (that could certainly be applied in the business world.) Check out some of my favorites: Proverbs 21:9, Proverbs 26:15, Proverbs 26:11, and my favorite life verse as a husband: Proverbs 5:18-19.

Number 5: 1 Corinthians. Corinth was a place in ancient Greece that was like Las Vegas today. I like this book because these people were way more screwed up than me. It give me hope.

Number 4: Ezekiel. Strange book. Strange prophet. Ezekiel was a priest and prophet who God made do some strange things in order to get the message across. He got to play army men, he packed his bags and dug a whole through the city wall and took his luggage out that way, he laid on his side for a long time, he ran around the city waiving a sword at some hair, he baked a poop cake (see: http://rodg3r.blogspot.com/2009/09/continuing-with-my-top-10-for-10-days.html number 1). It had to be fun to be a Hebrew then, “I wonder what crazy old Zeke is gonna do today?”

Number 3: Galatians. This is a great book about grace, about freedom from religiousity, about freedom from adding a bunch of rules to your faith.

Number 2: Ecclesiastes. A great book that showed they had postmodernism back then too. The king realizes that life is pointless if we are all just going to die anyway, so he tries to find meaning. He tries partying till his head hurts, sex till that got old, shopping like crazy, working his butt off, learning and education until his brain was full, and doing great public works and charity. All still seemed pointless until he realized that we need God to make it all mean something.

Number 1: John. Now be careful here. There are actually four books of John: the Gospel of John, 1John, 2John, and 3John. I am recommending the Gospel of John here. John was the youngest of Jesus’ disciples and wrote his eyewitness testimony in hopes that we would read it and believe in Jesus. A great book and great news inside.

I invite you to check out these books and many of the others. Ephesians and Romans are good instructions on the Christian life. Revelation is interesting just because of some of the weird stuff in there. Joshua is a good adventure story. Isaiah has lots of prophecy that came true later. Amos is all about justice. Matthew and Mark tell you more about Jesus. Acts tells you about the beginnings of the church. Trust me, there is lots of great stuff in there if you just check it out.

If you are interested in going through any of these books together, let me know. Not only is it my job, but it is something I love to do.

Tomorrow: The last and final installment of this Top 10 in 10 Days series: Ten Things I Wish for the Church.

Ten Things in the Bible that People Always Seem to Get Wrong

Ten Things in the Bible That People Always Seem to Get Wrong

Whether it is cultural bias, twisting scripture to prove their own selfish points, or good old fashioned ignorance, there are some scriptures that people always seem to get wrong. Here are ten of the most common:

Number 10: Cleanliness is next to Godliness. Mom loved to quote scripture to get you to clean behind your ears. The problem is, it ain’t in the Bible.

Number 9: God helps those who help themselves. Nope, that ain’t in there either.

Number 8: Judge not, lest ye be judged. Matthew 7:1-5. I’ve included this in other lists. This is not an instruction forbidding wise judgment, but an instruction against hypocrisy.

Number 7: The entire book of Revelation. Lots of people read parts of this book and then figure that they know how it’s all going to end and how God is coming back. They see black helicopters and marching soldiers and the Antichrist in everybody from Hitler to Saddam Hussein to Barack Obama.

Number 6: Health & Wealth Gospel. Flip on channel 21 and chances are you’ll see someone telling you that if you have just enough faith, then God will make you rich and healthy and happy. That’s great, but that isn’t in the Bible. O, they will take various scriptures such as Isaiah 53:5 or Matthew 7:7-8 to prove their point, but only by twisting the original meaning and ignoring verses like Luke 18:18-23, 1Timothy 6:9-11 (see below) and John 15:19-20.

Number 5: 1Timothy 6:9-11 Money is the root of all evil. Actually, the verse says, that the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. Hmmmm Enron, Bernie Madoff, our current mortgage crisis…. It’s almost as if God knew what He was talking about!

Number 4: Matthew 18:19-20. Where three or more are gathered in my name, I am there with them. This is used in a lot of beautiful communion meditations to say that God is present when we meet together for fellowship. It is also used as a health and wealth scripture. But, if you take this back to Matthew 18:15-20, then you see he is speaking about discipline for those who are refusing correction, specifically, someone who has sinned against a brother and then is recalcitrant about fixing it.

Number 3: Thou shalt not kill. Another verse that everyone seems to know in the King James. It is actually a law against murder, not all killing. A soldier doing his job is not covered by this law. A person using deadly force to defend their life or the life of another is not covered by this. A police officer or an executioner doing their duty are not covered by this.

Number 2: 1Timothy 2:11-13 Women don’t serve in church. I have, at times, run into people (mostly women, believe it or not) who don’t believe that women should serve in church, speak in church, or do anything else that might smack of leadership or teaching because of this scripture. In doing so, they disregard Mary, Phoebe, Priscilla, Lydia, Junia, Deborah, Esther, and a whole mess of other ladies in the Bible who did serve God, who did lead God’s people, who did teach, preach, prophesy, etc.

Number 1: Speaking of gender issues. Ephesians 5:22-24. Wives must submit to their husbands or else!!! This verse has been used countless times as an excuse for an overbearing jerk of a husband to beat his wife, dominate her, and/or control her life. Conveniently, he will always skip Ephesians 5:21 and Ephesians 5:25-29. Men are actually held to a much higher standard of submission to their wives in these verses.

Tomorrow: Ten Books of the Bible that are Worth Your Time to Read

Ten Things I Wish Non-Christians Would Move Past

Ten Things I Wish Non-Christians Would Move Past

OK, yesterdays Top 10 got the response I expected. You should have seen my email and facebook inboxes. As I expected a lot of people read down the list until they hit something that they feel strongly about and then stopped there. So much for moving past stuff and focusing on the important message.

Moving right along, today’s Top 10 is the things that I wish Non-Christians would move past. If you don’t believe in the Bible, please take a moment and read this list. Please don’t let any of these things be a stumbling block to you meeting God. He is there and He wants a personal relationship with you and He will make a difference in your life. If you want to know more, just contact me. I’ll buy you a cup of coffee, a soda pop, or even a beer and we can talk about any questions you have. I promise, no spiritual manipulation and no in-your-face stuff, just an honest conversation.

Number 10: Angels. I was at Bookstar the other day and I saw a lady buying this stack of books about Angels. How to get your angel to help you. How to be healed by your angel. How to hear your angel. The Big Book of Angels. OK. It’s all crap. Gotta be honest. Angels are in the Bible, but what you read in all those self-help books is mostly made up, goofy spiritualism which has little or no connection to how they are described in the Bible. Just a thought.

Number 9: Hypocrisy in the Church. Duh. There are hypocrites in the church. For the record, there are also hypocrites in your grocery store, laundromat, bowling alley, on the golf course, and at your work. Look in the mirror and you’ll see one there too. My favorite quote is, “I am comfortable with my own hypocrisy, it is everyone else’s that bothers me.” Laugh. That’s funny. The human condition involves hypocrisy, we all have blind spots to our own problems while seeing other’s very clearly. Don’t let that be a reason for avoiding God.

Number 8: Pushing my values off on you. I blogged about this once before (http://rodg3r.blogspot.com/2009/05/push-off.html). Please don’t accuse me of pushing my values off on you. Of course I am. I have an opinion, I vote, and I have freedom of speech. And, I am honest about it. If you use this as an argument-stopper, then you are the dishonest one. The truth is, everyone has an opinion, and if you vote, make any political comment, protest something, share your opinion, or even just express your belief; then you are pushing your values off on others. That is the great thing about the nation we live in. You are allowed to do that. Let’s go to the polls and you can try to push your values off on me and I’ll try to push mine off on you. Welcome to the process of living in community.

Number 7: I believe that all religions lead to heaven. Goofy, goofy, goofy. Not all religions even believe in heaven. Most religions directly contradict each other. Simple logic therefore is that they must not all lead to heaven. I really wish people put more logic into their thinking.

Number 6: There is no such thing as absolute truth. Another goofy one. That is a self-refuting statement. You are making the statement as if it is truth, but then saying that there isn’t truth. You cannot really believe this and live your life accordingly. (more on this: http://rodg3r.blogspot.com/2009/06/you-cant-understand-this-because-its.html and http://rodg3r.blogspot.com/2009/05/you-cant-handle-truth.html)

Number 5: Televangelists. Yes, most of us think they are ridiculous too. Just turn to the next channel and ignore them. If you want to know about God, find a local church and talk to the pastor. Yes, some of them are weird too, but such is the way of things; every group of people has its weirdos, even Christians.

Number 4: Church is just about money. I believed this too, when I first started coming to church. Every time we met, they passed a plate. They sure are greedy. Actually, the truth is, the church is not a group of pastors asking for money, it is a body of people who are working together to do God’s work and pooling their money to do so. Generosity is an act of worship and obedience that is the complete opposite of greed. If you show up to church, don’t feel guilty or pressured into giving. If you become a part of God’s work, it will be amazing how much you want to be a part of this.

Number 3: Megaphones. That guy standing on a box out front of the stadium telling you that God is condemning you to hell, but Jesus loves you. Yeah, he’s a freak. I agree. Same with Fred Phelps and his gang of protestors with their offensive signs and awful website. And Steven Anderson praying for Obama to get brain cancer and die. Yeah, they embarrass and offend me too. I don’t know what to tell you other than to say that this sort of behavior isn’t found in the Bible. Don’t let those guys turn you off of the real message of Christ and the multitude of Jesus’ followers who would love you to know him.

Number 2: Perfect People. Church people are no more perfect than you. Everyone sitting in those pews is fighting an enormous battle with something in their lives, just like you are. We all face different things. That’s why we need God and why we need each other. Sometimes you will meet the plastic Ken and Barbie Christian who smile and say, “God bless you” all the time, and never have any problems. For the record, those are the ones that usually have the most problems hidden in their closet. They need God too.

Number 1: It really is OK to talk about belief in mixed company. Your beliefs are so much a part of who you are, it is a shame that our culture has decided that you don’t share in mixed company. The rule should be, don’t be a jerk about your beliefs in mixed company, but feel free to talk about them. Who knows we might learn something from each other.

Tomorrow: Ten things that I struggle with in the Bible.

Ten Things in the Bible That I Wish Christians Would Move Past For Awhile

Top Ten Things In the Bible That I Wish Christians Would Move Past For Awhile

I will probably get hate mail and arguments on this one. Sacred cows are so hard to kill. It isn’t that some things are necessarily un-biblical or that they aren’t something to be educated about, it is just that I think we get sidetracked on our own pet issues and forget that our job is to make disciples, to share the Gospel of grace for the lost, and to put our religion into practice by helping the poor, supporting widows, adopting orphans, feeding the hungry, housing the homeless, etc. The message of the cross is offensive because it promises grace to all who sin (but they have to recognize their sin) if they believe. Why are we offending people with side issues?

Before you read more, please note that I could argue each of these point much more, but my very point is that I believe we spend too much time on these items. Also, this is my blog and therefore my opinions. Take them as you will.

Number 10: The End. The book of Revelation. More specifically, End Times Theology (A.K.A. Eschatology). As a pastor, I have to know the four Orthodox views and understand their strengths and weaknesses, but everyone else needs to read Matthew 25 and understand our job is to be ready, not to force current events into a tight mold of what we think might happen. (For the record, I don't think that Obama is the Anti-Christ.) This issue of eschatology distracts us from the real message of grace and gets us into pointless debates over an issue that is ultimately God's responsibility, not ours. Our responsibility is readiness.

Number 9: The Beginning. Creation and Evolution. Genesis 1:1 is important, because it is the start of faith. God created all things. As to the rest of Genesis 1 & 2, it is not a literal science textbook. Those that take this as an exact, literal, word for word explanation (with no regard for the poetic style of the language) of creation end up with crazy ideas like dinosaurs walking around with people. This issue distracts us from the real message of grace and confuses non-believers about what we are about.

Number 8: John 3:16. Yes, it is a beautiful look at God’s love and grace. But, if I see one more John 3:16 sign at a football game or held by some scraggly looking weirdo on the street corner yelling at me through a bullhorn, I might just start throwing things. Do you really think that is an effective way to reach people? Is that what Jesus did? Is that what the apostles did? I don’t think so.

Number 7: Denominations. In light of 1 Corinthians 3:1-9 and Ephesians 4:1-6, how can we still hold ourselves separate from one another and still believe we are being faithful to our calling? Whether you are Lutheran, Baptist, Presbyterian, Anglican, Church of Christ, Nazarene, Methodist, et. al, you are my brothers in Christ. Much of what we have split over in the past are minor issues of interpretation and worship style. Ditch the names on the sign, seek unity with other bodies and just follow Jesus.

Number 6: Legalism. Forbidding rated R Movies, card playing, dancing, and alcohol as well as legalistic attempts at following Old Testament Laws. Hello, I have a book to introduce you to: Galatians. We aren’t supposed to add to the law or try to carry the law anymore. Growth in Christ comes from relationship with God not from artificial rules. Choosing out Rated R movies has two issues: first, try reading the Old Testament, it is Rated R in many parts and NC17 in others; second, there are some excellent rated R movies that deal with powerful issues and there are some PG and PG-13 that are terrible and offensive. Instead of blanket condemnation, try using your discernment, that’s why God gave it to you. As to card playing and dancing, they aren’t even in the Bible. Drunkeness is forbidden, but not the use of alcohol. Finally, the most devout legalists that I have met still disregard some of the law. Try reading James 2:10. I have yet to meet a legalist who does not cut the forelocks of his hair or clip his beard (Leviticus 19:27).

Number 5: Prayer of Jabez and Health/Wealth Gospel. God loves you and wants you to be rich, just buy my book for $34.95 and you will learn how God can make you rich. To quote the late, great poet Janis Joplin (luv you Janis), “O Lord, won’t you buy me a Mercedes Benz.” This is a popular movement today in our consumerist, materialistic society. It completely disregards the message of Jesus of course and has no basis whatsoever in the Bible, but Oh well, it’s easier to believe. I frankly think that we need to focus on getting all materialism out of the church. This has to be a teaching and discipling choice. If children are starving, if people are going without necessary health-care, if anyone is homeless; how can we in good conscience waste our money on fancy cars, too large homes, gigantic flat panel t.v.’s in every room, and eating out at restaurants every night? When I read the Bible, I see us called to generosity, to giving, to sacrifice.

Number 4: Consumer Church with a self-help message. My wife and I began visiting other church’s for a Saturday service, one where we could go and hear God’s word without working during church. We visited several local mega-churches (because they were the only ones with Saturday services). We found one excellent one at North Phoenix Baptist, but we happened to visit on the last time they were doing it. Bummer. So we visited several others. The main message of these services was self-help- feel-good-about-yourself. No Bibles were ever opened and, if God’s word was quoted, it was a side note that supported the preacher’s talking point instead of being the focus of the message. Church is not an entertainment option, but a calling to change and grow by following God's word. The Bible is not about self-help but about serving God and others. God's word isn't about what's in it for me, but who I'm supposed to be.

Number 3: Sex. Can I say that word in church? For many years, the church as seen this as a forbidden topic. I call this ‘La-La Theology,’ that is, cover your ears with your hands, squeeze your eyes shut, and yell la, la, la, la, la at the top of your lungs so that you don’t accidentally have to hear or see it. Well, the simple fact of the matter is God created sex and trust me, it is good. If our message to kids is abstinence only, followed with, “wait till you get out of college to get married,” we set them up to fail. The church must teach about it, teach the glory of it in a healthy marriage, teach about all the surrounding issues – essentially, we cannot ignore it. Hey, it’s all over the Bible.

Number 2: Church on Sunday. Church is a body of people who worship together, serve together, and reach out to their friends, family, and neighbors. It is not supposed to be a habitual gathering for 90 minutes on Sunday that has no effect on your life throughout the week. Our faith is something to be lived, to be put into action, to be seen by others in such a way that it brings Glory to God. I don’t see very much of that.

Number 1: Homosexuality condemnation verses. How can you expect those who do not follow God to live up to His law? Further, every person who is homosexual also has lied, cheated, hated, gossiped, and committed a multitude of other sins. JUST LIKE ME! JUST LIKE YOU! Why do we focus on this one thing without sharing the message of grace for all sin. It seems that each generation of Christians chooses some sin to be worse than all others to rant about. Thirty years ago it was divorce. Fifteen years ago it was abortion. I even believe that you can be homosexual and come to Christ. Whoa! When I see groups like Westboro Baptist or Steven Anderson’s church in Tempe, I am disgusted because they have forgotten the grace and gentleness with which Jesus dealt with people. The only time he got angry with people was when he dealt with hypocritical religious zealots who hurt other people with their legalistic view of God’s law. (http://rodg3r.blogspot.com/2009/05/apology.html). I will write more on this topic another time, because there is another side to discuss within the church, but for now, I’ll leave it at this.

Number 0: That's right, I am making this list 11 things. It's my blog and I can do that if I want. Politics. Look up at the front and center of your church building. Is that a cross up there or is it a flag. Do you have to where your elephant shaped badge to get in the building? We need to remember 1Timothy 2:1-3 and Romans 13:1-7. Are we praying to the idol of America or are we faithfully serving God by discipling and spreading the Gospel?

Conclusion:

As I said earlier, some of these things have value and should be discussed, but I believe that many of them distract from our central message. When we fight amongst ourselves over petty issues, when we berate non-believers for actions instead of showing them love, when we try to legislate God’s word to change behavior without changing hearts, we forget the central message of the cross. Grace and Love towards those who are in sin and hurting, and exhortation towards growth for those within the church.

Tomorrow: Top 10 Things I Wish Non-Chrisitans Would Get Over.