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Grace Church,

I hope and pray you were able to take the Lenten 40 Day Challenge.  Personally, I have deeply enjoyed seeing the likes and shares on Facebook.  Keep it up!  Now for my own personal joy with the challenge.  The challenge on  Feb 26th was “Sit Down and Look at Old Pictures/Albums with Someone You Love”.  So, we don’t have albums.  I was inspired to put all of our family vacation photos into IDVD’s slideshows with presentations.  Some of them ended up being over an hour of video, but it was relatively easy, just time consuming.  The result was almost all our family trips are preserved on DVD’s and in the cloud ;0)  And we were able to put Jill’s parents 50th Wedding Anniversary Video onto DVD for the whole family.  If you have not taken the challenge, I encourage you to take it up now.  It is designed to help us better connect to God and each other.   Go for it!

 Here are the Daily Scriptures and Daily Challenges

Mar 1
Rom 10:9: That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
Do Something Nice For a Neighbor

Mar 2
Isa 41:10: So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Share the Joy of the Lord today

Mar 3
Matt 5:16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.
Do A Good Deed For Someone (anonymously)

Mar 4
Matt 11:29: Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
Offer Kindness to Someone Who Does Not Deserve It

Mar 5
John 16:33: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
Pray For Grace United Methodist Church (Lee’s Summit Campus)

Mar 6
Acts 1:8: But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
Conquer A Fear Today

Mar 7
2 Tim 1:7: For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.
Be A Peacemaker Today

Mar 8
Isa 53:4: Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted.
Pray For Grace United Methodist Church (El Dorado Springs Campus)

Mar 9
2 Cor 5:21: God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
Contact A Teacher or Mentor and Tell Them Thank You

Mar 10
Rom 15:13: May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Do Not Say One Bad Word About Anyone Else Today

Mar 11
John 11:25: Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies;
Cover Your Fridge With Positive Sticky Notes (leave them up for 7 days) Post pics on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter

Mar 12
Heb 11:6: And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
Speak Well Of Someone In Front of Other People

Mar 13
John 5:24: “I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.
Smile All Day

Mar 14
James 1:2: Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds,
Say Thank You To Those Rarely Thanked

Mar 15
Isa 53:6: We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
Worship- In Person or Online

Mar 16
Acts 2:38: Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
If You Are Not Baptized- Contact Pastor Jeremy or Pastor Hubert to set up a time to talk about Baptism
If You Are Baptized- Remember your Baptism and Be Thankful

Mar 17
Eph 3:20: Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,
Pray For Our Praise Team and Choir

Mar 18
Matt 11:30: For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Invite Someone To Church

Mar 19
John 3:17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
Ponder the Image of God In Us

Mar 20
Col 3:12: Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
Make a Donation to a Charity

Mar 21
Heb 12:1: Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.
Let Go Of Something Holding You Back

Mar 22
James 5:16: Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.
Pray For Children and Families at Ronald McDonald House

Mar 23
Acts 17:11: Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.
Be Open to Where God Leads You Today

Mar 24
Phil 4:19: And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.
See A Need, Meet the Need Today

Mar 25
John 1:1: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Share the Word of God Today (in person or on social media)

Mar 26
1 Cor 6:19: Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;
Eat Only Healthy Food Today

Mar 27
1 John 3:16: This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.
Reach Out To a Relative or Friend

Mar 28
Ps 133:1: How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity!
Seek Peace and Unity Today

Mar 29
John 14:27: Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
Make a Donation to the Church Capital Campaign

Mar 30
Heb 4:12: For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
Offer Mercy and Tenderness to the Hearts of Others

Mar 31
John 15:13: Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.
Reach Out to Old Friends Today

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People are searching for answers.
People want to be connected.
People want to be heard.
I Want and Need Answers
Three of the most successful companies over the past tens years have addressed those wants and needs.
When Google came along there were other search engines.  The creators of Google did not like the way those search engines “page ranked” things.  So they designed a new way to rank pages.  It was intuitive.  It made sense.  It worked.  So when searching for answers to your questions, you would find them in the top ten hits.  Not only that, they have continued to improve upon their early success by making Google better.  Right now we have more knowledge available to us than ever before in the history of the world.  The most famous library you might have never heard of was the library in Alexandria.  It contained what was reported to be “all of the world’s knowledge”.  Sadly, it was sacked and burned.  Knowledge lost.  Today, you don’t need to go to a library.  The answers to your questions are available online.  Just search enough and you will find it!  When people are searching for answers, most of them turn to Google.  I know I do.
I Want to Be Connected
Facebook is a revolutionary way to connect with your friends, acquaintances and family.  Originally offered to students, now the whole world can join in.  Over 700 million people are now on Facebook.  Wow.  Lots of people are now connected through Facebook.  Remember how difficulty it used to be to know how your high school friends were doing?  I do.  I had lost touch with a few of my friends, and I’m 37.  It’s nice to see how highschool, college and seminary friends are doing.  I may not personally communicate with them for months, but I can check their status and see how they are doing and what they are up too.  Very cool stuff.  Most people are on Facebook in the U.S.  They are connecting.  And as Facebook adds new features, soon we will be connecting not just through chat, but through video as well.
I Want To Be Heard
I was not a big fan of Twitter until a few months ago.  I didn’t want to Tweet or be a Twit.  I didn’t want to be a follower either.  Twitter is basically a newsfeed of 140 characters or less of people sharing information, blogs, ideas, quotes, conversations, pics and a bunch of other stuff with people that “follow” them.  The more people you follow, the faster your news feeds goes.  It amazing how quickly good and bad information can be shared.  Many people follow celebrities or news organizations.  Imagine the front page of Yahoo, the Huffington post or the Wall Street Journal reposting links to their articles.  You are just a few clicks away from  information you are interested in.  The real genius of Twitter is posting to followers.  People follow you and when you post something whatever you said or shared is placed in their newsfeed.  Hundred, thousands or millions of people will see what you said in an instant!
I had two conversations that changed my mind about Twitter.  First, a mom of a high school student said that I needed to be on Twitter.  I’m a pastor and I like to stay connected to our congregation, and in my opinion, very few were on Twitter so what was the point?  Well, the high school students were all using Twitter.  They next conversation was with two friends who were using Twitter to follow live events that were not being broadcast.  After going back and forth for a while, I decided to make the leap.  I jumped on Twitter and currently follow 1000+ people and have 600+ followers.  So I am listening to others, and some are listening to me.

Fifty years ago the church filled all three of those roles.  People who were looking for answers could find them (or at least be pointed in the right direction) in church.  People looking for connection and relationship could find them in the church.  People wanting to be heard could be heard in the church.
Our world has changed.  Has the church?  Do we still have a chance to fulfill those vital needs?  Has our season in the United States gone?
Those questions will not be answered by me here.  I’m not sure if there is answer.  And if there is, many of us might not like it.
The “Death Tsunami” that is approaching the Mainline denominations quickly.  Many are in decline.  Less and less “attend” church.  Some churches are doing well, and by some I mean a handful in each city or state.
I love the church.  No, I don’t love a building, but the body of Christ.  As a pastor I need to love God and love neighbor.  A few pastors I know don’t really enjoy their jobs.  In fact, one was reported to say, “I don’t like these people.”  If you don’t like people and you don’t find joy in laboring for the Lord, what in the world are you doing trying to lead a church?

What role can we fill?  Who are we called to be in the next twenty years?  Shall we just hold on to what we have, take care of our own and just die gracefully?

I pray not.  If the “church” is to survive and thrive, we need to do a few things.
1- Help people find answers to their deepest spiritual questions- not tell them the answer, but help them find a path to the One who has the answers.  The Bible is a wonderful guidebook!
2. Help people connect- not just in a church building, but with each other outside the walls, maybe, dare a I say, in a completely different model of church known as house churches.
3. Let people be heard.  Listening is something that some of us don’t do well.  Listen to God and listen to your neighbor.

It’s time the church moved beyond just sharing the love of God with their neighbors who attend church on Sunday.  There is a vast ocean of people who never encountered a “Christian” that helped them find God.  The soul moving experience of Jesus Christ in your life should inspire us to share His message and help those in need.

Oh yeah, the Apple thing.  Apple is an innovative, visionary company that does most everything (except apple tv) with excellence.  Do your best at reaching God and neighbor.  Don’t say it’s good enough.  Do everything you can to make a positive difference for Christ wherever you are and wherever you go.
Dont’ be like the world, be a light in the darkness for the world.

Go in peace and go with God.

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Prevailing wisdom and philosophies do not cover all of a generation.  No, it is sadly and usually the loudest that are heard.  So in the following, this is not all inclusive or encompassing.  It is an attempt to explain why things, for some, are very confusing.  I know members of all these generations who get it.  I know some who don’t.  All that matters is LOVE.  If you struggle understanding why Twitter is so popular, the following will help.


Color Inside the Lines (silent generation)

When I was in kindergarten, I remember Miss Mapes teaching us all “color inside the lines”.  We sat at our desks (divided tables) working diligently to make sure that not one bit of color went outside the lines.  At the time of course, we were only given one coloring sheet so if we messed up, no second chance, no extra credit, you failed.  It was an exercise in discipline and framed the standards of the education we would receive from then on.  And that phrase continued to meet me in my work, personal and educational life.  The very tired phrase of “we’ve never done it that way before” comes to mind with this mindset.
That teaching, philosophy and learning carries many people through much of their life.  Just keep your head down, go along to get along, and don’t rock the boat.  In a world with much certainty, jobs that lasted at the same company until retirement, families that didn’t move 4-5 times while the kids were growing up, and a deep sense of community and trust developed over time, that worldview worked and help together the fabric of society.  It was the prevailing wisdom of the Silent generation.  Interestingly, no member of the Silent generation was ever elected President, and many of them have faded from the social and political world.

Color Outside the Lines (boomer generation)

In the late 1990’s, while I was in grad school, a new phrase began to emerge.  That phrase was “color outside the lines”.  There are several books that claim the phrase in their title, but I remember hearing professors use it frequently.  It was touted as the next great philosophy.  Bend the rules.  Live in the gray of the world.  The words both/and were lifted up as well.  This idea took hold and many pushed a can’t we agree to disagree view.  Not only that, but it lifted up a kind of dualism of attempting to live in both worlds of two arguments.
This view comes from the Boomer generation.  Boomers grew up in a time of significant change in society.  Worldviews were shifting and changing with each new protest and dramatic political decision made in the 1960’s.  There were several deaths of prominent leaders in the US that caused many boomers to question authority, purpose, meaning and the stability of the world.  They are known as the protest generation, although many of that generation moderated with age and became more like the previous generation in regard to work.
For many, “color outside the lines” was a revolutionary statement made from the Boomers to the next few generations.

There Are No Lines (Gen X and beyond)
In what appears to be an evolution of thought, which has been built upon the work of others, I would postulate something different.  How about, “there are no lines”.  In a world that attempts to be bound by rules and control, there are no lines.  What kept us apart for many years is long since gone.
In a world of deep interconnectedness through the web, new connections and ideas can be assimilated and adapted immediately.  The edges are now all soft.
Generation X grew up in a very similar time as the Boomers, but with significant adaptation of new technologies.
Things are blending together so quickly, that there is not enough time to define it, other than to say, there are no lines.  And this new world, it is for sure and definitely NOT FLAT!
Stop trying to find the lines, follow the lines or color over the lines.
There are no lines.  Once you recognize this, you will finally discover the lines you see were self imposed.  Only try and realize the truth.
There are no lines.
The world is an empty canvass.  Make of it what you will.

Sadly many do not understand this and use rules and regulations to abuse those who disagree.  Many will attempt to understand, but try and merge a misguided and well- meaning version.  It won’t work.

We are predisposed to repeat the past, unless we choose to change it.

Do we wonder why Gen X and the Millenials have slowly faded from church?  This is why.

Seek the abiding and magnificent love of God.  Receive it.  Share it.  Live it.  And please reject the rules based religions that bind you up, and keeps you from true peace and happiness.

Embrace the full love of God in Jesus Christ.

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One of the more difficult aspects to following Christ for many is actually sharing our faith story.  Whether it’s a cultural thing here in the US or the inability of the modern church to actually train people to share their faith, it’s a thing.

So, here are a few easy tips to sharing your faith and pointing people to Christ.

1- Let people around you know you are a follower of Jesus Christ.  Your co-workers, classmates, family, friends (facebook friends/twitter followers) should know you are a Christian by your words and deeds.

2- Actually invite people to share their story with you.  It can be as simple as-
“Hey, tell me about where you grew up.”
“What brought you here?”
“What are you doing this weekend?’

3- Listen, listen, listen.  Listening to other people share their story is a powerful experience if you really listen.  I’ve found that everyone has a pretty amazing life story if you just listen.  Listening means you care about someone enough to hear their story.

4- Share your problems with others- be honest and let people know how your faith has helped you.

5- Pass on some good reads to others like- “Crazy Love” by Francis Chan, “The Circle Maker” by Mark Batterson or “Heaven is For Real” by Todd Burpo.  Those are amazing books.

6- Speak well of your church and church leaders.  If you don’t, it probably reflects more on your journey than your church.

7- Invite, invite, invite.  Most churches have several seeker friendly events throughout the year.  Some churches actually make worship a safe and friendly place as well.

8- If someone asks you a faith question you can’t answer, set up a coffee with your pastor to talk about their question.

9- Start a Bible study and invite people to join.

10- Bring someone to Christmas or Easter services.

Finally, make sure that in all you do and say that you

Glorify God

That Your life is a living Testimony to the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ

and

Your apply the teachings of God’s word and Jesus Christ to your life.

If you do these things, your life will serve as a beacon to those who are far from God.  Your life will light the way in the darkest storms.

Go in peace and go with God.

p.s. It wouldn’t hurt to share the facebook status of your pastor or church page and invite others to join your in worship.