Winning Souls for Christ? Or Attracting Visitors?

Sitting at my kitchen table, smells of Chicken Parm in the air, I sit at my computer screen reading CNN.com's Religion Blog. When I should have the delicious taste of juicy chicken, bold sauce, garlicy bread, and crisp salad in my mouth, instead, I have the taste of remorse, disgust, and agony for the people that call themselves Christians. 

Now before you read this I ask you to have an open mind about what I have to say, and read this with the commission on the Gospel in your minds and hearts. 

Read this article (http://www.wlwt.com/r/25961768/detail.html)

A replica of Noah's Ark? A replica of an object that possibly never existed. 

What happened to the message of Christ? Does a $24.5 million museum really fit into the Gospel Message of Jesus Christ? I would strongly argue that it doesn't.

Its great what the company is trying to do. Attract visitors to a "Godly" object in hopes of winning a soul over to Christ with its wooden beauty, its stunning craftsmanship, and its sanded perfection. Wait, does that sound right? No, I think not. Instead, are they hopping to increase their visitors, up their donations, and sky-rocket their profits made from a Biblical object? Now that sounds more like it. 

Now I may be completely off. This company may take their profits and invest them into a charity, or another Christian organization. I have no clue, my only evaluation is to the article I read. it seems to me like some Christians are ignoring the real issues plaguing the world and our responsibilities that Jesus gave us in the Gospel. 

World hunger, social injustice, racism, and many, many more issues that need attention. Instead on constructing a $24.5 million project dedicated to a questionable Biblical object lets dig a little deeper and become the real Christians God has called us to be. Save a life, feed a village, stop abuse, wreck hunger, give accordingly, volunteer, be good stewards, and love like our Savior Jesus Christ loved. 

Matthew 25:35-40


"For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
    
“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? ³⁹When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
   
 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’" 

Brokenness, Darkness, Salvation

Is it almost over? First semester of my Sophomore year of college is FINALLY, almost over.

This year has been a real struggle for me in my social life as well as my ministerial life. I have dealt with a lot of internal issues, and if you know me, I tend to keep those to myself and struggle with them on my own. I have been in a state of confusion, a state of brokenness and pain. I haven't been myself. I haven't been Austin. 

This year in the Christian Leadership Center we are grappling with the problems and struggles of the world. We are assessing ourselves and looking withing to find our gifts and passions. We want to figure out how those gifts and passions can unite with the needs and struggles of the world to bring about change. We want to take away the problems, hurt, strife, and pain of this world and replace it with the Kingdom of God that is within us to glorify God and make his name known to this ENTIRE WORLD. 

This has been a struggle for me....

My Senior year of High School was an amazing year for me because I gave my entire self over to God and asked him to use me for His glory. I acknowledged that God placed a calling upon my life to pursue a career sharing His Word and making His Name known. I praise and thank God for this amazing burden he has placed upon my life. Notice that I called it a burden....

When we live in union with Christ as a believer of His Word and His Spirit, we are sacrificing our life and giving ourselves as a living sacrifice to Him. God did not promise us a smooth ride upon the road of life. This road that we chose is not smooth, it has a lot of bumps, a lot of twists and turns, and a lot of ups and downs. 

I find myself in a rut, I find myself in a valley. 

Lately, I have struggled with my calling from God. Not in a sense of "am I called," but more along the lines of where am I called. I always thought that God graced me with certain gifts that would lead me to pastoral ministry, but I'm starting to question that. This Tuesday at our student led worship service our campus minister said this, "Maybe sometimes a leader who has always led from the front needs to step back, and the ones who have led from the back needs to step forward." This got me thinking...

Am I on the right road? Did God call me to this type of ministry? 

I couldn't help to relate my life in this moment to the life of Jonah. Jonah, in my interpretation, was in a place of darkness, a place of uncertainty. God called Jonah, Jonah did not want to listen. He wanted to go this route, much like the route that I am on. I think this is where I am called. But is it? Jonah then, as we know, get swallowed by the whale. Thats where I am finding myself, in the whale. I too am in the darkness, I am in the brokenness, I am in the strife. Maybe I don't want to listen...maybe I don't know what my Nineveh is?

I found hope and truth tonight in one statement. "..its in the brokenness where we find truth and salvation." PRAISE GOD! I know that when I come to the table of the Lord, when I come to feast at Communion, God will reveal himself to me in the brokenness. God will reveal himself to me in the whale. God will reveal himself to me in the darkness. 

I am no longer afraid....

One True Way?

They say you only remember roughly 7% of what your pastor says on Sunday morning... I couldn't remember even that! For some reason my attention was just not caught yesterday at church. Have you ever been that way? Your listening, but your not tuned in??

My pastor did say something though that did stick with me...quite possibly the only thing i could remember about her sermon! During the end she quoted Martin Luther saying this (not 100% accurate) "denominations are just another path that leads away from the one true way of worshiping and praising God as set forth in the Word from the beginning."

Now that caught my attention. Being a Religious Studies major these kinds of quotes bring about many many questions! This intrigued me throughout my day yesterday and today, so i felt like I should spend some time on it reflecting. This is what I came up with....

Is the way we are worshiping in our churches the right way? If not, whats wrong about it?

Reflecting on this quote makes me go back to these churches who think they are the only ones getting into heaven and the rest of us are doomed to damnation in hell forever! What about their style makes them better than us? And why do they think this? Obviously they aren't doing it just like the Bible explains...Actually, does the Bible even give us any guidelines?

We see in Paul's letters that he goes around setting up these makeshift churches in towns. These churches are in the homes of the people of the "church." Paul never really tells them how to worship or even how to praise God. Basically all he instructs them to do is "honor God" in their own way.

We would like to think that we are honoring God with how we worship wouldn't we? But did you know that there are more ways to worship than just at church? When we are in church we are in what I would like to refer to it as "corporate worship." We go in and we have this set schedule and way of doing things that invites God in, but thats not it... True worship goes beyond the church and into your daily life with "personal worship". Im a very strong believer that faith is what you make it..your not going to agree 100% with how your church does it, but when you leave you can make it your own!

THAT, my friends is the one true way Martin Luther was referring to...personal worship and personal praise.
Thanks be to God for allowing us to explore ways of worship!

Fear of Faith

I have preached quite a few sermons, given too many studies on Faith Sharing. Its easy to talk about it, but its quite hard to act upon it. I tell my friends, youth, and fellow church members that sharing your faith is an essential aspect of ministry and Christian living. But am I following my own advice. I'd like to think so, but most often than not Im being a hypocrite. Its time to change that! This summer I took a job waiting tables at the fish house in Sterlington, la. Several times pastors have came in and left me the typical booklet in my servers book that say without these words "I was too scared to say this for fear of rejection, but here is what I SHOULD say about God" I find it funny that pastors come in and leave without saying a word about ministry or God. You cant walk away from someone talking, but you can throw a piece of paper away!

A few nights ago, I had a two couples come in and sit in my section. It was the typical grab a beer, have a laugh, and leave type and I dont mind this type I find them actually entertaining. Being the kind of person I am, I like to talk to my customers and make their experience as good as it can be! I found that only the ladies divulged into some Vodka and that the men restrained. Kind of odd if you ask me! One lady made this comment.."..Oh they dont drink, or smoke, they are the good ones of the bunch." Then the man proceeded to say, "yea and you wont catch us in church on Sunday morning either." That just hit me wrong. Should I say something, should I leave a meaningless pamphlet? I decided that it was time to listen to my advice and take action.

I joked with the couple the rest of the night, and when they left I made a reserved, but very forward comment, "so, sir will I see you in church on Sunday?" That was all it took and a wonderful conversation ensued to my surprise. I learned that he knew one of my fellow church members and with a smile he says, "I will be there."

This morning when I walked through the doors, there he sat! I was so shocked. All it took was a simple smile, simple question, and listening ears....The man responded, God did his job and led the man to church this morning!

After church was over the man came up to me with tears in his eyes and told me thank you for saving him one more time. For it was three years ago that God saved him through a heart attack. This man had been dead for over 10 minutes and was revived, and in that moment he found God. He confessed to me that he had ran away from God not too long ago and that when I asked him about church he knew God was calling him once again! He also told us that he found God at church this morning! Praise God!

Next week the man wants to share his story to the whole congregation..Oh how I can not wait for this moment! Faith in God always prevails! Never be afraid to share your story, never be afraid to ask, and never doubt the power of God! He never fails....