Race, Reconciliation and the Church

Some humble reflections on race and the Church from one in recovery – 

1. Because of poor biblical exposition, self-centeredness, fear and other factors, churches and religious organizations have often been the cause and/or encouragement of racism.
2. Effectiveness as a minister requires a commitment to reconciliation, equality, partnership and shared leadership.  These will be very unlikely unless racial healing has been specifically addressed.
3. Diversity is not the same thing as reconciliation.
4. People in areas populated by numerous races (diverse, instead of just two races and a clear majority/minority), may have a hard time understanding areas where race is such a factor – numerically, economically, historically and politically. The requirements of Christian love and holiness do not vary from place to place. However, the challenge of reconciliation is quite different in a small, rural town with two races and a history of racial tension as opposed to a metropolitan area with twenty races and no such history.  
5. Wise churches will create programs, policies and staffing patterns that foster reconciliation and equality.
6. Freedom from this sin, fear, demon and disease is ultimately found in Christ alone.

When this healing process began in my life I had no idea that I would ever be involved in missions and outreach. The process of racial reconciliation has been extremely important in my ability to effectively serve people in other cultures. Over the past 25 years I have had the privilege of serving in America and over 30 other countries. Whatever effectiveness I have had would have been greatly hindered, if not impossible, if God had not initiated the work of racial healing in my life – as part of sanctification, this process continues today.

Your Turn
Regardless of what race is dominant in your church or organization, what are some things it has done to promote racial equality and reconciliation?

What is the difference between an authentic action and tokenism? 

God help us all.

Part 3 of 3 in honor of MLK… and for the glory of God

After the Worship Service, What?

Today is Halloween, whatever that means (as I try to upload this post at 8:00pm, I keep running to the front door to pass out candy). But today is also Reformation Day.

Reformation Day commemorates Martin Luther’s posting of his Ninety-five Theses on the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany on October 31, 1517. This act triggered a movement in world history that became known as the Reformation. While it had profound and lasting impacts on the political, economic, social, literary, and artistic aspects of society, the Reformation was at its heart a religious movement.

Over the centuries, much of the Roman Catholic Church had slipped into a form of religion that was significantly disconnected from the teachings of Christ and Scripture. By the 16th century it was plagued with false doctrines, superstition and corruption – all tragically supported by monks, priests, bishops, and even popes. Earnest people tried to justify themselves by charitable works, offerings, and other religious performances required by the church. But they were left wondering if they had done enough to appease God’s anger and escape His punishment. This widespread condition kept the coffers of the church filled with tithes and the institution’s leaders in control. The core biblical doctrine of justification was missing – In His love and mercy, God offers every person forgiveness and salvation not because of what we do, but because of what Christ has done.

The Holy Spirit used an Augustinian friar named Martin Luther to help restore grace and faith to the central place Christian doctrine. All Christians (not just Lutherans, Methodists, Presbyterians, Episcopalians, etc.) should take this opportunity to thank God for the assurance of our salvation and the certainty of our eternal reward due to the grace of God demonstrated by the sacrifice of His Son and our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Please know that this post is not a “slam” on the Roman Catholic Church. The forces that caused sections of the RC to fall away from biblical discipleship have impacted (and continue to impact) every other section of the Church. All of us are tempted to preach and live forms of discipleship that are works- not grace-oriented.

Here is my question. Reformation Day is about the omission of the biblical doctrine of justification. What about the disconnection between doctrine and duty, beliefs and service, knowledge and experience, the vertical worship of God and horizontal participation with God in His mission?

When you leave a worship service, “where” do you go? Is there any real, tangible, explicit connection between your worship and your involvement in God’s mission? Or after worship do you just go back to focus on your family, friends, job, football team, etc.?

Where is the “Martin Luther” that will call this doctrinal and discipleship omission to the attention of the Church?

When will there be a “Mobilization Day” in addition to Reformation Day?

For the greater glory of God and the good of the world.

Football and Jesus?

There are probably several reasons that my MSU Bulldogs don’t win more football games – including the fact that Mississippi is a small and poor state with many universities, and MSU has the lowest athletic budget in the conference. But here is one reason that may even be more important.

Inside sources (K and R) tell me that one of Alabama coach Nick Saban’s keys to success involves getting in the heads of players (in addition to having a “billion” dollars for staff, facilities, referees*, etc.). At Bama, players expect to win. Saban and the players expect perfect execution by everyone. They expect to be #1.

Conversely, MSU players and fans have often been heard saying things like –
Well, we played hard…
At least we kept it close…
But our defense looked good…
Wait till next year…

The humble goals and expectations of MSU football often involve going to a bowl (any bowl), not finishing at the bottom of the SEC, and of course, defeating TSUN (the school up north – aka Ole Miss).

As the Dogs gear up to face Florida tomorrow in the Swamp, the main challenge of MSU coach Dan “the Man” Mullins is to get in the heads of his players – Expect to win. Perfection in passion and execution is possible.

What in the world does this have to do with Jesus and me and you?

As Christ followers and communities of Christ followers (churches), we can easily adopt a loser or good-enough mentality. It sounds like this – At least I’m better than she is. Our church is doing more in mission than that church. We are doing better than we did last year. Our congregation is pretty old (or poor or whatever).

But how does the Lord of life and the Church see us? Perhaps Jesus wants to get in our minds with words like this.

You are my child. You are created in my image. I have equipped you to successfully perform everything I have called you to do.
I have chosen to use you in my global mission. No matter who you are, you can impact the world as you run with Me in ministry.
This journey will cost you plenty, even your life. But you will be blessed one day to hear me whisper, “Well done, good and faithful servant…”

No bets on the game tomorrow. It will probably take a Lazarus-type miracle for the Dogs to gobble up the Gators and give them their third loss in a row. But the score will largely be determined by the attitude and expectation of the men on the field.

Football and Jesus. It’s something to think about.

Go Dogs!

*KIDDING ABOUT REF’S. JUST A LITTLE SEC HUMOR…

Leadership Attributes

I greatly enjoyed sitting at the feet of Maxie Dunnam (and Jesus) in worship last Sunday in Memphis. As he shared, I began to think of attributes that combine to make him so effective on the platform and as a Christian leader.

Are you a leader – know a leader – looking for a leader? Think of this list:

Joyful, passionate, persuasive, pastoral, concentrates on transformation not just information, provides theological (biblical, philosophical) context for the message, calls people to “be” not just to “do,” celebrates what God has done (grace), challenges people to join in God’s mission beyond church walls, and acknowledges the mystery of the Gospel (“I don’t have all the answers…”).

Thanks Maxie. May your numbers grow… for the renewal of the church, the glory of God and the good of the world.

PS – This blog is about leadership not Maxie. To my knowledge, he has plenty to do and is not looking for a job!

Another Tentmaker

A few months ago I had a series of wonderful but disturbing “aha” moments regarding the church in America, the needs of the world, and my role in God’s mission. The information was not new to me, but God brought several factors into focus in a way that moved me.

I love the Church of Jesus Christ, but most people would agree that the church in America is broken and needs transformation. Jesus came to seek and to save the lost and to bring healing and hope to the hurting. Jesus calls the church to follow Him in this mission, but we are distracted with other duties and preoccupations. This is true for entire churches as well as individuals.

Much of my time and the time of other leaders is dedicated to facilitating relatively easy and “non-invasive” changes in the systems of local churches – increase giving to missions, send more short term mission trips, preach more about the mission of God, help the poor in the community, etc. However, I am now convinced that pervasive and foundational changes need to be implemented as soon as possible. The type changes I am suggesting may not be universally affirmed, but something has to be done. Changes in the two areas I am suggesting will release a much greater portion of the church’s resources (time, prayer and finances) to be used in addressing the underserved needs in our communities and around the world. Deal with this sad fact – 41% of the people in the world have no access to the Gospel.

I began to follow Jesus in 1970 as part of a spiritual awakening among teenagers across the nation. I made this course-altering commitment weeks before my senior year at Wingfield High School in Jackson, MS. My chief spiritual mentor coached us to do a few things well – study the Bible, pray and share the Good News. The gang of young folks under his leadership kept those disciplines passionately. One year later, I heard God call me to “full time ministry.” My dream of being a rich banker was replaced. I subconsciously assumed, “Instead of receiving a paycheck from a bank, I guess I’ll be paid by a church.” Since my sophomore year in college the only income I have earned has been from churches and non-profit ministries. Recently I realized that few Christians in history or around the world today connect calling to ministry with “paychecks” – at least not like I have.

Approximately 80% of a local church’s finances (and I expect prayer and volunteers) are allocated for needs related to its buildings and paid staff. I’m not sure what I can do about church buildings, but I can do something about the salary issue. In keeping with the pattern of the Apostle Paul and the vast majority of Christian workers over the ages and around the world today, in March I decided to become a tentmaker, a bi-vocational Christian worker (Acts 18:1-4 NIV). I want to model this ministry lifestyle, not just talk about it.

Within one week of this commitment, I was approached and recruited by the founder and director of Awake Consulting and Coaching (www.awakeconsulting.com). This spring the FOI board affirmed my request to begin a relationship with Awake, and I am now working with my first two clients. I have been amazed by the similarities between the coaching I have done with church leaders and the coaching I am providing to business leaders. Some healthy cross-pollination is taking place. Regarding my time and energy, I am fitting my consulting work into my FollowOne schedule. This is easy since much of my consulting work is done via teleconference.

I want to discourage any perception that “James left the ministry” or that “FollowOne is closing.” FollowOne continues to be strong as we strategically engage in God’s mission. The change in my vocational situation is due to God’s call on my life, and it is consistent with FollowOne’s commitment to help churches more effectively, sacrificially and strategically participate in God’s mission.

FollowOne, like most churches and ministries, is feeling a financial pinch. The sour economy, however, is not the driver for my vocational shift. As my income from consulting clients begins and grows, the amount of money paid to me by FollowOne will be reduced.

Pray for me in this new chapter of my life. This is God’s calling for me. That doesn’t make me better or worse than other Christians, but perhaps my witness will help people consider new ways to respond to God’s call.

Pray also for the men and women being called to ministry in America. Consider the fact that God has impacted entire nations through the faithful service of unpaid or tentmaker ministers in cooperation with a very small number of full-time paid Christian workers. There is, of course, a great need for faithful and effective Christian workers to be paid for their services, and some of them need full time support. But thousands of other workers would be just as effective if a portion of their income was from a tentmaker position. This change would release millions of dollars for ministry to the unreached and underserved people in our communities and around the world.

If you have questions or concerns about my new tentmaker status, please contact me. I want to hear from you. Here I stand – for the glory of God, for the soul of the church and for the good of the world.

So what do you think?

Ideas? Questions? Concerns? Scripture? Let’s talk.