Breaking the Cycle

People who molest children, people with various addictions, and people with other destructive behaviors are often part of a historical but tragic cycle.

So are Christian movements and local churches. History demonstrates that the older they get, the more inward they turn. The more established and organized a belief system gets the more it tends to shift focus away from outreach as it focuses more and more on the comfort or survival of the institution.

This cycle is easily seen when comparing the traits of the Christian movement in England today versus that church in the eighteenth century. All of Europe illustrates this on a somewhat macro level – although there are bright and wonderful exceptions.

And many would say that the Christian movement in the USA is headed in the same direction. Are we caught in this same cycle? Could the exciting movements in Africa and Asia only be in earlier parts of the cycle, but bound for a London-type demise?

Cycles and trends are real and powerful, but they do not have the last word. Personal responsibility and the grace of God can always trump the negative influence of history.

A core belief of those who follow Jesus is this – The past does not have to predict the future.

If Christianity in our culture is spiraling into self-centered institutionalism on the way to irrelevance and dissolution, what are you doing to end the cycle? What can we do?

Here are actions steps for me, and maybe you:

1. Read the whole Bible. Not just the parts that feature blessings for me and my family.
2. Do not separate outreach and service from biblical knowledge, exciting worship or discipleship.
3. Pray with my eyes open to the needs of the world not just my family and circle.
4. Invest resources in faithfulness to Acts 1:8.
5. Speak up lovingly, but firmly at church regarding priorities, the poor, the lost… and new carpet for the sanctuary.
6. Remind children that all Christians are ministers. There is no difference between those paid for ministry and those disciples who are not paid.
7. Worship no idols, including family, wealth and security.
8. Be courageous.

What do you think? For more ways to break the cycle and follow Jesus, visit www.iFollowCommunity.com.

Living in Friday without Sunday

Here is what I woke up thinking about this morning.

The news spread quickly, “Jesus of Nazareth, the Messiah, has been crucified.” Despair. Crashed hopes. Frustration. Self-doubt. It seemed that the dream had died.

We know the rest of the story. Hallelujah!

But the Spirit will not let me sing “Christ is risen” without remembering those who continue to live in despair. Those who don’t yet know God came to earth. For them, this is just another day.

Hasta Luego vs. Goodbye

Life is full of farewells. A child goes off to college, gets married, heads off to a new job, joins the military or goes to the mission field. Friends move to another church or relocate to another city. A spiritual mentor takes a different position. Or a loved one passes away.

Next Monday my sweet mother will have surgery for colon cancer. The prognosis is actually great. As long as she survives the shock of surgery itself, she should not have to face chemo or radiation. Sarah Loftin is 85 years old.

I fully expect Mama to survive the ordeal of surgery, by the grace of God. So my ramblings here are not about death, but rather about the farewells of life.

Consider two phrases used for farewell. Goodbye is a rather dismal although well-intentioned parting. A few months ago our daughter Meme was packing up her car in order to head back to Mississippi State. In a moment of fatherly tenderness, I whispered to her, “Goodbye, baby.” To which Meme responded, “Daddy! Don’t be so….. I’ll see you in a couple of weeks.” She had the right perspective.

That’s why I like the Spanish farewell. Hasta luego is full of hope and faith - “I will see you later.” Hasta luego reminds me of the certainty of sunrise no matter how dark the night. I think of the new heaven and new earth made possible by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ (Rev. 21:1-4).

No matter what shakes our world – earthquakes or surgery – Christians never have to say goodbye. On Monday January 18 I will kiss my mother and tell her, “See you later.” And I will.

Thank you for praying for Sarah Loftin, and her four children, Beverly, Pat, Kathy and James. God is faithful.

How can I be praying for you?