Author: pastorlynnmalone

New Places, New Spaces…

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The Church of Jesus Christ is always on the move, and today the Haughton Global Methodist Church begins worship in its new home. It is a new place and a new space and I know the congregation is excited about worshipping for the first time in this new place.

The space is located at 966 Highway 80 in Haughton, LA. It was a church in one of its former lives, but it has been a physical therapy office in its most recent life. We will re-consecrate the space this morning at 10:30 a.m. for use as a place of worship, and I’d love to invite you to join us if you’re in the Haughton/Bossier City area.

I need to commend the congregation on its hard work over the past month in getting the space ready to occupy. Countless hours of service have gone into the process of converting the space back to its original purpose. Let me say, “Thank you” to all those servants who have been so diligent (and so generous) in doing what was necessary to accomplish the task. Great work!

Today will be my first opportunity to see the space after all the work is completed (will it ever really be completed?). I’m excited to see it and to lead worship for the first time in this new place. I’m excited to see all that the Lord has planned for the space and for the congregation.

I’m looking forward to getting to know the Haughton community in a deeper way. It’s going to be a challenge for me as a bi-vocational pastor, but I pray the Lord opens doors and provides opportunities for the congregation to grow and flourish in the community. I covet your prayers for the congregation, too.

Perhaps this new space in this new place will be an encouragement for new people to explore the Kingdom of God. Maybe there are those in the Haughton/East Bossier area who have been waiting for a new place and I pray the Holy Spirit will open their hearts to take a step of faith in hearing His call to salvation in their lives. Would you pray that prayer with me, too?

This new space and new place is located right next door to an oil change place. I find that only a little humorous and ironic. I spend six days a week at an oil change place and now I’ll be leading worship next door to an oil change place. Providential? Who know? I’m just trying to figure out ways we can be a good neighbor. I must confess that I’m also trying to figure out ways to use it evangelistically. We’ll pray the Lord opens doors for both to occur. Will you pray that prayer with us?

Anyway, my blogs may become less frequent now. Most of my Sunday morning time will be spent preparing for worship. They may even be spent finishing the message for that day. Of course, that’s happened before. Either way, the Lord’s got this. The Lord guided us into this, and I know that where the Lord guides, the Lord provides. I’m anxious to see how He does so in this case.

So, that’s all for this week’s blog. I don’t know when the next one might be written, but I’m anxious to see the story He is writing in the life of the Haughton Methodist Church.

Until next time, keep looking up…

Must Be Something in the Water…

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Well, dang! It’s happened again…and in the Dallas, Texas area, too. What has happened again? Another prominent pastor has fallen from grace.

Pastor Steve Lawson, pastor (well, former pastor now) of Trinity Bible Church in Dallas, Texas was removed from his ministry by the elders of the church last week because of an “inappropriate relationship” with a woman who was not his wife. (Read more about the story here).

I’m not here to dump on Pastor Lawson. He’s got enough people doing that. I do want to say, though, there must be something in the water in the Dallas area that is affecting pastors. Only this past June, two very high profile pastors resigned or were removed from ministry in the Dallas area for the same issue facing Pastor Lawson. (I wrote about those two persons here).

I’ll say that Pastor Lawson (who is 73 years old!) is/was a passionate preacher. I’ve listened to a number of his sermons through the years, and have read a couple of his books (he’s written over 30). When he preached, he always preached with certainty and authority (that’s my kind of preaching). He may not have always been right, but he was never in doubt. He was, by all accounts, a holy man used mightily by God for His glory.

A Christian Reaction to Non-Christian Behavior

As one might expect, the ordeal has the Christian community scratching its collective head wondering what is going on with all these “holy” people. Are they living sham lives, false lives, hypocritical lives?

The non-Christian community is not asking the questions, they’re simply saying that all Christianity is a sham and that all Christians are hypocrites (they might be correct on the hypocrite part). Lawson just happens to be the latest example to their point.

As I have reflected over the past week on Lawson’s situation, I’ve found myself asking the same questions. The easier path would be to dismiss these fallen pastors as charlatans and move on, but in so doing we might overlook some truth and miss what God is doing in the midst of it all. So, where is the truth?

First, we need to clarify that we are ALL sinners saved by the amazing grace of God in Jesus Christ. Both preacher and parishioner are subject to sin because as the Apostle Peter reminds us “Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8 NIV). The devil can devour the preacher as easily as the parishioner.

Second, these pastors were removed or stepped away from vocational ministry. Appropriately so, I might add. The sins to which they’ve either admitted or accused are of the disqualifying sort–at least until repentance is made and restoration practiced (that’s a whole other discussion).

Clergy should be held to a higher standard, but even acknowledging that fact, I am reminded of the words of Oswald Chambers: “The call of God has nothing to do with salvation and sanctification; it isn’t because you are saved and sanctified that you’ve been called to preach.” We are called to preach because God chose us to do so, and in so doing, placed a “divine compulsion” (the Apostle Paul’s words) within us.

Third, God uses both the holy and the unholy to minister to His people. This is where it gets sticky, but this is the point I want to make as I reflect on these events.

The Holy and The Unholy

I am reminded of Paul’s words to Timothy:

20 In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for special purposes and some for common use. 21 Those who cleanse themselves from the latter will be instruments for special purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work. (2 Timothy 2: 20 – 21 NIV)

Paul writes to Timothy to encourage him to rightly handle the Word of God. He even goes so far as to name two who have departed from the truth and brought confusion to the body of Christ. Yet, in his encouragement he admits that God’s house contains both holy and unholy vessels. Here’s the truth: God uses both!

Are the holy vessels more useful? Yes, obviously, but just because the holy vessels are MORE useful, doesn’t mean the Master does not utilize the unholy ones.

Please don’t hear me making excuses for these pastors and their failures. Their failures are their own and they must own them and deal with the consequences. What I am saying is don’t discount the good God has done through the ministry He entrusted to them–in spite of their failures. Stated another way: Don’t let the good God has done be negated by their unholy actions.

Nothing justifies their actions, but their actions don’t mean God wasn’t using them. So, why would God use unholy vessels? I can think of three reasons.

God and Unholy Vessels

The first reason is that God loves His people. He’s not using the person for the sake of the person. If He were, the person might begin to think that God owes him/her something because they’re “holy.” Or, the person might begin to think that God is okay with what he/she is doing…if it were all about the person. No, God is using the unholy for the sake of His people, and if another person’s life is touched in the course of that ministry, God has demonstrated His love for His people using an unholy vessel.

The second reason might be that God is storing up judgement/discipline for that “holy/unholy” person. Maybe God is giving that person the rope he/she is asking for, and surely, if you give a person enough rope he/she will hang themselves. Perhaps it is all about judgment/discipline towards His house. Is that not God using the unholy for His purpose?

The third reason is so that He can demonstrate the riches of His grace. God’s is an amazing and extravagant grace, and He gives it in ways we don’t always understand, nor do we always like (ask the older brother in the Story of the Prodigal Son).

If God used only holy people, it wouldn’t be long before all the holy people would be pointing to themselves thinking everything was happening because they are so holy. No, everything is happening because God is so gracious. It is always and forever about what God is doing, never ever about what we are doing.

So, I suppose we should let this be a warning to all of us (especially those of us in ministry). So, I heed the warning by seeking to live a holy life, by confronting the sin that is within me, and by crucifying the passions and lusts of the flesh on a daily basis…well, because holiness is such a daily endeavor. And I do it not for ministry success, but because I’m a disciple of Jesus Christ.

Yes, God uses holy vessels in a greater way than unholy ones, but God can, and sometimes does, use people who are undeserving. And, He does it whether I like it or not.

Until next time, keep looking up…

A Little R & R…

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Broken Bow Getaway

I write this morning from beautiful Broken Bow, Oklahoma. Vanessa and I took a few days (very few) for some rest and recreation. It is our first journey to Broken Bow. It has been a very nice and relaxing time away, and it was much needed.

We really wanted to go to the beach…the beach (any beach) is our go-to spot for reconnecting with each other and to get away from it all, but unfortunately, there aren’t any beaches close enough to make it feasible for a three-day trip (three days is all we have). Broken Bow is only three hours or so from the house, so that left more time for doing nothing than spending a day driving to the beach…so, here we are.

It’s been enjoyable. It’s been relaxing. Both what we needed. We’ve eaten too much trying local restaurants (Grateful Head Pizza, Mountain Fork Brewery, Beaver’s Bend Restaurant, Buffalo Grill). We’ve napped both days. We’ve seen new sights. We’ve taken a boat ride on pristine Broken Bow Lake. We’ve soaked in a hot tub. We took a ride through Beavers Bend State Park. Dipped our toes in the river. Watched fishermen fishing for trout in the stream. I even slept in one morning of our trip.

We’ve scoped out a lot of territory for a return trip with the grandchildren. They’d probably enjoy it more than we have. There’s ATV riding and hiking and swimming and paddle boarding and fishing…all great outdoor activities. I could see us renting a pontoon boat for a day on Broken Bow Lake tubing and fishing and cooking. I’d love to get a guide and take the grandsons fly fishing. Vanessa says she and the granddaughter want to learn to fly fish, too. Maybe my son could bring a couple of his Cushman carts and we could do some ATV riding along the trails in the Ouachita National Forest. So much to do. So little time.

We needed some time away. The only “time away” Vanessa and I have had in 2024 was to the EMC Journey session in Copperas Cove, TX in May. That was a refreshing time away, for sure, but it was a “working” conference, so does it really count as vacation? No, I don’t think so.

That’s the way it is when you own your own business. What’s the old saying? “The eye of the master fattens the calf.” No one watches your business like you do. I now know why Bill Malone spent so much time at Malone’s Grocery and Hardware in Chatham, LA.

A New Journey

We also needed some time away because next Sunday, September 29th, Vanessa and I begin a new journey as pastor at Haughton Methodist Church. Their’s has been a challenging journey out of The United Methodist Church. They have been without a pastor for some time now and after much prayer and consideration, we feel called to serve them in this capacity.

The congregation has been meeting for a little over a year in the Holiday Inn in Bossier City (part of their challenging journey), but will soon be moving into their new home at 966 Highway 80 in Haughton, LA on October 6th. I look forward to being a part of this transition, and I’m excited about all the possibilities that exist to grow the Kingdom of God in the Haughton area.

Hey? If you’re in the area, we meet for coffee and fellowship at 10 a.m., with worship following at 10:30 a.m. Plan on joining us September 29th at the Holiday Inn on Highway 80 in Bossier City and on October 6th at our new home. We’d love to see you!

I’ll be serving as a bi-vocational pastor for as long as they’ll have me. I’ll be selling oil during the week and pastoring on the weekend. We’ll see how that works out. We gave it a try at Lakeview Methodist Church for a few months, but the day job made it difficult to commit to the congregation the time it needed to grow the congregation. My prayer is the same thing won’t happen this time with the Haughton congregation.

Right now, we’re at a staffing level with the business that I absolutely don’t have to be there ALL the time. Join me in prayer that it stays that way and that I can eventually be more than just a Sunday preacher in Haughton.

Anyhow…it’s time to get up, start packing up and make the drive back home and to the real world. Monday is coming and there is oil to sell, cars to service and the Gospel to preach. Next week, by God’s grace, I’ll be doing all three–rested and ready to do so!

Until next time, keep looking up…

Not Nearly Enough…

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A friend asked me a question this week. It was a simple question asked in sincerity, but it challenged me in a way I haven’t been challenged since I left full-time ministry.

What was the question? “How common in your career did you see pastors and leaders teaching entire sanctification?”

I had to think real hard the last time I heard a sermon on entire sanctification. Honestly, I couldn’t remember one. Honestly, I had to check my sermon file to see if I had ever preached one. Luckily, I found ONE sermon in my file. Entire sanctification is obviously something that was never high on my list of priorities to preach and teach.

Well, if it was impossible for me to remember if I had preached a sermon on entire sanctification, it was impossible to remember hearing one. I could only answer my friend with, “In The United Methodist Church, rarely!”

Perhaps that is what is wrong with The United Methodist Church (or any other Wesleyan denomination). The doctrine of entire sanctification lies at the heart of Wesleyan theology, and yet we (meaning me) rarely heard it preached (or preached it) from a Wesleyan pulpit.

Sure, we mentioned it (or heard it mentioned) in passing, but we never dug deeply into it or spent too much time on it. Let’s face it. When we pastors and laity went to Annual Conference, we didn’t get deep dives into Wesleyan theology. We got motivational speeches and rah-rah talks about best practices in ministry that we could take back to our congregations.

Same thing when we attended leadership conferences. Seriously, how many preachers (and laity) would ever sign up for a conference entitled “Sanctification Summit?” Nah! Not many. Instead, we’d rather flock to conferences with names like “Refuel,” or “The Global Leadership Summit,” or “Disciple Making Summit,” or the “Orange Conference” (what do oranges have to do with ministry?). After all, we want to grow our churches. I mean, isn’t that the point?

Entire Sanctification

Unless you’re a pastor in the Wesleyan tradition, you’re probably asking yourself, “What does he mean by entire sanctification?” I’m glad you asked.

Rev. John Wesley

Sanctification is a $3 theological word that means “holiness.” Well, if we don’t like the word sanctification, we probably like the word holiness even less. Me? Holy? Never! Yet, holiness is at the heart of John Wesley‘s theology, and we Wesleyans ought to be teaching it! Maybe that’s the key to our church growth? Maybe holiness is what will make the church stand out from the culture?

For most folks, holiness is reserved for monks, missionaries, mystics and martyrs, not everyday Mark and Mary. Nothing could be further from the truth. It was Chuck Colson who said, “Holiness is the everyday business of every Christian. It evidences itself in the decisions we make and things we do, hour by hour, day by day.”

Colson is correct, and his statement echoes the words of the Apostle Paul written to the Church at Thessolinica two thousand years ago. God’s will for our lives is holiness. Paul says so right there in chapter 4, verse 3: God wants you to be holy, so you should keep clear of all sexual sin. The NIV translates it this way: It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality. The KJV says it this way: For this is the will of God, even your sanctification.

Avoiding Holiness

One reason we shy away from holiness as a way of life is because of the “holier-than-thou” crowd. Actually, “holier-than-thou” is not really holiness at all. In Jesus’ day, the “holier-than-thou” crowd turned out to be the Pharisees—arrogant, prideful and self-righteous. Certainly not the traits Jesus would applaud and want his disciples to emulate. Rather, it was the Pharisees for whom Jesus reserved his most scathing condemnations.     

Another reason we might shy away from the word holiness is the word’s close association with the “holiness” movements of the late-19th century, and the Pentecostal and charismatic movements of the mid-to-late 20th century (which actually had their genesis in the Wesleyan tradition).

The extremes of those movements gave too many people in the church permission to separate themselves from holiness. Use whatever excuse we may to lay claim to our own unholiness, it doesn’t change the fact that God’s will for our lives is for us to be holy.

Perhaps a third reason we shy away from the teaching of holiness (entire sanctification) is because we confuse it with “perfection.” We think we have to be perfect, and after all, no one is perfect (boy! don’t I know that to be true?). How can I teach what I am not? How can I be what is impossible to be? Well, let’s go back to Wesley…

The Heart of John Wesley’s Theology

John Wesley helps us understand better in his A Plain Account of Christian Perfection. Holiness is not sinless perfection. Unconscious sin will always remain. No matter what level of holiness we attain, there will always be more room to grow. This fact helps us live in humility. It’s like Jesus would tell the Pharisees, “Take the log out of your own eye before you complain about the speck in your neighbor’s.” Knowing we have further room to grow keeps us from the holier-than-thou attitude.

Wesley would further say that holiness (or perfection) does not mean freedom from errors or mistakes. We’ll always have inaccurate perceptions, deal with deceptive apperances, have clouded memories and distorted opinions based on faulty information. It does not mean the sin nature has been eradicated. The seed of the sin nature still exists, and abiding outside of God’s grace leads to the sin nature conquering us.

And, Lord help us, holiness is not about freedom from temptations. As a matter of fact, Satan’s attacks will likely increase because he thinks he’s losing control.     

Well, if holiness is not that, what is it? For Wesley, as for the Apostle Paul, it is a heart full of love—love for God and love for neighbor. According to Paul, if we love God and love our neighbor, it changes our conduct. As our love for others increases, God establishes our hearts blameless in holiness. Our holiness is reflected in the way we treat others.

Waiting for Sanctification

Wesley, in his sermon The Scripture Way of Salvation would say it thusly:

“It is thus that we wait for entire sanctification; for a full salvation from all our sins, –from pride, self-will, anger, unbelief; or, as the Apostle expresses it, ‘”‘go unto perfection.'”‘ But what is perfection The word has various senses: here it means perfect love. It is love excluding sin; love filling the heart, taking up the whole capacity of the soul. It is love ‘”‘rejoicing evermore, praying without ceasing, in everything giving thanks’.”

“…we wait for entire sanctification…”

We wait. Sanctification is not an overnight thing. Sanctification is growing in grace. Sanctification is a moment-by-moment, day-by-day decision on our part. Yes, it is done through the power of the Holy Spirit, by the surrender of our will to His, but surrender is done daily by our choice–that’s called “free will.”

Attaining and Maintaining

Don’t think you can attain holiness (entire sanctification)? Oh, I think you underestimate the power of grace. Also, how uncouth would it be for the Lord to ask something of us that He knew we couldn’t achieve?

John Wesley said it this way: “Christ died to deliver sinners from not only the guilt but also the power of sin.” Our salvation (which is God’s will for our lives) would be an incomplete salvation unless it delivered us from sin’s power as well as sin’s penalty. God never intended the cross to address only the “judicial” matters of our sin. God equally intended the cross to reshape those who believe toward the holiness to which He calls us.

Salvation is the simplest thing to attain, but it is the hardest thing to maintain. It is in the maintaining that we reach what Wesley termed “entire sanctification, for a full salvation from our sins…” Salvation is attained through the simple act of believing. Salvation is maintained through the difficult act of obedience. Believing and obeying both demand surrender.

Full salvation is a long time coming, but salvation is attained and maintained as a child. As a child trusts to attain and as a child obeys to maintain, but maintaining is so much harder than attaining.

So, how often have we taught entire sanctification? Not nearly often enough. How often should we teach entire sanctification? Well, if we’re truly Wesleyan, a whole lot more often than we have.

Well, that just what I think, but I’m not the perfect pastor, which is probably why I haven’t preached and taught full salvation more often. Maybe by His grace, I’ll do better.

Until next time, keep looking up…

Grace and the Government…

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I just can’t seem to get politics off my mind (I can’t imagine why!). Perhaps writing about it will help to clear the many cobwebs that appear to be clouding my judgement these days. If I were exercising good judgment, I’d stay as far away from politics as I can, but I’m not exercising good judgment, so…

I am thinking primarily of the Apostle Paul’s instructions to the Roman Church in Romans 13. It gives me no small amount of heartburn to read his words, especially as I contemplate the future of this nation called the United States of America. Our choices for leadership aren’t stellar, but choose we must. Here is Paul’s counsel to the early church:

Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.2 Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted,and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. 4 For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience.

6 This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. 7 Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.

Romans 13: 1 – 7 (NIV)

I read Paul’s words and I think, “Yeah, right! I’m not submitting to that!” There is so much our government does that I don’t agree with…that seems down-right un-Christian. Why would I submit to that?

Pres. Ronald Reagan

I’m also reminded of President Ronald Reagan (the first President I had the pleasure of voting for, by the way–I also want to see the new movie). President Reagan once quipped, “I think you all know that I’ve always felt the nine most terrifying words in the English language are ‘I’m from the government and I’m here to help’.” His cynicism reflects my own.

The Roman Example

How can I read Paul’s words in light of my cynicism? First, I have to take off my American glasses. I think about government and my mind focuses (quite naturally) upon our federal government, our state government, or our local community governmental structures. The Apostle Paul didn’t have any of these in mind when he penned his counsel to the Roman church. Paul was living in a vastly different culture than our own, yet even then he could council disciples that the government was there to help.

Paul was living in a world dominated by the Roman Empire, and his council was somewhat shocking to the Christians living in Rome. The Roman Empire was one of the most evil and cruel empires to ever rule a larger part of the world.

The emperor at that time was Nero. He took pleasure in killing Christians. In fact, historians say that he burned many Christians as torches to light up his garden parties. Yet, in spite of its cruelty, immorality, and persecution of Christians, Paul said to submit to the government in Rome.

His instruction to submit is front and center in this passage. In his instruction to submit, Paul gives us insight into God’s vision and role of government, and his words still speak to those of us who seek to be faithful disciples of Jesus Christ.

God and the Government

Paul can’t help but remind the Roman Christians that God is the one who establishes governments. Three times Paul states that God has established all government authority. A quick reflection of biblical history confirms the fact.

When God wanted to take his people out of Egypt he broke the will of Pharaoh with ten plagues. In God’s dealings with his people he used the governments of the world to bring blessing or punishment as needed. God used the Assyrians to destroy Israel. God used Nebuchadnezzar to take his people into captivity in Babylon as punishment for their disobedience. There they repented and returned to the Lord. Then God brought in Cyrus, king of the Medes and Persians, to set his people free and place them back in the Promised Land. The Old Testament indicates that the Lord blessed all people through Cyrus.

In the New Testament, God continues pulling the strings of kings and governments. God’s timing is always right! Luke’s gospel (Luke 2) tells us “At that time the Roman emperor Augustus…” God’s Son was to enter the world just as the emperor issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. It was a time when the world had the best roads, an efficient postal service, safe travel, and some semblance of law and order. Paul’s appeal was based on the ultimate idea of the sovereign nature of God, and if we believe nothing else, don’t we believe ultimately, God is in control?

But, I ask myself, what about the evil governments? Is God responsible for the power of the communists who tried to stamp out the gospel? What about Adolf Hitler? Or, how about those immoral, corrupt, and crooked politicians that are found in our own government? Is God responsible for their power?

The Power of Sin

Here I see the power of sin at work in God’s creation. The fact that any leader, as sinful humans, take authority and abuse it is not God’s fault. The problem (it seems to me) with a theocracy is not with God, but with those who represent God when they begin to think they ARE God. This holds, too, for our own government. We must be careful that those in our own government don’t assume that they have taken God’s place.

Government is not God. Government is a tool given that God uses for His purposes. When Jesus was on trial before Pontius Pilate he corrected Pilate’s false understanding of government authority. Remember that Pilate said, “Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?”

Jesus responded, “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above” (John 19:11).

Sin is a powerful thing, and the same sin that touches the depth of our hearts can touch the depth of even the best human government. One of the biggest hurdles for us to cross in order to have the attitude that Paul described in these verses from Romans chapter 13 is to see the governing authorities as being established by God. When the Holy Spirit works that conviction in us, then we will want to submit to the governing authorities. A glance at history, and a look at God’s Word, will convince us that God establishes all authority.

I think Benjamin Franklin would agree. Franklin said, “I’ve lived, sir, a long time, and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth—that God governs in the affairs of men. If a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid? We have been assured, sir, in the sacred writings, that ‘except the Lord build the house they labor in vain who build it.’ I firmly believe this, and I also believe that without His concurring aid, we shall succeed in this political building no better than the builders of Babel.”

The Purpose of Government

God’s establishing government is not without purpose, and Paul discloses at least two tasks of government. First, he indicates that government’s responsibility is to order society. Think about what the government does for us. We have state and federal highways. It is the government that provides libraries, schools, and universities.

Those in authority provide law and order through police departments and the justice system. We have fire protection. We have freedom to worship and practice our religion. The government ensures free trade and fair business practices. Those in authority maintain an army to protect our borders from invasion.

William Barclay says it this way: “To the state ordinary people owe a wide range of services which individually they could not enjoy. It would be impossible for every man to have his own water, light, sewage, transport system. These things are obtainable only when men agree to live together. And it would be quite wrong for a man to enjoy everything the state provides and to refuse all responsibility to it. That is one compelling reason why the Christian is bound in honour to be a good citizen and to take his part in all the duties of citizenship.”

Government (or should I say good government?) is nothing more than a body of people who have covenanted together to maintain certain relationships between each other by the observance of certain laws. Without these laws and the mutual agreement to observe them, evil and selfishness would win the day. Each of us owe our security to the government, and are therefore under a responsibility to it. 

As Paul notes, part of that ordering of society is the idea of the government’s responsibility to execute justice. Justice is a delicate issue. It always raises the question of whose justice are we talking about.

Justice is often about perspective, I suppose. The government was greatly used, I believe, by God through the 1960’s and the civil rights movement. There were many injustices that were corrected through government action. Thanks be to God!

And, the 1860’s, too. Again, in the U.S., and prior in England, government was a tool of God used to abolish the institution of slavery. In all those instances, there were those who debated, argued and fought and even died for justice sake. As we reflect back on those times in history, dare any of us say that justice did not prevail? The church’s voice was integral in all of those struggles. No matter the political climate, we must never let the voice of the church be silenced in the fight for justice.

The struggle for justice continues even today, as well it ought. Survey the twenty-four hour news cycle and we can hear the cries of those who plead for justice. The church must hear their cries, and must be ready to respond in the name of justice.

I remind us all, though, that what the people of God seek is righteousness…that is how justice is defined. Just because something can be justified does not make it right. God seeks righteousness, from his people and in his creation. Justice and justification are not necessarily the same thing. 

Some have suggested that Paul was writing these words concerning justice and aiming them at the Jewish people. You might recall the Jewish people were quite the rebellious bunch in the first century near east. Insurrections were not uncommon, especially in Galilee.

The Zealots give us an example (among which one of Jesus’ own disciples is numbered). The Zealots were convinced that there was no king for the Jews but God; and that no tribute must be paid to anyone except to God. They were not content with simple passive resistance. Their aim was to make any civil government impossible. They were known as the dagger-bearers. They were nationalists who employed terrorist methods that were not only directed towards the Roman government, but they also wrecked the houses and burned the crops and assassinated the families of their own fellow-Jews who paid tribute to the Roman government. Paul is saying, “No way! That’s not the action of a disciple.” It was Paul’s way of saying, “You reap what you sow.”

The Need for Grace

What is true for nations is also true for individuals. We think little of violating the speed limit until we are the one stopped for speeding. H. L. Menken said, “Injustice is relatively easy to bear; what stings is justice.”

It is here that I see the power of sin in my life. It is here that I see my need for grace. The source of all grace is our God, who ultimately showed us grace through His Son, Jesus Christ on the cross. Even there, it was the Roman government used as God’s instrument to get us to grace, as atrocious as it was, for, you see, grace is a messy thing. We try to sanitize it, in our lives, in our culture and even in our churches, but no matter, grace is messy (see the Parable of the Prodigal Son). But, the Good News is God’s got a handle on all of it.

So, what are we to do? Paul says submit. Our submission is not really to the government, though. Rather, our submission is to the sovereignty of God.

God has got this thing…at least that’s what I keep reminding myself. The election will come. Someone will win it. I’ll like it or I won’t. Either way, my prayer is that I will be found faithful, and I’ll look for grace…even in the government. Maybe you will, too.

Until next time, keep looking up…

Is Jesus Worth It?

/ pastorlynnmalone / Leave a comment

I’m not the perfect pastor. I’m not the perfect pastor because I’m not a perfect person. Among the many foibles I possess is not know when to keep my mouth shut…well, let me clarify that. I know when I should keep my mouth shut. The foible is in actually keeping my mouth shut.

I should probably clarify that further. My tendency is to keep my mouth shut when I should speak up and to open my mouth when I shouldn’t speak up. I’m uncertain as to which I’m doing this morning, but here goes anyway…well, because I’m not the perfect pastor.

Faith and Politics…again!

Those who know me know (and I’ve confessed) that I am a bit of a political junkie. Naturally, the election season has my interest peaked. Because I’ve also been a pastor (and probably will be again someday), I’m always looking at the intersection of faith and politics. It always raises the question, “How does our faith inform our politics?”

Some people might proffer the question, “Should our faith inform our politics?” I say if our faith doesn’t inform our politics, it’s probably not much of a faith.

So, how is faith informing politics this election cycle? Well, I’m glad you asked!

I came across this interesting survey from Rasmussen Reports last week. Rasmussen is an independent polling organization that polls daily through each election cycle. It is independent in the sense that it is neither left nor right leaning, and it does its best to “weight” its polls so that their polls aren’t skewed one way or the other. It is also independent in that they neither depend upon outside money, nor do they receive outside money to conduct polling. Seems to me that is how it should be.

Here’s what their polling found, and what I find interesting in the intersection of faith and politics: people of faith (all faith backgrounds) are generally voting for Donald Trump. Here’s the breakdown Rasmussen reported:

This poll is getting little attention in the media. The only reason I found it is because I was looking for it. Though it is getting little attention, I find it quite revealing in showing there really is a clash of cultures in this election and that clash is between the religious and the non-religious.

Every major faith group (except “other”) is voting in the majority for Donald Trump, and the only group even close to the margin of error is the Jewish faith. “Other” would include Hindu, Buddhist, et. al., and I only assume they were lumped together because the sample size of each was too small to be reliable.

While people of “other” faith backgrounds support Harris, the overwhelming majority of atheists support her. I’m sorry, but that just gives me pause as one who identifies as an evangelical believer in Jesus Christ.

It’s not that I believe Kamala Harris to be a non-religious person. According to Biography.com, she grew up in a black baptist church, has attended Hindu temples (as a result of her Indian heritage) and married a Jewish man. Now, that’s what I call an intersection of faith and politics!

Atheism in the Public Square

When I consider that the “atheists” could be the deciding factor in the most consequential election of our lifetime, I am concerned about the direction of our nation. Every national poll shows this election to be a toss-up (see here and here for two of the most recent). The atheist vote could very well make the difference.

Why do so many atheists support the Democratic Party? From what I’ve been able to discern, it comes down to two things: abortion rights and Christian nationalism. I’d post a few links here on abortion rights and Christian nationalism but you can do a simple Google search and find all the links you need. You’ll be reading for days.

Let me just get this out of the way: I am staunchly pro-life, and that is pro-life in the sense that life begins at conception and that every avenue must be pursued to protect that life. I am also a pragmatist (and not a Christian nationalist) and I believe that the Supreme Court of the United States got it right when they returned the abortion debate to the individual states. That is just one place where my faith informs my politics, and yes, I know it sets up its own clash of cultures. But, I’m just an old white guy, so what do I know?

A “Christian” Nation?

No, I’m not a Christian nationalist (as the term is most commonly defined–it’s a relatively new term, by the way). I do not believe that the United States must be a “Christian” nation, but I do believe that the United States of America was formed (and its underlying foundational documents designed) by people who were Christian, or whose philosophical/ideological perspective were rooted in the Judeo-Christian worldview.

The values and morals that shaped this nation are the values and morals that have their foundation in Scripture. The further we move away from those values as a nation, the more endangered the American experiment becomes…and the more godless the culture becomes. We are far down that road now. I’m wondering if there is a U-turn in our future? I’m wondering if this election cycle will tell us?

Not that Donald Trump is a bastion of Christian morality. His moral failures have been documented copiously, and you can do your own Google search on that, too. Honestly, I believe we are left with the two choices we have for President of the United States BECAUSE we have become unmoored from the Judeo-Christian values upon which this nation was founded.

I also believe the election of Donald Trump won’t provide the U-turn the nation needs to preserve our nation. It might slow it down a little, but it won’t turn it around. The U-turn that matters will happen in the Church through the power of the Holy Spirit. It will take a spiritual revival on the level of the first and second Great Awakenings. It will take prayer and preparation that can only begin in the faith communities of our nation.

The Ripkens

I won’t say who I’ll be voting for in this election. I’ll only say I won’t be voting with the atheists. You can if you want, but don’t come crying to me when we become a completely godless nation. Of course, becoming a completely godless nation might not be such a bad thing. Ask Nik and Ruth Ripken, they can tell you.

The Ripkens were missionaries to Malawi and Somalia, and it was while they were in Somalia that they lost one of their three sons. Their loss forced the Ripken’s to reconsider their calling, and after some reflective time, they were assured they were called to be missionaries, although the focus of their ministry shifted.

They felt called to go into the regions of the world where Christians were persecuted greatest to discover ways they could be in ministry to them. Nik Ripken began by traveling to Russia, China and Central Asia to interview members of the persecuted church.

What he discovered was not that we needed to do anything to help the persecuted church, but that it was his faith that was resurrected by the faithful witness of those Christians. They heard stories of pastors imprisoned and emaciated, yet still clung to their hope in Christ. They heard stories of fathers separated from their families because they smuggled bibles in for others to discover Christ.

In China, he was able to meet with about 150 house church pastors to hear their stories. He said no one really knew what they would find in China. In 1948, when communism came to China, the church was outlawed. At the time, there were between 400,000 and 700,000 Christians.

No one really knew if the church had survived after all these years. Yet, today there are over 10 million Christians in a nation that is openly hostile to their faith. The church flourished in conditions it should not have. The 150 pastors, after telling their stories to Ripken began to ask, “Has Christ made it to the rest of the world?”

What the Ripken’s discovered was that where the church was persecuted the greatest was the very place where faith has thrived the greatest. History has taught the same lesson. The burning question Ripken had for all he interviewed was, “Is Christ worth it?” Is Christ worth the suffering, the imprisonment, the loss of family and even death? As one interviewee said, “Oh, Christ is worth it!”

The lesson for me as I live in this culture that is shifting around me is to ask myself, “Is Jesus worth it?” When all cultural accommodation for the Christian faith ends, will Jesus be worth it? Will Jesus be worth my family? Will Jesus be worth my job? Will Jesus be worth my life?

I pray that I can say, “Oh, Christ is worth it!” My fear is I won’t have the courage.

Until next time, keep looking up…

Perhaps the Problem is Us…

/ pastorlynnmalone / 2 Comments

Sometimes, I struggle on these Sunday mornings to find something to write. Other times, I have too much that I want to write and have a hard time knowing what to cull. Today is one of the latter times.

There is an abundance of subjects that I have decided opinions on, but I know I can’t write something on all of them. Based on the stats of these blogs, I can discern that most people want short, quick reads. Sorry. Today probably won’t accommodate you. You are forewarned!

Facebook Jail

I’ll begin by saying that Facebook let my wife out of Facebook jail, so I’ll probably remain on the platform. For those of you who may not know, Facebook put my pretty wife in Facebook jail for a second time.

Seriously, she only posts Bible verses, pics of grandchildren and household projects, but some of the Facebook arbiters found them to be against community standards, so they suspended her. After an appeal, she was reinstated. Guess I’ll stay on a while longer.

That’s probably a good thing. Most folks find the blog through Facebook, although a good number do get email alerts when I publish. I suppose I should try to build my subscriber base by encouraging folks to sign up with email, but I’m not trying to “monetize” the blog so it doesn’t much matter.

However, should you want to receive a notification when I publish, you can like and subscribe below and you’ll be able to find me apart from Facebook.

Now, on to other things on my mind…

Politics is Life

Politics is “top of mind” (as the en vogue saying goes) for almost everyone these days, and so it is for me. This year’s election is seventy-one days away and there is both anticipation and anxiety as that day approaches. We go to the polls seeking to change the direction of the nation, or to stay the course because the circumstances of the nation are such that the majority is pleased with the direction the leadership has set.

This year, we will not “stay the course” necessarily, for we will elect a new president. Some people believe electing one particular candidate will, in essence, be staying the course, though that candidate is doing much to draw distinctions between herself and her predecessor. Others believe electing the other candidate will lead the nation in a new, more prosperous direction.

I’m a bit of a political junkie myself. I don’t try to hide that fact. I don’t (well, not often anyways) make my political views known. You won’t see me (often) posting political articles on social media, promoting particular candidates or particular parties. We’re all in this together and part of our problem is not being able, or willing, to put aside our differences in order to overcome the divisiveness our system finds itself in.

This election cycle is an historic time for our nation. As in the election cycle of 2008 when we elected our nation’s first African-American president, we may this cycle, elect our nation’s first female president. Some say, “It’s been a long time coming,” while others say, “This is not the woman we need to elect.”

The anxiety of the moment is heightened by the cultural circumstances we are experiencing as a nation. Consider these circumstances—a stock market, that while reaching new heights, its volatility is shown by the constant swings from one day to the next, a world economy that still languishes mostly in recession, job market volatility and when we factor in the shifts in cultural values over the past few years, there’s no wonder anxiety is up.

My generation is concerned whether Social Security will be around for our retirement. Healthcare costs, in spite of an overhaul of the system, continue to rise. We have 35 trillion dollars of debt as of this past Friday morning. The Middle East is on fire, there is a war in Ukraine and China is threatening Taiwan. Do we believe a new president will change any of these circumstances?

Perhaps that’s not the appropriate question. Perhaps the appropriate question is “Whom or what do we trust?” Is our trust in a political party? Is our trust in a candidate for president or the government? I am reminded of the words of King David (that’s right KING David) writing in Psalm 20:7—

Some trust in chariots and some in horses,
    but we trust in the name of the Lord our God (Ps. 20:7 NIV).

As those who are called to follow Jesus Christ, our hope is in Him and in Him alone. We are citizens of the United States, but we are disciples of Jesus Christ, and if our hope is in the government or a political candidate, it is a misdirected hope.

A Biblical Example

When the nation of Israel left Egyptian bondage and became a nation, Moses and then Joshua was their national leader. They weren’t elected, but rather chosen by God for leadership of the nation. Afterward, God led with a group of judges over the people. There were twelve tribes with different leaders yet they were not united. They had problems working together.

The leadership they did have was corrupt and made poor choices, so the people demanded that God give them a new leader. They wanted a king like all the other nations around them. When things were not going well, the people thought what they needed most was a change in leadership, a new administration, a new structure of government. The people thought: 

“If we just get this new leader everything will be okay. He’ll solve all of our problems. He will protect us from our enemies, he will bring a sense of unity among our divided people (bipartisanship?), he will stabilize our economy, he will provide a new direction, he will provide the change we need.”

Sound familiar? Certainly! Every presidential candidate promises it.

God had a response to the nation in those days. Listen to what God told the prophet Samuel, who was the judge of the nation at the time:

7 And the Lord told him: “Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king.8 As they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are doing to you.9 Now listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let them know what the king who will reign over them will claim as his rights. (1 Samuel 8: 7 – 9 NLT)

God said the reason people put their hope in new leadership to solve their problems is because they rejected God as their leader. They no longer looked to God as their hope. Sounds a lot like us…

I feel relatively certain Kamala Harris or Donald Trump, believe they will do their best to lead our nation through these challenging times. But, both candidates are human beings and that means they’re flawed…just like the rest of us. God told Samuel to make sure the people knew any leader they chose would have flaws. Did they ever!

The Problem as I See It

The problem wasn’t with the leaders. The problem was with the people. As we survey the landscape of our nation, the problem is not the economy or the culture. The problem is not with terrorism or health care, with crime or poverty. The problem is sin.

We can’t lay the problem at the door of the White House, or the state house. We can’t lay the problem at the door of the courthouse or the school house. We must lay the problem at the door of the church house, and at the door of our house. Simply put, the government can’t fix that problem.

Sin works itself out in many ways. Pride comes to mind. The government can’t fix pride.

Self-centeredness comes to mind. The government can’t fix self-centeredness. Almost no one votes against self-interest. We elect representatives to represent OUR interests. We want representatives who will bring home the bacon to our district, never mind that the interests of our district may stand in direct opposition to the interests of a neighboring district. If they don’t bring home the bacon, we get new representatives. 

The government can’t fix greed. We want more and bigger stuff. We mortgage the future to have stuff we want now. As one cliché states it, “We buy stuff we don’t need with money we don’t have to impress people we don’t like.” The government can’t fix that! Oh, the government can (apparently?) forgive student loan debt, but it can’t change the inner desire for more and bigger and better stuff.

The government can’t fix gluttony. We’re concerned about the escalating costs of health care, yet we continue to overindulge in every guilty pleasure. I’m preaching to myself now. We make poor health choices, fail to exercise and live healthy lives and then want the government to deal with the obesity problem, and heart problems and circulation problems. Don’t shout me down, please! I’m simply pointing out the obvious. 

I love you, but the problem is not with the government. The problem is with us. Our problem is a spiritual problem. Sin comes when we reject God, when we do what is right in our own eyes.

Hope in the Darkness

Perhaps I’ve painted a dark picture with a broad brush, but there is hope. There is a prescription for what ails us. Both political parties talks about the need for change, and promises change, but real change won’t happen with a new leader or new legislation. Real, lasting change will occur when God’s people choose to trust God and turn to Him.

I’m reminded of a most famous Old Testament passage from 2 Chronicles this morning. At the time the passage was written Israel was at its zenith. They had just finished all of King Solomon’s building projects with the high point being the Temple in Jerusalem.

It was a time of great prosperity and peace, and national pride was running high. It was during the dedication of the temple that God gives a warning. God said when the rain doesn’t fall and the locusts eat your crops—in other words—when the nation does into a downturn, this is what needs to happen:

14  “Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14 NLT)

The prescription for us and our nation is prayer.

The Temple was to be a reminder of God’s sacred presence among the people.

Were we to read all of King Solomon’s prayer at the dedication of the Temple, we would discover the importance of the practice of prayer in maintaining the nation’s covenant relationship with God. Solomon, and later Isaiah, understood the Temple was “a house of prayer for all nations” (Is. 56:7), and Jesus, himself echoed that sentiment when he drove the moneychangers from the Temple upon his entry into Jerusalem.

Right relationship with God, whether in the Old or New Testament, is rooted in prayer. Understand though, that prayer is not effective because of our righteousness, but because of the power possessed by the One to whom prayer is offered.

What was once true of a building in Jerusalem is now true of a body…the body of Christ, the Church. The Apostle Paul states it this way: 

19 “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.” (1 Corinthians 6:19 – 20 NLT)

We bring glory to God when we pray. We cannot pray without humility. Humility is nothing more than acknowledging our dependence upon God.

F.B. Meyer said, “I used to think that God’s gifts were on shelves one above the other, and that the taller we grew in Christian character the easier we could reach them. I now find that God’s gifts are on shelves one beneath the other. It is not a question of growing taller, but of stooping down, to get His best gifts.”

Humility brings us to God, and our coming gives Him glory.

There is no effective prayer without devotion. That’s what it means to “seek” God’s face. Worship, generosity and service are tangible ways we show our devotion. It also means seeking God’s will for every area of our lives, and passing the faith to our families and communities.

There also is no effective prayer without repentance. Both the Old and New Testament words for repentance mean “to turn.” It means a change of direction from sin and toward God—an about-face, if you will.

Repentance is a faith response to God’s offer of forgiveness. We believe God will forgive, therefore we turn to him. When we repent of our sin—our pride, our self-centeredness, our greed, our gluttony and our idolatry—then, we’ll see the power of God revealed in Jesus Christ. We’ll find the help for which we search.

Prayer has the power to fix our problems because prayer brings us into the sacred presence of God Almighty, and it is God’s power in Jesus Christ that heals and forgives and reconciles all that is broken…in this nation…in every nation…     

Here’s our challenge: to humble ourselves before God, seek His face and repent of all that separates us from Him and from each other.

Join me as I pray for our nation, for the election and those leaders who have offered themselves to lead us.

That’s as neutral as I can be these days, though I believe the cultural moment demands that the disciple of Jesus Christ be something other than Switzerland.

This post is already too long and I’ve still got too many things I want to write. I’ll just stop now by reiterating: Pray, pray, pray!

The problem really is with us.

Until next time, keep looking up…

Seventy-eight Days to Choose…

/ pastorlynnmalone / Leave a comment

Seventy-eight days. That’s how long it is until we choose the person who will lead our nation for the next four years. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve discovered that seventy-eight days is no time at all. What are we, as Christians, doing to be ready to choose the right leader?

I know! Our choices aren’t great, but then again, we probably get the leaders we deserve. I just have to ask: What have we done to deserve the choices we have? Sorry! Don’t answer that question. It is rhetorical.

Most people reading this have probably already made up their mind about the choice coming in seventy-eight days. Without becoming too political, let me take this opportunity to offer biblical four characteristics to look for in choosing our next leader.

Four Biblical Characteristics

What are the four characteristics? Humility, capability, responsibility and accountability.

Jethro & Moses

Let me start by calling to mind a conversation between Moses and Jethro in Exodus 18: 13 – 27 (click here to read the entire conversation). To set the context of Jethro’s conversation, it’s been just over a month since Moses led the people out of Egyptian bondage and Pharaoh’s oppression. In that time, they’ve seen God deliver them through the Red Sea, provide water from a rock and God is feeding them daily with manna and quail. They’ve also just won a military victory over a people group called the Amalekites.

Jethro gets word of all God has done for Moses and the people, so he takes Moses’ wife and two sons, loads up and prepares to take them back to Moses. At some point before going down to Egypt, Moses had sent them to live with Jethro while he went off to do God’s work.

Jethro arrives, they catch up on all the events since they were last together and had a party and a worship service to celebrate. The next day, Moses goes out to do what he always does…hear the complaints of the people against each other…he sits in judgment, day after day, deciding all the petty (and not-so-petty) complaints of over 600,000 men, not including women and children.

Humility

Jethro immediately notices a problem, so Jethro (verse 14) says, “Why are you trying to do this alone?” Jethro, in asking Moses the question, is trying to give Moses a lesson in humility. Humility is perhaps the greatest quality to look for in a leader. The original Hebrew spoken by Jethro leaves the impression that he sees Moses acting like a King over the people.

Moses considers himself uniquely qualified to judge the people and their issues, almost like he’s God’s partner in this deal. That’s the strength of the language in the text.

Jethro says, “That’s not good!” Basically, he’s saying, “Get over yourself, Moses. You’re killing yourself and you’re killing the people trying to do this alone.” It was a matter of respect. The whole tone of the conversation indicates that Moses’ ego was getting in the way of what is best for the people and for himself.

Egotistical leadership is devastating to any organization. Granted, it takes a pretty big ego for someone to run for President, or any other office, for that matter, but ego that is not tempered with humility is egomaniacal and is ultimately destructive.

There is a fantastic visual image contained in this entire episode, and it has to do with humility, and the power of humility.

The encounter begins with Moses sitting to judge the people, and the narrative indicates he’s sitting because he’s worn out. Jethro offers his advice and says, “If you do this, you’ll be able to “stand up” under the pressure.” It’s Jethro’s way of saying, “If you humble yourself and relinquish some leadership, you’ll really find yourself standing over the people instead of the people standing over you.”

That’s exactly what Jesus said, too.  In Luke 22: 24 – 30, his disciples were discussing who would be greatest among them. When they arrived at the house, Jesus asked what they were discussing, though he already knew. They didn’t answer him, but he sat them down and said “If anyone wants to be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.” Servant leadership is a Kingdom principle. It’s driven by humility.

The cause that must be served is far greater than any one leader or individual. What’s true in business is also true in government, and in churches, and at home. No one leads alone. A leader needs the humility to acknowledge their own limitations.

Capability

A second characteristic I see in choosing leaders wisely is capability. We need leaders who are capable of leading us.

Jethro recognizes the necessity of leadership on different levels. Part of that capability has to do with honesty and integrity. We could make these their own traits, but they are what make a capable leader.

When I talk about honesty and integrity, I cringe when I look at the candidates we have to choose from. Of course, it’s nothing new. The effects of Huey Long’s patronage system are still felt in Louisiana today, and history reminds us of the corruption of Tammany Hall in New York City throughout the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, and of the long history of alleged corruption in Chicago politics.

Politics and corruption seem to go hand in hand. Jethro reminds Moses that at the heart of capability are honesty and integrity.

Jethro told Moses to identify capable leaders and appoint them judges over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. Different leaders must fill different roles. Moses learns there are different levels of leadership, and each leader must fill the role he/she is uniquely gifted to fill.

We’re all leaders, we simply lead at different levels. Let’s face it…there are politicians who are great politicians at the local level but would be terrible at a higher level. One question we should ask of those running for public office, or seeking a leadership capacity is “Are they capable of fulfilling the role?” Not every leader is equipped to fill every role; choices must be made based on the individual’s gifts, skills and talents.

I experienced this as a District Superintendent for the United Methodist Church. The church is led by a great number of gifted pastors, but honestly, not every pastor is suited to be the pastor of a large church, and there are pastors whose giftedness far exceeds the level of church they currently serve.

There are fantastic pastors in small churches, but it would be disastrous for some of them and for the church to be appointed to a large church. There are natural born leaders who simply have the charisma to continually lead up, but there are equally gifted leaders capable and competent to lead on a smaller scale.

There are many leadership skills that are teachable. Parents are leaders, even though they may only lead one other person, and parents can be taught to be better leaders. The same with managers is true. Leadership skills can be taught, nurtured and developed, and a leader’s capability can be increased, but for many there is a ceiling. That doesn’t matter. They’re still leading, and can be great leaders, as long as they’re leading at their level of capability.

We need to be asking the question, “Which of these two candidates is capable of leading our nation right now?” The answer is obvious to me, but you have to answer the question in your own heart and mind.

Responsibility

A third characteristic I see in Jethro’s advice is that of responsibility. When we choose leaders, we must be willing to let them lead. We can’t extend leadership responsibility and then micromanage their efforts. We’ll destroy their spirits and we’ll undo the good that could be done through their efforts.

Jethro makes it clear to Moses that if you’ll follow this advice…identify leaders and let them lead…then Moses will be able to stand up under the pressure and the people will return in peace. Sharing power is what God wants and what God expects. It is truly a holy act.

Accountability

Are we willing to allow the leaders we choose to actually lead us? We must follow their leadership unless and until they prove they’re not capable, and that brings me to the final characteristic I see, and that is accountability.

Responsibility is nothing without accountability. Verse 24 says that Moses listened to his father-in-law’s advice. He submitted himself to the accountability offered. He was willing to be confronted with the cold, hard facts, and he demonstrated the humility to receive Jethro’s “constructive criticism.”

Okay, so there is one candidate who doesn’t often take constructive criticism well. I’m not sure about the other one yet, although a staff turnover rate of 90+% isn’t encouraging. Like I said…our choices aren’t great.

We should choose leaders who are willing to be held accountable. One of the great things about the American experiment is the “checks and balances” of the three branches of government. Part of the problem of governing by executive order is it circumvents the accountability component. But, then again, every four years, or two years, or six years as the case may be, is the election cycle. The accountability of the ballot box is always the accountability of last resort in the civic arena.

We, too, if we desire to be godly leaders, should submit ourselves to accountability. John Wesley was so concerned with building a righteous fellowship that he devised a series of questions for his followers to ask each other every week. Some found this rigorous system of inquiry too demanding and left.

Rev. Chuck Swindoll

Today, the very idea of such a procedure would horrify many disciples, yet some wisely follow just such a practice. Chuck Swindoll for example, has seven questions that he and a group of fellow pastors challenge each other with periodically:

1. Have you been with a woman anywhere this past week that might be seen as compromising? 
2. Have any of your financial dealings lacked integrity? 
3. Have you exposed yourself to any sexually explicit material? 
4. Have you spent adequate time in Bible study and prayer? 
5. Have you given priority time to your family? 
6. Have you fulfilled the mandates of your calling? 
7. Have you just lied to me?

Genuine accountability is transformative. Moses followed Jethro’s advice, and his life and the lives of his nation were transformed.

Everything rises or falls on leadership. If we choose leaders who demonstrate humility and capability, granting them responsibility and expecting accountability, then we’ll have leaders that will serve the greater good and perhaps, even grow the Kingdom of God.

I am thoroughly convinced that neither of the candidates running for President of the United States measure up to these characteristics. We Christians have a lot of praying to do over the next seventy-eight days. May God grant us the grace to do the best we can with the choices before us.

Prayer. Hmmmm? Now there’s an idea. Perhaps I’ll blog about that next week.

Until next time, keep looking up…

Finding the Perfect Church…

/ pastorlynnmalone / Leave a comment

It’s been FIVE years since I stepped away from full-time vocational ministry. For parts of those five years my wife and I were church “homeless.” That’s right! We didn’t have a church home. We became church shoppers…looking for the perfect church.

The sad thing? We haven’t found one. The sadder thing? I uttered a lot of the same excuses I heard other people utter in my 28+ years in vocational ministry.

Making Excuses

Perhaps you’ve heard some of these excuses. Perhaps you’ve made some of these excuses if you’ve ever been church “homeless.” Perhaps you’re saying some of these things right now if you’re currently church “homeless.” What are those excuses?

  • “This church is too small…”
  • “This church is too large…”
  • “There aren’t any children here…”
  • “There are too many children here…”
  • “The youth group is too small…”
  • “The youth group is too large…”
  • “The youth pastor is too (well, there are a lot of things we can say about youth pastors!)…”
  • “There’s no youth group…”
  • “I don’t like contemporary music…”
  • “I don’t like traditional music…”
  • “The music is too loud…”
  • “There are too many old people…”
  • “The pastor’s sermons aren’t good…”
  • “The pastor doesn’t know me…”
  • “I don’t like the pastor…”
  • “I’m not being fed…”

That is certainly not an exhaustive list of excuses I’ve heard through the years. You could add your own. The problem with church shopping is that it betrays an appropriate understanding of what the church is, and it feeds into our consumer mentality–the fact that we have become “consumers” of religion.

Going to church should not be like going shopping. I’m going to church to find what I need and I’ll keep shopping until I find it. Looking for a church that “I” like is one of the most selfish endeavors on the planet. Oh, and it is also one of the most un-biblical, too!

Reasons to “Church Shop”

Actually, there are very few reasons we should be church “homeless.”

One reason is because we’ve moved to a new community. A job or career change takes us to a new community and we’re forced to move away from our current church home.

Another reason is a change in our relationship status, i.e., we got married or divorced or remarried. The change in relationship affords a new opportunity to go to church with the other, or to begin again with the other.

Yet another reason to leave a church is because the church has abandoned orthodoxy. This is the primary reason that Vanessa and I were church homeless. I don’t intend to get into a discussion here about orthodoxy or my former church home. That can be for another time, but suffice it to say we believed (and still believe) that our former church home abandoned the “faith once delivered to all the saints.” We could be wrong (I often am!), but apparently a lot of other people agree with me.

I’ve gone a long way out of the way to say, “Stop looking for the perfect church. You’re not going to find it!” What’s the old saying? If you find the perfect church, don’t go! You’ll mess it up! Actually, that’s not true. You can’t mess up what’s already messed up. There is NO perfect church. Looking for one missed the point entirely.

The Uncomfortable Church

When we look for the perfect church, we usually mean the perfect church for us. We mean we want a church that meets my needs. We want to be with people who generally look like us, who generally act like us, who generally make the same amount of money as we do, who are in the current life stage we are in, etc. What we really mean is we want a church where we can feel comfortable.

Guess what? Church is not about our comfort. Guess what? We’re supposed to be uncomfortable in church! We’re supposed to be uncomfortable with our sin because we are in the presence of a holy God.

We’re supposed to be uncomfortable because there are people in church who aren’t like me. We’re supposed to be uncomfortable in church because the teaching challenges me to be transformed.

We’re supposed to be uncomfortable in church because I’m being asked to surrender myself…my wants…my likes…my dislikes…my desires…all of me…to Jesus and to one another.

Dang! All of that makes me uncomfortable. Welcome to the perfect church!

I kind of think that’s what the Apostle Paul had in mind when he wrote the Ephesian church in its infancy:

12 …remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, 16 and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility.  (Ephesians 2: 12 – 16 NIV)

Making Us One in Christ

One humanity out of the two. What two? Jews and Gentiles. Let’s face it. In the first century, Jews and Gentiles did not like each other very much (understatement!). Yet, they were called by Christ to be together…to worship together…to serve together…to love God together…and…wait for it…to love one another together. Talk about out of their comfort zone! That’s exactly where Christ is calling us to be and it is exactly what Christ is calling us to do.

Imagine how evangelistic it is for the world to see people who are normally at each other’s throat worshipping and serving together. The world sees it and they wonder, “How can that be?” It is through this imperfect church that the world (and we) see how powerful and amazing His grace is to save a bunch of people who really don’t like each other.

Don’t go looking for a church online. Yeah, I know. We look for the Google reviews when we’re looking for a church home. Why go to a four-star church when you can find a five-star one? Let me remind you that church health can’t be measured by Google reviews.

Yes, I know that when you’re shopping for a new church home that you’ve already watched the sermons online and you’ve perused the church website or Facebook page. It’s what we do.

Do you really want to grow in Christ? Then, how about go to the church that doesn’t have an online presence? Yeah, preacher, you’re really stretching it now!

Do you really want to grow in Christ? Then how about look for the church home that you’ll probably like the least…that is least like you. Perhaps that is where real growth will occur, and maybe…just maybe…that’s because it is as Jesus intended it.

Yeah, I don’t know, either. I’m really just processing my own church homelessness over the past five years. Perhaps my processing it will help others get off the couch and find their new church home and will give them pause while they do. Then again, maybe not.

Finding a new church home is not about “me.” It is about finding Jesus, loving Him and loving one another. THAT is the perfect church.

Until next time, keep looking up…

Ramblings and Rants…

/ pastorlynnmalone / Leave a comment

I can’t decide if I have too much on my mind or not enough on my mind…actually, it’s likely both. I have too much of the wrong things on my mind and not enough of the right things, so as I sit to write this morning, it’s going to be a mish-mash of ramblings and (a few) rants. It’s all just an attempt to clear my mind of the wrong things and try to fill it with the right things.

The Controversial Olympics

Whoever thought the Olympics were controversial? Yeah, only in the sense that we wanted to know if the Russians or Chinese were cheating. But, it seems from the opening moments there has been something stirring controversy in Paris.

The Last Supper?

There was a Facebook feeding frenzy after the opening ceremony by Christians (generally right-leaning) who were offended by the drag queen performance that resembled the Last Supper. It wasn’t long before other Christians (generally left-leaning) “corrected” their fellow Christians that it wasn’t the Last Supper, but rather a “Bacchanal” celebration (click here for a full explanation of a “bacchanal” feast).

I can’t comment either way. I didn’t watch the opening ceremony. Yes, I saw news clips and read several of the articles posted on Facebook. I see both sides. It certainly looked like the Last Supper. It could also be interpreted as a pagan orgy. Either way, there are a few rants I need to get off my chest.

First, why do Christians eat their own? I have many Facebook friends. Some of them are right-leaning. Others are left-leaning. Unfortunately, it appeared that my left-leaning friends took great joy in correcting my right-leaning friends…and not in a nice way.

I’m not mentioning any names, nor linking to any posts. After all, I don’t want to be one of those Christians who eat their own, but there was one response that was particularly scathing. It made me angry. Let me repent before I write this, but I got the sense that one was saying to the other, “You’re such a dumb-a**.” They said it in a much nicer way, but the point was clear.

Yup! I know all about Christian accountability. My left-leaning friends were simply holding my right-leaning friends accountable (I suppose). We shouldn’t do it in such a public way–even when the offense is done publicly. I’m reminded of Jesus’ counsel in Matthew 18:

15 “If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. 16 But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ 17 If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector. (Matthew 18: 15 – 17 NIV)

Brothers and sisters, can we stop the Facebook shaming (X-shaming, social media in general shaming) of one another? It gives the impression to those within and without the church that we really don’t like each other very much. We can do better.

Second, whether it was or it wasn’t the Last Supper (the director says it wasn’t), don’t Christians have the right to be offended by the public display of a pagan orgy? Actually, shouldn’t Christians be offended by the public display of a pagan orgy?

Just for the record, had I watched it, I would have been offended just by the raucous and sexual nature of the display, and no, I don’t think it was an appropriate way to begin what is supposed to be a celebration of international athletic accomplishment. The opening became a distraction to the accomplishment of every athlete participating in the Olympics, pagan or otherwise.

No, we shouldn’t be surprised that pagans will do what pagans do, but we have a right (and I say responsibility) to be salt and light in the world. Being offended by pagans is one means of being salt and light. Expressing that offense is also a means of influencing the culture, and if nothing else, disciples of Jesus Christ should seek to influence the culture. But, that’s just my opinion, which brings me to my final point on the subject…

Third, we Christians are entitled to an opinion. Opinions, one wise sage said (probably Mark Twain, though it might have been Abraham Lincoln), are like armpits–everyone has them and most of them stink. Even bad opinions can prompt one to think and consider the reason for holding one’s own opinion, and I am grateful for a constitution that allows me the freedom to hold a stinky opinion.

The first and foremost lens through which each of us should view our opinion is the Holy Spirit and scripture. Even then I suspect that we will arrive at different places (talk about statement of the obvious!), but let us respect each other enough to not devour one another simply because we did.

For the most balanced treatment of the “Last Supper Olympic” debacle, please read Dr. David Watson‘s substack article on the matter.

Trans-Gender Athletes

Yet another Olympic controversy has surrounded transgender boxers. I’m not going into all the details of that situation here. Here’s a link (I’ve found Axios to be somewhat reasonable and balanced in its reporting) that lays out the situation if you’re unfamiliar with it.

So, here’s my rant (stinky opinion though it may be):

The boxers in question at the Olympics each have a nuanced situation, but overall, the question of trans-gender female athletes competing in women’s sports should be a non-starter. Men should not compete against women. It is an unfair playing field (no pun intended).

Yes, I know there are nuanced situations, but those are far in the minority. The overwhelming majority of trans women participating in women’s sports are biological men who only want to win. They can’t do it on the men’s playing field, so they conveniently become women. I’m not buying it!

Seriously, the whole trans-gender discussion has only been a discussion for like the last five seconds. As a Christian, my starting point in the discussion is Genesis 1: 27–

So God created mankind in his own image,
    in the image of God he created them;
    male and female he created them.

Our opinion on the subject must first be formed theologically before it can be formed culturally and socially. I see a lot of Christian opinion being shaped by the culture and society first. My friends, that’s backwards. Let’s start theologically and see where we land, and let’s allow our theological reflection to guide or cultural response. Isn’t that the way it’s supposed to be?

I’m not going any further into the subject here. It would take too much space and the blog is already too long. Besides, I’ve already made too many people mad with my ramblings and rants. Let me just hush now.

Nothing Settled

Hey? I didn’t settle much, but I sure got a couple of things off my chest. My mind is not much clearer even with this rambling and even after the rants. Perhaps I need to remember Paul’s words to the Christians at Philippi:

8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. (Philippians 4: 8 NIV)

Yeah, I should think about those things. Maybe then I’d write a better blog.

Until next time, keep looking up…