Churches Serving Churches for the Kingdom

What kind of church would invest significant amounts of time and resources to help another church?

This actually does happen occasionally, and I know of several churches that do this. This last week I got to experience this first hand, and it was amazing.

This last week a team from Northeast Houston Baptist Church came hundreds of miles, used lots of financial resources, and worked hard to serve the people of First Baptist Southlake and our missionfield here in Southlake.

As I was reflecting on what happened last week, I was blown away by the servanthood of NEHBC and this mission team. Why would they do such a thing?

The answer is because they know that they serve more than just their church. They know that every church is about kingdom growth above and beyond anything else. This week NEHBC was used for the advancement of the kingdom of Christ. That took place outside of the boundaries of their own local congregation in Houston to another congregation in Southlake.

Two different local churches, two different geographical locations, two different personalities, but ONE PURPOSE – the spread of the gospel to the glory of Christ.
It is easy for us as individuals to become self centered. It is also easy for churches to do the same thing. But, what the Great Commission requires is a different focus, a kingdom focus. I am thankful for the cooperative effort that took place last week.

There are many people today that have a negative view of churches. If they could have seen what I saw last week, I think their perceptions might change drastically.
I saw a great cooperative adventure between First Baptist and Northeast Houston Baptist. There were so many people from these two churches that worked and served alongside each other for the advancement of a kingdom agenda. Seeing the people of First Baptist work hard for the gospel, and the same thing from those of NEHBC was incredible. That is the work of God.

I am grateful to the Lord for all that NEHBC has meant to me personally, and to this church that God has graciously called me to pastor here in Southlake.

Anything But Jesus

I was flipping through a book that caught my eye at B and N the other day. The title was "Stuff White People Like" by Christian Lander.

Here is one that I zeroed in on:

"White people will often say they are 'spiritual' but not religious. This usually means that they will believe in any religion that doesn't involve Jesus."

Even here in the insulated Bible Belt people are becoming more and more like this. They will go to church, you can talk about God, but don't really be one of those Jesus freaks. Don't be one of those intolerant, radical followers of Jesus.

It's o.k. to say that you have Jesus in your heart as long as you don't really do what He says, or follow His example.

I think this is becoming more and more prevalent even among church goers. Church is o.k. Let's sing about Jesus, just a little. Say a prayer or two, hear a motivational talk from the "lead pastor". But, don't take any of that stuff too seriously. Especially not the rabid way Jesus said we should be to truly follow Him.

Lander's book on this chapter goes on to say, "The most popular choices include Buddhism, Hinduism, Kabbalah,and, to a lesser extent, Scientology. A few even dip into Isalm, but that's much rarer, since you have to make real sacrifices and actually got to a mosque. For the most part, white people go for religions that produce artifacts and furniture that fit into their homes or wardrobe. They are also particularly drawn to religions that do not require a lot of commitment or donations. When a white person tells you, I'm Buddhist/Hindu/Kabbalahist', the best thing to do is ask how they arrived at their religious decision. The are most likely to involve a trip to Thailand or a college class on religions."

Interesting thoughts!

God's Calling and the American Dream

From Dr. Albert Mohler's commencement address at Southern Seminary regarding the calling of a minister of the gospel.

"The American dream does not fit this calling. That dream calls for years of preparation to be followed by formal qualification, decades of professional accomplishment, and a happy retirement. Our hope today must be that these ministers of the Gospel will never retire, for the ministry is never accomplished. They may in due time be redeployed, but never really retired — never ready to rest and merely collect a pension or cash in their retirement accounts and live a life of leisure. They are to serve to the end, learn to the end, teach to the end, and be faithful to the end."

Search For Significance

The pop Christian world has been overly concerned about making people feel good at the exclusion of the rest of the gospel message. There are books, seminars, conferences, churches, preachers, and sermons that all focus on making people feel good in the name of God.

I have an aversion to such pseudo-gospel pop psychology preaching. I think it is dangerous and leads people away from the necessary understanding and response to the complete gospel.

But, contained within the true Gospel of Christ is the truth of significance and value.

Significance and value are not merit based, but it is intrinsic. I am a sinner, God does not value that. But, I am also His creation. You and I are created by God and IN HIS IMAGE. That means that we have an intrinsic value to God. That is one of the reasons He desires to redeem us from our sin.

There is more evidence of significance and value. The cross of Christ. The cross of Christ is God’s wrath being poured out on Jesus because of my sin. I deserved that wrath. Jesus took our punishment. In addition to that, and because of that, the cross is a statement of incredibly profound love. “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son.” “This is how we know what love is: Christ laid down His life for us.”

Love is value and significance. Therefore, the cross of Christ is proof of value and significance.

God values me and sees me as significant. But, this is not like the self esteem packet that was sent home for my 5th grade daughter from her school(for real). The value and significance that God places on me is not so I can puff out my chest. It is not some type of psycho-therapeutic “I am a great person” message. It is greater than that! The worldly self esteem drives a person to a high mountain so they can shout to the world, “I am great, look at me.” The significance that God sees in me drives me to a high mountain so I can shout, “God is great, look at Him.”
It is humbling, motivating, inspiring, comforting, and convicting to understand from the true gospel that God places significance and value in me and you.

Books I'm Reading

Here is my current reading list. This will change when I get my syllabus for my summer doctoral program.



This book was recommended to me by Peggy Osborne. It is actually a business book on communication. I have just started it, but so far it is fascinating. It is really about effective communication and how to increase the odds that your message will be retained by your audience. How to make your ideas stick.



I have actually avoided this book for a while. It has been recommended by several women and my impression was that it was some sort of "chick-flick" type book. But, I have had several guys recommend it as a very powerful story. So, I think I'll give it a shot.



I have already read this book, but I am working my way through it again. It is basically a book on personality traits. The book gives you a system to ascertain and understand someone's personality and how they best like to communicate and behave. I would love to be able to "read" people better so that I can be better at communicating with them. It is also interesting.

The Value of the Number 1

1, uno, one…a pretty simple number and concept.

I was recently reading the report of the Great Commission Task Force of the Southern Baptist Convention. True, some of it was a bit tedious, but there was some very compelling thoughts as well.

Consider these numbers:
There are 6.8 billion people in the world. Nearly 4 billion of those people have little to no access the gospel of Jesus Christ.
In America there are about 340 million people. A safe estimate is that 258 million of those people are lost.

Those numbers grip me!

Listen to what Ronnie Floyd writes, “To the degree we grasp lostness will be the degree we are willing to do whatever is necessary to penetrate it. If we do not understand lostness intellectually and theologically we will not change nor will we do what must be done to penetrate it. I am convinced we have not only forgotten what it is like to be lost, but we act as if lostness does not exist, there is no real hell, and many times, conduct ourselves as Universalists.”

That is right on! Lostness does exist and to ignore it is the equivalent of depraved indifference.

Imagine I am walking my dog and come around the corner to see an accident. A young boy has been struck by a hit and run driver. The boy is bleeding there in the street with very grave injuries. He is in desperate need of help. I am there, I see it, and I do nothing. If I do nothing that is actually a crime. I can be charged by the law for “depraved indifference”. I saw the situation. I knew the need. I could have called for help, or administered first aid. But, since I did not, that is a crime.

How much of a crime is it to know that according to the words of scripture that there are people who are lost and dying? They are in a grave situation. I know first aid. I know the gospel of their salvation. I am aware of their condition and can do something to help. To do nothing is a crime. It is a crime against those people. It is a crime against God.

The numbers are staggering, but what I need to focus on is a smaller number. It is the number 1. Just one more. I can’t share the gospel with 4 billion people. But, I can share the gospel with one. And then I can share the gospel with just one more. And then, one more, and one more. There is one person who needs someone to stop and render the spiritual aid of the gospel. Am I going to be the 1? Are you going to be the 1?

Stephen Hawking IS An Alien

Stephen Hawking is the premier paragon of anti God atheistic thought. Fairness requires me to mention that he is undoubtedly a brilliant intellectual. Unfortunately he has used his God given intelligence to theorize, write and popularize attacks against God.

Hawking's has postulated various ideas that attempt to show that God's existence has no part in rational thinking. Hawking's has said things like their is no creator, that God is unnecessary, irrelevant, and that we just don't need him.

A recent article has come out in which Hawking says that he believes alien life form exists. His mathematical calculations of the size of the universe lead to the conclusion that the probability of a life sustaining environment exists is extremely high. Basically, Hawkings believes in the existence of aliens.

How ironic? If we look at the complexity of the universe, our world and the intricacies of things like the human body, according to those like Hawking there is still no probability of an intelligent Designer or Creator. But, do some math and aliens exist. Makes perfect sense!(sarcasm intended) God cannot exist, but aliens can! That's brilliant!

I wonder if it is possible to be so intellectual that you actually cease to be rational?

Here is another option. The word 'alien' means 'stranger/foreigner' in one dictionary definition. Hawkings ideas and postulations seem foreign to common sense and rationality. That would make Hawking an alien.

Every Square Inch

"There is no neutral ground in the universe; every square inch, every split second, is claimed by God, and counter-claimed by Satan."

C.S. Lewis

Grab A Tiger By The Tail

The little kids rhyme says this, "Eenie, meenie, minee, mo...my momma told me to pick the very best one, and you are NOT it."

When it comes to Tiger Woods it depends on what you are talking about. I used to be a fan of Tiger, and now I am just fascinated by him.

As Tiger made his return to golf and the mother of all golf tournaments -- The Masters, I have been paying attention. What is undeniable already is the dude can play some golf. He is an incredibly talented golfer! The best ever!

As I watched the coverage yesterday of his first tee shot I listened to the crowd roar with applause and cheer at the sound of his name. And I wondered why? What are they cheering for? Tiger has now become the most notorious serial adulterer of our generation.

I was hoping he would shank his shot and miss the cut. Someone who would so trash his marriage, wife and kids, I have a hard time rooting for.

I have heard a lot of people and commentators say that we should just move on. That his infidelity is his private life. The American people are forgiving. He has done rehab and is trying to keep his family together, and get his life back in line.

So, why don't I feel that way? My pastor from college has always stated something that I think is true. Before restoration can occur in some one's life, their repentance needs to be as notorious as their sin that led to the downfall. I think that is true.

Sure, Tiger has started down the right road. But, he has not had nearly enough time for his repentance to equal the enormity of his scandalous sin. (Besides, it's not repentance if you don't turn to Christ.) Tiger missed about 4 months of golf. It was during the off season, which he doesn't play much anyway. He probably only missed 3-4 tournaments that he would have normally played. That's not enough.

Plenty of people disagree with me, that's fine. But I still hold this principal as true: repentance needs to be as notorious as the sin. He may win the tournament, but he is still a loser.

A Pastor's Big Day

I need help! That is an understatement. I always feel the intense expectation of Easter Sunday. I realize that the Lord has placed in my lap a task that I am incapable of doing. Preaching the gospel. I was awake at 3 a.m., then 4a.m. and then about 5:15 a.m. for good, because of the anticipation of this morning. I have been praying, and realize in all the hustle and bustle I should have been praying more.

So whats the big deal?

The big deal is that Jesus is alive. The big deal is that I truly believe that people's souls will be changed for all eternity today.

There are 3 categories of people that will attend Easter services at churches this morning.

#1 - The soundly save and walking with Christ. My hope and prayer for them is that the service and message from God's Word will be used of the Lord to draw them in worship of Christ, to edify, the encourage, to press them in even closer to Christ. What a glorious opportunity for them.

#2 - The nominal. There are always people who make an appearance each Christmas and Easter. Some people make jokes at their expense. "See you next year." I don't want to brow beat these people, Christ died for them too. I do pray earnestly that this Easter might be different for them. I hope that the Lord would open their eyes, and that they would get right with God. They are missing out on way too much to continue in the direction they are heading.

#3 - The Lost. Lost people will go to church. Some know they are lost, some think they are saved and they are not. They go to church because it is the cultural thing to do, or they were raised that way, or their spouse makes them. I don't care why. I thank God that they go. I see their eternal destiny before them. I pray for their salvation.

Those three things weigh upon my mind and soul. I want thing to be just right, down to the smallest detail. I want this so that there will be the least distractions to keep people from the stated goal above.

All of that is why I need help? Not your help. The Lord's help.

Lord, do a might work according to Your Will. Pour out yourself in power, strength, grace and mercy. Remove distractions, doubt, the influence of the enemy and the world. May the glory of the true gospel shine in the darkness.