Finding True North

In Boy Scouts, when navigating on a map in the wilderness, we learned how to find true North by knowing the declination based on where we were on the Earth. Because of the curvature of the Earth, magnetic North (which shows on the compass) and truth North (applying the degree shift of declination) are different.

If you would consider yourself a Christian, our culture and politics (in light of current events) would point you in a direction that is fear based, self-insular, and ok with the potential mass murder of 100's of thousands of people. I would argue, a few degrees off of true North.

Jesus is our true North as Christians. If Jesus is the exact imprint of God's nature, then we really do know what God thinks of life, war, and the potential at being harmed at the hands of others. 

My hope is that in these difficult times, the Church of Jesus would be the bringers of peace and not the ambassadors of war. Rather than "peace through strength", our cry would be "Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven".

May we accurately reflect what it means to be the ambassadors of Christ. 

Greatness in Leadership

Leadership… that’s a loaded word.  

In order to be a great leader, one has to learn to be a good follower. 

Jesus said it this way, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.” (Mark 9:35) 

He also said this, “A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher.”  (Luke 6:40) 

This is the great paradox of leadership.  If you are to be great, you must first know what it means to be able to follow.

When we follow well, we learn a few things along the way.  We learn humility.  We learn how to remain teachable. We learn the power of “team”. We learn our own limitations and weaknesses. We learn that “us” is always greater than “I”.   We have a front row seat of what not to do.  We have an opportunity to see what to do.  

If no one is willing to follow you, you’re not a leader. 

Where you are right now, seek to be a good support, serve them well.  Seek to make yourself indispensable to the people around you.  Follow well.  Your time will come when there is an opportunity to take the lead and people will WANT to follow you.

You Follow Me

“You follow me.”  -Jesus

These words have been rattling around in my brain these last few months. 

I’d be lying if I didn’t tell you that these have been some very difficult few months for me personally.  On top of that, let’s add the contentious political season we just went through (who’s kidding who, it’s still going).  Social media was just as bad as the attacks the candidates were running on each other (it was worse in some ways).   The church that I belong to and pastor, Calvary Chapel in Silverdale, is part of a network of churches that are also going through a challenging time as well.   Not an easy season of life.   

The political season has been difficult for many reasons.  One reason in particular is seeing friends that have been sexually assaulted in the past, friends that have been made to feel like second class citizens, and those who are silenced and demeaned by the actions of individuals who are just as aggressive and mean in their rhetoric as President Elect Donald Trump.  The election of Donald Trump to the highest office in the land seems to reopen these wounds that affect them so deeply.  It's very hard to watch. 

Calvary Chapel was founded by a man named Chuck Smith in the late 1960’s.  God used this man to turn one church into a global movement of over 1400 churches, various Bible Colleges, a University, and countless para-church organizations.  Pastor Chuck Smith passed away in 2013.  Since then, there has been an inability of those entrusted to guide the organization of churches to be unified in their methodology of carrying out the distinctives that make Calvary Chapel what it is.  It’s difficult to see these particular men, who are entrusted with the ministry of reconciliation, having an inability in doing this among themselves.  

It is easy to sit on the sidelines and cast judgements and pick sides.  One of the temptations in doing this is to mischaracterize someone’s hurt, concern, or feelings and then minimize it.   The reason this happens is because it’s easier than actually listening, being vulnerable, and having a conversation.  It’s been an observation of late that we have seemingly lost the art of civil disagreement.  In other words, to agree to disagree and still love the other, though there is a disagreement. 

Jesus’ words to Peter are simple, “… you follow Me.”  (John 21:22).   In a time where it is easy to react to those things that strike a deep nerve, the command of Jesus should ring in all of our collective ears, “…you follow Me.”  This should translate to us denying ourselves (our self will and need for retaliation), picking up our cross (crucifying our fleshly desires), and following Him (being obedient to His word).  Our greatest commandment is to love Him and love others. 

May we seek to love God, in all circumstances.  May we seek to love those that bless us and those that hurt us.  That is what our Master did, He loved you and me while we were still sinners; going to the cross for us despising the shame because of the joy that was set before Him.   So the next time someone says something or does something that hurts you, if you have the ability in the moment, love them and pray for them.  If you don’t have the ability to love, walk away praying for your heart and theirs… this too is love.  If someone is hurting, don’t try and fix it or minimize their pain. Sit with them and let them know they are not alone.  Love them by just being there. 

This isn’t easy and nor is it intuitive.  It’s learned.  May the Lord richly bless us as we seek to follow Him.

The Heart of God: Love Your Neighbor

This post is going into further detail on a point that I made in a sermon given on February 21, 2016.  You can access the sermon here... look for Jonah: God is Love (2/21/16)

There is an interesting discovery that takes place in Jonah chapter 4 when we read a conversation between Jonah and God.  We find that Jonah’s flight from Israel in chapter 1 was because he had a gut feeling that God might relent from judging Nineveh, if they repented at the message he was supposed to preach.  Sure enough, Jonah's gut feeling was right. The end of chapter 3 concludes with God relenting from judgment after the people of Nineveh repent at Jonah's short message.   In Jonah chapter 4 we read the following… 

“But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was angry.  And he prayed to the Lord and said, “O Lord, is not this what I said when I was yet in my country? That is why I made haste to flee to Tarshish; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster.”  Jonah 4:1-2

Jonah is angry because God relents from His judgement at the repentance of Nineveh. He knew God’s heart and it stands in contrast to his own heart towards the Assyrian people. I made the comparison in my sermon that I found some of the Christian attitude towards the current refugee crisis that we are seeing in the US, draws a few parallels to this story.  I’ve seen and heard some of the current conversation taking place in parallel of Jonah/Christians being angry, afraid, and hateful towards Nineveh/Refugees. 

I won't pretend to understand the complexity of the immigration issue.  So, while I will refrain from commenting what our national policy on immigration is or isn’t, there is a deeper issue for the Christian that affects us in relationship to our neighborhood and local community.  Is our heart for the refugee the same as God’s?  Is our heart for our neighbor the same as God’s, whoever they might be?  

God’s heart for the one who is a foreigner that walks with us (the refugee) is this…

“When a stranger sojourns with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong. You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.”                    Leviticus 19:33-34

For the New Testament believer, the apostle Paul reminds us that we are also sojourners in this place, 

“But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,”  Philippians 3:20

If we hate and have hateful feelings towards the refugee, the immigrant, or whoever our neighbor is, we will find our hearts in contrast to God’s.  If our hearts and feelings are based out of fear on what could happen having a refugee family or group nearby, that is in contrast to the spirit that God has given us (2 Tim 1:7).   While I believe that the immigration policy is complicated and involved, I have no understanding of how the politics work or play out effectively in this arena.  What I can control and do understand is my responsibility in yielding my heart to God and conforming my will to His (Luke 6:40).  

This was thought to be an early creed of the church.  Paul writing to Timothy says this, 

“The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners...”   1 Timothy 1:15a

God’s desire is to save as many people from their sin that will believe, that is, the salvation from sin as the result of believing in the perfect and finished work of Christ on the cross.  Many refugees coming into this country are fleeing unspeakable horrors and circumstances.  Many of these circumstances and situations are the very reason the Church is not going into these regions.  Who is to say that God is not bringing them to our community that they might hear and experience the wonderful gospel of Jesus Christ?   God’s desire is for people to be saved. This is why He sent Jonah to Nineveh, that they might repent at the message He gave to Jonah to preach.  Who is to say that we are not here for such a time as this? 

An issue that is of real concern is one of safety when bringing in a group of people that can’t be vetted or background checked properly.  While this issue is also real complicated and involved, this I believe is the job of government to take care of it’s citizens.  We are instructed to pray for our leaders and that God would give them wisdom in navigating these situations (1Tim 2:1-4).  This is also where each believer can put their faith in the leading of the Holy Spirit to cast their vote (each persons civic responsibility) for their electable official.  A vote that is considered through much prayer and as much research as they can possibly do on the candidates.  

As believers we ought not be motivated by fear, but feel compassion as Jesus was with the masses who were compared to sheep without a shepherd (Matt 9:36, Mark 6:34).  We ought to pray for God’s heart for those who are without a shepherd, those who “do not know their right hand from their left” (Jonah 4:11).  As we are able to affect our communities, seeking to bring God’s tangible kingdom here on Earth, we will affect our cities in a positive way.  As we affect our cities, our counties take notice and we have potential to change culture.  As I understand history, this type of “grass root” movement is what can bring about real effective change on the national level.   If we focus on that which is right in front of us, it’s exciting to think how that might eventually change the national conversation.  Our government is a reflection of it’s people.  Let’s be a people seeking to reflect the heart of God and seeking to be about the will of God being done here on Earth, as it is in heaven.  

All scripture is quoted from The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2001). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.