Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Debt and the Church - Revisited

This will probably be my last post on debt for a while. Time to address other topics. But, I'm still passionate about living life without the weight of debt.

Another thing I am very passionate about the church that Jesus founded. On Monday, I wrote about the stupidity of churches having debt, and I wanted to expand on those thoughts.

It is extremely easy to convince ourselves that our church needs a credit card or a loan in order to do business. After all, if your church is bursting at the seams, and you've maxed out all space, and gone to multiple services, you really need a new building - NOW - right?

It's easy to convince ourselves of this, but I would suggest that going into debt for the purpose of doing ministry is the wrong choice for any ministry. The much better option is to check out other options. Just because all the businesses (and many churches) around us live with debt, doesn't mean our church has to.

I think it's easier to wrap our mind around these ideas if we break these ideas down to the personal level. Consider Mr. Smith. He brings home a good wage every week, but unfortunately has a house payment, two car payments, student loans from ten years ago and several thousands of dollars in credit card debt. Eventually, he reaches the tipping point.

Now, Mr. Smith is a faithful Christian. He takes his wife and kids to church every week. He loves Jesus.

Unfortunately, because of his mounting debt, he cannot fully live out God's call on his life. Mr. Smith can't give a tithe (10% of his salary), because it's already headed toward the minimum payments on his debt. He can't commit his time to volunteer at the church, because he has to work extra hours to make more money to feed his debt. And, because he is spending his time and money on his debt, he's too emotionally and physically drained to use his talents for his church.

Debt is having a major negative impact on Mr. Smith's spiritual life. And, since money issues are one of the leading causes of divorce, it's a pretty good bet that Mrs. Smith may be considering life without her Mr. Oh, and because Mom and Dad are on the outs and in debt, the kiddos sense the hostilities in the home and begin acting out.

Without intervention, the Smiths may end up in bankruptcy court and/or divorce court. And, they're kids will need lots of therapy to cope with the dysfunction ... which they'll pay for with their credit cards.

Okay, this may be an extreme, but it isn't far fetched.

Go back a few paragraphs to where Mr. Smith began. Remember how, because of his debt, he couldn't use his tithe, time and talents for Jesus and the church? That applies to the church as well. If a church has debt, they automatically need to have a certain amount of money each week just to make payments on their debt.

That debt money probably looked good at the time of purchase. But, after a few years, the item bought with it might be worn out, lost its value or has been rendered useless. The debt, however, remains.

That debt, no matter what it was for, will prevent a church from spending its financial resources for actual ministry work. Part of the regular board or business meetings will go to address the debt. Our sharpest minds will have to devote their talents to figuring how to pay off the debt.

To summarize, debt is not a good option, especially for churches. I know this next thought is very debatable, but let me suggest that by taking on debt, a church is, in a way, showing a weakness in faith. I know some might argue that my points aren't valid for their situation.

Instead of arguing, I would submit to you that God told us in Proverbs 22:7 that debt enslaves. It reduces our effectiveness. It gets our focus off of what God wants us to do, and onto what the banker wants from us.

But, what are you supposed to do if your church has expended its options, the building can't seat anyone else, and the only thing you see is a loan to build a new facility. Well, I don't have a magic formula to tell you what to do. A super-low interest loan may be what you have to go with. Or, perhaps you'll open your Bible to Matthew 6:19-34 where Jesus talks about money and possessions.

I like verses 31-33,
“So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we
drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of
unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek
the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you
everything you need."

Did you catch that? Jesus says 1) Don't worry about these things; 2) Your heavenly Father already knows all your needs; and 3) if we seek the Kingdom of God above all else (including the itch to gain debt), He will give you everything you need.

Tell me your thoughts on debt. And, if you're in debt, personally or commercially, I recommend Dave Ramsey's materials. It's really that good.

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Piles of Debt

This is the third post in a row on the subject of debt. Maybe you're getting the idea that I'm passionate about getting out of and staying out of debt. You'd be right. I'm tasting debt every day right now, but my wife and I have a plan to get out of debt and stay out. Most of it is based on scripture and Dave Ramsey's teachings.

Some things I've learned about debt from stuff I've read and from being in debt:
  • It's easy to get into debt.
  • It's even easier to stay in debt.
  • It's even easier than that to build up more debt.
  • It's easy to convince yourself that you need debt to build up credit.
  • It's easy to convince yourself that you'll only use that credit card for emergencies.
  • Eventually, you compromise and suddenly that PlayStation 3 is needed for an emergency.
  • Banks make a living off of your debt.
  • Banks will convince you that debt is necessary to build credit, and credit is needed to buy a home.
  • You don't really need debt to get credit, but you'll have to work a little harder to obtain a loan without a debt record.
  • Once you've built up debt, money you would've spent freely now goes to the bank to pay the debt.
  • Debt is not the same thing as utility, grocery and gas expenses.
  • You don't need debt to live.
  • Debt collectors can sound sweet, but are really snakes looking to get access to your bank account.
  • Never give a debt collector electronic access to your bank account.
  • After years of being in debt, you can probably remember the first foolish credit card purchase that got the snowball rolling.
  • It's easy to fool yourself into thinking you're doing life the right way by living with debt.
  • You can see how foolish you've been after you have built up a crippling amount of debt.
  • Getting out of debt with your life in one piece is not easy.
  • Bankruptcy and debt reduction isn't a very good solution for debt relief.
  • Cash is much, much, much, much better than credit.
  • Ramseyism: 100% of bankruptcies and foreclosures happen to people in debt.
  • Companies that claim to be able to reduce or eliminate your debt do more damage to your credit than if you had just dealt with your problems on your own.
  • The easiest and most honest way to get out of debt is by working hard, putting every dime toward paying off the debts, and tackling them one step at a time...aka Total Money Makeover.

Okay, that's probably enough for now. Friends, I'm passionate about getting out of and staying out of debt. I want my freedom to spend my money as I please. I urge you to check out Dave Ramsey's website, his books, radio and tv show.

The dude speaks from experience and a biblical perspective. He knows what he's talking about.

Monday, July 27, 2009

The Debt-Free Church

"The borrower is the slave of the lender." - Proverbs 22:7b (ESV)

What a powerful statement about debt. I imagine that when the writer of this proverb penned it, folks shouted out, "HERE'S YOUR SIGN!" But, judging by the number of folks in financial trouble, and businesses either crumbling or looking for a government bailout, it's pretty obvious that most people don't buy into this obvious statement.

Anyone who has ever been in debt realizes pretty quickly that they are enslaved to the lender. Miss a monthly payment and the phone calls begin. Miss a handful of payments, and the collectors call making their threats. Miss a few more, and the bank will be on your door with a notice of foreclosure. Get the picture?

Once we head down the path of building debt, we effectively decrease our ability to live freely. What was once our free choice to live how we wanted is replace with bills, stress and uncertainty. Freedom disappears. In its place is regret and worry. We can no longer spend freely. We have to be sure the bank gets it's share before we can have fun. Friends, that's just another way of saying, "slavery."

Now, let me unpack this one step more. The church that has debt is crippled and a slave to someone who doesn't really care about the church's ministry.

I was talking recently with a pastor friend of mine about his church. They're making monthly payments to a bank for the construction of their building. So far, not too bad. Interest rates lately have been pretty low. What caught my attention was when he said his church had money sitting in a rainy day fund and a building fund, but none of that money had gone toward the building debt.

I nearly fell out of my seat. To think a church might pass up on the opportunity to lower it's indebtedness, but was unwilling to do so.

Let's run some hypothetical numbers. At the time of my writing, bankrate.com lists the current interest rate for a 30-year fixed mortgage at 5.42%. For the sake of argument, we'll use this for our construction loan, since most churches will use the property as collateral. Let's take out a $300,000 loan for our project. In 30-years, you will have made 360 payments of nearly $1,700 each month. The really staggering figure is that your the total amount you'll have paid is $607,809.60 with $307,809.60 being interest.

So, you'll waste more than the amount of the project just on debt interest. that is $307,809.60 that will NEVER be used to foster spiritual growth among children. $307,809.60 that will NEVER be used to feed and clothe the poor. $307,809.60 that will NEVER be used to send to missionaries for new churches. $307,809.60 that can't be used to fix up your building 30-years from now. That $307,809.60 will be gone forever, and never be used to spread the Gospel.

That's not a very wise use of God's money, but unfortunately, it's an all too common reality in churches today.

Now, let's twist this tale around a little. Instead of sending that $1,700 each month to the lender, let's invest it in solid mutual funds. According to Dave Ramsey, the typical healthy mutual fund will earn 12% interest annually over a long period of time. (Sure there are down years, but the up years balance it out.) At the end of 30 years, our $1,700 investment becomes $6,061,967.01, with $5,448,267.01 of that coming in the form of interest.

That's an incredible amount of money available for ministry purposes. That's an incredible amount of freedom a church will have to help people, invest in the community, start new churches, make repairs, and just flat out give away to other organizations.

I think it's pretty easy to see that he church that has debt while sitting on building and contingency funds that could pay part or all the debt is just plain stupid. Those aren't easy words to swallow, but the proof is in scripture, and in running the numbers.

Additionally, I believe that the church who relies on their banker to get things done is showing a lack of faith in God's ability to get things done. Yeah, that one stings a little, but again, the truth is in the scripture. The borrower is the slave of the lender.

So, what's a church to do if they really need the new building today? I'd suggest coming up with alternatives while you build up the finances to tackle the expansion. Go to multiple services. Rent other facilities, and begin video churches. Plant new churches out of your congregation. There are lots of option, and none really require debt.

But, what if you already have that loan? I like Dave Ramsey's advice of pouring all your extra money, wherever you can find it, into paying off that debt as soon as possible. The freedom from that thing will be worth it in the long run.

What are your thoughts? I'd love to hear them.

Friday, July 24, 2009

Get Debt Free

My wife and I have begun Dave Ramsey's "Total Money Makeover," and cannot wait for a life of no debt. We're at the beginning of the tunnel, but I can already see light at the other end. Despite what the culture, the banks, the credit companies and advertisers tell us, we don't have to live a life full of debt. Debt eats away at your capacity to live freely. The Bible equates debt to slavery, and as someone who currently is in debt, I see that it is true. You don't have freedom to use your money. You are enslaved to the people you owe. And, if you choose not to pay, you risk a lawsuit.

Thursday, July 23, 2009

Orphan

There's a new horror film that opens this Friday called Orphan. This film follows a couple who loses their unborn child, then choose to adopt an orphan girl named Esther. Esther puts on a sweet front, but has violent tendencies.

Okay, I know some of us love horror films, but somewhere along the production path, someone should have put an end to this one. I'm very concerned about the impact this film will have on the public's perception of orphans and the adoption process.

Focus on the Family shares my concern with this statement:

"Orphan reinforces false and negative stereotypes about orphan children and adoption. With more than 127,000 kids in U.S. foster care awaiting adoption, many of whom have endured all-too-real abuse and neglect, the last thing they need is to be the subject of a film that uses violence for entertainment value. What they need and deserve are adoptive families who will love them unconditionally. Focus on the Family will continue to educate people about the needs of real orphans and encourage them to explore how they might play a role in meeting orphans’ needs. Hopefully the entertainment industry will join us by telling stories that value
orphans and celebrate adoption."

The Bible repeatedly instructs us to care for, defend and support orphans. This film doesn't do any of these.

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

The Minimum Wage Goes Up AGAIN

So, the minimum wage in the United States is set to go up Friday. Not a slight increase, but a sharp 70-cent increase to $7.25. For Missouri, it's just 20-cents more.

Are our politicians and burocrats nuts?!? In a time when the economy is struggling to find its way out of a government enduced recession (come on, lets just call it what it really is), government continues to saddle business with greater and greater expenses. Those expenses will very quickly be passed onto the consumer in the form of increased retail costs.

Sure, we all want folks to make a good wage, but government intervention into the private and business sectors has never gone well.

So, on Friday, the lowest wage will spike. Already, business owners have made adjustments by hiring fewer summer workers. The next step can only be the elimination of positions.

This is going on as new estimates say that the federal bailout could end up costing nearly $24 trillion dollars.

It's time for the American people to say "ENOUGH" with government intervention into our lives. Government has never been good at managing anything. Forcing wage increases, health care mandates or anything else in the name of fairness isn't fair. It's socialism.

What is fair? Allowing business owners to decide what a job and a worker is worth. Allowing workers to decide for themselves whether a job offer and it's benefits (or lack of) is worth their labor.

Fairness is not equality, and should never be treated as such.

Monday, July 20, 2009

What if it happened to you???

I have invited a guest blogger today -- my wife. The following is something she posted last week on her blog.

*****
I never knew until this last year how fast everything can change.
I never thought the morning of June 7, 2008, that I was going to be in a horrible accident. It was just any other day up until I was run off the road and rolled my van 3 times. In a few second my life was changed forever. It was very hard last year getting through all that, but with God's help I made it through just fine.

Last year my Father-In-Law was diagnosed with lung cancer. He has several miracles that I will talk more about another day, but he completely believed God was going to take care of him and he did. He had his lung surgery last summer and has been cancer free since. I'm sure he would tell you that God was there with him through the whole thing.

Just a little over a week ago my aunt Linda was running miles a day and living out her very happy life and the next day she finds out she has a brain tumor and lung cancer and instantly her life has changed. She is now fighting for her life. She is a very strong lady because she puts all her faith in God and is completely leaning on him.

Kyle and I passed a really bad wreck last weekend. Two cars had hit head on. One of the young men died and the other young man is in critical condition. The young man that was critically injured was on his way to work and i"m sure he never thought he would almost lose his life that day.

The reason I told you these things is because we never know what will happen even a second from now. Do you know where you will spend eternity? If you think well those things won't happen to me then think again because they can. Today take time to make Jesus Christ your lord and savior. If you put your life in Jesus hands you don't have to worry about what is around the corner. Even if you get horrible news you can face anything with God on your side. He will be there with you no matter what and loves you more than you can imagine. He never promised we wouldn't have hard times, but he does promise he will be there with us no matter what happens.
Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV) For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Friday, July 17, 2009

Dealing With Critics

Most Christians I know have their list of questions they plan to ask Jesus someday, and I'm no exception. Today, I added one to my list. With all the power and authority Jesus had after rising from the tomb, why did He never prove His deity to His critics?

We know from Matthew's Gospel account that rumors abounded about what became of Jesus' body. Those who criticized and crucified Jesus made up a story that the disciples stole his body to create the illusion of a resurrection. This passage even notes that this rumor was still circulating at the time Matthew was written, between 30 and 50 years after Christ returned to heaven.

Why didn't Jesus just show up at the temple and put an end to all the speculation and rumors? I mean, if it had been me, I probably would have beamed into the center of the worship service, hovered a few feet off the ground, healed everyone, then made sure everyone knew who it was that had killed me. Yeah, they'd pay.

Of course, my way of doing it would've been filled with a ton of pride and revenge...not exactly what the scriptures say here and here. So, I find it very interesting that instead of proving His critics wrong, Jesus chose to ignore them. That's a lesson we would do well to apply to our own lives.

Thursday, July 16, 2009

One in Ninety-Nine - Part Two

Tuesday, we began a two-part look at one of the most well-known chapters in the bible, Luke 15. We set the stage for today's look at these important stories. Jesus used them to counter the popular practice among the "religious" of treating tax collectors and sinners as second and third class citizens. Well, citizens is probably too good of a word to describe how these people were viewed by the Pharisees and teachers of religious law. Maybe "dust of the dirt" would work better.

The three stories told here are three of the most well-known parables that Jesus ever spoke. They all have a common theme, but approach that theme from different angles to ensure we get the point.

I really like the illustration given in Luke 15:3-7. Here, Jesus paints for us a beautiful picture showing the depth of love that God has for all of mankind. He is constantly searching to bring people to Himself. Jesus shows us that not the highest mountain or lowest canyon will stop Him from trying to bring people to the safety of salvation.

Just like the shepherd who has lost one of his hundred sheep, God does the inconvenient, the unorthodox. The world would say to the shepherd, "Hey, you've got 99. You won't miss the one lamb." God takes the view that the one lost lamb is as important as the 99, and the exhaustive efforts to bring them to safety begins.

Just as cool is the celebration that takes place afterward. The lost sheep is found and brought to safety with the 99 others who never strayed. Yet, Jesus uses this story to point out that the celebration is greater for the single lost one who has come to a saving relationship with Jesus than over the 99 who never fell away from God.

I hope you don't miss the significance in this, because at one time in your life you were the one sheep who Jesus was searching for. Don't forget that fact the next time a non-Christian enters your church. At one time or another, we all had the commonality of being separated from God. Some of us have since found Jesus, the Good Shepherd. For many others, He's still longing to bring you home.

Perhaps you've never turned your life over to God, and accepted the free gift of salvation that Jesus paid for with His life. Three times, Luke 15 illustrates one lost thing being as valuable as all the others who hadn't gotten lost. Three times, when the lost sheep, coin or son are found, the Bible tells us that there is a tremendous celebration, because the lost has come home. This chapter informs us that this celebration takes place in heaven every time the lost has been found.

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

One in Ninety-Nine - Part One

Have you ever discovered a section of the Bible that grips your heart and brings you tears? Luke 15 is one of those chapters of scripture that touches anyone and everyone wherever you may be in life. Summed up, it's a chapter on God's grace and love for us. It's an amazing chapter where Jesus tells three stories that while different are related in respect to God's view of us.

But, before we can begin to look at these stories, we really need to give attention to the reason Jesus told them. We often overlook the first two verses of this chapter as we dig toward the meat contained in the other verses.

Luke 15:1-2 reads:
Tax collectors and other notorious sinners often came to listen to Jesus teach.
This made the Pharisees and teachers of religious law complain that he was
associating with such sinful people—even eating with them!

Both sentences blow me away. The first is amazing. The second is baffling and just plain sad. Jesus had been preaching long enough that people would gather in advance just to hear His life changing words. His actions had already demonstrated a care for the everyday folks that was uncommon. Those combined to draw the different groups together to see what this Jesus was all about.

One word in that first sentence sticks out as very important -- "often." The "tax collectors and other notorious sinners" didn't just show up once and go home, they found something in Jesus that kept bringing them back. They heard a teaching they could relate to. They saw the chance to get out of their lifestyle and really be accepted by someone who seemed to care.

Verse two shows us what these people typically received -- scorn. And, this scorn came from the most unlikely of sources -- the people who were supposed to be representing God. These are the people who would confront the sinners and scum as they tried to enter the temple, run them off, then high-five each other for keeping the temple clean and pure.

Probably the saddest part is that this very thing happens on a regular basis in churches today. Sometimes it's subtle. Like people turning their backs and ignoring newcomers who don't fit the model church goer ilk. Or, talking down to people with a known sordid past.

Sometimes it's more direct, like what Jesus experienced. The Bible records for us that the religious leaders openly complained that the riff raff were coming to hear Jesus speak. Their grief was that Jesus gave these people the attention that was below the status of the religious crowd.

Maybe you've seen the direct route taken in your church. A former pastor of mine tells the story from his days as a youth pastor. A teenage girl from a poor household began coming to the church, and was taking an interest in Jesus. Her family didn't have the money to buy good "church" clothes, so the girl wore what she had. One Sunday morning, a deacon in that church scolded the teen in the main hallway for her attire, not knowing that really was the best she had. He ordered her to go home and not return until she had proper church clothing. Sadly, the girl went home crying and never returned. Yet, this "religious leader" was later found getting high-fives and pats on the back from his fellow "leaders" for the way he dealt with the girl.

Whether subtle or direct, we need to understand that behaving like the religious leaders mentioned in Luke 15 is not the way Jesus treated people. To our benefit, and maybe as a kick in the seat of our pants, we get verse three that follows the complaints of the religious with these words, "So Jesus told them this story...." Since the Pharisees and teachers of religious law didn't get the big picture, Jesus had to show them how important everyone is to God.

Tomorrow, I'll take a look at the rest of Luke 15. What an amazing chapter. Why not read it today.

Monday, July 13, 2009

Why You Should Read Blogs

I'm up to 50+ posts on this blog, and the thought crossed my mind, "Why should you read my blog?" Personally, I hope you're able to glean some insight that you hadn't thought of before. I hope you're able to apply a life changing thought to your lives. I know that is what I do when I read other blogs.

One of the big positives of the blogging universe is the ability for writers to share thoughts and experiences. Readers can then ponder those ideas, and see if they might apply to their lives.

I enjoy following guys like Perry Noble, Craig Groschel, Tommy Sparger, John Maxwell and Jon Acuff. From these guys, I get some humor, some bursts of Christian thought and Bible application, or some leadership ideas I can apply to my life.

Who should you follow? Well, that's entirely up to you. Certainly, you can't spend all your day reading the blogs, but maybe you have time to read four to six moderate length posts. Somewhere in there, you're bound to find some ideas for your own life.

But, here's the kicker...don't stick with the same half dozen. Every once in a while mix it up, and follow some other guys. Maybe the ones you follow will recommend other blogs (kinda like I just did with this post).

There is one key, though. Make sure the people you follow are credible. There are a lot of folks with blogs and opinions that can give them, but don't really have anything to really base their thoughts on. There are others who like to tear down the good guys in Christianity. Avoid them, too.

Here's my other key to blog reading. Diversify. Your financial consultant will tell you to spread your investment to different sources. Blog reading should also be diversified. This way, you'll reap the profits of many different walks of life and points of view. For instance, you may find a blogger that you may not agree with 100% of the time, but they may be able to give you a perspective that you won't find in your normal circle of friends.

Thursday, July 9, 2009

Blogger to Follow


One of the pastors I have come to admire is Perry Noble of New Spring Church in Anderson, South Carolina. The dude is absolutely on fire. Lately he's been blogging an extended series on "Questions That Will Help Us Make It In Ministry."

Today's post was particularly enlightening to me. Maybe it will be to you as well.

Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Difficult Days

Short post for today, mainly because I'm having difficulty focusing my thoughts.

You know, when you go through difficult times, it's hard to keep your focus on God, even though you know He'll bring you through the trials you face.

But, that's a lesson we continually learn and re-learn.

This blog post helped clear some of the thoughts. Maybe it'll help you, too.

Monday, July 6, 2009

Making a Career Transition

The majority of my adulthood (about 15 years, give or take your definition of adulthood) has been spent doing ministry work. Whether it's been the lay leader/volunteer or Christian radio, I've done a lot of work in the ministry.

That took a bit of a change 2-1/2 years ago when God gave me a vision for changed lives and pastoral/church ministry. No longer would I be the lay volunteer or leader. No longer would I be the DJ spinning ministry tunes. I knew God wanted to use me in a special way to spread the Gospel message.

However, I didn't really treat it that way. One of the things I'm learning right now is that a God-sized change in a person's life requires a God-sized transition. For me, this is requiring a change in the way I view the church and ministry. This is no longer going to be something I volunteer for when I have time. It's going to be my career.

This career transition has really taken my mind (and my wife's) over the past couple of weeks. Probably the biggest adjustment has been to view pastoral ministry as a job, and not just something I volunteer for. This new line of thinking is helping to change the way I look at any speaking opportunity or church vacancy.

I'm a work in progress.

Thursday, July 2, 2009

Getting that Sound System to Sound Right

My kids have been in Vacation Bible School this week, and it's been great except for one little thing...one very distracting little thing. The sound in the opening assembly has been terrible.

Ok, I know kids probably don't care, but it offers up a great chance to talk about one of my biggest pet peeves. Most churches (well, actually most concerts, public venues, etc.) don't put a lot of time and effort into getting their audio right. Instead, they settle for it just being turned on.

I've taken my kids to vbs the last three days, and each day was filled with a different sound problem. The first day, you couldn't hear the vocals. The second day, you only heard one electric guitar and one male vocalist. Today, you heard nothing but loud feedback and a few vocals.

Kids are forgiving. They don't know much better...other than the speakers are making a funny sound. But, the quality of your sound will have a huge impact on the adults who are listening. Poor sound set ups are very distracting, and in a church setting, they work against anything the worship team or pastor is doing.

"Oh, but the Holy Spirit can work through anything," you might say. While that is true, we can do our part to make His work easier.

Everyone wants to hear clearly. They don't like feedback, or poor music mixes. So, take the time and money necessary to invest in a good sound system (You don't need a Rolls-Royce. A Chevy will do fine.) and proper training of your sound crew.

I've been doing church sound off and on for the past 23 years, and I can tell you that your investment in your audio chain is just as important as the worship and preaching teams. In fact, your audio setup will make or break the other two.

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Thoughts on Communion

I'm reading through 1 Corinthians right now in my personal Bible study, and last night I went through chapter 11...you know, the hair and communion chapter.

I'm sure that I've read through this section before, but last night something in the latter half of the chapter caught my attention. Verses 17-34 are instructions for taking communion (aka: The Lord's Supper).

If you've attended a communion service before, you've probably heard this section read:

For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, "This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me." In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me." For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

That's the standard read through before taking communion. But, we don't often look at the surrounding verses, and it is those that caught my attention last night.

Paul starts this section of his letter with these words, "But in the following instructions I do not commend you...." That's an automatic uh-oh, and Paul goes on to explain that people in this church were abusing and misunderstanding the purpose of communion. Some were using it as their meal for the night, so they'd hog the food and drink until it was gone, leaving believers down the line unable to participate. The instructions here are basic, and easy to understand. It's what comes after verse 26 that may be a little hard to swallow.

Paul gives us a warning that whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord and is unworthy to do so is guilty concerning the body and blood of Jesus. Paul goes on to explain that those of us with sin in our lives, believers or not, bring judgment on ourselves by taking part in communion before repenting of the sin.

There were believers in Corinth living with sin in their lives, and participating in communion without properly examining themselves. They were failing to correcting the sin, or excluding themselves from communion. We're not told why they still participated, but if what we see in today's church is any indication, they might have been afraid of what folks would say. Picture the following:

"Margret, did you see that? Susan didn't participate in communion. You know what that means?"
"You're right, Phyllis. She's got sin. Poor thing. Either that or she's not really a Christian."


Think I'm exaggerating? Think again. We don't like people to know we have issues we're struggling with. So ,rather than face the scrutiny of those we go to church with, we fore go the examination and participate in communion. And, that's where Paul drops the proverbial Heimlich Maneuver.

In verse 30, Paul writes, "That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died." What?!? Seriously?!?

This is the verse that really caught my attention. I had to do a double-take and read it again. People had actually become frail, sickly and died, because they had abused and misused communion.

God doesn't fool around when it comes to the ordinances he placed on the church. I don't imagine He told those who had actually died, "You did a great job hiding your sins from those in your church." No, God takes the remembrance of His Son's sacrifice seriously, and we should also. Failure on our part brings judgment on our heads.

I wonder how many of the sick and frail in our churches today are actually a result of abused communion? Maybe you are one of them. I wonder how many times I've abused communion by not properly examining my life before participating.

Fortunately, Paul's instructions serve to point out our error, and work to correct us. This judgment can be reversed. However, it'll require us to be honest with ourselves about the sin in our lives. If that means we have to skip a communion, so be it. It's better to suffer a little embarrassment before man than to suffer embarrassment before The Almighty.

Happy Birthday Jonas

My second son is six today. Love ya, Jonas. You always keep us on our toes.