New Year's Challenge, Part 3

After the past two days of challenges, I know we’re ready for more. Wednesday, I issued the upward challenge to read the Bible through this year, to memorize 52 key Scripture passages, and to display an increased commitment to prayer. Thursday it was time for the outward challenge. It included commitment to a new bi-weekly visitation program and participation in a mission trip. Today it’s time for the final challenge. And in many ways, this is the one we might think of first. This is the inward challenge—in other words, the one that affects us inside the walls of the church. All too often, when we think of things that need to be done at church, this is the list we think of—an improvement list. But as I wrote yesterday, the order of these challenges is important. Unless our relationship with God and with the world He’s called us to reach is where it needs to be, these things don’t really matter. With that in mind, here are the inward challenges for 2009:

The first part of the inward challenge is a project that desperately needs to get done—the parking lot. With each passing season, it further erodes and will soon be beyond simply capping.

Second on the list is improving the acoustics in the Activities Building. I am not a sound engineer, but I do know that strategically placing carpet and baffles will dramatically improve the sound quality. The Lord has blessed us with a tremendous space, and it would be nice to use it to the fullest extent possible. Plus, it would be nice to be able to have a conversation over there without sounding as if you’re in an echo chamber.

The third item is purely aesthetic. Several people have approached me about replacing the sanctuary lights with prettier chandelier-type lighting. I agree. While we don’t have the money in the budget (and will not for the foreseeable future), it is possible that families or individuals could purchase one or more lights. New lights will go a long way in further beautifying this building.

Well, there you have it—the pastor’s challenges for 2009. Are they overwhelming? They can be if we look at them the wrong way. If we look at them from the perspective of nickels and noses, we will be overwhelmed. But if we look at them from the perspective of being faithful to our calling and good stewards of the resources God has blessed us with, we won’t be overwhelmed.

Will I be disappointed if we don’t accomplish them? It depends. If we accomplish none of the inward challenges but faithfully accomplish all of the upward and outward, I will be ecstatic. But if we accomplish all of the inward challenges and none of the others, we will be miserable failures.

I pray that we have a terrifically successful 2009—not in man’s eyes, but in God’s eyes. By His grace and for His Name’s sake.

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New Year's Challenge, Part 2

A challenge isn’t a resolution and as such, I pray that this challenge is more successful than most resolutions. Most resolutions are forgotten soon after they’re made. As a matter of fact, it’s become a joke in our society to see how quickly resolutions are broken. I trust these challenges won’t end up in the Trading Journal with all the exercise equipment in a few months. Yesterday I listed my upward challenge to Brushfork Baptist Church. Today I will list the outward challenge. Although the order is not sequential, it is important. A natural by-product of a healthy upward relationship with the Lord should be a healthy relationship with those He cares so deeply for.

The first part of the outward challenge is to institute and participate in a bi-weekly churchwide visitation program. I know, I know—we’ve tried that before…. Well, we’re going to try it again. Visitation is not the sole responsibility of the pastor and deacons. It is a loosely structured way for everyone to become comfortable doing what we’re called to do. If we’re going to pray that God will give us Mercer County, then we ought to be willing to reach out to Mercer County.

The second part of the outward challenge is to support and participate in a mission trip as a church. A few weeks ago, we heard a report on a local team’s mission trip to Central America. Local teams have also gone to Cuba, Ohio, Kentucky and other parts of West Virginia. I want each of us to put our missions education and giving into practice this year by either going on a trip or financially supporting one.

Had enough? Is that enough of a challenge for us? Now is the time when the Ronco infomercial spokesman comes in with his classic voiceover—“But wait, there’s more!”

Tomorrow I will post the final challenge for 2009—the inward challenge.

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The Seven Day Challenge

As a pastor, there are several challenges I can think to issue to our church. As a matter of fact, I have issued a few. Each year I issue a challenge for the congregation to read the Bible through in a year. Last year I challenged us to memorize one key passage each week. We (notice I said "we") didn't do too well on that one so we'll try again this year.

Recently, I heard about a pastoral challenge that I must confess I've never considered. Pastor Ed Young, Jr. of Fellowship Church has gotten a lot of attention with the challenge he issued his church a couple of weeks ago. As he stood before his 20,000 member congregation, Pastor Ed challenged the married couples in the church to commit to seven days of sex. And all God's children said....

Seriously....

Is this what it has come down to? Is this what the act of preaching has been reduced to?

Don't get me wrong—I’m not a poor caricature of a raging puritanical fundamentalist. The Bible is clear in its teaching that the marriage bed is to be pure and undefiled and is a gloriously intimate gift from God. (If you don't believe me, read the Song of Solomon by candlelight to your wife—now THAT'S a gift!)

My concern is not with God’s gift of the marital act. My concern is with God’s gift of the preaching act. How does this seven day challenge speak to hearts of the people’s sin? How does it speak to them of a righteous and holy God? How does it speak to them of their need for, and God's provision of, a Savior? Frankly, after seeing more Cialis and Viagra commercials than any human being should have to endure, I don’t think our society suffers from a lack of emphasis on sex. The problem with our marriages is not a lack of sex. The problem with our marriages is a lack of grace. We don’t understand the glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ and how He has designed marriage to portray that Gospel. If anything, that should be the challenge issued from the pulpit.

So here it is—Men, for the next seven days, I challenge us to love our wives as Christ loved the church (Ephesians 5:25-29). That means you need to be willing to empty yourself of everything you are for her. No pride, no position, no ego. In short, no self. To the point that even if she were to take advantage of you and abuse you and berate you—you will be silent as a lamb led to the slaughter. For the next seven days I challenge you to show your wife your love for her by being willing to sacrifice everything you have and everything you are for her—even to the point you will be willing to die for her (Philippians 2:5-8).

Men, if I'm going to issue a challenge to us, I must offer one to our wives as well. So, ladies, for the next seven days I challenge you to graciously submit to the headship of your husband (Ephesians 5:22-24). Erase from your mind all of the mitigating and self-exalting definitions of submission you've heard in the past. I’m talking real, unvarnished submission. The kind of submission that willingly and joyfully places your wants, needs and desires in his hands. The kind of submission that sees his plans as your plans and faithfully works to support and execute them—no matter the personal cost, no matter the personal sacrifice. All for the joy that is set before you (Hebrews 12:2).

That is the challenge I’m issuing. And if we as married couples respond to that challenge, we won’t have to worry about being challenged to physically enjoy our spouses. Physical intimacy will flow as passionately as it did between the Beloved and the Shulammite in the Song of Solomon.

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