Racial Reconciliation

 

Every human being was created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27). It does not matter if you are of Asian decent, Australian, African, European or Hispanic; we were all created in God's image. It doesn't matter our skin color, our ethnicity our economic status, if we grew up in the city or the farm country; we were all created in the image of our Creator. For anyone to think otherwise would go against the truth of God's Word.

Over the years, we have seen barriers put up that have caused division among different groups within society. People have allowed their minds to create ideas that belittle people who are different than them. God's word tells us in Philippians 2, "But in humility, consider others better than yourselves." This is a call to love. To put it another way, 1 John 3:16 says, "Jesus laid down his life for us, we ought to lay our lives down for our brothers." It does not get much clearer than that. These verse do not leave any room for excuses. God calls us to consider others better than ourselves and to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters - no matter who they are, where they come from or what they look like.

In the past, I have been a part of several gatherings that were designed to bring together people of different color. Reflecting back, these were significant occasions. One of my favorite memories was back in 1996. My Dad was invited to speak along with his friend, Pastor Richard, at a Promise Keepers gathering of men at Atlanta's largest arena. The theme that year was Racial Reconciliation. My Dad and Pastor Richard had rolled up their sleeves in bringing their congregations together in prayer and worship of Christ, and to tear down the walls of racism in our area of North East Atlanta. I can remember them standing before the crowd of 67,000 men, that day at the Georgia Dome, linking arms together, swaying back and forth and singing the song "We Shall Overcome". That was a powerful moment!

Even with all that has been done over the years, to tear down the walls of segregation, we have seen this problem come to the forefront again this year. We must continue to fight for one another. We must love first. This is certainly a kingdom need. Racial reconciliation is close to the heart of God, and the value of every human is found throughout the pages of His Word. 

As we come to this election, we are faced with the question in November, who is the best candidate to bring our country together? Who will pour gas on the flames of division, or who will do his best to invite the healing of Jesus to our land? We need a leader who will bring unity. We must vote the Kingdom.

Psalm 133:1 says, "Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity." As we vote this November, we must vote for unity." Let us be those who champion unity. 

The Freedom of the Church

 

I was blessed to have parents who cared whether or not I made it to church on Sunday. I grew up enjoying Sunday School. I learned that Jonah disobeyed God and ended up being swallowed by a whale, thanks to my teacher who would show us all the Bible stories play out on an old school flannel graph. In addition, I saw a life devoted to Jesus lived out by my parents. When I was old enough to understand the weight of my sin, I realized my need for Jesus. Following Jesus leads to a life of loving the church.

Fast forward to today, I have served as a Youth Pastor for 15 years, and am now a part of a prayer movement impacting 92 nations around the world. Many churches have benefited from our training. In addition, I enjoy being involved in our local church along with my family. We love our church! We drive by several churches on the way to ours because it has become our family. 

Church is a place to grow. Church is a place to worship. Church is a place to serve. Church is a place to join with other people who are on the same journey of following Jesus.

Jesus said, as recorded in Matthew 16:18, "I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it". In recent years, here in the United States, we have seen an onslaught come against the church. The government is continually reaching beyond their responsibility in trying to govern the church. This pandemic, we have experienced this year, has certainly affected the church.

In many places in America, the government has made rulings on churches that are not consistent with the rest of society gatherings. The government should not tell religious organizations what healthcare they must provide when that healthcare goes against the church's convictions. The government should not control what the church is able to say and what it is not able to say. We are slowly seeing our religious rights being taken away.

The government cannot take away the church's freedom when the church simply speaks to the truth of God’s Word. The church is divinely ordained by God. The government goes beyond its responsibility when they try to keep the church from doing what God has called the church to do.

This is one of the freedoms that sets the United States a part from much of the world. I have been to several countries that do not share the same freedom of religion that we enjoy. I have heard stories of pastors being beaten. I have heard stories of churches being burnt down. This stems from the law of the land that keep people from religious freedom. Friends, we are close to seeing this happen in our country.

As followers of Christ, we must take a stand for the church. We need to vote for the church and religious rights. If we don't, we will see our freedom taken from us. We will see our churches locked. We must vote to preserve our freedom to worship.

Hebrews 10:25 says, " Do not neglect meeting together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near".

Decision 2020

Well, we all survived the two weeks of political party conventions. As we read the history books, never has there been such a more contested election as we have this year. It is typical for there to be conflict and drama leading up to an election, but this year has certainly been over the top. It is obvious that the enemy of this world is causing division and pulling people away from biblical values.

As a follower of Christ, God calls us to deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Jesus. This means that whatever we would rather do, it is imperative that we are willing to sacrifice our personal desires for the sake of what God wants. In many areas of life, what God wants does not make sense, in many cases it is difficult to do. Peer pressure creates challenges. Ultimately, the enemy of our souls comes against us.

As we consider our God-given right to vote, we must do so with the conviction of the Holy Spirit, and vote according to Biblical principles and moral values. In Joshua 5, we read that Joshua was preparing to go to war, and a representative of God's army, an angel, approached Joshua. With some concern, Joshua asked a very practical and strategic question. He basically asked the angel, "Who's side are you on?" As we face this election, we might ask, "Who's side are you on, democrat, republican or independent?" The angel gave one of the most politically insightful principles in all of Scripture when he replied, "Neither, I'm not on your side and I'm not on their side, I'm on God's side." He made it clear that the Lord had not come to take sides. He came to take over.

As we approach the 2020 election, the question is not, "Is God on my side?" The right question is, "Am I on God's side?" Because God does not side with anyone but His own. He promotes His own agenda, the kingdom agenda. God does not look at who is going to win and then join the winning side. The winning side is always the side that chooses to align themselves with God. God does not come to take sides, He comes to take over. So, are you on God's side?

Let's consider what it means to be on God's side this election. Knowing that God's agenda is most important. It is not a specific political party, it is kingdom. Jesus is our ultimate authority. He is our only hope to solve all of our countries problems. There are three practical ways to prepare ourselves for this election.

First of all, as followers of Christ, we must pray. 1 Timothy 2:1-2 says, "I urge you, that prayers be made for all people - for kings and all those in authority". We must get past our dislike of those in authority and humble ourselves and pray for them. We should not just pray for those who we agree with, God calls us to pray for all. In the context this Scripture was written, the leader in authority was Nero, who hated Christians and persecuted them severely. God calls us to pray.

Second of all, we must vote. Our vote has the potential to be aligned with Jesus' agenda for our world as we consider biblical principles. We are kingdom voters. We vote on kingdom issues. There are a lot of other issues, but they are secondary. But when it comes to voting, we must vote like followers of Christ. The Bible makes it very clear in regards to several key political platforms:
    1) The right to life of unborn children.
    2) The sanctity of marriage.
    3) The freedom of the church.
    4) Racial reconciliation.

I will unpack each of these platforms in subsequent blog posts over the next four weeks. There are obviously other platforms, but these four are clear in Scripture and leave no area for compromise.

Thirdly, as followers of Jesus Christ, we must ultimately put our hope in the King of Kings, Jesus. We cannot put our hope in the current administration or other party's ticket. We put our hope in the administration of our sovereign King Jesus and His Kingdom. Ultimately, no government will stop the kingdom's agenda. The kingdom agenda does not hang in the balance of the democrats, republicans or a third party. The ultimate seat of authority is not in the Oval Office of the White House. The seat of ultimate authority is found at the right hand of the Father and that seat is not up for an election. Jesus has no term limits and He doesn't need to run for re-election. He is seated in the seat of authority now and will be there for all eternity.

God calls us to vote His agenda. We must stand for biblical values or we will suffer the consequences with the unraveling of our country as we know it. As you face this decision, what will you do? When we walk into the polling station on November 3, let us cast our vote for Jesus. When Joshua recognized that God did not show up to take sides, he responded with the only appropriate response, submission. Joshua got on his face before God and submitted to Him. We must do the same. We must humble ourselves, lay aside our personal preferences, our presuppositions, our traditions and ask one question, what side lines up best with God's side?

Your ballot is Jesus' ballot and you are casting it on His behalf. Psalm 33:12 says, "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord". Are you ready? I'm going to tell you right now who to vote for. (Insert drum roll) Vote for Jesus and His Kingdom!

The Peace of God

In a day when it seems all of our surroundings are unraveling, we all long for stability and assurance that everything will be okay. This year will go down as the most unusual with circumstances that have been beyond our control. This was the year of 2020 vision for many. We were all excited to see what this year would hold and to lean into all that was before us. Then March introduced us to Covid.

Three months into this year, we found ourselves quarantined and dealing with an international pandemic caused by a virus that had the capability to leave a person asymptomatic and eventually in the hospital on a ventilator. Then, we as a nation, dealt with protesting and rioting. People were in uproar because of social injustice and racial tension. Now, there are far left wing radicals who are trying to establish a city and government independent of what is already established to rule our country. All of this has caused much panic and fear.

Jesus said as recorded in John 16:36, "I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world."

These are powerful words of peace! Jesus says that in Him we have perfect peace. Jesus is the Prince of Peace. He brings the peace that passes all understanding.

The peace of God, which is the word shalom in Hebrew, and eirenen in the Greek, refers to the peace that only comes from Jesus Christ. This peace provides inner satisfaction, contentment and fulfillment. It is a state of being as well as an attitude or mindset. When we receive the peace of Christ, there is no circumstance that will shake us. We realize that no matter how stiff the winds of life may be, Jesus is able to calm the storm.

The house that I live in is located next to a forest of trees. During a windstorm, I often look out my windows to watch the trees. There are trees, that because of the wind, will look like they are about to collapse. The wind will blow them back and forth as if they are pool noodles, on the verge of falling down. Then, I see others, who even despite a powerful wind, are not affected at all. The difference in trees is the root system. The trees with strong roots are able to withstand the onslaught of harsh winds that come against them.

This is a picture of what Jesus does, imparting His peace to His children, in the midst of difficult circumstances. His peace is an anchor for our souls. It solidifies us even when our world seems to be crashing down. He calms the storm.

Isaiah 26:3 says, "You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you."

Receive His peace today.

Dr. Billy Graham, a Man of Inspiration

On February 21, 2018, Heaven gained a champion, Dr. Billy Graham. For me personally, as a follower of Jesus Christ, I am inspired as I consider his life. I love this quote, from the man himself, that I have seen and read countless times in the last 48 hours, "Someday you will read or hear that Billy Graham is dead. Don't you believe a word of it. I shall be more alive than I am now. I will just have changed my address. I will have gone into the presence of God."

Twenty four years ago, I had the privilege of being a part of the counseling team for one of Dr. Graham's crusades here in Atlanta. I was still in high school, but God led me to be a part of the counselor training a month before the crusade, and then to be prepared each night of the crusade to meet teens at the alter who were ready to meet Jesus. I remember thinking, "What is so great about this man that he is able to draw thousands of people, to fill our Georgia Dome, to hear him preach?" Throughout this crusade, I realized that this man was simply being used by God. He was empowered by the Holy Spirit. He had a firm but sincere way of communicating the gospel. Every night of that crusade, the Scripture and the stories were different, but the gospel of Jesus Christ was proclaimed clearly, and many rushed to the front to surrender their lives to Jesus. I remember praying with several teens that week, who went down to the alter, and were weeping in conviction and ready to follow Jesus.

Dr. Graham is inspiring. There are many things that personally inspire me as I remember the life of this champion. I want to share with you three that stand out to me above the rest.

First of all, I am inspired by Dr. Graham's integrity. He was the same man in private as he was in public. He is the most recognizable preacher in all of history, but his biggest accomplishment, in my opinion, was his outstanding Christ-like character. People who knew him the best describe him as humble and genuine. In the words of his long time song leader, Cliff Barrows, "He practiced what he preached."

One mark of a man of integrity is the willingness to admit when he has done wrong. Over the years, Dr. Graham made his share of mistakes, and some of them were in the public eye. Instead of shrinking back or covering them up, he owned up to them and made public confession. This is godliness.

Dr. Graham sought every day to pursue purity. Back in the 1940's, he and other Christian leaders gathered in Modesto, California to lay out what is known as the "Billy Graham Rule". He shares in his book, Just As I Am, “We all knew of evangelists who had fallen into immorality while separated from their families by travel. We pledged among ourselves to avoid any situation that would have even the appearance of compromise or suspicion. From that day on, I did not travel, meet or eat alone with a woman other than my wife.”

Over the years, this passion for purity served Dr. Graham well in avoiding major pitfalls that would have derailed his life and ministry. In 1943, he married Ruth and they enjoyed 64 years of faithful marriage. They raised 5 children together. Dr. Graham has said that his ministry would be impossible without Ruth. What a beautiful example of integrity, character and faithfulness.

Secondly, I am inspired by Dr. Graham's passion for the gospel. He preached Jesus Christ without reservation to millions. So many Christians buckle at the knees at the thought of sharing their faith. It is reported that Dr. Graham preached to over 215 million people in 185 different countries. I have read recently that approximately 1 million people were born again in Jesus Christ because of his proclamation of the gospel. That is significant kingdom ministry.

Dr. Graham had a way of explaining the truth of the gospel in a way that engaged everyone. He was anointed by the Holy Spirit. His messages were so convicting that even atheists would be found running to the alter to be saved. I cannot imagine the scores of people in Heaven because of Dr. Billy Graham. I have a feeling he is bombarded with people coming to him in Heaven saying, "Thank you".

His life verse, that could be found pinned on the walls of his home, is Galatians 6:14. It says, "But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world."

Lastly, I am inspired by Dr. Graham's love for all people. He worked hard to end segregation. He fought for civil rights. In the 1950's, Dr. Graham was scheduled to lead a crusade in the South, and when he got inside the stadium, he noticed that there were sections roped off based on the color of skin. He said, "No more of this!", and then went to the head usher and told him to take down the ropes. The usher refused and so Dr. Graham took down the ropes himself.

This stance that Dr. Graham took in taking down the ropes led to a friendship with the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. They developed such a close friendship that Dr. Graham would call Dr. King by his nickname, Mike. At one point during their relationship, Dr. Graham would bail Dr. King out of jail following protests in Birmingham, Alabama. Dr. Graham lived by the position that he preached many times, “There is no excuse ever for hatred. There is no excuse, ever, for bigotry and intolerance and prejudice. We are to love as God loves us.” Dr. Graham spoke clearly that the Bible has no truth that promotes segregation. Graham helped tear down the walls of segregation. What an example for us today.

Dr. Billy Graham was an incredible example for each of us. His legacy will continue to inspire those who know him. These are the areas of his life that inspire me. What is it about him that inspires you? I would love to read your thoughts in the section below. My prayer is that Jesus will continue to shine His light and pour out His love, to bring salvation to the lost, as we remember the life of Dr. Billy Graham.

Quoted Book: Just As I Am, Billy Graham, Harper Collins Publishing, New York, 1997.

50 Shades of Gross

Let's face it friends, the moral fabric of our society has been quickly unraveling. What was sacred years ago is now common. When I was in grade school, if I had the urge to see pornography, I would need to find my way to the magazine section of a bookstore or sneak into an rated R movie. Unfortunately, today, filthy images are easily accessible through any device that provides the internet.

God is clear on sexual immorality throughout Scripture. Matthew 5:8 says, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God." If we want to experience God's manifest presence in our life, we have got to fight for purity. Ephesians 5:3 says, "There should not be a hint of sexual immorality among you." That is pretty clear. God gave us these guardrails, not to make life difficult or impossible, but to keep us on His path of righteous living. Any failure in this area will potentially leave scars that last a lifetime, starting with our relationship with God.

There has been a lot of conversation about this movie, 50 Shades of Grey. I have not seen the movie, read the book or watched the previews. However, I have read enough to know what it's about. The media is going to the wall to promote it. It is hard to avoid. God has created sex to be holy and enjoyed in the context of marriage. This movie presents a message that is far from God's design. It promotes violent sex that might as well be classified as abuse. The vulgarity presented in this movie is downright disgusting.

Our culture is saturated with messages of promiscuity and perversion. This is a great opportunity for the church to be what we are called to be, an extension of Jesus to our community. We are not here to bring condemnation, but to simply warn people of the truth and simply point people to Jesus.

May God give us the courage to win the battle of purity. 

If any of you are struggling in this area, God will meet you there, with His grace, and bring healing and victory. 

Let's take a stand for Jesus and encourage our friends to not see this movie. 

May we be those who, as the Psalmist said, "Ascend the hill of the Lord," because we have clean hands and a pure heart.

Too Old For Youth Ministry

It has been a while since I have posted to my blog because I have been stewing over this idea for the last two months. I'm 38 years old and not getting any younger. I have been involved in youth ministry for 18 years and full time as a youth pastor for 11 years.

God called me into youth ministry back in the Fall of 1995. I was a freshman at college and decided to change my major because I realized that I was not living the call I had received as a young boy. I went to college to study business because I had taken a career type test in high school that determined I should go into business. It was during my first semester at college that I heard a message, in chapel, about Jonah's disobedience. God used that message to convict me that I was doing the wrong thing. The speaker even said in that message that if God has called you into ministry and you try to do anything else, you will not have the blessing of God in whatever you do. Wow. That hit me. I knew I had to change my major and pursue the call God had placed upon my life.

I began to pray about what specific ministry God was calling me into. I had an amazing experience in the youth group that I was a part of during middle and high school. My youth pastor, Erik Williams, spent a lot of time with me and showed me how to live for Jesus. God put it in my heart to be that same influence in the lives of teens in the next generation. Then God led me to a passage of Scripture to further confirm what He was doing in my heart, 1 Thessalonians 2:8 it says, "We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God, but our lives as well because you have become so dear to us." God used this verse to impress upon me exactly what He was calling me to do: Build relationships with teens and share with them the life changing message of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Since God called me into youth ministry, I have served in three churches as the full-time youth pastor over a span of eleven years. While studying in seminary, I served a year and a half as a part time youth pastor. Then, I have served in two different churches as a youth coach for over five years. So, I have been involved as a youth leader for eighteen years. Wow, God has been so good to me!

When God called me to youth ministry, I had no idea how long I would last. I had friends who used youth ministry as a way to "climb the ladder" in order to become the lead pastor. I had friends who told me stories of getting burnt out. Youth ministry can be the most demanding of all the pastoral ministries within the church. I had a youth ministry professor in college who said that in order to fully prepare yourself to be a youth pastor, one would need to get a degree in theology, biblical studies, business administration, teaching, public relations, communication, psychology, and anthropology, just to name a few. When I heard that, I thought to myself, I know I'm not qualified, and that everyone who serves as a youth leader would need to rely heavily on the anointing of Jesus to fulfill their calling. That is exactly what has sustained me in these years as a youth leader.

When I started out as a youth pastor I told myself: If I ever get too old and stop connecting with youth, I need to get out before I do more harm then good. As I mentioned, I have been wondering the last two months if I am getting to that place. The youth ministry that I lead has seen a decline in attendance in recent months. Obviously numbers aren't the most important thing in ministry, but it is a vital sign that needs to be looked at periodically and taken seriously. In light of this, I have spent considerable time praying and asking the Lord for direction. So, over Christmas, I began praying and asking God this question: Is it time for me to move on? Am I getting too old for youth ministry or am I losing touch with youth? In response, I heard the Lord tell me pretty clear, No, it is not time to move on.

I asked the Lord: At what point is a person not qualified to be a youth pastor? I didn't get the answer I was expecting (when you're too old). The answers I received were: When you fall into immortality or when your call changes. What I was reminded of is the fact that God qualifies the called. Jesus didn't call the qualified when He chose fishermen, tradesmen and a tax collector to follow Him. He took men who were willing and then trained and empowered them. Then these men would eventually be used, by God, to launch the church. The same Holy Spirit who empowered the disciples, and gave them the energy and anointing they needed to reach people for Christ, is the same one who fills and empowers me to lead our youth ministry.

In conclusion, through prayer, I realized that my calling and assignment hasn't changed. God continues to burden my heart for the youth of our town. It pains me to see students making bad decisions when I know Who has the ability to change a person's life. While I continue to have a burden and love for teens, I'm staying in youth ministry. As long as God has a youth ministry calling upon my life and I have a passion for it, I'm going to continue fighting the old bald guy reality and embrace the fact that with Jesus the best is always yet to come.
 
By the way, while spending time in prayer, the Lord gave me two fresh downloads for new ministries to develop within our youth ministry. The future is bright for the Anchor, because Jesus is the Light of the World.