Monday’s Ministry Musing: Appealing to Selfishness?

Mike Leake 4 Comments

selfish2A few days ago I was listening to a Christian radio station.  During one of the breaks between songs the DJ read something about building relationships with people.  One of the things he mentioned was that people are by nature selfish.  Therefore, if we want to build a good relationship with them then we need to appeal to their desires and interests; we must center the conversation around them.  He continued reading the list naming several good qualities as long as vices and how we must respond to them.  At the very end he said by doing these things we will have influenced them for God. 

Are we really influencing people for God if we cater to their sinfulness and “build a relationship” based upon this premise?  This question extends far beyond the assertions of this Christian DJ.  This question is crucial to our methodology of outreach.  We know that people like sex and violence…so should the church have an MMA night or send fliers heralding “Learn Great Sex”? 

Consider Jim.  Jim is ridiculously selfish (like most of us).  We send a team from our church to canvas our neighborhood.  A team stops at Jim’s house.  We ask Jim why he does not come to church and we ask what it would take to get him to church.  We find that Jim is not the only one that has these problems with the church.  His suggestions seem to resonate with many of the unbelievers in our area.  Here are his suggestions:

  1. I hate long sermons; give me 20 minutes maximum.
  2. I don’t like boring songs but I also don’t like repetitious cheesy love song either.
  3. Never ask me for money; I can stay home and listen to TV preacher’s do that.
  4. I want people to be friendly but not overly desperate and acknowledging me in front of everyone else.  Notice me but not too much.
  5. If I have to walk too far or park in a cramped space just forget me coming.  I face traffic to get to work on Monday, I don’t want to do the same on Sunday.

These are his suggestions.  So, what is the church to do with them?  Do we say, “well he’s a lost guy and lost people are not to dictate what we do in the church”?  Or, do we say, “he’s a lost guy and if we want to reach him then we need to reach him where he is at”? 

What did Jesus do?  What did the New Testament church do?  If you assume this is an easy answer then you probably have not thought it out well enough.  If you are a “lost people don’t dictate the church” then try arguing from the other side.  Same thing if your not that guy.  

Thoughts?

This Week in Blogworld 5/15

Mike Leake 3 Comments

Today my wife and I are celebrating our 5 year anniversary!!!

Very passionate plea from John Piper to President Obama concerning abortion:

(HT: DG)

 

Kevin DeYoung shares why he is a Calvinist.

Dr. Moore writes an amazing article about the devil’s voting record.  (HT: JT)

Thabiti points out a bleak statistic that 60% of baptisms within the SBC are “re-baptisms”.

Gregg Harris writes a letter to parents.

That does it…these videos should keep you busy.

This guy is everything I dream to be as a youth pastor.

(HT: CPC)

Hump Day Humor: Dog Diary v. Cat Diary

Mike Leake

The Dog’s Diary
8:00 am – Dog food! My favorite thing!
9:30 am – A car ride! My favorite thing!
9:40 am – A walk in the park! My favorite thing!
10:30 am – Got rubbed and petted! My favorite thing!
12:00 pm – Milk bones! My favorite thing!
1:00 pm – Played in the yard! My favorite thing!
3:00 pm – Wagged my tail! My favorite thing!
5:00 pm – Dinner! My favorite thing!
7:00 pm – Got to play ball! My favorite thing!
8:00 pm – Wow! Watched TV with the people! My favorite thing!
11:00 pm – Sleeping on the bed! My favorite thing!

The Cat’s Diary
Day 983 of My Captivity
My captors continue to taunt me with bizarre little dangling objects. They dine lavishly on fresh meat, while the other inmates and I are fed hash or some sort of dry nuggets. Although I make my contempt for the rations perfectly clear, I nevertheless must eat something in order to keep up my strength.
The only thing that keeps me going is my dream of escape. In an attempt to disgust them, I once again vomit on the carpet. Today I decapitated a mouse and dropped its headless body at their feet. I had hoped this would strike fear into their hearts, since it clearly demonstrates my capabilities. However, they merely made condescending comments about what a “good little hunter” I am.
There was some sort of assembly of their accomplices tonight. I was placed in solitary confinement for the duration of the event. However, I could hear the noises and smell the food. I overheard that my confinement was due to the power of “allergies.” I must learn what this means, and how to use it to my advantage.
Today I was almost successful in an attempt to assassinate one of my tormentors by weaving around his feet as he was walking. I must try this again tomorrow, but at the top of the stairs.
I am convinced that the other prisoners here are flunkies and snitches. The dog receives special privileges. He is regularly released, and seems to be more than willing to return. He is obviously retarded. The bird must be an informant. I observe him communicate with the guards regularly. I am certain that he reports my every move. My captors have arranged protective custody for him in an elevated cell, so he is safe. For now …

(HT: Z)

Lesson’s from Aesop: The Ass-like Pride of Idolatry

Mike Leake 1 Comment

shrekdonkey I absolutely love reading Aesop’s Fables.  You can read many of them at AesopFables.com.  I am not certain that I will stick with it, but I thought it may be a fun idea to post a few of these fables every week and relate them to the gospel.  Today is the story of the Ass and the Image.  (For the immature don’t forget that an ass is a donkey):

An Ass once carried through the streets of a city a famous wooden Image, to be placed in one of its Temples. As he passed along, the crowd made lowly prostration before the Image. The Ass, thinking that they bowed their heads in token of respect for himself, bristled up with pride, gave himself airs, and refused to move another step. The driver, seeing him thus stop, laid his whip lustily about his shoulders and said, “O you perverse dull-head! it is not yet come to this, that men pay worship to an Ass.”

They are not wise who give to themselves the credit due to others.

What a beautiful lesson about idolatry this is; why do I think that the world would worship an ass such as myself.  To the Lord of glory belongs all credit. 

I know in Aesop’s fable he is speaking of a wooden image (which is more detestable to worship than a donkey), but I cannot help but think of the colt carrying Jesus and it’s relationship to us carrying the gospel.  What is the colt’s job?  To lower it’s head, trod along, and carry the Lord of glory on his back.  It’s not about him.  It’s not as if the Lord could not walk himself.  It’s not as if the cheers and the “Hosanna’s” are for the colt.  The colt is to do his job and that is carry the King. 

Are we not the same way?  Our job is to bring glory and honor to the King.  It is not to stop and soak up the praises of the crowds.  Our job is not to win converts to our way of living.  Our job is not to give ourselves credit that is due to Jesus.  Our job is to proclaim the gospel, to carry it on our backs to the nations.  Our job is to carry the King to the nations so that they may praise Him and not us. 

God speaks through donkey’s but not so man can worship the donkey.  He speaks through donkey’s so that men will worship Him.  Don’t forget that.