6 questions for you

Over the years I have had the privilege of introducing many people to Christ. Little did I know what would happen after I introduced some people to Christ I would see and experience such varied reactions. Honestly, a few people have completely surprised me. One young man in particular experienced a spiritual renovation and his life has continually demonstrates transformation. His lifestyle was radically changed, his attitudes underwent a major overhaul and his values were revolutionized. For more than 5 years I have watched a continual process of transformation and he has become a brand new person.

On the other hand the majority of people I run across are on the other side of this equation which is a conundrum to every pastor. They have been around evangelical churches all their life and know all the right answers. They routinely goes through the so called Christian life, but after being a believer for most of there conscious life, they continue to be obnoxious in their behavior, excessively legalistic in their attitudes, incapable of relating well with more than a few close friends, an much more. Though they have a great deal of biblical information, there is virtually no demonstration of Christ-likeness in their personality.

It’s a puzzle to me that so many Christians plateau in their walk with God and that the process of being conformed into Christ’s image is aborted. It’s as if they say, “I’ve got this Christian life figured out now and I’m finished changing.”

Peter made it clear.

“… grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter 3:18).

There is to be a life-long process of practical spiritual transformation. Spiritual maturity is not a merit badge for accumulating biblical knowledge; it’s the daily application of that knowledge to life situations.

How can we know we’re growing? Here are six questions to ask yourself. Be honest as you work through these questions.

1. Do I have a greater hunger for God’s presence?
Has God become ho-hum to you? Do you take God for granted? Do you treat God casually? Have I lost the wonder of the Divine Majesty? Or is there an intense passion to know God more intimately? King David said,

“As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God.” (Psalm 42:1)

A growing Christians should crave a greater sense of God’s presence.

2. Do I demonstrate love for people more than I did last year?
Too often I think that if I do not hate someone, I must love him. Christian love is not the absence of hate. Christian love is the opposite of indifference. Love is proactive. Love initiates. Biblically loving others means giving up personal convenience and preferences for the well-being of someone else. True love is sacrificial. People who genuinely love have short memories. Forgiveness comes quickly, whether it is asked for or not. There are no lingering grudges. Lovers demonstrate kindness.

What have you done in the last month that demonstrates Christ-like love?

3. Am I more intrigued with God’s Word?
While I was in school, I had a friend who knew he should read his Bible each day, but he had an interesting habit. Often at night when he knew he should be reading his Bible, he read Psalm 117, a psalm with just two verses. He must have read that psalm 50 times that year. But there was no fascination with what he was reading. There was no search to know what God was speaking into his daily experiences. He just soothed his conscience and did his religious duty.

What was the last great insight God revealed to you while reading the Bible? When was the last time you sensed God speaking directly to you?

As I study I am continually amazed at the power of God’s Word. God’s Word is unique, eternal, life-changing and powerful. It is continually new and fresh. Most of all, it is intensely personal, speaking directly to us. I am intrigued by what the Bible says and the topics it deals with. I am stretched to understand what it meant to its readers, but what it means today in our contemporary world. I am constantly challenged to understand how it applies to my personal experiences.

4. Are the disciplines of the Christian life more appealing to me?
Paul told Timothy,

“…train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.” (1 Timothy 4:7-8)

Life change does not happen by chance. It requires our cooperation with the Holy Spirit. That cooperation involves the regular practice of spiritual disciplines – regular habits of meditation (yes, meditation), solitude, Bible reading, praying, fasting and contentment. Have these disciplines become a drudgery and duty? Or are they a source of delight to be anticipated? For people who are growing, spiritual disciplines are never routine; they are exciting discoveries. Spiritual disciplines are a key to spiritual transformation. What’s your attitude to these disciplines.

5 . Do I have an increasing concern about the eternal fate of spiritually lost people?
Here’s something that confuses me. Despite the biblical teaching about spiritual lostness, I’ve concluded that the longer most people have been believers, it seems the less they are concerned about lost people. People who are growing in Christ-likeness, become like Christ! Jesus said he came to seek and to save the lost. Growing believers are learning to seek and introduce lost people to the Savior.

6. Am I more conscious of heaven than the things of earth?
Modern thinking is a long way from the thinking of Paul. He wrote,

“I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body.” (Philippians 1:22-24).

Not many believers today are torn between death and going on living, to be honest I really struggle with this one. In place of an increasing heaven-consciousness, we’ve become enamored with the comforts of materialism and affluence. We act as this life is the ultimate experience. We’re taken with the “here and now“ and have forgotten that the “then and there” is so much more wonderful. It is not that we become so heavenly minded that we become useless and ineffective in this life (I’m pretty sure that it’s been a long time, if ever, since I met someone too heavenly-minded). Rather, I regularly meet people who are so earthly-minded that they are of little value to the kingdom of heaven.

“A heavenly perspective gives us a Christ-life perspective on earth. Paul said, “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.”(Colossians 3:1-2).

As I begin to eat right and exercise each day, I don’t see any noticeable change in my health that day. But these disciplines each day will produce changes in my body that are noticeable over time. You’ll see the spiritual change after a period of time, just keep going.

Why religion is silly (part 3)…

** From time to time I will come across an article that simply makes me think “Religion is so silly!” As a disclaimer I should state, I have no problem with these people’s right to worship as they please (this is the U.S.), but to do this in the name of Christ is just silly (and that is the nicest way I can out it.**

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=po8zNqSt5t8&feature=related]

“Pastor” William J. Collier and his Church of God’s Chosen held a “Christian” conference in Winfield, AL and all are invited — as long as they are white. Flyers for the conference with the title: “Annual Pastors Conference All White Christians Invited” first appeared last Monday around town outraging many local residents. According to the local new the mayor was adamant that the event is not representative of the community in any way.

“Business people are upset. The city is upset. The city of Winfield does not condone this…”

– Mayor Wayne Silas

The event was reportedly draped with symbols of the Ku Klux Klan, Confederate flags and white supremacy slogans. When confronted by a reporter with Bible verses on equality of all races, Rev. Mel Lewis, the founder of Christian Identity Ministries, the event’s co-sponsor, got defensive:

“Well, you’ve picked out some wonderful verses out of context and out of the direction of Scripture. All you’re doing is making a mockery of God’s Word,” said Lewis, according to WFSA. “You’re absolutely abusing the Scripture.”

The three-day conference concluded on July 6 with a cross burning, which organizers are called a “Sacred Christian Cross Lighting Ceremony.”

Honestly, after reading and researching this article I was left completely speechless. The audacity, and overt nature of this bigotry is one that seems to have caught this nation by surprise. This is nothing new for me unfortunately and now its at the forefront of America’s minds. This is yet another example of the destructive silliness of trying to achieve your own righteousness through [your] works and not grace.

I would love to hear your comments below…

Some additional Christian Pickup lines

In March I posted a top 10 list of Pickup lines for Christian men and I wanted to add to those stellar works for my single friends. I love twitter hashtags for this reason and I noticed that a lot of them are aimed at Lolo Jone’s heart. It is okay to laugh out loud, because this is exactly what my wife does when I drop these works of art on here. This is my top 20 list but there are more out there under the hashtag #christianpickuplines on Twitter for more, tell me your favorites or add your own below. Enjoy!

How many Goliaths do I have to slay to win your heart?
So I was reading in the book of Numbers last night when I realized that I don’t have yours.
[Ladies] You put the stud in bible study.
Are you the fisher of men? Because you just reeled me in.
Now I know why Soloman had 700 wives… Because he never met you.
Phil 4:8 says to think about whatever is pure & lovely. And I’ve been thinking about you ALL DAY!
Are you a preacher? ‘Cause I’d respond to your altar call any day.
“You and me, we’re like loaves and fishes…we just might be a miracle.
Girl you are so fearfully and wonderfully made.
Would your name happen to be Ruth? Because I can be your Boaz.
Are you lost? Because heaven is a long was from here.
Somebody better call God, He’s missing an angel!
Is it a sin that you stole my heart?
[Favorite] If I march around you 7 times, will you fall for me?
“Excuse me ma’am. I believe your rib belongs to me.”
It took 7 days to create the world, but it only takes 7 digits to change mine.
Is this seat saved? …. Are you?
Are you hot? Or is that the Holy Spirit burning inside of you?
Do you want to be accountability partners?
The word says “Give drink to those who are thirsty, and feed the hungry” … how about dinner?

Update: this video is out of control!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4uIdXn7-jA&feature=youtube_gdata_player]

Some things I didn’t get to share last night

As I mentioned in my sermon last night there are a few things that I struggle with in my life. I wanted to share with you some things that God showed me but i didn’t have time to share on Sunday night. I hope you enjoy…

Jesus loves His church more than I do. So there is no reason for me to freak out, though I do constantly.
The same God who allowed the storm I am going through will also see me through it.
The results in ministry are NOT up to me! (I need this reminder daily)
Success in ministry will not be measured by how big my ministry is, but rather by whether or not my wife and little children really love Jesus and there daddy my journey is finished. I can always find another ministry position, but I can NEVER replace my wife and kids.
Someone recently to me that “Clear communication prevents unnecessary frustration.” I can’t assume people know what I know, so it is necessary to take the 2-3 extra minutes and fully explain what I am trying to say.
Eternity IS reality. if this is true then every single person I see is someone who will spend eternity somewhere and I need to embrace that fact with urgency.
Being busy doesn’t equal being godly!
Sometimes fighting the good fight means walking away from certain fights or to say it another way, not every hill is worth dying on.
The same power that brought Jesus back from the dead is living is in Him and now resides in me. I can do ANYTHING that He commands me to do!

Preach the Gospel to yourself!

A few weeks ago I once again received a call to join the staff at Concord Baptist Church. Soon after moving to Jefferson City and beginning my tenure here I was asked to preach on a Sunday night service. Given the nature of this pastorate I jumped at this opportunity. Much like last time I preached found myself not feeling comfortable with any of the subjects that came to mind for to preach. You see, for me, if I am going into an environment where I do not necessarily know/ understand the culture I try to prayerfully seek a subject that the Spirit leads me to say, and this time it interesting. As I was walking through the halls of the church hearing, shaking babies and kissing hands I began to hear some Christianeese (or the language that is spoken in churches that isn’t always translatable anywhere else). The phrase that I heard was the famous “Preach the Gospel and if you have to use words”, attributed to St. Francis of Assisi which I blogged about here. At that moment the Father spoke to my heart and I had to change my subject. In order to finish this message I found a new haunt (Coffeezone) in downtown and plodded away until I was finished. This sermon was for not only for me but as I soon found out for many people in the attending audience. I pray that it is half of the blessing it was to me in preparing it.

an open letter to NTR

** Now that we getting settled here in Jefferson City and I have some thoughts I wanted to get down on paper. I apologize that it has taken me so long but here they are.**

Dear NTR family,

I wanted to take the chance, through this letter, to bid goodbye to each one of you. I want you to know how much you have meant to me and my family over the last few years. Through you I have learned much about my weaknesses and strengths. I have had my faith challenged, my pride exposed, my eyes opened, my heart pricked. I have shed many tears for you, and prayed for you each by name. When I left I said that I would never forget a single one of you and I was completely serious. NTR is one of the most unique places I have ever worked, in so many ways. Like every other restaurant I have ever worked in we are a dysfunctional family, but a family at that. The stories, the fights, the celebrations, the achievements, and the [vivid] memories will not leave my mind and for that I wanted to take this time to thank you. I wish all of you a very bright future and know that I love you each much more than any of you will ever know.

Soli Deo Gloria (Glory to God alone),

Jon C. Nelson

Fire and Gold

**Once again I’m out of the office for another week but I wanted to provide you with some food for though by a good friend of mine named Pastor Brad Mann. I had the privilege of working Pastor Brad in my time at Westside Family Church as he serves as their Speedway Campus Pastor. He is an amazing man and I really hope that you enjoy what he has to say to you today.**

If you are like me you wonder why you have to endure times of struggle or strife? I mean, life should be easier as a Christ follower, right? Do you ever wonder why sometimes God doesn’t seem to answer your prayers the way you thought He should? I’ve been asking these questions a lot lately. Although, I am a firm believer that God has a purpose for every situation or circumstance and that He does answer every prayer we pray, I still wonder what in the world He is thinking most of the time!

Six years ago at the age of 28 I was diagnosed with melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer. Not only was this a major surprise, the timing seemed way off to me. I had just been called into my first full-time ministry position and my wife was 6 months pregnant with our son. I mean, how could God allow this to happen? He knew that I had work to do. He knew I had a pregnant wife to care for, a little boy that was going to need a “daddy”, let alone ministry duties that needed to be tended to. What was He thinking? What was He trying to do?

Then, I recalled praying a dangerous prayer years and even months before the trial. It was a prayer, I prayed often. It was simply, “God, make me more like you. Make it less about me and more about you.” Not a bad prayer, right? You’d think with Him being God that He could just choose say the words and it would be done, right? Well, He could…but, He chose not to do that with me. He chose to use the struggle of that time to change my heart and give me a better perspective of the life He had given me. How could God change someone’s heart for the better in the midst of suffering? It’s a mystery to me, but He most certainly does. I’m reminded of what Job said in his Old Testament writings. One of my favorite verses is found in Chapter 23, verse 10 where Job says, “But He knows the way I take; when He has tried me, I shall come forth as gold.” Gold? Gold is a good thing right? Gold is desirable and valuable, isn’t it? In my study of this passage of scripture, I also decided to research gold. Gold is one of the world’s finest resources and has one of the greatest values of all elements. When it is found raw, it does not have much value due to it’s impurities. However, when the goldsmith gets a hold of it, he puts it over an intense fire in order to draw out the impurities. This is known as the refining process. The key thing for the goldsmith to remember is to only keep the gold over the fire until he can see his reflection in the element. It is only after the refining process that the gold has its greatest value due to having the . I think this may be what Job was trying to say in his writings. In order for our lives to have the greatest value for His Kingdom, He has to draw out the impurities or sin in our lives.

Why does it have to work this way? I have no clue! I may never understand this side of heaven because my ways and my thoughts are not like His (Isaiah 55:9). However, I can experience a peace in the midst of any “fire” when I am truly resting in His promises for my life. Even as I write this, I am enduring yet another “fire”. Several months ago I was diagnosed with testicular cancer and will undergo chemotherapy treatments to try and rid my body of a disease. There have been times of confusion, uncertainty, anxiety and every other emotion that comes with a diagnosis like cancer. However, my faith remains in Him who is more than able to take care of my every need. My trust is in the one who has given me a peace that goes way beyond my understanding (Philippians 4:7).

I continue to rest in the promises He has revealed to me through this recent “fire”, but I also draw hope in what the Apostle Peter said in 1 Peter Chapter 4 as he spoke about our sufferings here on this earth. In verses 1 and 2 he says, “Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin. As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God.” My prayer is that this “fire” and every other “fire” I have to endure from here on out will burn away the “Me” so that He can be more clearly seen.

What side are you on?

Well if you have not figured it out by my silence lately I have been overly pre-occupied with moving our family to Jefferson City. I have had many thoughts and ideas that I would love to share with you but I just don’t have the time to write them down but I have asked a friend of mine named Coleman Barbour. Coleman was a classmate of mine at Midwestern and a former co worker at Westside Family Church. Over the years Coleman and I have grown close and I have had the chance to see him grow into a man of God that honors God and his family. I pray you learn from him as I have over these last few years.

So recently I heard the kingdom of God compared to medieval earthly kingdoms and my mind went wild. See I am somewhat of sci-fi and fantasy geek so I was immediately lost to everything else that was said in that sermon, but I still think it was a good thing. As I began to flesh out the analogy in my mind I realized how deep and complex it is. After a while I realized that it didn’t stop and that it wasn’t really an analogy. God has chosen to reveal himself to us as King since the beginning.

In Genesis He sets himself up as king of the universe by speaking it into existence. The same way that a king says that a man will live or die, God says to the universe to exist or not exist. At the root of this idea is rule and power. God refers to Himself as the rejected king of Israel in I Samuel. I think that the idea of a king is something that we in the USA don’t really get, but imagine you are in a medieval style kingdom. In a kingdom model, people give allegiance to a king. Well imagine a kingdom full of usurpers. Everyone committed treason to the throne. See, a good king would normally sentence all the rebels to death and/or exile. So that is just what happened. Now imagine that this king, being good pursued you as a rebel, sentenced to death. His knights come riding on horses and you can only hide in shadows, stealing for your own survival from the king. You run and hide, but they catch you in an open field. You are taken to the castle and hanging from the wall is the corpse of the prince. You know the king is in an outrage at the death of his son. They throw you at the feet of the king and he draws his sword. He raises it to strike and you know it’s over when you feel the cold kiss of metal on you neck. Then, you feel it on the other side. “Rise” says the good king. You rise and he calls you a knight. He gives you lands and even more so he calls you child. “How?” you ask. You find out that your debt has been paid by another one’s death; the death of the Prince. You now have life and a royal inheritance. And all this because the Prince died in your place.

The stories are all true. The king is mighty and awful, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t good. So given the two choices, inheritance or banishment, which do you choose? Where does your allegiance lie? Do you go willingly to the good and mighty king or do you live in fear and run from him forever? It’s all about where your allegiance lies.

Even nature sings

This world is messed up in magnitude, but there is a more amazing God who has invited us to know him, linking arms with us that we might be amplifiers for the beauty of Jesus to all peoples.

He is not only a global God — he’s a galatic God. He is bigger than anything we can imagine. We don’t have a clue, really, about who we are dealing with. The universe was one of God’s thoughts.

These are some of the thoughts that Pastor Louie Giglio shared at the Desiring God 2011 National Conference. His text was from Psalm 148: 1 – 5

Praise the LORD! Praise the LORD from the heavens; praise him in the heights! Praise him, all his angels; praise him, all his hosts!
Praise him, sun and moon, praise him, all you shining stars! Praise him, you highest heavens, and you waters above the heavens!
Let them praise the name of the LORD! For he commanded and they were created.

In the message he helps up to remember that God tends to direct our attention to things greater than us to lead us to worship. We don’t understand the expanse of the worship that constantly surrounds the throne of God. I hope that is short clip from his message will help you to realize the heavens are already doing what God is calling us to do everyday. Enjoy!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IB835wkz1Tc&feature=related]

(View the complete message here)

Checkmate: Same-Sex Marriage Advocates Now in the Game

Since the endorsement by our President of same-sex marriage I have heard some of the most frustrating, and mind numbing arguments. Honestly, between this issue and the attachment parenting article in Time Magazine, I’ve almost completely checked out of social media. Everyone has an opinion and wants to make sure that it is not only heard but known to be right though most of them (on both sides) are unintelligible. This changed a few days ago when I was redirected to yet another article concerning this subject. This article [finally] looks at this from a unique perspective and shines a light that will [hopefully] get both sides of this debate thinking.

Many are debating the moral and social obligations of the Black church in the wake of President Obama’s recent endorsement of same-sex marriage. The details of what should be the appropriate reaction of the media-crafted monolithic “Black-church vote” are being hotly debated, and well they should be; this is good political discourse. However the limited focus of these debates seems to ignore a much larger picture.

Many wonder about the timing of this announcement. Some have pointed out that it was all too conveniently issued on the eve of Obama’s $40,000 per plate re-election fundraiser among the super rich who might favor such a move.I believe this timing touches on the fringes of the picture we see, yet to gain better perspective we must first reflect on the 2008 election. In the months following Barack Obama’s announcement of his candidacy, Hillary Clinton – with the anointing of the Democratic establishment – was well on her way to being “in it to win it.”

Then we saw a great reversal at the Iowa caucuses, transforming Obama from a Black candidate driven by politics to a mainstream candidate driven by a movement. This caused a convergence of multitude paradigm-shifting factors, resulting in a tipping point. Even African American Democrats who favored Hilary experienced this paradigm shift – a shift that was completed with the South Carolina primary. The rest is history.

A cultural movement will always trump politics when they go head to head; this is culture vs. politics. The “marriage equality” advocates seem to have learned this lesson, but those who advocate for traditional marriage are, like a needle on a record, stuck in the groove of an ineffectual political approach.

With Obama’s recent endorsement as we approach the 2012 election, it seems that the order of the day will be politics vs. politics. This time, there is no euphoric movement on the horizon. In this light we can understand Obama’s pronouncement as a matter of political calculation.

I am mystified by the shocked reactions emerging from various quarters, since as early as 1996 Barack Obamais documented as stating,

“I favor legalizing same-sex marriages, and would fight efforts to prohibit such marriages.”

As the dates add up, his talk of “evolving” now seems a ruse.

Without a movement to ride, perhaps Obama felt the need to assemble a winning coalition. He took for granted the Black vote, in spite of their traditional opposition to same-sex marriage. Given the alternatives, perhaps he reasoned that Black folks would “get over it” and still choose him. After all, why buy the cow if you can get the milk for free? Likewise, he counts on the liberal/left vote. It seems to me that this well-timed endorsement of same-sex marriage was aimed at shoring up the enthusiastic support of the LGBT community, with its considerable wealth and clout – a community that was beginning to show signs of antipathy towards him.

In my perspective, same-sex marriage is not the ultimate issue. What disturbs me more is that today’s politicians and judicial activists presume that they can redefine stabilizing institutions that have survived for millennia merely for the sake of short-term gain. Their hubris is rooted in the notion that they are wiser than all the generations that have preceded us. It is this calculated approach that will “fundamentally transform” this nation from a government of laws into a government of men. In such a society, power is applied according to the impulses of flawed leadership. The winds may blow in your favor today, but tomorrow they may tragically reverse, with no recourse.

If our institutions can be redefined at whim for political gain, it makes us all – Black, White, gay, straight, liberal, conservative, or what have you – into pawns in a game in which there are no rules.

You wanted equality, same-sex advocates? Congratulations. You are now a vulnerable piece on the chessboard – just like the rest of us.

I would love your thoughts…

Dr. Carl Ellis Jr. is a cultural analyst, theological anthropologist, minister, husband, father, son and world traveler. If you would like to read more from him please checkout his blog at http://drcarlellisjr.blogspot.com/