Mighty In Prayer

Posted on December 17, 2009 by Steve LaMotte

I think it was Dr. Budd at Asbury College that first introduced me to E.M. Bounds.  Each class, Dr. Budd would read a selection from one of Bounds books on prayer- which he wrote at least eight.  Bounds was known for getting up everyday at 4:00 a.m. to study the Bible, pray, and write.  I’ve had a collection of Bounds books for awhile and thought I would begin reading them again as part of my own personal study time.

Let me make a confession here…I am terrible at prayer. 

I don’t know what it is, but I have a hard time spending an extended period of time in prayer.  My mind wanders.  I want to get up and move around.  But I have been working on it the last several months to become more disciplined at it.

In the book, Power Through Prayer, Bounds writes something that is incredibly important.  Many church leaders flock to conferences on church growth, read books on church growth, or want to keep up with the latest trends for growth and communicating the gospel.  To an extent, that describes me.  I want to learn new ways to effectively communicate the gospel.  But list to these words…

“What the church needs today is not more machinery or better, not new organizations or more and novel methods, but men [leaders] whom the Holy Spirit can use- men [leaders] of prayer, men [leaders] mighty in prayer.”

I am sure that in my ministry, I have sacrificed prayer in pursuit of a quicker method or a more efficient way.  I am guilty of trying to learn something new rather than coming before the throne of God in prayer.  Now, there is nothing wrong with new methods- but I think Bounds is correct, the church needs leaders who are mighty in prayer.  Leaders to whom the Holy Spirit can mold and shape to have a powerful influence for the kingdom.

As we turn towars 2010, let us cultivate a deep, vibrant prayer life.  Whether we are called to minister in the Church, our offices, our families, or our schools, let us seek to become mighty in prayer.

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A Christmas Question to Ponder

Posted on December 16, 2009 by Steve LaMotte

I read a Twitter update from someone I follow (I honestly wish I could remember who tweeted this so I could give proper credit.) and they posed this question:

How would your celebration of Christmas be different if it were not a national holiday?

This is an interesting question.  The celebration of Christmas (or the holiday season) has become a month long extraveganza beginning the day after Thanksgiving and running through New Years.  The federal government gives declares that Christmas is a national holiday and many have the day off.  Retailers extend our sense of celebration by promoting sale after sale with images of the ‘ideal’ Christmas celebration/gift/lifestyle.  Even though Christmas is a Christian Holy Day- it has become more of a cultural holiday to where non-Christians celebrate the Christmas (although in a consumeristic manner)

How would Christmas be different if it was not a national holiday?

  • First, I believe that Christmas would be entirely less about presents and gifts and more about the presences of God in flesh and the gift of worship that we offer through our lives. 
  • Since it would be less of a cultural thing- I think Christmas would be a time when the Church would gather to worship.  Sure, we get together on Christmas Eve- but I think there would be a deeper more profound experience if you didn’t have to get through the cultural expectations of Candle Light Services, Christmas Cantatas, Children’s Plays, or tip-toeing around Santa.
  • There might be a greater emphasis on Easter and the weeks leading up to Easter.  You can’t have Easter without Christmas- but we can’t leave Jesus as a babe in the straw either.  Christmas is only the beginning of the Easter story.  Can we do a better job of framing Christmas in the Easter story? 

As Christmas approaches, I’ll be thinking about this question a little bit more- especially as I prepare my Christmas Eve message later in the week. 

On a side note- seminary just ended for the semester last night.  I hope to be a little more regular in my posting.  (Maybe more thoughtful too!)

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Godly Sorrows Turns Into Repentance

Posted on December 8, 2009 by Steve LaMotte

“Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvaton and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.”
2 Corinthians 7:10 TNIV

Paul is writing, again, to the Church at Corinth.  He has received word from Titus that the Church in Corinth has turned away from false teachings and turned back to Paul’s teaching- the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Paul is aware that his previous letter caused the Church some sorrow or grief because he was willing to confront what he believed were to be false teachings.  He spoke truth, and in verse 8 he acknowledges that it “hurt” the Church in Corinth.  Yet, through some godly sorrow, some godly grief- those in the Church turned away from the false teaching- Paul rejoices because this godly grief led to repentance (which seems to be a theme on this second week of Advent)

How often, as Christians, Pastors, leaders, friends are we unwilling to cause a little godly sorrow or grief because we don’t want to hurt someone’s feelings?  Or maybe we’re afraid that we’ll come across as judgemental.  Or we don’t like to rock the boat and are content to live with the status quo.  Does you ever find yourself in that place?  I have to admit that I do.

In Matthew 18:15-17, Jesus says these words,

“If a brother or sister sins, go and point out the fault, just between the two of you.  If they listen to you, you have won them over.  But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.  If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector.”

Jesus tells his disciples and us that we are to confront our brothers and sisters in sin.  Why?  Because sin leads to death.  It leads to seperation from God.  Do we love our brothers and sisters enough to confront in love and grace?  Do we love our brothers and sisters enough to hope that they would confront us when we sin?

No one likes confrontation.  I generally try to avoid it.  But confrontation that Paul and Jesus speak about can work when it is done with love, grace, and prayer.  We must care enough for our church members and our friends that we are willing to speak up rather than keep quite in silent approval.

A while back, I had to deal with a situation of someone on a leadership team of a ministry I was leading.  It absolutely killed me to have to confront this person.  I was in tears because I loved and cared about this person as a friend and as a Christian.  After our meeting, I knew I had stepped on their toes.  I knew that I had caused them grief.  I wondered if I had gone too far. 

A few weeks later, in the middle of a Bible Study- this person spoke of that meeting and how it helped them come to a place where they could turn away (repent) of their sin and turn back to God.  I praised God that night that Godly sorrow could lead to repentance.  I praised God that the Holy Spirit worked in their life to bring them to a place of repentance.  I thanked God that God was showing me how to confront in love and grace because I care about the spiritual condition of the church.

So, let us as Christians, be encouraging to one another.  Let us speak words of life and grace into each others lives.  And when a brother or sister strays from God- let us love them enough that we would risk some godly sorrow that they might turn back to God.  Let us love our brothers and sisters enough that when we stray from God- that we will allow them to speak into our lives as well.

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Reflections from Sunday’s Worship

Posted on December 7, 2009 by Steve LaMotte

It’s 8:00 a.m.  Abbie is still in bed as she is sick this morning.  While I wait for her to wake up, I thought I would evaluate the 9:30 worship service where I preached.  If you read my previous post, you have a general idea of what I preached on.  In Advent week number 2, the lectionary focused on John the Baptist and his preparations for the coming Messiah.  So here are a couple of thoughts on the service.

Order of Worship-  I changed the order of worship around some this week.  It accomplished what I hoped it would (change of pace, more space for the sermon/communion). 

Environment-  I had my friend, Joe, bring in all sorts of construction signs and barrels to place throughout the sanctuary and hallway.  One of our high school students, David, dressed as a construction flagger and directed traffic in the hallway with his Stop/Slow sign.  All he needed was a lunchbag to look truly authentic.  The signs really piqued people’s interest in what was going on that morning. 

When I came out for the sermon (I was hiding in the back room), I had on an orange safety vest and a hard had.  With my dark jeans and a tie, I said that I was the project foreman.  While it felt a little strange preaching in a hard hat- it couldn’t have been stranger than John Wesley preaching on top of his father’s grave stone!

Heat-  We have an old water boiler heat system.  And for some reason, it kicked out overnight and the sanctuary was really cold at 8:00 (even colder when I arrived at 6:45 a.m.).  When the boiler was reset, heat started pouring in- and it did not stop!  Our system tries to get the room to 68 degrees as fast as possible.  Which means that it’s kicking out 80-85 degree’s of heat.  It would take both hands to count the number of people I could see falling asleep at various times during the service- which may have been better than sweating as badly as I was because of the heat!

There are plans to replace this system in the relative near future.  I will be quite happy to have a trustworthy system in place so we don’t have Sunday’s like that.  No heat might have been better!

If you were able to attend the service, I’d love to hear your feedback!  As a staff, we’re always looking to improve what we do.

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Site Preparations

Posted on December 3, 2009 by Steve LaMotte

“He went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.  As is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet: ‘A voice of one calling in the desert, “Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.  Every valley shall be filled in, every mountian and hill made low.  The crooked roads shall become straight, the rough ways smooth.  And all mankind will see God’s salvation.'””
                                                                                         Luke 3:3-6

The passage from Luke is the beginning of John the Baptist’s ministry- one calling people to repentance.  Luke quotes Isaiah 40 as John is one calling out in the desert to prepare the way for the Lord.  On Sunday, we’re going to focus on how we prepare ourselves for God. 

Just outisde of Milford, a new shopping center is going up.  For the last several weeks/months, there have been heavy equipment on the property clearing brush, leveling the ground, and moving dirt.  These preparations are necessary for the buildings that will be placed on the properties.  This site preparation has a practical function.  There is another function of the site preparations- people begin to ask questions; “What’s going on here?”  “I wonder what they are building?”  “When will they be complete?”  In a way, the preparation of the site is a marketing technique.  It piques ones interest in what is going on.  If it is a store or restaraunt that we enjoy, then we wait in anticipation for the construction to be completed.

The quotation of Isaiah and Luke speaks of a construction project.  The valleys will be raised, the mountains will be made low.  The crooked places will be straightened out.  The rough patches will be made smooth.  And everyone will see God’s salvation.  These verses tell of a great reversal of nature.  The lowly will be raised up and the high and mighty brought down. 

Out near the Jordan River, John called people to prepare their hearts for someone greater.  He called people to prepare their heart by repenting for the forgiveness of their sins.  Repentance is more than a state of mind, or something abstract- it repentance requires action.  Repentance is turning away from sin and turning back to God.  Repentance clears the way for us to experience God’s salvation.

On this second sunday of Advent- God is drawing near.  Jesus Christ, the Incarnate God, has come to earth and will come again.  Creation will roll out like a red carpet to note God’s arrival.  Likewise, we too must have our hearts prepared and ready for Christ to dwell in us.

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Friday’s Quotation: Black Friday Edition

Posted on November 27, 2009 by Steve LaMotte

Today is Black Friday, a day when people get up at ungodly hours to buy the things that they think they need.  I have quoted Eleazar Fernandez before, and I believe there is another nugget from him that is worth a read on this Black Friday.

“The solution to beoredom in a consumeristic society, especially when the communal bond is weak, is to consume.  This statement sounds simplistic, but it says a lot, and it is true to the experience of common people.  If one is bored, one may engage in the act sonsumption by watching (consuming) a movie and munching (consuming) something while watching.  Or, one of the majoy ways in which people address boredom is to “shop around” (consume).”

“The more one buys and consumes, the deeper one falls into bondage to the job in order to pay the bills, Eventually, a second job is needed.  But the second job leaves less time for the family, with whom to enjoy life.  Just as one has something to pay for the monthly mortgage for the cabin by the lake and a boat to enjoy on weekends, one has to work during weekends to pay for the bills.  It is an irony that mnay people live everyday.”

“John B. Cobb, Jr., offers a critique of the religious metaphysics of this global market.  Economism is the name of this religion and its god is endless economic growth.  The priests are the economists; evangelists are the advertisers; and the laity are the consumers.  The shopping mall is the cathedral; virtue is competitive spirit; and sin is inefficiency. “Shop ’til you drop” is the only way to salvation.”

-Eleazar S. Fernandez, Reimagining The Human: Theological Anthropology in Response to Sytemic Evil, pgs. 86-87

In thinking about this small section from Fernandez’s book, I was talking with someone in our community who was telling me about a large boat that they had purchased to take out on excusions on the ocean with.  This person was all excited about the boat and told me all the amenities that the boat had, how fast it could go, and how many people it could hold.  Then the truth came.

This person hadn’t had a day of in weeks because they needed all the money possible to afford this luxary.  The very thing that was to bring their family together through rest and relaxation was pushing them further apart as he had to work more and more hours to afford this lifestyle.

Are we not missing something here?  The Beatles sang that “You Can’t Buy Me Love,” and that is true, but you also cannot buy happiness.  Material possessions do not make us happy.  Material possessions really do not make our life better if we sacrifice our family and relationships in order to have them.

As we head into Advent and the Christmas Season, check out the website for Advent Conspiracy for ways to combat consumerism/materialism this holiday season.

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Giving Thanks

Posted on November 26, 2009 by Steve LaMotte

It’s Thanksgiving Day, and at some point today you’ll likely gather with family and friends to munch on some turkey, cranberry sauce (I prefer the stuff in a can), mashed potatoes with lots of gravy (Andrea doesn’t like gravy) and the ultimate- pumpkin pie with a large spoonful of Cool Whip on top. (Note: Food with Cool Whip has been scientifically proven to be 67% better than food without Cool Whip.)

Like many, I’ve been thinking of the many things that I am thankful for.  I done it before on this blog, and I don’t think this list will be drastically different, but here goes.

Things I Am Thankful For

  1. God- Sure, it sounds trite.  But if God is the author, creator, and sustainer of life; if God created each of us in God’s image; if God sent Jesus, God’s Son, as a sacrifice to atone for my sin- then the very least I can do is to give thanks.  In fact, I should give God my life, my being, my all.
  2. Andrea-  My wife is such an amazing person.  She has so many talents and abilities that put mine to shame.  She is a great mother to Abbie, and has a heart for God and God’s people.  Our anniversary is in December and we’ll have been married for 9 years, and I can’t imagine life with her in it!
  3. Abbie– She is a 2 1/2 year old ball of energy and joy.  Some of the best nights we have as a family are when we stay at home and wrestle on the floor, or when Abbie hides and wants Daddy to find her.  Or better yet, when Abbie says her evening prayers and says, “Dear God, thank you for cookies and milk.”  Abbie has taught me a lot about myself and a lot about God.
  4. 42” LCD HD TV’s– Are you surprised that it is on the list?  If you attend Avenue, especially our Christmas Eve services- you know that I’ve wanted one for like 7 years.  We made the ultimate non-impulsive buy by waiting until our other TV deteriorated before actually making the purchase.  (Saving up money so we didn’t have to finance or purchase with credit helps too!)  Now Abbie gets to watch Dora in 1080p HD, just as TV was meant to be enjoyed. (although she only sees about an hour of TV a week!)
  5. Good Friends– Being in ministry is hard…and often it can be very lonely.  I am so thankful for good friends who love us for being Steve, Andrea, and Abbie and not the pastor and his family.  Thanks for busting on me, loving on Abbie, and being a listening ear for me and Andrea!
  6. The Bible– This might seem like an obvious answer on a list of Thanksgiving, but through my own study and the opportunity to teach a Bible Study (as opposed to a Book About the Bible Study) has really re-opened my love for God’s Word.
  7. America– Do we ever really stop to grasp the immense blessing that we have just by simply being born in America?  Even our poor are richer than the majority of the world.  Simply by having a refridgerator puts us among the richest people in the world.  While much of the world lives on $2 or less a day, we routinely pay $4 or more on a daily basis for coffee and milk.  We should count our blessings and use our blessings to bless those who are in need.
  8. Switchfoot, David Crowder Band, MuteMath, Thrice, etc…- I’m thankful for music that makes me think, that makes me sing, that turns my heart towards God and God’s people.  Plus listing these bands seemed more culturally acceptable for a 31 year old than listing Miley Cyrus.
  9. La Ortalana Pizza– You are not the best tasting pizza in town (Mama Maria’s in my opinion), you are not the worst pizza in town (Dominos takes the cake on that one), but you are simply the best deal for 2 slices of pizza at lunchtime.  Yes, I know that I could eat better than 2 slices of pizza for lunch- but if I would have to live on one meal for the rest of my life- I think it would be pizza. (Just not Dominos)
  10. Seminary– I have heard plenty of stories of pastors who could not stand their seminary experience.  I have heard stories of people practically losing their faith because of the seminary that they attend.  I am thankful that I’ve had a seminar experience that has stretched me while building up my faith.  

I hope that you have a blessed Thanksgiving and that you take time to give God thanks and to thank those who matter the most to you!

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Heading to Pennsylvania

Posted on November 24, 2009 by Steve LaMotte

We’ll be leaving in a few hours for Pennsylvania to see my family for Thanksgiving.  It will be nice to get away for a few days as we head into the holiday season.  I’m pretty excited for Abbie to see her cousins, Ava and Ayden.  She will also get to see some extended family on Saturday.

As we’re gone, there will be blog post on Thanksgiving Day and on Black Friday.  Be sure to stop back and read them. 

I hope that you have a blessed Thanksgiving!  Don’t eat too much Turkey!

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More

Posted on November 22, 2009 by Steve LaMotte

I was reading Ephesians 3:14-21 as part of my morning devotion time this weekend.  In the passage, Paul is lifting up a prayer for fellow believers- especially the church at Ephesus that they might comprehend how high, deep, and wide the love of God is.  In love, God desires to do infinately more that we could ever imagine in our lives, through the presence of the Holy Spirit at work in us.

How easy it is for me to forget this.  It is easy to go through my day on autopilot and not consider how immense God’s love is for us.  I am guilty of going through my day and taking for granted the opportunities and encounters that God puts in my path.  I can miss opportunities to recognize how God wants to do even more in my life.  God wants to work more in my life, my family and in the ministry that God has entrusted me with.  I must not allow sin or anything else keep me from experiencing this love of God that desires to do more.

We’re often taught to be content in our circumstances, not to be greedy, to be happy with what we have.  But I think when it comes to God’s love- we should want and desire more each day.  When it comes to God’s presence and power through the Holy Spirit- we should want more.  My daughter, Abbie, before she could really verbalize it, learned the sign for the word “more.”  When she wants some more dinner, drink, kisses, and tickling- she signs and asks for more.  Like Abbie, as Christians we need to ask God for more.  We must put ourselves in a place to receive more from God.

Recently, I have had to look at my own spiritual life and realize that I am often a hindrance to the “more” that God desires to do in me.  As I begin to make some changes, I pray to know God even more; to experience God’s Spirit in my life even more; to see the power of God manifested in ministry even more.

“Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever.  Amen.”

Ephesians 3:20-21 (ESV)

 

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Top 15 Things Learned At Catalyst One Day

Posted on November 21, 2009 by Steve LaMotte

I traveled with some friends to the Catalyst Oneday event in Baltimore (actually, Fulton) Maryland this past Monday.  I had been hoping to get to a Catalyst event and had originally planned on going to the big one in Atlanta in October. That didn’t work out- so the Oneday event filled my void.

Let me just say it was a great day.  Andy Stanley and Craig Groeschel were funny, challenging, transparent, and encouraging throughout the day.  Not just a training event, there was a real sense that God was at work in our lives throughout the day.

So, I have gone back through my notes and pulled out some things that I continue to think about or that challenge me.  I tried to keep it to 10, but I’m just going to let it rip with 15.  Read the list after the jump.

  1. Anything new triggers momentum- the new must be radical and noticable.
  2. Minor changes/improvements do not create momentum.  This is a problem for an established church, especially.  People do not get excited for minor changes/improvements.
  3. Why do we continue to fund mediocre ministries?  If the cost of a ministry is a concern you probably are doing too much.  Pick 5 things your church is passionate about and pursue them with excellence.  Are we being good stewards of God’s resources by funding mediocre ministries?  Do our ministries bear fruit?  If not, why are we not actively pruning for better effectiveness?
  4. We can grow when people leave.  Don’t be afraid to give permission for unhappy people who are unwilling to get behind the vision of the church to leave.  Bless them and speak well of them as they walk out the door.
  5. Limitations are the best breeding ground for innovation.
  6. We most often recruit volunteers or hire new staff for current ministries levels rather than future levels.
  7. The difference between where you are and where God wants you to be may be the suffering you have to endure.  I heard this said a different way elsewhere- is the “why” big enough for the “how”?  Is our vision so big that we’ll endure anythign to accomplish what God has called us to accomplish?
  8. The quickest way to forget what God thinks of us is to conern ourselves with what others think of us.
  9. Delegate what someone else can do and do something only you can do.
    1. Only I can be a husband to Andrea
    2. Only I can be a father to Abbie
    3. Only I am responsible for my own spiritual growth
  10. We can become full-time pastors who are part-time followers of God.  Ouch!  I know I can get so caught up with church work that I neglect my own spiritual life.
  11. We must be more committed to our mission/vision than to our programming or ministry model.  Sunday school is a great example of this around the country.  Numbers for Sunday School are falling.  Could we invest that time/energy/money into better models/programs to reach the unchurched?
  12. Are we willing to fall out of love with old, outdated programs and back in love with the call of God?
  13. Churches are empty because pastors/leaders love their programs/ministry models/traditions more than they love non-Christians.
  14. How long does Apple and Coke hold on to an outdated model?  Maybe they are more committed to their shareholders than we are committed to our Savior.  Just think of how often Apple has come out with a new iPhone/iPod/Mac/iTunes and how seldom the church changes format/platform, etc. 
  15. If we want to reach people no one is reaching, then we must be willing to do what no one else is doing.
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