A REAL leadership blog for the REAL world

This summer I am doing a series of lessons on the different religions of the world. I am calling the series, COEXIST. Most of us have seen the bumper sticker that uses different symbols from the world’s religions to spell out the word coexist. The imagery of the graphic and word itself bring us face to face with a reality. Religion has been the basis of countless wars and remains the source of tension and political unrest to this day. Some have gone so far as to theorize that the world would be a better place without religion.

John Lennon wrote the anthem for those who have reached this conclusion. In his song “Imagine”, he asks us to dream about a world void of religion. He invites others to join him in his fantasy world where all can be “one”. Please don’t get me wrong, I’m a huge fan of most of the music of the Beatles but the message of this song has a significant blind spot. A lot of good has come about because of religion.

Now before we go to the old standby arguments that document the hard cold facts that lots of wars, bloodshed and injustices have emerged from people who claimed to get their marching order from God, I want to explain something. God gets the blame for things that did not originate in His heart, nor were they ordered in His words. It does not take a rocket scientist to figure out that madmen have been using religion to their advantage since time began. Let’s call it what it is – bad people doing bad things using religion to advance their cause.

With this argument set aside let me take you to overwhelming evidence that proves our world is far better off because of religion. If you want to imagine something try imagining a world where all the good done by religion is suddenly removed.

Imagine a world without the hospitals that were built because of religious motivation. Then close down all the orphanages and adoption agencies that function because of people of faith. The next time there is a national disaster, imagine the void there would be because the Red Cross would no longer exist. The next time you are in the inner city of any major American city be sure to remove the Salvation Army and all the good they do.

Finally, there is an army of volunteers to vast to number. They are the millions who serve in local churches in the soup kitchens and food pantries. They volunteer with the Scouts and they run the local AA meetings. They run the community Day Cares and they serve as Big Brothers. By now you should get the picture, John Lennon’s dream is really a nightmare.
And while you’re thinking all this over, don’t forget to put on your “to do list”, find the hospital in your town that was started by atheists. Come to think about it, I don’t ever recall coming across anything started by atheist that has advanced humankind, fed the hungry, or brought relief to the downtrodden. Now imagine that.

See you in Church!

We cannot save anyone. Only God can bring about the miracle of the new birth. However, we have been called to be a partner with God and communicate His love to those who have never heard the truth. Effective communication requires we create the best possible environment in which God’s Spirit can convict and save.

“…He has invited you into partnership with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.” 1 Corinthians 1:9b NLT

No one has all the gifts. We need each other to communicate effectively. All who serve are called “God’s fellow workers”. We need each other as we help create the right environment that will allow people in spiritual darkness to see the light.

“Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor. For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building. According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it” 1 Corinthians 3:8-10

Effective communication is a team effort. If we are willing to work together we can communicate God’s love effectively. If each of us is willing to use their gifts we can create the right kind of environment that allows people to hear the truth. If we work together the church is capable of using Fine Arts to build a bridge of understanding for the gospel message.

The Apostle Paul gives us a couple of strong examples in scripture of how to use Fine Arts or culturally familiar art forms to make a connection with unreached people. He never compromised the message that Jesus Christ was crucified, risen, and coming again even one single time. He did, however, declare these truths with sensitivity to culture and awareness of the artist of his day.

In Paul’s message on Mars Hill in Acts 17, he spoke to a group of people who had never heard the gospel of Jesus Christ. He connected the message of truth he preached to a poet they were familiar with. He actually quoted the poet and then made an application to truth about God.

“For in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also His offspring.’ Therefore, since we are the offspring of God…” Acts 17:28, 29a

Paul also taught us about cultural sensitivity when he stressed that he was willing to connect with people by actually becoming like them. This willingness to set aside his own cultural affinity for the sake of seeing people saved is a profound example of creating an environment that makes receptive hearts.
“To the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. 1 Corinthians 9:22
This is why we are willing to use the Fine Arts as a tool to communicate the gospel in the 21st Century. The message of salvation through Jesus Christ must not be hidden in our traditions and music that is familiar to us but not the world. We must be willing to use any means to help people understand the amazing truth that Jesus saves.

Our part in communicating the gospel is to create the best possible environment in which people can hear the truth. We must break down barriers that keep people away from the truth. We must be sensitive to cultural norms and use tools that give people a fair hearing of the gospel. Here are some environmental concerns that we can impact and have a part in.

• Facilities facilitate ministry. Our buildings have the potential of sending a message. Clean and well-structured buildings tell people that what happens in that building is important. Buildings that are not clean or that have been poorly maintained tell everyone that the message is not worth doing things right.

• A warm environment of love and acceptance tells people they are loved by God. Greeters, ushers, and the entire church family have a part in creating this environment. The world beats people down and they are longing to find a place where they are loved and accepted.
“By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” John 13:35

• Relevant communication of the message is also a part of creating the right kind of environment. Music that is unfamiliar disconnects those who have not been raised in church. Music, drama, videos, and preaching styles that can be understood by our target audience of the “un-churched” create an environment that is conducive to spiritually unresolved people hearing the truth.
There are common denominators that all churches have that are effectively reaching people for Jesus Christ. They are united in vision and mission and they all know how to create the right kind of environment. Churches that are stuck in their traditions or outdated cultural practices begin to decline and slowly die. In effect, they are saying that the church is for the already convinced and seekers are not welcome unless they are willing to buy into the church’s culture first.
The desire to communication relevantly is not new. A careful study of church history finds people rediscovering the importance of creating the right environment over and over.

Fanny Crosby, writer of the timeless hymn Blessed Assurance, borrowed familiar secular tunes to go with the words of the new songs she was writing. William Booth, the founder of another very influential evangelical denomination, used parodies too. The Salvation Army, an extremely evangelical organization that has done a great deal to help those who have been downtrodden by the world, also used the music of popular tunes for hymns.

In the biography, “William and Catherine Booth: Founders of the Salvation Army,” by Helen K. Hosier, it states the following, “Satan would have to be battled within his own strongholds, and any means was justifiable.” William and Catherine Booth had decided; if it would attract sinners to listen to the message of salvation, they would use familiar secular tunes to reach them.

‘Why should the devil have all the best tunes?’ William replied when chided for appropriating music of popular tunes for his hymns … “The saying that ‘the devil has no right to all the good tunes’ has been attributed to William Booth, Charles Spurgeon, and Charles Wesley. It really does not matter who said it first, the statement stands as profoundly true.”

Once you have accepted the scriptural basis for “doing all things to reach all men”, we as conscientious Christians should have a litmus test to determine what we will and will not use. Willingness to use secular tunes to connect with those who are unfamiliar with our timeless Christian classics does not mean we should indiscriminately use anything.

A Bible based litmus test for what we are willing to use:
• The words and message of a song, drama, or any other art form must not offend the truth principles of God’s word.

• The words and message of a song, drama, or any other art form should be familiar to those unfamiliar with the gospel and help move them to an understanding of the good news.

• The person performing the song, drama, or any other art form should be authentic in the Christian faith and lifestyle. It is the testimony of the person performing in the service that matters.

Choosing songs, dramas, or any other art form to help communicate the gospel message is not a frivolous endeavor. Prayerful though and reflection should go into the planning of everything that happens in a church service. By the time a song has been chosen, a great deal of thought and prayer should have taken place. The person/s called upon to be a part of the service carries then a great responsibility to prepare their heart and be a clean vessel.

There will be occasions when a song, video, drama, or other art form might be connected to a person or practice that is not consistent with Biblical truth. For example, the person who wrote the song or who is known for performing a song is not a Christian. According to scripture there is no basis for rejecting the use of a song because of a person who has performed it.

There is no basis in scripture for rejecting a song, drama, or any other art form because the person who wrote or performed the piece is not an authentic follower of Jesus Christ. The idea of rejecting something because a person who is not a follower of Jesus Christ is in any way connected with the song, drama, or other art form is in practice a kind of “secondary separation.”

Biblical Separation is – Separating oneself from a practice clearly prohibited in scripture. The focus is on ones personal behavior.

Secondary separation is – Separating yourself not only from the practice but rejecting something because a person you don’t agree with uses the song, drama, or art form. The focus is not on personal behavior but on another person’s behavior.

Secondary separation is a slippery slope. It is throwing the baby out with the dirty water. It is impossible to be consistent. There is always someone associated with any practice that is far from God’s ideals. This kind of separation is what the Pharisees of the Bible were known for and must not be practiced by people who have been set free by the grace of Jesus Christ.
Jesus embraced the sinner but rejected the behavior of the sinner. The Pharisees claimed to reject the sin but they also rejected the sinner. This is what secondary separation is. This practice is rooted in legalism and must not be practiced by those who have been set free by Jesus Christ.

Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” 
2 Corinthians 3:17

One thing is certain. Churches or individuals who live in the freedom of Jesus Christ will be treated by modern day Pharisees much as Jesus was. There will always be people who criticize anyone with the courage to break free from legalism and boldly love the sinner. A church committed to relevant communication will not go unnoticed by the critics.

The naysayers, however, will not distract those committed to communicating the truth of scripture in a relevant way. Those who understand God has called them to be partners with Him in presenting truth will forge ahead. They will use every available means to communicate the gospel with relevance. They will have the great joy of seeing lives changed by the power of Jesus Christ.

My wife Kathy and I love to sit down at the end of a busy day and invest one hour of our valuable and precious time watching a mind numbing primetime TV show. The experience more times than not ends up with the two of us verbalizing witty and cutting jabs at the poorly written blabber that is being broadcast into our home. We have concluded we are suffering from an affliction called Primetime TV Stress Disorder.

If I hear Jack Bower scream one more time, “do it now”, I’m going to scream. Just how many times can the bad guys catch his silly daughter? How many times can he save the world in just 24 hours? The show is imbecilic and yet we watch. This is textbook Primetime TV Stress Disorder.

Watching primetime TV characters that have no possibility of even coming close to a real life person is insulting to your intelligence. I have met a few rude doctors in my life but come on; Dr. House would not last one hour in the real world. And yet, my DVR is set to record this manic character weekly for my viewing discomfort. What is wrong with me?

Then there is the most bizarre genre of all programs known as reality TV. These shows are anything but real. When you put people in front of a camera they stop being real. They start acting. We all know this and yet we watch reality TV. Get real.

Could it be that the absence of reality is just the thing we are looking for. By the time we get home and primetime begins, we are fed up with reality. We have had enough reality and are ready for some of that electronic drug we call TV. The mind numbing response we get from our daily fix settles our nerves and helps us unwind from a day filled with reality.

Could it be that that Primetime TV Stress Disorder is actually healthy? I propose that within the boundaries of good taste and reason, a limited amount of this disorder can actually be beneficial.
So go ahead and unwind tonight knowing that Primetime TV Stress Disorder has an upside to it. Lower your blood pressure as you laugh at the absurdity of it all. You don’t have to feel guilty. Tomorrow will give you a fresh pile of reality to deal with. Just hold on, the day is almost finished. Soon you will be back home in front of the screen chilling out in the bliss of Primetime TV Stress Disorder.

The story of his death was not carried on the evening cable or network news broadcasts. He passed away quietly with his faithful family by his side. The fading of his once brilliant mind marked the last decade of his life. And yet, when the Rev. Charles F. Billington left this world thousands of people had been touched by the life he had lived.

When the Akron Beacon Journal called me for a statement on the death of the beloved former pastor of the church I presently serve, I was quoted as follows.

“[Charles Billington] accepted an assignment to follow his father and replace a giant — a person who had visioned the church and founded the church,” said the Rev. Ed Holland, current pastor at Akron Baptist Temple. “In the assignment, it was almost humanly impossible to succeed his father, but he thrived and he excelled under the challenge. He had a long faithful ministry and retired with a perfectly clean slate. He never compromised his faith, his integrity or his moral standards.”

The above statement concerning his integrity cannot be said about many who leave this world. He lived a public life in front of thousands of people and when he died no fault could be found.

I’m not saying no one could second-guess a decision he made. Hindsight does give us a vantage point that allows us to see with greater clarity. What I am saying is this, the Reverend Charles F. Billington never did anything that was driven by motives that were anything but pure.

That is integrity.

Hundreds of people filed by his casket for a public viewing. I talked to the vast majority of people in that line. I heard a common message as I asked people to share with me their Dr. Charles story. It was like listening to a broken record. Everyone shared their story of a gentle man who always put others ahead of his own needs.
As the terrible disease of Alzheimer’s took its savage toll on the once brilliant man, he became completely incapacitated. His kind and genteel spirit however was never darkened. I have to believe that is because, that’s just who he was.

My take away lesson is simple. When you model your life after Jesus Christ, it is possible to live a life of integrity. It is possible to look back and have no regrets. It is possible to leave behind thousands of people who love you and who are different because you lived.

His life should inspire us all to live our life in such a way that the things we have done outlive us. We should hope that the ripples in the waters around us touch people long after we are gone. That is how Rev. Charles F. Billington lived.

When Charles F. Billington breathed his last breath in this world he was released from the prison of his broken mortal body. He was set free. Our continued prayers should be with both of his families. His beloved wife, their children and grandchildren and the church family he loved so much.

“Death is no more than passing from one room into another. But there’s a difference for me, you know. Because in that other room I shall be able to see.” – Helen Keller

In memory of Rev. Charles F. Billington whose mind now sees with vision and clarity once again.

I recently read an editorial in a church denominational magazine. The observations of the writer were focused on an anniversary mile marker of the denomination that employed him. His comments were rather broad but contained in his editorial was the all too familiar shot at what has become known as mega churches in America.

Critiquing mega churches seems to be very much in vogue these days. Because of their size they seem to be an easy target. Now, before I go any further, I must confess that I pastor a mega church. In fact, over the years I have been the lead Pastor of almost every size church imaginable. I have found that contrary to the observations of the Naysayers, it’s not the size of the church that matters the most.

Churches are described in a number of different ways in the Bible. They are referred to as a body, a family, and a fellowship. They have specific offices and structure, but the brilliance of God’s plan allows for a broad spectrum of size and shape. Jesus Christ is supposed to be the head and then there is an identifier that must be present. In order for a church to be a church the people must love each other. Love for one another is the litmus test that divides the real deal from the posers.

I believe part of the motivation for those who vilify larger churches is an attempt to justify “smallness”. Their logic is rather simple. You explain the largeness of a church is due to some form of doctrinal compromise. After all, those evil large churches could only have gotten big because they did not stay true to the Bible. That message sounds pretty good to a room full of small church pastors.

The size however is not the real issue when it comes to church size. There are vibrant, loving and healthy churches that are smaller. They won’t stay small for long because they will attract people like flowers attract bees. A church that has grown large can become cold and impersonal, but they won’t stay large long. They will repel people because hungry sheep scatter to find a place to be fed and loved.

In order to shed some light on the big versus small church issue, the academics at Baylor University did some research. They asked the question; “What is the truth about mega-churches?” The information gathered is most insightful. The myth that larger churches lacked authenticity, commitment, and intimacy has been busted. The Baylor study compared churches over 1,000 with churches fewer than 100. Here is what they found.

• 46% of the members of larger churches attended weekly vs. 39%
• 46% of those who attended larger churches gave a tithe vs. 36%
• 33% at larger churches are reading their Bibles daily vs. 32%
• 52% who attend larger churches are in a Bible study group vs. 43%
• 83% attending larger churches shared their faith in the last month vs. 52%
• 40% of mega church attendees volunteered to serve vs. 31%

These numbers allow us to see that much of the harsh condemnation of larger churches is unwarranted. I’m not suggesting that only large churches are making a difference. I’m only saying that people who attend larger churches are not getting lost in the crowds. They are being challenged to move forward in their spiritual journey and many of them are thriving, as others are in smaller churches.

Being small is not a badge of honor for a church any more than being large is evidence of greatness. It is the heart of the church that matters. After all the church is not the building but the people. It is when people love God and each other they become a great church.

Rather than wasting time bashing a church because of its size, why not recognize the fact that churches come in all sizes and shapes. Different churches meet the needs of different kinds of people. It is not the seating capacity of a church that should define it. It is the capacity of the heart of the people to love God and others.